Edge 8: Preparations and a Companion
Keisuke starts to tremble and questions raced out of his mind. Does this have something to do with the Universe of the Four Gods? Why does this scroll mention Suzaku indirectly? Most of all, did Miaka came back? Shaking his head in disbelief, he reads the scroll again. Being an expert in this kind of field, he leisurely skims through the text,
"This scroll has really nothing to do with the book. Everyone living a normal life now. This is only an ordinary fiction tale, but why did it mention a crimson phoenix… it shouldn't pertain to Suzaku… unless there's a new miko in the story… but Miaka is the sole Suzaku no Miko so who is this 'maiden with a golden heart' described in the scroll?" He skims it again and reads the ideographs aloud.
"The golden-hearted maiden of Liu Guo stayed up until she finished studying all the contents inside of the mythical scroll that the goddess Nu Kwa made and bestowed to the hermit country on where she's staying in. She quickly ties it up and goes out from her chamber to tell it to the imperial majesties about such good news…" he stops for a while, and mumbles,
"Liu Guo? Golden-hearted maiden? Nu Kwa? Who are these people? If I try to read further, I might know who these characters might be…" Keisuke decided to continue on reading. However, he doesn't realize that the scroll he's reading is the medium that brought his niece and the people close to her heart back again to the mythical and adventurous world of ancient China.
Hikarou hurriedly runs thru the palace hallway heading to the imperial chamber. She holds on to her skirt so that she doesn't have any problems in running, while carrying the scroll on her other hand. Upon arriving, she sees one of the minor old, shrine maidens. She gives respects to her and the other does the same.
"What brings you at this late hour, High Priestess?" she questions Hikarou.
"I humbly wanted to speak with the Emperor and the Empress. Please tell them it's urgent."
She sighs, "The palace chimes already announced it's midnight. Their majesties are taking their rest at this moment. Please come back tomorrow morning, High Priestess." She bows again to Hikarou. The miko sighs and slowly leaves. When she's about few steps away, the door of the imperial quarters opened. Empress Ying came first, followed by her husband and they are still dressed in their imperial robes.
"Lady Hikarou, why are you here?" As she hears the Empress' voice, her face quickly lights up. She approaches and gives respects to them.
"Majesties, I have successfully uncovered the hidden messages of the Xiang Jing." The imperial couple exchanged looks of delight as they've heard the good news.
"High praises to Nu Kwa for her fruitful blessings to the High Priestess." The shrine maiden tells them. Hikarou smiles back at her while tightly gripping the scroll with both of her hands. She shyly bows her head and said,
"I actually did some trial and error, your Grace. The first attempt wasn't successful, but as I reviewed my actions, I discovered I made some errors. I repeated the same process again and…" Her smile becomes whole-heartedly, nearly getting teary-eyed. "This is what I've got. You reap what you sow, right?"
Empress Ying sighs in relief. "Well then, so much for the good news. Since you've already decoded the messages within, how about starting the voyage the day after tomorrow?"
Hikarou went surprised on what she said. "The day after… tomorrow?" She falteringly said and immediately reacted, "Empress, that's… that's too sudden!" Before she could continue, Empress Ying raises her hand, signaling her to stop and give her time to speak.
"I know you're surprised. You may think I'm rushing things, but if we didn't make our first move, Seimitsu might shed turmoil on the five kingdoms quicker than we expect. Remember, Lady Hikarou, you're dealing with a powerful evil warlock and his monstrous demigods here, so don't be frivolous in this situation." She said in a sober, yet firm tone. The Houseki no Miko understands what she meant and finally give respects to her.
"Yes, your Majesties. I will start the voyage as soon as possible."
Daybreak finally arrives on Suzaku Village. Eian, now a young, handsome bachelor, is busy packing his farming tools on his way to the field, when his mother calls him.
"Eian, Reishun's here! Move faster, don't make her wait!" He jus sighs as he puts the last tool on his bag, "Here we go again…"
Finally, the sun comes up as he goes out from the house. He sees Reishun outside, carrying a basket full of flowers while waving at him. He quickly approaches her and she greets him with a wide smile.
"Well, morning… You're early today than I expected." Reishun gives him a quick look. "Of course, I can't go to the capital all alone you know." Both of them started walking toward the fields talking about the man Eian saw on the forest when he visited the graves of the Shu's on the past few nights.
"So how's that guy doing back at your house?" Reishun asked.
"Well, he's now fine. I thought he was some kind of a warlock since he's wearing odd clothes. But his face is too kind to be bad, maybe someone cast some evil enchantment on him. When I saw him unconscious that time, I discovered he had a wound on his head. I brought him immediately to the house and dad quickly gave him first aid. Good thing, his wound isn't that severe." The purple haired girl nods.
"Looks like I presumed he got knocked down on some hard rock…" Eian added while looking at the sky, "I'm just wondering why I uttered the word 'Taka' from my lips, Reishun." She repeated what he said.
"Taka…?... Why?"
"I don't know, but I know that young man is somewhat familiar to me… a long time ago, Reishun. I just couldn't bring to mind where we met." Reishun stops for a while and said,
"The name you said is somewhat familiar to me as well… I have heard that name somewhere before… but I couldn't remember when… too." Eian stops and looks at her in silence.
Hotohori's reincarnation smiles at her, "I'm going to stop here now. The sun's bright already. You don't have to be scared going to the capital. See ya around, Reishun-chan!" He tries to get his compact mirror from his breastpocket while Reishun shyly blushes and gets a bit uncontrolled when he smiles at her,
"I told you not to smile like that, Eian!" She gives him a direct, playful pound on the shoulder. Unexpectedly, Eian looses hold of the mirror and it carelessly falls on the ground, shattered mercilessly into pieces. He suddenly went devastated while she bits her forefinger to her mouth in surprise.
"My… precious… mirror that Mom gave to me…" Eian quickly gives her a deadly glare, but using her mischievous wits, she immediately presents him a new mirror in front of his face. She comically, but nervously tells him,
"I gladly brought a spare in case…" she changes her voice to that of a chipmunk. "Gomen…" she finally widely grins. Eian quickly gets the mirror and looks at his reflection with enraptured expression.
He proudly says, "Even I'm in poverty, I still look beautiful…" Reishun splutters as she hears this.
Meanwhile, back at Eian's house, his mother is busy doing household chores, as well as attending the injured stranger that her son brought a few nights ago. While she was feeding the chickens, Eian's grandmother came out, frantically telling her that the stranger had woken up. She hurriedly leaves her work and went inside.
As she sweeps away the curtain, she hears him moaning while lying peacefully in bed. The handsome stranger slowly opens his eyes for the first time, and he sees her, then Eian's grandmother. Finally, he successfully set eyes on them clearly, and Eian's mother approaches him. He gets a little bit shocked at this moment.
"Don't be afraid… you're in a safe place." He gets eased as he hears these gentle words; he tries to get up as Eian's mother helped him.
"My son brought you here when he found you in the forest, lying frail and wounded a few nights ago. My husband treated your wounds and changed your clothes. We're glad that you're now fine. He'll happy to see you as soon as he comes home." He gives off a weak, yet soft smile and bows his head, thanking them for their kindness.
"Arigatou…" he said.
"Young man, is it alright if we ask what happened to you… and your name, of course?" Eian's grandmother asked him. He tried to recall it as hard as he can, but in spite of this, the fine-looking, ebony-haired lad responds with its almond-shaped, violet eyes with wonder, and disappointment. He replied,
"Ma'am, no matter how much I try to remember anything, my mindset is in blank. Worst of it, I can't even recall my own name…"
"WHAT THE HECK! YOU'LL BE OFF TOMORROW MORNING?!"
A loud slam is heard on a table, echoing all over Hikarou's chamber, as Min You heard she'll start the voyage soon. At the same time, the sassy priestess is also serenely sipping her cup of tea. She stops drinking and looks directly to her, saying while raising one eyebrow,
"Doesn't your hands hurt that much? You slammed them too strongly on the table."
Realizing it, Min You instantly feels it and frantically squeals in pain. She madly rubs her hands to each other to let the ache disappear. Hikarou shakes her head as she gulps straight the remaining tea, and puts the cup on the table. Unexpectedly, she rests both of her elbows there and let both of her hands touch her cheeks. She sighs desperately, blowing away a wisp of her hair that's blocking her angelic face. Her lady-in-waiting-turned-bestfriend already solves her crisis, pulling a chair and then takes a seat while directly looking at our poor miko. She asks her with her arms folded.
"What is your plan now?"
Hikarou just shrugged. As she looks again at Min You, she gets surprised as her maid gives her an eye-piercing look. The scene gets scandalous when Min You stands up and painfully strikes her on the forehead. The priestess reacts instantly and rubs it to let the ache fade. She threateningly points her.
"What's that for?! That hurts a lot!" Min You didn't reply. Instead she slams both of her hands on the table again, this time she doesn't feel anything. She directly and seriously looks at her. Hikarou gets baffled at her friend's sudden actions.
"Forget the ranking status for a while, okay? I want to confront you as a concerned citizen and as a friend, too. First of all, don't give me a shrug for answer. Second, you've proven so many things that you deserve your position. You pulled out the sword successfully, defeated the snake-bitch Fu, unlocked the hidden messages inside the scroll so on and so forth." Min You aggressively grabs her shoulders and shakes her repeatedly.
"WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?! YOU'RE NOT THE HIKAROU-CHAN I KNOW! WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO TO BRING YOU BACK TO NORMAL, SISTA?!" Hikarou tries to stop her friend from shaking her and successfully does it. She pants and scowls at her,
"Stop shaking me like that! I'm not being possessed by some kind of a demon or so! You should let me finish first after I shrugged but you… you butt in out of place!"
Min You caresses frightfully looks at the pissed-off Hikarou, ready to whack her on the head any second. The frightful maid quickly shields herself, but Hikarou finally calms down. She blows off a wisp of her hair, blocking her face. The priestess remains calm, despite having a bad temper to her friend. She sighs, putting her hands on her waist, and harshly looks at her, as if she wants to eat her alive.
"Look… I know what I've encountered since I came here, also my responsibilities and duties. My major problem is that I'm having a 'clothes crisis' here. You see, I came from a strange world, okay? First, I cannot wear an ordinary dress like this," she points the dress she's wearing.
"It will be troublesome if I try to fight with the enemies… besides; it's too girly for me. Lastly, I can never and definitely wear my sole school uniform for the journey because I don't want to be thought as an evil witch or something and be charred into ashes on a stake. IS THAT CLEAR TO YOU?" She raises a brow while still looking serious at Min You.
"If weren't because of what did you did last time…shessh…" She instantly and irritatingly looks at her, "How can artisan-to-be behave like that? Try do that again or else, I'm gonna request for a new maid. I'll never talk to you again! Mark my words." She threatens her. Min You realizes her mistakes and sincerely asks for forgiveness.
"Dui bu qi, Rou xiao jie. I will never do it again." She bowed her head and sniffs. Seeing she really regrets it, her pissed-off temper slowly fades and shows off a slight smile. She placed her hand on her shoulder and said,
"Okay. I forgive you this time. Just promise me not to ever attempt to hit physically, at the same, roughly on any person, especially elders like me. One thing, try to be conscious on your surroundings and don't suddenly jump to conclusions. Misinterpretations commonly start there. Can I expect that from you?" Min You strongly nods. Hikarou touches her forehead.
"I didn't expect you to hit so harshly…" She looks at Min You with a wink and a slightly sticks out the tip of her tongue. The maid scratches her head, embarrassed. Suddenly, Min You thought of an idea. She quickly pulls Hikarou's hand and they hurriedly went outside. While running and heading somewhere inside the palace, the priestess asks her, while trying to avoid her hair from being messed up.
"Where are we going, Min You?"
"You told me you had a clothing problem, right? I think I have the solution for that!"
Hikarou gets a bit perplexed on what her friend is thinking. The two continued running fast through the hallway, heading straight to a certain chamber.
"Where is she taking me?" Hikarou thinks to herself.
Finally, they arrived at the said chamber. Min You knocks at the door, and a beautiful middle-aged Chinese woman, dressed in elegant robes, greeted them courteously.
"Good day to you, Miss Min You..." She said with a warm smile. Hikarou gives respects and so as Min You.
"It's been a while since I came here. I've been busy lately in training. I'm sorry if I didn't have time to visit you often… ma'am. Ah, yeah, I brought here the Houseki no Miko with me." As the lady hears this, she gets nervous and gives high respects to Hikarou.
"I'm sorry… I didn't notice the High Priestess. I should be punished." Hikarou quickly comforts her.
"It's alright, madam. I'm just a newcomer in this world. No need to apologize." Then, she feels someone nudged her ribs.
"You're quite famous" Min You whisperingly sneers, but gets nudged back by her, indicating her to behave. The maid rubs her ribs to ease the ache away… Stingy old maid, she thought.
"What brings you here together with the priestess?" The madam asked them again. Suddenly, Min You grasps the madam's hand and tells her with a straight face.
"The priestess' is having a problem on what she would wear for the voyage tomorrow. I hope you don't mind helping her, madam. If not, our country will be in total catastrophe. She desperately needs it." Hikarou comically reacts.
"Don't make stories with a straight face, idiot!" she mumbled, but the two didn't mind her. The madam happily replied,
"I will be honored to make a warrior outfit for the priestess. I've heard such great deeds she did for the Empress and Emperor, and her battle with one of Seimitsu's subordinates." She looks at Hikarou, from head to toe. "Well… she's also a fine-young looking lady too." The sassy miko's eyes bulged out, "You mean… you're a…" The madam smiled and introduced herself.
"Yes, Lady Hikarou. I'm the prime seamstress of the palace, hoping to serve you loyally." she bows down and adds, "Please follow me…" and she gives way to Ah Rou to come inside. She blinks, as she slowly comes inside. As Madam closes the door, Min You tries to tell her something.
"Make her outfit simple, yet stunning." She gives her a thumbs-up sign as the seamstress nods and closes the door. Min You says to herself,
"Hope she would look good later on."
As Hikarou enters, she sees a lot of rolled-on fabrics placed on the shelves. The chamber is full of different silk fabric colors. Pink, blue, red, yellow, green, you name it, this chamber has it all. She also sees groups of seamstresses, sewing new imperial clothes, embroidering beads in shoes and skirts, mending torn dresses, and doing oriental quilts. They all stopped as Madam Ming Xun (bright crimson), the Madam Seamstress, announces the arrival of the Houseki no Miko.
"Stop working for a while and give respects to the Houseki no Miko, Lady Hikarou." she ordered.
"Good Day, Houseki no Miko." They greeted the priestess. Hikarou politely does the same way. "Good day to all of you too." They resumed working afterward. The Lofty Madam Seamstress called two of her assistants. The two assistants approached them.
"Take the priestess where the finished female armors are kept."
"Female Armors? The country has female soldiers?" asks a dumbfounded Hikarou. The lofty madam nodded.
"Yes, High Priestess. But they're not allowed to join in wars. They act only as spies, since men are suited for that area... except for Leisu."
"Leisu?"
"She's the leader of the spies' female division of the imperial military defense." Hikarou paused for a while "I wonder... who she was..." she thought. Then, she noticed the two assistants are staring at her, from head to toe and vice versa. She raises a brow. Her sassy attitude starts to spark within any second, but instead politely asks,
"Yes?" They exchange looks and smile at each other, while Hikarou went puzzled.
"Madam, I think we've already figured out what would suit her."
"Yes, Madam, leave everything to us." One of the two seamstresses takes Hikarou's hands and gently pulls her going to one of the rooms. Hikarou slowly gets frantic, wondering what the two seamstresses will do to her. As she is being taken away beside the lofty Madam, the middle-aged seamstress said.
"Take care of her, assistants. Treat her with care. Don't worry priestess, they're harmless ladies. "
She sarcastically waves goodbye at them. And they entered at the mysterious room of the Silk Hall.
Frogs came jumping out of the waters and hopped everywhere, including houses, beds and ovens. They started to swarm all over the every town and village, including the palace, while awful stinging gnats and fats buzzing flies reigned all over the skies. Swarms of hungry locusts came like a black cloud and devoured all the crops in the fields, not leaving a single green thing remain all throughout the land of Sairou.
"Where did these creatures came from?" A man furiously asked while driving away the pests.
"I don't know! Maybe the gods are punishing us!" Another man shouted. "Just keep them away from the fields!" However, while the townsfolk are busy thinking on how to kill these creatures... little they know there's one person enjoying, watching them in panic and despair.
A young boy's silhouette happily sits on a cliff, watching everyone down on the fields, getting troubled and in paranoia, on how will they survive on this total disaster. He touches and slightly rubs his fly-whisk and views again the dreadful scene. He playfully swings his legs and said in a sinister tone,
"Go forth, my precious pets. Spread your eternal damnation. Let them feel the wrath of genocide."
Hours have passed, and Min You irritatingly came back to the Silk Hall. The Lofty Madam Seamstress lets her in and advices to patiently wait for the priestess. She's still having her "finishing touches." Afterwards, her impatience boils up.
"What's taking up her too long?! Don't tell me they're still getting her measurements!" She protested. Madam Ming Xun calms her down.
"Miss Min, please clam down. She will be here very shortly. Just be patient and bear with us." Just then, a creaking sound came from a door. The Madam's loyal assistants show up.
"Lun Lun! Fen Fen!" The madam exclaimed. "What took you so long? Where's the priestess?" Both of them exchanged looks and started to grin to each other.
"Behold our latest and most successful creation in the whole universe!" The pink-haired girl by the name of Lun-Lun proudly says while she's being added by a light green-haired lady.
"Be stunned by our finest creation and will definitely give you chills and expressions of WOW!" Min You gets impatient and shouts at the two.
"QUIT SAYING ANYTHING STUPID! JUST LET US SEE HER NOW OR I'M GONNA CHANGE YOU TWO INTO PESTERING HAMSTERS!" The overreacting assistants get scared and quietly obey her. Lun Lun called the priestess,
"Lady Hikarou, you can come out now..."
A few footsteps were heard and she finally shows up. Astonished expressions are seen on their faces, especially Min You, while the two assistants stands in their position with pride. The priestess just scratched her nape while looking at the people, shyly and slightly blushing.
"Anou...Hi..." she shyly raises her hand and waves her hand timidly. Min You approaches her and looks from head to toe, then vice versa.
Hikarou's hairstyle is now in single braid, tied with a gold ribbon on the end with two wisps of hair on the sides. She has a gold band encircled around her forehead, wearing a sleeveless lemon yellow warrior dress. Its design is simple. Black crisscross threads serve as an adjustment to her top and gold linings are put on the edges of her sleeves, down to the edges on her skirt. She wears a three front layered yellow-orange belt with black buttons to fasten it tightly. Grayish white bands are wrapped along on her hips and up to prevent from seeing "other things". She wears dark maroon boots with dark orange yellow linings. She also wears lemon yellow armbands, tied with gold ribbons to keep them in place.
"So what do you think? Does it fit?" She asked her friend. Min You remains speechless, then hugs her tightly.
"YOU LOOK SO GORGEOUS AND STUNNING!!" She remarks in excitement. Hikarou feels that she can't breathe any longer and tries to whisper at her, gritting her teeth.
"Release me... this instance... and behave like a maid. They still don't know we're close friends when their eyes are away from us..." Min You realizes it, breaking the embrace. She bows down and apologizes, and secretly winks back at her priestess-friend.
"We use yellow as a prime color while gold is used as a subordinate for her armor. Since her main element is Earth, we decided it to be that way." Lun Lun said while her sister, Fen Fen added.
"We also decided to use boots since she'll look cool…" then she continued on describing, not caring that the other three are sweat dropping and easily bored with their speech. Min You reacts by acting out to "zip their mouths", which the two quickly follows.
"Okay… okay… to make the story short, you guys want us to praise your great job! Yeah I admit, you guys did the best dress ever made in the entire history of China! Well done! I applaud for your hard work." Min You claps her hands, not to let them know her intention: to be sarcastic to the two assistants. Hikarou hides her titters. She's something… just like me, the priestess thought. Her maid lays her eyes to her again and rubs her chin, using her forefinger and thumb.
"But I think there's something missing…" She looks around and suddenly eyes an orange-yellow cloth, about a size of a large handkerchief. She gets it and wraps around her friend's right underarm, going upward, until Hikarou's neck and ties it there. Min You gently dabs Hikarou's shoulders and steps away to look at her in full body.
"That should complete it."
"What's with the tied scarf?" , asks Hikarou.
"It's to cover your cursed birthmark, so those evil demigods won't notice you're the fabled Houseki no Miko. We need to keep your true identity, though 'coz you're on their hit list."
"Why?" Then Madam Ming Xun replied to her.
"Seimitsu ordered his disciples you to be killed instantly. It is better the people will only know you as a traveling warrior and not a fabled priestess. The four kingdoms believed that Nu Kwa only exists as a myth, and by no means, be real in reality. Never had they known… she's really true. Since Seimitsu came to existence, you will exist, too. If they knew who you really are, it is either you will be perished or the innocent."
"You mean… I can't identify myself as the Houseki no Miko?"
The seamstress madam sadly nods. "It's better this way… to protect your life as well as the others too." Suddenly, a palace attendant comes in and gives respects to them.
"Emperor Yang and Empress Ying want to talk with you, Houseki no Miko."
Hikarou, along with Min You, finally arrives at the throne room, giving their respects to the imperial couple. Empress Yang noticed Hikarou's new outfit and praises it.
"That suit you wear fits you, priestess. Simple, yet it exhibits your true character. Gentle, but courageous."
"Thank you, Your Highness." She said as she slightly bows her head.
"Why did you summon us, majesties?" Hikarou asked. Empress Ying gave a cue to the guards. The imperial guards paved way and a lady comes forth, dressed in an ancient female warrior dress, with a stern-looking face. She approached the royalties and gives her respects. Hikarou went puzzled on who's the mysterious lady in front of her.
"Lady Hikarou, allow me to introduce you to the chief of the female spies here in Liu Guo, Lady General Leisu." The lady general gives respects again, this time to Hikarou, and the priestess does the same thing.
"It's an honor to meet you in person, Lady Hikarou." said the Lady General.
"She will be the one who'll accompany you on your journey." Emperor Yang added. Hikarou clearly remembers her. She's the woman who accidentally shot her on the shoulder when she first came into this world. She saw the lady general slowly bowing her head, asking for her forgiveness.
"My lady, I'm terribly sorry if I have mistaken you as a trespasser. I didn't intend to hurt the sword keeper of Nu Kwa, at the same time, the Houseiki no Miko. I'm ashamed of what I'd done to you. I humbly beg for your forgiveness."
Hikarou gives off a gentle, convincing smile. "It's alright. No one should be blamed on what happened. You've just done your duty, no more… no less. Besides, I'm still alive and I'm kicking some ass," she chuckled and noticed the people startled on her last word. She puts fingers on her lips, realizing her verbal mistake. She lies at them saying, "I mean, I still have the energy to battle those horrendous demigods." Everyone giggles.
"You have a strong sense of humor, priestess." Emperor Yang said and added, "She will be also the one who will accompany you to your journey to find the eight gem warriors." Leisu bowed her head and gives respects again. "It's an honor to serve you, Houseiki no Miko."
Surprised on what the Emperor told her, Hikarou took a deep breath and calmly said, "I do thank for your humble offer, your Majesty, but I decline to include Lady General Leisu in my voyage." Each person in the Imperial hall was shocked.
"But Priestess, if we can't let General Leisu accompany you, your life will be endangered. Seimitsu's demigods are all over the four kingdoms…" one palace minister said, but Hikarou slowly raised her hand.
"Forgive me, Sir, if I tend to disobey the palace rules. I'm terribly sorry, but have you pondered what would happen if she left her birth country defenseless? True, I am the country's miko and I expect to be protected, but this is my quest… and I won't let any innocent lives be involved."
"I have accepted this duty because I know I can do it and… I have already anticipated the risks and the consequences. I'm aware of the fact that it'll be difficult, but if I have a strong faith and the trust of the people, I'm sure… it will be trouble-free. If everyone believes I'll succeed, I shall… and that's what you call optimism." She walks forward and held Leisu's hands on hers.
"I'm honored that you're willing to accompany me, but it'll be best for you to stay here. I thought if I let you to come with me, my country will have no chance to be protected. I wouldn't allow that. Be yourself. Stay here and serve your homeland. It'll be a great loss if I selfishly take of Liu Guo's most skilled female spy for my own benefit," she smiles and winks at her. Leisu shyly bows her head. Everyone thought on what she said and grasps what she means. They affirmatively nodded that she has a point.
"Point taken. You can have what you wish for, Lady Hikarou." Empress Ying decided.
"Besides, I've already picked the 'fitted' one to be my trusty companion before you picked Leisu for me."
"Then who could this lucky person be?"
Hikarou smiled honestly while indirectly looking at a navy blue-haired maid dressed in green-clothing attire, seated on the palace railings while waiting at her outside.
"That person… would be just right under my nose."