Disclaimer: I know, the last one was a little queer, but that's my buddy for ya J Again, don't own Ronins, but if I did, Sage would be presently tied to my bed and I wouldn't be giving this to you people. *Evil grin as she looks at Sage*
No! You're kidding me! They can't be the Ronins! Jett was complaining telepathically as she went to look for the guys.
Do you think I was too happy when Seiji rescued me? Asked Opal in return. No, I wanted to get those demons back and have them kill me instead. So deal with it and get me outta here! Sehkmet is looking at me funny…
Jett broke the connection and continued her search for the Ronins. Now that her bladder was relieved, she could concentrate on them and their energies. She didn't feel like dealing with Shin and his friends, but at this rate, she didn't have a choice.
She ran around in circles for a few more seconds, trying to figure out where to go. Finally she chose a direction away from the symbol sight, and ran as quietly as she could. She wished for her athame. Eventually, she spotted something metallic against the gleam of the dying sunlight. She went into stalking mode just in case it was a Warlord, then tackled it to the ground. The person went down with an "Oof!"
Touma threw his opponent off of him and went to attack when he realized it was Jett. "There you are! What the hell happened? Have you seen Opal?"
Jett wasted no time. "Get your friends and follow me. Opal is currently being held hostage, and I'm only on leave because I had a bathroom break."
Touma gave her an odd glance before shooting an arrow in the air. A moment later the four other Ronins showed. Before they could ask questions, Jett instructed them to follow her and be quiet. They did as she asked. When they were a few feet within the clearing, Jett stopped everyone. "Stay here until the time is right," she whispered, then wen into the clearing. "I'm back! Thank you Dais!"
"Women take too damn long going to the bathroom. Kayura did all the time," he muttered to himself as he tied Jett back up.
Opal looked over at Jett. They here?
Yeah, but hiding until the right moment. Whenever that is.
Peachy. You know, Sehkmet was hitting on me! And it was really gross!
I am so sorry, apologized Jett. Anything important happen?
Yeah, I had my blood taken out of my thigh.
Jett mentally cursed. She hadn't noticed the small puddle of blood underneath Opal. She watched as Kale poured something red into a fire. The fire flared a strange gray color. Jett's heart began to race faster, realizing that they were summoning this Talpa guy.
Opal was feeling faint. She never liked blood, and loosing this much in one battle was really making her feel sick. A scratch she could handle. A poisoned sword to the leg she couldn't. The ground was beginning to look funny. Opal forced herself to concentrate on Earth's healing powers to rid the poison from her body. "Now is the time, now is the hour…" she managed to whisper before the world became black.
***
"What the hell is going on?" asked Shin. Sehkmet was drawing too close to Jett for his own comfort. The Warlord of Venom's sword was drawn and was reaching for her upper thigh.
"Looks like a strange way to bring back Talpa," muttered Rowen. "When do you think we should interfere?"
"Now!" Shouted Shin, not waiting to see the effects of Sehkmet's poison on Jett. "SUPAH WAVE SMASHAH!"
Sehkmet, taken by surprise, was knocked off his feet. Jett looked over and smiled a thanks then started to work her binding off. Touma, Ryu and Seiji jumped at Dais and Kale. Shuu went to untie the unconscious Opal while Shin untied Jett.
"Dude… her leg is bleeding rather badly…"
"I think she was poisoned," said Jett as she jumped down from her pole. She looked at the other Ronins. "Let's move! Ignore these guys for now!"
Ryu knocked Dais upside the head first before heading Jett's way. "C'mon, Seiji!" Seiji nodded and the seven retreated into the forest.
***
"How is she doing?" asked Ryu, his face lined with worry and concern.
Jett wiped her brow. "I don't know… she isn't responding to the herbs or the healing."
"Perhaps I can try something," stepped up Seiji, remembering what he had done for Ryu's eyes. "My armor can heal."
Jett shot him a very nasty look. "Hurt her and I can promise you: You won't survive the encounter."
Seiji ignored her and placed the tip of his no-dachi above the jagged, still bleeding wound in Opal's leg. He tilted it until the last of the sun's rays hit the sword and the wound disappeared. Opal's breathing became somewhat regular again. Seiji put away his sword. "See? No harm done."
Jett still was shooting him dirty looks. But she couldn't keep this up long; she was cold. Outside in the forest in the middle of winter without a jacket or long sleeved shirt wasn't the smartest thing in the world. "Ryu? Could you lift Opal until we got to her house? I know the way from here and it isn't far. We need someplace warm for her."
Ryu nodded and picked up Opal. She probably had hypothermia by now. He hoped the warmth of his armor would help a little. He and the others followed Jett without a word, though the Ronins were wondering just who these two were. Jett was wondering how the hell she was going to get into the house since the guys explained that everything was dead and deserted and Opal unconscious.
"Wait a minute, where's Jay?" asked Jett. In the commotion, she had forgotten all about her friend.
"We told him to go home," answered Shuu. "It was going to be way too dangerous for a dude like him to stick around."
"What do you mean, 'a dude like him'???" asked Jett harshly, taking it the wrong way.
"Easy, Jett." Said Seiji. "He just meant someone who couldn't fight, that's all."
Jett was about to make a sharp reply at the blonde warrior, but bit it back when she saw Opal's house… and a strange glowing in it. "What the hell?"
"I'll check it out," said Touma. As he approached though, the door opened, and there stood a strange woman. She was wearing long white robes and a gold bracelet. She had long, curly, raven black hair with patches of white streaked through. Around the head was a glittering headband, seemingly made by Elven hand. Touma had to stop in his tracks. "Who are you?" He asked, eyes somewhat glazed over. The woman only beckoned them in, taking Opal from Ryu despite his protests. Jett entered the house unafraid. The guys were hesitant, but entered.
Inside the place was surprisingly warm for a house that wasn't supposed to have heat due to electrical problems. Candles lit the entire house and gave it an old fashioned look. The woman set Opal lovingly on the couch and stroked her hand on her forehead. Opal groaned and her eyes fluttered open. "Lilith? Damn, I must have been seriously injured for you to pop out of nowhere."
"Shh…" the strange lady said. "Rest. You have been healed by the Armor of Halo from the poison, however the effects will still affect you." She smiled at Opal and turned to the Ronins and Jett.
Jett curtsied. "Nice to see you again, Lady Lilith."
Lilith smiled and bowed her head. "And you too, Warrior. As for Jay, do not worry, he is in a sleep until this ordeal is over with." Jett sighed with relief.
"Wait a minute," said Touma. "Lilith is the name of Opal's cat. How is it you know these two?"
"Yeah," said Shuu, not trusting her, although he'd like to get a date with her at one point. "Wait, Opal had a cat?"
Jett shot both of them dirty looks. "Lilith is a familiar. She only changes to human form when great danger arises."
Shin bowed, though clumsily in his armor. "Pleased to meet you, Lilith. I'm glad we get to meet to where we can actually talk."
***
The six sat in a circle around Lilith. Opal was forced to stay on the couch. The Ronins had toned down to their sub-armors, despite Jett saying that it was completely safe now that Lilith was in control of the energies in the house. Lilith had explained what had happened: How Opal's family and the neighbors suddenly vanished, when the electricity and other power sources went out, and the strange disturbances that had been happening all day. Then she explained about herself to the Ronins.
"Familiars are spirits who decide to stay with a person or persons and protect them throughout their lives, whether they be a witch or a normal person. Usually we never have to go to our human or human like forms. But when one works with a demon hunter, such as Opal and Jett, it is sometimes necessary to do so in great times of need. This is one of them.
"Talpa has already begun his arrival to this world again. Last time he just needed to wait for his power to be regained. But that was because he was in his home country. In another country, one must adapt to its magic customs to do what one wants. The Warlords discovered that the blood of the Twin Warriors could bring him, given willingly or forcefully. Though he only has half, it will make him strong enough to come back into this world. And he will seek Jett's blood to gain his full potential."
"But what are the Twin Warriors?" asked Seiji. "They aren't related."
"We're considered Twin Warriors because we have spent a lot of life times together," said Opal. "We have fine-tuned our powers so that we can know what the other will do without asking for a plan. And our soul link is powerful: others can feel it. Sometimes it makes people think we're twins."
The Ronins sat silent at this. This was a whole lot of new stuff for them to contemplate. Shin was looking at Jett. She seemed so serene in this atmosphere. Not tense or ready to bite someone's head off. He wanted to reach out and hold her, but that seemed inappropriate at the moment. That and she might turn around and smack him for it; she was probably still angry with him about Seiji.
Lilith looked at the group. "Sleep, warriors. The day grows old, and you need sleep for the new day tomorrow."
Jett helped Opal up and down the stairs to her room. The Ronins headed for Touma and Shin's room. Lilith kept watch over the house, waiting and bidding her time for Talpa to show his face.
***
Early morning. There was no sunrise as Opal had hoped for. She usually got up early just for it. Now she was in her garage, searching for hidden weapons that she might be able to use. She closed the box she had been searching for and went through another, occasionally muttering under her breath about having to hid things from her parents and cleaning the garage out.
Seiji knocked on the door softly. "Want some help?"
"From a pig-headed male? No thanks, I can handle this one." Opal growled without looking up. She felt a surge of anger that had been bottled up for the past few days.
Seiji didn't respond to this. "I want to apologize."
Opal still didn't look up. "Right. You want to apologize now just so you can get a testosterone rush again? Or are you apologizing because you think I'm equal to you because I can fight? Either way, you're still a ass hole and you can go screw yourself."
"I wanted to apologize for treating you like I did. I didn't think that you actually cared as much as you did—"
Opal spun around on her heels, fists clenched. "You didn't think? It was pretty damn obvious!" She was careful to keep her voice down so she wouldn't wake the others.
Seiji looked at the ground, feeling his face go red for the first time in a long time. "Shin showed me the notebook you threw away." He looked up to meet her eyes. "I admit it, I can be a total jerk. But I never had—"
Opal threw her hands in the air and went back to searching the boxes. There it was: Her sword and crossbow. She uncovered them and got them out, tying her sword to her belt loop. Her crossbow she hefted onto her arm and aimed it at Seiji. "Leave me alone. I want nothing to do with you anymore." And she walked past him he moved out of the way, knowing he had probably ruined his chance.