Fushigi Yugi - Yunai Den (Chiriko)The Legend of Gentle Love

Concept by: Nishizaki Megumi, Watase YuuWritten by: Nishizaki Megumi

Illustrated by: Watase YuuEnglish translation by: Tetris no Miko

Compiled by: Annz ‘n’ Dipz

Introduction

Chapter 1: Decisive Red Symbol

Chapter 2: Two Personalities

Chapter 3: Banished Tribe

Chapter 4: Girl of the Moon, Miiya

Chapter 5: Door to Another World

Chapter 6: Date on One Night Only

Chapter 7: The Secret of the 'Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho'

Chapter 8: Above the Tower of Gentle Love

Chapter 9: Late Arrival of a Hero

Chapter 10: Distant Memories of the Spirit

Freetalks from the authors

Character list

Karuza

One of the last members of the "Night Tribe", a tribe that was cursed long ago for trying to use the moon’s powers to take over the world. They are

supposed to be good until God forgives them, but Karuza hates this "rule", and is especially torn when he falls in love with Shifang…

Miiya

Karuza’s little sister. Unlike her brother, she patiently waits God’s forgiveness. She still feels sad about the "rule" as well, though, especially

when she falls in love with none other than…Chiriko ^-^;

***

Introduction

Oh Gishoh and his wife gazed proudly at their sixteen-year-old son.

"Do your best over there..."

"Yes, Father..." the son nodded. His mother, Ryokuu, by his side, without a flicker of sorrow, silently touched her fingers to her eyes.

Today, their son was going to challenge the government official's exam called "Kakyo". The Kakyo exam was said to be a very difficult exam that even the village genius many years ago could not pass on the first try. If he were to pass this exam, he would become a high ranking government official who would oversee other branches of government.

So far, no one had passed this exam on the first try. Inversely, most challengers spend their entire lives taking the exam, to no avail.

"Since this is your first try, all you need to do is get a feel for what it's like."

Gishoh patted his son's shoulder in an attempt to calm the heavy atmosphere.

"Just remember, you're still young," Ryokuu added.

But their son shook his head. The boy, who had his mind set on this extreme goal, had his eyes fixed on a single photograph that lay in front of him. Though photography had yet to be invented then, the picture still clearly existed before him.

Seven men surrounding a girl gazed straight ahead at him. That was an image of Suzaku no Miko and her Seven chosen ones. It was a photograph that had been taken with Miaka's polaroid camera before they had set off to Hokkan to retrieve the Shinzaho talisman.

Tamahome, Hotohori, Nuriko, Tasuki, Chichiri, Mitsukake, and... the boy who sat in teh far corner, his hair tied in a short ponytail that shot towards the sky, and his arms folded neatly in front of his breast, smiling shyly with pink cheeks, was Chiriko.

The red symbol "cho" that appeared on his left foot gave him intellectual powers. At the young age of thirteen, he had made it through the second level of the Kakyo exam, using the power of his symbol.

After that, he had met up with his other Suzaku comrades, protected his Priestess, and in the end, had been killed by one of Seiryuu's.

At that time, the mark of Suzaku had not appeared on his foot.

The young boy, regardless of his apparent abandonment by Suzaku, had carried out his duty at the cost of his life.

"I promise I'll finish your dream for you," the boy said plainly.

"What are you..." the mother and father simultaneously looked at him.

Chiriko had dreamt that one day he would pass the exam and help Konan become a better Kingdom.

"Just wait..." the boy told the boy in the photograph.

Inside this boy lay shadows of Chiriko. Had Chiriko been allowed to live longer, the babyish features would have left his face and he would certainly have beared a strong resemblance to the to this boy. The boy held a strong gentleness that was rarely seen in a young man.

It was only natural that he resembled Chiriko. After all, he was Chiriko's brother's son.

His father and mother had told him stories about Chiriko over and over again. Hearing of his struggles and sufferings and how he had died so painfully was his inspiration in studying for the exam. And now, at the tender age of sixteen, he would challenge the very exam that Chiriko had challenged.

"Dokun..." Gishoh spoke the name of both the boy in the photograph and his son.

Oh Dokun, the boy who had received the name of his uncle was gentle and courageous, just as Chiriko had been.

"I'll be back," Dokun told his family as he took the first step out of his house and towards the Kakyo exam.

***

Chapter 1: Decisive Red Symbol

"Dokun, what do you want to be when you grow up?" Oh Sontaku asked of his second son one day durring the evening meal.

At his father's sudden question, Dokun's head darted up and tilted sideways with a gasp.

Sontaku critically stared at his son's hand, seeing that the boy had not been paying attention to the conversation. A small insect could be seen waddling across the surface of the table.

Noticing this, his servant reached in a hand to smash the insect.

"Ah, please, don't!... It's unfair to kill it..." Dokun told the servant as he gently reached out a hand towards the weakened insect. He then walked it to the window and set it free. The boy's eyes were slightly wet as he returned to the table.

"That insect probably still has a long life ahead of him..."

"Dokun..."

Pg. 17 – Little Chiriko

Pg. 23 - Woried about sick guy

Pg. 43 - Nakago and handsome assassin

Pg. 79 - They meet

Pg. 105 - A nice talk with Subaru

Pg. 125 - A sweet surprise from Subaru

Pg. 157 - The kiss

Pg. 163 - Tokaki to the rescue

Pg. 175 – Ummm

Pg. 189 - She'll always remember

Pg. 197 - Meeting the Emperor

ending sketch - Kaika!

Summary

First off, a note. Since I was first a fan of Fushigi Yuugi through the fansub, I didn’t recognize the word "Yuuai" from the title. Does "Yuuai no Toh" sound familiar to anyone? Probably not… But this is the name of the tower with the legend that if a couple kisses just as the sun sets, they will be together forever. (Ya know, the whole Miaka/Tamahome thing with the Shifang arc). So the title of this novel is more in reference to that particular legend than of just "gentle love".

This book is apparently, the LAST of the Fushigi Yuugi character novels. The end of the book really seemed to emphasize an END to Fushigi Yuugi, and Nishizaki-sensei AND Watase-sensei both implied that yes, indeed, this would be the last book in the series…

But never fear…

Watase-sensei ALSO implied that it’s very likely (at least more likely than we all think) that she may start writing Fushigi Yuugi in manga-form again (most likely stories with the Genbu-people… Especially since they were cleverly left out of all the novels thus far…) Personally, I think Fushigi Yuugi has gone on waaaaaay longer than it should have, but if manga were written about Genbu’s side of the story, the characters would all be new (except Hikitsu and Tomite… but still, we hardly even know much of anything about them…), the plot would be relatively unknown to us (all we know is that Genbu no Miko was consumed by Genbu…not much more. Nothing about what kind of girl she was or how she got into the book or what her quest to find the shichiseishi was like…) and it would truly be the *beginning* of Fushigi Yuugi. Well, it’s an interesting thought, but she says it "all depends on the response from the fans". So if you’re interested in seeing more Fushigi Yuugi, then WRITE FAN LETTERS TO HER!! That is all ^-^

Ah, and now onto the actual book. Hahaha. This was a really cute read. There were very few characters (and only 2 of them were new, so they were VERY easy to keep track of), and the story wasn’t too far-fetched or out of place. Basically, this story clears up the fogginess most fans tended to have over the whole Chiriko not showing up on time thing. Some people thought maybe his showing up late was something Nakago had conspired…and those people were right ^-^v

The story starts with Oh Dokun (the nephew of the deceased Oh Dokun [Chiriko]) at age 16, preparing for his government official exam. He heard stories of his uncle Dokun and his bravery as Chiriko and was inspired to finish what his uncle couldn’t: pass the third government official exam and help the country.

Then we go back to the Dokun with which we’re all familiar: Chiriko. This is, however, before his character appeared (I think he’s around 8). His father runs a lumber business and is very successful… which makes other lumberjacks jealous, so they frame him for a crime. He is taken to Konan’s jail and whipped and killed (though they insist he committed suicide). When Dokun sees his dead father, something snaps in him and his character appears. Now that he is Chiriko, he is smart and deducts what had really happened to his father. He then vows to use his intelligence to become a government official to save the corrupt government so innocent men like his father wouldn’t have to die in the future. (Currently, the government is under the control of the corrupt empress who is using Hotohori as a puppet).

During the next few years, Chiriko studies hard (while he IS Chiriko, that is. When he’s Dokun, he’s stupid and can’t do much of anything). But his mother and older brother are still very supportive of him and love him, smart or stupid. As time goes by, Dokun is conscious less and Chiriko is conscious more. Each year, when it comes time for the test for the government official, Chiriko goes to take it. The first year, his symbol was gone and he was taken out of the exam room crying with a blank test left at his desk. The second year, he was Chiriko when he got to the exam room, but as soon as his test was handed to him, his symbol left suddenly and he had to give up again.

But when he turns 12, Hotohori has taken over as emperor and decides to give him another chance at the exam. (no one knows that he is Chiriko. He is ashamed of the fact that he can’t control his powers and doesn’t want anyone to know. He also doesn’t want to introduce himself to the other Suzaku shichiseishi until he has complete control over his powers.)

Chiriko passes the first exam this time, much to everyone’s shock. He also passes the second part of the exam later. All that remains is the third part.

Meanwhile, in Sairo, there is a race that is dying out. Many years ago, this tribe who could use power from the moon tried to take over the world. God (Taiitsu-kun) didn’t like this and placed a curse on their tribe. Their skin was bleached white and their eyes turned gold. They were unable to go outside during the day, nor were they able to communicate with the outside world. They must stay on their mountain in a cave and pay for their sins until the curse is lifted. For hundreds of years, the tribe lived this way, making a living by selling medicine to outsiders in exchange for food. They had to breed with each other and over the years, they mostly died off…

All that remains now is a man and his two children: Karuza and Miiya. Karuza is 17 and a little rebellious. He is angry that after Byakko was summoned, his clan was still cursed. He’s also angry that HE has to pay for a sin that dead people committed. His younger sister, Miiya (13), however, trusts that God will forgive them if they obey his bidding and do good things.

Karuza, unable to stand his life anymore, sneaks out to the city one night. A festival is going on. His eyes fall on a beautiful girl and her two friends. The girl is Shiifang. Karuza knows that he is forbidden to marry anyone outside his family, but he still falls more and more for her and sneaks out a lot to watch her. One night, he rescues her and her friends from some street-toughs…but his method of rescue is a little harsh. He kinda stones the guys to death accidentally ^_^;; The girls are freaked out and disgusted (Shiifang is just upset) and Karuza concludes that there is no hope for him now and that he’ll just give up and turn himself over to the dark side ^___^

So where does he go? To Nakago, of course ^_-. He currently has Tamahome captive for Yui. He tries to ask Yui a question he’s always wanted to know: What is her world like? But Yui is not very cooperative because she’s mad at Nakago for beating Tamahome. She also gets the feeling she shouldn’t tell him.

So Nakago gets a plan. He’s heard that Chiriko has a superior intellect and is very well read. Thinking Chiriko might be able to tell him about Yui’s world, he hires Karuza and instructs him to find Chiriko and kidnap him. Karuza agrees to help Nakago, partially because he’s given up on salvation, and also partially because he feels like he and Nakago should share some sort of bond, since they’re both the last members of persecuted races.

Karuza finds Chiriko (overhears his older brother calling Dokun "Chiriko") and makes his move the day of Chiriko’s final exam. Unfortunately, Chiriko suddenly became Dokun again on the day of the exam and couldn’t go to take it. But that night, Karuza shows up at their house, saying he’s a messenger from Hotohori, and tells Dokun that Hotohori wishes to see him since he’s already impressed that a 13-year-old could get so far in those exams. Karuza says he will take Dokun to see the emperor, and his family dumbly lets him go.

Dokun feels a little uneasy when Karuza takes him on a VERY long carriage ride and Karuza admits that they’re going to Sairo (then lies that Hotohori is in Sairo right now for business). Karuza takes Dokun to the cave where he and his family lived, and they’re greeted by Miiya (their father just died). Miiya is mad at her brother for leaving, but happy again when she talks to Dokun and he tells her that Karuza works for Hotohori. Miiya feeds him

soup with a little bit of that herb that makes people forget stuff in it, so that Dokun will not suspect anything is amiss. Karuza tells Dokun that he was instructed to keep Dokun there with Miiya so she could help bring his symbol back up. Miiya is happy to have Dokun there, because he’s the only outsider (and boy, for that matter) who she’s ever talked to. Dokun is also happy to be with Miiya.

One night, Miiya goes down into the town and runs into Subaru (the two are actually pretty good friends, since Subaru isn’t prejudiced against Miiya’s tribe) while she is collecting medicinal herbs. She tells Subaru about her house-guest. Subaru instantly senses Miiya is in love with Dokun (just as she sensed that Karuza was in love with Shiifang). Feeling sorry for Miiya’s disposition, she tells Miiya to bring Dokun and Karuza with her to the Yuuai Tower the next night.

When Karuza, Miiya, and Dokun come to the tower, Subaru distracts Karuza first by giving him a letter Shifang wrote. While he’s reading it, she sneaks off with Dokun and Miiya and uses her powers to make them both 16 years old ^_^; The magic is supposed to last until midnight and until then, they are to go on a date as they please. Miiya is worried that God won’t approve, but Subaru says it’s okay.

They have a very nice date (^^;), and Miiya is about to tell Dokun the legend of Yuuai (that if they kiss at the top of the tower when the sun sets, they’ll be together forever), but she can’t bring herself to do it. Right after they change back at midnight, Dokun becomes Chiriko and Karuza (who had been spying) takes them both home.

Chiriko figures out pretty quickly what’s been going on the last week, but he pretends to be ignorant and lets Karuza lock him up. Karuza, through communication with Nakago’s earrings, tells Nakago he has "Chiriko" now. Nakago instructs Karuza to ask Chiriko the questions he wanted to know. Chiriko tells Karuza everything he can guess about Yui’s world, along with the fact that he thinks the link between the worlds is the written work, "Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho". The next bit of information worries Karuza: Their world might have been created by Yui’s world.

After Karuza relays this information to Nakago, Nakago tells Karuza to kill Chiriko. Chiriko has been slipping in and out of himself, and somehow (I forget exactly), Miiya finds out the truth about her brother and escapes with Dokun (even though it’s day time. She doesn’t die as long as she wraps dark cloth around her head). She meets Subaru and Tokaki and tells them the situation. They go to the Yuuai Tower, and just around sunset, it’s time to send Chiriko home so he can join the other shichiseishi and rescue Konan. An evil presence is also felt in Sairo (naturally, this is Miboshi, who has taken over that tower), and they know Seiryuu must not be summoned.

Subaru uses her magic to reduce her and Tokaki’s ages, then Miiya tells Dokun about the Yuuai legend. She says she has to say goodbye to him now and that she’ll probably never see him again, but that she wants their hearts to always be connected. Dokun says he feels the same way, so they kiss with the sunset ^_^.

Instantly, Dokun’s body weakens and he falls unconscious. Miiya had given him that forgetting-potion stuff in the kiss so he would forget everything that happened to him that week. Tokaki takes him and uses his teleportation magic to take Dokun home…

Meanwhile, Karuza has noticed the error in his ways, for serving that devil, Nakago. Shiifang’s letter thanked him for rescuing her that day and she said that she still believed he was a nice boy, despite what the other villagers said. She said she knew that if he were to do a good deed, surely God would forgive him. So Karuza goes back to see Nakago with the intent of assassinating him…but just before he can stab Nakago, Nakago stabs him ^^; But Karuza dies laughing. He tells Nakago that there’s no way he will be able to actually go to Yui’s world and take over like he wants to. Then, he goes outside to the roof in the sun. The sun hits him strongly, but it doesn’t disintegrate his body. God had forgiven him…oh great, just in time for him to die ~_~; Instead, he dies from his bloody knife-wound.

While Dokun was gone, his brother and mother grew suspicious. They heard rumors that "Chiriko" had joined up and that all the shichiseishi were assembled now. If these rumors were true, that "Chiriko" had to be an impostor and their Dokun was probably kidnapped and killed. But Dokun returns to them and Tokaki makes short work of the spies from Kutoh who had been hanging around Dokun’s house.

Dokun’s symbol appears again that night, and he insists they must go to Konan to stop the Suzaku summoning ceremony…

Then, we pick up to what happened in the manga…

Then, after part 2 of the manga, Hotohori’s spirit takes Chiriko’s spirit to see his family. He sees the new Oh Dokun and is happy to see how much his family still loves him. Then, he goes to the Yuuai Tower. A grown-up Miiya is there, thinking about Dokun. Her skin is no longer pure white, and her eyes have darkened. When Dokun sacrificed his life to save Sairo, God gave Miiya forgiveness because she was the one who gave Dokun the courage to fight even if his symbol was gone. Chiriko’s spirit is happy to see Miiya doing so well, but still can’t bring himself to be reborn. He is perfectly content to stay a wandering spirit, until after a few years, he notices the world is starting to crumble. He senses a problem and becomes reborn…

Then many many years in the future, the new Oh Dokun (in his mid-twenties) and Chiriko’s reincarnation (age 13? I forgot..) are appointed as government officials by Hotohori’s son, and Konan lives happily ever after ^_^;

And THEN, wayyyyyy in the future in another world, a 16-year-old Sukunami Hikari is in the library studying when his eyes fall upon a book called "Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho". He reaches to open it, but then this feeling overcomes him that it’s best that the book be never touched again, and puts it back on the shelf.

Theeeeeeeeeee end. For Chiriko fans, there’re some lovely fan-service pictures. One of Chiriko as a 16-year-old, and another of him and Miiya kissing ^^; Also one of his reincarnation and his nephew, Dokun, with Hotohori’s son…