When Destiny Calls
The Western Continent: Crossing Heaven's Canyon: Part 2
By Cale Kuecker
Summary: In order to cross Heaven's Canyon, the rebels must first defeat the pixie trio. Then it's time for a meeting of... The Big Bad Four.
Disclaimer: I do not in any way own Monster Rancher, Monster Farmer, or the mainstay characters in the series. Tecmo and the anime company that produced the show do. The story itself, however, is mine, so it better not be reproduced for any sort of financial gain.
Author's Note: So did you guess who the guest characters were? Of course you did. Ivo, the cruel villain of Heaven's Canyon part one, is none other than the dastardly Dr. Robotnik, or Eggman, of Sonic and Sega fame.
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"Come and fly the unfriendly skies."
-Anonymous, (I just liked the sound of it.)
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Prologue: The Western Continent.
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In a large tower sitting at the very edge of the great divider of continents, two beautiful women sat, looking totally relaxed to the naked eye. Upon closer inspection, it can be see that these "women" possess not only horns, but slender wings folded onto their backs, signifying them to be pixie hybrids. The first was a blonde wearing shining silver armor as she polished a deadly looking sword. On her chest, etched into her armor's breastplate, sat a Moo insignia. Her white skin and gleaming feathered wings seemed silky and soft and her hand moved with perfectly fluid grace as she rubbed the stone up and down her sword. She was a janne, a pixie/durahan hybrid monster, one of the monster experts of aerial combat.
Nearby, resting on several pillows of silk fabric was the other pixie, who's wings were made of membrane rather than feathers, busily painting her toe-nails. Her outfit was a two piece silk suit of green and gold that left her well-muscled stomach bare. Her get black hair was done in a long ponytail braid that reached all the way down to her hips. Her ebony skin was beautiful and held the proof of a well-kept body so common to the pixie/bajarl hybrids known as the jinne.
Suddenly, in walked another pixie hybrid with raven hair, though cut much shorter the jinne's. Gleaming metal offset a black jumpsuit. Metallic wings extended from the woman's back. She moved with the grace and precision of a machine, with not a wasted movement. In every step, in every way, she was the very essence of a futurity, the combination of both a pixie and a deadly metalner.
"The master has sent us word, ladies," Futurity said as she gazed at her two partners.
"A mission I hope. I have been inactive to long. I can feel myself going to pot," Janne said as she hit her rock hard abs with a fist.
"I quite agree," Jinne said. "Had I known this assignment would be so boring, I'd have never volunteered for it."
"The kuro have failed and the rebels will make it to the western continent, baring some sort of accident of course."
"And we are expected to provide this accident?" Jinne and Janne asked in unison. A wicked smile came over Futurity's face as she answered.
"Yes."
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End Prologue
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The sun shone brightly over Heaven's Canyon, glinting off the shining metal of the lone iron bird that flew the course. Inside, the seven searchers lay or sat according to their own preference, watching their lapine pilot do his work.
"Mocchi bored!" the little pink monster yelled.
"Ah not this again," Pink Eye said before turning to Genki. "Isn't there some sort of sedative you can feed him to make him shut up?"
"Pink Eye," Joshua said, "I think we're all a little bored, but that's no reason to take it out on Mocchi."
"We're all bored, but none of us are complaining," Gray Wolf said as he stood up. "The kid's just gonna have to deal with it." Gray Wolf walked over to the pilot seat, tripping over the pole of Hare's travel bag. "Damn it Hare, why do you have to lay junk out where anyone can trip over it!!" The silver wolf yelled.
"All right all right. If you want to you can move it to the back," Hare said, in no mood to pick a fight with the agitated lupine. "Just let me get something out of it." Hare reached into the bag, pulling out a small drawstring pouch just as the tiger hybrid grabbed the stick and roughly tossed it back into the back of the plane. "Hey be careful."
"Pink Eye, why don't you teleport down there are and check on Golem for us. It's probably pretty boring down there all by himself."
"I gotcha Josh," the eyeball said, before disappearing.
"Tell us something good Hare," Genki said. "Are we anywhere near close to the other side?"
"Yeah we're almost there, but that's still gonna take some time Genk," Hare said, yawning a little.
"You need me to take over again Hare?" Joshua asked.
"Nah nah, I can make it."
"So, does anybody have any idea what we're gonna do once we get there?" Gray Wolf asked.
"Hare, you're from the Western Continent."
"Yeah three years ago, and when I was there last, Moo was only a nuisance, he wasn't the full blown threat he is today," the lapine aviator said.
"Oh great, so we're flying into this blind," Gray Wolf said.
"Uh, we may have bigger problems then that guys," Pink Eye said as he reappeared in the plane, looking towards the horizon. The other five searchers copied his actions, staring outward. In the distance, three shapes could be seen, obviously moving towards the iron bird.. At first they looked like birds, but as their shapes began to resolve, the searchers could clearly see what looked like humans suspended on leathery, feathered, and metal wings.
"Didn't Marcus say something about a pixie trio or something Moo had guarding this canyon?" Genki said, wishing he had a pair of binoculars so he could get a better look at the three monsters.
"Yeah. And I don't wanna find out if these are them," Hare said. "I'm gonna drop some altitude and see if we can't loose them in the stone pillars."
"Ha, that's the coward's way out," said Gray Wolf. "I say we fly straight into them. They won't be expecting that."
"Whether or not they expect it won't help us Gray," Joshua countered. "In case you haven't noticed, we're at a serious disadvantage when it comes to an aerial battle."
"Avoidance is our best chance, but if I can't out fly 'em we need a plan," Hare interjected as the pushed the steering rod forward, sending the iron bird into a drop. The plane fell straight into a cluster of stone pillars rising from the canyon's bottom.
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"There are the rebels who defy Master Moo," Futurity said, pointing a sharp silver talon at the iron bird.
"Are you sure?" Jinne asked, squinting to get a better look at the flying machine.
"Who else would it be," said Janne in a harsh voice. "Most creatures have enough sense to know not to travel the Western Continent."
"Quit bickering you two. That is the last thing we need. Master Moo has commanded the rebels not reach the continent alive, let's not disappoint him." Suddenly, the three pixie hybrids watched as the iron bird plummeted, drastically loosing altitude.
"What in the world?" asked the pixie/durahan hybrid.
"Obviously they've spotted us. We've been told they have a suezo-type with them. It no doubt has seen our approach," Jinne said.
"Seems to be the efforts of a poor pilot to evade us," Futurity said. "Let us go put them out of their misery." With those words, the three pixie hybrids accelerated, ready to strike.
The three pixie-types quickly overtook their prey's plane, cutting the retreating machine off.
"Hold where you are rebels," the three said simultaneously.
"Sorry, can't do that," Hare said as he pulled back on the throttle, pulling the plan up. Janne took a swing with her sword, but missed, only barely clipping Golem's foot.
"LIGHTNING!" Gray Wolf yelled as a silver lightning bolt left the plane. All three pixies scattered, avoiding the deadly electric attack. Hare took his chance and flew the iron bird directly into the outcropping, weaving around.
"AHHHH!!" Golem screamed, hanging on to the cords that suspended him for dear life.
"After them!" Futurity ordered and the trio entered the maze of stone. Inside the maze, the iron bird swerved and moved through the openings, sometimes hitting the rocks.
"Gray Wolf, get to the doors," Joshua said. "You can use your lighting attack to keep those pixies off of us."
"I hate ranged combat," the silver lupine said as he moved to the opening.
"Well unless you suddenly grow wings, you'll have to get used to it," an annoyed Hare said as he struggled to keep from hitting any more rocks.
"I'll try to help out with my eyebeam," Pink Eye said as he moved to follow the lupine, only to be stopped by Joshua.
"Wait a minute Pink Eye, you're not as agile as Gray Wolf," said the big man.
"If I get thrown off, I'll just use teleport to get back here. Don't worry about it," the suezo pixie said. Suddenly, the whole iron bird rocked as it was hit by a blast. Outside, Futurity was projecting a beam of red energy at the craft, trying to sever its wing.
"Hold it right there lady... LIGHTNING!!" Gray Wolf yelled, sending the bolt of energy straight at the offending baddy, only to have it blocked by Janne's sword. The pixie/durahan threw a small knife at Gray Wolf, which was easily dodged. The plane went straight for the two pixies as Hare did a barrel roll, actually using Golem as a wrecking ball to force the pixies to leave. The pouch he had pulled from his bag fell from the Iron Bird, lost in the roll. The effect didn't last, however, as Jinne began to twirl in place, creating a tornado. From out of nowhere, sand joined the high speed winds.
"Hare get us out of here," Genki said as the other occupants hung on for dear life. So busy was the lapine trying to avoid Jinne's assault that he did not see Janne fly in from above the machine, using her sword, Janne swung downward, slicing through an engine.
"EYEBEAM!!" This time the energy attack hit it's mark, hitting the pixie hybrid in the back. Her armor plating protected her from the brunt of the attack, though it was still enough force the janne to cling to a rocky column.
"Good work Pink Eye. Now I'll take care of the tornado maker," Joshua said as he pulled a bow and a few crudely made arrows out of his backpack.
"Where'd you get those?" Genki asked.
"Figured we'd need something to fire with if we ran into trouble," answered Joshua as he took aim at Jinne. An arrow was fired and Jinne, realizing her peril, broke her concentration just in time to barely dodge the arrow. Gray Wolf once more fires his lightning, but the slower energy attack is easily dodged. A volley of torpedo attacks assault the pixie/metalner. With the speed and agility of her kind, Futurity dodges the attacks.
"Blast it, they're too good at this," Futurity said. "Janne, Jinne, break off the attack."
"I will not run from such pathetic weaklings!" Janne yelled, her sword drawn once more for combat.
"Don't question my orders! Now retreat!" With those words, the three pixies flew off.
"I think we did it," Genki said.
"We're not out of the woods yet, guys," Hare said. "That Janne got one of our engines, if it's not fixed, we're not gonna make it across the canyon."
"Great," Joshua said. "Very well, land on one of the pillars so we can make repairs. It'll cost us some time but better than..."
"Not an option Josh. None of those columns could hold an iron bird. Believe me, plenty have tried and only barely escaped with their lives," Hare said. "There's only one option."
"Wait a minute, what are you hinting at; one of use going out there and repairing the bird while in flight? That's nuts!" Pink Eye exclaimed.
"Hmph, if you're too chicken to do it, I'll go," Gray Wolf said.
"Don't think so Gray," Joshua said. "This job requires hands. I'll go do it."
"No."
"What?" the five searchers asked of Genki.
"Joshua, you're too big. Your feet won't fit in all the footholds," Genki said. "It'd be better if I do it."
"Out of the question kid. This is no job for children."
"I can do it. My feet are small and I can hunker close to the plane." Joshua looked Genki dead in the eyes for few moments, weighing his options.
"Pink Eye, get the bandages out of my pack," said the elder human, turning back to Genki. "If you're gonna do it, you're gonna take every precaution."
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Not far away from the iron bird, the pixie trio continued to shadow the searcher's path.
"Why did you call us off Futurity?" an angry Janne asked.
"Yes, we could have finished them off," an equally angry Jinne called.
"Fools, they were prepared for us, or didn't you notice," Futurity said. "But we did manage to damaged their craft. If they expect to reach the other side of the gorge, they will have to repair it, and that means sending someone outside. The pilot will be unable to maneuver with one of his friends outside the iron bird." A wicked smile came over both Jinne and Janne's faces as they thought about what that meant.
"Which means, they'll be sitting ducks," the duo said together.
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It took only twenty minutes for Genki to be prepared for his mission. His shirt had been tucked into his shorts and a bandage had been taped around his waist. Each pant leg was similarly fashioned to his legs as were the sleeves of his shirt. Gone was his prized baseball cap, lest it get blown away by the winds and around his waist rested a multi-pocketed belt as well as a rope. On his head rested an odd set of headphones, the only way for Hare to keep in contact with him. Rubber gauntlets adorned his hands, helping to give him better grip and protection.
"Okay Genki, Hare's gonna walk you through the repairs."
"I know Josh, geez. I'm not some little five year old."
"Humor an old man, kid," Joshua said as he opened the door. Genki stood in it's frame for a solitary moment, adjusting the tension in his muscles against the force of the wind. Carefully, the boy stepped outside, grabbing onto the plane as hard as he could. The wind whipped past him, stinging his bare flesh. Quickly, Genki opened his eyes to look at his destination. The upper left engine was belching a trail of black smoke, a clear indication of a problem. Slowly, inch by inch, Genki made his way to the engine, his body pressed against the craft as though willing himself to be a part of it. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he reached the engine. Quickly Genki took a screwdriver from his belt, undoing the access plate of the machine.
"Genki, are you there yet?" Hare asked over the headset, startling his friend.
"Hare! Don't do that!!" Genki yelled.
"Sooorryyy," Hare said. "So have you made it?"
"Yeah, I just got the access panel off. Now what?"
"This is delicate equipment Genki, so we'll need to be careful. Tell me what you see."
"Several of the wires appear to be broken, there's a leak in on of the tubes. I'm seeing sparks here."
"Okay, we can fix this. Have you put on you rubber gloves like I told you?"
"Yes."
"Good, I want you to remove the broken pieces of wire. Stay away from any sparks or you're barbecue."
"Where should I put them?"
"I don't know, just toss 'em over."
"Okay, they're gone," Genki said, looking back at the opened engine. "I had to unscrew some of the binding... uh oh. This engine's stopping."
"Don't worry about that yet, we're high enough to coast, just don't loose those parts," Hare said. "Now, can you get to the leaky tube?"
"Yeah."
"Okay, in one of your belt pockets, there should be some putty. You'll need to use it to fix the leak." Genki reached into his pocket, pulling out the white putty. Carefully, the boy began to smooth the stuff over the tube, creating a seal that would hold the liquid in. "Now what?"
"In one of your other pockets should be a whole mess of wires. You need to connect them where the other wires were, and screw back in the holding bars."
"Gotcha." Genki attached the wires without trouble. Unfortunately, as he prepared to reattach the bars, a gust of wind knocked the screwdriver from his hand. Before Genki could react, a pink hand grabbed the falling tool.
"Don't worry I got it," Mocchi said.
"Mocchi!" Genki yelled, surprised to see his partner clinging to the plane like him. "What are you doing here!?"
"Where you go, I go," Mocchi said, determination in his voice.
"You shouldn't be out here."
"Neither of you should be out there!" Hare yelled. "Get those repairs finished. The sooner you get done, the sooner you get back in here."
"Okay, okay," Genki said, finishing his chore. "Okay, we're done."
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Of course, all this activity did not go unnoticed by the pixie trio shadowing the iron bird.
"It looks like they sent the brat and his pet out to fix their engines," Futurity said.
"Then what are we waiting for?" Janne said.
"All too impetuous," Jinne remarked as the three took flight.
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"Okay we're done," came Genki's voice over the radio.
"Excellent, get back inside but take your time. No point in loosing you both now that we can make it across," Hare said.
"Ignore that kid, get in here as quickly as possible," an agitated Gray Wolf yelled into the headphones, and Hare's ears. "We've got company." Outside could be seen the two silhouettes of Futurity and Jinne. "Where's the other one?" Gray Wolf snapped.
"Bogie at seven o'clock people," Pink Eye said, looking back to where Genki hung on for dear life. Sure enough, rapidly gaining on them as the boy struggled against the winds to keep from blowing him and Mocchi into the abyss. Gray Wolf jumped out onto the wing, digging his claws into the metal to keep from being blown away. Lances of silver lightning shot out of wolf's horns as he attempted to hit one of the pixies.
"Pink Eye get your tail out here!" Gray Wolf yelled as a blast of red flashed past him.
"M-m-m-me?" Pink Eye asked sheepishly. "Why not someone else? Hare, you could probably help better than I could.
"Gee, I'd love to Pink, but I'm kinda busy FLYING THE BIRD!" The irritated lapine griped as the plane rocked. "And besides, I don't have any ranged attacks, now get out there!" Reluctantly, Pink Eye complied, adding his eyebeam attack to Gray Wolf's lightning in their attempt to drive away the baddies.
Elsewhere, on the outside of the plane, Genki was having problems of his own dodging Janne's attacks. The pixie/durahan had been using her sword to redirect Gray Wolf's lightning at the boy, but once the wolf had figured out her strategy, he had stopped attacking her. Now Genki was busy dodging her own beam attacks as she got closer and closer, while still trying to hang on to the iron bird. Finally, the pixie hybrid came close enough to use her sword, swinging at Genki's legs. The raven-haired boy jumped over the dangerous attack as Mocchi tried to slap at Janne. Thus distracted, Janne proved susceptible to a kick from Genki.
"Why you little nuisance!! Let's see how you like my SWORD OF VENGEANCE!" exclaimed Janne as she pulled her sword back for the attack. Mocchi came to his owner's defense however, bouncing off the iron bird in a ball to slam into Janne's head, knocking her back. Unfortunately, the richoquet effect sent the little pink monster flying high, too high.
"Mocchi, grab on!!" Genki yelled as he reached out a hand as far as he could to grab his friend. To his horror, the boy's arms proved too short to catch Mocchi, who plummeted past him. "NO!!"
"Good riddance," the recovered Janne said as she charged again, ready to skewer the boy. "But you'll be joining him soon enough."
"CHI!!!!" Mocchi called as he shot upward, striking the baddy in the chin. Below, Genki saw Golem's massive hand sticking out from under the iron bird. Janne fell from the sky as Mocchi landed back on the machine.
Meanwhile, Gray Wolf and Pink Eye had their paws and tails full with Futurity who fired beams from both of her hands, forcing the two monsters to negate the blasts.
"Where's the Jinne?" Gray Wolf asked.
"I don't know, my eye's kinda busy right now... EYEBEAM!" Pink Eye said as his blast blocked another of Futurity's beams. The tiger hybrid quickly scanned the area to find Jinne in front of the iron bird, preparing a tornado attack of her own. Knowing the danger, Gray Wolf was quick to act.
"SONIC MOVE!" Gray Wolf said, disappearing as he moved to the front of the plane.
"What?!" Jinne said, surprised at Gray Wolf's agility.
"Not this time witch," the silver lupine said as he opened his mouth wind. "ARCTIC BLAST!!" A familiar blue and white beam issued forth from Gray Wolf's mouth, striking Jinne ferociously and freezing her body into a solid block of ice that plummeted out of the sky.
"Way to go Gray Wolf!" Pink Eye said as he watched the attack. Behind him, Futurity swept in, ready to kill the searcher.
"You should never let your guard down in battle," Futurity said, swiping at Pink Eye. The eyeball was able to dodge in time, leaving the pixie hybrid staring at Joshua, bow loaded with an arrow.
"Neither should you," was all the human said as he let the shaft fly. Futurity proved unable to dodge as arrow struck her squarely in the chest. It was a lost disk that fell from the battle.
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Later, after Genki had managed to make his way back inside, the mood was a lot less hectic than a few minutes ago.
"We did it!!" Genki called as he jumped up and down, hugging Mocchi tightly. "Mocchi, you were fantastic!"
"We won!" Mocchi called, equally happy.
"Not bad for a party with no fliers, huh," Pink Eye said.
"Well, I suggest you all get ready, I'm gonna try to land this thing," Hare said, pointing out the window at the cliffside that was greeting them. All the searchers began to secure themselves to anything that would hold them as the plane descended over ground. Golem's feet dug into the soil as Hare turned off the engines of the iron bird. With all his might, Golem tugged on the plane, trying to bring it too a halt. Unfortunately, the cords proved too weak to help and the plane broke free, crashing into a rock that jutted from the ground. Dizzy but otherwise unhurt the searchers began to climb out of the wrecked iron bird.
"Some landing rabbit, remind me to never get in a flyer with you again," Gray Wolf quipped as he stumbled out.
"Any landing you can walk a way from..." Hare said, equally dazed.
It took only about twenty minutes for the ground to stop spinning for the searchers, allowing them to assess the damage to their transport.
"Well it's official, this thing won't be flying again without some major repairs," Joshua said.
"Were we planning on crossing the canyon again?" Gray Wolf asked, his back to the ship.
"Well I don't know about you wolf-boy, but I'd like to see home again when this is over," Pink Eye said. Genki ignored the two his attention instead falling on Hare. The lapine monster was sitting on a rock, bent over with his hands on his knees, gasping for breath.
"Hare are you all right?" asked the boy. Hare looked up at him, a look of intense pain on his face.
"Help," the rabbit managed to wheeze out, which caught the others attention. "I... need... the... pouch..." Hare managed to say before he fell to the ground, clutching his pain-wracked body.
"HARE!!" Everyone yelled.
To Be Continued...
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Epilogue: The Big Bad Four emerge or Planning
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The wind whipped around Moo's floating castle, a byproduct of the perpetual storm that seemed to follow the titan wherever he went. Red wings held a distinctly female body aloft in the raging storm. Her red hair flew wildly around her, hiding her horns in a red halo. Pixie carefully let the wind carry her to the landing pad of the castle, where a familiar blue and white wolf waited.
"I didn't think anyone could navigate those winds," Tiger said as he walked out to greet his fellow monster.
"Tiger of the Wind," Pixie said. "I take it we are the first to arrive."
"It would appear so," came Gali's voice. The other two members of the Big Bad Four looked up to see Gali's golden mask suspended in thin air. His white patterned cloak flowed out of the mask magically, fitting itself neatly around the monster's nonexistent shoulders as the medallion of Moo appeared on his invisible chest. "Though without teleportation powers, as much can be expected."
"Master Gali, such a pleasure to see you," Tiger said.
"I take it from your conversation that the clown has not shown himself yet," Gali continued.
"If you mean Daemon, I haven't seen or smelled him since my arrival," Tiger said.
"Bah, the less I see of him, the better," Pixie said, spitting in disgust.
"Such disgust for my person," said a raspy voice. "One would think I was disliked." From the shadows, Daemon materialized. The flames of his collar and his double-bladed scythe were distinctly contrasted by the eerie blue eyes of his masked face. His cloak billowed in the wind, moving through the air like an evil shadow. His horns as red mask glinted in the faint light, further adding to the dark presence he exuded.
"If you get such a feeling from us, perhaps you should leave," Gali said, not even bothering to hide the contempt in his voice.
"Such hostility does not become a member of the Big Bad Four, masked one, perhaps it is you who should leave."
"I'm surprised your two shadows aren't here," Tiger said.
"Shadows?"
"Those two mutant evil hares you always have around you," Pixie explained.
"They are merely my assistants and bodyguards. Are you suggesting there is some reason to fear for my safety while in the protection of the mighty Moo?" Daemon replied, his voice almost accusatory of his three allies.
"Excuse me," came a timid voice from the castle's door. Standing in the doorway was an usaba, clearly overawed by the combined presence of the complete Big Bad Four.
"Yes," Pixie said, her voice decidedly neutral toward the underling.
"Master Moo is ready to see you," the plant/suezo said. The four masters followed the one-eyed plant as he led them through the forest. Soon, the five made it to the titan's room, the usaba entering first. "Master Moo, I present Master Pixie, Master Gali, Master Tiger, and Master Daemon." With those words, the usaba decided to make himself scarce. As they entered, the two legged members of the Big Bad Four bowed before their leader, while the other two, lacking knees or waists, simply nodded.
"Ah, my loyal servants," Moo said, his hand sweeping in a gesture of welcome to his generals. "It pleases me no end that you all answered my summons so promptly."
"We live to serve, and serve to live," the four monsters said in unison.
"I have summoned you here for a purpose." Another gesture from Moo and the four monsters stood straight. "As you may have heard, a group of seven monsters and humans have recently begun to cause trouble for me."
"Yes we are all familiar with these rebels. But why should such a pathetic force concern you Master Moo," Gali said.
"In all the world, no monster can match my power. Even you, my chosen four, pale in comparison to my strength... But there is one monster who has yet to be unlocked and who can match my powers; the Phoenix. This is what the rebels seek to use to undo me."
"Such plans have been attempted before great one, and have met with failure when no leads could be found on the bird. What makes these searchers any different?" Daemon asked. As if on cue a holographic display appeared, showing the magic stone.
"This is what makes them different. It is an artifact from ancient time, and in the hands of the groups leader, it is leading them to the Phoenix. I can feel it every time he uses it," the golden armored monster said.
"Then it must be destroyed, along with the group," Tiger concluded.
"No. In my hands, the stone could vastly increase our power. Find the rebels, bring me that stone."
"As you command," the four said, taking Moo's words as a dismissal.
"HOLD!" Moo commanded, stopping all four in their tracks. "I have been trying to keep track of these rebels since I discovered them. A bizarre energy permeates one of them. Bring them to me alive, if possible. I will know the reason for this energy, and possess it for my own." Then Moo grabbed his cape, pulling it around him as he turned to leave, signaling the meeting truly was at an end. The four made their way to the landing field.
"Rumor has it that the rebels are in your territory Pixie," Daemon said, breaking the silence. The joker/gali stared at the pixie, waiting for a response.
"And you're point would be?"
"A valid one for once," Gali interrupted, floating to the auburn-haired baddy. "Master Moo has made it abundantly clear that we are to make the capture of these searchers a top priority."
"Yes it might behoove us to work together, combine our forces," Tiger said.
"I would be most happy to send you some of my joker troops," Daemon offered, his voice saccharin sweet.
"That is reason enough to do this on my own," Pixie said. "I can handle these upstarts without your help. And YOU stay out of my territory."
"Be it so," Daemon said, his voice calm. Pixie's bat wings opened wide and carried her aloft and into the sky. Tiger boarded his private iron bird as Gali disappeared, leaving Daemon alone. "I trust you heard everything."
"Ses Holina," came a high grating voice as a figure rose from the hard ground. It looked to be human and an especially gangly one at that. His entire body was wrapped in white bandages, save for a single large red eye and three hairs. A green suit, neatly kept with a high collar and two green pointed shoes helped to complete the ensemble. And in his hands were two knives, their silver blades tinted red with blood. The figure stood tall, bowing slightly before standing almost like a rag doll. It's head lay to the side, and a wild look could be seen in the visible eye. "Yes master, I heard."
"Then I assume you know your mission?" the demon monster asked. "I enjoy having a pair of eyes here, but I warn you I will not tolerate failure."
"I am not my host, I am not Strife. There will be no failure, I'd stake my life," the figure said, a giggle escaping his lips.
"Then explain my lack of knowledge concerning both this stone and the rebels."
"The one I watch has learned to lie, for that high crime, I swear he'll die."
"Very well, report to me when you've learned more."
"The wish you want, I will prepare, none shall stop me, none shall dare," the figure said as it once more melded into the ground. With that, Daemon also left in a ball of flame.
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So what's happened to Hare, and just what can the searchers do about it? You'll just have to wait to find out. I promise it will not take as long as this one though, which was stalled thanks to the holidays. As always, please read and review, the more I get, the better the story becomes.
The Western Continent: Crossing Heaven's Canyon: Part 2
By Cale Kuecker
Summary: In order to cross Heaven's Canyon, the rebels must first defeat the pixie trio. Then it's time for a meeting of... The Big Bad Four.
Disclaimer: I do not in any way own Monster Rancher, Monster Farmer, or the mainstay characters in the series. Tecmo and the anime company that produced the show do. The story itself, however, is mine, so it better not be reproduced for any sort of financial gain.
Author's Note: So did you guess who the guest characters were? Of course you did. Ivo, the cruel villain of Heaven's Canyon part one, is none other than the dastardly Dr. Robotnik, or Eggman, of Sonic and Sega fame.
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"Come and fly the unfriendly skies."
-Anonymous, (I just liked the sound of it.)
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Prologue: The Western Continent.
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In a large tower sitting at the very edge of the great divider of continents, two beautiful women sat, looking totally relaxed to the naked eye. Upon closer inspection, it can be see that these "women" possess not only horns, but slender wings folded onto their backs, signifying them to be pixie hybrids. The first was a blonde wearing shining silver armor as she polished a deadly looking sword. On her chest, etched into her armor's breastplate, sat a Moo insignia. Her white skin and gleaming feathered wings seemed silky and soft and her hand moved with perfectly fluid grace as she rubbed the stone up and down her sword. She was a janne, a pixie/durahan hybrid monster, one of the monster experts of aerial combat.
Nearby, resting on several pillows of silk fabric was the other pixie, who's wings were made of membrane rather than feathers, busily painting her toe-nails. Her outfit was a two piece silk suit of green and gold that left her well-muscled stomach bare. Her get black hair was done in a long ponytail braid that reached all the way down to her hips. Her ebony skin was beautiful and held the proof of a well-kept body so common to the pixie/bajarl hybrids known as the jinne.
Suddenly, in walked another pixie hybrid with raven hair, though cut much shorter the jinne's. Gleaming metal offset a black jumpsuit. Metallic wings extended from the woman's back. She moved with the grace and precision of a machine, with not a wasted movement. In every step, in every way, she was the very essence of a futurity, the combination of both a pixie and a deadly metalner.
"The master has sent us word, ladies," Futurity said as she gazed at her two partners.
"A mission I hope. I have been inactive to long. I can feel myself going to pot," Janne said as she hit her rock hard abs with a fist.
"I quite agree," Jinne said. "Had I known this assignment would be so boring, I'd have never volunteered for it."
"The kuro have failed and the rebels will make it to the western continent, baring some sort of accident of course."
"And we are expected to provide this accident?" Jinne and Janne asked in unison. A wicked smile came over Futurity's face as she answered.
"Yes."
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End Prologue
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The sun shone brightly over Heaven's Canyon, glinting off the shining metal of the lone iron bird that flew the course. Inside, the seven searchers lay or sat according to their own preference, watching their lapine pilot do his work.
"Mocchi bored!" the little pink monster yelled.
"Ah not this again," Pink Eye said before turning to Genki. "Isn't there some sort of sedative you can feed him to make him shut up?"
"Pink Eye," Joshua said, "I think we're all a little bored, but that's no reason to take it out on Mocchi."
"We're all bored, but none of us are complaining," Gray Wolf said as he stood up. "The kid's just gonna have to deal with it." Gray Wolf walked over to the pilot seat, tripping over the pole of Hare's travel bag. "Damn it Hare, why do you have to lay junk out where anyone can trip over it!!" The silver wolf yelled.
"All right all right. If you want to you can move it to the back," Hare said, in no mood to pick a fight with the agitated lupine. "Just let me get something out of it." Hare reached into the bag, pulling out a small drawstring pouch just as the tiger hybrid grabbed the stick and roughly tossed it back into the back of the plane. "Hey be careful."
"Pink Eye, why don't you teleport down there are and check on Golem for us. It's probably pretty boring down there all by himself."
"I gotcha Josh," the eyeball said, before disappearing.
"Tell us something good Hare," Genki said. "Are we anywhere near close to the other side?"
"Yeah we're almost there, but that's still gonna take some time Genk," Hare said, yawning a little.
"You need me to take over again Hare?" Joshua asked.
"Nah nah, I can make it."
"So, does anybody have any idea what we're gonna do once we get there?" Gray Wolf asked.
"Hare, you're from the Western Continent."
"Yeah three years ago, and when I was there last, Moo was only a nuisance, he wasn't the full blown threat he is today," the lapine aviator said.
"Oh great, so we're flying into this blind," Gray Wolf said.
"Uh, we may have bigger problems then that guys," Pink Eye said as he reappeared in the plane, looking towards the horizon. The other five searchers copied his actions, staring outward. In the distance, three shapes could be seen, obviously moving towards the iron bird.. At first they looked like birds, but as their shapes began to resolve, the searchers could clearly see what looked like humans suspended on leathery, feathered, and metal wings.
"Didn't Marcus say something about a pixie trio or something Moo had guarding this canyon?" Genki said, wishing he had a pair of binoculars so he could get a better look at the three monsters.
"Yeah. And I don't wanna find out if these are them," Hare said. "I'm gonna drop some altitude and see if we can't loose them in the stone pillars."
"Ha, that's the coward's way out," said Gray Wolf. "I say we fly straight into them. They won't be expecting that."
"Whether or not they expect it won't help us Gray," Joshua countered. "In case you haven't noticed, we're at a serious disadvantage when it comes to an aerial battle."
"Avoidance is our best chance, but if I can't out fly 'em we need a plan," Hare interjected as the pushed the steering rod forward, sending the iron bird into a drop. The plane fell straight into a cluster of stone pillars rising from the canyon's bottom.
***************************************
"There are the rebels who defy Master Moo," Futurity said, pointing a sharp silver talon at the iron bird.
"Are you sure?" Jinne asked, squinting to get a better look at the flying machine.
"Who else would it be," said Janne in a harsh voice. "Most creatures have enough sense to know not to travel the Western Continent."
"Quit bickering you two. That is the last thing we need. Master Moo has commanded the rebels not reach the continent alive, let's not disappoint him." Suddenly, the three pixie hybrids watched as the iron bird plummeted, drastically loosing altitude.
"What in the world?" asked the pixie/durahan hybrid.
"Obviously they've spotted us. We've been told they have a suezo-type with them. It no doubt has seen our approach," Jinne said.
"Seems to be the efforts of a poor pilot to evade us," Futurity said. "Let us go put them out of their misery." With those words, the three pixie hybrids accelerated, ready to strike.
The three pixie-types quickly overtook their prey's plane, cutting the retreating machine off.
"Hold where you are rebels," the three said simultaneously.
"Sorry, can't do that," Hare said as he pulled back on the throttle, pulling the plan up. Janne took a swing with her sword, but missed, only barely clipping Golem's foot.
"LIGHTNING!" Gray Wolf yelled as a silver lightning bolt left the plane. All three pixies scattered, avoiding the deadly electric attack. Hare took his chance and flew the iron bird directly into the outcropping, weaving around.
"AHHHH!!" Golem screamed, hanging on to the cords that suspended him for dear life.
"After them!" Futurity ordered and the trio entered the maze of stone. Inside the maze, the iron bird swerved and moved through the openings, sometimes hitting the rocks.
"Gray Wolf, get to the doors," Joshua said. "You can use your lighting attack to keep those pixies off of us."
"I hate ranged combat," the silver lupine said as he moved to the opening.
"Well unless you suddenly grow wings, you'll have to get used to it," an annoyed Hare said as he struggled to keep from hitting any more rocks.
"I'll try to help out with my eyebeam," Pink Eye said as he moved to follow the lupine, only to be stopped by Joshua.
"Wait a minute Pink Eye, you're not as agile as Gray Wolf," said the big man.
"If I get thrown off, I'll just use teleport to get back here. Don't worry about it," the suezo pixie said. Suddenly, the whole iron bird rocked as it was hit by a blast. Outside, Futurity was projecting a beam of red energy at the craft, trying to sever its wing.
"Hold it right there lady... LIGHTNING!!" Gray Wolf yelled, sending the bolt of energy straight at the offending baddy, only to have it blocked by Janne's sword. The pixie/durahan threw a small knife at Gray Wolf, which was easily dodged. The plane went straight for the two pixies as Hare did a barrel roll, actually using Golem as a wrecking ball to force the pixies to leave. The pouch he had pulled from his bag fell from the Iron Bird, lost in the roll. The effect didn't last, however, as Jinne began to twirl in place, creating a tornado. From out of nowhere, sand joined the high speed winds.
"Hare get us out of here," Genki said as the other occupants hung on for dear life. So busy was the lapine trying to avoid Jinne's assault that he did not see Janne fly in from above the machine, using her sword, Janne swung downward, slicing through an engine.
"EYEBEAM!!" This time the energy attack hit it's mark, hitting the pixie hybrid in the back. Her armor plating protected her from the brunt of the attack, though it was still enough force the janne to cling to a rocky column.
"Good work Pink Eye. Now I'll take care of the tornado maker," Joshua said as he pulled a bow and a few crudely made arrows out of his backpack.
"Where'd you get those?" Genki asked.
"Figured we'd need something to fire with if we ran into trouble," answered Joshua as he took aim at Jinne. An arrow was fired and Jinne, realizing her peril, broke her concentration just in time to barely dodge the arrow. Gray Wolf once more fires his lightning, but the slower energy attack is easily dodged. A volley of torpedo attacks assault the pixie/metalner. With the speed and agility of her kind, Futurity dodges the attacks.
"Blast it, they're too good at this," Futurity said. "Janne, Jinne, break off the attack."
"I will not run from such pathetic weaklings!" Janne yelled, her sword drawn once more for combat.
"Don't question my orders! Now retreat!" With those words, the three pixies flew off.
"I think we did it," Genki said.
"We're not out of the woods yet, guys," Hare said. "That Janne got one of our engines, if it's not fixed, we're not gonna make it across the canyon."
"Great," Joshua said. "Very well, land on one of the pillars so we can make repairs. It'll cost us some time but better than..."
"Not an option Josh. None of those columns could hold an iron bird. Believe me, plenty have tried and only barely escaped with their lives," Hare said. "There's only one option."
"Wait a minute, what are you hinting at; one of use going out there and repairing the bird while in flight? That's nuts!" Pink Eye exclaimed.
"Hmph, if you're too chicken to do it, I'll go," Gray Wolf said.
"Don't think so Gray," Joshua said. "This job requires hands. I'll go do it."
"No."
"What?" the five searchers asked of Genki.
"Joshua, you're too big. Your feet won't fit in all the footholds," Genki said. "It'd be better if I do it."
"Out of the question kid. This is no job for children."
"I can do it. My feet are small and I can hunker close to the plane." Joshua looked Genki dead in the eyes for few moments, weighing his options.
"Pink Eye, get the bandages out of my pack," said the elder human, turning back to Genki. "If you're gonna do it, you're gonna take every precaution."
*************************************
Not far away from the iron bird, the pixie trio continued to shadow the searcher's path.
"Why did you call us off Futurity?" an angry Janne asked.
"Yes, we could have finished them off," an equally angry Jinne called.
"Fools, they were prepared for us, or didn't you notice," Futurity said. "But we did manage to damaged their craft. If they expect to reach the other side of the gorge, they will have to repair it, and that means sending someone outside. The pilot will be unable to maneuver with one of his friends outside the iron bird." A wicked smile came over both Jinne and Janne's faces as they thought about what that meant.
"Which means, they'll be sitting ducks," the duo said together.
*************************************
It took only twenty minutes for Genki to be prepared for his mission. His shirt had been tucked into his shorts and a bandage had been taped around his waist. Each pant leg was similarly fashioned to his legs as were the sleeves of his shirt. Gone was his prized baseball cap, lest it get blown away by the winds and around his waist rested a multi-pocketed belt as well as a rope. On his head rested an odd set of headphones, the only way for Hare to keep in contact with him. Rubber gauntlets adorned his hands, helping to give him better grip and protection.
"Okay Genki, Hare's gonna walk you through the repairs."
"I know Josh, geez. I'm not some little five year old."
"Humor an old man, kid," Joshua said as he opened the door. Genki stood in it's frame for a solitary moment, adjusting the tension in his muscles against the force of the wind. Carefully, the boy stepped outside, grabbing onto the plane as hard as he could. The wind whipped past him, stinging his bare flesh. Quickly, Genki opened his eyes to look at his destination. The upper left engine was belching a trail of black smoke, a clear indication of a problem. Slowly, inch by inch, Genki made his way to the engine, his body pressed against the craft as though willing himself to be a part of it. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he reached the engine. Quickly Genki took a screwdriver from his belt, undoing the access plate of the machine.
"Genki, are you there yet?" Hare asked over the headset, startling his friend.
"Hare! Don't do that!!" Genki yelled.
"Sooorryyy," Hare said. "So have you made it?"
"Yeah, I just got the access panel off. Now what?"
"This is delicate equipment Genki, so we'll need to be careful. Tell me what you see."
"Several of the wires appear to be broken, there's a leak in on of the tubes. I'm seeing sparks here."
"Okay, we can fix this. Have you put on you rubber gloves like I told you?"
"Yes."
"Good, I want you to remove the broken pieces of wire. Stay away from any sparks or you're barbecue."
"Where should I put them?"
"I don't know, just toss 'em over."
"Okay, they're gone," Genki said, looking back at the opened engine. "I had to unscrew some of the binding... uh oh. This engine's stopping."
"Don't worry about that yet, we're high enough to coast, just don't loose those parts," Hare said. "Now, can you get to the leaky tube?"
"Yeah."
"Okay, in one of your belt pockets, there should be some putty. You'll need to use it to fix the leak." Genki reached into his pocket, pulling out the white putty. Carefully, the boy began to smooth the stuff over the tube, creating a seal that would hold the liquid in. "Now what?"
"In one of your other pockets should be a whole mess of wires. You need to connect them where the other wires were, and screw back in the holding bars."
"Gotcha." Genki attached the wires without trouble. Unfortunately, as he prepared to reattach the bars, a gust of wind knocked the screwdriver from his hand. Before Genki could react, a pink hand grabbed the falling tool.
"Don't worry I got it," Mocchi said.
"Mocchi!" Genki yelled, surprised to see his partner clinging to the plane like him. "What are you doing here!?"
"Where you go, I go," Mocchi said, determination in his voice.
"You shouldn't be out here."
"Neither of you should be out there!" Hare yelled. "Get those repairs finished. The sooner you get done, the sooner you get back in here."
"Okay, okay," Genki said, finishing his chore. "Okay, we're done."
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Of course, all this activity did not go unnoticed by the pixie trio shadowing the iron bird.
"It looks like they sent the brat and his pet out to fix their engines," Futurity said.
"Then what are we waiting for?" Janne said.
"All too impetuous," Jinne remarked as the three took flight.
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"Okay we're done," came Genki's voice over the radio.
"Excellent, get back inside but take your time. No point in loosing you both now that we can make it across," Hare said.
"Ignore that kid, get in here as quickly as possible," an agitated Gray Wolf yelled into the headphones, and Hare's ears. "We've got company." Outside could be seen the two silhouettes of Futurity and Jinne. "Where's the other one?" Gray Wolf snapped.
"Bogie at seven o'clock people," Pink Eye said, looking back to where Genki hung on for dear life. Sure enough, rapidly gaining on them as the boy struggled against the winds to keep from blowing him and Mocchi into the abyss. Gray Wolf jumped out onto the wing, digging his claws into the metal to keep from being blown away. Lances of silver lightning shot out of wolf's horns as he attempted to hit one of the pixies.
"Pink Eye get your tail out here!" Gray Wolf yelled as a blast of red flashed past him.
"M-m-m-me?" Pink Eye asked sheepishly. "Why not someone else? Hare, you could probably help better than I could.
"Gee, I'd love to Pink, but I'm kinda busy FLYING THE BIRD!" The irritated lapine griped as the plane rocked. "And besides, I don't have any ranged attacks, now get out there!" Reluctantly, Pink Eye complied, adding his eyebeam attack to Gray Wolf's lightning in their attempt to drive away the baddies.
Elsewhere, on the outside of the plane, Genki was having problems of his own dodging Janne's attacks. The pixie/durahan had been using her sword to redirect Gray Wolf's lightning at the boy, but once the wolf had figured out her strategy, he had stopped attacking her. Now Genki was busy dodging her own beam attacks as she got closer and closer, while still trying to hang on to the iron bird. Finally, the pixie hybrid came close enough to use her sword, swinging at Genki's legs. The raven-haired boy jumped over the dangerous attack as Mocchi tried to slap at Janne. Thus distracted, Janne proved susceptible to a kick from Genki.
"Why you little nuisance!! Let's see how you like my SWORD OF VENGEANCE!" exclaimed Janne as she pulled her sword back for the attack. Mocchi came to his owner's defense however, bouncing off the iron bird in a ball to slam into Janne's head, knocking her back. Unfortunately, the richoquet effect sent the little pink monster flying high, too high.
"Mocchi, grab on!!" Genki yelled as he reached out a hand as far as he could to grab his friend. To his horror, the boy's arms proved too short to catch Mocchi, who plummeted past him. "NO!!"
"Good riddance," the recovered Janne said as she charged again, ready to skewer the boy. "But you'll be joining him soon enough."
"CHI!!!!" Mocchi called as he shot upward, striking the baddy in the chin. Below, Genki saw Golem's massive hand sticking out from under the iron bird. Janne fell from the sky as Mocchi landed back on the machine.
Meanwhile, Gray Wolf and Pink Eye had their paws and tails full with Futurity who fired beams from both of her hands, forcing the two monsters to negate the blasts.
"Where's the Jinne?" Gray Wolf asked.
"I don't know, my eye's kinda busy right now... EYEBEAM!" Pink Eye said as his blast blocked another of Futurity's beams. The tiger hybrid quickly scanned the area to find Jinne in front of the iron bird, preparing a tornado attack of her own. Knowing the danger, Gray Wolf was quick to act.
"SONIC MOVE!" Gray Wolf said, disappearing as he moved to the front of the plane.
"What?!" Jinne said, surprised at Gray Wolf's agility.
"Not this time witch," the silver lupine said as he opened his mouth wind. "ARCTIC BLAST!!" A familiar blue and white beam issued forth from Gray Wolf's mouth, striking Jinne ferociously and freezing her body into a solid block of ice that plummeted out of the sky.
"Way to go Gray Wolf!" Pink Eye said as he watched the attack. Behind him, Futurity swept in, ready to kill the searcher.
"You should never let your guard down in battle," Futurity said, swiping at Pink Eye. The eyeball was able to dodge in time, leaving the pixie hybrid staring at Joshua, bow loaded with an arrow.
"Neither should you," was all the human said as he let the shaft fly. Futurity proved unable to dodge as arrow struck her squarely in the chest. It was a lost disk that fell from the battle.
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Later, after Genki had managed to make his way back inside, the mood was a lot less hectic than a few minutes ago.
"We did it!!" Genki called as he jumped up and down, hugging Mocchi tightly. "Mocchi, you were fantastic!"
"We won!" Mocchi called, equally happy.
"Not bad for a party with no fliers, huh," Pink Eye said.
"Well, I suggest you all get ready, I'm gonna try to land this thing," Hare said, pointing out the window at the cliffside that was greeting them. All the searchers began to secure themselves to anything that would hold them as the plane descended over ground. Golem's feet dug into the soil as Hare turned off the engines of the iron bird. With all his might, Golem tugged on the plane, trying to bring it too a halt. Unfortunately, the cords proved too weak to help and the plane broke free, crashing into a rock that jutted from the ground. Dizzy but otherwise unhurt the searchers began to climb out of the wrecked iron bird.
"Some landing rabbit, remind me to never get in a flyer with you again," Gray Wolf quipped as he stumbled out.
"Any landing you can walk a way from..." Hare said, equally dazed.
It took only about twenty minutes for the ground to stop spinning for the searchers, allowing them to assess the damage to their transport.
"Well it's official, this thing won't be flying again without some major repairs," Joshua said.
"Were we planning on crossing the canyon again?" Gray Wolf asked, his back to the ship.
"Well I don't know about you wolf-boy, but I'd like to see home again when this is over," Pink Eye said. Genki ignored the two his attention instead falling on Hare. The lapine monster was sitting on a rock, bent over with his hands on his knees, gasping for breath.
"Hare are you all right?" asked the boy. Hare looked up at him, a look of intense pain on his face.
"Help," the rabbit managed to wheeze out, which caught the others attention. "I... need... the... pouch..." Hare managed to say before he fell to the ground, clutching his pain-wracked body.
"HARE!!" Everyone yelled.
To Be Continued...
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Epilogue: The Big Bad Four emerge or Planning
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The wind whipped around Moo's floating castle, a byproduct of the perpetual storm that seemed to follow the titan wherever he went. Red wings held a distinctly female body aloft in the raging storm. Her red hair flew wildly around her, hiding her horns in a red halo. Pixie carefully let the wind carry her to the landing pad of the castle, where a familiar blue and white wolf waited.
"I didn't think anyone could navigate those winds," Tiger said as he walked out to greet his fellow monster.
"Tiger of the Wind," Pixie said. "I take it we are the first to arrive."
"It would appear so," came Gali's voice. The other two members of the Big Bad Four looked up to see Gali's golden mask suspended in thin air. His white patterned cloak flowed out of the mask magically, fitting itself neatly around the monster's nonexistent shoulders as the medallion of Moo appeared on his invisible chest. "Though without teleportation powers, as much can be expected."
"Master Gali, such a pleasure to see you," Tiger said.
"I take it from your conversation that the clown has not shown himself yet," Gali continued.
"If you mean Daemon, I haven't seen or smelled him since my arrival," Tiger said.
"Bah, the less I see of him, the better," Pixie said, spitting in disgust.
"Such disgust for my person," said a raspy voice. "One would think I was disliked." From the shadows, Daemon materialized. The flames of his collar and his double-bladed scythe were distinctly contrasted by the eerie blue eyes of his masked face. His cloak billowed in the wind, moving through the air like an evil shadow. His horns as red mask glinted in the faint light, further adding to the dark presence he exuded.
"If you get such a feeling from us, perhaps you should leave," Gali said, not even bothering to hide the contempt in his voice.
"Such hostility does not become a member of the Big Bad Four, masked one, perhaps it is you who should leave."
"I'm surprised your two shadows aren't here," Tiger said.
"Shadows?"
"Those two mutant evil hares you always have around you," Pixie explained.
"They are merely my assistants and bodyguards. Are you suggesting there is some reason to fear for my safety while in the protection of the mighty Moo?" Daemon replied, his voice almost accusatory of his three allies.
"Excuse me," came a timid voice from the castle's door. Standing in the doorway was an usaba, clearly overawed by the combined presence of the complete Big Bad Four.
"Yes," Pixie said, her voice decidedly neutral toward the underling.
"Master Moo is ready to see you," the plant/suezo said. The four masters followed the one-eyed plant as he led them through the forest. Soon, the five made it to the titan's room, the usaba entering first. "Master Moo, I present Master Pixie, Master Gali, Master Tiger, and Master Daemon." With those words, the usaba decided to make himself scarce. As they entered, the two legged members of the Big Bad Four bowed before their leader, while the other two, lacking knees or waists, simply nodded.
"Ah, my loyal servants," Moo said, his hand sweeping in a gesture of welcome to his generals. "It pleases me no end that you all answered my summons so promptly."
"We live to serve, and serve to live," the four monsters said in unison.
"I have summoned you here for a purpose." Another gesture from Moo and the four monsters stood straight. "As you may have heard, a group of seven monsters and humans have recently begun to cause trouble for me."
"Yes we are all familiar with these rebels. But why should such a pathetic force concern you Master Moo," Gali said.
"In all the world, no monster can match my power. Even you, my chosen four, pale in comparison to my strength... But there is one monster who has yet to be unlocked and who can match my powers; the Phoenix. This is what the rebels seek to use to undo me."
"Such plans have been attempted before great one, and have met with failure when no leads could be found on the bird. What makes these searchers any different?" Daemon asked. As if on cue a holographic display appeared, showing the magic stone.
"This is what makes them different. It is an artifact from ancient time, and in the hands of the groups leader, it is leading them to the Phoenix. I can feel it every time he uses it," the golden armored monster said.
"Then it must be destroyed, along with the group," Tiger concluded.
"No. In my hands, the stone could vastly increase our power. Find the rebels, bring me that stone."
"As you command," the four said, taking Moo's words as a dismissal.
"HOLD!" Moo commanded, stopping all four in their tracks. "I have been trying to keep track of these rebels since I discovered them. A bizarre energy permeates one of them. Bring them to me alive, if possible. I will know the reason for this energy, and possess it for my own." Then Moo grabbed his cape, pulling it around him as he turned to leave, signaling the meeting truly was at an end. The four made their way to the landing field.
"Rumor has it that the rebels are in your territory Pixie," Daemon said, breaking the silence. The joker/gali stared at the pixie, waiting for a response.
"And you're point would be?"
"A valid one for once," Gali interrupted, floating to the auburn-haired baddy. "Master Moo has made it abundantly clear that we are to make the capture of these searchers a top priority."
"Yes it might behoove us to work together, combine our forces," Tiger said.
"I would be most happy to send you some of my joker troops," Daemon offered, his voice saccharin sweet.
"That is reason enough to do this on my own," Pixie said. "I can handle these upstarts without your help. And YOU stay out of my territory."
"Be it so," Daemon said, his voice calm. Pixie's bat wings opened wide and carried her aloft and into the sky. Tiger boarded his private iron bird as Gali disappeared, leaving Daemon alone. "I trust you heard everything."
"Ses Holina," came a high grating voice as a figure rose from the hard ground. It looked to be human and an especially gangly one at that. His entire body was wrapped in white bandages, save for a single large red eye and three hairs. A green suit, neatly kept with a high collar and two green pointed shoes helped to complete the ensemble. And in his hands were two knives, their silver blades tinted red with blood. The figure stood tall, bowing slightly before standing almost like a rag doll. It's head lay to the side, and a wild look could be seen in the visible eye. "Yes master, I heard."
"Then I assume you know your mission?" the demon monster asked. "I enjoy having a pair of eyes here, but I warn you I will not tolerate failure."
"I am not my host, I am not Strife. There will be no failure, I'd stake my life," the figure said, a giggle escaping his lips.
"Then explain my lack of knowledge concerning both this stone and the rebels."
"The one I watch has learned to lie, for that high crime, I swear he'll die."
"Very well, report to me when you've learned more."
"The wish you want, I will prepare, none shall stop me, none shall dare," the figure said as it once more melded into the ground. With that, Daemon also left in a ball of flame.
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So what's happened to Hare, and just what can the searchers do about it? You'll just have to wait to find out. I promise it will not take as long as this one though, which was stalled thanks to the holidays. As always, please read and review, the more I get, the better the story becomes.