Chapter 1: The Beginning
"See you guys tomorrow!" Trish called to her coworkers as she finished up her shift.
"Later, Trish! Be safe walking home!" Her boss called back and she waved, closing the door behind her. She shifted her bag on her back and began the walk home from the bar. She was a waitress and a student of Native American culture so she had to bring her bag with her school books inside. Walking towards the park, she felt a cold chill surround her, giving her a foreboding feeling.
"Chill, Trish, you are just freaking yourself out." She mumbled and kept walking. She had to cut through Central Park in order to make it home. As she walked, she noticed the lights were going out one by one. The trees were getting closer together. Trish tried to turn around, but when she did, she came face to face with a wolf.
"What the hell?" She asked, taking a step backwards. The wolf growled and barked at her, his hackles raised, his lips curled into a snarl.
"Oh my god." She breathed and took another step back. The wolf started walking towards her, snarling and barking. Trish turned and ran.
"HELP!" She shouted, running as fast as she could. She heard the wolf close on her heels and knew it was only a matter of time before it caught her. The cement sidewalk was gone, replaced with dirt and grass. She dodged trees, panting and gasping as she struggled to keep her footing on the uneven ground.
"HELP! SOMEONE PLEASE!" She shouted. Suddenly, her foot tripped over a root, causing her to crash to the ground, her backpack knocking the wind out of her. Trish saw the wolf coming and curled up, screaming. She waited to feel the wolf's jaws around her arm, but instead she heard it whimper. Peeking out, she saw a large man, kneeling over the wolf. He pulled something out of it with a wet ripping sound before he stood, turning towards her. He wore a white and blue jacket with a hood, a white shirt, and brown trousers. In the dark, she couldn't make him out very well, but estimated he was at least six feet tall. His frame was large, similar to a body builder. Trish felt a new fear fill her, but she saw the kindness in his eyes.
"Are you alright?" The man asked, kneeling beside her. His voice matched the kindness in his eyes and she felt her fear start to ebb away. Trish nodded, still trembling.
"Yes, I think so, thank you. Who are you?" Trish asked. The man gave her a soft smile and held out his hand.
"Ratonhnhaké:ton, or Connor if that will be easier for you." He replied. Trish wondered about his name. Life that is scratched? She didn't understand why he would choose that name. Trish took his hand and he helped her up. She felt how strong he was and realized he wasn't just built big, most of his frame was pure muscle.
"Trish. Trish Uesugi. Thank you so much, Connor. Where are we? I walk through Central Park every night from work and I've never been here before. That wolf must've chased me off the path." Trish said. Connor gave her a confused look.
"Central Park?" He asked and Trish nodded.
"Yes, the big huge park in the middle of New York." Trish answered.
"You are just outside of John's Town in Great Piece Hills. New York is miles away from here and they do not have a 'Central Park'." Connor replied and Trish became confused.
"You're messing with me, aren't you?" Trish asked.
"Messing with you?" He asked.
"Playing around, playing a prank."
"No, why would I play a prank on anyone?" Connor asked. Trish felt her heart stop and panic start to set in.
"Okay, I'm dreaming. This is just a bad dream because there is no way in hell magic is real. Okay, if I am where you say I am, what year is it?" She asked, trying to keep herself calm.
"1774." Connor answered and Trish leaned against a tree, trying to keep herself calm and failing.
"Are you alright?" Connor asked and Trish shook her head.
"No. This is impossible. Oh, gods, I'm freaking out." She whispered. Connor gently touched her shoulders.
"What would you have me do?" Connor asked, wanting to calm the young woman.
"Tell me this is a lie. That I really did not just travel through time." Trish whispered, trying to focus on breathing. Connor was confused by the young woman, but wanted to help her in any way he could. As the fear subsided, she looked up at Connor.
"Okay. I'm not fully believing this yet, but I'm getting better. But why am I here, what possible reason would I be sent back to THIS time period?" She asked, more to herself than to Connor. Connor looked away then looked back to her.
"I think I may know someone who can help. Will you come with me?" Connor asked her. Trish hesitated, but realized she had no other choice. She nodded and Connor whistled. A horse soon trotted up to them and Connor climbed on, reaching a hand out to her. Trish took it and climbed on behind him, holding him tightly. Connor gently urged the horse forward and they were off.
"Where are we going?" Trish asked, looking up at the large man.
"To my village. The elder, Oiá:ner, should be able to help you." He replied. Trish's head was still reeling from everything. She didn't answer, only held onto Connor as they rode through the forest.
"You said you came back in time. What year are you from?" Connor asked her after a while.
"2017." Trish answered and Connor's eyes widened.
"And you lived in New York?" Connor asked.
"Yes. Although, I'm sure it is much bigger in my time than it is right now." Trish replied.
"How big is it?" He asked.
"Big enough to house 8.5 million people." Connor shook his head in disbelief. He felt her grip on him starting to relax and he wondered if he kept her mind off her current situation, if she would calm down.
"Are the British still a threat?" Connor asked her.
"No, they are actually our allies now." Trish replied and bit her lip hard, she didn't know how much information she should give to this man. How much of history was changing because of her being there? Or would it change at all?
"That is actually reassuring. We are almost there." Connor said and Trish looked around him. There seemed to be a wall of logs in the distance. They rode down and through a gap where Connor dismounted and helped her dismount as well.
"Come with me." He said and led her inside. Trish gazed around the village, amazed at the living history she was experiencing.
"Stars in heaven." She whispered.
"Ratonhnhaké:ton!" A male shouted, running over to them.
"Kanen'tó:kon!" Connor greeted and they shook hands.
"Who is the girl?" He asked in Mohawk, unaware Trish understood him.
"I found her being chased by a wolf in the forest. She says she's not from this time." Connor replied in Mohawk.
"What year is she saying she is from?" Kanen'tó:kon asked.
"2017." Trish answered in English, earning a shocked expression from both men. Trish smiled at them.
"Yeah, I studied Mohawk as part of my college courses." Trish added.
"What is a 'college course'?" Kanen'tó:kon asked. Trish was about to answer when an older woman started heading over to them.
"Ratonhnhaké:ton! You have returned! But why?" The old woman asked him, gently touching his arm. Connor held her arm and smiled at her.
"Oiá:ner. This is Trish. She needs help." Connor said. The woman, Oiá:ner, looked at Trish and her eyes widened.
"You must be her. The spirits told me you would come." Oiá:ner said and Trish became confused.
"Spirits? What spirits?" She asked.
"Come." Oiá:ner said, motioning for Trish and Connor to follow. Connor said a wordless goodbye to his friend before following Trish and Oiá:ner into the hut.
"A few nights ago, I consulted the spirits about what to do about the threat to our home. The spirit, Juno, told me that someone would come and I would show her the door to the nexus." Oiá:ner said, motioning for Trish and Connor to sit by the fire. Trish sat down after taking off her backpack, wincing at the pain from where it had landed on her. Oiá:ner went to a small box and opened it, pulling out a crystal sphere. She took it to Trish and handed it to her. Trish hesitated, but then grasped the ball in her hands. The room faded away and slowly filled with a golden light. Strange markings appeared on the walls around her and Trish saw Connor and Oiá:ner fade away.
"Hello?" She called, standing and looking around, holding the ball carefully.
"Hello, Trish." Came a female voice from behind her. Trish turned and saw a woman in a long white robe and braided hair.
"Who are you?" Trish asked, seeing the woman giving off the same golden glow.
"I am known by many names; the last one I was called was 'Juno'." The spirit replied.
"You are the one who told the Clan mother I was coming." Trish said and Juno nodded.
"I did. I had you brought here so you may aid the guardian in his quest." Juno stated.
"What guardian? Who?" Trish asked. Juno looked at her then walked around.
"His name is Ratonhnhaké:ton, but you know his name as Connor. I brought you here so you could aid him."
"Aid him how?"
"Inside you, houses a power that none may find out about. It will only be released when the time is right." Juno responded. Trish felt her confusion growing.
"What power? And why didn't you just bring me here when it needed released and send me back home?" Trish asked.
"Because you must have a strong bond with the guardian before the power can be released. We brought you here to this time so you may form that bond." Trish sighed, trying to wrap her head around everything.
"Why me? Why not someone else?"
"Your body housed the right composition for the power. The right genes and chemical make-up. This power will set everything in motion so that your time may be saved."
"Saved from what?" Trish asked.
"From a great calamity that happens every few millennia. With my words comes a warning. Do not let any know of this power inside you. Not even the guardian. Any knowledge that he gains of this power could cause the events in your time to occur and wipe out your world." Juno warned and started to fade.
"Wait! Come back! I have so many questions!" Trish cried, but the light filled her eyes, making her shield them. When she opened them again, she was near a river and all alone. The crystal ball was gone. Her head was throbbing as she sat up, groaning softly. Was it all just a dream? Had she been drugged and woke up somewhere? Trish went to the clear stream and took a drink. The water helped her head a little bit and she stood up, trying to get her bearings.
"What did the spirit tell you?" Came a male voice. Trish jumped and let out a soft cry in surprise, but relaxed seeing Connor.
"That I was brought here for a reason, but apparently I'm not allowed to talk about it." Trish replied and rubbed her temples.
"Are you alright?" He asked, going to her side.
"Just have a headache. How did you know where I was?" She asked.
"I woke up here after my journey. So, what do we do now?" Connor asked her, handing her a canteen of water. Trish took a drink and sighed, handing it back to him.
"I guess, I'm supposed to stick with you. I don't know what else to do." She replied and rubbed her temples again.
"I live in a community not far from here. I can take you there and you will be safe." Connor said and Trish nodded.
"I thought you lived here?" She asked and Connor smiled.
"I was born and raised here. But I left when I was thirteen years old." He replied.
"Why?" Trish asked and Connor looked away.
"To protect it. The spirit, Juno, she told me that I had to leave my village in order to keep it safe." He replied and Trish nodded. She stretched and realized her bag was missing.
"I left my bag in the Clan Mother's hut." She said. Connor shook his head.
"No. It's on the horse. It is very heavy. What is inside?" Connor asked Trish blushed.
"My school books. I was working on my homework on my breaks at work." She replied and Connor nodded.
"I think I might need more information about your education system in the future." Connor said.
"What would you like to know?" She asked.
"Everything. Here, you are given the basics, but it seems like in your time you need more education?" Connor asked and Trish smiled.
"That's the way it works I'm afraid. A child can be enrolled in preschool at the age of three. They begin learning about shapes, colors, counting, the alphabet, and some motor skills. From there at age five or six they go into grade school. There they begin to learn reading, writing, math, history, music, physical education, and art. At age 10 or 11, they go to middle school for three years. Middle school is still teaching all of this, but they start to let the children get involved with after school activities. Sports and music are the popular ones. In High School is where all of that education starts to count. A child enters high school when they are 13 or 14. High school is tough for a lot of kids. It is where they go to really figure out what they want to do for work when they graduate at 18. All the education gives them the tools they need to follow their dreams. Some join the military after school, some go to college, some…some don't do anything after graduating." Trish said and Connor listened, speechless.
"What do you do in college?" Connor asked.
"They teach you for specific professions. Like being a doctor or a lawyer. I want to get my doctorate in Native American culture. So, lucky for me, I get sent back in time to learn about it first-hand. At least this means I won't be paying college tuition for the rest of my life." Trish said and shook her head.
"How much does college cost?" Connor asked, starting to walk with her towards the horse.
"A hell of a lot of money. But there are financial aids available so it will help lower the cost, but most of students take out loans that they end up paying for the rest of their lives. This year I was on scholarship so it was paid for, but next year I would've been on my own." Trish replied. They reached the horse and Connor gave her bag to her. Trish slung it over her shoulder with ease and Connor watched, amazed.
"You are used to all those books?" He asked and Trish nodded, smiling. Connor shook his head, smiling. He climbed onto the horse and held his hand out to her. Trish took it and with his help, got onto the horse behind him. They rode in silence and Trish thought to what Juno spoke about. A power? Inside her? What kind of power? How could it help Connor? Trish felt her headache increase the more she thought about it. She rested against Connor, watching the scenery fly by, not knowing just how much danger she was now faced with.
They arrived in Davenport before the sun set. Trish felt weary, wondering if anyone realized she was missing yet or if she would be considered missing at all. She had seen shows where the main characters would go to an alternate dimension or back in time and when they returned no time had passed from the moment they left. Trish sighed and hid her face, thinking about her boyfriend back home. Did he notice that she was gone? Did he care?
"Are you alright?" Connor asked her and Trish nodded.
"Yes. Just tired." She replied. Connor nodded.
"We are almost there. I will send out to get you some clothes to wear. Do you prefer to wear dresses or will pants do?" Connor asked, having noticed that she was wearing pants instead of a dress.
"Pants, please. I feel too exposed in dresses." Trish replied. Connor nodded. They rode up to a manor and Connor got off the horse, helping Trish off too.
"I need to put the horse away, go ahead inside and tell the man inside that I told you to go inside." Connor said and Trish nodded. She went inside after Connor walked off with the horse, feeling awkward for going in without him to a stranger's home.
"Connor!" A man shouted.
"He's uh…he's taking care of the horse. He told me to come inside." Trish called. An elderly man with a cane walked in and looked at her.
"Who are you?" The man asked.
"My name is Trish. Connor rescued me from the woods." Trish introduced, blushing slightly.
"I see. I am Achilles, the owner of this house. I take it you will be staying with us?" He asked and Trish nodded.
"I have nowhere else to go. I will do whatever you ask of me so I'm not dead weight." She replied and Achilles nodded.
"You can stay. Connor doesn't invite anyone to stay here unless they are in dire need." Achilles replied and Trish smiled.
"Thank you, I promise I will not get in your way." She said and Achilles nodded.
"Has Connor told you the nature of his work?" Achilles asked and Trish shook her head.
"No, just that Juno told him to leave his village to protect it."
"Ah, so you know of the 'ones who came before'. Have you met her? The one called Juno?" Achilles asked.
"Yes, Connor took me to his village first thing to see why I was brought to this time."
"You had best tell me everything then." Achilles motioned her into the dining room where he had a fire going. Trish went in and took off her bag, setting it on the ground with a thump. Achilles motioned to a chair across from his as he took a seat. Trish sat down in it and sighed.
"Well, for starters, I'm from the year 2017. I was leaving work and heading home when something about my surroundings changed. I tried to turn to go back, but there was a wolf. The wolf chased me and Connor killed it. He took me to his village when he realized I wasn't from this time and his clan mother showed me a ball. The ball introduced me to a spirit, Juno, who told me the reason I was here." Trish stopped, not wanting to ruin Juno's plans.
"Which is?" Achilles asked.
"She told me not to say or else a great tragedy would befall my time and I cannot allow that to happen. But I'm to remain with Connor. That much I was allowed to say." Trish replied and Achilles nodded, trying to understand. Connor came in the manor and saw the two sitting by the fire.
"Getting acquainted?" He asked, making both of them look up.
"Trish just caught me up on your adventures." Achilles said and studied his apprentice. Connor usually had a problem with staring at women, but with this one, his stare was out of curiosity and something else that Achilles couldn't quite put his finger on.
"Are you hungry at all?" Connor asked her and Trish shook her head.
"No, just tired. A lot has happened and I'm still trying to absorb it all." She said and Connor nodded.
"I'll show you to your room." Connor said. Trish nodded and stood.
"It was nice meeting you, Achilles. See you in the morning." Trish said and he nodded.
"Have a good sleep, we will go over what you can help out with in the morning." Achilles said and Trish smiled. She followed Connor upstairs after grabbing her bag. Connor turned left at the top of the stairs and opened a door to the guest room.
"My room is the one down the hall and Achilles sleeps in the room below you. I will be awake for a while longer. I have some things to discuss with Achilles. Do you require anything?" He asked as Trish stepped into the guest room.
"No, thank you, Connor, you and Achilles have been more than wonderful. I hope I get to repay the favor soon." Trish replied making Connor smile.
"I'm glad we could help you." Connor replied.
"If you need anything do not hesitate to ask. Good night." Connor said and Trish smiled.
"Good night. And thank you again." She said. Connor nodded and closed the door behind him, leaving Trish alone in the room. She set her bag down on the bed with a sigh. She still had a lot of homework to do, not that it mattered, she wouldn't be able to turn it in. She pulled out her phone and saw it was at 80% charged. Just the previous week, her friend, Hitoshi, had talked her into a solar panel that could clip onto her bag and allowed her to use the sun to charge her phone.
Saying a mental thank you to him, she pulled out the solar panel and placed it in the window. With the moon out, the panel wasn't as effective, but she would keep it in the window so it could charge when the sun did come up. Her phone didn't need charging so she set it beside her bed on the nightstand. Setting her bag on the ground, she sat on the bed and sighed. What was going to happen now?
A/N: I hope you enjoyed this story! Please leave a review!