[Episode 234230] [Episode 234230]Okusei, outside the town of Huohkyep'…
He had taken interest in this biped for some time now.
Ever since the fellow bearing three separate souls within his body — his own, the soul of a man who had lived nearly two millennia ago, and a curious artificial intelligence forged from the collective memories and knowledge of dozens upon dozens of great warrior masters — had first been brought to this world six months before by his father to meet the one other bipeds respectfully called "the Dragonspeaker," he had watched over him, both here on Okusei and on Earth. How the fellow named Moroboshi Ataru had learned many truths about what was within his very mind. How he had learned how four childhood friends not native to his world had their very lives destroyed by forces beyond their comprehension. How the sentient races on worlds close to his thought of his world. How they were prepared to do all to incorporate his world into their plans regardless of what the leaders of his own race thought…
Even though Ataru had, for the longest time, desperately wanted to hold onto the carefree and passionate way of the hatchings of his kind, cruel Fate had forced him into a position where he had no choice but to shoulder his responsibilities and do all he could to ensure others would benefit from what he knew.
And he had done that.
The two souls that had shared his body with him had finally gained their own lives.
The four childhood friends, while still separated from their native societies and kin because of the gross misunderstandings of an ugly incident five years ago on the planet Uru, had been accepted by Ataru as they truthfully were, without reservation.
The races of the so-called "Galactic Federation" had been finally served notice that their carefree ways concerning Earth and its natives was coming to end.
And soon other races who felt they had a free hand on that world would also be made to understand that certain lines had been drawn, never to be crossed.
A good life.
That soon was about to end.
Thinking of that, the eyes of the dragon known to the bipeds of Noukiios as T'achkyung, the son of Nengmek'i, narrowed as he peered on the scene before him.
Perhaps…
"How is he?" Benten asked.
"He's asleep right now," Lum said as she gently stroked Ataru's hair, gazing with fondness on that peaceful face. The Terran was currently in a bed, covers drawn over him, his hands crossed peacefully on his chest, dressed in a simple set of pyjamas. "Darling's been this way since Negako helped create Tariko."
Hearing that, the Fukunokami nodded as she moved to sit on the opposite side of the bed from where the Oni was. "Why does he wanna die?" Benten then wondered. "I don't get it. Negako and Hiromi have their own lives now, so why…?"
"I don't know," Lum admitted. "I've tried to probe his mind several times since Tariko woke up, but it's totally closed off to me. I doubt even the most powerful mind-healer could get into him now." She closed her eyes before staring tearfully at the ceiling of this small guest bedroom at the Okusei Academy. "Noa-sama, where are you…?"
Benten reached over to grasp her friend's shoulder as their minds went back fourteen years to a time and place far removed from here…
Earth, outside Sendai…
It was a maelstrom of confusion for five very young kids.
One was a native of Earth, the nephew of the owner of the land they stood on now.
One was a native of Uru, the descendant of the last emperor of her people.
One was a Fukunokami, adopted daughter of one of the major clan chiefs of that world.
One was a Neptunian, heiress apparent to the throne of her people.
One was also a native of Uru, spiritual descendant of that race's greatest hero.
And with them now…
"There is a way."
All five looked at the beautiful red-haired Seishin woman kneeling beside them as the adults — including Ataru's uncle Komeru and grandmother Nagaiwakai — all argued as to what to do with the four alien children that had just appeared at Komeru's home while Ataru had been on the lawn building snowmen. "What way, Noa-sama?" Lum asked as she walked over to gaze upon the reborn elder of the Maidens of Aruka.
Noa — known these days on her current world of residence either as Aiuoeiioei (the native reading of the sequential numbers 1-9-2-8-2 tattooed on the backs of her thighs») or Ashi'cha (Elder Mother) — moved to grasp her hand as she then reached over to drawn Ataru closer to them. "You'll never be truly parted," she promised as Benten, Oyuki and Ran came over to join them…
"Do you suppose something happened to her?"
Hearing Benten's question, Lum perked, and then she breathed out. "I don't know." A shrug. "It could've been when Negako was forced into Darling's mind and Hiromi began to awaken inside him. It could've been when Darling's mind finally fractured because of HER!" She spat out that last world like a curse. "It could've been even…"
"When we did our body-swaps with our doubles," Benten finished.
A nod. "Tcha…"
Taking that in, the Fukunokami could only sigh as she stared down at Ataru before a smile crossed her face. "I want his baby," she then whispered.
The Oni gazed at her. "I doubt it'll happen now, Benten."
"I don't care!" Benten snapped as she gazed teary-eyed at her oldest friend. "When he came here five months ago, Darling knew — HE KNEW, LUM! — that I was the real Shigaten Benten! Just like he knew you were the real Redet Lum! That Ran is the real Aruka Lan! That Oyuki is the real Oyuki!" A sniff. "And even though he wanted to give Hensō a chance to own up to all the stupid mistakes she's made…" Her lips trembled as she stared at him. "I love him, Lum. We all do. And to lose him now, after all he's done for us, for Negako and Hiromi, for his people…"
"You will not have to grieve."
Lum and Benten both gasped on hearing that strange male voice echoed with a deep animalistic growl, and then they turned to see a young Noukiite man, probably not even ten years old, standing at the foot of Ataru's bed, dressed in plain robes and his cheeks unadorned with any sort of caste marker as was normal for all of this world. Noting that, both then saw his dragon-slit eyes. Realising what this being actually was, both stood from the bed, then went down to their knees, bowing their heads to him with the left fist-in-right palm salute that was used as a normal salutation on the worlds of the Imperial Dominion of Noukiios. "Oh, Great Lord of the Heavens, why have you come here this day to grace we unworthy ones with your divine presence?" Lum ritually asked as she stared wide-eyed at the disguised ch'uokyek.
T'achkyung tried not to smile — which actually was one of the enjoyable things he could do when he disguised himself as a biped — at that stilted greeting. Then again, why should he be surprised? The bipeds of Noukiios had often looked on his kind as living angels, representatives of the Lord of the Heavens — the penultimate god of this world where things of the Divine were often classified under the phrase "One God, Many Angels" — and his chosen master of resurrection, the King of Kings known in his mortal life five millennia before as Muchach. And even if they had lived here only a space of five years, since the hunter couple Nassur and Cinba had brought four devastated young women to the safety of the Okusei Academy in the wake of having their very LIVES ripped away from them thanks to the intersection of soul-transference technology mastered by the predecessor race of the Maidens of the World of Holy Reincarnation and a terrible curse forced on Lum when she was but newly hatched…
"You see him as your mate, do you not?" he asked. "As do your friends?"
Lum and Benten looked up at him with wide eyes, and then both nodded. "We are a part of Darling even if we can't feel him now," the latter then said. "But now…"
The dragon then smiled. "There, Benten, are always WAYS…"
With that, he seemed to glow as his body began to morph…
"You two should be getting some sleep."
Hearing that annoyed voice, both Ran and Oyuki perked before they turned to gaze on their study mates, who had come up to them in a private corner of the Academy library. "Would you want to sleep if you knew the man you loved is dying, Nap'i?" Ran asked before she perked on feeling the Neptunian's hand grasp her own.
Noting that, both Seu-Noup' Yech'a-P'yuk Hechnich'-Ekt'yek and her lover, Seu-K'ek Yesu-Mek Hechnich'-Hukaech, exchanged a knowing look as they grasped their own arms. "We know," the former — her childhood nickname was "Nap'i;" her companion always allowed her friends to call her "Tap'i" — said. "And losing the man you were bound to by the Great Mother Noa so long ago always will hurt. But Ataru wouldn't want either of you to sink yourself in grief as he prepares to face the Ch'uoeuk…"
"Not to mention consider Hoch'nangat' when he does proceed to the Final Judgement," Tap'i added, which made both Oyuki's and Ran's eyes go wide as they stared at their friends. Seeing that, the silver-haired Noukiite could only smirk. "We're just like you, remember? Avalonian blood runs in our veins, too. We have their powers. We've felt it every time you've been in Ataru's bedroom watching over…"
She then gasped as her metasenses — the gift the Zephyrites reverently called "the Eye to the Te'a" — came alive as they sensed a surge of pure energy warp through her from the direction of the living quarters. "What…?"
"Oh, my!" Nap'i breathed out. "Is that…?"
Oyuki and Ran — who, since their bodies were also Avalonian, had the same type of senses their Noukiite friends did — both gaped as they looked towards the living quarters, and then they blinked as they felt something click back into place in their minds. "DARLING!" they screamed out as they bolted to their feet and ran off.
Nap'i and Tap'i watched them go, and then raced off after them…
"Oh, man…did someone get the number of that truck…?"
Hearing that moaning voice, Lum and Benten gaped before they turned to stare on the prone figure on the bed between them.
Right now, he wasn't so prone.
"Darling…?" Benten eeped.
Ataru blinked as he gazed at the ceiling of his guest bedroom, and then he looked left and right to see who was with him now. "Lum. Benten." He then tensed on seeing the tears in their eyes before sitting up and moving to draw them into his arms. "Hey! What's with the tears, you two? It was just a cold, for heaven's sake!"
Hearing that, both of them blinked before their bodies quaked. "You idiot…!" Lum burbled before it became too much for her.
He blinked in understandable confusion — Ataru had been unconscious since the day after he left Tomobiki, when Hiromi was finally given the chance to have her own body — as two of his lovers broke down and wept…
"It was done."
Noting the comment from the grandmaster of Saikō Jinseijutsu, the red-haired Noukiite free warrior looked towards the Academy. Both were now sitting on a rock overlooking Morningstar Plain, the scene of a horrendous battle five months before against a whole corps' worth of bandits that had been preparing an ambush to capture the Three Princess Dragons on their annual pilgrimage to Okusei so they could report on their colonies' affairs to Her Imperial Majesty's Chancellor of the Outmarches. Where they had found themselves facing She Who Speaks to Dragons, the youngest sister of the Rose Dragon of Kesei, and a visitor from the planet Earth who had within his mind a terrible gift.
Sixty-four thousand against two.
It had been no contest.
"T'achkyung?" Negako asked.
A nod. "T'achkyung."
"So be it then." With that, the grandmaster stood up, and then gazed over to the rock cairn that had been erected by local authorities in the wake of the Morningstar Plain Massacre, where a brown-haired girl was currently kneeling and praying. "Tariko!"
The woman perked, and then looked back. "What is it, Onē-san?!"
"Finish up quickly," Negako advised. "We'll be proceeding to Earth soon."
Taking that in, Tariko nodded as we…
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(Posted Sun, 23 May 2010 16:27)
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