Chapter Two: A Homecoming.
The bunk room smelled fresh, mountain dew glistening on the grass outside like millions of tiny diamonds. Alice woke to the sound of somebody training down the corridor in the Dojo, she got up and pulled on a long black dress over her lithe body, as she was walking out she noticed Jasper asleep on his bunk, he and Charlie had been up all night drinking and talking, Alice just shook her head and walked out.
As she was walking down the corridor Alice passed several more bunk rooms, the rec room and the mess hall. They were all empty.
"Looks like they left us alone again." Alice was quietly glad of being left alone, she hated these frontline troops they were always so loud and unruly. Alice could see the door of the Dojo; she could see Emmett inside, hitting practise targets with a pair of wooden swords. She crept into the room as far as she could then she pulled out a small black, metal shuriken shaped like a Phoenix, she was about ten metres away when she let the Phoenix fly, jumping up to the rafters at the same time.
Emmett was in mid-swing when a small black object pinned his sword to the target with a solid thud, he knew who it was, only one person used shurikens, Alice; Emmett scanned the room for the assassin but he couldn't see her, he turned, checking the rafters, he turned back.
Emmett woke up a few minutes later with a dull ache in the left side of his head and he was drenched, he rolled over and saw Alice standing over him with an empty bucket.
"Sorry."
"Would that be for drenching me, or laying me out?"
"That would be for drenching you; it's your own fault that you got knocked out." Alice offered him a hand.
"Sorry."
"What for?" asked Alice, puzzled.
"This." Replied Emmett as he grabbed her hand and threw her over his shoulder, she landed a few metres back and rolled back onto her feet, Emmett was standing now, laughing.
"Emmett!" Alice shouted.
"Wha…," There was a meaty smack as a practice helmet hit him hard in the stomach, winding him. "Right, that's it, Alice." Emmett panted, retrieving his practice sword from the floor.
"Oh it's like that is it." Alice replied as she grabbed a naginata from the wall rack. The pair strode into the middle of the room and eyed each other up, Alice noticed they way Emmett looked under confident with only one weapon, but still dangerous. Emmett noted the way Alice was overweighed by the huge pole arm, being accustomed to the smaller knives she usually fought with.
The first blow came from Alice, her body movements telling Emmett the blow was coming several seconds early, he stepped aside of the clumsy blow and hit Alice across the back with the flat of his sword; he didn't see the next move however as the pole swung round and swept his legs out from under him, he rolled to the side as Alice's pole came down hard and cracked off the floor where he had been lying.
Jasper was woken by a huge banging, he had been up too late the night before, he stumbled over to the medicine cabinet on the wall near the door, he was still weaning his boots and leather trousers from the night before, Jasper took a bottle of hangover pills from the small box and downed a few. After a few seconds Kasper's head was still banging he thought it was odd as those hangover tablets usually worked instantly, then it hit him, what he could hear was a fight from down the corridor. Jasper pulled on a shirt and walked towards the noise, he went into the room where Emmett and Alice where fighting and stood at the back, out of sigh, watching. Jasper could see that Alice was vastly outmatched with her current weapon, a huge naginata, but as he watched, Emmett threw a massive side kick and Alice blocked it with the shaft of her weapon, smashing it in two creating two smaller sticks. Alice smashed the blade off the end of one of the sticks, lightening it considerably; she left the pole in her left hand drop slightly and held it so it ran up the length of her arm. Jasper watched and smiled as the tables turned so suddenly.
This should be good, he thought to himself.
Alice, now with weapons she could use, set Emmett with a solid stare like a hunter targeting its prey, before Emmett could move Alice hit him hard in the knee so he dropped to the floor, then she hit him in the stomach so he doubled up and to finish him off she flicked her left wrist back bringing the other stick round to hit him in the face leaving him lying on his back looking up at her.
"Yield?" She smiled.
"Yield." He groaned back.
Alice left the Dojo, leaving Emmett recovering in the middle of the scratched and dented floor, and entered a small room off to one side. The room was dark, lit only by flickering candles, and smelled strongly of incense which made Alice's head swim.
"Good fight." Jasper's voice pierced the silence and made Alice start, she turned to see Jasper sitting in the corner, just in the shadow polishing his katana, she had always admired that blade, the gold dragon on the hilt with inlaid rubies for eyes looked right at you when he saluted with it, the grip was bound with gold thread and the scabbard had intricate gold patterns running down it right to the gold end cap, which was inlaid with a solid polished obsidian stone in the shape of the seal of his lord, Aro Volturi.
"Hello." Jasper was looking at her like she was a child, she was about to ask why when she realised she had been staring at his sword for a while, she shook herself awake.
"I didn't hear you come in." Alice recovered, sitting down opposite Jasper.
"Not surprising really, the way you were fighting just now." Jasper had returned his attention to polishing.
"What happened to Charlie last night when you left?"
"Oh, last I saw he was asleep on a table."
"At home?"
"No, in the garden."
"What? You didn't let him stay out there all night!" Alice was surprised, Jasper just looked at her, shrugged then smiled. "You men, where would you be without me?" Jasper looked at her with raised eyebrows and looked like he was going to answer when Alice butted in "That was a rhetorical question." Alice got up to leave.
"Where are you going?" Jasper asked as he got up, sheathing his sword.
"To find Charlie." Alice sighed as she left.
Jasper saw Emmett sitting in a big padded chair in the rec room, his head leant back and his eyes closed, he had ice on his face where Alice had hit him.
"You fought well brother."
Emmett looked Jasper in the face.
"My arse!"
"Hey, you did….until she kicked your arse." Jasper laughed back.
"Whatever." Emmett sighed, leaning back in his chair and rearranging the ice on his head. There was a long silence as the two thought, a runner came to the door and handed a sheet of paper to Jasper, saluting as he did so. Jasper read the message.
"You might want to get some cleaners in the Dojo," He told the messenger as he read. Jasper handed the sheet of paper back to the messenger and turned to Emmett "All three of us are to report to the Operations Centre as soon as possible."
"What for?"
"Didn't say, just report ASAP," Jasper went to leave "Come on, we have to find Alice." Emmett groaned and got up. The pair left the room, Emmett limping on his bruised knee, and the messenger ran the other way to inspect the dojo and fetch a cleaner.
Alice walked into the garden "Charlie?" she could see someone asleep across one of the tables. "Charlie!" she shouted at the person. Charlie rolled off the table and landed hard on the floor, he woke up like he had been slapped looking around wildly, then the hangover hit him and he groaned and lay back down.
"Charlie." He looked over and sat up when he saw Alice walking over.
"I don't suppose you've got any…." Charlie's voice trailed off as Alice reached down and took some hangover pills out of a pouch at her waist and threw them to Charlie "of those" Charlie said, surprised.
"What brings you out here?" Charlie asked after the pills had taken effect.
"As if you don't know Charlie." Alice replied. The pair was sat on either side of the table.
"The beautiful scenery?" Charlie answered gingerly, the reply made Alice laugh; he knew why she had come out to him, she was worried about him sleeping outside but really she knew he was perfectly safe inside the castle walls.
"Where's the garrison gone Charlie?"
"Half are in the temple and Skeleton Crew is up in operations."
"And the rest?"
"Up in the hills…running!" Charlie obviously enjoyed the fact that the regular garrison had to do training but as he was ex-elite forces, he didn't have to go.
Alice smiled. "Lucky them."
Jasper came running out to the garden where Alice was talking with Charlie, Emmett limping after him holding his head. Jasper was just about to talk when Alice butted in "What do you want now?" she said turning to face the new arrival and his wounded companion.
"Actually I came to tell you that a message came through, we're to report to operations."
"When?"
"Now."
"Now!" Alice exclaimed, standing up "What for?"
"Didn't say but it sounded urgent." Alice threw her arms up and sighed dramatically.
"Do they know what rest is?" Charlie butted in.
"Better go then if it was urgent." Emmett added.
Jasper nodded and started to walk off with Emmett. Alice looked at Charlie who was quite happy to sit there and relax while everybody else worked.
"I might be good, but I can't kill them all."
"Yeah, but you can try." Charlie replied with a manic smile. Alice just shook her head and ran after the retreating pair; Charlie sat back, closed his eyes and fell asleep.
The operations centre was a large room at the top of the castle's keep, as the three elite soldiers approached the massive wooden double doors, two guards pushed them open, the huge symbol of the Volturi house splitting as the doors parted. Inside the Operations Centre they were met by Demetri Volturi, first son of, and heir to the current Daimyo of Volturi. After salutes had been exchanged Demetri led the trio into a private conference room off from the main control room.
"A few minutes ago we got a call from my honourable father, Aro Volturi," Demetri began "He didn't say what he wanted to speak about; only that he wanted to talk with you, as soon as possible."
"Well then, get us a link and we'll talk." Jasper replied sitting down at the massive mahogany table, Alice and Emmett following suit. Demetri disappeared into a small side room, he re-emerged a few minutes later as the end wall on the conference room opened up, revealing a large screen. The screen activated and there was some interference but then a man appeared, he was quite old but still had an air of power about him, and all four of them saluted and Jasper spoke.
"Lord, what is it you with to speak about?"
"Actually the matter of which I wish to speak is far too sensitive to be discussed over comms in case of eavesdroppers." Aro spoke slowly and with perfect formality "I am recalling you all to Japan; I need to speak with you all in person."
"As you wish Lord." Jasper replied.
"There is a transport on its way as we speak. Godspeed, out."
"Thank you Lord. Out." Jasper replied as the screen went blank and the wall closed back up leaving a map of Japan in the screen's place.
"Oh crap!" Emmett cursed and slumped down onto the table.
"I was enjoying this holiday." Jasper shook his head and laughed at the sight. Alice was glad to be going back to Japan, she enjoyed being in China but Japan was so much better, maybe she would get to see the giant towering walls of Edo Castle again, maybe.
"Better get ready then, the bid will be here soon." Jasper urged as he stood up, Alice got up with barely suppressed eagerness, Emmett just sat there, his head on the table, and groaned; Jasper clouted him as he walked past "Get up! Just because you got beaten up doesn't mean you get to stay here." Emmett groaned again and forced himself up. Demetri open the door to let them out and escorted them to the exit.
"I hope it all does well." Demetri told Jasper.
"Just hold this place tight." Jasper replied as he gripped the man's shoulder, and then he left.
There wasn't much time to get ready but then they didn't need to take a lot, just weapons and armour. There was just enough time to find Charlie and tell him where they were going, he had returned to the gate house but was still sleeping.
Just as Jasper returned to the landing pad the ships came down, it was a small black ship that looked like a thorn in the sky; it was designed not to show up on Alliance radar and was totally silent. The side door popped open and the pilot spoke over earpiece link "Board up." Alice didn't need to be told twice and she jumped onto the plane.
"What's her rush?" Emmett complained.
"Oh cheer up, will you and get on the plane." Jasper said as he stepped aboard, Emmett took one last look at the base before boarding the plane.
"Only three?" the pilot shouted back.
"Yeah, why?" Jasper asked.
"Well I was told by the boss to pick up his team, and standard minimum for a hit team is five. That's all."
"Well we're not standard. Now fly us home and stop asking stupid questions." Alice snapped back.
"Yes Ma'am. I meant no disrespect." Alice sighed and sat back in her seat as the aircraft lifted off, Emmett was asleep at the back of the craft, Alice shook her head and looked over at Jasper who was looking right back at her, and he just smiled and closed his eyes.
Better try and get a nap myself, She thought, and fell asleep.
Alice awoke to someone gently shaking her shoulder. "Alice," It was Jasper, "We're at Kai airfield." Alice got up quickly and noticed that Emmett wasn't there.
"He's outside radioing to the palace that we will be there shortly," Jasper said, noticing her looking. "They also dropped some thing off for us." Alice looked at him quizzically; she could hear a familiar sound coming from outside so she stepped out of the craft to look. Her heart leapt when she saw what it was.
"Shadow!" She shouted and ran to her horse, kissing its head.
"And I got a bloody kick in!" She hadn't noticed that she had run past Emmett who was packing up a radio set. Jasper got off of the plane and stepped over to his own steed, an enormous grey horse called 'Rolling Thunder.'
"If you're done then we'll go." Jasper told Emmett as he mounted his horse we're off, thanks for the lift." He told the pilot through his earpiece. Jasper and Alice were riding off slowly down the narrow street when Emmett finished stowing the radio in the plane.
"And where's my ride!" Emmett shouted as he turned round and saw his big black superbike, he wondered where his horse was but then realised he didn't care and vaulted onto the bike, revving it up, the back wheel span, kicking up smoke and grit, before the bike jerked off quickly.
Emmett soon caught up with his companions and slowed the machine down to a crawl. "Hey you guys, not that I'm extremely bothered… but where's my horse?" Emmet asked looking up at them both, Alice shrugged and looked over at Jasper who looked back at Emmett.
"How are we supposed to know?" The reply was full of sarcasm. Emmett just shrugged.
"Well it passed the time didn't it?"
"Yea, about five seconds of it." Alice answered as they turned left down a new street. The new street was considerably shorter than the last as it stopped and open out into a courtyard about three hundred metres in, the courtyard was a public garden, deserted at that time of night, it had a path running right up the middle with grass either side until it met with an ornamental pond and a willow tree, which it skirted around and ran right up to the castle.