Chapter Thirteen: It's Your Call
"First I must ask if what we were shown is the absolute truth." Kurama said as he fearlessly met the goddess's gaze.
"Yes, it is." Macha replied sadly recalling the painful images.
"And you expect us to just to take your word for it?" Father Patrick asked incredulous. The tengu and puck bristled.
"How dare you!" Snapped Akihiko as Chiyoko held him back.
"Yes! A god can never lie!" Fynbar added furiously. "That's why they have servants like me. If you want to defeat her so badly you've had the means to do so all along."
"Puck!" Akihiko warned as he turned his glare on Fynbar.
"Did it ever dawn on you why her eminence didn't just blast you on the spot?" Fynbar continued on ignoring Akihiko. Kurama stared at him stunned by was the puck was suggesting. Father Patrick glanced at the lifeless shell of Amaya still in Kurama's grasp and then back at Macha.
"It's alright." Macha soothed Akihiko as a wicked smile bloomed on her lips. "They have the right to know."
"Then you mean to say…" Kurama left it hanging.
"Yes, that mortal vessel is the only thing tying me to the physical plain." Macha confirmed his suspicion. "Destroy my vessel and I am unable to manifest my powers. If it's for the greater good of humanity, then you should have no qualms about taking the life of a young girl."
"Quite the moral dilemma," Kurama muttered irritably not sure if it was a trick or not.
"People disappear all the time" The goddess shrugged. "She has no family, no real friends, so there shouldn't be any complications with her passing." Macha pointed out carelessly. "I've got all the time in the world, so it's your call. I'll ask my servants not to interfere."
Unable to attack without the chance of damaging the mortal shell, Macha folded her dress and sat down on her heels in the same stance Amaya had favored and watched the nonverbal exchange between the fox and the priest. There were ways to deceive without telling a lie and Kurama wondered how much information the goddess was withholding. This was clearly a test, but the problem was how to answer the trick question.
"There's one more thing she didn't mention." Father Patrick whispered. "Without the soul of the goddess, her body is just an empty shell. The Amaya we knew is already gone." Father Patrick said woefully.
"Are you sure? Kurama asked him. "I think it's still too soon to jump to conclusions."
"Then let me ask you this." Father Patrick said. "Do you honestly think the spunky brat would be OK with being some kami's pawn against humanity?"
"No, I don't think she would." Kurama agreed. What's more, Kurama couldn't sense any life energy coming from Amaya's still form. In order to overcome her sister Macha had drained Amaya's body completely so there was little they could do and little chance that they could bring her back to life without the goddess's help.
"Then I'll be the one to-" Father Patrick moved only to feel a vise-like grip on his arm. Akihiko hauled him up to his eye level and stared the priest down.
"If you don't believe in something, then don't do it." Akihiko told him with a malicious glare.
"Aki!" Chiyoko gasped in surprised that he would disobey Macha's direct order not to get involved. Macha also raised an eye brow curious to what had come over her servant.
"It's nothing to do with the fact that she's linked to her eminence." Akihiko told them. "But I raised that little monkey for almost nine years and I'll be damned before I let you harm a single hair on her head. You guys don't get to decide whether or not I wasted my time."
Kurama smiled. It seemed Akihiko had given them the answer. "I agree," He said. "It's too much to ask to harm her."
"Very well," Macha sighed. She looked directly at Kurama. "Then I'll ask you one more thing, and answer truthfully, is humanity worth saving?"
"Yes." Kurama told her without a doubt in his mind.
"But in the past not a single soul lifted a finger to save me my greatest humiliation." Macha pointed out.
"That's because none of my friends were among the audience." Kurama told her sternly. "There are too many good and honorable humans in this world to justify humanity's extinction. I haven't given up hope yet."
"I see." Macha stood up and bowed her head in thought a moment. Then to everyone's surprise she said, "Then in light of that judgment I, Macha, concede and will forgo my grudge against humanity. …for today at least."
"As we have witnessed, so mote it be." Her servants replied formally.
"Congratulations, fox-boy," Fynbar smacked Kurama on the back. "You defeated a goddess." He then whispered, "Just don't let it go to your head. Macha's lost her edge after a few centuries as a mortal."
"Don't tell me you-" Kurama began to say.
"Indeed well done, Kurama." Koenma said as he and Don appeared on the scene just in time to be late. "Once again humanity owes you its thanks."
"The psychics that were hospitalized have already acquired some of their power back." Macha informed them nonchalantly. "Some of the weaker ones will not regain their powers at all, but their lives are no longer in danger." She turned to Kurama. "I can erase some of the memories of the girl, Maya, as a reward for your victory."
"Thank you." Kurama told her not wanting Maya to be burdened by the darker truths that came with spirit awareness. "But I must ask-"
"See, Koenma." Don said elbowing him smugly. "I knew everything would work out. Macha just wanted to have a little fun, didn't you old girl?"
"Call me 'old girl' one more time and I'll show you how 'fun' I can be." Macha growled. "But yes, the big bad evil act was just for my own amusement." She shot them a quick wink, "Gotcha."
"I swear-" Kurama began to say when the priest cut him off.
"Excuse me goddess," Father Patrick began while glancing nervously at the new arrivals.
"On the matters of your own faith, I'll say no more than this-" Macha replied knowing instantly what the priest was going to ask. "In eastern theology, the universe was created first and then the gods were born from it. In western thought, God created the universe and all else after it. The two are different, but that doesn't mean they are in opposition. If it gives you comfort, then just think that we gods were born from mortal need and belief and even we-" she indicated herself and the two death kami, "Serve a higher 'power' if you will. Doubt in everything because you know nothing is worse than having faith that is blind"
"Thank you." Father Patrick replied very much relieved.
"Excuse me-" Kurama tried again, but was interrupted by Don.
"Now then Macha, my dear," Don turned to her. "It is time we return to our rightful place on the map. You too, Mr. Puck." Macha bowed deeply before the death kami before taking his hand as they prepared to leave.
"Wait!" Chiyoko said in panic. "What about the girl? Without the soul of the goddess how is she to live?"
"Finally." Kurama sighed. The young lady's still form wasn't getting any lighter.
"Perhaps she already has a soul." Macha replied cryptically, "It might even be someone you know. Isn't that right, Amaya?"
"What?" The tengu, Father Patrick, and Kurama looked down at her. With the goddess no longer drawing on her power Amaya's hair had returned to its natural black shade, although it still remained quite long.
After hearing her name Amaya began to stir and when she opened her eyes they were the same old blue. Don gave Macha a quizzical look. The goddess merely shrugged in reply without speaking. She didn't want to ruin the moment.
"Minamino-san," Amaya whispered quietly to Kurama who still held her. Kurama cocked his head a little so he could hear her better and thus wasn't expecting the solid punch she delivered straight to his cheek bone. Kurama stumbled backward rubbing his cheek in surprise as Amaya landed on her feet.
"What was that for?" Kurama demanded while trying to get over the shock of being sucker punched. Forget swordsmanship, He thought. Akihiko should have trained her to be a boxer.
"I don't know, but you deserved it." Amaya said and then she turned around and pointed to Macha. "Hey, you! It's Kitajima-sempai that gets to decide what she does or doesn't want to remember. Not you and not him. So you leave sempai out of this and give Kurama back his favor, you got it?"
Amaya suddenly felt dizzy after standing up too quickly. As her legs gave out from under Akihiko and Chiyoko rushed her side. Chiyoko began scolding the girl for moving too soon after having her energy drained. Macha couldn't take it anymore and burst out laughing.
When she finished, Macha wiped her eyes and told Kurama, "Sorry, I can't grant you the original offer without her approval, so we'll just leave it at I owe you one."
"Oh, no you don't!" Amaya shook her finger at the goddess. "Favor, now. I won't have you sneaking off without paying up." She crossed her arms as Akihiko looked at her horrified.
"Silence you-you…monkey!" Akihiko ordered. "You do not know to whom it is you speak!"
"I'm talking to the lady that treated me like her own personal battery." Amaya growled obviously displeased by the rough treatment. "If that stunted my growth I'm never going to forgive you!" She then twirled around to glare at both Father Patrick and Kurama. "Idiots! The both of you! Uhg!" She shivered. "You have no idea what she was going to do if you had…" She paused before shouting, "Right, kill the last living decedent of a mother/war goddess- There'sa bright idea!"
"Oh my… I didn't think you were listening to that part." Macha twirled her hair innocently.
"Damn straight I was!" Amaya said although she was slightly disappointed she had missed the climax of the fight. Not only that, something else was nagging at her. Amaya realized that she was just a little too aware of-
"So, what was it like being a soulless corpse?" Fynbar asked her teasingly interrupting the girl's thoughts. He grinned when he saw the quizzical look on her face. Amaya stared at the puck before recognizing his mannerisms to be the same as Mikkel's had been.
"Nothing, I guess," Amaya replied rubbing her forehead. "But I had this really crazy dream. I dreamed I was a youkai child in Makai, some sort of servant for a group of bandits or something." She paused a moment to think about it and the tengu exchanged worried glances. "Let's see, we were on the run from a rival band and I was hauling this huge load of supplies up a hill. It was too much, so I ended up dropping most of it. …There was this big fight and I thought I was a goner, but then Yoko Kurama," She pointed at Kurama. "Comes along takes the supplies, picks me up in the process, and drops me up somewhere safe before taking off."
"Was there anything else?" Chiyoko asked in curiosity. Amaya shook her head. "That is peculiar and for you to mention it…hmm." He looked at Kurama.
"Is it just a dream, a vision, or a-?" Akihiko started to ask.
"Or a vision of the past." Macha finished for him and explained, "You all got a glimpse of my past, and I thought it was only fair that I look at some of yours."
"Strange," Kurama said puzzled. "I don't recall an incident like that."
"Your past was certainly an interesting one." Macha gave a wry smile. "But for whatever the reason the fact remains that in your darkest hour you still made one small act of kindness. That is why I allowed you to be the judge on the fate of humanity. Only time will tell if you have chosen wisely."
"Fabulous," Amaya muttered. "Give us our prizes and get the hell out of here."
"Hmmm," Macha put a thoughtful finger on her chin. "Let me see," She pointed at Amaya. "For you I shall spare your life even though you were mouthing off to me."
"Hey-!" Amaya started to protest, but both Chiyoko and Akihiko covered her mouth to keep her from saying another word.
"And now for the man who has everything…" Macha hid her sly expression behind a hand. "Since we all know the past, shall I look into your future?"
"I don't believe in a fixed future." Kurama replied unmoved by the goddess's intimidation.
The goddess cackled. "We shall see," She said and her golden eyes shined wickedly as her divine eyes drifted into times not yet known. Like a haunting melody her voice escaped her throat like a curse onto the mortals that heard it. It was in a language foreign to all, but oddly enough only Kurama could decipher the meaning.
Treasure friendship in all its forms, the goddess warned. Old friends are the hardest to lose, so it is all too easy to forget to nurture the spring buds, but be wary; For when a new moon born from an old moon rises and awakens the sleeping shadows of the past, an ally will be lost to you and a great evil will once again-
"Achoo!" Don sneezed breaking Macha's concentration. "Really, is all that hocus necessary?" He asked as he whipped his watery eyes with his robes. "You know what it does to the sinuses."
"As I was saying," Macha grumbled now that the effect was ruined. "Don't eat fortune cookies on Thursdays. Really, Don! Would it kill you to let me have fun once in a while? I mean really!"
"Tell me she's not serious." Kurama looked at Amaya for guidance.
"I'm afraid… 'serious' might not be the right word." Amaya confessed. "You know according to legend when the old gods were kicked out of heaven they became-"
"Ahem!" Macha cleared her throat indicating that it would be unwise for the girl to continue. "Another thing," Macha warned. "Never forget, that girl is my blood on this earth and it must never be shed in vain."
"We'll remember," Father Patrick promised.
"Oh boy," Amaya groaned.
"If we are all satisfied I think it is past time that we go." Don said shaking his head in embarrassment at the goddess's overly playful actions. Macha nodded in agreement although she was clearly disappointed that they were leaving so soon. Finally the two kami and the puck vanished in a blink to return to their homeland on the other side of the world. Koema also said his farewells before returning to Reikai. With the mission completed and the day almost at an end the remaining few left the construction site together.
"Now I'm down one teacher." Father Patrick muttered irritably as he glanced at the first few stars of the night.
"That reminds me," Akihiko said as he looked at Father Patrick. "What's this I hear about you sending a high school girl out late at night and not having her come home until three in the morning? You call yourself a 'father'?"
"Amaya is very a responsible individual." Father Patrick replied defensively.
"Ha! Since when? Adults are responsible, children are not." Akihiko and Father Patrick continued to argue back and forth and the proper way to raise a young girl as Chiyoko and Amaya rolled their eyes.
"I think he'll come around." Amaya said thinking of her adoptive father's grudge against demons. Macha's battle affected all of them in one way or another. Although in Amaya and Kurama's case the incident was a rather bitter pill to swallow.
After a moment's pause Amaya turned to face Kurama directly, "Here's a tip, you can erase people's memories, but you can't erase their feelings." She told him. "All you'll end up doing is make sempai regret that she never got the guts to tell you how she felt and it'll nag her the rest of her life." Amaya crossed her arms. "At least now she has a chance to realize if her feelings were real or just a fantasy."
"Just how much of the past did you see?" Kurama asked feeling a little uncomfortable.
"Just the two things because I think they were the ones Macha was focusing on the most." Amaya replied with a shrug. "No offense or anything, but I could care less about your past." Amaya brushed it off casually and said, "I think the past is something that's yours to keep and share with whom you please. Heck, look at mine." She threw her hands up. "What's really important is what you decide to do from here on out."
"That sounds right." Kurama agreed.
"Tell you what," Amaya said thoughtfully. "Since I got to see one of your secrets, I'll tell you mine."
"Your math is off," Kurama corrected. "You saw two."
"Yes, but you already know some of mine." Amaya pointed out as she examined a lock of her now waist length hair. "I'm going to have a hard time explaining the new hairdo to sempai. 'I'm a goddess, worship me' is the kind of excuse that will get me sent to the loony bin."
Kurama chuckled. "Then at least answer me this, did Macha really have any intention of destroying humanity?"
"No, not yet." Amaya replied. "She's hiding something or rather… protecting something would be more accurate. To do so she needs the humans." She looked up at him and promised, "Whatever revenge she might be planning, she's definitely saving it for another day long after humanity ceases to amuse her. I don't think we have to worry."
Kurama looked up at the priest and tengu who were still arguing. "Still, overall I think this experience has opened doors that will in turn open many minds in the future." He confessed, "It's been a privilege to have been part of it."
"Some will open sooner, I'm sure." Amaya told him thoughtfully, but it wasn't the priest she was thinking about. "You know, I like someone too," the girl admitted quietly. "That's why I can sympathize with sempai."
"Oh? Anyone I know?" Kurama glanced at Akihiko meaningfully.
"Onii-sama is onii-sama. He's like a big brother." Amaya stuck out her tongue in response to the uncomfortable suggestion. She skipped ahead a few paces. "As for the guy I like…" She took a deep breath. "Tt's just a crush right now and I'm ninty-nine percent sure that it'll never work out in this life time…but who knows?" She turned back to Kurama so that her back was to the evening sky. As the waxing moon gave her a heavenly glow Amaya smiled and said, "Maybe someday you'll get to know him." She winked.
"Hey, monkey!" Akihiko called over to her. "We've reached a consensus. You have a curfew starting right now." He warned, "If you don't get over here in three seconds, you won't get to sing in that band you've been bugging the priest about."
"W-wait! I'm coming!" Amaya shouted back. She waved farewell to Kurama, "Thanks for all the help, Minamino-san! It's been a blast, but let's not do this again anytime soon! Okay?"
"Agreed," Kurama replied. He watched the unusual bunch head off a ways and then turned to return to his own home where his family would be waiting for him. The last thing he heard was the tengu and priest talking.
"You mean tengu don't eat humans?" Father Patrick asked unable to believe what he was hearing.
"Please, with all the preservatives in your species diet? Yuck!" Chiyoko exclaimed.
"It's complicated," Akihiko said, wishing he could change the subject. "The only reason we don't debunk the rumors is because it's a lot more effective than a 'beware of dog' sign."
"How about a 'beware of teenager' sign?" Chiyoko suggested and even Father Patrick chucked at that.
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" Amaya demanded.
"Yes, they are a very strange bunch indeed." Kurama muttered with an amused smile.
So in the end…
"Thanks for helping on that case today, Kurama. Here, on the house." Yusuke handed his friend a bowl of noddle-cart noodles. "So, did anything exciting happen while I was away?" Yusuke Urameshi had just gotten back from his little vacation and his first case turned out to be a real brain buster so he called in "Watson" to help him solve it.
"Kurwabara missed his exam because of the flu, but other than that it's been quiet." Kurama had decided not to inform his friends about the strange events that had taken place. He took up Yusuke's offer for noodles and thought that when it came to gods, ignorance was bliss.
"Yeah? Jeeze, I almost miss the excitement of the old days," Yusuke said as he thought back. "But it's good to enjoy the benefits of retirement."
"I'm not sure running your noodle own stand while moonlighting as a private eye counts as retirement." Kurama replied in an amused tone.
"Just something to keep the meals coming and as long as I do the cooking Keiko can't complain." Yusuke had surprisingly adjusted well to his role in the married life. "She wanted to tell Shizuru and Yukina about the trip, so I'll drop in to see how Kuwabara's doing while we're at it." He paused. "The flu, huh?" Yusuke chuckled. "The guys got a reiki sword and he gets done in by a germ bug. So how have you been on a personal level, Kurama?"
"Hmm?" Kurama was caught off-guard with a mouth full of noodles.
"Come on, you know?" Yusuke grinned suggestively. He was the only one out of the group who hadn't found a reason to go steady. "Shizuru's still single or if worse comes to worse, Kuwabara or myself could hook you up with a few blind dates."
"Hey! Sempai!" A voice called out from across the street saving Kurma from answering the awkward question. Yusuke and Kurama turned around and saw a girl with shoulder length black hair and striking blue eyes wearing a Catholic school uniform. Also to be noted were the grocery bags in the girl's hands.
"Hello, Amaya-chan." Kurama greeted pleasantly and waved. Amaya had decided to just call him "sempai" after she settled into her new "job".
"Long time no see!" Amaya smiled and held up the bags. "Déjà vu huh? I'm sorry if I interrupted anything, but I just wanted say 'hi' before I head home." She beamed. "Onii-sama and Father Patrick are making an official treaty today, so I'm making dinner."
"That's good news." Kurama nodded. "Say 'hello' to Maya and her fiancé me."
"Will do! See ya!" Amaya replied she bade a polite farewell to them both before heading off. Yusuke watched her go and then gave a questioning look to Kurama.
"Not your usual crowd. Isn't she a little young for you?" He asked jokingly.
"That was Amaya Bard." Kurama replied after swallowing another bite. "An acquaintance of an old schoolmate." He then added, "And Koenma's newly appointed spirit detective."
"Oh, ok." Yusuke said slightly disappointed. Then the last part of what Kurama had said hit him. "Wait what?" He nearly shouted in shock as he watched the new detective skip away.
And so with the case officially closed Kurama and his new young friend parted ways. Even though she had no spirit powers of her own, Amaya was temporarily named the new spirit detective (mostly so Reikai could keep a close eye on her and her divine heritage).
Thanks to her connections with the tengu, Reikai, and the World League of Exorcists, Amaya was able to revise the thinking of many humans when it came to youkai and convinced many persons from both worlds to find at least a somewhat peaceful means of negotiation.
Father Patrick continued teaching and training spiritualists, only this time they worked with and alongside the youkai to form a specialized core that dealt with everything from the capture of youkai criminals for Reikai and Makai to the policing of rampant human psychics.
Eventually, the group adopted a new name and a new symbol. They were renamed the "Dawn's Guardians" or more formally the "Ningenkai Special Defense Divisions" and their symbol was changed from a white cross to a golden ring as Father Patrick never forgot the lessons he learned from goddess with the golden eyes. In the many years that the group fought to keep the peace none worked with such conviction as its young co-founder, Amaya Bard.
~PART ONE END~