Backtracking a bit.
Tachibana No Akane was having a restless sleep. Dreaming of the past; loosing friends, family and her bond mate. Seeing him die yet again during the atomic bombing of Hiroshima was particularly troubling, more so was the fact that she was warned in her dreams all those decades ago that it was going to happen. So when her dream shifted from that tragic event to her sitting in her office with the strange man; a rage in Tachibana could be felt brewing with in her, she recognized him.
“You,” Tachibana growling; “what are you doing here?”
“I see you remember me,” The strange man answering; “and that you are still upset that you couldn’t save your husband, despite what I showed you.”
“Because of you,” Tachibana staring menacingly into the strange man’s eyes; “I have been alone without my mate for sixty plus years!” Tachibana getting up from her chair and stalking the strange man in her dreams, “why only warn me what was going to happen. Why not inform my husband as well?”
The strange man; no stranger to the raw emotions of Tachibana just stands their as she lunges at him. Instead of dodging the attack, the strange man instead, embraces Tachibana and shifts his appearance to that of her deceased husband.
“Because love,” Tachibana’s mate answering; “it was my time. I couldn’t save myself, so I made sure you and our kits were protected.”
“Enzo,” Tachibana in tears; “is it really you? Have you finally come for me?”
“The strange man felt it was time for us to have a talk,” Enzo speaking; “but it is important you listen.” Helping his wife down into a chair and sitting next to her, “the statue 1A trial that will be proceeding in a few hours. It is important that Spencer be with Eric and Frieda.”
“Why,” Tachibana looking at her husband’s face for the first time in half a century; “why does Spencer need to be there?”
“Because of the bond those three have,” Enzo answering; “It’s like our bond as life mates, only more intense. They have an emotional link between each other. When together, the three help bring each other safely down from whatever emotional turmoil they are experiencing. In time their link will strengthen and they will not need be so close. But it is imperative they be together during this intense period in their life.”
“What happens if they are not together,” Tachibana staring at her husband and wanting so much to be in his arms again.
“Do not test the strength of their bond my love,” Enzo looking stern; “it is not something that can be toyed or experimented with.”
“But what is it,” Tachibana asking; “why is this bond important? Why do Eric, Frieda and Spencer need to be together during the statue 1A trial?”
“What I was told,” Enzo stating; “is this bond could be described as love in its purest form. Unbridled and raw; it’s what make their love making and the time they spend together magical and intense. The smell of their scents mingling and mixing during sex is like an aphrodisiac, it makes other weres around them want to rut like they did when they were younger. It’s why Benton and Amanda had a wonderful time last night and Evan and Maggie Lawson are currently going at it in bed making another cub.”
“Are you saying,” Tachibana No Akane looking into her husband’s eyes; “that Eric, Frieda and Spencer are some embodiment or avatar of love?”
“That is a simplified way of looking at it,” Enzo responding; “but yes.”
“Than what does Julie Stovall represent,” Tachibana asking?
“Julie Stovall is possibly mentally unhinged,” the strange man reappearing; “I’m sorry for interrupting, but Enzo’s time is nearly up here. He has to go back to the hear-after.”
“No,” Tachibana in tears; “take me with you, I don’t want to be without out you again.”
“I’m sorry love,” Enzo holding his wife; “but it’s not yet time for you to join me.”
“When then,” Tachibana asking?
“It’s not my place to tell,” Enzo drying the tears from her eyes; “but know that I’ll be waiting for you.”
As Tachibana watches her husband fade away; tears running down her face, she turns to the strange man.
“That was dirty pool,” Tachibana looking stone faced; “using my bond mate to get your message across.”
“It worked,” the strange man answers; “plus I wasn’t in the mood to have my message slapped back at me for a third time this evening.”
“Third time,” Tachibana looking at the man.
“I visited Julie Stovall twice,” the strange man answers; “never have I met a were so full of venom and hate. It oozes from her pours. I showed her multiple possible futures of her life; none of which are good, and despite the best case scenario of telling her to plead for leniency and making peace with Eric and his friends; she tells me quote unquote If you won’t help me get my revenge; then to hell with you.”
“You make it sound as if we won’t be able to judge her,” Tachibana responding; “what are you not telling me?”
“I cannot tell you anymore than what has already been said,” The strange man answering; “but under no circumstances do you keep Eric, Spencer and Frieda apart from each other. Least of all for the next few days. If you want to keep a few of your skulk around to protect them, then that is fine. Just make sure the three are left to do what they want unimpeded and everything will work out for the best.”
“And where will you be,” Tachibana looking at the strange man; “what will you be doing?”
“Same thing I have been doing for centuries,” the man smiling; “watching, observing and on occasion, guide those that truly need me.”
Tachibana suddenly wakes from her sleep. On the one paw she was happy to see her bond mate for the first time in decades. But on the other paw, sadden that she will still be alone without him for many more years to come. The talk she had with her husband regarding Eric, Frieda and Spencer was perplexing.
“Love in its purest form,” Tachibana thinking to herself; “a bond more intense than that of the bond were-foxes form with their mate.”
Tachibana seeing that it is six in the morning; gets out of her bed and the were-vixen proceeds to begin her grueling day.