Returned to Void
Standard Disclaimer: Ta-da, I don't own Vandread and only done for amusement. Now that was magic trick huh?
Spoilers abound if any….
Shortly after of 8 months ago…
Massacring Deliverance
"Releasing all locks…"
A sharp hiss filled the room as the cylindrical tube rose upward. Red translucent fluid began to flow out and cover the floor. Hibiki still disoriented and dazed, struggled to stand. A flash of searing heat goes through him. 'It's so hard…to move' He falls to his knees only to be welcomed by the discomfort on the damp floor. 'Oh kami.' He shakes his head from side to side. The flow of blood returns to his body and his vision corrects itself. Before him the room is filled with many computer instruments and lights. 'Where am I?' He strains to place his left hand on his knee. 'One step…' He inhales and supplies his muscles with oxygen, real room oxygen. 'Freedom' He exhales and finds new vigor within his body. An energizing force begins to flow through him. His muscles taunt and tight, yet not as weak. He stands with less strain this time and begins to take his first step. 'Yes…' Another step then another. 'Yes, more…' The simple action of moving liberates him; like a child who has learned to walk. 'It feels so good…'
An abrupt hiss echoes and he turns to the sound. The sliding door goes into the wall. A young man was looking at a computerized clip board as he walked in. He was not any paying attention to the man half dress (if you count tight boxer type shorts as half dress). He notices the floor has become moist and slippery. He raises his head…
Their eyes meet…
A moment of silence…
One of the longest moments in the young tech's life… and his last…
GO!
Marital arts take on many forms, from the pure use of legs, hand strikes, grappling, and to using the energy of the opponent. It has many varieties yet it has an undermining goal. The goal is to survive. In the evolution of the Art many practitioners/exercisers created various strikes, stances, blows, and concepts to improve their Art. Many may argue that Martial Arts are not only confined to the idea of hurting the opponent. Rather, it can be described as a dance or expression which is true. However, the essence of the Art is to win above your opponent in fight. The key is survival. The human body has an innate ability to fight, the primal instinct conscious or ID. The instinct to stay alive which also means to stay free. For Hibiki, this young man is his opponent. In order to survive, he has to win…In the Art; the best type of winning was the utter destruction of your opponent so he has no opportunity to strike back. Translating to the death of him…
GO!
Flexing and tightening his muscles; like how a dogs' hair stands up before he bites into you very hard. Hibiki's vision becomes red and his mind focuses on figure before him. 'Kill' His calf muscles flex tightly. The young tech before Hibiki is beyond petrified. A ferocious growl fills the room. All of Hibiki's muscles expand explode with tremendous energy. 'Die.' The young tech is frozen to the spot where they first made eye contact.
Too bad…
Hibiki cocks his left hand back fiercely while forming a fist; at the same moment closing the distance between them with three strides. The young tech only sees Hibiki's face and not the fist that makes contact on his temple. CRACK! The tech flies backwards into the computer consul thereby denting it. His last thought was 'what happened?' and he blacks out. Hibiki felt an urge, an urge of winning, begins to the walk towards the tech. Tightening his fists into his palms; he stands before the prone form. 'Win.' Hibiki brings both of his hands together into a praying manner and raises it high above his head. The concept of winning and reward after was the only thought. Tasting victory on his lips. In a savage manner, he crushes the tech skull causing his spine to rupture at the base. 'Not yet.' Hibiki inhales while eying the young tech whose head is dangling profusely. His hands still burning with the desire; the desire to win. He exhales as placed his hands on the techs neck and begins to squeeze like how you wring a table cloth. 'More, more, more.' The human throat, particularly the wind pipe, only needs about five pounds of pressure to collapse; Hibiki though decides that 400 pounds should do the job.
SNAP!
Fascination and relief… His first kill…
==Vandread==
Presently…
"These new dreads are much faster and mobile from two years ago huh'?' A teal haired Mejerran questioned. A new breed of dread fighters is heading towards the docking bay to examine their newly issued fighters. Trained under and tested by Meia, these pilots are to be battle harden without any actual combat.
"Guess so but do you remember those three dreads from two years ago'?' Her companion returned. "You know the ones that combined with the male robot thingy."
"Yeah." The teal haired off handy answers while she examined her teal nails.
"Now those were fast and much more mobile." She proclaimed animatedly.
"I guess." Trying to sound bored, but in truth she was bubbling within. A chance to ride in those dreads which brought them victory (in addition survival) would be exciting.
"Actually I heard from Paiwae that all three were loaded into Nirvana yesterday." She injected quickly.
"Really, I guess those 'three' are really going then'?' Both ladies reached the bay entrance, they pause for a moment to let the door open, and then proceed into the docking bay. They are greeted with controlled chaos. Scores of Mejerran techs scurry around to inspect and modify their comrade's vehicles. Some of the pilots are consulting with techs while other pilots are seated in their fighters. Both ladies proceed down the walk way towards their dreads. Above them, on the walk way railing, three ladies are watching the events unfold before. The three peer from a distance…
==Vandread==
8 months before…
…to assess the situation before them. The two guards are taking cover behind an embankment. Pulse rifles set on stun and emotions set on fear. Why do you ask? Simple, they just saw three of their comrades being mutilated by the test subject. When the first alarms activated, three units of five men where sent to the observation area. These two men are the fourth unit and the last of five sent to subdue Hibiki.
"Oh god'!' A horrified earthling uttered.
"Go look dammit." His partner pleaded.
"No way. Didn't you see what happened to Curso? 'He' took Curso's arm and broke it but before that 'he' drove fist into his ribs! That guy is an animal'!' He returned.
Yes, poor Curso. He was a new recruit and in Earth terms that was an accomplishment. When Curso first made it to the scene, he encountered Hibiki stomping on a fellow guard. He yelled freeze and pointed his weapon towards him.
That was Curso last action.
One moment Curso was pointing his weapon at Hibiki; the next he was four feet in the air and engrossed in searing pain at his rib area. Hibiki impaled his right fist into Curso ribs (breaking at least four) then lifted Curso using his ribs as a brace. Using his left hand, Hibiki grabbed on Curso left wrist and circled toward his right shoulder then over to his left thus exposing Curso left elbow.
A straight elbow is a broken elbow…
In one swift motion, Hibiki pulled out his right hand out and bought down his right forearm right on top of Curso's elbow while midair. CRUNCH! The howl of pain echoed to all bystanders' minds. Curso with a newly broken arm hung limply in front of Hibiki.
The former Vanguard pilot sneered at 'his' opponent and came to the conclusion of killing him would be better.
So Hibiki grabbed Curso head with his right hand and lifted him head level then delivered a reverse round house kick to the temple area. CRACK! Curso sailed through the air effortlessly and impacted with the metal wall (head first of course) then slid down along the wall slowly. Which bring us to the present situation? Two armed men are fearing for their lives and quietly debating amongst themselves on who should go look.
"I told you to look already'!' One hissed.
"Forget you, you go look." The other fired back.
Too much talk is a bad thing…
During the two armed men's argument on who should look; Hibiki sensed their presence and proceeded to their area. A looming shadow befallen on the two guards causing them to raise their heads towards source. Hibiki's facial expression was similar to a wolf.
Straight to the point and deadly…
About three seconds later, one guard was on the floor unconscious (having his nose cartilage pushed into his brain) while the other was elevated against the wall by his neck.
"Let me go." The guard cried painfully.
'He' began to apply greater pressure to the….
==Vandread==
At the moment…
…circular railing as the technicians began inspecting the white dread. Meia grew accustomed to having Parfet do all of the maintenance on her dread. Seeing these 'young' engineers scuttle around her dread made her feel uneasy. In her mind, their experience of maintaining a dread was adequate. However, 'her' dread was not ordinary which was causing her this uneasiness at the moment. 'Where is Parfet'?' Meia herself did not have the technical expertise upon dreads thus she always left it to the care of Parfet. Throughout their campaigns, Parfet tremendous attention to detail and love for machines made Meia confident upon the battle capabilities of her dread. In battle, Meia felt assured that vehicle malfunction was an extreme oddity. 'Parfet did tame the Plexis.' During the standard repairs, Parfet was a supervising figure but at the moment she was missing. It was so hard for 'her' to trust…
==Vandread==
8 months prior…
…in anything anymore. Hibiki sprinted towards a destination that he knew acutely. Some unknown force was calling for his presence and the urgency grew great as he took every step. The need to get there was tearing into his being. Along the way, Hibiki confronted many obstacles (particularly guards) and he disposed of them rather swiftly. Turning left he wondered why he seemed to know the path to this destination. Another guard steps in front of him. Never losing a step, Hibiki leaps above a laser shot and embeds his knee into the guard's face causing the guard to arc backward as red rain spews from the guard's face. Landing on all fours, Hibiki once again sprints towards this unknown yet familiar feeling. 'He' began to wonder on why…
==Vandread==
Currently…
…these people are so happy. Dita stares at the scene before her. People are laughing and giggling amongst themselves. Some are serious yet a casual manner was attached to them. She was wondering why they are displaying so much emotion. 'What was the point to feel joy when pain was there'?' Some of the pilots were conversing on matter of males. Snippets of Bart's and Duero's names reach Dita's ears. The engineers conversations are on the subjects of what parts go where and how much this thingy was needed on where. Yet Dita couldn't relate to them. 'There was no point to feel anymore…' Dita just loss the need for emotion; going through the motions of living was good enough for her. She could not care less if someone was happy, embittered nor sad. 'She' doesn't care…
==Vandread==
8 months earlier…
…how much his legs burned. This feeling was driving him towards the goal. Whatever it was, it allowed him to continue forward. This feeling was gave him the power to accomplish anything before him. Like disposing three guards which blocked the 'door' to his destination. All three had some sort of baton with electric pulses running through them. Hibiki abruptly stopped and began to square up his opponents. One guard lunged forward hesitantly.
Be decisive and follow through…
Hibiki begin his counter by spinning towards the guard thereby closing the distance between them. The guard pitifully missed Hibiki and was rewarded with a reverse back hand to the temple. CRACK! The guard flew towards the wall which renders him useless for combat. As Hibiki ended his spin he crouches down on all fours then springing up from floor thereby launching him into mid air. While in the air he flips himself forward and plants his calves on the guard shoulders. The momentary of stability was all that Hibiki needed to twist his hips in a circular direction causing his legs to go in the same direction. SNAP! The second guard joins his previous comrades. 'Last one…' Using his new found agility, Hibiki places his open hands on his chest while bringing his knees tight to his chest as he gravitated to the floor. As Hibiki's hands made contact with the ground; he pushes off the floor thus propelling him towards his next opponent while kicking out his feet. CRUNCH! Hibiki's bare feet (distinctively his heels) collide with the third guard's face causing the guard to fall backwards as Hibiki lands a small distance away. Hibiki finished the third guard off placing a solid kick to the solar-plexus thus collapsing the rib cage that caused massive lung punctures. 'He' turns around to face…
==Vandread==
Occurring now…
…away from the others. Jura had her back away from the chaos happening below. She was staring into the window which had the portrait of space. Jura was frustrated at the slowness and causal manner the crew was displaying. She had read Meia assertion upon the new dread pilots. Jura found them to be weak and incapable of real combat. 'If we were to be attacked…' She didn't want to finish the thought. It would only add to list disappointments and irritations that were growing on a daily basis. The crew was inadequately trained and on top of that the male crew was to join them in a few days. Jura hoped that the males followed her strict guide lines upon their conduct on the Nirvana. She knew deep down though; the Tarrakan's candidates would fail and this failure would just add to her anger. 'She' couldn't wait to get…
==Vandread==
8 months previously…
…beyond this door. This feeling would be quenched when he stepped beyond this door. Not wasting another moment; Hibiki advanced through the door and faced numerous guards pointing armaments at him. A hunched figure was before him.
His Ibo stood before…
"I knew you would come here." The figure declared rather arrogantly. "You and this thing are bonded." Pointing towards it. "I would further say this thing is your other half."
Hibiki bored into the figure. He could not afford to lose here now. He wanted to satisfy this need. It was ripping his apart; he needed to complete this desire now! No matter who or what was in front him; he would not be stopped.
"The game ends now boy! You belong to us now and you will follow what we demand of you'!' He howls although this fell deaf to Hibiki's ears.
Silence…
More silence…
Too much silence…
GO…
Who?
GO…
What?
Come to me…
Where?
You know where…
Why?
Just feel…
When?
NOW!
Yes…
Just follow what I tell you…
Ignore your emotions…
Except feel hate…
The black Vanguard eyes lit up in emerald hue before all…
Hibiki has met home…
Author Notes: I am really sorry to my readers. Last few months went to the hell/heck hole. I had to move back up to Seattle to help my bro in the family business (couldn't find a replace adequate enough). This just shot up my life. So I apologize to the Vandread mailing group too. I'm sorry I had to drop out people. Do not fret though, once I established my new email account (quoting Arnold) "I'll be back" and be back on the writing. To my readers thank you for the reviews. Sorry again to all. Enjoy the new chapter and hopefully the next one will be out quickly.