19-Aug-2002
Pet Shop of Horrors: Earthsong
by bonnejeanne and cassiopeia
Title: Earthsong
Author: bonnejeanne (bonnejeanne@yahoo.com) and Cassiopeia (cassiopeia@gundamwing.net)
Archive: http://www.no-assumptions.com/gundamwing/
Category: yaoi, AU
Rating: NC-17
Spoilers: Series
WARNINGS: Lemon/Limey stuff, AU
Disclaimer: Pet Shop of Horrors characters and universe are the property of the copyright owners. Our stuff is ours. No money being made here. As with all our fics, while our goal is to stay as in character as possible, any discrepancies are our mistakes.
Feedback: Any and all comments welcome, be they short or long.
NOTES: This is a sequel to our first fic, "Blood". See Part One for full Notes.
Earthsong: Part Fifteen
The television was off.
"According to the reports, they were successful last night," one of the elders stated what they all already knew. The feeling of consternation was becoming tangible.
A bit more cautiously, another, the old woman formerly of the remote, remarked, "The signs and portents agree... yet there are also indications of change to come. Uncertainty - that means change."
"Favorable change," another man asserted strongly.
"Not certain," the woman contradicted flatly.
"Why hasn't that blasted Chang come to inform us?" this elder's voice was querulous, and made more so by the fact that the question was really the one all of them were thinking.
There was a polite knock upon the door, and several of the council snapped, "Enter!"
It was not 'blasted Chang' who entered however. Simply one of the priests. His face was carefully schooled, but there was an odd glint in his eyes.
Bowing respectfully, he said, "Chang Fei Hong is here."
"Well get him in here!"
The priest bowed again. "He requests that you come up, to the temple room."
"He what??"
The aged voices were raised. The priest bowed a third time. "I think you will have to come," he said, his tone respectful. "The dragon does not seem to wish to leave the temple, and Chang does not seem to wish to leave the dragon."
This produced a stunned silence. Among a lesser group, some might have asked, 'It is here?' Others might have asked that it be brought down... but this was the council of elders and after a few moments, during which a good many looks were exchanged, they rose as one and began to file out the door.
In the temple proper, Ti-lung was quite happy sitting across the altar. He'd instructed Chang to remove a large statue so that Chris could sit up there next to him, legs swinging. Ignoring the priests, he began telling Chris about the god whose statue he'd displaced, and about the incense on the altar - it was pleasant but inferior - and about the color of the robes the priests wore. To some of the holy men, it sounded like hissing and soft growling but a few found themselves hiding smiles as they detected meaning in the sounds.
With an air rather too much like the dragonet, Chang had instructed that a tray with tea and something to eat be brought for the humans and had told Count D and Leon to "make themselves at home".
Leon did just that, keeping the Count rather close to himself as he watched Ti-lung and Chris. He felt strangely peaceful at the moment.
Chris listened intently to all that his friend told him, but took quick looks at his brother every now and then, making sure Leon was still there.
Chris looked up and saw a group of very old Chinese people, male and female, file into the room. All their eyes were on Ti-lung at first, and while they seemed to keep their expressions serenely neutral, there was relief detectable as well as a touch of reverence.
Only after they had all approached the altar and bowed deeply to the dragonet, did a few of them throw somewhat less reverential looks at the figure of Chang, who leaned against a temple pillar with his arms crossed.
A speech of thanks and welcome was made by the eldest of the group, with more bowing. A much shorter speech was made commending Chang for having accomplished his task. A dismissal was added at the end of that one.
Chang bowed, just a little less deeply than he probably should have, and did not go anywhere.
The reason was soon made clear.
Ti-lung spoke to the elders. He did not speak with a great deal of reverence, but was his typically blunt self. It was not that easy for the elders to understand him. Not every human being could. And while these were among the wisest, not all them then had the lightness of spirit it took to hear speech from a young dragon's mouth.
However those who understood got the message. Formally, the dragonet named himself before them, Ti-lung Tiaotu Yu. And just as formally, he named Chang Fei Hong as his Protector.
Then he hunkered down next to Chris to watch the fireworks.
Straightening, Chang bowed again, this time with every ounce of formal respect anyone could have asked for.
"He has a few requirements," he informed the group. They were mostly about the place Ti-lung wanted to be found for him to stay. It was understood that it might take some time to find a place that met the requirements and in the meantime, the dragon would stay with his Protector. He did not wish to be bothered with requests. He would not favor one human faction over any other. If he grew happy in his home, the land would prosper.
The fireworks were actually over rather quickly. A few of the elders seemed less than thrilled with Chang's new position, but several of them seemed to see in the young man a new potential, and be pleased. When it was all done, the elders bowed deeply once again, and then with a silent look between them, they adjourned, and went back to homes and families that had been forsaken during the time of crisis.
The temple became quiet as Chang threw himself onto a seat next to Leon and D.
Creeping a bit closer to Chris, Ti-lung put his chin on the boy's knee.
Chris had listened to everything that had been said, but he didn't understand most of it. He knew his friend was important to the people who had just left, but beyond that, his knowledge of the situation was limited. He knew what it all amounted to, though.
That Ti-lung was going to stay here, and that he, Chris, was not. He'd known all along that that's how it would be - he never got to stay anywhere or with anyone for very long - but it still hurt.
/I'm glad... you got your home back,/ he said, touching Ti-lung's head.
The dragonet pressed against Chris. 'Yeah. You have to protect Count D for me. And look after your brother too. He seems prone to getting hurt.'
The blonde boy blinked a few times. He'd never really thought about that before... Leon didn't seem, to Chris, like he needed anyone to look after him. The idea stayed in his mind. /I will. And you'll have him to watch you?/ Chris said, indicating Chang, and his hand stroked Ti-lung's back absently.
The dragonet assented. "He's okay." Then he huffed. It was supposed to be irritated, but it was only a bit sad.
Count D was watching the two, his odd-colored eyes glimmering with a mysterious expression. Reaching into his sleeve, he said, "So you are now an Earth Dragon's guardian," as he turned to Chang. The boy simply looked back, his typically cool mask back, but there were still a few hints left in his dark eyes that he was working hard at not being overwhelmed by it.
"In that case, you will probably have to help guard his treasures, until his new home is found," the Count continued. His words caught Ti-lung's ear and the dragonet looked up brightly. He had thought he would have to start all over compiling a hoard.
"Should be interesting," Chang allowed.
"Here is one for his collection. A gift, in honor of his defeat of those who would have done great evil." D pulled his hand out of his sleeve and in it was a rolled-up scroll made of bamboo strips. "Take good care of it," D said. "Show it to no one. Never let it out of his presence. And do not look too closely into it, Mister Chang. That is for Ti-lung to do, not for you."
Straightening, Chang cocked his head slightly. "I understand," he said formally.
Count D stood up, still holding the rolled scroll in his hand.
"It is time for us to go home as well," he said, looking down at Leon, and then at Chris.
Walking over to the pillar Chang had been leaning against earlier, the Count let the roll fall open, lifting the top to hang on a small protuberance that happened to be there.
The scroll showed a wonderfully lifelike painted scene. It was easily recognizable as the inside of Ti-lung's room at the pet shop, looking from the inside towards the door. His pile of treasure was there as well as lanterns that seemed to glow from the surface of the painting.
Ti-lung sat up on the altar. In the next moment, he jumped down from it, grabbing Chris's hand in his, suddenly back in the shape of a red-haired boy.
"Lookit this!"
A little surprised by the other boy's actions, Chris stumbled, then looked up at the scroll, fascinated by the glowing lanterns. He didn't look too long, though, mindful of what D had said to Chang about not looking too deeply into the painting... he wondered why... /It's your room,/ he said, watching Ti-lung's expression.
The red-haired boy grinned widely, his nose twitching as if detecting an unusual scent. "It's more than that," he said, and hugged Chris enthusiastically.
"Come, My Detective," D said, taking Leon's hand and leading him towards the painting. "Chris... take your brother's hand - we will both have to help him. Good bye, Mister Chang. Leon, close your eyes..."
Confused, Leon shut his eyes as instructed, his brows slightly furrowed and a small frown on his lips. In a moment, he felt a small hand close around his own.
Chris looked at Ti-lung a final time as he took his brother's hand, not sure at all what the Count was wanting him to do, and waved slowly. /Goodbye,/ he said, and even moved his lips a little bit along with the words.
Ti-lung smiled proudly, nodding. "See you later," he said far too cheerfully.
Chris felt a tug as D pulled Leon, and Chris was pulled in turn. Turning to look ahead, he saw Count D walking towards the painting. With each step they took, the picture seemed to get bigger... and bigger... and bigger... and Chris suddenly smelled the aroma of the pet shop's special incense. The lamps flickered as they approached and suddenly Chris was stepping across something that seemed a little like a bamboo frame. He felt a pull against the hand in his as if Leon were being drawn back, but with a slight tug he seemed to come through.
After a few more steps, across the stone floor of the large room, Chris looked over his shoulder. What he saw made him drop Leon's hand suddenly and turn fully around.
He *was* standing in Ti-lung's room. And there, hanging on a pillar, was a bamboo scroll with a lifelike painting on it. The painting showed a red-haired boy grinning, with his hand up in a wave. Behind him, the altar for a Chinese temple was perfectly depicted.
When Chris moved his head slightly, the picture seemed to change - it showed the same altar, but in front of it was a small, familiar lizard-like creature with jeweled eyes. One of the eyes seemed to wink.
Something very wonderful welled up inside Chris, and he looked back from the scroll to D, a smile bursting onto his face. Without the slightest bit of hesitation, he hugged D around the waist, unable to stop himself. /Thank you!/
The Count knelt down to hug Chris back. Patting him, he whispered in the boy's ear.
"That is my present to you, Chris. You must use it responsibly. No skipping school to play with your friend!" D told him with a hint of laughter in his voice.
The boy nodded enthusiastically into the material of D's outfit. He didn't see why he deserved a present from the man, but how *wonderful* to have one. /Thank you,/ he repeated, then pulled away a little, and his face was wet. /Just... for me?/
The Count nodded. "Just for you. Because you are a very brave and special boy."
Leon was busily examining the room they had arrived in, completely lost as to what had happened. He hadn't even peeked when D had told him to close his eyes - well, maybe a little - and now... they were...
As he was to about to demand an answer from D, Chris had hugged the man. The boy seemed so happy all of the sudden, and Leon found that he didn't want to interrupt that. He thought that the boy deserved to be happy.
Chris smiled a final time at D, then self-consciously pulled away. But the bright look did not leave his face.
D gave Chris a last pat and then looked up at Leon. His china doll face was the picture of something serene and yet warm as summer.
"We're home, My Leon. We're just home."
"Looks like it," he answered, then smiled, looking down at Chris. "School, huh? That's right, we need to get you enrolled, don't we?"
The blonde boy nodded. He liked school, and it didn't seem as frightening an idea now as it might have a couple of days ago.
Leon shifted his gaze back to D. "Where do we go from here?" he asked, and for the casualness of his voice, it sounded as if he might simply have been talking about their plans for the rest of the day. But it could have been more.
Count D stood up and came over to take Leon's hand. "I don't know," he answered softly. Then he tugged at the hand he was holding, pulling Leon towards the door. "But I'm certain we will find out when we get there."
TBC