Disclaimer: Not ours.
Author's Note: This chapter is followed by the first character profile. Also, a better, more interactive version of this story can be found at community . livejournal . com / suzaku (underscore) no (underscore) mikos. Just remove the spaces and insert underscores.
Chapter 1
The light receded, and the girls blinked at the new landscape around them.
"Hmmm, well..." Koinu looked around at the sprawling desert.
Emi leaned against her, "I guess it worked."
Izzi stood off to the side, her arms folded against her chest. "Well, I guess so. Either that or we're all having a mass hallucination. And I'm sober, for once."
"Good to know," Emi murmured.
Koinu shifted, pushing Emi off of her shoulder. "So, are we just going to stand here and be raped?"
"Sounds like a plan to me," Emi grinned.
Izzi laughed and shook her head.
"It's not like we know what direction we're going ," Emi looked at the land featureless land around them.
"Well, it's not like a rapist is going to be like "Hong-Nan is that direction," while," Izzi lewdly thrust her hips.
"That's disgusting," Koinu told her.
"I'm just saying."
"Why don't we just pick a direction and go?"
Emi stood on her tiptoes, stretching to see over her friends. "Is that a road over there?"
"Sure looks like it," Koinu commented dryly a few minutes later as they stood on the edge of the rutted path.
Emi rolled her eyes.
"Cart!" Izzi shouted, pointing down the road.
"Good girl," Koinu patted her head. "You've gone to college to learn how to recognize simple objects."
Izzi ignored her and stepped into the road in front of the approaching cart. It drew slowly to a halt. "Good day, good sire. Are you traveling to Rong-Yang?"
At the grizzled driver's nod, Izzi continued, "Could we please ride in the back of your wagon?"
The man raised a grey eyebrow questioningly, "Don't steal my straw."
"We won't!" Koinu assured him as she scrambled into the wagon, followed quickly by Emi.
"Thank you," Izzi smiled at him before climbing up to join her friends.
"Didn't your mother warn you not to get into strangers' wagons?" Emi teased her quietly.
"Got a better plan?" Izzi grinned at her. "Just don't steal his straw."
o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o
"Well, this is fun," Emi muttered what seemed like an enternity later.
"We could be walking," Koinu reminded her, none too gently.
"But how do we know he's really taking us to Rong-Yang?"
"Emi."
"Both of you." Izzi murmured. "Chill."
Emi made a face at her. "But how can you trust a complete stranger so easily?"
"Do you not trust my decision?" Izzi leaned back against the straw staring out of the back of the wagon.
"Of course I do; it's just - "
Izzi cut her off, "Don't worry then. He'll get us there, oh ye of little faith."
The girls lapsed into another silence, each falling into their own worlds.
Eventually Emi broke it. "How did you like the renaissance faire this year, Izzi?"
"It was nice. I'm glad the pub is indoors now."
"Yeah. That's good."
"You doing it next year?"
"I want to. you guys looked like you were having fun this year."
"Hmp," Izzi nodded. As much as she loved the renaissance faire where she worked, it had been a rough summer there.
"I bet it's difficult," Emi continued, "not having Mayer there, since he's the one who encouraged to try out for cast and all."
"I don't really want to talk about it."
Koinu translated Izzi-speak. "They're having another fight. A pretty serious one. Don't know if they're going to get back together this time."
Izzi glared at her.
Emi peered around the bale of hay, trying to spot something, anything, to break the sudden tension. "Hey guys! Look at this!"
Koinu and Izzi turned to see what she was talking about and their eyes grew wide.
"Oh, wow," Koinu gasped. "Is that - "
"Rong-Yang," the driver grunted.
"Thank you so much," Izzi told the driver again, as the girls hopped out of the cart. "I don't have any money to pay you for your hospitality, but may your straw sell well at market, and Suzaku look after you."
"Come on, Iz! We've got people to find!" Emi yelled.
"Coming!" Izzi waved at the driver one last time before running to join her friends.
"Where are we going?" Koinu asked.
Izzi shrugged and looked at Emi.
Uhhhh...There," the pink-haired girl pointed to an impressive building rising about the rest of the village.
Her friends stared at her in disbelief.
"The palace?" Koinu raised an eyebrow.
"Well, yeah. We're guaranteed to find at least one seishi, no, two seishi. And be given protection."
"...Yeah. Assuming we can get to Hotohori."
"Assuming the guards don't shish-kabob us first," Izzi grimaced.
"Would you prefer to wander around here with all the rapists?"
"Point taken. To the palace!" Izzi turned none too smoothly on her heel and the girls began navigating their way towards the gilded roof.
o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o
"How many guards are there?" Izzi hissed.
"Too many," Koinu peered around the corner.
"Hon, for us, one is too many."
"More than that." Koinu turned back to her friends. "There are, like, eight."
"Well then, why don't we..." Izzi closed her eyes, thinking, "just walk right in?"
"Izzi, dear, you've gone mental," Emi patted her head. "We can't just walk in. They'll arrest us."
"And take us where, exactly?"
"To the pa - OH," Emi's eyes widened. "I get ya."
"Good. 'Cause you're going first."
"Oh thanks, Izzle my dizzle. Lots of love to you too."
"Well, it's just, you'll attract the most attention, and attention is what we're going to need." Izzi sighed. "Here's the game plan."
o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o
Emi and Izzi strode confidently towards the palace gates, throwing just enough sashay into their step to grab the attention of those not already attracted by Emi's fuchsia locks.
"Halt!" cried the guard in charge. "What business do such strangely garbed women have at the palace today?"
"With clothes like that," his partner smirked, "they must be whores. Maybe we should have some fun with 'em."
Izzi ran her hands over her torso seductively.
The head guard rolled his eyes. "Syaoran! Take these girls to the dungeon!"
"But what is their crime, sir?" a pudgy guard asked as he approached.
"They've attempted to prostitute themselves to His Highness."
Emi glanced at Izzi, who shrugged innocently. Or at least who tried to shrug innocently.
"Take them to the dungeon, now! Do not make me say it again."
"Uh, yes, sir. Right now, sir," Syaoran awkwardly pushed the girls further in towards the palace.
Emi poked Izzi and dsicreetly pointed. Koinu was a few meters ahead of them, slipping through the crowd of people.
"Good," Izzi mouthed, and clutched on to the guard. "So, Syaoran, what kind of women does His Highness like?"
The guard glanced around nervously. "None, so far as I can tell."
"What?" Emi feigned stupidity.
"He has a harem full of beautiful women, and yet, he will not lay with any of them."
"Sucks to be them," Izzi muttered.
The guard glanced her, surprised. "Are you really a prostitute?"
"Babe, I am whatever you want me to be," Izzi told him.
Emi smacked her forehead. "Don't get too carried away there, Iz."
"Well then, why don't you tell him the truth?"
"Oh! Tension in the ranks!" Emi acted insulted, then laughed. "The truth is...we're here about the legend of Suzaku. We're, uh, not from here, per se."
"Not from here...you mean, not from this world?" Sayaoran's eyes widened comically. He knew the legend about the priestess well.
"Yep. There ya go." Emi waved her hands. "And we just really need to see His Highness, except there was another one of us and now we've lost her!"
"Chill," Izzi muttered. "It's just Koinu. We'll find her."
Emi glared at her. "Just Koinu?"
"She can take care of herself. That's all I meant. Do you really have to take us to the dungeon?" Izzi turned back to the guard.
"I'm 'fraid so. Orders are orders."
"Alright. I understand, man," she sighed.
"Could you do us a favor then?" Emi inquired.
Syaoran looked around nervously. "Sure. Maybe."
Emi dug in her purse for the photos the girls had taken at the mll photo booth the day before. She studied them briefly, then pointed to Koinu. "Find her. Take her to His Highness."
He nodded and motioned for them to walk down a long flight of stairs.At the base, there were rows upon rows of cells. Syaoran ushered Emi and Izzi into one of these cells and shut the door behind them.
"I'm sorry."
Izzi shook her head. "Just find our friend.'
o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o
Koinu was completely lost by the time Syaoran found her. She wasn't quite sure how she'd ended up by the kitchens, but there she was, trying to knick a sweet bun, when she looked up to see the guard.
She groaned.
Syaoran frowned, 'I have instructions to take you to the Emperor. Please, follow me."
Koinu sighed and set the bun down.
"If you've already touched it, you can go ahead and eat the roll...Just please finish before we make it to the throne room."
She picked it back up and stuffed the entire bun into her mouth, awkwardly chewing.
Syaoran was strongly reconsidering his decision to join the royal guard. They didn't pay enough for this.
The walk to throne room only lasted a few minutes, thanks to some handy shortcuts the guard knew. Koinu wished it had lasted longer. She had no clue what was going on, other than that her friends were locked away, probably forever at this rate, and she was being taking to the Emperor himself. It was not exactly going according to plan.
Emperor Caipidi looked up from where he had been brooding as they marched into the throne room.
"What is the meaning of this disturbance?" his deep voice resonated across the room.
"Well, uh...this girl," Syaoran stuttered. "I don't think she's from around here"
"What?" Koinu stared at him.
The guard whispered, "Your friends told me that you're not from this world. You need to tell him that for them."
"So, you knew? Your instructions were from them? Thanks for telling me," Koinu grumbled, before smiling sweetly. "Good day, my lord. I am from...Earth...though that probably means nothing to you."
The Emperor raised a perfectly trimmed eyebrow.
"I mean, I'm not from this world." Koinu paused. She sounded like an idiot. "Look, my friends and I were reading this book, and there was this red light, and, boom, we were here. Well, I'm here and they're in your dungeons, so...could you please let them out?"
o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o
Thirty minutes later, all three girls were seated across from the Emperor in his private office. He seemed suitably disturbed by their odd clothing and Emi's bright hair, but there was a sense of excitement about his manner too.
Koinu shifted nervously, still not quite sure what was going on. Emi leaned close against her, watching the Emperor closely. Izzi sat with her eyes closed, listening to some unheard melody, oblivious to what was going on.
"Tell me everything," the young man said simply.
"Um, well..." Izzi glanced at her friends.
Koinu shrugged. "I tried."
"So, you see..." Emi began, paused, than started again, "We're from a little place called Earth. Uh...it's kind of far away."
"Far away as in a different dimension..."Koinu muttered.
"But, uh...um...Suzaku sent us here while we were studying the legend." Emi nodded. "Yep."
Caipidi looked excited. "Did you see Suzaku?"
"Not really," Izzi sighed.
"Just his holy light," Emi clarified.
He nodded, considering her words. "According to our legend, there is only one priestess."
"That's what we thought too," Koinu said. "But Suzaku sent all three of us."
"What do you know about the legend?"
Izzi leaned forward, "A girl from another world comes. She has 7 warriors, protectors, and, with their help, summons the beast deity."
"We don't know which of us is the priestess, but all of us are willing to look for the seishi, and do whatever we can to help until we figure it out," Koinu told him.
The Emperor smiled, running a finger across his neck, "You have already found your first seishi. We are also known as Hotohori."
"Well, Hotohori, I am Koinu," the younger brunette introduced herself.
"Emi.'
"I'm Izzi."
Hotohori stood and bowed formally. "If there is anything we, or any of our subjects, can do fo you, you must tell us. We are happy to do anything you need."
"Thank you, sire," Izzu murmured.
"Oh no! We are your servent!"
Emi grinned at her two friends and pumped her fist under the table.
Koinu gave her a confused look.
"Hot guy as our servent," Izzi quietly translated.
Koinu nodded, smirking. Then she looked back at Hotohori, "Um, is there any way we possibly maybe bathe? And get some clothes that actually help us blend in?"
"Attendent!" he called. "Take these girls to the bathing area and then see to it that they are given suitable clothing."
A small, dark-haired girl rushed quickly to the girls' sides and murmured, bowing, "Please follow me."
As they walked down a narrowiing corridor, Koinu questioned gently, "Your name is Yan?"
"Yes, milady, though I will answer to anything you call me."
"Yan is fine. I'm Koinu. You don't have to call me your lady."
Emi and Izzi echoed her introductions, adding slight waves.
"So, is there anything we need to know about life in the palace?" Koinu continued.
"Watch out for the courtezans, especially Lady Korin. Try to stay out of their ways."
"That all?"
"All you need to know now. Everything else you can learn, milady."
"Excuse me for being a Mary-Sue, but, please, don't call me milady. I'm not a lady. It's just Koinu."
Yan looked around quickly, "I can't!"
"How about in private?"
The young girl nervously nodded and then gestured to a door on her left, "Here is the bathing chamber."
"We all have to bath together?" Emi wrinkled her nose.
Izzi smacked the back of her head, "Does that bother you? We all have the same equipment."
"It doesn't bother me! I just didn't realize it!"She mock-glared at Izzi, "Lke you're one to talk, Miss. Suite Style Bathroom."
"Guys!" Koinu hissed. The other two smiled sweetly at her.
"I will return for you in a short while," Yan bowed low.
o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o
A long while later, the girls were finished up abnormally long baths,splashing each other as they reached for the towels Yan had left for them.
"Clean!" Emi held out her hands, as if displaying them.
"Good girl," Izzi cooed.
Koinu rolled her eyes.
Yan poked her head around the door. "Are you ready?"
"Yep! You bet!" Koinu called, scurely wrapping the towel around herself as she climbed from the pool.
"Good. I have your rooms ready, and clothes laid out."
"Ah! Thank you so much!" Emi thre her arms around the girl.
Yan looked taken aback."It's my job, milady."
Koinu sighed.
Yan continued, "Once you are dressed, His Highness would like to meet with you. He says it's very important."
"Well, then..." Izzi drawled. "The polite thing to do would be to hurry and not waste his time"
"Lead the way," Koinu gestured for Yan to do as she said.
Emi and Izzi chuckled as they followed the two.
About halfway down the hall, Izzi accidently brusahed against one of the woman headed to the bathing pool. The woman turned, hazel eyes flashing angrily from behind a curtain of purple hair. The other woman stopped, staring as the courtezan bursquely pushed by.
Lady Korin turned back once she passed the foreign girl and gave her a fierce glare, "Watch it, girl. This is my area, and if you impede," she gestured threateningly.
Izzi squeaked and ran to latch on to her friends' retreating backs.
Yan looked back with nervous eyes towards the imposing woman.
"Ah shit," Emi sighed. "You've done it now, Iz."
Basic Statistics
Name: Izzi Williams, sometimes Iz, rarely Izzle my Dizzle
Age: 19
Nationality: American
Hometown: Winchester, Kentucky
Current Residence: Lexington, Kentucky
Occupation: student, bookstore clerk, renaissance faire worker
Talents/Skills: writing, photography, acting
Birth order: youngest of three
Siblings (describe relationship): Hazel - very close to Izzi, 19 years her elder, has 2 daughters; Duncan, not as close to Izzi, but very protective of her, 15 years older, married to Annie
Significant Others (describe relationship): Mayer- boyfriend, on the rocks
Relationship skills: not good at communicating, willing to compromise, very compassionate
Physical Characteristics:
Height: 5' 3 1/2"
Weight: 107 lbs
Race: Caucasian
Eye Color: pale blue-green
Hair Color: dark brown
Glasses or contact lenses?: both, not at the same time
Skin color: paler than she appears
Shape of Face: heart
Distinguishing features: her eyes, which are very piercing (according to those around her)
How does he/she dress?: Her own style, which ranges from very sophisticated to very bohiemian
Mannerisms: short attention span, doesn't like to be still, plays with hair, talks with hands
Habits: (smoking, drinking etc.) drinks, bites nails
Health: very healthy physically, has a bad knee, often gets seasonal depression
Hobbies: reading, watching movies, listening to music, cleaning
Favorite Sayings: "fabulous," "I'm just saying," and all manners of ren faire speak. Also likes to use an excessive amount of profanity.
Disabilities: bad knee, depression
Style (Elegant, shabby etc.): Generally classy
Greatest flaw: inability to communicate, doesn't like to hurt or upset others
Best quality: desire to help others, especially children