Hey readers. This is the alternate version I came up with this chapter. I've heard that this story is moving a bit too quickly, so I'm trying to slow it down a bit, explain a few things, and try to make sense out of things. Okie dokie? And if you want to see to see the original version of this chapter, go to my account on Quizilla. It's a lot faster paced and a lot more happens (My pen name there is Krys-Imeteri-Hikari and the story is under the same name. Check out my other quizzes if you like Harry Potter or original stories if it's not too much trouble :))
"Will you accept my proposal, Lady Amaris, Priestess of Suzaku?"
I cannot believe he would ask this... We barely even know each other!
'Life's too deep to handle sometimes...' Quoth Lina Inverse from Slayers. At least Rezo didn't ask to marry her...
Though that one guy...
Never mind, getting off topic here... back to reality...
"I..." I begin, and then trail off.
He's the emperor. Do they cut off your head if you say no to him?
No, Hotohori is not that mean. He doesn't look like the decapitating type.
But we barely even know each other... how does he know I'm perfect for him and he for me?
Sure he's sweet, gorgeous, politically powerful, and physically powerful and all that jazz, but what else?
And what about me?
Am I physically and mentally capable of running an entire country? Am I good enough to share his love? Can I return it, truly return it?
I've read way too many shoujo comics...Sailor Moon is bad on the female brain; it gets you thinking about romance too much.
"Amaris?" Hotohori asked, holding my hand comfortingly.
"I'm...not sure, Hotohori..." I respond quietly.
He looks down, disappointed.
"Very well," he says, standing, "I hope your rest is peaceful, my priestess."
He then exited with the saddest look on a person I've ever seen. Oh great... Now I feel guilty for breaking his heart...
I snuggle into the covers, trying to fall asleep...
...But to no avail.
"Can't sleep, can you?" A familiar voice says behind me.
I look up to see the familiar red-haired deity known as Suzaku in a ghost-like form.
"No... I'm afraid not," I say, sitting up, "I have so many questions that lead to just thousands more..."
The red-head chuckled good-naturedly.
"Such as how you got here and how you can be one of my priestesses if you are impure?"
"You know your questions, Suzaku-sama," I say to him.
"I know my priestesses," he replies.
I smile softly as he takes a comfortable spot in his ethereal form.
"First and foremost," he begins, "you and Miaka are not the only priestesses. And I am not just referring to the Priestess of Seiryuu and the other gods' priestesses. In total, I have seven priestesses, each to match up with each of my celestial warriors; Miaka for Tamahome and you for Hotohori. Five other girls from your world will also be chosen for the remaining five warriors."
"But, why have so many?"
"Because I'm a lonely divinity and I like the challenge."
"Why me then," I say, "don't I have to be a virgin to be able to hold your power? If you know me, you know I am not one of those."
"Well..."the red-head trailed off, "I sort of tweaked the rules a bit."
"'Sort of tweaked the rules'?"
"Okay," the deity sighed, "I changed it to you had to be pure of heart to become one of my priestess. Who's pure of body nowadays anyway?"
"I guess... that sounds reasonable..."
"That's why his character glowed when he showed you. It was reacting to his soul priestess..."he trailed off again, mumbling something incoherent.
"When will I meet the other priestesses? And should I tell anyone else about this?"
"In good time little one. Once you find another celestial warrior, a priestess shouldn't be too long to follow. Once you find all seven pairs, you can be able to summon me to this plane. Is that clear enough?"
"Yes Suzaku-sama," I say, smiling brightly, "clear as glass."
The red head smiled once again.
"And don't worry about Hotohori," he reassured, "he hasn't given up on you just yet. You two will get together eventually. It's your destiny, just as Miaka and Tamahome are to be brought together. It's fate."
I nod softly.
"And it's getting late and my priestess needs her rest for the day ahead," he said in a sing-song tone of voice.
I giggle softly, and then yawn softly. The deity only smiled in return as he pushed me down softly and draws the covers around me.
"How can you touch the covers if you're a spirit?"
"Think of it as a god-like thing."
I giggle softly and snuggle under the covers. Suzaku then kissed my temple softly, and then stood up.
"Good night, my priestess," he whispered comfortingly, "you will face many challenges on your quest for your fellow sisters. But do not give into tragedy. Always remember that the flowers will grow brighter with a few tears, but they will grow in beauty with a smile."
The next day, I awoke, feeling refreshed. I stretch and climb out of bed, finding a summer kimono to wear as the morning seemed warm.
Suddenly, I smelt a faint aroma of selected flowers. I look over to see a vase full of every flower, most with gentle smells (such as lilac and cherry blossoms.) It's nice to wake up to something so gentle.
I brush out my hair and head outside to see the sun shining merrily. I suddenly saw Miaka and Tamahome, heading towards the dining hall for breakfast. Having nothing better to do, I followed them, placing a white lily in my hair. Though what I saw wasn't exactly something I'm not used to each morning. I saw two people stuffing themselves as if they were in a competition to see who could eat the most. And it looked like Miaka was winning. Hehe, girl power! A gentle tap on my shoulder brought me back to reality. I turned to see the golden eyed emperor smiling gently.
"Good morning," he says, bowing slightly.
I smile brightly and return the greeting. I might as well be polite. He led me to a chair and pulled it out for me.
Mental Note: Get used to chivalry here. Will most likely experience it much more in the future.
"Did you rest well?"
I nod softly; looking at the food placed before me, and then noted the chopsticks.
Bad idea because the last time I used chopsticks... well...let's just say it wasn't pretty...
"What's wrong?" Hotohori asks gently.
"Umm..." I start off, "where I come from in my world, we don't use chopsticks that much..."
"Your fellow priestess seems to know how..."
"She is from another country than I am, and hers happen to use them more frequently than mine. Besides...why would I want to eat like that?" I point to the ravenous pair fighting over an egg roll.
Hotohori sweat dropped at the celestial pair.
"Then what do you use if you do not use chopsticks?"
"Well," I begin, "where I come from, we have forks, spoons, and knives. Some even have sporks, which is a combination of a fork and spoon (though some have also called it a 'foon')"
Hotohori looked interested in my story about American food utensils.
"What do these devices look like?"
"Well," I say, drawing the figure of a spoon on the table, "a spoon is a kind of small metal shovel only not as pointed at the tip. It's mainly rounded off.
"Some come in about this size," I made a rough measurement, "for a tablespoon. It can be used at meals and such."
I then drew a smaller size for the teaspoon.
"This is about the size for a teaspoon, good for stirring teas and such. It is also good for children to use at meals because the table spoon might be too big for their mouths."
Hotohori nodded, taking in the information.
"What does... a fork look like?"
"Well, a fork can have three or four different prongs. It's good at picking up food by stabbing it so to speak. It can be used at more refined parties or formal dinner but it can be used casually too."
"Fascinating, and I'm assuming you use small knives to cut your food."
"Yep," I say smiling, then my countenance fell, "but how am I going to eat here?"
"Do you like fruits?" he asks.
I nod excitedly; they are my favorite food group. He snaps his fingers and they take away my breakfast. (Miaka & Tamahome share it. Where on Earth are they packing all of this food? Jeesh...) Some servants return with a palette of fruits for me to choose from. I take a few apple slices, a pear, peach slices, and some grapes.
After breakfast, he offers to show me the garden to which I agree. Tamahome and Miaka go off together (to do what is a complete mystery to me.) Hotohori offers his arm once again and, this time, I took his arm immediately. He smiled softly and led me to the garden, naming various flowers along the way. He led me to a bench where we both sat down.
"Please," he asked softly, "tell me about your world. I'm exceptionally curious and wish to quench my thirst for knowledge."
I giggle softly in response.
"What do you wish to know my seishi?"
"Everything you know. And do not skip any details. I want to know everything."
"Well," I begin, "in my world, we have many more people than much of Konan combined as well as many more countries. Miaka is from Japan, a country far west of my country, across an entire ocean really."
"An ocean?"
"A massive body of water as far as the eye can see. Much bigger than streams, lakes and ponds combined. Anyway, my country is known as America. We are probably the biggest national power in the world now, though probably the most recent."
"Tell me more of your country."
"Well, right now, it's over 200 years old and is practically run by the people."
"A country ran by its people?"
I nod.
"Well, not directly, but its close enough. We have representatives representing us in a large congress to help make the country."
"What of your monarchs or royalty?"
"We don't have any really. Our ruler, the president, is balanced with power from the congress and a third branch consisting of judges. Some countries still have monarchies, but some do not have any power; mostly considered a figure-head."
"Interesting... What of daily life? What do young people your age do for fun?"
"Well," I say, "it depends upon the person. One person may be very athletic and play sports like basketball or swim or horseback riding. Others may prefer a more peaceful environment such as playing an instrument, painting and sketching or writing poetry. We can do anything we want basically."
"What do you enjoy doing Amaris?" he asked, looking me in the eye.
"Well, I like drawing and sketching and writing occasionally. I also enjoy a good book every now and then."
He nods, taking in the information.
"What sort of stories do you enjoy?"
"I like fantasy and a little romance on the side. A little action and adventure isn't too bad either."
He nods softly before hearing a nearby scream. His hand went to his weapon instantly and told me to stay there. I did as told until I see a boy about my age coming from where he went. The young man had short blonde hair and brilliant green eyes that sparkled with life and full pouting lips. Now that I have a good look at him, he looks more feminine than most guys do than I've seen.
"Where am I?" he asked, looking around frantically, "and who are you?"
"Uhh... my name is Amaris and you are in the palace of Saihetei, Emperor of Konan. Who are you, if I may ask?"
"You just did," he said cheekily, "but my name is Alex and I'm from Canada."
"Neat!" I exclaim, "I'm from America by the way and ended up here somehow."
"American eh?" the boy said, brushing back a stray hair, "Wait... did you see a big red bird before you came here? And read through an old red Chinese book?"
"Yeah!" I say excitedly, "you must be one of the priestess of Suzaku. Or...priest in your case."
The boy hmphed and looked away stubbornly.
"Hmph...Whatever American...just tell me how to get out of here and I'll take my leave."
"You can't exactly...right now..."
"And why can't I go home 'right now'?"
"Because we need you to help us summon Suzaku to the living realm."
"One, I knew Americans were weird, but not this much; and two, who is this Suzaku?"
"One, I'm as weird as they come so live with it because I'm stuck in the same mess as you. Two, Suzaku is this country's head deity that you and I, along with five other girls, have to summon to ensure the protection of Konan. Clear enough for ya?"
"Clear as mud American," the boy said, scratching an itch on his neck.
"Quit calling me 'American'." I told him, "My name is Amaris if you didn't catch it before."
"Whatever..."
I sigh angrily and storm away from the stuck up brat. I barely even notice where I'm going but somehow end up in a pagoda in the middle of the courtyard. It seemed a big battle was going on. Just great... more testosterone poisoning
A few curses are sent back and forth amongst the men and one is sent near the pagoda, knocking at a support beam. It doesn't do much damage at first, but another comes out with a mallet.
Now I know I've seen too much anime to see random mallets coming towards me.
The mallet comes dangerously close to a support pillar, but it misses by a mere millimeter. I sigh in relief, but another soldier runs into him, causing the mallet to fall from his hand and sending it into the air. I duck in time for it not to hit me, but another pillar stood behind me. The mallet struck the pillar, causing it to collapse. And, naturally, the domino effect took place, causing the rest of the pagoda to plummet with its fellow supporters.
Oh shittake mushrooms...
I wouldn't be able to escape the cessation in time, so I ducked underneath the least amount of damage and waited for the end. One piece of debris catches my leg, causing my ankle to be broken and for it to bleed. I scream slightly before more debris could fall on me. I close my eyes tightly and pray for a quick death when I felt a warm body trying to protect me. I open my eyes slightly to see a serious-faced Hotohori holding up the rocks from me. I can also hear various voices over the falling rubble calling out to both of us.
"What are you doing?" I yell at him through the crumbling rock, "You'll get killed!"
"I'm not letting my priestess die, no matter the cost to me."
You know... that's really romantic...
If only we weren't being crushed by the rock wreckage...
After some time, the rocks stop falling down upon us, our world covered in complete darkness.
"Amaris," Hotohori asks, "are you alright?"
"Yes," I reply, "Are you?"
"I am well," he responds, moving around a little bit.
"That's good."
I think he nodded while trying fruitlessly to move away from the debris. In an attempt to get away, his long hair accidentally brushes my cheek, effectively tickling it. And in response, I turn my head towards his and he to mine and our lips brush briefly. It was short because both of our eyes widen in surprise.
I just received my first kiss from a boy...
And from an emperor at that!
At least he's hot... not like that one girl in school and how her lip got caught in the boy she kissed braces. Must've been very painful. Owie... Or the one that had bad breath and was not very hygienic (gross!)
But back on topic here...
I blush profusely and he is doing pretty much the same thing.
"I'm sorry," he says, clearly startled, "I did not mean for that to happen."
"No, it's okay..." I say, trying to think of an excuse, "it was... just an accident..."
"Yes," Hotohori agreed, "a mere mishap, could've happen to anyone."
"Right," I laugh nervously.
He tried moving once again, but this time, I felt something beneath him that scared me. Even though we are both heavily clothed, I can still feel it. It brushes up against my special place. I tense immediately, and a soft whimper of fear escapes before I could stop it. Since we are so close, there is no doubt he heard me.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing," I say quickly.
He looks at me incredulously, but tries moving once again, us brushing bodies once again. It happened again and I closed my eyes, memories resurfacing of before I entered the country of Konan. He looks at me once again, seeing a few tears escape my eyes.
We both then go into an uncomfortable silence. It lasts until the biggest piece of rock that was on top of us was thrown away with ease and we blinked in the apparent sunlight. As more rubble was thrown away haphazardly, I look to see a lady moving away the rubble. She was lifting away the rocks as if they were feathers. As I looked closer, I noticed a red character on her collarbone glowing as she lifted away the rubble. She must be the third seishi along with Hotohori and Tamahome. Now I know to whom that boy belongs. Must be a good accommodation.
When a good portion of the stone is moved out of the way, Hotohori climbed out first, brushing away the rocks. Then he reached for me. I told him a rock had fallen on my foot earlier and the lady easily removed it to reveal the bloody mess (no curse intended).
"You're hurt," he points out, gently pulling me out bridal style, and then glares at Tamahome.
"What?" The green haired teen says, trying to look totally innocent.
I'm going to assume he has something to do with the pagoda dropping on us. At least it wasn't a house...
"'Tis only a flesh wound," I decided to humor him, quoting Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
Guess either he's too worried to get the joke or he's never seen Monty Python.
Or quite possibly both.
"This is no scratch," he said, (note very serious face).
My face falls immediately, realizing this isn't the time to make silly movie quote jokes. Besides, my ankle really does hurt now after I moved it. Ow!
He picks me up bridal style, despite many a protest, and carries me himself towards the palace doctors. It may have been better if someone else done it, but he was a cheesed off emperor at the moment and preferred doing something himself for once.
The doctors were surprised to see both of us, but they cleaned and bandaged my leg whilst he sat in a chair nearby, his serious emperor face on. It's starting to scare me...
After I'm cleaned up, I'm provided new clothing and changed. It was the only time Hotohori actually looked away from me. But he returned his intense gaze back once I was finished dressing. He picked me up with ease again and took me to my room. He set me down on the bed, and then sat himself on the edge.
"Something happened to make you upset, and I want to know what. Why did you go inside the pagoda before it collapsed?"
"I didn't know it would collapse," I say, my fist enclosing around the bed fabric.
"But why did you go inside of it if you saw all the warriors and Tamahome fighting near it?"
"I didn't see Tamahome..."
"Why did you go near the pagoda?"
"I went to the pagoda because I became angry. A boy I met in the garden was being cheeky and I couldn't stand it much longer. I honestly didn't know the pagoda would collapse."
"What boy?" the young emperor questioned.
"I'm assuming he's going to help us summon Suzaku. He was wearing modern clothing and was from one of the countries of my world; right to the north of mine actually. He said his name was Alex."
"How is he to help us in the summoning? Priestesses are supposed to be female in order to summon Suzaku. Has our lord made a mistake?"
"I doubt it," I say, thinking skeptically, "Suzaku is a shrewd deity, so I'm sure he knows something that we don't."
Hotohori nods in agreement.
"I am glad, however, that we have found our third seishi. We are one step closer to summoning Suzaku."
"Three down, four to go," I nod in return.
Hotohori nods again and looks out the window.
"The day is still young," he observes, "Do you wish to accompany me horse-back riding?"
"But... what about my leg?"
He gingerly picks me up again and walks outside to stables.
"I'm sure we can manage..."