Two Times, One Sword (Closed)

[Tone 6th]

"Bah!" Waru spat.
"Whats wrong? Why has your attention split?" Katsumi raised an eyebrow.
"This girl's stupid guardian keeps interfering!"
"Then take care of her."
"I can't do that with out giving Ayako a brief laps in reality."
"Thats alright just make it quick."

Waru ripped his hands from Ayako's mind send her to the floor. He raised his hands above his head and a large ball of black energy began to form. "No more interfering." she whispered as he sent the large ball hurtling for Mei.

"What!" Mei couldn't get up fast enough and the black energy engulfed her.

"That should hold you for a awhile." Waru said as he flew back to, the now regaining consciousness, Ayako. "No no my puppet back to sleep, the test isn't over yet." he whispered in Ayako's ear as he jammed his fingers back into her skull.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ayako walked briskly to the suite with her eyes forward and thoughts of revenge swimming in her mind. She came up to a large frosted glass door and opened it, inside her brother waited with drinks in hand.

"Well I can say one thing for sure, you look much better." he handed her a small glass of scotch.
"Ugh what is that awful melody?" Ayako slightly covered one of her ears.
"It's jazz, father showed it to me and what can I say I fell in love with it. It's a gasp of fresh air in the electric forest that is modern music." he smiled and took a sip from the glass. "So before we engage in this little skirmish, do you have anything to say for yourself?" he smirked.

"Any to? Just that I'm so happy that all of this happened. I got to see you and 'father' for who you really are, and man you're both so ugly." her words were laced with anger. She sipped her glass then gave a chuckle "To think I was so worried about what you, father, and everyone else thought of me... it's kind of pathetic isn't it?" she gave a slight smile.

"Yeah it kind of is." Yori chuckled back and set his glass on the desk. "Well is there anything else you want to say my beloved sister?"he unsheathed his sword and struck a stance.

 

[foodforpigs]

"Goodbye." she said, with finality. Yori hadn't said goodbye when he ran away to join the police force. She thought he did so to evade a further life of working for their evil father, make something for himself that was of his own design, but it turned out he was just another of Paxton's dogs. Dogs could be put down without remorse. You didn't call a dog your brother. It was all over, now. No more words, no more trying to capture what had been lost, when he was baby Yori and she was the older sister, relishing every day of play together - of a sunny world denied to them. The world had shaped them to what they were now.

Fake Yori had been bluffing with is lead with his unsheathed sword, quick-drawing out his pistol and firing several rounds at the Nether Animal. She couldn't see herself as an 'Ayako' anymore. She flipped behind a couch and flipped it as a makeshift barricade. Yori riddled it with bullets. The sound of jazz music picked up as Ayako made several cartwheels, firing his own pistols she materialized with her powers. Those scotch glasses shattered as the two fighters weaved to dodge the other's bullets.

Yori dashed through the suite with his flame jets, burning trails of fire in his path, igniting the fine carpets and the hardwood. Smoke clouded the room in combination along with thick fog with the sudden addition of automatic sprinklers doing nothing but petting the oil based fire. Ayako launched metal disks from an automatic disk launcher she generated using one of her sister's body components. She loved using her old self as flak; anyone else might be creeped out by this, but not her. The saw blades were more unpredictable than bullets, ricocheting off the walls and the ceiling like pool shots, ripping through curtains, furniture, cabinets, leaving clear saw blade slits everywhere. Razor sharp saw blades littered everywhere as Yori deflected them with his sword; any miss and it would be instant decapitation and he'd be as dressed as a turkey by the axe.

There were smiles on both of their faces. Yori punched a terminal button and activated defense system protocols. Several sentry guns popped out from the roof, machine gun busting the hell out of the floor with such force that the dented floor was becoming chips and they could see parts of the level below them. Ayako switched gears, nimbly dodging like a ballerina, materializing on the fly a multi-rocket launcher. Swarms of rockets exploded against the sentry guns, which could only destroy some of the missiles mid-flight.

 

[Tone 6th]

"Well it would appear that you've adapted to your new body very quickly." Yori smirked among the flaming debris. His sent a desk flying straight for her. She caught it no problem with her tail, but Yori cut straight through it in hopes of catching her off guard. "You'll have to better!" she crossed her arms and a large heavy steel shield appeared to catch Yori's attack. Quickly adjusting Yori rested on top of the shield, stabbed through it, and just barely nicking Ayako's cheek.

Ayako gritted her teeth "GET OFF!" she roared sending Yori flying into the air. She whipped around, bound him in her tail, and began to squeeze as hard as she could. *Thunk!* Yori's blade hit the ground as the pressure became to much. Ayako brought her hand to her cheek, then to her eyes... she was bleeding a sliver liquid "Synthetic blood?" she raised an eyebrow. "I'm bleeding?... I'm bleeding!" rage ran through her eyes. "I'm so fucking tired of being hit, Yori! I'm supposed better then you! You shouldn't be able to touch me!" she picked up his sword.

"Yeah... you're... SUPPOSED... to be a lot.... of things." Yori gasped for air as his lung began to collapse from pressure.

Ayako brought the black blade to tail shears and clamped down it all the while looking Yori in the eye.

"Fool... you...can't break-" *Clunk!* Half the blade fell to the floor while Ayako held the other half in her claws. Yori was dumb founded.

"Good bye." Ayako said one last time. She brought the sword to her brothers throat and slashed it. She watched as Yori choked on his own blood, watched as the light faded from his eyes, then slammed him to the ground. She stood over him with a huge grin on her face, laughing to herself.

--------------------------------------------------------------------
"ACK!" A shock wave sent Waru clear across the room, slamming into a wall. The black energy around Mei disappeared, and she looked to her friend.

"Ayako?" she floated over to the still slumped over girl.

"Not Ayako anymore." she stood up. "Ayako is dead and all that's left is me."

"What do I call you then?" Mei smiled.

"Neza Dobutsu." the girl turned around with a blood thirsty grin on her face.

"Very well Neza."

"Good work Ayako!" Katsumi called. "You've passed both tests, welcome to the team. Tomorrow we ride for the Japanese Sea, so get whatever repairs you need and a full nights rest." she ordered as she began to exit the arena.

"I'm coming for you Yori." Neza laughed.

 

[foodforpigs]

Yori and Jiro made their way towards the Water Torii mentioned by Amaratsu, their patron goddess. It looked run down, forgotten, with the water symbol barely visible through the rust of the cheap metal. It was just on the shore, flanked by jutting crag rocks. Around the torii, however, the sand was level and smooth, like a soft blanket. Yori breathed in calmly, and discreetly guided Jiro to the side, away from direct sight from the shore, behind a large boulder. Jiro arched an eyebrow. He already knew this place. Why did Yori appear apprehensive?

"It's bait." Yori whispered. "No beach can be that smooth from natural causes." It reminded him of sensor plates. "If we displace the sand, it'll likely alert the Water God and those that serve him. Here's the kicker. If we try to go for the crags instead, then they can also be trapped. We also don't know if some of Gin's golems are here. Let's get to better ground."

 

[Tone 6th]

"You may be right. This beach should be teeming with life. "We don't need a better vantage point just a trigger." Jiro took a rock and chucked it right in front of the gate.

"CRAAAAAAAHHH!" three strange humanoid crustaceans burst from the sand and rushed to the rock.

​

They scuttled around the object looking at it, talking to each other through a series of clicks.

"What are those?" Yori asked in disgust.
"They're... They're Heikegani. The foot soldiers of the sea, they haven't been seen in hundreds of years. I bet the beach is littered with them, the sea god knows about what Gin is doing." Jiro said astonished.

"Craah!" one of the Heikegani screeched. As quickly as they came they were gone, burrowing back into the sand.

"We should try diplomacy first. Yori you should contact Amaratsu and see if she's made any contact with Suijin. If push comes to shove we will ask for passage ourselves."


​

 

[foodforpigs]

Yori closed his eyes, attempting to commune with Amaratsu again, but it felt very different from before. He suddenly felt light-headed, awash with the feeling of being lulled into a domain. Suijin was the further element to Amaratsu; suddenly, he realized the risk she was taking to help them. She submitted herself to Suijin, though she was the strongest of all the gods, asking for his audience, acting weak to earn Suijin's respect. There was a clear danger in doing this, for even feigned weakness could turn into real weakness. There was bits of darkness that lingered with Suijin, felt through Amaratsu's projection to Yori. It was the darkness shared by the depths of the sea. Yori knew he had to do the same.

"Amaratsu is communing with Suijin, and Suijin is trying to lull her into peace. She'll resist, always remaining outside his grasp, giving just enough for him to understand our plight. She will not be seduced, though he wants her to be. Guard me from Gin's men or the Heikegani if they come. Amaratsu is trading her power for his trust. I must show the same reverence."

Yori's rocket boost didn't make a sound; it was very light. The fire at his feet gently guided him upwards towards the Torii, as though he was a spirit levitating. A small spark ignited at his fingertips: his mini electrical torch. Very lightly, he started to flake off the rust of the center metal disk where the water symbol was carved. Over and over again he traced the water symbol until it would once again be distinct and clear to all those that saw it. It was fire, submitting to water's needs. Some of the Heikegani peeked up from the sand, looking around confusedly.

 

[Tone 6th]

"Who are you to repair our Torii, fire golem?" a strange frequency buzzed in Yori's ears. The three on looking Heikegani rose from the sand and stared at Yori.
"My name is Yori, and I mean you no harm."
"What of the one behind the rock?" one pointed to the bolder Jiro was behind.
Jiro walked out slowly from the bolder "I mean you no harm either. We are envoys on the Goddess Amaterasu, and we seek audience with your lord." Jrio spoke clearly and directly.
"Do you bear her mark?" one of them asked.
"I do not myself, but that man does."
Yori showed them Amaterasu's mark, and the Heikegani huddled together clicking between them. One of them turned to Jiro "He is the one with the mark, he is the envoy, so who are you?"
"I am Jiro Ieyoshi, my father was Takeda Ieyoshi, I am the remaining protector-"
"We are sorry for your loss. Takeda was a courageous man, you are welcome here anytime."
"Thank you. May we speak to God Suijin?"
The three looked at each other then back to Jiro "Amaterasu is already making her plea for the Aquwis Stone, your presents is not required."
"Please all I ask is that you let us join her in her pursuit for the stone."
"We are sorry, but our decision if final."
"Please you must open the gate!"
"No now leave-" *Pheeew* *Crack* One of the Heikegani caught an arrow in it's claw that shot straight out of the forest, and snapped like a twig with a simple pinch. "What's going on here!" one of the ordered.
"I'm not sure, but something is definitely off." Jiro turned to the forest behind him and drew his katana.

"Hello boys." A red haired woman sauntered out of the tree line with two large hand blades drawn. "We've come to play." she smirked as eight gold golems shot out of the forrest with incredible speed, claws ready to shred.

"Protect the Torii!" one of the Heikegani bellowed.
"Yori there is something different about the golems, there much faster the before. Don't let them get anywhere near the Torri!" Jiro called as he blocked a slash.

 

[foodforpigs]

"You've come to the wrong place." said Yori. His sword ignited with his spirit fire. He could feel the telekenetics mind of the Heikegani. Theirs were the minds of hardened soldiers, of deep, careful strategy, not mercenary or mindless like the golem raid party.

Defenses.
Many more Heikegani under sand. returned the hive mind. Strong shells to absorb strikes. Water Cannons. Hand of Suijin!

Yori allowed his mind to become part of the collective, sending the hive mind information on the art of futuristic artillery warfare. Heikegani emerged to fire large bursts of water from their claws at key points of the enemy charge, using the information relayed by Yori's advanced tactical sensors, instantly punishing the poor tactical choice of the enemy commander coming to play. He let loose a giant jet of flame from his palm, relentlessly focusing on those golems who fumbled at the strong jets of water struck at their leg joints. They were melting quickly under the intensity, though some managed to come through the breach.

Anti-flank measures!

Yori moved through the gaps of the increasing intensity of combat, weaving through, above and underneath the towering Heikegani whom he now considered like his brothers-at-arms, counter flanking the golems who sought to gang up on one Heikegani at a time. The philosophy was simply; their shell defenses were far more effective if they only had to focus on one attacker at a time, and bought them time to burrow underground should their shell be pierced, to recuperate. The claw golems were proving to be even more quick that before. Their advantage had to be removed. Their red haired woman was cutting through Heikegani shells like she was at a lobster joint and their shells were butter.

Hand of Suijin!

The giant hand of Suijin came in the form of a monstrously large series of tidal waves. Heikegani braced themselves deep in the sand, Yori and Jiro pulled down with them. The relentless golems were pushed back significantly from the first wave. The second wave came, the golems leapt to avoid it and strike downward, and Yori understood what to do. He pinpointed Jiro's thoughts within the noise of the hive mind. Yori fired a jet of flame, this time at the second wave, creating a sudden air of thick mist which covered the Heikegani and the beach.

Crags, Jiro. Impale them on the way down!

 

[Tone 6th]

"On it!" Jiro stabbed his sword into the soft sand, sending spikes jetting from the ground. *Screech!* *Thunk!* The golems were impaled sending the sound of twisting metal echoing through the beach. Chunks of metal rained from the sky as the sand spikes disintegrated.

"Well done boys!" The red haired woman cheered as she tore her way through one last Heikegain. "Neza was right about you, especially you Yori." She folded her arms. "But this is just the beginning." She quickly waved her arm. A squad of four huge iron balls rolled out from the forest.

"Yori!" Jiro called.
"I know!"

The balls unlock and transformed into the iron golems the had fought from before. They grabbed the Heikegain and broke through their shells with ease, the horrifying sounds of screams filled the hive mind.

"Yori super heat them!" Jiro ordered.
"Right!" a heavy wall fire engulfed the iron onslaught.

"Can you hit them with an wave?" He asked a Heikegian.
"No there are not enough of us on the surface, but we can hit them with a guided torrent."
"That will work just hit them hard!"

Suijin's Claw

A big stream of water rushed to the into the golems super cooling them.

"Rahh!" Jiro charged into the steam could and began cutting chunks out of the iron warriors.

Yori began to dash towards the action but a fireball flew across his face. "So you're a fire warrior to. Come on show me what kind of a spark you have!" The red haired woman dug her heels into sand and was ready to strike "Ladies first." She mocked.

 

[foodforpigs]

"I don't see any ladies here." Yori retorted, striking a defensive stance.

The female fire warrior charged at Yori, sand flying as she ran with inhuman speed. Her motions flared with fire as she swung around her hand blades, now alight in fire. Every punch in the air she made created a fireball that bombarded where Yori was jumping from place to place to avoid the shell-like impact of the blasts. When their blades clashed, the golem was unrelenting with the flurry of her strikes, forcing Yori into a retreat. Each of Yori's counters were slow, predictable.

"Is this all you got?!" she mocked.

Yori stabbed through the opening of one of her hand blades, then rotated his blade with new speed and sudden force to disarm it from her hand, forcing it to fly far off to the side. The female golem, though surprised, narrowly dodged the subsequent strike and backflipped to regain her footing, but now it was Yori that was on the attack, flipping around the momentum of the fight to his side, using the speed he had hidden from her, to force her to make a critical mistake.

She yelled furiously. Her lost hand blade was thrown back to her by one of the ally golems, which she caught with ease, not looking at it, as she continued to flip back through the chaos of the battle until she was at a safe spot. She looked at Yori with burning eyes.

"Run, and you might just spare yourself the agony of living your life with charred skin."
"I'm sorry, but I'm not going to let you turn my new Heikegani friends into your lobster dinner."
"It doesn't matter. You'll not make a fool of me a second time. Feigning your speed will only work once."
Yori's fire sword extinguished itself.
"More tricks, which makes you just like Neza. Insulting. I know you can call that flame whenever you want. You can't fake that you have no control of it."

 

[Tone 6th]

*THUNK!" An iron golem's upper half slid to the sand. Jiro regained his stance as one golem remained, though now it had cooled and re-hardened. He briefly caught a glimpse Yori's fight "Yori!" he began to dash over to him only to be pushed back by a metal hand.

"You..... fight.... me." the golem mumbled.
"You can talk!" he said with surprise.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Very well no more tricks." Yori smiled
The female golem returned his smile "First one to hit the sand loses. I wouldn't want to steal Neza's pray."
"Who is this Neza, and how does she know me?" Yori searched through his memories.
"Hey come on, it isn't sporty if you opponent isn't ready." the girl called striking a stance.
"Right sorry." Yori struck his stance and his sword ignited.

"Let's see who has the better spark!" she ran at Yori full force, slicing through the air sending two waves of fire speeding towards Yori. The swordsman cut through the waves with no problem. "To slow!" a foot emerged from the dissipating flames *CRACK*. The girl landed a flying kick to Yori's jaw, then landed softly on the sand behind him. Yori wavered for second the shook it off, turning to face his opponent, but she was gone.

*Beep Beep Beep* "Attacker coming in from behind." Yori's sensors alerted. Yori began to turn and in his peripheral he just barely saw her glowing yellow eyes, before a hot flash of pain erupted into his spine. If it hand't been for the steel coating around his spine it would have shattered under her elbow. The samurai didn't scream just dropped to one knee with his sword dug into the sand.

"Ugh I thought this would be more fun, I though Neza said you would be more fun, I thought you future men were supposed to be strong. Man was I wrong." she bent down to Yori's ear. "Tell you what though, you sad excuse for a man, after I knock you out I'm going to fry these shrimp, then I'm going to kill that son of bitch Jrio. How does that sound?" her words were laced confidence and poison.​

 

[foodforpigs]

"Sounds like the worst date ever." Yori grunted back. He headbutted her, their steel heads resounding in a rough clang. It was enough to stagger her back. Yori's boosters ignited, leaving his attacker right in the cross of hot rocket fuel. He cracked his spine back into alignment. The female golem had blocked Yori's cheap attack with a force field of fire. Some of the hot liquid still got through, burning parts of her arms so her metal components could be seen underneath.

There was a sense of constant wariness within Yori, as he continued to feel the vicarious effect of Amaratsu being drawn in slowly by the power of Suijin. At any moment, it felt like his association with fire would be nullified, leaving this female golem as the only fire warrior with abilities. His blade was sputtering because of it. The fact that his blade had extinguished itself wasn't by his volition, but that gave him an idea. The flame started to die down again, and the female golem squinted her eyes again.

"You're even stupider than I thought." she spat. "Still going for the same trick despite me telling I've seen right through it. Forget keeping you alive. I'm killing you!" I don't care that Neza wants the final blow.

She fired two more fireballs at Yori and jumped with feroicity, leaving a huge crater in her wake besides Yori that almost incinerated her. Yori's sword turned slightly, reflecting the sun's light; a cheap bandit's trick, to try and blind her. It wouldn't work on her. Like the eyes she saw in Yori's sockets, hers could cut through such interference easily. He would die. She saw his blade swing; she moved to block and slash in nearly the same instant. Yori swung down on her. His blade cut through her weapon and one of her arms. It was her reflexes that prevented her from being directly cut into two. That's when she saw the aura around Yori's blade. It was very thin, shrouded by the light. Yori knew his inspiration as laser weapon technology, concentrating his spirit fire into a more honed attack.

That's when both of their fires suddenly extinguished.
"What trickery is this?!" yelled the female golem.
Yori knew it wasn't trickery, but he wouldn't tell her. Neither could access their fire because the fire had been quelled. Amaratsu had given herself up to Suijin. During this time, she would be at his mercy, allowed it to be so. She was the source of all fire.

 

[Tone 6th]

"YAHHHH!" Jiro roared as he took down the final iron golem, and by this time enough of the aquatic soldiers had assembled to drive the attackers back. He watched as Yori cut down the female captain, then saw Yori's sword extinguish. The was a moment of confusion, then a pain shot through Jiro's brain, causing him to go down on both knees.

----------------------------------------------------------------

"What did you do you fool!" the golem screamed at Yori.
"I haven't done anything!"
"Then why are my flames gone!"
"Because our goddess is in trouble!"
The goelm looked to the beach and she watched her forces quickly diminish "I guess we'll have to play another time then." she ran for the forest, kissing Yori on the cheek as she dashed past him. The remaining golems stopped their fighting and followed their captain.

"Amaterasu can you hear me?" Yori called out to her mind, but to no avail.
"Yori!" Jiro walked up to him in obvious pain.
"Jiro whats wrong?"
"It feels like a part of the Earth just died, the spirits are crying out in agony. What happened to the Goddess?"
"Suijin has taken her as his own. We need to get in to his domain before-"

Everything was quickly engulfed in a dull shadow, and the two looked to the sun only to make a horrifying discovery.

​

"Yori the sun... it's gone black." Jiro whispered in disbelief
"We need to hurry to the Torii!" Yori began to run for the gate.
"HALT!" two Heikegani stopped Yori in front the gate.
"We just saved your soldiers now give us passage!"
The Heikegani stood looking at Yori for a few moments "Very well we will grant you passage, but be warned if you bring harm to our master then we will kill you." the stood to either side of the gate.
Both samurai bowed and and walked through the gate.

There was a bright flash of light and they found themselves in front of a beautiful under water palace.​

​

"We're going to drown!" Yori panicked
"Calm down my friend, if Suijin wanted us dead he would have killed us on the beach." Jiro took a deep breath then exhaled. "See we are able to breath." Jiro smiled and began walking up to the palace.​

 

[foodforpigs]

"Amazing."

Yori was drawn in by this underwater palace, and could suddenly understand why Amaratsu would stay. It was beautiful, filled with lights and color even more vibrant than his futuristic city of KAMI five. Why not live under the sea if one was able to? The sky would be blotched out in the future, but that time it would be the actions of man, and not of goddess. Underwater riders strode past them on dolphins and sharks, eyeing the travelers of their domain with lingering interest. Yori thought about the kiss on the cheek; that was even stranger.

"It must be the plant life here. I haven't seen anything like it."

In his future, it was unfathomable to go near the oceans, unless you had no choice but to meet the ocean in the form of a monsoon. The more inland people were, the much better off they generally were. Only the rich or the foolish met the ocean like their ancestors did. Such beauty below and above the sea could only be imagined through creative storytelling and holographic projects. To live it was an exhilarating feeling, but that was overshadowed by the dread that his patron goddess had been taking in by the quelling force of Suijin, a candle under the flame. More Heikegani guards crossed to meet the two samurai, and led them through the ornate antechamber that reflected Atlantean architecture, of Ionic Columns and the marble busts of past nobility.

"It is true that Suijin doesn't want us dead - yet." Yori whispered. They were led through gilded doors depicting undersea battles against Kraken and the Leviathan. Sitting on the gigantic white marble throne that towered over the two samurai up about twelve small steps separated every three steps with a flat platform of beautiful green-blue sea rock. On the throne sat a young woman, half fish, koi-like.

She waved a hand, and one of her Heikegani spoke. This Heikegani spoke with great air and ceremony.

"You've requested an audience, and now you have it. State your business."
"We must speak with Suijin."
"Insolent land-walker! Suijin is much too mighty to behold to mere mortals. She's the presence of Suijin, his Chosen!"
"Why must she talk indirectly, through you?"
"To even touch her mind is the greatest honor, for it's only one step from the mind of Suijin. She beckons again. Why have you come?"

The young woman waved her hand disapprovingly at the Heikegani with a scowl.
"My apologies. The Lady is right in telling me that I should watch my tone. You are the man that bestowed upon us the gift of, how you say, 'Advanced Artillery Warfare'."

 

[Tone 6th]

"It's quite alright, my friend isn't from around here. Please forgive his brash attitude my lady." Jiro grabbed the back of Yori's head, bowed, and made Yori bow along with him. "Watch your manors she is the only one who can help us." he whispered while still bent over. Yori nodded.

"My lady we are here two ask two things of your master." Yori stood up straight.
"What would that be?"
"The first is that we request that he let Amaterasu back into her domain. Without her the sun has been soaked in an inky black shadow, if it continues we land-walkers will freeze to death." Yori explained.
"Your use of this time's vernacular is quite amazing, future man." the Chosen smiled. Yori gave a confused look. "Did you forget that you opened your mind to us, we saw everything?"
"Ah, yes of course." Yori briefly blushed.
"Never the less the Mother Goddess went to Master Suijin of her own will, she isn't being held here."
"Then as her envoy I ask to see her."
"We will see. What is your second reason for being here?"

Jrio stepped forward "Your master no doubt knows about the evils that Gin is planning."
"Of course, he has lost many a brother and sister to the cur. His plan to rule all dimensions is nearly at hand, why?"
Jiro gave a big bow and stayed bent over "We humbly request that you lend us the Awquis stone so that we may use it's power to end Gin reign."

The entire hall lit up with murmurs and gasps.
"You would dare ask to rob us of our only line of defense!" the speaker bellowed. The Chosen shot him a death glare and his composure quickly returned. The Chosen stood from her throne and the room went dead silent, she then sat back down.
"Swordsman what you ask of us is no small thing." the Heikegani spoke.
"I know my lady, and I would not ask it if I didn't have a good reason all I ask is that you and your master consider it." Jiro rose from his bow.
"Yes I will consult with master Suijin at once, for the time being you're guests here in the palace. Please enjoy yoursleves." she began to make her exit, and the room started to empty.
"Hey what about Amaterasu!" Yori blurted out.
"Like I said she isn't being held captive Yori. Her room is on the second floor, down the first hall, and its the third door on your right... though you might not like what you see." she turned and exited the hall.

The Chosen's final words disturbed Yori deeply, so much so that he began sprinting towards the room.

 

[foodforpigs]

"Oh, it's you Yori. Come in! Come in!"
There lay Amaratsu on a lush bed attended by two handmaidens, with the biggest grin on her face, which was flush red.
"Isn't this palace wonderful, Yori? I don't think I ever want to leave. Never ever, never ever, never ever!"
"The sun is burning out." Yori said grimly. Amaratsu waved off her attendants quickly.
"Oh Yori, that's such a trifle. Does it really matter what goes on the surface anymore? It all belongs to Gin. Let it all go away."
"You mean let it die!"
"Oh, warrior, always so brutishly direct. Is it not like your place back home?"
"You know?"
"Yes~! I could barely see past the black curtain of your polluted sky. I'm turning red then, into an ugly giant, yes? Your people trying to salvage energy from me, causing me to age faster."
"So you're just going to let innocents die to extend your life, is that it?"
"Oh, Yori, if only I could talk as eloquently as Suijin so you could understand. He said, 'My dearest, everything must end. Why not just let it all end? You can have your favorite people, here, in my palace.' Yori, here there is no violence. Gin's hand will never reach here. You'll be safe and happy here. Suijin is a wonderful host, wouldn't you agree?"
"No."
"Oh, don't be such a prude. Don't you like Izumi, Suijin's Chosen? I think you two would make a great couple!"

 

[Tone 6th]

"This is no time for games! Innocent people are going to die because you're just going to give up! What the fuck is wrong with you!" Yori roared. There was nothing but silence between the two as they stared at each other, then the Goddess shot from her bed and stood face to face in front of Yori.

"A simple 'no' would have sufficed... Yori I'm not going back to the surface. My place is here with the man I fell in love with." her voice was calm and calculated.
"You only met with him recently how could you be 'in love' with him?"
"I wouldn't expect a metal man with no heart to understand."
"You are not the Amaterasu who brought me back to life, and certainly not the who cares about this world. You're nothing but an impostor."
"Then tell me Yori if I were fake could I do this?" she snapped her fingers and Yori's right arm burst into white hot flames. His screams echoed through the halls causing a few Heikegani to come running, but Amaterasu waved them back. She snapped her fingers and the flames stopped. "I'm the real deal honey." she watched as her patron writhed in pain as the air hit his fresh burns.

That string of words she uttered "I'm the real deal honey." rang in Yori's ears and kept repeating. "I'm the real deal honey.... honey." A goddess would never use such common talk, something wasn't right. Through tear soaked eyes he saw it, though it was brief, a look of deep sadness filled the Goddess's eyes. Then she gave a big laugh "Poor Yori a fish out of water, now leave me I must rest." She slammed the door in his face, and locked it.

"Yori there you are, what happened?" Jiro called. "You're arm are you alright?"

 

[foodforpigs]

"No, I'm not alright." His right arm was heavily scarred by the burns. He could no longer see Amaratsu's mark on him. The contract was over, then. What a joke! His thought were still on Amaratsu's last words, though, which quelled his temporary anger. There was still more than what appeared, but he couldn't let the Heikegani in on it, not when they separated themselves out of his mind. It was blissfully empty ever since he entered Amaratsu's room, presumably to follow Izumi's nonchalance in the matter. He assumed Jiro's mind was disconnected as well; outsiders need not stay within the hive mind too long.

"I need a drink." Yori said wearily. He passed a wink to Jiro, and hoped he got the innuendo without the patrolling Heikegani noticing, unsure how back a wink carried symbolic significance. Ever since the scene where his screams echoed in the hallways, they simply returned to their business. It was a signal that they needed some place to talk without being noticed. That meant staying in the open, but with chatter to cover graver matters.

"Oi," he called to a guard. "Know of a place where we can get a drink?"
The Heikegani turned, looked at Yori's arm, then looked back up. "Sure, walk in that direction until you hear music, and follow that. Need anything for your arm?"
"Ah, this. If you can offer any bandages and gauze, I can apply it myself." Yori tried to smile despite his woe. "The drink'll help too." He forced himself to chuckle to accompany his additional remark, as though to brush his pain as trivial and to further disguise himself as a fool that needed no attention from the guards.

The undersea bar was distinct from other places as it dropped the pretense of nobility. The same kinds of plants that grew outside the palace were artfully placed near the entrance, but quickly diminished the more you got inside. There was a certain charm to it. If the palace could be said to be beautiful, then the bar could be considered handsome. Walkways were simpler, of rough granite rock so patrons wouldn't slip with all the water coming in. Mostly patrons were Heikegani, chittering loudly in their own unusual language, too lazy or drunk to be willing to share their minds with each other on such a personal level. The music wasn't of harpsichords, but of simpler instruments, such as a long recorder-like instrument of hollowed out coral and large shells to be used like drums, though it was led by a Diva, who sung in the style of the classic ballad, that was sung along by loud, drunk and amateurish patrons.

An attendant quickly found Yori and Jiro as they sat at a table, placing the bandages and gauze on the table, leaving without a word addressed to either of them. One could tell from the fair woman's eyes that she had a great distaste for this kind of venue, a soldier's watering hole. He started to apply the gauze on his writhing, burning arm and when he got to the process of painstakingly wrapping his arm in white, he said, underneath the noise.

"My contract with Amaratsu has ended, and this was the only way she could do it. She said I couldn't understand her love for Suijin. Gave up on the surface world to Gin and is going to let all of it die. Called me 'honey'. It's all wrong. It's all so very wrong."

 

[Tone 6th]

A pained and frustrated looked washed over Jiro's face "We don't have time for these stupid quarrels. Gin will be on top of this place very soon."
"What makes you say that?"
"That attack on the beach was to to to test the defenses of this world, and if we had not been there this place would have been taken a long time ago." Jiro spoke sharply and quickly. "Now this complication between the Goddess and Suijin it's maddening." Jiro clenched his fists.
Yori raised an eyebrow "Are you ok?"
Jiro took a deep breath "Just frustrated."
"Yeah it's been kind of rough."
A bar hand brought the swordsmen two glass of what they assumed to be alcohol, and both took a big sip.
"Alright so lets say for the sake of conversation that Amaterasu is under some kind of mind control. How would we free her?" Yori said in a low whisper.
"Well we would have to destroy the source of the hypnosis."
"Jiro we can't just kill a water god."
"Who said anything about a god? Did Amaterasu seem to have anything strange on her person?"
"I don't know why?"
"Because instead of a living controller an item can be used to place the same suggestions. Though for it to effect a god it would have to be something substantial."

 

[foodforpigs]

Yori wanted to believe that it was mind control; he had seen the brief glimpse of sadness on her face. Was that really it, or was it something greater? It was as though a part of Amaratsu had tried to called out, to warn Yori, to tell him the truth. She spoke to him formally, having only called him by 'warrior' only once, instead calling him by his chosen first name, the name for justice, Yori.

"Complements of house." spoke their server; it was full, raspy and broken, full of clicks, but intelligible. He appeared much weaker than other Heikegani, probably still in development making a decent living serving the soldiers. The half-Heikegani put on their table a big plate of live worms, with a side of some sort of dipping sauce and dried up seaweed. The young server then held up his claws, remembering his manners, demonstrating how to set up the dish for eating, placing some worms and sauce on the seaweed as though it was like a chip.

"Thank you." Yori smiled as best as he could given the circumstances. He didn't like Suijin, but there was life here too. He wouldn't let Gin step foot here, and then he would drive him off the surface. The fact that the sun would die would only incentivize Gin to search for other places to live, here or deep underground near the Earth's core. Jiro was right in saying that this complication was tiresome. Their patron tied up with another god, made weaker for Gin to simply steamroll over. He copied the actions of the server, and opened wide, allowing the worm to slide down his throat. It was actually quite good. He took a large drink of the strange drink also.

"Bad bandage." said the server.
"I think I know how to apply my own bandages."
The young Heikegani shook its head and without asking put its claws to the bandage and pulled hard.
"Ow, shit!" Yori clenched his teeth as the pain from the white hot burn amplified right to his spine, but now the bandage felt really snug and tight.
"There."
"How did you--"
"Speak? Tie bandage?"
"Both."
"Lady Izumi."

Yori nodded his head in acknowledgement of the server's gifts and help. There was some rabble-rousing for attention at another table, so the server made his leave then. He got to thinking about what it meant to be chosen, considered Amaratsu's suggestion that they would 'make a nice couple'. He also thought about what he would do if Gin came.

"If Gin comes," Yori whispered. "I'm not sure if there's much I can do. I'm only as useful as my sword arm, and, well, it's shot. If Lady Izumi is Chosen, then we need her help in mounting a defense, but I'm not sure if she'll take action until it's proven Gin has breached some sort of perimeter. I hate waiting, but that's just what we might have to do."