Namida no Megami

PART ONE: ANKOKU

"Swarming city, full of dreams,
Where the spectre in broad daylight accosts the passerby."
-Badelaire

"A more wretched hive of scum and villainy you will never find..."
-Obi-Wan Kenobi



The horse broke the final ridge of the rangy hills, spilling onto the Kitanai Valley Plain. Like a beacon, it rose out of the grey earth. And in the light of high noon, the city appeared to be made of white light.... She roused the boy from his blood-loss-induced slumber. "Behold, priestling, the White City of Ankoku!"

According to popular legend, Ankoku was the continent of Kiroku's first city. It certainly was ancient. However, the passage of time had beaten and weathered the White City. After the coming of the Church, law had abandoned Ankoku… It had become a den of thieves, and a lair of the unsavory, the poor, and the unfortunate. It was even rumored that in some quarters of the White City, wild magic still roamed free...

The streets were narrow and cluttered. Everywhere, peoples of all breeds and cultures bartered, beat, and conversed. Momoirio had never seen anything like it. The young priest was in awe.

The woman warrior stabled the mare at a nearby inn. She paid for one room in bronze coins she had greased in the mud outside. She was not in town to fight.

She found the boy outside a wench's stall, examining dried rat's legs and boiled cat whiskers. She pulled him away with a rough grip on his good arm. "Do not touch anything you do not intend to buy. Purchase nothing you have not closely examined."

"I don't... What?" He asked, not following, in mind, or in body, as he stumbled over the corner of a woman's stall who was screaming about fish.

She pulled him along despite these difficulties, into a nearby alleyway. "Here." She said, pressing two silver coins into his hand. "Buy yourself some provisions, and a nag from the vendor we passed on the way in."

"...a nag...?..."

"Go on. I've no more use for you." She said, turning to rejoin the busy street.

After four paces, she stopped, eyebrow twitching slightly. "...What is it?"

"...I do not wish to return home."

She snarled. She had seen this coming.

"Take me with you. You're a warrior. I can help you."

She half turned, leaning against the wall, and folding her arms over her chest. "And how, exactly, would you do that?"

In response, he yanked down the shoulder of his tunic. Despite the dried blood, the wound was nearly healed.

"What sorcery is this?!" She demanded.

"White Magic. A priest's magic."

"...That was no monastery."

"No. It was a shrine."

"..." She pondered this revelation. "You heal wounds very quickly..."

"Surely even you must become injured from time to time."

"...All right. I will see what use I can make of you." She turned back to the street, and he followed, grinning. "Besides," She continued, "If you prove to be completely useless, I can always sell you to a harem..."

"What?!"

~*~

They journeyed first to a tailor's shop. Once there, the warrior examined several tunics of various cuts and shades. "Ah… Do you wish to be a girl or a boy?" She said, finally acknowledging him.

"I'm a BOY!!" He responded hotly.

"As you wish." She said, inclining her head towards him. To the clerk, she barked commands. "Brown leggings. A dark blue tunic. Close fitting, something simple he can ride in… …A cloak. Something warm, that can breathe. That grey, there. It will bring out his eyes."

The little man nodded, and began to produce possibilities. Momoirio stood very still, and allowed himself to be poked and measured. At last, the warrior and clerk had concluded their business. Four silver pieces, and he was ordered to change.

"What about my clothes?" He said finally.

"Keep them, if you please, but keep them out of sight." She said gruffly, closing the curtain all of the way. Turning away, she smiled. He still had not offered to return her two silver pieces. She was pleased.

~*~

"I am going to speak with someone. Wait here. Do not touch anything, and do NOT wander off."

Momoirio shifted his weight uneasily. The warrior had vanished into the crowd a full ten minutes ago. Finally, he could stand it no longer, and began to walk in the direction he thought she had gone.

He paused a few moments later, by some sort of stage. Several people, all masked, were performing some sort of play. It seemed to involve a red-cloaked man who kept chasing a white-clad man, while randomly killing or burning everything else that happened across the stage. He stayed until the man caught the white-clad one, only to be set on fire by the one he had pursued.

Tapping the old man beside him on the shoulder, he began, "Excuse me, sir, I'm looking for a woman... She..."

"That way." He pointed down a nearly deserted alley.

"...Thank you!" Following the path the old man had pointed out, he came out on a nearly empty street, heavily shadowed. He stopped by a large building with columns, to inspect the delicate light-play on it's stained glass windows. Suddenly, he jumped, noticing the girl leaning on the doorway.

She was very beautiful, in a sensual, romantic, fairytale sense, not like the warrior at all.

"Hello, there." She said softly.

"H...Hello." He stammered.

"She laughed, and he flushed.

"First time in Ankoku?" She said, gliding closer.

He reflexively took a step back. "...yes..."

Her dress slipped off of one tan shoulder, revealing the curve of her breast. "What's your name, darling?"

"Mo... Momo...ah..."

"Momoah. Nice..." She said, halting, very close.

Suddenly, he was flying backwards. He landed on his back, as the sun vanished behind the burly man who had thrown him.

"What the hell do you think yer doin'?!" He demanded.

"Genko---" The woman began, hands on her hips.

"Shut up, Leela. This thing don't even look like a boy! Well?! I asked you a quest'in!!"

"---I… I wasn't---- We were just--- talking!!" Momoirio protested.

"Talkin'? TALKIN'? I'LL SHOW YOU TALKIN'!!" Momoirio cringed, and raised one arm in feeble defense, as the brute raised his blade...

Suddenly, something golden-white and russet-coloured shot across Genko's knees, knocking him to his back, on the ground.

And the warrior stood there, blade drawn, blue eyes blazing.

"Genko." She drawled the word out, making it sound dirty and dangerous.

"Lady..." He stammered, getting to his knees.

"I am pleased you remember me. Now kindly explain why you attack my property."

"Yer... prop'ty...?"

"The boy is mine; a spoil of contract."

"Forg've me, Lady... I dinnit know."

She eyed him for a long moment, and then sheathed the blade. Her hand did not leave the hilt. "Good day."

Genko and Leela made a hasty retreat.

Slowly, Momoirio got to his feet. "Thank you---"

She spun around, shoving him roughly against the stone column. She held him there, fingers about his throat. "Perhaps I did not make myself clear to you the first time. Touch nothing unless you intend to buy it. And purchase only what you need."

She relaxed her grip, and he sighed. Abruptly, she tightened her grip on him again. "And the next time I tell you to stay put, when I return, you had better be there!" She hissed.

This time, she released him, and walked away. He followed, rubbing his throat. "But... I didn not touch anything! We were just talking!! She was really very nice, and we---"

The warrior snarled, but said nothing, and continued walking.

"How do you know that man? And... Hey! Wait for me! ----What is a spoil of contract?!"

She snarled again, and carried on ignoring him. Momoirio sighed. He was beginning to miss the Shrine.

~*~

At dusk, they returned to the inn where they had earlier stabled the horse. The warrior ordered them both a bowl of some sort of stew, and a large mug of something that smelled heavily of incense, and appeared to have recently been on fire.

"Are we staying here tonight?" He asked, pushing his spoon through the murky broth of his stew.

"Ah."

"And tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow, we go to Shikotu."

"The Church Town? Why?"

"Sa."

He sighed. And blanched.

She followed his gaze to her own spoon. Something in it appeared to be moving. She shrugged. "It helps if you do not look at it. Have some ale."

He drank deeply from his mug, and choked. "What is this?!"

"Fire ale. The reason I stay here." She said, draining her on, and raising it towards the innkeeper.

The door was flung open dramatically, and a man in pale blue stormed in. "You, there!" He cried, pointing at the warrior.

"Ah." She said, simply.

"You're wanted for questioning on the sacking of a nearby monastery!"

"Who're you?" The innkeeper demanded, handing her the requested ale.

"I am Juri Shida, of the Dento-teki Evidence Force!" He declared.

"Ah." The warrior said, again.

"Where is the boy you abducted, and the artifact you stole?!" Shida demanded.

The warrior and Momoirio exchanged looks. She smirked, and mouthed the word 'girl'. To Shida, she shrugged, and said simply, "I sold them."

"To whom?!"

"To the Princeling, of course. He said his nights have lately grown so cold, without your love to warm him, sir."

The room exploded into drunken laughter.

Shida's jaw dropped. "You will come with me, now!!"

She sighed, and drained her ale.

"I SAID NOW!!"

She snorted.

Shida drew his blade.

"Saaa..." She complained, rolling her neck. Then, she stood.

Blades met in a crash of steel. She raked hers down, smashing into his fingers with her hilt guard. He swore, and his grip slackened. Her right knee shot up as she jerked the blade. Shida's own blade flew out of his hands, as his knees buckled. He went down hard, and she tapped on his chin with the edge of her sword.

"Good night to you, sir." She said, simply. Sheathing her blade, she returned to the bar. "Innkeep, another."

The clientele returned to their own drinks. Shida struggled to his feet. "You... You..."

The warrior has her back to him.
She did not see the knife.
Momoirio did.

He stood abruptly, overturning his stool, as he raised his right hand. He cried out, in the ancient tongue of the priests...

...The blade froze, inches from the back of her throat.

It clattered to the ground.

Not one soul moved.

"Tell Father Toshibi we are safe. Tell him what has transpired here. Tell him I am sorry, and that I am grateful." Momoirio ordered. "Tell him I said goodbye."

As Shida fled the room, the place returned to normal.

~*~

After two more rounds each, the pair made their way up the stairs.

"Take the bed. I sleep in the floor." She slid to the ground beneath the single window, drawing one leg up. She faced the bolted door.

As he climbed into the bed, she spoke. "What you did downstairs... You could do it again?"

"Yes. And much more, besides."

She smiled, the first genuine one he had seen on her face. "That will do, priestling. You may prove useful, yet."

"Now we are... 'even'." He said softly.

"Ah." She closed her eyes. "At least until the next time that I leave you alone..."

"..." A sudden thought struck him. "These people call you 'the Lady'... But what is your name?"

"Tsumihoraboshi. Tsumi. ...Now go to sleep, Momoirio. You will have a headache in the morning..."