Standard Disclaimer: Yu Watase created Fushigi
Yugi. Go Yu!
Duty and Honor - Epilogue
by Polka Dot
"So you named him Genro? I think that Tasuki would've liked
that, you know. He reminds me of Tasuki, but then most children
do, you know." Chichiri's smiled one of those rare smiles
that no mask could reproduce.
"Thanks Chichiri. I am so glad you finally came. I know you
are upset with me, but I wanted a chance to explain. I didn't
give up, please believe that."
"It doesn't matter anymore, Ryo. The death of the empress
doomed Konan. If we had won the battle, then what? Without
WuFang, Genbu probably would've overrun Kotou and Konan. I
realize you did what you could to stop the fighting. You
sacrificed yourself to WuFang." Chichiri looked morose.
"Are you well Ryo?"
"I am well, thank you. Genro's birth had a great calming
effect on WuFang. He is more bearable now than he was in the
past. And Genro is such a joy. One day he will inherit both Kotou
and Konan. I have tried very hard to teach him my father's
pacifist ways." Ryuen's eyes glowed with pride.
"But you don't love WuFang and you aren't happy."
"No, but I have my family and there is peace now, which is
all I ever wanted."
This was true. There was peace now. Peace through domination, but
the fighting had stopped. The killing was rare now. The blood
that hid behind Chichiri's eyelids disappeared from his vision.
His sanity had been restored. He could return to training,
although with all the wars over that seemed pointless. But it
brought him peace so he returned to the mountain. Though it was
only him there now.
Chichiri looked at Genro. He wondered if Tasuki's spirit was in
the child. They had always thought that Nuriko's spirit was in
Ryuen, but it wasn't true. She just didn't have the emotional
strength of their fallen comrade. Perhaps such things weren't
possible, but Tamahome had sworn that he would meet up with Miaka
again, even if it took a thousand lifetimes and in that moment,
they all believed. Tamahome had died long before this whole mess
started. Now Chichiri was the last of the Celestial warriors.
"I have to go now, you know."
"So soon? You just got here. Please can't you stay a little
longer?" Ryuen looked at Chichiri hopefully. She had no
friends now only a few servants she confided in but no real
friends.
"I'm sorry Ryo. The peace that we have now just is an
illusion, you know. It is a stabler world in which the people can
live but there is still a cloud of fear that hangs over
everyone's heads, you know. Never think that I don't still love
you. I always will. I will always respect your decisions and
support you when necessary, you know. But I can't stay with you.
You're not a child anymore and you don't need me to protect you,
you know. I'm sorry but I must say goodbye."
"Goodbye Chichiri. You'll always be my best friend and I
love you. Please come back and visit me again." Ryuen said
frantically as Chichiri disppeared right before her eyes. It was
true what he said. It was a fragile peace and WuFang ruled by
fear, but he seemed content with the size of his empire. He no
longer wanted to control all of China. Genbu kept him in check
and when Genro took his father's place the lands of Konan and
Kotou wouldn't have to live in fear anymore. Ryo nodded to
herself as a promise that this would be so. Such a heavy future
to place on such small shoulders, but he could do it. He had the
blood of a Celestial warrior in his veins, he had the blessing of
Suzaku. Peace would reign.
Author's note: Well I gave this as cheerful of an
ending as I could. I know that it isn't all roses but at least it
has an optimistic outlook. I wanted to clear up a couple of
things. Firstly this was actually a story I wrote after watching
the movie Gladiator (hence the bloodlust) and I didn't feel that
it fit in with the characters I had, but then after finishing off
Fushigi Yugi I realized that this would be perfect. Chichiri's a
little OCC, but he did fight in a war and that changes people,
also he is scarred under that mask. Here the scars are more
emotional. Ryuen is named after Nuriko whose real name was Ryuen
Cho. I know that Nuriko is a guy but he has a woman's spirit,
IMO. Genro was Tasuki's real name and so Ryo's child is purposely
named after him. I am sorry I didn't write a sequel, but with
only one original character left, I just didn't feel it had
enough gas to keep going.