“Ronin Warriors: The Final Victor”
By Onikage
Scroll Twenty-Eight: Chrysanthemum Covered Gravestone
Part Three of Three
Cale leaned against the front door of the house gasping for air in deep gulps, his legs burning from the non-stop sprint to the house. He had made the trip of nearly five miles in under a minute. He felt Rekka's presence not far behind. She was rather fast for one so young. It was the longest minute of his life. The twenty seconds it took from the door through the first floor was even longer. "L-lady Mia!!" he managed to shout all ready out of breath. "W-whiteblaze!!!" He scrambled throughout the downstairs from kitchen to study and from foyer to parlor. The house was too big he growled to himself. His family was too big too on another note that made his heart scream. It was all ready racing as he finally made it to the stairs. He heard Rekka barrel into the front hall just as he made it up to the second floor. "C-cale!"
Cale swung his large body around the first turn of the hallway and froze at the sight. Yuli lay against the carpet unmoving. "YULI!!" he exclaimed and lifted the limp boy into his arms. There was a nasty bruise forming on the side of his face, his arm appeared broken too, his wrist twisted in an impossible position. Touching his forehead gently, Yuli murmured softly, stirring. Cale let out a sigh of slight relief to find that he was alive. "Mnn..."
"Yuli," he breathed, trying to stay calm. He opened his eyes.
"C-cale..." Dark blue eyes misted as the small boy smiled, despite the pain.
"Little one, are you all right? What happened?" he asked softly.
"... I... heard a noise and... then... Mia was screaming... I don't know what happened after that..." Cale lay Yuli down carefully and unfastened his cape before balling it quickly into a makeshift pillow and placing it underneath Yuli's head. It was sticky with blood. "Lay still and wait for Halo. Try and stay awake. Recite that mantra I taught you. Do you remember it?"
"Sun is warm... grass is green?" Cale smiled tearfully.
"N-no, but that will work too... Where did you hear Lady Mia?"
"... The... the room... Mine and... K-kiku's..."
"Thank you..." Cale rushed down the hall wiping away fresh tears. An angry snarl was his only warning as a large mass tackled him to the floor. Fangs snapped toward his neck before Cale let the large mouth clamp down on his forearm. Whiteblaze shook it in his teeth angrily in rage and fear, roaring loudly. Warm blood splattered Cale's cheek as he the large beast tried to rip at his arm viciously. It didn't really hurt him. Whiteblaze was too badly injured to break through the armor. He couldn't even if he was at full strength. "Whiteblaze!!! Whiteblaze!! It's me!! Let go!!!" The tiger slowly became docile. He released Cale quickly and whimpered, nosing around to feel his face. It was then that Cale could see the reason for his behavior: Whiteblaze's sight was gone. A large gash ran horizontally across the line of his sight, which left the beast completely blind. Tears threatened to fall as he embraced him.
"No!!" he cried. "What did she do?" he gasped. "Is Lady Mia and Kiku all right?!" he exclaimed. Whiteblaze whined pitifully before blindly sniffing around. Cale could not stand to see him like this. "Listen to me old friend... Yuli is down the hall. Find your way to him and keep him company. Wait for Halo..." The beast padded away slowly, bumping into the corner before turning it. Cale spun on his heel to turn the final bend of the hallway.
Mia was passed out in the middle of the doorway of Kiku and Yuli's shared room. Blood covered her blouse and this part of the hallway. He slid to her side and lifted her gently. There was a bad gash on her back and another on her leg. Mia murmured gently in her sleep and did not wake. Cale gasped helplessly as he lifted her into the hall out of the way, hoping that the others would get here quickly.
A strained cry escaped his throat as he look inside what was left of the children's room...
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Tori stumbled into the upstairs hallway, tripping on the last step. She pulled herself to her feet and gasped when she saw Yuli and Whiteblaze on the floor. Tori limped over to them. Yuli had fallen unconscious. Whiteblaze growled at her upon hearing her approach. The dark hallway didn't show her the injury until she kneeled beside them. "Oh, 'Blaze!" Tori whimpered and buried her face into the bloody fur. "You poor baby," she cried. She heard footsteps from down stairs and Ryo's voice. "TORI!!! CALE!"
"Ryo!!" she cried, trying desperately not to fall in to frightened sobs. Short seconds seemed like minutes before he appeared at her side in the sub armor of the Inferno. "Blaze's hurt! Yuli's unconscious! I found them like this!"
"Whiteblaze!!!!" Ryo gasped, seeing the bleeding gash where his only childhood companion's deep and beautiful brown eyes should have been. Whiteblaze seemed to cry out to him as Ryo buried his face into the fur of his neck. "B-blaze..." he cried. Tori pulled off her cloak and shredded it. She wrapped the mystical cloth around Whiteblaze's head, covering the hideousness of the wound. Ryo sobbed softly. Tori raced to her feet when she heard Lady Kayura approach. She flinched with a short sob upon hearing her scream of shock.
Thundering down the hall, Tori found Mia and the remains of a shattered bedroom door. "MIA!" Tori knelt beside her and felt for her pulse. Finding one, she took the remains of her cloak and wrapped Mia's leg tightly. "Mia? Can you hear me? Mia-sama!" she exclaimed.
"CALE! REKKA!!" Dais hollered. Anubis' voice was added to the horror of finding Whiteblaze and Yuli. She was grateful to hear Sage's voices among the chaos. "Dais!!! I'm down here!!" she called. A flash of orchid and ivory barreled down the hall toward them.
"My lady!!" he exclaimed.
"She's alive, just really beat up," Tori quavered. "Have you seen Cale?!" she exclaimed in near tears. Dais shook his head, speechless and pulled the frail woman to his chest. Locks of ivory spilled over his shoulder and seemed to shield Mia from anymore harm that might come.
Tori heard a shuffling in the broken room and pulled herself to her feet slowly. Tori's eyes fell to the rug where shattered and splintered wood fragments cluttered the forest green floor. As dark as the color of the carpet was, she could still detect the blood staining the surface that was splattered all over the room. Even the walls were wet with the sticky fluid. It squished underneath her feet as she slowly entered the ruin. Splinters of wood from furniture jutted out from what was left of little mattresses as they laid in pieces across the room. Warm, fuzzy quilts that once covered the two children lay in shreds and soaked heaps of blood and wood. The walls were not quite dry. The ceiling fan hung by a sparking live wire from its base. It too was splattered with blood. Gentle wind chimes that hung outside the broken window were the only sound aside from the pandemonium down the hall, which had become muffled in her trepidation. Tori finally noticed Cale sitting in the midst of all the wreckage, utterly stunned. He sat still and frozen as he gaped blankly, but also in terror at a wall beside her. He didn't even acknowledge her presence. Slowly she turned her head to the blood-smeared wall:
"... Awaken unto the nightmare..."
At the bottom of it was Zeal's banner symbol, claiming her kill. Tori covered her mouth in realization. Kurai's seal was now broken, and it would be only a matter of time before he would return to power and challenge them for the throne of the gods. At the base of the cryptic warning, nailed to the wall by a large shard of glass, hung a pillowcase, soaked in blood. Whatever was in it filled it completely. The sides bulged with uneven lumps of unknown mass. Subconsciously, Tori stepped closer to it and attempted to remove it from the wall. She sliced her hand open on an edge as she ripped it free. The bag was still warm. The fan sparked wildly, causing her to drop the bag. The contents inside spilled out...
Tori stumbled forward in horror and opened her mouth to scream. Her knees weakened. A pair of large arms caught her as her knees gave way. She stared down at it, refusing to move. A voice that sounded like Anubis' echoed in her ears, but nothing coherent came from it. Her back hitched suddenly and she vomited violently. She felt him pull back her hair and held her firmly to calm her. Her body quaked as she found that her curiosity rose over her fear. She found herself looking at the bag and what spilled out of it. A tiny, frail, mangled hand lay in the midst of unspeakable mass.
Anubis cringed as a world-shattering scream finally formed in her throat...
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Sekhmet shut the door softly. The sound of the doorknob latching made the warrior jump. Anubis, Ryo, and Sage waited patiently outside Lady Kayura and Tori's bedroom door.
"How is she doing?" Sage asked softly.
"... Rekka's catatonic," he said softly. "She won't move, speak... I don't even think she blinked more than a few times. There was no need to sedate her again... However," he paused and removed a bloody cloth from his back pocket. He opened it and showed them a pair of bloody scissors. The other three froze. "I found these beside her when I came to check on her. She's cut her arms and around her neck. I managed to bandage her up. Halo, you may still want to take a look at her." Sage nodded and entered the room quietly. They heard him greet Tori softly.
"H-how long do you think this'll last?" Ryo asked in a broken voice. Sekhmet shrugged.
"It's hard to say, Wildfire... I've seen cases like this from lasting to a day or even several years after a traumatic experience. This could be permanent..." Tears threatened to fall from Ryo's blue eyes as he nodded slowly. "C-can we see her? Maybe she'll come around if there's someone talking to her," he suggested softly. Anubis nodded in agreement.
"It couldn't hurt, Sekhmet... It worked for Lady Kayura once." Sekhmet was silent and he stared at the younger man for a long while. He turned to Wildfire.
"I guess it's worth a shot, but not until Dais and Halo are through with her." Ryo sniffled and folded his arms.
"What are you? Her doctor?"
"The best one around here, mind you," he snapped with a smirk. Anubis stood in the doorway and sighed.
"I'll monitor the first watch."
"What?" Sekhmet asked.
"She shouldn't be left alone... not after what she had done to herself. Like you said, her catatonia can wear off at anytime," Anubis explained. Sekhmet re-pocketed the scissors. "I suppose that would be a wise course of action... I'll be with Torrent rounding up all the sharp objects in the house..."
"I-I'll do it," Ryo spoke up. "I- I need something to do..." Sekhmet handed him the scissors and watched the youth practically run down the hall.
"How's Whiteblaze?" Anubis asked.
"... There is nothing we can do for him..." Anubis lowered his eyes with a sigh. He suddenly punched the wall.
"Damn you, Zeal," he hissed, tears threatening to fall again for the eighth time in twelve hours. He needed sleep, badly.
"Anubis?" Sekhmet called softly. The younger man turned to look at him with interest and also a great deal of shock. This was the first time in his life hearing kindness towards him from Sekhmet. "... I... have been thinking about what Rekka told me... She is right..." he said softly "Unfortunately..." Sekhmet stopped at the memory of Rekka's screams. Anubis said nothing and waited. "I... still don't know if I could ever forgive you, but..."
"Sekhmet... I..." Anubis could not look him in the eye. "... Thank you."
Tori opened her eyes slowly and felt a sharp pain in her neck. A warm hand cupped her cheek as she her eyes began to focus. Anubis was leaning over her with a gentle smile on his face. His clothes were different, indicating that she had been out for at least a day or so. "... Hi," he whispered.
"... H-hi," she replied almost inaudibly. "Where... am I?"
"You're in your room... You scared us for a little while," he explained softly and stroked her cheek with his thumb. Tori blinked sleepily.
"... I can't remember anything very well... I remember fighting Yang and Talpa... And-"
"Sh, sh, sh..." Anubis nodded with a sigh. "Don't strain yourself. Memory loss is a side effect. Sekhmet gave you some of his venom to make you sleep. You'll... remember everything in time, little one."
"What time is it?" Anubis pulled back the sleeve of his dark purple shirt.
"... Eight-thirty in the morning... You've been asleep for about three days." Tori's eyes widened and she sat up slowly. "What are you doing?" he protested. "You need to rest," he scolded gently. Tori swatted his arm lazily.
"You said I've been sleeping for three days... I'll get bed sores if I don't get up." Anubis felt silent. Her brow furrowed slightly as she tried thinking back to the last things she could remember despite her better judgment. Anubis saw her lost expression change quickly to fear and sadness when she realized what had exactly occurred. Her eyes searched for his quickly and sorrowfully. They were glassy, asking a question that need not be voiced or answered. Hot tears spilled down her cheeks with a frightened expression as she darted out of bed before he could catch her. She heard him calling after her as she raced down the hall toward Yuli and Kiku's room.
Anubis stopped in the middle of the hall as she saw her staring blankly into the ruin of the room. Cale had been in there everyday with anything he could use to restore some semblance of what the room was before. Anubis approached her slowly seeing Cale meet her at the doorway. "Sweetheart, you shouldn't be in here," Cale said softly. "There are live wires and the floor could fall out any moment," he explained futilely. Tori shook her head.
"C-cale? Wh-where is Kiku? I-is she all right?" she asked in a shaken voice. A pang of sadness hit both warriors as denial sunk in. Cale shook his head.
"You don't remember... My lady, your sister-"
"She's downstairs with the others at breakfast right?" Midnight eyes watered gently with bronze ones. Cale shook his head sadly.
"She's... she's gone, my lady. She's dead," he whispered softly. Tori pushed past him.
"Kiku? Come on out!" she called in a shaky voice.
"Rekka-" Anubis and Cale followed her inside. Tori stopped before the wall where the cryptic message was.
"Kiku?... K-kiku?" she started in a soft breath. She jumped when Anubis laid a hand on her shoulder. She turned to him. "I..." Teal eyes watered silently, running slow trickles down his strong face. Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to scream. Loosing all strength in her legs, she sank to the carpet. Anubis caught her gently, falling to the floor with her. A muffled and long wail left her throat as she collapsed to tears. Anubis leaned down and kissed her forehead gently, rocking her broken form slowly unable to control himself. "Little one..." She buried her face into his chest with a whimper. "Shh... shh," he hushed and folded his arms around her shaking form. "I know... I know," he cried softly. He looked up at Cale sadly for once wishing rather selfishly that he was that emotionless warlord once more. He could tell by the look in Cale's eyes that he was not alone in that feeling.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Yuli closed the large book slowly when he saw that Whiteblaze had finally fallen asleep. He could feel the deep, snore-like purr vibrating against his back. It was all he did lately: sleep or let Yuli read to him. He couldn't see, but he could still imagine. Zeal didn't take that away from him, and he'd be damned if he'd let her. Mia had given Whiteblaze a new bandanna to wear over his eyes. Sage had managed to restore the eyes, but not the sight. For now, they could only wait and see if his body would heal or if the damage was permanent.
"Think it's a good idea, Ryo?" Kento asked. "You've seen what this Kurai can do. There's a three-hundred foot crater in the woods!" Yuli slipped away from the sleeping cat and peeked into the kitchen.
"... Yeah, I know... If it's as bad as it seems, then it won't matter where we are. The barrier Kayura made is gone now. The telemarketers saw to that this morning. As of today it's... Friday the eighteenth. Three days after we brought them here... They have to go back or people will talk and all this other crap," Ryo replied. "Besides, we're low on supplies... clothing for that matter. After that I'm down to one pair of jeans..."
"What do we tell the others? This won't go over well with Dais and the others. Where ever we go, they'll follow and we can't put anyone else in danger!" Sai exclaimed letting the sadness of Kiku's death flow back down his face. Kento put an arm around Torrent's shoulder.
"I say we go... Clear their heads. It'll be good for them and for us. If the others don't like it they can stay behind," Rowen said.
"And just where would we stay?" Sage asked.
"I've got that apartment in downtown Shinjuku, remember?"
"No."
"Yes, you do! You know the one where you made it with that hot chick AND her twin sister!" he laughed. Sage blushed.
"How many times do I have to tell you that I was FORCED!?"
"Right, right. You were forced in and out, over and over, and OVER! Oh Saaage!" Rowen continued, voice escalating loudly before an elbow to the side cut him off. "OW."
"Careful, Ro," Kento began. "If Domo hears that about good old Halo here, she might get the wrong idea," he grinned.
"She has a boyfriend," Sage snapped with a blush.
"So?!"
"So I'm NOT like that! I have morals, Kento. You should try them some time!"
"Dude, that was so not cool."
"All right, all right..." Ryo spat. "Cool it... Let's just go see what the girls say about this, okay?"
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Mia stepped outside, following the path down to the large flower garden's gate. She opened it slowly. The wildflowers she, Dais, Cale, and Anubis planted last year were finally starting to grow back. The chrysanthemums were all ready in full bloom over the span of three days. It was a rather odd miracle to see anything bloom after the harsh weather they had been having. Bending down to pick some, she continued to follow the stone path into the back of the garden overlooking the lake. Long ivory locks blew gently into the breeze as Dais stood by not one, but now two stone obelisks. One made of a white marble, the other, the smaller one, a lovely pale pink. Dais turned his head to her silently before looking back down at the inscriptions he and Cale had intricately carved upon the newest addition. "... Good morning," he whispered softly.
"It is a lovely morning. I was beginning to forget what it felt like," Mia said. She bent down and laid the small flowers at the bases of the graves. Tears flooded her vision as she stood again. "... Why Dais? What harm did a little innocent child do to Talpa?" she quavered. Dais slipped an arm around her and pulled her against his chest.
"... Nothing I say will make you feel better, my lady..." Mia rested her head at the base of his neck, taking in the calming scent of summer rain he always smelled like. She looked down at the inscription written in a language she did not recognize. "What does it say?"
"... It's in the language from the region where Cale was born: 'Give us your tiny hand... We shall feel its warmth of being... ageless beyond the stars... Always...'" Mia sniffled sadly.
"Cale wrote that?"
"Aye..." A gentle breeze blew through the leaves of the large sakura trees. Pink petals rained down on them. It felt like the entire garden was thriving. Everyone was amazed when the sun actually shined the morning after the battle. They were even more so when life was actually returning to the quiet woods.
Dais ran his fingertips through Mia's hair gently as they just stood against one another, watching the breeze on the lake and enjoying the peacefulness. He lifted his head from hers slowly. Turning to the gate from where she came suddenly he scanned the entire garden. "Dais? What's wrong?" The wind chimes at the gate sounded gently in the wind.
"N-nothing... I... thought I heard something... It was just the wind chimes."
"Lady Kayura bought them a few weeks back before all this started... They kind of sound like Shakujo, don't they?" she said.
"... That they do, my lady..."
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = A/N: ::dodges many many flaming bomb like things:: ACK! Sorry! God, throw in some suspense and angst and people just 'S' all over you. ::weep:: I'll bounce back with the funnies soon. ::raises eyebrows up and down:: Hmm, a two some with Sage... Oh, the possibilities. 'Sun is warm, grass is green'... ah, memories. Oh, the titles of these three chapters has to do with Kiku's name. Her name is chrysanthemum in Japanese.
By Onikage
Scroll Twenty-Eight: Chrysanthemum Covered Gravestone
Part Three of Three
Cale leaned against the front door of the house gasping for air in deep gulps, his legs burning from the non-stop sprint to the house. He had made the trip of nearly five miles in under a minute. He felt Rekka's presence not far behind. She was rather fast for one so young. It was the longest minute of his life. The twenty seconds it took from the door through the first floor was even longer. "L-lady Mia!!" he managed to shout all ready out of breath. "W-whiteblaze!!!" He scrambled throughout the downstairs from kitchen to study and from foyer to parlor. The house was too big he growled to himself. His family was too big too on another note that made his heart scream. It was all ready racing as he finally made it to the stairs. He heard Rekka barrel into the front hall just as he made it up to the second floor. "C-cale!"
Cale swung his large body around the first turn of the hallway and froze at the sight. Yuli lay against the carpet unmoving. "YULI!!" he exclaimed and lifted the limp boy into his arms. There was a nasty bruise forming on the side of his face, his arm appeared broken too, his wrist twisted in an impossible position. Touching his forehead gently, Yuli murmured softly, stirring. Cale let out a sigh of slight relief to find that he was alive. "Mnn..."
"Yuli," he breathed, trying to stay calm. He opened his eyes.
"C-cale..." Dark blue eyes misted as the small boy smiled, despite the pain.
"Little one, are you all right? What happened?" he asked softly.
"... I... heard a noise and... then... Mia was screaming... I don't know what happened after that..." Cale lay Yuli down carefully and unfastened his cape before balling it quickly into a makeshift pillow and placing it underneath Yuli's head. It was sticky with blood. "Lay still and wait for Halo. Try and stay awake. Recite that mantra I taught you. Do you remember it?"
"Sun is warm... grass is green?" Cale smiled tearfully.
"N-no, but that will work too... Where did you hear Lady Mia?"
"... The... the room... Mine and... K-kiku's..."
"Thank you..." Cale rushed down the hall wiping away fresh tears. An angry snarl was his only warning as a large mass tackled him to the floor. Fangs snapped toward his neck before Cale let the large mouth clamp down on his forearm. Whiteblaze shook it in his teeth angrily in rage and fear, roaring loudly. Warm blood splattered Cale's cheek as he the large beast tried to rip at his arm viciously. It didn't really hurt him. Whiteblaze was too badly injured to break through the armor. He couldn't even if he was at full strength. "Whiteblaze!!! Whiteblaze!! It's me!! Let go!!!" The tiger slowly became docile. He released Cale quickly and whimpered, nosing around to feel his face. It was then that Cale could see the reason for his behavior: Whiteblaze's sight was gone. A large gash ran horizontally across the line of his sight, which left the beast completely blind. Tears threatened to fall as he embraced him.
"No!!" he cried. "What did she do?" he gasped. "Is Lady Mia and Kiku all right?!" he exclaimed. Whiteblaze whined pitifully before blindly sniffing around. Cale could not stand to see him like this. "Listen to me old friend... Yuli is down the hall. Find your way to him and keep him company. Wait for Halo..." The beast padded away slowly, bumping into the corner before turning it. Cale spun on his heel to turn the final bend of the hallway.
Mia was passed out in the middle of the doorway of Kiku and Yuli's shared room. Blood covered her blouse and this part of the hallway. He slid to her side and lifted her gently. There was a bad gash on her back and another on her leg. Mia murmured gently in her sleep and did not wake. Cale gasped helplessly as he lifted her into the hall out of the way, hoping that the others would get here quickly.
A strained cry escaped his throat as he look inside what was left of the children's room...
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Tori stumbled into the upstairs hallway, tripping on the last step. She pulled herself to her feet and gasped when she saw Yuli and Whiteblaze on the floor. Tori limped over to them. Yuli had fallen unconscious. Whiteblaze growled at her upon hearing her approach. The dark hallway didn't show her the injury until she kneeled beside them. "Oh, 'Blaze!" Tori whimpered and buried her face into the bloody fur. "You poor baby," she cried. She heard footsteps from down stairs and Ryo's voice. "TORI!!! CALE!"
"Ryo!!" she cried, trying desperately not to fall in to frightened sobs. Short seconds seemed like minutes before he appeared at her side in the sub armor of the Inferno. "Blaze's hurt! Yuli's unconscious! I found them like this!"
"Whiteblaze!!!!" Ryo gasped, seeing the bleeding gash where his only childhood companion's deep and beautiful brown eyes should have been. Whiteblaze seemed to cry out to him as Ryo buried his face into the fur of his neck. "B-blaze..." he cried. Tori pulled off her cloak and shredded it. She wrapped the mystical cloth around Whiteblaze's head, covering the hideousness of the wound. Ryo sobbed softly. Tori raced to her feet when she heard Lady Kayura approach. She flinched with a short sob upon hearing her scream of shock.
Thundering down the hall, Tori found Mia and the remains of a shattered bedroom door. "MIA!" Tori knelt beside her and felt for her pulse. Finding one, she took the remains of her cloak and wrapped Mia's leg tightly. "Mia? Can you hear me? Mia-sama!" she exclaimed.
"CALE! REKKA!!" Dais hollered. Anubis' voice was added to the horror of finding Whiteblaze and Yuli. She was grateful to hear Sage's voices among the chaos. "Dais!!! I'm down here!!" she called. A flash of orchid and ivory barreled down the hall toward them.
"My lady!!" he exclaimed.
"She's alive, just really beat up," Tori quavered. "Have you seen Cale?!" she exclaimed in near tears. Dais shook his head, speechless and pulled the frail woman to his chest. Locks of ivory spilled over his shoulder and seemed to shield Mia from anymore harm that might come.
Tori heard a shuffling in the broken room and pulled herself to her feet slowly. Tori's eyes fell to the rug where shattered and splintered wood fragments cluttered the forest green floor. As dark as the color of the carpet was, she could still detect the blood staining the surface that was splattered all over the room. Even the walls were wet with the sticky fluid. It squished underneath her feet as she slowly entered the ruin. Splinters of wood from furniture jutted out from what was left of little mattresses as they laid in pieces across the room. Warm, fuzzy quilts that once covered the two children lay in shreds and soaked heaps of blood and wood. The walls were not quite dry. The ceiling fan hung by a sparking live wire from its base. It too was splattered with blood. Gentle wind chimes that hung outside the broken window were the only sound aside from the pandemonium down the hall, which had become muffled in her trepidation. Tori finally noticed Cale sitting in the midst of all the wreckage, utterly stunned. He sat still and frozen as he gaped blankly, but also in terror at a wall beside her. He didn't even acknowledge her presence. Slowly she turned her head to the blood-smeared wall:
"... Awaken unto the nightmare..."
At the bottom of it was Zeal's banner symbol, claiming her kill. Tori covered her mouth in realization. Kurai's seal was now broken, and it would be only a matter of time before he would return to power and challenge them for the throne of the gods. At the base of the cryptic warning, nailed to the wall by a large shard of glass, hung a pillowcase, soaked in blood. Whatever was in it filled it completely. The sides bulged with uneven lumps of unknown mass. Subconsciously, Tori stepped closer to it and attempted to remove it from the wall. She sliced her hand open on an edge as she ripped it free. The bag was still warm. The fan sparked wildly, causing her to drop the bag. The contents inside spilled out...
Tori stumbled forward in horror and opened her mouth to scream. Her knees weakened. A pair of large arms caught her as her knees gave way. She stared down at it, refusing to move. A voice that sounded like Anubis' echoed in her ears, but nothing coherent came from it. Her back hitched suddenly and she vomited violently. She felt him pull back her hair and held her firmly to calm her. Her body quaked as she found that her curiosity rose over her fear. She found herself looking at the bag and what spilled out of it. A tiny, frail, mangled hand lay in the midst of unspeakable mass.
Anubis cringed as a world-shattering scream finally formed in her throat...
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Sekhmet shut the door softly. The sound of the doorknob latching made the warrior jump. Anubis, Ryo, and Sage waited patiently outside Lady Kayura and Tori's bedroom door.
"How is she doing?" Sage asked softly.
"... Rekka's catatonic," he said softly. "She won't move, speak... I don't even think she blinked more than a few times. There was no need to sedate her again... However," he paused and removed a bloody cloth from his back pocket. He opened it and showed them a pair of bloody scissors. The other three froze. "I found these beside her when I came to check on her. She's cut her arms and around her neck. I managed to bandage her up. Halo, you may still want to take a look at her." Sage nodded and entered the room quietly. They heard him greet Tori softly.
"H-how long do you think this'll last?" Ryo asked in a broken voice. Sekhmet shrugged.
"It's hard to say, Wildfire... I've seen cases like this from lasting to a day or even several years after a traumatic experience. This could be permanent..." Tears threatened to fall from Ryo's blue eyes as he nodded slowly. "C-can we see her? Maybe she'll come around if there's someone talking to her," he suggested softly. Anubis nodded in agreement.
"It couldn't hurt, Sekhmet... It worked for Lady Kayura once." Sekhmet was silent and he stared at the younger man for a long while. He turned to Wildfire.
"I guess it's worth a shot, but not until Dais and Halo are through with her." Ryo sniffled and folded his arms.
"What are you? Her doctor?"
"The best one around here, mind you," he snapped with a smirk. Anubis stood in the doorway and sighed.
"I'll monitor the first watch."
"What?" Sekhmet asked.
"She shouldn't be left alone... not after what she had done to herself. Like you said, her catatonia can wear off at anytime," Anubis explained. Sekhmet re-pocketed the scissors. "I suppose that would be a wise course of action... I'll be with Torrent rounding up all the sharp objects in the house..."
"I-I'll do it," Ryo spoke up. "I- I need something to do..." Sekhmet handed him the scissors and watched the youth practically run down the hall.
"How's Whiteblaze?" Anubis asked.
"... There is nothing we can do for him..." Anubis lowered his eyes with a sigh. He suddenly punched the wall.
"Damn you, Zeal," he hissed, tears threatening to fall again for the eighth time in twelve hours. He needed sleep, badly.
"Anubis?" Sekhmet called softly. The younger man turned to look at him with interest and also a great deal of shock. This was the first time in his life hearing kindness towards him from Sekhmet. "... I... have been thinking about what Rekka told me... She is right..." he said softly "Unfortunately..." Sekhmet stopped at the memory of Rekka's screams. Anubis said nothing and waited. "I... still don't know if I could ever forgive you, but..."
"Sekhmet... I..." Anubis could not look him in the eye. "... Thank you."
Tori opened her eyes slowly and felt a sharp pain in her neck. A warm hand cupped her cheek as she her eyes began to focus. Anubis was leaning over her with a gentle smile on his face. His clothes were different, indicating that she had been out for at least a day or so. "... Hi," he whispered.
"... H-hi," she replied almost inaudibly. "Where... am I?"
"You're in your room... You scared us for a little while," he explained softly and stroked her cheek with his thumb. Tori blinked sleepily.
"... I can't remember anything very well... I remember fighting Yang and Talpa... And-"
"Sh, sh, sh..." Anubis nodded with a sigh. "Don't strain yourself. Memory loss is a side effect. Sekhmet gave you some of his venom to make you sleep. You'll... remember everything in time, little one."
"What time is it?" Anubis pulled back the sleeve of his dark purple shirt.
"... Eight-thirty in the morning... You've been asleep for about three days." Tori's eyes widened and she sat up slowly. "What are you doing?" he protested. "You need to rest," he scolded gently. Tori swatted his arm lazily.
"You said I've been sleeping for three days... I'll get bed sores if I don't get up." Anubis felt silent. Her brow furrowed slightly as she tried thinking back to the last things she could remember despite her better judgment. Anubis saw her lost expression change quickly to fear and sadness when she realized what had exactly occurred. Her eyes searched for his quickly and sorrowfully. They were glassy, asking a question that need not be voiced or answered. Hot tears spilled down her cheeks with a frightened expression as she darted out of bed before he could catch her. She heard him calling after her as she raced down the hall toward Yuli and Kiku's room.
Anubis stopped in the middle of the hall as she saw her staring blankly into the ruin of the room. Cale had been in there everyday with anything he could use to restore some semblance of what the room was before. Anubis approached her slowly seeing Cale meet her at the doorway. "Sweetheart, you shouldn't be in here," Cale said softly. "There are live wires and the floor could fall out any moment," he explained futilely. Tori shook her head.
"C-cale? Wh-where is Kiku? I-is she all right?" she asked in a shaken voice. A pang of sadness hit both warriors as denial sunk in. Cale shook his head.
"You don't remember... My lady, your sister-"
"She's downstairs with the others at breakfast right?" Midnight eyes watered gently with bronze ones. Cale shook his head sadly.
"She's... she's gone, my lady. She's dead," he whispered softly. Tori pushed past him.
"Kiku? Come on out!" she called in a shaky voice.
"Rekka-" Anubis and Cale followed her inside. Tori stopped before the wall where the cryptic message was.
"Kiku?... K-kiku?" she started in a soft breath. She jumped when Anubis laid a hand on her shoulder. She turned to him. "I..." Teal eyes watered silently, running slow trickles down his strong face. Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to scream. Loosing all strength in her legs, she sank to the carpet. Anubis caught her gently, falling to the floor with her. A muffled and long wail left her throat as she collapsed to tears. Anubis leaned down and kissed her forehead gently, rocking her broken form slowly unable to control himself. "Little one..." She buried her face into his chest with a whimper. "Shh... shh," he hushed and folded his arms around her shaking form. "I know... I know," he cried softly. He looked up at Cale sadly for once wishing rather selfishly that he was that emotionless warlord once more. He could tell by the look in Cale's eyes that he was not alone in that feeling.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Yuli closed the large book slowly when he saw that Whiteblaze had finally fallen asleep. He could feel the deep, snore-like purr vibrating against his back. It was all he did lately: sleep or let Yuli read to him. He couldn't see, but he could still imagine. Zeal didn't take that away from him, and he'd be damned if he'd let her. Mia had given Whiteblaze a new bandanna to wear over his eyes. Sage had managed to restore the eyes, but not the sight. For now, they could only wait and see if his body would heal or if the damage was permanent.
"Think it's a good idea, Ryo?" Kento asked. "You've seen what this Kurai can do. There's a three-hundred foot crater in the woods!" Yuli slipped away from the sleeping cat and peeked into the kitchen.
"... Yeah, I know... If it's as bad as it seems, then it won't matter where we are. The barrier Kayura made is gone now. The telemarketers saw to that this morning. As of today it's... Friday the eighteenth. Three days after we brought them here... They have to go back or people will talk and all this other crap," Ryo replied. "Besides, we're low on supplies... clothing for that matter. After that I'm down to one pair of jeans..."
"What do we tell the others? This won't go over well with Dais and the others. Where ever we go, they'll follow and we can't put anyone else in danger!" Sai exclaimed letting the sadness of Kiku's death flow back down his face. Kento put an arm around Torrent's shoulder.
"I say we go... Clear their heads. It'll be good for them and for us. If the others don't like it they can stay behind," Rowen said.
"And just where would we stay?" Sage asked.
"I've got that apartment in downtown Shinjuku, remember?"
"No."
"Yes, you do! You know the one where you made it with that hot chick AND her twin sister!" he laughed. Sage blushed.
"How many times do I have to tell you that I was FORCED!?"
"Right, right. You were forced in and out, over and over, and OVER! Oh Saaage!" Rowen continued, voice escalating loudly before an elbow to the side cut him off. "OW."
"Careful, Ro," Kento began. "If Domo hears that about good old Halo here, she might get the wrong idea," he grinned.
"She has a boyfriend," Sage snapped with a blush.
"So?!"
"So I'm NOT like that! I have morals, Kento. You should try them some time!"
"Dude, that was so not cool."
"All right, all right..." Ryo spat. "Cool it... Let's just go see what the girls say about this, okay?"
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Mia stepped outside, following the path down to the large flower garden's gate. She opened it slowly. The wildflowers she, Dais, Cale, and Anubis planted last year were finally starting to grow back. The chrysanthemums were all ready in full bloom over the span of three days. It was a rather odd miracle to see anything bloom after the harsh weather they had been having. Bending down to pick some, she continued to follow the stone path into the back of the garden overlooking the lake. Long ivory locks blew gently into the breeze as Dais stood by not one, but now two stone obelisks. One made of a white marble, the other, the smaller one, a lovely pale pink. Dais turned his head to her silently before looking back down at the inscriptions he and Cale had intricately carved upon the newest addition. "... Good morning," he whispered softly.
"It is a lovely morning. I was beginning to forget what it felt like," Mia said. She bent down and laid the small flowers at the bases of the graves. Tears flooded her vision as she stood again. "... Why Dais? What harm did a little innocent child do to Talpa?" she quavered. Dais slipped an arm around her and pulled her against his chest.
"... Nothing I say will make you feel better, my lady..." Mia rested her head at the base of his neck, taking in the calming scent of summer rain he always smelled like. She looked down at the inscription written in a language she did not recognize. "What does it say?"
"... It's in the language from the region where Cale was born: 'Give us your tiny hand... We shall feel its warmth of being... ageless beyond the stars... Always...'" Mia sniffled sadly.
"Cale wrote that?"
"Aye..." A gentle breeze blew through the leaves of the large sakura trees. Pink petals rained down on them. It felt like the entire garden was thriving. Everyone was amazed when the sun actually shined the morning after the battle. They were even more so when life was actually returning to the quiet woods.
Dais ran his fingertips through Mia's hair gently as they just stood against one another, watching the breeze on the lake and enjoying the peacefulness. He lifted his head from hers slowly. Turning to the gate from where she came suddenly he scanned the entire garden. "Dais? What's wrong?" The wind chimes at the gate sounded gently in the wind.
"N-nothing... I... thought I heard something... It was just the wind chimes."
"Lady Kayura bought them a few weeks back before all this started... They kind of sound like Shakujo, don't they?" she said.
"... That they do, my lady..."
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = A/N: ::dodges many many flaming bomb like things:: ACK! Sorry! God, throw in some suspense and angst and people just 'S' all over you. ::weep:: I'll bounce back with the funnies soon. ::raises eyebrows up and down:: Hmm, a two some with Sage... Oh, the possibilities. 'Sun is warm, grass is green'... ah, memories. Oh, the titles of these three chapters has to do with Kiku's name. Her name is chrysanthemum in Japanese.