Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction ❯ Warrior Call ❯ Internal Universe ( Chapter 27 )

Ronin Warriors

 

Warrior Call

 

By Janime Lee

 

Part 27 - Internal Universe

 

_*_*_*_*_

 

Okay… that hurt, Ryo groaned as he managed to sit on his knees. He reached both hands behind his neck to rub at the sore spot, and then noticed that he was touching something metallic. He stopped, confused, and then ran his fingers over the metal, discovering that it was attached to him, running down to his shoulder blades and along his spine.

"What the…" Ryo brought his hands before him, eyes widening at the sight of red and white metal embedded in his skin along the backs of his hands and covered his fingers to the joints after his knuckles. He pushed up the sleeves of the strange pale tunic he had on, finding that his arms were the same way.

"Wildfire…" Ryo whispered. He checked the rest of his body, discovering the pants he had on looked like jeans and colored like the tunic. On his feet were a pair of red leather boots that went to his lower calf. Ryo then touched his face, feeling the metal from his faceplate running across his nose and cheekbones, between his eyes going up to disappear below the hairline, and along his jaw. After the self-inspection, the Fire Ronin then took in his surroundings.

He was definitely not in the Dynasty.

Pink volcanoes spewed green lava. The ground was some type of neon-purple gravel that one would find in a fish tank at a pet store. The sky was white and the clouds were blue. Rock formations were strangely shaped--some even looking like creatures from fairy tales and ancient myths. The sparse foliage that grew was colored a smoky gray.

"This is interesting," Cye's voice caught Ryo off guard, causing the Ronin leader to jump slightly then look at his friend. The Torrent wearer was also inspecting his arms.

Ryo stared at his face; running across Cye's nose and along his chin was the metal that outlined Cye's faceplate. The skin of the upper part of Cye's face was the same orange color as his eye-shield.

Cye turned to Ryo and blinked. "Man, Ryo, you should see your face."

"You should talk," Ryo grinned, and Cye's hands went to touch his cheeks.

The Ronin leader looked around, watching the others start to get up. Sage, Cye, Rowen, Sekhmet, Cale, and Dayus had close to the same outfit that Ryo wore; parts of their Armors were attached to the visible.

Sage and Rowen looked about the same as Ryo and Cye with some of the metal from their faceplates covering their faces.

Cale's face was now the color of his faceplate, and the three small blades from his tri-claws stuck out in between the knuckles of his left hand.

Sekhmet and Dayus had two streaks in their hair, no doubt representing the horns on their helmets. Sekhmet had a few spikes sticking out where the Armor was attached to his skin, some even poking through his tunic.

The scythes from Dayus's Armor were attached to his back, and the lower part of his face was covered just like when he wore his helmet, yet he still had the eye-patch.

Kayura's appearance wasn't as drastic as her husband's or the others. The outfit, however, was slightly different: a pale short-sleeved robe stopping at mid-thigh with the jacket from the Cruelty Armor over it and something that would be considered spandex shorts.

The Armor covered her legs just as it did when she normally had the sub-armor on, but the metal ended at her knees and contoured with her natural curves. Instead of the blocky footwear, it was meddled to the exact way her feet were like second skin, shielding her toes and no handles.

Framing her face was the metal from her helmet but unlike the others, Kayura's face did not have any markings from her faceplate, and her hair was in a long thick braid.

"Love the terrain," Cale said and stood up, "now where the hell are we?"

"I believe that we're inside Jessie's mind," Kayura said as she examined her outfit.

"Is this why our Armors look like they've fused with us?" asked Cye.

"Wouldn't doubt it."

"So this is the mental representation of the Armors connected to our souls," said Rowen.

"Possibly," Sekhmet spoke, "it could also be Jessie's interpretation of the binding. Remember she told us that in her mind, the Mystic Armor was like a pendant around her neck."

"Be nice if they were pendants," Kento grumbled.

Sage looked over at Kento, who remained lying on the ground. "Kento, are you alright?"

"Uh… not entirely," he answered still not sitting up.

"Come on, Kento, it can't be that bad," said Rowen.

"Yes, it is."

"How bad can it be?" Cale asked. "Half of Cye's face is orange."

"You have yet to see yourself, Cale," the Torrent Ronin quipped.

Kento let out a long sigh. "You'll laugh."

"No, we won't," said Kayura.

"Oh yes, you will! I know you guys too well!"

"Kento, we won't laugh," Cye reassured him.

Kento paused then asked hesitantly, "Promise?"

"We promise," Ryo said.

Another long sigh was heard, and then Kento sat up. Like the rest of them, parts of his Armor were attached to his body where visible. Surprisingly, his face wasn't marked; instead the horns from his helmet were attached to his head.

Everyone did their best to keep a straight face and succeeded in not letting anything escape from their mouths. Dayus, however, was the one who failed that attempt on purpose, allowing a quieted noise to be heard.

"You promised you wouldn't laugh!" Kento shouted, jumping to his feet.

"I'm not laughing, I'm snickering," Dayus's voice cracked as he spoke. "You didn't say anything about snickering, just laughter."

"Why you!" Kento bellowed and charged at the Warlord but was quickly stopped by his fellow Ronins.

"Concerning the state of Jessie's mind," Rowen said, "I believe that fighting in here is not the best of ideas right now."

"Pummeling him has always been a great idea for me!" Kento growled.

"That I believe," said Cye.

"We don't know what effect it'll have on Jessie," Ryo said tightening his hold on the Hardrock Ronin's arm.

"If anything's damaged, it may have a long term effect or even be permanent," said Sage.

Kento ceased his struggles; the other Ronins hesitantly released him, keeping on guard just in case their friend decided to go ahead with his attack.

"Don't think this is over!" Kento threatened and pointed at Dayus. "When we get out of here-"

"Yeah, yeah," Dayus said and walked away, one of the scythes twitched, giving the Hardrock Ronin a mock brush-off.

"Kento, listen to me," Cye stepped in front of his best friend and grabbed his arms. "Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out." He continued the mini mantra that he learned from Joana, until Kento finally calmed down a little.

"Okay, I'm fine. I'm better," he reassured Cye. "But once we're back in our own bodies, I am kicking his ass from one end of the Dynasty to the other!"

That'll be the day, Kayura thought. A noise caught her ear, causing her to turn her head. She blinked at the cave, which had suddenly appeared not too far from the group. Curiosity gnawed at her, and Kayura slowly walked inside. She felt bad about snooping around inside Jessie's mind, but was it really snooping? After all, Yurei had unwillingly dragged the nine into the unfortunate girl.

Kayura stopped, eyes widening at the sight before her and she felt her face turn red. After staring for a few more seconds, she turned around and bolted out of the cave, slamming right into her husband.

"What were you doing in there?" Dayus demanded as he held his wife by her shoulders.

"Sorry!" she panted a little.

"Are you alright?"

"Fine! Just a little spooked, that's all."

"What's in there?" Cale asked as the others began to peer inside.

"No!" Kayura yelped. "Don't go inside!"

They jumped at Kayura's actions and looked at her.

"Why?" Ryo asked. "What did you see?"

"Just trust me. Don't."

Dayus made her face him. "Kayura, what's wrong? What the-!"

Everyone jumped away from the cave entrance as a little black rabbit-like creature raced out of the cave. The ears were longer and the tail was more like a cat's instead of the small bunch of fluff a normal rabbit had. Dozens of others like it of different colors followed the lone black one.

"Is that what you saw in there?" Cye asked.

Kayura shook her head.

Everyone watched the rabbits as the last one exited the cave and they ran towards an open space between two blue-bark trees. The black one led the rest of its flock to running around in a large clockwise circle. The area of gravel inside the circle turned into a yellow lake. Suddenly, the black rabbit jumped into the air and dove into the water while the rest of the rabbits continued to run.

The water changed from yellow to red, and at that moment the rabbits jumped into the lake. When the waters calmed, a large crystal statue of a western dragon rose from the lake. Red rivulets ran down the dragon, creating the illusion of blood. The statue continued to rise from the water until its stone base took up the entire space of the lake.

Ryo slowly walked over to the statue and paused before it. Carved into the pedestal were several evenly spaced large rings that circled the base. Carefully, Ryo reached up and took hold of one of the ridges. Once his grip was set, he placed his foot on another ridge just below knee-level and hoisted himself up.

"What is he doing?" Cale asked.

"Climbing," Sage answered, flat toned.

"Obviously!" the Warlord snapped. "But what is he climbing that for?"

"Ryo and Jessie have been connected long before she wore Wildfire," Kayura said, "and if Yurei is correct that this Magma Armor is Wildfire's counterpart, their bond has only been strengthened."

"Not to mention being inside her mind is probably adding to their link," said Rowen.

"What about us, though?" Sekhmet asked. "All the Armors are connected and I assume we all heard Yurei speak in our minds before she pulled us in here."

"Let's hope we'll find out soon," said Dayus.

Ryo finally reached the top of the pedestal, and pulled himself up. Rising to his feet, the Fire Ronin looked at the crystal dragon.

The wings were half spread and bent towards the front. The long tail was lying on the pedestal around its form. Its front appendages were slightly stretched outwards. Seven horns graced its large head; the long blunted snout was angled down as if the expressionless eyes were looking at whatever it was holding within its five-toed talons.

Ryo stepped forward, looking at the object the statue held. It was a wicker bassinet with white baby sheets inside. Ryo touched the fabric, discovering that it felt softer than anything he ever knew.

A dragon holding a bassinet? I don't get… Ryo paused and his eyes widened slightly. Dragon Child… They keep referring Jessie as the Dragon Child. Does she have dragon's blood in her veins?

 

"They lied to me… they lied to both of us…"

He didn't know what to say. Slowly raising his left hand, he gently touched her shoulder.

She turned, tears streaking her face causing a few mahogany strands to cling to her pale skin. "I don't care what anyone says! You are my brother!"

 

"Ryo!"

He snapped out of the slight trance he entered, and then noticed the pedestal was shaking and slowly descending back into the lake.

Time to go! Ryo turned from the dragon statue and ran for the edge. He jumped off the pedestal, landing--well, rather, sinking quickly into the gravel. Suddenly he was shot out and the ground wavered like a rubber-like trampoline. Ryo crashed to the ground, only this time he didn't bounce.

"You alright?" Cale asked when they reached him.

"I guess so," Ryo grunted and rubbed his back. "That smarts."

"Look!" Cye pointed to the dragon statue.

Everyone turned in time to see the dragon's head disappear beneath the red water. The rabbit creatures jumped out of the water and proceeded to run around the lake counter-clockwise. The water turned from red to yellow, and then the lone black rabbit catapulted from the water and landed outside the circle, facing the Ronins and Warlords. The water changed back to the purple gravel, and the rabbits ran towards the volcano.

As the rest of the rabbits took off, the black one remained staring at the nine. It tilted its head, blinked, and then looked to its left before taking off after the others.

"Oooooooookay…" Kento said after a long period of silence. "Can we find Jessie so we can get out of here?"

"The cave is gone," said Sekhmet.

Kayura pressed herself against Dayus, hugging his waist. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Let's get moving," he said. A few nods of agreement, and they started walking in the direction the rabbit had cast its gaze.

Kayura briefly looked over her shoulder to where the cave had been then turned her eyes forward. Her lips quirked a little as she thought about what she had seen.

Who would've thought Jessie was like that, Kayura glanced at Dayus from the corner of her eye. We definitely have to try that when we get back.

 

_*_*_*_*_

 

Intruders. How dare they come here!

Saint, why have you not come back? I need you. Little One needs you, too.

Little One…

I must find Little One.

Get rid of intruders.

Then we will be safe.

 

_*_*_*_*_

 

"That's a castle?" Sekhmet asked.

"European style castle if you ask me," Ryo clarified. "Look a little familiar though?"

"Somewhat," Cye agreed.

"At least the walls are made of stone," said Kento. "Not like the last castle we stormed."

They walked closer through the light mist and stood before the main gate.

"Up there." Cale pointed to three triangles forming a larger triangle carved into the stone above the gate.

"Triforce," Rowen said. "Welcome to Hyrule Castle."

"What are you talking about?" asked Dayus.

"Hyrule Castle is from a video game series titled The Legend of Zelda," Ryo explained. "Question is which game this castle is from?"

"I say it's from Ocarina of Time," said Cye.

"Think we'll find Princess Zelda in here?" Kento chuckled.

"Somehow I doubt it," said Rowen. "Twyla told me about the time she and Jessie were discussing the games and the American cartoon, and Jessie doesn't really care for Princess Zelda. She blames the cartoon for that."

"I saw the cartoon when my family and I were visiting relatives in the states when it was on the air," said Sage. "Honestly, I don't blame her."

"Shall we go say hello to King Harkinian?" Ryo asked then looked at the Warlords. "I'll explain later."

"Thank you," said Sekhmet.

Cye cast the Warlord an odd look. "You actually know how to use that term?"

Sekhmet narrowed his eyes at the Torrent Ronin, deciding that any comebacks would have to wait until they were back in their own bodies.

They pushed the large thick, wooden gate open and walked inside. The doors suddenly closed and disappeared.

Cale looked at Dayus. "Please tell me that you'll be able to get us out of here if need be."

"We'll find out the hard way," said the Illusion Warlord.

The nine continued down the stone path, which led them into a vast, lush garden. Statues of people and creatures lined the path towards the castle's main door.

Rowen walked over to a statue of a young girl with short hair wearing a tunic, small boots, and a fairy sitting on her shoulder. "Definitely Ocarina of Time," Rowen pointed to the statue before him. "It's Saria."

"You're right," said Kento. "Here's Darunia."

"What is that?" Kayura asked as she looked at the large rounded creature with a wide nose and even wider mouth, black eyes, spiked mane, wearing a loincloth memorialized in stone.

"He's a Goron," Kento explained. "They live on Death Mountain and they eat rocks."

"Sounds like you," Dayus smirked under his mask.

Kento started to count very quietly.

"Who's that?" Cale pointed to another statue. It looked feminine but the head was elongated and the back was twice the width of an average person's; she had large fins along her arms, at her waistline, and smaller ones just above her ankles.

"Ruto," said Cye. "She's a Zora. They live in a water domain and maintain the water flow in Hyrule. I guess you can say they're fish people."

"Ah, your people," said Sekhmet.

Cye frowned but kept his mouth shut.

As they walked towards the castle, the Ronins pointed out whom the other statues represented: Nabooru, Impa, and Rauru. Zelda and Sheik were on the same pedestal, which was a slight shock since Rowen had revealed Jessie's dislike of the princess. Ryo promised the Warlords that he would explain the connection between Zelda and Sheik later.

"Hey, there's Link," Rowen said.

The look on the Hero of Time's face was calm, but with the Master Sword in his left hand and the Hylian shield on his right arm, he looked ready for danger to appear.

"Nice hat," Cale chuckled when they reached the statue base.

"I've got it!" Kento exclaimed. "Sage, I figured out why Jessie likes you!"

"What?" the Halo Ronin looked at him.

"You're blonde and wear green Armor," Kento replied enthusiastically then pointed to the Hero of Time's statue. "He's blonde and wears a green outfit."

Everyone just stared at the horn-headed boy as silence filled the garden.

"Kento," Sage finally spoke, "in case you haven't noticed, I'm real. He's fictional."

"Same physical characteristics!"

Sage groaned and covered his eyes.

"Hey, look at that," Dayus pointed.

Another statue, much larger than the others, was set in the middle of a large fountain. Streams of water shooting out towards the middle encircled the marble couple. The man was Link, and his arms were wrapped around the waist of a young woman with hair cascading to her waist, wearing a long skirt and simple tunic with an ascot around her neck. Her arms were also around the Hero of Time, her head rested against his chest. In truth, she looked like a farm girl.

"Ah, Jessie's a Link/Malon fan," Ryo grinned.

"More proof!" Kento smiled triumphantly.

"Malon's a redhead," Cye clarified, "Jessie's a brunette."

"Yeah, but Jessie's hair looks red in sunlight."

"Kento, shut up," said Sage.

"Who's Malon?" Kayura couldn't help asking as she looked at the statue of the girl.

"You get a horse from her farm in the game," Ryo said.

They walked around the fountain and crossed over the small bridge to the main door of the castle. Ryo grabbed the large metal ring to his left and slammed it against the oak.

"No offense, Ryo," Rowen began, "but I don't think-"

The door creaked open.

"You were saying?" Cale asked.

The archer narrowed his eyes at the Warlord, and then followed the rest of the group into the castle. Inside the massive structure was anything but castle interior. The floor was an uneven black and white checkerboard pattern, doors of all shapes and sizes lined the seemingly never-ending hallway, and pictures along the walls were of animals, people, and objects of every kind.

"Anyone have the feeling that we just stepped into the Twilight Zone?" Cye asked.

The nine cautiously walked down the hall, looking at the pictures as they passed. Ryo looked at the faded egg-white wood door to his left for a moment. It looked familiar and the hinges were on his side, which meant the door opened into the hallway. Curiosity got the better of him, and Ryo put his right hand on the doorknob and turned.

"You sure that's a good idea?" Kayura asked, the scene inside the cave returning to her.

"I think this door is from Jessie's house," said Ryo.

"Need I repeat myself?"

Ryo pulled the door open slightly and peeked through. He then pulled it open all the way and stepped into a small hallway with butterfly wallpaper and a red-gold carpet. Across from him and to his right were two more doors. To the left, there was a door on each side of the short hallway before the staircase going down to the first floor.

"It's Jessie's house," Ryo informed, "this is the second floor."

The others crowded around the doorway, wanting to see Jessie's home. The door across from they were standing opened towards them and a little girl around the age of seven with dark brown eyes and red-brown hair wearing a long sleeved purple nightgown stepped into the hallway. Clutched in her right arm was a cloth doll wearing a patchwork prairie dress and blue bonnet with braided yellow yarn hair hanging on both sides of the doll's head.

Sekhmet couldn't help smiling. "That's Jessie."

"Oh, she's adorable," said Kayura.

The little girl tiptoed down the hall to the door that was on the same wall as the door the Ronins and Warlords were looking through. She leaned against the other side of the second door; a mischievous look in her eyes and a slight grin graced her innocent face--a look that the nine Armor wearers knew all too well.

"This ought to be good," Cale smirked.

Jessie slowly pushed the door into the room and went inside. Unable to resist, the Ronins and Warlords quietly stepped into the hallway and walked over to the door Jessie had opened. They looked inside and found Jessie kneeling beside a bed with her doll set on the navy blue carpeted floor leaning against a tan wooden dresser. The room had white painted walls, except for the wall to the left, which was covered with Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back wallpaper. Another dresser with a mirror was on the other side of the room in the corner near the radiator and window.

There was a boy sleeping in the bed with the covers tucked up to his chin. He also had brown hair but not as dark as Jessie's hair, nor did it have the reddish tint.

"That's her brother Hank," said Sage.

Jessie started to push the sheet and blanket in between the mattress and box spring. Slowly she continued to push the two large fabrics deep into the crevice all around the bed, occasionally looking at her brother. When she completed her task, Jessie quietly went back to the dresser and picked up her doll.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, and then gave it a kiss on its forehead. Taking hold of the doll's legs, Jessie stood right next to her brother's bed and then smacked his head with the doll.

"OW!" Hank yelped. He saw his little sister standing on the right side his bed and tried to get up but found himself immobilized. "Jessie! You little-"

She hit him again and continued on. "This!" Whack! "Is!" Whack! "For!" Whack! "Putting!" Whack! "A!" Whack! "Tack!" Whack! "In!" Whack! "My!" Whack! "Bed!" Whack!

"Oh my God!" Kento laughed behind his hand. Everyone was chuckling at the older sibling taking a beating. After much wiggling, Hank managed to free his right arm and went to grab his sister. Jessie quickly turned and bolted to the door.

Before the Ronins and Warlords could move away, Jessie vanished, as did Hank. The room slowly faded away into nothing and the door shut itself. Looking at each other briefly, the Armor wearers walked back to the strange hallway and Ryo shut the door.

"What a little…" Rowen shook his head and laughed.

"She was cute," said Cye, "I'll give her that."

"Somehow I wouldn't doubt that she would repeat something similar to what she had done to her brother," said Sekhmet.

Dayus looked at his wife. "Remind me never to piss her off."

Kayura nodded in response.

The nine started walking again. When they passed a pair of metal doors, the door to the right opened. Looking at each other, Rowen and Sage crept over to it and peaked through.

"Looks like a high school," said Rowen.

Sage stepped into the hallway and looked at the poster hanging next to an open wooden door leading into a room filled with computers. Maybe this is Jessie's high school, he thought.

Everyone else entered the hallway and looked around. "Now I understand why she said she felt like she was prying into our souls," said Cale.

Whistling caught their ears, causing them to look down the hallway. From the shadows, Jessie appeared. She looked to be about fifteen; her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, she was wearing a long-sleeved gray cotton shirt, light-blue jeans, and blue and white sneakers. On her back was a medium blue backpack.

Jessie continued to whistle as she walked towards the Ronins and Warlords. When she reached a section of lockers between two classroom doors, Jessie put her right hand out and tapped every other locker she walked by. Jessie stopped before the tenth locker she tapped, and set her backpack down. Taking a piece of paper from her pocket, she unfolded it and read the combination numbers as she turned the dial on the locker.

Her devious grin appeared as the locker opened. She put the paper back into her pocket then knelt down next to her backpack. Humming as she unzipped the smaller compartment, Jessie then removed a sandwich container and two small packets of Miracle Whip.

The Ronins and Warlords watched Jessie as she took two pieces of white bread from the sandwich container and emptied one of the Miracle Whip packets onto one slice, and then put both pieces together to smear the condiment equally.

Putting the two slices on the floor with the clean sides down, Jessie removed the last items inside the sandwich container: three slices of provolone cheese.

Jessie assembled the sandwich, squeezing out the last packet of Miracle Whip between the provolone slices. She then placed the sandwich on a piece of plastic wrap, and put it inside a paper lunch bag along with the empty Miracle Whip packets. She put the bag inside the locker on the top shelf and shut the door.

"Three-day weekends are a blessing," Jessie grinned like a devil and grabbed her backpack and sandwich container from the floor and walked off into the shadows.

"What was that about?" Dayus couldn't help asking.

"You tell me," said Cye. "But I wonder why this hasn't disappeared like- PEHYEW!"

Everyone gagged as they covered their mouths and noses due to the horrible stench that now filled the area.

"Gross!" Kento waved his right hand in front of his face. "Who farted?"

"Somehow I doubt that's possible for us to do in here," Rowen said behind both hands.

"What the hell is that?" A new voice surfaced and two boys along with Jessie--now wearing a red lightweight sweater and brown boots--walked in front of the lockers.

The boy with dark hair and glasses was just a little shorter than Jessie was. He had pulled up his Dolphins hockey jersey over his nose but his eyes told that he was disgusted by the smell.

The other boy had short curly blonde hair and piercing blue eyes and was quite a bit taller than Jessie. He had covered his nose and mouth with the edge of his left sleeve.

"Oh God! That stinks!" the dark hair boy said and tried to open his locker as fast as he could.

"You think something died in the vents?" the tall blonde boy asked.

"I wouldn't be surprised," Jessie covered her mouth and nose with her left hand as she opened her locker with her right.

"You know what it smells like?" the boy with the glasses began.

"Don't say it, Double R," Jessie glared at him. "I want to make it to homeroom without losing my breakfast."

"That makes two of us," said the tall boy. "Jessie, did you bring the tape?"

"Right here, Mort," she handed the blonde a cassette tape. "Enjoy."

"Good lord!" Leon walked over to where Jessie and her two friends were. Sekhmet grinned slightly behind his hand at the outfit Leon wore--it was almost exactly what Jessie had shown when she was last online.

"What is that?" Leon asked and looked just about ready to gag. "It reeks worse than swamp water!"

"You're not kidding," Double R said and quickly closed his locker and hurried to his homeroom.

"Jess, I'll see you in algebra," Mort replied hurriedly and shut his locker. "I gotta get away from here."

"Alright," Jessie said and nodded as he took off. Despite the awful smell, Jessie took her time putting her stuff away and getting what she needed before the lunch period.

Leon made his way to his locker, which was the eighth one to the right of Jessie's locker--the very same locker Jessie had infiltrated Friday afternoon. He opened the door, noticing that the smell was worse. As he reached up to put his lunch bag on the top shelf, Leon noticed a small paper lunch bag there.

Grasping the corner of it with his thumb and forefinger, Leon removed the bag from his locker. A horrified look appeared on his face as he realized this was where the putrid stench was coming from.

Jessie appeared next to him and took the paper bag, placing it inside a plastic Zip-lock and immediately sealed it.

"Three slices of provolone cheese and Miracle Whip on Wonder Bread." She smiled at him. "Thanks for helping me with my science project, Leon."

He stared at her for a few moments, and then his expression changed to anger. "JESSIE!" Leon yelled through his teeth.

She took off down the hallway, dodging other students as she sprinted to her homeroom.

All of the students faded away, and thankfully so did the smell, leaving the Ronins and Warlords in the hallway.

"That was gross," Kayura spoke.

"Creative, though," Dayus admitted.

"I can understand Leon being mad at her," said Rowen. "Three days without refrigeration is not a pretty thing to see. Or smell."

"You got that right," Sage crinkled his nose.

"I wish I had thought of something like that when we were in high school," Kento grinned. "There were a few people I would've loved to do that to and one teacher in particular."

Ryo couldn't help smiling. "No argument there."

A pink-red ball suddenly bounced down the hallway. It hovered mid-drop for a brief moment, and then slowly lowered to the faded white tile floor. A child's humming floated through the air and the seven-year-old Jessie skipped happily down the hall.

The nine only watched as she stopped before the ball and stared at it. Sticking her hands into the pockets of the purple cotton jumpsuit, Jessie walked around the ball looking as though she was determining where to stand before picking it up. Finally she stopped, her left side facing the Ronins and Warlords, and picked up the ball with a big smile on her face.

"Alright," said Kento, "I'm confused."

Jessie paused and slowly turned her head to her left.

"Kento, she heard you," Cye said quietly without moving his lips.

The little girl's face was soon overcome by a look of fright.

Ryo took a small step forward. "Jessie."

She backed up then dropped the ball, taking off down the hallway as fast as she could.

"Wait! Jess!" Ryo started after her.

The floor underneath everyone began to shake and it split down the center. With nothing to grab hold of, the Ronins and Warlords fell into the darkness. They landed in something squishy, sticky, and slimy.

"Gah!" Cye cried in disgust. "What is this?"

"I don't want to know!" Sage answered, struggling.

"Yuck! This is disgusting!" Kayura rubbed her left cheek on her shoulder to get rid of the goop. It was in her hair, on her clothes, and some spilling down between her breasts. Despite being in Jessie's mind at the moment, Kayura was definitely going to take a shower when she was back in her own body.

Dayus tried using his scythes to cut himself free but the sticky mass held them in place and completely covered the blades. "I don't think my webbing is as bad as this," he said.

"No, yours just likes to cut into our skin," Kento snapped. His head was at an odd angle, thanks to the larger horn getting stuck. Something crawled across his stomach and Kento shifted his eyes down. He made a strangled noise. "FACEHUGGER!"

Everyone looked at the Hardrock Ronin and saw the strange eight-legged creature slowly walking over Kento's abdomen, going up to his chest and walking off to the side; its yard-length tail lagging behind it, not making any move to attach itself to the Ronin's face.

Kento sighed as it went inside the egg and the flaps closed. "The last thing I want is something eating its way out of my chest in here."

"That goes for all of us," said Sekhmet. "Uh… Cale…"

"Don't tell me," the Corruption Warlord said, "there's an alien above me."

"An alien would be pretty compared to that."

Cale slowly looked up. Above him was a horrific mass of a creature. Eyes of all types darted everywhere, the three mouths opened and closed with small shrieks of air escaping them. The creature extended several tentacles and placed them onto the slick floor. Detaching from the wall, it lowered to the floor and dragged itself away from the bound Armor wearers. Other strange creatures and abominations soon appeared and gathered around the mass; hisses and gurgles passing as language were exchanged.

"What in the world…" Rowen spoke slowly.

The creatures moved to the sides, revealing a lone figure of a short human standing among them.

Ryo blinked. "Jessie?"

She was older now, around thirteen. Her outfit was black--it looked seamless. Her eyes were darkened and her hair was a mess. The creature from the wall wrapped one of its tendrils around her shoulders. She patted it and stepped forward.

 

"We were in junior high," Joana finally spoke, "Jessie was thirteen and… she almost jumped off the roof of her house."

 

"Oh God…" Sage whispered. He looked at Rowen, Cye, and Kento. "Remember Joana said that Jessie almost…"

The trio's eyes widened. "Uh oh," Cye licked his lips nervously.

"What?" Ryo demanded.

"Jessie almost killed herself when she was thirteen," Rowen said quietly.

"So now you're telling us?" Sekhmet asked with deep sarcasm.

"We'll yell at each other later," said Ryo and turned his attention back to Jessie.

She stopped and looked at each of them in turn. Nothing in her eyes said that she recognized any of them. She spoke, "You don't belong here."

"Jessie," Kayura said softly, "it's me, Kayura. I'm your friend."

"You lie."

"It's the truth," said Sage. "Look at us, Jessie. We are your friends."

"Shut up!" Jessie screeched, and the creatures in back of her howled. "You're lying! No one is supposed to come here! No one but Saint!"

"Who's Saint?" Ryo asked gently. "Jessie, who is Saint?"

"Saint…" Jessie paused, her face calming a little. "Always been there when I was sad, when I needed someone…"

"Imaginary friend?" Kento asked.

"Not imaginary!" Jessie yelled. "He's real! Protects me, protects Little One…" She grabbed her hair and growled, shaking her head.

"Nice going," said Dayus.

"I don't see you doing anything!" Kento shot back.

"Shut up!" Jessie screamed and fell to her knees. "Shutupshutupshutup! Intruders! Not supposed to be here! Go away! Get rid of them!"

The creatures behind Jessie started forward.

"Oh crap," Cale summed and tried pulling his arms free.

Shit! Ryo thought as he struggled against the sticky prison.

"That's enough, Jessie."

Everyone looked up as a man wearing a deep brown robe with the hood covering his face walked into view.

Ryo's eyes widened. No way…

The creatures halted their advance. Jessie slowly turned and faced the man. "Saint?"

"Make them go away, Jessie," he told her.

"But… intruders…"

"They're friends. They won't hurt you, I promise."

Jessie paused, casting her eyes between the immobilized and Saint. She rose to her feet and clapped her hands once, which made the creatures disappear and the goop holding everyone slowly melt.

"Gross out," Kento muttered as he wiped his hands on the floor.

"Saint!" The seven-year-old Jessie came running out from behind a slick pillar, and was swept up into the man's arms. Thirteen-year-old Jessie also ran to him, hugging his waist once he had the younger Jessie settled on his right hip.

Ryo was now able to see what outfit the man was wearing beneath the robe. A Jedi, he thought, why am I not surprised? The Ronin leader stood up. "Ancient One."

"He is Saint," Jessie-thirteen snapped.

"It's alright," Kaosu patted her back, "that's what they call me."

"I like 'Saint' better," said Jessie-seven.

"Little One is right," Jessie-thirteen agreed.

Kaosu smiled at her. "I need you to take Little One for a short while."

"What for?"

"I need to talk with our friends."

The two Jessies looked at the Ronins and Warlords. "Freaky-looking," said Jessie-seven.

"Compared to the stuff we've seen here," Cye started, but Sage grabbed his shoulder causing him to end his unfinished sentence.

Kaosu set Jessie-seven on her feet and gently pushed her to Jessie-thirteen. "Go on, but don't wonder too far. We'll be with you shortly."

"Can we have Bongo with us?" Jessie-seven asked.

"Of course."

Jessie-thirteen snapped her fingers, and the creature that was on the wall above Cale appeared next to them. The two Jessies walked away with the creature following closely.

"Bongo?" Kayura looked at the others.

"Yeah…" Rowen said. "She has issues."

"He's harmless," Kaosu told them. "At least to those he doesn't deem as a threat."

"Thank you for putting us in his good graces," said Ryo. "Now, I do hope that you'll forgive me, Ancient One but what the hell is going on, and how did you get here?"

"To answer your last question first," the monk faced them, "I have always been able to enter Jessie's mind. Ever since the day she was born. In this life, and the other lives she had lived before this one. She has always been in my care."

"I'm confused," said Kento.

I won't say it, tempting as it is, Dayus thought.

"You're able to enter her mind at whim?" Kayura asked.

Kaosu nodded and sat down on the alien egg. "To keep her safe, especially when she was born near or in Japan. There were a couple occasions Talpa had sensed her. A little more than two hundred years ago, she almost went to the Dynasty willingly. Measures were taken so that she would not enter while Talpa was in control."

For a brief moment, Ayame appeared in Sekhmet's mind. "What kind of measures?" the Warlord asked. Kayura noticed the demanding tone in his voice.

"Ask later," said Ryo, "Jessie's life now is more important then how she died last time."

The Ronin leader looked over at the two Jessies and Bongo. Jessie-thirteen was using one of Bongo's tentacles as a jump rope for Jessie-seven.

"How did she…?" Ryo waved his hand.

"Split?" the Ancient One grinned. "Within every person's mind, certain memories actually take form of the person. In Jessie's case, something happened when she was a child and the seven-year-old is the happier times; whereas the thirteen-year-old is the trauma and anger incarnate."

"What happened to her?" Sage asked.

"That I do not know," Kaosu shook his head. "To be honest, I am uneasy to find out."

Kayura stepped forward. "How is it that these two versions of her seem to know you but the Jessie we know doesn't?"

"I erased her memory of me," the monk smiled gently. "I've pretty much been put in the same category as Santa Claus--at least to her conscious mind. In her subconscious, she knows me better."

"But what about her dream of you after her car accident?" Rowen asked.

The Ancient One turned his head to watch the two Jessies play.

"She was supposed to die then, wasn't she," Dayus stated.

Kaosu sighed quietly and nodded. "But she survived, and so I told her the poem pertaining to all of you."

He stood up, wrapping the robe around himself and slipping his hands into the opposite sleeves. "Jessie has to reunite with her two personas. But that is entirely up to all three if they want to join again."

"Why wouldn't they?" Kento asked.

"Some memories are best left forgotten," Cale answered solemnly.

Ryo looked at the Ancient One. "Where does Yurei have Jessie?"

"Beyond those cliffs," he pointed to what would be considered east. "Be careful. Though they may seem close, they can be hundreds of miles away. One's mind is like a universe--you have no idea where it begins or where it ends. Things also change at random. Creatures here can be the opposite of what they looked to be."

"So it seems," Kayura looked at Bongo.

"Are you coming with us?" Cye asked.

"No," Kaosu shook his head, "I need to keep watch over them. Even though they are fragments of Jessie, Yurei still posses a threat."

"Looks like we start walking," Rowen said.

Kaosu caught Ryo's arm as he walked by.

"Her last life," Kaosu bore his eyes into the Wildfire Ronin, "Jessie was born in Japan but she only lived for three days. She was born too early and very weak. It pained her parents to let her go, but they didn't want to see her suffer."

Ryo felt a pang in his heart. There were complications when his mother was pregnant with him and Ryo was born just short of four months early. The doctors said it had been a miracle that he had survived, and now grown up to live a healthy, normal life.

Normal, Ryo thought ruefully. Someone better redefine that term.

"If she lived, would Talpa have found her? And possibly me?"

The monk released him. "We'll never know. Once things are set into motion, nothing can change."

"I can change it and I will." Ryo walked off to join the others.

"I have no doubt there, my boy," Kaosu said even though they were out of earshot. But the two of you could be as dangerous now as you were a long time ago.

Jessie-seven ran up to Kaosu and grabbed his hand. Smiling, the Ancient One allowed himself to be led to Jessie-thirteen and Bongo.

 

December 9, 2005

 

Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukah! Happy Ramadan! And to those who do not celebrate any of the previous three, happy holidays anyway.

May you all enjoy the time you spend with your friends and family.

Many thanks to Morgan Ray for beta-reading. I'm glad I didn't make too many mistakes this time.

Finally, after how many chapters I have revealed Jessie's prank on Leon. To be honest, the reason why I left it in the dark was that I didn't know what she did either. I did have an idea for a while but decided it was too gross. Thank you, Squeaky, for the provolone sandwich.

I was having way too much fun with the Ronins and Warlords in Jessie's mind. And the memory of Jessie hitting her brother with the doll for putting a tack in her bed--that scenario did happen. I'll have full detail posted on Fiction Press eventually.

Take care, everyone! Until next chapter!

 

~Janime