When Destiny Calls: First of the Four: Defeat
By Cale Kuecker (Ashertye@aol.com)
Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Rancher, nor do I own any of the characters from the series. Tecmo owns them. As to the new characters and monsters, yes I do own them, so if you want them to be guest characters in your fanfiction, you've got to ask me first. Also, I have never played any of the monster rancher games; so all the information I have to go on is the anime. That said, you'll understand if I take certain liberties with the rules of the monster rancher universe.
Author's Note: Three cheers for Melodi Hare, who correctly guessed the identity of the guest character of Pixie Triumphant. All the way from outer space and the show "Cowboy Bebop" the little redheaded girl was Radical Edward, a truly fun character to write for. Well, good luck with this one.
Summary: The searchers have been captured by the cruel Pixie, who has viciously dispatched both Genki and Mocchi. Now the question remains as to how they will escape. But behind the scenes, something worse is lurking.
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"You're right, far too often has evil turned back upon itself."
-Judith, Lord Toede
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"Genki, Genki wake up chi," Mocchi said as he tugged at his trainer's shirt. The boy was lying unconscious in an abandoned nest sitting precariously on a narrow ledge three-fourths of the way up the canyon wall. Thankfully, he was still breathing, though it was labored. Finally, after a little more prodding from Mocchi, Genki's eyes opened.
"Mo... Mocchi?" the boy asked as his senses returned to him. "Wha... What happened?"
"Pixie threw us off the cliff. I knocked you into the nest, but you still hit pretty hard. Then, I just bounced back up here. I was afraid you got hurt chi," said Mocchi.
"Where are the others?"
"I don't know chi."
"Pixie must still have them," Genki said as he struggled to get to his feet, careful not to fall off the ledge. "We have to go and rescue them." With those words, Genki grabbed hold of the wall, preparing to scale the rocky structure. "Mocchi, grab on to my back. You're short limbs can't climb as well as mine." Mocchi obeyed and the two began to slowly make their way up the canyon wall.
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"Let me go you walking ice-cube!!" yelled Hare as his arms were firmly pinned to his sides by the massive hands of Big Blue. The blue golem-type barely acknowledged his captive's struggles and yells. His grip was like cold iron on the rabbit's body as he carried him through the halls of the castle of North Town.
"Stop struggling," Big Blue said in a voice that sounded almost the same as Golem's, only colder. The ice-rock monster's steps were long and steady as he brought his captive to a set of redwood doors. Without a second thought, the golem/tiger hybrid opened the door with one massive hand, his other being sufficient to keep his lapine "guest" from escaping. He had to duck to avoid hitting the frame of the door. Inside, his head didn't even touch the ceiling. The room the two had entered was huge to say the least, and looked to be able to comfortably house a zilla, which was not surprising considering its purpose. The room had once belonged to the princess of the kingdom, an arrogant and spoiled girl who'd demanded the finest of things and, if the décor were any indication, had gotten it. Of course, the princess and her cruel father the king had long since been evicted from the castle itself. Currently, the room had become the personal property of the castle's new mistress and the general Moo had put in charge of the eastern section for the western continent; Pixie.
The auburn haired beauty reclined in a beautiful cushioned chair that perfectly accommodated her delicate wings while framing her powerful, lithe body. Torches were lit in the room that served to further illuminate her beautiful face. Big Blue dropped the hare to the ground and for a few precious minutes, lapine and pixie looked at each other.
"It's you..." Hare said as he recognized the other monster. "Judith?"
"It's been a long time Tim," Pixie said as she gracefully stood and began to make her way towards her guest, looking down at him with a neutral look on her face. She placed a single slender finger in the center of Hare's furry chest. "You're looking very well." Suddenly, an angry scowl appeared on Pixie's face as her knee slammed right into the brown rabbit's gut, doubling him over. Hare grunted in pain as saliva sprayed from his mouth and he felt like retching as he clutched his injured belly.
"What... what was... what was that for?" Hare asked, gasping for air as he did.
"That was for three years ago," the purebred pixie said as her face softened. Her hand held Hare's chin as she pulled him up and leaned forward so they would be on the same level. Hare's eyes widened as the baddie general quickly pressed her lips to his own in a truly fearsome kiss. It felt like an eternity before she released him, not that Hare was complaining.
"What was that for?" Hare again asked, half expecting to be thrown out the window next.
"That was for three and a half years ago," Pixie said in a sweet voice as she moved back to her chair. "I must admit, I'm almost surprised to see you're still alive." A slender hand moved to a jar sitting on a small end table next to the chair, as jar filled with brown bars of vegicite, pulling one of the candy-like items out and taking a bite from it.
"I see you're still using that stuff," Hare said.
"It's not like I have a choice in the matter. Do you need a bite?" asked Pixie, offering the bar to the lapine. Of course Hare declined her offer. Suddenly, the red headed beauty remembered her blue assistant. "Big Blue, would you mind leaving us alone?"
"But, Master Pixie, if you should need me?" the icy golem asked, unsure if he should honor her wishes as he eyed Hare, sizing the lapine up.
"I think I can handle one rebel Big Blue," Pixie said sweetly. "But now, I simply wish for some privacy."
"As you wish master," Big Blue said, a little apprehensively. "I will be waiting outside if you do need me." With those words, the sapphire soldier left, quietly closing the door as Pixie moved to open a window and looking out into the night sky.
"Such a helpful monster, if a tad overprotective," commented the winged woman.
"You've changed an awful lot Judith," Hare said, crossing his arms across his chest.
"Times change, monsters have to change too, or they'll be destroyed."
"Does that mean you had to become so cruel? Change your good qualities to bad. The Judith I knew would never have done something as despicable as what you did at that ravine."
"If you're referring to that little pink monster, that was unfortunate... But somehow, I doubt YOU'LL loose much sleep over the human's death," Pixie said.
"I left that part behind me."
"Along with other things." There was a hint of bitterness in her voice as she reached into the drawer of a nearby dresser, pulling out an object. Upon closer inspection, it was clearly seen to be a crude necklace. Though none of the stones adorning it were truly valuable, each one looked as though it had been carefully and patiently polished and shaped, making it look nonetheless beautiful. Greens, reds, blues, blacks and a plethora of other colored stones shined in the torchlight as Pixie continued to look at it. "I kept this, even after you left. It's the only thing from my past I wouldn't allow Master Moo to destroy," she said as she handed the stone necklace to Hare, who took it in a single paw.
"I remember," Hare said as he fingered the necklace. "I gave it you..."
"The same night you swore we'd leave that awful ranch together," she said, a hint of regret in her voice. "But as I recall, you simply left."
"I didn't mean to leave you behind Judith. It just happened. I couldn't take it anymore, I had to leave before he made me kill someone."
"For the longest time I was angry at you. I thought you'd simply abandoned me, sacrificed what we had for your own freedom."
"I swear, I didn't want to leave you behind."
"I know."
"Is this why you had that walking iceberg bring me here, to reminisce about the past?"
"I didn't think you were still alive. Vegicite addicts like us don't survive long without the drug. You'll never know how surprised I was to discover you were not only alive, but traveling with the rebels."
"I took care of my problem, and you've obviously got yours under control."
"Master Moo provides for his troops."
"So you traded in one controlling master for another," Hare said, crossing his arms.
"Moo is building a world where monsters won't ever have to live in fear of being some pathetic trainer's punching bag. Where children won't have to grow up with out parents, and where fathers have no fear of loosing their children. I'd say that end more than justifies any means."
"No."
"Don't be such a fool Timothy. A new world order is on the horizon, it only needs the aid of visionaries to make it real. Master Moo seeks such monsters to make his dream come true. And I believe you could be such a monster."
"What?" Hare said, startled by Pixie's sudden statement.
"You're a strong and intelligent monster Tim, you would do well in Master Moo's service," Pixie said. "Master Moo is always most generous to those who join his side willingly."
"You want me to become a baddy? To simply give up on humanity just like that."
"I want you to join the winning side. There is no future in resisting Master Moo, all who do inevitably end up dead." Pixie walked closer to her lapine friend. "I lost you once, I don't want to loose you again. You'd be a very welcome addition to my army, one of the few monsters I can depend on." She took the necklace from Hare's hands, looking into his eyes. For a few minutes, Hare looked as though he was considering the offer.
"No," was his the answer he finally announced.
"Why?" Pixie sounded hurt as she gripped the necklace tighter.
"We... we've seen how human's with too much power treat their 'possessions,' we've lived it. I wouldn't wish such a life on anyone and I will not be party to forcing it on others. I've seen the way the human's under Moo's thumb are treated, they'd be better off dead."
"They deserve it for what they did to us," Pixie fumed as her verdant eyes grew cold and hard. "If not for them, none of this would have become necessary." Soon though Pixie did calm down. "If you will not join willingly, then I have no choice but to keep you with the rest of my prisoners. Big Blue." At Pixie's command the blue giant opened the doors. Big Blue's hands once more wrapped around the lapine's body, pinning his arms to his side. "I'm sorry Tim," she said turning away. "In two days time Moo will come for you and your friends. He will turn the monsters into baddies, and they will change, including you. However, I will leave my offer on the proverbial table until he does arrive. If you change your mind, simply say so. Farewell." With those words, Big Blue once more carried Hare out the door as Pixie continued to stare out her window at the starry sky.
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Meanwhile, in the castle dungeon, the other members of the searchers sat. At least some of them did anyway.
"I'm warning you, if you losers don't let me out of this cage in the next minute, I'll turn you inside out!" Gray Wolf yelled at the three usaba that were guarding the myriad of cells. Each and every other cell was filled with at least five human slaves, all wearing the same white rags as the humans that the searchers had previously freed.
"Be quiet you fool. I'm trying to sleep," came a shout from a nearby cell. "We work too hard to waste energy on useless threats."
"At least we're doing something, not just giving up like you," Pink Eye yelled back.
"Will you both be quiet," a usaba said, an angry look in his single eye. "You're gonna have a lot of work waiting for you tomorrow."
"Where's our friend?" Joshua asked, his voice firm and even.
"Master Pixie wanted to see him," came the usaba's snide reply as a lecherous smile spread over his face. "That's one lucky rabbit." Another usaba moved over to the captives.
"You'll be here, working alongside this scum in the Pits until Master Moo arrives to turn the monsters into baddies." Suddenly, loud footfalls could be heard as Big Blue entered the dungeon, Hare still in tow.
"Open the cell," Big Blue commanded the yellow plants, which were quick to comply with the much larger monster's order. The sapphire giant set his lapine captive down in the cell, quickly moving away and shutting the door of the cage.
"Hare you're all right," Pink Eye said hopping up to his friend as Big Blue left them in peace. "We thought you were getting skinned by Pixie."
"No, she just... wanted some information," Hare said. "So, do we have a plan?"
"We get out, trash this place, and make that dammed %($@* pay for what she did to Genki," replied Gray Wolf.
"And do we have any plans that can keep us all from getting killed," Hare asked.
"Watch it bunny boy!"
"Have you seen the size of her forces here? We'd be slaughtered before we got out of this building!" Hare yelled back.
"Will you shut up!!" a human with long gray hair said as he gripped the bars. "The last thing we need is some ratty monsters making noise. What do you care about escaping anyway, you're boss is coming to spring you?"
"Oh shut up," said another human, this one a big man with a scraggly brown beard and long brown locks to match. "You have no idea what you're talking about Richard so why don't you just shut up."
"Finally someone with a little sense," Gray Wolf said as he looked at the brown haired man.
"Sorry about Richard, he's just in a bad mood," the human said before extending his hand through the bars. "My name's Oscar. A pleasure to meet you."
"The same here," Joshua said as he took the other human's hand. "Though I wish it were under better circumstances."
"Don't we all," came a new voice as the Oscar's cellmate walked up to the bars too. He was clean-shaven and his head was covered in short, flame red hair. His face was angular, almost hawk-like, and on his shoulder was a large red and yellow star. Scars abounded over his visible flesh, giving him the rugged appearance of an outlaw. "I know this is one of the last places I ever wanted to be in."
"And you would be?"
"Sorry, I'm not used to meeting new people in here, the name's Levi."
"So why IS Pixie keeping you humans alive?" asked Pink Eye asked. The others' eyes turned towards the pink suezo, looking as if he'd asked the equivalent of why they'd been born. "I mean, from what I've heard of both Moo and his followers, it'd make more sense for her to kill you all."
"I guess it's her idea of revenge. This whole territory used to be ruled by a greedy king who forced hundreds of thousands of monsters to work in these very pits to dig up some lost treasure. Now she makes us dig the same hole looking for mystery disks to increase Moo's army."
"Judith, how could you," Hare whispered to himself.
"What'd ya say Hare?" Pink Eye asked.
"Hmm? Nothing... just thinking about how terrible this is," Hare quickly replied, which seemed to satisfy most everyone, though Gray Wolf's eyes remained on the lapine longer than the rabbit would have liked.
"There has to be a way out of here," Golem said.
"Oh, I'm afraid not my large friend. We've been trying to escape since this whole ordeal began, but Pixie has blocked us at ever turn. Baring a miracle, I don't see how we're going to get outta here," replied Oscar.
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A little less than three hours later finds Genki and Mocchi hiding behind a rock not far from the cave-like entrance to the prison. On either side of the entrance was a usaba that looked like it was mean enough to tear them both to pieces.
"How are we gonna rescue our friends Genki-chi?" Mocchi asked as he poked his head out from behind the rock.
"We have to get past those guards first," Genki said. "Usaba are pretty dumb, it shouldn't be too hard to distract them." So saying the boy grabbed a rock the size of his fist and threw it for all he was worth. The rock smashed into the side of the cave with a loud crack that immediately drew the plant/suezo hybrids' attention.
"What was that?" One of the usaba said.
"Could be an intruded," the other said. "You should go look."
"I ain't looking, they might get me."
"It could be the same for me!"
"So we'll go together." With those words, both baddies left their posts to investigate the sound. As soon as they were out of sight, Genki turned towards Mocchi.
"I'm gonna go set our friends free Mocchi, you stay here."
"But I wanna go with you chi," Mocchi said, a hurt look on his face. "You might need help, and who's gonna help if I'm not there."
"No, I need you here to watch in case someone else comes," Genki stated. "I'm counting on you to guard my back Mocch."
"Okay, Genki-chi," came Mocchi's reluctant reply as Genki carefully snuck into the cave-turned-dungeon. Inside, he found hundreds and hundreds of cells with three and four humans in each. It was the cell sitting in the center of the highest row that held the boy's attention though, as inside were his friends.
"Genki! Boy am I glad to see you!" Pink Eye yelled as he spotted the boy.
"You're alive," Hare exclaimed, a little unbelieving.
"Guys, how do I get these cages open?"
"There's keys to each row of cells on a ring hanging by the door boy," Oscar called. "If you use them you can let us all out." Genki sprinted back to the entrance, where the key ring hung in plain sight, and grabbed the object in question and began to quickly to unlock the cell doors, releasing the prisoners before finally arriving at his friends.
"How'd you manage to survive that fall kid?" Joshua asked.
"Mocchi bounced me into a nest near the top," answered the brown haired boy as he let them out.
"So where is the little guy?"
"I left him outside to watch for anyone who might spoil our escape."
"He better be careful," Levi said. "It's almost dawn, the baddies will be here soon to unlock us for the day's work."
"Who cares, now that we're free, I say we give that little witch a taste of her own medicine," Richard said, a statement which received a few cheers from a few of the former captives.
"That might prove a bit difficult for weaklings such as yourselves," came an angry feminine voice as a pink ball suddenly slammed into the wall. Genki rushed over to see it was Mocchi, bruised, spiral-eyed, and out of breath, that had been the projectile. Up in air hovered the monster who'd beaten him up as Big Blue walked in as well. "None of you will leave here alive," Pixie yelled as she let loose with her shotgun attacks.
"That's what you think… ARCTIC BLAST!" Gray Wolf yelled as he fired his freezing beam at the female. With an impossible display of speed, Big Blue stepped between the attack and his mistress, allowing the beam to solidify him into a block of ice. "Fool," was all Gray Wolf managed to say before Big Blue burst out of the ice block as though it were nothing.
"You are the fool," he said. "My body is composed of ice-rock, my species thrives on cold." With those words, the sapphire giant lifted Gray Wolf over his head and threw him into a wall. The titan baddy then moved to finish the worth off with a single massive fist only to find his attack blocked by Golem's own massive hands.
"I do not like to fight Big Blue, but I will not permit you to hurt my friends," Golem's stoic voice called as he entered into a grapple with his counterpart. Both displayed a fantastic amount of strength as they fought to overpower each other, but it was clear neither could gain any sort of advantage over the other. "This fight is pointless, it gets us nowhere. Can we not sit down and talk this over like civilized golems?"
"Never!!" Was the only reply Big Blue gave. Meanwhile, Pixie was busy blasting escapees right and left. Genki moved forward away from Mocchi on his skates, racing up to the top of the wall of cells, the skeletal frame of a plan forming in his mind. Going at fantastic speeds, Genki leapt off the ledge and into a perfect jump kick, connecting with Pixie and sending the red-haired beauty careening out of control and into a wall.
"Everyone get out of here, we'll keep her busy!" Genki yelled.
"Master Pixie!" Big Blue yelled as he broke the grapple with Golem.
"You brat!" Pixie yelled. "I'll make you pay for that!!!" Pixie surged forward at Genki as the whole room cleared of it's human occupants. A ball of explosive energy left Pixie's hand to fly through the air as it made a bee-line for Genki. The boy was not present, however, as a blur of brown fur scooped him up before it could contact. The ball did strike the cages and blew a huge hole in the rock.
"Thanks Hare," Genki said.
"No problem. But I think we need to get out of here or Pixie's gonna bring this whole place down on our heads."
"Gotcha," Genki answered as he returned to his feet. In a flash, he collected the still dazed Mocchi as he raced out of the newly created exit with Pixie right on his proverbial tail. Behind them the rest of the searchers plus Big Blue closely followed, just in time to find a swarm of clays battling with the escaping humans.
"Soldiers, capture the rest, but leave the boy to me," Pixie commanded as she took a swipe at Genki with her claws. He barely dodged the female's attack, only to be caught by a shin-kick. Genki used the force of the blow to go into a back flip, using his feet to connect with her chin and sending her to the ground.
"Pixie, you have to stop this before somebody gets ki...AAHH!!" Genki screamed as a shotgun blast exploded right at his chest, sending him flying backwards.
"No, this has gone too far to stop now," Pixie said back as she grabbed the boy by the collar of his shirt, slamming him into a chunk of wall. "It's long past time your kind paid for the sins you've committed against us."
"I understand your anger, Pixie but you can't take it out on all humans," Genki said.
"How could you possibly know what I feel. Time to die boy." Pixie's clawed hand came closer and closer to Genki's throat as she prepared to slay him.
"Geronimocchi!!!" Mocchi called as he slammed into the monster general knocking her into Hare's arms. Immediately, the lapine monster put the pixie in a full nelson, immobilizing her as quickly as he could.
"Tim what are you doing? Let me go!" Pixie yelled as she struggled against the rabbit's hold.
"Not until you listen to yourself," Hare grunted back as he struggled with equal ferocity to keep her in one place. "Look at what's going on now, look at this great legacy you intend to leave for us." All around the two looked to see the battle, as humans wielding crude battle implements as they fought fiercely for their freedom against equally clays. Bodies and shattered lost disks littered the field as more and more were being readily added as clays were torn apart and humans were impaled on sharp limbs. "They're killing each other. Humans will never accept being slaves, and neither will monsters. To think otherwise is to simply invite a new blood bath."
"Then they'll have to die," growled Pixie.
"You can't do that!" Genki said, facing the angered female.
"To arbitrarily slaughter a whole species just because it gets in your way is deplorable," Hare countered as he finally lost his grip on his flame-haired captive. She spun around glaring directly at the rabbit's eyes.
"How can you defend them after what they did to us? Think of all we could have been without their interference. We could have been happy, but they wouldn't let us. That damn ranch would have been our deaths if they'd had their say. Now we rule, we're the ones who make the laws, determine fate."
"And what makes you the one to decide that?!" Hare yelled.
"Because I'm right!" came Pixie's reply.
"You sound exactly like Hagen!!" yelled back an angry Hare.
"How dare you compare me to HIM," Pixie hissed as she slapped Hare across the face. Her claws dug into his flesh leaving four small cuts on his cheek as he fell to the ground from the force of the blow. "What have I done..."
"You see what I mean now," Hare said. "You've changed Judith, and not for the better."
"I... I didn't want it to go this far... I just wanted to keep everyone else from going through what we did. I never meant to... to..."
"Master Pixie?" Big Blue asked as he slowly walked up. The icy giant made no move to attack Hare, Genki, or Mocchi, though he did look ready to if it became necessary.
"What have I become," Pixie said as a small tear fell down her cheek. Suddenly, her wings unfurled and she rose into the air. "Clays! Stand down!" At the sound of her voice, all the muddy brown monsters turned to look at her, unsure of what she had planned.
"B... But Master Pixie... the slaves. Don't we have to recapture them?" one of the clays asked.
"This.. this isn't worth the bloodshed. Stand down." Pixie continued before landing back on the ground.
"Finally, we've won," Richard said. "Now we can make that witch pay for what she's do..."
"Shut up Richard," Oscar said as he knocked the annoying human out. "Now is not the time."
Pixie then looked directly at Genki before she began talking again. "I cannot pretend to forgive your kind for what they did to me and mine, but I can tell this is not the way to set things right."
"That's all well and good, but I somehow doubt Moo will see it that way," Gray Wolf said as he walked up, energy dancing around his horns in case it was all a trick.
"Moo may be a bit of a tyrant, but he's not unreasonable. Perhaps it's time someone show him that the old ways don't work anymore."
"And what about us?" Genki asked.
"Leave... I need to think, and I can't very well do that if I'm busy baby-sitting you. Now go before I change my mind." Genki appeared to want to say more, but Hare and Gray Wolf both stopped him, instead indicating they should go. Soon, everyone was leaving, with none of the clays trying to stop anyone.
"I hope she knows what she's doing," Genki said as he looked back at Pixie who was standing near Big Blue.
"Trust me, she's a survivor. No matter where the chips fall, she'll keep on top," Hare answered her.
"You act like you know her."
"I knew her, a long time ago, in another lifetime." Suddenly, the quiet of the escape was shattered by a loud scream as all the searchers turned back to look at Pixie, horrified looks coming over their faces at what they saw. Pixie had an look of great pain on her face as two barbed spears jutted out of her chest and stomach. Holding the poles of the spears were two reapers, deadly centaur/joker hybrids, both wearing the crests of Moo around their necks. Wicked smiles adorned both of their faces as they casually ripped their weapons out of their victim's body.
"MASTER PIXIE!!" Big Blue bellowed as he moved to catch the fallen baddy.
"There is no room for weaklings in this world," one of the reapers said smiling. "May you pay the ultimate price for failure." With those words, both horse-like monsters turned away to leave. Bad move.
"TRAITORS!!" Big Blue bellowed as he leapt for the two assassins. He reached for one, grabbing him around the neck only to have the other's supernatural spear lance through his arm.
"It seems we have another to deal with my brother," the reaper said, his smile returning to his face.
"Good," said the other. "I'll enjoy reducing this wall to rubble. Dark Disk..." The reaper was cut off mid-sentence as Hare's elbow slammed into his gut savagely. Joshua and the other searchers had moved over to Pixie, trying to tend to her wounds while the reapers were kept busy. Back at the fight, Hare dropped down, sweeping his leg into the reaper's front legs in an effort to trip up the much larger monster, which failed miserably.
"Ha, did you think you could beat me so easily, fool? We are much more than normal centaurs."
"Really, I just find that so shocking," Gray Wolf said as he rose in the air, silver energy once more dancing around his horns. "LIGHTNING!!" Silver lightning shot out from the wolf's horns and headed right for the blue eyed centaur hybrid. The reaper moved quickly, spinning his spear so fast it was able to dispel the lightning. As Gray Wolf landed, the second reaper attacked attempting to skewer him only to be blocked by Big Blue.
"Now you will pay for what you did to my master," Big Blue growled.
"And you will pay for interfering," the first reaper said as he charged the blue golem. "CHARGING STRIKE!!" the reaper yelled as his spear tip began to glow a murky red.
"NO... YOU... DON'T! HEART PUNCH!!!" Hare yelled as he ran to meet the charge. As he called his attack, time seemed to slow down for the rabbit as his hearing became much more sensitive. Like the beating of a drum was the sound of the reaper's heartbeat as Hare ran forward. His eyes became sharper and sharper as he zeroed in on his target. Finally, they met, just as he heard the reaper's heart contract and prepare to expand, the lapine monster's fist connected in a fearsome punch as the reaper's spear knocked Hare away, sending him flying to the ground.
"Ha, I don't know what you expected such a weak attack to accomplish bunny-boy, but I barely felt that punch," said the reaper, a cruel look on his face.
"Doesn't matter, it's a delayed force attack," Hare grunted out, falling to a knee. Suddenly, the reaper dropped his spear as his hands covered his chest and he fell to the ground. Before her could even yell in pain, the centaur hybrid's body took on a familiar golden glow as his body warped into the form of a lost disk.
"What did you do to him?!" the final reaper screamed at Hare as he saw his brother die.
"It's called the heart punch, an outlawed and lethal attack. It focuses all my energy into a powerful punch that strikes right at the moment the heart is expanding, actually blowing the muscle up. Whenever it connects, it's always lethal, the perfect attack for murderers like you."
"I'll be sure to note that for my master when I report on the success of my mission..." the reaper said as he raised his spear. "Now prepare to die... DARK DISK ATTACK!" A ball of pure black energy rose from the handle of the spear and flattened into a disk which the reaper threw at the tired lapine. Before it could hit, Genki raced by grabbing Hare and pulling him out of the way of the attack.
"Thanks Genki," Hare said.
"Just returning the favor," replied Genki.
"Not that that will save you this time," Reaper called as he prepared his attack again. This time, however, he was interrupted before he could complete his attack as Big Blue's arms wrapped around the dark centaur's body.
"Now you will pay for what you did to Master Pixie," Big Blue said, anger rampant in his voice as he squeezed the reaper in a bear hug. Bones broke and muscles flattened as the baddie was crushed in the rock giant's grip.
"AAAAAHHHH!" Was the last thing the reaper got out before his body shifted into the form of a lost disk. With both assassins gone, the fighters moved back to Pixie who lay on the ground as Joshua tended her wounds. It was proving to be a loosing battle though, as blood was flowing freely from the wounded monster's body, despite Joshua's best attempts to stop it.
"Pixie, can you use your healing powers. Try to focus so we can stop the bleeding," Hare said.
"Can't... it hurts... too much..." Pixie said as she coughed.
"I'm afraid there's not much anyone can do right now," Joshua said. "Those damn reapers were too good, they pierced too many vital organs." To his credit, the human continued to try to keep the monsteress alive.
"I... I can feel my strength fading... leaving me," Pixie said.
"Master Pixie, please hang on. We'll get you to a doctor, something," Big Blue said as he prepared to pick up the wounded general.
"No Big Blue. It's... too late for me," Pixie said.
"I... I'm sorry... I've failed you," said a saddened Big Blue.
"My faithful servant, my dear friend. You're the best friend I could have asked for... Please, don't feel this is your fault." Pixie then turned to Hare. "Timothy, thank you... for showing me what I was becoming... before it was too late." With those words, Pixie's eyes closed for the final time as her body began to glow golden as she body shifted slowly into a disk being held by a small bush. For a few minutes, all was silent as each mourned in his own way. Then, Big Blue began to walk off, his fists clenched as he did so.
"Pixie said you should leave," he said in a neutral voice. "In her memory, I will honor her orders. May you have more luck in your journey than Master Pixie did in hers."
"Big Blue wait!" Hare said as he walked up to the sapphire giant. Big Blue turned around to look at Hare, who held in his hands Pixie's lost disk.
"What do you want?"
"I want you to take care of her. If her disk stays out here, it's likely to get broken before we can find the Phoenix to revive her. I... I don't want her to stay lost forever." Big Blue looked down at Hare, an look on his face that was neither hard nor soft, but seemed to be instead one of understanding.
"I would be honored," Big Blue said as he gently took the disk from the lapine's hand. He then turned around and slowly walked away.
"Hare, we're leaving," Genki called. "Are you ready to go?"
"I'll be right there," Hare said before looking back at the retreating blue golem. "Until we meet again... Judith." Hare then turned around and ran to catch up to his friends.
Meanwhile, back at the spot of the two reapers' defeat, the two lost disks began to shimmer as cracks appeared in both. Suddenly, both lost disks shattered, releasing two dark cackling shadows into the air. They hung for only a mere moment before flying off over the horizon. For miles and miles they traveled in almost the blink of an eye before joining with the flame that surrounded a blade. The blade rose and actually seemed to cut into the air itself as it left a fiery mark suspended in the air. In the darkness, an evil raspy voice was all that could be heard.
"That's one."
The beginning...
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Well that's the end for this section of "When Destiny Calls." I can't believe we've made it to chapter twelve, and we're not even half-way done yet. I never thought this story would be so long. What difficulties will Pixie's death present for the searchers? We'll just have to see. But now here's the more important question. As I'm sure you've all noticed, Joshua, Holly's father, being a part of the team does raise the question: Who is Moo? Well, the searchers will find out next time when Moo himself comes to do battle with them. Will they survive? Will Moo take possession f the Magic Stone. Find out next time when the Searchers "Meet Master Moo." But in the mean time, don't forget to leave a review. Till next time.
By Cale Kuecker (Ashertye@aol.com)
Disclaimer: I do not own Monster Rancher, nor do I own any of the characters from the series. Tecmo owns them. As to the new characters and monsters, yes I do own them, so if you want them to be guest characters in your fanfiction, you've got to ask me first. Also, I have never played any of the monster rancher games; so all the information I have to go on is the anime. That said, you'll understand if I take certain liberties with the rules of the monster rancher universe.
Author's Note: Three cheers for Melodi Hare, who correctly guessed the identity of the guest character of Pixie Triumphant. All the way from outer space and the show "Cowboy Bebop" the little redheaded girl was Radical Edward, a truly fun character to write for. Well, good luck with this one.
Summary: The searchers have been captured by the cruel Pixie, who has viciously dispatched both Genki and Mocchi. Now the question remains as to how they will escape. But behind the scenes, something worse is lurking.
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"You're right, far too often has evil turned back upon itself."
-Judith, Lord Toede
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"Genki, Genki wake up chi," Mocchi said as he tugged at his trainer's shirt. The boy was lying unconscious in an abandoned nest sitting precariously on a narrow ledge three-fourths of the way up the canyon wall. Thankfully, he was still breathing, though it was labored. Finally, after a little more prodding from Mocchi, Genki's eyes opened.
"Mo... Mocchi?" the boy asked as his senses returned to him. "Wha... What happened?"
"Pixie threw us off the cliff. I knocked you into the nest, but you still hit pretty hard. Then, I just bounced back up here. I was afraid you got hurt chi," said Mocchi.
"Where are the others?"
"I don't know chi."
"Pixie must still have them," Genki said as he struggled to get to his feet, careful not to fall off the ledge. "We have to go and rescue them." With those words, Genki grabbed hold of the wall, preparing to scale the rocky structure. "Mocchi, grab on to my back. You're short limbs can't climb as well as mine." Mocchi obeyed and the two began to slowly make their way up the canyon wall.
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"Let me go you walking ice-cube!!" yelled Hare as his arms were firmly pinned to his sides by the massive hands of Big Blue. The blue golem-type barely acknowledged his captive's struggles and yells. His grip was like cold iron on the rabbit's body as he carried him through the halls of the castle of North Town.
"Stop struggling," Big Blue said in a voice that sounded almost the same as Golem's, only colder. The ice-rock monster's steps were long and steady as he brought his captive to a set of redwood doors. Without a second thought, the golem/tiger hybrid opened the door with one massive hand, his other being sufficient to keep his lapine "guest" from escaping. He had to duck to avoid hitting the frame of the door. Inside, his head didn't even touch the ceiling. The room the two had entered was huge to say the least, and looked to be able to comfortably house a zilla, which was not surprising considering its purpose. The room had once belonged to the princess of the kingdom, an arrogant and spoiled girl who'd demanded the finest of things and, if the décor were any indication, had gotten it. Of course, the princess and her cruel father the king had long since been evicted from the castle itself. Currently, the room had become the personal property of the castle's new mistress and the general Moo had put in charge of the eastern section for the western continent; Pixie.
The auburn haired beauty reclined in a beautiful cushioned chair that perfectly accommodated her delicate wings while framing her powerful, lithe body. Torches were lit in the room that served to further illuminate her beautiful face. Big Blue dropped the hare to the ground and for a few precious minutes, lapine and pixie looked at each other.
"It's you..." Hare said as he recognized the other monster. "Judith?"
"It's been a long time Tim," Pixie said as she gracefully stood and began to make her way towards her guest, looking down at him with a neutral look on her face. She placed a single slender finger in the center of Hare's furry chest. "You're looking very well." Suddenly, an angry scowl appeared on Pixie's face as her knee slammed right into the brown rabbit's gut, doubling him over. Hare grunted in pain as saliva sprayed from his mouth and he felt like retching as he clutched his injured belly.
"What... what was... what was that for?" Hare asked, gasping for air as he did.
"That was for three years ago," the purebred pixie said as her face softened. Her hand held Hare's chin as she pulled him up and leaned forward so they would be on the same level. Hare's eyes widened as the baddie general quickly pressed her lips to his own in a truly fearsome kiss. It felt like an eternity before she released him, not that Hare was complaining.
"What was that for?" Hare again asked, half expecting to be thrown out the window next.
"That was for three and a half years ago," Pixie said in a sweet voice as she moved back to her chair. "I must admit, I'm almost surprised to see you're still alive." A slender hand moved to a jar sitting on a small end table next to the chair, as jar filled with brown bars of vegicite, pulling one of the candy-like items out and taking a bite from it.
"I see you're still using that stuff," Hare said.
"It's not like I have a choice in the matter. Do you need a bite?" asked Pixie, offering the bar to the lapine. Of course Hare declined her offer. Suddenly, the red headed beauty remembered her blue assistant. "Big Blue, would you mind leaving us alone?"
"But, Master Pixie, if you should need me?" the icy golem asked, unsure if he should honor her wishes as he eyed Hare, sizing the lapine up.
"I think I can handle one rebel Big Blue," Pixie said sweetly. "But now, I simply wish for some privacy."
"As you wish master," Big Blue said, a little apprehensively. "I will be waiting outside if you do need me." With those words, the sapphire soldier left, quietly closing the door as Pixie moved to open a window and looking out into the night sky.
"Such a helpful monster, if a tad overprotective," commented the winged woman.
"You've changed an awful lot Judith," Hare said, crossing his arms across his chest.
"Times change, monsters have to change too, or they'll be destroyed."
"Does that mean you had to become so cruel? Change your good qualities to bad. The Judith I knew would never have done something as despicable as what you did at that ravine."
"If you're referring to that little pink monster, that was unfortunate... But somehow, I doubt YOU'LL loose much sleep over the human's death," Pixie said.
"I left that part behind me."
"Along with other things." There was a hint of bitterness in her voice as she reached into the drawer of a nearby dresser, pulling out an object. Upon closer inspection, it was clearly seen to be a crude necklace. Though none of the stones adorning it were truly valuable, each one looked as though it had been carefully and patiently polished and shaped, making it look nonetheless beautiful. Greens, reds, blues, blacks and a plethora of other colored stones shined in the torchlight as Pixie continued to look at it. "I kept this, even after you left. It's the only thing from my past I wouldn't allow Master Moo to destroy," she said as she handed the stone necklace to Hare, who took it in a single paw.
"I remember," Hare said as he fingered the necklace. "I gave it you..."
"The same night you swore we'd leave that awful ranch together," she said, a hint of regret in her voice. "But as I recall, you simply left."
"I didn't mean to leave you behind Judith. It just happened. I couldn't take it anymore, I had to leave before he made me kill someone."
"For the longest time I was angry at you. I thought you'd simply abandoned me, sacrificed what we had for your own freedom."
"I swear, I didn't want to leave you behind."
"I know."
"Is this why you had that walking iceberg bring me here, to reminisce about the past?"
"I didn't think you were still alive. Vegicite addicts like us don't survive long without the drug. You'll never know how surprised I was to discover you were not only alive, but traveling with the rebels."
"I took care of my problem, and you've obviously got yours under control."
"Master Moo provides for his troops."
"So you traded in one controlling master for another," Hare said, crossing his arms.
"Moo is building a world where monsters won't ever have to live in fear of being some pathetic trainer's punching bag. Where children won't have to grow up with out parents, and where fathers have no fear of loosing their children. I'd say that end more than justifies any means."
"No."
"Don't be such a fool Timothy. A new world order is on the horizon, it only needs the aid of visionaries to make it real. Master Moo seeks such monsters to make his dream come true. And I believe you could be such a monster."
"What?" Hare said, startled by Pixie's sudden statement.
"You're a strong and intelligent monster Tim, you would do well in Master Moo's service," Pixie said. "Master Moo is always most generous to those who join his side willingly."
"You want me to become a baddy? To simply give up on humanity just like that."
"I want you to join the winning side. There is no future in resisting Master Moo, all who do inevitably end up dead." Pixie walked closer to her lapine friend. "I lost you once, I don't want to loose you again. You'd be a very welcome addition to my army, one of the few monsters I can depend on." She took the necklace from Hare's hands, looking into his eyes. For a few minutes, Hare looked as though he was considering the offer.
"No," was his the answer he finally announced.
"Why?" Pixie sounded hurt as she gripped the necklace tighter.
"We... we've seen how human's with too much power treat their 'possessions,' we've lived it. I wouldn't wish such a life on anyone and I will not be party to forcing it on others. I've seen the way the human's under Moo's thumb are treated, they'd be better off dead."
"They deserve it for what they did to us," Pixie fumed as her verdant eyes grew cold and hard. "If not for them, none of this would have become necessary." Soon though Pixie did calm down. "If you will not join willingly, then I have no choice but to keep you with the rest of my prisoners. Big Blue." At Pixie's command the blue giant opened the doors. Big Blue's hands once more wrapped around the lapine's body, pinning his arms to his side. "I'm sorry Tim," she said turning away. "In two days time Moo will come for you and your friends. He will turn the monsters into baddies, and they will change, including you. However, I will leave my offer on the proverbial table until he does arrive. If you change your mind, simply say so. Farewell." With those words, Big Blue once more carried Hare out the door as Pixie continued to stare out her window at the starry sky.
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Meanwhile, in the castle dungeon, the other members of the searchers sat. At least some of them did anyway.
"I'm warning you, if you losers don't let me out of this cage in the next minute, I'll turn you inside out!" Gray Wolf yelled at the three usaba that were guarding the myriad of cells. Each and every other cell was filled with at least five human slaves, all wearing the same white rags as the humans that the searchers had previously freed.
"Be quiet you fool. I'm trying to sleep," came a shout from a nearby cell. "We work too hard to waste energy on useless threats."
"At least we're doing something, not just giving up like you," Pink Eye yelled back.
"Will you both be quiet," a usaba said, an angry look in his single eye. "You're gonna have a lot of work waiting for you tomorrow."
"Where's our friend?" Joshua asked, his voice firm and even.
"Master Pixie wanted to see him," came the usaba's snide reply as a lecherous smile spread over his face. "That's one lucky rabbit." Another usaba moved over to the captives.
"You'll be here, working alongside this scum in the Pits until Master Moo arrives to turn the monsters into baddies." Suddenly, loud footfalls could be heard as Big Blue entered the dungeon, Hare still in tow.
"Open the cell," Big Blue commanded the yellow plants, which were quick to comply with the much larger monster's order. The sapphire giant set his lapine captive down in the cell, quickly moving away and shutting the door of the cage.
"Hare you're all right," Pink Eye said hopping up to his friend as Big Blue left them in peace. "We thought you were getting skinned by Pixie."
"No, she just... wanted some information," Hare said. "So, do we have a plan?"
"We get out, trash this place, and make that dammed %($@* pay for what she did to Genki," replied Gray Wolf.
"And do we have any plans that can keep us all from getting killed," Hare asked.
"Watch it bunny boy!"
"Have you seen the size of her forces here? We'd be slaughtered before we got out of this building!" Hare yelled back.
"Will you shut up!!" a human with long gray hair said as he gripped the bars. "The last thing we need is some ratty monsters making noise. What do you care about escaping anyway, you're boss is coming to spring you?"
"Oh shut up," said another human, this one a big man with a scraggly brown beard and long brown locks to match. "You have no idea what you're talking about Richard so why don't you just shut up."
"Finally someone with a little sense," Gray Wolf said as he looked at the brown haired man.
"Sorry about Richard, he's just in a bad mood," the human said before extending his hand through the bars. "My name's Oscar. A pleasure to meet you."
"The same here," Joshua said as he took the other human's hand. "Though I wish it were under better circumstances."
"Don't we all," came a new voice as the Oscar's cellmate walked up to the bars too. He was clean-shaven and his head was covered in short, flame red hair. His face was angular, almost hawk-like, and on his shoulder was a large red and yellow star. Scars abounded over his visible flesh, giving him the rugged appearance of an outlaw. "I know this is one of the last places I ever wanted to be in."
"And you would be?"
"Sorry, I'm not used to meeting new people in here, the name's Levi."
"So why IS Pixie keeping you humans alive?" asked Pink Eye asked. The others' eyes turned towards the pink suezo, looking as if he'd asked the equivalent of why they'd been born. "I mean, from what I've heard of both Moo and his followers, it'd make more sense for her to kill you all."
"I guess it's her idea of revenge. This whole territory used to be ruled by a greedy king who forced hundreds of thousands of monsters to work in these very pits to dig up some lost treasure. Now she makes us dig the same hole looking for mystery disks to increase Moo's army."
"Judith, how could you," Hare whispered to himself.
"What'd ya say Hare?" Pink Eye asked.
"Hmm? Nothing... just thinking about how terrible this is," Hare quickly replied, which seemed to satisfy most everyone, though Gray Wolf's eyes remained on the lapine longer than the rabbit would have liked.
"There has to be a way out of here," Golem said.
"Oh, I'm afraid not my large friend. We've been trying to escape since this whole ordeal began, but Pixie has blocked us at ever turn. Baring a miracle, I don't see how we're going to get outta here," replied Oscar.
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A little less than three hours later finds Genki and Mocchi hiding behind a rock not far from the cave-like entrance to the prison. On either side of the entrance was a usaba that looked like it was mean enough to tear them both to pieces.
"How are we gonna rescue our friends Genki-chi?" Mocchi asked as he poked his head out from behind the rock.
"We have to get past those guards first," Genki said. "Usaba are pretty dumb, it shouldn't be too hard to distract them." So saying the boy grabbed a rock the size of his fist and threw it for all he was worth. The rock smashed into the side of the cave with a loud crack that immediately drew the plant/suezo hybrids' attention.
"What was that?" One of the usaba said.
"Could be an intruded," the other said. "You should go look."
"I ain't looking, they might get me."
"It could be the same for me!"
"So we'll go together." With those words, both baddies left their posts to investigate the sound. As soon as they were out of sight, Genki turned towards Mocchi.
"I'm gonna go set our friends free Mocchi, you stay here."
"But I wanna go with you chi," Mocchi said, a hurt look on his face. "You might need help, and who's gonna help if I'm not there."
"No, I need you here to watch in case someone else comes," Genki stated. "I'm counting on you to guard my back Mocch."
"Okay, Genki-chi," came Mocchi's reluctant reply as Genki carefully snuck into the cave-turned-dungeon. Inside, he found hundreds and hundreds of cells with three and four humans in each. It was the cell sitting in the center of the highest row that held the boy's attention though, as inside were his friends.
"Genki! Boy am I glad to see you!" Pink Eye yelled as he spotted the boy.
"You're alive," Hare exclaimed, a little unbelieving.
"Guys, how do I get these cages open?"
"There's keys to each row of cells on a ring hanging by the door boy," Oscar called. "If you use them you can let us all out." Genki sprinted back to the entrance, where the key ring hung in plain sight, and grabbed the object in question and began to quickly to unlock the cell doors, releasing the prisoners before finally arriving at his friends.
"How'd you manage to survive that fall kid?" Joshua asked.
"Mocchi bounced me into a nest near the top," answered the brown haired boy as he let them out.
"So where is the little guy?"
"I left him outside to watch for anyone who might spoil our escape."
"He better be careful," Levi said. "It's almost dawn, the baddies will be here soon to unlock us for the day's work."
"Who cares, now that we're free, I say we give that little witch a taste of her own medicine," Richard said, a statement which received a few cheers from a few of the former captives.
"That might prove a bit difficult for weaklings such as yourselves," came an angry feminine voice as a pink ball suddenly slammed into the wall. Genki rushed over to see it was Mocchi, bruised, spiral-eyed, and out of breath, that had been the projectile. Up in air hovered the monster who'd beaten him up as Big Blue walked in as well. "None of you will leave here alive," Pixie yelled as she let loose with her shotgun attacks.
"That's what you think… ARCTIC BLAST!" Gray Wolf yelled as he fired his freezing beam at the female. With an impossible display of speed, Big Blue stepped between the attack and his mistress, allowing the beam to solidify him into a block of ice. "Fool," was all Gray Wolf managed to say before Big Blue burst out of the ice block as though it were nothing.
"You are the fool," he said. "My body is composed of ice-rock, my species thrives on cold." With those words, the sapphire giant lifted Gray Wolf over his head and threw him into a wall. The titan baddy then moved to finish the worth off with a single massive fist only to find his attack blocked by Golem's own massive hands.
"I do not like to fight Big Blue, but I will not permit you to hurt my friends," Golem's stoic voice called as he entered into a grapple with his counterpart. Both displayed a fantastic amount of strength as they fought to overpower each other, but it was clear neither could gain any sort of advantage over the other. "This fight is pointless, it gets us nowhere. Can we not sit down and talk this over like civilized golems?"
"Never!!" Was the only reply Big Blue gave. Meanwhile, Pixie was busy blasting escapees right and left. Genki moved forward away from Mocchi on his skates, racing up to the top of the wall of cells, the skeletal frame of a plan forming in his mind. Going at fantastic speeds, Genki leapt off the ledge and into a perfect jump kick, connecting with Pixie and sending the red-haired beauty careening out of control and into a wall.
"Everyone get out of here, we'll keep her busy!" Genki yelled.
"Master Pixie!" Big Blue yelled as he broke the grapple with Golem.
"You brat!" Pixie yelled. "I'll make you pay for that!!!" Pixie surged forward at Genki as the whole room cleared of it's human occupants. A ball of explosive energy left Pixie's hand to fly through the air as it made a bee-line for Genki. The boy was not present, however, as a blur of brown fur scooped him up before it could contact. The ball did strike the cages and blew a huge hole in the rock.
"Thanks Hare," Genki said.
"No problem. But I think we need to get out of here or Pixie's gonna bring this whole place down on our heads."
"Gotcha," Genki answered as he returned to his feet. In a flash, he collected the still dazed Mocchi as he raced out of the newly created exit with Pixie right on his proverbial tail. Behind them the rest of the searchers plus Big Blue closely followed, just in time to find a swarm of clays battling with the escaping humans.
"Soldiers, capture the rest, but leave the boy to me," Pixie commanded as she took a swipe at Genki with her claws. He barely dodged the female's attack, only to be caught by a shin-kick. Genki used the force of the blow to go into a back flip, using his feet to connect with her chin and sending her to the ground.
"Pixie, you have to stop this before somebody gets ki...AAHH!!" Genki screamed as a shotgun blast exploded right at his chest, sending him flying backwards.
"No, this has gone too far to stop now," Pixie said back as she grabbed the boy by the collar of his shirt, slamming him into a chunk of wall. "It's long past time your kind paid for the sins you've committed against us."
"I understand your anger, Pixie but you can't take it out on all humans," Genki said.
"How could you possibly know what I feel. Time to die boy." Pixie's clawed hand came closer and closer to Genki's throat as she prepared to slay him.
"Geronimocchi!!!" Mocchi called as he slammed into the monster general knocking her into Hare's arms. Immediately, the lapine monster put the pixie in a full nelson, immobilizing her as quickly as he could.
"Tim what are you doing? Let me go!" Pixie yelled as she struggled against the rabbit's hold.
"Not until you listen to yourself," Hare grunted back as he struggled with equal ferocity to keep her in one place. "Look at what's going on now, look at this great legacy you intend to leave for us." All around the two looked to see the battle, as humans wielding crude battle implements as they fought fiercely for their freedom against equally clays. Bodies and shattered lost disks littered the field as more and more were being readily added as clays were torn apart and humans were impaled on sharp limbs. "They're killing each other. Humans will never accept being slaves, and neither will monsters. To think otherwise is to simply invite a new blood bath."
"Then they'll have to die," growled Pixie.
"You can't do that!" Genki said, facing the angered female.
"To arbitrarily slaughter a whole species just because it gets in your way is deplorable," Hare countered as he finally lost his grip on his flame-haired captive. She spun around glaring directly at the rabbit's eyes.
"How can you defend them after what they did to us? Think of all we could have been without their interference. We could have been happy, but they wouldn't let us. That damn ranch would have been our deaths if they'd had their say. Now we rule, we're the ones who make the laws, determine fate."
"And what makes you the one to decide that?!" Hare yelled.
"Because I'm right!" came Pixie's reply.
"You sound exactly like Hagen!!" yelled back an angry Hare.
"How dare you compare me to HIM," Pixie hissed as she slapped Hare across the face. Her claws dug into his flesh leaving four small cuts on his cheek as he fell to the ground from the force of the blow. "What have I done..."
"You see what I mean now," Hare said. "You've changed Judith, and not for the better."
"I... I didn't want it to go this far... I just wanted to keep everyone else from going through what we did. I never meant to... to..."
"Master Pixie?" Big Blue asked as he slowly walked up. The icy giant made no move to attack Hare, Genki, or Mocchi, though he did look ready to if it became necessary.
"What have I become," Pixie said as a small tear fell down her cheek. Suddenly, her wings unfurled and she rose into the air. "Clays! Stand down!" At the sound of her voice, all the muddy brown monsters turned to look at her, unsure of what she had planned.
"B... But Master Pixie... the slaves. Don't we have to recapture them?" one of the clays asked.
"This.. this isn't worth the bloodshed. Stand down." Pixie continued before landing back on the ground.
"Finally, we've won," Richard said. "Now we can make that witch pay for what she's do..."
"Shut up Richard," Oscar said as he knocked the annoying human out. "Now is not the time."
Pixie then looked directly at Genki before she began talking again. "I cannot pretend to forgive your kind for what they did to me and mine, but I can tell this is not the way to set things right."
"That's all well and good, but I somehow doubt Moo will see it that way," Gray Wolf said as he walked up, energy dancing around his horns in case it was all a trick.
"Moo may be a bit of a tyrant, but he's not unreasonable. Perhaps it's time someone show him that the old ways don't work anymore."
"And what about us?" Genki asked.
"Leave... I need to think, and I can't very well do that if I'm busy baby-sitting you. Now go before I change my mind." Genki appeared to want to say more, but Hare and Gray Wolf both stopped him, instead indicating they should go. Soon, everyone was leaving, with none of the clays trying to stop anyone.
"I hope she knows what she's doing," Genki said as he looked back at Pixie who was standing near Big Blue.
"Trust me, she's a survivor. No matter where the chips fall, she'll keep on top," Hare answered her.
"You act like you know her."
"I knew her, a long time ago, in another lifetime." Suddenly, the quiet of the escape was shattered by a loud scream as all the searchers turned back to look at Pixie, horrified looks coming over their faces at what they saw. Pixie had an look of great pain on her face as two barbed spears jutted out of her chest and stomach. Holding the poles of the spears were two reapers, deadly centaur/joker hybrids, both wearing the crests of Moo around their necks. Wicked smiles adorned both of their faces as they casually ripped their weapons out of their victim's body.
"MASTER PIXIE!!" Big Blue bellowed as he moved to catch the fallen baddy.
"There is no room for weaklings in this world," one of the reapers said smiling. "May you pay the ultimate price for failure." With those words, both horse-like monsters turned away to leave. Bad move.
"TRAITORS!!" Big Blue bellowed as he leapt for the two assassins. He reached for one, grabbing him around the neck only to have the other's supernatural spear lance through his arm.
"It seems we have another to deal with my brother," the reaper said, his smile returning to his face.
"Good," said the other. "I'll enjoy reducing this wall to rubble. Dark Disk..." The reaper was cut off mid-sentence as Hare's elbow slammed into his gut savagely. Joshua and the other searchers had moved over to Pixie, trying to tend to her wounds while the reapers were kept busy. Back at the fight, Hare dropped down, sweeping his leg into the reaper's front legs in an effort to trip up the much larger monster, which failed miserably.
"Ha, did you think you could beat me so easily, fool? We are much more than normal centaurs."
"Really, I just find that so shocking," Gray Wolf said as he rose in the air, silver energy once more dancing around his horns. "LIGHTNING!!" Silver lightning shot out from the wolf's horns and headed right for the blue eyed centaur hybrid. The reaper moved quickly, spinning his spear so fast it was able to dispel the lightning. As Gray Wolf landed, the second reaper attacked attempting to skewer him only to be blocked by Big Blue.
"Now you will pay for what you did to my master," Big Blue growled.
"And you will pay for interfering," the first reaper said as he charged the blue golem. "CHARGING STRIKE!!" the reaper yelled as his spear tip began to glow a murky red.
"NO... YOU... DON'T! HEART PUNCH!!!" Hare yelled as he ran to meet the charge. As he called his attack, time seemed to slow down for the rabbit as his hearing became much more sensitive. Like the beating of a drum was the sound of the reaper's heartbeat as Hare ran forward. His eyes became sharper and sharper as he zeroed in on his target. Finally, they met, just as he heard the reaper's heart contract and prepare to expand, the lapine monster's fist connected in a fearsome punch as the reaper's spear knocked Hare away, sending him flying to the ground.
"Ha, I don't know what you expected such a weak attack to accomplish bunny-boy, but I barely felt that punch," said the reaper, a cruel look on his face.
"Doesn't matter, it's a delayed force attack," Hare grunted out, falling to a knee. Suddenly, the reaper dropped his spear as his hands covered his chest and he fell to the ground. Before her could even yell in pain, the centaur hybrid's body took on a familiar golden glow as his body warped into the form of a lost disk.
"What did you do to him?!" the final reaper screamed at Hare as he saw his brother die.
"It's called the heart punch, an outlawed and lethal attack. It focuses all my energy into a powerful punch that strikes right at the moment the heart is expanding, actually blowing the muscle up. Whenever it connects, it's always lethal, the perfect attack for murderers like you."
"I'll be sure to note that for my master when I report on the success of my mission..." the reaper said as he raised his spear. "Now prepare to die... DARK DISK ATTACK!" A ball of pure black energy rose from the handle of the spear and flattened into a disk which the reaper threw at the tired lapine. Before it could hit, Genki raced by grabbing Hare and pulling him out of the way of the attack.
"Thanks Genki," Hare said.
"Just returning the favor," replied Genki.
"Not that that will save you this time," Reaper called as he prepared his attack again. This time, however, he was interrupted before he could complete his attack as Big Blue's arms wrapped around the dark centaur's body.
"Now you will pay for what you did to Master Pixie," Big Blue said, anger rampant in his voice as he squeezed the reaper in a bear hug. Bones broke and muscles flattened as the baddie was crushed in the rock giant's grip.
"AAAAAHHHH!" Was the last thing the reaper got out before his body shifted into the form of a lost disk. With both assassins gone, the fighters moved back to Pixie who lay on the ground as Joshua tended her wounds. It was proving to be a loosing battle though, as blood was flowing freely from the wounded monster's body, despite Joshua's best attempts to stop it.
"Pixie, can you use your healing powers. Try to focus so we can stop the bleeding," Hare said.
"Can't... it hurts... too much..." Pixie said as she coughed.
"I'm afraid there's not much anyone can do right now," Joshua said. "Those damn reapers were too good, they pierced too many vital organs." To his credit, the human continued to try to keep the monsteress alive.
"I... I can feel my strength fading... leaving me," Pixie said.
"Master Pixie, please hang on. We'll get you to a doctor, something," Big Blue said as he prepared to pick up the wounded general.
"No Big Blue. It's... too late for me," Pixie said.
"I... I'm sorry... I've failed you," said a saddened Big Blue.
"My faithful servant, my dear friend. You're the best friend I could have asked for... Please, don't feel this is your fault." Pixie then turned to Hare. "Timothy, thank you... for showing me what I was becoming... before it was too late." With those words, Pixie's eyes closed for the final time as her body began to glow golden as she body shifted slowly into a disk being held by a small bush. For a few minutes, all was silent as each mourned in his own way. Then, Big Blue began to walk off, his fists clenched as he did so.
"Pixie said you should leave," he said in a neutral voice. "In her memory, I will honor her orders. May you have more luck in your journey than Master Pixie did in hers."
"Big Blue wait!" Hare said as he walked up to the sapphire giant. Big Blue turned around to look at Hare, who held in his hands Pixie's lost disk.
"What do you want?"
"I want you to take care of her. If her disk stays out here, it's likely to get broken before we can find the Phoenix to revive her. I... I don't want her to stay lost forever." Big Blue looked down at Hare, an look on his face that was neither hard nor soft, but seemed to be instead one of understanding.
"I would be honored," Big Blue said as he gently took the disk from the lapine's hand. He then turned around and slowly walked away.
"Hare, we're leaving," Genki called. "Are you ready to go?"
"I'll be right there," Hare said before looking back at the retreating blue golem. "Until we meet again... Judith." Hare then turned around and ran to catch up to his friends.
Meanwhile, back at the spot of the two reapers' defeat, the two lost disks began to shimmer as cracks appeared in both. Suddenly, both lost disks shattered, releasing two dark cackling shadows into the air. They hung for only a mere moment before flying off over the horizon. For miles and miles they traveled in almost the blink of an eye before joining with the flame that surrounded a blade. The blade rose and actually seemed to cut into the air itself as it left a fiery mark suspended in the air. In the darkness, an evil raspy voice was all that could be heard.
"That's one."
The beginning...
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Well that's the end for this section of "When Destiny Calls." I can't believe we've made it to chapter twelve, and we're not even half-way done yet. I never thought this story would be so long. What difficulties will Pixie's death present for the searchers? We'll just have to see. But now here's the more important question. As I'm sure you've all noticed, Joshua, Holly's father, being a part of the team does raise the question: Who is Moo? Well, the searchers will find out next time when Moo himself comes to do battle with them. Will they survive? Will Moo take possession f the Magic Stone. Find out next time when the Searchers "Meet Master Moo." But in the mean time, don't forget to leave a review. Till next time.