[One-shot] Discovery (Prince of Tennis / Temeraire)
Title: Discovery
Fandoms: Prince of Tennis / Naomi Novik's Temeraire
Characters: Yanagi, Inui, Yukimura, Fuji
Words/Rating: 1400+ words / G
Summary: With the (unknowing) help of Yukimura and Fuji, Yanagi teaches his dragon Inui about data one can measure--and data one can't.
Author's Notes: As a prize for pinning me down during subrosa_tennis, haruyuki asked for a fic with the prompt, "Renji tries to teach his dragon to collect data." Part of the Dragons of the Rising Sun AU, this scene comes before Sanada changes riders. I originally thought this would turn out to be short and plotless, but something else crept in. I hope you like it anyway. ^_^



"Yukimura is returning," Yanagi said. "What's different from this morning?"

Inui lifted his head, yellow eyes staring at the figures in the distance. "Ten minutes and ... twelve seconds later than scheduled," he answered, looking down at Yanagi's watch. "They're a little off-course. They left five-and-three-quarter degrees to the east, this morning."

That was better than the answer Inui had given yesterday, when Inui had not noted the time. "Very good," Yanagi said, stroking Inui's ebony scales. "Anything else?"

Inui squinted; Yanagi made a mental note to say something to the dragon-vet later. "They're flying higher than usual. About ... two Fuji-lengths. Two-and-a-seventh, to be exact."

His dragon was definitely beginning to understand how data was collected. Inui was so precise with his measurements, too. "Good work, Inui," Yanagi said, and he gave Inui a light pat. "Now, can you make any further observations?"

"They have flown very far today, because the coast is two hours, eighteen minutes, and ten seconds away at Fuji's cruising speed, and the five-and-three-quarter degrees extrapolate to ..." Inui paused, calculating. "Two hundred and seven kilometers, and ... thirty-two centimeters." He shook his head. "We've done better."

Yanagi chuckled at the remark; they both knew it was bias and not much more. Patrols weren't races. "Any more?" he prompted.

Inui looked at Yanagi, at the two approaching figures, and then at Yanagi again. "They're in high spirits," he finally said, a little slower this time. "I admit I cannot guess why."

Almost, but not quite. Perhaps a hint, then. "You know how much Yukimura and Fuji love to fly, and how curious Fuji can be," Yanagi said. "You also know Yukimura indulges Fuji whenever possible, too. Does that help?"

"No," Inui said. There was a hint of petulance in his voice now. "Renji, just tell me."

"We flew that stretch of coastline last week," Yanagi said. "Cliffs. Overlooks. Standing reefs. Tunnels. And if I remember correctly--"

"Caves," Inui said, jerkling a little. His head snapped up, and he glared at the still-approaching duo. "Fuji is small enough to fit in that cave! No wonder he's flying so high up--the exit must be above the entrance." Inui unfolded his wings and rose, tense. "That is our cave, Renji, and I'm going to--"

"Inui," Yanagi said, loudly so he would be sure to get Inui's attention. "Try and remember. Why didn't we go into the cave?"

"There was no way I would fit without significantly damaging the structural properties of the surrounding rock," Inui said reluctantly. "I told you, Renji, I would make sure you got onto the ledge and off it safely. Your caution is commendable, but the ledge extended two-and-a-fifth meters, and you would have had a meter of clearance either way. Now Yukimura has gone into your cave before you!" Inui looked upset.

Yanagi reached up and stroked his dragon's face. "Fuji can cover more of the cave than I could have done on foot."

"I will learn to coast like Fuji," Inui said. "If I fold my wings, the chances that I may be able to squeeze into--"

Foolishness, but Yanagi guessed Inui did not truly mean words spoken in the heat of the moment. Dragons, however calculating and rational, were still possessive creatures, and Yanagi did not expect Inui to be very different in that respect. "And stay there until we blast the cliff to pieces? Be rational, Inui. Let the smaller dragons be the scouts," Yanagi said, interrupting Inui before he got any further. "Would you mount cannons on Fuji?"

"That would be illogical," Inui said, shaking his head. "Fuji is too small. He can't carry more than three people without needing an under-harness for the third. If we tied a cannon to him, he would barely be able to take off."

"Whereas you do not seem to notice the weight of the ammunition we carry," Yanagi said.

"I'm one of the biggest dragons in the fleet," Inui said. He straightened his spine. "Sanada may be the oldest and the most experienced, but I am half-again his weight."

"Indeed," Yanagi said, stroking Inui's foreleg. "So don't take Fuji's incursion so personally, Inui."

Although Inui made a rumble of dissent, he re-folded his wings and settled back down, carefully making sure he didn't crush Yanagi. "Always the reasonable one," he said, giving Yanagi a look Yanagi preferred to interpret as fond.

"Your data collection has improved tremendously," Yanagi said just as Fuji and Yukiimura landed lightly beside them, barely disturbing much dust from the ground. Something glinted from inside Fuji's mesh harness. The mesh was in the way, and Yanagi couldn't be absolutely sure, but that looked like--

"Yukimura," Yanagi said. "You've found something." He could hear his heart give a thump. A discovery. Yukimura would not ask Fuji to carry anything frivolous, so this must be significant. But what was Yukimura doing with a green stone?

Yukimura smiled at Yanagi and patted Fuji's back. "Why don't you show Yanagi and Inui what we got for them, Fuji?" he said, sounding pleased. "They'd like the souvenir."

"Souvenir?" Inui said, scales bristling a little. Yanagi put his hand on Inui's leg to steady him; he wanted to know, because if he was right, then ...

Fuji undid his mesh harness and pulled out an emerald the size of Yukimura's head.

Both Inui and Yanagi stared at it. Yanagi had never seen an emerald that size, though he knew it was possible. Still, to think there was a completely unpredicted deposit of emerald so close ... "For ... us?" Inui said, eyeing the emerald with a glint in his eyes.

"It's only fair," Fuji said. Yanagi marvelled at how Fuji always managed to make a dragon's rumble sound light and graceful. "Yukimura said the first ones to find the cave should have something to remember it by."

Yanagi looked at Yukimura, who laughed. "The entrance was a tight fit, even for Fuji. You were right about that, at least. You didn't predict the emeralds, though, did you?"

Yanagi was loathe to admit that, but Yukimura could spot Yanagi's white lies however he tried to conceal them. "No."

"You told him," Inui said suddenly. Yanagi looked up to see Inui in a rare frown.

So Inui had finally put it together. "Yes, I did," Yanagi sai. "As I said, Fuji can cover more of the cave than I can on foot."

From deep inside Inui came a low growl that made Yanagi's stomach quiver. "You didn't tell me you told him," Inui said, and Yanagi could feel Inui's muscles tense. "Renji."

Two heartbeats passed.

Yukimura clapped his hands lightly. "We should report in before they send out a search party," he said, smiling at both Yanagi and Inui before mounting Fuji. "I trust I will see you in the hall later, Renji." Yanagi noted that Yukimura's last words were said while looking at Inui, but Inui's gaze remained fixed on Yanagi.

Yanagi barely acknowledged Yukimura and Fuji's departure; Inui seemed too distracted to bid them farewell properly, either. As soon as Fuji was airborne, Inui asked, "Am I not your dragon, Renji?"

"Of course you are," Yanagi said. "Am I not your rider?"

"You are," Inui said. "Then ..." He trailed off and was silent, frowning again. "Renji," he finally said, "Why didn't you tell me you'd asked Yukimura and Fuji to scout the cave?"

"You should have predicted that, Inui. Did I hide it from you?" Yanagi asked.

He waited as Inui considered the question. Finally, Inui shook his head. "No," he answered. "The signs were there. Fuji would not have brought his mesh bag if Yukimura had not suggested it, and Yukimura usually rides Fuji with the least amount of equipment possible. There was a nine-out-of-ten chance it had been under orders, though. How should I have known the reason to be you?"

Yanagi rubbed the crease that had appeared between Inui's eyes. "Occasionally, Inui, one must make educated guesses." It was, in truth, an unfair expectation; Inui could not have seen Yanagi pull Yukimura to one side privately in the confines of the Great Hall. Injustice, however, would ensure Inui remembered this. "You should not wait for me to ask you."

"Oh," Inui said. He moved his head out of Yanagi's reach before resting it on his foreleg, and was quiet. Sensing Inui was thinking, Yanagi stroked Inui's scales and waited.

"Renji," Inui finally said, head turning to look in the direction Yukimura and Fuji had gone. He didn't look at Yanagi. "Will you ever tell me anything voluntarily again?"

"You must learn not to rely on me and my calculations, Inui," Yanagi said firmly. Inui was not bred for intelligence like Fuji, but Yanagi knew his kind to be capable of incredibly quick calculation. Properly trained, Inui would always be a great dragon, even when Yanagi was long gone. "My human brain is not capable of the feats yours is. Do not waste it, Inui."

"I see," Inui said. He didn't say any more, and remained silent into the evening, only acknowledging Yanagi's departure for dinner in the Great Hall with a nod.