The days and weeks went by, and soon Misara lost track. Forgetting all about her violin competition, she threw herself into her training. Practicing in the morning with Tamahome, learning to fight by the sword with Hotohori in the afternoon, and at night, she would explore the palace or the city. In the beginning, however, she was too exhausted after Hotohori's lesson to even eat, and had to be carried to her bedroom in the middle of dinner. The days that Hotohori was too busy to help her, she spent with Nuriko. And to her horror, she developed a crush on the young Emperor. He was always kind to her, and sometimes they would sit at night in the garden and talk, but Misara could tell that he loved someone else. Nuriko liked him too, but Hotohori never showed preference between the two, which led to conversations between Misara and Nuriko that could last all night. Even Tamahome was kind to Misara, and they developed an easy friendship, teasing included. However, Tamahome seemed distracted too, by something Misara could never figure out. She would catch him staring at her, with a strange look on his face, and when she teased him about it, he stared at the ground and refused to answer. She gave up after a while, and concentrated on her martial arts skills. According to Tamahome, she had learned very fast, and although she wasn't perfect, she was coming along great. Her sword fighting technique, however, left something to be desired. Hotohori was patient with her, but deep down, they both knew that the sword was not for her. One night, when they were talking, he tactfully suggested that she try some other weapon, and she quickly agreed. After spending an entire afternoon in the barracks, she chose the bow and arrow. Hotohori even had a special one made for her, made with the finest wood and painted with red paint. It also had a golden Suzaku on it, which Misara didn't like very well. After her first time in the temple, she hadn't gone back. While exploring the palace, she stayed far away from it, and when Hotohori and the others went in to pray, she claimed she had other things to do. To tell the truth, she was afraid of it, that giant statue and the way it had burned her hands. She desperately wanted her ring back, but there was no way she was going in after it again.
One day, almost three months after Misara had first come to Konan, she was in the garden picking flowers when a familiar voice boomed from behind her.
"Misara! What do you think you are doing?"
Misara stifled a scream and turned around. Standing, or rather, floating, behind her was Taitskun, and she was giving Misara a suspicious look.
"What is it, Taitskun?" Misara asked, puzzled by her sudden appearance.
Taitskun sighed. "I hope you have trained hard these past three months, Misara, because the time for you to fulfill your duties as Goddess of the Sky is almost upon you. I trust you have read the scroll?" She asked.
Misara winced. Truthfully, she hadn't given it a second thought since she got it, but she wasn't about to tell Taitskun that. "Of course!" She answered cheerfully.
Taitsukun eyed her, then continued. "Then you agree to everything? You understand your duties and obligations?" Misara nodded, hoping that she wasn't getting herself into too much trouble. "Good." Taitskun nodded. "I came here with a message for you. You can tell the other if you wish. Miaka, the Priestess of Suzaku, is coming back. She should be here tomorrow, if everything works out as I have seen. I will be back tomorrow to discuss with her your role in this, and what she must do now that you have arrived." With a poof, Taitskun disappeared and Misara was left alone in the garden, staring at the space where the Oracle had once been.
"NURIKO!!!" A voice rang out, echoing down the hallways. Nuriko opened his door just in time, for Misara barged in, a scroll in her hands. She began pacing the floor anxiously.
"What's going on, Misara? Is Tamahome back already and teasing you again?"
"NO!" Misara stopped herself from screaming too loud. Tamahome had left a week ago. He said he had some business to do, but he wouldn't say what. If Misara knew him, and she knew him well, he was looking for more money. In the short space of time that he was absent, Misara wandered around listlessly, bored to death. Tamahome was her best friend in this world, and without him, there wasn't much to do. Hotohori was too busy with matter of state, and Nuriko had other things on his mind. "He's not back yet, but I wish he was." She continued.
"Is that what this recent mood swing is about?" Nuriko asked.
"It's THIS!" Misara shouted, flinging the scroll at the purple-haired seishi. Luckily, Nuriko caught it. He opened it.
"Isn't this the scroll Taitskun gave you?" He asked, puzzled.
"Yes!" Misara cried. "Can you read it?"
Nuriko shook his head slowly. "Take it to His Majesty. He can read it for you. Wait, I'll go with you! I haven't seen him more than twice today!" With that, the two hurried down the hall and through the palace, to Hotohori's chambers, where he was resting. Misara knocked impatiently, but politely, on the door.
"Enter." A gentle voice was heard from within.
Misara pushed open the door. Hotohori was sitting at his dressing table, gazing into the mirror. It wasn't the first time that Misara had found the narcissistic emperor in this state. She stopped herself from sighing, and handed him the scroll.
"I was supposed to read this, but I forgot all about it. I can't read this country's language, and Nuriko won't read it for me. Can you read it to me?" She asked him quickly. He studied the scroll for a moment, then nodded slowly, and began to read it.
"It says here that the Goddess of the Sky connects all the celestial warriors that are living when she arrives, because the sky is the one thing that connects the four kingdoms. She is the protector of the ones chosen by the four gods, and can only be summoned if absolutely needed. Once summoned, she must perform the following duties: First, she must be willing to give her life to protect any of the Celestial Warriors. Second, in order to accomplish the first duty, she must distinguish these warriors from normal humans by the signs which they bear, and once she touches those signs, she is blessed with their power and may use it to fight against any force which threatens. If she is threatened by a Celestial warrior whom she is sworn to protect, she will not be able to fight back. Third, if she is present at the summoning ceremony of any of the four gods, the Goddess of the Sky will receive wishes like the Priestess. If one of the Celestial warriors should die, with permission of the Priestess, the Goddess of the Sky can bring that one back to life, but only one warrior can be brought back. If the Priestess asks, the Goddess must obey her. However, if the Goddess is asked to bring a fallen warrior back to life, she must do so by exchanging her life with that of the warrior."
"Hold on a second!" Nuriko exclaimed. "If I died, and Miaka asked Misara to bring me back to life, the only way she could do that is to kill herself?"
Hotohori nodded grimly.
"That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard of!" Nuriko exploded.
Hotohori continued. "This is the legend of the Goddess of the Sky. Here it is written, and so it shall be." He stared for a few moments, then rolled it back up. "That's all it says." He handed the scroll back to Misara, who took it dazedly.
"Misara? Are you alright?" Nuriko asked worriedly.
She nodded slowly. "I'm kind of tired...I think I'll go lay down for a while in my room...I need to think." She stood and walked over to the door. She hesitated in the doorway, and turned halfway as if to speak, but changed her mind and left.
That night, as she was getting ready to go to bed, she remembered what Taitskun had told her. She grimaced when she remembered that she didn't tell the others that Miaka was coming back tomorrow. She shrugged.
Oh well...It'll just be a surprise, she thought. Too bad Tamahome isn't here...I wonder what he would have to say about all this...
Much later that night, when the entire palace was sleeping, Misara sat in her bed, awake. She had had a nightmare, and it disturbed her. A tall man with strange blue eyes was watching her in it, and she was unnerved by how blue and deep his eyes were. She shook herself slightly, and climbed out of bed. For an hour since, she had been trying to go back to sleep, but with little success. She pulled on a silk robe, loaned to her by Nuriko, and quietly opened her door.
A little fresh air is all I need...I'll just walk around the palace a few times...she thought to herself.
She walked silently down the hallways, listening for any guards that might be about. Walking past Hotohori's chambers, she heard a muffled crying. She pressed her ear to the door and listened again. She heard the sound again, and opened the door slowly. In the giant bed in the corner of the room, Hotohori lay sleeping, illuminated by a few candles. His sheets were tangled and he was tossing and turning in his sleep, randomly crying out. She hurried over to him and grabbed his shoulder.
"Hotohori...wake up! Hotohori!" She shook him rapidly. "Please, Hotohori, wake up!" Suddenly, he sat up, his eyes wide.
In the dim light, it was hard to see, but Misara was still taken aback when he whispered, "Thank you, Miaka." He put his arms around her and pulled her close. Breathing in deep, he said, "I've forgotten how warm you are...Miaka...thank you."
Misara hesitated for an instant, then whispered back, "I'm not Miaka, your Highness, I'm Misara."
Hotohori pulled away as if she had burned him and stared at her. Misara felt as if her heart was breaking. She stood up.
"I hope your Highness feels better in the morning." She whispered, then hurried from the room before he could see her tears. Running as fast as she could, she rushed to her room and threw herself on the bed, then cried herself to sleep.
One day, almost three months after Misara had first come to Konan, she was in the garden picking flowers when a familiar voice boomed from behind her.
"Misara! What do you think you are doing?"
Misara stifled a scream and turned around. Standing, or rather, floating, behind her was Taitskun, and she was giving Misara a suspicious look.
"What is it, Taitskun?" Misara asked, puzzled by her sudden appearance.
Taitskun sighed. "I hope you have trained hard these past three months, Misara, because the time for you to fulfill your duties as Goddess of the Sky is almost upon you. I trust you have read the scroll?" She asked.
Misara winced. Truthfully, she hadn't given it a second thought since she got it, but she wasn't about to tell Taitskun that. "Of course!" She answered cheerfully.
Taitsukun eyed her, then continued. "Then you agree to everything? You understand your duties and obligations?" Misara nodded, hoping that she wasn't getting herself into too much trouble. "Good." Taitskun nodded. "I came here with a message for you. You can tell the other if you wish. Miaka, the Priestess of Suzaku, is coming back. She should be here tomorrow, if everything works out as I have seen. I will be back tomorrow to discuss with her your role in this, and what she must do now that you have arrived." With a poof, Taitskun disappeared and Misara was left alone in the garden, staring at the space where the Oracle had once been.
"NURIKO!!!" A voice rang out, echoing down the hallways. Nuriko opened his door just in time, for Misara barged in, a scroll in her hands. She began pacing the floor anxiously.
"What's going on, Misara? Is Tamahome back already and teasing you again?"
"NO!" Misara stopped herself from screaming too loud. Tamahome had left a week ago. He said he had some business to do, but he wouldn't say what. If Misara knew him, and she knew him well, he was looking for more money. In the short space of time that he was absent, Misara wandered around listlessly, bored to death. Tamahome was her best friend in this world, and without him, there wasn't much to do. Hotohori was too busy with matter of state, and Nuriko had other things on his mind. "He's not back yet, but I wish he was." She continued.
"Is that what this recent mood swing is about?" Nuriko asked.
"It's THIS!" Misara shouted, flinging the scroll at the purple-haired seishi. Luckily, Nuriko caught it. He opened it.
"Isn't this the scroll Taitskun gave you?" He asked, puzzled.
"Yes!" Misara cried. "Can you read it?"
Nuriko shook his head slowly. "Take it to His Majesty. He can read it for you. Wait, I'll go with you! I haven't seen him more than twice today!" With that, the two hurried down the hall and through the palace, to Hotohori's chambers, where he was resting. Misara knocked impatiently, but politely, on the door.
"Enter." A gentle voice was heard from within.
Misara pushed open the door. Hotohori was sitting at his dressing table, gazing into the mirror. It wasn't the first time that Misara had found the narcissistic emperor in this state. She stopped herself from sighing, and handed him the scroll.
"I was supposed to read this, but I forgot all about it. I can't read this country's language, and Nuriko won't read it for me. Can you read it to me?" She asked him quickly. He studied the scroll for a moment, then nodded slowly, and began to read it.
"It says here that the Goddess of the Sky connects all the celestial warriors that are living when she arrives, because the sky is the one thing that connects the four kingdoms. She is the protector of the ones chosen by the four gods, and can only be summoned if absolutely needed. Once summoned, she must perform the following duties: First, she must be willing to give her life to protect any of the Celestial Warriors. Second, in order to accomplish the first duty, she must distinguish these warriors from normal humans by the signs which they bear, and once she touches those signs, she is blessed with their power and may use it to fight against any force which threatens. If she is threatened by a Celestial warrior whom she is sworn to protect, she will not be able to fight back. Third, if she is present at the summoning ceremony of any of the four gods, the Goddess of the Sky will receive wishes like the Priestess. If one of the Celestial warriors should die, with permission of the Priestess, the Goddess of the Sky can bring that one back to life, but only one warrior can be brought back. If the Priestess asks, the Goddess must obey her. However, if the Goddess is asked to bring a fallen warrior back to life, she must do so by exchanging her life with that of the warrior."
"Hold on a second!" Nuriko exclaimed. "If I died, and Miaka asked Misara to bring me back to life, the only way she could do that is to kill herself?"
Hotohori nodded grimly.
"That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard of!" Nuriko exploded.
Hotohori continued. "This is the legend of the Goddess of the Sky. Here it is written, and so it shall be." He stared for a few moments, then rolled it back up. "That's all it says." He handed the scroll back to Misara, who took it dazedly.
"Misara? Are you alright?" Nuriko asked worriedly.
She nodded slowly. "I'm kind of tired...I think I'll go lay down for a while in my room...I need to think." She stood and walked over to the door. She hesitated in the doorway, and turned halfway as if to speak, but changed her mind and left.
That night, as she was getting ready to go to bed, she remembered what Taitskun had told her. She grimaced when she remembered that she didn't tell the others that Miaka was coming back tomorrow. She shrugged.
Oh well...It'll just be a surprise, she thought. Too bad Tamahome isn't here...I wonder what he would have to say about all this...
Much later that night, when the entire palace was sleeping, Misara sat in her bed, awake. She had had a nightmare, and it disturbed her. A tall man with strange blue eyes was watching her in it, and she was unnerved by how blue and deep his eyes were. She shook herself slightly, and climbed out of bed. For an hour since, she had been trying to go back to sleep, but with little success. She pulled on a silk robe, loaned to her by Nuriko, and quietly opened her door.
A little fresh air is all I need...I'll just walk around the palace a few times...she thought to herself.
She walked silently down the hallways, listening for any guards that might be about. Walking past Hotohori's chambers, she heard a muffled crying. She pressed her ear to the door and listened again. She heard the sound again, and opened the door slowly. In the giant bed in the corner of the room, Hotohori lay sleeping, illuminated by a few candles. His sheets were tangled and he was tossing and turning in his sleep, randomly crying out. She hurried over to him and grabbed his shoulder.
"Hotohori...wake up! Hotohori!" She shook him rapidly. "Please, Hotohori, wake up!" Suddenly, he sat up, his eyes wide.
In the dim light, it was hard to see, but Misara was still taken aback when he whispered, "Thank you, Miaka." He put his arms around her and pulled her close. Breathing in deep, he said, "I've forgotten how warm you are...Miaka...thank you."
Misara hesitated for an instant, then whispered back, "I'm not Miaka, your Highness, I'm Misara."
Hotohori pulled away as if she had burned him and stared at her. Misara felt as if her heart was breaking. She stood up.
"I hope your Highness feels better in the morning." She whispered, then hurried from the room before he could see her tears. Running as fast as she could, she rushed to her room and threw herself on the bed, then cried herself to sleep.
