People rushed this way and that. There was yelling and screaming as the police and fire departments did what they could to calm the people down as the "earthquake" continued on. Some of the smaller homes and business buildings had already started to fall. Everyone was so panicked that they didn't bother to look up to notice the three young women flying overhead.
Rogue wasn't used to this whole carry while flying thing. After all, Xavier was just beginning to train her in how to summon back powers she had already taken when she had left for Japan. Other then that, have two mutants, each of them acting as if she would just suddenly drop them wasn't making it any easier.
"Would ya'll quit squirmin'!?" She shouted. "And it seems that a certain mutant should lay off the pretzel mix!"
"Shut up!" Tabitha replied. "I've seen you eat a burger and fries quicker then Blob!"
"Can we all just be quiet and deal with the problem at hand?" Wanda hissed.
Looking down below they watched hopelessly at the people running. It was like the sentinel incident all over again. The grip the three held on each other tightened. This was probably the most risky attempt to protect the humans they've ever tried. For all they knew, if people found out about them, they might hold them captive there, never to see the shores of the United States again.
Still, whether they were caught or not, this was risky. The only thing blocking out the sound of Meibatsu's screams was a thin hex field, but that was slowly beginning to fade. Being mutants, chances were that they were more able to pick up the sound waves better then humans. If they could crush buildings, Tabitha could only shudder as she thought about what the sound could do to her "delicate ears".
***
Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama pushed and shoved against the crowd. There was nothing that they wouldn't give to be able to fly like Rogue could. It would've made the whole trip a lot easier.
Looking above them, they caught sight of Botan and Hiei flying overhead. Cringing, loudly if I might add, they continued onward. The sound of explosions several blocks away drove them to run quicker, not caring about whom they happened to knock over (though, Kurama apologized every so often). The streetlights began to flicker, bend, and twist, like trees during a storm. Thing was, they were twisting in same direction. Up two blocks, then a turn to the left.
'Wanda, be careful' Kurama thought to himself.
***
"Boom-boom!" Wanda shrieked, "Are you completely insane?!"
"Yes I am!" she replied.
"Really? Ah hope ya got a death wish, since ya caught her attention! We get hit by one o' those waves, we'll be droppin' lord knows how many stories!" Rogue snapped.
"Um…oops?"
"We…are so …frickin'…doomed,"
***
Koenma was glued to the screen as ogre after ogre rushed in with piles of papers. Though he really wasn't paying much attention, he flipped through them. All of them were prison records, profiles, anything that could even give them a single shred of a clue.
"Koenma, sir!" One of them shouted, bursting through the doors. "We have information on the man Botan mentioned!"
"You mean, Yukio?"
"Yes, sir!"
"What are you just standing there for?! Let me see it!"
***
After nearly, literally, dropping off Wanda and Tabitha on the breaking streets, Rogue did her best to block out the yelling as she rushed Meibatsu.
Meibatsu turned to face her, though she was a little late to react, as Rogue slammed her knee into her stomach, sending her reeling. She landed hard on the top of a car, a massive dent bending beneath her. Struggling to get up, Rogue ran forward, wrapping her gloved hands around Meibatsu's neck. Making sure that her right hand was tight in place, she torn the left glove off with her teeth. Just as her fingertips were about to touch her forehead, Meibatsu shot out her hand, taking a tight hold of Rogue's wrist. Unable to break free, she could only cry out in pain as Meibatsu kicked her hard in the chest, sending her flying across the street into the glass of a telephone booth.
Wanda waited. When Rogue's back slammed into the booth, her hands immediately went to the sky, raising the nearby cars, bikes, and motorcycles into the air, whirling around in a blue twister of power. With a few flicks of the wrist, the vehicles were thrown toward the demon. Of course, this was only the distraction.
Seizing her chance, Tabitha dashed behind Meibatsu and the gold glowing orbs were gently rolled, stopping beneath her feet. With a loud blast and bright burst of light, she was tossed into the air, (along with most of the road). Fuming with anger, she turned and screamed. Tabitha covered her ears, but that noise! It was so loud!
'My ears are going to be ringing for so long after this…' she thought as she fell to her knees. The scream only became louder, until she was sure that she could feel the sonic waves pounding at her body. The world began to darken in front of her eyes, and then everything suddenly became quiet.
Meibatsu turned and glared. This was what happened the last time she had fought these wretched girls! The black haired girl had used her power to silence her, while the other drained her power. That wouldn't be happening again.
"Do you honestly believe that the same trick will work on me twice?!" she cried. Wanda looked at her stunned as her hex field disappeared. The shrill cries and sonic waves flung her backwards like a rag door. Quick as her brother, Meibatsu stood over her, and pulled a razor tipped battle fan from her sleeve, ready and able to slit her throat. Wanda squeezed her eyes tight, waiting for the last blow to come…
"Spirit Gun!"
Wanda opened her eyes and watched as Meibatsu was thrown away by a burst of icy blue light. Rolling onto her stomach, she smiled weakly as she looked up at Yusuke and the others as they ran toward them.
"Scarlet Witch!" Kurama cried. Next thing she knew, she was pressed tight against his chest.
Groaning in pain, Meibatsu strained her muscles as she tried to stand. Sitting pathetically on her knees, a tug of jealousy pulled at her as she found herself staring at Scarlet Witch as Kurama hugged her close. Her hands clenched into fists and hot tears welled in her eyes. Her fury giving her new strength, she screamed, thrusting herself up into the sky. Blinking back her tears, she glared at them from her perch atop the ruins of a fallen business building.
Kurama looked up at the place the cry came from, his eyes widening. It couldn't be her! He was sure that she had been killed! There was just no way that she could still be alive after all those years! Images, like a horror movie of memories flashed before him.
***
They had been running for an unknown amount of time, the wet ground making it easy for the demon hunters to follow them as their footprints were left in the mud. They jumped over hedges, dived beneath tree roots and still they couldn't shake them. His partner had blow them away countless times before with her mournful cries and still they were pursued.
"Ah! My leg!" She cried. Blood poured onto the ground, trickling between her fingers in a hopeless attempt to stop the bleeding. He turned around and ran back, leaning over her and whispering calm words as he tugged at the arrow in her leg. Pulling it out, he looked over at her face as she winced, holding back a cry of pain.
"We have them! One of them has been crippled!" shouted a voice not far away. Though he hated himself for what he was about to do, he stood up.
"I will come back for you! I promise!"
"Wait! You can't leave me!"
"Forgive me!"
"No! Please help me!"
The hunters were just coming into view as he reached the top of a nearby hill. Crouching behind one of the massive stones, he watched in agony as the young girl was surrounded. She tried to scream but to no avail. The last words she spoke, before they managed to gag her, were directed at him.
"Traitor! TRAITOR!!"
***
"What do you want Meibatsu?" Kurama yelled. "Why come after us?"
"Not them," she hissed, her eyes glowing with hatred. "Just you! This is all your fault! All of my pain, all of my agony and torture, it was all because of you!!"
"I don't understand!"
"Liar! You wretched fox! I was a fool for trusting you…" she said. Lowering her head in shame, a single tear dripped down her cheek.
"Why?! Why did you betray me Kurama?!"
Author's Note: Hi! Yes, I'm sure you people hate me for stopping here but don't worry! I'll be updating again soon. Remember to review on your way out!
