Dislcaimer- I don't own the digidestined, but now you know what to get me for Chanukah… I will be taking a leaf out of Mercedes Lackey, David and Leigh Eddings, Terry Pratchett and Roger Zelazny, all of whom are great writers if you like fantasy.
A/N- Thanks guys for the reviews. I was gonna send this chapter out later but realized no one else was likely to read the first chapter so here goes. In this chapter the plot thickens and you get a little surprise at the end. If anyone can guess who tortures the one guy on the Hunt, I'll give you a cookie…
INTRODUCTIONS
"Oh Tai tonight's the night!" Mimi Ke'Leyona squealed. The young merchant girl, no, woman was practically skipping out to meet her greatest friend. The two couldn't even really remember how they had met, just taking the friendship for granted.
Tai rose up and smiled at her, his wild hair spreading out like a fire on his head. He wore a simple outfit of cotton breeches, a tunic with a little gold trim and some fine boots. On his ear he wore a single black opal, a gift from Mimi. The opal had come in handy several times as it protected him from some more common illnesses and was supposed to make him immune to weaker enchantments.
"Tonight's the night for a knight." Mimi tried the rhyme and then just laughed. She reached up and gave Tai a chaste peck on the cheek. The knight to be flashed her a winning smile, his teeth were a startling white.
"Oh Tai, now you're going to go away and life will be so boring here." She frowned for a second and then smiled as she dragged him away to make sure that he dressed properly for such an event.
"Come on Koushiro, let's go see." Faelix implored. Koushiro looked at Faelix with a confused expression on his face, then it cleared.
"How did you?" Koushiro foundered for a second, how could Faelix have found the records for the pairings? Koushiro wore a blue robe; silver trim coated its edges and a silver sash held it together.
"It was easy, I found an invisibility scroll." Koushiro goggled.
"But that's- that's- I mean it's- well that's a 3rd echelon level spell!" Koushiro practically shouted. Faelix looked at him.
"Uh Kou, I just read it and followed the instructions, besides who did the insubstantiality spell? And that's teacher echelon level." Koushiro blushed. He was young for a 1st echelon mage, but he had talent. Something that made all of the other 1st echelon level mages extremely jealous of him. Faelix was his only friend, but Faelix was 2nd level, and well on his way to teacher status.
"Anyway, guess who you've got, I read the list." Then why did you ask if I wanted to go see? I'll never understand you Faelix. Aloud Koushiro said, "Uhm, I have no idea?"
"Oh come on guess."
"Faelix I don't know any knights, except for Tai Ser'Takya but he's famous-" Koushiro cut off, Faelix had an evil twinkle in his eye.
"I'm, paired with him?" Koushiro suddenly found it difficult to breathe. Faelix's eyes widened in mock innocence.
"Hmm… Well yes now isn't that interesting, maybe that little crush-"
"Shut up!" Koushiro shouted and then felt instantly repentful.
"Now don't get all sulky on me, I know the risks of teasing you, but yes, you're paired with the great mute knight!" Faelix finished with a little jig. The young man had a head full of fiery red hair and startling blue eyes. His smile was infectious if a little lopsided. His nose was a little too small and his ears a little to far back but he still made all the female journeymen swoon.
Koushiro laughed, something that happened so rarely it warmed Faelix's heart when it did. Poor guy, good thing I had that little talk with Mimi, she'll make everything all right… I think, still not sure if there is anything between those pretty little ears of hers…
"Hmm… Now how about this?" Mimi asked. Her helping Tai to dress had been finished quickly enough. Tai wasn't picky and Mimi was fast when it came to other people. So now they were in Mimi's sitting room with her personal maidservant and the warm summer sun bathing them in light.
Tai gave her a look that plainly said "No pink Mimi." Mimi sighed while Freyla giggled. Tai gave Freyla a wink while Mimi's back was turned making her burst into laughter. Mimi whirled around to find Tai shrugging helplessly while Freyla gave her high-pitched laugh. It reminded Tai of the sound a trickle made, for whatever reason…
"Are you two making fun of me?" She asked putting her hands on her hips. Then she pouted. Mimi was known for her pout, it was a pout that could bring any of the court's knights or lords to their knees. The pout had won her family more than one merchant dealing. It had been honed to perfection, along with a number of her other mannerisms. Then she straightened and cleared her throat.
"Freyla, Tai and I need a quiet moment now." Freyla nodded and quickly left. Mimi clucked her tongue as she ran a hand over the fine silken dress.
"Well Tai, I had a little visitor today, about your partner." Tai's eyes widened. "His name's Koushiro Stareye, and apparently Faelix felt you should know a few things about him. One of them is going to make you jump out of your pants by the way." Tai's eyes widened even more as Mimi gave him the most suggestive wink that he'd ever seen. The wink made overtures in addition to her smile that was just a little too innocent.
"First of all, he's got that innocent 'I need protection' look and you're just going to want to snuggle him up and never let go. But he totally isn't comfortable with that. He also is still a little unsure of what he is, and that it's just a phase. That two hot guys weren't made to wrestle in the mud with no-." Mimi stopped, and shook her hair to get rid of her blush as she realized she'd been talking out loud.
"Woops, don't know what I was thinking. Anyway, he's vulnerable, over protective and defensive. Independent but reserved, also has some minor head issues." Mimi stopped to look at her nails; they apparently met her standards as she then flung herself backwards onto her bed. "So, don't cling, take it slow, and let him have his space. Don't give me that look Tai." Tai wondered how she knew. "I mean it, don't cling or help every ten seconds, he needs to find himself. And don't be an ass to him, you can't lose your temper."
Tai watched the heiress of the most powerful merchant house in all of Larek skip around her room, her laugh bubbling over and infecting him with a smile.
"Lawks!" Mimi said. It was so funny that Tai began to laugh, or at least tried to. It came out as more of wheeze, but Mimi didn't show her reaction to the ugly sound, she knew how much it pained Tai. I still think that Duke Eltan could have healed him; I'll get him for that yet. Duke Eltan was the royal family's personal healer, the best in the land according to Eltan himself.
Bullshit is what I think. Mimi sighed, now she had to make the tough decisions, what in the world would she wear? She knew that she could wear something ugly and still garner the affections of the knights, but she wanted something beautiful… A knock startled her and caused Tai to reach for a sword that wasn't there.
"Mimi, we have a surprise for you." Mimi's parents slid into the room, her father holding folded up package. Her mother gave a nod to Tai, and her dad unfolded the dress. Mimi's eyes went wide. Oh my god! She screamed silently. It was everything she'd ever dreamed about in a gown. She could tell the red would compliment her hair and eyes, and was that- she felt her knees grow weak.
"This is for you Mimi." And her mother handed her a necklace covered in rubies that matched the dress. Mimi reacted by crying and flinging herself around her parents. Tai silently excused himself.
"That's the first time someone's survived the hunt in 70 years, you should be proud." The man was trembling weak-kneed; his eyes were wide in fear and his pants stained with piss. His fear rose from him in waves, causing the man standing above him to inhale deeply.
"As such though, I have no reward planned. So what to do what to do?" The man gently tapped his chin. Then he smiled, but it was a smile devoid of anything but lust. Lust for what, well that was soon answered by the man's screams.
"Uhm, Faelix what do I wear?" Koushiro asked, his voice sounded panicky, he just knew it. Faelix sauntered over to where Koushiro stood.
"This." He said. Koushiro turned and saw him holding a red robe with silver trim and simplistic but powerful runes on it. "It's my going away present. I cooked it up with one of my friends." Koushiro took it with gently shaking hands. It was such a perfect gift… Koushiro found something wet sliding down his face. Crying was for the weak, yet another sign his mother had been right-
"I know what you're thinking and she's wrong." Faelix held Koushiro's head firmly between his hands and shook him gently. Koushiro laughed bitterly and then smiled, his tears gone.
"Yeah, I'm sure, besides, she's long gone now and I'm still here." Faelix considered that and let it past, he was good with people and a powerful mage in his own right, he knew his worth. But he also knew Koushiro's worth, and it was beyond anything they had expected. I just hope that someday the power you will have won't get to you, great power corrupts so very easily…
Fear, what is fear? Fear was defined in the Books of Knowledge as "an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger." And danger there was. Iori knew he would die, everybody did, but he was special. His death would serve a purpose. He and the other 50 children would be sacrificed to the god Sovarek at the height of the festival, if it could be called that.
But he was even special in that group.
The priests had foreseen him, every now and then along would come a sacrifice with such power, such innocence locked in great understanding that the blood of such a child would carry incredible power. And the god would be pleased, as blood would be spilled.
Iori was such a child, but not even the priests knew how special.
The guardian watched the children play. They knew they would die, but they had known that since birth, had had it drilled into them. They weren't allowed near anything that could allow them to escape or maybe suicide. And they were watched constantly. But Sovarek had even kept things from his priests. They thought that the children once dead rose to play by the side of the god, and to serve him in the realm of the gods. Sovarek cared not for that though, and used every ounce of energy their souls possessed, leaving them near to being non-existent, and that made for great power, even for a god.
The guardian considered this and decided.
Iori crept carefully out of bed and swiftly made his way through the corridor. Death terrified him. Being raised to die… That was fear so constant it was unbearable. But he endured, what other choice did he have? Tonight though, he could be free. Iori gathered what few possessions he could and went out the door. He didn't know why tonight of all nights he had chosen to sneak out. The fear of being caught was terrifying normally. But tonight it felt like someone else was moving his body and he was asleep.
He crept up to the door and eased it open. Then he froze. There were to guards there. His courage broke at that point, but he kept going. The guards stared straight ahead, but their eyes were vacant. It was then Iori realized they weren't breathing. They were dead… The terror rose and this time it broke through whatever strange compulsion was on Iori. Then Iori stopped and flashed into unconsciousness, his last sensation one of light and feathers.
Excellent,
that's taken care of, this is- STOP THINKING THAT!
"Sorry, I can't help it, he's so beautiful now…"
Yeah
well keep your excitement level down bucko, god having a male body is weird,
I'm not used to having an erection. I like my original body much more
thank you very much.
"Can't be helped, we can separate later, now we need the power."
Damn
straight, now let's move onto Sora and Jyou. And keep the
"romantic" thoughts to yourself all right?
"That's sort of difficult, we are sharing the same mind."
Yeah,
that's almost as bad as when you thought about-
"Listen, I am way over him, we weren't meant for each other." The voice was full of confidence, but buried was no small amount of something akin to regret. Maybe even sorrow… The figure spread its wings and took to the sky, the bundle it left on the ground was concealed, and its occupant would sleep until it was discovered. Tai and Koushiro would find it, fate would drive them.
Sora Roseblood tapped her foot angrily, Jyou was supposed to arrive today and she was damned if she'd wait much longer. Finally she heard the clip clop of horse's hooves. Out of the estates forests came a tall lanky blue haired man with accentuated features and pale skin. Sora immediately lost all annoyance and became deliriously happy. Spontaneously a bush next to her went into bloom. She laughed and ran to Jyou.
Jyou Fa'Talis looked up and watched the girl, no, young woman, run down to greet him. The rest of his family was no doubt inside pursuing whatever little hobbies they had. Jyou then grinned, a site that had broken many ladies hearts in its time, and jumped down from the horse only to be crushed by a tearful Sora.
"My Sora you've grown." He said.
"That's because we haven't seen each other for 13 years. You've grown too." She smiled up at him. "So how was the academy?"
Jyou grimaced. "It was pretty bad, but aside from learning how to kill people I learned a lot about politics and numerous other tidbits of information. Now how about you?"
"Well being a druid is interesting. It's the same principle as a regular mage but more shamanistic in some ways." Jyou nodded and then Sora smiled impishly.
"So… Meet any interesting guys at the academy?" Jyou blushed.
"Maybe, but that sort of thing was discouraged and not everyone shares the open views our kingdom has." Sora shrugged, such things didn't bother her, if she were in love she would damn well do something, fuck what anybody else thought.
"Alright then, tell me everything interesting that's happened to you since you left." She linked arms with Jyou and led him off to hear what he had been up too in the past 13 years.
Dinner that night was an interesting affair. Jyou related much in the way of gossip, and not the sort of stuff the teleson would communicate. The rest of his family all were very interested and glad to have Jyou back, his parents were especially glad since Jyou was their youngest and wouldn't need land or anything to inherit. Assassins were always treated with the greatest of respect. If someone was assassinated the assassin wasn't hunted down, frequently the assassin would be detained and sent to assassinate his former employer by the angry family. If someone killed an Assassin the entire academy would concentrate all their efforts on killing them, a most unhealthy state of affairs for that unlucky stupid individual.
"So dear, how are you?" His mother asked after the dinner, and the question carried over entire waves of emotion.
"I'm well mother." The slightly formal reply in its turn meant entirely different things in his tone. His mother nodded with a pleased look on her face. Jyou flashed her a true smile and gasped as his dad heartily slapped him on the back. His father was a little shorter than him and smelled.
"Torth Fa'Talis have you been drinking?" His wife inquired with no small amount of steel in her voice. Jyou's father was drunk enough not to notice.
"Eh, so what if I have been?" He seemed to think that was hilarious and began to double over with laughter, and then returned to the table. Jyou suddenly felt as though something was rummaging through his mind and his vision greyed out for a minute. But then he was fine. His training was such that his body had gone rigid while it happened so as to prevent any show of weakness.
"Jyou my dear cousin, I have a request for you." Jyou looked up to see his father's oldest brother, the Duke of this keep.
"Yes my lord?"
"Oh please Jyou, I cleaned your swaddling cloths, call me Kaliss. Anyway, we are delivering a few important stones to the King of Larek as it is his birthing day come this month. I would appreciate it if you would deliver them. I would also have you take Sora as she is anxious to see the great flower gardens of Larek's great palace." Kaliss looked Jyou in the eye. There was a question there.
"Yes Kaliss, I would be glad too." Kaliss nodded, pleased by the silent and not silent answers.
"Then I would get some sleep tonight Jyou, I want you to start out as early as possible."
"I think that went fairly well."
Especially
considering who remembered that the king had a birthday this month.
"All right so you deserve that credit."
Of
course I do, I'm so smart. So what now Tk?
"I guess we move on to Miyako and Ken. Maybe afterwards we can tackle Dai- Oh stop that Jun I'm not gonna start fantasizing about your brother again. I remember all to well what happened last time."
Yeah
well it's really not cool
to see your brother naked and trying to fuck his boyfriend, really,
weren't you guys a little young for that?
"We weren't thinking about that, and you know Dai and I aren't meant for each other so please stop talking about."
Oh
Tk, here…
For a time the winged figure seemed to fold in on itself as Jun took control. Tk became formless and slept in a corner of their shared mind. Jun mentally covered Tk up and then winged it out to find Ken and Miyako.