Gotta Knock A Little Harder...[FINISHED]

[Oracle]

[This takes place immediately after "Of Mice And Men," located in the Joukai.]

If there was one place in this universe the Malakite wished that he didn't have to go to -- one place at all -- it would be this place. The place where he spent so many great days and brilliant nights. The place where he felt conditioned and adored to certain extents. The place where he felt rejection, curses and a heart that shattered into tiny pieces. It was the place where his life as of now all began.

Tomo's palace.

The last time he talked to Tomo, harsh words were exchanged. Well, mostly given out by Tomo than shared by the two of them. She made it clear that she wanted nothing else to do with the Malakite. But given the condition that he was here under Gin's orders almost made the mission somewhat tolerable.

Still, that did not help his anxiety of this moment.

Swallowing his pride, Oracle headed toward the palace gates, seeing the same three guards from his last meeting with Tomo that ended with him meeting the troubled Mishiranu Arashi, who Oracle learned evaded his little set-up for Gin's guards in the Ningenkai. However, once they saw him, they did not have the same reaction to the Malakite as previously intended.

"Halt!" The bigger one said. "Stay were you are, Zaihou!"

Oracle stopped, seeing the two smaller guards draw their weapons. He frowned.

"What is the meaning of this?!"

"Under the orders of the Yami-Ou," the smaller one said, "you are under arrest."

Oracle rolled his eyes and sighed. Of course, I am, he thought to himself. He stared at the guards. "I do not have time for these games; I must speak to Tomo regarding Dior situations."

"That time will come when we see fit," the medium-sized guard said.

Oracle continued walking toward the guards. "No," he declared. "It will be when I say."

The guards approached Oracle, only to phase through him and fall on the ground. Using his Void magic, he picked all three of them up with a simple raise of his hand and sent them through the palace doors, pinning them to the floor so that they wouldn't pester him any further.

And to think that the day was starting off so well...

Oracle stepped on the back of the larger guard and rested his staff on the back of his head. The Malakite closed his eyes and deeply inhaled.

<Tomo,> Oracle started. <It is I, Oracle. I have a message to deliver from the Ha-Ou, Kouzetsu Gin. Please make yourself present. Oh, and next time you try and arrest me, make sure that your guards don't have the brain capacity of a peanut please?>

Oracle opened his eyes and sighed deeply, trying to ready himself for this meeting. Once he exhaled, he stared at the ground; letting both his hair and the shadow of his hood overtake his face.

"Little Lotty, let your mind wander..."

[Sanada Tomo]

Tomoyo waited until the head of guards at the front gate approached her from outside and gave her a report on who he was, ignoring the mental notes that played in her own head, courtesy of Oracle. He looked rather sheepish, seeing as Oracle had made his way into the castle without their escort.

"It's fine for now," she assured the guard, who informed her of Oracle's name and title. After that bit of redundancy, she said aloud to Oracle, "My guards are very smart, Oracle. Just because they do not notice your cheap ploy at making yourself intangible does not lessen your intelligence. Rather than use tricks, why not allow them to bring you to me next time instead of trying to impress someone who isn't looking with your antics. You say you are hailing from Heaven, and I believe you." She smiled. "But I must ask, Oracle, how long before they cast you out? Before they realize you are not really an Angel? I imagine that they wouldn't trust you with anything very important. Also, you don't have to pretend to be mysterious with the get up and all. I am perfectly aware of what you look like under your hood when you aren't copping out with a disguise. Your face is plastered all over Hell by now. It makes no difference at this time."

Tomoyo was not in the mood for Oracle's sneaky ways, and she wanted to shut them down from the get go. She was doing the last of her recovery from the attack on the palace staged by Ilreg and Taiyou, and that included the repairs and magical reinforcements on her castle.

"Deliver your message promptly and leave. I have important matter to tend to with a friend of mine."

[Oracle]

Oracle stared at Tomo blankly as she countered his mental statement with her words that were now more annoying than hurtful. If his list of pet peeves were present, hearing another speak in monologue would be close to the top. But, being that this was her palace and all he supposed that he had no choice.

"My guards are very smart, Oracle," she gloated. "Just because they do not notice your cheap ploy at making yourself intangible does not lessen their intelligence."

Oracle could do nothing but smirk at the statement. Because if his memory served him correctly, that same "cheap ploy" she stated was what helped Oracle deal with her from the start. But when she suggested to allow the guards to escort him the next time instead of trying to impress one who is unimpressed with his ways, he let out a small chuckle.

As if there would be a next time...

"You say you are hailing from Heaven, and I believe you. But I must ask, Oracle, how long before they cast your out? Before they realize you are not really an Angel?"

Oracle's smile stayed the same. It was about that time in the monologue for an instigation, wasn't it? Something to be said just to make herself feel better? Either way, Oracle knew from experience that words were cheap and crumble with the crush of a fist; it was the fist itself that was worth investing in.

"Also, you don't have to pretend to be mysterious with the get-up and all," she continued. "I am perfectly aware of what you look like under your hood when you aren't copping out with a disguise. Your face is plastered all over Hell by now. It makes no difference at this time."

Now she was being redundant. If it made no difference, then why mention the matter in the first place? But, just to humor the Yami-ou, he removed his hood shaking loose his whitened hair as he returned his hands to his staff.

Oracle was now trying to realize why he was so worried about coming here in the first place. Instead of staring at a being of established authority in a realm hand-made, the wingless Malakite stared at a being who leeched off the emotions and abilities of others, having no true power at all. This was not at all the Tomo he had loved for a time. And truthfully, he was glad it wasn't.

"Deliver your message promptly and leave," she demanded. "I have important matters to tend to with a friend of mine."

Oracle's smirk widened a bit as he let out another chuckle. "Well, it seems we still do have something in common," Oracle replied to the hypocrite. Wasting no more of his own time an life, Oracle proceeded with the message.

"The charter between the two nations is in need of revising," Oracle said, stating Gin's words from memory verbatim. "Several mutual enemies of the state are now to be sought after and executed. Plus, the Ha-ou must be made away if these killings fall into the purview of a breach of tolerated violence against your countrymen."

Oracle then perceived to stare at the presence of Tomo's castle, which looked to be a bit out of order. That, and the fact that he could sense the magical reinforcements being reconstructed. Oracle let out an astonishing huff of surprise.

"Or country..." he stated underneath his breath, but still loud enough for the echo of the throne room to make what he said reach the Yami-ou's ears.

[Sanada Tomo]

"The Charter between the two nations is in need of revising several mutual enemies of the state are not to be sought after and executed. Plus, the Ha-ou must be made aware of these killings fall into the purview of breach of tolerated violence against your countrymen."

Tomoyo listened intently as Oracle's style of speech changed, undoubtedly to Gin's message. She ignored Oracle's add-on as she mulled the words over. Sanada Tomoyo had for teh longest time wanted to meet with Gin, but feared that imposing her presence on Heaven would leave a negative impression. Now she was being invited by Gin himself, which would give her the opportunity to discuss the pursuit of Arashi as well as Ilreg, the most recent instigator of damage to the castle.

"Thank you for the message, Oracle," Tomoyo said, dropping her formerly acidic tone of voice. "I appreciate it."

Immediately after that phrase was spoken, Tomo began to mentally plan her trip to Heaven. She would go the traditional way, of course--and she would only discuss the matters at hand. While Tomo knew that Gin was very professional, she did know his perspective on Hellion beings in general. She would be prepared to face hatred, but she would hope that Gin's approach would be more diplomatic, and that he would express such settlements.

Rising from her throne, she conjured many scrolls of paper--there was much work that she had to complete before she even prepared to venture to Gin.

"Please tell Kouzetsu Gin, Ha-ou of Heaven that I graciously accept his invitation, and my presence shall be made apparent in the first of Heaven soon enough. I will be traveling with Symphony, and I will expect that we shall not be attacked upon our arrival. You may now consider yourself dismissed."

[Oracle]

It was odd. Oracle was expecting another crude remark about commenting on the state of her palace. Instead, he was thanked and appreciated for the message delivered from himself, originating from the throne opposite of herself. He didn't understand what he was reading from Tomo at the moment; she was browbeating him in one instant, and the next, she was being a pleasant host. He wanted to loathe her, he truly did. But once again, he realized that just being around his one-time love was intoxicatingly frustrating. He hated to admit it, but it was true.

He still had feelings for her.

"Not Heaven," Oracle added as he Yami-ou replied with her own message. "The Ha-ou wishes to meet you where he considers 'truly neutral ground.' He speaks about the Heimenkai; the 'Path of Gates'."

In a way, he was gladdened that the two rulers of Heaven and Hell were keeping out of the mortal realm for this meeting. To grace themselves with their presence would mean that they would have to stumble upon his growing empire there. The last thing Oracle needed was for Tomo to find out about Skylight Industries.

"The Ha-ou also states that he seeks to change the organizational structure of Heaven's government," he stated. "You might want to consider this among other things before you two meet."

Oracle then started to turn around, using Tomo's dismissal from earlier to his advantage, yet still positioned to hear if she had anything else to add.

[Sanada Tomo]

He wanted to meet in the Heimenkai? Very well.

He was not very faithful in their treaty, she supposed. This would be one mark already against her going into the meeting. She said nothing else to Oracle, but sighed; she had a lot of work ahead of her, especially if he was trying to change the structure of Heaven's government. Tomoyo realized that change was inevitable, but depending on what it entailed it could also be detrimental to Gin's purpose in Heaven. She had much to think about for the coming meeting.

But what of Oracle? Tomoyo watched his back as he left, but there was really nothing more that she could say. She knew what Oracle was, who had made him; she also knew what he believed himself to be, and knew from experience that he was not. She could also see what he was trying to become, working for Heaven now, and she had her own opinions about that as well. No longer close to Oracle like she used to be, there were a number of reasons that she could speculate about Oracle deciding to rejoin Heaven, but she was sure that none of them were genuine, and he was deluding himself.

Pushing further thoughts of the sort from her mind, she said simply, "Farewell, Oracle."

[Oracle]

Once Oracle turned away from Tomo, he frowned in disgust. The fact that he was still drawn to her made him sick, and being in the spawn of the infestation was not at all helping his ailment. It seemed that Tomo was silent to ponder on the information that he had given her. And hopefully she would stay silent until his departure.

Stepping off the guards he pinned to the palace floors with his Void magic from earlier, he continued to walk toward the palace doors, hoping that he wouldn't have to hear Tomo's voice again. He hated being this fragile; to be so succumbed by another's presence to the point of obsession. He thought he never had to feel that way again as long as he wasn't around Tomo. But now, in this present situation, he could feel himself being sucked back in, and he realized the true reason why he did not want to perform this task.

He didn't want to love Tomo anymore, but he had no choice but to.

"Farewell, Oracle," the Malakite heard her say.

Oracle stopped at the doorway instantly. He shuttered and grabbed the crevice of the door, failing to leave the palace before her voice was uttered again. He refused to look at her; he didn't want to try and tread into deeper waters than he already was in. He didn't even want to acknowledge her statement, but his mouth was already forming words against his will. He sighed and looked over his shoulder, facing the floor behind him.

"I'll be sure to knock a bit harder upon my next visit," Oracle said with every hint of spite he had left in his voice. But even what was residing inside him was slowly diminishing while in her presence. He frowned and tried to fight it with yet another saying.

"If it is required of me," he said.

He didn't want to look at her; he truly didn't. If he did, he had no idea what would spring forth next. But he continued to stand there, waiting; hoping that she would have a reply subconsciously. His staff was no longer his means of releasing the weight of his body in his stance. It was now the door he leaned against; Tomo's door at that. A door that had been closed to him for a while that was open now. And for the first time in his life, Oracle was honestly afraid to walk through again.

So he didn't.

Oracle left the palace, not giving his mind a chance to catch up with his physical actions. Making the mature decision to leave the past where it belonged, he tried his best to make his train of thought look forward to the future. A future where he didn't need Tomo. And in order to get through that door, he had to leave this one behind. Because sometimes an easy path with an open door, leads you somewhere you don't want to be.