Chapter 10
Rebecca blasts me with a sweet, blue energy shockwave from her equally sweet and badass sword. Clara screams. I am thrown to the ground from the force of the attack. Rebecca smirks, lowers her sword, and slowly walks over to my beaten and now more bruised body.
"Rebecca, what the hell?" shrieks Clara, bravely hiding behind an air vent. What the hell indeed? I don't even know this chick. I'm pissing off people I don't even know.
All I wanted to do today was to explain to Clara why I hadn't been in contact with her much during the summer break. Freshman lunch period is the only time I have away from the guys at school. Yes, the boys are now back in school too.
I reflect on the events that I lead me to having my ass kicked by some crazy school girl in a short, pleaded skirt tripping on a massive power trip. Is this my "life flashing before my eyes" moment?
Back behind Mia's (yes, I know her name) home, Rowen convinced me to try and summon the Sun Armor. And by convince, I mean he asked me to do so. He would never need to convince me of anything.
Obviously, I was able to do so. The armor was epic, heavy, and really heavy.
The amour had no weapons initially on it from what we could tell. I couldn't do any attacks or any defensive maneuvers in the heavy thing either. I was pretty much a girl trapped in giant, gold soda can. I tried to stay positive about it. I mean, Sailor Moon had difficulties with her magical girl powers at first too.
After a couple of hours walking around in the armor, my body gave out, and I changed back to normal. I wasn't able to call back the armor again. My body said a big "hell no, thank you" and crapped out on me.
Rowen said I did great for my first time experiencing supernatural armor. He said he had problems controlling his armor at first too. Everyone did. I reminded Rowen he had extensive martial arts training before acquiring his armor. I then reminded him I was the only Rei Fuan in three generations who did not hold some championship title. Yes, even the five year old Rei Fuan had two titles already. I had thought bad ass fighting skills came standard with these armors.
I was too tired to care that I looked like a beached whale just lying there on the ground. Rowen smiled and carried me back to the mansion. He smelled like a really good book and I probably could have died in his arms. I must have fallen asleep before we reached the mansion. I woke up the following morning tucked into my bed.
My strength returned that morning, and I spent the entire day practicing basic defensive and offensive moves with Rowen. Attending all those family tournaments and championships did wear off on me some. I could replicate what I had seen and my repressed anger and feelings of insecurity gave me the strength to pack a punch.
The guys, the cat, the woman, the kid, and the older guy returned two days later. They reeked of tiredness, hunger, and awesomeness. There was much battling to be had on the adventure. And the woman and kid were kidnapped on the trip too. Totally called that one earlier.
Anubis's suspicions as to the whereabouts of Greena's actual tomb did play out. Unfortunately, the hidden shrine underneath Greena's tomb was filled with demon soldiers, monster spider webs, and no second half of the manuscript.
"Where could the manuscript be then?" I asked him.
"I don't know. That was all I had really," replied Anubis. It was weird hearing him talk like a normal person.
"We think someone beat us there," said Ryo. "The place was ransacked and the guys we fought were leftovers."
"We are not only looking for that second half of the manuscript but are now going to have to find whoever took that manuscript," concluded Cye.
Sage said nothing. He stared into my soul and tried to read my mind again. Apples…apples…apples.
The guys split up to eat, sleep, and most importantly bathe. After Kento hugged me with a body slam, a recommended he showered first before everyone else. Sage headed outside to do some mediating or whatever deep spiritual guys did in their free time. As he passed me, he whispered pears in my ear.
"Apples."
"Damn. I've been gone too long. Your spirit has gotten too far away from mine."
The rest of the summer break at the mansion was eventless. I couldn't call on my armor and Anubis and the guys couldn't figure out where the second half of Greena's manuscript was and who took it.
So now, I am here, lying on the dirty school's roof, reflecting on my summer break adventure as a crazy blonde chick tries to slice me in two with a big ass sword.
"I'm going to kill you, Rinfi Rei Fuan," says Rebecca, standing over me with her sword held high over her head.
Rebecca's arms drop forward. I see my reflection in the fast approaching blade. So this is how it all ends, huh? Death by blonde chick? I didn't have the chance to tell Rowen I care for him. I didn't have the chance to tell Kento he isn't a complete screw up of an older brother. Never got to test more mind fruit games on Sage. I went through all of this armor and demon possession crap to be sliced open like an apple? Yes, I am still thinking about apples. I remember Sage's words at Mia's house. I try to imagine my spirit and cry out Sage's spirit. I think I can feel something out there. What's the point? It's too late for that. I am going to die to a couple of milliseconds.
As the sword comes closer and closer to me, I remember sitting on the roof at home with Rowen. I remember coming home from school and watching the little sibs wrestle and play in the backyard. I think about Clara and I having fun up here, acting like we were Gods overlooking a world not of our own.
"Rinfi!" screams Clara. Her words echo and push through the air like a slow moving but powerful wave. Clara always did have a good set of pipes on her. Rebecca hesitates. I curl my hand into a fist and swing as hard as I can into Rebecca's exposed leg.
Rebecca screams in pain and falls to her knees. I flip up off the ground and watch her. I am only able to take a breather for a second or two before Rebecca recomposes herself and comes charging at me, sword first. I dodge the first swing but can't avoid the knee to my stomach. Damn. This skinny bitch kicks hard.
I suck in as much air as I can to numb the throbbing pain in my stomach and tackle her, trying to pry the sword away from her. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Clara talking on her phone.
Rebecca and I wrestle on the roof. I pin her to the ground, holding her down by her shoulders. My experience with the younger sibs has made me an excellent wrestler. I kick the sword's handle and the sword slides across the roof a few feet away from us.
"What is your problem?" I ask her, pressing my body's weight on her shoulders. I hope her shoulders break.
"You!" she says. She slams her fist against the ground. I am sent flying back from the force.
"You must die," she continues, her body magically being lifted off the ground. She opens her hand. The swords flies back into its rightful place. She charges me, her feet still not touching the ground. A light blue glow surrounds her body. Her eyes are glowing. Her hair is standing on end and light is emitting from the crescent moon on her forehead
"Sailor Moon has gone bad shit!" exclaims Clara.
"I'm going to kill you, Rinfi Rei Fuan," says Clara, getting closer and closer. "It's nothing personal. You just have to die."
"Not gonna lie! Feels kinda personal!" I shout, trying to sound angry to hide my fear. I can hear Oura's voice in my head. You're going to let this skinny bitch kill us off? I wave my arm. Rebecca is sent to the ground, sliding almost off the roof. She tries to get up. I spread my fingers apart and keep her pinned to the ground. I can feel the desire to rip her limbs off one by one.
"I don't know what your problem is," I say. "But you can't just run at people with swords—" the school bell rings. Lunch period is over.
"—and you can't make people late for class." First time in six years I have been late for a class.
"She told me you are harboring Oura," spats Rebecca. "She told me to kill you. Take Oura down with the ship."
"Who told you?" I ask. This girl has frequent flier miles to crazy town. I shouldn't be so surprised since I hear voices in my head.
"Aw dude, I bet I know who she is," says Clara, peaking out from behind the air vent. "You know how you're like that black hair girl and that other girl? Well, this chick is probably that other girl that you were talking about. You know, the one that kinda killed you and all and—"
A sharp pain in my leg drops me to the ground. Rebecca has broken free and has a knife. The girl really came packin' to kill me.
Clara demonstrates her one ounce of courage and runs out from behind the air vent and kicks the sword off the roof. I'm not sure she did this to help or to watch the vice principal's sedan's windshield shatter down below.
I painfully lift myself up, hobbling and trying to press my weight on my good leg. Blood is dripping down my calf and getting my sock wet. The pain is sharp and a keep trying to breathe through it, but it's not working.
"Armor of the Moon…transform now!" Rebecca screams, her voice echoing and sending shock waves across the roof. Silver and blue ribbons of light surround her. The lights quickly disappears to reveal the Armor of the Moon, just as it appeared in my dream. It is creepy how much Rebecca looks like Becka. You would think I would have caught on quicker as to who was feeding the blonde chick crazy information about killing me. Their names are practically the same. How unoriginal.
"Armor of the Sun…transform!" Nothing. I shake my transformation hand and strike my pose harder.
"Armor of the Sun…transform!" Nothing. Rebecca laughs. She aims her bow and holds the silver arrow steady, straight for my heart.
"Nothing personal," she says again.
Let me in, Rinifi. Let me stop her. She's going to kill you. I can stop her. Let me in. Let me take over. I promise I'll give your body back when I'm done.
I feel my body become lighter and lighter, like someone is holding me up against gravity on a set of strings. I can feel Oura begin to take control. My senses are on overdrive. I can hear the conversations of the cafeteria staff smoking across the parking lot. I can smell the garbage truck driving pass the school. I can hear Rebecca's heart beating. I can hear the voice in her head. I recognize the voice, but not because I heard it in one of my dreams. I have never heard this voice before. I recognize it from centuries ago. The voice brings anger in me like I have never felt before.
Rebecca lets the arrow fly. I watch it hurl in the air.
Move! Let me move!
I won't let us move. I rather be killed off, knowing I took Oura down with me, than have Oura slip out and harm the ones I love. Tears slide down my face. So this is how it really ends. I close my eyes.
I open my eyes after I hear the clanging noise of something hitting the silver arrow. Rebecca is dumbstruck and a gold arrow lies near my feet. I collapse to my knees.