Hi, all.

Been working on this for a few weeks, and thought I'd contribute it to the
greater good of the list.

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      The figure in the wall slot was tall and imposing, but far from
handsome. A face of planes and sharp angles was framed by dirt brown hair.
Broad shoulders and narrow hips connected by a starved looking torso created
an unfinished appearance. Long, thin limbs were interrupted by knobby joints
and swathed in steel cord muscles. Outsized feet and large, stranglers hands
added to his ghoulish image. The final touch of his appearance was the red
tunic, reaching down to his knees, over which was a black vest of light
armor, with similar bracers adorning both arms and legs.
      The weapon lying at his feet was at rather simple. A steel gray
cylindrical head two feet across tapered to a point at one end, forming a
T-shape with a jet black pole that was attached a bit behind the midpoint of
the head's cylinder. Another, thicker bronze pole was arranged parallel to
the first, perhaps a third of the way towards the blunt end of the head. Two
steel gray braces connected these two, one perhaps halfway along their
six-foot length, the other within a few inches of their tips. The sides of
the head were studded with fist sized spherical blue gems, within which
glimmered a faint spark of electricity.
      Katsuhito Jinnai was very happy.
      "YES!! Finally I have found a way to defeat you Makoto Mizuhara. With
this weapon's power I shall sweep you from my path and punish you for all
your crimes against me."
      Diva was not quite so optimistic.  "I do hope that this will work
better than our last efforts Mr. Jinnai. Both Ifurita and Kalia backfired on
us, and I fear that we might not be so lucky as to survive a third failure."
      He dismissed her objections with a wave of his hand, "Don't worry,
God's on our side, remember? The only reason that we've had problems before
is because Makoto twisted them away from us, and I have no intention of
letting him survive long enough to do it again."
      He leaned down and picked up the staff, grunting and straining from
its weight.
      The glimmers at the hearts of the gems exploded in brilliant flares
that filled each gem fully, turning them into tiny beacons of eye tearing
light.
      That was enough to make Jinnai lose his grip on the staff, dropping it
to crash to the ground... right on top of his foot.
      While he danced around and screamed in pain, and Diva watched in
bemusement, deep green lightening arced from gem to gem, and from there to
the resting demon-god.
      Who, for his part, twitched, picked up his staff, and stepped into the
middle of the room. Not necessarily in that order, of course.
      "Good evening," he said, "What can I do for you?"
      Since Jinnai was still occupied with his pediatric pain, Diva
answered, "Our Empire has been decimated by its enemies, and we hope that
your power will alter the balance and let us rebuild our nation."
      His lips quirked. "I live to serve."

  * * * * * * * *

      Peep. Peep.
      ahhhhh-hahhhh.
      Sound of frogs. Interesting, that El Hazard would have frogs, just
like Earth. Then again, they probably just SOUNDED like frogs. Like those
bird-fish... Things.
      Peep. Peep.
      ahhhhh-hahhhh.
      Sound of breathing, the source a warming body, next to his.
      Ifurita.
      Heart of his soul, and he of hers. Perhaps it was destiny that brought
them to love each other. Perhaps it was luck. Perhaps it was just that no
one could look into someone else's soul, and NOT love them.
      Whatever it was, he was grateful.
      Peep. Peep.
      ahhhhh-hahhhh.
      Her face, first seen under his school, during an hour of frozen time.
Tender and caring, it had been. He had not understood what she had had to
say, but he had remembered.
      Peep. Peep.
      ahhhhh-hahhhh.
      Next sight, a bed sunken into a altar, shaped like a coffin, with her
staff lying beside. Jinnai bursting in, winding her up like some kind of toy
soldier. Her face, cold and unforgiving. "I don't know you."
      Peep. Peep.
      ahhhhh-hahhhh.
      Roaring fires of burning planters casting flickering shadows around
icy blue eyes. A theory tested to save the lives of friends. The ancient
religious wars that had laid waste to two of El Hazard's five continents,
seen through the eyes of the one who brought them to a close in a peak of
blood and nightmare.
      Peep. Peep.
      ahhhhh-hahhhh.
      Driving into the Bugrom's heart to free Fatora from Jinnai's clutches.
The circuit at her heart destroyed, invisible manacles shattered. A casual
backhand, Jinnai flying in the first gesture of freedom or defiance she
could ever have known.
      Peep. Peep.
      ahhhhh-hahhhh.
      An offer of a horrible reminder of slavery, turned into a caring
reminder of freedom. The understanding of that passing between them in a
warm, gentle gaze.
      Peep. Peep.
      ahhhhh-hahhhh.
      The fight with Galus on top of the Eye of God had nearly killed him.
She had arrived just in time, an angel with silver-blue hair. The weapon had
been beyond the point of no return, so she had gone into its core to direct
it safely. She had disappeared down the shaft, but Mr. Fujisawa's strong
arms had held him from going with her. Then she was gone.
      Peep. Peep.
      ahhhhh-hahhhh.
      When he had seen her sister in the valley of the Trigger of
Destruction, his heart had leapt with joy at her return. The disappointment
had nearly broken him. Then Kalia... He shuddered. Her mind had been filled
with blood, and had delighted in it. In the screams of the innocent, even if
they were not real. That Ifurita had saved him, then told him to look for
her. He was glad he had.
      Peep. Peep.
      ahhhhh-hahhhh.
      When he had found the key to the Eye, he had given Rune and her allies
only three days to prepare for the return of the legendary demon. Even a
week later the thought of the bustle and agitation that had caused was
enough to bring a smile to his lips.
      Peep. Peep.
      ahhhhh-hahhhh.
      When he had come through the dimensional wall, she had been leaning
against the fence, watching the sunrise. When she had seen him, her eyes had
lit up and her face had seemed to glow with joy. There were things that he
would not do to bring that expression, that joy, to her face again. But not
many.
      Peep. Peep.
      ahhhhh-hahhhh.
      His mind had touched hers, and he had felt her fear. She was the most
feared weapon in history. The Eye of God was more dangerous, for horrible
things could be done with its portals, but she had left more fear behind.
What kind of people could welcome that into their lives?
      Peep. Peep.
      ahhhhh-hahhhh.
      [Which], he thought wryly, [only makes Rune Venus more remarkable.]
Somehow, he wasn't exactly sure how, she had managed to turn the feared
destroyer's return into a hero's coming home. Not that it wasn't, but making
the people see that must have taken some doing. The party probably wouldn't
end until the end of the month.
      Peep. Peep.
      ahhhhh-hahhhh.
      Gurgle.
      Sound of upset stomach. He grimaced, and got up to visit the shrine of
the Porceline God. [Almost three years and I _still_ can't stomach alcohol.]

  * * * * * * * *

      "So, Tartarus, if we need numbers, not power, then what do you propose
we do?" Diva's voice was not sarcastic. It was too serious for that.
      The demon-god in question was leaning against the wall, holding his
staff in one hand. "We make them, of course." He somehow managed to give the
impression of a bored slouch and crossed arms while still maintaining almost
perfect posture.
      She somehow managed to make her tone even harsher, his perpetual  air
was quite grating. "I beg your pardon?"
      He lurched free of the wall and took a couple of steps forward, his
boredom vanishing with his interest in the _fascinating_ problem at hand.
"Well, this place," he waved his right arm in an all encompassing gesture,
heedless of his staff's weight, "Is a facility for the production of light
combat units. It can't turn out demon-gods, but what it can make can
probably take down anything you need killed."
      "How soon can you produce the necessary units?"
      He grinned. "Depends on how soon I can get the necessary resources.
Assuming that this 'Alliance' mines and refines the metals I need, and
assuming that the extraction efforts go off without a hitch, four, five
weeks."
      "And if not?"
      He shrugged. "Depends on the metal. No real way to say until it
happens."
      He was about to leave, but she said, "There is something which
troubles me."
      "Ah?"
      "When we awakened Ifurita, she behaved very differently from you. Why
is that?"
      He paused, framing his reply. "My makers wanted a efficient, adaptable
battlefield machine that could think for it's self on the fly. The Ifurita
series was designed by the nation of A'Aann. They were afraid that their
machines might turn against them... And designed accordingly."
      "Ah. You may go."
      He gave a mocking bow, and floated out.

  * * * * * * * *

      The city of Jazeld was situated far inland, in the Godshatter
Mountains. It was a mining node, a place for the many small mining companies
to bring their ores for refining, and for the larger concerns to stage
through.
      The only nearby river was unnavigable, and the steep hills around it
made overland transport difficult, at best. If repulsor technology hadn't
survived the holy wars then the city would have been too remote to survive.
      But repulsor tech HAD survived, and Jazeld had more air traffic than
even the capital, Floristica. There were dozens of craft in the air even
now, at dawn.
      {And, given its primary business, a few of them will be carrying the
metals I need.} All he had to do was keep scanning, and eventually he would
find what he needed.
      {Such a beautiful sunrise.} During the wars, he had always rather
liked waiting, it gave him time to think, and it meant he wasn't fighting
and killing.
      He had seldom seen a better place to wait, either. The Godshatters had
probably gotten their name from their jaggedness, it seemed as though
immense glass shards had been jammed into the ground.
      They glinted like glass, too, the rock must be run through with veins
of quartz. It was quite a sight, the dark gray rock, the white snow, the
blue sky and the brilliant sparkling facets of crystal, all tinted rose by
the rising sun...
      {Beautiful.}

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APPENDIX A: The Great Holy War

      The first thing that must be understood about the Holy War is that it
wasn't. Holy, that is. It wasn't even really about religion. That was just a
convenient way to stir up the masses for the war effort.
      It was about four superpowers staring at each other across three
continents, and one of them blinking.
      Within the span of a day, they each launched the entirety of their
arsenals at the opponent that they considered the greatest threat.
      The strongest power, Te'kar, was eliminated immediately. The second
strongest, Roshtaria, would never recover its former power and was
essentially one of the many minor players on the sidelines of the war.
      The remaining two, A'Aann and Zelara, would spend the next seven
centuries slugging it out.
      The war's final and most lethal phase was opened by the introduction
of the first Class 3 demon-god by the nation of A'Aann. In less than a
month, that single Ifurita unit had crippled the Zelaran military and
leveled most of their major cities.
      That phase - and, indeed, the war - was ended by the first recorded
firing of the weapon known as the Eye of God.

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Wheeee! I like writing. Lemme know watcha think, please?

Be well.
Nathan Baxter

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Kasumi is God.
Sayako is a b*tch.
Becky has MPD.
Must be Impro.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
If a woodchuck chucks wood, what does an Arbyfish do?
HI, FISH!
The lobsters are coming.
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