Sitting in her dorm room, Yuriko idly gazed out her window, her laptop open revealing a half page of a term paper she was writing.
While other couples were enjoying a romantic Valentine's Day date, the young coed found herself finishing a five page paper due in a couple of weeks. With her boyfriend, bogged down with studies, Yuriko decided to catch up on some much needed schoolwork. Still, her mind wandered as she thought back to the last few weeks.
It started with helping her brother Tom solve a case before running into his ex-girlfriend Lynne Turner. To say she still held a grudge against the woman who broke her brother's heart was an understatement. That grudge though, was quickly put on hold as she, her brother, Lynne, and Lynne's boyfriend, her cousin Garrett, found themselves in a life or death struggle against a Wendigo. When everything was said and done, the quartet defeated the Wendigo with Tom and the others growing from the experience.
Tom had taken a job at S.P.E.A.R., one that appeared to have possibilities for a promising career. Lynne and Garrett were taking care of an infant that the Wendigo had orphaned. Yuriko though found herself right back where she started, and it was proving frustrating for the young woman.
Inspite of her rejection of magic, Yuriko found herself dragged into that world once more. By doing so though, she realized that by forgoing that world, she put herself and others at risk. She also in turn found the world of magic exciting. It tore at her, if she was being honest. Part of her wanting a normal life while the other loved the possibilities of what magic could provide. Throughout high school, she had entrenched herself in the world of magic, but college was meant as an escape from that life. A chance to live like everyone else. Did she really want to go back? Could she even leave after rediscovering the reasons why she loved magic?
A knock at her door now drew her attention. Curiously, she raised an eyebrow as she stood. Chances were it was a neighbor inviting Yuriko to the bar, after all there were quite a few single girls on her floor that she was friendly with. As she opened her dorm room door, her confusion was only amplified.
"Lynne?"
"Hey Yuki," Lynne replied quietly, offering a small wave. "Mind if we talk?"
Yuriko nodded, inviting the auburn haired beauty into her room before locking the door. "What are you doing here?" she asked. "I would've thought you and Garrett would be on a date or knee deep in diaper duty."
"Garrett is taking me out for lunch Saturday," she said, glancing around Yuriko's single room. "Nice setup, see you finally got a single room to yourself."
"Got tired of roommates bringing in their drunk boyfriends," Yuriko replied, picking up some discarded laundry so Lynne could sit on the loveseat she inherited from her brother. "So why come here then? Shouldn't you be watching that baby Tim?"
Lynne sighed, her shoulders slumping as she gazed out Yuriko's window. "We gave him up for adoption," she said sadly. "Garrett and I talked. We both agreed neither of us were ready for a kid. I...I know I promised his mom but, this just seemed like the best for Tim."
"I'm sorry." Yuriko said solemnly.
"It's fine," Lynne sighed. "We got a chance to talk with the couple who adopted him. Real nice people, they've been trying to have kids for awhile. Tim....Tim was an answer to all their prayers. Garrett and I got to say our goodbyes when the family headed back to Washington state."
"Wow all the way across the country," Yuriko said. "Are you going to try and stay in touch?"
"Maybe," Lynne shrugged. "The McKennas gave us an address. They'll probably send us some pictures on his birthday or something. I don't know if he'll even remember us though."
As Lynne continued to lament, Yuriko paused. McKenna. That name, she recognized it, but there was no way it could be same, could it? "Lynne what was the family's name again?"
"McKenna," Lynne said. "They named their son Tim McKenna. Why do you ask?"
Yuriko now quickly went to her desk, searching through draws. "What are you doing Yuki?" Lynne asked.
Yuriko now stood, holding a small case, one Lynne recognized immediately. "The summoning coin," Lynne asked in confusion. "Why do you need to talk with Mia, Tom, and Akira?"
Yuriko paused, tentatively opening the box for Lynne to see. "I don't use this coin very often," she said. Lynne studied it carefully, raising an eyebrow in confusion. She was all to familiar with Yuriko's summoning coin. The coin had been given as a birthday present when Yuriko was in kindergarten. Engraved on its face was the picture of a wolf and witches hat while the back display a fox head. When pressed tightly, the coin would summon Mia, Zack, or Akira. Yuriko used the coin often as a child in order to talk with her godparents. In all honesty, it made Lynne a bit jealous, however, considering she was the baby sister of Katie and Gloria, two of the most powerful wizards in existence, she had little room to say anyone was more well off magically. This coin though was different.
Lynne gazed at the golden coin, noting a fox head on the front with an hourglass on the back. "Where did you get this one?"
"It was a high school graduation gift," Yuriko stated. "From Akira's niece Misaki Nakamoto. She went to Magic High with Mia and Zack. I've spoken to her a few times since I started college. She's cool, I guess."
"Okay," Lynne said slowly. "But why would Akira's niece leave you a summoning coin?"
"Because she's from the future."
Lynne appeared flabbergasted as she gawked at the coin. She already had an idea of what that meant. When she was in preschool, her sisters and family were involved in a war with a dark wizard that looked to alter the future. The wizard, as Lynne would learn later, was connected to an organization known as the Normal.
That war found the Magic timeline and Lynne's fighting for their very survival. Things would have turned out poorly if not for the assistance of a group of teenagers from the future and one teenage boy in particular. The Catalyst.
"Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, hold on," Lynne exclaimed. "Are you telling me this girl knows the Catalyst?"
"Yeah," Yuriko said quickly. "She was friends with him. His name was Darren but, I could never remember his last name exactly. It was something Irish or Scottish McDaniel, McFarland..."
"McKenna?!"
Yuriko nodded, only causing Lynne's eyes to grow wider. "No that's impossible," she exclaimed. "No freaking way! That Darren kid was what? Sixteen? Fifteen? Tim would be in his 60s by the time this kid became the Catalyst. I mean what are the chances, like one in a million? A billion?"
"According to what Misaki told me Darren grew up in Washington state," Yuriko said. "And it's not like their are a ton of McKennas out there. I...I want to ask Misaki if she knows if Tim is related to Darren."
"Well," Lynne shrugged, her gaze focused on the coin. "No time like the present."
Taking a breath, Yuriko now firmly pressed on the coin. Almost instantly a Japanese woman in her early thirties appeared. Dressed in an expensive looking mercenary outfit, the woman blinked before turning to Yuriko. "Yuriko," she asked. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing Misaki," Yuriko stated. "But Lynne and I have a question for you."
Misaki nodded, her eyes going wide as she stared at Lynne. "Wow haven't seen you in decades," she said. "It's weird seeing you this young."
"Wait you've seen me in the future?" Lynne exclaimed.
Misaki nodded, a smirk crossing her face. "Yeah," she grinned. "And that first time...you were kind of a bitch."
Yuriko now stifled a laugh, Lynne frowning at the woman in front of her. "Oh ha ha future girl," she grumbled. "I'm sure I had a real good reason for cussing you out."
"You did," Misaki stated. "You didn't want Miss Yuriko training Darren."
Lynne paused, why would she not want Yuriko training this kid Darren? Shaking the thought from her head, she now scowled, appraising the woman's attire. "Yeah well I probably had my reasons," she grumbled. "But that's besides the point. Chances are your little buddy altered the future so that me doesn't exist anymore. At least my fashion sense is better. What's with the getup? You some sort of cosplaying secret agent or something?"
"Bodyguard," Misaki replied. "For my Aunt Aiko. She's the matron of the Nakamoto Clan."
"Who the hell are the Nakamoto Clan?" Lynne asked in exasperation.
"They're...Yakuza." Yuriko replied meekly.
Lynne's eyes went wide, her jaw falling open as she turned between Misaki and Yuriko. "The fuck Yuriko!" she exclaimed. "Why would you talk with a mob Bodyguard!?"
"Because that's only part of what I do," Misaki replied. "When Darren returned to the future, I elected to stay behind. To make sure that my family...as well as everybody else stated safe until Darren becomes the Catalyst. I'm part kitsune, I age slower than normal people, meaning I'll be in my physical prime for the rest of the century. Not for nothing, my original timeline didn't turn out so well thanks to you and the others. Magic was dying out, most of the wizards you know were gone. I stayed to make sure history didn't repeat itself."
As Lynne looked to argue, Yuriko held up her hand quieting Lynne. "Look you can argue with Misaki later," she stated. "Right now we need some questions answered."
"Go ahead Miss Yuriko," Misaki said. "I'm listening."
"Do you know what Darren’s parents or even grandparents names were. Specifically his father or grandfather?"
Misaki rubbed her chin thoughtfully. She had dated Darren for a short while, meeting his parents and even grandparents. Still, it had been years since she thought of the McKenna family. "I haven't thought about them in years." she mused.
"Anything would help Misaki." Yuriko pleaded.
"Okay well I remember his dad was named Robert," she said. "He was in his late thirties I think, so he wouldn't even be born yet."
"What about his grandpa," Yuriko asked. "Do you remember his name?"
Misaki once more rubbed her chin, searching for memories of a man she had met only a handful of times. "He was nice," she said slowly. "Typical grandpa stuff. Bald head, glasses, warm smile. I really liked the guy."
"Was...was his name Tim?" Lynne asked.
"Yeah," Misaki exclaimed happily. "I remember Darren’s grandma calling him. I do remember overhearing something about Tim and Darren's grandmother having a son when they were really young. How did you know his name?"
Lynne sunk onto Yuriko's loveseat, her head swimming at the implications of who Tim maybe. "Oh my god," she whispered. "Are....are you telling me I rescued the ancestor of the Catalyst?"
"Wait what," Misaki exclaimed. The woman turning to Yuriko. "What is she talking about?"
"We...had an incident recently," Yuriko stammered. "Lynne..um...kind of saved a baby named Tim from a Wendigo. She was thinking of adopting the baby before giving him to a family named the McKennas. They just moved to Washington."
"Where Darren lives!" Misaki gasped.
Yuriko and Lynne nodded, noting the look of astonishment on Misaki stated face. Slowly a smile now formed on the Japanese woman's face as she approached Lynne, embracing the woman in a hug. "I never heard of Darren’s grandpa being adopted," she said. "But, it would make sense. Thank you, for saving my friend."
"I'm....I'm just glad to know that he'll grow up okay and have a good life...." Lynne said through a few happy tears that went down her face.
Misaki and and Lynne now let go of each other as Lynne wiped her eyes dry.
"Now if there are no more questions, I'll be going." Misaki said as she disappeared from Yuriko's dorm room leaving the two girls alone.
"Yuriko, thank you for that. Garrett will probably also be surprised when he finds out too." Lynne said as she looked at Yuriko's laptop. "Hey, you know what? Why don't you and I go out for a drink? Why don't you and I go out for a little Valentine's Day friend's drink?" Lynne now suggested.
"Yeah, you know what? I could use a drink with a friend." Yuriko said putting a hand on Lynne's shoulder as they both left Yuriko's dorm room talking together as old friends once more.