TITLE: Price of Redemption
AUTHOR: Echo the Nymph
DISCLAIMER: Does an American girl look like a Japanese author? I don't think so!
Chapter 5
~f
The Goddess of Hope sighed. "Gemma, we have to do this. Aria will help preserve our kind." She gazed down at her daughter, the Goddess of Life.
"Okasama," she whined, "why? Aria is one of us!" Gemma's young tone showed how much she had yet to grow, that she was not yet mature.
Her mother knelt in front of her, forcing the unusual green eyes to look into her obsidian ones. "She may be, but you know the Elementals are preservers of our kind. Lilith is already there, growing into her role." I can't let her know. Not yet. We send them to the future to preserve our people. Hope is slowly dying from the enslavement we endure. I will not be alive after she becomes mature.
"But Lilith is water. Aria is Fire. I don't want to loose her!" Gemma burst out sobbing.
She placed an arm about her older daughter. "Don't cry, Gemma. You will see your sister again." The Goddess stood up and placed her youngest daughter, wrapped in a fiery red blanket, within the cradle that had been prepared. Gemma took a step back, not wanting to be close to her mother as she performed this spell. "Forces near, and forces far, hear the voice of the one of Hope. Her Goddess calls to you, to preserve the one of Fire. Take her to a place, a time when she will meet the one destined for her. May she know not of who she is until sisters are reunited. I now invoke the rule of three, this is my will, so mote it be!" A brilliant flash of fire-colored light carried the young Goddess away.
f~
Chichi gazed at Gemma in confusion. "What did you call me?"
Gemma sighed. She should've realized that the stipulations her mother placed on the spell would keep the Goddess of Fire from remembering. "I called you Aria. You are the Elemental Goddess of Fire."
Chichi's expression showed that she doubted what she'd been told. The Goddess of Life suppressed a sigh. She approached the other woman and placed her hand on Chichi's forehead. She tried to pull away from the Goddess, then felt a surge of ki flow through her. With that surge came memories that she had thought were dreams; memories of her first parents and a power greater than what she had felt in herself even when she had been an amazon.
Gemma pulled away, looking her sister in the eyes. "Do you understand now?" She inquired. Chichi nodded. The Goddess went on with the message she had been sent to deliver. Her gaze shifted to take in the entire group. "Bardock was right in saying that you don't have much time. Seeking out the Hidden Lands and the descendants of the allies that first fought will not be possible. The allies of the first defenders are long dead and their modern families are ignorant of the powers they hold within. Also, the know not the techniques to get here. Train as though you have never heard of them." Gemma stepped back and vanished into the same green light she'd arrived in.
"Chichi, are you all right?" Goku inquired, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"I'm fine, Goku; only a little dazed." She got to her feet and glanced over at the clock. "If training starts early tomorrow, then we should go to bed." Chichi showed Bardock and Adria to the guest room before retreating to her own, where her mate was waiting for her.
~*~
The light of dawn spilt into the house, waking the warriors within. Chichi woke as the light played across her face, wrapped in Goku's arms. She nudged him, causing him to open his eyes. "Goku, if you want breakfast, then you had better let me go." Her voice was soft. She was not being timid, yet did not want to wake the others prematurely.
One cue, his stomach growled. He chuckled, releasing her. The warrior rose to his feet, shedding the bedding easily. Goku dressed in his gi and brushed his hair. He glanced at his wife once more; seeing the amazon within, the one she'd suppressed after she'd first become a mother. She's ready for the training we have to undergo.
She pulled her hair back into a braid, the sun glinting off its raven-blackness. Somehow she knew that a bun would only slow her down if they pulled her into the match. "Better get your parents. I have a feeling that the boys are already waiting for breakfast. Chichi vanished down the stairs.
Goku shook his head as he walked to the guest room. He knocked on the door, drawing a few sleepy mutters. "Tousan, Kaasan, you knew we had to get up early today." A mischievous glint appeared in his eyes. What worked on him would work on them. "Besides, I don't think you want to miss breakfast." He heard a scramble within, then a dull thump. Bardock let out a few sizzling saiya-go curses before there was a sharp crack. A few minutes later, they met him at their door. His father was rubbing his cheek, where an angry red hand-print showed up against his olive skin.
Once they reached the kitchen, they noticed that breakfast was already on the table. Bardock blinked. He had never expected to meet anyone who could cook so fast.
Chichi laughed at his expression. "Did you expect me to take over two hours to make all of this? I've had plenty of experience trying to keep this bottomless pit that I call Goku fed." She pulled the forementioned warrior to his seat and planted a quick kiss on his cheek. The usual saiya-jin rush for food was followed by the sounds of their high speed eating. It was amazing that they didn't choke themselves more often with the way they ate.
After all had finished, she began to clean up the kitchen. Unknown to her, Goku snuck back into the kitchen. He knew that she would be in there all day if he didn't do something about it. He quickly grabbed her and flung her over his shoulder as he left the house. After flying a good distance away, he set her down and noticed the angry light in her eyes.
"What are you trying to prove?!" She demanded.
Goku chuckled softly. "Relax. Chichi, you need to learn how to use your ki to defend yourself more efficiently. I'd feel better if I knew that you could defend yourself while I'm away." His explanation calmed her down. She knew that he was just stalling, and that she needed the instruction. Now that she remembered her heritage, her ki was restored. The question was; how long would it be before she felt they would need her in the battle?
Goku sat his mate down on the ground and joined her. "Remember how I taught you how to tap into your ki?" At her nod, he continued. "Try again."
Chichi closed her eyes and found her ki flowing through her. She followed it back to its source. "I have it. Now what?"
"Try to coax it out, to between your hands. Like this." He showed her when she opened her eyes. A slight nod came from her as she fell back to the meditation.
Finally, she felt more of her ki flow through her as a warmth built up between her hands. Then, she shot it away from herself, startling her mate. Laughter burst from her like water from a dam. "You should have seen the look on your face!" She chuckled. "That was classic!" Just as quickly, she picked up on flying. As she wasn't a fighting novice, she didn't need much more instruction than that.
Finally, Bardock and Adria found them. It had taken a bit; for they didn't quite understand the ki signals they felt coming from the pair.
Adria noticed the instinctive talent. She's definitely Aria. It was said that the Goddess of Fire would gain abilities to match her power quickly. Her musings were cut short by her own mate. She gave chase, joining in the playful sparring match.
Not all was as it seemed with the people of this world. The more powerful ningen could be related to a powerful race that had once shared the planet with them. Yet, such a possibility was very remote. Those they fought alongside of the ningen, were descended of the First Defenders of Chikyuu and had the same power coursing through their veins. They would protect to their dying breath.
AUTHOR: Echo the Nymph
DISCLAIMER: Does an American girl look like a Japanese author? I don't think so!
Chapter 5
~f
The Goddess of Hope sighed. "Gemma, we have to do this. Aria will help preserve our kind." She gazed down at her daughter, the Goddess of Life.
"Okasama," she whined, "why? Aria is one of us!" Gemma's young tone showed how much she had yet to grow, that she was not yet mature.
Her mother knelt in front of her, forcing the unusual green eyes to look into her obsidian ones. "She may be, but you know the Elementals are preservers of our kind. Lilith is already there, growing into her role." I can't let her know. Not yet. We send them to the future to preserve our people. Hope is slowly dying from the enslavement we endure. I will not be alive after she becomes mature.
"But Lilith is water. Aria is Fire. I don't want to loose her!" Gemma burst out sobbing.
She placed an arm about her older daughter. "Don't cry, Gemma. You will see your sister again." The Goddess stood up and placed her youngest daughter, wrapped in a fiery red blanket, within the cradle that had been prepared. Gemma took a step back, not wanting to be close to her mother as she performed this spell. "Forces near, and forces far, hear the voice of the one of Hope. Her Goddess calls to you, to preserve the one of Fire. Take her to a place, a time when she will meet the one destined for her. May she know not of who she is until sisters are reunited. I now invoke the rule of three, this is my will, so mote it be!" A brilliant flash of fire-colored light carried the young Goddess away.
f~
Chichi gazed at Gemma in confusion. "What did you call me?"
Gemma sighed. She should've realized that the stipulations her mother placed on the spell would keep the Goddess of Fire from remembering. "I called you Aria. You are the Elemental Goddess of Fire."
Chichi's expression showed that she doubted what she'd been told. The Goddess of Life suppressed a sigh. She approached the other woman and placed her hand on Chichi's forehead. She tried to pull away from the Goddess, then felt a surge of ki flow through her. With that surge came memories that she had thought were dreams; memories of her first parents and a power greater than what she had felt in herself even when she had been an amazon.
Gemma pulled away, looking her sister in the eyes. "Do you understand now?" She inquired. Chichi nodded. The Goddess went on with the message she had been sent to deliver. Her gaze shifted to take in the entire group. "Bardock was right in saying that you don't have much time. Seeking out the Hidden Lands and the descendants of the allies that first fought will not be possible. The allies of the first defenders are long dead and their modern families are ignorant of the powers they hold within. Also, the know not the techniques to get here. Train as though you have never heard of them." Gemma stepped back and vanished into the same green light she'd arrived in.
"Chichi, are you all right?" Goku inquired, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"I'm fine, Goku; only a little dazed." She got to her feet and glanced over at the clock. "If training starts early tomorrow, then we should go to bed." Chichi showed Bardock and Adria to the guest room before retreating to her own, where her mate was waiting for her.
~*~
The light of dawn spilt into the house, waking the warriors within. Chichi woke as the light played across her face, wrapped in Goku's arms. She nudged him, causing him to open his eyes. "Goku, if you want breakfast, then you had better let me go." Her voice was soft. She was not being timid, yet did not want to wake the others prematurely.
One cue, his stomach growled. He chuckled, releasing her. The warrior rose to his feet, shedding the bedding easily. Goku dressed in his gi and brushed his hair. He glanced at his wife once more; seeing the amazon within, the one she'd suppressed after she'd first become a mother. She's ready for the training we have to undergo.
She pulled her hair back into a braid, the sun glinting off its raven-blackness. Somehow she knew that a bun would only slow her down if they pulled her into the match. "Better get your parents. I have a feeling that the boys are already waiting for breakfast. Chichi vanished down the stairs.
Goku shook his head as he walked to the guest room. He knocked on the door, drawing a few sleepy mutters. "Tousan, Kaasan, you knew we had to get up early today." A mischievous glint appeared in his eyes. What worked on him would work on them. "Besides, I don't think you want to miss breakfast." He heard a scramble within, then a dull thump. Bardock let out a few sizzling saiya-go curses before there was a sharp crack. A few minutes later, they met him at their door. His father was rubbing his cheek, where an angry red hand-print showed up against his olive skin.
Once they reached the kitchen, they noticed that breakfast was already on the table. Bardock blinked. He had never expected to meet anyone who could cook so fast.
Chichi laughed at his expression. "Did you expect me to take over two hours to make all of this? I've had plenty of experience trying to keep this bottomless pit that I call Goku fed." She pulled the forementioned warrior to his seat and planted a quick kiss on his cheek. The usual saiya-jin rush for food was followed by the sounds of their high speed eating. It was amazing that they didn't choke themselves more often with the way they ate.
After all had finished, she began to clean up the kitchen. Unknown to her, Goku snuck back into the kitchen. He knew that she would be in there all day if he didn't do something about it. He quickly grabbed her and flung her over his shoulder as he left the house. After flying a good distance away, he set her down and noticed the angry light in her eyes.
"What are you trying to prove?!" She demanded.
Goku chuckled softly. "Relax. Chichi, you need to learn how to use your ki to defend yourself more efficiently. I'd feel better if I knew that you could defend yourself while I'm away." His explanation calmed her down. She knew that he was just stalling, and that she needed the instruction. Now that she remembered her heritage, her ki was restored. The question was; how long would it be before she felt they would need her in the battle?
Goku sat his mate down on the ground and joined her. "Remember how I taught you how to tap into your ki?" At her nod, he continued. "Try again."
Chichi closed her eyes and found her ki flowing through her. She followed it back to its source. "I have it. Now what?"
"Try to coax it out, to between your hands. Like this." He showed her when she opened her eyes. A slight nod came from her as she fell back to the meditation.
Finally, she felt more of her ki flow through her as a warmth built up between her hands. Then, she shot it away from herself, startling her mate. Laughter burst from her like water from a dam. "You should have seen the look on your face!" She chuckled. "That was classic!" Just as quickly, she picked up on flying. As she wasn't a fighting novice, she didn't need much more instruction than that.
Finally, Bardock and Adria found them. It had taken a bit; for they didn't quite understand the ki signals they felt coming from the pair.
Adria noticed the instinctive talent. She's definitely Aria. It was said that the Goddess of Fire would gain abilities to match her power quickly. Her musings were cut short by her own mate. She gave chase, joining in the playful sparring match.
Not all was as it seemed with the people of this world. The more powerful ningen could be related to a powerful race that had once shared the planet with them. Yet, such a possibility was very remote. Those they fought alongside of the ningen, were descended of the First Defenders of Chikyuu and had the same power coursing through their veins. They would protect to their dying breath.