The Wheels of Time
Rei took a deep breath and let it out very slowly, allowing her body to relax in the process. She closed her eyes and allowed her brain to sink into the oblivious state of unawareness as she slowly began channeling her inner power.
She could feel the outside world buzzing with its chaotic noises as members of all races began their morning routines. Humans working tiredly for their measly meal crumbs, and vampires taking it all away with a malicious smirk. In terms of society, absolutely nothing had changed at all during the past three insignificant years.
"Rei, breakfast's ready!" yelled a strong feminine voice. The clattering of metal dishes and soft conversing voices could be heard in the background. Rei snapped out of her morning meditation. No sense in training with an empty stomach. Society may not have changed, but she certainly adjusted from her old brooding antisocial self.
"Coming Makoto!" she replied as she quickly scrambled to her feet on the wooden floorboards. With a fast dash, she crossed the couple miles standing between her and the delicious food cooked by one of her best friends.
"Well, someone must be hungry" commented Makoto as she observed Rei grabbing for the chair and sitting down with an abrupt plop in front of her dish, waiting to be served with a bright smile.
"Yum, this smells delicious Makoto!" she exclaimed with pleasure.
"Flattery will get you nowhere Rei," warned the blue haired girl beside her while reading the morning newspaper. Ami could feel the raven-haired girl sticking out her tongue in response.
"Well, I'm glad you like it Rei" replied Makoto with a laugh as she came over to the old stained wooden table with a pan and spatula to pile the pancakes of delight on top of each girl's dish. "Did Osha say he was coming?"
"No, he had to cancel. He found a new band of orphans early this morning and needs to see to their arrangements." Answered Ami as she took a sip of her coffee.
"Oh... well, I made extra then." Makoto stated as she put the remaining pancakes on a plate.
"I'll take them!" called Rei quickly with her mouth stuffed full of her own share.
"I'm not surprised." Laughed Makoto as she began to pour thick syrup on her share. "So how's your training going Rei?"
"Its fine." She replied while attempting desperately to swallow her mouth full. "Setsuna is really wise in ancient magic, and Haruka and Michiru are really helpful as well."
"Well I'm glad to hear" stated Ami. "But don't let them pressure you into what you don't want to do Rei." Makoto nodded in agreement. Despite the two parties mutual wish for Rei's well being, her two best friends as well as new found family could not help but distrust the ancient priestess and her two guardians. After all, they were always cold and indifferent, never showing any sign of emotion on their beautifully crafted faces. As if they were all in on a deep secret the rest of humanity wasn't allowed to be told.
"Relax guys!" assured Rei as he finally swallowed down all her food. "Ever since I started my apprenticeship with Setsuna, they did nothing but train me. They never pressured me into anything. Setsuna was always cautious to not let me feel that I'm obliged to do anything."
"And it better dam well stay that way" murmured Makoto as she took a fork full of her pancakes. "If they start to pressure you in any sort of way Rei, you come immediately to me or Ami. We'll put them in their place."
Rei smiled at her best friend's over protectiveness. Makoto, always the one eager for a fight. Thank god Ami was always there to hold her back before things got too out of hand.
"Don't worry Makoto, I will. You can stop treating me like a child. After all, I'm only two years younger than you two."
"But a lot less in knowledge of these things." Ami interjected. "Rei, they're not human. They're like...ancient forms that have inhabited human bodies. You can never trust them too closely. Rei, Makoto and I have grown up on the streets. We know that giving someone skeptical your trust is like giving a knife for them to stab you in the back."
"Not every one is like those criminals on the streets Ami" Rei sighed with exasperation. After living for three full years with her two best friends, she has come to know a lot of aspects about Makoto and Ami, For one, they're both VERY paranoid.
"Everyone's a criminal in one way or another" Makoto replied "It's the degree of seriousness that separates us. Or our cunning ways to hide it."
"Guys, you are seriously beginning to creep me out" declared Rei. "Besides, I'll know when someone's plotting something against me. Don't worry so much you guys."
"We're just looking out for you" Ami sighed as she looked up from her morning news. "You never know what kind of dangers lurk in the shadows where you least suspect."
"Oh brother" groaned Rei with the roll of her eyes.
"Anyways, any news of Omega?" questioned Makoto as she took a gulp of her month old orange juice. Certainly a bargain rare to come by these days with such a fresh date.
"No, haven't seen her since last year." Informed Rei as she began devouring the rest of her food.
"Now, you can't tell us not to tell you to watch out for HER" emphasized Ami. "She's definitely out to use you."
"I know, but she pretty much left me alone to my training since she found out that I can't give her what she wants without it. She just comes by to check that I'm still alive once in a while."
"You know, after three years, I still don't quite get what she wants" Makoto contemplated. "What the hell is "the key"?"
"Don't know, don't care" Rei replied. "Just as long as she leaves me alone, she can believe I have the freaking secret of life."
"Has Setsuna told you anything about it?" questioned Ami with concern edged in her eyes. Her training has to terminate sometime in the future, so what then when the deadly battle goddess comes after her?
"No" answered Rei with a shrug. "And when I tried to ask any of them, they all refused to answer."
"Great teachers" mumbled Makoto in sarcasm.
"Hey guys, give them a break" sighed Rei, "I'm sure they'll tell me when they feel the time's right."
"Which should be now." Added Mokoto. "Which reminds me, I have to go to work." Finishing her last bites, Makoto got up from her seat and began to clear the now empty dishes, with Rei's previously holding two shares.
"Don't you have to go to work too Ami?" asked Makoto. The composed woman nodded her head.
"Not till later. " She answered without glancing up from the printed page. "I'm getting a ride from Omi."
"Oh great, HE'S gonna be here." Groaned Makoto.
"You two should really try to get along" stated Ami. "I'm sure that your first meeting was a mutual misunderstanding that both of you are too childish to get past."
"He pushed me onto the street in front of all those cars just so he could get the last piece of cake on the stand. What's to misunderstand? The guy's a jerk!" concluded Makoto.
"Well, if you get to know him better, you'll find out that he's actually a really sweet and caring guy." Defend Ami. "Right Rei?"
"Yeah, he's nice." Agreed Rei as she helped to pile the dishes into the rusty sink.
"Whatever" mumbled Makoto to end the conversation, knowing she stood no chance of winning with Ami's consistency. That's the way it has been all their life.
"Bye guys, I'm going to get ready." Called back Rei as she dried her hand with a towel. "Haruka and Michiru should be here any minu-"
But before she could finish, a soft knocking noise could be heard from the hallway.
"Right on time." Observed Makoto. "As always."
*~*
The golden haired beauty took another sip of her fresh made coffee as her annoyance rose higher and higher to the brink of breaking. She could very well hear the whispering of the low class vampires within the little bakery shop.
"Is she a vampire?"
"She must be. But where are her fangs? Her blood teeth?"
"She MUST be a pureblood. An aristocrat at that. She is far too beautiful to be of that meek human race."
"But what is an aristocratic vampire doing at a store like this? Shouldn't she be at some extravagant all star restaurant sipping Champaign blood? I'm sure someone like her isn't lacking companions."
"I'm going to approach her. Who ever let that piece of ass get away is far too stupid to deserve to live."
With this last comment, a tall and bulky vampire began to approach the golden beauty sitting in solace. She narrowed her eyes in irritation as the big idiotic vampire began with a smile to show his large fangs.
'Must be some sort of point of pride for them' she contemplated with a frown. 'How pathetically amusing.'
"Excuse me beautiful, but I couldn't notice with my buddies back there how it's SUCH a big crime for you to be sitting alone. Mind if I join you?"
Her intensified glare of irritation was his only answer, but the poor vampire didn't lose hope.
"Is this seat beside you taken?" he asked politely, indicating to the seat opposite her small round table beside the window.
"Why as a matter of fact, it is" answered a smooth velvet voice behind him. Abruptly, the bulky vampire turned around to greet the owner of the commanding voice. And he was not disappointed.
Before him, stood The White Prince, one of the most powerful vampires in existence. Suddenly, the room dropped into silence as all stared at the newly teleported arrival with a startled awe. However, the golden beauty gave him a nod in greeting as he casually pulled out the chair opposite her and made himself look right at home.
The owner of the shop was first to adjust as he quickly scrambled from behind the counter to serve The White Royal and the beauty he's been staring lustfully at for the past half-hour.
"Is there ANTYHING, your magnificent royal majesty would like, humble Dimo would be happy to serve" he greeted the prince with a large smile, giving full view of his fangs. He bowed down deeply till his head almost toughed his ankles, eager to please.
"No you may leave" dismissed Diamond without a thought, giving no room for argument. He was quite used to lowly servants bowing before his feet, vampires and humans alike. The owner, not wishing to offend the great prince in any way, immediately left, but only after a backward glace to be assured of his comfort.
The rest of the room soon adjusted, and the previously tough bulky vampire with the room. There was no way he was going to fight a vampire of such power, no matter how beautiful the woman. There was one lesson he learned from living on the streets, and it is, don't mess with someone you can't beat. With a revered bow to him and the lady, he left to join his buddies and the rest in staring at the table with the two magnificent creatures.
"What bring you here your majesty?" asked the beauty in a nonchalant tone.
"Come now my dear, I would think that we have known each other for long enough to be on a first name basis." Diamond smoothly replied.
"Very well, how are you Diamond?" she corrected herself.
"Quite well, thank you. And you Mega?" She nodded in response, the shortening of her meaningful name not bothering her the slightest bit. She has gotten used to The White Prince's casual call of her nickname. Over the years, a strange sort of admiration and respect of him has come to implant itself within her mind.
"Let me guess, new mission?" she asked with another sip of her coffee.
Diamond eyed the cup with interest before reaching out with a pale hand and taking the cup from her grasp. He began to swirl it around like once of his old branded red wines.
"Never understood why humans like coffee. The taste is rather bitter and the smell nauseating. You really must try wine my dear." Omega arched a golden eyebrow in response.
"Thanks for your sudden interest" she replied with little sincerity. "Now why don't you tell me what really brings you here, it can't be to lecture me on the bad taste of coffee."
"Can't I come to enjoy the company of my top soldier?" Diamond answered with a seductive grin.
"I'm sure there are plenty of women dying for the chance to be within your "royal presence" Diamond" countered Omega. "Is it perhaps another mission for me that drives you here?"
"No, my dear, just came by to congratulate you on a successful three year alliance. Today is the anniversary." He informed as he swirled the dark brown liquid around the rim.
"You keep track?" Omega asked with an amused grin. "Didn't know you were the kind of man that gave a dam about his soldiers."
"Oh but my dear Mega, for you, anything." Replied Diamond. "There shall be a ball in my palace tonight celebrating our successful union. You are the guest of honor. It is formal, so if you should need a formal dress, don't' hesitate to ask Emerald or one of my other women to get you one. They were ordered to find you the best one there is."
"I don't think that your mistresses' would be too eager to help me to steal further of your attention from them." Omega replied, trying to think of a way to get out of attending the function. Damit, she hated them with a passion, the way pathetic nobles circled around for potential prey or a way to climb higher in the eyes of their prince.
"Nonsense my dear, they are privileged to help you. Just make sure to be at my palace tonight." And with those last words, The White Prince teleported out of the little shabby shop in a flash of light. His last words gave no room for argument, something Omega had come to realize through the past three years of working for him.
With a last sigh, the beauty stood up and dropped a few hundred-dollar bills on the table, once again highly overpaying. But to obtain those measly amounts charged, she would have to go get change, and it was just something about dirty small value money she detested. She preferred them new and unused.
The stout shop owner once again scrambled out from behind his counter to wish well the leaving guest. The once worthy beauty was greatly enhanced in his eyes by the appearance of The White Prince to boast her more. All eyes on the room were on her, but she paid them no heed upon pushing the glass paneled door to the night air, barely acknowledging the stuttering owner at his attempt to wish her a pleasant trip back home.
It was no doubt the shop owner and all the current inhabitants will be bragging about the appearance of a golden beauty and The White Prince for decades to come. The shop itself will enhance in value the very night.
Omega looked up at the dark cloudy night with the moon barely shining through the gray clouds.
'Three years already' she contemplated to herself as she jumped gracefully to a rooftop with the help of a wall. 'For three years I have wondered through this pathetic world, and yet no progress.' Her thoughts turned back to her early alliance with Diamond, and all the events taking place afterwards.
The meeting with the ancient priestess of Rieles. Her prophecy.
Flashback
"You shall be destined to end the dark reign of the vampires, or you shall be destined to enhance their powerful hold on other races. The key is not what's important, it was only created to guide you. The ultimate weapon will come from within yourself."
"I don't give a dam about the vampire reign priestess. All I want is the key. Once I have it, all of you shall be left unharmed. I give a fair warning now." She could feel the tensing of muscles from the young blond guarding the priestess.
"Very well, but the Hino priestess shall not be able to extract it from her soul without proper training. The key will only come into existence once she has learned to harness her full powers."
"Then train her."
"I need time. To harness her full power, she needs to be in tact with her inner self. And no mastery of thyself comes so fast."
"How long?"
"Five years or nothing." She left no room for a bargain.
"Very well, I shall wait till then."
End of Flashback.
'Well another year gone' Omega sighed. 'Three down, two to go. Time to pay the little Hino another visit.'
*~*
It was official. The Great White Prince had become obsessed with a woman.
"Out of all the women you could've had, you had to fall for the one whom you can't:" The White Royal reprimanded himself in silence as he sat on his marble throne while twirling a glass of red blood wine. If someone had told him that he was to fall for any woman only three measly years ago, he would have laughed at the person, then killed them for ever conjuring up such a ridiculous notion. But all sense of logic soon escaped Diamond's senses when he met her.
Omega..she was indeed a beautiful fallen angel wrapped in mystery. After three years, Diamond still didn't know anything of her past. Even yet, she chooses to stick by the name Omega, making all her contact with others cold and impersonal.
Yet she was brilliant. With her new alliance, many new battle tactics have been brought forth by her casual attendance during military meetings. Her strategies were fast, efficient, and more to the point, ruthless. She did not harbor the usual emotion of guilt and remorse that poisoned the heart of most females. She was a creature ruled by logic rather than emotions. And that's what made her so dangerous.
One would wonder how anyone could fall in love with a creature that seems to know no love. But she was a creature with an appearance that demanded love, no matter how relentless her heart may be. What started out as a lust and admiration on Diamonds part, soon turned into love and obsession.
"Thinking about her I presume again" spoke a young raven-haired lord from the dark corner. Diamond glanced up to see his little brother leaning against the wall. Saffire, the only vampire under his reign daring to defy him. And he allowed it, but only him. But his exception now also included a certain other alluring creature.
"What do you want Saffire?" Diamond asked in irritation.
"News of King Endymion's forces have been just brought back. Due to our last assault, the high king himself had decided to take the matter more seriously. Apparently, he was quite impressed by our last battle technique and wishes for us to form an alliance."
"Out of the question!" Diamond yelled in anger. "He shall not use us like some new pathetic human who shows a superlative skill! We shall fight and we shall defeat him!"
"I highly suggest you think about this brother." Saffire warned. "With this new alliance, we can study the king's technique more closely and determine he's week points to use to our future advantage."
"Poor naïve Saffire." Diamond spoke as he shook his head in amusement at his brother's uncharacteristic lack of wits. "Do you not think that Endymion would be doing the exact same thing. Remember that we have more secrets to lose than him. He may know that we obtain our power from the Black Poison Crystal, but he does not yet know of our new soldier."
"Omega." Saffire acknowledged without a thought. "The woman you can't seem to get out of your mind. Perhaps she is causing more trouble that you think. You cannot let your desire of her overrule your judgment. She is a ruthless killing machine and that's the way she should maintain to our maximum advantage."
"Come now Saffire" Diamond coaxed, "You cannot tell me that you do not lust for her." Saffire nodded in confirmation, there was no use denying.
"Remember Diamond, her beauty is designed to attract the lust of men and weaken them. It is a great weapon if used properly, but it is an even greater danger that could lead to the user's demise. She is the perfect soldier. Without emotion and without a past."
"That could be changed" Diamond assured with a malicious grin. "After all, no creature is without emotion. Her barrier shall break down overtime. After all, I always get what I want, one way or another."
"But this time you may want to much brother" Saffire warned.
"And it shall be obtained" was The White Royal's determined reply.
*~*
Rei stepped out of the warm vehicle into the cool night air. She could smell a distant bon fire and the cooking of some measly human meal.
"The lights are off."
"Huh?" Rei asked in stupor, snapping out of her detachment.
"The lights are off at your apartment." Repeated Haruka as she shut the vehicle door upon climbing out the driver's seat. "No one must be home."
"Yes, I think both Makoto and Ami are working the late shift today. They'll be back at around midnight for sure." Rei answered without a thought as she too glanced up at the pitch black apartment windows.
"We'll stay with you until they get back" stated Haruka in response, leaving no room for argument. Rei nodded in acceptance. Over the last three years, she has come to realize that you could never win an argument against Haruka, mainly because she just doesn't listen.
The young blonde's decision was approved with a nod from her aqua haired companion. And thus Rei found herself in an elevator with two intimidating silent guardians.
Upon reaching the 5th floor, Rei quickly fumbled for the key in her pocked and unlocked the door to the dark cozy apartment. It was considered rather prestigious for a human to be able to live in an apartment. As labeled by society, most of them belonged in a gutter.
"Would you two like something to drink?" Rei asked as she held the door while the two guardians walked in.
"No thank you, we're fine." Answered Michiru as she looked around the apartment suspiciously. Something didn't feel quite right tonight.
"All right then, I'll be right back you two, I just need to quickly go and change" called Rei as she shut the door behind them and ran to her room.
"Do you feel it?" Michiru asked her partner as she continued to gaze around the room.
"You feel it too?" Haruka murmured.
"Yes, something is stirring the stillness around us."
"What could it be?" The two continued to look throughout the tiny two- bedroom apartment, oblivious to the pair of piercing cerulean blue eyes regarding them with amusement.
"I see we're losing our touch" spoke a melodious voice from the silent darkness. "Would be quite a shame if I were here to kill you."
"Who's there!" yelled Haruka as she frantically searched around the dark corners of the room. "Show yourself!"
And out stepped the fallen angel clad in black from the corner by the balcony. Her usual demeanor of self-confidence multiplied from their previous encounter three years back.
"What do you want?" asked Haruka in her cold hostile tone. She will never quite trust the haunting beautiful woman in front of her. No one that beautiful could possibly be human. And if she was not human nor any of the known creatures in society, then what the hell was she?
"Why I'm hurt at the lack of welcome" Omega feigned. "And here I thought we were friends."
"What do you want?" repeated Haruka, not yielding her hard stance in front of the dark figure.
"Just here to check up on my favorite little priestess." Answered Omega nonchalantly as she casually walked across the pathetically small living room and sat herself comfortably in one of the chairs in the kitchen. "You?"
Haruka growled with rage as she got ready to attack the intruder, even if it meant forfeiting her own life. But one blocking hand from her aqua haired partner caused her to think twice about her impulsive behavior.
"Rachel is doing fine." Answered Michiru. "She is-" But before she could go on any further, the young priestess herself showed up at the kitchen door. The large smile quickly dropped from her face as a new look of utter shock replaced all her features at the sight of the night angel dining casually with her two overprotective guardians. Haruka was especially looking hostile towards the visitor.
"O-Omega, what brings you here again?" Rei tried to break the uncomfortable silence.
"Again, you mean she was here before?" cried out Haruka with both anger and incredibility. "How did she know you moved here?"
"I have my sources." Replied Omega. To not know where the little priestess had moved to after the little incident three years back would be a great failure on her part. And moving within the same city just made it all too terribly easy for Omega to track her down again, not that she could have moved out of the city. Humans were not allowed to travel.
"Well.can I get anything to drink for you?" asked Rei in a desperate effort to stop the uncomfortable silent tension from returning. This earned her glare from Haruka.
"No thank you. I don't think your companion over there feels comfortable around me and I must be going anyway." Stated Omega as she pushed back and got up from the old chair in one fluidly graceful movement that Rei had previously thought to be impossible to achieve. "See you next year little priestess. Be good."
And with her last words, the dark clad figure possessing the beauty of an angel walked out onto the balcony and jumped off into the night, the thick blanked of enigma following her departure.
"Next year?" asked Haruka in her still evident rage. "This has been happening every year and you never told us about it?" Rei looked back with a sheepish smile.
"There was nothing to tell."
*~*
"It is confirmed that the White Prince will be throwing a ball tonight." Reported a dark clad figure while bowing deeply to the silver haired lord in front of him.
"Very well, you're dismissed for now." Answered the lord regally without sparring the underling on the floor with another glance. The dark creature quickly scuttled away. No matter how much skill the werewolf possessed, he is beyond fortune to find work for such a powerful vampire lord.
As the double metal doors gently shut within the large magnificent hall, the silver haired lord smirked at the thought of impending blood.
"So I suppose this goes beyond cooperation to our stratagem Malachite?" spoke a rich voice as a blonde figure stepped out of the shadows within the dark hall. He was followed by two more figures with equal smirks of satisfaction.
"But of course Jedite. This goes beyond cooperation indeed." The silver haired leader of the group replied. "Tonight we strike and end a power struggle that has carried out for the past century. Tonight we shall crush The White Prince once and for all."
"He has been a rather annoying little thorn greatly tolerated by our King up to now" agreed another voice. "He was even foolish enough not to accept our alliance. The stars are in our favor to end his miserable power hunt."
"It is not the signs of the stars that condemns his certain doom Nephlyte." Stated Malachite. "It is his own foolishness at challenging our King's authority."
"Although eliminating him should be easy, I worry about his new top soldier that he has taken such measures to conceal from us" spoke the last and final voice of the group. "I have heard some rather fascinating things about this new soldier. Ever since his appearance, The White Prince has been in an irritating winning streak as we all know."
"Already taken care of Zoicite." Malachite replied with a knowing smirk. "It is known that The White Prince had only found this new soldier three years ago. This means that his loyalty can yet easily be broken to his prince. When he sees what power he can have the chance of serving, he will abandon his fallen empire to join a much more powerful one without a second thought."
"Can he be trusted?" Zoicite pondered out loud.
"We'll see." Answered Malachite with a malicious grin. "After all, any who dare to betray our King are instantly put through brutal deaths. He is rather quite creative in his torture techniques.
Tonight is the night we once again bring glory to our King and show the world that all who dare to challenge his power shall perish. His majesty has left the task of eliminating all opposition to us, and we, as his generals, shall follow the example he has set before us during his gathering of power. Show no mercy and spare no one. Only the white prince himself shall be brought back to our King to be dealt with personally.
Zoicite and Nephlyte, you two are assigned to steal the Black Poison Crystal at all costs. That is the source of his power. Jedite, you are assigned to cover his new "invincible" top soldier. I will personally take care of The White Prince. All our strategies are set in motion now and the ships are ready for transport. All we await now is for the final hour to come.
And King Endymion will be pleased with the results."
Rei took a deep breath and let it out very slowly, allowing her body to relax in the process. She closed her eyes and allowed her brain to sink into the oblivious state of unawareness as she slowly began channeling her inner power.
She could feel the outside world buzzing with its chaotic noises as members of all races began their morning routines. Humans working tiredly for their measly meal crumbs, and vampires taking it all away with a malicious smirk. In terms of society, absolutely nothing had changed at all during the past three insignificant years.
"Rei, breakfast's ready!" yelled a strong feminine voice. The clattering of metal dishes and soft conversing voices could be heard in the background. Rei snapped out of her morning meditation. No sense in training with an empty stomach. Society may not have changed, but she certainly adjusted from her old brooding antisocial self.
"Coming Makoto!" she replied as she quickly scrambled to her feet on the wooden floorboards. With a fast dash, she crossed the couple miles standing between her and the delicious food cooked by one of her best friends.
"Well, someone must be hungry" commented Makoto as she observed Rei grabbing for the chair and sitting down with an abrupt plop in front of her dish, waiting to be served with a bright smile.
"Yum, this smells delicious Makoto!" she exclaimed with pleasure.
"Flattery will get you nowhere Rei," warned the blue haired girl beside her while reading the morning newspaper. Ami could feel the raven-haired girl sticking out her tongue in response.
"Well, I'm glad you like it Rei" replied Makoto with a laugh as she came over to the old stained wooden table with a pan and spatula to pile the pancakes of delight on top of each girl's dish. "Did Osha say he was coming?"
"No, he had to cancel. He found a new band of orphans early this morning and needs to see to their arrangements." Answered Ami as she took a sip of her coffee.
"Oh... well, I made extra then." Makoto stated as she put the remaining pancakes on a plate.
"I'll take them!" called Rei quickly with her mouth stuffed full of her own share.
"I'm not surprised." Laughed Makoto as she began to pour thick syrup on her share. "So how's your training going Rei?"
"Its fine." She replied while attempting desperately to swallow her mouth full. "Setsuna is really wise in ancient magic, and Haruka and Michiru are really helpful as well."
"Well I'm glad to hear" stated Ami. "But don't let them pressure you into what you don't want to do Rei." Makoto nodded in agreement. Despite the two parties mutual wish for Rei's well being, her two best friends as well as new found family could not help but distrust the ancient priestess and her two guardians. After all, they were always cold and indifferent, never showing any sign of emotion on their beautifully crafted faces. As if they were all in on a deep secret the rest of humanity wasn't allowed to be told.
"Relax guys!" assured Rei as he finally swallowed down all her food. "Ever since I started my apprenticeship with Setsuna, they did nothing but train me. They never pressured me into anything. Setsuna was always cautious to not let me feel that I'm obliged to do anything."
"And it better dam well stay that way" murmured Makoto as she took a fork full of her pancakes. "If they start to pressure you in any sort of way Rei, you come immediately to me or Ami. We'll put them in their place."
Rei smiled at her best friend's over protectiveness. Makoto, always the one eager for a fight. Thank god Ami was always there to hold her back before things got too out of hand.
"Don't worry Makoto, I will. You can stop treating me like a child. After all, I'm only two years younger than you two."
"But a lot less in knowledge of these things." Ami interjected. "Rei, they're not human. They're like...ancient forms that have inhabited human bodies. You can never trust them too closely. Rei, Makoto and I have grown up on the streets. We know that giving someone skeptical your trust is like giving a knife for them to stab you in the back."
"Not every one is like those criminals on the streets Ami" Rei sighed with exasperation. After living for three full years with her two best friends, she has come to know a lot of aspects about Makoto and Ami, For one, they're both VERY paranoid.
"Everyone's a criminal in one way or another" Makoto replied "It's the degree of seriousness that separates us. Or our cunning ways to hide it."
"Guys, you are seriously beginning to creep me out" declared Rei. "Besides, I'll know when someone's plotting something against me. Don't worry so much you guys."
"We're just looking out for you" Ami sighed as she looked up from her morning news. "You never know what kind of dangers lurk in the shadows where you least suspect."
"Oh brother" groaned Rei with the roll of her eyes.
"Anyways, any news of Omega?" questioned Makoto as she took a gulp of her month old orange juice. Certainly a bargain rare to come by these days with such a fresh date.
"No, haven't seen her since last year." Informed Rei as she began devouring the rest of her food.
"Now, you can't tell us not to tell you to watch out for HER" emphasized Ami. "She's definitely out to use you."
"I know, but she pretty much left me alone to my training since she found out that I can't give her what she wants without it. She just comes by to check that I'm still alive once in a while."
"You know, after three years, I still don't quite get what she wants" Makoto contemplated. "What the hell is "the key"?"
"Don't know, don't care" Rei replied. "Just as long as she leaves me alone, she can believe I have the freaking secret of life."
"Has Setsuna told you anything about it?" questioned Ami with concern edged in her eyes. Her training has to terminate sometime in the future, so what then when the deadly battle goddess comes after her?
"No" answered Rei with a shrug. "And when I tried to ask any of them, they all refused to answer."
"Great teachers" mumbled Makoto in sarcasm.
"Hey guys, give them a break" sighed Rei, "I'm sure they'll tell me when they feel the time's right."
"Which should be now." Added Mokoto. "Which reminds me, I have to go to work." Finishing her last bites, Makoto got up from her seat and began to clear the now empty dishes, with Rei's previously holding two shares.
"Don't you have to go to work too Ami?" asked Makoto. The composed woman nodded her head.
"Not till later. " She answered without glancing up from the printed page. "I'm getting a ride from Omi."
"Oh great, HE'S gonna be here." Groaned Makoto.
"You two should really try to get along" stated Ami. "I'm sure that your first meeting was a mutual misunderstanding that both of you are too childish to get past."
"He pushed me onto the street in front of all those cars just so he could get the last piece of cake on the stand. What's to misunderstand? The guy's a jerk!" concluded Makoto.
"Well, if you get to know him better, you'll find out that he's actually a really sweet and caring guy." Defend Ami. "Right Rei?"
"Yeah, he's nice." Agreed Rei as she helped to pile the dishes into the rusty sink.
"Whatever" mumbled Makoto to end the conversation, knowing she stood no chance of winning with Ami's consistency. That's the way it has been all their life.
"Bye guys, I'm going to get ready." Called back Rei as she dried her hand with a towel. "Haruka and Michiru should be here any minu-"
But before she could finish, a soft knocking noise could be heard from the hallway.
"Right on time." Observed Makoto. "As always."
*~*
The golden haired beauty took another sip of her fresh made coffee as her annoyance rose higher and higher to the brink of breaking. She could very well hear the whispering of the low class vampires within the little bakery shop.
"Is she a vampire?"
"She must be. But where are her fangs? Her blood teeth?"
"She MUST be a pureblood. An aristocrat at that. She is far too beautiful to be of that meek human race."
"But what is an aristocratic vampire doing at a store like this? Shouldn't she be at some extravagant all star restaurant sipping Champaign blood? I'm sure someone like her isn't lacking companions."
"I'm going to approach her. Who ever let that piece of ass get away is far too stupid to deserve to live."
With this last comment, a tall and bulky vampire began to approach the golden beauty sitting in solace. She narrowed her eyes in irritation as the big idiotic vampire began with a smile to show his large fangs.
'Must be some sort of point of pride for them' she contemplated with a frown. 'How pathetically amusing.'
"Excuse me beautiful, but I couldn't notice with my buddies back there how it's SUCH a big crime for you to be sitting alone. Mind if I join you?"
Her intensified glare of irritation was his only answer, but the poor vampire didn't lose hope.
"Is this seat beside you taken?" he asked politely, indicating to the seat opposite her small round table beside the window.
"Why as a matter of fact, it is" answered a smooth velvet voice behind him. Abruptly, the bulky vampire turned around to greet the owner of the commanding voice. And he was not disappointed.
Before him, stood The White Prince, one of the most powerful vampires in existence. Suddenly, the room dropped into silence as all stared at the newly teleported arrival with a startled awe. However, the golden beauty gave him a nod in greeting as he casually pulled out the chair opposite her and made himself look right at home.
The owner of the shop was first to adjust as he quickly scrambled from behind the counter to serve The White Royal and the beauty he's been staring lustfully at for the past half-hour.
"Is there ANTYHING, your magnificent royal majesty would like, humble Dimo would be happy to serve" he greeted the prince with a large smile, giving full view of his fangs. He bowed down deeply till his head almost toughed his ankles, eager to please.
"No you may leave" dismissed Diamond without a thought, giving no room for argument. He was quite used to lowly servants bowing before his feet, vampires and humans alike. The owner, not wishing to offend the great prince in any way, immediately left, but only after a backward glace to be assured of his comfort.
The rest of the room soon adjusted, and the previously tough bulky vampire with the room. There was no way he was going to fight a vampire of such power, no matter how beautiful the woman. There was one lesson he learned from living on the streets, and it is, don't mess with someone you can't beat. With a revered bow to him and the lady, he left to join his buddies and the rest in staring at the table with the two magnificent creatures.
"What bring you here your majesty?" asked the beauty in a nonchalant tone.
"Come now my dear, I would think that we have known each other for long enough to be on a first name basis." Diamond smoothly replied.
"Very well, how are you Diamond?" she corrected herself.
"Quite well, thank you. And you Mega?" She nodded in response, the shortening of her meaningful name not bothering her the slightest bit. She has gotten used to The White Prince's casual call of her nickname. Over the years, a strange sort of admiration and respect of him has come to implant itself within her mind.
"Let me guess, new mission?" she asked with another sip of her coffee.
Diamond eyed the cup with interest before reaching out with a pale hand and taking the cup from her grasp. He began to swirl it around like once of his old branded red wines.
"Never understood why humans like coffee. The taste is rather bitter and the smell nauseating. You really must try wine my dear." Omega arched a golden eyebrow in response.
"Thanks for your sudden interest" she replied with little sincerity. "Now why don't you tell me what really brings you here, it can't be to lecture me on the bad taste of coffee."
"Can't I come to enjoy the company of my top soldier?" Diamond answered with a seductive grin.
"I'm sure there are plenty of women dying for the chance to be within your "royal presence" Diamond" countered Omega. "Is it perhaps another mission for me that drives you here?"
"No, my dear, just came by to congratulate you on a successful three year alliance. Today is the anniversary." He informed as he swirled the dark brown liquid around the rim.
"You keep track?" Omega asked with an amused grin. "Didn't know you were the kind of man that gave a dam about his soldiers."
"Oh but my dear Mega, for you, anything." Replied Diamond. "There shall be a ball in my palace tonight celebrating our successful union. You are the guest of honor. It is formal, so if you should need a formal dress, don't' hesitate to ask Emerald or one of my other women to get you one. They were ordered to find you the best one there is."
"I don't think that your mistresses' would be too eager to help me to steal further of your attention from them." Omega replied, trying to think of a way to get out of attending the function. Damit, she hated them with a passion, the way pathetic nobles circled around for potential prey or a way to climb higher in the eyes of their prince.
"Nonsense my dear, they are privileged to help you. Just make sure to be at my palace tonight." And with those last words, The White Prince teleported out of the little shabby shop in a flash of light. His last words gave no room for argument, something Omega had come to realize through the past three years of working for him.
With a last sigh, the beauty stood up and dropped a few hundred-dollar bills on the table, once again highly overpaying. But to obtain those measly amounts charged, she would have to go get change, and it was just something about dirty small value money she detested. She preferred them new and unused.
The stout shop owner once again scrambled out from behind his counter to wish well the leaving guest. The once worthy beauty was greatly enhanced in his eyes by the appearance of The White Prince to boast her more. All eyes on the room were on her, but she paid them no heed upon pushing the glass paneled door to the night air, barely acknowledging the stuttering owner at his attempt to wish her a pleasant trip back home.
It was no doubt the shop owner and all the current inhabitants will be bragging about the appearance of a golden beauty and The White Prince for decades to come. The shop itself will enhance in value the very night.
Omega looked up at the dark cloudy night with the moon barely shining through the gray clouds.
'Three years already' she contemplated to herself as she jumped gracefully to a rooftop with the help of a wall. 'For three years I have wondered through this pathetic world, and yet no progress.' Her thoughts turned back to her early alliance with Diamond, and all the events taking place afterwards.
The meeting with the ancient priestess of Rieles. Her prophecy.
Flashback
"You shall be destined to end the dark reign of the vampires, or you shall be destined to enhance their powerful hold on other races. The key is not what's important, it was only created to guide you. The ultimate weapon will come from within yourself."
"I don't give a dam about the vampire reign priestess. All I want is the key. Once I have it, all of you shall be left unharmed. I give a fair warning now." She could feel the tensing of muscles from the young blond guarding the priestess.
"Very well, but the Hino priestess shall not be able to extract it from her soul without proper training. The key will only come into existence once she has learned to harness her full powers."
"Then train her."
"I need time. To harness her full power, she needs to be in tact with her inner self. And no mastery of thyself comes so fast."
"How long?"
"Five years or nothing." She left no room for a bargain.
"Very well, I shall wait till then."
End of Flashback.
'Well another year gone' Omega sighed. 'Three down, two to go. Time to pay the little Hino another visit.'
*~*
It was official. The Great White Prince had become obsessed with a woman.
"Out of all the women you could've had, you had to fall for the one whom you can't:" The White Royal reprimanded himself in silence as he sat on his marble throne while twirling a glass of red blood wine. If someone had told him that he was to fall for any woman only three measly years ago, he would have laughed at the person, then killed them for ever conjuring up such a ridiculous notion. But all sense of logic soon escaped Diamond's senses when he met her.
Omega..she was indeed a beautiful fallen angel wrapped in mystery. After three years, Diamond still didn't know anything of her past. Even yet, she chooses to stick by the name Omega, making all her contact with others cold and impersonal.
Yet she was brilliant. With her new alliance, many new battle tactics have been brought forth by her casual attendance during military meetings. Her strategies were fast, efficient, and more to the point, ruthless. She did not harbor the usual emotion of guilt and remorse that poisoned the heart of most females. She was a creature ruled by logic rather than emotions. And that's what made her so dangerous.
One would wonder how anyone could fall in love with a creature that seems to know no love. But she was a creature with an appearance that demanded love, no matter how relentless her heart may be. What started out as a lust and admiration on Diamonds part, soon turned into love and obsession.
"Thinking about her I presume again" spoke a young raven-haired lord from the dark corner. Diamond glanced up to see his little brother leaning against the wall. Saffire, the only vampire under his reign daring to defy him. And he allowed it, but only him. But his exception now also included a certain other alluring creature.
"What do you want Saffire?" Diamond asked in irritation.
"News of King Endymion's forces have been just brought back. Due to our last assault, the high king himself had decided to take the matter more seriously. Apparently, he was quite impressed by our last battle technique and wishes for us to form an alliance."
"Out of the question!" Diamond yelled in anger. "He shall not use us like some new pathetic human who shows a superlative skill! We shall fight and we shall defeat him!"
"I highly suggest you think about this brother." Saffire warned. "With this new alliance, we can study the king's technique more closely and determine he's week points to use to our future advantage."
"Poor naïve Saffire." Diamond spoke as he shook his head in amusement at his brother's uncharacteristic lack of wits. "Do you not think that Endymion would be doing the exact same thing. Remember that we have more secrets to lose than him. He may know that we obtain our power from the Black Poison Crystal, but he does not yet know of our new soldier."
"Omega." Saffire acknowledged without a thought. "The woman you can't seem to get out of your mind. Perhaps she is causing more trouble that you think. You cannot let your desire of her overrule your judgment. She is a ruthless killing machine and that's the way she should maintain to our maximum advantage."
"Come now Saffire" Diamond coaxed, "You cannot tell me that you do not lust for her." Saffire nodded in confirmation, there was no use denying.
"Remember Diamond, her beauty is designed to attract the lust of men and weaken them. It is a great weapon if used properly, but it is an even greater danger that could lead to the user's demise. She is the perfect soldier. Without emotion and without a past."
"That could be changed" Diamond assured with a malicious grin. "After all, no creature is without emotion. Her barrier shall break down overtime. After all, I always get what I want, one way or another."
"But this time you may want to much brother" Saffire warned.
"And it shall be obtained" was The White Royal's determined reply.
*~*
Rei stepped out of the warm vehicle into the cool night air. She could smell a distant bon fire and the cooking of some measly human meal.
"The lights are off."
"Huh?" Rei asked in stupor, snapping out of her detachment.
"The lights are off at your apartment." Repeated Haruka as she shut the vehicle door upon climbing out the driver's seat. "No one must be home."
"Yes, I think both Makoto and Ami are working the late shift today. They'll be back at around midnight for sure." Rei answered without a thought as she too glanced up at the pitch black apartment windows.
"We'll stay with you until they get back" stated Haruka in response, leaving no room for argument. Rei nodded in acceptance. Over the last three years, she has come to realize that you could never win an argument against Haruka, mainly because she just doesn't listen.
The young blonde's decision was approved with a nod from her aqua haired companion. And thus Rei found herself in an elevator with two intimidating silent guardians.
Upon reaching the 5th floor, Rei quickly fumbled for the key in her pocked and unlocked the door to the dark cozy apartment. It was considered rather prestigious for a human to be able to live in an apartment. As labeled by society, most of them belonged in a gutter.
"Would you two like something to drink?" Rei asked as she held the door while the two guardians walked in.
"No thank you, we're fine." Answered Michiru as she looked around the apartment suspiciously. Something didn't feel quite right tonight.
"All right then, I'll be right back you two, I just need to quickly go and change" called Rei as she shut the door behind them and ran to her room.
"Do you feel it?" Michiru asked her partner as she continued to gaze around the room.
"You feel it too?" Haruka murmured.
"Yes, something is stirring the stillness around us."
"What could it be?" The two continued to look throughout the tiny two- bedroom apartment, oblivious to the pair of piercing cerulean blue eyes regarding them with amusement.
"I see we're losing our touch" spoke a melodious voice from the silent darkness. "Would be quite a shame if I were here to kill you."
"Who's there!" yelled Haruka as she frantically searched around the dark corners of the room. "Show yourself!"
And out stepped the fallen angel clad in black from the corner by the balcony. Her usual demeanor of self-confidence multiplied from their previous encounter three years back.
"What do you want?" asked Haruka in her cold hostile tone. She will never quite trust the haunting beautiful woman in front of her. No one that beautiful could possibly be human. And if she was not human nor any of the known creatures in society, then what the hell was she?
"Why I'm hurt at the lack of welcome" Omega feigned. "And here I thought we were friends."
"What do you want?" repeated Haruka, not yielding her hard stance in front of the dark figure.
"Just here to check up on my favorite little priestess." Answered Omega nonchalantly as she casually walked across the pathetically small living room and sat herself comfortably in one of the chairs in the kitchen. "You?"
Haruka growled with rage as she got ready to attack the intruder, even if it meant forfeiting her own life. But one blocking hand from her aqua haired partner caused her to think twice about her impulsive behavior.
"Rachel is doing fine." Answered Michiru. "She is-" But before she could go on any further, the young priestess herself showed up at the kitchen door. The large smile quickly dropped from her face as a new look of utter shock replaced all her features at the sight of the night angel dining casually with her two overprotective guardians. Haruka was especially looking hostile towards the visitor.
"O-Omega, what brings you here again?" Rei tried to break the uncomfortable silence.
"Again, you mean she was here before?" cried out Haruka with both anger and incredibility. "How did she know you moved here?"
"I have my sources." Replied Omega. To not know where the little priestess had moved to after the little incident three years back would be a great failure on her part. And moving within the same city just made it all too terribly easy for Omega to track her down again, not that she could have moved out of the city. Humans were not allowed to travel.
"Well.can I get anything to drink for you?" asked Rei in a desperate effort to stop the uncomfortable silent tension from returning. This earned her glare from Haruka.
"No thank you. I don't think your companion over there feels comfortable around me and I must be going anyway." Stated Omega as she pushed back and got up from the old chair in one fluidly graceful movement that Rei had previously thought to be impossible to achieve. "See you next year little priestess. Be good."
And with her last words, the dark clad figure possessing the beauty of an angel walked out onto the balcony and jumped off into the night, the thick blanked of enigma following her departure.
"Next year?" asked Haruka in her still evident rage. "This has been happening every year and you never told us about it?" Rei looked back with a sheepish smile.
"There was nothing to tell."
*~*
"It is confirmed that the White Prince will be throwing a ball tonight." Reported a dark clad figure while bowing deeply to the silver haired lord in front of him.
"Very well, you're dismissed for now." Answered the lord regally without sparring the underling on the floor with another glance. The dark creature quickly scuttled away. No matter how much skill the werewolf possessed, he is beyond fortune to find work for such a powerful vampire lord.
As the double metal doors gently shut within the large magnificent hall, the silver haired lord smirked at the thought of impending blood.
"So I suppose this goes beyond cooperation to our stratagem Malachite?" spoke a rich voice as a blonde figure stepped out of the shadows within the dark hall. He was followed by two more figures with equal smirks of satisfaction.
"But of course Jedite. This goes beyond cooperation indeed." The silver haired leader of the group replied. "Tonight we strike and end a power struggle that has carried out for the past century. Tonight we shall crush The White Prince once and for all."
"He has been a rather annoying little thorn greatly tolerated by our King up to now" agreed another voice. "He was even foolish enough not to accept our alliance. The stars are in our favor to end his miserable power hunt."
"It is not the signs of the stars that condemns his certain doom Nephlyte." Stated Malachite. "It is his own foolishness at challenging our King's authority."
"Although eliminating him should be easy, I worry about his new top soldier that he has taken such measures to conceal from us" spoke the last and final voice of the group. "I have heard some rather fascinating things about this new soldier. Ever since his appearance, The White Prince has been in an irritating winning streak as we all know."
"Already taken care of Zoicite." Malachite replied with a knowing smirk. "It is known that The White Prince had only found this new soldier three years ago. This means that his loyalty can yet easily be broken to his prince. When he sees what power he can have the chance of serving, he will abandon his fallen empire to join a much more powerful one without a second thought."
"Can he be trusted?" Zoicite pondered out loud.
"We'll see." Answered Malachite with a malicious grin. "After all, any who dare to betray our King are instantly put through brutal deaths. He is rather quite creative in his torture techniques.
Tonight is the night we once again bring glory to our King and show the world that all who dare to challenge his power shall perish. His majesty has left the task of eliminating all opposition to us, and we, as his generals, shall follow the example he has set before us during his gathering of power. Show no mercy and spare no one. Only the white prince himself shall be brought back to our King to be dealt with personally.
Zoicite and Nephlyte, you two are assigned to steal the Black Poison Crystal at all costs. That is the source of his power. Jedite, you are assigned to cover his new "invincible" top soldier. I will personally take care of The White Prince. All our strategies are set in motion now and the ships are ready for transport. All we await now is for the final hour to come.
And King Endymion will be pleased with the results."