Face-Off

            "Naria, we've come to take you home," Folken said. "For good."

Naria turned to her former master.

"I wish I could, General Fanel. But my people need me."

"Alena will try and help you. Please, come home, Naria."

"I told you. Zaibach and the leopard-people need me."

Sgt. Fernsaarin  stepped in.

"General, I want you to come to Fanelia. You can get some help, and I can support you the way a good man should for his lady."

"I…told you…my…people…need…me!"

"Please, Naria, you need serious help—"

Naria flinched.

"Why won't you leave me the hell alone!"

Naria flinched again.

"Dilandau, don't talk to them like that!"

Naria flinched yet again.

"I'm so sick of your whining, you cock-chewing slut!"

Naria flinched for yet a fourth time.

"How can you say that about me?"

Naria broke down crying, and covered her face so her former master would not see her pathetically weak tears.

Folken felt compelled to help the young woman.

"Naria, please, let us help you," he said.

Naria whipped out the wheel-lock pistol and fired it at Folken.

Eriya screamed, but the bullet just ricocheted off of his mechanical arm.

"It's Dilandau!" Allen shouted. "And he's a terrible shot!"

"So the blonde isn't as dumb as I thought," Naria/Dilandau said. She searched for her sword. She had not brought it with her because it was just a visit to see the prisoner. All of a sudden Naria/Dilandau went down as if she was hit in the back of the head.

"Stupid bitch," Naria/Dilandau said. "I should have known that bitch Alena was here."

Alena appeared behind Dilandau, who was just getting up.

"Get up, Dilandau. Get up so I can kick your ass."

Folken was enraged.

"Someone stop her!"

"Calm down, Folken. This is something Alena has to do."

Naria/Dilandau got up, and turned to face her.

"All right Dilandau," Alena said with a look of determination in her eyes, "Let's dance."

Naria/Dilandau began by flexing Naria's claws and she took a swipe at Alena. Alena jumped back and performed a lunging mid-roundhouse kick, knocking Naria/Dilandau back.

Naria/Dilandau responded with a lunging claw slash, but Alena countered with a spinning backfist, sending her reeling.

Alena followed up her attack by lunging towards the possessed woman, spinning 180 degrees on one heel and jumping with her wing slightly extended. The strike of the wing sent Naria/Dilandau to the ground, unconscious.

Allen could not believe his eyes. But there his fiancée stood, triumphant.

"Let's get Naria back to Fanelia," Folken said.

"No time. I have to do this here and now."

Alena sat on the ground, and touched her fingertips to Naria's forehead. She drowned out all distractions, and concentrated on entering Naria's mind. Soon, she was there.

She found a young woman, sitting in a corner with her arms around her legs, thighs tucked against her body.

"Naria, It's me, Alena."

The young leopard-woman looked up. Alena could tell she had been crying, the scar on her eye was more ugly than ever before, and there was a new scar, one on her shoulder. It looked like a whip scar.

Naria stood up and hugged the woman.

"You came for me!"

"I said I would, Naria. Now in order for you to bet Dilandau, you must remember three things. One you are not weak. You are a strong individual who can take care of herself. Two, you are beautiful. You are a beautiful, sophisticated woman who has a man waiting for her. And it's Kerakera. Three, you will not lose, no matter how much Dilandau will tell you. You are a winner. You are beautiful. And you are strong."

"Alright," she said.

"Where is he now?"
"The banks of the Memory River. Please don't let him destroy them!"

"Follow me."

The two women made their way to the Memory River, and they found Dilandau nursing his injuries. He looked up at who had just arrived.

"YOU! YOU DID THIS TO ME! I'LL KILL YOU!"

Dilandau got up, almost stumbled, but steadied himself. He drew his sword, a sword that was blazing with fire.

Alena drew hers, a sword that seemed to be made out of glowing pink energy.

"I'll take pleasure in killing you all!"

Dilandau slashed at Alena, but Alena had jumped back just a miniscule moment before, evading the attack by three inches. Alena feinted, Dilandau took the bait, Alena struck her own blow, and Dilandau screamed in agony as the psychic blade cut through his psyche.

"I'll give credit to you, Alena. You're a good swordswoman. But I'm better."

Dilandau slashed yet again, this time, striking a blow on Alena's arm.

Alena shrieked in pain as the fiery metal carved its mark in her psyche.

"One for one, Alena. Like your odds?" the psycho taunted.

Alena defended as Dilandau tried for another swipe at her, and countered with a chopping motion, catching Dilandau in the leg.

Dilandau screamed, stumbled and fell, but soon got up again, sword in hand.

"Two for one, Dilly.  Like your odds?" she mocked.

"Don't…call…me…Dilly!"

Dilandau attacked again, and caught Alena on the thigh.

Alena screamed in pain as the wound trickled blood.

Dilandau laughed with demented glee.

"Maybe I should get someone who's more of a match for you!" Dilandau sneered.

Alena looked at the psychotic man as he morphed into Allen.

"Sweetie, it's time for you to die," the Allen double said.

"Dilandau, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO INTIMIDATE ME!"

Dilandau went for another swing, and Alena saw her chance.

"DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Alena dodged his attack and ran him through. Alena let go of the handle, and stood back.

Dilandau was still standing!

"I can't believe it…it ends this way…my life…"

Alena raised her hands in the air.

She began uttering words that Naria nor Dilandau could understand. All of a sudden Alena looked up.

"Dilandau Albatou, you are hereby charged with assault with a deadly weapon, murder, and destruction of property on several accounts. You are also charged with possession of a woman for evil purposes, conspiracy, conspiracy to assassination, and falsely representing the concept of justice. For your evil deeds in life, I am sentencing you to eternity on the Phantom Moon in a useless body. There you will not even think about harming anyone else, ever. Do you understand me?"

"You…can't…do this…to me…"

"Goodbye Dilandau Albatou. I wish you the best and I hope you decide that the body you are banished to will be used for good deeds."

"Nooooooo…"

Dilandau dissolved into the air.

He was gone. Finally Dilandau's reign of torment was over. And Naria couldn't be happier.

"Oh, Alena thank you!" Naria said and then kissed her on the lips.

"Oops, my mistake," Naria said. "You know, I was caught up in the moment and all—"

"It's okay, Naria. I know your people are very affectionate. I think it's time you regained control of your body."

Alena left the leopard-woman's mind and returned to her own. Alena woke up, but Naria was still out cold on the floor.

Eriya was standing there with Folken's cape around her.

"Oh my heavens, Naria is dead!" Eriya cried.

"She's not dead," Alena said. "Give her a few minutes."

Naria began to wake up, slowly but surely. She got up, and looked at everyone, then her eyes turned to Folken.

"Naria…"

Naria sprang forward and hugged Folken close to her.

"I want to thank you, Folken. For not giving up on me. Thank you, thank you, thank you."

Naria was crying now.

"Naria," Sgt. Fernsaarin said.

"Yes Kerakera?"

"I came here to tell you how much I love you. I won't ever let anyone hurt you. Just like Folken."

Naria looked at Folken.

"Go to him," Folken said. "He's a good man whose heart is in the right place."

Naria ran to Kerakera, and Kerakera hugged his new companion and kissed her on the cheek.

Allen looked at Alena's arm and leg. The wounds had already healed and were now scars.

"How did you get those?"

"Don't worry about it."

"How did you get all those scars?"

"You knew about them?"

"Knew about them? I was turned on by them!"

"You dirty, perverted man," she said with a smile.

Allen chuckled. "Only in the bedroom."

"All right, everyone. It's time to go home."