Chapter 21
I woke up the next morning feeling very good. I got up and did my Forms and meditation then went back to bed. Sasha brought breakfast to Skyler and I, so we stayed in bed for a while longer. When I finally got up it was to discover that the entire city had taken the day off as a holiday. I gave Ja` Lynn the day off so that he could spend it with Mary Ann, but they both decided to tag along with Skyler and I.
We decided to watch some of the competitions that sprang up. Some of the messengers had an obstacle race throughout the inhabited part city. There was a platform that had been raised to watch it so we headed up there. From the platform we could also see several other competitions. There were several sword fighting matches along with archery, spear throwing, and knife and hatchet throwing matches. Everywhere we went we were greeted with cheers and shouts of ‘happy birthday.’
Everything was going great, until I heard Mary Ann scream. I turned to look and just caught sight of her hair as she went over the edge of the platform. Skyler and Ja` Lynn both jumped over the edge after her so I apperated to the ground. I saw her falling above me so I launched myself into the air. I could fee Ja` Lynn and Skyler both trying to use energy to slow her fall, but it didn’t seem to be working.
I met her in the air and tried to slow our fall, but it felt like I had just tried to catch a building. I was about to apperate us to safer ground when the earth suddenly met us. Rather then hitting like we should have we slipped through it, like jumping from a high dive. I knew it wasn’t my energy that let us move through the earth so I assumed Sasha had caught up to us.
I got us to the surface and checked Mary Ann. For the first time I got a good look at her. He entire body seemed to be covered in thin white lines. They were thin enough that they wouldn’t normally be seen unless you were as close to her as I was and looking for something wrong. The lines seemed to form a pattern, almost like she was covered in very small scales. Her eyes fluttered open and for a brief moment I thought I saw a second set of translucent eye lids open. I knew I wasn’t seeing things when I saw her eyes. They were a deep emerald green rather then their normal blue and slited like mine get when I go into my Kier form.
I watched her eyes change back to the round, blue eyes I was used to seeing. I could still feel the energy that had let us pass through the floor so I traced it back to it’s source and sure enough, it was coming from Mary Ann. Ja` Lynn and Skyler landed then rushed over. I helped her sit up and asked if she was ok.
She looked at me and asked, “What happened?”
I shrugged, “I was just about to ask you that same thing.”
She looked around then back at me, “I don’t know. I was standing by the edge then I slipped on something. I remember falling and thinking, ‘I hope the ground isn’t too hard when I hit it.’ Then I hit you in the air. I don’t remember very much after that. Did you stop us from hitting the ground?”
I shook my head, “No. I couldn’t break our fall in time. We passed into the ground as if it were water.”
“Oh. Well, thank you for saving me. I guess I should be more careful.”
“You should be more careful, but it wasn’t me that saved you.”
She looked confused, “Then who? Was it Sasha?”
“No. It was you.”
“Me? That’s impossible though.”
“Impossible or not Mary Ann, it was your energy that carried us through the ground and back to the surface.”
She looked at me for a bit then to Ja` Lynn. She looked back to me and said, “I suddenly don’t feel so well. I think I am going to go lay down for a bit.”
Ja` Lynn helped her up and said, “I will see that she gets to a safe place. If you don’t mind I would like the rest of the day off so that I can take care of her.”
I smiled, “Not at all. See to my friend. I know she will be safe in your hands. I’ll be by after a while to check on her.”
Skyler stood next to me as Ja` Lynn and Mary Ann walked away. Skyler looked at me, “Why didn’t you go with them?”
I looked back at him, “Because what she needs right now is time to process exactly what happened and someone to hold her while she processes it. She could have died today, Skyler. Hell, I might need time to process exactly what happened. Care to spar with me?”
He smiled, “I would love to, but I won’t do it alone. With all of the training you have done recently I already know you could beat me down like a spoiled child. Why don’t we invite the winners of the sword fights?”
I smiled, “I love the way you think. Send word to all the winners. I want to watch the end of the messenger’s race.”
He kissed me then said, “I will meet you on the platform then.”
I kissed him back, “Ok. See you in a bit.”
I flew back up to the platform and watched the race while trying to process what had happened with Mary Ann. I walked over to the spot she had been standing and saw a very smooth area that looked almost like polished glass. I reached down and touched it. It felt solid. I ran my hand along it and it slid smoothly along the surface until I reached the edge of the glass-looking spot. I looked up and saw that the rail should have stopped her so she must have panicked when she slipped and accidentally shifted herself through the rail.
Skyler landed next to me and I looked up at him, “As far as I can tell it was an accident. The only thing I can see that might have been intentional is this slick spot here, but that could just be from raising the stone into the air. Besides, why would anyone worry about a slick spot around a bunch of people that can fly?”
“True. I don’t believe it was malicious either. It may have been a practical joke that never got cleaned up, but I don’t believe anyone set out to hurt anyone.”
I stood up and looked over the edge. Nearly all of the inner city had been rebuilt and a lot of the surrounding land had been turned into farm land. It may seem strange to have farm land underground but we do get decent light and what we lack in natural environment we can make up for in magic.
I looked at Skyler, “I want this platform to stay up here. I like the view.”
“I’ll make sure it’s done. The sword fights are over and the champions are waiting for you in the main arena.”
I smiled, “Well, I guess we should get going then.”
We both dropped over the edge and glided to the main arena. We landed and made our way to middle where the champions of the sword fights were waiting. I looked over the six that were there, “Congratulations on besting all those who stood against you. I would like to place a wager. I know that you all received some kind of winnings from the fights. I challenge all of you. If you win I will double any amount that you lay on the table. If I win you all must serve for two months on the city guard. As I am challenging all of you that means that there are seven of you against me because Sk` Yler will also be fighting with you. Do you accept my challenge?”
The six of them gathered together and discussed it then one of the ladies stepped forward, “My Lady, we don’t feel as though the fight is balanced. Our seven to your one would be over too fast.”
I smiled, “I would be happy to allow those who came in second to join you if it will help you feel better.”
They chuckled and the lady that had stepped forward said, “On these new terms we accept your challenge. Allow us some time to prepare and send for those who came in second.”
I nodded and looked at Skyler, “Do we fight to grounding or first ten hits?”
He looked at the others and they shrugged as if it didn’t matter to them. He looked back at me, “First ten hits. You must hit each of us ten times to win.”
I smiled, “I accept that. Don’t go easy because I won’t.”
He smiled back, “I know. Now go to your side. We have plotting to do.”
I bowed to them then flew to the far side. I brought up my internal radar and waited for them to be ready. I saw the other six arrive and join the rest. After a few more minutes Skyler sent me the thought, “We are ready.”
I sent back, “As am I. Begin.”
I apperated to the middle of the arena and stood ready. They went invisible and moved forward. I let them surround me. Just as they attacked I launched into the air and did a front flip. I took a page from Sasha’s book and sent out an energy blast when I landed. I rushed a group of four and had ten hits on each of them before they could recover from the blast.
I spun just in time to block an attack by the second group of four. Those four backed off and linked into a Quad. I felt the other group link into a Quad. Skyler mover so that he was in front of me. I saw him grin then felt him invert his energy. He suddenly vanished off of my radar.
I glared at him, “You’ve been holding out on me.”
He laughed then went invisible. I head him say, “Catch me if you can.”
The two Quads attacked as one and I was able to get away with only taking three hits. I took another two hits as twin energy blasts caught me. I looked over my shoulder at the two Quads and smiled. I reached into Inok and ignited the air inside of the arena. I saw a shimmer of Skyler and launched at him. He wasn’t able to hold his energy inversion while trying to defend himself so he dropped it and fought back.
I was able to get all ten hits on him, but took another three hits from the two Quads. I started jumping through the flames and taking pop shots at the Quads and managed to knock them down to just their Focals. I felt the two energy blasts coming toward me and could have blocked them, but let them hit me, allowing them to score the last hits they needed to win.
I bowed to them and sent a messenger to get one of the treasurers. A short while later the treasurer arrived I nodded to him, “There is a table on the other side of the arena. What ever is there double it and what ever these two claim as their winnings double that.”
The treasurer nodded, “I will see it done, my Lady.”
I turned to the group I had just fought, “Good match all. I rather enjoyed it. I look forward to the next time we are able to do it.”
The all bowed to me and Skyler walked up, “Shall we go?”
I nodded, “I need to see how Mary Ann is doing.”
I took his arm and we walked to Mary Ann’s house. I checked with Ja` Lynn to make sure we weren’t interrupting anything. He said we weren’t. While we walked I asked Skyler when he had learned how to inverse his energy.
He shrugged, “I don’t have a clue. I guess I just did it out of reflex. I was the youngest and smallest of six children so I was usually the punching bag. I tried hiding, but they would just track my energy. One day I decided to focus on hiding my energy and I felt it change. It was as if I was feeling it through a barrier, but I could still use it. That day none of my siblings could find me, so every time I wanted to hide from them I would just do it. Le` Than was the first one to tell me that is was inversed. Ever since then I have been working on controlling it. As you have noticed as long as I don’t have to fight I can hold it. The same goes for channeling. As soon as I start the energy reverts.”
“Huh. Well, I can see how that would be useful. If you wanted to you could pass off as a normal human.”
“Yeah. It was useful when I was watching you. It was how I was able to hang out with you without tipping off Valora that I was Kier Sona. I didn’t know it at the time, but now I’m glad I took the precaution. I don’t think she would have let me anywhere near you if she had known,”
I smiled, “She wouldn’t have. I don’t know though. She would have had to give me a good reason why to avoid you or it would have just pushed me even closer to you. It would have been more exciting because it would have been forbidden.”
He smiled, “Things definitely would have turned out different. Who knows, we might still be going to high school looking forward to graduation.”
“Yeah, or I might have run away and had no reason to go back when we went to the crater the first time.”
“You would have come back eventually. Either that or Valora would have come looking for you.”
“Yeah, she would have. Oh, well. Past is past. Things happened the way they did and I wouldn’t change it if I could.”
“Neither would I.”
We got to Mary Ann’s house, which happened to be just behind the day care building we had set up for the children. I knocked and felt Ja` Lynn tell us to come in. We went in and down the hall to her bedroom. Mary Ann was pacing and Ja` Lynn was sitting in a chair next to a writing desk.
Ja` Lynn stood up when we walked in. He looked at us, “She tried resting, but when that didn’t work she started pacing.”
Mary Ann glared at him with enough force that I could almost hear the air sizzle. Scratch that, I could hear the air sizzle. She almost spit the words, “She is still in the room. She doesn’t like being talked about as if she isn’t here.” She turned the glare to me and I felt her rage double, “You need to leave here or die where you stand.”
I looked in her direction, “I didn’t come to take your lair. I came to invite you to a neutral location where neither one of us will be a threat to the other. Will you join me?”
“Tell me the place and I will think about it.”
“My home while I am here.”
“I will think on it, now go.”
I looked at Skyler, “You can come with me or stay here, but I need to leave now. I am going to apperate if you are staying here.”
He nodded, “I think I will stay for a bit. See you at your place.”
I nodded and apperated to my office. I didn’t have to wait very long before Skyler let me know they were on the way. I let the staff know that more would be expected then sent a thought to Anna Marie and let her know that Mary Ann had at least a duel element and could possibly be more. Anna Marie sent back that she would be here as soon as she had a chance. I went down to the front room and waited for Mary Ann to get there.
I knew when they arrived because I could feel Mary Ann’s rage. I told the staff to make themselves scarce and they seemed grateful that they wouldn’t have to be there. I told Skyler to just com on in and a few moments later him, Mary Ann, and Ja` Lynn were sitting in my front room.
I looked at Mary Ann, “Feel a little better now that I am not in your lair?”
She nodded, “Yeah. I’m still pissed off for no reason, but I don’t want to kill you as much. By the way. Why do you keep calling my house my lair? You make it sound as if I’m some kind of animal.”
I smiled, “Would you prefer I call it your nest? The instinct to protect it from any that you would see as a threat is the same.”
“Nest sounds even worse for some reason. If that is the case though, why aren’t you going for my throat right now? Aren’t we in your lair?”
I shook my head, “No, this is just my house. My lair is the small set of rooms in the cavern entrance. That is the place I claimed when I came into my nature. Most of our kind claim a place when they come of age and rarely change it throughout their lifetime.”
“Huh. Well, why can I stand Skyler and Ja` Lynn and not you? Shouldn’t they be a threat too?”
I smiled, “They would only be a threat to each other. In fact I am fairly sure that Ja` Lynn had to show remarkable restraint when Skyler walked in.” Ja` Lynn smiled with teeth that were a bit too pointed. I flashed him a grin and continued, “What I would like to know is how you were able to suppress your other side for this long and why it didn’t come out when the two of you first got together.”
She shrugged, “I don’t know. I guess I just didn’t need it until today.”
I shook my head, “Well, either way, I am going to let you know now so that you don’t go homicidal when she gets here, Anna Marie is on her way. When she gets here you and I are going to go with her to my bedroom while the guys glare at each other down here.”
“Your doctor? Why is she coming and why do we have to go anywhere with her?”
“For one, to see if you’re pregnant. The other reason is she might be able to help us figure out why your other nature took this long to show itself.”
“Fine, but if she pisses me off I won’t be held responsible for what I do.”
“That is why we are here instead of your place.” I looked at Ja` Lynn, “And you. If you got my friend pregnant then you had better marry her.”
Mary Ann’s voice was a deadly caress when she said, “Yari. Please don’t threaten him again.”
I looked in her direction and saw a slightly glazed look in her slited eyes. I knew she was at the point that if I moved too fast she would be murderous. I smiled a slow smile and quieted my other side, who was screaming to get out and fight. I was careful not to meet her gaze, but I wasn’t about to back down.
I let the same deadly caress infect my voice when I said, “I won’t unless I need to. If you want to lose control that bad then you should understand that I won’t hold anything back. Now get a hold of yourself before I slap you and start this dance.”
It took a visible effort, but she was able to pull herself back from the edge. I breathed an inner sigh of relief. Ja` Lynn took Mary Ann’s hand and that helped her calm down even more. She was nearly civil when Anna Marie let me know she was at me door.
