7
Bo pulls her car to a stop in front of the field where the battle to keep her father from escaping Hel took place. She sits for a moment, steadying her nerves, then gets out of the car with determination.
The place is deserted, as if the sadness keeps everyone away. The architecture is gone, including the portal. It's just a pile of stone now. She wonders if it isn't Trick's doing; an attempt by the acting Ash to wipe away the pain of that night. She smiles to herself slightly at the realization of just how easily Kenzi insinuated herself into the ancient fae's heart despite the centuries he had of being biased against humans. Kenzi truly was one of a kind.
Bo has trouble orientating herself without any makers and turns a few times, lost, but then notices a ring of sunflowers and knows it's the very spot Kenzi died, sacrificing herself to save Bo, to save everyone. She looks up at the clear blue sky as she tries to hold back her sorrow and focuses on the few clouds as they skitter towards the setting midsummer sun to glow in a combination of fierce pinks and yellows.
As Bo hesitates she recalls her human mother telling her of "the gloaming". The time right after the sun has set and you can see with the most clarity. She told Bo it was when the veil between this life and the next was at its thinnest. Bo decides maybe some human folklore is worth listening too and takes the lux right after the sun has gone down. It burns the inside of her mouth and throat but she drinks it all down anyhow. She considers for a moment tossing the flask dramatically, but figures Trick would want it back and instead tucks it into her boot.
"Now what?" She says to no one.
She turns slowly. Nothing happens. The lux is starting to make her feel warm and relaxed. Her thoughts start to wander. Thoughts she's been trying to keep in tight control since she lost Kenzi.
She flashes to the battle, and the anger begins to well up and nearly tears her apart, at Dyson for stopping her, at Kenzi for sacrificing herself and not telling Bo her plan, at her father, Rainer & Trick for their parts in an ages long fae conflict that seems so insignificant to Bo now, at Lauren, and at herself for choosing to go after the doctor instead of being there in time to stop Kenzi, for not being a better friend, for not having the strength to save her yet, and at Tasmin for taking Kenzi away.
"Damn it, Kenzi."
Bo hates being here, at this place of her greatest loss, her greatest failure and without meaning to, while trying so hard not to, she sees Kenzi's face just as she turns to Bo before walking into the portal. Bo sees the tears on her face and her heart aches with a physical pain.
"Yo, Bo Bo. My death didn't revolve around you."
Bo turns and finds herself standing in an open field surrounded by low hills. It's predawn now but there are stars blazing overhead brighter than the coming sunrise and a luminescent fog swirls around their feet like tiny dancers at a fancy ball. Everything glows an unnatural green.
"Kenzi?"
"Wait. Actually, it kind of did," Kenzi points out.
"Oh my god, Kenzi! You're alive!" Bo rushes forward and grabs Kenzi in a hug.
"Are you drunk? Of course I'm not."
Bo shakes her head as if to clear it. "I don't understand."
"It's the lux. It taxes the psyche during inter-dimensional travel." Kenzi explains.
"What?"
"Memory gaps are normal. Don't worry. Cognitive function will return. Eventually."
Bo is startled. "Why do you sound like Lauren?"
"Seems one of the benefits of the afterlife is the unlimited capacity to know a bunch of shit."
"Oh. Goody." Bo says without meaning it.
Kenzi nods her head in solemn agreement. Then moves forward and grabs Bo by the upper arms in enthusiasm. "But I don't get to see what is going on with my besties and I am dying to know what the latest haps are! How are you, how's my Tam Tam? Dyson, Lauren? The Trickster?"
"Dying to know?" Bo repeats wryly.
"Give a ghost a break. I don't get much chance to try out new material."
Bo looks her over. Kenzi looks good. But maybe a bit too frantic. "How are you? Really?"
Kenzi sighs. "Bored out of my mind, Bo," she admits. "You have got to get me out of here." She moves closer and whispers, "There's no coffee."
"I'm working on it, Kenz. I promise."
"But you're not here now to bust me out of know-it-all-ville?"
Bo sighs. "I'm not. I'm here…"
"…to save the fae. Again." Kenzi finishes.
Bo sighs as guilt falls on her heavy.
"Kenzi…"
"Bo," Kenzi stops her, "I understand. You wouldn't be you if you weren't putting others before yourself."
"But I'm putting them before you."
"Only you would convince yourself that's true."
"Kenzi…"
"No, listen. I see a lot from here and it's not going to be as easy as waltzing in with a pair of seriously ugly ass mystical kicks. And you are going to need help."
"But I have help. I have Dyson and Tamsin, and Lauren…"
"I mean power, Bo. The fae consider your humanity your weakness. And it can be… because it's your greatest strength."
Bo starts to protest, confused, but Kenzi continues, "The fae… they've had centuries playing humans, playing on our weaknesses, our priorities. Priorities you still have. Your tendency to take things at face value and take on responsibility for things that aren't your fault, for starters. "
She grabs Bo by the arms again.
"They owe you, Bo. They owe you big and it's time to start collecting. It's time to start playing their own game against them. Starting with this. Starting with me."
Bo considers.
"They owe me big time too," Kenzi points out.
Bo smiles in understanding.
"That's my girl. Now, let's get what you really came for."
8
Together they walk a worn path as the fog swirls around their feet in dizzying patterns. The sun has come up, rising from the West and Bo is unnerved by the unnatural order of things. It feels like both an eternity and only moments have gone by when she realizes they are standing on a tile floor. Looking up she sees all around them a ring of white pillars stretching up to an open sky. The sunlight stops outside the circle as if the pillars are holding it back and starlight blazes in the sky directly above the structure. The air glows an eerie orange. In the distance, on a hilltop across a small plain, Bo sees a woman with long blonde, almost white hair. Despite the distance she can feel the woman's eyes on them.
Kenzi turns in the direction of Bo's gaze. "Oh. Her again, " she says casually.
"Who is she? She… she radiates power."
"Aziel. And that's because she is power incarnate."
"It's…" Bo sways a little, "… it's exhilarating." She takes a step forward, her eyes blazing blue.
"Whoa, whoa, eyes on the prize, missy," Kenzi says as she grabs Bo by her elbow and pulls her around to look at her.
Bo snaps back to the moment, puzzled and annoyed. She looks back and the woman is gone. She turns towards Kenzi again and sees behind her a large pillow in the middle of the room, on it a sleeping baby. Bo moves forward and smiles at the sleeping infant, entranced by it in a different way than she was just a moment ago.
"Who is this?" she asks in a whisper.
"What you came for."
"Wait… what?" she looks up at Kenzi. "A baby? This is the ultimate weapon?"
"Afraid so, sweat cheeks. Bo, meet the Bharma Astra. Overlord of Doom. Master of Destruction. Keeper of the double-you em deeyam is he adorable."
Bo looks back down at him. He is nestled on a white pillow with several embroidered radials of arrows. On his forehead is a simpler version that glows softly, four arrows pointing in opposite directions from a single point, "He is beautiful," Bo agrees quietly. She puts her finger in his tiny hand. The baby wakes up and smiles at Bo. She wiggles her eyebrows at him.
"Bo, be careful you don't…"
The baby starts to cry and the mark on his tiny forehead glows for a moment and then fades completely. Bo instinctively picks him up, starts to sway with him.
"…make him cry."
Bo turns to Kenzi. "What? Why?"
"You just activated him."
Bo freezes.
"Well, he's not going to go off now! But the timer has started."
Bo breathes a sigh of relief. "Damn it Kenzi…" she starts to laugh, then her face falls and she snuggles the baby close to her. "Damn it," she repeats with a small sob, "I miss you so much."
"I know," she says, tears forming in her own eyes, then smiles, "It's because I'm so damn awesome."
Bo laughs, and then says as seriously as she can, "I mean it. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, or for Hale. I'm sorry that my shit keeps getting in the way…"
"Bo. Stop. It's not your fault. I always expected too much of you. We all do."
"And I expected too little of you. I always thought I had to be the one to protect you, but you were the one always taking care of me. You're stronger than you think you are. Stronger than me. And I didn't notice. But I still need to fix this."
"And you will. You always do."
The baby stops crying. Bo looks down and she is shocked to see he is the size of a two year old and looking up at her with a wide smile. Bo looks up and starts to say something to Kenzi, but she's gone. Bo whirls a few times in a panic, looking for her.
"Kenzi! No. Kenzi!?" But she knows she's gone.
She shifts the weight of the child to her hip and he instinctively grabs her around the neck. She looks around, trying to figure out what to do when she notices the pillars at the opposite end of the path glow. She recognizes the aura from her time in limbo a few years ago.
"Well… like the Nain Rouge once told me. Follow the light."
She steps through the pillars into blankness.
It feels like an eternity, stretching out every atom in her body to it's breaking point. She holds the boy as close to her in an attempt to shield him from the effects. Just as she thinks she is about to lose her mind she snaps together and stumbles…
… right in front of a pair of speeding headlights. She jumps back out of the way, covering the boys head, squeezing him tight.
"Ow!" He protests.
When it's clear they haven't been hit by the speeding truck, Bo stands straight. The child is now the size of a 6 year old. In her astonishment she puts him down quickly and stares.
"I'm hungry," he says.
Bo, still stunned, looks around. They're standing by the side of a dark road. It is night time and she can see the city in the distance. Far in the distance.
"Great," she says with a sigh.
Across the street is a diner. Before Bo can take his hand and lead him to the neon oasis the sky rumbles and thick clouds move in and cover the stars. Without any more warning that than the sky opens up, soaking them both.
She picks up the child and runs across the street, holding one hand up over his head in a vain attempt to keep him dry. It only takes moments to reach the door and get inside, but the rain is so swift they both are soaked through. The waitress on duty barely gives them a second look as they seat themselves at a booth. Without asking she walks over and pours coffee for Bo, who looks up at her with gratitude.
"Can I get you a hot chocolate, sweetie?" The waitress says to the boy, now looking like an 8 year old.
"I would appreciate that very much," he replies.
The waitress walks away.
Bo stares at him. He stares back. The waitress places the thick white cup before him and he immediately wraps his hands around it for warmth. The waitress pauses with a puzzled look before moving on back behind the counter.
Finally he asks, "And for what purpose do you seek my power?"
"I..uh…I don't."
"So, why have you brought me here?" He asks calmly.
"Actually, I'm hoping to keep you from being used to destroy an entire clan of fae."
"That is not one of my functions." She looks at him. He clarifies, "To be kept."
"One of?" She prompts.
"There are four functions of the Bharma Astra."
"Oh great," she mutters, "You refer to yourself in the third person. My favorite."
He continues, ignoring her, "Beginning, creation, completion, destruction."
"Wow. So much… in one tiny body."
"Did you bring me your most cherished?" He asks, still calm.
"My what?"
"A sacrifice is required to earn my services."
She stares at him a moment and then says, "I already told you, I don't want to.. activate you."
"But you woke me. Regardless of intentions, you pay the consequences unless I am used."
"The what…? And why do you keep getting older?"
"The countdown has begun." He blows on the hot chocolate.
"Oh I don't like the sound of that."
His eyes study her face for a moment. "You are unlike anyone that has ever come for me. You're very trusting."
"You've been activated before?"
"Indeed."
"How exactly does that work?"
"The path to the Bharma Astra…"
She holds up one hand to interrupt. "Could you please stop doing that?"
"But I am the Bharma Astra."
"How about we just call you Asa."
He ponders the new name, roles it around in his mind. "Acceptable. … The path to the Asa…"
Bo sighs, "Oh boy."
"…is one of great cost to ensure only the most dedicated, those in greatest need, have access to my powers. Once I have been retrieved the fae, if their offering is worthy, have only until my lifespan in this dimension in order to active my powers, for good or for ill."
"And if you aren't… activated?" She asks.
"My time ends and the initiator takes my place."
"Whoa. I what?"
"Great cost, " he reminds her. Then he picks up the mug with both hands and takes a large, loud slurp of the cocoa. "Mmmm. This concoction is delicious!" He says, now sporting a chocolate mustache.
"Great."
She motions for the waitress for refills and then pulls out her phone.
"Tamsin. I need a favor…"