Disclaimer: I do not own anything of the "Sailor Moon" series. This goes along the lines of the original series, but an alternate dimension. Trust me, eventually, my knight will meet the scouts. Patience is a virtue, so awaiting that moment won't be so bad. REVIEW!!
Chapter 5
The Knight of War
~ Dark Universe ~
- Raven's Grotto -
Raven had her tiny feet swirling in her pool of green water, smiling down at her sickly reflection. She wasn't admiring just herself, but thinking about how happy she was. Lord Specter was getting terribly fed up with all of Viper's failures, all of the warriors he'd lost to the Moon Knight, to stupidity.
He's angered the goddess with his lack of success. He's making us look like pushovers….a universe of pansies. He'd better start rising the body count and the energy supply or he's through. I'll destroy him myself if he doesn't start showing some progress….Raven, if he doesn't, I'm appointing you our new Earth general. Don't you make me regret it as I regret appointing Viper. Don't you dare….
Lord Specter's words still echoed throughout her brain, making her shiver with delight. Her constant appearances before her lord and spying on Viper had finally paid off, giving her lord the information that Viper was withholding. She didn't like brown-nosing, unlike their baby sister Kitty did. The little fluffy brat was always kissing ass and appealing to Lord Specter in any way she could, all power mad and no real brains to back her up. She gathered Specter preferred her company because she was easy to shut up and control, unlike the rest of them.
"She's not going to steal my glory. I'm going to kill those damn knights and make the human race suffer for their impudence. No way is little missy kitty cat going to put one over no the queen of mean, the lady of death and darkness will not be denied." She glimmered, laying back onto the ground, letting her raven feather cape envelop her body.
"Not a chance….She's too annoying." It was Xeno's voice, whimsical and mischievous.
She smiled still, lifting one leg up in the air slowly, then ran one hand down it. "You love to sneak up on me, don't you Xeno? To what do I owe the honor?" she cooed, her smile gone feral.
She heard the light crunch of the dark grass under his boots, getting louder until she found he was standing directly over her. She looked up his legs for a moment, licking her lips, then up to his smiling face, so wicked looking she felt like she was in her ultimate paradise.
"The usual….and some new business….that concerns your little sister and brother. Viper, well, he learned well how to use his mystic powers from me, but he lacks greatly the knowledge of how to use his strength and mind at the same time. He will not last much longer. He is getting quite desperate the last I saw of him. He seems to think going after young humans is the way to weed out Moon Knight and this Lady Mercury." He replied, his eyes glowing a bit.
"Mmm, what about the lady in black, Glamour I think he called her? It was quite a fight, Xeno, but Needles wasn't prepared for her. Whoever she is, she was the first to get anything through Needles' skin, to cause her pain." Raven sighed, playfully running her fingers down Xeno's leg.
"Charming, but yes, this Glamour girl is becoming even more of a nuisance than Moon Knight is. Lord Specter would greatly reward us if we found out who she is. If we find her and eliminate her, our lord would be extremely….delighted. But, one thing at a time, darkling. First we have to keep ratting out your brother." He said, leaning down to her with an outstretched hand.
Xeno let his cold fingers play along Raven's leather clothing, letting them slip under them deftly, lifting them and letting them snap back on her skin swiftly. "I have a better idea, I'll spy on brother dear, you see what you can find out about Glamour….who knows, maybe we can use that information to trap my brother with his own stupidity." Raven sighed gently.
Xeno grinned at that and gave her a nod. "Good, darkling, you learned so much more than your brother and sister did, you think on your toes, but let's not think for a few hours….as a matter of fact, let's not think at all right now." He uttered, landing cool kisses on her bare stomach.
"Gladly….I always think better with a dirty mind." She replied.
~ Haitsuchi's Arcade Heaven ~
"Would you let go of me!? I have to go to my tutoring session now. I can't take a girl back into Alan's private room….it's the rules, Angie, now beat it!" Stephen growled, trying as hard as he could to yank his arm out of Angela's Furosuto's vice-like grip. She was kissing up and down his arm like a mad woman, making him turn bright red, both from embarrassment and anger. He heard Cyrus yowl in his free arm, finding the poor animal in an unintentional headlock, but Stephen really didn't care about what his guardian cat was going through.
'She still doesn't want to admit I don't love her, that I'll never love her. Why can't we just be friends. You don't deck a person in self-defense and have them fall in love with you. That's insane! Why the hell won't she listen to me?' he thought wildly, finally succeeding in getting his lipstick plastered arm away.
"Rules are meant to be broken, Snowflake. Can't you make an exception for your true love? Hmm?" she cooed, her fists clenched tightly together and her face filled with joy.
Stephen just looked back at her nervously, panic stricken. "Yuck! I'm not anymore your true love than the Loch Ness monster is mine. I think I'd be better off with that thing than you. You're whacked Angie. Let me go to my session. You can wait out here, play some games, eat some food, anything, just don't follow me. I have to get better grades and you blocking the blood flow in my arm won't help me any."
"Oh, you're just teasing me, Snowflake. You like the rough stuff." She replied, blowing him a kiss.
"Yeah right, just like I enjoy a swift kick in the ass. I have to Angie, just don't you dare follow me, or so help me….I'll throw you across the room. Or worse. Let me take my lessons, for pity's sake." He snapped, turning swiftly on his heels with Cyrus tucked securely in his arms.
"Don't you think you were a little harsh with her?" Cyrus whispered, getting a bop on his head in return.
"No, I've tried being nice. I've even tried explaining things to her, but she's as stubborn as hell. I have to be cruel and nasty cause it's the only thing that ever gets through to people. It might just take time for someone as thick headed as her." Stephen grumbled back. Winding around the numerous arcade games and customers. He saw Gary leaning against one, looking directly at him with a slight smile. There was a crowd of young girls playing on the game he was near, the trio of girls Angela had been fighting with at the late Cherry Blossom Charms store. She had pointed them out in class the next day to him, wondering if they'd remember how she mopped the floor with them.
He couldn't help but feel bad for the three girls, they were the butt of Angie's fight roster jokes and they couldn't even recall being there at all.
Stephen shoved the fight talk out of his head, sick to death of hearing Angie tell him how many broken noses she gave out the day before and how many people put in traction. He didn't care for her brutal interests as much as she did, her obsession about be the strongest woman in all of Japan. It made him sick to hear how she hurt people and enjoyed it.
'Viper should date her, he'd probably love to hear about her lunacies.' He thought, casting his eyes down a bit as he headed for Gary.
As he lifted his eyes up and gave a smile to Gary, he felt a hard, warm thing smack into his nose. He heard it crack seconds later as he jerked his head back and fell to the floor. Cyrus had already leapt out of his arms by the time Stephen grabbed at his nose, feeling the warm blood flooding over his fingers.
"Holy shit! I'm sorry, man, I didn't see you there." A male voice gasped, thick yet frightened. Stephen opened his eyes as much as he could, trying to forget the pain, and saw a young man kneeling in front of him. He was wearing a red leather jacket with black shoulder patches. He was wearing a black shirt underneath with a gold and blue patch hidden under one of his jacket's lapels, and wore black combat boots and jeans. His hair was as black as his shirt and a little spiky in the front, hanging little over one of his chocolate brown eyes.
"I think you broke my nose." Stephen managed out, skittering back a few inches from the shocked young man.
"I said I was sorry. I didn't see you, I just made an all time high on 'Zombie Cyborg,' I was celebrating my victory and, well, wham. You were behind me when I was. It was an accident, pal." The young man shot back, trying to help Stephen up. Gary appeared behind him and grabbed the young man by the arm.
"Celebrating is one thing, popping a guy in the nose is another. Alan and me have told you time and time again, Ray, that you are not roughhouse in here." Gary said tightly.
"I didn't do it on purpose, man. I swear, I didn't even see him till I felt my hand hit him. Come on, Gary, you know I'd never deck a guy I didn't know." Ray groaned, trying to get out of Gary's grip.
"MEOW!" Cyrus yowled, leaping at Ray like a lion, his tiny claws and teeth bared at the stunned youth. He jerked his arm away from the attacking cat, and Cyrus made a strangled noise as his teeth dug into Gary's arm.
"OWWWW!!" the man shrieked, his voice shooting up high as he let go of Ray to smack the cat off his own, bending over a bit as he grabbed at his bleeding arm. Cyrus seemed to mentally shake off the dizzy spell Gary had knocked into him and went to Stephen, who was still gripping his nose. Angela was coming towards them as well, her face full of rage.
Cyrus shook his head at the ridiculous scene and swiftly charged back at Ray, biting his ankle hard. "Done." The cat whispered to himself, gagging as a firm hand yanked him back by his throat.
"Cyrus! How dare you bite Gary! Bad kitty!!" Stephen yelled, strangling the cat mercilessly with his free hand before slamming the cat against one of the video games.
"Argh, but I said I was sorry. No need to sick your rabid cat on me!" Ray shouted, hopping up and down on his good foot and grabbing at his bleeding ankle with his hands.
"Sorry this, you bully! Nobody hits my man!" Angela yelled, pulling her fist back before ramming it into Ray's face. The young man was sent back sprawling a few feet onto the tile floor with a bruised cheek, swearing under his break as more pain took over his face. He opened his angry brown eyes and looked up at his attacker, rubbing his sore cheek gingerly.
Stephen felt like he'd been kicked in the gut when he heard what Ray said to her. "What a babe!" the young dark-haired youth uttered, his jaw slacking and his eyes brightening all at the same moment.
"Babe?? Who you calling a babe, jerk? That's degrading!" Angela raged, leaping over Stephen to tackle Ray. Stephen watched in disbelief as Angela pounded on Ray, and all he did in defense was try and block her attacks. He was doing a very good job of it too, only missing a few slaps she gave him. The youth just wouldn't fight back.
Stephen felt Gary helping him up, the older man's good arm wrapped tightly around his waist as he began to lead him to the back room.
"Alan's back there, he had to fix a few light bulbs. He'll break up their squabble….but I don't think he's going to let them back in for a while. Ray's prone to taking matters into his own hands….he got kicked out from jumping the gun on a couple of hoodlums that were trying to run off with some girl's purse. The girl was happy, but he destroyed one of the games in the fight. This is the first time anyone's picked a fight with him." Gary was saying during the walk, using his foot to knock on the back room door once they reached it.
"I don't doubt it….damn, it would have been fine if Angie hadn't come storming down the aisles when he started yelling….it wouldn't have been such a mess." Stephen mumbled.
"And what was with your cat. He sure likes to bite people….funny looking cat too, never seen one with a symbol bald spot." Gary added, taking a deep breath as the door opened, Alan's smiling face appearing behind it.
His face fell when he saw the two men with wounds and blood on them. "Stephen! What did you do this time? Daydream while washing knives?" Alan said sarcastically, yanking the both of them into the back room.
"Ray Hitodama* ….Angela is beating the stuffing out of him. She thinks he attacked lover boy here and went berserk. They're fighting in between 'Zombie Cyborg' and 'Rabid Rancher Maniacs.' I'll take care of Stephen, trust me, you should think more about kicking those two out than our health. They'll probably hurt more people the longer they roll around out there." Gary piped, leading Stephen to the poker table.
"Ah God, I never get any peace around here anymore. You're all going to be the death of me….this is enough to drive me to drink." Alan sighed, exiting with a heavy sigh as he left the two to nurse their injuries.
Gary was already prying Stephen's hands away from his nose, lightly feeling along the bridge of his nose as he examined him. "Hmm, that's strange….its not broken after all," Gary mused," Keep you head aimed up. I'm going to go get some wash clothes to clean this. Don't touch it either."
"It still hurts, no way I want to touch it at all." Stephen replied nasally as Gary left him at the poker table to go for the bathroom, the sounds of clinking bottles and his shoes on the small tiles all he could hear.
'He's a good friend….him and Alan. Well, Alan's more like a brother than Gary is….That guy is a real friend. Better than that damn bite-crazy cat and maniac wanna-be girlfriend of mine. Least I have some luck with people.' He thought, staring at the bright ceiling light, squinting a bit. He didn't know how long he'd been sitting there until he felt a hand slide onto his chin.
"Sorry I took so long, Stephen. I had to clean the bite marks out. It actually wasn't as bad as I thought, but they still hurt. Just keep your head up so I can clean you nose off." Gary said, his fingers shaking a bit on his chin.
"Sure…. Glad to hear my lunatic cat didn't hurt you too bad. Good thing he's had all his shots or I'd have been angrier." Stephen said nasally, blinking a few times as the light got in his eyes again.
It took a few minutes for Gary to get rid of the thickening blood caked on Stephen mouth and chin, the gelatinous feel to the stuff making Stephen want to swat it off his face like a million flies. He remained still, letting his friend wipe it all off, then he bit the side of his mouth as the rubbing alcohol was applied. It stung but he knew it was necessary in Gary's mind. Stephen couldn't tell him that his cat bit him and gave him great healing powers.
He stiffened as he remembered about Cyrus' actions earlier as he looked to the side, seeing the bite marks in Gary's sleeve. 'He bit Gary and Ray….could they both be knights? Damn, I should have kept that stupid cat around and I'd know.' He thought, feeling a pinch on his nose as Gary put on a nose brace.
"Ow….I didn't think Alan thought this far ahead for my daydreaming accidents, even if this isn't one of them." Stephen replied evenly as Gary let go of his chin. The other young man shrugged, giving off an assuring smile. "Alan said you never can tell with you. He got lots of every type of injury medical supply kit there is, not just for you, but for me." He said sheepishly.
"You? Why you too, Gary?" Stephen asked.
Gary rubbed the back of his own neck as he replied with," Hey, I'm studying to be a doctor, you're a real learning experience to brush up on my healing skills."
"I'm a guinea pig, huh? Well, so long as it keeps me in good health, I don't mind being a personal science project. Saves me a lot of trouble of bugging my parents to take me to the doctor's office. Sides, what better doctor could a person ask for than his friend?" Stephen replied.
He saw Gary blush at that, cocking his head to the side. "You consider me a friend?"
Stephen eyed him curiously. "Of course, why wouldn't I? We talk about stuff like friends, we've gotten to know each other, we kid around and tell jokes, and all sorts of friend stuff. You should really come down here on Saturday nights to play cards, you know. I've never even seen you have any fun since I met you except when you call me a meathead or laugh at my jokes. What do you do on the weekend anyway?" Stephen asked.
"I'm busy over the weekend, Stephen….not much time for fun and games when you're in college. It'll only get harder when I go to medical school, but I can handle school. Bills are another matter, so there's no time for fun when I have to pay for my apartment." He replied, turning away from Stephen slowly.
"Yeah….and one of those jobs is tutoring me. I guess we should get down to business now. Sorry for prying, man, I was just curious." Stephen said quietly, shifting uncomfortably in his chair.
"No biggie, meathead, and you're right. No more slacking off…even if you and me are scamming your parents out of this money." Gary quipped.
"Its all for a good cause, friendship and so my friend can survive through medical school. So let's quit flapping our jaws and start flipping some pages." Stephen piped.
~ 4 Hours Later ~
Stephen left his tutoring session with a smile on his face, happy he finally got Gary to agree to try and have some fun for the sake of staying sane. "All work and no play make you a dull boy. Live a little, Gary….go on a date, or go to a movie, hell you can go alone. I do it all the time. There's nothing wrong with a few hours of fun." He'd told Gary only a few minutes ago, giving his friend a good-natured pat on the back.
Gary had said he'd consider it if Stephen would promise not to suggest it again. He let it slip that his parents were terribly protective of him ever since he was adopted, and it only grew when he moved out. He explained he didn't want them thinking he was partying every day instead of paying his bills and for food. Stephen had told him he considered that a yes and if he was ever in trouble, just to give him a call.
"That's what friends are for. We look out for each other, man." Stephen had said, to which Gary smiled.
After that, Stephen had gathered up his notes and study guides Gary had typed up for him to fool his parents and left the back room. He had smiled all the way to the exit, a sudden frown overtaking him as a screaming female's voice ripped through his hearing.
'Angie….dammit, why am I not surprised?' he thought upon seeing the purple hair female screaming at the top of her lungs at Ray Hitodama in the night air, a shocked crowd all around them.
"Hey, it was an accident. I don't start fights cause someone walks behind me!" Ray was yelling back, his entire body in fighting stance, blocking Angie's occasional swings at him. "Didn't look that way to me. Nobody hits my boyfriend and gets away with it. Start fighting, you wimp!" Angie shouted, taking another shot at Ray, but Stephen fired his own hand in to stop her, grabbing her roughly by the wrist.
"That's enough, you maniac. And I'm not your boyfriend….when are you going to understand that we're just friends….and I use the term loosely. Leave the guy alone, people are gonna call the cops on you if you don't back off." Stephen grated out, staring right in her face hard until she nodded stiffly. He released her arm then, sharply, then turned his head to Ray.
"Sorry, she is a bit….energetic about things….and real sorry about my cat. He doesn't usually attack people like that. Is your ankle ok?" Stephen asked, the dark-haired youth nodding at him.
"Yeah. There was some blood, but I can't find the wound. Maybe it was your cat that bled cause I couldn't find the bite marks. Its ok, I guess that cat must really be loyal to you to leap at something 10 times its size over an accident," he said, tapping the foot of the ankle in question on the pavement for good measure, then stuck out his hand," Ray Hitodama, Dokasan Military School."
"Like we're so impressed." Angie mumbled, but both young men ignored her comment as they shook hands. "Stephen Tsukikage** and this lady is Angela Furosuto, we got to Takozona Junior High. Military school? Choice or not?" he asked Ray.
Ray pulled his hand away with a laugh. "Nah, it was my choice. I want to be cop, serve and protect, you know. I joined up so I could learn combat skills better….I'm going to the academy once I'm all done. Uh, does your nose hurt anymore? Did I break it?" Ray spouted, eyeing Stephen curiously.
"Oh, this," Stephen chuckled, touching his nose brace lightly," Not to worry, its not broken, but Gary said it would help block out the pain. Keep it from swelling or something. No harm done, just a little pain is all."
"I feel real bad about it, I shouldn't have gotten so excited about a silly game. I want to make it up to you. Why don't you come have supper at my house, my grandmother is a great cook. It's the least I can do for bopping you." Ray uttered, putting his hand to his chest as he gave off a smile.
"Really? That's awful nice of you….but I'll have to find my cat first, don't want him stalking you behind my back, now do we?" Stephen offered, grimacing as Angie made a noise in her throat.
"Sure, take your time. I'll just stay out here with this lovely orchid." Ray smiled, then posed a shy expression at Angie. She turned her nose up at him and folded her arms across her chest. "I'm not your lovely anything." She sniffed.
Stephen couldn't help but comment as he went back for the arcade door. "I wish she'd say that to me."
~ Shinden Fenikkusu Doujou~
(Sacred Phoenix Dojo)
"Ray-san….Oh, my sweet little grandchild, you bring some of your school friends to meet your tired old grandmother. Such a good boy. I didn't know pretty girls went to your school." Mrs. Hitodama coddled, reaching up to pinch her grandson's cheeks. He looks strained as she looked as if she was about to rip the skin off, pinching his cheeks until they were bruised and red.
"Grandmother, stop it, you're going to tear my face off," Ray sighed, pulling away to his full height as she let go, still beaming at him," Where's grandfather?
"Oh, that miserable old man, he's staring at all the young ladies buying from his little gift shop. Oh, that man, selling symbols and charms carved from ivory, he thinks it will get more people to study martial arts here. Ugh, he just does it so he see those poor girls in tight clothes and grope them when they aren't looking. I tell you if he wasn't such a fine trainer and making good money, I'd throw him out. You could take over, Ray-san."
The old woman spouted, her withered face shaking a bit as she did.
Stephen couldn't help but notice how Ray towered over the old woman, she was at least a good four feet tall, even with the tied gray bun her hair was done in on her aged head. She wore a maroon kimono with black embroidered symbols on them and had on sandals and white socks on her feet. He couldn't but wonder what the grandfather looked like. From what he was hearing, he wasn't likable, but Ray seemed to care enough about him to ask about his whereabouts.
"Grandmother you always say that when I come home and ask you that. You know you love him, even if he's gone a bit senile. He still has his skills….but yes, he isn't a good man when he touches those young ladies. Especially right now with all the problems lately….I promise I'll keep a closer eye on him after school, Grandmother." Ray told her, bowing respectively to her with a smile.
"I know, my precious Ray-san. Now, who are your friends, grandson? My what lovely friends they are, the boy, ah, he has angel hair, and such a lovely cat, fur like velvet. And such a lovely young woman, she has hair like the perfect orchids in my garden. Your mother must be a sight, child." The old woman spouted again, grinning widely.
"This is Stephen Tsukikage and Angela Furosuto. I met them at the arcade….sort of. There was little misunderstanding, so I promised to make it up to them with your famous cooking, Grandmother." Ray said pleasantly.
The old woman looked at Ray wryly for a moment, her face unreadable. "Oh, Ray-san, is that why he has tape on his nose. You started another fight, bad boy. You promised you'd be good for us and control your temper." She scolded, but Stephen stepped in between them suddenly, smiling gently at the old woman.
"No, like he said, it was a misunderstanding….an accident really. He didn't start anything, but he felt so responsible, he invited us to supper. It would have been poor manners to say no, Mrs. Hitodama. We came here as friends." Stephen told her, getting a tight squeezing from her on his hand.
"So polite and honest, just like our Ray-san. I am very happy he's found friends, understanding ones too. Well, I suppose I should start supper, children. Ray-san, why don't you go check on your grandfather, take your friends with you. It would be so nice for them to see the rest of our fine dojo. Maybe they will join up if you are extra good tour guide."
"Grandmother, they're friends, not tourists, but ok. Just don't get your hopes up….people don't make these decisions in a split second. You don't go from being a non-warrior to a superhero in a second….you've been getting into my comic book collection again, haven't you, Grandmother?" he teased, wincing playfully as his mother brought out a paper fan from her kimono and hit his rear with it.
"Mind your manners, young man. Go find your grandfather now, off with you, don't come back until I sound the gong for supper." She scolded, shooing them out of the house rapidly.
Ray shrugged as the door slid shut and started to walk off towards the dojo, something Stephen looked like an old samurai house or a temple. In fact, Stephen thought it looked very similar to the Hitodama's house, aside from the fact the house walls were made of wood and the dojo wasn't, but the roofs were mostly the same. They looked like they were made of red stone, curved and long brick-like. There was small bell tower at the top of it with a black bell inside it.
As they got closer, he could see a golden phoenix painted on the front doors of the dojo, its proud head raised to the glowing heavens painted above it. Stephen mused silently in his mind about its beauty, feeling a little safer as Ray opened the doors.
He wished his mind wouldn't make such stupid wishes as a hoard of females charged out the doors, nearly trampling the three teenagers in their wake. Stephen and Ray leapt to the right and Angela went to the right, landing on a row of flower pots.
"Man, when your grandmother said young ladies were with him, I never dreamed he'd have an entire army. He must be really good at what he does." Stephen rasped, still staring after the girls as they piled into a bus.
Ray didn't respond to him. He was already back on his feet and trying to help Angie up. Stephen finally looked up a them when he heard a loud smack sound, seeing Ray with a shocked look on his face with his hand on his cheek.
"Don't you touch me, you fiend. Only Stephen is allowed to touch me at all." She snapped, shoving Ray away from her. Stephen shook his head at the scene, pulling himself off the ground when he froze, a voice carrying to his ears from the bus, a voice he knew.
"All right, secure your seatbelts, ladies. We'll be leaving for Tokyo Tower now, so please, do not get up from your seats at any time. We don't want any of you lovely ladies damaged." Said the chilling voice.
'Viper! That's Viper's voice.' Stephen thought wildly, whipping his head towards the bus. Sure enough, there was Viper sitting in the driver's seat of the bus in a uniform, his head topped with a bus driver's hat. He looked at the young man standing in front of the middle of the aisle, a guy with silvery hair and sunglasses on, wearing the same bus driver's uniform as Viper. Before Stephen could get up, Viper closed the bus door and disappeared with the bus down the street.
"He's here….what's he up to?" Cyrus mumbled to Stephen, unaware that Angela and Ray were behind him.
"I don't know, but it can't be good." Stephen replied, jumping with a start as Ray clamed his hand down on his shoulder.
"Whoah! Hold it! I come in peace. What can't be good? What were you looking at?" Ray gasped, leaping back from the startled youth and cat.
"Uh…nothing, just….uh….nothing. I thought I saw a mugging, but I was wrong. Just a couple arguing, dopey me. Heh, heh, how about we go see your grandfather now….huh?" Stephen chuckled out nervously, petting Cyrus' head a bit too hard, making the animal's face seem to squish.
"Oh…ok, yeah, we should make sure he isn't doing anything he shouldn't be. Last thing we need is a lawsuit over his wandering hands, Ray replied, leading them inside the dojo," I love my grandfather to death, but he's a bit senile, more than usual with all the problems with the dojo. I don't want him getting arrested for molesting some poor girl that he'll forget about. Grandmother and me, we just don't have the heart to send him to a home….he's all we have."
"Trouble? What kind of trouble?" Stephen asked, still petting Cyrus head into his neck. Ray sighed, his head swinging lightly from side to side," Girls disappearing….it started happening last week when some guy came to talk to my grandfather about expanding his advertising for the dojo, weird blonde guy with these funny red eyes. Gave me the chills, but he gave grandfather all of these ivory pieces for him to carve stuff on. He even supplied the paints and tools to do it. We've been getting a lot of money from selling them, but the guy never came to collect like he said he would. Grandfather's been putting it in our bank account ever since and we've been able to use some of it to pay off some debts and get new equipment for the dojo, but the thing was that most of our customers started disappearing. You wouldn't believe how many times the cops have bothered my grandparents and tried to put the blame on them. My grandfather's wandering hands didn't help matters, but they have no real proof that my grandfather did anything. Still, I feel bad for all of those poor families whose daughters have disappeared."
"Only girls?" Angela said at last. Ray nodded.
"Yeah, it's the strangest thing. I've seen them all get on the bus that comes here every day. Even stranger, the cops said no bus driver in the entire company says that they have seen any of the missing girls. They say no one is ever around the dojo for them to pick up when they come. I've seen the bus, number 666, come and go each night to take those girls to Tokyo Tower. The company told the cops they have no such bus, but I've seen it." Ray said, his voice a bit nervous, as if what he'd said scared him.
Stephen looked back at Angie, her expression stiff and serious as she nodded to him, mouthing 'Viper' at him and Stephen nodded back.
"Sounds terrible. I hope they find those girls soon and whoever's been running off with them. Nasty thing, all that suffering of such innocent people. I must be hard on everyone." Stephen replied, his petting starting to cease on his cat.
"Especially on Grandmother, she may look cheerful, but it's just a front. I hear her crying at night sometimes. She thinks she'll lose Grandfather like she did my parents…but well…that's another story. I really don't want to talk about it anymore. Don't want glum faces at the dinner table," he began, opening the doors to a large room full of exercise and training equipment," Welcome to the training room. Hey, and there's Grandfather….with kiss marks all over his face. GRANDFATHER!"
Ray wasted no time in running towards his grandfather, the old man looked very content and was simply beaming over something, but suddenly his beady little eyes sharpened at the charging youth. He charged right at Ray and leapt up in the air in his black kimono, his sandal covered and wrinkled foot aimed at his grandson. Stephen nearly choked on his breath as Ray did a swift split, getting back up in a split second to do a handstand leap, planting all the force of his body into his feet, crashing them into his grandfather. The old man smacked down on the floor, sliding across it to stop at Stephen's sneakers.
"Holy….I mean d….oh, what can I say in a temple that doesn't insult it?" Stephen rasped, his eyes wide with amazement. He found that Angela looked just as surprised as he did, her draw hanging slack at the scene.
"That was incredible." Was all she could say.
"Ditto!" Stephen let out, his face still shocked even as the old man got up and went back towards his grandson. Ray was standing in the same place he had kicked his grandfather from, a small smile on his lips. "Ah, Ray-san, you can still best your grandfather, no matter how old I am. Ah, you still beat me, with all my knowledge. Good attack, grandson. Maybe next time I will beat you." The old man said, patting his grandson on the back. Ray smiled at him, and returned the gesture.
"Gramps, you taught me everything I know. Of course I can beat you. You're too distracted with all those girls who kiss you for all your comments. If Grandmother sees you like this, she'll cook you for supper." Ray said, yanking a hanky out of his jacket pocket and began wiping his grandfather's face clean.
Stephen marveled at how even though the old man and younger man were the same height, Ray was treating his grandfather like a child. It was as if the young man was caring for two children, not two elderly adults. His grandfather seemed to take it better than his grandmother had, hanging his head in shame as his grandson scolded him.
"Grandmother is cooking supper now, for us and my new friends. This is Stephen Tsukikage and the young lady is Angela Furosuto. I met them at the arcade today." Ray beamed, stuffing his lipstick smeared hanky back in his pocket.
"Wonderful. I hope its her spicy chicken dish….or maybe some sweet shrimp and shiitake. Ahh, your grandmother bless her heart, she spoils us so with delicious meals. With all this money we've been getting…she can get more each day so we can have wonderful meals everyday. Not take-out, yuck, such greasy, horrid foods." Mr. Hitodama complained, smiling at Stephen and Angela almost apologetically.
"No, Gramps, I know you don't like modern food like we arrogant youngsters. If you and Grandmother had your way, we'd be eating sushi and fugu every day. I can't really get used to cop food if I get spoiled on Grandmother's traditional cooking. A little grease never hurt anybody."
"Not when she's dead….Oop," Stephen mumbled, biting his lip as Ray stared at him," I mean, its not that greasy foods are alive or anything….You're not hurting anything with a little grease. Eh, heh, heh, you know?"
"Eeee….yeah, whatever you say. Uh, Gramps, why don't you go help Grandmother in the kitchen while I show them the rest of the dojo grounds. She's about ready to come after you herself, you don't want that now, do you?" Ray said.
His grandfather nodded heartily and both men bowed to each other. Then Mr. Hitodama ran off, leaving the three teenagers behind. "Gotta love them, they keep this place interesting," Ray added, gesturing for them to follow him," Come on, we have a garden training area out back. It's for a more natural experience. Come on."
Stephen went first, Angie following slowly behind both boys steadily. Ray opened another door that led back into the cool night air, the traditional garden splayed out before them. Stephen had never seen anything so spectacular in his life. There were small bamboo bridges over numerous ponds, the bright, darting of Koi fish swimming within the crystal clear waters. There were some cherry trees a ways off and some bonsai and orchid gardens as well, some near the stone wall that separated the dojo grounds from other property and others were by the glittering ponds.
He couldn't help but smile at it all, but he also couldn't help but feel it was familiar to him. 'What's this strange feeling in my heart…have I been here before? Or have I been somewhere similar. I can't remember, yet….t makes me feel warm all over. What don't I remember?' he thought.
He was lost in his trance for a few minutes before Ray slapped his hand onto his shoulder, making him jump a bit. "Really something isn't it? I used to climb all those trees when I came to live with my grandparents. I don't recommend swimming in the ponds though, I got grounded for a month for crushing one of the fish. The damn things are so fragile….and dumb. What do you think, pal?" Ray said, smiling brightly out at the garden.
"I think its really something….makes me want to take up martial arts again….maybe go through it all the way this time. It must have been interesting getting to grow in such a….cultured place." Stephen said.
"Yeah, guess your parents knew what was good for them and stayed in modern society instead. I'd go crazy with all of this peace and quiet. Where are your folks anyway? Next door?" Angie spouted haughtily.
Stephen heard Ray make a small grunt, his hand tightening for a moment on his shoulder before he answered in a low voice. "Well, Father is a politician, I never see him much anymore, but….my mother is….dead…."
Stephen felt him let go of his shoulder at last, then turned his head to watch the dark-haired youth go back inside the dojo. Stephen gave Angie a dirty look, shaking his head at her in disgust. "Do me a favor and don't speak. Your mouth is poison." Stephen hissed at her, running after Ray without her.
"Hey Ray! Wait up!" Stephen shouted, slowing his pace as he found Ray leaning on the booth his grandfather had been selling ivory from. He looked a bit sullen, his eyes aimed down at the wooden floor. "She shoots her mouth off a lot. Its not easy to get used to….but she didn't mean any harm," Stephen offered, getting a shrug from Ray," How long?"
"Since I was four….Mother got killed in America, a drive-by shooting. Just a couple of stupid teenagers who thought guns were the answer to being tough. Father shoved me to the pavement, then tripped….but Mother got hit far more than he did and fell on me. I don't have any aunts or uncles, so Father and I moved back here to live with my Dad's parents. That's why I am in military school and why I want to be a cop, so no other kids and families have to go through what I did. I know, it sounds pretty dumb, but….well, you weren't there." Ray said quietly, sucking in a sharp breath. Stephen could tell he was trying to hold back the tears, the cracking of his voice paining him just by hearing the tale.
"It's not silly, protecting people is a good thing, I know. Look, we don't have to talk about all that anymore if you don't want to. I'm basically as much a stranger to you as you are to me. You didn't have to tell me all that." Stephen offered. Ray lifted his head a bit, and smiled for a moment, nodding.
"Yeah….that's true. I'm sorry, it's just well, no one's ever mentioned my parents in a long time. But, like you said, you two, I barely know you. It was an honest mistake. I doubt she'll do it again, right?" he said, almost looking anxious about the thought.
"She may be stubborn, but she's not stupid. There are worse people out there than her," Stephen chuckled, stopping as a gong sounded in the distance," Already? You're grandmother sure is fast."
"She's the greatest. I'll meet you back at the house, you go get your friend….that is the right word for her, isn't it? She said you were an item." Ray replied, starting to walk towards the entrance.
"Hell no, she's up for grabs as far as I'm concerned. No matter what she says, there's no way that we'll ever be an item, Ray, trust me on that." Stephen let out.
Ray looked back at him, then off towards Angie who was still standing outside, her back facing them. He grew a wide smile on her face, then trotted off towards the entrance.
~ Later ~
"Man, that was something. Even I couldn't top that supper….your grandmother's cooking is great." Stephen piped as they left the dojo, moving away a bit as Angela plodded out, patting her stomach. Ray welcomed her presence with a warm smile, but Angela had her eyes set on Stephen's sour face.
Cyrus was walking by his heels, leaping and forth as he tried not to get stepped on by Angela. "I know….too bad I'm too busy at school to appreciate it all the time. Though, the occasional pepperoni and pepper pizza is a welcomed thing, there's nothing quite like what my grandmother makes. Still, usually she and Grandfather have shouting matches, even with company over. They must be happy about something, heh, maybe the police finally found those girls and Grandfather is off the hook." Ray beamed, still gazing fondly at Angela.
"That would nice, yeah. But if the sickos that took them got so many at one time….well, you'd have to think otherwise. Are they ordinarily that happy when you bring people over your house?" Stephen asked, dodging Angela's arms as she tries to lock with his.
"Well, to tell you the truth, I don't think she was happy about just you. I usually bring maybe one or two guys from my school over the house to do projects, sometimes to train, but well, I've never brought a girl home. Not a ton of girls are in military school…or for that matter, allowed in." Ray said.
Angela looked at him in disgust and Stephen took this opportunity to walk ahead of them towards the bus stop. "Male chauvinism is a sickness. Probably why my mother used a sperm bank and not a man, he'd have probably told her what she could and couldn't do, just like that stupid school of yours tells girls with any strength." She scoffed.
Ray didn't reply for moment, but when he did, his tone was calm and cool. "I didn't make the rules, Angela, guys hundreds of years ago made them when they founded the school. It's not like I go off scaring or beating up girls to make them leave. You shouldn't accuse people of things that are stereotypical, its really rude….not to mention makes you worse than the people you accuse."
Stephen could hear Cyrus moan in a hushed tone as he leapt up into Stephen's waiting arms. "I can almost hear his head being torn off, can't you?"
Stephen nodded, looking back briefly to see Angie swinging her arm at Ray's head. The dark-haired youth dodged it easily and went back to blocking her blows. "Him I can deal with being a knight, at least he has some focus. Hell, I'd hate to see him lose his temper, but he's seems so in control of it, better than Angie the maniac. Her mom has got to be a total fanatical feminist. Too bad Angie decided she needs a man or I'd be safe from her wrath." Stephen grumbled, looking down the street for the bus.
"I think you're being to hard on her. If you don't watch your mouth, you might end up pushing her too far away from you….it could ruin her fighting and judgement in future battles….or at the very worst, hurt her feelings. That will make everything jus come crumbling down you know. You and Gary are really hurting her inside, you know it too." Cyrus spouted.
Stephen slapped the back of the cat's head and frowned. "She's driving us both insane. You weren't in those trash bins when she was stalking us. You didn't spell like week old vomit when you got home and you certainly don't have to have her hanging all over you like she own you and no one else can talk to you without stating your business with me! I tried being nice, I tried explaining things. I even tried challenging her to another fight yesterday so I could lose and she'd ditch me, but she refused to listen to reason. Being nasty to her is all I have going for me, I can see that hurt in her eyes, I want it there so she will dump me. I don't love her and you know for a fact she really doesn't love me, she knows it too. She's in love with the idea that a man that can beat her is her equal and therefore her soul mate. That's a damn silly concept."
Cyrus looked up at the youth angrily, his tiny teeth bared. "And what is love to you? A tight dress and mask?"
"Hey! Watch or you're going to be hacking those little fangs of yours up with fur balls in a few seconds. I don't love Glamour cause of her fashion sense, well, yes, she has a beautiful figure, but I don't just love her for her beauty. I admire her strength and the air about her. I just can't explain it, but it's not just those things, its like I know her….whenever she's around, I can't help but feel….at peace inside, warm. Go ahead and laugh and say it's the dress, but that's the truth. I don't care if a stupid cat doesn't believe me. I know what I feel." Stephen rasped.
"What do you feel for who?" Ray's voice piped suddenly.
Stephen froze a moment, wondering wildly how much the guy had heard before turning his head around very slowly to face him. "I know how I feel about….my cat. The way he's been biting people lately, I'm wondering if I shouldn't take him to the vet or something. I know he's had all his shots," Stephen said, then gave a wicked glare towards the cat's face," Maybe a few shots in his rear end everyday to calm him down will do the trick."
Cyrus got a look of panic on his furry face, and Ray seemed to notice it. He petted the poor cat suddenly, the panic slipping away into surprise, then the cat calmed all together, purring as Ray went on stroking his forehead.
"Now that's better….that's a good kitty. It's ok about you biting Gary and me we forgive you. You were defending your master, dogs do it, why not cats?" Ray said to Cyrus, who let out a pleased 'Meow.'
"A little scare tactic never hurt either. You'll see." Stephen replied.
"How's that? It's an animal….it just cares about tone, not words. Animals don't understand us anymore than we do them." Ray replied, yanking his hand back as Cyrus made a low hiss in his throat.
"You were saying?" Stephen chuckled, turning his head back to the street as he heard the roar of an engine approaching. He watched the bus lights grow brighter for while then set his attention on what was ahead of him.
"Well, anyway, thanks for inviting us to your house for dinner. When Alan lets you back in the store, maybe we can go one on one on one of the games." Stephen said, looking up slightly as the bus pulled up in front of him.
"Hey, I was banned too. What about me?" Angela cooed.
Stephen didn't even turn around to reply. "What about you? Who wants to play with you, maniac?" Stephen kept his face stiff as he said it, to make sure Ray saw it. Stephen couldn't help it if Ray thought Angela was a babe, Stephen knew she was, but her attitude was what drove him away, her reasons for being in love with him did it even more. He knew perfectly well, as Cyrus had scolded before, that he was being cruel on purpose, but Angela hadn't made being nice very easy.
He brushed the thoughts away as the bus door began to open, his eyes meeting with those of the driver, his red eyes. Stephen nearly swallowed his own tongue as he stared at the driver, the blood red eyes widening as they focused on him, the blonde hair almost raising on end under his dark bus driver's cap.
Cyrus hissed lowly in Stephen's arms, his claws digging into his skin slightly. Stephen couldn't help himself, staring harder and harder at the shocked man until the red eyes flared, the mouth opening up hatefully. "YOU! And that cat! You led him to me!" Viper raged, the man standing near him whipping his pale face in Stephen's direction.
Viper gave the man a quick, angry look and the man nodded. He stepped in front of Viper, who had sat down at the wheel again, and grabbed Stephen by the collar, and yanked his startled body into the bus. Angela started towards them but the door swung shut before she could even blink. She slammed hard into the glass, some of it shattering against her body, scraping and cutting her tender flesh. Ray looked distressed as the bus drove off with Angie hanging onto the door, kicking at the glass top get inside.
"Why do I meet all the weirdos? What the hell just happened?" he asked himself, then took off after the bus as Angie started screaming," But this day just gets better and better! Wait till the guys at school hear about this!"
Ray sprinted as hard as he could after the vehicle, his legs going harder and faster the more distance they covered. He was trained to withstand a lot of pain and to tolerate the worst of conditions and missions on field trips and through obstacle courses as long as he could remember once he started military school. Chasing a bus wasn't the best of things for a future cop to do, but it wasn't exactly a major thing. It was easy since buses were so bulky, it would take it a while to pick up a lot of speed. He was thankful he didn't live near any major highways or he'd have never been able to keep up with the bus.
Ray finally got within reach of the bumper, the emergency door handles above it just above his head. He pushed his legs harder again as the bus began to gain some momentum as well, pulling away inches at a time. 'Now or never, these could be those sickos who stole all of those girls. They might kill Stephen and Angie if I lose them. I have to do it, I have to help!!!!' his mind screamed as he took a hard leap at the handles.
One hand latched onto a handle, but the other slipped off, making Ray's feet drag for a minute or so before he got his bearings and got his other hand on the second handle.
'Wait till they stop, but keep an eye on them. If they see you, Angie and Stephen might get killed on the spot….then me.' He thought, angling his body away from the lower window portals under the handles. He bet he looked absolutely ridiculous holding onto the back of a bus shaped like and upside-down "L," but he felt he could live with the humiliation if he got through the whole thing alive.
He looked back at the street behind him, mildly curious as to who was viewing the scene, hoping they would call the real police and stop the maniacs who'd kidnapped the lot of them, but his mouth went dry when he didn't even see the street anymore. He didn't even see buildings, all Ray Hitodama could see was living twilight and wisps of green smoke replacing the streets.
What was worse were all cocoon-like growths hanging in what was once the knight sky, red silhouettes writhing inside them. 'What the hell is going on? Where are the buildings, the cars? For that matter, how is this thing driving without any roads? Smoke trails aren't roads.' He thought, then pressed his lips together tightly as the bus started to slow.
He waited a few minutes after it stopped to peer inside the bus. He saw the bus driver was leaving the inside, but Stephen and the other man were nowhere in sight. He quickly slipped off the back of the bus and crawled under it to look for them, keeping his body hidden behind the large tires as he crept.
"White hair….you should wear a wig, pretty boy, makes you less noticeable, but I guess you humans are too stupid to learn about stealth. I don't know why, but you always turn up when you're not wanted. I saw you at the charm store, I saw your damn hair seep out of that pitiful disguise of yours….Moon Knight is sending you to spy on us, isn't he? Talk or I'll have my friend here cut off a finger every time you make me wait." He heard a voice screech, a familiar one.
"Yeah, that's the guy who sold my grandfather all that merchandise crap….what the hell is he doing driving a bus to the Twilight Zone? And what's Stephen got to do with him?" he whispered to himself.
"Tell me now! If you won't talk, you won't be very handy to Moon Knight anymore. But then we'll have to cut other things off, then once we turn you into chop meat, we'll find that pretty little orchid-haired friend of yours and start chopping her into little tender pieces….and your stupid cat, wherever that ugly pussy ran off to. You hear me, you're dead if you don't talk. Talk and I might spare your life to live as my slaves in the Dark Universe. The choice is yours." The man spouted, ramming his right foot into Stephen's jaw.
Ray felt bad for him, but he knew he couldn't help him right now. The two men were positioned in front and behind him, the other man holding Stephen's arms behind his back, Stephen on his knee's with a bloodied mouth.
"I have to help, but how? What can I do? I don't know what I'm dealing with….I can't go in without a plan." Ray whispered to himself, gasping sharply as something brushed up against his hand. He looked towards it and found Stephen's cat Cyrus was
just sitting there, the crescent moon bald spot on his forehead glowing gently, then returning to normal. He didn't think much of it until he saw something was on his hand, or rather his ring finger. It was a ring of black and red, the red being a small fireball symbol that was warm on his skin, pleasing. It felt terribly enchanting, yet familiar.
"Mars Knight, welcome back." The cat whispered, giving Ray the second greatest shock of his life. "You…you talked…."he stuttered, but Cyrus shushed him. "No, time, he need your help. Just say 'Mars Fire, Transform," and leave the rest to your will. If your sword can't defeat them, look into your heart, focus and call upon the fire within it. That should aid you better. Just transform! They're about to cut a finger off!" Cyrus yelped sharply, Ray turning in horror with his ring aimed at the scene.
The man that had been holding the white-haired youth was gone, only tattered clothing remained at the new hostage-holder's clawed feet. He saw metal, claws, and all of Stephen's fingers being help out by the other man, the strain on the youth's face stabbing into ray's heart.
"Mars Fire, Transform!! ARGHHHH!!!!" Ray screamed, incredible, white-hot pain infecting every vein in his body.
Viper heard the shout, turning swiftly to locate it. He got a knee in the groin from behind as Stephen shoved back on his attacked, breaking free and making a run for the back of the bus.
"Argh, idiot! Get him! What kind of a monster are you!!??" Viper yelled, slamming his hand into the side of the bus.
"Yes sir! I'll dice whoever's in here!" the metallic and spiky skinned monster hissed out, following after where the white-headed human had gone to.
A few seconds later, he was sent flying back into view, Viper's eyes widening as his attacked stepped out from behind the bus. It was a young man, wearing black armor all over his body, the helmet hiding his eyes and most of his head from Viper's view, only showing the pale, stiff mouth beneath the mask. He held a shining black sword, aimed directly at the dazed monster, but in seconds he aimed his sword at Viper himself.
"I presume you are also the enemy, the one who's been kidnapping innocent girls. Prepare to meet your maker, slime bucket." The black knight said, approaching Viper bravely, his sword still extended.
"I have better things to do than play with you, insect. Sliver isn't so easily defeated, he's a great Dark Universe warrior. Consider yourself fortunate to not be fighting me. I have energy to deliver. Sliver, dismember him!" Viper hissed, crossing his arms over his chest in a flash as the knight charged at him, vanishing from sight.
"Shit! Come back you coward! Fight me like man, pay for your crimes against the innocent!" Mars Knight screamed, jamming his sword into where Viper had last stood, gritting his teeth together angrily. He wasn't allowed the time to rage about the loss, numerous scraping sounds approaching him rapidly filling his ears.
He turned around in time to see the metal monster Sliver charging at him this time, his long, angular claws screaming for his flesh, numerous spikes, big and small, protruding from his back.
"Ice Slash!" was screamed over his head, a woman in light blue armor and black skirt landing front of him. She slashed her own sword at the creature, sending a few blue spirals of cold at it. Mars felt despair take over as Sliver jumped out of the way and landed between Mars and the young, armored woman.
Both of them jumped back and held their swords up, the monster looking almost whimsical in expression about the situation. "Oh, pretty girl, nasty boy, and that pretty boy….oh, what to kill first. I haven't the foggiest idea….who will scream the loudest!!" the thing cackled, its laugh like nails on a chalkboard.
The woman seemed to take the challenge to heart, her mouth twisting with anger. Only when she spoke, or rather screamed, at the monster did Mars confirm who she was, his eyes still on her orchid colored hair.
"Oh yeah, you over-buffed hood ornament!!? Well taste my steel you lousy chrome domed bastard!! Hyaa!" she yelled, bringing her sword down on the things waiting metal skull.
'Angie? Angie is a super hero? Hey, we're both super heroes, this is too weird!' he thought.
He expected the thing's head to split open upon impact, brains and blood of whatever sort this thing had to come shooting out, but all he heard was a loud clanging sound, then the horrid laughter of Sliver.
"Oh, that tickles. Give me more, baby, then I'll show you my sword once I have Prince Viper make you my love slave. Hah! My undead love slave! Hurt me more! MORE!" Silver screamed, two very long and sharp looking spikes growing on his shoulders.
The armored Angela looked even more enraged and went on attacking Silver, the monster welcoming every attack. He offered parts of his body to her, being utterly openhearted about every single hit. He went on laughing the harder and more she struck out at him, even being so bold as to stick what Mars figured was his rear end out to her, more deadly spikes and protrusions growing all over his body.
When Angela finally ended her assault, Sliver was still laughing, stick his arms and legs out to her. "What? Wasn't it good for you, baby? Oh, no, well, come on. Use your little girly ice attack on me. Come on, I'm being a good sport about this, hit me with your best shot, bitch!" Sliver taunted, spreading his spike lined arms out to the sides," Show me yours, baby, and I'll show you mine."
"Oh you! Go to hell! Ice Slash!!" she screamed, tears of rage leaking out her mask, her sword letting out the tendrils of cold. Mars watched in horror as it hit sliver and bounced back at Angela, hitting her square in the back as she tried to avoid it. She fell as the ice laced her back and crept down her arms legs, paralyzing her on the smoky ground.
"Oh, that felt cool, I mean that," Sliver chuckled, looking back at Mars for a few moments before looking back at Angela," Don't worry, you'll get your chance, wimp. You got lucky punching me….to bad little Miss Sword didn't think to use her fists instead of her steel. And speaking of which, time to skin myself a very delicious looking mouse."
Mars watched him for what seemed like an eternity, seeing his own shocked expression mirrored back at him through Silver's spikes and metal skin, his mouth twisting angrily as he brought up his black sword. 'Focus….focus on the fire within, the fire within, I have to save her. I have to….its my duty….as a human being. Fire, fire, fire….hell! Hell!' he thought, the sword starting glow a bloody red.
"Hell….fire of hell, Raging Hell Fire!!!!" Mars screamed, doing a hard pin with his body, his sword coming alive with swirls of fire. As he stopped his body, four massive fireballs leapt from his sword and crashed into Silver's exposed back and sent him flying over Angela's head. He hit the smoky ground, liquid metal spattering all over.
Sliver got up, but it was more of a stagger than anything else. Most of his spikes were broken or melted and there was a gaping hole where a normal person's heart would be. "How? Nothing hurts me…nothing!" Sliver gargled out, his chin starting to liquefy and dribble down his chest in thick, shiny chunks.
"Keep telling yourself that. Tell them nothing sent you to hell. Raging Hell Fire!!!!" Mars yelled again, the fireballs rushing right at the melting Sliver, sluggishly and pitifully trying to move, but his feet were engulfed in liquid metal. He let out a final high pitched scream as the fireballs met with his body, his metallic form boiling away into the cold, twilight air.
"Oh yeah!! I bagged a baddie! Yes! Hail to Mars Knight!" he cheered, raising his sword in triumph over his head. "Yeah, while you're hailing yourself, how about getting this ice off of me. Stephen! Cyrus! Get your butt's out here! I'm freezing!" Angela shouted.
Mars felt a blush creep up his cheeks, feeling embarrassed that he'd forgotten so quickly about her and the others. He rushed to kneel beside her and began rubbing at her frozen legs, making the ice melt the faster his hands moved. He heard footsteps rushing towards him, and felt a wave of relief wash over him as he saw Stephen's face near his, his hands rubbing at Angela's arms.
"Nice work, Mars….you put Mercury here to shame. Who'd have thought, a metal monster that feeds on metal attacks, but he can't take the heat. Heh, glad to have you aboard." Stephen said heartily.
"Mercury? Then who are you in this outfit?" Mars asked, seeing Stephen shrug. "The knight everyone wants to behead first, Moon Knight. If I'd had know how stupid Viper was, I never would have worried about hiding my hair. I'm the leader….according to Cyrus here. His little bite, he did it to me, to her….and he'll probably keep doing it until we find the other knights, wherever they are," Stephen replied," Damn, Mercury, why can't you just think before you act for once. You could have been kill by that freak. Cyrus, how are we supposed to unfreeze her in a hurry. There's no telling how long this place will remain as is with Sliver dead."
Cyrus cocked his head to the side, the leapt onto Mercury's back. His forehead glowed brightly, nearly blinding both of the young men. When the light was gone, Mercury's body was free, not a bit of ice left on her body. "I can't do this all the time, Mercury, so try and show some restraint. The came goes for all of you. I can't help you non-stop. I'm not a hospital. As for this dimension, it's already starting to break down. We should be home soon. I suggest you two think yourself back to normal before we all return to the real world so when we get there, no one will really pay much attention to us." Cyrus announced.
The knights obeyed him, their normal forms emerging from under the armor as the smoke started to fade, the purple haze of the twilight realm becoming black and white, a normal night sky with stars. As the buildings and streets became visible to them all, they saw the cocoons start to fade out as well, the captive girls within slowly floating to the streets, cars and pavement below them. "We better start running now, the police are going to question why the grandson of the accused kidnapper is surrounded by many of the unconscious girls." Cyrus added, taking off in the opposite direction of the dojo. Ray went in the opposite direction as Angela and went off down a side alley and Stephen went after Cyrus, leaping over the sleeping females' bodies as they went.
Ray made it back to his home as fast as he could, hearing sirens screaming in the distance as he reached his room. He shut the door quickly and let himself slide down it, his heart and veins pumping madly. He sat there for while, utterly quiet and staring at his window, the shade pulled back to show off the beautiful night sky to him. Then his brown eyes aimed down at his right hand, the fire ring still gleaming beautifully on it.
"Thank you God, thank you for giving me the power….the power to finally be a hero. Thank you." He breathed, a single tear of joy escaping his eye, sizzling away as it landed upon his ring.
*Hitodama means- supernatural fiery ball
**Tsukikage means- moonlight