Disclaimer: The characters from Fushigi Yuugi are the property of Yuu Watase and associated enterprises. The characters from Inuyasha are the property of Rumiko Takahashi and associated enterprises. I do not own them and do not make any profit from this fiction except for my own enjoyment in spending time with them.

However, all original characters in this story DO belong to me and may not be used elsewhere without my permission.

Warning: Some spoilers for the end of OVA 2...and MAJOR spoilers for the Inu-Yasha anime.

 

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Lekka Shin’en...or Rekka Shin’en?! by roku kyu

 

This story stars some of the characters from "Casting Stones," the "White Stones in the Moonlight" parody, and is a look at part of the research process for "White Stones." This also provides a possible explanation for the reason that the author is so loony (Hint: It’s genetic!) So if you’ve ever wondered what the correct pronunciation of Tasuki’s tessen spell is, read on!

CAST:

Roku-chan - the character of the Director in "Casting Stones" and the half-Japanese author of "White Stones in the Moonlight" who sometimes obsesses about the accuracy of her writing…and sometimes doesn't. Sadly, she can neither read nor speak Japanese. She is currently in "obsess" mode, specifically about the correct pronunciation of Tasuki’s tessen spell, which she needs to quote in Chapter 7 of "White Stones", so she goes to her personal expert -

Mom - audience member and punisher of Tasuki in "Casting Stones"; a woman born and raised in Japan, who met and married an American serviceman stationed in Japan and subsequently moved to the US. She speaks fairly good English but doesn’t understand all phrases. She is also the acknowledged Ruler of the Roost, even to her adult daughters who now live outside the family home (think "Joy Luck Club"). She is a rabid anime fan, especially of Fushigi Yuugi, Rurouni Kenshin, and Inu-Yasha (she is totally into the Inu-Yasha-Kagome-Kikyou love triangle), but has to depend on her daughters to supply her with tapes and DVDs to support her "habit". She is slightly ashamed of her habit, referring to all the series as "kid stuff" - before demanding more tapes from her daughters! She also has no concept of what fanfiction is, so her middle daughter doesn’t let her know that she is venturing into the field. Plus Mom probably wouldn’t approve... "You itsa stupid kid!"

Mom is also the wielder of "The Slipper" - the major disciplinary instrument of our childhood. Although The Slipper has not been seen at home in recent years (owing to the increased age and increased speed of her daughters), the threat, like that of nuclear missiles, is always there.

Dad - vociferous audience member in "Casting Stones", a cheerful, round happy American addicted to corny jokes and resigned to living under the thumb of women, having once shared his home with four of them (his wife and three daughters - he and Tasuki could spend a lot of time in deep commiseration with each other.) He has succeeded in passing down his ever-present and often tasteless sense of humor to his three daughters, to his wife’s frequent bewilderment.

 

SETTING:

 

The "Kyu" family home, specifically the kitchen, which is naturally the center of all social activity in the house.

 

OPENING SCENE:

 

Roku-chan sits at the kitchen table, nervously clutching her copy of the fourth book in the Viz manga of Fushigi Yuugi, "Bandit". In this book, there is an actual kanji representation of the tessen spell - although it is being uttered by Eiken at the time. Roku-chan is triumphant at getting such an unimpeachable source for the Rekka-Lekka Shin’en pronunciation...and worried about how to get Mom to read it without revealing why she needs the info.

 

Roku-chan: Ummm, Mom, I have the fourth book of Fushigi Yugi ... do you want to see it?

Mom: (looks at the book briefly, then hands it back to Roku-chan) This book itsa old - I already saw this episode.

Roku-chan: Well, actually, the book is new... it’s the English translation of the Japanese manga.

Mom: I don’t care. I already saw this episode. When are you going to get some more Inu-Yasha tapes?

Roku-chan: (seeing the subject slipping away from her) Ummm, as soon as I can, Mom. I have to wait for the fansubs. Hey, Mom, can you tell me what this says? (points at the kanji for "Rekka-Lekka shin’en")

Mom: (looks at Roku-chan strangely, then points at the English translation beneath the kanji characters) It says "Rekka Shin’en."

Roku-chan: Yeah, Mom, I can read that... - -;;; What I want is the actual Japanese pronunciation of the kanji characters. (starts getting excited) So is it "Rekka Shin'en" or "Lekka Shin’en"?!

Mom: RLekka Shin’en.

Roku-chan: I’m sorry, Mom, I couldn’t tell the difference there. Is it Lekka Shin’en or Rekka Shin’en?

Mom: LRekka Shin’en.

Roku-chan: (doggedly) Mom, I need to know. Is the principal consonant sound an "L" or an "R"?!

Mom: (confused but patient) Roku-chan, you know that Japanese have trouble pronouncing "L" and "R". We itsa mix them up. We don’t have letter "L" or "R" in Japanese.

Roku-chan: (getting more insistent) But how would you pronounce this kanji correctly? Is it "Lekka" or "Rekka"?!

Mom: (points to the first kanji character ) RLekka. (helpfully) It means "big explosive fire."

Roku-chan: (attention arrested briefly) Really? (points to last two characters) So this means "divine" or "of the gods"?

Mom: (bored with the subject, so ignores her) ..…

Roku-chan: (not giving up) So as I was saying...is it "Lekka Shin’en" or "Rekka Shin’en"?

Mom: LRekka Shin’en.

Roku-chan: C’mon, Mom. One more time. LEKKA or REKKA?

Mom: (finally fed up) RLEKKAAAA SHIN'EEENNNNNN!!!!

Roku-chan: - -;; (pictures half of house burnt down if Mom was holding the tessen)

Dad: (popping out of the adjoining TV room) Hey, are you guys talking about that Screaming Mimi and Chotto-matte again?! (his names for Miaka and Tamahome) I can’t stand it! All that girl does is scream! Aiiieeee! Aiiieeee! Your mother watches those tapes late at night, and all I hear is Aiiieeee! Aiiieeee! It drives me nuts! Aiiieeee! Aiiieeee! (realizes that he is getting the Glares of Death from his wife and middle daughter, so he pops back into the TV room.)

Roku-chan: (gives up and decides to use "Rekka Shin’en" since that is the version that most American fans are familiar with, anyway...then decides that Mom deserves a little reward for her help) Hey, Mom, sometime this year I’m gonna try to get you a copy of the new Fushigi Yugi OVAs.

Mom: Fushigi Yuuuugi.

Roku-chan: Yeah, Fushigi Yugi. Anyway, there are these new episodes...

Mom: You say it wrong. Itsa Fushigi Yuuuugi.

Roku-chan: All right, Fushigi Yuugi. Anyway, these new OVAs...

Mom: Fushigi Yuuuugi.

Roku-chan: All right! All right! Fushigi Yuuuuuuuugi! Satisfied?!! (realizes that she’s getting tense - not good to do that around Mom, so she calms down while looking around nervously for the appearance of The Slipper) A-NY-WAY, I’m going to try to get you the new episodes of Fushigi Yuugi, maybe fansubs...

Mom: I don’t want ‘em. I already saw all the episodes. I want Inu-Yasha.

Roku-chan: (trying to be patient while picturing Audrey II from "The Little Shop of Horrors": FEED ME!!!) Okay, Mom, I said that I was trying to get the newest episodes of Inu-Yasha! But what I’m talking about now are NEW episodes of Fushigi Yuugi that I know you’ve never seen before - they’re just playing now in Japan...they’re being shown on TV now.

Mom: Oh? What’s the story?

Roku-chan: Well, as far as I can figure from the Internet, it’s three years after the last episode, and Miaka and Tamahome are getting married and she’s pregnant...

Mom: No, that itsa old. They already married. They itsa have three-year-old son.

Roku-chan: ????

Mom: (explaining patiently to dull-witted daughter) He looks at stars with them... but then, it ends up that he itsa look like Tasuki.

Roku-chan: !!!!!! (thinking of the White Stones romance...then finally, light bulb!) Ohhhhh, you’re thinking of the end of OVA 2! Mom, that’s just kind of a happy ending that the writers tacked on. And the Tasuki kid... that’s just a joke.

Mom: (in her primmest voice) I cer-train-ry hope so.

Roku-chan: (now more determined than ever that Mom never finds out about "White Stones") Anyway, I’m going to try to get the new Fushigi Yuugi OVAs this year...

Mom: I want Inu-Yasha.

Roku-chan: (gives up on the new FY OVAs) All right! I’m working on it! I’m working on it! (calms down) So how did you like Episode 48? (in which Inu-Yasha decides to protect Kikyo...and end his relationship with Kagome) Sad, wasn’t it? But Gooood!

Mom: (disapproving) It was very sad...but Kagome shouldn’t go back to Inu-Yasha! No!

Roku-chan: Mom, she had to go back. The series is from her point-of-view, and if she didn’t go back, no more series.

Mom: (moral outrage) No, she shouldn’t go back. He itsa two-timer!

Roku-chan: Mom, it’s necessary for dramatic tension for there to be a love triangle, otherwise the series would lack...(getting blank look from Mom, decides to try different approach) Mom, I think that Inu-Yasha really loves Kagome. He’s just got this sense of responsibility about Kikyou. You know...sense of responsibility??!! How many times did you drum that into our heads when we were little?!!

Mom: (blank look).….

Dad: (pops out of the TV room again) Saaaave meee, Chotto-matte! Aiiieeee!! Aiiieeee!! (retreats again under female glares)

Roku-chan: Well, I gotta get going home. Oh, by the way, Mom...would you pronounce Tasuki’s bandit home as Mount Reikaku or Mount Leikaku?

Mom: Mount RLeikaku.

Roku-chan: (sighs) Never mind. See you later, Mom. Love ya. (kisses Mom’s cheek, then pokes her head into the TV room) See you later, Dad. Love ya.

Dad: Aiieeeeee!! Chotto-matte! Screaming Mimi! Aiiieeeeee!!!

Roku-chan: (cracks up, then leaves) Ain't no doubt about it…fruit don't fall far from the tree! And my friends wonder why I’m so weird....

 

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Author's notes: Chotto-matte - literally means "Wait a minute" - one of the few Japanese phrases my dad knows

So, as to the correct pronunciation of Lekka-Rekka Shin'en - as you can probably tell, it is a combination of both L and R sounds. I also checked this out with a Japanese woman in my aikido class, and she confirmed that in Japanese, there is no differentiation between L and R sounds. So both spellings and both pronunciations of Lekka-Rekka Shin'en are correct!

Also, no fanfic authors were injured during research for this story…although Roku-chan did come perilously close to provoking Mom into using The Slipper - Aaaiiiieeeee! Betcha didn't know that the author of "White Stones in the Moonlight" literally risks her behind for background research for her story!