Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ Gems of Blue ❯ Tanzanite ( Chapter 9 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
Chapter 9: Tanzanite

The year and a half Lapis spent as Tessen's wife was very happy. She dressed like a man, much as the rest of the gang did. She went out on patrols with the other bandits. She was glad that Tessen never forced her to wear womens clothing or do all of the women's work.
Tessen enjoyed teaching Tsuyomi to walk and talk. He found himself making the gang members watch their mouths around the child. Tsuyomi repeated everything said to him over and over.
As Tessen's health slowly degraded, Lapis stayed by his side. She quit going out so that she could care for her husband.
As she reached her nineteenth birthday, Tessan became bedridden again.
"How is the boss doing?" Kouji said with concern.
"Not good. I don't know how much longer he can hold out."
"I hope he does until Genrou gets back. The men are getting restless. They are already fighting about who is going to take the Boss' place when he passes on."
"I know Kouji. Aiken has been making lewd comments to me already. He says he is going to turn me in for the bounty on my head."
"He wouldn't dare!"
"Yes, he would Kouji."
"I won't let him! I love you too much to let that fat slob lay one finger on you! I have loved you since the moment I first saw your face!"
"Please, don't Kouji. I care about you, but I don't love you that way."
"Couldn't we just spend some time with me? Perhaps I could grow on you?"
Tessen coughed as his eyes opened. "I know you love her, Kouji. I have always known. If she chooses to stay with you, you keep an eye on her and Tsuyomi. Remember, it is her choice."
"I will, Boss."
"Don't talk, Tessen. I love you. You need to keep up your strength for just a little while." Lapis said as tears started flowing down her face. "Kouji, where is Tsuyomi? I need to have him here."
"He is with Kaiten. They are playing outside. I will go get him."
Kouji rose and went outside. He did not expect to see Kaiten nearly dead, covered in blood.
"Kaiten! What happened! Where is Tsuyomi?!"
"Bounty hunter, Yousei, bounty hunter." Kaiten said as took his dying breath.
Kouji ran back in to the hideout and searched as he gathered help from other members of the gang.
"Yousei Has betrayed us! Find him! He has kidnapped Lapis' son!"
The bandits searched around the rooms as quickly as possible. The search was halted when they heard Lapis scream.
"The Boss' room! come on! "Kouji yelled.
The gang arrived to the rooms to find Yousei standing over Tessen's lifeless body. His brown eyes danced with hate and malice. His short brown hair tumbled to his shoulder as he laughed maniacally. The bounty hunter had slit Tessen's throat and stolen the fan.
Lapis had pushed Tsuyomi off to the side of the room. The toddler sat there screaming and crying as his mother fought Yousei.
Lazuli rushed in and grabbed the child and took him off to a safe place.
Lapis was glad she had continued to exercise her skills while she lived with the bandits. She was also thankful that Yousei was not good at fighting with Tessen's iron fan. Lapis was able to easily dodge every strike Yousei was throwing at her.
"Get away from her!" Kouji yelled as he rushed forward and tried to grab Yousei. He managed to get Yousei by the left arm.
Yousei lost his balance and dropped the fan. The sharp edge grazed Kouji's cheek, leaving a deep wound.
Aiken rushed in and grabbed the fan as Kouji reeled from his wound. Other members of the gang tried to overwhelm Yousei. They haphazardly piled on top of him. None noticed that Yousei had slipped from under the pile and out the side of the room.
Yousei knew he had lost his chance, but he knew another chance would come.


Lapis cried for many days. Kouji stayed by her side during and after the funeral. He did everything he could to try and cheer her up, but she was inconsolable.
"Lapis, I need to talk to you about something."
"What do you want?" Lapis said wearily.
"It ain't safe for you around here. I am thoroughly disgusted the way Aiken tossed you and Tsuyomi out of your room before the Boss' body was even cold. I know he is plotting to turn you over to Kutou as soon as he gets a chance. He knows he won't get any reward without the gem. He could get violent as soon as he calms down from the high he has over stealing the Boss' spot."
"There is still no word on when Genrou will be back?"
"No. None of the guys I sent out have found him yet. He probably don't want to be found. You know how moody he got when the Boss got worse."
"He loved Tessen like a father. And, Tessen loved him like a son. He always talked about Genrou. He was so proud of him."
"I think you and Lazuli should get on the road as soon as you think you can leave. I will take care of things here. You need to think of Tsuyomi, and what this would do to him. He is traumatized enough already."
"You're right. I will talk to Lazuli. We should be ready to leave in a couple of days."
"Promise to take care of yourself."
"Thanks Kouji, I will."


The bandits threw a party on the night before Lazuli and Lapis left. It was less because they were sorry to see them go and more because they all wanted an excuse to get drunk.
Kouji decided to stay sober. He felt it might be the last time he saw his friends alive again, and wanted to make sure he remembered every moment clearly. He brushed the scar on his cheek .
"As long as I have this, I will never forget her." He said to himself.
Before sunrise, Kouji helped Lazuli and Lapis pack their horses. Tsuyomi was partially excited and partially frantic. None of the three adults could figure which.
"Take care of yourselves, and if you need any help, just send a message."
"We will, Kouji. Please tell Genrou that we missed him and we were sorry we had to leave so quickly."
"Will do, Lapis."


Within a matter of days after they left, Yousei, and his fellow bounty hunters were hot on their trail. Lazuli was upset that they barely had time to rest, before being interrupted again and again. Yousei continued to pursue even after most of his gang decided to go home.
"How long is that bastard going to keep this up? He should know that if we can't be caught within the first month or so, we can't be caught. Hell, most of his buddies have gone back to Kutou. Here, you take the queen's amulet and put it in your pocket. You may need it."
"Is there any trail that you or the others did not manage to show him, Lazuli? Perhaps we could give him the slip for a little while at least."
"Ride more mamma? I'm tired." Tsuyomi said softly.
"I know, son , but we have to get away from the bad man. We can rest more soon."
"Okay."
"There is one trail that I am pretty sure Yousei does not know about. We haven't used it in years, since the Boss went out on raiding patrols himself."
"Are we close to it?"
"Yeah. The Boss called it the Tanzanite trail. It leads north, into Hokkan."
"Hokkan. I suppose we will need to find a village and get some cold whether gear. I haven't been that direction since I was wandering with the Hin."
"As long as we make it quick. We are ahead of him about a day now. We don't need to leave him any clues."
"Right. Lets get going. "
"There is a small farm near where the trail starts. Perhaps the farmer there can sell us some gear."
"Or we will just have to take it from him, Lazuli."
"No, that farmer was once one of the bandits himself before he married and settled down. It would be rude to steal from him."


The farmer was happy to put them up for the evening and give them all the supplies they needed. For a slight fee, he was even willing to say that he had never seen Lapis or Lazuli. Kutou soldiers had visited the farmer several times stealing what they could take. The farmer was more than happy to aid anyone who hated the Kutou emperor as much as Lapis and Lazuli did.
They set out on the narrow, winding trail. Rock walls turned into thick areas of trees. The air grew colder so they had to stop to dress warmer. They continued until they were well into the country of Hokkan. It took them nearly a month on the winding trail, but Lazuli insisted that this was the safest way to go.
"Do you think we lost him?"
"I think so, for now. Lets find a suitable place to pitch tent and rest. If there is no sign of him tomorrow, we should be able to slow our pace. We are not too far from the capital. If need be, we can loose ourselves from him among the streets."
"I hope so. It is hard to believe that Tsuyomi will be three in the fall. It is hard caring for him without a tribe to back me up."
"Lapis, I help as best I can. At least he eats regular food and is out of diapers."
"Every day he gets to looking more and more like his father." Lapis said as she kissed the toddler's sleeping head."
"You still have feelings for Nakago?"
"Not like they once were. His life force is so strong. I was naive to think that just because he was using it to please me sexually, meant that he was in love with me. I love him, like a sister should, but I pity him more."
"Pity? Why should you pity a disgusting dog like him?"
"Because, he will not let go, and let himself be free."
"He has been a slave for over fourteen years. I don't think he knows what real freedom is anymore."
"I wish there was a way we could show him, not just for his own sake, but Tsuyomi's as well. I refuse to lie to my son about who his real father is. Tessen and I agreed it was for the best . Tsuyomi looks so much like Nakago."
"Get some sleep, Lapis. I will finish making camp."


Lazuli scouted around over the next week.. He found no sign of Yousei or any other bounty hunter. He did find Kutou soldiers wandering about. They seemed to have no interest in him or in looking for Lapis. Nonetheless, Lazuli felt that they would not be safe in their camp much longer.
"I saw more Kutou soldiers today. We should break camp and move on before they discover who we are. You get Tsuyomi and his things together. I will handle the rest."
"Tsuyomi, It is time to go, little one. Tsuyomi? Tsuyomi!"
"What's the matter?"
"Tsuyomi is gone! "
"Go look for him, I will have the horses ready.
Tsuyomi skipped along the trail after a small bird. No matter how many times the child tried to catch the little bird, it got away from him. He wanted to be a good hunter and fighter like his mamma and uncle. He just wanted to prove he could catch something, anything.
"Hello little one. What is a little thing like you doing out here all alone?" A tall man blue armor said to Tsuyomi as he crouched down to look the child in the eye. "Where is your momma? You can tell me."
Tsuyomi looked into the soldier's brown eyes and froze. He did not know whether to scream or cry.


"Suboshi, where is that guard that is supposed to be up on the top of that ravine?"
"I am not sure, Lord Nakago. Perhaps he went to relieve himself."
"I will go see to this myself. There is no excuse for a soldier to abandon his post. Especially, an important lookout like that one. You stay here and watch out for Lady Yui."
"Yes sir."
Nakago made his way up the ravine. The soldier was no where to be seen.
"Fool, he should know better." Nakago said as he spotted the haphazard trail through the brush the soldier had left. He took his time following the broken brush.
Nakago came to a small trail. He walked a long it a few steps when he saw the soldier crouched down , talking to a small child. Nakago was not in the line of sight of the soldier. He waited. He wanted to see what the child would do before he punished the soldier.


Lapis tried to keep calm as she called out for Tsuyomi. She ran down the winding trail as she called out, still unable to see him.
"Oh, Tsuyomi, why won't you answer?" She cried out.
"That must be your mamma, little one." The soldier said as Lapis stepped into view, "And you have a very pretty mamma."
The soldier pushed Tsuyomi to the side, pushed Lapis to the ground, sat on her legs and pinned down her arms.
"Let me go! You smelly brute."
"Now, now pretty one. You had best be really nice or I will make your boy an orphan" the soldier said as he started tearing at Lapis' shirt.
"Run Tsuyomi! Run! Tsuyomi! Run!" Lapis frantically yelled as the child stood there transfixed on the scene in front of him.
Nakago shuddered. He stepped up to the child and grabbed him. He hid Tsuyomi behind a bush and yelled, "What do you think you are doing?"
"L.. Lord Nakago!" The soldier stuttered as he dropped Lapis on the ground.
Lapis stood and kicked the soldier. She pulled a knife from her belt and wildly slashed at the soldier as Nakago stood back and watched. She whirled around in her deadly dance. She was so fast, that the soldier had no time to react. She gutted him before the soldier knew he had been hit.
Nakago stood there and clapped, "Bravo. A fitting end for a foolish soldier who left his post." He stopped clapping when Lapis looked him in the face.
A look of shock crossed both of their faces.
"Nakago?"
"Lapis?"
"Yes, it is Lapis."
Nakago opened his arms for her. "Come to me, first of wives."
She ran into his arms and embraced him tightly. "I thought I would never see you again!"
"I thought the same thing of you when that fool emperor put a price on your head."
Nakago let Lapis go and went to the bush where Tsuyomi was crouched down hiding. "This must be my son. Come out little one. I will not harm you. I have wanted to see you for a very long time."
"Tsuyomi, its alright. Come on out of there."
"Tsuyomi, you named him well, Lapis."
The child slowly came out of the bush and rubbed the tears away from his eyes. He looked at Nakago's armor and stiffened again.
"Come here Tsuyomi, this man will not hurt you." Lapis gathered up the small boy and balanced him on her hip.
"Your armor scarier than that other man's."
"That is because I am better than he was, Tsuyomi."
"You won't hurt my momma, like other man did? I'll make you pay."
"No, your momma is very dear to me. You are as dear to me as she is."
"Who're you?"
"Tsuyomi, did your mother ever tell you who your father was?"
"Pappa is not free, he lives under a leash."
Nakago gave a smile and a slight chuckle. "Perhaps, I do. I am your father, Tsuyomi."
"Papa? My Papa?"
"Yes Tsuyomi, this is your father. We had the good fortune to find him here. He is far from his house."
"Did you escape papa?"
"No, I am afraid not. My master sent me here to do something for him."
"Hug me, papa?"
"Of course, come here. You are my dearest, only son, Tsuyomi."
Nakago stood there and held his child tightly. His face softened as he smelled the boy's hair. After a few moments, he gave Tsuyomi back to Lapis.
"I must go. There are others waiting for me."
"Here," Lapis said as she pulled the amulet from her pocket, "I need to give this back to you. I am sure there is another who can serve you as first as wives better than I can now. I am content to be second of wives."
"If you so wish it," Nakago said as he took the amulet and pulled Lapis into a kiss, "but remember, you shall always belong to me. Take care of my son. Goodbye." He turned around on the trail and walked away.
"Where is papa going?"
"Back to the master who holds his leash. He is still not free like we are."
"Poor papa. I hope he gets free soon."