AN:

NDZ: Thanks goes out to all who've reviewed this fic so far!! I really appreciate the feedback, as well as your enthusiastic responses.

To Tiger5913: Sanguine Promise is an excellent fic, though I am sorry I haven't finished reading it all yet. I promise to read all of it before 2003… I know that's kind of a long cut off date, but school gets in the way, and we all know how "important" education. Hehe.. But yea, I'll get that finished, but you gotta continue with A Killer's Seduction!!

To Tyrant_Scizor: Thnx also for the review of not only this, but of Searing Hellfire. (Which is under Original Fiction, Horror.) Your story is coming along quite nicely too, and I'm happy you enjoy my and Tiger's reviews. Keep up the good work!!

To everyone else: Keep on reading and keep on reviewing. The end of this fic is nowhere in sight!!

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10: Heart of Feather, Will of Steel

Darkness dawned upon man without hesitation, creeping into the bowels of the urban jungle silently, wishing that no living soul know of its existence. Every crack, every crevice belonged to it, knowing the very extent of the layout that these poor humans had set up for themselves, thinking that they were safe; thinking they were safe and sound. But this presence held them in check, making them fear the one thing they could not control. And fear they did, for constantly they had tried, in vain attempt, to expunge this evil from their life with light, power, strength. But even these could not rid the world of it, for with iron will and steel nerves it held them in place, coldly locking its jaws around the waist of society…

* * *

"EEH EEH EEH EEH!!!"

Loudly the machine cawed its awakening to the world, attempting to rouse the one that laid dormant before it. To no avail… Again and again it cawed, and slowly but surely the form began to move and rustle against the heavy clothed sheet.

Uuugh… Is it morning already? Rubbing his head slightly, squinting against the horrible light that burned his very retinas, his senses began to come back to him, receding upon the strayed path they had set out on the night before. Muscles aching and burning from the workout the day before, he suddenly smiled at this thought, for he felt proud of this horrible feeling merely thinking of it as a symbol of strength. Tasting bitter mucus against the crust-ridden walls that were his lips, he dragged his lead-ridden feet towards the bathroom, seeking to rid himself of this disgusting entity.

After making himself more decent, Jack set out into the new day, soaking in the joy and happiness that radiated from the sun. Words could not describe how great he felt, knowing no way to express his gratitude to the others. They had taken him in, shown him how to live normally, and even taught him fighting techniques.

Would I have succumbed to the dark dragon inhabiting my body if I had never stumbled upon Jane in that lone alley? But that was then, and this is now… Should I even bother with the past if it does not conflict with the present?

These thoughts he wondered as he strolled down the streets of the still dormant city. It seemed as though not a soul lived in the great urban jungle, and the darkness emanating from the heart nearly overtook the lone man. A sudden chill stole the moment and swiftly made itself known to all near it. Minute hairs tentatively raised themselves at this, seeming to want to partake in beholding this strange entity. Rouche merely raised the collar of his jacket to compensate for the sudden wind.

Stupid meteorologists… They never give the right forecast. I'm always stuck with this sucky ass weather. I should just carry a duffel bag with a set of clothes for each season. Heh, what am I talking about? I must truly be insane.

Still staring at the cold cement beneath his feet, he wondered about the organization that Alice had mentioned Yugo worked for. What was that called again? Something with an N, I know that for sure… Maybe Jane will know.

Lifting his head, he noticed a faded yellow taxi awaiting his movement, the cold stare he received from the driver urging him to hurry on least he be angrily honked at or run over. They never have any patience do they?

Heading into the direction of Jane's residence, Jack chuckled at the little abstract features that made human existence unique, taking note of a lone leaf fluttering in the wind, seeking its brethren whom it had lost so long ago…

* * *

Another lone soul wished the same fate as the leaf that another had noticed. The soul wished peace and happiness, but something from within had jealously, barring him from this goal. It did not wish that he partake in this experience. Memories reminded him of his tainted past, how he had been an expert assassin, following orders flawlessly. But then there had been that unfortunate day when another of the zoanthrope species had stepped forth to oppose him.

She had been somewhat perky and energetic towards him, seeming to not care whether he was to kill her or not. And what a fight it had been. Truly she possessed quite some interesting and magnificent skills, though not from any manner of fighting he could conform with. As he put the finishing blow to her, her master stepped forth and put a stop to his task, vastly experienced over both the young feline and mole zoanthropes.

Taking no haste in such a defeat, he had made a quick and silent exit, though a faint glint of sorrow could be seen in his fight into the darkness of night. The young one had shown such a familiarity with him, attaching to the same mental emotions that scarred his cerebral cortex.

So many years of blackness, not being able to recall if he was asleep, unconscious, or merely having no memories of his own. The young male was frustrated with himself, confused about his own identity. And then a young man had stepped forth in the fiery shadows of the broken Tylon Corporation. Taking him in as his own, the man had worked fiercely to get him to show some kind of emotion, some kind of life. And when that day finally came, the man flared with pride, unable to contain it within his being.

Yugo was that man, and at this moment in time he felt a sudden well of pride burst forth. True, he felt kinship to his "brother", finding it hard to communicate with the outside world. But Yugo… He had worked long and hard with the young boy, pursuing only to show him the wonders of life and the joys of living.

But then, after showing signs of actual life, the boy had been shocked when he crossed paths with the female zoanthrope again, finding himself fighting against her once more.

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He remembered how she had fought, how she still attained a sense of peace and harmony within her soul, revealing this to all who could witness it. She truly was a being of happiness and joy, but somehow he noted sorrow deep within her dark brown eyes.

'How much she has improved, not only with her skills, but finesse too. I must take special caution against her, for I cannot predict her erratic moves…'

Dodging a flying kick, he quickly disappeared, only to appear behind her and toss her into the air. Screaming wildly, she couldn't have known he would've done that, and tried futilely to correct her body before it collided with the cold concrete.

Face smashing into the cold cement, he noted blood spilling from the orifice noted as the nose. He smirked, feeling somewhat proud that he had delivered such a blow to the feline.

'There's no way she can defeat me now, my skills are still superior.'

However, he was taken aback when she ran forward with speed unlike any he had seen before, quickly sweeping him to the ground, anger registered upon her face. Transforming into her beast, she let out a horrifying shriek, her back arching in the process, screaming to the world her hate and anger. Opening his eyes, now dazed from the sudden impact she had delivered, he noticed a bright gold aura erupting about her.

'What manner of trickery is this? I know of many zoanthropes, but none glow such as this! What is she doing?!?' He screamed, shocked at this new occurrence.

Little did he know that rage was building, forming itself into pure energy, fueling her hate towards the mole. Her beast's bright aura now blinding his eyes, he was only able to see her head bow down, a dark glint showing deep within her now ruby ember-like eyes.

She displayed remarkable speed, now moving faster than before, at least twice if not more. There was nothing he could do as she unleashed blow after blow, his body being the recipient for the punishment. Pushed farther and farther back, he desperately tried to hold his now weak arms up in protest, trying to block the furious blows.

Blood now poured from his mouth, as well as flowing down his face, dousing one eye in the process. Now in shambles, the mole saw her breathing quite heavily, showing exhaustion from her expenditure of such enormous energy. Darkness tried to consume him, filling the corners of his eyes.

Suddenly, the aura that had been gloriously present fell, its glow fading in the blink of an eye. Eyes going white from the sudden release of energy, the feline crumpled to the floor, her body lying unmoving upon the floor. Legs now immobile from the extreme punishment he had been put through, the mole could only hold out an exasperated arm towards his opponent. The last sound that touched his fragile ears was that of a young female screaming out in terror at the scene before her eyes. Then darkness consumed his soul, leaving him to lay unmoving in the arms of his brother as both he and the cat zoanthrope were taken into a nearby hospital.

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But that was so long ago, and even though it had taken a little over three full months to recover, still Uriko pursued me. Damn my foolish intentions! Damn Tylon, and damn Busuzima!! All of them have caused nothing but hate and remorse in my soul, and now I cannot do anything to change any of it!!

He crumpled in the tree he had been sitting in, sobbing lightly from the strong flow of emotions that had poured from his soul. He could not restrain how he felt, hate being the leader of the assault.

But can I change myself enough now to have others disregard the viewpoint that was so cruelly shoved upon me so many years ago? Can I really change that much?

Lifting his head to the pale moon, he noticed not a single soul walked the streets, leaving him sad and alone in his branch. Drying the salt-filled tears with his sleeve, he slowly raised himself to his feet, his dark eyes reflecting the midnight sky that passed above him.

There's something I must do tonight. It can't be put off any longer…

Swiftly flying through the dark green leaves, he landed neatly a nearby rooftop. Squatting down so as not to cause a scene, should anyone actually notice him, he quickly mapped out his destination. Now resolute in his decision, he chose to waste no more of his precious time, jumping down to the alley, running vertically up next wall set to oppose him…

* * *

"What's NGO?" Jane answered, somewhat perplexed as to Jack's question.

"Yea, I heard that Yugo's in it, but I'm not really sure what it's all about…"

"Well, its not NGO, but an NGO, or non-governmental organization. It's really called WOC, World of Coexistence. Basically they want equality for zoanthropes and humans. My father is working in the UN for the same reason." She explained.

Sitting at the charcoal marble table, they sat and talked, Jack asking most of the questions, while Jane answered them to the best of her ability.

"There's not much to the organization really, just that they're really pushing hard to get the world to open it's eyes. You were there at the restaurant the other day. We all want to live freely without persecution, without negative attitudes surrounding us, forcing us into hiding. We're all human beings to begin with dammit!" Jane yelled furiously.

Now I know I'm not gonna get on her bad side… From the looks of it, she'd be a tough opponent, one whom I'm really sure I can't defeat; at least not now…

Leaning back in her chair, the leopard stretched sore arms, for they had been talking for nearly two hours without moving from their hunched over positions.

"You want anything?" She asked, walking over to the counter.

"Nah, I'm alright."

"You sure? We got plenty."

"Nah, it's OK. So… what do you make out of my beast? Anything I should really be worried about, or do you really know as of now?" He questioned, head half-covered by his shoulder as he tried to keep eye contact.

"Umm…. There' s nothing that I can think of that would really be of any concern, other than you not trying to give in to your beast often. They rely on instincts a lot, so they'll go completely out of control given the chance. That and they love challenges. That's why you lost so much energy facing my father." She answered, returning to the table.

"Hmmm…" He lowered his head in thought, finger resting upon his chin. "Any special way I would be able to control it? I mean you've all dealt with this for far longer than I have…"

"Well, it has a lot to do with mental strength, because the beast resides in your mind. If you don't get it soon, don't worry. It'll get progressively easier with time, and eventually both you and it will work harmoniously."

"Hmm… Hey, are there any other zoanthropes you know that didn't come the other day?"

"Well, yea. There's Shenlong who's a clone of Long, the tiger zoanthrope. Don't ask how it works out, but Shenlong's the lone wolf of our little group, though he doesn't involve himself often if at all. There's also Stun, who that bastard Busuzima made. He formerly was Stephen Goldberg, a research scientist. He now lives in an unstable body; that of a bug zoanthrope, a horned beetle I believe. Then there's Xion…" Her eyes became dark at mentioning his name. "He's an unborn zoanthrope. We don't really know what to classify him as. All we know is his beast looks like a bug, but it has long blade-like appendages on its legs and forearms. He's highly dangerous, but we haven't seen him for a long time." She shook her head in disgust, showing intense hatred for this particular zoanthrope, curling her lips in the process.

She must really hate him, or he did something devastating to her in the past…

"I.. I'm sorry Jack…" She started. "I-"

"No, don't worry about it. I can understand if your angry at this Xion guy, but… don't get too upset, OK? It ruins your tough image, and I'd rather see the strong Jane I met awhile back.." Offering his hand for consolation, she said her thanks to him and rubbed her eyes with her fingers, drying the tears that had started to well up.

Standing up, they both headed towards the living room. Grabbing his coat and slipping it on, he peered out the window, noticing the darkness that had set in.

"Well… sorry to break our conversation short, but its getting pretty dark out."

The leopard laughed slightly, finding humor in what he had just said. Well… I'm glad he's opening up to us more. I still have to wonder as to how long his horrific memories will last though…

Saying their good-byes, Rouche left her residence to head to his own. A sudden chill arose in the night, reminding him of earlier in the day. Raising his collar to shield his neck, he picked up his pace, wishing to make it home as soon as possible.

However, unknown to him, another lurked about in the night, moving with the shadows. It kept close watch on him, taking note of his newfound friends and his rise in esteem.

Yes, feel proud of yourself for now… The day shall be mine when you fall, and all of the world shall crumble 'gainst my might! Nothing… not even Gado will stop my reign of power!!

Popping silently from tree to rooftop, back to fragile tree, the observer kept with Rouche's every move. Daintily landing on one toe upon a chimney about fifty feet ahead of Rouche, he crossed his arms to his chest, lowering his heavy gaze upon the dragon, as if that alone would crumble the new zoanthrope.

Just keep walking towards your fate, for I shall be there to end your life. But for now… I shall leave you be, watching you develop into a much more efficient fighter. I want to see your true power…

With that, he disappeared into the night, leaving only a small torrent of wind, on which a few leaves scattered about in the blackened sky.

* * *

Springing from rooftop to rooftop, the young mole used all the power in his legs to move towards his destination as quickly as possible.

I must make it there in time. Move faster legs!! Move faster!! He screamed in his head, wishing they would heed his call. Only a few more blocks…

He had formulated a plan to show Uriko his new emotions, hoping she would respond the same way. However, as he had shouldered her off so many times in the past, mostly responding by staring at the floor beneath him, he wasn't all too sure her response would be positive, if anything.

Now seeing house in sight, he made quick calculations as to where he would land, finding the most suitable place to execute his task. A nearby tree would suit his needs quite well, and he adjusted his step to meet the trajectory.

Leaping off the final peak, he nearly overshot the tree, grabbing the tip of a branch lightly, launching himself neatly into the cover of the leaves. Now crouched down in the camouflage, he noticed the room was dark.

She must be tired. Yugo told me that she and Alice had been running around all day… He frowned at the thought, as he had planned on talking to her while she was awake. This ruins the plan completely.. He thought, now frustrated that he had not moved faster.

Sweet silence graced his ears, giving him time to think. Faint memories of his past as a ninja gave him recollections of learning how to move gracefully and silently, leaving no sound to the victim's ears as he crept upon them. He shuddered at the reminiscent thought, his whole body shivering in disgust and fear at what he had once been.

But that was so long ago, and now I am no longer Bakuryu the assassin, but Kenji Ohgami, friend, student, and zoanthrope ally… No one can change me back anymore! I refuse to become that which I hate! He silently vowed, releasing his arms from the lock they had had on his drawn in knees. If only she were awake…

He sat in the tree for countless hours, waiting with intense patience for his chance, his chance to reveal that which he now knew, that which he now wished to share with others. Motionless he sat, moving with the breeze as it gently pushed the branches aside with soft taps. Closing his eyes and crouching down, he sighed deeply, as his mission had been a failure.

He opened his eyes once more, hoping that something would rouse the feline zoanthrope. Nothing. Nothing and nothing again. His heart crushed, he closed his eyes once more, now feeding his muscles with adrenaline as he prepared to depart from the abode.

His muscles now taught with power, he released their strain and flew gently into the sky, flipping backward onto the roof he originally sprang from.

I will try again soon, sweet kitten. Somehow I will show you how I feel…

As the sun broke over the horizon, his body glowed with the new rays as they dawned in a new day. Outlined in a bright orange-reddish hue, he flew from building to building, proceeding to his own home, hoping Yugo was not overly stressed about him leaving so suddenly.

As the world awakened once again to the dawning of a new day, the living earth felt saddened for its child. Leaving no obstructions in his path, it allowed him free passage to his home, hoping it would succeed in its task. Silently it wished him luck, though it knew he could not possibly hear it if it actually spoke. Watching with unmoving gaze, it saw his form shrink into nothing but a small dot; a miniscule creature in a vast universe of complexities…