Disclaimer: Please see the Prologue of Suzaku's Oracle for a blanket disclaimer.
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Warnings: Rated PG-13 or Fiction T.
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Notes: 7-16-13 The last chapter ended with new characters again. They'll be back later and you'll find out more about them. This chapter involves Empress Houki. Writing her is hard. I really don't know much about how things worked in Imperial China, so I'm basing most of this off my observations of the anime and my own imagination. There's nothing wrong with that considering this Ancient China never existed in reality. In some cases I've done a little research online, but a lot of it ends up irrelevant because the anime doesn't adhere to the information I learn. ~Sapphire
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Oracles of the Four Gods
"Suzaku's Oracle"
By: Sapphire
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Part Six ~ Invisible Guardian
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Taiitsukun watched the images reflecting from the enormous mirror. A young woman walked alone along an open road. It was obvious to the ancient one that she was exhausted, but the woman continued on until long after the brilliant orange light of the setting sun bathed the land in golden hues before sinking out of sight. As the chill air of evening set in, she pushed on, hugging herself tight to keep warm, despite the coat she held about her shoulders.
"She's got determination, I'll give her that much," Taiitsukun said to herself, knowing a lesser person would have fallen in their tracks hours before. "And she's injured, too. She must be in terrible pain." Taiitsukun was thoughtful for a while as she watched the woman. "She doesn't seem to feel it at all. I wonder what kind of burden could be so heavy on her mind she could forget the pain she feels physically?" It was a question to which she had no answer, but she knew the answer would reveal itself in due course. She turned her mind to other matters.
Taiitsukun was too old and experienced to not recognize the source of the power she had witnessed of the woman that day. That display of power had been rooted in something not of the physical kind. Sheer emotion, possibly desperation, had unleashed the strong life force that she had flung at the slave trader. It was amazing the woman hadn't collapsed of exhaustion right after, the amount of energy it had taken for her to do what she had so soon after arriving in this world. She would not have been able to accomplish the same feat without that emotion. It had, however, been a glimpse of the power she held deep within herself, secreted away somewhere that even the woman could not find. Once she learned to unleash that power on her own, she would be a force to reckon with. Taiitsukun was quite pleased with the way things were progressing in that respect. In other things- she was less than happy.
Taiitsukun turned once more to the mirror and watched as the young woman plodded along the road leading her to Konan's Imperial Capital. Whether the girl was consciously aware of her direction was not of consequence. What mattered was that she was headed in the very direction the Shrine of Suzaku lay. The woman was definitely the one she had sent Kaori and Wataru to fetch, the one she had felt enter this world, the last one she was waiting for. However, it puzzled Taiitsukun as to why Suzaku would allow a warrior contact with the woman before she was brought to Mt. Daikyoku. Suzaku was risking the upset of an already precariously balanced world. And Suzaku was risking the very existence of that world, for if anything should interfere with the woman's purpose in this world, then the world would cease to exist. Taiitsukun was very worried, indeed.
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Aneko was so tired, she could barely keep her eyes open. It was all she could do just to keep herself moving forward toward the city in the distance. There was still such a long way to go. The city had seemed much closer from the top of the hill, but once she'd gotten down into the heart of the land, the Imperial capital city had not been visible. Aneko guessed it would be another day or two of travel before she arrived there, maybe more. There was no way she could keep going that long without sleep.
Still, she refused to stop and rest. She was haunted by fear and the faces of the men who'd attacked her. She pushed herself onward hour after exhausting hour. Finally she could endure no more. She found a place under a lone tree in a field and collapsed onto the thick meadow grass beneath it. As she stared up at the treetop through blinking eyes, she hoped the tall grass would conceal her from anyone who chanced to pass by. Then with an exhausted yawn, she closed her eyes and succumbed to sleep.
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Chichiri slowly emerged from his kasa once he was sure the woman was asleep. He'd gambled on her picking it up once he'd disappeared into it. His gamble had paid off. Just as Miaka had years ago, this woman had carried the magical hat with her as well. Through the kasa he was able to monitor the woman and her surroundings, provide her a protector without her knowing it. When she had set the kasa down onto the cool grass with the crickets chirping a lullaby, he knew it wouldn't be long until she slept. He waited patiently, knowing she was in no danger, until he was sure she would be soundly asleep so he could come out.
Once out of hiding, it took only a glance to realize she was so deep into her dreams that she wasn't likely to wake for a good long while. He scanned their surroundings. The woman had chosen a resting place that was more or less out in the open. It wasn't the safest place to make a camp. He needed to get her somewhere safe where she could rest and someone could treat her broken arm properly. Moving slowly, so as not to disturb her, he collected his kasa, then spread his kesa out on the ground before he lifted her carefully off the ground. He set her gently on the robe then knelt by her side, holding the shakujo upright before him.
Clasping the hand of her uninjured right arm, Chichiri held tight in case his spell went awry and this trip was rougher than planned. He didn't want to lose her in the In-Between. Focusing his concentration on the staff, Chichiri spoke the incantation under his breath. In moments, they were sinking into the robe, disappearing from the meadow as his spell began transporting them both to his intended destination.
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"Do you know who she is?" Empress-Regent Houki inquired of the Celestial Suzaku Warrior.
"No," Chichiri replied with a shake of his head. He peered through the doors to the bedchamber to get a glimpse of the sleeping woman. The Empress looked, too, studying the strange woman's features. She appeared quite exhausted, and was oblivious to everything around her.
"The poor thing," the Empress said sadly. "Attacked like that. By slavers. And it's illegal here, too." She scowled. "Something shall have to be done about it."
"With all due respect," Chichiri told her, "Slaving is only illegal here in Konan, no da. Though it's looked down upon in Sairou, it's not illegal there, nor is it illegal in Kuto or Houkan. As long as it isn't against the law in our neighboring countries, slavers will continue to operate in Konan, taking their captives across our borders and selling them there." The Empress scowled again. He had a point, and a very good one.
"Yes, you're right," she said, biting her bottom lip lightly between her teeth as she thought hard. "This may be something to bring up with my council. Perhaps it's time we bring this issue up with our neighboring lands. It will give my advisors and councilors something fresh to haggle over. And who knows? It may come to something constructive." Empress-Regent Houki saw that Chichiri noticed her sarcasm. He didn't seem to blame her for it. He knew as well as she that the Imperial Council tended to be more concerned with taxes and how to spend them than with real problems that the people faced on a daily basis. The Empress sighed. "But I do not have a council to take it up with," she commented. "Not after the Earthquake. Two of the council members were killed, and many others were badly injured."
"Be thankful none of the other palace buildings collapsed the way that one did, no da," Chichiri reminded her. "Many more could have died."
"Yes, and I am unharmed thanks to Captain Hikaru. And Boushin was not hurt at all," the Empress nodded. "And you are right. The earthquake could have been much worse. Many of the servants and court members were injured, but there were very few who died. And even with all the destruction in the east, there were not so many who died that could have." Chichiri nodded in agreement. "And the reports are coming in almost hourly, all of them far better than I would expect from such a disaster." The Empress turned thoughtful again, and then gazed at the strange woman once more. "Where do you suppose she is from?" she asked inquiringly.
"Hard to say, no da," Chichiri began hesitantly. The Empress picked up on the hesitation instantly. She looked at him carefully, gauging how ready he was to speak what was bothering him. She tried not to force anyone to speak, but she sensed in this case, he was willing to share his concerns.
"You have a theory?" Empress Houki prodded gently. Chichiri nodded.
"I think it's possible she could be from another world."
"Another world?" the Empress was a little surprised by the Seishi's bold statement. In fact, she was skeptical of the possibility. "I saw her clothing," she allowed. "I can see how you would suspect such a thing, but...strange clothing just is not enough to convince me."
"I don't blame you, your Highness," Chichiri agreed. "It's very little to go on, but they are so much like Miaka's..."
"The Priestess of Suzaku?" Empress Houki queried. She had met the priestess only twice. Once, briefly before her husband, Emperor Saihitei, was killed and the second when Miaka had returned from her world with Tamahome in search of the jewels that held Tamahome's memories. She conjured an image of that girl in her head, and had to agree that the woman's clothing was quite similar. "If memory serves, this woman's clothing is indeed similar, but..."
"The only other person I've seen who had clothes like that was the Priestess of Seiryu." Chichiri paused for a moment, almost as though he were considering his own argument. "Whoever she is, where ever she's from, I'm certain she's protected by Suzaku, no da."
"Protected by Suzaku? What makes you think so?"
"She was protected by a ward and surrounded by red light. I'm sure it was Suzaku's light," Chichiri told her.
"Why would Suzaku protect her? What is the purpose?" Empress Houki asked.
"Those are good questions, no da. We'll have to wait until she wakes up to find out the answers." The Empress nodded in understanding. One could only find so many answers in brief observation alone.
"Keep close watch on her, and inform me at once when she wakes." Chichiri nodded, and Empress Houki turned and left the warrior to his duty. She had thinking to do.
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To be continued…
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End Note: I hope Empress Houki, as a character, is convincing. She plays such a small role in the anime, and though we get to know her better in the OAV, we don't get to see her in her role as Empress. I've done my best, and hope you like her! ~Sapphire
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