Chapter 5
Suguru Geto was enraged. It was an all encompassing rage coursing through his body, it made the flames that surrounded the area feel pathetic in comparison.
Megumi was gone, that fucking pink haired kid had kidnapped him. Guards that had been part of the mad chase through town had finally shown up and started working to put out the fire.
Suguru could barely manage to bark directions at them. He felt bad of course, the guards couldn't be blamed for this but he couldn't stop himself from snapping at anyone who got too close.
God, he just wanted to talk to Satoru. But Suguru had to finish commanding the clean up of the situation and Saturo was no doubt spreading the news around the kingdom and looking for people he could send out without risking the castle being exposed.
Dammit all, for Megumi Suguru would sacrifice everyone in this kingdom.
"Commander Geto! Perimeter guards are asking for your commands regarding the situation." The man said
"Tell them to lock down the gates. Leave only the center gate open and inspect and question anyone leaving the city thoroughly." Suguru said with finality.
There was no telling if that damned kid had alleys or not.
"S-sir, what is your o-official statement on the events p-p-passed" the man asks clearly nervous to bother him any more
"Crown Prince Fushiguro was kidnapped by an unnamed boy with pink hair and small slits beneath his eyes. Anyone with any information to report, inform any member of the crown guard or king Gojo. There will be generous compensation for any information that is concrete." Suguru growls out.
Seeing that the situation was under control Suguru released a breath he'd been holding in and set off towards the castle with fire in his eyes.
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Nanako Habasa had heard the news, how could she not. The crown prince was kidnapped. The knowledge had spread over the kingdom like wildfire. Upon hearing the news she'd locked herself in her laboratory and refused to leave since.
She'd drawn the curtains closed but the lack of light slipping through them showed that it was at least past sundown. She turned her attention back to her newest experiment.
With Megumi missing it would put the kingdom even more vulnerable than it was with Tsumiki's situation. Gojo and Geto were relying on her. Even if they never said it directly she could tell.
Nanako knew she was the best potion maker in the kingdom. It had always come naturally and with access to the resources available to a princess she had the ideal setup.
But even with all of that at her disposal she was failing Tsumiki. Five months ago an assassin had entered the castle. They had been sent from the Zenin kingdom. When they'd been discovered in their failed assasination of Gojo they'd cast something on Tsumiki.
Tsumiki had collapsed and she hasn't woken up yet. The assassin had disappeared in the moment of panic that had hit all of them. Gojo and Geto had called for every resource available but nothing had worked yet.
All they were able to figure out was that Tsumiki was in a magic induced coma. Since then the Zenin's had gotten more aggressive and forced Gojo's attention away from Tsumiki lest the entire land suffer for it.
Even though Nanako understood, she was still upset. Her sister was in a coma and her fathers were stretching themselves too thin to properly help her, and now Megumi was gone too.
But not forever, she'd stay in this room as long as it took to make a cure for Tsumiki, if Nanako could save Tsumiki then Megumi could be saved too. Everything would be okay, Nanako just needed to focus and make potions.
A pounding on her door shakes her focus.
"Who's there?" Nanako says with a gruff voice
"Just me." Replies Mimiko's voice
"Oh. Come in then." Nanako says her voice losing a great deal of its sharpness
As Mimiko steps through the door Nanako notes the large pack she's wearing on her shoulder and a second one in her hand.
"I want to talk to you." She speaks in a hushed voice
"We're talking now, just say it." Nanako replies sassily
"Help me search for Megumi." Mimiko says
"Wha- how could we help?" Nanako questions
"Gojo can't spare any magic users right now. I can do it but not without the help that you offer." She explains in her ever flat tone
"No. I'm sorry Mimiko, I need to stay here, for Tsumiki." Nanako decides
"Please Nanako, Megumi is in danger, Gojo and Geto can't risk anyone because without a crown prince the chance of the Zeinin kingdom making an attack is more than likely. Tsumiki is strong, she'd- she'll understand why we need to do this. I can't survive like you can, I can't track or hunt well. Battle tactics, traps, information gathering. Please Nako, help me help Megumi!" Mimikos voice wobbles and Nanako can see tears in the corners of her eyes.
Damn Mimiko for having such good puppy dog eyes.
"Okay… okay, I'll come with you, but we're doing this the right way and getting Gojo and Geto's blessing before we set out." Nanako agrees
"Really? They'll never agree in a million years, Gojo is too bullheaded to see what needs to be done and Geto is too protective." Mimiko whines
"We'll manage somehow, it's important we don't cause any other issues for the kingdom. Like running off to hunt down a kidnapper and leaving nothing but a note." Nanako gives Mimiko a pointed look.
"Very well, let's go find them then. Also, here I packed your bag already." Mimiko hands Nanako the bag she was holding earlier
"Real prusmpsius of you isn't it." Nanako snarks
"I just knew I can count on you to be reliable." Mimiko replies
"Stop trying to smooth talk me with compliments Mimiko!"
"But it works so well~" Mimiko smirks
Nanako sticks her tounge out at Mimiko and allows herself a small laugh at how childish they were both behaving.
Looking ahead Nanako sees the door to the throne room where Gojo was and takes a deep breath before pushing the large doors open.
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Gojo Saturo was having a hard time keeping himself together. He was the king, everyone in the kingdom needed him to be at his best at all times to manage the issues at hand.
But, Tsumiki had nearly destroyed him, the hope of her survival had been a life jacket in an endless ocean of mourning. But Megumi was gone too. Kidnapped of all the things.
Stolen by an unknown villain who had somehow managed to steal Megumi along with many of his son's precious inventions. And now he was having a stare off with Mimiko and Nanako who had taken it upon themselves to make his situation even more impossible.
Please god let Geto get here soon. I can't deal with this alone.
"Saturo, please think! We're the best people for this job, besides Tsumiki still lives so the Kingdom won't be without an inheritor while we're gone." Nanako says with determination
"Exactly why I won't allow it! This idea could very well end in your death, I refuse to accept that." Gojo fumed
"Doing nothing could lead to Megumi's death!" Mimiko screamed
"We'll be careful, and send messenger birds all the time. We'll track down where that man took Megumi, snatch him and come back to the castle. It's the best option!" Nanako states
"What is the matter here?" Asks the commanding voice of Gojo's lovely husband, here to help him with this and talk down the girls
"Suguru, please tell Gojo sending us after Megumi is the best way to get results!" Mimiko bursts out
"What. Are you mad, someone who could enter the castle and kidnap the crown prince is not someone I would ever send you to confront or provoke." Suguru keeps his voice even, not allowing emotion to leak in
"If we don't go on the offense then Megumi's life is very well in great danger. I know it pains you to risk us after everything that has happened, but we are not acting as sacrifices. We can't fight like Megumi but our practical skills make us ideal for finding Megumi." Nanako grits out
"We may be the last choice for such a job but that doesn't make us the least qualified. Please, think with your heads. Let us help everyone." Mimiko finishes, voice wavering
"N-" Gojo begins "Very well" Geto finishes
Saturo's eyes nearly bug out. He hears what Nanako and Mimiko are saying but it's still too big of a risk. Saturo will figure something else. Suguru should understand that
"You have both made it clear over time that you have no intention of leading calm lives. As princesses who have openly embraced your roles, danger is bound to follow you. You've both turned sixteen only two months ago but I must acknowledge your blooming adulthood and how far you've come." Suguru says
"If this is something you believe you can do then I place my trust and my blessing upon you." He finishes
Damn it Suguru. Damn that man's ability to make Gojo question himself, he knows he has the final say in this but… but.
"Well, how can I disagree with that? Send a messenger bird every two weeks and take no unnecessary risks and prioritize your life above all else. Got that?" Saturo says
"Saturo" "Saturo" Nanako and Mimiko gasp in surprise before fixing him with the biggest smiles he's seen from them in the five months since Tsumiki
"Thank you for relying on us." Mimiko says as she runs out the door dragging Nanako with her
As the door to the throne room shuts, Saturo allows his head to fall into his head. He feels Suguru slips his crown off his head and slip onto the throne he sat on and begin to play with his hair.
"Thanks Suguru"
"Anytime Saturo"
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Nanami ran a hand down his face and let his head lay on Haibara's lap. Those guards had shown up banging on his cart demanding a search because of a damn missing prince.
Ever the considerate one Haibara had welcomed them to take a look around. Nanami was a little surprised Yuji hadn't showed up at all, he'd said he was going to eat in the cart but maybe he'd just fallen asleep, that kid could sleep through anything.
The feeling of dread worsened when one of the guards across the street yelled something about criminals and all the guards ran off.
At first it had seemed like great luck since some of the things Haibara and Nanami owned would be a bitch and a half to explain, but looking around Nanami didn't see hide nor hair of Yuji.
Haibara had managed to calm Nanami down and said that Yuji had probably gone to ask around more about his brother or just took a walk.
Tired from the long day, Nanami had passed out with Haibara almost immediately.
He'd expected to see Yuji first thing next morning. The boy had a habit of waking up early and making coffee or tea and sometimes breakfast. A quick look around revealed that Yuji was still nowhere to be seen.
Nanami shook Haibara awake and told him the situation. After a tense breakfast the resolved to go and look around the city for him.
Nanami noticed a bunch of flyers up on a wall he hadn't noticed the other day. Walking over and grabbing one off the wall, Nanami was pretty sure he aged ten years in one second.
The poster showed a picture of a kid with hair like a sea urchin and Yuji, it read
Wanted: 10,000 gold
"An unknown man kidnapped Crown Prince Fushiguro, if you have any concrete information regarding the issue please report to a member of the crown guard and you will be heavily compensated."
Nanami crumpled the poster in his hand "Yuji, what did you DO?"
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Yuji and Megumi had been walking for almost a full day now. After Yuji had thrown them out of the collapsing gate Megumi ahd almost immediately dragged himself off the road and pulled out a map and compass from his bag.
He'd told Yuji to watch for anyone searching for them before begin to scribble some stuff on the map which Yuji figured was meant to serve as a guide.
Megumi had explained that they couldn't take any roads and would have to travel through the woods. Megumi had said he'd originally made a map for leaving through the main gate so he'd had to adjust the route.
Since then Yuji and Megumi had been hiking through thick forest for hours. It was awful. For a while he'd chatted with Megumi who actually made for an interesting conversation but they'd both gotten tired and fell into a comfortable silence.
In that time Yuji had taken the time to observe Megumi, in all the panic Yuji had never really looked at Megumi. The boy was a little taller than Yuji, he wasn't as muscular but to carry that backpack easily there had to be some strength.
He wore a plain shirt and pants paired with black combat boots and a dark and now slightly charred cloak. His hair lived up to the poster the long haired man showed. It stuck up at all ends like a spiky sea urchin. Yuji giggled under his breathe at the comparison
The setting sun hit his face in a way that made his pale skin practically glow. The rays of light layer on his hair and clothes casting shadows and making the boy look almost heavenly.
His soul glowed much in the same way. At first glance Megumi's soul was a deep black but if Yuji looked closer it was actually much more gorgeous. It was a deep mix of dark blue and purple mixed with strands of silver that were only visible if the soul shifted in just the right way.
"Yuji, the sun is setting, we should set up camp." Megumi snapped him out of his thoughts
"A-ah, alright, got anywhere in mind?" Yuji hopes the sunset covers his blush
"Yeah, there should be a river right through…" Megumi pushed back some moss hanging off some of the lower hanging tree branches "here!"
Looking over Megumi's shoulder Yuji sees a large roaring river. Fish swam through the unbelievably clear water. Willow trees leaned towards the river creating almost a roof over the sandy shore, it reminded Yuji of a grotto.
Megumi slid down the sand bank separating them from the shore. Yuji followed after him
"This river used to be much bigger and even more powerful. When the Gojo kingdom allowed in Kamo refugees the kingdom expanded in the south greatly. King Gojo had the river split in places and added in channels so that water was more accessible to the poorer villages in the area. Today many of the towns expanded into well known producers for the kingdom. It's also why the area around this river is sand despite this being a rocky region. The rocks were pummeled to dust by the river and the ecosystem hasn't had time to change" Megumi rambles
Yuji smiles to himself. Yuji had quickly discovered that listening to Megumi talk about history always managed to be much more interesting than Grandpa's ways of teaching.
"I'll go catch some fish or something to eat, I assume you have what we need to camp in your backpack?" Yuji asks
"You'd be right, I don't have a tent so we'll have to use the blanket I packed but it shouldn't get cold enough to be a problem. I have a firestarter in here so we'll have something to cook with but we can't risk an actual fire." Megumi says "I'll find somewhere hidden to rest"
"Aye-aye captain" Yuji sends him a mock solute as he walks off. "Now, let's trap some fish."
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