Sunday morning was almost Sunday afternoon by the time
Tenkou's eyes opened. Rubbing them, she rolled over and looked at
the red LCD display of her alarm clock. "Eleven-thirty?" she
muttered, rolling back over and staring up at the stucco surface
of the ceiling. Great, the day was half-over and she was just
waking up.
Climbing out of bed, she walked out into the entry and then
climbed the stairs. "Morning, Dad," she called, looking around as
she made her way to the kitchen. "Dad?" she repeated, noting the
empty kitchen as she pulled a glass from the cupboard and the
orange juice from the fridge.
A smiley-face magnet held a note in place. Pulling it off,
Tenkou read out loud. "Hon, went to help a colleague do some
translation work. Will be gone for most of the day. Don't worry
about supper, I'll find something for us. Luv, Dad." She
frowned. "Well, great, and what am I supposed to do all day?"
*
Darkness: Songs
Four: Gathering
by: Chandra Rooney
darkness@cloak-and-dagger.co.uk
*
Revised: June 2001
August 2001
*
Yamato jerked awake drenched in a cold sweat. Without
giving himself any time to even think of the fading dream, he
leapt out of bed and rushed to the bathroom.
Head hanging over the toilet bowl, he emptied the contents
of his stomach. Wiping his mouth on the back of his hand, he
leaned back, sinking to the cold tiles of the bathroom floor.
Even as he closed his eyes the fleeting images returned to dance
across the insides of his eyelids. Tenkou laying there with the
ceremonial dagger implanted in her chest-- Dawn Star smiling
triumphantly--
Yamato shook his head furiously. Dragging himself to his
feet, he walked over the sink and splashed his face with cold
water. He ran his hands through his hair, and then he rubbed his
eyes with the heels of his palms. "Get control of yourself," he
whispered. "It was a dream." Shaking his head, he walked out of
the bathroom.
Still, after the unsettling feeling the dream gave him--
Yamato sank down onto the couch. Resting his head against the
back, he stared up at the ceiling. Vaguely, he wondered what had
become of Requiem and his new friend last night. Sitting up,
Yamato reached for the phone.
Dialing a number, he placed the handset against his ear and
listened as it rang. One. Two. Three. "C'mon," Yamato
muttered, drumming his fingers on his knee. "Pick up before I
give myself an ulcer."
"Hi," the voice mail began. "If you're calling then you
know who this is. Leave me a nice message or I'll hunt you down
and ritualistically sacrifice you to the Sacred Flame."
"Sorry about last night," Yamato began. "Something happened
and I had to get out of that place. Call me back and let me know
you're alive." He hung up the phone and leaned back against the
couch.
He could call Tenkou-- but after the way her father had
answered the phone yesterday, it probably wasn't a good idea.
Despite the fact that he had used his actual given name-- and that
he was quite certain Alan Stone didn't know it-- the reception had
still been rather frosty. Was it possible that the professor had
recognized his voice? Yamato frowned. Someone had definitely
been telling Alan Stone something. He sighed, pushing it to the
back of his mind with the rest of the unsolved mysteries in his
life. Looking over at the clock, he noted the time of eleven
forty-six and picked up the phone again. He could always hang up.
*
Row upon row of bookshelves surrounded the small table in
the expansive room. The woman seated at the table was dressed in
a simple soft blue dress. Her long ash-blond braid fell behind
her back, resting against her chair's back. Alan Stone toyed with
his tie nervously, trying to straighten his clothing as he
approached her. It didn't matter to him that her grey eyes were
cloudy and sightless, he still wanted to look his best for her.
"Hello, Binah," he said cheerfully, pulling out the other
chair so he could sit across from her at the table. "Your message
said that you wanted my help with a project?"
Binah smiled, her sightless eyes moving in his direction.
"Alan, I'm glad you could make it," she told him, setting the
scroll she had been running her hands over to the side. "Have you
had a chance to look around our library yet?"
Stone nodded. "It's a most impressive collection," he
remarked. "I do believe the Foundation has a copy of every myth
the human mind has ever created."
Binah laughed, softly. "It's a very extensive collection,"
she agreed. "There was something I've been translating for my
research that I would like very much for you to take a look at."
She pushed a folder of typed pages towards him. "Please, if you
wouldn't mind reading this..."
"Of course not," Stone smiled. "I'm only happy to help you,
Binah. What is it that you've been working on?"
She smiled, somewhat coyly. "Why don't you read it and find
out?"
*
Tiferet was lounging in the sun in his solarium when the
door opened and closed. "Ah, beautiful one," he greeted, without
looking up. "I was wondering what was keeping you."
Matthew Tyler fidgeted, shifting his weight from one leg to
the other. "What do you want, Tiferet?" he asked. "I'd really
like to go home and have a shower."
Tiferet looked up, taking off his sunglasses. "Why,
Matthew," he remarked, "I do believe you've been out all night."
He sniffed. "And you weren't alone."
"What I do in my free time isn't really any of your
business," Matthew replied, shortly.
Tiferet gave him a patronizing smile. "My dearest Matthew,
every moment of your life is my business. Sit down and tell me
all about it."
Matthew swallowed. "Why?" he asked. "It's not like we're
_friends_. Is there something you wanted?"
Tiferet sat up, his long hair falling over his bare chest.
"No, we're not friends," he replied, slowly. "But we should
consider becoming them."
Matthew bit his lip. "I don't have to tell you anything,"
he said, stubbornly. "I'm going to leave now."
Tiferet smiled. "You're not."
Matthew stood there, looking down at the solarium's Mexican
clay tile floor. "I was drunk," he said, finally. "I might have
said a few things I shouldn't have."
Tiferet reached for his glass of wine. "How very noble, my
precious, that you're trying to protect this little temptress."
He took a sip of the wine. "However, if she knows something that
could endanger us, we really don't have any choice but to dispose
of her." He swirled the golden liquid. "So who was it?" Tiferet
demanded. "Come on, now, out with it."
Matthew fidgeted. "It wasn't a 'her'," he said finally.
Tiferet pursed his lips. "I think I'm beginning to
understand your reluctance to pursue Miss Stone."
*
When was the last time she'd been asked to report in person?
Rekki wondered as she pushed the button on the elevator. The
glass cage rose up to the fifth floor and stopped, opening. She
stepped out onto the plush carpet and followed it towards the
doors of the penthouse suite.
She pressed the button on the intercom next to the door.
"Daylight?" she asked, speaking into it. "It's Requiem. I had a
message asking me to come and see you, sir."
A small buzzer went off, and the door clicked as it unlocked
electronically. Rekki turned the handle and walked in, shutting
the door behind her.
Daylight looked up from the morning newspaper, as he waved
her towards the table. "I would have been here sooner, but I
wanted to change and freshen up," she told him, sitting in the
chair opposite him.
"Mm hmm," he replied, taking a sip of coffee. "Has Darkness
been behaving himself, Requiem?"
"As far as I know, sir," she admitted.
"As far as you know." Daylight turned the page. "And what
about those times that you don't know about?"
Inwardly, Rekki groaned. Daylight was going to be a
complete bastard-- as usual. Daylight set the paper aside,
folding up it up with meticulous care. "Well?" he prompted.
"I can't be with him twenty-four hours a day--" Rekki began.
"Do you have something else to do?" Daylight asked.
Rekki froze. Oh sh-- He knew. The bastard knew something
was going on. She sucked in a breath. How to get out of this?
What could she say that wasn't a lie?
"Don't get too comfortable," Daylight remarked, changing the
subject. "I may be reassigning you soon." Rekki nodded.
"Tiferet has chosen a conduit," he continued, casually. "Miss
Tenkou Stone." Daylight took a sip of coffee. "Tiferet and I
have already discussed the matter. He was worried it would cause
difficulties with certain individuals."
"Won't it?" she asked, trying not to show her dismay.
"No," he shook his head. "The fate of Miss Stone is not my
concern." He paused. "You will apologize to Tiferet for the
inconvenience you caused him concerning the demise of his hired
help."
Rekki bit her lip. "Yes, sir," she said quietly. "When do
you plan to tell Ya-- Darkness? He's not going to be pleased."
"It's for his own good," Daylight replied.
"He's going to want to stop them from harming Tenkou."
"So long as he doesn't act on that desire."
Rekki bit her lip. "He _really_ likes her, Sir."
Daylight snorted. "It's just a phase. He'll grow out of
this fascination he has with humans and find a more suitable
lifemate."
"He's not the only one who likes her," Rekki remarked,
carefully.
"I believe you learned your lesson last time." Rekki
flushed and stared intently down at the tabletop. Daylight took
another sip of coffee and casually leaned back in his chair.
"Tell me, Requiem, what does Darkness see in this girl?"
"Pardon me, sir?" Rekki blinked. "I'm not sure I
understand the question."
Daylight raised an eyebrow. "Well, she seems to collect
followers wherever she goes," he remarked. "I'm slightly curious
as to why."
"She's special," Rekki replied. "She's stronger than she
appears."
Daylight looked unconvinced. "He killed Netzah to protect
her."
"Well, I wouldn't say that," Rekki began. "I mean he did
kill... but it wasn't necessarily for Tenkou. I mean, it was more
of a personal vendetta thing--" Daylight scowled. "Because they
hurt him," she added, quickly. The scowl deepened. "I mean,
self-preservation."
"She's special, all right, a _dangerous_ sort of special,"
Daylight remarked. "Inform Darkness that I wish to speak to him."
He pushed back from the table. "You may go, Requiem."
Rekki watched as he walked away and vanished behind the door
of the balcony. She let out her breath in a whoosh. "Why do I
always have to be the one who delivers the bad news to him?" she
asked, getting up and making her way to the door. "It's no wonder
he's never happy to see me anymore."
*
Swirling the wine in the glass, Tiferet allowed himself a
smile. Things were going nicely all things considered. Sure,
Dawn Star's plans were in a bit of a disarray with this new
development, but Tiferet wasn't going to complain. After all,
Dawn Star's plans came second to his own.
"You look happy," the woman said, leaning against the wall.
"What was it that you wanted to talk to me about?"
"I have a proposition for you, Gevura," Tiferet gestured for
her to close the door and approach his desk. "How would you like
to replace Hohkmah and Binah?" he asked her, gesturing to one of
the leather chairs before him.
Gevura sat in the other. "Replace them?" she asked. "Don't
think I haven't considered it, Tiferet, but it's not something
that we can do. We don't make those decisions."
"You and I both know that Binah has never had the stomach
for the Council's designs, she's too understanding-- too
compassionate, and Hohkmah?" he snorted. "Hohkmah is a dotting
old fool. It's time for some fresh blood at the top to help lead
this family into the new millennium. You and I have what it
takes."
Gevura looked uncertain. "Try telling Mother that," she
remarked. "She's awfully fond of those two; they're her oldest,
after all."
"We're going to get her out of that rock and into a body,"
Tiferet replied. "But I need your skill with firearms to do it."
He leaned forward. "The girl in question shall be at the Gala
Saturday night, but we need to kill her to free the conduit for
Mother's essence."
"Don't have the balls to do it yourself?" she asked,
sneering.
"It's such a small thing to ask, considering what you'd be
getting in return," he replied, leaning back.
Gevura leaned back, half-closing her eyes. "You're certain
that there's no risk of Yamato appearing to save her?" she asked.
"My dear sister," he scoffed, "are you actually frightened
of little Yamato?"
"We have to be alive to take advantage of Mother's rewards,"
she snapped. "And the damned monster's kill ratio is better than
mine."
"It's hardly what I'd call impressive," Tiferet replied.
"Yeah, well our departed siblings weren't exactly pushovers,
you know." Gevura bit her lip. "He was little more than a
teenager when he killed Malkhut."
"_You're_ admitting that you couldn't kill him if he stood
in our way? When he was defenseless and disguised as a human?"
Gevura glared. "It's not that I don't think I couldn't kill
him, Tiferet, it's just that I can't promise he'd _stay_ dead.
Malkhut smothered him, Yesod buried him, Hod shoved his lance
right through him, and even Netazh put enough poison in his veins
to silence five Stars..."
"You don't need to kill him permanently," he replied. "Just
long enough for Mother to take a hold of the conduit." He leaned
back. "It's really that simple."
"All right," she said after a few moments of silence.
"You've got a deal."
*
The garden was small, carefully tended by servants.
Amaterasu sat in the small gazebo sipping her tea and looking out
over her father's lands. It seemed so strangely quiet without the
ravens about; Julian had left with Miko to attend the meeting.
Amaterasu sighed. She might be the daughter of their Lord, but
she was given no place in that world of secrecy and prophecy. She
didn't wonder why-- she knew that her father still ached over the
lost of the elder brother she had never known.
With the Ravens gone only the younger trainees of the guild
remained. Soldiers and guards still patrolled the palace gates,
but she was certain all of the court and town was aware of the
missing members of the Northern Land's Secret Service. Amaterasu,
herself, was left with only young Mei Ling as an attendant.
"Will that be all, my Lady?" Mei Ling asked, setting the
teapot down.
"Yes, thank you." Amaterasu paused, watching the scowl on
the pretty girl's face. Mei Ling's delicate black brows were
hanging heavy over her almond-colored eyes. "Is something the
matter, Mei Ling?" Amaterasu asked.
Mei Ling wrapped her fingers around the small serving tray.
"May I speak freely, my Lady?" she asked.
"Of course."
Mei Ling tossed her head, the trailing ends of her black
buns bouncing. "My Lady, I did not sign on with the Ravens to be
a waitress," she began. "I mean no disrespect to my lady because
if I'm going to be a waitress, then I can't get much better than
this--"
Amaterasu tried to hide her small smile. Mei Ling was a
force to be reckoned with, aggressive, opinionated, stubborn and
tough as steel. Julian had once remarked that Mei Ling was like
the butterfly flapping its wings-- it cared not what sort of chaos
it caused. The metaphor seemed awkward, but the comparison had
stuck. Mei Ling was known as 'butterfly' all through the Raven
ranks and palace staff.
"I am not solely responsible for such decisions, Mei Ling,"
Amaterasu told the younger girl. "It is for Julian to decide. He
will approach me when he deems you are ready."
Mei Ling scowled. "Julian hates me," she muttered. "Do you
know what he calls me behind my back?"
Amaterasu feigned innocence. "I can scarcely imagine."
" 'Butterfly'," Mei Ling fumed. "He says how nice it is to
have a pretty little butterfly to serve tea!"
"If it calms you, Mei Ling, when he returns I shall draw his
attention to the fact that this offends you."
Mei Ling blinked. "You will?" she asked, the anger draining
from her face. "Thank you, my Lady." She curtsied and bounced
off with a smile on her face.
Amaterasu laughed softly. "Could this be where your son
gains his command of the female gender?" a smooth voice asked in
her ear.
She started, as a pale hand smoothed the hair away from her
cheek. Turning, she stood to face the man behind her. His pale
blue hair appeared as unruly as ever, the silver highlights
catching the light from the stars. Mulberry eyes watched her, a
hint of amusement sparkling in their depths. The spiral marking
on his forehead was silver, with the two small lines marking it at
the compass points the same shade. "Hikaru," Amaterasu said,
softly. He was dressed differently from when they'd last met.
Today he was out of his customary all black 'work' ensemble.
Instead, he wore a pair of cream-colored khakis and a pale-blue
long-sleeved turtleneck.
"Hello, Ama," he said, a little smile on his lips. She flew
into his arms letting him hold her close for as long as she dared.
"You shouldn't be here," she told, after pulling away.
"What if someone should see you?"
"Is your father still that upset?" Hikaru asked, pushing at
his hair. "Damn it all, Ama, he was young-- forever ago, can't he
remember what it was like to be in love?"
"It's not my father I'm worried about," she replied. "I
worry that Daylight has set his spies to watch me even when I am
in my father's kingdom."
Hikaru made a face. "Why doesn't he just let you go?" he
asked. "If this was some game, he ought to know he was never
really even a player--"
"Hikaru, don't," she sighed. "This is serious. If he were
to learn that I still see you he would--"
"He would what?" Hikaru asked. "Throw a little fit and
demand you take that sham of a marriage seriously? He wouldn't
lay a finger on you, Ama. He knows I'd have his heart on a plate
if he did."
"Yes," she agreed. "But he has no qualms about taking his
frustration out on Yamato. I don't want him to be punished for--"
"Yamato is beginning to stand up to Daylight," Hikaru told
her. "He gains a little more ground for himself each day."
Amaterasu looked worried. "Yamato becomes a little more
like his father each day," she said, quietly.
Hikaru blinked. "Is that really such an awful thing?" he
asked, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.
"You don't know what it's like," she explained, "to spend
each day of your life worrying if what he is will get him killed.
Or worrying if the next time you see him, you won't recognize what
he's become."
"You're right," he told her, giving her a quick kiss on the
cheek. "I don't, but neither should you. You should have more
faith in him than that." He smiled. "No point thinking the worst
when you can hope for the best, after all."
Amaterasu gave him a weak smile. "I have never understood,"
she told him, "how you can remain so optimistic, my love."
Hikaru chuckled. "I guess it's just in my blood," he
replied, with a wink.
*
Rekki listened punched in the number for Yamato's loft
again, and then she looked at her watch. "C'mon, Yamato," she
muttered, "you have to be home; where else could you be?" The
answering machine picked up, his smooth voice repeating back the
number to her and then asking her to leave a message and number so
he could return the call. Rekki sighed. "Heya, Handsome," she
began after the beep. "As soon as you get this, you'd better call
me. Don't even listen to the rest of the message or any others
after it. Just call me, and do it fast. We have got a situation
on our hands."
She hit the end button on the cell phone and frowned,
leaning back in the driver's seat. What did he mean about last
night? She was quite certain she'd said goodbye to him-- and
she'd been sober enough at that point to remember it. Well, he
had sounded a bit off in his message, maybe he was the one who was
confused. But where could he have gone? He didn't have anyone
besides her or Ten--
Lifting her head, Rekki began to punch another number into
the phone.
*
Tenkou was applying lipliner to her upper lip when the phone
rang. She sighed, tossing the pencil down on the bathroom counter
and hurrying to the phone in the other room. Yamato looked up
briefly from his inspection of a little statuette on the
bookshelf, and she gave him a pained expression. "Two minutes, I
promise," she told him. "Just give me two more minutes."
Grabbing the phone, she yanked the cord so it extended to its
maximum length and returned to the mirror. "Hello?" she asked,
reaching for her lipstick.
"Hi, Ten-chan," Rekki said, quickly. "Gotta ask you
something."
"It's, um, not really a good time, Rekki," Tenkou replied,
as clearly as she could while applying lipstick to her bottom lip.
"I'm sorta in a rush to get out of the house."
"Is Yamato there?" Rekki asked.
Tenkou dropped the lipstick and swore.
"You all right in there?" Yamato asked, appearing at the
door-well.
"How did you--" Tenkou began, addressing both Rekki and him.
"Put him on the phone, _now_," Rekki demanded. "Um...
please?"
Tenkou thrust the phone at Yamato and bent down to get her
lipstick. "Phone," she muttered.
He blinked and put the handset up against his ear. "Er,
hello?" he asked, uncertainly. Tenkou retrieved her lipstick and
saw his eyebrow raise slightly. "Why are you calling me _here_?"
he asked. "Well, damnit... Re-- Rekki. Yes, yes, I almost did.
No, she doesn't." He paused, then suddenly grinned. "Should I
tell her?" Rekki's voice screamed 'no!' through the receiver, and
he rolled his eyes. "Right, right, relax. Would I do something
like that?"
Tenkou blotted her lipstick and tossed the Kleenex in the
garbage. She looked in the mirror one last time and turned to
Yamato. 'We can go now,' she mouthed, and gestured for him to
step aside.
He stepped back into the hallway. "Look, Rekki, I'm just
headed out the door, so I'll call you when I get home, okay?" He
blinked, frowned and handed the phone back to Tenkou. "She wants
to talk to you."
"Hello again," Tenkou managed, shooing Yamato down the hall
and towards the door. "Hey! Put that back on the shelf," she
added, noting he was carrying the statuette with him.
Yamato looked down at his hand and then blushed slightly as
he hurried to return the statuette to its place. "Sorry," he told
her. "Sometimes I forget that I've picked something up."
"Where are you going?" Rekki demanded, drawing Tenkou's
attention back to the phone against her ear.
"For lunch at Zack's," Tenkou told her.
"You don't drink coffee," Rekki replied.
"I do sometimes, and there are things other than coffee to
drink at Zack's."
"I'll be there in two minutes, so I'll get us a table."
Tenkou bit her lip. "Well, it's actually just--"
"Look for me," Rekki cut her off. "Bye!"
Tenkou pulled the handset away from her ear hearing the dial
tone echo out from it.
"What's wrong?" Yamato asked, halfway through lacing up his
left boot.
"Rekki just invited herself along for lunch," Tenkou
replied, placing the phone on the cradle and walking over to where
her shoes sat by the door.
"Yes, Rek has a tendency to do things like that," Zellar
replied, moving onto his right boot. "She likes to be the
dominant one."
Tenkou stared at him. "Is there something going on between
you and Rekki?" she asked.
"No, but I get the idea sometimes she wishes there was."
Tenkou frowned. "Wait, how do you know her anyway?"
"Through circumstances and mutual acquaintances," he
replied, with a little grin.
"Translation?"
"She works for my father," he explained. "Well, the one who
raised me."
Tenkou hurried into her shoes and followed him outside into
the early afternoon sunshine. His car waited in the driveway.
"Zellar--"
He turned around. "I told you, Tenkou, you don't have to
call me by my last name anymore. I'd prefer if you didn't."
"Sorry, forgot," she muttered, blushing. "Yamato," she
began again, "I think of Rekki as one of my best friends."
"I know she's fond of you as well," he replied, opening her
door for her. Tenkou climbed in and he closed it quickly.
She waited until he'd opened his own door and climbed in to
continue. "I don't pretend to know everything about her--"
Yamato paused, his hand on the steering wheel. "Is this
working towards a question of a personal nature pertaining to
Rekki's life?" Tenkou nodded. "Well, I suggest you wait and ask
it to her then," Yamato said, gently. "It's not really my place
to discuss someone else's personal life." He put the car in gear
and backed out of the driveway.
*
Matthew Tyler sighed, pushing his blond hair away from his
face as he opened the door to Zack's. Why had he said anything to
Tiferet? His personal life wasn't that jerk's business, no matter
what Tiferet thought. Tiferet treated him like a slave and played
with him like a toy. Matthew was beginning to doubt that anything
was ever going to come of Tiferet's seemingly empty promises.
He walked up to the counter, taking his place in line behind
a strawberry blond girl dressed in tight red leather pants and a
equally tight white low-cut sleeveless shirt. The resemblance
between her outfit and what his friend last night had been wearing
sent new pangs of guilt through him. Requiem had been a nice guy,
a fun guy. If Tiferet had something done to him, it would be all
Matthew's fault.
"Move along, Handsome," the girl snapped, slapping the guy
of ahead of her playfully on the backside.
The boy, a small, slender guy with light brown hair turned
around and gave her a slightly annoyed look with his deep blue
eyes. "What part of restraining order do you not understand?" he
quipped, with a grin.
The guy looked familiar too. Was it that fellow from last
night? Matthew found himself taking a closer look. The guy was
dressed in a powder blue shirt, underneath a black jacket with
grey pants and black boots. He reached up and nervously brushed
his hair away from his face. It could be Zellar, but this guy
looked different for some reason. His eyes were darker and his
hair lighter or something.
"Hey," the girl beside him said, turning around. "I told
Yamato that you would behave yourself. Don't make me a liar."
Matthew blinked, startled. He knew her. It was Tenkou-- so
that meant the other girl must be her friend Rekki. That must be
why she looked familiar. So who was this guy? Had Tenkou hooked-
up with someone between Friday night and this morning?
"I am behaving myself," the Rekki replied. "I didn't
threaten him with the whip, did I?" She paused. "And you should
worry about him behaving himself."
"Yes, I'm bad," Yamato replied, hanging his head.
Matthew slowly let his eyes trace back to boy standing
beside Tenkou. He was rather handsome, wasn't he? Almost
beautiful-- and he looked good next to Tenkou. Like he fit, like
he belonged. Matthew looked at Tenkou again and felt a stab of
something like envy.
Tenkou looked up and blinked as she recognized him.
"Matthew, hi," she said, quickly and smiling nervously. "I'm
really sorry about taking off on you like that. I forgot that--
that I had to--"
"Go to the airport to pick-up her friend from Japan," the
Rekki filled in, turning around. She smiled at Matthew. "Hi, I'm
Rekki En. You must be the infamous Matthew Tyler. I've heard all
about you."
Matthew blinked. Wow, she even looked similar to Requiem.
He found himself returning the smile. "Oh really? From who?" he
asked.
"Oh, you know," she waved her hand. "You hear things."
Tenkou blinked. "Oh, how rude of me," she cleared her
throat. "Matthew, this is my friend, Yamato. Yamato, this is
Matthew. We had a class together."
The brown haired boy extended his hand. "Hello again," he
said, softly.
"Again?" Matthew asked, while shaking the other's hand.
"Have we met before?"
Yamato blinked. "Uh," he looked a little confused. "I--
maybe not. Sorry, I must have you confused with someone else."
He shot a look at Rekki, who just shrugged.
"You're from Japan?" Matthew asked. "You don't look it-- no
offense."
"None taken," Yamato assured him. "I've lived in Japan most
of my life, but my family isn't from there."
"Yamato and I met last summer," Tenkou said, suddenly. "On
my trip. He showed me around one of the temples."
"I promised to come and visit her."
"Oh," Matthew replied. "Are you staying--"
"In a flat up in the hills," Yamato told him. "A friend was
kind enough to let me stay in it while he's out of town on
business." He paused and looked back at Tenkou. "We've just
finished ordering... perhaps we can continue this conversation
back at the table?"
Matthew blinked. Who was this guy? He had just invited him
to come and sit with them. That wasn't something you usually let
your friend do. Was that quick little look at Tenkou all it took
for him to know it was okay?
"You can sit next to me," Rekki announced, cheerfully. "I'd
like that."
Tenkou smiled, a little awkwardly, and nodded. Matthew
followed them as Rekki led the way back to a table, and he sat
down beside her and watched as Tenkou sank into the chair across
from him. Yamato eased into his seat across from Rekki.
"No footsie," he told Rekki. "I mean it."
Rekki pouted. "You're no fun, Hihane-san."
Yamato shot her a dark look. "That's not my name," he told
her.
Matthew frowned. Hihane. He knew that name-- Tiferet had
mentioned it, as had other members of the Foundation. "Hihane?"
he repeated aloud. Yamato and Rekki exchanged a look. "Isn't
that the name of that art thief?"
"Art thief?" Rekki echoed, innocently.
"Yes," he nodded. "I'm certain that's it. He's targeted
the Foundation's collections on several occasions."
"The Morningstar Foundation?" Tenkou asked. Everyone looked
at her. "My father was working in Japan through a grant they gave
him," she explained. "And they also financed his trip to Egypt
that he just returned from. I didn't know you worked for them as
well, Matthew."
"Mr. Tiferet, the man that I introduced you to at the club,
works for the Foundation," Matthew told her. "I work for him."
"Ah," Yamato replied, nodding. "I've heard of the
Morningstar Foundation as well."
"So, Matthew," Rekki stuck her head between the two of them.
"Tenkou tells me you're in a band."
"Uh, yeah," Matthew blinked, shaking by the sudden switch of
topics. "I play the lead guitar."
"Electric?" Yamato asked.
"Yeah."
"Cool."
Rekki pushed her chair back and stood up. "Tenkou, we have
to go to the bathroom now," she said, cheerily taking the other
girl by the hand. "You boys play nice while we're gone."
Yamato and Matthew blinked as Rekki led Tenkou towards the
bathroom. A sort of awkward silence fell over the table.
"We-- the Morningstar Foundation," Matthew began after a
moment, "have a branch in Japan."
"Had," Yamato corrected. "Your co-chairs were involved in
that little incident."
Matthew's stomach turned to ice. "The incident?" he
repeated. "Oh, you mean the disappear--"
"--Accident." They looked at each other. After a moment,
Yamato leaned in closer. "Are you a member or do you just work
for them?" he asked, softly.
Matthew swallowed. "Yamato," he said, quietly. "I've heard
them mention your name. They don't like you very much." He
paused. "If you're trying to hurt her father through Tenkou, I
swear to God--"
"Your God doesn't frighten me in the least," Yamato told
him, and leaned back in his chair. "Is the coffee good here?"
Matthew blinked. "It's better than Starbu--" he broke off.
"_Don't_ change the subject," he snapped. "If you hurt Tenkou,
I'll--"
"You'll what?" Yamato asked, simply. Matthew faltered.
"Exactly." He leaned in again. "However, if you and your
Foundation should happen to try to hurt her," he warned, "you can
be assured that I will do something about it."
"Is that a threat?" Matthew swallowed.
"Of course not," Yamato replied. "I don't make threats."
Matthew pushed his chair back and stood up. "If you'll
excuse me," he began, "I don't stay where I'm not welcome."
Yamato looked a little surprised but then simply shrugged.
"As you like." He paused. "But I think the girls will be a
little disappointed."
"I'm sure they'll get over it," Matthew muttered. He pushed
his chair back in, turned and left the restaurant.
*
Matthew found himself sinking down onto a bench half a block
away from Zack's. He shouldn't have run away, he chided himself,
he should have stayed and showed that Yamato that _he_ wasn't
afraid of him. Matthew shuddered. For an instant, he _had_ been
afraid. Just when Yamato had told him that he would do something
if the Foundation tried anything. Could Yamato know that they
were trying to steal Tenkou's affections away?
Taking a deep breath, Matthew shook himself again. What had
just happened? How had he so quickly lost control of the
situation? He paused. Hadn't Yamato seemed different when he'd
warned him? Darker, more dangerous? There had been some sort of
presence in the air-- Matthew had felt it, and Yamato-- Yamato's
eyes almost looked like they had turned violet.
"I know it's not really my concern," a voice began smoothly,
"but call me curious, I'd like to know how such a bright boy could
so easily sign away his soul."
Matthew jerked, noticing the other person on the bench for
the first time. He'd heard neither footsteps nor any other
indication of the arrival, but the other boy was there none the
less. His arm was stretched across the top of the bench, the
slight breeze pulling at his unruly pale blond hair. From behind
a pair of mulberry-tinted glasses his eyes watched Matthew's face.
"Yamato?" Matthew guessed. "What? Are you following me now
or something?"
The other shook his head. "I'm not Yamato," he replied,
gesturing to his hair. "Although, I won't dock any marks for the
slip up. We do look a lot alike, he and I." He pushed his
glasses up his nose. "When someone tampers with your soul, Mr.
Tyler, they change your very being. You people think that your
genetic code decides what you are, but your soul has way more to
do with the process than you're willing to give it credit for.
Soul of human, body of human. You want to know how humans become
more than human? They have the power in their souls awakened."
He paused, his eyes fixing on Matthew's from behind the lenses.
"It's my personal belief that some powers are better left
sleeping. Don't you agree?"
"Who are you?" Matthew demanded.
"As far as you need to know, Sunshine, I'm just someone with
a few insights into the workings of the universe," the boy
replied. "You crave power as many of your kind do. But you
should take another look at the price you're paying for it."
"Who _are_ you?" Matthew repeated.
"There are laws in the universe, and those who break them are
punished," replied the boy, standing. "Don't make so light of
Marlowe. Faust didn't escape his fate, and neither will you."
Matthew stood, glaring. "Answer my damn question!" he
exclaimed. "Who. Are. You?"
"Consider what I've told you," the boy began, half-turning,
"and you won't have to find out."
Matthew opened his mouth to demand an answer again, but the
boy simply wasn't there. He'd melted away-- like a shadow caught
in sunlight. Matthew's head fell into his hands. This was all
starting to become too much, and yet somehow he knew that it was
just the beginning.
*
Tenkou looked from Yamato to the empty chair. "Where did
Matthew go?" she asked.
"He left," Yamato replied, reaching for the cup of coffee
that had been placed before his chair. "I'm not quite sure why."
"Maybe he remembered something he had to do?" Rekki
suggested.
"You did something to him, didn't you?" she demanded.
He looked hurt. "Tenkou, I don't go around town doing
things to people," he told her. "I really don't know what
happened. One moment we were having a civil conversation, the
next he was halfway out the door."
"Hey," Rekki said, "enough talk about Matthew Tyler. Let's
talk about the Gala. Yamato, tell Tenkou all about the Gala."
Yamato blinked and looked surprised. "I don't know what
you'd expect me to say," he remarked. "A lot of people who think
they're important will be there discussing pieces of art instead
of the issues they really ought to sort through."
Rekki rolled her eyes. He had to be so brutally frank about
things sometimes. "Hey, I don't suppose you got my phone
message?" she asked, instead.
Yamato shook his head. "No. Can whatever it was about wait
until later?"
Rekki shook her head. She leaned in closer, and Tenkou
barely made out her words as she whispered. "It's about the
conduit the Order of the Sefirot has been looking for."
"What about the conduit?" Yamato asked, eyes narrowing.
Tenkou blinked. Just now, his eyes looked violet-- and different,
like they belonged to someone else.
"It's not something we should talk about in front of--" she
broke off casting a quick look at Tenkou.
"Does this affect Tenkou in some way?"
"Well... yes, but--"
"Then it is something that we should all talk about."
Rekki glanced at Yamato. "Are you really certain--"
Tenkou looked at her friend. "Rekki," she began, "if these
jerks are going to do something to me, then I think as my _friend_
you should at least give me some warning," Tenkou replied,
shortly.
Rekki toyed with her napkin for a moment. "Tenkou, there's
no going back after this," she began. "I mean, if I tell you
this, then we have to tell you the entire story so that you'll
understand."
"I know there are bad things in the world, Rekki," Tenkou
said carefully. "One of them almost killed me in Japan."
The other girl gave Yamato an imploring look. "Can't you
explain to her?" she asked. "There are things about us that she
might not _want_ to know."
"What she knows might surprise you," Yamato replied,
wrapping his fingers around Tenkou's. "Tell us, Rekki. We'll
deal with whatever they have planned together."
Rekki sighed. "Tiferet plans to use Tenkou as a conduit."
"What's a conduit?" Tenkou asked.
"For whom?" Yamato wanted to know.
"Their 'Mother'," Rekki told Yamato. She turned to Tenkou.
"The best way to explain their type of conduit is to compare it to
a host. They want to put the consciousness of something else in
your body."
"Their type?" Tenkou echoed. "There's other types?"
"The other type is called a 'candidate'," Yamato said,
softly. "It involves a willing host working with the essence of a
higher being or power to achieve a goal that satisfies both
parties."
"Parasitic and co-operative relationships," Tenkou muttered.
She shook her head. "But that's not all. There's something else
that you're not telling me."
"A conduit usually involves killing the host," Yamato said
quietly, after a moment. "It gives the alien essence complete
control of the body."
Tenkou frowned. "And Tiferet thinks he can do this to me?"
she asked, anger flushing her cheeks.
"He can try," Yamato remarked, darkly.
Rekki bit her lip. "I think we've already established that
he's _going_ to."
*
Alan Stone finished reading the last sentence of the
translation, and then he closed the folder with a soft sigh.
"Well?" Binah asked, her sightless eyes falling on his face.
"What did you think?"
"Incredible," Stone replied. "It's myths wrapped within a
myth," he continued. "First it suggests that the nature of the
mythological creature known as the phoenix is completely different
from what all other stories claim."
"How so?" Binah asked, leaning forward. The expression upon
her face suggested genuine interest.
"This," he tapped the paper, "suggests that the phoenix were
a humanoid race of beings. The description calls the image of
angels to mind."
"Angels and Phoenix were different," Binah replied. "But
perhaps they were once one race."
Stone shook his head in disbelief. "Then it suggests that
these creatures commit an act like that of the Atlantis myth--
becoming so powerful and advanced that they reviled their own
gods, and that they were punished for this transgression."
"Judgement came with his fire and burned all those who were
guilty of the sin."
"But it doesn't make sense," Stone protested. "It says that
these Phoenix were separated into two tribes-- the North and the
South. Both tribes worshipped this 'essence' they believed
control and resided in every part the universe--"
"Yes, but the tribe worshipped different aspects. The
Southerners worshipped Judgement, the Sacred Flame. Judgement is
the destroyer, the judge who passes sentence on everything within
the universe at its time of passing. Judgement is Death.
"The Northerners worshipped Twilight, the Master of Threads.
Twilight is the creator, the one who weaves and intertwines the
threads of the universe. Twilight is life."
"Yes, I understood that. But it claims this head priest
imprisoned these aspects in bodies. How could he have done that?
How can a mere mortal force a god to do anything?"
"Ah," Binah leaned back in her chair. "In the temples,
there were people who Twilight and Judgement would speak their
will to. Candidates-- willing hosts for a small part of the
essence. The priest invoked the essence into its two candidates
and then killed them. As the candidate's souls left their bodies,
the essence became trapped within flesh. Twilight and Judgement
found themselves with bodies-- and Judgement was so enraged at
this act against the way of things that he called the flames to
punish the Phoenix."
"Why didn't they just kill the bodies again?" Stone asked.
"Wouldn't that release the essence?"
Binah shook her head. "No, for phoenix do not ever really
die. They resurrect. This resurrection is what trapped the
essence in the bodies in the first place-- and what keeps it
anchored to them." She paused. "At least according to popular
theory. My own personal belief differs just slightly."
"Oh?" he asked. "And what is it that you believe?"
"I think they might enjoy being alive," she replied. "It
really is far better than being a bodiless force. Being alive
means having thoughts and desires, emotions and sensations."
They sat in silence for a moment after she finished. "Thank
you for sharing your theories with me," Stone said, finally.
"They're very interesting, Binah."
"Thank you for not dismissing them as easily as you dismiss
the rest of this 'superstitious nonsense', Alan," she replied with
a smile.
"This is different," he said, quietly.
"Yes, I have the strangest suspicion that you have heard
some of this before."
Stone was silent a long time with a far off look on his
face. When he did speak, his voice was tinged with sorrow. "My
wife, god rest her soul," he said, softly, "died of cancer just
about eleven years ago. Near the end, I would sit by her bed and
hold her hand, and she would talk to me. It was the only thing
that seemed to make her happy-- but the things she told me..." he
trailed off. "They were things that made me think she was crazy,
Binah. She told me stories-- only she swore that they were
truths."
"She spoke to you of Twilight and Judgement," Binah said
softly. "She spoke of the bargain she made with them."
Stone's eyes snapped back to her. "How...?" he began.
Binah reached for his hand. "I knew her, Alan," she told
him, quietly. "I knew your wife."
*
Rekki continued to stare straight ahead, her eyes never
leaving the road. Tenkou looked down at her hands. "Does this
sort of thing happen often?" she asked.
Rekki snorted and then smiled weakly. "It sort of puts a
whole damper on the day, doesn't it?" she asked, giving Tenkou a
brief glance. The other girl nodded. Rekki shook her head. "You
know, sometimes I wonder what normal people think about," she
remarked. "What they talk about."
"I wonder that myself," Tenkou replied, quietly. "Do you
know where Yamato was going?"
"An exact location?" Rekki shook her head. "No. He claims
he had an appointment to keep-- and since he also claims it's
someone who can help him deal with this, then I think I've got a
pretty good idea of who it is that he's talking to."
"Rekki," Tenkou bit her lip, "what am I supposed to do?"
Rekki pulled into the driveway and turned off the jeep's
engine. She turned to Tenkou. "I don't know," she replied. "I--
well, this really is Yamato's specialty. He's the one who they
call in to deal with this sort of thing."
"But he's gone to someone else for help," Tenkou told her.
"Rekki, I think he's worried." Rekki nodded. "I think he might
even be a little scared," Tenkou continued. "And that's got me
really scared."
Rekki rubbed her face. "Welcome to our world, honey," she
muttered. "You could spend the better part of your life running
scared here." She looked at the other girl. "That's why you
can't let it get to you."
"What am I supposed to do?" Tenkou repeated, seeming not to
hear her.
"You go to school and continue with life like nothing's
wrong," Rekki told her. "This heads up is all we have working in
our favour until we get an action plan."
"How do you do it, Rekki? How do you act like nothing is
wrong?"
She shrugged. "I guess I just got used to it," she replied.
Tenkou hesitated. "Ten," Rekki continued, "I know you want to ask
me something. Come on, spit it out."
Tenkou blinked and then shook her head. "Oh, no," she
replied. "I was just thinking about something." She opened the
jeep door. "Thanks for the ride home. I guess I'll see you in
class tomorrow?"
Rekki nodded. "Of course," she smiled. "Tenkou?"
Tenkou paused, about to shut the door. "Yeah?"
"Smile," Rekki told her. "Hope and faith. Things work out
in the end."
Tenkou smiled weakly. "If we knew things were going to work
out in the end, we wouldn't have to have faith."
"You don't want to challenge me to a philosophy debate,"
Rekki warned her, cutely. "I'm the only one in that class that
knows what the professor is talking about half the time."
Tenkou laughed. "See you tomorrow, Rekki." She waved and
headed for the house.
Rekki smiled, as she watched her go. As Tenkou disappeared
into her house, Rekki sighed. "Look," she began, quietly, "I know
the two of you have this all planned out, but I get the idea these
two are wearing a little thin in the faith department. How about
giving them a little reassurance?" She remained quiet for a
moment and then turned the key in the ignition and backed out of
the driveway.
*
"You knew Viola?" Alan Stone asked, shocked. "She never
mentioned you, Binah."
"She didn't know me as Binah," she replied. "Viola and I
were good friends at one point. She consulted me about her
situation. She wanted someone to tell her that she wasn't making
a mistake-- and I was happy to do so."
Stone put his face in his hands. "I'd convinced myself that
it was all just something that the cancer had made her think was
real," he whispered. "Dear God-- if what she told me was true--"
"It is," Binah said softly. "I'm sorry to have brought it
back up, Alan," she added after a moment. "The last thing I
wanted to do is revive painful memories."
He balled his fist and slammed in down upon the table. "I
won't allow it," he whispered. "I won't let them take my daughter
from me."
Binah's sightless eyes held a look of sorrow. "You cannot
stop fate," she whispered, quietly. "Tenkou will have to choose.
You must simply hope that she makes the right choice."
Stone shook his head. "Had I known-- I would have never
allowed it!"
"Which is why Viola planned to never tell you," Binah told
him. "She had also sworn me to secrecy, but I felt that you
deserved my honestly, Alan. About this and all things."
"I just don't understand what could have possessed her to
make such a bargain!" he exclaimed.
Binah's eyelids fell over her sightless eyes. "There are
dreams which drive us to do unspeakable acts and create
unforgivable sins," she said, softly.
"Yes, but what dream is worth another person's life?" he
demanded.
She was silent for a while. Then, finally, she spoke.
"Happiness, Alan. It's worth that and more."
*
Yamato walked through the park. The snow was turning to a
slushy mix in some spots as it melted in the bright spring
sunlight. Some of the mounds of snow would catch the light just
so and turn into blinding patches of dazzling diamond white. He
found himself unable to fully enjoy or be annoyed by the
spectacle, as his mind was turning what Rekki had revealed over
and over. No matter how he considered it, it still looked bad.
There was no doubt he was going to have to find a way to prevent
Dawn Star from having Tenkou, aside from his own feelings for
her-- the parties he answered to would never allow the Mother to
have a presence on this world again.
A snowball grazed his ear. Yamato turned and saw a small
group of boys converging on a young man. The blond-haired young
man was giving the boys a daring smile, a snowball in each of his
gloved hands. The boys surrounded him with their own slushy
missiles ready.
"You know," he began, looking at their gleeful faces. "It's
not really fair that all four of you are ganging up on me."
"Your bigger than us!" the smallest of the boys exclaimed.
"Not by much," the young man smiled. "However, if you do
insist on this little ambush, I feel I must warn you that I will
be forced to play dirty."
"Get him!" the tallest of the boys yelled, and the others
joined him in letting their snowballs fly. After the action
stopped, the group stood staring at the empty patch of ground in
open bewilderment. A whistle from behind them and they turned.
The leader of the group was met head-on with a snowball.
The young man raised the other. "Now, unless the rest of
you want one too, I suggest you scram," he warned.
"How did you do that?" one of the other boys asked.
"I moved faster than you did," the young man replied. "Next
time I see you picking on girls I'll move even faster. Scram."
The boy did as told. The young man adjusted his mulberry-tinted
glasses, turning and walking over to Yamato.
"A snowball fight," Yamato remarked. "It's a little
embarrassing, Hikaru, isn't it?"
"No, what's embarrassing that those kids were kicking my
ass," Hikaru muttered. "I shouldn't have held back. I should
have just let them have it right from the get go."
"Hikaru," Yamato frowned. "I need to speak to you about
something."
"Who knew a group of twelve year olds could be so vicious?"
Hikaru continued. He shook his head and then brushed the snow off
his hands. "Yes, a talk. I promised you that, didn't I?"
Yamato ignored him, pushing on. "Hikaru, it's very serious.
They have plans to kill Tenkou."
"Are you going to stop them?" Hikaru asked. There was no
need to define 'them' any further. They both knew who Yamato
meant.
"Of course," Yamato replied. "But--" he looked away. "I'm
just not sure if I'm ready to take on all of Dawn Star's forces on
my own. I don't know if I can."
"Sure you can," Hikaru assured him. "You've got Dawn Star
scared of what you can do, Yamato. You're the first one since--
hell, probably Avalon himself to be touched by both Thread and
Flame."
Yamato shook his head. "It's not that simple," he
whispered. "I don't understand this 'gift'. I don't know why I
should be the one to have it." He hung his head.
Hikaru took Yamato by the shoulders. "There are plenty of
reasons why you should," he began. "You've got friends who depend
on you and a girl who needs you. You've got everything you
believe in and stand for."
Yamato raised his head and looked at Hikaru. "I'm not like
you," he said, quietly. "I don't have what it takes to be someone
legendary."
"Hey," Hikaru gave him a shake. "What did I tell you?
_Never_ listen to what they say about you; you might start to
believe it."
"But, he's Dawn Star," Yamato protested. "Who am I to try
and stand up to him?"
"You're the only one who can," Hikaru replied, firmly. "I
know you are."
"How can you know for sure?"
"Because it's the truth," he replied, with a knowing smile.
He let go of Yamato's shoulders. "Now, why don't you ask me what
you had originally wanted to before this whole business of Tiferet
came up?"
Yamato shook his head and briefly closed his eyes. "No,
Hikaru. Not today."
"Lost your nerve?" Hikaru almost looked disappointed.
"I-- maybe." Yamato watched as a family walked past the two
of them. The little girl was holding her father's hand and her
pink mittens showed through his fingers. She stopped for a moment
before Yamato and Hikaru, looking up at them-- and her eyes
widened.
Hikaru placed a finger to his lips and winked at the girl.
She smiled, giggling and looking back once or twice as she hurried
off with her family. "I love kids," Hikaru remarked. "They see
things as they are." He turned back to Yamato. "Sorry, you were
saying?"
"I'm not ready to ask just yet," Yamato explained.
"How so?"
"If I ask-- there's a chance the answer will be 'no',"
Yamato replied. "Right now, my not asking allows me to hold to
the hope that the answer would be 'yes' for just a while longer."
Hikaru seemed to consider that. "Is a hope better than a
fact?" he asked.
Yamato looked surprised by the question. "Well," he began,
after a moment, "a fact is a very concrete thing. You can't
change a fact. It just is. A hope-- well, a hope is based on a
possibility. A possibility that a wish will become true."
Hikaru nodded, after a moment. "You're a smart boy,
Yamato," he said, clamping an arm around the other's shoulders.
"Have I ever told you that?"
Yamato nodded. "Usually after you've made me feel like I
really don't know anything at all."
"Ah," Hikaru chuckled, "but sometimes before you be certain
of what you know, you have to realize how much you have left to
learn."
*
"So it's all set then," Vincent remarked into the mobile
phone. "Good. I look forward to the meeting. I'm sure you're as
anxious as I am to see if this little girl is all she's been
promised to be." He paused, listening to the other reply.
"Yes, until then." He hung up the phone, turning to the man
standing behind him in the room. "It's all prepared. We'll meet
the girl and her mother at the airport and then escort them
directly to the Foundation ground. Security has been tripled for
this. There will be as much coverage as we can give without
drawing unnecessary attention to us."
"It doesn't matter," Dawn Star remarked, his silver eyes
disinterested. "The girl's father was a dear departed friend of
Hihane. The thief will find a way to her, if not at the airport
then at the Gala."
Vincent blinked. "The Gala?" he repeated. "Surely, he
wouldn't have the gall to try something there, Father."
Dawn Star turned to him. "My foolish son," he said, with
acid in his smile, "you of all people should know about the 'gall'
Hihane possesses."
Vincent flinched, lowering his head. "Yes, Father," he
said, quietly.
Dawn Star placed a hand on his shoulder. "But soon it will
be behind us," he told Vincent. "Very soon you'll have the
revenge you crave, and we'll be rid of that shameful little secret
for good." He let go of Vincent and walked back towards the
stone. "Yes, it will all be over very soon."
*
4.07 pm 11.13.00
10.33 pm 11.19.00
8.00 pm 6.15.01
12.13 am 6.22.01
8.43 pm 8.19.01
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