[D8 LE, Tomoe's] Hare-mon, I chose you!

[Usagi Tomoe]

"You can be quite the charmer too, it seems," she smiled in return, her gaze meeting his over the rim of her cup. "Oh, right... I forgot that it is probably not a story familiar to the Unicorn. It is a fairy-tale... my favorite when growing up, to be honest. I don't mind sharing it with you at all, as you always seem eager to listen to my stories."

Tomoe took another sip of sake to wet her throat for the story.

"Once upon a time, here was a beautiful lady who arrived at the Emperor's palace. She was Tamamo No Mae, and she was so beautiful, intelligent, and graceful that the Emperor fell in love with her the first time he saw her.

When he asked her what could he do for a visitor like her, she told him that she would like to stay at the palace. The Emperor could not resist her charm, so he agreed.

The longer she stayed at the palace, the more people around her adored her. She was the most beautiful girl they have ever seen!

She was also very polite, elegant, and very, very intelligent. The scholars in the palace often liked to test her knowledge, and she always passed their tests, sometimes even exceeding their expectations.

The Emperor, who also enjoyed her company, found himself falling in love with her even deeper. One day, he asked her if she wanted to move in with him inside the palace. Tamamo No Mae agreed.

As the days went by, she and the Emperor became a couple. They were always together, day and night, all days of the week. They were almost inseparable!

As time passed, the people of the palace noticed that the Emperor was becoming weak. Until one day, he was so severely ill that he could not get out of bed!

The servants also found it strange that at first, Tamamo No Mae was apathetic, not showing any signs of sadness, nor any emotion at all. It was just until when the Emperor had a grave near-death convulsion that Tamamo No Mae almost appeared worried and restless, sometimes even looking quite confused.

One of the palace's scholars became very suspicious of their mysterious lady visitor, that he sought help from the monks in the holy temples. He told them how the nearly-perfect Tamamo No Mae came to their town and charmed everyone, including the Emperor, and that he fears that she might not be what she appears to be.

The monks gave the scholar a small wand, and told him to trick Tamamo no Mae into touching it. They said that when she touches it, it will reveal her true nature.

The scholar returned to the palace and immediately went to Tamamo No Mae. He found Tamamo No Mae in her room, staring blankly out of the window, looking very absentminded.

The scholar took opportunity of Tamamo No Mae's absentmindedness, and asked her if she wanted to come with him for another knowledge test, to get her mind off of things. He offered his hand to her to help her rise from her seat, and when she reached out her hand, he immediately pressed the wand against her palm.

The moment the wand touched her skin, it began to smoke! Tamamo No Mae retracted her hand in pain, but it was too late. A blinding light came out of nowhere, and amidst the light and smoke, the scholar was shocked to see a number of tails unfurl behind Tamamo No Mae.

The scholar screamed for the guards. Just as the guards came bursting into the room, a cornered and panicking Tamamo No Mae transformed fully into a kyuubi, or a nine-tailed fox! She leapt out of the window and tore through the town at top speed.

The people who adored her before, upon seeing her, threw rocks and sharp objects at her. Wounded, she escaped the town and headed towards the mountains.

Back in the palace, the scholars informed the Emperor of Tamamo No Mae's true nature. Kitsune and Kyuubi are creatures who are said to use their charm to absorb the energy of people, especially those who feel closest to them.

Heartbroken and still weak, but miraculously recovering, the Emperor heavy-heartedly authorized the scholars to "do what needs to be done", for the sake of the people.

The scholars then hired two skilled warrior-assassins, Kazusa-no-suke and Miura-no-suke, to hunt and kill the fox.

It took long before the two warriors found her. Tamamo No Mae, the fox, was found hiding in the mountains, victimizing wandering travellers for food. When she saw the two warriors, she instantly attacked them, but they were too skillful so they easily dodged her attacks.

Suddenly, Miura-no-suke said aloud, "Under the order of the Emperor, a foul traitor like you must die a painful death!"

The fox suddenly stopped, then a blinding light came again, and the two warriors found a very beautiful Tamamo No Mae standing before them, with nine tails on her back, and her eyes brimming with tears. She stood there shaking, staring at the ground, looking half angry and half miserable.

"Do what you need to do," she finally said. "But I'm not going to die without a fight." Upon these words she charged at the two warriors with sharp claws and bared fangs.

The three had a long and tough fight, eventually leading to the three of them heavily wounded, and with Tamamo No Mae transforming again into a fox and fleeing the mountains.

The fox ran towards the plains, again at top speed. The warriors chased after her, but she was too fast, so one of them took out a bow and arrow. He aimed at the running fox, and with several attempts, he successfully shot an arrow through the fox's chest.

The fox, as it lay dying on the ground, once again transformed into Tamamo No Mae. Hot tears of sadness, anger, and pain ran down her beautiful face, before finally dying.

The moment she drew her last breath, she transformed into a cursed black stone, known as Sessho-seki (Killing Stone). The stone released a magical poisonous gas, killing anyone who went near it.

The stone stood there for many generations, victimizing many. Until one night, a monk passed by, and set up a ritual around the cursed stone. He prayed the whole night, muttering enchantments and setting up blessed candles and incense around the stone.

The next morning, he got up and approached the stone, even placing his hand on its surface, but miraculously, he was not harmed.

He then called out to it, "I've heard of your story, Tamamo No Mae; of how as a kyuubi you bewitched the Emperor and got what you deserved - a painful and lonely death. But I know that there is so much more than that story, and I would like to lend a listening heart for you. Please, I want to know your real story."

He waited several moments, until a voice came from the stone.

"I am Tamamo No Mae, but I haven't always been Tamamo No Mae. My real name is Mizukume. My adoptive father found me in the forest as an infant, not knowing that I was already cursed to be a nine-tailed fox, which is probably why my real parents abandoned me. When I was seventeen years old, my adoptive father was framed for treason, and the palace sentenced him into exile, eventually leading to his death.

"I was terribly angry and alone. I decided to embrace my kyuubi self and immediately sought vengeance towards the palace, eventually gaining the trust and love of the young Emperor himself. As I slowly drained his life force, I came across something unexpected: I found myself falling for him, which was not part of the plan. A part of me didn't want him to get hurt, or to die. I became very confused about things. I got my heart broken even before that arrow tore through my chest, and that's what really killed me in the end.

"Please, kind monk, I cannot take this anymore. I have been cursed since I was born, and even after I died, I am still cursed. I have killed so many, in my life and death, and I am very sorry. Please, I beg you, release me from this misery."

The monk closed his eyes, and with his hand still leaning on the rock, he muttered a solemn incantation, which he ended with "thank you, Mizukume. Be free."

A brilliant ball of light rose up from the stone, and went up into the sky. The stone, which was not cursed anymore, crumbled into pieces, and the debris scattered all over Rokugan."

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

Dong-Ha listened, enthralled both by Tomoe and her story. He gasped as the hunters caught the fox-spirit, slaying her. Usually such devious spirits managed to escape in cautionary fables like this, reminding the listeners that spirits could not be trusted, despite their charms. "Intelligent and graceful, eh." he could still recall his defeat at the dojo. "Perhaps Kogitsune-chan is hiding more than a one tail, hmm?" Dong-Ha gave Tomoe an endearing look as he brought his cup to his lips.

"Such a sad story..." he whispered softly as she was done. "Thank you for sharing it with me. It reminds me a bit of a story I heard near Medinat al-Salaam. A story of a cruel sultan.. err, ruler and a cunning maiden."

[Usagi Tomoe]

Tomoe gave a gentle nod. "It is a sad story..." there was much about the story she found to be sad, but also something people could grow from.

"Would you share this story with me?" she asked. Like him, she seemed to have a great deal of curiosity for these tales too, and an interest to learn of them. "Medinatu..." she frowned as her tongue stumbled over the rather complex foreign name, unable to even finish it.

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"Medinat al-Salaam, the jewel of the desert, the city of cities." Dong-Ha explained. "A city so large that it takes a half a day to walk from the north gate to the south gate." he spread his hands wide to emphasize the point. "The seat of power of the sultan who reigns over the Dahabi houses."

"I've been there few times with my family. It's... the walls are tall as trees, cut from yellow stone. The palace of the sultan is so tall that it reaches the clouds... or so it seems, looking from below. Streets are filled with merchants and traders from all around the world selling their wares. It's a rich city, with the wealthy nobles clad in silks and gold. Yet, there are also many, many paupers and beggars."

""That much I can assure is true." the young man grinned. "It's a vast city and the people cannot be counted. Anyhow, the story. Um... many, many years ago, the city was ruled by a ruthless sultan who paid little heed to the suffering of his people, spending vast fortunes constructing smaller palaces and gardens for the nobles of the city. He was also infamous for asking the city guards to bring him a beautiful maiden every night." he blushed ever so slightly, realizing he would need to explain this part to Tomoe. "He would spend a night with the maiden, and the next morning she would be cast into the palace dungeons, never seen again. For the sultan was petty and jealous man, and could not stomach the idea of someone else having what he had once had."

[Usagi Tomoe]

Tomoe marvelled at the thought of a city that big. From all she knew of Otosan Uchi, it was a great city too, but this one seemed even larger by comparison. Though paupers and beggars were not exactly a thing she ever heard of when it came to the Imperial City, and she just assumed such did not exist in the Emperor's own city.

As Dong-Ha spoke of a new maiden being brought to the sultan every night, she placed a hand to her cheek as she felt a blush coming on. How absolutely... depraved... at least the Emperors in stories had the decency to take these maidens in as lovers and concubines.

"How cruel. To throw them away like so after just one night..."

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"Yes. He was a cruel man." Moistening his lips with the sake, Dong-Ha continued. "One evening, that was an evening like the others had been for past years, the guards brought him a daughter of a basket weaver. It is said that she was beautiful beyond measure and that she had caught already the eyes of several rich merchants. The sultan, when he heard of her could not tolerate the though of not having her... and commanded her to be brought into his rooms."

"This girl was called Scheherazade, though in some stories she has other names. Which one is the real one, I cannot tell." He folded his hands in his lap, easing himself into a more comfortable position. "As it happens, the raven haired Scheherazade was not only beautiful, but also wise beyond her years. Some say she was 14, others that she was 16. Again, it doesn't really matter." he added, flustered. Dong-Ha had never been a story teller. "Either way, once the sultan was about to call for the guards, Scheherazade asked if she could tell a story. Curious, the sultan agreed.

And so Scheherazade spun her story, telling a tale until the first rays of Lady Sun reached the palace. Sultan, realizing that he had to get up to meet his friends called in the guards, but instead of having Scheherazade taken to the dungeons, had her locked in his rooms. For she had not finished her story and he was curious to hear how it would end."

[Usagi Tomoe]

So did he or did he not do... the thing... with her? Tomoe thought curiously, but thought it best not to ask. It didn't seem to be the crux of the story either.

"And then what? Did she try to escape during the day then, when he was gone? She sounds like she would be clever enough to find a means of escape from that man."

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"The next night, the sultan had the girl brought to him again. This time, as they laid on the bed Scheherazade managed to finish her story, but as the night was still young, she began an another one. Sultan listened as he had night before. And again, as the sun rose, the story remain unfinished, and again, sultan commanded Scheherazade to be taken to his rooms." Dong-Ha looked Tomoe markedly, expecting her to see where the story was going.

"This continued for a thousand and one nights, almost three years. Then, one night Scheherazade had no more stories to tell."

[Usagi Tomoe]

"... Did he then have her taken to the dungeons, never to be seen again?" she asked cautiously. It would be quite a cruel ending to the story if that happened. "Or did he become truly smitten with her in those years?"

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"No, well, no." Dong-Ha muttered. "As he was about to do so, Scheherazade clapped her hands and a maid brought two children to the room. One of almost two, and another, no more than few months old. Scheherazade explained that the children were the fruits of... er... their nights spent together and begged Sultan to save their lives, at least." the young Iuchi paused. "You know, this has always bothered me. How the Sultan could not tell what was going on? Because, as the story goes, he was surprised and moved to tears, promising to cherish Scheherazade and his children. And that after that night, no more girls were brought to his chambers."

"But how could he have missed that she was... pregnant.." he looked down, almost swallowing the last word. Looking up, Dong-Ha added. "Well, it's only a fanciful tale, a tale told to give a context to hundreds of other tales that are attributed Scheherazade. Many of the story tellers in Medinat al-Salaam like to claim they are telling her stories."

[Usagi Tomoe]

"Sometimes stories take some liberties with such things," Tomoe chuckled. "No man can be as foolish as to see the growing form of a woman's womb and not realise what is happening."

"I can see how people would attribute their tales to her, seeing as how she kept a man like this lord so spellbound with her storytelling. But it makes me happy to know that even in different places in the world, people are sharing stories to entertain eachother. Seems some things are more alike than we want to admit sometimes! Even if the names and contexts change."

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"Uh.. yes." Even if he understood the basic principles it didn't mean that he was entirely comfortable discussing them with Tomoe. "I mean, the room was dark and all that but, it's not like you can.. err, without touching." he waved his hands feebly, hoping she'd understand. "It's a fable anyway, to remind us that even the most unlikeliest of person can be more wise and cunning than the mighty. Or than even the smallest of Foxes can shadow the high and mighty."

[Usagi Tomoe]

She couldn't help but to giggle as he seemed so flustered by the topic of how children were made. And here I thought the Unicorn were more open about such things... travelling like that doesn't give much room for privacy.

"If only your kogitsune-chan had such powers too," Tomoe added with a chuckle and sipped her sake. "If I did, I would be doing much better in this competition... but, you know... when I was young, I wanted to be like Tamamo no Mae: beautiful and excellent at everything. I thought maybe the more I studied, the more I could be like her."

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"Oh, but you are beautiful." Dong-Ha quipped. "I could... uh.. I could spend hours looking into your eye and hearing you talk. You have nothing to be ashamed of Kogitsune-chan. Your tribe does not determine who you are. Your parents do not make you any better or worse. You are wonderful as you are." What it was with the women always underestimating themselves, anyway? "I mean, you might not be a shape changer... I hope you are not, but..." he lost the train of his thoughts for a moment. "I see no fault in you, Tomoe." his voice was slightly hoarse, as if he was somehow afraid to voice his thoughts.

[Usagi Tomoe]

Yuuru had called her beautiful too, even if she often hesitated to fully trust his words. But she saw no reason to doubt Dong-Ha's words, because he had nothing to gain by decieving her... as yesterday's events had shown, he had his pick of many women here. The Seppun she had no impression of, other than the fact that she was an Imperial lady, but Hotaru was cute and pretty, the kind that many men idealised... or so Tomoe thought.

"... Hearing you say that, it makes me happy. Knowing such a good and honorable man like yourself, who is also handsome and clever, sees me as I want others to see me too... it makes me happy," she murmured, her eyes lowered shyly as a very fond smile formed. I should let him know.

"Can I tell you a secret? Or... I mean, it's not a secret as such, but it's not something I share easily with others..."