Independence Port, Paragon City
It was a tribute to Sachie Hanagawas skills that a six foot seven Amazon jumping off a rooftop to the street below went completely unnoticed by everyone around. Even in Paragon City, that was the sort of sight that should have drawn attention. Instead, she merely stood up, brushed some dust off the sleeve of her jacket, and started walking down the street, mingling with the late night crowd.
Reaching her final destination, Sachie paused to consider the sign at the front of the construction site. The South Independence Port Tram station, the first major step in the planned expansion of Paragons public transport network. It was months away from completion, but she could already see the familiar frame of the city's tram stations taking shape in the central building. The walkways and railings, identical to every other station across Paragon City’s zones. She was sure there was some logical reason for that design approach, but in the grand scheme of things, she really didn’t care. Like every other vigilante in Paragon, she’d lost count of how many times she’d had to make the long march across Independence Port because every transport system in the area had been set up by a government official who’d clearly never visited the zone. She couldn’t wait for it to be done.
Walking onto the site, and showing her Riot Force identification to the police drones on station, Sachie looked around the construction site. Her contact said to meet her here, and given the usual travel times in Independence, she seriously doubted she’d gotten here first… Pausing, she looked back at a forklift her eyes had glossed over the first time. “Really?”
Between one eyeblink and the next, a redheaded japanese woman in her early twenties appeared, sitting on the roof of the forklift. “Sorry, habit,” she said, green eyes gleaming with an inner light. “Good to see you again Hanagawa.”
“Ito,” Sachie replied, lips twitching ever so slightly. “It’s here?”
Dropping off the forklift, Mika Ito grinned at her fellow ninja. “I confirmed before I called you back,” she assured her, walking towards the back of the station and gesturing for Sachie to follow.
“Your girlfriend?” Sachie asked as they approached what had once been the entrance to an old basement, the interior lit up by a soft, golden light.
“Bonding session with her siblings and a White Court people smuggling ring trying to move into town,” Mika replied as she led the way down the steps. Suppressing a snort of amusement at that mental image, Sachie followed, considering the tree roots that had taken hold in the basement walls. They had chewed through plaster and paint, but somehow avoided electrical cables and pipes, one root wrapping decoratively around a light fixture.
Both women stopped at the bottom of the steps, looking at the light source on the far end of the room. The tree roots had torn through the wall and grown into a wide arch, perhaps ten feet wide and the height of the basement. In that arch, liquid light floated, rippling like water as dozens of glowing bees dived in and out of it. Sachie considered it for a moment, expression thoughtful. “Agartha.”
“The Hollow Earth, according to some legends,” Mika replied, voice low, respectful. “Others say it’s the World Tree, or Gaia’s Bones, or the path to Avalon. But one thing they all agree on is that it’ll take you anywhere on Earth… If you can convince the guardians to let you in.” Expression thoughtful, she considered the gateway, before looking at Sachie again. “Nearly twenty years since a new gateway was discovered,” she commented. “And more than a few of the older ones withered away. And now, this one makes, what, eight in six months?”
Sachie made a noise that could be taken as agreement as she folded her arms under her considerable chest, watching the bees fly around in precise, regular patterns. She neglected to mention that she knew of a ninth gateway, discovered less than two weeks ago in Kyoto. No need to share that little detail just yet. Instead, she took one step forward, pausing to watch as the bees altered their patterns, ever so slightly. More of the glowing insects emerged from the portal, spreading out to cover more of the room.
“The Bees have a reputation for being territorial,” the redhead commented. “If they decide you’re not welcome… well, even you would have a hard time escaping their temper.” Glancing at Sachie, she frowned. “Are you sure this is a good idea?” she asked.
“Mmm,” Sachie replied. “There’s a gate on Solomon Island. Every other path is blocked.” Shrugging slightly, she turned to look at the other woman. “You should go.”
Chuckling lightly, Mika stepped up next to the other woman. “Yeah, I probably should,” she agreed, making no attempt to turn and leave.
Rolling her eyes, Sachie tried not to smile. She’d had to try, but she’d still expected this response. It was like the girl was physically incapable of letting a friend walk into potential danger. “Soft,” she noted, her voice soft, almost teasing.
“Eh, I get by,” Mika replied with a grin, before turning serious again. “We gonna do this?”
Nodding, Sachie took another step forward, then closed her eyes and clasped her hands together. Behind her, Mika repeated the motion. For almost a minute, nothing seemed to happen, the Bees continuing to fly in consistent patterns, while the two women remained motionless, breathing slowing down. Then, with a buzzing noise that sounded like the grinding of high-pitched gears, the pattern shifted again, expanding outwards to surround the two women.
The noise increased in pitch, becoming almost painful, even as the smell of honey and engine oil filled the room. And behind the buzzing, woven into the grinding of gears, there were words. “Our wisdom flows so sweet. Taste and see. TRANSMIT - initiate anima signal - RECEIVE - initiate the all-in-one-one-in-all frequency - THIS WAY TO THE EGRESS - initiate transportation prerogative - MIND THE GAP - initiate geomantic protocols - WITNESS - Agartha.”
Clenching her teeth together, Sachie forced her eyes open, staring into the light, as even more Bees emerged. “I seek passage,” she managed to say.
“Passage to the subterranean realm, the pathways to all space and time, and the doors, the doors, the doors!” the noize sang, seemingly delighted. The buzzing intensified around her right ear, and the ninja tried not to flinch at the pain as her eardrum nearly ruptured. “You remember the stories, those written, and those supposedly forgotten, buried deep in the depths of what you blindly call linear time.” The Bees pulled away from Sachie, moving on to study her companion. “Query the Diagonal Stepping Prerogative,” they mused. “If you could walk the anywhere paths, where would your feet take you?”
“Solomon Island,” Sachie replied. Instantly, the Bees returned to her, and the woman felt the pressure against her ki intensify. “Other paths are blocked.”
“By the Fog.” Drifting in closer, the Bees considered her, several landing on her face and neck. Remaining still, Sachie tried not to think about what would happen if they stung her, what lorekeepers of the Hanagawa clan simply called a ‘messy discord’. “Some attempted to flee. By sea or land, there is no escape. The fog chokes all who try to leave - electronics failure...inevitable - nervous system failure...inevitable - suffocation...inevitable. Others, men in uniform, watch the air. Top. Men. They talk of containment, of burying the nightmare and hoping no one looks. They are doomed to fail, but to those within, it means nothing. Flight is impossible. Fight is possible. For a while.”
There was laughter, alien and inhuman, in between the buzzing of clockwork gears. Before Sachie could speak, the laughter cut off, and the Bees took to the air again. “What of the fog? Some say it is a bio-chemical weapon, being tested by the government. Some say it is divine punishment for Kingsmouth's many hidden sins. Some say it is an assault on Illuminati interests. A few individuals of the Wabanaki tribe say the fog is the tool of a hidden malevolence in Solomon County - a name their ancestors knew but they have forgotten. They claim hope lies in the Wabanaki warding circle that has protected the area for centuries, but they do not know what it protects. Did the circle hold back the fog? What do you say?”
“We don’t know,” Mika said, keeping her voice level. “Yet.”
“Yet. Investigation. Cause and Effect. You walk a straight line in four dimensions. It is not your fault sweetling. You simply can not see. Yet.” The last word matched Mikas voice almost perfectly, and the womans eyes narrowed slightly. Regardless of what is believed, the fog will end all life should it swallow Kingsmouth again,” the Bees sang, before shrieking, the noise staggering both women. “WARNING! Cleansing efficiency compromised. Engine 92D not responding. The Filth leaks. It flows up alien gravities. Initiate diagnostic protocols…”
Sachies left foot slid back slightly, preparing to move if needed, but even as her muscles tensed, the Bees calmed again, settling back into consistent patterns. Tilting her head slightly, and trying to ignore how that made her ears ring, Sachie considered them. “Can we help?” she said at last.
The Bees paused. “You help we help you,” they replied. “Bring your champions, Incarnates, defiers of the Well. Step beyond, into the Tree. The connection between all points. It grew before the First Age, branches and roots burrowing into all possibilities. The multidimensional paths will take you to Kingsmouth. Alone, they are doomed, and us with them. With you… Tracking your path has always been difficult,” they mused, almost thoughtful. “Mot, Rularuu, Battalion. The Age should have ended a hundred times over, and here we stand. You make your own destiny, don’t you sweetling?” And with that parting comment, the Bees fell silent, retreating back to the gateway.
As the lights faded and night slipped back into the room, both ninja fell to their knees, gasping. “Gods.. damn,” Mika muttered, wiping at her face, smearing the results of a bloody nose across her hand. “They’re as bad as the stories say.”
Groaning in agreement, Sachie closed her eyes, trying not to throw up. “You could have left,” she reminded the younger woman.
“Yeah, currently regretting that,” Mika agreed. “Did I get that right?” she continued, trying to stand up, only to give up halfway and lean against the wall for support. “Something on Kingsmouth has the Bees scared?” Sighing, she glanced towards the stairs out of the basement. “We should probably get moving on this.”
Nodding, Sachie pulled herself into a sitting position. “Just.. give me a moment.”
“Oh, definitely,” Mika said, making no effort to move either. The two just lingered there for several minutes, bathed in the light of the World Tree, waiting for the pain to fade away.
***
It was a tribute to Sachie Hanagawas skills that a six foot seven Amazon jumping off a rooftop to the street below went completely unnoticed by everyone around. Even in Paragon City, that was the sort of sight that should have drawn attention. Instead, she merely stood up, brushed some dust off the sleeve of her jacket, and started walking down the street, mingling with the late night crowd.
Reaching her final destination, Sachie paused to consider the sign at the front of the construction site. The South Independence Port Tram station, the first major step in the planned expansion of Paragons public transport network. It was months away from completion, but she could already see the familiar frame of the city's tram stations taking shape in the central building. The walkways and railings, identical to every other station across Paragon City’s zones. She was sure there was some logical reason for that design approach, but in the grand scheme of things, she really didn’t care. Like every other vigilante in Paragon, she’d lost count of how many times she’d had to make the long march across Independence Port because every transport system in the area had been set up by a government official who’d clearly never visited the zone. She couldn’t wait for it to be done.
Walking onto the site, and showing her Riot Force identification to the police drones on station, Sachie looked around the construction site. Her contact said to meet her here, and given the usual travel times in Independence, she seriously doubted she’d gotten here first… Pausing, she looked back at a forklift her eyes had glossed over the first time. “Really?”
Between one eyeblink and the next, a redheaded japanese woman in her early twenties appeared, sitting on the roof of the forklift. “Sorry, habit,” she said, green eyes gleaming with an inner light. “Good to see you again Hanagawa.”
“Ito,” Sachie replied, lips twitching ever so slightly. “It’s here?”
Dropping off the forklift, Mika Ito grinned at her fellow ninja. “I confirmed before I called you back,” she assured her, walking towards the back of the station and gesturing for Sachie to follow.
“Your girlfriend?” Sachie asked as they approached what had once been the entrance to an old basement, the interior lit up by a soft, golden light.
“Bonding session with her siblings and a White Court people smuggling ring trying to move into town,” Mika replied as she led the way down the steps. Suppressing a snort of amusement at that mental image, Sachie followed, considering the tree roots that had taken hold in the basement walls. They had chewed through plaster and paint, but somehow avoided electrical cables and pipes, one root wrapping decoratively around a light fixture.
Both women stopped at the bottom of the steps, looking at the light source on the far end of the room. The tree roots had torn through the wall and grown into a wide arch, perhaps ten feet wide and the height of the basement. In that arch, liquid light floated, rippling like water as dozens of glowing bees dived in and out of it. Sachie considered it for a moment, expression thoughtful. “Agartha.”
“The Hollow Earth, according to some legends,” Mika replied, voice low, respectful. “Others say it’s the World Tree, or Gaia’s Bones, or the path to Avalon. But one thing they all agree on is that it’ll take you anywhere on Earth… If you can convince the guardians to let you in.” Expression thoughtful, she considered the gateway, before looking at Sachie again. “Nearly twenty years since a new gateway was discovered,” she commented. “And more than a few of the older ones withered away. And now, this one makes, what, eight in six months?”
Sachie made a noise that could be taken as agreement as she folded her arms under her considerable chest, watching the bees fly around in precise, regular patterns. She neglected to mention that she knew of a ninth gateway, discovered less than two weeks ago in Kyoto. No need to share that little detail just yet. Instead, she took one step forward, pausing to watch as the bees altered their patterns, ever so slightly. More of the glowing insects emerged from the portal, spreading out to cover more of the room.
“The Bees have a reputation for being territorial,” the redhead commented. “If they decide you’re not welcome… well, even you would have a hard time escaping their temper.” Glancing at Sachie, she frowned. “Are you sure this is a good idea?” she asked.
“Mmm,” Sachie replied. “There’s a gate on Solomon Island. Every other path is blocked.” Shrugging slightly, she turned to look at the other woman. “You should go.”
Chuckling lightly, Mika stepped up next to the other woman. “Yeah, I probably should,” she agreed, making no attempt to turn and leave.
Rolling her eyes, Sachie tried not to smile. She’d had to try, but she’d still expected this response. It was like the girl was physically incapable of letting a friend walk into potential danger. “Soft,” she noted, her voice soft, almost teasing.
“Eh, I get by,” Mika replied with a grin, before turning serious again. “We gonna do this?”
Nodding, Sachie took another step forward, then closed her eyes and clasped her hands together. Behind her, Mika repeated the motion. For almost a minute, nothing seemed to happen, the Bees continuing to fly in consistent patterns, while the two women remained motionless, breathing slowing down. Then, with a buzzing noise that sounded like the grinding of high-pitched gears, the pattern shifted again, expanding outwards to surround the two women.
The noise increased in pitch, becoming almost painful, even as the smell of honey and engine oil filled the room. And behind the buzzing, woven into the grinding of gears, there were words. “Our wisdom flows so sweet. Taste and see. TRANSMIT - initiate anima signal - RECEIVE - initiate the all-in-one-one-in-all frequency - THIS WAY TO THE EGRESS - initiate transportation prerogative - MIND THE GAP - initiate geomantic protocols - WITNESS - Agartha.”
Clenching her teeth together, Sachie forced her eyes open, staring into the light, as even more Bees emerged. “I seek passage,” she managed to say.
“Passage to the subterranean realm, the pathways to all space and time, and the doors, the doors, the doors!” the noize sang, seemingly delighted. The buzzing intensified around her right ear, and the ninja tried not to flinch at the pain as her eardrum nearly ruptured. “You remember the stories, those written, and those supposedly forgotten, buried deep in the depths of what you blindly call linear time.” The Bees pulled away from Sachie, moving on to study her companion. “Query the Diagonal Stepping Prerogative,” they mused. “If you could walk the anywhere paths, where would your feet take you?”
“Solomon Island,” Sachie replied. Instantly, the Bees returned to her, and the woman felt the pressure against her ki intensify. “Other paths are blocked.”
“By the Fog.” Drifting in closer, the Bees considered her, several landing on her face and neck. Remaining still, Sachie tried not to think about what would happen if they stung her, what lorekeepers of the Hanagawa clan simply called a ‘messy discord’. “Some attempted to flee. By sea or land, there is no escape. The fog chokes all who try to leave - electronics failure...inevitable - nervous system failure...inevitable - suffocation...inevitable. Others, men in uniform, watch the air. Top. Men. They talk of containment, of burying the nightmare and hoping no one looks. They are doomed to fail, but to those within, it means nothing. Flight is impossible. Fight is possible. For a while.”
There was laughter, alien and inhuman, in between the buzzing of clockwork gears. Before Sachie could speak, the laughter cut off, and the Bees took to the air again. “What of the fog? Some say it is a bio-chemical weapon, being tested by the government. Some say it is divine punishment for Kingsmouth's many hidden sins. Some say it is an assault on Illuminati interests. A few individuals of the Wabanaki tribe say the fog is the tool of a hidden malevolence in Solomon County - a name their ancestors knew but they have forgotten. They claim hope lies in the Wabanaki warding circle that has protected the area for centuries, but they do not know what it protects. Did the circle hold back the fog? What do you say?”
“We don’t know,” Mika said, keeping her voice level. “Yet.”
“Yet. Investigation. Cause and Effect. You walk a straight line in four dimensions. It is not your fault sweetling. You simply can not see. Yet.” The last word matched Mikas voice almost perfectly, and the womans eyes narrowed slightly. Regardless of what is believed, the fog will end all life should it swallow Kingsmouth again,” the Bees sang, before shrieking, the noise staggering both women. “WARNING! Cleansing efficiency compromised. Engine 92D not responding. The Filth leaks. It flows up alien gravities. Initiate diagnostic protocols…”
Sachies left foot slid back slightly, preparing to move if needed, but even as her muscles tensed, the Bees calmed again, settling back into consistent patterns. Tilting her head slightly, and trying to ignore how that made her ears ring, Sachie considered them. “Can we help?” she said at last.
The Bees paused. “You help we help you,” they replied. “Bring your champions, Incarnates, defiers of the Well. Step beyond, into the Tree. The connection between all points. It grew before the First Age, branches and roots burrowing into all possibilities. The multidimensional paths will take you to Kingsmouth. Alone, they are doomed, and us with them. With you… Tracking your path has always been difficult,” they mused, almost thoughtful. “Mot, Rularuu, Battalion. The Age should have ended a hundred times over, and here we stand. You make your own destiny, don’t you sweetling?” And with that parting comment, the Bees fell silent, retreating back to the gateway.
As the lights faded and night slipped back into the room, both ninja fell to their knees, gasping. “Gods.. damn,” Mika muttered, wiping at her face, smearing the results of a bloody nose across her hand. “They’re as bad as the stories say.”
Groaning in agreement, Sachie closed her eyes, trying not to throw up. “You could have left,” she reminded the younger woman.
“Yeah, currently regretting that,” Mika agreed. “Did I get that right?” she continued, trying to stand up, only to give up halfway and lean against the wall for support. “Something on Kingsmouth has the Bees scared?” Sighing, she glanced towards the stairs out of the basement. “We should probably get moving on this.”
Nodding, Sachie pulled herself into a sitting position. “Just.. give me a moment.”
“Oh, definitely,” Mika said, making no effort to move either. The two just lingered there for several minutes, bathed in the light of the World Tree, waiting for the pain to fade away.
***