Duo: Hey everyone! Arashi's not here at the moment, she's in the kitchen, making cupcakes. But she said I could come in and do her nifty author's notes, so here I am. Let's see here... -Shifts through stack of papers filled with scribblings- Here we go! This is the chapter when the mystery woman and the group from the first chapter get to the palace and the woman tells them who she really is. She wrote ", Family is united, friends are found, and lost lovers are once again in each other's arms." Wow! Sound cool. Anyways, she also says ", Sorry for the last chapter being so short. I kinda lost pretty much everything I was going to write in it, so it kinda sucked, ne?" Sorry, 'Rashi! I think it came out great, don't you guys? We're going off subject, so I'm just going to skip to the fun. Here is Chapter two of Returning. Hope ya'll like it!
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Duo's P.O.V.
We followed the woman who pretty much saved our lives for a while in silence. Since she wasn't being really helpful with giving us any information, we didn't know if we could trust her or not. Every so often, Milliardo and I would share a look. This woman sounded and moved in a way so familiar, we couldn't help but let our hopes rise.
When she pulled her horse to a stop on a cliff overlooking a great city, the guys and I got our first real look of what we assumed was Estrea. The woman confirmed it when she swept her hand towards the city below us.
"This is Estrea. The greatest kingdom in the lands. And the strongest." There was a note of pride in her voice, and I could see why. The city was a sea of colors. The buildings were built out of a night black stone. The people of the kingdom had taken various colors of paint and framed the windows and doors in color. Each roof was one of six colors: fire red, dark blue, light lavender, leaf green, soft white, and jet black. Flags bearing the same picture hung from the roofs, the picture hard to make out because of the wind blowing the cloths in many different directions. Flowers grew in overflowing, but organized, gardens outside a few of the houses, and vines filled with brightly colored blooms crawled up the sides of every building. A wide main road led the way to a building surrounded by a thick, tall wall of red and a large amount of smaller buildings. The buildings were made of pure white stone, with colored and black stones set in randomly in the walls of the largest. The roofs of the six smaller buildings on either side of the largest one were covered by roofs of the same colors as the ones outside of the wall. The great building was covered by a pure black roof, as were the rest of the buildings, with random tiles of the other colors set in. The entire effect of the kingdom was breathtaking.
"I take it you boys like it?" The guys and I turned to look at the woman, who was looking at us. Dark brown eyes glittered with mirth, instantly dashing the hope that the woman was Kia.
"It's breathtaking," Quatre told her, turning back to the city.
"The white buildings beyond that wall make up the palace," the woman explained as she turned us down a worn path to the right of the cliff. "The colors of the roofs symbolize the god or goddess each family is dedicated to. Each god is the patron of the Guards and Guardians, as well as the prince and princess. Red is for Caine, the fire god, and Reka, the fire goddess. Blue is Riku, the water god, and Din, the water goddess. Green is for Briar, the earth god, and Rose, the earth goddess. The purple is Mathon, the air god, and Marie, the air goddess. The white is for Stunner and Bright, the pearl god and goddess. And the black is for Shingami and Shinigami, the king and queen of the gods, and of death.
"The gods and goddesses give their powers to the Prince and Princess, the Guards and Guardians, and the Generals. Each of these people can tap into that power whenever they want to. The Prince and Princess can tap into all of the god and goddess' powers whenever.
"Usually, the princess would be on the throne, but she disappeared almost a month ago, so her uncle has taken the throne until she returns. It's unusual for a man to be ruling, since the women have ruled the kingdom since the First Generation. We're all hoping that the Princess returns soon, as there have been more fights about Lord Trieze being on the throne lately." I glanced at the guys when the woman said Treize's name. I think I looked like them, shocked and, in Wufei's case, a little angry.
"Treize? As in Treize Kushrenada?" Milliardo asked. The woman nodded.
"Yes. His Highness was supposedly killed in battle in the other world during the war, but in reality, he transported here before the suit he was in exploded. His Excellency felt really guilty for a long time after it happened, but the Princess talked to him, and everything was ok after that." I glance at Milliardo again to find a slightly amused look on his face. He looked at me and smiled.
"That sounds like something Treize would do," he said, answering my silent question. I smiled at what he meant. Mother rode up beside us and smiled at our smiles. Not long after the little history lesson, we entered the city, and got a very interesting surprise. People who were outside as we approached leaned in doorways and windows. More people poured out of their homes and businesses to line the street, bowing and curtsying as we passed. Children waved and called out to us, some throwing flowers in the street before we even made it to them. The woman leading us waved, winked, and blew kisses to the children, causing them to smile, giggle and laugh. A few shopkeepers waved to her, and she paused at a couple of them, discussing something in low tones. From what I could tell, the shopkeepers were delivering something to the woman in the palace.
"This woman must be a war hero or something. Look at how the people are reacting to her," Heero whispered to me and Wufei. We nodded and watched the crowds as we made our way to the palace. When we got there, we found the gates barred, and tightly closed. The woman in front of us slipped a glove off and raised her hand to the guards. As she pulled the glove back on, the gates opened and we were inside.
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Kia's P.O.V.
When we got to the gates, I noticed that Calib and Ravon had done as I said and sealed them. I looked up to see the two standing in the small, house-like shelter built above the gates, looking down at us and waiting for my signal. I smiled behind the scarf as I pulled my right glove off and raised my hand to show them the symbol I had stained into my skin earlier that day. I had shown the two before I had left the palace grounds that morning from the ground on the other side as a way for them to know it was really me and now some imposter trying to assassinate my uncle. The gates swung open, and I led the others in.
"MARIE! GUYS! MARIE'S BACK!!!" I shook my head at the shout of one of the priests standing outside one of the temples that lined the main path. Garron grinned at me from the Fire Temple, letting me know it was him who yelled. I shot him an amused look from under my disguise and waved as the other priests came out to stand on the edge of the platforms that the shrines stood on. Gallow from the Earth Temple, Lerna from the Water Temple, and Astra from the Air Temple waved back and went back in to continue praying. Kastor from the Pearl Temple shook his head and glared at me before he turned to go back inside. I grinned when I saw Magee, the High Priest, still standing outside the Temple of Death, as the people called the shrine of Shingami and Shinigami. I knew I wasn't going to get away from him with a wave and a glare.
"Hello, Magee. Having a good day?" I asked sweetly. Magee glared at me, earning a grin from behind my scarf. Magee was the oldest priest, and the man who had trained me in how to use my powers. Previously a Prince from the First Generation, Magee should have been dead centuries, but was granted immortality from the gods in exchange for teaching the "Powerfuls", as we were called, in how to control their powers. Technically, I was still training under him.
"Lady 'Marie'. Lord Treize has been looking for you. He is in the throne room with the Court and the Elders, and if you do not report to him immediately, I think there will, as you say, be hell to pay." I winced and nodded, spurring Spirit to hurry towards the main building. The others followed me, and as soon as we got to the steps of the Great Hall, They followed me off the horses. Tara and my other stable hands took the horses as we hurried up the steps, me slipping the scarf off from around my face and back down to my neck. As we neared the giant doors of the Throne Room, I undid the ties that held my cloak closed around my waist and legs.
"I'll take care of it, boys," I called when the guards standing in front of the doors reached for the handles to push the door open for us. They backed off, and I pushed the massive blockades out of the way, gaining the attention of everyone in the room. I knew from the soft sigh coming from my uncle that I looked dramatic with my cloak billowing out around me as I strode in. I snickered. I loved pulling off dramatic entrances. "Sorry I'm late. I had a few things to take care of." My friends and family filed in behind me before the guards closed the doors. I led the way to the ornate chair my uncle vacated, and waited until my guests surrounded the chair on either side before spinning around and sitting in one fluid motion. Uncle Trieze sat in the smaller throne to my left, and Mother in the chair on my right. I smiled at the Court and the Elders from under my hood.
"You're very late, Your Majesty. Lord Treize-" I cut off Baron Markieen before he could continue.
"Treize has been following orders from me, Baron. I had some things to take care of, and I needed someone to take my place. Would you have rather me leave my younger brother in charge?" There were mutterings and groans as the Elders and members of the Court remembered the last time I had left Sora in charge of the palace. A small war had broken out on the southern borders, and I spent almost a month cleaning up the mess, of both the war and the paperwork he hadn't been able to do. It was a disaster. "I understand that there has not been a male ruler in this kingdom for many centuries, but until recently, there has been no capable female to take my place when I am not around. If that is the only reason that this meeting has been called, then this meeting is over, and you are leaving, do I make myself clear?" I watched as the Court rose and left, leaving the six Elders in the room. I sighed and shrank down in the throne as the doors closed. "Can I just send a bunch of assassins after them and call it a day?" I asked, already knowing the long-winded speech that I would get from Magee when he heard of my words.
"Sorry, but no. Unfortunately we need them, if only as human shields when a war breaks out," Professor G answered. I laughed at my grandfather's words. During the war between Earth and the Colonies in the other world, he had been the idiot that had sent my brother out on so many dangerous missions. I heard a slight gasp as the elder dropped their hoods to reveal Doctor J, Professor G, Doktor S, Instructor H, Master O, and Howard.
"We've noticed, young lady, that you obviously haven't removed your hood in front of this lot yet," Master O stated, looking at me seriously. I rolled my eyes as I stood and motioned for the Guards and Guardians, for Mother and Night, for Milliardo, to follow me down to level ground. Only when we were all standing in front of the Idiots did I dropped my hood, removed the enchantment from my eyes, turning them back to violet, and turned to face them.
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Milliardo's P.O.V.
I stood beside Mother with Night on her other side as we watched the woman in front of us lower her hood and turn to us. Duo and I gasped as the face of the woman we lost six months ago smiled at us.
Her chestnut hair fell a few simple inches below where it was the last time we saw her. Her amethyst eyes glittered with so many emotions I couldn't just pick one out. Under the soft black fabric was the last thing I had ever expected to see her in. Black leather. The pants barely skimmed her hipbones, fully showing the 'Kitsune' written across her hip, with leather laces starting at the top and ending at the bottom hems. Her top was a tight, black leather vest that laced closed in the front, blue Celtic design hemming the sleeve holes, the bottom hem, encircling her neck, and falling between the laces. A pair of flat-bottomed, black leather boots hugged her legs up to just above her knees. Black gloves trimmed in blue ended just above her elbows, revealing the black and blue tribal tattoo that wrapped around her upper arm, a recent addition shown only by the light reddened skin around it. A blue ribbon choker was wrapped around her neck. She raised her arms slightly and turned to show her back. The pants she was wearing hugged her ass nicely, and right above them, nestled in her lower back right where my hands were when we shared our last kiss, was a tattoo of a white wolf, a black panther, and a black fox curled in a violet moon.
"It matches out pendants," Duo whispered. Kia smiled and nodded. There was a moment of still silence. I looked at Duo when he let a strangled moan fall from his lips and jerked Kia into his arms. Everyone hugged and kissed her, telling her off for not letting us know she was ok, getting a muffled conversation in with her, before she finally landed in front of me, Mother, and Night. She grinned sheepishly at Night before he hugged her, whispering something in her ear that made her grin soften into a smile. She whispered something back and he let her go. She turned to the woman beside me.
"Mom..." I watched as mother and daughter embraced, tears falling from the older woman's eyes. The two held a short, murmured conversation as they held each other before Kia finally turned to me. We stared at each other for a moment before she let out a muffled sound and threw herself into my open arms. I held her as tight as she held me. We both knew there would be bruises later, but neither of us cared. All that mattered was we were finally together again. I pulled back enough to tilt her head towards mine and took her lips for the first time in six months.
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Kia's P.O.V.
I was a little surprise when Milliardo kissed me. I had expected him to be angry, mad at me for leaving him. But the only emotions I felt from him as his lips pressed against mine were love and happiness. I slid my hands from his waist to his neck and pulled him closer, deepening the kiss. The hands on my waist tightened and he pulled me closer. A shiver of excitement and lust shot through my veins when I felt him pressed tightly against me, his hardness pressed against me. I would have stripped him right then and there if Night hadn't cleared his throat. I blushed as we pulled away and I turned to press my back against his chest, his arms wrapping around my waist again.
"Sorry about that," I muttered. Duo laughed and shook his head from where he was standing in a position mirroring mine and Milliardo's with Heero and Wufei.
"We understand. It's been six months since you've been together. It's only natural that the only feeling you would have would be lust," Merian teased. I glared at her before lips touched my shoulder.
"I think she's only jealous, my love. After all, Kyaka can't give her the same thing I can give you," he whispered. Kyaka and I turned red as the others laughed. I stepped on his foot with my heel, feeling a slight wince coming from him as he tightened his grip on me. Treize laughed and clapped him on the shoulder.
"Come. There is dinner waiting in the dining hall. Let's eat, then we can talk and find rooms for you." We readily followed, laughing when Milliardo refused to let go of my waist. It took a bribe of the most wonderful night in his life for him to let go.
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Hehehehehe...I'm back. I can't wait for the next chapter, since there will be a lemon in that one. And Duo will be getting a haircut.
Duo: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Oh, zip it! It's just the stupid wig getting cut you idiot!
Duo: Oh. Ok.
Duo's helping me get my costume for an upcoming cosplay convention ready, and in the fourth chapter, I will be having the guys and girls go somewhere in disguise. Fun, huh?