Spasms of free thought

"It's the place where something's happening...though you may or may not be willing to watch it."

Friday, November 26, 2010

Gaia guardians chapter 2...

Hello there, all of you in cyberspace.

It's Friday, so it's time to add some new life to this page! 

...Sometimes, computers can be painful. So, so, annoyingly painful.

And then they suddenly get better, and its like they never deceived you in the first place.

But anyway! Continuing on with my Gaia guardians series, here is chapter 2 of  5. Again, this is left uncompleted. But eventually, I shall revive it and go forward with what I envisioned. Because I tend to envision a lot of things. And it spans lifetimes to complete.

Oh! And to clarify. When I thought I had written the series for the 2007-2008 year, apparently my online journal said it went as far as 2006. So pretty much the last time this was written was from 2006 to 2008. Which isn't all that bad. 2 years...Oi.

Anyway, you know the drill.


Now begins the eventual online journal original fiction serialization of the CLAMP/Inuyasha/Saint Seiya and various other anime/manga inspired story with a dash of mythology (mostly Greek, a little Shinto, some Norse in the sequel, Ragnarok, oh a little egyptian too) and a pinch of the major elements needed to concoct a story as the story unfolds such as life drama, bisexual-hinting romances and lots of required butt-kicking action of Good kicking Evil’s a** one youma at a time!!! This will be therefore known as…

Gaia guardians or.... Kami Senshi Earth Heroes!!!
(Funky take on the Japanese name, isn't it?)

Well, here’s your chapter 2…it’s an extra page longer than the first one. Again, I apologize for the lack of action… but then it depends again on the point of view. There isn’t enough action is what I’m saying. Again, that’s what the author thinks. But give me time, I will improve and you will see more and more proper butt-kicking action scenes in due time. Otherwise, it’s all pretty well done so far. A little sketchy here and there at times, I admit…but still balanced overall. So, take your time, analyze and review!!

Or else People will be bugged…MWAH HAH HAH HAH!!!!



Gaia Guardians


Rating: T


Genre: Action/Adventure, drama, romance (In later chapters)


Prologue beta- Young man with funky speak. Going to the flowers and peaches town, boy?


Thirty days ago, somewhere on the Shigure highway


Dark eyes awakened to the sight the beautiful night sky, complete with shining stars. The boy reflexively scratched his itchy hair underneath his large triangular hat and opened his eyes. Looking around his new surroundings, the boy frowned and looked back up to the night sky and abruptly rose up to a sitting position as he felt himself moving. Though his feet weren’t doing so as he was lying on the ground and wasn’t standing up…

The boy gasped and looked down at the gray rusty metallic floor as it bumped and moved, meaning that he was seated on something that was moving him, unaware that he was inside the backseat of a truck. But, he then looked around again and found squares of hay in front of him, with a dog sleeping on top of them. Grimacing even more, the perplexed boy then touched the metallic floor, feeling the rough yet smooth feel under his fingers. What exactly was going on here? Where was he being taken? Suddenly a laugh was heard as a little girl suddenly crawled out from the piles of hay in front of the boy, who hesitantly moved away but found himself bumping his protected head on a wall of some sort.

“Well, looks like mister priest man’s ‘nally awakin’, Daddy!!!” the little girl yelled, looking over her shoulder at the piles of hay where a window had been and where she had been crawling out of to see the boy. The large shadow at the front of the truck just gave a wave at the girl. She came towards the boy and offered him an orange-looking pastry. The boy hesitated and then quickly snatched away the food and wolfed it into his mouth impatiently, licking his fingers when the entire thing was inside his mouth.

“Whgo…hare…ygou?” The boy asked with mouth stuffed. The girl tilted her head at the question, until the boy gulped loudly and thumped his chest to swallow the food properly and coughed hard and was soon pounding his chest even more as he started to choke. The girl gasped and gave the boy the nearest bowl of water she could find; he dove right into the blue dish laid out before him and swallowed the murky water whole, making the already giggling girl hoot into even more laughter as she realized that she had given the stranger the dog’s remaining water bowl.

After that terrible experience, this priest would never resort to eating one of those things again…especially if they almost cost him his life!

The little girl frowned. “I’m sorry mister priest man, Those Anpan were quite spicy…my ma kinda makes ‘em hot like that on purpose. Says It’ll jolt ya up back ta life.” the boy raised a brow and wiped off the dog slobber from his cheek. “No worries, little one. I’m just grateful to the gods for saving my life.” The girl then started to explain how they found him; they had been delivering some groceries in the woods when they found the injured boy, unconscious and in a pretty dismembered state. They had nursed him back to health and also decided to take him along with them (to get some extra paying fees and heck, they felt generous too).

Meanwhile, the priest, who shifted his attention from the girl’s story and his moderate devouring of the Onigiri rice balls that the girl had brought out (he was now taking his time eating them), swallowed the lump in his mouth and gave the girl, Susumi, an incredulous stare. He frowned and said,” Why the nerve of you! The only reason you and your family had helped me and taken me on this city contraption of yours was because you were only thinking of your greedy selves and pitying me?”

Susumi looked puzzled and crossed her arms as she heard the man’s reply. “ Well, mister priester man, me Daddy didn’t actually say it like that…he kinda said it like,” She then puffed her cheek and inhaled a whiff of air to make a deep voice and raised her finger in the air,” ‘You oughta be able to ne helpin’ anyone in need, no matter what kind o’ sorry state they in.’ or sumthin’ in that way…You just gotta ask ‘im, I guess.”

The stranger huffed and stuffed another rice ball in his mouth and looked to the side, where the blurry trees and the road were passing him by. Susumi, now on the man’s lap, inched up to the man’s face and stared.

“…You look sad, mister Priester man.” She said, earning a jerk from the boy who looked her way but then gasped and suddenly fell limp to the ground, making Susumi gasp and jumped aside to keep from being squished by the teen priest.


“…Are ya alright, Mister Priester man? Mister priester man?” Susumi asked the older boy as he twitched incessantly and clenched his teeth, his body now hanging on the floor. This, as you can see, was actually quite unbearable, not to mention utterly humiliating to be in this much intense pain for the boy. Susumi tilted her head and poked the priest, then went to inform her Daddy that the Priest man had gone dead again.

Oh Well. Maybe later they’d figure out where he was headed.



Chapter 2- Flea.cur.ring-Maim.more.ries
(Flickering Memories)



“Um, Priestess Sakibara-sama, are you sure that this will work?” asked the middle-aged woman as a grinning Kikyo held a small piece of paper in her hand with various characters imprinted into it. “Yep, count me on it, or get your money back.” the girl replied confidently.

Meanwhile a grinning Midori stood behind Kikyo. She was holding her video camera and her other hand gave a thumbs up at her cousin and encouraging the young spiritualist with hearty words of, ”GOOOO KIKYOOO!! YEAH!!! WHO’S NUMBER ONE??? YOU!!! NO ONE ELSE IS THE BEST ONMYOUJI GIRL THAN YOUUUUUU!!!"

The girl in question blushed and sighed, looking up to the ceiling with a nervous look on her face. “Okay…you can do this, girl. Remember Ichigo. Remember Edo-kun. They’re both waiting for you tonight. You’re not gonna let Rukia and Winry get all the fan service…” Kikyo took a deep breath and threw a paper ofuda charm towards the canvas before her and she clapped her hands together and closed her eyes. Kikyo kneeled on one knee and started chanting…

“Ohyohsaisukidawayirigusuregasaiyimonikoshokaishokendaimegotendayomewashothenda…”

As the young miko continued reciting her words, electricity crackled around the room, adding to the atmosphere’s instability. Suddenly bolts flashed and soon formed a circle around the kneeling Kikyo, but she kept her ground and kept on concentrating, pressing her hands further together as she emitted a blue aura around her form. The barrier would only hold for a few minutes at a time… she had to keep herself focused on this and keep her ground. Every mission she often put herself on the line for, each one bearing no exception and all equaling importance. It wasn’t just for Midori that she was doing this, it wasn’t just for the clients she was doing this, but she was also dedicating each mission she had done for a little bit of herself.

After all, she hadn’t gotten out of Juku hell just to return back home empty-handed. This was still her job first, her private thoughts second.


Earlier that day…

“Cousin?”

“Yes?” Came the dull and distracted reply.

“Can I ask you something?”

“You may...”

A minute of hesitation before she finally answered,”Why do I have to carry the talismans, the weapons and your entire equipment bag? You’re the esteemed assistant that’s helping me!!!”

“Well, you’re the exorcist who’s using all this said “equipment” that’s on your back right now, so it’s only fitting that the medium should be carrying her own things. And I beg to differ your statement because I, for one, am helping very much…Care for me to elaborate my points?”

“I was just-“she was cut off by a “SHUSH!” and then she began while a grimacing Kikyo frowned and stuck her tongue out preparing for the onslaught of arguments by her willing cousin.

Who’s the one who set you this appointment?”

“You…”

Who keeps the calculations in line and therefore counts all our profits on our trips?”

“You…”

Who’s the one who has the luxury of taping all of your wonderful little exorcizing shows a la Tomoyo Daidouji and keeps them for future references on following missions?”

“You…? But you never even-”but again she was cut off again by Midori who continued,

“…And WHO should keep her mouth shut, do her job and keep Tokyo safe from all evil spirits like her little onmyouji pretty boy hero Subaru Sumeragi-chan of Tokyo Babylon???”

“…Me?”

“CORRECT!!! So shut up, do your job and keep Tokyo safe, Kikyo Sakibara, or else NO Hagaren or Bleach for you this coming weekend!!!”

“NYOO!!! Ichigo-kun!!! Edo-kun!!!” came the gasp then the whining reply.

She flinched and nodded shortly before sighing. She couldn’t protest against her cousin after having heard that threat. The primary mission here before all was to relieve the departed some peace and protect the balance between this world and the next. A little cliché, yes, but that was the way of the world. Some silence resumed again between the two before Kikyo looked up at Midori’s figure. The brown-haired girl, now furiously typing away at her calculator, grinned when she figured out the total price range. Kikyo raised a confused brow when her ecstatic cousin grinned at her. This couldn’t be the same Midori who had been so blunt this morning, could it? No, it certainly wasn’t her.

“So, tell me again…how much is this going to get us?”

“Welll….”Midori mused, her smile and gaze intensifying as she looked back at her cousin with a devious grin, “Food and lodging for the remainder of the night…plus the choice of exorcism matter…plus the possible damage insurance covering…that totals to about…67 800 yen.” Kikyo widened her eyes at the large amount of money while a grinning Midori raised her eyebrows up and down in sheer confidence and mirth before emitting a happy squeal. The female medium sighed as her stomach grumbled and she looked down at it. “Well, look at that. You think all that money they’re paying could do this complaining stomach wonders...” Midori couldn’t help but squeal again at the sound of the word ‘money’ while Kikyo just rolled her eyes and then they were finally at the large gates.

The girls pressed their faces to the intercom camera as Midori pressed on the doorbell and a sharp and stingy voice answered them.” Yes, welcome to the Sumirezawa mansion home…how may I be of assistance?” The cousins blinked at each other when Midori finally took the initiative to reply to the dry voice. “Umm…I’m Midori Honda, an assistant to the Sakibara exorcist you’ve appointed? We’re here for our job.” Nothing but awaiting silence from the intercom before the girls jumped at the sound of a beep and then gawked at the large gates as they opened.

“Hm!” said Kikyo out of the blue, smiling nonchalantly.”…At least they’re courteous.” Midori just blinked and nodded. “Yeah…. Let’s just get in and do our job, shall we?”

The girls entered the large house and were welcomed by the lady of the house, a boisterous, rounded woman, who wore a fur coat and a purple dress up to her ankles. She looked graceful for now, but at the sight of the two women, she gasped and dove into the surprised girls with a fierce crushing hug, directed mostly at the now-struggling Kikyo who was desperately gasping for air as she fought to breathe. “You…’re…” she barely managed to say through puffed cheeks and chokes. The large woman gasped again and quickly released the girl. Midori rolled her eyes and quickly dashed towards the client, money signs flashing in her eyes.

Yes, now it was time to settle business.

“So, Miss Sumirezawa…When have you started…feeling these eerie sensations in your art room? We have to know these things in order to identify the supernatural culprit of your recent scares.” asked a stern-looking Midori as she looked intently as her chubby female client with notebook and pencil near and ready in hand. She heard some odd noises in the background, near the site of the crime scene, but gave no attention to it; it was probably only a ravenous Kikyo shamelessly wolfing down upon a third (or maybe fourth, can’t be sure) helping of her rice bowl…and at the rate she was speeding, she wouldn’t be stopping anytime soon.

And SHE was their “Protector of evil fiends”?

“Mmm…hmm?” Mumbled a distraught Kikyo in the kitchen room as she was now reflected into the wide eyes of a little boy who was peering up at her. The boy couldn’t help but look distracted as she chewed with her mouth closed and glared at the boy before swallowing and placing her ramen and chopsticks down on the ground she sat on. Why was everybody so enamored with watching her eat so much? She was only consuming and swallowing things and after long childhood years of torture, she was finally chewing her food with her mouth closed! So what was the big deal around her eating habits? She was a priestess and as such she had to take big portions before taking on the task of exorcising the lingering!

The boy then opened his mouth and formed an O. He then poked and prodded at Kikyo’s robes. Again, something so simple yet it seemed to be so scrutinized on…

“So…you’re a miko, huh? A sort of mediator…” He asked, curiosity in his tone. The blue-haired girl nodded incredulously and raised a brow.” Your mom told you that you should’ve gotten into bed by now right?” The boy shrugged and glanced at the sniveling woman in the other room and shook his head. ”Okaa-san? Yeah, she told me. I really wasn’t listening though. Wanted to see what the fuss was about, if the person in question was really worth it…Turns out I should’ve listened to Okaa-san and gone out to bed after all.” Kikyo twitched and growled, fist already towering the boy and was ready to smack the hell out of him…but she had to keep her calm. She was here on a mission, so if even one little misdemeanor occurred while on said mission, it would be depleted from the girls’s pay and deployed on her tab, making her bill that much worse to clean up and Midori would ban another privilege activity from the girl’s rare shots at the weekend without “work”.

“…So, kid. You got a name?”

“ Susumu.”

“Susumu-chan…mind if I call you that?”

“Actually I do…”

“Hmph. Well, in revenge for mocking me, I’m gonna call you that.”

The boy growled and tiptoeing, he took a snack from the kitchen counter before getting a snort from Kikyo. “So, wanna tell me why you’re really awake at this time of night, Susumu?” The blue-haired boy pointed to the bathroom.” I had to go. But then I also heard the waiter seeing you guys in from outside a few minutes back so I stayed up-“Susumu then jumped and looked behind him when he heard the commanding voice of an older woman coming closer.

“ No, s**t! It’s the maids! Hide me!” he gasped and hid behind Kikyo who held a smirk on her face. But where did the kid get his swear words from? And just as predicted, a young maiden came into the kitchen and did indeed look like one of the maids.

“Have you seen master Susumu, Honorary Priestess Sakibara?”

Kikyo blinked. Well, wasn’t this a new title for her.” Umm…actually I haven’t…but if I ever do, I’ll tell him that he needs to get going to bed…right?” she said the last sentence and tapped the back of her Hakama but was surprised when she felt nothing but air. As the maid left, Kikyo looked down and was surprised not to see two extra pair of feet behind her.

“Kikyo! Time for the actual job part of your mission!!!” Midori called from afar. Kikyo shook her head and headed off into the art room. Hopefully the kid should’ve gone to bed now.


***


“Hmm…wonder why I thought about that,” Kikyo thought, blinking when suddenly she opened her eyes and looked above her as she saw something emerging from the canvas. By the looks of it, this was quite big. Of course others couldn’t see it, not even Midori (who was trying to film the escapade, as usual) but Kikyo could see it very well. She shook her head and placed herself in position as she pulled out a first of many weapons from her bag she carried, a naginata-like staff with the characters for ‘attack’ written on it. The ground suddenly shook as Kikyo was suddenly pounded into the ground, but blocked the incoming attack with her weapon, which had repelled the monster away with a quick force field. She leaped away and sliced the invisible attacker, who moaned in agony at the cut before a giant bleeding arm materialized and try to swipe the priestess with its claws. The miko, still in the air, managed to dodge the attack and chanting a few words, Kikyo then launched a flurry of ofuda charms in the air. They all flew down and latched onto the unseen monster. A terrible screech was then heard again before Kikyo bounded to the ground and kneeling down on one knee again, she planted her weapon into the ground and with a powerful
“KAIGEN!!!” a flash of light was released where the ofuda charms were latched on and then a large hideous monster was briefly seen before it disappeared again before the naked eye of the spectators.

Meanwhile, a still-grinning Midori still held her video camera just as strongly. She being the assistant to the Sakibara onmyouji, supernatural things like this were nothing, she had already gotten used to them. “…And that’s a wrap.” She said to herself, having a glint in her eye. Kikyo, panting, rose up and just as quickly fell back on the ground. As the smoke cleared, she looked up at the canvas and stared. Hmm…something hadn’t gone right here…she thought before she was suddenly grasped into the air and then crushed into a powerful hug by the sniveling Mrs. Sumirezawa once again. “ T-thank you, thank you, thank youuu Honorary Priestess!!!” She cried happily, again failing to notice that she was strangling the choking Kikyo who was again, barely breathing until she heard the faint order of release from her stranglehold.


She must’ve been so happy that she had failed to notice how much damage the room was actually in while all this commotion was going on.


Midori grinned and slapped her cousin on the back proudly.” Awright, Kikyo! I knew you could do it!” Kikyo shrugged and stuck her tongue out playfully.” Nah, it wasn’t much for me.” She winced and rubbed her shoulder. Midori blinked.


“You alright?”


“Yeah…I’ll be fine.”


As the others left, Kikyo suggested to stay behind to give the final safeguard measures to shield the painting. After all other supernatural beings could try and hijack the painting for their own means. That monster of earlier however had seemed to be more than a stray lingering. As she said the closing prayers and bowed, Kikyo couldn’t help but take a doubtful look at the painting behind her as she took her leave. Whatever entity had been frequenting it must’ve had some sort of powerful connection to this place…she narrowed her eyes as her thoughts again returned on the young boy of before. Come to think of it, something had seemed off about him too…suddenly appearing like that and just as quickly disappearing without much of a trace…


Susumu-chan, was it? Wonder if he’s snoozing like a light right now…


Upstairs, far from all the recent commotion below, a small human foot suddenly appeared from the ceiling and softly landed on the ground, followed by the other foot and then finally the entire body. Susumu panted as he staggered from the hallway towards his room. He pushed the door open and just as quickly closed it before sliding down to the floor.


Just then the door opened and the maid came in, peeking in curiously at the bed and breathed a sigh of relief as she saw the figure of her young master sound asleep in his bed. As she closed the door, Susumu, now under the covers, breathed a sigh of relief. He growled and glared at his scorched right hand. His hand however wasn’t the only part of him that had been brutally burned; it was also covering almost the entire right half of his body, his arm and face having been affected the most. The boy cursed at his scarred right half of his face, hissing as he failed to open his bulging eyelid.


Damn it…I didn’t think she had that much strength. I have to be careful next time
.

As they left the mansion and headed down the steps back towards the awaiting black van, Kikyo still held that look of uncertainty on her face. Midori, polishing her camera lens for the umpteenth time, glanced at Kikyo and noticed her cousin’s distress. “Hmm…that’s odd. You’re still taking on that ‘ I’m not sure I accomplished something today’ look on you. It’s like when you don’t finish a meal, or worse, you don’t ask for seconds. Are you sure you’re alright? Would you want perhaps to watch today’s taping and see what you could’ve improved?” The blue-haired girl behind Midori shook her head, rubbed her neck then narrowed her eyes.


“…Well, maybe…hey! This is the first time you’ve ever asked me to watch one of your infamous tapes! Why is that anyway? I didn’t even ask this time!”


Midori scoffed at Kikyo’s reply. “Why the nerve of you! Can’t I be of a little worry for my brave younger cousin who risks her life and limb every time to save Tokyo, Japan…and heck, even the world? I mean of all the things I do for you, this is how you repay me? By whining about incessant things like such?”


Kikyo frowned and grimaced, “ Why do you keep saying that I’m saving Japan and the world all the time? I’m just saving one little town prefecture in Japan with so many problems It’d take me a lifetime to resolve them all!! Since when was your sudden concern for my safety and well-being come from anyway? (Except maybe when money’s involved!!) Besides, I wouldn’t have to ask you those things if you just showed me your tapes once in a while, but noooooo!!! Little Miss Midori Honda just doesn’t want to show them to me because she knows that her video camera probably can’t even make out the supernatural beings that I’m fighting my a** out for!!! But she just doesn’t want to admit it, does she?” Suddenly, Kikyo froze in her ranting and gulped. Now was the time when she wished she’d have taken back all that she had just said right then and there.


But with Midori smirking back at her now like she was about to unleash the fury of a thousand Akari-sempai’s plus one, well, the Sakibara priestess who was powerful enough to send a hound of Oni running for their one lives to the next knew that she had now ran her course in this life.


She hadn’t even gotten a chance to say her prayers yet. Even worse, she hadn’t even passed the age of 14 yet either.


Midori cackled and held a very dark and furious look on her face, even though her smiling face concealed it. That was just part of the trick though. Her voice as she laughed however, was very, very menacing. You could’ve just cut the silence with a knife. As they headed home, a still-smirking Midori thought gleefully,
~Ohhhhhh Kikyo Sakibara…you will regret the day you EVER, EVER, tried to speak against your elder’s technology…you won’t ever see your beloved alchemist or shinigami on TV ever again for the next little “while” after I’m done with you…~

Goodbye glorious weekend, Hello endless nightmare. The priestess gulped at the thought and shivered. She hadn’t even come prepared…suddenly she decided that a month in
Juku hell could’ve been much more benevolent than what was to come for her in the near future.

***


A cloaked figure watched intently as the black van went far into the distance. Narrowing his eyes, the figure stood up and leaped down the roof towards the window before slowly climbing inside. Walking to the bedside, the shadow raised his bandaged hand, crackling with dark red aura. He drew his hand back then struck the bed but quickly retreated when he felt no contact, right hand still pulsing with energy.


“Come out, youma,” he called, his rough and dry voice penetrating through the room. At the faint sound of breathing, the cloaked stranger dashed towards the closet and plunging his hand through, he pierced through the boy’s chest in a stroke and rendered him lifeless. As the blood poured down onto his hand, he wretched his hand away from Susumu’s corpse and the body suddenly exploded into bloody bits. Licking his lips to wipe off the blood away, the stranger then left the room, leaping out from the window in which he came in and leaving whatever remains he had produced behind.


Later that night, at the Tsusushi shrine


Shouta yawned as he came out from the bathroom, scratching his crotch as he did so. Heading downstairs to the kitchen for his routine midnight snack, the boy rubbed his eyes of sleep and stumbled towards the kitchen. In the next room, a closed one, he overheard two voices in conversation. One he recognized as that of his sister, Midori, while the other held a groggy, elderly voice to it. Scarfing down his cookie and gulping down his milk in one stroke, Shouta, mouthful, tiptoed towards the room then smirked. Midori’s back to him behind the shoji door, the brown-haired boy grinned and swallowed before crawling down towards the room door to have a better listen.


“…Yes, Obaa-sama. She is doing well.” That was Midori’s voice, no doubt of that.


“Good. Judging from your recent screen captures of her missions, her strength however still seems to be relied from the family heritage, yes?” There was the old woman’s voice. Shouta raised a brow. Could she be the oh-so talked about Obaa-chan?


“Yes, Obaa-sama. It seems that she still uses the skills that the family has brought down and has yet to be awakened yet. As her true self, I mean.”


A moment of silent contemplation before the reply,” Very well, then. Continue to watch over her. It seems that for now she seems safe. Until the time comes, do not tell her of her true purpose. She has no need to find out yet. When the enemy strikes, only then will the time arise to tell her of her destiny. Her powers will awaken then and then the world will have a fighting chance from the impending evil when the chosen ones will all gather.”


“Hai, Obaa-sama. I will do so as you requested.” Came the solemn reply before the conversation came at an end. Midori bowed and as she left the room, she was welcomed by the prying form of Shouta kneeling at the door. She narrowed her eyes and smiled slyly at her younger sibling.


“Hi there, bakabakashi. Were you listening in on me?”


The young boy crawled away and chuckled nervously.” Mayyybe.” Midori rolled her eyes and slid the door behind her closed. As the two headed outside the shrine, Shouta blinked as he noticed something peculiar about his sister that he hadn’t noticed in a long while.


“…Say, I never noticed you without your glasses,
nee-chan.”

Midori chuckled. ”Well, I’m not blind, you know. I’ve opted to wear contacts from time to time.”


“Or maybe you never needed them at all?”


“…I just like wearing them.”


Shouta rolled his eyes and yawned again. He really didn’t know why he had to come out with his sister each time she had to do each of her little trips to the shrine like this. Why couldn’t she just do them in the morning like everybody else? And why was everyone always so secretive about these things around him? Shouta Sakibara could very well keep a secret! “I know I could,” he replied, grumbling. Midori glanced at him and raised a brow.


“Talking to yourself, little brother?”


“…Hmph.”


And even better yet, whom were they referring to when they were talking about ‘her’ all the time?


Actually, Shouta didn’t really care about this right now…all he really wanted to do right now was to catch some much-needed Zzs. And plot for tomorrow’s future pranks for the blue-haired glutton sleeping them at home. 


Well, that's about it. Next week December's coming in, and with that, the holidays begin! :)

See you on the flipside,


Suzanne Helen James.

26/11/10.

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Friday, November 19, 2010

Gaia guardians chapter 1

I don't feel like making an intro all that much today...but I have to. I must. The header I wrote ordered me to write something for this. But dang it all.

I think i'm too cold to think of much else. Darn it it's going to snow today.

Oh well. On with the show. Enjoy and comment. 

After the beginning...here's chapter 1. I actually have about like...more in store, but i haven't written it in, like, years. :P I should get down to writing the rest of it and start to write full-time.

Again, this is the original, un-edited, 2007-2008 version...which shall be eventually updated with more chapters. This was all on an old roleplaying site, and I really didn't update it since the real world caught up with me. :P

"Now begins the eventual online journal original fiction serialization of the CLAMP/Inuyasha/Saint Seiya and various other anime/manga inspired story with a dash of mythology (mostly Greek, a little Shinto, some Norse in the sequel, Ragnarok, oh a little egyptian too) and a pinch of the major elements needed to concoct a story as the story unfolds such as life drama, bisexual-hinting romances and lots of required butt-kicking action of Good kicking Evil’s a** one youma at a time!!! This will be therefore known as Gaia guardians or.... Kami Senshi Earth Heroes!!!
(Funky take on the Japanese name, isn't it?)"

Chapter 2 is coming soon, so be really patient if you want to see more…I’m working on it anyway!

Gaia guardians

Rating: T

Genre: Action/adventure, romance, drama (in later chapters)


Prologue- White cloak runnin’, where you be headin’?



Shinsui mountain temple, some flow of years back

Panting as he ran, the Buddhist priest gasped and pulling an extra burst of strength, turned around to face his gruesome attackers. What had he just been doing escaping like that? Not only was he at duty to protect the honor of the temple but he also to honor his own life that was, as of now, had been drawn on the line! Why, with the cowardice he had just displayed, he would have been punished on such acts of darkly thoughts! Frowning with sheer determination now, the young priest roared and clenching his two forefingers together, he closed his eyes and at first his voice grew from a whisper as he repeatedly chanted the powerful mantra of Suruidame, the act of rendering of dark forces into obliteration. If he concentrated enough, he could succeed and actually use the ability he had struggled to master for so long now.

Suddenly, a powerful blast surged from the ground, making the foes hiss and screech in pain as they were thrown away by the powerful blast attack and some who were caught by the light were as described, blown away into nothing and their auras dissipating into specks. Opening his eyes as the priest felt the exploding flow of chi around him, he smiled and grinned happily. Oh by Buddha’s grace did the pleasure of success feel ever so great!

Unfortunately, the young holy disciple hadn’t felt what had been suddenly coming next.

By the time he had been struck down by the shocking projectile piercing in and out of his chest, the body was already falling to the ground without warning and eyes feeling as heavy as piles of stones, the priest met headfirst with the rocky ground. Blood gushing from his wound, he tried to raise his wounded arm but the pain below was too excruciating for him. Gasping once again, the priest grunted but then weakly looked up as he heard incoming footsteps in the distance. A short boy soon came into view, white-silver hair swaying in the dusty wind and his hands in his pockets. His crimson-red eyes were looking intently at the man while his mouth was twisted into a darkly enigmatic smirk. It was pretty obvious that he was enjoying the man’s predicament right now.

The weakened youth held a face of surprise and fear. After all, how could such a powerful attack come from a boy that young? Or at least he seemed quite young to the human eye…however, his aura was quite developed beyond his years and the priest knew that behind the youthful appearance lied the face of a most despicable yoma. Monsters with only bloodshed and destruction in thought. Swallowing, the priest now glared at the boy towering him, his impish smile still plastering his face.

“…If I’m right, you’ve summoned those other creatures to eradicate us, haven’t you, daemon?” asked the priest, awaiting an answer from the still-smiling boy. Shrugging, the boy suddenly raised his leg and struck the priest’s shoulder, chuckling slyly as the priest yelled in pain.

“Maybe I have, maybe I haven’t. But you know why all your old masters and everyone else were killed, right? They died protecting a boy…”he stopped to kick him again,” As I was saying, your order was all killed and eaten because they were hiding someone…someone who you haven’t seen by the way, have you?” The boy stopped to listen to an answer, but the priest just coughed and choked as the wounds he received were getting the best of him. Barely breathing, the priest then grinned and still not saying a word, he spat down at the boy before losing consciousness and going into nirvana. The boy, still waiting for the answer that hadn’t come, gasped when his shoe was spat on and as the priest was dying he frowned and then thrashing his foot down on the dead body, the boy hissed in disgust.

“Argh! Look at what you did!” the boy whined,” You made me ruin my new shoes! I had this human avatar for over a full 16 years now and there you go ruining my new shoes with your filthy, mucky, human man bloood!!!” he whimpered and then looking over his shoulders at the remaining yoma who were encircling him, their hungry gazes fixed on the body before them.

Sighing, the boy scoffed and grimaced.” Fine, go have a freakin’ feasting party for all I care. But don’t forget to wipe your mouths after you eat.” The boy then stuck his tongue out and took out a sucker from his pocket before disappeared into thin air, leaving the ravenous youma to dive down on their rotting prey…



Chapter 1- Sword girl strikes
(Watch out for Kikyo Sakibara, world!)



She yawned and scratched her belly as she stepped in the cold tiles of the dark room before her. Slumping figure in darkness, her hand went to the wall to try and find the switchlight that would hopefully illuminate what would be the kitchen room. She didn’t really care if it was the middle of the night or if they were monsters and evil sprites lurking about; she had gotten her share of crazy things in the day already and afterwards, it was her job to get rid of them anyway. The important thing to accomplish right now was to fulfill the desires of her unforgiving stomach.

Before she knew what was happening however, the girl was suddenly picked up by the underarms and suddenly went flying into the air. Still half-sleepy to really notice what was going on, she did however, jolt to full awakening when her face made full on contact with the tiled ground and collided. “OWWW!!!” The girl yelled and jerking back to her feet, she growled and feeling her bleeding nose, she held her broken nose and glared on all sides.

“Grrr! Why I oughta!!! Come on out!!! You wanna a piece of me or something?” She yelled to the darkness.

“Surprise!” The girl was suddenly met with a beautiful birthday cake before her complete with sixteen candles. Gasping and slapping her hands to her cheeks, the girl grinned widely and her face opening with drool, she licked her large lips and was ready to dive toward it when the cake then vanished before her eyes. Sulking and sniveling, the girl frowned and looked up when she suddenly whitened as she saw the sight before her. A group of fried squid heads (complete with brochette sticks at the top with flag) soon came out from the shadows, holding candles. The now-frightened young girl slowly backed away.

After all, was it every day that ugly, disgusting, dead-scary fried squid-headed people were holding HER cake with THEIR slimy, icky tentacles?

“Happy happy happy birthday! Happy happy happy birthday! Happy happy happy birthday!!” The squids squealed merrily to the retreating girl as they advanced upon her, shaking and swaying as they started to dance. Gulping, the female twitched and decisively turned around and made a run for it, making the oncoming squid people gasp and frown as they formed a single file line and started chasing after the running girl. ”Afterrrr herrrr!!!” the leader of the fried squid people yelled. Small fires suddenly popped from their brochette sticks, matching the fires in their eyes. They were determined to capture her.

“Haiiiyaah!” The head squid man yelled as he threw a tentacle to catch the girl. The escaping female gasped and suddenly slipped as the slimy live rope caught her foot as she fell head first into the ground.
“AAAHAAA!!” She yelled frantically as she now struggled to wiggle free from the tentacle’s grip. As the girl was dragged back into the group of squid people and cake, the awaiting squids all started chanting, ”Join us! Join us! Join us!” To which the girl strongly replied as she kicked and wailed,” No no no no! Let me go!!!” The squid people all squealed and shrilled slyly as she was suddenly brought to face a giant tongue and grimacing. She shuddered as she shut her eyes and prepared for her grim fate at the hands of the vile fried squids…

SMACK! LICK! SLURP!

“Nooo…”Kikyo Sakibara groaned and whined in disgust as she slowly opened her eyes to a large pink blob lashing out at her. Narrowing her eyes, the girl then took a good look at the towering figure of fur attacking her face. She frowned and sat up, finally face to face with the animal, who had now backed a decent meter or two from his cranky mistress as Kikyo twitched and wiped the slobber off of her face and glared. The dog uttered a whine and then suddenly gave his best look as he gave the big eyes, complete with baby whimper and inclined head.

“…”Kikyo gawked at the mutt for a minute, trying to keep her poker face on, but soon after a few minutes, she felt her face faltering into a smile, but trying in vain to suppress it. Unable to resist another quick and innocent blink and whine however made the mistress grin and suddenly dive her dog in a playful wrestling hug, which of course, the happy dog returned equally as whole-heartedly, “Tsume-kun!! You…dog, you!” as she was once again attacked with licks by her German shepherd. In the midst of their master and large canine melee, Kikyo’s cell phone ringed and just as she reached in between her fingers, a large furry paw was attacking her back and now Tsume was towering her.

Giggling at the dog’s antics, Kikyo turned to her stomach and gasped as Tsume suddenly flopped on her stomach. Protecting her face with her hands as she was further attacked by the dog onslaught and managed to push Tsume away, the girl fumbled to flip on her cell and answered, quickly jerking her body to sit up.

“ Moshi moshi? Sakibara at the phone…Whoa!! Tsumeeee!!” then came a laugh, “Down, boy down!!!”

“Hello there”, replied the voice, I see you’re having fun while I’m covering for your lazy a**. You know if I were angry enough to be like Akari-sempai, I would’ve ended up calling you names too. But I’m only your dear friend as such I have to ask something very important of you.”

“…Um, who is this again-Oof!” Kikyo asked before getting pounced by Tsume.” Grrraahhh!!” she yelled as she now again entangled with the playing mutt. The girl at the other side sighed. If her blue-haired cousin would’ve seen it, Midori was blowing a casket right now. Sometime her cousin’s ignorance was a source of many questions.

Kikyo grunted and attacked her dog with tickles before blinking and finally realized who was talking to her. “ Ohhh…Morning, Midori-chan! What’s up cuz?”

“Do you have any idea what time it is?” Midori asked, her anger now showing through her irritated voice and now rambling incessantly. Kikyo winced and stuck a pinky in her ear to avoid deafness.” Whoa there, girl! Calm down and tell me again?”

“Look at the time you sleep-deprived baka!”

“Ohhhhh, that! Why Midori-chan, it’s only 7:30, no problem there…” Kikyo grinned and looked at her tableside alarm clock, when an awkward silence soon came up as Kikyo noticed the endless flickering of her clock. It kept saying 7:30 and nothing else…

Feeling an anger vein surging up her forehead, the disheveled girl frowned darkly, feeling her lower lip twitch.

“…You got pranked again by Shouta, didn’t you? Or did you actually oversleep?” Came the sarcastic voice of the blunt cousin along with the hopeless sigh. Nothing was heard once again before a fuming Kikyo suddenly flipped her phone off and rising up from her bed, fists clenched, she dashed down to the hallway and kicked the door open from the room next to her an earthquake following.

Loud banging noises and frightful sounds were heard, soon finished by a piercing scream that could’ve been heard all over town. As a now smirking Kikyo stepped out of the room with a 100ton hammer over her shoulder a few minutes later, a small boy was squirming wildly as he tried to wiggle himself free of the tight ropes and tapes that restrained him to the bedpost.

Another job well done by Kikyo Sakibara as she ridded the world of the utmost evil in the world…especially little annoying cousins.

Now the only remaining thing to do was get to school before the evil and conniving Akari-sempai added even more grueling hours of cram school to her after school program.


***


“Monschtars een tha neeusch? Fwunni, I didn’th hwear aboutsh ith thath much, wyou know. Mwidori, didh you hearh abouth the monschtars on Theleeveesionh?” Mumbled Kikyo in food talk as she grabbed another helping of her cousin’s bento lunch meal and stuffed the large prawn in her mouth, earning gawks and stares from her classmates around her. Her eating habits were also a source of great wonder. She chewed profusely before swallowing the large lump in her mouth in one stroke before adding more goods back into the awaiting abyss of her gaping mouth, quickly returning to concentrating on grinding and molding.

Meanwhile, a not-so shocked Midori just looked on from her seat as her hearty cousin was devouring the lunch that she herself was so hesitant to eat. She had grown so focused on Kikyo’s grinding mouth opening and closing with food (Or whatever you would call it in there) that she had missed the girl’s misshapen question. Snapping out of her daze, Midori shook her head and blinked. “Wow… you really wonder where she puts it all…” Midori whispered under breath, somehow transfixed on the disgusting sight in front before shaking her head again.

“Sorry, you were saying? I was too busy watching the poor things being vacuumed into your, um, mouth. Keeping with the subject, what are you going to do about that?” Kikyo blinked and pointed the chopsticks at herself.” Huhsh? Mwe? Im’mah…” she now chewed on one cheek,” I reallyh…” and swallowed again,
“I really haven’t a clue. Is it my job to get rid of every monster that comes about? I may have a talent for exorcising but that’s a family thing. After all, I only returned to Tokyo because Obaa-chan wanted me to. You of all people would know…it’s your job to tell me when things go bad in the spirit side and whatnot. Otherwise, I think fuzzy TV monsters are out of my jurisdiction. Besides, if it’s in the Kanto area, I’m sure you only thought of the monsters that were being shot for the next release of the Evangelion movie. Shooting did start last summer…they were probably rehearsing some Angel scenes and-“

Midori gasped and rose up from her seat, pointing accusingly at Kikyo.” Why the nerve of you! After all the devious plots I made up for you just to escape out of Akari-sempai’s detention hell, this is what I get in return? I think you might be a pain-loving masochist if you want to stay here and endure…that!!!” Midori poked Kikyo’s forehead and she winced.

“OWW!! Mitai!!” The blue-haired girl whimpered and held her hot forehead that had the characters of ‘detention!!!’ in big bold letters. Ever since Akari Fujisawa had become class president since the 6th grade, any tardy student or skipper who had been caught in her sights would get a yellow slip stapled (literally) on their hand. However, with Kikyo, it would be quite different. No, instead of having a slip of detention doom on her hand, she’d have the stamp of detention imprinted on her forehead and was forced to endure the searing pain of the aftershock for many hours on end. Why was this was no one really knew, but adding to the tattle-telling of her two subordinates Saeko and Yaolin, well that would be any pain to any student alike, juvenile delinquent or not.

“Alright, alright, I’ll do it already, just don’t touch that until the pain goes away!!! It takes a little while, but you shouldn’t bug me until then. Or at least don’t poke me on there before a while, `kay?” whimpered the grimacing girl as she held a hot towel on her forehead and sighed in relief (where did the hot towel come from?). Midori smirked and pushed her glasses back up her nose. “Honestly, the sight of you whimpering and crouching down like that like a little baby makes me really wonder how you gotten to be the school captain of the kendo wooden sword fencing team, you know.”

“I think they elected me for that,” came the muffled reply, as wandering blue eyes already moving onto another subject as Kikyo drew a chopsticked hand towards Midori`s outstretched lunch bento box and the brown-haired girl dazedly watched as what remaining contents were quickly out of sight as they were all consumed into Kikyo’s inviting mouth as she quickly forgot all about the incident that occurred minutes ago.

Again then rose the question…where did the girl put it all?


***


Kikyo drummed twitching fingers on her pencil and held a crooked, bitter smile as she stole a glance at the far window. She looked out as the sun was setting, and where the lucky ones were leaving the school, and were leaving the terror of Juku hell. Or after school cram sessions for those unaware of the term. For hours on end you would have two to four hours of extra study time with an assigned teacher as the Japanese student body was preparing for their entry exams into the prestigious academies and universities that would lead them into their lives of tomorrow.

That being said, that was for the usual, regular cram school rulings. Or for those who weren’t sadistic extremists wanting to keep their students locked in school revising every letter of every school subject that was applied to at school. But unfortunately, as this was being watched over by the sadistic extremist class president Akari Fujisawa-sempai, those rulings weren’t exactly thrown out the window as they were really…modified to the worst extent. What would be the usual cram school time for some regular students was changed into completed detention hell for the slackers, skippers and any other hapless adolescent passerby who had the misfortune of catching the crazy blonde’s eye or that of her gossipy underlings.

“Sakibara!” Came the commanding voice followed by the sharp whack in the head. The girl whined and touched her sore head when she was again smacked on the head, adding even more pain. “Oww!” Kikyo hissed and glared at the attacker, a meek girl with wide round glasses. Her “uniform” consisted of a suit and tie, complete with short skirt; sash and military helmet strapped to her head with her kanji characters. When Kikyo replied an answer to her, she raised her baton again and struck a third time. Even if she was also wearing the same helmet as the girl (though with different colors), the knocks still were strong enough to actually strike her skull.

“Well Saeko is only doing her job, you know. Oh, and Saeko, you should address her by her real name; right, Sakibaka?” Suddenly came the mocking reply as a blonde-haired girl stepped in the class, eyes menacing yet playful. Some resentful students were now glaring at her and some were looking attentively at their papers, trying to avoid the girl’s stares. Kikyo however wasn’t fazed or intimidated by the incoming class president; no, she was rather irritated at her, especially when Akari pushed her buttons with the little name-calling. But since she was her class president and she was an upperclassman, Kikyo had no choice but to give Akari-sempai what she “deserved”.

“…Well, I’d rather you call me, both of you, by my first name. You can’t make puny jokes out of that.”

But who ever said she wasn’t allowed to give the girl some piece of her mind?

Akari raised a brow and scoffed. Saeko was startled by the comment but when Akari-sempai patted her on the back, her loyal subordinate frowned and regained composure. “Well, looks like the baka can bark back at much as she can hold her little sword class. However, I’m afraid those petty remarks won’t work in my cram school hours, Sakibaka. I like the name and I’ll keep taunting you with it until you pass your school exams or even better yet, you pass your entrance exams. After all, you should be under my tutelage for quite a while.” And with the speech came an ominous chuckle as Akari then held out snapped her hands and a second later, mountains of stapled paper barged down from the ceiling and plopped down on Kikyo’s desk, the immense weight nearly breaking her seat down if it wasn’t already bent.

“Well, Sakibaka, you scared yet?”


You could just see the small little red horns growing out of the blonde’s hair as she asked that.

Kikyo cringed at the thought when suddenly the door slammed open and a young girl in a beret, dark glasses and trench coat came in, followed by taller women in suits and sunglasses too surrounding her. The imprisoned students blinked and curiously looked up at them, but sharp whacks on their study helmets quickly reverted their eyes back to their papers. The girl and her followers then came towards the gawking Kikyo and the scowling Akari-sempai.

“What do you want here?” she asked, her tone less than inviting. “ I’m busy cramming life lessons to a hopeless student.” The student in question gave a growl and an angry middle finger in the background.

The girl then pointed at Kikyo who was just dead-on confused about the whole thing.” We want her to come with us,” the girl replied calmly, still pointing. Kikyo blinked and then pointed at herself.” H-huh? Me? Why?” The girl narrowed her eyes and frowned.” Well, young miss, Tokyo, possibly even Japan is in great need of someone like you right now.” Akari-sempai glared daggers at her prisoner and crossed her arms before glaring at the stranger.

“I’m not in memory of remembering if she was permitted a job inside of school hours or not. Unless you lived under a rock you must know that we don’t allow students to work because it might interfere with their education and might hinder their chances at entry exams.”

“Really? Is Tokyo in danger? Of what?”

The girl nodded and pushed her slipping glasses,” Yes, that’s right miss. And sempai, I do know that rule but this employment, more than any other, is quite important to us and we need this girl for this vital mission. If she can’t help us than no one else can, you see…after all, Tokyo, Japan,” she stopped to spread her arms wide and raise her head and her voice,” who knows! Even the world might be in dire need of this very special girl who is sitting here before you, unaware of her specialty unless she comes with us!! And thus this being something of great importance and we are-”

“What if I refuse?” Akari-sempai sharply cut off, smirking slyly.” The baka can save Tokyo, the entire country, heck even the whole world later, on her own time; right now she really needs discipline and a little pressure in school. If I keep her here, she’ll be worked through the wringer in time for the next exams, which by the piles of paper on the crumbling desk, she has yet to pass on one of them.”

“…Okay, fine. This is my answer.”

And then, the girl grinned and sleep bomb in her hand, she smashed the grenade on the floor and it exploded, releasing a puff of gray smoke and soon, everyone had fallen asleep. Even the strong-headed Akari-sempai and Saeko couldn’t keep up their defenses as they collapsed lifeless on the ground.

While the smoke was blinding the view, Kikyo gasped a “What the- hey!!!” while the taller women that around the girl were now coming towards Kikyo and encircling her, they covered her face with a gas mask, lifted her desk and quickly proceeded to sneak out from the classroom window, leaving the gasping Akari to fluster at the image of the grinning Kikyo, who was waving outside the window as she neared the escape. The remaining girl, who was had backed away towards the door, also took this time and fully ran out the class, leaving a fuming Akari behind, to brood at her dupe and plot revenge before the smoke bomb fully took effect and knocked her out.

Unfortunately, when the president would awaken with her favorite whisked away, the ruthless girl would have no one else but the lasting students to play…if they even lasted of course.

Meanwhile, the Juku escapee complete with female bodyguards lifting her on their shoulders, sighed in relief as she could finally take off her gas mask, study helmet and the various headbands that read ‘study!’ ’Slackers must be disciplined!’ ’All work and no play doesn’t make you dull, it makes you strong and smart!’ among other terms and words. Meanwhile, the girl of earlier, who was jumping out of the school doors, bounced towards the stairs to catch up to the group as they all headed towards a black van awaiting them at the end of the steps.


***


Midori grinned and took off her sunglasses and beret, ruffling her hair. A truly surprised Kikyo gasped and pointed.

”…Midori-chan!!! It was you?” The brown-haired girl narrowed her eyes as she took off her sunglasses and giving her cousin an incredulous stare. Who ever else would try to drug everyone to sleep in the cram school hour just to get her cousin out of the class so that she could do her job of drive out the lingering departed into peace and Nirvana she didn't know but no one else could do the job but Midori Honda.

And no one would else be so clueless after all the saves she had performed on her behalf but Kikyo Sakibara.

Midori sighed and handed the girl the honorary priestess’s outfit and Kikyo blinked. ”What?” She asked as a gawking Midori just shook her head, waving her off to the dressing room to change.

Oh, well. At least there’s money and the supernatural a**-kicking involved; and hey, her cousin herself was still something else entirely. “ Something else entirely,” Midori whispered to herself as she opened her mouth to let an olive inside.

“Ahem!” coughed a voice from behind,” Midori-chan! Time to go, we have to meet the clients! By the way, how do I look in these?” at the last question, Kikyo couldn’t help but raise her arms to and turn around to let her gazing cousin examine her ceremonial robes.

“Hurry up an’ gimme an answer! You’ve been staring for minutes now!”

“H-huh? Really? Gomen. You look…”

“I look…what?”

“You look great.”

“Hmph. That took forever. I could’ve gotten a quick answer at Juku hell than what you took so long for. That is if I was allowed to tell the world about my little profession as a mediator a la Subaru Sumeragi.” Midori sighed and gasped as she was suddenly jearked along by her eager cousin as the two girls, armed and ready, headed out towards the mansion, oblivious of what would occur there…

*Okay…this was really long, wasn’t it? SEVEN pages total! And besides the prologue and the dream, not much on the action part and for that, I apologize. Strangely enough I’m new to this kind of story; I mostly do one-shots and lemons. Hah hah. But I have thought this out and piece-by-piece and soon, the story will come together.

So, go on and have a read! If you have time. Read and comment on it!*
 



Yep. That's about the gist of it. And it was really was seven pages, word. In 12 font before having it shrunk.

well, with that said...

See you on the flipside.


Suzanne Helen James.

19/11/10.

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Monday, November 15, 2010

We have 500 views! (To celebrate, here's the Gaia guardians prologue)

Dear members of cyberspace,

we've done it! It's official, this blog has 500 members! 

Ok....not members. Views. 

Har har. Got you all, didn't I?

Thanks again for the counter, Hikaru dear!

To spontaneously celebrate, I will be posting continously from now until forever, my long-term writings. My biggest project in high school was something known as "Gaia Guardians". It really was an amalgam of mythology and Japanese culture and all that blah blah. It was constantly being re-written until I finally published it in an online journal. Reviews were favorable, of course. :P (Why wouldn't they be?)

Though it was cool blah blah blah. 

And it's also our one-year anniversary! Woo hoo! 

There's another reason to celebrate! :D

Thanks to all who browsed, to all who commented and to all those who will comment, thanks for future notice!

And now, without further adieu, here is the Prologue chapter to the Gaia Guardians Series, unedited and un-betaed!

Hope you enjoy and as always, leave a detailed message of how you felt when you read about it!


"In the Beginning..."  (Circa 2007 version)
A Gaia Guardians prologue
Rating: T+
Genre: Fiction, World Myth crossover, action/adventure, romance, drama

Down on Earth, the end seemed near. Their surroundings engulfed in flames and blood, everywhere one would turn, they would find the place to be was chaotic and frantic. Each soldier hurled their last breath and lunged at each other’s enemy, only for both to be slain and fall to the ground. The cries of horror and grief could be heard from miles and eons away from where the true and final battle was being decided high above in the heavens…

As he plunged his grand sword within the stomach of the last hapless soldier’s middle, Kronos sneered at the sight and licked his lips. He was enjoying the last fall of the deity warrior’s blood running down his weapon and the limp and lifeless body falling on his knees and splashing on the ground.” I have finally obtained my right to rule over Gaea!” he proclaimed along with his cheering soldiers behind him as they slaughtered and raided over the terrors surrounding them.

That is, until a bright light came walking the bloodied pathway to meet him.” Alas not my dear husband,” replied Rhea, the princess of Gaea and the Omega matter. In her right hand as opposite of Kronos, she also held a large sword just like he. Her light golden aura gleamed around the room in contrast to his dark silver as she made her appearance. The smirking Titan walked over to her and raised his own weapon out challengingly at her.

“My beloved wife…”he said,” you wish to challenge me after all the greatest warriors and guards of the palace had fallen?” She looked unchanged by his threat and held out her own majestic weapon.

“I do…”she replied and gripped it with both hands and steadied herself in a fighting stance,” as in my hands I hold The Sword of unity…The sword with all the powers, hopes and dreams of our mother goddess and the gods of the world…the hopes and dreams of the humans of Earth and the hopes and dreams of the pure souls of Elysium and beyond. With that and much more Kronos, I fail to believe that you would stand a chance against this.”

Kronos, who still kept his confident smirk, charged for his wife and attacked her. She in turn dashed to him and light and dark quickly clashed. The power struggle was so immense that the grounds and walls of Gaea shook heavily at their collision and shattered everything to bits and pieces. The power struggle was so immense that the two fighters themselves were unable to hold their own as one tried to descend the other. Rhea closed her eyes shut and tried desperately to contact her fellow citizens in this dire time of need.

They, of course heard her plea, and willingly gave their last breath and what little they had in energy left to her; raising their hands up to the sky and giving out their remains of chi, chakra, mana…whatever had remained of their life essence. The Fates could not interfere but could only watch in silence…

For they knew this and what would follow here and after would all come to pass.

The two auras were equally matched, the Alpha matter versus the Omega matter, and neither one was willing to let down. Rhea smiled as she felt the oncoming flow of the world-wide energy. It felt…blissful. Kronos gasped at his wife’s growing light and was violently thrashed away and flown to the breaking walls of the palace behind him. Rhea gasped sharply as well and fell to her knees, clutching her chest hardly. The Titan king breathed heavily his last few breaths as he fell to the crackling ground, but not before in an act of sympathy, Rhea caught his fall and held him in her lap.

“It… It seems you still care, Dear Rhea…” he sputtered, his breath in dying whispers. The goddess nodded shortly.

“Why…All I ask is why, Kronos? What…what possessed you and altered your motives to such an extent?” she asked harshly.

“I…I want power…I still crave it, don’t you see? Blame if you may the primordial being of Chaos but also blame me my dear Rhea for I willingly gave into it…I wanted to feel the world at my feet, make each and every one of the higher deities in this plane to worship and grovel at my feet…”he chuckled and choked on his own words. He rose out his hand to touch Rhea’s cheek and continued, “We were opposites from the start…that is how we are…I will not give in my quest to see myself at the helm of this…disastrous but beautiful world and all that it stands for. And of course, you will try to stop me each time, won’t you?” He smiled at his last words and closed his eyes for the last time.

Rhea frowned in sadness and anger. He was right. They would meet again in another time; fight and clash again, fight and clash again until, until…

We would cancel each other out?

She closed her eyes as well and pressed her face to his chest and cried, as the setting around them collapsed in flames…

It was then decreed that Kronos the Titan king was slain and the world was in rebirth once more. For now the Chaos was no more; neither was war. The council of Gaea had then sent his fallen body and soul to Tartarus as punishment for his former crimes; they knew he would’ve had no remorse or regrets about his choices but he would still need to be trialed. On Earth, the human worshippers and followers of Kronos were either slain also, executed or incarcerated without remorse. So in the depths of the underworld the three judges Minos, Rhadamanthys and Aeacus sentenced him to eternal dormant incarceration.

And that was the end of Kronos…

Or so they thought. Gaia, mother goddess of all things and Queen of the gods, knew otherwise to not trust her son’s quick decision. She knew he would return; he had even confessed it to his own wife as his death approached! So why would he bluff now?

In haste, she reconverted all her council to a meeting and told them the possible perilous and disastrous return of her evil son.

“I believe that the fates have warned us already?” Deucalion, second maker of man, suggested. His wife Pyrrha sat next to him, ready to defend his cause.

“But why again? Rhea had stopped him once; he’s aware that she will fight him again!” Isis, deity of the south, replied. Gaia saddened at the answer and hesitated to answer her.

“I’m afraid that is not possible,” she finally said,” my daughter-in law does not wish to fight her sole enemy time and time again…and she knows of his threat as anyone else in this room.”

The council fell silent. If Rhea would no longer rise to the challenge, what would they resort to now?

Then among the many deities and gods in the room, one silver-haired and red-eyed youth rose up along with his hand in the air. With whispers and hushes aimed at him in awe and/or surprise, the council looked at him.

“Prometheus I believe?” Odin, rune god of the north asked. The boy nodded and bowed.

“As I have been the first Oracle and have been granted powers of foresight by the fates, I wish to suggest something.” The gods eyed each other and had him continue,” Could we not simply send our children to Earth? The mission will be much easier since it will be his main target before all.”

“And why should we? Kronos will easily defeat them as they would be weaker than he…and he is powerful.”

“As you all know, Rhea has, or will rather, give birth to a child in the following days…since that child has her blood and is to naturally inherit her abilities wouldn’t it be better to do so?”

The council stood silent again and conversed with each other in private to verify the decision. When they reached a verdict, they all returned their eyes and ears to Prometheus and the Queen of the gods replied,

“Prometheus, as first maker of man, the titan of fire-giving and our Oracle, we agree with your idea…though it is with great sadness though.”

“Ah, but I will be there as well to assist the child in question my queen…along with the chosen warriors of our descendance of course.”

Queen Gaia sighed and nodded. ”It seems our age of peace was too short to live by…”she said simply. As the hushes and murmurs resumed about the fate of the new generation and Rhea’s child, The Council was subsided and once more dissolved.

Days later, as predicted by all, Rhea did give birth…to a beautiful baby girl whom she named Galatea, after one of the 50 Nereaides sea nymphs who was also a close friend of hers. After the prestigious birth and celebration, the tension returned as it would be time to decide and assemble the set of seven that would protect the princess and help her in her fight against her father.

Since Galatea was the first before all, Prometheus, first maker of man and honorary kin of Kronos, who was deemed the Guardian of foresight, was the 2nd to be chosen by the council and Gaea.

Electryon, 3rd son of Zeus and Hera, was deemed the Guardian of thunder and lightning like his father had. He was also the 3rd fighter assigned to protect Galatea.

Nedeia, daughter of Poseidon and Amphytrite, was the 4th in line. Just like her parents, her main powers were water-based.

Eolios, 5th son of Aeolus and Eos, was the 5th to and third from last to be chosen. His main power was connected to the winds and the sky.

Nemesis, who was born out of a surprising union between Hephaestus the forger and Hestia the hearth-goddess, was the 6th and second from last to be chosen by the queen herself. Having inherited her father’s hair color and most of her mother’s abilities, Nemesis’s main power hails from the smallest spark of fire to the strongest blaze and her ability to manipulate it at will.

The last of the chosen ones, a most surprising vote for all who witnessed, was Aeamalthea, an ice sprite borne from the icy mountains of the north. Why the queen had chosen her is still a favoured topic of the gods.

Yet with all the chosen ones trained and prepared for, there was still one last problem they would have to face with their new children; the loss of current memories when in reincarnation. Living out their normal lives, wouldn’t they be unknowing of the secret dangers that would threaten them?

But the newly optimistic queen now had renewed hope. She told the ones who worried that there was no need to for the Gaia guardians would know when the danger arose and would be ready to stand up and fight against it.

When the day of departure approached, Rhea looked on from afar as Galatea’s soul and the souls of her future Guardians were all flying down to the human plane. They shone bright across the sky like colourful stars and she smiled as she wiped a mother’s tear from her eye. She had to watch over Galatea herself and make sure her human half lead on a good life until her time.

I myself will be her mother…once more. Her Human and her godmother all at once.

And so, that same night, Rhea also journeyed down to Earth, took herself in a human form and once more, gave birth to her future daughter who would someday save the world from utmost destruction…

But it wouldn’t quite work out as intended. Mykonos, a loyal follower of Kronos, had risen from his dormant prison and had gone to Earth. With his renewing army of Supernatural evils at his single disposal, he plans to finish what his master started and return the world in darkness.

Will he succeed?

Will the Gaia guardians, now just mere mortals, regain their memories in time to save Earth from this impending disaster?

And more importantly, will Kronos reawaken?

Catch it all in the GAIA GUARDIANS!



Thoughts? Comments? :) Excited for the real thing?!

Well...I've only managed to write about 5 chapters. XD But in my head, well, there's an entire universe in motion, so expect major comebacks from that!

So with that said, I will also tell you all that I have created ANOTHER blog. 

I thought there I was going to say baby.:P

But yes, this blog is my baby. My Twin. My Cassius. 

This blog won't be at all like this one, though. This will actually shift towards more "professional" projects, in order to further my academic career into journalism. It will mostly include a project with the local Arts, Media and Entertainment which include independent and innovative places to visit and will occasionally spotlight those who work in the industry as well. 

And also...this will also be featured in a magazine! 

Sea to Sky magazine is an online magazine which features articles of Vancouver's local arts and style, and so I've been recruited to report on such happenings!

So...the blog shall be created soon and there shall be PIE. :D

With all that having been said,

See you on the flipside.


Suzanne Helen James.

15/11/10.


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Tuesday, November 9, 2010

The Return to the Beginning, A manifesto

Hello there, all of you in the cyberspace.

How goes it? Goes it well? Good. Anyway, I'm here to announce that "Spasms of free thought" is undergoing an overhaul...into the old-fashioned writing outlet it was originally created for. Though I am still hard at work in my other projects, I am first and foremost before all, a writer. I dabble in poetry, scriptwriting and general fiction pieces. I intend to make a career out of it. I'd like to tackle whatever subjects are meaningful to me and catch my interest at the time.

After all, there is no time like the Present.

So with that having been said, I shall be posting regular posts with my writings once again and you are free to comment or even browse. But regardless, the tracker counts just how many times someone's been here, so even if you've not commented, I can still take a wild guess that someone else had the gall to browse every once in a while other than me. :P

...Now, onward and enough with the prologue!

Update: As always, my contribution to the Online poetry magazine "Young Poets" has surfaced once again with a flurry of new entries, including my own. The subject of this entry was to write Ekphrastic poetry, where you wrote a poem on a piece of art. Today I will post both my muse and the poem itself, in its original, un-betaed, unedited form.

To see the current and final version, go to www.youngpoets.ca/ezine, looking under Suzanne Helen James.

On Friday, I will post the other poem that preceded it, and also tell you of the new blog dedicated to the promotion of the society's workers in Arts and Entertainment.

Enjoy and again, comment.



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The maid and the mystery painting
A free verse by Suzanne Helen James

One afternoon while cleaning my master’s attic,
I stumbled upon a hidden painting.
Mesmerized, I grabbed it and wiped the dust away.
“Oh my, oh my!” I exclaimed,
“What an adorable picture!”
But who was the child on the canvas, you ask?

His dual locks of brown and blond parted apart so perfectly,
They radiated of divine beauty!
Who would have guessed how his hair changed so much later on!
And then I stared at the eyes...oh what a striking pair of eyes!
They say that a picture is worth a thousand words?
Well the eyes in this one could pen shelves upon shelves of novels!
But these days, these same eyes reflect everything but happiness.

After following the rosy cheeks and the pert nose,
I came upon the godly smile that shined through the whole portrait!
It was so simple, so innocent, so carefree...
If I were to see such a smile again today, it would be nothing short of a miracle!

“Why is that?” I asked myself,
“What has possessed such a beautiful, delightful child...
And transformed him into a grumpy, sour, wild-haired man?!”

I had to know the identity of the man on the canvas!
I had to confirm my suspicions!
After weeks of arduous research,
The results came to fruition.
Though the resemblance is unbelievable, it cannot be denied.

What if I were to tell you...
The cute little boy with honeyed hair,
Incredible dark brown eyes,
The smile of an angel...

Grew up to be the same man who shouted madly when his piano wasn’t perfectly cleaned?
The man who played for many courts of Kings and Queens of the world?
The man who left hundreds of sheet music lying on the floor every night?

What if I were to tell you that the boy was going to be one of the most reknowned
composers of our age?
What if I were to tell you that the little boy was going to be our one, our only, our master Ludwig van
Beethoven?!

However, I do ask to keep this secret between us, dear.
For as tempting as telling the secret is,
You must think about the fact that no one would ever believe us if we were to tell it!

So with that concludes Today's entry. To see the picture in question, copy and paste this link:
http://www.all-about-beethoven.com/poze/bet1.jpg
See you on the flipside,

Suzanne Helen James.

09/11/10.

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