Hey.
Yeah, I know it's been a while. I'm so sorry about that. But in addition to some life things, this chapter has been a beast to write. Mostly because it is one of the most important chapters ever to be written for this story. I had to write and rewrite it several times to get it perfect, to get this story told right. So I hope you all aren't too mad at me, and I hope you enjoy!
And Happy Vernal Equinox!
Chapter Thirty-Four:
Sand replaced concrete beneath their feet, and the sound of waves gently crashing against the shore replaced the sound of sirens and shouts. But perhaps the oddest thing was that their clothes had been replaced; instead of their regular clothes and costumes, they were all clad in loose fitting clothing in all shades of colors.
"Whoa," Mint said, running her hands over the pale blue blouse she now wore. "What the heck is going on?"
"And… where exactly are we?" Riri asked, glancing around at the beach they stood on.
"Off the coast of Greece," Summer's voice echoed. The team looked for her, and found her sitting on a large rock overlooking the ocean. "But where is not the question you want to ask. It is 'when'."
"Then… When are we?" Ichigo prompted.
Summer, still staring out over the water, lifted her hand, pointing to the horizon. There, far in the distance was…
"Is that an island?" Kisshu asked, squinting and shielding the sun from his eyes.
"It is more than an island," Summer said, standing up. "Gaze upon your ancestral home. Commonly known in earth mythology as Atlantis."
"How far back in time are we, exactly?" Ryou asked.
"Generations. Millennia. Hundreds upon thousands of years. Thousands upon millions of lives." Summer whispered. "And, yet, for me… it is both a lifetime ago and only yesterday."
She leapt from the rock, landing in the water, the bottom of her skirt soaking and waves lapping around her ankles. Summer knelt down and scooped up seawater in her cupped hands.
"Let me tell you a story," Summer said. She stood up and threw the water in the air, the droplets shimmering in the air and forming images. "A long time ago, before time itself, Atlantis was the most powerful city in all of the world. Not London, not Rome, not Washington, not Athens, not Tokyo, not Paris, not Babylon, not any city known to man—ancient and modern."
The images in the air showed buildings and roads and large gardens.
"However, Atlantis was remote and cut off from the rest of the world," Summer continued. "For the original purpose of Atlantis was not to create a thriving metropolis. Atlantis was chosen to be the safe refuge for Cyniclons, away from hateful humans."
The images now showed signs of life. The buildings had people leaning out the windows to chat with neighbors or sell bread. The roads were full of strolling people and children playing. The gardens had men and women with baskets on their hips, and quite a few had sleeping babies strapped to their backs as they worked. They all seemed happy, and the scene normal, and could be found just about anywhere in the world at any given time.
The only difference was that these people were dressed in the same loose-fitting clothing as the Tokyo Defenders.
And that they were all Cyniclons.
"There were eight rulers of Atlantis," Summer said, scooping up another handful of water and throwing it in the air. "Four men, to represent each element. Four women, to represent each season. Four for balance. Four to protect and guide. You know of my sisters and myself, the seasonal representatives, but you do not know our counterparts. There was Howling Wind, guardian of air."
Summer's images shifted, taking on the form of one being, one that was very familiar to the Tokyo Defenders.
Lettuce grabbed Pie's hand, squeezing it tight as they stared at the image of the White Knight.
Summer threw another handful of seawater in the air, the image joining the first as the said, "Strong Mountain, representing earth."
The sight of the Green Knight was less surprising, but Kisshu still frowned and Ichigo placed her hand on his bicep.
"Representing fire," Summer said, seawater twinkling in the sunlight as it formed another image. "Burning Flame."
Pudding grasped a handful of Tart's shirt, and he wrapped an arm around her waist, but neither of them were certain who that gesture was meant to comfort.
Summer paused as she knelt in the water, staring at the waves.
"And representing water," She whispered, trailing her fingers through the water before cupping her hands. She stood up slowly and swallowed, tears shimmering in her eyes as she tossed the water, whispering, "Deep Blue."
The image formed, but it was not what they were expecting at all. For what they saw was not the form of god who went mad with power, but instead the Blue Knight.
There was only the sound of waves, then Masaya voiced the question they were all wondering, but all acknowledged that—of all of them—he had the most right to ask. His voice was calm and firm as he asked,
"What happened to him?"
Summer didn't move for a moment. She just stood and stared at the island, tears running down her face.
"That is a good question," She finally said. "Revenge. Justice. Love. Hate. Pain. Fear. I do not know. I only know the facts. Have lived with the facts for millennia. Facts can be comforting. Facts can be damning. Facts can heal. Facts can hurt. But these are the facts."
Summer knelt down again and dragged her fingertips through the water, flicking droplets of seawater in the air.
"Deep Blue had a daughter," Summer explained as the image of a beautiful young Cyniclon woman appeared, her own hair blond and her eyes the color of Deep Blue's. "Her name was Kore. She was beautiful, and smart, and kind, and beloved by all. She was a Healer, and one day wanted to go to the mainland, to gather herbs that were not grown on the island. Deep Blue sent her with two guards, for there was a settlement of humans along the coast. There was little interaction between this settlement and those who lived on Atlantis, both groups keeping their distance. But that day… That day, several young humans with hatred in their hearts chose to let that hatred turn to violence."
Summer closed her eyes, swiping her hands over her cheeks as she took a deep, shuddering breath.
"They killed Kore," She choked out. "They killed Kore and her guards. Without mercy, without reason. All because they could only hate…" She took another shuddering breath and she said, "The grief destroyed Deep Blue. It turned into rage. He destroyed the entire settlement, killing every man, woman and child, the elderly and the babes."
With a sob, Summer dropped to her hands and knees in the ocean, her shoulders shuddering as she cried, her tears mixing with the salt water.
Riri suddenly strode into the water, the waves lapping at her ankles. She crouched down beside Summer and placed her hand on her back.
"I thought I could do this," Summer gasped through her sobs. "I thought I could tell this story…"
"Kore was your daughter, too, wasn't she?" Riri asked softly. "And Deep Blue… He was your husband."
Summer's shoulders shook for a moment, taking deep, ragged breaths.
She didn't deny it. She didn't confirm it. She didn't betray anything.
After a moment, Riri continued to speak. "Winter was upset that Pie didn't remember her. Except that it wasn't Pie she was thinking of. It was the White Knight. Who we now know is Howling Wind. And Vernal, she attached herself to Tart almost instantly. Because he is the Red Knight, Burning Flame. And Autumn could have chosen any of us to keep conscious when she arrived, but she chose Kisshu. The Green Knight. Strong Mountain."
Summer's silent sobs stopped and she lifted her head, staring at the horizon.
"That is not why Autumn made that choice," She whispered. "But, you are not wrong."
She wiped her fingers along her tears, then turned her hands downward, her tears running off her fingers to drip into the ocean. Then Summer cupped the water in her hands, stood up, and threw the water up in the air.
They were no longer standing on a beach, but in a tower room made of marble, a great round wooden table in the middle of the room, with eight chairs surrounding it.
Only three of the chairs were currently occupied by the room's seven occupants.
Howling Wind sat at one, his fingers threaded together as he looked at the papers spread out on the table. Winter sat beside him, back straight and a paper in her hand. Summer sat in the last chair, Vernal standing beside her, gently stroking Summer's hair.
Autumn paced beside the window, her skirts whispering against the ground, while Burning Flame rested his hands on the table, still standing, as Strong Mountain spoke at the head of the table.
"And our engineers said that they could have a prototype ready by the end of the month." He was saying.
"A prototype of what?"
Strong Mountain whirled around to see Deep Blue enter the room. All eyes were on him.
This was not the man they knew. He had changed, changed the moment Kore's lifeless body had been brought into their throne room. Had changed when he came back wild-eyed and blood dripping from his sword. Had changed as he skulked about their fortress, his hair hanging loose around him, shadows under his now-icy eyes.
"A ship," Strong Mountain said as Deep Blue picked up a paper, which had a design on it.
Deep Blue's fingers tightened around the paper.
"A ship?" He repeated. "And you did not consult me? Foolish. Water is my element."
"Not a ship that sails on water," Strong Mountain said, sounding a little hesitant. "A ship that sails through the stars."
Deep Blue tisked and threw the paper down. "Ridiculous notion. Whatever would you do with it?"
There was silence in the room, and finally Howling Wind sighed, unthreading his fingers and leaning back in his chair.
"For our people to find a new home," He said calmly.
Deep Blue whipped his head towards Howling Wind.
"This is our home," He snarled.
"And it is only a matter of time until the humans come across the water to attack us in our home," Autumn said from the window, looking out at Atlantis. "We must protect our people."
"By running away like cowards," Deep Blue hissed.
"And what is the alternative?" Winter demanded. "Wait for an attack? Regret that we had a chance to leave peacefully, to find a planet of our own where we have no fear?"
"To do what we should have done years ago and destroy the humans!" Deep Blue snapped. "We are far more advanced than they could ever dream! We have an army of elite warriors! What do they have? Nothing. They have nothing, and yet we are going to simply let them have everything?"
"If we stay, we'll be destroyed one way or another," Strong Mountain said, then hesitated.
"Tell him," Summer said, staring at her lap, twisting a piece of cloth in her hands. "He needs to know."
"Know what?" Deep Blue demanded.
"I went to the mainland," Strong Mountain murmured. "Along with Howling Wind and Burning Flame."
"We did not just simply go," Howling Wind added. "We were… called, I believe is the right term."
"And what, exactly, did you find on the mainland?" Deep Blue asked, his voice deadly even, like a perfectly sharpened blade.
"This… calling, this dream that we shared, it told us to seek out the human building a boat," Burning Flame explained. "A very large boat."
"A very large boat to fill with humans to come attack us," Deep Blue said with a sneer.
"No," Strong Mountain said. "This man… Blue, he lives nowhere near water. The humans call him crazy. But he continues to build his boat. And then he plans to fill his boat with animals, two of each kind."
"What is the point of telling me this visitation with this crazy human?" Deep Blue huffed.
"Because it's what he told us, the reason he toils over his boat," Strong Mountain said. "He says that he was instructed by God to build the boat. And that God intends to flood the Earth. All of it. Every bit of it. To make the world anew."
"That will not happen," Deep Blue said, his icy eyes burning. "Water is my element. If there were to be a flood of that magnitude, I would know about it."
"Maybe it will happen, maybe it will not," Howling Wind said. "However, we are inclined to believe this human named Noah. He told us that he knew we believed him, that we would know what is best for our people."
"And what is best for our people is to not be on this new planet, but instead to find a new planet that suits us," Burning Flame finished. "Thus the ships."
"You are going to be perfectly content letting a human fill your heads with nonsense," Deep Blue said. His face suddenly turned wicked. "But perhaps he is not wrong about having a new planet."
The room filled with tension.
"What are you thinking?" Winter asked tersely, her voice even though her eyes betrayed her fear.
"That clearly the best solution is for myself and all of our best water elementalists to wipe out the humans with a flood," Deep Blue said. "And for our people to finally dominate this planet."
Howling Wind stood up so fast his chair fell over. "Absolutely not!"
"You are not the sole decision maker!" Deep Blue snapped.
"None of us are, for very good reasons," Vernal said, her voice soft. "We are meant to work together. To make decisions together."
"And you are all choosing to be cowards!" Deep Blue snapped, throwing his arm about dramatically. "The humans are the only threats to our happiness! We can easily wipe them out! Destroy them!"
"No!" Strong Mountain said. "We are not doing that! The humans have never been our friends, yes, but we have never been theirs either. There is too much animosity. We have contributed to this enmity as much as they have. We are simply trying to find a way for everyone to live peacefully. Too much blood has been shed." He met Deep Blue's eyes. "You have had your revenge, Deep Blue. Now let us end the violence before it is too late."
Fast as lightning, Deep Blue had Strong Mountain pinned to a wall, snarling, "What I did was not revenge, brother. It. Was. Justice."
A soft voice broke the tension: "It was slaughter. There was nothing noble or honorable or just about it."
Everyone turned to Summer, still staring at her lap, practically curled in on herself. She lifted her head, tears in her eyes.
"Please, darling," She begged. "Please end this. Kore… She would not want you to go down this path."
Deep Blue released Strong Mountain, who slid to the floor, bruises already forming around his throat. He looked around the room.
"How dare you?" He spat. "How dare you?"
With that, he whipped around, storming out of the room.
"We thought he was still just grieving," The Summer of the present said. "That he would come to his senses in time. Recognize the wisdom of the choice. We were wrong. While we continued to prepare for leaving Earth, Deep Blue gathered a force of warriors, feeding them lies about our true intentions and securing their alliance to him and him alone."
She tilted her head up, as the sky grew dark, thousands of stars glittering above, the only light coming from a full moon.
"He waited until a Lunar Eclipse," Summer said softly as stars fell, taking the form of silhouettes of four men. "That is when Deep Blue is at his most powerful. However, it is also when he was at his most vulnerable."
The four silhouettes appeared to be fighting, three on one, and the sound of clashing steel rang through the air.
"Deep Blue ultimately was the cause of the sinking of Atlantis. In his anger, in his grief, in his want of power, he structurally damaged our home," Summer explained, her soft voice still heard over the sounds of battle. "And he did it purposefully. He was trying to drive our people—the Cyniclons—onto the mainland. So that they could claim all of Earth as their own. However, this nearly destroyed our race. Howling Wind, Strong Mountain, and Burning Flame—in a last ditch effort to give the Cyniclons enough time to flee on the ships they had built—sacrificed their physical forms."
Three of the silhouettes fell.
"However," Summer whispered. "My sisters and I… we knew it would take all four to restabilize the damage, which was starting to affect the entire planet, not just Atlantis. And so I… I lured him away."
She winced as another star fell, taking on the form of a woman, reaching out to the remaining male figure, beckoning him. He followed her willingly, taking her in his arms lovingly.
Summer closed her eyes and ducked her head.
"And I… I was the one who struck the first blow."
The female figure took a dagger and struck the male figure in the back.
Summer turned her back towards the scene, her eyes still closed. She strode out of the water, back onto the sand, waves gently lapping at her ankles, her skirts clinging to her legs.
"I struck him first. But it was my weakness that has led to all of this hate and destruction and war," She confessed. "I could not finish what we had started. And so, Deep Blue's physical form remained on Earth. But there was enough of his power left for his immortal spirit to flee onto the ships with the Cyniclons, hurt and betrayed and vowing vengeance, now even more determined to have Earth under his reign and for absolute loyalty.
"However, a prophecy—delivered to my Sisters, their husbands and myself by a Cyniclon Seer before she departed this planet—spoke of a future where Deep Blue would rise in power, that he would see humans destroyed with him to be king of Earth. He could be destroyed, but only on a Lunar Eclipse… and with Cyniclons and humans working together. "
Summer took a deep breath, then opened her eyes, gazing sadly at all of the Tokyo Defenders. She bowed, deep and low.
"I am sorry. Sorry for being weak. Sorry for my role. And sorry for how it has affected each and every one of you. And sorry that the actions of others both forced you into this destiny and the roles you play, while also removing some of your autonomy by doing so."
"Wait, I'm confused," Jade said. "What role do the other Knights play in this?"
Summer, still in her bow, dropped to her knees, swiping her hand across the sand in front of her.
"That, at least," She whispered. "I had nothing to do with. That was all Vernal's idea."
She sat back on her heels as the grains of sand lifted into the air, changing color until they too formed a picture.
Summer, Autumn and Winter stood on top of a skyscraper, overlooking Tokyo. Hovering nearby was Howling Wind, Strong Mountain, and Burning Flame. But they looked different than before. They weren't the strong, proud warriors and rulers. They were weak, faded like ghosts, gaunt.
Vernal appeared suddenly, a ring of posies falling into a ring around her.
Her eyes gleamed.
"They did it," She proclaimed.
"You will have to be more specific," Winter said with a sigh. "Which 'they' of which do you speak?"
"The two older boys and the lead Mew," Vernal explained. "The Mew Project was a success."
"So she transformed?" Burning Flame said, nodding. "Good. We were concerned, with Deep Blue's host being with her."
"This is his strongest host yet," Autumn said warningly. "He knows war is coming. We've seen his chosen warrior."
"We do not have all of the players," Strong Mountain said irritably. "Not the rest of the Mews, not the rest of the Cyniclons… And we are still years from the prophesized Eclipse."
"Peace, my friend," Vernal said, looking as if she wished to rest her hand on his shoulder, but thought twice. Probably because her hand would go through him. "Give it time."
The sand rearranged and they were all once more gathered on the rooftop.
"The Mew team is assembled, and Deep Blue has summoned his other two Warriors," Summer reported.
"We know," Burning Flame told her. "I do not believe they are the ones who will end this."
"I think you need to give the girls a chance," Vernal said, sounding offended. "Certainly, they will learn how to work together as a team."
"That is not whom I am referring to," Burning Flame said. He sighed and rubbed his forehead. "The boys. You know that he is taunting us, sending boys named Ikisatashi. Now that he has twisted everything, everything that was good and made our nation proud. He is taunting us, knowing that they are unerringly loyal to him. They will never turn on him."
"I would not say never," Autumn said pensively. "Give them time. They will all see that this is not a black and white issue soon enough."
"And remember," Vernal quipped. "If all goes well, this is only the practice round."
"That is not as reassuring as you believe it to be," Strong Mountain told her.
The sand shifted once more.
"This is ridiculous!" Burning Flame declared, pacing somewhat. "We finally have our prophesized ones, and what do we have? Five girls with no relevant training—"
"I think that little one is an outlier and should not be counted," Autumn said.
"Two boys who, for all of their research and planning, do not know that they have only barely scratched the surface and what they have begun—"
"An understatement, really," Vernal commented from where she floated in midair.
Ignoring her, Burning Flame continued, "And three boys who have the training and show unwaveringly loyalty to Deep Blue. Who, as it turns out, can now access his past self and appearance via his host. Who continues to grow stronger, as all of them seek out his element, Mew Aqua."
Howling Wind looked over at Summer, who was looking off into the distance. "I know seeing him again was a… shock."
"The man I loved is gone. Only his face remains," Summer said, her voice void of emotion. She closed her eyes and let out a huge sigh. "As Burning Flame has pointed out, we may have the power of prophecy on our side, but right now it seems that the odds are stacked against us."
"You know," Vernal said thoughtfully, resting her elbows on her knees and her chin in her hands. "Blue had an unforeseen advantage, utilizing his host to access his previous form."
"Yes, Vernal," Winter snapped. "We noticed."
"But he did so not necessarily intentionally," Vernal said.
"Where are you going with this?" Strong Mountain asked hesitantly.
Vernal's eyes brightened as she smiled. "Perhaps we need to do the same thing, but intentionally!"
"What are you—?" Winter asked, then her eyes widened briefly before narrowing. "You are suggesting that Howling Wind, Strong Mountain and Burning Flame take hosts?"
"Why not?" Vernal said.
"We know our roles to play, sister," Autumn said calmly. "Our roles are to be messengers only."
"No, that is our role," Vernal said, touching her fingertips to her chest, then gesturing to Summer, Autumn and Winter. "Our darling husbands have no such limitations."
"It took Deep Blue millennia of repeated failures in finding the right host," Strong Mountain argued. "We do not have that luxury."
"Furthermore," Howling Wind added. "We would have to select unborn children. None of whom would be even remotely old enough to take part in the battle against Deep Blue—now or in the future."
"Well, then, do not choose unborn children," Vernal said. She suddenly looked more excited. "In fact, I have the most perfect idea! There are even three of them!"
Everyone stared at her.
"Those boys?" Burning Flame spluttered, staring at his wife in disbelief. "The same boys who have sworn fealty to that monster?"
"And prophesized to defeat him!" Vernal said. "It makes perfect sense, of course."
"No. No it does not," Winter argued. "That is ridiculous."
"Actually, it might be a sound strategy," Howling Wind said calmly, looking pensive. "We could use the forms to also be messengers. For... Well. For down the road."
"I take issue with the idea," Strong Mountain said. "Because they will play their parts. However, if we were to take them as our hosts, then it would be dishonest. Disingenuous."
"You wish for them to retain their free will in the matter," Summer whispered, the wind ruffling her hair slightly.
"Then after they turn on their master," Vernal said. "After all, we know they are going to do it."
"There is no sign of any wavering of loyalty," Burning Flame said.
"Yet!" Vernal said cheerfully, waving a finger in the air. "How about this, then? We wait and watch. See what decisions are made. From both sides, from all parties involved. And then we revisit the issue."
"That is fair," Strong Mountain said. Howling Wind nodded in agreement.
"One condition," Burning Flame said. "Not one of us can have any influence whatsoever. No intervening, no manipulations, nothing. It has to be a free will decision."
He glanced over at Vernal and said, a bit pointedly, "Are we in agreement?"
Vernal simply smiled. "Of course, dearest."
The sand shifted once more.
"Who," Howling Wind said sharply as they gathered above the Tokyo Dome. "Is meddling?"
He, Strong Mountain, Summer, Winter and Autumn all glanced over at Vernal
"What?" Vernal asked innocently. "I am not meddling."
"Then can you rationally explain why the youngest Mew and youngest Ikisatashi are currently trapped in a tunnel collapse beneath this building?" Howling Wind demanded.
"Because I made it happen."
They all whipped around to Burning Flame, who was studying the ground intently.
"You were the one to make it a rule for not interfering," Winter pointed out, arching an eyebrow.
"I do not consider this meddling, or interference," Burning Flame said simply.
"Then what is it?" Autumn demanded.
Burning Flame simply smiled. "A test."
"And what results do you hope to get from this test?" Strong Mountain asked.
Burning Flame lifted a hand, pointing down at the ground.
Out of thin air, a small figure appeared, carrying another in his scrawny arms. It took a moment, but the viewers realized that it was Taruto from three years previous, now lowering Mew Pudding to the ground carefully.
"That." He said, his shoulders losing tension. "Perhaps, we are not as doomed as we thought we were only a few months ago."
"So then," Howling Wind said carefully, studying Burning Flame. "You have chosen your host?"
"I believe I have." Burning Flame said musingly.
Summer suddenly swiped her foot through the sand and looked up. "Has that answered your questions?" She asked.
"This has answered exactly zero questions," Ryou responded. "The role of the Knights?"
"Messengers," Summer said simply. "And it morphed into protectors."
"Messages for who?" Zakuro asked. "Unlike you and your sisters, the Knights didn't really give us any messages."
"The messages were not meant for any of you," Summer said in a way that stated that that was her final answer on the subject.
"How exactly did Strong Mountain, Burning Flame and Howling Wind take us for hosts?" Kisshu asked, a bit hesitant. "Howling Wind said that the only way to do that would be to choose a child who hadn't even been born."
"Oh," Lettuce said softly, her eyes widening. "Rebirth." She grasped her skirt into fists. "We… we died that night. Against Deep Blue. The Mew Aqua saved us, brought us back to life…"
"And provided an opportunity for taking a host without waiting for that host to grow at a natural pace," Pie added. He scowled. "I am not sure how I feel about this…"
"As I said. This was all Vernal's idea," Summer said with a small shrug. She glanced at the moon and said, "Our time has run out. I have told you all that I can. My job is done."
She smiled faintly. "Good luck, Tokyo Defenders."
And, just as suddenly as they had been transported from the streets of Tokyo, they just as suddenly returned to the very spot they had disappeared from.
Sirens wailed, people shouted, and all around them were signs of the recent battle.
"Okay. So that was a thing that happened," Rin said calmly, in a way that told everyone that it was a forced calmness. "Now what?"
"We go to Cynnth."
Everyone turned to Ichigo, whose eyes were fixed blankly ahead, swaying on her feet.
"Go to Cynnth?" Mint asked, arching an eyebrow in confusion.
"Why, na no da?" Pudding asked.
"Promised… Rishi-Sobo…" Ichigo said, her breathing heavy. "We have to go… to her…"
With that, Ichigo's eyes rolled back in her head and she collapsed.
