Her precious appa...she worked hard and traveled back in time to keep her parents alive but sge feels like a total failure in that.
She hasn't been reasoning, since PaOh's death. She is convinced she can bring him back but this time, in a body that Zimkesha won't take easily... this is the main reason why it is taking some time. She has to strengthen Yo's body as much as possible before to put PaOh's soul there.
After a lot of researches, she decides to turn Yo into a KoZ but when she aims to kidnap him, well she can't find him anywhere and not even Won. That's when she starts to feel desperate and to think a bit more about what she is doing.
She returns to the Palace, lost in her thoughts. From PaOh, to Haru leaving them there, everything feels like a stab.
Once in her quarters, she curls up on the grass of the garden and leans her head against the wall on the side. Jin and Song are staying in the Imperial Palace too, in the same quarters as where the Hu are being hosted and he comes across her, to his surprise. He decides to approach, since he heard what happened to PaOh.
He simply sits beside her. "Shiix Xu."
NoriYori looks up in an annoyed way. "What do you want?"
"Don't be like that, I didn't want to bother you. How are you?"
She doesn't look less annoyed though. "Not in the mood."
"Aigoo, stop. I don't have strange ideas, you are really terrible." Song sighs, a bit annoyed too now but gently takes her head and moves it against his shoulder. "What happened to him was terrible but nothing compared to what he left behind..."
She strangely doesn't complain. "I'd do anything to have him back...anything."

*+*

But there is not only her. Yoshi is so lonely, he also feels abandonded by the family. Nothing seems to get better for him, he doesn't even get some comfort by his older sister.
He helped out an innocent servant girl that was being punished by Julian for something she didn't do. For his greatest surprise, while he is sat in the usual spot to watch fishes, she comes to him. She shyly bows to him and he stands up, doing the same. "Shiix Xu..."
"Shiix Xu." She keeps her gaze down. "Do you remember me, by any chance?"
"Ye, of course. You are that servant, from the other day...I hope he did not punish you eventually..." He sighs.
"He did not...I wanted to thank you, no one would have taken my part and defend me like you did. Gomapda. My name is Kim Aran."
He bows his head. "I did what everyone else should have done. I am Hu Yoshi."
She extends her hands with a small box. "This is a gift, to thank you..."
He blinks and takes the box. Inside there is a simple soap. "Gomapda." He forces himself to smile slightly.
She smiles too as he does. "You had your dinner already? Please let me serve you."
And he lets her do but they basically eat together, since he insists.

*+*

After a few other meetings during the time at the Palace.
"It doesn't worry you to be like this with me? I have heard there are ears and eyes everywhere in here." Noriyori says, lied on the ground with her head on his lap.
Song shrugs. "I hope Minister Jang hears I am interested in a girl that is not his daughter. It would either make him stop proposing a combined marriage to me or make his a better offer for me."
"I won't cover you and say I am your woman if they come to investigate if it's true."
Song raises an eyebrow. "Daebak, such a wench. What kind of friend are you?"
"I am not your friend, never said."
He just snorts at her words and she does the same eventually and sits up. "It is not that bad to spend time with you actually. Are you bored too at this time of the day?"
"I am bored any time of the day here, if I don't go out. What princesses do to have fun here?"
"I would be an expert of princesses if they were not my cousins. I still am not that open to go for incest."
They continue to talk nonsense and laugh. At least he helps her to get distracted.

*+*

It becomes a habit for Aran to bring him the dinner and eat together. She also likes him a lot but he is still a bit naive, even if he feels something when with her.
"The orange one is a clownfish, it is the oldest. I have it since two years by now...I bought him as birthday gift. Abeoji told me I could choose anything not expensive." Yoshi takes a breath and she places a hand on his arm. The move surprises him and it is clear, so she moves it away.
"Mianhamnida..." She bows her head.
He looks away and blushes. "No...no, don't apologize."
"Do you want to...take a walk?"
He nods and stands up. "Ye, ye let's go." Even too eagerly.
As they walk, they touch each other's hand and after the first moment of shock, especially from his side, she shyly takes his hand.

*+*

"Shii is cool, she is not a feared one... everyone admires her. You are lucky to have her gift." Noriyori says, thoughtfully.
"Hm...there are Gods who are not 'cool' for you?"
"Not really, I just think anyone would take Shii's power rather than another."
"Is it the one you would pick?" He smirks slightly.
"No. I am fine with what I am, even if most people don't understand me."
"It is strange you didn't get something special too though. Your umma has Suhiir's crystal and your brother the jewel of Morgan."
"Maybe I just didn't find out yet what special powers I have..." She knows since years bur she didn't tell anyone yet. It worries her too much.
"You are strange tonight. Are you thinking the same thing I am thinking?"
"Surely not." She stretches with arms while being sat on the grass. "Ugh, I need to sleep, I am tired."
"I was sure we hadn't the same thing in mind." He stands up and she does the same to aim to go to her room. He grabs her by wrist though and pulls her.
"Yah, I said I'm ti-..." Interrupted as he kisses her lips. He holds her not to make her back off right away. After a bit he stops and prepares to give another deep kiss but she finally backs off and frowns. "I am not in the mood, smartass!"
He lowers his gaze for a moment, snorting. "Nori, I like you. Think about it tonight, I am eager to have your answer." He bows and starts to walk away.
She snorts in an annoyed way. "He is crazy, how dares he to give nicknames even."

Under punishment and Haru doesn't seem to want it to end, but today it is a particular day. Haru has to go to visit her doctor that gave her an appointment at the same time as when school finishes, so she can't go to take her home...
She doesn't know what Haru is going to do but she starts to walk out of school full of hopes she can have a free afternoon.

She remains near the door and looks around. She just checks if there is anyone for her there but she can't see anyone, so she immediately grabs the chance to flee. "What to do, what to do..." She looks quite excited and in good mood.

Suddenly she notices Song and why not...she couldn't have some pleasure in ages. She approaches to hit on Song, she lies on her age. They take a drink and some food from a stand, eating while walking.
They talk and eventually Song takes the first step. They stop walking and he looks down at her. Song places an arm around her waist and pulls her closer. He wouldn't be this straight on the very first meeting but since Noriyori was even worse since the beginning...
He smirks slightly and aims to kiss her lips but...well she is unpleasant with so many, that anyone could come to ruin her plans! ❤

"You have to help me out. Distract umma, I'll run to the Temple of Mortian, tell her I went to Zimkesha's and that I looked very determined or sh*t like that. Whatever you want, as long as I manage to enter before she arrives. Ok?" She says to Shiko, begging for his help.

She sneaks away from school easily and from there, she runs to the Temple of Mortian. The idea she could die doesn't even cross her mind.
She arrives and approaches the statue of Mortian, a bit unsure once there. "Daebak...what do I have to do? Shiix Xu? I know you hear me and you know what I want to do...so let's get started?" It is my fault if the other me is dying, so I have to... - she thinks. "Yah, I am ready. Make something happen!" Of course nothing happens, so she goes to a Priest. "Yah, don't make questions, but I have to meet with him, so open a portal or whatever." She crosses her arms on her chest.
Without too much struggle, they agree to open the portal for her and again, without second thoughts, she proceeds.
She finds herself in a place, surrounded with grey clouds and fog, lightnings in the sky. She looks around, a bit stunned. "Ye..ok, where to, now?" She begins to walk, she cannot even see anything in the distance.
As she proceeds, all the sudden two people appear in front of her. One pushes the other on the ground roughly, saying. "Give me what you have there!"
"Leave me!" But the other starts to hit him hard.
Noriyori can make 2+2...if this is the God of Justice and he is going to put her in front of challenges, this must be the first. She grabs the thief's wrist and breaks it, then trips him. "Go away, it is his!" And the two figures then disappear.
The clouds around become slightly less dark. She restarts walking and sees the same figure, the "thief" with his family...starving kids. "Appa, I am hungry... you hadn't to get your payment today..?"
Noriyori sighs at the scene, now afraid she actually made a mistake. Suddenly she hears some noise behind her, as she turns around she sees the other figure, the one who was apparently getting robbed, eating like a pig and wasting a lot of food. Also due to anger, she approaches and takes away the tray of food. "Yah, motherf***er. Be careful to this kind of sh*t, there are people who cannot eat out there." She just leaves the tray near the poor family spot.

Everything disappears again. Clouds changing so slowly she can barely notice, as she goes on with the challenges. The figures also begin to fight her back as she interacts with the scenes, they become harder and harder, also more complicated to define and solve. Also, the figures become familiar...basically her people doing things they shouldn't.
Eventually she finds herself in a different environment. It is her school and she is herself, walking in the corridor, which is empty. Suddenly she comes across another girl and Noriyori recognizes her face right a way, the only face she could never forget for the hate she feels for her. The Empress from her future.
She raises her hand in her direction and she stops, like chilled and from every hole of her body, blood starts to come out, then she is like pierced by thousands of spikes -torment like-. She clenches her grip and the other just falls dead.
When her mental film finally ends, she stares at the other and her hands trembles slightly. "This is just another challenge. She is guilty...so what should I do. She caused umma and appa's death..." Her eyes are teary, as she remembers all the bad moments she went through before to go back in the past.
"Is she guilty? Do you know her? Did she hurt your family yet?"
Noriyori shakes her head, being a bit stunned. "It is for what she will try to do in the future...I shouldn't stop her?" She says but then realizes... "This voice?" She turns around and her eyes widen as she sees Mortian himself. She falls on her knees and lowers her gaze, then shuts her eyes, narrowing them. "I failed, isn't it? I cannot save her and my sister will die because of me." She bites her lips hard enough to make a wound. "Mianhamnida...I was greedy, I couldn't give up on them, so I even took her parents..." Everything around starts to become white. "Mianhamnida..." She doesn't know what else to say, his presence stuns her too much.
"What did you come all the way here? What are you seeking?"
"I...I want to save my parents' baby...I need your treasure to do that...Zimkesha's is killing the baby..." She hears footsteps so she raises her gaze, seeing Mortian walking away and slowly disappearing. "Yah! You are my only hope! Stop!" She aims to run after him but she gets teleported back in Shiirhuang, not in the Temple though. Straight in front of her home.
Once there she looks around, wondering if this is true or not...but as she places her hands in her pockets, she feels something. She takes out a white jewel...she covers her mouth and falls on her knees, shocked she actually made it.

Something strange happens. In the middle of the night, just outside the gates of Shiirhuang, a yellow portal opens.
Two youngs come out of it, a girl and a boy. They are dirty, with ruined clothes and they look destroyed, broken...
The two come from the future.

*FlashForward*

Qing dies due to his conditions getting worse, without all the proper care. This tragic event is only the beginning...
After Qing's death, LianBi leaves the throne in the hands of Gidae, the Crown Prince. Gidae, regardless the right attitude and the good will, was not ready to rule yet and because of this, many factions turn against him. He keeps struggling a lot, Peng helps him the best she can but nothing seems enough.
One day, the most powerful of the factions manage to poison Gidae, taking the throne by force. To rule, the first Empress in the history, Kim Sa Hyun.

At the same time... Months later the wedding of Haru and PaOh, Mako shows up by Jichen's manor with a baby. "Now he is your problem." They had a crazy night, both were very drunk and it happened.
It is so sudden. He remains a little shocked at the beginning and asks "Can you prove that he is my son?"
"You were the only man I was with, in the last months. Make a few counts."

The Empress soon starts to prove herself selfish and careless of the people. One of the factions at the council she has against, is always Shinobi's. That's why she begins to discriminate the Shinobi, making the life very hard for Haru and other known Shinobi, in the Empire. In the first years it is only discrimination, but then it turns into pure hate and soon, Imperials start to hunt down Shinobi. Haru and the others are forced to move to Shiixia, for their protection.
Jichen remains behind and tries to hide the fact that Shiko is one of them. He didn't tell it to him but one day, at school and after physical education, when the children were changing their clothes, one of them points Shiko and starts to accuse him to be a Shinobi because of a symbol on his shoulder. The birthmark of Hiro.
Jichen knows that something like that could spread fast and turn into a big problem, so he takes Shiko and escapes from the city. Some days after he has to ask for help to the last person he would like to ask a favour to, but the only one that could sincerely help him. He asked PaOh.
Jichen and Shiko arrived to Shixia with the others. For Shiko is everything so strange but at least the presence of NoriYori and other known relatives help him.
They apparently have some year of peace there, but a Shinobi betrays them all and point to the Empire the exact location of Shiixia to have his life spared.
They are forced to abandon Shixia fast and Haru, PaOh, Jichen and their children leave together, finding shelter in the North.
They keep being hunted down, though.

Haru, while hiding and thinking Noriyori is asleep, goes to talk with PaOh. She is exhausted and desperate. She usually never cries in presence of Gamja, it is the first time she hears Haru cry.
"What can we do? She cannot continue to live like this, it is only about time they find us even here..." Haru sobs, glancing at the 'sleeping' Noriyori. "We have to save her..."

Days later, the Imperials find them and surrounded the place, blocking every way out.
Noriyori remains with Shiko in a room, looking emotionless. Haru, PaOh and Jichen meanwhile, try to find a solution but what can they do?
When they all realize there is not a way out for them, they take a drastic decision. Together, with all the power they have, they create a portal for the past. Haru gives Noriyori some quick explaination of what she has to avoid but she bursts into tears and refuses to leave. She pushes her through the portal and Shiko too, but that's when the Imperials break in and as they guessed before, they don't make it in time to save themselves as well, they just block the way until the portal closes completely.




Noriyori falls on her knees and and bursts into tears, shouting loudly. "UMMA! APPA! WHY?!" It takes some time for her to calm down...
When she gets back to herself, more or less, she grabs Shiko and starts to pull him. First, they head to Jichen's manor, then to Haru and PaOh's but there they don't find anyone.
The builders though, give her the address of where the two are living, so Shiko and Noriyori head to the Gisaeng Inn.

After spending a lot of time with KiTae, he returns to the Generals to report everything he heard from him.
They all gather around him, to hear, since he could have really important informations. Even HyunKi approaches him, hopeful. WooJin gives him a strange look but then glances at everyone. ''I have very worryingly news... you have to know right away. He said, I heard it coming out of his mouth, he said his abeoji is inside the Imperial Palace!
And he is in touch with several serial killers, he said he blowed up an island. He must be an experienced engineer!
One more thing...Commandant?''
HyunKi is so surprised by everything, he didn't expect KiTae could really be that dangerous. ''Ye?''
''Someone should go to control him, I would not trust to leave him alone. We need someone very capable to keep an eye on him.''
''I'll go, and my guards must stay alert and start looking for Yama.'' HyunKi indeed leaves.
WooJin is such a cunning wench, it is useless. He looks at the Generals very seriously when he leaves. ''I have serious doubts about the Commandant, Your Excellencies... KiTae, he said Commandant Hu is the ex boyfriend of Haru, that he has never accepted that he got dumped by her for his own father... he could have known about Shinobi from the beginning and caused all this himself, just to have revenge on her!''