"No story ever truely ends, it only gives way to new beginnings." I
don't recall who said that, but truer words have never been spoken.
Someone also once compared writingto weaving a tapestry: "A
tapestry can be beautiful," they'd said to me. "But if left with loose
threads it unravels."
Personally, I hate loose threads.
So, with the help of my muses and the visionary characters made
by Naoko Takeuchi, I now begin the final part of my Trilogy.
Presenting.....
Hearts in time: The Quests of Wraith Wills
Part one: prologue
By
Lance the Flamesniper
Wraith Wills watched the detective as she paced. He didn't
know why, but Detective Joan Ellix didn't seem the type to play "Good
cop-bad cop". "Bad cop-evil badass cop" perhaps, but not "good cop
bad cop". They'd first met eleven months ago, when his two friends
disappeared. He supposed that if he were anything other than a
suspect in a murder case, he would have found her somewhat
attractive, though not the most beautiful woman he'd seen. Her hair was
a vibrant red-gold, her eyes a soft blue and plus her body athletically
built. Unfortunately she had that hard edged personality that Wraith
supposed would intimidate a normal man.
When it came to intimidation, she failed miserably when it came to
Wraith. After the nightmares he'd faced almost a year ago, she wasn't even
mildly scary.
"Eleven months ago you told us you didn't know anything about what
happened to your friends," Ellix began.
"Actually, my exact words were "I don't know what's happening with
them at the moment," Wraith corrected. "I still don't either."
"So you're sticking to your story about them still being alive, even
though it's only a matter of time before we find their bodies and arrest you for
murder?"
"Actually, I'm flattered that you think I could kill them," Wraith chuckled.
"Oh? Why's that?"
"Imagine a man who is a blackbelt in about seven styles of martial arts
and has been training in them each for anywhere between ten to eighteen years
in each. Imagine that that person is licensed to carry a sword as a concealed
weapon. Also imagine that this person can break steel anvils bare handed, inbed
paperclips into corkboard by throwing them and is as skilled in gymnastics as he
is in martial arts. Got that kinda of man in your mind? Good. Now add to that a man
who while not a blackbelt is trained to box, kickbox, wrestle and knows Tai Kwan
Do. The first description was Lance Jayd the other Matt Blackheart," Wraith said.
"They sound impressive but I'm not convinced," the detective said. "You have
skill with a whip. We know that because you have been known to give demonstrations
on a regular basis. I think you could keep a monster like the one you paint Lance Jayd
as at bay with something like that. That is if unless you caught him unprepared."
"Lady, weren't you listenin'? He doesn't have to get in close to damage people,
and waiting for him to have his guard down would have taken all my natural life. I've
seen him throw things like pens, paperclips and blank DVDs like they were frickin'
throwing stars!" Wraith exclaimed. "My friends aren't dead and I couldn't have killed
them."
"I suppose you'll tell me that story you wrote is true then?" She asked.
Wraith rolled his eyes. "I suspected you might bring that up. That story tells what
happened. Mosy likely your next question is 'do you take LSD or any other illegal
substance?' to which the answer is no."
"Mr. Wills I've studied your files and read your background history. You're studying
to become a forensic scientist and come from a family that is nothing but scientists,
psychologists and doctors. You're a logical person yet you try to pass off a story full of
nonsense about magic, reincarnation and time travel as fact. You tell me what I should
believe."
"Believe what you like. It ain't like you're gonna believe me. We done here?" Wraith
asked in a bored tone.
"Don't leave town Mr. Wills," Ellix replied as Wraith got up to leave.
"I ain't making a promise about that. I never know where a new day might find me,"
Wraith replied cryptically.
********
It was place that was neither here nor there. It was designed so no one would ever
find it. It was their own peril if people did find it though, as in the past it would mean a first,
last and final meeting with the place's only guardian. Her duty was to eliminate anyone who
approached, with only a few exceptions. It was a lonely job guarding that place. Key word
"was".
Not long ago she was reunited with her beloved. It had taken six thousand years but
he'd been reborn at last. Now being the Guardian of the door of Time and Space was
hardly lonely. She was Setsuna Meioh, princess of Pluto and wife of the last prince of Pluto.
He was once called Lance Jayd, but he'd taken her last name when they'd wed. Together
with the help of their friends Matt Blackheart, Wraith Wills and the Sailor Senshi they'd
ended the threat of Necros and freed Lance's twin sister Leanna. It was because of Leanna
that they were at the gate today.
"Are you sure she's the best choice to send Wraith on this mission?" Setsuna asked
as Leanna disappeared through the Gate. "She's a bit of a loose cannon."
"I'd have sent Mina, but I think she'd get her priorities wrong and we'd lose her to that
world," Lance responded as he put his arm around Setsuna.
"And you couldn't go because you'd be trapped and die. Not that I'd live too long after
you," She replied somberly. "I can't imagine losing you again, or living without you."
"Nor will you ever have to, Love. And with Matt getting married in a few weeks we can't
send him back. We need to get Wraith here by then though. Besides Leanna's an
Elemenal/Spirit mage. She can handle anything a would-be tough guy can dish out and give
it back.... in spades."
"Your right then. She is the best choice," Setsuna conceded. "I just hope Wraith is
strong enough to finish this quest."
*********
Wolfe Wills watched his younger brother out the corner of his eye as they drove
back to the campus. Like all Wraith's family, he was concerned about his little brother. Over
the last year he'd expirienced a lot of trauma. The disappearance of two of his friends, the
police suspecting him added to his rather extensive work load at college were clearly
stressing him.
There were other things that bothered Wolfe about Wraith. It had been several weeks
before his friends were found to be missing. Seemingly Wraith had covered for them in their
classes. Claiming they were ill and turning in term papers on their behalfs, many of them
written by him. Then came the story he'd written and sent to Matt and Lance's family when
word got out about their being missing. Wolfe chalked the odd behavior up to post traumatic
stress, the police chalked up to Wraith knowing more than he was letting on. Because of that,
the police were keeping a close eye on Wraith; especially Detective Joan Ellix.
Wolfe shook his head. Detective Ellix was looking at this as her make or break case.
The fact that the leads were drying up like water in the Sahara was beside the point. Speaking
of drying up, he was a little thirsty. "Hey Wraith, want to stop at the campus bar and get a drink?"
"Sure," Wraith replied off handedly. He couldn't care less where they drank, what they
drank or if they drank at all. All that mattered was finding the words to get him where he needed
to go. Back when Lance told him of his way to find his true love Wraith had scoffed and told his
friend to give up his delusions, find a nice kunoichi and raise a clan of martial arts fanatics.
Lance's response was what almost stopped his humor that night.
"I need to know if she's real, Wraith. I need to know or it'll make it so I can't enjoy life. All
I'll ever do is wonder if I missed something special," Lance had said.
'Well Lance ol' buddy,' Wraith thought as he walked into the bar beside his brother. 'You
were right. She is real. And you would have missed something special by listening to me. But
now, I'm the one missing out because I can't remember those damn words to that damn spell
you used.'
*******
The Baseball field wasn't a popular place. It had been once, but people lately had been
shying away from it. It was as if a strange aura had enveloped the place causing the air to feel
as if it were crackling with energy. Little did most people realize that the feeling was because
of something that had weakened the boundaries of Time and Space there.
Suddenly, the clear sky clouded up. The center of the clouds parted as a column of
emerald light shafted down on one specific spot. When the light faded in it's place stood a
woman who looked roughly twenty-four with sandy blonde hair kept in a long braided ponytail.
She had grey-blue eyes, a pert nose and pouty lips that were curled into a slight yet mysterious
smile. Her body was encased in a pair of jeans that showed off her scuplted legs and dark
green sweater. Over this ensemble she had a grey hooded cloak.
"So this is my brother's homeworld," Leanna replied distastefully as she got a lung full
of polluted air. "No wonder he left."
"Well look what he have here," A rough voice replied behind her.
"Looks like a pretty thing that don't know better than to be out alone," Another equally
rough voice intoned. "Maybe we can have a little fun with her."
Lianna smiled. "No, but I can have fun with you!" She responded, not even bothering
to look at the two thugs behind her.
"Think you can take us little miss?" The first thug replied.
"Easily," She replied. As she spun to face them, she called upon her elemental magic.
"Flame Tornado!"
The wind around the two thugs suddenly picked up to the force of a tornado then
seemingly ignited. Seconds later the conflagration extinguised leaving the two thugs burnt and
dazed. Lianna sighed as she stepped over them.
"What a pair of losers," She mumbled as she walked toward the college campus. She
didn't have time for such people, she had a mission to accomplish after all.
TBC
don't recall who said that, but truer words have never been spoken.
Someone also once compared writingto weaving a tapestry: "A
tapestry can be beautiful," they'd said to me. "But if left with loose
threads it unravels."
Personally, I hate loose threads.
So, with the help of my muses and the visionary characters made
by Naoko Takeuchi, I now begin the final part of my Trilogy.
Presenting.....
Hearts in time: The Quests of Wraith Wills
Part one: prologue
By
Lance the Flamesniper
Wraith Wills watched the detective as she paced. He didn't
know why, but Detective Joan Ellix didn't seem the type to play "Good
cop-bad cop". "Bad cop-evil badass cop" perhaps, but not "good cop
bad cop". They'd first met eleven months ago, when his two friends
disappeared. He supposed that if he were anything other than a
suspect in a murder case, he would have found her somewhat
attractive, though not the most beautiful woman he'd seen. Her hair was
a vibrant red-gold, her eyes a soft blue and plus her body athletically
built. Unfortunately she had that hard edged personality that Wraith
supposed would intimidate a normal man.
When it came to intimidation, she failed miserably when it came to
Wraith. After the nightmares he'd faced almost a year ago, she wasn't even
mildly scary.
"Eleven months ago you told us you didn't know anything about what
happened to your friends," Ellix began.
"Actually, my exact words were "I don't know what's happening with
them at the moment," Wraith corrected. "I still don't either."
"So you're sticking to your story about them still being alive, even
though it's only a matter of time before we find their bodies and arrest you for
murder?"
"Actually, I'm flattered that you think I could kill them," Wraith chuckled.
"Oh? Why's that?"
"Imagine a man who is a blackbelt in about seven styles of martial arts
and has been training in them each for anywhere between ten to eighteen years
in each. Imagine that that person is licensed to carry a sword as a concealed
weapon. Also imagine that this person can break steel anvils bare handed, inbed
paperclips into corkboard by throwing them and is as skilled in gymnastics as he
is in martial arts. Got that kinda of man in your mind? Good. Now add to that a man
who while not a blackbelt is trained to box, kickbox, wrestle and knows Tai Kwan
Do. The first description was Lance Jayd the other Matt Blackheart," Wraith said.
"They sound impressive but I'm not convinced," the detective said. "You have
skill with a whip. We know that because you have been known to give demonstrations
on a regular basis. I think you could keep a monster like the one you paint Lance Jayd
as at bay with something like that. That is if unless you caught him unprepared."
"Lady, weren't you listenin'? He doesn't have to get in close to damage people,
and waiting for him to have his guard down would have taken all my natural life. I've
seen him throw things like pens, paperclips and blank DVDs like they were frickin'
throwing stars!" Wraith exclaimed. "My friends aren't dead and I couldn't have killed
them."
"I suppose you'll tell me that story you wrote is true then?" She asked.
Wraith rolled his eyes. "I suspected you might bring that up. That story tells what
happened. Mosy likely your next question is 'do you take LSD or any other illegal
substance?' to which the answer is no."
"Mr. Wills I've studied your files and read your background history. You're studying
to become a forensic scientist and come from a family that is nothing but scientists,
psychologists and doctors. You're a logical person yet you try to pass off a story full of
nonsense about magic, reincarnation and time travel as fact. You tell me what I should
believe."
"Believe what you like. It ain't like you're gonna believe me. We done here?" Wraith
asked in a bored tone.
"Don't leave town Mr. Wills," Ellix replied as Wraith got up to leave.
"I ain't making a promise about that. I never know where a new day might find me,"
Wraith replied cryptically.
********
It was place that was neither here nor there. It was designed so no one would ever
find it. It was their own peril if people did find it though, as in the past it would mean a first,
last and final meeting with the place's only guardian. Her duty was to eliminate anyone who
approached, with only a few exceptions. It was a lonely job guarding that place. Key word
"was".
Not long ago she was reunited with her beloved. It had taken six thousand years but
he'd been reborn at last. Now being the Guardian of the door of Time and Space was
hardly lonely. She was Setsuna Meioh, princess of Pluto and wife of the last prince of Pluto.
He was once called Lance Jayd, but he'd taken her last name when they'd wed. Together
with the help of their friends Matt Blackheart, Wraith Wills and the Sailor Senshi they'd
ended the threat of Necros and freed Lance's twin sister Leanna. It was because of Leanna
that they were at the gate today.
"Are you sure she's the best choice to send Wraith on this mission?" Setsuna asked
as Leanna disappeared through the Gate. "She's a bit of a loose cannon."
"I'd have sent Mina, but I think she'd get her priorities wrong and we'd lose her to that
world," Lance responded as he put his arm around Setsuna.
"And you couldn't go because you'd be trapped and die. Not that I'd live too long after
you," She replied somberly. "I can't imagine losing you again, or living without you."
"Nor will you ever have to, Love. And with Matt getting married in a few weeks we can't
send him back. We need to get Wraith here by then though. Besides Leanna's an
Elemenal/Spirit mage. She can handle anything a would-be tough guy can dish out and give
it back.... in spades."
"Your right then. She is the best choice," Setsuna conceded. "I just hope Wraith is
strong enough to finish this quest."
*********
Wolfe Wills watched his younger brother out the corner of his eye as they drove
back to the campus. Like all Wraith's family, he was concerned about his little brother. Over
the last year he'd expirienced a lot of trauma. The disappearance of two of his friends, the
police suspecting him added to his rather extensive work load at college were clearly
stressing him.
There were other things that bothered Wolfe about Wraith. It had been several weeks
before his friends were found to be missing. Seemingly Wraith had covered for them in their
classes. Claiming they were ill and turning in term papers on their behalfs, many of them
written by him. Then came the story he'd written and sent to Matt and Lance's family when
word got out about their being missing. Wolfe chalked the odd behavior up to post traumatic
stress, the police chalked up to Wraith knowing more than he was letting on. Because of that,
the police were keeping a close eye on Wraith; especially Detective Joan Ellix.
Wolfe shook his head. Detective Ellix was looking at this as her make or break case.
The fact that the leads were drying up like water in the Sahara was beside the point. Speaking
of drying up, he was a little thirsty. "Hey Wraith, want to stop at the campus bar and get a drink?"
"Sure," Wraith replied off handedly. He couldn't care less where they drank, what they
drank or if they drank at all. All that mattered was finding the words to get him where he needed
to go. Back when Lance told him of his way to find his true love Wraith had scoffed and told his
friend to give up his delusions, find a nice kunoichi and raise a clan of martial arts fanatics.
Lance's response was what almost stopped his humor that night.
"I need to know if she's real, Wraith. I need to know or it'll make it so I can't enjoy life. All
I'll ever do is wonder if I missed something special," Lance had said.
'Well Lance ol' buddy,' Wraith thought as he walked into the bar beside his brother. 'You
were right. She is real. And you would have missed something special by listening to me. But
now, I'm the one missing out because I can't remember those damn words to that damn spell
you used.'
*******
The Baseball field wasn't a popular place. It had been once, but people lately had been
shying away from it. It was as if a strange aura had enveloped the place causing the air to feel
as if it were crackling with energy. Little did most people realize that the feeling was because
of something that had weakened the boundaries of Time and Space there.
Suddenly, the clear sky clouded up. The center of the clouds parted as a column of
emerald light shafted down on one specific spot. When the light faded in it's place stood a
woman who looked roughly twenty-four with sandy blonde hair kept in a long braided ponytail.
She had grey-blue eyes, a pert nose and pouty lips that were curled into a slight yet mysterious
smile. Her body was encased in a pair of jeans that showed off her scuplted legs and dark
green sweater. Over this ensemble she had a grey hooded cloak.
"So this is my brother's homeworld," Leanna replied distastefully as she got a lung full
of polluted air. "No wonder he left."
"Well look what he have here," A rough voice replied behind her.
"Looks like a pretty thing that don't know better than to be out alone," Another equally
rough voice intoned. "Maybe we can have a little fun with her."
Lianna smiled. "No, but I can have fun with you!" She responded, not even bothering
to look at the two thugs behind her.
"Think you can take us little miss?" The first thug replied.
"Easily," She replied. As she spun to face them, she called upon her elemental magic.
"Flame Tornado!"
The wind around the two thugs suddenly picked up to the force of a tornado then
seemingly ignited. Seconds later the conflagration extinguised leaving the two thugs burnt and
dazed. Lianna sighed as she stepped over them.
"What a pair of losers," She mumbled as she walked toward the college campus. She
didn't have time for such people, she had a mission to accomplish after all.
TBC