Chapter Eight
by deDanaan
A Rude Awakening?
Kieran came back into the room where everyone else was sitting watching over the unconscious form of Connor. Lorcan looked up at him from over the rim of the cup of mulled wine he was nursing in his hands. "So?" he inquired, raising an eyebrow. "What did Rory have to say?"
"Not much." the tall red-head replied. "He's on his way back....and he's bringing a friend with him."
"A friend?" Mako asked, looking up quizzically at her bond-mate. "Who?"
"A girl with long, black hair and violet eyes," Kieran answered, winking at her as he continued, "she seems familiar somehow."
"Rei-chan!" Ami and Makoto exclaimed excitedly in unison.
"Oi, choto matte!" Rei called out to Rory. He was already half way down the steps that led to the street. She had wanted to change out of her uniform but he hadn't given her the opportunity to do so. The funny thing was that for the second time that day, she was more curious than angry. He stopped and looked back at her.
"Well, are you coming or not?" he asked. She glared at him.
"Yesss...." she hissed in reply. "Why do you think I asked you to wait up?" He didn't give her an answer, just swept a hand out in front of himself in a gesture that indicated she should join him. She hurried down the steps to stand beside him. He offered her his arm and she blushed as she accepted it.
As they made contact they both flinched from the force of their bond finally cementing. Rei looked Rory over curiously as she tried to sort out what was happening to her.
Garnet Sadar noticed how his companion was studying him from beneath her brows. He watched her flinch as one of his memories exploded to life in her mind.
Rei found herself looking at the horizon and shielded her eyes reflexively. Did she see the shadow of something as it passed in front of the setting sun? She could have sworn it was a huge bird. Where was she? She didn't recognize this place at all. Suddenly Rory's voice filled her head.
"What you are experiencing right now is a moment in my life. A memory."
"Why does it feel so real?" she asked, overwhelmed by sensory overload. "I'm overlooking the sea, but I don't recognize the place....I can smell flowers yet the scent is unfamiliar....Where am I, er, I mean where are you?"
"Look around." his disembodied voice replied. "You tell me where we are."
"In a meadow that sweeps to the sea. There's a huge keep on the top of the hill behind me. It's beautiful here...it's twilight in the western sky...." she paused as something caught her attention, "......I just thought I saw something."
"What did you just see?"
"I don't know. For a moment I thought it was a huge bird, but there's no way...." She trailed off with a gasp as a giant raven dropped from the sky to land a scant few feet away from where she stood. She could feel Rory's amusement tickling at the back of her mind.
"What's so funny?" she demanded, distracted.
"You. You just described my reaction perfectly. You're experiencing my first encounter with her." he answered.
"Who?"
"The Battle Raven."
"The Battle Raven?"
"Look!" he instructed, directing her back into the memory.
A large black raven was studying her. Studying Rory, actually, but the experience felt so real she was having trouble disassociating herself from it. The raven was magnificent, almost as tall as she herself was. How could it be real? She'd never heard of them getting that big before. Suddenly the form of the raven began to shift and it metamorphosed into a tall, rail-thin woman with long black hair. She was sharp featured and swathed from head to toe in black. Rei was awestruck as Rory's memory swept over her.
"You called to me, Son of Ruadman?" the woman asked in a gravelly voice, as she took a step toward where Rory stood. He took a step backward reflexively and the woman laughed as she continued her advance. "Do you know who I am?"
Rory nodded. "You are Morrigu, the Battle Raven." He thought his voice sounded a lot steadier than it felt. He was terrified and ecstatic all at once and his stomach was roiling.
"And why did you call me?" It was the question he'd been waiting for her to ask.
"Blood calls to blood. I was sent out to find the truth of my blood. You are my heritage." He quoted the words of the ritual perfectly and held his breath as he waited for her reaction. He had been told by the druids that this ceremony was necessary for one who hoped to join them as an acolyte.
"And you are the fruit of my legacy," the woman answered.
"What legacy?" He was curious as to what she was referring to.
"It's something you'll grow into. It is the gift of my blood, son of my grandson. Do you understand?" Rory nodded and she reached out to cup his chin so that he met her gaze. Her eyes were the same liquid gold of his own, he realized. He felt as if her stare was burning something into his soul and tried not to flinch in her grip. "Go back and tell the Comhairle Draocht these words, 'Look into the heart of a man who knows the truth of his blood.' This is how they will know the ritual is complete." With that, she released her grip on his chin and stepped back from him, reverting to raven form as she did so. She didn't leave right away, though, content to stay and study him for a minute more before taking wing. Rory stood numb as he watched her silhouette recede into the last remnants of sunset far on the western horizon.
Rei was also numb, not only from the memory she had shared but from the way it had been shared. How could she be in his mind? She had so many questions. Would there be answers?
Lady Covellite and Saoirse materialized on the roof of the observation deck of the Tokyo Tower. Their arrival during the usual noon-hour madness in Tokyo went unnoticed, and they began to study the place that was to be the starting point of their invasion from their impressive vantage point.
Saoirse studied Lady Covellite out of the corner of his eye. He still wasn't sure of her. Why had he been paired with her? Someone higher up than him knew something he didn't--like why they launched the offensive here on Earth rather than in Tir Na nOg. He got the impression she was a little irate at having to leave her aide behind while they went on this reconnaissance mission.
Covellite, for her part, was barely controlling her rage. How dare they separate her from Hessite. She had yet to be apart from him in all their years of partnership. Was this a condition of the agreement they had struck with the Fomori? Was it because their General preferred to work without an aide? She stole a glance at him and found that he was studying her as well. "He must be as uncomfortable as I am with this alliance." she thought to herself as she turned to address him out loud.
"General, what kind of talent have the Fomori got to devote to this mission?" She had heard rumours as to the make-up of her ally's forces--some pretty dark and sinister, actually--but then again, weren't there a few surprises in her own ranks?
"I guess that depends on what course of action we decide to take." he replied. "This little excursion today will help us make up our minds."
She nodded, agreeing with him. "What can you tell me about the Tuatha de Danaan?" she asked.
"What would you like to know?" he asked, continuing before she had time to frame an answer. "They've been our enemies for thousands of years. They're masters of the magic arts and champions of the fine arts. They're formidable warriors who throw themselves into every facet of their lives with equal vigor." Covellite watched him count off the reasons on his fingers.
"If I didn't know better, General, I'd say you admire them." Saoirse didn't dignify her comment with a response--Lady Covellite's observation hit pretty close to home.
"So," he began, changing the subject, "what can you tell me about the traditional enemies of your people?"
"For many thousands of years, the Negaverse has tried to conquer this realm. We have had more success on some occasions than others, but ultimately any foothold we gain is broken by the Senshi."
He looked at her quizzically. "The Senshi?"
"Their warriors. They are the guardians of this dimension and have thwarted our plans again and again." He could tell from the venom in her voice as she spoke that she harboured a great hatred for these Senshi.
"And thus we combine our forces to take out this double threat." They smiled at each other then, but it was a grim smile. The smile of two people making the most out of a situation that was to neither's liking.
"Shall we get to work?" Covellite asked. "I'm eager to plan our strategy and I'm sure you are too." Saoirse nodded and they split up to cover as much ground as possible before they regrouped to plan their attack.
Niamh met up with her mother and sisters in the great hall of their home. She looked around the place a little wistfully, taking time to commit all the familiar sights to memory. She stared at the shadows thrown by the torches burning warmly in their sconces high on the walls. She drank in the splendour of the the rich tapestries hanging all around the hall that told marvelous tales of the Tuatha deDanaan down throughout the ages. She walked over to where her mother's huge, gold-inlaid harp sat majestically on the dias in the corner of the hall, running a finger gently along its dark polished oak as she recalled the many evenings people had gathered to enjoy the music. She could almost hear the heartbreakingly beautiful ballads she and Kieran would sing together with their mother echoing off the walls.
Finally she turned to face her family, a warm smile of remembrance lighting up her face.
"Are you ready, Mavournin?" her mother asked.
"About as ready as I'll ever be." she replied. "I'm excited and scared to death at the same time." she added, admitting her feelings in a voice that shook slightly.
"That's only natural." Aislin said as she came over and draped a comforting arm around her daughter's shoulders. Her youngest sister, Derbhuil, just nine years old, came and snuggled under her free arm, offering silent comfort. She hugged the girl in return.
"I'll carry your bag." thirteen year old Sorcia volunteered. Naimh gave it up without protest and the four strikingly similar red-heads left the comfort of their home to begin the trek to the stones.
Kalpernus was waiting with Malachy and the small group that had gathered to wish them well on their mission. He was impatient, wanting to send his daughter off through the stones to Earth before he changed his mind and ruled that she couldn't go. He sighed and rubbed tired, reddened eyes with his hands. It seemed like forever since he had gotten a full night's sleep.
"Here they come now." Malachy informed him with a friendly nudge. Kalpernus looked up to see the small party of women climbing the steep path to the stone circle and immediately brightened. As they reached the top, they stopped and looked around at the people gathered.
King Nuada and the Triumverate Council were there, along with all the highest ranking Bards, Brehons and Druids. Niamh swallowed down the fear that suddenly threatened to overwhelm her as
Nuada, the Ard-Ri, stepped forward and addressed the crowd gathered to see her and Malachy off through the stones.
"It is with a heavy heart that I have to inform you the importance of this mission has increased greatly." the king began, his clear blue eyes suddenly clouded by worry. "Less than an hour ago, the Triumverate Council was informed by our operative in the Fomori Kingdoms that our enemies are celebrating an alliance they have formed with an unknown faction who come from a dimension called the Negaverse." Mutters of disbelief ran through the gathered crowd as Nuada continued. "This alliance is the realization of the first part of our ancient prophecy." Nuada paused, looking from face to face of those gathered around him, his gaze lingering longest on the two who would pass through the stones to find the Sadar and reset the link between them and Tir Na nOg. "It is now of utmost importance that the communications link with the Sadar be re-established with great expediency. For this purpose, devices have been wrought for Niamh and Malachy that directly link them with the imaging pool regardless of where they are on Earth." Nuada turned to signal Kalpernus and the druid produced two silver knotwork sigils from the folds of his robes and presented them to the king.
"Malachy," Nuada began, motioning for the large, scarred Battle-Mage to step forward to receive his device. The king then placed a delicately wrought knotwork dragon into the grizzled warrior's hands.
"Thank you, Ard-Ri...." the tall man trailed off as he studied the elaborate sigil he had just been handed. He understood the amount of work that went into producing these exceedingly rare artifacts and was overcome with emotion.
"Niamh," the king addressed the daughter of Aislin and Kalpernus. The young woman stepped forward, biting her lower lip nervously as she willed her hands to stop trembling. The king deposited an ornately wrought fox on her outstretched palm and watched silent tears of joy course down her cheeks.
Suddenly, everyone's attention was caught by a soft mist that was emanating from the centre of the stone circle, twining its cold tendrils around their legs. The Ard-Ri held up welcoming arms and called to all those who were gathered before him, "Samhain is officially here. The time has come to send our messengers on their way!" A cheer went up from the gathered crowd and Malachy nodded towards his travelling companion to let her know that it was time for them to leave.
Naimh swallowed the lump in her throat and reached out one last time to hug her mother and sisters. It was so hard to let them all go. When she was finished, her father approached her. Kalpernus hugged her hard and, as he let her go, he reached into the folds of his robe and pulled out a scroll case. He thrust the scroll case into his daughter's hand and ushered her towards the rift in the centre of the stones before she had a chance to protest. Malachy held out his hand. She took it, and together they stepped through the Samhain Portal to Earth.
"So, where are we going?" Rei asked her companion as they waited for the elevator in one of the ritzier apartment buildings in the Minato-Ku district of Tokyo.
"You'll see soon enough." Rory replied cryptically, infuriating her. He was standing casually against the wall, studying his fingernails and looking for the world as if he had nothing to care about.
Rei was at the end of her tether and couldn't help exploding.
"Now, listen here..." she began furiously, trailing off as he looked up at her, puzzled.
"Is something the matter?" he inquired. She growled in reply and he raised his eyebrows quizzically, wondering what was wrong. Rei found her anger diffusing yet again. What was it about this man that had a calming effect on her?
"No.....I guess not." she answered quietly, mulling over everything that had happened today in her mind. Just then the elevator arrived and the doors opened to reveal its cargo. An older couple stepped out and excused themselves as they moved past Rei and Rory.
"After you," Rory gestured towards the now empty car awaiting them. Rei nodded in thanks and stepped inside, followed by her companion. She watched curiously as he pressed the button for the thirtieth floor and wondered how he could afford an expensive rooftop apartment.
Rory could feel her gaze on the back of his neck and her questions tickling the edge of his mind. Was she aware of their link? He didn't think so. He turned to look at her.
"You've got questions for me?" he asked. She jumped, surprised by his query.
"Not really," she began, thinking for a second before continuing, "actually, yes I do, but I don't really think it's polite to pry."
"Pry away." he replied with a grin. It was almost a challenge, and if there was something Rei couldn't resist, it was a challenge.
"How was it that I was in your memory? That's not possible, is it?" she asked. They had been silent since the incident on the temple steps. She'd been too overwhelmed by what she had experienced to question him until now.
"We're linked." he answered simply. He didn't turn to face her as he replied, content to continue watching the lights in the elevator panel change to indicate the passing stories. They were now about nine floors into their ascent.
"But how?" she questioned, her tone indicating her growing frustration as she tried to grasp just how they were connected.
"Body and soul." he answered, finally turning to look at her. "We were predestined to bond, and when we shook hands this morning we triggered the bonding process. Of course, it didn't finally become permanent until we touched again on the steps this afternoon."
"Aaaahh!" Understanding lit in her eyes. That would explain why he had been on her mind all morning and why the sacred fire had revealed him. "So you felt that weird electricity too?" she queried. He nodded and she continued, "Why me and not someone else? I mean, did you have to come all the way to Japan to find someone to bond with?"
"Do you believe in prophecies?" he asked, responding to her questions with a question of his own. She grinned at him.
"Of course. What kind of a Miko would I be if I didn't?" she replied, adding yet another question into the mix. It was his turn to smile.
"Our coming together has been prophesied for many, many generations in Tir Na nOg."
Before Rei had a chance to frame any more questions, the elevator came to a quick stop and she felt her stomach rise to sit in her throat for a split second. She closed her eyes, hating the feeling the sudden cessation of movement caused.
"Well, here we are," Rory addressed her as the doors swished open in front of them. Rei nodded, stepping out of the car and following him towards apartment 3001.
"Do you suppose it's something more than just the physical?" Ami asked Fintan as he sat frowning over the unconscious form of his brother. It had been an hour now and he was getting frustrated.
"I don't know," he answered, "it's got to be something.....I mean, there doesn't really seem to be anything wrong with him. It doesn't make sense."
"So how do we go about finding out?" Makoto asked.
"I could use my visor and computer." Ami volunteered.
"Your what?" Lorcan was confused.
"They're diagnostic tools. I'd have to transform, though," she was about to add something else when she was distracted by the sound of the door opening. Everyone looked up, their eyes widening as Rory ushered a hesitant Rei into the apartment ahead of him. Rei, for her part, was stunned to see Ami and Makoto there.
"W-what are you guys doing here?" she managed to stammer out. Makoto couldn't help but burst out laughing at the stricken look on her friend's face.
"Nice to see you too, Rei-chan." Makoto held out a welcoming hand and Rei rushed over to where her friends were sitting.
Kieran looked over at Rory. "Doesn't she know?" he gestured in the direction of Rei.
"I haven't exactly had the chance to fill her in on everything yet." the black-haired druid replied.
"Fill me in on what?" Rei was lost. "What's going on? How come you two are here with these guys?"
"It would probably be better if Rory filled you in. I don't think we could do as thorough a job." Ami replied apologetically, looking from Rei to Rory.
"Will you listen to what I have to say?" Rory asked. Rei looked from face to face of the others, unable to read anything in their expressions. She nodded.
"I will."
"Then come with me." he held out a hand and she took it, flinching as if shocked but not letting go. He led her across the room to the patio doors and ushered her through onto the balcony, closing the glass behind them.
"So what's going on?" Rei asked, rounding on Rory, her eyes flashing dangerously.
"Sshh!!! Not out loud." he admonished without speaking, tightening his grip on her hand. Her eyes widened as she realized he was communicating telepathically with her. "Direct your thoughts towards me."
"Can you hear me?" she sent the thought at him as hard as she could. He winced and nodded.
"Yes, but don't think as hard towards me if we're in physical contact. That was the equivalent of a very loud shout." came the silent response.
"Sorry." she replied timidly, penitently.
"That's okay. Now where do you want me to start?"
"How about at the beginning?" She smiled and he joined her as he gleaned what she was thinking.
"No, it won't take forever to fill you in--but we do have a lot of stuff to wade through. What do you want to know first?"
"Everything."
"Alright. It's not like you're asking much. Brace yourself." he instructed. Suddenly a steady flow of his memories--beginning with his earliest ones--assaulted her senses. Early warning notwithstanding, Rei was overwhelmed by the experience. She was reliving Rory's life in a matter of minutes.
She saw a generous soul, inquisitive and reverent from an early age. A serene boy who was drawn to nature. She understood his curiosity, his need to know and understand the unseen forces that shaped the world. He was a kindred spirit and she couldn't get over how alike they were. He was a priest--not a Shinto priest like her, but of another shamanistic faith. They were kindred spirits.
She relived his coming together with the other Sadar and their growth as a team, their hidden talents manifesting as they matured. He was an empath and a diviner. She herself was a diviner, but while she used the sacred fire to foresee the future, his methods were different--more earthy. She was also somewhat empathic, but her own emotions tended to get in the way of her readings. A smile flitted across her face as she recalled her grandfather's numerous admonitions about her inability to suppress her feelings. Rory caught the train of her thoughts and joined her smiling.
He was also a descendant of the Battle Raven. The legacy of the Morrigu meant he had the ability to shape-shift into raven form. Rei started at this revelation. No wonder the image of the raven was so caught up in her perception of him. He was a man, yet he also was a raven.
Now she knew everything about Rory, it was time to reciprocate. Mindful of what he had told her about directing her thoughts too hard at him, she carefully concentrated on relaying her memories. She cautiously sent her thoughts off towards him, hoping she wasn't causing him discomfort. And that in itself was a first. When before had she cared before about how the other person was feeling? Never, until now, except with her fellow Senshi and her family.
She watched Rory's eyes widen as he experienced her life. His brow creased as he relived the first time she came to the temple to live with her Grandfather, a stranger to the young girl until that point in time. Rei felt his laughter reverberate inside her head as he tasted her anger and headstrong personality, chafing against her new life at first, what with all its spirituality, but eventually coming to accept it. Now that she thought about it--all these years later--she couldn't help but laugh herself, even though at the time it wasn't funny at all.
Rory came to know the distinctive characteristics of every Senshi, even those who were currently absent from the scene. It astounded him how their past and future seemed to mesh so comfortably with the present. He and the other Sadar had to battle the spectre of the past at every turn. As far as many of his people were concerned, they had an impossible legacy to live up to. How could they compare to their ancestors? How could they compare to the Dagda, Morrigan, Macha, CuChulainn, Lugh Lamfada and the rest of the early heros?
"Don't doubt yourself." Rei admonished, picking up on his insecurity. "Together our teams will triumph."
"We have no choice. We must win the coming battle. The lives of everyone in both our worlds depend on it." he answered out loud, frowning as he directed his gaze through the window at the others who still sat gathered around the prone figure of Connor.
"What's wrong with him?" Rei asked.
"I don't know.......I haven't been able to sense him in a while. Shall we go in?" Rory looked back at her. Rei nodded and he opened the door, stepping back to let her pass through it before him.
It was just after midnight on Halloween in Ireland when a strange mist started to flow from inside the ancient tomb/stones known as New Grange. As the mist intensified and spread, a white light flashed and then was gone--leaving Malachy and Niamh standing, momentarily dazed, in the centre of the main burial chamber.
After a moment, when he had recovered, Malachy summoned a small globe of light and set it floating about a foot in front of him. Then he turned to see if his companion was alright. Niamh stood there taking in their surroundings with an awestruck look on her face.
"Are you okay?" the large battle-mage inquired. Niamh nodded in reply. She was more than okay, she was wonderful.
"What is this place, Malachy?" she asked when she had finally found her voice. "Why are we underground?"
"These stones became a very sacred place, revered for their power. So revered and sacred that they were enclosed in a burial mound for an important king centuries ago. Now shall we get going? We've got a lot of ground to cover to get to where the Sadar are."
Niamh fell into step behind him as he left the mound, still drinking in everything around her as it was illuminated by the globe that floated a foot in front of Malachy, keeping pace with them as they walked.
"I don't know......he seems fine according to my readings." Mercury sighed as she deactivated her visor and snapped her console shut. "I can't find anything out of the ordinary wrong with him."
She sat down next to Fintan, a frustrated look playing across her features.
"I haven't been able to fully sense him for days." Rory added. "Not fully since just before we entered the portal from Tir Na nOg. He's alive in the physical sense, but it's as if he's an empty shell on the spiritual level."
"What are we going to do?" Makoto asked, leaning forward to cup her chin on the palm of her hand. "We're going to need each and every one of us in prime condition to face the battle ahead of us."
Suddenly Lorcan sat up as if shocked. "That's it!" he exclaimed. Everyone looked over at him curiously and he continued. "I think Makoto-san has hit the nail on the head."
"Huh? How's that?" Mako and Kieran asked in unison.
"We haven't all gathered yet. Connor and I have yet to bond with our respective Senshi."
"Ah, I see what you're getting at now," Kieran said with a smile, "you're hoping that a good woman will be able to accomplish what we and modern medicine haven't."
"Precisely." Lorcan replied, steepling his hands in front of his face.
Usagi and Mina met up outside the school gates after classes were over. They stood around for a while wondering if in fact Ami and Makoto had showed up and would be coming to join them any minute now. As the numbers of students leaving the school grounds dwindled, they gave up hope and began to walk home together. As they were crossing the park where the strangers had first appeared, Usagi decided to say something to break the silence.
"I wonder what happened to them. It's really not like Ami-chan to miss school." she shook her head, a worried frown creasing her brow.
"I know," Mina agreed, "I can see Mako-chan skipping out, but Ami....." She was interrupted mid sentence by the chirping of communicators in stereo. Both girls looked at each other and back at their respective wrists. Mina cast a furtive glance around to see if anyone was nearby and was assured that no-one was close enough to hear.
"Go ahead." Usagi spoke into the com as she activated the view screen. Ami's face appeared on the tiny monitor.
"Usagi-chan! Is Mina-chan with you?"
"Hai!" Usagi answered, nodding. "Where have you been, Ami-chan? Is there trouble?"
"Not yet." Ami replied.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Mina asked over Usagi's shoulder.
"I'll fill you in when you get here. Can you come right away to Apartment 3001, 3-12-10 Shiba-Daimon, Minato-Ku? Mako-chan and Rei-chan are here already."
"What's going on?" Usagi queried, a worried note creeping into her voice.
"I can't explain it. You have to be here. Just get here as fast as you can." Ami ended the communication.
"What was that all about?" Usagi wondered out loud.
"Let's find out." Mina answered with a grin. As they picked up the pace she turned to her friend. "Don't you just love a mystery?" she asked.
"It all depends on the surprise at the end." Usagi replied.
Hessite looked up as Lady Covellite swept into the room where he sat pouring over the scrolls they had brought with them from the Negaverse.
"How did your scouting mission with old General Stiff go?" he asked amicably.
"Better than I hoped. He's competent." She walked over to stand by the window that overlooked the courtyard. "Who do we have at our disposal who isn't adverse to working on a team?"
"Why?" Hessite asked. "We have quite a few that are already teamed up with someone."
"Do you think they can work with Fomori partners?" Covellite asked, turning back from the window to face her companion. "It seems our partners would prefer it if we tag-teamed the enemy."
"Not many are that Xenophobic." Hessite was still puzzled.
"I hope so." Covellite replied. "You want to see some of the cards they have up their sleeves."
"That scary?" Hessite inquired. Covellite nodded.
"And more. They're much stranger than anyone we have. You have absolutely no idea." she walked over to where Hessite was sitting and sat down opposite him with a sigh. "Hand me that scroll." she pointed to the list he was holding and he gave it to her.
"Here you go." Hessite passed the roll of paper he was holding to Covellite. She looked it over and sighed again. "I don't know about this list, our troop requisition may cause problems."
"It's not our fault." Hessite reassured. "The palace gave us these lists. We can let them know we need an update and what the new parameters are."
"Get to it." was all Lady Covellite said. She stood up, sighed again, and walked towards the door, pausing with her hand on the knob, "I know I can trust you, Hessite. Don't disappoint me with your choices."
"So?" Usagi broke the silence as she and Mina rode the elevator to Suite 3001.
"I don't know." Mina replied. "I really don't know. What's going on?" Mina and Usagi had been pondering that question ever since Ami had called them on their wrist communicators.
"Your guess is as good as mine, Mina-chan."
"Why was Ami so cryptic?" Mina queried, continuing, "I mean, why was she more so than usual?" Usagi shrugged in response and shook her head, she really had no idea.
"I'll say this much, we haven't had this much intrigue in our lives in about six months."
"I know," Mina replied, "and I get the picture."
"Kowai desu!!!!" Usagi exclaimed, her eyes wide and frightened for effect. Mina punched her in the arm and laughed.
"Enough, Usagi-chan!"
"Gomen nasai." her friend replied, rubbing her shoulder but still laughing, glad to have lightened the moment. In reality both their minds were doing double time trying to figure out what exactly was up. As the elevator lurched to a stop and the doors swished open in front of them, they quieted, grabbing each others hand and squeezing, lending strength to each other as they stepped into the corridor.
Connor shifted and moaned. Fintan leaned over his brother, hoping that he'd open his eyes and smile in recognition at him. He was disappointed and muttered an oath under his breath that only Ami caught.
"Now, now!" she admonished him telepathically. "Such language." He shrugged and she smiled, laying a comforting hand on his arm.
"I'm just so frustrated." he answered. "I wish he'd just wake up."
Connor moaned and began to thrash around on the couch where the others had laid him out. Everyone gathered around, concerned. "Can you sense him, Rory?" Lorcan asked, looking from the moaning Sadar to the tall, dark-haired Druid. Rory shook his head, then nodded.
"I'm getting fleeting impressions of him. It's like spotting the brightness of the moon as it frees itself from the embrace of a cloudy night sky for a second before it's obscured again."
Just then the doorbell to the apartment sounded. "I'll bet that's Usagi-chan and Mina-chan." Makoto said, standing up and making her way to the door to act as hostess. "I wonder if Connor senses his bond-mate is close." she mused. Lorcan nodded in agreement.
"That could very well be," he answered, "but it could also mean that the enemy is close. One of his gifts is that he's always had an uncanny knack for knowing when trouble is just around the corner."
Lady Covellite and General Saoirse stood on the roof of the Tokyo Tower's observation deck once again. This time they were not alone. A masked man clad in grey stood off to the side of the Fomori general and a flamboyantly dressed woman stood next to Covellite.
"You understand your objective?" Saoirse addressed them both. They nodded.
"We've matched you because your abilities complement each other. Work together to flush the enemy into the open." Covellite continued, looking from one to the other. "Failure is not an option. When you have succeeded in your task, we will join you." The pair bowed and disappeared, sinking through the roof of the observation deck to wreak havoc on the unsuspecting masses below.
Startled tourists and school groups screamed out as Shade and Colour, the allied soldiers representing the Fomori/Negaverse alliance, materialized in their midst. Youngsters, driven by fear, sheared off from their classes and terrified adults fell to the floor, scrambling backwards and babbling incoherently.
Colour, the flamboyantly dressed female soldier representing the Negaverse stood, cackling horribly as she thrust out her arms, hands held wide to encompass the whole area spread before her. The people who had been milling about mindlessly trying to escape just moments before stopped in their tracks and collapsed with surprised looks on their faces as all colour drained from them and pooled in a huge ball of rainbow-hued energy contained in her outspread arms. The Negaverse's representative turned towards her Fomori partner, a wide smile on her face.
"Your turn!" she exclaimed with glee. Shade nodded and stepped forward.
"Arise!" he called out, lifting his hands high above his head and animating the now empty shells of Colour's hapless victims. Slowly, as if they were puppets, the depleted forms rose and began to stagger jerkily across the floor. "Do my bidding, Zombies!" he screamed, his voice breaking as it gave way to hysterical laughter.
Usagi and Mina were surprised by the speed with which the door to apartment 3001 was opened. They stepped back involuntarily, unsure of what to expect.
"Hey, guys, how's it going?" Makoto asked. Her light greeting was totally unexpected in light of their conversation with Ami and the pair did a face-vault straight to the floor. "What?" Makoto asked, "What's the matter?"
"Nothing," Usagi began, trying to explain their reaction to Mako-chan.
"What do you mean, nothing?" Mina butted in angrily. "She scared the hell out of me!"
"So....would you like to come in, or are you planning on staying here all day?" Makoto asked.
Both of her friends glared at her and she continued, "Okay, okay, come in." She stepped back and opened the door completely before she swept an arm inside the suite, beckoning her friends inside.
"Come in and meet everyone."
"How the Hell can you be so calm?" Usagi asked Makoto as she stepped over the threshold.
"I already know what's going on." Mako replied. Usagi and Mina rolled their eyes, knowing that the moment they entered the apartment they were in for one heck of a surprise.
"What the Hell....?" Usagi swore as she stepped over the threshold and her gaze fell upon Lorcan. "What the Hell are you doing here?"
"Nice to see you again, Princess." Lorcan responded with a smile. Minako laid a hand on her friend's shoulder, unsure of what was going on.
"What are you talking about, Usagi-chan?" she asked, following Usagi's line-of-sight to settle on the handsome features of a silver-haired man. "What's going on?" she continued eyes widening as she took in the sight of her comrades sitting companionably among strange men.
"That's him," Usagi replied, "the man at the hospital who identified Mercury and me."
"You're kidding, right?"
"No, I'm not."
"Usagi-chan, Mina-chan, let me introduce you to everyone." Makoto said, stepping in before hysteria seized her friends.
Shade directed his minions towards the tower exits and onto the street. Surprised motorists swerved to avoid the crowd spilling mindlessly into oncoming traffic. A few were unsuccessful in their attempt and ploughed into the unresisting bodies, scattering them like bowling pins. Most of the victims got back up again as if nothing had happened, leaving the motorists trembling and open mouthed behind the wheels of their vehicles.
Covellite and Saoirse stood impassively looking down on the scene unfolding on the street before them. "It has begun." Covellite stated simply.
"Indeed." replied the Fomori general.
Colour had taken a few moments to seal the energy she had stolen into a spherical talisman--which she hung about her neck for safekeeping--before joining her new comrade-at-arms as he directed his zombie mob to wreak havoc.
"Which way will we go?" she queried, as she reached his side.
"The route that causes the most destruction, of course." he replied through the mask that obscured his features.
"Lead on."
"Come on, you expect me to believe this?" Mina asked, looking around the room from face to face. No one was smiling, they were all serious. Even Usagi's brow was creased as she digested what they had been told.
Connor moaned again and writhed, a whimper escaping his lips. Mina turned to look at him. "What's his problem?"
"We can't wake him up." Ami and Fintan answered in unison.
"Is he hurt?" Mina questioned, leaning in to get a closer look.
"Not physically as far as we can tell. We haven't been able to establish what's going on mentally." Ami clarified, leaning in with her friend. "But at least he's now tossing and turning which means he's out of the comatose state he was in earlier."
"These guys really aren't our enemies?" she asked again. Three couples shook their heads synchronously.
"No." came the harmonious answer of six voices blended into one. Minako felt like asking them if they'd ever considered joining a choir.
"Well, if this doesn't beat all." Mina sat down on the edge of the couch where Connor was laid out and sighed deeply, ruffling the fringes of hair that hung over her forehead. "It's all pretty overwhelming, don't you think, Usagi-chan?"
Usagi was studying everyone in the room through slitted eyes, especially Lorcan. "Huh?" Mina's question brought her back to the here and now. "Yeah....it's a lot to take in."
"What's the matter?" Mina asked, sensing her friend was preoccupied.
"I don't know. I just can't shake the feeling that we're in for trouble like we've never seen before and sooner than we think."
"Aaaaaaahhhhh!!!!!!" A ragged cry tore from Connor's throat, startling everyone in the room. He suddenly sat bolt upright, practically springing into the arms of Mina. The young blonde woman reached out reflexively to stop and steady him, grasping the young man's upper arms tightly to keep him from falling to the floor. In a flash, Minako's consciousness was wrenched from her own mind to join with that of Connor's and she shared in his vision. The others were startled to hear her voice join with his in a collective scream.
Ami and Fintan sprung to life then and moved quickly to break the physical contact shared by Mina and Connor. Ami pulled Minako back and propped her in the corner of the couch, quickly checking her eyes and pulse to make sure her stunned friend was okay. Satisfied that her fellow Senshi was just in mild shock, Ami turned to look at Fintan and Connor, her eyes widening as she shared in her bond-mate's awe.
Connor was awake, his stormy grey-green eyes taking in every detail of his surroundings. After a moment, his gaze settled on the young woman who had unwittingly shared in his nightmare.
"Minako?" he asked in a quiet voice. The glazed look left Mina's eyes and she focused on the young man who spoke her name. "Your name is Aino Minako."
"Yes," Mina replied, as the light of recognition kindled in her mind, "and yours is Connor MacLiath." She sat forward and offered a hand in what she knew was the traditional western greeting and Connor reached out to clasp her hand in return. While a puzzled look fleeted across Usagi's face, three sets of couples shared smiles as they anticipated what would happen next.
Luna sat up quickly as she heard a sound outside Usagi's bedroom window. She rose from her nest among the unmade bedding and padded quickly over to the window sill, nudging the slightly ajar window further open with her nose. The sleek, black Moon Cat stepped outside onto the ledge and looked around.
"Luna," came a familiar voice from a branch higher than her vantage point.
"Artemis, thank goodness it's only you." Luna replied in clipped tones, her fear suddenly assuaged, "I had such a bad feeling."
"You and me both. I've been on tender-hooks all day and I don't know why." the white cat bounded from his perch to stand in front of his fellow guardian. "Where's Usagi?"
"I could ask you the same question about Minako and I'm pretty sure our answers would be the same." the black cat replied a little testily.
"So I guess we both wish our charges would tell us more than they currently do." Artemis sighed, a hopeless tone colouring his voice. "They may have grown over the past few years, but they're far from mature." Luna nodded vigorously in agreement.
"Shall we go look for them?" the white cat looked over at his compatriot with a raised brow.
"I think that's a good idea. But I also think if we go looking for trouble, we'll eventually find the Senshi. You know how it is with them." Luna began to jump from branch to branch, making her way to street level. Artemis nodded--he knew how impetuous the Senshi could be--and followed Luna, landing to stand next to her on the sidewalk.
"Let's go." he answered simply knowing, that no matter what they found, it would not be to their liking.
Mina was yet again swept away in a vision that made her sick to her stomach. She found herself looking down upon the familiar skyline of central Tokyo, but she felt disembodied--like she was a stranger seeing the place for the first time. She understood that she was seeing things through Connor's eyes as she looked down from where she floated upon a disturbing scene.
A horde was gathering in the Sengakuji Shrine area of Minato-Ku. They had made their way down Sakurada-Dori to congregate around the ancient and revered shrine to the 47 Ronin of legend. Mina gasped in horror as she realized what they were trying to do and shook herself free of the vision, a stricken look on her face.
"Minna-chan," she gasped in an anguished tone, "a terrible evil is trying to raise the honourable dead from Sengakuji Shrine. We've got to stop them. Ah, Megami-sama! "
A moment later, Connor shook himself free of the vision and looked around the room at his friends and their bond-mates, a terrible clarity in his startling eyes. "She's telling the truth! Oh, sweet Danu! It's horrible, if we don't do something now........"