Chapter 4: Horseshoes and Hand Grenades
The place of battle, three years ago. The ultrastructure: Mikado. Ash, Ed, and Chad had escaped the deadly clutches of Faye Valentine, and continued their mission to save Zoey. From the destroyed train that could've spelled disaster for everyone. Instead, the three traversed the halls of many, as corridors slammed down, moments after they passed those gates. "Don't stop!" Ed shouted. "Keep it up!" They did...until more security troops made the stairway blockage. That's just great.
"These guys don't let up," Chad grunted. "Even the Hallows weren't as numerous constantly." Hallows? Ash wasn't worried about Hallows? It was the captured girl.
"These guys wanna protect us from getting to Zoey?" he voiced as he ran to the blockade. "Well, they're gonna need to compensate for what we're doing!" What did that mean? Well, anyway, the three challenged and wiped the floor with the guards, who were no match. They climbed the steps, but more guards, tougher ones in black, seemed to pop up around every corner. Still, Chad's strength, Ed's dexterity, and Ash's speed had little resistance from the guards. Reading an "EXIT" sign, the trio followed the sign...to a dead end. That was devious of them to fool the boys.
"How the hell did we fall for such a trick like that?" Ed whined in upset. Yeah, but it was a trick that could fool anyone. Exit, stage right...into a wall. Ash thought differently. Maybe this wasn't a trick.
"There has to be a latch release around here, somewhere."
"What are you, senile?" Maybe, maybe not? However, as he was yelling at Ash, he saw a big button, reading "OPEN." Guess Ash wasn't senile. "I hate you." Ash heard him, wondering what that was all about.
"Why? What for?" Chad wanted to get moving, so stop bickering, you two.
"Your yelling will not only keep us from Zoey," he pointed out. "But it will alert more trouble. I'm saying this as a warning." Ash and Ed decided to listen, going with Chad's words. Chad walked over to, and hit the button. The door rose...the downside was that...it was bottomless. It led to the outside, where they looked over the railing that blocked them from falling into the black abyss...and death.
"That's a long drop." There was hope...hovering vehicles. These vehicles had platforms on them, like carriers. That gave Ed the only idea that suddenly became available.
"Looks like we need to hitch a ride on one of those," he suggested. No one appeared to reject the plan. It was the only thing they could use.
"We need to time our jump, right. We miss, we die." Point taken. They saw one vehicle moving particularly slower than the others. That's one they'd take. They leaped off, down to the platform of the vehicle...a little too perfect of a jump. The orange guards were crushed by the gravitational force of the smaller boys, as they landed on them, and rolled off. Chad's landing...was more like a catapult. Upon contact, the vehicle's rear shot up, sending the injured to fly...down into oblivion...and Ash and Ed into the safety railings.
"Chad, you really need to watch your strength." Yeah, that was...whew!
"Sorry," Chad apologized. Getting up, they saw a guard in a blue uniform in the driver's seat. Chad gazed at the clueless guard, who wasn't so clueless after that shakeup. He turned, seeing the big guy, and...oh, man, what's that smell? Urine? The driver had an accident...that didn't involve his driving. "Keep driving and don't escape." Where could you escape to? Down was not a good idea.
"Y-y-y-yes, sir," the driver stammered.
"Good. Fly over Mikado."
"Yes, sir." Guess blue uniformed men were wimps. That sucked for them. The vehicle gained altitude as Ed turned to Ash, looking at Zoey's locket. Every time the three had rest, Ash glared at the locket, like a long lost treasure. As Ash was putting the locket back in his pocket, his eyes turned to the domed structures in the middle of a wooded rooftop. Why was there a series of domes in a wooded area? It turned out to be a discovery of desire...because Ash saw something...or someone in the tallest dome: Zoey! There she was.
"Guys, she's down there!" Ash hollered. Chad heard him, glad that they've been able to get this close to Zoey.
"Down there, driver," he ordered. The driver complied. How couldn't he? Chad's arms were mighty long. He descended the vehicle to the wooded rooftop, and upon touchdown, the boys disembarked the ride. "Now, get yourself changed. You reek of pee." The driver peered at his soaked pants...and started waiving the smell off. Yeah, it was that bad.
"Thanks for pointing that out," he flushed. "I'll do that." He lifted the vehicle, before retreating down from the roof. Ed, who...okay, where did he acquire that clothespin? He had it on the bridge of his nose.
"What's with you, Chad?" he complained. "You catapult these guys into the depths of Hell, scared the piss out of another..." He was a big guy. He couldn't help it. He shrugged his shoulders. That was all he could do. Meanwhile, they didn't notice their other partner, heading toward disaster. He was dedicated. "Hold up, Ash!" Ed and Chad dashed over and joined their friend. As they traveled through the wooded landscape, they saw something unusual: dogs. They had to be guard dogs. The humans hid in a nearby bush. That was close.
"No surprise that there would be dogs patrolling the area," Chad huffed. Those dogs had vicious written all over their snouts.
"Didn't think the path to her was hard enough, already," Ash sighed. "Knowing this place, I wouldn't be too stunned if those guys who trashed FATE were here." The layout seemed plausible for them to reside in such a place.
"Well, let's just plow through them, now," Ed offered. "If this is what's keeping us from Zoey, then what's keeping Ash from going all out to save her?" Well, Ash didn't feel the same confidence that natured from Ed, but still decided to go out. As they tried to circle around the guard dogs, they failed to retain minimal attention, as leaves from bushes rustled. The dogs heard it, and barked out, alerting...the men responsible for kidnapping Zoey...at least, from a uniform standpoint. With everyone appearing in such a stifling close proximity, the boys were outnumbered two-to-one: three ninja-style special force agents, three snarling canines, and the rescuers from parts aplenty. "This is rather pleasant of them." The dogs didn't wait, and charged in.
"Time to act, now!" The brawl was on. Ed and Chad were busy with the two-legged enemies, while Ash tangoed with those of the four-legged variety. The dogs were so ruthless, they didn't stop and realize, at times, when they were chewing on each other. That gave a new meaning to the term, "Dog Eat Dog." Still, Ed and Chad were too much to overpower, as they flung the agents at adjacent trees, head first, knocking them out, and Ash...well, the dogs began to chase each other, completely ignoring the trainer/street fighter. That caused Ash to reflect on before and now. 'If this is our strength now, then there isn't anything that can stand in our way.' Noble words to go by. Suddenly...
"I take it you three are after the redhead held by Dardanel, are you?" croaked a man emerging from behind a tree in the path. He had faded blond hair, with his scowl that was a lot worse than Ed's lost tempered moments. His teeth looked like shark's teeth. He was a good foot taller than Ed, but not quite up to Chad's level. Speaking of, Ed was interested with this new man.
"Who are you, a flunky with a sour habit of everyone else?" he asked.
"Don't speak so just, I'm not hear to make fun. I'm Viral, a Gunman pilot for the Spiral Kingdom, misplaced by fate." Two more of the agents appeared by the new man, Viral.
"I take it, you have business with us?" Ash questioned. "If not, then step aside and allow us to get Zoey and go home." Viral huffed a quick chuckle. He was amused by Ash's attitude?
"Man, you're just like Kamina: headstrong and naive. Unfortunately, I can't let you go. Your rescue mission will end here." Three-on-three. Ash was more than willing to prove Viral wrong.
"You've been warned." The fight was on, as Ash and Viral squared off. The agents were tougher than the ones, Ed and Chad fought a moment ago. Ed and Chad hadn't had much of a chance to recover from that, probably why these two were a good handful. Ash had to be full of spunk, because he and Viral were pretty neck and neck. In one bizarre move, Ed used his coat, and covered the head of one of the agents, making him fight blind. That agent was swinging nothing but air...but managed to get over to help his buddy against Chad...or so it would seem. Without warning, the blind agent connected a right cross...at the other agent, flush in the mouth. The agent took the full strength of the swing, and flopped over, KO'ed. The standing agent removed the coat, seeing the error of the strike...only to be struck by Chad's massive forearm. He was now joining his so-called co-worker in La-La-Land. That left Viral, and Ash was proving to be worthy of battling a Gunman pilot, whatever those were. Then, Viral tried to trip Ash. Not happening. Ash leaped clear of the trip, and lowered the boom on Viral...with a two-handed tomahawk chop on the crown, driving Viral's head into the dirt. Viral was out cold. Ash was victorious. "Well...he was something to claim." What you talking about? After sometime, boys were ready to move on. They made it to the structures, which were protected by large steel walls. Zoey was beyond these walls, and Ash was going to get to her. How?
"So, beyond this wall is Dardanel?" Ed pondered. "And Zoey is held there, too?" That appeared to be the case. The question now, was how to scale the wall? Ash looked around, hoping to find a method to climb over. That's when he saw a tree that was leaning on the wall. Wasting no time, Ash began to climb the tree. Ed and Chad saw Ash's effortless climb and followed pursuit. As they scaled the tree, they saw Zoey being attended by an aging old mustached man in turquoise feudal priest pants, and a white samurai shirt. His gray hair was in a ponytail, and he was wearing glasses. What he was doing, Ash was willing to find out. Ash hopped over and got to the door, with Ed and Chad behind him, only to put an ear against the door. What for? Eavesdropping.
"Dardanel, I still see no point in holding this innocent girl, hostage," he argued to a grown purplish-haired man in royal European clothing. The color-matching goatee would send chills through anyone.
"Are you defying my logic, Yosho?" he scolded back. "This 'innocent' girl was the last person to be in possession of the missing data." Missing data? What was the data? "For four months, that data has been on the run, and my rehired undercover agents claim to have seen her with the key to the weapon in space." Weapon in space? Wait..four months? Something didn't make sense. Ash, Ed, Chad and Zoey arrived three months ago. That's when a dark brown tiger-like creature emerged from a hi-rise platform. This wildcat teamed with Dardanel, cornering the poor Yosho.
"What kind of madness do you have planned, Dardanel?" Was it madness?
"Madness, Yosho? It's not madness. Portray it as stability and control." Stability? Control? "Ever since I came here, people from many worlds started to show up...you, yourself came from a different world, as were Faye and Viral, and now, even her." Don't forget the boys who were waiting by your front step. Yosho still believe that Dardanel was out of line.
"Still, to execute so many to sustain control? I'd rather be the executioner to this crime of your passion!" That's when Dardanel charged in, fast like a cat.
"I won't allow you!" He laid the boom on Yosho with a powerful palm thrust to the sternum. Yosho was sent flying into the wall, his lungs flattening of oxygen. He collapsed to the ground, as Ash and his backup pair broke in. Ed and Chad attended to Yosho, while Ash dashed over to Zoey, only to be cut off by the creature.
"Hang in there, old man!" Ed hollered. Yosho gazed up, seeing the blond youngster and the brunette giant...in a weakened state. "Let me get you some aid."
"Don't...bother..." Yosho groaned. "You...came for the...the girl, right?" He began to cough blood from his mouth. Chad knew that Yosho didn't have much time left.
"Internal injuries," he observed. Yosho lifted a hand toward Ed, like a last wish.
"Take her...to safety...please..." That's when he went limp. His hand collapsed and thudded the floor, and he stopped breathing. Ed became frantic.
"Old man!" he called. "OLD MAN!" No response. Yosho was dead. Dardanel had no remorse for his actions.
"A shrewd geezer, Yosho was," he monotoned. "And a frail one at most." Frail? Ed got up, pissed at the disregard of human life.
"You bastard! He didn't deserve to die like that!"
"...And yet, he's on the floor, like a rag doll: lifeless." Chad moved the deceased body to the side, before sighting Dardanel. It was three-on-two: Dardanel and the tiger versus Ash, Chad and Ed. "You still want to fight in Yosho's place? Very well. Aisha and I will face you." Aisha? The tiger? Ash wanted to address something before fur flew and more blood spewed.
"What's this data that you're after?" he questioned. "A way to erase plenty of us?" Dardanel didn't feel a need to talk about the data that got Yosho an eternal sleep. "And besides, why do you need Zoey? The data you claim to own went missing a month before she got here." Dardanel appeared to care less about a time line.
"That is something you should have no business running your noses into." Really? Aisha pounced in, aiming at Chad, paw ready. Ed and Ash double-teamed on Dardanel, but he was showing his place, as he fended off plenty of attacks. Chad threw Aisha over and over, but Aisha kept going, landing on its paws and still proceeding on attempts to scratch Chad. Dardanel was far from a slouch as he rang Ed's head like a bell. With one mighty kick, Dardanel sent Ed up, only to crash into a pretty expensive black piano. Does no one in Mikado respect music? Ed was hurt, as he rolled off of the busted piano.
"That's a rib or two," he groaned as he grasped his lower chest. Chad was taking care of Aisha, and with one sucker punch to the left ear, the tiger was knocked to bed. Chad saw Ash and Dardanel battling ferociously, but did hear the destruction of the piano. He ran up the steps, and got to aiding Ed.
"You hurt anywhere?" he asked in concern. Ed was changing his evaluation of his pain.
"Had the wind knocked out me, probably bruised a couple of ribs." Knowing that Ed would recover, Chad was ready to assist Ash. Ash and Dardanel locked hands in a push-off. Both of them were showing significant exhaustion.
"I didn't think that you'd give me this much issue," the bigger man huffed. Using his size, Dardanel began to bend Ash backwards, spine stressing from the pressure. If Ash didn't do something, his spine would split in half. Ash wasn't about to back down.
"You know what's been driving me, right?" he growled. "I'll show you how it works!" Ash tried to jump, or at least get his feet off the ground. He did, and he shot his feet at Dardanel, striking his thighs, and pushing them high. Dardanel flew up, heels over head, and fell flat on his back, feet away from the fallen tiger. Ash got up as Chad and Ed, still aching from the crash, got to Ash's side. Dardanel started to get to his feet slowly.
"Damn. I was careless." Careless? You got your butt kicked by youngsters. "I underestimated your talent. However, I haven't lost." Yes, you did lose. Instead of accepting defeat, Dardanel snapped his fingers. The floor beneath the three began to rumble, and collapse. Ash, Chad and Ed fell into the hole, caused by the collapsing floor. Aisha got up, thankful for those three to be dropped. Dardanel stared at Zoey, the girl who they had held captive, when he brought out a syringe, filled with some clear liquid. He walked over and stabbed Zoey in the arm. Zoey reacted, feeling the pinch and poke of the needle, entering her skin. The liquid was pushed out, into Zoey's body.
"Why?" she weakly groaned as she opened her eyes briefly. "Ash told the truth." Dardanel removed the empty syringe needle from Zoey, not batting an eye at the facts.
"Even if your friends were speaking the truth, it doesn't help us look for the missing link to the system that is needed to inherit the power." As those words were spoken, Zoey's head collapsed again. She was out, once more. What power was it? What could link Zoey to what Dardanel needed? Were any of the boys gonna survive the fall from above?
TO BE CONTINUED IN A THREE PARTER SEQUENCE.