Do not own SC characters, do own Setsuna. This one is a little slow in my opinion. I hope you like it though :)
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Chapter 18: Moments of Magic
Taki wasn't sure if having this feeling for Sophitia or anyone else for that matter was the right thing for a ninja such as her to feel, but that didn't mean that she wanted it to end. Even caressing Sophitia's cheek was the sweetest thing to her.
"You fought brilliantly while I was down, I was waiting for the right moment to come back up." Taki grinned as she let her fingers run down the back of her ear and along her jaw line.
"You could've gotten up and kept going you know. Do you have any idea what you did to my heart by doing that!?" Sophitia scolded but couldn't help but smile by the movement of Taki's fingers as they trailed down the side of her neck.
"Well, I was afraid of doing that because then it would've just used you as a weakness against me, even though it couldn't possibly kill me while I wear this thing..." Taki raised her wrist that had the necklace tied around it. "It would've still killed a part of me if something ever happened to you, that wound on your cheek was enough for me to take." Taki pointed at the long slit-like mark on Sophitia's cheek as it let the blood run down her face.
Sophitia wiped the streams of blood away the back of her hand, only to have the drops of blood return. Taki's eyes swept to the stream, an idea suddenly came to her.
"Let me try something." Taki pulled Sophitia down so they were sitting near the stream. She wished that she had a rag of some sort to collect the drifting water but ended up using her fingers and dabbing the water upon Sophitia's cheek as she held her chin with her free hand. She watched as the skin slowly repaired itself wherever she'd touched. She didn't stop bringing the water to her face until the wound was completely gone. "Well, how is it being human again? Wish you were a cat-beast instead?" Taki smiled as she continued to dab the water on anyplace else that the Anubite had hit her while she was down.
"Are you kidding? Human is the best feeling; I don't feel uncontrollable rage burning inside me, my nails don't break through my skin, and I no longer have a craving for shrimp." Sophitia seemed a little excited about that last point she made, which made Taki's grin widen.
"I kind of wonder if Setsuna ever felt that." Sophitia's head shot up as Taki mentioned her name. They both slowly turned to Setsuna who laid motionless, blood spilled from her stomach, her eyes were open and lifeless as they stared into the mass of woods and her black wavy locks fell slightly over her face. She was in her human form.
Sophitia and Taki looked at each other, noting the sadness in their eyes. Sophitia remained silent as her gaze swept to the stream, she stared at it for a few seconds then looked back up to Taki with raised eyebrows.
"Do you think it might work?" Sophitia asked. Taki raised an eyebrow as she looked to the stream.
"We'll just have to find out." She walked over to Setsuna's corpse and using all her strength lifted her from the ground and carried her to the stream. With Sophitia's help she dipped Setsuna's body in and held her so that she wouldn't be swept away. The two waited for any sign of life while as seconds passed their hope did as well. Taki looked to the side thinking that this was it until the body ripped from her hands and burst out of the water taking in a deep shallow-sounding gasp. Taki and Sophitia looked up in surprise as Setsuna coughed out the water that had slipped down her throat.
Setsuna took in deep breaths as she looked towards the two who still seemed a bit surprised that they had awakened someone from death. Setsuna raised an eyebrow.
"Why did you save me?" She spoke in a raspy sounding voice most likely because of the fact that she inhaled water.
"We figured that a dedicated demigod such as you didn't deserve death, although I've never saved a demigod before it's an interesting feeling to have done so." Sophitia spoke with a smile as she cocked her head to one side.
Setsuna smiled the warmest smile the two have ever seen her show as she blinked. "Thank you." She spoke softly. She looked down for a few seconds, unsure of how to thank them the way they deserve. She looked down at her gold bracelets, she chose one that took up one-third of the lower arm and gave it to Sophitia. "Both my mother and I want to thank you by giving you this, not only as a thank you but as a memento as well."
Sophitia took the thick gold bracelet and took a deeper look at it and smiled as she notices that it had writing on it that was in several different languages around the bracelet. She smiled as she noticed that Taki was looking at it over her shoulder.
"One's element can be one's weapon, one's weapon can be one's power, one's power can be one's freedom." Taki read aloud. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Well, I wish I could tell you but that's only for the divinities and myself to know." Setsuna stated as she wrung out the hem of her skirt.
"That isn't fair." Sophitia noted as she looked up from her gift.
"I know, but I can't help it." Setsuna stated with a smirk as she stood herself up.
"Wait, since you were in the river of renewal, doesn't that mean that you're now human?" Taki asked as she raised an eyebrow. Setsuna just turned and looked at her briefly.
"No, since I am the true daughter of Bastet I am a cat-beast permanently." Setsuna sounded rather neutral about the thought. "I really have to work on my skills; they seem to be a bit rusty." She noted as she looked at her two swords that lay next to each other, The Anubite's blood was no longer at the tips. Setsuna walked over and eyed them, then placed them back into their sheaths.
"A bit rusty?" Taki noted sarcastically. "I wonder how you went through an army of those Anubites and lived."
"Yes, well, I was young then." Setsuna stated as she turned back to them.
"Young? How old were you, ninety-six?" Taki raised an eyebrow, then smirked as Setsuna glared at her. "Ready to go back?" 'It might be better to just change the subject.' Taki thought to herself after remembering that she was talking back to a demigod.
"Whenever you two are." Setsuna stated as she turned to Sophitia.
"Oh, I couldn't be more ready to go back, who knows if another Anubite shows up." Sophitia stated as she stood up with the help of Taki's strength pulling her up.
Setsuna noticed that Taki smiled sweetly as she pulled her up and Sophitia smiled back with, what Setsuna thought, a rather love struck look in her eyes that Taki returned.
"Did anything happen while I was being judged by Osiris?" Setsuna raised an eyebrow while trying her best not to grin, but the attempt was useless, it just made her face look awkward.
"Oh, you met with Osiris?" Taki seemed intrigued by this for some reason.
"Yes, my mother and him have been closely tied on some occasions, he said that he was surprise to see me- Hey! Don't change the subject!" Setsuna yelled, being angry mostly with herself for being so naïve as to let her change the subject.
"Well, I wish I could tell you but that's only for Sophitia and I know." Taki smiled cockily as she narrowed her eyes after she replied.
'I should've seen that remark coming.' Setsuna thought to herself as she gave a small smile as her eyes narrowed at Taki's cocky smile and Sophitia's grin that she tried to hide. "Fine, fine. I'll leave it alone then." Setsuna raised her hands to her 'Fine, fine.' and smiled as she strode over to the path that they took to enter the oasis, she stopped before she entered the woods and gestured to them to go ahead of her.
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The night washed over the sky and the sand dunes seemed softer underneath their feet as they noticed that the cool night air was rather refreshing after the walk to the oasis underneath the beating sun. The cool night air seemed to get colder by the minute, but of course it didn't bother Setsuna, although now Sophitia wished that she'd kept her fur to keep her warm, then mentally slapped herself for thinking such a thing.
Setsuna began to feel awkward; she could feel Taki and Sophitia throwing glances at each other ever since they had left the oasis. She wasn't as stupid as to not know that their feelings for each other had grown tremendously.
'I feel so out of place, like a third wheel, like I'm in the way. Love was something, in all the years that have passed me by, I've never really took thought of it in a serious way, even if my own mother who is a goddess who greatly believes and promotes it.' Setsuna's amethyst eyes trailed over to Taki, who glanced at Sophitia briefly, blinked, then all of the sudden became a little flustered.
Setsuna's eyes tore away from her so that she would risk being caught staring at a human. 'I'm sure she's thinking of ways that they could warm each other up if I wasn't here.' Setsuna felt even worse at the thought, she closed her eyes and let her head lower a bit as she sighed. 'I guess I should be happy that they finally brought their love for each other out in the open, or so I'm guessing seeing as to how I was dead at the time. Funny thing is that we have the Anubite to thank for that.' Setsuna smirked at the thought.
"What are going to do after this Setsuna?" Setsuna jumped as Sophitia brought her out of her thoughts.
"Urm, I'm not sure, whatever my mother tells me to." She spoke plainly.
"You always do what Bastet wants you to?" Taki asked as she raised an eyebrow.
"I've already done everything else, so there's no point in trying to stop her, she always pokes in my head either way. What about you two? Go back to Japan or Greece and live happily together?" Setsuna's eyes never wavered as she stared at her sandy path before her as she spoke.
Taki and Sophitia were taken aback a bit by Setsuna's rather sudden question. Both either looked down or over to the side, both new that that wasn't exactly an option, as much as they would like it to be.
"We... We've never really thought about it, originally I was supposed to go back to Greece and Taki would stay in Japan, but..." Sophitia's eyes swept over to Taki, who looked back at her in a rather shyly manner.
"Perhaps it should stay that way..." Taki suddenly spoke in a tone that clearly shone her depression in the idea. Sophitia's looked became more of a shock as she sharply turned straight to Taki.
"What?!" Sophitia couldn't believe her own ears.
"It's for the best, trust me. If any demon lords found out... about... you and I... then your life would be in jeopardy and I don't want to risk it-"
"I don't care!" Sophitia shouted, trying to fight the moisture she felt in her eyes.
"But I do! And I'm sure that your family will become worried. As I said, it's for the best." Taki looked back at Sophitia sternly as she spoke, then looked away and closed her eyes.
Taki had cornered Sophitia with her last point. 'She could come with me to Greece then, but... I know how much she loves her demon hunting, how she said that she thought of it as a thrill, also... I'm ashamed to even think of this... but I'm afraid of what my family might think of her, not because of her sex, but because of the fact that she's a foreign demon hunter, they might think of her as strange and not trust her. Although I'd be willing to wait for them to trust, I'm sure it would be awkward for both Taki and my family.' Sophitia's gaze lowered, Taki was right; maybe it was for the best. Sophitia let out a sigh.
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Setsuna decided, or rather Bastet told her to just in case another Anubite should show up, to accompany them to the docks, of course all the way there, there was no sign of another Anubite, which made Setsuna feel even more like an intrusion of Sophitia and Taki's deserved privacy.
The two were happy to reach the port town because looking at nothing but sand for a day can be quite dulling. "Well, Sophitia, I hope that you enjoy being human again, and most of all..." Setsuna leaned closer so that she could lower her voice. "I hope that you two will find a time and place for you to be together without any doubts about your relationship." Taki and Sophitia both grinned widely at this and blushed slightly.
Setsuna smirked at the modesty that they clearly showed. "By the way Taki, I will be needing my scarab back please." Setsuna pointed at her necklace that was still wrapped around her wrist.
"Oh, sure." Taki unhooked the necklace and gave it to her, she noticed that Sophitia started staring at her long bracelet in awe between its size and all the different languages that were written into the gold.
"Should I ever see you again, I'll tell you what the message on that bracelet means. Don't lose it; it's magic of the gods and can be taken by anyone." Setsuna apparently noticed Sophitia eyeing it as well. Sophitia looked up as Setsuna spoke and nodded. Setsuna smiled. "My mother still believes that you would've made a fine daughter, and that you will remain in the book of cat-beasts." Setsuna waved at the both of them as she turned to go back to the desert. "I do hope to see you two again, its certainly been fun." She smiled warmly as she spoke as she departed; Sophitia could've sworn she saw Setsuna's eyes turn cat-like again as she left.
Sophitia smiled, she knew she was just teasing her by reminding her of what she used to be. She turned to Taki who smiled warmly at her. "Well? Shall we go see when our ships are going to be leaving?" She suggested in a dim sounding tone, like she really didn't want to talk about the topic that they were going to be parting. Sophitia let out a pout.
"Oh, must we?" Sophitia had a look of annoyance in her eyes.
"Yes, I'm afraid so. I don't like it either." Taki was about to say something else before Sophitia wrapped her arms around her neck, pulling her down and capturing the ninja's lips. Neither of them wanted to pull away; Taki wrapped one arms around the younger woman's waist while she placed her other hand on Sophitia's nape, pulling her closer as she felt her felt her fingertip touch the soft, golden hair. Sophitia sighed as she felt Taki's arms pull her closer, making her run her hand down Taki's torso and back up again as she let her other hand touch the back of Taki's head and felt her silky raven colored hair. Taki's breath quickened at the feeling of Sophitia's hand running down her torso, making her kiss deeper. The two finally broke apart, soft smiles on their faces as Sophitia rubbed her nose against Taki's, Taki gladly followed suit. "Okay, maybe we can stay a few days." Taki and Sophitia grinned widely at each other.
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Well? Wasn't too bad I hope ' There will be another chapter. There will also be a sequel eventually. You didn't think I'd leave Setsuna for death did you? Laughs within her throat.
Just as a hint about the sequel, it will be a SC and Warcraft fic, yep, Arthus and everyone else will be in it. For those of you who have never played Warcraft III before, I'll try to describe the Warcraft characters the best that I can, or at least well enough so that I don't start to write paragraphs and paragraphs about what the character looks like. You could make it easier for me and buy it, but it's up to you and I would have to describe the characters anyway, either way, I do recommend it and as a hint if you click on the characters enough, they start saying the funniest things, even the evil undead guys. :)
To Witch-Hunter 51: I'm glad to know that Taki's 'death' shocked you; it was what I was aiming for in that part ;P Yeah I had to mention the necklace otherwise people wouldn't get it. Thanks for the two thumbs up; it means a lot :)
To PriestessLennoue: When did you start school? I don't start until Tuesday the 7th :O Ah, I see, Pocky can be hard to get when you really need it, I'm sure you get more eventually, knowing you, lol, just keep suckin' down those cokes in the meantime :) You should be happy to have learned about the sequel, so I won't be stopping the story permanently yet :)
