Anyone figured out what's going on yet... no?
Read on.
Predecessors
Allowing her eyes to flicker open, seeing a rocky ceiling with several broken stalactites hanging, the young Ahri frowned as she pushed herself up onto her elbows. A gentle light cast long shadows along the floor and up the cavern walls.
"Now you know the truth, my guilt, my shame," a familiar regret filled voice suddenly spoke.
Getting to her feet, Max turned to where the voice came from. In front of her was a woman about her own height. Long white hair flowed over her shoulders, stopping just above her waist, two furry white ears poking up through. Two sad emerald bright green eyes stared back at her from a soft face. The figure was dressed in a revealing white blouse, blue jeans with brown boots. Behind her, nine white bushy tails swished gently, an orb resting on one emitting a gentle pale glow.
"Akira," Max breathed, not believing her eyes.
"Hello, Max," the elder Ahri replied, smiling weakly.
A wash of guilt engulfed the young Ahri. What she had seen in her dreams was completely out of context. It was grief that drove her, and she had judged her without hearing her out. Worse, she put her in the same boat as Jefferson.
Taking a step forward, she wrapped her arms around the elder Ahri burying her face in her chest. "I'm sorry, I should have trusted you," she sobbed.
Akira shook her head as she returned the hug, her own tears rolling down her cheeks. "No, Max, I should be the one apologizing. I should have told you, trusted you would have heard me out."
"Then why... why didn't you tell me?" Max asked, wanting to hear her out. Akira deserved that much, a chance to explain.
Sighing, Akira provided her reasons. "Because I was scared, scared you would reject me, scared you wouldn't trust me. I needed you to trust me..."
"What they did to him, killing him was bad enough, but that… It doesn't make it right, justify it, but I understand. I would have understood." Max would've probably done the same if anyone did that to Rachel or Chloe or… Kate. Thinking about Kate made her want to cry and rip that bastard to shreds.
"I know. I wanted to tell you, came close so many times but lost my nerve at the last moment. So, I tried to keep it from you, and that cost you, and that's on me. I'm so sorry Max, for everything," Akira apologized, guilt overwhelming her. Yet again, she had caused more pain, more death.
"I don't blame you... not really. Jefferson, he needs to be stopped." She pulled away slightly and looking up at the elder Ahri, hesitation in her eyes. "Akira... you have to stop him. You're the only one that can."
Looking down at the brunette, the white-haired girl shook her head, smiling. "No, Max, my time is done."
"But… I felt you, it felt..." Max stammered, thoroughly confused.
Akira chuckled, "I remember the feeling well when it happened to me, although not quite as dramatic. Guess the delay has something to do with it."
"Wha... I don't understand." None of this made any sense to Max. Nothing new there.
Akira just continued to smile. "Jefferson was right about one thing."
"He was?!" Max asked in disbelief.
"Yup," Akira nodded, "I did look out for the other Ahri. Not just Ahri, anyone who needed it, but I'm not... wasn't an Alpha, although there are similarities."
Desperate for answers, Max pressed for more detail. "Then, what are you?"
"I WAS an Ahri, just like you," Akira began calmly. "Then I became something else, that which you now are."
Almost afraid to ask, Max hesitantly posed her next question. "And that is?"
Giving her fellow Ahri a melancholic smile, Akira answered her question. "My successor, Max. You're the next Omega, a protector."
Max's eyes went wide, jaw dropping. "Wha... but… I can barely look after myself."
Akira couldn't help but laugh at that ridiculous notion. "Please, you've proven time and time again your more than capable. You always have been, you just needed to believe in yourself, trust your instincts and see the bigger picture. If these last few days have shown me anything, it's that you're a natural protector, Max."
From protecting friends to protecting everyone, that was a big jump to make. "But they're my... friends, of course I'm gonna protect them."
"And the other Ahri you mentioned?"
Max bit her lip, already knowing the answer instinctively. "Err, well, yeah, of course. They deserve to be able to live without fear. I wouldn't wish what happened to me on anyone... well, except Jefferson."
"Even that's too good for him," Akira added bitterly, "but that's why I chose you, Max. Even through all your hardship, you still thought of others, even above yourself."
"Hang on, you died... ages ago, much more than thirty years," Max recalled.
"About four hundred years, give or take," Akira confirmed.
"Then, why did it take so long?"
Akira titled her head to the side curiously. "To choose a new Omega?"
Max nodded. "You weren't waiting for me for four hundred years."
Taking a deep breath, Akira clarified the circumstances of her choosing the next Omega. "In all honesty, I didn't know what I had to do. Didn't realize I had to choose, spent a VERY long time just drifting around. All I could hear was screaming and pleading, living a permanent nightmare of what I had done... a fitting punishment for my crime. Over time, I realized what it truly was - the other Ahri... dying."
"That's horrible." Max couldn't even begin to imagine that; how terrible it must have been.
A wave of sadness crossed the elder Ahri's face, soon replace with something fonder. "Then one day, I heard something much different. Laughter, happiness, it felt warm," the elder Ahri smiled wistfully at the memory, "I wanted to be part of that, to have that warmth fill the void inside me. That was when I met your mother."
"And I couldn't shut her up after that," a familiar female voice filled the air.
Max's ears pricked towards the source. Immediately turning to the new voice, she saw two female figures standing side by side. One had short blonde hair, a pair of golden-ish fur covered pointed ears and big brown eyes with a warming smile. She was dressed in a white robe of some sort, behind her were several bushy golden tails, nine in fact.
The woman stood next to her had shoulder length brown hair with two pointed black ears, one pierced with a simple gold hoop. Soft brown eyes shimmered, mirroring the emotion in her lopsided smile. Two black bushy tails trailed behind her, sticking out of a pair of blue jeans, a red blouse finishing off the outfit. Max recognized her instantly.
"MOM!" the young Ahri cried, breaking away from Akira and launching herself into her mother's open arms. "It's you, it's really you!"
"Hello darling, yes it's really me. God, I've missed you," Vanessa cooed, wrapping her arms around her daughter reassuringly.
"I've missed you so much," she managed through her tears. She hadn't seen her mom in such a long time.
Vanessa held her daughter tighter, whispering, "I know, I'm sorry… I should have told you, wanted to so badly, but it wasn't to be... I am so proud of you."
Pulling back slightly to look up at her mother, Max frowned slightly. "Where's dad?"
Giving her daughter a sympathetic look, Vanessa explained, "It's an Ahri only thing, Max, but he's just as proud of you, and he sends his love."
"Good to see you again, Vanessa," Akira smiled strolling over to the pair.
Vanessa smiled appreciatively. "You too, Akira. Thank you by the way, for looking after her."
Akira waved her off. "It was a pleasure, bit of a pain in the ass at times, but then again, she is your daughter."
"Hey, you can talk."
"Yes, yes I can, and you can't stop me," Akira stated smugly.
"Oh, really?" Max grinned, a quick flick of her tail sending her solid black orb towards the elder Ahri, taking her legs out from under her causing her to fall flat on her ass.
"Ow, hey what was that for?!"
"Told you I'd find a way to hit you," Max smirked.
This elicited a chuckle from both Vanessa and Akira, the elder Ahri holding up her hands. "Ok, ok, I guess I deserved that," she said getting to her feet.
Max's smirk faded to a confused frown as something occurred to the younger Ahri. "Akira," she spoke slowly as the question formed in her head, glancing at her ex-passenger curiously. "Why not my mom? Why not make her the protector, the Omega?"
Akira's expression fell as her ears folded back, her emerald eyes glassing over. "Max I..."
Sensing the older Ahri's guilt Vanessa stepped forward, placing a hand on her shoulder with a comforting smile. "It's ok, Akira, I'll answer this. The simple answer... is because of you, Max."
"Me?" Max repeated, confused by the vague reply.
Vanessa took her time thinking of the best way to put this. "Well, more like the effect of having you had on me. Not in a bad way... although it wasn't until you turned four and we found out what was going on, that's when I started to freak." She smiled weakly at the young brunette. "The thought of losing you, or worse, not being able to see you grow up. I always had this image of the women you three would grow into. Must admit, I never saw this coming," she gave a small chuckle.
"Huh?"
Smiling, her mother explained, "Chloe's hair and you... nine tails, a protector. I always thought I'd be the one protecting you. Then... William was killed, and I completely lost it. I was terrified so I ran. Akira didn't choose me, not because I valued you above all others, but because I wasn't willing to stand and fight unlike... unlike you."
Her mother was over-simplifying this. "Mom... that wasn't until I saw a friend killed right in front of me."
"You were already going to fight, Max, before Kate... was killed. You were willing to put yourself in harm's way to protect others around you, just like Kate," Akira added sadly, not really wanting to keep bringing up that painful reminder.
Guilt overwhelmed Max at the thought of Kate. "She was protecting me because I was..."
Akira shook her head solemnly. "Max, that was my fault. I should have told you at the start. If I could change one thing, it would be that. I'd happily live with everything else if I could just change that one thing... but don't you think Kate would have done the exact same thing if that gun was pointed at Chloe or Rachel? The result would have been the same."
"Wanting to hide and hoping it would all go away, that's what I did..." Vanessa admitted, voice filled with regret.
Max couldn't see the difference between what she and her mother here. "I did the same, wanted to just run away."
"To stop anyone else getting hurt," Akira reminded. "Max, you were fourteen and had just lost EVERYTHING, yet you were still putting others first. At the time, running was the right choice. You coming back to Arcadia Bay, that was your choice."
That wasn't the way the young Ahri saw it. "Didn't have a choice, you wouldn't shut up about it, but..."
"But you wanted to," the elder Ahri pointed out, "all I did was give you a nudge. The rest was you."
"Of course, Akira here didn't like that one bit. I had a chance to end it there, and I ran away, I didn't realize until after I died, after she told me." There was a distant expression on Vanessa's face as she continued, recalling the memory with clarity. "That was when I made her promise me, promise that she wouldn't let you make the same mistake. To get you out of the shadows, to get you back to Chloe, Rachel, and Joyce. I knew... I knew if she could do that, there was a chance you wouldn't run anymore."
Frowning at the phrasing, Max's mind started racing. "Hang on, to Chloe AND Rachel... I didn't know Rachel." Her eyes went wide with realization as she snapped her head towards Akira. "The other Ahri... It was my mom you were talking too," she spluttered in a slightly accusing tone.
"Busted," Akira muttered guiltily, not meeting the young Ahri's gaze.
"Don't blame her, Max." Vanessa swiftly cut in. "I asked her not to tell you because it would make things so much more painful, for you... and for me, but yes. What, you didn't think I'd be keeping an eye on my daughter? It takes more than death to prevent that."
Max took a moment to process all this, biting her lip as she thought it all over. This was all so much to take in. Just when she thought she had it all sorted out in her head, she realized she didn't even know half the story. At least she was getting some answers now, more than she had before. The picture was becoming clearer.
"I don't mean to... be the proverbial party-pooper as you youngsters call it, but time, unfortunately, is short, shall we do this," the short blonde Ahri said in a regretful tone.
Vanessa broke away from her daughter, nodding slightly. "Sorry, where's my manners, Max, Akira, this is Sareena, technically your ancestor, or rather your predecessor, and she's right, our time is running short."
Max looked between her mother, Akira and the other woman, a very mixed and confused family tree of sorts. "I still don't understand what's happening."
"You always were better at visual cues. Here," Akira said, stepping forwards and flicking her orb from one of her tails over her shoulder to her hand, holding it out towards the younger Ahri.
Max held out her own hand passing a hesitant look towards her mother who just smiled. "Take it, it's yours," Vanessa encouraged.
Taking an audible breath, Max reached out holding her hand open as Akira placed the orb onto her palm. The orb pulsed on contact, flickering several times before dissolving into her hand. A mild itchy burning sensation formed in her hand, quickly shooting up her arm to every part of her body, every nerve lighting up light a bulb as a rush energy filled her.
"Wowzer," Max breathed, feeling the power bubble up inside her.
"That's not all," Akira noted, nodding behind the young Ahri.
Looking behind her, Max's eyes went wide. Where her two tails had been, there were now nine all white bushy tails. "More tails. I'm so gonna need a new wardrobe," she mumbled.
"There not just for show, Max... consider 'em more like, batteries I guess. Unlike your first transformation, these ones come fully charged... well maybe just a teensy bit overcharged." Akira pointed out indicating by holding her forefinger and thumb close together squinting through the gap, causing the younger Ahri to frown. "Well they have been 'charging' for nearly four hundred years, but the extra should bleed off pretty fast... your never gonna have this much energy again."
Max continued to examine her newly acquired tails. "Oh... And white, really?"
Sareena chuckled. "You know you get to pick the color, right? I'm assuming Akira told you that."
Smiling sheepishly, Akira rubbed the back of her neck. "Err, sorry, it kinda slipped my mind."
Sareena shook her head. "Be sure of your choice, though. It's permanent, unless you use your illusion charm, of course."
Frowning as she thought about her choice, a small grin forming on the young Ahri's face. One quick flick of her tails and a shimmer later, the all-white fur changed to a soft light brown, a much closer match to her own hair color. Checking out the new color and nodding to herself pleased with the result, she looked towards her mother for input.
Vanessa just smiled. "It suits you," she said approvingly, wrapping her arms around her daughter once again.
Embracing her mother, Max fiddled with one of her tails, sighing wistfully. "Kate would have loved this," she said sadly, a tear rolling down her cheek.
"I'll look after her, Max," Akira promised, placing a hand on the young Ahri's shoulder.
Looking up at her ex-passenger, she smiled. "I know, thank you,"
"I feel I should apologize, too," Sareena added stepping forward, her gaze fixing on Akira.
"Huh?" Max asked frowning, Akira and Vanessa looking equally confused.
The other woman gave them a look filled with regret. "I should have told Akira what she would have to do in order to pass on the reins, then this whole mess might have been averted... I'm sorry."
Max focused on her. "Wait you mean, you were..."
"Omega before Akira, her predecessor," she confirmed. "Again, I'm sorry."
"Looks like you better write it down or summin', Max, ya know, for future reference," Akira smirked.
With a soft sigh, Vanessa gave her daughter a bittersweet smile. "It's time to go, darling."
Nodding Max took a step back, looking at the three women in front of her, her gaze falling on Akira. "I'm really gonna miss you, ya know."
"I know, but we'll see each other again one day," the white-haired Ahri replied, grinning.
"Just not too soon," her mother added.
Looking between the three older women, Max nodded. "I'll do my best."
Sareena stepped forward, appearing to be pondering something. "Max, may I take a look at your orb a moment, please?" she asked, holding her hand out towards the young Ahri.
With a slight frown and a nod, Max flicked her orb from one of her tails to her hand, passing it to the older woman. Sareena held it for a moment, pressing in various places as if examining it, each press Max could feel. It wasn't uncomfortable, just weird, like someone pressing on a limb, only it wasn't attached to her. Without saying a word, the older woman tossed the orb back to Max. Effortlessly, it zipped back to one of her tails.
Sareena flexed her hands as she took a few steps away, stopping and spinning on her heel. "I don't see why it shouldn't work, not that I've tried before, of course."
"Sareena," Vanessa frowned. What was she thinking?
With a loud clap of her hands, Sareena's own orb appeared on her central tail. A quick flick into the air and it split into eight smaller orbs, each coming to rest on one of her tails, leaving the middle one free. Starting from the left, each orb changed state: the first a gentle white glow; the second a solid black; the third turned into a fiery ball; the fourth a self-contained water globe; the fifth a gentle green version of the standard blue; the sixth a pale blue ball of ice; the seventh a swirling ball of wind and the eighth a crackling ball of electricity.
Akira's eyebrows shot up. "Wow, I'd heard but... you mastered them all."
Sareena gave a light chuckle at the bemused expression. "What, did you think you were the oldest? Sorry, dear, I've got you beat by a LOONG way. As far as I know, I'm the only one who's done it. Most only figure out two or three." Bringing four of her tails to each side, she stepped towards Max.
"Err." Unsure, Max took a small step backward.
"It's ok, Max, pick one. It would appear that mine and Akira's slight oversight has given us an opportunity to... how shall we say, cheat the system, thanks to the extra energy you currently have. Might as well put it to good use." Sareena smiled, offering up the orbs on her tails to the young brunette.
Hesitantly, Max took a step forwards eyeing up the different orbs, letting out a slightly disappointed sigh.
Noticing, the oldest woman of the three tilted her head curiously. "What's wrong?"
"There's one missing," Max pointed out frowning slightly.
"Oh," Sareena proclaimed raising her eyebrows slightly, a ninth orb appearing on her empty tail, the orb itself turning a dark purple. She brought the tail around, motioning towards it. "You mean this one?"
Max's eyes fixed on the purple orb as she nodded. "Uh huh."
Sareena's expression darkened slightly. "The void… Max, you do have the capacity to wield this, however, I must warn you: this is not a natural state for an Ahri to use, hence why it's so difficult to create, let alone control effectively. Change of state comes from the heart. There's only one reason an Ahri would end up creating this, or even using it," she finished, passing a sideways glance to both Vanessa and Akira.
"Hopelessness," Vanessa mumbled, looking guilty.
Sareena nodded in agreement. "And loss. I can count on one hand the number of Ahri that have tapped this particular power, and three of them stand before you. It's never ended well. It goes against the grain of what we are."
Nodding, Max determinedly took a step forward, her gaze firmly fixed on the purple sphere. She reached out for it, stopping inches in hesitation feeling a brief pull towards one of the other orbs.
"Jefferson dies," she muttered to herself. Shaking her head slightly, she reached out to touch the purple orb, only to have all the orbs pulled away from her at the same time. "Huh, but you said…"
"What?!" Akira exclaimed, confused by the withdrawal.
Calmly, Sareena explained, "You hesitated. I could see it in your eyes. Listen to your heart, not your head, Max."
The only thing that mattered now was getting rid of that bastard. For her parents, for Chloe's dad, for Rachel's parents, for herself… for Kate. "All I have to do is hit him with it, and his done. I don't see the problem."
"Max, you already have everything you need to beat him. You always did. What I am offering you is a preview of what you are capable of. It's a one-time thing." Pausing for a second as though debating something, the older woman continued. "Maybe this will make your choice a little easier."
With a quick flick of her tails, the light and dark orbs faded. The remaining seven all turned a pale white. Another flick of her tails and each orb switched between them, much too fast to keep track of. Eventually, they came to rest each on one tail and the older Ahri once again offered her tails to the younger Ahri.
Intrigued by the unorthodox method, Akira asked the question on all their minds. "How can she choose if she can't see them?"
"The void orb is still in there," Sareena replied. "If that is what she truly wants, then she'll choose it on instinct. Follow your heart, Max."
Max passed a pleading glance towards her mother, who held up her hands shaking her head. "Sorry baby, not even I could keep up with that. You're on your own."
A little disheartened, Max turned her attention back to the seven pale white orbs. Feeling a subtle pull towards one, she gave in taking the one that felt like it just belonged. Picking it up, she looked closely at it trying to figure out which one she had picked. With a gentle pulse, much like the one Akira handed her, the orb dissolved into her hand. A comforting rush traveled up her arm, the sensation quickly fading beneath the more noticeable burning tingling sensation of Akira's overcharged orb.
"I had a feeling you'd pick that one." Sareena smiled, another flick of her tails and the remaining orbs disappeared, her own blue orb returning to one of her tails.
"Which one did I…" Max began to ask, desperate to know.
"You'll find out soon enough," was all she responded with.
Akira looked first at Max, then Sareena. "But how's she gonna know if she has no idea?"
"Instinct," the oldest of the Ahri replied. "When she needs it, it will make itself known... remember Max, it's a preview, a one-time deal, at least until you figure it out for yourself. Consider it a bump start."
"Wish I had that," Akira muttered bitterly.
Throwing a knowing smile her way, Sareena shook her head. "You didn't need it, Akira. You had talent. You chose to go a different route with your life, not that that's wrong. You had the tools you needed, so why seek out more? Having said that, options are always a good thing to have.
"Yeah, I know," Akira admitted begrudgingly, before looking towards Max, "Ya know, I kinda wish I had held on a while longer. You guys woulda been fun to be with," she said with a smirk.
"I... Not entirely sure how you mean that." The brunette blushed, having a feeling she knew exactly what Akira meant.
Akira gave her a meaningful wink and a smirk. "Take it either way you want."
Max gave her mom a final hug. "I'm gonna miss you," she mumbled, a single tear rolling down her cheek.
"And I you. No matter what path you choose, Max, me and your father are happy for you, ok," Vanessa reassured, squeezing her daughter one last time.
Taking a step back, Max turned to Akira and smiled. "Well, this is it."
Akira nodded, looking a little sad. "Yes, it is... I told you, you wouldn't need me anymore once I told you."
"Dunno about the not needing you anymore," Max mumbled, feeling a lump form in her throat, "there's still things I'm pretty useless at."
Shaking her head, Akira gave her a playful shove. "You'll figure it out. Just be lucky I was in your head and not on the outside. That little shell of yours wouldn't last long around me."
"That I don't doubt," Max chuckled, blushing slightly as Akira wrapped her arms around her in a big hug.
Vanessa stifled a laugh earning a slight scowl off her daughter. "Sorry, but she has been in my head a bit longer than yours. I've heard all her lines," she defended.
"Not all of them. Still got a few to use on you" Akira baited playfully as she broke her hug with Max.
Vanessa scoffed. "You'll have to get past Ryan first."
Akira walked up beside Vanessa and put her arm around her friend's shoulder, the three women started walking away. "Why get around him? The more the merrier," she said nonchalantly, causing Vanessa to choke slightly.
"Oh, one more thing, Max." Sareena stopped, turning to the young Ahri once more. "Hurry up and send that bastard up here. There's a fairly long queue of people that want to... have a word with him." She grinned, giving a final wave and turning to join the other two as everything faded to white.
And there it is.
So which one did our Little Ahri choose...Guesses in the comments. :D
I'm sure I'm forgetting something, though... Oh yeah, Jefferson's got an appointment. Can't let him miss that.
See you next time :D
Only two chapters left, Both are in final stages so expect them to drop soon :D
Peace out