Chapter 31: Locke and Key, part 1 ---------------------------------- "It's been a long time, Locke. I'm glad you're here." Locke's eyes snapped open at the familiar alto voice, and he sat upright in his bed, staring at the woman who spoke. The long black hair, bound by a tiara, the large, luminous eyes, the elfin features bent into a mischievous grin. Her clothing -- a deep red pair of men's pants and a blousey gold shirt -- were unusual for her, but there was no way he could mistake this woman's identity. "Rachel?!" He blinked, gaping in mute disbelief. She laughed, a rich, melodius tone, and spun in a quick pirouette, arms spread. She was wearing a backpack, and a staff was strapped to her back -- his stunned mind took note of the random details -- and she was as graceful as he remembered, if not quite as fast. This train of thought was interrupted as she completed the turn, still grinning cheerfully. "In the flesh." Her voice took on a mock-aggrieved tone. "It took me forever to find you. You really should be more considerate than to slip out on me like that." He shook his head, uncomprehending. "What... Rachel..." "What am I doing here?" She grinned again as he nodded. "Following you. I'm not about to let you leave me behind again. Really, by now you should realize I'm not made of porcelain." "No, it's not that... it's just..." "What?" "...You're supposed to be dead," he muttered, wincing slightly at how blunt the words sounded. She cocked her head to the side. "Dead? Is this another one of your jokes?" She asked, suspicion evident in her voice. "It's not funny." He nearly laughed out loud at the stray thought, then held up a hand. "No... I remember... the Empire came, and you..." She nodded. "I nearly died. I know. But," her features softened, "You saved me, love." "The Phoenix, right, but that was..." He was about to say 'temporary,' but Rachel didn't give him the chance. "Yes, the Phoenix, even though it shattered the stone forever." He blinked. "Forever? No. You..." She smiled again, taking another step toward him, and completed the sentence with her own words. "...Deserved the effort you put into the search. You've told me that hundreds of times..." She winked. "I think that's why I married you. Your charm." "But we..." Locke stopped. "Married?" She took another step toward him, looking concerned, and Locke fought an irrational desire to step back. "Are you feeling all right? You wouldn't joke about that..." "Well, no, but..." "You do remember!" She nearly jumped in exuberance, any trace of reproach seemingly forgotten. "I knew it. You'll have to introduce me to your new friends, I don't recognize them. What are you after this time, anyway?" "Um... er... ah." Not certain exactly how to respond, Locke took the path of least resistance, answering the last question before he'd really considered it. "I'm trying to find Lola... and Celes." "Who's Lola?" Before Locke had a chance to answer, Rachel went on, "And you were going to visit Celes and Setzer without taking me?" "Setzer? I didn't say..." She sighed in exasperation, one hand resting on her hip. "Where else would Setzer be, if not with his wife?" "His wife? Celes?" "No, his other wife." She rolled her eyes. "Really, your jokes need a lot of work. Well, I'm glad I came. It'll be nice to see them again, after so long. And Victor too." "Victor?" "Don't tell me you've forgotten about their son, too..." "How... when did this happen?" he asked desperately. She seemed not to notice his tone. "Nearly a year ago. Remember? The last time we saw them was right after Victor's birth." "But... I don't..." She sighed softly, then smiled again. "It doesn't really matter. Come join me, and you can introduce me to your friends." She stretched a hand towards him, waiting expectantly. Locke started to reach toward the hand, then hesitated, trying to come to terms with this new development. As he hesitated, Rachel turned her head a fraction of an inch. Her soft green eyes met his, and she repeated softly, "Come join me, Locke..." And it all fell into place. He innocently asked, "Just one thing, Rachel..?" She, just as innocently, replied, "Yes..?" Locke smirked and leapt forward with blinding speed, swinging his clenched fist toward her face. "Since when did you have _green_ eyes?" He felt the impact as his hand connected with her flesh, and a flash of gold flickered through the room. Rachel's -- no, not Rachel's, the imposter's, he reminded himself -- body was thrown into the air, slamming backwards into the wall. Hard. Nothing moved for a second, and he slowly lowered his still-clenched fist. Before it reached his side, a maniacal cackle rang through the chamber. The form that had been a replica of Rachel a moment before lifted itself from the floor, changing as it did. And kept lifting. Now, hovering a few inches off the ground, a transformed figure laughed at him. Its face still resembled Rachel's, strangely, but its hair was emerald green and resembled flame in its appearance. Her clothing, too, was green, a swirling, one-piece gown whose folds flowed around her body like a river. But the biggest change was in her voice. Now, it was two octaves deeper, and resonant, and it crackled like lightning. "So you are Esper-influenced. Such a shame you refused to join me. With such power, we could make a new world..." "I don't want that sort of world." "What a shame. Won't you reconsider? If you'll join me, it will be as an equal. I can give you whatever you may desire. I can even," she whispered, in a voice that carried clearly across the room, "Return your Rachel to you. For real. Forever." He gritted his teeth. "No... you can't possibly have that power..." She laughed, and at the sound the room dissolved. He was standing on a featureless plain, facing her, nothing else in sight. "I have that and more. Her spirit survives, and could be manifested here. Oh, it isn't quite real, but you won't know the difference!" He scowled. "I don't care to spend my life in a dream, demoness." She sighed, with real regret. "No? What a shame. Then, you must die... and I believe you've met the executioners before." She smiled as three diminuitive forms coalesced between her and Locke. "The Dream Demons!" "Yeah," the shortest one said. "It took us an entire year to recover enough to manifest again after that beating you and your friends gave us. But the muscle guy and the chick with the sword aren't here now." He chuckled sadistically. "Enough gloating," the tallest threw in. "Let's get him!" That was the last thing he said, as a circle of white-radiating metal neatly decapitated him. The disk spun through the air, rising upwards in an arc and returning towards Locke. He caught it, completing the arc, and held Graedus in his hand. "Waah!" screamed the one who'd been quiet until now. "We can't use our Delta Attack!" "That's the idea." Locke smiled. The short one growled, and closed with alarming speed, throwing a punch. But Locke wasn't there. He'd already vaulted over the demon, throwing the shining dagger Graedus again. Again, a single throw killed the demon. This time, the one who'd just complained about the Delta Attack. But this time, the dirk got stuck in the Demon's chest, and didn't return. Locke prepared to sprint towards it, intending to recover it and finish the short demon, but the demoness in green gestured at it. Body and dagger alike shattered and melted into the featureless grey floor. The demoness cackled. "What now, Locke Cole? Your strength is no match for a demon's. You have no weapons left. Bwahahahaha!" Locke rolled backwards, dodging the demon's blow by millimeters, and rolled to his feet, already leaping sideways to avoid a kick. He struck out with his own foot, but the blow glanced off the monster's skin ineffectively. The green demoness laughed again. "You can't dodge forever, 'hero.'" She was right, Locke realized. The demon that was left was the fastest of the three, and it was taxing him already to keep avoiding the blows. If even one landed, he might be finished. But with no weapons, what could he do? A cackle echoed beind him. "That was close, wasn't it? Getting tired, Locke? You should have joined me when you had the chance..." Locke's foot slipped at that moment. The dream demon howled triumphantly as it lifted one fist to smash him. "No..." And then the fear was gone, replaced by anger. "No! Never!" His empty hand swung up, to meet the demon's descending fist. A crackle of energy, a flash of gold. And a scream that echoed through the entirety of... whatever dream realm this was. It was not Locke's scream. He opened his eyes, to find that the demon was... gone. No trace remained of it. And around his outstretched arm -- no, around his entire body -- a soft but visible aura of golden light pulsed. "You... destroyed him. Eradicated his essence." The demoness' voice was filled with shock, awe, and hatred. And fear. More than a little fear. Locke stood and turned to face her, and she took a step back. "For a mortal to destroy a demon completely... no! It can't happen now!" Locke took a step forward, golden aura fluctuating around his body. It seemed to grow brighter with each step, and the demoness shrunk away. But Locke was approaching, somehow, faster than she could retreat. He was almost at her now, and raised a fist in anticipation of the strike. The demoness' eyes grew wide with desperation, and her voice grew shrill as she shrieked, "Out of this reality! Awaken!" Locke swung... And the blow passed through empty space. The demoness was gone. That was the last thing he knew before the blackness that surrounded him bore in, seeming to snuff out the golden aura, steal away sensation... and plunge him into a dreamless, but restful, sleep.