Disclaimer: W.I.T.C.H. is owned and copyrighted by the Walt Disney Company Italia and is in no way affiliated with the fictional works of Galistar07water.
Chapter 08: A Mermaid's Tear pt. II
This was most definitely a dream as Irma looked around. A moment ago, she was being fished out of the koi pond and now she's sitting dry on the porch sipping tea with the mysterious figure.
"Who the hell are you?"
The mysterious figure seemed amused as he brought his cup to his lips, smiling at the sweet aroma of the tea. "Who do you think I am, Irma Lair-san?"
"How'd you know my name?"
"Your friends, Will-san and Cornelia-san, told me much about you and all of your friends," he replied calmly. "Based from their descriptions of your brunette locks, aquatic green eye and your rambunctious personality, I surmised that you are Irma Lair, correct?"
Irma didn't know whether to scoff at him or blush. In the end, she involuntarily did the latter due to his gentle smile. His mask hid most of his face, making it a little hard to make out what he actually looked like, but it revealed enough to let her know that he's very young, perhaps not much older than her. Most importantly, his mask didn't hide the kindness in his eyes or his smile.
This guy is kinda annoying, but he must be really hot under that mask, Irma thought.
Wait a minute…what the hell is she thinking?! Irma quickly turned away, but then she spilled the tea all over him! The mysterious figured seemed a little surprised at first, but then he laughed.
"Perhaps we should skip the tea, then?" he suggested.
Suddenly, it clicked in her head. "Wait, you're that Yummy-guy the other girls were talking about!"
Yami glanced at her as if her outburst took him by surprise. "Yes, I am Yami-no-Oji, but your friends called me Yami."
They sat in silence for what felt like minutes, watching the beautiful scene before them of the blossom petals dancing gently in the breeze. A few landed in the koi pond. Suddenly, a koi fish jumped out of the water, doing somersault tricks. Yami offered Irma some treats for them. Some fish actually caught their food in mid-air and if Irma didn't know any better, they were winking at her!
"So tell me, Water Guardian," Yami began nonchalantly, "what's seemed to be on your mind. You seemed frustrated."
"What makes you think I'm frustrated?!" Irma shot him a glare. Great, another person telling me that I'm the one with the problem!
"Well…" Yami began, "you're involuntarily crushing the treats for the fish. Secondly, you've been crying. Thirdly, you're being very defensive after I just asked you a simple question."
Irma blinked at him. Again there's no sign of taunting in his tone. Irma looked down and true enough, the fish treats in her hand were crushed and the water reflected her puffy red eyes, indicating that she had cried herself to sleep earlier.
Irma sighed. "It's just…the whole universe seemed to be against me!" Irma began, and the next thing she knew, she vented all of her frustrations that have been in her for the last several days…weeks, actually. Yami shows no signs of emotions other than patiently listening to her.
Yami kept his cool and once Irma was done, he simply said, "You seemed very distraught, Irma-san."
Irma couldn't believe what she was hearing. Furiously, she flung the rest of the fish treats into the pond. When she ran out, she grabbed the nearest thing (which was a decorated bowl full of coins) and flung them into the water. She was definitely making quite a scene.
"Distraught?! OF COURSE, I'M DISTRAUGHT! HAVEN'T YOU BEEN PAYING ATTENTION?! THEY'RE ALL STILL TREATING ME AS IF I'M THE ONE WITH THE PROBLEM! MY FRIENDS NO LONGER SUPPORT ME AND DON'T WANT TO LISTEN TO WHAT I HAVE TO SAY AND MY BOYFRIEND JUST DECIDED THAT HE DOESN'T WANT TO HANG OUT WITH ME ANYMORE! AND THIS IS ALL HAPPENING BECAUSE OF THAT KIMI WATSUKI! EVERYONE HAS FORGIVEN HER NOW—"
"And you haven't?" Yami interrupted her. "Why? Why can't you forgive her?"
Irma's eyebrows furrowed. "Because I won't be fooled again like last time!" Irma pointed out.
Yami nodded. "Ah, it's because she attacked you when you tried to help her with her desire for revenge? But let me ask you something, if Kimi truly meant to harm you, how are you still here now without a scratch?"
Irma blinked. His question caught her off guard.
"You said she attacked you in Joseon, but did she actually hurt you enough to warrant permanent injuries?"
"Well…no…but—"
"If Kimi truly didn't care for any of you, then why did she bother to jump into the whirlpool to save Cornelia and Hay Lin? You even said she pushed them out of the way and was imprisoned by Xuan Wu. Later, when you and your friends were stranded and lost in Annam with barely any powers, Kimi came to save you all from being killed by Zhu Que?"
"What are you trying to—"
"It seems to me that despite Kimi's twisted personalities, she still harbors some feelings for you all, enough to put her life at risks countless times to ensure your safety. You tell me that you find it puzzling to see your friends forgiving Kimi, even after all she has done. But perhaps the real puzzling thing is seeing you unable to offer forgiveness to someone who has done more than enough to save your life. So tell me, Irma, why can't you forgive Kimi?"
Irma was shocked at how well he had turned her words against her with validation! A part of her heart agreed with him, but something else was burning, causing her to frown at him. "What are you trying to do? Make me look like the bad guy? Ouch!"
Irma looked over at the pond to see about ten koi fish's heads popping out of the water and they were spitting back the coins at her! Yami blinked as he turned away, trying hard to hide his amusement as Irma is pelted by a barrage of coins.
"What the heck was that for?" Irma glared at them. "Stop it! You're all against me, aren't you?!"
Sure enough, the fish stopped, probably because they ran out of coins.
"I don't believe they appreciate you throwing coins on their heads in the first place. This may be a dream, but some things can still hurt," Yami said. "Even the truth hurts. When Will-san first came here, she expected me to agree with her as she shows her distain with Kimi and Byakko. However, I must appear indifferent and impartial, to see something more with eyes unclouded by hatred."
Irma scoffed, rubbing her hair to get some of the wet coins out. Yami smiled as he got up, gesturing for her to follow him.
"Come, let me show you something," he said as they came closer to the cherry blossom tree. Its ethereal and pastel-colored petals swayed in the wind, some of them falling into the pond of them in a very elegant and graceful way.
"This tree is special, Irma," he explained. "It can reflect the emotions you feel in your heart, and reveal to you hidden truths…shows you events of things you or anyone have experienced from a different perspective…"
Irma held her breath, gazing at the beautiful tree and this dreamy and mysterious figure cautiously.
"There is a reason why you're here tonight, Irma," Yami explained. "This entire place is protected by my magic. You've found this place because your heart and spirit called out, seeking help. My dream has heard your cry and has answered. I am here to help you, Irma-san…"
Gently, Yami held out his hand. Hesitantly, Irma took it as he guided her to place it against the tree's bark.
"Close your eyes and opened your heart," Yami coaxed her before chuckling. "And lest not forget to relax."
Irma rolled her eyes, but decided to do what he said. She tried to relax and breathed. She whispered, "Okay, tree. I'm listening. What does the universe want to show me?"
At first, nothing. But then the petals danced around them and images flooded into her mind. The tree was showing her recent past events, from when they first met Kimi all the way to the present, but it was showing her these events from a different point of view. Through the eyes of those who doesn't take sides, to see things as they are, and to show her how raw and uncensored the ugly truth and the reality of one's actions can be. Through this tree, Irma saw their struggles to get along. As expected, everything was difficult at first with Kimi, but then Irma noticed something she hasn't before: Kimi had never meant any real harm on them since the beginning. Suddenly, Kimi's words from last night rang in her head again.
I never intended to kill any of you before since we've met. If I had, you wouldn't be here right now. My selfish goal was to frighten you enough to leave me be on my previous missions…
The tree showed her scenes of their many adventures after that, consisting of their battles against, Byakko, Xuan Wu, Zhu Que, and even Kimi's cousins. True enough, Kimi had put her life at risks to make sure Irma and her friends were out of harm's way. Irma watched the scenes where Kimi dove into the raging water to save Cornelia and Hay Lin and sacrificing herself to be capture by Xuan Wu.
Kimi had gone to face her desire for revenge, but in the end she lost. The tree allowed Irma to see and feel the sadness and the despair Kimi had felt. The regret of mistreating her friends and the heartbreak upon overhearing the revelation of her corrupted family from her uncle when he came to visit! Despite all of this, Kimi continued forward, going through the sealed portal to search for the other Guardians…Kimi's voice rang again.
"I've made many mistakes in the past, but never think that I would never give my life for you and for this team."
No more! Irma thought. No more, please!
But the tree didn't listen. It continued to show Irma recent flashbacks of her arguing with her friends and her boyfriend, blaming Kimi for her horrid week, and overreacting over such simple things. Looking from the outside, Irma couldn't believe those horrible things that came out of her mouth! Is this really her? Without a choice, Irma watched as her friends talked about possibly purifying Zhu Que without killing him, but Irma refused to believe that he was worth saving.
"If you have any problems with my presence here on your world, that is fine by me, but don't take any of your frustration and your anger on your friends and our caretaker. They don't deserve to be treated like this by you."
Kimi confronted Irma and what did Irma do? She shoved Kimi and ran off like a child! Irma wanted to look away, to not see any of this anymore, but before she could, the tree had one more thing to show her. To her surprise, it wasn't about her problem with Kimi, it was a scene from the past…the Jade Dragon's past!
O
"You're leaving, aren't you?" said the Jade Dragon sadly.
"I have been summoned," Zhu Que sighed. "Hwang-Ryong and the others are awaiting my presence these past fortnights. The duty our creators hath bind us to has called."
"But why must you go? Surely you don't need all five Celestial Warriors to monitor the Gate of Oblivion? It has been sealed for millennia!"
"Mine love, I wouldst love nothing more than to stay here with you, yet…"
The Jade Dragon scoffed. "Enough, husband! You think it's more important to maintain security of the gate to another dimension than be here and protect our home with me? A gate that I must remind you, cannot be opened by anyone or anything except for the demise of you and your four siblings."
Zhu Que almost wanted to laugh at his wife's comment. "A valid point, Jade, but I assure thou of a speedy maintenance. I have delayed my arrival enough as it is. Thou knoweth of our duty and obligation…"
"What about your duty to me and to our people?" the Jade Dragon asked.
"Will still stand, but I must first finished mine obligation to Lord Hwang-Ryong and mine father," Zhu Que reasoned. Gently, he lifted her chin and smiled. "Ev'r since I did marry thee, mine own life hast been full of lighteth. Thee has't shown me something m're beyond the lonely realm of younder Gate."
Ngọc Long was about to protest, but Zhu Que quickly bent down to kiss her.
"I shall returneth to thee as swiftly as I can. Tis only a monitoring duty, my love."
Ngọc Long smiled and nodded. "Very well, I will wait for you. And when you return, we shall see the other worlds together."
They embraced and Zhu Que whispered, "I shall behold forward to it very much, mine love."
The Jade Dragon sighed as she watched her husband took form of a giant fire bird and flew to the air.
Ngọc Long waited for him but he never came back.
O
Irma gasped and opened her eyes. She recoiled back too fast and fell into the fish pond.
"Irma! Are you all right?" Yami asked, pulling her out of the water.
"No, I'm not fine!" Irma replied. She wanted to sob. "My friends are right! I'm not myself! I blame Kimi for being horrible, but I'm the one who's horrid. The tree even showed me the Jade Dragon's past because I refused to believe her husband is still good…What is wrong with me? I know what I saw hurts but it's true. I do want to change and keep an open mind, but I feel as if there's something preventing me! It's like a dark part of me that's dragging me down. It doesn't want me to forgive Kimi or accept the possibility of a kind Zhu Que. Tell me, Yami! You've helped Will and Cornelia before! Please tell me what's wrong with me!"
Yami observed her and gently placed one hand on her shoulder for reassurance. "Yes, there is something dark within you, preventing you from being open minded, but I cannot tell you what it is or how it got into you. To get rid of it, you must discover it for yourself!"
"But how can I get rid of it if I don't know what I'm looking for?" Irma demanded.
"You're very loud, Irma-san," Yami said, though not unkindly. "You must be patient. Being upset will not help you find your answer any time sooner. You must learn to wait. Calm yourself and look for any and all answers that lay before you."
"I'll…I'll try," Irma sighed. "But I'm not very good at this patience game."
Yami chuckled. "Perhaps, but I can tell you there's a slight improvement in your recent behavior just now."
This definitely got Irma's attention. "Really? What?"
Yami laughed, "You didn't snap back at me when I asked you if you were all right. As a matter of fact, you admitted your true feelings and wanted to change. Tell me, is this not an improvement than when you first arrived?"
Irma blinked and glanced down at her own drenched form. Yami was right! Looking at her reflection in the water right now, she does look slightly better than before.
"Water? Are you saying that the water did this? But how?"
"Water is a very powerful thing. Cultures as old as times have worshipped it. It flows through all lands, connecting the entire world. If anything had mystical properties, if anything had magic, I'd say it would be water," said Yami.
"So you're telling me that I should walk around drenched to find the answer?" Irma gave him a raised eyebrow. She hoped not because while it's her element, it doesn't mean she wants to walk around being wet all of the time, especially not in the dead of winter!
Yami laughed and shook his head. "No, the answer isn't the water, but its attribute. You're the Guardian of Water, Irma Lair. I sense within you a heart that is pure and strong deep within. Do not let it be tainted by doubt and fear. Have patience and you will be able to find the answer to cleanse yourself and your heart from the Darkness."
Irma wanted to ask him more, but she stopped and decided to just nod. She was just about to thank Yami when suddenly, a koi fish popped its head of the water and squirt her with water!
"Yikes! You little…" Irma turned around, waving her fist at it. Yami just blinked and tilted his head, but Irma paid him no attention. Her mind was focused on the annoying fish. "I'm gonna fry you up and eat you!"
The koi fish dove underwater but then ten more of them popped back up and they all squirt her with water…
Irma gasped, opening her eyes as she felt the cold water spraying in her face.
"Urgh, Christopher!" Irma yelled. "You little imp!"
Quickly, Christopher ran out of her room and locked himself in the bathroom with Irma chasing after him. The next thing he knew, he was soaked and their father had to call the plumber.
Some things never changed.
Chancellor Komei tried to keep his anger in check as he approached the elders of Kinomoto clan.
"Chancellor, what business do you have here? Shouldn't you be at the palace, attending to our Emperor?" said Lady Kazue Kinomoto. Her husband and his twin sat to her right.
"I was, until I heard that my adopted son, Kenji, has been sent to Annam," Komei stated. "Please explain how I was the last to know of this?"
"Why should this concern you?" said Kazue's husband, Lord Isamu Kinomoto. "The boy simply needs the experience in politicking. It is a simple job: Represent the might of our clan to the Annamite Royal Family and act as an arbitrator between Annam and Champa, to ensure that their unity will stand against Zhu Que's siege in the southern hemisphere."
"The matter concerns me greatly because not only have you sent my son to another kingdom without my knowledge, but also General Katsumi's daughters, Kiyomi and Kazumi! And I believe this isn't the first time since you last sent him to Joseon and those two girls after him not long after Kohaku's funeral! I'm surprised that you would even consider designating him as an arbitrator! The boy has little experience in foreign diplomacy!"
The elders scrutinized Komei as they chose their words carefully. "Komei, you need not worry about Kenji," said Lord Osamu Kinomoto, Isamu's twin. "He has proven to be talented in his studies for politics and is no longer a child. It is high time that his skills be put to good use for our purposes. And since Kiyomi is his betrothed, it is natural that she and her disgraced sister would want to accompany him."
Komei scoffed. "Yet you're sending him as an arbitrator? Last I recalled, that was the duty for Kimi and Kyochi—"
"Watch your tongue, Komei!" Osamu sneered. "You may be the Chancellor, but you're still a member of the Kinomoto clan!"
His twin nodded. "Need I remind you that Kyochi is still a prisoner of the Celestial Warriors and that the Gemini Council of Kandrakar sent Kimi to Earth to live with those barbaric Earthlings?" He spat the words out as if they were venoms. "We are currently gathering to defend our nation against Seiryuu, congregating at a summit with other clan leaders! Even you are preoccupied at the palace since our emperor is severely ill! With the way things are, we are left with little options."
Komei eyed at the three of them with great contempt. These three were the ones who pressured his sister and many other women in their clan to produce twins, causing great numbers of miscarriages. They care not how many stillborn children there are as long as the role of Twin Guardians falls in their bloodline. They were the ones who were responsible in making Kimi's life as miserable as possible, branding Kohaku as a traitor, and performed many corrupted acts to quench their never ending thirst for power. Yet, they justified their actions by claiming it was for the good of the clan and the decree of the first Twin Guardians. It sickens Komei to no end.
"You're right," Komei replied calmly, hiding his growing suspicion. "Kenji is no longer a child and I should have given him more attention and respect. However, I find it strange that you three would even consider sending him in the first place. As I recalled, you opposed the idea of me adopting him when he was still a child."
The elders glanced at each other before replying, "Kenji may not be of pure blood and doesn't deserve to be a Guardian, but he has proven his usefulness and will continue to do so until we say otherwise! As for your niece, it's high time that we put her in her place!"
Komei's eyes widened as he sensed what's about to happen.
Lady Kazue leaned forward to look down at him from her platform. "Guardian or not, she needs to know where her true loyalty lies and that is with the Kinomoto clan! She is well beyond the age requirement for her next duty and it is time for her to acknowledge it! When the situation in Annam is over, you are to go to that backwatered planet Earth and summon Kimi back here for us to evaluate and put her in her place! Now if there are no more issues, you may leave, Chancellor Komei."
Komei glare at them icily, but knew better than to argue back. He doesn't look forward to telling Kimi what the elders have in plan for her. He bowed to them respectfully and disappeared in a flurry of wind.
I don't like this, Komei thought as he reappeared back in his office at the palace. He knew that the elders hated Kenji because he was an orphan that Komei picked off from the slums. They only wanted the purest of blood to continue their tradition. Why would they side with Kenji by giving him the chance to represent them in Joseon and Annam? It was too suspicious.
Perhaps Orube is on to something, Komei thought and decided that Kenji's activities needed to be investigated discreetly. Turning his fan, he waved it over the air in front of him. A holographic screen appeared and a beautiful face of a mermaid queen gazed at him.
"Chancellor Komei, this is unexpected. To what do I owe this pleasure?"
"I wished to ask you for a favor, Queen Umi," Komei said. "My son and two of my nieces are in Annam for the Tri-Ceremony. I need you to investigate what is going on in the southern hemisphere."
"Tensions are brewing high down there. Even the kingdoms under the sea are weary," agreed Queen Umi. "Very well, I will send a few of my best warriors. The Sea King Lạc Long Quân is more than willing to aid us as well."
Komei nodded. "Good, I need the merfolks to keep a close eye on Kenji as well as my three nieces, and the Guardians from Earth."
It's finally Saturday, the day of the Winter Tournament for those who delved into the martial arts world. Practitioners from various schools and training centers came to settle scores, represent their branches, or claim glory as one of the best fighters in the country! This year, Heatherfield is hosting the Winter Tournament in a huge convention center.
"By the flames of Basilíade," Orube gasped once she and her friends have checked in with the VIP passes Kimi has acquired for them. "I have never seen such enthusiasm in one place!"
"Really? I'd thought your world would at least have something like this," Will said.
Orube shook her head. "My people and the people of Lusteria learned to fight for many reasons, but never had we ever thought to turn it into a spectacle such as this. It's truly overwhelming! Last time I was here, I thought I was the only warrior aside from you girls. If I had known that the city held such events for all of these young fighters—"
"You would have asked if your university also have their own martial arts club to join, huh?" Taranee teased.
Orube said nothing as they took their seats in the VIP rows near the front, usually reserved for friends and families of those who are participating in the match.
"Where's Irma?" Orube asked solemnly, sitting down. The others exchanged nervous glances. Orube sighed in disappointment. "I see," she said. "So after Irma's little outburst the other night, none of you bothered to go to her house to see how she's doing?"
None of them said anything, a little bit too ashamed at Orube's biting words as they watched the first few contestants lining out and sparring in the preliminaries.
"I'm disappointed in you girls. You're supposed to be friends."
"We wanted to give Irma some distance!" Will argued. "Look at how things turned out the other night! Yes, we know something's wrong with Irma and we want to help, but if we keep persisting, Irma will only push us away harder. You know how stubborn she is! Kimi tried to confront her by slapping her with a cold hard truth, but Irma shoved her!"
"Irma won't listen," Cornelia nodded. "The only way is to give her some space and time and let her discover for herself on what she must do."
They continued to watch in silence as Kimi and her team finally came out to face their first opponents. The students from East Heatherfield High School were getting their butts kicked as Sheffield advanced to the next level. Kimi and her team weren't even breaking a sweat as they easily knocked their opponents out of the ring. Will and her friends cheered and clapped.
"We don't have time, girls," Orube said sternly as she watched Sheffield's team going on to the next level against South Heatherfield High. "Our caretaker is ready to dispatch us at any moment! Today's the Tri-Ceremony in Annam and Zhu Que's siege will come and we need everyone at their best! Irma can't be allowed to have the luxury of time to think about what she's going through! Either she gets her head in the game or she'll likely cause our defeat!"
Will exchanged glances at her friends. They all wanted to argue back, but they can't since a part of them agreed with Orube. Before any of them could say anything, Irma's voice spoke up from behind them.
"Hi, girls. Hi, Rebecca," Irma sighed, remembering to use Orube's Earth name while they're in public.
"Irma, you're here!" Hay Lin beamed, jumping up and ready to give her a hug. But then she hesitated, remembering what happened the last time. "How…how are you feeling?"
Irma opened her mouth, wanting to say fine, but a part of her knows that it's not true. She swallowed the feeling of annoyance.
"I feel like crap, to be honest!" she huffed, folding her arm. "Didn't really sleep well last night, especially when that Yami had his pet fishes shoot coins at me like a bunch of mini machine guns in my dream! Oh, and he told me that I have problems, too, but being such an annoying, but probably cute-looking…or at least I think he's kinda cute…can't really tell with that mask of his on…well, let's just say that he told me to go and dowse myself in water and chillax and try to be friends with you all again, even with Kimi."
Hay Lin and the others blinked in confusion, unsure what to say. On one hand, they heard everything Irma said and were very surprised to hear that she got a visit from the mysterious Yami. On the other hand, they were confused about the fish shooting Irma with coins part.
"Hang, on a second, you saw Yami?!" Will and Cornelia said. "What did he say about you? About us? Did he say hello?"
"Did he show you anything that could help us win against Zhu Que and his army?" Taranee asked.
"Why were his fish shooting at you with yen coins?" Hay Lin asked.
Before Irma could answer, the bell rang and the referee shouted, "OUT! FIFTH ROUND GOES TO JEAN PHILLIP SINCLAIR OF SHEFFIELD INSTITUTE! UP NEXT IS KOJI KISHIMOTO FROM HEATHERFIELD INSTITUTE OF ART AND SCIENCE VERSUS EZRA SANDERS OF NORTH HEARTHERFIELD!"
Irma scowled and crossed her arms, taking her seat next Hay Lin. "Hmph, so now you guys are interested in me? Last I checked, you were all focused on Kimi and her upcoming matches. That's why we're all here, right? Please, don't let me get in the way of your cheering."
Her friends glanced at each other, unsure of what to say.
Is it just me, or is Irma trying to be nicer but in a weird way?
Well, the air around her is telling me that she's a little less angry than before…that's an improvement.
Whatever conversation Irma had with our new friend Yami must have worked a bit, Will said. What do you think, Oru—
Orube didn't answer. Instead, she got up from her seat and sat next to Irma as they continued to watch Kishimoto throwing his opponent to the ground, winning another round for his school. He glanced at Kimi who was on stand-by with her team in a booth. She gave him an icy glare which he shrugged off nonchalantly.
"Don't tell me what I already know," Irma glared at Orube. "You don't approve of my attitude since it's clear that everyone's against me and decided that I'm the one with the problem around here."
The voice is telling her to stop it and admit humility, but the other voice…the angry one…won't allow her. Enough! Humility is for losers! If you admit to this feline warrior that you're wrong, than you're a fool! Don't you remember how much you hated her, too?
"Of course, I don't," Orube said firmly, composing herself calmly but stern like the leader that she is. "But perhaps it is not entirely your fault. Irma, I understand that you're going through some difficulties, but the truth remains in that your heart and your mind is too loud and unfocused." They watched several more martial artists going up against one another. "Look at Kimi and those other competitors before you. They are focusing their mind, body, heart, and spirit in order to give it their all. You must learn to do the same, Irma. Either you learn to focus your goal and rid yourself of whatever is troubling you, or you need to walk away from this mission like Taranee did when you and I first met."
Irma gaped at her and so did Will and the others. A few years ago, Taranee temporarily dropped out of a mission because she was fed up with Oracle Himerish's habit of refraining truths from her. Due to this decision, it was how the five Guardians first met Orube when the Oracle suggested that the Basilíadian warrior filled in for Taranee. Since Irma was the one who didn't want anything to do with Orube back then, it was ironic that Orube is now her leader and is suggesting that she drops out of the Lusterian mission.
"Rebecca, c'mon!" Taranee said. "You can't be serious about—"
"Yes, Taranee," Orube interrupted her. "I'm dead serious. As leader, I say that we all need to stick together and be united in mind and spirit. But we can't do that if one of us is trying to deal with her inner demon."
Before any of them could say anything, the crowd roared and cheered as the preliminary heat concluded as a few schools are heading into the quarter finals, one of them being Sheffield. Takuya and the others cheered and hugged each other, including their captain, Kimi, for getting them this far before they break for an intermission.
"Come, girls," Orube said, getting up from her seat. "Let's pay a visit to Kimi and her team. They could use some support from us." Orube glanced at Irma. "You're welcomed to join us, Irma. However, you still need to make a decision and you need to make it soon."
Irma sat there, watching her friends hesitantly following Orube to the backstage.
How dare she?! Who the hell does that skunk bag think she is? said the angry voice within Irma. Just because she's the leader, doesn't mean that she can kick you out of the team! You're a Guardian! You've been on this team longer than that cat! If anything, she should show you some respect!
No, Orube has a point and you need to shut it! Irma's inner voice wanted to argue back. Go after them! Besides, don't you have something to say to Kimi after you shoved her?
The other voice was about to argue back, but Irma doesn't want to sit there by herself and listen to it. Instead, she decided to do what she does best and act on instinct and just go for it. Quickly, Irma got up and followed her friends.
"Can you believe it? We're in the quarter-finals! We've never gotten this far before!" Takuya cheered as he and the boys pumped their fists in the air with great excitement.
Zoë glanced at Kimi and winked. "It's all thanks to our new captain and her training."
Kimi gave them a small smile before she opened the door to their designated break room.
"Hey, let's go get a quick bite to eat," Jean Phillip suggested. "I'm starving after my match! I could eat a whole horse!"
"J.P., you're always hungry after one match," Michael laughed.
"But that's not a bad idea," Takuya smiled. "I'm kinda famished myself. C'mon, let's go to the cafeteria and see if they still have some sandwiches left for the contestants!"
Zoë shook her head as the boys raced each other down the hall. Glancing at Kimi, she asked, "Are you coming with us, Kimi?"
Kimi smiled, but shook her head. "No, I need to rest and gather my chi for the next heats. I shall see you all later."
"Well, okay, but I'll save you a small sandwich just in case," Zoë smiled as she joined the others.
Kimi watched her teammates left before opening the door to their break room. To her surprise, there was a beautiful bouquet of flowers on the table, completed with a note that has her name on it. Curiously, she grabbed the flowers and gazed at the note with suspicion. Sensing no danger, she opened it.
To: Princess
I'm not the kind of guy who gives flowers to girls because I find them annoying, but then again, you're not like any other girls. These flowers are pretty rare around Heatherfield, but you can find them in the most unlikely place if you know where to look. Like I said, there is more to living in this city than studying and training.
Consider this as a sign of me wishing you luck in the tournament.
Koji Kishimoto
Kimi's cheeks flushed and her eyebrows furrowed. She couldn't believe what she just read! The reminder of Kishimoto's proposed bet infuriated her and Kimi doesn't know why! Furiously, she crumbled up the note and threw it into the bin, but then there's still the bouquet. She hated to admit it, but the flowers were beautiful. However, she can sense Kishimoto's aura radiating from them. Furiously, Kimi squeezed them even tighter and flung them onto a nearby sofa.
"Sheesh, if you're going to be ticked off at me, don't take it out on the flowers," said a familiar voice behind her.
Koji was leaning against the door, his arms folded and arched up an eyebrow as if questioning her behavior.
Kimi glared at him icily. "What are you doing here? Are you trying to deter me from the tournament?"
"I wouldn't dream of it," Koji rolled his eyes. "Relax, I'm not here to torture you. Do you always have to be this touchy?"
"Do you always have to be this infuriating?"
Koji gave her a scrutinizing look before he walked over to the couch to pick up the bouquet. Turning to her, he said, "Speak for yourself, princess. I thought I'd send you these flowers as a sign of mutual respect, but based from your abusive behavior towards them, I'm guessing you detest getting presents."
"Who do you think you are to propose me with such an idiotic wager?" Kimi eyed him coldly. "I grow weary of men who have the audacity to court me for my hands. I am not some prize to be won!"
Koji blinked, surprised by her accusation. "I'm sorry that you feel that way, but ever since we met, I never thought of you as a prize at all."
"Then what do you view me as then?"
"A rival and an equal in this tournament, naturally," Koji replied. "But I also see a very lonely girl who probably needs a few new friends. And since we keep bumping into each other these past few weeks, I thought I try to be friendly by showing you around Heatherfield. My mistake, I guess…"
Kimi was surprised at his words, but even more surprised to see and feel his aura telling her that he's being genuinely considerate. Koji was about to head out the door, but Kimi spoke up.
"Wait, why show me sincerity, despite the fact that I haven't been friendly towards you before?"
Koji glanced back at her. "Perhaps it's because you reminded me of myself not long ago. You may be cold, reserve, and distant towards the people around you, but I've seen your true face and heart," Koji smiled. "You really do care about your friends and I've seen the way Takuya and the others look at you now."
His words were genuine and sincere and his aura tells Kimi that it's true, causing her to involuntarily relax and ponder on the subject. On Lusteria, she has met many boys who tried to sweet talk to her, but they can't hide their true intentions as their auras reveal it all. But Koji's aura radiates with a beautiful shimmering glow, telling her of his pure intention of kindness.
"I'm sorry, but I usually don't trust men. I want to say no to you, but I can feel that your heart matches your words," Kimi replied. "Perhaps I was too quick to judge you. Do you really think that you're worthy enough to be my guide?"
Koji smirked and shrugged. "Honestly, I don't. It all depends on you."
His answer caused the corner of her lips to curl up a bit. "Very well, I will amuse you by agreeing to your wager. But I must warn you that I never lose…" To an Earthling, Kimi added silently.
"Hmph," Koji smirked, folding his arms. "I haven't lost either. We've both seen how the others fought so far. I look forward to our match together in the final. Who knows? I might be the first to beat you."
"Well, don't you two make a cute couple?" said a voice behind him. Kimi and Koji turned around to see Will and the others grinning mischievously at the door.
"I'd better get back to my teammates," Koji said. "I'll see you later."
Koji passed the girls without so much as a hint of embarrassment or any other emotions. Orube, however, eyed him suspiciously as he made a turn around the corner.
That boy… Orube thought. There's something about him that's strange and Orube doesn't like it.
"Girls, I am glad you came," Kimi said.
"Glad that we did, otherwise we would have just missed that lovely scene of you and that Kishimoto boy," Cornelia gave her a smug look. "Chatting with the enemy?"
"What was that all about?" Taranee said, suddenly spotting the bouquet of flowers, making her and the others grinned even more mischievously. "He gave you flowers?! What did he say? What did you say to him? Spill!"
Kimi blinked at the bombardment of questions but didn't acknowledge them. She felt a similar aura and glanced at the door to see Irma lingering there nervously. Kimi frown when she noticed how badly Irma's aura is. Rather than its light blue glow that reminded of Kimi of the ocean, it's being coagulated by a sea of red aura, filled with anger, hatred, confusion, resentment, and…Wrath… There's a war going on inside of Irma as Kimi watched the red trying to snuff the blue out completely, but the blue is stubborn and is still doing its best to resist as much as possible.
"Irma, I didn't expect to see you back here, too," Kimi noted, her voice shows no sign of resentment from their previous row.
Irma glared at her. "Of course you wouldn't. Why would you after?—"
"No, I'm glad you came. Please, come on in," Kimi said. "We still have to be ready to return to Lusteria later today. There is something I need to tell you all. In order to fight against Zhu Que and his army, we will need water to counter his fire." Kimi sighed. "What you said about Zhu Que being unable to change, I have thought about it hard. While I don't agree with you in which there isn't hope to save him, it's possible that we may face a situation where we'll have no choice but to kill him."
Irma blinked and everyone was silent. "What are you trying to say?"
Kimi looked at Irma hard. "Will and Cornelia have already faced their ordeals and awakened their new transformations in order to kill Byakko and Xuan Wu. But the next Guardian may not be so lucky and may have to kill Zhu Que before she is killed herself."
Orube's eyes widened as she sensed what Kimi is going to say next.
"Kimi, are you telling us that you…?"
Kimi nodded. When she saw that Will and the others are still confused, she smiled sadly and said, "Yes, I discovered another way. I know how to kill Zhu Que without relying on your new transformation."
Queen Tapasi of Champa knew that it wasn't very refined of her, but she couldn't help it as she threw a huge fit by taking her anger out on all the statues of King Jaya.
"Your Highness, please stop," her servants begged, watching the queen throwing glasses against the sculpture of her husband. "There's nothing you can do!"
Tapasi glared daggers at them causing them to recoil in fear, her voice dangerously low. "You don't think I know that?! Twenty years my family groomed me to become a concubine to our ruler and yet he chose me to become his queen because I was his favorite! I'm the most powerful woman in all of Champa and now he dares to replace me with a foreigner?!"
"But Your Highness, the king has to marry Princess Huyền Trân for the good of our kingdom!" one of the servants spoke up. Immediately, she regretted her boldness.
"Your Highness? Everyone used to address me as Your Majesty!" Tapasi seethed. Without warning, she threw a glass goblet into the poor girl's face. She screamed, praying that no glass shards had gotten into her eyes. "Is this what I'm reduced to? All the powers and the titles that are rightfully mine taken away from me and my son by that unfaithful bastard of a husband of mine! Get out, all of you! GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!"
Fearfully, the two servants grabbed the third, trying their best to help her bloodied face and bolted for the door.
"DAMN YOU, JAYA! DAMN THAT ANNAMITE BITCH PRINCESS!" Tapasi screamed, tearing the tapestry from the wall, and overturning the tables.
Suddenly, there was the sound of hands clapping. "A foolish king your husband is indeed. A woman's scorn is a powerful thing that shouldn't be underestimated."
Tapasi turned to see a young man smirking as he admired the chaotic chamber.
"Who are you?! How did you get in here? If you don't leave now, I'll have the guards throw you out—"
"Ah, but then how will you get your revenge on your unfaithful husband and put your son on the throne?" Kenji replied. He quickly bowed respectfully and continued, "Forgive the intrusion, but I am here discreetly to help you. My name is Kenji Kinomoto and I came here as an emissary from the Kingdom of Nihon."
Tapasi's eyes widened in surprised. "You're a member of that clan? I thought for sure they would have sent the Twin Guardians—"
Kenji's frowned, but kept his cool. "Sadly, the Guardian of Darkness has been incapacitated by the Celestial Warriors and the Guardian of Light is preoccupied with other duties. In any case, my presence is sufficient."
"Hmph, very well, but what can you do to help? You're the emissary from Nihon, but I know you're also acting as an arbitrator, ensuring that this cursed Tri-Ceremony is a success! Why would you help me?" Queen Tapasi sneered.
Kenji smirked as he placed a hand on the wall and suddenly the entire chamber froze, causing the queen to be taken by the unfamiliar frozen environment. "Because like you, I was also mistreated and disregarded by my own family and I want to show them that I'm not to be manipulated or thrown away once they tired of me. I may be seen as an arbitrator in public, but the Annamites know nothing of my plan to help you reclaim what is rightfully yours. Allow me to help you and you'll never have to live a disgraced and demoted life as King Jaya's mistress! Your son won't lose his title as Crown Prince and will not be regarded as a bastard!"
Tapasi scrutinized Kenji, deciding whether or not if she could really trust him. She's afraid to say no after his powerful display of water-wielding. "If the king finds out, he'll accuse us of treachery! I will lose my head and my son will die as well!"
Kenji smiled wickedly as he picked up the pieces of broken glass surrounding the statue of King Jaya. "He can't kill you if he's dead and the blame will fall on Princess Huyền Trân…"
Queen Tapasi's lips curled into a smile at the thought of that usurper becoming a scapegoat. "What do you want me to do?"
"And Kanbara knocked Johnson out of the ring! THIRD ROUND OF THE QUARTER-FINAL GOES TO TAKUYA KANBARA OF SHEFFIELD INSTITUTE!" cried the commentator. The crowd cheered and Takuya pumped his fists into the air.
"YEAH, BABY!" Takuya grinned from ear to ear, giving his teammates victory signs. Zoë rolled her eyes, but secretly she's proud of her boyfriend coming out on top and being better than he ever was.
"NEXT UP IS KIMI WATSUKI OF SHEFFIELD INSTITUTE VERSUS MILDRED BLACKSON OF HEATHERFIELD UNIVERSITY!"
The Guardians and Orube watched as Kimi stepped onto the ring to face a really mean looking girl with black hair and eyes. Mildred gave Kimi a look that screamed I-am-going-to-eat-you-alive. Kimi shows no emotions as the referee went over the rules.
"That Mildred doesn't look so friendly," Taranee said, shivering.
"With an ugly name like Mildred, of course not!" Irma scoffed.
"I heard of her," Hay Lin added. "They gave her the nickname 'Blackheart' because she's brutal and merciless in her attacks. I heard that she was kicked out of three martial art centers when she was still in high school! She practically sent over a dozen people to the nurse's office and the hospital!"
"Seriously? How is she still here in this competition," Cornelia asked.
"Her dad's a member of the city council," Hay Lin answered with disdained on her tongue. "With money and connection, almost any bad records she had are gone."
"Shake hands, you two," said the referee.
Kimi extended her hand and could tell that this Mildred is trying very hard to crush her hand. Unbeknownst to her, Kimi felt nothing more than a tingle.
"So you're the best that Sheffield could find on such short noticed, huh?" Mildred smirked. "Pathetic. I can't wait to wipe the floor with your black belt, little girl."
The corner of Kimi's mouth curled into an amused smile. She didn't reply, but she returned the handshake by squeezing Mildred's hand much harder, surprising the older girl with her Lusterian strength.
Mildred yanked her hand back in surprised and gave Kimi a look of surprise. Kimi smiled and bowed respectfully.
"I hate to disappoint you, but I'm stronger than I look," Kimi replied.
"Alright, I want a clean match between you two," said the referee. "Remember no illegal target areas and no illegal techniques! Ready…set…GO!"
The two of them quickly got into a defensive position. Mildred tried to jab at Kimi's face quickly, hoping to make her dizzy so that she could attack her in the abdomen then the legs. She threw a brutal punch, hoping to mess up that pretty face with great satisfaction, but to her surprised, Kimi raised one hand and expertly caught her punch without recoiling back. Mildred gasped because it felt like punching a brick wall! With the same arm, Kimi threw Mildred over her shoulder and slammed her into the ground.
"One point goes to Watsuki!" the referee cried.
Mildred quickly got up and shot Kimi a savage look. Again she tried to strike her where it should hurt, but Kimi was too quick. She weaved out of the way every time, making Mildred more frustrated before striking her to the ground, earning more and more points. Mildred tried to sneak in an illegal move to the throat, but Kimi quickly intercepted it before she had the chance and threw her to the ground again.
"Warning! One penalty point to Blackson!"
Will and the others cheered. "Yeah, Kimi! Show that cheater who's boss!"
"She got nothing on you!" Taranee cheered.
Hay Lin smiled at the fact that Mildred was getting more and more frustrated while Kimi hasn't broken a sweat. "That Blackson girl has lost before this match even started!"
Orube smiled as she watched the big clock overhead, noticing that this match is only thirty seconds away from being over. This Blackson girl fights without honor, Orube thought. But Kimi's merely toying with her. She's trying to distract Blackson by making her waste her energy, while occasionally scoring points. Even if Blackson did manage to land a strike, she wouldn't have enough points to win this match.
"Fifteen seconds!" the referee cried.
"I still got one more move on you!" Blackson screamed, lunging herself at Kimi, trying to grab her and throw themselves both out of the ring.
Without blinking, Kimi wait for her to get close before she evaded her by doing a spinning kick. Her foot collided with Blackson's head and knocked her to the ground with only one second left to spare before—
"OUT! MATCH GOES TO KIMI WATSUKI OF SHEFFIELD INSTITUTE! The referee cried and the crowd cheered.
"YES, SHEFFIELD IS GOING INTO THE SEMI-FINALS!"
Kimi's teammates hugged each other and cheered. They couldn't believe their school has made it this far as Sheffield Institute hasn't made it into the semi-finals or even the finals for years!
"YEAH, KIMI! GO SHEFFIELD!" Will and her friends screamed. The wave of excitement was intoxicating. The Guardians haven't really paid much attention to some of the sport teams from their school, but the feeling of devotion is still there. Seeing their school's team making it this far brought out the patriot feeling in them.
Orube smiled, applauding with everyone. She noticed that Kishimoto and his team were standing to the side, getting ready to go next. Kishimoto smiled as if he's expecting Kimi to win and was glad that she did. Orube glanced back at Irma who didn't join in on the cheering, either too occupied with whatever issues she's still having, or the ultimatum Orube gave her earlier, or Kimi's newfound knowledge in how to kill a Celestial Warrior without relying on the chance that Irma may or may not awaken her new power.
Orube was still too surprised about this. Kimi and Irma had their rows, never once getting along since they met. Even when Kimi was right to call Irma out the other night for her rash behavior, she took Irma's opinion into consideration and secretly searched for another way to kill a Celestial Warrior. Orube knew that Kimi kept her newfound discovery from Ngọc Long. Kimi couldn't bring it to herself to tell her host mother that she's been trying to find another way to kill her husband.
Speaking of the devil, the Jade Dragon's voice rang telepathically through their minds.
Guardians, the siege in Annam will soon commence! You must return to the headquarters immediately!
"But the tournament—" Hay Lin protested. "We can't just leave right now. People will wonder!"
"UP NEXT IS KOJI KISHIMOTO OF HEATHERFIELD INSTITUTE OF ART AND SCIENCE AND CHASE ERICSON OF MOUNTAIN VIEW HIGH!" cried the commentator.
Kimi watched as Koji gave her a quick glance before stepping onto the arena.
Don't fret, this is still the quarter-finals. One of my teammates will have to cover for me in the semi-finals, Kimi thought.
Quickly, the Guardians got up and tried to make their way through the crowd. Kimi's teammates are too engrossed in their former team captain's match to notice their current one is gone.
Koji glanced back to see if Kimi was still watching, but by the time he saw a glimpse of her flowing hair heading towards the exit, the referee tells him to shake hands with his opponent.
Zhu Que watched the landscape before him. The Kingdom of Annam was once protected by him and his beloved Ngọc Long. A part of him hates to destroy its beauty, but for the sake of their mission to conquer Lusteria, it must be done.
Below, he could see the people cheering and celebrating as their princess is wed to King Jaya and has been crowned Queen of Champa. Suddenly, King Jaya dropped dead in a pool of his own blood. Screams of terror echoed through the night as the Guardians rushed in to protect Princess Huyền Trân.
Turning to his lietenent, Zhu Que coldly gave the order, "That is our signal. Let the siege begin."
To be continued…
I apologized for taking so long. This chapter was supposed to be uploaded two months ago. I was busy with work and other responsibilities this summer. Plus, I was on family vacation last week. Do not fret, I'm still writing this story until it's done.
Story Trivia: Historically, the real King Jaya Simhavarman III of Champa did marry Princess Huyền Trân of Vietnam in the early 14th century. His other "first rank wife" was actually named Princess Bhaskaradevi, but I decided to pick one of his other wives, a princess from Java, Queen Tapasi, as my fictional antagonist. How King Jaya died won't be the same as I planned in the next chapter.