Sorry about the wait. School's been overwhelming for the past few weeks.
DEATH 2 HISTORY DAY!!! (Well, not death, just long painful torture for
making me spend my Christmas break working on my project.) Anyway.here's
the newest installment. Enjoy.
They all looked at her like she was crazy. She closed her eyes and began to speak and as if she was remembering the actual event, not just the story. Before she could speak, Nakago interrupted.
"We already know how the gods became enemies. Explain how you know us and exactly who you are." Solei met his gaze defiantly.
"I wasn't going to tell you how the gods became enemies." She paused, "I was going to explain exactly who I am." The warriors nodded, and Amber looked slightly stunned, then motioned for her to continue. "I started out just like everyone else. No powers, nothing. Not even a family. When I was ten, a man who said he would be generous towards me picked me up off the streets and made me one of his servants. To put it lightly, he was far less than generous. The only generosity I ever received from him was one meal a day: a crust of bread and a few drops of water. I was under-nourished and weak. Because of the lack of food, I would stumble and trip easily, and my master would beat me for my weakness. I quickly acquired much better balance and grace, but he found new ways to torment me as I grew older." Her voice faltered, and the implications of what Solei had just said dawned on Amber.
"EEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Solei grimaced, then nodded.
"Exactly. I was still whipped, but now it was in addition to this new punishment. When I was sixteen, something inside me snapped after a beating. All I remember of that first manifestation of power is a lot of silver light, and opening my eyes to see the body of my master, twisted and mangled on the floor, bleeding from every pore in his body. Needless to say, I was gone quickly. I went back to the streets and joined the assassin's guild. I was probably the best thief they had, not to mention the only girl." Nuriko held up his hand to stop her.
"From what I have heard of this world, it has been many years since any such guilds. Where were you?" Solei smiled ruefully.
"I was on the streets of London and Rotterdam, a few centuries ago." Tasuki looked very confused, as did Amber and Nuriko; Nakago's face was as unreadable as it always was. Solei took another deep breath. "I'm much older than I look. I found out while in the guild that I was the daughter of the god that protected thieves and assassins. I also found out that the silver light could do more than kill. I developed my chi with the help of my half-brothers in the realm of the gods a few years after that discovery, and they taught me everything I know. With those teachings came the ability to move between worlds.
"I was able to traverse the different realms, and I oft visited yours. I know Suzaku and Seiryu quite well, and through them, I know you." She started to slump against the chair, but stiffened quickly, pain flashing momentarily through her eyes. Nakago turned expectantly towards Amber.
"And you?" he asked. Amber opened her mouth to speak, but no words formed. Solei spoke once more.
"She does not yet know the extent of who she really is. I only know pieces, and I am only able to tell you fragments of that knowledge."
"Why?" Nuriko's honest question brought a tight smile to Solei's lips.
"The gods only allow me to say so much, Nuriko. Amber isn't like me. In the sense of age, she truly is eighteen. However, as you can see, she also has certain..." Solei paused, trying to decide how to word it. "Oddities that are proof of her three-quarters heritage."
"Say wha?" Amber was trying to decipher her friend's cryptic wording. Nakago's voice smoothly interceded.
"You're three-quarter's demon." Tasuki and Nuriko jumped as if poked with hot irons.
"Really?" Amber asked.
"Yeah. Your mother was a half-demon, your father, the demon god." Amber's eyes went wide and it occurred to Tasuki and Nuriko that she was the Daughter of the God. Nakago showed no signs of amazement as the other two did; he already knew. Tasuki spoke.
"How the hell do you know us?" Amber chewed the inside of her lip, not wanting to say that they were comic book characters.
"Umm...I...umm...didn't, actually. Why would I? I can't travel between worlds and Solei did not say anything about you." Inwardly Solei shook her head at the blatant lie. Tasuki seemed to accept it though, and Solei did not say anything to contradict it. Solei rose, using the armrests as support so she did not collapse. Nuriko, deciding to be a gentleman, rose and walked over to her, offering her his arm to escort her out. She accepted it with a relieved smile and removed the chi barrier on the room, thankful that she would not have to show weakness in front of the warriors. Before walking out of the foyer, she paused, looking over her shoulder as she spoke.
"Dinner's at seven." Then she allowed Nuriko to whisk her out of the room.
After Nuriko and Solei had left, Amber looked carefully at Nakago. As if feeling her gaze, he caught her stare and raised an eyebrow at her. She blushed and turned away muttering to herself. Tasuki's ears caught what she was saying.
"I don't know what Solei sees in that egotistical jerk..." He looked at her sharply, thinking that she spoke of Nuriko until she continued her muttering. "Nakago can be such a bastard at times, not to mention a total perv..." she rolled her eyes, then rose. Tasuki rose with her and offered his arm. Amber looked at him like he was crazy but accepted the outstretched limb. She rose up on her tiptoes and halted him once they had left the parlor.
"Follow me to the gardens, there's something I want to show you." She released his arm and walked ahead, expecting him to follow, which he did fairly quickly, wondering what she wished to show him. He heard a door open, and turned, curious. Amber, noticing that he wasn't following, spun to look at him and her eyes went wide as something she saw.
"Shit." Her swearing was soft and she grabbed Tasuki's arm and began to race towards the door.
"Amber?" She stopped, perfectly still, in mid-stride. Pasting a smile on her face she looked Solei's grandfather in the face.
"Hello, grandfather." He peered at her from behind square spectacles perched on the tip of his nose.
"Who is this man? Where're ya takin' him?" his eyebrows danced up and down suggestively and Amber promptly turned eight different shades of red. Tasuki grinned, his fangs poking out. Grandfather stopped laughing and regarded him seriously, looking him up and down slowly. Something seemed to click in his mind, and his old, wise eyes glittered with angry flame.
"Whaz up with you?" Tasuki asked, unconcerned with the fury building in the tiny old man.
"Out." Amber looked at her adopted grandfather, concerned. She saw an old man pointing towards the nearest exit, his hand shaking with rage. She grabbed Tasuki's hand and ran out the door into the gardens, leaving the old man.
Solei let Nuriko lead her outside into the clearing where they had met a few days earlier, concern in his eyes as she stumbled to a halt.
"One minute, Nuriko. I need to grab something." She slipped into the forest out of his view and returned a moment later, a knife tucked hidden in her sash, leaves tangled in her hair. As she leaned casually on a tree, he voiced his worries.
"Solei, are you all right?" She looked at him and smiled.
"Fine. Why?" He fidgeted slightly.
"In the parlor, you had pain in your eyes." She was slightly taken aback by his comment but recovered, hiding her shock.
"It's like having a nightmare and waking up to find that it was real." She shuddered, ignoring her aching back.
"Anything I can do to help?" She looked to him and grinned.
"Just be who you really are, don't play any games." 'Like I do' she added ruefully to herself. He nodded, wondering if she had noticed that he had cut his hair. He walked up to her and kissed her gently. Her hands slid up around his neck and her fingers danced through his newly shortened hair as she pulled back a moment later. She smiled, still playing with his hair. "Why'd you cut it?" she asked softly.
"I decided it was time to stop playing games." He kissed her lightly then stepped back, catching one of her hands as it fell from around his neck. Giggling slightly as he bowed over her hand, she smiled anew.
"Good for you." Nuriko kissed her hand and led her out of the clearing, bowing again as she walked in the opposite direction.
"Till dinner, lady fair." Solei managed to keep a straight face as she answered.
"Till then, gallant knight. Till then."
Nakago waited until the others had left to meditate. His mind ranged free, and he contacted Seiryu, asking how he was to transport the Goddess Protector and the Daughter of the God to Kutou. Seiryu's voice came to him swiftly.
'The old man will help you. He likes not the Suzaku stars; they carry a tainted flame in his eyes. Gain his trust and only with his assistance will you be able to succeed.' Nakago bowed his head in compliance, inwardly cursing that another pathetic weakling had to be involved. He walked out into the hallway, and caught sight of Tasuki grinning at a wrinkled old figure in priest robes. Nakago melted into the shadows as he moved closer, catching what the old man said as he pointed towards the door.
"Out." He watched as Amber and Tasuki raced out the door into the waning afternoon. He stepped out of the shadows as the old man turned away from the younger pair. Wire-rimmed eyes of steel looked up and met blue, softening to a tarnished gunmetal grey. His brows furrowed as he tried to place the tall blond before him. "I know you..." A smirk tugged at the edges of Nakago's mouth as he walked further into the light. Realization dawned in the old man's eyes, and he smiled knowingly. "Nakago. I should have known. Of all the possible warriors for her. Who else?" Nakago answered swiftly.
"Nuriko and Amiboshi." The old man gnashed his teeth at the mention of a Suzaku warrior, but made no comment upon it.
"You know who the girls are?" Nakago kept eye contact. "Good. I am Kamai's 'grandfather'." Nakago raised an eyebrow at the ancient figure before him. "Meaning that I have no relation to her whatsoever."
"Then who are you?" Wrinkles appeared in the corners of his eyes as the elder smiled.
"Never one to beat around the bush, were you?" Nakago did not answer. "I am Makenki Kamoku, Seiryu's advisor and messenger." Kamai walked into the hall from outside, leaves in her curly ponytail.
"Like Tai-isukun?" she asked, picking the offending greenery from her hair. The old man glared at her.
"Not so much as a 'Hello Grandfather' or a 'How are you Grandfather?' some way to treat the only family you've got left..." he continued muttering as Solei rolled her eyes.
"Hello Grandfather, how are you?" she asked, exasperation evident as she shifted her weight to her opposite foot, exposing one long, slender leg from the high slit in her dress.
"Fine. Now, enough questions, you know I don't like them. Yes. I am similar to the old bat, but I am far superior in intellect and power." Solei raised her eyebrows, but did not comment. Her Grandfather made eye contact with Nakago who was standing behind her and spoke into his mind softly.
'When I nod, grab her and step backwards, I'll have a portal ready. I'll send Amber through myself. Again.' He took Nakago's silence for acceptance and prepared the portal while he talked to Solei.
"Don't look at me like that. It's disrespectful." Solei smiled and shook her head.
"What ever you say, Grandfather." He nodded his head, and a pair of strong arms encircled her as she was moved backwards. She started to struggle, but heard Nakago's voice deep and low in her ear, melting her resistance as she realized that it was he who held her close.
"Let it happen." He whispered, then she fell into a sea of blue light.
MidnightShade: What do ya think? TELL ME PLEASE!!!!!!!!! I know it's a cliffy, but let me live k? there isn't much else I can do. Oh, and sry again bout the chappy length, I'll try to make the next one longer. REVIEW!!
Solei: please? *puppy dog eyes*
Amber: pretty please? *cuter puppy dog eyes*
Amiboshi: yeah, I wanna come back in!
MidnightShade: Oh, I can't decide who Solei should end up with. Help me out people. Oh, and FangedBandit19, don't say it. I KNOW you're opinion. NYAH!
They all looked at her like she was crazy. She closed her eyes and began to speak and as if she was remembering the actual event, not just the story. Before she could speak, Nakago interrupted.
"We already know how the gods became enemies. Explain how you know us and exactly who you are." Solei met his gaze defiantly.
"I wasn't going to tell you how the gods became enemies." She paused, "I was going to explain exactly who I am." The warriors nodded, and Amber looked slightly stunned, then motioned for her to continue. "I started out just like everyone else. No powers, nothing. Not even a family. When I was ten, a man who said he would be generous towards me picked me up off the streets and made me one of his servants. To put it lightly, he was far less than generous. The only generosity I ever received from him was one meal a day: a crust of bread and a few drops of water. I was under-nourished and weak. Because of the lack of food, I would stumble and trip easily, and my master would beat me for my weakness. I quickly acquired much better balance and grace, but he found new ways to torment me as I grew older." Her voice faltered, and the implications of what Solei had just said dawned on Amber.
"EEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Solei grimaced, then nodded.
"Exactly. I was still whipped, but now it was in addition to this new punishment. When I was sixteen, something inside me snapped after a beating. All I remember of that first manifestation of power is a lot of silver light, and opening my eyes to see the body of my master, twisted and mangled on the floor, bleeding from every pore in his body. Needless to say, I was gone quickly. I went back to the streets and joined the assassin's guild. I was probably the best thief they had, not to mention the only girl." Nuriko held up his hand to stop her.
"From what I have heard of this world, it has been many years since any such guilds. Where were you?" Solei smiled ruefully.
"I was on the streets of London and Rotterdam, a few centuries ago." Tasuki looked very confused, as did Amber and Nuriko; Nakago's face was as unreadable as it always was. Solei took another deep breath. "I'm much older than I look. I found out while in the guild that I was the daughter of the god that protected thieves and assassins. I also found out that the silver light could do more than kill. I developed my chi with the help of my half-brothers in the realm of the gods a few years after that discovery, and they taught me everything I know. With those teachings came the ability to move between worlds.
"I was able to traverse the different realms, and I oft visited yours. I know Suzaku and Seiryu quite well, and through them, I know you." She started to slump against the chair, but stiffened quickly, pain flashing momentarily through her eyes. Nakago turned expectantly towards Amber.
"And you?" he asked. Amber opened her mouth to speak, but no words formed. Solei spoke once more.
"She does not yet know the extent of who she really is. I only know pieces, and I am only able to tell you fragments of that knowledge."
"Why?" Nuriko's honest question brought a tight smile to Solei's lips.
"The gods only allow me to say so much, Nuriko. Amber isn't like me. In the sense of age, she truly is eighteen. However, as you can see, she also has certain..." Solei paused, trying to decide how to word it. "Oddities that are proof of her three-quarters heritage."
"Say wha?" Amber was trying to decipher her friend's cryptic wording. Nakago's voice smoothly interceded.
"You're three-quarter's demon." Tasuki and Nuriko jumped as if poked with hot irons.
"Really?" Amber asked.
"Yeah. Your mother was a half-demon, your father, the demon god." Amber's eyes went wide and it occurred to Tasuki and Nuriko that she was the Daughter of the God. Nakago showed no signs of amazement as the other two did; he already knew. Tasuki spoke.
"How the hell do you know us?" Amber chewed the inside of her lip, not wanting to say that they were comic book characters.
"Umm...I...umm...didn't, actually. Why would I? I can't travel between worlds and Solei did not say anything about you." Inwardly Solei shook her head at the blatant lie. Tasuki seemed to accept it though, and Solei did not say anything to contradict it. Solei rose, using the armrests as support so she did not collapse. Nuriko, deciding to be a gentleman, rose and walked over to her, offering her his arm to escort her out. She accepted it with a relieved smile and removed the chi barrier on the room, thankful that she would not have to show weakness in front of the warriors. Before walking out of the foyer, she paused, looking over her shoulder as she spoke.
"Dinner's at seven." Then she allowed Nuriko to whisk her out of the room.
After Nuriko and Solei had left, Amber looked carefully at Nakago. As if feeling her gaze, he caught her stare and raised an eyebrow at her. She blushed and turned away muttering to herself. Tasuki's ears caught what she was saying.
"I don't know what Solei sees in that egotistical jerk..." He looked at her sharply, thinking that she spoke of Nuriko until she continued her muttering. "Nakago can be such a bastard at times, not to mention a total perv..." she rolled her eyes, then rose. Tasuki rose with her and offered his arm. Amber looked at him like he was crazy but accepted the outstretched limb. She rose up on her tiptoes and halted him once they had left the parlor.
"Follow me to the gardens, there's something I want to show you." She released his arm and walked ahead, expecting him to follow, which he did fairly quickly, wondering what she wished to show him. He heard a door open, and turned, curious. Amber, noticing that he wasn't following, spun to look at him and her eyes went wide as something she saw.
"Shit." Her swearing was soft and she grabbed Tasuki's arm and began to race towards the door.
"Amber?" She stopped, perfectly still, in mid-stride. Pasting a smile on her face she looked Solei's grandfather in the face.
"Hello, grandfather." He peered at her from behind square spectacles perched on the tip of his nose.
"Who is this man? Where're ya takin' him?" his eyebrows danced up and down suggestively and Amber promptly turned eight different shades of red. Tasuki grinned, his fangs poking out. Grandfather stopped laughing and regarded him seriously, looking him up and down slowly. Something seemed to click in his mind, and his old, wise eyes glittered with angry flame.
"Whaz up with you?" Tasuki asked, unconcerned with the fury building in the tiny old man.
"Out." Amber looked at her adopted grandfather, concerned. She saw an old man pointing towards the nearest exit, his hand shaking with rage. She grabbed Tasuki's hand and ran out the door into the gardens, leaving the old man.
Solei let Nuriko lead her outside into the clearing where they had met a few days earlier, concern in his eyes as she stumbled to a halt.
"One minute, Nuriko. I need to grab something." She slipped into the forest out of his view and returned a moment later, a knife tucked hidden in her sash, leaves tangled in her hair. As she leaned casually on a tree, he voiced his worries.
"Solei, are you all right?" She looked at him and smiled.
"Fine. Why?" He fidgeted slightly.
"In the parlor, you had pain in your eyes." She was slightly taken aback by his comment but recovered, hiding her shock.
"It's like having a nightmare and waking up to find that it was real." She shuddered, ignoring her aching back.
"Anything I can do to help?" She looked to him and grinned.
"Just be who you really are, don't play any games." 'Like I do' she added ruefully to herself. He nodded, wondering if she had noticed that he had cut his hair. He walked up to her and kissed her gently. Her hands slid up around his neck and her fingers danced through his newly shortened hair as she pulled back a moment later. She smiled, still playing with his hair. "Why'd you cut it?" she asked softly.
"I decided it was time to stop playing games." He kissed her lightly then stepped back, catching one of her hands as it fell from around his neck. Giggling slightly as he bowed over her hand, she smiled anew.
"Good for you." Nuriko kissed her hand and led her out of the clearing, bowing again as she walked in the opposite direction.
"Till dinner, lady fair." Solei managed to keep a straight face as she answered.
"Till then, gallant knight. Till then."
Nakago waited until the others had left to meditate. His mind ranged free, and he contacted Seiryu, asking how he was to transport the Goddess Protector and the Daughter of the God to Kutou. Seiryu's voice came to him swiftly.
'The old man will help you. He likes not the Suzaku stars; they carry a tainted flame in his eyes. Gain his trust and only with his assistance will you be able to succeed.' Nakago bowed his head in compliance, inwardly cursing that another pathetic weakling had to be involved. He walked out into the hallway, and caught sight of Tasuki grinning at a wrinkled old figure in priest robes. Nakago melted into the shadows as he moved closer, catching what the old man said as he pointed towards the door.
"Out." He watched as Amber and Tasuki raced out the door into the waning afternoon. He stepped out of the shadows as the old man turned away from the younger pair. Wire-rimmed eyes of steel looked up and met blue, softening to a tarnished gunmetal grey. His brows furrowed as he tried to place the tall blond before him. "I know you..." A smirk tugged at the edges of Nakago's mouth as he walked further into the light. Realization dawned in the old man's eyes, and he smiled knowingly. "Nakago. I should have known. Of all the possible warriors for her. Who else?" Nakago answered swiftly.
"Nuriko and Amiboshi." The old man gnashed his teeth at the mention of a Suzaku warrior, but made no comment upon it.
"You know who the girls are?" Nakago kept eye contact. "Good. I am Kamai's 'grandfather'." Nakago raised an eyebrow at the ancient figure before him. "Meaning that I have no relation to her whatsoever."
"Then who are you?" Wrinkles appeared in the corners of his eyes as the elder smiled.
"Never one to beat around the bush, were you?" Nakago did not answer. "I am Makenki Kamoku, Seiryu's advisor and messenger." Kamai walked into the hall from outside, leaves in her curly ponytail.
"Like Tai-isukun?" she asked, picking the offending greenery from her hair. The old man glared at her.
"Not so much as a 'Hello Grandfather' or a 'How are you Grandfather?' some way to treat the only family you've got left..." he continued muttering as Solei rolled her eyes.
"Hello Grandfather, how are you?" she asked, exasperation evident as she shifted her weight to her opposite foot, exposing one long, slender leg from the high slit in her dress.
"Fine. Now, enough questions, you know I don't like them. Yes. I am similar to the old bat, but I am far superior in intellect and power." Solei raised her eyebrows, but did not comment. Her Grandfather made eye contact with Nakago who was standing behind her and spoke into his mind softly.
'When I nod, grab her and step backwards, I'll have a portal ready. I'll send Amber through myself. Again.' He took Nakago's silence for acceptance and prepared the portal while he talked to Solei.
"Don't look at me like that. It's disrespectful." Solei smiled and shook her head.
"What ever you say, Grandfather." He nodded his head, and a pair of strong arms encircled her as she was moved backwards. She started to struggle, but heard Nakago's voice deep and low in her ear, melting her resistance as she realized that it was he who held her close.
"Let it happen." He whispered, then she fell into a sea of blue light.
MidnightShade: What do ya think? TELL ME PLEASE!!!!!!!!! I know it's a cliffy, but let me live k? there isn't much else I can do. Oh, and sry again bout the chappy length, I'll try to make the next one longer. REVIEW!!
Solei: please? *puppy dog eyes*
Amber: pretty please? *cuter puppy dog eyes*
Amiboshi: yeah, I wanna come back in!
MidnightShade: Oh, I can't decide who Solei should end up with. Help me out people. Oh, and FangedBandit19, don't say it. I KNOW you're opinion. NYAH!