Chapter 14: The final showdown
Rei and Wufei stood, staring up at the long, twisting stairs spiraling up above them. "We should get going now..." Rei sighed.
Wufei nodded shortly and let go of her hand. Without a word, he leapt up the stairs, taking them two or three at a time. Rei paused a second before dashing up behind him, trying to ignore the fatigue that was working its way back into her body with every stair. She reached the landing and held onto the hand rail as she pivoted around and ran up the other side of the staircase. She kept pumping her legs and made it to the next landing. Again she spun around and continued up the spiraling path. Plunging up the staircase once again, she moved to the other side of the steps as a fluttering sound caught her ears.
Something white fell past her; Wufei had pulled off his coat and dropped it on the stairs he passed. His gun was tucked into his belt and Rei suddenly wondered if it would help against a being that not only had her power, but had the means to wreak this kind of chaos on an entire city.
Wufei glanced back to make sure Rei had not fallen behind, and felt himself surprised to see she was right behind him, tired, but keeping up with the pace he pounded up the stairs.
Rei felt her legs start to ache, and wobbled, threatening to give out and let her crawl up the stairs. But she continued to pull them up and down, maintaining her wearisome pace.
(Steps, steps, steps, steps...) Rei counted off in her head, trying to distract from the fact that she was slowly falling behind. She pivoted around another landing and stared up in disbelief. "Top...we're...at...the...top..." She whispered between gasps for air. Indeed, at the top of the nxt set of stpes, was a landing, and on the other side of that landing, was a very average, grey, metal door. Wufei stood only a few steps above her, and Rei could see his back rising and falling slowly. (So even he gets winded every now and then.) Spinning around, Rei sat heavily on the step before her. "I have to rest." She declared, expecting a sharp retort, but it never came. She looked up to see Wufei lightly drop down to her step and sit next to her.
He closed his eyes, steadying his breathing. "You know what comes next."
Rei nodded. "I know." She closed her own eyes. "Wufei?"
He looked over. "Yes?"
"Do you think...we can make it?"
Rei opened her eyes at a faint noise. Her jaw dropped as she looked at Wufei. "You're laughing..." She smiled herself. "I don't think I've ever seen you laugh."
The sound died away, and Wufei looked back at Rei, still smiling vaguely. "I know we will. We are strong." He stood up. "And one who needs another's power to fight is weak." Reaching out, Rei grasped his hand and let his pull her up.
Rei glanced at the door. "We should show them how weak they are."
Wufei allowed a small smile. "We should."
Inside the dark orb~~~~~~~~~
The evil man called Dyne stood before a large, curved glass, much like the lens of a telescope, only about the size of a house. Outside his forces were waging a fierce battle, and losing. "Three humans. Three pathetic humans." He muttered.
A shrunken creature behind him looked up. "They are senshi, sir..." There was a beginning of a shriek, cut off by a plume of flame shooting up from the floor where the creature once stood.
The man let a smile inch across his face. "These powers are truly exceptional, little Mars. Too bad you never could put them to good use."
"Why don't you give them back and let me put them to better use, then!" A yell echoed off the far walls.
Dyne spun around and focused on two figures sulking silently through the shadows near his throne. "Who's there?" He called, though he knew quite well who would be creeping around in his sphere. "Little Mars. And the lucky boy. Haven't I taught both of you a well enough lesson?" His mind raced, despite his cool face. (How did they get up? Are my forces lacking that much? What do they hope to accomplish here? Yes. The crystal. They must know about it. Little Mars hopes to get her powers back. That's what she thinks.) His smiled widened. "You will not get past me little Mars." He walked to his right a few steps, keeping his eyes on the two motionless forms standing in the shadows, apparently leaning next to his throne. He knew his power crystal was right behind him, and he stood between it and them. "You can't get past me, children."
"We're not children." A calm voice sounded from his right and his eyes snapped over, just to meet with a pair of onyx orbs, rushing towards him. Dyne felt a stabbing pain in his back as he hit the floor. (That wretched boy!) Wufei knelt over Dyne, pinning him to the floor.
Over Wufei's shoulder, Dyne saw Rei pushing on the barrier he had created around his crystal. There was a high-pitched grunt as the burn worked at Rei's hands. Dyne saw Wufei distracted for that second and took the opportunity to kick him off. From out of the corner of his eye, Dyne saw the flutter of white of Wufei's coat hanging over the side of his throne. (Children! You dare to trick me!) Dyne leapt up, eyes centering on Wufei who stood protectively between Dyne and Rei, who continued to struggle against the barrier around the crystal.
Wufei kept his eyes firm on the man in front of him. Rei's heavy breathing continued behind him. "Keep pushing, Rei. The barrier can't last forever." He whispered, Rei grunted a reply and he turned his full attention to Dyne. "You will pay for the suffering you caused."
Dyne sneered. "That is what you think, boy!" He ran forward with unnatural speed and pulled the fire power into his hands. "Goodbye, you little-" Thrusting his hands to Wufei's face, Dyne had visions of the boy burning under the heat and Dyne leered madly.
Wufei saw the flames flicker at Dyne's fingertips as he reached out for his face. In one quick move, Wufei blocked the move and gripped Dyne's hands with his own, pushing him away, ignoring the burning against his palms.
Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, and his arms ached, still keeping his grip locked against Dyne's. Dyne seemed to grow more furious by the second. (This boy! This mere boy! How is he holding off my power like this?! This can't be!) He once again, summoned power, not caring how his arms bent under the boy's strength. (I will not be destroyed by this boy!)
Rei tried to ignore the scene only a few feet away form her. She continued to beat against the invisible barrier, though it glowed red every time she threw her strength against it. Her breath came ragged, and her hands were red and seared from the heat. She felt a wave of heat brush against her and she glanced over to see Wufei and Dyne locked in arms, one pushing against the other.
Rei snapped her gaze away from the two. (Wufei needs you to get through the barrier! Concentrate!) Digging her fingers into the red bubble with all her strength, it finally started to bend. (Push! Use your strength!) Rei squeezed her eyes shut and drove her hands harder. (Come on!) The heat clenched at her hands and arms, scorching her. (Almost there!) Suddenly, she felt it give way. But, the pain continued. (The crystal! Only a few feet!) She slammed her foot on the ground and forced herself to take a step, arms still outstretched against the fire now consuming her whole body. (The fire! I'm walking into a furnace!) A fleeting image of her, charred black, lying in a massive fireplace, passed through her mind. (No! Concentrate! I'm almost there!) Another step. And one more. Forcing her body forward, not daring to open her eyes, pressing on, against the heat...
(There.) And the heat was gone. The room around her seemed to melt away, and Rei didn't bother to open her eyes, knowing she was still in the sphere, past the fire barrier, and against the pure, white crystal that was surprisingly cool under her fingertips. Her breath still shook, and her body still ached, but the feel of the power running back into her body was like the rush of cool water rushing over her. (My power... Yes. My power. It's here.)
Only now did she open her eyes, when the flow died away. (And those who seek to use it will pay.) She twisted around to see Wufei getting the better of Dyne, now that Rei had taken her power back. The now-powerless man was kneeling on the floor, still trying to hold Wufei off.
Dyne looked up at the boy that now stood over him, despite the power Dyne had continuously thrown into his hands. The boy was weary. A plan flashed through Dyne's mind. (That's it.) He let go of Wufei's hands, intending to give him enough of a blast to surprise him, but realized his mistake about a second before Wufei tackled and pinned him, facedown on the floor. Wufei's arm was twined over both of Dyne's and he sat securely on Dyne's back.
Dyne ran through his mind any way he could defeat them. (There is a way...) And a fierce smile worked its way across his face.
Rei saw the smile and pulled Wufei off. "You don't have anything to smile about." She stated angrily.
"Oh yes I do..." Summoning the very last of his energy, the few bits he still had left, he pushed the mental trigger he had created for himself, making him able to control his sphere with only a thought. "I've activated the self-destruct mechanism. Don't try to escape... Every exit is sealed... Even I wouldn't have been able to break it..." (If I can't have the Mars power, then no one will...) He thought before the darkness claimed him at last.
Rei and Wufei stood motionless, staring down at the body, lying on the scorched floor, dead, but with his insane smile still etched on his face. "Could he have been..."
"He wasn't lying, Rei." Wufei said simply, head falling back on his shoulders.
Rei sighed heavily and closed her eyes. "At least he's gone. He will cause no more pain."
Wufei looked over at her and felt the sudden need to live. (I want to live...with her.) Before he could stop himself, he pulled his arms around her and held her against him in a tight embrace.
Rei kept her eyes closed and drew her own arms around him as well.
"Rei?" He asked as there was a sudden silence and every light was blanketed.
"Wufei?" Rei responded quietly, feeling the power of the ship tense and pull into itself.
"Will...you marry me?" He asked, almost in a whisper.
"Of course, Wufei. Of course I do."
"I love you, Rei, as weak as it sounds now."
Rei chuckled softly. "No, Wufei you are never weak." She tightened her arms and buried her head into his shoulder. "I love you as well."
And it all seemed to fall away.
He he he!!! How evil am I?! {Author dodges bricks, hockey pucks and various ceramics thrown from audience} Okay, okay! It's not the end, alright! Geez... Sorry this chapter took so long to get out, I can't get into the document manager from home (this aol 'web site not available' thing keeps coming up) and I have to access it from school, which would be fine except there has been this huge class in there for the past week, making my time on a computer somewhat...nonexistent. Well, they're gone...for now. And here's that nice little chapter. Though it's actually not that little... Anyway, I totally expect to hit 100 reviews on this chapter! I was hoping for it last chapter, but you guys left me hanging with two reviews away. Well, let me know how you like this one!
Rei and Wufei stood, staring up at the long, twisting stairs spiraling up above them. "We should get going now..." Rei sighed.
Wufei nodded shortly and let go of her hand. Without a word, he leapt up the stairs, taking them two or three at a time. Rei paused a second before dashing up behind him, trying to ignore the fatigue that was working its way back into her body with every stair. She reached the landing and held onto the hand rail as she pivoted around and ran up the other side of the staircase. She kept pumping her legs and made it to the next landing. Again she spun around and continued up the spiraling path. Plunging up the staircase once again, she moved to the other side of the steps as a fluttering sound caught her ears.
Something white fell past her; Wufei had pulled off his coat and dropped it on the stairs he passed. His gun was tucked into his belt and Rei suddenly wondered if it would help against a being that not only had her power, but had the means to wreak this kind of chaos on an entire city.
Wufei glanced back to make sure Rei had not fallen behind, and felt himself surprised to see she was right behind him, tired, but keeping up with the pace he pounded up the stairs.
Rei felt her legs start to ache, and wobbled, threatening to give out and let her crawl up the stairs. But she continued to pull them up and down, maintaining her wearisome pace.
(Steps, steps, steps, steps...) Rei counted off in her head, trying to distract from the fact that she was slowly falling behind. She pivoted around another landing and stared up in disbelief. "Top...we're...at...the...top..." She whispered between gasps for air. Indeed, at the top of the nxt set of stpes, was a landing, and on the other side of that landing, was a very average, grey, metal door. Wufei stood only a few steps above her, and Rei could see his back rising and falling slowly. (So even he gets winded every now and then.) Spinning around, Rei sat heavily on the step before her. "I have to rest." She declared, expecting a sharp retort, but it never came. She looked up to see Wufei lightly drop down to her step and sit next to her.
He closed his eyes, steadying his breathing. "You know what comes next."
Rei nodded. "I know." She closed her own eyes. "Wufei?"
He looked over. "Yes?"
"Do you think...we can make it?"
Rei opened her eyes at a faint noise. Her jaw dropped as she looked at Wufei. "You're laughing..." She smiled herself. "I don't think I've ever seen you laugh."
The sound died away, and Wufei looked back at Rei, still smiling vaguely. "I know we will. We are strong." He stood up. "And one who needs another's power to fight is weak." Reaching out, Rei grasped his hand and let his pull her up.
Rei glanced at the door. "We should show them how weak they are."
Wufei allowed a small smile. "We should."
Inside the dark orb~~~~~~~~~
The evil man called Dyne stood before a large, curved glass, much like the lens of a telescope, only about the size of a house. Outside his forces were waging a fierce battle, and losing. "Three humans. Three pathetic humans." He muttered.
A shrunken creature behind him looked up. "They are senshi, sir..." There was a beginning of a shriek, cut off by a plume of flame shooting up from the floor where the creature once stood.
The man let a smile inch across his face. "These powers are truly exceptional, little Mars. Too bad you never could put them to good use."
"Why don't you give them back and let me put them to better use, then!" A yell echoed off the far walls.
Dyne spun around and focused on two figures sulking silently through the shadows near his throne. "Who's there?" He called, though he knew quite well who would be creeping around in his sphere. "Little Mars. And the lucky boy. Haven't I taught both of you a well enough lesson?" His mind raced, despite his cool face. (How did they get up? Are my forces lacking that much? What do they hope to accomplish here? Yes. The crystal. They must know about it. Little Mars hopes to get her powers back. That's what she thinks.) His smiled widened. "You will not get past me little Mars." He walked to his right a few steps, keeping his eyes on the two motionless forms standing in the shadows, apparently leaning next to his throne. He knew his power crystal was right behind him, and he stood between it and them. "You can't get past me, children."
"We're not children." A calm voice sounded from his right and his eyes snapped over, just to meet with a pair of onyx orbs, rushing towards him. Dyne felt a stabbing pain in his back as he hit the floor. (That wretched boy!) Wufei knelt over Dyne, pinning him to the floor.
Over Wufei's shoulder, Dyne saw Rei pushing on the barrier he had created around his crystal. There was a high-pitched grunt as the burn worked at Rei's hands. Dyne saw Wufei distracted for that second and took the opportunity to kick him off. From out of the corner of his eye, Dyne saw the flutter of white of Wufei's coat hanging over the side of his throne. (Children! You dare to trick me!) Dyne leapt up, eyes centering on Wufei who stood protectively between Dyne and Rei, who continued to struggle against the barrier around the crystal.
Wufei kept his eyes firm on the man in front of him. Rei's heavy breathing continued behind him. "Keep pushing, Rei. The barrier can't last forever." He whispered, Rei grunted a reply and he turned his full attention to Dyne. "You will pay for the suffering you caused."
Dyne sneered. "That is what you think, boy!" He ran forward with unnatural speed and pulled the fire power into his hands. "Goodbye, you little-" Thrusting his hands to Wufei's face, Dyne had visions of the boy burning under the heat and Dyne leered madly.
Wufei saw the flames flicker at Dyne's fingertips as he reached out for his face. In one quick move, Wufei blocked the move and gripped Dyne's hands with his own, pushing him away, ignoring the burning against his palms.
Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, and his arms ached, still keeping his grip locked against Dyne's. Dyne seemed to grow more furious by the second. (This boy! This mere boy! How is he holding off my power like this?! This can't be!) He once again, summoned power, not caring how his arms bent under the boy's strength. (I will not be destroyed by this boy!)
Rei tried to ignore the scene only a few feet away form her. She continued to beat against the invisible barrier, though it glowed red every time she threw her strength against it. Her breath came ragged, and her hands were red and seared from the heat. She felt a wave of heat brush against her and she glanced over to see Wufei and Dyne locked in arms, one pushing against the other.
Rei snapped her gaze away from the two. (Wufei needs you to get through the barrier! Concentrate!) Digging her fingers into the red bubble with all her strength, it finally started to bend. (Push! Use your strength!) Rei squeezed her eyes shut and drove her hands harder. (Come on!) The heat clenched at her hands and arms, scorching her. (Almost there!) Suddenly, she felt it give way. But, the pain continued. (The crystal! Only a few feet!) She slammed her foot on the ground and forced herself to take a step, arms still outstretched against the fire now consuming her whole body. (The fire! I'm walking into a furnace!) A fleeting image of her, charred black, lying in a massive fireplace, passed through her mind. (No! Concentrate! I'm almost there!) Another step. And one more. Forcing her body forward, not daring to open her eyes, pressing on, against the heat...
(There.) And the heat was gone. The room around her seemed to melt away, and Rei didn't bother to open her eyes, knowing she was still in the sphere, past the fire barrier, and against the pure, white crystal that was surprisingly cool under her fingertips. Her breath still shook, and her body still ached, but the feel of the power running back into her body was like the rush of cool water rushing over her. (My power... Yes. My power. It's here.)
Only now did she open her eyes, when the flow died away. (And those who seek to use it will pay.) She twisted around to see Wufei getting the better of Dyne, now that Rei had taken her power back. The now-powerless man was kneeling on the floor, still trying to hold Wufei off.
Dyne looked up at the boy that now stood over him, despite the power Dyne had continuously thrown into his hands. The boy was weary. A plan flashed through Dyne's mind. (That's it.) He let go of Wufei's hands, intending to give him enough of a blast to surprise him, but realized his mistake about a second before Wufei tackled and pinned him, facedown on the floor. Wufei's arm was twined over both of Dyne's and he sat securely on Dyne's back.
Dyne ran through his mind any way he could defeat them. (There is a way...) And a fierce smile worked its way across his face.
Rei saw the smile and pulled Wufei off. "You don't have anything to smile about." She stated angrily.
"Oh yes I do..." Summoning the very last of his energy, the few bits he still had left, he pushed the mental trigger he had created for himself, making him able to control his sphere with only a thought. "I've activated the self-destruct mechanism. Don't try to escape... Every exit is sealed... Even I wouldn't have been able to break it..." (If I can't have the Mars power, then no one will...) He thought before the darkness claimed him at last.
Rei and Wufei stood motionless, staring down at the body, lying on the scorched floor, dead, but with his insane smile still etched on his face. "Could he have been..."
"He wasn't lying, Rei." Wufei said simply, head falling back on his shoulders.
Rei sighed heavily and closed her eyes. "At least he's gone. He will cause no more pain."
Wufei looked over at her and felt the sudden need to live. (I want to live...with her.) Before he could stop himself, he pulled his arms around her and held her against him in a tight embrace.
Rei kept her eyes closed and drew her own arms around him as well.
"Rei?" He asked as there was a sudden silence and every light was blanketed.
"Wufei?" Rei responded quietly, feeling the power of the ship tense and pull into itself.
"Will...you marry me?" He asked, almost in a whisper.
"Of course, Wufei. Of course I do."
"I love you, Rei, as weak as it sounds now."
Rei chuckled softly. "No, Wufei you are never weak." She tightened her arms and buried her head into his shoulder. "I love you as well."
And it all seemed to fall away.
He he he!!! How evil am I?! {Author dodges bricks, hockey pucks and various ceramics thrown from audience} Okay, okay! It's not the end, alright! Geez... Sorry this chapter took so long to get out, I can't get into the document manager from home (this aol 'web site not available' thing keeps coming up) and I have to access it from school, which would be fine except there has been this huge class in there for the past week, making my time on a computer somewhat...nonexistent. Well, they're gone...for now. And here's that nice little chapter. Though it's actually not that little... Anyway, I totally expect to hit 100 reviews on this chapter! I was hoping for it last chapter, but you guys left me hanging with two reviews away. Well, let me know how you like this one!