The Climax of A Place to Call Home

Not a second could be wasted. Every second ticked past in Blade's mind as he dashed full speed through the coordiors of the castle. The fastest way to the ventilation station was through the Castle's sewer systems; the most immediate and blunt access to which was through the well in the very courtyard they arrived in.

Reaching the third balcony window of that very courtyard, he put the word blunt to effective use by shooting the window in and diving out of it without a hint of reservation. Blowing off the small wooden roof of the well with a well placed shot on the way down, he plunged straight in with deadly accuracy, kicking out to slow his descent by having his feet drag against the walls. There was little speed left to injure him as he hit the shallow river in the tunnels below, which were more than pig enough to continue dashing through. Whistle was still right behind him, but captain Wave was taking his swee time. It didn't matter; he knew where to go.

He didn't have time for words when he burst into the control room; the two guards that were there were both dead before they hit the ground, an echoing bang from the magnum silencing one and a wickedly thrown sword pinning the other to a wall like a rag doll. He skidded to a halt at a canister that was tubed to one of the main vent fans; with two minutes left on the timer.

He gritted his teeth, trying to decide how to defuse this "bomb", when the captain finally caught up with him, stopping to catch his breath.

"The... the tube... it's unpressurized, pull it off and then... then cut the power on the timer."

"Is there no failsafe that will trigger it automatically?"

"None... it's just a barrel with a timed release cap."

Blade did what the captain suggested, pulling the tube away from the ventilation shaft and then cleanly ripping off the timer mechanism, tossing it to the side before putting a bullet into it for safe measure.

With that done... this would have to be disposed of. "Captain, see that this barrel is completely and safely neutralized. I have more business to attend to."

"Yes, my lord."

With that, he beckoned to Whistle and ran off back into the tunnels. He had to reach the Main hall...

Something didn't feel right.

---

It was only a short walk to get to the larger landing balcony where the dropship Talon spoke of awaited. Grinning madly, he turned around once they reached the point where the electrical field could bring them no longer. He drew his rapier again, and two guards came to flank him.

"And now, we leave." The electical field dropped... partially. Only Hope was exposed. "So sorry, Dark Snow, but I'm afraid you'll have to stay here with the gas. I'll be taking your sister now." he looked to the Light, his grin only strengthening. "Now, you can come quietly, or we can force you. Now that you're travellers implant has been completely ruined by the electrical contact... you'll be going nowhere except with me." All of the doors leading out of that room slammed shut almost immediately with blast shutters that looked thicker than the walls surrounding them.

Winnie held on tight, wide eyed, not certain why her mate was in such a hurry, but it didn't stop the mouse from digging her clawed toes in and holding on very, very tightly. Her reaction to his shooting the windows out was a partial deafening and confusion as to why he was breaking yet more of her castle. Their castle now even! She was getting the castle structure tested for soundness!

Then he went out the window. Did he not realize how far up they were! They were going to die. Splat. Wing and Blade pancakes, and hey, that would certainly take care of TALON! She was going to die. She was going to die.

Please. Please please please please please!

Another loud bang and things got dark, which only served to terrify her more until SPLASH!

The were in the sewers. Oh dear goddess, it stank, and the poor battered feeling Queen merely hung on as he dashed through the sewers to the control room she hadn't even known existed. She really needed to further explore her castle. Before she could process what happened there was another shot, and a flash of metal and there were two bodies.

Four. Four counting the lights who would have died also. She hated battle.

The queen listened, not certain of anything but that now Blade was dealing with a bomb of some sort. Maybe it was a super powerful nuclear bomb or something that would have destroyed the castle even further? Blade took care of business, and she stuck her mousy little nose against his neck in a proud kiss, before they took off once more.

That's it. She was getting the whys of this business out of him once this was over with. This was all much too confusing her her own good. Plus two men had just been killed, and she may have been a little in shock from their deaths and the others she had witnessed this day. Maybe a little.

--

Hope barely heard Snow, so concentrated was she on getting out. But she did still hear it, and it merely broke the large feline's heart further. All she could do was pray that she hadn't fractured their relationship badly enough that Snow no longer wished to be her twin. With the serum apparently completed, it would even be an option. She could, she supposed, survive that. As long as Kendra was okay. Kendra, Henry, Rachel. They were all in so much danger now. Why did she have to drag them into this war!

She was calming down now, or perhaps too weak to keep going on, realizing the futility of her actions. Either way, she heard Snow's every single word. Oh really? Her eyes narrowed, but she controlled herself well, sitting down and swaying, ignoring the foul stench of burnt fur and flesh. She would heal, in time. Bow could help, no doubt. If not, then she'd scar, but she didn't care. Scars could be hidden.

How the communicator worked was a mystery, but it likely had to do with Kendra's astounding engineering skills. Her mate was a goddess among inventors as far as the shifter was concerned.

She screamed once more in outrage, just to make the point that she was not going to just give in, and then began to roughly lick one of her wounds in an attempt to sooth it while they moved forward. He couldn't touch Kendra. She was as safe as safe got, and there was always the safe room, and what's-his-face would keep her safe, and if not, she'd tear him limb by limb apart. With her teeth.

She didn't bother paying attention as they walked, though she stumbled more than walked. Right. Giant electrical cages were bad things to slam into, and it wasn't going to happen again. As they came to a halt, the shifter glanced at Talon impartially and sat down, licking her wounds once or twice before weekly transforming back to a human shape.

"You're kind of a bastard." She told him as she stumbled closer, pulling the needle out of her pocket and concealing it in her hand. She tripped once or twice on the way over, though she continued talking, mostly to focus. "You realize I won't consent to anything, right? Also, that was very melodramatic, with the doors shutting."

She tripped, falling against him, both hands in fist, concealing the fact that one held a needle that should sink into his flesh, had she tripped just right. She was good at tripping. Unless he dodged or moved somehow, it would do just that. The light, if the needle connected, would smile sweetly, stand on her toes, and whisper in his ears.

"Fuck you."

Take that. Lights can't handle it. Harmless were they? He had about ten seconds before that knocked him out and he stayed down. Hopefully he would fall over and land under her though, as the shifter wasn't certain she could move.

In this, his obsession would serve her well. the guards would have no doubt been ordered not to hurt her, and to wait to kill her twin until after the place was gassed.

Crap! The gas! It hit Hope hard, and should the stab and injection be successful, she would likely start to move to one of the guards to force them to release her twin. But then she would stop, and simply stand there. Very well. It wasn't as if Snow particularly cared anymore, or that there was much of a bond. Months could not restore what was missing for over 250 years. Besides, the twin bond must not be that big of a thing, not really. Darks didn't care.

Not that she knew, at least.

A wide-eyed Talon slowly collapsed to the floor.

It took far too late for the guards to realize this was not simply the tired collapse of the Light onto the ex-First Dark. No, when the needles were shown, it all became abundantly clear what had just happened. As the limp body struck the floor, both guards drew their weapons, unsure how else to act other than to simply kill the two Anona's...

The immense power of Snow's electrical magicks were enough to strain the field so much it seemed as bright as a sun for a few moments; but eventually, the entire building seemed to lose power for a moment and the field flickered out with it. Lights flickered as the power-net of the palace groaned in protest.

Blade, Winnie and Whistle were still too far away, the former searching the castle frantically with little sign of the Anona's destination minus the bodies left in the Grand Hall.

Hope weakly lay on top of Talon, catching her breath. Electricity was bad. Throwing yourself into it was even worse. The shifter stealed herself, and pushed her body off of the former First Dark's body, using her septum to support her weight as she stood. The elation of the moment was hampered by the knowledge the Kendra and the kids were under attack. Snow's brilliant electrical display was not ignored, as the Light watched the build up and fall of the cage holding her Dark, with some level of satisfaction. The flickering lights didn't bother her too much, but she knew that she was dependent on her twin to protect her now. She glanced at the two gurds, uncertain how to handle this.

"I swear to the goddesses if you attack me, I will not be happy." She told them, swaying on her feet, the spetum all that was keeping her upright. White knuckles clutched tightly to the wood of the pole, desperately needing the support. "I'm the Director of the Travelers. Do you really want to mess with someone who can just teleport behind you and stab you with what I stabbed him with? I have two more needles." It was only half an idle threat, as she did have two more needles. Hope wasn't teleporting anywhere. She would need to call for assistance to get them out of here as it was. She needed to get home to check on Kendra.

They're safe my Light.

Kendra! Who's safe! Kendra!

She cried out mentally, eyes wide. Then the pain came. The light gasped as the first touch of it carressed her, then fell to her knees when the totality of it slammed into her, the first touch the only warning. Hands grasps her head on either side, as Hope screamed loudly. Ripping! It was ripping, her mind was tearing in two. Her body began to shake violently, almost convulsing, spetum clattering to the floor as the shifter contineud to scream, not ceasing the anguished sound.

It hurt. It hurt, it hurt! Ithurtithurtithurtithurt!

Kendra! Kendra!

Mindlessly, Hope continued to scream, as the pain, mostly mental, tore apart her mind and ripped into her heart. Oh Goddesses. Would the pain never end?

Kendra!

~

Winnie didn't know where they could be. She had picked up on the fact that the Anona twins were missing however, as clear as day. The two bodies in the front hall illustrated that. The shifter queen had no clue where they could be, but no doubt Talon had some sort of nefarious plan, and had lured them somewhere. The flickering of the lights worried her, but she would be fine. Though she was tired of the battering her poor castle was having to deal with. She lived here, after all; when she wasn't in hiding.

Snow, she trusted not to be lured too easily, but Hope was harder to predict, and more easily swayed to rashness. So the mouse-queen turned her attention to her ears, hoping to find some clue. It wasn't hard. A mouse had much better hearing that a human, and at the scream, the queen turned her attention sttraight to the hanger. Of course! Talon would want out of here, too! The queen jumped off the back of Blade's shoulder, so he would step on her and shifter back to a human shape as fast as possibly.

"Blade! The hangar, I heard a scream!" The queen told him, already running towards it, though at a speed Blade and Whistle would easily beat. She didn't want to be in the lead for this. Just in case.

Blade's ears were quickly tuned to the echoes of the scream after Wing brought it to his attention. He was running so quickly that in order to change direciton, he had to plant his foot on the wall next to him to kick off in the other direction. He only needed to look back at Whistle to tell her to stay behind with Wing if she fell behind... the First Dark was certain that the time he had was short and he couldn't stand to wait.

When he spotted the heavy steel shutters, his sprint didn't slow. Instead, he drew his sword, which began to glow with intense magical heat. Only a yard short of the door, he kicked off, letting loose a spin that send the sword crashign into the shutter with a devastating force, ripping through it like tissue paper and tearing the shutters asunder. They gave in, letting him advance into the room at still full speed. He arrived to the right side of Hope behind one of the two guards, who he tackled full on, not having the time to slow down. Rolling across the floor with his victim who shouted in surprise, he slammed the unfortunate dark against the far wall, and angrily shoved the sword into his gut.

The second guard, caught off guard still from Talon's fall and at a loss for ideas, instead ran to make a break for the ship, trying quite foolishly to break through Snow's defensive line, a thick broadsword raised in unprofessional panic.

Hope continued to scream, though her voice was weakening now, throat stressed from the strength and duration of her screaming. The screaming stopped as Hope grew unable to go on anymore, instead sobbing loudly in torment, more than clearly distraught. There was a vaste emptiness in her, and it seemed to have sunk into her very being, the missing pieces and missing feeling leaving her bereft. Cast out to wander, Hope was lost, anchorless without her mate.

The shifter woman continues to sob loudly, unresponsive to any sort of outside stimuli, unaware of Snow's arms around her, or Blade's presence. Between sobs, her damaged throat cried out, the sound barely understandable. Her throat had been damaged by the screaming, but the shifter had no energy to fix the damages herself.

"Kenny....Kenny....." She cried, using her pet name for the woman she loved. She cried this out between sobs repeatedly, desperately seeking relief and searching for the bond between them. Nothing. Nothing! Dimensions apart and worlds away she should have at least been aware of Kendra, but there was nothing there.

Kenny! She cried fruitlessly, recieving no answer, or even a sense of the message being recieved. There was nothing on the other end. Nothing at all.

Where was her mate? Why wasn't she responding? Why couldn't she feel her!

~

Winnie didn't fall behind, keeping up admirably, though she stared in shock and puased momentarily as Blade destroyed the protective shutters of the hanger bay. So much for indestructable safety! That was it, she was getting every single security measure examined and fixed!

The queen made her way into the hanger, staying back until the guards were taken care of, the entire time her eyes on Hope, wide and horrified. What had happened to the hardy Hope, able to bounce back in seconds? What had happened to the Light Wing has ensured would grow strong and able?

Why was Hope so broken?

Blade pulled his weapon out of his limp victim, standing and shaking the blood pour off of it before turning to face the other dark. "The gas emitters are deactivated and the throne room is secure. The castle guard recognizes me as the First Dark." He sighed deeply. It was a long battle but...

"It's over... but at what cost?" he noticed Hope's expression and he immediately feared what happened. Still, he had to be the first to break the news to anyone who had any doubt.

"The manor must have been attacked." he said quietly.

The much smaller Whistle came in behind him in a much less explosive manner. "My badge has picked up the recconnection of Shield, Wave and Strike. Steph must have been successfull." She didn't look at Hope; hell, she didn't want to. She saw that exact look in the eyes of so many before; the look that haunted her nightmares to this day. Instead, she proceeded towards the dropship. She knew her orders...

Which Blade reitterated. "Snow, you should go back to the manor. As strong as Hope is... what is probably there is.... not for her eyes. We can safekeep her here if you prefer." While saying this, he approached the fallen Talon and kneeled next to him. His hand reached to the ex-First Dark's neck, and yanked off a thin silver necklace with a golden emblem on it, snapping the weak chain.

"This is mine..." he whispered to himself. The Erutin Ruler's emblem; their equivilent to a crown.

The sobbing slowed, but Hope clung tightly to her twin, unwilling to let her go. She moved as her twin moved, uncaring of whether they sat or stood. She was too shell shocked to even notice her sister fend off the attack, but that was okay.

Futilely, she attempted to teleport, to transport, but nothing happened. It wouldn't matter, her fogged brain told her, she didn't have the maps. Without the maps, she'd be blind, and end up nowhere.

Kendra was the only thing on her mind as she fought to regain her senses. Slowly, tongue slurring the words, Hope spoke. "Snow?" She dragged out her sister's name, just slightly, her voice thick with suppressed tears. She was clearly not well.

"Gotta go home. Can't" She sobbed, clinging tighter. "Can't feel Kenny." In her mind there could be no worse news. She sobbed and tightened her white knuckled grip. "Can't Port."

Which meant unless they grabbed one of the Traveler's, or used a Gate, they were effectively stranded. Very effectively stranded. Hope had never anticipated anything like this occurring. The woman was torn to pieces, and hadn't planned more than Porting everyone back home herself not expecting the electric attack from Talon.

As Blade's words penetrated the fog of her mind, Hope shook her head slowly. The notion of not returned alarmed her, enough to allow her coherency to return, though her speech was still slow, thoughtful. Tear ran down her cheeks slowly, ignored. "I'm going. Won't give Traveler permission if not going." She spoke quietly "I'll shut down the gates."

She could do it too. Devastated or not, she was the Director of the Traveler's. Inter-dimensional travel was her domain dammit.

Wing, who had quietly been watching, stepped forward.

"I'm sorry Hope. I can't allow that. Allow Snow and perhaps Whistle to go first, to insure that its save at the very least. You know they can handle themselves." The Queen spoke with and air of finality, and Hope's eyes filled with further despair, breaking the gentle Queen's heart.

"I promise. The minute they say it's safe. Gather a Traveler here and send them now." She insisted quietly, and Hope sighed and reached a hand to her implant, then looked upset. Wing quickly deduced why and quietly touched the side of her head, sending a quick distress call to her personal Traveler.

The Dark appeared immediately, kneeling before Wing. He didn't look around, or check his surroundings at all. It wasn't his business, and he was well aware of the rioting. But his loyalty was strictly, one hundred percent to the Queen.

Wing smiled down at him. "Spiral. I need you to take Dark Snow and Dark Whistle to Wing City, Terra. The name of the place is simply Home. Director Hope lives there, and we believe it may have been attacked."

Spiral stood, and took a small staff out of its holster, before pulling it out and extended it to it's long form. "Your will be done, my Queen. And...thank you for returning."

Wing smiled at him. "I'm very glad to be back. There will be a great many changes. I may often be escaping the upheaval to go to this place also if it is still...suitable." she murmured to him, before going to join Blade, and 'help' him put on the ruling necklace. "I have to properly crown you, you know. It's ceremonial, but you must do it."

Blade gave a small smile to his queen when she wrapped the necklace around his neck, bowing his head to make it easier. "I always hated ceremonies, but I suppose this one will be difficult to skip." Not that he had much ground to complain, considering the situation. "For now, we have more pressing matters to deal with."

That in mind, he turned towards Snow and her sister again. "Then go with Spiral back to the manor; it is ultimately your choice after all, Snow, as her Dark." He looked around at the carnage, which was mostly quiet now. There were no guards to be found; just their conversation, scuffling, and the humm of hangar instruments. "I cannot go back. Not yet. There is too much to do if we are to end this civil war quickly and decisively. I feel as though I'm going to be spending the next few months on the move to make sure everything settles. Whistle, though...." he turned to the younger Dark. "She will go with you; the rest of your team should be with Grey right now as well."

"And Snow... never forget what your badge means. I would be honored to have you at my side as part of my Royal Guard if you would find will to return. There will always be a place for you here." He then gestured to Spiral.

"Goddesses go with you and..." his voice quieted. "... and may Skrona have mercy."

Hope ignored the crushing grip and the forming bruises, in favor of holding onto her twin. Slowly, she stood of her own power, and looked to Winnie. "My Queen. I'm sorry, but I'm going too. I know both of our safety is important, but I'm a trained fighter. And She's. My. Mate." She ground out, "Spiral, get over here. I can't Port right now, but I can give you the power to take all four of us at once. You'll be in charge of the destination. My implant is destroyed." She admitted. Spiral's eyes went wide and Hope shook her head, silencing him on the matter.

The Dark grasped Hope's shoulder, and the Light still held her twin tightly. Spiral's other hand was held out for Whistle to take. Hope cuddled against Snow. She would need to be with

"Forgive me, my queen. I can't not save my mate." She apologized.

Winnie stared at the Rebellion's Leader and nodded. "Alright. Don't you dare get killed. I need you still." She murmured, sticking close to Blade. "Lona bless." The queen held her king's hand, clearly worried.

Hope smiled as Spiral grabbed Whistle's hand and the two pulled Snow and Whistle with them to the Home, Hope lending Spiral enough strength to carry the extra passenger. Spiral, unused to this, or transporting so many, merely concentrated in taking them there, allowing Hope to control the power flow.

Hope needed to get home. Something was wrong with her Kenny. Kenny and the kids were in trouble.

Winnie watched them go, clinging to Blade. Stealing herself, she tugged his hand. "Quickly. Quickly let's go. The guard can be our witnesses, but I want you quickly made very official." She kissed his cheek, needing the comfort and and began to tug again, knowing they'd go nowhere if he wanted to stay here.

Allowing one arm to be tugged by his mate, Blade used the other to reload his oversized magnum, snapping the magazine shut and holstering it. "If we must so soon, then to the throne room we go." The tugged arm instead wrapped around and hooked hers in. "But we can't take long if we're to do it now... there's much work to be done."

And blast, there would probably be much work to be done for the rest of his days. Did he regret it? Not for a moment.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

After being certain that the premises of the home was clear, Steph finally lowered his rifle, but his heart beated quickly still. She was gone. "Any sign of her?" Steph said before taking a deep breath and taking a seat inside of the now cleared safe room. The person on the other end of the comms, Mina, had already taken the unconscious children to the living room.

"Nothing. All is quiet. Not even much sign of a struggle. Looking at the tracks through the house, they left as quickly as they came. I can't tell if they took her but..."

"If she's not here..." Then, his heart lightened a bit when he felt Snow's presence so suddenly, but the lifted burden was a small one. If Snow had returned, then so did Hope... and god knows what kind of shape she was in if anything happened to Kendra and she felt it. "Keep a look out; the others are back... I have to break the news."

He headed towards the living room where he felt Snow port in. Sure enough, he found the strange traveller with Hope, Snow and Whistle. He didn't know what to say first, his gun slinged lightly at his side. All he could manage is a shake of his head.

Unaware of more than that there was trouble in Hope's home, Winnie smiled weakly at her mate. "There will always be a lot to do. Ruling take twenty, not two. Only we have to make up for the other eighteen."

Everything would be okay now, the queen decided. Everything would be okay.

~

Hope stared in shock, then looked to the children. Wide-eyed, her head moved first left then right as she surveyed the room, hoping for something at least. Some sign. But there was nothing.

The shifter woman began to shake then dashed to the safe room, tripping and stumbling in her exhaustion, but needing desperately to see for herself. No! No no no! Kenny had to be there. Even if. Even if the worse ever had happened, she had to be there! Had to! A body at the very least.

The woman opened the safe room door, searching the small room over desperately. Kenny! Empty. It was empty of all things, and looked as if the chldren hadn't even been there at all.

Shaking, she sunk to the ground wide eyed, staring and unresponsive, unmoving. Kendra was gone. Gone, gone, gone, and probably dead too. Hope's lips moved, but no sound came out.

Kenny. She thought over and over, mouthing the world noiselessly. It would be several days before she responded to anything at all, though she'd be easily moved and manuevered in the mean time.

Kenny

~

In the living room, Henry slowly sat up rubbing at his ears and yawning. The boy looked around, an expression of confusion touching his childish features, before he looked to Steph. He froze, and looked from person to person, spotting the weapons, the armor.

Quickly, the little boy scrambled to the far end of the couch, clearly scared. He spotted the little girl, apparently sleeping like he had been - he hoped- and gulped.


"Who are you people? Where's my Mom and Dad! Where's Miss Neighbor. I want my daddy!" The boy declared snagging a pillow to hide behind, as if it would offer him any sort of protection.