Chapter 11: The White Rabbit
After Kanjiro's attack, things gradually settled back into a routine. Domani was well enough recovered to move about and take part in practice against Ameko when she wasn't repairing the castle, and Nikado, who recovered quickly, spent his time in practice as well, against Daisuke and occasionally Jun. Emi, being the counterpart to Keisuke, constantly hounded him for practice as well, although the shyer cat was not as well-inclined to the human attention. Yukita, meanwhile, continued to organize things, making the castle self-sufficient and able to support more than the few living there, with Rosabella's help, the woman taking the girl Fia with her. "You'll have to think about subjects, eventually," the snow demon had stated. "As people notice the White Rook recovering and able to defend itself, they'll come here." Things became comfortably pleasant in their routineness, and although everyone knew they were preparing for something, it wasn't exactly known what, and thus wasn't worried about.
It was midmorning when Ameko came out of one of the towers, Domani standing at the base. "I must say, your ancestors had an interesting sense of design," he observed, looking up.
She coughed in response, dusting off her pants. "Sorry. Lot of memories up in that place. Very dusty. Anyway, the towers are all built by different people, so that's why each one was different. That one," she pointed, "is Zugzwang, the one my grandmother built."
"I see. That's quite unusual. So you will build one too, then?"
"I hope to, though not right now. I haven't the energy to waste on it. Domani, does the Winter Rook have anything like that? Something that each person leaves as a mark?"
"We do," he said with a nod. "The beautiful sculptures of the Winter Rook that decorate the palace. Each of the bloodline successors is able to create works of art that each have their own story, their own sense of style and design." He let out a soft sigh. "Rosabella was very good at it, but I am quite terrible. I fear there will be no new works until Fia comes into her own power."
"Oh? That's a lousy excuse," Ameko said, putting her hands on her hips. "Why don't you make one now."
"What? Make a sculpture? You mean right now, here?"
"Where else would I mean?" She folded her arms, tapping a foot. "Get to work."
"Ah, but...it will not be very good. I do not think--"
"I'd like to see it," Rosabella spoke up from the entrance to the hallway, looking over at them with a smile, Fia in her arms. "I think it will be wonderful, Domani."
"I do not think I can agree with that," Domani muttered, but held out his hands, closing his eyes and forming a shape in his mind. In front of him, the air began to swirl and chill, becoming cold and starting to grow a crystal. It shot straight up, gaining mass, and then turned at an angle, fattening up more. Shoots began to branch off the main body until it resembled Picasso's version of a cactus, shoots of crystal going everywhere. Domani opened his eyes, and sighed. "See, it is a disaster. I am only an admirer of art, I am not an artist myself."
"Try again," Ameko commanded. "Try not to go for something so complicated. I know," she added after a moment. "Make Fia a little chair. She'd like that, I bet."
"I agree, I think that she would," Rosabella said with a smile.
Domani looked doubtful, but dismissed the first piece with a wave of his hand, the crystal shattering into shards before vanishing, and he closed his eyes again. "Go slow," Ameko told him.
"Please do not talk further," Domani said, keeping his eyes closed. In front of him, a short, squat shape started up. Stopping to form a bowl-like indentation on top, it scooped itself out, this time the edges being kept rounded and smooth by the slower process. The Winter King bit his lip as a bead of sweat trickled down his forehead, and for a moment, his power fluctuated, the back of the chair shooting up taller than it needed to be. Letting the back round off, he opened his eyes, almost dropping to his knees from effort.
Rosabella took Fia over to the chair, setting her down in it. "Do you like it?" she asked the child, who smiled brightly and clapped her hands in glee, wriggling around in the chair and curling up on it.
"See," Ameko said with a smile. "It isn't that hard once you take your time and work at it."
"That nearly exhausted me," the Winter King admitted, "and that is hardly a complex affair. It's nothing but a chair."
"It's a very beautiful chair," Rosabella replied. "And Fia loves it. Why does it have to be complicated to be beautiful? I think it's absolutely lovely because it's simple."
Domani shook his head. "Your ancestors created works of art. They made things that were wonderful, right down to the details."
"You're not my ancestors," Rosabella said firmly. "You're Domani, my husband, the current Winter King. Who cares what they did, they're all dead."
He winced at the last word, and she scooped Fia up, going over and giving him a kiss on the cheek. "You're fine. I think you should do more. Will you take this up to her room, darling?"
"If you'd like me to." Domani touched the chair with a hand, running a finger along it, before he picked it up, carrying it out of the courtyard. "As I thought," Ameko muttered to herself. "Your ancestors used their art to teach themselves control, didn't they?"
"Yes. Domani has a lot of power, perhaps even more than I did. He could be the best there ever was. But he doesn't have much control yet."
"Then I'm going to keep riding him on that. He needs to learn." Ameko turned to Rosabella and smiled. "He's getting better though, Rosabella."
"Yes, he is, in many ways, and I have you to thank for that. You are an example by yourself," she said with a smile.
"Why's that? I'm not doing anything extraordinary."
"Ah, but you are. You stood up to and defeated a general of Neverland. Then you successfully repelled another. White is a strong kingdom, Ameko."
"I can understand being frightened of Neverland, and it's true that Winter's affinity with barriers makes it most suited to a defensive style, but still, he has to have expected that he too would have to face Neverland directly at one point or another. We're not that different, are we?"
"We have never fought against Neverland," Rosabella said with a shake of her head. "Before I came up with the barrier with Jun and Emi and got Domani to help us set it up, they were slowly nibbling away at our borders. Domani only agreed to it because it was a barrier to keep them out, thereby removing the element of attacking Neverland or being attacked by them."
"Domani is hardly lacking in courage."
"No, he is not. But he is terrified of Neverland. I can't imagine what it must have been for him after I died," she said with a soft sigh.
"That's understandable. I'm terrified of Neverland, too. Horrible scenarios keep running through my head about it."
"But you do not let your terror hold you back, Ameko. Domani is like a child in that regards, hiding from the monsters under the bed, in the dark."
Ameko thought of Nikado. "I can understand that. What makes him so afraid?"
She shook her head. "Even I don't know that, Ameko."
"Sorry, I guess it is sort of rude and prying of me to ask," Ameko apologized. "What about how you two met? If you might feel like talking about it."
Rosabella smiled. "He was one of the noblemen of Winter, one of the guards that protect the Winter Rook. He was very strong, and handsome, and I'm sure he thought he was very charming and poetic," she added with a laugh. "I adored him. I met him when I was still a teen, and after my eighteenth birthday, we wed. Fia was our first child, our joy and pride. I'd like more children one day in the future."
"Hm. What about Emi and Jun?"
"Ah, those two? They were taken in by my mother when she was still alive, may her spirit rest in peace. Jun and Emi were two orphaned children, in a sense." Rosabella smiled. "They were raised with my family, and Domani as well, so in a sense we are all family, although we do not all share blood."
"In a sense?"
"Yes. I'm not sure how much I should say in regards to their past, however. It is still a sensitive issue, for Jun at least. Emi just avoids thinking about it altogether and focuses on other things. They've seen terrible things and have to find a way to keep on moving forward."
"Because they're bloodturners?" Ameko raised a hand as Rosabella looked at her in surprise. "Yukita sort of tipped me off. And Nikado said it was Jun who figured out who attacked him through his own blood. So it was sort of an educated guess, I suppose."
Rosabella let out a sigh. "Yes, and their blood family is not a happy one. Jun and Emi have managed to escape that web of terror and death within Winter."
Ameko frowned, crossing her arms. "I wish I knew more about this bloodturner that attacked your kingdom. And this Kanjiro. If he's been on the side of Neverland, why did he make love to a cat?"
"Cats are a great enemy of Neverland, in some ways," Rosabella said. "They are immune to some of the Neverland magics, and cannot be lured or coerced into joining their forces, like many others can."
Ameko shook her head. "It's a good thing for them, but at the same time it makes me worry about ourselves. I don't want to find out how effective their coercion is on a human."
"Do not fear," Rosabella said with a smile, "I am sure that the White Kingdom would protect you from such a fate. You are needed by the White Kingdom, after all."
Ameko nodded, then turned as Daisuke hailed her from the wall. "There's two people approaching the castle."
"Oh? Who is it, what do they look like?" Ameko called up.
"Um." Daisuke squinted at the pair approaching, and then his ears shot up. "It's Uncle Aizaem and Aunt 'lira!" With that, he bolted off the wall, heading for the gate.
"The impulsiveness of youth," Rosabella laughed. "Shall we go see who this 'Uncle Aizaem' and 'Aunt 'lira' are?"
Ameko frowned. "They must be someone they've met in their timeline, but I'm not familiar with either of those names. Let's go see what we can find out."
Nikado was also at the gate as it opened, and a cat was the first of the pair to come in the door, a lean yet broad-shouldered female who was striped with a thin tail and mismatched gold and purple eyes. "'lira!" Nikado said in surprise, walking over to the cat and rubbing against her happily. "It's good to see you. It's been a while, hasn't it? Where have you been?"
"Oh, here, there, and everywhere," the woman commented, then frowned at him. "You smell like a woman. A human woman."
"That would be me," Ameko spoke up. "I'm Ameko Satoka, the Queen of the White Kingdom. How do you do?"
"Better when my big brother stops smelling like you," she hissed, looking sulky.
Nikado laughed, patting her on the head. "She's not so bad, 'lira."
"Who are you?" Ameko asked her directly.
She sniffed. "I don't see a reason to give you my na--"
"Talira," Nikado whispered to Ameko, "but call her 'lira."
"Big brother!"
He ruffled her ears good-naturedly. "Ease up, you can trust her. She gave you her name, didn't she?"
"It could be a fake!"
"No one lies to a cat, remember? And besides, I already know it's not a fake." Nikado patted her head again before turning to the other person standing there. "And it's good to see you too, Aizaem."
The man that had come with the cat was not as tall as Nikado or Ameko, unless one counted the large, flopped ears. He was dressed nicely in finery befitting the White Court, in their color as well. "Greetings, White Queen," the man said with a bow. "I've been waiting for you to show up."
"Thank you for coming," Ameko replied, wondering who this man was.
Nikado answered her unspoken question. "Ameko, this is Aizaem, the White Rabbit. He's a guardian of time within the forest."
"A White Rabbit?"
The white Cheshire nodded. "He could probably tell you more about what he does than I, though."
"That is pretty much it," Aizaem stated. "I'm a guardian of time. This is an important time to be here, right now. The children have come to this stage in order to fill the Court. Next...I think you already know what to look for," he said after a moment of studying her face.
"Cryptic as always," the striped cat observed.
Ameko frowned as she studied the rabbit in return. "What time are you from?"
"All times and no times. That's the easiest way to explain it."
"And the one that makes the least sense, of course." She sighed. "You let them come here, didn't you? Kei and Dai."
"I did."
"I could have told you that," Daisuke told his mother.
Talira seemed to notice him for the first time. "Who's the kit, 'kado? He's got your ears."
"Got more of me than just that," Nikado said proudly.
"Aw, c'mon, Aunt 'lira! I'm not a kid anymore," he sulked. "Don't you remember me?"
"Uh, this is sort of hard to explain," Nikado said to his younger sister slowly. "Daisuke is my kid. From the future."
Talira looked at him, then at Daisuke, and finally at Ameko, the other Cheshire putting the dots together. Hissing at Ameko, she trounced off into the castle, tail held high. Nikado grinned. "Don't mind her, she's a bit volatile at times. So is there a problem, Aizaem? I never seem to see you unless there's trouble."
"I wouldn't call it trouble. More like a turning point," Aizaem stated. "It's time for the Queen to retrieve it." He looked over at her again.
Ameko frowned. "I think I know what you're talking about, but....I don't know what it's called or what it does. But I've seen it before."
"Then that's enough. You should be able to find it. That's what I came to tell you."
"Aw, you're not leaving so soon, are you?" Daisuke asked. "You haven't seen Kei yet."
"Please inform him I have given him greetings. Unfortunately, I cannot stay long."
"You never can," Nikado pointed out. "You're leaving already, then?"
Aizaem nodded. "I'll be back when I'm needed again." With that, he turned, walking back the way he had come.
"So that's the White Rabbit," Rosabella observed. "How very mysterious."
Ameko jumped slightly; she had almost forgotten the woman was behind her. "Where did your sister go, Nikado?" she asked, pausing as she saw Yukita moving toward them.
"Ah, good morning, White Queen, White King, White Knight, Lady Rosabella," she greeted each in turn. "I am not interrupting any sort of gathering, am I?"
Nikado shook his head. "It was just breaking up. What are you up to this morning?"
"Actually, I have come to inform you that I will be absent for a few days," Yukita told Ameko. "I have some business to attend to. I wished to follow up with someone I knew regarding the sidhe."
"Right now?" Ameko frowned. "All right. You'll be back within a few days, then?"
Yukita nodded. "If all goes well, I shall return swiftly. I merely wish to ensure that the sidhe are not actively doing harm against you, White Queen."
"I thank you for that. Have a safe journey," Ameko said with a bow before stepping back, letting the snow demon leave.
"Will she be all right in this heat?" Rosabella asked in concern. "Compared to our Winter Kingdom, anyway."
"She can take care of herself. Besides, she's become accustomed to warmer climates since she's been down here for a while." Ameko looked out at the road, at the snow demon retreating into the distance, and then up at the castle, in the direction Talira had stormed off. "We should probably go find that sister of yours, Nikado."
He nodded agreement. "I'll go check inside." He moved ahead of Ameko, going for the great hall. As he had suspected, Talira had gotten no farther than the throne, now curled up on it and purring contentedly. "I figured you'd be up there."
"It's comfortable here," she stated.
"Yes, I know. That's why it's my perch and not yours," he told her firmly. "Get down from there."
"Don't want to. Mine now~" she sang out. "You can sit down there, in the chair part."
"That's not mine," Nikado told her. "That's Ameko's seat."
The striped cat's ears went back at the name. "It's yours now. Who cares about her. She's just a human."
"Stop that," Nikado said firmly, "and come down from there. She's a good human, and she's not just a human, she's the White Queen. Stop being jealous."
"I'm not jealous. I don't like the idea of you being around that human," the cat hissed. "She's a human, you can't trust them."
"I trust her," Nikado said simply, "with my life if need be. 'lira, that human is the person that I love. Stop belittling her."
Her ears shot up in shock, and then pressed back against her head. "She's bewitched you."
"No, she has not," Nikado sighed. "Stop being silly and come down from there now, Talira."
She scowled, but began to comply. Then paused in the movement as she noticed Ameko entering, hissing. The queen, with no trace of fear, walked up to the cat, and then produced a water bottle, spraying her on the ears. "Behave," she said firmly.
The cat let out a squawk, scampering down from the throne before hissing. Ameko sprayed her again, and Talira swiped at her hand. "Cut that out, damned human!"
Nikado grabbed her hand, then used his weight to hold her still. Ameko knelt in front of the two cats, reaching out and rubbing Talira's ear. "It's okay, Talira. I'm not trying to harm Nikado or betray him. On the contrary, I love him very much. I already know it's a bad idea to lie to a cat, although I'm not sure why, but you can compel me if you don't believe me. You have my name."
Talira's ears stayed back, and finally she let out a 'hmph', turning her head away. "Lemme go."
Nikado sighed and released her, the cat escaping further into the castle. "Best to leave her be," Nikado said with a shake of his head. "Cats get like that. As for why it's a bad idea to lie to a cat, I don't know myself. Just that very bad things can happen."
"Forget about it, then." Ameko stood, offering him a hand up. "Let's leave her by herself for a bit, then, and get some work done."
Yukita was very old, and even though she hadn't lived in the forest for many years, she had grown acclimated enough to the forest's magic that she knew where the streams were, could find the quickest path across the forest as easily as a cat. It took her only an hour or two to cross the forest, and from there she had entered the heart of the Summer Kingdom, making her way through the green grass.
As the name indicated, the placement of the Summer Kingdom made the temperatures continually hot, alternating between patches of desert with oases speckled across them like freckles, to endless plains of grass, where large beasts roamed across in packs, providing food for some of the nomadic tribes that lived across the grasslands.
Unlike the White Kingdom, which was largely spread out into small towns and homesteads across its acreage, the static population of Summer was largely concentrated into cities, usually along the borders to the kingdom, where the streams of the forest would provide the best access. One such city was the Forbidden City, the large, carefully designed town where the Summer Rook was stationed. The city itself was largely made of ornate stone blocks and tiles, the streets featuring paved stones. The buildings were carefully placed, the size and shape determined by their location relative to the center where the Summer Rook lay, mostly to optimize the flow of magic through the area around the city. A necessary thing for the Summer royal family, who tended to need it in order to make their enchanted items.
Summer's affinity was property, a state of being. Summer's spells didn't spring forward from nothingness, but rather took an effect through some item, hence its base for enchanted items. And there were a lot of members of the Summer family, spreading out from the original founder, each child having multiple children, until they numbered in the hundreds.
The original founder. Yukita smiled to herself as she remembered the woman, or more appropriately, the fae who had begun the Summer royal line. In a way, she could understand the other woman for many reasons. And it appeared she was remembered as well, for when she approached the gates of the Summer Rook, the guards took one look at her and lifted their spears. "You're Yukita Yamato?" one of them questioned.
"I am. Is Tianyi expecting me?"
"She is. We received word of your arrival." The guard lowered his spear, letting her in. Not a member of the royal family, she noticed; he was human enough looking. The Summer royals were always easy to identify by the silver tint to their skin, although it had faded somewhat as the generations had gotten further removed from the original fae bloodline.
The interior of the Summer Rook was as ornate as the rest of the city. The Summer Queen, when she had originally founded the forbidden city, had expressed an interest in the architecture of a real place in the Mirror World, the place that her husband had come from, a kingdom se thought she recalled as being "chungkuo". The architecture, food, and culture had all been derived from bits of the chungkuo culture, even some of the ancient words making their way into the fae language and evolving into a mixed language of its own. The Summer Queen liked it for its obfuscating effect on other fae, which were historically not allied with the eight courts. Such as the sidhe, one of the races of evil fae from Neverland.
Entering the main hall, she could see the fae queen resting on a couch, her wings relaxed and draped down her shoulders and back. The fae was quite the beauty, much like Yukita, but in a different fashion; the features were rounded and carefully smooth, covered with skin that held a beautiful silver tint, her hair long and black, fastened up in an ornate loop. "Yukita," she greeted, gesturing for the guards to leave. "It's been quite some time since you came here. Or should I call you Biela for old times' sake?"
"If the weather was not so miserable, I might find occasion to do it more often," Yukita replied with a smile. "And the answer to that question would depend on yourself, I suppose. Do you prefer to be called Klotho, Summer Queen?"
"Always so cheeky," Tianyi said with a shake of her head. "It's a wonder he didn't get tired of you before you had the chance to run off."
"At least I was not forcefully grabbed, like yourself."
"But you wouldn't have minded, right?" Tianyi smiled, fluttering her wings slightly. "I can't really complain about acquiring a soul. Things are a lot more interesting when you're able to be conscious of them. Ah, this talk makes me so nostalgic. You're the only one from those times that remembers, you know. Well, that remembers and isn't trying to kill me."
"If you wished me to change that, I suppose I could oblige," Yukita said with a sigh, "though it would be so bothersome."
Tianyi laughed at that, the sound like a bell through the large chamber. "Come have a seat, Yukita. How many years has it been since all of it happened? Since the Summer Kingdom sprang from the dead earth of Neverland and took me as its queen. I've lost count of the generations that have passed since then, all the faces that have come and gone, all my children that have lived and died."
"Some sooner than others, am I correct?"
Her face darkened at that. "You heard about my child in Blue, then, some years ago."
"I did. My condolences for your loss, Tianyi. Was he a favorite?"
"He was one of the main family. He had powerful magic, but his interest lay in Blue," she sighed. "I didn't want him to go. It turns out I should have said no. Now he is dead and I will exact the payment from Neverland."
"So vengeful for one that used to live there."
Tianyi smiled thinly. "When I lived in Neverland, I didn't have a soul. It amused him to make me that way. I have no love lost for a creature that would not let me exist without him. I will have my vengeance for the blood of my child."
"What of his family? Is the main branch still intact?"
"Yes, he has a son." Tianyi sighed. "He too has an interest in the clockwork of Blue. What if he decides to run off to Blue like his father did? He doesn't know how his father died yet."
"I would suggest you tell him. It could deter him," Yukita pointed out. "As well, I do not think Blue is a worry at the moment. It appears it still has not located a suitable successor for a new royal bloodline. One with power and will who can fulfill the requirements of the Blue Rook. But if they could...."
Tianyi sat up at that, her wings rising. "If they could what?"
Yukita folded her arms, tucking her hands into her sleeves as she considered. "I believe history is on the move, Tianyi. The powers are starting to rise again. I have been staying in White recently. The queen there...she has the will. I think she may yet uncover the meaning of the White Armor."
"I've heard of that," Tianyi said. "The thing that was stolen from the King so long ago. What's it's signifigance?"
"I do not even know that, myself. But if she were to find it...She is bringing out power in her allies of Winter, as well."
Tianyi crossed her own arms, standing up. "I see. So you wished to see if I was prepared for a full-scale war against Neverland, then."
"It may yet come within the next decade or so," Yukita said solemnly. "If the other kingdoms were to gain that power as well...."
"You think they could defeat him?"
"I do not know. I do not know if such a thing is even a possibility. They are but mortals, Tianyi, and even creatures such as you and I are mere creations of him. Even we do not know the full extent of his ability."
"That's true, but all the same we cannot defeat him if we are too busy being intimidated by him, no?" the fae said, stretching her wings.
"Have you ever known me to be intimidated by anything, Tianyi?" Yukita smiled. "I merely urge all to exercise caution. My role in this story will not be as large as yours and of the other Queens and Kings."
Tianyi nodded, laying back down on her couch. "So how are the other kingdoms doing?"
"White is doing well. The queen has obtained a king as well as a knight and bishop," Yukita stated, counting the kingdoms on her fingers. "Winter is currently under barrier due to an attack from one of his generals, the bloodturner, and has lost their queen to the Bandersnatch, but the king is showing an impressive growth in spirit and he still has his knight and bishop." She crossed her arms, thinking what she had heard. "My understanding is that the Red King has acquired a wife, giving Red a full court. Black's queen is currently missing, but most likely not dead, and she has yet to obtain a king. Blue is, of course, still searching, and Spring and Autumn, I have heard little on, but they appear to be stable. Whether they can bring themselves up to the standard set is still a question."
Tianyi nodded. "Then if you will keep me informed, I will make sure that all of my family is ready to lend the power of Summer against the forces of Neverland. We eagerly await our payment of blood."
Ameko had eventually decided to leave the other cheshire to her husband, letting Nikado talk to Talira and soothe the cat's wounded feelings. Given what she knew of Nikado's personality and experiences, she could understand Talira's upset feelings. But right now, she had something she needed to do, something even more important than the restoring Keisuke had now taken over.
She needed to find the white bundle.
The mirrors of the great hall were the thing that had told her that they were important, and so she started there, letting the hanging mirrors fill with light and reveal glimpses of the past. Filtering out the other images in her mind, she focused on the one she had seen, a bleeding, injured cat carrying something wrapped in white. She was certain that this had been the thing Aizaem had referred to, and so it was the thing she needed to find.
Not just find, but figure out, she realized. Most of the powers of White didn't seem connected so much with power itself, but knowledge and figuring out exactly what things were and what it meant, how it was used. She was certain of that much; if she figured out what the bundle was, she would be able to figure out how to use it and where and when the best place to use it was.
Slowly, images came to her as she pushed forth the one she wanted, and then the lights seemed to dim in the room, the hall growing dark as night, only moonlight streaming through the windows despite the fact that it was still day out. She could see the cat push open the door, limping in with the bundle tucked under one arm. He was in terrible shape, blood streaking his fur and running down his skin, staining his clothing, and despite the pain he had to have been feeling, he pushed himself forward, stopping on the floor. "Queen!" he gasped out, voice raspy. "Queen!"
"I'm here," came a calm voice, and a woman who looked somewhat similar to Ameko herself, but older, emerged from behind the throne. "I had a feeling you would be coming."
He offered her a cocky feline grin before collapsig to the floor, winching in pain. "Did you see?" he murmured, letting the bundle drop from his arms. "Your knight made a capture, Queen."
She knelt by him, and kissed his uninjured ear, putting her hands on his wounds. "I'm so sorry, cat," she murmured. "You didn't have to do what you did just for me."
"It's for all of Wonderland. That's good enough for me," he said, leaning into the touch. "Are you mad at me?"
"No. I'm worried sick, you silly thing," she said, putting her hands on another wound. She then paused. "They were torturing you."
"Thought they might just get sick of me and kill me, in all truth," he said, looking away as she looked over his twisted, blackened leg, and Ameko couldn't help but gasp in horror as she saw it. "They let down their guard. It was nothing."
"Shut up and stop lying to me," she growled. "You might never be able to use this leg again."
"I realize that, but the important thing is that I made a capture. This is something we can use against them, Queen. Something that can turn the tide at the right place and time."
"Yes, I know," she said, giving his forehead another kiss, letting him rub against her hand. "All the same, did you really have to risk yourself for me? For us?"
"For the generations that will follow...yes."
She sighed, sitting down next to him as she attempted to straighten out his maimed leg. "I wonder if we'll make it that far, cat. I see terrible things in the future, you know. Death, and pain and despair."
"But that's not the only thing you see, is it?"
"No. I see other things. I see a great power in one timeline that may yet turn the tide and save our kingdom. I pray for that day. For that purpose, I will lock this away." She picked up the bundle in both hands.
"You're not going to use it?" the cat asked, ears drooping.
"What would I do with it, silly thing. I haven't the power or the knowledge to use it. That we will have to leave up to the one that will come later."
"Then give me a hint!" Ameko shouted, frustrated. "I'm here now, so where is it? What is it?"
The cat's ears straightened, and he looked directly at her. With a chill, she realized that time had crossed again; either she had entered their time, or somehow, their shades could see her in the future. "I see. So you're the one," the woman said with a smile. "Though it is a bit sad to know the future, I am glad you are here."
"Please tell me where it is," Ameko stated, calming herself down. "The White Rabbit told me that it was time. If I can find it, if I can see it, I know I can figure it out. I promise you that. I just need to know where you've locked it away."
The woman looked at her, and then smiled again, holding out her hands. "You will see it when it is time. As for what it is, it is a capture. Think about it."
Ameko took a breath, and did just that. A capture. Something involved with Neverland. Her mind drifted back to the games she used to play with her father, the ones involving moving the pieces across a board. There were kings and queens and knights and bishops in that game, too. A capture....
Suddenly, it came to her. And with the realization, the moonlight faded, and she was nearly blinded by the sunlight of the day streaming down. And then she realized someone was on top of her, trying to kill her.
It had taken a good deal of soothing and nuzzling before Talira had finally calmed down at the behest of her brother, the cat reassuring her endlessly. The fact that the two boys were his, and were cat and not human, seemed to be of some comfort as well, and Talira had finally relented on her grudge against humans--well, at least for that one. Nikado noted with amusement that she still didn't seem very happy with Ameko's claim over him, but he doubted she ever would be. Cats were possessive creatures, after all.
Entering the great hall with Talira in tow, he smiled as he saw Ameko, the woman standing in the great hall, looking up at the mirrors. Talira's ears perked as she got low, circling around the woman, who seemed to be in a trance. "What is she up to now?"
"I don't know. Looks like she's using the castle somehow," Nikado observed, touching a hand to her shoulder.
"She is," Keisuke's voice spoke up from the stairway. "She's using the power of the castle to look at memories."
"Memories? Why?"
The younger cat shrugged, Daisuke following him into the room curiously. "Something she wants to see or know about, presumably. I imagine the castle has all sorts of knowledge stored away, if you know how to look for it."
Nikado nodded, and then a sudden chill went down his back, making his tail fluff out to maximum and his ears go back. "Papa?" Daisuke asked. "Is something the matter?"
"I don't know. Just--" The bell around his neck rang out, and he stumbled forward, clutching his arms around himself.
"Papa!" Daisuke yelped over the sound of the bell, kneeling next to him. "Papa, what's wrong?"
"It's him," the cat managed, opening one eye. "He's trying to get in. Talira, I meant to warn you. He's back. He's been after me. I don't know if he'll come after you."
Her tail fluffed out, and her ears went back as well, but this time in anger. "Let him try, I'll kill him."
"Stay calm, Talira. If he's trying to get in here, we may not be his target. It may be Ameko." He managed to stand, and then the doors blew in, Kanjiro standing in the doorway with one hand raised.
"You!" Talira spat, arching her back. "You good for nothing son of a bitch, how dare you show your face before me again!"
"Silence," he said in a bored tone, and he pointed toward her. She let out a cry, taking her claws to her arms.
"Don't!" Nikado instructed, even as the blood began to spill, binding herself with her own magic and life.
"I'm not here for you today," Kanjiro stated. "I'm here for the White Queen. Hand her over and I'll spare your life for the moment."
"That threat doesn't really do anything for me," Nikado stated in a calm, unafraid tone. "You don't frighten me anymore, old man. I'm through being afraid of you. I am the White King and I will not tolerate you doing any harm to Ameko. She is mine, not yours."
"I don't really care whether you're frightened of me or not," Kanjiro stated calmly, the bell jangling again as he held out his hand, and this time Nikado could see the blood dripping from his fingertip. "I'm not here to impress you. Hand me the Quite Queen."
"Ah, except that that's what you've done my entire life, isn't it?" Nikado pointed out, feeling his condience growing in his lack of fear against the sub-general of Neverland. "You killed my mother and you made sure I was watching. In that moment, you tried to make me fear everything about humans with your sudden betrayal, and I'll admit, it's worked for a long time. But I'm an adult, Kanjiro, and I know better now. I'm not afraid of the shadows in the night and what a human might do. I'll give you once chance to leave, and then I will bring the full power of the White Kingdom down upon your head. I think you understand that I am both willing and capable of doing that."
"Willing, perhaps. But I think you are not so capable." Kanjiro turned, and held out a hand, letting more blood drip from his finger. Daisuke let out a cry as his own blood began to boil, the boy crying out in pain and fear as he dropped to his knees.
"Dai!!" Keisuke cried out as he knelt by his twin, trying to put a binding spell on his brother to nullify the effects of the bloodturning magic. Kanjiro merely shook his head, and cast out a few more drops, and Keisuke let out a cry himself, dropping to the ground.
"Stop it!" Nikado snarled, drawing the sword and taking a step toward Kanjiro "Stop it, or I'll--"
"You'll do what, you inferior animal? You can't do anything. Even now when I am destroying your children in front of you, you can do nothing. You may be capable. But you are not willing. Do not delude yourself inot thinking such."
Nikado said nthing else, only charged the man, running a hand down along the blade. It took on a white glow, whizzig through the air swifter than the eye could see, and he charged the bloodturner in that state trying to bring the blade down on his head.
Kanjiro's eyes grew wide for a moment, as if he hadnt actually been expecting Nikado to attack, and then he raised his hand, letting the blade bite into it. Nikado's shoulders jerked with a sudden ache as the blade clanged off the man's hand, unable to penetrate deeply, and then Kanjiro tossed him back, knocking him to the floor. He increased the power behind the bloodturning, and the cat twitched in pain. "Don't bother getting up," Kanjiro stated as he moved toward Ameko.
The woman was still lost in memories, and as he moved closer, she took a sudden step forward, eyes still unfocused. "Then give me a hint!" she shouted abruptly. "I'm here now, so where is it? What is it?"
He paused, then realized she was still in her trance, and coolly took her to the ground, placing a hand on her throat. She mumbled something, but did not resist as he stood on top of her, choking her. "Ameko!!" Nikado cried out in alarm. "Ameko!!"
It was Talira that got to her feet, throwing off the spell as she flexed her claws, then snarling as she leapt at him, landing on his back. He let out a cry as her claws dug into his back, as did her sharp teeth, seeking his spine and neck. With a snarl of his own, Kanjiro cast some blood at her, the woman letting out a cry as it spalshed into her eyes, sending her to the ground. "I will deal with you soon enough" he got out, panting for breath. "You have forfieted your right to live, daughter. But I will dispose of the White Queen first. She is the greatst threat to our plans of the lot of you."
"Ameko!" Nikado shouted again as Kanjiro bore down on her again, closing his hands around her neck. "Ameko, wake up!" Forcing himself to move around the pain, he stood up, stumbling toward her. It was painful, but Yukita's bell had made it manageable. That would be good enough for the moment.
Her eyes snapped back into focus, and grew wide, the woman trying to get out a word as she put her hands against his, trying to remove them. Nikado, trying to pick up speed, threw the sword at Kanjiro, and it pierced his shoulder, knocking him off the White Queen, and pinning him to the floor. Growling in frustration, he went to remove it, but the metal burned white as his hand got close, sizzling away at his flesh. "Do not touch this one," Nikado warned, his voice low. "She is under the protection of the Cheshire."
"Fool!" Kanjiro roared, and pulled himself up over the sword, leaving a gaping, singed wound in his shoulder. "You understand nothing. I am one of the, no, the highest ranked sub-general of all of Neverland. My magic is superior. My power is superior. Do you really think you can stand against me with the pair of you by yourselves?"
"They're not alone!" Keisuke shouted out, pushing himself to his feet. "She is not alone. Do not touch her, creature of Neverland. She is under the protection of the Cheshire!"
"Shut up, brat," Kanjiro said coolly. "Or would you rather be destroyed now?"
"You can't threaten us. You destroy her, we have nothing to live for," Daisuke stated, pulling himself up by leaning on his sword. "Do not touch her. She is under the protection of the Cheshire."
"Your protection means nothing!" Kanjiro snarled, turning toward Ameko again. "I will show you the true power of a sub-general of Neverland." From the gaping wound in his shoulder, he drew out more blood, lines of black mingling with the red. "Bloodturning is just one of the many things I can do." The black echoed outward, the dome of evil energy throwing Nikado back with a cry, burning him as the sword had done to Kanjiro. Smirking in victory, he turned toward Ameko again, reaching out for her. "And now, White Queen, it is time to die. Have a good rest."
She backed away, but as she touched him, she felt something vurning on his forehead, a mark that seemed to cover her in light, warming her entire body. Kanjiro's eyes widened in surprise, and then his body began to simply unravel, the muscles falling apart from the bone and the blood spilling out across the floor, the man crying out in shock and horror. He backed away, but the progress was already begun. Through the haze of white, Ameko thought she heard a voice. One day, Kanjiro, your unkindness will be the end of you.
"Jessica!" he shouted in rage, and then the process was over and done, leaving nothing behind but some blood which quickly evaporated. The bell dropped from Nikado's neck, ringing out one last time before it hit the ground. "Ameko," Nikado murmured, rubbing a hand on his neck. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine," she gasped out. "I thought I saw something. A female cat. She smiled at me, and..." She touched her own forehead.
"Jessica was the name of my mother," he stated softly. "You are under the protection of the Cheshire. All of them."
"I don't remember being invited to that party," Talira grumbled, holding a hand to her arm as she got up. "What a bloody mess. I didn't even get to finish him off myself."
"We can't always get what we want," Nikado said with a slight smile, turning to the boys. "You're both all right?"
Keisuke checked over his brother, Daisuke giving his father a thumbs up. "We'll be fine, Papa."
He let out a sigh of relief, turning to Ameko again and pulling her into his arms. "Things are all right now," he murmured, his tail curling around her leg. "He's dead now and everyone's okay. What happened to you? You didn't even notice he was here until he had nearly killed you, are you okay now?"
She nodded slightly. "I figured out something. My ancestors, well, our ancestors, really... my ancestor had a cat for a Knight who made a capture on Neverland."
"A capture?" Nikado frowned. "What does that mean?"
"It means they sent me something that's going to come to me very soon." She broke away from his grip, kneeling down on the floor where she had seen her ancestor sitting, and waited.
The twins let out little gasps of surprise as something appeared in thin air, a little bundle of white cloth that dropped into her outstretched hands. "What is that?" Nikado asked in surprise.
Ameko stood, letting the cloak unfurl before throwing it around her shoulders, attaching it with the simple clasp. She smiled at him. "It's just a cloak. A plain, ordinary cloak."
"A cloak?" Nikado furrowed his brow, tail starting to swish around. "If it's so plain and ordinary, why send it here?"
"Because it's an opportunity," she said with a nod. "Don't worry about it. I need to go speak to Domani."
"Huh? What for?" Nikado watched her leave with a frown.
"What else?" she said, pausing at the door to look at him. "For retaking Winter, of course."
