Always, Little Brother, Always
AN~Wow! My first MR fic!!!*dances, does a little jig on nearby table*Okay,
I know that when most people write fics about Monster Rancher, it's mostly
about finding the Phoenix and defeating Moo, or a cute little romance
between Genki and Pixie. Well, this one is going to be slightly different.
This story is about Tiger and Grey Wolf facing off, for the first
(and possibly last)time. You all know that Grey Wolf is one of the Big
Bad Four, along with Pixie, Gali, and Naga, but the two former have been
defeated, or have joined up on the seven's side.And I have no clue whether
or not Grey Wolf is going to, in the anime, be turned back into a goodie,
or turned into a lost disc, both seem probable, but in this story I think
I will lean toward the latter, because it leads to more melancholy and angst,
the kind of things I like in a story. So don't flame me if you want Grey Wolf
to live, I'm sorry, that's just the way the story goes. Maybe I'll do an
epilogue, to show the effects all of this has on Tiger... and if you people
really don't like all the dying and stuff, I'll write an alternate ending
for this, in which Grey Wolf does not meet his demise, but instead joins up
with the rebels.Okay? Send me mail at my new address, because Homestead
has screwed me over one too many times, and I'm tired of it.
tiger_of_the_wind_07@hotmail.com
No language in this fic*shoots herself*, but there is violence,and some
things that aren't stated in the anime, such as the canyon Tiger used to
live in, and Grey Wolf's formal name(Grey Wolf of the Night).I made that
shit up.*sighs now that some form of swearing has been insterted in her fic*
So read and enjoy.
"Hooooowwwwwllllll!!!!"The clear, plantinive cry could be heard over the
valley and through the forest, reaching the ears of a silver-colored wolf,
walking atop a hill with his blue and purple followers. The symbol of Moo
shone across their chests in the blazing sunlight, and a fresh breeze blew
in from the southeast, making the howl seem even louder.
The leader, the silver one, jerked his head up.
"Master Grey Wolf,"the tiger on his right asked,"what is it?"
"Nothing,"he replied in his hoarse, scratchy voice." It's only the wind."
And he looked up to the sky with his hollow blue eyes and wondered.
Could it be?he thought, hanging his head and walking away. Was this *him*,
offering a challenge at last?
"The rebels have crossed over the northren border,"another of his followers
informed him, taking the place of the first one on his right."Who shall we
send out to deter them?The-"
"NO!Uh... that is not necessary,"Grey Wolf told them, leaping up ahead to
a nearby rock that overlooked the area.
"But what of your brother and his friends? If we sent out-"
"I said no!!! This is far too tiresome, playing cat and mouse with those
who oppose Moo! I really thought Tiger would've had the gall to come out
and face me by now."He sighed. "I will deal with my brother myself..."
~*FLASH*~
The rebels walked through the forest, searching for a place to stop the
night.They were all talkign about the same old stuff, like being hungry,
tired, cold, bored, etc.,etc. All but one, that is.
"What's up, Tiger?"Genki asked his silent friend. When he didn't answer,
Genki took a guess."Oh..."
After defeating Melcarba, the rebels had walked for two days without
seeing anything, and Tiger howled at the moon every night, somehow hoping
that *he* would hear, and would come and face him at last. But so far, not
so much as a growl had floated to his ears but his own.
"Don't worry about it,"Genki said, loud enough that everyone heard and
walked over to them."If we don't find the Phoenix before Grey Wolf shows up,
than we'll just turn him into a goodie ourselves, just like with Pixie."
"Just like Pixie!"Mocchi echoed, and deep in his heart Tiger wondered why
he had joined with this ragtag group of misfits at all.
An image of Grey Wolf floated through his mind, and then he knew.Moo.
Revenge. Payback for making Grey Wolf what he was. And avenging the deaths
of his Tiger friends, the bandits who had lived with him in the canyon where
Genki and his friends first met them. That was why.
Tiger shook his head.
"We'll all help you fight him,"Holly added, no sign of the Black Worm's
sting on her leg at all.
"This is my fight, and my fight alone,"he told them, staring at them
blankly."I said it before-when the time comes, I will deal with my brother
then. I will be the one to defeat him. And no one else!" With those words,
he turned and ran into the forest, the one which it seemed they'd never get
out of, and left it all back there behind him. He knew right where he was
going, and that would be the place to stand and wait for Grey Wolf to come
and fight.
"Tiger, wait!"Genki yelled after him, and strapped on his Rollerblades,
racing after him.
But Tiger didn't stop, only kept on running, not totally knowing how to
get where he was going, but having a faint idea. He followed his instinct,
and around midnight that night he got there, a very fatigued Genki trailing
along behind him.
He was surprised at not only the kid's speed, but his stamina as well.
Anyone else would've given up by then.
"Hey,"Genki panted, replacing his Rollerblades with shoes. "How come you
ran like that? I thought we were a team."
"We are, kid,"Tiger muttered, looking around."But this is something I have
to do alone. Just this one thing. So go back to the others, I'll be back when
what I came to do is done. Don't move from where you're going to camp. I'll
meet you back there."
"What are you planning on doing, anyway?"Genki asked him, confusion written
on his face.
"That's none of your concern."
"Hey, how come you never let any of us know how you're feeling? We care.
You've taught us a lot, and we'd hate to lose you. If you don't get whatever
it is you're thinking about off your chest, it'll never go away, Tiger."
"I'm not leaving, Genki. Trust me-this'll go away after what I have to do
is done."
"Well I'm not going either, then. 'Cause I have a feeling that I know what
you're going to do."
"What, kid?"
"I'll stay and help. We'll both fight your brother, Tiger-together."
Genki's companion sighed, hanging his head."All right, champ."
"How are you going to get Grey Wolf to come here?"
"This is my territory-mine and my brother's. I would've thought you sharp
enough to notice this place before."
Genki looked around and saw that they were in a canyon surrounded by high
cliffs and rocky crags. Above them on the right was a narrow path covered
with dust, and twenty feet behind him was a large patch of Lost Discs. If he
hadn't been so intent on keeping up with Tiger, than he would've noticed the
Discs at once.
"This is your canyon, Tiger,"he realized with awe, remembering when they
had first met in this dusty valley.
*FLASHBACK*
"I used to be foolish like you,"the blue wolf in front of him sighed."Once,
I had a brother. We used to do everything together, never knowing what
adventures lay ahead of us-but ready to take on the challenge. Grey Wolf and
I met up with other bandits just like us, and we made a home for them,
striking terror into the hearts of humans who dared cross us. We were so
arrogant in our fighting abilities that we even took on Moo. Our losses were
devastating, and just when it seemed that we were home free, Moo arrived."
"And your brother?"
"Gone forever...stolen by Moo..."
~*FLASH*~
"Genki, it's best if we just gave up now. That's Tiger of the Wind."
"Ah, so now even little children have heard of me..."
~*FLASH*~
"Hey, it's that Tiger guy!"
~*FLASH*~
"I do not need any help from humans!"
~*FLASH*~
"Dino! We have some unfinished business to take care of!"
"It appears we do..."
"Tiger! You can't fight! You're hurt!"
~*FLASH*~
"Tigers, run! I said run!!!" A single tear dropped from the net he was
being held captive in as the last of his followers-his friends-was turned
into a Lost Disc.
*splash*
*FLASH TO NOW*
"This is where you first attacked us and stole the Magic Stone. And the
Dinos came and turned all your friends into Lost Discs."
Tiger hung his head, then threw it back up again, producing a howl that
rebervated through the Canyon of the Winds.
"A challenge, little brother!"he shouted in that howl, in a tongue that
only true-blooded Tigers could hear."I will be the one to defeat you! This is
our time to face one another-not as brothers but as enemies..."
~*FLASH*~
Grey Wolf of the Night heard the challenge and answered, before starting
off to the Canyon of the Winds, his heart filled with purpose. And in the
darkness, where all you could see of him was a shadow, he was the mirror
image of his older brother, Tiger of the Wind.
~*FLASH*~
"Do you really think he'll come, Tiger?"Genki asked, having removed his
Rollerblades and almost bored of waiting for their nemisis."Maybe he'll
attack our friends instead."
"If I know Grey Wolf, than he'll come,"Tiger answered, growing restless as
time passed on."He never turns down a challenge."
They sat in silence for a few minutes, until suddenly, a sound could be
heard echoing throughout the canyon.
It was the answering howl of Grey Wolf.
~*FLASH*~
"Tiger!"Suezo yelled in his loud, pertinent voice."Genki! Where are you!!!"
Golem bent down and tossed him in the air, his yellow body soaring to the sky.
He opened his eye a little more, struggling to see across the forest and the
lands beyond.
Then, far away in the direction the rebels had crossed what seemed like
months ago, stood the blurry image of Tiger and Genki.
Suezo fell quickly to the earth, yelling at Golem to remember to catch him.
After plenty of experience, had learned to never say what he had found until
his well, I guess you could call it a foot, was safely on the ground.
Golem was perfect in his accuracy, and as Suezo was lowered to the ground,
he told the others of what he had seen.
"You mean they're all the way back in the Canyon of the Winds?"Holly asked
astonishly, barely believing it.
"It makes sense, if you think about it,"Hare said thoughtfully, rubbing
the underside of his chin with his paw."Tiger and Genki are the fastest ones
of us all, and it seems only fitting that The Canyon of the Winds would be
the place for Tiger to take on Grey Wolf one on one, brother against brother.
After all, they both grew up there."
"Well, what are we waiting for, chi?"Mocchi asked impatiently."Let's go
find Genki and Tiger!"
"Let's go!"said Holly, and she was picked up by Golem, and they started on
their way.
~*FLASH*~
"Grey Wolf,"Genki whispered in awe, his eyes wide. He couldn't believe that
it had come down to this. Tiger and Grey Wolf, fighting one another-it wasn't
right. Although a lot of things in this world weren't right anymore.
"This is it, kid,"Tiger told him, his voice low."There's still time to turn
back now, if you want."
"How many times do I have to tell you that we're a team, Tiger?"Genki
yelled, his voice cracking a little bit."We all fight side by side to the
finish!"
"Yeah, well I hunt better alone."
"Sometimes you're too alone, you have to see that. I said you had to be
there when I got into a fix, and that's true, but it goes the other way, too,
you know. We can help. It's like what Holly said-everyone contributes
whatever they can, and we all make it out okay. No one expects anymore from
you than that. This fight isn't just your fight-it's ours, too."
"You don't understand, kid. Have you forgotten who I'm fighting? Grey Wolf-
my brother. I don't want to see him fall, but if it has to be that way, than
I want it to be by my own hand. I will be the one to defeat him. He's tired
of sending out more troops, Genki. This is the final showdown."
"We don't have to fight, you know that Tiger,"Genki said quietly, staring
off into space."We convinced Pixie she had a heart-we can do it to Grey Wolf,
too."
Tiger shook his head."Not this time, kid. I have to do this. Grey Wolf
won't be so easily convinced."
"I'll fight with you to the very end, because we're a team. You didn't
really expect us to just let you go off by yourself, now did you?"
Tiger smiled, a wide grin stretching up from the corners of his mouth."No,
I guess not, kid."
Another howl sounded through the empty rock valley, and Tiger looked up.
*ANOTHER FLASHBACK*
"And remember, never let your prey escape, little brother. Always finish
it off. That is the rule of the hunt."
Beside him, Grey Wolf nodded before running down the hill to the
unsuspecting family below. He and Tiger are nervous about how they will rate
as bandits, but they know that it will be okay, as long as they're together.
~*FLASH*~
A little Tiger and Grey Wolf are floating in a wooden box along a river.
They're scared about what might happen to them, but ready for an adventure,
as long as they're together.
~*FLASH*~
A little bit older, Tiger and Grey Wolf are playing in a field, yipping,
barking, and growling. Tiger being the elder brother, he is the one teaching
Grey Wolf how to become a true fighter. But today, all they're doing is
having fun, like they always do, as long as they're together.
~*FLASH*~
One year after that, Tiger and Grey Wolf are sleeping under a pile of
fallen snow in a freezing blizzard. They have no clue if they are going to
survive or not. They are cold, hungry, and tired, but they know they will
make it, as long as they're together.
~*FLASH*~
That summer, the brothers are attacked by the forces of Moo's Black Dinos.
This is Grey Wolf's first fight, and he and Tiger are outnumbered by twenty
to one. They both think it could very well end here, but they stand side by
side and protect each other anyway. They know they can win, as long as
they're together.
*FLASH TO NOW*
"As long as we're together,"Tiger murmured, still lost in his memories.
Genki knew better than to say anything.
And in Tiger's mind, he saw Grey Wolf returning from his raid, having
cold-bloodingly Torpedoed the family to death. But Tiger knew somthing was
wrong with that memory.
Grey Wolf stood in front of him, almost like a battle.
Tiger had told Grey Wolf to never let his prey escape, but the family
wasn't his prey. Tiger could have never stressed that enough. They were
thieves and bandits, but they weren't murderers. And Grey Wolf knew that.
He didn't Torpedo the family that day. So why-
His eyes. The eyes are the wrong color, not the clear white they used
to be, but instead a foggy, pupiless blue.
And just when Tiger realized that this wasn't Grey Wolf, he lunged. Raced
right for Tiger, his jaws wide open revealing pointy teeth with rabid spittle
hanging off them.
"Ahhhh!!!"Tiger yelled, picking up his head. He searched for his brother
blindly, but he was nowhere in sight.
"Just a memory, Tiger,"Genki said solemnly, turning to him. "Unfortunately
for us, though, this one isn't."
Grey Wolf of the Night stood fifty feet away from them at the other end of
the Canyon of the Winds.
~*FLASH*~
"How much farther to the canyon?"Holly asked tiredly, trudging along behind
the rest.
"Too far to get there in time to stop the fight,"Hare told her, and Holly
sighed.
"I'm just slowing you guys down. You would get along faster if I wasn't
here. I'll stay in the forest while you go ahead and look for Genki and
Tiger."
"No way, Holly!"Suezo protested, and a yellow light began to glow around
him."I know how to get us there! Teleport!"
A bright flash of light momentarily blinded Holly, and as soon as she
regained her sight she saw that the forest had been long left behind them,
and the Canyon of the Winds was a black outline against the night sky.
"Another two hours and we're there,"Hare informed the rest of the group,
and Golem picked up Holly again before they went on.
I just hope two hours is short enough,Holly thought grimly. Because if it
isn't-I think we'll be down to being the courageous five instead of seven...
~*FLASH*~
Grey Wolf stepped forward.
"Brother. At last we meet."
"At last we see who is the strongest of us,"Tiger agreed, taking a step of
his own.
"Do you really have to fight?"Genki asked, looking at them both earnestly.
"Why can't we all just be friends?"
"Do you honestly think that I would be fooled by that nonsense?"Grey Wolf
asked bitterly.
"Pixie was."
"Pixie was an idiot!"he roared, and Genki flinched a little.
"Don't waste your time, Genki,"Tiger growled, jumping out in front of him.
"He's not worth it."
"Oh, but am I?"his brother asked maliciously, a sadistic grin planted on
his face."I knew where you and your friends lived, here in this place. It was on my orders that the Dinos attack. I told them to destroy everyone but you. No, not you o mighty Tiger of the Wind. I let you live, yes, you survived, but in reality, you thought you were better off dead. That's why you joined with the rebels. You wanted a family again."
"How could someone as great as you become what you are now?"Tiger asked,
almost sadly, and Grey Wolf looked at him.
"Hunh?"
"The Grey Wolf I knew wouldn't have been such a coward. He would've never
made someone else do his dirty work for him. And he would've never tryed to
destroy his family. No, the Grey Wolf I knew was a brave and noble warrior,
and that's why I'm going to set you free from yourself."
"And how do you plan to do that?"
"By defeating you."
"A last minute attempt to make me think twice about destroying you?"
"You would be dead already if you weren't my brother."
"Well, is that a fact? Ha, well, let's get to this then."
"Grey Wolf, don't!"Genki interjected, and he turned to him. "You and Tiger-
brother against brother-it isn't right. You should be fighting your enemies-
not each other."
"What if our enemy is each other?"Tiger countered, and much to his
surprise, Grey Wolf nodded.
"Do you have to do this?"Genki asked solemnly.They both nodded.
"Then I'll believe in the both of you and won't interfere, but only if
this is something you're certain you really want to do."
"I don't want to, but I have to, champ,"Tiger told him, and Genki nodded
and glided over to a rock, where he sat down and removed his Rollerblades,
for the second time that day.
So they faced off, Tiger standing down at the one end of the canyon, and
Grey Wolf at the other. They slowly and steadily walked toward each other, a
wind swirling around Tiger and a shadow around Grey Wolf.
When they were five feet apart they lunged for each other, aiming for the
throat of their enemy. Tiger, as the elder, was the faster of the two, and
he easily leapt out of the way and into the air.
"Torpedo!"he yelled, and Grey Wolf was blasted to the ground. Tiger landed
two feet away as Grey Wolf stood up shakily.
"Really, little brother, I expected more of a fight from you than that."
"And who says we're finished? Torpedo!"Tiger easily dodged it, and jumped
from rock to rock up the side of the cliff.
"Ha!"he laughed, landing on a ledge about ten feet above Grey Wolf's head.
"I guess we know who's the faster of the two, now, don't we?"
Grey Wolf growled and dove for him again. His teeth made a clacking sound
as they crunched together, but the claws on his left foreleg scratched Tiger,
a long, deep cut on his right back leg. He fell on it too hard and collapsed
to the ground.
"I guess we do,"Grey Wolf grinned, and lowered his horns. "Torpe-"
"NO!!!"came a boy's voice, and Genki plowed into Grey Wolf, knocking him
to the ground and making his attack misfire.
"You... shoulda left me alone... kid,"Tiger groaned, and Genki stood in
front of him, guarding him.
"So you broke your promise, after all,"Grey Wolf feigned mock scolding
before eyeing Tiger up on the ground almost hungrily."The little kid protects
the monster. How touching. Not like I care. Torpedo!"
"Genki, look out!"Tiger leapt up from his spot on the ground and jumped in
front of the boy, taking the attack for him. He crashed to the earth with a
thud.
Grey Wolf stood awestruck as Genki ran to his fallen companion, yelling
his name the whole way.
"Why would you do that, Tiger?"he asked, his eyes shining. "Why would you
go out of your way to save me?"
"Don't flatter yourself, kid,"Tiger laughed, propping himself up on his
front legs."I knew I wouldn't be hurt. And Holly would've killed me if
something happened to you."
"Thanks a lot, Tiger,"Genki said gratefully, helping his friend to his feet.
"You saved my life."
Grey Wolf watched all this through confused eyes. His brother-risking his
life to save a human? It didn't make any sense. But here he had, and all
becuase this kid and his friends took him in. Then a new thought hit him.
Did he really want to destroy his brother?His own flesh and blood? Tiger was
fighting against Moo because of him. To pay for what he had done to him and
his Tiger friends in this very canyon. Did he really want to destroy his
brother, Tiger of the Wind?
AN~At this point in time, my father has suddenly become interested in reading
my fics, so I have to write one he could read, 'coz I'm not about to admit to
dear old dad that anime shows are now my current obsession. So I'm gonna
start writing a fantasy story called "The Dragon of Time and The Sword of
Fate", which I might send in to fanfiction.net, under the name
outcast_phoenix, I don't know. So work on the two endings to this might be
somewhat delayed. Alternate Ending is the one where Grey Wolf lives, and
Original Ending is the one where he dies, so pick your's and read with
caution. Nothin' but love for ya,
~tigerofthewind~
AN~Wow! My first MR fic!!!*dances, does a little jig on nearby table*Okay,
I know that when most people write fics about Monster Rancher, it's mostly
about finding the Phoenix and defeating Moo, or a cute little romance
between Genki and Pixie. Well, this one is going to be slightly different.
This story is about Tiger and Grey Wolf facing off, for the first
(and possibly last)time. You all know that Grey Wolf is one of the Big
Bad Four, along with Pixie, Gali, and Naga, but the two former have been
defeated, or have joined up on the seven's side.And I have no clue whether
or not Grey Wolf is going to, in the anime, be turned back into a goodie,
or turned into a lost disc, both seem probable, but in this story I think
I will lean toward the latter, because it leads to more melancholy and angst,
the kind of things I like in a story. So don't flame me if you want Grey Wolf
to live, I'm sorry, that's just the way the story goes. Maybe I'll do an
epilogue, to show the effects all of this has on Tiger... and if you people
really don't like all the dying and stuff, I'll write an alternate ending
for this, in which Grey Wolf does not meet his demise, but instead joins up
with the rebels.Okay? Send me mail at my new address, because Homestead
has screwed me over one too many times, and I'm tired of it.
tiger_of_the_wind_07@hotmail.com
No language in this fic*shoots herself*, but there is violence,and some
things that aren't stated in the anime, such as the canyon Tiger used to
live in, and Grey Wolf's formal name(Grey Wolf of the Night).I made that
shit up.*sighs now that some form of swearing has been insterted in her fic*
So read and enjoy.
"Hooooowwwwwllllll!!!!"The clear, plantinive cry could be heard over the
valley and through the forest, reaching the ears of a silver-colored wolf,
walking atop a hill with his blue and purple followers. The symbol of Moo
shone across their chests in the blazing sunlight, and a fresh breeze blew
in from the southeast, making the howl seem even louder.
The leader, the silver one, jerked his head up.
"Master Grey Wolf,"the tiger on his right asked,"what is it?"
"Nothing,"he replied in his hoarse, scratchy voice." It's only the wind."
And he looked up to the sky with his hollow blue eyes and wondered.
Could it be?he thought, hanging his head and walking away. Was this *him*,
offering a challenge at last?
"The rebels have crossed over the northren border,"another of his followers
informed him, taking the place of the first one on his right."Who shall we
send out to deter them?The-"
"NO!Uh... that is not necessary,"Grey Wolf told them, leaping up ahead to
a nearby rock that overlooked the area.
"But what of your brother and his friends? If we sent out-"
"I said no!!! This is far too tiresome, playing cat and mouse with those
who oppose Moo! I really thought Tiger would've had the gall to come out
and face me by now."He sighed. "I will deal with my brother myself..."
~*FLASH*~
The rebels walked through the forest, searching for a place to stop the
night.They were all talkign about the same old stuff, like being hungry,
tired, cold, bored, etc.,etc. All but one, that is.
"What's up, Tiger?"Genki asked his silent friend. When he didn't answer,
Genki took a guess."Oh..."
After defeating Melcarba, the rebels had walked for two days without
seeing anything, and Tiger howled at the moon every night, somehow hoping
that *he* would hear, and would come and face him at last. But so far, not
so much as a growl had floated to his ears but his own.
"Don't worry about it,"Genki said, loud enough that everyone heard and
walked over to them."If we don't find the Phoenix before Grey Wolf shows up,
than we'll just turn him into a goodie ourselves, just like with Pixie."
"Just like Pixie!"Mocchi echoed, and deep in his heart Tiger wondered why
he had joined with this ragtag group of misfits at all.
An image of Grey Wolf floated through his mind, and then he knew.Moo.
Revenge. Payback for making Grey Wolf what he was. And avenging the deaths
of his Tiger friends, the bandits who had lived with him in the canyon where
Genki and his friends first met them. That was why.
Tiger shook his head.
"We'll all help you fight him,"Holly added, no sign of the Black Worm's
sting on her leg at all.
"This is my fight, and my fight alone,"he told them, staring at them
blankly."I said it before-when the time comes, I will deal with my brother
then. I will be the one to defeat him. And no one else!" With those words,
he turned and ran into the forest, the one which it seemed they'd never get
out of, and left it all back there behind him. He knew right where he was
going, and that would be the place to stand and wait for Grey Wolf to come
and fight.
"Tiger, wait!"Genki yelled after him, and strapped on his Rollerblades,
racing after him.
But Tiger didn't stop, only kept on running, not totally knowing how to
get where he was going, but having a faint idea. He followed his instinct,
and around midnight that night he got there, a very fatigued Genki trailing
along behind him.
He was surprised at not only the kid's speed, but his stamina as well.
Anyone else would've given up by then.
"Hey,"Genki panted, replacing his Rollerblades with shoes. "How come you
ran like that? I thought we were a team."
"We are, kid,"Tiger muttered, looking around."But this is something I have
to do alone. Just this one thing. So go back to the others, I'll be back when
what I came to do is done. Don't move from where you're going to camp. I'll
meet you back there."
"What are you planning on doing, anyway?"Genki asked him, confusion written
on his face.
"That's none of your concern."
"Hey, how come you never let any of us know how you're feeling? We care.
You've taught us a lot, and we'd hate to lose you. If you don't get whatever
it is you're thinking about off your chest, it'll never go away, Tiger."
"I'm not leaving, Genki. Trust me-this'll go away after what I have to do
is done."
"Well I'm not going either, then. 'Cause I have a feeling that I know what
you're going to do."
"What, kid?"
"I'll stay and help. We'll both fight your brother, Tiger-together."
Genki's companion sighed, hanging his head."All right, champ."
"How are you going to get Grey Wolf to come here?"
"This is my territory-mine and my brother's. I would've thought you sharp
enough to notice this place before."
Genki looked around and saw that they were in a canyon surrounded by high
cliffs and rocky crags. Above them on the right was a narrow path covered
with dust, and twenty feet behind him was a large patch of Lost Discs. If he
hadn't been so intent on keeping up with Tiger, than he would've noticed the
Discs at once.
"This is your canyon, Tiger,"he realized with awe, remembering when they
had first met in this dusty valley.
*FLASHBACK*
"I used to be foolish like you,"the blue wolf in front of him sighed."Once,
I had a brother. We used to do everything together, never knowing what
adventures lay ahead of us-but ready to take on the challenge. Grey Wolf and
I met up with other bandits just like us, and we made a home for them,
striking terror into the hearts of humans who dared cross us. We were so
arrogant in our fighting abilities that we even took on Moo. Our losses were
devastating, and just when it seemed that we were home free, Moo arrived."
"And your brother?"
"Gone forever...stolen by Moo..."
~*FLASH*~
"Genki, it's best if we just gave up now. That's Tiger of the Wind."
"Ah, so now even little children have heard of me..."
~*FLASH*~
"Hey, it's that Tiger guy!"
~*FLASH*~
"I do not need any help from humans!"
~*FLASH*~
"Dino! We have some unfinished business to take care of!"
"It appears we do..."
"Tiger! You can't fight! You're hurt!"
~*FLASH*~
"Tigers, run! I said run!!!" A single tear dropped from the net he was
being held captive in as the last of his followers-his friends-was turned
into a Lost Disc.
*splash*
*FLASH TO NOW*
"This is where you first attacked us and stole the Magic Stone. And the
Dinos came and turned all your friends into Lost Discs."
Tiger hung his head, then threw it back up again, producing a howl that
rebervated through the Canyon of the Winds.
"A challenge, little brother!"he shouted in that howl, in a tongue that
only true-blooded Tigers could hear."I will be the one to defeat you! This is
our time to face one another-not as brothers but as enemies..."
~*FLASH*~
Grey Wolf of the Night heard the challenge and answered, before starting
off to the Canyon of the Winds, his heart filled with purpose. And in the
darkness, where all you could see of him was a shadow, he was the mirror
image of his older brother, Tiger of the Wind.
~*FLASH*~
"Do you really think he'll come, Tiger?"Genki asked, having removed his
Rollerblades and almost bored of waiting for their nemisis."Maybe he'll
attack our friends instead."
"If I know Grey Wolf, than he'll come,"Tiger answered, growing restless as
time passed on."He never turns down a challenge."
They sat in silence for a few minutes, until suddenly, a sound could be
heard echoing throughout the canyon.
It was the answering howl of Grey Wolf.
~*FLASH*~
"Tiger!"Suezo yelled in his loud, pertinent voice."Genki! Where are you!!!"
Golem bent down and tossed him in the air, his yellow body soaring to the sky.
He opened his eye a little more, struggling to see across the forest and the
lands beyond.
Then, far away in the direction the rebels had crossed what seemed like
months ago, stood the blurry image of Tiger and Genki.
Suezo fell quickly to the earth, yelling at Golem to remember to catch him.
After plenty of experience, had learned to never say what he had found until
his well, I guess you could call it a foot, was safely on the ground.
Golem was perfect in his accuracy, and as Suezo was lowered to the ground,
he told the others of what he had seen.
"You mean they're all the way back in the Canyon of the Winds?"Holly asked
astonishly, barely believing it.
"It makes sense, if you think about it,"Hare said thoughtfully, rubbing
the underside of his chin with his paw."Tiger and Genki are the fastest ones
of us all, and it seems only fitting that The Canyon of the Winds would be
the place for Tiger to take on Grey Wolf one on one, brother against brother.
After all, they both grew up there."
"Well, what are we waiting for, chi?"Mocchi asked impatiently."Let's go
find Genki and Tiger!"
"Let's go!"said Holly, and she was picked up by Golem, and they started on
their way.
~*FLASH*~
"Grey Wolf,"Genki whispered in awe, his eyes wide. He couldn't believe that
it had come down to this. Tiger and Grey Wolf, fighting one another-it wasn't
right. Although a lot of things in this world weren't right anymore.
"This is it, kid,"Tiger told him, his voice low."There's still time to turn
back now, if you want."
"How many times do I have to tell you that we're a team, Tiger?"Genki
yelled, his voice cracking a little bit."We all fight side by side to the
finish!"
"Yeah, well I hunt better alone."
"Sometimes you're too alone, you have to see that. I said you had to be
there when I got into a fix, and that's true, but it goes the other way, too,
you know. We can help. It's like what Holly said-everyone contributes
whatever they can, and we all make it out okay. No one expects anymore from
you than that. This fight isn't just your fight-it's ours, too."
"You don't understand, kid. Have you forgotten who I'm fighting? Grey Wolf-
my brother. I don't want to see him fall, but if it has to be that way, than
I want it to be by my own hand. I will be the one to defeat him. He's tired
of sending out more troops, Genki. This is the final showdown."
"We don't have to fight, you know that Tiger,"Genki said quietly, staring
off into space."We convinced Pixie she had a heart-we can do it to Grey Wolf,
too."
Tiger shook his head."Not this time, kid. I have to do this. Grey Wolf
won't be so easily convinced."
"I'll fight with you to the very end, because we're a team. You didn't
really expect us to just let you go off by yourself, now did you?"
Tiger smiled, a wide grin stretching up from the corners of his mouth."No,
I guess not, kid."
Another howl sounded through the empty rock valley, and Tiger looked up.
*ANOTHER FLASHBACK*
"And remember, never let your prey escape, little brother. Always finish
it off. That is the rule of the hunt."
Beside him, Grey Wolf nodded before running down the hill to the
unsuspecting family below. He and Tiger are nervous about how they will rate
as bandits, but they know that it will be okay, as long as they're together.
~*FLASH*~
A little Tiger and Grey Wolf are floating in a wooden box along a river.
They're scared about what might happen to them, but ready for an adventure,
as long as they're together.
~*FLASH*~
A little bit older, Tiger and Grey Wolf are playing in a field, yipping,
barking, and growling. Tiger being the elder brother, he is the one teaching
Grey Wolf how to become a true fighter. But today, all they're doing is
having fun, like they always do, as long as they're together.
~*FLASH*~
One year after that, Tiger and Grey Wolf are sleeping under a pile of
fallen snow in a freezing blizzard. They have no clue if they are going to
survive or not. They are cold, hungry, and tired, but they know they will
make it, as long as they're together.
~*FLASH*~
That summer, the brothers are attacked by the forces of Moo's Black Dinos.
This is Grey Wolf's first fight, and he and Tiger are outnumbered by twenty
to one. They both think it could very well end here, but they stand side by
side and protect each other anyway. They know they can win, as long as
they're together.
*FLASH TO NOW*
"As long as we're together,"Tiger murmured, still lost in his memories.
Genki knew better than to say anything.
And in Tiger's mind, he saw Grey Wolf returning from his raid, having
cold-bloodingly Torpedoed the family to death. But Tiger knew somthing was
wrong with that memory.
Grey Wolf stood in front of him, almost like a battle.
Tiger had told Grey Wolf to never let his prey escape, but the family
wasn't his prey. Tiger could have never stressed that enough. They were
thieves and bandits, but they weren't murderers. And Grey Wolf knew that.
He didn't Torpedo the family that day. So why-
His eyes. The eyes are the wrong color, not the clear white they used
to be, but instead a foggy, pupiless blue.
And just when Tiger realized that this wasn't Grey Wolf, he lunged. Raced
right for Tiger, his jaws wide open revealing pointy teeth with rabid spittle
hanging off them.
"Ahhhh!!!"Tiger yelled, picking up his head. He searched for his brother
blindly, but he was nowhere in sight.
"Just a memory, Tiger,"Genki said solemnly, turning to him. "Unfortunately
for us, though, this one isn't."
Grey Wolf of the Night stood fifty feet away from them at the other end of
the Canyon of the Winds.
~*FLASH*~
"How much farther to the canyon?"Holly asked tiredly, trudging along behind
the rest.
"Too far to get there in time to stop the fight,"Hare told her, and Holly
sighed.
"I'm just slowing you guys down. You would get along faster if I wasn't
here. I'll stay in the forest while you go ahead and look for Genki and
Tiger."
"No way, Holly!"Suezo protested, and a yellow light began to glow around
him."I know how to get us there! Teleport!"
A bright flash of light momentarily blinded Holly, and as soon as she
regained her sight she saw that the forest had been long left behind them,
and the Canyon of the Winds was a black outline against the night sky.
"Another two hours and we're there,"Hare informed the rest of the group,
and Golem picked up Holly again before they went on.
I just hope two hours is short enough,Holly thought grimly. Because if it
isn't-I think we'll be down to being the courageous five instead of seven...
~*FLASH*~
Grey Wolf stepped forward.
"Brother. At last we meet."
"At last we see who is the strongest of us,"Tiger agreed, taking a step of
his own.
"Do you really have to fight?"Genki asked, looking at them both earnestly.
"Why can't we all just be friends?"
"Do you honestly think that I would be fooled by that nonsense?"Grey Wolf
asked bitterly.
"Pixie was."
"Pixie was an idiot!"he roared, and Genki flinched a little.
"Don't waste your time, Genki,"Tiger growled, jumping out in front of him.
"He's not worth it."
"Oh, but am I?"his brother asked maliciously, a sadistic grin planted on
his face."I knew where you and your friends lived, here in this place. It was on my orders that the Dinos attack. I told them to destroy everyone but you. No, not you o mighty Tiger of the Wind. I let you live, yes, you survived, but in reality, you thought you were better off dead. That's why you joined with the rebels. You wanted a family again."
"How could someone as great as you become what you are now?"Tiger asked,
almost sadly, and Grey Wolf looked at him.
"Hunh?"
"The Grey Wolf I knew wouldn't have been such a coward. He would've never
made someone else do his dirty work for him. And he would've never tryed to
destroy his family. No, the Grey Wolf I knew was a brave and noble warrior,
and that's why I'm going to set you free from yourself."
"And how do you plan to do that?"
"By defeating you."
"A last minute attempt to make me think twice about destroying you?"
"You would be dead already if you weren't my brother."
"Well, is that a fact? Ha, well, let's get to this then."
"Grey Wolf, don't!"Genki interjected, and he turned to him. "You and Tiger-
brother against brother-it isn't right. You should be fighting your enemies-
not each other."
"What if our enemy is each other?"Tiger countered, and much to his
surprise, Grey Wolf nodded.
"Do you have to do this?"Genki asked solemnly.They both nodded.
"Then I'll believe in the both of you and won't interfere, but only if
this is something you're certain you really want to do."
"I don't want to, but I have to, champ,"Tiger told him, and Genki nodded
and glided over to a rock, where he sat down and removed his Rollerblades,
for the second time that day.
So they faced off, Tiger standing down at the one end of the canyon, and
Grey Wolf at the other. They slowly and steadily walked toward each other, a
wind swirling around Tiger and a shadow around Grey Wolf.
When they were five feet apart they lunged for each other, aiming for the
throat of their enemy. Tiger, as the elder, was the faster of the two, and
he easily leapt out of the way and into the air.
"Torpedo!"he yelled, and Grey Wolf was blasted to the ground. Tiger landed
two feet away as Grey Wolf stood up shakily.
"Really, little brother, I expected more of a fight from you than that."
"And who says we're finished? Torpedo!"Tiger easily dodged it, and jumped
from rock to rock up the side of the cliff.
"Ha!"he laughed, landing on a ledge about ten feet above Grey Wolf's head.
"I guess we know who's the faster of the two, now, don't we?"
Grey Wolf growled and dove for him again. His teeth made a clacking sound
as they crunched together, but the claws on his left foreleg scratched Tiger,
a long, deep cut on his right back leg. He fell on it too hard and collapsed
to the ground.
"I guess we do,"Grey Wolf grinned, and lowered his horns. "Torpe-"
"NO!!!"came a boy's voice, and Genki plowed into Grey Wolf, knocking him
to the ground and making his attack misfire.
"You... shoulda left me alone... kid,"Tiger groaned, and Genki stood in
front of him, guarding him.
"So you broke your promise, after all,"Grey Wolf feigned mock scolding
before eyeing Tiger up on the ground almost hungrily."The little kid protects
the monster. How touching. Not like I care. Torpedo!"
"Genki, look out!"Tiger leapt up from his spot on the ground and jumped in
front of the boy, taking the attack for him. He crashed to the earth with a
thud.
Grey Wolf stood awestruck as Genki ran to his fallen companion, yelling
his name the whole way.
"Why would you do that, Tiger?"he asked, his eyes shining. "Why would you
go out of your way to save me?"
"Don't flatter yourself, kid,"Tiger laughed, propping himself up on his
front legs."I knew I wouldn't be hurt. And Holly would've killed me if
something happened to you."
"Thanks a lot, Tiger,"Genki said gratefully, helping his friend to his feet.
"You saved my life."
Grey Wolf watched all this through confused eyes. His brother-risking his
life to save a human? It didn't make any sense. But here he had, and all
becuase this kid and his friends took him in. Then a new thought hit him.
Did he really want to destroy his brother?His own flesh and blood? Tiger was
fighting against Moo because of him. To pay for what he had done to him and
his Tiger friends in this very canyon. Did he really want to destroy his
brother, Tiger of the Wind?
AN~At this point in time, my father has suddenly become interested in reading
my fics, so I have to write one he could read, 'coz I'm not about to admit to
dear old dad that anime shows are now my current obsession. So I'm gonna
start writing a fantasy story called "The Dragon of Time and The Sword of
Fate", which I might send in to fanfiction.net, under the name
outcast_phoenix, I don't know. So work on the two endings to this might be
somewhat delayed. Alternate Ending is the one where Grey Wolf lives, and
Original Ending is the one where he dies, so pick your's and read with
caution. Nothin' but love for ya,
~tigerofthewind~