"Well. Could ask Sensei when we get to Kaedehara. Tokiwa-sensei's probably got some idea. Let's get goin'. Daylight's burnin'."Todoroki folows the others as they begin to leave in the direction of Kaedehara.
Rin's eyes continue to stare at where the Empress was once standing, absentmindedly fiddling with her Gnosis, which was gently pulsing.
"She could have killed us all here....why didn't she?"
"....the Cursed can't hurt other Cursed, Rengoku. That's why." "That....no, that's not right. It felt like she was....pulling her punches." "You call that pulling her punches?" "I don't know, Yamada. It just didn't feel right. My Gnosis was....responding to something there, but...."Rin shakes her head.
"No. That can't be right. Never mind. Let's go, Yamada."Yusuke's eyes are on Rin as she heads back to the group.
As are Momo's, whose eyes have returned to their normal gold color.
"...."She holds up her Gnosis, still as unreactive as it had always been.
"....is this the kind of power they're given?"She puts it back away, joining the others to leave.
At the Imperial Palace...Hisao stood there, stony-faced, as the Empress hurled a cup of tea at him. The projectile, fortunately for the Rooster, hurtled past his head, crashing and breaking across the wall behind him, leaving a brown stain on the wall.
"Pathetic! Pathetic! Rooster, you promised me you'd have them for me! How could you fail?! You forced me to step out there. You promised me!"
"We didn't expect them to come out in such full force. Nor did we expect Todayama to turn on us." "That Boar...how could she betray me? Aren't all of you supposed to obey me without question? That's how this works! I'm...this was the promise you all made to me!" "She found a loophole."The Empress was about to respond, before descending into a fit of hacking and coughing, causing the nearest maid to run to her, gently holding her back.
"Your Excellency!"
"Dragon! My medicine!"
"Yes, Your Excellency."Kodai approached her calmly, laying a cup of medicine at her side. The Empress snatched it greedily, downing the liquid in one gulp. The coughs continued, but eventually, they subsided enough for the Empress to continue speaking.
"....if it wasn't for this body....I would chase those traitors down myself," she uttered darkly.
"Dragon. Have your apothecaries figured out how to heal me yet?" "No, Your Excellency. Your...illness is not easy to treat. We are working as fast as possible."The Empress sighed. She calmly, softly touched Kodai's cheek. For a moment, a soft, vulnerable light entered the Empress' eyes.
"...when I am well, you will be rewarded for your loyalty."She turned back to Hisao, the moment of softness disappearing.
"Rooster. Take your men. Take what you need to. Tomorrow, you will continue your hunt. Your orders are the same. Return the Cursed to me, and send the others to the Dragon to have their memories wiped. No, not all of them. The one in the Mizuno robes. Bring her to me. Get rid of the rest. Dragon, Rooster, leave me be. I am tired."Hisao simply nodded. He knew; it wasn't the time to argue. He and Kodai exited the room, without sharing a word.
The maid remained at the Empress' side, producing a small pot containing a white salve. The Empress groaned, before sitting up right in bed, turning away from her, and shrugged off the sleeves of her
kimono, leaving her upper back exposed. The maid clambered onto the bed behind her, gently spreading the contents of the pot across her back. The Empress shuddered with the cold feeling.
"Please stay still, Your Excellency."
"It's cold." "It will be better for you. Please."
The Empress deeply exhaled.
"Thank you, Shimano. I don't know what I'd do without you. When will that Dog come home...he's the only one who understands." "You thank me with your courtesy, Your Excellency."
"Hm. That Mizuno robed girl....." "You mean Rengoku Rin? I'm sorry, Your Excellency. I....overheard.
"...no matter. She...something about her bothered me. That look in her eyes. How she looked at the Cursed. How dare she..."Her eyes drifted over the the Gnosis holder at the side of her bed, the same one that hung from her belt, sitting next to the Imperial Seal that usually hung from her neck.
The empty Gnosis holder, that looked as if it hadn't held anything like a Gnosis for years.
As Hisao and Kodai walked down from the Empress' quarters in silence, they were suddenly intercepted.
"Well, well. You two look like hell."Goro Gamou smiled at them. He and Kodai shared a brief nod.
"Gamou. Enthusiastic as always."
"Kobayakawa. I trust you took care of things for me here?" "Of course." "Good. Don't let me keep you if you need to be somewhere." "Did you get what you need?" "....close. Better luck next time. You'll get your shot soon."Kodai seemed disappointed by that answer, but he sighed.
"Alright."He walked away, leaving Hisao and Kodai alone. The Rooster sighed, closing his eyes.
"You have a real tendency to disappear when the Empress chews the rest of us out."
"Well, you know me. I don't particularly want to stick around for her moods."
"Have you no shame, Goro? You....of all of us, you are what Yukito needs to keep her in check."A sudden, sharp, steely undertone entered Goro's voice.
"She made it VERY clear that wasn't the case."The sudden hostility took Hisao aback, but not by surprise.
"Yukito needs you, Goro. Whatever the hell you're up to, stay here. She's the woman you love, is she not-" "The woman I loved disappeared seven years ago, Hosokawa! That's what I know. And the Empress replaced her."Goro's hand clenched. He walked away from Hisao, but not without a parting shot.
"Don't talk to me about shame, Hosokawa. The woman you made your promise to disappeared too and yet you're keeping it." "....you wouldn't-" "Understand? I understand just fine. There were three of us on that quest, Hosokawa. You made a promise to the other Cursed too. You're deciding to forget that?" "...." "Never accuse me of forgetting, Hosokawa. Or not understanding."With that, Goro walked away, leaving Hisao in dead silence.
Earlier, at Sangonomiya....
"...this is a problem. Well, the Empress can't get to us, but...."Kensuke sighed, noting the landslide that had blocked off Sangonomiya from the rest of the world.
"The young ones will be in danger, Kensuke. Can't leave them out there with the Empress and no way to get back home." "You're right, Uncle Hiro, but..." "Young Kensuke, you still have the Curse within you. You're the only one who can track them down." "....you're right, yes. We need all of the Cursed together, if we're to stand a chance against the Empress. We'll give it a few days. Our men need to rest. We'll ride out as soon as the roads are ready.""You're not thinking of leaving me to handle this all alone, are you?"The two men turned as an elegant-looking woman in red clothing approached them. Kensuke looked her up and down, before shaking his head.
"...no, Natsumi. I won't lead you into danger. Not again. We left you in the Palace and that's not a mistake-"
"Brother dear. You're going to need as much help as you can get. It's the responsibility of the older sister to watch the younger brother, is it not? You're going up against Gnosis wielders, after all. And safety in numbers. Besides..."She stares into the distance.
"Needle and thread won't end the Empress' madness. I should take my part in this." "Truly, the Kamisato bloodline....a determined lot, aren't you? Ahah! Come then, Lady Nitta. Do you know how to wield a blade?" "I've always been better with knifework, Uncle Hiro." ".....oh, boy."....
Meanwhile, later that night....The wind and the rain battered at the lone traveler walking the darkened road through the abandoned countryside of Amatsu. In her hand was a lantern, lit with a regal purple light, the manifestation of the power of the Fulmen Gnosis that coursed through her.
Her clothes were wet, but her determination was steeled. She clutched her satchel to herself, carrying scrolls, books, anything that could tell her the secret of breaking the centuries-old Curse.
"...."Her dark hair stuck to her clammy skin, but she kept going. This was the path she had chosen to walk, alone, to free herself of the Empress.
Keiko Kuroda, the Cursed Horse of the Zodiac, refused to bow her head.
However, the storm was too strong to weather, even for someone of her will.
"There has to be somewhere to stay, surely. Even in this...."Her eyes were suddenly drawn to the orange glow of a mansion, standing upon the lonely plain, surrounded by white walls and with lanterns burning through the rain. It was opulent, not unlike the buildings of Soumahara, and stuck out like a sore thumb in the rural back-country of Amatsu. Still, it was her only option if she wished to avoid her death by cold, even if the hairs on the back of her neck rose at the prospect of entering that mansion. From the distance, she could make the name out of the name of the estate.
Sawatari Mansion.
"Pretty tight. We go a while back."
"We first met....a while ago. Small thing. Not really worth talking about. He helps out sometimes at the Tennis Club, when we need an extra hand and Akitsuki isn't around."
"....I...suspect using an even hand would be better than telling a fellow club president to know that your time is important. Possibly more than hers."
"Oh! Hey, Aika! I didn't expect to see you around!"
"Didn't figure you for someone into baseball. Hey."
