Mind, Body and Soul
by: Nova
chapter 3
The eternal fight to break free from writers' block continues. (And I had thought that a cat lying on the keyboard had been bad before.) Here is the next chapter. May it be up to your standards. But as always, I do enjoy getting e-mail from my readers, so feel free to say a few words. Thanks and later,
Nova =^-^=
When Keiko finally rose that day, Ari was awake and speaking to Sage. Rowen was in the kitchen pulling something from the freezer. It turned out to be frozen waffles. Keiko moaned and pulled herself into a sitting position. She ached. ~Nothing a few hundred pills won't take care of.~
Ari smirked, as if picking up the thought. "You're not the only one hurting you know."
"Yea, well, I guess going through buildings isn't as fun as I thought it might be," Keiko snapped.
"Keiko, would you like something to drink or eat?" Rowen asked.
"Umm, just throw in some of those frozen waffles and a glass of orange juice, thanks," Keiko replied.
"Not a problem. Maybe you would like a pain-killer on the side," Rowen continued.
"That sounds even better then the frozen waffles," Keiko commented and they all laughed.
"I'll second that. Would you mind bringing me a pill or two, or maybe twenty, also?" Ari questioned.
"Coming right up!" Sage said, excusing himself from the couch next to Ari to help his roommate.
"When do we tell the guys to come over here so we can talk?" Rowen casually asked either girl.
"Well, first, I think that Ari and I would like to get back to our place and clean up. And of course I need to feed Black Gold. She hasn't had two meals now. She has to be hungry and thirsty." Keiko explained and Ari shook her head yes in agreement.
"I think it would be more comfortable for us any way. There is one thing I'm sorta curious about. How come Mordecai didn't finish us or take us with him to wherever he disappears to all the time?" Ari tilted her head and Keiko turned to see how they would react and to hear better what their responses would be.
"Umm, I think we had better explain with the whole group. After we all eat and so on, we can get you over to your apartment. And don't worry about your truck Keiko, I took your keys and drove it back here. Sage will take Ari in our vehicle and I'll take you in yours to get it back to your place. Kill two birds with one stone, so to speak," Rowen explained.
That is exactly what they did too. Both girls had to be helped getting there. Their bodies ached and pain raced through them as if in defiance to being moved. It was like being a little kid again for Ari. Being helped into the seat and buckled in, making sure that she was comfortable in the seat and if not, making adjustments to it.
Keiko scoffed, she had shoved Rowen off for attempting to help her. She could do it herself, albeit that she was too independent to ask for help and did not feel that she needed to be like Ari. She apologized to Rowen though, when they started driving. It had been rude when he had offered his help to her and for her to refuse it the way she had. Rowen told her that he would let it slide, this time, and told her to not worry about it. He was understanding in how she felt at the moment, whether or not she knew it.
Keiko leaned the seat back as far as it would tilt and closed her eyes. Even with the road noise and bumps, Keiko felt comfortable next to Rowen. There was an air about him that was reassuring to her. Keiko did not know why, but she really did not care. As long as she was not fighting for her life, anything was better then that.
Time had gone by too fast. Neither Keiko nor Ari really wanted to answer the questions they knew were coming. Sage and Rowen settled into the couch to wait while the girls cleaned up and changed.
Sage would then break the news to Ryo, Cye and Kento, hoping none of them would go crazy at the fact that the strange happenings had totally been Keiko and Ari's fight with this new evil. Kento and Ryo were known to be brash and Sage felt a little sorry that Cye might be stuck in the middle of it when he called them. Hopefully, Cye would do the driving. There was no telling what Ryo or Kento might do if they were to become angry.
The new female warriors emerged from their rooms. You could see the small scratches, scraps and bruises on their necks and faces. Why they did not have helmets or face guards was a mystery. They had faired well though, in spite of not having either. In all rights, they should be severely injured from hits to the skull. Maybe their armor protected them. That was yet another question to ask.
"Well, you two look a whole lot better now that you've cleaned up. Should I call the others?" Sage commented.
"Yea, sure. Might as well get it over with as soon as possible," Ari said.
"Mmm, hm. Definitely. Would you like something to drink while I get something out for Black Gold?" Keiko agreed.
"Oh, no thanks. I'm fine for now," Rowen responded.
"Just a glass of water," Sage replied.
"I'll take a glass of my juice," Ari said.
"Okay. That's one nothing, one water and a juice. It'll be up in just a minute," Keiko answered.
"Where is Black Gold? Now that I think of it, I haven't seen hide nor hair of her since we've been here for an hour or so," Sage asked.
"She's probably under my bed. Sometimes she is a bit shy, but she'll be out when the questioning starts. She acts as my protector," Keiko said.
"Well, might as well call 'em up now Sage," Rowen told the blonde.
"Okay, here goes nothing," Sage said and went into the kitchen to the phone. He picked it up, thought for a second and dialed the number.
* * * *
RIIIING... RIIIING... RII.. The phone was picked up in the middle of the third ring by Ryo. He had been right next to the phone, getting a glass out of the cabinet when it rang. He had not really reacted fast to it. He was still half asleep. But he woke up when the voice on the other side of the line told him what was up. Ryo's eyes went wide and then nearly closed. After a few short comments and a quick 'goodbye', he went to where Kento sat on the couch, munching his breakfast. Cye was still in his room, getting ready to go out grocery shopping. Ryo told him to move it and in less then a minute, all three and White Blaze were seated in the living room.
"So what's up that was so urgent?" Cye asked.
"Yea, hurry up and spill it a'ready," Kento said.
"That was Sage on the phone. He said that the girls are awake now and that they're all at the girls' place," Ryo explained.
"So what are we supposed to do?" Cye questioned.
"He wants us to go over to the girls' place. Ari and Keiko both wonder how come their still around. They know Sage and Rowen did something and it sounds like they might be suspicious about us too," Ryo continued.
"Well, let's hit the road then," Kento exclaimed.
* * * *
*Plunk* Sage set the phone back on the holder. "Well, Ryo told me that they'll be over in a bit. He didn't sound so awake though," Sage told them.
"I think they rented a few movies and went to bed late or something, at least that was what Cye told me they were going to do," Rowen replied.
"You guys are sounding more American everyday, pulling all-niters with a few movies sounds like something we would do," Ari commented.
"But boy do you regret getting up the next day," Keiko finished.
"No kidding," Ari commented.
"How often do you do these movie nights?" Rowen asked.
"About once a month. If we can, maybe we'll all get together some evening and watch movies and have popcorn, pizza and pop," Ari suggested.
"Oh, I like that idea. Sounds like a winner," Keiko said.
"Yes, I think that would be a great idea," Sage agreed. He took a gulp of water and then another. He wondered how they would get to answering the girls' questions when it came around to the yoroi. How exactly would they handle the answers to the questions. Sage and the others could not just say straight out that they too had mystical armor to use to fight evil. That sounded like a bad plot to a bad movie. But, in the scheme of things, that was basically it. They would have to tell about their fights with Talpa, the warlords, Kayura and the torture; and about the others that had gotten roped into the fight along side them. Poor Mia and Yuli. Mia had lost her grandfather to Talpa. Hopefully this new power was not interested in the other mortals on Earth.
Sage was sure that neither he, nor his friends would really want to retell that part about the torture they had been put through to save the mortal realm, but they could not just tip-toe around it. It was important that Keiko and Ari knew what might possibly happen. They had to understand what the guys had gone through, so they would not get carried away with the armor, like they were toys. The girls probably realized by now that they were in real danger, but just in case, Sage might have to get down to the nitty-gritty during the questioning process.
The rest of the day would promise to be interesting. Then tomorrow, it was back to school. That might be even more interesting. The story had been on the news after all and so it would be the big topic of discussion and maybe it would prove to give them a little information too. Hopefully, they would never have to reveal their armor to anyone else other then the girls. In America, it was a tendency that information spread like wild-fire and gossip was as big as flared pants and late-night parties.
"You-who, Sage, yo, come back down to earth man. Ryo, Cye and Kento will be here soon," Rowen said. He waved his hand back and forth in front of the starry-eyed warrior. He was deep in thought and Keiko and Ari were snickering on the other side of the room. Rowen groaned. He lightly slapped Sage's face and it worked as intended, maybe even a bit better then intended. Sage jerked, throwing Rowen off balance and causing him to fall backwards. Keiko and Ari could not keep back the laughter. "Jeez, watch it!"
"What was that for?" Sage asked. Then he finally realized. He had so deep in his thinking, that when Rowen had tried to talk to him, Sage had only given him a blank 'no-one's-home' look. That was why Rowen had resorted to slapping him. "Sorry man. I didn't mean to make you go tumbling backwards."
"It's okay, I think I'll survive," Rowen replied. The girls were still laughing at them now, but started to calm down.
"What was on your mind that made you go all zombie like?" Ari asked.
"Nothing important for you to know right now," Sage answered.
#DIIING-DOOONG# The door bell gave its pathetic, tired ring.
"Well, they're here. Might as well answer it eh?" Keiko said, standing and slowly making her way over to the door. She opened it and moved to the side. Good thing she did, because Kento and a huge white tiger went barreling forward.
"Okay! What's going on here? Why are you with them!? For all we know, they're not on our side either!" Kento growled, moving slowly into the apartment.
White Blaze growled a warning at Kento. He knew that these girls were not bad, he could feel it and he trusted Rowen and Sage to make the right decision.
Kento stepped back and calmed down. White Blaze evidently did not feel the same way about the girls as he did. Hell, the tiger probably knew more about them then any one else did. That was the freaky thing. Kento really wanted to know how the tiger seemed to be the first to know what was going on. To bad he could not talk. Who knew what kind of information the tiger might have that could be helpful.
"Chill out man," Ryo said.
"Umm, come in and make yourselves comfortable," Keiko greeted sarcastically.
"Sorry about him. He's a little hot-headed," Cye said, entering and seating himself down next to Sage. Ryo sat next to Cye, with White Blaze at his feet and Kento choosing to stand. Rowen sat on the floor, next to the couch which Ari and Keiko sat upon. Black Gold entered the room, sitting on the floor across Ari and Keiko's feet, after greeting White Blaze with a nuzzle.
"You don't need to apologize for him, I understand. It's a little weird with all this and believe me, we're over-whelmed by it just as much or more then you are," Keiko announced.
"Let's start the questioning, get this all cleared up," Ryo suggested.
"Sounds good to me," Sage put in.
"When did you first know about your armors?" Kento asked right off the bat.
"We've had them since before freshman year of high school. My father gave me mine and Keiko bought hers at some boutique. We were in New Orleans, but Keiko has told me before, that the amulets would have probably found us any way. We found out by accident. Luckily we were in a park outside the city that not many go to. We had these weird visions about the armors and we found we could control them. Since we lived in a busy metropolitan city, we couldn't test our armors. We knew the basics of what we could do, but never could really practice, so last night was the first time we've been in true combat," Ari explained.
"You two are extremely lucky that this Mordecai didn't kill you. With no training, you two did really well," Rowen stated.
"Um, thanks, but why did he stop after we were knocked out. He didn't take us or finish us off. And he didn't hurt you guys either," Keiko told them.
"Well, umm, I don't really know how to put this. It's kinda complicated. Ryo, you tell them," Rowen said.
"Thanks for sticking me with it. Jeez, well. We have armors too you see. They are samurai armors from thousands of years ago..." And Ryo proceeded to tell them the whole thing about their fight and what they had learned about the armors and the power that each of them held. Every now and then, the others might put in a word or two, but Ryo was the unofficial leader and he told them the what had occurred in Japan. Keiko and Ari were dumb-struck that these guys had gone through such a horrible experience.
"Where are the armors? Ours are in these amulets, but where do you keep yours?" Ari asked.
"In these," Cye answered. He held up a medium, marble-sized sphere. It was light blue with a symbol in white in its middle. Kento followed, his yoroi-ball was orange, a different symbol than Cye's. Ryo pulled out his, it was a deep red. Rowen's a dark blue and Sage's a rich emerald green.
"Why are you here of all places for college. It can't be just for the foreign student program," Keiko said.
"It's not. We had a strange feeling that there was something going on over here and the program was just an easier way for us to get over here and not be noticed. Evidently, Mordecai neither knew or cared much that Sage and I even existed, because he was damn surprised when we armored up to save you two," Rowen exclaimed.
"Well, this has been interesting. What do we do for dinner? The time has really flown by today, it's nearly six o'clock," Ari told them.
"Let's all put money in and get pizza. That sounded really good to me earlier today," Kento suggested.
"I agree, pizza it is, if the rest of you don't mind," Ari said.
"I agree too, definitely a pizza night. And I have food for the big-cats too," Keiko said. The others nodded in unison, saying different versions of 'yes'.
Ari called into the nearest pizza service that offered free delivery. Each person put in money after they had ordered what they hoped would be enough to feed all seven of them.
The girls knew Kento could eat quite a bit, just by the jokes that passed between the guys. The larger boy took the jokes easily, laughing with the others. Kento was not the only one teased though. Rowen took his fair share of the jabs.
Rowen did agree, in the end, that he could eat quite a bit. Sage elbowed him in the side and taunted him by saying no kidding, but at least you do not use a shovel to do it. Kento caught Sage in a choke-hold and proceeded to ruffle Sage's hair. The blonde pushed Kento away and brought his hands to his head to fix the damage that had been done.
The conversation slowly faded. No one was talking much now. It was an uncomfortable silence between them. It had to be weird considering why they were all gathered in the first place, but now that they knew each others' big secrets, it was hard to say anything.
Although, in retrospect, they were the same people, this new wealth of information had opened up. They felt different about one another. It was an unsettling feeling deep in their stomachs. So when the doorbell rang, it surprised them and Ari jumped.
*DIIING-DONG!*
"YAHH! Jeez!" Ari screamed and Keiko laughed.
"A little jumpy are we? It has to be the pizza." Keiko shook her head and took the pile of money from the table nearest the door and undid the chain lock.
The pizza delivery boy stood there, supporting the load of food that they had ordered. Ryo helped take the pizzas, to get the load of the guy's arms and Keiko handed him the money, including a good sized tip.
The young man smiled and left. He arrived back at his car and laughed. All that food for only seven people?! Holy cow can these college kids put it away!
"Mmm, smells delicious! Let's dig in!" Kento said, not waiting for the flimsy paper plate the Keiko handed to him, after he had already gobbled down his first piece.
Cye and Ryo each started with one piece. Keiko, Ari and Sage took two apiece, Rowen took three and Kento just sat by the boxes, taking a new piece each time that he had finished the last one.
It was a sight to behold. The way Kento packed piece after piece into his mouth. It was a wonder that he did not choke. After a little while, Keiko just kind of stared at him. Rowen saw it and whispered to Sage and Cye, who in turn told Ryo. Ari was staring now too. Kento was oblivious to everything except his stomach. It was a wonder that he was still hungry. Even after all this.
The guys, except for Kento, started laughing. Keiko and Ari looked as if they had never seen a human trash compactor before. Rowen could eat a lot too, but he did not flaunt it or tell everyone is his vicinity that he needed food and now.
"Holy shit, does he always eat this much?" Keiko asked.
"Yes, always," Sage answered. That had to have been the easiest question that was answered all evening.
"I've never seen the likes of it before," Ari said.
"We hadn't either, until we met Kento," Cye replied.
"Yea, but I think after you two know him for a little while, you might just get used to seeing him and of course, hearing him whine every so often," Ryo said.
"I doubt it," Keiko mumbled.
"What was that? I didn't quite catch what you just said," Ryo told her.
"Oh, nothing of importance," Keiko told him.
Finally, Kento was done eating. The pizza was all gone and everyone had had their fill. Even Black Gold and White Blaze were happy. Each resting by their respective persons' feet.
"How did you get Black Gold?" Kento asked out of the blue.
"I was driving behind this slow-poke and he tossed something out of the door on the roadside. I stopped to see what it was. It had looked like a large cat and I thought it unfair that he just toss it like that. She was only a cub then. It turned out that he couldn't take care of her any more. She ate too much and caused damage to some of his stuff. I suppose that was why he would've dumped her," Keiko explained.
"How were you able to take care of her then? I would think you're parents would have a fit," Cye said.
"Well, it shows how rich you are if you have a rare animal and a black panther was a special thing that made some of our neighbors jealous. I lived in the Garden District in New Orleans. Really rich, so there was plenty of space and as long as I took care of her and didn't let her bother anyone, she could stay," Keiko continued.
"That's a pretty harsh way to treat an animal. Just to make one look better than everyone else," Rowen commented.
"Yea, but I couldn't really do anything about it at the time," Keiko said.
Sage changed the subject. "Do you guys think that you will be okay tomorrow? You have to be pretty sore still."
"Yea, we'll be there, but it won't be pretty. I can assure you that much," Ari replied.
"I suppose we should be going now. It's getting late and you should get plenty of rest," Rowen told them.
"Don't worry about us. See you guys in class," Ari replied.
"Yes, SIR!" Keiko said, saluting.
"Ha, ha. Cute, real cute," Rowen said sarcastically.
"Cute is one of my specialties," Keiko responded.
"Maybe you should use that specialty more often, you're rusty," Kento joked.
"I said it was ONE of my specialties. I have so many that I don't have much time to practice them all, but maybe I can help you with one sometime. You could use some charm," Keiko sneered.
"Enough you two. Well, see ya tomorrow," Ryo said, opening the door and making sure they left without more words being tossed back and forth. White Blaze followed quickly at Kento's heels and Ryo closed the door behind himself.
"Jeez, since when do you act like a third grader?" Ari asked.
"Whenever someone pushes that button," Keiko answered.
"Well, might as well go to bed. I am tired and I still feel like a bus rolled over me," Ari told her roommate.
"Ditto, except I think it was a semi." Keiko told her.
"Well, whatever it was, it hurt like Hell," Ari replied.
"G'night," Keiko said before retiring to her room. It had been an interesting day. After that, she was ready for a boring day in class. At least she would be somewhere other then this for a little while.
"Night," Ari said. She almost said added in 'Sweet Dreams', but she felt no matter how many times either spoke the words, that any dream they had would be sour.
* * * *
Her sleep did not go smoothly. Keiko tossed and turned. Ari was in a deep sleep and did not chance to wake up to nudge Keiko awake. The dream was too real. The images so sharp and the scene all to close to what happened. Keiko was just floating there, like a spectator, unable to do anything to make those that stood about her take notice.
A young girl stood near a dark oak dining table. One hand clutching the nearest chair and the other holding a soft teddy-bear to her little shaking body. A shadow hung over the child. The look on the little girl's face said it all. It was not some monster though that haunted the child. It was her father standing over her. His face filled with rage. Tears started to run down the girl's soft cheeks. Her vision clouded. Her nose began to get stuffy. She had to breath out of her mouth.
The girl wanted her mother, but she was not reachable now. Her daddy had said so. Mommy had to work late again. So it was just the two of them. The little girl backed up, but was now against a wall. Her father moved closer and picked her up by her shirt. He dragged her to her room. He hit her and soon she blacked out.
When she woke, her mother was holding her. The little girl could see nothing, just the outline of her mother's face. She could hear her mother soothing her with songs that they had listened to on tape before. One side of the little girl's face hurt, bad and stung. Her mother was holding a cooling wet cloth on it. Why did the right side of her face hurt so much? She asked her mom. The vision in her left eye returned and caught the tears that gleamed on her mother's face.
"Why are you crying mommy?" She asked.
"Because my beautiful little girl is hurt and I can't make her father let me go and take you to the hospital. He hurt your pretty little face. You will be lucky if you ever see again out of this eye," Her mom told her factually. The words stung. And the real Keiko spun around and started falling into darkness.
* * * *
Her own screaming and her alarm woke her up. With a loud *THUMP*, Keiko fell to the floor, her sheets and comforter wrapped and tangled around her.
Why of all things did she have to dream that all again. It had happened so long ago. Her father was a good man, until Keiko was by herself with him. Keiko's mother had never been strong enough to get away and could only soothe her daughter when she returned to find her daughter battered, bruised, bloody and broken.
Keiko stood and looked at herself in the mirror that hung on the wall. She pushed the hair that always lay over the right side of her face and looked at the scar that reminded her of what had happened. Her vision was a weak in that eye, but Keiko did not want anyone to know how it had occurred. Ari knew, but neither talked about it. It was a taboo subject to speak about. It hurt Keiko to talk about her past experiences of her father, the same way it hurt Ari to converse about her fallen twin.
Keiko let her hair fall back in place and exited her room to clean up for class. Keiko did not want to go, but then the guys would surely show up later at the apartment if she did not show up in class. So, she took her time getting ready, not talking to much when Ari asked a few questions. Keiko could tell that Ari knew what Keiko's dream was about.
"Are you okay, I know it had to be awful, but try not to let it get you down," Ari said.
"I know, but Damn-It! Why do I have to dream about it? I'm sick and tired of reliving it all over again," Keiko answered.
"Well, maybe class will go good today. And I won't say anything in front of the guys. They'll never have to know, okay?" Ari asked, putting her hand on Keiko's shoulder.
"Yea, I know, but still," Keiko did not finish. She did not need to.
* * * *
Okay, I got this one done too. Yea me! It's still going slowly with the unreleased chapters. I'm fighting a little writers' block and sometimes it's hard to get ideas going. Please send feedback. I love all comments, even the mean ones.
Nova =^-^=
