DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN RONIN WARRIORS! IF I DID, I WOULDN'T BE WRITING FANFICTION.
I was having internet problems for a while. So, here's something that was technically done a few months ago.
Happily,
-Z
I had this really weird dream. It was this meteor hitting a volcano, and inside the meteor was this creepy dude with massively ugly dreads. No offense to dreads.
I only got a glimpse of the dude before I woke up. I'm back in the attic at Mia's house, it's morning, and I really hope it hasn't been more than a day since I passed out. I'm getting kinda sick of waking up and hours upon hours have passed.
"You look rested." Ukitake says. "How do you feel?"
My head is heavy as I sit up; weighted by a mass of red curls that totally shouldn't have grown back this fast. I run my fingers through my hair and sit up all the way.
"Confused." Is my reply to Ukitake.
"Of course." Ukitake nods.
"Kenbukyo." I say. "He…gave me something." I look down at my hands, but they look normal enough, save for my nails have grown just a bit. I make a mental note to sit and paint them later, maybe.
"He sacrificed himself to ensure the safety of this world." Ukitake stands up from the windowsill and walks over to sit by me on the bed. "Now Ryo bears the Fervor Katana."
I remember. Kenbukyo was a noble man, but Ryo wanted to fight him, and White Blaze… "White Blaze?" I gasp.
"White Blaze is just fine. Black Blaze gave his soul to White Blaze. He's gone to Mt. Fuji." Ukitake reaches up and tucks a wayward strand of curl from my face. I let him.
"By himself?" I raise an eyebrow.
Ukitake chuckles. "No, of course not. Mia, Yuli, and Ryo have gone as well. The've gone to…" He looks thoughtful. "Well, actually," He scratches his chin. "I'm not really sure; something to do with the volcano, I suppose."
I nod. "Makes sense. That's where we found him some months back." Months…I try to think on how long it's been, but I really couldn't say. "What about everyone else? Anyone around this morning?"
"Afternoon, actually. Just after 12, and Cye has been checking in on you periodically. He's a very good friend to you, Emiko." Ukitake smiles.
"Even though I pulled sword on them?" I frown.
Ukitake's smile doesn't falter. "I don't think any of them noticed. Rowen slept on that couch last night." He nods to the couch in the attic; there's a blanket and pillow on it.
"It pulls out." I imagine Rowen sitting up on the couch, glancing at me, pretending he isn't as worried as he is about my being unconscious.
"Pardon?" Ukitake turns back to me.
"The couch." I wave a hand at the couch. "The cushions come off, and it pulls out into a bed." I shrug. "Doesn't really matter, I guess."
"Ah." Ukitake smiles again. "I'll mention that should Rowen want to sleep there again."
I nod. My stomach growls. Touching it idly, I look at Ukitake. "You wouldn't know if there's any food made, would you?"
"As a matter of fact, yes." Ukitake stands, and holds his hand out to me. "Cye set aside a plate of food for you, so Kento and Rowen wouldn't eat it." He winks.
I take Ukitake's outstretched hand, nodding. "Yeah, Rowen sure puts food away for such a beanpole."
Standing up, I falter just for a second then look at Ukitake and hug him.
Ukitake doesn't hesitate, and hugs me back.
I pull away after a few seconds then start braiding my hair. "Sorry. I …just needed a hug."
Ukitake hands me a hair tie from the end table. "That's alright, Emiko." He smiles. "I suppose it's what I'm here for."
I manage a tired smile. "Thanks…dad."
Ukitake nods as he walks toward the stairs heading down from the attic.
I start to follow, but glance out the window and see Buddo down below. There's a bird he seems to be stalking. That horse is gonna get his eyes pecked out.
"Emiko?" Ukitake is halfway down the stairs.
"I'm coming." I follow after him.
"Do you know anything about Buddo's new friend?" I ask as we're walking.
"As a matter of fact, yes." Ukitake says. "A white raven has been making a pest of itself this morning. Your demon horse has taken quite a liking to it." He chuckles.
"Pest?" I ask. "How so?"
"It was trying to get into the house, it seems. I didn't witness this myself, but Cye brought it up at breakfast." Ukitake smiles.
"Ravens are smart birds, it probably figured there was food inside." I shrug.
"But that's just it." Ukitake looks thoughtful. "The raven first appeared at Mia's office window, and then seemed to be looking around the attic windows."
"It didn't go near the front door or the kitchen?" I ask.
Ukitake shakes his head. "No, not once. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that bird was trying to get to you, Emiko."
That makes me pause my step. "Me? But…you know better, right?"
Ukitake chuckles. "Yes, of course. The demon horse is keeping the bird's curiosity at bay."
"Maybe I should go say hi." I glance at the windows behind dad.
"OHHHHHH!" A loud groan comes echoing up from the living room not far away. "I'm STARVIN'!"
I chuckle. "Sounds like Kento."
Ukitake nudges me with one elbow. "Must be lunch time."
"Maybe I should make something?" I shrug.
Ukitake and I start walking again. "Mia said she would pick up something on the way. She seems to have meals planned out ahead of time."
"Oh. I won't mess around in the kitchen then."
Kento's whining only gets louder as Ukitake and I come down the stairs. "What's takin' Mia so long? I'm gonna die before she gets here!" He fakes a gag and his head lolls back. "I died…"
"Aww, not Kento." I giggle.
Rowen's got a plate of crackers or something as he comes shuffling out of the kitchen with fat headphones around his neck, and his "comfy clothes" a sweatshirt and sweatpants. "He's got enough fat on 'im, let's grill him up now." Rowen kicks the couch.
"Hey! Whatcha got there?" Kento perks up.
"Nothin'." Rowen sets the plate at the table next to an open magazine full of glossy pictures of DIY gundams and robots. "Get yer own damn food."
I walk by and steal a cracker from Rowen's plate.
"How come SHE gets to steal?" Kento whines.
Rowen just glares over his shoulder as he hooks his headphones over his head, clicks a button on a Walkman in the pocket of his sweatshirt then flips the big hood over his head and leans on the table to read his magazine and eat crackers.
"Hey pretty girl, you gonna eat that plate in the fridge?" Kento beams at me.
"Yup." I grin as I go into the kitchen.
"Oh, so off, you!" Cye says then his voice comes nearer to the kitchen. "You won't die before lunch, so leave Emma be." He comes into the kitchen as I'm taking the plate out of the fridge.
I glance at him and close the refrigerator door. "Thanks for saving food for me." I peel the plastic wrap off the plate and sit at the kitchen island to eat.
Ukitake sits across from me, reading an article in the newspaper.
Cye walks around the island with a set frown, takes the plate from the island and puts it in the microwave. Then he turns right around and hugs me.
I sit there for a second, not saying anything until the microwave beeps. Ukitake continues to quietly read his newspaper article.
"Thank you." I murmur.
Cye turns to the microwave. "Yes, well, you gave us all a start." He takes the plate out and sets it back in front of me, grabbing me a napkin and some utensils. "Tea, Emma?"
"Sure." I watch Cye as he gets the kettle out to boil water.
Ukitake is looking at me over the rim of a pair of a wire-rim glasses and nods.
I look at plate. It's a crepe with cream and fruit wrapped in it, two links of some small sausages, and scrambled eggs.
"If you don't want it, get up earlier." Cye startles me.
I shake my head. "No, it looks great." I take a bite, and smile as I chew and swallow. "Tastes even better than it looks."
Cye smiles, turns back to the kettle, and sighs.
I keep eating, Cye pours me a cup of tea, and sits chatting with Ukitake as I eat.
"-and anyway, Buddo seems fond of the thing, so I didn't have the heart to shoo it away." Cye sips his own cup of tea. "And your sword is missing."
I drop the bit of eggs from the chopsticks I'm using. "What?!" I gasp.
"I hadn't noticed." Ukitake says calmly. "Are you sure?"
Cye nods. "I unsaddled the horse." He shakes his head. "No sword."
"That sword is more than just 'oh, it's missing'!" I exclaim.
"Steady on." Cye leans a bit away from me. "I didn't lose it, your daft demon horse did. I'm just letting you know, it's nowhere to be found. I looked."
"Emiko, I'm sure it's fine." Ukitake doesn't seem the least bit worried that a magic sword HE gave me is mysteriously GONE.
As much as I hate the thought that maybe it dropped somewhere, I relax as much as I can, glance at Ukitake again, and then keep eating. Swallowing, I look at Cye. "Sorry, Cye. That sword is…important."
Cye gives me this annoyed look. "Alright then?"
I nod and keep eating.
Sage comes into the kitchen then. "Hey Cye? You should see this thing on the news." He looks startled to see me. "Emma…?" He comes in. "When did you wake up?"
I shrug. "Ten, fifteen minutes ago?"
Sage walks over to me, standing by the island, just staring at me with this bewildered look on his face. I stare back. He seems to clear out of it and nods. "Good. Um, you should see this too." He turns and nods. "Mr. Ukitake."
"Sage." Ukitake nods back at Sage.
I shrug at Cye, glance at Ukitake then slide off the stool and follow the blonde out to the living room.
There's a small television set up on the dining room table, the news quietly humming on the screen.
I lean on the back of Rowen's chair, and listen to the broadcast with everyone else.
" - this phenomenon of Mt. Aso erupting and then quickly calming is a first since observations began this morning."
On screen is the mountain I saw in my dream, the one the ugly dude with dreads landed in. I feel a heaviness taking over my body; I'm not sure that my dream was just a dream…
"Further mystery is the layer of black ice which quickly formed after the mountain's activity, creating what would look like a seal of some kind."
The broadcast shows close-ups of the ice, conformed to every crevice and crack in the volcano surface rocks.
"It is not clear as to why this has happened, but scientists from the University of Tokyo are onsite. Reports of experts from Europe coming in to further study the phenomenon have also been confirmed."
Dad touches my shoulder. I look up at him and shake my head, as if saying 'it's nothing'.
"I dunno about you guys, but this stinks of Dynasty to me." Kento smacks the table with his hand.
Just the thought makes my stomach turn.
"Fuckin' demons can't give a day? Just one fuckin' day!" Rowen grumbles then turns and looks over his shoulder. "Hey Em, yer gonna break the chair."
I'm focused on the screen and the volcano, even though the report has gone on to something else.
"Hey." Rowen touches my hands.
I jerk and then slowly pull them away. "It's just a chair." I shrug it off. "I wouldn't have broken it." I turn and walk into the kitchen.
I already know Rowen has something else to say about my behavior. I get to the kitchen island and take the last few bites of my late breakfast before Rowen pushes the kitchen door open, and stands there with his arms folded, leaning on the doorframe watching me.
I shrug. "What?" I go about rinsing off my plate then put it in the dishwasher.
Rowen just watches me.
I have time to wash my hands of some sticky stuff, dry them, and turn once again to Rowen, shrugging. "Take a picture, it'll last longer."
"What the hell was that?" Rowen grumps.
Of course I know what he's talking about. But I shrug anyway. "The news broadcast? Search me, nature is weird."
Rowen comes in, letting the kitchen door swing closed behind him. "I ain't talkin' about the news. I mean you. You were all freaked out by it. Why?" He's keeping his voice low, and despite seeming pushy and angry, I know he's really concerned.
"I don't scare easy." I remind him.
"Yeah." Rowen shrugs one shoulder.
" After the life I've had, I've learned that no matter what life throws at you, shit happens." I give him a straight-on look. " But when I start dreaming about stuff that I see on the news later, I'm gonna get a little concerned."
Rowen's eyes narrow only slightly as an indication he's officially confused before he voices it. "What the fuck you talkin' about?"
"I had a nightmare about that volcano. Something crashed into it, it filled with black ice, and this thing came out of it with gnarly, evil dreads." I'm practically whispering.
Rowen has this 'omg, no fuckin' way' look on his face.
I nod. "I know, right?"
"Alright, you two, what's going on in here?" Cye comes in, followed by Sage and Kento.
"Nothing." I say.
"Emma had a premonition about the volcano." Rowen says.
I knock him in the arm.
Rowen frowns at me, and mutters. "What?"
Sage leans on the counter. "You had a premonition?"
"I had a nightmare. I'd hardly call that a premonition." I shake my head and fold my arms.
Cye has this thoughtfully surprised look on his face, and is pretending to be very interested in the tile counter-top of the island.
Sage shifts his weight. "I would."
Kento frowns a bit. "Are you a fortune teller, pretty girl? Can you tell me when Mia's gonna be home with food?"
Sage elbows Kento.
Kento steps away from Sage. "hey, what I do?"
"Yer missin' the point, Kento." Rowen says. "Emma dreamed it, now it's happening, means demons are involved."
"How do you figure? It's not like this has ever happened before." I shrug. "I'm not predicting the future or anything here."
Cye puts his hands together in a prayer pose, holding them in front of his lips. "Regardless." He says. "Volcanoes doesn't just almost erupt, then don't, and then freeze over with black ice." His bright blue eyes stare right at me.
I frown and look away. "Mm…"
"So we're all in agreement that demons are definitely behind this?" Sage asks.
"Yup." Rowen says.
Cye has this suddenly stunned look on his face. "Ryo's out there with Mia and Yuli."
Nothing else has to be said, Kento and Rowen turn tail.
"Come on." Cye walks around the island, grabs my hand, and intends to take me, but I dig my heels in.
"Emma?" Cye turns.
I shake my head. "I'm not going to the volcano."
Sage puts a hand on my shoulder and leans close to my face. "On the off, and very likely, chance demons are behind this, they've kidnapped you once. Let's not assume it won't happen again, okay?"
"Exactly." Cye says.
"Because I'm so important?" I ask.
Sage's expression softens. "Yes."
I blush, and yank my hand away from Cye and fold my arms. "Oh-okay fine. I'll go, but I'm not fighting demons."
"Brilliant." Cye grins and heads out of the kitchen.
"And I'm bringing Buddo." I go out the kitchen door heading to the patio behind the house.
I'm still in the clothes I was wearing yesterday, but since we're all so suddenly hot to get the hell out and find whatever caused that volcano to erupt –almost – I decide changing will just have to wait until later.
"Buuuuuhhhd!" I walk and call out at the same time. "We gotta go, big-butt!"
I round the side of the house, and see Buddo. The demon horse is laying on his back, feet curled up, and above his big muzzle is the white bird, hovering in the air. Buddo makes an audible snort, and the raven puffs up into the air like a kite.
I take a second to watch then approach. The sound of my flats crunching on the gravel makes Buddo turn his head to me. The bird squawks above him, hovering ever closer to the horse. Buddo flips onto his feet so he can get up, and the bird hovers daintily onto the horse's shoulders as his huge body stands up then shakes off. Buddo trots over, and turns sideways, doing a little nudge movement, like, 'lookit my new friend! Lookit! I made a frieeeend!' I swear this horse is grinning at me.
I look at the bird, and the white bird looks square at me. In its blue eyes, I get a feeling of familiarity, and just like the sword giving me orders to help in battle, the bird tells me its true origin.
"You're the sword?" I blink at it. I look it over. "You're a white raven."
The raven blinks its blue eyes at me, in an almost bored way.
I sigh. "So much for having normal pets…"
The white raven ruffles itself up indignantly.
"No offense." I shrug.
"EMMA! Get yer ass in gear!" Rowen shouts from the other end of the house, standing on the gravel in his underarmror.
I wave, and murmur. "Yeah, I hear you."
Buddo kneels down, and I pull myself up onto his back without the saddle.
"Don't get your panties in a twist, genius, I'm coming!" I shout.
Buddo trots up to Rowen, the bird takes off flying up above us, and it feels like battle time. I look up at the bird flying overhead.
"How the hell am I supposed to fight if you're way-the-hell up there!?" I exclaim as Buddo picks up the pace.
"Emiko, I'm with you!" Ukitake is running alongside Buddo, in a broken, almost teleport like manner. Flash-step, I remember him calling it. I so gotta learn that… "We'll let the samurai handle this, but stay close, alright?"
"Fine with me!" I scoff. "I'm DONE fighting demons."
I see Ukitake nod just before he disappears then reappears a few feet ahead of us, and so on…
Buddo always seems to know right where he's going, and finds a fenced overlook of the highway ahead, but there's no sign of Mia's car, Ryo, or the guys.
"You overshot it." I frown and give the demon horse's neck a little smack.
Buddo flicks his ears and grunts as he turns and starts running along the fence.
"Emma, what are you doing? Bloody this way!" Cye shouts then leaps after the others, over the fence to the highway below.
"Oh shut up, it's the horse!" I shout back.
Buddo snorts indignantly.
I'm about to answer, when we come upon the Ronins fighting the guy with the gnarly dreads. The warriors are paralyzed by a light that gives off an eerie vibe. Then he splits into five, and is attacking each of the paralyzed ronins individually with his multiple forms.
I shake my head, thinking I'm gonna have to get involved. I get down off the horse, and run up to the gate. "PLAY FAIR, DAMMIT!"
As if agreeing with me, White Blaze intervenes, kicks some demon butt, but gets knocked away.
"Don't give up, cat! Kick ass!" I cheer.
White Blaze's eyes glow, he roars, and in a flash of fire and light, the white tiger turns into a black tiger.
I stare. "That's…!"
It's Black Blaze, Kenbukyo's tiger, using White Blaze as a conduit to help Ryo, he even has the Fervor swords with him.
I jump up and down, cheering. "Yeah, Black Blaze, you go, big cat!"
Buddo does a little trotting dance, and whinnies.
But our triumph is quickly shattered as a heaviness weighs me down to kneeling on the ground, and all the air is sucked out of the world. I look up and see Ryo standing in the street…wearing the white armor. I get my breath back just as suddenly as it was taken away.
The guys are cheering, but all I can do is shake my head in despair. "No…Ryo…don't do it." I whisper.
"Emiko!" Ukitake rushes to my side. "What happened? Are you alright?"
"Dad? Where were you? It's Ryo, he-!" I exclaim.
"We have to come away from this spiritual pressure!" Ukitake picks me up, and flash-steps me away from the fence, into the woods near the highway.
I run to a tree, and vomit violently into the brush.
"Emiko…" I hear Ukitake say.
"I'm okay." I whisper. "It's the armor."
Ukitake is there, trying to comfort me. He holds up a handkerchief for my use. "Here."
"Thanks." I take it, and wipe my mouth. "Got any mints?"
Ukitake shakes his head. "No, but we'll get you some. Do you feel better now?"
I start to nod when a wave of energy knocks me into Ukitake, who doesn't seem affected at all, but is staring in the direction the energy came from. Away toward where the Ronins are fighting, pink lightning strikes the ground, and everything shakes violently.
"Get down!" Ukitake kneels, taking me with him.
The shaking slows and stops, and I look up for more lightning, but see the top of the demon gate.
"No!" I run from Ukitake toward the fence next to the highway, and behold the ronins standing before the gate, but the guy with gnarly dreads is nowhere to be seen. "Ryo!" I shout.
Ryo is moving toward the gate.
"RYO, NO!" I bang on the gate.
Black Blaze moves into Ryo's path, and he looks around, like he's totally out of it.
The gate opens.
Ukitake is at my back, and places a hand on my shoulder. "Come away, this place isn't safe."
"No!" I shrug Ukitake's hand off. "They're my friends. If they go, I'm going after them."
Ukitake squeezes my shoulder.
"Emma!" Rowen calls up.
I start to answer him, but a deep, echoing voice interrupts.
"Your powers impress me, Ronin Warriors."
"Isn't that- the demon lord?" Ukitake gasps.
"No…he's dead." I shake my head. "Ryo destroyed him." I keep shaking my head.
"Children of the netherworld, are you finally ready to return to your master?"
"Piss off, you crazy git!" Cye shouts.
"What he said!" Kento shakes a fist at the open gate.
"Did you not summon this gate?"
"Technically, the white armor did." I say to Ukitake.
"Indeed." Ukitake says.
"The power of your armor is brimming with evil."
"True." I nod.
"The Netherworld saw you as one of its own, and has come to greet you with this gate. The power you have just unleashed is clear proof of it; it's the armor of destruction."
"Probably also true." I frown.
Ukitake pats me on the shoulder.
"GO FUCK YERSELF!" Rowen shouts.
I see Sage and Cye turn and give Rowen a look.
"He certainly is mouthy today." Ukitake chuckles.
"With good reason." I retort. "Big demon gate , in the middle of the road, with the voice of satan coming out of it." I gesture to the gate.
Ukitake nods. "Yes, I see your point."
"I will see you in The Netherworld. I'm looking for to it, my children."
With that, the gate starts to disappear.
"Yeah, KEEP RUNNING!" Kento shouts.
An eerie, heavy silence follows. I mean, seriously, what else is there to say?
Ukitake grabs me around the waist. "Buddo, if you would follow us, please?"
With that polite request, Ukitake flash-steps us down to where the Ronins are standing.
"Woah!" I slip and fall on my butt on the ice. "Dammit, come on!"
Sage slides over expertly and holds out a hand to me. "Watch out for black ice."
I snort. "Thanks for the warning." I roll my eyes and take his hand.
Now somewhat stable on my feet, the ronins are looking at us. I give Cye a pointed look, fold my arms, and ask. "Get out. Of the road. You crazy git?"
Cye just half-smiles, and turns to look at the lake next to the highway.
In the aftermath of the appearance of the demon gate, the silent consensus is that we're unequivocally fucked. Not a single word is said during the trip back. I suppose this is what all that obnoxious chatter was on the road back there; fear. After all the Ronin Warriors went through in the demon world – pretty much dying for it – and now the bad guy isn't really dead. Now I see why Kenbukyo was so concerned about Ryo's armor; he had to be sure Ryo is ready for this, ready for him; for that.
Dad's as quiet as the rest of them. Cye is walking next to Buddo's head, Sage is riding behind me, and a contemplative silence lies heavy in the air.
We get back to the house, and Mia's jeep is already here; White Blaze is sitting on the porch, tail whipping calmly.
Cye pats White Blaze's head as he walks past the tiger.
Sage dismounts, jumping to the ground without a problem, and heads inside.
I look at dad.
The white-haired soul reaper shrugs.
"GWAA~" The raven startles me into looking at it. It's perched on Buddo's head, nestled in the purple Mohawk like a nest.
I frown. "Right, I forgot about you." I sigh. "I'm gonna have bird-kabobs if you scare me like that again."
The raven yawns, like, 'you don't scare me'.
"Lemme down, wouldja, Bud?" I pat the horse's neck.
The tall equine kneels on the gravel, I hop off the horse's back, take off his tack, with dad's help – no really, the saddle is huge – and the horse trots off with the raven still perched on his head.
I turn to the house as dad heads past White Blaze, pausing when he sees I'm not behind him, and then dad finally says something.
"Emiko?" He gestures toward the door.
It's an unfamiliar word associated with me, but I can learn to like it. I shrug at my father. "I dunno, dad. It's gonna be…quiet, y'know?"
Ukitake sighs. "Yes I'm quite aware of the heavy silence that's followed us all back to this house."
I nod morosely. "Thank god, it wasn't just me. I thought maybe I just wasn't in on the 'no talking' fad." I fold my arms and roll my eyes.
Dad just smiles tightly and shrugs.
I do go inside after a couple minutes of chatting with dad, and sure enough it's silent. The tv is on, Cye and Kento are sitting by it watching, but I can see their attention is really somewhere else. Same with Sage, who's sitting at the table, staring at a cup of tea in front of him. Rowen is hood-deep in his headphones, and Ryo isn't in the living room.
"Hm." I barely make the noise, but I might as well have shouted it for how loud it sounds against the silence.
Sage, Cye, and Kento all look at me.
Now I'm a deer in the headlights. Slowly, I step backward, feeling the stares and continue carefully stepping up the steps until I'm out of sight on the landing, and let out a long sigh. I'm not really sure what I'm gonna do next; go upstairs, I guess, to the attic.
The silence is really getting to me, so I sit on my attic windowsill where there's at least the sounds of the wind on the lake, Buddo trotting around, and animals in the treeline. Nothing changes as the sun goes down, except the smell of dinner cooking.
"Ah, here you are." Ukitake comes up into the attic.
"Here I am." I turn and sit facing inside. "I had to get away from the silence, although sitting up here doing nothing isn't exactly loud." I shrug.
Ukitake shrugs back. "Certainly, but I wanted to ask if you've given any thought to joining me in soul society?"
Something twinges inside me. "Soul…society? Are you asking me to kill myself?"
Ukitake looks horrified. "What?! No, of course not! Goodness no, Emiko, you don't have to die to go to soul society
"I'm still not crazy about the idea of going to a world where most of the inhabitants are dead." I sit with my back against the window frame.
"Actually, that isn't what Soul Society is at all." Ukitake sits by my feet.
I can't help feeling like he's really pushing the soul society thing needlessly. "Dad…"
"Soul Society is home to spiritual beings, like myself, who are of a different plane of existence." Ukitake explains. "Yes, it is also home to those who have moved on. But I have never been alive, as you would consider it; I have never existed in this world." Ukitake points down, just toward where we're sitting, to indicate where we are now. "I live in the sereitei – the city of soul reapers; I'm captain of a squad of soul reapers, whose job it is to guide those who depart this world, to soul society."
I see what he's doing; he's distracting me from everything that happened just now. The gate, the demon servant, and the silence my friends have adopted.
I smile. "And they live in the seireitei?"
"No, no." Ukitake shakes his head. "They go on to their final resting place."
I arch an eyebrow. "And that's not soul society?"
"Not necessarily, no." Ukitake says.
I twist a frown onto my face. "Is this a one-off thing? Like, if I go, I can never come back here? Or if I come back, I can never go back to see you in soul society?" I gesture to the room, or this whole world, I guess.
"Certaily not." Ukitake says. "You can return here whenever you like." He droops – I mean, really droops; if he were a puppy, he'd be whimpering.
"But..?" I prompt the white-haired man.
"But, Emiko, you may never be able to return to soul society after you leave. And I, well, I'm a captain there; I do have some special liberties, but I don't know that I may ever be able to come and see you again."
"But you can now?" I ask.
"For the time being, yes." Ukitake says.
"So…while I'm on the fence about this, you can keep coming here to see me, right?" I smile.
Ukitake nods thoughtfully. "Why, yes."
"Then I'm still on the fence." I shrug. "I may never know what I want to do."
Ukitake smiles. "Then I suppose I'll have to keep coming back to inquire about your decision, won't I?"
We both laugh. Problem solved.
We talk for a good couple of hours; this and that, about Shunsui, and a woman named Retsu.
"Retsu, huh? Is she your girlfriend?" I hope.
Ukitake smiles. "I've known Retsu since were at the soul reaper academy together."
I nod wordlessly, mouth open in a wide smile, hoping that will urge dad to say more about Retsu.
Ukitake shrugs.
I frown, but not really. "Oh alright, keep your secrets."
Ukitake chuckles.
My stomach growls. " I wonder if anyone's made dinner yet?"
"You could, if you're hungry." Dad offers.
"I know." I sigh. "I just wouldn't wanna step on anyone's toes over it."
Ukitake stands up and holds out a hand for me to come with him. "Let's go find out then."
Downstairs, no one's really talking.
Mia and Yuli are setting the table, and the guys are all here.
"Sheesh." I mutter, and almost don't walk over to the table.
Ukitake puts a hand on my back; a comforting gesture as if gives me strength to walk over to the table.
"Can you get that, Yuli?" Mia asks.
Yuli reaches for a plate.
"Just tap it this way." Yuli's fingers grope for the plate.
Kento nudges it toward Yuli.
"Thanks, Kento." Yuli grabs the plate.
Kento says nothing, and keeps eating – even his appetite has ebbed.
"This is weird." I whisper to Ukitake.
"A touch of calm never hurt anyone, Emiko." Ukitake takes a seat near the end of the table.
The only seat is on the very end, opposite Mia, all the way down the other side of the table.
I'm distracted by the silence, and look from Rowen, to Cye, who is sitting right next to me.
Ukitake hands me a plate of food. "Here you are, Emiko."
"Oh." I take the plate. "Thanks, dad."
Ukitake smiles at that, and makes himself a plate.
"Thanks so much for cooking, Mia." I call down to her.
Mia smiles from down the other side of the table. "Oh, you're very welcome, Emma!"
No one else catches on to the 'thank mia for the food' insinuation.
"It looks reeeeally delicious." I remark.
I wait a few seconds.
Mia looks up, as if scrutinizing the silence now herself. Then she looks at me and smiles. "Thanks, Emma."
I glance at Ukitake. He takes a bite, giving me a shrug; it says 'you can't force them to talk'.
I can't stand it. I try again to coax some kind of conversation out of the guys.
"Did you have any help?" I ask.
Mia and I wait for anyone to take responsibility for assisting.
"I'm not sure." Mia shrugs, tapping the handle-end of her fork against her chin. "A couple of the dishes just kind of made themselves – it was really spectacular; like magic."
I look at Cye.
Cye doesn't even glance up.
"Gee, Mia, that's really special; wish I coulda seen it." Yuli stuffs his face full of food.
"No it isn't…" Rowen mutters.
The quiet sound of Rowen's voice startles Ukitake, Mia, and I into looking Rowen's way.
The blue-haired idiot just keeps eating without saying anything else.
"Did you hear that?" I whisper to dad.
Ukitake's mouth twists in an amused smirk. "I heard a tiny sound, like a mouse." He looks across the table in Mia's direction. "Mia, did you hear that sound?"
Mia tilts her head then shakes it. "Like a little voice in your head?"
"I thought I heard someone say something, but I guess not." I slump. "No one here talks anymore, so I guess someone talking would be kind of impossible, huh?" I turn and look at Rowen.
Rowen probably doesn't even realize we heard him say anything; his head is still hood-deep, stuck in his wrap-around headphones.
I feel genuinely dejected, and sort of don't have an appetite anymore.
"I heard it." Ukitake says next to me.
I nod. "Yeah, but he doesn't know we heard him."
"What are you guys talking about? It was Rowen." Yuli proclaims loudly.
Cye chuckles through his nose, but holds a hand up to his mouth as he's chewing.
Mia chuckles.
I look at Cye.
Cye keeps chewing and chuckling.
"That's a little better." I smile.
Cye moves his hand from his mouth, done chewing, and smiles. He still doesn't say anything, but a little acknowledgement is nice. He puts his hand on mine for a second, and then move it to keep eating.
"I think that's his way of apologizing, perhaps?" Ukitake smiles.
I smile at Cye. "I'll take it."
"It is awfully quiet in here. We've been through longer, harder battles than today, and had more conversation. How are you feeling, Emma?" Mia asks.
I shrug. "I'm alright. I mean, how should I be feeling? Any suggestions?"
Mia shakes her head. "No. Just being alert is fine, I suppose. Think we could entice everyone into speaking if I told them I make dessert?"
Kento stops eating for a second, his head snapping up to attention.
I laugh – it feels good.
Next to Kento, Rowen snorts and chuckles; maybe he can hear us afterall.
Cye takes a sip of the tea next to him, and opens his mouth like he's about to say something.
Ryo stands up, his chair groaning across the wood floor. Everyone turns and looks, but Ryo is staring right at me with this intense, unreadable, look, and leaves the table to go upstairs.
"Ryo?" Mia calls after him then looks at me, looking as startled as I feel.
We stare at each other for a second. I give her a sympathetic shrug of one shoulder, like, 'maybe you should go after him?'
Mia shakes her head, smiling in an 'it wouldn't make a difference' kind of way, and looks back at her plate as she knocks a piece of chicken around then eats it.
I look down at my plate of food; I've definitely lost my appetite. I quietly set my chopsticks on the plate, and sit back, sipping at the cup of tea I have. At least I got some kind of response from them.
Rowen leaves, just as suddenly as a light turning on. He gets up, leaves his food where it is, and goes upstairs with his hands in his pockets.
I watch him.
"What's with Rowen and Ryo?" Yuli asks.
"Guess they're not hungry." Mia shrugs.
I face the table, but keep my eyes down on my tea. "Guess so." I gently sip my tea.
"It's going around." Sage says so quietly, I almost miss it.
Cye looks up, glances at me then at Sage, but doesn't say anything.
Sage looks at Cye, as if quietly replying to him. Then Sage's cold stare turns on me, and his mouth sets in a purposeful frown.
I straighten up in my chair. "What did I do?"
"You helped on of them." Sage says.
"I'm sorry?" I glance at Ukitake.
Ukitake has his eyes on Sage; like daggers to his throat. "Careful, son, you don't want to go throwing around accusations you know nothing about."
Sage looks at Ukitake then at me. "If I know nothing about it then tell me, Emma. Why were you fighting along side that demon swordsman?"
I shake my head. "You've got him all wrong, Sage. Kenbukyo was trying to save this world."
"Then why did he attack Ryo? Why did he kidnap you?" Sage demands, slamming one hand on the table, and stands up.
I stand up to match him, even though I'm a good head shorter than Sage, and about four feet away. "If this is about that dread-locked lunatic on the highway, don't you dare try to pin that on me! I had nothing to do with it!"
"Why not?" Sage stands up, leaning his hands on the table. "How do we know you weren't in lead with him, like you were that caped maniac that tried to kill Ryo?"
"What the hell are you talking about? You talk as if I'm some kind of demon myself!" I clench my fists at my sides.
"You met your father in the netherworld, didn't you?" Sage points at Ukitake.
"I understand you're upset, but this isn't the time to be angrily throwing around wild theories." Ukitake replies calmly.
"These demons only started showing up after you got here, so why shouldn't we believe that you have everything to do with this? How do we know you aren't just another demo warlord?" Sage accuses.
"Dude!" Kento snaps.
"Sage." Cye tries to intervene, but I can tell just by the tone of his voice that he's not up to the fight.
"You're wrong, Sage." I say, telling both of them I can handle my boyfriend having a major meltdown in my direction.
"The human world is being threatened by a demon overlord that we thought we defeated; a demon overlord that your father bears a striking resemblance to!" Sage gestures to my father again.
"Alright, that's enough!" Mia tries to get Sage to stop by standing up and grabbing his arm.
"My dad is not Talpa!" I shout.
"How do we know? Talpa wore a mask, Emma. A mask; how do we know what his face looked like underneath it?" Sage is talking about my father, but glaring at me, like I have some secret knowledge about all this.
"You don't know what you're talking about!" I shout.
"I don't hear him denying it!" Sage shouts.
"That's your basis for an accusation, are you kidding me? My father is not Talpa; why isn't my word good enough?!" I can feel tears welling up in my eyes now.
"I just want to hear him deny it!" Sage slams a fist on the table.
Ukitake stands up. The room gets heavier, and silent all of a sudden.
Sage looks at Ukitake.
Ukitake meets Sage's gaze, dead-on. "I shouldn't have to."
It's a cue that the fight is over, and the tension is the air is forced apart like a broken glass.
"DAMMIT!" Sage shoves his chair aside, and goes upstairs.
Cye lets out a breath next to me, and stands up. "Are you alright, lovey?"
I nod. "Yeah, I'm fine. Royally ticked off, but I'll live." I sit back down. "Stupid Sage."
A short silence falls over us, but the tension is gone, at least.
"Welp, if they ain't gonna eat it; I am." Kento takes Rowen's plate and stacks it on his empty plate to eat.
Yuli laughs.
I snort, and let a morose laugh born from hysteria come out. It doesn't sound hysterical, at least, but I feel completely crazy right now.
Dinner finishes, and I head upstairs, getting a shower and then sit on my bed to read. Ukitake has to leave on Soul Reaper business, which is totally understandable, but at least we both know he'll be back at some point. It's exactly like my dad leaving for work, or a business trip, and then coming back – I just take comfort in the fact that I know he's coming back.
I fall asleep at some point, laid out on the bed, because it's too hot really function anyway. I have a dream, at least I think it's a dream…
I'm falling, and only have a few seconds to act. Down below, I see Rowen; he's on some kind of boat, he's surrounded by demon soldiers, and they all have spears pointed at him.
"Rowen!" I call out, but my voice doesn't carry.
The soldiers descend on Rowen as one movement, stabbing all their spears down into Rowen's body.
"ROWEN!" I reach, but something grabs my wrist, and yanks it up.
Now I'm shaking and screaming for Rowen; is Rowen dead? No, Rowen can't die – not Rowen. "Rowen, oh god! Rowen, no, no, Rowen!" I fall against a body, sobbing my eyes out.
The body is warm, solid, bare-chested, and panting. "Emma, wake the fuck up!" Hands grab my shoulders and shake me.
"GwA-A-A!" My voice croaks, fully awake now. "Sto~op. I'm awake, I'm awake!" I put a hand to my head, definitely feeling like I just woke up from a dream with someone shaking me.
"Fuckin' A." It's Rowen. He moves one leg off the bed, and is giving me this sideways look. "What the fuck, Em?"
I get my bearings, and look around. I'm in the attic, it's night, and I'm in the same clothes I was wearing the same board shorts and bikini top I fell asleep in. "What the…? Oh, hey Row." I look at my blue-haired friend sitting next to me.
"Yeah." Rowen's exasperated as he shifts on the bed into a more comfortable sitting position. "The fuck were you dreamin' about?"
I look at Rowen, and for a second I don't really wanna tell him. Then I relize that's stupid, and nod. "Um…yeah, I was…I was having a nightmare." I fold my legs into a criss-cross sitting position. "About you, actually."
Rowen has his hands against his face, because he was rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He looks at me sideways, and between his fingers. "You what?"
"You were surrounded by dynasty soldiers, and they killed you." I explain. "And I wasn't okay with that." I shrug. "Obviously."
Rowen lets his hand fall to his lap and then replies slowly. "Obviously."
I nod. "Right." I squint, realizing Rowen's in the attic, on my bed, half-naked. "What are you doing in here, looking like that?" I gesture to all of him.
Rowen puts a hand to his chest for a second then sighs, with this really annoyed look on his face. "You were screamin' like a banshee, and I thought you were bein' attacked, or somethin', so I came up here."
I give Rowen a long look, and blink a couple times at him. "You were coming to my rescue?"
Rowen makes this vague gesture with his hand, and shrugs. "Well, what the fuck would you expect me to do? Just fuckin' sit downstairs, and do fuckin' nothin'? Oh well, Em's gonna die, I wonder what's on tv?"
I snort, and laugh.
"Shaddup." Rowen lays back, his head hitting the corner of one pillow, and puts both hands on his face.
"So you were the only one?" I ask, looking around.
"I dunno." Rowen shrugs. "Mebbe. I was in Mia's office, an' you weren't really screamin' that loud, I guess, but I heard ya 'cause the door was open."
"So, 'screaming like a banshee' was an overstatement?" I lean my elbows on my knees, which puts my face looking down over Rowen's.
"So what? I heard ya, you were havin' a fuckin' nightmare, an' I came up t' wake ya. What the hell do ya want me to say, huh?" Rowen moves his hands from his face, and stares up, right into my eyes.
"Nothing…I guess." I slump. Deep down, I'm still hoping someday Rowen will look at me and realize he feels the same way about me, that I do about him. I told Mia I only see Rowen as a big brother type, but that was such a lie. Especially right this second, sitting here with Rowen; knowing he came running to my rescue when he really didn't have to.
With one hand, I brush aside his bangs, lean forward, and press my lips to his forehead.
Rowen tilts his head up as I lift my lips away.
I don't even think twice about it; I just lean down again, and my lips touch his. Rowen sits up, curving an arm around my waist, and lays me down on my back with him leaning overtop of me.
Rowen pushes one side of the bikini top aside, and moves his mouth there. He kneels between my legs and keeps kissing and licking my breast, moving to the other, his ministrations slow and gentle.
My hands feel the short hairs on the back of his neck, and then slide my palms down his shoulders, and lower over his back. He's just tall enough than my that my reach just barely touches the waistband of his pants. Unable to reach that, to tell him what I want, I push my palms against his chest and sit up with him. His neck and shoulders arch down to keep kissing me. From this position, I can slide my hands under the waistband of his pants.
Rowen moans as my hand rubs the arousal under his sweatpants. His lips press to mine again, and he moans again, pushing his pants down to his knees.
Together, we get my board shorts off, and Rowen leans into me, unhurried but quickly pushing his arousal inside me. And just like that, we're having sex. Me and Rowen, moaning quietly in the dim light of the lamp on the nightstand, cocooned in our own little world of love that noone else exists in.
I'm calm, not at all apprehensive, not thinking about anyone but Rowen; Rowen's lips, Rowen's hands, Rowen's thing inside me, thrusting in long, quick strokes like he's not sure exactly what he's doing, but doing it anyway.
When Rowen orgasms, his voice strains to be quiet, and he kisses me between slow, panting moans as his semen squirts and dribbles around my belly button and pelvis.
My legs are trembling as Rowen lays on top of me, panting against my neck.
It wasn't glamorous for my first time, but I'm glad it was with Rowen. I'm pretty sure I didn't have an orgasm, but it felt good, and I'm happy.
"God, I love you, Em." Rowen says next to my ear. "I fucking love you so much."
I wrap my arms around him, and turn my head to kiss him. "I love you too, Row." I feel like I'm gonna cry.
Rowen's arms wrap around me, and when he kisses me, his tongue slips past my lips, sliding in my mouth for a few seconds before he moves his head to my neck, and starts sucking it gently.
"That's my mark." Rowen murmurs as he lifts his head. "When ya see it, y'know I love ya."
"Like I'd really forget." I press a little kiss to his lips.
Rowen's hands slip down my back, leaving a little tingling sensation in their wake, and he palms each of my butt cheeks, squeezing them gently.
"Rowen." The moan comes out kind of squeaky.
Rowen kisses the spot he made then asks. "Wanna do it again?"
"Yes." My heart skips a beat.
Rowen lifts one of my legs up over his hip, still laying sideways, and says. "Let's do it this way. I gotcha, Em."
I can feel his hardness against my thigh, all ready to go when I gasp. "Oh wait, hold on."
Rowen frowns.
"Sorry. I have condoms." I say.
Rowen starts. "You what?"
"Heh. Yeah; neon pink." I grin sheepishly.
Rowen snorts and then laughs softly. "Fuckin' pink?"
"Yeah." I kiss his laughing cheeks. "I'll explain later."
"I wanna hear that story." Rowen kisses me, using his tongue again. When we separate, he says. "In the mornin', though."
The morning, I think as I get one little pink condom out of my suitcase. I have no idea what's going to happen tomorrow morning, but I can tell it's gonna be a bit harried, and I'm not looking forward to it. I can do it, though, as long as Rowen's with me – I can do anything.
