Disclaimer: You know the drill

Chap. 8

When many come to face you

Only together can your journey continue

The group of heroes was surrounded by darker versions of themselves. They all backed away into each other.

"Whoa, this is creepy." Tenchi said while faced with his dark counterpart who was holding a tenchiken of his own, only in purple light.

"Tell me about it." agreed Cloud as he faced his own red-eyed copy.

Liu spoke next, "I believe we are being tested."

"Agreed. We have to get through this." said Ryu as he squared off against his doppelganger.

Goku smiled as he examined his opponent, "Let's see if you're as good as me then."

With that, the field erupted into chaos as the fighters fought. Clashes of blades and sounds of fists flying sounded throughout the air. The fighters were finding it difficult to fight, as their dark clones matched them blow for blow and skill for skill.

"This is insane." Ryo spat as his blades were locked with his vermillion colored counterpart. "It's like he knows every move I'm going to do."

"The same here." X agreed. "It isn't possible, but that is what is happening."

Guyver backed away, "Maybe that's it. These guys know our own moves, so we can't beat them like this. So we have to give them something they won't expect."

Suddenly Guyver I leapt toward his copy, blades readied. His counterpart was ready for whatever move he was about to make. But suddenly, Guyver changed his charge and came at the dark Cloud, who currently had the real Cloud on the ground. The copy turned in surprise as the bio-booster warrior charged down and cut the giant blade in two. As the sword dropped, Guyver landed on the ground and shot his elbow up, cutting the dark copy to be rendered in two. The creature silently flashed and dissipated in the air.

"Now we're getting somewhere." said Cloud as Guyver helped him off the ground. He then looked over to his left and saw the two Tenchi's battling.

"Give me a boost." he said while pointing to the direction. Guyver nodded and air-lifted Cloud, propelling him into the air. Cloud raised his sword high as he came down and in one massive slash, he cut down the fake Tenchi and dusted him to the winds.

"Thanks a lot, Strife-san."

Cloud gave him a strange look, "Just Cloud will do."

Elsewhere on the field, both X's were busy firing bolts of plasma at each other. The copy fired again, causing X to roll on the ground. But it was a low blast and the doppelganger charged his buster to maximum power. X saw him aim and leaped into the air. The copy traced him, but didn't see the figure that was standing behind X and now had him open.

"Kamehame...ha!!!"

Goku's beam hit the copy before he could fire on X and completely vaporized him. X waved at Goku and then turned his attention to the two Ryo's that were still fighting. X landed next to Goku.

"We have to help the...huh?"

X's hand held his arm and he shimmered for a brief moment before releasing it. X then cupped his hands to the side and energy began to fill it.

"Kamehame...ha!!!"

Ryo jumped away as the bolt of energy engulfed his clone, destroying it. Goku looked at X.

"That was awesome. How did you do that?"

X answered, "I can copy techniques from others. It's useful when fighting Mavericks."

"I bet it is."

Elsewhere...

Both Liu Kang's circled each other, still looking for an opening. The copy found one and shot into a flying kick, knocking Liu down.  He then fired a quick fireball and Liu rolled into some shrubbery. The copy followed him in and sounds of fighting were heard followed by a flash. Liu came out of the plants, followed by Tekkaman Blade whose lancer was out.

"Thank..."

His reply was cut off when the Blade copy ambushed both of them, flooring Liu to the ground and Blade back. Pressing his advantage, the dark copy charged, lancer ready to stab into Blade when suddenly a form appeared in the air and kicked him in the face. Dazed briefly, the copy looked to see one Jin Kazama before him. Wasting no time, Jin smashed his fist in his gut, actually hurting the armored warrior and cracking the armor. Jin then followed up with a devastating roundhouse uppercut, causing the copy to spin through the air and land with a thud before vanishing away. The young man stood there silently for a moment before turning to catch the fist that came at him, coming from his own counterpart. The two of them struggled with each other and Jin was starting to bend. But suddenly, a slash appeared in the middle of the copy and he fell in half before fading. Jin looked in surprise until he saw the downward blade of one of Ryo's swords.

"That was a little too close." Ryo joked.

Meanwhile, Liu Kang had recovered and saw the fight with Ryu and his dark clone. Ryu was currently faced off with him, but breathing heavily. The dark one jumped and kicked, to which Ryu blocked. But that was a mistake as the dark one jumped into his Tatsumaki Senpuu Kyaku attack, pushing Ryu to the floor. Liu Kang chose this moment to intervene.

"Why don't you try that with me?"

The copy attacked immediately, using the same move. However Liu sidestepped it and it passed by him harmlessly. Liu then flew into the air himself and kicked the dark Ryu copy repeatedly with his bicycle kick, defeating him. Ryu nodded thanks as he arose and saw Guyver's dark copy descending on him from behind.

"Sho, look out!"

Sho turned too late as his counterpart slashed across his chest, injuring him. Guyver backed down and bent to the floor, clutching his chest. The dark Guyver stood over him, ready to take his head off when his motion orb moved. Now it was his turn to turn around and be surprised.

"Shoryuken!"

Ryu had run up to him and smashed his face in with the rising dragon punch. The clone flew though the air and landed hard on the ground before dissipating. Ryu help Guyver to his feet.

"Is that all of them?"

"I think so."

However, they were proved wrong when a blast hit them from underneath. Looking up, they saw the cause of the explosion. It was the Goku copy, in SSJ form. The clone Sayian powered up and charged at them. But at the last split second, an energy blade came in his path and he went right through it, cutting himself in half. As it faded, Tenchi pulled back his sword and sighed.

"That was tough."

With the last of them gone, the heroes regrouped with each other.

"Well, now what do we do?" asked Cloud

"Maybe we should a way out of this place." Tenchi suggested.

"No."

The response came from Jin. The others looked over to him as the raven haired youth continued, "Whoever brought us here did so for a reason. It might be best if we wait.

"For what? A sign?" D-Boy sighed.

"Perhaps."

Sho spoke, "I don't know. I think we should try to find a way out."

"Out of what?" X interceded. "We don't even know where we are. We can't really make any tactical moves until we know more about what going on."

"So we wait to be attacked again?" Cloud said.

"I don't think that guy wants us hurt." Now it was Goku talking, "If he did, then we probably would have been destroyed already."

"Yeah, why go through the trouble of bringing us here just to kill us?" Liu suggested, then thoughtfully he added, "He wants something from us."

"Perhaps he wants to challenge us himself."

That came from Ryu.

"Hmm. It's possible. I don't know." Liu then continued, "Well, in any event, I guess we should just stay put. If something happens, it happens."

D-Boy shrugged, "Yeah, I guess you're right."

____

Unknown

"They passed the test."

"So they have."

"Are you going to fight them now?"

"No. They need to know each other more before they can work together. I'll give them some time. But for now, I have one more thing to do."

_____

Koji Estate, Japan

"Have you found anything?"

Rowen and Sage walked in the house, exhausted, "No, nothing. We've checked everywhere for him."

"Do you think it was the Dynasty?" Yuli asked

Rowen answered, "I don't think so. Lady Kayura told us that she or anyone else hasn't seen or heard from Ryo in the Neatherrealm. But she and the other Warlords are looking into it."

"I don't think that'll work either." Sage added. "The guy that showed up didn't feel like he was from the Dynasty or the Neatherrealm for that matter."

Yuli looked down, "I'm worried about him, Mia."

"Don't worry, Yuli. I sure Ryo is just fine." Mia answered, but secretly she was more worried than him.

"Hey guys!"

Kento and Cye ran in from outside, faces panicked.

"What? What is it?"

"Whiteblaze has disappeared. He just vanished."