Realm Sagas: Story 26: Old Flames By: Chandra Rooney ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Legal stuff: Sonic & Knuckles, and all related characters are copy-right of Sega and Archie comics. K.T.E/Jack Mamoru are copy-right of K.T.E. Vampire Sephiroth is copy-right of Vampire Sephiroth. The Green Gibbon!/Midori Saru is copy-right of GG!. Moon Echidna, Ashrire Guardian, Lirsage Sephiroth, Sailor Evil, and all other original Realm Sagas characters are copy-right of Chandra Rooney. All the characters and ideas presented are my own, unless otherwise noted. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chapter One: Local: Robotropolis Realm Local: Guardian Family's Realm "Perfect. Just perfect." The mists swirled cold and dark around the three travelers. The first was a fourteen year old boy. He had shoulder length hair , and serious green eyes. Freckles dotted his nose, and a small battle scar was visible near his left eyebrow. He was dressed in a red shirt, and red paints, with sneakers. A brown hat rested on his head, and a green sword in his side-sheath. The second was a boy of 16. He had green eyes, and longish dark brown hair. He was wearing a green T-shirt, and jeans with sneakers. He stood not as tall as his friend in the hat. He looked back behind him. This boy was also about 17. He had shocking white-blond hair, cropped close in the back. But the front was a mass of large spikes. His blue eyes were a twilight blue. He was tall, taller than the red-headed boy by an inch or two. His black boots made no sounds as he stepped up beside his companions. The green sweater and blue cargo pants served as his outfit. "What's perfect, Ash?" Jack asked. "I thought we'd end up on the Floating Island. What gives?" Ash gestured. "This is Robotropolis." The last boy burst out laughing. "You mean to tell me the Prince of the Silver Senshi Houses can't control where realm portals open?" "Ah, shut-up, Gibbon!," Ash muttered. "I'd like to see you do it." "Certainly. Next time leave everything to me," GG! grinned. "I'll show you how a pro handles these things!" "Look on the bright side," Jack replied. "You said the Robotnik of your world was dead. So who's gonna bother us?" "Freeze," a female voice said. "You just had to say something, didn't you Jack? Couldn't just keep your mouth shut..." Ash muttered. "Drop your weapons and turn around...slowly." The girl continued. They did. Ash gasped. "Blaise?!?" The girl had long, curly mahogany colored hair, and deep violet eyes. She paused, opened her sensuous mouth, then set it in a firm line. She placed her lovely hands on her equally lovely hips. "Don't pull any crap with me, boy. I won't hesitate to punch your lights out." "Or shoot them out, by the looks of it," Jack remarked, gesturing to the cross-bow attached to her left wrist. "Did I tell you to talk?" She raised the cross-bow. "No, I didn't. So you shut-up!" "Aggressive isn't she?" GG! remarked. "That bother you?" The girl snapped. "Nai, I find it kinda sexy..." "That's it. I was considering letting you go with a warning, but just for this harassment I'm bringing you in." She swung the cross-bow. "Hands behind the head. March." "I hope you're going to at least bring our weapons for us," Ash replied. "Or do we have to do that ourselves too?" "You're starting to get on my nerves," the girl warned him. "Starting? Well...that's because I just woke up. Give me a few minutes..." "Now's not the time to be a smart-ass, Ash," Jack hissed. The girl had a different reaction. "Hey, you..." He flicked a look up. "Yes, Blaise?" "How do you know my name is Blaise?" "You forget the best six months of your life so easily?" Ash gallantly pushed her cross- bow to the side. "Blaise...it's me, Ash Guardian." "Ash Guardian?" She blinked. Then she grabbed his chin. "You look...different." "Ouch, Blaise...leggo..." he mumbled. She did. The she drew back and slapped him across the face. He blinked. Then instinctively rubbed his cheek, but he hadn't felt anything. "Where the hell have you been?! It's been over a year since you disappeared!" Blaise put her hands on her hips. "I've been traveling," he nodded. "Guys, this is Blaise Hallie...my, uh, girlfriend." "Jesus, Ash," Blaise tossed her head. "You really think you can vanish into thin air and then come back and everything will be okay?" She smiled at him. "But since you brought recruits...and because you're so good in-" "Blaise," he cut her off. "Recruits?" GG! asked. "But don't think this will make peace with the others," Blaise told him, waving a finger. "Shek isn't just going to let you back in, y'know. Nevermind handing the leader position back to you." "Leader position of what?" Jack hissed. "Aren't you going to let me introduce you?" Ash asked, changing the subject. "Blaise, this is Jack Mamoru, and-" "Midori Saru," GG! stuck out his hand. "Call me Gibbon. Everyone does. It's sort of a nickname." "Yeah," She shook his hand. "Sorry about that, boys. Just a security procedure. Have to be careful these days, there's all kinds of Mobian Sympathizer Groups springing up." She grinned. "But I don't have to tell you guys that. It's nice to see there are still people out there who aren't afraid to raise a little hell to protect the rights of humans to this territory! To hell with the little extremist fractions, right?" "Heh?" Jack raised his eyebrow. "Well you are here to join the Freedom Fighter Search and Destroy Team, aren't you?" She looked over at Ash. "Ash...didn't you explain things to them?" "I didn't have the chance," he grinned sheepishly, and rubbed the back of his neck. "It's really great to see you again, Blaise." <> Jack's mental voice slammed into his thoughts. <> Ash sent back furiously. <> <> he asked. Ash smiled slightly at Blaise. <> "Oh well," Blaise shrugged. "Come on, we should get moving. Shek will be wondering what happened to me." Local: Unknown Ashrire moaned and rubbed his head. The last thing he remembered was he had left the others to leave that note for Delphine with Dimitria. "I was on my way back to where they were waiting..." he muttered. "And..." He remembered. "Sephiroth..." Ash stood. He was in a darkened room. A door with a small slit was at one end. He walked over to it and tried to see out. A hallway, many other doors. A guard in blue with a rifle at the end of the hall. "Hey..." Ash tested the door. Strong. He couldn't break it. "Quiet in there!" the guard barked. "You'll get your audience with the President when it's your turn, Rebel." "Where am I?" he yelled. "I said shut up!" the guard snapped. "Jes for that, no meal for you tonight!" Ash backed off from the door. "I'm sure I can do without the gruel for a night!" "Two nights!" "Make it three!" Ash hopped back onto the cell bed. Laughter met his ears. He looked up. "Sephiroth..." "Incorrect," the figure narrowed his icy green eyes. Then he leaned back. "Guess again, Shrire." The voice was wrong for Sephiroth. "Lirsage? Sweet Goddess what has he done to you?" Lirsage slammed his fist against the wall. "My father has done nothing to me! It was my own choice!" Ash closed his eyes and nodded. He propped himself up against the wall. "Oh I see. Of course. I mean, who doesn't want to help their father." "Don't mock me..." He snapped open his eyes. "Mock you?! Lir, I wouldn't dare. I mean, if you think about it, we have a lot in common." "Oh really?" "Sure. You've been lied to about your father just like I was." He tilted his head. "But you seem to have adjusted better to it than I have." Lir's defensive act dropped. "I suppose I have, haven't I? Well it's all too easy once you realize that you've really known you were meant for something more than what you were doing." "Ah, so then you've joined up with Sephiroth." "Of course. His cause is as good as any. Besides, it's a family affair now. It's who I am." Ash looked down at his feet for a moment. "I don't agree," he said finally. He looked up. "We're not our father's Lirsage. We have our own lives to lead." "Hrmph. And you're a fine example of that. Arrogant, self-destructive, fighting your predestined life all the way. And losing pitifully." Lir smirked. "If we're so alike, then let me offer you some advice; just give into the darkness. It makes everything so much easier." "You know what, Lirsage?" Ash asked. "I don't think we have so much in common after all." Chapter Two: Local: FFSAD Headquarters, Former Robotropolis Jack looked over at Gibbon. "He's been gone a long time." "Hai, he has, hasn't he?" Ash had disappeared after they'd been taken inside the FFSAD Headquarters. Blaise had gone to talk to this "Shek" guy about them. "Do you think he went with her?" Jack suggested. "No." Jack fiddled with his sword sheath. Gibbon was being uncharacteristically quiet. "Well..." he began. "Where do you think he is then?" There was silence for a while. Finally Gibbon spoke. "Let's go look for him." Local: Unknown Moon sat with her knees up against her chin. The room was dark and windowless. But she could care less about her surroundings. She was thinking back on that last private conversation she'd had with Gabriel Shadows. "You see Sephiroth and I are infinitely connected..." She looked up. She could have sworn she'd heard his voice just then. "Gabriel?" Nothing. "Please, Gabriel. I need to talk to you. If you're there..." Still nothing. Gabriel, if he could communicate with her, obviously wasn't going to right now. So think about what he told you, she told herself fiercely. What do you know? What do you still need to find out? All right. Gabriel told me Sephiroth was one of the first Realm Protectors. The team Mom and Grandfather Ashrire-kuh belonged to. That was, what? Almost a thousand years ago. He father was a Sorcery Senshi. A Temple Guard, and his mother was a Lower Priestess in...Akugou's Shrine? What else? Well, he was basically the official...what had Gabe called it?..."consort" to her mother. He'd been in charge of seeing that Belladonna didn't find trouble. He'd even been the one to keep her meetings with their father Dimitrius a secret from both the Temple High Council and The Senshi Enforcers. So why was such a seemingly decent guy now trying to destroy everything in existence? The Black Materia. Sephiroth had stumbled upon it during a last mission before the Realm Protectors had come home for good. Then it started to control him. It caused him to turn on one of the people he'd respected the most and kill him. Ashrire-kuh's death had been unforgivable in the eyes of the Senshi people. They banished him, and Mom placed that spell on him that made him stuck in human form permanently. But it did something else. It took his soul from him, away from the slow poison of the Black Materia. It made it so that his body and mind could exist without his spirit, but it also made it so the Black Materia's corrupt power could use him completely as a catalyst for its actions. It didn't end there...Gabriel had said that in a thousand years Sephiroth's soul would return to this Astral Plane in hopes that it would have become strong enough to free Sephiroth completely from the Black Materia's control. They, The Realm Protectors of that time, would be there to stop Sephiroth if it failed. And Gabriel? He was there to guide them. To help them stay in step with Sephiroth. To prepare them for the fight if it came to that. All of this was in that Book, he had said. He'd show her how to read the characters, the knowledge written down to help them understand what the Goddess had planned for them. But then Gabriel had died. Sephiroth had killed him. Moon sniffled. It was still hard to believe her friend was gone. But go back a few days now. Sephiroth had come to her on the Floating Island. At first there to attack, and then...then he'd stopped. He'd claimed he was Gabriel. He'd sounded like Gabriel too. And he'd told her that Lirsage was the last Realm Protector. Now Tonia and Leslie were dead. She was captured, and Lir was siding with Sephiroth and Sailor Eclipse. There had to be something she was missing. How had Gabriel known so much about Sephiroth but not known Lirsage was his son? Clearly, that had to be some lie Sephiroth had told Lir. Then, a sound broke through her thoughts. The door had opened, and someone stepped inside. "So sorry to have kept you waiting, my dear." Speak of the devil... "Sephiroth," she hissed. Chapter Three: Local: Knothole Lara-le Echidna pushed at the cobweb in the corner of the hut with a broom. It wouldn't come free of the wall. She sighed and gave up. It'd been months since Dimitri had disappeared. She was seriously beginning to doubt he was going to return. "You sure can pick them, honey," she told herself. "First an abusive traitor, then a traitorous abandoner." "Ahem." A throat cleared, and a polite knock echoed through her open door frame. Lara-le turned. Could it be him? No. It wasn't Dimitri. It was a pink female echidna about 17 maybe. She had violet eyes, and purple-tipped bangs. Her green combat vest and boots were dusty. Lara-le could see her metallic dreadlock and coil-covered arm. It was Kragok's daughter. Julie-su. "The Dark Legion is not welcomed in my home," she snapped. "Get out." "I'm not here on behalf of the Dark Legion," Julie-su replied meekly. "I was hoping Dimitri was here." "Well he's not. He disappeared a few months ago. About two weeks after my son." She cast an icy gaze at her. "I'm sure you wouldn't have had anything to do with that." "No, ma'am. Nor my father." Lara-le put her hands on her hips. "Well then, what do you want?" "I need to see him." "Who? Dimitri? Why? He denounced your kind years ago." "No, not Dimitri. I need to see Ashrire." "Who?" Lara-le asked at the foreign sounding name. It sounded mysterious...like some word from an ancient tongue. "A-Ashrire. Ash. His son," Julie-su stammered. "The Silver echidna. The one with the spiky hair?" She stared at the girl. "Are you mad? Dimitri doesn't have any children. He can't have children. Knuckles isn't really his biological child. We adopted him when he was a puggle. And a silver echidna? There's no such thing." "I beg to differ." Lara-le looked up. A handsome young echidna was standing at her door. Judging by his unlined face he couldn't be any older than twenty to twenty-five. He had bright blue eyes that glowed with a light of their own. His light gray overcoat was buttoned to his waist, from which it flapped open to reveal his navy pants, and black boots. He had dreads down to his waist, and his gloves were mitts, with sharp looking knuclaws protruding from them. He really did have bangs. They were a paler color than the rest of his fur, more white, and spiky. The folded down and fell around his face. A single long one, falling near his shoulder had a golden dread-ring on it. "Well, well." She looked over to Julie-su. "Is this your 'Ashrire'?" Julie-su shook her head. "Ash...doesn't wear a trench coat." "Hello, Julie-su," the echidna turned. "My apologies. I didn't see you." The girl looked at him meekly. "H-h-have you s-s-seen Ashrire, s-s-sir?" "He didn't return here?" He frowned. "Funny...you think he would." Lara-le overcame her shock. "Who are you?" She demanded. He blinked, as if surprised at the question then nodded. "Ah, yes, that's right. You don't recognize me, do you, Lara?" "I've never seen you before, young man," she told him fiercely. "And you should address your elders with some respect...how did you know my name was Lara?" He arched his eyebrow every so slightly. "You're hardly my elder, Lara-le." She waved the broom at him. "All right, who are you?! Some Dark Legion Mercenary? You working with that little wretch over there?" "Lara-le..." He began, still frowning. She waved the broom. "I don't have the time for this." "But Lara..." Dimtrius began. "Get out!" Lara-le yelled. "Get out! Both of you!!" Chapter Four: Local: Unknown Lirsage walked past the room. Sounds of crying could be heard from inside. He paused at the door. "Are you all right?" He called. "Go away!" Sailor Evil yelled. She walked up to slam the door in his face, and he saw her tear-stained cheeks. "Fine! You don't have to be such a-" "Lirsage," Sephiroth said softly. He turned. "Father...I didn't hear you come up." Sephiroth didn't answer. Lir looked closer. There was something wrong with how his father kept staring straight ahead, not blinking. A flash of pain shot through his mind, shattering his senses, and causing him to blink rapidly to clear the dancing spots from his vision. "Stand aside, son. I'll handle her." Sephiroth placed his hand on the door knob. "You go tend to Moon." Lirsage nodded. "Yes, Father. As you wish." Local: FFSAD Headquarters GG! and Jack met back at the room they'd been left in. They'd split up to search for Ash, but neither of them had seen him. "It's like he's disappeared," Jack remarked. "Nothing just disappears," GG! told him. "He must have gone with that Blaise girl." Jack nodded. "Well that makes sense. I mean, this Shek guy would want to talk to Ash too, right?" GG! shrugged. "I dunno." "Here comes that Blaise girl now," Jack said, then added. "Alone." "Hello," she nodded to him. "Where's Ash?" "He's not with you?" She blinked. "Well no. I thought he was with you." "Gee what a coincidence," GG! remarked. "We thought he was with you." "Nuh uh," Blaise shook her head. "I haven't seen him." "Well if he's not with you and he's not with us," Jack began. "Just where is he?" "Did you look for him?" Blaise asked. "Everywhere," GG! told her. "Zip, zap, nadda, nill, null. In short, we couldn't find him." She frowned. "Let's go check with Sonya in security. If Ash is anywhere in this city we'll see him on one of the security feeds. And if he isn't...well we can rerun the tapes and find out why." "Isn't that a little bit drastic?" Blaise turned. Her violet eyes were troubled, serious. "If it was anyone else I'd say so, yes, but you don't know Ash like I do." Jack looked puzzled. "What does that mean?" She ignored the question. "Security's this way, boys." Local: Unknown Lirsage entered the room where they had been keeping Moon. He looked around the darkness, not seeing or hearing her. "Moon," he said simply. No answer. "Still giving me the silent treatment, are we? You really think pouting is going to change-" he trailed off, as he stepped in something. Lir looked down. A still form was laying on the floor, and his shoe was in the puddle of dark liquid around it. The sight registered in his brain, but he remained detached from the scene. He apathetically knelt beside the edge of the puddle for a closer inspection. The liquid felt warm as he rubbed some of it between the tips of his fingers. It smelled coppery. Blood of course. And the body...Moon of course. The blood was hers. Still warm. He looked at the body again. She was still breathing, and a finger on her neck told him she also still had a weak pulse. But what do I care? a cold voice asked in his mind. It was dark, icy, and vaguely feminine. Why care? It asked. She's only in the way. It would be a good thing if you finished what your father started. End the job. Kill her. She couldn't stop you. It was the same voice that had told him about his father when he'd touched that black orb. The Black Materia. The voice had spoken to him ever since. And he'd never had any reason to doubt a thing it said. He looked at the body. It was true, she wasn't dead yet. But how long could it take before she was? As he watched she gasped once, then ceased breathing. If she'd stopped breathing it would only take seconds before her heart ceased to beat. Odd...who would have thought it would end this way for them? His father's words rang through his mind again. <> What had he meant by that? Did he think that Lirsage needed to finish the job? Nonsense. A stab wound like that didn't need any help to kill the wounded. Lir snorted, and shrugged. Who cared? There was no need for him to be here. He looked back at the body of the girl on the floor. "No need to leave it here..." he bent down and picked her up. She was still warm, but that wouldn't last long. With no beating heart to supply blood to the rest of the body, she'd cool soon. Of course, none of this was news to Lirsage. His mother had been a Healer after all. Chapter Five: "You've been crying," Sephiroth remarked as he shut the door behind him. "About what?" "Where did you go?" she asked, wiping at her eyes. "You where gone earlier. Where did you go?" He shrugged. "I was pretending to be your brother Ashrire. Someone had too. Since he's been captured. Besides, I needed to use his position amongst the Gibbon's allies to discover how close they were to learning the truth." She looked up. "They would have known you weren't him. He knows things you don't." "I beg to differ. There is no aspect of his life I am not aware of. I know everything. What he thinks...how he thinks." He waved a hand dismissively. "It's the same for all of them. You don't think I randomly picked these players, do you? No, no. The Materia, Akugou, she led me to them. I've researched them. Watched them. I know them all as well as I know my own son." She sniffled. "And what about me? Did you 'research' me too, Sephiroth? Or should I call you Gabriel?" She glared at him. "I've done some research of my own..." His eyes narrowed. "You are *not* to address me by that name." He grabbed her by the shoulders. "Do you understand?! No one calls me that! No one!" Sailor Evil swallowed. "She did." "She?!" He shook her. "Talk sense, girl!" "Lillian!" She screamed out. "Your wife!" Something ugly flared in his eyes. "You little wretch. You dare talk about those times?! Don't you understand the Sephiroth of then is dead?!" He grabbed he throat and shook her. "Don't you?!" She gasped and clutched at his hands, trying to free herself. "You think for an instant that I have ever felt anything for you?!" He sneered. "Foolish wretch. You're just a plaything. A little doll that I've grown tired of. You could never be what that woman was to me. NEVER!" He threw he to the floor. Sailor Evil lay where she landed, holding herself and crying. "Sephy, what's wrong with you? Sephy, you're scaring me!" "Scare you?" He drew out his masamune. "I should hope so." He crouched down, and took her face in his hand. "Just like *her*." He scowled. "Just like your mother. But you'll never half of what she was. You'll never even be half of what your sister was. You're a poor shade. A pitiful shadow of a person, Star." "No I'm not!" She screamed. "You're the evil one! Something inside of you is trying to destroy everything!" "So you want to know my reasons." He looked down at her, and smiled coldly. "Of course. It only makes sense. It only makes sense you should know why I can't let you live." She tried to back away from him, but she was already pressed up against the wall. "You see, it's not you I wish to destroy. No, not you personally. It's your dear mother Belladonna." He scowled. "She destroyed my life a thousand years ago. Instead of curing me...instead of helping me! She cursed me! Cursed *me*! Her oldest friend! Her sworn protector! Where was her loyalty then?! Do you know how I've suffered because of her? Not even the Black Materia could soothe the pain of losing everything!" He paused, breathing deeply for a moment, calming himself. "So now, she must suffer. But I cannot kill her. No, that would be too quick. So instead I'll kill her children. They mean everything to her. By taking them away, only then can she suffer as I have. That is why Ashrire and Moon were chosen for this Game." "You've gone insane!" she cried. "You're completely mad!" "I have always been rational. The pain of losing your very Self, and everything you hold dear resharpens your mind daily." He replied, calm. "Then I wandered, soul-less, homeless, lost and empty for ages. With only the maddening voice of Akugou to listen to. I think that would make anyone a monster, don't you? And I had no choice. No soul to make my life meaningful. No home to return to. No reason to be anything but the Materia's servant." He paused, and stared off into space, eyes distant. "Until I found *her*. Or maybe she found *me*. What does it matter? Do you know what she did? She gave me my soul back. She made me complete again. We were happy together. We even had a son. There was a chance for me again. I stopped listening to the Materia. I didn't need it anymore. Not when I had them. Then that dammed Gibbon came and ruined everything. He had to make me lose control. He had to give the Materia an opportunity to take control again. He had to make her afraid of me. Of the monster again. I lost them both...I lost everything again because of him. He has to suffer, he has to pay. This Game is all for him. So he can taste the despair I've lived with because of him." She was crying without hesitation now. "Then...I regain my control. Only a year had passed. A single year! And so much had happened. Do you know what? Someone had stolen her. Pretended that he could love her like I did. And she believed him. She was even with his child!" The pain in his voice choked him for a second, and he had to wait for it to subside. "David. David tookfrom me. If that wasn't enough...he took my son too. That's why K.T.E must die. I have to take his only son from him. So he knows what it's like." "Then this...this is just a big vengeance plot for you," she managed. "Everything...everyone. You're just playing with us!" "Of course. I have nothing left to lose. Why not listen to Akugou? Why not let the Black Materia direct me? At least then I will have justice." "How can it be justice if *everyone* dies?!" "The world is a cold place," He nodded. "The goddess cares for no one but herself. I have lived this. I know the truth. Such a place cannot be allowed to continue to exist!" "You have him...Lirsage back, Sephy! Why don't you stop now?" she begged. "But I don't have *her*!" He grabbed her shoulders. "I can never have her back! Never! What's the point of life without Lillian?" She stared at him, shaking. Too scared to reply. "Do you know what it's like to live without your Soul Bond? Do you realize how pointless and empty the world becomes? No! You've never been that alone! You've never been alone like I have!" "But you're not alone!" she told him. "You have me! I'm here and I won't leave-" He laughed bitterly. "You? YOU?! What good are you to me?!" The truth sank in finally. "You never felt anything for me?" He realized her shoulders, and stood. "No, I did not. It was never for you. Always for her. Never you. But I won't mistake you for her again." "Sephy! Don't!" she screamed as he raised his masamune. "Any last words?" he asked coolly. "It's only right. I let him have last words. But he was right, wasn't he? I never did kill him. I only made him part of myself again. And he's been talking to you, delaying your death. It's his dammed need to tell you everything! When it was none of your business! He held off her death for a long time too. She asked so many questions...and he just had to answer them. Couldn't let his little Moonbeam die without her understanding why. Clever thing. She honestly tried to convince him it was unnecessary. It almost worked. I had to step in and cut it short." He shook his head. "I learned from her. I couldn't let you try the same thing." "I-I-I'm sorry for you," she told him softly. "Goddess forgive you." "How amusing. That's what the other one said." He brought the long sword down, hitting his mark perfectly. "Perhaps you weren't so different after all." to be continued...