Held in Britain, a tournament of the best fighters from around the world... A vicious battle arena where life is cheap and the cheer of the crowd fills the air. Olguin searches for his brother amidst the violence, and faces his past...
http://dracos.anifics.com/COR/Tourney%20Arc/
Fearless Leader
(This is the main springpad of the rpg at the moment)
OOC: It begins anew.... Rising like a phoenix, brighter than before...
IC:
The ray of green flew towards Olguin, a fatal blast that would steal his life and leave him broken on the floor. His eyes widened in fear as he tried desperately to slow it down.
A voice rang out, "Move it kid." A proud tenor to his right. A blow struck Olguin, sending him flying out of the way. The space next to him twisting strangely as an arm clad entirely in black silk appears right before the beam hits flinging Olguin away. A grunt of pain rang forth as the beam hit the unseen figure, sending him flying.
Olguin landed hard further down on the roof, pain flaring.....but alive.
"What? Another one?" Jethro's voice tore forth from his throat. His eyes narrowing in rage, his body beginning to tire from the massive strain of using 'that' power. "No matter, I'll destroy all of you! Feh...."
Behind Olguin, a crater stood in the roof smoking where he once stood. No sign of the appearent savior...
Meanwhile...
"Hey, we better help before Jethro gets all the fun, Kemitt." The rough barbarian leader of the despicable duo drew his spear and charged towards Fuu, swinging it in a dangerously overhead strike. Meck moved behind him, his short sword out of it's sheath and ready to cover his boss' back.
Fearless Leader
4 seconds worth of actions
"Wha...What was that?" Olguin shakily mumbled, getting to his feet on weak legs.
Pain flared from his ribs....probably bruised....but at least he was alive.
'Jethro! I left that freak alone with the others!'
Fuu's eyes glinted as she saw the duo's movements from the edge of her vision. She quickly raised her remaining trashcan lid to parry the clumsy spearuser's assault.
"...you left an opening..." she admonished before kicking Kemitt in his midsection, pushing him back towards Meck.
Miyuki looked up at Jethro. He seemed to be ignoring her at the moment. Now would be an Ideal time to strike but...out of the corner of her eye, she saw the two toadies rush Fuu.
Without a second thought, she turned away from Jethro and rushed to aid Fuu, the back of her mind still insisting that she knew these men...
Looking at the idiots attack Fuu, Kanban picked up a lid lying next to him and tossed it at Meck's head... of cource, it did have a ring of explosive ki around it, but they wouldn't know that...
"Thanks for playing our game... we have some lovely parting gifts awaiting you at the hospital..." he muttered as he looked up at Jethro...
"Well boy, your friend bought you a temporary reprieve. Won't do you any good. And he's dead now anyways." Floating up, Jethro looked victorious. His target was at his mercy.
A slight distortion in the air was Jethro's only warning as he barely dodged the silver dagger that flew at his head. The dagger slammed into the wall behind him with a metallic ping. "I..think...not."
The smoke began to clear, revealing a figure of shadow, his facial features blurred into a cloud of darkness, his clothes entirely black silk. His left hand cradled as he wrapped the burned arm in silk. His eyes gleaming silver as he slowly rose from his crouch, smoke sifting from his form.
"Been a long time since someone got a clean shot on me. Count yourself lucky Jethro." Rising, the mysterious figure drew an ornate black dagger from a sheath at his side, seeming suddenly more unreal and shadowy as he did so. His other hand wrapped again in black silk, suddenly was carrying another dagger.
"Well, well, it matters not. One or two of you. With the power of Khaos running through my veins, I'll destroy you. Feel now the force of my hurricane kick Olguin!"
Spinning suddenly Jethro lashed forward in a series of deadly footstrikes at Olguin, Intending to finish him off from the fight.
Fearless Leader
3 seconds
Kemitt grunted as he was kicked back, then spun attempting to slash at Fuu's stomach with a feriocious horizontal swing.
Meck, saved by some sense he didn't know, suddenly dropped to the floor.. the ki-powered garbage lid heading straight for...
Fuu.
Fearless Leader
7 seconds
Olguin grit his teeth in a combination of fury and pain as he forced his tiring body to avoid the attacks.
The faint humming of power filled his ears as the attacks started getting closer and closer to hitting him.
'Dammit!'
Eyes widening at the sudden pincer strike, Fuu leapt back, using her trashcan lid for a temporary reprieve from the clumsy spearuser's attack and twisted her body to dodge the incoming projectile. All futile however, since said projectile grazed her stomach just barely.
A dagger flew from the mysterious figure's hand, slamming into the middle of Jethro's fancy footwork. "Your pretty good at one on one, but can you handle us both?"
Blurring the figure suddenly appeared to leap in three directions with incredibly grace and agility, images of himself going off hiding his true position.
Tiny daggers began pelting Jethro's energy shield from multiple directions as the tenor voice rang out, "Don't just stand there, come on, between the two of us we can take down this bloke."
Fearless Leader
"Right!" Having seen what happened if one physically attacked Jethro's energy shield, Olguin decided to help his ally by attacking from above.
Rushing forwards, he bit back a scream as he forced his battered body to leap high above the others.
"Take this Jethro!" Clenching his fist, he suddenly sweeped it forwards, six small spheres of various colors streaking towards his foe.
Miyuki flinched, mid-run as the Trashcan lid grazed Fuu's midsection, and exploded violently, hurling the girl to the ground. She picked up the pace, hoping Fuu hadn't been injured, and as she drew closer, as her mind finally put the last piece in place. the one had green hair, a kind of green she'd NEVER forget..
These were the men that had destroyed her grandfather's sword...
"YOU!" She cried out.
She darted past Meck, and grabbed Kemitt, who's attention was still on Fuu, by the arm, and spun him around, tears of fury in her eyes as she unleashed a punch that could crush rock straight at the green haired man's jaw.
Jethro turned back to Olguin, knowing this sort of fight would drain him tremendously. Dodging rapidly, he faded into a blur of motion as he accessed his increased powers to evade the assualt. Leaping up he unleashed a fearsome uppercut at Olguin.
Fearless Leader
Desperately calling up the lessons his father had drummed into him from childhood, Olguin leaned his head back.
The action was enough to get his entire upper body out of harm's way.
Barely.
Watching Jethro's fist graze across his chest, he grit his teeth to avoid screaming as the ki burned across his skin.
Before releasing his own hold on his aura, his body's own bioenergy blasting off his form in a wave of energy.
Jethro's eyes widened as his shield absorbed the energy wave knocking him down to the ground. Landing catlike on his feet he suddenly felt a stab of pain as he barely moved to the side. Putting his hand to his side... blood? How? Nothing should be able to get through his shield.
Turning....there was no one there? No ki around him. How could this be.
The mysterious figure struck forth again unseen, slashing Jethro's arm before he could pull back. His eyes stared about wildly. "Where the hell are you? What the hell are you?" He shouted in pain and fear, blood running down his side.
Fearless Leader
Kanban, seeing that Kemmit was busy, picked up a pipe next to him and leaped to in front of Meck...
"FORE!!!!" he said as he swung the pipe like a golf club... aimed for the ultimate male weak spot...
On the floor meck rolled, barely avoiding the vicious attack as something came out of his sleeve. Pointing it as he rolled onto his back at Kanban he fired, a loud bang signaling the bullet heading at Kanban.
Fearless Leader
Only kanban, 1 second
Continuing his motion, Olguin went into a backflip before landing on the roof.
The jolt of pain he received from his ribs were enough to snap him out of his temporary revere.
Breathing deeply, he wiped a bit of sweat off his brow before going back to battle.
OOC:Oh poor poor Jethro
IC:
Jethro looked around like a beast gone mad, lashing at shadows as he attempted to find the source of his pain. Another light slash penetrating his shield and making his back run red caused him to roar like a mad bull.
Fearless Leader
Olguin suddenly came to a halt at the scene, wonder on his face.
How the hell was his ally getting in all those hits?
Putting that thought aside for the moment, he briefly considered Jethro's shield.
Even from this distance he could hear the howl of the wind as it violently blew around him.
Enough power to shred the flesh off his bones if he tried to PHYSICALLY attack, but he did have other methods available.
Closing his eyes in concentration, he began to reach for the special weave that had inadvertently disrupted Miyuki's ki.
Time for the Ace to be played....
"Inferno Vortex!"
Bringing both hands before him, he slowly pulled them apart, a distortion starting to take place in the air between them.
"FIRE!"
With a loud roar, a red tint sphere of air rocketed towards Jethro, the air warping around it as it went along.
However, and luckily for Kanban, Meck's aim was slightly off... it still hit him, but not at the intended target, his head. Instead, the bullet shot through his shoulder...
"$#%&^%$*^%$##" Kanban screamed as he dropped the pipe and collapsed to the ground holding his shoulder in agony....
OOC: finally ^_^
IC:
As Kanban fell, Meck, the not so totally incompetent member of the incompetent duo, rose and trained his gun on Miyuki's back.
"Freeze bitch!"
Kemitt fell spinning before slamming hard into the ground, his jaw nearly torn from it's hinges.
Behind them all the glow of the battle of titans illuminated the alleyway... the green energy of Jethro's attacks meeting the fire of Olguin's aura...
Fearless Leader
Miyuki turned at the sound of Meck's voice as Kemitt crumpled against against the wall. She turned, tears coursing down her cheeks as she glared at Meck, not a single ounce of fear in her eyes.
Her battle aura, for the first time in her life, was fully visible, a glimmering amethyst to match her eyes, writhing and crackling like a fire.
"You..." She said quietly. "You were with him, weren't you?"
OOC: Jethro Introduction.. complete....
IC:
Flying silently over the English Channel, a huge flying ship crossed the border from France to Britian. Magic shields protected it from the detection grid of the British military and Air Force, and it's black design allowed it to hide in the night sky.
"Move it ensign K 27. I'm certain if we do not get there shortly, General Jethro will fall before the ambush." Standing at the port bow of the space age open roof ship (How, it's magic), stood the fearsome leader of the Khaos Generals, The Silver Haired man in Black gold trimmed armor. His cape floated in the slight wind that filtered through the protective shielding.
"I'll never forgive you." Small tears escaped Miyuki's eyes as she charged forward, a controlled force of nature dedicated to the obliteration of Meck, her fist flying forward in a fearsome punch, her ki forming almost the image of a hungry lynx in answer to her internal rage. Meck fired shot after shot in fear as he ran backwards, the bullets flying wide or melting from the heat of the aura... he was certain...he was going to die... shot...shot...shot.... too..clo-
"We are moving at top speed, sir. We will be within teleporter range in moments.", the professional pilot responded.
Jethro's eyes suddenly widened. No, such power... turning he saw Olguin's eyes narrow with controlled anger and power, his hands pulling apart as a vortex of red ki formed within them. Olguin's shout....the loud cry of his excutioner.
"Inferno Vortex!"
The blast flew at him, a burning comet of firey red ki tearing through the winds...
Sweeping over London, Khrima's private super airship, the Black Phoenix, cast it's shadow upon the ground...
Kemitt slowly began to rise, the insane endurence that had kept him alive despite everything showing itself once again. Turning he attempted to shout, his mouth screaming pain to him, as he saw the bitch charging his smaller partner...
"Teleporter lock achieved, sir. Beaming them aboard." K 27 remarked mechanically.
Jethro's eyes closed as he prepared to make his peace. He had been defeated by a superior opponent and failed his liege lord. It was his fate and the law of the cosmos. The weak would always fall before the strong...
Before Olguin's eyes the Inferno Vortex obscured Jethro's form and shattered the ground as it blasted through to the sewers beneath... a wave of sewer waters flying high into the skies as it was displaced.
"Targets..."
Miyuki's fist flew at Meck's skull as he clicked empty of bullets. A fist capable of smashing through solid steel.. the hungry lynx closed it's jaws upon the neck of it's prey.... Miyuki's fist passed through...
"..Acquired."
Kemitt disappeared finally with his partner vanishing before Miyuki's eyes. Yet another close escape, no matter...he'd have other chances to get them.
As the Black Phoenix flew past, mission accomplished, The Judge's cold blue eyes focused on Olguin... a powerful warrior. He would bear watching....
Fearless Leader
End of the fight scene...yay!
Olguin glared up at the flying ship as it flew past him, the damned thing had taken his kill away from him!
His eyes suddenly widened in shock at that thought.
Wha...what was happening to him?
Staggering back, he suddenly felt a terrible burning on his chest. Wincing, he shuffled towards the alleyway.
"One down...a bajillion to go."
Somehow, the phrase made his blood in his veins sing with exctasy.
Miyuki bit down on the urge to scream in outrage as her fist passed through the empty space where Meck's head had been a moment before.
She had almost HAD him! Something stole her kill-!
The uncharacteristic thought horrified her, snapping her out of her frenzied emotional state. She immediately began burying the dark thought under all the happy, or calm memories she had.
Eventually...the thought faded...leaving behind fresh memories of the precious item the two bumbling fighters had stolen from her. She fell to her knees, tears falling silently from her eyes to the ground.
Kanban, wincing in pain with every step, silently put his good hand on Miyuki's shoulder...
Looking to the sky, he wondered, 'Why? Why do people around me always hurt...'
Miyuki didn't move for a long moment.
After a while, she glanced up, her face still wet, and gave Kanban a grateful look. Suddenly, her violet eyes widened in surprise.
"Kanban-san...you're hurt! Is it serious?" Suddenly, another thought occured to her. "Is Raibou-san all right?" she asked, worry in her voice.
As if in response, a pained groan floated from among the toppled trashcans.
Miyuki's eyes widened, and she stood, rushing over to the source of the noise, her own problems pushed to the side for the moment, a knot of worry and guilt building in her stomach.
She hoped the green haired girl was alright...it was her fault for persuading her to come with them...
Olguin's breath began to slowly lower, his mind beginning to get bombarded by soothing, happy thoughts.
Not that he minded.
Wincing, he brought up a hand to his chest and felt a steady trickle of blood flow.
Lovely.
"Hey! Thanks for the assistance!" He called out to his unseen ally, before moving at a quicker pace.
Only to discover, to his great shock, the current scene.
"Oi! Anyone hurt down there!?" Worry laced his words as he levitated off the roof with a controlled blast of wind.
Landing with a soft whish of air, he winced as he heard someone's...probably Fuu's groan. Walking up to the trashcans, he began to slowly lift them off her, continous spikes of pain lancing through his own body.
Fuu groaned, weakly trying to push the detritus off of herself as Olguin removed the last bit of debris that buried her. Her clothes were singed and tattered, a bloody wound on etched onto her adoman from the explosion earlier. A trickle of blood leaked from the edge of her mouth as her wound started bleeding again, aggrivated by her movements.
"I'd be grateful if you can get this junk off of me..." she managed to rasp out in annoyance.
Miyuki looked up briefly as Olguin dropped down, too worried to do much more than briefly smile at him in relief before assisting him uncover the rest of the garbage that had toppled onto Fuu.
Once they had uncovered her, Miyuki saw the large, bloody rent on her abdomen, and let out an involuntary gasp as one hand flew to cover her mouth. She nodded quickly.
"Hai." She nodded quickly, setting to work. "Don't try to move, Raibou-san...I'm so sorry..."
Kanban, seeing the condition Fuu was in, lowered his head and turned away in shame...
Picking up his axe, he restraps it to his waist with his good arm, and starts to limp away before people could notice his departure...
OOC: Somebody better notice him!
Senses already stretched to their breaking points from his previous battle, Olguin was able to immediately spot Kanban from the corner of his eye.
Most noticably the limp she had.
"Kanban...best not go away with that kind of an injury." He warned.
"This?" Kanban said while pointing to his injured shoulder, "This is nothing compared to what I did to her..." he added while pointing to Fuu...
"Whatever...this isn't the time to go about playing matyr for a mistake you made." Olguin stated.
"You won't be able to make this up to her if you go out and die, now will ya?"
"No... you're right. It didn't help last time either..." Kanban said as he stopped and turned around...
"No, it only hurt... hurt to where I had to put on a smile constantly just to keep myself from thinking of it... to flirt, drink, and live the carefree lifestyle because it lifted the pain off of me, even for a few seconds..." A small tear fell as he remembered a face, held dear to his heart, with lifeless eyes in a pool of blood...
Miyuki carefully pulled the garbage off of Fuu, oblivious to the conversation between Olguin and Kanban.
Her mind replayed the conversation at the arena...her persuading Fuu to come with them.
Guilt filled her mind as she gently tried to clean Fuu up and make her more comfortable.
"I'm so sorry, Raibou-san...this is my fault..."
"Come on then, help me save her. Everything else is secondary." Olguin softly stated, knowing in his heart that he couldn't help Kanban deal with this kind of thing.
And that hurt.
Nodding, Kanban walked back to Fuu and knelt down on the opposite side of Fuu from Miyuki...
"Fuu-cha... I mean, Raibou-san..." Kanban amends as he, with his good arm, moves a strand of hair out of her face, "It's my fault... I made a careless mistake... and you paid for it. I'd rather be there than you... You still have what I lost 3 years ago..."
Fuu attempted to shrug, wincing at the shot of pain in her gut, "Don't worry about it Musume-san, it isn't as bad as it looks," she said, standing up unsteadily.
Pushing Miyuki away gently, Fuu stood on her own, albiet unsteadily, "As my sister would put it, "'Tis only a flesh wound.""
Miyuki stood too, smiling a little now, but suddenly aware she was the only one that had escaped injury, and feeling a twinge of more guilt.
"I'm glad, Raibou-san. Are you sure you're ok? Olchan can an ambulance..." she trailed off...
"I'll be fine..." Fuu responded calmly, nodding slightly before a wave of nausea and dizziness from the blood lost hit her.
"...after I take a nap..." she finished, before passing out.
"I'm going to get an ambulance now." With that, Olguin was gone, moving as fast as his battered body could handle.
A half hour later, the ambulances arrived, sirens blaring.
OOC: wah...done -_-
Go to bed...do not pass go ^_^
IC:
Moments later the ambulances drove away, Kanban and Fuu covered by the tourney insurance and promptly taken to emergency. Olguin's chest was bandaged by a nurse before they drove off, leaving the 'lovey couple' by themselves.
Fearless Leader
"Well...I must make a note to never attempt to socialize again. Very bad for my health." Olguin weakly said, still adjusting to the feel of his bandaged chest.
Miyuki blinked and looked up, shooting Olguin a bemused look. She smiled, with a slight hint of sadness and took his hand in hers.
"I hope you're joking," she chided gently.
"Probably..." Olguin squeezed Miyuki's hand gently, before shaking his head. "Maybe...Maybe I should just stay away from you all."
Feeling his heartbeat quicken, he looked at their joined hands.
"I...I don't want to, but the Doofus Duo and Jethro came after ME. This is all MY fault."
Miyuki blinked, then shot him a tolerant look.
"Funny..." She smiled sadly. "I was just thinking how it was my fault for persuading her to come with us."
Olguin sighed, leading Miyuki out of the alleyway and towards their hotel.
His brief moment of being out and about was nice...while it lasted.
"We both have some share of the blame, actually." He sadly stated.
Miyuki nodded.
"So...I guess I should avoid socializing too, huh?" she said quietly.
"No." Olguin forcefully retorted, "You aren't the one that brought all this down on us, I was!"
Face contorting into a mask of pain, he ground out.
"So much for being a protector, eh? All I can do is bring pain onto others."
Miyuki sighed. She stopped Olguin, and tapped at his forehead lightly.
"Ba~aka." She sighed. "Stop doing that. You never consider the good you do, but you're ready to beat yourself up over something we share the blame for."
She squeezed his hand gently. "Olchan...You make me happy, right? So you DO bring something other than pain."
Olguin blushed at Miyuki's words. Continuing back towards the hotel, he sheepishly mumbled.
"Thanks Michan...I think I needed to hear that."
Miyuki smiled, brightening considerably as Olguin conceded the point.
"I'm glad I could help." she said simply. She leaned against Olguin as they walked back to the hotel.
Stepping into their hotel room, Olguin reluctantly let go of Miyuki's hand.
"Well...this has been a 'fun' day." He muttered, closing the door behind him.
Privately, he wondered why his sarcasm lack its biting edge, though.
OOC: Go now olguin
IC:
As the door handle turned, suddenly the tones of a silver flute reached Olguin's ear.
Fearless Leader
As Miyuki stepped into the room, she blinked. "That flute...I've heard it before. Last night..." she trailed off, remembering she hadn't seen much before waking up in her bed.
Feeling an overwhelming urge to keep Miyuki in his sight, Olguin did the only real thing he could think up at the time.
Was it nice? Most definately.
Was it wise? Er...get back to you on that.
"I think I should introduce you to my sensei, Michan."
With that, he lead Miyuki Hibiki up to his latest training session.
Miyuki nodded, smiling, and followed Olguin to the roof. She was curious about the man who had been teching Olguin...even moreso since she hadn't been able to find anything out last night...
OOC: Sigh....I can't believe I'm having trouble doing IC for one of my own bloody long term avatars.
IC:
Olguin climbed the stairs and opened the door unto a beautiful starlit sky. Not a cloud marred the sky. From above the silver flute continued playing. A robed figure sitting on the top of the roof entrance, his back to the two martial artists.
Fearless Leader
"Shair-sensei....I'd like to introduce you to a friend of mine...er..." Olguin nervously trailed off.
Miyuki stepped forward, a curious look on her face as she waited for Olguin's teacher to say something.
She was careful to avoid probing the man with her ki. After all, she'd embarrassed herself often enough probing before she should. However, she stetched her ki senses to the fullest around Olguin's teacher, looking for whoever had rendered her unconcious the previous evening...
OOC: Premonition...
IC:
Shair rose, his back to the two youths. His right arm rose, the flute slipping into his sleeve as he affixed the mask to his face. Turning, his penetrating gaze thrust through the two, appearing to see everything. His deep voice intoned, "I am Wiseman. And whom do you bring before me?"
Fearless Leader
Olguin's posture suddenly straightened at the shift in his teacher's personality.
Something was wrong.
"I bring Miyuki Hibiki before you Wiseman." He stated.
Wiseman frowned unseen, this sort of connection was a distraction at this juncture...or was it? "Miyuki Hibiki, It is nice to meet you, but the training of the art is a private affair."
Fearless Leader
Miyuki smiled and bowed politely in greeting.
"I understand, Wiseman-san. I'm just concerned for his welfare. Olch-er, Olguin was injured today." she said calmly, dropping into formal speech. She smiled again suddenly.
"It won't be necessary to knock me out again tonight," she told the masked figure, pausing as though she wanted to ask a question. Finally, she simply said "If you wish, I'll go back to the room."
"Thank you. That will be all Ms. Hibiki." Thinking a moment, he continued. "Olguin, follow me."
Vanishing in an instant Wiseman appeared the next building. "Come on lad."
Fearless Leader
Giving Miyuki one last apologetic glance, Olguin turned back to face Wiseman.
"Alright." Dashes towards the edge of the roof, he jumped, a sudden and intense gust of wind aiding him.
Landing on the next roof, he dropped into his stance.
"Ready whenever you are, Wiseman-sensei."
Miyuki sighed as she was left alone on the rooftop. After 20 minutes of searching for a way off the roof, she sat down and sighed.
"Well, this is dignified," she mumbled. "Maybe I'll just sleep here..."
"To all normal warriors there exists a point beyond which they cannot fight. A limit unsurpassable where their bodies...spirits...minds..and heart will all fail them. Where they will fall dead upon the floor before continuing the battle. You yourself are weak at this moment, exhasted from battle you provide an easy target for any who would destroy you. You must train beyond this possibility...learn to have no limits."
Fearless Leader
Suddenly something caught her eye... a small black wood box in the corner of the roof that all but called to her.
Fearless Leader
Compulsion upon sight effect
"How would I go about this? My enemies seem to be nigh invincible, and they have almost endless support. How can I train to break my limits in such a short time?"
"Short time? To those who have mastered their own souls, time is but an antiqued notion. Fight every battle to survive. Fight now...with only will against me."
Fearless Leader
Miyuki caught sight of the box, and every one of her instincts insisted that she turn around and flee...but she was unable to stop herself from walking over and picking up the black box....
"But...how does one know they've achieved mastery?" Olguin softly mumbled, remembering how most of his attacks had been proved to be ineffectual against Jethro.
Drudging up the energy that sprang up from his soul, Olguin's form was suddenly lit up by his aura.
With a battle cry, he rocketted towards Wiseman, fists crackling with amethyst fire.
OOC: alas... Evil moves first
IC:
Miyuki's hands, acting almost outside of her control found a small latch, and opened the box, revealing a deck of cards...all blank.
Reaching out she drew one card, putting the box down. Before her eyes it glowed...shifting...revealing a young child on it's front standing in front of a mirror looking at an older woman. On the back a purple mushroom appeared.
A cold feeling suddenly grew in the pit of Miyuki's stomach as her something felt very wrong. Her clothes began feeling loose around her as she shrunk, the card slipping from her grasp as she fell in height. Moments later, she looked around confused... reduced physically and emotionally to a six year old child.
Meanwhile the box disappeared into smoke...demonic laughter softly being audible from the cruel box.
Fearless Leader
"Your will is slow tonight Olguin." Manuevering around him, Shair was a fleeting leaf upon the wind...always one step ahead. "What is on your mind?"
Fearless Leader
"What the...?" Suddenly doubling over in the midst of his attack, Olguin turned wide eyes towards the roof where had left Miyuki.
"Something feels wrong, terribly wrong."
Suddenly spinning on his heel, Olguin's body blurred slightly as he dashed away.
He HAD to see what was wrong!
Miyuki fell to the ground, landing hard on her rear. She looked in shock at her smaller body, beginning to shake.
'What...' She took quick mental stock. Her memory was intact. She was still herself. Only now...she was, at best, six years old.
She tried hard to reign in the shock, but her emotions were no longer up to the task. She put her face in her hands and began to cry softly...
Shair, sensing his student's distress, followed, his form hidden from view.
Fearless Leader
Moments later...
Olguin stared at the girl that was standing in Miyuki's clothes in shock.
That girl....no...
But his memories told him otherwise.
"M...Miyuki?" He stammered, feeling the bottom of his world suddenly give.
Just when he had reunited with her....this happens?
Suddenly, Olguin began to darkly laugh. Oh course, nothing could go his way in life, he had been personally picked as the bitch for the gods, afterall.
Miyuki looked up at Olguin, her face wet. She opened her mouth to say something...anything...but she couldn't.
As he began to laugh grimly, Miyuki's eyes teared up again. She was all alone, and far too young, now to take care of herself. she began to cry again, frightened at what might happen to her...
Feeling a incredible amount of power surge through his blood, Olguin smiled grimly.
Maybe it was time to pay the world back for everything it did to him?
Suddenly hearing a child's tears, he immediately snapped out of his dark musings.
Shoving the tempting power away, he suddenly felt light headed.
Kneeling down next to the still crying Miyuki, he placed a hand on her right shoulder.
Now wasn't the time for this kinda crap, Olg!
Miyuki shrank back a little bit as she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at Olguin (Kami-sama he was HUGE now!) and felt a devastating sense of loss.
She wiped her eyes fiercely with the now enormous sleeve of her tunic, and looked into Olguin's gaze hesitantly. Was this the last time she would ever see her best friend? How could she be anything but a burden to him, now?
Olguin couldn't help but flinch as Miyuki shrank away from his touch. Taking a deep, albeit ragged breath of air, he tried to give his friend a reassuring smile.
"What did this to you?"
Miyuki wiped at her eyes again.
"Card," She hiccuped. She scowled briefly, then forced herself to slow down and get the words out. "I found a black box...full of cards." She paused to sniffle. "I didn't want to, but something made me take a card, and, and..."
With that, She burst into tears again, internally disgusted with herself, but so anxious and afraid that she was unable to hold them back...
"Michan..." Taking her into his arms, Olguin began to gently rock the crying girl. He'd be damned before he left her to suffer alone.
Miyuki gave up on trying to hold it in. She buried her face in Olguin's shirt, and cried her heart out.
Tears of fear, anxiety and loneliness poured out...mixed with tears of relief that her best friend hadn't abandoned her.
She cried for what seemed like hours...and with a final, shuddering sigh, fell asleep in Olguin's arms.
Olguin slowly got to his feet, making sure to not joustle his precious cargo.
"Wiseman-sensei...is there anything we can do for her?" His whisper was full of sadness, but his eyes shined with a faint hope as he gazed at his mentor.
OOC: oh for the love of mages...
IC:
Wiseman's hand went up to his chin as he thought, watching the hopeful eyes, and sighed. "I once knew a man who could have helped you. A brilliant intellect and fierce magical power beyond my comprehension, he twisted reality to his whims. It was by his actions that COR came into existence upon this plane. If he was still around I am certain he could help you. Unfortunately he met with a terrible accident after bringing the forces of COR into this dimension. Slain without a chance to defend himself he fell to an ignoble death. The cook's assistant never got over it." Shaking his head back to the present, "I'm sorry. I know of nothing that can help you at this moment."
Fearless leader
Shaking his head, Olguin warded off the bout of depression Wiseman's words brought about.
"I understand. Thank you for at least telling me the truth."
Looking down at Miyuki's angelic face, his own expression firmed.
"I'll protect her until I breath my dying breath, then. No harm will come unto her until I manage to find some way of reversing this curse." He solemnly stated.
"Why don't you take her inside. You've had a long day Olguin. Get some rest. Hopefully...I'll see you tommorow night." Something odd flashed across Shair's eyes for a second and then he vanished.
Fearless Leader
A few minutes later, Olguin slowly pushed open the door, being careful not to accidentally slam the door against the wall.
Closing the door with a bit of difficulty, he walked up to their bed and gently tucked Miyuki in.
"Well...just another day, ne?" He whispered, before getting ready for bed himself.
Five minutes later he lay on the nearby couch, staring up at the ceiling.
Memories of days long by flashed through Olguin's mind as he stared at the ceiling with an inward gaze.
He had already figuratively run off from someone that needed him before, using the convient excuse that he had to go out into the world to find his brother.
What made him think he could take care of MIYUKI of all people!?
His eyelids suddenly felt heavy...
Why was it so hard to....?
'COR...'
'Canal...'
With those two words in mind, Olguin went to sleep.
And dreamt...
OOC: Time for a new arc! Joy. ^^
http://dracos.anifics.com/forums//index.php?board=6;action=display;threadid=127
OOC: Day four CONCLUDED!
IC:
And like all nights before the stars flew across the sky. Dreams were dreamt as normal people slept blissfully in ignorance of the wars fought in their streets.
Kenryu sat outside, meditating by the lake. Those that remained were powerful indeed. This would be a whole different league tommorow. Looking up at the stars he remembered his father's kind smile. Yes, he would win.
Dark Wiseman sat alone on the roof...none so far had been the one. It did not matter... He had time. The correct destiny would reveal itself.
Sen Ten Kar slept. His years of training had instilled confidence of battle. He would win or lose. Worrying was a meaningless waste of energy.
Genryu sat in mediation in an old dojo, having made the use of the facilities provided by COR.
'Little brother's alive, eh?' Closing his eyes in rememberance, he half smiled. 'Much stronger than when we last crossed fists.'
Facing twisting in slight discomfort, he sighed.
If he lived long enough, that is.
Gradually the moon set...
and a new day begun...
*BZZZZZZZZZZT* The alarm clock was an annoying presence as always.
Fearless Leader
OOC: Got permission for this. ^_^
IC:
The first rays of sunlight of the new day began creeping into the hotel room, teasing at Olguin's eyelids, pulling him slowly from his dream. As he awoke, he noted a warm pressure in his side that hadn't been there the night before.
Startled, he looked down...to the sight of Miyuki's now tiny body curled up next to his, her eyes clenched tightly shut, and one hand resting on Olguin's still clothed chest, fabric from his shirt snared in her clenched hand.
Olguin took deep, steady breathes to calm his racing heart.
'Just a dream...and Miyuki.' He thought to himself, a small smile coming to his face as he looked down at his much younger friend.
So many memories...
Shaking his head, he gently shook Miyuki awake.
"Time to wake up, Michan."
Miyuki blinked sleepily and smiled up at him...and blinked again in surprise.
Misery settled over her tiny features as she cast her gaze down over her small body.
"It wasn't a dream..." she said quietly, tears threaten to start all over again
Olguin gave a slow nod in response...his own eyes reflecting Miyuki's own sadness.
"Unfortunately it wasn't, but I WILL find a way of reversing that curse." He stated, giving her a firm hug.
Miyuki said nothing, simply clinging tightly to him, and nodding her head.
Her distress was so evident, it might as well have been present in the air itself.
"Olchan....I'm scared..."
Olguin ran his hand through her hair, gently murmuring reassurances to the scared girl.
"I'll be with you, and I won't EVER let anyone hurt you."
Miyuki nodded. "Thank you..." Even so, she didn't reliquish her grip on Olguin just yet. Suddenly, She looked up.
"Olchan," She said miserably,"I haven't even got any clothes that'll fit..."
"I can take care of that." Olguin said with a smile.
One hour later....
"Alright Mister Store Owner, I'd like everything on this list." Olguin stated, holding out an incredibly long list to a shocked middle aged man.
"What?" He blinked, taking out the silver coin he had in his possession, he added. "I can pay."
Eyes rolling to the back of his head, the store owner passed out.
"Oh bother..."
OOC: Olg helped with this. ^_^
Miyuki stood in the little store, eyeing the children's clothes dubiously.
"What's wrong Michan?" Olguin worriedly asked, giving one last look to the fallen store owner before turning all his attention to Miyuki.
"This...is embarassing..." She mumbled.
"I know, but we can't have you wearing THAT all the time." He whispered back.
The THAT in question was Miyuki's old tunic, which had undergone a series of tears and mends. It was now sleeveless, and spotted a 'stylish' belt made out of duck tape. Even with the tape holding it up, the make shift 'dress' was still a horror to withhold.
"Do you WANT to go around like that?" He rhetorically asked. Miyuki lifted up her arm, looking folornly at the ugly little kimono they'd made with her battle tunic. She sighed sadly.
"No, I know, you're right. What should I get?"
"Dunno...it should be something that you're comfortable in, though."
Miyuki nodded solemnly and walked to peer at the odd selection of clothing.
*************
One intervention of a helpful salesgirl later, Miyuki was returned to Olguin, wearing a shimmering blue chinese pants and shoes in children's style, and a cheongsam styled shirt of the same color with a silvery hightlights in the threads.
To top it off, The sales girl had retrieved a small silk jacket with a silver phoenix embroidered on the back.
The sales girl beamed down at the discomfited Miyuki. Miyuki, for her part, hung her head as they walked back toward Olguin, her cheeks hot, and her eyes seemingly ready to fill with tears at any moment...
OOC: Bean helped. ^^0
Olguin kneeled down in front of Miyuki and stared straight into her eyes.
"Remember what I told you, Michan."
Miyuki didn't even bother to speak, she simply nodded sadly.
"I can't even begin to understand what it's like for you, but you have to keep believing we'll fix this."
Miyuki looked up and gave him a feeble smile. "Hai, I know..."
"C'mon, don't be that way." Olguin wagged a finger at her.
"I can't help it!" She blurted suddenly, looking at Olguin intensely "What if we can't fix it?" Tears began to trickle down her cheeks again, her frustration evident.
"Then I'll still stay with you." He calmly replied, "I would never leave you, and you know that." His voice gained a sharp edge at the end.
Miyuki nodded, a protest on her lips...but she blushed hotly and closed her mouth before she said anything more. "I know...and thank you...I was worried I would be all alone when this first happened...."
"I left you behind once, and I don't want to repeat that experience." Olguin uncomfortably shrugged, "Now...time for us to finish buying all our gear." Faintly smiling, he added. "Probably get you a sword now."
Miyuki grimaced, temporarily out of he funk. "An ordinary sword might be the same thing as me old one...
"Hmm...well...all in due course." With that, he lead Miyuki deeper into the store.
Another hour later....
Olguin cheerfully walked down the streets, holding Miyuki's hand as he lead the way back to the Arena.
His new outfit consisted of a gray sleeveless shirt with a black vest over it, and black pants.
Time for a change, after all.
The Arena loomed before them...
Various red banners hung from the outer arena walls proclaiming the semifinals that would be held today.
The crowd was remarkably cheerful as various vendors worked the stands, swiftly selling their products.
In the middle of the Arena a beautiful cherry oak tree grove stood. Somehow it had been grown overnight to provide the first battle arena of the day.
Fearless Leader
Find your seats and I'll begin the game
Picking Miyuki up, Olguin made his way into the Arena proper.
"Aww...isn't that just the cutest picture." One woman told her friend.
"Indeed, isn't it sweet that he's taking care of his daughter?" The second said, "Albeit, I could think of better places to take one's child to."
"Well...maybe he's a martial artist, I hear they're slightly 'off'." The first woman responded, waving her hand slightly at the last word.
Olguin nobly ignored the two witches as he took his seat, placing Miyuki on the seat immediately to the right of his.
Miyuki's eyebrow was twitching rapidly, and an faint amythest battle aura surrounded the little girl.
On the plus side, the depression that had been nearly all consuming for the entire morning was momentarily displaced.
On the other hand, Miyuki was nearly irate with frustrated embarrassment...
"WEEEEEEEEELCOME TO THE GSC WORLD TOURNAMENT SEMIFINALS!"
"Today only the creme de le creme of the battlers remain. Expert fighters who've demonstrated speed, strength, endurance, skill and sometimes just the desire to win beyond all doubt."
"The rise on the broken and battered bodies of those who came before, their merit proved by the fallen spirits of their opponents."
"So Bob, who are our first battlers of the day."
"Well Dave, The master of his style and a brutal fighter throughout the competition, Kenryu will be stepping forth, continuing in his attempt to follow in his father's footsteps."
"And his opponent Bob?"
"His opponent is from Japan and a master of both armed and unarmed combat. Genryu represents the relatively secretive school of the Anything Goes Martial Arts. It will be a close fight between these titans."
"They're coming out onto the field now folks, get ready for quite a show."
Fearless Leader
Olguin winced as he spotted the battle aura. Once again, he cursed himself.
'Miyuki is a cute girl, but a violent little maniac.' He thought, a bemused expression crossing his face as he remembered how prone she was to getting annoyed back when they were children.
"Michan...please don't hurt those women." He quietly pleaded.
Kenryu stepped out unto the grass field from the south gate. His red gi was immaculantly cleaned. His face clean shoven and his black hair sharply cut.
Walking to the middle of the field he awaited his opponent.
"Go lil' kenryu! BEAT HIM DOWN!" an annoying female voice cried from the stands. Turning he sweatdropped....auntie Sakura had actually made it.
Fearless Leader
Coming in from the north gate, Genryu walked towards his latest opponent.
His immaculate white silk shirt shone from underneath within the confines of his dark blue vest, his dark blue silk pants softly scrapped across the ankle high grass.
Blue gray eyes locked on black as the heir to Ranma and Akane's legacy made his way to the middle of the arena, his intense gaze even spotting the faintest hint of brown in Kenryu's eyes.
Reaching out with his senses, he faintly smiled as he picked up his brother's aura in the stands.
Well, he certainly was going to disappoint his family.
Bowing to his opponent, he took up a basic Anything Goes stance.
Any moment now...
OOC: WAAAAAAAH
IC:
Kenryu bowed and entered his stance, the beginnings of the flaming dragon...
"Battler's ready? BEGIN!"
His feet lashed out, the base of his mother's school.... lightning swift as he attempted to take the lead.
Fearless Leader
OOC: Kenryu vs Genryu! Fight! *puts on Liberi Fatali*
Suddenly ducking below the kick, Genryu cried out.
"AMAGURIKEN!"
Fists blurring, the Anything Goes heir unless a barrage of punches at Kenryu.
Fists blurred against kenryu's feet... the fastest move of two superlative martial arts school's meeting in a eddy of violence...both martial artists being pulled in....fist to foot..blow after blow countered as they blurred to their utmost speeds. Neither gaining the upper hand..
Fearless Leader
Sweat broke out on Genryu's brow as he kept up the insane speeds of the Amaguriken for a insane amount of time.
He had to end this stalemate...
Gritting his teeth, he poured even more energy into his attack, his arms screaming in agony as he pressed the attack.
Smiling slightly, Genryu heard the telltale sign of the air between them being forced apart by their attacks.
Almost...
NOW!
Suddenly hearing the whooshing sound of air being sucked in, Genryu felt himself thrown back by a sonic boom.
OOC: Fight Fight FIGHT!
IC:
The wind roared in as both fighters were pushed back...
Kenryu flipped in the wind, a hand down as he summersaulted away, cherry blossoms following the vacuum of his path. Landing firmly he began rotating his hands in the pattern of his father's most famous technique, blue light following the lightning fast motions.
Fearless Leader
"They are starting it up at the top level and going up, no holds barred here Dave."
"Indeed, both these fighters have heard of each other in other rings and have quite the reputation. I have no doubt that both of the men down there are enjoying this to the fullest."
Fearless Leader
Sky blue battle aura blazing, Genryu flew back from the sonic boom, the cherry blossoms following him being burning brightly.
Backflipping, he grinned as his feet met the bark of a tree.
"Hiryu Shoten Ha Revised! Mercurian Comet!"
With a howl of fury, the winds themselves aided Genryu as he rebounded off the tree, the sudden winds utterly destorying the tree with their intensity.
Rocketing towards his opponent, his aura suddenly began to grow in both size and intensity, drawing in the ambient power in the arena.
The world itself seemed to dim as the relatively huge ki sphere blasted towards Kenryu, destroying everything in its path, only to leave everything in a thick layer of ice in its wake.
Kenryu's eyes shut....then opened glowing brilliant blue as his hand's continued to gather energy.... the incoming wave of freezing ki leaving frozen cherry petals in it's path as the trees shook from the vacuum left in Genryu's path.
Shin....
Hands together... glowing blue with power....
ku....
Palms open...energy ready.. pull back....
HADOKEN!
Thrust forward... a brilliant blast of blue and white energy flying forward at incredible speeds, a storm of power reaching forward to encompass the freezing meteor of Genryu's power... exploding with energy the two titans met...
Fearless Leader
equally matched
Back in the seats, Miyuki's furious battle aura winked out as she watched the fight.
The little girl stared, slack-jawed, as Kenryu released the ki-blast. 'That's IT!' she thought. 'That's how he's releasing ki!'
The surface of the comet wavered as it battled against the Shinku Hadoken.
Hot steam wafted off the comet in billowing waves as the two titanic forces battle for supremacy, obscuring the Arena from the prying eyes of the spectactors.
To their great protest, of course.
Suddenly a loud crack echoed within the Arena.
From deep within the steam cloud.
Most of the spectactors leaned forward....
Only to simulateneously gasp as their eyes were assaulted by a glaring flash of blue light.
The following tornado was slightly less surprising to the citizens of London.
They HAD been spotting quite a few occurences of them lately, after all.
OOC; hate..channel...the hate...draw it's power.. blend it's rage unto the darkness up above.
Did I mention this is the coolest background i've yet used for a fight? Is it not nifty guys?
IC:
The whirlwind exploded forth, a tornado of wind and sakura petals as the two battlers were swept up in it's torrent as it soared to the sky above.. The trees shook and rattled as the force of winds tore at them.
Kenryu flowed with the wind, bending and turning and feeling their path as he drew the latent ki energies into his body, restoring swiftly his reserves.
Fearless Leader
Meanwhile in the hospital...
Unseen voices filtered into Fuu's mind...
"There, the IV's are set up. These two are remarkably lucky surviving a gang fight like that."
"Indeed Dr. Menclair, though it looks like both of them will recover soon. It's always remarkable how quick these martial artist types recover."
Fearless Leader
"And Genryu demonstrates his school's most legendary counter, the Hiryuu Shoten Ha.... Truly a beautiful display of martial arts prowess."
"Left and right they go at it from all angles, this is truly a masterful performance from both contenders."
Fearless Leader
Genryu's expression suddenly went smug as he felt his opponent draw in the ambient ki from his tornado.
Time to sour baby's milk...
Reaching deep into his soul, he suddenly gasped in pain.
It was worth it, though.
The tornado flickered once...
Twice...
Then suddenly started throbbing, its hues rapidly shifting through all the colors of the rainbow as Genryu bombarded his opponent with a kalidescope of emotions on the spiritual plane, while the tornado simulateneously bombarded Kenryu with chunks of ice on the physical plane.
HE was the master of the tornado.
Smiling Kenryu was in his element... bouncing off ice shards he was a blur of motion as he began teleporting to evade it...reminscing unconciously....
His stance began to slowly alter... dragon...to demon... landing in the eye on a single foot, both eyes shut, he felt for his opponent. His hands extended slightly as claws...
Fearless Leader
Grimacing in distaste, Genryu altered the flow of energy in the tornado.
Ever so slightly...
...
There!
Suddenly spinning off a stray chunk of ice, Genryu's aura suddenly flashed in time with the tornado's renewed roar of fury as it grew.
Genryu smirked as the energy in his aura condensed in his hands.
Flip...
Jump...
Slide followed by forward barrel roll...
Handstand...
Backflip...
The world was a dizzying blur of light and sound as Genryu used the ice chunks as platforms to reach Kenryu.
It was over all too soon for the Anything Goes Heir...
Suddenly within attack range, Genryu attacked with all the power and skill he possessed, body blurring as he launched an all out assault on Kenryu.
Meeting Genryu was a virtual demon... his fists flying leaving bloody red ki in it's wake, Kenryu's muscles were streched to their limit from the simple physical brutality the two exchanged...Kenryu allowed no room for error...no chance for dodging.... in exchange his body was battered by the fearsome skills of Genryu.... Dragon slashes demon with claws...
demon rends flesh and bone before his jaws...
kick....punch...grab... hidden among the sakura trees, no one could follow this brutal dance of death.
Fearless Leader
OOC: *Dons an Olguin disguise, and assumes his characters in his absence*
IC:
Genryu traded nearly invisble blows with Kenryu, his eyes glinting ferally in the light.
His aura began moulding itself, twisting in response to his call.
Kenryu's demon techniques were powerful and would eventually wear him down...but Genryu had his own secret techniques to bring him even with the Shokotan fighter.
Shin Neko-ken.
Unconsciously, his hands opened, clawlike as his aura shaped itself into a giant cat....
OOC: o/What would Olguin Saotome do?/o
IC:
His aura shifting, Genryu flexed his body in a way that should not have been possible, dodging Kenryu's invisible demon fist attack.
Flipping away, Genryu bought himself some room, landing in his stance, his aura a golden sun of power.
"You dodged my demon's fist... Impressive...." Kenryu's eyes shifted back to their normal hue as he smiled jovially. Switching stances once again he gestured to his opponent in challenge, a grin upon his face.
Fearless Leader
Genryu smiled, leaping into the air and sailing toward Kenryu. His hands and feet were both outstretched to the attack, his fingers splayed, clawlike as he seemed to hang in the air....
OOC: Darkness...feel the beat. No treaties....
announcers
IC:
"They seem to be done testing each other..."
"No cheap tricks will win at this level... only the desire to win will bring these fighters to a conclusion."
Fearless Leader
OOC: After the war...
Force your way...
IC:
Kenryu smiled and leapt to the challenge...
Two fists meeting in the sky...
Strike after strike exchanged as they battled... back and forth, the tornado disappearing in the background as the fighters struggled for dominance in the art.
Spinning the hurricane met the tornado....
fiercely demon fist rang out a symphony of death against nekoken fist.... the earth sung as both defied gravity.....force waves shattering the ground beneath them...
The cherry trees quaked in fear from the force...here was the art proper. The truth of the fist.
A blur to the eyes it continued... strike after strike.. no mercy..nothing but the best given...
wall against fist... center holds...
Foot against head... center holds...
The center cannot hold......
Genryu felt it....
Kenryu saw it.... knew it in his heart....
The fist went through... slamming into Kenryu's skull the final blow in a duet of destruction... his body flew through the air, slamming into a tree and crushing the wood as he smashed through it unconscious.
Genryu landed...exhasted. Victorious....
For a moment silence was king of the arena... cherry blossoms falling around the arena... the once beautiful groove a broken dream... shattered in the art of war..
Slowly it began...gaining strength... from all around... here was the show they had come from... the audience loved it.
Fearless Leader
leave the arena, or do something nifty ^_~
Genryu looked up at the audience, flashing them all a tired, cocky grin, proving he truly WAS his father's son.
"Big finish," he murmured to himself.
With a flourish, he wrapped himself in the Umisenken, adding a ki flare for dramatics.
The audience roared in approval as the champion seemingly vanished in a flash of light.
Genryu, meanwhile, limped out of the arena. Where had Soap gone? She had their lunches....
Auntie Sakura cried in the stands as the medics carried her nephew away.
Meanwhile...
"What a spectacular finish, simply a beautiful finale...."
"Yes...truly remarkable."
"Well folks we will be having an intermission before the next fight. See you in a few hours back at....GSC WOOOOOORLD TOURNAMENT!"
Fearless leader
OOC: *Looks around, wearing his Olguin disguise*
I'm Olguin. No, really. ^_^;;
IC:
Olguin grinned to himself. He hasn't lost a step. He may even win this tournament.
He glanced down at the little girl in the seat to his right. Miyuki was leaning forward, staring intently at the arena, and he could feel her ki senses straining.
He was suprised to note that they were no less powerful than they were before the sudden transformation that had tipped his childhood friend's world on it's ear last night.
He tapped her on the shoulder. "Michan? C'mon, let's go get something to eat."
Miyuki nodded slowly, her little face clouding again as she looked around. Olguin frowned.
"What's the matter?"
"I don't want to see Raibou-san or Kanban-san."
Olguin blinked. That was unlike Miyuki. She was uncommonly friendly to everyone. "Why not?"
She looked up, frustrated. "Olchan...this is humilating!" she exclaimed, her eyes threatening to water again. "Would you want anyone you knew to see you like this?"
Olguin nodded. "I see your point. They shouldn't be out of the hospital yet, anyway," he assured her. "Let's go get lunch, just you and me, ok?"
For some reason, Miyuki's cheeks flamed at this invitation, but she made no further arguement.
"Ok."
OOC: Olguin! Come baaaaaaaaaaaack!
IC:
Olguin looked down at Miyuki, as he led her by the hand from the arena. He felt a growing sense of unease with her quietness.
I'm supposed to be the moody one! He thought to himself wryly.
He decided to try and distract her with conversation. "Come on, Michan. What do you wanna eat?" he asked, heading out into the streets, looking for an appropriate restaurant.
OOC: well this is about to stall unexpectedly
IC:
Swarms of people followed around the dozens of nearby restaurants to the arena. A particular one caught Olguin's eye as he passed it. A slightly out of the way "Winterfield's homely corner: Just like home."
The door was open to the street and a few tables set out in the side street. A small sign was out front: "Wait here for service".
Fearless leader
OOC: *Cries* Olguin! We miss you!!! ;_;
IC:
Miyuki stopped dead, reminding Olguin of her innate strength, even as a young girl. As he was yanked to a stop, Miyuki pointed to the restaurant he'd been looking at.
"What about in here?" She asked. Olguin, cheered that Miyuki had pulled herself out of the depression long enough to choose something, immediately aquiesced.
"Sounds good." he smiled. "Let go eat, I'm starved."
With that, the two of them entered Winterfield's.
The bell by the door rang, signfying new customer's entering the homey restaurant. Catherine turned to go greet the new customer's and show them to their seats.
Fearless Leader
Catherine smiled, smothering a sigh of weariness over new customers.
Her shoes clicked slightly on the tile floor, her slacks making a barely discernable swishing sound as she approached the customers.
Looking up at the taller auburn haired man, she nodded, "Good day. If you'll please follow me, I'll show you to your table. My name's Catherine." She glanced over the girl next to the man as she turned, a little younger then herself...she pushed the thought out of her mind and grabbed a pair of menus.
Setting what was a brisk pace for herself and probably normal walking for the taller man behind her, she led them to an empty table, mentally checking it off for future refference. "I'll be back in a little bit to take your orders..." After flashing a quick smile she walked away, tending to the few other customers that needed attention in the same way she confronted math: methodically.
Miyuki glanced after the young girl that had seated them, wondering why such a young girl was waiting tables in a restaurant.
This however, reminded her of her current state, and her face fell as she glanced down at her body, and current attire. She felt like crying again...
*******
Olguin caught Miyuki's despairing look, and winced internally as the clouded look came over her face again. He began to ask her questions, distracting her mind with things she'd done before arriving at the tournament...
Catherine didn't miss the despairing look of her latest customer as she continued her duties. Pushing the concern away, she made a last round of her few remaining customers and walked back towards the recieving counter. Waving to her mother, she sat and waited for anyone to need service or her latest customers to look ready to order.
Olguin sighed, suddenly empathizing with the hard work Miyuki did in keeping his spirits up. Trying to keep someone from getting depressed was hard work...but when he finally got a smile out of her, it felt worthwhile.
"So, ready to order?" He asked her. She nodded.
Catherine smiled as the little girl nodded, it appeared they were ready. Pulling her pen and notepad from her apron and striding over to the table, her slacks and shoes echoed the swish and clicks of earlier.
Standing straight, she stood only a few inches over the table, "Ready to order?" Her everpresent smile remained on her face, her demeanor an outter cheerfulness that kept people at bay, but allowed them to relax a bit.
Olguin smiled and nodded at the little girl, ordering them each udonyaki with oolong tea.
Catherine giggled lightly, she always liked it when someone could pronounce the Japaneses cuisine correctly. With a dimunitive, "Hai," as she wrote it down in her nearly unidentifiable shorthand, she headed back towards the kitchen, taking a drink order from another table along the way.
She smiled as she gave her mother the order, making sure to tell it to her so there would be no mistakes. Waiting a minute, she took the drinks out and returned for the tea. She walked carefully to avoid spilling the boiling liquid.
She set it down carefully, making sure to bend at the knees. As she poured the first two cups, her low stature once again becoming apparent as she stood on her toes slightly to reach, she asked quietly, "Did you come from the tourney?"
OOC: I miss Olguin...;_;
IC:
Olguin blinked, and stared at the serious little girl in surprise for a moment.
"Uhm...Yeah, we did," He admitted finally, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "How'd you guess?"
OOC: We all miss Olguin ;_;
IC:
Catherine smiled, a trace of mirth tugging at her upturned lips, "Most people in the area right now are here for the tourney if they don't work around here. Add that you obviously know Japanese, and that most Japanese here are IN the tourney..." She shrugged, "It kinda makes sense."
in the corner of the alley, a small ragamuffin hid, glancing through the window hungrily.
Fearless Leader
Olguin grinned, nodding.
"True enough, I guess. Are you getting a lot of business from the tournament?" he asked amiably, noting that Miyuki was listening closely, desite not saying anything,
Miyuki, meanwhile, had taken out the gold coin Olguin had given her, and was absently playing with it as she listened to Olguin talk to the little waitress...
Catherine happily nodded, more may have been tiring but she sure never got bored that way, "Yep...lots of business..."
"Oh yeah?" Olguin asked, raising his eyebrows. "Why're you waiting tables all by youself? Isn't it hard when you're busy?"
Olguin glanced over at Miyuki, and was pleased to see she was paying close attention. Still friendly enough to be interested, even if she's too embarrassed to talk to people herself... Same old Michan.
Catherine smiled, a bit of the weariness showing, "It's hard...but my parents run everything in back and there aren't too many customers usually..."
Olguin smiled.
"I can't imagine why...it smells great in here," He complimented.
He made small talk with the little girl, trying to think of the sort of questions Miyuki might ask her. As long as he could keep Miyuki distracted from her current predicament...
Catherine smiled a little forlornly as the conversation died and she was forced to turn her attention back to her other customers, walking away slowly.
Miyuki looked after the little girl, biting her lip as she saw the forlorn look on her face.
She's probably lonely...not many kids or people that talk to her around here, I bet...
She suddenly wished she'd had the nerve to try and talk instead of letting Olguin converse with her.
She turned her attention to the coin in her hand and flipped it into the air. Heads, I try and be friends, tails, i keep from embarrassing myself...
The ragmuffin suddenly dashed in and grabbed the coin from above miyuki's hand with startling speed... skidding as he turned and dodged the grasping arm of Olguin he fled towards the door.
Fearless Leader
Catherine barely noticed the rapid impact of of feet on the floor as she finished serving an order. Having nothing left on her tray, she began walking back to the kitchen to sit down.
Passing the row of tables her newest customers sat in, she didn't notice the running ragamuffin until it was almost too late. She still didn't move fast enough to avoid getting knocked down, thumping hard on her but as she hit the tile floor.
Miyuki's eyes widened. Ordinarily, sympathy for the poor child woul be her first thought, but with all the frustrations and embarrassment of the previous day, and morning, she was feeling less than charitable at the moment...plus, that coin was the last thing she had left, from before she'd changed...and it was a gift from Olguin.
"Hey!" she exclaimed.
Without a second thought, the new six year old got to her feet, and tore after the scruffy kid, forgetting something VERY important...
Running through the crowds, the eight year old thief mentally congratulated himself for the first success in days. Leets smiled slightly to himself. This should keep him fed for a while. Suddenly, hearing a yell, he glanced back and saw the little girl chasing him.
"Oh nutbunnies!" he frowned and began dodged into the alleys, hoping to lose his pursuer. If they thought they could catch him on his turf, then it would be his duty to teach them otherwise.
Catherine blinked.
What was going on?
"Hey!" Her newest customer charged past her, looking rather angry.
She blinked again. Ok, she was gonna find out what was going on.
Dashing off after her customer, she yelled, "What's going on?"
Olguin's jaw dropped.
"Oh HELL! MICHAN, WAIT!" He shouted, but Miyuki had already sped out of earshot.
Cursing himself enthusiastically, with visions of a lost and frightened six-year old flashing before his eyes, he jumped up, and promptly realized he hadn't paid for the tea.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the little waitress suddenly give chase, he called out to her.
"Catch her, and don't let her get lost! Please!" He shouted desperately.
Catherine looked back for a moment at the otgher customer, confused. She shrugged and nodded, calling out, "Okay!"
And then turned back to the other two to continue giving chase.
Miyuki clenched her jaw, sticking closely to the little brat as she could. She was reminded uncomfortably of her childhood, when Olguin would lead her on merry chases all over Nerima, carefully keeping ahead of her, but unable to get far enough ahead to lose her, despite his greater speed.
Fortunately...Olguin had been a bit faster than this little theif was, and she slowly began to gain ground.
Seeing his pursuer was catching up, Leets glanced around quickly while running. "I know it's around here som... THERE!"
Leaping on to a trashcan, he used it as a boost for his next jump to reach a fire escape. Grabbing on to the bottom rung, he scrambled up as quickly as he could, ignoring the mess he made when the trashcan toppled under his movements.
Miyuki smiled fiercely. She didn't even slow down, and simply leaped over the pile of garbage, nimbly landing on the ladder.
She glanced up, noting the boy scrambling up the ladder, and began her ascent, as well, kicking the retractable ladder to the ground in her haste to follow.
Catherine strained to catch up with the other two, she wasn't used to running.
Finally catching up as Miyuki jumped to the ladder, she looked up in despair until the ladder clattered down in front of her.
Smiling, she began a hurried ascent.
Hopping over the edge of the roof, Leets ran over to the door leading down the building...
...and found it locked from the inside.
"Awp! Bad! Bad!" he panicked, struggling with the door. Already he could hear his pursuers catching up. Shaking his head in denial, he decided there was only one option left. He just hoped they didn't notice.
Grasping his hands on the door, Leets closed his eyes. His brow furrowed in concentration as a strange breeze began to manifest. Suddenly, the door let out a barely audible click.
"Yes!" he cheered, throwing the door open and running down the stairs.
Miyuki had built up a full head of steam by now, and was THOROUGHLY annoyed. She burst onto the roof just in time to see the tiny thief dash through the door way.
She darted over to it, just as the door swung shut, latching. Without missing a step, She poked the door with a small finger, foregoing the usual cry of 'Bakusai Tenketsu'. The door exploded inward and Miyuki darted inside, spotting the theif as she went...
Catherine hurried her climb with the sound of an explosion, worry knawing at her.
She pulled onto the rooftop just in time to see her customer dart down the stairs, sighing once again she jogged to the shattered doorway, her eyes widening as she saw the frame.
Taking the steps as fast as she safely could, she hoped she wouldn't lose her customer.
Catherine hated breaking promises.
Hearing an explosion, Leets glanced back as he reached the next floor, and spotted the little girl still chasing him. It was obvious by her expression what she would do to him.
"Eep!" he exclaimed as he opened the laundry shoot and leaped in. As he slid down the shoot, he prayed that there would be a soft landing waiting for him. As the cold, steel walls flew passed his form, he realized he was moving faster now, meaning he was near the end of his...
*thump*
...trip.
"Owie..." Leets muttered, getting up quickly and rubbing his sore spot after the hard landing. Spotting the stairs, he ran up and escaped the basement before the others could catch him.
Catherine rushed down the stairs, not paying attention to where she was going.
She hit the landing with the chute at a near run, not noticing the other girl in time to stop.
She crashed into Miyuki with in a tangle of arms and legs as they teetered on the edge of the laundry chute.
A moment later, they fell in.
Leets shut the basement door behind him, ignoring the sounds of someone else landing, and ran out the front door. He hoped he put enough distance between them to lose his pursuers.
Miyuki let out a small shriek as they began to fall, but then began twisting in midair, trying to get her feet under her.
She noted, with a little bit of surprise, the young waitress from the restaurant. She quickly grabbed the older looking girl and angled herself to catch her at the bottom.
Time to see how much I can still do when I'm like this, Miyuki thought, sensing the ground coming up quickly.
She summoned her ki, gathering it underneath her, and managing to land lightly, just like she'd been taught, the other girl in her arms.
She set Catherine down quickly, and dashed to the closed door.
"Gomen Nasai," she apologized, "But I can't stop...I have to catch him..."
She sprinted to the closed door, and repeated the Bakusai Tenkentsu. The door exploded outward, and Miyuki spotted the thief's fleeing back, and began to chase once more...
Glancing back, Leets groaned in annoyance. "Why can't you leave me alone?" he complained while dashing across the street.
Dozens of people were in the way as Leets moved into the crowd...
Fearless Leader
"Thank you..." Was all Catherine managed to say in her state of shock.
The brief explosion of the door shook her out of her revery and she took off after Miyuki, trying to keep up and barely managing.
Workers swiftly designed the new arena over the lunch break.... no rest for the hired labor.
Fearless Leader
Miyuki dashed across the street, and through the crowd, following the little brat, weaving around the people in her way with a nimbleness intristic to small children.
She slowly began to gain ground, growing more and more upset with every step...
Leets weaved skillfully among the crowd, several years of experience allowing him to to stay far ahead of his pursuers. Still, they were more stubborn than the usual lot he had to deal with. Circling within the crowd, he squeezed by several groups, putting more and more people between him and the girl. Unless she had x-ray vision, he'd doubt she'd be able to spot him among the adults and other children.
Just in case though, he tried to blend in with a small family, taking off his hat and scarf while acting casual.
Catherine kept Miyuki in eyesight, apologizing as she needed to whenever she jostled someone in the struggle to not lose her customer.
Miyuki stopped short. She no longer had the thief in her direct line of sight, even though she knew he hadn't gotten far.
Suddenly, the magnitude of what she'd done by running out of the restaurant alone crashed down on her.
She shivered, suddenly growing anxious. "Ooh...That brat better hope I never see him again," she muttered nervously, as she accidentally wandered down a side street.
She wove through the crowds of people, becoming thoroughly lost. She supposed Olguin would never find her if she stayed in the crowds, and she began to look for a quiet place to sit down and wait...after all, the little waitress knew mostly where she'd gone.
So she'll tell Olchan...and he'll come looking...right? Of course he will. There's no one I can count on more. But...will he be able to find me? I HATE being this little!
She fretted over this point as she turned another corner,
staring with dismay at the overwhelming crush of people. And suddenly, her eyes settled on the familiar form of the thief who'd taken her coin, not ten feet away...
Leets was only starting to relax when a sudden chill ran down his spine. 'This can't be good...' he thought, turning to the direction the feeling of foreboding came from.
"Double nutbunnies," he muttered, seeing the little girl from earlier. Suddenly darting off from the crowd, Leets ran once again, the chase resuming.
Catherine muttered a nasty word she shouldn't have known as she lost sight of her customer.
"Kuso...where'd she get to?"
She frantically began to search the crowds and streets, looking for any trace of her customer.
Catherine HATED breaking promises.
Unexpectantly, Leets found himself knocked back.
"Look out where you're goin' ya lil' brat!" A larger street punk smirked at him, a chain wrapped around his hand.
Fearless Leader
Leets glowered at the older boy, but knew that he didn't have time to deal with the jerk with that annoying little girl still after him.
"I don't have time for this now!" he said, replacing his scarf and wooly beret. Leets attempted to sidestep the bully and continue running before he was caught.
OOC: Darn street punks.
IC:
The older gang member lashed out as Leets tried brush past him. "Now now, no apology?" A sadistic grin graced his face as he took advantage of the crowd's rush to lunch to pick on the younger boy.
Fearless Leader
Miyuki caught up to the little thief just in time to see a much larger boy hit him, knocking him down. She groaned. She really had built up a healthy dislike for the young boy during the chase...but she hated people who abused their strength more.
"Hey! Stop that!" she demanded, rushing up to them.
For at least a few minutes the crowd backed off as the gang member smiled visciously and swung a chain length driving people back.
"What? You his lil' sister or somethin'? Fuck ya both. I'm going turn ya both blue and black!"
Fearless Leader
Catherine's frantic searching came to a halt as she heard her customer's voice.
She pushed her way through the crowds, hoping to find her customer.
Pushing through a a final line of gawkers, she stood still in shock for a moment at the sight of Miyuki facing down an older kid.
The older boy's words ripped her from the momentary reverie. She thought of intervening...but she wouldn't do any good. Her customer was faster and probably stronger than her...
So Catherine stood, hoping against hope the little girl wouldn't get hurt.
Leets blinked for a moment, before frowning, "What kind of idiot are you? Do I even LOOK like this girl?!" he asked, insulted that his own countrymen didn't even recognize the difference between english and asian.
"Besides, jerk. I'd like to see you try to lay a finger on us," he added, smirking under his scarf. He shot the girl a glance, putting forward a temporary truce for the moment.
"Cocky lil' bastard." chortled the gang member, spinning his chain whip into Leets face and sending him bleeding to the floor.
Fearless Leader
Miyuki's little face hardened as the boy was struck by the chain and fell to the ground.
Her voice was calm. "You'd better not try that again." she said, assuming a combat stance.
"oooh.... is the lil' girly gonna beat me up? Oooh...I'm so scarrreeeed!" The Gang member chortled again before swinging his chain at Miyuki's head.
Fearless Leader
Leets gingerly touched his cut, wincing at the blood, "Come on now, you'd had worse before," he muttered to himself, standing up. Noticing the jerk attacking the girl, Leets frowned and removed his scarf again. He may not be a martial artists like some of these tourists, but he sure as hell ain't helpless.
Catherine snickered slightly as she watched the bully, if her customers trick with doors worked on the chain, and considering she'd come for the Tournament...it wasn't TOO likely she was in danger...
She winced as the younger boy was cut, flinching slightly at the sight of blood. Even if he was a thief she hoped he wasn't hurt too badly.
Her mind and brief optimism clouded over, the possibility there though...
She began to silently fret, her mind switching from hope to worry as she weighed the possibilities.
Miyuki's arm came up in plenty of time to intercept the chain. The heavy chain wrapped itself around her arm, and she winced briefly at the squeezing sensation.
Not waiting for the thug to get creative with the chain she grabbed it and pulled, using the momentum to launch a flying kick at the taller boy's stomach...
OOC: head ache -.- food ^_^
IC:
"huh?" The gang member was stunned at the kid blocking his chain. Pulled slightly off balance he was in no position to dodge as Miyuki slammed into his stomach, knocking the air out of him... but failed to knock him to the ground. Hacking he brought his hand down to knock the "Stupid bitch" down.
Fearless Leader
Miyuki wanted to roll her eyes. She lifted on arm over her head to block, then lashed out with a foot.
She was just in range to hook it around the large boy's ankle and sweep him off balance. With her free hand, she fired a punch at his midsection...
Leets gawked for a moment, despite his earlier beliefs, he had sorely underestimated the girl. Shaking his head, Leets tightened his scarf then snapped it forward like a whip, trying to snag an arm or a leg and provide assistance to his temporary partner.
OOC: must remove distractions...bad...distractions
IC:
"grr...gya..." The gang member flipped down from the twin attack on his leg. flailing he managed to dislodge Miyuki as he slammed into the ground. "grr...I'm gonna give to ya now Ya FUCKING BRATS!"
Fearless Leader
Catherine smiled almost imperceptably.
It turned out her customer could take care of herself. Her worrying halted for the moment, Catherine simply watched.
Miyuki jumped lightly back. She looked up at him, smiling slightly.
"I wouldn't, If I were you," she warned. "He stole from me," she said, pointing at Leets, "and I'm not in a good mood. I'm not gonna be nice if you don't stop right now."
She assumed another combat stance. She was tempted to just go ahead and used the breaking point, or go all out, fighting him, but she'd let the boy decide his own fate.
OOC: Sweatdrops
IC:
The entire crowd facefaulted as the six year old proceeded to threaten the older gang member.
Getting up slowly, the thug wiped the spitttle from his mouth and got into a sloppy fighting stance of his own. "Think ya some kind of hot shot martial artist? I'll break every bone in your whiny lil' body!"
Fearless Leader
Leets move
Suddenly, a wadded cloth whipped by the punk's head, nicking his cheek. "Did you forget about me?" Leets asked, slightly annoyed. Though he noted that after this is over with, he should probably run as if his life depended on it.
Sparing a glance at the girl, he confirmed his earlier thought that running really fast would be the best course of action.
"Shut up punk." faster than Leets could dodge the older boy slammed forth the chain again.
Fearless Leader
Leets flinched at the movement and fell back, barely avoiding being blinded by the chain. Instead, there was only a sharp pain across his cheek.
Narrowing his eyes, Leets glared at the punk as the blood dripped down his face.
Miyuki glanced worriedly at the little thief, then glared at the thug.
"I realize you probably had an unhappy childhood...but that's really no excuse."
With that, she leapt into the air, driving a small, rock-hard fist into the point of the bully's jaw, with all of the considerable force she could muster.
A crack was heard as the bully went flying, nearly unconscious. gurgling he rose... gingerly holding his jaw in one hand. Lashing out with the chain he attempted to strangle the little girl.
Not noticing that the little girl was currently glowing a soft amythest hue..
Fearless Leader
Miyuki exhaled sharply, blowing her bangs off of her face, and her hand snapped out again, and the chain once again wrapped around it. She gave a sharp tug, pulling it free of the bully's hand, much to his surprise.
She stared evenly at him, saying nothing.
it's a known fact that most bullies are cowards...
The sight of this one running off into the alley way as fast as he could.....was no surprise.
He'd likely be dead by dawn....
Only the tough survive on the back streets....
Fearless Leader
Leets stared at where the bully ran, both in awe and in fear at what he had just seen. He looked nervously at the girl. What would she do now that the crisis had ended? He quietly tied his scarf back on, standing up unsteadily, his eyes still on her, prepared to run again if he had to.
Miyuki sighed heavily, suddenly feeling depressed and alone. She turned her violet gaze on the boy who'd taken the coin Olguin had given her.
"I don't wanna chase you any more. That was a gift. Please give it back."
Leets sighed, and reluctantly returned the coin. He did owe her for the help afterall. "I'm sorry for the trouble then..." he said, his head bowed as he walked away. He sighed quietly, another day wasted.
Catherine blinked in stunned awe of Miyuki. Simply standing there for a moment, her eyes slightly wide.
She watched the young boy walk away for a moment before turning back to Miyuki. She quietly approached the younger looking girl and, remembering what her mother had taught her, bowed.
"Um...hello?" Her customer seemed depressed, hopefully she could cheer her up a bit.
Miyuki's heart melted at the boy's downcast expression. "Wait," she called out, just as Catherine greeted her.
"Oh! Hello!" Miyuki replied, returning the bow and smiling a little. "Are you all right? I'm sorry I left you behind..."
Catherine smiled back, subduing it slightly, "Yes I'm alright. Thank you."
"I was told by your companion to follow you..."
Leets sighed, kicking an old soda can as he walked out of sight and around the corner. Maybe he'd have better luck down at the hotels. At least he didn't have to worry anymore about those martial artists in a few days.
Miyuki smiled. Olguin was still looking out for her. Despite her depression she felt her heart lift a little.
"Thank you. I-Ara?" She glanced back at where the boy had gone. She bit her lip slightly, then glanced at the other girl. She took Catherine by the hand.
"Gomen...but I have a favor to ask. Could you catch up to him? I'd try myself...but I get lost very easily..."
Catherine blink blinked, "Um...okay..."
Taking a moment to remember which direction he had gone, Catherine took off after him, making sure not to let go of Miyuki's hand.
Miyuki smiled. "Arigato." She said with a small smile.
"And please, play along with whatever I ask him?"
As she spoke to the other girl, Miyuki's free hand, quested in the small pocket of the little silk jacket had been so embarrased about that morining. Her hand closed around a small bill Olguin had given her for emergencies. She hoped he'd understand what she had planned for it...
Catherine smiled back, "Do itashimeshite."
She nodded absently, "Alright..." Maintaining the brisk walk she was used to, she turned the corner she'd seen the boy turn, and began roaming the place with her eyes.
The boy was heading down the street when Miyuki caught sight of him. "There!" Miyuki exclaimed, then called out to him, tugging Catherine along gently.
"Ano...Wait!"
Leets paused, wondering what that noise was. Glancing back, he was surprised to see that girl still following him. Didn't he already return her coin?
"What? Did I forget something?" he asked, confused at why they'd still be after him. Then he narrowed his eyes, taking a step back in preperation to run again. "If you're thinking about turning me in, then you'll be sorry," he warned.
Miyuki smiled placatingly.
"No, It's not that. We have a favor to ask of you." She said calmly. She bit her lip, eyeing him appraisingly.
"We need your help getting back to her restaurant," she ventured, hoping Catherine understood what she was doing. "I can pay you for your trouble..." she finished, withdrawing the five-pound note from her pocket.
Leets looked at the money being offered for some simple services. It was tempting but... "Why do you need my help?" he asked with suspicion, pointing to the restaurant's logo on the older girl's outfit. "Doesn't she know where it is?"
Catherine blinked at first, then caught on.
She blinked, "I'm...kind of lost..." She fidgeted nervously, hopefully this story would work...
Leets scratched the back of his head, looking confused. "Lost, eh? Well, I guess I could show you back then since it's partially my fault," he said. He walked past the girls and was about to cross the street, when he looked back. "Hey? Are you coming or not?"
Miyuki smiled inwardly. Good girl. She tugged on the girl's hand and flashed her a smile. Thanks. Together, they ran to catch up to the young boy...
Leets led them back to the restaurant, stopping just when it was in their full sights. "Well, I led you here," he said, holding out his hand, "Now you keep your end of the bargain."
Miyuki smiled and bowed, handing Leets the 5 pound note.
"Thank you very much." she said, smiling at the boy, when suddenly, a startled exclamation grabbed the trio's attention.
"MICHAN!"
Catherine smiled, it was all turning out okay...
"MICHAN!" That would be the other customer...
Turning, she began to walk back inside...
Olguin ran up to Miyuki, grinning widely in relief.
"Michan, you nearly gave me a heart attack!" he reproved in Japanese. Miyuki winced.
"Sorry...I got carried away," she replied sheepishly, blushing.
Olguin sighed dramatically, but smiled after a moment. "Well, I'm glad she found you."
He looked up at Catherine and Leets, switching to English.
"Thank you very much," he said, smiling. "I'd like to repay you somehow...Would you like to come to the tournament with us? We can bring your friend too, if you like..." he finished, gesturing toward Leets.
Catherine bowed, "Thank you. I could go after the lunch rush. But right now...I need to get back to work."
Catherine darted back inside, her hands moving with a surety born of practice as she went about her job.
OOC: I don't forget a face
IC:
Snarfing away inside the restaurant, a single customer drove away almost all the others. A red mess of fur and food, Animal was... feeding.
Fearless Leader
Leets stared blankly for a moment when the two spoke in what he thought was probably Chinese or Japanese. When they started speaking english again was when he noticed he was spoken to.
"Uhm... no thank you," he said nervously, taking a few steps back. Tournament? With all those huge, arrogant fighters roaming around? No thank you! "I... got somewhere to be."
Catherine winced as she saw THIS customer, "Oh dear..." Holding back a grimace, she did her job.
She moved as fast as she safely could in serving him. As soon as something he ordered was on the table, her hand blurred and she was gone.
She didn't like messy customers.
"Animal...ANIMAL!" Devouring the most recent serving, his brother bill winced at the thought of how expensive it was feeding his brother. "Please dear brother, slow down and chew."
Stopping a second Animal looked up, "ANIMAL?" And continued being the furry vacuum cleaner.
Fearless Leader
"It's the freak!" Olguin forcefully whispered, looking at Animal in something akin to horror.
Standing before the two children protectively, he made motions towards the exits.
"Back off slowly, best not to draw attention to ourselves."
OOC: Types as fast as a spider can!
IC:
Animal smelled something familiar.... turning... he looked at the children, food dripping down his mouth.
Fearless Leader
Catherine took several involuntary steps back, ending up behind Olguin.
That...thing didn't look nice.
She grimaced, and he was a messy customer.
Miyuki 'eeped' and ducked behind Olguin, suddenly all too aware that she was now in no condition to fight off the deranged thing.
Leets glanced between the older man and the strange, red creature with food dripping out of its mouth. "Why does the tournament always bring the weirdos?" he asked himself, feeling it was getting harder to support oneself nowadays.
Animal stalked over towards Olguin and Miyuki, leaving a messy trail behind him. He Sniffed over Miyuki....
Fearless Leader
Miyuki was unable to surpress a slight shiver as the red creature came nose to nose with her.
She remember vividly how hard she had to fight to make it leave her alone when she was at her true size...If it tried anything now...she didn't have a chance.
"Ani.....mal?" Animal sniffed, smelling something familiar but off.....
Shrugging Animal went back to his meal with a cry of 'ANIMAL'
Fearless Leader
Miyuki shivered again, this time in relief.
She stared after the red thing, her violet eyes wide, not noticing she had her hands clenched tightly to Olguin's pants...
Catherine shivered and hesitantly went back to waitressing, a little pale.
She shivered as she remembered the thing staring in her vicinity.
Leets just stared as the events unfolded, glanced up at the older teen and said, "Does this sort of thing happen everyday?"
"You know...a few years ago, I would've told you that it wasn't par for the course." Olguin admitted, eyebrow twitching as he watched Animal eat.
"But...I've been living on this side of the rabbit hole for a long time now." He admitted.
Miyuki didn't release her death grip on Olguin's pants, but nodded slightly.
"It's only been a couple of weeks for me..." She murmured softly, glancing at her smaller body sadly.
Leets blinked, and backed away a step, muttering, "What kind of people are they?"
Catherine sighed as she finished her orders. Hopefully that...thing wouldn't want anything else...
OOC: *KNOWS this will backfire...*
"Check please" Bill called in a British accent, thoroughly embarresed at his brother's display.
Fearless leader
Catherine twitched, at least it wouldn't be here much longer.
Taking the bill up to the less messy customer, she tried to avoid getting close to...it.
"Animal!" Animal smiled friendly at Catherine.
"Thank you miss." Quickly handing her the money, Bill moved towards the exit.
Fearless Leader
Leets stepped out of the things path, gagging silently at the stench. 'Urk! When was the last time it bathed?!' he thought, grimacing.
Catherine shivered as Animal looked at her, "You're welcome..." She was barely audible, her voice cut short by the chill running through her.
Olguin smoothly manuevered both himself and Miyuki out of Animal's path.
Well, this has been an...odd lunch.
Looking at the time, his eyes widened in shock.
"Time's almost up!" Smiling at Catherine, he quickly added. "This was a wonderful meal, I think we'll drop by later."
Leading Miyuki to the exit, he briefly stopped in front of Leets.
"Only someone with real skill could survive these streets in this day and age...." He softly whispered, "Not to mention a Hibiki." He added with a winsome smile.
"Good luck, drop me a line if you ever decide to turn that potential of yours into true power." He suddenly smirked.
"Enough power to change your life." Olguin dropped a ten pound note in his still open hand.
"Ask for 'Crimson Knight' Olguin of the COR organization."
With those words, he and his friend were gone.
Leets looked down at the ten pound note left in his hand, boggling. He looked at the backs of the strange teen and that girl as they headed for the stadium, his thoughts racing through his head.
"Power... to change my life?" he repeated quietly. "What did he mean...?"
Against his better judgement, Leets headed to the stadium as well, determined to get some answers.
Interesting lunch, to say the least.
Olguin carefully guided Miyuki to her seat before taking his own.
"Well...time for a blood bath." He murmured, face twisting slightly in disgust.
Miyuki followed, too downcast herself to notice the downturn in Olguin's mood. Lunch had been crazy, but had provided a distraction...now unnocupied, Miyuki was once again free to dwell on what she'd lost the previous night...
OOC: Frequency Clear.
IC:
"And now we return for the second match of the day."
"That's right bob, and it promises to be a real thriller with two of the more eccentric battlers battling it out."
"On the north corner we have San Ten Kar, a tibetian monk who has absolutely devestated every opponent he's has been in competition with."
"Don't let his small size fool you folks, he's a deadly fighter."
"And in the south corner the fearsome Dark Wiseman who currently holds the time record for victory."
"This will be a match of the exotic.'
Fearless Leader
Leets stood outside the stadium, frowning as he glanced up at the imposing walls and gate, wondering how was he suppose to sneak by all this security...
...when he felt someone tap him on the shoulder.
"Aah! I wasn't doing anything! I swear!" he flinched, thinking some security guard caught him trying to sneak in.
"What ah you talkin' about?" a female voice spoke in a slightly accented english asked him.
Leets glanced back and saw a green haired asian trying to smile in a friendly way. "Would you like to watch the tournament, little boy?" she asked. Seeing Leets nod nervously, she said, "Okay. Come on then, it'll be my treat."
"Th... thanks," Leets said, still a bit wary.
The woman smiled, "No problem. Oh yes, I haven't introduced myself. My name is Fuu Raibou."
"Leets. Nice to meet you."
Fuu nodded, and took Leets' hand, "Come on then, I'm sure the others are waiting."
The north gate opened...
Stepping forth San Ten Kar was not an imposing presence. Standing a mere four foot three he was a dwarven figure, dressed in brown robes with a ring of beads in his hand. His eyes bespoke wisdom beyond most mortal men. Stepping onto the cherry oak circle that made the arena, he awaited his opponent.
Fearless Leader
OOC: Tourney Tourney ^_^
IC:
From the south gate strode the black clad Dark Wiseman, towering over his opponent his black mask hid his emotions. He was a wall of dark power.
Fearless Leader
OOC: Postgod ++
IC:
"Fight!"
San Ten Kar opened testing his opponents defense with a blurring series of strikes.
Fearless Leader
OOC: Feel the doom
IC:
Manuvering back Dark Wiseman countered with a single hand, his other glowing red as a comet of flaming red ki flew forth.
Fearless Leader
OOC: Fury
IC:
Spinning the beads a small shield of force deflected the ki blast off spinning to the side. Eyes closed, an aura of purest gold surrounded San Ten Kar, a spectacular dragon encircling him roaring with power.
Fearless Leader
Behind them an invisible presence watched, silent observer to the proceedings. A reckoning was approaching, a time of chaos. The weaves spoke so. Where to act... and when... these were the questions.
He would have to act soon.
Fearless Leader
Miyuki bit her lip as she watched. She would have like to see what was going on...the monk's technique looked interesting. She could feel it, the peace of it without even opening her ki senses to it.
But Dark Wiseman...no. She remembered what happened when she'd scanned Vega...She didn't want to be injured by whetever evil power possessed him.
She kept her Ki senses carefully closed.
Well...well...he CAN be momentarily kept at bay. Olguin thought, his interest now increasing as he noticed that Dark Wiseman wasn't dominating the fight.
...yet.
Stepping into the spectators' section, Fuu glanced down to the stadium floor. "Hmm. Doesn't look like we missed much," she said before trying to locate some empty seats.
Standing next to her, Leets scanned the audience, trying to find the teen from before.
Floating in the air, Dark Wiseman awaited the golden dragon, glowing red with power.
The colossal ki construct roared as it's jaws snapped in, obscuring the evil fighter from view.
Fearless Leader
"You know...that seemed very anticlimatic, don't you agree Michan?" Olguin said, blinking rapidly to see if he wasn't imagining things.
Noting that she was once again slipping into depression he began to ask rapidfire questions to his much younger friend, hoping to distract her.
Unfortunately it caused quite some noise as well.
Fuu winced upon seeing the supposed end of the fight. "Well that was quick."
Leets though, merely frowned, sensing something off somehow. He was interupted from his thoughts by some noise originating a few rows down.
"Oh," Fuu pointed out, "I think that's Saotome-san. But who's that girl with him?" she wondered as she lead Leets down to meet up with the others.
Miyuki looked up at Olguin, as he began to talk to her. She answered his questions, quietly at first, but with slowly returning to something approaching normal, even managing a smile.
Her eyes however, hinted at the frustration and depression weighing heavily on her...
The dragons head exploded in a burst of red as it's golden flames were met by the crimson ki of Dark Wiseman.
San Ten Kar sweated as the unharmed Dark Wiseman continued the assult.
Fearless Leader
Feeling an immense eruption of dark ki explode outwards from the arena, Olguin's eyes narrowed.
Well...why am I not surprised?
Bringing up his shield, the air directly in front of Miyuki wavered before briefly hardening.
A few moments passed before it faded away again.
"I hardly want that...thing to make it worse." He quietly whispered.
Miyuki had brought her knees up to her chest and hugged them tightly. Even though her ki senses were dialed down to the lowest they could be, she wanted to crawl under the seat and hide from the sheer magnitude of it.
She looked up at Olguin gratefully as she saw the sheild. "Arigato..." She murmured softly.
Sweating San Ten Kar attempted to match his opponents ki. His hands twitched as he drew in even more power, a burning conduit of energy.
On the physical plane the battle was merely a lightshow...... energy whirling around each other with devestating power.
On the mental a war was waged, will against will..only one could survive.
Fearless Leader
Fuu frowned, holding back her own senses as she remembered what had happened last time Dark Wiseman fought. Her little companion however, wasn't so lucky.
Leets flinched, clutching his head in pain. Despite all his supposed skill, he still could not control his powers, which left his mind open to the intensity of the emotions below. Gritting his teeth, he futily tried to regain control of himself before the lady he was with noticed.
Suddenly the ki disappeared.
Dark Wiseman lowered to the ground, his arms across his chest as he watched his opponent.
Fearless Leader
"now this is unexpected...has it come down to a staredown? What are they planning?"
Fearless Leader
Fuu happened to glance down at the little boy and notice his apparent pain. "Hey? Somethin' the matta?" she asked, a bit worried.
Leets shook his head weakly, "No... nothing at all," he said, feigning a smile. He had other things to worry about than some headache.
"Well if you're sure," Fuu said doubtfully as they reach Saotome's row. "Oi, Saotome-san. Who's the kid?" she called out, waving.
Olguin blinked at the latest arrivals, extending his shield slightly to cover them. He wasn't fooled by the 'stalemate' at all, that Dark Ki would be flying around soon, and he was going to keep his barrier up until the match ended.
"Um...she's Micha...n's little sister, Ryoko." He said, letting his own depression over the recent events concerning Miyuki out, he added. "Miyuki got lost, she probably won't be back soon."
Finally noticing Leets, he gave a weak smile.
"So, decided to follow me, eh?"
Fuu blinked, frowning for a moment but then put on a smile, "Glad to meet you Ryoko. My you look a lot like your sister," she commented before taking a seat.
Leets kept his eyes glued on Olguin, nodding. He'll wonder about why he was suddenly feeling lightheaded after the pain abrubtly vanished later. There were other pressing matters at hand.
OOC: *Gapes at pirate's forum -.-*
IC:
San's eyes widened..... and he fell flat on the floor.
dead.
Fearless Leader
Subtly squeezing 'Ryoko's' right hand in a show of support, Olguin put on a weak smile.
"She is, isn't she? She's a bit depressed about her sister, so don't mind her if she doesn't say much."
Examining Fuu briefly, he suddenly nodded once before speaking, "I'm glad you're alright Raibou-san, Miyuki and I were very concerned about you."
Turning towards Leets, he smirked.
"C'mon, you can take a seat. I won't hurt ya."
His expression suddenly dulled as he felt something...turning towards the ring, his eyebrow twitched.
"Or not...seems like the tourney is over for the day. I guess."
Dark Wiseman left the arena, vanishing into the exit.
Fearless Leader
"Well that's it tonight folks, sleep well and get here bright and early for the finale... Dark Wiseman versus Genryu."
Fearless Leader
"Brother....watch yourself tomorrow." Olguin softly said, a haunted look crossing his face at the thought of Genryu fighting Dark Wiseman.
"Um...well then...let's see if we can get to Catherine's place." Turning to Fuu, he smiled. "They have great food there, just like Japan's cuisine."
"Besides...it'll give us some time to...chat." He added, looking at Leets meanfully. Dropping his barrier, he sighed as he stood up, slowly walking towards the exit, Miyuki in tow.
Fuu winced and said in her slightly accented english so Leets could understand, "Well ah hope she makes some good soups. Don't think ah'll be eatin' solid foods for a while." This was followed by a gesturing to the spot where her wound was previously.
Leets just watched the trio, wondering what they were talking about this time.
Another brillant maneuver, Einstein. Olguin silently berated himself. Switching to his own english, he called back.
"Sorry about that...hmm....you know...I never did properly introduce myself to you." Clicking his tongue, he slightly frowned. Walking up to Leets he shook the youth's hand.
"Name's Olguin Saotome, pleasure to meet you. C'mon, we'll talk some more later on."
Ten minutes later, the quartet walked into Catherine's establishment.
"Oi...how about some service here." He called out to the child in English, smiling slightly to show he was joking.
Catherine smiled and walked over, the ever familiar clicking of her shoes present.
She handed out the menus and smiled, "For those that don't know me, I'm Catherine. If you'll follow me, your table is this way..." She started into the resturaunt, leading them towards a pair of tables that had been pulled together.
Fuu sat down and read her menu, as Leets just looked around, worried someone might recognize him from the commotion earlier today.
Miyuki sighed a little as she looked at her menu. She had come this close to running away when Raibou-san had arrived. She still felt horribly...ashamed somehow. The only thing that had stopped her was Olguin's assertion that she was 'Ryoko', her own little sister.
She let out a tiny smile. He always helped her...and looked out for her.
Amidst the getting lost, fighting with her mother, and the loss of her sword, and now this...Olguin was a big bright spot...
Meanwhile...
"DAMNIT!!! I HATE LONDON STREETS!!!"
Oh yeah... he made it out of the hospital after all...
"Tourney's over for the day... can't find Olg-chan... can't rave with a broken arm... and there's no chance in hell I'm going to sit bored in my hotel room..." he muttered as he walked down a street...
This time, he's wearing a black pleather halter, blue jeans, a red headband, and her combat boots... along with a hard red cast for her broken arm...
And, a car splashes water all over him...
"I HATE LONDON STREETS!!!"
Catherine smiled a bit, her eyes wandering over to the customers she had just left. They were one of the few groups there.
She waited by the window to the kitchen, noone needed anything...she could relax for a moment.
Fuu stared at the little boy she had befriended earlier, watching him devour his food with the savagery of a ravenous beast. "You sink his parents never feed him," she muttered, not yet knowing of his story.
"Are you feeling any better Ryoko?" Olguin tentatively asked in Japanese, looking at Miyuki worriedly. He had hoped that her favorite food, hamburgers, would've cheered her up somewhat by now.
Nothing doing, it seemed.
Breathing a sigh of regret, he waited until the boy finally took a pause to breath before continuing in English.
"So, considering my offer? Or are you just trying to eat me out of my paycheck?" He finished with a small smile.
Miyuki ate slowly, nearly listlessly as she watched what went on. She looked up at Olguin and was touched by the concern she saw there, but couldn't shake off her depression.
As he went back to talking to the others, she sighed and looked up at him.
"Gomen Nasai," she murmured, under her breath.
Leets looked up as he finished chugging his drink. Putting down his cup, he considered Olguin for a moment. "I just have one question," Leets finally said, "Can... can you help find my past? That's all I really want right now."
"Hmm...I'll tell you something from my own personal experiences...the past tends to have things that can hurt you." Olguin took a sip of his tea.
Putting his own cup down, he continued. "If you're willing to face the possibility of being hurt, I'll offer you as much aid as you need to discover your past."
"It can't be any worse than not knowing anything at all," Leets muttered, then nodded in agreement to the conditions.
"Raibou-san, what are you planning to do after the tournament is over?" Olguin idly asked, turning back to small talk now that formal affairs were done with.
"Me? Well if ah recall correctly, ah'm a part of this Cor as well," Fuu shrugged, "Some girl named Rei Ayunami hired myself and some ahser people."
Well, seems the tournament was a front for hiring better fighters. Albeit they should've gone about it a bit more honestly. Olguin thought, a slight frown on his face.
His expression quickly changed into a friendly smile.
"Well, it's nice to know someone else in that organization. Where are you going to be stationed?" He curiously asked.
"There are some problems in China," Fuu said calmly, sipping her tea, "So we're being sent there first."
Outside the sun began to set....
Fearless leader
"I see." Olguin replied, his good cheer stamped underneath professionalism.
Looking at the clock hanging on a nearby wall, he slightly frowned.
"I swear, time flies by quickly in these parts."
Fuu shrugged, placing down her part of the bill, "Well ah don't know about you all, but ah have to get back to my hotel now." With that, she left the group, waving goodbye, "See you all tomorra sen."
Leets sighed, then pushed out of his seat as well, "Thanks for dinner. I guess I should get going too."
"Got any place to go?" Olguin curiously asked Leets, paying the rest of the bill as he got up. "You can crash with us, if you want."
Miyuki was very angry by the time they got up to leave.
Why does he have to smile at her like that! I...No, this is silly. He told me himself he met her only a few days ago...they can't be...can they?
She shook her head. No...Not Olchan. He's she looked down at herself ...not my property...
She sighed heavily and followed Olguin, yawning behind her hand...
It was time...
The cloaked figure's eyes opened to the darkening sky as the sun set beneath the horizon. The city lights of London began to slowly ignite, tiny sparks of flame far below. The night air blew cool against his blue cloak. From behind the mask he watched.
Fearless Leader
Robed in black he waited. Time was running out. He needed to find him. A vessel of darkness. Red eyes flared beneath the black mask. Hands concealed within dark sleeves he watched above as the stars began to appear. Blazing balls of light eons away from this pitiful world.
Deus.... et morte.
Fearless Leader
OOC: Sorry Wen, but I'll have to borrow your character for a few.
IC:
Olguin led the trio down the streets of London, the crowds scurrying around them, trying to hurry to get back to their individual homes.
A brief smile lit Olguin's face as the heavens almost seemed to be set ablaze, but the smile faded as the flames gave way to the advance of the stars.
Ten minutes later, the sounds of a lock turning heralded the arrival of the trio to the hotel room.
OOC: And now I attempt to reach an entirely new level of effect. Who fears what dreams may come...
The dreamer fears.
IC:
Hidden from mortal eyes, another watched not the stars, but the dark emptiness of space. So cold, so barren. Why did he stay here where it was warm? The freezing ice of the void would welcome him gladly. Would call him as a mother to it's child. And he could answer....
To dance once more among the space between the stars, where mortal eyes did not espy. To sing among the clouds of dust, heard by none save the dead remains of that which could have been. To raise his bow and play upon the strings of the universe, to laugh at the song of destiny and fate.
To forget that which he learned....
Fearless Leader
Olguin sadly watched as his friend shied away from Leets' attempts at conversation. To think that she had been such a vibrant, cheerfully person before...
First they had been seperated by miles of space...
Now it seemed Time itself was their enemy...determined to keep them from feeling happiness.
Making sure to tuck both children in, Olguin heaved a sigh of regret as he saw that the action merely reinforced Miyuki's depression.
Remorsefully shaking his head, he started towards the door.
"I'll be back later." He called back.
He was going to learn all he could from his sensei. Unless he fought with all his power, and then some...
...Miyuki could very well die.
A single hand was extended, gloved in loose white silk. Empty, the palm faced up. Closed, it held a single scabbard and blade. The curved scabbard portraying in vivid detail scenes of battle and death, a large blue dragon prominant in the artwork. It's horns spread from it's face as it's wings spread in the sky, a single rider on it's back bearing a glowing blade. Below lay death in every scene... darkness behind... and a grey light before. Fearsome shadows appeared to gibber from the ground as dragons of molten flame roared in challenge to the blue. Any artist would cry at the sight of the scene, for the artwork was beyond compare....
Almost a living memory.
Fearless Leader
OOC: One ask oneself... does the dreamer dream the dream. Or does the dream dream the dreamer. Can one shift the ebbs and weaves of fate?
IC:
Below the street lights began to mimic the stars above, flickering on as mortal men turned in for the night. Weak threads... not even worthy of notice. All but passing raindrops upon the ocean of dreams. They did not appriciate the freezing breeze that blew dust across the rooftops. They could not hear the song played... the symphony which gave meaning to their miserable mortal lives. They were but passing weaves upon a single tapestry.
Beside him lay a gift once given. A memory of song, a dream to behold. A single perfect violin. Carved of the finest wood it shone in the darkness, reflecting even the slightest bit of light. A dark hand reached for it. How long had it been. What had been learned at what cost... could he even hear the true song anymore. Lifting the violin to his neck, he gazed for but a moment not at the darkness, but at the light.
Was this why? This warmth? This cruel unbearable flame? This searing light that perverted all it touched and rended the dark before it?
In his left hand a single bow. Strung not in the normal fashion, but strung nonetheless. A violinist would give all he owned for such a string bow. But this man would not sell it. Not because of it's physical worth. Nor for the song of joy it would offer. It represented to him something beyond mere mortal value. A dreamer and a dream...
Below he had arrived. The time of choice... but what would he choose. 'He' had already moved. The scaled one waited patiently. And below a string did bend and play a soft tune...
Lifting the bow to his violin, he began to play. Sweet melodic notes filtered down to the streets below, touching those who heard their siren call of... what was it. Beneath two children lay in bed. One, not what she seemed, slumbered peacefully. Spared in sleep the worries that bound her wakeful hours. Another still awake, his path now entangled with another's. The door shut as a young man stepped out into the hallway.
With eyes shut, the violinist played....
Fearless Leader
What was that?
Olguin turned his head, straining all his senses. There...music?
Twisting and writhing on the air currents, a haunting violin melody played, its siren song lifting his spirit somewhat.
Curious...
Like a moth to a flame, he was driven onwards by the melody.
Up the stairs he went, the violin's notes urging him onwards.
OOC: falling stars... a rain of meteors. Beyond the swarm... sits the watcher.
IC:
The weaves of fate were changing. Time was repeating again. The tales of destiny. Perhaps....
The eyes gleam yellow beneath the mask.
But she is dead.
Crimson flame burns momentarily within his hands. His eyes again the fiercesome hue of blood.
Forever.
Fearless Leader
OOC: Dance through fire shower.
IC:
The hilt gleamed saphire, the starlight bouncing off it's scales.
It was time. The challenge called. And every challenge...every single challenge... Would be conquered.
The moon..... sweet crescent of death. Today a sacrifice was called.
Two cloaked figures stood, back to back. Black robes sweeping out over the grassy field. Blue robes beside them
Fearless Leader
Olguin stepped out onto the roof of the hotel almost in a daze.
A sudden gust of wind suddenly blew past him, chilling not only body, but both heart and soul as well.
A premonition of things to come? Olguin thought, a flash of Dark Wiseman's profile flashing through his mind's eye.
He shook those thoughts off, but a trace of doubt lingered on the fringe of his conscience.
"Wiseman...I've come."
Leets blinked awake, listening carefully to the sounds of the girl, Ryoko, sleeping soundly and the silent footsteps of Olguin leaving. When the footsteps finally faded away, he sat up quietly, as to not disturb the room's other occupant.
"These tourists, they never take no for an answer," he sighed. Though touched that they invited him, he was already been too much trouble for them. Besides, he had other things to do.
As he opened the window to sneak out though, a strange, calming melody wafted through the night air, catching his attention. For a moment, he nearly forgot why he was up, the music's relaxing tones seemed almost hypnotic. It was only a strange chill that brought him back to reality. Climbing out the window, he listened to the curious music as he climbed out, closed the window, then climbed down the fire escape. All the while wondering why it suddenly seemed colder tonight then he remembered.
OOC: Please DO remain familiar with your own arcs
IC:
The cold breeze blew over the empty rooftop, carrying upon it the notes of the violin. The roof felt dark despite the small lights built around the corners of the hotel.
The song came from above....
Fearless Leader
"Your killing power is great, but it will stop here."
The crescent moon shone high in the sky as it reflected off the lake.
"Your hands are as bloody as my own. Do not deny this. The screams of anguish of all who fell before your ambition call as loudly as my own."
Silently the mayflys flew, ignorant of the proceedings.
"Perhaps..."
Silence reigned for lord and master of the field, the cold night air blowing as both warriors stood back to back.
Moment after moment passed.
The battle though, had already long since begun.
The field... was empty.
Fearless Leader
Under the ocean it stirred...
Fish fleeing hurriedly from the titanic creatures vicinity.
Fearless Leader
Olguin spun to face the source of the music, the twinkling stars and lights of the city below blurring as he turned....
OOC: Man....what a web I weave.
IC:
Sitting on the roof was a single black clad figure, loose silk clothing covering his form. A violin placed to his neck, his back turned to Olguin. Black hair running down his back obscured his neck. His hair seemed strange...almost having an ethernal quality to it. Gracefully his hand moved, the violin singing to his caress.
Fearless Leader
Hopping down to the ground, Leets rubbed his arms to force back the numbing cold, as the feeling of foreboding grew.
"Just the wind," he mumbled as he walked out of the alley, the music still strong despite the fact he was moving away, "It's just the wind."
Now if he could only convince himself of that. Shaking his head, he broke into a brisk run towards his neiborhood to pick up some of his belongings.
"Shair-sensei?" Olguin asked, a foreboding feeling rising up in his gut.
"Wait...you aren't him. What business do you have up here?" He uncertainly asked, backing off a few paces from the man.
The man stopped playing, staring up into the starry sky above. The violin dropped out of sight and a flash of silver graced his left hand.
"Don't you remember, tragic child?" A proud tenor returned.
Fearless Leader
Leets grunted as he hefted a bag. All his belongings, spare clothes and some money, were packed inside. As he quietly left the small room, the door opened and a stout old woman looked out, a broom held ready to ward off intruders.
"Landsakes child!" she said reprimandingly, lowering her broom, "I nearly bopped you one there!"
Leets looked surprised for a moment, "Mrs. Ohara! What are you doing up so late?"
The woman laughed, "That's what I should be asking you, Leets. You be needing some room again tonight?"
Leets smiled, shaking his head. Mrs. Ohara was always so nice to the local homeless. She even offered some rooms every once in a while when business was slow. "No thank you, ma'am. I got some people looking out for me now."
"Well it's about dang time then," Ohara patted Leets on the head, "You behave yourself, you hear?"
"Yes'm!" Leets nodded, heading off again.
Ohara watched the young boy run off, such a nice lad. She hoped that this was a sign that his luck was changing. When he disappeared, she headed back inside. No point in keeping her own kids up after all.
Olguin's danger sense flared at that, the foreboding feeling in his gut upgrading to a blown out anxiety attack.
"Tragic child?" He weakly asked, taking more steps back.
OOC: A call to arms... the song of orc'en warriors roaring into battle...
IC:
The cold filled the air, as the mysterious figure looked up into the darkness. For a second he pondered once more...
Why did he bear the weight of this corporeal existence upon his shoulders. The song of the eldritch filled his veins. He could leave and dance among the empty space between worlds and stars and even universes. The twists of void as Aternark swam among the freezing cosmic winds. The great devourer feasting upon the light as it passed creating most pleasant darkness.
Once he found this good. Again he could.
But something stopped him from cleaving the space before him and slipping free from this confining realm. That indescribable color. Not of eldritch no. Something different appearing amidst the threads of fate.
He rose and considered, maybe if he cleaved this string behind him it would make a beautiful tone.
-Watch over him. As a favor. For me.-
True. He had promised. Mortals, such fell creatures were they. Almost entirely pointless. Their songs were restrained without beauty or substance. Their tales barely worthy of notice.
Turning the figure revealed a shadowy face, no features, not even eyes visible. A dark mist given corporeal form appeared as a curved blank where a face should have been. Suddenly twin silver streaks appeared, opening slightly as if eyes.
-Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men. The Shadow knows.-
"Yes, tragic child. Hast thou forgotten the aid that you were given?" The proud tenor reverberated despite the apparent lack of a mouth.
Fearless Leader
"Of course not!" Olguin forcefully stated, his earlier fear backing down slightly in front of his anger. "I never forget those that've helped me...not many would help one such as myself."
Flashes off his earlier battle with Jethro went through his mind's eye...
The Hurricane and Knight met in an orgy of violence, both fighters giving their all in a contest of survival...
The Knight temporarily pushing his foe back with a power that transcends all others...that of the human soul...
But the Hurricane had merely shrugged off the blast, its own innate fury only increasing with the attack...
The two met again...
But he failed...
Failure...and that ultimate peninance for his failure....death...
But he had been saved...
Saved by this man before him...
"You shoved me out of the way of Jethro's blast." He calmly said, "And gave me the advantage I needed to survive." A flash of pain crossed his face at that.
"You saved me from my...failure."
OOC: I....can't write this. I simply can't. -.- waaaaah
I will... Meet again. Deus est Morte. The answer is simple. Answer...and all things are clear. This is my truth... at least for now.
IC:
The earth trembled beneath as the grass waved in the cold night air a single final time. The mayflies began to fly away from the lake, but far too slow. The trees fell, shattered from the force that erupted in the center of that placid field. The earth groaned and ruptured, a canyon forming in the center of the field.
And the earth did groan
The lake exploded outward from the center, water being vaporized along a direct field of motion. The water remaining staying stationary for a moment before flying high into the air, a brilliant silvery wave in the moonlight. The mayflies trapped in a final flight of death as the water captured their slow moving forms.
And lo the sea roared
The stone wall shattered, the electric fence cleaved in twain as the alarm rang red. The road was empty as it was entered by silent forms, the moon briefly shadowed by the dark clouds above. Hidden from sight car alarms rang briefly and then grew silent as they fell broken to the street. The flame followed briefly as the liquid gas erupted along the broken street.
The cries of mortal men sounded loud
Solomon's staff slammed into a wall, shattering as it tore the brick apart from sheer kinetic energy. Red brick rained down followed by glass shards, the battle proceeding into the sky.
For what was this in the distance
The building rumbled as it began to fall, the upper floors split from the foundations. The terrified screams of the apartment dwellers filling the air as their lives flashed swiftly before their eyes. The roar of destruction muted by their shrill screams of terror.
What is followed by death and destruction and fire
For brief moments a symphony of steel could be heard. A star appearing to take form above the rooftops of London. In the background the clock tower sang it's empty melody, ringing in the call of father time as the moon climaxed in the sky.
What blots out the stars above, not a cloud above
He landed softly, his feet disturbing not a grain of dust beneath him. His blue robes billowed in the winds, the sheathed blade at his side. Undrawn yet. A smile hidden beneath his white mask.
All cry out as it's terrifying form doth illuminate with flame
He flew above the rooftops, robed in black. His opponent was skilled indeed. In hundreds of years he had never met the like. Red eyes flared beneath the darkened mask. It would matter not. The Zohar had never been defeated. And never would.
By heaven and hell. By all the gods and none.
"You are indeed skilled." Two kings...
A hand closed on a blade that was never drawn. A blue glow filtered through from the blade as it was loosened in it's sheath. Laughter could be felt as once more a soul cried out for victory and justice. For the peace of war.
"As are you." Across the battlefield...
Black clad fists closed. No more games. This mortal would die. His soul destroyed by power beyond imagining. None could match the strength of God.
Deus est Morte.
Met in brotherhood, blades drawn in hate.
Here, there be dragons.
Fearless Leader
"I've watched you for a while. Mostly like any other mortal, content to stumble about in obscurity. Pondering your minute effect upon the world. Thinking you can make a difference in the eternal tapestry of life. You mostly are like any other, a meaningless bag of flesh and bone. A 'failure' as you put it so succinctly."
The silver eyes narrowed.
"But, there is something else. Something about your thread of life that intrigues me. The melody is dark beyond imagining. Death and despair have always been thy companions. You are indeed a cursed child. Yet...so many strings are attached to yours. Almost as if your thread is holding together some unseen portion of the tapestry. This... interests me. I wish to learn of it. Will you dance with me?"
Fearless Leader
"You want to learn the secrets of my cursed life?" Olguin said, easily sliding into a low stance. "Fine, be my guest, I'll show you what I showed the others."
"I'll show you that I will never give into my tragic past!" He forcefully said, sparks of pure chi briefly crackling over his form.
"Thank you."
The warrior bowed, and disappeared.
A fist shot out at the back of Olguin's head.
Fearless Leader
Short beginning tempo
Danger sense flaring in response to the attack, Olguin ducked to avoid the attack...
Suddenly pivoting, he launched a barrage of punches against his opponent.
OOC: I Have the fire..... BURN FOX BURN!
IC:
Shadow flexed down. The punches missing by inches as inhuman speed met trained reactions. "Your path is blurred."
The shorter fighter disappeared into the ground before Olguin's eyes.
Fearless leader
Dashing forwards, Olguin suddenly came to rest near the middle of the hotel's roof.
"My path is that of....a defender!" He called out, body held at the ready. A pristine white aura briefly appeared around him, only to be temporarily replaced with his usual amethyst aura.
OOC: A fatal duel.... A Fantastic Waltz.
IC:
The crescent moon illuminated the rooftop as Olguin stood, sheathed in amythest flames. A silent martyr before a single judge.
black mist began to rise from in front of him, congealing in the image of a man. "A defender must defend something. There are many tied to your path. Do you understand?"
hands appeared as the shadow spun, silver streaks flying in a dizzying pattern towards Olguin as the dark one danced.
Fearless Leader
Too many... Olguin thought, seeing the silver streaks rocket towards him. Light of my soul, please... come forth!
The air itself seemingly bended and twisted to the tragic child's Will, gaining an amethyst hue as it suddenly surrounded Olguin in a spherical barrier.
"What can I do to save them!?" He shouted, an agonized tone in his voice.
OOC: Playing a non-human is so ....eldritch.
IC:
"You waver in doubt... he who hestitates is doomed to failure."
spinning in elegant grace the shadow creature danced forward, hands becoming immaterial as they shifted into shadowy claws lashing downward as twin blades towards Olguin's head.
Fearless Leader
Failure... That one word echoed through Olguin's mind.
"I have to...this is the proof of my own existence...I can't...won't let anyone else be hurt!"
Falling back under the claw strikes, he winced as they ripped through his shirt, scoring a light hit across his skin.
"My power....my life....I've dedicated it to protecting others..."
"World's End!"
Pull in the power of the spirit...
Cross arms across your chest
Muscles tense...
Release...
Now!
Suddenly spreading his arms wide, a wave of amethyst energy suddenly flared out from within Olguin's body...the borders of which were the purest white...
Fading before the flaring light of purpose, the cold wind borne a query of darkness. "But you cannot protect everyone. You cannot save everyone. Some will always die. Well cursed child? Tragic child set adrift on the cruel harsh winds of fate...why do you continue? Why not follow the spiral unto destruction?"
Fearless Leader
Olguin collapsed to his knees, the latest attack having taken a great deal out of physical strength.
You cannot save everyone....
That one phrased echoed in his head, robbing him of spiritual strength, aura guttering out like a candle in the wind.
A deafening silence descended on him as his mind ran in circles, trying...yet failing to figure out a solution.
You cannot save everyone....
Logic could be a cruel mistress sometimes.
What could he do?
Canal
Miyuki
Yui
Father
Mother
Slowly getting to his feet, he stared at his opponent.
"Hope." He softly whispered.
"I cannot save everyone, that much is true, but I certainly can't save even a single individual if I give up now!" He forcefully stated.
"I won't end it...I've made a difference in the world, even if slight, and I WON'T throw it all away to despair!"
"Hope?" A dark mist rose again behind Olguin, becoming solid, the figure's back turned. "Is this why you continue? What is this 'hope' anyways? Show this to me."
Fearless Leader
Artform
Olguin turned to face his opponent, a flicker of doubt crossing across his face before his expression firmed.
Moments later, a soft white light flickered around his form. Opening his right hand, a weakly flickering light appeared with a flash of light, banishing the darkness ten feet all around them with its radiance.
"This is the manifestation of hope." He softly intoned. "My hope."
Mortals...
Their lives pass so swiftly through the tapestry. They are falling drops of rain into an endless ocean. At most they cause but a ripple, quickly supressed under the waves of history. Their dreams are not even their own. They are mere imagination. Concepts before the greater ones who dance within the cosmos.
This is the manifestation of hope
Do they even realize what they are. Here before me lies a tangled web. A single thread shining white as those around it cling hopelessly to it's path. Why bother, when the cold darkness of night is so simple to fall within. To dance within.
My Hope
He's tired. His mortal form cannot take this 'hope' as he calls it. Draining his life, a brightly burning candle he dies quickly. Why not just snuff out his light. His fist flies at me, too slow. Graceless human. A foot spinning in a delicate weave as he moves forward attempting to catch me. His dance is elegant...
in it's gracelessness. It's martial form and desperate patterns. Claw reaches forward and draws the sweet crimson rain as I waltz through him again. Turning, his eyes meet mine. Determination fills them. Does he...
Understand.
To dance with the shadows is to dance reap ones own fate. To resonate with the universe as the eldritch watch. The old ones are called by the blessings as the the floor is painted with so few drops of red. He rises from a crouch, a fiercesome tiger, jaws wide in pain as he hunts. As he dances the dance.
"I...see."
Dancing past his blows, I weave, a misty rope of space as I swirl around his corpereal form. His spirit moves faster than his fists, an interesting dance alone. The weaves of fate are now. He is a nexus. A point of change upon the stage of the universe. His cruel fate bears the weight of time upon it.
I stopped, looking down from behind him on the streets below. My feet wrapped around the stone outcropping, I a gargoyle of olde.
Mortals. Such fell creatures are these. So utterly wasteful. No more than bags of bone and flesh.
is this one any different? And if so.... why should I care.
"Why should I even care?" softly carried on the night winds. "Why should I bend to the dance of one who walks in the light?"
Fearless Leader
Olguin wiped away a bit of blood from his upper lip before quietly responding.
"I once knew a girl...a very special girl. She, like yourself, questioned why she had to bend to another's dance. This spark of individuality was cruely stamped down, causing her great pain."
Raggedly coughing as another wave of nausea assaulted him, he unsteadily wobbled on his feet.
Too much energy for my body to handle.. He realized with mounting dread.
But he HAD to try and make his opponent understand, damnit!
"I've seen, and quite frankly, am sickened by others who force others to bend to their 'dance', as you put it. Regardless of my own role in the grand tapestry, I will NEVER force others to change their own inherent nature, or force them to follow my dance." He finished, voice thick with raw emotion.
OOC: Omens of a darker coming
IC:
"Do you truly believe that childish sentiment? It has always been the way of things since time immemorial that the weak would follow the dance of the strong. That the light would oppose the dance of the dark. And that the shadows would waltz in the places between stars."
The creature of midnight aura rose, indistinct against the dark background of the sky behind him. Only visible by virtue of the street lights shining up below, distorted slightly by his frame. "Do you not understand how you bend others to your dance? How you actions shape their movements? How they resonate in time to your symphony of hope? Are you ignorant of how your spirit's dance touches that which encounters it?"
Fearless Leader
Running along the streets, Leets dodged a few wandering patrolmen that would have questioned why he was out past curfew as he made his nightly rounds. Strange though, there seemed to be no one else out. Maybe they were wise enough to stay out of the chilly night. He sighed, seeing no opportunities tonight, and reluctantly headed back to the hotel.
When he was in sight of it though, he paused, seeing two glowing lights above the roof. One, a weaker one, felt slightly warm. But the other...
The chill intensified as he watched the lights, approaching the hotel slowly.
"My spirit? Sure, I've saved people and I'm sure that I've made a dramatic impact in my family and friend's lives, but how can my spirit cause change?" Olguin blinked, confusion in his expression.
"As opposed to creatures like Dark Wiseman or people like my own brother, my power is insigificant. THEY are the ones that lead...the ones that cause great change."
Turning swiftly the nightmarish figures shining silver eyes narrowed.
"Coward. Pathetic coward. Unwilling to take the power you have. Humbled by others you cower in the sand. On your belly like a snake. Change is not decided by mortal minds. It is the dance of the universe. Lead or be swept behind in it's passage. Do you not question? Are you afraid to take hold?"
A dagger of blackest night appeared in the shadow's hand, twin serpents wrapping around the frightful non-blade. The air swirled around it freezing cold. Time began to slow. Resonating with Eldritch power, the shadow began to dance once more.
Fearless Leader
Olguin growled low in his throat, slipping into an aggressive stance.
"Who are you to pass judgement!?" He yelled, blurring forwards, and unleashing a steady barrage of vicious attacks, hoping the torrent of strikes would wash his arrogant opponent away.
OOC: ALL THE SMALL THINGS... Yaaaaaaaaaaaahooooo
IC:
The dance continued, darkness against the light as the two men went back and forth. A human trained in the arts of war dancing a martial rhythm as he struck out against the serpentine darkness before him. A shadow-creature twisting as his blade weaved a deadly song just outside Olguin's flesh.
"I am Shadow the Named. Born in the void, I have always danced, a nameless shard of existence following the wake of greater existences than my own. Such was my fate. Until bent by the light was I. Given name and form. Mortal, know that words have power beyond reckoning. Truths can bind any. And the dance...is the only truth."
Spinning the blade began travelling slowly towards Olguin as time slowed further, everything outside of them ebbing to a stop.
fearless Leader
Flittering in and out of the serpent's strikes, Olguin's blood sang in his ears as he went along with the beat of his opponent.
Dancing to another's beat...he's right...you are nothing but a coward. A quiet voice sneered in his head.
Nothing but a puppet, it said. Being pulled here and there by invisible, faceless puppet masters.
When was HE going to start controlling his life?
Olchan! Twin amethyst eyes framed by dark hair, and possessing the most heart warming smile he had ever seen.
He remembered the feeling he got when he decided to take Miyuki off Kenryu's hands, to hell with the consequences.
That moment...he had been in control of himself...
...and of Miyuki's own destiny, for that matter.
Truths can bind any...
What was his truth?
Olguin-kun! Emerald hair fell over two amethyst eyes, the small, secret smile she had only accented the sense of mystery around her.
Maybe...maybe he could find it out there...with Her.
Or not...
This was HIS life...
And by all the kami above...
It was time to live it!
"I have yet to find my own words. Until now I've only been living by the words of others up to now." He carefully said, "This journey was to find my brother, initially....but I think it's about time it changed!"
Surging forward, Olguin was a frightening blur of violence as he rained down attacks on Shadow with almost inhuman speed. The frightening thing about the whole scenario? His expression showed an almost calm, methodical nature to the beast.
OOC: If I go crazy than will you still call me superman?
Kryptonite.
IC:
Olguin's tired form sweeped back evading the life eating blade that cleaved space before it. Twisting around the universe seemed to distort momentarily in it's passage as it healed. The cold air ceased to blow as time slowed further around them, curving around the distorted space in which they danced.
"...time it changed!"
Olguin swarmed forward, stern with purpose and determination. His fists lashed out to a deadly rhythm, gaining steam and power, an unstoppable locamotive. His fist seemed to blur to his own eyes as the distortion effect caught him, twisting light before his eyes. The shadow just out of reach, a taunting presence as it weaved inhumanly out of most of his attacks.
"Do you take responsibility for your fate?", The voice questioned back.
He was no longer fighting a man, but a twisted form of darkness. Nightmarish stars were visible for a moment, screaming with life in the dagger's blade, as they were silenced in the darkness. No longer were they on a human rooftop, but trapped in eternity of darkness.
Following the dance of the shades of existence. Following the weaves of destiny. Mortal man in a dance of war. A shadow following behind.
"Do you understand?"
Fearless Leader
"My life...my fate...I bear the full responsibility of both." He shouted to the inky blackness before him.
Mindful of the deadly blade that had so easily broken through Jethro's barrier, Olguin kept his dangerous strategy.
"And I truly am beginning to understand."
Spinning past the ebony blade with all the grace and skill he could muster, he wound up for the deciding strike.
"It isn't about power."
Power bubbled within the innermost recesses in his soul.
"It isn't about skill."
Body and soul briefly joined as one.
"It's about Will...and the fact that one's Will makes all the difference in the world!"
"And my Will will never be humbled by others again." He softly whispered.
With a loud battle cry, he unleashed the deciding attack in the battle between light and darkness.
They stopped. Olguin crouched in the end of a final strike. Shadow behind him, his dagger in hand. Eyes closed, he waited. The moon stood silent witness above as they phased into being once more upon the rooftop. The only sound the slight patter of blood from the wound olguin recieved earlier.
"Your...will? Is that it? Is that the answer that allows you to survive? Tragic child, I see now."
The shadow slowly began walking away...
Fearless Leader
Olguin hissed in pain as he rose, forcing his body to face Shadow.
"Sheer force of will has gotten me this far, and it'll get me through my future trials." He quietly murmured.
Forcing his body onwards, he followed after Shadow.
"Now that you know, what will you do?" He questioned.
OOC: Phantom, can you hear me? Masked Phantom who sings from the balcony? I take your bargain...phantom of the opera.
^_^
IC:
Walking to the edge of the roof, Shadow looked up to the crescent moon. Symbol of the reaper. It was a night for death. The nightsplitter in his hand. It would not take much.
Mortals...such fragile creatures. yet...
''What would you have me do mortal?"
Standing on the edge he turned. "I am but a shadow following the dance of the stronger. A shard of reality as it really is, the stuff that dreams are made of. I am a named one. Given form and substance, but still... a shadow in the moonlight. I hear the song, resonating as the nightmares dance. It calls to me. A strong dance it is. A reweaving of fate."
His eyes closed slightly before opening, pentrating deep into Olguin's soul, judging that which was seen in silent observation.
Fearless Leader
"Why not just go back to the one that was your partner before? The one that turned you to the light?" Olguin asked, confusion on his features.
"I could help you find that person, if you'd like." He offered. "My own will can help keep you on your current path until we find that individual." A cough prematurely ended his speech, his features looking a tad pale in the moonlight.
"Partner?" Shadow quirked his head. "I follow the dance. And only the dance. light...dark.... they are all the same. Why should I even pause for ye, mortal?"
fearless Leader
"Well..." Olguin took a moment to choose his words carefully, "My life is cursed, as you say. I would think that you'd be interested in watching how it turned out, I certainly want to see how my life starts affecting others."
Sneaking up the fire escape, Leets glanced towards the roof. The strange lights were gone and the feeling of dread had lessened, though he still sensed someone or something was still up there.
OOC: I'm Paranoid? fear the sabbath black...
All along the watchtower...
IC:
"There must be some kind of way out of here"
Shadow's eyes closed, dagger in hand as he spun. A serpent against the backdrop of stars.
Said the joker to the thief.
His blackened form left not a trace as he danced to a song only he could hear.
There's too much confusion
The air trembled in the path of his fell blade, a dagger which cleaved it in twain and left it broken in it's passage.
I can't get no relief
The blade came down towards Olguin, threads of fate breaking in it's passage.
Business men they drink my wine
Power followed, power beyond power. Space twisted and time grew short, a darkness was before him. With one step, it would be over.
Plowman dig my earth
Two dances danced. One of light and one of dark. Between them, a fragile shadow.
None of them along the line
The blade disappeared into the shadow. "I accept."
Know what any of it is worth.
Fading before Olguin's eyes the shadow's silver orbs opened one last time, "I will watch." Before the shimmering moonlight, Olguin was once again alone.
Fearless Leader
"Well...farewell for now then, Shadow." Olguin murmured.
Turning, he shuffled towards the door that would lead him back to his warm room.
He needed the rest for tomorrow.
Quietly slidding the window open, Leets snuck back into the room, and breathed a sigh of relief. The girl was still sleeping so no one would know what he'd been up to.
Leets unslung his bag, and looked around for a place to hide them before Mr. Saotome returned from wherever.
Carefully opening the door to their room, Olguin made sure not to make any noise as he snuck in.
Quietly shutting it behind him, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Time to rest...
OOC: Well I guess this is growing up
IC:
The sun slowly split the horizon as the sounds of morning filtered through the window.
Looking up at the sky, he waited. His blonde hair perfectly styled, hiding his internal tormoil.
Why? Why did he coome here. Sitting on a roof he waited, his blade at his side.
Fearless Leader
Olguin slowly opened his eyes, a groan of resignation on the tip of his lips as he woke up.
What a night...
Turning over in his sleep, his eyes widened for a fraction of a moment as one fact made it past the fog of sleep.
He was in a couch...
A narrow couch...
Oh dear...
Slamming into the ground facefirst, Olguin once again muttered curses against the world in general.
Leets peeked out of the kitchen, stangely looking fresh and awake despite being out nearly as long as Olguin was. Whether through experience or biology or something else, Leets was both nocturnal and and early riser.
"Good morning. Dang, you look like you must have had a rough night," he commented before heading back to the kitchen. The smells of breakfast wafted through the house.
"Ugh." Olguin eloquently replied, dragging himself out of the tangled mess of covers and pillows that made up his bed.
Keeping hunger at bay, he made a bee-line towards the bathroom. Moments later he came out, looking much more refreshed and alert.
"Well...you try having to use as much chi as I did yesterday. Then let's see how you wind up looking." He wryly said.
"Need any help there?" He asked.
"Hmm?" Leets glanced over, having to stand on a foot stool to reach the stove as he finished the tenth crepe. "Oh, can you call Miss Ryoko? I couldn't seem to wake her up," he said before pouring batter for the eleventh crepe.
Miyuki tossed restlessly in the bed, not yet awake, and locked in the grips of a dream, that, judging by the disturbed expression on her face, she did not find pleasant...
Turning away from Leets, Olguin softly padded over towards Miyuki, the plush carpetting bouncing slightly beneath his bare feet.
What he found wasn't entirely reassuring. Leaning over Miyuki's prone form, he began to gently shake her.
"Michan...wake up. We wouldn't want to miss Brother's fight." He whispered.
Miyuki moaned softly and her eyes opened, looking tiredly up at Olguin.
"Olchan? Hm...Ok..."
She sat up bulling the covers up close to her chest...and suddenly looked up at Olguin, blinking.
"Are you alright?" Olguin tenderly asked, kneeling down so as to be face to face with Miyuki.
Miyuki nodded, forcing herself to smile.
"I just didn't sleep well..."
Olguin merely chose to sigh at that. If she didn't want to talk, who was he to force her?
"C'mon then...time for breakfast." He calmly replied, leading the lost girl to the kitchen.
Leets glanced up as he finished setting the plates. Three seats, four crepes each. "You two are such heavy sleepers," he said, raising an eyebrow as he sat in his seat and ate.
"That we are." Olguin wryly said, taking his own seat and quietly eating.
The ocean foamed as it began to surface... surrounded by an orb of power the water was help within.
Fearless leader
"Kahran, ready to launch", Kahran sat within his cockpit, his golden gear already flexing to his mental commands.
Fearless Leader
Miyuki just nodded, her mind flashing to the troubling dreams she had all night. She nodded to Leets and began to eat quietly.
She'd thought she'd cried herself out at the beginning of this ordeal, but each morning, she found herself confronted anew by the frustration, embarrassment, and fear.
She wouldn't cry about it anymore. She refused to make Olguin feel any worse than he already did...
She finished her breakfast in silence, and slowly pushed the plate away when she finished.
Leets frowned in annoyance. "Well if you don't like my cooking, just say so," he grumped.
Olguin snickered at that, "It's great food, Leets. Ryoko just feels a bit out of sorts lately."
Finishing up his meal, he briefly sent a warm smile at Ryoko.
"I promised her I'd help her, and I always keep my promises."
Ryoko sat in Ryo-Ohki's control chair, leaning back lazily.
"Ryo-Ohki, ready for launch," she reported. One of Ryo-Ohki's control crystals swung around in front of her face, and the cabbit's animal likeness appeared in it.
"Mya!"
Ryoko sweatdropped, then scowled. "No way! You ate all the carrots last night!"
"Mya Mya Myaaaaaa!"
"If you do a good job, MAYBE we'll get some more when we're done!"
"Mya!" Ryoko continued to bicker with her ship, allowing herself to be distracted from her memories of happier times...and Tenchi...
Miyuki looked up at Olguin, her violet eyes wide. Slowly, the first geninune smile she'd given since the day before yesterday bloomed, as she allowed Olguin's words to reassure her.
She then turned to Leets. "Gomen Nas-Er, I mean, I'm very sorry. It wasn't your cooking...I just haven't been feeling well..."
Leets glanced between them. "Just what's so bad anyway?" he asked, not quite understanding why Ryoko seemed so down since they met.
Miyuki blinked, and began to stammer.
"Uhm...I...It's a long story..." She looked away, her face hot with embarrassment and shame...
"Um...we'd best move out, anyhow." Olguin started, "A lot has to get done."
The peace of the early morning sunrise was interupted only by a gentle sound, much like the wind blowing across the rooftops.
Swish. Swish.
Each swing brought forth a new surge of pain, bringing a wince to her face. But she endured, as with her sister's advice. To feel pain only meant you were still alive. So her morning routine, no, her kata, a dance of the art, continued. She would not fall victim to her weakness. She would become stronger, she would not fail to mortality.
As she practiced, her mind began to drift into the steady rhythms of her movement. And within the reaches of her mind, came a bitter sweet memory of days gone by.
~~Flashback~~
"I'm not sure about this, oneechan," little Fuu said nervously. She had previously been estatic in the prospect of learning a new skill, but to be the target of the demonstration?
Her older sister smiled gently. "Trust me, imouto-chan."
Reluctantly, Fuu stood in front of the boulder as her sister prepared.
"Ready?"
"Yes."
With a sudden, swift blur, Fuu's sister lauched a shimmering vacuum blade. Fuu whimpered, seeing the blade tear up the ground as it flew towards her, and closed her eyes...
...only to feel a breeze fly past her, followed by the sounds of crumbling rocks.
"That, imouto-chan." Fuu's sister began, smiling benevolently. "Was the Shinmeiryu succession technique. 'Shinkuzen'."
She blinked, seeing no reaction from her little sister other than trembling. Upon closer inspection, she noticed Fuu seemed to be mumbling something.
"Something wrong, imouto-chan?"
"......oneechan... I think I wet myself."
~~End Flashback~~
Fuu sighed as she finished her kata. That memory just had to come up, she though wryly. She sighed, reminding herself she still hasn't mastered the technique yet and she had a long way to go to do so.
Glancing up at the horizon, she guessed that the arena should be opening soon. "Might as well get this over with," she sighed, slinging her backback and picked up her duffle bag. She hoped that they'd get the mission directly after the tournament. She had other things on her mind now.
"All right," Leets said. "Just let me grab my stuff, would you?"
As he ran into the room and returned with an old bag, he glanced up at the others. "Well? Should you be packing too?"
Later, the trio headed towards the arena, their belongings packed up and in tow.
Meanwhile, Kanban walked, with a pack on his good shoulder... actually wearing something un-flashy. A blue tanktop with black jeans and his boots as usual...
"Last day of unemployment... yes!" he shouted doing a little dance in the street... ignoring the looks he got as the Arena came into view...
Miyuki's heart was a little lighter as she walked. She slipped a hand to the spot in her pack where she'd placed the Saotome honor tanto that Olguin had given her.
She smiled for the second time in two days...a genuine smile, as she looked up at Olguin. He looked after her...and placed a great deal of faith in her.
She finally began to believe that maybe it would be all right, as long as they had each other...
With that thought, she blushed, and looked away.
Noting Miyuki's small caused no end of satisfaction in Olguin.
At least she's feeling better now...
Albeit, he wondered WHY she was blushing like that. Shaking his head, he put those thoughts away.
"Last fight...good luck brother."
The Arena loomed over the three...
The sun shone bright today...
He turned, one of them was down below. Near the arena. One of those ... freaks.
Fearless Leader
"HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWDDYYYYYYYY"
"Welcome to the Grand Championship of the WOORLD"
"Here the last two, the greatest fighters in the world will battle it out for glory."
"Only one will leave this arena, the other will be left broken on the floor."
"In the northern corner..."
Fearless Leader
The crowd cheered as one as the announcers began the introductions for the final fight.
Olguin's group slowly made their way through the rows of screaming fans, all of them standing at attention, yelling their lungs out.
This is it. He thought as all three of them took their seats.
"Standing in at a towering six feet of pure muscle, Genryu has the drive and determination to take him beyond all other fighters."
Illuminated by the sun, Genryu strode out of the tourney doors, his short hair shifting in the wind. Confidence shone off of him as he grinned to the audience.
"Representing the last Japanese fighter in the tournament, Genryu has the whole arena cheering for him."
Fearless Leader
Sitting in a special section, the COR Red Dragons had been greeted on entry. After this fight they'd be taken to the base. Soap stood cheering her heart out for Genryu, her airen.
Kenryu smiled behind her, still tired from the fight with Genryu yesterday. Helluva fighter there.
Kanban snored in his seat. Totally wiped out from wandering around all night.
Fuu arrived last, sitting in her seat as she watched Genryu enter the field.
Fearless Leader
"And in the south corner... the reaper of death, black clad nightmare of all his oppponents... the most devestating fighter ever to grace the tournament in all my years here. The devil given mortal flesh...
The doors swung open....
"Dark Wiseman!"
Moments passed...and no one exited the gate.
Fearless Leader
"What the...?" Genryu asked, bewilderness clear on his face.
Body suddenly tensing, he wearily looked around him.
Something was...off here.
****
Olguin worriedly frowned as he watched, the crowd mirroring his state of mind by murmuring in confusion.
"Where's Dark Wiseman? This is unprecedented...if he doesn't show up soon Genryu will win the match by default."
The wind began to howl...
Fearless Leader
It towered over the land as it traveled, destruction following in it's wake.
Fearless Leader
"The hell?" Olguin softly muttered, the crowds angrily protesting at being denied.
"Why would Dark Wiseman forfeit now?"
****
That phrase echoed within Genryu's mind as well, but something else loomed about that concern.
Was it just him, or did it suddenly get colder?
"If Dark Wiseman doesn't show up soon... what is this?"
He stepped out, eyes flaming red within his jester's mask. Clad in black and brown, his entire form seemed a mockery to death. Hands clenched as he paced across the ground.
"I.... am Grahf." resonated from the fearsome figure.
Fearless Leader
On golden wings he swung around the moon, blasting towards the earth.
Ryo-oh-ki followed screeching in his wake.
Fearless Leader
The crowd slowly applauded, their confusion readily apparent in their hesistation.
Olguin merely raised an eyebrow at this...Grahf.
****
Genryu blinked a few times in confusion. "Hmm...you're my opponent today?" He carefully asked, body still held at the ready.
OOC: FEAR!
IC:
"I am power incarnate. And you shall be my vessel unto the holy land of destruction." Glowing red with the aura that was Dark Wiseman's distinctive flare, Grahf slid into a stance in the open ground. The smell of death slowly beginning to filter into the stadium.
Fearless Leader
"I ain't nobodies 'vessel', buddy." Genryu snapped back, body flowing into a signature Saotome stance. Slowly, an icy blue aura surrounding him, cool mist coming off his form.
"And it appears Dark Wiseman has taken the field. These two fighters are already raring to go. This promises to be one hell of a fight."
Fearless leader
OOC: I am your golden fucking god... And i steal lines. damn I'm in flames.
see you on the otherworld.
IC:
Gesturing, Grahf chuckled. "You act as if you had a choice child." Spinning Grahf was a blur as he opened with the trademark technique of his school, a fist of flaming ki slammed into Genryu sending him flying back.
Fearless Leader
"ARGH!" Genryu screamed in pain as the sheer power and speed behind Grahf's strike completely overwhelmed him, launching him away.
What had he gotten himself into now?
Flexing his legs into the ground, he added the strength to his backwards leap. Backflipping in mid air, he gracefully landed in a crouch.
Nothing else left but to fight, it appeared.
Slipping into the mentality required for the Amaguriken, Genryu briefly grinned.
Before rocketing forwards, a blur of power as he descended upon Grahf.
OOC: FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!
IC:
Grahf rose, a demon cloaked in red, hands moving even faster than Genryu's inhuman blur, both fighters seeming to pass each other without making a single strike.
"Is that all boy?" Turning Grahf was unharmed.
Fearless Leader
"And so, it begins..." The robed figure looked up into the sky, pausing but a moment in his hurried travels.
Fearless Leader
"Oh hell..." Genryu found the words to come very easily to his lips this time.
Offense? Several leagues above him.
Defense? See above.
Only way he'd live to see another sunrise was to use strategy. Shifting stances, Genryu briefly stared at his opponent.
"I won't lose...not yet!" Kneeling down, he briefly touched the ground at his knees before rising.
"KIJIN DAI RAN BU!" Spinning in place, Genryu unlessed a literally storm of vacuum blades, the environment aorund them suffering greatly as it was smashed into pieces by his vicious assault.
OOC: And now...
IC:
Rising in the darkening sky, Grahf raised his arms to the heavens. The vacuum blades being drawn towards him as he unleashed his powerful space-ki techniques. The air around him warped and tore under the vast power he drew in. The vacuum blades wavered and fell apart without a medium to travel through. Gesturing at Genryu, he began excerting his power.
Genryu felt himself being yanked into the air.
Fearless Leader
Leets watched, wide eyed and in awe. Sure, he heard the stories but -- they did no justice to what he was seeing now. Reality really was stranger than fiction.
Above, Fuu merely narrowed her eyes and watched closely, hoping, for Saotome's sake, Genryu would survive this match.
IC:
Genryu faintly smiled as his ploy worked. Grahf had been too distracted by the obvious to even notice his subtle ploy.
Just a bit more...
"MOKO TAKABISHA!" Spreading his arms wide, twin spheres of light formed in each palm. Milliseconds later, a beam of power shot out from each sphere, each one rocketing towards his opponent.
OOC: Another one awaits awaits you!
IC:
Grahf's eyes gleamed red as he vanished.
Appearing behind Genryu his hands lashed out around the man's head, ensnaring it between them. "Times up boy."
A weave of ki bound Genryu helpless, unable to move his own body.
Fearless Leader
It towered over London, buildings shattering in it's wake. Dozens of projectiles flying out from it. bioweapons....
Pods shattered against the floor, a pink mass of muscle exploding from them as people turned to flee. The demons roared as they charged, white horns lowered and fiercesome jaws snapping. A young woman screamed as her bones were crushed in a single massive paw. Silenced suddenly as the jaws tore her apart in it's monsterous maw.
Feearless Leader
"Not quite." Genryu watched with bright eyes as his trap was set into motion.
"World's End revised! Mother Earth's Grand Fury!"
Deep underneath the arena, IT awoke. A network of breaking points underneath the battle area proper suddenly flared to life, the minute amounts of power they shuttled along the arena hidden by the smokescreen provided by Genryu's previous attacks.
Tendrils of pure environmental ki streamed across the ground in response to their master's will, the energy pathways resembling veins to the crowd above them.
The ground groaned ominously, and with a roar of pure fury, the Earth's very lifeblood rocketed upwards, the entire network of breaking points simulateneously exploding in an orgy of destruction.
OOC: The other one....it takes you!
IC:
Before the astonished eyes of the audience, the tournament floor exploded. Blazing white power erupted forth from the earth as it shattered under Genryu's awesome power. For moments both fighters were obscured from view by the raging torrent of bioenergy that cleaved earth and heaven together.
Fearless Leader
Ky stared at the arena, a wave of pure power overflowing into the darkening skies, penetrating it as it tore through the clouds above. Such...power.
Suddenly something else caught his attention, turning from the events, his eyes widened. What in the world?
flipping back he dodged as the rooftop was shattered under a pod ejected from the gigantic sphere.
Fearless Leader
Miyuki leaned forward in her seat, her small hands gripping the armrests of the chair hard enough that the wood was making cracking sounds under her hands.
"Olchan..." She murmured nervously. "I have a bad feeling about this..."
Olguin was completely and utterly speechless with shock, was this what the World's End could do at its highest level!?
Suddenly his expression darkened, Miyuki's words jarring him out of his trance.
Leets leaned back in his seat in shock. When he was about to comment though, a sudden mental flash froze him in his seat. His eyes glazed over, a soft "Oh dear lord" passed from his lips. Slowly, he turned his head to the sky, his eyes still glazed, and seemingly ignoring the battle below, as if expecting something soon.
Then, quickly snapping out of the trance, a panicked expression settled on Leets' face. He grabbed Olguin by the arm and shook frantically. "We have got to get out of here!" he cried, trying to drag the others away. In his haste, he almost tripped, but recovered enough to try to pull them away.
OOC:CUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTSCEEEEEEEENNE!
IC:
As the smoke cleared...
No one was there... the battle area was empty... the earth torn deep from the explosion. The sun shining oddly bright above...
"Where are the battlers? Could they have both died in a final strike.... Amazi.....what's that?!" Bill screamed as pod shot through the announcers booth, killing Dave as it crushed him. Roaring a humanoid creature split forth, claws extended as it slashed across Bill's torso, slaying him as it ripped into his skull with it's teeth.
Olguin blinked as suddenly a sheathed sword slammed down in front of him, spinning from the sky. His family crest was visible upon the hilt.
Pods slammed down all around the arena as the spherical monstrousity floated over the the far wall.
"We need escape teleportation NOW headquarters!" Glowing green the COR Red Dragons disappeared from the Arena as the emergency teleportation kicked in.
From the monsterous creature a roar of challenge echoed forth.
Spinning Ky decaptitated his opponent and leapt high into the sky....
Fearless Leader
"Dammit!" Expression turning grim as the crowd all around them went to hell, Olguin grabbed his family's katana, and quickly put on his pack.
"Move it!" Giving the empty arena one last longing gaze, he lead his group to the exit as fast as he could.
Leets scowled as he was busy dragging Ryoko and Olguin since they paused to grab their stuff. "What do you think I'm doing! Taking a leisurely stroll to the lavatories?!"
Miyuki shot a glance at Leets and Olguin as she picked up her pack.
"There's time to yell at each other later," she urged. "For now, let's just run!"
OOC: Go VOICEOVER EFFECT!
IC:
Slamming down, it crushed the bones of the meat below it.
In the world there are two types of people.
Ripping into the flesh and bone of the weak it hungered for their blood.
The haves...
turning it saw a man with two children fleeing....easy prey.
And the have nots.
A roar filled the air as it leaped, claws flashing.
Fearless Leader
OOC: Now to try for withdrawn...
IC:
"Target Identified. Angel Shamshiel." Kahran intoned over the communicators, moving to the side to allow Ryoko to take point with her long range plasma cannons.
Fearless Leader
Ryoko grinned fiercely.
"Ok, Ryo-Ohki, You know what to do!"
"Mya Mya!"
The cabbit-ship drifted to the side, taking up a stationary position to it's left. Ryo-Ohki's crystal spires began to gleam with contained plasma energies...
Once upon a time, I went out into the world to learn how to protect others...
Hearing the roar descend on his group, Olguin automatically shoved the two children away from him. A lifetime of experience in the Art came crashing down on top of him.
Screaming an incoherent battle cry, Olguin unleashed all his anger and pain into a single strike. The sound of his family sword smoothly sliding out of its sheath and the faint humming of power filled his ears.
Odd how things wind up, don't you think?
Falling in two parts the reaper never had a chance. Around them a scene from nightmares as people were slaughtered gruesomely by the rabid beasts.
The sky darkened above as the angel Shamshiel hovered above the arena. Pods shot out in all directions, unleashing hundreds of bioweapons.
Fearless Leader
Olguin scowled up at the evil beast, but reluctantly reseathed his katana. Turning purposeful steps towards the two children, his expression was truly grim.
"Get up you two. We need to move...NOW."
Miyuki nodded, pulling herself to her feet and looking around warily.
"Which way do we go?" she asked nervously.
Leets began running towards the closest, clear exit, gesturing the others to follow. "I really hope you know where we need to go, or else we're going to be running bloody circles if these guys follow us."
Charging through the exit two towering pink demons squealed in glee. The first lowering it's maw as it tore into the madly fleeing crowd. A virtual smorgasboard of meat charging towards it. Turning the crowd tried to flee back... finding themselves trapped between the pink ones and the hordes of mishapen demon creatures that were slaughtering everyone in the arena.
Fearless Leader
Olguin quickly assessed the situation, idly fingering the hilt of his katana.
Two...pig demons in front...
A thick crowd of crazed people desperately trying to shove past them to escape certain death, inevitably shoving them towards the pig demons.
A wide assortment of freakish monsters behind them, causing the afformentioned crowd's panicked rush towards the door.
One choice, really.
Pulling the two children with him, he would occasionally shove a random person out of their way.
Once out of the thick crowd, Olguin wrapped an arm around each of the children's waist, flexed his legs, and leapt straight up to, an intense gust of wind aiding the strength behind it.
A sly smile crossed his lips as a hoard of flying demons attacked him and his precious cargo...and flared his aura, flooding his body with more than enough power to survive the next trial.
Spinning in place, he suddenly tapped into the recesses of his Soul...and danced.
Olguin briefly smiled a sad smile, but it was soon replaced by an emotionless mask as his aerial ballet of death continued.
Flipping, kicking, and spinning, Olguin was nothing more than a blur to the demons as he bounced off their forms, sending them to a gruesome death below, indignate cries on their lips as they smashed into the unforgiviving floor.
How could a MORTAL best them in their world.
But Olguin was deaf to their inquires, turning their death into his group's salvation as he ascended higher and higher, nothing more than a flaring sphere of the purest white light as he vanished from the mundane's sights.
That one dance of life and death on their minds as they too were slaughtered in vengenance.
Miyuki clung tightly to Olguin, her nerves jangling like a fire alarm.
Her training had kept her level headed enough to avoid panicking...but even a martial artist wasn't immune to fright...and, for one of the few times in her life... she was VERY frightened.
OOC: The immortals
IC:
Leaping high Olguin was a blur of motion and flame. Hands protectively cradling the two children he spun, his feet lashing out as he bounded over a redskinned monstrousity, smashing it's head in with a single kick as he bounded higher.
test your might
Spinning, he was a hurricane as his feet slammed into two demons clawing for him. Flipping he landed higher in the stands and began to charge up the stairs. Leaping his foot smashed down the lashing claw of the wels before him. The next smashed into his chest. Finally kicking off the back of the head Olguin leaped to the top of the colliseum.
Mortal Kombat
Ducking under the last claw, Olguin took a breath...
And took a giant leap...
Flipping his feet under him he slammed into the roof down below as the skies tore upon. The rage of the heavens tore into the creature. The plasma exploding against it's shell tearing into it as the heat slaughtered hundreds of the demons and screaming humans.
Fearless Leader
Leets stared.
He stared as the world moved at high speeds past him while Mr. Saotome carried them away to safety.
He stared at the monsters as they massacred the people below.
He stared as the skies exploded in light, as if God himself were entering the chaos.
He stared as the city, his home, his life began to crumble in the terrible wrath of the monsters' paths.
Being in complete shock, all he could do was stare.
Ryoko made a face as the target came into view.
"God, what a monstrosity." She turned to the control crystals of her partner's cockpit. "Okay, Ryo-Ohki! Let's make our entrance!"
"Mya!"
Ryo-Ohki tilted on her axis, rotating her downward pointing control spike to aim at the target. Her normally brown navigational spires glowed with crimson power, and in gleaming red arcs, the plasma gathered at a point just in front of the control spike....and fired.
With a roar like that of thunder the gathered plasma erupted, with all the rage and hate the lonely space pirate and her partner possessed...
OOC: *channels all the dark emotions he's been bottling up towards more productive purposes*
IC:
An almost feral look of pleasure briefly flickered around Olguin's face as he watched the Angel take a powerful bolt of energy in the side.
NOT NOW!
Snapping out his reverie, he tore down the rooftops,
taking powerful leaps as he went from rooftop to rooftop.
They'd all get their comeuppance one day.
"Grahf..." He growled out.
OOC: Okay.... Go now.
IC:
The shell cracked...
And the sword of god
A horrendous roar filled the air as the outer membrane was shed before the damaging plasma. Tearing free the creature inside rose into the sky.
Would rise high into the heavens.
It extended it's humanoid arms, covered in dark green scales like arm. A spinning golden circle of energy formed around it's head. It's huge red eyes opened wide as it roared again.
And cross the earth with it's might.
The earth exploded in a cross from the Arena, glowing bright red as people were vaporized in an instant. A burning cross of light across the dying city of London.
Fearless Leader
OOC: *smashes some random things*
IC:
A seemingly invisible wave of force shoved Olguin and the others to the ground, silent testament to the sheer power that the monstrosity attacking London possessed.
If they had been any closer to the Arena...
Spinning in mid-air, he grunted as he took the majority of the blow for the two from a particularly rough landing. Painfully sliding across the unforgiving cement, he bit back his yell of agony as he felt something horrible pain flare on his back.
Gasping as they finally came to a halt, he now definately cursed as he spotted the sheath for his family katana. The problem?
It was several feet away from their current position.
Coughing, he kept searching. Where was it?
There...he breathed a reluctant sigh of relief. Several feet further back, he spotted his pack.
At least it had survived intact.
Miyuki grunted softly as they impacted heavily with the ground, a brief flash of alarm surged in her mind as Olguin's arm around her spasmed and released her. She instinctively went limp, rolling with the momentum, until finally coming to a stop.
She pushed herself to her hands and knees as quickly as she could, looking around frantically. Her gaze fell on Olguin, a few feet away, and she breathed a small sigh of relief to see the steady, though laboured rise and fall of his chest.
She looked around at the mayhem, and struggled to control her rising fear. Too much was happening...and she was too small to help Olguin.
She gritted her teeth stubbornly, fighting the childish fear she could feel filling her. "Not gonna cry," she whispered to herself. "Got to help Olchan...even if it's only a little..."
Leets crashed ungracefully into the ground, neither having time to roll with the landing nor reduce the impact. Groaning, he pushed himself unsteadily up, his hands raw and bloody from scraping the ground, and glanced up. The sudden landing had knocked him back to reality, though he wished it hadn't.
Around him, the streets were filled with the cries of the dying, the screams of the terrified, and the roars of the invaders as they continued their mindless massacre.
He forced himself watched as people were gutted like pigs. As mothers watched their children devoured before their eyes. He watched the sadistic glee of the monsters as they continued to spread death and chaos in their paths. He felt so helpless watching these people, some were possibly friends, slaughtered so ruthlessly.
Leets clenched his fists, ignoring the shot of pain as his fingers dug into the wounds, and the dripping of blood onto the pavement. He gritted his teeth, eyes tightly shut, as he trembled in anger. Anger at himself for being so helpless. Anger at the invaders. Anger at fate for dealing this mess.
He had already lost his life. Now he would lose the only home he'd ever known.
And there was nothing -- absolutely nothing he could do.
OOC: This is omniscient...just for you ^_~
IC:
A mountain of muscle squealed as a tiny stick spun to a stop right by it's foot. Towering eight feet tall, eight hundred pounds of muscle, a locomotive of destruction, it roared and lowered it's horns.
Twin meaty arms streched outward as it began to move, graceful somehow in it's fierce charge as it's feet slammed against the concrete. Death stood in it's bloodshot eyes.
Fearless Leader
Olguin grimaced as he felt the earth beneath him tremble slightly as the behemoth's hoofs slammed into the fragile cement.
Dammit, he certainly wasn't going to let himself or his friends be killed off by one of these oinkers!
Muscles trembling in exertion, Olguin slowly forced himself upwards, defying his body's pathetic limits with sheer Will.
His own forced breathing filled his ears as he finally managed to get to a kneeling position. Sluggishly raising his right arm, while planting his other behind him to act as a support.
Opening his palm, he slowly lined up his sights with the beast. Blinking the sweat out of his eyes, he felt the familiar, bittersweet taste of his own power flooding towards the tips of his fingers.
A wave of crimson energy streaked outwards from his open palm, waves of heat wafting off the intense beam as it slammed into its target.
That being the ground beneath the charging monstrosity.
OOC: Nothing like the beast.
IC:
The pink one's eyes widened in bestial shock as the roof collapsed under the blast, sending it flying down below.
For a moment there was peace as the dust kicked up covered the rooftop.
Fearless Leader
A brief flash of satisfaction ran along Olguin's senses, before another flash of pain flared on his back.
"I just know I'm not going to like this..." He mumbled.
Stretching slightly, his grimace deepened as he felt like several people had stabbed him in the back.
No heavy lifting for me for a while, it seems. He thought in distaste.
Hearing the building collapse, Leets watch the monster as it was buried under the debris. He hoped that was the end of that, though he felt it was too mercif --
Falling once again into a trance, he gasped in horror at something only he could see. Quickly snapping out of the trance, he tried to warn Mr. Saotome before it was too late.
Olguin turned, his back crying out in pain as he smiled reassuringly to the two children.
"Look ou-" Leets shouted in fear, his eyes wide as the pink behemoth flew up out of the opening, tiny cuts accenting it's furious visage as it flew down at Olguin, arms slamming towards him. A piggish squeal roared from it's mouth.
Fearless Leader
Olguin immediately dived out of the way of the pig's assault.
This will hurt.
Landing in a little heap, he faintly groaned as his predictions came true.
OOC: Feel the darkness...
IC:
Roaring the beast landed, smashing the floor with thunderous power as it's massive legs flexed, sending it flying across the ground towards Miyuki, hand snapping out as it grabbed her, her leg breaking from the brutal force as it tossed her high in the air...
It's massive maw opened wide as it looked up....
Fearless Leader
Detachedly, Miyuki felt her leg snap with an odd sound, and a sudden lurch as she was flung into the air. Emitting a short, pained scream.
Time seemed to slow as she turned to face the open mouth she was sailing toward, and the fear and pain she felt shifted slightly, pulling back the curtain on a sleeping power within her.
She thrust out her hands, subconciously mimicking the position she'd seen Kenryu assume during the tournament...
A coruscating burst of flaming amethyst ki burst from her hands...straight into the soft tissue inside the creature's mouth...
OOC: Card: Death
IC:
With a piggish squeal it's eyes widened, it's jaw still open in shock. It's tiny mind sizzling as it tried to comprehend what the morsal was doing.
The searing amythest light came down from the cradle of Miyuki's hands, a shimmering beautiful ray of color. Slamming into the waiting maw of the beast. It's flesh began to distort as it smashed through the roof above. Melting as it absorbed the life energy. The roof shattering as it's bulk was forced through it. It's diabolic face distorted in pain as it fell to it's death. It's mind already destroyed by the pain.
Fearless Leader
OOC: Ooooh...this won't end well.
IC:
The world seemed to slow to a snail's pace as he watched the pigdemon landed past him with a roar of victory.
...and go for someone that just couldn't protect themselves.
This is just a terrible, terrible dream. It'll end soon, no worries. He thought, trying to break the damn trance he had slipped into.
Why didn't it end? Why didn't the oppressive heat stop? Those awful, dying screams should've faded away by now.
...it was a dream.
Which was shattered by the sound of bones shattering before a force they just couldn't hold up against.
He watched with wide eyes as the demon's pink fist slowly wrapped around Miyuki's oh so delicate leg. Watched as muscle flexed, causing the veins in its flesh to pop out as it slowly snapped her leg.
She had such a beautiful leg as an teenager too, seemingly to never end. Great looking skin, he wondered how exactly she managed to take care of herself during her wanderings, must be tough.
He began to laugh as he watched the pig demon (bacon bits? Funny, ne?) ...watched bacon bits toss Miyuki into the air.
That's when IT happened...
Laughter abruptly stopping...he merely chose to stare as Miyuki blasted at the pigdemon.
Shameful A cold whisper blew across his mind, causing him to suddenly shiver. Goosebumps rose on his skin as it the cold, cold voice continued.
Giving into your pathetic emotions, what kind of martial artist ARE you? Only one thing can save her. It continued in a rational voice, devoid of any tone.
The offer was tempting...but...
You can save her. He suddenly gasped at that, But you will need to have completely control over yourself in order to get her...and the boy out of this hellhole.
That was all it took, that promise was all it took for him to choose the path of ultimate control. The path of the Soul of Ice.
Expression blank, Olguin gracefully rose from the heap he had fallen into. Any pain he had suffered was ignored, he had a mission to accomplish. Calmly looking at Miyuki's plummeting form, his head faintly dipped in the approximation of a nod.
Enough time.
Rocketing forwards, Olguin felt his whole body smoothly glide across the rooftop, with a grace that completely out did anything he could've accomplished before. Taking a mighty leap, his body arced through the skies as he approached the girl he was to protect. Hands lashing out, he snatched her out of the air and continued on his trajectory, ignoring the squirming of the child.
Faintly grunting as he awkwardly landed, he gently set down the girl. Stepping in front of the girl, he painfully stretched his back as he shifted to a defensive stance.
If the girl's attack failed, he'd have to defend her and the boy to his last breath...
Below them the roof suddenly started shaking...
Screams filtered from down below.
fearless Leader
Miyuki, her momentary adrenaline rush disappearing, clutched at her leg, trying to force down tears of pain. She hadn't broken a bone since she was eight...It hurt worse than she remembered.
She bit her lip to divert the pain...unable to surpress a small whimper as blood began to trickle down her chin...
Rising in the air, the Angel lifted it's hands, glowing light flying from them at awesome speeds towards Ryo-oh-ki.
Fearless Leader
"Forgive me, but I can't allow you to die here." Olguin scooped up Miyuki in his right arms. Dashing towards his pack and katana, he secured both on his person, not without pain, though.
Grunting in exertion, he suddenly dashed back towards Leets, scooped him up in his free arm, and leapt from the roof.
Lightly landing on the street itself, he gazed out in slight annoyance at his surroundings.
His mission just got a lot harder.
OOC: Feel the doom.
feel...the hate..
IC:
The sky above sounded with thunder as the Angel's blast illuminated the heavens. The Building Olguin had leaped off of slowly began to implode sending dust high into the air as it fell apart from the damage dealt.
The street was a scene from hell. Bodies litered the city street as beasts leapt from form to form, rending flesh and bone to their monsterous appetites. Blood ran in tiny rivers along the road, glass and wreckage strewing it's lengths.
An alleyway lead away from the street, into the darkened backstreets. A demon turned from a young lady, it's face covered with blood. Sharpened claws clicked against each other as it smiled a madcap grin. The wels stared across the street at Olguin, craddling Miyuki in his arm.
Fearless leader
Olguin quickly ran through several scenarios in his mind, the route out of the city, and came up with a single, common logical error.
All of them would wind up with either he, or one of the children dying on the trip.
Trying to figure out what the common factor was in all of them, Olguin gently placed Leets down.
He needed transportation...
Placing Leets down, he calmly drew his katana while looking around for something he could use.
OOC: Dark devils...my mentors... guide me in channelingthe hate of the light.
IC:
The demon scurried closer, it's clawed feet sounding against the broken concrete street as it moved closer to Olguin, bloodlust in it's black reaper eyes.
A truck slammed into it.....the driver flying through the window. The front end of the large American Ford truck virtually smashed as it came to a stop a little ways down the road.
The driver lay dead on the on the floor, his neck snapped and face crushed in from the sheer force at which he passed through the windshield and smashed into the floor.
Fearless Leader
Olguin raised an eyebrow at the scene, but it was immediately lowered as he glided towards the truck, sheathing his weapon on the way.
Walking up to the greenish black truck, he immediately smashed a fist into the darkly tinted driver's side window, the glass giving way to his fist easily.
Reaching in, he pulled the door's lock. Promptly opening the door, he pulled on a black lever on the side, causing the chair to suddenly move forward. Shoving it as far to the front as he could, he gently placed Miyuki on the tan velvet that covered the entirety of the back seat.
Lifting her head up, he placed the pack underneath her head.
"Not the best of pillows, but it'll have to suffice, I'm afraid."
Moving the seat back in its former position, he brushed the stray glass off of it before getting in and unlocking the door for Leets.
"Buckle up." Doing so, he gently stepped down on the break pad before shifting gears. The truck suddenly lurched forwards, before smoothly going about its way.
Behind the truck it rose, slowly and serpentile. It's body regenerating already the blow it had received.
The truck hummed as Olguin turned the key. The sound of thunder again filled the sky as lightning struck in the distance. The wheels turned unsteadily against the cracked pavement.
It leaped at the back of the truck, none would get away.
A shadowy form appeared before it. Weaving black limbs lashing out ensnaring it and bringing it closer to the etheral being. It didn't even have time to scream in torment as it was silenced forever.
Turning he looked at the truck zooming down the road. He would watch.
The street was again empty... only the corpses now litering it's broken visage.
Fearless Leader
"Leets, you've lived in London for a while now. Can you guide me through these streets while I drive?" Olguin asked, forcing the truck over the almost countless obstacles in his path.
The truck rattled and shook as it made its way over the cracked streets of London and more...grisly obstacles. Ignoring the wet crackling sounds he could faintly hear from underneath the purr of the engine, he merely waited for a response.
Leets looked back from where he thought he saw something leap on the back of the truck. "What?" He blinked in confusion, before recalling what was asked.
"I'm not completely sure since I spend most of my time in the alleys, but I can tell you the fastest street to get away from the arena."
"Fine. You'll be my guide." Olguin shortly said, forcing the truck briefly over and onto the sidewalk to avoid a twisted mess of flaming metal smack dab in the middle of the road.
As they passed it by the right side, he spared a brief glance...and didn't like what he saw one bit.
Unseeing, blank eyes stared from within the face of what would of been a knockout of a woman. Her beauty hadn't spared her from death, however.
Looking faintly disgusted, he noticed that a small rat was nibbling on the flesh hanging out of her upper torso, the rest of it apparently missing. To add insult to injury, the entire right side of her remains were burned to such a degree that the skin was peeling off, attracting a hoard of flies to her corpse.
Turning back to pressing matters, he moved the truck back on the shattered street.
His eyes narrowed as he spotted something ahead. It looked like...
The road simply ended...
A deep rift in the earth split across the broken concrete. Simply nothing lived there. Far across on the other side the street could be seen to continue.
Fearless Leader
Olguin faintly sighed at that before gently pressing down on the brake pad, shifting gears, and leaving the car in parked.
Unbuckling his seat belt, he reached over and open the truck's door.
Hopping out of his seat, he turned back to the two kids.
"Nothing is every easy these days, is it?"
Pulling his chair forwards, he gently pulled Miyuki out of the backseat. Walking towards a random upturned bench near the blasted remains of a drug store, he called back.
"Leets, bring me the backpack, if you will. I need to patch her leg up."
"Okay," said Leets absently, as he picked on the locked glove compartment. When he heard the familiar click, he opened the compartment to reveal...
The glove compartment opened to reveal...
Some insurance information, a few maps and a couple of phone numbers on scattered papers.
Fearless Leader
Pocketing the map and the insurance papers (You never know), Leets grabbed the backpack and leaped out of the truck, and dragged the backpack towards where Olguin and Ryoko were.
Olguin faintly nodded to Leets in gratitude before turning back to the traveling backpack. Opening the fold, he was assaulted with the smell of new leather.
Reaching into it, he immediately pulled out the first aid kit he had made certain to leave near the top.
Opening it up, he pulled out what he needed and began to work....
A few minutes later, he nodded in something approximate to satisfaction.
"Hmm...good. Well then, I do believe we should head off now." He commented, placing the first aid kit back in his backpack, securing it when he finished.
Leets leaned over the chasm's edge, sweating a bit as he estimated the chance of surviving a fall from that.
In simple terms, none, nada, zip, 'yer shittin' me', gods no, improbable, etc. etc.
"I think we better find another way across." Leets suggested nervously as he motioned to the safer rooftops, remembering that martial artists could travel across them.
Or was it caped crusaders?
Miyuki stirred slightly, opening her eyes and looking around. She sat up, gasping back tears from the pain in her leg...even though, she noted it had abated somewhat, having been treated.
Olguin and Leets were standing near a large chasm, talking.
Miyuki began to struggle to her feet, carefully maneuvering the splint on her leg toward the ground, whimpering softly as a flare of pain surfaced in her leg...
Olguin faintly frowned as life decided to make things even more difficult for him. It wouldn't keep him from getting his two charges out of here one bit, though.
Scooping up the pack and placing it on his back, he picked up the boy with his left arm and glided over towards the girl with purposeful steps.
Picking her up with his free arm, he spun around to face the nearest building, a sporting goods store. Bunching his legs underneath him, he took a mightly leap, briefly landing on top of the brownish awning above the entrance before leaping again.
Landing with a soft thud on the roof, nose twitching in aggrivation as his landing caused a fine layer of dust to rise. Shrugging the annoyance off, he began to dash in a northern direction.
Ryoko's eyes widened as the angel lunged for Ryo-Ohki.
"Ryo-Ohki! Back away quickly! We'll give Kahran his shot at it!" she snapped.
"Mya!"
With amazing speed for it's size, Ryo-Ohki shot into the sky, soaring out of the angel's reach...
OOC: The cosmic punchline... it isn't very funny. Yet laugh we must. Ha ha.
IC:
Landing on the roof, Olguin was privy to a battle crossing the heavens. The Angel moving with silent grace before the attacks of it's enemies. Beams of light crossed the heaven, illuminating hundreds of winged demons, flying in the sky.
Two looked down smiling toothily as they swooped towards Olguin.
Fearless leader
"...I grow tired of this." Olguin calmly stated, dropping the two children down on the ground.
Slowly lifting his hand up, he opened his palm, took aim at the closest demon, and opened fire a wave of air flowing outwards and surrounding his opponent.
Moments later, the demon was completely surrounded by a amethyst barrier. He calmly unsheathed his sword with his free hand, the soft whisper of steel being drawn being blown away by the wind.
Looking at the trapped demon, he cocked his head to the side...and clenched his fist, barrier following its Master's Will in kind, slowly closing in on the flying demon with crushing force.
Miyuki looked up through her watering eyes, watching Olguin deal with the demon. As he killed it, she looked away...and her heart seemed to stop as she saw the second changing angles and approaching Olguin from behind.
She pulled herelf upright, feeling the bone in her bound leg shift painfully. She wasted no effort in controlling it, and shrieked in pain, even as she hobbled over to Olguin's back.
She raised her hands, trying to duplicate the ki blast she'd stumbled onto earlier...but the pain proved to be too much for her to focus around. Instead of a single, coherent fireball, a wave of unfocused ki fired from her hands, writhing like a snake as it slammed into the demon. Not killing it, but slowing it significantly...
"Stay away...from him..." With that, the little girl collapsed, unconscious.
"Gryaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa" The green winged demon screched in pain, flying back towards it's brethern...who alerted by the light started flying towards it. A human who refused to die? The wretched bags of flesh would learn their betters.
Fearless Leader
Several dozen are now alert
Weaving through the energy beams, Kahran guided his 'Vengeance' down through the skies. An intense game of aerial acrobatics ensued as he sought to survive the deadly rays of the angel while closing with it. His gigantic sword flew in his hand, leaving a blazing trail of blue as it impacted against the Angel's red AT field. Spining Kahran attempted to destroy it from sheer energy, channeling life force as he battered the shield with a flurry of blows.
The angel exploded into motion, dodging and weaving among them with perpetual grace.
Fearless Leader
"Child...you don't know the can of worms you inadvertently unleashed, did you?" Olguin retheorically asked, sheathing his katana now that the more immediate threat was gone.
Ignoring the wet sound of the remains of his demon smashing three meters away from his location, he slung the girl over his right shoulder and dashed towards the boy.
Dashing past the boy, he lashed out with his free arm and scooped the child up, dashing away from the 'battle' at his best speed.
He easily leapt over the gap between the roof he was on and the next, and kept going in this fashion for another two more roofs before quietly dropping down into the alley way below.
"I do believe you should begin 'guiding' us, boy." Olguinwhispered, sneaking a peek outside the alley, trying to gauge how far from the chasm they were.
Leets tactfully ignored Olguin's jab as he tried to recognize any landmarks. Though, unfortunately, the destruction left very little familiar.
"Come on then," he said, opening a side door leading into the building's basement. "If we can't go above or around, we'll go through."
OOC: Why is empathy not a racial trait of human?
IC:
Screeching the gargoyles flew over the roofs. They hunted for human. Behind them, Olguin and leets swiftly escaped into the basement outside their domain.
For a moment...there was peace.
fearless leader
Taking a moments rest with the welcomed peace, Leets pulled out the map he "liberated" earlier and checked it.
Frowning suddenly, he asked, "Can anyone get some light over here?"
Moving Miyuki off his shoulder, Olguin gently placed her down on the ground. Making sure she was comfortable, he slipped his pack off and opened it up.
A few moments of searching later, and he produced a flashlight. Handing it to Leets, he began to calmly examine his surroundings.
Above the basement, the floor creaked noticiably as if something was creeping along it.
Fearless leader
Leets' head shot up and he stared hard at the ceiling. Forcing himself to look back at the map, he said, "We don't have much time, but from what I can see, we should head --." He pointed at a small dot on the map. "-- here, in Stansted."
Folding up the map, he added cryptically, "We should head north, but I think we should deal with the -- intrusion first."
"Hmm...there's the risk of our fighting attracting the various monsters about, though." Olguin commented, kneeling down in front of Miyuki, he briefly examined her.
Hmm...aura is weak. She probably used all her strength in trying to save me.
Ignoring the pang in his heart at that thought, he sighed.
"How far are we from getting out of here?"
a couple of rats scurried across the floor, squeezing out the door cracks somehow.
Fearless Leader
"About twenty miles or so," said Leets as he put away the map. "That is assuming we don't run into trouble along the way."
Climbing the stairs leading out of the basement, Leets signaled Olguin to get ready, before he opened the door, which kept him out of the line of sight for whatever was lurking upstairs.
Remembering the heavy foot falls that had creaked ominously above them, Olguin slowly drew his katana.
"Leets, I'll handle whatever's upstairs. Try and revive Ryoko for me while I'm gone, the medkit has some smelling salts." He said, gesturing to the pack next to Miyuki's form.
With that, he slowly crept upstairs, blade and body at the ready.
Olguin stepped out onto the wood floor, creaking slightly from his wait. The door was noticiably open to the street. Small cuts marred the large floor rug near his feet in the darkened room.
The sound of something moving above him was heard...scurrying.
Fearless leader
Leets rummaged through the pack, holding back the instinct to check for valubles and he pulled out the smelling salts and held them under Miyuki's nose.
Miyuki moaned quietly, her eyelids fluttering as she instinctively began to twist her head away from the foul smelling bottle...
Instincts as old as time blared warnings at Olguin, chemicals rushing through his nervous system as his body broke out in nervous sweat.
All because of being in the dark with an unknown.
Some terrible, horrible monstrosity that had no doubt slain countless of his fellow humans by now. Probably trying to get the drop on him too.
His grip on sword tightening ever so slightly as he slowly crept away from the noise. Looking around, he faintly smirked.
Who's afraid of the dark?
"Not I." He whispered, expression suddenly firming as the tip of his katana began to glow with a beautiful, but cold light.
Ryo-Ohki hovered in the distance, brilliant beams of blood colored plasma smashing into the Angel's AT field everytime Vengeance and the Angel burst apart, providing cover fire for Kahran's mecha.
Inside, Ryoko was intent on the viewer.
"DIE, You bastard!"
"Mya!"
In the distance a churchbell rang.
A startled crow flew right outside the door, flying up through the small window of the visible area through the door.
The scurrying was again heard.
Olguin turned slowly, cautiously...
A rat's wide eyes stared at him frightened above the doorway. It scurried along the slight white outcropping that lined the room. It's tail twitching in fear.
Fearless Leader
"How...droll." Olguin said, lowering his sword arm slightly. A slight quivering of the right side of the lip signaled his plan.
If any Chi or Ki adepts had been there, they would've been threated to an amazing show as an intangible wave of energy surfed through the air and into his body.
His scanner was up and ready to detect any ripples in the room. The muscles in his sword arm slightly twitched...
OOC: Damn...action...suspense...Mecha...horror...WAR...gothic...
-.- bad mix.
IC:
As Olguin turned back to face the front, another movement behind him caught his eye...
It fell to the floor, lunging towards Leets. A blackskinned humanoid figure. From it's 'face' a gigantic tongue lashed forth tearing through the air at leets' face, snapping around his head and pulling him in, nearly snapping his neck with the monstrous strength.
Fearless leader
Leets paniced, struggling vainly against the creature's strength as it dragged him towards it's face. His hands gripped on to the "tongue" as he tried to force it off of himself.
Olguin blurred forwards, his steps loudly echoing as they slammed into the wooden ground below. Getting within range, he narrowed his eyes.
Right....
The tip of his katana glowed a brillant blue.
About....
The tiny sphere of energy on the tip faded away, a faint blue glow appearing inches in front of the entire edge of the blade.
THERE!
Viciously slashing the tongue, the edge of his katana left a blue afterimage as it cleaved through the wet muscle, freeing the boy.
Screaming in pain the licker sprayed blood from it's slashed tongue, spinning to lunge at olguin.
Fearless Leader
Leaping back, Olguin's free hand glowed with bioenergy.
"...die." His whisper was drowned out as the ray of light streaked forwards, and lanced straight through the beast's head.
Oddly the beast kept coming slashing out with a gruesome claw at Olguin's midsection, it's head completely severed by the blast.
Fearless Leader
Olguin smoothly stepped to the side, letting the monstrosities' own momentum carry it past him.
Blade shone as it lashed out again, carrying the faint hope that it could kill the beast.
OOC: ;-;
IC:
The beast slammed forward into the stairway...
dead.
Fearless leader
Miyuki's eyes cracked open, and she sat up, gasping in pain. "What-? Where-?" she stammered, disorientation and alarm in her voice.
Leets pulled off the still twitching tongue, scowling in disgust. "Welcome back to the living," he muttered irritably, tossing the tongue away.
Olguin briefly stared at the angry red marks on Leet's neck.
The injuries of so many continous battles were starting to crop up on the ones that couldn't defend themselves. He was abysmal as their guardian so far, only able to keep himself in fair condition throughout their escape.
"We're leaving." Sheathing his katana, he walked up to his pack and put it back on.
"We can't afford any more battles. Let's see if we can find some means of transportation again." Easily picking up Miyuki, he made his way to the exit.
He leaned up against an alley wall, waiting for Leets to catch up.
Leets grumbled irritably, running after Olguin.
The skies were sliced above by plasma as the battle of titans continued, Olguin and the children alone in an alleyway. For a moment they were safe.
Fearless Leader
"We need another means of transportation, and soon. You two are too tempting targets for the various demons around." Olguin calmly said, choosing to avoid looking at both children in favor of watching the heavens.
"Perhaps a garage or parking lot would be in order to acquire the vehicle." Pushing off the wall, he slowly turned towards Leets.
"You're able to pick locks and whatnot." He stated matter-of-factly, "We'll need your expertise to get into those buildings to get at the vehicles."
"Something small and compact is for the best, perhaps a motorcycle." He clearly remembered how they had to abandon the truck. "Something that would allow us to easily maneuver around the city via alleyways."
A faint frown marred his face as he gazed at the heavens and the street in turn.
"The roofs make us open to aerial attacks, and the street is just as bad. We just can't afford anymore confrontations, so it'd be for the best if we stuck to the alleyways for now, then move northwards. If we cross paths with any places we could conceivably acquire the vehicle, we take the risk to get it." Stroking his chin in contemplation, he added. "Perhaps a more reliable means of long range fighting as well, maybe a firearm."
"Do you happen to know any police stations that are nearby? Perhaps we can acquire the 'goods' from there." He finally asked, turning to face Leets.
Overhead...
Kahran's face clenched in fierce concentration as he attempted to disember the Angel, his energy blade sweeping into the flying menace as they flew over the town. Flipping up and back in a rising slash, he drove the angel downward, smashing into a building.
Fearless Leader
Leets nodded, and lead the group through the a maze of alleys, occasionally ducking into little niches when a shadow moved overhead. Eventually, they reached a local police station that had a garage, though they had to take the round-about path since the entrance was facing the roads.
Leets then reached up to the padlock chaining the rear entrance and, after a moments concentration, and unlocked the gate...
Just in time to see the angel's foot smash down into the building....
The green scaled foot crushing any hope of support from that angle. Concrete bursting under the titanic weight of the creature.
It towered stories above them, a colossal creature of destruction. The smell of the sea wafted off it's scaled form as it's leg flexed, sending it high into the air once more.
Fearless Leader
Olguin grunted as he was thrown back several meters from the force of the titan's movement and the resultant destruction of the police station.
Spinning in mid-air, he lashed out with his free arm, plucking Leets, and slamming into the ground at sub-sonic speeds.
Fortunately, he landed on the back, cushioning his crash somewhat.
He felt a brief pang of sheer terror from the other one, but it was quickly and coldly repressed.
Didn't make things anything easier on controlling his physical reaction, as his trembling body could attest too.
Finally forcing himself and the children off the ground, he forced his body to relax enough for a hurried retreat towards the alleys, and as far from the police station as he could in his adrenaline boosted condition.
Olguin slammed into the wall, breathing hard. It must have been nearly two miles back. He'd ran as fast as he could. The behemoth could still be seen dancing amidst the blasts in the sky. Leets was finally put down. Miyuki lay, fragile, in the other arm, barely conscious.
The sky was curiously dark...
Nearby a dead man lay, half eaten in the alleyway.
Fearless Leader
"Oh this is just great," growled Leets glaring at the heavens. "Not bad enough that you toss me into this bloody life with nothin' more than my wits! But this! This takes the cake for whatever 'ell ya planned for me!"
He sat down, leaning against the wall, staring hard at the half-eaten corpse nearby. "The bugger's probably still lurking nearby based on our luck so far," he muttered irritably, trying to remember another location for some transportation.
Olguin's lungs heaved for air as he tried to regain the precious oxygen he had used up in his fear induced run.
Looking at Miyuki carefully, he gently lay a hand on her stomache, hand softly glowing with pure chi. It would lessen the strain on her somewhat, and that's all that mattered at the moment.
"We are having too much of a bad stretch of luck lately." He commented, as he drew his katana. "Time to end it, I think."
With those words he lashed out with his family's katana, the edge of the blade glowing a dull red as it easily severed the head off the corpse.
"C'mon, we're going to keep going. From now on, trust nothing." Resheathing his sword, he started calmly walking deeper into the alleys.
Behind Olguin, something large moved, hidden in the shadows. The smell of blood wafted off the giant form. The slight squealing as it smelled warm flesh.
Fearless Leader
Olguin's eyebrow arched as he heard the faint squeals of the beast. Scooping Leets in his free arm, he started dashing away from the oinker.
"If it's anything like a real pig, it'll be able to track us by scent..." He whispered, leaning slightly forward to increase the speed at which he was moving.
What to do...what to do...
Leaping towards the right side of the alley, he felt the wind rush through his hair as he hit it, and rebounded off towards the left side of the alley.
Continuing in this fashion, he finally made it to the rooftop of the building on the right side of the alley.
No rest for the wicked.
As soon as he landed on the right building's rooftop he burst into motion, feet making a steady beat as he pounded the pavement. Leaping over the gulf between the roofs, he kept going until he hit the edge of the next rooftop.
"I hope this is enough." Quietly dropping down into the alley below, he hurriedly continued on his way.
OOC: The renegade...
IC:
Outside the very alleyway where Olguin landed, the feeling of power eminated. The incredible sight of lightning streaked across the alleyway opening. The smell of blood and burned flesh wafted into the alleyway mixed with sulfer.
A blonde haired swordsman flew after it, his shining blade swinging with remarkable speed. A squeal of torment followed...swiftly silenced.
------------------------------
Distractions. Mutant scum. Waste. Someone over there.
------------------------------
The swordsman returned to view. His white robes were stained with blood. A maniac grin upon his face. Turning slowly his blue eyes gleamed. "Survivors?" he asked, walking slowly closer. His hair had flecks of blood in it.
Suddenly he paused, wiping a bit of blood from his mouth.
-------------------------------
One of them was here. The metas. One like 'him'. That traitor...
-------------------------------
"You....your one of them..." He lifted up his blade, spectacularly clean. Raising his arm slowly he gestured with it...
towards Leets.
Fearless Leader
Leets stared blankly, gesturing to himself. "Are you talking to me? One of who?" he asked in confusion, having no clue what the man meant.
Olguin tensed as he began to back away from the man, children in tow. Something was definately wrong with that swordsman.
Battle Lust...madness...or both clearly hung over this person. Looking over how the man held himself, and remembering how easily he had ended a powerful demon's life...
He came to the conclusion that he wasn't going to let this deranged man get a hold on them.
Leaping backwards with all the force he could muster, Olguin nailed a trash can with a powerful spinning kick, launching it towards the man in the white robes.
Not even stopping to look if his attack had connected, he ran away from the swordsman, layer after layer of air twisting around him as he bobbed and darted through the alley, hoping to make himself as difficult of a target to pin down as possible.
He briefly wondered why his barrier had come up much easier this time, but those thoughts were quickly shoved off into the subconscious mind.
He had bigger issues to deal with, after all.
OOC: Oh mamma...I'm in fear for my life from the long arm of the law.
IC:
Ky's sword swept out, slicing the trash can in twain. His face became deadly serious, utterly calm as he called it to him.
The lightning struck his blade as he lifted it up, arcing off as it illuminated the alleyway, channeling off into the brick walls. Lowering in a flash, Ky unleashed the blast.
It soared forth from his blade, a hungry fiend tearing across the empty alley to impact the wall before Olguin, shattering it and blocking off the turn in the alleyway.
"Now now...let's not be hasty. You are human."
------------------------------------
"Human?" a young boy asked.
------------------------------------
"You aren't one of them. Leave the beast in mortal flesh and I will let you go."
------------------------------------
"Traitorous beast." A younger ky shouted, blood running down his face as he crouched.
-------------------------------------
Electricity arced around the blade as Ky coldly looked on awaiting the man's decision.
Fearless Leader
"You speak as if you're something else," Olguin coldly stated, brow creased in faint anger as he looked at the blocked path.
"What do you want? Now isn't the time for idle chatting." He neutrally asked, body tensed as he gazed at the sword in the blonde man's hands.
"No. I am like you. A Talented human. Same as that girl. But..." Ky's eyes narrowed.
"That boy is not human."
Fearless Leader
Leets looked confused, wondering what the stranger was talking about. "What do you mean 'Not Human'? What do you know about me?" he demanded, thinking maybe the stranger knew something of his past.
OOC: Two hearts...in twain
IC:
"It's the way you smell. The aura of your being boy. You are one of 'them'. Those monsterous freaks."
-----------------------------------------
A brown haired young man looked on with eyes filled with tears. His forehead bare, showing...
-----------------------------------------
"Those artificial weapons...You are one of them."
Fearless Leader
"...Artificial? Artificial?!" Leets furiously pulled his scarf off, revealing the old scars from the day before. "Does this look artificial to you?!" he asked, scowling.
OOC: Woot... ORION
IC:
"Just like him. A biological weapon designed to be able to blend with populance and unleash his deadly powers just in time for their plans."
---------------------------------------
"No...Not I...I'm free.." The brown haired young man shook his head, shouting in anger and pain. "I'm not one of them."
---------------------------------------
"They live like any other human. But eventually they reveal their true nature betraying you. They exist to fulfill their masters' plans. He's probably using you already for his ends, and you don't even know it. Trust me, he'll betray you the first chance he gets. They always do. So will you allow me to slay the wretch and prevent him from harming innocent lives?" Ky's eyes narrowed, ice cold.
Fearless Leader
"Hmm...what an unexpected development this is." Olguin murmured, "I didn't think that'd one of my own would turn out to be something...more than they appeared."
His Mission was to first and foremost protect and deliver Miyuki outside the city, and this was too big of a risk to take, especially given the already extreme difficulties of getting out alive.
Miyuki would understand his logic, ultimately.
"I...ARGH!" An expression of utmost pain and terror flooded across his expressionless mask as pain beyond anything he could ever comprehend flared in the recesses of his mind.
And the weakling spoke...
No! I won't let you sell him out to save your own skin! The weakling raged within his mind. He mentally snorted before surrounded the brat's conscience, easily sealing away the nuisance.
Raggedly breathing, he shook his head, pain quickly cooling down as the annoyance was removed.
"I will not hand over the child to you. I promised him deliverance out of this hellish world and I intend to keep it."
He never did notice that the Mission had been altered though.
Ky's eyes closed as his sword lowered. Turning slightly to the sky he appeared to ask the heavens something.
"In that case...."
----------------------------------
"Please let me go, Ky."
----------------------------------
"I'll have to kill you all." Spinning he leapt at Olguin, lighting flying from his blade...
Only to encounter a blade of shadow. An ethernal form blocked his path.
"Remember your oath."
Fearless Leader
"Yes." Turning on his heel, Olguin began to dash further into the alley, leaping over the debris that Ky's lightning had caused in a single bound.
Landing on the other side of the concrete barricade, he began to dash into the maze-like system of alleys, making sure to keep head northwards at all times.
"Damn you. All of you getting in my way." Ky's eyes shone with barely contained madness as his blindingly fast sword attempted to kill the Shadow.
Fearless Leader
Olguin skidded to a stop, body still concealed by the shadows of the alleyway. Looking out, he spotted something very tempting.
There, in front of a seemingly deserted night club, was a motorcycle. It seemed to be chained to a wooden post, though.
Didn't seem too difficult to free it, given he had a good lockpick with him. But that didn't keep his eyes from roaming all over, trying to spot signs of the enemy or the enemy itself.
Leets also glanced around for enemies, half expecting the maniac to show up again. He had a good reason to be nervous after all, considering how often a person would simply threaten you before witnesses. And, though it might have been his imagination, he felt for a moment that Olguin would have given him over, and that made him a bit wary of Olguin, though he didn't say it.
Miyuki sat limply in the sidercar of the motorcycle, the two smaller bags immobilizing her leg as she relaxed to the feel of the breeze on her face.
She looked around at the passing scenery, feeling stronger now, though slightly numb from adrenaline.
Had it only been an hour since her leg had been broken?
She looked up at Olguin, who was doing his level best to steer the motorcycle and smiled, as warmly as she could manage. It must have been awful for him to have to make a choice like that. Especially as battered as he was in his current condition, it must have been a temptation.
She never doubted him, though. He was a her...friend, and her faith in him never wavered. She leaned back on the seat of he sidecar. She could feel the chi Olguin had healed her with going to work on her, and as she drifted off into a fitful nap, she stared up at the young boy riding behind Olguin.
If he's not human...what is he, then?
Olguin carefully considered the words of the blonde swordsman. Just as they were going to be promptly thrown off as the ravings of a lunatic, he remembered how often the boy had given him warnings before danger.
How COULD a regular boy with NO training whatsoever be able to have such a finely tuned danger sense. One that bordered almost on the unreal.
And there was the boy's ability to be able to unlock things so easily, something about THAT just didn't make sense in his mind.
Sighing, he continued manuever through the street before heading underneath a bridge and into a long tunnel.
Swerving the cycle as best as he could, and briefly thankful that there weren't that many cars inside the tunnel, he continued musing.
The boy had seemed completely surprised at the time of the 'unveiling'. Too many mysteries, and he wasn't going to deal with them until his mission was complete.
The engine roared as he continued down the British streets, the burning ruins of London a mere memory.
Ky hobbled slowly across the ground, his sword dragging slightly as he held a hand over his bloodstained robes.
"Hey Ky, friends right?" A brown haired young boy smiled, a red bandana over his forehead.
"Friends...right...." Ky turned slowly, feeling something there, within the darkness. Watching him. Judging him.
"You betrayed me. Betrayed us all you thief." A young blonde man screamed.
Ky smiled sardonically then coughed a bit of blood onto the street. Collapsing to his knees he lifted his hand from his chest, dripping blood. "This...how it ends?" His hands delicately shone crimson in the fading sunset.
Gleaming upon his forehead was a sigil. The red bandana on the floor.
"You..aren't human. You're some kind of freak." The blonde man shouted in disbelief.
"Ky....Friend" Hands outstreched, he didn't want to fight Ky.
"Grr....I'll kill you, thief." Ky charged, eyes filled with tears as he swung his blade.
"This...." Ky coughs again, more blood upon the freezing London street. "This can't be right...Can't...be how it ends." The cold breeze wafted through silent alleyway. Almost every person in the city was dead. And him...
A figure stood, eyes gleaming red as Ky collapsed on the floor, blood spilling freely now from the open wound onto the cold London streets.
"I'm...sorry." The young brown haired man turned and fled.
"Damn..you." The blonde haired man collapsed, unconscious on the stone floor. Face streaked with tears.
The alley was empty for but the traces of blood on the unforgiving pavement. Tears left.....unshed.
Fearless Leader
OOC: The night sky...
IC:
As the moon began to rise, Olguin pulled into a small hotel on the outskirts of Stansted. They'd survived.
Fearless Leader
Olguin looked down at the boy cradled in his arms as he gently placed him on one of the two beds in their rather spartan room. Possibly worn out due to sheer stress, he guessed.
Moving his saya off his hip, he sat down on the rather fluffy beige carpetting. Placing it across his lap, he began to quietly stare at his family's symbol.
Miyuki looked at Olguin from her seat near the television. She had slept long enough that she wasn't as tired as she would have been.
Thus, her violet eyes clear, she watched her best friend quietly. "Olchan...what's wrong?"
"Nothing. Go to bed." Olguin quietly commanded, looking for all the world like a lost sheep. "You've been through enough for one day, go on."
He idly ran a finger along the clan's symbol, his own eyes occasionally blanking and refocusing at odd intervals.
Miyuki shook her head, setting her jaw stubbornly.
"And you haven't?" She insisted. "I may look young, Olchan, but I'm NOT a child. We've been friends for years, and I can see something eating away at you,"
Her tone turned pleading. "Please, tell me...what's bothering you? I want to help, If I can..."
Olguin's whole body briefly shook, before his posture went rigid.
"What do I do now?" He listlessly asked, fingering the clan symbol with greater and greater fervor by the second.
Crack...
Using his free hand, he slowly drew the blade from the saya, eyes wide as he looked at it in something akin to terror.
Crack...
The blade had a faint reddish hue to it. Blood now stained its formerly pristine blade with the blood of rampaging demons.
Crack...
"Olchan? Olchan??"
Miyuki's eyes grew wide, and she struggled of the chair she was in and hobbled, achingly slowly, to his side.
"Olchan...answer me!" she begged urgently.
Olguin wondered how many demons had he so ruthlessly killed? Butchered with this very sword.
Crack!
It was getting hard to think...
Ooooh...why was the world spinning like that? He tried to blink it back into focus, but it was getting too hard.
The steel was brightly shining, maybe it could help him make everything stop moving so badly.
Feeling the contents in his stomache lurch and bubble he let out a pitiful moan of pain.
He slowly brought the blade closer to his face.
CRACK!!!!
The sword dropped from cold fingers, hitting the carpet in front of him with a dull thud.
Brown eyes looked straight ahead, unseeing.
Miyuki was getting alarmed.
He wasn't responding. Something was SERIOUSLY wrong. She grabbed him by the arm and shook him, ignoring the pain from her leg.
Getting no response, she looked at his ki, her worry and concern radiating from her as she wondered how to reach him...
Miyuki looked up worriedly, and slowly began putting clues together. Lack of emotional response...flat stare...She knew the cause.
"Soul of Ice." she whispered.
I know what needs to be done, she thought to herself. Stimulate an emotional reaction to break it's hold...What to do..?
And that was when she got an idea.
And Idea that was sure to have some effect, but made her blush, just thinking about it...
She looked over at Leets, still sound asleep, and climbed up into Olguin's lap, crying out in pain at the motions required of her leg. She stood carefully on his legs, and brought her face level with his and kissed him gently, but firmly on the lips.
With a roar of fury, all the emotions that had been suppressed by the Soul of Ice violently broke free from their confines.
Only to find themselves halted to a shocked halt...
Brown pupils widened to the point that the white of the eyes were taking up a dangerously large potion of the eyes.
Olguin reeled in shock...which wasn't that smart of a move in retrospect.
Arms flailing all about for all their worth as they tried desperately to regain their owner's lost balance.
He grunted as he feel, mouth opening to draw in precious precious air.
Yet again...this was not a good thing to do when in a situation like this.
Not by a loooooong shot.
Miyuki blinked in surprise as Olguin began to move, and began to pull away, blushing.
She got no more than a tiny bit away, when Olguin overbalanced. They went both went crashing to the floor on Olguin's back.
Miyuki gave a little moan of pain, as the landing jarred her leg slightly.
As she collected her wits...she realized something important. She'd landed on Olguin's chest...and the jolt had pressed their lips together again, and this time...his mouth was open...
If one were to look into Olguin's mind at the moment, they'd see one few important phrase running through it. One that summarized what all the jumble of thoughts and emotions had agreed on.
...
With that clearly in mind, his stressed mind began to hurriedly run through every single possible plan to get him out of this very BAD situation.
...
Not that he wouldn't mind it...IF SHE WERE AT HER PROPER AGE. Shoving that distracting thought away, he went back to working on the solution...
And came up with...NOTHING.
Perhaps he should pray? Yes...prayer is good.
So..he prayed.
After a long moment of wide eyed surprise...Miyuki pulled herself away. Unfortunately, she did so a bit too quickly, and landed hard on her backside, crying out in pain as a jolt of pain stabbed into her leg.
She was relieved that Olguin had seemed to snap out of it...but the look of shocked dismay on his face made her feel horrible.
"G-Gomen Nasai." she stuttered, pulling herself further away.
Olguin trembled as he rapidly pulled away from Miyuki, eyes shining with nervousness and fear.
"A..are you okay?" He weakly asked, but didn't make any moves to help her up either.
Because right next to her body lay his family's katana. The one he had stained....corrupted....made unclean.
He felt his body shudder in revulsion at that.
Miyuki, for some reason, felt her eyes fill with tears. This was not how she wanted it to go...Silently, she cursed the box of cards in her head. It had stolen from her the one thing she was coming to realize that she wanted...
Silently, she shook her head, clutching at her injured leg. It was beginning to throb dully, now, and she bit her lip in an effort not to cry out...
Olguin's expression was one of agony as he tore his gaze away from the sword, only to look at Miyuki's stricken face.
Were those tears in her eyes?
He bit back his own sobs when he saw her clutching at her leg. He was the reason why she had gotten hurt, he hadn't been good enough.
Never good enough...
Squeezing his eyes shut to fight back the headache and the Malice, he began to breath in deeply.
Too much...too soon...
But help didn't come this time, the Soul of Ice wasn't up to the task. He needed something...ANYTHING to distract him, to give him something for his mind to latch onto.
Help her...would you intentionally cause her to suffer? A warm, comforting voice murmured in his mind.
Mother?
Go...
Slowly forcing himself up, he softly padded over to Miyuki. Kneeling down in front of her, he lay a tender hand on her injured leg.
And released the tattered remains of his Light.
Softly glowing with pure chi, his hand gently began to infuse the damaged tissue, working itself into her aura and soothing the pain considerably.
"I'll lend you my Light, Miyuki. It'll keep you safe until help arrives." With that, he weakly got to his feet and began shuffling towards the phone.
Picking it up, he dialed information.
"Yes, I need the number of a good doctor." He slurred, feeling his head swim slightly from giving so much chi.
Miyuki breathed in deeply as Olguin touched her abused leg...and strangely, was wrapped in a warm sensation much like before, but much stonger as the pain began to abate.
It was like she was being hugged...
"Thank you..." she whispered.
OOC: Doing the timewarp again...Doing the timekick again....Kicking Chibiusa through time!
IC:
"Well, that was close little girl. You were very lucky you survived that." The doctor finished sealing the pink cast on her leg. "The cast will help your leg to heal but you'll have to be very careful not to put too much stress on it. Use the crutches I left."
Turning to Olguin he waved away the bill, "In the aftermath of such a tragedy? I'd never forgive myself if I charged to help the few survivors."
Walking out the door the doctor was gone as swiftly as he had arrived.
Fearless Leader
"Thank you." Olguin's faint words echoed in the suddenly stillness of the room as he softly shut the door. Turning towards Miyuki, he faintly smiled at the pink cast.
He somehow got the feeling that his friend was terribly embarrassed by now. Easily picking her up in his arms, he smiled at her tiredly.
"You need your rest, Miyuki. Time for you to go to bed." Walking over to the free bed, he tucked her in.
"Goodnight." He whispered, running his hand through her hair affectionately. He reached over and turned out the light.
His night was to be filled with dark whispers, quietly tempting him with their forbidden fruit as they worked off his own fears and insecurities.
But there was a Light at the end of the tunnel, one that held a powerful hope for the future.
And love.
Standing near the edge of London, once a great city, stood a blue robed sage in a thatched hat.
"Such....waste. The threads lead... east." Turning he phased into the darkness.
Fearless leader
And the sun slowly rose, strangely peaceful on the brand new day. Our heroes still alive despite their travails. Mere days remained before the Battle of the Bands back in Japan.
The curtains were closed on the small hotel Olguin had managed to secure a room at, protecting them from sun's first rays of light.
Fearless Leader
Miyuki stretched and yawned as the first rays of the morning sun teased her eyelids.
She looked down at herself, feeling a momentary pang of depressed frustration as she looked at the tiny body, and the cast wrapped around her leg. Her gaze slid over to the other side of the room. Olguin was dozing in a chair, and a small smile formed.
It's hard...but I'm not alone anymore. I CAN keep going.
OOC: Graveyard.
Olguin leaned forwards, placing his hands on his knees as he panted for breath. All around him was an endless sea of withered up trees, their dried up husks blocking his every escape.
Pathetic...weak...coward. The winds mournfully howled, leaving him feeling cold and dead inside.
He wasn't going to give up now!
Dashing and ducking the swipes of the villianous folliage, he kept pressing onwards.
Not noticing the fog that was rising from the ground at all.
The crunching of the leaves and his own terrified breathing filled the terribly, soul crushing silence of the woods.
Finally bursting free of the awful woods, he continued onwards. In his terrified state he missed the upturned root in his path.
"AAAAAaaaaarrrrrrrggggghhhh!" He screamed as he went toppling forwards. His yelps off pain echoed through the foggy night as he rolled down a grassy, yet rocky hill.
Finally coming to a stop, he glared at the starry sky above him.
Lucky stars, how DARE they twinkle so merrily when he was suffering down here!?
With a groan of resignation he slowly forced himself up on badly scrapped arms. Now that he was back on his feet he took a few moments to look at his new surroundings.
"A graveyard?" He murmured in confusion. Something was off, though.
Wait...one of the tombstones were glowing!?
As if in mesmerized, he slowly walked up to the gates of the graveyard. Looking at the rustic pieces of junk, he breathed a sigh of regret.
Seemed like he wouldn't be able to check out that oddity, afterall.
Turning back towards the forest, he slowly began to walk away in resignation.
CLICK!
Olguin's expression was one of total shock as he spun around to face the now slowly opening gate. Pieces of rust fell off it in patches, leaving the gate looking like it had just been made by the time they stopped.
Well, if that isn't an invitation... With that in mind, he did the only thing he could...
He entered.
****
Olguin awoke with a gasp, and blearily looked around. It was morning ALREADY!?
"Shesh, time sure does fly by." He irriatiably groused.
But why did he feel so...odd today?
Leets stared impassively at the ceiling, his face seemed calm, though his mind was in a maelstorm of thoughts.
~~~~~
"That boy is not human."
There it is again -- I can still hear it even now. Those voices. Those damn voices.
"...monsterous freaks."
What did they know? They never had to fight for their survival. They never had to hide like a rat among the refuse of their own society. The don't understand. They never did!
"You are one of 'them'."
Before, their insults meant nothing. They didn't know what I had to go through. They didn't understand. They never did.
But -- no! He was just like them. They're all the same! They think I don't see how they look at me. Pity, fear, disgust -- They're all the same!
But...
"That boy is not human."
"You are one of 'them'."
If I'm not -- then -- What am I?
~~~~~
"What am I?" he asked to the room, his voice barely raised above a whisper.
"rise and shine everyone." Olguin tiredly said, already on his way to the bathroom. Only to smash his toe into the closed doorway.
"..." He brillantly commented, face turning red with anger.
Yet another wonderful start to a new day.
Leets sat up, pushing the blankets aside. He watched Olguin's early morning antics, wondering why they even bother getting up this early if they couldn't handle themselves yet. "I think I'll just call for breakfast," he mumbled and hopped off the bed. No telling what would happen if the others continued to stumble about half asleep like they were now.
Coming out of the bathroom much more refreshed and alert, Olguin sighed as he made a beeline towards his family's katana.
Reaching over to his pack, he drew out a piece of cloth and enough cleaning agents to make his aunt mumble her catch phrase.
Drawing the blade, he silently set to work cleaning the formerly pristine blade.
-answer on phone-
"Yes, breakfast is served in the lobby from seven am to eleven am."
Fearless Leader
"All right then." Leets glanced at the girl, Ryoko? Or was that Michan? Bah, they should make up their minds! "Do you think you can deliver? We really can't move one of our friends since her leg is broken."
"Oh, certainly. We'll send someone over soon." -click-
Fearless Leader
Olguin continued wiping down the blade during Leet's conversation, only listening in with half a mind. Losing himself in the repetitious motions, he began to quietly muse on what exactly had happened yesterday.
If he hadn't submerged himself in the Soul of Ice at the last moment...
He shuddered at the thought of himself as a madman, running around killing things at random. The image of that blonde swordsman's madcap grin and those haunting eyes briefly made their way inside his mind.
He couldn't let himself become like that. Never.
Ice ran through his veins as he remembered what the alternative was to that Malice inspired berserker fury. The Soul of Ice itself.
Finishing wiping the blood off his blade, he rose with a sigh of regret. It was getting harder and harder to find time to find time to think these days. Reseathing his katana, he once again considered the question posed to him.
To lose one's soul to ice or to become consumed in the flames of madness.
Or was there another choice?
Placing the saya back near his pack, he blinked as he finally managed to hear a very important word on Leets' end of the conversation.
"I hope breakfast gets here soon." He mused out loud, feeling his stomache rumble in hunger.
OOC: oops
IC:
A knocking was heard at the door as a pretty young blonde in a red bellboy outfit stood outside the door with a cart of english breakfast food.
Fearless Leader
"I'll get it." Olguin called out, feet softly padding across the carpetting. Cautiously peering out through the peephole, and confirming that it was safe, he slowly opened the door.
"Good Morning." He called out guardedly.
The bell-girl looked over Olguin cheerfully, admiring his form as perkily smiled at him. "Hiya, I'm here to bring you your breakfast. Heard someone was hurt in here? I hope she's okay!"
Fearless Leader
"Um...yes, she's much better now. Thank you for your concern, though." Olguin murmured, still feeling slightly off balance as he noticed the bell-girl's roving eyes.
Fulling opening the door, he faintly smiled at the girl's enthusiasm.
"How much do I owe you?"
"Oh...nothing. It's included in your bill. See ya hot stuff." The bell-girl winked and sauntered off, leaving the cart of food with Olguin.
Fearless Leader
Olguin blushed a bright red at the girl's words.
Baka!
Pulling his eyes up from where they were straying. He almost vanished in the blink of an eye as he pulled the cart into the room, kicking the door closed as he manuevered it near the beds.
Miyuki watched Olguin hurry back into the room. She saw the red flush on his face, and sighed.
She stared morosely at the floor. Last night was a fluke...an accident. But, it forced her to confront one very important fact.
She didn't want it to be an accident. Last night, she'd realized, that somewhere along the line, she'd given her heart to her best friend.
And there was no WAY she was going to tell him. Not while she wore the body of a six year old.
But if she waited...she might never get the chance...
Olguin hurriedly set up their meal. Anything to distract him from that killer smile that blonde girl had.
Baka! Baka!
Wincing at the internal voice, he finished setting up. Moving to sit next to Miyuki, he began working on his meal with a great fervor.
Food...Blessed Food would be a distraction.
For now.
Miyuki slumped a little in her chair, resisting the urge to touch her lips gently.
She wanted to repeat last night at while she was her proper age...But then...she wasn't sure when that would happen.
She had absolute faith in Olguin. He said he'd stick with her until they found a cure, and she believed it. But...how could she make sure she got the chance to tell Olguin how she realized she felt?
Miyuki sighed again, and began to eat.
Olguin finished up his meal, sitting back in his chair he patted his stomache in contentment.
"Well, the beast has been appeased." He joked as he began running figures through his head.
"Well...seems like we're in a bit of a pinch." He admitted with a sigh.
Miyuki blinked and looked up at him curiously. She was still picking morosely at her food.
"What do you mean?" she asked. Maybe the bellhop wasn't what he was thinking about. She hoped so...
"We...don't have enough cash to buy you two plane tickers." Olguin admitted with a wince. Lifting up his hand to rub at his temple, he muttered various quiet curses.
"I suppose I'll have to find a pitfight." He ruefully finished.
OOC: Worked on this with Olg.
IC:
Miyuki was at once relieved and dismayed.
Releived that she had misjudged the encounter with the bellhop...she hoped, and dismay at the new difficulties.
Suddenly, a thought occured to her.
"Um...Olchan." She interjected softly, digging in the pocket of the little silk jacket she wore, withdrawing the gold coin Olguin had given her. "I still have this..."
Olguin's eyes widened as he saw Miyuki pull out the gift he had given her, and breathed a sigh of regret.
"Are you absolutely sure you want to use it?"
Miyuki smiled...slightly uneasily. "Well...it doesn't make much sense to hold onto it when we need the money..." she pointed out.
Olguin reluctantly nodded in acceptance, "That, and it'd be for the best if we got out of Britain as quickly as possible, anyhow. We are being chased by that swordsman, and if we made it out he certainly could too."
Miyuki nodded back, and, looking down, grimaced slightly at her young body. "It's not like I need a Zanbatou right now, anyway..."
If it were even possible, Olguin could've sworn that he felt his weariness increase three fold at that comment. "Right, my ticket can still be used on the return flight to Japan, and we can now buy two more tickets."
Turning towards Leets, he apologetically added. "I know that I promised you that I'd help you, but given the current state of chaos we wouldn't be able to find much concerning your past. If you go along with us I can promise you a measure of protection from that swordsman that wanted you dead."
"Do I have any choice on the matter?" asked Leets bitterly. "The only home I know is gone and I can't even stay in my own country because some maniac wants to kill me." Sighing in resignation, he said, "Let me see. Obviously yes, I'm coming along."
Olguin felt a headache begin to beset him at the boy's words, but carefully bit back his own retort. Rubbing his temple some more, he briefly wondered if his remarkably shortened temper today had anything to do with yesterday's events.
"Alright, but I needed to ask you anyhow. I'm not going to ever force anyone along my path." He sighed, his expression briefly blanking in rememberance. Shaking his head, he ruefully continued.
"Both of you start getting ready, then."
Leets blinked. "With what? Packing?" he asked, gesturing to their untouched bags, though slightly dirty from the previous day's ordeals. "Shouldn't we just get our tickets now before they close the airports?" he suggested.
Miyuki wrinkled her nose at Leets.
"Actually, I think he meant getting ourselves ready," she said gently, but pointedly. "For example...a bath might be in order?"
"Oh." Leets said, blinking. He frown slightly as he realized something. "Yes, of course." He muttered between clenched teeth, biting back a sharp remark. Money kids think always think they know better, he reminded himself. Besides, he did owe them so far and it wouldn't do to alienate them now.
Olguin leaned back in his chair, but refused to comment on the expression of anger on Leets' face. He somehow got the feeling that he'd have to play mediator between these two, and that didn't exactly warm his heart.
He patiently waited as both Leets and Miyuki take their turns up to shower and put on a new sheet of clothing. By the time they were ready, he was playing with a deck of cards that he had found in one of the drawers near the exit.
"Hmm? Oh, good. Let's go." Placing the deck of cards aside, he secured his saya to his side and grabbed his pack before leading them outside.
Arriving at the airport, Olguin ushered the kids off the hotel bus, thanking the kind flirtatous blonde who drove them to the airport. "Bye sweety."
Fearless Leader
"Um...goodbye, miss. And thank you for the lift." Olguin hesistantly smiled. Turning away from the bus, he hurried the children into the airport. Hopefully they could get the heck out of here soon.
One hour later, a very annoyed Olguin walked up to the service counter. He couldn't fault the people for panicking and trying to get off the island as fast as possible, but it made the line an excercise in resisting the urge to shove people.
"Hello sir, what can I do for you today?" An older black man in a blue uniform with JapanAir asked.
Fearless Leader
"I'd like to buy two tickets to Japan on your earliest flight possible, and I'd like to redeem this ticket as well." He said, pulling out his round way ticket from his pack and presenting it to the older man.
"Well...the ticket is doable but it will be quite expensive to get two more and...." looking at the small children, he sighed understandingly, "I can' promise that you will get three seats together."
Fearless Leader
"Well, I can pay for the tickets." Olguin tentatively offered up the gold coin, feeling very depressed over having to use up part of the gift he had given Miyuki.
"Isn't there anything you could do?" He pleaded, "These two children have gone through so much in London, and I promised them that I'd protect them."
"I'll...see what I can do... there's a flight leaving in an hour on gate C. The attendant there will have your tickets, just show her this." The man handed over a brown card.
Fearless Leader
"Thank you very much." Olguin's smile was geninue as he shook the man's hand. Taking the brown card from the man, he gently prodded the children into following him to the attendant.
"Excuse me? The man at the service desk told me to show you this card for two tickets..." He trailed off.
Miyuki looked at the ground, her face beet red as she held onto Olguin's shirt, so his hands could be free. She knew why she had to, and even admitted it was a good idea...
But it was still humilitating to have to be treated even more like a child.
She looked around at the crowd and shivered. One misstep, and she would be lost again...in a hostile foriegn land, with the injured body of a small child...
OOC:First class
IC:"You are Mr. Giannie? The travel agent? Sure we can fit you in. Seats B, C, and D in row 3. Go right in."
Fearless Leader
Go in to the plane and I'll describe what you see.
Olguin curtly nodded in agreement before heading off into the plane. Noting Miyuki's plight, he gently took her left hand in his as he stepped into the plane.
Looking around for their seats, he was given a rather good view of the plane.
Which included...
The plane was pretty packed, mostly rich businessmen on their side of the first class curtain. The other person sitting in row three though was odd. A tall man in blue robes with a thatched hat that covered his face, he sat next to the window in seat A, apparently dreaming.
Fearless Leader
Olguin slowly prodded his friend forwards, but mindful of her injury. The trio took immediately took their seats, Olguin taking the seat next to the man with blue robes, Miyuki taking the one next to him, and Leets left to seat at the edge of the row.
Miyuki watched the man in blue robes as they sat down. She looked up to Olguin as he buckled her in.
"Olchan...there's something odd about him..." she whispered.
"All Passengers prepare for lift off. Non-stop service to Tokyo, Japan." The plane slowly began to lift off the ground as it soared into the skies above.
Fearless Leader
Olguin's eyebrow slowly rose as he looked at the man next to him from the side of his eye.
"Yes, but we shouldn't bother him. It isn't like we're shining pillars of normalcy either." He whispered back.
A gravely old voice rumbled forth from under the thatched hat, "So boy, seems like we'll be mates for a spell. Where ye from lad?"
Fearless Leader
Olguin flushed in embarrassment. The man hadn't been asleep, oh boy.
"Um...I'm from Nerima, Japan. May I ask where you're from, sir?" He politely asked.
"Eh...where I'm from?" the gravely voice continued. "No where in particular. I'm a wanderer mainly. Most recently from China though if you're truly curious."
Fearless Leader
"I used to wander around as well." Olguin fondly remembered. "But I've had to temporarily stop my wanderings for now."
"Ah... returning to home for spell?"
Fearless Leader
"Not really." Olguin admitted with a sigh, "I'm needed somewhere else, and my home...isn't really home any longer."
"Aye I can understand that. Well lad, you look fairly strong. Were you a participant in that tournament they had in London before that terrible tragedy?"
Fearless Leader
Olguin's lips quirked in a self depracating smile. "Not necessarily powerful enough, sir. I was just a spectactor for the tournament."
He lifted his hand to rub at the bridge of his nose. "My brother made it to the end, but he lost too, it seems." He bitterly muttered, remembering how Genryu had seemingly vanished into thin air.
"Ah. A pity there young lad. But in every contest there will be winners and there will be losers. And sometimes... no one truly wins at all."
Fearless Leader
Olguin cocked his head to the side at that. "Well, it's certainly applicable to what happened during the last day of the tournament."
"I'm just glad that I managed to live to hear those words, sir."
"So lad, ye've said what your not going home for. What are you headed for the land of the rising sun for?"
Fearless Leader
"A concert." Olguin admitted with a faint smile. "I need to go to Greylle in order to meet up with two friends of mine."
"If I may ask, why are you heading off to Japan?" Olguin asked, trying to distract himself from the feeling of apathy that he'd been feeling off and on for the past day.
"Just following the story. Seeing what I can and all."
Fearless Leader
Olguin slowly blinked at the man's mysterious words. "Oh? Are you some sort of bard?"
He flushed as he finally realized his faux pas.
"Forgive my impudence, sir. Here I am asking you all these questions and I haven't even introduced myself. My name's Olguin Saotome, please to meet you Mister..." He trailed off.
"I am...a historian you may say. A teller and keeper of stories of long ago. I watch the worlds and record their passage. I am oft called Sagius by those who know of me." The voice remarked tiredly, as if he had told that tale many a time before.
Fearless Leader
"That must be a rather interesting profession." Olguin remarked, hoping to distract the man from his own troubles. "Much more safer than being a martial artist, that's for sure."
He turned curious eyes towards Sagius. "Given that all communication with it has been pretty much blocked, I was wondering how things are in China, Sagius-san."
"China is a scar festering upon the skin of the world. Ruled by a near heartless demon, finite lives swiftly die before his blade and those of his chosen stars. To think... he was once a shining star, and now is but a blight upon the universe. Such tragedy."
Fearless Leader
"You knew that demon?" Olguin asked in shock. "But how did you manage to get out of that country with your life. I would think he would want to make sure that no one with that much knowledge could escape."
"Aye lad. I know him well. And knew him well long ago. And some things lad, are best not asked."
Fearless Leader
"Forgive my ignorance, Sagius-san." Olguin murmured with a wince. "I can understand that you wouldn't want to go into somethings with a complete stranger."
"Hmm...both COR and the Inquisition wouldn't let this go without some sort of resistance." He idly mused. "I pray they don't fail...for all our sakes."
"It's your nature, lad. I can't hold it against ye. This be a long flight though...perhaps a tale to pass the time?"
Fearless Leader
"Of course, I haven't heard a good tale in a long time." Olguin thoughtfully pursed his lips in rememberance. "But you'd have to beat my mother's tales, Sagius-sensei." He briefly smiled at the historian, feeling that this man somehow deserved the title with the information he had given.
Miyuki said nothing, but listened to the conversation intently.
One of the benefits of looking like a child, she reflected...the only one she had discovered, to date, was that you were allowed to listen in on conversations, and be largely ignored.
She watched the man in the blue robes carefully as she listened, wondering why she was getting such an odd feeling...
"Ah, a good lad ye are. Lemme see...why not the tale of that very demon ye were so curious about? eh?"
Fearless Leader
"I'd like that very much, Sagius-sensei." Olguin easily said, a faint smile on his lips. It'd be best if he learned all he could, afterall.
Leets sighed boredly, his feet dangling above the floor as he half listened to the conversation, still thinking of the events that had transpired back home.
OOC: In the end.
IC:
Sagius began, his gravely voice carrying strange intensity as he recited his tale.
Long ago, two great civilizations ruled the stars above.
One civilization was called Jurai, world of the treefarers. These finite beings bore the favor of the cosmos and bound their lives to artifacts of incredible power. Ruled by a proud and noble emperor they spread far across the universe. While finite, they were virtually ageless through the power of their artifacts.
The other civilization was the Eternals. Powerful beyond the ken of any finite, they were small in number. Bound in a fierce class based system, they were ruled by the Grand Council. They ruled the finites beneath them with benevolent wisdom and power.
Eventually these two civilizations met, and through the wisdom of their rulers were joined in a grand alliance. This period of time became known as the Grand Inifinity, for it was predicted that it would last forever. This was a time of great peace and prosperity across the universe, for eons war was all but unheard of under the combined rule of these two great cultures.
It was known though. Occassionally as they extended their boundaries there would be.... resistance. The culture of Jurai dealt with this through the usage of their powerful spacefaring ships. The Eternals... designated an army. A small army, but an army none the less. Their leader was one of the strongest eternals ever recorded. Invoked in the upper echelons, gifted with the strongest powers, he was titled....
Eternion, Eternal of War.
Eternion was originally a good man. Dedicated to the preservation of the empire, he was a shining star to the lesser Eternals. He cared not for position, birth, or even power. He was an elitest. Only the most capable were inducted into his squad. They were fiercely loyal to him, for often they had been raised far above their 'rank' of birth. An opportunity virtually unknown before Eternion.
Eternion and his team dealt skillfully with every menace to the security of the Grand Infinity. Nothing was too much for them too handle.... until the Reavers.
The initial encounter with the Reavers devestated the Jurian defense force along with the world they had been defending. Trained warriors armed with the best equipment died like flies before the Reavers' claws. Even space ship bombardment gave little relief from this unstoppable menace.
Reavers were the ultimate killers. They adapted near instantly to anything used on them. They could travel through space. They breed by the thousands. The Juraian's quickly asked their allies for help, before the reavers could spread to other worlds.
Eternion went alone. Shrugging off his elite team, he said he would handle it personally. Many said he was suicidal...others thought him a hero.
No one knows quite what happened. The star in that system went supernova soon after Etenion left. For years there was no word of him. The torn space was considered his grave, mourned as a hero to both people.
...Then he returned. With no warning he appeared unconscious on the floor of the Grand Council. His face was scared nearly beyond recognition, but...it was him. He had not only managed to stop the horde...but return alive. It was thought a miracle.
This though was not to last.
Eternion had changed. And not for the better. He envied those around him...those who had never had to suffer the fierce raging heat of war. His envy slowly grew to hate. If he could not heal the wounds that he bore, than he would oppress those who were 'better' than him. He would end those looks of 'pity'.
And so, Eternion forged a single hateful blade. A weapon that was the antithesis of everything he had once stood for. Where once he defended life.... this fell blade was designed to be the ultimate equalizer. A sword that could kill anything.
With it he attacked Infinity, the homeworld of the Eternals. Such began the war of the eternal. Thousands fell before his blade, those most able to defend unwilling to raise their own weapons against their leader. They pleaded with him to stop.
Eventually two champion was sent forth. A high Eternal, Infinel of the Grand Council. And the One: The Grand Eternal, Terminus Maximus. Infinel bore the mighty blade of Infinity as he fought beside the Grand Eternal against Eternion for days on end before finally, through almost sheer luck, managing to disarm the mighty warrior.
Eternion though was cunning beyond their understanding. Where they had been softened from years without war, he'd been forged in the fiercest crucible. Somehow....
He survived.
Retaining his position on the council. Their 'chained dog' so to speak. The fools never quite understood that Eternion had been totally in his right mind when he attacked the world. It was no mistake, no battle madness... And he would attack again.
Eternion plotted better than any, and slowly removed his enemies as the eons passed. His minions gladly willing to help him bring about his 'new order'. Those who questioned or opposed him slowly disappeared. Eventually he managed the unthinkable....
A group of adventurers from Earth acquired the lost legendary Melody of Finite. Eternion discovered them and manipulated them into banishing the Grand Eternal from existence with it. Using forbidden magicks the powerful adventurers destroyed one of the strongest restraints upon the ambitious devil. Now all that stood between Eternion and his goals was Infinel.
Infinel though was not up to the task. Bound by his code, he would not openly oppose Eternion until Eternion acted openly. By then it was too late. Eternion had searched and found the very sword that had lead to his own fall.
Confronting the remaining council members, surrounded by his loyal followers, Eternion issued an ultimatium. Serve him or die. Infinel died on the floor of the Grand Council, slain in mid speech by Eternion's fell blade. The remaining Eternals quickly submitted at the sight. Returning to the world where he had recovered the legendary blade from it's place of rest, he began conquering it.
*DING DONG*
"Please prepare for landing..."
Tiredly the gravelly voice ending the story, "And that brings us to the end of this tale..."
Fearless Leader
Miyuki stifled the urge to shiver uncontrollably as the story ended, looking at the blue robed man, alarm on her face.
She knew, somehow, that this story would come back to haunt them...
"...well...you easily topped all of the old legends." Olguin softly said, worry clear on his face and anxiety clutching at his heart.
"That was a... nice history lesson, sir." Leets tried to control the uneasy feeling he had after the odd man's tale. He wondered how much of it was true, or was it all just legend as Olguin had said. Feeling the cabin jolt as the plane landed, Leets sat patiently until it was safe to move again. "Perhaps we'll cross paths again, sir?"
The robed man appeared not to have heard leets.
the plane slowed to a stop as they arrived at the gate, the sun low in the afternoon sky.
"Now you are free to collect your bags and proceed towards the exit. We hoped you enjoyed flying on Japan Air and that you will choose us again in the future. We wish you an enjoyable time in Tokyo 3."
Fearless Leader
Olguin undid the buckle on his belt before getting up. Stretching with feline grace, he breathed a sigh of relief as his muscles got some much needed exercise.
"Well, I thank you for the tale Sagius-sensei." He said with a small smile as he helped the old historian get to his feet.
"I do hope we can meet again, sir." Reaching up above him, he pulled out his pack from the compartment.
"Aye lad. And thus another string is plucked.", intoned Sagius to himself as he faded from sight as soon as Olguin was collecting luggage. With Olguin's body in the way he was shielded from the eyes of the children for the fragment of time it took for him to disappear.
Fearless Leader
Miyuki got up, using the crutch uncertainly as she grabbed tightly to Olguin's hand. The old man's story had greatly unnerved her, and it showed. She looked around quietly, wondering where the older man had gone, and why the story had upset her so much...
Olguin just couldn't believe it. How could of...
But it was impossible!
How the HELL had Sagius-sensei done it!?
His heart jolted slightly as he felt someone tightly grip his hand, and snapped his head down to see.
Only Miyuki, no need to panic.
But why was Sagius' comment putting him so ill-at-ease?
"C'mon, let's get out of here." Pack secured on his back, he teasingly ruffled Miyuki's hair before leading them off the plane and out of the airport.
'Greylle, here we come.'
OOC:
And thus we come to the end of tourney arc. Please continue on to Sasami to follow the story.
Fearless Leader