Disclaimer - Don't own 'em.
Author's Notes - I'm glad you guys are enjoying this fic so far! (the reviews
have been a bit slim, but I've got no complaints, this fic is my baby, after all!)
Besides, the reviews I did receive were awesome, and I'm sure you'll all be
pleased to know that we will soon be reaching a resolution!
Wufei - It's about time
::glares at him:: Anyways, thank you all so much for your praise and
patience! For a reward, here is the next chapter of 'Child of Saberstryke'!
Chapter 18
He was floating. It was almost as if he was resting on the surface of water,
floating aimlessly with no particular direction or destination in mind. Then,
without warning, he began to plummet towards a ground he couldn't see.
As he began to pick up speed, he attempted to call upon his armor to slow
his fall. Unfortunately, no matter how many times he called it, the armor of
Tenku just would not come to his aid.
'What're you gonna do now, Touma?' he asked himself. 'This may be a
dream, but I sure don't want to stick around to find out what happens when
I hit the ground.'
"Touma!!"
"What?" Touma looked down to see Kiyone several yards away,
plummeting towards the ground. It had to be a dream; he couldn't believe
it. "Kiyone?"
Fear was in her eyes. "Touma, help me!" she cried out. "Please!"
Wasting no time, Touma pressed his arms against his sides to allow him
to fall at a faster speed. When he was close enough to her, he stretched
his arm out to her. "Kiyone, give me your hand!" he told her.
She hesitated at first, but then reached out to him, falling just a few feet
short. "It's too far!" she cried out.
"Forget about that! You can make it!" he replied. "Just keep trying."
"I can't do it!" Tears were running down her face. "I'm sorry, Touma… I
can't!"
"Kiyone…" Touma murmured. Why wouldn't she let him help her? He
looked up at her once again. "Kiyone!"
Touma could only watch with wide eyes as a large, dark hand reached out
of nowhere. A feminine laugh echoed through the air as Kiyone was pulled
down into the darkness.
"TOUMA!! HELP ME!!"
"Kiyone!!" Touma opened his eyes to found himself alone. Looking
around, he realized he was standing on the back porch behind the house.
Scratching his head, he sat down with a sigh. "I guess it was a dream
after all." He remembered seeing the tears in her eyes. He closed his
eyes, trying to shake the image away.
Almost as if he had appeared out thin air, Byauken emerged from the
forest, letting out a soft growl. However, when Touma looked up at him,
he saw a black tiger in his place.
Touma blinked in confusion. "Kokuen-oh?" he murmured.
The tiger nodded its head in acknowledgment.
Touma rose from his seat, walking over to where the animal stood. "I
wondered when you'd be showing up." he replied quietly. The tiger
snorted in response. "It was your job to protect her when she was
little - now that she's in trouble, you want to help her again." He knelt
down in front of Kokuen-oh, resting his hands on his armor shoulder
plates. "I don't want to believe that Kiyone is evil. It has to be that
Sadia person possessing her."
At the mention of her name, Kokuen-oh growled fiercely.
"Then, you agree." Touma replied softly. "You know what has to be done,
right?"
The tiger lowered its head, nuzzling him slightly.
"I don't know how it happened, but I know Kiyone's innocent," The warrior of
firmament's calm demeanor flickered slightly. "I can feel exactly what she's
feeling... it's like I'm bonded to her somehow."
Kokuen-oh did not seem to be phased by this bit of information.
Touma rose, a determined expression on his face. "If there's any chance
to save Kiyone, then I have to find it. But…" He clenched his fist, a golden a
rrow materializing in his grasp. "If Kiyone has to die… I'll finish her myself."
~*~*~*~
She wanted to die. Unable to see, speak, or move, Kiyone felt completely
and utterly helpless. However, what killed her most was knowing that a
psychopath was currently making use of her body to kill those she loved.
"A psychopath, Jade?" An ethereal version of Sadia appeared in front of
her, despite the fact that Kiyone could not see her. "Those are harsh
words, wouldn't you think?"
"Actually, you're right." Kiyone snarled. "I think vengeful maniacal freak
fits much better!"
Sadia 'tsk'ed. "Come, come now," she laughed. "You shouldn't be so
hard on yourself. I am you after all."
"They know me." Kiyone spat. "They'll figure it out - if they haven't already."
"And knowing won't do them a bit of good." Sadia replied. "Even if they
know the truth, they also know that there's nothing they can do to stop
me - wouldn't want to harm their precious Jade, now would they?"
Kiyone paled; she hadn't thought of that.
"And I don't recommend trying any heroics on your part either," Sadia
continued. "Try contacting anyone on the outside from here and you'll
only be doing damage to yourself. By the time I've finished sucking all
the life energy out of your soul, you'll be nothing more than a memory."
She laughed out loud, reveling in the look of despair crossing over Kiyone's
features. "It was certainly nice knowing you - for however short a time it
was." With that, she disappeared, leaving Kiyone alone in the darkness of
her own mind.
~*~*~*~
"Here, Ryo," said Nasuti, gently placing an icepack over Ryo's face.
"Thanks," he replied, wincing slightly at the contact. "Touma sure packs a
punch - remind me never to step in the way of his fists again."
"You shouldn't have done that, Ryo," Seiji replied. "You should have just
let me handle him."
"Fighting amongst each other isn't something we need to deal with right
now, and you know it, Seiji." Nasuti replied.
"But he was way out of line!" Seiji objected.
"I pretty much expected he would be," Ryo replied, leaning back on the
couch. "You have to admit, you're not all that keen on the plan either."
Seiji lowered his eyes, remaining silent.
"When are you going to… going to do it?" Nasuti asked softly.
"It has to be the next time we see her." Ryo answered. "We can't risk her
gaining more power every time we fight her."
"I don't really hate to say this," Shin replied. "But I'm really starting to
agree with Touma on this one."
"We don't have a choice, man!" Shuu replied gruffly. "It's gonna be tough,
but we have to do it!"
"Yeah, I know," Shin agreed. "Speaking of which, where is Touma
anyway?"
Almost as if on cue, Byauken slowly trotted into the room, carrying a slip
of paper in his mouth.
"What's that you've got there, Byauken?" Ryo asked. The white tiger
snorted.
"Let me see that." Seiji replied, removing the slip of paper from Byauken's
mouth. He skimmed over it quickly, cursing under his breath. "That idiot!"
~End of Chapter 18
Author's Notes-
Hey now, all! It seems like things are startin' to heat up around here!
Wufei - Not really... it's frickin' cold with all this snow.
::gives him a withering glare:: I meant the fanfic... anyways, what will
become of Kiyone? Will Sadia defeat the Troopers using Kiyone's body, or
will the Troopers stop her, carrying out the mercy killing they are debating
despite Touma's insistence? And what will become of our favorite blue -
haired trooper? Will he be able to free Kiyone? And will he really stand
against his friends to do it?
Wufei - ::a vein pulsing on the side of his forehead:: Stop asking stupid
onna questions and get on to the next chapter!!
Quite right... read on everyone!
Author's Notes - I'm glad you guys are enjoying this fic so far! (the reviews
have been a bit slim, but I've got no complaints, this fic is my baby, after all!)
Besides, the reviews I did receive were awesome, and I'm sure you'll all be
pleased to know that we will soon be reaching a resolution!
Wufei - It's about time
::glares at him:: Anyways, thank you all so much for your praise and
patience! For a reward, here is the next chapter of 'Child of Saberstryke'!
Chapter 18
He was floating. It was almost as if he was resting on the surface of water,
floating aimlessly with no particular direction or destination in mind. Then,
without warning, he began to plummet towards a ground he couldn't see.
As he began to pick up speed, he attempted to call upon his armor to slow
his fall. Unfortunately, no matter how many times he called it, the armor of
Tenku just would not come to his aid.
'What're you gonna do now, Touma?' he asked himself. 'This may be a
dream, but I sure don't want to stick around to find out what happens when
I hit the ground.'
"Touma!!"
"What?" Touma looked down to see Kiyone several yards away,
plummeting towards the ground. It had to be a dream; he couldn't believe
it. "Kiyone?"
Fear was in her eyes. "Touma, help me!" she cried out. "Please!"
Wasting no time, Touma pressed his arms against his sides to allow him
to fall at a faster speed. When he was close enough to her, he stretched
his arm out to her. "Kiyone, give me your hand!" he told her.
She hesitated at first, but then reached out to him, falling just a few feet
short. "It's too far!" she cried out.
"Forget about that! You can make it!" he replied. "Just keep trying."
"I can't do it!" Tears were running down her face. "I'm sorry, Touma… I
can't!"
"Kiyone…" Touma murmured. Why wouldn't she let him help her? He
looked up at her once again. "Kiyone!"
Touma could only watch with wide eyes as a large, dark hand reached out
of nowhere. A feminine laugh echoed through the air as Kiyone was pulled
down into the darkness.
"TOUMA!! HELP ME!!"
"Kiyone!!" Touma opened his eyes to found himself alone. Looking
around, he realized he was standing on the back porch behind the house.
Scratching his head, he sat down with a sigh. "I guess it was a dream
after all." He remembered seeing the tears in her eyes. He closed his
eyes, trying to shake the image away.
Almost as if he had appeared out thin air, Byauken emerged from the
forest, letting out a soft growl. However, when Touma looked up at him,
he saw a black tiger in his place.
Touma blinked in confusion. "Kokuen-oh?" he murmured.
The tiger nodded its head in acknowledgment.
Touma rose from his seat, walking over to where the animal stood. "I
wondered when you'd be showing up." he replied quietly. The tiger
snorted in response. "It was your job to protect her when she was
little - now that she's in trouble, you want to help her again." He knelt
down in front of Kokuen-oh, resting his hands on his armor shoulder
plates. "I don't want to believe that Kiyone is evil. It has to be that
Sadia person possessing her."
At the mention of her name, Kokuen-oh growled fiercely.
"Then, you agree." Touma replied softly. "You know what has to be done,
right?"
The tiger lowered its head, nuzzling him slightly.
"I don't know how it happened, but I know Kiyone's innocent," The warrior of
firmament's calm demeanor flickered slightly. "I can feel exactly what she's
feeling... it's like I'm bonded to her somehow."
Kokuen-oh did not seem to be phased by this bit of information.
Touma rose, a determined expression on his face. "If there's any chance
to save Kiyone, then I have to find it. But…" He clenched his fist, a golden a
rrow materializing in his grasp. "If Kiyone has to die… I'll finish her myself."
~*~*~*~
She wanted to die. Unable to see, speak, or move, Kiyone felt completely
and utterly helpless. However, what killed her most was knowing that a
psychopath was currently making use of her body to kill those she loved.
"A psychopath, Jade?" An ethereal version of Sadia appeared in front of
her, despite the fact that Kiyone could not see her. "Those are harsh
words, wouldn't you think?"
"Actually, you're right." Kiyone snarled. "I think vengeful maniacal freak
fits much better!"
Sadia 'tsk'ed. "Come, come now," she laughed. "You shouldn't be so
hard on yourself. I am you after all."
"They know me." Kiyone spat. "They'll figure it out - if they haven't already."
"And knowing won't do them a bit of good." Sadia replied. "Even if they
know the truth, they also know that there's nothing they can do to stop
me - wouldn't want to harm their precious Jade, now would they?"
Kiyone paled; she hadn't thought of that.
"And I don't recommend trying any heroics on your part either," Sadia
continued. "Try contacting anyone on the outside from here and you'll
only be doing damage to yourself. By the time I've finished sucking all
the life energy out of your soul, you'll be nothing more than a memory."
She laughed out loud, reveling in the look of despair crossing over Kiyone's
features. "It was certainly nice knowing you - for however short a time it
was." With that, she disappeared, leaving Kiyone alone in the darkness of
her own mind.
~*~*~*~
"Here, Ryo," said Nasuti, gently placing an icepack over Ryo's face.
"Thanks," he replied, wincing slightly at the contact. "Touma sure packs a
punch - remind me never to step in the way of his fists again."
"You shouldn't have done that, Ryo," Seiji replied. "You should have just
let me handle him."
"Fighting amongst each other isn't something we need to deal with right
now, and you know it, Seiji." Nasuti replied.
"But he was way out of line!" Seiji objected.
"I pretty much expected he would be," Ryo replied, leaning back on the
couch. "You have to admit, you're not all that keen on the plan either."
Seiji lowered his eyes, remaining silent.
"When are you going to… going to do it?" Nasuti asked softly.
"It has to be the next time we see her." Ryo answered. "We can't risk her
gaining more power every time we fight her."
"I don't really hate to say this," Shin replied. "But I'm really starting to
agree with Touma on this one."
"We don't have a choice, man!" Shuu replied gruffly. "It's gonna be tough,
but we have to do it!"
"Yeah, I know," Shin agreed. "Speaking of which, where is Touma
anyway?"
Almost as if on cue, Byauken slowly trotted into the room, carrying a slip
of paper in his mouth.
"What's that you've got there, Byauken?" Ryo asked. The white tiger
snorted.
"Let me see that." Seiji replied, removing the slip of paper from Byauken's
mouth. He skimmed over it quickly, cursing under his breath. "That idiot!"
~End of Chapter 18
Author's Notes-
Hey now, all! It seems like things are startin' to heat up around here!
Wufei - Not really... it's frickin' cold with all this snow.
::gives him a withering glare:: I meant the fanfic... anyways, what will
become of Kiyone? Will Sadia defeat the Troopers using Kiyone's body, or
will the Troopers stop her, carrying out the mercy killing they are debating
despite Touma's insistence? And what will become of our favorite blue -
haired trooper? Will he be able to free Kiyone? And will he really stand
against his friends to do it?
Wufei - ::a vein pulsing on the side of his forehead:: Stop asking stupid
onna questions and get on to the next chapter!!
Quite right... read on everyone!