A/N: Once again, I doubt any of you were expecting another chapter so soon after the last one. Well don't worry because after this I will be taking a much needed break from writing. I need to recharge the batteries as it were and I just need to relax. But don't be sad, cause you know I will be back and updating chapters in no time.
Also, TS Gonzalo did not affect me as much as I thought it would. As a matter a fact, it fizzled out as it approached and all I got was just some rain and nothing more. Didn't even flood. So yay.
But enough about my troubles, now on to the story!
[ [ [ [ ] ] ] ] [ [ [ [ ] ] ] ] [ [ [ [ ] ] ] ] [ [ [ [ ] ] ] ]
{ Chapter 44: Hell as no Fury... }
Fort Ginza Medical Facility, Fort Ginza.
20:35 Hrs
For some people, being alone was usually the best way to live their lives. For others, is was a fate that was usually forced upon them from a very young age. While for an unfortunate few being alone was a fate worse than death, especially when at one time in their lives, they were apart of a loving family.
Sadly this was a fate Noriko found her self facing, as the young teen sat in her hospital bed and held a small cell phone that had been given to her by one of the medical staff. He seemingly happy life turned upside down when she and her friends were taken from Ginza. What came after that were months of pure hell, as the young student was subjected to all sorts of abuse by the Crown Prince. The things that... "man" did to her, those were memories she wished she could forget, yet all the while she held the minute hope that she would be able to go ho,e and be with her family once again.
Noriko could only imagine just what her parents and younger brother must have been going through at that moment. Her mother must have been an absolute wreck at that point, while both her Father and little Brother were doing everything they could to to find her. All the while, she suffered unspeakable acts at the hands of Zorzal. But just when she thought all hope was lost and that her days would be spent as nothing more than a plaything for the Royal, Noriko was rescued from her hellish prison and by her own country men no less. Never in a million years would she have believed that her nation of Japan and its allies, had come to this world to rescue her and others like her.
In that moment, Noriko thought Kami-Sama himself had finally heard her prayers and soon she would be reunited with her family... but once again fate would deal her a cruel hand once again. Within hours of her arrival in Fort Ginza, Noriko asked if her parents had been told that she was alright. She wanted to know just how soon she would have been able to meet them. But for the second time within a year, Noriko's life came crumbling down around her.
A few hours after asking, a member of the Japanese military came to talk to her. As it turned out, her parents and brother were among those who had been killed when the Empire crossed the Gate. An Ogre hand sent a car flying and her family were killed while trying to escape. This news absolutely destroyed the young woman, her mournful wails could have been heard by many of the medical staff on that floor. Some of whom tried their best to calm the distraught teen down as best as they could, but eventually resorting to a strong sedative in an desperate attempt to prevent the teen from hurting herself.
Hours later, Noriko had finally woken up but now it was very clear to see that she was a broken woman. Gone was the care free teen that was surrounded by love ones, and in her place was a girl who had lost everything and was mentally broken. Noriko did have at least one aunt who lived with her family in Sapporo, but she might as well have been a total stranger. Her family was dead... she was now all alone.
All the lights in her room had been turned off, but Noriko could not care if they were on or not. The only light source being the LED lap that was mounted on the wall just outside her hospital window, as well as the dull glow that came from her cell phone. She had been given said phone to call her aunt, who she had been told was just as devastated about the death of her family. But as she sat there in the darkened room, the high schooler didn't know if she could even bring herself to call her distant relative. The teen even wondered if she could even go on knowing that she would never feel the love she once recieved from her family.
The teen was held prisoner for months was was r*ped numerous times by that man, while her family had been dead all that time. How could she move on and live a normal life, with all the mental scars she now had? How does one move on after going through what she had and having nothing waiting for her once she returned home? Was life even worth living anymore? Did she really want to live out her days, reliving that hellish time in Zorzal's palace every single day in her mind?
So lost she was in her own despair, Noriko did't notice the door open and a familiar figure enter her room.
"Noriko-san..." Tyuule said softly in broken Japanese, as the former queen walked up to her friend's bedside. The Warrior Bunny could tell that the younger woman had been crying, but decided to to comment on it.
Noriko, surprised by Tyuule's sudden apparance, looked up at the bunny woman and her eyes before she replied, "Oh... Tyuule... didn't see you there."
Almost in an instant, the Warrior Bunny could tell that something was wrong with her younger friend. "Is something wrong, Noriko?" Tyuule asked, her voiced filled with concerned.
"It's... nothing. I'm fine." the young woman lied, but not enough to convince the former queen.
"Noriko, why aren't you more happy? You will be going home soon, you will see your family again."
"N... no I won't." the teen began to cry. "They're dead... They're all dead."
"What?"
"They were killed the same day the Empire attacked!" Noriko explained through her tears, her eyes now stinging from the salt laced liquid her body now produced. "I have no one now... i'm... all alone."
Tyuule's heart broke upon hearing about Noriko's parents and it truly killed her to see her friend in so much pain. In the time she had taken to know this woman from beyond the Gate, Tyuule knew just how much she loved her family by the way she spoke about them. It was quite possibly the only thing that kept Noriko from falling into madness while being held captive by Zorzal, that one hope she had of seeing her family again. But now it seemed as if those hopes were in vain all this time.
Why did life have to be so cruel to Noriko? Didn't she suffer enough?
"Don't you have any other family waiting for you back home?" the former Battle Queen asked the young woman, her concern now growing for the teen's mental state. She had seen this before on many slaves that had been brought into Zorzal's home in the past, and it never ended well.
"I... I have an aunt... my mother's sister." Noriko muttered out sadly... "But... But I hardly knew her growing up and..."
"And she is not your mother?" Tyuule asked the teen girl before her, causing Noriko to watch her. "I know you can never have your family back, but you cannot give up now. Especially after what you have been through."
"But... I don't know... if I can move on..." Noriko sobbed softly. "Not after what that... man..."
"Yes you can." Tyuule reassured her friend, as she rested her weathered hand on Noriko's lap. "You are much stronger than you think and I know you will be able to live a happy life in the future, If your aunt is anything like your mother, then I am certain that you will overcome this with her help."
"But... what if I can't?" the young woman asked frightfully, as she gazed into the warrior's eyes. Her young face filled with fear and uncertainty of just what the future would hold for her now.
"You will be alright." Tyuule calmly told her friend. "And I will make sure that you will be."
"What do you mean?"
A sad expression flashed upon Tyuule's face, before she sighed heavily and said. "Once this war is over and Zorzal is dead, I will be moving across the Gate too."
[ [ [ [ ] ] ] ] [ [ [ [ ] ] ] ] [ [ [ [ ] ] ] ] [ [ [ [ ] ] ] ]
15 minutes earlier...
If there was one thing that could have been said about the Warrior Bunnies as a whole, it was that they were all experts when it came to Stealth and Infiltration. It was a fact that made them so feared among Imperial troops during their invasion of the Northern Territories. Warrior Bunnies were masters of Stealth as their natural speed and agility, coupled with their enhanced senses of sight, hearing and smell, made them quite dangerous to anyone unfortunate enough to find themselves on the other side of their blades.
Even after the war, Warrior Bunny mercenaries were highly sought after by certain groups and were paid very well for their services. Now Delilah was about to put her natural abilities to good use, as the Clan Formal maid/business owner stalked her prey. So many of her friends had died because of their former queen's actions, Tyuule would die by her blade for her terason. Delilah would make sure of it.
The sun had long since gone down by this point, as Delilah darted from shadow to shadow to avoid coalition patrols. The tavern owner had to admit that it did not feel right to kill someone who was quite possibly a guest of the Other Worlders, but he loyalty to the Formal clan was absolute and she did not even question as to why her adoptive family wanted Tyuule dead. Then again, Tyuule's betrayl of her people was well known by many on the continent and if it was easy for Tyuule to turn on her own people, who was to say that she would not turn on the Coalition as well? If anything, Killing Tyuule would not only bring justice to all those she betrayed, but quite possibly save Italica's allies from disaster.
Using a passing truck to enter the fortress itself, Delilah quickly scrambled from her position once he vehicle came to a stop and made her way towards the Medical Facility. It may have been a few years since she saw her former queen, but Delilah still remembered her sent and though faint, it lead her to the Fortress. Tyuule's sent getting stronger and stronger as she got closer to the base hospital.
Avoiding another patrol, Delilah scaled the wall that sectioned off the facility from the rest of the base. A well kept flower garden and Japanese Style peace pond greeted the vengeful warrior bunny, as she swiftly made her way up the pre-fabricated walls of the hospital itself and onto the roof. From there Delilah broke into the building's ventilation system, he nose still following Tyuule's sent as she navigated the building's ventilation system. All the while, some how managing to not alert anyone to her presence within the metal fixtures.
It was also during this point that Delilah enhanced hearing came into play, as the Warrior Bunny could hear the voices of the hundreds of individuals currently inside the facility. Yet the Bunny Woman could clearly make out the voice of her intended target, an impressive feat all things considered. It took a few minutes and even a few close calls of being discovered, but finally the would be assassin found her target in one of the hospital rooms. From her vantage point, the Warrior Bunny gazed upon an individual she had not seen in over three years...
The Battle Queen of the Northern Warrior Tribes, Queen Tyuule Herself.
This was the moment Delilah had dreamed about ever since she made her vow all those years ago. Tyuule was just a few meters in front of her and just seconds away from tasting the cold steal of her blade. It would only take seconds to dispatch the disgraced queen and easily just as long to make her escape. Queen Tyuule would finally pay for betraying her people.
But just as she was about to strike, Delilah heard the Queen say something she was not expecting...
"Once the War is Over and Zorzal is dead, I will be moving across the Gate too."
"What?" Noriko gasped at her friend's words, surprised that Tyuule would want to make such a big move for herself. "Why?"
"Because even after I kill Zorzal for what he did, I still would have a reason to stay." the Warrior Bunny explained, a sad expression showing on her face as she spoke. "He... took advantage of me and I was too trusting of him. Because of me, the Northern Tribes were destroyed and my people blame me for it. Even if I were to kill Zorzal, there is no way I could see my people ever forgiving me for what I caused."
Delilah could not believe what she was hearing... Tyuule felt... guilty for betraying her people? Wait... did she say Zorzal took advantage of her? How could he have taken advantage of her, wasn't she the one who sold out the clans?
"But... can't you tell them Zorzal lied to you?" Noriko asked, as Delilah continued to listen in on the conversation. " You said he promised to leave your people alone if you became his slave, wouldnt they believe you?"
Tyuule just shook her head sadly before she replied, "They would not believe me. Zorzal and the Empire made me look like a traitor to my people, and they were right. I betrayed their trust and confidence in me when I foolishly went to Zorzal to surrender myself, thinking he would have a Battle Queen rather than an entire race... I was... just so stupid." Tears began to form in her eyes. "There is no future for me here, even if I kill that bastard. There is nothing for me here in this world, but... Noriko... you were my first friend in many years and I don't want to lose you too. I know I could never replace your family but... maybe we can be each other's?"
To say Delilah's world came crashing down would not have even begin to describe just how she felt in that moment. Tyuule didn't betray her or their people, the Battle Queen had tried to save them all along. Tyuule's words, they sounded genuine. This was not coming from a woman who knowingly betrayed her people, this was an individual filled with overwhelming guilt and sadness. Did Zorzal really go back on his word and betrayed Tyuule when she tried to exchange herself for her people? There was just so much going on in her mind at that moment, yet the Warrior Bunny could not help but to believe that her former queen was telling the truth.
Something deep down inside of her, told the Bunny Girl that her former queen was indeed telling the truth. If that were the case, then did Tyuule really deserve to die? Especially when she was actively willing to leave Falmart forever?
So lost in she was with her own thoughts, Delilah didn't notice a another figure had appeared just behind her. Nor did she notice that the female individual had a healthy blade of her own in hand and was just moments away from striking. But instantly, the Warrior Bunny realize that she was not alone and at the last second, drew her weapaon just in time to block Norra's blade from slicing her throat.
"Pethectic..." the Dar growled. "I knew I should have killed Tyuule myself."
"Who are you?" Delilah demanded, as she struggled to keep her would be attacker at bey.
"Who am I si not important." The shape shifter replied, "What does matter, is that you will die today." and in one move, the Dar assassin shoved the woman with such force, she launched Delilah out of the vent and into Noriko's hospital room. Much to the surprise of of the teen girl and the Former Queen.
"What the hell is going on?" Tyuule demanded, as she saw the unconscious form of Delilah laying before her in full battle attire.
"I told Bouro you were more trouble that you were actually worth." Norra said in a mocking manner, as the Dar woman slithered up like a snake before shape shifting into her cat like humanoid form.
"Norra" Tyuule growled. "What are you doing here?"
"Bouro has not been in a good mood since you decided to run off with these... other worlders." the shape shifter replied. "You were supposed to manipulate Zorzal into getting one of Bouro's clan members pregnant and produce an heir with Haryo blood. But here you are helping these... invaders into our relm, and as a result, you must die."
"I would never help the Haryo." Tyuule spat back. "The Haryo are no better that that Bastard, Zorzal"
"Don't you dare compare us to that filth!" Norra roared, before lunging at the former battle queen and her yung companion. Fortunately both women were able to avoid the attack, as Norra's blade struck Noriko's bed. But the assassin recoved quickly and lunged at the former queen once again. But Tyuule was able to defect the attack by drawing the Combat Knife the SEALs had given her. Noriko for her part, was able to escape as Norra's focus was more on the Battle Queen before her. Thus allowing the young woman to flee her room and call for help.
Tyuule was able to push the slender woman off of her in one swift move, but Norra quickly transformed into a large python that sprung at Tyuule with her mouth not filled with razor sharp teeth. This time though, the Bunny Warrior was too slow as Norra connected with her upper left arm and quickly coiled herself around the now wounded bunny woman.
"I guess being rutted by Zorzal all those years had mad you sloppy, your majesty..." the Dar woman teased, as she slowly began to squeeze her victim. Tyuule tried her best to break free from the Assassin's grasp, but Norra was just to strong and she was now struggling to breath. "I think after I am done here with you, I think I will kill your little friend as well. From what I have heard... it seems that you are quite fond of her..."
"Y... you... le... leave her..." Tyuule struggled to say, but most of the air in her lungs had quite literally been squeezed out of her. Suddenly, her vision began to blur and a darkness began to creep in. Her body began to feel weaker and weaker by the second and there was nothing she could do to escape. But just as Tyuule was about to pass out, Norra shrieked out in pain, as a rather large dagger had sliced into her snake like body.
Upon investigation, the would be assassin soon Delilah holding her blade in her hands and slowly slicing her way through her flesh. In raged by this attack and filled with anger, Norra quickly uncoiled herself from Tyuule and used her snake form to sent Delilah flying into the pre-fabricated wall with a sickening thud. But no sooner had she done so, Norra had reverted back to her true form and saw that the Bunny Warrior's weapon had left a nasty wound on her stomach. Despite the blood loss, Tyuule was now unconscious on the floor and completely helpless. Staggering towards the former queen, Norra drew her blade one more time and prepared to finish off he Warrior one and for all.
But before she could finish the job, three gun shoots rang out and when she looked down, the Dar saw that their were three new bloody holes in her chest. It was the last thing the Shape Shifter's mind registered, before her body fell limp to the floor. One last gasp of air left her lips, before what little life she had left her body for the final time.
No sooner had the Assassin had been killed by the MP's bullet, security teams flooded into the hospital room to secure the area. All the while Noriko looked on in fear and disbelief, as the medical staff went in to take care of Tyuule.
[ [ [ [ ] ] ] ] [ [ [ [ ] ] ] ] [ [ [ [ ] ] ] ] [ [ [ [ ] ] ] ]
A/N: And just like that... poof, I killed off Norra.
Anyway, I really hope you enjoyed this chapter and that it was worth your wild. Like I said before, I will be taking a break from writing from today so don't panic if you don't see an update in a while. I will still lurk on the site.
As always, please leave a review and leave some feed back. Until next time, NIGHTSTALKER OUT!