A New Day (Challenge #57, Dawn; Dokugakuji & co.; G)
Title: A New Day
Author: opalmatrix
Warnings: nothing at all, really
Pairing(s): n/a
Spoilers: a little about Dokugakuji's history and the personnel of Houtou Castle
Notes: written for saiyuki_time, Challenge #57, Dawn: use the concept in a metaphorical sense; time allowed: 40 minutes; time taken: 50 minutes. Title taken from the Oysterband: ""Everything must go, it's a new day." I'm a little "meh" on this one - see what you think.
Summary: After an unexpected adventure, Dokugakuji finds his place with the prince of Houtou.
"It's a simple task. So simple, even you should be able to do it, Prince. Just find my precious child, your little sister. You can handle that, can't you?"
The poisonously sweet words with their hard, scornful cores still rang in Dokugakuji's ears, and he seethed for his prince's sake. But Kougaiji himself remained impassive. Throughout the audience with Lady Gyokumen Koushu, his face might have been carved form the tawny stones of the mountains about Houtou, and it did not change a bit after he'd saluted his stepmother and left, his swordsman trailing at his heels. Dokugakuji kept quiet until they were well away from the audience chamber.
"Where do you think she went this time, your highness?"
Kougaiji stopped and turned to him, still solemn as he always was, his eyes narrowing a little in thought. In the three months that he had served the prince, Dokugakuji had never seen him look anything but serious. Of course, the prince had good reasons not to be cheerful. "I'm not sure. Last time she ran off, it was news of wolf pups in the hills. And before that, an orphaned wildcat someone had down the valley. She ought to have a pet, but ... ."
He didn't need to finish. The only pet permitted in Houtou Castle was Lady Gyokumen's perverted human scientist. Dokugakuji felt his face go as still as his lord's. They both strode on down the corridor, Dokugakuji moderating his steps to avoid outpacing the man he served.
No one seemed to have seen anything of Lirin until they got to the dragon-yard, where the cantankerous one-eyed dragonkeeper was in a terrible temper. "Gods of Hell! That's the answer - the little b- ... yer pardon, highness. The little lady must have taken Greenie. I was wondering how she got out!"
Dokugakuji was appalled. "She could be anywhere by now!"
"No," said the prince, quietly. "The dragons like to be with their den-mates. If we follow right away, the others might be able to find them." The dragon-keeper nodded, looking a little calmer.
"Right you are, prince! I'll just saddle up Tip and Scar for you gentlemen - Greenie was most partial to them in her time last year."
Dokugakuji opened his mouth to say he'd never ridden a dragon, then closed it again. If there was anything he'd learned since he'd come to Houtou, it was that Prince Kougaiji had damned few people he could trust. Dokugakuji hoped to stay on that list. He set his jaw, watched carefully as his lord mounted up, and mimicked his actions. The dark-tipped dragon lurched into the air, following his scarred den-mate and apparently leaving Dokugakuji's stomach back in the dragon-yard. Dokugakuji swallowed and kept swallowing as the dragons flapped south.
After about half an hour, the scarred dragon let out a moaning croon and swooped down toward a section of cliff above a little creek. There was a dark hollow about 30 feet up the cliff-face. An answering groan came from it, and the green-headed dragon peered out, watching her mates land on the bank of the creek. Kougaiji dismounted, frowning. Dokugakuji slid off in a heap, but this went unnoticed. He picked himself up as Kougaiji shouted: "Lirin!"
The sound echoed back and forth between the stony sides of the little valley. Then a familiar little voice came from above their heads: "Onii-san?"
Kougaiji sighed, clearly relieved: his body spoke of it, although his expression hardly changed. "What are you doing up there, sister?"
They could see her face now, peering past her dragon's shoulder. "Greenie saw some big eggs in a nest up here and decided to eat them. And now she doesn't want to come down!"
The she-dragon yawned at her den-mates. Lirin kicked her in the shoulder. She made an indignant wuffling sound and then curled her head back along her body and closed her eyes, obviously unimpressed by her young mistress' strength.
"How in the world are we going to get her down? It's like a wall," muttered Dokugakuji. Kougaiji rummaged through his dragon's saddlebags and produced a coil of rope. But there didn't seem to be any good way up the cliff. Finally Kougaiji tied the end of the rope around his waist and started the climb up the sheer rock, clinging with his claws, as Dokugakuji carefully played out the rope behind him. Lirin watched, her eyes like saucers.
Suddenly, Scar seemed to have had enough of youkai incompetence. He reared up on his hindquarters and bellowed up at the smaller dragon. Greenie woke up and shrieked back at him. He snarled, and Tip bellowed his opinions as well. Kougaiji froze, clinging to the sheer face of the rock. Suddenly, the smallest dragon erupted from the cave, dragging half the remains of the huge birds' nest with her and knocking Lirin off her vantage point at the cave's mouth.
"Lirin!" shouted Kougaiji, futilely, but Dokugakuji had already dropped the rope and leapt sideways. About 50 pounds of branches, matted feathers, eggshells, and guano dropped onto his face and into his outstretched arms, followed by Gyokumen Kousho's precious child. Then everything went black.
When Dokugakuji came to, the first thing he saw was Kougaiji's still face, looking down at him. He was lying in an extremely untidy heap on the ground. Lirin, clutching one arm as though it hurt, was looking over her brother's shoulder at him. "He'll be alright, won't he, Onii-chan? He has to be!"
"How do you feel?" Kougaiji asked, quietly.
Dokugakuji stretched his arms and legs cautiously. He probably had bruises coming all over, including places he didn't want to think about. The only thing that seemed really bad was the left side of his chest, and the shoulder on that side was stiff. "Maybe cracked a couple of ribs. No big deal, your highness. How's the little squirt - I mean, the little lady?"
"She may have a broken arm, but it could have been much worse, if not for you." Kougaiji reached down and pulled him to his feet. The prince's claws were split and cracked at the tips. Dokugakuji felt uncomfortably prickly, and something smelled. He wiped one hand across the top of his head and came away with a handful of extremely dirty feathers. Lirin's mouth twitched and suddenly she burst out laughing, pointing at him with her good hand.
"Doku! You're wearing that bird's nest!"
She wasn't much better: grubby down clung to her clothes, and twigs were caught in her hair. "Look who's talking! You looked like you just hatched out of one of those eggs!"
Suddenly he heard an unfamiliar chuckle, deep and brief. Both of them turned to stare at Kougaiji. A slow, beautiful smile was blossoming on his face. "Your highness?" said Dokugakuji, shocked.
Gyumaoh's son clapped him gently on his good shoulder. "No, my friend. Call me by my name," he said.