Past Present and Future Confusion
Neko Majikku/Loki Weasley
Part Two: Long Story of Betrayal
"NO!" Astraea cried, trying to run forward. Two soldiers grabbed her arms. She stared, wide-eyed in horror and waves of negative energy passed through the nine Ronins. "STOP! STOP!! YOU SAID YOU WOULDN'T HURT THEM!!!" she screamed at the man behind her.
He only chuckled. "Well, Astraea... I lied." More soldiers came in on the girl. The waves of energy had stopped forcing themselves through every inch of the fighters and they watched as Astraea disappeared under maybe ten or twenty soldiers. The man was laughing. He took a sip of his champagne and again raised it to the Ronins. "Tastes good. I congratulate you humans." he told them.
From where Astraea had disappeared came a brilliant blue flash of light. Soldiers flew in all directions, charred and smoking. Dead once again. Spirits freed from the armor. Astraea stood, hair covering her eyes, arm out still from where she had punched a soldier away. Her back was to the man. She was heaving and faintly glowing. She started laughing. It was barely audible at first, but then she was holding her sides laughing like a mad woman. Tears were running down her cheeks she was so hysterical.
Rowen narrowed his eyes at the woman. She had betrayed them all!! And now she was laughing!! His fists clenched as the woman finally gained some control over herself and stood with her hands to her sides, still shaking from time to time with giggles.
"It's amazing..." Astraea muttered. "How I'm supposedly the smartest of the Nine... and yet... I fell for you again..." She turned on her heel, eyes burning into the man calmly watching her and drinking champagne. "You'd think after I DIED for your cause and found that you killed my parents DAYS after you seduced me I'd learn... But nooooo.... I had to follow you again when you promised to not bring the others back... And now. When you said you wouldn't hurt the Ronins... You know what, Master?" she asked, holding up a finger and grinning at her realization, head tilted to the side.
"What, my favorite Warrior?" the man asked curiously. Calmly. Without much interest.
"GO TO HELL!!" Astraea turned again, leapt, and took hold of the chains that held Rowen. She searched his pockets. "I'm really-really-really sorry about leaving and about this and I'll find a way to make it up to you!" she said quickly, finding what she was looking for and dropped back down. When she landed, she spun neatly on her heel and kicked the head off an advancing soldier.
The Ronins wondered how she suddenly was so skilled, off handedly. When they knew her should could barely throw a punch. But, she wasn't the same Astraea. After all, apparently she was following the lead of this guy. Astraea destroyed a few more soldiers and clasped her hands around the thing she had taken from Rowen. The soldiers once again piled on her. She ignored them. After a moment a brilliant blue flash erupted around her. "ARMOR OF STRATA!!! DAO INOCHI!!" she screamed from within the mass. Soldiers again went flying madly. And she stood in the midst of it all wearing Strata sans helmet. Her black hair was hanging over her shoulders loosely. Astraea went to destroying soldiers with hundreds of arrows. She jumped over the mass and backed herself into a corner.
"Now what are you going to do, my favorite warrior?" asked the man. "You were my favorite, you know."
"You say that to all your dogs." Astraea spat. She aimed her arrow at the horde of oncoming soldiers. "ARROW SHOCKWAVE!" she cried, moving at the last second. Instead of hitting the soldiers, she cut down every one of the Ronins. They dropped to the floor. "CALL YOUR ARMORS!!" she screamed over the noise in the small room.
"ARMOR OF WILDFIRE!!" Ryo didn't need her to tell her the obvious. "DAO JIN!!" Eight separate explosions of light and sakura and eight warriors stood in a circle around the unprotected Rowen.
The man was laughing. "What good will this do you, Astraea?"
Astraea snorted. "Its Strata to you, Talpa!" she yelled back.
"Talpa?" the nine Ronins all echoed.
"Do I look different?" Talpa asked with a grin. He held out his arms. "This body is quite suited for my plans..."
Astraea snarled. "Riiiiight." she replied, leaping over the soldiers and firing wildly at Talpa. All her shots were blocked, however, by a red blur. When it slowed, Astraea was staring at a red haired woman holding two swords. Her eyes were glowing white. Astraea gasped. "Hariel!" she cried. The woman held her swords to Astraea as a response. Astraea growled. "KI-SAH-MAAHH!!" she screamed and ran for the Ronins. "We have to get out of here- NOW! Can any of you teleport!?" she asked, reaching the group and turning to defend from any followers.
Each of the Warlords took a Ronin. Leaving Rowen for Astraea. She held out her hand. "You wanna get out of here alive or not?" she asked. Reluctantly, Rowen took her hand and she teleported out of the room and on top of a business building with the other Ronins. She fell to her knees, giggling and rubbing her eyes. "Third times the charm, huh? He made me three promises and went back on every last one..." She shook her head. For some reason all of this was really funny. "Gee, As, you're nine hundred some years old and yet still an idiot... Well, at least you have something to be proud of." the Armor dissipated into her clothes and she stood up slowly. "SO!" she said happily. "Gonna kill me? Chop me into little pieces and feed me to the wolves? I'd understand completely, I mean, jeez, I worked for Talpa! Lord of all that's evil! Brought you right to him! And, let's not forget, stole Rowen's Armor. 'Course, it WAS mine first but c'mon..." she sighed, shaking her head and grinning like an idiot. "So go to it. I'm yours." She shrugged heavily.
The Ronins just stared. They were still trying to process what was going on. What had just happened? Something about Talpa being back AGAIN... "Wait. Wait. Astraea, do me a favor. Explain HOW you can even call on Strata." Ryo rubbed his temples, sighing. This was going to be a long night...
Astraea stared at him a moment, rather amazed he hadn't cut her head off yet. "Weeeeeeell..... I suppose... I should start from 900 years ago... I was growing up in Nagano, perfectly happy... And then this guy comes to me in my dreams offering me some Armor called Strata. Thought I'd gone nuts until a bunch of spirits in armor came with a little grey orb one day saying that if I didn't join their 'great master'" She made quotations with her fingers as she said that, and waved her head in a sarcastic manner, "They'd kill me and my family... Well, me being a moron, I said fine. Long as my family was fine I'd go on the cosmic trip of insanity... Let's fast forward some 400 years now.
"Talpa had five girls fighting for him, all wearing 'mystical armor'" again the quotation marks. "Me, Hardrock, Illusion, Venum, and Halo... Well... The other four Ronins were fighting against us... Four girls... Their leader was named Hariel. Yes, Hariel." she nodded at the confused looks. The Ronins had always thought Hariel was a guy... "She was a cross-dresser. Something about wanting to be strong..." Astraea waved it off. "Well anyways. She came up with the idea of creating the Inferno Armor. Yay her. Weeeeeeeell.... In a big fight involving all of us... The five of us Warlady-people figured out that we'd been gypped, much like those four did..." she waved a hand at the Warlords, pacing... "And so we sealed the doors again... It cost all nine of us our lives... Nice, huh?
"That site you were at? It was our tomb. We died on that spot so thus we were buried there. Fast forward a few hundred years now, people. Talpa brings me back to life... I was having such a wonderful afterlife, after all... And says that if I can get the names of the new Ronin Warriors my comrades would remain in their eternal sleep. I don't know WHY I didn't just kill myself then and there and go back to sleep but obviously, being the genius of the group, I did as told with the thought the others would get to rest... I met you five and did something that's even more ingenious than believing that thing back there... I fell head-over-heels in love! Yay me! I fell in love with the enemy!" she hopped on one foot with a foolish grin. "Weeeeell, I completed my mission, trying to fight my emotions. You see, it was either your names or my friends who had been living some kinda of sadistic Hell for a few hundred years before they actually died. I mean, you had the Armor, you could kick his ass, sure, go ahead. I gave him the names... and being I had no idea how I was gonna write a note saying 'hey, I'm the enemy and I'm leaving because I've had a huge change of heart so thus I can't stick around to watch you fight...' Oh. And there's the fact that I'd be a bit in the way, you know.... I left.
"So I went of to Egypt and hung out with these people in some place called the City of the Dead for a few years until once AGAIN Talpa wanted me to do his dirty work. This time he assured me that you would not be harmed and my friends would continue to rest while I plagued the earth in misery... So, what the Hell? I dug up a chamber in our tomb, called a photographer- Ryo- and pretended to find a secret passage- which actually leads to my tomb, but anyway. And then had all of you come to see some marvelous cave- which was an illusion, actually. See, that hall is really covered in pictures of battles I had been in and had we gone on further you would have gotten to see my favorite bedroom- the only place I've had any good rest in the past near millennium.... I gave you to Talpa and he YET AGAIN goes back on his words... You see, my family was killed a few days after I joined Talpa. He neglected to tell me that. It was a bit of a shock when they came to see me in the Spirit World.... So... Talpa starts to pump evil energy into you and being your hearts are pure it was rather painful. He goes yet again back on his words... I take back Strata, set you free, and attempt to do away with Talpa but instead I find Hariel's been brought back... I think it's safe to assume all three of my bargains have been rejected and we're about to fight the first set of Ronin Warriors.
"So! That's my sob-story. I was the enemy; I turned you guys in twice. Kill me. Slice me, dice me, do whatever you will. I deserve it." she said, folding her arms. "In fact I welcome it. I want to go back to being dead. See, being dead's a lot easier on the brain then all these emotions and friendships and..." she looked directly at Rowen. "Love..." she muttered, turning around. "So do what thou will, I don't care."
There was a long pause. I mean looooooong. The information was still being processed. Finally, Kayura spoke up. "We won't do that. Astraea, you saved our lives. You realized your mistake. The Warlords and I have done the same thing." she said simply. "And you can help us."
Astraea turned slowly around while Kayura spoke, eyebrow raised, giving her a look or 'are you kidding me?' "Me? Help you? I've done plenty of that as it is." she laughed darkly. "Nearly gotten all of you killed... Twice, if you think about it."
"But you know the other Ronins. We can find a way to send them back. Free them."
Astraea sighed. She turned around again and started walking away. "Well, for your first lesson Talpa can't get into this Realm yet. You're safe. I'm going to go see if there are any shrinks awake at this hour. I'm sure I blew something sooner or later in the past near millennia." she disappeared into the night and it was silent.
"So... what now?" Kento asked, turning to the leader of their group not by choice but by the fact everyone figured him as it.
Ryo sighed. "Like I have any clue. Obviously she's on our side. Talpa's screwed up her life. She hates him. Let's just go home and get some sleep... I think I need a shrink myself... I'm going nuts..." Ryo groaned, rubbing his head. He and Rowen headed to the Ronin of Strata's home to spend the night sleepless, wondering why the Hell they even tried to be normal in the first place. They should have just seen that it would all come crashing down on top of them but that's okay.
Astraea marched up to Rowen's apartment door and turned around and retraced her steps. When she made it to the elevator she repeated to the process. She stopped at the door; hand poised to knock, spun on her heel and retreated halfway to the elevator lift. She did this again. "I gotta go…" she resolved. "No I don't." She muttered, turning again. "Yes I do… No I don't! Yes! No!! Ahhhh…." This lasted about five minutes. Finally she stood and stayed there, about halfway between the elevator and the door, face in her hands, sighing heavily. What was she doing? He hated her! She almost got him killed! BUT! Astraea pulled the grey orb out of her back pocket and stared at it. She had this. It was his now. No way in Hell she wanted it. Astraea shut her eyes, took a deep breath and this time actually knocked on the door. She was prepared to bolt but for some reason her legs weren't moving. Like they had been super glued to the spot or something. Ryo answered the door, took one look at her, and turned. "He'll be right with you." he said. Astraea wondered how he knew that was what she came for but shook it off. Ryo did that a lot.
Ryo walked back to Rowen's room. "As wants to talk to you."
"Like I want to talk to her." Rowen replied, staring into the bathroom mirror. He had been there for the past hour and a half trying to identify who it was staring back at him. No such luck.
"Come on, Rowen!! She still cares about you- loves you! She's taking a huge chance by coming here, you know. She was the enemy some couple hours ago. But she's redeemed and she wants to help... well... no. She didn't want to help... But anyway." Ryo grabbed Rowen's coat off his bed and pulled the man to the door. "Swallow your pride, talk to the woman, make up, and be happy again, Ro!" he shoved Rowen into plain view of the front door and he had no choice but to go up to the woman, who was waving meekly at him.
"Hi... Rowen... You wanna... You wanna... go for a walk?" she asked nervously, gesturing at the elevator.
"It's almost dawn." Rowen replied.
Astraea stared at him as if she never realized this... "Oh... Oh… well. That doesn't matter. Will you?" she asked again.
"Fine..." Rowen shut the door behind him and walked in silence beside the woman all the way to the park. They were both trying to figure out what they were supposed to say the entire time. The sun was starting to rise.
"Look, I-"
"Rowen, I'm-"
They spoke at the same time. Stared in wonder a moment, then laughed sheepishly. Man, this was awkward.
"Ladies first." Rowen said.
"Uhm... well... Here." Astraea put the grey orb which she had been clutching into his hand. "It's yours. I've spent 400 years as Strata. I've... done my time." she chewed her lip. That wasn't what she wanted to say but hey, at least she said something. Better than nothing, right?
"Thanks... I think. Uhm. Astraea, is that really why you didn't say anything?"
"I didn't want to lie to you anymore..."
"How've you... been..."
"Miserable."
"Miserable?" he echoed.
Astraea nodded once, biting her lip. "See… I've been miserable everyday I've been alive ever since I said I'd follow Talpa for my family's life… Lotta good that did me… But, uh…. Except…. For when I was… when I was… with… you…" she muttered. 'With you' went unheard but just a mumble. She cleared her throat nervously. She really didn't enjoy this. If growing up in the Nether Realm wasn't bad enough, one should try getting back a lost love after you've left without a word and turned up to be the enemy and then on your love's side again… THAT was just Hell.
"What?" Rowen asked.
"When I was with you, Rowen! I-I-I… I don't know! Maybe it was the fact we both fought with Strata! SOMETHING attracts me to you!" Astraea ran her hands through her hair, eyes looking everywhere at once.
"Because of Armor? You liked me because of my Armor?" Rowen asked doubtfully.
"Well that was my first intention, yes! I wanted to get to know the boy who'd have my Armor."
"It's not yours now."
"And I don't want it."
"So you gave it to me? Thought you liked me."
Astraea saw this was quickly going downhill. But she was too annoyed with Rowen acting like all this was her fault to care. "I did! But it's yours now! And it's NOT MY fault all this is happening!"
"You were the one who worked for him. You were the one who gave Talpa our identities. You were the one that took us to him. You fell for him."
"I had to protect my family! My friends! Like you, Rowen Hashiba!" Astraea hissed his name.
"By fighting for evil, Astraea? By turning us in twice? You sure have a funny way of showing protection."
"What would YOU have done, you're so smart?!" Astraea demanded.
"Would've stolen the Armor and protected my family. Either that or died with honor. Not followed orders like some puppet." Rowen replied darkly. As if this was common sense. Which to him it was.
"Well excuse me for being a mere mortal!" (Courtesy of Duo Maxwell, Gundam Wing. I don't own him or that line. But it fits.) Astraea shrieked and stalked off, leaving Rowen behind. He returned to his apartment just as Ryo was finishing breakfast and slammed his bedroom door behind him.
Ryo stared. "Well it must have gone well." He muttered casually to no-one unparticular. He sighed. "Children."
'~~~
Loki: Chapter Two!! Yay!! The plot thickens!! Astraea's the enemy but not quite!! She doesn't want to help the Ronins but wants to kick Talporian ass. Is Talporian a word? Anyway… She and Rowen are seeing sparks… will that make the rest of the team suffer? Hell yeah!! You ever have friends squabble around you? It's torture and you're not even directly involved!! Stay tuned, for when Past Present and Future Confusion returns… Rowen'll have amnesia and Cye'll have a long-lost child… I'm kidding…
~`~@ "And don't forget, if you're talking about me among yourselves, call me Snuffles, okay?" Which was said by Sirius Black in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire… It's his death wish, if you ask me. Snuffles! HA!!
