The exciting next chapter! Enjoy!~~~~~~
Izaya simply leaned back and watched as Nakago began tearing Miaka apart with his powers. She seemed to take an interest in what was going on. It wasn't every day that one got to see a soldier beat up on a junior high girl without physically touching her in any way shape or form. Her torso was leaned forwards and her neck stretched out to a small extent, even tilting to the side a bit to try and get a better look at Nakago's face all the while. As Miaka was thrown back for a second time, new wounds opening so that her blood splattered in scarlet spray across the floor of the temple, Izaya took notice of a mark on Nakago's forehead. She frowned slightly, standing up straight and taking a few steps forwards, to stand by Nakago. He turned his head in her direction just slightly, but as Izaya opened her mouth to say something, she was interrupted.
" Why are you doing this, Izaya?" Miaka exclaimed, drawing the attention of both Izaya and Nakago at the same time. Barely picking herself up off the ground, the younger girl glared up at Izaya, blood running down her cheek from a cut on her face. Blinking, Izaya gave her a blank stare, as though she couldn't quite figure out why Miaka would ask her such a question.
Turning to Nakago, Izaya commented. " She really isn't that smart, is she?" Nakago simply looked back at her, only turning his attention forwards when a bit of movement caught his eye. Slowly, struggling, Miaka picked herself up off the floor. She leaned forwards, pressing a blood smeared hand against another cut on her leg. Panting lightly, she continued to focus her attention solely on Izaya.
" I thought we understood each other," she insisted to the older girl, taking a step forwards, " don't you understand? These people are looking to start a war! A war!" Glaring, Nakago started to move towards Miaka. However, Izaya caught him by the arm, drawing his eyes back. Smiling, she giggled, patting the general's arm and taking the step forward herself. She placed a hand on her hip and held eyes with Miaka, waiting as the girl finished. " Don't you care what happens to the people of this world? Don't you want to go back to our world?" Snorting, Izaya let out a laugh. Pulling down on her eyelid, she stuck out her tongue.
" What the hell do I care about these people or their little war?" was her answer. Miaka's jaw dropped, her eyes wide, expression unmistakably aghast. " You said it yourself, I'm from another world." Shrugging her shoulders, she finished. " Whatever war and death that these people start is no business of mine. And another thing," holding up her index finger, she strode forwards, planting herself squarely in front of the Suzaku priestess, " don't pretend like you know me." Giving Miaka a hard shove, one that forced the younger girl to take a step back and brought a deep cringe to her face, Izaya held up the sheathed switchblade as she said. " Just because you're a homesick little child doesn't mean that I am too." she held up her middle finger." I don't give a damn if I ever go back to that fucking place. So you can take self righteous speech and shove it up your ass."
Straightening, Miaka steadied herself in front of Izaya. Bringing her hand back, she slapped the older girl hard across the face, enough to make Izaya stumble. Nakago tightened, eyes narrowing, forehead beginning to glow. Raising a hand, Izaya got his attention.
" It's alright." she said, running a hand across her cheek. A frown touched her face, but other then that she was unfazed. Facing forwards yet again, Izaya balled up her hand and punched Miaka in the gut. The smile returned to Izaya's face as Miaka gagged, collapsing to the floor once more. Straightening up, she loosened her fist, letting her hand hang at the wrist and waving it back and forth. " Next time think twice about who you slap, little girl." Then she spat and turned back around to face Nakago.
She smiled, pleasantly, finally tucking the switchblade in her hand into the back pocket opposite the Suzaku Shi Jin Tenchi Sho.
" Sorry, Nakago. I said it was your turn and ended up interrupting in the middle. Please," waving her hand, she made her way past him once more, back towards the wall, " continue where you left off. I promise I won't interrupt again." Watching her walk away, Nakago narrowed his eyes, gazing at her wearily as she went. Leaning her back against it, Izaya crossed her arms, running the back of her hand against the cheek that had been slapped. It was then that she noticed Nakago's gaze, giving a smile and a nonchalant wave at him.
Turning his attention forwards, the general continued his assault of the Priestess of Suzaku, Izaya simply sitting back and humming at tune as she watched. Letting her head rest against the wall, her eyes were half shut as she stood there, seeing Miaka get thrown into the air, hurdling towards the wall. When the younger girl didn't hit with the force that had apparently tossed her towards the wall to start with, Izaya stopped humming. Her gray eyes widened as another man appeared out of virtually no where in her eyes. He was a monk as far as Izaya could tell, though his face was clearly a mask.
" That was dangerous! She could have been killed!" he exclaimed, holding the bloodied form of the Suzaku priestess bridal style. Standing upright once more, Izaya took a step forwards, watching the newcomer, a renewed sparkle in her storm cloud colored eyes.
It wasn't long after that the monk's power had begun to tear the Temple of Seiryu to pieces. The floor around him completely shattered, sending bits of stone flying through the air. The glass windows broke apart parts, parts of these also becoming air born. Putting her arms up, Izaya did her best to protect herself against the debris. A large shard of glass caught her forearm, slicing it open, blood running down her fingers several seconds later.
" Stay behind me, Izaya-!" Nakago called to her, voice cutting off when Tamahome suddenly jumped at him. Sweeping past Nakago and Izaya, the Suzaku warrior went to join his priestess and other companion. Taking a quick glance at Nakago, Izaya saw the man clenching his side, biting back from a bit of pain. Seeing the three Suzaku followers conversing, Izaya took several steps closer to the Kuto general.
" Wait, Izaya-!" hearing her name said by Miaka, Izaya glanced over at the small group in time to see Tamahome holding out his hand towards her.
" Izaya! Come with us, quick!" he insisted catching the older girl's eyes. Before she could say anything at all in answer to these plees, Nakago had planted himself firmly in front of Izaya, glaring at Tamahome.
" Never!" the general snarled, using his power. The monk got in front of his two companions, holding out his hands stopping the blast.
" Chichiri. . ." words failed all of them as the mask fell away, revealing the true face of the monk. He was an older man, around Nakago's age maybe. What stood out the most, however, was the extensive scar that marred his handsome features. It consumed a good portion of his face, the entirety of his left eyes made up of nothing but scar tissue.
" Just go!" he called at his two dumbstruck companions. " I will follow you two later!" At that point, Miaka and Tamahome began making their escape through the monk's hat. As Tamahome took another glance over at Izaya, he opened his mouth to say something, but stopped. Standing on her tip toes, the older girl's head peaked out over the top of Nakago's shoulder armor. She stuck out her tongue, pulling down on her eyelid at the same time. It looked so absolutely absurd beside the serious, threatening expression on the general's face that as he made his escape through Chichiri's hat he was laughing.
The monk followed the two of them through the hat and as he disappeared, Nakago lurched forwards. Picking up the hat as it lay on the floor, Nakago simply blinked, seeing only the inside of the hat. A few seconds later Izaya crouched down beside him, looking into the hat as well. Nakago raised his eyes, meeting Izaya's for a second.
" Well that's not something you see every day, is it?" she said, easily, giving an easy smile and giggle, reaching out to take the hat herself.
" I have no excuse." the general stated, but Izaya gave a laughing, spinning the hat in a circle with her hands before placing it on her head.
" Nonsense," she retorted, running a finger along the brim of the monk's hat, " where's the fun in ending everything here and now? This makes things much more entertaining in the long run." Taking hold of the front of the hat, she flicked her hand, causing the hat to spin around and a circle on top of her head, a grin on her lips the entire time. Watching her, Nakago slowly stood up, closing the space between them. He laid out his hand, palm facing upward.
" Did you enjoy you're little game?" he prompted her and Izaya laughed, nodding her head as she dug her hand into her back pocket. Pulling out the Suzaku copy of Shi Jin Tenchi, she pressed it into his hand.
" Very much," she insisted, taking the hat off of her head and offering it to Nakago as well, " though I might have liked it better if those two bird brains had actually understood me in the end." Shaking her head, she shrugged her shoulders, sighing dismally. " As amusing as it is for them to think that I would actually leave with them, seeing their faces when they realize that I don't like either of them in the least would've been much more interesting. I'll have to settle with what I got, I suppose." As Nakago tucked away the Shi Jin Tenchi, the two of them began making their way out of the cracking temple, heading for the empty space in the wall where the doors had once been.
" How's your arm?" the general inquired, Izaya turning a blank stare at him for a moment.
" Compared to how beat up I was when you picked me up three months ago," she said, holding up her still freely bleeding arm, " this is nothing. A little water and some bandages I'll be good as new."~~
Because of the earlier interruption caused by the Priestess of Suzaku, the Emperor had arranged to have dinner with him that evening. Nakago would be attending, acting as a body guard of sorts to the both of them as they sat together. Izaya seemed less then excited about it when she realized that it would only be herself and the Emperor eating together.
" Where's the fun in eating with an old man like him?" she sniffed after getting her answer from Nakago on their way to the hall to eat. " I'm a forth his age and at the complete opposite end of the social standard. There's going to be no common topic for conversation." She gave herself a shake, glancing back over her shoulder, as though she were considering running back to the military barracks to eat her usual meal with Nakago's soldiers as she did every other day before that evening. Frowning, Nakago glared at her, in such a way that she shrank under it, taking a step away from him. Scratching the back of her head, she gave a dismal sigh and muttered. " This is going to be a fucking disaster. . ."
The general couldn't have agreed with her more.
Still, he led her to the meal, as were his orders. It started off rather dull, simple introductions being done all over again because it was actually the first time the two had gotten to talk to one another. She'd been given a place at the exact opposite end of the table to that of the Emperor, food stacked high on plates that occupied the entirety of the space between the two of them. Having been told to seat Izaya like a proper gentleman would, Nakago noticed on the way to the place that would be her's for the meal that the girl's face had brightened since finding out she would be so far away from the leader of Kuto. Pulling out her chair for her, just as she was sitting down, Nakago jerked the chair back. It was a small switch, one that the Emperor didn't notice from the opposite side of the table. Izaya recognized it immediately, glancing up into Nakago's glaring, deathly serious face. Seeing it, the smile on her own face fell slightly for a second. Then, it renewed itself, the glow in her face having dimmed, however. Reaching out, she patted Nakago's arm as he pushed her chair into its proper place in front of the table.
" Thank you." she said, warm, before facing forwards and gazing up at the Emperor across the way. Striding a few paces, Nakago took up a place standing right in the middle of the long table, simply watching as the servants tended to the Emperor and his young guest and the two of them began to talk.
It started off very well; better then anyone would've thought. Izaya actually managed to hold back vulgar remarks, jokes, and avoid using sarcasm the vast majority of the time. The few times she slipped up, Nakago glared at her from the corner of his eyes, though the Emperor seemed to miss the intended slur of these comments as she spoke them. In fact, the older man seemed to take a particular interest in Izaya, constantly questioning her about this or that, whether about her world or who she was enjoying her stay in Kuto.
Still, he eventually managed to get to the subject that he had invited her to dinner about from the very beginning.
" Has Nakago told you about what the country is preparing in the coming time?" he inquired carefully, watching Izaya carefully from across the way. He wasn't close enough to hear the small sneer that fell out of Izaya's mouth, though he did see the upward twist of her lip. Raising her head to gaze at the Emperor, she shook her head.
" There's no need to beat around the bush, Majesty," she insisted, easily lifting a bit of rice from her plate with her chopsticks, shutting her eyes, " I'm well aware that Kuto is preparing for war; Nakago has given me all the necessary information that I need." With that being said, she placed the rice into her mouth, chewing at it without once opening her eyes. The Emperor waited for a time, but when Izaya continued with a second bite once she'd finished the first, it became apparent enough that she was not going to say anything further and he spoke up himself.
" So, will you be our priestess?" his tone was level, though there was a tension in it that gave away the earnestness of the plea. Nakago watched as the young girl's face twisted into a small frown. Her eyes didn't once move off of the dish in front of herself; she seemed almost wholly interesting in the foods that lay on her plate. Holding her chopsticks aloft,she began twirling one of them, the other resting easily against the palm of the same hand.
" You know, in my world we have a very long history." she informed the Emperor, voice disinterested as she rested her chin in her free hand, gazing off at the wall rather then at any of the people before herself. In particular she seemed to be avoiding the Emperor's gaze, but kept speaking in a way that could only be meant for the elderly man. " Usually we start with the Roman Empire. It started as just a small city actually; Rome. Gradually, it spread, first taking over the country, then conquering its neighbors, one after another after another. At one point, the Roman's had control of almost the entire known world." Her words, though said as nonchalantly as possible, had the Emperor on the edge of his seat. Head angled forwards while the rest of his body was leaned towards Izaya at the far end of the table, the Kuto leader hung on every word that slipped past her wan lips. She seemed content in ignoring him.
" It's size became it's undoing. Despite all its military power, the Roman's had spread themselves thin by expanding like that. So, eventually, they were overthrown by a handful of unorganized Germanic tribes." Upon hearing this, the Emperor frowned, sitting back in his seat once more. It was at that time that the chopstick that she'd been twirling for her entire speech was stopped in its place between her index and middle finger. " It happened countless times. People trying to take over the entire world through war. During World War II, the German leader, Adolf Hitler, had an entire plan. How he would take over all of Europe and Russia before making his way across the sea and taking on the Americas as a whole. Nations looked to colonize others to prove their military power and wealth over one another the way a pack of hyenas does." She shook her head, shrugging her shoulders. Slowly, she lowered the chopstick that had once been spinning, placing it beside its brother that had been resting against her thumb, ring and pinky finger the entire time. Her eyes focused in on her plate once again " And every time it ended in utter failure. The Allied powers freed Europe and Hitler committed suicide. Colonies freed themselves from the nations that had over ran them for so long. And this little campaign of yours will end the same way." These final words hung awkwardly in the air after Izaya said them. The Emperor's jaw had dropped, remaining ajar as he either struggled to answer her words or simply waited for her to continue speaking. From his place by the wall, Nakago's mouth twitched and he seemed to be forcing his facial features to remain even. Clicking her chopsticks together, Izaya went back to eating her meal with a renewed vigor.
" J-Just what is it that you're suggesting, Lady Izaya?" he inquired with a stutter. Lifting the plate with one hand, Izaya began gulping down one bite after another in a more then unlady-like fashion. When she finally placed the plate back on the table she sat chewing with puffed up cheeks, a noddle dangling down and dabbing sauce against her chin. After a few seconds of this and then a swallow, she slurped up the last bit of noodle and chewed, eyes back on the walls a small frown on her lips as she narrowed her eyes, glaring. When she spoke next, there was a general bluntness, matter-of-factness to her tone that would have been difficult to miss.
" History has shown that attempting to take over the entire world is a fruitless effort; it's a waste of precious time and lives that could be put to far better use in other areas of life." Turning, she faced the Emperor, gray eyes dull, half shut as she went on. " You want me to become the Priestess of Seiryu just so that I can wish to seal Suzaku, thus make it easier for you to take over Konan. You're looking to expand your power so that you can take it a step further and take over the higher military nations to the North and East of your country." she paused then, raising a thin brow, as though daring the Emporer to tell her that she was wrong.
" I won't waste my time on something that I already know won't work." This line of conversation made it obvious that she was going to refuse to become the Priestess of Seiryu.
However, a smirk pulled its way across Izaya's lips, and she leaned back in her chair. " How about this?" she prompted, suddenly, raising her index finger to point at the Emperor. " I'll be your little Priestess," the Emperor's face broke to a smile, but Izaya turned her index finger so that it faced upward, " on one condition." He frowned, raising his brows. The smirk on Izaya lips never feel. Glancing at Nakago, her smirk widened and she waved her entire hand towards the blond general that stood by watching them eat and talk that entire time.
Blank face, the Emperor looked at Izaya, the girl rolling her eyes before elaborating. " Him. I want Nakago." Another stunned silence fell over the room. Nakago held his position, though his icy blue eyes had narrowed and where focused in on the young girl seated at the far end of the table. She didn't seem to notice his glaring, her own eyes locked onto the Emperor and the Emperor alone. The man couldn't have looked more unnerved if had tried.
" Nakago?" he echoed it back at her, a lack of comprehension still in his tone. With a huff, Izaya shook her, rolling her eyes yet again as she sat forwards, placing an elbow against the table.
" I want him," she repeated, firmly, pointing a chopstick at the Emperor, " all of him. I want you to release him to me." It was then that the Emperor seemed to be understanding what she was saying. The Emperor sent a side long glance at the captain of his military force, his pinky finger finding its way between his teeth as he sat, thinking. Then he took a peek at Izaya. She was dead confident in what she was doing at this point; as though she had just found the check mate call on a chess board. It was unmistakable, written in the wide smirk and steady eye contact.
" Alright," he finally agreed, giving a smirk of his on at the girl that had come from another world, " I think I can allow that. So long as he can still act as captain of the army?" Izaya scoffed, waving her hand dismissively at the suggestion.
" Of course, of course, " she answered, " after all, it's rather hard to instigate a war without the proper general, neh?" this prompted some laughter between them and the Emperor nodded his head. Then he raised a glass and nodded his head towards Izaya.
" To the Priestess of Seiryu, Lady Izaya!" he declared with a booming voice. Grimacing for a second, Izaya's smile grew dismal, dulled as she raised her glass in return. Her hand motions where sluggish as the two mimed glass contact from across the table and each took a drink.~~
As she left, Izaya was accompanied by Nakago. She hummed, seeming to be very cheerful when she had finally gotten away from the Emperor.
" You are a pretentious little brat." he growled at her once they were beyond the ears of anyone, including his own soldiers. Blinking, she turned her head up, tilting her head to the side, her arms swinging amiably at her sides.
" That's not very nice," she retorted, though her tone and facial expression showed she had taken no insult from his words, " now why would you say something like that?" Turning abruptly to face her, Nakago grabbed her by the chin and forced her back against the wall. His bright blue eyes narrowed to a glare. Izaya held it, somehow, her facial expression forced to remain steady, there for a second, her upward turned lips had twisted downward instead.
" Do you think you have the kind of power to bend me to your will?" his tone was low, deep, holding all the forbidding air. He saw her shiver for a short time, though Izaya's verbal answer came very quickly.
" Of course not." she stated, flatly. Nakago frowned slightly more, the angles of his brows becoming less steep, though slightly more twisted. The girl in his grasp held his eyes, unyielding, the smile on her face tight as she lifted her hands and placed them over top of his. She patted them gazing down at his fingers that were tightly rolled within the clothe of her shirt. The gesture seemed almost fond, enduring as though she thought this threatening aura where something she admired or at least respected to some degree.
Some time passed before Nakago finally set her down, and Izaya smoothed her shirt back into place in an easy, mechanical motion. They started walking again, and Izaya was the one that broke the silence.
" Neh, neh, Nakago? I really like tigers." Nakago just stared blankly at her for these words. " It always pisses me off to see those rich bastards cage up such a beautiful animal. Tiger's are so raw, so terrifyingly powerful that it makes them gorgeous beyond words." Turning, she sent a smile over at Nakago, who gave her a glare. Reaching out, she patted him on the shoulder. " I've always wanted to set one free and see it turn on those that thought they could control such a power. It would turn on me too, of course," she nodded her head at herself, as though there could be no question about it, " but unlike those cocky bastards that locked it up to begin with, I wouldn't pretend to believe that I could control such a thing. If it so desired, that tiger could devour me, and I wouldn't have a single complaint about it." Then, without another comment about it, Izaya skips ahead of Nakago down the hallway, humming contentedly as she went, heading in the direction of the room that had been given to her.~~~~~~
This chapter is done kids! Read and review! Please don't kill me! ( I don't have much to say today ^^;;; )