I GOT NINETY REVIEWS!!!!!!! I'm so happy! ^.^v
Disclaimer: Y'all know it by now.
Chapter Summary: We're going to start with Mina's part of the journey. She's on her way to Iless, not a good idea, cuz they don't exactly welcome Nabolese. This chapter focuses solely on Mina Burdette, and her journey for her jewel.
Chapter 7-Le Voyage De la Fille En métal
Mina and Rei headed south, while Ami and Lita were headed north, and Trista, Hotaru, Amara, Michelle and Serenity were headed east. Mina's face was set resolutely. She wore a disguise, a dark brown wig, and by some magic ability as yet unknown to her, her eyes were dark brown too. Rei and Mina came to a fork in the road, and they separated, Rei taking the left fork, and Mina the right. Mina had scarce been alone for fifteen minutes when a small white tomcat presented himself on the road, mewing sadly. Mina was unable to resist, and she bent to pick up the cat. "Hello, little one. Would you like to join me?"
The cat rubbed his head under Mina's chin and purred a positive answer. He climbed up to Mina's shoulder and perched there happily. Mina giggled in spite of herself and continued down the road. She kept an arrow ready on her bowstring, just in case. Even with her disguise, her skin coloring marked her as Nabolese. She chanced a look down at her hand and gasped. Her skin was a warm coffee-brown, exactly like the inhabitants of northern Iless. The inhabitants of Iless were mostly black in the north, where Mina was, and mostly white in the south, where Kunzite and Zoicite were from. "I'll need a name," Mina mused. "An Ilesian name...I got it! I'll be Myeisha Lolonyo, from a small village near Swali. I'm traveling to visit a sick friend." She grinned, and continued walking, until coming upon an old lady with a lot of baskets.
"Excuse me grandmother, but do you need help?" Mina asked courteously in Ilesian.
"That would be nice, young miss." Carefully Mina took some of the baskets from the old lady and transferred them to the top of her head. "What is your name?"
"I'm Mi...Myeisha. What's your name?"
"Jyden. Where are you going?"
"Zimla." Zimla was the capital of northern Iless, a busy harbor city. "I'm going to visit a sick friend. Where are you going, if you don't mind my asking?"
"I'm headed to a little village by the name of Tyneish, which is but a few miles before Zimla."
"I'll help you until then, if you don't mind."
"I don't mind. You seem to be good company for a tired old woman." Jyden caught sight of Mina's companion. "And who is your little friend?"
"This is...Artemis. I just picked him up. He's been a nice companion so far, but I was starting to long for human conversation." Artemis swiped playfully at Mina's ear, making both women laugh.
"Please, do tell me about yourself, Myeisha. I see that you are good with a bow and arrow." Jyden nodded her head at the ebony bow and matching arrows.
"I guess I'm okay. I just didn't want to go unarmed around someplace I'd never been."
"I see. I was worried myself; until I remembered that no one would dare pick on me."
"Why not?"
"I am a sorceress, and most Ilesian folk can tell right off the bat that I'm different. For instance, I know that you are from Nabol, and I know that you seek the Elemental Crystal of Metal." Jyden said softly.
Mina's eyes grew big. "Oh. Wow. Do you know where my crystal is?"
"Yes, your crystal has been stolen from its sacred place, and given to the one who will destroy all."
"You mean that my crystal is in the hands of CHAOS?" Mina said.
"Yes, daughter, it is. There is only one way to get it back. You must..." A sword was thrust through Jyden's heart. Nephrite sniggered.
"Sorry about that, but I had to kill the old broad before she gave you too much info. I would fight you, but your powers greatly surpass mine I'm afraid. Ah, well, our time will come. See you soon." Nephrite vanished. Mina surveyed the dead woman sadly.
"What am I supposed to do?" She murmured, taking Jyden's limp hand. She closed her eyes, and a single tear dropped onto the woman's brow. All of a sudden, Mina could no longer feel Jyden's hand. She opened her eyes. In place of the old woman's body was a monument. It read, 'here lays Jyden, a sorceress of great caliber. She died trying to help fulfill the Elemental Prophecy'. Mina nodded, and stood.
"Now what? I don't even know where the headquarters are," Mina said sadly.
"Maybe you should find your sister and join with her, whilst she searches for her crystal." A small, definitely masculine voice suggested, right in her ear. Mina whirled around in surprise.
"Calm yourself, Metal Warrior. Tis only me." The voice continued. Mina turned her head slowly, and looked into the deep blue eyes of Artemis.
"Did you just speak?"
"Aye. I think that you should join with your sister, the fire maiden. The two of you should be able to find her crystal easily, and then join up with the others and prepare to enter the realm of Chaos," The small cat suggested.
Mina deliberated over this idea, and then nodded slowly. "That would probably be the best idea. I don't know where Rei is though."
"Did you not know that you can find any elemental warrior you chose? Just feel for your sister's color, and use that to lead you," Artemis said.
"How do you know so much, Artemis?"
"I was the keeper of the crystal, until Beryl took it. She transformed me into a cat, and a cat I stay, until her death."
"Oh, I see. Do you know if my crystal was the only one stolen?"
"That I do not know. Perhaps we should begin our journey to Anticay. Now, you must feel in your mind for thy sister's color."
Mina closed her eyes and concentrated. A throb of red was in her mind, and it got stronger when she turned back the way she came. "I feel her, Artemis."
"Then we must set off to find her. Come, Metal Warrior."
Mina and the small white cat set off to find the Fire Maiden. Nephrite watched them go, via a mirror in his room. "Go, and don't hold back."
"Yes General."
Mina had scarce been walking five minutes when she was beset on all sides by at least a score of ugly reptilian demons. She shot an arrow, without stopping to talk. It caught one of the reptiles in the throat.
"Artemis, what are these things?" Mina took aim again.
"They are youmas, demons of a sort. Easily defeated methinks."
"Yeah, great, but how? Every time I shoot one, more pop up!" Mina shrieked as one of them clawed her thigh, leaving three vertical gashes.
"Use what power you were given!"
Mina raised her hands upwards, and a shower of light fell upon the youmas. One or two of them evaporated.
"Mina, put some power into it!"
This time, Mina began to glow with a soft golden light. A beam of energy shot from both her hands and incinerated the remaining youmas. Mina looked down at her hands in wonder. "Artemis, did I just do that?"
"You are in need of more work, but you can work on that as we go. Come, Metal-daughter, there is much to do. First we must attend to your wound."
Mina rubbed a few select herbs into her wound, and bound it with her red bow.
"Can you walk, Mina?"
Mina nodded, and fit another arrow to her bow. Girl and cat set off again.
In Beryl's lair, High General Kunzite watched the girl from a mirror much like Nephrite's. "I hope Beryl doesn't decide to kill you on site. I'd much like to get to know you."
Mina stiffened, and she looked around her slowly. "Artemis, did you hear that? It sounded like...never mind. It must have been the wind."
"I heard nothing, Mina. Come, we must find your sister as quickly as possible."
Mina set off towards the red light in her head. Artemis resumed his perch on her shoulder. "Artemis, what else can I do?"
"You have the power to bend metal to your will, and you can manipulate pure energy."
"How?"
"I'm afraid that you have not enough energy for that, yet. After a full night's sleep, we'll try it."
Mina looked up at the fast approaching night sky. "Perhaps you're right. We need to get off the road and find a place to sleep."
"I know a place. Follow me." Artemis led Mina through the woods and to a clearing. He turned around three times, and lay down. "Sleep now, eat tomorrow morning. You are in dire need of rest, Mina."
She spread out her bedroll and nodded tiredly. She was asleep before her head hit her pillow. Her mind was plagued by flashes of colors, faces, and places. The one that stood out the most was the one of Ami being set on by a bunch of feline-looking demons. Ami was bleeding heavily, but she kept on fighting. Mina moaned in her sleep, and changed positions. Ami went under a crowd of demons, and Mina sat straight up in bed. "Ami." She whispered. She rubbed her arms in cold and surveyed the clearing guardedly. She sat like that until the approach of dawn's first light. Artemis yawned and stretched lazily.
"Good morning to you, Mina."
"Artemis, have you ever heard of the Elemental Warriors having the ability to see the future?" Mina asked as she broke her fast. Artemis made do with a fish from a nearby river.
"No. None but the Fire-Maiden and Time Guardian have ever done that."
"Oh. Are we going to teleport to where Rei is?"
"Yes, in a moment. Gather up everything, and place it in a circle around you."
Mina did as ordered, and stood in the middle of her belongings. "Now what?"
"Concentrate on the red in your mind, and wish very hard to be with your sister."
Mina did as Artemis instructed, and in a poof of golden light, the clearing was vacated.
When Mina opened her eyes, they were met with a pair of red ones. "Rei?"
"Mina, how'd you get here?"
"I teleported. Artemis taught me how."
"Who's Artemis?"
Mina looked around wildly. She spotted Artemis lying on her bedroll, and picked him up. "This is Artemis."
Rei gave her cousin a funny look. "Mina, cats can't talk."
"Actually..." Artemis drawled.
Rei jumped. "You talked!"
"I'm not really a cat. Beryl transformed me into one, and I will not be free until her death."
Rei nodded slowly. "Got it. Mina, what are you doing here?" Her eyes dropped to the ribbon on Mina's thigh. "And what happened to your leg?"
"Chaos has my crystal, and Artemis suggested that I find you and help you find your crystal. We were attacked by demons, and one of them clawed me."
"I see. My crystal was not where it was supposed to be."
"Lady Fire is right. Beryl also took her crystal." What appeared to be a flaming hawk flew up and perched on Rei's shoulder.
"By the Gods! What is it?" Mina exclaimed.
The fiery hawk coughed and preened its wing feathers huffily. "I, Lady Metal, am a phoenix. At least, that's what Beryl turned me into. How rude."
Mina blushed, and inclined her head towards the phoenix apologetically. "I do apologize, Mistress Phoenix. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."
"I'm sure you didn't. Artemis, is that really you?"
"Yes, Enya, it's me. As you can see, I met a predicament similar to yours, and I decided to stay with Lady Metal and guide her as best I can."
"I have decided to do the same with Lady Fire. We have decided to set off and find Lady Ice. She is probably the closest to us. When all the Elemental Warriors are back together, we will set forth to find the crystals that were stolen."
Jadeite emerged from nowhere. "Looking for this?" He held up a red crystal that flickered and glowed.
Kunzite stepped out behind him. "Or this?" He showed off a cheerful looking orange-yellow crystal.
Rei and Mina gasped.
"Jadeite?"
"Kunzite?"
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I know y'all probably hate me right now, but I will continue this with Rei's part of the journey. I know it's short, but it just had to be cut off right there. *Hides* don't hurt me!
Disclaimer: Y'all know it by now.
Chapter Summary: We're going to start with Mina's part of the journey. She's on her way to Iless, not a good idea, cuz they don't exactly welcome Nabolese. This chapter focuses solely on Mina Burdette, and her journey for her jewel.
Chapter 7-Le Voyage De la Fille En métal
Mina and Rei headed south, while Ami and Lita were headed north, and Trista, Hotaru, Amara, Michelle and Serenity were headed east. Mina's face was set resolutely. She wore a disguise, a dark brown wig, and by some magic ability as yet unknown to her, her eyes were dark brown too. Rei and Mina came to a fork in the road, and they separated, Rei taking the left fork, and Mina the right. Mina had scarce been alone for fifteen minutes when a small white tomcat presented himself on the road, mewing sadly. Mina was unable to resist, and she bent to pick up the cat. "Hello, little one. Would you like to join me?"
The cat rubbed his head under Mina's chin and purred a positive answer. He climbed up to Mina's shoulder and perched there happily. Mina giggled in spite of herself and continued down the road. She kept an arrow ready on her bowstring, just in case. Even with her disguise, her skin coloring marked her as Nabolese. She chanced a look down at her hand and gasped. Her skin was a warm coffee-brown, exactly like the inhabitants of northern Iless. The inhabitants of Iless were mostly black in the north, where Mina was, and mostly white in the south, where Kunzite and Zoicite were from. "I'll need a name," Mina mused. "An Ilesian name...I got it! I'll be Myeisha Lolonyo, from a small village near Swali. I'm traveling to visit a sick friend." She grinned, and continued walking, until coming upon an old lady with a lot of baskets.
"Excuse me grandmother, but do you need help?" Mina asked courteously in Ilesian.
"That would be nice, young miss." Carefully Mina took some of the baskets from the old lady and transferred them to the top of her head. "What is your name?"
"I'm Mi...Myeisha. What's your name?"
"Jyden. Where are you going?"
"Zimla." Zimla was the capital of northern Iless, a busy harbor city. "I'm going to visit a sick friend. Where are you going, if you don't mind my asking?"
"I'm headed to a little village by the name of Tyneish, which is but a few miles before Zimla."
"I'll help you until then, if you don't mind."
"I don't mind. You seem to be good company for a tired old woman." Jyden caught sight of Mina's companion. "And who is your little friend?"
"This is...Artemis. I just picked him up. He's been a nice companion so far, but I was starting to long for human conversation." Artemis swiped playfully at Mina's ear, making both women laugh.
"Please, do tell me about yourself, Myeisha. I see that you are good with a bow and arrow." Jyden nodded her head at the ebony bow and matching arrows.
"I guess I'm okay. I just didn't want to go unarmed around someplace I'd never been."
"I see. I was worried myself; until I remembered that no one would dare pick on me."
"Why not?"
"I am a sorceress, and most Ilesian folk can tell right off the bat that I'm different. For instance, I know that you are from Nabol, and I know that you seek the Elemental Crystal of Metal." Jyden said softly.
Mina's eyes grew big. "Oh. Wow. Do you know where my crystal is?"
"Yes, your crystal has been stolen from its sacred place, and given to the one who will destroy all."
"You mean that my crystal is in the hands of CHAOS?" Mina said.
"Yes, daughter, it is. There is only one way to get it back. You must..." A sword was thrust through Jyden's heart. Nephrite sniggered.
"Sorry about that, but I had to kill the old broad before she gave you too much info. I would fight you, but your powers greatly surpass mine I'm afraid. Ah, well, our time will come. See you soon." Nephrite vanished. Mina surveyed the dead woman sadly.
"What am I supposed to do?" She murmured, taking Jyden's limp hand. She closed her eyes, and a single tear dropped onto the woman's brow. All of a sudden, Mina could no longer feel Jyden's hand. She opened her eyes. In place of the old woman's body was a monument. It read, 'here lays Jyden, a sorceress of great caliber. She died trying to help fulfill the Elemental Prophecy'. Mina nodded, and stood.
"Now what? I don't even know where the headquarters are," Mina said sadly.
"Maybe you should find your sister and join with her, whilst she searches for her crystal." A small, definitely masculine voice suggested, right in her ear. Mina whirled around in surprise.
"Calm yourself, Metal Warrior. Tis only me." The voice continued. Mina turned her head slowly, and looked into the deep blue eyes of Artemis.
"Did you just speak?"
"Aye. I think that you should join with your sister, the fire maiden. The two of you should be able to find her crystal easily, and then join up with the others and prepare to enter the realm of Chaos," The small cat suggested.
Mina deliberated over this idea, and then nodded slowly. "That would probably be the best idea. I don't know where Rei is though."
"Did you not know that you can find any elemental warrior you chose? Just feel for your sister's color, and use that to lead you," Artemis said.
"How do you know so much, Artemis?"
"I was the keeper of the crystal, until Beryl took it. She transformed me into a cat, and a cat I stay, until her death."
"Oh, I see. Do you know if my crystal was the only one stolen?"
"That I do not know. Perhaps we should begin our journey to Anticay. Now, you must feel in your mind for thy sister's color."
Mina closed her eyes and concentrated. A throb of red was in her mind, and it got stronger when she turned back the way she came. "I feel her, Artemis."
"Then we must set off to find her. Come, Metal Warrior."
Mina and the small white cat set off to find the Fire Maiden. Nephrite watched them go, via a mirror in his room. "Go, and don't hold back."
"Yes General."
Mina had scarce been walking five minutes when she was beset on all sides by at least a score of ugly reptilian demons. She shot an arrow, without stopping to talk. It caught one of the reptiles in the throat.
"Artemis, what are these things?" Mina took aim again.
"They are youmas, demons of a sort. Easily defeated methinks."
"Yeah, great, but how? Every time I shoot one, more pop up!" Mina shrieked as one of them clawed her thigh, leaving three vertical gashes.
"Use what power you were given!"
Mina raised her hands upwards, and a shower of light fell upon the youmas. One or two of them evaporated.
"Mina, put some power into it!"
This time, Mina began to glow with a soft golden light. A beam of energy shot from both her hands and incinerated the remaining youmas. Mina looked down at her hands in wonder. "Artemis, did I just do that?"
"You are in need of more work, but you can work on that as we go. Come, Metal-daughter, there is much to do. First we must attend to your wound."
Mina rubbed a few select herbs into her wound, and bound it with her red bow.
"Can you walk, Mina?"
Mina nodded, and fit another arrow to her bow. Girl and cat set off again.
In Beryl's lair, High General Kunzite watched the girl from a mirror much like Nephrite's. "I hope Beryl doesn't decide to kill you on site. I'd much like to get to know you."
Mina stiffened, and she looked around her slowly. "Artemis, did you hear that? It sounded like...never mind. It must have been the wind."
"I heard nothing, Mina. Come, we must find your sister as quickly as possible."
Mina set off towards the red light in her head. Artemis resumed his perch on her shoulder. "Artemis, what else can I do?"
"You have the power to bend metal to your will, and you can manipulate pure energy."
"How?"
"I'm afraid that you have not enough energy for that, yet. After a full night's sleep, we'll try it."
Mina looked up at the fast approaching night sky. "Perhaps you're right. We need to get off the road and find a place to sleep."
"I know a place. Follow me." Artemis led Mina through the woods and to a clearing. He turned around three times, and lay down. "Sleep now, eat tomorrow morning. You are in dire need of rest, Mina."
She spread out her bedroll and nodded tiredly. She was asleep before her head hit her pillow. Her mind was plagued by flashes of colors, faces, and places. The one that stood out the most was the one of Ami being set on by a bunch of feline-looking demons. Ami was bleeding heavily, but she kept on fighting. Mina moaned in her sleep, and changed positions. Ami went under a crowd of demons, and Mina sat straight up in bed. "Ami." She whispered. She rubbed her arms in cold and surveyed the clearing guardedly. She sat like that until the approach of dawn's first light. Artemis yawned and stretched lazily.
"Good morning to you, Mina."
"Artemis, have you ever heard of the Elemental Warriors having the ability to see the future?" Mina asked as she broke her fast. Artemis made do with a fish from a nearby river.
"No. None but the Fire-Maiden and Time Guardian have ever done that."
"Oh. Are we going to teleport to where Rei is?"
"Yes, in a moment. Gather up everything, and place it in a circle around you."
Mina did as ordered, and stood in the middle of her belongings. "Now what?"
"Concentrate on the red in your mind, and wish very hard to be with your sister."
Mina did as Artemis instructed, and in a poof of golden light, the clearing was vacated.
When Mina opened her eyes, they were met with a pair of red ones. "Rei?"
"Mina, how'd you get here?"
"I teleported. Artemis taught me how."
"Who's Artemis?"
Mina looked around wildly. She spotted Artemis lying on her bedroll, and picked him up. "This is Artemis."
Rei gave her cousin a funny look. "Mina, cats can't talk."
"Actually..." Artemis drawled.
Rei jumped. "You talked!"
"I'm not really a cat. Beryl transformed me into one, and I will not be free until her death."
Rei nodded slowly. "Got it. Mina, what are you doing here?" Her eyes dropped to the ribbon on Mina's thigh. "And what happened to your leg?"
"Chaos has my crystal, and Artemis suggested that I find you and help you find your crystal. We were attacked by demons, and one of them clawed me."
"I see. My crystal was not where it was supposed to be."
"Lady Fire is right. Beryl also took her crystal." What appeared to be a flaming hawk flew up and perched on Rei's shoulder.
"By the Gods! What is it?" Mina exclaimed.
The fiery hawk coughed and preened its wing feathers huffily. "I, Lady Metal, am a phoenix. At least, that's what Beryl turned me into. How rude."
Mina blushed, and inclined her head towards the phoenix apologetically. "I do apologize, Mistress Phoenix. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."
"I'm sure you didn't. Artemis, is that really you?"
"Yes, Enya, it's me. As you can see, I met a predicament similar to yours, and I decided to stay with Lady Metal and guide her as best I can."
"I have decided to do the same with Lady Fire. We have decided to set off and find Lady Ice. She is probably the closest to us. When all the Elemental Warriors are back together, we will set forth to find the crystals that were stolen."
Jadeite emerged from nowhere. "Looking for this?" He held up a red crystal that flickered and glowed.
Kunzite stepped out behind him. "Or this?" He showed off a cheerful looking orange-yellow crystal.
Rei and Mina gasped.
"Jadeite?"
"Kunzite?"
*************************************************************
I know y'all probably hate me right now, but I will continue this with Rei's part of the journey. I know it's short, but it just had to be cut off right there. *Hides* don't hurt me!