Chapter One
Part One
�Hey, Ellette.� Michi Yoshe said as she began walking along side her close friend, Ellette Ainsly.
�Hey, Michi.� Ellette growled. An English accent tinted her voice.
�What is it?� Michi asked, noticing Ellette�s unusual temperament. Michi was tall and slender with �strawberry brown� hair, so called because at first glance, it was brown, but in the light, it was fiery red. Her sea green eyes held a look of confusion.
�Jeanna.� Ellette answered, hugging her books close to her chest, and growling quietly. Ellette referred to another close friend of theirs, Jeanna Faith. Jeanna was not as tall as Michi, but was also gracefully slender. She had brownish blonde hair and emerald green eyes.
�What about her?� Michi wanted to know.
�She and I had a little fight in earth science.�
�How did Dr. Inochi not notice you two having a bit of a heated argument?� Michi wondered.
�We were talking on paper.�
�Oh. I see. So, what happened?�
�Well, I don�t want to talk about it.� Ellette grunted.
�Oh, come on! You can always talk to me!� Michi pushed. �It might make you feel better.�
�Well, she won�t tell me what�s going on, then she exploded at me!�
�What? What do you mean?�
�Well, she told me to pray for a situation that she�s in, and I asked her what was wrong. She said she wouldn�t tell me, and then I said that it might make her feel better if she talked about it, and she blew up at me! I wasn�t trying to push her at all, but then she blew up, and wouldn�t talk to me for the rest of the bell.� Ellette explained.
�Well, maybe she�ll talk tomorrow, but if not, we just need to pray for her. Maybe she was already irritated, and you were just the straw that broke the camel�s back. Let�s just let her be for a while then see what we can do tomorrow.� Michi suggested.
�Thanks, Michi.� Ellette said gratefully.
�No prob! All in a day�s work for counselor Michi!� she said before giggling.
�Oh come off it you show off!� Ellette joked before shoving Michi a bit.
Michi laughed again as they exited the building and started toward home. Michi stopped when Ellette turned a different way. �Ellette...what are you doing?�
�I�m taking a different way home I guess. Just want to think .�
�You want me to come?�
�No... but thanks anyway.�
�You sure?� Michi asked, still worried about what else was on Ellette�s mind
�I�m sure.�
�Alright. Ummm... do you mind if I tell this to Kiki? We can have her praying for you two as well.�
�No. Go ahead. Thanks Michi!� Ellette waved as she disappeared down a path.
Michi waited for about five minutes before a dirt-blonde haired girl an up behind her. She was about two inches taller than Michi, skinnier, and had gray-blue-green eyes.
�Hey, Kiki. Ready to head home?�
�Yup. What�s on your mind? You feel tense.� Kiki answered, sensing Michi�s thoughts.
�Well, I have a little something to tell you on the way home.�
I understand that she didn�t want to tell me, but she didn�t have to blow up like that. Ellette thought as she headed down the street for home. �I wish I knew what�s wrong.�
�Don�t worry, Ellette.� Came a male voice from behind her.
Ellette stopped and tensed. She sensed something was wrong. �Huh?�
�You�re friends just the same!� came the same voice. At that moment, Ellette felt a searing pain in her head as something hard slammed across her temple. She fell to the ground on her back. She stared into the face of her attacker as he became fuzzy, and finally, her world went black as she dropped into unconsciousness.
***
�Hey, Jeanna!� Michi called, running up to catch her friend as they headed for school the next day.
�Hey, Michi. What�s up?�
�Nothing. Hey, did you get a call from the Ainslys last night?�
�Yeah. Was it about Ellette?�
�Yup. Ellette didn�t come home on time last night from school. But, I didn�t hear anything from them for the rest of the night, so she probably made it home. She took a different route home from school yesterday.� Michi answered, adjusting the weight of her backpack on her back.
�Same here.� Jeanna answered.
�Hey guys! Wait up!� came a familiar voice.
The two girls turned to see Kiki running up to them. �Hey, Kiki� Jeanna answered.
�Did you...�
�...get a call from Mrs. Ainsly saying that Ellette didn�t come home from school on time? Yes.� Michi cut Kiki off.
�So did she get home alright?� Kiki wondered.
�Probably, because they didn�t call at all the rest of the night.� Michi theorized.
�Oh well, I�ll ask her first bell.� Kiki told them.
***
�Guys!� Kiki cried, sitting down at their usual lunch table. Michi and Jeanna were already there.
�We know, Ellette isn�t here today. Listen, guys, I wasn�t going to say this because I thought it was just craziness, but I felt something when I got home last night.� Michi admitted.
�What did you feel?� Jeanna pushed.
�Well, you know how I can feel emotional and physical pain when it�s really serious?� Michi reminded.
�Mm-hmm.� Jeanna and Kiki nodded.
�Well, I got this splitting pain in my head when I got home. It went away really quick, but it was more than a simple headache, I�m sure.� Michi explained.
�Well, then what do you think it was?� Jeanna asked eagerly.
�I think something has happened to Ellette.� Michi theorized.
�Like what?� Kiki asked impatiently.
�I don�t know, but we have to start looking for her...now.� Michi said, determination evident in her voice.
�But how? We can�t just leave school.� Kiki presented them with yet another problem.
"Jeanna, contact Kin and tell him the situation, then tell him to come give us permission to leave.� Michi ordered, taking Ellette�s position as unofficial leader. Ellette wasn�t really the leader, but all the others looked up to her and considered her to be in charge.
�Gotcha.� Jeanna said, and headed out.
Finding her voice, she slowly said three words. �Where am I?�
Ellette jumped at the sound of an answering voice. �You�re here in my lab.� A man stepped out of the shadows. He was thin and looked undernourished, even though he probably wasn't. He had dark brown hair and large glasses. His eyes were an ugly brown-green, and a hysterical smile curved his lips.
�Oh, yeah, and what am I doing here?� Ellette demanded harshly, regaining her confidence.
�Oh, Hinote Megami, you are here for a special reason.� Answered the man.
�You always this vague?� Ellette asked sarcastically. �And how do you know that I am the Hinote Megami?�
�I have my ways, and no, I�m just toying with you.� He approached his desk and picked up a small gadget that looked like it hooked onto the ear and head. Then he approached a small table next to her and picked up one of the two gadgets on it. �First, you must transform.�
�In your dreams, phsyco boy.� Ellette growled.
�Oh, don�t worry, I have my ways of getting what I want.� He reached under the table and brought out two very strong looking handcuffs. They were each about four inches long and about half an inch thick. An extremely thick chain connected the two. He moved the rope on one hand to the side, and clamped the handcuff on her wrist. Then he slid the rope loop around the cuff so she was still tied to the table.
�Well, Are you going to tell me who you are and who you work for, or are you going to be a rude moron?� Ellette stated bluntly as he started to handcuff the other wrist.
�My name is Professor Aku.� He said, continuing his work as if he did this regularly (which he probably did). �I work for a man named Teppo Iken�
�Spite?!?!" Ellette almost screamed.
�Yep. He�ll be down here soon to see the progress on you soon.�
�He�s here?�
�Of course! Now, let�s see.� Professor Aku, now finished cuffing her, gently lifted Ellette�s chin to clearly see the choker necklace. He slowly detached the orb from its place in the center and held it up to the light, a look of awe in his ugly eyes. �Isn�t it amazing that the power of the most powerful Megami, the Goddess of fire, is stored in this tiny orb. Such a small thing.� He said quietly as he spun the orb in his palms.
�Hey! Let�s not play Boromir, now, tell me what you want from me, doofus!� Ellette screamed.
�Huh? Well, you see, we want nothing more than your loyalty.� Professor Aku stated simply.
�Dream on, bucko. As if I�d ever do anything for you. And what will you do if I refuse?�
�I�m afraid you won�t have a choice in the matter.� Commented the scientist. He was now placing the orb in a holder, and attaching a wire to it. He then placed it on her forehead. He strapped it to her head and then proceeded to attach multiple chains and ropes to her arms and legs.
This is interesting. Spite is about three times my size and he has an ego the size of a pregnant cow, and he still has to tie me up like this to keep me restrained. Ellette chucked to herself a bit.
Finally, the doctor stood her up and attached the ropes and chains to a wall. The wires that were attached to the thing on her forehead hooked up to a machine. The man approached the machine, and flipped a switch. The orb on her forehead began to glow intensely.
�Good job Aku. I can do the talking from here.� A familiar voice said.
Ellette slowly raised her head. Through her half open eyes, she saw Aku, and a familiar man next to him. �S-Spite.� Ellette rasped, doing her best to glare at him.
�I�m touched you remembered me!� He said, sarcastically.
�Yeah, whatever, baka.�
�I see you�ve picked up some insults from you Japanese friend.� Spite said approaching her.
�Well, you�ve got Jin...now what do you want with me?� Jin demanded.
�I�m going to use your power to destroy the Megami.�
��Well, that�s the stupidest plan I�ve ever heard of.� Jin smirked. �I�d like to see you try to pit me against my friends.�
�I won�t have to.�
�What are you talking about Spit?� Jin mocked the man by saying his name wrong.
�Spite! And, it�s because of this brilliant scientist that we are able to do this.�
Professor Aku held up the small gadget that looked like it went on the ear. He slowly approached her, put it on her ear, and attached the wires to her temple.
�This little gadget allows me to control anyone it�s attached to, including stupid young girls.�
Jin gasped quietly, but tried to look confident. �If I�m so stupid, and me friends beat your butt every time we come into contact with you, how stupid does that make you?�
�Shut up!� Then, turning to Aku, Spite said, �Activate it.�
Jin could hear the gadget on her ear turn on and it began to whir. No! Zoe! Aure! Lian! I�m so sorry!
Sorry for what?
Zoe?!
Yes, it�s me. Where are you?
I wish I knew.
What�s going on?
Spite is back again, and he has me strapped to a table, and he�s- Jin�s voice cut off with a groan.
What? Jin? Jin! JIN!!!
Jeanna lifted her orb above her head, and a tornado swirled around her, transforming her into Aure Pitre. Kiki mirrored their actions and held her orb above her head. A storm cloud billowed from the center, encircled her, and turned her into the Goddess of electricity, Zoe Carsyn.
The girls ran down the street, shouting for Jin. Many people turned curious eyes on them. The people of New York knew the Megami, they just weren�t too welcomed. So, the people did news reports on them, but when they were running down the street, people just looked on in curiosity.
Zoe suddenly stopped. The others stopped next to her. �Zoe? What�s up?�
�Yeah, Zoe, what�s up?� came a mocking voice from the far left. Lian, who had spoken turned around and lowered her sunglasses to give an icy crystal blue glare. The teen-aged boys gasped and took off.
�Jin!� Zoe suddenly shouted. Aure and Lian reeled back from shock of Zoe�s outburst.
Lian suddenly grabbed her head and reeled back again as if someone had just struck her in the face. She began yelling in pain. Yelling in general and calling for Jin. She eventually backed up into a boy with buzzed brown hair, and clear light blue eyes. He gripped her shoulders and attempted to calm her down. When she stopped writhing in agony, and just gripped her head, he picked her up into his arms. He brought her over to the others. Zoe and Avari recognized the boy immediately.
�Brian!�
�Hey, girls. How�s it going?� he asked as he tried his best to calm Lian down. Lian grabbed his forearm that was holding up her upper body, and began shaking. Brian looked down at her before speaking. �Not so good, huh?�
�No. Jin has been kidnapped by the shadows. I was just able to contact her through the mind link before Lian went nuts. Right before she cut off, she said that Spite had her strapped to a table.� Zoe answered.
�Where is she? Maybe we can fight him and get her back.� Avari suggested.
�She didn�t know. I asked if she knew and she didn�t.�
�Anyway, what caused Lian to go bonkers like that?� Brian asked as Lian tightened her grip on his arm. She was extremely strong, so he was starting to lose feeling. He winced a bit, but didn�t adjust her position in any way.
�It�s somewhat of a long story.� Avari answered.
�I don�t have anything else planned.� Brian hinted.
�Alright. We can talk at Kin�s place.� Zoe agreed.
�Where does a 4000 year old man live?� Brian asked doubtfully.
�In another dimension.� Avari answered bluntly.
�And how do you suggest we get there?�
�We teleport.� Zoe explained.
�I can�t teleport!�
�You don�t have to. We teleport you.� Avari told him.
�Oh...alright.�