Disclaimer: Well, I don't own Getbackers. Love it to death but none for me. L But bwhahahahah I have my evil fan fiction habits to help with that. Sorry to everyone for the wait but it's been a wild ride of life for me and now with out constant internet access I've gotten a bit rusty. Please forgive. bows I will finish this I promise. Then maybe at some con somewhere you'll see me running about. : It's good to be back.

Story Disclaimer: Luck of the draw this whole thing was indeed. At the end of the next chapter I will show everyone what the three draws actually came out to being; they were quite funny. Ginji got Lust twice so I had to let him have it lol. Set 4 years after Getbackers: Get Back the Future. And to anyone interested I've already started the follow up story for Getback the Future (the one about how Juubei gets his sight back) and hopefully will be posting on it soon.

Now Presenting Once More:

Getbackers: Surviving the Aftermath

Chapter 10: The Price of Defeat

Lucifer grinned. Fingers laced carefully, he coolly watched his mirrors. Everything was going perfectly. It had been quite a feat using the power of only twenty telekinetically empowered humans to force the barrier over Shinjuku but still he had done it. The biological virus bomb itself had been quite a pain to have constructed under such short time but tainting the minds of the humans who had done it had been simple. After all humans were easy to coerce with the right stimulus. Then to call forth his minions The Seven, the lazy creatures they were had been most difficult but now… now the game was ready to begin, and he had the upper hand. How could he lose? They had been in the middle of the game when the idea of making it a more real battle had crossed his mind. It had been simple to trick the God of Babylon into agreeing. The entity had faith in the humans but he would show what pathetic weak creatures they really were.

Then, when it was over, the God of Babylon would concede to defeat and Mugenjou would be his. Then with his "pieces" he would turn this twisted little world into a Hell like no other. He could scarcely wait. He chuckled to himself the gestured in a grand bow to the shadowed form of the God of Babylon.

"While the rest of our pieces are moving into position, the first move is yours."

He watched the form raise it's hand and a piece on the chess board on his left that was only a projection of pure green light moved across the board where pieces had already been in battle. He barely contained his laughter.

"The Pawn to defeat my Queen? Well, let's see how this turns shall we my risk taking friend."

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Natsumi walked down the corridors with a speed that only one who knew without a doubt where their destination was would use. She flung open a door and entered into a wide expanse where Kaoru awaited with her arms crossed, a look of arrogance painted skillfully across her face. Natsumi's eyes were longer the wide innocent ones that belonged to her but were rather illuminated with a cold bright blue light, blank and emotionless. They bore intensely into Kaoru's which remained the same only filled with cruelty and a violent hatred that swirled uncontained in the depths of her soul. Wrath was a second nature to her. A wicked smile cut across her beautifully painted red lips.

"Took you long enough wretch." The venomous words dripped forth.

"You will die demon." Came the patient cold reply.

Natsumi drew from he small school bag a ping pong paddle. At her waist was a pouch filled with the small plastic balls. She slowly reached in and pulled out a handful in preparation. Kaoru laughed snidely and stretched out her hand. With a snap of her fingers, flame ignited and coursed to lick across her fingers. She narrowed her eyes in fierce rage.

"Bring it on little girl."

Natsumi threw a ball up into the air and struck it with the paddle. It shot across the room at the Fire Witch with the force of being thrown by an F5 tornado. The ball burst into flames and turned to ash as it approached Kaoru. With a horrible mocking laugh, the Fire Witch flung out her wrist to throw a wave of fire at the Honky Tonk waitress. Natsumi dove to the left out of the way.

"Is that the best you can do? Pathetic!"

Even before the girl got to her feet she had to roll out of the way of another attack. Natsumi tossed several of the balls into the air and struck them at the same time. Kaoru waved her hand igniting most of them but had to move as two of them shot through. They struck her smartly across the face.

"You little bitch!!" Kaoru spat out viciously.

Natsumi move slowly to the side as tough it were nothing when another wave of flame blasted her way. She threw three more balls into the air and struck. Kaoru once again raised her wall of fire, incinerating the plastic projectiles. This time, however, when she lowered the flame barrier, Natsumi was no longer standing before her. Kaoru narrowed her eyes angrily and quickly turned behind herself expecting the Honky Tonk waitress to be there for a sneak attack but she was not there either. The Fire Witch's eyes roamed the silent area for her prey when the world before her exploded into fiery white stars and then became black darkness.

Natsumi watched with the cold eyes as her enemy fell before her, "Return to Hell."

She dropped the stick of wood that she was holding as the words on both their patches disappeared into nothingness. The blue energy swirling inside her wide innocent eyes slowly drew out and moved into Kaoru dissipating the evil red aura that had consumed the Fire Witch. The waitress fell to her knees holding her head for a few moments and when she looked up her eyes were void of the blue taint, normal and a bit confused. She saw Kaoru and moved to the older woman's side. She shook her shoulder gently.

"Um, are you alright, Miss?" Natsumi watched the unconscious woman worriedly. What had just happened? Was she not just in the Core Office? "Where am I?"

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Lucifer ground his teeth angrily. How dare a mere pawn defeat his queen? Quickly regaining his cool he took a breath and ran a hand through his hair casually, "I must admit your decision there was a good choice but it'll cost you dearly. That rook you kept will fall before my King."

He grinned in satisfied anger as the pieces moved again. The God of Babylon's precious player was going to be defeated. He was not spiteful, no, it was all fair. Unlike the God of Babylon, his price for losing was not so kind.

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Akabane had watched with much curiosity when the strange reptilian black scaled creature had attacked Kagami. It was dead now but Kagami had become a player in the game as well. He was disappointed slightly. He was looking forward to enjoying a comment on the fight at hand with the quick witted Observer. He had always enjoyed Kagami's intellect and opinions. That is how they balanced their relationship. He was a very amusing person. Still, at least he would be able to enjoy the bloodbaths to come. Akabane smiled as he watched Kagami walk away. Whatever fight he was off to, the Transporter knew that he would win. It was as simple as that. While it would be amusing to watch he was, however, more interested in the one before him. He briefly wondered how much potential he would witness.

The two stood in a stalemate of motionlessness, Makubex and Ginji who seemed to be somewhere halfway between himself and the Raitei. Ginji crackled with energy, his eyes sparkling with a dark cunning that not even the Raitei himself possessed. The young king of Mugenjou's eyes were vacant of the infinite equations and plans, only a blue blankness remained. His face however, was grim and determined. A lazy pleased smile crossed Ginji's face in defiance to the frown on his opponent. A wind blew though causing the electricity twisting around Ginji to snap viciously at it. For a while nothing moved save for the violent lightning and the tail of shimmering silver. Ginji raised a hand casually.

"Come, shall we dance my wingless angel?"

Makubex jumped back half a step and stretched out his hand. Menus, small screens, and files leapt from the empty air to twist about his arm and a keyboard appeared eagerly at his fingertips. His hand typed with incredible speed and a bright flash shot out from his arm. With a simple bat of his arm, Ginji deflected the attack to the side destroying some nearby scenery. Grin still in place, he ran at Makubex .

Akabane watched the near one sided battle. It was not as fierce as it could have been as Ginji was only casually deflecting the attacks and chasing the little ruler of Lower Town about the battlefield. He was not disappointed regardless of Ginji's lack of attack. He never knew that Makubex had possessed such a power at all. He made a note to keep an eye on the little ruler for further progress. He just may become fun.

"Stop this nonsense." Ginji's soft voice spoke as he parried another attack, "You may hurt yourself." He nodded at the bandaged arm, "Surely it must pain you."

A wave of presence washed briefly over the vacant face as Ginji spoke but it did not stay long. Akabane raised a brow amused, so the battle was already lost was it?

"Come now, you don't really want to fight me do you?" He spoke again as Makubex leapt back another few feet to try again. He put a hand to his forehead sadly, "Poor little Makubex, always trapped in the will of the God of Babylon." Ginji flicked out a hand blocking the wave of energy and held it out invitingly, "I will save you. Stop fighting and I will take you back from the God of Babylon. You do not belong to that will."

Some of the determined concentration fell from the mask of a face. Several of the files and menus disappeared. It was only that much easier for Ginji to evade and toss aside the weakened power. He waited several moments more before moving into his dash tactic again. This time he made it close enough to brush the side of Makubex's cheek. The younger man jerked away and nearly stumbled. In a defensive response, even more files and screens appeared. The battle seemed renewed. Ginji shook his head the way a parent would.

"Be on guard, we shall match strength then."

Ginji let the next attack approach him then at the last moment held out a hand in a stopping gesture electricity hissing like angry snakes. Carefully he pushed the energy back with his lightning until it was held at a mid place. Mugenjou itself seemed to strain under the drawing of so much of it's power from both sides. It seemed to bow beneath the struggle. Sweat broke over the concentrated pale brow as Makubex tried to push the energy forward to no avail. Mugenjou recognized it's true master's commands and refused to lend him more. At last no longer able to keep under the strain, Makubex's hand made a painful cracking sound and he dropped the attack with a cry. Holding the wounded arm by the other, his emotionless eyes watched the oncoming released lightning flow at him. They started to close to the imminent defeat but as the lightning would have hit, it instead parted to either side of him. Confusion crossed the blank face.

Out of the lighting Ginji appeared so fast there was no time to react. He took hold of the wounded arm by the elbow with a small frown, "I told you this would happen." His lightning sparked over the bleeding hand as the bandages turned red, caressing it. Without looking, he caught the wrist of the arm that flew up to strike him. Ginji's smile turned dark with desire, "Why fight me, angel? You know you were always mine and mine alone." He caught the blank eyes with his own as Makubex strained to shove him back, "Come with me and rest."

He leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss onto the silent lips. He felt the arms cease their force and remain still. Makubex was frozen, uncertainty filled his face. The determination of battle left his expression entirely and he looked as if he had forgotten what he was doing merely standing there blankly. Ginji's smile sharpened in a way that had never before graced his lips, then he pulled his young successor into a hug wrapping his arms around him in a possessive way. It was over, he had won. The blue light the had been inside Makubex's eyes faded out like a dying fire and finally disappeared. His eyes became dilated unfocused disks as his will left entirely leaving only a living doll. The word 'Rook' faded from his patch only to be replaced by a lightning bolt. Ginji ruffled Makubex's hair with a smug expression.

"See you feel better already don't you?" He tilted the unmoving face up to look at him, "Don't worry, I'll take very good care of my silver haired angel."

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Lucifer smiled. Heh, that was a satisfactory win and now he had in his control the two most valuable elements of Mugenjou. If he were underhanded, he could perhaps gain power over Mugenjou now but it was not in his nature to quit a game so early. He folded his hands again.

"Your move I believe." The pieces moved and his eye glinted, "Your queen versus my pawn? Hm, I must say that was a terrible move on your part."

End of Chapter 10

More to come soonish I have the internet now ahahahahahahh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!