More Meteor Showers Bring Even Stranger Powers. (O/A)

[Rikki Tikki Travi]

Lokelonni stepped aside and motioned to the table, "In due time. Please have a seat. There are fresh tea and sweets at the table."

As Kerana took her place, Lokelonni spoke as she moved around and sat. "Your mother is at first day orientation with the other recovered prisoners that chose to stay here. I must say, speaking with her was quite refreshing. It has been a very long while since I have have a decent conversation with another mother. The people of my land were so preoccupied by my title that they forgot I once wiped my children's bottoms as they did theirs."

She felt around the table and poured tea for the two of them. It seemed almost ceremonial in how she moved. "But I digress, you are not here to listen to the ramblings of an old Queen. You want an answer to your question. In simple terms, the answer is when and how you will receive the boon I hold in order to ascend to the same level your peers have."

Lokelonni offered a plate of small pastries and asked, "Tea cake?" After a moment, she placed the plate back down and took a sip of her hot drink.

"But alas, life is not so simple. If you are anything like your ancestor, you are not going to like what the complex part of the answer is. In consideration of our relationship as teacher and student, I wanted to be the one to tell you."

She took another sip of her tea then placed the cup and saucer back on the table. She placed her hands in her lap and looked as closely as she could in Kerana's general direction. "I am dying, Kerana. By the time you make your journey with the others, I will have passed."  

[Nova Blancke]

Crystalion had a hunch about what she wanted to talk about when she mentioned Dawn.

"Sure, come in." She said and walked to the kitchen to make some tea as she listened to Trinity's troubles.

"Here, it's been a while but...I think you used to like this one." She put down the tea and sat down.

"The adults have to carry to pain so the little ones don't have to. We often lied to them to protect them. But this is a different world."

She took a sip of tea and sighed.

"It's an odd situation, isn't it? You're wrong about a few things, like his true happiness, but I knew her well enough to try and change your mind."

"It helps to not think of them as both your son and his daughter. Because, let's face it. They are not. It's easier for you to do then for them. They just need time to adjust to it all. Same for me I suppose. You're not the Trinity I knew and loved. And this Theonis isn't the one I loved."

She paused a bit and apologized .

"I'm sorry, you didn't come here to listen to my melancholic rambling. It's just....hard seeing you and telling myself you're not her."

Taking a deep breath to force herself back on topic.

"I think...the best thing is to just be honest with her. Tell her that you need time to adjust to all of it To get your thoughts in order. That when you're ready to talk, you'll come to her."

"She won't like it. And I am sure it will hurt but...we have time. Something we didn't have before. It will also help her grow. It's a whole new world out there and she will get hurt a few more times. But she can overcome that."

"The same goes for Leo. He barely remembers Trinity. So it'll be awkward for him just being near you. He tends to keep things inside until it reaches a breaking point. For him, I think it's best to take it slow. But I know you can really help him overcome his fears of shadow traveling. He had a few accidents when he was young that terrified him of using it. Maybe he saw those things in there. Theo tried to help him as he did with anyone, having troubles with their abilities. But, if that's a bit too much for you, I suppose we have hand him over to Freya, she's still alive here right?"

She chuckled a bit." That would be entertaining to watch."

"Ah..sorry, seems it turned into a ramble after all. It's been a while since I've been able to unwind a bit and not having to worry about a constant death threat helps. Plus, who doesn't want to talk about their kids?"

"But, I've just been talking about them, how....how are you doing Trin? How are you holding up in all of this?"

"A better explanation would be that the body I previously had, did not need to eat, drink or sleep. Something happened that is, difficult to explain but now my body is...fully human. I've been told the assortment in this place is wide in it's variety so this place should suffice."

"This bond that she had transferred, how does that work?"

Cassandra too had tears flowing down her face. He was already gone and this was just the message. She returned the smile and gave him a kiss on the forehead.

"I love you Damian. See you next time." She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and turned around.  

[Nova Blancke]

"I just want to see his surprised face. Because what happened to you...is not something he ever expected to see. So that should be fun to see. Let's go." Theo said and they made their way over to his father. But not before bumping into his future kids.

"Morning, you two uh...waiting for me or someone else? Oh, by the way, this is Theresa I am not sure if you've met before. She....is technically your aunt. My half-sister. It's all...very complicated the stuff that happened in this timeline. So we are going to go to my father because she literally just grew up. If you wanna tag along feel free to. Should be even better to see his reaction at both Theressa and his alternate timeline grand-kids."

"Or whoever." Liv said and glanced over to Heather with a playful look.  

[Rikki Tikki Travi]

Lokelonni sighed, but not out of frustration or exasperation. She sighed in an attempt to keep herself from crying as she had the day before when Rydia and Fenris were told the news. She took her cane, stood up, and walked to the kitchen. The retired queen did not say a word as she walked. She wanted to give Kerana a chance to release what was no doubt a lot of pent up emotion. She sauntered back to Kerana and handed her a towel and a handkerchief. Lokelonni then felt around the table top and soaked up any spilled tea into her own towel.

"I feel your pain, Kerana. Your anguish. We have lost so many, and suffered so much in such a short amount of time. But your youth, and your kind heart, opens you up to so much agony. So please, do not feel as though you must save face in my presence."

Lokelonni took her towel and set it aside on her end of the table. She gracefully took her seat again and requested, "I only ask that you hear what I have to say."

"As you may know, my people are immortal. We are capable of living for thousands of years. The oldest on record was over ten thousand years old. I have lived for two thousand, one hundred and thirty-three years. While I should be able to go on living, my situation is unique. My soul is one that has shared many bodies over many lifetimes going back to a time before this world was habitable. You undoubtedly met Vivi when you received the first part of your boon. The first memories of those that are not my own are that of her brother, the aptly named Soul."

"When Rydia was still a child, I went to a soothsayer to look into my granddaughter's future for potential mates. I know what you must think, but I am the type to worry if my children will be happy in the lives they make. What I learned was not what I sought. I was told that I would die in less than a year from then from an illness that spanned lives long past. That to do so would prevent me from meeting the fox girl that brings life. I knew not what she meant, and I initially did not pay heed to her warn. Two months later I took a tumble down a marble staircase, which resulted in my need for this cane. It was as though the strength left my body. Concerned, I asked my daughter, Rydia's mother, to look into my past with her infinite eyes. She saw the many lives that came before mine. That knowledge awaked the long dormant memories of those lives. They had all been cut short by the same condition that afflicts me. One that Soul could not have foreseen. Essence deterioration."

"You see, the bodies of those who did not come from the world of the Ancients were never meant to house their souls. As such, the bodies of my progenitors, if their lives were not cut short by disease or injury, would just die out like the flame of a candle. Given what I learned about the Hellstar, that would be unacceptable. To delay my inevitable demise, I volunteered to be placed into the crystal that held our country aloft several millennia before I was supposed to. There, I would be kept in stasis. I was to be awaked when the fox girl that brings life was found. While it did not quite happened as was planned, I sit before you today. Sharing a cup of tea with a truly wonderful and loving person."

Lokelonni took a sip of her tea and took a breath. "You asked if denying my boon would keep me alive. The answer, unfortunately, is no. In less than one hundred and five days, I will pass. I am so sorry to add to the torment you already face, but I felt it better to tell you now rather than later when our relationship with one another had deepened with time."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Heather smiled, blushed deeply, and playfully bat at Liv with the tips of her fingers. "Would you stop? If you keep this up we'll never leave your room."

Deora groaned internally. Externally she smirked and said, "And I think that's my cue. I'll see you girls later."

With a wave, Deora left for her room. She really hoped Rydia would not be there.

Heather waved to Deora, and then turned her attention back to Liv. "So, back to y-"

"Wait up, Heather! I need to talk to you."

Gidget jogged up to Heather and Liv. She looked to the fire-meta and said, "I just wanted to let you know that you've been pardoned. You don't have to worry about standing trial or anything anymore. You're free to leave the boundaries of Valhalla without setting off any alarms. Also, this is for you."

She handed Heather an envelope with the logo for Ray Industries in the upper left hand corner. Heather tore open the flap and inspected the contents. In the envelope was a set of house keys, a black credit card that had the companies logo on it along with her birth name, a smartphone, and a certified letter from the Ray Industries board of directors.

"Your father may have been an absolute b*****d, but he did the right thing in the end. You have a controlling share in the company, as well as access to the entirety of his assets. Congratulations, you're part of the one percent now."

Heather looked from the letter to Gidget, to Liv, to the credit card, and then back to Gidget. "He did? I mean, he said something about it the day before yesterday, but I thought it was gone when he died."

"His will was dated back to five or so years ago. You still need to work some things out with his attorney before you can do anything at the company proper, but he made sure you had immediate access to your trust fund as well as his accounts."

"I don't know what to say. Thank you, Gidget."

"Heh, no need to thank me. I'm just the messenger. Now you two go blow off some steam before Fenris decides to grace us with her presence and starts up her boot camp." With that, Gidget went back to Ako so they could make plans for the day.

Heather looked back to Liv and grinned. She held up the credit card and slyly said, "You up for a shopping spree?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Heron looked quizzically at Legio and asked, "What do you mean? There was no transfer."

He focused his eyes on Legio and found what he thought the man referred to. "Oh that. That's a summoning sigil assigned to me. Anyone with the royal bloodline can place that on someone that has been sworn a life debt to. It's done using dead skin cells and spiritual energy. I think Queen Kae'Lonni called that energy "ki." It's just a way for me to be at your side immediately should you need anything. That's how I got here so fast. The bond I think you speak of was put in place by the princess just now. It was rushed and sloppy, but now my debt to you is recognized by the Gods and the spirits they preside over."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Theonis, Lego, Theresa, and Dawn made their way to Leonard Acula's room. He had been moved from critical care to a high security hospital room. With Theonis' credentials it was easy to get in.

Leonard was sat up in bed eating when the group arrived. He looked up and smiled a bit when he saw Theonis. "Theo. What a pleasant surprise. Who are these people you've brought-"

He took a good look at the features of Dawn and Leo. It did not take him long to see what parts of them were from Theonis. "They must be the "grandchildren" you spoke of yesterday."

He then looked to the young woman with colorful hair that was giddily fidgeting in place like a child that had a secret. "You seem familiar, but I don't quite know from where."  

[BeaMichelle]

Theresa bounced on her toes excitedly with a poorly contained smile on her face. She leaned in to Theonis and asked, "Do I tell him now?"  

[Nova Blancke]

"Awww man," Theo responded at the lackluster response of Dawn and Leo. But the response of Theresa was a nice one.

"Yes, why don't you introduce yourself?"

Legio thought about the "Gods" he met earlier.

"I see, So this is merely a summoning sigil?" He asked. Thought he would prefer not having it, denying it or saying it is not a necessity could be an insult. He asked as they walked towards the food court.

"Well s**t, now I just look like a gold digger." Liv responded."But...yeah I'm down for that." She responded."So...some food and then shopping I suppose. I'll let you pick out something nice for me to wear."  

[BeaMichelle]

Theresa squeaked with delight and hopped over to Leonard. Unaware of her own strength, she threw her arms around him in a crushing hug and exclaimed, "It's me, Theresa! A rock guy made me better, then I killed Chariot and got happy, and then a funny voice made me all grown up!"  

[Rikki Tikki Travi]

Dawn was taken aback by Theresa's nonchalant attitude regarding the death of Chariot. The eerily cheerful blonde had been on her mind a good part of the night. That was the first time she'd heard that the girl had not only died, but been murdered by the bubbly young woman hugging their "grandfather."

Leonard groaned as Theresa's grip popped his joints in several places. "Hurk! Theresa?! What do youACK! You're hug is a bit too tight!"

Leo turned his head to Theonis and said, "Well, you were half right. The look on his face is pretty funny, though."

Once Theresa let go, Leonard took several deep breaths to calm himself. "It seems a lot has happened over the last twelve hours." he commented to Theonis. He looked to the siblings and asked, "So, what names do my grandchildren from another timeline go by."

"This is Dawn and I'm Leonard, but everyone just calls me Leo."

Leonard chuckled and pat the pocket where is pack of cigarettes normally were. His teeth clicked when he remembered that he was not only indoors, but in an oxygen rich hospital environment, so they'd confiscated his smokes. "Care to fill me in, Son?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On the center of the bed was a newborn boy who lay asleep while swaddled in a white, pink, and blue blanket. The soft, rhythmic whistle of a sleeping baby emanated from him. The projection that had talked to Cassandra just seconds before blinked out of existence as suddenly as it blinked in.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Yes and no. Along with being able to bring me to your side at your behest, the sigil will empower me the more time I spend at your side. That way I am a proper companion, and not just a burdensome child. Also, I feel I must clarify something. Though I owe you my life, and I have sworn to remain at your side as a companion and assistant, I am not a slave. So do not expect for me to call you master."

They entered the food court and Heron asked, "The princess called you Legio. I believe that is Latin for Legion. Is it a surname or a given name?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Oh no. Not just food and shopping. I've spent the last month in a cell, under control, and under attack. We're making a day of this. Spa, salon, the whole enchilada."

Heather turned on the preprogrammed smartphone. Sure enough, it was programmed with the contact information for various services that catered to the wealthy. She ordered a limousine and asked that the driver be familiar with the greater Knoxburg area.

The limo arrived to the edge of the ruined college campus shortly after Heather and Liv made their way to the surface. A well dressed man held the door open for them and welcomed their patronage.

"I want to get the best Southeast Asian cuisine. Do you know a place? I've gotta try something that was recently recommended to me." she said with a sideways wink to Liv.

A moment later they were on their way. Heather looked to Liv and said, "Don't feel bad about sharing this inheritance with me. It's my old man's money, not mine. The way I see it, he owes me for all the s**t he put me through."  

[Nova Blancke]

"There we go." Theo responded with a chuckle. He looked over at Leo.

"Well....yeah a lot happened. Remember that thing with Damian? The ancients and boons and what not?" He opened his hand in front of him and created a small orb of green wind. Closing his hand it vanished.

"It seems that two are required in order to Ascend as they called it. Everybody that was chosen needed to have their boon in order for the second phase basically. Which happened this morning. Alec, Liv and Theressa here received the second boon and Ascended. Basically a high form of humanity if I said that right. In order to stop Eclipse and thing he wants to summon, we basically ALL need to Ascend. We also need to be on the Moon for that. So yeah, still unpacking that myself." Theo said as he was sitting down.

Looking over at Dawn and Leo.

"As for those two...I think they can give a better explanation than I ever can."  

[PixelMuse]

Nova Blancke

"But, I've just been talking about them, how....how are you doing Trin? How are you holding up in all of this?"

Trinity thanked Crystalion for the tea. She took a sip and strange enough, although she never told this woman how she liked her tea she knew. Trinity stared at the tea “Just right.”

She listen carefully as she spoke of Dawn and Leo. Part of her wanted to get her perspective on what led her to say that of Theonis’ happiness but she decided that would be a conversation for another day. She was here for Dawn and Leo right now. She listened carefully to her advice, it made sense, though it would hurt in the process but it would be something that can be overcome.

“I know it was tough to say but hearing you say that I’m not her helps. I couldn’t help but internalize her failures. Like her failure to protect the world was somehow mine as well. I feel like I have to make it up to them here in this timeline.”

“Yet even though I know I’m not his mom and Theo is not her dad. The way the kids seem to attach to us… makes me feel that at some level we are… Take this tea for example you never served it to me before nor did I share my preference and yet this is exactly how I like my tea. Maybe the circumstances are different but at some level, I’m still the same person in a different timeline. Heh, not sure if that makes any sense but … that’s how I currently am thinking of all this.” She closed her eyes for a moment and Theo, being Theo he wants Liv no matter the timeline… he… he just doesn’t realize it yet… she opened them.

“Regarding Leo… he asked me to call me ‘mom’ and all though a little weird I aloud him to because I thought he needed this sort of anchor. Now I’m not sure if that’s the best idea. Heck, it’s probably even more weird regarding Theo. They look to be about the same age or at least a couple of years apart.”

She sighed to herself “I don’t blame him for being afraid of the shadow realm. When I first discovered it I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to get back out.”

“About Freya… not being dead… that’s kind of a yes and no. From what I could gather she died at the hands of Legio. In the process, she merged with Okami and became this new form called Fenris. Despite crossing paths with her in the realm of the Dead, Legio brought her back using biomatter, I believe it’s called… Speaking of her I need to find her Rydia and I were supposed to start training with her this morning. I’ll need to track her down.” she started to the door and touched the doorknob and paused.

Talking about her made her think about what she had to eventually do in order to ascend. Every day, every step brings her closer to that confrontation having to kill Eclipse, having to kill what was left of Teshoumaru.  

[Rikki Tikki Travi]

Dawn and Leo proceeded to divulge everything they had experienced; from what little they could remember to what they wished they could forget. Anything they did not know they diverted to WIDGET, the information ball that sat in Gidget's lab. The idiosyncrasies of their unique personalities also shone through their story. Leo seemed calm, but at times visibly struggled to control his underlying anger during the more stressful parts of his past. Dawn, on the other hand, kept a pleasant tone to her face and voice, but there were times that her underlying despair wanted to tear all that down.

When they finished, Dawn delicately wiped the tears from her eyes as Leo took several calming breathes. Leonard had said nothing the whole time. He just lay there in silence as Theresa held him. She had become more frightened by what she heard minute after minute. After a few seconds, he reached a trembling hand to the pitcher of water that sat on the table next to him. Theresa helped him steady his hand as he poured the water into a Styrofoam cup. He took an unsteady sip and placed it back down once he was done.

He looked to his son and asked, "This...Hellstar, that's what Eclipse was trying to bring over? That's what you, and your sister, are supposed to try and stop? On the moon? With two others? Just the four of you?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While Trinity was talking with Crystalion, Fenris had left to check on her niece. What she saw and heard did nothing to help her already sour mood. Thankfully the water girl, Deora, was doing what she could to comfort Rydia. Fenris excused herself and took the opportunity to seek out the offending party. It was not hard for the she-wolf. Her niece still carried the scent.

She approached the door and rapped on it calmly, yet firmly. She'd been told that he was an extremely powerful psychic. She did her best to be mindful of her thoughts, but she knew it was ultimately futile after her time with, and in, Legio. She did, however, make it clear that while she was angry it wasn't necessarily with him directly.

"Alexavier, I'd like to have a word with you about what happened last night. With Rydia. My niece."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Shortened?" Lokelonni asked back with some amusement. "Oh no, my dear. Quite the opposite. The ones who have awakened wont age a day past your mid twenties. Old age is something you never have to concern yourself with ever again. You can, however, still be killed by means of injury or illness. So while you are immortal, you are by no means invincible. Well, except for-"

Lokelonni paused momentarily and cleared her throat, "Ahem, do forgive me, but I am afraid I cannot go further into the exception. I should not have even mentioned it. I regret the need to use such a cliché phrase, but it truly is for your own good."

The retired queen finished the tea that was in her cup and sighed quietly, "Well, since I have you here, perhaps you could tell me a bit more about yourself? Your mother has told me much of your childhood, but I wish to hear about what you have experience since your arrival here. I would like to see where your headspace is."  

[BeaMichelle]

Theresa shook her head and tugged on Leonard's collar, "Not four, eight. The sad boy said we all have to go so that we can stop the Hellstar. There was also a cat lady who said a bunch of stuff after staring at a shadow lady reeeeal hard. I wasn't really paying attention though, the shadow lady's screaming scared me."

Theresa looked to Theonis and asked, "Do you remember? Something about having to do it again and again?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ravan looked from Sarah to Aqua and back again. An uncomfortable thought occurred to her. "Sarah...the holes in your neck. That means you need to breath water like fish do, right? Does that mean you're trapped here, like Aqua is?"