So...things are rolling along...um...not sure how I feel about my explanations for events in the past or the mythology I'm using. I feel like I want an extra chapter of just Sage and Hoshi arguing for giggles...

so enjoy ~

Chapter NINE

Hoshi felt that it was ironic that they took the subway to Mia's considering that with their armor they moved faster than most of the cars. She found herself bemused by the whole situation now. She wasn't dreaming, and even if she was, she might as well go along with the people who had the weapons. Didn't you die in real life if you die in your dreams? Yup, best stick with the people who could fight back. She glanced down at her hand, she felt her arm was numb again. Rowen looked at her with concern but she said, "I'm okay. It's just odd. This pain I feel either comes in great waves, or disappears completely."

Rowen looked to Sage who hadn't said anything to him or Hoshi the either trip, "maybe it had something to do with her?"

"I suppose," She said. "Still though, damage is damage. You cannot regrow nerves."

"Even my abilities cannot do that," Sage said softly to Rowen.

"What did that kanji mean," Hoshi asked of them putting her hand down. "It was Hope right?"

"You see our armors were once made of Talpa's, the ancients defeated him and divided it into nine parts, endowing each with a different virtue. Hoping to endow goodness in it, those armors made ours," Rowen explained, but Sage had a disapproving look. "But there was only nine, or I least thought so."

"So you guys have those virtues too," she asked and the boys nodded.

"I'm Wisdom and Sage is Grace," Rowen replied and she barked out a laugh.

"Sorry," she said as she contained her chuckle. "It's just that they're all so...virtuous? I guess that's the point. I mean forgive me, I don't mean to sound insulting."

Rowen laughed too, "I guess they sound a bit cheesy."

Sage nodded in agreement, there was a small smile on his lips.

They left the train but the walk to Mia's was going to be a way. Hoshi wanted to slip her hand into Rowen's, but decided to remain to herself. She felt the stiffness and aching returning to her more completely now. She enjoyed the lapse of pain. A lake came into view as they walked, she starred at it. She felt something fulfilling, the other day she she had felt as if she had more to accomplish. Was this it? She shook her head, the pain was coming back.

She heard a soft song, it sounded like pipes but terribly sad.

Sage looked at her, he noticed her distant gaze, "are you okay?"

"My head hurts is all," She replied. "That was really exasperating."

Rowen reached an arm around her, he remained silent though. He knew he couldn't make her pain go away, but he hoped his touch could help.

Hoshi didn't realize how big Mia's home was. Her grandfather must have made a significant amount of cash to have a two story home on the lake side. She made a significant amount herself, with the books and school, but she didn't care to have such a lavish place. She looked up at rowen, she felt nervous again. All the confidence was fading as the pain returned. Still the music she heard was nice, but she heard it slowly vanish as she approached the house.

The door opened suddenly and a white tiger bounded out. Rowen and Sage tried to grab the beast but it pounced on Hoshi. She yelped, but started laughing when she realized it was only kissing her. She sat up as they managed to pull him back.

Hoshi laughed, "lions and tigers, and bears oh my. Gee, are you sure you aren't Siegfried and Roy?"

Cye ran out, "White Blaze! Not again!"

He helped Hoshi up to her feet since Sage and Rowen were busy. He noticed the blood on her shirt, "are you...okay?"

She looked down, "Oh yes, I'm fine. It's not mine."

Cye looked at Sage and Rowen, "oh bother, Mia said it was serious! The Dynasty?"

"Not sure," Sage said as gave Hoshi a curious look.

Rowen sighed, "are Ryo and Kento here yet?"

"Nope," Cye said, "Mia is stuck in traffic."

Hoshi hadn't met Ryo and Kento yet, but she was starting to see that even though each of them were genuine. They each had some sort of dark part of their personality though. She hadn't discovered Rowen's yet but Sage seemed to have a chip on his shoulder and Cye seemed overly concerned for her safety. Nervous almost that he couldn't save anyone. She kept quiet as she followed them inside. She sat down quietly as sage got her some water. She checked her messages as she let the boys talk among themselves. Leea had sent her almost a full book worth of texts. Most of them about the explosion at Shincha university. She leaned back, her head was pounding but she didn't want to take the meds. She realized they never helped her pain, and she wanted to be cognitive about all of the events. She closed her eyes, remembering the wolf.

Power replaces power.

Did she mean that there was a void in the power structure? She wondered if the boys realized that defeating their enemy might leave room for another enemy to take its place. It happened in many human wars, a fallen leader giving rise a to a bigger badder evil. She felt the tiger lay down at her feet, and she rubbed his head and she looked over at the boys talking.

"I wish I knew what they were talking about," she mumbled to White Blaze. "You saved me didn't you?"

White Blaze nodded and looked up at her, a part of me did, and they are only concerned, little one.

She looked surprised, and then smiled. She wondered if the tiger was stuck in the same situation as the wolf. She would wait to find out after the boys finished talking about whatever.

Cye frowned at the end of their story, "so this wolf was from the nether realm but not part of the dynasty?"

"Yes, she said something about being trapped by Talpa," Sage grouched, still uneasy about the whole thing. "That monster still haunts us."

"Wait, so you said it was Hoshi who realized it," Cye said glancing at her quickly, she was petting White Blaze. "How?"

"She said she saw something in your sword, Sage," Rowen said, and Sage raised an eyebrow.

"Curiouser and curiouser," sage said suspiciously. "Do you think it's coincidence that Mia set you up with her?"

Rowen raised an eyebrow and Cye said, "you think Mia knew?"

"No, I don't think she knew anything, I'm talking about the Leea girl everyone has mentioned," Sage said.

Rowen shook his head, "I've met Leea, she seems as normal as Hoshi is. Bit nosy, and loudmouthed but she seemed like she only thought Mia's work was archaeological. Myth not reality."

"Sure seems coincidental is all," Sage grumbled as he looked over her she was giggling as the tiger licked her hand. "White Blaze likes her, and we know Black Blaze saved her. Why?"

"She knows as much as we do," Rowen said but Sage rolled his eyes. "Okay, you don't like her, do you?"

"I didn't say that Rowen, I just feel like this is a set up. You know the girl for less than a month, your head over heals, and you can't see the obvious coincidences that in any other situation you would have pointed out yourself," Sage replied sternly. Cye remained silent as Rowen starred at his friend. Rowen looked at Hoshi, he had been a bit light headed he supposed, but he would have snap out of it if the dynasty was involved. He was sure Hoshi didn't know anything, but he would protect her if there was something he could do. He didn't realize Ryo and Kento listening.

Kento peered over at her, "hey, since when is blaze so fond of someone, he doesn't tackle Ryo?"

"Rowen, Sage, are you okay," Ryo asked and they both nodded. He looked around Kento, Hoshi was facing away from them so they saw none of her scars. "Hey, she's cute."

Kento grinned back at him, "let's go say hi."

"Wait," Rowen said but the two were already pushing past them towards her. Blaze looked up and she did too. Ryo and Kento both noticed the scares and dimness in her right eye, but neither of them were bothered by it. Rowen liked her, even Blaze was purring like a cub, that was enough for them.

Ryo held out a hand, "I'm Ryo Sonada, and this dork is Kento Rei Faun."

"Hey," Kento snorted with a grin as she shook Ryo's and then his hand with her left hand. They noticed the scars on her right hand, and didn't say anything. Rowen noticed his friends had handled it better than he expected, and he didn't jump to her rescue. Sage was rolling his eyes.

Sage hissed, "see? You think Ryo and Kento were gonna hurt her? They're block heads, but they aren't insensitive. Why do need to protect her from us? We're the good guys!"

"Sage, you're being harsh," Cye whispered. "I understand where he's coming from, they can be alittle strong willed, and she seems different than when I first met her on Friday."

Rowen noticed it too. She did seem different. He didn't know what but he remembered their first meeting. She was so guarded.

Hoshi was laughed at Ryo and Kento, "Rowen, you didn't tell me your friends were so funny!"

"Them funny," Rowen smiled sarcastically and Kento stuck out a tongue while Ryo laughed.

Sage said softly, "just be careful Rowen, is all I'm asking. Don't get to caught up that you can't fight for her life if the dynasty grabs her. Remember what happened to Runa?"

Runa was a sore subject, all of them had been sort of infatuated with her but she died because they dragged her along into battle to find Sage.

Rowen walked away, and Cye said to Sage, "that wasn't necessary."

"It is if he hopes to keep her alive," Sage said as he walked off completely.

Hoshi let Rowen explain what happened once Mia arrived. She kept quiet through most of it, just listening to White Blazes silent remarks to her. She made no attempt to tell them about the tiger's words. She felt like she was already intruding on something that had long been forged. Ryo and Kento were nice enough, and so was Cye. They all that attribute of accepting her scars so easily, it was sage who seemed to not like her. She think she understood, they were warriors and in a way Rowen had stopped fighting the beast because she decided to be foolish herself. It dawned on her, she could be dead at this very moment if she had gotten her insight wrong.

Mia looked at her, "Hoshi, what do you think?"

"Thinking I have two stacks of term papers to grade, and my shirt is permanently stained," Hoshi answered, it was a lie. She hadn't been paying attention, and she certainly hadn't been thinking about the situation in the proper manner.

Kento snorted with delight, "she is another smart elec, but she's got attitude! Good job, Rowen!"

Ryo laughed at her reply, "no, Hoshi, seriously you don't have any relations with the dynasty?"

"How would I," she said honestly. "Look, It's still kind of hard for me to believe all this isn't some head trip from the medicine I take. I get it, I understand it your responsibilities, but whether or not I feel some sort of connection to all this. I'm honestly lost with all this. Raleigh said I looked like someone she failed to take care of. Other than I look like someone who died in the nether realm, I can't place it. I mean did most of you know you were destined to do this at a young age?"

They all nodded, and she noticed Sage come into the room. He was listening to her to her words. Judging her truthfulness, she supposed, but she wasn't lying. She supposed he cared a lot for Rowen, and didn't want to see him hurt.

"See, I have never felt that," she said quietly and looked at her hand. White Blaze was starring at her and she scratched his head. "Do I understand it, nope, not in the slightest. I wonder if me looking like someone is enough to garner any attention? Geez, I hope not because I can't put up much of fight if they think I am."

Rowen was silent, she knew he had something to say, but didn't want to just yet. Ryo kind of nodded, Cye , kento, and mia were silent but she felt Sage intently starring at her with his intense lavender eyes.

Hoshi smiled and then asked, "who could I possibly be to them?"

"Talpa's daughter," said a voice from the shadow of the next room. It was a woman's voice, and everyone's eyes widened from the sound of it. Hoshi wondered if the mysterious individual was constant in their lives even if it was a bit cliche.

"Kayura," They grinned as she came from the shadows. She wore an extremely fine and decorative kimono, and carried a staff with golden rings. Her hair was long and black, with deep blue eyes that were lined in bright red make up on her porcelain like skin.

She felt white blaze grow uneasy but he didn't leave her. She wondered if the woman was dangerous.

"Long time no see Ronins," she smiled softly. "And hello, little one."

"Why does everyone keep calling me that!" Hoshi fumed, it was really annoying that they were picking on her height of all the things that were wrong with her.

Kayura smiled at her, her eyes were so cold, "it's what White Blaze calls you isn't it?"

Ryo looked at Kayura, "White Blaze doesn't talk..."

"Of course he does, just not to you," she smiled at Hoshi who frowned as their gazes returned to her.

Hoshi leaned back and said bluntly, "I still think I'm going crazy. Of course I didn't say White Blaze was talking to me, would you believe that your tiger could talk?"

White Blaze grinned and purred against her leg.

Sage asked instantly, "what has he said?"

"Not much," Hoshi paused to look at the big cat and scratch a spot between his ears. "Just that he was glad that I saved Raleigh. He knew her pretty well."

They all looked at white Blaze, who grinned and gave a roar. Hoshi shook her head, "I didn't need to know that much."

"Wait," Ryo interrupted returning to the original subject. "Talpa had a daughter?"

Kayura nodded with her sly smile still on her lips, "he did indeed ronins. I haven't spent all my time away just on vacation in the Nether Realm. I have been trying to control things..."

"Control things," Mia asked as the woman walked past Sage.

"Oh, it's been tricky but when power is destroyed, there are those who seek it for themselves. Me and the warlords have done our best to keep someone from taking the dynasty for their own," Kayura smiled at Hoshi. "Because power only replaces power."

Hoshi decided to keep quiet and learn what the woman was talking about. She was trying to let go of the idea that it might be nonsense that she was spouting. She was still going along with it and find out who exactly she looked like. She played with with White Blazes ears nervously.

White Blaze chuckled, She's being truthful.

"It's taken me a while to find out everything, but Talpa wasn't always evil," Kayura paused and shook her head. "I really don't know the extent of everything, but he had a daughter before he was dragged into darkness and became the monster he was. There were a few forces that tried to resist him in the nether realm made of light energy, the Old Ones, but they failed and went to seek out the ancients. Some reason, they think you look like her. I can't say, I only feel human energy from you, little one."

"See that proves it," Hoshi snorted and held her head. "I'm not a monster after all, but still crazy."

"Raleigh was the original Talpa's head warrior before the warlords came around, perhaps when he tainted her heart she became confused," she looked at Hoshi thoughtfully. Hoshi starred back at the woman through her fingers. She hated feeling like this was about her, but hiding in her hands wasn't helping. "But she may be alive and well in this realm."

Mia looked at Kayura, "how, she would be a thousand years old."

Kayura shrugged, "it's what I've got to hope for. The spirits in the nether realm speak of something waking up. They're scarred."

The guys looked at her intently, and Kento asked, "what could scare nether realm spirits."

"The being that created Talpa," She said softly and her staff chimed. "I dare not speak his name, even the ancients feared him. He created Talpa to take this world for him, because he was sealed into the inner most lands of the realm by the Old Ones."

Cye asked, "who are the Old Ones?"

"They were like Gods, and they controlled the ancient nether realm, but they didn't feed off the despair that Talpa did but human faith and hope."

"Hope," Hoshi repeated softly. "Raleigh had the virtue for Hope!"

Kayura looked at her, "Hope? There were only nine virtues for the armors...unless the ancients based it on something the Old Ones would do."

Kento grumbled, " I just hope this baddie shows up soon, so lover boy over there can actually start talking again and making sense of the stuff we don't get!"

Rowen turned red, "what does this have to do with Hoshi?"

"Nothing, I suppose, she's human after all," Kayura smiled. "But the monsters who are awakening will sense she has been protected by the Fenris Girl, she has her blood on her after all. They will think other wise."

Kayura disappeared into the darkness itself and White Blaze purred against her leg.

Hoshi decided she needed a moment to herself and got up and left the group. "I need to think," she said to Rowen who caught her eyes as she passed by him. She walked past Sage too and felt his gaze on her, White Blaze followed her as she slipped outside to the lake.