Tha Lady doth protest . . .

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Pencil notes, scribbled hastily, some sections in thick pen, dated 30/6/08
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gonna try ta put down in writin what happened testerday, in case i loose it.

Spent too much time not doin, time ta get out and patrol. Thought it was a good time ta talk ta tha Righteous and tha Shadows about their takin up arms tagether against Tha Reckonin. It had worked, but tha butchers bill was steep fer tha pound of flesh they got. Still, anything that brings those two Factions tagether is good, right? Wrong. I spoke with Jon, he seemed ta think tha alliance would last as long as tha threat did. Fair enough. Tha Cybers didn't think so, they seemed ta be splitting down tha middle over sidin with tha Shadows, Portia and her crew, and tha rest. No such risk in tha Righteous, they keep a close House.

I headed over towards tha Pit, by way of tha Cat-House, runnin inta Quiet and her pet on tha way, talking with Rau. Crazy stuff goin on tween them three. Nuku was trailin me, had been since meetin Jon, none too subtle, but, it aint like she's a trained scout . . . I asked who was head Shadow on watch, got Kishi, eventually. That was good news, she and me got a common ground, kinda. SO over to tha Pit I went, getting more and more jittery as I did. Bad memories, worse fer tha ones I missed.

I got there and made my case again. Not tha warmest of welcomes. Didn't expect one. Kept my exits clear, even when they were circlin. Legion was there, doin its thing on some poor body. They had a girl up on tha alter too. She was singin, creepy, and . . ..sad. But I wasn;t there fer tha entertainment. I had questions. Tha answer? Tha Shadows hated tha Reckonin more than they hated Tha Righteous. More than they hated tha Institute fer bringin back Dimentox, and to at least some of their minds, causin tha Reckonin ta come in tha first place.

As I was negotiatin . . .i got tha fur-raisin tingle of Legion's minds in mine. "If nothing is resolved with them you speak with, You may always converse with Us once We have finished soothing the wounds to this one's soul" That Thing always freaked me out, but, ever since tha day in tha Library, Tenguska Day, I say that it showed its true Nature. Creepy, ancient, and . . . not like me. I looked across Tha Pit follr at it, and finished my diplomatic visit. Collected my sword from where I left it by their doors, and bugged tha hell out of there. I can almost smell Maverick's fur burnin still.

I headed to tha bay, catchin a scent as I went, Rizal's words ringin in my ears “when its done, we aoguth ta round all of you from tha Institute up and burn ya at tha stake.” I was freaked, and combat ready as I pounded down tha dusty road. I saw Her. With Jon, in front of tha Voodoo shop. She was hittin tha Zoltar machine. With her head.Jon poked Her Ladyship on the shoulder "Hello?"she flinched at his touch, muttering at tha machine as I ran up sniffing, scanned rooftops, corners, windows looking for threats.

Two combatants, South East corner, small arms, self-engaged. One non-combatant, melee weapon, observin group 1. Threat level, collateral damage from incoming over-shooting. I put myself in line of fire from the most obvious threat, meat shield style. Jon looks to me with a confused look "Umm...Grr...is everything alright?" as Her Ladyship rests her hands on the glass, starting intently inside mutterin under her breath.. “no.. no.. she isnt.. you lie.” I take a quick snap over my shoulder to Her Ladyship, then keep scanning, watching as I speak ta Jon “just . .. had . .a conversation with Tha Shadow command . . . Kishi and Rizal, we aint popular”

Jon keeps his eyes on Omega with a confused look as She balls her hand inta a fist, as she begins thumping the glass...he says to me "No kidding...what else they say?" Now I'm really getting spooked, trembling with combat awareness. Not good. Too exposed, Her Ladyship compromised. She mutterd.. “no, no, you lie, not my childe, she is not.. she is not...” I pause and answer Jon “oh. . . that we caused tha Reconin ta come, after raisin Dimentox and aint doin” . . .. Her Ladyship starts ta yell now “shut up shut up shut up” breakin my conversation off. I figure I need ta reach her “Lady, Yer Ladyship? OMEGA” She started poundin on the glass in earnest now.. yellin “you LIE! you LIE!!” Cant have that . . . so I turned and grappled Her Ladyship, locking limbs to prevent her striking out, just a second too late, as she lashed out, smashing glass, sending pieces flying..

She kept screamin “YOU LIE! YOU LIE AND SHE IS NOT AND YOU LIE” snarlin at me, struggling in my grasp as I sliped arms and shoulders, locking and gripping, as gently as may be without giving an inch, military training kicked in swftly. I was always good at subdual combat. I try ta talk her down, first step, "Lady . . .Omega. no, it is a fuckin piece of junk, and not worth yer rage" Jon put his hand under her chin and forces her gaze to his as he stared into her eyes "OMEGA! Get a hold of yourself!" he looked over her strugglin form ta me. I'm a lot bigger than Her Ladyship. "What is going on?" I put a foot pad on the machine and pushed us both away from it and looked at Jon "grief, mate, traumatic stress syndrome" Her Ladyship struggled in my arms, taking in great gouts of air she doesn't need, blood tears streaming down her face.. I maneuvered Her from looking at the machine and back towards the sea-gate. Jon felt Her warm blood on his hand and pulled it away shocked. Typical Fleshie response, they got aversions ta fluids. He looks back to me "Over what?" guess he missed tha memo. "loss of Family, mate, starts with an Enn" Omega growled as Jon perked a brow, shakin her head, glass falling out of her hair.." She is not.. she is not.."

Time ta go, I lifted Omega bodily for a moment, and places her down facing the sea. Tha Zoltar machine spoke, I hate that thing, so I let slip a snarl myself and bent at the hip, still clutching Her Ladyshid from behind, and delivered a swift side kick to the machine, knocking it over and de-powering it for a moment, at least. My guess was right. Her Ladyship see's tha sea and shudders, "she is not, and it is not so, and she is not, and it lies, this thing.." I shook my muzzle towards tha water "Jon, walk with me, look her in tha eye" he stared in disbelief and noded in time with Her Ladyships eyes focusin on the tanker and her gaspin "she is here, she must be here, she sleeps.." as I frog-march her over tha sand. "c'mon, little further" I try ta reach her, but she tries to pull out of my grip, close enough. I gently released Her now She was out of danger. Tha beach was empty. "i will go. into the sea... and I will find her.. I will show that thing.. it lies.. it lies and she is not.." Bad idea. "wait . .Lady . . she is away . . ." its not a lie. I don't lie. It was true. Nareth wasn't at her home under tha waves.

Her Ladyship just kept stumblin towards the shore, Jon lunged forward quickly "Thats not such a good idea.." as I dove after her as well. Jon grabed her shoulder and softly says "Omega...come on back to dry land.." might have ta swim, "i will find her and I will show them I will show them all she is not, she is not.." So i throw off my coat. Jon's grip tightend as he said more harshly "Omega...get back to the land...you will find nothing out there..." Omega flinched at the touch, shruggin out of it as she tried to wade into the sea.. "Lady . . .yer Ladyship, . . .Omega . .. shes.. . not here. shes . . . gone away" I can't say it its not gunna help more than it'd harm. But I can't lie ta Her. "not here, she is not here, never here.." she goes on and Jon sighed and looks to me as he said flatly "Got a knife?"

Legion's whispers drift again to me, sounding more somber "Her soul would not have her. She wished to be complete, but her soul refused to return. A rebirth was required..." I feel my essence manifest as a dry tumbleweed rustle in reply, in the time between heartbeats thump "not all vessels can be refilled once shattered, not all life can refill its own shell once it leaves tha nest"

I’m in a daze from tha contact with Legion as i pull my KA-BAR and hand it over, looking nervous at Her Ladyships face. It was covered in bloody tears as she snarls at us fer trying to stop her.. "I will find her and I will show them.. that she is not.. she is not.." Jon took the KA-BAR and rolled up his sleeve. He pressed the blade to his wrist and winces as the combat knife slices his veins, the scent of his blood filling the air "Omega...come back here ...look ...fresh blood.." Her Ladyship's head turned.. I saw it, too late. Damn Legion "wait .NO!" is all I could manage as I tried ta tackle Jon and cover him with meself before She reached him. Too slow. Her Ladyship steps in, snarling at me as she shoulders me aside. I see Jon fall ta tha ground as I hit him but I feel Her fling me well aside. I hit tha sand and plough a deep wall of sand as I come to rest, scramblin up shaking my head, moving without knowin, instinct taking hold as Her Ladyship steps forward, grabbing onto Jon's wrist.. He holds the blood covered arm up "Come on...come get it..." Bloody drongo don’t know what he’s doin, he’s signin his death warrant. She almost killed Poncho when she was like this last. Tenguska Day. In tha Library, the day I first saw what Legion was . . . I almost reach them , yellin “fuckin CRAZY FLESHIE . . ..”

Legion is only dark, and broken bits of once was the glory of dawn "Nareth, who is no more, will be...something else...and you may call her Labyrinth...We are not the way back to the mortal plane, but she is attracted most to Us...most to Our daughter...why will she not pass on? She is deceased so many times over, before We ever met her. What know you, shaman of Gaea, over imparting peace to the weary soul of one who sews weary agony, and disarray?"

Jon slowly pulled her back further onto tha beach, keeping her from tha water, distracting her and looked to ma and mouthed the words "Restrain her while she's distracted" All I can say is “ FUCK!” as I reach them. Her Ladyships 's eyes are still filled with bloody tears as she begins to laugh.. “little meat puppet.. little human.. blink in the eye thing...you would keep me, from my childe? you?” Her eyes glow, feral.. I have a plan, shaking Legions voices out of my head. I pulled my sword from my belt, scabbard and all and slipped it between them swiftly, flat blade on her belly, subtly as I could with Her distracted, griped the handle in one paw, the tip in the other. Jon snarled as the blood drips from his arm, his eyes beginnin to glow as well. Perfect, great. "She is not there...I'm keeping you from nothing..." I see Her 's grip on Jon's wrist becomin vice-like. Shelaughs bitterly.. a sound devoid of sanity..”I will end you, meat puppet.. and I will find my childe” Jon smirks as he feels the grip tighten and launches his foot toward her legs . Good move that one. HE might make it after all. She lurches, unbalanced, Her grip on Jon's arm strong..

My essance rustles as tumbleweed over scree replying to Legion as I gripped, focussed on saving Her Ladyship from Herself "the Vessel is only that, the Spirit within will do as it will, go to the Next, Pass on, Return or Lessen, my Path only allows me to guide, not to change, that choice" another heartbeats thump, another moment of being out of myself at a time I can not afford.


Her Ladyship snarls, shoving violently, unheeding of the blade at her stomach Jon pulled his arm in with a sharp jerk and stares in her eyes, he growls "She's dead Omega...she's gone...you won't find her.."She pushed closer, against my pullin leanin on the blade, pushin towards Jon..i kept pullin, using the flat sheathed steel as a pry bar, prayin the laminated metal will flex and give enough to pull Her off him. Somethin happens, Her body changes, tensions shift. She said real low and very quiet..”What did you say?” I paused in my pull as she releases his wrist over Her shoulder I saw Jon’s eyes take on a full glow as he snarled with an ethereal edge "You won't find her out there...she's gone...ashes to ashes...dust to dust.." Bad call, Fleshie . . . I felt her start trembling again, and took my grip, pullin again “What did you say?” Jon just repeated in a low tone "Ashes to ashes.." Nodding slowly as she asked “dead? Nareth? my Nareth? my lamb?” I just leant in close over her, sword still slipped in place as a prybar, sheathed and bending Jon looked up at me, I don’t know what was in his eyes, but he looked back to Her. He nodded slowly once more.

She shook her head.. “dead.” Her arms darted out again, reachin for Jon's arm as Denny decended from tha sky nearby. Jon’s wound slowly closed with dried blood around it. He tilted his head to the side ta look to Her. I just leaned his head in close over the top of Her Ladyship’s shoulder and starts to pull again on my makeshift prybar. Not enough. She tuged him forward.. “ My Nareth. Dead.” I’m pantin at the strain, She lurched forward and all of a sudden realised what's holdin her back.. Me. She shoved hard, backwards, into me, windin me, but I still got my grip, still got Her from behind, away from tooth and claw, I’d take Her by tha neck and shake Her if I was gonna kill Her, prime position fer ambush kill. Never in a million lifetimes could I do that. I hesitated. She didn’t She turned, shoving me with one hand, Her other still gripped on Jon's wrist. Blood was a bigger attraction than smackin me down. She looks back to Jon, staring at his wrist..


Legion nods, swaying in a night breeze, swarming momentarily, and forming a flash of a vision of the figure of Raven, dispersing as quickly with a guttural caw, whispering "Grr, you are aligned with psychopomp such the soul shall end out one place. You know, and accept psychopomps other, that ferry souls to other sunless lands--other sunless lands more fitting the soul ferried?" The unseen impression of Raven shakes it's head, sighing with the sound of many winds, all to the south...all to winter...all to end times, and sleep, sad at the loss of creation. The next words whispered are twinged with agony, sounding on the verge of tears for the epic hero died early "We shall love you to ferry her elsewhere. We shall adore your being for bringing her from darkness to happy hunting grounds, or dreaming time" The voices are more and more, multitude upon multitude, and expanding, in pain without panacea, in pain...and into night "We shall beg you to bring her from the cold and lonely night...."

I staggered, Legion had cut me deep, deep ta my soul. Legion brought forth Raven, the Watchman of the Passed. Raven had asked of me a boon. Me. ME who had sent so many over the waters without a second thought. That was the longest heartbeat I can remember. I staggered. Sheathed sword slipped from my numb paws as She twisted below me, off balance for a moment on the shifting sand Jon stared up once more and growled "She's gone...now let go or do something...either way snap the hell out of it.." Bloody fool of a Fleshie, I’m out of it, I cant help him, couldn’t be feel that ? Her Ladyship growls at him “do something? well, that's permission if ever I heard it”. I manage ta recover enough sense ta put a paw on Her shoulder to pull her as he readjusts his balance. My second big mistake. I’m fast, I got fast reflexes, I see things as they are, as they will be, and all I could see was Her slender wrist loomin closer and closer, and tha back of her fist comin around ta tha side of my muzzle. I could hear her snarl. I heard tha thud, tha crunch, tha shatterin of bones in my head, and jaw, neck. I didn’t feel anything. That was nice, just got ta go fer tha ride.

I was conscious as I watched the sand slide under me like clouds as I flew across tha beach. I could hear tha waves breakin like a roar of a waterfall. Real peaceful, it was. I wondered what Raven thought I could do fer Nareth, fer Labyrinth. I wondered if Her Ladyship was gonna be mad at me fer haulin her around like a sack of potatoes. I hit tha sand, digging my own little crater, shiftin ta my birth form. I heard Her Ladyship say, real far away “Do something, do something he says. Does this qualify?” I wondered where My-She was and what we were goin ta have fer dinner, after we had our fun.

My essence’s connection with Legion got cut off with a flash of Omega's knuckles and red, then blackness, and the sound of waves. I wonder if it felt it too.

I woke in tha Library. Her Ladyship holding me in her lap. I was still in breed form. It had been hours. She carried me back and held me till I woke up. She wasn’t mad at me. So sad. She hugged tha Central Pillar where Nareth once stood. Channelin rage, pain, fear, anger.

Tenguska.

I’m goin ta bring her back.