Chapter 19: Home
Ora sighed as she and Zeno stepped out of the portal. The TDD shut down behind them as they did so. Looking up at the machine behind her, Ora took off the device from her wrist before walking over to the control pads and began to shut down the machine. Zeno followed her and watched as the machine began to shut down. "As long as this exists, time will be in danger." she told him. "I cannot uninvent it, but I can shut it down and place it in a high security storage system."
"Others will find it." Zeno told her as he watched her bring up file upon the screens.
"Perhaps." she agreed. "However, if I put warnings within the systems along with locking it up with several levels of encrypted passwords; it'll remain dormant." she then looked over at him. "us there's alone w says you to make sure nobody ever touches it."
Zeno chuckled as he scratched the back of his neck. "I get bored easily." he stated. "So I suppose I could keep an eye on it."
"You might have to stay nearby for that." she hedged as she tried to think of a way to keep him near her. During this experience she kept having an odd feeling that he should stay with her. She'd mentally made a note to get him to do just that because nobody should be left alone like he had been.
"Hmm..." Zeno thought for a moment. "Do you have room for me here?"
Ora felt her cheeks heat up at that question. Giving a nod, she answered. "Yes, I do." Typing another line of encryption upon the files. "I've decided that I'd like to help Kouka regain its former glory after this experience."
Zeno smiled at her. "I think I know how you can do that." he told her as the final line of encryption was written and put into place. "I've got some friends that have been working on doing just that."
Ora's fingers stilled in their typing. "Who?" she inquired gaining a grin from the blond.
"My brothers!" he exclaimed. "Ha-ku Saru is a leading engineer in rebuilding infrastructure. He's also the current Ryokuryuu." His grin broadened at her look of shock. "Then there's Abi Takaro, he's a medical doctor and his the top surgeon in the country." He scratched his cheek. "He's a very busy man. He's also the current Seiryuu." He grinned. "Then there is Lee Lillian, who is the first female Hakuryuu. She's also the first of her line to be in the public eye as mayor of Chi'shin."
"I've heard of Abi. Didn't he invent a new way of doing brain surgeries that saves time and money for his patients?" she inquired.
Zeno nodded. "He does free surgeries on those who otherwise could never afford them, thus saving many lives and improving the health of his patients."
Standing up from the chaired she'd been in, Ora led Zeno out of the room. Going over to a key pad she began to press the password to get into the TDD laboratories. Bringing up a second pad that scanned both her hand print and retinal, she ensured that the laboratories would be locked up for good. "Tomoe laboratories in the upper levels of the building could assist them. We have an engineering department that is all about new ways to improve the country's infrastructure and we have a medical laboratory that most deals with the pharmaceutical aspect of things in the medical field."
Zeno grinned. "So you're not just a scientist?" he inquired.
Ora blinked in surprise at his question. "I am." she stated simply. "The company just branches out into many departments." She them looked down at her clothes. "I suppose we'll have to change now that we're back." she said before going over to the elevator. "The apartments are upstairs if you'd like to join me."
Zeno gave a nod. "I was wondering," he began causing her to look at him as she pressed the button to ascend. "would you go on a date with Zeno?"
As the elevator doors shut one could hear a loud surprised yell. "Eh!?"
Yona giggled as she twirled around in her new pink kimono dress that her father had given her for her sixteenth birthday. Today there was to be a giant celebration of her coming of age. She was especially excited about today because not only was it her birthday, but her brothers would be complete as Zeno was joining in the celebration. She knew Kija was waiting patiently outside her room as Shin-ah was walking the catwalks around the palace in his daily patrol with the guards. Jae-ha was out in the back gardens mingling with the guests and keeping an eye on things from his vantage point.
"Princess." a deep voice called out to Yona causing her to turn towards the owner of the voice, her cheeks heating up as she spotted the dark haired General of the wind; Son Hak.
"Hak." she greeted him. Days after her confrontation with Kan Tae-jun when she was thirteen, Son Hak had become another one of her guardians. She had begun to develop a bit of a crush upon him around that time, of which he was totally oblivious about.
"Yona!" Her cousin's voice surprised her as he came out from behind Hak with a wide grin.
"Su-won!" she greeted him happily as he gave her a hug, causing her cheeks to turn red as he pulled her close to him.
Hak of course would assume her cheeks were red because he believed she had a crush upon her cousin, something that had developed when she was nine, but no longer had. Let him assume. Jae-ha had told her. A tease always drives a man crazy. If he thinks you like someone else, he'll let his guard down, so when you finally do tell him, he'll be floored.
She wanted to giggle at the look of annoyance upon Hak's face but she chose ignored it. "I hope your journey was pleasant." she told him as the three of them walked out of her chambers. Kija looked miffed at Hak for going inside, but he seemed to be willing to hold his tongue.
"It was quite pleasant." he told her. "Though my father did complain a few times once we entered Kuuto."
Did Aunt Yong-hi come this time?" she inquired as the walked towards the back gardens.
Shaking his head, Su-won answered her. "Unfortunately mother was feeling ill today and requests to be forgiven in not coming." he held her hand as he helped her down some steps that led into the garden.
Yona gave a slight pout. "That's too bad." she said with sadness. "I wish she could have come. She's my only female relative, yet I barely get to see her."
Su-won chuckled. "Mother will be happy to hear that you missed her." he commented as they continued.
Hak's eyes kept darting around as he listened to the two cousin's talking. He could see Lord Yu-hon and General Soo-jin talking off in the corner of the gardens by themselves. Frowning, he really did not like the way those two spoke with each other. It was something that just did not sit well to him. Looking off towards the back wall he saw Jae-ha seemingly to be flirting with a couple of the daughters of the noble lords, but the way the Ryokuryuu looked up to him, Hak knew the Der man was more aware of everything around him than most. Turning his attention fully towards the two cousins in front of him, he found himself wanting to tease Yona. A grin crossing his features as he heard her talking about her red hair.
"Your hair is quite beautiful Princess." he told her. "There's no other with hair quite like it." He suddenly felt somebody poke him in the side and looked down.
"No teasing Yona today Rajiu." the strawberry blond boy told him.
Looking to her side Yona grinned at her adopted younger brother. "Yun! You wore it!" she squealed as she spotted him in the silk blue and red kimono with a matching decorative haori over his shoulders. The younger boy flushed at the praise.
"Of course I did." he grumbled as he suddenly spotted two people walk into the garden. "I can't believe it," he mumbled causing the other three to look towards the entrance. "The idiot priest actually came with the Ouryuu."
"They look like brothers." Yona commented as she left her cousin and Hak behind as she and Yun went to greet the two. Ik-su wore the browns of a priest, gold and red with the four dragons upon his back on the haori her wore.
"Happy birthday Princess." he greeted as he bowed towards her.
"Thank-you for coming Ik-su." she gave both him and Zeno a hug. "Thank-you for making sure he didn't get hurt on the way here."
Zeno laughed. "Zeno used the horse that Missy had Mister bring to us." he told her. "Zeno hasn't ridden a horse in a very long time!"
"Did he fall?" Yona asked Ik-su who covered his mouth with the end of his haori sleeve, a grin plastered on his face.
"A few times." he admitted.
Zeno grinned at them. "But then Zeno changed into the garments Missy sent for him so that he wouldn't be dirty." he assured her as he spun in the golden colored clothes, a new green headband held his wild golden hair back as the medallion dangled from the corner.
"It would seem we have been noticed." Ik-su noted as he looked around at the nobles who were speaking in hushed tones.
"Let them talk." Yona dismissed them as she wrapped an around Ik-su's and led him into the garden to talk to him and Zeno.
"Humph." Kan Soo-jin snorted, "Now she brings in one of the surviving priests you drove out." he spoke turning towards Lord Yu-hon.
"It won't last." he assured the fire General. "The Sky army is on my side. After tonight neither the priest, dragons or the red haired Princess will exist."
"Say the word and the Fire army will be here within an hour." The fire General stated with a feral grin.
"Send word that they are to be here by nightfall." he told the man. "I'll take handle of Il myself."
"What about your son?" Kan Soo-jin eyed the blond as he laughed with Son Hak.
"My son will be given a heavy drink laced with a sleeping drug." Yu-hon told the older man. "He will awaken to find everything changed."
"Good to know." the fire General grinned inwardly as he had plans to ensure the young man's death tonight as he crossed Yu-hon and took the crown for himself this night.
Above the Kami watched as the red dragon celebrated her sixteenth year of life. Having been through so much already, the Kami knew that this night would either destroy her spirit or renew and strengthen it. Only time would tell.
M-Angel: Only one chapter left. I hope everybody has enjoyed this story. ^_^