-Chapter 15-
What Once Was Home
Shengcun
Sunlight broke through the clouds as rainwater dripped from the village rooftops. The ninjas were beaten and Shengcun was safe once again. However, just because the immediate danger was out of the way did not mean everything was right with the world.
"Be careful…"
"I know…"
"Support his neck…"
"I know…"
"Keep him level and don't move so fast!"
"Locke!" Julie-Su snapped. The Guardian and ex-Legionnaire were carrying Knuckles, still unconscious from Sad-Mask's electrified bamboo trap. "Seriously, I've got it! I don't need you micromanaging me every step of the way!"
"I am attempting to minimize his discomfort so it does not backlash onto you, Julie-Su. Trust me when I say that pain is always worse when it is the pain of your soulbonded. I nearly fainted from the agony of Lara giving birth to our son."
"Seriously? Is it that powerful? It never bothered us before."
"Even we've yet to fully understand what triggers this part of the link." Locke shook his head. "But that is not important right now. We need to get both of you somewhere safe and dry so you can recover."
"Please, I'm fine," Julie-Su scoffed. "The beatings I got from my siblings back in the Dark Legion were worse than…ack!" Her shoulder spasmed as she hissed in pain, nearly dropping Knuckles in the process.
"You were saying?" Locke deadpanned.
"Fine… I'll lie down for a bit."
"Locke! Julie!"
The two looked ahead to see Lara running over to them.
"You're back!" she sighed in relief. "Oh, thank Aurora! I…Ah! Knuckles!"
Lara froze upon seeing her son's state. His red fur was covered in black patches, and - while they had mostly healed thanks to his strong Chaos Energy - he had several, large burns.
"Oh, Aurora… what happened!? He looks like he's been struck by lightning!"
"He… was," Locke replied.
"The ninjas sprung some kind of electrical qi trap. He pushed us out of the way to save us," Julie explained.
Lara hugged Knuckles close, looking on the verge of tears.
"My boy…" she sniffled. "My poor, brave, little boy."
As Lara gently cradled her son, Locke stood there watching. On the outside, he was as stoic as ever, albeit not as grim. On the inside, he was just as broken up as his ex… wife. This was his fault. Knuckles was distracted. He would've sensed that paltry trap and got them all out easily. But, he didn't, because he had figured out his plan to defeat the ninja single-handedly and win back Lara. Because he was too busy chewing him out to notice. And now…
"Dearest Lara! Head Guardian!" called out a familiar voice. "I have found you!"
"It's Wyn!" Julie-Su cried out as the Guardian approached.
"I have returned with Young Kathryn and with tidings of victory!"
"Oh, thank heavens!" Lara sighed in relief.
"Wait, what are...?" Locke's eyes widened in shock upon seeing Kat. She was flopped on Wyn's shoulder, snoring lightly. She was filthy and soaked, along with some minor wounds. However, what really stood out were the tear streaks visible through the dirt on her face.
"Kathryn...?" Lara let out.
"Oh shit..." Julie gasped.
Locke furiously stormed over toward Wyn. "What the hell happened!?"
"H-Head Guardian... I-I..." Wyn stammered.
"You were supposed to keep Kathryn and the others safe! I gave you explicit orders! What happened to her!?"
"It is not my fault! Kathryn went off on her own to protect us!"
Locke's eyes widened in shock. "Kathryn did what!?"
"The assassins were after her, so she decided to separate to try and lure them on a wild goose chase," Wyn explained. "However, there was evidence of a fourth ninja, one Kathryn knew nothing about. So, I gave chase, and it is good that I did."
To corroborate this story, Wynmacher took off his bag, dumping out its contents: Kat's bracers and her broken bat.
"My word..." Lara gasped.
"No way… Kat's bat… It's..." Julie shook her head in disbelief. "That's pure Megatal! Nothing can crack it! Tekno specifically made it that way!"
"What kind of person has that kind of power?" Lara asked.
"One I was lucky to get the drop on," Wyn replied. "I believe her name was..."
"Yamaneko Rantao..."
Once again, another part of the group had returned. This time, it was Bunker and Cinder.
"Master Bunker! Cinder!" Julie-Su cried out. "You're alright!"
"Barely so," the tortoise replied, wringing the excess water from her tattered robe as Cinder attempted - in vain - to dry off with her fire qi. "And from the looks of it, you had your own struggles as well."
Bunker and Cinder looked over the echidnas' states, then Kat's.
"Kaitian…" Bunker whispered.
"Oh no!" Cinder cried out. "Kacchan and Kacchan's brother!"
"Be at ease, little one," Wyn soothed, petting the pheasant's head gently. "Young Kathryn is merely sleeping, and Young Knuckles the same."
Cinder sagged in relief. "Yokatta…"
Bunker walked over to her student, checking her pulse; then, she moved her hand slightly upward, examining the remnants of the puncture wounds left from Rantao's kunai.
"Her qi has been blocked," she said. "I will need to apply acupuncture to open her meridians again, but she will be fine."
There was a collective sigh of relief upon hearing Bunker's diagnosis.
"She's safe… thank Aurora," Lara let out, performing a quick sign of prayer for her daughter's safety, before running over to embrace her savior. "And thank you, Wynmacher, for saving her."
Wyn put his free hand around her. "I only did what anyone would do in my place."
Locke flinched as he witnessed the sight before him. H-He had just saved their son! Their firstborn child! Their blood -child! He almost died fighting an assassin with power over the weather; as shown by the wounds on his body. Meanwhile, Wynmacher didn't even have a scratch on him! No doubt because Kathryn had already softened her opponent up for him! And here she was swooning over him like he was the second coming of The Great Edmund!
Damn that Wynmacher! His hold over Lara was stronger than he had thought! How dare he do this!? How dare he make a fool of him like this!? How dare he!? How–!?
"Sensei?" Cinder cut in. "Where's Oneechan?"
"I-I'm sure she's fine, Cinder," Bunker reassured. "Her and Dulcinea are probably…"
"What the hell!?"
Another moment passed, another new arrival, but not one they were expecting.
"Miss Jade!" Wynmacher called out.
"Oh my… Holy…" Jade let out as she looked around the village. "What in Light Gaia's Grace happened here!? I was only gone for like one shi and it looks like a damned thunderstorm hit!"
"What is a 'shi'?" Wyn asked, unfortunately drawing Jade's attention to him…and his passenger.
"Kat!" She bolted over to check on her. "By the Ancients… who did this to her!?"
"Ninjas… ninjas did this."
And with that, everyone was back together.
"Dulcinea!" Bunker shouted.
"Oneechan!" Cinder cried out, running over to hug the tigress, who winced in pain from her touch.
"Good to see you too, Cinder," Jian gritted out through the stinging of her skin as she returned the hug.
"Oneechan, Dulcy-senpai, you're hurt!"
"I'm alright, Cinder, just a little sore." Jian glared at Dulcy out of the corner of her eye. "No thanks to some people."
Dulcy returned the glare. "You are lucky my whole body feels like a bowl of Aiyu jelly, Jian. Otherwise…"
"Dulcinea… Jian…"
Dulcy and Jian shut up and stiffened as Bunker gave her two older pupils a glare of her own.
"Apologies, Jade," Bunker said. "We were ambushed and things got… hectic."
"I can see that, Master Bunker," Jade replied, her gaze going to the tortoise's disheveled state. "The village looks like a tornado hit, everyone looks like they got drowned in the river… and apparently ninjas are involved."
"Nin… ja…"
Correction, now the group was back together.
"Kathryn!" Locke cried out.
"Are you alright, dear?" Lara asked frantically.
Kat nodded slowly, groaning in pain as she weakly held her head. "Where's Knux?"
She looked around and saw her brother's unconscious form.
"Oh, Gaia…" Kat whispered, her eyes wide with horror. "Knux…"
"He's fine," Locke cut in. "He's unconscious, but his wounds are healing and his vitals are stable."
Kat heaved a sigh of relief. "Good… Thank Gaia, I…" She winced as she clutched her head.
"You were knocked around quite badly," Wyn reported, carefully lowering her to the ground so she was kneeling on the grass. "I would be more surprised if you were not suffering from some sort of head injury."
Jade rushed to her friend's side, grabbing her arms and looking her dead in the eye.
Kaitian, tell me what the fugg is going on here. You're supposed to be invincible and able to break boulders, and yet you look like you just went a few rounds with Sharky Chan.
Kat winced at that, turning away slightly. I am many things, Jade, but invincible is not one of them. Especially when some nutcase hires Yamaneko Rantao to kill me.
Jade went completely silent.
"Ya… Yamaneko Rantao!?" she screeched, stumbling backward and landing on her bottom.
"Loud…" Kat winced, covering her ears slightly.
"By the Ancients… Someone actually sent the Yamaneko Rantao after you!?"
"Hold on!" Dulcy cut in. "That was Rantao!?"
"I am guessing she is significant?" Wyn asked.
Jian nodded. "Yamaneko Rantao is one of the most powerful and deadliest ninjas in all of Yurashia. She's a ruthless assassin, a master swordswoman and martial artist, and a prodigy at qi cultivation." Jian grimaced.
"You speak as though you know her personally," Locke said, his eyes narrowing.
Jian swallowed nervously, Cinder clutching her hand. "She belongs to the same clan as m-…that I was a part of," the tigress corrected. "She is Raiju."
"She's one of the others who attacked Suzaku Castle the night we ran away," Cinder clarified, clutching Jian tightly. "She's really strong and really scary."
"She's only twenty-three, but she's so powerful, she can wipe out an entire regiment of highly trained samurai warriors on her own," Jian continued. "Some even believe she's next in line to lead the clan."
"Seeing as she could split herself into four shadow clones capable of acting on their own and still be strong enough to do this," Kat gestured to the damage around them. "I can believe that."
"Clones!?" Julie shouted.
"You mean all those ninjas we fought were all the same person!?" Lara let out.
"Walkers above…" Wyn let out. "I think we have just found a Yurashian Knuckles!"
Kat let out a long, shaking breath, curling in on herself. She hugged her legs, visibly shaking as the shock wore off and the severity of what happened finally hit her.
"Gaia…" she whispered. "I haven't felt this small and helpless since… since…"
"The Death Egg?" Jade concluded, earning a nod from Kat, who continued to shudder in terror over what had happened.
"Hey…" Jade sat down next to her, pulling her into a hug. "Let's get you somewhere better than the dirt road. Your accommodations are ready. We can talk more about this ninja stuff there." Kat looked up at Jade, and a wry smile came over her friend's face. "Plus, I think you're really gonna like this."
Kat looked up quietly, then gave a tentative nod. Jade took that as an invitation and quickly hopped to her feet. She hooked Kat's arm around her shoulder, helping her to her feet. Unfortunately, the Chaos-enhanced teen was a bit heavier than Jade remembered and they nearly toppled over. Thankfully, Wynmacher reached out and caught them both. (Much to the chagrin of Locke, who had been a step too far and a second too late.)
"Fair Jade, allow me to carry Young Kathryn to the accommodations you have so kindly prepared for us."
He scooped Kat up in his arms, carrying her as if she were a small child and not fifteen.
"Come, let us make haste!" Wyn declared, softer than normal, but no less enthusiastic.
Locke watched as Wyn ran off with his daughter, the others following after him. He attempted to call out in protest, but the words died before they could reach his mouth. All he could think about was how Kat looked. The complete opposite of the indomitable, young spitfire he had come to see her as over the years. Even when she had been brought back from her near-death experience from the incident with the being called Neo Metal Sonic, her eyes were still full of fire and strength and a will to live. But this? She looked so… Broken. Beaten. Defeated. Helpless. Just like she was when she first came into their lives.
"Yamaneko Rantao…" he whispered venomously. "You'd best pray to whatever gods your people believe in that our paths never cross again. Because if they do…" He clenched his fists, tiny pebbles levitating around him. "You will sorely regret it."
-X-
Meanwhile...
"Dammit!" Rantao screamed, startling birds and small mobini and sending them running away and flying away. After her defeat at the hands of Wynmacher, the Raiju had retreated deeper into the forest to regroup. After making sure nobody was following her and taking a moment to pick the splinters from her… everywhere, she'd decided to take a bath in a nearby lake to relax her body and mind while her clothes dried. It was proving only half as effective, however; as while the cool, clear waters were doing wonders for her aching muscles and filthy fur, they couldn't extinguish the burning rage and frustration she was feeling.
"I was this close! This. Close!" she ranted. "I had Winters right where I wanted her! I could've finished her off right there if it wasn't for that damned, dirt-eating mole-rat savage! I can't believe I let him humiliate me like that!"
She leaned back against the loamy soil, looking up at the dissipating cloudy sky she'd made. Beside her was her trusted blade, ready and waiting ever faithfully for when she needed to strike down anyone unfortunate enough to walk in on her. Then, she gazed down at her reflection rippling in the water, taking in the sight of herself. A small smirk came over her. She was young, beautiful, strong. Fresh in her prime and already at a level others only reached when they were old, decrepit, and weak. She was the mightiest of her clan. A clan destined to rule the East. A clan she was destined to rule…
Until that white, striped traitor grew soft and left her to rot in that self-proclaimed emperor bluejay's dungeons. Now, she could never return to her clan, let alone lead it. If she did, it would be tantamount to suicide. She had to redeem herself. Remind those fools and the old, decrepit hag they worshiped who she was.
"I am Yamaneko Rantao… mightiest of the Raiju" she whispered. "And the next time I see you or anyone of your family, Winters, you're dead!"
She let out a feral yowl as she slashed at the water, snarling in rage as she stood there panting. As the ripples smoothed out, the reflection cleared, revealing someone standing behind her. She froze in shock, but only for less than a second. Afterward, she pulled herself out of the water, grabbing her blade. She turned and attempted to strike at the one spying on her, only to have her attack blocked by a familiar, ornate katana.
"Pathetic," snarled Flare, glaring at her from beneath the hood of his flame-etched cloak. "And to think you claim to be such a capable assassin."
"Flare!?" Rantao let out in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"Right now, I'm contemplating whether I should burn your carcass into charcoal before or after killing you," the pheasant replied with a scathing glare.
"Ergh… Flare- sama ," she gritted out. "Why have you come all this way? And… how?"
"I have my methods." He tapped his blade. "As for why, it certainly wasn't to see you naked, that's for sure."
Flare looked Rantao up and down appraisingly, giving an appreciative(?) smirk. The Raiju ninja let out a panicked mewl, her face turning redder than the flames on the pheasant's cloak.
"And without the jokes?" she hissed as she covered her modesty with her free hand and tail, her grip on her blade not wavering for a moment.
"Did you truly think I would sit idle while I send the Yamaneko Rantao after my prize?" He sneered at the very idea. "No, I have been watching you since the moment I released you from my dungeons. I am many things, but a fool I am not."
Continuing to hold off her blade with his katana, Flare used his free hand to reach into his cloak. From its folds, he revealed a small bag the size of a coin purse, but what he pulled from the pouch was a bronze mirror. It was large enough that it needed to be held with two hands, but it hovered in the air on its own. Ryuese characters carved into the frame glowed with an amber light, making its mystic nature known.
" Enshi no Kagami. The Mirror of Farsight," Flare explained. "Nothing can hide from its gaze. Not even the renowned assassin of the Raiju."
Rantao's eyes widened in shock. "You've been spying on me!?"
Flare nodded, putting the mirror away. "And I saw everything. The gaijins' battles with you and your replicas…" His eyes narrowed in contempt. "...and how you lost to each of those worthless rats."
Rantao snarled. "So what, are you here to kill me?"
"I am genuinely considering it. Especially after you allowed yourself to be taken down by that oversized buffoon of a harimogura in one punch! One. PUNCH!"
"That damned echidna blindsided me!" Rantao defended. "My three spirit clones had been taken out by the others!"
"Sounds like a bunch of excuses to me," Flare dismissed. "You've grown soft, doubtless from your extended stay in prison."
Rantao glowered at the Entei, but she couldn't deny there was truth to his words. "Whatever," she bit out. "Let's just get this over with."
"You misunderstand, I said I was considering it. While you failed to kill Winters, you came dangerously close. Closer than anyone ever has, from what I've been told." Flare lowered his sword, sliding it back into its sheathe. "However, I do not suffer fools gladly, and I have even less patience for failures. So, I shall be stepping in to ensure that this time, that brat does not escape so easily."
Rantao paused. "You? Help me? HA! You're joking, right?"
"Do I look like a man who is joking?" Flare replied grimly. "You forget, I successfully defended against your attempts to take my head during the months before this mission…" He leaned in closer. all eighty-three of them." He leaned closer still. " While still in my nightclothes. "
Rantao blushed at those memories. "Perhaps…" Then locked them away as she got back to business. "But this is not your average target. Not only is this child skilled, but she is not without allies. Entire kingdoms will rally to her banner should you be careless in exposing yourself, which will not be hard to do. She immediately recognized me, and she had never seen my face in person. But you, she has met personally, and she will not hesitate to make your identity known."
Flare snarled, but could not refute the assassin's words. If his involvement in this affair was discovered, Winters' allies would declare war on Suzaku. He would be ruined. But he had to do this; he had to reclaim his empire's lost flame, lest it be lost forever.
"Then what do you suggest?" he snarled, fists clenched tightly.
"Simple." Rantao finally smiled, a vicious gleam in her eye. "While I may have failed to kill those disgusting simpletons, I was able to observe them. And thus, I was able to find a...potential weak spot."
Flare's expression softened; his eyebrow rising in intrigue. "I am listening..."
-X-
Shengchun Outskirts
Jade led the group toward the outskirts of the village, down a dirt path with worn wagon tracks in it. There were wildflowers everywhere, filling the air with their gentle scent that mixed with the fresh smell of rain. A river flowed along the trail beside them, filling the air with the fierce, yet gentle sound of rushing rapids and the plip-plop of jumping fish.
"Not much further, now," Jade said. "You should see the gate soon."
"Uuugh… you said that an hour ago, Jaaaade…" Julie-Su moaned.
"But we have only been walking for fifteen minutes," Wynmacher pointed out innocently.
"It's called hyperbole, Wyn."
"It's called whining," Jian lightly snapped. "Something I would appreciate you stopping."
"Oneechaaaaan…"
"Cinder, you're a big girl now, I'm not going to carry you anymore." Jian winced as she rubbed her shoulder. "Besides, I'm still recovering from Dulcinea's stupidity."
"For the last time, it was an accident!" the dragoness shouted.
"Caused by your people's inability to keep your snouts out of others' business or listen when they tell you to! Because your wits are about as dim as your Flame."
"What was that!?"
"That is enough!" Bunker snapped, glaring at the two bickering Mobians. "Both of you!"
"It was her fault, Shifu/Sensei!" Dulcy and Jian shouted, pointing at each other.
"That does not matter," Bunker continued, motioning toward Kat, who was still leaning on Wynmacher's shoulder, still drained from the events of their earlier battles.
The dragon and tiger winced in sympathy, silently bowing their heads in apology before resuming their trek.
"Man, those two really don't like each other," Julie-Su replied.
"I know…" Cinder added sadly. "I don't understand why. They're on the same side, so why can't they be friends?"
Julie-Su sighed, her mind in another time and place. "Wish I could tell you, kiddo. Wish I could."
"Alright, here we are!" Jade called out, prompting everyone to come to a stop. "This is where you'll be staying for the next week."
"What the…?" Julie-Su let out.
"No way…" Dulcy whispered.
"Oh, it's beautiful!" Lara exclaimed happily.
"Kirei ne…" Cinder added with starry eyes.
"Well now, I certainly wasn't expecting this," Jian chimed in.
"Ahhh, so that is why she wouldn't say anything," Bunker said, nodding in understanding.
Locke just nodded dumbly, too shocked to speak.
"What a quaint little villa! Like something out of a picture book," Wyn exclaimed as he nudged Kat. "Kathryn, look! You must see this!"
"Okay, okay…"
Kat looked up at where they were and a gasp slipped from her mouth. They were standing in front of a large, round gate surrounded by an ivy-covered wall. The wall itself was painted white, with tiled edging along the top. The gate itself was somewhat ornate, painted a rich blue color with large doors. Right now, the doors were open, but if you looked just above the frame, you would see an insignia carved into the stone. An insignia of a snowdrop flower.
"Bù kěnéng de… (1)" she whispered, her eyes misting over as she covered her mouth with her hand. "Jade how… when did you… there's no way…"
"Way, Kat," Jade replied. "Very, very way."
"Okay, this is a really nice place," Julie-Su said, taking in the sight some more.
"Indeed, Young Jade, your home is most beautiful," Wyn added.
At that, Jade just smiled and shook her head.
"I live with Sumi in a small house in town." She turned and gestured to Kat with her chin. "This house… it's-"
"Mine…" Kat whispered.
At that moment, save for the sounds of nature, a sudden silence fell over everyone.
"Wait… yours!?" Dulcy practically shrieked, shattering it.
Kat nodded, slowly sliding off of Wynmacher's back while struggling not to cry. She walked toward the gates; each step, uneasy and stumbling, like a child walking for the first time. Concerned and interested in this discovery, the others followed after her.
Stepping through the gate, they entered a fair-sized courtyard of a fair-sized home. It was a single-story building with a large entryway with bamboo curtains for the door. The walls were painted white with the trim the same rich blue from the wall. A rock garden in the center and a modest herb patch lined the house. A small dock led to the river, with an awning that matched the rest of the house. Everything was clean and it felt like they were walking into a historical Chun-ese home. The snowdrop insignia was on the house as well, situated just above the main door, and looking at the rock garden, there was a carving of the insignia on the tallest rock.
"Wow…" Julie-Su whispered. "This is… wow…"
"Kacchan…" Cinder let out. "I didn't know you were a princess too."
"At the very least, she's filthy rich," Jian added.
"I'm not either," Kat replied, shaking her head.
"Then how do you explain this place?" Julie-Su questioned, gesturing at …everything around them.
"My mom's family were doctors, apothecaries that gained a name for themselves for their kindness and willingness to help anyone." Kat put a shaky hand against the wood of the house's entryway, her breath shaking from emotions. "This place… was our ancestral home, where generations of herbalists and doctors from our family learned the trade… I would have learned too, once I… came of age."
Her gaze fell on the small dock, her breath hitching as a tear rolled down her cheek.
"My dad and I would fish from this dock almost every day, seeing what we would catch for dinner. He taught me to swim right here… and those woods just beyond the dock… that was my playground…"
Something in her broke and her legs gave out beneath her. She crumbled to the ground, truly crying as all of the memories washed over her. She could see her mother bent over the herb garden, arms caked in dirt. She saw her father laughing as he read the paper on the porch. She could see herself and Jade as children running around with gap-toothed smiles and carefree eyes. All those warm memories had her openly sobbing as reality sank in, showing her the empty house devoid of its previous warmth.
"I forget, sometimes," Dulcy began. "We may have heard of the Massacre, but she... she lived it
and she was only twelve."
Jian merely nodded, grunting in solemn affirmation.
"To lose everything at such a young age," Bunker sighed. "It is a miracle she did not shatter completely."
"Poor Kacchan…" sniffled Cinder, trying to hold back her tears.
"She is much stronger than any of us anticipated," Wynmacher commented with newfound respect. "No wonder Tikal chose her to be the bridge."
"Yeah..." Julie-Su added.
Locke and Lara were the only ones who remained silent. They didn't dare say anything. What could they tell their child? What condolences could they offer that wouldn't insult the memory of this place? Of the people who lived here? Who gave their child life?
Locke in particular was shaken up by this. Kathryn often spoke of her birth family, sharing memories, and keeping her old traditions alive. However, this was perhaps the first time he was finally seeing the full scope of what she lost. He closed his eyes and turned away, old memories surfacing…
Flashback
-X-
Angel Island - 2 Years Ago
Locke snarled in disgust as he watched his son coddle that human child. She'd been crying in the night again, screaming in whatever barbaric tongue she spoke. This had been going on for weeks, sometimes every night. And every time, Knuckles would abandon his guard duty to hold her.
"Unbelievable…" Locke whispered, shaking his head in disapproval. "I cannot believe I am actually humoring this."
He turned away, spitting on the ground as he walked away from the Master Emerald Shrine. That child had no place on the island. She was a human and should be with other humans, not putting silly ideas in his son's head. Knuckles needed to be focused on his training, preparing for what was to come. Not playing babysitter to this sniveling brat. Somehow, he had to get rid of her. But how?
He couldn't just spirit her away while nobody was looking. Knuckles would go searching for her, or Princess Sally and her surface dwellers would bring her back; and when they did, they would immediately figure out he was behind it and Knuckles would leave forever. No, he couldn't get rid of her himself. She would need to leave of her own accord, but that seemed unlikely, given how... clingy she was. He needed to make her realize that she didn't belong here. At the very least, that his son had a destiny and that she could not be a part of it.
"Wait… A part of it..."
His head perked up, an idea forming. Knuckles had approached him with the ludicrous idea of making her a Guardian. He'd been unable to say no, given what he'd witnessed with the Master Emerald. But... perhaps he could use that to his advantage. She was a child. A weak child of the surface who couldn't even sleep alone. All he would need to do is show her she was unfit; that she didn't have what it takes. If she quit on her own, then Knuckles wouldn't stop her. He would need to be careful though. He was well aware of the girl's higher-than-normal intuition. Her 'Sus Meter' as everyone called it (Humans...good grief). Still, he had a plan. He'd need to work out the details, but it was still a solid plan. Now, he just needed to…
"Head Guardian!
"Gah!"
Locke spun around, finding himself standing face-to-face with...
"Wynmacher?" What could he possibly want at this hour?
"Head Guardian, I noticed Young Kathryn is not doing well. Is she suffering from her relivings again?"
Of course, the girl. Wynmacher was one of the Guardians who was sympathetic and supportive of her inclusion in the tribe. A group that fortunately remained in the minority, but still irksome that they existed at all.
"So it would seem, Wynmacher," Locke sighed heavily, playing off his disdain as frustration and exhaustion. "So it would seem."
"I thought as much," Wynmacher nodded sympathetically. "But, never fear! I shall step in for Young Knuckles while he helps her through this difficult time."
"Do not concern yourself with her, Wynmacher," Locke cut in. "She is not your responsibility."
Wynmacher blinked in confusion. "But, sir, she is a Guardian, and we must look out for each other."
"She is not a Guardian!"
Wynmacher recoiled in fright as Locke cleared his throat, taking a moment to regain his composure.
"She is not a Guardian," he repeated calmly. "Not officially, anyway."
"Yes, this is true." Wynmacher nodded in understanding. "But she is trying and, as her Elders, it is our duty to provide support when she needs it."
Locke glowered at Wynmacher in carefully concealed contempt. Of all these 'deviant Guardians', he was easily the worst. How this loud, obnoxious twit managed to pass the trials, he would never understand.
"Besides, you should be proud of Young Knuckles," the twit continued, looking toward the Master Emerald Shrine. "There are not many who would open their hearts to another so readily, especially to one of another species. His empathy and compassion are truly commendable and I dare say her presence has made him stronger in heart. I can only imagine how heartbroken he would be if something were to happen to her." He gave Locke an aside glance, a smirk coming over his face. "Or if someone were to drive her away out of a misguided sense of duty.
Locke let out a cough. "Yes… Of course..."
Right... that was how.
"Head Guardian…" Locke stiffened as Wynmacher put a hand on his shoulder. "These are different times. The world we have returned to is not the one we left when the Dingos attacked. Whatever dangers the Walkers warned you of, we will need everything we can muster to face them. If you truly believe Young Knuckles is the key to the world's survival, then would it not be in his best interest to encourage his ties to it?"
Locke stood silently for a moment, pondering Wynmacher's words. What he spoke of had a modicum of truth, but his peoples' laws… their traditions…
"Head Guardian?"
Locke let out a weary sigh. "I will not hold back on her because of her age, nor her human frailties."
"Nor should you," Wyn concurred. "But while she is fragile in places, she is strong in others. She will endure, and Young Knuckles alongside her."
"I will believe that when I see it." Locke brushed Wynmacher's hand off his shoulder. "For now, I believe you have work to do."
"I believe you are correct." Wynmacher saluted. "By your leave, Head Guardian Locke."
And with that, he made for the shrine.
"Young Knuckles!" he called out in his usual bombastic manner. "I have come to relieve you! Your mother has made soup!"
Locke watched as Knuckles pulled the girl onto his back, carrying her away from the shrine.
"It will only be for a while," he whispered. "She just needs a little push. Then, she will be out of their lives for good."
A low thrum greeted his ears, along with what sounded like a muffled voice, coming from the direction of the Shrine. He watched as the Master Emerald pulsed, and - for a brief moment - swore he had seen a small, spark of pinkish-red peer through its viridian glow. He wasn't sure why, but it made him feel...uneasy. And it made him think about what Wynmacher said and the consequences that would follow.
"I accept full responsibility for what I am about to do."
Taking a deep breath, he steeled his nerve and walked away.
Flashback End…
-X-
"Full… responsi…" he whispered. "I… accept…"
A loud sniffle pulled Locke out of his mind. He turned around and saw Kat, still on her knees, crying softly into the shoulder of…
"There, there, Kathryn…" Wyn whispered as he patted her on the shoulder. "It is alright."
"Wynmacher! What do you think you're doing!?" Locke shouted, startling everyone.
"H-Head Guardian?" Wyn let out.
"Locke?" Lara asked.
Realizing he'd slipped up, Locke cleared his throat.
"Wynmacher, for the love of Aurora, show some respect! You can't just walk over to someone and…" he awkwardly performed a hugging motion with his hands.
"Ah! I apologize, Head Guardian." Wynmacher hastily bowed. "And to you as well, Kathryn. I merely wished to help."
Kat sniffed again. "It's… it's alright Wyn," she wiped away her tears. "You didn't do anything wrong." With that, she stood up, regaining some of the old fire in her eyes. "Sorry about that, everyone. I just…"
"There is nothing to apologize for, Kaitian," Bunker cut in. "After everything that's happened today and now this…" She gestured to Kat's old house. "I doubt anyone would be able to help themselves."
"Heh, yeah…" Kat looked around the courtyard once more. "Still… I can't believe it. I never thought I'd see this place again. H-How…?"
"It was after everyone returned home and we started rebuilding," Jade explained. "The walls needed to be patched up, but because it was so far out, Eggman pretty much passed it over. Since then, Sumi and I have been looking after it, for if you…" Jade twiddled her thumbs awkwardly. "Well…"
"If I came back…" Kat finished, letting out a soft chuckle. "Even before I was confirmed alive, you still held out hope."
"I mean, all of us hoped someone survived. Plus, this is you we're talking about. The girl who managed to survive accidentally setting the rice paddies on fire."
"Aren't rice paddies submerged in water?" Julie-Su questioned.
"Yes," Jade replied plainly. "And somehow, this maniac set them ablaze with some homemade fireworks."
Kat groaned and covered her face with her hands. "Why is that my legacy…?"
"Because you're you?"
"Kathryn," Lara spoke up. "I'm sorry, but as heartwarming as this is…your brother…"
Kat perked.
"Crap! Knux! Stupid!" She smacked her cheeks in admonishment. "Right. Let's get everyone inside. We only have a wooden tub so we'll need to fetch water and heat it manually. After baths, we can set everyone up in the west wing. Mama used that area as an infirmary so there are plenty of spare futons we can use."
"Sounds good," Jade replied.
"Shizun, would you mind helping treat Knuckles while I start getting water?"
"Of course, Kaitian, I'll take good care of him," Bunker replied with a bow.
"Thank you, Shizun, you're a…"
"And you as well," Bunker cut in.
"Huh?" Kat stopped in her tracks, looking confused.
"You survived a battle with a highly trained ninja assassin, dear. It is likely that the only reason you are still standing is because of your Qi which, need I remind you, is still blocked and not flowing properly."
"But… the water…"
"You leave that to me, Young Kathryn!" Wyn immediately offered. "I am not injured and I can easily haul an entire bathtub of water!"
"And I can help heat it!" Cinder chimed in as well, grinning eagerly. "You can go rest with your oniisan! "
"In fact, Jian and I could probably dig you a hot spring by the time you're done," Dulcy offered. "Right, Jian?"
"Please, I could do it in half that time," Jian scoffed.
Bunker was quick to give both the tiger and the dragon a disapproving glare. "You two are in no position to offer aid. Both of you will join the rest in the west wing. And I want you both on your best behavior while we are here." Her glare redoubled. "Am I understood?"
"Y-Yes, ma'am!"
"H-Hai, Sensei!"
And with that, they were off.
"Alright then, Julie, please help me get Knuckles to a bed," Lara requested.
"Yes, ma'am!"
"Then I shall tend to the bath water!" Wyn proclaimed
Everyone ran off to handle their respective tasks, leaving only Locke and Kat left outside. The Head Guardian just stood there, his expression somewhere between stoic and vacant.
"Locke?" Kat asked, getting no response. "Locke? Hey, Locke!"
"I accept!" Locke cried out, then blinked in confusion. "Kathryn! What…?"
"You were doing it again, spacing out."
"I was?" Kat nodded. "Ahh… my apologies. This trip got so dramatic, between the ninjas and… this, it was simply a lot to take in."
"Tell me about it…" She sniffled loudly, wiping her eyes again before taking a breath. The poor girl. Despite her appearances, she was still in that vulnerable state. She needed help. This was his chance to be there!
"Kathryn, is there anything you need of me?" Locke asked. "I wasn't injured too badly during my fight and my Chaos has largely healed my wounds."
"Um… well…" Kat thought for a moment, then turned to face him. "I doubt Shizun is going to let me cook tonight, not that there's likely to be anything to cook in the kitchen. Everyone's gonna need food after this mess so… maybe you could run back to the village and grab some takeout? There's a noodle stand that makes pretty good dan dan and egg noodles."
Locke sagged in disappointment. "Ahh…" he let out. "Y-Yes, of course. I can do that."
"Thanks," Kat replied. "I'd ask Mom, but I don't think she's leaving Knux's side."
"Of course," Locke nodded. "Your brother's safety comes first."
Kat pulled out a wallet and handed him some bills. "Here, hopefully, this should be enough to cover the cost. If not, just tell them to put it on my tab and I'll pay the rest tomorrow."
"Very well," Locke replied. "I will return momentarily."
"Follow the path through the woods, and take the left fork. That will lead you back to the market square."
"Right."
Locke took the money from Kat and began making his way back the way they came. As he did, Kat couldn't help but feel something was… off. Locke had been acting strangely ever since they left. One minute he'd be completely stoic and quiet (which was normal), then he'd be spacing out and staring into nothing (which was not), and sometimes, he'd be enthusiastic and overly eager (which was scary). It left her feeling on edge and uncomfortable, especially since she couldn't lean on Knuckles for support.
"Young Kathryn! Where is the bathtub!? I must fill it with water for heating!"
"Right this way!"
She rushed to aid Wynmacher, desperate for the distraction from this unsettling and emotional ordeal.
Author's Note:
(1) Impossible in Chinese.
I... I just stubbed my toe on my desk *sniff* that's all. No big deal...
Please R&R. Until next time...