Alpha and Omega: A Ninja's Story
A GGX Fic by: Shamgi
Chapter 7: Truth
*Words here*- Thoughts
* * * - Scene Change
*Authors Note- Last chapter, last plot twist. Eh, I'm ok with this ending, nothing really to be sad about.
Well, it looks like I've got some explaining to do. In the last chapter, Chipp used a move that was said to drain all his Ki. Technically, this is false, because if it did, it would kill Chipp(Since Ki is the life-force flowing through all the body, to use all of it would kill you. It's more saying using it would leave you in a weakened state, unless you learn to control the out flux of energy. Chipp can not, which is why he moved so slow.
"He's almost here." Venom stood at the entrance to the guild's hidden fortress, waiting for Chipp. He didn't know how Chipp knew where this place was, but he was headed here, and that was all that mattered. He would fight to the death, all for Zato-One, he held strong feelings for him, though he didn't quite know what they were, respect, love, brothers in arms, it could be any one of those. He let his strength, his magical power, every reserve of strength flow to the top. He would need all of it, this would be the hardest match he ever fought.
A small dust cloud showed the position of Chipp, and it got steadily larger as time went on. Chipp focused as well, and by the time he reached Venom, both were at their max power.
"You won't get past me. I'm not letting you in."
"I could care less. I'm getting in, either around you or over your lifeless body. It's your choice."
Venom let his actions speak for him, launching a single pool ball at Chipp. Chipp jumped, and came down on Venom, foot extended. Venom blocked with his pool cue, and Chipp used the makeshift foothold to launch himself into the air again, landing behind Venom. Both turned and faced each other, not even taking a second for a breath as they rushed the other, intent on finding the killing blow.
And so it started. Block, dodge, jump, attack, it was almost like a dance. The problem was, Chipp could not afford to play this game. He had used more Ki energy in the last day than more than a dozen normal humans ever possessed, the drain on his body was immense, and his opponent was well rested. Forcing his fading strength, Chipp began to slow down, perhaps the worst thing he could ever do. His dodging became slower and slower, his blocks soon began to get longer and longer, and his almost stopped attacking.
All humans have a limit.
Chipp was about to reach his.
He knew it, and yet there was nothing he could do to stop it. Nothing he could do to beat Venom.
Nothing he could do to save her.
All humans have a limit, but few ever really hit it. Chipp hadn't even come close. He, as with the rest of humanity, always place their own limit upon themselves, what they consider their breaking point. It's self survival, preventing themselves from expending their power to the point of death. Only periods of extreme stress can overthrow it, and Chipp was in a great deal of stress. In the instant of his reflection upon his inability to save Millia, Chipp destroyed his blocks, flooding his body with the power he needed. More power than he would ever need. And with this influx of power, he renewed his offensive.
* * * * *
Venom knew victory was his. He knew Chipp was weakening, could tell it in every move he made. Chipp's defense was holding, but only one slip, one delayed reaction, and Chipp would soon be one of the many deaths on Venom's hands.
And then it happened.
Venom didn't know where it came from, how it happened, or even why Chipp was able to gather that much of his depleted strength. But he did, and Venom was almost instantly forced to a total defense, and it only took him a second longer to realize the truth.
*He's to fast, I can't block him. I can hold him off, but not forever, and any kind of counter attack is suicide. I've lost, it's not just over.*
And with that final thought, Venom gave up. Not just the fight, but on everything. The Assassin's guild. Zato. Millia. Everything. He'd been tormented to long by all the death, the killing, the treating of human beings as targets. He owed the guild his life, but it didn't matter anymore. He just wanted to start over, to redo his life.
Chipp saw the drop in Venom's defense, and wasted no time. Landing a single punch, he put Venom off balance, then pounded him with attack after attack, moving so fast that Venom never had the chance to fall. Chipp finally stopped when he knew Venom would be unable to fight back anymore, and watched as his body slowly fell to the ground.
"You're to good a fighter to kill, especially since you gave up. The next time I fight you, I want you to hold nothing back." Chipp never even bothered to look back as he walked into the headquarters of the Guild, but for an instant, Venom's voice stopped him.
"W..why?" Chipp stood in place for a second, thinking to himself.
*Why indeed. Why indeed.* And with that thought, Chipp walked into the building that might easily be his grave.
* * * * *
"Millia my love, are you enjoying this?" Zato stood over the body of his prey, smiling. Millia's arms were bound to a slanted table and mouth gagged, preventing her from speaking. Several cuts could be seen across her body, long, thin, and obviously painful. Her eyes were full of nothing but hatred as she watched her captor, but her mind started to go fuzzy from the blood loss. Her blood leaked onto the table and down into a small bowl, which has slowly been filling over the torture session. Millia had long given up looking for a way to escape, other than her and Zato, as well as his various tools, nothing was in the black room, the only changing feature was the door outside.
Zato began another cut, forming his shadow into a small knife. A sound stopped him half way through, and he paused to listen. Sounds of combat could be heard floating in, and a pair of screams flowed through the door. Seconds later, the door itself smashed to the ground, revealing Chipp, the broken bodies of the door guards lying behind him.
Zato turned to Chipp, a small smile never leaving his face. "Welcome, Chipp Zanuff. I would expect Venom was not too hard on you?"
Chipp, looking tired and worn out, grimaced. "Look, just shut the hell up and let's get this over with. It's really simple." He jumped forward, ready to apply any one of the dozens of hits that could kill a man on their own; however, Zato's sudden disappearance into the ground caused him to stumble out of his attack.
"What the hell?" Chipp looked around, nothing in the dark room but Millia.
"Having problems? I am a shadow, fool, and you can not touch me!" The voice had no discernable origin, and Chipp continued to look around as a small puddle of black liquid, looking akin to ink, creped up behind him. The ink began to extend upward, soon forming it self into Zato. Hand forming into a black blade, Zato stuck, the blade slamming into Chipp's ribs. A whoosh of air caused a balloon shaped as Chipp to go flying around the room, leaving Zato speechless. Chipp landed behind Zato, grabbing onto him and slamming his blade into his chest. Tables were turned as Zato's wound bled black ooze. Zato stuck in a counter attack, a spiked ball coming around from the side. Chipp jumped and dodged the lethal blow with ease, and came down on Zato again, cutting again and again.
Zato's shadow provided a barrier to the man inside, preventing any lasting damage. Spikes began to come at Chipp from all directions, forcing him away from Zato.
*Whatever he is, he needs time. I'm not giving it to him!* Dodging through the maze of projectiles, spikes, and other obstacles, Chipp sliced again at Zato's body, inflicting another cut, larger than the rest. Zato shrugged it off, finally landing a blow on his agile opponent's chest, sending Chipp flying backwards into the wall. Though only one hit, Chipp was worn out as it was, and he'd only last so long.
Chipp's blade was black from all the cuts he had made, yet he still had not managed to inflict any lasting damage on Zato. The leader of the guild laughed, the cuts across his body causing him no discomfort at all. "Fool, you can not harm a shadow! Nothing can!"
Chipp stood, checking the spot where Zato's lone blow had landed, finding only a burse. He stood again, unwilling to give up. "I'll find a way to kill you."
Zato laughed again, and held a hand out towards Chipp. "Before I kill you, I just want to know, what did you involve yourself in our affairs?"
Chipp took his turn to laugh. "Why? If you want to know why, you'll just have to wait for him."
"Wait for him? Who are you talking about?" Sol Badguy walked casually through the broken doorway, Fireseal slung over his shoulder and cigarette lit in his mouth. "Me."
Zato was completely unprepared for this, and surprise was evident even without eyes to widen, and he was unable to talk. Millia showed just as much surprise, though she was not able to vocalize it. Finally, Zato recovered. "What the hell is this?"
"You think I just attacked your guild out of spite? Do you think I'm that stupid? It was all planned, quite well I might add." Chipp smiled at Zato, knowing full well the leader was unable to see it. "Sol hired me, not the other way around. I was supposed to rescue Millia, get your attention, and run off, with you in hot pursuit, ignoring Sol."
"Why?" Zato looked shaken.
"You'll just have to ask him." Zato turned to do this, but Chipp never gave him the chance. Seeing an opening, Chipp dashed forward as fast as he could, landing a single slice on Zato. No apparent harm could be gathered from the attack, until Zato's head fell off, sliding down. He began to convulse, then his inky weapon began to hiss and smoke, boiling off his body. After it finished, only his headband remained, the only part of him not consumed by darkness.
Chipp went over to Millia and cut her loose, but was meant was accusing eyes. "Was that all you did it for, a job? Is that it?"
Sol had casually watched the affairs occurring, but now he spoke up. "I believe we have something to discuss, Chipp Zanuff."
Chipp turned from Millia, escaping her eyes. "I screwed with your plan, didn't I?"
Sol nodded, face a mask. "Yes, you did. You were supposed to just let her go, not follow her around and guard her." Sol let out a humorless laugh "I should have known you would have when you gave me all the money I paid you back in the bar you were going to screw around like that." Sol dropped his sword of fire from his shoulder. "You're paying for this, and I'm taking it out of your hide. Whether you fight or not is up to you, punk." Sol started advancing forward, and Chipp motioned Millia away as she moved forward to.
"Run! This is my fight, not yours!"
"He'll kill you!"
"He'll just kill you as well."
"I can't leave you after all of this!"
"Just shut up and go!" Chipp jumped quickly, dodging Sol's flying kick. "Get the hell out of here!" Millia stayed and watched as Chipp slashed down with his stained blade as he landed, the blow easily blocked by Sol. Kicking out under Sol's defense, he hit his opponent in the chest, though the attack didn't even draw a grunt from Sol. "You ain't even worth my time."
"Give me a break; you're the fourth person today I've had to really fight. It's not exactly been a good day."
"I could care less." With a quick shout and a thrust of a sword, flames burst to life in front of Chipp, forcing him back. Jumping over the flames, Sol came down with a flaming fist, smashing the surprised Chipp into the ground. He hit so hard the he bounced back up, and Sol quickly hit the floating ninja with a powerful punch, sending him flying. Chipp smashed into the wall for the third time, falling to the ground coughing. He slowly stood, then fell back over, then stood again, weaving around unsteadily. Sol laughed at the scene. "Well, at least you aren't willing to give up; I have to give you that. But that's just how to get killed." Sol executed another attack, launching his opponent into the air with a well placed kick, then followed him up. Smashing him mercilessly with his sword, Sol beat the ninja till his body had almost gone limp. Sol landed on his feet, Chipp on his face. After a second of watching the ninja's body, Sol began to walk off, leaving the beaten ninja on the ground. Chipp didn't stir, and Millia quickly ran over and turned him over, looking at the badly beaten body. "Chipp?"
He didn't move, body limp and not responding. She held back the tears, she had learned long ago how. He had protected her, dying in the process, for something he got no gain out of. Millia didn't know of his quest to become a better person, and how he had decided as she had walked out of the bar that he would save her first. She only knew that he had helped her.
His burial was a small procession, his grave a shallow one. She was too worn out to dig a proper hole, but she buried him anyway, leaving a small cross.
"Another person I had to bury." And then she left, guided only by the wind.
* * * * *
Hours later, only the wind flowed over Chipp's grave, the nearest human being miles away. Several crows, seeing the upturned ground, had suspected a meal, and were busy combing the ground for an upturned morsel before the sun set. They got more then they expected when a hand burst through the ground, sending them all fleeing in panic. Another hand joined the first, quickly moving ground to the sides. Finally, Chipp's head burst through the ground, gasping air and looking around.
"What the hell am I doing here?" Digging himself out further, Chipp finally was able to move out of his grave. Standing up, Chipp quickly regretted all his work, as he hurt all over. Holding the parts that hurt worst, Chipp picked a direction and stated walking.
"Wonder what I should do now?"
A beginning, an end, the exact same thing.
Find me an end that did not bring about a beginning.
Find me a beginning that was not preceded by an end.
One door closing is another door opening.
One door opening is another door closing.
This is the simple truth that allows humanity to live through anything
This is why stories never really end.
They are only abandoned.
Authors Note - Yes, there are a great deal of things that need to be explained, but I honestly don't have the answers. It might seem a bit misplanned, but that's how it works with me. Don't worry, I'll write a sequel, eventually. Don't expect it to soon though; I've got another GG story planned ahead of this one.