Big Eyes, Small Mouth (BESM): Nexus Earth - Chapter 3 _______ Session 1: Where are we?

[Justin OOC]

The Giant steel door into the Dimesional Catapult dispatch chamber opened for him, and the ship he'd requisitioned waited on the launch system. It was all going as planned and then he saw him.

Clad in the black and White Kimono worn by almost all the Captains, Hizashi Hayami stood there barring the path of everyone's escape. And just like that their chances for escaping unscathed went from good to fairly nil.

"Atsushi, I'm very disappointed in you. You have only just come back to us, so I can overlook this, if you simply return the Key to his room and dispose of the other rabble with you."

Everyone could actually feel Atsushi's apprehension.

Kai was the first to give it words. "Atsushi, it's alright, I'm here with you."

"Thank you Kai." He turned back to Kongou and the Null Viper even as the ship vanished and offloaded his passengers. "Get onto that platform whatever you do. The coordinates are preprogrammed. Go and help Kai realize his potential, maybe this time around things will work out differently. Kai, It was my great pleasure to know you, I only hope to meet you again, next time. Keep them safe with your power, I cannot do it anymore. "

He turned back to Hizashi, the First Captain and drew the Freedom to its full height. "No matter what Kage, Valerie, you guard him. You're the last of the Kage now, It's all left up to you." He drew one of the beam sabers and swung it down in a massive attack against his father. There was a flash of light as Hizashi intercepted the attack and calmly held the blade in his hands. "APoor Atsushi, it seems you've forgotten what I taught you." With lightning speed he literally pulled the weapon from the Freedom's grasp and sliced the right arm and wing from it's body.

Even as it suffered catastrophic damage, the Freedom attacked with the second Saber, only to be parried by Hizashi's sword, Kusanagi. "I see you refuse my tender mercies Atsushi, perhaps in your next incarnation you'll learn, they say the twentieth time is the charm. Reap the Field Clean Kusanagi!!"

The room glowed brightly even as the Viper gained the launch deck. One last communication came through. "Never let hate rule your heart my freinds, that path only leads to oblivion." The S-Freedom exploded in a caphacony of sound, light and shrapnel as the blast from the released Kusanagi tore it to peices before their eyes. A final pair of beams speared the cockpit and the the second cored straight into the fusion reactor heart of the Gundam, destroying them both utterly.

"ATSUSHI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Kai's scream corresponded to the same glowing linear pattern appearing on his skin as the dimesional field and gravitic coils propelled them down the catapult. It was impossible for mortals to survive the process, but due to the natural dimesion field Kai was emitting, they were all surviving. Kai could only think of the name Atsushi gave him. "Yuna Misamaru, she can help me.... Take me to where she IS!!!!!!"

His body flashed white and the warm light bathed Valerie, Amaya, Kongou, and the Viper, and then darkness enveloped them all.

(((OOC The party all awakens in another place very different from their previous location. The smell of fall is in the air, and the leaves are turning on the trees around them. The Viper lays out on it's back on a hillside. Kai, Valerie and Amaya are at its feet. The area is a heavy forest, though about a hundred yards off you all can find a well traveled path through it. It's quiet, peaceful wilderness, and everything just feels cleaner to the party.)))

[Valerie]

Valerie's ees fluttered open, as she sat up in the middle a clear in the forest. The smell of flowers and fresh air invaded her senses, so much different than the air in the Shamballa base. Valerie hugged her knees to her chest. "...Hayami-dono..."

[Kai]

Kai awoke to the sound ofbirds chirping and Valerie's voice. He sat straight up and opened his eyes. Soft white clouds drifted across an azure blue sky and the scents of the forest nd wilderness wafted on the breeze. Behind him he saw the massive steelshod feet of the Null-Viper, which looked as if it had laid down for a nap on a low hill. There were in the center of a fair sized clearing and Valerie was on one side of him, Amaya on the other.

"Well that felt kinda tingly."

His mind registers Valerie's words and he lays a hand on her shoulder. His mind replays the Death of Atsushi, the man who'd been like a big brother to him. "He was always a good man Valerie. He had his reasons for everything. He did what he thought was right. He sent us here for a reason, and we're gonna find out what it is."

He chuckles a bit trying to lighten the mood. "Of course it would probably help if we knew where we were at the moment." He looks at Amaya. "You see if you can wake her, I'm gonna go check on Mr. Kongou." He gets up, still clad in his hospital gown and seemingly obilivious to certain lacking aspects of his attire, and goes to knock on the cockpit hatch of the NullViper. "Mr. Kongou, are you ok in there? I kinda need your help."

[Karrie Sherman]

Amaya stirred at Kai's voice, drawn by the familiar tones that had ruled her life for so long. Rolling onto her side, she found herself in a strange place, and awareness washed over her in waves. She came to her feet, sword in hand, blinking around her.

Kai's safe, she thought, her first real one since... the portal. He's safe. Kongou? Valerie.

Amaya looked down at the younger student. "Are you..." She realized how stupid she sounded and she put her sword away, somehow making it disappear behind her back. "Are you ok, Valerie?"

[Valerie]

Tears welling up in her eyes, she looked up at Amaya for a second before burying her face in her arms. "Hayami-Dono.....he...he gave it all for us, and I...I treated him like trash! Like an enemy amongst us..."

Valerie's full body shaked as she sobbed into her own arms. "Why? Why did he deceived us?"

[Kongou]

Kongou slowly comes around and hears the knocking on the hatch cover. He opens the hatch, looking up at the face of Kai. "I think I'm okay. Let me just check out where we are, if the GPS systems and sensors are working." After a minute or so, Kongou let's out a curse, then a sigh. He lifts the medallion over his head and says "Null-Viper, Return." After a few seconds, when he notices the Null-Viper not going anywhere, he looks around the cockpit and sees a flashing key. It reads Passive Camouflage. He hits the key and speaks the name of the key at the same time. When he does this the appearance of the Null-Viper's exterior changes to a pile of rocks. Kongou climbs out of the hatch and seals it, causing the illusion to be complete. He turns to Kai, "What seems to be the problem?"

[Kai]

Kai shakes his head as kongou emerges and the mecha beneath his feet shifts into a vaguely robotic looking mound of stones. "Well that was pretty cool."

He looks at Kongou. "I'm guessing that your sensor suite can't tell us where we are, from the cursing I heard, that's a major concern, but I was kinda wondering if you at least had a spare pair of pants in the Null-Viper, this hospital attire leaves much to be desired and little to the imagination."

[Kongou]

Kongou sighs, and undoes the hatch again, "Let me see if I have anything in here. I dunno what they put in here during the repairs." He climbs in and checks the compartment behind the main seat. Inside he finds Kai's clothes. He throws them out the hatch and then Kongou climbs out and re-closes the hatch. He then calls for everyone to gather around him. Once everyone is gathered he speaks, "Everyone, I have some interesting news regarding where we are. We are in the past. 700 years in the past, I believe. This is WHEN Yuna Misamaru lived. We are near a castle that Amaya and I know in the time we come from. Let us try to fit in, even though with our clothes we'll stand out. Everyone in favor of going to the castle, please let me know. I must leave the Null-Viper here, since it wasn't discovered at this time. If I have need of it, I may be able to summon it." Once done with his speech, Kongou sighs and sits on the ground to await the inevitable questions that must come.

[Kai]

Kai takes his clothes down by the Viper's head and quickly changes. He emerges from this and rejoins the others. in time to hear Kongou's speech.

"You know, I honestly don't find this that hard to believe. After everything that's happened it almost seems kinda normal." There's some resignation in his voice, but a bit of mirth.

"Well In for a penny, In for a pound. Let's go find Yuna. maybe she can explain some of the images and things Atsushi put in here." He casually taps his head to indicate the images and all are in his mind.

"He sent over some really amazing stuff, but I really don't get it, something tells me she can help."

[Karrie Sherman]

Her relief at seeing Kongou was alright faded when she really heard what he was saying. Amaya felt her jaw drop at the mention of being in the past and Yuna. Amaya had heard of Yuna; there wasn't a Kage who hadn't. But unlike many of the other Kage, she'd heard first-hand stories from her mother. Oh, god... my mother is around here somewhere! The blue-haired girl felt a growing horror - not of being temporally displaced, but a child's terror of facing a domineering, overbearing mother. Two hundred years of growth and independence were stripped away at the possiblity of being returned to her matron's sphere.

In a flash, she recovered her composure. There was no way her mother could know who she was, not so long as she retained her disguise. "Yes, let's find Yuna," Amaya agreed before kneeling next to Valerie. "Valerie... we need to move. Can you walk?"

[Valerie]

Valerie shakily got up. "Yes...Amaya-senpai, I can walk right now." Valerie seemed to be in her own world, ignoring most of the conversationg, seemingly needing a lot of concentration just to be standing.

[Kai]

Kai nods and looks to the west. "We should go that way." He doesn't understand how he knows, he just knows that's the way to go. He takes off and quickly finds the small road running east to west. "Hey I found a road!" He waited for them to catch up and in the distance he could see smoke rising.

As the group continued down the road they saw the gates of the settlement and Kai felt a slight tug on his left leg as he moved forward. "Oh hell." He could hear the strings of bells ringing and seemed to know they were surrounded. "Um guys, I think we have a problem."

Sure enough a dozen figures seemed to materialize from nowhere, at the front was a female with long ash-blonde hair, carrying a pair of fang like blades at her side. Amaya could feel a certain pressure coming from the leader, the same as when another person of Dalaraan blood was around. "State your name and why you're here and be quick about it. We do not take kindly to trespassers."

There was no mistaking her mother's voice, even after five hundred years, she still sounded the same, though as she stood, her voice lacked the bitterness Amaya remembered always being there growing up.

[Karrie Sherman]

Well, fuck. Amaya clung to the realization that there was no way that her mother could recognize a daughter not yet born, though a disguise as through as Amaya's. "I'm Watanabe Amaya, and these are my friends," Amaya said, quickly. "We've had some odd things happen to us, and we were hoping to talk to someone about what is going on."

[Valerie]

Valerie hid her face behind Amaya's back. "A..Amaya-senpai, do you know this people?"

Valerie held onto Amaya's uniform for the life of her, she trembled sligthly, there were a lot of people around them, all carrying blades. Valerie digged her feet into the groun sligthly in the case of needing to attack, or worse, escape.

[Kongou]

"I am Kongou. We are here to speak with someone. We mean no one any harm. Please lower your weapons." Kongou sighs and waits for the response from the leader. While waiting, he looks over the leader and smiles pleasantly. Kongou slowly shifts his weight from his right leg to his left and back again. He looks over at Amaya with a questioning glance, and then over at Kai, shrugging.

[Kai]

"We're here to speak to Yuna Misamaru." No sooner than the words leave his mouth than even more weapons appear and the leader's gaze takes on a predatory intensity. "Just what business do commoners have with the High Priestess? Speak quickly boy, before you cannot."

Quickly Kai recalled one of the things Atsushi had told him.

"I am Kai Morisato of Clan Amaha, native of Tokyo. I have come to seek her guidance in matters concerning the preservation of the Clan."

The silence was deafening, until dozens of weapons clattered to the ground. Around them all but the leader had dropped their weapons at his anouncement and fallen to one knee. The leader seemed somewhat unsure but lowered her blade and approached. She stood eye to eye with Him, searching his eyes for deception.

"This should prove my claim, warrior." it was a tone previously unheard of from him, almost condescending. In an instant the white lines of light appeared all over his body, even shining through his clothing.

[Kai]

After a moment the lights faded and the lead ninja looked almost stricken with fear. She dropped to both knees and bowed. "Forgive me Lord! Your dress is so different, I did not know. Please allow us to escort you within."

Kai reached down and raised the young warriors face gently with his hand. "Only if you tell me your name warrior."

"Katrine Kymia, of Clan Hiritsu, Lord Morisato. My Clan and house live to serve our allies the Amaha."

"Then let us be going then Katrine-san, it has been an interesting travel for myself and my companions. We would all like to get cleaned up and properly attired to meet with High Priestess Misamaru." He offered her his hand and helped her stand.

"It shall be as you say, Morisato-dono." With a nod the others rose and the party was soon on their way to the massive gates of the mountain castle.

One warrior was sent ahead to the Hall of the Amaha, to announce the impending visit. He quickly returned and informed them to go to the residence of the main Amaha family to freshen up and that they would meet Priestess Misamaru later that evening at sunset.

The gates opened and closed after them without a sound, a marvel of ancient engineering. It was a bustling city market they walked into, but the escort of twelve armed Ninja warriors got them through with no commotion. There were the odd looks and comments at their dress, but a look from Katrine silenced and cowed them. They came to the massive structure that served as the living space of the primary bloodline of the Amaha and Katrine stopped.

"We are permitted to go no further unless beckoned by one of the main family, or one who has their approval." Kai looked almost disappointed, and commented.

"Will I see you again Katrine?"

"You have but to call for me Morisato-dono, and I will answer."

"Then tonight when I go to meet with The Priestess, I ask for your pressence. You have been invaluable to me so far, and I have some questions for you to answer."

She actually blushed a bit at the attention, but nodded. "I will be here at the appointed time." She vanished as the great doors to the hall opened, leaving alone there. Kai looked to the others. "She's certainly a nice young woman, aside from waving the sword in my face." He chuckles a bit then gets serious. That was certainly interesting. I know you've got rank here Kongou, but I say we each get cleaned up, changed into proper attire and if we can let's meet up in the gardens of this place. We can talk about what we're gonna do next then."

((((You've got about two hours till sunset and the meeting with the priestess. There are nice traditional style baths, and everyone should find period appropriate attire in their rooms. The Gardens are in the northwest corner and very beautiful. virtually no one will even speak to any of you, though it's unclear why. Rest, refresh and then meet in the gardens to discuss... have fun.)))

[Valerie]

Valerie opted for a bath, the bath's had aromatic salts sprinkled on the water, and the water was just the right temperature. There was a light layer of steam all over the room, and several other women were in the facility when Valerie entered.

Using a separate room to disrobe, Valerie entered with only the a towel, soap, a small container to rinse herself and the SdZ.

When Valerie entered the bath, the people already occupying it left very quickly, leaving her alone in a big bath. Feeling sligthly dejected, Valerie rinsed herself with cold water first, scrubbing herself of anything that might dirty the water.

Immersing herself in the Water, Valerie lost herself in tought as she relaxed for the first time in what appeared to be years, it has been a single day or two since this crazyness started, and she knew that this was probably not even halfway into it.

"I just wish somebody could explain to me all of this..." Valerie sunk all the way to neck in the water, and just let the heat wash away her tension for the time being.

[Kai]

Kai left the others and found his way to the room bearing his name. There he doffed his clothes and liad them out. He put on the robe provided for him and bicked up the towel and bathing necessities provided for him. He made his way to the men's bath and smiled at the fact he was alone.

He set his robe upon a stone slightly away from the water. A low layer of mist seemed to hover over the warm water. Yes, the Amaha had it nice, their own private hotwater bathing area. Kai slipped into the ater and immeresed himself fully before coming up and then batheing himself. Though it had only been a day or two at most since his last bath, it felt as though weeks of funk and stress melted away as he scrubbed and rinsed himself clean. He toweled himself off and then put the robe back on.

He quietly returned to the room and found a somewhat familiar Kimono in place of his clothing. It was midnight black, though it bore a border of white. Within the borders, gold and crimson threads were interwoven in an double-helix pattern, with the gold being the outer lines and the crimson the striations across the middle. On the left breast was the symbol for Clan Amaha, a star with with sixteen points, outlined it white and colored with golden thread. On the back was the crest for four great houses of Clan Amaha, House Morisato, House Misamaru, House Kamina, and House Amaha. Though it was the Clan name, the Amaha were actually the least regarded for their ability. However, it was due to them that the others were kept safe, so out of recognition for that they took the name of this warrior house as their Clan name. The Morisato were the true head house of the Clan, though the current high priestess was a Misamaru. Her mother was a Morisato. House Kamina were known for their exploratory natures, discovering whole new realities and paving the way for the Morisato or the Misamaru to come back and establish lasting contact, or if need be, seal the gateway.

He put on the Kimono, a truly perfect fit. He exited the room and found no less than four young women waiting there for him, all trying to look as though they were only passing through.He smiled and nodded to them, they all waved and started giggling when they thought he was out of earshot. "I can certainly see why he drew attention from others on his way in, That Morisatio is much better looking than any currently around." "Yeah, but he's alot younger than the morisato men as well." "Did you hear he was travelling with a Hiritsu and a Yotsuga and even an exxtra dimensional?" "Haven't they all Been given access to the hall and the baths?" "IT's never happened before, it's almost scandalous for a Morisato to travel so unprotected." "Not that, I meant them lesser Clansmen being allowed within our Hall." "It's unheard of it's true."

A shadow fell over them as another bruntette appeared. All the women seemed to blanche at her approach. "Lady Amaha." She smiled at them " I have told you it's Masane, Shiori, Reina, Maria and Naomi." She nods to each of them. "That Young man is the Kai Morisato High Priestess Misamaru has forseen?"

"Yes, he seems to be."

"I think I'll go speak with him. It is always good to know someone you may have to one day defend." She nods and walks on after him. Kai has already found his way to the main gardens and is greeted by a perfectly serene setting. Cherry blossom trees are scattered everywhere, and there's a bridge crossing a stretch of the pond. Koi and other goldfish wait hungrily beneath the waters and the lilies. He finds a somewhat remote part of the garden overlooking a part of the pond and smiles as he sits against a large tree and looks at the water.

He soon hears a faint whisper of silk on the grass and sighs. "I figured someone would come to me before my companions did."

"You heard me, Very goood Morisato-dono."

"Kai will suffice."

"Masane, of house Amaha then."

"It's a pleasure Masane. What can I do for the Head of House Amaha?"

"You already know that?"

"Those four girls all wore bracelets similar to the one on your right arm, though Yours is giving off far greater spiritual power. It's easy to identify you for one who can sense such immense power."

"You can sense the blade? That's impossible, only a handful of Morisato posess the ability to pinpoint spiritual power, and none can determine the level."

"Well I can, and I'd say from it you wield roughly a thousand times my over all combat ability, but I digress."

She comes from around the tree. "You are a handsome and special young man aren't you Kai?"

"I'm not special, I've just been through alot lately. I watched someone I thought of as my elder brother killed by his father, found out one of my best frriends and my first love was killed by demons, and her soul trapped in another realm. I was told to seek out the Priestess for her guidance by a trusted comrade and here I am."

"You travel with a Wanderer, an Assassin, and someone not of this world and no one else. Either they're incredibly strong, or you're all very brave, and stupid."

He laughs excusing the possible insult. "A bit of both I should think. We did not have time to put together a real escort, and due to the urgency, we left with what we had. I have the utmost faith in them all. We're all friends."

"Friends with your inferiors? I've heard everything now. Most Morisato look down on everyone else, even those of us in the Clan."

"They fought for me when I couldn't fight, I fought for them when they could not. Through mutually shed blood, our lives and honor are linked. Is it not our duty to use our abilities to best serve the betterment of all?"

"Spoken like a man who has seen only a portion of Life's enduring sorrow, and War's unending Hell."

He looked at her and smiled. "You're right. I haven't seen everything, but I'm only seventeen. I've seen some of what life offers, good and bad, and despite that, I want to keep going and see more. I'm not affraid of what awaits, I'll meet it as best I can with all I have. I won't ever give up or in again."

There's a certain determination in his eyes as he speaks, and Amane smiles. "You're so young and naive. You've got so much to learn Kai-kun, but I will see that you get the chance. We of House Amaha always protect The others of the Clan, even if our lives must be forfeit." She leans in and presses her head to his forehead. Her bracelet pulses a bright crimson light reacting to his spiritual power. The white lines that he displays when activating his power glow then fade.

"Our contract has been made then Morisato-dono. I will protect you, and you will make the world better."

Kai nods. "One final thing. Friends use first names Masane, I very much think I can call you friend."

"Alright Kai." She starts walking away. "The others will be along, I'll see to it they all make it here and that your peace here isn't disturbed."

[Karrie Sherman]

Amaya eased into the hot water, sighing as it closed over her body. For a long moment, she enjoyed the heat and the sensation of the water against her flesh; then she grabbed the bar of soap and began to clean in earnest. She would be meeting with some very important people tonight; she needed to be properly groomed.

When she left the bath, there was a kimono waiting for her. Amaya smiled at the silken garment, and the sensation that she was sixteen again washed over her. Picking up the garment didn't help; the soft slide of silk brought back the disconcerting summer nights of her teenage years, when she'd been young and dumb. Ahhh, to be a teenager again, she thought, with only a touch of true remorse. Those days had been less confusing, but far more awkward then her life now.

When she dressed and looked in the mirror, Amaya had a surprise; she had forgotten that she had altered her appearance, and she hadn't been expecting to see a blue-haired teenage girl. Not for the first time, she missed her natural shape.

But if she was unrecognizable, her kimono was unmistakable. The midnight blue silk fell in whispering layers to the floor. The pale gray thread running through its pattern almost seemed to glow against the darkness, while the black threads swam into the background. The three colors made images of the creatures of the night, the skulking, hidden creatures comfortable in the darkness.

Amaya slipped her weapons into her clothing, then turned and headed out into future.

[Valerie]

Valerie slowly got out of the hot water bath, drying herself off careful to extend her alone time a long as possible, she had not been this relaxed since before all of this started and even if it had just been a couple of days, it felt like eternity to the young girl.

Once completely dry, Valerie changed herself into what looked to be a summer yukata, it was bright red with blue, with the sash a darker navy blue. Val felt much better, her poor school uniform didn't felt as good, after many battles the uniform was starting to rip and Val couldn't help but feel dirty on it.

Walking outside of the bathroom, Valerie started walking through the hallways, the SdZ slipped inside the sash where the Obon fan usually go, the whole place had a mystique to it, and beign in the past and being able to see this when it was not just an old building, but when it was being used and newer.

Valerie didn't need to be a detective to see that half the persons she passed by ignored her, and the other hald looked down on her, she was beggining to feel very lonely in this part of time...

[Kai]

It was quiet in the garden when Amaya and Valerie made their way to it, and finding Kai wasn't all that hard. He smiled at both of them as he stood. 'You two look incredible."

His appraising eyes were light, not invasive, but seemingly calm and content.

"I can easily see why both of you drew the gaze of every guy at the school. I kinda wish I had a camera, when we get back, nobody would ever believe this."

"I trust you both enjoyed your baths?... And no, I haven't seen Mr. Kongou yet, I hope he didn't get lost in this place."

Gone was the regal, borderline-condescending tone he'd used with Katrine. With them he was simply Kai, somewhat goofy, yet kind-hearted upperclassman to Valerie, and boyfriend to Amaya. The relationship between him and Amaya had been cast in serious doubt, but he was still smiling.

"I'm so lost amongst all this it can't help but be funny. Evidently I formed a mutual contract with the head of House Amaha. I make the world better, she sees to it that I get the chance." He shrugs.

"Honestly, someone like her can only help us I think. She's a good person at heart, and if what I sensed from her is half-right, she could annihilate all four of us without much effort. Someone powerful on our side sounds like a good idea to me."

"I should be scared senseless by some of the things going on.." He looks at Amaya. "You being a ninja, I wouldn't have guessed, especially after that little slip the other night." He isn't criticizing, but it's easy to tell he's laughing inside.

He looks over to Valerie. "And you have cybernetic implants far beyond anything I ever thought humanly possible. Not only that, but you have a staff that emits some sort of defensive barrier and shoots out massive energy waves. I should be monumentally freaked out by all of that, but to me you're just Valerie, one of the cooler new underclassmen this year."

"And lets not start just yet on what happened the other night, I dunno if my brain even wants to process what I did. When all this is said and done I actually look forward to going back to class like a normal student."

[Valerie]

"Kai-Senpai, I was so scared that we were going to lose you again!" Val hugs Kai. "You first get hypnotized, then you get captured and separated and then you send us to another dimension and dissapear again!"

"Why do things have to be so complicated? Why can't we go back to school or home?" Valerie dried the tears that were welling up on her eyes.

"What's the point of this all? Satoshi told us about trying to defend the earth against everything else! What's the reason for everything else? Lily said she was an alien, and she wasn't bad! How am I supposed to react to all of this?"

[Kai]

KAi returns Valerie's embrace and gives here his best soothing smile and tone. "Life is always complcated, sometimes moreso than others."

"I don't have all the answers even with the memory dunp from Atusushi. All I know is that Yuna is supposed to be able to help us in some way. I meant what I said earlier about looking forward to class, the cultural festival is a couple months away, and I had a great idea for this year. I want go back to how things were before I screwed it all up."

"Supposedly The Empire and the Federation attacked us, and Satoshi rose to defend against them. Nobody is really clear where they got the tech, but they were able to easily fight a two-fronted war to a stalemate."

Still smiling he taps the SDZ. "Or when you speak of home, are you speaking of where you came from before? I don't really know how to control my "power" yet, but if you want to go back to your original home I'll do all I can to get you there."

"What I don't know, and no matter how hard I look in all the information Atsushi gave me, is just how and why the Kage fit into all this, and why they've taken up arms against Satoshi Heavy Industries."

[Valerie]

Valerie gave one last squeeze to Kai, maybe with a bit more strenght than she had intended, and then immediatly released him when she felt Amaya-senpai's look on the back of her neck.

"Ah...I'm sorry Kai-senpai. It's just...when I was bathing, I got thinking and all of this was such a rush of things...everything is happening so fast, we are changing sides, factions and now we are traveling in time...It's like we are in some videogame or sci-fi book."

She still smiles "But I guess that if that's true and we are the good guys, then we get to push with all our might and break through to win, right? I'm guessing then that we need as many allies as possible, and that's why we are here with the Kage, right?"

[Karrie Sherman]

Amaya drew herself up at the door, watching Valerie and Kai for a moment. One could assume that she was jealously watching her boyfriend hug another girl. It wasn't like that; she was thinking.

Thoughts of sorrow and joy - remembering what she was here, and where she'd come from. And it was a harsh reminder of where she was going. No where.

She picked up the skirt of her kimono and walked out into the garden.

[Kai]

Kai does his best to Soothe Valerie. "Yes, they can help us, and I believe they will. This will all be over soon and we can go back to our normal lives."

Kai looks up and smiles at Amaya. "It's good to see you Amaya. I take it you've rested up?"

There's a certain tension in Kais voice that is noticible. He wants to trust Amaya, but so far he's seen nothing to counter Atsushi's words.

"How does it feel to be home?" It's a genuine question, a loaded one, and an accusation all in one.

[Karrie Sherman]

Amaya swallowed her first spike of anger and simply raised an elegant eyebrow. "This is not my home," she said, and it was true - her home was hundreds of years in the future. This garden wasn't as she remembered it as a child, or as it was now. It did change over time. In fact, her favorite part of the garden, the tree she liked to climb, hadn't been planted yet, and its cousin was a mere sapling.

"How are you two?" she asked, moving the subject. "Are you feeling ok?" She stepped close enough to touch Valerie's silver hair, and for Kai to take her hand, if he wanted to.

[Kai]

"I'm fine Amaya, considering everything that's happened." Kai's voice immediately shifts to a colder tone. "Things will prove interesting tonight. By the way have you seen Kongou? He shouldn't be taking this long to meet us."

[Karrie Sherman]

She watched Kai grow cold, and silently cursed Atsushi for telling Kai so much, in such a bad way. Then that became unimportant. Kong-chan. Amaya's chest caught on a painful breath. "Yes... he should be here. Would you guys like to go look for him?"

[Kai]

"No, best to stay here. This is where we said we'd meet up. Surely he'll be here. He's our teacher, surely he can take care of himself."

[Kai]

As soon as the words escaped his mouth, an explosion rocked the complex. Masane was there practically instantly, allowing Valerie and Amaya to meet the Older woman who had contracted with the young key. "Kai we have to get you someplace safe immediately."

There was a second of delay and then everyone heard it. It was the Nail driver pilebunker on the Null-Viper's right arm discharging into something. There was a great roar and the ground shook as two great masses clashed.

"What's going on?"

"The demons are attacking en masse. Your other guardian took to the field in his machine and is fighting a delaying action until the others can join him, but right now we have to evaccuate. We can't let the demons gain the power of the Keys."

Kai looks to the others and then back and nods. "lead the way Masane, you know the compound better than I." It took several minutes but The small group managed to Link up with some of the other "civilians" and Masane and a handful of her House members wardened the group of mostly women and children through the complex without too much incindent.

They got to the main chamber and found Priestess Misamaru kneeling before the great golden statue of Buddha. "Masane, take Kai and his companions and let them see what unfolds, it is something they must see." Masane was obviously shocked, but grabbed Kai by the arm. "Come on, she'll keep the other safe."

Kai followed without much choice as Masane led him and the others to the roof. From there they could smell the burning ash, and asee the destruction being wrought by the demons.

The Null-Viper was badly surrounded, and already it's armor was deeply pitted and cracked open. The horn on it's brow had been broken, and it's left arm was gone at the shoulder. Both massive Claymore launchers hung empty and only two shells were still in the chamber for the piledriver. Another pair of the giant demons charged in and they were met by the massive pilebunker. Both fell with massive holes in their chest, but the other six demons seemed to know it was over.

"It's over now!!! Get out of there!!"

The six demons charged as one, tearing into the mangled armor of the Viper. Impossibly the Viper took to the air. The six demons clung tightly to it as it rose into the sky and then there was a great explosion as its reactor went critical, and the finaly defence system CLAYMORE activated, Turning the Null-Viper into an anti-everything mine. The six demons ceased to be and pieces of the Viper rained down on everything in the field. A piece of the torso armor sliced Kai's arm, even as the mecha's head landed on a trio of demon dogs crushing them. The eyes blazed for a moment, then they like the life of the pilot winked and flickered, then ceased to function.

"No way..." Kai could hardly believe it. "This is the life you have to make better Kai Morisato, For some reason Yuna wished you to see that, to see the sacrfice made in your name."

She looks to the others, hoping they're strong enough for what happens next.

[Karrie Sherman]

A soft thud sounded next to Kai, when he turned, he saw that Amaya had dropped to her knees in shock. Slowly, disbelievingly, her expression turned to grief. Everyone saw the glint of tears before she pressed her face to her hands. For a moment, it was only her bowed shoulders, shaking a little. But all too soon, the choking sobs started, sounding like they'd never stop.

And then Amaya faded, her blue hair and adolscent form thinning and disappearing like mist blowing away. And underneath that blowing mist was a stranger, a tall woman of approximately thirty, with blonde hair. And she was crying as Amaya had been, crying as if her heart were shattering.

[Valerie]

Valerie pulled out the SdZ, preparing to jump into the fray when the explosion rocked everbody on their place made her lose her balance and she fell back besides Kai.

"Ko-Kongou Sensei!" Valerie didn't think it twice as she once again jumped to the remains of the Null Viper, Kongou was tough, he was a ninja for god sake! he might still be alive!

Valerie kicked the air over and over until she was right above the remains of the Null Viper, slowly descending to it, moving the huge mecha parts around trying to find the cockpit.

[Kai]

(((OOC The only major part of the Viper left is its head. The entire mecha was just turned into a thirty five ton claymore mine. There are shards of structure and armor imbedded in things, but no noticeable parts beyond the head and certainly no remains of the cockpit, which was about five feet from the massive engine powering the mecha.)))

[Valerie]

Having removed debris and rocks, the scorched lands didn't offer any more of a sign of life than what the destroyed robot did.

Valerie threw a piece of claymore 'mine' far into the horizon, screaming in a rage. Everybody aroudn her kept falling and she was powerless to stop it.

"Why did you had to do this Kongou-sensei?" Valerie felt sad by the death of her teacher, but on the very back of her mind there was a voice saying 'Well, he wasn't just your teacher, right? I mean all of this Ninja were just tricking you all this time, you just tried to blend in, but they? they had missions!'

Valerie managed to regain her strenght, and start her skip back to the others.

[Kai]

Kai's face was a mask as he watched Amaya's breakdown, and Valerie's charge into the wreckage. His voice was quiet when he spoke. "Enough."

Spiritual power pulsed from him as the lines of light began to glow brightly. Suddenly everything stopped an all the demons turned to the source of the outpour of spiritual power.

The simble of infinity began to form on his forehead, and from the center of his chest, the symbol for Clan Amaha began to blaze like a white hot nova. "I said that's ENOUGH!!!!!!!!"

All over the city, wherever the attacking demons were, each of them was incased in a pillar of light, with the sixteen point star of Clan Amaha as its base.

"You do not belong in this world, none of you!! Now All of you BE GOONNNNNNEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!" The demons within the pillars all started to dematerialize within the pillars and then once they were gone Kai fell to his knees.

Fires still raged around them, but the kage were quickly extingusihing them. Masane stood there looking at Kai and Amaya.. Until Kai's eyes closed and he pitched forward, off the roof.

She leapt into action catching her young contractor and bearing him safely to the ground in a series of flips and wall-jumps. She landed at the base of the building and Cradled her charge in her arms. "Rest now Kai, you did well." She looks up to Valerie and nods. "Your corncern for one of our people is commendable. Few outsiders ever truly bond with us. You will have a home with us as long as you require."

Her gaze shifted back to the building, and in a voice only Amaya could hear she spoke. "Do not mourn the loss of such a noble Kage warrior. He fought bravely and well, all to defend you, Kai and Valerie. I don't believe he knew the truth, but I do believe he will continue to watch over you, and that he is happy that you are still alive."

She turned back to see a Medical team approaching, half in fear, half in utter respect. "He's alive, but his life force was greatly drained by banishing all the demons. We need to get him to a bed and begin restoring his lifeforce immediately, but be careful, in this state he is very weak."

"Yes Mistress Amaha, at once."

"I will hold each of you and your houses responsible should anything befall him. Take him to Clan Amaha's enclave and you are granted permission to use one of the rooms in my home to tend to him. if any challenge you, then say "The Blade Wills It." They will not resist beyond that. Now Go. I have to collect the others."

Once Kai is in their possession she begins to wall-jump her way back to the roof and Valerie and Amaya. She stands there. "He needs you both now. Will you go to him?"

[Valerie]

Valerie looked around her, the swarm of people out of nowhere confused her, but she kept remembering that they were Ninja.

"Yes, I will be there for Kai-senpai." Valerie reduced the size of the SdZ, hiding within the sleeve of her Yukata. "Take me to the presence of Yuna Misamaru, Kai is here to talk to her, and even if I must be the one to talk to her we will get the information we came to get."

[Karrie Sherman]

The blonde woman stood slowly, getting her feet under her. Her heart had just shattered, burned away with the destruction of Kongou's mech, but she had her duty.

"We can speak to Yuna Misamaru together." Amaya swayed a little. Even with the fragile expression on her face, the resemblance to Katrine Kymia was unmistakable.

[Kai]

"So you would speak to me without knowing Kai's questions? Very well my young friends. You have my full attention." Priestess Yuna Misamaru spoke from behind them. She looked serene and regal in her priestess' robes, all done in traditional Clan Amaha colors.

Masane actually kneels, or at least starts to, before Yuna waves her off. "No need for formalities Masane." She looks over to the two young women. What would you have of me?"