Bittersweet Orange Lilly
Disclaimer
I do not own any of the Saiunkoku Monogatari character's they belong to Sai Yukino. I also do not own any of the characters from Bleach they belong to Tite Kubo. I am only using them in this story as a fan.
Chapter seven
Rem was quite happy when she returned to her room after breakfast to find Nashiko sitting on her bed.
"Nashiko-chan." Rem said in surprise walking over to the girl.
"Rem-chan." Nashiko said hugging her.
"I am so glad you're finally here." Rem said pulling out of Nashiko's embraced.
"Tatsuya apologizes for taking so long and he hopes you understand." Nashiko said handing Rem a stack of books and a box of chemicals.
"Excellent." Rem said taking the books.
"Tatsuya wanted me to tell you that the screens will be done in the next few days. What do you want me to do till then?" Nashiko asked.
"Until the screens are done there really isn't anything you can do. Maybe you can try and help me identify the poisons now that you brought the books and the chemicals needed. In the meantime I'll arrange a meeting with the emperor." Rem told her and Nashiko nodded. "Would you like tea or something to eat? Did you have breakfast?" Rem asked.
"Some tea would be nice." Nashiko told her getting off Rem's bed.
"I'll be back then." Rem said leaving the room to get the tea leaves.
"Rukia-chan come have tea with Nashiko-chan and I." Rem said poking her head in Rukia's room and Rukia nodded.
They entered Rem's room and Nashiko was sitting at Rem's red cherry artisan style table.
"Rukia-chan your remember Nashiko-chan?" Rem asked and Rukia nodded.
"It's good to see you again Nashiko-chan." Rukia bowed.
"It's good to see you to Rukia-chan." Nashiko said bowing.
"So I guess the real work starts now." Rukia said looking at Rem and Nashiko.
"Yes and I think it will go quickly as soon as we get the screens." Rem said and Nashiko nodded.
"Then shall we get started with identifying the poisons. Tatsuya-sensei sent some excellent herbal and poisons books from Asia and South America." Nashiko told them getting up to get the books.
"You really want to jump into this right now?" Rukia asked.
"No time like the present." Nashiko said simply.
"She wants to rush home to her love Akiyama." Rem smiled teasing Nashiko who blushed.
"This is important and dangerous the longer it takes to identify the poisons and the person behind it the more dangerous it gets. So it's best to get started now don't you think." Nashiko said handing Rem and Rukia a book.
"Great another workaholic." Rukia smiled and Rem laughed.
"So poison "a" is from a plant either from its sap or seed and poison "b" is most likely from a plant but we don't know for sure because their is no residue." Nashiko said and Rem nodded.
"How much of either poison did we gather to use for testing?" Nashiko asked.
"We haven't taken the poison off the items yet. I'll scrap as much of the poison off as I can." Rem said getting up to get a few pieces of paper.
"Rem-chan I have no problem doing that for you if you want to keep looking through the books. Since I am not sure what I am looking for in the books anyway." Rukia said taking the papers from Rem.
"Ok just make sure you use a new piece of paper for each item." Rem said handing Rukia the bundle of poisoned items as well as a razor blade.
While Rukia scrapped the bristles of one of the combs Rem and Nashiko continued reading through the books marking pages that they thought contained important information.
"Rem." Shusui called knocking on the main room door of Rukia and Rem's room.
When Nashiko heard the knock she quickly got up on the table and lifted up the ceiling tile and pulled herself up into the attic space once there Rem handed her a candle.
"Rukia-dono can you put everything down here?" Rem asked pulling up a floor board and Rukia nodded.
Rem made a quick dash to the door and sled it open while Rukia put everything under the floor boards.
"Shusui-dono." Rem bowed after she opened the door.
"Good afternoon Rem, would you please come help me with lunch?" Shusui asked and Rem nodded.
"Rukia-dono I am going to go help make lunch." Rem called over her shoulder walking out of the room.
Rukia sled the floor board back in its place before getting up to leave the room.
"I'll bring you back something to eat Nashiko-chan." Rukia said leaving the room and making her way to the common area.
After lunch Rem sent a note to the emperor requesting an audience with him. In the meantime, Rem made a list of items that Nashiko would need while she's in the attic space. She wanted to clear the list with the emperor first but didn't think he would have a problem with any of the items Rem felt it was just a precaution that should be taken. The only hang-up would be where to get the item and how to replace them so that other people in the palace didn't assume someone was stealing them. Rem, Rukia and Nashiko where sitting around the red cherry artisan style table again going through books looking for information when there was a knock at the outer sliding door. Rem got up to answer the door while Rukia and Nashiko put away the books, chemicals and samples. Nashiko again pulled herself up into the attic space as Rem sled open the door revealing Kouyuu.
"Good afternoon Rem-dono." Kouyuu said bowing.
"Good afternoon Kouyuu-sensei." Rem said bowing.
"The emperor accepts your request and would like you to come to his quarters at your convenience." Kouyuu told her before turning to walk away.
"Thank you." Rem said bowing as Kouyuu walked away.
Once Rem reached her room Nashiko dropped down from the attic space and smiled at her.
"That was quick." Nashiko said sitting down.
"Yes it was would you prefer to go meet with the emperor now or closer to dark?" Rem asked.
"Now is fine." Nashiko said and Rem nodded.
"Then we'll go." Rem said walking for the door.
Nashiko shunpo from shadow to shadow as Rukia and Rem made their way to the emperor's quarters. Rem knocked on the emperor's quarter's door and it opened revealing Kouyuu again.
'He found his way rather quick' Rem smiled.
Kouyuu bowed when he saw them and stepped aside so that Rukia and Rem could walk in. Rukia and Rem both bowed before entering leaving Nashiko time to get in. Once Kouyuu had closed the door Nashiko stepped into view and bowed to Kouyuu, and then to the emperor and Shuuei who was sitting beside the emperor. Rukia and Rem also bowed to the emperor and Shuuei before stepping to far into the room.
"Your majesty, Kouyuu-sensei, Shuuei-sensei I'd like to introduce you to Tochigo Nashiko. Nashiko-dono I'd like you meet his majesty Shi Ryuuki, Ri Kouyuu Vice Secretary of the Civil Affairs and General Ran Shuuei. Both Kouyuu-sensei and Shuuei-sensei are his majesty's personal guards." Rem said gesturing towards each man as she named them.
"It's an honor to meet you your majesty, Kouyuu-sensei, Shuuei-sensei." Nashiko said bowing to each of them.
"We are honored to meet you as well Nashiko-dono." The emperor said nodding to her.
"Welcome Nashiko-dono we are glad you are here." Shuuei said bowing.
"Nice to meet you Nashiko-dono." Kouyuu said nodding to Nashiko.
"Now then give us an update and what is next." The emperor said as the girls sat down.
"Since Nashiko-dono's arrival this afternoon we have began to look through the books that she brought and we have even abstracted the poisons from the item and we'll begin testing the poisons tonight or tomorrow." Rem informed them.
"Very good." The emperor nodded and Rem continued.
"I have a list of items Nashiko-dono would like to have during her observation. I thought the list should be given to you to ask for your permission to use the item as well as to ask where we can get the items. Nashiko-dono will need a number of boards to lay across the eaves as well as candles and a striker. She'll also need a mattress and sheets. I wasn't sure where I could get the mattress or sheets without someone noticing. Tatsuya-sensei will be bringing the screens here within a few days so that Nashiko-dono can begin observing the harem. Until then she will test the poisons." Rem told the emperor.
"Good we will arrange for everything to be brought to your room tonight." The emperor said taking the list from Rem.
"Thank you your majesty." Rem said bowing.
"Shuuei-sensei if you would please make the necessary arrangements to get the items Rem-dono and Nashiko-dono asked for." His emperor asked handing him the list Rem had just handed him.
"Yes your majesty." Shuuei nodded leaving the room.
"Let us have some tea in less you have something more pressing to attend to." The emperor said looking at Rem.
"Tea would be nice." Rem nodded and the emperor motioned to Kouyuu to bring more tea.
"What is this…it's so unlike Rem." Rukia whispered to Nashiko.
"Perhaps she doesn't want to seem rude to his majesty." Nashiko whispered back.
Rukia leaned over and placed her hand on Rem's forehead and Rem turned and looked at her.
"What are you doing?" Rem questioned.
"Just seeing if you have a fever it's not like you to not want to get back to work." Rukia smiled.
"Wow you've known me for how many months and you can make that kind of assumption about me." Rem muttered annoyed.
"I didn't mean it like that. It's just that your track recorded so far says you're a workaholic and I can't figure out why tonight your so laid back and easy going." Rukia said trying to smooth things over.
"So what if I was in a hurry to figure out who's poisoning the harem isn't that what I am here for. As far as why I am so laid back and relaxed tonight I guess it's because I feel like I have everything under control since Nashiko-chan is here and I have everything I need to test and research the poisons. All my bases are taken care of and under control. Does that satisfy you?" Rem explained looking at Rukia annoyed and Rukia nodded.
"If you feel you have everything under control then perhaps you can now help Kouyuu-sensei with the martial art tournament." The emperor said.
As soon as the emperor began to speak Rem's attention snapped from Rukia to the emperor and as he spoke she turned to Kouyuu. Kouyuu looked at Rem annoyed as she smiled at him.
"How far have you gotten in the planning Kouyuu-sensei." Rem asked him.
"I already have everything planned so I really don't need your help." Kouyuu told her kindly.
"Ok." Rem said turning back to the others.
"Now wait Kouyuu-sensei, Rem-dono might be able to give you some input on the tournament. I would like you to work on this together." The emperor said emphasizing the last part.
"Fine." Kouyuu muttered under his breath nodding his head.
"So how many people have signed up and how are you ranking them?" Rem asked him trying to figure out where he was in the planning.
"I don't have any of the information on me about the tournament. If I had known you'd be asked to help me and that I was suppose to be working with you on this I would have brought it." Kouyuu said giving his excuse.
"Then perhaps you should go retrieve the information so that you and Rem-dono can work on organizing the martial art tournament." Shuuei suggested walking back into the room smiling slyly at Kouyuu.
Kouyuu gave him an annoyed and hate filled look.
"Rem-dono why don't you go with him." The emperor added.
Kouyuu looked at Rem as she stood up and followed him as he walked. Neither of them spoke for a few seconds.
"I'll see you girls back at the room. Good day your majesty." Rem said bowing before following Kouyuu.
"Do tell… what is going on between those two." Nashiko whispered to Rukia after Kouyuu and Rem left.
"We aren't totally sure but we like to tease Kouyuu-sensei about it… and we think they're both secret like each other but have a hard time expressing it hence the arguing and annoyed looks. We enjoy the entertainment they supply when around each other so I asked them to organize the martial art tournament together." The emperor explained smiling.
"Isn't that kind of mean and aren't they going to be mad about it?" Nashiko questioned.
"We'll deal with that when we get there." Shuuei assured her.
Kouyuu and Rem arrived at the Department of Civil Affairs after being lost for nearly an hour. When they finally walked in Reishin smiled at Rem.
"Rem-dono how nice to see you again for what reason have you graced us with your beauty this afternoon?" Reishin asked opening his fan looking at Rem.
"I am helping Kouyuu-sensei organize the martial art tournament." Rem told him as Kouyuu sat down at his desk.
"How nice of you. Wasn't that nice of her Kouyuu?" Reishin asked looking at Kouyuu while he was doing his work.
"She's only here because the emperor told her to help me." Kouyuu said without looking up from what he was doing.
"Hmmm…how nice of the emperor. Then I shall leave you two to do your work." Reishin asked going back to his desk.
"So what can I do to help?" Rem asked after a few minutes of silence.
"Nothing...I don't need your help. Just sit there and if anyone asks just tell them your brainstorming." Kouyuu said motioning towards the desk on the other side of the room.
"Well the emperor asked me to help you so that's what I am going to do." Rem said looking at the papers on Kouyuu's desk."You're not even working on anything for the martial art tournament." Rem said a little annoyed.
"In case you haven't noticed I have a responsibility to the Department of Civil Affairs. Right now, I am doing my job. I'll work on the preparations for the martial art tournament later." Kouyuu told her annoyed that she was looking over his shoulder.
"So then what am I suppose to do?" Rem asked him.
"Like I said before, go have a seat at that desk over there." Kouyuu told her.
"If you don't have the time to work on the martial art tournament then why don't you give me what you have so far and let me work on it instead of having me sit at that desk doing nothing." Rem said and Kouyuu looked up at her.
Kouyuu muttered something and then went back to his work.
"Excuse me what did you say?" Rem asked leaning in a little closer.
"I said get away from me." Kouyuu yelled at Rem moving away from her.
"You didn't have to yell in my ear." Rem said rubbing her ear.
"What's going on out here?" Reishin questioned walking over to them.
"Nothing, I was just leaving since Kouyuu-sensei doesn't have the time right now to work on martial art tournament. Good day Reishin-sama, Kouyuu-sensei." Rem said bowing and leaving before either of them could say anything.
"What did you do?" Reishin yelled at Kouyuu after Rem turned the corner.
"I just asked her to wait over there while I finished this work." Kouyuu told him.
"You were making her wait? You could have caught up on that work anytime." Reishin growled.
"Well she's gone now nothing I can do." Kouyuu said shrugging going back to the work on his desk.
"Want to bet. You're going after her and you are going to work on organizing the martial art tournament with her." Reishin growled grabbing Kouyuu pulling him out of his chair and shoving him out the door.
"Go find her and bring her back here." Reishin called after Kouyuu as he muttered to himself.
