A World Away

by ripitupgenki

Years after Mu's defeated the courageous seven have settled into their new lives. What happens when Genki hides a deep secret from the rest. How will the others react? How will they deal with his world and his problems when he finally tells them? Warning: Lots of drama and dark themes. Main pairing is GxH & TxGR; there will be HxGR and GxGR as well throughout this story.

12. Connections

AAN: Onward to amusing and serious connections in the hopes to find Mu.

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Connections

When Tiger and Genki arrived at Colt's ship, they both looked at each other in confusion. Some of her cargo could be seen all around the iron bird. After a moment Genki called out,

"Colt are you here?" Shortly after they heard an 'Eeeekkkk!' and a loud bang, followed by a cloud of smoke and dust pouring out of the ship enveloping them both. The pair managed to find their way out of the cloud as it started to dissipate.

"What the hell *cough* was that? *cough*" Tiger exclaimed after shaking himself. He hated having dust all over his fur.

"Colt are you alright in there? *cough*" Genki was a bit concerned now. * What the heck did she do? * Finally, a figure emerged from the ship coughing heavily, Genki moved to guide her out of the cloud and had her sit down. Covered in grease, soot, and dust Colt looked like she had been through war with her iron bird. It took her a few more minutes of coughing before she seemed to regain her breath. Genki then asked again, "Are you alright?" Colt nodded in response still trying to recover. It took a few more minutes before she spoke.

"I'm fine, just startled me is all."

"What happened?" Tiger asked, still annoyed that his fur was now dirty.

"One of the engines miss fired I think."

"That didn't just sound like a miss fire." Genki said, she shrugged in response. "Anyway, let's take a look after the smoke clears. We probably need to fix the electrical issue first before the engines can be dealt with."

"I found the diagram you wanted though I couldn't make heads or tails of it."

"Those not familiar with such diagrams usually can't read them very well." Colt walked over to one of the crates and pulled out a book. Handing it to Genki, he opened it to find the schematics for the iron bird. "What section was having the problem?"

"It was the port side engines that blew the soul capsule and shutdown."

"No issues in the other engines?"

"Nope just the one set." Genki looked through the schematics till he found the port side. He then traced the lines back till he found what was on the fuse block.

"Which spirit capsule broke?"

"The one on the right-hand side, nearest the engines." Genki found it easily. He then looked at what was in its line.

"Hmm… that one connects directly to one of the motors. We'll probably need to check that motor out to make sure it's not over drawing current before we replace the fuse." Genki glanced over at Colt who looked astounded by his ability to read the schematics so easily.

"I'm not sure how to test that…"

"There are ways, but an inspection would be first. Let's go take a look then I can figure out the size of fuse we need." Cot led him inside the iron bird to show him where he needed to look. Tiger followed, curious as to how Genki would test everything.

---

While Genki and Tiger were with Colt, Holly had been arranging things with her father and Hare to have another week away. Currently, she was upstairs packing her things for the next couple of weeks away. She looked over as Granity entered the room,

"Did you send him a message?"

"I did",she responded. Said he'd be here in about 4 days." Holly nodded and returned to her packing.

"I just hope he's willing to assist."

"I think he will. He really has changed since the second time around. Apparently being taken over by Mu was enough for him to realize how evil Mu truly was."

"Hopefully we can locate Mu…"

"We will, don't worry it'll just take some time."

"Genki wanted my help with that vision he is trying to re-access…." Granity raised a brow,

"Is that what he was talking to you about?" Holly nodded,

"Yes… though I had to tell him that right now I can't… I'm not able to take anything else on…"

"Sounds like you need to relax awhile then." Granity had been filled in on what Genki was really doing. She smirked inwardly at his push to force Holly to admit she was at her limit. * An interesting tactic but apparently an effective one. * She knew he had no intention of dealing with his vision for at least a few weeks. That had just been a ploy to get Holly to admit she needed help. * He is quite the strategist. * The amused pixie breed thought as she waited to see Holly's reaction to her more direct statement. Holly finally sighed,

"I guess you are right…." Holly paused before continuing, "I just feel like… I'm shirking my duties though." Granity shook her head,

"You aren't. You have done more than everyone else for a while now. It's time the others stepped up. There is no reason for you to feel guilty over needing a break." Holly finished her task and turned to her lover, after a moment she nodded.

"I guess you're right, they need to be able to do things without me. Otherwise, none of this will work out…" Granity gave her a smile while nodding, she then indicated for Holly to sit down. The young women did so though was very curious as to what Granity had in mind. * I hope she isn't planning anything lewd right now… * Holly shook herself after this thought appeared in her mind. She sighed again as Granity sat beside her.

"Holly there's something I wanted to talk to you about." Holly looked over curiously now, "Last night I had a deep emotional discussion with Genki. He didn't necessarily tell me everything I learned but I could feel it through our bond. Firstly, we have defiantly underestimated the time it takes for him to recover and release things concerning his anxiety. He had a small… issue with it last night. I managed to get him to talk things out, to release what he was holding. Though it wasn't easy, you know how he is with words concerning his feelings." Holly nodded,

"Yes, he isn't good at explaining his emotions."

"He was terrified of talking to Mocchi about his disorders. He felt like he had let Mocchi down." Holly was surprised to hear this, she thought back to earlier when she felt his fear fade. Glancing back to Granity she asked,

"Is that why his fear disappeared when Mocchi defended him?" Granity nodded,

"Yes, he understood that Mocchi accepted him in that moment. I believe he and Mocchi have started to reforge their bond at this point. It shouldn't take them long, Mocchi isn't likely to hold any type of grudge. He seemed more concerned about Genki's welfare than anything when Tiger and I spoke with him." Holly smiled upon hearing this,

"It makes sense… he was very worried about Genki before you both arrived. He was asking if everything was alright."

"I believe he sensed Genki's anxiety but couldn't figure out what he was sensing exactly. I will work with him as they bond. Hopefully he will learn the difference between the two disorders just like I have."

"What about the third disorder?"

"I haven't seen that one show up but perhaps I'm missing it. I will have to ask Genki about that one." Holly nodded, "Now that he has told everyone about his disorders, I believe that he will calm down a bit more. The confession was stressing him out quite a bit. More than I first realized."

"It makes sense I guess… we should have seen it as a problem."

"Yeah, but there are other things he needs to work through now."

"You mean our fight?" Holly locked eyes with the pixie hybrid,

"Not just that." Holly gave her a curious glance, "Something else I realized last night is that Genki doesn't feel very secure right now, concerning his relationships. While we spoke, he became depressed, I almost missed it but what I felt told me he was struggling with it again. He believed that he had pushed me into how we were finalizing our bond." Holly looked startled by this.

"Did he?" Granity shook her head.

"No, I chose the method we used. All he did was guide me into understanding things better."

"Then why the guilt?"

"The guilt was from his insecurity. He felt… vulnerable due to the love between us. As a result, he was having trouble relaxing into that feeling. Instead, it somehow manifested as a fear of pressuring me into things I wasn't ready for. In reality, it was him feeling that pressure and feeling uncertain of the path to finalizing our bond. His scars run very deep Holly… I believe that wound has festered over the years making any intimacy difficult for him." Holly's gaze reflected her deep concern, she closed her eyes thinking about that for a little while before asking.

"Was he able to work through it?"

"Yes, it just took some time. We have finalized our bond now. He seemed much more at ease this morning." Holly understood what finalizing meant in this context, the fact that he was able to do so meant that he was fighting and trying to reconnect with others. A wave of guilt passed through her as she realized something. * I caused this fear of intimacy… he couldn't move on because he never felt safe… * Granity reached over, squeezing Holly's shoulder to get her attention. The woman in question glanced over at her lover once more. "This is not your fault. It's Mu's fault." The Pixie's voice was stern and her gaze showed she meant those words. This caught Holly off guard, it took her a moment to process that before sighing.

"But he used me to do it…"

"That doesn't make it your fault! You and I both know you would not have willingly hurt Genki like that." Suezo happened by about this time, he had overheard their conversation. He frowned, * Is she still blaming herself for what happened? Genki forgave her… why is she still so upset. * He was about to hop into the room when Holly loudly insisted,

"If Mu can control me that way then I'm a liability to our group!" Suezo's eyeball enlarged hearing her say this. It was obvious by how her voice was nearly breaking that she was in pain. He hopped into the room to help Granity.

"Mu was not controlling you Holly, he merely influenced you using your fear against you. You heard what Genki said earlier. He doesn't blame you for what happened."

"But he can't even be intimate with others now because of what I did!"

"Holly!" Granity was appalled that Holly was thinking like this.

"You know it's true! I wounded his heart… and it never healed…" A few tears fell as Suezo made his way over to them. Granity felt slightly annoyed but hoped the eyestalk would be helpful given how close he was with Holly.

"Holly…" Suezo spoke softly gaining the young woman's startled attention. She hadn't realized Suezo was there until now. "Don't let this eat way at you. You didn't hurt Genki, not willingly. Yeah, Mu used you, but he's influenced all of us. Even Genki wasn't immune to his influence. Please don't blame yourself for this."

"I…I can't just let this go Suezo… Genki could have died because of what I did…"

"No, what Mu did." He corrected sternly.

"But I could see his pain! And I did nothing to stop it! Even after our fight… I refused to talk about it… to face what I had done… I was a coward… unable to accept my own actions." Granity sighed as Holly wept, she whispered to Suezo.

"Close the door." Suezo did so, understanding that they didn't need anyone else interfering right now. Granity then took a deep breath before guiding Holly's gaze back to her own. "Holly you are not a coward, nor are you responsible for what happened. Do you really think Mu just left you alone after he tried to tear you both apart? Don't you think he has tried to influence you after that point?" Holly's eyes showed surprise, Granity smiled gently. "Mu isn't the type to leave things to chance. He continued to influence you both. As well as the rest of us. My breakdown was much later than your fight."

"But I should have…" Granity cut her off in one quick motion by kissing her. Holly froze in place as she felt Granity connected with her using her own abilities. It took a moment before Holly relaxed, once she did Granity broke the kiss whispering,

"Let it go Holly, Mu is still trying to hurt you both. Let it go." Suezo saw Granity's power flow into Holly, who closed her eyes. Holly leaned into her lover as she opened herself up, let Granity push the darkness away once more. Suezo wasn't sure what to make of this, he hadn't realized Granity had this ability let alone mastery of it. He watched silently thinking, * I hope this works… Holly is letting this consume her. If what Granity is saying is true, then Mu is still trying to hurt her. * Secretly he thought the act of them kissing was hot but after today's beating, he wasn't willing to tempt fate with the Pixie breed again. He waited until Granity finished to say anything further. When Holly opened her eyes and finally nodded to Granity he spoke once more.

"Holly we are all in this together. We all must heal together to move forward." Holly could see he was concerned for her wellbeing. "Please don't take this on alone. You don't have the bare this on your own. Especially if Mu is still working against you." Holly gave him a watery smile as she let a few more tears fall.

"I know your right Suezo… I just feel responsible for this… for not fighting against Mu sooner."

"You couldn't fight what you didn't know about." Suezo said, clearly trying to convince her that she wasn't at fault.

"I understand that… but even now… I can't seem to fight him…" Suezo's pupil shrank upon hearing this, Granity for her part guided Holly's gaze to her own once more.

"Holly, Mu uses weakness to gain a foothold. You are exhausted emotionally right now. That is why you are having a problem fighting him. You need to rest, let Genki help you ground yourself. He knows more than you think about how to help people release things. Even I have learned from him how to meditate and release my stress." Holly seemed uncertain for a moment, then seemed to understand.

"I guess I am exhausted…"

"Just relax for a little while. Everything is alright, you're not alone." Holly nodded, resting against Granity once more as she wanted to be held. Granity openly gave her the affection she was seeking while Suezo stayed nearby as emotional support. He could see the exhaustion in her posture and expression. He frowned thinking, * Why is it she always takes on so much? Seriously, ever since our village was destroyed, she feels guilty about resting. I thought after Mu's defeat that nonsense would stop. * His concern grew as he thought more about this, * does she blame herself for the village's destruction still? I hope not… it was clear that Mu was after the stone not just her. * He frowned once more, * between that and that bitch Laura hurting her…I think I understand now what Genki was trying to tell me. I hope she can heal from this at some point. She doesn't deserve this pain or stress. * It took quite a while before Holly felt better. Granity maintained her connection until she felt Holly's relief. After she did, Holly seemed to pull back. She smiled at her lover,

"Thanks… I feel much better." Granity just nodded in return, Holly then turned to Suezo.

"Thank you for being here too Suezo."

"You know I'm always willing to help Holly."

"I know and I'm grateful for it."
"Do you feel well enough to hear the rest of what I need to tell you? Or should we wait till tomorrow to finish this discussion."

"I'm fine now… just a little tired. But I would like to hear what you have to say." Now that things had calmed down Granity spoke once more about the topic she had started discussing with Holly.

"Holly, about what I was telling you before. You understand that you'll need to reassure Genki, right?" Holly took a moment to respond as she thought back to what they had discussed.

"Yeah, I understand that now. He's insecure because he's not certain of my decision."

"Yes, he wants to be sure you're not doing this out of guilt. You'll need to show him that you've made your decision with love as the reason behind it. Once you do that, he should open up more."

"Is that why he is so guarded around me?"

"Yes, he's still… a bit scared. He will fight that fear though, you know how he is when it comes to that." Holly nodded,

"I know he won't allow it to control him." Holly hesitated a moment before asking, "Did he open up for you fully?" Suezo looked on curiously, he knew they had bonded fully but wasn't sure how much trust was between them.

"Almost all the way yes. He still needs time to fully let go. But he's nearly there at this point. When we finalized our bond, it seemed to help him feel secure." Holly nodded,

"I think I understand what you meant earlier then. He won't feel the need to hide things anymore with you."

"Correct, he is no longer afraid of my reaction. He's been actively teaching me about his disorders and what he needs when they act up." Holly seemed to consider this a moment,

"Can you tell when they act up without your bond?" Granity nodded,

"Yes, for the most part you can tell by how he is reacting. However, I will say our bond has helped immensely in figuring things out much faster." She let Holly consider this a moment before she continued. "Holly I am going to ask you to consider the same thing that I asked of Genki." Holly glanced her way once more,

"What might that be?"

"Mu wanted you separated for a reason. You both need to reforge your bond and regain that unity of the heart that you once had. If you both can do that, you may discover why Mu tried so hard to separate you." Holly seemed to think this over before responding,

"Did he agree to consider it?" She saw Granity nod, "Then I will as well, yes. I think we will both need to speak about this though. At this point… I'm not even certain how to …bond once more. If he fears a relationship with me then that might become a blockade." Granity smiled gently,

"Holly. Just treat this just like our bond. You reached out to me, let me feel your love and concern. Do the same for him. He is afraid yes, but he wants a relationship with you. He will push forward if you give him the reason to do so." Holly closed her eyes a moment before asking,

"Granity… is that why he refuses to say that he wishes to court me?" Granity rose a brow,

"Not exactly no. Remember he said before you would have to initiate courtship. He won't start it, but he will engage with it once you start it."

"Sorry… I guess I forgot what he had said at the start of all this." She sighed heavily, realizing that she really needed to pay more attention.

"It's alright. That was a while ago and you've both gone through a lot lately." Holly seemed to pause a moment before responding.

"Still, I should pay attention."

"He won't be upset for you forgetting things in lieu of all that's been going on. You both have a lot to keep track of at this point. He doesn't hold grudges, if he did, I don't believe he would have come back to our world at all. I know that recently he also seems to be under attack by Mu. You are both targets, he knows it just as I do. He's asked for help Holly. He knows his strength is failing him, that he alone cannot fight the darkness of the evil soul." Suezo looked confused, he glanced between the two women before asking.

"Wait. So, Mu I actively attacking him?"

"We believe so yes. Something dark is at any rate. I could see it when I connected to him the other night. He has resisted its influence, but I believe it's causing some of his suicidal thoughts." She paused a moment before stating, "He told me that if he had remained alone… it would have won eventually." Suezo was silent as he thought this over, Holly probed for more information in his stead.

"Granity, could you tell if it was Mu?" The pixie breed shook her head.

"Unfortunately, no. I felt it's evil, but it felt… different then when Mu bathed me in his darkness. Though I am uncertain if that is due to it just being the evil soul or if it's another entity entirely."

"What else could it be though?" Suezo asked with deep concern.

"I can't say. However, Genki might have some ideas if we ask him. He knows a lot about our world but not from the usual sources. Those games he spoke of, I have seen him use them as a resource for historical research and geographic locations. They seem to be fairly accurate, even if there are some differences. He mentioned that Mu has returned in many iterations of the games ever since the second game. The reason he didn't know of Mu when he arrived in our world was because he wasn't present in the games yet. Same thing was true of the phoenix who first appeared in second game as a very rare monster."

"So, he only had the first game to go off of at the time?" Holly queried, receiving a nod. "I really should learn about these games then; I'd like to see how accurate they truly are."

"I'm sure he will help you do some research." Granity sighed before going into another conversation that might be difficult with Suezo in the mix. Getting an amusing plan to get rid of the eye stalk she asked, "Holly, did you finish packing?"

"Yes, I did while we spoke earlier."

"You have supplies packed right? Or are you going to need Genki to dig some out?" Holly looked confused before suddenly blushing bright red.

"Granity! This is not the time to ask about that!"

"Why? You'll need them, right?" Granity's brow rose.

"Well, yes… but still." Suezo looked very confused, Granity was blunter now.

"Holly, your cycle is a concern is it not? I mean it will hit while you are gone, you'll need supplies. I thought you'd rather not ask Genki to grab some." Suezo suddenly sputtered,

"I think I forgot to feed the chickens! See you both later!" panicking he literally ran out the door closing it behind him. Granity tried not to laugh at his antics. * I thought that might get rid of him. Feed the chickens? He doesn't even have the chickens this week. * Granity snorted while Holly was still looking mortified, but finally responded after Suezo left.

"Yes, I packed them. Seriously did you have to tell Suezo about my cycle?" she hurriedly stated.

"Sorry I was trying to get rid of him. There is one last thing I need to discuss with you, in private." Holly sighed heavily exasperated with the whole situation, she hated it when Granity used such things to deal with Suezo, but she knew the eyestalk wouldn't have left otherwise.

"What did you need to talk about?"

"About Genki's other needs." Holly looked confused again for a moment before her blush returned. "I'm sure you understand what my fully bonding with him means." Holly nodded, her flush increasing slightly. "I chose to learn about and engage with some BDSM for our union. Genki guided me but I was in control the whole time. His main concern was my comfort." She could see the curiosity in her lover's eyes despite the embarrassment. "I learned something from that experience with him. He does need that kind of interaction to some degree. I believe he is using it to remain stable." She saw the recognition in Holly's eyes of what she just said.

"Will he always need it?"

"I'm unsure if he will or not. All I know is that for now he does." She made sure Holly was looking at her before speaking once more. "I'm telling you this because he will never ask you to fulfill this need of his. He believes you would never even think of doing these kinds of things. He even stated that he doubts you'd be willing to take the lead in such a relationship." It took her a moment to respond to that,

"You mean he believes I wouldn't… be able to be dominant?" Granity nodded.

"Unfortunately, yes. You and I both know you can be dominant. I believe this… misunderstanding is due to your reaction to everything concerning sex." Holly sighed,

"I know I avoid everything… I didn't realize what kind of message that was sending until recently. I can understand why he feels that way with how I have been acting as of late." Her gaze met the pixie breeds once more, "Would he be willing to accept my wish to be dominant?" Granity weighed her words before responding,

"Yes, though you both need to rebuild your trust first. For him, submitting to you will be very difficult. It will be the ultimate test between you both to heal his heart. He will accept it, once you show him that his fear is unfounded. Let him teach you, listen to both what he says and what your intuition tells you. He won't always tell you what he needs, he won't always be able to put it into words. But you will see it if you look even without a bond like I share with him." Holly was silent for a little while before inquiring,

"Does he need anything beyond domination?"

"Only your touch. He is very physical in how he expresses himself. He shares loving touches with me all the time. You can actually tell how he is feeling by his touch. There are subtle differences present with his mood."

"How much did you do with him?"

"Only some minor things, I didn't feel comfortable tying him up or anything. I merely pinned him using my body. We did do some sensation play and I tested a couple of his limits as far as how long he could last during our love making. We didn't do anything beyond that though he was willing." Holly looked surprised at this confession,

"I didn't think you would feel comfortable in such a role."

"Like I said before he put my comfort above all else. He explained how these… play sessions were like being an actor in a fantasy play of our own design. Once I wrapped my mind around that, things became a bit easier for me." Holly seemed to think this over for a bit before responding.

"So, you acted out a sexual fantasy with him?"

"Essentially yes, one that we both agreed to. He made certain that I understood that we both needed to enjoy the fantasy for things to work." Holly seemed to be at a loss for a moment before connecting gazes again.

"Do you think he'd be willing to fulfill mine?" Holly had confessed some of her fantasies before to her lover. Granity smiled to her nodding,

"He would easily do so Holly." She smiled before snorting in amusement, "You know he is worried that you wouldn't accept his fantasies. You both really should talk about this. I think you both need to remove these misunderstandings about how you feel about such things." Holly seemed to be deep in thought for a while after hearing this. * So, he still believes I would reject him? I should try to talk with him about this after we fix things concern our fight… though perhaps he can engage with this conversation before then? I guess I will have to ask. Still… talking about that kind of thing with be difficult if Granity is off scouting. Unless… * she shook herself from that train of thought.

"Granity I would like to talk to him about this but with you gone I'm not sure if I can… remain productive about it."

"Couldn't you do so during your cycle?" Holly sighed,

"I can yes… but I doubt we could settle everything so quickly."

"Your worried that once your cycle is done you won't be able to focus anymore?" Holly nodded, "You could always let him help you know." Holly flushed at this and shook her head.

"I don't think that would be wise given how difficult things will be for us at the start."

"And why wouldn't it. It'd show him that you trust him."

"Granity… us fooling around isn't going to be productive." Granity raised a brow, then shook her head.

"Holly, I want you to think about our first time together. Why did you give in to my desires that day? Why did you allow such fooling around as you call it?" Holly looked uncertain of why Granity was asking but answered the question presented.

"I allowed it so you could feel safe…" after she spoke those words, she went silent for moment. When she looked back at the lover she sighed. "you're saying it would do the same thing for him?"

"I believe so yes. You would be vulnerable to him in a way that would prove that what you are telling him is true. Just like you did with me when I wasn't certain of your love." Holly closed her eyes thinking that over as she compared the two people she loved. * They are similar… in a way. I never realized just how similar until now. * She nodded then met the gaze of the pixie hybrid once more.

"I understand. I will allow such to occur if it happens naturally just like I did with you." Granity accepted this with a smile and a nod. Holly rose to stretch before stating, "I need to finish getting things settled for the next couple of weeks." Granity nodded and rose as well,

"I'll go talk with Hare while you do that. We need a plan on how to ask Durahan for help. I won't do any scouting until after we speak with Durahan." Holly nodded her understanding, and the two women went off to complete their tasks.

---

Genki had inspected the motor and found Colts real problem, he emerged from the engine crawl space to tell her what he found covered in soot, dust, and grease. * it's a good thing I planned ahead for this. * He sat down on a nearby crate accepting the water skin presented to him by Colt.

"You find anything Kid?" Genki nodded,

"Yeah, the second motor is arcing badly. That's why it blew the fuse. The motor will need to be cleaned and the brushes replaced before it will work again. Though I am surprised that it has brushes at all give the technology present here."

"Is that difficult?" Tiger probed still confused.

"No just… annoying. The alignment has to be perfect for it to work correctly. I can get brushes and some emery cloth for cleaning the stator. It'll take a few hours once I have the parts."

"Did you need measurements?" Colt asked, still uncertain of what he was talking about.

"I already took the measurements off of the other motor. Plus, I pulled one of the brushes out of the broken one for reference." He showed it to her. Colt took it from his hand to look it over. "It shouldn't be that short. But it's the other dimensions that matter the most anyway."

"What does this do exactly?"

"It rides along the stator to produce electrical energy as the engine runs. If it can't touch the stator, then it will begin to arc. That in turn draws too much power and causes the fuse to blow." Colt tried to understand what he just said but just shrugged it off and handed the item back. * Perhaps I should buy her an electrical book to read * he could see she still didn't understand. "Anyway, now I just need the fuse measurement so I can get its replacement."

"Thanks for being willing to help out like this." Colt said as she retrieved the broken part.

"You're very welcome Colt." He took it and looked it over. It had some markings on it, but they were faint. * Perhaps Suezo could read them? * He took out his meter, something he hadn't shown Colt until now. It was pocket size but would work for this demonstration.

"What is that?"

"A testing meter." He turned it to the Ohm setting and placed the leads on both ends of the fuse. It emitted a beep with an OL displayed on screen. "The beep means that the circuit is open. Sometimes fuses appear to be bad when they aren't. I was just making sure that is actually blew and didn't just crack." Colt nodded, Genki rose and grabbed one of the good fuses from the block. Doing the same thing again it reported back .2 on the screen, Colt seemed uncertain what that meant. "If any number displays then the fuse is good. Most large fuses will report back less than .5 ohms whereas small fuses will report 1.0 ohms or more if they are still good." Colt seemed to accept this, he then took a look at the good fuse and found its markings more intact. Writing them down he put the fuse back in it proper place. He then made a note of everything he needed to get to repair the iron bird. * The brushes will be the hardest thing as all I know is that they are large AC brushes. Hopefully they won't be too troublesome to find. *

"You have everything you need?" Tiger inquired; he was still uncertain of what Genki had tried to explain to them but wasn't going to ask for clarification. Genki nodded,

"Yes, I believe so. I'll try to get these by the end of the week."

"Don't rush yourself Kid, you have a lot going right now." Genki nodded before placing his notes and meter in his pocket.

"See you later Colt, leave that engine bank offline until we get it repaired." She nodded,

"I will. Sorry about the mess."

"Don't worry about it." Genki and Tiger headed back to the house. * Well, I guess I'm going to shower when we get back. I didn't expect it to be so dirty in there. *

---

When the pair arrived back, they found the rest of the group chatting in the living room. Hare was the first to inquire about Genki's state.

"What happened to you?"

"Wing crawlspace. Colt has an engine issue that needs resolving." Genki remained standing so he didn't dirty the furniture.

"Nothing bad I hope?" Granity asked, more concerned about his wound than anything.

"Nothing too bad. The motor attached to the engine requires some new brushes and a cleaning. Once that is done, we can replace the fuse and it should work again."

"So, the motor caused the spirit capsule to blow?" Hare asked, trying to piece that together. Genki nodded a confirmation. "What was it doing?"

"Arcing since its brushes were worn down. It happens a lot in brush motors." Genki could see Hare understood him, "I'm surprised those have brushes actually. Most aircraft motors now days are brushless and rely on magnetism to work." He shrugged after this statement.

"Maybe it's an older design?"

"Always possible. I don't know that much about the ancient's technology concerning iron birds. I've just assumed it's like ours." Hare nodded his understanding as Genki glanced to Holly.

"You all set?" she nodded with a smile.

"Yes, I'm ready if you are." He smiled and looked at Granity who nodded at his unspoken inquiry.

"Durahan on his way?"

"Yes, he'll be here in 4 days' time." Genki smiled before stating,

"Then we'll pop back across when he arrives and see if he will help. Hopefully I will have Colts parts by then as well." Holly and Granity both stood and walked to his side. Mocchi came up to Genki gaining his attention. "What is in Mocchi?"

"Can I visit chi?" Genki smiled, before nodding.

"Yes, you can Mocchi. Just give me some time to get things settled and we can have you pop over for a visit as well." Mocchi smiled widely responding,

"Ok chi!" He hugged Genki tightly making him smile to the young monster. Once Mocchi released him he turned to his companions.

"I'll see you guys in the few days. Hare, I will probably have you supplies ready to transfer soon. If we toss them through you will likely need a soft-landing pad for them."

"I'll see what I can come up with." He confirmed while thinking about what he could use that they had on hand. Genki nodded then took his leave, The ladies waved goodbye to the group and followed him. Holly picking her bag up on the way out the door with her dagger. As they made their way to the shrine Genki spoke to the two ladies.

"Mu will likely be hiding for a while. Durahan will likely have to do a lot of reconnaissance to find his location, just like we will."

"Any idea where to start looking?" Granity inquired while staying vigilant. Holly remained silent just listening to the pair.

"Some ideas, yes. I will have you and Tiger check the closer location. Durahan and Colt will need to check the Northern and Eastern Continents. Perhaps swinging by Kaulea to check near the volcano as well." Granity raised a brow at his last statement.

"Why the volcano?"

"If the phoenix's body were to be reborn it would be done there."

"How do you know that?" Holly asked, glancing over at him.

"In game lore from multiple games." He looked her way before his gaze snapped back to his left. He stopped putting his hands out, making the ladies halt as well. Genki waited silently to see what their stalker would do now that he had noticed them. Both women waited, they knew Genki wouldn't stop with without a reason. Granity was readying her energy to blast anyone who posed a threat.

---

Soon six bandits emerged for the brush, the leader sneering at the two women. Genki for his part had an unreadable expression, he was carefully watching the group waiting for them to speak first.

"I didn't think we were that obvious, but it doesn't matter. Give me your gold and no one has to get hurt." The leader locked eyes with Genki with a hand on his weapon.

"And if I told you I have no gold then what?" Genki spoke evenly, waiting for the man's response.

"You think I would believe you?"

"Even if you don't believe me, you'd be very disappointed to waste such time for no reward." The bandit looked a little perturbed, he was aware that this area was considered poor. He also knew it was entirely possible that the man in front of him indeed did not have any gold. In fact, he had no gold satchel on his belt. Something one of the other bandits noted, none of them had a satchel. Genki waited to see if things would escalate, he was hoping not to have to fight right now. Finally, the leader decided his next move,

"I'm sure you have something of value we can pawn." Genki sighed, * Typical thieves. *

"Then I see we'll have to deal with this the hard way."

"Like you stand a chance! Get …" In one swift motion Genki lunged forward grabbing their leader by his throat with his right hand, his left preventing the man from drawing his weapon. Genki lifted the man off the ground with relative ease, the leader was desperately trying to get Genki to let go. Genki wasn't cutting his air off, but he was stopping circulation, he knew the man would pass out within a minute or so. The other bandits stared in shock at how quickly things had turned on them. Soon the man went limp, Genki dropped him as soon as he did, letting him fall into a heap on the ground. He locked eyes with the nearest bandit who backed up slightly.

"Take your foolish leader and leave. If I ever see any of you again as bandits, I will kill you on sight. Do I make myself clear?" He looked at each of them. They all nodded,

"Crystal clear sir." Two of them grabbed their leader off the ground.

"Stop being lazy and get a real job. You'll make more gold doing that than robbing people." Genki spat at them as they took off.

---

Once they were gone Granity started laughing. Genki turned to her with an inquiring brow raised, she continued to laugh while trying to explain herself.

"That has to be the most unorthodox way of dealing with bandits." Genki smirked then shrugged.

"No one said I was normal." This through her into another fit of laughter as Holly tried to make sense of what she saw. She hadn't thought Genki was that strong, seeing that feat of strength made her reconsider his wrestling match the prior week. Holly shook her head,

"I never realized you were so strong. You made that look easy." Genki smiled to her.

"I can only do that trick in this world and make it seem easy."

"Really?"

"Yeah, this world augments my physical strength somehow. It's something I noticed the first time I came here."

"What about your speed?" Granity asked, finally recovering.

"That too is amplified." Genki began to walk once more.

"I'm assuming you didn't hurt him?" Granity seemed intrigued by how he had handled that situation.

"Correct. He'll be fine once he wakes. I only cut off circulation long enough to make him pass out. He will probably be a bit groggy when he wakes but nothing else should be off."

"As to what you were saying. I'm assuming you want to search the northern continent due to Mount Kairus right?"

"Correct, it was the last known location of Mu. However, it seems like the least likely location for him currently. He destroyed himself and the phoenix during the final battle, remember."

"That's why you want to check for the phoenixes reborn body at Kaulea?" He nodded, "Ok but what about the eastern continent?"

"He has appeared over in the region before in games. I do have a question for you both. Is Yutatora still intact?" Both women shared a glance.

"What do you mean intact?" Holly asked unsure of what he was talking about.

"Is the peninsula still intact or is it a series of islands?" Holly looked unsure of how to answer for a moment, after sharing another glance with Granity she answered.

"It's intact…."

"Then he might end up over there if he's not there now." He then sighed, "Which means that those lands won't stay intact once he fully awakens."

"Is there any way to stop that from happening?"

"We have to stop his awakening. He's trying to reforge his dragon body, it's that power release that causes that area to break apart." He glanced to Granity, "It also means we aren't looking for just one vessel for him. He will have more than one if it follows the games events."

"Great… just what we needed." She then sighed, "So what was the area closer to home that needed checking?"
"The caves of Tukiyomi." Holly looked over at him once more.

"Why there?"

"In one of the lesser-known games Mu hid in those caves attempting to destroy the last of those who could oppose him. Time and time again those from Tochika have stopped him. He is aware of this in some capacity." Holly looked deeply troubled by this, as she thought over what was said Granity decided to ask about what she felt the other night.

"Genki… the other night I could feel something evil trying to influence you." He glanced over to her and nodded,

"Yes, I noticed it as well."

"It felt different than when Mu bathed me in his evil. Is there anything else besides the evil soul that could be doing this?" Genki seemed to be silent for a moment. He stopped as they reach the shrines control panel.

"There is one other possibility, yes, though very unlikely. Xevion, an entity that is older than Mu himself, believed to be the first artificially engineered monster by the Pendant civilization. It supposedly has similar abilities to Mu but was more limited on what monsters he could control. Unless someone is technology modifying monsters, he would not be a likely suspect. He also has no direct control over humans, though he can tempt them into doing things for his own gain."

"I've never heard of him." Granity commented as Holly activated the shrine.

"Not surprising, his name isn't said much but he was the one being dealt with during The Dark Times. Actually, it was a Tochikan princess that defeated him." Holly glanced his way once she finished,

"I really want to see where you get all of this information from." He smiled to her,

"I will be sure to show you then." The gate opened and Genki jumped through first. He rolled out of the way after landing, taking care not to injure his arm. Soon Holly came tumbling through, he grabbed her pulling her out of the way. Granity soon landed gracefully, the portal closed on its own right after she landed. * I have still never figured out how it knows to close… * he shrugged it off as he turned his attention to Holly. "I know you'll likely not be physically tired for a while since you just got up, but I think resting your mind might help some of the fatigue you feel. Once you get settled in, I'll take you to my meditation room so you can learn some basics."

"You mean for grounding myself?"

"Yes, as I said before grounding is a form of meditation." Holly nodded her understanding.

"Pick which ever room you wish to stay in to get your stuff put away." Holly looked to Granity who smirked at her and made her blush. Genki rose a brow at this interaction. He spoke again, "Granity don't force things." Was his only comment before he walked off into the kitchen to take his pain medication. Granity barked a laugh before commenting,

"Oh, I'm not, I only acknowledged what we were all thinking." He heard him grunt disbelievingly in response. Holly just sighed and walked upstairs; she'd use the room he showed her before regardless of where she stayed.

---

It didn't take her long to get things put away, she rejoined Genki and Granity downstairs at the table.

"Genki, I know you are still unsure of him but asking directly will get a better result in this case." Genki seemed to mull this over as Holly took her seat. "Please just trust me on this, even if you don't trust him." He locked eyes with the pixie breed for a moment before nodding.

"Alright, I will ask him directly. I only hope he is as receptive as you say to directness. He is a knight after all, they have their eloquent ways of speaking." Granity snorted at this,

"He is hardly eloquent."

"A knight's eloquence is not the same as that of a nobleman." Genki commented, "The code of chivalry generally does not apply to nobles unless they are knighted." Granity shook her head as Holly tried to make sense of what was being said. "Regardless I will feel him out as we converse. I don't use it often, but I can read energy. It should tell me what truly lies in his heart." Both ladies stared at him a moment before Holly inquired.

"You can read energy?"

"I can. It's a not a very… developed skill of mine but I can get a read on others. Especially when I am in your world."

"So, your power is energy based?" Granity stated looking like she was thinking some things over.

"Yes, I can manipulate energy in others and myself. By extension I can also read it. It's similar to Aura reading in a way."

"What can you see?" Granity pressed, wondering how developed or reliable this skill was.

"I can feel the balance in one's heart. If there is any evil left in Durahan I should be able to feel it. Evil energy manifests deep within someone's core, it's not always easy to read especially with those who are very good at lying. However, given his personality I highly doubt he's a good liar." He saw Granity smirk at this comment. "Aura readers usually see the energy field around a person. The colors present in the field tell them about the person. It's my understanding that each color corresponds to either an emotion, thought, or personality trait. It's similar to how the chakras work as they also are represented by color."

"Do you see this energy field?" Genki shook his head to the pixie breed's question.

"No, I don't see it visually at all. In my case I feel their aura and read it through what I feel. It's more complex than what a normal aura reader does." Genki seemed to be struggling with how to explain what he felt during a reading. He sighed as he looked at both ladies before continuing. "It's not easy to explain. I get a feeling of a color associated with what I am reading along with a sensation associated with said thought, feeling, or trait. Said color usually indicates where that feeling is derived from in relation to the chakras. The hardest ones to interpret are mixed colors, they are less specific in nature and can be easily misinterpreted." He paused, "The color black is what I would be looking for in Durahan. Black doesn't always indicate evil, but its sensation will tell me if evil is present."

"What are these sensations you feel?"

"The sensations tend to invoke specific emotions. What they invoke depends on what they are and how strong they are." He glanced between them again, "Have you ever walked into a room and gotten a sense of what the people there are feeling without even knowing what was going on?"

"I have yes."

"I've had that happen since I was young with strong emotions."

"The sensations I get are like that. I sense that energy and can use that to interpret what emotion others are feeling."

"How long have you been able to do this?" Granity asked thinking over what he had explained.

"I've been able to manipulate energy since I was young, but the reading came much later. Something I discovered by accident while trying to center myself during a stressful time. It's been maybe three years now since I learned I could do it." Granity seemed to think this over while Holly decided to ask a question that was weighing on her mind.

"Genki, have you used that ability with me?" His eyes connected with hers a moment before he shook his head.

"No, I have not felt the need to use it. Why?"

"I was just curious… you seem to read me so well I thought maybe you were reading my energy."

"I can read you so well because I pay attention to your body language. It tells me enough that I can guess what may be on your mind." He smiled, "sometimes what you won't say in a conversation also tells me what's going on."

"He's right Holly. I haven't used my power with you, and I can read you just as well." Granity watched as Holly seemed to sigh at that statement.

"I didn't think was that easy to read is all."

"You aren't easy to read Holly. We just know you well enough to see the subtle signs you are giving." She seemed to look them both over before nodding.

"Genki?"

"Yes?"

"Would you mind reading my energy?" His brow rose as he studied the pixie breed for a moment.

"Any reason why you want me to do so?"

"I'd like to see how accurate you are is all." Genki finally nodded, "Do I need to do anything?"

"No, it wouldn't be of much use if you did now, would it?"

"I suppose not. I thought you might need to hold my hand or touch me is all." Genki snorted,

"Like Durahan would let me hold his hand." Holly started to giggle at this as Granity chuckled.

"No, he would likely yell "unhand me" at you for that." Genki chuckled as he began to open himself up to the energy around him. He could tell Holly was very amused as her energy came through first. He focused his ability on Granity as he spoke to her once more.

"I have no doubt he would indeed say that. He doesn't strike me as the touchy feely sort with anyone but his pixie breed of choice."

"Speaking of… were you going to ask him about his choosing a pixie breed for his… partner?"

"I can though I wasn't originally going to for this meeting. I am uncertain if he would open up about his relationships when he doesn't know me that well."

"I suppose that could be true." Granity seemed to think that over, as she did Genki felt what she was considering.

"I don't believe he is abusive Granity. Poison stays with him of her own accord. As sassy as she is I doubt she'd stay if he were abusive or controlling. Even Lilim never seemed to have said issues with him, she just defected to Mu's side after seeing how powerful he truly was." Holly noticed the surprise in the pixie hybrids eyes. "I know you are worried about that happening. I don't think he would start doing that if he had a change of heart concerning Mu. Such evil cannot exist in someone who has been trying to better themselves. Unless you are now doubting his change of heart?" Genki waited to see what her response would be.

"I suppose I do have some doubts yes… though I don't believe he would ever help Mu again. I am just… concerned about Poison. She is an airhead and likely wouldn't notice controlling behavior." Genki seemed to raise a brow at her explanation.

"You aren't projecting, are you? She is a ditz yes but she's not that stupid. If she was in pain or feeling trapped, she would likely leave him." Holly watched the exchange; she wasn't sure what exactly he was reading but if he was right then perhaps Granity had some healing left to do. * It's like he can feel the reason behind her words. That… is an interesting power. Perhaps that is why he couldn't describe his ability to us. How do you tell someone you can feel their reasoning? *

"I don't think I am, no. I just don't think what I have seen is healthy." Genki seemed to canter his head slightly at this statement. As he tried to retain his focus on Granity a thought crossed his mind, * Holly really is over stressing herself. Her energy is influx constantly, I've never seen an energy build up this large before. * He sighed before shaking his head.

"You don't need to hide your insecurity Granity. Perhaps it's not projection per say but this concern is less about Poison and more about what you have gone through. You have a lot of healing to do yet. It's normal to feel conflicted when you encounter a situation that resembles one you have been through. It's just important to separate the two so that you don't inadvertently assume the wrong thing is happening when it is not." Granity seemed taken aback by his statement and went into deep thought after he said that. He waited to see her response; he could feel a conflict within her she seemed regretful of asking him to read her now. Though discomforted by her regret he noted it faded rather quickly so he did not dwell on it.

"You are far more accurate than I thought you might be. Even seeing something I have not considered."

"I hope this wasn't an uncomfortable experience." His voice was even, and her gaze met his they locked eyes a moment before she shook her head.

"It was only an instant of discomfort. I can hardly blame you for my not wanting to face the truth for a moment." He nodded, before glancing to Holly who seemed curious as to what had happened between the pair.

"Holly, you really need to spend some time grounding yourself. Your energy is all over the place." Holly seemed surprised by this,

"Really? I don't feel like it's doing anything…" Granity studied the pair a moment before asking.

"What are you sensing from her?"

"Specifically?" She nodded, "A lot of energy movement of various kinds." His gaze returned to Holly, "It's like you are radiating energy into the room. Perhaps you aren't doing it consciously, but it is happening."

"Was it throwing things off with me?" Granity asked curiously,

"Kind of, I had to really focus in to ignore the ambient energy I was feeling. I don't believe I read you wrong though."

"You didn't, I was just curious."

"Am I radiating energy due to what I absorbed?" Genki shook his head,

"No not entirely. If that were the case all of what I feel should be negative energy but it's not. There is a good mix going on."

"What do you feel from her?" Granity asked, now wondering what she had missed. Genki glanced at Holly seeking permission, she nodded giving it. She trusted Granity to hear what he had to say.

"Some of it is defiantly what she has absorbed. However, what I am mainly getting is a mix of frustration, exhaustion, fear, guilt, and sexual energy." He locked eyes with a startled Holly, "You defiantly have been over doing it, pushing yourself to the breaking point for the sake of others." He could see his accretion was true when she looked away. "And yet you have not satisfied your deeper needs." A blush appeared on her face, as he closed his eyes tilting his head slightly before he looked at her again. "My hunch from before seems to be correct your sacral chakra is definitely blocked. The block is causing an overflowing of sexual energy among other things." Holly's eyes found his again when he opened them, she searched him as confusion filled her mind.

"Genki what do you mean by a block?"

"A block is usually an emotional event that hinders the flow of energy Holly, making things related to the chakra difficult. Much like how my heart chakra is blocked due to our fight, you have a block in your sacral chakra. That chakra governs your positive emotions, sexuality and sensuality. It's why you don't feel sexually satisfied very long. I also believe it's causing your over stimulation, which is why you feel aroused so easily." Holly seemed to be at a loss for words for a moment. Granity waited to see how Holly would handle this.

"How do I unblock it?" Holly asked, she seemed lost in her thoughts.

"By tackling what caused it in the first place, dealing with that deeper need at the same time. Blocks in this area are caused by deep emotional trauma and fear. You know what caused it Holly. The question is, will you face it and work through it?" Holly seemed to go silent for a bit as she thought things over. Genki let her be as he glanced at the pixie breed who seemed to be regretting asking about Holly's energy now. He gently took Granity's hand in his own, giving it a reassuring squeeze to tell her it was alright. The pixie hybrid seemed to understand as he saw her regret fade as she waited for Holly's response.

"I'm not even sure I can work through it…"

"Perhaps not alone, but you can if you truly wish to. You have both of us to help you, don't forget that. Do you wish to try?" Genki's voice was very soft as he spoke to her. Holly finally met his gaze once more before nodded,

"I want to try yes… I haven't been able to share what I went through for so long… I don't want to feel alone anymore."

"You aren't alone Holly; you never have been. Whatever you need we will provide to the best of our ability. Though I believe you first need to rest. It would only make this task harder if you are still exhausted." Holly nodded, as Granity smiled to her.

"We will both help you when you are ready."

"Thank you both." She smiled while slightly blushing before commenting to Genki. "I never imagined you would be able to read so deeply into someone. That was… very intimate." Genki gave her a gentle smile.

"I understand it might feel too intimate at this juncture. I don't use my ability normally due to that deep reading ability. I hope this wasn't too invasive for you." Holly shook her head,

"It's fine really… I trust you, Genki. I know you wouldn't use your ability to hurt me. I was just caught off guard is all." Genki nodded as he closed himself off to the energy around him. The strength of the energy she was radiating was starting to become nauseating.

"Why don't we head upstairs, and I will show you the basics of grounding. Hopefully that will help you feel a bit better." Holly nodded; Genki rose giving Granity a smile who seemed content to spend time with another book Genki had gotten.

---

Holly followed him upstairs to his mediation room. "Take your shoes off. You need to be able to connect with the ground for this." Holly obeyed though she wasn't certain what he was talking about. Genki moved one of his cushions to the center of a mandala rug. He placed another across from that. "Are you feeling stiff?"

"A little yes."

"Where?"

"Mostly in my back and shoulders."

"What about your hips?" Holly raised a brow, "You will need to sit cross legged for a while. If your hips are tight that might become uncomfortable rather quickly." Holly sighed before assessing how that would go. He saw her try to sit that way and grimace immediately. "Where do you feel the tension?"

"Here" She pointed to the hip joint on the outside of her leg.

"Hip flexor muscle then. We'll do a little stretching before we start. It should help loosen your stiff muscles." Genki brought her to the mat in the middle of the room. "I want you to follow my movements. Only stretch as deeply as your body will allow. If you feel any pain, then back off on the stretch." He saw her nod; he then began to move slowly. Starting with a standing pose which would twist the back and shoulders gently. Holly did her best to mimic his movements, though she couldn't flex as much as he did. After he had her upper body loosened up a bit, he then grabbed two blocks and handed them to her. She took them and watched as he placed his blocks on either side of his feet. She copied him then waited for instruction, "This should help release the tension in your hips. Just move slowly, remember to pay attention to what your body is telling you."

"I will." Holly watched as he then stepped his left foot back, she followed his movement. Soon her left leg was lying on the mat, her right leg bent into a deep lunge. He had her hold this position for a moment.

"Just breath into it, Holly. Let the tension release on its own." It took her a moment before she was ready to move to the next position. When he could see she was ready he grabbed his blocks and moved them both to the inside of his right leg. "Stand our blocks on end here, then very slowly bring yourself down onto your forearms, as you do lean forward. You should feel a deep stretch in your right hip flexor. Don't force it. If you feel any pain, then back off of the stretch." Holly nodded as she attempted this stretch, she was forced to back off shortly after trying to lean forward. Genki noticed this and heard her gasp. "Just move slowly until you find a good spot. Once you do breathe deeply into the stretch." Finally, she seemed to find a good spot that wasn't causing pain, she then closed her eyes just breathing as instructed. Genki waited in this pose for 30 seconds before he spoke once more. "Alright slowly bring yourself out of the stretch by reversing how you got into this position. Once we are back to standing, we will switch to stretching the left side." Genki monitored her as she came out of the position, she seemed to have trouble for a moment before moving back to a standing position. He had her wait a couple of breaths there before moving to stretch the left side. Holly seemed to have just as much trouble with this side, once she found a good spot, she did her breathing exercises as he instructed. * Her hips are really tight, she's not able to stretch them much at all without pain. Might need to work with her on that its likely causing her back to feel tight as well. * "Alright come back out of it just like before." Slowly Holly managed to get out of her position, once she was standing again, she glanced his way to see if they were done. "Let's take a seat and see if that is any better for you." He pointed at the cushion on the rug, Holly walked over and took a seat. Genki took a seat across from her; he could see that she wasn't super comfortable but wasn't grimacing like before.

"It's a bit better…I don't feel a straining sensation anymore."

"That's good. It will take some time to release the tension in your hips. I will show you some more exercises tomorrow. It will likely be a slow process; the hip flexor can be problematic when it comes to tension release."

"I understand… I don't usually stretch that area."

"Most people don't."

"So how do I ground myself." He smiled as he saw her fidget.

"Grounding for an empath is connecting with the earth and the environment around you. You can rebalance your energy through this connection. You're going to have to ignore the discomfort you feel to do this, you focus will need to be on visualizing your connection with the earth below us. The root chakra is the easiest to connect, the pose you are in now helps open that chakra up making the connection easier. Once you get that connection to form you can begin to release all that emotional energy into the ground." Holly seemed a little confused by this explanation.

"So… it's a spiritual connection?" Genki seemed to weigh his words once more.

"Kind of. Your chakra centers are both physical and spiritual energy. Think of them as the energetic interface between your body and your spirit."

"So, I'm connecting my spiritual energy with the ground?"

"With the Earth's energy Holly. The Earth has its own energy field, its that field you will be connecting to. You will feel it and understand fully once you are connected."

"This is honestly rather confusing for me…"

"I understand that, to make things simpler for the moment can you just trust what I am telling will help? I will get you a book to explain the nuances of it all."

"I'm just not sure I can connect with the earth if I don't understand what I am doing is all." Genki seemed to think this over a moment before sighing. "Holly, you remember when I had you meditate the other day? You didn't understand why I had you do that or even what it was, yet you obeyed my instruction. This is very similar to what I had you do before. The only difference is you are not focusing just on your breath, you are also focusing on forming a connection with the planet." Holly was quiet a moment before nodding,

"I understand. I need to visualize my connection so it will form… and I assume you'll guide me into doing so."

"I will indeed guide you. All you need to do is maintain your focus once you have that connection formed." He smiled at her as she seemed to be ready to accept this new thing now. He noticed her fidget again. * I swear she and Granity are too alike sometimes. This might be more of a challenge than I thought. * "You connection the first time around might not be really strong but as you practice it will become stronger. If you lose that connection, just take a moment to breathe and try to reform it again. First though we need to calm your mind and body, mimic the hand sign I am making, this will help you connect with your root chakra when we get to that point. Just like you did the other day I want you to close your eyes and focus on your breath. As you breath in stretch your spine upward, as you exhale let the tension release from your shoulders. Let the tension in your body melt away as you exhale." He watched as Holly copy his hand sign then perform these breathing exercises, he noted a tightness still in her lower body. Before she started fidgeting again, he spoke once more. "If you feel any discomfort in your body, just take a moment to acknowledge it. Let it know you are listening then assure that area that everything is alright. Breath into that discomfort and let it fade with each exhale. As it fades return your attention to your breathing." Once more he waited, it took her a bit longer to relax into the exercise. Once he saw her posture relax, he began his instruction again, "Holly, I want you visualize a swirling circle of red energy. This is your root chakra, focus on forming a connection with it. You will feel it once you're connected. Tell me when you are able to do this." Holly for her part was struggling with this, it wasn't easy to ignore her protesting hips nor visualize things like he said.

* I'm really not sure I can do this… but I have to try at least. * After a little while Holly could see a red swirling mass in her mind. She felt like it was just out of her grasp, not quite able to connect with it. Genki waited patiently, as he did, he could see her frustration grow.

"Just be patient with yourself Holly. Let go of your frustration, it will only hinder you." She heard him and sighed. He watched her struggle with this part for a little while, * this won't be easy for her. It seems she needs some help…but what can I do? I wonder if using a stone would help? After all many use crystals and stones to help them during meditation, she is able to use the magic stone so perhaps they would help her more than they did me. * Genki silently rose and walked to a cabinet, opening it he pulled out a piece of black tourmaline. He hoped this would give her the boost she needed. As he returned, he heard her sigh again, her concentration broken, she moved to relieve the discomfort in her hips once more. * Her flexors must be tighter than I thought. Hmm… * She glanced over at him as he walked back to her gaze holding a mixture of frustration and sadness.

"I'm sorry…"

"There's no need to be sorry. I know this is very new for you. It's not always easy the first time around. So don't be so hard on yourself. You will get the hang of it eventually." He knelt behind her, reaching over, he placed the stone in her right hand. Holly looked at it in confusion. "That is black tourmaline. It both connects with the root chakra and also can assist with grounding. Given your abilities I thought it might help form the connection for you." Genki gently massaged her shoulders once more, Holly sighed contentedly as he did, enjoying his touch. While he did this, she closed her eyes and used the pathway she knew by heart from the magic stone. Genki saw a response in the rock rather quickly.

"It feels like its… pulling the negative energy from me…"

"Tourmaline is often used as a protection stone by empaths due to the fact that it can remove negative energy." Holly seemed to understand why he chose this stone now as she turned to him and nodded.

"I will try to use it… still it's hard to focus…"

"Your hips are still too tight, aren't they?" She sighed and nodded,

"The discomfort grows to the point of it being almost painful." She heard Genki sigh as he seemed to go into thought of how to help her. * It's unlikely that stretching some more would help… no they are tight enough to need heat to loosen the muscles. May need to do a hot bath for her tonight with some salts. For now, let's see if I can loosen them up a different way… if she will trust me with this. *

"Later I'll draw you a hot bath and add some salts. It might help with that tension you feel." He paused a moment before asking, "Do you feel comfortable enough with me for a short hip massage? I will only be touching the area by the joint. Either that or I can get Granity, she can do it if you are more comfortable with that." Genki felt her tense slightly at the suggestion he had just made. He waited to see what she would respond with. Holly's mind was blank for a moment after that question, she then blushed as her mind wandered to less wholesome reasons behind that suggestion. Shaking these thoughts off she focused on him once more.

"Can you really loosen that muscle through massage?"

"I can yes. I won't guarantee that all the tension will be gone but I can get enough out for this seated position to feel better for you." Holly sighed heavily before answering.

"I understand..." It took her a moment before she continued, "I will allow you to do this… I trust you. I know you won't do anything perverted though it might be intense for me."

"I understand Holly, I will be very mindful of that as I work." He gently embraced her hoping to calm her nerves. When she seemed calmer, he stated, "Lay down for me." blushing profusely Holly did so, this was going to be a test for them both. Genki waited for her to lay back and relax before he moved to her side. "The hip flexor runs mostly on the outside of your hip, that's where I will be focusing. Just try to relax as I massage that area."

"I will try… this is very intimate for me…"

"I will be respectful Holly; I am only trying to help. Just relax as best you can, ok?"

"I wasn't insinuating that you weren't being respectful." She saw him nod to that comment, "Will this work with my pants in the way…. Granity often has issues with clothing."

"It will be fine. Besides I don't think either of us are ready for anything concerning disrobing, regardless of the reason." Holly's blush seemed to worsen as she nodded. Genki very gently began to assess her left hip; he could feel a lot of resistance at the joint. Following the muscle up to the top of her hip he began to work. "It might hurt a bit at first when I reach the tense area. Sometimes it takes a bit of pressure to get them to let go, it's much like a bad knot only these muscles don't seem to get knots."

"Why wouldn't they?"

"Muscle length I would assume. These are rather small and short muscles compare to those in your shoulders and back. But they can still become sensitive to pressure." Holly seemed to understand, soon she hissed slightly as he found a sensitive spot. Genki made sure she was ok then carefully applied pressure to the muscle again. It took a few minutes before it finally let go and Holly released the breath she was holding through the pain. Once it let go, she felt much better. When he was sure the left was relaxed, he moved to her right side. Using the same procedure, he worked carefully on that one. She hissed again,

"Ow… this one hurts more…"

"Was it straining the most?"

"Yeah, I felt it strain first actually."

"It feels extremely taut, bear with me while I get it to let go. I know it hurts; I promise it will feel a lot better when I am done." Holly nodded as she dealt with the pain by trying to focus on something else. After several long minutes Holly finally felt relief, Genki could tell when he got it loosened up. He gave her a thorough massage on this side just like the other. Once he was done, he smiled to her. "Just relax a few minutes before you try to sit up." Holly did as he asked, letting her body rest as she connected to the stone in her hand once more. No longer startled by its properties she explored it with her power. When she finished, she glanced over at Genki who was still by her side.

"I think I'm ready to try again." He smiled and nodded,

"Go ahead and see how you feel now." Holly rose slowly and retook her cross-legged position on the cushion. She glanced to Genki giving him a smile,

"It feels great now. Thank you."

"I'm glad, you're welcome anytime." He waited for her to get settled. Soon she was trying to meditate once more. When she felt ready, she visualized the red mass of energy once more. The stone in her hand helped her connect with it after a few moments focusing on it. "I have a connection with it, Genki." * Let's hope I can keep it. *

"That's good. Now without losing focus I want you to visualize that energy moving down through your body. As it reaches where you're seated it forms roots that move down into the earth. These roots will link you with the earth's energy, you should feel its warmth when you connect with it." Holly very slowly visualized the energy growing and moving through her until it reached the ground where roots grew through the ground below her. It took a lot of her focus to keep this image in her mind. Once she felt the connection with the earth she spoke.

"I feel the earth's connection."

"All that's left is to release that excess energy. Take your time with this, there is no rush. While maintaining your connections the last step is to visualize that excess energy flowing out of you, it should start as red then mix with the orange energy of your sacral. Let that orange energy flow from your lower abdomen down into the earth. Keep this going until you feel yourself rebalance. If you lose that connection, just try to reform it. Be patient with this process and yourself." Genki closed his eyes going into a meditation himself, opening himself up he waited to see if he could feel her energy flowing. It seemed to take her a little while, but she finally got it flowing.

---

Once he was sure she was ok he went into his own meditation. * I know I need to open up to her. I need to decompress and attempt to reopen my heart chakra some. Hopefully this will work otherwise we might need to meditate as a couple to get to back open. * He easily fell into a comfortable rhythm with his internal energy. He did a slow body scan to check in with himself before focusing on connecting with his heart chakra. After failing to do so, he moved his focus to his solar plexus instead, hoping that he might be able to work his way up to his heart chakra by doing this. Once he connected with this chakra he worked with it awhile, pushing anything negative out and into the earth. When he felt better, he tried his heart chakra once more using a hand sign to aid in this, it took him far longer to connect with it. When he finally did, he found a mess of energy, he could feel black energy invading the normally green energy. * Fear? Or has Mu implanted me with some of his darkness. I don't remember seeing this before. * He knew negative emotions such as fear and distrust could appear as black energy, but he did not believe he felt those that strongly anymore. * Though I did just about have an anxiety attack today while confessing to the group. * With a mental sigh he began to probe that energy, as soon as he did, he felt fear seize him far stronger than he'd ever felt. Panic invaded his mind as he tried to figure out what was happening. Fighting it he refocused on his breathing trying to even it back out, it took a lot of will but eventually whatever had caused that response left him. Dropping his connection, he tried to relax himself once more. * What the hell was that? I need to talk with Granity about this… and Holly when she is feeling better. I don't want this to negatively affect her as well. * Once he felt calm again, he checked in with Holly, she was still in deep mediation. He tried once more to connect with his heart chakra, this time when the connection formed, he reached towards the green energy. He felt a mix of chaotic emotions from it. Focusing, he worked to gather the negative emotions he could and send them out of his body. When this failed, he tried a new method, envisioning a bright warm light above his head he visualized it flowing into him and down into his body. He then visualized the negative energy exiting his body at his hands in the form of black energy. This seemed to slowly work, though it was taking far longer than any of his other chakra. When he had successfully forced out what negative energy he could, he checked back in with his heart chakra. Its energy was still a swirly mess, but it was less chaotic. Now it was a pattern of green and black energy. Carefully he felt around the edges of that black energy, looking for a path forward. * I really don't think this energy is entirely mine… it feels… wrong, foreign almost. -Sigh- I will need help for anything further. My reaction from before was too intense for me to handle alone. Whatever is causing this is very intense. * He pulled himself back out of his meditation and glanced around himself. The energy he had released had disappeared, he made a note to cleanse himself, this room, and Holly's stone later so that no negative energy would build up. Smiling as she continued her grounding meditation, he rose quietly. Stretching, he moved to his bookshelf and grabbed the brand-new book that had arrived the other day. He had already ordered this by the time he discussed it with Granity. Sitting down in a papasan chair by the window he began to read this book on tantric yoga. He would remain nearby to monitor Holly as she meditated but he would not disturb her.

---

After about an hour he had a good understanding of what tantric yoga truly was about. The book was very informative but short. Once he finished with it, he began to think over what he had just read and commit certain aspects to memory. * This will definitely require a lot of trust between us. The deep emotional and spiritual bond this is talking about will not come easy for either of us. The energy alignment should be straight forward enough though. * Genki glanced over at his love as he felt a shift in her energy. Soon she opened her eyes and sighed. It took her a moment to stand but once she was up, she stretched. She found him easily, a smile gracing her lips. "Feeling better?"

"Yes, so much better. I haven't felt this light in a long time." He smiled at that comment,

"I'm glad it worked so well for you the first time."

"You were right, the longer I stayed connected the stronger the connection became. Thanks for letting me use this stone. It really did help." She handed him the stone, as he walked to her side. "What were you reading?"

"I was reading about tantric yoga. It's a different type of yoga that I thought might help both you and Granity." Genki placed the stone on the dresser as he lit an incense stick. Once the smoke flowed, he took the stone and bathed it in the smoke. This saddle wood stick would cleanse the stone and this room. Holly watched him do this a moment before she walked over to pick up the book. Reading the summary on the back she glanced back at him with a blush. His brow rose as he asked, "What's that look about?"

"This is for lovers?"

"Yes."

"But we aren't…" Genki placed the stone back in his drawer then walked to her side.

"We aren't at this point in time, no. If that does happen, then we can practice this in full. However, Tantric Yoga isn't just sexual Holly. Read the book for yourself, you will understand what I mean if you do."

"Still, we aren't even really close right now."

"Perhaps not, but that can change should you wish it. For now, I was planning on just using this with Granity. She has yet to release all the negative energy surrounding her sexuality due to her abuse. This should help with hat release."

"She's still in pain then."

"Yes. I believe that the energy causing that pain is stuck. Much like you she has negative energy in her sacral plexus. The difference is she didn't have a full block there, no, her block is in her heart chakra." Holly was silent a moment before asking,

"Is my heart chakra blocked?" Genki was silent for a moment as he let himself open up to read her.

"It has a minor block yes. Most of your issues come from the lack of energy flow from your sacral." Holly sighed before nodding,

"I understand." She moved to his side and gently wrapped her arms around him, leaning her head against his chest. Genki just held her letting her show him what she was feeling. "Is your power still active Genki?"

"For the moment why?"

"Would it be ok if I connected with you while it was active?"

"I don't see why not. They shouldn't clash." Holly placed a hand on his chest; she gently connected with him; as she did, she could feel his unusual ability.

"Can you show me what you feel from me?"

"You mean read you with my ability?"

"Yeah." Though curious as to her reasoning he did so, opening himself to her energy to read her once more. Holly could feel the colors that he spoke of though she was a little disoriented by the whole process. It was an odd sensation to say the least. Genki read the intentions behind the request and just let her explore his ability. She wanted to understand him, to help him heal and reforge their bond.

"Genki… can I see… feel your energy?"

"Give me a moment. I've never tried to allow another to feel my energy." Though he knew she was just wanting to help this cause the fear from earlier to rise. Pushing it away he focused on expanding his sense to include himself. Once he did, he felt Holly explore this new energy. She gasped as she felt his heart chakra energy.

"Genki… what is this black energy?"

"I'm not sure Holly. I encountered it during my own mediation. Don't probe it right now. It's too intense for you alone."

"How bad was it?"

"Damn near gave me a panic attack." Holly grimaced at that, "Whatever it is, it is not my energy. It's possible that Mu implanted this in me."

"Did it feel evil?"

"Not evil no but it is entirely negative and certainly will pose a problem with us bonding."

"How can we remove it?"

"I think it will take both you and Granity working with me to remove this. For now, we will work around it." Holly was silent for a while before looking into his eyes.

"Search my heart chakra for this same energy." It wasn't as much of a request as it was a command. Genki understood her intentions though and did as she asked. It took him a few moments of searching to read her heart chakra. Her chakra had such a weak flow that even when it wasn't closed off it was much harder to read. He frowned at just how weak the flow was, * we must remove that block before she had health issues. * Soon he encountered the same dark energy in Holly. "I found black energy in yours as well. Give me a moment to see if it's the same as mine. This might get briefly intense for us." Before she could say anything, he gave an experimental quick probe of the energy. He felt the same intense fear seize him and braced for what was to follow. He used his breathing exercise to fight it off once more, Holly had a harder time recovering though. "Just breath Holly." She obeyed as he pulled her close. Soon she calmed in his arms, pulling back she looked at him for an explanation. "That's the same energy as I encountered in my chakra."

"So, Mu put that in our hearts?"

"I believe so. Perhaps Granity could recognize its signature?"

"We should talk with her about this."

"Let's go downstairs, we can discuss this over some tea." Holly nodded and walked with him downstairs.

"What do we do if she doesn't recognize it?"

"We assume it was Mu for the moment and figure out a way to remove it. If it's in us both then more than likely he is using it to keep us from bonding once more." Holly didn't like hearing that, but she couldn't disagree either. A feeling of violation washed over her once more as the thought of Mu's evil being inside her filled her mind. This was not going to be an easy fight ahead, or an easy conversation to have with the others. Genki went to search for Granity as Holly distracted herself by making the tea. This day was proving to be a long and event filled one, far too emotional for Genki's liking. Granity glanced up from her book as he walked into the library.

"We need you upstairs, Holly and I have something to discuss with you." She nodded, marking her book and setting it down, she followed him.

"Did something happen?"

"More like something else was discovered." Granity didn't like the tone of his voice, it told her it was bad whatever it was. She only hoped it wasn't as bad as Mu's return had been to hear.

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AAN: breaking here, kind of a cliff hanger I know. I'll try to get chapter 13 up soon.