Ever After

Crystal Tokyo Three

The redhead was named Shinobu, and seemed very ashamed at being caught like she was. "Please do not tell my sisters you caught me," she pouted.

"We have no reason to," Hazuki reassured the woman.

"Oh, THANK YOU, Lady Hazuki!" Shinobu said, taking her hands and smiling warmly.

Lilith did NOT like the way she was looking at Hazuki and ordered, "Back off."

Quill ignored that, checking her device as they walked. Quietly to Hazuki she noted, "We're getting near a reading that resembles Hatsumi and Lilith."

"Huh," Hazuki nodded.

They reached a traditional, centuries old Japanese home, that looked faintly familiar to Hazuki. "Please follow me," Shinobu said, leading them in. As they walked they saw similar female Ninja, whom looked at the group... weirdly adoringly?

"Reminds me of the ones you fought to save Princess Fiji," Lilith noted.

"Hopefully these aren't enemies," Hazuki answered,

"Here we are," Shinobu said as they reached a fancy set of doors, "our Mistress awaits."

The room smelled of sweet smoke, and seemed weirdly large. The three advanced warily, then saw a figure reclining on a huge futon with many fancy cushions. Lilith and Hazuki instantly recognized her, though it'd been awhile.

"Meirin?!" Hazuki blurted.

The beautiful nine tailed kitsune chuckled merrily, "It's been a long time since I was called that, but it's fine."

"How did you end up here?" Lilith demanded.

Meirin took a puff of her pipe, "This place is a crossroads, Lilith-san. Many immortals like ourselves have taken up residence here."

"Your energy actually resembles Lilith's," Quill noted, her device glowing slightly.

Meirin shrugged eloquently, "We have known each other a long time."

Hazuki demanded, "Is Hatsumi here? Is that why...?"

Meirin's face fell. "I'm sorry," she simply said.

Hazuki visibly slumped.

"Why are there so many similar readings?" Quill asked, even as she squeezed Hazuki's arm comfortingly.

"More than the sisters will access the Great Library," Meirin said. She held up a hand, "I can't explain more. Paradox."

"Huh?" Hazuki blinked.

Lilith realized, "We're going to have other meetings in our future but her past." She scowled, "I HATE time travel."

"Agreed," Quill sighed.

There was a knock on the door, then Shinobu stuck her head in, "Milady, dinner will be soon. Should we set three more places?"

"Join me?" Meirin asked them, smiling.

Hazuki exchanged glanced with the others, who shrugged. "Why not," she nodded to her, "we can catch up a bit."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The whole group, including some of the ninja, ended up going to Arisugawa's Locket later that evening for drinks.

"This place is still open?" Hazuki noted, surprised.

"Yes," Meirin nodded as she said, "except for a few interruptions, it's been open since the twentieth century."

"Welcome!" Cyberdoll May smiled welcomingly. "Would you like a table, or...?" she asked them cheerfully.

"Table," Meirin decided. As they walked to the table, a gorgeous redhead was just finishing up a song up on the kareoke stage.

"Oh woe to ye, thee people of order,

I hope your homes continue to smoulder.

And that you never rise again,

And woe to those who called me a friend."

There were, surprisingly, boos when the woman finished. She ignored it, stalking up to the bar and ordering a drink.

"Why all the booing?" Quill wondered.

Shinobu noted, "That's an alternate version of Beryl. The woman who caused the fall of the Moon Kingdom, back in pre-history."

"And she's running around free because...?" Lilith blinked.

"She hadn't committed any crimes here. Though apparently she does advocate the fall of Crystal Tokyo," Shinobu said.

"WHAT," Hazuki blinked.

"I admire Queen Serenity's principles," Meirin noted mildly, "she's insane, but principled."

"Hazuki!" a cheerful voice called out.

A cheerful redhead in a VERY tiny bikini strode of, along with a woman with long black hair in a matching bikini. "Who...?" Hazuki started.

"Aww, you forgot us?" the redhead pouted.

"Kei, they haven't met you or Yuri yet. Time travel," Meirin quickly said.

"Oh, damn. Okay, we'll cat up next time," Kei pouted but turned away.

"I hope this doesn't keep happening," Lilith grumbled.

Annoyingly, they had several run ins with folks that knew them, but they were strangers to. It was a decidedly odd experience.

"You have the oddest look on your face, Lady Hazuki," Shinobu noted respectfully.

Hazuki REALLY wanted her to stop using 'lady' but... "Just, seeing all these people," she said, "that I WILL meet, it means I and my friends are going to have to keep going for a long while."

Shinobu gave her a sympathetic look, "I'm sorry."

"HAZUKI! Let's try singing!" Lilith yelled, and nearly dragged her off to the kareoke stage.

"Well, Miss Quill, alone at last," Meirin smiled impishly.

"Hmm?" Quill looked at the sexy fox woman thoughtfully.

"Would you care to dance?" Meirin asked, rising and offering a hand.

"My pleasure," Quill got up and followed her.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The group stuck around Crystal Tokyo for another day, mostly to stock up on supplies and decompress a bit. They stayed over at the Kitsune's home, sharing breakfast with her and her ninja.

"Good luck," Meirin wished them as Lilith began to glow.

"See you again," Hazuki said wryly.

In a burst of familiar green magic, they were gone.

Meirin told Shinobu, "Go tell our other guest they are gone."

The woman would have been instantly recognizable as a relative of Lilith. She wasn't, actually, but magic and reincarnation was involved. She was dressed in a beautiful kimono, and had a gentle but sad smile.

Princess Fuji asked plaintively, "Did I HAVE to hide from them?"

Meirin said seriously, "You haven't met them again, in their timeline. We can't risk altering our history."

"I guess," Fuji pouted.

"I wish I could be there to see their reaction," Meirin chuckled.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"All right, nobody move!" the giant demon ordered. He was, oddly, wearing a trench coat, had horns that were shaved down to stumps, and a pistol in one hand.

"A Prince of Hell?" Lilith yelped.

"SERIOUSLY?" Hazuki blurted.

"WHY did you three pop up in BPRD headquarters?" an older, blonde woman demanded.

"BPRD?" Quill wondered aloud.

"Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defence," the brown haired woman with flames dancing around her hands said dryly.

Hazuki didn't get a feeling of evil from them, and she knew the three of them had apparently popped up in their base. She lowered her katana a bit, "We mean you no harm, we're on a quest to find a missing person."

The blonde woman studied her a second, then nodded. "I'm Kate Corrigan, that's Liz Sherman, and the big guy is Hellboy."

"An' how did blonde there know I'm a Prince?" Hellboy asked, frowning at Lilith.

"It's complicated," Lilith admitted.

To be continued...

Notes: the song Beryl's singing is Woe to the people of order by The Shiny Snivy.

I've always liked Hellboy, though more the comics versions than the films.