Chapter Twenty Four

Mia frowned at the girl who was Hoshi, looked like Hoshi, but wasn't Hoshi. Whoever, or whatever, was in Hoshi's skin acted like none of the nerve damage even affected her. She starred at Rowen, who was seemed even more shocked than she was.

Leea broke their quietness, "this is so not okay. I want my best friend back."

Bastet looked at the girl who was sitting in front of her, and leaned over on the chair, "and I told you, I will, mortal. Once the void is closed, and we find the Light."

Mia said, "Ruby should know where it is, right?"

"Ruby of the Immortal Sword and Shield is alive," Bastet asked and then grinned. "Yes, she should know! Wonderful!"

Rowen just starred at the girl, she was not his Hoshi, "what is the Light?"

"It's...it's an armor," Bastet said with a big smile. "It was the greatest weapon the Old Ones had, it was created by Hephaestus as a gift for Ra as peace treaty from Zues but...something went wrong. Hephaestus was the first to put virtues inside of armor, he felt that if it was living being, it had to have some sort of moral compass. He was an idealist and a fool because of it, it upset the balance. The armor didn't want to belong to any of the Old Ones, and it chose a human. The first human was a girl named Athena of Nike."

"Athena," the three repeated.

"You mean goddess of war and victory, Athena," Mia asked almost in shock.

"The very same," Bastet nodded as she starred at her clothes in the mirror. "I need to get some new threads. Well, Zues was mad, and he tried to well...you know the story. He tried to eat her, and she cut her way out of him. I guess you could say she was the first ronin. Oh but Zues was jealous, and Ra was mad, so they made a pact to make an armor to defeat hers. It wasn't until Hephaestus met with Susannoo that he had the ability to make such a beast. It was Talpa's armor that was born. He beat Athena, but she hid it away before she died."

Leea rolled her eyes, "you sound like you experienced this first hand?"

"Me, no, I'm more of spectator than a fighter," she said as she looked out the window at the clouds. "I don't even know where this armor may be myself, I had no taste for the endless fights the Old Ones had."

Mia sighed, "great..."

Bastet looked at Rowen, who still looked extremely focused. She twirled a lock of his blue hair, and leaned close to him whispering in his ear, "I may not be her in soul, but I am still her in body."

Rowen blushed, grabbed her hand and said, "you are not her, don't even think about it."

She just grinned and she pulled away. She looked out the window to see the guys, Ruby and Raleigh coming their way, "Look whose here! Goody!"

Mia sighed, "I think I might go make something to eat, if there's going to be a battle, the least I could do is make sure everyone has eaten."

Leea watched Mia walk by, "this is just too weird for me, I'll go help you."

Bastet grinned at Rowen as they left them in the room together, "we're all alone, ronin."

He rolled his eyes, "I already told you no. So don't even try asking again."

She followed him as he went out to meet the guys. She was springy in her steps, and as soon they met them the ronins knew she wasn't her. She tried hugging Rowen's arm, but he shrugged her off.

"Don't be so mean, Strata," Bastet laughed wickedly.

"You weren't kidding," Ryo said to Ruby, who rolled her eyes. "What happened?"

"Hoshi, made a deal with me, you may call me Bastet," she paused to look at Ruby. "although, you might now who I am better."

Ruby pulled out her sword and held it up to her throat quickly, the point drawing a tiny drop of blood, "I won't harm you because that's Hoshi's body, but Bastet, I will find your real body and execute it if you try anything. I don't trust any old ones, especially those who pray on oracles. You will let her return."

"Of course," she said as used her fingers to pull away the sword. "I'm not like some of these, Old Ones."

"No, your worse, you're a Trickster," Ruby glared as she sheathed the sword. She leaned forward, and grabbed Bastet by the face and gave her a hard kiss, "that's for Hoshi, not for you, you won't understand exactly how that feels."

Ruby looked at Rowen blushed and looked away as Raleigh asked, was that really necessary?

Bastet grinned and saw the burn on Ruby's lip, "but she would destroy you if you ever laid a hand on her."

Ruby huffed, and turned away, her cheeks were bright red, "and I would enjoy every second of it, Bastet, don't get me wrong."

Several of the boys turned bright red at the image that Ruby and Bastet had left in their brains. Rowen saw Kento's nose bleed, and said, "Kento!"

"What, tell me that wasn't hot," he said as looked at Cye who was redder than the other three, "even Cye thinks that's hot."

Sage pretended to clear his throat and looked away, Ryo forced a cheesy grin, and Cye hid his face in hands.

Rowen looked at Ruby, "how long have you been love with her?"

"Since I saw her scars," she blushed softly.

"Do you know where the Light is," he asked, trying to change the subject, but he felt like he was making a deal with a devil. "The sooner we get to the Light, the faster we can get Hoshi back."

"It's...It's been lost time me for some time," she said and they gave her a look of shock. "I found it a few years ago, but it was during World War Two, a lot of things were lost. I barely got out Hiroshima before it was bombed but I've felt it stirring lately. I think it's close, and I think it's chosen a new master."

"Do you feel all the armors," Ryo asked and she nodded.

"They're a bit annoying really," Ruby said with a smirk, "right now, they're giving me a headache. Maybe if I clear my mind for a while, I can tell you where exactly it is, but not right now."

She wandered off towards the lake and Rowen said, "Mia and Leea are making dinner, they figured we needed to eat before we went off on any battle."

"Alright, that's what I'm talking about," Kento cheered and ran inside.

"Would you just wait, Kento, " Cye yelled and ran after his buddy.

Bastet shrugged and headed in, "I wonder what food is like in this century."

Rowen joined Ryo and Sage on the way in. All three were extremely quiet but Rowen new Sage and Ryo were trying to cheer him up.

Sage said before they entered the house, "I'm sorry, Ro."

"I've made my peace with it," Rowen said and Ryo placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You have?"

"I'm going to get Hoshi back, and put Bastet in her grave," Rowen said irmly. "I'm tired of being manipulated by someone, remember how we felt that way and then we found that play by Suzunagi. It's just too weird. One of those Old One's is playing with us, Ryo. I'm sure of it, in all mythology there are gods who control fate and time and all sorts of weird stuff."

Ryo nodded in agreement, "I agree this has to stop. We need to control our own fate."

Sage placed a hand on his friends shoulder as well, "we'll get her back buddy."

Rowen nodded in agreement as they entered the house, he was sure as hell determined to get her back.