Mikoto took a deep breath, wiped the sweat from her eyes, and leaned back, letting the oar settle in her lap. She grinned as she looked over at Vita, who quickly winked. It was a friendly competition. Each seeing who could last longer. Turning a nearly two full-day trip into just a little over one day. Give or take a little sunrise. Mikoto laughed, catching a cloth thrown by Nya. She wiped the sweat from her face and arms as she rose and walked to the ship's edge, looking over at the busy docks.
Vita joined her and leaned against the railing beside her. shoulders touching. They watched as people moved about their business. Letting the coolness of the river's breeze slip over her skin. She turned away from them, staring at the dark waters far below. Something a little playful tickled her belly, and without a word, she jumped over the railing with barely a splash and disappeared into the water.
She closed her eyes and spread her arms out. Letting herself drift slowly deeper and deeper into the solitude of the cold water. Soft streams of sunlight cascaded between the shadows of the boats on the surface and descended into darkness. Darker and silent. Calming.
They were subtle at first. quicker the closer they got. Vibrations underneath the water swept over her. A small body moving through the water. Small beating heart. And for some odd reason, she could sense her growing smile.
She felt her before she found her. She could feel her. Fast like a predator, quick like a dolphin. Maka slipped around her, large eyes bright as the sun. Small gills along her neck swayed as she breathed. Mikoto wrapped her arms around and squeezed. and she, in response, pushed herself close to Mikoto's face and nuzzled her cheek.
"I missed you too," she whispered softly.
Mikoto reached out and stroked Maka's head, slipping her fingers through her floating hair. Tiny bubbles rushed to the surface.
"it has been a while?" Maka said. "Father," she said, putting her forehead against hers.
Little misaka snorted.
Mikoto stroked her blushed cheek. Thinking of all she had missed because of her. Her fear and anger, the long sleep. To miss seeing her grow up. To see her learn how to fight. To hear her first words. Her laughter. To hold her. Kiss her forehead. Touch her skin. Smell the sweet scent of her hair…. she missed everything. And it hurt. Before she could see anything. There was a slow kick, and they rose to the surface. Maka buried her head in Mikoto's shoulder. They broke the surface of the water. She hoped the water would hide her tears. But the pain inside her threatened to break through.
"I am so… so…" she struggled to find words. "Sorry."
"Forget about it," Maka replied calmly. Shrugging.
"Ok… and who the hell raised her to be so mature?" little misaka spoke. "Surely not…"
"You… need to shut up…" talking to little misaka.
Mikoto shook her head. "You know I can never forget something like that!"
Maka laughed, letting go and drifting away. A playful wine and With a flick of her feet, she leaped out of the water, somersaulted, and landed on the stone docks. and did her best to pose in victory, but Kea was quick to her side with a heavy cloth, drying her hair.
"Nothing like true lust." Little misaka said.
"I think that's love…." Mikoto said. Little misaka shrugged. "Love, lust..eh!"
"Shut up," Mikoto muttered. "They're both happy."
Little misaka rolled her eyes. "Well… let's get going."
Vita rolled her eyes, "Would you like me to dry you off…. mistress?" she smirked, batting her eyes. Holding out a small towel. Wiggled her brows.
"Please," closing her eyes and shaking her head. Bluish-white sparks flickered and ran over her. Water splashing. Wetting Vita and only Vita. Mikoto glared, smirking. "oooppppsss, sorry didn't see you there."
"Nice hair," Vita said as she dried herself off. "Puffball." Picking over as she wiped her face. Static electricity jumped and lifted stands of her hair, irritated giving out a small growl, licking her palms and smoothing her hair. A few snickers. And she looked around. "What?"
Aya and Gallum stood together. Nya was coming down the wooded plank. Rae and her guards quickly followed. She poked Nya on her back, glaring at Gallum. Who waved her off. Aya rolled her eyes and whispered something in her ear. Gallum blushed.
Mikoto sighed a gentle smile, actions reminding her of the past. Thinking of Chloe and the others, Vita had a look of satisfaction. "Nothing. Just saying your hair looks nice today."
"Thanks…" Mikoto mumbled with an embarrassed smile. "Jerk."
They made their way along the busy port, weaving through the workers and heading towards the main wall. And the entrance to the city. Aya led toward the large open gates. Guards were everywhere, standing by, checking official documents that allowed passage of people and goods.
Mikoto slowed and stopped. eyes becoming wider as her mouth dropped. she stared, fangs bared at the two giant statues on each side of the gates.
"that's…."
"not us!" little misaka quickly spoke.
"wasn't about to forget those pains in the asses," Vita said, standing by Mikoto's side, looking up. " or arses," she laughed.
Giant stone statues. Nearly 30 meters tall. Carved in painstaking detail as if each one would open its eyes, take a breath and walk away. Each one wearing body-hugging outfits like their Queen. The light armor of actual dragon scales gathered when dragons shed as they grew. The scales worked to a smaller size, adhered to the Kevlar lining, and turned into full body armament, carrying Gauss black series 9950 rifles, known as mini rail guns, approximately 12 feet in span, with headgear like fighter pilots with break-resistant tinted face shield. A must for all non-day walking vampires. But it was the face that caught her attention. The attention to detail screamed Vita's influence.
"Chloe and Brym," Mikoto spoke, looking up at the faces of the statues. These were not like the statues found in the museum. These were what sculptures used to be. Each is painted with bright colors and flesh tones. "She even created paint?" little misaka groaned. "Is there anything she can't do?"
"Brym?" she said, feeling pain gripping her heart. A hesitant breath, and she remembered the last time she'd been with her. Her death. She pushed the painful memory away. "hey.."
"Gotcha," little misaka quickly spoke. Showing pictures of the past. Happier times.
The corner of her mouth curved. Eyes sparkling, filling with tears.
Brym was an elder elite. Over eight hundred years old, tall with beautiful white skin, deep brown eyes, a wicked smile, and quick to temper. Her hair was tight and rolled into a bun. She'd sometimes let it fall to her hips. The armor painted the blacks, grays, and silver of the house of Mikoto.
"Chloe.." she whispered.
Another elder elite. Long fiery red hair, wild but tied in a French braid hanging over her shoulder to her belt. Emerald green eyes, soft and inviting. And stubborn, with a thick Irish accent.
"they hated each other," Mikoto said. Vita grinned, "Yes, they did… but they loved you." she quickly added.
"coganfaidh mé suas thú. Ciceáil tú asal agus adhlacadh tú chomh domhain beidh ort a thochailt síos chun a dromchla a bhriseadh …" rising on the tips of her boots, thumping her finger against Brym's chest.
An argument.
"she never could keep her languages straight when she got fired up." little misaka said with a laugh.
Mikoto wiped her eyes, letting out a painful chuckle. "I will chew you up. Kick your ass and bury you so far deep. You will need to dig down to break the surface."
Vita sighed, "Talk about your mismatches." She shook her head. "All five feet and some change. Brym at nearly six and a half. And fifty pounds heavier."
There was admiration in her words for both of them. Mikoto should know. She'd watched them brawl many times.
"I don't care if they hate each other; I still think they were perfect together," Vita said.
"Perfect?" Mikoto asked. Vita smiled, nodding. "Yes, they fought constantly and always argued."
"By the goddess," Vita looked around.
She felt as if she was being watched. Every move, every word listened to. Mikoto looked side-eyed and saw them together, eyes wide, ears open. Remembered Vita telling stories of the other world. Rakugo. A lone storyteller on her Koza. She was on a small, low stage, wearing brightly colored clothes, holding her paper fan and cloth. All eyes are on her.
She loved to read, and she did, from history books to manga. And she loved the attention when she sat and told the stories of battles, mages, and warriors.
Aya, Gallum, Nya, and Rea watched and listened to every word. "Put them together and let them go…" her eyes sparkled like the battle maniac she was. Wiping the drool from her mouth. "Just imagine the fights they had," eyes glimmering. Her breath was heavy. "I mean."
Mikoto had seen this before. In a few moments, a certain someone would need a brawl. She closed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I will not like this? Am I?"
Little misaka shrugged. "I doubt she had come up against someone close to her skill set." Putting her hand on her chin. "Maybe…."
"Did you battle Kea's mother?" Mikoto asked, hoping to change the subject.
"Huh…." The question quickly calmed her down. Her eyes were wide in surprise, searching her memories. She blushed, then puckered her mouth like a child in thought. "Yea… and."
"You didn't win… did you?"
"Well… I wouldn't say I lost."
"She lost," little misaka spoke. "The Bastet are psychic."
"sheesh." Mikoto whispered, "All of this just because… I asked?"
They sighed, disappointed, together, shoulders dropping. Eyes rolling. And with a wave of Aya's hand, they walked through the open gates.
"What the?" Mikoto took a breath, walking past the guards.
The city behind the wall. Built of small wood and stone, buildings lined both sides of the road. She could smell fires burning, food cooking, and people's conversations. It reminded her of Academy City, the crowds of people shopping, working, and going to school. A child's laughter caught her ear. She glanced over. The little girl was at a small candy shop with her mother. Images of Academy City and even the four kingdoms. The beating of her heart quickened, wondering what everyone was doing back home. if her children were behaving or misbehaving, which was most of the time. Thankful for the wolves, who had no problem in disciplining them. Except for some reason, the little prince. Perhaps he was a little too young for it, but still. she caught her breath. Mikoto looked beyond the crowded streets, seeing their destination rising ahead of them. But getting there would take a little longer. The need for food and shopping was calling.
The wind was brisk as she stood at the top of the wall surrounding the city. the wind tugged and pulled at her long hair like a lover or an angry child. She pulled it back and held it in her right hand. Nose quivered, pulling in the smells. Dirt, water, cooking, and the smell of troops all mix and tell her what she needs to know as a predator. Her eyes swirled in colors, pupils thinning. A bird of prey, a cat in the dark.
They had made their way through the town and the wall. And walked up the stone steps to the top of the wall. Mikoto looked over the edge and down the wall. They constructed the wall of slabs of grey stone ten feet thick, rising to nearly 90 feet tall. And just beyond the heavy stone wall. Vita had ordered a large moat built. It was a wide water-filled canal from the North of the town along the wall and flowing back to the city's south. A large wooden draw bridge allowed passage over the water and into an impressive build made of heavy square-cut timbers and thick ropes of vines.
"wow! She has really outdone herself…" little misaka gasped. "I mean, this thing is monstrous!"
"watch many adventure movies?" she asked. "Lived them.." Vita said, impressed by the results of her hard work.
"Just over the horizon." She heard Aya speak. Mikoto looked over, thinning her eyes and slowly closing them. Each of them had spyglasses in their hands. Five polished metal cylinders feed into the next one. Rea was slowly turning hers.
Mikoto puckers her mouth. "a little old fashion." she whispered as she sent out small electromagnetic pulses. She built a detailed area map.
"an army?" picking up on the many clusters of heat signatures and heartbeats. She opened her eyes, "And why is an army just over the horizon.?"
"Seems that a particular leader used an old pincer movement and trapped them."
Nya covered her mouth as she coughed. Eyes closed, and a small smile.
"wolf! I was right!" little misaka yelled.
"slavers," Aya said. "the gardens are so big it is hard to protect the little ones. So…" Aya shrugged. "Nya went North, and I came from the south, and whata ya know. Surprise." She said with a stern expression.
"it turns out they are a traveling army. They do what they do, return to the larger cities and sell them." Vita said, "Oh, and eat what they catch."
"Eat?
"Yep,"
"Wait a minute?" closing her eyes, "You chewed them like bubble gum. And spit them out… and they just got up and ran away? So how do they?"
"got some idea… but we are about to go asked them." looking determined. She had that look again. Deep and dark, far away. Jealous even. Someone could do something she couldn't.
"I bet you are wondering how? Aren't you?
"Ahhhh…" a guilty look flashed… of course not.." blushing, "Really, I would never ever think that… just a little curious, that's all…" nervously chuckling, "What do you think I am … barbaric?"
"Yea!" everyone agreed.
"And how long will it take?" She asked. "Once out of the city, another hour," Vita spoke.
"And the surprise?" She asked. "Or shall I guess?"
"I'm pretty sure you know what's going on?"
"Pretty much…" Mikoto whispered.
"And?" Vita asked, looking smug.
"We have a small force, Aya, Gallum, Nya, and Rae.," A knowing tilt of her head. "Kea." Looking fierce.
"And my mistress and me…." Vita spoke.
"plus what… ten thousand, give or take. Quite a formidable show of force." Little misaka said.
Mikoto closed her eyes, magnetic pulses surging through the city, past the stone walls and beyond.
"You did that little magnetic thingy?" Vita waved her off.
"Yes, I did that little magnetic thingy." Mikoto rolled her eyes.
"This is a negotiation. Or is it…?"
"Depends on them," Rae said, bringing down her spyglass to her waist. She was emotionless as she spoke. "Nya and Aya scouted and tracked them. Caught them in a….. what was it called again… a pitcher or.."
"A pincer movement," Vita said.
"yes…. That's it." a slight blush came over her cheeks.
Mikoto picked up on the anxiety in her voice, her body heat rising, and how she played with her sarong's sheer fabric.
"she's doing her best," little misaka said. "A little nervous because of a certain you know who...goddess is now awake. But… she good." sitting in her recliner, large screens showing their troops camps just outside the wall, waiting for their orders. "organized chaos," little misaka said, taking a sip from the long curling straw from her drink. She smacked her slips. The attractive young woman standing by her side. Reached over and gently wiped her mouth.
(Mikoto felt for Rae. She didn't want to be the Queen or ruler of the village. She wanted to be a hunter. Nothing too grand, just simple. To run with Nya, Aya, Gallum, and Kea, protecting and providing for the village. It was simple. Wake up, go out into the jungle, and come back. Nothing too hard. It was her brothers' actions that pushed her into the position. Arrogant, defiant, disrespectful. Her mother, the Queen, convinced her to take the throne instead of her brother after their brief encounter. "The goddess expressed her displeasure at having a king." Her mother's words rang of truth.
"That's what happened when my stupid brother tries to take something that doesn't belong to him…" she yelled at the top of her lungs. Her face beet red, veins popping along her neck. Her fist so tight bits of blood seeped through her fingers.
Her brother, the son of the king, was lying like a sloppy sack of meat. Bones shattered in a pool of his own blood. Trees and plants splatted and dripped with it. Arms and legs twisted and broken. Blood and spittle foamed along his mouth. Nothing was recognizable. Rae glared at what used to be her brother, a single pathic watery eye looking up at her, disappearing beneath his flesh. She glared at what was left of her brother, knowing the life she wanted was slipping away.
"Do you want me to save him?" She asked.
Vita doing her best to look and feel concerned. But truth be told. She didn't care. He was an ass. He challenged her Queen and got what he deserved. Nothing more, nothing less. Rae's reaction caught Vita a little off guard. But then again, this was the girl who left a bloodied trail of bodies behind her as she clubbed her way through the son of the king's friends. Rae played with her mouth, biting her lower lip. "If you didn't save him, I would have to become Queen. Her eyes thinned. "I really don't want to be queen." displeasure colored her face. "I mean…" she rolled her eyes, breathing. She looked over, "I don't have to say please or beg, do I? Because if I have to, we can drag him into the jungle and leave him. Tell Mother he must be lost somewhere." She quickly nodded, eyes growing brighter. Please was hovering just behind her mouth.
Vita shook her head and pointed behind her. Her mother was making her way through the growing crowd. A look of worry. Reality struck. Rae's shoulders sagged. She sighed. "Fine… will you…."
"You don't have to say please." Vita grinned. "But it might be a shock at what happens next."
Frowning, "What will?
Vita dropped to her knees, plunged her fangs into his throat, and buried her face against his neck. Deep growls of an animal feeding. Sloppy. Slurping and squeezing. Horrifying to watch. The crowds pulled back, faces filled with disgust and fear.
He screamed, muscles and tendons stretched, bones knitted together. Sticking out of his mouth, his tongue stiff, mouth thinned as he yelled. Seizures, popping, and cracking sounds. Spine arched quick and painful breaths. His fingers curled into tight balls as his skin turned black and purple to normal. He collapsed against the bloodied ground and looked peacefully asleep.
Shocked. Everyone stared. Eyes on him and slowly looking at her as she wiped her mouth, smearing blood across her cheek. Rae knelt down, seeing two small bumps in his mouth. She slowly opened his mouth.
Two small fangs.
He had begun the change. Turning him into a vampire.
Rae glared at him, then at Vita. Took a step forward and thumped her on the chest. "you did that on purpose? Didn't you?"
Rae was on the tips of her toes, glaring eyes. "I have seen Mikoto's feed, and it was nothing like that! You are like a beast or something…. messy?" making a disgusted look on her face.
"Ok, fine… I ad-libbed a little, but still, the others don't know..so. Besides, it's the quickest way to fix him… and I have the antivenom. As long as I give it to him in the next three days…. it reversible and he'll be fine… but," she grinned. "he has to obey my every word. So if there is anything you'd like him to do… just ask."
Slowly nodded. Rae lowered her eyes. "Oh, I will…" with a thinly veiled hint of maliciousness.
It was a very gratifying three days.)
Without a word, they slipped off the top of the wall and walked down the stone steps to the ground. Mikoto and the others moved through the gate and over the wooded drawbridge. Heading towards the horizon.