Chapter 2: The Vision



The plane pulled around for a second pass of the airport, the snow was so thick and the runway covered with a thin layer of ice and snow. Below, people hurriedly went over the asphalt with ice melt and blowers, trying desperately to make way for the awaiting arrivals.

Rakeal looked down nervously, Rowen had just managed to get her to calm down when she suddenly started to panic again. "Oh man!!! Look at all that snow!!! Come on! Give me a BREAK!!!!" She started to say as Rowen hurriedly closed her window again.

"Relax, I fly all of the time, there hasn't been a crash for the past five years. . ." He was trying to comfort her when she suddenly interrupted.

"NO!!!! Do you know what that really means?!!! It's not been five years of no wrecks! It's been five years of silence until the next CATASTROPHE!!! That means that it's about time for the next wreck to happen!!!" She paused, but not long enough to let him speak. "We're gonna crash! I just know it!!!!" She muttered, but not softly enough to be unheard of by the surrounding passengers. Rowen gave them all a reassuring smile, than tried to sink lower into his seat. She was silent for a while longer, than suddenly spoke up again, shaking her head dramatically as the plane hit a pocket of turbulence. "No, this is it!! We're gonna crash! We're gonna die." She said in a matter of fact voice.

Behind them, a small child started to cry, Rowen hit his forehead in frustration as the little boy said, in Japanese, that he didn't want to die. He leaned over and reassured the boy with his mother. Than leaned back to glare at Rakeal. "You know, we're not going to die. You're just overreacting. You need to relax." Rowen stated as he finally just sank back down into the seat and tried to ignore her small nearly audible proclamations that the plane would crash.

For nearly an hour, it continued. Until suddenly the plane began to descend. Rakeal was so busy concentrating on how the plane would crash, how it would feel and if it would hurt before she died. So, when the plane dropped for landing, she let out a scream that must have come from the depths of hell! Everyone around her jumped, Rowen looked like he was about to kill her. Two stewardess came running with a small case. One pulled it out and the other spoke to her reassuringly as she was quickly given a shot and calmed down.



* * * * * * * *

Ash sat alone in the large room, it was her room. Or well, sort of, it was the room that Cale gave her when she was in his care. He was at the Gathering, and he'd return in about three hours. She smiled a little to herself as she remembered what Anubis had told her about Cale. 'He's a very odd sort.' Anubis had told her. 'He goes to the Gatherings, just like the rest of us, and than wanders around to his whore house. He has a rather large harem, he and I are of the same race, but trust me, we're completely different, he lets his need for lust rule his judgement and his vision. The Gathering lasts nearly an hour, but he spends the next two with a woman.' She laughed a little more at the thought of Anubis' words. She really liked Anubis, and was really depressed when she was taken away from him.

She sighed. There was nothing for her to do. She got up and left the room. Cale seldom locked her in the room, but he did lock her in his chambers, he didn't trust her that much, at least not yet. As she walked around, she held her hands out in front of her a little, his chambers were not the brightest. In fact, they were rather dim, almost having the look of being moonlit. She liked it, but it was also very difficult to see hidden objects that she couldn't see.

Her fingers grazed the massive bed, she gave a shudder and quickly moved away from the offending object. A faint stream of light was shimmering from under the door that led to his sitting room, she arched her eyebrow and shrugged. Why not? It's not like I have anything else to do, might as well investigate it. He didn't forbid me to enter the room, and it'd be nice to see something else, something new . . . She was thinking as she gently pushed the door open, it opened soundlessly and she smiled. Of course, he's very neat, why would it squeak? She asked herself as she slid into the wide doorway.

The sight was something she didn't really expect to find in his room. It was a large, rather nicely lit room, elegant tapestries hung on the walls, there was really beautiful sculptures from various times and lands. There were many paintings around the room, and in the corner, near the window, there was a huge easel, she walked over and looked at it and . . . her mouth dropped in shock, the canvas was huge, but what caught her eyes the most was what he was painting. It was a huge dragon, fanning her wings out to the other dragon coming to land, which both were wonderfully detailed, that wasn't it though. The picture he was painting was a larger copy of her sketch she's had in her bag. She'd drawn it when she was trapped with him in his bed chamber, he'd not forced her to do anything, but had allowed her to sit at the desk with a few candles and draw.

He'd joined her at the desk about thirty minutes after he'd allowed her to go. He was instantly awed as he watched her hands move across the paper, the little pencil and her delicate hands caused a very beautiful picture to erupt across the paper. He'd sat silent for nearly three hours watching her draw, when her pencil when dull, he'd hand her the other one from her bag and quickly sharpen the dull one with a small dagger from his robes (he was always armed). She had glanced at him ever now and again, and noted the small smile of contentment and pleasure as he watched her diligently draw. That had been her only escape from the hells she sometimes had to endure.

But what shocked her beyond amazement was that he was painting her drawing! He had told her that he only spent his time on things that would mean something in the future. Things that should be immortalized. It almost touched her. She'd managed to reach his heart, in some strange way. I'll have to confront him gently with this, maybe he'll open up with me and be a little kinder if I let him know that I'm not angry with him. She thought as she moved away from the painting and over the window.

A fair amount of light was beaming from the huge window. She walked over to it and looked out. The sight was beautiful, and . . . she noted with growing distress, viewed the gardens which she pleasured in walking when she was allowed. Cale could see where she spent long hours, and he had the view of her favorite place. She looked away from the window and gazed around the room some more. There was a painting covered by a cloth, she was about to reach for it when a warm breeze coaxed her from the painting, she walked back over to the window.

The air was so warm and felt so good that she had no choice but to sit down and wish for the freedom she no longer was given. Her eyes closed to the welcoming breeze, and as she listened to the soft murmuring of the water and birds, she began to hum, it was a soft melody that just sprang up, but soon it began to take on words, a soft muttering, than a gentle voice:

Beyond the clouds, lies the sky,

Beneath the smile, there lies a frown,

Just behind the tears, await the laughter.

Life is full of pain,

Life is full of joy,

It stands there,

Waiting for us to take it into our arms,

Waiting for us to embrace it.

The words came so easily, and soon became nothing more than muttering again, the melody subtly changing into a sadder tone, caused by her heart break at the sight of the others walking around in the court yards below. She was about to start putting words to the melody when a hand gently touched her shoulder.

"I'm sorry," Cale's voice muttered softly, his eyes were full of a strange mix of awe and sadness. "Master Talpa wishes to speak with you. Please, do your best to not anger him. His temper toward you is increasingly short. If he orders me to do something, I must carry it out." He warned her softly, she looked up at him and smiled faintly, her heart dropping even more.

Thus, my hell returns once more to reveal all of my errors. If there truly is purgatory, than I have surly found it. She thought as Cale wrapped his hands around her waist and teleported them to the Throne room, where Talpa awaited her.

"Master. I have brought the little mortal." He replied softly, kneeling down on one knee, mentally wishing that Ash would do the same.

"Very good. You have done well. Child, why have you not yet accepted your lot here. Your friends will never rescue you, and they have not tried. You were an unwanted member of their group, now that you are no longer there, they don't want to try and to rescue you. Trust me. They would have by now." Talpa told her in a very smug tone. He wanted her to deny the statement. He wanted to knock her into submission. He longed to break down her will. He wanted its strength for his own. She feels so powerful, yet she is so vulnerable, I wonder if she too possesses an armor. I know that it is not mine, I am fully aware as to the resting of all nine of my armors, but this, I do not know about. Perhaps she is not what she seems . . . He was thinking as Ash's head came up in a defiant lift of indignation.

"I know my friends will come to rescue me, and I wish them all the luck they can get. But, I'm afraid I do not require rescuing. I can bring down the Dynasty from the inside, thank you very much." Cale's face went pale beneath his armored mask, he knew well what was coming.

I suddenly pity you, child. Cale thought as Talpa suddenly roared. "You insolent little bitch! You dare to continue to defy me!!! You will pay for that, little mortal!" Talpa raged as he unleashed a painfully powerful energy blast at her.

It wrapped around her instantly, she tried for a moment to bite back the pain, but it grew the longer she remained silent. For her, it was only a moment of resistence, than she screamed. For Cale and Talpa, her resistance lasted nearly two hours. They were shocked as to the spirit and strength of this little child, but before either of them could force her to submit, she suddenly spread her arms wide and the energy blast shattered as if it were nothing more than thin ice.

"Don't ever do that again." Her voice was so soft and quiet that Cale used all his willpower to suppress the shudder she was bringing on.

Talpa remained silent for a moment, observing her as she stood, half-crouched, ready to pounce. Than a slow laugh began to rumble through the Throne room. "So, you're psychic, I should have seen that long ago." Cale let out a silent sigh of relief, his master had not seen that show as opposing his will, but a display of power. "But, I have no use for one such as you, I have plenty of psychics in my palace as it is." He paused, reaching out with his mind, searching for the person whom would be blessed with relieving Cale of his burden. "Sehkmet, come and take this little child to her new home." Sehkmet walked out of the shadows, his armor made him look very intimidating, but Ash had no mind to be removed from the Throne room by this monster. She knew what he wanted to do to her, especially after all of the torment she'd put him through the past few days.

"Stay back!" She warned him softly, her hair actually puffing out a little, giving her the look of being on edge of attack.

Sehkmet looked uneasily at Cale. She's never done this. He thought nervously as he continued to approach her. Just as he came within three feet, she attacked. Her slight weight slammed into him with three times as much strength. It knocked him completely off his feet, she instantly bolted for the main entrance of the Throne room, but Sehkmet was up in an instant, giving chase. "Oh, you're going to pay for that, little bitch! Trust me!" He growled as he drew two of his swords and advanced on her.

"Kill her." Was his master's reply to her sudden show of strength. For some reason Talpa was suddenly all too aware of her promise to bring down his Dynasty from the inside, and her unseen strength and powers were making that promise a little too close to becoming reality.

Sehkmet smiled twisted to one of sick delight. "My pleasure, Master Talpa." She lined her body up and watched him with eyes that were suddenly not nineteen. He noticed this and watched her just as closely. She was moving with too much grace, her eyes too fluid in their observations, he wanted to finish this quickly. He quickly drew the other swords strapped to his back, and called upon his surekill.

Her eyes narrowed a little and than widened, she tensed closer to the ground, her legs suddenly bulged with hidden muscle. Talpa watched the show in amusement, but also curiosity, this little child was acting like an experienced fighter, she had excellent instincts, but just how good were they? When Sehkmet brought it down on her, she simply disappeared, and suddenly appeared to his left, away from the dangerous surekill's touch. She laughed, her eyes lit with humor. She was enjoying this. . .

Talpa watched some more of this rather amusing display with awe. She's playing. . .He thought to himself as he observed the warlord being unable to strike her, she was moving fast, and was very agile, as well as limber, some of the moves were near impossible, but her small body made them look easy. He nearly laughed as Sehkmet gave a cry of agitation of her play.

Ash suddenly made a very unexpected move, she did a somersault right between his legs, coming up away from the wall he was backing her into. "I don't like walls." She muttered lightly, she was slightly winded.

Talpa was swiftly growing as agitated as Sehkmet, and called the other two warlords to fight as well. "Cale, Dais, help Sehkmet defeat this little upstart." Cale was on her in an instant, Dais appeared right behind her, she yelped and nimbly dodged their blows, this was getting increasingly difficult. She didn't understand how she was keeping out of the reach of those deadly blades, but as all three formed a triangle around her, she felt her heart sink. "Finish her." Talpa commanded. As entertaining it was, she had proved his worse fears. She was strong, but still, not strong enough to bother brainwashing to join his ranks.

The warlords each called their own surekill out, she went white from realization, she couldn't dodge all three, there was no way. She was going to die, or wish she had. . .she moved swiftly to avoid Sehkmet's, and was entangled with Dais' than struck hard with Cale's, followed by Sehkmet's, as they hit her, she felt something inside her surge up, her back arched in an impossible angle and felt something rip out of her back. The pain was so intense that she screamed for what she was worth. The small glass cup sitting on the rim of the Throne shattered.

Talpa watched in awe as huge wings erupted from her back, they were blacker than the darkest abyss, the claws were impressive and their size was almost terrifying. So, she's not human. . .He was thinking as the surekill energy was suddenly brought into the wings, she crouched, her eyes burning with an awesome fire, she faced the warlords with a twisted smile, and brought the wings up in front of her and crossed the huge claws on the bend of her wing, as they touched, energy flared. She flared them out and stood suddenly, fire erupted from the wings, she levitated off the floor and loomed up, her suddenly small body didn't look as small and vulnerable. She looked ready to kill.

Her body seemed so right in the air, the little bones suddenly made sense to Talpa, she was built for the air. Her little frame also seemed to be convenient, she was no normal mortal. She was much more. She had Pharie blood. Her white hair shone silver in the eerie light her wings gave off. She flared her wings more it the air, and a sudden energy pulse erupted from them, hitting the warlords like a surekill. They dropped to the ground, writhing in pain, hit by their own surekills.

The fire in her eyes disappeared and she suddenly looked down in shock. "AH!" She gasped in sudden terror. Her wings, folded up and she dropped swiftly to the ground, but before impact, they flared and caught her, dropping her softly to the floor. She looked at the wings and touched one, they were cool, and very soft. She looked at Talpa in sudden fear, she didn't know what was happening. "Wha. . ." She started to say, but Badamon appeared beside Talpa and eyed her with sudden interest.

"What do you make of this, Badamon?" Talpa asked his nether spirit softly, still eyeing the huge wings, draped loosely around her.

"They are very impressive, far better than any Phay could ever dream of owning. The fire is something new, I've never encountered it. She's got pieces of her heritage written all over her though, she's built almost like Phay, but she's too spirited, Phay are easily tamed. She is too willful. There's something else about her." Badamon approached her carefully and threw a sudden energy ball at her, Ash instantly locked her eyes on it, it stopped and hovered in front of her. "You see, she has excellent mental powers, but. . ." He pushed the energy ball forward, Ash narrowed her eyes and looked suddenly at Badamon, who flinched and lost control of the energy ball.

Ash reached out with her hand and the energy ball came to her obediently, she let it hover in front of her before looking at Badamon and than the ball. "I withdraw my statement, I have never seen such potential, whatever she is, she's very powerful. She has powers of Death, which only spirits may have, she's a very odd mix. We must be very careful." He warned Talpa, who nodded his agreement.

"Little one," Talpa started to say, but Ash interrupted him.

"I have a name. Use it." Her eyes flashed bright blue, than quieted to a soft dark blue, eyeing the energy ball dancing above her palm.

Talpa used all his willpower not to blast her, he calmed himself down and continued lightly. "Ash, who are you?" The question was simple enough, she opened her mouth to speak, but hesitated.

Her brow furrowed in some tangled mental conflict, than she looked at Talpa with a clearly hopeless expression. "I'm Ash. An orphan." For some reason, the answer took him quite by surprise, he'd expected her to say that she was just any other American tourist to this land of wonders, but instead, she'd told the honest truth.

"You don't have any parents?" She shook her head. "No family?" Again, hesitantly, no. "What's your name?" He'd never really thought of her name, he'd known that the other newcomer, Gen, had called her Ash.

"Ashadawna." She replied with a slight curtsey. The first sign of respect he'd seen from her ever since they'd captured her.

There was a slight pause, than Talpa continued. "Is that the only name you have? No last name? No family title?" He asked her, watching her new wings as they started to quiver, it wasn't until then that he realized there was blood dripping onto the floor. They did explode from her back, I suppose it'll only be proper if I allow her to rest. "Sit, please." He said softly, gesturing to the large pillowed cushion on the floor not far from the Throne.

She smiled faintly and walked painfully over to the cushion, not willing to pass up such comfort when she was in such pain. "I have no last name, no family, I am what I said I was. An orphan. I was found when I was young, I was about nine or ten, they said." She stopped, looking up at him with pure ice blue eyes.

As he looked in their depths he realized that her pupils were not normal, it was the first time he'd seen her eyes when they were not narrowed at him in anger or shut in pain. He sat back a little and looked at Badamon, who was still nervously watching the energy ball she continued to play with. "Where were you found, little Ash." He asked her, his voice giving her hope for a decent conversation.

"They didn't tell me a exact place, but I know I was in the mountains, alone. They couldn't figure out how I'd survived in the wilds of nature." She finished the last with a shrug of indifference.

Badamon looked at Talpa with a twisted smile. :Master, I do believe that this little one is possibly older than she pretends to be. She balancing that energy like a pro. The wings, I can tell, were definitely unexpected. But she handles energy and her body the way a professional of centuries of practice would. She tells the truth, than switches to the story she's been sticking too. I believe her when she says she was an orphan, but from there on, I don't know, she just has too much practice at hiding her feelings, if I can get a good hold of her pattern, I can properly read her. But I do believe that she's an immortal, possibly a cross between two different types. If she was an orphan, it could be that the parents either died or she was a rape child and the mother abandoned her.: Badamon 'pathed Talpa.

He nodded slightly, watching the dark red seep through her tattered kimono, her eyes were shifting color, he caught it just as she locked eyes with Badamon. He was about to talk to her when all hell erupted. The energy ball, went in full force towards Badamon, who hurried to escape it, she stood up and flared her wings, calling the ball back, only to send it back a little more powerful than before.

The warlords, who had just finished recovering and were watching silently at the other end of the Throne room, watched in awe as they watched her and Badamon begin to fight. "She's beautiful, truly the master of deception." Dais muttered softly, and for once, there were two agreeing grunts.

"Don't ever, ever try to get into my mind again!" She screamed at him, her voice very loud and extremely pissed.

The Nether Spirit did the only thing he could think of, he summoned up his own powers to fight her with. It was then that she attacked, more vicious than he'd ever expected. She used her wings suddenly to dive and slammed into him, into a spirit! Talpa was very shocked. Nether spirits could not be touched by mortal hands, they were, after all, just spirits. However, she was making contact with him. Complete contact.

Talpa chose that moment to end the fight. "Enough!" He roared, the spirit retreated as she hesitated for just a moment, she cursed and swung her attention down on the Ruler of the Dynasty. "Now, little Ash," He was saying in a calm, collected voice, revealing no anger towards her. "It's alright, you can relax. Please, I don't want you to hurt yourself, you've shown him that you are upset with his attack, he understands now." She seemed confused for a moment, but her wings relaxed and she slowly lost her altitude.

"Master. . ." Cale started to say, but he was unheard, he wanted to point out that the little child was losing too much blood. But none of the warlords were heard as Talpa looked at the young immortal in front of him.

She was truly the most magnificent creature he'd ever laid eyes upon. Her wings were quivering from both cold and excitement, still damp from their eruption out of her back, the blood dripping down brought his attention back to the present. She remained silent, her breathing calm and unhindered by labor. She looked at him with clear icy eyes. They were calculating him. He could tell. She was judging him for his strengths and estimating his weaknesses. The look he could tell was not as experienced as he had once feared, but the fact that this was instinct, caused him to feel a mild chill through his soul.

"Young Ash, I believe that you would benefit well from a little rest, and some decent peace." She eyed him questioningly and than nodded, after reassuring herself that this wasn't another ploy to get her guard down. It wouldn't have been the first time. Although he quickly realized that even when she was fully exhausted, her guard never came down.

"Yes." She answered simply, her stillness beginning to sway, her face whitening, she was on the verge of passing out. She put a hand to her face, as if to steady her sudden tipped equilibrium, and abruptly fell to her side. Cale and Sehkmet rushed forward, barely catching her, she looked as though her weight would be increased dramatically with those wings, but she was still light as a feather.

Talpa mentally touched her, worried for a moment that she might be in danger, but she was simply in a deep revitalizing sleep, one that ensured safety. "Take her back to your rooms, watch her closely, don't leave her for a moment and alert me at once if her condition changed in the slightest, if she wakes, contact me immediately. I wish to speak with our little guest." He told Sehkmet who looked shocked that he was being given the little hostage.

"As you wish, Master Talpa." He answered with a bow of his head, since his arms were full. He took her fully from Cale and teleported away.

"This little child, will be a great asset to us. I believe she will be the tool that turns the tables in our favor." Talpa mused softly to his remaining warlords.

"Master, that child, I noticed holds a great amount of power, I suggest that we do small exercises with her to see the extent of those powers, before she tries to attack with them again. That blast she sent back at us was more than just our power. I know that much." Dais replied, his eye glistening with an interest that had been long in returning.

Talpa laughed, distantly, Ash could hear the laughter echoing inside her mind. . .



From deep within her sleeping body, Ash was wildly looking over the changes that were spinning deep within her. What in the name of Roses is going on here! I have WINGS! Not only that, I was handling energy, I shouldn't be able to do that!?!! It's not right!! What's going on with me?!! She asked herself in building terror.

The answer was so subtle and so sure in her mind that it startled her. Because I've come home. The answer, she tried to reassure herself, was not her own. She knew she was an orphan, but she didn't belong to the Nether Realm. But don't I? Wasn't it here I felt the longing to come? Didn't I always find myself saying 'I want to go home' when I was where I thought was home? Why shouldn't this be home? No one knows where I come from. Why not? She asked herself as she stepped back from her normal perspective and looked again.

Drifting through her dizziness and disorientation, she felt something soft beneath her and felt warm liquid being coaxed down her throat. She opened her eyes a little and looked around her. A warm hand brushed her cheek. "Easy there." A voice muttered lightly, she tried to focus her eyes on the speaker. "Don't rush yourself." He told her softly as he stroked her face.

"Where. . ." She started as she began to sit up, but suddenly yelped as her wings moved with her.

"NO! Don't get up just yet! You aren't ready for that kind of movement yet! Be careful!" He cautioned her sternly.

She closed her eyes tightly and shook her head. "I'm so sorry for blasting you back in the throne room! I really didn't mean to!" She exclaimed suddenly her eyes flying out wide and looking at him in sudden regret.

Sehkmet closed his eyes and took a steading breath, he was still fairly pissed about that incident. "No, it's alright, I understand from listening to the others that it was simply instinct. You weren't aware of what you were doing." He coughed a little and changed the subject. "So, do your wings still hurt very badly? How's your back doing?"

She sat up a little, he hurried to help her. She flexed her wings slowly, it was harder than she thought it would be. "They don't seem to hurt that badly if I move them slowly." She remarked sluggishly as she struggled past the dizziness that was still swarming through her.

Sensing her sudden alertness, Sehkmet felt his Master's questioning if their hostage was awake. He sighed and gave him the affirmative. :Good, than send her to the throne room immediately!: Sehkmet gave a mental acknowledgment and let a sad sigh escape his lips as he looked down at his little hostage. "Well, it seems that you need to have another meeting with Master Talpa, will you come with me please?" He asked her, extending out his arm for her. She looked away and back out towards the window. She wanted nothing more to have some time alone and to think of the recent events.

She nodded and took his arm, the contact all that was needed for teleportation. When the disorientation wore off, she found herself alone with the Ruler of the Dynasty. She looked at the fire blazing in front of her. "I'm here." She stated plainly, her eyes were still distant and unfocused. The statement was so soft and filled with contempt that it nearly caused Talpa to falter in his belief that she could be broken to their will. But before he could say anything her eyes suddenly blazed forward and looked straight at him. "But that doesn't mean I am here of my own regard. I don't give a fuck whether you win or lose, all I know is that you are keeping me a prisoner against my wishes. I want to go to my friends. I don't want to be here, I'll not let you brain wash me the way you do to all of your other warriors." She growled the last softly, Talpa took a calming breath, and reminded himself that as long as he kept calm, so would she.

"I understand that, I know that you want to return back to the Mortal Realm and back to your friends but, I'm afraid that they don't want you. . ." He was saying, but she interrupted him, her eyes going wide as she shook her head frantically.

"No! It's not true! They're trying to find a way to rescue me! It's only a matter of time, you'll see!" She shouted at him as she clenched her fists and took a step towards him threateningly, her wings flaring out around her.

Talpa smiled and gestured for the viewing screen to her right, she looked obediently and folded her arms impatiently as he spoke softly and calmly to her. "Watch, and than tell me that they still care about you."

She watched the screen, than tears whelmed up as she listened to Kento. "Look, why should we waste our time trying to rescue her? You saw it yourself, she didn't even try to resist them when they took her, she just let them do it. Every time she looks up at the castle, she always muttered about wanting to go home. She is finally at home now and I think that when we see her again we should give her a nice Ronin Warrior welcome. Don't you agree." Kento was saying as Rowen nodded his head in agreement.

"Yeah, I think he's right. You saw, she just gave herself up. We all know that she's been really down since the first time we rescued her, maybe she wanted to be caught, maybe that was her whole ploy, and we ruined it. I think we should just leave her be. . ." Ash turned away from the viewing screen and bit back the tears which threatened to spill down her cheeks. Talpa turned the screen off, and silence prevailed for a long moment.

"You see, they no longer want you among them, now, tell me that you still believe that you are wanted among them." Talpa stated softly, his voice gentle and soothing to her now numb and confused nerves.

She looked up at him, her eyes were alight with both sorrow and deep hatred. "If you don't mind, I'd like to be alone to think." Her voice was soft, filled with contempt at what she had seen.

"I know what you must be feeling, I am sorry for the betrayal that your friends have given you. But I do have warriors here that are here of their own accord. You could be one of them. You would not have to worry about people treating you so poorly. If you were to stay here, I could give you the control and the skill that you require to become a master of your own talents." He was saying, but she shook her head.

"Please, I don't want to think about this right now, I just want to go and take a walk to think for a little while." She stated as she hung her head down and started to shake a little.

"Very well, I will permit you to go into the gardens and walk for a while, but I will have to send someone to go and watch over you. I would not like that someone would take advantage of you right now." Talpa said as she perked her head up.

"Could it be Cale? I don't feel as threatened when he's near, Sekhmet is always. . . looking at me." She stated as she hesitated, she didn't know whether he'd become angry or not over the suggestion. He nodded, she smiled weakly than turned away from him. "Oh, don't worry about having him come here, I'll meet him in the gardens." With that, she disappeared, leaving Talpa gaping in her sudden absence.

"So, she can teleport." Talpa stated after a moment.

"She's showing us more potential every time we see her. Do you think that we should start with the steps to taking her over?" Badamon asked as he waited patiently for his master to command him.

Talpa thought for a moment, than looked back over at Badamon. "Do you think she can be controlled? She does have a very aggressive instincts, they would be a powerful ally. But her will is something of a problem, it's stronger than Khirha's, plus she has this enormous problem with authority, all of this makes it very difficult to brainwash her or control her. What are your thoughts on this?" Badamon thought for a moment than looked at Talpa with a thought.

"Well, there is a possibility. She could either be persuaded or controlled by a strong spell. We might contain her with a device similar to Khirha's necklace, and than if that failed, we could try to brain wash her in different ways." Badamon answered him, than perked up a little. "Where is she now?"



Ash appeared just on the other side of the East embankment of the large courtyard lake. She looked around and walked the short distance to the bench she always sat at and looked over at the lake. The sweet smell of the flowers around her made her look over at the rose bushes, the wind was blowing enough to raise her hair up from her neck and shoulders but gentle enough to still make it look like a lovers fingers drifting through them. She reached her little hand over to a rose, as if to respond, the little flower arose to greet her hand, stretching out its thin vine to reach her, she cupped it gingerly and bent her nose down to bring the delicate fragrance closer to her.

She smiled and sighed as she let her mind drift away from her prison and to soar with the birds and the clouds high above her. Distantly, her mind wandered over curious thought that she was not being guarded, but her thoughts of that quickly faded away as she was taken far away from the Dynasty by a sudden, vision. Her body froze in the position she was in, she was helpless to move outside of her mind now. Her body locked into a state of animation as her mind lured her in to watch the vision in complete detail. . .

Cale watched her closely from his side room, which now held all of his paintings and secret things he didn't wish anyone else to see. He knew that Ash had been there, but he also knew that she respected privacy, she only liked that room because of its view. He admired how still she remained for that length of time, always so perfect in the way she sat. He'd always loved the way she acted with nature, her grace was so flawless, so fluid. Her wings only made her appear more angelic, they moved in a soft pattern as the wind caressed them, he wished he could be there beside her, he was sure that the feathers would be whispering songs of ancient melodies and laughter. But instead, he lifted the brush, and dabbed it a little into the newly mixed white and gray, making it a startling silver to paint the beauty of her wings.

He watched back and forth between the painting and Ash for several minutes before he had to pause to re-mix more paint in order to continue with the details of her wings. After a few more minutes and several more strokes, the wings were complete. He stood back and smiled, she was perfect. He took another finer brush up and began to do the details of her mouth and face, his breathing was slow and steady, his strokes were careful and cautious. He didn't want to make a single mistake on her picture. This was something he wanted to have forever, and he knew that he couldn't have her for his own, it was wrong to cage such creatures. Just as his Master would discover if they tried any harder to keep her.



Ash was locked in a world she was all to familiar with, she'd seen this world since she could remember. It was the world of Possibilities. One where anything was possible, where dreams could come true, as well as nightmares. She's learned all about this the hard way, she was one of the unlucky people as to see the future.

She blinked and looked around. She was standing in the middle of a large 'garden'. There were tall buildings everywhere, she recognized this as like New York city, only it had a few differences, than again, the whole city looked similar in some aspects. She looked down at herself and noted what she saw. She was dressed in loose comfortable pants that were tucked carefully into knee high boots that laced up. Her top was covered by two things, the first was a loose tunic that was made of a comforting leather which smell made her smile, the second was a tight cotton back mid-rift, it was tied up the front and made her feel like she was one of those assassin women from the TV series she used to watch. Strapped to her hip was a rapier, she could also feel something up inside of her wrist, she thought perhaps it was a hidden dagger of some sort. From her reflection in the building's window, she had long hair that was a mix of blonde and whitish silver, there was a large lock of auburn with a smaller strip of black running through the middle of it. The black was braided through the red and her pale hair made the two all the more visible.

She sighed and went to explore the rest of her surroundings. People were running every which way and others in strange uniforms were coming towards her. She suddenly narrowed her eyes and flicked her wrist, instantly, a small object fell from her sleeve. She swiftly pulled the two sides apart and discovered that it was not a dagger, but a fan blade, such were a rarity these days, and in the same stroke, she pulled free the rapier. The metallic clang made her smile broaden.

The men approached her swiftly, two of them were on her in a flash; she was able to effortlessly evade both of their attacks and to charge them both with her blade and rapier. The third man came silently behind her, she saw him in the reflection, a small knife wielded high, as if to strike her in the back. She grabbed the nearest man and tossed him in front of her and spun in time for the aimed knife to be embedded in her body shield. She threw him into the thrower and swiftly dealt with the first man before turning to the third, who had just untangled himself from his dead comrade. He spoke, but she did not hear the words past the drumming in her ears as she summoned her power.

She held her hand out as if to give him something, but from her palm, lit a small dark blue, nearly black flame with silver on the inside, dancing gracefully. She brought it up to her lips and blew, as she did, in front of her, the man and the city behind him exploded into flames, as though hit by a bombardment of bombs. She smiled and walked calmly away.

The vison jumped and she was standing on a cliff facing Staten Island, the Lady Liberty was crumbling into the ground, and New York City was burning and falling to her knees from the blast. From behind her, a man approached, she smiled and folded her hands over her chest.

"Impressive, I thought for sure you'd need at least a little help with that." The man spoke, she looked back and smirked at him, her eyebrows went up in a mock of astonishment.

"Why, you didn't think I could handle this myself? Shame on you! It was too easy. Next time, give me something more worthy of my time." With that, the man laughed and put his hands on her shoulders. She smiled, and closed her eyes, tilting her head back to smell the fresh scent of smoke thickening in the air around her. . .

Ash opened her eyes wide and she shook her head, this was different than what she normally saw in her visions, this one had taken her completely by surprise. What. . .She thought, but the sudden impact of what she'd seen hit her fully. That woman she had seen had been her, she'd been the one to destroy that city and all those people. She'd been the one that they all ran from. She'd been the one which those men had rushed defend their city from. She tittered uneasily for a moment, before falling to her knees and beginning to cry.



* * * * * *



Talpa watched her with patient eyes, the silence was deep and long. Badamon was the first to speak. "Master Talpa, I do believe that she could be of more use to us than I previously thought. She seems to have a powerful gift. But not a gift that I can readily decipher. I need more time to observe her, before I can understand what I must use to control her." Talpa did not look at the nether sprit, only gazed at the little girl as she cried silently.

"Very well." He dismissed the other with a wave, and than narrowed his eyes as he watched her hold her head in her hands and weep violently. :Cale. . .: Talpa murmured softly into Cale's mind.

:Yes, Master Talpa?: Came the immediate response.

Talpa smiled smoothly as he gave his orders and felt the immediate reaction. First, give her someone she can trust, let her feel at ease with her surroundings, second, give her a leash in which to roam, but let her have plenty of room to move. Than, finally, as she relaxes enough to have her guard down. . .STRIKE!!! He smiled broadly as he thought the last, he could almost picture the victory now. With such a powerful little girl at his whim, those Ronin Whelps could not stand, alone or together! His laughter echoed through the halls, a few servants paused long enough to shudder and hurry along.