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The FFML Refugee List
Imagination is the single most important element in defining what it is to
be human. To see beyond tomorrow, or next year, or next century; to image
things that _are_ _not_ and make them not only possible, but commonplace;
to speak or write of a better place so convincingly that people are willing
to give everything of themselves to see it become reality; all of these
things spring from the imagination. Without imagination, humans would be no
better than apes that get colder in the winter.
A wise man once said that magic is only a way to change the world around
you through your own energies. Doesn't that mean magic is really just
imagination, and spells, demons, or even Moon Tiaras are just shadows of
that?
Proceeding further down this path, doesn't this mean that a book with a
well-told story in its pages is nothing less than solid magick? A spell to
help you, the reader, see another world, time, or person's life? One of the
oldest words for book, gramarye, translates directly as "book of spells."
And as any sorcerer or author could tell you, there are dangers in
tampering with a spell...
FUSHIGI YUUGI
TURNING THE WHEEL
PART THREE
I dream...
Surrounded by the sound of red in a whirlwind of godly plumage, my feet
gently touch the gelatinous ground. I wonder what I am doing here in a
hazily concerned way, but those concerns whirl away with the feathers as I
see my mother standing there, looking at me with displeasure barely
covering her concern. Before I can say anything, she speaks.
"What are you doing here?" she demands. Then she adds, almost to herself,
"It is too dangerous for all of us with you here, but now we have no
choice." She levels one finger at me and spits, "Do you even realize what
you've done?!"
I spread my hands and say pleadingly, "All I want to do is go home."
My mother shakes her head slowly, and my heart breaks. "It is far too late
for that." She turns away slowly and I reach for her, only to find my
movements much slower than hers.
"Mom! Mom! Help me, please!"
She casts a glance over her shoulder and says sadly, "It's too late for
that too. It may be too late for all of us, and we are walking our final
days." As she fades like a spectre, a mirage shimmering in desert
moonlight, she states, "We will meet again..."
****
Tamahome hated jails. They were always cold, damp, dirty, and _boring_.
After spending four hours in this one, she didn't see how being
owner-operated by the Emperor himself made this one any different.
And it didn't help that her cellmate, an almost total stranger named Akira
she'd saved not once, but _twice_, snored.
It wasn't that he snored _loudly_, it just had an irritating rasping
quality to it that prevented Tamahome from sleeping herself. Although it
could have been worry that kept her awake, more than anything else. She had
no idea what the Emperor would do to her and Akira.... Actually, Tamahome
had a pretty good idea, but the specific combination of boiling oil,
serpents, and razor-sharp hot pointed objects were, unfortunately, left to
her imagination.
Also, the guards had dumped Akira unceremoniously in the middle of the
cell, so even pacing back and forth was denied to her. With nothing to do
but watch Akira snore peacefully and contemplate her impending doom, she
was muttering angrily to herself. "'Just one last job,' huh? I should've
known, but oh no, I have to get greedy. I am so stupid!"
Suddenly, Akira stopped snoring and said something softly in his sleep.
Tamahome, probably more curious than whatever he'd said deserved, moved
closer.
His lips moved again, but this time Tamahome caught, "Mother..." She
harrumphed.
"Figures he'd be calling for his mommy."
Despite her comment, though, she moved a bit closer and looked down at him.
She had to admit, he was cute in a rather youthful way. That didn't change
the fact that he'd gotten her into this mess in the first place. She
started getting angry again. _How could I have been so stupid?!_
Distracted by her thoughts, she didn't notice Akira's arms rising up, but
she certainly did notice when he grabbed her and pulled her down on top of
him. "Mom!" She felt his face press into her breasts. Then, she heard him
say, "Huh?" or something very close to it.
Slowly, oh so slowly, Tamahome felt her face turn crimson. Then, she broke
Akira's grip, leapt to the wall, and only stopped herself from beating him
into a twitching pulp by remembering that he was the only person who could
help her escape. Or at least serve as a human shield.
At least he looked almost as embarrassed as she did. "Um, er, uh, sorry?"
She noticed that her hands were shaking, she was so angry. Tamahome crossed
her arms across her chest to stop that, and spat out, "No need to sound so
_sorry_!"
Akira looked like he was about to say something else, but he sighed and
just scooted up against the wall opposite hers. That was just fine with
Tamahome.
****
The advisors to the Emperor were used to him arguing with their advice. In
fact, whenever he agreed with any of them, they had to go have a good lie
down for the rest of the day. But this time, they had no intention of
changing their minds.
"You must execute them, Emperor! They have violated not only your palace,
but _your_ _person_. To have anything less than an execution would
embarrass you. We will _not_ allow you to do this!"
Unfortunately for them, the Emperor didn't have any intention of changing
his mind either. He made an offhanded gesture. "We have no intention of
letting them be killed. They will be too useful to us."
The chief advisor nearly screamed, "Then tell us _why_!"
The Emperor tilted his head, then nodded. "It pleases us to do so. I
believe that the boy is the Summoner of Suzaku."
The advisors gasped. The chief advisor asked, "Can this be true?"
The Emperor nodded again. "The red light he shed when threatened proves it.
The text of the Book says that he may appear now. I am certain that the boy
is the Summoner."
The advisors looked at each other, then the chief advisor said, " If he
proves tractable, he could be very useful. We shall not fight you on this
judgement, Emperor." They all bowed deeply, then turned and left. None of
them saw the Emperor smile.
****
Matsura walked quickly through the Tokyo night, thoughts racing through his
mind. Was his friend Akira trapped in the book? How had he gotten there?
And how was he going to get out?
All he was certain of, both he and Akira were in deeper than either of them
could comprehend...
****
Tamahome peeked around the corner, then gestured to Akira behind her. "It's
clear."
Tamahome walked out, and Akira followed. He asked, "Are you sure this is
the way out?"
"Of course!" _I think..._ To change the subject, Tahamahome asked, "What
was that stuff you used to scare the guard?"
"Oh, you mean this?" Akira reached into his pocket and removed a
foil-covered object. "It's called gum."
"'Gum?'" Tamahome yanked open a door and just barely stopped a curse from
passing her lips. _Why do palaces have to be so big?_
"Yeah. It tastes good. Want some?"
Tamahome stopped dead and turned around slowly. Akira, somewhat frightened
by the expression on her face, backed away slightly. "W-what did I say?"
Tamahome stuck out one hand. "Pay up."
"What?"
"Pay up." She added, "I'll take some of this 'gum' as the first payment for
being your goon."
"Uh, okay." Akira handed her the stick of gum and pointed. _I'm thankful
she thinks that gum is rare..._ "I think that's the way out."
"Hmm?" Tamahome turned around.
The doors behind her were inlaid with gold in intricate swirling designs
that made Tamahome feel... comfortable... somehow. They were very familiar,
and yet she knew she'd never seen them before.
Akira pushed past her. "Well, what are you waiting for? Let's go!" He
pushed open the doors before Tamahome could speak one word of caution and
stepped in.
"No, wait! Oh, never mind." Tamahome hurried after him.
The room inside was a shrine dedicated to Suzaku, judging from the nearly
seven-foot tall statue of the fiery bird. Tamahome really didn't have a lot
to do with religion, but she did know what she'd learned as a child.
"What's that?" Akira pointed to the statue. "I think I've seen it
before..."
Tamahome looked at him incredulously. "You don't know what Suzaku is?"
Akira scratched his head and said, "What's a Suzaku?"
Tamahome sighed. "The god of the south is represented by a bird rising from
flames. Each of the four nations has a patron god, Genbu the turtle in the
north, Byakko the tiger in the west, and Seiryu the dragon in the east."
Akira scratched his head again. "What's a Suzaku?"
Tamahome smacked him. "I'm getting to that! Suzaku is the name of the Konan
empire's patron god. In fact..."
A voice sounded from out in the corridor. "I think I heard something."
Tamahome sprinted for the nearest side door, not noticing that Akira had
turned the other way...
****
Akira cursed. "I can't believe she got lost!" He refused to admit that he
was lost himself. The gardens surrounding him were quite beautiful, with a
fragrant collection of flowers that spanned the rainbow and trees that grew
in intricate patterns forced on them by gardeners, but all that he could
live without. "Damn it all, I got into this place, I should be able to find
my way out again!"
"Oh, are you lost?"
Akira, frightened nearly out of his mind, whirled around to see... the most
beautiful women he'd ever seen in his life standing there, an amused
expression on her face. She was wearing robes worked in a lotus-petal
pattern that did little to show her figure, but hinted at what lay beneath
it. "Uh-uh-um..." he stammered, unable to find anything to say.
She tilted her head, and her slight smile widened. "Are you always that
nervous, or only around attractive women?"
"Umm..."
She laughed. "Oh, I like you. I think that I'll show you the way out, in
exchange for a kiss."
"A... kiss?" Akira, despite all his reputation, was actually quite clumsy
around girls. Especially ones that found him attractive. _I wish I could
just be natural around girls, like Matsura can. How does he do it?_
In his distraction, he hadn't noticed the woman's arms circling around his
waist. She was about the same hieght he was, and looked into his eyes
closely. "Haven't you ever kissed a girl before?"
Akira blustered, "Of course I have!" He nervously put his own arms around
her. Just as he was slowly leaning in for the kiss...
"Let me go, you bastards!"
Akira jerked away. "That's Tamahome!"
"Who?" The woman looked a bit angry, but released him without moving too
far away. "A girlfriend of yours?"
Akira chuckled sarcastically. "Yeah, right. But she's saved my life twice,
and I just couldn't leave her alone!" He ran out one of the small open-air
corridors, and the woman stared after him with a smile on her face.
"Perfect. He's simply... perfect."
****
Tamahome had been beaten up by some of the best. Her old master, when she'd
said she was leaving before he considered her ready, the six guys that had
tried to mug her on her first night in the city, and once when she'd been
caught dipping her fingers into the take from one of her old Boss's
operations. These Empire soldiers didn't even rank anywhere near those, but
it was getting irritating how they kept asking the same question over and
over.
"Where's the boy that was with you?"
Tamahome glared from the eye that wasn't swollen shut and snapped, "I told
you that I don't know! What do I have to do, scream it?!"
"Yeah, I think I would like you hear you scream. After all, you're just
going to be executed anyway, maybe offering you a quick, merciful death
might change your mind..."
After hearing that, Tamahome almost gave in. Almost. Knowing that her fate
was already decided was one of the worst things that had ever happened to
her. _My family will never know what happened to me..._
That thought gave her strength. "I will not tell you! I will not die!"
The guardsman in her line of sight shrugged. "Your choice, but I really
think that you're wrong on both counts." He raised his cudgel again, and
Tamahome braced herself for another blow.
"Stop it! I'm right here!"
Tamahome raised her head a bit further, bringing that kid, Akira, into her
view. He stood with arms crossed over his chest, as though there was
something he could do about their situation just by being there. She
croaked out, "No you idiot, run!"
The head guard shouted, "Capture him, men!" They raised their swords and
cudgels and were about to follow the order, when...
"Halt!"
A total stranger dressed in beautiful robes stood between Akira and the
guards, glaring at the head guardsman. "What is the meaning of this?
Release the girl!"
"As you command, Emperor!" The guardsmen went to their knees, touching
their foreheads to the ground, and Tamahome did the same after a quick look
around. _It's easier than standing, anyway..._
Akira looked questioningly at the stranger he'd met in the garden. Looking
slightly queasy, he asked, "A-are you a man?"
One of the guards raised his head and snapped, "How dare you doubt the
Emperor's manhood!"
Akira's eyes rolled back in his head, and he fainted.
****
Tamahome looked down at Akira, whom the guards had taken to a guestroom in
the palace at the direction of the Emperor. The Emperor was standing right
beside her, also looking at the lost boy. The guards, however, he had
dismissed.
Tamahome was the first to speak. "What is your interest in helping us,
Emperor?"
The Emperor chuckled. "I like pretty young men." He politely waited until
Tamahome picked her jaw up from the floor, then added, "Also, I believe he
may be more important than you can comprehend. When he awakens, I shall
explain all."
A weak voice said, "Then please explain everything except _why_ you like
pretty young men." Both the Emperor and Tamahome looked down at Akira, who
was looking back at them. The Emperor coughed into one hand.
"I am afraid that will take a bit long to explain. Do you know of the Four
Gods?"
Akira scratched his head. "Yes, but I'm still wondering what a Suzaku
is..." Tamahome smacked him, looking mortified, but the Emperor only
chuckled.
"It is said that in the Konan Empire's greatest time of need, a young man
will show up to gather the seven Warriors of Suzaku together and summon the
God. Once summoned, the God will grant wishes."
"How many?"
"Three."
_Hmm... what would I do with three wishes..._ Akira leaned back in the
pillow and stared up at the ceiling, lost in thought. _Well, I'd use one
wish to make Matsura less totally hopeless, one wish so that I'd never have
to study again, and one wish to help out with whatever this greatest need
thing is..._ "I'll do it!"
The Emperor nodded. "Then I must tell you that Tamahome is one of your
warriors. And I am another." He pulled down the top of his robe to reveal
another tattoo, this one different from Tamahome's. "I am Hotohori, the
Water Snake. And I swear to follow you, Summoner of Suzaku."
Ten minutes later, Akira stood in the warm sunlight, letting the cheers of
a nation wash over him.
****
Matsura pulled open the door to his family's apartment. He was an only
child, and his parents were often away from home, so he wasn't surprised to
find the front hall empty and dark. On the front table was a plate of
cookies and a note, definite signs that his parents had once again done
something irresponsible.
After taking off his shoes, Matsura picked up the note. _Sorry about not
telling you, dearest son, but your mother won two tickets for a trip to a
small resort on Okinawa today. We took vacation time from our jobs and
we're probably already there by the time you read this note. There's enough
money to get you by for the next two weeks. Don't go totally crazy, but
invite girls over if you get the chance. That's my boy! Father._
Matsura tossed down the note and picked up the cookies. Taking them into
the living room, he crashed out on the couch and cracked open the ancient
book he'd taken from inside his shirt. He began reading once again, the
translation coming easier this time. "Suzaku no Miko stood in the warm
sunlight, letting the cheers of a nation wash over her..."
AUTHOR'S NOTES (deranged rant and omake included, free of charge!)
What needs to be explained? Well, first of all, I cut some stuff that I
thought wasn't necessary in my story.
Next, don't worry about too much yaoi action in my story. I may be tricking
you...
Then again, I might not be. Maybe I'm tricking you the other way. I've been
feeling perverse.
Now, the omake!
Matsura swung the door shut behind him. He'd been surprised to find the
school open and even more shocked to find the attic door unlocked, but he
couldn't think of anyplace more secure to read a magical book.
The attic was dusty and almost impossible to breathe in, but Matsura looked
moved for the far corner. He pulled a gate shut behind him, threw his
backpack down to use as a pillow, and laid down. He opened the book after
running his fingers over the Auryn on the cover. "Atreyu
looked over at Engwook as he spoke. 'The sphinx's eyes stay closed, until
someone who does not feel his own worth tries to pass by...'"
Well, I've been waiting to do that for a while. What does the comic version
call that stuff? Fushigi Akugi?
And now the rant. I wrote this in about four and a half hours on a friend's
computer because I DON'T OWN ONE OF MY OWN! ARRGH! All I want is a computer
that can word-process and maybe play Solitare and Rattler if I wanna risk
crashing it. *sniff* Is that too much to ask?
Rant over. Venting is good. If you notice any errors, just put the blame on
writing this too quickly.
See you next story!
Aaron Bergman
iamfanboy@hotmail.com
"A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and goes to
bed at night and does what he wants in between."
-Bob Dylan