Monkey see, Monkey do
Part I: The Long Trip Home
~~~~
And so the plot thickens.
Eh…Not really. Actually, it's rather boring. There's nothing supernatural at all. Even the last scene of this chapter is just two old men acting paranoid. How is this supposed to tell me that I need to save the world? Isn't this the story of how I, Mimi Roua, set out to save the world? WHERE am I?
Imagine a great big sigh here. Did I forget to tell you I wasn't in this story? Yes, poor Mimi. I know I called it my story before, but you'll have to forgive me. I hate admitting it, but I didn't even meet the first of these crazy people until they were already up to their ears in their own problems. And they did not take well to an idealistic girl striding into their midst. Egads. At least I made it to Mia's Christmas card list. (I'll leave out the "before they kicked me out of the house" part from the end of the previous sentence. It's too embarrassing to admit!)
Oh stop listening to me. Go on, read it! And no, this chapter has nothing to do with dogs. Much less "muchas pooches". What a ridiculous title.
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CHAPTER 2: Muchas Pooches
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Kento choked on his half eaten caramel apple. Rowen put on his sunglasses so he could look disdainfully at Mia over the top of them. She watched them both innocently. "Leaping," Rowen paused for effect, "lizards?" he repeated.
Mia sat on the couch between the two of them, ignoring the skeptical eyes following her. "Well, it's appropriate," she said defensively. Rowen just watched her over the rims of his glasses. "Isn't it?" she sniffed defensively.
Kento got over his apple problem and exclaimed, "Holy smokes, Batman!"
~~~~
Cye drew in a deep breath, savoring the sweet and familiar smells. He sighed happily, feeling himself relax, and turned in a contented circle just to take it all in. "Ah…home," he murmured blissfully. What more could he want?
Behind him Ryo groaned, "Oh come off it, Cye. Can't we just get the groceries and go?"
"It's not my fault I just got the message on my cell." Cye hummed happily under his breath, "Farmers' market la la la…"
"Yeah, farmers' market and Cye sitting in a tree, K-I-S-"
"LA LA LA…they probably didn't have any kiwis at the other place, okay? And besides this is better…la la la…"
"Kiwis? Why do we need kiwis?"
"Sage. He's weird about essays," Cye said, still turning happily in circles. He closed his eyes and flapped his arms bit for effect.
"Nyeh…" Ryo groaned. Essays already?
"Oh come off it, Ryo. Can't we just get the groceries and go?" Cye parroted. Ryo glared at him. Cye stuck his tongue out. "Pouters never prosper, you know."
"That is so not the saying," Ryo pouted. "And I am not pouting!"
"Fine, but could you 'not pout' a little closer to the fruits, maybe?" Cye snapped, halting his antics and stalking into the market with an air of offended pride.
"Why would there be kiwis in a farmers market, anyway? Since when does anybody grow kiwis around here?" Ryo moped, following Cye.
Cye ignored him.
~~~~
Ah, so that's it.
Sage remembered that he probably shouldn't laugh. So he didn't. It was a struggle, but he persevered. He did, however, drop his face into his hands wearily. But he did not laugh. Minako, Minako, Minako. Suddenly things were clearer. They made sense, in a Minako sort of way. It was a momentous moment as, surpassing many trials and tribulations, she had finally, finally, gotten to the point.
It must have been a giant of a bush for it to take her this long to beat all the way around it. Certainly it was a scraggly and twisted piece of plant life. Where, oh where, did Minako get these ideas?
As it turned out, Minako was worried about his new female lab partner. Or rather, what he would do with his new female lab partner. And the reason she was worried? Was his partner tall, thin, and attractive? Bosomy and voluptuous? Or at least flirtatious? Not likely. She was a short redhead with too many freckles to be beautiful, too round a nose to be pretty, and short-cropped hair that hadn't been brushed for about a year. She overreacted to everything and seemed to be the type to keep cheap romance novels on the bedside table and things like Steinbeck as never-read heirlooms collecting dust in the attic (not that Minako wasn't showing signs of that particular illness right now). Quite frankly, Sage would rather have a conversation with Minako. Maybe.
Minako didn't really think that girl was his type did she?
Oh, no. Of course not. Minako had an even deeper more solid reason that Sage and his freckled lab lover were meant to be together. You see, the one fact that has not been previously mentioned about the lovely red-haired seductress is that…
She was deaf. Yes, that does make sense, doesn't it?
The root of the problem was that Minako knew the whole Romeo and Juliet story far too well. There were hundreds of movies and books following that same theme, forbidden love and all that jazz. Minako loved them all. When it came to chick flicks, she was one hardcore chick. And so when this unimpressive redhead became her Sage's lab partner, Minako's brain started working. It would seem so perfect for her Sage to fall for the little Cinderella dressed in rags. The girl's deafness was just icing on the cake. An outcast against her will! What better foundation for a fabulous love story? Epic, totally epic.
Except that if that fabulous, epic love story happened, Minako'd be out of a boyfriend. Not being in nature a stupid girl, Minako was aware that her little fling with Sage wasn't exactly on stable ground, a fact of which she wasn't fond. She liked going out with Sage. One had to admit he was easy on the eyes (that was putting it lightly), but even ignoring his individual advantages, there were perks that encompassed the entire social plane. Everyone was envious. It was too much fun to share in those admiring glances, which were of course deserved.
Minako herself really did admire Sage; it was a hard feeling to avoid. So naturally she was upset when he seemed fated to be unfaithful. And of course, she'd stalked over here now in a righteous tizzy to give him a good dressing down for his wandering eye (even if it hadn't wandered yet) while at the same time trying not to admit her exact reasoning behind it. It did sound a little stupid after all when you said it aloud.
And so now you understand everything. Clear as Waterford crystal. You see what had put Sage's head in his hands, anyway.
But, forget about all that for a second. It was 4:30 and Sage should have escaped this twenty minutes ago. He growled. Where the hell was Ryo?
~~~~
"Sooo…this is some funny stuff, but why's it been on for twenty minutes, guys?" Mia asked and tapped her fingernails against her front teeth, causing a peculiar clacking sound that was starting to wear on Rowen's nerves. His eyebrow started twitching from the combination of the idiocy to be found on the television and that constant "clack, clack, clack".
"Uh, good point. Man, why has it been on for twenty minutes? Ne, Ro?" Kento took another slobbering bite out of his caramel apple.
"…" Rowen said, eyebrow twitching.
"You know," Kento chewed thoughtfully, "that's the second time he's said that."
~~~~
"My god, does it stink in here," Kayura said, lifting one hand to tap her nose. At the movement, the long sleeves of her kimono shifted, flashing an image of white lilies on violet silk. "It really does!" she repeated happily. For some reason Sehkmet could not understand, she was delighted with the idea. Standing uncomfortably in his gray western suit, he wished he had the gall to wear the clothes he was used to, no matter how out of place they would look here. Kayura did not have that problem, obviously. She was quite comfortable in her exceedingly formal kimono, which would have looked out of place even in a Japanese mall. Which was a good point, why weren't they in Japan? Damn Dais to hell. This was probably his fault.
It wasn't the shopping that bothered Sekhmet particularly. He was okay with taking Kayura shopping, really he was, even if there were so many people. He'd been worried and a little nervous beforehand, but that was only natural. He was bringing Kayura to a mall. Since she'd brought up the idea of a trip to the mortal world last week, he'd gotten no peace until he'd agreed to go with her, and he had been in a perpetual state of puzzlement ever since. She was simply not the type for girly pursuits (usually) and one had to shudder when wondering just why she'd been so insistent about coming. True, she'd supposedly been once before. Rumor said it was brief, semi-disastrous, and chaperoned by Kento Rei Fuan of all people.
She obviously hadn't learned much from the experience. Of all the things to wear to a modern department store… Kimonos were not as common even in Japan as they had once been, and Kayura's was a magnificently made thing of elegance that would have turned heads in the Emperor's court. It was beautiful, but did she have to wear it now? Apparently the answer was yes. She'd always been flashy under…Talpa… and it seemed that…Talpa's…death had not affected her as much as it had Sekhmet. The thought irritated him. It was a feeling akin to jealously and he disliked it intensely.
Kayura, of course, seemed unaware of any of his discomfort. Bouncing happily on her toes to see over the crowds, the small woman twisted around trying to look at every part of the big store at once. The roar of the mob was deafening and he barely heard her when she spoke, clutching his arm excitedly.
"Isn't this fantastic?" With a weary sigh, Sehkmet leaned down until his lips were next to her ear and his green hair brushed her face.
"Has it occurred to you recently that I tried time after time to kill you less than a year ago? And that you yourself were trying to kill these people here?" Sehkmet whispered into her ear. "Should you be a little more…subdued in my company and theirs?" Around him, harried shoppers pushed past them, brushing against his arms and shoulders. He hated it. The way they crowded in so close. So many living, breathing things trying to suffocate him. One woman tripped over him and nearly fell. When she also kicked him in the shin, he almost broke something. Her arm. Her leg. Her skull. It was grossly unfair that Kayura, by far the less experienced of the two, was more comfortable than he was.
Kayura laughed at his morbid suggestion and patted his arm reassuringly. Sekhmet straightened and pulled away from her in annoyance. "Of course not! Later maybe, but not now..." she smiled at him. "Or is this infernal stench really you trying to poison me again?" She shook her head disapprovingly. "So many people, Sekhmet…" Kayura's sweeping hand gestured to the crowds surrounding them in the big room, her violet sleeve rustling. "You'd never get away with it," she whispered conspiratorially.
Sekhmet's gaze followed Kayura's sleeve and he inspected the rushing people more closely. If her clothing hadn't had the entire store staring at them, this happy-go-lucky mood would. Didn't the people see how…weird it was? Sekhmet tugged on his tie irritably. Yes, there were several poorly hidden, interested gazes at Kayura's style of dress, but luckily it was just friendly interest; nobody seemed ready to strangle her. Except for himself. Maybe Dais drugged her dinner? But, no that was Sehkmet's forte. Well, it was Dais' fault somehow. He just had to figure out the how.
"It's perfume, Kayura," he told her severely. "It's common in these…types of places." He waved his hand at the crowds much like she had but the only sleeve that rustled was an obnoxious western thing. "And I think you're breathing in too much of it." He noticed a brightly designed sign above one of the clothing racks. "Back to…school… sale?" he thought it said, but his English was horrible. He glanced at his watch. Did things wind down after four o'clock, or would more people be coming? It seemed like the people were beginning to close in on him. His heart began to race and he felt a headache starting. Angrily he ordered himself to calm down.
"It was a joke. I know what perfume is!" she retorted. Then suddenly her excitement deflated and she turned serious. "Today, I am going to relax, Sekhmet," she told him. "Just this one day."
Relax? This was relaxing? The shouts and loud footsteps of the people surrounding him pounded in his ears. There were too many people.
She said nothing more for a few seconds, but Sekhmet did not think she was done, and she wasn't. "It's a vacation. A more modern word, I think. You know all the others; this one is not new?" Her words had that particular very capable and quietly superior Kayura tone. Sekhmet was reminded momentarily why he had wanted her dead not so long ago; he did not like women who made him nervous.
To forget about his uneasiness and growing claustrophobia, he looked disdainfully over the counters and their salesmen. "Here?" he asked with a derisive snort. Abruptly, Kayura's expression broke again into her brilliant, child-like smile. She turned to examine some hideous but very sparkly jewelry in a glass case, and Sehkmet found himself staring at the elaborate flower-like knot of her obi. She surely hadn't tied that without help, but Kayura didn't keep any servants. So who could have helped her? Sehkmet himself had had many; he was the Warlord most lost in his luxuries. But he'd dismissed all of them after his "conversion" so they hadn't tied Kayura's obi. Cale had kept two, but he'd stormed off that night three months ago (and had yet to return) so those were gone and had not tied Kayura's obi either. Sehkmet's eyebrow twitched.
Dais!
He had any number of lackeys, but they were often out on various errands and were demons of the sort that could hardly be considered housemaids. Yet…he did have that one woman who excelled at disguise. Of course, she'd know how tie an obi. Ah. Dais was going to die sometime in the near future. Yes…this was all his fault.
"Yes. Right here! Oh, where are we again, Sekhmet?" Kayura interrupted his thought, batting her eyes at him. Sekhmet stared. At least she hadn't done anything to her hair. It was impressive enough alone; there was just so much of it. He gripped his brown tie until his knuckles turned white. How could she do this? Sehkmet did not like being irritated; in fact, he didn't much like emotions at all anymore. But Kayura was…was…deliberately provoking him. There was no other explanation.
He knew she hated his new brooding tendencies, but it wasn't as if she didn't indulge in it herself. The days under Talpa were not exactly a happy time and the four of them were hardly the victims. They were the aggressors. Did she expect him to revel in it? To be glad? He hardly considered himself a good man, but he would be even less of one if he so blatantly ignored what he'd done.
Then her question penetrated to his distracted brain.
"You don't know?" he finally asked her, dreading the answer. Kayura shook her head gleefully. "But… you made the gate," he insisted. It was so hot in here; his hand reached up to loosen his tie. And it stank. Of sweat and Coco Chanel.
"Oh, but that was random!" Kayura was saying. She took his hand and joyfully pulled him deeper in the store and the people closed in around them. Around him. "If I'm so old fashioned everywhere, what does it matter where among these mortals I should go?" Kayura smiled again, voice sounding oddly lilting and poetic. Only Sekhmet's rather recent habit of an emotionless face (he had been much too…expressive…under Talpa to be able to tolerate similar behavior now with Talpa finally gone) prevented him from yelling in the middle of that crowded human store. He tugged violently on his tie with his free hand and tried to be calm.
Kayura was being…he could not think of the proper word. Surely, if modern men could have all the ridiculous junk that filled this place, they would have a word that fit Kayura now. What was it again? Ah, yes…ditzy, a un- Kayura-like thing. Yet she was being scary also, a known Kayura attribute.
So maybe she was just trying to irritate him. If brooding annoyed her, he should have expected her to do something about it. She was Kayura, wasn't she? And he could just hear Dais mockingly suggest that Kayura shock him out of his pouting, (because Dais would call it pouting, that twisted, self- deluding lout) maybe with a night out on the town. Of course, he could not be certain that that had happened, and to tell the truth, Kayura was unlikely to listen to Dais if he had said something like that. She was unlikely to listen to him if he said anything for that matter. The newest Ancient did not get along well her Warlord of Illusion. It was probably because he did not take to her mothering as well as Sekhmet or Cale.
Well…maybe she'd taken Dais' joking seriously out of spite. Kayura didn't often spite (it was beneath her), but for Dais…anybody would make an exception. Of course, he still didn't actually know that any of that had happened.
But now what was she going to do? It would, despite the ridiculous acting so far, have to be straightforward as Kayura was a straightforward person. Even this obnoxious behavior was rather transparent in its attempt to provoke a response. Hmm, get him roaring drunk maybe? Sekhmet had been roaring drunk before. It was one of the few times he'd been to the mortal world without Talpa's express orders --and not intentionally either. He'd gotten drunk in the castle and woken up in southern France. Odd that.
Just then Kayura poked his ribs and he jumped, an iron-like grip on his tie. They had somehow gotten down to the basement without him noticing. The unknown mystery of the escalator had not daunted Kayura. At least the crowds had thinned out down here. Sekhmet felt himself relax minutely. Then he noticed Kayura. Her smile was bigger and she was looking even more simple-minded.
Oh gods, he thought, she is trying to provoke me out of silence and I've just made it worse by thinking too much. He shuddered at the idea.
If nothing else, this explained what the two of them were doing in London in the middle of Harrods when the two of them together couldn't speak more than a dozen words of English. Add to this his fear of crowds, and Kayura could not have found a better way to discomfort him. Oh sure, Sekhmet knew all about this modern world. He knew the ways the language had changed, the dress, the fashion, and the west. That didn't mean he had to like this disgusting suit though! But he hated crowds. And when he'd chosen which language he wanted to learn, he'd chosen French because it sounded nice. English was so ugly. So by some evil turn of luck with her "random" gate, Kayura had chosen the best place for him to be as completely out of place as she was (and somehow she pulled this off so much better than he did). It just made irritating him so much easier.
Wait a minute…
Damn, she really had this all planned out didn't she?
~~~~
"Uh…Cye?" Ryo hesitantly asked the boy walking in front of him.
"What?" Cye replied irritably, stopping and glancing sharply around, possibly for any stray kiwis he might grab.
"Where's Yulie?" Ryo asked and glanced around also but was worried not annoyed. Stray kiwis don't look much like stray little boys.
Cye stared at Ryo. "Oh bloody-" he said but did not finish his statement.
~~~~
Sage had noticed Minako was staring at him a little while ago. She'd been doing it for about thirty seconds so far, he guessed, assuming she been staring as long as she hadn't been talking. Staring like he'd grown another head. Think quick, Sage; what abnormal things have you done recently? Or Maybe Minako is crazy. He dropped his head back into his hands, and his mind caught up with him.
Wait for a second, please, head in hands? Oh yes, that had been his reaction to Minako's unique logic. He'd growled too hadn't he? Yes, he'd growled at Ryo for being late. For still being late, come to think of it. Remembering this, Sage growled again. Then his mind caught up with him for a second time.
That's right. He had done something abnormal, hadn't he? He'd shown more emotion than your average ice cube. Tsk tsk, how silly of him. Having figured that out…
Sage growled again because it felt good.
~~~~
Cale glared at the contents of the cardboard box on his counter top. Or more correctly, at the contents that were not in his cardboard box. Namely the phone and the numbers of those few people he would like to call. Here he was, living in an apartment in St. Louis, Missouri. Modern St. Louis, Missouri, with millions of average humans who existed to confuse 400 year- old Warlords who were trying to be average too. They and dishwashers were the bane of his existence. His clothes were dirty too, but he couldn't remember how he was supposed to work that infernal machine either. And now that he'd remembered about the phone and calling for help…the damn thing wasn't there!
Cale let out a feral growl and ripped the box in two just to show he could. A dozen or so hardback books spilled out, his birthday present. The only part of his birthday present he'd kept anyway. The rest he'd thrown away, though he should probably have given it to Wildfire to incinerate it. Kayura…that woman should never have been allowed in a mall. More proof that Ronins have the IQ of a flea for taking her there. At least most of these books were in Japanese. Did she expect him to learn Chinese? He picked up a book. Or French? Where was France these days anyway? For that matter, where was St. Louis? It was stupid, stupid of him to be doing this. He threw the French book at the counter. Sekhmet speaks French. I don't know why, but he does. Not me. And I don't even speak much English. What am I doing here?
The book knocked a stack of paper forms onto the floor next to the books. He picked them up and read them again even though he knew what they were. Cale growled again, glaring at one of the blanks. "I don't have a social security number, you blasted thing! Or a visa, I tell you! I have a Warlord of Illusions who owes me a favor. THAT'S why I'm here." Somehow Cale mustered enough self-control not to crumple up the forms and instead put them neatly back on the counter. Then he stalked off his bedroom and began ripping through the clothing Sekhmet had helped him pack, looking for something clean. None of it was. He kicked the suitcase and went to rummage in the closet.
Five minutes later he was sitting cross-legged on the bed dressed in ancient hakama and a grateful dead t-shirt, steadfastly ignoring the world in general and specifically those damned bears marching over his chest.
~~~~
"You taped it? Why?" Mia asked incredulously, leaning towards Rowen as if she wouldn't be able to hear him from where she was.
"Hold on, that takes forethought right?" Kento snickered. "Heh heh, Ro's done research."
"But on what?" Mia turned her head to Kento.
Kento grinned. "Sailor girls."
"Oh? Is that was he does on that computer…I never knew." Mia clacked her fingers against her teeth.
"Wait a minute! WHAT?" Rowen cried, blushing heavily.
Kento choked on his apple again.
~~~~
Great, faded tapestries of vast battles hung against every wall of the room, the colors flickering in the weak candlelight. One tapestry swayed slowly as a tall, white-haired man reached out to touch it. With a pale finger, he traced the embroidered scales of a sleek dragon, its black neck arched gracefully as it engulfed a group of weary samurai in red fire.
A knock sounded at the door and the finger stopped its tracing, its owner turning slowly to the door. "Come in," he said. Glancing back once at the dragon on the cloth, he sat gracefully at the oaken desk in the middle on the room. The door opened, admitting another man who might have been tall if he were not slouched. The new man limped slowly to the desk. His right arm was deformed and short; he held it clutched close to chest and the fingers of the hand, though strangely long and elegant, twitched uselessly, not under his control. He watched the sitting figure closely through the stiff bangs of his dirty gray hair and his fine lips twisted into a sneer. "Should I sit?" he asked, voice thick with amusement.
The man behind the desk smiled and ran his finger over the wood grain of his chair. It was simple and unadorned but finely made of a beautiful red wood. The redwood chair was very comfortable. The man's smile got bigger. It was also the only chair in the room. "Yes," he said. "Sit anywhere you like."
The other man bounced almost franticly from foot to foot. "Ah, ah, ah, now," he said and cackled.
The other man's smile disappeared after a moment. He clasped his hands across his lap and regarded the man with the deformed arm seriously. "Fitz," he said.
Fitz cackled once more, loudly. "Ha ha. You've said it now!"
The man in the chair leaned forward and rapped his hand against the desktop once, loudly. "Fitz," he said again, "I don't have the time today."
Fitz smiled now. "Not the time? Not a problem of mine," he muttered, but his expression turned serious. "Fine, fine." He reached into a pocket on the front of his soiled shirt with his left hand and took out a necklace. It was a pendant, a small square of glass half an inch thick, held by a silver clamp on a thick and tarnished silver chain. He placed it on the desk letting the chain pool into pile over the pendant. His hand moved away for a moment but then moved back to cover the necklace completely, blocking it from the man at the desk.
Perhaps Fitz was worried that the man would take it before Fitz wanted him to, but the white-haired man paid it little attention. Instead he remained leaning towards the desk, watching Fitz, his face wiped clean of expression. Fitz still crouched forward, his good hand covering the necklace. They remained that way for some time until Fitz broke off the eye contact and snarled angrily. "Its immobile. Nobody's leaving the grove, Dais," he said. "You know that." He swayed nervously. "Yes."
Dais smiled though his single eye still watched Fitz cautiously. Suddenly he sat up straighter. "Things can change. Thank you, Fitz," he said. With one hand he reached for the necklace that Fitz's hand still covered. Fitz, noticing the action, jerked his hand backwards as if he would be burned. Dais took the necklace and placed it around his own neck. "A pleasure," Dais murmured absently. Which was Dais' version of "It's been a pleasure" meaning "Good bye right now." Fitz knew Dais speak well. He backed quickly but awkwardly away from the desk and limped out of the room shutting the door carefully behind him.
Sitting at the desk, Dais touched the glass at his neck and turned to smile at the dragon on the wall.
End Chapter 2.
~~~~
A few years ago, I decided to write a fan fiction because I was obsessed with Ronin Warriors. This did not work out well. It was long, it was badly written, it was pointless and unoriginal, and hell, it even had a Mary Sue.
Luckily I have stopped that, and even changed my name so none of you people can ever connect the two of us again (though it is still out there -- somewhere on the world wide web).
Now, some couple of years later, I've --foolishly-- decided to try again. These are the first chapters of said second try. It's an experiment and subject to removal or revision at any time. I'm not objective enough to judge my own work, so I'm putting it to you.
Is this thing worth it?
Melee
Jeni: I hope there is more of a plot and thanks for expressing essentially the same opinion about Sage's character here that I have myself. Unfortunately, I have no idea what to do about it so maybe you will enjoy this anyway. And yes, it is my belief that Kento is smarter than Ryo. I mean, watch the show. Which one is the real idiot?
The grapes and the other more random bits are strange products of my deranged, sleep-deprived mind. Ignore them.
Dawning light: (innocently) What news broadcast? (slightly manic snickering is heard)
Other people: Thanks. Here's chapter 2… Unfortunately the cast of people you've never seen before has gone up by one. (Sorry). Swear to god Sage's lab partner will neither become his one true love nor even make an appearance.
Part I: The Long Trip Home
~~~~
And so the plot thickens.
Eh…Not really. Actually, it's rather boring. There's nothing supernatural at all. Even the last scene of this chapter is just two old men acting paranoid. How is this supposed to tell me that I need to save the world? Isn't this the story of how I, Mimi Roua, set out to save the world? WHERE am I?
Imagine a great big sigh here. Did I forget to tell you I wasn't in this story? Yes, poor Mimi. I know I called it my story before, but you'll have to forgive me. I hate admitting it, but I didn't even meet the first of these crazy people until they were already up to their ears in their own problems. And they did not take well to an idealistic girl striding into their midst. Egads. At least I made it to Mia's Christmas card list. (I'll leave out the "before they kicked me out of the house" part from the end of the previous sentence. It's too embarrassing to admit!)
Oh stop listening to me. Go on, read it! And no, this chapter has nothing to do with dogs. Much less "muchas pooches". What a ridiculous title.
~~~~
CHAPTER 2: Muchas Pooches
~~~~
Kento choked on his half eaten caramel apple. Rowen put on his sunglasses so he could look disdainfully at Mia over the top of them. She watched them both innocently. "Leaping," Rowen paused for effect, "lizards?" he repeated.
Mia sat on the couch between the two of them, ignoring the skeptical eyes following her. "Well, it's appropriate," she said defensively. Rowen just watched her over the rims of his glasses. "Isn't it?" she sniffed defensively.
Kento got over his apple problem and exclaimed, "Holy smokes, Batman!"
~~~~
Cye drew in a deep breath, savoring the sweet and familiar smells. He sighed happily, feeling himself relax, and turned in a contented circle just to take it all in. "Ah…home," he murmured blissfully. What more could he want?
Behind him Ryo groaned, "Oh come off it, Cye. Can't we just get the groceries and go?"
"It's not my fault I just got the message on my cell." Cye hummed happily under his breath, "Farmers' market la la la…"
"Yeah, farmers' market and Cye sitting in a tree, K-I-S-"
"LA LA LA…they probably didn't have any kiwis at the other place, okay? And besides this is better…la la la…"
"Kiwis? Why do we need kiwis?"
"Sage. He's weird about essays," Cye said, still turning happily in circles. He closed his eyes and flapped his arms bit for effect.
"Nyeh…" Ryo groaned. Essays already?
"Oh come off it, Ryo. Can't we just get the groceries and go?" Cye parroted. Ryo glared at him. Cye stuck his tongue out. "Pouters never prosper, you know."
"That is so not the saying," Ryo pouted. "And I am not pouting!"
"Fine, but could you 'not pout' a little closer to the fruits, maybe?" Cye snapped, halting his antics and stalking into the market with an air of offended pride.
"Why would there be kiwis in a farmers market, anyway? Since when does anybody grow kiwis around here?" Ryo moped, following Cye.
Cye ignored him.
~~~~
Ah, so that's it.
Sage remembered that he probably shouldn't laugh. So he didn't. It was a struggle, but he persevered. He did, however, drop his face into his hands wearily. But he did not laugh. Minako, Minako, Minako. Suddenly things were clearer. They made sense, in a Minako sort of way. It was a momentous moment as, surpassing many trials and tribulations, she had finally, finally, gotten to the point.
It must have been a giant of a bush for it to take her this long to beat all the way around it. Certainly it was a scraggly and twisted piece of plant life. Where, oh where, did Minako get these ideas?
As it turned out, Minako was worried about his new female lab partner. Or rather, what he would do with his new female lab partner. And the reason she was worried? Was his partner tall, thin, and attractive? Bosomy and voluptuous? Or at least flirtatious? Not likely. She was a short redhead with too many freckles to be beautiful, too round a nose to be pretty, and short-cropped hair that hadn't been brushed for about a year. She overreacted to everything and seemed to be the type to keep cheap romance novels on the bedside table and things like Steinbeck as never-read heirlooms collecting dust in the attic (not that Minako wasn't showing signs of that particular illness right now). Quite frankly, Sage would rather have a conversation with Minako. Maybe.
Minako didn't really think that girl was his type did she?
Oh, no. Of course not. Minako had an even deeper more solid reason that Sage and his freckled lab lover were meant to be together. You see, the one fact that has not been previously mentioned about the lovely red-haired seductress is that…
She was deaf. Yes, that does make sense, doesn't it?
The root of the problem was that Minako knew the whole Romeo and Juliet story far too well. There were hundreds of movies and books following that same theme, forbidden love and all that jazz. Minako loved them all. When it came to chick flicks, she was one hardcore chick. And so when this unimpressive redhead became her Sage's lab partner, Minako's brain started working. It would seem so perfect for her Sage to fall for the little Cinderella dressed in rags. The girl's deafness was just icing on the cake. An outcast against her will! What better foundation for a fabulous love story? Epic, totally epic.
Except that if that fabulous, epic love story happened, Minako'd be out of a boyfriend. Not being in nature a stupid girl, Minako was aware that her little fling with Sage wasn't exactly on stable ground, a fact of which she wasn't fond. She liked going out with Sage. One had to admit he was easy on the eyes (that was putting it lightly), but even ignoring his individual advantages, there were perks that encompassed the entire social plane. Everyone was envious. It was too much fun to share in those admiring glances, which were of course deserved.
Minako herself really did admire Sage; it was a hard feeling to avoid. So naturally she was upset when he seemed fated to be unfaithful. And of course, she'd stalked over here now in a righteous tizzy to give him a good dressing down for his wandering eye (even if it hadn't wandered yet) while at the same time trying not to admit her exact reasoning behind it. It did sound a little stupid after all when you said it aloud.
And so now you understand everything. Clear as Waterford crystal. You see what had put Sage's head in his hands, anyway.
But, forget about all that for a second. It was 4:30 and Sage should have escaped this twenty minutes ago. He growled. Where the hell was Ryo?
~~~~
"Sooo…this is some funny stuff, but why's it been on for twenty minutes, guys?" Mia asked and tapped her fingernails against her front teeth, causing a peculiar clacking sound that was starting to wear on Rowen's nerves. His eyebrow started twitching from the combination of the idiocy to be found on the television and that constant "clack, clack, clack".
"Uh, good point. Man, why has it been on for twenty minutes? Ne, Ro?" Kento took another slobbering bite out of his caramel apple.
"…" Rowen said, eyebrow twitching.
"You know," Kento chewed thoughtfully, "that's the second time he's said that."
~~~~
"My god, does it stink in here," Kayura said, lifting one hand to tap her nose. At the movement, the long sleeves of her kimono shifted, flashing an image of white lilies on violet silk. "It really does!" she repeated happily. For some reason Sehkmet could not understand, she was delighted with the idea. Standing uncomfortably in his gray western suit, he wished he had the gall to wear the clothes he was used to, no matter how out of place they would look here. Kayura did not have that problem, obviously. She was quite comfortable in her exceedingly formal kimono, which would have looked out of place even in a Japanese mall. Which was a good point, why weren't they in Japan? Damn Dais to hell. This was probably his fault.
It wasn't the shopping that bothered Sekhmet particularly. He was okay with taking Kayura shopping, really he was, even if there were so many people. He'd been worried and a little nervous beforehand, but that was only natural. He was bringing Kayura to a mall. Since she'd brought up the idea of a trip to the mortal world last week, he'd gotten no peace until he'd agreed to go with her, and he had been in a perpetual state of puzzlement ever since. She was simply not the type for girly pursuits (usually) and one had to shudder when wondering just why she'd been so insistent about coming. True, she'd supposedly been once before. Rumor said it was brief, semi-disastrous, and chaperoned by Kento Rei Fuan of all people.
She obviously hadn't learned much from the experience. Of all the things to wear to a modern department store… Kimonos were not as common even in Japan as they had once been, and Kayura's was a magnificently made thing of elegance that would have turned heads in the Emperor's court. It was beautiful, but did she have to wear it now? Apparently the answer was yes. She'd always been flashy under…Talpa… and it seemed that…Talpa's…death had not affected her as much as it had Sekhmet. The thought irritated him. It was a feeling akin to jealously and he disliked it intensely.
Kayura, of course, seemed unaware of any of his discomfort. Bouncing happily on her toes to see over the crowds, the small woman twisted around trying to look at every part of the big store at once. The roar of the mob was deafening and he barely heard her when she spoke, clutching his arm excitedly.
"Isn't this fantastic?" With a weary sigh, Sehkmet leaned down until his lips were next to her ear and his green hair brushed her face.
"Has it occurred to you recently that I tried time after time to kill you less than a year ago? And that you yourself were trying to kill these people here?" Sehkmet whispered into her ear. "Should you be a little more…subdued in my company and theirs?" Around him, harried shoppers pushed past them, brushing against his arms and shoulders. He hated it. The way they crowded in so close. So many living, breathing things trying to suffocate him. One woman tripped over him and nearly fell. When she also kicked him in the shin, he almost broke something. Her arm. Her leg. Her skull. It was grossly unfair that Kayura, by far the less experienced of the two, was more comfortable than he was.
Kayura laughed at his morbid suggestion and patted his arm reassuringly. Sekhmet straightened and pulled away from her in annoyance. "Of course not! Later maybe, but not now..." she smiled at him. "Or is this infernal stench really you trying to poison me again?" She shook her head disapprovingly. "So many people, Sekhmet…" Kayura's sweeping hand gestured to the crowds surrounding them in the big room, her violet sleeve rustling. "You'd never get away with it," she whispered conspiratorially.
Sekhmet's gaze followed Kayura's sleeve and he inspected the rushing people more closely. If her clothing hadn't had the entire store staring at them, this happy-go-lucky mood would. Didn't the people see how…weird it was? Sekhmet tugged on his tie irritably. Yes, there were several poorly hidden, interested gazes at Kayura's style of dress, but luckily it was just friendly interest; nobody seemed ready to strangle her. Except for himself. Maybe Dais drugged her dinner? But, no that was Sehkmet's forte. Well, it was Dais' fault somehow. He just had to figure out the how.
"It's perfume, Kayura," he told her severely. "It's common in these…types of places." He waved his hand at the crowds much like she had but the only sleeve that rustled was an obnoxious western thing. "And I think you're breathing in too much of it." He noticed a brightly designed sign above one of the clothing racks. "Back to…school… sale?" he thought it said, but his English was horrible. He glanced at his watch. Did things wind down after four o'clock, or would more people be coming? It seemed like the people were beginning to close in on him. His heart began to race and he felt a headache starting. Angrily he ordered himself to calm down.
"It was a joke. I know what perfume is!" she retorted. Then suddenly her excitement deflated and she turned serious. "Today, I am going to relax, Sekhmet," she told him. "Just this one day."
Relax? This was relaxing? The shouts and loud footsteps of the people surrounding him pounded in his ears. There were too many people.
She said nothing more for a few seconds, but Sekhmet did not think she was done, and she wasn't. "It's a vacation. A more modern word, I think. You know all the others; this one is not new?" Her words had that particular very capable and quietly superior Kayura tone. Sekhmet was reminded momentarily why he had wanted her dead not so long ago; he did not like women who made him nervous.
To forget about his uneasiness and growing claustrophobia, he looked disdainfully over the counters and their salesmen. "Here?" he asked with a derisive snort. Abruptly, Kayura's expression broke again into her brilliant, child-like smile. She turned to examine some hideous but very sparkly jewelry in a glass case, and Sehkmet found himself staring at the elaborate flower-like knot of her obi. She surely hadn't tied that without help, but Kayura didn't keep any servants. So who could have helped her? Sehkmet himself had had many; he was the Warlord most lost in his luxuries. But he'd dismissed all of them after his "conversion" so they hadn't tied Kayura's obi. Cale had kept two, but he'd stormed off that night three months ago (and had yet to return) so those were gone and had not tied Kayura's obi either. Sehkmet's eyebrow twitched.
Dais!
He had any number of lackeys, but they were often out on various errands and were demons of the sort that could hardly be considered housemaids. Yet…he did have that one woman who excelled at disguise. Of course, she'd know how tie an obi. Ah. Dais was going to die sometime in the near future. Yes…this was all his fault.
"Yes. Right here! Oh, where are we again, Sekhmet?" Kayura interrupted his thought, batting her eyes at him. Sekhmet stared. At least she hadn't done anything to her hair. It was impressive enough alone; there was just so much of it. He gripped his brown tie until his knuckles turned white. How could she do this? Sehkmet did not like being irritated; in fact, he didn't much like emotions at all anymore. But Kayura was…was…deliberately provoking him. There was no other explanation.
He knew she hated his new brooding tendencies, but it wasn't as if she didn't indulge in it herself. The days under Talpa were not exactly a happy time and the four of them were hardly the victims. They were the aggressors. Did she expect him to revel in it? To be glad? He hardly considered himself a good man, but he would be even less of one if he so blatantly ignored what he'd done.
Then her question penetrated to his distracted brain.
"You don't know?" he finally asked her, dreading the answer. Kayura shook her head gleefully. "But… you made the gate," he insisted. It was so hot in here; his hand reached up to loosen his tie. And it stank. Of sweat and Coco Chanel.
"Oh, but that was random!" Kayura was saying. She took his hand and joyfully pulled him deeper in the store and the people closed in around them. Around him. "If I'm so old fashioned everywhere, what does it matter where among these mortals I should go?" Kayura smiled again, voice sounding oddly lilting and poetic. Only Sekhmet's rather recent habit of an emotionless face (he had been much too…expressive…under Talpa to be able to tolerate similar behavior now with Talpa finally gone) prevented him from yelling in the middle of that crowded human store. He tugged violently on his tie with his free hand and tried to be calm.
Kayura was being…he could not think of the proper word. Surely, if modern men could have all the ridiculous junk that filled this place, they would have a word that fit Kayura now. What was it again? Ah, yes…ditzy, a un- Kayura-like thing. Yet she was being scary also, a known Kayura attribute.
So maybe she was just trying to irritate him. If brooding annoyed her, he should have expected her to do something about it. She was Kayura, wasn't she? And he could just hear Dais mockingly suggest that Kayura shock him out of his pouting, (because Dais would call it pouting, that twisted, self- deluding lout) maybe with a night out on the town. Of course, he could not be certain that that had happened, and to tell the truth, Kayura was unlikely to listen to Dais if he had said something like that. She was unlikely to listen to him if he said anything for that matter. The newest Ancient did not get along well her Warlord of Illusion. It was probably because he did not take to her mothering as well as Sekhmet or Cale.
Well…maybe she'd taken Dais' joking seriously out of spite. Kayura didn't often spite (it was beneath her), but for Dais…anybody would make an exception. Of course, he still didn't actually know that any of that had happened.
But now what was she going to do? It would, despite the ridiculous acting so far, have to be straightforward as Kayura was a straightforward person. Even this obnoxious behavior was rather transparent in its attempt to provoke a response. Hmm, get him roaring drunk maybe? Sekhmet had been roaring drunk before. It was one of the few times he'd been to the mortal world without Talpa's express orders --and not intentionally either. He'd gotten drunk in the castle and woken up in southern France. Odd that.
Just then Kayura poked his ribs and he jumped, an iron-like grip on his tie. They had somehow gotten down to the basement without him noticing. The unknown mystery of the escalator had not daunted Kayura. At least the crowds had thinned out down here. Sekhmet felt himself relax minutely. Then he noticed Kayura. Her smile was bigger and she was looking even more simple-minded.
Oh gods, he thought, she is trying to provoke me out of silence and I've just made it worse by thinking too much. He shuddered at the idea.
If nothing else, this explained what the two of them were doing in London in the middle of Harrods when the two of them together couldn't speak more than a dozen words of English. Add to this his fear of crowds, and Kayura could not have found a better way to discomfort him. Oh sure, Sekhmet knew all about this modern world. He knew the ways the language had changed, the dress, the fashion, and the west. That didn't mean he had to like this disgusting suit though! But he hated crowds. And when he'd chosen which language he wanted to learn, he'd chosen French because it sounded nice. English was so ugly. So by some evil turn of luck with her "random" gate, Kayura had chosen the best place for him to be as completely out of place as she was (and somehow she pulled this off so much better than he did). It just made irritating him so much easier.
Wait a minute…
Damn, she really had this all planned out didn't she?
~~~~
"Uh…Cye?" Ryo hesitantly asked the boy walking in front of him.
"What?" Cye replied irritably, stopping and glancing sharply around, possibly for any stray kiwis he might grab.
"Where's Yulie?" Ryo asked and glanced around also but was worried not annoyed. Stray kiwis don't look much like stray little boys.
Cye stared at Ryo. "Oh bloody-" he said but did not finish his statement.
~~~~
Sage had noticed Minako was staring at him a little while ago. She'd been doing it for about thirty seconds so far, he guessed, assuming she been staring as long as she hadn't been talking. Staring like he'd grown another head. Think quick, Sage; what abnormal things have you done recently? Or Maybe Minako is crazy. He dropped his head back into his hands, and his mind caught up with him.
Wait for a second, please, head in hands? Oh yes, that had been his reaction to Minako's unique logic. He'd growled too hadn't he? Yes, he'd growled at Ryo for being late. For still being late, come to think of it. Remembering this, Sage growled again. Then his mind caught up with him for a second time.
That's right. He had done something abnormal, hadn't he? He'd shown more emotion than your average ice cube. Tsk tsk, how silly of him. Having figured that out…
Sage growled again because it felt good.
~~~~
Cale glared at the contents of the cardboard box on his counter top. Or more correctly, at the contents that were not in his cardboard box. Namely the phone and the numbers of those few people he would like to call. Here he was, living in an apartment in St. Louis, Missouri. Modern St. Louis, Missouri, with millions of average humans who existed to confuse 400 year- old Warlords who were trying to be average too. They and dishwashers were the bane of his existence. His clothes were dirty too, but he couldn't remember how he was supposed to work that infernal machine either. And now that he'd remembered about the phone and calling for help…the damn thing wasn't there!
Cale let out a feral growl and ripped the box in two just to show he could. A dozen or so hardback books spilled out, his birthday present. The only part of his birthday present he'd kept anyway. The rest he'd thrown away, though he should probably have given it to Wildfire to incinerate it. Kayura…that woman should never have been allowed in a mall. More proof that Ronins have the IQ of a flea for taking her there. At least most of these books were in Japanese. Did she expect him to learn Chinese? He picked up a book. Or French? Where was France these days anyway? For that matter, where was St. Louis? It was stupid, stupid of him to be doing this. He threw the French book at the counter. Sekhmet speaks French. I don't know why, but he does. Not me. And I don't even speak much English. What am I doing here?
The book knocked a stack of paper forms onto the floor next to the books. He picked them up and read them again even though he knew what they were. Cale growled again, glaring at one of the blanks. "I don't have a social security number, you blasted thing! Or a visa, I tell you! I have a Warlord of Illusions who owes me a favor. THAT'S why I'm here." Somehow Cale mustered enough self-control not to crumple up the forms and instead put them neatly back on the counter. Then he stalked off his bedroom and began ripping through the clothing Sekhmet had helped him pack, looking for something clean. None of it was. He kicked the suitcase and went to rummage in the closet.
Five minutes later he was sitting cross-legged on the bed dressed in ancient hakama and a grateful dead t-shirt, steadfastly ignoring the world in general and specifically those damned bears marching over his chest.
~~~~
"You taped it? Why?" Mia asked incredulously, leaning towards Rowen as if she wouldn't be able to hear him from where she was.
"Hold on, that takes forethought right?" Kento snickered. "Heh heh, Ro's done research."
"But on what?" Mia turned her head to Kento.
Kento grinned. "Sailor girls."
"Oh? Is that was he does on that computer…I never knew." Mia clacked her fingers against her teeth.
"Wait a minute! WHAT?" Rowen cried, blushing heavily.
Kento choked on his apple again.
~~~~
Great, faded tapestries of vast battles hung against every wall of the room, the colors flickering in the weak candlelight. One tapestry swayed slowly as a tall, white-haired man reached out to touch it. With a pale finger, he traced the embroidered scales of a sleek dragon, its black neck arched gracefully as it engulfed a group of weary samurai in red fire.
A knock sounded at the door and the finger stopped its tracing, its owner turning slowly to the door. "Come in," he said. Glancing back once at the dragon on the cloth, he sat gracefully at the oaken desk in the middle on the room. The door opened, admitting another man who might have been tall if he were not slouched. The new man limped slowly to the desk. His right arm was deformed and short; he held it clutched close to chest and the fingers of the hand, though strangely long and elegant, twitched uselessly, not under his control. He watched the sitting figure closely through the stiff bangs of his dirty gray hair and his fine lips twisted into a sneer. "Should I sit?" he asked, voice thick with amusement.
The man behind the desk smiled and ran his finger over the wood grain of his chair. It was simple and unadorned but finely made of a beautiful red wood. The redwood chair was very comfortable. The man's smile got bigger. It was also the only chair in the room. "Yes," he said. "Sit anywhere you like."
The other man bounced almost franticly from foot to foot. "Ah, ah, ah, now," he said and cackled.
The other man's smile disappeared after a moment. He clasped his hands across his lap and regarded the man with the deformed arm seriously. "Fitz," he said.
Fitz cackled once more, loudly. "Ha ha. You've said it now!"
The man in the chair leaned forward and rapped his hand against the desktop once, loudly. "Fitz," he said again, "I don't have the time today."
Fitz smiled now. "Not the time? Not a problem of mine," he muttered, but his expression turned serious. "Fine, fine." He reached into a pocket on the front of his soiled shirt with his left hand and took out a necklace. It was a pendant, a small square of glass half an inch thick, held by a silver clamp on a thick and tarnished silver chain. He placed it on the desk letting the chain pool into pile over the pendant. His hand moved away for a moment but then moved back to cover the necklace completely, blocking it from the man at the desk.
Perhaps Fitz was worried that the man would take it before Fitz wanted him to, but the white-haired man paid it little attention. Instead he remained leaning towards the desk, watching Fitz, his face wiped clean of expression. Fitz still crouched forward, his good hand covering the necklace. They remained that way for some time until Fitz broke off the eye contact and snarled angrily. "Its immobile. Nobody's leaving the grove, Dais," he said. "You know that." He swayed nervously. "Yes."
Dais smiled though his single eye still watched Fitz cautiously. Suddenly he sat up straighter. "Things can change. Thank you, Fitz," he said. With one hand he reached for the necklace that Fitz's hand still covered. Fitz, noticing the action, jerked his hand backwards as if he would be burned. Dais took the necklace and placed it around his own neck. "A pleasure," Dais murmured absently. Which was Dais' version of "It's been a pleasure" meaning "Good bye right now." Fitz knew Dais speak well. He backed quickly but awkwardly away from the desk and limped out of the room shutting the door carefully behind him.
Sitting at the desk, Dais touched the glass at his neck and turned to smile at the dragon on the wall.
End Chapter 2.
~~~~
A few years ago, I decided to write a fan fiction because I was obsessed with Ronin Warriors. This did not work out well. It was long, it was badly written, it was pointless and unoriginal, and hell, it even had a Mary Sue.
Luckily I have stopped that, and even changed my name so none of you people can ever connect the two of us again (though it is still out there -- somewhere on the world wide web).
Now, some couple of years later, I've --foolishly-- decided to try again. These are the first chapters of said second try. It's an experiment and subject to removal or revision at any time. I'm not objective enough to judge my own work, so I'm putting it to you.
Is this thing worth it?
Melee
Jeni: I hope there is more of a plot and thanks for expressing essentially the same opinion about Sage's character here that I have myself. Unfortunately, I have no idea what to do about it so maybe you will enjoy this anyway. And yes, it is my belief that Kento is smarter than Ryo. I mean, watch the show. Which one is the real idiot?
The grapes and the other more random bits are strange products of my deranged, sleep-deprived mind. Ignore them.
Dawning light: (innocently) What news broadcast? (slightly manic snickering is heard)
Other people: Thanks. Here's chapter 2… Unfortunately the cast of people you've never seen before has gone up by one. (Sorry). Swear to god Sage's lab partner will neither become his one true love nor even make an appearance.