Number three today, thus far...
At 23:39 15/04/96 -0600, we wrote:
Rob Orick and Panda wrote:
Excerpt from: "Looking in your eyes, How I wish you could see my heart..."
On the moon . . .
...
Zodiak strikes again, his concentration so intense he never realises that
Jody and Virgo fight near him. Then... something that should never have
happened occured... Kajagua blocked the strike and moved to the side and
into Zodiak's blind spot. Virgo backflipped to avoid a shadow beast...
and hit Zodiak in his back. Zodiak thought it was Kajagua and struck out
with his hilt into her kidney and, in a quick, fluid motion, swung the
sword in his hand to hold it backwards and plunged it deep behind him...
His triumphant sneer turned into shock as the voice that screamed out was
not Kajagua's...
Jody: Virgo! NO!!!!!!
Virgo(looking at the sword blade protruding through her chest, the point
a foot in front of her face. Blood trickles down from her mouth): zodi...
-chan... (the sword remains as Zodiak turns and catches her falling form,
cradling her in her arms)
Zodiak: Virgo... (holds a trembling hand to her face) what have i done?
Virgo(tears flow down her face as her weak hand touches Zodiak's >
cheek): >i... forgive you... (her hand falls away... her violet eyes
closed > > in rest)
Zodiak: no... virgo? (shakes her slighty) you can't be... virgo??
Please, wake up... (he closes his eyes and screams) VIRGO
CELESTRA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOW CAN YOU LEAVE ME LIKE >THIS!!!!!
(opens his eyes, madness blurring his judgment) THIS IS ALL >YOUR FAULT!
(Soul Defender is jerked out of Virgo's body and Zodiak stands)
Kajagua barely brings his katana up to block the furious swing. Zodiak
has lost all form, but the sheer brutality of his grief adds strength to
his shots, making Kajagua have to move faster as each blow comes in right
after another...
Figure: Ninjitsu! (appears besides Virgo and scoops up her body and puts
it over her shoulder) Come on, Jody!!! We have to go now!!
Jody: It's not time yet!!!
Figure: You stubborn girl!!! WE GO NOW!!!! (grabs Jody by the back of
her trenchcoat and yanks violently as she cries out the command...)
NINJITSU! (in a ball of orange, the three girls vanish...)
...
----------------
Please insert Rob's installment "...That our lives would meet, never have to
part" HERE.
------------------
Please insert Ryoga's installment " Taking another lousy trip to Hell again.
. ." HERE.
Nathan and Ryoga have teleported to the moon looking for action . . .
Ryoga Hibiki wrote:
They reappear in a building that looks like an amphitheater of
some sort.
RH: Where are we?
N: The Dark One's fortress. I heard that Kajagua is here, among
others. I thought we ought to find them and see if we can help kick a
little ass and take a few names.
RH: Let's get one thing straight here, Mr. Author. Saotome is
MINE. I want revenge. Don't get in my way.
N: Wouldn't dream of it.
They leave the amphitheater.
RH: I guess we head for that big tower over there.
N: That would be logical. Most bad guys like towers and being
in the biggest places around. Psychowolf was no exception to that one.
RH: Let's go. I don't wanna think about him right now.
N: That thing he did to heal you really took that much out of
you, eh?
RH: (shivering) Every nightmare I've ever had came at me at
once, and there was no way to wake up.
N: Let's hope what we're walking in to without backup isn't a
nightmare as well. . .
--------------------
Now back to the fortress' tower where Kajagua and Zodiak face each
other . . .
"To live another day"
Zodiak: DIE RONIN! (leaps at Kajagua and resumes his vicious assault)
Kajagua(Breathing heavily): Not jsut yet Scorpio. (feints and parries Zodiaks
whistling slashes and cuts, but is getting tired at trying to maintain a
steady defense). This is neither the time or place for this Scorpio. You
have lost this
battle and to keep fighting is useless. Your family is far away from you now
where you cannot inflict any further damage.
Zodiak(Stops his attacks): STOP USING MY FIRST NAME! You were never my true
friend ronin! You have taken everything that was mine, as you did in the
past when you took Uki from me!
Kajagua(A little confused by Zodiak's statement): I was your friend . . .
Once. But-
Zodiak: LIAR! You knew that I loved Uki but you stole her heart from me!
You betrayed my trust. There is but one punishment for such dishonor!
Kajagua(Stunned): You *loved* her? I ... was not aware-
Zodiak(Smiles grimly): You insist on pretending you know nothing of my
feelings for her after all these years? You have lost much honor in my eyes
ronin. You lost honor when you betrayed your family and lost your samurai
status, and now you have lost honor from your enemy. Who will be next?
Kajagua(Face darkens): I have found peace with my mistakes Zodiak. Now
my only concern is that you find the peace within you that your enslaver has
smothered. (His voice changes becoming soothing and hypnotic) I can take
away the chains on your soul. If you let me. But you must take the first
step, and trust me to free you . . .
Zodiak(Narrowing his eyes): I am not such a fool ronin!
Kajagua(Still in a hypnotic voice): This I know my friend. But this is no trick.
I have not come all this way to kill you. I have come to free you so that
you may tend to your family's losses, and make preparations against any further
attacks against them. Your place is with them Scorpio, not against them. They
desperately need your guidance. (Reaches out his hand slowly, the fingertips
beginning to glow with a healing aura) They forgive you Scorpio . . .
Zodiak(Shakes his head as if he were dozing off): BETRAYER! (Slashes at
Kajagua. Kajagua pulls his hand back and raises his katana barely in time to
block the attack) You cannot use your monastery tricks on me ronin! I am
beyond any help that you may wish to offer me.
Kajagua(Moves towards the stairs leading out of the tower): Another time
then my friend. I cannot waste any more time here. I must return to the Band
and see if I can help them through their losses as you seem to have chosen
a different path. We shall meet again my old friend, when I can take away
the shadow on your soul so that you can rejoin those who truly care for you.
But for now I must choose to live to fight another day.
Zodiak watches as the ronin leaps silently over the stairwell's railing. Zodiak
runs to the railing, sure that he will spot the ronin's shattered body at
the distant bottom of the stairwell. But he sees no-one.
---------------
At the base of the fortress' tower . . .
Kajagua exits the tower through the door that he originally entered through.
Lying on the ground he sees Allegra's shattered body. Knowing he has little
time before any pursuing shadow beasts catch up to him, he kneels down
over Allegra and reaches into a leather pouch at his side. After scattering
some dried leaves over the right side of her chest, the ronin/monk begins to
slowly wave his hands over the dead woman, whispering sacred words to himself.
As his hands begin to glow a soft shade of green, a portal opens up before
him and Yar steps out. Saying nothing, the wu-jen draws the portal forward
to encompass the still whispering Kajagua and the still motionless Allegra.
In a matter of seconds, the three figures are swallowed up and disappear
without a trace.
Two figures approach the fortress from a distance, as the last traces of the
portal's energy fades into nothingness.
Nathan: This is it!
Ryoga: You sure? I thought that rock outcropping over there fit the
descripton better.
Nathan: How many fortesses are there on the friggin moon?
Ryoga: Right.
As the two reach the base of the fortress' tower, several shadow beasts
spill out of the doorway, led by none other than Scorpio Zodiak.
Zodiak: The ronin? You must have seen him! He cannot escape! Where is he
hiding? He and I have unfinished business!
The half-dozen shadow beasts push forward toward the two stunned visitors.
Nathan(Looks at Ryoga): I wasn't this bored, were you?
Ryoga: Uhhhhh . . .
----------------
Panda
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"Bubblegum Cross"
"The Dark Traveler"
"The Dragon's Tower"
askuse@execulink.com
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