Mind, Body and Soul

chapter 1

by: Nova

Hello again all. Here is the first chapter of many for this story. Now, I do like to get feed-back, so send the flames and compliments to: nova0613@yahoo.com

Thanks and ttyl,

Nova =^-^=

Rays of the sun shown down upon the navy-blue truck as it traveled down the hill. Waves hit the shore, topped by white foam. Wind blew lightly, the puffy clouds moving lazily across the blue-gray sky. It was not a weekend, so few if any people were on the beach. The swings moved and creaked back and forth, the slight wind pushing the old swings, like ghosts of the playful children usually upon the metal seats. The monkey bars stood bare also, as did the slide, the sun glinting off the silver metal and chipping paint.

A navy blue SUV turned into the steep sloping drive and slowed around the turns, going towards the parking lot, picnic tables and beach area. The driver of the truck pulled into a parking spot and put the vehicle into park.

Two young women opened their doors and hopped out. The driver, named Keiko, and her friend, Ari, opened the back doors to get the battery operated radio, picnic basket, towels and blankets.

Keiko had her black and blue hair held up with a large clip and spiked up, a few pieces hanging around her face and a piece obscuring the right side of her face. She wore ragged cut-offs and a navy-blue tanktop over a navy-blue bikini.

Her friend, Ari, wore a pair of jean-shorts and a black tankini. Her thick, long blonde hair was pulled into a high ponytail, but it still cascaded far down her back, curling up at the ends.

Keiko's pet joined them, leading the way to beach below. The sapphire sky was set with whipped cream clouds. A perfect day to swim, especially to try out their new bathing suits. Ari spread out the towels, then turned on the radio to listen to the news.

"Good afternoon listeners. Now here is your WBQX weather with me, Sarah Thompson. This Saturday is B-e-a-utiful! Temperatures in the eighties and nineties and just puffs for clouds. Unfortunately it won't hold out. A huge black mass is moving in upon us. It will hit on a little less then a week from tomorrow. It will be quite a downpour. Only leaving you a week to enjoy this lovely weather. So get in your tanning now, before we're hit bad! Now back to today's hit music!" So with that tid-bit, a song blared from the speakers.

"Well, like Sarah said, 'get in your tanning now', let's go," Ari said.

"Fine with me, then we'll eat," Keiko agreed with her. They lay on their towels and then turned and finally, after letting the sun work its majik on their skin, set off for a quick cool off in the water.

They waded into the cool water and Keiko dove into the first wave that came. She came up and splashed Ari. Even though the water was cool, it felt invigorating and quite refreshing. Ari still screamed and laughed when the liquid came into contact with her sun warmed skin.

"Hey Keiko, remember the trick you did with your amulet? Well, watch this!" Ari smiled. A white light encircled her, she slowly rose into the air and cannonballed into the foam.

"Ari, you shouldn't do that, what if someone had seen you, even if you didn't see them!? We would have huge problems on our hands!"

"Well, I checked and definitely didn't see anyone around here. Besides, who would believe it if they saw it?" Ari smiled and Keiko shook her head.

"Oh well. Live and let live, I suppose." Keiko then became engulfed in a strong blue light, rose high and somersaulted back down with a small SPLASH! They swam a while longer, happy to get out of the apartment.

The girls were tired and decided it was time to eat dinner. As Ari bit into a drum-stick of the delicious rotisserie chicken, a load roar sounded through the girls' ears. They jumped up, ran over a small sand hill and Keiko screamed. Five guys that neither girl recognized, were backing away from a huge snarling black leopard. Its claws were extended and it growled, showing its gleaming incisors.

"Stop right there young lady! Leave them alone, they haven't done anything. Get back, NOW!" Keiko screamed, and her pet turned and crawled belly down, back to the girls she was protective of.

Black Gold, the leopard, had thought the guys were sneaking up on her companions and had been 'protecting' them.

"I'm so sorry about that. She is very protective of us. I apologize..." Keiko started, but was interrupted by the young man with blue eyes and equally blue, messy hair.

"No, its OK. This is your pet!? I wouldn't think you could control such a large animal," he commented.

"Well, she isn't much trouble. My name is Keiko and she's Ari." Keiko extended her hand and the blue haired young man shook it.

"My name is Rowen. Nice to meet you. These guys are Sage, Cye, Ryo and Kento." They group took turns shaking hands with each other and Ari spoke.

"I haven't seen you around here. Where are you from?" Ari was quite interested in the one called Sage. He had the most interesting violet eyes and poofy blond hair.

"We are exchange students from Japan. The local college is where we're taking classes," He gave the two girls his best flirtatious smile. Sage was getting better, he was not quite as shy as he used to be, thanks to his out going friends. These girls seemed nice and one had to agree that they had great bodies.

"Then we will see you around quite a bit. In the class we are taking, we are going to be paired with a student. See you tomorrow then," Keiko told them.

"Guess so, see you ladies later then. Until tomorrow," Sage said and the group waved goodbye and split up. Ari and Keiko went back, finished dinner, swimming and tanning, and went home.

* * * *

Back in Keiko and Ari's apartment, Keiko explained to Ari why she was unsure of Sage, and warned Ari about him.

"Couldn't you see the way he was flirting? It was blatantly obvious! What do you have to say about that little performance? Hmmmmm?"

"I know, he isn't your type, but I liked him. Those violet eyes, blond hair, well built, charming! And that smile! He was sooo yummy!" Ari grinned and laughed and Keiko just shook her head.

"You have a very odd taste in men. I may never understand you," Keiko told her. "Just be careful. He has an unusual aura about him. Of course, the others do to, but I feel more from Sage than from the others."

" Are you going to continue on with your little tirade? I would like to see what happens before you say these unnecessary things," Ari said.

"Fine. We'll see. Just promise you'll at least keep some distance from him," Keiko griped.

"I will, if he is that bad," Ari replied. In her heart, Ari wanted him to be perfect. Her gut said to be patient. Her soul said to trust Keiko and to be careful.

* * * *

Back in the guys apartment, as Ryo's gigantic white tiger companion, White Blaze, looked on, the guys discussed what they had witnessed before they had met the girls.

"Oh come on! You can't tell me you didn't see all that hocus-pocus stuff they were pulling! They were glowing and floating and and ..." Kento looked from face to face of his friends to see what reactions he had received.

"We all saw it. Remember why we can here in the first place. It could have something to do with that. We had better keep a watch out for anything strange about those two," Rowen stated.

"I agree. I'll definitely keep watch. Good idea Rowen. Did anyone listen to the news as we were going to the beach? About that storm, I have a funny feeling about that. We have only less then a week to watch for any signs," Sage commented.

Everyone nodded their heads. The other guys could see that Sage liked the girls. That made them a bit worried, but Sage was careful, he knew how to take care of himself. He was plenty able to, and the guys all knew it. Yet, this was a different situation and a different country. They were not used to the U.S. So who knew what would happen?

* * * *

That next Monday came fast and when the alarm buzzed next to Keiko's ear, it put on its brakes. At least there was one thing to look forward to in class that day. Her and Ari would be more formally introduced to the guys. Nothing would happen in class, she was sure of it. She did not feel that they would hurt them, especially with so many other people around to watch it occur. Keiko calmed down, her muscles loosening up a bit. Keiko yawned and pulled herself from her bed, and felt the coolness of the air on her skin when she pulled the blankets from her body. Keiko started to get ready for class that day. She showered and dressed and Ari did the same. They chatted while warming up frozen bagels for breakfast, with a glass of orange juice and a mug of coffee for Keiko. After cleaning the dishes, Keiko grabbed her keys and she and Ari left for class.

As the girls took their seats next to each other, Keiko yawned while she and Ari talked. Then the exchange students filed in through the classroom door.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats and quiet down. Excuse me, please be quiet," Mrs. Anderson said and rapped her pencil on the stand. "Please be quiet. We have, as you know, these Japanese exchange students to introduce to you. Each of you have been assigned, eerrr... paired up with one of them. Now please, Keiko would you stand up. Thank you. Now to start with our star pupil. Would a Rowen Hashiba come forward? OK, you two can introduce yourselves and I'll read the rest of the groups off." Keiko hated to have it pointed out to everyone that she was the star pupil, the smartest one there. It was great to be recognized and all, but it grew tiring. Keiko rolled her eyes and groaned. Rowen noticed this and commented.

"You OK? You seem a little bummed."

"I'm just sick of being pointed out as the smart one. They others don't treat me like a normal human. They mostly ignore me. I suppose it could be worse," Keiko explained to him.

It had never been easy and still wasn't. Ari was the only one, other then Cade and Angela, that wanted to be her friend. A few others tried to use her for answers to work or money. Keiko caught on fast, before anything happened. Most had stopped trying. The select few that hadn't thought they could still try and the guys thought that if they tried, could get some action. One or two found that Keiko could take care of herself and had the bruises to prove it.

"It's the same at home for me. Not many people can get past the grades to get to know me better. You have met my friends, so you know I'm not popular. They're all the friends I have," Rowen told her.

"I doubt that we will ever get used to it. It's just one of those things," Keiko remarked.

"It's a good thing we are able to get along so well. It looks like we'll be working together for a while," Rowen commented.

"What part of Japan are you from?" Keiko suddenly asked.

"Toyama, why?"

"Just wanted to know. That is where all that destruction took place and I just wondered if you had seen it happen. It was all over the news. Even where I lived. Ari had been in California at that time. She told me about it. That's all," Keiko said.

"I'll tell you and Ari about it later, when we can get together with the other guys. Well, then, I want to know where you are from," Rowen stated.

"New Orleans. Ari has moved around a lot, because her father is in the archaeological business. He owns it in fact. So they dig up all these priceless items and sell them to museums all over the world. That is where Ari received her amulet, from her father, we think it might be worth something," Keiko told him. Worth a lot, Keiko thought to herself.

"What about your amulet? It's very unique," Rowen asked.

"I was looking for candles and incense and the stores owner brought out this box. She had just found it in the back. She had no clue how it had gotten there. She thought I would like to see it and I did, so I ended up buying it." She replied.

'Big mistake', thought Keiko, 'although it probably would have found its way to you somehow.' That was all she could tell him. There was no way to mention all the problems that she and Ari had had. Who would believe them anyway? Keiko had no need to spend the rest of her life in a padded room and straight-jacket. Keiko turned her head as Ari, followed by her partner, Sage (much to Keiko's disgust) walked up to Keiko and Rowen.

"How is it going with you two? It's fine with us, we have a bunch in common," Ari sneered at Keiko, as if to prove that Sage wasn't the bad guy that Keiko seemed to think he was. Keiko rolled her eyes.

"Everything's fine on this front. Where are the others?" Keiko asked. She didn't seem to happy that Ari was trying to prove that Sage was an okay guy.

"They are around. You'll see them later. Maybe we could get together. Sage was going to ask, but it seems I beat him to it," Rowen said.

"Fine with me, how 'bout Keiko, want to show them around town, maybe cook dinner? She's a great chef," Ari pointed out.

"It's a thought. Although, Ari makes the food sound better than it actually is," Keiko said.

"Anything is fine, and before you count yourself down, let us try the food," Sage told her.

After Sage finished his sentence, Craig, one of the worst play-boys around, appeared next to the group. "Hey Keiko, you busy tonight? You know where to find me." He smiled and winked.

"Get away asshole. I don't want to have anything to do with you, or your pervert friends," Keiko retorted.

"Strong willed and bitchy, I like a chick like that."

"Didn't you hear me? I said get lost bastard!" He left and Keiko groaned. "I am so sick and tired of those guys pulling that shit on me. Sooner or later, they will get more then words from me." Keiko leaned down and put her hands on her desk and put her head on them.

Rowen glanced an all-knowing look to Sage. Both would have to watch her. What a temper. Not bad, but still. Kento and Ryo were the same way, perhaps a bit worse. Keiko had a pretty good reason for acting the way she had. Of course Ryo and Kento had too.

"Is he always like that, that bad?" Rowen looked to find the answer in her face, but she didn't put her head up enough.

"Yeah, always. He sees me as a hunt. Something he can't have, but will do anything to try to get. All I do is try to ignore him. But that won't work. He is to stupid to see that. Someday though..." Keiko didn't finish, but the group knew what it meant. Class went by quickly and Keiko was starting to be okay with Sage, but the weird feelings she was getting wouldn't go away.

"Excuse me, class, please quiet down. Class, please. Class! Okay, the day has gone by pretty quick. Talk with your partners, that is part of the interview. See you all tomorrow," Mrs. Anderson said and waved to them as they left.

"Well, how about lunch? I know a great cafe we could eat at," Keiko told the guys as Cye, Ryo and Kento walked over.

"Sounds good to me. I'm starving," Kento announced.

"You're always hungry. How were your partners?" Sage said asked them and sat on a bench lining the sidewalk of the campus.

"Good, I guess. I don't know if I really like him yet, but we just met, so I'll give it time," Cye said and the others agreed.

* * * *

At the restaurant, the group questioned each other. Most of the questioning was done by the guys. Keiko noticed this and answered them carefully, as not to give them any information they didn't need to have. The guys kept asking to find out about these mysterious young women. They of course had a motive behind their questions. To find out what their stunt had to do with the feelings they were having recently.

"What happened in Toyama a few years ago, Rowen said that's where your from and I thought you would know what happened," Keiko said. "Mrs. Anderson gave us very little to explain what happened and I was just wondering if you could give a first-hand account," Keiko went on.

"Well, we don't have much information ourselves. We were hiding at the time," Sage said to cover-up what had actually occurred.

"So where are you from? I don't believe either of you have told us," Cye said.

Keiko shrugged and replied, "We're here from New Orleans, in Louisiana. Although, Ari had moved around a bit, and we met in our junior year of high school. Ari was in California at the time and heard the news from Japan. Tons of strange news stories were being circulated. A bunch of people left from there and Ari has told me some really odd accounts."

"Yeah, like a big storm front from no where was over the city or armored monsters without eyes running all-over the city and blowing things up. Some people were really creeped out. It sounded like they were insane," Ari told them.

"Didn't see any of that. Like Sage said, we were hiding out," Kento said.

"What was New Orleans like? I have heard quite a bit about it, but what else is there?" Rowen asked and cocked his head a bit to the side as he listened. He wanted to get the subject back on the girls.

"Constant parties in the French Quarter, jazz bands, drinking and drugs, lots of little shops and the French Market, really great food, the seafood was some of the best. Ari and I lived in the Garden District. Its the area where tourists love to see all the mansions and the famous gardens that give the name to the district. I didn't care for all the tourists. They can be a headache. I still loved the city, especially at night," Keiko said as she remembered the boardwalk and the river front.

"Sounds like a great place. Aren't you homesick? You're so far from there now," Cye questioned. At this, Keiko could feel the heat rising in her neck. Ari was worried, Keiko's home life had been much less then happy. Keiko looked a bit pale.

"I miss it, but I'm glad to get out. I took the chance and I really love to travel, so I decided to come to this college." The guys weren't buying it. Keiko looked a little worried when Cye had asked the question. The guys mind-sent each other their thoughts. It was unanimous, Keiko was keeping something from them.

* * * *

That night, while Ari slept, she had a dream. Or more like a nightmare. She was in the forest, the suns rays filtering through the foliage. Ari sat next to her twin brother Kuugi. He was helping her shoot the arrows off her cross-bow. Ari tripped and an arrow sliced through her brother's side. He screamed and grasped his bleeding abdomen. Ari cried as she fell to her knees, as Kuugi died in a pool of his dark, warm red blood. His last words caught in his throat as he tried to speak. "Keep going, good luck, I love you..." He then faded away. Ari saw the faces of her parents float by, the tears they shed, the pain in their faces, and the other members of her family in black drifting around her. They all started chanting and pointing. They sneered and Ari collapsed in a heap. Ari turned and saw the coroner looking over papers next to the body of her brother. Papers were being filled out quickly, the coroner wore a grim look and shook his head. The coroner concluded that a stray arrow from some hunter had killed him. Ari stared as images swirled around her and she screamed. That's when Ari sat up with a jerk, after she screamed. Ari could feel the sweat drip off her chin, her pajamas were drenched. No doubt that Keiko had slept through Ari's screams. Ari cleaned up a little, changed her night-clothes and went back to bed.

* * * *

"Keiko, I had another dream last night, it has been happening more and more lately. The same with you and the nightmares with your parents," Ari complained at breakfast.

"I know. It's a bad omen. The dreams are happening more frequently and they're becoming more realistic too." Keiko was not paying her food much attention and stared off into space as she thought about what this could be. One of them having reoccurring dreams was strange enough, but both of the girls having them was definitely out of the ordinary.

* * * *

Before class started, Keiko talked to Angela and Cade, two other students that Keiko and Ari would hang out with. Angela, or Angel as she was nicknamed, had bright green eyes, thin, wire frame glasses and short wavy brown hair she kept back from her slightly rounded face. Cade was 5'10" with silver hair and dark, cat-like eyes. He was cute and sweet. Sometimes Keiko and Ari wondered why Angel and Cade weren't seeing each other. Keiko and Ari had no intentions on having a boyfriend. Both were too afraid that something might happen.

"Keiko, we should get together and take the guys out into town, to have a little fun," Angel suggested.

"I agree, before the storm hits. I'm sure the guys would want to see the city. Not to mention that we haven't gotten together for a while," Cade commented seriously.

"OK, how about meeting at our apartment at 7pm and we'll decide what to do from there," Keiko told them.

"Fine, see ya later," Cade said and he and Angel went to sit down.

"Now to tell the guys. Maybe you should cook dinner tonight," Ari said, hoping that she would cook for them.

"Actually, that was what I was thinking. Now I need some ideas," Keiko replied.

"I'm sure you'll think of something, you always do," Ari assured her.

"Always what?" Sage said as he and Rowen walked over to the girls and broke in to their conversation.

"Well, this evening, we're meeting at our apartment at 6pm, having dinner and then we're going out to the city," Ari explained.

"Sounds good to me, I'm sure the others will agree," Sage said.

"Then Ari and I'll go pick up the supplies. Maybe sandwiches," Keiko suggested.

* * * *

Later, just after class ended, the group got together and planned out what they were going to do. Once again, Keiko suggested sandwiches. The guys and Angel shook their heads in agreement. "What drinks should we pick up? We only have tap water, milk, orange juice and coffee right now."

"Maybe some pop," Angel offered.

"OK, see you all at 6pm," Ari said and she and Keiko left.

As soon as classes were over for the day, the girls drove and parked near the market. They were loaded down with meat, buns, cheese, pickles, tomatoes, avocado, bacon and other assorted sandwich toppings and fillings. Keiko popped the trunk door and put her bags in and helped Ari unload her bags inside. Then she closed the door and sighed. The noise around them suddenly became nothing, the sky darkened. It was eerie and to quiet. Keiko could hear her heart beating in her chest. A low lying fog had lazily moved in around the city block where the girls stood. A large man-like creature moved towards them. It, or he was covered in a cloak and once in a while they saw a glint of mental. He called out in an echoing, booming voice to the girls.

"Give me what I want and I may not kill you. I am the soldier of Lord Tadeous, and I will get what I want, one way or another. Now give me the amulets you wear around your little necks."

"Come on Ari, let's split!" Keiko screamed at Ari and both hopped into the truck, to discover that it wouldn't turn on. Now enclosed within the vehicle, darkness surrounded them and glittering white eyes of black spirit-soldiers circled around them, attempting to enter. "Ari, we may have to take drastic measures."

"No, don't we have another choice?" Ari was scared, but she knew she would have to anyway. Sooner or later the fight would happen. It was inevitable. By running, they were just delaying it.

"I don't think there are any other ideas. Unless you have some."

"Nope, I'm fresh out."

"Then..." Keiko never finished the sentence. The creep and his little friends disappeared. "Well, there ya go Ari. That was weird. Why did he just leave?"

* * * *

"Why did you go against my orders. It's becoming more common lately for you to not listen to me! If you keep this up, I can assure you that you won't like the consequences." The voice sighed and its hand pushed a lock of hair behind its long, pointed ear.

* * * *

"Great food." Kento said and inhaled the rest of the sandwich, a bit of mayonnaise in the corner of his mouth.

"Thanks, although a person would have to be a bad cook to not know how to put a sandwich together," Keiko told them.

"True, but their still good," Ryo put in.

"Good thing we made so many too," Ari added.

"Three cheers to the cooks!" And the others raised their drinks in celebration.

"Sandwiches are one of the easiest things in the world to fix. It was no problem, really," Keiko told them.

"What was it that you had in yours any way?" Ryo asked Keiko.

Keiko smiled and replied, "Avocado, bacon, tomato and lettuce."

"Sounds interesting," Cye put in.

"Got the idea from a restaurant I went to once," Keiko explained, wiping a tomato seed from the corner of her mouth with her napkin.

They talked and chatted for a while, then cleaned up the food and drinks. Ari sighed, she was glad that everything was going smoothly with the guys. The incident earlier stuck in her mind, though, and Ari knew that her and Keiko's luck wouldn't hold out like they were currently hoping.

After the group had gone into town and split, Cade and Angel leaving to go home, the rest went to Keiko and Ari's to relax. It was a clear night, the stars shone, even with the city lights in the distance. Not a cloud floated in the sky. The moon was a sliver, not much light to distract from the stars. Keiko told Ari she was going to the roof to relax.

"Where's she going?" Rowen asked.

"Up to the roof to relax and look at the stars," Ari replied.

"I'm gonna go and check it out then. Be back in a bit." With that, Rowen climbed the flights of stairs and opened the creaking door. Keiko lay upon an old mattress, staring upwards. Rowen walked closer and Keiko sensed someone behind her. Keiko was a bit surprised to see that Rowen was standing over her. Keiko motioned for Rowen to sit and moved to make space for him. "Nice night huh?"

"Yea, I like to come up here and clear my head, relax and such. It's a quiet place, good for when I need to sort out my feelings. I hope you understand."

Rowen smiled, "Yea, I know what you're saying. I do that too, from time to time."

* * * *

Okay! Got the first chapter rewritten. Please tell me if this is better or not. I'm having a bunch of writers' block, lots of ideas for other stuff, but if I don't get this going, and I need your in-put for that, I won't get this done for a long time. Please send comments!

Nova =^-^=