#YOU HAD ONE JOB OURYUU

[buri-art]

First of all, I would like to blame Kusanagi-sensei for the extra dose of dragon crack she gave us this week.  Second, I blame @taotrooper​, particularly for the “Ventrilokija” pun, but for more than that. Believe it or not, this all started because of Jaeha in the rose vines.  Most of all, I blame myself.  Read on if you dare (and if you like Muppets, that will probably help). 

____    A successful day at the market led to a smattering of goods in return for medicinal herbs, among them was a bolt of thick black fabric. Yoon held it up to the light; it had a pretty blue sheen but wasn't sturdy enough for patching clothes, nor was it big enough to make anything wearable. Still, it piqued Yoon's creativity, and after setting aside tomorrow's breakfast, folding the dry laundry, tallying expenses, and prepping the tent for bed, he worked at it with a needle and thread.    He trusted his good sense and finished the arms in the dark, but in the morning, he was disappointed to see that they had turned too long and wonky, and if he put his hand inside to maneuver them, they sagged lifelessly The project was less fun now, but since he had already gotten so far, Yoon was determined to finish it with a smooth, broad mouth.   Kija found him hard at work with the mysterious object. "Yoon, what is that?"

  "It's a puppet," replied Yoon, "Or at least it was supposed to be."

  "A... What?"    "You really were sheltered, weren't you? It's a toy performers use to make a little character."     Yoon slipped it on to demonstrate, and as the object flapped what was now clearly a mouth and appendages, Kija reeled back on his heels and yelped, "It lives!"    "No, it doesn't," he rolled his eyes. "Performers who practice enough can even give them voices. They'd make the movements a lot smoother than this too."    Kija drew closer, still fascinated. "Where are its eyes?"    "I still have to make them. They should be expressive, but I'm not sure how they should look."    "Make them like Shin-ah's eyes! They're very expressive."    Yoon took this advice, but, having never done this before he wasn't very good at it the first time. The results were wide, buggy peepers on either side of the puppet's noggin with slitted pupils, and Yoon found them so unnerving that he thought it prudent to add art to the short list of things he could not do. Kija remained fascinated, and since he liked it so much, Yoon gave it to him.    "Zeno! Look at this puppet Yoon made!"    "Oh, that's a cute try. Let's give him a go," the yellow dragon smiled widely and slipped it on. Without moving his face, he made the puppet dance and sing, "Hello! I'm a puppet!"   Kija flushed and squealed. "That's amazing!"    "Zeno's fingers don't fit the arms. Here, Hakuryuu may be better at it, you try."    So he did. By evening, Kija had gotten the hang of animating the puppet in time with the words he gave it, and he was eager to show everyone around the campfire.    "Everyone, look! See what Yoon made!"    "Oh? What might that be?" Jaeha sauntered over, and with one glance he jolted backwards into a tree. Kija, still wanting to give him a better look, kept the puppet on one finger and stretched his arm out to him. Jaeha looked up as it loomed closer with its head drooping upside down to the right. Jaeha screamed, and then turned and clung to the tree while hiding his face. Trying to recover he dignity, he asked, "Ki--Kija-kun, doesn't that... you know, lack a particular artistry?"    Yoon sighed from the ground and in his heart agreed. "Don't make him look at it if he doesn't want to, Kija."    "What is it?" Yona approached, her arms filled with twigs for the fire. Kija pulled his arm back and filled the full anatomy of the puppet with his fingers again, and he made it give Yona a slight bow. She lit up, dropped the twigs, and reached out to pinch its cheeks."How cute! A puppet!"    "You like it?" he beamed.    "What's his name?"    "The Dark Dragon," answered Hak, behind her.    "No!" snapped Kija, "It has expressive eyes like Shin-ah, not evil eyes like yours! Why don't you name it, Princess?"   "Hhm," she placed a finger to her lips and thought a moment. "Seiboo." ---   Under Zeno's tutelage, Kija practiced his art form every day.   "Well, if he gets better, that'll help with the traveling performers facade," Yoon said.    "If," Hak added.    Yona elbowed him. "Let him have fun."     "That is not a good idea," Jaeha said quickly. "That is not a good idea," he repeated, more fervently.

----    The Happy Hungry Bunch met Kalgan one day in the market and escorted him back to Kai. On their first break it was clear that Kalgan wasn't feeling well, and Kija thought he'd try to make him feel better by having the puppet tell jokes. "Hello," he and the puppet said. Kalgan stared, and he went on. "Do you know what's grey and bad for your teeth? A rock."    "Your mouth is moving, you suck."    "Ssh!" Yona hushed him. "Don't hurt his confidence."     Alas, the damage had been done, Kija did not take the puppet out of his bag again for a while. Granted, falling sick almost immediately after that, fighting soldiers at the border and suffering injury, many distracting revelations about Zeno, and a hurried journey back to Kouka to recover were worthy excuses for dropping off his puppetry practice. There were rarely dull moments for the Happy Hungry Bunch, for as soon as they all started feeling back to full health, a wicked spirit possessed Shin-ah. After using Shin-ah to attack the others, the specter kidnapped Zeno for some vile purpose.     Kija was particularly anxious for Shin-ah, as it must had been scary to act against his own will. Almost like he was a... ----    Once Kija and Jaeha were at last able to break through the underground cavern and find their fellow dragons, Kija approached that angry spirit inside of Shin-ah without the slightest hesitation. "Return my little brother," he demanded it. "If you want someone to possess..."    Shin-ah and the spirit inside of him started to cover away, shook by Kija's will and the white aura surrounding him.   "Possess this puppet." ----    Seiboo, as they continued to call him, was an odd new addition to the already odd bunch. Kija held him carefully from the inside of his hollow cloth body and showed him to everyone like someone shows a scared pet hamster to group of crowding, curious children.    "Go away! Don't touch me!" it snapped and tried to wriggle fruitlessly from Kija's grasp. It painlessly clamped down on Zeno's fingers and shook its whole puppet body; Jaeha excused himself to go lie down, Shin-ah stroked its head, and Zeno laughed until it spat out his fingers. "Do not ridicule me! This body is merely a means to an end to get out of my tomb!"    "Shush, you already used Shin-ah for that and then went back," Yoon glowered at it.     "I think it's cute," Yona giggled, and the puppet relaxed.     That gave Zeno a chance to slip it off Kija's hand. "Give Zeno a try."    He put it on, but the puppet immediately popped off with a cackle. "Hahahaha!" it howled as it bounced across the ground. "You cannot fool me, Ouryuu, you are weak!"    "Ah! Seiboo's getting away!"    "Pukkyuu!"    Shin-ah caught up to it and slipped it over his hand.     "Phew. Good job, Seiryuu!"     Although Shin-ah did not lose his grip, he was yanked around by his arm with such force that his body was like a cracking whip. Hak rose to his aid and wrestled it down, and with its mouth clamped shut, the puppet made aggravated muffles.    Yona frowned. "Looks like Kija's the only one strong enough to handle him.”    "I'll try," Hak said. He slipped it off of Shin-ah's arm and onto his own. The puppet struggled with all its felty might, but Hak maintained a firm grip and manipulated its mouth as he said flatly, "Hi, I'm the Dark Dragon." "Blasphemy!" Seiboo spat out, using an extra burst of anger to shake free of Hak's fingers up its head. "There's no such thing as a Dark Dragon!"   Kija beamed with pride. 

----    Life went on about as strangely as it did before.      "The first order of business today is for Zeno to go get new clothes," announced Yoon as they headed into a Water Tribe market. "And if you ruin another outfit, you get to wear straw like a barbarian."    "Aw, lad, it's just the sleeve this time. Zeno can wear Seiboo!"     "I am not a fashion accessory! I am a vengeful dragon!"     "You do cover up the dragon hand well, though," Hak observed. "You should have done the puppet thing all along, White Snake."    "White Snake?" Seiboo perked up, then hissed out a quiet laugh with its mouth wide open.     Kija didn't notice. "Oh! That would have been a good idea to keep our cover, wouldn't it?"     "What cover?" Yoon grumbled. With a red-haired princess turned pirate and bandit, a former general, a man with an oddly shaped hand, Shin-ah, a flying man in Kai clothes, a giddy immortal, a beautiful boy genius, a squirrel too animated for her own good, and now a rabid puppet, it was a wonder Kouka hadn't set the armies on them yet.  ----    Everyone ran the errands they were supposed to, and Zeno returned with a nicer outfit that Yoon expected. "Zeno! How did you afford that?"     "A couple of lovely big sisters paid for it."    As soon as the two lady bodyguards appeared, Seiboo burst out, "Since when do you know some sexy chicks like them?"     "Seiboo!" Kija clamped his mouth shut and scolded him with his left index finger. "That was inappropriate!"     Seiboo gained control of what would be said were his lips. "I know knock-outs when I see them!"    "Stop!"    Tetora burst out laughing; Ayura clapped. "Ooh, very impressive ventriloquism."    "Ahaha! I never--ahahah--never thought he was capable of say--saying---ahahaha--ow, OW--"     "Tetora, sit down!"     "Owwww." ----    They hurried Tetora back to her inn to rest, and there Lili told them about the drug smuggling and human trafficking matter she was investigating. Neither was a new sort of matter to the Happy Hungry Bunch, and they agreed to help. At the festival that evening the four dragons, one squirrel, and one former-dragon possessed puppet put on an impressive impression of traveling performers with their stacked musical juggling tower. Jaeha, sitting on Kija's shoulder, lifted the flute to his mouth, but stole a glance down to his right thigh first, where the puppet grimly stared up at him.    "What?" the puppet asked. "You gonna play or not?"     "I'm playing," he said and began.     "I could play that better than you if I had lungs. I could play that better than you if I had your lungs. Give me your lungs."   Jaeha played louder to drown him out.  ----    Yona was kidnapped. Seiboo was not pleased. Seiboo yelled at everyone that it was their fault. No one argued back, so Seiboo stopped yelling. It sucked when no one argued back.    It noticed Shin-ah was especially quiet and thought to offer comfort, but it could think of nothing to say. It rested its soft felt body in his lap and piped down for the night.  ----    When they split up, Seiboo went with Kija, Shin-ah, Hak, and Yoon. It was hard work out there, even for a puppet. When the guards offered them wine, Seiboo snagged it, downed it, and soaked himself through. It had no affect on him, but the idea that he could get drunk was cathartic. One of tired captives who saw this laughed, and Seiboo felt something odd bubble up inside its ghostly spirit.    Seiboo announced, "I can drink more than that!" and it stole all the other glasses in Kija's wide reach and downed them all before anyone else had a chance to. Kija scolded Seiboo that the people where thirsty, but the people were laughing, so Seiboo threw back its head and let out a hearty laugh too.  ----    Seiboo tried to be cooperative because it was anxious about finding Yona, but when the time came to stop being cooperative and destroy the fort, it relished the change. Tossing ammo into catapults made the little puppet feel powerful, and it was starting to look like a good day to find Yona.     Instead they found Soowon.    Bummer.     The soldiers the young king brought along even laughed and made fun of the dragons, what jerks. If only it had use of a body with Seiryuu eyes, it'd paralyze them all.      Soowon did not particularly notice the puppet on Kija's engorged finger, nor did he seem to notice the general attitude of the Sky Tribe soldiers, nor how far Tetora's jaw had fallen and the difficulty she was having putting it back in place. The young king's eyes lit up at the sight of the shimmering white scales, and unperturbed by the two dragons' defensive stance, he approached. "Can I touch your hand?" he asked.     CHOMP, Seiboo replied.     The king was a little perturbed.     "Stop that!" Kija drew him away. "Show some--"     "Respect? For the guy who doesn't have red hair parading around as the king?"      "I was going to say 'restraint.'"    "I see how you feel, then," said Soowon, turning away. "I didn't want any dragons anyway."    "Good."    "Seiboo," said Shin-ah, "Why did you do that?"     "You're right, that was dumb of me. I have no teeth. I should try possessing the squirrel."    Shin-ah held her tight and Kija held Seiboo back. Tetora, who thrust her jaw back to its proper place with a snap, felt a little pale and questioned the sanity of Yona's companions. The previously jeering soldiers looked on quietly. "They're weirder than I thought," one said.     "I'm a little scared."    Seiboo popped in the soldiers' line of sight over Kija's shoulder, and looked straight at them (with its nose, as opposed to with its eyes that focused in different directions). "Good," it said.  ----    They got Yona back, and everything felt right in Seiboo's world again, apart from its degrading possession of a puppet.     "Stop," it pleaded flatly. Its back was covered with shot and tears, as Kija had used it as a handkerchief.     "Ah!! Seiboo, I'm so sorry! I'll go scrub you off--"     "No---" Yoon and Jaeha both sprang to stop him. Both were startled to see that Jaeha had tried to intervene, and they stopped and starred at each other with their arms stuck in the air toward Kija and Seiboo.      Seeing Yoon and Jaeha stuck in mid-rescue, Seiboo felt an odd tickle of something... Something it never understood, or at least had not understood in a long time. Fondness? Gratitude?     It looked to Shin-ah. It looked to Yona. It looked to Zeno, and Ao, and Kija, and Hak. Maybe it was just its fabric, but it felt fuzzy.     "No, it's fine," Kija turned for the river. "I'll wash him."    "AAAAAAHHH!" Seiboo threw its head back, shook it, and wailed. "Save meeeee!"      No, that odd feeling had to have been indigestion. ----    For reasons, the Happy Hungry Bunch had a bunch of alcohol. And, for reasons, Yoon wanted to know which was more unbreakable when used against the other, Ryokuryuu’s leg or Hakuryuu’s hand.     “Jaeha, why are you looking away?”     “Um, er, no, Kija-kun, I--”     “Put me on his foot! Put me on his foot! I want to find out too.”     Yoon narrowed his eyes at the puppet. “You’d get smashed in the process.”     “Would I? See, there in lies the secret. In this form, I am even more powerful than Ouryuu.”    This made everyone a little curious, and Yoon asked what everyone else was thinking. “How?” 

   “I am impervious to pain!” 

   Zeno sat back, smiled, and sipped his liquor. He wasn’t touching that.     Jaeha appreciated the diversion. “Now, speaking of contests, weren’t we about to drink--”    “Now, now, now, wait a moment,” Seiboo and Kija’s hand drifted back to Jaeha’s shoulder. “Looks like someone here is worried about a little pain after all.” 

   “It’s... not exactly my hobby or anything. I don’t want to break.”    Kija perked up. “Then you admit defeat?” 

   “Now, I didn’t say--”     Seiboo cackled. “Your powers are worth nothing! All that senseless prancing and smashing, but you’ve never tasted the terror in someone’s mind as you pinch their heart to a--”     “That’s it, I’m out,” Jaeha said, then joined Zeno for some casual drinking.   

   “He admits defeat,” Kija made Seiboo face him. He was smiling with flushed cheeks and his left hand was curled up in a victory fist by his face.     Seiboo stared a moment--a long, cold moment. “Give me to Shin-ah.”     Kija did as he was asked, and Shin-ah, with Seiboo on his right hand, sat down next to Yona. She poured a cup for Shin-ah, which Seiboo snagged and poured down itself. Seiboo then wiggled with its mouth wide open in the arm as it laughed. Kija turned back to scold. “Hey! You be good to Shin-ah, understand?” 

   Seiboo wiggled its lips(?) and made a soft sound of fabric rubbing against fabric. This was meant to be the sound and expression of it sticking its tongue out at Kija, but no one could tell, and then went on with their night. Kija joined Jaeha, Hak, and Zeno, and Yona poured Shin-ah another glass, which Seiboo allowed him to have. Seiboo then turned to Yona. “Your turn.”     “Don’t mind if I do,” she smiled, and three of the biggest mouthfuls she could muster, she swallowed on cup of the potent liquor, and then took a loud breath. Seiboo the back of its head against her arm. “Teh heh, that tickles.”     “I like you.”     “You’ve gotten so honest, Seiboo, it’s sweet.”     “Pukkyuu!”

   “You’re sweet too, Ao.” 

   “Hmm. I guess I like the squirrel too. Squirrel, your turn.” 

   Yona poured another cup, and Ao lapped it down in seconds flat. Not to be outdone, Seiboo splashed its not cup down itself like it was in a race with gravity, and then it snapped for Yona to hurry and give Shin-ah his next cup. Yona took hers after that, and with Seiboo’s cheering, she chugged it faster.    The poor kids, they got wasted fast. Except for Seiboo. “Hey, Shin-ah.” 

   “...Y...Yes...?”     “Seiryuu eyes sure are cool, aren’t they?” 

   “...Uh huh.”    “Maybe you should---”     “They’re preeeeeetttyyyy,” smiled Yona.     Seiboo swung back to face her and stammered. “You--you really think so?” 

   “Uh huhhhhh!” she threw her arms around the puppet and Shin-ah’s forearm. “Nee, Seiboo?”      “Um... yes?”     “Seiiibooooo? You--hic--you listening?”     “I’m listening.”     “I’m sorr... rry you had to wait ‘n the dark so long.” 

   She rested her face on Seiboo’s head and dozed off a moment. Seiboo felt so fuzzy that it started to wonder if it had indeed been affected by the alcohol. Everything was so warm, and Seiboo felt it might lose itself in her embrace.    Then Jaeha came and popped Shin-ah’s mask off to see how drunk he might be, and Shin-ah started to use his powers on Jaeha. Seiboo cackled and returned to its usual sober feeling.  ----    Yoon preferred to be called a pretty boy genius. No one, apart from the one time Ik-soo did it in jest, ever called him that.    No, his new name was “mother” and he hated it.    “I don’t remember giving birth to any of you!” he quipped back one time.    Kija looked at him with wide eyes. “But Yoon,” he said, “You did give birth to Seiboo.”    Yoon and Seiboo were equally disturbed by this. Seiboo could not muster the right words to tell Kija how wrong that sounded, so it took control of its finger-filled sack-arm and punched Kija in the jaw. Having only been a finger but still being the finger of a Hakuryuu, it packed about the same punch as Shin-ah’s fist.    “Ow,” said Kija, recovering.    “You had that coming,” Yoon said, and then moment he turned his eyes to Seiboo, Seiboo shrieked. Kija’s claw had made a hole in its arm, and it was rapidly opening up.     Seiboo shook with its full attention on its appendage splitting apart. “Ma...” it eeked out in panic, “MOOOOM!!!!!”    Yoon’s face flashed grim with a sour frown, and he knocked his fist squared between Seiboo’s eyes, then sighed and slipped him off Kija’s hand to go repair him. Seiboo was careful to keep its mouth shut. 

----    The monsters of Kouka were found: the flying man with grass for hair, and the beautiful clawed ventriloquist.    Vold took the Happy Hungry Bunch to meet Princess Tao, and on the way they found a real performer (not someone pretending to be a performer) in the street telling the tale of the Kouka monsters that took down the forts of Sei. The man was no ventriloquist, though. His mouth was wide open as he held up a real life cat puppet and starting yelling "nyao, nyao, nyao".    While Kija did his best to keep his indignation hushed and the others bellowed in laughter at his expense, Seiboo scoffed. "What's with the cat? He should be using a snake."    Hak howled louder and slapped his thighs, with no control over himself any more. The Thunder Beast's powerful lungs were as much a force to be reckoned with as the rest of him, so his voice summoned the attention of the entire crowd, including the Kouren-supporter who meant to criticize the street performer, but was now too distracted to.     "Seiboo! Now you're calling me by that derogatory name as well!?"     "Wait--what--you mean you haven't noticed all this time? I'm right here on your arm almost all the time and you haven't noticed at all? I knew you were pretty slow, but I didn't know the inside of your head was all white too!"     The crowd ooh'ed.      "I am not the one with an empty head!"      "Then what's inside my head is worthless? That's only your hand, you know."     The crowd aah'ed.      "You know what?" Seiboo went on. "I just let you think you have control of me. But I swear, as soon as your stinky old ancestors dose off a second I'll--"      "Do not insult my ancestors!"      "You're nothing but a puppet to their will!"      "I am--oh," Kija stopped and blinked. "Come to think if it, Jaeha called me that once too."    "Please leave me out of this."     "Droopy Eyes was right--you're the puppetiest puppet to ever puppet a puppet!"     The crowd drew closer and squealed with delight, and Vold starting sweating as much as Shin-ah was in his fur down in that humid southern country. He ordered his men to control the crowd and, as politely as he could muster over his panic, he urged the Happy Hungry Bunch to hurry and follow him away to the quiet summer palace. The Monsters of Kouka were just too powerful.  ----    On their way they met Algira. Algira met Ao. He had some vague awareness of the rest of the Happy Hungry Bunch.    Tao was very started to see the whole lot of them. But, like many young women who had the pleasure of meeting this bunch, she very soon took a liking to them and gave them food.    A few of the servant ladies gathered around and whispered to themselves, “It’s true, the white one really does have a puppet.”     “Amazing.”     “So talented.”     “But it sure ruins the image.”     “Agreed.”     “Koukans are weird.”     “Look, they even eat food off the floor.” 

   “They’re feral.”     “Sort of like some of our cats.”     “Yes, they’re all like our cats. Feral, dangerous, but so terribly cute that you can forgive them for anything.”     “Agreed. I like them.” 

   “Me too.”     Algira only overheard the part of this conversation that caught his interest. He decided he liked the Happy Hungry Bunch too. The guy with the puppet was alright but the guy with the Pukkyuu-nyan, well, he had a Pukkyuu-nyan.   Seiboo didn’t really care about Algira either, but Seiboo found it had a particular liking of cats. They spelled freedom. 

   But cats don’t follow directions, no matter how hard one vengeful spirit tries to possess them. Seiboo didn’t particularly care when Kija plucked it off a high shelf. It’s not as if it was scary up there. Nope.     Really, nothing could scare Seiboo after dying in the dark, surrounded by bandit bodies.  ----    Oops. The palace caught fire.     Not so ‘oops’, as it turned out.    Seiboo was initially panicked for its own well-being. Being made of fabric made it impervious to pain, but fire was a considerable threat to its permanence. Kija was quick to save it, and that was a relief, but relief very soon melted into dread. Kija, Shin-ah, Ao, Jaeha, they were all assembled. Then came Hak and Yona. And there was Tao and Algira, but who cared about them? Where was--

   --that stupid Ouryuu, he was still inside.     Seiboo could not stand the second reminder of its past. Ouryuu was going to be stuck there in the flames until something would at last give way for him to slip out from under the weight of the pillar, like how Seiboo’s physical form at last gave way to his injuries. But his spirit wasn’t free after that. Hiryuu wasn’t waiting to comfort him after his physical release. The only comfort was that the previous Seiryuu spirits had as much as anger as he did, and that anger swarmed to give him power, an obsession to focus on and distract him from the fear. He was powerless, his power was gone--    It was wasn’t sure how or when it happened, but the puppet found itself in Shin-ah’s gentle arms, close to the living dragon’s heartbeat. With a hazy look around, it saw that Zeno was safe with Yona, and the last of the burning palace crumbled. 

----    Some numbskull bag of hair with a couple of rattles had the gall to attack Seiboo’s dragons. As Kija’s hand had gone limp, Seiboo zoomed off of it and onto the attacker’s leg, biting for all its puppety worth. This attacker had legs of steel, though, and didn’t notice until the fight had settled down and he ordered the Xing soldiers to take away the prisoners. He looked down to his ankle, reeled in disgust, and stomped on it to get it off. Seiboo hit the dust, and it would have shot back after the man, had Yoon not caught it and held the angry puppet with all his might against his chest to keep him under control.     Seiboo, very distracted by its indignance over what the bag of hair had done, didn’t mind being in a jail cell with the others. Some boy who came to give them food and blankets seemed nice and all, but that bag of hair, ugh, disgusting.     “You do realize that he stabbed Zeno, right?”     “And set fire to the palace?” 

   “And tried to kill Princess Tao?”     “Everybody’s got their faults,” it replied. “And let’s be honest, hundreds of people have stabbed Ouryuu. But has anyone ever stopped his heart? Nope. Only me.”     Jaeha clamped his hand over Seiboo’s mouth. “Let’s stop there.” 

   Seiboo did stop, not because Jaeha was capable was of keeping it mouth shut, but because the lack of strength in his fingers was too pitiful, and it’d be an unfair fight.     The boy with the food and blankets came back one time and started spouting some weird stuff about dragon blood and drinking it, and at last Seiboo’s opinion of him soured. “Back off,” it hissed at him. “Their bodies are mine.” 

----    It was only at mother’s behest that Seiboo remained obedient in the jail cell, but it was terribly antsy. Several days passed, but it felt like each moment was the installment of a story that was only released once or twice a month, and therefore it felt like it took well over a year for their situation to change.     And once it did change, Seiboo reveled in it--more destruction!    It rode the claws of Hakuryuu while crashing through those infuriating jail bars!   It witnessed the full power of Seiryuu unleashed on a myriad of enemies!    It... well, Ouryuu didn’t do anything and Ryokuryuu was a big jumping beanstalk as usual, nothing special after getting to watch the Seiryuu powers again. Poor Shin-ah was quickly paralyzed by that, but not exhausted, for Yona had returned and the mere sight of her gave them all an extra burst of strength. 

  Not that this extra strength lasted long. Some ropes flew over their heads, the dragons all fell down, and Seiboo’s side was frayed as Kija was dragged through the sand. One of its eyed popped off too.    Thankfully it didn’t need that eye to witness what happened next. It was Seiryuu, in was what almost looked like dragon flesh. Seiryuu, Hakuryuu, Ryokuryuu, Ouryuu; all of them, surrounding Yona with such power that Seiboo was humbled to have ever though it had any power at all, whether dead or alive. What a moment to be ali... well, not alive, but to still be allowed to exist in the world. That moment, Yona surrounded in all her glory by those powerful dragons, made Seiboo’s unnaturally long existence feel worth it.     But, dragons darn it, that Xing priest with the stupid face had to step in and ruin such a beautiful moment. Seiboo flung itself off Kija’s hand and started gumming Gobi’s face to try to maul him. The people of the people faction, already unnerved by everything that had happened so far, were distracted to the point of inaction watching the puppet narrowly suffocate their leader. In this time, Hak stormed in like the Dark Dragon he called himself to snatch his friends back from the peace faction’s nasty clutches, and Seiboo had very nearly killed Gobi when---

--riii---i---ii------iii---iiiiiip--    --someone had the sense to take out their sword and rescue their leader. Seiboo fell in pieces, and in peace. 

[taotrooper]

Everlasting Flower: The Library 3 (end)

Everlasting Flower (masterpost, tag, AO3 series) is an AU in which Ouryuu allowed Zeno’s blood to give Kaya a kind of immortality.

→  Part 1 → Part 2 → Bonus chapter → Link to AO3

Chapter summary: After some bonding with Yoon, it's time to say goodbye to the city of books.

"At some point, I asked myself: What's the use of living forever without a purpose, if you don't give back to the world? Even if it's short term, life has a meaning. If I can heal or save someone, I'm really glad! But staying with the others is just as important.”

Yoon found Kaya at the attic they used as bedroom, sitting at the desk and humming a song. She squished and ground the leaves of a plant into the walls of a wooden mortar with the cadence of the song she sang. Yoon couldn't understand the lyrics, but the melody was similar to a folk song from the Fire Tribe he knew from childhood. He wondered if she was humming an original version in words long forgotten by even their ancestors.

He waited next to her. As a fellow herbalist, he sure didn't like to be interrupted while he was working on medicine. He wasn't going to do something as unpleasant to her.

Eventually, she put down the pestle and stretched her arms behind her head.

"Hey, Kaya?" Yoon said.

"Eeeeeeek!!"

She jumped and took the chair with her. After glancing at the source of the call, she exhaled with a grimace.

"You scared me, Yoon... How long have you been there?"

"Like five minutes." He cocked his eyebrow. "Couldn't you feel my presence behind you like Zeno does?"

"Geez, no. I'm not like him, I normally can't tell those things. I have no sixth sense, I'm normal." Yoon bit his tongue. He knew what she meant to say, but that wasn't the right adjective to use. She grabbed the chair from the floor and put it back against the table. "What can I do for you?"

"I finished it." He held the book in his arms towards her. I was wondering if I could..."

"Go grab the one you want, yes!" she beamed. "You don't have to ask me."

"Thank you very much," he nodded and ran to the shelves to put back the book he had read. Yoon had already considered his options beforehand, so he only had to find the title he had chosen already, written on the spine of a blue one.

"Can I see?" Kaya asked, with a curious look in his eyes. Yoon raised it up. She seemed to think about it for a bit.

"Oh, that one's really, really outdated," she sighed and walked towards the shelf. "There's this horrible side effect to one of the recipes that was discovered later, so please don't read it. Here." She took a different volume and offered it to Yoon. "It has another title and I used a different pen name, but it's pretty much like a newer edition of that one. It's good. Except for the last chapter; there are way better techniques today."

"Wait, whoa," he gasped as he grabbed the book. "You're the author of these?"

"Uh, yeah," she blushed. "These are mine. From my notes over the centuries. I also have some diaries about geography and history and personal stuff I don't want to forget, but most of my published books are medical textbooks."

"That's so cool!" Yoon said with fervor. It had been a dream of his to write a book one day.

"I... I figured... uh... more people need that knowledge to pass down through generations. It can reach more patients if you teach others, rather than just tending everyone yourself."

Yoon skimmed through the pages. It was a rather old book, at least fifty years old or more. The pages were quite yellow. So impressive! He couldn't help but admire Kaya even more.

"Is it hard? Writing a book?"

"Actually, yeah!" she laughed. "I'm not a genius so it takes me ages to get anything done. You need to do two difficult things." She raised her index and middle fingers. "First, you need to research and learn, so you know what you're going to write about and how to say it, and it has to be current, real facts. Second, you need motivation to want to sit down and write. And most times, having both at the same time isn't going to happen. Not to mention the time."

"You have all the time in the world, though."

"I do but I also do other things, like to travel with Zeno or tend people or sometimes do other jobs that aren't healer-related. Sometimes we don't have ink or paper with us either! So I take it easy and wait for my books to become pretty obsolete before starting anew."

The ink and paper was a problem Yoon knew well. He also realized that her rest stops at the library were likely with the purpose of authoring books and filling up her diaries, rather than actual vacations.

After all, caring for patients... In Kaya's condition, it would be insane to do that all the time. Yoon had been thinking about it, ever since she had revealed her story to them. It bothered him and concerned him a lot. He sat on Zeno and Kaya's bed, crestfallen.

"I don't understand how you do it..." he whispered.

"Well, I carry notebooks with me for when I discover new stuff. Then I use what I've written in other books and update it with my notes."

"No..." He closed his fingers against the book cover and pressed it. "How you can be a healer while being immortal. Doesn't it... dunno, break your heart? Knowing you're outliving everyone? That no matter how long you live... some people will still die on you?"

He had treated sick and wounded people he was unable to save. He couldn't even imagine how many people Kaya had met and failed to save. Had she gotten used to it? Was she desensitized? Did she still see them as important souls to help at all costs like Yoon, or were they akin to tiny birds with broken wings to her, nearly a goddess among mortals after living for so long?

And in a more personal sense... Three faces flashed in Yoon's mind. He knew the dragons would die soon. Lately, he had realized how much worse it must have been for Zeno, finally having brothers again to then losing them too soon. So he could, sometimes when the journey was arduous, feel the weight of dread in his chest that he usually tried to bury deep within and forget. He knew the fear of outliving, even if in a lesser scale than those two.

He felt the bed bouncing down. Kaya had sat next to him. When Yoon looked up, the youth and spark was gone from her dark eyes. He saw a sorrow most ancient in her stare, he saw her real age for once.

"...Constantly, yeah," she finally said. "Even after all these years I cry sometimes, when it's too unfair. It's never easy and it'll never get easier."

"Then why? Why haven't you quit?"

"Hmmmm." She clutched the hem of her kimono. "The same reason you haven't quit, I guess. It's just the right thing to do. In fact... I think it's better for them that I do care that much. Doctors and nurses should keep their heart, don't you think? Even if it hurt us."

Yoon said nothing, but he knew what she was saying. She looked ahead, through the window. Her voice turned softer and kinder.

"At some point, I asked myself: What's the use of living forever without a purpose, if you don't give back to the world? Even if it's short term, life has a meaning. If I can heal or save someone, I'm really glad! But staying with the others is just as important. You know, hundreds die alone because no one will treat them." Yoon knew. Kaya's voice broke. "I could have died alone myself at seventeen. It's so, so scary! Even if you prepare yourself, it crushes you. That's why I don't want people to leave this world on their own. Even if all I can do is giving some solace and hold their hands until it's time? I'm willing. Even if I'll mourn them and sob for days, I'll get better, I'm not alone. That's why it's okay. That's why I still help."

She looked at Yoon and moved a thumb to wipe a tear from his cheek. He hadn't noticed he had started crying. Kaya then put her arms around him. While she didn't cover much of him, being the same size roughly, her hug felt warm and cozy. Her hands, which smelled vaguely like the fresh herbs she had been grinding, moved to caress Yoon's hair. He embraced back firmly, unsure if she was comforting him or if she was looking for comfort from him. It was probably both, he concluded.

"Keep it, Yoon," she murmured after a long silence, still hugging him. "Keep that big heart inside your chest, never lose that humanity. I've met so many geniuses in this field who lose themselves and stop caring about people. But you mustn't. I mustn't. Even if it tears you apart, please keep it."

"You better believe I will," he grumbled with gritted tears, restraining a sniffle. He felt a kiss on his temple. After his journey with Yona and the others, after seeing and fighting against so much poverty, how else would it be?

And she was right. He wasn't alone. He had everyone and even Ik-soo back home. Thinking about the future was just unnecessary pain. They lived now and that's what mattered.

"Oh? Can Zeno join the hug?"

They looked at the threshold: Zeno had just entered the room. That day he had his hair braided. Yoon had thought that morning that Kaya was making up for their time apart in creative ways. The boy unhanded Kaya but before he could say no to the offer, a dragon had coiled around his body. He could hear the girl —the woman—'s giggles as he resigned to his fate.

"Zeno, Zeno! Yoon is so kind and considerate and cute! The cutest of them!" Kaya chirped.

"Yep!"

"Zeno, Zeno! Say, can we adopt him? I really want to adopt him!"

"What the hell?" Yoon cried, annoyance written on his face.

To his surprise, Zeno let him go and stood in front of his wife with a serious expression.

"No, Kaya. That's out of the question."

"I know. But..."

"He's your mother-in-law, Kaya! It makes no sense to adopt my mom!"

It was Yoon's turn to get up, anger piling up, while the other two were snorting.

"I'm neither your mother or your son, you eternal seventeen year-olds!!" he yelled.

"Eternal eighteen year-old," Kaya corrected with a grin.

"Argh!" He grabbed the book and walked towards the door. Before he could leave, he heard Kaya's voice.

"Being your mom was a joke but... Please do think of me as an older sister, okay? These adults keep forgetting you're younger, this one here included, and they should be the ones nurturing you just as much as you nurture them."

Zeno mumbled some excuse Yoon couldn't hear, but he stopped when Yoon turned to look at Kaya. Ever since Ik-soo took him with him, no one else had been so conscious about his needs.

"I... I appreciate it," he blushed lightly. "I think I'll do that."

He left immediately, embarrassed, before Zeno or her said something stupid again. After that conversation and learning so much about Kaya, having her in his strange family of sorts was an honor.

******

"Okay, you can open them up whenever you want!" Kaya said after handing out the last package. She was bouncing on her heels while everyone opened their gifts.

The first one was Kija, perhaps because of his large hand. He stared at the wooden figurine and the bottle with confusion.

"What is this?"

"The bottle is home-made bug repellent. It smells a bit weird so I added some flower scent so... now it smells like a weird bouquet instead, sorry. But it should keep mosquitoes and crawlies away! The other one..." She smiled as she looked at the vaguely dragon-shape statue. "To be honest, it's a present I got but I think you should have it. You see, it was given to me by ancestors of yours, long ago. It's time it returns to the hands of Hakuryuu Village."

Kija looked like he was going to cry.

"Kaya... Thank you very much for sharing this piece of our history with me. It's an honor. May I ask what it's for?"

Kaya-chan, I can't believe you and Lord Ouryuu still haven't had children! Here, have this fertility charm. My sister carved one and prayed to it before her wedding night, and they've had four bundles of joy so far! You have to continue the lineage of the Ouryuu as his wife, so please take it with you so you can be blessed and fulfill your duty.

"F-For good luck," Kaya lied without losing her smile. She didn't have the guts to throw it away, because she considered Guen's family as her own, so she took it as a souvenir instead. Not like it mattered since Ouryuu's blood made it impossible for her to get pregnant, but those ladies were too exhausting to argue against. "Oh! And I'm teaching Yoon my plum sauce recipe so that should be a present for you in a way."

"Ooooh, what a pretty comb!" Yona said with sparkles in her purple eyes. It was lacquered black and had tiny colorful flowers painted on its design.

"That kind of comb has big teeth with large gaps too, so it should be great for your curls. I have one to do Zeno's hair and it's amazing for unruly sorts. Ah, the other present is medicine for..." She made a pause and lowered her voice. "They're special painkillers. For cramps." Yona understood immediately and reached for Kaya for a hug. She returned the gesture.

"Thank you! They're both so useful!"

"A sharpening stone and..." Hak opened his eyes wide. "No way, is that a bottle of Fuuga Galebrew?"

"Saw it at the marketplace and I figured you haven't tried it in ages."

"Wow, thanks!"

"Not fair, I want to try that sake as well," Jae-ha sighed.

"Well, I guess I could give you one glass, Droopy Eyes."

"Yessss." Jae-ha's grin faltered once he saw his present. "A fan? Well, it's beautiful but I don't think I get it, Kaya-chan."

A smiling face and a wink came to Kaya's mind, long gone and a bit blurry but still alive in her heart.

"Some time ago, Zeno and I traveled with this girl for a few years. She was like a sister to me. You remind me of her sometimes and I think she would've liked you a lot, Jae-ha. I know you have your own fighting style but that fan was her weapon. Maybe you could find it a good use one day?"

"Oh, I see." Jae-ha touched the edge of the fan. It drew a drop of blood he sucked immediately. "Not bad, actually. I can't refuse the will of a young lady so I'll take it." He then turned to the booklet with interest. "Are these music sheets?"

"Yup! Should be handy for your traveling artist shows. Besides, I want to hear you play."

"But of course!" Kaya felt relief when she saw him smile. She didn't know Jae-ha that well, so she had feared he wouldn't like his gifts. She looked at Shin-ah, who was observing and touching his new soft scarf.

"I heard you're cold sensitive and I saw this pretty sky blue fabric. It's still a long way for winter, but for trips to mountains they're nice to have."

He nodded.

"And two bags of pistachios, one for you and one for Ao. Since they don't grow in Kouka, I figured you haven't tried them yet?"

He shook his head. She moved to him to pet his hair.

"I hope you like them, then!"

"Thanks, Kaya..."

"I can't accept this, Kaya," Yoon said as he pushed his package against her.

"Why?"

"I should've suspected you were up to something when you asked me what books I had liked the most yesterday. But this one is yours! And the other is from the library!"

She laughed but her hands remained behind her back.

"We have copies for both in the second building. Don't worry about it and accept them! Or if you want a different book you couldn't read yet, we can check if there's a copy of that one instead."

"There's... There's really no problem? Just like that? Are the librarians fine with it?"

"As long as there's at least one copy left they can remake again, they won't mind because it's me asking."

He looked torn, but the power of free books won.

"...I have enough notes for this one, so I want to check out this world atlas I saw," he said. "After we pack our bags, though."

"Sure thing. You guys take your time."

"Doesn't Zeno get presents...?" Shin-ah asked after munching a pistachio.

"Zeno got new robes," Zeno grinned, laying in bed on his belly and chin cupped inside his hands. "Also, just being with Kaya for a few days is my present."

"Smooth," Jae-ha teased.

"Ah, is it okay if we pass by Ryusui first?" Kaya asked. "They have a really nice marketplace and I want some supplies that are cheaper there."

"Sure! It sounds like fun," Yona smiled.

"It's a gorgeous town. We'll have lots of fun seeing the stands there," Kaya nodded.

"Its settled," Yoon said. "Let's hurry and pack now, rare beasts. I still have to check the books."

"Yeeeeeees!"

Kaya was sure it was going to be a lovely trip.

Notes:

Well, here it is, the last part. I want to thank you guys for your patience. I've been building up to this chapter since even before I finished the main fic, especially the "you can't adopt your mother-in-law!" joke. So here it is and I hope you've liked this miniseries. I don't know if it met your expectations but that's how I envisioned the way they'd meet Kaya and how they'd get along with her. There's a lot of stuff to explore in their dynamics, so feel free to leave drabble requests for interactions or even just unrelated-to-HHB Everlasting Flower prompts if you want, either here or on my Twitter (username is the same everywhere, taotrooper) or AO3 comments. I have no idea if I'll be able to get inspired or fulfill them, but I'll be taking notes and we'll see.

The timeline for The Library is between the Lushing Forest arc and the Sei arc. They're still stopping by the same marketplace so the canon events (meeting Ayura and Tetora, Yona buying the lapis lazuli for Hak) should still happen despite Zeno not needing a new outfit anymore.

I hope you enjoy!

[zeno-obsessed]

A Flower’s Roots

Okay this is part 2 of dragons and flowers. It kind of picks up where the last one leaves off as Zeno meets Kaya’s family. 

Kaya looked up at her boyfriend, she didn’t realize that the course of her life could change with the meeting of a goofy guy at her work. She was dating a lord. Suddenly, Kaya got sick to her stomach. 

“Zeno,” Kaya said, brushing her bangs out of her eyes, “Are you okay with me?”

“What do you mean,” He squeezed her hand and gave a small smile as they turned a corner. 

“Like, you’re one of the dragon warriors and I’m just a stable girl. Surely, a daughter of high class would be better for you,” Kaya felt her chest tug, no she didn’t want that. 

Zeno laughed, “Um, no. I’ve met Seiryuu’s sister and I don’t think I could keep up with any noble women. Besides, I was born as a peasant boy in a village in the middle of nowhere. I barely had enough food growing up and my mother wasn’t the nicest person. So, I really don’t consider myself to be that important, I mean. Even the servants whisper of me being a fake.” 

Zeno’s voice got quieter as he talked. Kaya looked at his medallion and traced the dragon on it, “Well, by the way king Hiryuu and the other’s treated you I think you’re the real deal.” 

Zeno frowned, “The only thing I can really do is I heal faster than normal.” 

“What do you mean,” Kaya asked, stepping over a barrel that had been knocked over. 

“Like my cuts and stuff heal instantaneously, I mean, I can still die from a stab wound, I think... I don’t want to try it,” Zeno mumbled. 

Kaya leaned in close to him, “Me neither! That sounds frightening!” 

Turning, they got to the street corner that had her house on it and Kaya opened it. Zeno followed her in as Kaya sung out, “Mom, Dad, Miho! I’ve got someone here for you to meet.” 

 The room was small and cozy. Zeno could tell her parents had modest paying jobs. There was a four chairs around a wooden table and the walls were painted a blue color with a beautiful rug hanging on the wall. The hallway led to three rooms. The dining room opened up into a kitchen space and what looked like a reading area. 

Zeno watched a small head pop out from one of the door ways. The girl had brown hair and excited blue eyes. She wore a grey kimono with green dragons on them. 

Kaya smiled, “Miho! This is Zeno. You know the boy I’ve been telling you about.” 

Miho jumped out and ran up to them, “Hi! I’m Miho and I just turned five.” 

Miho held her hand out and Zeno laughed, shaking her hand, “That’s funny Miho, because I just turned seventeen.” 

Miho’s eyes widened, “When’s your birthday?” 

“August 30th,” Zeno said. 

Miho gasped, “Mine too! We have the same birthday!” 

Zeno laughed and gave Miho a high five as Kaya’s parents wandered in. Zeno stood up straight as he looked at the two. 

Kaya’s father had salt and pepper hair with a small beard and kind blue eyes. He wore a blue outfit and had a smoking pipe in one hand and his wife’s hand in the other. Kaya’s mother held her head up high and pierced him with her gaze. Her eyes were violet, like her daughter’s and she had brown hair and a fair complexion. He had seen the look on her face many times by Seiryuu. 

Her mother held out her hand and spoke first, “I am Emi. Nice to meet you, Zeno. Our dear, Kaya has told us all about you.” 

Kaya smiled, “I had out something new today.” 

“Oh really,” Kaya’s father laughed, “My name is Atomu.” 

Zeno bowed his head to the couple and they followed suit. 

“So you and Miho share a birthday. That’s interesting,” Emi said, studying Zeno’s movements. 

“Yes, Ma’am, Um. Both of your daughters are cute,” Zeno gave her a warm smile, hoping to take some of the edge off her gaze. 

Zeno bowed his head, “I am Ouryuu Zeno, it’s an honor to meet you.” 

Their faced twisted into shock as they looked at Kaya, who nodded signaling that it was true. 

Atomu smiled, “That’s amazing... Um, how did you meet our daughter, Lord Ouryuu?”

Zeno combed a hand through his hair, “Please, Just Zeno. I never liked being called lord anyway. Well, I was stuck with babysitting the Prince and little Yakshi wanted to go see the horses and Kaya was there.” 

Kaya laughed, “And he kept using the prince as an excuse to see me.” 

“Wow, King Hiryuu must trust you,” Emi said, flatly. 

Zeno felt his palms sweating, “Yeah, we are his dragon warriors.” 

Miho pulled on his shirt, “Do you know Rykoryuu? He is my favorite. He’s power is so cool!” 

Zeno nodded, “Yeah. Rykoryuu’s power is amazing, isn’t it? He’s used it to save me a couple times. I love flying through the sky with him.” 

Zeno left out the part where it is usually upside down and sometimes by his ankles and Zeno did not love flying through the sky nine times out of ten. Atomu patted Zeno on the back, “Well, We have a dinner prepared for your arrival, can you stay?” 

Zeno nodded, “I would love to.” 

After dinner, Zeno thanked them for the meal and was getting ready to leave. Kaya walked him out and closed the door to the entrance of her house. 

Kaya smiled, “Will I see you tomorrow?”

He hugged her, “Count on it. Thank you for the wonderful day.” 

“No, thank you. Lord Ouryuu,” She laughed as she fiddled with his collar. 

He smiled as he touched his forehead to her’s, “You’re amazing.” 

“So are you.” 

[ehyde]

5 and 7?

5. What is one of your strengths?

I consider dialogue one of my strengths. It always comes more naturally than descriptive writing, though I’ve tried to improve my descriptive writing over the past year or so and I think it’s more balanced now. 

7. Share a snippet from one of your favorite pieces of prose you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

“I didn't come here looking for you,” Yane tried to explain. “I didn't know you were—”

“No one knows,” said Ouryuu. “Please, don't—please let it stay that way?”

Still trembling, Yane nodded. Would anyone even believe her? Would anyone believe that their cheerful high priest was really—

She remembered her hand in his as he promised to keep her safe. She remembered that same hand still gripping her tight after the blow that severed it, still pulling her back, remembered being crushed under his dismembered body and remembered how it squirmed, how it sounded as it knit itself back together.

“I’m sorry!” she blurted out. “I have nightmares about you, I—” He jerked back as if she had hit him. “I'm sorry,” Yane repeated.

Ouryuu gave her a sad smile. “I understand,” he said. “I have nightmares, too.”

She felt like she was going to throw up. “Did it hurt?” she heard herself ask. Why did she ask that? She didn’t want to know the answer—but she remembered his screams, too, and he confirmed what she already knew with a short nod. He just got back, Yane realized. He was out of the city, he was— No trace of blood stained his bright saffron robes, but she knew, knew that the time he’d saved what was left of her village was neither the first nor the last. “The gods didn’t ask you to do this.” Which meant that he, all on his own, chose it every time.

“... did they tell you that?”

Yane nodded. “I first heard them that night,” she said. “You can send me away, but—I think you should know that they sent me here.”

(from A Distant Sunrise; Yane is a young priest-in-training who has come to the palace during King Yakshi’s reign and has just realized that Zeno is the “monster” who saved her life when she was a child) With this passage, I thought I did a decent job capturing an intense emotional moment. And my beta said it brought her out of editor-mode and into reader-mode and she had to go back to look at it again, so that made me happy.

[purechaos27]

Dynasty Chapter 2

A subtle breeze brushes through the air, sifting its way through the fiery-crimson locks of the two sitting on a rocky cliff overlooking the sea. Choppy waves crash against the rough edge of the cliff, sending up a misty spray that briefly obscures the view of the red dawn. Yona has never been to such a place in person, but she trusts her companion’s memory and imagination enough to know that the fine details down to the taste of salt in the air are accurate to reality. The former king gazes ahead. “Had fun today, Yona?” “Uhn!” Yona nods in enthusiastic affirmation. “Soo-won and I hid from Hak today during hide and seek, though I’m not sure if Hak knew we were playing…” Hiryuu finally turns away from the dawn frozen in time to smile fondly down at his reincarnation. “You pulled off the temper trick to motivate Hak to run after you and Soo-won, correct?” “Yep! His face was really funny! I thought his vein was gonna burst!” “And what about your lessons?” Sudden silence as Yona turns around and starts to sweat nervously. “Eh, well, u-um you see—” A raised hand cuts her off. “It’s alright Yona, I understand. I know that it can be quite frustrating to be forced to listen to so-called scholars preach about incorrect or at least incomplete teachings. However.” His stern look quells the budding hope in the princess’s eyes. “That does not mean you can show such disrespect to your instructors by completely ignoring them and even running away in the middle of your lesson.” “But Hiryuu—” “Listen, Yona. All knowledge is worthwhile, even the biased history that is all your instructors know to teach you. To understand conflict, you must know all sides to the story. I have and will continue to teach you the unbiased truth that I have observed from my time above the stars, but as the future ruler of this kingdom, you must understand your own people. A ruler who cannot understand and connect to her kingdom is no ruler at all.” Yona looks down in guilt, kicking her feet to give a reason not to meet Hiryuu’s eyes. The adult sighs softly and brings his finger under her chin, tilting her head so that their eyes can meet. “Yona, I am not angry with you. Yes, I am slightly disappointed, but you are six-years-old. It would not be fair of me to expect you to—” “But I don’t want to disappoint you, Hiryuu! You are the only person who has always been with me; even father doesn’t always have time. I want to make you proud and be a kind, wise, and strong ruler of Kouka kingdom. You already have so many worries—don’t try to say you don’t, I know you’re worried about the Ouryuu! You shouldn’t have to add my competence onto the list as well. I want to change things in this kingdom for the better, but no one ever listens to me. If I can’t even convince my instructors that they’re wrong, how can I ever succeed as a ruler? Father just treats me as a child all the time, and when I ask about how the kingdom is doing, he just pats my head and says that everything is peaceful and everyone is happy. I know that’s not true so why, why does he…?” The little six-year-old girl breaks down into choking sobs before launching herself into her previous incarnation’s lap. Hiryuu looks down at the little girl who resembles him so much helplessly for a bit before trying to sooth her by patting her head. “Shh, shh, it’s ok Yona, you don’t have to worry about me. The kingdom will run just fine for now; you don’t have to change anything just yet. Yes, I worry about you sometimes, but that’s only natural for me. Adults tend to worry about children a lot, I know, it’s silly of us, right? I know you want to change this kingdom, and I won’t discourage you from doing so, but there’s nothing wrong with starting small. Try to make someone smile. Help out a servant who’s struggling with carrying a load. Thank someone…” Hiryuu rambles on and on, trying to soothe the princess’s concerns even as his mind works furiously to figure out just how he managed to miss this up-coming break down. I never knew she felt so much pressure, was I the one to cause this? The dragon king glanced sorrowfully down at the sleeping princess in his lap. I never wanted to—I just didn’t want her to be ignorant! I didn’t take into consideration her own stubbornness and determination. To think that she’d be worried about me! I don’t want her to think she’s responsible for the entire kingdom before she’s even 10. But how? I suppose…yes, that would work. But first… Hiryuu carefully stands up, making sure the princess is secure in his arms. As he walks away from the cliff ledge, the dreamscape slowly fades away to a familiar room. The decoration is tasteful, Hiryuu thinks as he gently lays Yona down on her own futon. It isn’t the garishly bright pink that most stereotypically imagine a princess’s room to be. Instead, the walls are decorated with to show a beautiful forest. Gentle branches spread out starting right behind the futon in the middle of the back wall, climbing overhead onto the ceiling and reaching to both sides of the room. Among the branches, the only splashes of color are four majestic dragons painted protectively around the futon. The futon in the center of the beautifully decorated room is covered by silk sheets of the highest quality, sewn with the detailed image of a crimson dragon. It’s a miracle no one’s figured the truth out yet, but Hiryuu supposes most people believe the story to be a myth nowadays. “Yona” The dragon sighs, “I’m truly sorry to have burdened you with such a heavy destiny for being my reincarnation. Although I will try to prepare you for your future as well as I can, I fear that you will have many years of pain and loss to face. I know you will bring about the change you so long for. Not because you are my reincarnation, but because you are Princess Yona of the red dawn.”

“…na. Princess Yona. PRINCESS YONA!” “Up! I’m up! I’m—hm? Oh, is it morning already Jae-eun? I—” The princess cuts herself off as she breaks into a wide yawn. The sound of an impatiently tapping foot interrupts Yona’s morning leisurely stretching. “Princess Yona.” The red-head freezes and robotically turns toward her servant, who gives an unimpressed look at her innocent smile. “Yes, Jae-eun?” “Don’t give me that look, Princess Yona! You know very well that your history lesson is first in the morning. Now up, up, time to make yourself look presentable. The maids have already drawn a bath for you and if you take too long the water will get cold.” A dejected sigh. “Alright, alright” Hiryuu did say that I can learn from my instructors, so I guess I’ll give it a try. The stuffy old windbag is so booooring though. All he does is go on and on about how our majestic kingdom brought peace and prosperity to all—he doesn’t even tell the story of Hiryuu and the Four Dragon Warriors, the founding of our country! But I don’t want to disappoint Hiryuu… Yona quickly gets washed and dressed before eating her breakfast (chicken porridge!) and running to her lesson. Her teacher is an old man from the earth clan with squinty eyes, a balding head, and a long, white beard. He’s dressed in the black colors of all palace instructors with a fan in hand. “Ohoho Princess Yona you are on time today! Perhaps this time you will not run off in the middle of the lesson?” I want to turn around and walk back out. Despite various uncomplimentary thoughts running inside her head, Yona takes a deep breath and sits down. For Hiryuu, for the kingdom, and for my pride because I don’t want to lose to this geezer. “Today we will be discussing how the reign of the sky tribe lead to wide prosperity…” Nope, she can’t do this. “Ah, actually instructor, today, could we learn something different? You are from the earth clan, correct? Could you teach me how the customs there differ from at Hiryuu palace? What are women and men expected to do? What activities and festivals are common? What does the earth tribe respect?” “Oh,” Her instructor looks taken aback. “But princess, that is not included in the original curriculum…” “That’s ok, I’ve already learned everything from the original curriculum.” Don’t say it, don’t say you know everything better than a windbag could ever teach, restraint! “But your father,” He tries to protest. “I’ll talk to father. Besides, this way I learn what I want to know and you don’t have to worry about me running away! It’s a win-win solution~” “U-uh, he-hem!” Yona watches delightedly as the geezer tries to regain his composure. “Well, if it’s ok with the king, then I will change the lesson plans. As you know, I am from the earth tribe. We are a strong, stubborn people and admire those who…” A smile spreads across Yona’s face as her eyes start to sparkle at finally learning about her people. “What about yourself? How did you become a scholar?” “Although books were rather scarce in my hometown, I learned to read…” “Do you have family?” “Yes, I have a son who has given me two wonderful granddaughters. My son was a soldier, but with the war-ban…” “Wow, I never knew General Geun-tae was so respected!” “Indeed, he is an idol to much of the clan. But I still remember when he was just a brat long ago”

“Are you sure?” “Yes! I just passed by the room!” “But-but, I just don’t see how that’s possible, the princess has never enjoyed a history lesson since she first started them two years ago.” “Still, I’m telling you, I was walking by the Chrysanthemum room on my way to deliver the laundry and I saw the princess asking questions.” The maid’s mouth drops as she stares wide-eyed at her friend. “Asking questions?” She squeaks out. “H-how is that—what do you think might’ve caused such a change?” “That’s the thing, no one knows! She just woke up today and arrived on time to her lesson for once, and the next thing we know, they’re discussing the earth clan with active participation and interest on her part. I mean, I’m not going to complain because this makes our jobs easier—we don’t have to worry about chasing the princess down after she escapes each day, but don’t you think it’s a bit strange?” “Well, let’s just hope this change of heart holds for a while.” “Yes, I suppose that’s all we can do for now,” Both maids nod at each other and go their separate ways. Rumor travels fast in the palace and before Yona’s history lesson that day ends, theories as outlandish as spirit possession and a missing twin sister are flying around. Yona, oblivious to the chaos her drastic change has caused, simply skips her way to her father’s room to discuss alterations to her lesson plan.

[mahouproject-one]

Byakko? More Like... Byakkouch || Kris || MM Trial.1 || Re: Reiko, Miyu

Ironically enough, he was more than relieved he didn’t have to respawn as a ghost with Takako Imai hot on his heels. Of course, there was the other innocent mistrial victim to feel sorry for, but maybe if he was lucky enough Ouryuu would just execute him twice? …Nah. Even he wasn’t that unlucky… Wait, if he was convicted twice, was he getting twice executed?

Some things are best not thought about when facing impending doom.

“…I can’t ever express how sorry I am, Takenaka-san. But I guess it doesn’t matter right now. For what it’s worth, if I had known that this would’ve been the outcome from the very beginning, I…” He trails off. What would Kris have done, could it have meant Mi-Ke and Shiba living? “…Never mind.” Sadly, Kris really doesn’t have the time to focus on Itona right now, and he noticeably takes the longer path by the Genbu trial podiums when he goes over to assist Reiko. See, he would’ve helped, except Takako Imai actually fucking scared the absolute living daylights out of him and he was not going anywhere near her, even as a ghost.

“For the love of all that is non-capital-H holy, Reiko, what the actual hell?” Worth mentioning is that he’s so particularly done with everything that the Osaka accent he’s worked so hard to keep out of his voice finally slips in for a grand reappearance, so long after their first interaction at the train station all the way back when. “Okay, give me your arm. I’m not going to scold you for this because I know someone else is going to eventually, and she’s going to do a better job of it than I ever will, but I’m helping you back to her. Can you stand?”

Giving the Cold Case Detective a hand, he lifts her good arm over his back to half-carry, half-support Reiko back from where she was. Not to her podium spot at Genbu (and he does give Outa a quiet apology while he’s there, he really didn’t deserve the accidental vote), but all the way back to Byakko, as far away from Takako as possible, just in case. When Clove was ready to take her from his hands, he nodded to his clanmate with a silent word of thanks, before walking back to stand at Jinzaemon’s podium space - now, the three remaining members of Clan Byakko were a podium space apart from each other and he could face Mi-Ke at last.

Which was good, because he had entirely expected what Miyu was going to contribute next, and he didn’t like it now just as much as he hadn’t liked it then. He looked to his left and right, before looking straight ahead, and his arms closed protectively around himself. This was just about the worst thing he could come to imagine, but for Sollith, for Shiba, for the others in his clan who had died and everyone who had passed as well, they had to address the circumstances. Slowly, he weaved two blankets of memories into the basin, and the first set rose up to reveal a familiar sight - the duel of dancing performed by four founders and their apparent ‘mother’.

“Adding on to what Miyu-nee shared, this memory of the castle’s founders was our reward for clearing the fifth trial successfully - the golden one that only those of Clan Ouryuu were able to access or bring someone to attempt it with. Quite obviously, she brought me, and as fair warning to you guys, if anyone is squeamish about deep water or seeing some of our class be brought back as ghosts, I recommend you brace yourself. The fifth dungeon can be cleared, however, and if we fail to find the one behind this mess today, I’ll be willing to go with whoever wants to face it, if anyone even actually wants me around after that.”

He flicks his wand and recites from his spell library. “Which reminds me, both Miyu-nee and I also earned a second reward after that, and it is in the form of a spell - Past Flashes: A major spell that allows the castor to peer into a random memory of a target. It cannot be a classmate. If we don't end up successful during this trial, I'd like to go find Ohara-san or any of our clan founders, and with their permission and a witness to lend me some credentials, attempt to try and draw out the memory of what happened all those months ago. For now...“

Kris purses his lips, wishing he had more time or strength to do more of the investigation that his big sister and peers had done. This is where he thought Sollith would definitely have been better at, but… hindsight was as good as it could’ve been. "I can, however, argue in my defense in that the reason why Izumi-san was willing to approach me with our final plan was that I had already been cleared of suspicion. Long ago, actually, but that’s besides the point. Which leaves us with still a handful of people who could be the guilty party…” He frowns, rolling the words over in his mouth as to whether or not he should say them. Emotion won out.

“And I know we must be as objective as we can, but… and it pains me to do this because everyone else left is someone I genuinely care about and I’m clearly playing favourites at this point, but I also find it unlikely that Miwa-chan is the minion considering that they were executed at the end of the last trial. I don’t have any evidence to back up my claim, nor do I feel any happier in who that points the arrow of guilt towards. I only want to hope that I’m not wrong.” He falls silent now, and shoots a meaningful look towards Miyu. He’s ready to help out whenever she needs him.