River Eyes

Cho holed herself up in the back of the library, sitting with a book in her lap. It was an encyclopedia of martial arts, an improper subject for a member of this particularly prestigious school; where the girls were supposed to be delicate blossoms of beauty and grace.

Cho didn't feel that she had beauty, but she had grace. She knew that, from the way she had danced from when she was seven. Before that, as her mind slipped back to the time before the darkness, the fear that made her not want to sleep.

She shook her head, her black hair hanging in a short, boyish style around her pale face, naturally highlighted with blue-green, giving it an almost opalescent appearance. Her eyes were distinctly Japanese, and yet they were of a bright, electric blue color. She sighed, shifting in her seat as her eyes followed the kanji in the book.

She was dressed in the school uniform; a sweater with the school seal on it and a knee-length skirt with knee-high black socks and a pair of black Mary Jane shoes. But, the Mary Jane's were scuffed, the socks were ripped, the skirt was slit in places almost to her thighs and she had torn the sleeves off of the sweater.

Her lips were covered in dark lipstick, her nails in a chipped black polish and there was a black leather collar to match the rest of her outfit, with long silver spikes around it.

But, there was a piece of jewelry that seemed out of place, the delicate bracelet that she wore on one wrist. It was a small silver chain, but it had aquamarine and jade studded into it. She looked at it before rubbing it against her skirt.

A backpack rested on one shoulder – she had been planning on running home to her mother's people. She'd start in Romania, and then go from there. Travel until she found them. Or, if she never found them, she'd die on the road.

Better there than here, in this God forsaken place, She thought bitterly. She had been planning to run, but a particular book had distracted her, the one that had sat next to her left elbow. She was a little frightened of it, hating having choices made for her. But, still, that book screeched at her, open me, open me, I want to be opened!

Cho's eyes slipped back to the red leather book in silence, her encyclopedia completely forgotten. Why did it reek of spiritual force, a force that threatened to take her body from her this instant? What kind of a book was it? She picked it up, sliding her fingers over the cover.

Overwhelming sadness, anger, pain, assaulted her senses. Cries echoed in her ears before the book fell out of her shaking hands. She stared at it for a long time.

"River eyes…" It called to her, "Come to me, little river eyes. I command you…come to me, river eyes…I command you… " Over and over, like a broken record. A bolt of cold fear stabbed through her as she found herself reaching for it.

She pulled herself back, rolling her eyes as she looked at the book from the corner of her eye. "Command all you want, I'm not going anywhere near you." She muttered sarcastically. Aware that she was talking to a book, an inanimate object. …But, also aware that she was speaking to a spirit inside a book, a spirit that wanted her to obey.

All of her grandmother's teachings made her ignore that book. And yet…her eyes slipped back to it. Her fingers touched the cover and warmth ran up her arm…warmth that made her draw back suddenly. It was rather sexual warmth that oozed into her, made her imagine a man to hold her and want her. A man with long blond hair, shining blue armor, and a pair of blue eyes that captured her as surely as any shackle. A pair of lips that tasted like candy and that underlying spice all men had, a pair of strong arms that crushed her to him…

She scooted away from the book. That had been…disturbingly specific. But, she didn't care so much anymore. After all, there was no man like that…not here, anyway. No, all anyone here wanted was a girl to lie on her back for them so that they could be able to said that they had touched Gypsy flesh, that she was the worst they had ever had, that she was the best they ever had; and their friends should try too – after all, she was easy.

Cho ran a hand through her hair, setting her cheek on the table. Was there no easy way out? The book still ordered her to return to it, promising her everything she desired if she should just open it. Yeah, right. That was what the vampire-spirit that had entered her said, and it had taken a full-scale exorcism to get him out. And did she get her parents back? Hell no.

Thinking back on it now, it was a pretty selfish and naive desire, to have her dead parents back with her, to take care of her. After all, one did not screw up the wheel of life just so that you could have someone back who was meant to die.

She took the book again, running her fingers over it. There was no response from it this time. It just sat there, cool and dusty in her hands, as she checked it over for some kind of seal or, heaven forbid, a demonic possession spell.

No such luck. Nothing so obvious. She looked down at the book again, one nail touching the wax seal. Not breaking it, just tempting whatever was inside of it. No response. She wasn't about to break it just to get one, though.

God, what the hell was she doing? She was going to get herself possessed again, get kicked out of school, and live off them.

All right, that was a lie. She never had and never would live off her mother's family. She did all the work that everyone else did. She kept track of the kids, danced, sang, drew and sewed. She did séances when asked; she did what she had to do to survive with them.

Why was she getting so scared over a book, again? She looked down at the innocuous red cover, before rolling her eyes and breaking the seal. Fuck it; let whatever it was come into her body.

Nothing happened, before there was a blinding blue-white flash of light. She covered her eyes, before she felt like she was falling. She screamed, hitting the ground before she twisted her ankle slightly. Not enough to do anything too permanent, but enough to make running a pain in the ass. She stood up, brushing herself off and looking around.

She looked like she had dropped into a history book of ancient China. Only, without all the grand opulence of the Forbidden City. No, this was all squalor and dirt and sketchy people.

"Hey there, sweetheart," A decidedly male and decidedly drunk voice purred to her. Speaking of sketchy people…Cho shifted her backpack on her shoulder, turning around and looking at him pointedly. He stood taller than she did, rugged and muscular. But, he had three matching buddies behind him. She smirked a little. Just enough to even the odds.

"Before you ask, no, I don't want to have a drink or any fun with you or any of your equally pungent friends. God knows what I'd catch." She'd have flipped her hair for good measure, but she didn't have enough hair. The men looked at one another, before laughing and stepping forward.

"Playing hard-to-get, are we?" Their drunken leader asked, stepping forward. She arched a brow, before taking a stance. They laughed at her, as if she were a little wisp of nothing. The fact that she was favoring one ankle did not make them worry about her any more than her determined expression had.

They got the message really quick when she delivered a perfect roundhouse to Thug #1's face, breaking his jaw. He flew across the ground, his neck twisted with the whiplash. The other two fell in her flurry of fast feet and fists.

Unfortunately, that was when the other ten assholes that had been hiding decided to jump out. She rolled her eyes with a quiet, "La dracu'," before shifting her stance. "Alright boys, let's dance."

--

Nakago stepped onto a highly unlikely scene, one he had not been expecting. He had been expecting to find a fainted Priestess and a set of brigands he could destroy – a Priestess he could manipulate, the way he manipulated everyone else.

What he found was not a Priestess, but what might have been a War Goddess descended to Earth. He fought to keep his expression neutral, as he looked her over. She was taller than most of the women he had seen in this part of the world, her black hair shorn off, showing the curve of her face, her neck, and her shoulders. The sun shone on blue-green that laced through the black, making it seem to change shades every time she moved. Her skin, and he could see quite a bit of it, was a pale tan, as if she had worked out in the sun and then been shut away.

She turned, looking at him and arching one perfect brow. Her face looked as if it had been sculpted as the vision of beauty. She had cherry-petal lips, and eyes of the clearest blue he had ever seen. Almost like his mother's eyes. He ignored the thoughts that came with it. He was distracted as she spoke.

"Well, are you going to come at me, or sit up on your high horse all day?" She asked, taking a strong stance and motioning him towards her, "I can fight my way out of town if I gotta, Mister. I just wanna get this over with."

He quirked a brow at her and her attire. There was no doubt that she came from another world. Her shirt had no sleeves, and he could see a bracelet against the curve of her delicate wrist. It was silver, with blue and green stones that seemed to glow and push him away from her. The shirt hugged her curves, from where she had been sweating, tracing the curves of her breasts, her thin waist, before resting just at the tops of her hips.

She had lost one of her black shoes, the corresponding black stocking ripped about to mid-calf and showing a slightly swollen, bruised ankle. A muscle ticked in his jaw as he saw the bruise, before he dragged his eyes back up her long legs. Her skirt, rather than come down to even her knees, had been shredded and he could see little parts of her pale hips through it. He forced his eyes back up to her face.

"Take a picture, Blondie," She rolled her eyes, "It'll last longer. We gonna do this or not?"

Nakago climbed off his horse, calm, cool, collected. "My Priestess," He forced a bow to this deliciously haughty girl, the girl who had dared to challenge him to battle.

She blinked a moment, before running a hand through her hair. "Alright," She shrugged. "Would you stand up when you talk to me? Do you have any idea how weird it is to have you talking to my twisted ankle?"

Ah, yes, that bruised and swollen ankle. How had she done it? Perhaps on her descent? He had heard that sometimes it could be a little jarring – not quite the gentle descent everyone expected. She leaned down, before crouching in front of him. She was still slightly shorter than he was and her shirt was so loose that, had he been so inclined, he could have seen down the front of it and at her chest.

But, he was not so inclined, looking at her eyes instead. "Allow me to escort you to the Palace, my Priestess," He forced a smile, before offering her his hand.

"Cho," She responded, taking his hand before standing up with him. She looked up into his eyes and he saw himself looking back into hers, for a long time. "My name's Cho."

"Cho, then, He purred, unable to keep his smile from turning to a smirk. How apt the name of 'butterfly' was, he would help this ordinary fighter-girl transform into the woman to summon Seiryuu, and give him everything he wanted.

She looked over his shoulder. "I see a flaw in your plan, Mister," She pointed out, "There's only one horse here."

"I was not expecting…company," He smirked a little wider, "You shall have to ride with me."

She took a step back at him, a twinge of fear in her eyes that made his heart twinge, before she nodded, disguising it by running a hand through her hair. "Alright, lead on." She folded her hands behind her head, before walking towards the horse, trying hard not to limp.

He picked her up without thinking about it, but then knew he should not have. As much as he tried to cut himself off from his instincts, his emotions…having her warm body against his chest, smelling the scent of cinnamon and spices in her hair…

"That a sword on your belt, or are you just happy to see me?" She asked sarcastically. "Put me down, I can walk."

He stopped a minute, looking back at her as she glared up at him. She finally struggled free of his arms, limping calmly over to his horse before swinging on. She had a good seat; she must have been used to it. She held the reigns carefully, before she looked over her shoulder at him. "You coming or not?" She asked.

Nakago sighed, shaking his head before swinging on behind her. The horse whinnied a soft protest, but she murmured something to it in a foreign language and it seemed to calm, as he plucked the reins out of her slightly calloused hands. She glared at him a minute, before rolling her eyes, shifting the pack from her back to rest in her lap before she looked back at him. He urged the horse forward, towards the palace.

"So…" She started, a little nervously, "…You got a name, or am I supposed to call you Handsome Stranger for the duration of my time here?"

He looked down at her, before she shrugged. "I mean, I don't mind, it is pretty apt, but- "

"Nakago, " He finally answered, "Call me Nakago, milady."

"Nakago… " She agreed, before nodding. "Sounds good to me."

Of course it would. She didn't know his legend, the legend of the Coming Curse. An old wives' tale once used simply to frighten children to obedience. Until he had come along.

He shook it off, hearing her hum a little as she looked ahead. Towards the temple that loomed in the distance. There was something about it that seemed to draw her in, like a moth to the flame.

The Temple of Seiryuu, the dragon god of Water. Rival to Suzaku, the start of the war between Konan and Kuto – the reason so many had been wounded or died.

Cho looked briefly at her bracelet, as if it were going to give her a sign, before holding her pack closer to her chest. Like a comfort object, as she struggled to keep her own face neutral. Unlike him, she was obviously not used to it. Her face was empty and stony, yes…all but for her eyes. They seemed lost, childlike and sad.

"Is there something…wrong, milady?" He deigned to ask, though cursed himself as he did so. Her emotions were no concern of his, but to use against her. She simply shook her head, tightening her grip on her bag.

"It's…it's nothing." She looked towards the palace as they approached. He had to fight to keep from grinding his teeth, his fists gently tightening on the horse's reins as they rode closer. Instead of prying, however, the girl set a calming hand over his. He looked down, before looking back at her.

She shrugged, drawing her hand back before they rode up towards the stables. Nakago dismounted first, his hands at her waist as he set her on the ground.

She looked up at him and gave him possibly the most virginal blush he had ever seen in his life. Not that he had shared his company with many a virgin. Still, it made him tighten his hands a little, not wanting to send her in to that pig of an emperor, the man who would degrade her and – without Nakago's protection, of course – rip the wings off of this beautiful butterfly…metaphorically, of course.

"Uh, Nakago…?" Cho looked up at him seriously, bringing him back to the present, rather than letting him remain in an alternate future. "You're kind of digging your very sharp fingernails into my sides."

He released her waist, silently nodding. He did not apologize, especially not to someone he planned on using later. She looked at him, arching a brow, before shrugging and muttering a, "Jee, I'm sorry, Cho, " under her breath.

Soi stepped out of the stables, casting a curious eye at the strange girl, before she dropped to one knee. "My priestess, " She greeted ominously.

"Would people stop doing that?!" The girl limped forward, standing Soi up, before pointing a finger at her, "My name is Cho. You call me that, or you get a busted nose." She glared at Nakago, "You, too."

"As you wish, " Nakago murmured with a small smirk. Cho turned her nose to the air with haughty dismissal. This might have been a little haughtier if she had not then stepped forward and fallen on her face.

Soi helped her to her feet, giving Nakago a little look of surprise, before moving her inside the palace. Promising her new clothes, bandages for her ankle, all the things she needed.

Nakago stood back, taking in the situation. It could certainly be worse.

--

Cho wasn't sure which was worse. The fact that everyone was fawning over her like she was some kind of princess, or the fact that the one man she had met that she was terribly interested in was very attached to this other warrior, Soi.

She figured it was the former, as she sat there in her bath, one foot held out while a few ladies in waiting bound up her ankle to keep her from injuring it further. After all, she had never loved attention – unless it came with money – and she had never really cared about men.

Cho had once been asked if she was so militant that she had joined "the other side." To which she replied no, because women were crazy and she would never be able to do anything fun anymore.

From being bathed by possibly some of the most beautiful women she had ever seen Cho had been handed off to some more goddesses in thin silk to be dressed. Well…sort of.

Instead of giving her back her shredded uniform – she thought she heard it burning outside – they instead dressed her in something they called a dress. She went along with it for their sake, as they very nearly shoved her in to see the emperor and Nakago.

She thought she saw Nakago stiffen a little, and the emperor almost fell off the divan on the dais. The emperor reminded her of the guys in the alley earlier, but with a crown on his head and a little bit of silk on him as well. What was it with these people and wearing as little as possible? It wasn't even terribly warm.

Not that her, cough of sarcasm, dress helped any. It was sleeveless for one thing, open to her collarbone for another, and only came down to her knees with slits almost to her hips. It clung to her, which she was sure was not hiding anything she wanted to hide, and buttoned down the front which screamed "easy access." Still, it was a piece of art. For one thing, it was light blue-green brocade, with a large dragon and flower patterns embroidered into it.

She figured she should bow, but the length of the skirt made modesty say no. It did not help, when the emperor motioned her towards her, with the crook of one chubby finger.

Cho stepped forward, towards the side of the divan. "Turn around, " He purred; licking his lips, "I want to see all of you."

Oh, he could not be for real! She looked at Nakago, whose eyes smoldered with rage as he looked at the man on the divan. Still, she slowly turned, letting him see how the dress looked.

"The dress looks good." She saw him pull back his hand to give her behind a smack, and she caught his wrist as he did so.

"Why don't we get into my duties as priestess, huh? We can decide whether or not to get grabby later." She calmly stepped down, releasing his greasy wrist. He looked at her, his eyes wide, before he made a little 'humph' and motioned to Nakago.

The blonde stepped forward and Cho almost swooned. She managed to keep on her feet, though. A swoon, on these floors, could end up being quite deadly. Not to mention giving everyone a lovely look at her under-roos.

"You are to find the seven Seiryuu warriors, my brothers in the stars, " Nakago motioned to himself, "So that we may summon Seiryuu and you may gain three wishes, with which to do as you please. It is…generally appreciated, however, if you would save at least one for the country of your patronage."

I bet it is, She thought, but nodded. "Sounds good to me. So, where are we headed first?"

Nakago was, yet again today, surprised and a little shocked by his priestess.

For one thing, she had willingly dressed in the attire the emperor had picked out for her, something that would have been guaranteed to – by the look of the blush when he had put hands on her – offend her maidenly modesty.

And yet, she had stepped into the throne room looking more like a goddess than she had when he had found her. The dress had clung deliciously to her curves, leaving very little to the imagination. Her skin had been scrubbed clean of any dirt that had dared cling to her during her fights, her long legs bare to her tiny – one splinted – ankles. Blue silk shoes cradled delicate feet.

Not only had the emperor had the audacity to look her over like a side of meat, he had almost touched her. Touched Nakago's ticket to revenge. If he had made contact, the blonde was prepared to jump-start his plans.

But, Cho had stopped him, calmly demanded her duties, and then ordered they get started. No meal, no rest, not even a request for new clothes passed her lips. She was quite willing to ride into the wilderness as she was, willing to fight off an entire country of salivating men, in order to get this done and over with.

He had taken charge, making sure that she got all the necessary things – including rest for her ankle. They would not move out for another week, not until the bruises started to fade and she could walk normally again.

She protested, he had silenced her protests with kindness. She took his favors, reluctantly. As if she was afraid of him. She was right to be, and yet…

…he didn't want her afraid. He needed her to trust him, not to fear him.

So, instead, she locked herself in her room and worked on "homework, " something from her world that she had brought with her. She said it was because she needed her education.

Nakago didn't understand why, she would not be around long enough to put that education to use.