Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ The Universe of the Four Gods ❯ Silly little girl ( Chapter 18 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Yui stands in the Emperor of Kouto’s throne room, watching indifferently as Zoku kneels before the Emperor. Her head is bowed so her long mousy brown hair cascades over her shoulders and curls against the ground. Yui had found her a wonderful soft blue gown that ripples and cascades down her body. The sleeves are long and gaping, reaching down nearly to the thighs. The outline and hem of the dress is a striking sapphire blue. To finish it off, two tear drop earrings, the ones she wore upon arrival, glisten gently in her ears.

Nakago, as always, stands at Yui’s back. “She really does look like you,” the general comments beneath his breath. Yui glances sidelong at her Suzaku warrior.

“Nakago,” she says, a warning in her voice. The general, closing his eyes, smiles in apology.

The emperor looks Zoku over carefully, one hand drumming against the arm rest of his mighty throne. “Nakago,” the emperor calls. Nakago steps forward. “You say this girl is loyal to Kouto? That she is the Lady Yui’s sister?” His tone is gruff and bored. The general bows his head.

“Yes, I do,” Nakago says in a firm tone. The emperor’s brow twitches.

“And you are certain she is no longer with the Suzaku warriors? That she is not a spy for them?” he asks in accusation. The general glances down at Zoku. Her eyes are closed.

“Ask her for yourself.” The emperor glances down at Zoku. Slowly, she glances up to meet his inquiring gaze. With that same slow motion, as though she were wading through molasses, Zoku rises to her feet.

“Well? What do you have to say for yourself?” The emperor leans forward slightly. “How can you prove to me that you are not a spy for the Suzaku warriors?” Zoku’s slender hands clench into fists.

“I would rather die then join those murderers,” she snaps, anger igniting and flaring in her deep ocean eyes. Recently her eyes had seemed somehow distant to Nakago, as though the girl’s true self had been buried over by the sorrow of the loss of her family. After a moment of thought, the emperor grins broadly.

“My my, what a treat she is! Well done, Nakago,” the emperor booms with a grin towards the blonde general. Eyes closed, Nakago bows his head in respect. “Now! Tell me of this plan of yours!” He gestures the three of them forward. Yui, garbed in a simple white linen robe, steps forward to stand next to Zoku. Nakago takes a step forward as well, standing on Zoku’s other side.

“My sister has already set the plan into motion,” Yui informs the emperor with a swift gesture towards Zoku. The girl doesn’t react, with the exception of a slight flutter of her eyelashes. “The Suzaku warriors, believing that the palace will be totally empty tomorrow morning at sunrise, will come to the palace courtyard and wait there for Zoku. Our warriors will take them prisoner. Zoku, using her spiritual powers, will turn them against each other, and in turn let them destroy one another.” The emperor lets lose a booming laugh, enjoying the thought of the group’s betrayal.

“Wonderful, absolutely wonderful!” Clapping his hands together, the emperor sits forward slightly, gaze inquiring. “And what of the Priestess of Suzaku?” Yui’s eyes narrow.

“Leave her to me,” the priestess replies in a soft, deadly tone. Zoku glances sidelong at her sister, eyes growing slightly wide. There seemed to be some sort of connection between Yui and Miaka. Once more Zoku’s eyes return to their dull state. Nakago watches the two girls before him with interest.

“Very well,” the emperor says with a dismissive flick of his wrist. “You are dismissed. The necessary preparations for our visitors will be made.” Without a nod or a bow, Yui merely turns to the door. Before she leaves, she addresses Zoku.

“Sister, come, let’s take a walk around the palace garden,” Yui says in a soft voice. An underlying meaning floats towards Zoku. Nodding her head respectfully to the emperor, Zoku turns to Yui with her hands folded at her waist.

“Of course, my sister,” Zoku replies in a monotone voice. Turning, Yui strides from the room with Zoku. Nakago makes a move to follow, but Yui gestures him back with a quick flick of her wrist. Obediently, Nakago stays where he is, watching as Yui and Zoku leave the room.

As the two of them walk down the hall towards the garden outside, Zoku’s mind wanders. Mainly, she prepares herself mentally for the following morning. Tasuke’s face, dimly lit in the glow of the moon, comes unbidden to her minds eye.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you that day. This is all happening because of me.” Those soft words return to Zoku’s mind. It’s as if he’s standing right next to her, uttering those words once more. Her features grow dim, as her lips part lightly. Up ahead, Yui steps into the moonlight, stepping gently from the hall onto the grass. Shaking her head with a start, Zoku hurries forward to keep up with her sister, following her towards the garden.

Still, her mind wanders back to Tasuke as they wander through the maze of brambles that occupy the gardens space. Zoku folds her hands at her waist, nibbling on her lower lip. ‘Lies, all lies. How could you think the person who killed your family could be your friend? He was tricking you, just using you to get what he wants.’ The thought of being used infuriates her. She realizes then that Yui had addressed her, for the priestess was standing expectantly before her.

“Hmm? Oh, I’m sorry dear sister. What did you say?” Zoku asks sheepishly. A smile ghosts across Yui’s features.

“I said, are you ready for tomorrow?” Her eyes are encouraging. Without delay, Zoku nods her head.

“Of course.” A reckless grin crosses her features. “I can’t wait to make those Suzaku warriors feel the pain they’ve caused me,” Zoku drawls around her grin. Slowly, Yui nods, her features sullen.

“I understand your feelings, baby sister,” the priestess says in an anguished tone. Acutely aware of the feelings of remorse and sorrow swirling around Yui, Zoku steps forward, wrapping her arms instinctively around Yui.

“Sister, what happened? What did they do to you?” As she steps backwards, Zoku looks up at her sister’s face. She can barely distinguish Yui’s furrowed brow, her delicate nose, and the sharp curve of her lips. The priestess grasps Zoku’s hand in her own with a toothy smile.

“Come, walk with me,” Yui says. Zoku nods, trailing after her sister. The moonlight turns their path into a radiant stairway, carved from the very heavens themselves. As they walk, Yui thinking of how to explain her past and Zoku thinking of tomorrow’s attack, a form flutters from branch to branch above their heads.

“Zoku,” Yui says finally, releasing the girl’s hand. Glancing up from the ground, Zoku nods her head with a submissive sound. “Have you met Miaka?” A wave of nausea washes over Zoku as she remembers the night of her abduction. Nuriko, Miaka and herself had been having a slumber party. They had given her the earrings, and the pendent. Reaching to her chest, Zoku tries to grasp the pendent. Her fingers close around open air. Her eyes pinch in sadness.

“Yes, I have,” Zoku replies, voice faint. Yui turns to face Zoku, peering into her eyes.

“She was once my best friend. We grew up together. But then she left for a long time, left me alone. During that time…” Yui stops to swallow, before continuing in a shaky voice. “…something terrible happened to me. It was her fault. She abandoned me,” Yui explains in a barely controlled voice. Anguish spills forth from the woman like a swiftly moving wave. It drowns Zoku with its intensity. Then, another emotion breaks through the onslaught of Yui’s feelings. A weird, apprehensive feeling. It causes Zoku to shudder, a tingle sliding down her spine and ending at her toes.

“Oh Yui…” Zoku says softly, placing a hand on Yui’s arm. The priestess turns away from Zoku, shoulders quivering. Zoku watches helplessly, arm falling to her side. She honestly didn’t know how to react. What was she supposed to do? She didn’t know what happened to her sister, so she couldn’t comfort her. She couldn’t assure Yui that whatever happened wasn’t her fault, that life continues on and she simply had to accept the past.

Then again, that would make Zoku a hypocrite. Despite the fact that she’s accepted the death of her parents, she lingers on the past. She feels somehow responsible for what happened to them. Zoku feels that if she’d just been there, she could’ve somehow saved them.

But now was not the time to be thinking about herself. Zoku turns back to her sister. Just then, a swift movement catches her eye. Instinctively, she steps forward so she’s standing in front of Yui, gaze darting around. The shape’s movements closely resembled that of an arrow.

“What is it?” Yui asks slowly. Zoku gestures for her to be quiet. She reaches for the small dagger at her waist. Nakago had given it to her as a present shortly after they returned. The arrow like creature shoots out of a tree to their right, streaking towards the pair of them. Turning swiftly, Zoku swings the dagger in a wide arc, catching the creature in the side.

A loud screech fills the air, as the hawk plummets to the ground in a cloud of feathers. Lashes fluttering, Zoku’s back stiffens as she glances down at the still form of the hawk at her feet. It lifts it’s majestic head towards her, keen yellow eyes watching her rebelliously. His talons lash out as though he still means to defend himself. In a futile effort to stumble to his feet, the hawk flaps his wings.

Yui steps forward to see what it was Zoku is staring at. Catching sight of the hawk, Yui arches a brow before glancing at Zoku from the corner of her eye. To Yui’s utter disbelief, tears glisten in Zoku’s distant eyes.

“Oh…” Zoku breathes, letting the dagger fall from her palm. It clatters to the ground. The hawk’s movements, growing weak, finally cease. He merely lays there on his back, watching Yui and Zoku warily. Kneeling down, Zoku crawls towards the hawk, a single tear sliding down her cheek.

“I’m no better then them…No better than the Suzaku warriors…” Zoku whispers urgently, outstretching a shaking hand towards the hawk in an act of seeking forgiveness. Trilling his defiance, the hawk lashes out with a talon. The end of his hooked nail cuts across the top of Zoku’s hand, but she doesn’t react as Yui expects her to. Instead of recoiling her hand in fright, Zoku merely smiles. She doesn’t even seem to notice the wound.

“Shh. Hush, my little dear. Oh, I’m so sorry…” the girl whispers, reaching a hand closer. The hawk, yellow eyes flashing, nips at the girl’s finger. Zoku doesn’t even flinch. “I know you don’t wanna hurt me. You’re just frightened and scared. Shh, I won’t hurt you,” Zoku says. The hawk trills loudly as if scolding Zoku. The girl places a finger tip to the hawk’s beak to keep it from biting her. Instantly, it slides shut. The hawk eyes her curiously.

“Zoku,” Yui says, stepping towards her sister. The sight of her compassion scares Yui. Could she really be that much of a wimp? What happened to her independence, her strict words, her belligerent nature? Zoku glances at Yui over her shoulder, arching a brow. The hawk flutters its wings, instantly capturing Zoku’s attention once more. “Don’t bother yourself with that silly bird. I’ll have the servants come throw it out later,” the priestess says in a bored voice, gesturing to the gash in the bird’s wing. A large wound spreads from the tip of the wing, towards the middle, towards the bottom. Most of the feathers had been ripped off by Zoku’s powerful stroke.

Shoulders tensing, Zoku closes her eyes, hand clenching into a fist. The finger resting on the bird gently strokes its beak. The hawk, resting its wings on the ground, widens its beak each times Zoku’s finger slides down its beak. It was a type of game. Angrily, Zoku glances over her shoulder at Yui.

“How could you say that?” Zoku growls in disbelief. The priestess steps back in alarm, as Zoku returns her attentions to the hawk. “Pedru,” the girl says with a smile. The hawk coos gently. “Your name is Pedro, my darling.” Again the hawk trills, weakly ruffling it’s wings. Features darkening, Zoku rips a strip of cloth from her own dress and tries to tie it around the hawk’s wing.

Instantly the hawk rebels, lashing out with it’s talons. It’s nails catch in Zoku’s skin and, sensing his victory, Pedru sinks his beak into the tender flesh of Zoku’s palm. Yui gasps in surprise as a trail of blood trickles down her wrist. Zoku, however, keeps her hand patiently still. Her ocean blue eyes gaze gently into those of the rebellious hawk.

After a moment, right before Yui’s eyes, the hawk releases Zoku’s palm, tucking its wings weakly against it’s fluffy body, and actually licks the wounds he caused. Features soft, Zoku wraps the cloth around the hawk’s wing, ignoring her own rapidly bleeding hand. Pedru watches her closely as Zoku securely ties the wing. Then, taking the shawl from around her shoulders to use as a brace, Zoku wraps the shawl securely around the hawk, making sure his wings are firmly pressed to his sides.

Once the hawk is bound, Zoku picks up the sturdy beast, gently tucking him in the crook of her arm. Smiling down at the chattering creature, Zoku turns to Yui with the hawk in her arms.

“Sorry for the distraction, dear sister,” Zoku says to her sister, watching Yui with a bland expression. Yui peers curiously into Zoku’s features. For the oddest reasons, she feels as though she’s done something wrong. “I’m going now…I’ll see you in the morning.” With that, Zoku turns and strides back towards the palace.

Nodding her head, Yui turns back to continue her trek through the maze. Stepping forward, Yui stumbles to a halt as something glinting on the ground catches her eye. Squinting down at the object, Yui kneels down, taking the dagger’s hilt into her palm. It was Zoku’s dagger. The hawks’ blood stains it’s metal. Staring thoughtfully at the dagger, Yui rises once more to her feet, clutching firmly to the handle of the weapon.

Taking in a deep breath, Yui walks languidly through the maze, wind wandering to many things.