AN: Busy with stuff irl and finally got some time now. This is what I have just before irl happened, so here's a short ch.
DISCLAIMER: All characters, and source material are property of their respective owners.
"Speech"
God Fruit
He descended deeper into the centre of the Imperial Palace, his hands firmly holding on to Kaguya, the woman he loved, and now the woman he had finally wed. As to where the both of them were going...
It had been even more puzzling that wherever they were going, there were no guards with them and it was at a very ungodly hour on top of that.
Kaguya certainly did not seem to have any clue evidenced by the confused expression that marred her face.
He on the other hand, knew exactly where they were heading towards, as well as why.
"Mikado, I cannot help but think that you are acting very peculiar..." Kaguya noted as she continued to be led by him.
"How so Hime?" he asked idly...a little to preoccupied with his thoughts to appreciate exactly why she observed that. His preoccupation shattered as he felt a sharp pain coming from the hand that was holding on to Kaguya. He looked back only to see said woman pinching him rather hard, annoyance evident on her amber orbs.
"Like so." was her response. Judging from her expression as he looked back at her, she was obviously demanding some explanation on where and why they were going to wherever they were going.
"Look hime...this is very important to me, I will explain everything to you once we have reached our destination." Kaguya seemed temporarily satisfied with the response, and soon enough they continued their walk.
It took a few more minutes before the path ahead became significantly darker, the walls, floors and the surrounding were now made of cold stone. There were torches on the side of the walls that provided some mild lighting of the path ahead. Kaguya must have acknowledged the gradual change in environment, as she made her thoughts known again.
"And I thought the monolith of a Palace looked antiquated...this part looks thoroughly ancient..."
He nodded at her response.
"How long exactly have these been here Mikado?"
"Since the time of the First Emperor if I had to guess Hime..." he answered simply.
Soon enough, they arrived at their destination...a very large intricately carved door made completely of stone. There seemed to be an equally intricate locking mechanism on it, and at the centre of the mechanism was glowing markings that resembled a ripple with nine tomoe.
Mikado let go of Kaguya's hands and approached the behemoth of a door, at that point he took out a dagger and was about to make a cut on his palm
"What are you doing?" Kaguya asked rather loudly, concern in her voice.
"This door is blood-sealed, which means I-"
"Yeah that's pretty obvious Mikado, what I mean is why are you seconds from making such a large cut on your palm?!" Kaguya asked in an incredulous manner.
At this he paused, contemplating her words...soon he answered, "b-because my father did the same when he opened this door many years ago?" he responded uncertainly...
Kaguya's expression formed a deadpan,
"The blood-seal just needs a small sample of your family's blood wouldn't it?"
"Y-yes, my father said it only needed a little..."
"Then why are you going out of your way to hurt yourself badly exactly? Did you bother to think that through by any chance?"
He was silent...indeed why was he planning to go overboard?
"No...I never gave that detail much thought?" he answered uncertainly again. His lover gave a loud exasperated sigh at his response.
"Well your father was being a little too melodramatic then." she said simply.
"I suppose he was..." he looked down slight, silent for a moment...honestly it was kind of embarrassing that he never really thought about it until Kaguya mentioned it.
"Well don't just stand there, make a small prick on your thumb, and rub it on the door!" Kaguya broke his silence with a stern...order.
"Yes Hime." Kaguya huffed at his response...he would have if her were in her shoes to be honest.
His expression now turned serious, he made a small cut of his thumb and allowed some blood to flow out before he rubbed the appendage on the glowing seal. Upon doing so, the seal pulsed before fading. The locks on the stone door started to rotate, which took a good few seconds. The stone door now slowly lowered itself into the ground, as Mikado and Kaguya now could see what was beyond it.
Both of them entered the chamber, Mikado noted that the view in front of him had not changed much in the years, whilst Kaguya seemed slightly at awe and confused at the same time.
The chamber was huge, spanning at least a few hundred metres; filling that room was a large green field, surrounded by flowing water. At the centre of the field had been a tree, it was very large tree at that. Hovering above it was a sphere of light that illuminated the entire chamber akin to the sun illuminating the world outside.
Mikado led Kaguya towards the tree through a paved path that connected the field to the stone door. It did not take long for them to reach the centre of the clearing, where the lone tree was.
To Mikado, the tree certainly did not change over the years, everything remained just the way it was since his father took him here years ago. Strong...unyielding...
To his relief, the sole fruit of the tree remained there, unpicked and untouched. It would have been a palpable cause for panic if the fruit had not been there.
Mikado heard a loud coughing noise, and he looked towards it. True enough, Kaguya lost her awed stupor, and her eyes were gleaming with curiosity, demanding an explanation which he said he would give.
"Hime tell me, what do you know about Shinju, The God Tree?" Kaguya seemed surprised to be asked a question, but answered his question nevertheless.
"Stories about it are mostly myths and legends, my parents told me about it. It was said that the time it first bore fruit was during the time of the First Emperor thousands of years ago, when famines and wars had caused the deaths of countless." Kaguya seemed to think harder as she continued.
"According to that legend, the First Emperor ate the fruit of the God Tree...and with the power he gained, ended all wars with the overwhelming power he had gained, and brought an end to the famine that plagued the lands through powers that could bend the very natures, and even reality itself. He forged an Empire in his name, that lasted until now." Kaguya finished.
Mikado chuckled at the retelling of the legend, "sums up the tale of my ancestor pretty well if I say so myself."
Kaguya frowned, "honestly I always thought it was just a tall tale.." she mumbled softly, much to his amusement. Mikado headed towards where the fruit was firmly attached, and motioned for her to follow. When she was right next to him, he held out the strange looking fruit towards his lover.
Kaguya's head tilted slightly in confusion, an expression that Mikado found adorable. He could imagine the gears in her head turning, as she continued to eye the fruit. In seconds, all confusion was lost...as her amber orbs widened significantly at the right conclusion he knew she would have reached.
"It was no tall tale was it?" Kaguya asked simply.
"As far as I know, it was not." he answered.
"Who else knows about this?" she asked another question.
"After my father's death, only you and me. My father, and his father before him warned me that the Shinju is a secret meant to be held within the Otsutsuki Family...the Imperial Family...never to be told to anyone else. " he answered again.
Kaguya stayed silent for a moment, he could strangely see uncertainty in her eyes, she was confused again? Before he could ask her what was the matter, her head abruptly turned towards him, an action which surprised him. He could see her questioning expression, yet for some reason it seemed a lot less assertive...more hesitant.
"Why are you showing me this Mikado-sama? Why am I deserving of such a secret?" she asked softly, he had been surprised by how...bashful she had sounded.
He could not help but grin at her question, a question he effortlessly knew the answer of, "It is because I trust you Kaguyahime. Although it has not been long since our wedding day, but you are my most precious person and I love you deeply. It is only right for me to share with you this secret!".
Mikado could see his lover seemed deep in thought, it was almost as if she had been contemplating hard on something he knew not what it was about. Though that came to pass in due time, as her expression hardened.
"Why do I need to know this Mikado?" Kaguya questioned, he could see her intelligent eyes firmly set on his. He felt nervous under her intense stare.
"B-because I thought it's only right that I-" Kaguya stare now hardened to a glare, a glare that had never for once cease to intimidate him...
"Why do I need to know this?" she asked the exact same question again...her voice intoned an unwillingness to ask again.
He always thought that Kaguya was sharp, and when she wanted something...she would not stop until she got her hands on it be it information or anything else.
That was always something he found to have the most trouble with about Kaguya...but it was also what he adored about her...
"I wanted you to know about the God Tree in case something happens to me..." he answered.
"...elaborate..." she led tersely.
He sighed as he explained, "I am...afraid...I am afraid about this coming war between us and the six other nations that have broken off from the Empire. I am afraid of the conflicts that have been brewing within the Empire. I am merely cautious, if I end up being a victim to fate...I would at least want reassurance that someone I care and trust will know what must be done to prevent the God Fruit from falling into the wrong hands..."
He now stared into Kaguya's amber orbs, "you my love, are the only person I trust with my life, and you are the only person I trust with the Otsutsuki Family's secret. I need..I want you to know everything there is to know about my family."
Mikado sighed again after confessing the reason for his insistence on letting Kaguya know of this secret. Kaguya remained silent throughout his explanation, mulling over everything that he had said. For a moment he saw sadness in her expression, he did not want to tell her this possibility until it really happened...the possibility of his death...but she wanted to know and he had no right to withhold it from her.
"I thought it would be along the lines of that..." she whispered.
Kaguya's melancholic expression soon morphed to calm determination. Her hands grasped on to his.
"You...will...not...die."
"That is merely an if, you are a master over your own fate. You will not die, not if I can help it. I am willing to destroy this world if need be...burn everything to cinders...if it means you are safe." Mikado had been shocked by the conviction in her voice. He could see faint tears falling from her eyes...
Although could not bear the thought of her crying...he felt happy that she was willing to cry for him.
Mikado did not realise that he could love Kaguya any more than he did, but it seems he was wrong. He smile at the thought, and soon enough his smile turned into a grin.
He laughed, and this action seemed to have annoyed Kaguya,
"What is so funny!?" Kaguya shouted, uncharacteristic from her usually calm and collected...albeit blunt personality.
He stifled his laughter, "I just find it ironic, that you are willing to be idealistic for a change! You normally berate me about being idealistic." Kaguya glared at him for a moment, before relenting.
"I just cannot stand the thought of losing you Mikado...just please...don't you ever die and leave me all alone." she replied to his jest with a surprisingly heartfelt response.
He had never seen Kaguya so vulnerable before, he could never imagine to be able to see the cold princess being so anything but strong. Indeed now he felt guilty for saying what he said.
"No matter what happens, I will not leave you Kaguyahime, even if we may part in the future, it will never be for eternity. That much I will promise you." he consoled his lover...he could not say for sure whether he would be able to truly keep this promise even if he is the Emperor, but he knows damn well he would move mountains to get back to Kaguya if they were ever separated.
Kaguya wiped the tears from her eyes, and soon enough the calm and strong façade he had known so well returned. She wore a light smirk on her face soon after.
"Move mountains...melodramatic aren't you Mikado-sama?" she replied, her voice cool, yet held a slightly playful tone to it.
"But not as bad as threatening to destroy the world hime." He retorted.
"Given such power, I would do so in a heartbeat idiot."
"I could say the same for myself, with or without the power to do so."
A comfortable silence fell between them, as he and Kaguya rested on the side of the Shinju, hands intertwined. For a moment they seemed at peace, not willing to part. He had hoped that this moment would last forever...unfortunately time would wait for nothing, man or otherwise...
"If the worst comes to pass Mikado, what do you want me to do with the fruit?" Kaguya asked him, the question he needed to give her an answer on.
He once again knew what must be said.
"Anything that you see fit, Hime." his answer was short.
Kaguya looked towards him, her amber coloured eyes widened,
"anything?"
"Anything."
"Even..."
"If you feel it the best decision, do it without hesitation." he left no room for uncertainty.
Kaguya was silent again, but that silence did not last long.
"You really think so highly of me?" she asked him, for which he chuckled again.
"You are more than just the woman I love Kaguya, more than merely the most beautiful woman of the lands. You are wise and you are smart, wiser than me...smarter than me. I have absolute faith in you if the time ever comes. Even if the rest of the world questions what you do, I will not." he notice Kaguya's cheeks reddened from hearing what he said.
What he said to her was no mere compliments, he knew for a fact that whatever she decides...it would be for the best.
"If that is what you wish Mikado-sama...I can only hope it would never reach to that..."
Kaguya's head rested on his shoulder, as she allowed her eyes to close.
"I hope so too, but if there was ever one thing you have told me time and time again, hope leads to disappointment." he whispered to the resting princess. Uncertain whether she heard it or not.
"But that didn't, not even for one moment stopped me from hoping now did it hime?"
AN: With a little luck, might be able to get more mood for future chapters, there's too much shit that is still planned for this.
I am also trying to get this wrapped up before Volume 4 comes out.
So until then.
