Welcome to Gaia! ::

Chapter Two

"When I’m sad, she comes to me
with a thousand smiles she gives to me free
It’s alright, she says, it’s alright.
Take anything you want from me, anything.”
- Jimi Hendrix

“But why can’t we go after her?” Lethe demanded of the boy who quietly wrote in his book, “Haven’t you always said that the mortals couldn’t handle the sheer magnitude of the memories that she guards?”

“I refuse to be manipulated by Sister,” he said, “She wants something of mine, that is the only reason for her to take such a drastic measure. Mnemosyne is safe and she’ll return on her own,” he glanced up at the eldest of the twins, “She knows the way.”

Lethe huffed, “You expect for the scatter-brain to just waltz back here?! And what happens if she gives her entire river away before she makes it? You’d think with all those memories that she would be less trusting!”

“That won’t happen,” the quill continued it’s dance on the pages, “Sister has a clear plan, she won’t risk the waters of memories, she sent her to a specific personage, one that would not abuse the waters. Besides, even if someone did manage to drink all of the river, sooner or later they will come to this realm and then you will have them in your power and we will be able to simply retrieve the stolen memories.”

Those words quieted any further protests that she had, and she bowed, swiftly turning to return to her duties.

“I would feel better if you actually believed those words Master,” a voice from the shadows spoke.

Shi continued writing, “I’ve learned a very long time ago to not oppose what Sister does. It is easier to wait on the child to return to us, and she will after a time, bringing with her a good deal of souls that she became attached to along the way. Your duty is simple, follow her, and ensure that no one takes the waters that she carries.”

“And if along the way I run into the Mistress?”

“Remind her that even though she still has not broken the Final Law, that she is not welcome to play with those in my realm,” he paused, “Tread carefully, and see if you can ascertain what it is that she actually wants of me, yet assume that all she tells you is a lie.”

“Understood.” There was a slight change of wind and then only darkness remained to surround the young boy as he tapped his chin with the quill.

“I don’t possess those two souls, so what is she after?”

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“Excuse me!” Mnemosyne tried to turn to see the one holding her as they traveled quickly through the trees, “I was observing that battle, I really need to get back.”

“All of those memories, and yet you don’t understand how dangerous being here is for you,” her captor said and she smiled at recognizing the voice.

“Did you tell him yet?” she asked, “And I want my own memories so that I can better carry everyone else’s. How can I understand your pain or happiness if I never really experienced it on my own?”

They stopped at a small clearing and the tall dark haired man set her gently down, “I have a feeling that you of all people already understand the pain and happiness of those that toil here, more so than us mortals do,” he said quietly, “Go back to your river and wait to carry our souls little one.”

“This is a ‘good’ one,” she said happily, “Will you stay by my side while I collect more? I’ll get sister to give you some of her waters then,” she met his red eyes with her golden ones, “Since it was my fault that you couldn’t get them before, but you were on the list Mother gave me to make sure that you remembered.”

“And because of that, the world may have very well been saved,” he whispered, then knelt to brush the hair from her eyes, “There is someone that I need to visit before I go, just something that I wanted to see.”

“Is it a ‘good’ one as well?” she said excitedly, then took his hand, “Mother said that there were lots of memories here for me to collect, that most of them wouldn’t make it back home because they were trapped.”

“I have one condition,” he said, “I cannot be seen by anyone. The ones that are here will not understand that I am in control of my own actions, and I will only serve to break the hearts of those I hold dear if they should see me ‘alive.’ I won’t guide you otherwise,” he crossed his arms, “And one more thing, those that belong to your home that are trapped here… I want you to take as many as you can to your sister’s river.”

“There’s another condition that you have, but you won’t dare say it,” she nodded and clapped her hands, “Deal. Now hold still while I make sure no one sees you.”

She closed her eyes and held out her hands then, whispering quiet words as her fingers seemed to play an invisible piano in mid-air, and then the air shifted as a strange warmth came into the clearing.

Her eyes opened, and for a split second it seemed as if they were glowing before she looked at the man… now a crow that flapped his wings before glancing up at her quizzically.

“Yes he was in the other one,” she said sadly, “He couldn’t just leave you behind, so I secretly brought his firefly to you. Mother was the one guiding me back then though, I’ve never been here on my own.” he hopped up to her shoulder, “Is this acceptable?”

He pecked her ear in answer, and she nodded, “Right. Let’s go then.”

After the two disappeared back into the trees a shadow detached itself from the darkness in the forest and formed into an elderly man in black robes, “The situation is more grave than Master thought,” he said to himself as he leaned on his cane, “Already there are no less than four shades following her,” he reached into a pocket, bringing his closed fist to his mouth and whispering a command before opening it and watching the firefly follow after Mnemosyne.

“That will have to do for her protection,” he sighed wearily, “My powers here are more limited than I thought.”

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“I have to be careful,” Mnemosyne whispered as she peered over the crates, staring at the people going back and forth from the medical tents, “That’s too many.”

The crow perched next to her pecked her ear, indicating that she wait there before he flew off, and she chewed her lip as she watched him land on the top of the furthest tent, where he seemed to watch a red-haired medic as she tended to the injured.

“That is a ‘good’ one,” she smiled, leaning her head on her hands, “But it’s another one that really isn’t mine, so I guess I better keep looking.”

There was a sound of fighting behind her, and she slowly turned around, gasping as someone crashed into her, sending her sprawling into the crates.

“Sorry!” the blond who bumped into her exclaimed, holding a hand out, “Lee and I were…” his eyes widened, “Lee! Get Sakura!”

She was shaking, holding onto her arms as tears ran down her face, “They’re painful,” she whimpered, “Why do they always hurt when I get them?”

He went to comfort her, but she shrank back, “Hey kid…”

“Hey, thanks for finding my sister,” a voice said and she and the blond looked to see the dark-haired and eyed boy wearing orange goggles, “Grandfather sent me Jusoku, We’re worried about you back home.”

She shook her head, slowly standing up, “No, I can’t go back yet, not until I can find my own,” she wiped the tears from her face, smiling at him, “You can stay too, wasn’t there someone that…”

“Don’t tempt me,” he whispered, then turned to the blond, keeping his voice pitched low, “It’s her kekkei genki,” he explained, “She sees memories of people that she touches, that’s why she freaked out,” he gently took her arm, “It’s dangerous here, there’s a war.”

“It only hurts for a little bit,” she said, “And then it’s fine.”

“I'm not talking about the memories!” the dark haired boy exclaimed, “I'm talking about…”

“And what’s going on here?”

He froze at the sound of the voice, as the blond explained to the masked silver haired man about the small girl, “We need to leave,” he hissed at her, “Open the gate of shadows.”

“I can’t,” she said, “What are you afraid of?”

“If he sees my face…”

“Too late for that Obito,” he looked up at Kakashi‘s words, “You’re not one of the ones brought back with the Edo Tensei, so what’s really going on?”