Mamorou took Chibiusa home for the night - the caffeine crash having finally hit, she was passed out in his arms. Tomorrow they would set things up with Usagi’s family with a bit of fudging from Chibiusa’s friend, Luna-P.
As for me, I finally picked up a decent cell phone equipped with a near-field chip so I could use it as an electronic wallet for the trains. And buses. And convenience stores. And vending machines. It could even be used for club memberships at large supermarket chains and department stores. Pretty damn useful, really.
After that, I promptly went back home to the Hikawa Shrine.
“I’m home,” I said tiredly as I entered the living quarters of the shrine.
“Welcome home,” said Rei quietly from where she worked on her homework. She then looked to me, cocking an eyebrow. “You’re late.”
I sighed. “It was a hell of an evening. You won’t believe me if I told you everything, though. Just call up Usagi - she’ll give you the whole scoop.” I was just glad that I didn’t have any homework myself - looking ahead I made sure to do it all during study period.
“I see,” said Rei, her eyebrow still cocked at me. “Your dinner is in the refrigerator in the kitchen.”
“Thank you,” I said as I made for the kitchen and began to reheat the meal - it happened to be tonkatsu with sweet ginger sauce. My mouth was already watering.
“I thought about what you said this morning,” said Rei as I waited for the microwave to finish. I looked to Rei, somewhat surprised as she continued working on her assignment.
“I really don’t want things to be bad between us,” I said nervously.
“I know,” said Rei. “And when I thought about it today, I suddenly realized that I don’t want things to be that way, either.” She then looked up at me sharply. “But if I am what you really want, then you need to show me. I am not about to settle for someone that makes half-assed overtures for my heart.”
I hardly heard the microwave beeping. I could only stare at her in surprise. Rei only looked at me. And her expression said everything.
I dare you, said the Princess of Mars. I dare you! I dare you to make me fall in love with you!
“Daughter of Mars,” I intoned authoritatively. “We have unfinished business.”
Rei got up so quickly that she nearly threw the kotatsu aside.
“Then let us finish it, Son of Coronis,” Rei said in a near-snarl.
##
We went to the courtyard without a word, both of us picking up our shinai and assuming ready stances.
“I’m not a kendo-ka, just so you know.”
“I’m not, either,” said Rei.
“Well, no compunctions then, Princess of Mars.”
Rei grinned back at me with bared teeth. “No compunctions, Avater of Raven.”
And with a mutual shout, we went at each other, swinging our shinai in attacks and parries without any real thought about form. We simply moved however felt natural. More often than not, I was on the defensive as Rei crashed her practice blade against mine, making my hands sting with every impact - she was much more powerful that she appeared.
However, I did not simply act as a bulwark against her assaults. I pressed her back, advancing against her even as she battered my defenses, and only making piercing, lunging attacks when I saw the openings for them.
“Do you think you can conquer me so easily?” Rei seethed as she evaded one of my lunging assaults. However, the savage grin on her face belied her true feelings.
“Could I?” I countered as we began to circle each other, panting for breath. “Mars never surrenders easy. Mars never dies easy. But conquest is overrated. I do not want a cowed woman. I want a woman with fire in her belly, who’s only reason for surrendering herself to me is the desire to stand with me as I build something great.”
“And what would you build?” Rei growled as she struck, throwing herself into the attack. This time, I knocked the strike aside, casting away my own shinai with it and pulled Rei into my arms.
Of course, Rei didn’t give up there. She pushed and knocked me off balance, but I rolled with it and landed over her, pinning her hands with my own over her head.
“I would build you a house on Mars. Sturdy, comfortable, and able to last for generations of your children.”
I said it without really thinking. But then, as I reflected on those words, I realized they rung true. I really would build her a house, and it would be on her world of Mars.
“On Mars,” said Rei as her chest worked like a bellows. “In your lifetime?”
“Yes. In my life time. And I will even dig you a garden there so you can have the smell of sweet flowers in your home every day.”
“A bold claim. What is your strategy?”
“I’ll use whatever resources I find. Your power, Mithril’s science, my ingenuity. I don’t care. One way or another, I will make it happen.”
“You haven’t thought this out very well,” she challenged.
“I only thought of it a few seconds ago,” I countered. “In a year I’ll have things figured out.”
“Well then, you have direction and motivation. So what are you waiting for Ezekiel. You have me right where I want to be.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Is that a wise course of action? Because that’s not how I was raised. In both lives.”
Rei glared at me. “All I want from you is a kiss. The rest of my body you will get when I feel you’ve earned it. You already own my soul as is.”
“Your wish is my command, My Princess,” I said as I bent my head towards hers and closed my eyes.
Her lips were hot, damp, and salty with her sweat and saliva as they pressed hungrily to mine - it was like she wanted to devour me. However, this seemed to be something that I hadn’t forgotten from my past life - it came back to me readily and she made a surprised sound as I gently bit her lip and sucked on it, but otherwise she did not complain.
If anything, in fact, she seemed encouraged as she suddenly pulled away and shoved me over onto my back, then rolled on top of me and began her own assault on my lips.
Our hands wrapped around each other - her caressing my face and feeling for my heart while I traced the outline of her sides and the curve of her spine.
Our breathe soon became hot and heavy as we pulled each other more closely together, but it was only once I noticed she had straddled me - highlighted by the humid warmth I could feel through her clothes down there - that I realized that we were starting to go too far.
“Rei,” I gasped as I gently pushed her up and broke our kiss. “We need to stop here.”
Rei looked at me in mingled surprise and shock, and snarled as she suddenly punched the firmly packed earth next to my head. She then huffed angrily as she rolled off me and sat off to my side.
I said nothing as I sat up myself. I only looked at her, somewhat worriedly, as she stared off into the distance like as though she dearly wanted to set something on fire with her gaze alone.
“I’m not angry with you,” she finally said with a tense tone of voice. “In fact, I’m glad that you stopped us. That would have been monumentally stupid. I can’t believe I let myself go like that.”
I sighed and scooted over to Rei and put an arm around her slim shoulders. Rei sighed as well and leaned into me.
“It’s okay, Rei. You’re a Princess of Mars. You’re supposed to be hot-blooded. And despite everything else, we’re only human. We just have to be careful.”
We were silent for a while longer, watching the moon up in the sky as the clouds, highlighted by the light of the city around us, scudded by with little thought or concern for the world below.
“How long should we wait?” she asked.
I looked at Rei in mild surprise. “I thought I hadn’t earned that right yet.”
Rei shot me a glare. “I’m assuming you would by that time, you idiot. So how long do you think we should wait?”
I sighed. “Good question. The hell of it is that I don’t think our grandparents would mind, really. Though they’d probably prefer that we got married first.”
Rei rolled her eyes. “Cheh. Done and done already.”
I rolled my eyes as well and went on, “Well, to my knowledge, there’s no law barring marriage at our age, both in my home or here in Japan. Just sex - I checked just to be safe: while individual states in the USA have differing age of consent laws, for citizens outside the USA it’s eighteen. But a legally recognized marriage changes that.”
I then turned to look at Rei, who was observing me carefully in turn.
“Let’s wait until after we graduate high school at the very least,” I said. “After all, you’re fire and I’m air. We could easily burn each other out before then. But if we can last for three years...”
“Then we can last for a lifetime,” finished Rei.
We fell into a comfortable silence after that - only the night sky and the buzz of the city to keep us company. Even then, I could smell Rei as the sweat dried off her skin, and I could hear the steady sound of her soft breathing. In fact, if I focused hard enough, I could even hear the steady rhythm of her heart.
It was such a hypnotic experience that I must have drifted off, because the next thing I knew it, Rei had nudged me.
“Hoi, Zee-kun. Don’t tell me you’re asleep.” I blinked blearily and began to stretch and yawn.
“Sorry,” I apologized. “So much has happened and it’s only been my third day of school so far.”
Rei snorted. “No kidding. Seriously, what’s next? Invaders from outer space?”
“Oh fer crying out loud, don’t jinx it! Bad enough they got that ASS-1 thing they’ve been trying to rebuild on Ataria Island.”
Rei actually looked a bit sheepish at that. “Right. And weird shit follows you.” She then sighed and got up. “C’mon, Zeke. You never did eat that dinner. And you’d better be grateful for it, because I made that meal myself.”
“If it was by your hands, then I’ll consider it my duty to devour it with relish.”
“What? It shouldn’t be a duty! Get back here, Zeke!”
##
“So, you finally made peace with Milady,” said Deimos as I entered my room.
I stopped just short of entering, because I saw that Deimos was in her human form, and waiting for me on my bed in a seiza position. She seemed somewhat downcast.
“I have,” I said quietly and then crossed the threshold to my room. I still needed to take a bath, so I had to get a change of clothes.
“I’m not going to give up!” said Deimos. I paused, giving Deimos a long look, and decided to tease her a bit.
“I thought ravens are monogamous.”
“Lord Darkwood!” she snapped, shooting me a glare.
I smiled back. “Just checking.”
“I’m not kidding around here, My Lord.”
I then sighed. “Then let me be serious as well, Deimos. As lovely as you are and as nice as you’ve been to me, I must consider Rei first. You should know this - you helped perform the binding ceremony.”
“That doesn’t mean that I’m going to give up so easily! If I have to, I will fight her for the right to bear your children!”
“Whoa! Hold the phone!” I cried out in shock. “Are you freaking serious? Fight Rei? Alias Sailor Mars? Our Lady of Purifying Fire and War? Fight her? And while we’re at it, you sure that’s what Raven wants for you? Because I’m pretty damn sure that Rei will turn you into a pile of ash, and Raven won’t have a damn thing to say about it because you picked that fight.”
Deimos was completely blindsided by my outburst. At first she was surprised, then frightened, and then that slowly disolved into an expression of growing sorrow. I was until the second after those last words left my mouth that Deimos burst into mournful wails and sobs, crying her eyes out.
“Oh Raven take it all,” I grumbled.
My shoji suddenly flew open. “WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!?” demanded Rei, with Phobos perched on her shoulder.
Phobos took in the situation for only a second before she lept off Rei’s shoulder, assuming her human form as she softly landed and went to comfort her twin.
“Deimos! What is wrong, sister?”
But Deimos would not say. Rei and Phobos then turned to shoot glares at me, and I sighed heavily.
“Rei, please come inside and close the shoji. I’ll explain what happened.”
And so I did. And as I thought, Rei didn’t like it much.
“You traitorous little-” cried out Rei as she started to lunge for Deimos, but I stopped her with a single hand on her shoulder. Rei gave me an absolutely venomous look.
“Rei. Do not let your anger get the better of you.”
The look on Rei’s face softened somewhat - now she was merely angry instead of looking ready to rip someone’s guts out and use them to string her bow.
“Very well then,” she all but ground out before turning back to Deimos. “Deimos. Look at me. As you master, I demand it.” Hesitantly, Deimos complied, her face puffy and tear-stained.
“yes, milady?” she said meekly.
“Know this, my servant,” she began in an imperious voice, and then I knew without a doubt that she was channeling her past self, the real Princess Apparent of the Martian Throne. “I have staked a claim on Lord Darkwood. And I will permit none to have him until I have relinquished that claim. The only way I would even consider allowing someone else the pleasure of his touch would be once I have become gravid with his child, and even then only as a pillow woman to comfort him while I am unavailable!”
That statement sent me rocking back on my heels. But what happened next finished the job.
“Then I accept!” cried out Deimos desperately.
I toppled backwards, landing flat on my eyes. Rei’s face went slack and wide-eyed. And Phobos practically exploded - had she been in avian-form, my room would have been littered with her feathers.
“DEIMOS! How can you debase yourself in such a manner, my sister!? We are High Priestesses in service to our Great Father!”
“Then who better to bear the seed of His Avatar, sister? Our Ladyship does have first rights to him, but if she is to permit someone else to be a comfort woman once her body is occupied by their child, then I will gladly have myself be first before all others! Besides, I too would become with-child from Lord Darkwood. It will be a blessing from Great Father in reward for our service to Him and His Avatar.”
“how can you be so certain of this unless... you didn’t... Deimos, you know the penalty for divining your future like that!”
“Aye. And I welcome it in exchange for securing the future.”
“Penalty?” said Rei. “What penalty?”
Phobos turned to Rei with a worried look in her eyes. “My Lady, your confusion is understandable. Normal divination done by those such as yourself only show hazy shadows of what might be. They can always be misinterpreted, or even avoided if proper action is taken. But this divination... it is absolute! It shows what you wish to know, and if it is to come to pass, then it is absolute destiny! The universe itself will conspire to bring it to pass. But such a vision may only be granted once in a Coronian’s lifetime. The reason for that is because of the cost of the vision - a second vision that clearly details the timing and events of your death.”
Rei gave Deimos a horrified look. “You would go so far... to have a child with Zeke!? But why!?”
Deimos gave Rei a strange look, almost as though she thought she was crazy... or at least, a bit ignorant.
“Do you honestly think that his qualities do not make him desirable as a sire Milady? You cannot possibly say that you did not feel a stirring in your loins as you fought him earlier.”
Rei went as red as her Miko’s hakama. “THAT’S NOT THE POINT!” snapped Rei angrily, much to Deimos’s peculiar delight. She instantly subsided into worry, though, as she went on, “I mean... it is a horrible curse to know how you will die and not be able to change it. How can anything be worth that?”
Deimos then gave Rei a small, sad smile. “Because... our Great Father is not unkind to we, the faithful, when we ask of Him these visions. My Lady... she will be beautiful and kind. She will be a sister to your daughter, as I have been to mine. They will not care who their real mother was. Though they will be tried by fire and fall, they will become tempered and strong, and fly together on the wings of sisterhood they will forge.
“And knowing that, My Lady,” said Deimos, her voice beginning to crack and tears welling in her eyes despite the smile on her face, “I know that I can accept my fate, with peace in my heart and a smile on my face.”
##
Shortly after that, I went to take my bath while Rei and her familiars went to her room to hug things out. I had finally settled into the water to relax when a familiar shape fluttered through the open window.
“Deimos!” I cried out in surprise.
“Nay,” said the raven as she took human form on the far end of the bath. “Tis I, Phobos.”
I blinked at that. “This isn’t like you,” I said.
“Don’t be so foolish. While I do have feelings for you, they are nothing at all like my sisters. I am for another.”
“And you coming in here is what, then?”
“My sister needed some time alone with our Ladyship. I also felt the desire to come and confide in you, My Lord, and your nudity has no effect on me.”
I blinked at the Coronian girl. “You know, coming from anyone else, that would sound like a challenge.”
“That is simply Rei’s influence over you.”
“Well, just keep that in mind if she happens to barge in here for some reason. I think I saw her laundry in there, so she might come for it.”
“As I said, My Lord, I am not my sister.”
I sighed at her stubborn determination. “Could have fooled me,” I muttered under my breath. Aloud, I said, “Well, what’s on your mind, anyhow?”
“Nothing dire. I simply wanted to thank you, My Lord, for being the kind person you are. After everything that has happened, it is wonderful to simply have someone hold me like a child and tell me that everything will get better. Especially when that person is a living and breathing embodiment of my faith. It’s like waking up from a long and terrible nightmare and finding that all is right with the world.”
“You’re always welcome, Phobos,” I said mildly. “In fact, if you ever do want a hug, just let me know. I’m perfectly fine with that, and I think Rei is, too. Just no shenanigans in the bed. That really seems to piss her off.”
Phobos groaned at that. “My sister is going to be the death of me, I just know it.” I could only smile in response. “Well, with all that said, My Lord, I shall be outside keeping watch. In fact, I will be watching over you for the rest of the night, if you do not mind.”
“Not at all, Phobos. I know you have a duty, and I’m not going to make it any more difficult on you. Just make sure you get some sleep yourself.”
Phobos smiled. “Plenty of time for that while you are at school, My Lord. I’ll see myself out.” And with a fluttering of black wings, Phobos disappeared through the window from whence she came.
I simply sighed and leaned back to enjoy the rest of my soak - peace at last!
##
Peace indeed!
It had been the most peaceful night I’d had since before school started, and I felt the difference that morning as I strode with a spring in my step down the stairs of the shrine.
Rei followed at a more sedate pace, but she seemed more at peace as well. But even so, I felt the need to ask.
“Everything okay, Rei?” Rei gave me a mildly surprised look, but then smiled as she answered.
“I’m fine, Zeke. It’s just that... well, after last night I feel a little less stressed out... even if I didn’t get much sleep. Deimos is really clingy.”
I snickered at that - I couldn’t help but find it funny how she had finally gotten a taste of what dealing with the free spirited Coronian girl was like. Rei gave me a cocked eyebrow, but the wry grin on her face belied her annoyance.
“Of course, you would know,” she teased.
“Oh, Raven save me, she is relentless,” I groaned as I rolled my eyes at the memories. “The worst part is that she’s turned it into a game - namely, Let’s See How Long I Can Snuggle Him Before He Wakes Up And Catches Me!”
Rei actually guffawed. It probably didn’t help that I did that in a horrible imitation of Deimos when she was trying to act coy.
“I’m gonna have to have a talk with that girl about boundaries,” said Rei with a sigh.
“Save your breath,” I grumbled. “Right now, I think the only thing that would stop her would be Raven himself... And I think he find it hilarious.”
Rei groaned once more. “Fine. In that case, I’ll have Deimos stay with me from now on. Better that I be her victim than deal with the implications of her doing that with you every night!”
Commentary Thread ===> HERE!
As for me, I finally picked up a decent cell phone equipped with a near-field chip so I could use it as an electronic wallet for the trains. And buses. And convenience stores. And vending machines. It could even be used for club memberships at large supermarket chains and department stores. Pretty damn useful, really.
After that, I promptly went back home to the Hikawa Shrine.
“I’m home,” I said tiredly as I entered the living quarters of the shrine.
“Welcome home,” said Rei quietly from where she worked on her homework. She then looked to me, cocking an eyebrow. “You’re late.”
I sighed. “It was a hell of an evening. You won’t believe me if I told you everything, though. Just call up Usagi - she’ll give you the whole scoop.” I was just glad that I didn’t have any homework myself - looking ahead I made sure to do it all during study period.
“I see,” said Rei, her eyebrow still cocked at me. “Your dinner is in the refrigerator in the kitchen.”
“Thank you,” I said as I made for the kitchen and began to reheat the meal - it happened to be tonkatsu with sweet ginger sauce. My mouth was already watering.
“I thought about what you said this morning,” said Rei as I waited for the microwave to finish. I looked to Rei, somewhat surprised as she continued working on her assignment.
“I really don’t want things to be bad between us,” I said nervously.
“I know,” said Rei. “And when I thought about it today, I suddenly realized that I don’t want things to be that way, either.” She then looked up at me sharply. “But if I am what you really want, then you need to show me. I am not about to settle for someone that makes half-assed overtures for my heart.”
I hardly heard the microwave beeping. I could only stare at her in surprise. Rei only looked at me. And her expression said everything.
I dare you, said the Princess of Mars. I dare you! I dare you to make me fall in love with you!
“Daughter of Mars,” I intoned authoritatively. “We have unfinished business.”
Rei got up so quickly that she nearly threw the kotatsu aside.
“Then let us finish it, Son of Coronis,” Rei said in a near-snarl.
##
We went to the courtyard without a word, both of us picking up our shinai and assuming ready stances.
“I’m not a kendo-ka, just so you know.”
“I’m not, either,” said Rei.
“Well, no compunctions then, Princess of Mars.”
Rei grinned back at me with bared teeth. “No compunctions, Avater of Raven.”
And with a mutual shout, we went at each other, swinging our shinai in attacks and parries without any real thought about form. We simply moved however felt natural. More often than not, I was on the defensive as Rei crashed her practice blade against mine, making my hands sting with every impact - she was much more powerful that she appeared.
However, I did not simply act as a bulwark against her assaults. I pressed her back, advancing against her even as she battered my defenses, and only making piercing, lunging attacks when I saw the openings for them.
“Do you think you can conquer me so easily?” Rei seethed as she evaded one of my lunging assaults. However, the savage grin on her face belied her true feelings.
“Could I?” I countered as we began to circle each other, panting for breath. “Mars never surrenders easy. Mars never dies easy. But conquest is overrated. I do not want a cowed woman. I want a woman with fire in her belly, who’s only reason for surrendering herself to me is the desire to stand with me as I build something great.”
“And what would you build?” Rei growled as she struck, throwing herself into the attack. This time, I knocked the strike aside, casting away my own shinai with it and pulled Rei into my arms.
Of course, Rei didn’t give up there. She pushed and knocked me off balance, but I rolled with it and landed over her, pinning her hands with my own over her head.
“I would build you a house on Mars. Sturdy, comfortable, and able to last for generations of your children.”
I said it without really thinking. But then, as I reflected on those words, I realized they rung true. I really would build her a house, and it would be on her world of Mars.
“On Mars,” said Rei as her chest worked like a bellows. “In your lifetime?”
“Yes. In my life time. And I will even dig you a garden there so you can have the smell of sweet flowers in your home every day.”
“A bold claim. What is your strategy?”
“I’ll use whatever resources I find. Your power, Mithril’s science, my ingenuity. I don’t care. One way or another, I will make it happen.”
“You haven’t thought this out very well,” she challenged.
“I only thought of it a few seconds ago,” I countered. “In a year I’ll have things figured out.”
“Well then, you have direction and motivation. So what are you waiting for Ezekiel. You have me right where I want to be.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Is that a wise course of action? Because that’s not how I was raised. In both lives.”
Rei glared at me. “All I want from you is a kiss. The rest of my body you will get when I feel you’ve earned it. You already own my soul as is.”
“Your wish is my command, My Princess,” I said as I bent my head towards hers and closed my eyes.
Her lips were hot, damp, and salty with her sweat and saliva as they pressed hungrily to mine - it was like she wanted to devour me. However, this seemed to be something that I hadn’t forgotten from my past life - it came back to me readily and she made a surprised sound as I gently bit her lip and sucked on it, but otherwise she did not complain.
If anything, in fact, she seemed encouraged as she suddenly pulled away and shoved me over onto my back, then rolled on top of me and began her own assault on my lips.
Our hands wrapped around each other - her caressing my face and feeling for my heart while I traced the outline of her sides and the curve of her spine.
Our breathe soon became hot and heavy as we pulled each other more closely together, but it was only once I noticed she had straddled me - highlighted by the humid warmth I could feel through her clothes down there - that I realized that we were starting to go too far.
“Rei,” I gasped as I gently pushed her up and broke our kiss. “We need to stop here.”
Rei looked at me in mingled surprise and shock, and snarled as she suddenly punched the firmly packed earth next to my head. She then huffed angrily as she rolled off me and sat off to my side.
I said nothing as I sat up myself. I only looked at her, somewhat worriedly, as she stared off into the distance like as though she dearly wanted to set something on fire with her gaze alone.
“I’m not angry with you,” she finally said with a tense tone of voice. “In fact, I’m glad that you stopped us. That would have been monumentally stupid. I can’t believe I let myself go like that.”
I sighed and scooted over to Rei and put an arm around her slim shoulders. Rei sighed as well and leaned into me.
“It’s okay, Rei. You’re a Princess of Mars. You’re supposed to be hot-blooded. And despite everything else, we’re only human. We just have to be careful.”
We were silent for a while longer, watching the moon up in the sky as the clouds, highlighted by the light of the city around us, scudded by with little thought or concern for the world below.
“How long should we wait?” she asked.
I looked at Rei in mild surprise. “I thought I hadn’t earned that right yet.”
Rei shot me a glare. “I’m assuming you would by that time, you idiot. So how long do you think we should wait?”
I sighed. “Good question. The hell of it is that I don’t think our grandparents would mind, really. Though they’d probably prefer that we got married first.”
Rei rolled her eyes. “Cheh. Done and done already.”
I rolled my eyes as well and went on, “Well, to my knowledge, there’s no law barring marriage at our age, both in my home or here in Japan. Just sex - I checked just to be safe: while individual states in the USA have differing age of consent laws, for citizens outside the USA it’s eighteen. But a legally recognized marriage changes that.”
I then turned to look at Rei, who was observing me carefully in turn.
“Let’s wait until after we graduate high school at the very least,” I said. “After all, you’re fire and I’m air. We could easily burn each other out before then. But if we can last for three years...”
“Then we can last for a lifetime,” finished Rei.
We fell into a comfortable silence after that - only the night sky and the buzz of the city to keep us company. Even then, I could smell Rei as the sweat dried off her skin, and I could hear the steady sound of her soft breathing. In fact, if I focused hard enough, I could even hear the steady rhythm of her heart.
It was such a hypnotic experience that I must have drifted off, because the next thing I knew it, Rei had nudged me.
“Hoi, Zee-kun. Don’t tell me you’re asleep.” I blinked blearily and began to stretch and yawn.
“Sorry,” I apologized. “So much has happened and it’s only been my third day of school so far.”
Rei snorted. “No kidding. Seriously, what’s next? Invaders from outer space?”
“Oh fer crying out loud, don’t jinx it! Bad enough they got that ASS-1 thing they’ve been trying to rebuild on Ataria Island.”
Rei actually looked a bit sheepish at that. “Right. And weird shit follows you.” She then sighed and got up. “C’mon, Zeke. You never did eat that dinner. And you’d better be grateful for it, because I made that meal myself.”
“If it was by your hands, then I’ll consider it my duty to devour it with relish.”
“What? It shouldn’t be a duty! Get back here, Zeke!”
##
“So, you finally made peace with Milady,” said Deimos as I entered my room.
I stopped just short of entering, because I saw that Deimos was in her human form, and waiting for me on my bed in a seiza position. She seemed somewhat downcast.
“I have,” I said quietly and then crossed the threshold to my room. I still needed to take a bath, so I had to get a change of clothes.
“I’m not going to give up!” said Deimos. I paused, giving Deimos a long look, and decided to tease her a bit.
“I thought ravens are monogamous.”
“Lord Darkwood!” she snapped, shooting me a glare.
I smiled back. “Just checking.”
“I’m not kidding around here, My Lord.”
I then sighed. “Then let me be serious as well, Deimos. As lovely as you are and as nice as you’ve been to me, I must consider Rei first. You should know this - you helped perform the binding ceremony.”
“That doesn’t mean that I’m going to give up so easily! If I have to, I will fight her for the right to bear your children!”
“Whoa! Hold the phone!” I cried out in shock. “Are you freaking serious? Fight Rei? Alias Sailor Mars? Our Lady of Purifying Fire and War? Fight her? And while we’re at it, you sure that’s what Raven wants for you? Because I’m pretty damn sure that Rei will turn you into a pile of ash, and Raven won’t have a damn thing to say about it because you picked that fight.”
Deimos was completely blindsided by my outburst. At first she was surprised, then frightened, and then that slowly disolved into an expression of growing sorrow. I was until the second after those last words left my mouth that Deimos burst into mournful wails and sobs, crying her eyes out.
“Oh Raven take it all,” I grumbled.
My shoji suddenly flew open. “WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!?” demanded Rei, with Phobos perched on her shoulder.
Phobos took in the situation for only a second before she lept off Rei’s shoulder, assuming her human form as she softly landed and went to comfort her twin.
“Deimos! What is wrong, sister?”
But Deimos would not say. Rei and Phobos then turned to shoot glares at me, and I sighed heavily.
“Rei, please come inside and close the shoji. I’ll explain what happened.”
And so I did. And as I thought, Rei didn’t like it much.
“You traitorous little-” cried out Rei as she started to lunge for Deimos, but I stopped her with a single hand on her shoulder. Rei gave me an absolutely venomous look.
“Rei. Do not let your anger get the better of you.”
The look on Rei’s face softened somewhat - now she was merely angry instead of looking ready to rip someone’s guts out and use them to string her bow.
“Very well then,” she all but ground out before turning back to Deimos. “Deimos. Look at me. As you master, I demand it.” Hesitantly, Deimos complied, her face puffy and tear-stained.
“yes, milady?” she said meekly.
“Know this, my servant,” she began in an imperious voice, and then I knew without a doubt that she was channeling her past self, the real Princess Apparent of the Martian Throne. “I have staked a claim on Lord Darkwood. And I will permit none to have him until I have relinquished that claim. The only way I would even consider allowing someone else the pleasure of his touch would be once I have become gravid with his child, and even then only as a pillow woman to comfort him while I am unavailable!”
That statement sent me rocking back on my heels. But what happened next finished the job.
“Then I accept!” cried out Deimos desperately.
I toppled backwards, landing flat on my eyes. Rei’s face went slack and wide-eyed. And Phobos practically exploded - had she been in avian-form, my room would have been littered with her feathers.
“DEIMOS! How can you debase yourself in such a manner, my sister!? We are High Priestesses in service to our Great Father!”
“Then who better to bear the seed of His Avatar, sister? Our Ladyship does have first rights to him, but if she is to permit someone else to be a comfort woman once her body is occupied by their child, then I will gladly have myself be first before all others! Besides, I too would become with-child from Lord Darkwood. It will be a blessing from Great Father in reward for our service to Him and His Avatar.”
“how can you be so certain of this unless... you didn’t... Deimos, you know the penalty for divining your future like that!”
“Aye. And I welcome it in exchange for securing the future.”
“Penalty?” said Rei. “What penalty?”
Phobos turned to Rei with a worried look in her eyes. “My Lady, your confusion is understandable. Normal divination done by those such as yourself only show hazy shadows of what might be. They can always be misinterpreted, or even avoided if proper action is taken. But this divination... it is absolute! It shows what you wish to know, and if it is to come to pass, then it is absolute destiny! The universe itself will conspire to bring it to pass. But such a vision may only be granted once in a Coronian’s lifetime. The reason for that is because of the cost of the vision - a second vision that clearly details the timing and events of your death.”
Rei gave Deimos a horrified look. “You would go so far... to have a child with Zeke!? But why!?”
Deimos gave Rei a strange look, almost as though she thought she was crazy... or at least, a bit ignorant.
“Do you honestly think that his qualities do not make him desirable as a sire Milady? You cannot possibly say that you did not feel a stirring in your loins as you fought him earlier.”
Rei went as red as her Miko’s hakama. “THAT’S NOT THE POINT!” snapped Rei angrily, much to Deimos’s peculiar delight. She instantly subsided into worry, though, as she went on, “I mean... it is a horrible curse to know how you will die and not be able to change it. How can anything be worth that?”
Deimos then gave Rei a small, sad smile. “Because... our Great Father is not unkind to we, the faithful, when we ask of Him these visions. My Lady... she will be beautiful and kind. She will be a sister to your daughter, as I have been to mine. They will not care who their real mother was. Though they will be tried by fire and fall, they will become tempered and strong, and fly together on the wings of sisterhood they will forge.
“And knowing that, My Lady,” said Deimos, her voice beginning to crack and tears welling in her eyes despite the smile on her face, “I know that I can accept my fate, with peace in my heart and a smile on my face.”
##
Shortly after that, I went to take my bath while Rei and her familiars went to her room to hug things out. I had finally settled into the water to relax when a familiar shape fluttered through the open window.
“Deimos!” I cried out in surprise.
“Nay,” said the raven as she took human form on the far end of the bath. “Tis I, Phobos.”
I blinked at that. “This isn’t like you,” I said.
“Don’t be so foolish. While I do have feelings for you, they are nothing at all like my sisters. I am for another.”
“And you coming in here is what, then?”
“My sister needed some time alone with our Ladyship. I also felt the desire to come and confide in you, My Lord, and your nudity has no effect on me.”
I blinked at the Coronian girl. “You know, coming from anyone else, that would sound like a challenge.”
“That is simply Rei’s influence over you.”
“Well, just keep that in mind if she happens to barge in here for some reason. I think I saw her laundry in there, so she might come for it.”
“As I said, My Lord, I am not my sister.”
I sighed at her stubborn determination. “Could have fooled me,” I muttered under my breath. Aloud, I said, “Well, what’s on your mind, anyhow?”
“Nothing dire. I simply wanted to thank you, My Lord, for being the kind person you are. After everything that has happened, it is wonderful to simply have someone hold me like a child and tell me that everything will get better. Especially when that person is a living and breathing embodiment of my faith. It’s like waking up from a long and terrible nightmare and finding that all is right with the world.”
“You’re always welcome, Phobos,” I said mildly. “In fact, if you ever do want a hug, just let me know. I’m perfectly fine with that, and I think Rei is, too. Just no shenanigans in the bed. That really seems to piss her off.”
Phobos groaned at that. “My sister is going to be the death of me, I just know it.” I could only smile in response. “Well, with all that said, My Lord, I shall be outside keeping watch. In fact, I will be watching over you for the rest of the night, if you do not mind.”
“Not at all, Phobos. I know you have a duty, and I’m not going to make it any more difficult on you. Just make sure you get some sleep yourself.”
Phobos smiled. “Plenty of time for that while you are at school, My Lord. I’ll see myself out.” And with a fluttering of black wings, Phobos disappeared through the window from whence she came.
I simply sighed and leaned back to enjoy the rest of my soak - peace at last!
##
Peace indeed!
It had been the most peaceful night I’d had since before school started, and I felt the difference that morning as I strode with a spring in my step down the stairs of the shrine.
Rei followed at a more sedate pace, but she seemed more at peace as well. But even so, I felt the need to ask.
“Everything okay, Rei?” Rei gave me a mildly surprised look, but then smiled as she answered.
“I’m fine, Zeke. It’s just that... well, after last night I feel a little less stressed out... even if I didn’t get much sleep. Deimos is really clingy.”
I snickered at that - I couldn’t help but find it funny how she had finally gotten a taste of what dealing with the free spirited Coronian girl was like. Rei gave me a cocked eyebrow, but the wry grin on her face belied her annoyance.
“Of course, you would know,” she teased.
“Oh, Raven save me, she is relentless,” I groaned as I rolled my eyes at the memories. “The worst part is that she’s turned it into a game - namely, Let’s See How Long I Can Snuggle Him Before He Wakes Up And Catches Me!”
Rei actually guffawed. It probably didn’t help that I did that in a horrible imitation of Deimos when she was trying to act coy.
“I’m gonna have to have a talk with that girl about boundaries,” said Rei with a sigh.
“Save your breath,” I grumbled. “Right now, I think the only thing that would stop her would be Raven himself... And I think he find it hilarious.”
Rei groaned once more. “Fine. In that case, I’ll have Deimos stay with me from now on. Better that I be her victim than deal with the implications of her doing that with you every night!”
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