InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Seven Feudal Fairy Tales ❯ Q&A with Shiro & the Dragon King ( Chapter 31 )

Disclaimer: These characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi and other associated companies.

 

 

Chapter Thirty-One: Q&A with Shiro and the Dragon King

 

 

The melodious chirps of crickets permeated the cool, autumn air, proclaiming the coming of evening in song. Ghosting the western horizon, the last, magenta rays of sunlight tinged the sky and faded to the dark of navy that shaded the east. Sharp and brilliant, constellations of stars glittered in the sky and the pale radiance of the crescent moon washed the world in soft light.

 

Gently sloping hills and thin orchards molded the landscape, strangely beautiful in their simplicity. In a thicket of stunted trees with boughs laden in the warm colors of fall, vaporous clouds of steam wafted on the light breeze. Below, they billowed lazily off of deep pools of dark water, the brilliance of the night sky reflecting on the stilled, liquid surface.

 

Leaning comfortably against one of the large, smooth stones that framed the spring, the pale figure of a man rested. His muscular torso lay exposed above the heat of the water, painted in rare places with burgundy stripes. Lolling to the side and weighted with sleep, his heavy head hung with three, burgundy stripes gracing his cheekbones. The dark red shadowed his closed eyelids as well and hidden beneath his long silver bangs was a blue crescent moon that mirrored its luminous cousin shining above in the heavens. Through parted lips, drool seeped with the occasional droplet falling to the pool below with a delicate plop. Radiating around him in a halo of silver, his long hair draped with their ends curling in elegant designs on the water's surface as he dozed.

 

“Dog?” a smooth, crackling voice called out in growing irritation. “Dog?!”

 

“Hmm?” the napping figure murmured, absently scratching at a tickle at the end of his nose with his nails.

 

“Wake up, dog. They are here.”

 

“Hmm? Who's here?”

 

“Them.”

 

“Them them?”

 

“Of course,” the other growled. “Who else would it be?”

 

“I see,” the waking man replied with a smile, cracking a golden eye as he stretched lazily. “And such poor hosts we are for making them wait. Why did you not tell me we had guests sooner, Orochi-san?”

 

“I did,” the other man answered with a scowl from across the spring, the amber skin of his tanned body hidden in the shadows of the overhanging trees. His thickly corded arms were folded in an aggressive fashion against his robust chest, the fire darkened claws of his fingertips pressed against his flesh. Spiky, red hair flowed around him like a burning flame, the longer lengths bleeding into the water at his waist. Glowering in annoyance, he glared with haunting, crimson eyes at the shrugging, old, youkai lord.

 

“Well, there is nothing that we can do about it now,” Shiro remarked dismissively, deepening the king's withering expression. “I suppose we should begin.”

 

“Why are we here?”

 

“We are supposed to be answering the readers' questions, not your questions,” Shiro sighed, rubbing his temples with the soft pads of his fingertips. “Besides, what is wrong with being here?”

 

“We are naked in a hot spring.”

 

“It is called fan service.”

 

“It is demeaning,” the Dragon King retorted, his fierce look seemingly brighter.

 

“It cannot be helped. Our roles in the story are completed, so we must accept what little work we can find as a result. It is with this subject that we begin our first question and what I believe to be the most tragic and depressing of queries.” Smoothly, the old youkai lord reached up to a rock beside him, gently grasping the thin frames of a pair of glasses resting there. With a careful flick of the wrist, he unfolded them and then set them against the bridge of his nose, their wire lengths at each side curving behind his ears. His hand soon returned to the stone, finding a wrinkled sheet of paper that was slightly damp from the steam. The demon held it out a fair distance in front of him in the low light of night as he cleared his throat.

 

“What is this question?”

 

“It is from Dark Darianna Minamino,” Shiro replied somberly after a time, allowing dramatic tension to build, “She asks “Who the hell is our favorite nudist?”

 

“Well?”

 

“Well, what?”

 

“Who is it, dog?”

 

“It is me,” the old lord said in exasperation, waving the paper in the air. “With a question like this, it would seem that I have already been forgotten. I was loved before and now a mere, eight chapters later, I find out I was but a fleeting fancy. A momentary amusement.”

 

“I fail to see the tragedy.”

 

“It is tragic for yet another wrote on the same subject and even more cruelly. Missy Misa - YourLastNightmare went so far as to say that she feared nudity and preferred the company of evil over that which might be naked.”

 

“Hehe,” the king chuckled darkly, licking his lips lightly with his forked, black tongue, “She may spend time with me if she wishes. I have not eaten well in some time and it might be pleasant to have her over for dinner.”

 

“I am sure it would be… for you,” Shiro remarked, eyeing the other's devious expression warily before wisely changing the subject. “Anyways, our next question is also from Dark Darianna Minamino. She is very inquisitive.”

 

“Hn.”

 

“She asks “How long do you think this story is going to be?” A valid query from a few months ago as not many asked questions at the end of the last chapter. Orochi-san, if you would.”

 

“What?”

 

“I am not going to answer all of the questions. Some of them will fall to you.”

 

“Hn,” the king snorted with a renewed scowl as he thought. “It is called Seven Feudal Fairy Tales; therefore it will be seven stories long. There is your answer.”

 

“Nothing else? Number of words? Number of chapters?”

 

“No.”

 

“Well then, on to the next question,” the old tai youkai said brightly. “This from both Dragonluvr1993 and of course, Dark Darianna Minamino.”

 

“Dragonluvr? Hmm, maybe I will have two over for dinner.”

 

“They ask,” Shiro interrupted both loudly and quickly, “What are the different fairy tales, just naming them all out and not necessarily in order?”

 

“We do not know all of the stories. How are we supposed to expound on what they are?”

 

“Perhaps we should just dictate the ones we know. The first was The Adventures of Kintaro, The Golden Boy. The second was The Story of Tiny Finger or Issunboushi. The third and my personal favorite was The Story of the Old Man Who Made Withered Trees Bloom. Finally, our king's tale, My Lord o' Bag of Rice. The following stories are a secret, although some have deduced from the next lines of the poem what the fifth story will be.”

 

“Urashima Taro.”

 

“You gave it away.”

 

“It does not matter. They will know it in the following chapter anyhow.”

 

“But that was not very nice. Some might have wanted to discover it then.”

 

“I am the greatest evil ever known, dog. Do not expect less.”

 

“Fine, fine,” the old lord replied, waving his hands through the air in acquiescence. “Moving on.”

 

“A wise decision.”

 

“The next one is from someone new. Bishieluver01.”

 

“What is a “bishie”?”

 

“I have no idea,” the old demon replied with a frown. “Probably not us.”

 

“Good.”

 

“She asks “I'm curious if the stories about the gods Amaterasu, Tsukiyomi or Susanou are coming up, since they're major myths. Or not since it seems Susanou is a major character within the story. The same questions for the stories of Mrs. Cutter with the Sparrow and the Bamboo Cutter's child, Kaguya.”

 

“She seems confused.”

 

“Perhaps. To answer her question however, Amaterasu and Tsukiyomi do have roles within the scroll, but they have yet to be revealed. As far as the Tongue Cut Sparrow and The Bamboo Cutter and the Moon-Child are concerned, it is a secret.” Shiro eyed the sinister smile of the Dragon King. “A secret.”

 

“Very well,” the king conceded with a scowl.

 

“The next question is from Jake.”

 

“Jake? There is a man among the readers?”

 

“So it would seem. I suppose they are out there.”

 

“I wish there were more of them.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Then I would not be in this hot spring with you.”

 

They both nodded in ascension, taking a moment to appreciate the notion fully.

 

“He asks “From the manga, what do you think of Sesshoumaru regrowing his arm and creating a sword out of thin air? The statement was then made that this act made him more powerful than his father, which is true since the sword's weakest attack is stronger than InuYasha's most powerful attack. As far as this story goes, do you plan on working this event into your plot?”

 

“That was long.”

 

“Indeed,” Shiro replied, “And a thoughtful question as well. The goal of Sesshoumaru's character within this story is much more subtle than that of Kagome-san. Sesshoumaru is a very powerful demon, worthy of my lineage. His strength in battle and intelligence in strategy needs no improvement. His greatest encumbrance however and what prevents him from knowing true power is his regard for those around him. His personal growth centers on having a person to protect, a person to mourn, a person to give a gift to. When he learns what it means to care for someone, he will find the path to new echelons of greatness. The experiences he gains within this scroll will no doubt add and guide the decisions that lay in his future. He will regrow his arm and conjure a new sword much like his great-grandsire created a magical mortar and made withered trees bloom.”

 

“Are you finished?”

 

“Yes,” Shiro answered with a deep breath. “Our next question is from Kagome Pureheart and Dark Darianna Minamino. They ask “What is happening to the Inu-Gang and to Rin and Jaken while Kagome and Fluffy are stuck in the poem?”

 

“Fluffy?”

 

“Kagome Pureheart's choice of word. I believe she is referring to my pup.”

 

“Heh, does your whelp know of his new title?”

 

“She is still alive, so I suppose not. Would you like to answer this one, Orochi-san?”

 

“Hmm,” the king murmured as he thought, a black nail stroking his chin. “They are wondering where their comrades went.”

 

“Good answer.”

 

“Do not patronize me, dog.”

 

“I apologize. I am an old demon and my tongue reflects it so.”

 

“I am older than you, whelp.”

 

“Hmm… I suppose you are right. It has been sometime since that was true,” Shiro deftly deflected under the red glower of the king. “Anyways, our next questions have more relevance with the individual tales. The next is from Kagome Pureheart again. “In the Kintaro legend, what would have been the prize given to Kagome if she hadn't stopped Sesshy from telling her?”

 

“Applause. Next question. I am starting to wrinkle detestable water.”

 

“Very well. This is from Pretty P.”

 

“Hmm, I did not realize letters could be attractive.”

 

“Apparently this one is,” the demon shrugged. “She asks “In the Issunboshi legend, is there any great significance to the guards' names being Ginta and Hakkaku? Like Kouga's two subordinates?”

 

“No, they have no relevance beyond the writer liking them and believing they deserve more attention than what they normally receive. Underappreciated guards in the manga and underappreciated guards in the Issunboushi story. Next.”

 

“This is from PlayingwithDemons and it is in regard to my tale. “What a fabulous story of the dog clan's past! Did you make it up? Or is it resourced from somewhere?”

 

“This one does not seem to pay attention well.”

 

“Well, it is not an uncommon question in the grand scheme. Many have asked similar questions through the course of the story. All of the tales are taken from different Japanese myths and they all have been manipulated slightly to suit this piece of fiction. Has the manga writer elaborated at any point that The Man Who Made Withered Trees Bloom was the source of Sesshoumaru and Inu-Yasha's clan? No, but it seems to work, does it not?”

 

“I believe you have gone on long enough about your clan, mutt.”

 

“Are you certain? I do love talking about my greatness and the greatness of my progeny.”

 

“That is without doubt.”

 

“The next question is from venG. “In the Shiro legend, did Sesshoumaru really miss the kiss or did he just decide not to question his ancestor's ways?”

 

“Kiss?” the Dragon King questioned, raising a brow.

 

“I might have taken advantage of having an unrelated and unmated woman in my presence. Fifteen hundred years is a long time to spend without that sort of company,” the tai youkai sighed wistfully.

 

“That is all?”

 

“Yes. Why do you ask?”

 

“Somehow, I expected more.”

 

“My reputation is so much sleazier than I consider it to be.”

 

“And the answer?”

 

“Ah, he saw it and he did not care. Good for everyone involved, I suspect.”

 

“How many questions remain? I tire of this.”

 

“Only a few more are left and most of them center on the same concept, that of romance between our two travelers.”

 

“There are too many women who read this,” the king remarked snidely.

 

“Romance is important, Orochi-san,” Shiro quickly spoke up. “I wish Kagome-san had spent the night in my tale. I could have given her so many gifts. It is my nature afterall.”

 

“Disgusting. I did not need that mental image.”

 

“You are such a poor sport. Regardless, here is the question asked by PlayingWithDemons, Dark Darianna Minamino, Iloveprettysilverhair, ILuvFLUFFYmarshmellows, Mysticangeldust, Reimei Hoshi, Deviousauthoress1, and fervently by Taisho, Hana. “Will there be any romance between Sesshoumaru and Kagome-san?”

 

“And?”

 

“Perhaps.”

 

“They will not be pleased with that.”

 

“Well, the issue is that the plot and character development come before any delectable things of the sexual nature. The writer has the possibility planned though, so the likelihood is high. Patience notwithstanding, everyone should simply enjoy the story and wonder at whatever fortunate twists that might come their way.”

 

“Besides, they have already gotten several kisses, a groping and a lick. They are not deprived.”

 

“A lick?”

 

“It was platonic.”

 

“So you say,” Shiro remarked disbelievingly before returning his sight to his paper and smiling at what he sees. “Ah, I believe this to be one of the best questions of the evening. It is from Sirinya. “I wonder what Shiro would look like if someone drew him?”

 

“Like a fool.”

 

“Harsh words, but I believe you are commenting out of jealousy.”

 

“Unlikely.”

 

“No one has asked to see what you look like drawn.”

 

“Hn,” the Dragon King snorted, “I do not care about such petty things as what people think of me drawn. Besides, there is artwork of myself and unfortunately you as well at the writer's DeviantART, Paperdemon and Dokuga accounts. They can look there if they wish.”

 

“Finally, we have the last question and one that has amused me for some time.”

 

“Somehow, I believe you will be the only one laughing.”

 

“Here it is and it is from Mika Oimikado. “Will Shiro-sama do a silly naked dance with Sesshou-kun?”

 

“Amazing.”

 

“That is my sentiment as well. Out of respect for the question, I indeed asked my pup if he would do the silly, naked dance with me.”

 

“And his answer?”

 

“He said no.”

 

“Pity,” the king remarked sarcastically. “So, we are finished?”

 

“I believe so,” Shiro replied, turning the paper over several times to check for any queries that slipped his attention. “As we finish, we would like to thank everyone who reads this story and also those who leave reviews and comments for our writer to read. She very much enjoys them and looks forward to them all every time she updates. And one last thought. Do not forget who your favorite nudist is. However, go ahead and forget about Orochi-san. He does not really care.”

 

“Hn, who is the jealous one again?”