"Absolutely not."
I sighed, yep, my brother wasn't going to agree to this easily. However, stubbornness was a family trait.
"Why not?" I asked.
Nico scowled at me, "First off, he's too old-"
"Well, I know we don't usually recruit people in their nineties…"
"Christin!" Nico scowled, while I had a wide smile on my face.
"Sorry, continue."
"He's over the coming age."
"That's why the trials are his only way in, and his body is still youthful enough to be malleable for training. Other than the arm, the ice didn't do that much damage. Besides we both know that losing his leftie won't be a problem."
Nico shook his head, "He's not one of us, Christin. Even if he successes, his blood will eventually betray him."
"Maybe it will, maybe it won't."
"There is no maybe brother, he will die. Like all the others. Even if he wasn't an outsider, his chances are still slim at best."
"We don't know that."
"Yes, we do! There is a reason as to why outsiders are not allowed to participate in the trials."
"Bucky is not like the others, Nico."
"Like them or not, he will still die."
"Not without the right trainer."
"I am not the right Master for him."
I paused, and raised a brow, "Maybe you are. Maybe you're not. However, I think I know why you don't want him to go through with this."
Nico stayed silent, glaring out the nearby window.
I sighed, "Look give it three weeks. If you still stand in the same spot, I'll find someone else."
Nico shook his head and sighed, "Appeal to the counseling, if they accept, I'll take your offer."
The meeting room was smaller than one would think it would be. It wasn't a great golden hall of thrones; it was more like a decorated meeting room that was lit with candles that burned blue flames, and a teched out table that gave Tron a run for its money. Though the reason behind this fact was that sometimes meeting could become…explosive…and repairs were cheaper with less gold, and candles were easier to clean up and replace.
I was placed at the right side of round table we sat at. Shi-Qui-Qui, and Prowler were on my right and left. Alkeli was sat across from me, with Frost Mist and Lennox at his sides. Mother was in the back ground shadows of the room to act as a witness. The weekly meeting was coming to a close, after we discussed matters of opening a school on Nexus, and the usual trade matters, I made my move.
"Before we close, I have something I need to discuss with you all," I said.
"Has Arrow woken up?" Frost Mist asked.
"No, Lanora, you'd be first to know. This is a different matter," I sighed, "I have received a Trial Challenge."
The atmosphere of the room suddenly shifted. A subtle veil of surprise fell upon my fellow clan leaders. The calm before the storm; I'd knew I'd miss it.
"Really?" Shi-Qui-Qui, inquired, her feathers rising slightly, "Have your search and rescue teams found an adult amongst the cages?"
"No, well, not exactly," I said.
"What do you mean not exactly?" Lennox said.
I sighed, steeling myself, "Bucky, has expressed interest…"
"NO!" Alkeli all but screamed, "We will not approve of this! A disgusting un-gifted amongst our ranks. I will never allow it!"
"Alkeli calmed yourself," Prowler said.
"I will not calm myself you dog! While one of our own is suggesting to tarnish our nation with weakened blood!" Alkeli raged.
Prowler's ears flipped back, offended, "And yet you won't let Christin finish."
"I've already heard enough," Alkeli growled.
"Alkeli, at least let him plead his case," Frost Mist said.
Alkeli quieted, but I could still hear his grumbling.
I cleared my throat, "As I was saying. Bucky has shown interest in going back into the field. I informed him that he'll have to take part in the trials, and he agreed. I come to you with his request."
"And we will deny it," Alkeli said.
"Alkeli," Shi-Qui-Qui groaned.
"Do not start with me, Shi Qui Qui. All it takes is one and then they all will come, and dilute our kind. Slowly breeding us out of existence. If we let this boy…"
"And we will," mother suddenly spoke up.
"Mom?" I questioned, looking towards her.
"If your done squabbling amongst yourselves. I'll put in my penny's worth. I have received a vision regarding him," Mother stated, and room quieted.
I silently thanked all those I could think of for my mother's reputation. Her marriage to my father had been highly supported, even if her family came to nexus when she was a young girl and not actually born here. Those who could see into the future would often become advisers to counseling members. Her ability of foresight was something that the Counseling called upon even after my father was cold and dead. Even now she was serving her people, possibly even after I step down if time allowed her.
"A vision, Forecasta?" Shi-Qui-Qui asked.
Mother nodded, "I saw Nexus's streets drenched in blood and littered with the bodies of our children. Red and black flames engulfing our forests, fighting for control. And the sands of our shores dyed crimson and turned into shards of glass. Then Barnes is kneeling in the middle of it all, two figures laying limp next to him, and a look of desperation on his face."
"We need to kill him," Alkeli said.
"No!" I shouted.
"Your mother just proved my fears. All she has described indicates bloodshed and suffering, coming from him!" Alkeli screamed.
"Once more you're too quick to judge Alkeli," Mother said, "While you are right bloodshed is coming our way, killing him I fear will send us down an even more dangerous route then the one we are already on."
I looked over a Alkeli, he was fuming, and the snake that often went across his chest was gone. My heart leapt into my throat and stomach dropped. I looked over to mother finding the black shadow snake, beginning to coil around her feet. Reflexes kicked in, and out of my fingers I shot a crackle of lightning. The chaotic bolt struck the flat inky creature, and it let out a guttural screech, like many voices crying out in pain. Mother gasped and pulled up her feet as the creature slipped back into the shadows and crawled up its master's flesh.
"Control your snakes Alkeli," I growled.
"What makes you think I control him?" Alkeli said.
"Don't Alkeli. If you like your heart beating, keep your vipers away from my family," I threatened.
"Alright enough," Prowler said, before turning to mother, "You were saying Forecasta?"
Mother composed herself, before speaking again, "Barnes was wearing a mask in the vision, stating that by the time this prophecy is foretold, he is fully fledged."
"Then we must stop him from becoming that!" Alkeli screamed.
"He wasn't the cause of all of that destruction," Mother snapped, "When one is doing an action, it's typically depicted by them holding some object. If Barnes was responsible, he would have been holding a weapon of some kind. Swords are the most common ones I've seen, but there was nothing in the boy's hands. In fact, the only weapon I ever saw appear was a bow, and it was in the hands of a white iridescent figure with fiery eyes."
"White? The color of change or rebirth?" Shi-Qui-Qui asked.
Mother nodded, "Things are going to start changing. I believe it's for the better," She shot Alkeli a glare, "Some might disagree. But it starts with us allowing this boy to go through with the trials."
"Are you certain Cathenia?" Frost Mist spoke up, "I can understand where Alkeli is coming from. You are asking us to allow our people to follow a path that will lead into bloodshed."
"According to Fate the fighting was triggered not by Barnes, but by something else. The bloodshed will still happen no matter if Barnes is one of us or not. War is coming either way." Mother said.
"If it makes no difference. We might as well allow him to take his shot at the trials. If he dies, he dies. If he makes it through, it's another soldier for our use," Lennox chimed in, "I think we should let the kid try. All in favor?"
All but Alkeli, raised their hands.
The small child held tightly to my wife's hand. She was such a little and frightened thing; thin limps, half-starved, and needle scars marking every inch of her dark skin. The things that made her appear different from us, didn't matter. We shared not a drop of blood, but that didn't change anything. We were still bringing our daughter home.
Jenette whimpered, as she stepped onto the porch of the farmhouse. Alice and I shared a glance and stopped.
"Are you alright sweetheart?" Alice said leaning over to hear the girl's quiet voice.
"Yes," Jenette said.
"Don't worry kiddo, they'll love you," I reassured, and opened the door.
We walked inside. The squeals and laughter of young children hit our ears, and we couldn't help but smile. From the entry way we could see our brood of three, soon to be four, playing amongst themselves.
"Children!" Alice called out.
A chorus of 'Mama's and 'Baba's rang as the little ones ran over. I hugged my kids happily laughing, but I didn't miss Jenette slowly backing away. Alice quickly put our youngest down, and went back to the Jenette, putting her hands on her shoulders comfortingly.
"Kids this is your new sister, Jenette," Alice said, before turning back to our newest addition, "Jenette, this is Taiga he's 12, Arrow she's 10, and Shawnen, the baby, who is only 5. They're your new brothers and sister."
It was silent for a few moments. We had explained when we left that we would be bringing back a surprise, but at that moment I wondered if that was enough. Sure, our older two knew exactly where babies come from. We didn't shy away from the necessary lessons in biological reproduction once they were old enough to understand. Taiga had even found it fascinating.
Thankfully, Arrow stepped forward, she tilted her head and smiled, "You want to come play?"
Jenette just stared; confused golden eyes wide.
Arrow just smiled, and reached for Jenette's hand, "Come on, we're drawing over here! You like colors?"
I watched the girls run off and for the first a smile appeared on Jenette's face.
"She's going to be okay," I said.
"Yeah, Row will make sure of that. Just like her Daddy would," Alice said.
Six years later, that same scared little girl was still standing in front of me. Although she wasn't that scared anymore. The blank face and emotional eyes had morphed over the years into hardened frown and a cold calculated stare. Her signature expression was on full display as she hit a practice dummy on the training field.
The dummy broke with a snap, as she swung a knife one way and then kicked the opposite way. She glared down at the fallen stuffed foe. I walked over.
"You, okay?" I asked.
She nodded.
"You don't need to be right now," I said.
Her breathing grew shaky, and I pulled her into a hug, "You're going to be okay. Row's going to be okay. It all going to be okay."
"I don't want to lose her, dad," she said.
"We won't. Row is strong."
"I wish I hadn't been mad at her, back…"
"You had a hard time with your mom's death, and you didn't know how to handle your pain. You didn't mean to blame her, and I know your sister doesn't hold it against you."
"I haven't even apologized. I just ignored it, and we seemed fine after a while…but…I…I never…"
I rubbed her back and shushed her gently, "Well, when she wakes up, you'll get the chance."
"What if she doesn't forgive me?"
"Don't worry, Tweety. She already has."
"How can you know that?"
"Well, baby, I don't think anyone can see any malice between the two of you when you talk to each other. I think that's real. I think she's forgiven you for your anger and you've forgiven her for her mistakes."
"But what if we haven't? What if those chats, and playful teasing…"?
"Shh shh shh. Do you remember what your mama told you and Arrow when you were little?"
She nodded, "'That no force can stop a sister's love'," she sniffed, "It sounds so stupid."
"I will admit that the words haven't aged that well, but their meaning still holds. I know to some it doesn't apply, but to us no force will stop us from loving our family. For us it is a bond that can never be broken. Especially the love between sisters. Arrow loves you, Jet. I know she never stopped."
The only sound in the room was a steady the beeping of her heart. I stared at the young woman on the hospital bed, but all I could see was that chubby, red-faced, wailing, tiny baby, that still was the cutest thing I had ever seen. A large number of white dressings were covering her right arm, shoulder and some of her torso. It hurt to look at her.
The doctors had recently taken Arrow off of the drugs to keep her under, and the breathing tube, the only thing that was keeping her from waking up was herself. So, we had been taking turns sitting at her bedside. I glanced at the clock, nearly two hours I had been sitting in this chair. This hard uncomfortable plastic chair, but I didn't care.
Her hand was neatly tucked in mine. It was small, and pale. The nails covered in chipped polish, and the fingers weren't perfectly straight, the ring and index tilting toward the middle one. Small scars on the knuckles, from training exercises that happened so long ago that they were barely noticeable. Tiny imperfections that told the story of someone strong and brave, and that's who she was. I squeezed her hand…
And she squeezed back.
My eyes darted up to her face, eyes half way open and in a haze of drugs, but aware.
"Baba?" Her voice was quiet and through the oxygen mask it sounded muffled.
Tears began to form in my eyes, and a smile spread across my face.
A/N:
Okay here's another Christin Chapter. Just a little pick up on what's happening on his end, and a look into his and Jenette's history and relationship. Maybe in a future Christin Chapter, I'll explore another one of his kids, if that's something ya'll are up for. Also been thinking about possibly doing a Nico POV chapter, if that's something ya'll be interested.
Anyway, Until next time! Peace!
