Poisonous Garden

(Beta)

Author: Tenshi no Nozomi

Extra:

Usagi-centered FY/SM fic–other scouts will be included in this fic, though probably not all of them. Also, don't expect them to have their roles/duties to Usagi... this is rather A/U. Hopefully more of the FY characters will get to show up, too.

Summary:

Sometimes people make selfish decisions in critical moments. See the future of Earth as it would be if Nakago became a god.

Disclaimer: Plots mine. Original characters are mine. The rest are owned by their various creators/licensors/distributors... you know the deal. No money's being made off of this fic. The title was inspired by Concrete Blonde's song "The Sky is a Poisonous Garden," which (again) I don't own/hold any titles to. Any original characters are mine, though.

Warnings: angst, violence, some gore, curse words... etc. You get the picture. Frankly, this is a much darker piece than I normally write. Some seriously ooc moments on Usagi's behalf in this chapter–but on the other hand, she's very stressed out and very upset (you'll see why).

Author's Notes:

I guess in some ways I'm surprised that FY/SM crossovers are still popular nowadays. I mean, Yu-gi-oh, Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter are dominating the section in the same way that Gundam Wing crosses used to. But it's pleasing, because I was afraid that my fic wouldn't get any kind of notice. Sad, right? But I just thought it would be a shame because I think this has got to be one of my more "ambitious" fics. It's pretty convaluted, at least, which can sometimes be a problem... I hope I don't lose my way on this one. XD I'm sure that must sound so encouraging to you guys...

Anyhow–a big "thank you" to everyone who reviewed chapter one. Replies to reviews are located at the bottom of the fic after any last minute notes. I would also like to point out that I'm very, very thankful that you guys talk to me, because several reviewers pointed out something that I hadn't thought of previously (the issue of Usagi's father/brother) but am now able to resolve because someone brought it to my attention. XD So thanks. Also... there's probably no way I'll be able to keep updating at this kind of speed. I'd either burn out or drive myself insane. I just don't have the time.

Two more IMPORTANT NOTICES: (1) This is several hundred years after FY took place. I'm sorry, I realize just how important that was for me to say, and I didn't even think to add that... --; Ah, well; at least you know now. (2) Usagi is no longer a little kid! This chapter takes place 11 years later: Usagi is 17.

Usagi stood silently, alone. It was raining, and she was soaked to the bone, but she didn't care. Her body might as well have been numb, or perhaps she'd simply decided to stop thinking. Everyone else had left by now, driven to their warm, cozy homes by the rain or their desire to food.

Usagi no longer had a home to return to.

It had all started with an outbreak of the Lightning Fever, named so for its agility in spreading and encumbering its victims. They were a relatively small village, living on the outskirts of civilization. You could get no closer to The Wall than they already had. So they had thought that they might be spared the ravages of such a deadly force. They had been wrong.

Only one visitor had greeted them. And that was all it took. A lone man, selling peaches in hand-made barrels, riding on an old, worn donkey. He had sold to several of the villagers, though not to Usagi's family. Her mother was saving up enough money so that when she made her next trip to the city she would be able to buy the dye they used for Usagi's hair.

It had stuck them hard. Of the families that bought the peaches, all but the healthiest were decimated. Their neighbors suffered blows, and down the line. Worst hit of all were the children and elderly; Usagi'd never seen so many tiny graves in her life. Usagi had never expected it to hit their household; neither had her mother. They were both in excellent health; Usagi hadn't had so much as one sniffle in over five years.

Yet here she was, now, watching the last of the pyre's flames dye down. The last of her mother's pyre's flames die down. Her mother's funeral.

For as long as she could remember, Usagi and her mother had lived alone, just one another to keep each other company. Ikuko had gently explained to Usagi when she was twelve that her father had been announced a Heretic and killed in one of the Great Purges, and it was all Ikuko could do to save her infant daughter and still unborn son. Usagi vaguely remembered seeing her infant brother, his wrinkled red face, before Ikuko gave him up to the midwife. They were on the run, and Ikuko hoped to give at least one of her children the chance for a better life.

Their house had already been burned down, along with most of their belongings, for fear that infection would linger in the dwelling. All Usagi had was the clothes on her back, and those had been given to her hastily from a mother of a family of ten. They were hand-me-downs, and almost threadbare. She could hope for no warmth in them. She had lost everything.

Oh, it wasn't quite true, she had a few things. A picture of her mother. An unused bottle of dye. The ribbon her mother had always worn in her hair. Her memories, as intangible and useless as they were to her now. These were the barest things she'd managed to hide, to salvage before the funeral began. She knew when she returned that there would be nothing left of her home but ashes.

It was only customary to burn the dwelling place where a disease had been housed, especially if someone had died in it. It was said to contain bad spirits by the shaman, but there was more to it than that, and the doctors were quick to say so.

The disease could- and certainly would- hide in the house if it could, waiting for it's next victim. That made it no longer suitable for habitation; no family could hope to move in if they had young children or older parents, and no one would dare to live nearby out of plain superstition.

Even though doctors tried to explain to these people that with the proper disinfectants the homes could be inhabited again, the people couldn't bear it. Usagi understood in a begrudging fashion; she couldn't imagine trying to raise a family in a home in which an entire family had previous died. It upset her, though, that everything had to be burned–these people were so out of touch with the Old World doctrine that they would rather trust shamans who claimed they could shape-shift into wild boars than doctors who had studied medicine for most of their lives.

So the only solution was to burn it; to burn almost everything. That way, the land could be used again, and a new home could be built. One that would not risk death to its new owners. Usagi had seen the ritual performed many times. Many times her mother had offered their home to the survivors, welcoming them to partake in their shelter and food. Usagi would not be offered that same luxury, she was sure.

The younger couples- the few that there were- were too busy trying to create new families. The women with children of their own probably could have used an extra-helping hand around, but sometimes men at this age began to wander. Usagi was still young, but she was pretty, even if she wasn't really self-conscious of it most of the time. They would not want their husbands making moves on a prettier, younger thing. The older folks could not welcome her into their hearts, either.

She and her mother had come from the big city. It was true that they had lived in the outlying areas, and had gradually distanced themselves with such hustle-and-bustle as time went by, but any place with a population over one hundred or so seemed like a city to them. They were wary and untrusting of city folk, who had cheated them many times in bartering and out of land. It was only natural. So for this reason, they would not take her in.

Which left… no one.

The thunder roared in the sky above, belching a sound out that hurt her ears and shook the ground. The storm was very close now; it had hit the village, and all day it had been drizzling here. The true downpour, however, was on its way, and the trees about her could not offer her shelter from the storm for much longer. It was unwise to stand under the branches of trees with lightning about, anyhow, but the foliage had helped to shade her from some of the rain.

The fire was all but out now. The smoke flume still rose steadily, but the humidity made it difficult for anything to burn. Usagi herself felt like she was breathing in a mixture of eye-stinging smoke and water. It had taken all of thirty minutes after all of the Rites had been read by one of the chief elders to light the fire, during which Usagi watched her mother's pale and prone figure laying in her casket on top of the unlit bonfire in horrified fascination.

Now there was nothing left of her mother, whom Usagi had always considered to be quite beautiful. All of the herbs and flowers gathered to hide the smell of a dead body- especially when it burned- were long gone. Only a few scattered petals graced the ground, serving as a better reminder to Usagi what had happened than the ashes themselves were. The thunder sounded again, warning her again of the downpour to come. Not so distantly, the sound of rain hitting the trees' leaves at a breakneck speed came, but they reached deaf ears.

Usagi might not have left the smoldering ashes if she had not been guided away from them. She wasn't even sure who had come back to get her; she simply welcomed the comfort. She wasn't really welcomed in the village; she was an outsider to most of them. So any comfort in her darkest hour was welcomed, no matter who it came from.

Nakago waited outside the bedroom, not saying a word. The moans of pain had already faded to nothing. He could only hope for the best… and expect the worst.

The doctor came out, slowly, wearing a solemn expression on his face. He shook his head in dismay, and no words were needed. If he wasn't the best physician in the country, Nakago would have killed him. Instead, he settled on punching in a wall. He'd have it fixed, later, and order for some hapless soul in his dungeons to be executed.

He had thought for sure it would work this time! They had tried every method the doctors had suggested, as well as the spiritual leaders. He'd had the child and Minako blessed, he had infused power into both of their bloods…

And yet the baby had still died.

Angrily- and with his fury ever-mounting, Nakago turned down the long corridor and started toward the main building with as much haste as he could muster. He was practically flying down the hallways, and his aura fanned out immense and deadly. His servants instantly hugged the walls and made themselves scarce, not foolish enough to stand in the way when he was in such a mood.

He reached the stairway that reached down into the bowels of the dungeons, and the two guards standing in front cleared the way, moving themselves as quickly as their heavy armor would allow. They had not been picked for their intelligence, but they weren't entirely stupid or suicidal. Nakago-sama was known for his tempers, and the fool who didn't recognize it and get out of his way wouldn't have time to beg for mercy before he died.

He moved down the stairs just as swiftly as he had moved through the previous hallways. What did a god care for such trivial matters as tripping down the stairs? Nakago had been in power for over three hundred years now, and had taken over with incredible ease. And all thanks to his stupid miko, who had been too proud to refuse him.

In reality, Nakago had thought for sure that Yui-sama would release Suzaku from his bonds. What luck he'd had, that Yui had instead chosen to grant his wish instead. The look on Suzaku's miko had been most precious; he'd savored it right before he'd destroyed her and her remaining seishi.

Nakago had won without a doubt. In less than a month, he had the Japanese, Chinese, and American governments begging for mercy. Of course, he'd done no such thing- he'd slaughtered them all, a display for anyone who might need persuading. His greatest conquest after that had been pulling the continents.

He'd rearranged the world, demonstrating his power. And he had joined the North American continent, Japan, and China together to form a large continent, his domain and empire. He had not counted on Seiiryu's anger; the older god became enraged when Nakago did this.

He hadn't cared, of course. He did not care what the other god did, because he had enough power to match- perhaps even overpower- the other god. He was not worried. However, when it seemed that the people intended to flee or revolt, Nakago was forced to create the Great Wall. He had heard rumors that Seiiryu was behind it, convincing the people to rebel and leave, and so he'd sealed his domain off.

For over three hundred years, no one had left his country. The water came in and out, the creatures were free to leave, but the people were trapped. He destroyed their technologies, sparing those that he chose and keeping their use strictly in his power, decimated almost all but methods of transportation except for trains. And in the heart of the country, he had created his palace, and begun to search for a woman who would give birth to his first child and possible heir. Best of all, his kingdom was free from both Seiiryu's and Suzaku's influences.

Or so he'd thought.

Nakago had reached the deepest section of the dungeon. His worst enemies were left down in this portion to rot, to waste their lives away. Some of them were kept alive with great care so that he could watch their suffering, but most of them died quickly enough. Mostly, however, the cells were empty at the moment. The one at the far end of the hall, the very last one… was special.

A huge wooden door without windows or bars stretched about half of the wall in width, and went almost from top to bottom in height. It was padlocked, with more than just a simple lock on it to hold the prisoner in- the magic spell placed on the lock would be enough to burn the fool alive who tried to enter. There was no light source inside, no slots for food to come in and out. It was the deepest, darkest pit buried within the cold mother earth far, far away from the blue skies.

Nakago grabbed a torch off the wall and brandished a whip. The flickering light was not needed- he could see just fine- but the cell's occupant hadn't seen light in over twenty years. It would hurt the man's eyes a great deal if he were exposed to it, Nakago had learned--though the discovery had come by accident the first time.

Nakago unlocked the heavy wooden door, throwing the key down to the floor; in truth, the key had very little to do with undoing the locks. He had not come here in a long time; he would have to be sure to enjoy himself. He couldn't help but feel a bit pleased that this particular prisoner was the most fun to torture, simply because no matter what he did, he would never die.

Nakago threw the door open, letting it crash against the adjacent wall with a dust and cobweb stirring boom. The prisoner inside flinched instantly at the light, chains rattling delicately, pulling away and trying his best to hide his eyes. It must have hurt so badly, Nakago thought, savoring the other's pain. "Well, then, Suzaku… good to see that you're still here. Let's play a bit, shall we," he asked, testing the whip with a small snap.

The most irritating thing to Nakago, however, was that despite Suzaku being as cold and pale as the moon from his long imprisonment, his hair was still as red as fire, and he never broke, never screamed, never begged for mercy... and his eyes always reflected unchanging defiance. Nakago would do his best to make Suzaku suffer.

Nakago-sama stood tall in front of his battered prisoner, satisfied with the way the blood stained his whip and the walls. There was a terrible power rush that accompanied the business of beating a man. And there was an ecstasy in getting to beat this man, out of them all.

Because the man chained to the wall was really no man. He was a god.

Already Suzaku's wounds were healing. It would be a slow, painful process, and he'd get to repeat it in less than a month's time. Nakago sneered down at the young man laid low. Once he'd been a powerful god, worshiped by an entire nation and with a priestess to his name. Now he was Nakago's personal whipping boy, the creature he chose to beat on whenever he chose.

Suzaku just looked Nakago dead in the eye and smiled. "Do you think you've won?" he queried. "You know I won't die." Suzaku's gaze became distant. "What was it that Seiiryu said again? Oh, yes... Even from the woman who can bear you a child, no life will fruit without love... Do you really think such a woman would love a monster like you?"

Nakago reigned in his temper. He felt like beating him again. He wanted to rip the red haired man's skin open, to release the torrents of blood from his pale, frail body again and again. His blood would be as bright as his hair, and it would glisten like molten rubies. Yes, he had both the power and the desire to destroy.

But right now it was a matter of principles, of contest of wills. A mental pissing contest. So Suzaku thought the one woman capable to bear his child would deny him?

"We'll see," he replied, leaving and slamming the iron and wood door closed behind him. Suzaku smiled in the dark, waiting patiently. Time passed swiftly on Earth, and the sky never changed--his time would come soon.

One week.

One week after her mother's death, Usagi received a letter. It was inconspicuous, a simple white envelope addressed in neat, looping, graceful handwriting. Or it would have been, except that a letter had not been delivered to their village in nearly ten years, when Ikuko had written the Council Elders requesting to live there with her young daughter.

In all that time, Usagi's contact with the outside world was extremely limited. Every month or so she and her mother would travel to one of the nearby markets to purchase dye for her hair and various necessities the other women asked them to pick up, including fruits and vegetables not native to the area. There were no tvs in the village–the people were wary of all kinds of technology, and reception wouldn't work in such a remote area anyhow.

For the most part, Usagi lived a simple life. She learned to hunt with various weapons–she favored a chakram (1) instead of a bow and arrow or a pole arm if she could not use her chakram–to fish, to scavenge for nuts and fruit, to sort through berries and mushrooms for edible specimens... all of the practical skills that every child needed to learn in order to become a contributing member of society. Her mother taught her to read and write in the evenings before the sun set, as well as about the cities and tradition and law, but such a world seemed remote.

It surprised her that anyone in the world outside of their tiny little village should know she existed. Her mother did her best to flee the cities without leaving a trace, and it became exceedingly easy the further out in the wilderness they wandered. Usagi opened the letter, wondering who could possibly have sent it.

The sender turned out to be a woman who claimed to be Usagi's aunt. Her name was Hanami, and her letter was scented with faint perfume. Still, despite the elegance of her handwriting and the exceeding quality of the paper–paper was often times a rare commodity–there was a business-like efficiency in her directness. Everything she said was short, to the point, and had the air of a command.

The whole purpose of her writing Usagi was to inform her that she, Hanami, wanted Usagi to come live with her in the capital city. Oh, the words formed a polite request, but Usagi could feel the firm intensity behind them–this was an order. And inside the envelope rested one other item other than the letter–one small, yellow paper rectangle. The paper was thick and course. The typed letters on the paper simply read that it was an official one-way pass on the rail car to the capital. There was a strange official seal on the opposite side, printed in green and blue glittering ink–a heart, with a strange serpent winding around and through it, fangs bared. (2)

Usagi had no reason to stay where she was. Yes, she enjoyed her life in the village, but without a family she had no one to turn to or trust. No one would take her in either, so she was staying in the community meeting building indefinitely. If she went to the capital, she realized, she would be putting herself at a greater risk of getting caught. There were reasons her mother had left the city, aside from her father's fall from grace. On the other hand, at least she would have family, someone she could rely on and, maybe, someday confide in. She knew that she couldn't remain in her village with the situation as it was.

So Usagi set out the next day for the nearest station, which was a day's walk from her village to Ithril, a slightly larger village and market community. Usagi was forced to wait another three days for the train to actually arrive–in the mean time, she offered to do laundry, cook, and hunt for one of the family's in the area in return for shelter at night and a share in food. The train arrived as scheduled, and Usagi departed her childhood home for the last time. She didn't expect to ever return–something in her gut had settled deep like a stone at the bottom of a deep lake.

Usagi couldn't remember ever being as bored as she was on the train. There was literally nothing she could do–no games to play, no chores to complete, no one to talk to. The food was unnoticeable at best, and there wasn't much to be had of it anyway. The trip to the capital took a week and a half to complete despite the extraordinary speed of the rail car, and by day three Usagi had developed a case of cabin fever.

The only things to do to pass the time was to sleep or watch the scenery pass by. Usagi liked to sleep, and she had never gotten much of it in the village–everyone was always busy and had some task to complete–but after ten hours of sleep for three days straight she found herself having difficulties being exhausted. Usagi took to watching the world outside her window pass by.

It was awe inspiring. Usagi had last been outside the densest parts of the forest when she was very, very young, and could hardly remember it. She watched avid as the forest gave way on the fourth day to wide, open fields littered with sparkling lakes and rivers. On the sixth day the rail car took on strange, rolling motions that made her feel queasy, and she realized that it was actually just the rail car traveling quickly over hills. As the sun set on that same day Usagi saw her first mountain in the distance. (Or at least, the first she could remember.)

The rail car in itself was a wonder. Usagi and her mother had "hitchhiked" all of the way to their tiny village, taking rides from people with wagons, and walking when one could not be found. It was simply safer that way, though certainly not easier. Aside from not having the money to purchase a ticket for the rail car, you needed certain connections to get one, or at least that was Usagi's suspicion. When her mother told her stories about the rail car, she had scoffed at the idea of anything–much less something as strange as the rail car–exceeding the speed of a wild animal.

Yet here she was, sitting within one of the ten cabins in the snake-like vehicle. Usagi hoped someday to understand exactly how it was that the rail car operated; perhaps her aunt Hanami would know. She suspected it had something to do with the smoke that plumed from the great thing's iron trunk, but she couldn't say for sure. Perhaps it was really like the people of the villiage whispered in suspicious voices, and the metal rod that ran across the earth was spelled with magic to allow the train car to pass only across certain points. (3)

On day eight the fields finally gave way to the ruins of the Old World. Usagi stared in open awe and fear at the wreckage. It was hard to believe that anyone could live in the half-toppled ruins of steel and concrete buildings. The ground everywhere was made of flat, grey stone that was punctured and cracked in strange places. There was glass everywhere. Pipes created tangled, rusted trees that spread up from the ruptured ground and overturned buildings.

Usagi sometimes saw people in vague, blurry shapes before the train passed by. They were always dressed in drab, ragged clothes, and although Usagi could never get a good look at them, all of the people were terribly thin. The children often times went unclothed and without shoes, and Usagi worried vaguely that they would cut their tiny feet on broken glass shards. Their guts stuck out in such a way that the combination of the thin, emaciated ribs screamed of starvation.

Usagi found the scenery hard to bear, and embraced their departure from that area with grateful guilt. The area began to shape up as they moved along–the buildings looked less ratty, the ground no longer looked like a war zone, even the sky seemed to brighten. The area became busier, filled with people who were bustling around. They entered the city and pulled to a stop at the platform.

As soon as Usagi got out onto the street she was assaulted by unfamiliar sights, sounds, and smells. Never before had she seen so many people gathered together, nor had she heard so much noise. The cacophony and clatter of animals crying, people yelling, laughing, fighting, and bargaining, even the sound of merchants' carts clattering across the marble ground combined to create a terrible racket.

The smells alone were dizzying. She could smell bread baking, meat simmering, people sweating, all sorts of perfume, wet dog, horse dung, and even the smell of the smoke rising from the train. There was so much to see–all around her the people were dressed in bright, vivid colors, and the buildings all looked like master pieces of architecture.

Someone bumped into Usagi from behind–apparently she'd been standing still for too long. "Excuse me," she mumbled, trying to move out of the way. She only found herself getting shoved again by a steady rush of people trying to board the rail car even while passengers got off. Usagi squeaked and tried to move out of the way again, but it was obvious that no matter where she went she would just continue to run into people...!

"Excuse me, Miss Usagi?" asked an elderly man. Usagi turned around to see that she was right–the man in question looked to be as old as one of the council elders. His head was balding, and the tufts of hair clinging ferociously to the sides of his hair were snowy white. His eyes were blue, and he wore very thick spectacles. Usagi suspected he couldn't see her very well anyhow from the way he squinted and blinked at her and shoved his glasses right up against his nose. He was dressed in a tailored black suit with a top hat that he currently held in his white-gloved hands.

"Yes, that's me," Usagi replied. "Did my aunt send you to pick me up?"

"Yes, yes, Lady Hanami sent me to pick you up. She had me bring the carriage to make the trip faster." He motioned to a vehicle behind him. Usagi ogled at it; it looked... strangle. Like a slightly oval shaped wagon with a cover on it. Two spectacular, decorated mares were hitched to it and would obviously pull the vehicle wherever it needed to go. "I hate to rush you, Miss, but my Lady told me to get you back to the Estate as soon as possible," the old man explained nervously.

Usagi smiled. "Of course. I'm ready to go when you are," she told him. After all, she had carried all of her belongings with her onto the train–a tiny five inch chakram, her bottle of hair dye, and her mother's hair ribbon. Usagi allowed him to open the door to the compartment and stepped in, admiring the plush seating and the intricate designs in the woodwork on the inside. The manservant shut the door behind her and took his seat in the front next to the driver. Usagi sat through the ride in total silence, feeling awkward.

Minako lay still in her bed, looking outside the large bay windows. She had nothing to say, and no one to say it to. Her depression was creeping up on her, a slowly forming demon, unfurling and waking from its long slumber. She had been feeling good; as of lately she had been especially cheerful. Every time she received word that she was pregnant, Minako had to restrain herself from running about the palace, yelling it at the top of her lungs to the echoing hallways.

She lowered her eyes to the bed and the sheets lying over her. Her eyes drifted over her still-swollen belly. She had been so hopeful, this time. She had thought for sure that she would succeed in bringing the child into the world for her beloved. When the doctor had informed her that she had miscarried again, Minako had simply gone numb.

What had she ever done wrong? Minako rested her hands gently over the swell of her body. She wanted to be a mother. When she was younger, she had balked at the idea, knowing exactly what happened to women who had children. She hadn't wanted to become a harried crone by half a dozen children like her own mother. That had been until she had met Nakago-sama.

He had been the only person to show her any sort of kindness. He had handled her with gentleness and firmness, and he had paid attention to her–he'd lavished her with gifts and kindness and the attention that only a lover could give. Minako had received attention from birth due to her fair complexion, sky blue eyes, and golden hair. But it had been a distant attention, and she'd never had any sort of friend.

I would do anything to please him, she realized suddenly. The sudden pang in her chest warned her only moments before the tell-tale pricks in her eyes signified her tears gathering. The warm drops of salty liquid fell big and quickly down her cheeks, landing on the soft bedding and making small patches of soaked water.

Minako lifted her hands helplessly to her face, hiding behind them in her grief. A maid walked in, and began to arrange the curtains and clean the tables and dressers. Minako watched her movements through her tear-blurred eyes. Often she had wondered how it was that something so simple as hair color might determine a person's role in society, but she knew better than to question Nakago-sama.

No one questioned Nakago-sama. Not even his chief consort and concubine.

Minako sniffled to herself and then wiped away her tears, trying to regain some of her previously lost composure. What would she do now? She could try again, of course- in fact, it seemed to be the only answer. But if each time she was only doomed to fail to bring her children into the world…

She shook her head in dismay. Nakago had told her several years ago that he had been cursed by another, older god--Seiiryu. He had cursed Nakago so that he would be unable to bear children with any of the women he took to bed, save one… He had been in a desperate search for her since.

They had thought it would be Minako, especially after the announced first successful pregnancy. But she was not; each pregnancy was followed by a miscarriage. Then she was out there, somewhere, and Nakago would continue to look for her… And only that girl could become Nakago's wife, or have a chance at his heart...

Minako was not stupid; she knew that Nakago had never given his heart to her. He approved of her, and perhaps he felt some affection for her… but he did not love her. She had thought, though, that if she gave him his heir, then he would love her. She understood that you could not buy someone's love, but she had hoped against hope…

Perhaps he would come to know her better…

Perhaps he would be thankful enough…

Perhaps…

But it was for naught. He did not love her. Perhaps Nakago was beyond loving anyone. There were old wounds in him that ran deep and left him twisted and bitter, but he would never confide in her. She looked out the window, at the clear blue sky. A small, twittering bird flew past, and landed in the nearby tree. No doubt it was going to its nest to feed and tend to its young.

If she was not the one Nakago had told her about, then she was still out somewhere in the wide, wide world. She was out there, under that same blue sky, and if Nakago had a chance of loving anyone, then it would be her. It hurt Minako to think of it, and it was a pain that ran deep to the very core of her being. It left her feeling bitter and betrayed. No one would ever love Nakago the way she did.

She prayed, then, out of the unconscious desires of the green-eyed monster that had surfaced. She prayed that- at least in her life time- such a girl should never be found. She did not want to see Nakago leave her. She wanted his happiness, but she wanted to be the one to give him his happiness.

She knew that she could not hope to win in her heart of hearts.

Hanami was hardly a delicate blossom. She was hardly anything like her mother had been–it was hard to imagine the two even remotely related, much less sisters only two years apart in age. Hanami had been the older child, far more ambitious than her sister Ikuko, who wanted nothing more than to become a dutiful housewife and a loving mother.

Usagi didn't like her. That was the polite way of stating her utter contempt for her aunt. Within a week's time, Usagi understood that it wasn't simple "dislike"–it was full-blown hatred. No wonder her mother had separated herself from her family! If they were anything like Hanami, Usagi would have done the same thing.

When Usagi arrived at the estate she had been overwhelmed by the sheer size of the house alone. She couldn't even begin to comprehend how big the sprawling green grounds must be. More cowing than the size, though, was the austere feeling the building emitted. The hut she and her mother had lived in hadn't been much, but it had been cozy and filled with their love. In stark contrast, Hanami's dwelling was enormous and filled with priceless objects, but Hanami had no husband or children and Usagi doubted that the woman even understood what it meant to love someone.

She could still remember their first "discussion" word for word!

"I only brought you from that terrible place because I need someone young," Hanami admitted to Usagi. She was drinking burgundy wine from a large goblet. "You see, I've managed to... work my way up into high society. Currently, I'm just one of over a dozen nobles vying for Nakago-sama's favor."

Usagi blinked, uncertain. "I don't understand,"she conceded. "What does that have to do with me or where I live?"

Hanami nodded; apparently she thought the question a reasonable one to ask. "If any of my rivals discovered I had a relative–a young niece, no less–living out in that miserable little muck hole, I would fall out of favor. The court is... vicious. Any one of them would love to find any reason to make me look disgraceful in Nakago-sama's eyes. So I had no choice."

"Why should they care how or where I live?" Usagi muttered, confused and indignant. She didn't like the way her aunt was referring to her home. Yes, the people had been a bit superstitious and they weren't always the nicest, but she had liked it there; she had been raised there.

"They don't, Usagi. But they love to raise a stink about anything. They'd just love to say that I had no pride, that my family was a bunch of hogs wallowing in the mud. You'll understand, eventually. It's for the best, anyhow. I've been in need of a younger woman to introduce to Lady Minako's court."

"Lady Minako's court?" Usagi echoed, feeling helpless and lost.

"Yes. Lady Minako–goodness, you've really been living under a rock, haven't you?–is Lord Nakago's favorite concubine. As soon as she births him an heir–that she doesn't miscarry, at any rate–he'll probably announce her as his wife. So it's very important try to achieve favor not only with Nakago-sama but with Lady Minako.

"The problem is," Hanami continued, "I'm too old to try to approach her, and it would look genuinely fake. Her court is small but it's growing, and it's filled with young women. I really have no cares to speak with young girls about brainless ideas like marriage and love and bearing children. I have no place there either, since I've already established myself as a part of Nakago's inner circle of favorites."

"So that's where I come in," Usagi said, finally understanding.

"Yes," Hanami agreed, finishing off the last of her glass. She leaned back and propped her feet up on her mahogany coffee table in a decidedly un-ladylike fashion. "It will be your job to ingratiate yourself to Lady Minako. I need every bit of help that I can get now that I'm getting older."

"But I don't know anything about those things. You said it yourself, I was raised in a little tribe of... heathens," Usagi spat out, hating the feeling of that word on her tongue. "There's no way I could do you any favors by joining Minako's court. Lady Minako," she amended after Hanami gave her a deadly look.

"As you are now? You're absolutely correct–you would be devastating for my political career. On the other hand, we do have a little time for a crash course in manners and dressing and such before you will have to make an appearance. And I'm sure Lady Minako will forgive you for any accidental trespasses, for a while at least, if we explain your history."

Hanami stood up, and pulled her long purple hair back into its severe bun. Another maid came and picked up her wine glass, having understood some silent signal. "Your lessons will start tomorrow," Hanami told her.

The past six days had been grueling. So far she was being taught how to wear the popular dresses of the ladies at court–and, oh! how uncomfortable they were–and history and putting her through rigorous speech classes to wipe away her "back-water" dialect and enough law to make her understand what would absolutely not be tolerated in court. Within a few days they would begin etiquette, dancing, formal etiquette–as though etiquette on it's own weren't formal enough!–and other boring topics that she lacked interest in, like singing, needlepoint, and riding horses in a "proper, womanly" manner.

Usagi whimpered and fell upon her bed gracelessly. Oh, this had to be some form of torture or punishment. She was so, so very tired... Her eyelids felt so heavy; she couldn't possibly keep them open any longer. One of the maids came and began to help Usagi undress, but she was mostly asleep and her limbs were limp and useless. In the end, she was asleep before the poor girl could get her dress completely off of her.

Time. What was time to a God, compared to a man? It was probably the equivalent of a man looking upon the lifespan of a goldfish and thinking it impossible to survive for such a short time. Beasts and men came and went, like brightly colored leaves dancing in the wind. Just like a pretty, ornamental butterfly that appeared to have no purpose.

Seiiryu knew otherwise. One man–or one woman–could make a world of a difference. His Miko had been an ordinary girl, not yet a woman, and her foolish choice–made out of spite and desperation–had brought him forth but nearly damned them all. Nakago had been able to use them all like simple pawns on a chessboard, and he–the mighty God Seiiryu–had been helpless to stop him.

Provisions had been made. Nakago could still be undone, foiled, by a single young woman. Another brightly colored butterfly, deceptively innocent and more beautiful--more precious--to Nakago. Humans were never so innocuous as they appeared. He hoped that this one would fall into the place they had planned for; one could never tell exactly what way a human would maneuver themselves at last minute.

Suzaku had best know what he was doing, because if the situation deteriorated any further, they'd all be sitting on needles. The huge blue serpent drew away from the wall separating his domain from that false god's. He longed to tread the equally blue water on the other side that he knew within the beast-form's heart existed. He longed to see the other side of a land wrought from the might of a scheming god. He had never seen it, never heard of its wonders.

How could he, when no mortal man or beast could cross it to tell him? Not even the birds dared to cross the empty sky about the wall. How many sharks and whales had he bade crash into the looming, inanimate monstrosity, to fell the unnatural spectacle? All who had tried had failed, though, usually resulting in casualties. He had given up that pursuit long ago, preferring to take a lesson from his rival on this earth.

If one God could scheme, then so could another, and even the best laid plans could be ruined. A curse made in spite and pure rage against the other had come to work marvelously well for him; it was almost some kind of miracle. Nakago could find no woman with whom to sire his desired offspring that would look as his people had. That would become as baron as an old maid at his touch, as though their fertility had withered like a delicate blood under the scorching desert sun.

It was marvelous, simply masterful work, and almost by entire accident. His other brilliant stroke had been to release Suzaku from his imprisonment. This gave his seishi some power, but it was limited, and who could care when the two former rivals were working toward the same goal? They had met the way all Gods met, on an astral plane that no human spirit could find survival to be worth its trouble. So it was that they overcame Nakago's barrier and began their own plot.

They'd reached a truce of sorts, having common ground that needed settling. Nakago was an unruly thorn in both their sides, and neither wanted to spend eternity in their current states. So, under certain conditions, Seiiryu released Suzaku from the imprisonment his own Miko had wished upon his rival power. In return, Suzaku took a more human form, and went about laying out their plans.

Neither of them had thought that Nakago would catch onto their game so quickly. Somehow, despite their previous experiences, they'd underestimated the General again, and Suzaku was caught. Now he lived in a deep dungeon beneath Nakago's palace, a live punching bag for the god when he became furious. But no God could kill another one physically.

Still, they were proceeding. It was slow moving, but finally the golden haired child that would be Nakago's ruin had been born, only sixteen years before. Nakago would be far too relieved to find one able to bear his child to worry about traps and secrets and the games of Gods.

That was what all of this was, really. A Game that spanned time, and space, and people. And when this Game ended, Seiiryu swore to himself as he rose from the water and his cerulean and teal scales changed to human flesh, he would have it all. Because Nakago had forgotten one devastatingly important fact--in nature, the brightest, mostspectacularbeauty of a butterfly was the warning sign of poison.

(1) A chakram, as some of you may or may not know, is a weapon in the shape of a discus that is thrown either discus/frisbee style or by twirling the forefinger around the inside. For those of you who ever watched Xena, I'm sure you're familiar with the term. Historically, the chakram originated in India and was used by the Sikh army. The ring itself is anywhere from five to twelve inches in diameter, features a varying thickness, and typically (but not always) has a sharp outer edge. It does not function like a boomerang, however–it flies straight and level. I think that if it did return to the thrower, it would be very dangerous. Why did I choose this weapon for Usagi to be proficient in? Remember her use of her tiara in the series as a weapon? X3 I always thought this would be the closest to an actual weapon that she could really use.

(2) Hah... inside joke. XD I'd best explain this... Every seishi in Fushigi Yugi (Suzaku, Seiiryu, Byako, doesn't matter) has a glowing symbol somewhere on his/her body. Nakago's is located on his forehead, and his symbol means "heart" (which is really rather ironic, when you consider what a complete bastard he is... I luff him, but even I know he's a doodie head). So that's where the symbol of the heart came from. As for the serpent... that shouldn't be hard, right? It's a reference to being a Seiiryu seishi way back when. I guess it could also symbolically represent being evil/tainted since most religions/people around the world tend to feel a certain amount of enmity for snakes.

(3) If you haven't guessed yet, the "rail car" is a train. XD

... Kay. So like I said, a thoroughly depressing fic, what with everyone absolutely miserable. XD Don't forget to review/comment/critique/flame. X3 And please, feel free to ask questions! I may not always give you an answer if I think it gives too much away, but normally I try to answer. X3

themoonmaiden: hehe. Something like that, anyhow. Ah, I luffed that story, too... I also like the Naka/Usa moments in Usa-chan's/Chibi Tenshi's Perfect World. I wish they'd finish that story already. It's so close to being finished... (sigh) And she's not six anymore. XD I don't mind writing stories about her when she's younger, but there'd be very little room for anything more than puppy love at the age of 6. As for romance's role in this story... yes, it'll be fairly important... but then again, this is Nakago we're talking about. As for being emotionally scarred, most kids don't remember things from when they're really little, but who can say for sure.

Sailor Veggie: Have you ever seen the end of the anime series/the end of the manga series? If you haven't, this story's kind of one big spoiler for FY... but anyhow, it turns out that Nakago wants to be a God and he was using Yui to get what he wanted. This is just my spin on what the world might be like if Nakago got what he wanted.

Usagi1313: Thank you. X3 I'll do my best to keep my progress steady, but I can't really promise much.

Eternalmoonprincess: Wasn't it, though? Try to imagine being raised in a world like that, where public executions are not only encouraged and attended on by the masses but broadcasted as well. I figure that if the tv had been around in the days of the french revolution and such it would have happened. And I hope you enjoy Frailty.

Purr: Hah! Oh-my-god I'm so proud that you found this worthy to comment on. X3And I'm glad that the originality was surprising... I didn't want to go for the typical scenario. I mean, I enjoy reading those fics, don't get me wrong, but I aim to find my own path in the fic world. X3 And I guess it does kind of feel like I took the world of the 4 gods and made it modern because of the strange blending. I kind of like to think of it as a strange blending of the new and old world, future and past, as Nakago has dictated it will exist.

EnuNR-zero: An excellent question–thanks for asking it. As you probably realize by now, her father isn't alive, but Shingo's out there somewhere. And the pairings will become more obvious over time–the only thing to keep in mind is that some people won't get paired with anyone, and sometimes certain pairings may lead to terrible consequences.

unspoiled rini: I like Nakago/Usagi fics myself, and you're right to guess that this fic will be centered around a Naka/Usa pairing, but it'll probably be a love/hate thing, and perhaps semi-unrequited.

Genesis: Thank you, I'll be sure to do my best.

Koldy: I really don't mean to be rude, but every time you review you say the same thing and it's only one word... why is that?

Azraelya: Aww. Your comment makes me feel loved. (lol) But seriously, thank you for your kind words on stylistic stuff and mechanics–it's really important to me that my work be legible. XD And I hope you keep reading.

OtakU: Actually, not so fast, really... Sorry about that, I must have given the impression that happened overnight. Not really... sorry. And you're absolutely right–any woman born with blonde hair (and blue eyes, too, but I think that's marginally less important) get taken to Nakago. It's actually a law. XD And the impression that I got was that his only regret in dying was that his people didn't survive. I felt really bad for him, to be honest, even though he was evil and killed Hotohori and used Yui, etc... Guess I'm just a bleeding heart.

As for the world being "primitive?" Yes and no... it's a very strange mix of old world meets new world. That'll become more obvious as we go along. We started reading 1984 this year, and I was surprised by some of the parallels existing in that "earth" that exists in this one. The people here aren't at war or anything, but much of the technology has been prohibited or regressed over time due to Nakago's rule. This is something that I've wanted to explain in-depth in notes, but I was afraid people might get bored or that I might have troubles explaining things. I hope that answers your question a little, though.

Paili-chan: Usagi has to hide the fact that she has blonde hair and blue eyes because Nakago wants a wife that'll help him continue on the Hin tribe. (He's the sole survivor, and the Hin were a people with blonde hair and blue eyes.) As for the people on the tv? That actually had very little to do with the story itself, aside from setting the general feel for the fic. I mean, let me put it this way–the crime those people committed (or didn't commit) has no bearing on the events in any specific way (like they were hiding Usagi or anything like that)–it's meant to show just how cruel Nakago's kingdom is and the general sort of... depravity that is tolerated and shown even to young people. Shingo's alive out there somewhere. Kenji's dead, I'm afraid. (Geez, I'm beginning to feel a bit like Disney, what with all of the "killing-the-parents" scenarios. XD)