Planet Aquarius

Again he followed the 'dragon', wondering who this 'phoenix' person was. He didn't recognize the title and hoped it might just be another code name like Dragon. What he'd give to see a familiar face...Ha!
"Don't know...", He told Alexis as they stepped into the light of day again.
Shaking his head, he pushed forward and made longer steps to keep up with who he could only assume was 'Phoenix'. Though stopped at the foot of the boarding point, his eyes glued to the water between ship and dock. Coden became hesitant to board the ship compromising uncertain safety from the authorities. ".......Dah-nah........"

"Would you hurry? Unlike the time at fragment time doesn't stop here. And I don't want to deal with the hag hassling me with accusations of breaking the borders." Phoenix said, very eager to leave this place. The dragon sighed and then forcefully pushed all of them into the ship and promptly shut the door behind him. Once the door was locked and secure the engine came to life as one could feel the ship slowly moving as it exited the port.

"J...Just a..." Coden made a hesitant step forward, and two steps back. Ship...It had to be a ship. Gods, it didn't sound so bad when Touya mentioned it in the sewer tunnels. He hadn't given it a second thought, but now that he was standing in front of the thing... "W-wait a sec-! Dahnah! Damn it I said--tch!" Coden stumbled on board, unwillingly crossing the thresh hold onto the deck. Once on deck, he moved more quickly, moving eagerly away from the ledges and into the center most mass of the water vehicle.

Grumbling, Coden attempted to compose himself. Enough to glare lividly at Dragon before hurrying after Phoenix, always keeping an approximate 10 foot distance from the edges. "You're Pheonix then? Just who are you? What are your ties to us and Fragment?" He expected answers now, not later. "I want to know who's ship I'm on and who's company I'm in before we leave the docks." Cause lord knows, Depending if he was in unfriendly company, he didn't have a chance in hell to swim his sorry ass back to land where he may be more willing to deal with the authorities.

"....I see that your visit to Amaterasu was anything but pleasant. And how could you forget your dear friend that supported most of the resistance on the dear world of fragment." The phoenix said with a smile completely unfazed by Coden. Behind the party Dragon sighed. "Please do not complicate things further with vague information Advisor Hyou.If my assumption is correct they are probably from a time where the events taken place had not happened. Thus, they would not know of your....situation."

Once they found themselves in the dock, Alexis did her best to fight off the fatigue. They were in an unfamiliar place, surrounded by unfamiliar people... She didn't like the idea of not knowing what was going on. Through sheer force of will she kept awake, eyes the only thing that moved. Watching and listening, unable to do much more than that without risk of serious injury.

Listening to the new man talk, she felt that his aura was somewhat familiar. But with so many worlds out there, she couldn't assume. When he mentioned Fragment though, she turned her head slightly to look at him... Who was it? Her brain was fuzzy and thoughts seemed to process slower than before. Only when his name was mentioned did she fully realize it, "......Gramps?"

The determined, untrustworthy expression melted away, leaving Coden a figment of dumbstruck confusion and familiarity. Blinking out of the awe, Coden gave the man a crooked, suspicious stare. Obviously, he didn't believe the man, but after a time he began to see the invisiable similarities. He finally let a tiny smile, creep across his face. That smile becoming a smirk as Alexis murmured her acknowledgment of the old friend.
"You've...changed...a bit." He could still see it though, that regal old man behind the dark hair and strange, feathery ears. It was quiet a change. Even his voice was vaguely different. "Don't call me your friend, Hyou. I was...am...hardly worthy of that title in the days of fragment." Shifting Alexis, he sat her more upright in his arms. Letting her see the old man more clearly from her disposition.

"Nonsense, the past is the past. There is not use mourning over something that was done. And when are you going to stop calling me gramps? I am only 40 years old now in this state. Though if you count my previous life it would be around 2600. And please call me Ryuuran for I'm not the Grand Official of Kouryuu anymore." One look at Alexis and he could already tell that things in Amaterasu is anything but peaceful. Oh how he would love to see the furious face of that hag when she comes stomping into the throne room demanding an explanation. Of course he wouldn't be the one who would have to deal it with.
"Oh I forgot to introduce him." Him, being the cloaked figure that led them here, who was now standing quietly next to the door. "He's Ouran Karosa. Adel's son. He's quite like his father you see, he even cover's his right eye just because Adel did it at his age an-" "Advisor Hyou!!!!!" Ryuuran's light explanation led Ouran into shouting, desperately stopping the advisor from saying anymore.

Mourning? Who was mourning? Coden just shrugged and accepted the mans words of consolation. He wasn't sure he could accept Ryuurans Age, though... He stare at the man in surprise. "40? Really...I thought you looked younger...I'm not sure if I should be jealous or greatful." Coden forced a little chuckle; he doubted they would understand his joke. No matter.
"Ou..ran?" His attention shifted to their blue haired guide. "Adel has..." Adel had children. He felt a tiny ping of jealously, but it was there and gone in an instant.
"It's quite alright, Ouran. We all have our habits we pick up from our parents." He gave a small nudge to his slipping glasses as he held Alexis.
"While pleasantry and socializing with old friends is...enjoyable, do you have a place Alexis can rest, Ryuu? Then we can truly discuss what's going on."

"Of course. Ouran, your place would perfect. I hope the servants that I sent over are doing a good job keeping that place pleasant. The palace would cause some complication if the phoenix suddenly goes in with a group of people that looks out of place." Ouran wasn't entirely happy about what Ryuuran said as he opened his mouth to protest but was cut off by Ryuuran. "Besides I haven't talked with Adel in a while." That one sentence silenced Ouran and made him nod, agreeing with Ryuuran's idea. "I am sure he would like that." Ouran said quietly as Ryuuran smiled. "Oh when we dock at Kouryuu from there to the Karosa's residence you cannot call me Ryuuran. For that man is known to the people as dead. Although it is a bit long you must call me Fenghuang for that is what I go by to the public."

Good, they had a place to stay. Granted they shouldn't be staying long, it was better than no place. Anything could happen. "Anything" happened a lot when they traveled the multiverses. That aside, Coden rather felt nostalgic and perhaps even a little eager to see Adel. while he still worked alongside him upon fragment, the older Adel was a companion he felt he knew for generations he had yet to experience.
"Of course, Fengwhuahng...." Coden tested the name. "Perhaps just Feng, for now." Or he wouldn't say that...odd...name at all.

Tess was silent as he followed the others and listened carefully to their conversation. It seemed that they all knew each other... somehow. The boy felt out of the loop, but it didn't worry him much. There were always times when adults knew more than they were willing to tell him.

Tapping his foot on the deck, he looked about, seemingly absentmindedly. So this Phoenix guys was actually a Ryuuran who was actually Fenghuang. Who had done something with Coden and Alexandria at some point or another with a Fragment. The boy chewed at the inside of his cheek, looking at the boat and wondering what types of mechanics were making it run and if he could recreate what was made or maybe make it better.

Salt water splashed through the air, glistening. He could taste that too... and it didn't taste good. He looked off to the side, not needing his eyes to listen. Suddenly, he stiffend, looking at the edge.

'Ah, no! Liliana! Get away from the edge! You'll fall-' He remained silent, fixed on the edge as the others continued their conversation - something about Adel or staying somewhere - and he finally relaxed as whatever it was that no one else could see backed away from the edge. Once more, he looked over at the Phoenix/Ryuuran/Fenghuang and wondered if he'd be able to stick next to Coden and Alexandria or.... speaking of which...

"Hey, what about your watch, Coden?"

At Tess’s question, Alexis shifted slightly in Coden’s arms, her arm stiffly lowering to her coat pocket, fingers grasping inside to grab something. Only to feel cloth. Her portal had closed? But… it almost always stayed open… Her face fell slightly as her arm hung limply on her side.

“You don’t have… to go looking for it… I got it… From that kid from before…. But I can’t get it right now….. Sorry”

The gyspus gave a lurch, a sickness rolling in his bowels. Settling, he turned to the shore shrinking out into the distance. How could he let that slip his mind? Anythign could happen if it was picked up by a human being. Especially with the watch in it's condition....
"I'll just have to go back for it when you two are settled into Kouryuu. I'd only be gone for a day." At least he hoped he'd only be gone for a day. He'd had enough tracking through the sewers and muck to last him two life times. He could still feel the drying goop of questionable origins squishing between his toes every time he walked or shifted his weight. And chunks of muck still flaked off his crusty, dirtied uniform. He didn't even dare think of how he must smell to the others.
Coden did not look forward to going back into those sewers.

Alexis managed to ease his sickness with a few quiet words. Relief etched across his brow and he chuckled dryly, very quietly. "That's the first good news I've heard all day." He could have demanded for the watch, but he didn't. Granted Alexis knew what things he used the watch for, Coden was confidant she would return it to him. How else would they make their secret rendezvous'?
"You just hang on to that for now. I don't need it right away; so long as it's safe. ........Excuse me."
Shifting the moipai, He set her on the ledge of a crate. Then pulled off his jacket and walked quietly to the far end of the ship to isolate himself.

Alexis watched Coden as he left her on a crate to be alone. She wanted to go over to him to see what was wrong… But try as she may, she could barely stay awake, much less get up and walk. So instead she contented herself with fulfilling her curiosity. Gramps presence her stirred up a lot of questions, and even though she knew better than to ask about the future, it didn’t stem the inquiry.

“…..Why….why aren’t you in charge anymore? …Does it have to do with…. why you can’t use your name? …..Why did you change your appearance? How did…. you know we were here?” Alexis mumbled to him as she shivered slightly… She wasn’t used to this kind of outfit at all…

“……let’s go in order. First question, I had to pass it on to my son. Two, my original body along with the name died about 30 years ago. Third, I changed my appearance because I rebirth into a phoenix. Last question, I knew you were here because that hag went to shout out my son about having outsiders into her territory. Poor Houseki didn’t have any idea what she was talking about, nor did I at first. Until she mentioned their appearance and right away I knew it was you.” Feng laughed lightly as his golden eyes went to Alexis and then to the spot where Coden was. “After all, there are only few that have purple hair, ability to open ports and have a man with robotic tentacles beside her.” Upon seeing Alexis shivering Ouran, who choose to stand quietly this whole time, took off his cloak and draped it on her. Under the cloak was the same assassin uniform the older Adel wore during his last visit to fragment. The only difference was the slight difference in weapons he carried but nothing else. Ouran said nothing as he went back to his original spot and stood their quietly.

“…Thanks” Alexis murmured, recognizing the familiar uniform. She bit her lip as she stubbornly pushed herself semi-upright. She wondered to herself why Adel didn’t show up himself…

“Gramps… I know that this may infringe on time traveling regulations…. But…. What happens with the tournament? ….I…. I just want to know…. If…. If people get out ok….” She glanced over to where Coden was standing away from the others, “I see that you lived… Sorta… And Adel has a kid… But… I…. I had just want to bring the fight to him and save the worlds…. Before… But now…. I just want to know…..” She murmured to him, the veil of confidence and cockiness completely gone, the scared kid in over her head showing through.

“No, I won’t tell you.” Feng answered with a small heart mark at the end if it could be seen. His smile had not faded nor did he have the slightest intention of telling Alexis what she wanted. “You think I’ll be nice and let you know what you want? I don’t answer to cowards you know.” He made no choices in making what he wanted to say nicer or a bit softer to her. He said his opinion so sharp that it could probably stab someone right through their mind.

The ship slowly decreased its speed as the Kouryuu port came into view. “Ouran, could you please get a carriage ready when the ship docks?” Ouran gave a short nod before exiting leaving the rest of them in silence.

“…………Sorry……..Shouldn’t have……..have asked…..” Alexis breathed out after a long period of silence, slipping from her propped up position. She felt terrible for asking now, and even worse for the response she received. She…. She wasn’t a coward was she? True…. She was scared…. Scared that she’d do something wrong and that they’d lose…. That they’d all die and it’d be her fault… Scared that people around her that she cared about would get hurt… Scared that they’d die. Scared…. Scared that she’d die. That all the work she did would be for naught. Was it wrong to try to get even some cryptic clue that could help save the worlds? She wasn’t powerful like he was, he always seemed to be in control back on Fragment… She…. She just couldn’t afford to fail….

She glanced up at Gramps from where she lay, trying to come up with a brilliant response that’d set him back. She always…. Always came up with some… some sort of response…….. Her eyes kept closing on her, it was harder and harder each time she reopened them, the world growing fuzzy and dark. Drifting away like the boat they were on….. “………just….trying to help……” She breathed out before slipping back into unconsciousness.

“….you can be a real prick you know that?” Ouran said as he quietly entered. His eyes glanced at the unconscious woman and then move toward Feng/Ryuuran giving a look of disapproval. “Oh just having some fun that’s all. After all you know that I am never kind or soft hearted with my opinion.” Feng said as he walked past the assassin and onto the dock. Ouran just sighed, knowing that nothing would change the mind or personality of the previous great ruler. After all, there were very little times when Ryuuran was wrong with anything. Within the time that he was thinking of this he arrived at a isolated part of the boat where the other outsider. “Makes me wonder how they got married and had kids…..” Ouran thought as he slowly approached Coden. “The ship is docked. I suggest we move quickly. I am going to leave her to you…..since I don’t think you would trust me with taking care of her.” If there’s anything he knows about Coden is that he is very…sensitive…at least that’s the impression he had the last couple of times he had met him…in this time that is.

While the ship sailed, Tess wandered about, looking at the devices, his fingers twitching. How much he wanted to take the whole ship apart and look at each and every device, before either putting them back or trying to rearrange them. But a look to the invisible being to his side had him behaving.

"That is true," he said, tapping the gears on his head. "I don't know how to swim... and if I took the ship apart, then I do not know how we would get to land if it sank." So Tess just entertained himself with wondering at the mechanics and imagining what he could do with them. "I need more metal." He said to himself, wandering back to Alexandria and Coden as the ship docked.

She seemed to be sleeping and Feng something-or-other was talking to Coden. The boy felt really out of place here. Though he was glad for open skies and air not clogged with smoke, it was unfamiliar to him. If there was something he wanted right now, it was a small cramped room filled with lots of metal and mechanics he could tamper with.

With a sigh, he settled next to the sleeping Alexis. Pulling out his spy bot control, he took a screwdriver and began tinkering with it, opening it up and looking at the wires and gears. Was there a way he could make this work better?

When Ouran crossed the boat to confront him, Coden straightened his posture and turned to cross the ship to gather his quarries. Ouran was given as little as a passing glance and a subtle tip of the head. It was clear Coden would have said something more than nothing at all, probably a smart remark or a dry threat, but an invisible cringe held his tongue still and he continued on.

When he came upon Alexis he picked her up, wrapping her in the cloak strewn across her shoulders. He almost cast it away to wrap her in his own coat, but the thing was dirty and stained. Irately, he put his coat back on and propped Alexis in one arm snugly.
"Come on," he muttered crassly, pulling Tess to his feet by his collar and thumping the boy on the back of his head. "Don't dabble unless you're staying behind." Ha'd have left the boy alone, but he knew Alexis wouldn't have approved. After pushing and shuffling Tess off the boat and on to the dock, Coden scurried quickly past the boy and several meters from the ship and docks alike.

Tess glared at Coden when he smacked him. Gray eyes turned hard as stone, if just for a second, before he silently complied, putting his device away. He allowed Coden to push and hustle him off the ship and he stood over on the wooden docks, waiting for whatever was to be said.

The boy looked in the water, feeling not just a little ticked off at being cuffed for no reason. He could walk on his own, he could stand on his own. No reason for hitting him. None at all. He ground his teeth together. Didn't he say he wouldn't let that happen? Whenever it did, he would move on and leave. After Lil, anyway.

Something seemed to catch his eye in the water. There was a pale child with blonde hair and large gray eyes and she looked into the water, trying to reach down and play with it. Tess was silent still. At least this area was warm, at least it was warm. His fingers twitched as he looked over at Coden and Alexandria. Then he averted his eyes.

"Don't gotta tell me. Geez. No reason for him to cuff me, though." Tess rubbed the back of his head. "It's how it always is." He paused in his mumblings. "Don't say otherwise, it's how it was with you. They just surprised you and bam, you're gone. What would happen if I was gone? Then where would you be?" Another pause. "Don't worry, nothing's gonna happen. I love you and I won't let you go."

After having a ‘nice conversation’ with the captain of the ship Ouran came out, looking pretty content. “Feng is already at my place. Before you ask me anything of how he got there already when he was just there a few minutes ago…he’s a phoenix. He can fly too.” Making sure that his cloak covered his entire uniform he glanced over at the carriage parked at the other side of the crowd of people visiting the dock markets. “Keep up, the last thing I want is to look around for you guys under an annoyed Feng.” If there was anything that was similar at this point to Adel, it was his arrogance or maybe one should call it his…not so friendly attitude.

Alexis found herself in a windswept field, surrounded by a multitude of colors as flowers stretched out in every direction. An impossible array of hues and flora gently bent with the breeze that swept by, brushing her hair back gently. The perfume was almost overpowering as she gazed around her, enjoying the peacefulness.

She slowly breathed in a lungful of the sweet aroma. Soft petals were swept up in the breeze, dancing in the air around her. Weaving about in nonsensical patterns, never seeming to fall to the ground. She glanced down at the flowers spread out before her. Lilies, daisies, poppies, blue belles, cosmoses, columbines, primroses, forget-me-nots, Queen Anne’s lace, zinnias, petunias, and dozens of others that she couldn’t possibly name crowded around her. One flower stood out in particular though, and the girl reached out past the del taco flowers and the tulips to pluck it from the earth.

Cradling it in her hands, she marveled at the flower. It was a lovely shade of blue, its petals softly tickling her skin. She smiled at the little thing, with the constant stress and weight pressed upon her, it was nice to see something like this.

She winced as a bolt of pain shot through her hand, upon further inspection, the flower had hidden thorns beneath, which dug into her skin. The blue flower was soon accompanied by a small trickle of sapphire blood that pooled in the palm of her hand. Where the blood hit the petals, it changed the flower to a deep bloody maroon, growing until the entire flower had changed. It began to wither and die in her hands, turning dry and brittle in seconds.

The wind picked up and dug into her skin, becoming cold and jaded as it plucked the petals up from her reach, twirling in the air around her. As they twisted in a bizarre array, they began to glow as tiny embers began to burn them away, soon there was nothing but ash in the air.

She noticed that the field around her began to change as well, plants wilting and dying and rotting and burning on the horizon, coming closer and closer by the second. She tried to stand up, to get a better view of her situation, when a cold, rough hand grabbed her shoulder. She twisted around, and immediately jolted away in shock, struggling to her feet. It… It couldn’t be…

Coden loomed over her…. Only…. Something was terribly wrong. His uniform was in tatters, covered in bloodstains and dark black marks of old gore. His hair was matted and wild, covering up some of his face from view. What was exposed though was gruesome, a deep charred burn running along one side of his face, exposing blackened remains of muscle and jawbone. Blood congealed over a darkened bluish gray skin, marred with deep gashes. His eyes haunted her though, blood trickling down like tears, staring upon her in outright hatred. Hollow and slightly filmed over, they tore right into her soul.

“…Alexandria….. Why did you kill me?”

Alexis sprang to her feet, trying to put as much distance between her and the ghoul before tripping over. She must have tripped on a rough spot. She tried standing up, shaking the debris from her foot. It wouldn’t budge. Something was wrapped around it rather tight. Her fingers sprang into action, trying to free herself without looking at what caught her, her eyes glued on Coden. As he drew closer, she finally glanced down, and blasted at her foot in shock. It was a hand! A hand from the ground had tripped her, wouldn’t let go! Only with another furious blast of plasma was she freed again.

She scrambled up to her feet again, trying to get away. Only a few meters from where she had tripped the ground erupted beneath her, bones and rotten flesh exploding from the black dirt. Gnarled hands clung to her, tearing at her clothes, digging into her skin. Dozens of corpses froze her in place. She struggled against them, pulling away from the familiar, decaying faces. They moaned out painful cries to her as Coden approached slowly, walking stiffly and jerkily, as if his body was ridden with broken bones.

“…..You took us to our deaths….”

“….Why didn’t you save me?”

“….You’re going to lead everyone to destruction…”

“I’m sorry! I tried! I really tried… Please forgive me!”, She begged and pleaded to the corpses, all the while trying to get free, but more and more kept rising up, dragging her down into the loose soil below.

Coden finally reached her, the entire field was engulfed in flames. The smell of burning corpses made her feel sick as the fire blotted out the blackened sky. He leered down at her, before wrapping his arm around her, pulling her away from the dead hands. His other hand rose up to her face, caressing it with coarse bloody fingers. He leaned in close, whispering into her ear, “You will never atone for what you’ve done… What you will do… The best you will ever get is the peace of the grave”

With that he blasted the three snake like tendrils into her, tearing through her to the other side. Sapphire blood pooled down her front and onto the ground. Winding down the metallic tendrils as they ripped out of her. Alexis grew limp in his arms, everything growing darker and darker. He let go of her, and that was the last thing she saw before getting pulled down by the corpses into the earth.

****
Alexis gasped as her eyes burst open, jolting upright from where she had lain. She found herself in a large, low lying bed, the blankets strewn about the floor during her fitful sleep. She tried to calm herself down, her heart was beating at a terrible rate. Her abdomen pained her, remembering the ache from the nightmare. Extremely pale and tearstained, she wiped away the cold sweat on her face as she stood up onto the matted floor, dazed and confused to where she was. She stumbled away from the bed towards a large screened door. She gently pushed it aside to reveal an inner courtyard. This place reminded her somewhat of the Resistance base, though while slightly less formal, it had a more simplistic elegance to it. The events from earlier passed through her brain, piecing together where she was. She glanced back behind her towards the bed, her body begging for more sleep, but as she had done for the last few months, she ignored it. She didn’t want to see that again if she could help it… Closing the screen behind her, she began to search out for the others, hoping it wouldn’t take too long.

After arriving in Ouran's home and bodies were settled in, Coden quickly found himself being dressed as if for occasion. His stained and soiled uniform cast away to who knows where while he was made to play dress up. Or rather that's just how he felt in these silly, foreign clothes. They really weren't so bad. Certainly very comfortable.
And while grateful for the clean, temporary change of clothes, Coden felt like it was more out of disgust for his filthy uniform than out of pure hospitality.
"You are sure it is okay I borrow this?" Coden held up his arms as he looked at himself, something odd twisting in his expression. A mix of uncertainty and distaste. Though when he returned his eyes to his company, he let his face fall slack with the usual blank, angry sort of expression he always wore.