"Lady of Autumn"

Chapter 2

Johann could tell she was in distress. But he was sure that Nuada and Nuala were long past any hope of recovery. He and the team had seen the royal twins turn to stone...What did this...Admittedly attractive female want to do with the deceased twins? They had been left in their dying conditions, their tomb amongst the golden army left undisturbed. In fact, Hellboy, Abe, Liz and himself had actually left the BPRD. But that hadn't lasted long, Hellboy, and thus Liz and Abe, were sucked back into the team within months because of the lack of finding a suitable homestead. He himself only joined once because he missed being able to come back to a place and not be disturbed... Well, also because Johann could not find a suitable place to remain secret. Of course certain new arrangements were settled upon in their new individual contracts.

But that didn't calm his ethereal mind of why this autumn-colored female wished to see Nuada. He couldn't even be sure of what she was - she had the odd looming aura of something older, though, greek perhaps. But he also recognized the speech she was using, though he couldn't understand her when she used the foreign tongue. She had been using gaelic. Definitely an old, possibly immortal character in front of him. It would be a good idea to bring her to Abe. He would be able to communicate with her better. But the question was, would she follow him again?

They had been in silence, she was still searching her memories, and she couldn't recall a moment of intense pain. She would not have died like the twins, but it would have been very obvious that they would have been killed. Her thoughts were interrupted when the german gently touched her shoulder.

"I will take you to Agent Sapien, you two will be able to talk easier, und he might be able help you. If you will follow me?" he asked. She nodded, and they once more held hands, and her glamour enveloped her again, leaving him to guide her out of the space invisibly by touch. She wasn't used to being in such technological areas, but she had no hate for the general population of humans, so did not judge their so called advances in the world. She did wish they did not kill so many trees, but she could not avenge the past without turning into a hypocrite. And she wouldn't dare go against Zeus - he loved the humans, and even to this day courted the occasional wench, creating the humans with powers that existed accordingly. For a moment she glanced at the german's hand, and wondered if anyone would wonder why he seemed to be holding an invisible person's hand, but as no one seemed to notice, she didn't bother worrying. He opened a large set of doors after leading her through many creature-handling-human infested hallways. She was becoming claustraphobic again, but didn't mention it.

When she passed through, she was stunned, and accidentally let her grip go slack on the mechanic's hand, and she was frozen in the doorway from amazement. He turned around to find her, but her glamour was still in effect. It was a library, and a most impressive one, too. She had never really been able to read before, but that was because she'd been restricted from the hall of gods' library. After all, nymphs weren't important enough for such high knowledge. She had never gotten over her grudge to Zeus for that, and she had given him quite a sting on the toes from a whiplish move of a root she'd made a tree do. She was a woodworker, and she took advantage of it when she was smarted, though she had grown timid over the centuries, softened by the presence of little human children.

She remembered her glamour was up, and sheepishly lowered it, allowing the mechanical german to see her once more.

"Johann, is that you?" a foreign voice called from above. Startled, Mei jumped and was englamoured once more.

"Ah, Agent Sapien. I have a Freund with me, I believe you will have more in common with her than myself. She is a magic creature, und I would like for her to remain secret. She says she needs to find the Prince Nuada, but I regret to have informed her of the royal twins' passing two years previous." Johann replied - Mei guessed that was his name anyways, as a fish-resembling humanoid walked down a spiral staircase that led down to their level. He was blue, with wide sapphire eyes, and an obvious intelligence about him. But she knew he could not see her.

"I'm... Afraid I don't see her, Johann. Is she waiting outside?" the so-called Sapien replied, a little disbelieving. Johann shook his head, and looked back at where he'd last seen Mei. Reluctantly, after double-checking that the doors were closed, let down her protective glamour, much to the fish's surpise, who gave a little sound to accent his startle. She didn't look him in the eyes - she'd been showing herself around a lot today, at least in comparison to what she was used to, and that was starting to bother her.

"Oh, my goodness. And.. You were looking for Prince Nuada?" he asked her, albiet a bit timidly, as if the topic were more sensative than she knew. She looked up at him a bit bravely, and spoke boldly in gaelic.

"I am Mei Monokera, daughter of Uranus and Mother Gaia, sworn by oath and bonded to the twins of the Bethmoora clan, Nuada and Nuala. Two centuries earlier, they rescued my sisters from being murdered, enclosing them within a magical boundary which followed the legal lines of a state park. Somehow, my tree was excluded, and now I am in danger once again. My tree, millenia old as am I, is less than days from being destroyed at the hand of a human group who knows nothing other than greed. I am partially protected for the time being, but my time is short. I need to see Nuada, for he is the one I am most closely bonded with, either him, or his sister." she explained thoroughly to him, though she sounded strong, she was shaking a little. She was still in shock at what had to be false news about Nuada and Nuala's deaths. It just couldn't be true.

"Oh my....I'm afraid that what Johann has told you is true, Miss Monokera... The twins are dead...Nuala died in my arms..." he said quietly, though in english, looking crestfallen. Mei wouldn't believe it.

"It cannot be! I would have felt their pain, I would have suffered the emotional withdrawal of their passing if they were truly gone! You both must be mistaken - I demand to see where they are!" she cried weakly, though her emotional walls were beginning to break. She didn't believe it to be true, she couldn't. She hadn't been too close to the twins - she didn't see them often enough, but whenever they had visited her tree...She couldn't hold back the tears that spilled over her cheeks, golden like her blood. This color...never changed.

"Hey Abe! Come here, I need to show you - oh...Well who's this?" came yet another new voice. This time, Mei didn't startle, she fell to her knees sobbing after emitting a cry of anguish, covering her face with her hands. Her hair fell over her form, all but separating her from the others in the room, including the newly entered Hellboy, Anung un Rama.

"What's up with her?" Hellboy asked a bit rudely, but that was his nature. Abe looked at him regretfully.

"She was looking for Nuada, or Nuala. It appears that they were very close, and despite it, she was uninformed of their deaths..." Abe explained, voice filled with sorrow. Hellboy grunted to show he understood, but made no other gesture. Johann looked at Mei a bit confused. Why did she care so much for an exiled prince whom wanted to destroy the world? He didn't understand, due to not understanding gaelic, that by Abe's explanation to her, she'd just about been given a death sentance.

"She wants to see where they were turned to stone...Is anyone not about to be put on missions soon?" Abe asked, obviously a bit concerned. Hellboy thought about it for a moment.

"We'd have to ask Manning, as much as I'd rather not, but if he says we can't go you can take her, Abe. Me and Liz can handle any baddies that come out," Red stated smugly. Mei couldn't help but scoff a little at this, despite her tears.

"Demons are not wholly immortal, Anung un Rama... No one is. Everyone has their weakness..." She murmured to him in gaelic, moving so her hands were pressed to her knees. She radiated sadness - one could just glance at her and know she was in deep sorrow, whether you saw her eyes, whole face, posture or simply her very expressive ears. Johann pondered for a minute the sensativity of those ears - to be so expressive they had to have a lot of muscle and nerve tissue in them, therefore, sensative. That was curious, for he had remembered that the elves' ears were sensative as well, though he was still unsure whether it was a sexual stimulant, or just something other, as in a ticklish feeling. If she stayed, which Johann sadly doubted, he would have to ask her about it. He was curious about her - she was the first nymph he'd ever seen, and he knew little about them. Supposedly they had gone into hiding like the majority of the fey population. Hellboy gave a scoff in return at her comment, crossing his arms.

"Hell, Abe just take her to Anterim, screw Manning." Hellboy grumbled. Mei looked up at him, a soft smile on her face.

"For someone destined to destroy the world, you seem to have a soft spot, Anung un Rama." She whispered appreciatively. Hellboy mumbled something to himself. Mei managed to get herself to her feet, and gracefully walked the few feet over to Hellboy, and since he was too tall for her to reach his face to kiss his cheek, she gently held his stone hand, kissing the middle circle that represented a knuckle. He seemed a bit moved by the gesture, but didn't back away. As with the little girl, there seemed to be a faint golden glow, perhaps not in the shape of lips, but a golden glow centered on that one knuckle. Hellboy considered shrugging her off, but something told him not to. She was of a different nature than he was used to, but not in a way that was dangerous, or even attractive. Just...Natural.

"What are you anyways?" He asked, not really caring if he was rude or not. That wasn't his style, unless Liz was involved anyways. Or the twins...She looked at him with her large eyes, faintly reminiscent of a deer's, just like her ears which were also perked up and forward, not so solemn anymore. They were golden with tinges of orange and brown, even a faint red, in perfect harmony with her hair and skin, and even that oddly contrasting purple gown.

"I am a Meliad, protector of the woodlands, and specifically an elder mountain ash tree in the state of washington. I am also gifted with the ability to transform into an animal much more important than a simple meliad. I sacrificed the opportunity to bear children for this privaledge. Now I can only produce seedlings around my tree." She explained softly, backing up a few feet and bowing. Abe was immediately on the subject.

"May we see this other form?" he asked, intruiged. Mei looked at him, a bit surprised.

"I'm afraid that my form is in a delicate position. I would only shift if you three swore your lives to keep the secret, unless I allow you to tell another. You will be bound to this, I warn you, by your blood. If you break the oath - you will never be able to go near plantlife again." she warned softly. Abe nodded immediately, Hellboy was a little more hesitant, however, but the two of them mumbled a short promise. Johann, unaware of the conversation because he didn't understand them, just stood as Mei looked at him expectantly - before she recalled he couldn't understand her. She bit her lip softly, and looked to Abe for assistance.

"Oh! Of course. Johann, she is willing to show us her alternative form, if we swear on our lives not to betray her secret. She warned us that if he betray her, we won't be able to get near plantlife.. again." Abe translated to the ethereal being, who gave a small tilt of his head.

"Of course, mein Fraeulein. You have my word," he replied graciously, bowing a little. Mei nodded, and stepped back again after triple-checking the doors were closed. A short light enveloped her, and in the nymph's place stood a purely magical being, innocent, and powerful.

"My goodness! Hippoi Monokerata! Oh I never thought I'd - of course I will keep your secret!" Abe sputtered, a bit overwhelmed. The doe-resembling figure seemed to smile under the mane, the shining horn the purest color of purple, the same as the nymph's gown had been. So that was why her greek-inspired clothing was purple, not white as was typical of greeks.

"May I..?" Abe asked gingerly, holding a hand out towards her. Surprisingly, the doe instead of backing away, approached him instead. Abe almost forgot that this was still a meliad, and the female that had been in front of them. Abe flinched a little when the soft brown nose touched his webbed hand, but did not flinch because of the contact. He flinched because of the flow of information he began to collect from that simple connection. She was desperately in need of help - he could grasp that much. Apparently she could also heal anything, though it would take a lot of energy from her to do so. If someone she intended to heal was dead or near death, she would be gravely ill for weeks in recovery, her tree would be unharmed of this effect though. Another attribute, common to all unicorns though rare they were, she could abolish poisons and toxins. Both were very handy to have. But she was restricted in this form, as well, which was a downside. She could only use her powers in this form, she could only talk to animals not humanoids, and she was very weak. She could not defend herself besides running away.

"If we find a way to protect your tree...You would be more than welcome to stay here. You would be safe here - we could even transport your tree here into the bureau, and you could stay if you wished." Abe offered, rounding his hand over the tan furred snout. She snorted a little, but he didn't feel any disagreement from her, only peace. He ran his other hand over her mane, and she leaned into the caress gently.

Johann watched curiously. So this was her, a nymph, rare already, and a unicorn to boot? It was no wonder she felt she was in danger, and followed him. If humans, or indeed other fey folk found her and forced her into this alternate form, she would be slaughtered for that horn. He was tempted himself to ask her for a shaving or two, for experimental purposes only, but he knew he would never get a chance to discuss her species with her then. He wanted to learn about the Nymphs, and greek creatures.

"If we want to get to Anterim, we will need to leave soon, or you will, Agent Sapien." Johann informed, a little impatient. He would hate to see such a graceful creature destroyed because of their lack of action. Abe nodded, releasing her, and with a short flash of light she became the nymph once again.

The plane had been jarring to her, and more than once she pleaded for them to get close to the water they were crossing over and she'd just swim the rest of the way. She didn't like the feel of this machine at all! So foreign and.. And human! Abe was flying the contraption, and for some odd reason Hellboy and Johann had elected to come, also. Apparently they were bored. Currently, she was sitting somewhere near the middle, in one of the six or so seats that were facing each other in the small area. She was shaking violently as another wave of turbulence rocked the plane. She would much rather be swimming to Anterim! Johann was watching her, and Hellboy was sleeping casually, as if this was a normal occurance to have a female freaking out across from him. Johann however, was the one sitting directly in front of her, and therefore was the one who was trying to comfort her.

"Mein Freaulein, there is nothing to be afraid of. We are quite safe in here," he claimed, though he had told her this many times. Johann heard a quick spout of stuttering panicked gaelic that he once more, could not understand. She definitely was scared, and again in distress, and there seemed to be nothing the ethereal could do about it. She had her knees tucked to her chest, feet on the seat with her, and her arms bracing her on each side. Her eyes were wide with fear, and she wouldn't stop mumbling to herself in gaelic, though on occasion she had whimpered in rough english for her to be let out so she could swim to Anterim. Johann had rebuked her and told her that no matter how fast a swimmer, they would reach Anterim sooner than if she could even run on water, which for some reason Johann didn't doubt at the moment. A little more that perturbed at the fact he couldn't settle her, he gave an airy sigh, and held out one of his hands in front of him, uncapping the small metal bit at the end of his first finger. A bit of what appeared to be steam flowed forth, causing Mei to pause her worried actions in curiosity.

"Now, don't panic, this is to help you." he murmured as the cloud lingered slowly and cautiously towards the harrowed nymph. He was tired of trying to convince her she was safe, so he would force her to remain still for the remainder of the ride. Typically he could only control another being, especially a full-size humanoid figure for a very short time, but that was when he was having the figure do something for him. This time, he simply wanted her to become calm. And perhaps he could convince her to talk with him during the wait. The steam like substance reached her, and rather than try and swat the stuff away, Johann was greeted with a pleasant surprise as she remained still, and closed her eyes while taking a deep breathe. That eased the situation a bit, and his essence, though not forcibly doing so apparently, invaded her body, if one wanted to use such an ugly term as that.

"There we are. Nothing wrong now, see?" he chuckled, and Mei only responded with a timid nod of her head. She felt...Relaxed, and soothed as soon as the foreign misty substance entered her. She wasn't sure what Johann had done, but he was helping, so far.

"Thank you...I...Think." she stumbled, though she wasn't the slightest embarassed over her stumble. She was completely in peace at the moment. And she had no clue why - that almost worried her, but the emotion just wouldn't surface enough for her to care.

"It is no problem to me, mein freaulein. I simply have suppressed the majority of your emotions, which would mean you will not be allowed to fret over the ride," he replied, seeming more than happy to explain his process on anything. Mei nodded, now realizing what she had in a way, ingested. She'd breathed in a part of his essence - she'd known he was ethereal, by the steam, but she didn't know he could part way, or fully posess a being.

"Now, we have about three more hours until we reach County Anterim. There, we will walk to the giant's causeway, where two years ago we discovered the golden army, which now is forever dormant because of Agent Sherman's noble act of melting the crown pieces." Johann narrated, though Mei wasn't particularly interested in how they would get there, only that they got there soon. She didn't know how much longer her human friends would be able to protect her...She expected any moment now for her to get a gaping would in her stomach that would rend her in half, just as a bulldozer would pulp the trunk of her tree, splitting it in two. She hugged her knees solemnly at that thought. Johann may be suppressing her emotions that would cause her fear, but this was sorrow. If the twins were beyond resurrection, she was doomed, and all the time away from her precious tree would have been for naught.

An hour and a half passed, and finally Johann had to momentarily bother the nymph to reclaim the part of him that he'd lent her, though she had been rather sad instead the past ninety minutes and continued to be, seemingly over her initial fright. He hadn't asked her what was wrong - he knew she was mourning about either the twins or her probable death. Truly, he was sad for her too. It reminded him vaugely of when he lost his love - though he doubted his connection had been as vital as her's. The tree, Abe had informed him, was her life, her heart and soul. If either of them died, truly died, so would the counterpart. So, as long as the stump of the tree remained, she would remain alive, but after her story had been explained in detail to Johann, he doubted even a scrap of bark would be left behind. Her chance of survival was little to none, especially once she saw the present condition of the royal twins herself.

Johann was still curious of her connection to the twins - all any of them knew was that a century or two before, her family of nymphs had been threatened, and the Bethmoora family had subsided the threat up until now. But Mei Monokera alone was left out on accident, but had been bonded with the elven twins since even before then, and shared their pain even if she did not bear the wounds. She had not cared to explain the purpose of this bond, and what a nymph could do for elvenkind in return for such a magnitude of protection.

Johann could only assume it lied with her other form, of her 'Monokerata' form, as she tended to call it instead of the common term 'Unicorn'. Perhaps it was a safety measure on her part, few knew the term Monokerata except gaelic speakers, and most underground or fey folk spoke only elvish or troll, which were the common. Royal elven families, and old blood fey creatures used gaelic, not the common everyday persons. Hellboy only knew gaelic because he was the fabled Anung un Rama, and being a demon, he knew the language.

Abe had briefly mentioned Mei's powers in her unicorn transformation - abolishing poisons and curing any and all damage, including death as long as the body was intact.

"Mein gott! Mein freaulein, you intend to resurrect one or more of the twins using your monekerata horn?!" Johann exclaimed loudly after making, what he assumed to be, the correct connection. Mei stared at him with wide eyes, her lips slightly parted with what he could only assume was shock. Even the slumbering Hellboy jumped awake at Johann's outburst, and was looking around bewilderedly.

"How... did you know?" she asked in a whisper that once again reminded him of wind between leaves, a truly sweet sound. He banished the thought from his ethereal head, and gave a mechanical sputter.

"You wish to see the twins even after three agents have told you they are dead, Agent Sapien informed us that one of the powers of your monokerata horn is to heal any wound, and even to resurrect the dead to a certain degree. Nuada was crumbled to pieces, and Nuala petrified, but whole. If my theory is correct, if you were to touch your horn to Nuala's stone remains, she would be revived, and thus because of their bond, Nuada would be as well, though his return would be much more painful I would venture, with all those little pieces having to rejoin and all...." he trailed off, tapping his metal tipped fingers together. Mei's face changed drastically from sorrow and shock to the utmost happiness.

"I did not think any of you would understand my reasoning...I can only hope that we reach them in time, and that they are not past recovery..." she replied softly, obviously touched by the ectoplasmic doctor's discovery. Johann was a little dissapointed when she had spoke in gaelic again, but the sleepy Hellboy gave a quick but mumbled translation.