One Night Out - Chapter Two

Written by Ptath and Thalia

Assisted by Lady Raina

Betaed by Thalia

IMPORTANT! HEY! YOU! READ THIS NOTICE!

This story is a companion piece to the "Total Mayhem" series, which is set in the universe of the anime series "Weiss Kreuz." You do NOT have to know anything about "Total Mayhem" to understand this fic. All you need to know is that the stuff about "Taketori" and "Ran" and the flashbacks are from TM.

Again, you DON'T need to have read "Total Mayhem" to know what's going on.

Just thought You'd want to know.

We do not own "Ronin Warriors" or "Weiss Kreuz."

This fic is a re-write of Zoomagna's "One Night Out." Zoomagna graciously granted us permission to rework her story to make it fit with our "Weiss Kreuz" story arc, "Total Mayhem." Zoomagna's original story may be found at We would like to thank Zoomagna for her kind support. We hope she enjoys the final product.


Shinma Realm, Outskirts

They'd been walking in silence for several minutes now. The plan was actually quite simple. Get in, kill the wanna-be evil overlord, get out. Typically, Toma preferred to work with a little more detail, but in this case, he was willing to make an exception. He was getting to spend time with a pretty girl, after all.

"So, you're a human from Earth. How did you end up working for the Marvin Martian of the universe?"

Shayna looked at him in confusion. "Who?"

Toma faltered for a moment, started to explain, stopped, and started again before giving his head a sharp shake.

"Never mind." He blinked for a moment. "So, how did a pretty girl like you end up in a place like this?"

Shayna looked away for a moment, pretending to study the burgundy sky.

"It was an accident, really. Some men came for my brother and I. The next thing I knew, I was here. Naga Shado, the Marvin Martian as you put it, took me in and raised me. Or rather, my nurse and tutors raised me. He just showed up every now and then to check on my progress."

She gave him a sharp look.

"I'm not a good person. And I'm doing this for purely selfish reasons." Her gaze faltered. "I probably shouldn't have brought you into this in the first place."

Toma gave her an exasperated look.

"My home is about to be overrun, frozen in time and cast into eternal darkness. And I seem to be the only one who knows about it. So I have to be the one to fix this." He made a face. "It's like those doomsday, action movies. There I was, minding my own business and suddenly the fate of the world rests on my shoulders."

"So you're staying?" she asked cautiously.

"Looks like it," he replied easily.

"I see," Shayna murmured. Then she gave him another look. "What were you doing in the middle of nowhere?"

"Me?" Toma asked in surprise. "Oh, well, something happened a few months ago. I don't know what it was, just that it caused a huge disruption in the flow of space and time."

"And you didn't do something about it then?"

He shrugged. "I was leaving the country to visit my mother. I was literally in the airport when it happened. Didn't get back until a few days ago."

He looked out over the landscape as he thought. The grass and bushes were a soft, robin's egg blue. There were trees with yellow, starburst leaves and various woodland creatures darting here and there.

"I haven't used the armor for a while. There were, well, some family problems a few years ago. And since using the armor seems to attract bad guys, I just…stopped…using it. There are others like me, with mystical armor, but, well, I just didn't have time to keep up with them. As a result, I really don't know where they are or what they're doing."

Shayna studied the blue armor warrior. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, a mace and chain came hurling through the air and slammed into his head.

"Toma!" she shouted as he lurched forward and hit the ground.

"Looks like we have you all to ourselves now," a snide voice said from in front of them.

Shayna bared her teeth as a large, hulking bandit in mismatched, ill-kept armor stepped out onto the path. Behind him was a smaller bandit armed with a spear and a sniveling, weasely looking figure clutching a rusted knife. A sudden rustling noise alerted her to more bandits coming up the path behind them. She glanced over her shoulder, quickly spotting another hulking giant and a smaller bandit.

"Is it really going to take all five of you to take down little ol' me?" she taunted.

The giant in front lunged forward, snarling angrily. Shayna stepped to one side, seized his arm and flipped him onto his back. From behind, the smaller bandit leapt forward and wrapped an arm around her neck. Her hands seized his arm as she angled her head downward and bit hard. The bandit yelped as blood began to slide down his arm and leapt backwards, cradling his wounded limb. Shayna lunged forward and landed a hard blow on his jaw. The last giant lumbered forward, swinging a large tree limb. Ducking quickly, she kicked his legs out from under him. As the giant fell, she leapt and stabbed him with her sai.

Unnoticed by Shayna, the spear wielding bandit crept forward and took aim at her. Just as he drew back the spear, a finger tapped his shoulder. The bandit froze and slowly turned to look behind him.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you that it's not polite to hit a lady?" Toma growled. The bandit blinked, his eyes crossing as the warrior punched him. Toma scowled at the fallen bandit, kicking him in the ribs once before hurrying over to Shayna.

"Need a hand?" he asked anxiously.

"Thanks," she said after a moment. Grasping his outstretched hand, she pulled herself to her feet. They both turned to look up the path. The last bandit, the skinny sniveling one, was running. Toma's eyes narrowed and he raised an arm over his shoulder to grab an arrow. As he pulled out his bow and took aim, Shayna pushed the weapon down.

"Let him be," she growled, still watching the fleeing bandit. "Let him carry word to the Lumen Baron that we're coming."

Toma looked at her before shrugging. "You know best," he said as he swung the bow back onto his back.

"Naturally," she replied, her normal cocky smile re-appearing on her face. "Now, let me take a look at you. That mace hit you pretty hard."

"It's not that bad," Toma protested. "I don't need…hey!"

"Oh hush," the woman scolded as she pulled off his helmet. She studied it for a moment, a finger tracing the large crack in the metal. "Well, this is useless," she muttered. "One more hit to this and it'll shatter."

"Well, my skull will shatter if I don't have it!" Toma protested. "Now give it back!"

Shayna continued to ignore him, chewing on her lip as her mind raced. Finally, she took the helm by the horns and closed her eyes. The helmet began to glow, getting brighter and brighter until there was a flash of white light.

Toma opened his eyes and looked at her hands. Instead of his helmet, she was now cradling a small blue orb.

Shayna grinned at him. "I think I'll hang onto this," she said coyly. "That way you'll always be with me."

Toma gave her a dark look, grumbling softly to himself.


Shinma Realm, Army Headquarters

"General Raven, sir," an officer said in a crisp voice as he snapped to attention. "Sir, one of our patrols has located a band of bandits. What would you like done with them?"

Raven looked up from his paperwork, annoyance clear in his eyes. "Have you considered questioning them?" he growled. "There might be more to their band. Do they know of any others?"

"Uh, they were found unconscious sir. How are we supposed to question them?"

"Wake them up!" Raven snapped. "Drop a pail of cold water on them, slap them, anything!"

"Sir, one of them is dead."

"Then you're going to have trouble questioning that one, aren't you?"

"Uh, yes, sir! We'll get right to it, sir!" With one last salute, the officer ducked out of the room.

Raven groaned, leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes.


Shinma Realm, Throne Room

"Why have you come, General," Naga Shado growled.

"One of our patrols captured a bandit my lord. I'm afraid I have rather bad news, my lord Baron," Raven said in a humble voice, eyes fixed on the floor.

Naga Shado gave him an annoyed look. "We are on the verge of liberating another realm, General. Soon, we shall cast it into darkness, preparing it for the Light. We do not have time for bad news, General."

"I apologize, but it concerns General Shayna, my lord," Raven said. "she has betrayed you. She recruited a warrior of Earth to assist her in destroying you."

Naga Shado's face turned to stone. "Let them come," he growled.


Shinma Realm

"Is that bow the only weapon you have?" Shayna asked curiously.

Toma shrugged. "That's it. It's worked fine in the past."

"You should consider getting a bladed weapon of some sort," she said thoughtfully. "I know of several realms that have smiths that specialize in creating weapons for warriors who use magic. You could get one to match your armor's abilities."

"But I don't use the armor that much," he reminded her. "The only reason I summoned it earlier was to get back into shape in case something happened. "

She shrugged. "Then we'll get one that you can use without the armor as well."

Toma nodded crisply. "Sounds good."

They walked in silence for several minutes before Toma spoke up again. "Shay, if you know about these smiths, are there like, any libraries or something? I mean, places that would have the history of the various realms and/or magic?"

Shayna looked him in surprise. Toma's face reddened slightly as he looked away.

"I was just curious," he said sheepishly. "But still, think about it!"

A look of confusion crossed the auburn-haired warrior's face. "Well, I suppose there are. I know of a few monasteries…I could ask around…"

Toma's eyes lit up. "Could you?" he exclaimed. "That would be amazing! Just think of everything we could learn!"

Shayna stared at him. "We?"

Toma froze for a moment, his blushing face darkening further.

"Uh, yeah, well," he stuttered, "I figured that since you know about this and since I know Earth we could, uh, help each other out."

Shayna looked at Toma, biting her lip as she looked at his bright red face.

The warrior looked at her sheepishly, one hand rising to scratch the back of his head. A snicker escaped her lips.

Toma blinked. And blinked again as Shayna doubled over, laughing helplessly. She had never seen anyone turn red like that, and it was a very interesting shade.

"You should do that more often," he said after a moment, a slight smile appearing on his face. "You're really beautiful when you do." His eyes widened for a moment. "Not that you aren't beautiful all the time…uh, I mean…oh hell."

Shayna froze and gave him an odd look.

"Did you mean that?" she demanded.

"Which part," he asked in a slightly panicked voice.

"The first part," she answered, her voice turning curious.

"Uh, well," Toma stuttered, "I didn't say anything I didn't really mean. Uh, yeah, I guess I meant it." His eyes shifted for a moment. "Don't kill me," he added in a meek voice.

Shayna looked at him, her blue eyes widening slightly.

"It's not bad," she began hesitantly, "it's just that no one's ever said that to me before."

Stunned shock washed over Toma.

"You're kidding, right?" he asked incredulously. "You're gorgeous, someone should have said something! At least once!" His eyes flashed angrily. "Of all the blatant injustice, what kind of antiquated, dark ages realm is this where they are apparently incapable of recognizing stunning beauty? I mean . . ." he stopped as he looked up into Shayna's frightened eyes.

Shayna watched him rant, memories of tutors and nurses suffering because of her actions. As she'd grown older, Naga Shado had taken his displeasure out on her more and more often.

"Oh, hell," he muttered, running a hand through his hair. He gave her an apologetic look. "I'm not mad at you," he said worriedly. "I'm mad that the cretins that inhabit this realm never gave you a moment's consideration. You shouldn't have had to wait, what, thirteen, fourteen years to hear that you're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

He hesitated for a moment, his mind racing for a way to make her calm down. Toma tried to think, trying to remember how his mother had calmed him down in the past. Suddenly, he reached out and pulled her into a tight hug. Her body was stiff at first but slowly began to relax.

Shayna's mind whirled as Toma pulled her against him. For a moment, her mind went completely blank. Gradually, vague memories of a red-haired woman wrapping her up in her arms, of her brother curling up against her as they slept.

Toma tightened his arms slightly as he felt Shayna slowly start to hug him back. He rested his cheek on her head and continued to hold her.

Several minutes later, Shayna pulled away, her face slightly red.

"What a touching scene," a snide voice suddenly interrupted. "If more follows, I think I'll be sick."

Toma stiffened, his hand reaching behind his back as he drew bow and arrow. Shayna's face turned to stone as she spun around to glare at the intruder.

"What do you want, Chimera," she spat.

"I want you beneath me," the general said in a lecherous voice, "and to then deliver your head to the Lumen Baron." A vile smirk crossed the general's face.

Shayna's jaw dropped as a golden arrow ripped through General Chimera's throat.

The general gasped, the sound ending in a faint gurgle as blood began seeping into his lungs and spurted out his neck. He struggled in vain for air as he clutched at his throat only to have his spindly, wretched fingers covered in rich red warmth that oozed from what little shreds of flesh remained. He gasped and gasped again, each time the gurgling becoming more prominent as he drowned in his own blood. He gazed into the cold hard eyes of the one that had robbed him of life. Slowly and painfully, his consciousness began to slip away. He died in only half as much agony as he deserved to endure, but his existence had been erased and that was all that truly mattered.


Several hours later, Shayna gave Toma a careful look.

"So, why exactly did you feel it necessary to deprive me of what was rightfully my kill?" she asked calmly.

"Because you didn't need to sully your hands with his foul blood."

There was a moment of silence.

"Is there anything else I should know about that sets you off? Litterers? Kitten haters? Posers?"

Toma laughed lightly. Shayna promptly smacked him upside the head.

"Do not laugh at me," she snarled, eyes flashing dangerously.

Toma struggled for words as his jaw worked and his hands clutched at empty air.

"I just," he sputtered, "I defended your honor, you made a joke, I laughed and you hit me?"

"You what?" she demanded.

"He insulted you. I took him out." Toma stared at her for a moment, his world jerking out from under him as he realized that she truly did not understand. He took a deep breath and began to speak once more. "He had no right to speak to you like that. Where I'm from, that just doesn't fly. Look, at this point we at least qualify as friends and as such we are supposed to look out for each other. That means that if someone insults you, I am obligated to defend your honor."

"So, then, I am also obligated to defend your honor?" she asked more than a little confused.

"Not quite," Toma said after a moment. "Traditionally, men take care of such matters for the women so that they don't have to waste their time with such petty concerns. It is one of the ways guys show they care for and respect a woman."

"Well," Shayna said as she blinked rapidly. "I suppose I should thank you."

"If you think you need to," Toma said carefully. "I'm quite happy to eliminate scum from your path."

"Good," she said, her lips curling into a feral smile. "Then why don't we continue?"

"Of course," he replied in a dry voice. "Lead the way, oh great mistress."

"Huh?"

Toma shook his head sharply, his teeth gritting together slightly as he resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He took a deep breath, released it and looked her in the eye.

"Walk," he said in a strangled voice.


"I assume you've been sent to stop us," Shayna said in an irked voice. "Well, I hope you know what happened to Chimera. This one," she said jerking her thumb over her shoulder at Toma, "feels obligated to defend my honor. Think carefully before you speak."

General Raven gave her a careful look. He'd appeared before the pair, swooping down in front of them in a flash of dark feathers. He held up his hand, as if in surrender.

"My only purpose," he growled, "is to determine if you are truly capable of destroying Naga Shado."

"Well," Toma said in a dry voice, "even if we can't kill him, there won't be much scenery left for him to admire."

Raven gave the blue-armor warrior a piercing look, measuring him with silent eyes.

"You'd better," the general snapped. "I am sick and tired of sitting behind a desk while I'm eternally pestered by inane, sniveling minions that lack the collective intelligence of a rock. I'm sick and tired of being treated like your common desk clerk/errand boy when I have the experience and training to qualify me for the Lumen Baron's job, not that he's doing a very good job of it himself right now. The stupid, arrogant, over-indulging, narcissistic megalomaniac doesn't even realize he is about to lose his entire kingdom because he's got his head shoved so far up his own ass. You know what, good luck. I'm outta here, I can't handle this anymore. See ya."

Shayna and Toma could only stare in stunned silence as the intimidating general began to rant, striding up and down a small patch of dirt as he waved his hands in the air, wings twitching violently behind him. His sudden departure left them standing in an almost embarrassed silence.

"I hope he doesn't do something stupid," Shayna finally said, her brow furrowing.

"Actually, I think that was good for him," Toma replied. The silence stretched on. Finally Toma spoke up again. "I suppose we should get moving."

Shayna jerked slightly.

"Of course," she muttered.

Several uneventful hours later, the two warriors found themselves standing in front of an ornate iron-wrought fence.

"We're here," Shayna said dryly.

"I would never have guessed," Toma replied in an equally dry voice.


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