Chapter Twelve: The Gaia Plan
"Earth becomes the new Makai and Reikai becomes the new Earth!" The mortals couldn't believe their ears.
"You said, not me, but that appears to be the jist of it." Macha shrugged in spite of herself. " And why not? Reikai's already got a huge stock pile of souls willing and ready to go." The goddess paced a little and put her hands in her pocket. Goddess or not, she still had her limits. She looked at them sheepishly. "You'd have to ask the man upstairs to be sure, though." Macha confessed. "My status as a goddess is rather... well let's just say it's not my jurisdiction to know such things."
"A new Reikai," Yusuke mused. "I'm guessing that's not as easy as it sounds."
"Eons ago my kind struck a deal with mankind." Macha explained. "I suspect that both had something the other needed." As to what that particular something was the goddess couldn't say. The plans were already in place by the time she was born. Her orders were to aid humanity for reasons unknown, but it sounded like fun so she and the other gods had agreed. What she did know, however, was that there are two versions of the story of creation. One where the world was born and the gods created from it and the other were the gods created the world. Who is to say that both are not correct?
"Like I said," The goddess slid her gaze back to the dumbfounded Itsuki. "Someone just jumped the gun was all."
"I won't be deceived by your lies!" Itsuki finally snapped out of his confusion and shouted, "It's impossible!"
"Says the dead man up walking around and saying he's god." Macha muttered as she twirled her hair.
"Would you all just shut up?" Amaya growled as she tried to free herself from Kurama's hold.
Kurama's skills hadn't been enough to stop the bleeding from Amaya's wound. Even he did not know what forces had miraculously kept the girl alive. Somehow the Amaya managed to say conscious, but her head was pounding, aching as a voice screamed inside of her. She wanted silence, she wanted to sleep, she wanted-
"Silence mortal trash!" Itsuki ordered.
"Macha," Kurama was also getting tired of the stalemate. The goddess had been very useful in explaining the motivations behind Reikai, but it did little to aid them in the situation now. The bleeding from Amaya's wound couldn't be stopped. In less than a few minutes the girl would surely die.
It was at that moment that Kurama realized something. Amaya's life force was growing weaker, but Macha's image remained unchanged. Based on the knowledge he possessed Macha should at least be feeling some effect, unless…!
It was only centuries of experience that allowed Kurama to keep his expression in check, but surprise is a hard emotion to conceal and Macha was not fooled for an instant. The goddess chuckled.
"I never said that she was my vessel." Macha was obviously pleased by her own shenanigans. "I just said that she's my everything. She is the physical proof of the love I once shared with that beautiful man. My-."
"Don't call me that!" Amaya protests interrupted what the goddess was going to say, but her mortal shell was giving out. She didn't want to lose it, her mortal identity, but it was nearly time. The fragile disguise would soon give out and "Amaya" would be dead and something else entirely would awaken.
Ituski also looked stunned, then surprised, and then out right furious, but most of all a wave of panic overtook the young god. Macha could talk big, but over all she posed no threat to his goals without exhausting all her mana. This new development, however, was another matter entirely. Itsuki didn't even take the time to consider his actions.
He had to destroy them and he had to do it now. These mere mortals were shaking the very foundations of his power. His heritage wouldn't be enough to salvage his grand plans if another deity awakened. Collecting as much power as he could Itsuki focused the holy light within him and fired it upon Team Urameshi.
It was, for the most part, forbidden for a kami to kill a mortal, but there are worst fates than death. Itsuki's plan was to curse them. The bright light that enveloped the realm would spell out doom to all it touched. Team Urameshi would die. It could be a bus or a plague or Itsuki could simply trap them forever in this realm he had created, but either way there were no forces on earth that could match the fury of a god save for the love of a goddess.
"Who…are you?" Kurama whispered to the black-winged spirit that shielded him and his friends from Itsuki's curse. The beautiful figure bore some resemblance to Macha, but the similarity was only slight. The gentle point to her cream colored ears and sun golden eyes made the spirit seem alien to both humans and youkai alike. The blood soaked clothes had been replaced by black fur garments and her hair reached well past her waist in silky black waves.
Once she was certain that the mortals had not been affected by Itsuki's cures the young goddess leaned down and whispered in Kurama's ear with a voice that sounded like the soft drumming of marching war drums.
"Just a spirit," She said softly. "An observer and nothing more."
"You-" Kurama started speak and was silenced by a slender finger.
"Shhh-" The winged spirit warned. "I'm not the nicest person when I first wake up. You wouldn't want to anger me."
"T-t-that's impossible!" Itsuki stammered as the black-clad being stood up to face her advisory.
"Un contrare," The winged woman scolded in a seductive tone. "You've done well to awaken me from my somnolence. That's quite the achievement."
"But I can't see you! The god's eye should be flawless!" Ituski argued unable to admit to himself that the being before them was in another league entirely. "You can't possibly have any powers to oppose me!"
"Foolish boy," The young woman purred. "I don't…but they do." She pointed to where Yusuke and the others were sitting up.
"Dammit, why does it feel like I've be run over by a train?" Yusuke groaned. Itsuki's blast had missed it mark, but the force had knocked the targets about quite a bit, with the exception of Kurama who had been fortunate enough to be directly next to the force that had shielded them.
Itsuki was in a panic. His plans had been utterly destroyed. He wasn't prepared to deal with this kind of deity. "How?" Itsuki stuttered. "Where-?"
"Oh, I've been around, here and there." The winged deity said lightly. "The Greeks called me Alala, the Romans preferred Ululare. It's not my true name, but I'm not picky." Her sweet smile was far more unnerving than any weapon.
"War-cry." Itsuki said her title flatly. The lesser god backed away slowly as he suddenly felt a wave of terror.
"If you prefer," The goddess winked. "Now we seem to have a problem. You see…." She hid her expression with one hand. "I don't have any particular interest in what you intended to do. You could have damned the world to hell for all I care."
("Kinda sucks considering the world is resting on our shoulders" Kurwabara muttered.)
'War-cry' peaked through her fingers to send a deadly glare at Itsuki. "Just know that it was so terribly rude of you to wake me up."
Macha cleared her throat. "Please allow me to introduce my daughter." The older goddess placed herself between the mortals and her precious gem. "Unlike yourself, Itsuki, my girl's divinity is one hundred percent authentic. I should know. I gave her the ambrosia myself."
"You unscrupulous, black hearted, bitch." Ituski growled.
Macha giggled. "Such flattery," she snickered. "I am unworthy of your poetry." Her expression became serious when she added, "There was one slight side effect though. Occupational hazard, I'm afraid, when dealing with war types."
"Your point?" Itsuki growled.
"Don't get me wrong I love the girl to bits," Macha said sheepishly. "But if you haven't guessed by now she's utterly insane." In spite of herself Macha let out a maniacal laugh herself completely amused by the whole situation.
"I've never heard that." Itsuki accused. "You must be bluffing."
"We don't like to air the family laundry, deary." Macha replied dismissively. "And unfortunately you just offed her precious vessel. Custom job too. My guess is she's gonna be pretty pissed."
"Absolutely livid." War-cry replied quietly as her eyes glowed.