Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ A Knight's Work Is Never Done ❯ Ressolutions ( Chapter 18 )

Author's Note: I live! Really, I do. I'm so sorry I've been neglecting this for so long (Those, what, 3 of you who actually read this, and aren't named Lynnwood), but I haven't been in a writing mood for quite some time, and I honestly couldn't think up what to write after what I did in Chapter 17. Hopefully, this makes up for it. If not, I feel fairly certain saying that new chapters of this, and Ruins of Atlantis will be forthcoming very shortly. In fact, I have a complete rewrite planned for Ruins. See the disclaimer I'll have up shortly for details. Sorry again, and enjoy the new chapter.

 

A Knight's Work Is Never Done

 

Chapter 18: Resolutions

 

 

By: GINSAN

 

 

Jordan awoke with a start a few hours later. It took him a moment to realize why he couldn't move his arms. Ami was laying on one of them, and she had the other in a death-grip. He couldn't free either of them without waking her.

 

Instead, he decided it would be easier just to lay there, and think over what had happened the night before. Without Jorowyn's 'ghost', those particular memories were a little fuzzy. He remembered as much as he did about the Life-bond, because he had though it was morbidly fascinating, to be tied so intricately to one person for the rest of their life. One detail he could remember, was that they didn't just appear though. They were supposed to develop slowly over time. Either he had really screwed up trying to force open her Memory Block last night, or something else was going on.

 

Regardless, he had no answers, and no one he could get answers from. At least not that he cared to ask. So, they were stuck with it. He was fairly sure he could dampen the bond enough to keep his own privacy. Ami, he wasn't quite so sure of. Even now, he was getting small fragments of the dream she was having. Not enough to figure it out, but enough to distract him slightly.

 

He was going to have to teach her how to dampen her side of the Bond, or she'd probably never be able to keep a private thought to herself once the Bond fully manifested. Considering what a quick study she was, it shouldn't be hard. Especially if he had a book. He didn't recall one in Jorowyn's stash, but he had been rather focused on what he was looking for at the time. Maybe he'd overlooked something. He could hope so anyway.

 

A slight 'itch' at the back of his thoughts reminded him of another consequence of last night. Jorowyn had avoided having to take up the responsibility for almost ten thousand years, but Jordan had agreed to it by taking up the World Staff. Which, now that he thought about it, might be a good thing. The details of the job were a little fuzzy, since he didn't have an actual Contract with Vulcan yet, but he was fairly sure he'd be able to find out how the Devourers where getting into and out of the Void now. He'd have to take time later in the day to look into it.

 

For now, he wasn't going anywhere. Ami was still asleep, apparently enjoying whatever dream she had eventually fallen into after the previous night's issues. A glance at a nearby clock revealed it was only a little after four-thirty in the morning. Might as well try to get some more sleep himself, though he doubted his dreams would be as pleasant.

 

* * *

 

Jordan really hated being right so much. He knew he was dreaming, but at the same time, he also knew it wasn't quite a dream. There was no way in Hell, or in any variation of it, that he would willingly dream about Vulcan or any of the Ancestors.

 

“So, you're the scrawny runt who took up the powers of my World Gate.”

 

Jordan sighed, and did his best not to look directly at Vulcan. Sure, he might seem unassuming now, dressed up as some sort of medieval blacksmith, but Jordan wasn't fooled. He was still as manipulative as the others, just not as obvious about it. Which made him even more dangerous to deal with as far as Jordan was concerned.

 

“Yes. Sir.”

 

The last had been tossed in as an afterthought. Perhaps it would be best not to antagonize Vulcan. At least not right now. No matter what his personal feelings about him might be.

 

“About time. Never could understand your Predecessor's reluctance to take up the Duty.”

 

“Considering how thoroughly shackled his cousin is to the Time Gate, Sir, could you blame him?”

 

Vulcan waved a soot covered hand negligently, before gesturing towards Jordan to follow him through the dreamscape. Which looked a lot like some of the workshops on Phaeton Jorowyn had in his earliest memories.

 

“For starters, I'm not as uptight as Chronos. Second, the World Gate doesn't function the same way the Time Gate does. Technically, it's not even a gate at all. More like an early warning system. Sure, it has a physical location and vessel, but that's for aesthetics more than functionality.”

 

“I'm afraid you've lost me, Sir. Early Warning system for what exactly?”

 

“Look at it this way. The Time Gate restricts rapid movement from one Time to another. Pluto's job, is to make sure no unsanctioned travel occurs, and to punish and or destroy those who violate all the stupid little rules Chronos attached to the Gate. Sometimes that means completely closing the Gate, and Freezing Time in place while she attends to a problem. Otherwise, the Gate is always partial open so that time will move normally. As for the World Gate, due to certain issues which you'll figure out on your own, it can't be closed, or restricted the same way. Instead, it keeps track of movements between this Dimension and others. As it's new Guardian, it'll be your job to keep tabs on these travelers, and if they misbehave, track them down and kick them out. Guests are welcome, but only so long as they behave themselves.”

 

“So... I'm really just a rather bored security guard staring at security cameras all the time....”

 

“More or less. Your Senshi Duties will remain unaffected, but you will have to check in at the Gate from time to time. To check your messages if you will. If anything really important happens, the Gate will notify you immediately. Otherwise it's automated, and won't bother you every few seconds with everything that passes through. You're mainly to look out for Trespassers, and Accidents.

 

“Trespassers, such as Soul Devourers?”

 

“Good, you catch on quick. Yes, you'll be able to track all of them whenever they cross over. I know you can feel when they're close, but now you'll be able to know when and where they arrive in our dimension. There are a few more things you need to know about your Duties, but you'll figure out most of them as you go along. But, you do need to know one very important thing. No one likes a meddler.

 

“Most of the beings who will be passing through are outside your pay-grade so to speak. Unless I personally tell you otherwise, leave them be. Small-fry are yours to do as you please. Just make sure they stay small-fry, and don't upset anybody. Some of them are still a little mad over the whole Pharaoh 90 incident.”

 

“Which I can't be blamed for. I didn't even have my powers then.”

 

“They don't care. The World Gate's been without a monitor for several Millennia, and all manner of Trespassers and Accidents have had to be dealt with. Now that you and your fellow Senshi have finally started acting again, they may calm down a little, but they're still holding a grudge for having to do the dirty work themselves.”

 

“Does that include you?”

 

“Hell no. Been fun watching them actually have to do some occasional work, instead of foisting it off on others. Character building you might even say.”

 

Jordan thought all this over for a few minutes, idly noting that they seemed to have spent a majority of conversation walking around a scale model of the Solar System. Little blimps appeared here and there, though there meaning escaped him at the moment. This was a lot of information. Some of it was even a little confusing.

 

“I have to admit, this is a much better conversation than the one I had with Chronos a few weeks ago. I think he's still mad that I choose not to get shackled to the majority of the Rules he slapped onto Trista.”

 

“Like I said, he's a stick in the mud. Rules are nice, but too many rules, and people start Rebelling. Look at how Jorowyn handled things. Not that I'm letting you off easy, I will have other Rules for you later. But for now, I'll leave you to get used to the job.”

 

Before Jordan could reply, everything went black.

 

* * *

 

As the darkness gradually faded, he felt someone shaking him, and calling his name. It took a moment to wake up enough to realize it was Ami. Who sounded worried.

 

He sat up, putting his conversation with Vulcan away for later, while he dealt with whatever crisis had popped up.

 

“What? What is it? What happened? Where's Morgan?”

 

Ami smacked him on the shoulder, before she started laughing.

 

“Nothings wrong, other than you. I couldn't wake you up.”

 

Jordan blinked at her a few times, before hissing in pain. Now that they were both awake, the feeling was coming back into the arm she'd been using as a pillow. With a vengeance. He rubbed his arm, looking down at the Ami shaped red mark on it.

 

“I wasn't asleep. Not exactly. Someone wanted to have a talk with me.”

 

She looked at him, confused. Before she could ask anything, they were interrupted by someone beating on the door.

 

“You two better have clothes on, because some of us are hungry, and Room Service won't let anyone but you order food.”

 

Jordan smirked at Ami's blush.

 

“Guess that means I have to get up. I don't suppose you thought to bring a change of clothes last night?'

 

“I wasn't really planning to spend the night here. Not until..”

 

“Until I accidentally Soul-Bonded with you. I'm sorry about that. We'll discuss it more later. For now, use the Chibis as an escort, and go get changed. I'll be up soon.”

 

She started to turn to go, before looking back at him.

 

“Is it really as bad as you keep trying to make it out to be?”

 

“No, by Phaetonian standards, it's supposed to be the ultimate expression of love between two people.”

 

“Then why are you so upset over it?”

 

He frowned for a moment, trying to think how best to phrase his response.

 

“I'm not upset, not exactly. It's just that the Bond formed without any warning. It should have taken years for it to get to this point. Especially considering that I know for a fact, we haven't done anything that normally triggers the Bond.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“You do remember, I said this was a kind of Marriage didn't I?”

 

It took her a moment, but the deep crimson blush and the chaotic storm of emotions that he suddenly picked up from her, told him she had caught on.

 

“Now, before Morgan actually breaks down the door, you should go ask for that escort. We'll continue this conversation later. And away from eavesdroppers.”

 

The last was said as he got up from the door, swung it open, spilling all three Chibis into the room.

 

They stared up guiltily, before all three hastily got up, and ran back to the furniture fort they had apparently remade last night in Jordan's common room.

 

“You three, take Ami upstairs and make sure she gets dressed in peace. I'll clean this mess up, and be up there in a few minutes.”

 

“You're not mad about the eavesdropping?”

 

“I never said that.”

 

* * *

 

“Can we please eat now?”

 

Jordan glanced up from his mostly empty plate of french toast, and smirked at Morgan and the other two Chibis as they sat impatiently at the far end of the table.

 

“Is everyone else finished eating yet?”

 

They all looked to where Serena was getting her fourth helping of French Toast.

 

“No. But...”

 

“Then, no. You can't eat, until after everyone else has.”

 

“You're not being fair!”

 

“And eavesdropping this morning on me and Ami was?”

 

“....”

 

“When Serena finishes that plate, you can all eat. Assuming she's actually left you anything to eat that is.”

 

He glared at her, as she tried to sneak another piece from the serving platter. She hastily snatched her fork back, and started eating what she already had on her plate.

 

“Now, today, everyone is pretty much on your own. At least until dinner anyway. You should all be dressed appropriately, and at the restaurant by seven sharp. Make sure you ask for directions downstairs before you unleash yourselves on the city.”

 

He turned to look at Ami, who poking at what remained of her breakfast,l and fighting back the occasional blush.

 

“I have a couple of errands I'd like to do today. You want to come along?” He glanced towards the girls, who had been waiting all morning to get her alone. “It'll help keep you away from the Vultures.”

 

She glanced nervously at them, then toward Jordan.

 

“What do you have to do?”

 

“I need to go by headquarters and sign some paperwork, then I was going to go see some friends.” He purposely let her feel the sadness when he said friends, so she'd know who he was talking about. “I think they'd like to meet you. Otherwise, the entire afternoon should be clear if there's something you'd like to do.”

 

“There was a Museum I wanted to see while we were here...”

 

“Sounds like a plan.”

 

“Oh, yah. You three can eat now.”

 

* * *

 

“Is this where Zack....”

 

“Yah. This is where his family buried him. I'm told it was a nice ceremony.”

 

“You didn't go?”

 

“No powers yet. I was still laid up at the Hospital on painkillers.”

 

“I'm sorry.”

 

“I'm not. Even if I had been here, not sure I could have avoided causing a scene. We might have been best friends, but our parents are different matters entirely.”

 

“They can't possibly blame you for what happened.”

 

“You'd be amazed what people can blame on other people, just to avoid having to actually deal with something.”

 

They walked through the graveyard for a few minutes, until Jordan finally stopped in front of a gravestone.

 

Zackarias Lee Staziak

Beloved Son and Friend

He Will Be Missed

 

“Hi Zack. I know I was just here the other day, but I wanted you to meet someone.” He pulled Ami over, and placed her between himself, and the grave. “Zack, this is Ami. Ami, Zack. Say Hello Ami.”

 

“Hello... Zack.”

 

Jordan smiled, then looked down at the grave.

 

“She's the one I was telling you about. Yah, the sexy bookworm.” He squeezed her shoulder affectionately, while she blushed again. “I wish you two could have met. Would have been nice to finally watch someone beat you at chess. Morgan says hi. She'll probably come by later today and introduce you to her friends. Fran sends her Love. Though, I'm not sure I can repeat her exact words without a bar of soap. Oh, I almost forgot again.” He reached into a pocket, and pulled out small chibi-fied Astro Boy toy. He bent over to place it in front of the grave. “I promised you a souvenir. Your very own Astro Boy. Try not to have too much fun with it. Sorry to say, but it's time for us to go. We've got to go see Fran, then Ami has a museum she wants to geek out in.” He chuckled as she smacked him on the shoulder. “Behave, and I'll come see you again before I leave.”

 

Ami followed him silently for a few moments, as they made their way back to the car.

 

“He meant a lot to you, didn't he?”

 

Jordan stopped, and stared up at a passing cloud for a few moments.

 

“It's hard to explain. We did argue and fight over things sometimes, but I don't think I've ever been closer to anyone until now. What we had, it's a lot like what you share with Serena and the others. We were so close sometimes, you'd think we were the same person, just in two different bodies. He took a bullet to try and save my life. You don't meet people like that every day. Hell, you can usually go your entire life, and not meet someone like that.”

 

He went silent again, before finally resuming the small trek to the car.

 

“Time for you to meet Fran. I think you'll like her.”

 

* * *

 

“Jordan, why are we at a Mental Institution. I thought you said we were going to see your friend Fran?”

 

“We are. She's inside.”

 

“She works here?”

 

“I'm sure she'd love to, but no. She's a patient. Hopefully not for much longer though.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Zack's death hit her pretty hard. The fact that it was Ronnie who did it, made it worse.”

 

“How?”

 

“She introduced him to us. He's her cousin. At the time, his family had just moved back to town, and she wanted him to make friends. Apparently, no one told us, or her, that he had a wrap sheet a mile long. Petty thefts mostly.” He parked the car, and they started walking toward the building. “While he was hanging out with us though, he was mostly behaved. Couple of times where I had to break up a fight he'd start, but nothing that struck as odd. Anyway, after it all happened, Fran's brain just sort of, shut off for awhile. All the lights where on, but no one was home. Her parents checked her in here, and Mom's been paying for it the whole time. I was here the other day, and she was vocal again. And still has a great aim with a plate of pasta.”

 

“Do I want to know?”

 

“Probably not. Don't worry, you'll like her. She's nice.”

 

He held the door open for her, walked up to the Nurse's Station.

 

“Two guests for Fran Jacobs. Dr. Mizers should be expecting me.”

 

The nurse glanced up, her eyes bugging out once she realized who Jordan was. A glance down showed a tabloid with his sharpie covered face on it.

 

“If you could give me two guest passes, and your tabloid, that'd be great.”

 

The stunned nurse reached blindly for the paper, and the guest passes, while Jordan fished in his pocket for a pen. He took the passes, and handed them to Ami, while he filled out the Guest Log book, then took the paper. He quickly signed it, then handed it back to the nurse.

 

“Happy reading, nurse Daphne.”

 

 

They walked off down the Hall, while Ami looked back at the nurse who was eagerly showing off her tabloid to another nurse.

 

“Does that happen a lot?”

 

“Sometimes. What I liked about being in Japan. Anonymity.

 

“And here, I thought it was all the fun of getting yourself hurt over and over.”

 

“Nah, I just do that so I can be taken care of my sexy girlfriend.”

 

Ami smacked him on the arm as they stepped into an elevator. They went up to the second floor, and Jordan led the way down another hallway. He stopped again outside of room 265. He knocked on the door before opening it.

 

“Fran, it's Jordan. I brought a friend I'd like you to meet.”

 

“F-You Mallone.”

 

“Great, you're in a good mood.”

 

Jordan dragged Ami with him as he stepped fully into the room. Fran was standing by a wall, taping up carefully ripped photos of Jordan from various tabloids.

 

“If you like those so much, I can introduce you to the artist later.”

 

She glared at him, as she taped up the last photo.

 

“Only if she'll take commissions to do it again.”

 

“Sadly, she's been taught her lesson, and very much values being able to walk in public.”

 

“Pity. So, you going to introduce the mouse, or we pretending she's not in the room?”

 

Jordan smirked as he turned to Ami.

 

“Ami, this is Fran. Fran, Ami.”

 

Ami nervously extended her hand. Fran just stared at her for several uncomfortable moments, before turning to Jordan.

 

“So, is she as good in bed as she looks, or should I take her for a test drive?”

 

Jordan nearly choked himself to death from trying not to laugh. Ami turned the deepest shade of red he'd seen all day, utterly unable to react to the comment.

 

“She's pretty damn adorable when she turns that color. Happen often?”

 

Jordan could only nod his head, as he clutched his sides in pain. This wasn't quite what he was expecting, but it was nice to have Fran acting like her old self. Even if it did mean he was in trouble later.

 

“Jerk!” Ami smacked Jordan upside the head, knocking him over and finally sending him into a laughing fit. “You said she'd be nice.”

 

Jordan tried to get himself under control as Ami kicked him a few times.

 

“Ah, the mouse has teeth. Feisty. I like that.”

 

Fran winked at Ami, before sitting down on her bed, and leaning back against the wall.

 

“Please, stop. Can't. Breathe.”

 

Jordan tried to get himself under control, as an exasperated Ami gave him one last kick before heading for the door.

 

“Easy mouse, it's just a joke. Though, I have to admit, I didn't take you for the violent type. Guess that explains a few things about why we never worked out, huh Mallone?”

 

She smirked down at Jordan, as he finally got himself under control, and shook his head at her.

 

“Technically, we never 'worked out', because even on the three dates we tried to go out on, you were attached to Zack at the hip. Sometimes literally.”

 

Jordan's turn to smirk, as Fran flushed slightly.

 

“Sorry about that Ami, I wasn't quite expecting her to be in this good of a mood.”

 

Fran nodded her head, then gestured for the two of them to sit on the bed as she recovered.

 

“I didn't mean to embarrass you like that, just a quirk. I like watching people squirm. And I'll admit, until I knew you were back in town, I wasn't doing so hot. They were considering upping my meds. Then Doc showed me that first tabloid cover after you left, and I couldn't help myself. Once I got moving, I had to stay moving.”

 

“Good. We'll be in town for a few more days. Maybe I can talk the doctors into letting you go on a field trip. I can take you to see Zack if you want.”

 

She looked away for a moment, staring out the barred window.

 

“Maybe.” She smirked as she turned to look at Ami. “Is your new eye candy going to join us, or would I have you all to myself?”

 

Ami glared icily, then turned to Jordan.

 

“Oh, you can have him all to yourself. Just make sure he comes back in mostly one piece. I'll need to be able to get a proper hold on him to beat him properly.”

 

Even though he picked up very faint traces of amusement from her, he couldn't tell if it was because she was making a joke, or she was actually thinking about beating him.

 

“Very feisty. I really like this one.” Fran turned to look at Ami, and smiled faintly. “You make sure you hold onto him, and never let him go. Even if he is an occasional jackass. He means well. Now, I'm tired, and I want a nap. You can both leave now. I'll have Doc call you if I feel like going on that field trip.”

 

With that, she shoved them both off the bed, and set about fixing up her pillow.

 

They took the cue, and excused themselves, closing the door as they left.

 

Jordan stood there silently for a moment, smiling sadly. Ami was about to lay into him, when she caught the sound from inside the room.

 

“She'll be OK. She needs it. She hasn't cried at all since then. Come on, I need to find Dr. Mizers before we leave. Can you go wait in the lobby for me? Please?”

 

She nodded her head after a moment, and started walking to the elevator. She paused before she went around the corner, and looked back at him.

 

“We'll talk about it later.”

 

“I'll add it to the list.”