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                        Kage no Himitsu: Teaser
                      ===========================

                   by yakumo (at) the keep (dot) org

Disclaimer: The characters and events found within this text work belong
to the author; any references to previously copyrighted characters and/or
situations (such as cameos of pre-existing characters from other sources)
are copyrighted to the original owner of those characters.  Permission is
given for private, non-profit use; permission for public and/or profit-
based use MUST be cleared via contact with the author, first.  This copy
of this document has been started as of 9/12/2001.

Author's Note: Heeeeeh.  This is one of my first serious writing projects
since... ... well, for a long time.  There are a lot of different
influences here, from comic books, video games, anime, and most
importantly, my imagination.  I can't promise steady work on this project,
nor do I know where it's going to go, if anywhere... hopefully it will,
and I hope the ride is fun.

                             <begin teaser>


    It was, as they say, a dark and stormy night.  Particularly in Tokyo;
the sprawling city was blanketed in thick, low clouds, from which dropped
a constant sheet of rain.  Despite the clouds and the rain, Tokyo was a
busy city.  Shinjuku, the party capital of Tokyo, was ablaze with light
and activity, neon glow spreading like cold warmth through the air,
shedding an unnatural rainbow across the umbrella-wielding public, whose
flashy, fashionable party clothes were not used to cold rain.  Cars hissed
along the road, red and white lights streaking the night as they conveyed
their passengers to their destinations.

    But not everyone in Shinjuku is partying, and not every corner of
every street was well-lit.  And it is in one such place our story begins.

    It begins with a girl, in her teens, wearing a dark purple sundress,
cut to fit nicely to her body, the skirt flaring out a little, over her
thighs, purple boots protecting her ankles and feet from harm, standing at
the end of a filthy backalley.  Despite the rain, she seems unconcerned by
the rain; indeed it doesn't appear to touch her.  She is illuminated, now,
by the harsh white glare of an arclight, held by one of the five men
facing off against her; the other four hold weapons.  Two are submachine
guns, Heckler and Koch MP5-Ks, and the two others hold sawed-off shotguns.
The expression on the girl's face is nothing short of dismissively
arrogant, as is her tone of voice, though her voice itself is melodic.
"You don't want to do this. Not against me. You won't live."

    With that said, she raises her arms, palms cradled, and pointed
forward; sparks of energy grow before her palms, morphing into balls of
fiery energy.  She raises her hands, pointing them at the men.  Time
dilates and seems to slow for the girl; fingers tighten on triggers as the
fireballs screams forth, expanding as they go... consuming the men and
their weapons.  Only one survives, stumbling for a few minutes, falling to
his knees, screaming in short-lived agony.

    Stepping out of the alleyway, the girl turns back, the traces of a
frown bending her lips. "... fools. I told you.... you would die..."  Her
words go unnoticed as she opens an umbrella, and heads into the darkness
of the night, becoming just another one of the mass of people in Shinjuku.

                              <end teaser>

Coming... Whenever: Kage no Himitsu, Chapter 1: Osaka Burning
--
"Momo Karuizawa is one of the scariest things I've seen from Capcom yet.
 *pause*
 She's pink, white, and evil!  Where did she go wrong?!?"
- yakumo (at) thekeep (dot) org
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