"Ronin Warriors: The Final Victor"
By Onikage
Scroll Thirty-One: The Thunder Cutter Technique
Part One of Two
Tori massaged her temples with a groan. "Now I know why 'Jiisan never let me have any saké." Ryo passed her the bottle of painkillers.
"Welcome to the college life, sweetheart," he chuckled.
"Man! It's four thirty and I still have a headache!" Megami groaned. "Hangovers suuuuck," she whined from the couch. She lay in Kento's lap. He held a cold compress to her forehead.
"I told you not to drink a lot," he said with a sigh.
"I didn't! I had... um... four shots of tequila!" she protested. "Tori had six!"
"But I didn't chase it with five daiquiris!" she snapped before hissing loudly. "Ow..." She saw a small shot glass under her nose.
"Here ya go, love," Sai said gently and massaged her shoulders. Tori picked it up.
"Ugh... How can you be so fucking pleasant? You drank more than anyone!" Sai kissed the top of her head.
"Drink it. It'll clear your head like a shotgun. Then go and drink water... lots and lots, and LOTS of water..."
"Or you can drink more alcohol until you're not sober. When you start to feel it again, drink a little less, repeat until you're down to one!" Kento smiled. Tori glared.
"SOME of us don't binge, Kento..."
"It's not 'binging'!" he argued. "It's effective moderation..."
"Whoa Kento used BIG words!" Ryo marveled.
"Yeah, they are bigger than SOME things," he grinned. Megami poked him. "Ow, hey!"
"Pervy monkey..." she muttered. Tori sniffed the glass.
"What's in it?" Sai sighed and readied a large glass of water.
"Just drink it fast..."
"Come on! Tell me!"
"I'll tell you once you drink it!" Tori sighed and remembered the pounding in her head. In one gulp she downed the shot. She gasped and coughed loudly, tears coming to her eyes. "Wh-what?" He handed her the glass. She drank generously.
"Fifty percent tequila, fifty percent Tabasco sauce," he answered. "Is your head clear?" Tori nodded and moaned.
"You guys need to be more careful when you drink," Sage advised.
"Yeah!" Sakura agreed. "When's Nasake getting here? I thought she was coming with you guys to this kick ass apartment!"
"She was gone when Rowen got up this morning. She left a note to come pick her up at her house. Rowen's on his way now," Sage said.
"Mnn... Domo said she was gonna come over later... She sounded really happy..."
"Really happy?" Ryo began. "Somebody worked off the alcohol."
"Hey sex is the best way to get rid of a hangover!" Kento beamed. "Whaddya say Meg? You up for it?" Megami lifted the compress from her eyes. She glared at him.
"Sorry Kento-kun... There's this thing called 'waiting for the right guy'..." Kento pouted.
"B-b-but... What about meeee?" Megami covered her eyes again.
"Marry me and then we'll talk." Kento pouted again.
"Boo..."
"I don't know why she's with him. He's cheated on her twice all ready," Tori said after a long drink. Sage's head shot up.
"E-excuse me?" Tori filled her water glass again.
"Yeah, twice. One time I told her about it, didn't believe me of course... The next time she caught him in the act. STILL didn't kick him to the curb." She set the glass down. "I'm going to sleep..." She mumbled.
"Use the guest room next to Rowen's room, just move my stuff of the bed," Ryo said. Tori groaned softly and slinked off the stool. "Unless Talpa's attacking, don't get me up..."
"Okay... Want us to wake you for dinner?" Kento called.
"Mnn..."
"... Can I have yours then?"
"Eat your heart out, Kento-kun," she called.
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Domo exited the elevator and checked the directions Rowen had given her. "... Hmm, tenth floor, fifth door on the right." She began to count the rather LARGE apartments as she passed them. She thought to herself how in the hell Rowen could afford such a lavish apartment in the most expensive part of Tokyo.
"Must be a drug lord," she laughed to herself. She stopped at the fifth one and sighed heavily with a roll of her eyes. "Sixty-nine... Figures," she scoffed and knocked softly. The door opened slightly and she saw Hardrock's slate blue eyes peeking out at her as if she were an uninvited guest at an exclusive club...
"Password," he stated firmly.
(What. The. Fuck. He looks like a friggin' bouncer.) "It's me, dammit. Lemme in," Domo ordered.
"Me? Who's me? I dunno a 'me'," Kento evaded. Domo scowled.
"Password," he repeated.
"I'm gonna crush your manhood into dust. How's that?"
"Nope. What's the password? Can't let you in without 'the password'." "Hnnnn... Dammit it, lemme in! Sage and Sai are expecting me!"
"And I'M expecting a password."
"... 'Hardrock'?"
"No..."
"'Open Sesame'?"
"Nuh uh."
"... 'Kento: The All Powerful Sex God of the Universe That I Want SO Bad It's Killing Me'?" Kento grinned.
"... Damn! That isn't it, but if I let you in, do you promise?!" Domo glared.
"HARDROCK!!!"
"Access De-NIED!" Domo frowned and gripped the brown paper bag in her hand... It had been almost a year since she had them... (Eh. I didn't need the extra sugar anyway.) She held up the bag to the door and smiled. "I've got dooooonuuuts!" she sang, baiting him on.
There was a DISTINCT pause.
"... Cake? Or GLAZED..."
"Glazed."
Another distinct pause.
"... Wiiiith... SPRINKLES!?"
"Chocolate AND Christmas colors!" she said proudly. The door shot open.
"ACCESS GRANTED!" Kento beamed. Domo tossed him the bag as she slipped inside. "WHOO HOO! Aww... They're still waaaarm! WEEEEEEEEP." He hugged her from behind. "Duuuuude. I LOVE YOU!"
"Down boy... Where's Megami anyway?" she asked trying to pry out of Hardrock's loveable grip. "Kento! LET GO!" She snatched his headband.
"Hey!!"
"Megami, Tori, and Sakura-sama are taking a nap," Sai replied, filing through the nearly empty pantry of Rowen Hashiba. "Anyone up for half a box of three year old cereal and... cream of potato soup?" he sighed, pulling out a pen and paper from the drawer next to the refrigerator. He started scribbling down a long grocery list.
Domo shook her head and twirled Kento's headband a few times before flinging it back at him. "I can't believe that they're STILL hung over."
"Well, what about you?" Ryo said grinning. Kento nodded.
"'Ri-fan fed you... were at yer boyhfriendsth."
"Kento! Don't talk with your mouth full!" Sai scolded, not looking up from his list. Kento rolled his eyes.
"Yefs, mommyh... OWH!" A pen bounced off his forehead and hit the floor. Kento glared at Sai who slammed shut the drawer after retrieving another pen. Domo stretched out on the couch next to Sage. He had been very quiet.
"Yep!" she answered. "I got MOST of the tension out of my body... I'm leaving again early tonight. He's got something romantic planned," she grinned.
"Need a ride?" Sage asked softly. "It's supposed to pour tonight." Domo tipped her head backwards and blinked.
"Thank you, Sage. That'd be nice... I walked a long way here. Saving on gas." Sage nodded silently before getting up and going outside onto the balcony. "What's up with him?" she asked.
"Uh..." Ryo looked at Sai. Sai looked at Kento. Kento cleared his throat. Domo stood slowly and advanced onto Kento.
"Kento?"
"... Y-yes?"
"What's wrong with Sage?"
"Um... nothing."
"Kento?" Domo began again more slowly. Kento was too late to escape her as she pounced on him. "Tell me right now!!"
"Ahhh! Something's eating my head!" he exclaimed before she put him into a headlock. "S-stop! ACK! A-air! AIR!"
"Spill it Kento!"
"He... he... He's hot for you!" he choked out. Domo released him in complete surprise.
"... Oh."
"Can you get off of me now... You're heavy... OWW!" He rubbed the back of his skull where she hit him.
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Rowen scratched his head while he re-read the directions to Nasake's apartment. "Damn... did I take a wrong turn? This can't be the place..." He looked up at the building indicated on the paper. It was an old, almost rundown building. Some of the buildings around it were condemned or close to it. He turned off the engine to his car and stepped out. After another quick look around of the... less than girl-scout cookie friendly surroundings, he locked the car and headed up the steps of the apartment. He read the list of names on the intercom. He sighed heavily. "Yep, this is the place..." He pushed the button next to her name on the intercom.
"... H-hello?" an elderly woman's voice called.
"Um, hi... My name is Rowen. Is Nasake home? I was supposed to pick her up for the other girls." There was a pause.
"... C'mon up," she said. There was a loud buzz and Rowen tried the door.
"Apartment seven 'B'..." he murmured before knocking. There was the unlatching of several locks before soft, experienced blue eyes peered out at him suspiciously. "Are you 'Sake's grandmother?" he asked.
"Whatcha want with her?" she demanded. Rowen scratched his head.
"Um, she asked me to pick her up today. She gave me a note..." He dug into his pocket and showed it to her. She snatched it.
"Well... All right..." She opened the door further. "She's giving the rent money to the landlord right now. His place is on the top floor. Nine 'A'."
"Yes, ma'am... Thank you very much."
"Careful... He doesn't like strangers on his doorstep." Rowen nodded silently.
He finished climbing the stairs with a grumble. "Like a damn wild goose chase..." He turned the corner and saw Nasake standing next to a larger man. She was looking down at the ground appearing slightly distressed.
"... Next time, you'll pay the rent on time then, hm?" he chuckled darkly.
"Yes... yes, Mr. Takanawa..." She attempted to hurry past him when he caught her arm. He bent down close to her ear and whispered something. She blushed. "Pl-please... I'm supposed to be meeting someone today..."
"Nasake!" Rowen called quickly, trying to erase all concern from his face and voice and mask it with eagerness. He smiled. "There you are! It took me forever to find the place!" Takanawa freed her and glared at Rowen.
"Don't forget about tomorrow, Miss Nasake," he reminded.
"Yes... Yes sir..." Rowen took her hand and pulled her along.
"C'mon! Kento's got this really weird game you'd like!"
"WHOA! Hey! Easy Rowen-kun!" He stopped hurrying when the reached the stairwell.
"... Are you okay? You look like you fell out of your laundry basket!" he laughed softly. Nasake looked back up the stairwell and nodded. "I'm fine... Just... I woke up late. Mr. Takanawa doesn't like the rent to be late either. I didn't have time to pick something out. I threw something on..." Rowen looped his fingers through hers as they continued down the stairs. He grit his teeth together. He couldn't believe that she had the gall to lie to him. Then again... She seemed secretive about something.
"Sobo didn't do anything to you, did she?" she asked as they came to her apartment. She knocked. "It's me Sobo!" she called.
"... No. She seemed paranoid though... Is everything all right here?"
"Sure, why wouldn't it be?" she smiled. The door unlocked and they entered the tiny place. "It's not much, but it's home." Rowen smiled.
"It's cozy."
"TAKE HIM DOWN!!! WHOOO! GO BABY!" Rowen jumped as the happy cheers of the elderly woman filled the house. They entered the living room just as she leapt up in front of the television, knocking her chair to the floor. "Sobo? ... Sobo?"
"USE THE SLEEPER HOLD ON HIM!!" she exclaimed. Nasake growled and switched off the set. "HEY!"
"Sobo! The doctor says that you can't be getting excited like that! It's bad enough that we barely can pay the rent here AND eat!" she scolded. Her grandmother frowned and sighed.
"All right, all right..." She turned to Rowen. Her eyes widened. "Who're you?" Rowen flushed.
"Uh, we met at the door, remember?"
"What? OHH! Damn, boy! You look much more handsome with some light on yer face. These halls are so damn dim!" she smiled.
"Heh, uh, thanks... I think..."
"Quite a lad, you've brought ta granny!" she mused and slapped him hard on the rear. Rowen's whole body straightened. "Built like your grandpa!"
"Eww. Sobo, please don't talk about sex and granddad," she whined. "I'll be just a second, Rowen-kun. I'm gonna find something better to wear. You and Sobo get acquainted, 'kay?"
"Um... O-okay."
"Say, Rowen... Wanna see something?" Nasake's grandmother asked. Rowen swallowed hard.
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Dais sighed heavily as he flipped through the journal he had found. "Damn, damn, damn... What the hell did Dr. Koji find?" He shut the book with a bang and leaned against the doorframe leading onto the veranda. "Think man... What else did Kaos, tell you?!" he hissed to himself. He closed his eye and let out a breath. "... 'The four gods' shield will reveal the gods' Inferno: Amaranthine'. Four gods, four gods, four gods... Four-"
"Dais?" Mia called. He jumped.
"DAH!" He caught the book. "My LADY!... Make some damn noise when you walk about!" he gasped. Mia giggled and pulled the blanket around her tightly.
"Did I scare you?" she laughed. "I'm sorry, Dais!"
"No... You just..." He frowned. "Not a word of this to Kayura, you hear?" Mia giggled again.
"I promise."
"What are you doing out here? You'll catch yourself a death of a cold!" Mia walked back to the porch swing and sat.
"It's okay, Dais. I have a blanket. I was just watching the rain with Whiteblaze... Well, he's keeping me company..." She leaned down and stroked the fur gently. The large cat was fast asleep. "Come sit," she said. "Whiteblaze doesn't talk back... and I really don't want to talk to myself... Although you seem to do that quite often around here," she smiled. Dais frowned slightly and sat beside her.
"I was thinking about the dream I had a while back about Amaranthine... There was more to it, I just can't seem to remember anything else except something about a four gods' shield revealing it... and there isn't any data that we've found yet about a shield either... I give up..." He set the red journal aside and leaned back against the swing.
"You'll remember something soon, Dais... Just don't think about it. Just listen to the rain. It's so relaxing, isn't it?" Dais looked out onto the lake's surface several hundred yards away. The lights of the Nether Realm sparkled on the mirrored surface. Those lights and the freezing rain was all there was in that few moments of silence. The rain continued to fall softly on the leaves and the rooftop. The gentle sound was just as relaxing as she said it was. He could see just a sliver of the gold and ruby lights over the treetops on the lake's surface. Beyond that was the rocky mountain bordering Talpa's domain forming still very slowly. He was surprised that since the appearance of Kurai and the mortality of Talpa, that the Mortal Realm was still able to fend off the dark energy. (We're running out of time...) he thought. He looked over at Mia. She wasn't looking at the horizon, but down in her lap.
"Something troubling you, Mia?" he asked. She nodded slowly.
"... It's Cale..."
"What about him?"
"... He's... in love with me... He told me earlier after the others left... I... I don't know what to say or do... let alone think," she murmured shyly. She pulled the blanket tighter around her.
"You... do not feel the same way, do you?" he inquired carefully. Mia blushed softly.
"Well... I did... once, but..."
"Not anymore?" She nodded.
"It's... complicated. I've... He... just came on so strongly..." Dais sat up rather quickly.
"He didn't DO anything to you, did he?"
"... He kissed me, but... it's not that... A while back... Someone hurt me and... it's been hard to let myself go to that level of vulnerability..." Dais nodded silently.
"Aye... a broken heart is a tough mend..." Mia looked at him suddenly. Dais blinked. "Did I say something wrong?"
"N-no..." She just smiled. "You're so very sweet, Dais... You don't think about the darker side of things, do you?"
"... After nearly half a millennia with my heart doused in evil, yes, I do tend to see things in a... brighter perspective. Why?" Mia looked away.
"No reason... Dais?"
"Yes, my lady?"
"How would you tell someone you loved how you felt?" He blushed gently.
"'How'? Well... I suppose I would just sit them down somewhere quiet and private... and... probably ramble on and on about love, looking for the right way to say it, before giving up and just... saying it..." Mia nodded slowly.
"No flowers or... poems?"
"... I'm not much of a poet, my lady... and flowers... no... I'd do it when they'd least expect it."
"Okay," she smiled. He grinned.
"Why? Is there someone that makes your heart thud, hm?" Mia turned her head away.
"Perhaps... Actually, Ryo asked me the other day about it. He's been wanting to tell someone special how he feels. I told him I'd think about a good way to... Your way sounds, reasonable," she mused.
"Well, I am glad I could be of help," he smiled with a laugh. Mia stood with a yawn.
"... I'm heading off to bed early tonight. Don't stay up too late now," she warned.
"I won't." He stood and kissed her forehead gently. Mia gasped softly. "Sleep sweet... my lady," he whispered. Mia blushed as his one eye pierced through her.
"You... too," she mumbled, kissing his cheeks gently, before hurrying into the house. He watched her go and swallowed hard, before falling back onto the swing with a rush of air. "... Gods she smelled good," he breathed. He closed his eye. His heart was racing. It had been since she startled him.
"... Find what you were looking for, Dais?" Cale asked icily as he stepped out of the shadows. Dais didn't look up. He stood slowly.
"... It isn't polite to eavesdrop, let alone stalk the poor woman," he shot. Cale's dark eyes flashed.
"Perhaps... but that is one man's observation," he smirked. "I'd like to call it... serendipity," he finished as he stepped back into the shadows. "I think I'll say goodnight to Lady Mia too," he murmured as he vanished. Dais frowned.
"... This could get ugly."
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Nasake was quiet as they drove back towards the apartment. Rowen hadn't bothered to turn on the radio or anything. He just sat back and drove while listening to the rain. His mind was racing with thoughts of Nasake.
"Something wrong, Rowen-kun?" she asked.
"Huh? Oh... No... I was just thinking..." He paused. "Say Nasake... You trust me, don't you?"
"Um... I guess I do. Why do you ask?"
"... I don't know... Sometimes... every once in a while... I get these weird gut feelings. It's kind of a curse that I have because they're always bad. I don't talk about this a lot with the guys because of all the weird stuff we deal with all the time. Whenever I get them, I try so hard to stop what ever it is from happening... Like I said, it's my curse. An-anyway ... I just want to tell you that... If there is anything wrong, you can come to me anytime. Whether it's something silly like 'Hey Rowen, do you have any loose change, I gotta buy a tampon' or something." Nasake giggled.
"ROWEN!"
"Okay, okay, that wouldn't be classified as silly, but... Say if you were in some kind of trouble, or you were in a situation you couldn't get out of and you were too scared to do anything... I'm here for you, 'kay?" he finished softly. Nasake looked into her lap.
"Is that what your gut feeling is telling you?" she asked softly.
"No. I just wanted to let you know because... I care about you a lot, Nasake... and I don't want to see you, or any of the other girls get hurt. I love you all too much to let that happen. It hurts when I feel that you don't trust me..." A deep blush stained his face. Nasake turned to look out the window. She smiled to herself.
"Thanks, Rowen... Hey? Isn't that Sage?" she pointed out at a car passing them in the opposite direction.
"Where's he going?"
"I think I saw Domo in the car with him..."
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Domo looked over at Sage as they drove. He was usually silent and had been since they had first returned to the city. She couldn't help but wonder if a lot of it had something to do with her and how he felt about her. She sighed heavily. (Damn that hair... Can't even see his face. Wouldn't matter anyway, the guy could be as a giddy as a gay, and you couldn't even tell. And Sekkie has the nerve to call ME stoic.)
"What's wrong? Getting butterflies?" he chuckled. Domo was surprised that he actually smiled. She blushed for two reasons: one, it was partly true, the second was that he looked so damn cute when he smiled. She kicked herself for even thinking more about the second than the first. Sage pulled into park along the street. The rain was coming down in buckets.
"... A little..."
"I would be too. With the way you two were acting yesterday, I'd be psyched..."
"You... don't have to pretend to be happy for me, Sage. The boys told me," she said suddenly. Sage didn't even flinch as he exited the car with the umbrella ready. He opened her car door and helped her out, trying to keep them from getting wet. She wondered if he even understood what she said.
"Pretend what? I'm not pretending anything. I'm happy that someone has been able to put a smile on your face again in the midst of all this... stuff," he said over the roar of the rain. They stood under the umbrella beside the covered overhang of the apartment. Domo lowered her eyes.
"They told me, Sage. They told me how you felt about me..." Sage's visible eye closed. He felt silent. She touched his sleeve gently. She knew Sage was sensitive from the first time they spoke. It was in his eyes, his voice, and the way he always tried to be polite as possible to and to everyone else. She had let other guys down before, but... this time it was different. For once she couldn't bring herself to even say the words that she loved someone else. Perhaps all the time they spent in the valley did things start to seem more... vulnerable and above all valuable as the very thought of going to sleep invoked the fear of that it could be the last time.
His violet eye opened slowly and stared down at her. The mask had been removed for that instant. "... Sage," she began softly. He shook his head.
"I... I know..." he said softly. "... Still doesn't change anything or how I feel..." he whispered softly. He reached up to touch her face, then stopped. He sighed. "... We can talk about it some other time, Domo-sama... Go on, your prince is waiting," he finished with his best smile.
"Sage-"
"Go!" he laughed. "The humidity's going to ruin that pretty hair of yours!" Domo blushed softly. Without a word she leaned up and kissed him softly. "... Thank you for understanding, Sage," she said softly before entering the double glass doors.
Sage looked up at the building silently.
He froze as a flash of magenta lightning lit up the sky...
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Anubis leaned against the large sliding glass door and stared outside at the rain as it fell in masses. The gutters were overflowing, the water began to puddle, the ground unable to keep up with the amount falling. It had been raining for a day and a half without letting up. He jumped when something smacked hard against the glass. "What the devil?!" Looking down he saw a small red-feathered bird flapping one wing helplessly. Slowly he opened the door and lifted the frail body gently. It seemed tiny in his hands. It cheeped softly. "... What in the world were you doing out in this weather, hm?" He ran his fingertips a long the back of it slowly as he walked to the linen closet to fetch a small towel. He wrapped the small bird gently and sat by the window again. The small bird was shivering.
"Anubis what are you doing?" Sekhmet asked as he saw him by the window.
"... A baby bird hit the window," he said softly. "She doesn't appear to be hurt... just a little cold," he whispered, not looking up. It cheeped again. "Shh..."
"Are you going to help with dinner? Kayura won't let me near the kitchen unless it's dishwasher duty... Are you listening?"
"Hm? Did you say something, Sekhmet? I wasn't paying attention," Anubis looked up. Sekhmet rolled his eyes and turned on his heel.
"He's fallen so quickly, he hasn't even realized he's tripped yet..." he muttered.
"Tori?" Ryo knocked softly on the bedroom door. He found her watching the rain pelt the window. "Tori?" He sat next to her and touched her hair. "What's the matter?" he asked. Tori looked at him with sad eyes. She said nothing and leaned over, burying her face in his chest. "Whoa, hey!" he began again. "What's wrong?"
"... Nothing... The rain... I just felt so lonely all of a sudden." Ryo touched her hair gently.
"... It is pretty dreary out there... Nasake and Rowen are here. Sai and Sakura went shopping for some party food... No booze this time though..." Tori didn't say anything. She just sighed. Ryo kissed the top of her head when the news failed to put her into a better mood.
"Want some company?" he asked softly. Tori only responded with a tighter hold, hoping the temporary would last her until they returned.
By Onikage
Scroll Thirty-One: The Thunder Cutter Technique
Part One of Two
Tori massaged her temples with a groan. "Now I know why 'Jiisan never let me have any saké." Ryo passed her the bottle of painkillers.
"Welcome to the college life, sweetheart," he chuckled.
"Man! It's four thirty and I still have a headache!" Megami groaned. "Hangovers suuuuck," she whined from the couch. She lay in Kento's lap. He held a cold compress to her forehead.
"I told you not to drink a lot," he said with a sigh.
"I didn't! I had... um... four shots of tequila!" she protested. "Tori had six!"
"But I didn't chase it with five daiquiris!" she snapped before hissing loudly. "Ow..." She saw a small shot glass under her nose.
"Here ya go, love," Sai said gently and massaged her shoulders. Tori picked it up.
"Ugh... How can you be so fucking pleasant? You drank more than anyone!" Sai kissed the top of her head.
"Drink it. It'll clear your head like a shotgun. Then go and drink water... lots and lots, and LOTS of water..."
"Or you can drink more alcohol until you're not sober. When you start to feel it again, drink a little less, repeat until you're down to one!" Kento smiled. Tori glared.
"SOME of us don't binge, Kento..."
"It's not 'binging'!" he argued. "It's effective moderation..."
"Whoa Kento used BIG words!" Ryo marveled.
"Yeah, they are bigger than SOME things," he grinned. Megami poked him. "Ow, hey!"
"Pervy monkey..." she muttered. Tori sniffed the glass.
"What's in it?" Sai sighed and readied a large glass of water.
"Just drink it fast..."
"Come on! Tell me!"
"I'll tell you once you drink it!" Tori sighed and remembered the pounding in her head. In one gulp she downed the shot. She gasped and coughed loudly, tears coming to her eyes. "Wh-what?" He handed her the glass. She drank generously.
"Fifty percent tequila, fifty percent Tabasco sauce," he answered. "Is your head clear?" Tori nodded and moaned.
"You guys need to be more careful when you drink," Sage advised.
"Yeah!" Sakura agreed. "When's Nasake getting here? I thought she was coming with you guys to this kick ass apartment!"
"She was gone when Rowen got up this morning. She left a note to come pick her up at her house. Rowen's on his way now," Sage said.
"Mnn... Domo said she was gonna come over later... She sounded really happy..."
"Really happy?" Ryo began. "Somebody worked off the alcohol."
"Hey sex is the best way to get rid of a hangover!" Kento beamed. "Whaddya say Meg? You up for it?" Megami lifted the compress from her eyes. She glared at him.
"Sorry Kento-kun... There's this thing called 'waiting for the right guy'..." Kento pouted.
"B-b-but... What about meeee?" Megami covered her eyes again.
"Marry me and then we'll talk." Kento pouted again.
"Boo..."
"I don't know why she's with him. He's cheated on her twice all ready," Tori said after a long drink. Sage's head shot up.
"E-excuse me?" Tori filled her water glass again.
"Yeah, twice. One time I told her about it, didn't believe me of course... The next time she caught him in the act. STILL didn't kick him to the curb." She set the glass down. "I'm going to sleep..." She mumbled.
"Use the guest room next to Rowen's room, just move my stuff of the bed," Ryo said. Tori groaned softly and slinked off the stool. "Unless Talpa's attacking, don't get me up..."
"Okay... Want us to wake you for dinner?" Kento called.
"Mnn..."
"... Can I have yours then?"
"Eat your heart out, Kento-kun," she called.
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Domo exited the elevator and checked the directions Rowen had given her. "... Hmm, tenth floor, fifth door on the right." She began to count the rather LARGE apartments as she passed them. She thought to herself how in the hell Rowen could afford such a lavish apartment in the most expensive part of Tokyo.
"Must be a drug lord," she laughed to herself. She stopped at the fifth one and sighed heavily with a roll of her eyes. "Sixty-nine... Figures," she scoffed and knocked softly. The door opened slightly and she saw Hardrock's slate blue eyes peeking out at her as if she were an uninvited guest at an exclusive club...
"Password," he stated firmly.
(What. The. Fuck. He looks like a friggin' bouncer.) "It's me, dammit. Lemme in," Domo ordered.
"Me? Who's me? I dunno a 'me'," Kento evaded. Domo scowled.
"Password," he repeated.
"I'm gonna crush your manhood into dust. How's that?"
"Nope. What's the password? Can't let you in without 'the password'." "Hnnnn... Dammit it, lemme in! Sage and Sai are expecting me!"
"And I'M expecting a password."
"... 'Hardrock'?"
"No..."
"'Open Sesame'?"
"Nuh uh."
"... 'Kento: The All Powerful Sex God of the Universe That I Want SO Bad It's Killing Me'?" Kento grinned.
"... Damn! That isn't it, but if I let you in, do you promise?!" Domo glared.
"HARDROCK!!!"
"Access De-NIED!" Domo frowned and gripped the brown paper bag in her hand... It had been almost a year since she had them... (Eh. I didn't need the extra sugar anyway.) She held up the bag to the door and smiled. "I've got dooooonuuuts!" she sang, baiting him on.
There was a DISTINCT pause.
"... Cake? Or GLAZED..."
"Glazed."
Another distinct pause.
"... Wiiiith... SPRINKLES!?"
"Chocolate AND Christmas colors!" she said proudly. The door shot open.
"ACCESS GRANTED!" Kento beamed. Domo tossed him the bag as she slipped inside. "WHOO HOO! Aww... They're still waaaarm! WEEEEEEEEP." He hugged her from behind. "Duuuuude. I LOVE YOU!"
"Down boy... Where's Megami anyway?" she asked trying to pry out of Hardrock's loveable grip. "Kento! LET GO!" She snatched his headband.
"Hey!!"
"Megami, Tori, and Sakura-sama are taking a nap," Sai replied, filing through the nearly empty pantry of Rowen Hashiba. "Anyone up for half a box of three year old cereal and... cream of potato soup?" he sighed, pulling out a pen and paper from the drawer next to the refrigerator. He started scribbling down a long grocery list.
Domo shook her head and twirled Kento's headband a few times before flinging it back at him. "I can't believe that they're STILL hung over."
"Well, what about you?" Ryo said grinning. Kento nodded.
"'Ri-fan fed you... were at yer boyhfriendsth."
"Kento! Don't talk with your mouth full!" Sai scolded, not looking up from his list. Kento rolled his eyes.
"Yefs, mommyh... OWH!" A pen bounced off his forehead and hit the floor. Kento glared at Sai who slammed shut the drawer after retrieving another pen. Domo stretched out on the couch next to Sage. He had been very quiet.
"Yep!" she answered. "I got MOST of the tension out of my body... I'm leaving again early tonight. He's got something romantic planned," she grinned.
"Need a ride?" Sage asked softly. "It's supposed to pour tonight." Domo tipped her head backwards and blinked.
"Thank you, Sage. That'd be nice... I walked a long way here. Saving on gas." Sage nodded silently before getting up and going outside onto the balcony. "What's up with him?" she asked.
"Uh..." Ryo looked at Sai. Sai looked at Kento. Kento cleared his throat. Domo stood slowly and advanced onto Kento.
"Kento?"
"... Y-yes?"
"What's wrong with Sage?"
"Um... nothing."
"Kento?" Domo began again more slowly. Kento was too late to escape her as she pounced on him. "Tell me right now!!"
"Ahhh! Something's eating my head!" he exclaimed before she put him into a headlock. "S-stop! ACK! A-air! AIR!"
"Spill it Kento!"
"He... he... He's hot for you!" he choked out. Domo released him in complete surprise.
"... Oh."
"Can you get off of me now... You're heavy... OWW!" He rubbed the back of his skull where she hit him.
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Rowen scratched his head while he re-read the directions to Nasake's apartment. "Damn... did I take a wrong turn? This can't be the place..." He looked up at the building indicated on the paper. It was an old, almost rundown building. Some of the buildings around it were condemned or close to it. He turned off the engine to his car and stepped out. After another quick look around of the... less than girl-scout cookie friendly surroundings, he locked the car and headed up the steps of the apartment. He read the list of names on the intercom. He sighed heavily. "Yep, this is the place..." He pushed the button next to her name on the intercom.
"... H-hello?" an elderly woman's voice called.
"Um, hi... My name is Rowen. Is Nasake home? I was supposed to pick her up for the other girls." There was a pause.
"... C'mon up," she said. There was a loud buzz and Rowen tried the door.
"Apartment seven 'B'..." he murmured before knocking. There was the unlatching of several locks before soft, experienced blue eyes peered out at him suspiciously. "Are you 'Sake's grandmother?" he asked.
"Whatcha want with her?" she demanded. Rowen scratched his head.
"Um, she asked me to pick her up today. She gave me a note..." He dug into his pocket and showed it to her. She snatched it.
"Well... All right..." She opened the door further. "She's giving the rent money to the landlord right now. His place is on the top floor. Nine 'A'."
"Yes, ma'am... Thank you very much."
"Careful... He doesn't like strangers on his doorstep." Rowen nodded silently.
He finished climbing the stairs with a grumble. "Like a damn wild goose chase..." He turned the corner and saw Nasake standing next to a larger man. She was looking down at the ground appearing slightly distressed.
"... Next time, you'll pay the rent on time then, hm?" he chuckled darkly.
"Yes... yes, Mr. Takanawa..." She attempted to hurry past him when he caught her arm. He bent down close to her ear and whispered something. She blushed. "Pl-please... I'm supposed to be meeting someone today..."
"Nasake!" Rowen called quickly, trying to erase all concern from his face and voice and mask it with eagerness. He smiled. "There you are! It took me forever to find the place!" Takanawa freed her and glared at Rowen.
"Don't forget about tomorrow, Miss Nasake," he reminded.
"Yes... Yes sir..." Rowen took her hand and pulled her along.
"C'mon! Kento's got this really weird game you'd like!"
"WHOA! Hey! Easy Rowen-kun!" He stopped hurrying when the reached the stairwell.
"... Are you okay? You look like you fell out of your laundry basket!" he laughed softly. Nasake looked back up the stairwell and nodded. "I'm fine... Just... I woke up late. Mr. Takanawa doesn't like the rent to be late either. I didn't have time to pick something out. I threw something on..." Rowen looped his fingers through hers as they continued down the stairs. He grit his teeth together. He couldn't believe that she had the gall to lie to him. Then again... She seemed secretive about something.
"Sobo didn't do anything to you, did she?" she asked as they came to her apartment. She knocked. "It's me Sobo!" she called.
"... No. She seemed paranoid though... Is everything all right here?"
"Sure, why wouldn't it be?" she smiled. The door unlocked and they entered the tiny place. "It's not much, but it's home." Rowen smiled.
"It's cozy."
"TAKE HIM DOWN!!! WHOOO! GO BABY!" Rowen jumped as the happy cheers of the elderly woman filled the house. They entered the living room just as she leapt up in front of the television, knocking her chair to the floor. "Sobo? ... Sobo?"
"USE THE SLEEPER HOLD ON HIM!!" she exclaimed. Nasake growled and switched off the set. "HEY!"
"Sobo! The doctor says that you can't be getting excited like that! It's bad enough that we barely can pay the rent here AND eat!" she scolded. Her grandmother frowned and sighed.
"All right, all right..." She turned to Rowen. Her eyes widened. "Who're you?" Rowen flushed.
"Uh, we met at the door, remember?"
"What? OHH! Damn, boy! You look much more handsome with some light on yer face. These halls are so damn dim!" she smiled.
"Heh, uh, thanks... I think..."
"Quite a lad, you've brought ta granny!" she mused and slapped him hard on the rear. Rowen's whole body straightened. "Built like your grandpa!"
"Eww. Sobo, please don't talk about sex and granddad," she whined. "I'll be just a second, Rowen-kun. I'm gonna find something better to wear. You and Sobo get acquainted, 'kay?"
"Um... O-okay."
"Say, Rowen... Wanna see something?" Nasake's grandmother asked. Rowen swallowed hard.
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Dais sighed heavily as he flipped through the journal he had found. "Damn, damn, damn... What the hell did Dr. Koji find?" He shut the book with a bang and leaned against the doorframe leading onto the veranda. "Think man... What else did Kaos, tell you?!" he hissed to himself. He closed his eye and let out a breath. "... 'The four gods' shield will reveal the gods' Inferno: Amaranthine'. Four gods, four gods, four gods... Four-"
"Dais?" Mia called. He jumped.
"DAH!" He caught the book. "My LADY!... Make some damn noise when you walk about!" he gasped. Mia giggled and pulled the blanket around her tightly.
"Did I scare you?" she laughed. "I'm sorry, Dais!"
"No... You just..." He frowned. "Not a word of this to Kayura, you hear?" Mia giggled again.
"I promise."
"What are you doing out here? You'll catch yourself a death of a cold!" Mia walked back to the porch swing and sat.
"It's okay, Dais. I have a blanket. I was just watching the rain with Whiteblaze... Well, he's keeping me company..." She leaned down and stroked the fur gently. The large cat was fast asleep. "Come sit," she said. "Whiteblaze doesn't talk back... and I really don't want to talk to myself... Although you seem to do that quite often around here," she smiled. Dais frowned slightly and sat beside her.
"I was thinking about the dream I had a while back about Amaranthine... There was more to it, I just can't seem to remember anything else except something about a four gods' shield revealing it... and there isn't any data that we've found yet about a shield either... I give up..." He set the red journal aside and leaned back against the swing.
"You'll remember something soon, Dais... Just don't think about it. Just listen to the rain. It's so relaxing, isn't it?" Dais looked out onto the lake's surface several hundred yards away. The lights of the Nether Realm sparkled on the mirrored surface. Those lights and the freezing rain was all there was in that few moments of silence. The rain continued to fall softly on the leaves and the rooftop. The gentle sound was just as relaxing as she said it was. He could see just a sliver of the gold and ruby lights over the treetops on the lake's surface. Beyond that was the rocky mountain bordering Talpa's domain forming still very slowly. He was surprised that since the appearance of Kurai and the mortality of Talpa, that the Mortal Realm was still able to fend off the dark energy. (We're running out of time...) he thought. He looked over at Mia. She wasn't looking at the horizon, but down in her lap.
"Something troubling you, Mia?" he asked. She nodded slowly.
"... It's Cale..."
"What about him?"
"... He's... in love with me... He told me earlier after the others left... I... I don't know what to say or do... let alone think," she murmured shyly. She pulled the blanket tighter around her.
"You... do not feel the same way, do you?" he inquired carefully. Mia blushed softly.
"Well... I did... once, but..."
"Not anymore?" She nodded.
"It's... complicated. I've... He... just came on so strongly..." Dais sat up rather quickly.
"He didn't DO anything to you, did he?"
"... He kissed me, but... it's not that... A while back... Someone hurt me and... it's been hard to let myself go to that level of vulnerability..." Dais nodded silently.
"Aye... a broken heart is a tough mend..." Mia looked at him suddenly. Dais blinked. "Did I say something wrong?"
"N-no..." She just smiled. "You're so very sweet, Dais... You don't think about the darker side of things, do you?"
"... After nearly half a millennia with my heart doused in evil, yes, I do tend to see things in a... brighter perspective. Why?" Mia looked away.
"No reason... Dais?"
"Yes, my lady?"
"How would you tell someone you loved how you felt?" He blushed gently.
"'How'? Well... I suppose I would just sit them down somewhere quiet and private... and... probably ramble on and on about love, looking for the right way to say it, before giving up and just... saying it..." Mia nodded slowly.
"No flowers or... poems?"
"... I'm not much of a poet, my lady... and flowers... no... I'd do it when they'd least expect it."
"Okay," she smiled. He grinned.
"Why? Is there someone that makes your heart thud, hm?" Mia turned her head away.
"Perhaps... Actually, Ryo asked me the other day about it. He's been wanting to tell someone special how he feels. I told him I'd think about a good way to... Your way sounds, reasonable," she mused.
"Well, I am glad I could be of help," he smiled with a laugh. Mia stood with a yawn.
"... I'm heading off to bed early tonight. Don't stay up too late now," she warned.
"I won't." He stood and kissed her forehead gently. Mia gasped softly. "Sleep sweet... my lady," he whispered. Mia blushed as his one eye pierced through her.
"You... too," she mumbled, kissing his cheeks gently, before hurrying into the house. He watched her go and swallowed hard, before falling back onto the swing with a rush of air. "... Gods she smelled good," he breathed. He closed his eye. His heart was racing. It had been since she startled him.
"... Find what you were looking for, Dais?" Cale asked icily as he stepped out of the shadows. Dais didn't look up. He stood slowly.
"... It isn't polite to eavesdrop, let alone stalk the poor woman," he shot. Cale's dark eyes flashed.
"Perhaps... but that is one man's observation," he smirked. "I'd like to call it... serendipity," he finished as he stepped back into the shadows. "I think I'll say goodnight to Lady Mia too," he murmured as he vanished. Dais frowned.
"... This could get ugly."
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Nasake was quiet as they drove back towards the apartment. Rowen hadn't bothered to turn on the radio or anything. He just sat back and drove while listening to the rain. His mind was racing with thoughts of Nasake.
"Something wrong, Rowen-kun?" she asked.
"Huh? Oh... No... I was just thinking..." He paused. "Say Nasake... You trust me, don't you?"
"Um... I guess I do. Why do you ask?"
"... I don't know... Sometimes... every once in a while... I get these weird gut feelings. It's kind of a curse that I have because they're always bad. I don't talk about this a lot with the guys because of all the weird stuff we deal with all the time. Whenever I get them, I try so hard to stop what ever it is from happening... Like I said, it's my curse. An-anyway ... I just want to tell you that... If there is anything wrong, you can come to me anytime. Whether it's something silly like 'Hey Rowen, do you have any loose change, I gotta buy a tampon' or something." Nasake giggled.
"ROWEN!"
"Okay, okay, that wouldn't be classified as silly, but... Say if you were in some kind of trouble, or you were in a situation you couldn't get out of and you were too scared to do anything... I'm here for you, 'kay?" he finished softly. Nasake looked into her lap.
"Is that what your gut feeling is telling you?" she asked softly.
"No. I just wanted to let you know because... I care about you a lot, Nasake... and I don't want to see you, or any of the other girls get hurt. I love you all too much to let that happen. It hurts when I feel that you don't trust me..." A deep blush stained his face. Nasake turned to look out the window. She smiled to herself.
"Thanks, Rowen... Hey? Isn't that Sage?" she pointed out at a car passing them in the opposite direction.
"Where's he going?"
"I think I saw Domo in the car with him..."
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Domo looked over at Sage as they drove. He was usually silent and had been since they had first returned to the city. She couldn't help but wonder if a lot of it had something to do with her and how he felt about her. She sighed heavily. (Damn that hair... Can't even see his face. Wouldn't matter anyway, the guy could be as a giddy as a gay, and you couldn't even tell. And Sekkie has the nerve to call ME stoic.)
"What's wrong? Getting butterflies?" he chuckled. Domo was surprised that he actually smiled. She blushed for two reasons: one, it was partly true, the second was that he looked so damn cute when he smiled. She kicked herself for even thinking more about the second than the first. Sage pulled into park along the street. The rain was coming down in buckets.
"... A little..."
"I would be too. With the way you two were acting yesterday, I'd be psyched..."
"You... don't have to pretend to be happy for me, Sage. The boys told me," she said suddenly. Sage didn't even flinch as he exited the car with the umbrella ready. He opened her car door and helped her out, trying to keep them from getting wet. She wondered if he even understood what she said.
"Pretend what? I'm not pretending anything. I'm happy that someone has been able to put a smile on your face again in the midst of all this... stuff," he said over the roar of the rain. They stood under the umbrella beside the covered overhang of the apartment. Domo lowered her eyes.
"They told me, Sage. They told me how you felt about me..." Sage's visible eye closed. He felt silent. She touched his sleeve gently. She knew Sage was sensitive from the first time they spoke. It was in his eyes, his voice, and the way he always tried to be polite as possible to and to everyone else. She had let other guys down before, but... this time it was different. For once she couldn't bring herself to even say the words that she loved someone else. Perhaps all the time they spent in the valley did things start to seem more... vulnerable and above all valuable as the very thought of going to sleep invoked the fear of that it could be the last time.
His violet eye opened slowly and stared down at her. The mask had been removed for that instant. "... Sage," she began softly. He shook his head.
"I... I know..." he said softly. "... Still doesn't change anything or how I feel..." he whispered softly. He reached up to touch her face, then stopped. He sighed. "... We can talk about it some other time, Domo-sama... Go on, your prince is waiting," he finished with his best smile.
"Sage-"
"Go!" he laughed. "The humidity's going to ruin that pretty hair of yours!" Domo blushed softly. Without a word she leaned up and kissed him softly. "... Thank you for understanding, Sage," she said softly before entering the double glass doors.
Sage looked up at the building silently.
He froze as a flash of magenta lightning lit up the sky...
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Anubis leaned against the large sliding glass door and stared outside at the rain as it fell in masses. The gutters were overflowing, the water began to puddle, the ground unable to keep up with the amount falling. It had been raining for a day and a half without letting up. He jumped when something smacked hard against the glass. "What the devil?!" Looking down he saw a small red-feathered bird flapping one wing helplessly. Slowly he opened the door and lifted the frail body gently. It seemed tiny in his hands. It cheeped softly. "... What in the world were you doing out in this weather, hm?" He ran his fingertips a long the back of it slowly as he walked to the linen closet to fetch a small towel. He wrapped the small bird gently and sat by the window again. The small bird was shivering.
"Anubis what are you doing?" Sekhmet asked as he saw him by the window.
"... A baby bird hit the window," he said softly. "She doesn't appear to be hurt... just a little cold," he whispered, not looking up. It cheeped again. "Shh..."
"Are you going to help with dinner? Kayura won't let me near the kitchen unless it's dishwasher duty... Are you listening?"
"Hm? Did you say something, Sekhmet? I wasn't paying attention," Anubis looked up. Sekhmet rolled his eyes and turned on his heel.
"He's fallen so quickly, he hasn't even realized he's tripped yet..." he muttered.
"Tori?" Ryo knocked softly on the bedroom door. He found her watching the rain pelt the window. "Tori?" He sat next to her and touched her hair. "What's the matter?" he asked. Tori looked at him with sad eyes. She said nothing and leaned over, burying her face in his chest. "Whoa, hey!" he began again. "What's wrong?"
"... Nothing... The rain... I just felt so lonely all of a sudden." Ryo touched her hair gently.
"... It is pretty dreary out there... Nasake and Rowen are here. Sai and Sakura went shopping for some party food... No booze this time though..." Tori didn't say anything. She just sighed. Ryo kissed the top of her head when the news failed to put her into a better mood.
"Want some company?" he asked softly. Tori only responded with a tighter hold, hoping the temporary would last her until they returned.