"They're here!" Joe-Casey had to explain to Rio his gift to her in the few moments before he parted for the last time.
"You need to strong able to walk the miles of fire rock and survive the night before you know who are your true self is!" He smiled. Then, a sharp pain over whelmed him. He winced as he felt his death throws approaching him.
For a few minutes, the earth grew quiet, while the sky grew red as if a storm was about to happen.
Joe-Casey breathed hard for the last time. His eyes were fill with tears. He gasped as he struggled to speak, "You are the life bearer of your nation, your tribe!"
Rio felt an incredible strength pouring out of Joe-Casey. He reached out to take Rio's hand. At first, she was terrorized at the events, which were beginning to wrap themselves around her. She was too young when others she knew in her family were dying. This was her first time witness a person's ability to end their feelings, their life force and who they were in one last finally breath.
"To be sad is ok, yet tears are not you...a smile with bright eyes is!" Joe-Casey uttered.
"No...Don't go! I needed that. You!" Rio gasped, feeling her breath catching in the back of her throat.
Rio did have the gift and did see Joe -Casey's grandfather. She asked very gently, "Is this his time?" she glanced at the old brave. He was kid with iron-grey hair that had the same long flow as Joe-casey. There was a braid of feathers on one side of his head. He seemed to be weather worn, but he did have a smoothed over skin. His black eyes were full of a gently warm glow of wisdom.
The old brave held out his hand, Joe -Casey held out his at the same time. The doorway was becoming brighter. Rio said, "Don't go...I want you to stay just a little while longer. You should see my son...Wolfsbane. He thinks he is a warrior. The child...my little cub is just three. He will grow into..." She was now weeping hard, but quietly.
Joe-Casey breathed with a gentle ease. The life energy was slowing down. The hand he had raised moved up to Rio's tear stained cheek. He uttered loudly, "Do smile. Tears are not good for me; I lived my life the way I wanted. I am at peace. Hiram and Marie are going to be just fine. You need to be able to carry on the fight just a little while longer. When the moon is at the highest, there is harmony. I must go now. Grandfather is waiting. "
Rio gasped with worry in her voice. She wanted Marie and Hiram to be there. They needed to say their farewells as a family. Joe-Casey began to slow down. Then taking a long breath a couple of minutes, he raised a hand for a split second. Rio was lead to take his hand. Feeling a jolt of power, a jolt of earthly shifts and of the elements, Rio was open to a passageway that was sealed shut for so long. The room instantly dissolved into a wooded glen. Joe-Casey breathed hard one last time. Then, he smiled.
Finally, Joe-Casey stopped living. His heart had finished beating. He appeared to be free from the previous pain he was chain to. At last, he was at peace. The cancer might have won in the struggle, but the final victor was Joe-Casey.
Joe-Casey's grandfather said to Rio, "he does have gift for you."
Feeling like she was not able to there to help Joe-Casey with his illnesses, Rio placed her head against his hands. She uttered, feeling the tears welling up in her eyes, "How...he's gone! I wished he should have been here sooner!"
Grandfather took note of the situation as he walked to walk over to the bed, "The night you taken to the water tower...He saw everything. He was there with Hirem and your young friend, Seiya kuo...you know my family are shape changes...skin walkers."
Rio raised her head up to see him, "Yea...sorta." She felt sorrow drain out from her.
He stood now next to her and placed a hand in her shoulder with a gentle touch," He saved you. He was the eagle the night the monster of the dark forces from the world the missing past...your missing past had kidnapped you. You were unconscious because of the monster's powers! "
Images rushed in Rio's mind like a river. She felt connections being form in her soul.
"My grandpa's gift is his powers...They have a new body to use in a good way!" She managed to let the power enter her body without a struggle, "What is it?"
"In the ways bringing the second vision back to you. The earthshine which was asleep...It not lost to you...it was going to be clouded until the when was most needed. His powers can bend to shape itself to any will. Use the power wisely. Treat others with the power as a shield. Remember a person who using the power for all the wrong reasons will have no vision. In addition, you will have two more strengths of the heart; one is a key to the winds of the spirit and the bravery of the eagle itself. "
He faced at her with a tired expression as his ebbing smile began to fade. Rio felt his hand lose Joe-Casey's grip when a surge of warm power of his life force entered her. She shuttered for a minute, feeling the rush of energy opening up her whole being. The power of dreamtime was release once again. Then, she could sense Joe-Casey leave his body. She could see a path of white light opening at a wall near the foot of the bed. She watched as he began to walk over to the path. He turned to say, "Little coyote...don't be sad...you are strong and to have willingness of the spirit to fight in what is right in your mind!"
Joe-Casey's spirit got out of bed in a cloud of mists. He instantly transformed into a strong warrior. He was dressed in white buckskin. His body was no longer tired to the world by machine. He was full of healed, renewal. He turned to look at rio. "Don't worry little coyote. You can make yourself stronger in your faithful wash down to your soul."
Began to towards the path. On turning around one last time, he smiled. Then, he turn back to the path. Finally, the path disappeared from Rio's sight.
With the tears running down her face, Rio brought back to reality. She heard a nurse and Marie entering the room. Rio wanted to stand up, but could not. Her heart was overly weight down by grief. The nurse asked in firm, caring tone, "what's going on?"
Rio turned to see Marie standing in the doorway. She wondered if she had made a mistake in coming. She said holding back what little sorrow she had left, "Sorry…I'm so sorry!"
Marie noticed rio still holding Joe-Casey's hand. The nurse had asked Rio and Marie to leave the room. She needed to finish out the passing of Joe-Casey Eagleton.
She looked at Marie with shock. Rio had been surprised to see her uncle's housekeeper. To Rio, Marie was more than just a housekeeper; Marie was like a third mother in her early years. Marie had a feeling Joe-Casey wanted to give Rio his powers alone. He felt very personal about giving such a great gift to just anyone.
He knew Rio was only strong, but was going to be a leader in her own world. She needed a push in the right discretion. Marie knew it as well as her brother knew the idea of Rio's being good leader.
"It's all right…little coyete!" Marie said with a smile.
"No…it's not…I wish you were here to see your brother for one last time..." Rio said. She found the words hard to say.
Marie just shook her head as she said, "Look…I did say my goodbyes to him before you came. I had to take Hariem out…he has a hard time in giving up on someone who he loves very dearly. Hariem is still a little shocked at Joe's reaction to his reaction to the cancer."
"What about you?" Rio asked. She gave Marie a weary look. Cancer was not always forgiving as it took life from a person. "You can ask my uncle for some time off."
"I'm way ahead of you…your uncle gave me a month off. He very understanding. In fact, he is coming over in a few days."
Everything was becoming a little rush as Rio asked, "What…he's coming here?"
"Yes…he had asked your aunts about family matters. He wants you to show up too. There is a great deal to talk about!"
"And what about Dusty…does have to deal with the wedding. I thought everything was already taken care of?"
"You have to be patient…o.k. little coyote? I have to get a hold my mother and father. We have a long trip ahead of us!" Marie said. She place a hand on Rio's cheek to wipe away the tears from her eyes. Then, she told Rio that they both needed to find Hariem in the waiting room near the hallway leading to Joe-casey's room.
Rio was face with another blurred of the days. She wanted to leave the rest of the world behind, but she had to stay for her Uncle Anthony. She wanted to run away from everything. She was unlike Serena, but she was different for the reason why. She had been through too much. She wanted see what she could with her life.
Rio was at the radio station, getting ready for another day at work. She knew there was more to what Joe-casey was speaking to her in the past few hours of his life, than what anyone else could say to her. She had to pull herself together to start the day.
Lita and Reenie were in the hallway. They were getting ready for another day of housework. Serena was still sleeping in. Rei had been in and out of the house all morning long. Michuri and harkura were at the tennis court, playing around with Urd and Belldnady. Hotura was with Abby at the park near the tennis court. Abby wanted to teach Hotura had to draw some basic bugs. Rei was with Taiki as she had to get started on learning second quarter French. She knew a little bit from a couple of times she was with the other girls. Ami did have a crash course with the rest of the girls, as they were getting ready for a party with French boys. She loved to learn a foreign langue. It helped her in the end.
Rio grabbed a quick bowl of dried cereal and a mug of tea. She did not feel very hungry. She wanted to keep her mind focused on something other sailor scouts or the wedding. She had to go to another funreal in the near future.
After she was dressed, Rio wanted for Betty Roberts on the front porch. Betty lived in town with Hilary and Jeff in a small row of flats on 4th street. Betty had been picking up rio for her job at the radio station WMMM in alliance.
When Betty pulled into the drive, she was surprised to see not only rio, but Reenie and Sasami