War of the Tsurekin

(Sorry I haven't had the chance to post yet. I've been working like crazy to get an assignment finished for Friday. If I don't post again before the weekend, you'll know why.)

That is just fine

(Well, I'm finally done for the week. Let me tell you, I could sure use the rest. Yesterday I spent over 12 hours in the computer lab finishing up my assignment.)


Kai was the first one to get up that morning. He decided to go for a walk around the mansion to fully wake up. He couldn't help but think about Shigure. He knew she had a good reason for doing what she did, but it was still a bit of a blow to learn someone they had come to trust was actually a spy.

He stopped by Ivy's study to see Ivy sitting at her desk looking through books and writing things down on a note pad. He came in and said, "You sure are up early."

"I never went back to bed," she said, not taking her eyes off the book she was reading. "I need to find out why Jirran wanted that stone so much." She took her eyes off the page for a moment to look at Kai. "By the way, training today is cancelled. The weather man on the news yesterday said it was going to rain."


(That's all I could think of at the moment.)

((Its fine you're tired. I"m sure you need rest like none other.))

Skylar woke up and yawned, she'd hardly gotten any sleep at all. She sat up and popped her back and then got dressed walking down to the kitchen and getting food. Everyone else was there, but they were silent, not really talking. Ty sat off to the side nursing a cup of his normal tea. Skylar didn't plan on teasing him about it today, he didn't need it. He looked almost heart broken if he didn't have his face so stone still.

Kai walked in and got some food looking at everyone.

"Training is canceled today. It's supposed to rain." He said. Skylar looked down at her cup of coffee and took a deep breath.

"What are we supposed to do then?" She asked looking up. A distraction is what they all needed, especially Ty.

*All I had. *

Kai could tell what Skylar was thinking. They needed something to take their minds off of what happened with Shigure. Kai suggested, "We could all go to the game room for a while."


(Sorry, all I could think of again.)

*It's cool*

Skylar shrugged and followed the others to the game room laying on one of the couchs. Ty plopped down next to her not saying anything.

*UGH, I've nothing either, stressful day.*

Akira walked by the game room with a bottle of beer in her hand. She leaned against the door frame and asked, "Oi, have any of you seen Ivy?" It was obvious by the way she held herself and slurred her words that she was drunk.

"Last I saw her she was in the study," Kai said. He frowned. "Akira, have you been drinking again?"

"I've only had... two beers." She held up four fingers instead of two. She was definitely drunk. "I'm gonna see if Ivy wants one."

"Akira, it's not even noon yet," Skylar said.

"But Ivy said we were having the day off, so I'm drinking." She lifted the bottle to her mouth to take another swig, but was disappointed to find that it was empty. She shook the bottle a little and said, "Munashii..." before leaving to find something else to drink.

A few moments later Mirage came down the hall and stopped at the door. "Have any of you seen Akira?" he asked.

"She was looking for Ivy."

Mirage sniffed the air, it was obvious he noticed the scent of alcohol. "How many beers has she had?" he said in a disdained voice.

"She said two, but was holding up four fingers." Skylar replied. He growled and turned and went after her scent.

"I feel bad for him." Tala said laying her head back down. "You ever be a drunk I'll kill you."

"I won't." Skylar smiled back at her. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. She really wished it wasn't so stressed. They were playing with the games and all but the thought of Shigure hung over everyone.

Despite being drunk, Akira managed to find the study. She wandered into the room to see Ivy at the desk. "Oi, there you are, I was looking all over for you." She lifted up her empty beer bottle and said, "I just thought of the best drinking game and I need someone to play it with."

"Not now, Akira, I'm busy," Ivy said as she continued her research.

"Nani? Are you still worried about the piece of rock Jirran stole?" She scratched her head. "That's strange, I thought Shigure was the one who stole it."

"Shigure stole it for Jirran because he was holding her brother as ransom. I need to find out why he wanted that stone."

Akira stumbled over to the desk and grabbed one of the books. She held it with one hand, letting gravity open the pages for her. "Naze? What's so special about that rock?"

Ivy swiped the book from Akira's hand. "Careful! These books are older than you are." She started to close the book, but stopped when she noticed some familiar pictures in it. "Wait a minute..."
___________________________

It started raining a few hours later, just as Ivy had said. The water was pounding against the window as thunder began to develop in the sky. With nothing to do but relax, everyone started to feel drowsy. Sean was snoring on one of the easy chairs in the corner with Reiky laying on the armrest.

Skylar was about to fall asleep too when a familiar scent passed through her nostrils. As soon as she smelled it she perked up.

"...Shigure?" she said. A moment later she heard the door bell ring down the hall toward the foyer.

Skylar jumped over the back of the couch and tore off towards the front door, Tala at her side, Ty right behind. Everyone else jumped up too and followed curious. Skylar stopped at the door and Ty got there a minute later since she had gone all out. She pulled the door open and saw Shigure standing there, wet and looking down.

"SHIGURE!" Skylar grinned giving her a hug. Ty pulled Skylar back and was about to hug Shigure when she stepped back.

"May I come in?" Shigure asked. Everyone moved to the side so she could come in.

She moved through everyone toward Kai and Ryukin, who were standing at the back of the group. Kaeru followed her walking with a slight limp, possibly from when Chimera whipped him into the crane back at the junk yard. When she stopped in front of Kai, he smiled and said, "I knew you'd come back."

She looked at the floor before saying, "I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused you. I only helped Jirran because wanted to get my brother back. But now I know that won't happen. As long as Jirran has my brother, he will continue to force into working for him."

Shigure dropped onto all fours and bowed her head until it was touching the floor. To see the girl in such a submissive state was a shock to everyone. "You're the only ones who can help me. Please, help me get my brother back, help me free him from Jirran's grasp!" Tears began to stream from her eyes onto the floor.

Skylar started forward and Kai stopped her before he grabbed Shigure's shoulders gently and pulled her up.

"You're family, Shigure. Of course we'll help." He smiled. Skylar bit her lower lip as Ty slipped closer. She felt bad for him. He'd really been missing Shigure.


*Oy, all i had*

Shigure wiped the tears from her face and said, "Thank you. Even after knowing I was spying on you all this time you would still go out of your way to help me. I owe you a debt that cannot be repaid."

"There are no debts between family, Shigure," Kai said.

"Even though you say that, my honour will not allow me to simply accept your kindness as charity. I'll do whatever I can to repay you."


(In your next post can you have them all look for Ivy to tell her Shigure is back?)

Skylar chewed her lip as she listened. "We should tell, Ivy." She said after Kai and Shigure stopped talking. Kai nodded and the group moved towards Shigure's office. They knocked on the door and waited.

"Come in." Ivy's worn out voice said. Kai opened the door and they all slipped in.

"Shigure's back." Kai smiled. Ivy looked up from her desk a tired smile on her face.

"I'm glad you decided to come back, Shigure." She smiled.

Shigure nodded. She started to say something, but Ivy interrupted her. "You don't have to apologize. If Jirran was holding Kurt as ransom I would have done the same thing. You just wanted to help your brother, right?"

She nodded. "That's right."

Ivy looked down at the notes she had been taking. "But it does complicate things now that he has that stone."

"Have you figured out what it is yet?" Kai asked.

"I have. According to my great grandfather's notes and etchings, I have reason to believe that stone is one of the stones of Ra. In his notes, he spoke of hieroglyphs saying there were five stones in all, and these stones had some sort of spiritual link with five great beasts that terrorized the world ten thousand years ago." She gave everyone a serious look when she said, "I think you all know which five beasts I'm talking about."