Kirou lazily walked through the palace gardens, waiting to Hotohori to be finished with his meeting with his palace advisors.  He gave a small sigh of longing and contentment, thinking of his Hotohori-sama as he wandered.  It was like a dream come true, being with the emporor. He was kind, he was gentle, careing, protective and everything Kirou had ever dared to hope for.

He paused, mid step, feeling the aura of the gardens change around him.  Feeling nervous, he turned to hurry back towards the palace, but froze, eyes wide.

The path was gone.

Panic started to rise in the boy and he curled in on himself slightly.  Something had happened...  He closed his eyes, trying to feel where he had been taken too, trying to feel the aura of the land to understand where he was.

His eyes opened again and he bit his lip, feeling like he was going to hyperventalate.  It was compleatly alien. Nothing about the places aura was familar at all, and he couldn't feel Hotohori's aura anywhere near by.

Hugging himself tightly, he began to slowly walk in the dirrection the palace would be if he was still in the capital.  He gave a terrifed scream as something large and undefine able rushed out across the path in front of him.
 

Hotohori sighed as he finally left the aduence chamber, it wasn't that he didn't like being the emperor, it gave him great pleasure to help his people but sometimes they insisted on seeing about some of the dumbest stuff! stuff they could have taken care of one their own if they had the mind to. Letting his hair out of his cap, he moved towards the garden were he and kirou had agreed to meet

As he stepped out onto the paths that he walked with his beloved, he suddenly got a feeling of dread and fear and he hurried his steps, all at once, it was all he felt and he knew something was wrong with kirou now and thanked his pig headed advisors in forcing him to wear his sword today, dashing forward, he drew his blade

coming around the corner, he stopped(sakura petals fall around him to be seen by everyone), felling slightly off, as if something drastic had just changed and then he saw his kirou and something else (what exactly is it?)

Kirou looked up, releif flooding his face. "Hotohori-sama..." His voice was on the verge of tears. He looked as if he wanted to run to the man but was too pretrified of the strange animal that was between them, hissing at him and looking menising.

Hoto edged around the tiger looking creature to get closer to Kirou. It looked like a tiger but not really, more liek a tiger and horse had mated and this was the offspring... both of them bad tempered because this thing didn't look like he wanted to back off

just as he was about to step infont of Kirou and challenege the thing directly, the beast lunged at kirou and Hoto moved with the speed of desperation, his sowrd nicking the animal in the sholder and throwing off the lung enough for it to miss kirou

the beast yelped and then took off into the trees

Kirou stopped screaming as the beast vanished and looked as if he was going to colapse. He took a shaky step towards Hotohori before his knees gave out and he fell agaist the man, buring his face in his shirt, shaking. "Hotohori-sama..." he said, voice on the verge of tears  convaying his releif the man was there and how badly he was upset.

Hotohor dropped his sowrd and wrapped his arms around his angel, " Angle its all right, i'm here and its alright" he hugged kirou and covered the top of his head with kisses until his love stopped shaking, " Love, i now its a lot of ask, but i don't think we should stay here, can you walk?"

Kirou nodded, trying to pull himself together. "I don't know where we are..." he said, voice small and slightly afraid. "The-- the aura of this place is so diffrent...."  He hugged Hotohori tightly before pulling away some to stand on his own and reaching for the man's hand.

Hoto took Kirous hand, gave it a quick kiss and him an appologitic look as he released it to fetch his sword, giving it a quick clean before re-sheathing it. He also took the time to look around and release that where ever  they were it was no where near home

standing next to Kirou, he looked around and then at Kirou. He held out his hand to him, " You are doing very well Angel, i agree, this place is strange and i will tell you that is frightens me as well. Come on, lets head down this way...."

Kirou nodded, taking Hotohori;s hand and walking very close to the man. "I-- I'm glad you came..." he said in a soft voice, looking up at the man with a small, but still slightly shaky smile. "Makes me feel safer..." He leaned agaist the man's side slightly.

Hoto released Kirous hand and wrapped his arm arond him, hugging the leaner man against his side. " You know i will always come for you, not even death could stop me from being with you." Hoto lapsed into silence as he pondered the landscape and the feeling of having his love next to him

"Kirou, i don't suppose you know how we got here?"

Kirou shook his head. "I-- I was just walking and it just... shifted," he bit his lip slightly.  "Something... moved us... I think..." he said in a small voice.

Hoto chewed on this bit of info for a few minutes. He knew that kirou had powers he was just beginning to understand and even though he could not feel anything evil.. maybe..," Kirou, do you think you know why? or if it had evil intentions?This does not seem to be a random trick by my normal enemies, but i would like to know if we face a greater danger then that of the beast"

Kirou closed his eyes breifly, trying to scout the area for auras.   He opened them again. "There's nothing large, spirit wise, anywhere near, and nothing dark." He bit his lip slightly. "But.... the-- the ground..." His face screwed up slightly as he consentrated on finding the right words to discribe what he had felt. "It's not that it has an aura, but...." He frowned slightly. "It's like... everything living has an aura, even plants and such, but they're really diffrent and faint, sort of like a very very soft glow you can barely see, but... things here..." He bit his lip again a moment. "Everything has a weird.. energy... of sorts..." He unconciously moved closer to Hotohori again. "It's strange," he said in a very soft voice.

Hoto wrapped his arms around kirou and willed his aura to suround him in is warm glow as well. " Its alright Agel, you have already told me more then i knew to being with that and that is enough

He stopped as they reached a clearing a looked around, "well, which way?"

Kirou melted slightly in the warmth of Hotohori's aura, letting it fill his sences and sheild him from the wrongness he felt from the rest of the land.

He pulled away slightly as Hotohori asked him to pick a dirrection, trying to feel what was in the dirrections.

"I-- I don't know..." He bit his lip slightly. "I can't tell..." he trailed off. "Hotohori-sama... I-- I don't think we're...." he hesitated. "We're not in your country anymore..." he said in a small voice. "I-- I don't even think we're in the same realm... or...." He trailed off, hiding inside Hotohori's aura again.

Hoto blinked down at the young man in his arms. He had come to accept that they weren't in his country anymore, but to be in another realm entirely.... first his mild rebelled, screamed at him that it wasn't supposed to happen this way, the miko came to them, not the other way, and it didn't feel like a mission from the gods, but then his mind quieted and the part of his brain the always kicked in during tragedy, jump started at that moment. There were other relms out there, the miko was supposed to come from one and if there were two relms, well maybe there were more, that assuming this was not the relm of the miko

but if this was not here relm then were was it? there must be someone somewhere that could tell them and thats what they had to look for, but carefully, you could never know if something was going to harmful

and there really was no rush if this turned out not to be harmful, he had left the empire in good condition, the boards had even managed to stay quiet for awhile, and with harvest season comign up, they would stay that way

Hoto suddenly realized that somehwere in the middle of his ponderings he had not only started talking out load but pacing and he stopped himself and look back at kirou

Kirou bit his lip a moment. "Well..." he ventured. "At-- at least there's no more meetings and offical things you have to go to?" he offered, eyes looking up at Hotohori, hopeing he'd said something helpfu.

Hoto felt his heart leap at the happy thought of spending time with kirou without hte pressure of duties on his shoulders, "HURRAH!!!" he yelled happily and run to kirou, picking him up, swing him around before kissinging him soundly (might i add happily)

Kirou made a small noise of startlement, eyes wide, not having expected that exuberant of a reaction. He blinked a few times before giving a blushing smile.

Hoto smiled down at his Angel and then kissed him again more lovingly, holding the slender man against him

Kirou melted into the kiss, eyes closing. Maybe this wouldn't be too bad... Hotohori-sama would protect him, and they didn't have to worry about the things they had to in the palace.....

As the kiss broke, he looked up at the man, eyes warm.

Hoto ran a hand down Kirous cheek lovingly, " Oh Angel, i hope this world is peaceful. It will be niceto sped time with you" With that thought, Hoto also sobered up off his happy trip. They didn't know for sure yet and they still had to find people to find out for sure, " Angel, i think we should find some people and find out if this place is friendly are not."

Kirou hesitated a moment, the idea of other people making him sligtly uneasy.  "Do... do we have to?" he asked timidly.   The all too familar fear of the unknown and the possibility of being hurt welled up in him and he hugged Hotohori tightly, trying to lose it in the comfort of the other man.   Hotohori couldn't just order people to leave Kirou be in this place... what if they found the ruler of the realm and he....

Kirou shudderd slightly, ending the though process quickly.

Hoto nods, " Yes Angel i really think we should, that way we meet them instead of us being surprised by them. It will be on our own terms." Hot looked down at Kirou, " And if you want, you can read the people first and if they are bad, then we won't go talk to them, ok?" Hoto rubbed his hands along kirous back comfertingly," I now this isn't the time kirou, but someday, i hope you feel you can tell me what bothers you so much about meeting new people. Until that time just know that i am here" Hoto kissed the top of his head

Kirou snuggled closer. "I'm just afraid of being hurt again..." he said in a small voice. He took a deep calming breath, relaxing slightly. "But... you'll protect me..." he said, smiling a little.  He squashed the worries as best he could, letting Hotohori's aura wash over him and melting into the love it held.

Hoto ran a hand through Kirous hair. He had often heard him mention about being hurt by someone, but he never said how.. thought Hoto had a good guess.. and he neve rsaid who...someday when kirou trusted him more, purhaps he would tell him. Out loud he said, " well lets go find some people then hmm?" he kissed Kirous forhead before releasing him enough so that they could both walk

Kirou nodded. He closed his eyes breifly, again searching for auras.  "That way," he said softly, pointing.

Hotohori set off in the direction that Kirou had indiced but not at his ground eatting walk. He took his time and strolled, enjoying the silence of being truely alone with his angel
 
 
 
 

Astor whistled chearfuly as he wandered down the foot worn path in the woods. He had no idea where he was and it didn't bother him at all. He beamed, looking around him, admiering the pretty seanery, adjusting his backback slightly.

Cole looked around himself in mild distress.  When had the castle become a forest?  He was next to certain that it hadn't been a forest the previous day.  And just when he thought he'd been fixed.  He had to still be in the castle because he couldn't get back to it... or maybe whatever talent he had was broken again.  Shaking himself out of his sorrow, he focussed on the practical issues.  If it wasn't the castle he had to find someone who knew where it was.

He looked up from the ground, smiling to see a brown haired boy approaching him from the opposite direction.  "Hello!" he called in several languages, hoping the other boy knew one of them.

Astor blinked. Where had that (very cute) boy come from? He smield largely and waved. "Hellooooo!" he called back, nearly bounding over. He slid to a stop and bowed.  "Lady luck smiles upon this humble soul this day," he smiled at Cole. "For I must be most very lucky to have encountered someone as wonderful as yourself upon my tecks in the wilderness."  He took Cole's hand and kissed the back of it, eyes spakeling.

[Chibi Astor: Waii waii! Bishonen! *glomps COle*]

[ChibiCole: huh?]

[as I can almost hear Cole going: He talks like Kajiro... :-)]

[CHibi Astor: It's Japanese for 'Very pretty boy.' My sister told me of it.  *winks at CCole*]

Cole blinked a few times, looking at Astor.  Hand-kissing must be a greeting, he decided and returned the gesture.  "Are you from near here?" he asked hopefully.

[Chibi Cole:  I know that... I'm Japanese...  I just don't understand why... .... oh? *blushes*]

[CHibi Astor: *giggles*]

Astor smiled elatedly. "Alas, I know not of our current location, therefor I know not if my humble dweling is near by."

"Oh.  Um... does everyone where you're from talk like that?"

Astor giggled. "I am most unique amoung my peers," he winked. "Do you wish it that I speak more plainly?" he inquired.

"It's easier to understand," Cole said appologetically, "but you don't have to."

Astor nodded. "For you, my dear prince, I will bend my ways." His eyes sparked.

"But I'm not a prine," Cole protested, eyes widening slightly.

Astor smiled. "Then tell me your name so I may adress you by your proper title."

"Oh!  I'm sorry!" Cole said in real distress.  "I'm Cole," he said with a bow.  "And you?"

"I am Astor Chandrika Silvermoon," Astor bowed deeply. "A humble soul blessed by your devine presence." His eyes sparked again.

"But I'm not devine either," Cole protested.  "I'm just a guy."  He fidgited, slightly disconcerted while he tried to decide if Astor's actions were normal or something else.

Astor gave a small giggle. "Humble yourself not, my dear Cole, for to this heart," he placed his hand on his chest. "You appear as devine as the heavens themselves."  He stiffled another small giggle.   Cole was so cute....

[Chibi Astor: "I live with the sun and the stars, and you are just as pretty as they." *winks*]

Cole blinked again and something clicked in his head.  "You're flirting with me, aren't you!"

Astor laughed. "Yes, my dear prince, I am," he smiled, resisting the urge to pinch the boys cheaks.

"Oh," Cole said, blushing slightly.  He didn't know what to say aside from that, never having had anyone flirt with him before.  Or at least never noticing it if they had.

Astor smiled gently. "Does my behaviour make you uncomfortable? If so, I will cease it at once, for that is not my intent."

"I've just... never been flirted with before... that I know of.  I might have been and just never noticed.  I don't notice some things...."  Cole tried not to look too confusedly appologetic, knowing that it wasn't working very well.

Astor smiled again. "More fools they for not appreciating your pure heart," he said in a softer tone.

Cole blushed harder, looking down.  There was a reason he'd hailed the other man...  Location!  Right.  "Um... do you know where we are?"

[CHibi Astor: *giggles* You're adorable, you know that? *pinches Coles cheek then kisses it*

[Chibi Cole: *eyes widen*  I am?]

[CAstor: *giggles* Yes. Verymuch so. *winks*]

"Alas, I know not," Astor lamented. "I make no notice of where my wanderings take me for the joy is in the journy and the thrill of finding beauty in the unknown."

He winked at Cole again, smiling.

Recognizing the flirting this time, Cole's eyes widened with his blush.  "Oh," he repeated.  "Oh..." he said in a softer voice.  "So... so I'm probably not in the castle anymore...."  His shoulders slumped.

Astor blinked. "Castle? My dear Cole, for shame!" He smiled largly. "Not only are you prince of this humble soul, but of others as well."

Cole blinked.  "No.  I just live there..."

Astor blinked again, then shrugged. "No matter," he smiled.

Cole looked at him.  "Are you still flirting with me?"

Astor smiled. "Alas, with your charm I cannot help myself," he confessed with a wink.