Author's note: By the way, in case you can't tell, I'm a Ma-Sho (warlord) fan and I write them the way I like. I know they're out of character, but I'm the writer so I do what I bloody well please.



Chapter 12





Rajura and Anubis held Heero firmly, though his limp body held little resistance, while Naaza fastened the heavy manacles around the boy's wrists. Heero was left hanging, his head lolled down on his chest. As he fastened the chains, Naaza heard the boy mumbling,

"Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill."

It was chilling, even to Naaza who'd seen and done so many monstrous things in his past. The cryptic chant was unnerving and Naaza secured the boy as much for his own safety as for theirs. Until Badamon took control of the boy, he would be very, very dangerous, both to others and to himself. It had been a bad day when they'd pulled little Kay out of the red goo and she'd attacked them before trying to kill herself. They'd only just saved her in time.

Once the boy was safely chained, Rajura carefully hung a metal plate of metal around Heero's neck. The elaborate thing looked as if it had been made purely for decoration, but Badamon created it, as a way of controlling and entering a living soul. Kay wore one also, though she hated the heavy thing, she had been told that she must keep it on all the time. They just never told her why she had to wear it all the time.

Naaza, with his brothers, walked back to where they'd left Nasutei. She was watching fearfully near a wall, far to wise to try and run away again. She now knew that there was no escaping as they could easily capture her again. They all watched for a moment while Heero swayed, not looking up and clearly not aware of what was going on around him. His muscles, lean and powerful, rolled under his skin as if he were fighting to do something, though he didn't really move.

What thoughts were going on in his mind, no one could tell, the purification often brought out hidden strengths and power. Of coarse, it also causes madness, such as Sh'ten had suffered just before his betrayal. Naaza himself often thought of little during his purification, the painful time when Emperor Arago decided they needed more strength for a particular battle. His thoughts were often drawn to a warm stone that he would like to sleep on. Cool breezes in the tall grass and a cold, impartial mind examining the world. Unfortunately, this only reinforced his opinion that, as the years passed, he was becoming less human and more serpent.

Rajura had once confessed that he experienced more physical reactions to the purification and, in fact, quite enjoyed them. Looking at Rajura's mind, Naaza had seen images himself, Anubis, Sh'ten and, strangely, of Hardrock, the Trooper's strong man. It wasn't unusual for Rajura to be thinking of them, he'd had physical relationships with them all in his time as a Ma-Sho. But Hardrock? Where on Earth did that come from? What could Rajura see in that muscle brained simpleminded cretin?

Oh, well, each to their own.

Anubis would never speak of his experiences in the purification and neither would Sh'ten. They would both need hours to recuperate after a session in the goo.

"Please don't do this." Nasutei, once again, asked. Noone answered her and she really hadn't expected an answer. They'd all ready told her that there was no stopping Arago's wish.



Badamon appeared, floating, as usual, near the doorway and stared intently at Heero. The silence was broken only by the sound of Heero's continuous chanting, "Kill. Kill. Kill." Anubis put a hand on Nasutei's shoulder when he noticed she'd started to shiver.

"It got so cold, suddenly." She said, almost to herself.

"You don't have to watch." He told her, sympathetically. Frankly, he really didn't like this any better. But it was duty and Emperor Arago had ordered it. But, she was just a girl and had no reason for watching this.

Badamon examined the sweating, panting Heero. "He is prepared." The spirit declared almost joyfully. "My new host will serve me well."

Heero suddenly stopped the mantra he'd adopted from the pit of ooze. The eerie silence was almost worse than when he was talking. Heero looked up and met Badamon's eyes without fear. His eyes were clear and very focused as he looked at each of the people in the room in turn. In the end, his eyes went back to Badamon. "Die." He snarled and lurched forward. Heero's strength was so great that the chains holding him in place strained and creaked. He pulled so hard against them that blood started to drip down him arms from where the manacles were cutting into his wrists.

The Ma-Sho all jumped back, surprised and frightened at the violent reaction. Anubis looked at Rajura with wide eyes. "He's creepy." Anubis muttered and he wasn't talking about Badamon. Rajura nodded in agreement.

Badamon couldn't stop laughing at the enraged Heero, completely beyond his senses with the influence of the purification. "Yes, little one. Fight! You will be magnificent with a little improvement." Badamon held up his arms and a great rush of wind suddenly filled the room. He shot himself at Heero.


Nasutei-


Nasutei watched with horror. She couldn't let this happen! It was all in slow motion, but her heart was pounding so hard. Heero didn't deserve this! He had to survive, just in case he was needed to wear the armor and she would do anything necessary to save him.

The one obstacle in her path was Naaza's hand on her shoulder. Hoping that she wouldn't make him to angry, Nasutei turned her head and bit him on the back of his hand.

Naaza cried out and snatched his hand away from her, surprised at the attack and Nasty burst out running as fast she could. She heard the Ma-Sho shout out behind her to stop, but she had to do this. Nasty was just in time to jump between Heero and Badamon. She saw the horrible eyes as the creature dove into her, like a sword ripping through chest, carving her in half.

The pain was incredible and her mouth fell open with shock. She fell backwards, knocking into Heero before sliding down him to the floor. Agony! She gasped, almost unable to breathe from the pain. It felt as if someone were scooping out her insides with a spoon. A dull spoon. Someone was inside her! She could feel him, twisting and writhing as he struggled to find a point to gain a hold, but couldn't find it. The creature was furious, screaming in her mind, pounding at her.

Indescribable pain filled her to the point that she was unaware of the strong arms lifting her or the men talking around her.



Naaza-



"Stop!" Naaza shouted, seeing Nasutei-sama start running toward the two. Doesn't she realize how dangerous the situation is? We all started to go to her, but we were to late and she interrupted Badamon on his way into the boy.

Naaza caught Nasutei as she fell and lowered her head gently onto his lap as she screamed, starring up at them, though she really didn't seem to see them. Her mouth was open as the piercing screech echoed though in the room, her expression terrified. The three Ma-Sho's looked at each other, confused and scared. This had never happened before. Rajura snapped at Naaza. "Give her something!"

Nodding, Naaza put a finger to her cheek, and scratched her cheek slightly, drawing a bit of blood and letting a drug into her system. Under his fingernails, Naaza had a powerful natural drug that put people into a deep, dreamless sleep. Within just moments, Nasutei's screams started to lessen and she lay in Naaza's lap, panting for breath. Her eyes focused on them for a moment. "Can't let Heero...danger." Her eyes closed and she muttered, "He doesn't deserve it."

Her voice trailed away as the drug took full effect leaving the Ma-Sho looking at each other more confused than before.

"What was that all about?" Anubis asked. No one had any answers so Anubis continued. "What do we do now?" He looks down at the young woman.

None of them had a clue. Heero was still hanging from his wrists and Rajura suggested the get the boy down before he bled to death. Unfortunately, he was still awake and fighting against his bonds. Heero looked at them and snarled. "All die!" His eyes were dilated with madness and drool ran down his chin. "I'll kill you all!"

"Maybe you'd better put him to sleep, too." Anubis told Naaza rather nervously. They really didn't want to hurt the crazy kid if he tried to fight while they released him.

Not letting go of Nasutei, Naaza reached over to Heero's leg, bare from the knee down, and scratched him. It didn't take so long for Heero to calm down. His eyes fell closed and they all just watched him for a moment. "Is he asleep?" Rajura asked.

Naaza nodded. "Should be. I don't know about him, though. There seems to be something odd about him." Naaza was still worried about all this. If everything had gone according to plan, Heero would now be Badamon and Nasutei would likely be a permanent guest. (After all, they were gentlemen and would never take a lady prisoner!) But none of them knew if Nasutei would survive Badamon as she hadn't been "prepared" for him.

Looking back down at Nasutei, Rajura said, "You realize that even if Emperor Arago lets us live for this, Sh'ten's going to kill us."

"What?" Anubis asked. "Why? She's just a girl."

Rajura rolled his eyes as he took a set of keys from Naaza and unchained Heero. "Idiot. Sh'ten's in love with her. Can't you tell?"

Naaza shut his eyes, not wanting to here that.

"Really?" Anubis asked. "I hadn't noticed."

Naaza felt the girl's head in his lap grow heavy and his rage build. He was starting to shake.

"Sure. I saw it the last time we saw them together, the way he looked at her..."

"Shut up!" Naaza shouted, drawing strange looks from the others. "You don't know what you're talking about!" With that, he picked up Nasutei and carried her out of the room.

"What died in his shorts?" Anubis asked Rajura.

Rajura picked up Heero and easily carried him out, following Naaza. He whispered to Anubis, "He's still pissed that Sh'ten left without telling him."

Anubis frowned. "What's he so upset about? I thought they hated each other now anyway."

Rajura smiled, "My love, don't be so blind. Even I can see he's pining away for Sh'ten. When Sh'ten abandoned us for the mortal world, it hurt Naaza very much. Now this girl shows up and he knows Sh'ten loves her now."

While they walked, a few paces behind Naaza they spoke, a little louder so he could hear them, "Well, I suppose we should tell emperor Arago what happened. Badamon is still in Nasutei-sama, so maybe she is strong enough to fight him. She wasn't purified by the spirits, like the boy was." Rajura said. "Let's take her some place to rest. Heero, too."

Naaza grumbled up at him, from where he was walking up ahead. "You do realize that their little friends are probably on their way to rescue them, don't you? They won't let this rest."

They all knew it was true, if they had to give the Troopers credit for one thing, it would be for their tenacity. The little brats wouldn't give up easily. "Should we put her in the dungeon?" Anubis asked, only to be turned on by his friends.

Rajura snapped. "You idiot! She's a lady, we can't put her down there!"

Naaza supported Rajura, "Baka, she's all ready afraid and now possessed. If she manages to wake up and without Badamon in command, waking up in the dungeon would terrify her."

"But we can't let the Troopers just have her back." Anubis defended himself. "We went to all the trouble to capture her, we might as well keep her."

"She isn't a stray dog!" Naaza told him sourly, stopping so the others could catch up with him. "They can both use one of our chambers. They're as safe as the dungeons."

Anubis shook his head. "Not mine. If the dungeon wouldn't be good for her, then my room is definitely out. I don't think it would be good for her to wake up in my room."

That was readily agreed on. Anubis' room was not a nice place for a young lady.

"My room doesn't offer much in the way of protection," Rajura said. "When I'm not there. I can use my illusions to keep others out, but I can't stay there all the time. The boy can stay there, but Nasutei should be a little better protected, I think."

Naaza couldn't quite stop the smirk as he looked down at the girl in his arms. "Then it's my room."

Rajura looked at him suspiciously. "You don't look to upset."

"Why should I be?" Part of him hated himself for volunteered to give up his room to this girl who had stole Sh'ten's heart. But, he would take care of her for Sh'ten's sake. He never wanted Sh'ten to be unhappy, not really.

"What if she doesn't like snakes?" Rajura asked.

Naaza gave him a surprise look. "Who couldn't like snakes?"





Later, after the two mortals had been safely put to bed, they'd all discussed what to tell Emperor Arago. It had been difficult, but Rajura finally thought of a way to put the whole situation on someone else's shoulders other than theirs.

Rajura bowed respectfully to the giant floating mask. "My lord, it's about Lord Badamon."

"Yes, what it is?"

"He flamingoed up, sir."

"..."

"Sir?"

"I heard you. He what?"

Rajura looked at the floor trying to conceal his smirk and Anubis was giggling into his hand. "He flamingoed up, sir. It's like a cock up, only much, much larger."

Anubis couldn't help himself and fell on the floor, laughing insanely. Naaza was crying, trying to keep a straight face. Rajura continued to look at the floor, his own smile threatening to crack.

Arago, all powerful emperor demon of infinite power, face-faulted, crashing down on the stone floor of his own castle. With an effort, he raised himself to find his three Ma-Sho standing up with serious faces again. "What happened?" Arago grumbled angrily. He seriously suspected that they were playing some game with him, though he couldn't tell what it was. (Arago doesn't watch Red Dwarf!)

"As per your orders, my master, we took the girl Nasutei to witness the boy's transformation, but Lord Badamon went into the body of the human girl, Nasutei, instead of the boy, Heero. We really don't know what he was thinking, but now he is trapped there and the boy is still free of his influence." Rajura explained. "The girl is asleep and we do not know when or if she will awaken."

"Kill the girl and release Lord Badamon's spirit." Arago ordered without hesitation.

"But, sir!" Naaza protested. "We don't know what affect that will have on Lord Badamon. He may not be able to escape with her spirit and be lost forever. Perhaps we could let her awaken naturally and then he would be freed." Naaza prayed he didn't sound too hopeful. The thought of letting an innocent woman get killed for the sake of that disgusting Badamon was simply nauseating. Besides the fact that it would make Sh'ten unhappy.

Silence filled the room. IS HE FALLING FOR IT? Anubis asked his brothers.

I CAN'T TELL. Rajura answered and was very grateful that Arago didn't know about their psychic link. In all the many centuries they'd been servants of Emperor Arago, none of them had ever let it slip that they could communicate like this.
WE HAVE TO HOPE FOR THE BEST. WE CAN'T GO AGAINST HIM IF HE SAYS WE HAVE TO KILL HER.

"Very well, my Ma-Sho. Care for the girl until she wakes. Where is the boy?"

Anubis stepped forward. "We put him in the dungeon, my lord."

"You may leave." Arago dismissed them and the Ma-Sho walked out together.

Once they were in the hall, Rajura turned on Anubis, grabbing him by the collar and heaving him up against the wall. "What do you mean, we put him in the dungeon?"

Anubis, still in Rajura's grasp, giggled. "We put him in your room. That's pretty close to a dungeon as far as I can tell."

Rajura set his lover down with a hurt expression. "You don't like my room?" He pouted.

Anubis felt bad, but not all that much. "Well, it's just not my taste. I wonder what his reaction will be like when he wakes up. If the effect of the purification has worn off."

"With my venom, the effects will be completely gone." Naaza shrugged. "Don't get to curious, though. From what I've seen of this boy, he is completely fearless. A perfectly trained soldier who balks at nothing. Rajura's room isn't going to faze him one little bit."




In Rajura's Room-




Heero was frozen with fear, backed as far against a wall as he could possibly get. He was shaking with terror and tears fell freely down his face.

SPIDERS!!!!

Oh, Crap! Of all things, why did he have to wake up in a room filled with spiders? Big, scary, hairy, spiders! Everywhere! All around him, on the floors and the walls, hanging from thick webs on the ceiling and crawling over the large rafters. Everywhere, big ones, little ones, they were everywhere!!!

Evil little monsters!

Hated beasts!

Heero never told anyone, but his only fear, his only weakness was spiders. Dr. J had never thought to kill that weakness. Even Heero hadn't known he was afraid of them until he'd woken up during a training session with one of the eight legged brutes sitting on his chest looking down at him with its huge pincers! Weakness was not acceptable, so Heero had never mentioned this fear to anyone. God forbid Duo finding out about this.

Alone, in the darkened room with the spiders moving and creeping, the candlelight casting their shadows as big as greyhounds, Heero whimpered softly, "Duo, save me!"

"Did you say something?" Heero looked up at the voice to see a white haired man hanging by his feet from the rafters, knitting. The man had a patch over one eye and long white/silver hair. He was also wearing a pink bathrobe.

For once, completely unable to deal with the situation, Heero fainted.



Rajura-


Rajura watched the boy for a moment and wondered what had spooked him. Oh, well, probably still stressed from the whole 'Badamon trying to possess him' thing. Rajura, still upside down, went back to his knitting. Anubis needed a new cape and this one would be lovely.



Naaza-


Naaza scratched his leg, drawing blood. "Damn it, Sh'ten!" He grumbled, trying to keep the tears from falling. The itching was so much worse this year and Naaza firmly believed that it was because Sh'ten wasn't here to rub the oil on his peeling skin. Nasutei-Domo had thought that he'd been joking when he'd told her that he shed his skin, but it was no joke and it definitely wasn't funny.

He switched to his left arm, trying desperately to get the flaking skin, the source of the unbearable irritation, to come off. He'd attacked his face again, and could now feel the blood seeping down to his chin. "Sh'ten, you couldn't have picked a better time to abandon us, could you?" He asked the silent room sarcastically. "Just at the twenty year mark!" He dipped his fingers into the sticky ointment that he kept in a jar next to his bed and smeared the smelly stuff all over his arm.

An itch on the bottom of his foot was the next place that got his attention. Damn! Naaza quickly ripped his boot off and attacked the sole of his foot. It was all ready raw from yesterday, but the skin was still not quite ready to come off. In the past, Sh'ten had sat with him through the long torturous hours and read to Naaza from one of his numerous books to take his mind off the itching. Sh'ten was also kind enough to help him put on the foul smelling ointment that never wanted to wash off your hands. Naaza had created the ointment himself long ago, but there were certain spots where it was to difficult to reach and Sh'ten just had such a soothing touch.

Even if they were fighting at the time, Sh'ten would be there to comfort him. This was the first time in four hundred or so years that he was alone when it was time to shed his skin.

Back! Naaza reached desperately to find the spot on his back, but his arms just weren't long enough. Now he did start to cry, the irritation was quickly turning to pain and he knew it would soon be over. The pain meant the skin was almost ready to come off, but it was still hours away. Maybe a full day.

Finally, giving up on suffering in dignified privacy, Naaza jumped up and tore off down the hall to the baths. One luxury was that there was always a heated, steaming bath waiting to be enjoyed. Rajura had managed to convince Arago long ago that it was necessary for them to wash directly after a battle or they're health might be affected and likewise, their performance in the next battle. Thanks to that, they always had warm baths waiting. Naaza ignored the soldiers, knocking several over in his hurry to get to the baths. The steaming water helped almost as much as the ointment did. The door was shoved open and Naaza dove into the steaming water joyously.

It was a magnificent splash, throwing water everywhere.

"Ahhhh!" Naaza came out of the water just in time to hear Rajura's complaint. "Watch where you're splashing, Naaza!"

"Ask me if I care!" Naaza shot back at Rajura. He hadn't noticed the other Ma-Sho soaking at the other side of the pool. A slow smile spread across his face when the relief started to hit. It wouldn't last long, but he would enjoy it while it lasted. Like a contented cat, Naaza started to rub his back against the hard stone side of the bath. "I feel soooo much better." Naaza purred.

"Do you want help to rub your skin? You only have to ask." Rajura offered.

Naaza sniffed at him. "No. You're to rough!"

"What about Anubis? He'd help you."

"His hands are to cold. He does more harm that good! I want Sh'ten!"

Large hands began rubbing his shoulders. "Stop being a baby, Naaza." Anubis told him from where he was now kneeling behind Naaza on the stone surface surrounding the bath. Despite his earlier protests, Naaza let Anubis rub his itching shoulders. Rajura stood and splashed his way over, sitting in front of Naaza and took one foot in his hands.

Rajura, with his wet hair sticking to his shoulders, smiled up at him. "Anubis is right. You know you like it."

They spoke quietly together, massaging and trying to gently peel away what dead skin they could find. Suddenly, the hands on his shoulders moved to his neck and then stopped. "Naaza?"

"What?"

"They're spreading again."

Naaza froze. "Where?"

Anubis ran a finger up Naaza's neck and into his thick green hair. "Right up into your hair." Anubis replied quietly.

Naaza stood up, suddenly not wanting anyone to touch him. "I'm going back to my chambers." He told them. Rajura looked up at him with pity.

"Don't you want..."

"No!" Naaza replied, more sharply than he'd intended. "The water doesn't help any more, I have to get some more ointment." Naaza nearly ran out of the room, trying not to think about how he must look. Usually, he couldn't see any new scales or other differences until after he shed. If it were changing all ready, then it would probably be bad when the skin finally did come off.

Monster. He was a monster! How the others could dare to touch him was a mystery. God knows if he were someone else, he wouldn't touch himself!




Laying in bed, on his stomach, Naaza was trying to think of something. It didn't matter, really, just so long as it took his mind off his misery. Last nights dinner or training, a new chemical he was developing, battle plans for the next fight with the Troopers, anything!

Small, slender hands touched his back and he could feel silk hair fall onto his shoulders as if someone were leaning over him. Someone was sitting on him. Then there was the smell of cinnamon. "Sh'ten?" Naaza tried to sit up, but was held down by one of the slim hands. Was his brother really back? Or was it a trick of his mind?

The person settled themselves on his back and started to rub skillfully at all the minor irritations and in all the places that were rubbed, Naaza felt immense relief. They sat like that for a very long time with Sh'ten moving from Naaza's lower back up to his scalp, running his fingers in through Naaza's hair, a place that might have gotten forgotten.

"Sh'ten?" Naaza asked, unwilling to break the spell by speaking loudly.

There was no answer. Naaza was terribly disappointed. This must be a hallucination brought on by the pain. Still, it was terribly life like.

A small kiss touched the middle of his back, making Naaza remember times long ago. He had to remind himself that it was his own mind playing tricks on him. Sh'ten wasn't really here.

"You love her, don't you?" Naaza asked suddenly, looking at Nasutei's sleeping form on the spare cot he'd moved into his room. He wanted to stay like this forever with the feeling that Sh'ten was right here.

Sh'ten, or at least, Naaza's image of Sh'ten, never paused, but kept rubbing in large, comforting circles.

"Answer me. Do you love Nasutei?" Naaza demanded again. He really didn't want to think about this, but he just had to know. Not that it would make any difference as Sh'ten wasn't really here.

"Yes." Sh'ten answered. "I do."

Naaza bit his lip to stifle a sob. He felt the full length of Sh'ten's body lay down on top of him and the silk hair caress his cheek as Sh'ten kissed the back of his head. 'I knew it! Sh'ten is as repulsed by I inhuman appearance as I am.' Naaza just wanted to cry. But, why was Sh'ten kissing him? Oh, yeah. It was just his imagination. Damn.

"No. That has nothing to do with this." Sh'ten told him. "I have fallen in love with her. I still love you, but I also love her. Please, don't think so little of me that you think I would judge you by your skin."

Why would his mind say that? Wouldn't he tell himself that Sh'ten really wanted to come back to him? This was all to strange. "I just want to be with you again, Oni-Chan." He whispered. Another soft kiss on his throat, this time. "I wish we'd never fought."

"We will be together again, Naotoki." Sh'ten's voice said softly, using Naaza's real name. "We just have to wait a little while and we will all be together again. I know it."


To be continued...