WO AI NI: Part 1

A GIFT

Disclaimer: Hear me and hear me well, Fushigi Yuugi is not mine! It belongs to Yuu Watase and all the wonderful characters also belong to her and Flower Comics etc. so please I'm begging do not sue me! Wanna just borrow the characters for a little while.

  He made his way to the fence. He heard other children laughing.  No one laughed with him. Actually, everyone laughed at him. THAT. Because of THAT.  He felt left out and unwanted.
   His thoughts were interrupted by a tugging at his arm. He turned around. A younger girl. His sister. He smiled. "Ne Gyokuran. Doushita?"
   "Niichan play!" She begged. He knelt down beside her, and placed his hand on her shoulder. She was way smaller than him, big eyes, same brown hair his mother had. She was dressed as poorly as he was. Before he could answer, his mother called out to him.
   "Kishuku. Please help your father. I need you to go out into town and sell the latest crops we've made. This way, your father can take care of the garden." Kishuku stood up, patting Gyokuran on the head. "Sorry little one, " He whispered sadly as he rose, "not now. Not today." She watched with disappointed eyes.
   Picking up the latest crops and putting them in a sack which was slung over his shoulder, he gave Gyokuran an encouraging smile and left. In his heart, he wanted to give his siblings a happy life, one with no struggles, one unlike his own. His mother was pregnant with yet another. He couldn't wait to see it. But his mother looked a little worn out, tired. Pushing these negative thoughts out of his head, he tried his best to sell off what they grew.
   His hand froze in mid-air as he saw them near. Kishuku wanted to run and hide, but this was not the time to do that. Nor the place. All the same, he dreaded their appearance. They could still embarrass him. As they stopped by his booth, he knew instictively they would.

                                                     * * *
  Inside was dark. Maybe they were all sleeping. dirty clothes hung from the ceiling in their cramped house. To the left was their small room in which they slept. A small table stood in the middle of the room and to the far right there was a very small room which they used as the washroom.
  Being careful just in case anyone really was asleep, Kishuku made his way to the table and put down his earnings for the day. He had gotten more than was supposed to because he had long ago learned the secrets of the trading market. His father would be pleased. That was enough comfort for him to soothe the emotional pain he was now feeling.
  A sound came from the doorway. Kishuku turned around to a smaller version of himself. His younger brother who was 3 grinned a big grin at him and jumped into his arms, causing Kishuku to nearly fall over. He set the younger him down on the floor. Same blue hair they had inherited from their father, same clothes, same eyes...his pride of life were his siblings.
  "Onnichan! I'm so happy to see you!"
  "Ano Chuei...our parents might be asleep." Kishuku warned. Chuei looked around and nodded. He tugged on his brother's arm. "Play with me outside." He begged. Tired as he was, Kishuku allowed himself to be led by the arm to the small yard out front. Hearing the words "Onnichan" Gyokuran was outside in an instant. "Onnichan!" She cried, outstretching her little arms to him. He caught her up with a laugh.
  "Niichan, guess what?" She cried happily. "Mommy gots a new baby!" Kishuku frowned. She had to be lying. "Come see!" she said, and the next thing he knew he was being led back into the house by the 2 year old. Squinting into the darkness, he saw his mother's faint outline on the bed and his father's sitting next to it. He heard a soft crying. He realized it came from a baby that was curled up in his mother's arms. He also realized that he was holding his breath. Letting it out, he knelt down beside  her.
   She looked pale and tired as usual, but despite that, she seemed happy. Her brown hair fell all about her face and stuck to her forehead by her sweat. "Mother, are you okay?" He found himself asking. He felt her hand come behind his neck and she pulled him down and gave him a kiss on his forehead.
  "My son..." She said gently, "They teased you again didn't they?" He knew he shouldn't have been surprised. She always knew. He nodded, feeling the tears come. She stroked his hair. "You're important Kishuku, no matter what they tell you. Remember that." She looked down at the newborn in her arms. "Meet your little brother Kishuku..." The little one's eyes looked up at him earnestly. A grin popped up on his face as Kishuku slipped a finger into it's tiny hand.
   "His name...?" he asked.
  "Shunkei." Was the answer.
  
                                                     * * *

  "Obake-chan!" They shouted. (Monster chan)
  "I'm not a monster!" He shouted back, feeling the tears flow. They came up to him and punched him again and again...just because of a symbol that appeared on his forehead. Heck, he didn't even know what it meant. He wanted it just to go away. But instead, it just grew brighter. He was angry, and he felt a strange power well up inside him . Just the same, he had no idea how to use it. Also, he felt too intimidated to fight back. He felt another punch come  and it took his breath away.
  "Tamahome." Came an older sounding voice. It sounded very disapproving. He looked up to see a man with white hair and a beard staring down at him. Almost as if on cue, Kishuku's attackers fled. Doubled over, Kishuku knelt on the floor hugging  his gut, tears flowing freely down his face. He was terrified of this elder man. He was probably there to hurt him too...
  He pulled away when he saw the man raise his hand. It turned out that he held it out to help him up. Shaking, Kishuku got to his feet, spitting out blood and murmured a nervous thank you. The disappointed look on the man's face didn't go away.
  "What's your name?" He demanded in a harsh voice.
  He hesitated. His mother had told him not to talk to strangers. But all of a sudden, he saw a faint white glow on his forehead. Just like his only a different character and red. Seeing it made him more at ease. "Sou...Sou Kishuku." He said in a daze, "but everyone just calls me Kishuku."
  The man nodded. "I see."   There  was a silence. Then the man's face grew gentler. "Why don't you fight back?"
  Kishuku blushed. "I - I don't know how..." He said sheepishly in a small voice. The man nodded again. Kishuku felt like he was staring holes into him. Uncomfortably, Kishuku looked up into the other's eyes. A hazel like color. His face had a scar on one cheek. He had a built figure for someone who was old. Although he looked fierce, his eyes were nice.
  "Then you're going to have to learn." Came the rough answer. Kishuku was aghast.
  "Me? Learn how...to fight? I can't!" Now he was terrified.
  "You are Tamahome. The Ogre. Sworn protector to the Suzaku No Miko. You must learn."
  Suzaku no Miko? Who was that? "I'm not Tamahome! I'm Sou Kishuku! I already told you that!" He cried. The man nodded again  and poked his forefinger at Kishuku's forehead. "I know that, but this symbol means a whole lot more. You are a very important person." Those were the same words that were always said to him by his mother.
  "I will be the one to train you." He said, taking Kishuku by the arm. "A..Ano! Matte! I don't even know who you are!" He protested.
  "Biakko Shichiseishi, Tokaki." The symbol on his forehead glowed  almost as if for proof. "But you will call me Master."

                                             * * *

  "I can't do this anymore Master!" Kishuku cried. His body hurt. But his mind hurt more. "Concentrate!" His Master yelled. It had been a year since the time where he first met Tokaki. Ever since that time, day after day, he was pulled out to train in both the martial arts and in academics. Right now he was in a lesson of academics.
  Tokaki had insisted on calling him 'Tamahome' and now, even his father and mother did so. Bending over his books again, Tamahome tried the question again. "x equals 4...times 3 times y...plus 657....to the power of eight equals 7856...." he said slowly, writing down the number yet again.
  "Solve for the y Tamahome..." Tokaki said gently. He knew he would never get through this. 'This isn't work for an 11 year old...' he thoght miserably, 'it's work for a 30 year old man!' Nonetheless, he knew how upset his Master would be if he gave up. Dropping the pen at last, he looked up with hopeful eyes. Tokaki leaned down with a look of scrutiny on his face. Finally satisfied with Tamahome's progress, he gave him yet another hard question. By the end of the lesson, Tamahome was reciting math problems in his head.
  "Master, is today's lesson over?" He asked a bit strained. Tokaki laughed and ruffled his hair. "Yes my boy...it's over.  Now let's get us something to eat." He led them to a small restaurant. Tamahome watched as he ordered more than the two of them could possibly eat and watched him pay for it. His eyes went wide at the amount  of money he had. 'He must be rich,' He thought wistfully. After eating to his fill and after his master had eaten to his fill, he dared himself to ask a question. In all the time Tokaki had been training him, Tamahome had never gotten to know him at all. Except for the fact that his wife's name  was Subaru, he was interested in girls and that he used to be a Seishi of Biakko.
   "Ano...sumimasen...but...I would like to know something...if you are a Seishi to Biakko...what are you doing in Konan?' A bit taken aback by the question, Tokaki leaned forward across the table. "Well now, I travel. I hate keeping still."
  "Is...is your Miko...still with you?" He asked uncertainly. Tokaki's eyes seemed to cloud over. For a minute, Tamahome was scared he would start to yell at him.  "No. She went somewhere." He answered. Then breaking out of his thoughts, Tokaki gathered the rest of the food and ordered more. Tamahome'es eyes went up. Hadn't they just finished?
  Seeing the incredulous look that Tamahome was giving him, Tokaki laughed. "It's not for me. It's for you. And your family. Tell your mother I said hello by the way." His siblings would be thrilled! Tamahome eyed his master for a long time and realized that no matter how hard he tried, there was no way he would ever understand him. He was too...strange.
                                    
                                                       * * *

    "Mother! Mother! What's wrong?" Came the shrill cry from Chuei's lips. Tamahome had just walked in, with a bag of money slung  over his shoulder. Little Shunkei was at his mother's side too. He shook her arm. "Mama! Mama!" He cried.
   Tamahome felt himself grow cold. Gently pushing the younger ones aside, he helped his mother up who seemed to have fallen, and helped her onto the bed. Turning around, he spotted Gyokuran by the door who had as well come through the door with a pile of dry sticks for the fire. "Gyokuran, " He ordered, "Go get Dad!" His voice sounded urgent and very worried. Dropping the sticks on the floor, she turned and ran, calling for their father to come quick.
   Turning his attention back to his mother, who was gasping for air, he ordered Chuei to go get her some cold water and a wet cloth for her head. He also ordered Shunkei to put his money bag on the table for him.
   "Mother...are you okay? What happened?" He asked after giving her the cold water to drink. He placed the damp cloth on her forehead. Her face was pale and she was shaking. "The baby..." She said faintly. Baby? Now? She was going to give birth?
  Shunkei started crying. Chuei quickly hushed the three year old with consoling words. His father walked in.
  "What happened?" He demanded, kneeling next to his wife and taking her hand. "Yokira, how are you feeling?" He asked.
  "Her baby's coming." Tamahome said slowly. His father paled. He patted her hand.
  "Everything is going to be fine Yokira. Just hold on." He stood, fists clenched at his sides. "Tamahome, take your brother and sister outside please.Chuei, I want you to send for the doctor right now." They went to do as he willed.
  "Onnichan...is everything going to be okay?" Gyokuran asked in a small voice. He hugged her close and told them that it would be. Although he knew that his mother was ill and was in the process of getting better. He decided not to tell them this. He played with them outside telling them stories and listening to them talk a mile a minute. They didn't even know when Chuei came with the doctor. He soon joined them as well.
  They all stopped whatever they were doing when they heard cries of pain from the house. Their mother's cries of pain. Chuei got up and was about to run inside when Tamahome reached out and gently pulled him back shaking his head no. Chuei struggled at first. "They're hurting her!" He cried. But at the firm hold Tamahome was giving him, he resigned. He hugged them all close and told them that it would be over soon.
   Hours later, the doctor came out, smiling a sad smile at them all. Seeing  him, Tamahome took Gyokuran and Shunkei by the hand and Chuei ran ahead. There was no sound at all when they entered the house. Tamahome wondered if the baby had come at all. Then as if to answer his unspoken question, there was a shrill wail. Then all went quiet. They made  their way to the small room.
   Their father was stroking Yokira's hand and whispering to her things. Tamahome knocked on the door before entering. The room was dimly lit with a candle. In his mother's arms lay the most ugliest looking child Tamahome had ever laid eyes on. It didn't even look to be alive. It was so small and so...so...shriveled. It was quietly drinking milk from its mother.
   The mother on the other hand didn't look okay at all. She was the palest he had ever seen her. Her chest rose and fell with what seemed like very labored breaths. Her eyes seemed blank and she never smiled. Her arm was limply holding onto the small baby.
   Tamahome cautiously took a step forward and kelt by her bed. "Mother...are you okay?" He whispered. A feeling of dread enveloped him and he couldn't speak past the lump in his throat.The look in his father's eyes told him everything. She wasn't going to make it.
   She turned her head ever so slightly to him and he saw her break a watery smile. She knew too. Her eyes filled with tears. "My son..." She said in a whisper.Her voice cracked. He felt her hand go through his hair like it used to. He felt his eyes fill with tears too. He took her hand in his.
   "Mother?" Gyokuran asked. The rest of her children gathered around her. She gave them all a kiss in turn and then told them that she loved them all. She took Shunkei's face in her hand and looked into his eyes. "Shunkei...I want you to be a brave boy for Mama. Be sure you don't be a bad one okay?" He nodded, not sure  what all this meant. She turned to Gyokuran. "And you must be able to do everything mom has done. Our familly will look to you now. You're the woman of the house." Gyokuran wasn't stupid. She understood what was happening - she was 5. She started to cry.
   "And Chuei. Help your onnichan...you look just like him. I want you to help out with the family and make sure you do what he tells you to. He won't tell you to do something bad." Her voice was strained. He flung his arms around her and yelled for her not to go. But he knew as well as she did, that her time was nearly up. All the same in her weakness she hugged him back just as strongly. Mother could always hug strong when it came to their kids no matter what was wrong.
    Tamahome waited, feeling as if this was all a dream. He felt her give him a kiss on the forehead like she always did before. "You are a very important person." She whispered in his ear.  He had no idea he was crying. "I'm sorry Kishuku...I can't stay for your birthday next week." She went on. "But I do have something for your gift. I want you to take care of it with your life. It will have no one else. Please, as my last instruction to you, take care of her. I want to see her all grown up next time we meet."
   Kishuku...he hadn't heard that name said to him in a long time. Two years ago, Tokaki had made him forget.He choked back a sob and realized his mother was holing out the  small shriveled up baby to him. It was sleeping. "Take care of her." She told him in less than a whisper. He could only nod and take it from her. He wrapped a blanket around the tiny thing and was surprised as it cuddled up to him.
   "What will you name her?" His father asked. Huh? Didn't it already have a name? But he figured that his father wouldn't have asked if it did. Hands shaking, he answered in a low voice: "Yuiren..."
  His mother smiled. "I love you Kishuku. Thank you." Her hand dropped from his, and her eyes closed. It took a while for Tamahome to realize that his mother had died. Pain and greif welled up inside him. He couldn't hold back the sobs anymore. Much as he wanted to be strong for his siblings, he couldn't stop the tearing feeling inside.
   In his arms lay the newborn. What was he supposed to do with a child? A child who had killed his mother? But his anger at it never lasted for a minute. It was too... innocent. And it was his gift. A gift from his mother. The last gift from his mother. He wouldn't fail her. He would make sure it had a good life. It opened its eyes and looked at him. He felt his heart beat faster with happiness.
   All of a sudden, he felt as though his gift was too much of a burden for him. What if she went hungry? Then what? Or what if she started crying but he didn't know why? Or what if she fell ill? He could no longer ask.
     His mother was dead.
   He lifted his head...tears still evident but he was no longer crying. His father was trying to comfort all the children. Tamahome didn't need to burden him too. He stepped up and took Gyokuran's hand. "Come. Let's bury her....she doesn't want us to cry." He wiped their tears away as well as his own. He led them all outside where they sorrowfully buried her. He had to be strong. He wouldn't cry anymore. But inside he couldn't breathe. Shutting away his feelings, he hugged Yuiren closer.
   Life would be different now. Much harder that was for sure. And much more lonelier. As though the rest of the children figured this out, they pushed closer to him. Tamahome made up his mind then and there that no matter what, he wouldn't let them feel hurt in any way ever again.

Go to chapter2
E-mail me
Back to main
Back to fanfic page
For the fun of it, age differences thus far