Dragon's Fury
Chapter 13: Revelations and Truths
Bunny landed gently on the roof and released Mandy before Ferratus dropped off her back.
"Oh my gosh!", Blossom exclaimed.
She stood on the roof aghast at the six dead bodies sprawled and hunched over with pools of blood still spreading out from their sources.
"We'll go inside the Hotel, I'll go first you keep an eye on each other."
Bunny went through the open door that lead to a set of stairs that took them only to the top floor.
She radioed the stealth team.
"Bunny here. Do you guys have a track on Buttercup."
"Ghost: Affirmative but they keep changing stairways trying to throw us off. We're gaining but they have quite a lead."
"Understood, we're looking for Claire with Mandy, Blossom and Bubbles. There's only one stairway to the roof. We'll stay here and guard it for now. Keep me updated."
"Will do. By the way try not to kill our insider, she's wearing a blue cloak."
"Understood; blue cloak friendly. Bunny out."
Mandy had already begun searching the rooms with Ferratus close behind sniffing for any scent.
He stiffened and hissed as he skittered down the hall with Mandy close behind. The others followed as well.
He stopped at a door near the end of the hall and hissed.
Mandy was about to break the door down with a well placed kick but Bunny stopped her and gestured to let her do it.
She gently knocked on the door and said in a cheery pleasant voice.
"Hello, Room Service."
Mandy grinned wickedly in approval and primed herself.
The door opened and their quarry appeared.
"About damn time I was-"
Whack!
Mandy's fist connected with Clair's chin sending her falling onto her back.
She looked up and was shocked to see Mandy standing over her.
"Mandy! Bu-but-"
"Surprised to see me-Aunt Claire?"
Claire looked mortified.
"Yes, Phil told me everything. You bitch.
"All my life you've tried to keep me away from my real mother all because you were jealous of her. I can't believe I was so stupid to think I could've been spawned from the likes of you."
She put one foot on Clair's chest to keep her down and removed her black hair band turning it into its sword form.
"After all I did for you this is how you-gluack."
Clair was caught off as Mandy drove the sword through her throat.
"Everything you did was for yourself."
She withdrew the sword and watched as Claire's blood soaked into the golden brown carpet.
Everyone entered the room and gathered around Mandy.
"You okay?", Bunny asked.
Mandy nodded solemnly.
"Yeah, I'll be fine."
Now she could move on. Her children, her family would no longer be tormented by that woman.
Suddenly everyone was startled as Bunny's communicator went off.
"Bunny they're making a last dash up the north west stairway! They're coming right for you."
Acting fast Bunny dashed out into the hallway just in time for the abductors to run into her causing the whole convoy to stall.
Bubbles spotted Buttercup right in line with the door with someone behind her holding a knife to her neck.
Almost without thinking Bubbles flew over and wrenched the arm holding the knife away from Buttercup's throat the sound of snapping bones not registering in her adrenaline addled mind. She then drove the side of her fist into the woman's face smashing through the face bones with a terrible crunch and a barely audible snap as the neck bone broke.
Ferratus had jumped the one just in front of Buttercup knocking her into the wall and she screamed as he drove his stinger into her body delivering a lethal dose of venom into her body.
Bunny who had been knocked over shoved the woman who crashed into her off and into the ceiling then killed her with a blast of her laser vision.
Just as Bubbles wrenched the knife away from Buttercup someone from the rear of the troop ran by her grabbed Buttercup and pulled her into the room.
Blossom was about to attack but she realized the person was wearing a blue cloak. The insider?
The cloaked figure stood up and in a flash of sapphire light summoned a blue rod which glowed and a created a dome of energy around herself and Buttercup.
Bubbles released the now limp body of the woman she attacked and turned to attack the other one behind her.
The other woman pointed her wand at her and Bubbles suddenly found herself unable to move.
She watched in horror as her foe made ready to impale her with a large spear grinning wickedly.
Suddenly something burst out of her forehead and she collapsed face first onto the floor blood pouring onto the hallway carpet and a hole in the back of her head.
A figure wearing a suit of armor and a face shielded helmet stood in front of her down the hall holding a gun.
He had shot the woman in the back of the head just before she thrust the spear into her. She breathed a sigh of relief, grateful for the assistance.
A loud cracking sound was heard and the floor beneath Buttercup and the blue cloaked figure collapsed into the room below.
"Buttercup!"
Blossom jumped down into the room and knelt down beside Buttercup.
"Are you okay?"
Shaking off the disorientation the blue cloaked one stood to her feet then hurriedly put up a shield to block a blast of energy.
"You traitor!", a tall skinny woman shouted crazily. "You'll die!"
Using some kind of telekinesis or magic she sent a chair flying at her.
Blossom jumped into the way breaking the chair and then knocked the crazy woman to the ground.
"Surrender now", Blossom demanded. "Or else-"
The woman's body jerked violently as it was peppered by a rapid series of bullets blasting apart her innards. She let out one more blood filled cough and then went limp.
Blossom staggered back horrified and then looked up to see an armored figure standing by the hole with a gun in hand.
He jumped down and checked on Buttercup who was still dazed.
"You alright?" he asked.
Buttercup shook her head.
"I think so."
Bunny flew down and helped up the cloaked girl.
"Is that you Mercy?" she asked in delightful surprise.
Mercy removed her hood and smiled.
"Yes, it's me."
Mercy had beautiful sky blue eyes and golden blonde hair that was tied up at the back with a series of hair pins. Under her cloak she wore a simple dark grew mini dress under a brown vest.
"Buttercup!"
The effects of the magic gone Bubbles flew down and trapped Buttercup in a powerful embrace.
Smiling Buttercup hugged her back.
"It's good to see you Bubbles."
The second armored figure jumped down into the hole and activated his radio.
"Stalker reporting: Buttercup is secure."
"We've no time to lose", Stewpid said as he, Sale Pitch and their body guards ran to the back of the building.
Stewpid held a small wooden box close to his chest desperate to save it.
They had been duped by such a simple even childish diversion and their seemingly invincible defenses had somehow been overpowered. Now they ran for their lives to their car at the back of the building.
They burst through the door and were relieved to see their white stretch limo still there.
Suddenly a series of grunts and thuds were heard behind them and when they turned to look they were knocked flat on their backs.
Screams were heard as their remaining bodyguards were slain quickly.
The guards dead the assailant stood over them with a triumphant grin. A woman with red hair and green eyes wearing a full black body suit with a red hourglass shape on the front and black boots.
"Get up", she told them.
Fearfully they obeyed and she pointed at the limo.
"Get in the back."
Silently and fearfully they walked to the limo wondering what fate awaited them.
Just as they were about to get in the woman wrenched the box out of Stewpid's hands.
"No!", he cried.
She kicked him hard in the stomach causing him to bend over in pain.
"No get in, before I get rough."
Timidly Stewpid staggered over to the limo and joined Sales Pitch inside.
Sitting across from them were two men.
Mark and Varic Yorknder grinned.
"Gentlemen, I believe we have much to discuss."
As the limo pulled away the woman looked into the wooden box she had taken from Stewpid.
She smiled as she observed the contents.
"Those girls will probably be wondering where these are."
She closed the lid and walked back into the hotel to get to the front entrance.
Peter and Will held their swords up at the ready. They measured each other neither making a move yet, trying to gauge their opponent.
Peter also held a dueling sabre, but despite the gold trimmed hilt Will's expert eye could tell it was of poorer quality than the sword he'd been given.
"Just having a few sword lessons with your grandfather isn't enough to make you a match for me", Peter growled.
"It was pretty much the only thing I looked forward to when visiting", Will said calmly. "But while I did learn some things from him he was not my instructor."
Peter finally lunged at him striking high, Will parried the blow and continued to block and deflect as Peter attacked.
"Is this the best you've got?", Will asked bored. "If you didn't have someone protecting you, you'd already be dead."
"So you admit it then", Peter said. "Even you acknowledge the power of God!"
"Well yes I do but he's not the one protecting you from me."
"What?"
They locked swords for a moment and Will leaned close.
"The one protecting you, is my mother."
Peter pushed himself away and took a moment to collect his breath.
"What are you talking about?"
"The only that's kept me from killing you all this time is her hope that she would someday be able to work things out with her family. Thus she told me not to kill you if I could avoid it."
"That's ridiculous!"
Peter ran at him again attacking with furious strikes.
"There's no way you're even capable of killing me. Master Jonah has seen my ascension to greatness. He sits on the right hand of God! He's never wrong."
"If you really believe that than you know nothing about God or how he works." Will sneered.
Will stepped forward and hit Peter with a quick series of retaliatory strikes causing the older man to step away.
"Out of breath already?" Will asked.
Peter was panting rather heavily now and he was starting to sweat.
"We've been going for barely a minute and you're already so tired? Pathetic. To be expected though. After all did you really think someone who's only been through friendly practice duels would stand a chance against someone who's clashed swords with their life on the line since the age of six?"
Everyone stood back shocked. Even Jonah took a step back.
Peter spat on the ground.
"I don't believe that. How is that even possible? A child so young couldn't even carry a sword."
"I never said it was a big sword", Will replied grinning. "My father taught me how to hunt, and how to kill before I could even walk. You didn't let your father teach you anything. You took to heart the words of a raving lunatic, and developed no mind of your own."
"Peter!", Jonah yelled. "Stop this foolishness and kill him!"
Peter brought up his sword ready to attack again.
"This time it's over!"
Rayza and Adelaide's wrist communicators went off and Stalker's message came through.
"Stalker reporting: Buttercup is secure."
"Rayza called out to her cousin.
"Will, it's Buttercup, she's safe!"
Will felt like the world had been taken off his shoulders. His training and hard life experiences had taught him to put his worries and fears to the back of his mind in order to focus on the important issues of the mission, but having that load off still felt great.
Will let his sword drop and picked the scabbard off the ground and sheathed the blade.
"Thanks Grandpa", he tossed the sword over to his grandfather and looked back at his red faced uncle.
"I don't need it anymore."
"You're a fool!", Peter shouted. "Throwing away your sword in the middle of a duel? Does this mean you surrender?"
Will laughed.
"Surrender to you? No. I just don't need to keep you guys preoccupied anymore."
Rayza and Adelaide began walking forward towards them.
The only reason I'm still here and you're all still alive is because I needed to keep you distracted, but now that my family is safe again I don't need to keep you busy any more.
Peter charged at him ready to swing.
"You're finished demon!"
Will dodged to the right spun and drove his heel into Peter's gut.
Peter dropped his sword and fell to the ground in a fetal position clutching his abdomen whimpering softly.
All the guards stepped back and pointed their guns at him. Rayza and Adelaide stood beside him.
"Are you guys really willing to die for a fraud? A hack?"
"Shoot him!" Jonah yelled frantically.
"If you stay here and defend him you will die", Rayza continued.
"Is he really worth dying for?", Adelaide added. "Don't you want a chance to live out your own life?"
"Leave or die?", Will said.
Suddenly he was surrounded by flames enveloping his body, Rayza as well. Adelaide was covered in glowing blue energy.
Everyone shielded their eyes until the bright lights subsided.
Will was now completely covered in his red armor, Rayza in her more revealing orange armor and Adelaide in her fully covering shiny black armor.
Flames erupted from Will's hands and solidified into a pair of Claymores. Rayza did the same, her razor whip forming out of her right hand. Adelaide summoned a pair of rapiers.
"You're choice." Will said grinning. "It makes no difference to me."
There was a distinct pause as the guards seemed to mull over what they said.
"Shoot them! Shoot them!", Jonah screamed.
A clunk was heard among the guards as a gun fell to the ground. Everyone looked and saw one of the guards turn on his heel and walk confidently away.
Several more clunks sounded and more guards left. In total six guards decided they valued their lives more than they did Jonah.
Jonah was now so read faced it looked as if he was ready to explode.
"Kill them!"
Two of his guards drew their swords and charged at them.
The trio grinned.
"Now the fun starts."
Will dashed forward and sliced effortlessly through them.
Rayza charged her whip with heat and flailed it at the guards on her side. The whip sliced through their limbs and body as she pulled it tight. She jumped right into the midst of them and started slicing off their heads.
Adelaide skewered the one closest to her and then jammed her other rapier up beneath the ribcage of another.
The guards all desperately tried to fire their guns but found them not working. They all fell within seconds a lake of blood forming in front of the hotel until only Jonah Esther, Mark, and Peter remained.
Peter struggled to stand up as the blood from the guards soaked his hands and knees. Mark was holding himself up against the hotel wall, shocked. Esther and the Utoniums were crouched down and huddled facing away from the carnage.
Jonah started to walk backwards then turned to run but stopped abruptly in the face of a trio of gun barrels.
"Going somewhere Pig-Human", Zim taunted.
"Oh how convenient he's still alive."
Everyone turned to see the woman in the black suit with the red hourglass shape walking towards them carrying a small wooden box.
"GG!" Rayza exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
"Tying up a few loose ends", she said grinning. "He's one of them."
Jonah screamed in terror as if seeing the grim reaper himself and ran the other way.
Gaz's eye glowed and Jonah found himself suspended in midair.
"Thank you Gaz. If you could just hold him for the men in that van over there."
A red car pulled into the parking lot followed by a white van.
Two men wearing suits came out of the van but it was the three women coming out of the car that was surprising.
"Mutter?", Adelaide wondered aloud.
Not just Adelaide's mother, but Laura and G as well.
"Mom? Where've you been?", Will asked.
She pulled him into a hug.
"I was watching you. I'm proud of how you handled it."
He looked at her puzzled.
"You were watching? You're proud of how I handled it?"
"Well you did better than I thought anyway."
Will rolled his eyes
"Thanks Mom."
"Aw don't be like that. Look; there's someone waiting for you."
Will looked up and saw Bunny and the Puff's flying down from the roof carrying Buttercup, Mandy and Ferratus.
Will left his mother's side to go and embrace his wife.
The two men grabbed Jonah from mid air and dragged him unceremoniously back to their van. They tossed him in with some other armed men and shut the door.
As they drove off GG approached Princess and Buttercup who exchanged a hug, happy to see each other safe.
"I believe you girls lost these."
She opened the wooden box and the two girl faces lit up.
"Our rings!"
Tenderly they plucked their precious rings out of the wooden box and returned them to their rightful place on their fingers.
"Peter!"
Everyone turned to see Laura slam Peter against the wall and glaring at him furiously.
"What did you think you were trying to do to my son!"
By now Esther and Mark had caught up with her.
"Laura pleased he was only doing what he was told", Esther pleaded.
Laura looked at her mother appalled.
"Mom he's in his thirties he's old enough to think for himself. Or at least he should be."
Laura threw him aside and turned to her parents.
"Now are you willing to listen."
Esther shook her head.
"Laura I don't understand anything of what's going on! How is your son able to kill grown men like that? What are they?"
Laura sighed.
"If we tell you, will you listen?"
The older parents turned around to Naomi looking at them sternly with crossed arms.
"Naomi! Why did you never call us. We were so worried about you."
"Because I knew what you would say", she snapped. "And based on Laura's experiences I was right."
"That's in the past", Mark said. "Now we know to listen. There have been enough secrets and lies in this family."
Laura and Naomi exchanged a look and silently agreed.
"Fine, we'll take you somewhere and talk."
A black stretch limo pulled up and Garth gently helped Princess to her feet and into the back.
"Princess!"
Princess turned to see Buttercup running towards her.
"What's up?", she asked.
"I just wanted to know if we'd be able to see each other again sometime?"
Princess smiled.
"Sure, I'd like that. Our two families certainly have an interesting history. I'd like our kids to be on better terms than we were during our childhood."
Buttercup laughed.
"Yeah, me too."
Princess yawned.
"We'll I better get going."
"I'll see you soon."
Princess nodded and Garth closed the door.
"See you soon", Will echoed to Garth.
He smirked and nodded, then got in the other side and the limo drove off.
"Made a new friend today?", Will asked her.
Buttercup sighed.
"Well at least one good thing came of all this."
"Buttercup!"
Buttercup's parents ran over to her, but she turned away from them.
"Buttercup please listen to us for a moment!"
Will inserted himself between them and her.
"She doesn't feel like talking to you right now."
"I'm her father! I have a right to talk to her."
"You still thinking like that after all you've done!" Will shouted back.
"She says she wants to be with someone who just killed a dozen people."
"I only killed four here", Will corrected. "A dozen throughout the day maybe but only four in the last little while."
"And you do this kind of thing all the time?"
Will shrugged.
"Enough times to be very good at it."
"And how do you expect me to be fine with that!"
"What's it to you."
"I can't let my daughter be with some homicidal maniac!"
"My head's screwed on a lot better than yours is!"
"Enough!"
Blossom forced herself between the two.
"I can't stand this anymore!"
She turned to the Professor.
"Professor, I know it defies common sense but I've come to understand. He's not psychotic, because if he was then he wouldn't have stayed out here keeping that religious nut case occupied, he'd have smashed through them and gone on some insane rampage until her found Buttercup."
By now a small crowd comprised of the other members of the rescue team, Mandy and G had gathered around the arguing parties.
"Blossom, didn't you see how he killed all those men?"
"They were trying to kill them, they were the enemy! This isn't the same as the crime fighting we did. He did what he had to do to bring Buttercup back to him. How could you ask any more than that?"
The Professor was silent, stuck in his argument.
Taking the moment Blossom whirled around to face Will.
"Did Buttercup know about-" she gestured to the overall hotel, "this?"
Will was about to respond but Buttercup did so instead.
"Yes, he told me right before I married him."
There was silence for a moment as Buttercup's words registered.
"You're married!"
"Yes and that reminds me, did you ever consider things going the other way?"
The Professor blinked.
"What do you mean?"
She stepped forward.
"I don't know if you've realized this but I'm not exactly the ideal wife or mother. I've never liked housework, I've never really liked kids, I've always had a bad attitude, and I don't know anything about how to raise a family.
"But even so I don't remember anyone from Will's family giving me the cold shoulder. Right from the start they treated me like family, helping me, encouraging me. They were willing to give me the benefit of the doubt. Why can't you do the same?"
Buttercup didn't wait for a reply, she turned away and whispered to Will: "Take me home."
Will nodded and summoned Dragon.
"Buttercup please wait", Margaret pleaded.
"I'll talk to you tomorrow", Buttercup said. "Take the time to think and look at things clearly as they are and not as you see them."
Dragon rumbled to a stop in front of them and Will opened the door for Buttercup. She slid inside and Ferratus sat comfortably on her lap.
As the Red muscle car disappeared into the early evening with the storm clouds overhead the rest of the group began to go their separate ways.
Just as Mandy was about to ask for a ride Bubbles approached her.
"Can I ask a favor Mandy?"
Mandy blinked.
"Uh, sure."
Bubbles looked slightly timid, unsure perhaps. Mandy wondered what could be on her mind.
"Would you let me stay at your place tonight."
Mandy frowned, puzzled slightly at the blondes request but realized that Buttercup might not be the only member of the family having difficulties.
"Sure, if you can find us a ride."
Bubbles smiled.
"No need, I'll carry you. It's faster anyway."
Mandy wasn't so sure that was a good idea but Mandy wanted to get back to Billy before it rained.
"Okay, let's go."
Just before they took off Bubbles turned to Blossom.
"I'm staying at Mandy's tonight. I'll see you tomorrow."
Blossom nodded.
"Sure."
With that the two Blondes were off.
Blossom felt a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Don't worry Blossom", Bunny told her. "Everything's going to work out. You'll see."
Blossom sighed and looked up into the dark gloomy clouds as dusk decended beyond them.
"I hope so."
They would all find out tomorrow.