To all the poor souls waiting for the next chapter. Here it is. XD
"Do I seriously have to use this?"
Kyoko's new clinic boss didn't change his expression, except perhaps to frown further. It was anyone's guess how someone so grumpy could be assigned to be the pediatric general manager. Kids probably cried when they saw his face. Yet here he was.
"It's a newer thing we've been trying in pediatrics." He said. "The kids like Bo, and relax when he's there."
"I know but..." said Kyoko. Why do I have to be the one to wear it?
In her hands was an appearance altering device. It was basically a bracelet with gems set into the steel. The Sapphire had been enchanted to make the wearer look like a giant animated chicken. It wouldn't change the user's actual appearance. Instead, it fooled the senses into making others see, smell, and feel a giant chicken.
But the worst part was that while she wore it, she wouldn't be doing any sort of administering of medications, or any other medical things physicians did. Her job was to entertain the kids while they were cared for by the other physicians.
Kyoko had been assigned to start with pediatrics this week. At first she had been excited, as she liked working with kids despite the difficulties. But if all she was expected to do was entertain, then she'd rather be somewhere she could be helpful. It was just another frustration in her life. The harem, her lack of friends, and this.
"The person who used to be Bo moved" Said the manager "Duke Takarada said you would help us in whatever way was needed. Well this is what we need."
Kyoko grumbled, but did what she was told. She slipped on the bracelet and sent in magical pulses. It was powered by the wearer constantly sending magic into it. A slight tingling through her body was the only indication that it was working. Kyoko couldn't tell her appearance changed, but the manager nodded and sent her on her way.
Kyoko went from room to room, visiting the sick children with the physicians as they did their checkups. At first she didn't like the idea of doing nothing productive for the kids. But after an hour of visitations, she was enjoying herself. The children responded well to Bo, and her previous experience assisting with kids helped. Sometimes she would give them a flower. Other times she would trip or mimic the physician behind their back, making the child laugh. She managed to make one particularly nervous kid laugh so hard they cried.
"That was great Ky- I mean Bo." said the physician she was currently shadowing. "Nao really doesn't like needles. I think that was the first time she didn't cry when we gave her a shot."
Kyoko puffed out her chest in pride, purposefully making her gestures big. She had decided that Bo would be a mute helper, her body language doing most of the talking.
The physician chuckled as he checked the schedule.
"You're done for the day. I only have one more thing to do before break." he said. "Once a week, we gather all the kids and we have something for them. Like a game or entertainment. This week we have a special guest for them to see. Ah, and there he is."
The physician pointed. At the end of the hallway, the boss was talking to a tall blonde man with piercings in his ears. A very familiar blonde man.
A wave of anger surged through her body, the blood pounding in her ears. Hundreds of mini grudges surfaced from within, cackling at the dark energy their master was producing.
Memories were flooding through her, reminding her of just how much she hated the sight of the idiot.
Kyoko ran through the street, her breath coming in panicked gasps. The basket's contents bounced from their container and to the ground, rolling in the dirt. It was a testament to her panic that she didn't bother to stop and retrieve them. She didn't even register anything but her scrambled thoughts as what she had heard rang in her ears.
She had been buying food from the market, getting ready to cook dinner for that evening when she had overheard some people talking about it. The word, "Physician" had tempted her into eavesdropping.
"It's incredible. I've had an infected wound for years now hopping I wouldn't have to have it amputated."
"What's even more amazing is that it uses sandgrass."
"I know, which means it should be cheap. I'll actually be able to afford it."
Kyoko tripped on a rock, flinging her arms out to stop her fall. The basked flew from her arms, her hands skidding hard against the ground. A few people stopped at seeing her fall. Before anyone could approach her, she jumped to her feet, leaving the basket behind as she sprinted off.
It couldn't be. Had someone discovered the recipe just after she had told Sho? Or did someone find her notes? After working so hard for his sake, was it all going to come to nothing? She had to find Sho and see if he knew. She was holding on to the hope that it was him they were talking about. The genius physician that had presented the recipe. But if it was him, why didn't he tell her he was going to present it. Didn't they promise to present it together?
She sprinted past the clinic to the connecting house where the Fuwa family and her lived. Opening the door, she took the stairs two at a time, skidding to a halt outside of Sho's door. She leaned forward, hands against her knees as she tried to catch her breath. Now that she was here, she was scared to enter. Then she heard voices from the other side and she recognized both of them.
"I can't believe that you came up with the new medicine. Is that what you were up to the whole time you were supposed to be in the clinic?" The voice was female, and Kyoko instantly recognized it as Maya, one of the many women with a crush on Sho.
"Why would you doubt my abilities?" That one was definitely Sho. "Obviously I couldn't say anything until it was done. I didn't want anyone stealing my work. Only Kyoko knew about it."
"Kyoko? That ugly little thing. Why her?"
There was a sound of someone shifting, and she could imagine Sho shrugging nonchalantly. "Well, I needed help and she made a good assistant. Besides, I know how much she adores me blindly. It's stupid really. Maybe I'll bring her to that capital with me and have her work as my servant." he laughed, the cruel sound piercing Kyoko's heart and ears. "She'd probably cry for joy, that girl's so simple to please."
Something snapped deep within Kyoko. It stirred dark emotions within her, their taint spreading through her body and taking the form of her grudges. Gone was the sweet feelings of love and devotion. Gone was her smile. It was replaced with a twisted fury. She had heard enough.
Kyoko burst through the door, her anger flooding the room with darkness. Sho and Maya jumped from where they were both siting.
"Whats-" said Sho, then he recognized her. "Kyoko?"
"Sho." said Kyoko her voice low in anger. "Is what I heard true? You stole my work and took it for yourself? You've been using me this whole time?"
Sho quickly recovered, giving a wide smirk at her anger. "You just figured it out? You really are dumb."
"Why?!" She shouted. "Why would you do that? We were going to present it together, why did you steal my work form me?"
"Because it would have been embarrassing." said Sho with an air of explaining something simple. "Presenting a discovery with a woman, no one would have taken me seriously. Then I wouldn't have been able to leave the city, and I can't stay here." He shook his head. "My parents have all but ordered me to marry you by next year under the threat of disowning me. I was desperate to do something to establish my name and get money. And then you presented your little finding to me. It was all too perfect."
Kyoko went stiff, horror flooding through her. A memory surfaced of Sho talking about his parents arranging a marriage for him. He had described the women as being plain and boring, and Kyoko had been silently happy at his description. She had wished to be the one to marry him after all. But it all took on a different meaning. He had been talking about her with such disgust!
Kyoko lowered her head, her arms and legs trembling uncontrollably. Never once had he thought her of as anyone important to him. Never once had he cared. She had given him her heart, and he had thoroughly stomped all over it.
"Oi Sho. Don't you think you went a little too far?" said Maya, her voice barely registering on Kyoko's ears. "She's going to cry."
But when Kyoko raised her head, it wasn't tears she presented, but pure rage. The other two stepped back on reflex, their eyes wide in horror.
"SHOOOOO!" she screamed. "YOU PATHETIC EXCUSE FOR A HUMAN BEING. I GAVE YOU EVERYTHING AND YOU DO THIS TO MY KINDNESS?"
"I never asked for it." said Sho. How could someone be so unrepentant of their actions? "It was your choice to show me the discovery. It was your choice to love me. It's your own fault for not realizing how little I cared about you." He locked eyes with her one more time, then scrunched his nose in disgust. "Who could even love such a plain and boring idiot like you."
Kyoko ground her teeth, resisting the urge to fly over there and wring his neck.
"Apparently he is a very talented music therapist." said the physician next to her. He was unaware of the war raging inside Kyoko at the moment. "His music is said to heal the soul."
Or curse it. Thought Kyoko. Her anger was swirling around her, barely suppressed rage threatening to burst. Sho was here. In the clinic. Not 10 feet away from her. The desire to strangle him was almost overpowering. Then a terrible thought entered her head. Grabbing the physician, she yanked him to the side, surprising the man as she pulled him down to whisper.
"Is he going to be staying here in the clinic?" she asked, the plea in her voice obvious. If he was going to be working here as well, they would most likely run into each other. She would like to avoid him if at all possible. Especially as she hadn't done anything noteworthy yet.
"N-no." said the physician. "He's working for one of the local offices. He's just in the palace as a guest today."
Kyoko let out a sigh, releasing the physician from her grip. He staggered away, straightening his clothes. It was good Sho would only be here today. She was wearing an appearance altering device after all, so even if he saw her he wouldn't know it was her. Yes, she would just have to make sure to slip out quietly and-
"Come to think of it, you were the one who brought his new recipe to the clinic." said the physician. "Could it be you're eager to see him again? Do you want me to go get him before he performs?"
"No!" said Kyoko, lunging for the man before he could move. Her small body didn't have much force to it, but her grudges added extra weight. The combined force toppled them into the hall... right in front of the boss and Sho.
Kyoko froze as their attention turned on them in shock. Her eyes locked with Sho's and for an instant she forgot about the bracelet she was wearing. Thank goodness she was still using her magic. The illusion was still up. She was safe. Until the boss spoke up.
"What are you doing Kyo-"
With a loud "Squawk" Kyoko jumped into the air, waving at the boss to distract him. He stepped back in alarm. Then scowled.
"If you're not going to take your job seriously then I'll give it to someone else." said the boss. "Now, if you'll please stop bothering our guest, we are trying to get by."
Kyoko grabbed the other physician, pulling his to the side with her. She was more than happy to let the idiot pass by. As they walked away, her ears couldn't help but pick up on their conversation. After apologizing for the chicken's behavior, the manager was trying to persuade Sho to come and join the palace clinic as a researcher, rather than the other clinic as a local therapist.
"I'm sorry." said Sho, giving a downcast look that actually showed off his features.
Look at him, he's trying to be so cool Thought Kyoko.
"But my expertise comes mostly through music. It was an honest fluke that I was able to come up with a new medicine."
Fluke my ass. You stole it from me you punk.
"I feel that my calling in life is to sooth the troubled hearts of the sick. I'll leave the glory of discovering new medicine others."
You just don't want more work now that you've got a nice pay from your supposed discovery.
It was annoying how easily she saw through his cool act, and the others were eating it up! They were smiling and nodding at his empty praise. Seriously, were people really this stupid?
Kyoko couldn't take it anymore, she sped down the hall, not paying attention to where she was going. Her frustration was mounting with every step.
Stupid stupid stupid Sho! She thought, blinking the tears from her eyes. Seeing him had brought back all of her unpleasant memories of when he dumped her and stole her work. And not only that, it looked like he was getting quite the royal treatment from her hard work. Yet she was stuck here, being the mascot and getting yelled at by the boss.
She turned a corner then froze.
W-why is Prince Kuon here!?
There he was, sitting on a seat in some back corner of the clinic, A gloomy air hovering around him. It was odd to see him like that. He usually looked so confident. She wondered what was bugging him, but she shook her head. No, it was best for her to escape, lest she get caught by him and he take his frustration out on her. She had enough people messing with her for the day. Or week for that matter.
Kyoko took a step back, keeping her eyes on the prince. When he didn't notice her, she turned... and ran straight into a wall.
Kyoko let out a "gack!" as she fell to the floor. That had hurt. She rubber her nose where it had made contact with the wall.
"Are you alright?"
Kyoko's eyes widened, and she looked up to see Kuon Hizuri. But instead of worried, his face was drawn in an amused smile
"I don't think I've ever seen anyone face plant into a wall like that." he said.
Thank goodness for the bracelet. She thought. That was embarrassing enough without him realizing it was me.
"I'm fine." she said, purposefully dropping her voice lower. The bracelet didn't change the users voice. If she spoke in her usually high female voice, he would guess it was her, as she was the only female that worked in the clinic. "I just wasn't watching where I was going."
"Here." said the prince, and he held out a hand. She took it and he helped her up.
"This is quite a good enchantment." said the prince, and to her shock, he kept holding on her hand, lifting it up further. "It feels like I'm holding on to feathers."
"Yes, but you do realize that's a hand don't you?" she said, trying to keep the embarrassment from her voice "Do you not feel uncomfortable holding onto a man's hand? Or do you swing that way?"
He quickly let go, sending her a smile. Kyoko immediately recognized it as the fake sparkly one. "I'm sorry about that." he said. "I was just caught up in the enchantment and forgot."
I made him angry again. She thought, studying that fake smile. It was the face he made to hide the fact that he was mad. She knew it well by now. He had chased her down the hall with that smile after all.
"How is it used?" said Kuon, the sparkles receding. "The enchantment. Is it a preconceived spell, or a potion?"
"It's a bracelet, with a gem per-enchanted with the spell." said Kyoko. Why would he be interested in it? Was he just making pleasant conversation? "All the user has to do it channel magic into it."
"I see."
He stood for a moment, apparently lost in thought. Kyoko was just about to excuse herself in order to escape when he addressed her again.
"How do you do it?" he said
"Do what?" said Kyoko.
"Continuously channel your magic into it." he said. "I've heard that it's different for everyone. I was wondering how you do it."
"How do I do it?" She thought for a moment. She had never really thought about how she channeled her magic into enchanted objects. It just sort of happened. It was like trying to describe how it felt to breath. She didn't have to think about it. But if she had to describe it as anything...
"It's like an extension of your voice." said Kyoko. "Like singing, except with my soul instead of my throat. Or like a constricting of my heart, but in a good way." None of those came close to accurately describing it. But it was the best thing she could do. Why was he asking about this anyway? She saw that he was paying close attention to her words. She glanced over and saw a practice gem resting where he had been sitting. It was what starting magicians used to practice sending their essence into objects. It couldn't be…
"Is it possible you're having trouble controlling your magic?" asked Kyoko. Then mentally kicked herself. Of course it wasn't possible that the son of the king, blessed by the light, could have problems with magic. Not at this age. But to her surprise, she was greeted with the fake smile again.
"Of course I'm not having trouble." he said "I was just curious how you did it."
Ah, so he is having trouble
Kyoko snorted.
"That smile might fool others but it doesn't fool me." she said. "You use it to trick others into believing you. When you want to hide something, or when you're angry, you smile that sparkly smile at them." Her mouth curled into a grin. "Admit it. You are having problems with magic and can't figure it out without help. I'm right aren't I? I know that fake smile. When your heart becomes darker your smile becomes-"
Her speech was cut off by a sudden wave of anger. He glared at her, shocking her and her demons into silence.
"Why would you know that?" said Kuon. His voice was low, the threat clear in its tone.
It's that face! She thought, He was wearing that face when he was reeeeealy angry. Like he wanted to kill her. And she had done it again!
"I'm sorry!" said Kyoko, bowing quickly on all fours. "I didn't mean to make you upset. I just really hate you and wanted to gloat."
"Phht"
Kyoko looked up. The prince was holding his stomach, trying to suppress his laughter. But it came out, and he laughed freely.
"I'm sorry." said Kuon, still grinning. "That was quite an apology. I've never had anyone say to my face that they hated me."
Kyoko felt cheated. How could he be so angry and then laugh like that at a drop of a hat? It really was a mystery.
"You don't have to laugh so hard." she muttered, angry.
"I'm sorry. It's just amazing to see someone apologize like that." He said. "Well, it's fine. You were right anyway." He smiled at her, and she was again blown away with a sincere smile. Did he not realize what he looked like when he smiled like that? "Should we sit down?"
They sat down at the chairs he had been at earlier. He took out the practice gem and held it up.
"I've been having trouble controlling my light magic." he said, his face drawing into a frown. "It's not like I can't use it, but it runs out of control, like wind slipping through my fingers."
"You're not having problems with your pulse magic, correct?" said Kyoko, and he nodded.
Kyoko thought for a moment thinking about what she had learned about light magic. Light magic was a little bit different than arcane magic. Well, there were several different forms or ways to use magic no matter which type you used. Her arcane magic was pretty versatile, but she only used it in its most basic forms with no runes or circles to direct it. Hence why when she used it, it was generally called pulse magic.
Alchemists used potions and the natural magic in plants and stones. That could get complicated when combined with light or arcane spells. Then light was similar to arcane, only it also used the stability of the soul to control its power. It was a reflection of the heart, and unlike all the other forms of magic, not everyone could use it. Similar to how not everyone could roll their tongue or wiggle their ears.
"Maybe it's because you're not pure." she said.
"What do you mean by that?" said Kuon. She noticed he was wary of her statement. Seriously? Did he have to ask.
"How can a man with 23 concubines be considered pure?" said Kyoko, "It doesn't matter if society allows it. Having that sort physical relationship with so many women is not right."
A portion of her couldn't believe she was lecturing Kuon on his sex habits. But she really did want to help him, and sleeping with so many women was not pure, no matter what anyone said about it.
"I'm not sleeping with all of them." he said, obviously on the defensive. "Most of them I haven't even touched. Nor will I ever."
Kyoko's mouth dropped.
"Are you serious?" she said. After being in the palace for the past month, a common topic when talking about the prince was how he slept around. She herself had even accused him of taking any women he desired. He hadn't denied it at the time.
"You do swing that way!" she said, shying back in mock concern. He gave her a stern look, as if to say Really? You think I have 23 concubines to cover the fact that I like men?
"That's not it." said Kuon. He grimaced. "I have my reasons for having each of those concubines. Some of the women I've chosen may not be endorsed by some, but what's done is done, and I won't apologize for it."
What a vague answer Thought Kyoko. She was actually interested in why he had so many, if not to sleep with them. She remembered Aya saying it was for political reasons. Again she wondered how her presence contributed. A part of her couldn't help but feel happy that he wasn't as loose with women as the rumors said he was. It made the man more likeable.
"Still, if that's not your problem then what else could it be?" said Kyoko folding her arms in thought. "Light magic is a reflection of the soul. So if the heart is in turmoil then the magic is as well. If that's not the problem, then the best thing would be to find something to stabilize it."
"What do you mean?" said Kuon.
"Well, for example." said Kyoko. "I told you how my magic feels like singing with my heart. Using imagery helps to stabilize it. Or you could use a certain memory or feeling." These were common techniques given to beginners when they were first learning the basics. Back in Nembu, when she couldn't afford to have someone teach her pulse magic, she had bought a basic guide to magic with her savings. The rest she had figured out herself, but did that mean Kuon didn't even know the basics?
"Is it possible that you've never had a lesson before?" said Kyoko in shock.
Kuon barked a laugh. "It's more like, I've had so many lessons the basics were forgotten. I have quite the enthusiastic father." He thought for a moment before nodding his head. "I see, I think that will help. I'll give it a try. Thank you for your help."
He stood up, and Kyoko recognized the end of their conversation. Strange. She had so disliked this man when they first met, but this was the second time she had seen a "weaker" side of him. The first was when he admitted to being wrong and apologizing to Taisho. And now when he was asking her for help. He was proud, quick to anger, and loved taunting her. But he could also be forgiving, polite and willing to listen when given corrections. It looked like he wasn't the horrible person she had assumed him to be.
Who knew, maybe they could get along.
"Kuon there you are." said Yukihito. He walked up to Kuon and the bird, giving Bo a strange look. "Who's this?"
"Ah, this is Bo." said Kuon "He works here in the pediatrics. You could say he's a new friend."
The 'new friend' gave a snort, unable to hid the smirk from under its wings. He frowned at the chicken. Seriously, why had he told this person about his problem? He didn't even know who was underneath the enchantment. Bo had started heckling him when he had tried to described using magic like dancing.
"It's not that funny." said Kuon, defensively, but the chicken just laughed again. Yukihito watched with interest.
"It's time for your next meeting." said Yukihito. "We need to get going or you'll be late."
"Alright." he said, then bowed to the chicken. "Thank you again. You really helped me out."
"You're welcome." said the Chicken, and they left, Kuon thinking about what he had learned.
"That's unusual." said Yukihito after a while.
"What is?" said Kuon.
"It's nothing" said Yukihito, his voice obviously asking him to question further, but Kuon ignored it. Yukihito really did like melding in his affairs. It was obvious he wanted Kuon to ask what he was talking about. He didn't oblige him, instead thinking about his conversation with Bo. The image he had been using for light magic obviously wasn't working anymore. If the chicken was right, it would get easier after changing it to something that suited him.
Kuon grimaced. That chicken was perceptive, even if they didn't know it. They had figured out exactly why he was having problems with is magic, even if the actual cause was wrong. He truly wasn't pure, but it wasn't because of the harem. Kuon held out his hand, imagining the light and dark energies within him. If only he could get rid of the darkness inside of him. Then he could become worthy of the crown.
Kyoko pulled the bracelet off her wrist, dispersing the illusion of Bo that surrounded her.
"Good work today Kyoko." said one of her coworkers. "I know it's for the kids but I couldn't help myself from laughing a few times."
"Ah thank you. And good job to you as well." said Kyoko, curtsying. As she turned, she almost ran into the pediatric boss. She quickly curtsied and said "good work". The man just grunted and walked away. Ah, seems like I'm still hated. She thought with a sigh. He had been very unhappy with her behavior in front of their "important guest."
The day after seeing Sho, to her surprise, she was contacted in the morning to come back and help in the pediatric ward again. Apparently some important rich kid had refused to take a shot unless Bo was there to comfort them. And they were smart enough to tell when it wasn't Kyoko. So, reluctantly, she had been allowed back to work again. But that didn't mean her boss liked her.
"Don't let it get to you Kyoko." said her coworker. "The kids were happy, and that's all that really matters."
Kyoko gave them an appreciative smile.
She left a couple minuet later, saying goodbye to her guard Hikaru and dragging her feet to the harem's quarters. She passed a couple girls who gave her a dirty look before walking away. It was so frustrating. She had tried to talk to Chieko and Aya when she saw them, but Chieko would drag Aya away, and she never saw one without the other. They wouldn't listen to her when claimed to be a physician. It was so frustrating. Why didn't they just ask Lory and get an answer from him!
A scream reached her ears. Then another. Soon there were several voices yelling and screaming. It sounded like they were coming from down the hall. Kyoko started running towards the screams, hundreds of horrible scenarios popping into her head. Did someone get hurt?
She burst into one of the rooms.
Five concubines were huddled in a corner, cowering. A young girl stood before them, turning to face Kyoko as she ran in. The girl was probably no older then 9, with dirty blonde hair that cascaded down her back in long waves. She wore a long pink and white dress with a matching bow holding up half of her hair. She was also holding a snake.
"Run for it!" yelled a concubine, and the women made a break for the door.
"Oh no you don't." said the girl, and she moved to cut them off. One of the concubines chucked a pillow at the girl as a distraction. The pillow hit her hard, causing the girl to fall had on her backside, but no one noticed. They were too busy escaping. Kyoko got out of the way quickly lest they bowl her over as well in their hast to get away from the girl and the snake.
Then silence.
The girl began to cry.
"That hurt!" she wailed, big alligator tears gushing from her eyes.
Kyoko realized she was the only one left to deal with the kid, whoever it was. She briefly wondered how she'd got in here. Kyoko was the one left to deal with this girl now, and she was very used to dealing with kids. So she saw through the fake tears immediately.
Kyoko walked up the wailing girl and knelt down. Then, pinching the girl's cheek between her thumb and forefinger, pulled.
"Oi." said Kyoko. "If you don't stop your faking, I'll give you something to really cry about." Then she let go.
The sudden feeling of pain snapped the girl from her crying. She stared at Kyoko, rubbing her cheek, it was turning red from Kyoko's pinch.
"What are you doing?" said the girl.
Kyoko kept her voice cold and level. She was scolding a child after all. "Look." she said. "From what I saw, you were terrorizing those girls with the snakes. You can't complain if they retaliate, you started it after all."
The girl glared at Kyoko.
Kyoko couldn't help her lips twitching into a smile. There's your true personality. She thought.
"They hurt me." said the girl. "Of course I'd cry."
"And what will that accomplish?" said Kyoko. "Do you think that if you cry then people will feel sorry for you? That your parents will come and make everything better? Well guess what, that doesn't always happen. Don't start something you're not willing to finish. Because people aren't always going to come running to help you even if you do cry."
The girl blinked.
"Maria! There you are."
A new woman was standing at the door. She was wearing the blue attire of a personal maid and her neck was bare of any jewelry.
The girl jumped to her feet, snatching the snake. She gave Kyoko a wide smile, before running off. The maid tried to grab her, but shied away when Maria brandished the snake at her. The cries of "Maria! Come back please." echoed down the hallway, leaving Kyoko alone in the room.
What an odd girl. Thought Kyoko.
Lory twirled the pen between his fingers, concentrating. If he made one wrong move, his whole army would be destroyed. But if he made the right one, his enemy's army would be the one obliterated. Everything depended on this one move. He saw it.
In triumph, he moved the red stone two spaces over, setting it on the board in front of his opponents black stones.
"Ah hah!" he said, reclining in his chair. "Beat that!"
The monkey, James was his name, gave a sequel. It was a smart animal and had quickly learned that sitting in the chair opposite Lory could mean being fed treats. It was also Lory's current opponent.
"Don't cry to me." said Lory. "It's not my fault you didn't see that move coming. Just admit you lost fair and square."
But James would have none of it. He jumped onto the desk, grabbed the board then flipped it in the air. Black and red gems scattered all across the room. James chased them, happy with the new game he had created.
Lory sighed. It turned out to be the wrong move. He might had destroyed his opponent's army, but his had been vanquished as well.
"I will never understand some of the things you do Duke Takarada."
The voice had come from the shadows, seemingly from nowhere. A man, tall and lean, was standing in the corner, covered in long dark robes. His head was completely covered, the only thing visible between the folds of fabric were his dark calm eyes. Any normal person would have jumped ten feet in the air, convinced they had been alone in the room. Lory, on the other hand, took it like an everyday thing.
"Sometimes it's good to remind one's self of the rules in life." said Takarada, turning to see his longtime friend. "You may say, 'but Lory, a monkey doesn't know the rules to Stones.' Well that's how life is sometimes. The truth is that there are no rules. All it takes is one person to upset the balance, and then the rules change. Even in this case. Both armies were destroyed. But who was the true victor in this game?"
'The true victor' took that moment to cough up one of the stones it had swallowed. It spat it out on Lory's desk. Lory shooed the monkey away, his mouth twisting into a bemused smile.
"So what did you find out?" said Lory.
In response, Sebastian handed Lory a stack of papers. He took them, skimming through the papers. The further he read, the deeper his frown got. By the end of the brief report, he was scowling.
"This is all you could learn while you were there?" said Lory.
"Yes sir." said Sebastian. "Everything we could find out."
Lory set down the stacks of papers, pulling out his cigar. He needed to think. It was mostly what they had expected. Sebastian had been investigating the group trying to silence Kyoko's discovery. It had turned out the company that harvested the blazefern – the only other cure for majorly infected wounds – was behind trying to stop it from reaching the capital. It was obviously a move to keep their product from becoming obsolete. They had hired some mercenaries to stop anyone delivering the message.
What bothered Lory to most was their level of success. The group had been too efficient. A normal hired group of mercenaries wouldn't be that proactive in preventing the relaying of information. Especially as there were several ways for instant communication thanks to magic. And then just as quickly, the mercenary group was gone, disappearing before they could be caught and put on trial.
It wasn't what was written in the reports that troubled him, but what wasn't there. He might not be the Grand Duke anymore, having passed that duty on to his son, but he still kept detailed tabs on the goings on in other parts of the kingdom. Truthfully, even the king didn't have a better spy network then he did, choosing to rely on Lory's rather than spend precious time making his own. It was a duty almost no one else knew he had. So when Lory couldn't find out more about something, that meant the corruption ran deeper than normal. Much deeper.
The worst part was that he still wasn't sure who they were dealing with, or what they wanted. Their only hint was that they didn't want the castle to learn about the new medicinal discovery.
Lory took a long draft from his cigar, tapping the table with a finger. Something was going on beneath their noses. He didn't have much evidence for it, in fact, he had none. But he had experienced enough surprises to know when something was coming, and he didn't like how little he knew about this storm. Or the bad feeling that came with it.
"If this was all we found out, then that means they're getting help from the inside." said Lory. "Looks like spring cleaning is going to come a little early this year."
Sebastian bowed, and silently left the room through a hidden entrance. He had understood. It was time to sweep through their resources again, seeing if anyone had any reason to betray them.
Hurry back soon Kuu. Thought Lory. It would be nice to have the king back to council with. He had a feeling that this was going to be bigger than that little skirmish Kuu was taking care of in the east.
A knock came to his door, and a small imp with long fluffy brown hair ran inside.
"Grandpa!" said Maria, skipping up to him. Lory grinned, his mood lightening as he reached out his arms to his granddaughter and she jumped on his lap.
"Maria! Where have you been? You ran off so quickly I thought you hated me." said Lory "You didn't go and make problems again did you?"
"Why do you always assume I'm doing bad things?" she said, puffing out her cheeks.
"Because you usually are." said Lory "If you want be assumed innocent, stop causing trouble." Maria had a crush on Kuon. Which meant she became jealous of the concubines, or any woman that showed him any attention for that matter. She would then terrorize them with pranks that usually involved creatures that crawled jumped and hissed.
"Hey grandpa, guess what!" said Maria, practically hopping in anticipation. "I just met an amazing big sister. She didn't baby me when I cried and scolded me instead."
"Oh? And who is this big sister?" said Lory, his voice carefully level. What kind of person would scold a crying child? He knew the tears were probably fake, but they wouldn't. Anyone that treated his granddaughter that way should be approached with caution. He might have to say somethings to them.
Maria placed a finger on her cheek, thinking. " Hmmm, I don't know." she said "She was wearing one of those necklaces that Kuon gave the harem girls. But I had never seen her before."
Lory raised an eyebrow. Did she mean?...
"I feel a kindred spirit within her." she continued, an evil grin on her face. "Like she understands the darkness in people's hearts. Even if she is one of Kuon's concubines, we might be able to get along."
Lory was speechless. Kyoko had really made an impression on her. Though an odd one. Still, it was nice to see his granddaughter smiling and humming to herself, rather than complaining about other people. Kyoko really had a gift. Somehow she had managed to get on the good side of his unruly granddaughter. It gave him an idea, and he grabbed a piece of paper to write a note.
"Grandpa, you have that face again." said Maria, poking him with a long stick she had found on the ground. "You always make that face when you're plotting something."
First, I'd like to thank everyone for their patience. I did not update when I usually do. It was a beyond crazy last week, what with the new baby, my sister, school, and family matters. And then I got stuck while writing this. But yay for spring break this week!
Yay for Bo. This while chapter is basically from the manga, but I love how the author did everything, so I just made it fit in my world, as I love the idea that she helps him all the time without him knowing it's her. =D
Oh, and wait a few hours and I'll post the next chapter as an apology. XD
Llexa: Am I inspired by manga? Yes. As well as books, movies, and people I've met in real life.
Thank you for reading!
-Blushweaver