For the hundredth time that day, Chris envisioned strangled Miroku. Not only was this assignment completely Miroku's doing, but the idiot had to know his secret. That was the only explanation for what he was expected to do.
Chris tapped his toes, dreading this task. Dreading opening that door and walking outside, because the second he did, everyone he passed would no longer see Chris. They would see her. The woman in the mirror.
She was short, of slim build with short dark hair that flipped out at the ends. She wore a knee length skirt with two slits that ran up both sides. Her stomach was exposed, the decorated bra connected to open sleeves that draped down her arms. It was over the top and frivolous, much like the outfits of other concubines.
And it was a concubine she was impersonating.
The woman reached up and took off the blue necklace, wanting to wear it as little as possible. She glared at the mirror, her eyes decorated heavy with makeup in the hope that no one would look at her too closely. Look and see that her arms were a little too well toned, her hands were rough, and her uncanny resemblance to a Chris Amamiya.
The second she left this room, Chris would be forced to again be Chiori. The old identity she had thrown away.
"Are you sure you left it in here?" said Kyoko.
"I'm positive." Said Midori, on the edge of tears. "I set it down to sleep, like I always do, and then it was just gone! I promise."
Kyoko backed down, not wanting to bring down the concubine's wrath on herself. It wasn't her Midori was upset with anyway. The two of them, plus a few of Midori's friends were currently tearing apart Midori's chambers, looking for the concubine's necklace.
"What's Kuon going to do once he learns I lost the necklace." wailed Midori, putting her head in her hands and wailing. "What if he kicks me out!"
The woman was past reason. Kyoko let Midori's friends try and comfort her, instead sighing as she got back on her hands and knees to search under a desk. Maybe it had accidently dropped and then been kicked under the furniture.
"Excuse me, Lady Kyoko?"
Kyoko looked up, seeing a maid with blonde hair standing hesitant before her.
"Your guard is waiting for you." Said the maid.
"Oh thank you." Said Kyoko. That would be Kanae. Today was the day she was supposed to get the pearl for Kuon. If Kanae was there it meant that ambassador Konoe had arrived.
"Midori, I have to leave." Said Kyoko. The concubine turned teary eyes to Kyoko, wiping at them sadly.
"Oh… well thank you for trying." She said it so miserably one would think Kyoko was giving up on her existence. It was just a necklace. There was no need to lose her head about it.
Well, except it wasn't just a necklace. It was the symbol of being one of Prince Kuon's concubines. A symbol everyone in the palace recognized. Midori probably thought she had lost her right to be a concubine after losing it. Kyoko's own necklace sat heavy across her heart, heavy for different reasons than usual this past week.
"I'll come back and help you search if you still haven't found it by then." Said Kyoko.
Midori gave a grateful nod, and Kyoko left, quickly hurrying to where Kanae was. She found the warrior at the entrance, impatient.
"What took you so long?" said Kanae.
"One of the concubines lost her harem necklace." Said Kyoko. "I was helping her search for it."
"Huh." Said Kanae, turning and walking down the hall. Kyoko hurried after her.
"Remind me why we're going to the ambassador's place again." Said Kanae.
"I told you. To get the Kuro Pearl for Prince Kuon." Said Kyoko.
"Yes, but why you? Why are you forced to become the prince's errand girl?"
"I'm not his errand girl. He said he trusts me and I was one of the few people he told about the pearl."
Kanae gave her a flat stare. Kyoko ignored her, knowing what Kanae was trying to say. How strange it was that the man supposedly trusted Kyoko, yet had continued to deceive her with his other identity. Kyoko herself had been making the same arguments inside her own head for the past week.
In the end, she couldn't do anything until Kuon returned. They could have a talk and then…what? Where would things go from there?
Her hand unconsciously went to her necklace, fingering the gold chains. Would he ask her to leave? Or should she request it herself?
Her expression darkened, feeling the misery hang around her. Sure, there was no real reason to be Kuon's concubine any longer. She had established herself here as a physician, and she was saving money from working in the clinic. There was no longer a question of how she could sustain herself. She could always go back to the restaurant in town. The couple from before would still take her in. She could just commute every day to the palace and… then what? What would that accomplish?
Kyoko ran into a door.
She nearly fell over, both her body and pride stinging as she rubbed her face. That had hurt.
"Most people don't use their face to knock on doors." Said Kanae, smoothly.
Kyoko was distraught. "Moko-san! Why didn't you tell me I was about to run into the door!"
"I didn't think you would."
Kyoko was on the brink of lamenting her friend's betrayal when the door opened. It revealed an older man with a round face and stocky body. His clothes were different, not the typical design of Ashuron. They were a soft pale blue color, a stiff suit buttoning up the front with a frilly neck tie. His pants were board straight, tucked into knee high boots. The whole thing looks extremely uncomfortable and hot to Kyoko.
"Hello, how may I help you?" said the man.
"My name is Kyoko." Said Kyoko, collecting herself to give a curtsy. "Are you the Ambassador Kanoe?"
"I am, please, come in." he stepped back, gesturing inside.
Kyoko entered, Kanae following and stationing herself by the door. The place was furnished simply as a guest room, with a soft bed and dresser one side. Red curtains had been drawn back, allowing light to spill across the elaborate rug. There was also a desk where Konoe had already made use of the space, documents spread across it. Judging by the still partially full case, Konoe hadn't taken the time to unpack.
"I'm sorry, it looks like we didn't leave you much time to settle down after your journey." Said Kyoko, nodding to the bag. But Konoe didn't seem to mind. He gave a shake of his head, his aura pleasant and kind.
"Don't worry, it usually takes me a few days to unpack. Well, only when I don't have a servant to help."
He pulled up a mat, taking a seat. Kyoko followed his lead, tucking her legs under her.
"Now Lady Kyoko, what can I do to help you?"
"I believe you were told I would be coming." She placed a hand on her necklace. "Prince Kuon said you would be bringing something for him. A pearl. I am the concubine he asked to retrieve this item."
"Are you sure he asked you?" said Konoe, now frowning.
"Of course." Said Kyoko. What kind of response was that? "He said you would recognize me by my necklace and short dark hair."
Konoe rubbed his chin, now looking worried. "I'm sorry Kyoko, but I already gave the pearl to another concubine."
What?
"How did you know it was a concubine?" said Kyoko. None of the other current concubines had hair as short as Kyoko's. They all had long flowing hair, as was the current style.
"She was wearing the same necklace you have on." Said Konoe. "And she had short dark hair."
This wasn't good. Kyoko exchanged a look with Kanae, whose expression had hardened. Wearing the same necklace as Kyoko? It looked like Midori's necklace wasn't missing, it had been stolen with the intent to impersonate Kyoko. To arrive and get the pearl before she could. There was only one group of people that she could think of that wanted Kuon to fall.
Somehow, the accursed had heard of the pearl and gotten to it first.
"Was that woman not a concubine?" said Konoe, glancing between Kyoko and Kanae.
"I doubt it." Said Kyoko. "No other concubine has short dark hair like me."
"And how do I know you're not the impostor?"
"You don't." said Kanae from the door. "but any guard in the palace will be able to verify Kyoko's identity. You gave the pearl to the wrong person."
"Oh dear." Konoe placed a hand against his forehead. "That pearl is not very common. I'm not sure when we would be able to find another one for him to use. But maybe… the woman left not five minutes ago. Maybe you can catch up with them."
"Do you know which way they went?" said Kyoko, standing up quickly. Her heart was beating hard. They might be able to find the person yet.
"Left I believe." Said Konoe
"Thank you." Said Kyoko, her and Kanae hurrying from the room. It took everything in her not to sprint down the corridors.
Kyoko had to find the thief before they got too far. She had to! The pearl had been Kuon's first real hope at finding something that could reverse the effects of the curse. He had been suffering so much. She needed to retrieve that pearl.
Thank the gods that had gone so smoothly.
Chioir walked briskly down the hall, wanting to get back to her room as soon as possible. SHe had already placed the pearl and necklace at the drop off point. It would be picked up by someone else and the items would journey from there to their destination, whatever that was. She didn't care about the specifics. She just wanted to get out of this dress before anyone recognized her. She had passed several people in the hall, but their stares hadn't been one of recognition. Mostly men ogling her.
Chiori knew what they were thinking, having spent enough time in their presence as one of them. She kept her jaw set as she ignored the latest man she passed, a guard who had stopped completely to watch her stride past.
As she turned the corner, she heard two sets of hurried footsteps behind her. Why were people running down the halls? She glanced behind herself, expecting to see that idiot from before, no doubt thinking to engage her in conversation and-
Chris whipped her head back forward, breathing in sharply. That wasn't the guard. It was Kyoko. What in the world was that girl doing here? What if she recognized her as Chris?
Please pass by without noticing me. She inwardly pleaded, doing her best to continue walking calmly.
"Excuse me!"
Chiori had to call upon all her acting skill not to jump. Why in the world was Kyoko addressing her? She turned slowly, noticing that it was indeed her that Kyoko was talking to. That warrior woman was right behind Kyoko, both looking frantic.
"Sorry, but have you seen another concubine walking down this corridor?" said Kyoko.
"I haven't." said Chiori, pitching her voice a little higher than normal.
"What about a girl with short hair wearing one of these necklaces?" said Kyoko, holding up her concubine's necklace. "Have you seen someone pass like that?"
The description was too close to Chiori for her liking. Much too close. It looked like Kyoko was the one that the pearl was meant to go to. It was a good thing Chiori had already gotten rid of the necklace.
It took a second more than it should have for Chiori to answer.
"I'm sorry, I haven't." said Chiori.
Some of her nervousness must have shown through. Kyoko was still looking at her, lips pursed as she examined Chiori.
"Do you have a brother?" said Kyoko suddenly.
The question shouldn't have hurt, but it did. Yet again Chiori was shaken by the words coming out of Kyoko's mouth.
"No. I don't."
"You look a lot like… huh." Kyoko shook her head. "Well. Thank you for your help."
The two women hurried past Chiori, turning down a hall and disappearing. Chiori waited, listening until she could no longer hear their footsteps before letting out a breath of unease.
That had been way too close. She needed to hurry back to her room and change out of these abhorrent clothes before someone else she knew saw her.
As she walked, her thoughts turned to Kyoko. Why would the woman want a pearl from out of the country? The girl was a concubine. Perhaps she had just wanted it, simple as that. They were silly and materialist so the reason was likely.
But Kyoko had also shown herself to be disinterested in such frivolity. Apart from her necklace and earrings, the concubine hardly wore any jewelry, makeup usually completely absent from her face. Chiori couldn't help the creeping feeling of dread invading her mind. What if this had been a mistake? What if Kyoko needed the pearl for something related to her work? Maybe Chiori should have talked to Lory first.
No, she hadn't had time. It would have looked suspicious if she had delayed for no good reason, and then her position would have become compromised. They would have begun to doubt her.
It was with these excuses that Chiori kept walking, ignoring how hollow the argument felt to her. Maybe she should go and get the pearl back from the drop off point. It wasn't too late. It had only been a few minutes and-
Magic lit the hallway. Chiori cried out in surprise as the spell shot from the ground, wrapping around her. In a split second, she was stuck, unable to move anything save her head.
She recognized this spell. It would be easy enough to undo it with just the right flick of magic.
"Don't even think about it."
If Chiori could, she would have jumped.
A man stepped into the center of the hall, seeming to come from nowhere. His head and face were covered by a head wrap, his body posture and muscles exuding power. His eyes were fixed on Chiori, darkness swirling within them. That, along with the knives strapped to his thighs created a frightening effect. Who was this man?
"You can come out now." He said.
From around the corner, two women appeared. Kyoko and her female guard.
"What's going on here?" said Chiori, panicking internally. No, they hadn't figure out it was her, had they? If Chiori pretended to be confused, maybe they would let her go.
"See, I told you she would play dumb." Said Kanae. "Or is it a he? I can't tell. What do you think Chris?"
Chiori's heart sank. She didn't have to act confused or startled.
"We already know." Said Kanae with impatience. "We know that you're a double agent and that you're Chiori so there's no point in pretending."
Chiori licked her lips, calming her inner panic to try and get through this. "If you know this, then let me down."
"No."
"No?" said Chiori, now getting frustrated. "I'm on your side you idiots. Let me down this instant."
"Here's the thing." Said Kanae, holding up a finger. "We're not sure if you are on our side."
Chiori stared at her. This was getting ridiculous. If someone walked around and saw this, it could be very bad. The accursed might think she was caught, or perhaps betraying them. These idiots were going to completely blow her cover.
"Listen to me." Said Chiori. "I don't know how you found how about who I am or what I do, but you have to let me go. I promise I'm not working for the accursed. You can go ask Duke Takarada. Come on Kyoko, I've been your friend, you believe me, don't you?"
Kyoko, who had stood behind Kanae this whole time, blinked at Chiori. "You befriended me to trick me into getting kicked out of the class." Said Kyoko. "While it didn't have the effect you wanted, you've never once seen me as a friend."
Chiori gaped at her. Kyoko still wore the same carefree, dumb, open expression as always. It was hard to believe that someone so seemingly oblivious had seen through Chiori's act. Was Chiori the oblivious one?
"This is getting nowhere." Said Kanae impatiently. She walked towards Chiori, who tried to shy away at the approach. She would have used her magic if that other guard wasn't still watching her. His eyes were daring her to try something.
Kanae reached her and began patting her down.
"It's not on her." Said Kanae. "The necklace or the pearl. She must have already dumped them."
So they are looking for the pearl. Thought Chiori. Was the girl that frivolous? Going to such extremes just to get another fancy trinket?
Chiori was annoyed now, that her position in the accursed was being jeopardized because of this brat.
"Chiori." Said Kyoko. "If you are on our side, then you'll tell us what you did with the pearl. I have to get it."
"Then what happens to me?" said Chiori. "If I get it back, I'll be showing my true colors, and the accursed will know I'm a double agent. All the progress I've made will be lost."
"Then maybe you should have talked to Lory before stealing the pearl." Said Kanae through gritted teeth.
"You don't always have the luxury of discussing everything you do behind enemy lines." Shot back Chiori. "I wouldn't expect a hired mercenary, whose only loyalty is to money, would understand that."
Kanae's eyebrow twitched, but she didn't answer, her scowl expressing her irritation.
Chiori glared back at the group, chin high. "I have better things to do than chase after the trinkets of a spoiled concubine." She spat. "So release me this instant, before you blow my cover."
"And why should we do that?" said Kanae. "You've given us no reason to trust what you have to say. I still think you've switched sides."
"If you'd pull your head out of your butt you'd have heard me the first time. I'm not-"
Suddenly, the magic bands around Chiori loosened. Chiori almost fell, not expecting to be released. Kanae was as equally surprised, keeping an eye on Chiori as she glanced back towards Kyoko. The concubine was standing closer to the dark clad man, her face serious.
"Why did you release her?" said Kanae.
"I asked Shadow to." answered Kyoko. "We need to hurry if we're going to get the pearl back from whoever you gave it to."
"I'm not helping you." said Chiori. Like hell she was going to risk her career for a trinket this spoiled girl wanted.
Kyoko's face took on a somber expression.
"That pearl, is the first real hope Prince Kuon has in fighting his curse." Said Kyoko firmly. "Unless we get it back, he only has a few months before it takes him."
Cold realization shot through Chiori. Her eyes widened as the enormity of what was going on dropped into her stomach. This wasn't a spoiled girl looking for a trinket. It was about the prince. It was about protecting him and keeping him alive. Judging by the expression on Kanae's face, she was as surprised by the news as Chiori was.
"Hell." Muttered Chiori, rubbing her forehead. If that was the case than there was no choice. Her place as a spy wasn't half as important as keeping the royal family alive, especially the prince. "I dropped both the pearl and necklace off back in the hall. They might not have gotten to it yet."
"Then let's go." Said Kyoko.
Chiori turned around, hurrying back the direction she had come. Kanae and Kyoko followed, that scary man from before disappearing. The feeling of dread increased with each step Chiori took, hoping against hope that the intermediary hadn't gotten to the drop off point yet.
The group of the three women attracted a few more stares than before. Chiori ignored them, earrings bouncing against her cheek as she hurried as fast as she could without running. Then they arrived at the empty hall, decorated with a single vase resting atop a pedestal.
Chiori stopped in front of it, reaching inside.
No. Thought Chiori, her hands groping the area. It wasn't there anymore. The pearl and necklace were both gone.
She slowly withdrew her hand, turning to the two women.
"It's gone." Said Chiori.
Kyoko looked like she was going to be sick. It passed in a flash as her eyes narrowed, expression turning uncharacteristically serious.
"Do you know who would be coming to pick it up?" said Kyoko.
Chiori shook her head. "There are a few possibilities I can think of, but I can't guarantee it will be one of them. There are quite a few spies within the palace that we know of, and I don't have a list of all of them for security reasons."
"I do." Said a man's voice.
This time Chiori jumped as that man from before came out again, Kanae stiffening as well at the sudden appearance. Kyoko was the only one that hadn't jumped. Was she perhaps used to this man coming out of nowhere? As Chiori looked closer, she recognized the dark aura and uniform of the man. He was a shadow guard. Why did Kyoko had a shadow guard following her and why was she so used to his presence?
Were the rumors about her being targeted by the accursed true? Suddenly everything Chiori had heard about the concubine came to her. Kyoko's talent as a physician, teaching herself magic, saving the prince's life on multiple occasions, and everything else in between. They had been stories, rumors hyped by the natural order of society. Yet standing here, looking at the evidence in front of her, Chiori realized she had completely misjudged the girl.
"We'll have to act quickly." Said Chiori, running a hand through her hair. "We'll want to keep this as quiet as possible, but we should be able to get it back. Unless pearl has already been destroyed."
"Let's act under the assumption it hasn't." said Kyoko.
Chiori lowered her hand, looking at the group in front of her. There was still distrust in the two warrior's expressions, but Kyoko was looking to her in earnest. Waiting for her to supply the plan.
"I think I know how we can get it back with as little connection to me as possible." Said Chiori. "Are you willing to hear me out?"
The other two looked at Kyoko for confirmation, as if she were the leader of the group. Kyoko nodded, those eyes still on Chiori, determined. It reminded her of times past, when her old teammates had given her similar expressions.
"Great." Said Chiori, ignoring the sensation in her chest. "But we're going to need a little more help."
There was nothing more frustrating than waiting. It allowed time to let one's thoughts wonder, dwelling on things that couldn't immediately be fixed. It was with this frustration that Chiori sat in Lory's office, opposite the man himself at his desk.
After explaining the plan, the other three had made sure to send Chiori back to Lory. "As a precaution, since they couldn't be sure they could trust her" so they said.
The hell was wrong with them? She'd told them everything they'd need to get the pearl back. It didn't help that she felt twice as foolish, still wearing the female clothes from earlier. She resisted the urge to apologize for the tenth time to Lory for the whole situation.
"What's taking them so long?" Chiori mutter to herself angrily. Then she saw Lory's expression and realize he had heard her.
"Odd you say that, seeing as you were the one that lost it in the first palace." Said Lory.
Chiori ground her teeth. "Yes, and I sincerely apologize for the mistake on my part."
"It couldn't be helped." Said Lory causally. "You didn't have time to consult with me and we hadn't told you about the importance of the pearl."
Then why are you giving me such a hard time about losing it in the first place! Chiori screamed in her head. Really, this was ridiculous. Between this awkward silence and the guilt she felt in failing to gauge the situation, she was beyond frustrated.
"Don't worry." Said Lory's voice. "They'll come back with the pearl."
"You have an awful lot of confidence in them." Said Chiori.
"Naturally. Kyoko has a habit of attracting capable people to her side. It actually reminds me of another person."
At Lory's pointed stare, Chiori looked away, hating the uncomfortable feeling rising in her chest.
"You might not be able to keep your position after this." said Lory. "In fact, for your protection, it would be best to pull you out."
"I am aware." said Chiori, her heart sinking. A part of her had hoped she wouldn't be pulled, but it was a vain hope.
"What do you plan on doing?"
Chiori shrugged. "Probably pursue what everyone else thinks I'm pursuing. Combat training and preparing to take over my father's job."
"Even though you're a woman?"
Chiori's eyebrows twitched in annoyance. It was a fact she tried to forget every day.
Lory leaned forward in his seat, pressing the tips of his fingers together. "Chiori, you can't keep going like this for the rest of your life."
"And why not?" said Chiori. It's wasn't like she had to get close enough to anyone for them to know about her true gender. All she had to do was keep her distance and avoid getting married. Not hard, since men were the ones that courted and asked the women in the first place.
"Because it's simply not healthy." Said Lory with a sigh. "I've made allowances for a time, but don't you think this is a perfect opportunity to start over? To come clean."
"And what would be the benefit of doing that?" said Chiori. "Everything would change, the respect and rapport with my training groups and leaders would vanish in an instant if they learned I was a woman. It's stupidly optimistic to suppose that they would accept who I really am. They would no longer respect or trust me."
"So you don't think your old team respected you?"
Chiori's eyes narrowed. "That was different, and besides this was…"
It was what her father had wanted.
She lowered her eyes, annoyed that a part of her was shaken by what Lory said. That a part of her still yearned to returned to being a girl. Seeing Kyoko constantly succeeding and being accepted for what she was stirred these feelings every time Chiori saw her. In an instant, her stomach would burn with jealousy at seeing Kyoko. Her and that female bodyguard.
Lory made a humming noise, but didn't comment.
The tense silence continued for another few minutes, neither saying anything.
There was a commotion outside.
A second later, the door opened to reveal a beaming Kyoko.
"We did it." Said Kyoko, black hair bouncing as she skipped her way into the room. Where did someone get so much energy? She held in her hands the black pearl. "The Ishibashi boys were amazing. They found her in a second thanks to you Chris. Woops, Chiori. Or do you still want me to call you Chris?"
"Chris is better thanks." Said Chiori. As annoyed as she was at the girl, she felt relief that they had managed to get the pearl back. It left in an instant as she watched three more people enter the room. It wasn't Kanae that startled her, it was the two other guards that walked in.
One of the men was rubbing the back of his neck, sheepish, while the other looked like he had swallowed a lemon. Obviously the second was the uptight one. Why had she brought them back here? They could find out her identity.
"You're praising us too much Lady Kyoko." Said the sheepish one. He looked younger.
"Not at all." Said Kyoko. "They were able to catch the maid off guard. An 'impromptu search' as they called it."
"The maid in question is currently in custody." Said the serious guard. He looked towards Chiori. "She was a maid in the concubine's quarters so it was reasonable that we would search her. You shouldn't have to worry about your position being compromised."
Kyoko had told them. She had told two random guards that she was a spy against the accursed. Was she a complete idiot?
Chiori got up from her chair and marched over the Kyoko. She grabbed Kyoko by the arm, pulling her away from the group. She ignored their curious looks as Chiori rounded on Kyoko, far enough away that the others wouldn't interfere.
"Kyoko." Said Chiori through gritted teeth. "You do realize that me being both a woman and a spy is supposed to be a secret, don't you?"
"Oh, don't worry, the Ishibashi boys won't say anything." Said Kyoko. "They've helped fight against accursed head on after all. I trust them."
"You've got to be kidding me." Said Chiori, letting go of Kyoko. Seriously, these guys also had fought against the accursed? What else was going on that she had no idea about. "Just try and keep this as quiet as possible." There was nothing she could do about the two guards. Hopefully Lory would instill in them the importance of secrecy. They appeared to be reporting what happened with the servant.
"Well then," Said Kyoko, giving a curtsy. "Thank you."
Chiori took a second to process what Kyoko had said. Then she snapped.
"Why are you thanking me?" Chiori almost yelled, irritated. Kyoko let out a squeak, shying back.
"Well, because you helped us get the pearl back." Said Kyoko. "And you kept helping me in class, even thought you were secretly trying to get me kicked out. Even so, I was also kind of glad you were because it means I'm not paranoid from the last time a friend betrayed me."
"Who would like being thanked for that?" said Chiori, wanting to start banging her head against the wall. Gosh this girl was annoying.
"Because it means I'm learning." Said Kyoko, smiling. "This whole time I've been at the palace, I've felt behind because of all the social politics. But finally, with you I can see an improvement. Both in my perception of people and in handling conflicts. You helped gave me the idea and determination to push through in class. I'm really grateful to you."
Chiori felt herself deflate.
Too bright. Thought Chiori, looking at Kyoko with disdain. How could a concubine be so pure and simple? And she had outsmarted Chiori? It was an insult.
Kyoko sighed, her face both hopeful and apologetic. The change in temperament was sudden and took Chiori off guard.
"We've done things just relying on our emotions," said Kyoko. "but I just want to have a calm discussion with you. I want to understand your feelings and why you resent me so much. Can we please?"
Chiori was shocked that she couldn't speak for a moment. When was the last time someone had asked about her feelings, wanting to know what she felt? What she wanted?
Chiori gritted her teeth.
"Do you know how frustrating you are?" said Chiori.
Kyoko blinked at her, apparently not expecting that from Chiori, who continued her verbal abuse.
"You're dim, unaware, and easy to take advantage of." Said Chiori. "You pretend to be innocent, and then have all these friends in high places that can cover your mistakes. Someone doing so well in their life and has everything is asking me why I resent them? The question itself ticks me off."
Kyoko was mouthing 'doing so well in life?' as if she were confused.
Chiori took a breath, displacing her anger in her exhale. "But I don't exactly hate you." She was just envious of Kyoko's situation. Able to pursue her life's passion without anything holding her back.
Kyoko's eyes lit up, wide and pooling with tears.
"Chris!" said Kyoko, spreading her arms out and springing forward. Her head was jerked back as someone had a hold of her hair.
"Stop jumping on people." Said Kanae, who had appeared behind Kyoko as some point. Kyoko rubbed the back of her head, pouting at Kanae.
"Moko-san, that's not nice. You know you'll always be my number one friend, you can't get jealous."
Chiori watched the two girls struggle for a moment, Kanae deftly holding off Kyoko as she attempted to hug the warrior. But Chiori was finally able to see through her. Through the silly and dumb girl to the maturing woman beneath.
I was completely fooled by her. Thought Chiori. In the last hour, Kyoko had proven herself to be more cunning than Chiori realized. She couldn't help a spark of respect growing for this girl. Chiori had been misjudging her this whole time.
"How long have you known?" said Chiori, interrupting the two women. Kyoko paused, detaching herself from Kanae before speaking.
"About your identity and job?" asked Kyoko.
Chiori nodded.
"I learned about it right after I ran into you in the hall." Said Kyoko. "I realized that you were Chris because of your aura, but you were obviously female. After I left, I asked Shadow if you were Chiori. He knows most of what's going on in the palace and he confirmed my suspicions."
"Who's Shadow?" said Chiori.
"My shadow guard." Said Kyoko happily.
At Chiori's confused look, Kanae added "She gave him that nickname."
"I see."
"So Chris." Said Kyoko, tilting her head. "Why do you pretend to be Chris anyway?"
Chiori folded her arms, to defend herself against the question. It was a sensitive topic. One Chiori didn't talk about. Ever. Even talking to Lory about it was frustrating, mostly because he was her boss.
"It doesn't matter." Said Chiori. "Just remember to keep it quiet."
"Sure." Said Kyoko. "We are friends after all."
Chiori opened her mouth to argue that point. After all of this, how were they considered friends? But at seeing the girls happy face, Chiori couldn't find herself resenting Kyoko anymore. That a normal girl from nowhere had managed to best Chiori and prove her wrong. Chiori should have been irritated, but instead, she felt relief.
"As I thought, you are irritating." Said Chiori. "But you are also amazing."
Kyoko's eye bugged. She grabbed hold of Kanae's sleeve, happily asking if Kanae had heard that? She was called amazing!
Chiori shook her head, a small smile finally crossing her lips. She might not be free to be a female anymore, but at least she could appreciate people like Kyoko and Kanae who kept at it, no matter the prejudice.
Thanks for reading.
And thank you all for continuing to support me with your comments and love. It helps tremendously.
Updates are every other Saturday. Any changes will appear on my profile page.
Also, someone mentioned in the previous chapter that it was strange that Kyoko had lots of free time and wondering why that was so. I realized that I had included a single sentence that gave you that impression. It has since been changed and hopefully the chapter better conveys what was happening. (Basically Kyoko freaking out every second she didn't have something to do). So thank you for that observation.
And yes, we all love Shin.
OniPrincess, if you don't have a FF profile, then we can converse by email. (If you type your email in a review, I will copy it and then delete the review so you don't get spam from trolls or the like). Our conversation can continue there since having a conversation by review isn't really isn't what it's for. :D
Thanks again for your continued support and love. And of course the new peeps reading. Yay.
-Blushweaver
Lol at the beginning of this chapter when Chris is talking about Miroku I couldn't help but think of Miroku from Inuyasha, it adds an element to the story (;
-Im0tu0