Seasons of 7: Chapter Two
1445 words. Don't ask. When they came down, four others were already waiting for them. A petite blond young woman with eyes the colour of the sea came forward as the girl and her godmother came down, but noting the sad turn of her sister’s lips and her niece’s determined face, she kept silent. Instead, she put her hand around the boy next to her. He was looking up towards girl with concern written all over his face. His dark hair fell in short waves around his face, lending him a very careless air. There was nothing careless about the way he looked at the girl and her godmother though. The twins standing on the other side of the woman next to him were also staring at the girl. They were identical, except that one was dressed as a girl and the other a boy. Both had turquoise eyes and shoulder-length black hair. They were pale compared to the boy and the girl.
"The contingency plan goes into action the moment we leave. Are you all sure you can handle this?" the woman had her arms around the shoulders of her goddaughter. The question was directed at all of them.
"If we cannot do this, Aunt Naoko, then everything is for naught. This was the reason we were made," the boy’s voice was grave and serious.
"You were not created for this, Haruka. None of you were. If you were, then Onee-chan and I were created with the sole purpose to destroy. There has to be another way," the woman who had her arms around the boy looked at him.
"Then let us know when you have found that way, Aunt Sukina. This is not a pleasant prospect for any of us either," one twin said, the boy.
"Speak for yourself, Mazu," his twin replied. There was a devilish smile on the girl’s face. "I'm looking forward to this."
"You’ll be under Juanita’s command, Mazi. Do not lose sight of your objectives," Naoko’s voice was stern and commanding.
"We understand," Mazu replied quickly, holding his sister’s hand for reassurance.
“We’ll be late if we don’t leave now,” Sukina turned her godson away. As they left the Inn, she held hands with her godson tightly, as though this might be the last time they would walk together.
~~~~~
Out in the streets, they made a striking group. The two adults wore simple but functional clothing; both wore long coats, sensible boots and scarves around their necks, much like their young charges. Both wore plain black coats, while the children wore coats lined with their House colours. Juanita wore green, while Haruka was gold, Mazi's light blue contrasting against her brother's yellow. The younger girls walked between Naoko and Sukina, hands entwined, while the boys walked on either side of the two adults. Their trip into Kings' Cross did not go unnoticed; there were quite a few stares as they made their way through Diagon Alley and then to the train station. In Kings' Cross, Naoko looked towards her sister, just as they reached the entrance to the station proper.
"Shall we?" the children stopped pushing their trolleys.
"Yes, onee-chan. I've had enough of them following us," Sukina turned to face the paparazzi who were supposedly following at a discreet distance.
"Go on ahead, darlings," Naoko spoke in a crisp British accent.
Around them other children and families were also heading towards the trains, most who were stealing glances at Naoko and Sukina. The two sisters stood as though they were waiting to be attacked. "Hey Johnny, you know better than to hide there," Naoko called out to one of the men, who stepped from behind the pillar sheepishly.
"Beggin' your pardon, ladies, but a man's got to eat," he said, holding a small digital camera in front of him.
"Yes, but not like this. Please leave us alone," Sukina's voice was melodic, but soft-spoken compared to her sister's. It was nearly lost in the sounds of the train station, but the look on her face carried its meaning across. Johnny shook his head.
"Ah well, looks like it's going to be the hard way," Naoko threw something in front of her and Sukina that obscured them both in smoke. The paparazzi were well-versed with this tactic of theirs though, and ran into the station following them. However, they were lost in the sea of people.
~~~~~~
The children walked quickly towards their intended destination. Other students, seemingly unhurried, walked through the barrier quickly, but they waited. A minute later, Naoko and Sukina walked calmly to them. Putting their hands around the girls, they nodded at the boys, who went through the barriers first, then the girls, and finally Naoko and Sukina. On the other side, they put their luggage away quickly, and then went inside the train. Naoko and Sukina followed the children outside till they found an empty compartment and opened the window. Haruka and Sukina pressed their foreheads against each other; a very close gesture for the two of them.
Juanita leaned out the compartment like Haruka, her hands holding on to the edge of the open window. Naoko stood on her tiptoes and kissed her daughter's forehead, before stepping back with a grin. She clasped her hands together with a loud clap, and slowly spread her hands in a circle.
As she did, a golden bubble the size of a normal human head formed from her hands, and within it, smaller bubbles floated, each holding an item. Across the surface of the outer bubble, symbols danced across its surface. Juanita's eyes opened wide as she caught sight of a certain pendant floating in the bubble; her godmother had summoned the Keepsake of the Mitsutani Clan, Leviathan. It took her a bit more to recognise the symbols, as it did not stay in one place. When she did, her voice was filled with awe.
"Okaa-san..." she whispered, tearing her eyes from the floating ball to her godmother.
"Your mother stipulated in her will that I could release as many treasures as I wanted if there was a need. You need this more than me, dear one. Choose a memory," she held it up, smiling.
Juanita looked into the ball, her eyes searching among the treasures her godmother had cared for her so carefully. Though the ball belonged to the Mitsutani clan, the treasures belonged to the Aife branch of the clan, her mother's line. Her mother had been the only child left of the line, which now made her the heir to the name. As her godmother and executor of her estate, Naoko would have kept the treasures in trust for her goddaughter. She had not known her godmother had access to the treasures; she thought it had been entrusted to the Goddess instead.
"Choose, dear," her godmother's gentle voice brought her out of her reverie.
Juanita caught sight of a small arrow floating in the ball, and chose it over the pendant engraved with a jumping dolphin, her mother's personal crest. She reached out and took it from the Keepsake. The small arrow pendant came with a long golden chain. Naoko's eyebrow rose, but she said nothing, clapping her hands once more and closing the Keepsake. As Juanita made to put the chain around her neck, her godmother's hand stopped her. Wordlessly, though with a sad smile on her face, Naoko took her goddaughter's left arm and wound the chain around it, doing it in a way that the arrow lay on her finger. As Naoko's hands left the chain, the arrow became a full fingered ring on Juanita's finger.
"That's the arrow of Hecaerge, one of Artemis' attendants. You use it the same way Aunt Sukina fires an arrow," Juanita had seen it many times, so she simply nodded.
The train blew its whistle as it was about to move. Naoko kissed her goddaughter on the cheek quickly and stepped back, just as her sister did the same. They waved to their godchildren, giving an encouraging to the mischievious-looking twins, who were grinning. They waited till the train pulled out of the station before they turned to leave. It was then that they saw two Aurors waiting for them, a man with a lightning-shaped scar and another with a shock of red hair. Many other parents were also staring at them.
"Would you two come with us please?" the one with the scar said. The two sisters simply nodded and followed.
"The contingency plan goes into action the moment we leave. Are you all sure you can handle this?" the woman had her arms around the shoulders of her goddaughter. The question was directed at all of them.
"If we cannot do this, Aunt Naoko, then everything is for naught. This was the reason we were made," the boy’s voice was grave and serious.
"You were not created for this, Haruka. None of you were. If you were, then Onee-chan and I were created with the sole purpose to destroy. There has to be another way," the woman who had her arms around the boy looked at him.
"Then let us know when you have found that way, Aunt Sukina. This is not a pleasant prospect for any of us either," one twin said, the boy.
"Speak for yourself, Mazu," his twin replied. There was a devilish smile on the girl’s face. "I'm looking forward to this."
"You’ll be under Juanita’s command, Mazi. Do not lose sight of your objectives," Naoko’s voice was stern and commanding.
"We understand," Mazu replied quickly, holding his sister’s hand for reassurance.
“We’ll be late if we don’t leave now,” Sukina turned her godson away. As they left the Inn, she held hands with her godson tightly, as though this might be the last time they would walk together.
~~~~~
Out in the streets, they made a striking group. The two adults wore simple but functional clothing; both wore long coats, sensible boots and scarves around their necks, much like their young charges. Both wore plain black coats, while the children wore coats lined with their House colours. Juanita wore green, while Haruka was gold, Mazi's light blue contrasting against her brother's yellow. The younger girls walked between Naoko and Sukina, hands entwined, while the boys walked on either side of the two adults. Their trip into Kings' Cross did not go unnoticed; there were quite a few stares as they made their way through Diagon Alley and then to the train station. In Kings' Cross, Naoko looked towards her sister, just as they reached the entrance to the station proper.
"Shall we?" the children stopped pushing their trolleys.
"Yes, onee-chan. I've had enough of them following us," Sukina turned to face the paparazzi who were supposedly following at a discreet distance.
"Go on ahead, darlings," Naoko spoke in a crisp British accent.
Around them other children and families were also heading towards the trains, most who were stealing glances at Naoko and Sukina. The two sisters stood as though they were waiting to be attacked. "Hey Johnny, you know better than to hide there," Naoko called out to one of the men, who stepped from behind the pillar sheepishly.
"Beggin' your pardon, ladies, but a man's got to eat," he said, holding a small digital camera in front of him.
"Yes, but not like this. Please leave us alone," Sukina's voice was melodic, but soft-spoken compared to her sister's. It was nearly lost in the sounds of the train station, but the look on her face carried its meaning across. Johnny shook his head.
"Ah well, looks like it's going to be the hard way," Naoko threw something in front of her and Sukina that obscured them both in smoke. The paparazzi were well-versed with this tactic of theirs though, and ran into the station following them. However, they were lost in the sea of people.
~~~~~~
The children walked quickly towards their intended destination. Other students, seemingly unhurried, walked through the barrier quickly, but they waited. A minute later, Naoko and Sukina walked calmly to them. Putting their hands around the girls, they nodded at the boys, who went through the barriers first, then the girls, and finally Naoko and Sukina. On the other side, they put their luggage away quickly, and then went inside the train. Naoko and Sukina followed the children outside till they found an empty compartment and opened the window. Haruka and Sukina pressed their foreheads against each other; a very close gesture for the two of them.
Juanita leaned out the compartment like Haruka, her hands holding on to the edge of the open window. Naoko stood on her tiptoes and kissed her daughter's forehead, before stepping back with a grin. She clasped her hands together with a loud clap, and slowly spread her hands in a circle.
As she did, a golden bubble the size of a normal human head formed from her hands, and within it, smaller bubbles floated, each holding an item. Across the surface of the outer bubble, symbols danced across its surface. Juanita's eyes opened wide as she caught sight of a certain pendant floating in the bubble; her godmother had summoned the Keepsake of the Mitsutani Clan, Leviathan. It took her a bit more to recognise the symbols, as it did not stay in one place. When she did, her voice was filled with awe.
"Okaa-san..." she whispered, tearing her eyes from the floating ball to her godmother.
"Your mother stipulated in her will that I could release as many treasures as I wanted if there was a need. You need this more than me, dear one. Choose a memory," she held it up, smiling.
Juanita looked into the ball, her eyes searching among the treasures her godmother had cared for her so carefully. Though the ball belonged to the Mitsutani clan, the treasures belonged to the Aife branch of the clan, her mother's line. Her mother had been the only child left of the line, which now made her the heir to the name. As her godmother and executor of her estate, Naoko would have kept the treasures in trust for her goddaughter. She had not known her godmother had access to the treasures; she thought it had been entrusted to the Goddess instead.
"Choose, dear," her godmother's gentle voice brought her out of her reverie.
Juanita caught sight of a small arrow floating in the ball, and chose it over the pendant engraved with a jumping dolphin, her mother's personal crest. She reached out and took it from the Keepsake. The small arrow pendant came with a long golden chain. Naoko's eyebrow rose, but she said nothing, clapping her hands once more and closing the Keepsake. As Juanita made to put the chain around her neck, her godmother's hand stopped her. Wordlessly, though with a sad smile on her face, Naoko took her goddaughter's left arm and wound the chain around it, doing it in a way that the arrow lay on her finger. As Naoko's hands left the chain, the arrow became a full fingered ring on Juanita's finger.
"That's the arrow of Hecaerge, one of Artemis' attendants. You use it the same way Aunt Sukina fires an arrow," Juanita had seen it many times, so she simply nodded.
The train blew its whistle as it was about to move. Naoko kissed her goddaughter on the cheek quickly and stepped back, just as her sister did the same. They waved to their godchildren, giving an encouraging to the mischievious-looking twins, who were grinning. They waited till the train pulled out of the station before they turned to leave. It was then that they saw two Aurors waiting for them, a man with a lightning-shaped scar and another with a shock of red hair. Many other parents were also staring at them.
"Would you two come with us please?" the one with the scar said. The two sisters simply nodded and followed.