Bramble Ivy
Disclaimer: We've been through this I don't own Soul Calibur 2! Well I do have a copy.I own Eloise and Andreas and the Leader and the pirates.and the assassins and the fortress and.yeah I'll go do something creative and evil now.
AUTHORS NOTE: What do you think of Eloise and Andreas? Does Andreas seem gay to you. Is Eloise a snob? Should they hook up? MILD YAOI IN THIS CHAPTER! My damn General has pushed yaoi mentions into everything I do! I told my General to get an account.and a life. No go. Oh well.
A/N 2: I changed my Siegfried-Sigmund problem. I was playing Bloodrayne before I started writing this.and there are two boss characters called Sigmund and Siegfried, I ended up mixing the names and.well here we are. On the brightside I finished the game! YAY ME! Thanks to Raikou for pointing my mistake out.
L'il Miss Moira: Inspired you? Wow, thanks.hey I can't wait to read your fic.ehh wait don't write one you'll be better then me! Damn now I have to dispatch my demon warriors to stop you in a bullet time kung fu sequence.you do kung fu or another martial arts right? Thanks!
Faye: My you are the clever one. Never take things for face value.good for you! Pitiful looks are a bit cliché and when you're as ugly as me.well you don't get away with them. Tell me what you think of Andreas and the boss this time around.
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'Welcome to the fortress of the vanities' the assassin in green said. 'How may I UGH!'
Siegfried punched him clear across the room. Eloise lead them down the hall. 'We must be prepared for a fight' she said. 'The leader is here.and dangerous.'
Ivy cracked the whip. 'We'll see how much longer that lasts!'
'I think it's this door' Eloise said, pointing at the large wooden door. 'Siegfried, shoulder it now!'
Siegfried rushed at the door and smashed it in with the shoulder.they wound up in the yoga room. The group of women looked at them, their legs locked behind their ears. 'Can we help you?' the teacher asked.
'Yes.umm.' Siegfried avoided looking at the women in the tight outfits. 'Which way to the leader?'
'Through the door in the corner, up the hall third door on your left' she said.
'Beg your pardon Madam.but what are you doing here?' Raphael asked, eying the spandex covered backsides and chests. Ivy swatted him across the back of the head.
'Oh, we rent out' explained the teacher. 'Now, if you'll excuse us.'
'Sorry' Ivy called as they raced through the rooms. Kilik grabbed Ivy and pulled her backwards, the pendulums slashed through the air before her, back and forth, so thin and narrow they'd barely be noticed.
'Well, that'd cut our visit short!' Maxi quipped. There was a group groan and Kilik gave the dandy a playful shove. Ivy looked up at the point the pendulums swing from on the ceiling. 'GO THERE!' she commanded.
Valentine snapped out and struck the point in the roof. There was a clunk and the pendulums collapsed down, the slit they passed through in the walls and floor wasn't big enough to stand them. The others retreated away as Ivy let the long stalks of the pendulum snap down beside her. 'Yes, I thought so, ACME easy steel mix.very weak.'
She walked forwards and found double doors shaped with statues. 'My guess this leads to the leader of the Fortress of the Vanities!'
'Well the organ music's nearer.and louder' Kilik nodded rubbing his throbbing eardrums from the crack of thunder and organ music. 'Now, lets take him down!'
'Ehh about that.'Eloise began. She touched the choker around her neck. 'My locket's on the organ.wow.this visions in colour.Surround Sound we're available? What's that got to do with anything?'
Raphael looked at Ivy. 'What's happening?'
'The necklace lets one see into the past, present, future and flux possible.the place where all probability exists.its also a shameless advertising tool'
'Good lord, I'm receiving visions in Spanish!' Eloise exclaimed. 'Mon Deu! C'est impossible!'
Raphael knocked her hand away from the choker. 'How did you learn to use this?' he asked.
'I was bored, I practiced. Spying on people in the fortress.the lizard men practicing swordsmanship, Berserkers being made.Andreas in the bathing pool.' She blushed slightly under the pale make-up. 'That was an accident.'
She could still recall when she'd accidentally projected her visions out into the slightly tropical woods. She'd followed a path with her vision and found herself at a small pool made of raised beige rock, formed naturally, surrounded by bushes, trees and sand. A waterfall pouring from the rock face down into it. Suddenly a shape had burst from the dark water, muscled body wet and gleaming hair wet and dark. Soap running down his chest to.then she'd be dragged back.
'You saw the assassin in the bath.by accident?' Raphael muttered.
'And you stare down lady Isabella's shirt every five minutes!' Eloise exclaimed.
'I do not!' Raphael snapped, his eyes abruptly flickered to Ivy's cleavage then back to Eloise's eyes.
'Tu es un hypocrite super! Et un idiot ici!' she snapped. With that she shoved open the door and entered.
The room was mirrored, walls and everything! The stained glass windows cast a pattern of colours on the tiles. The organ at the back was gold and dark blue taking up an entire wall. The black-cloaked shape sat playing a slow ominous tone of evil.
'Ah! It's a polka!' Maxi shrieked covering his ears. Siegfried swayed back and forth slowly. Ivy shook her head and stepped forwards. 'Show yourself leader!'
The shape rose. 'Welcome my child.' the sinister voice said. And turned.
'The Leader is a Woman!' Maxi gasped.
'D'uh!' sighed Ivy and Eloise together. 'It's the ultimate Anti-Climax! Can you say you weren't expecting this?'
Raphael shrugged. The woman approached. She wore a long velvet gown with leather trousers visible from the slits at the sides and back, a corset and frills around her cleavage. Her hair was shock white and she was in her forties but still looked good for her age. (Thanks to Soulless Beauty Products, $19.99 at your local Evil Overlord Shoppe, or call 1800- Evilincarnate-981)
'I am Sapphire Solequiez that's Sol-ah-kwee-ayeh, mistress of Vanities. Welcome to my Fortress.'
Her gloves were snakeskin and her dress was lined with it. She pressed a few keys on the organ and immediately panels sprang up in the floor. Lizard men leapt from them ready to attack.
'That is the song that spells a fight' laughed the woman.
'Wow, I have a new fear of "Ooom-papa"' Kilik murmured as the dozen lizard men circled them. 'Let us begin!' exclaimed Eloise. She lunged into the fight, twin rapiers flying expertly, pivoting in her hands.
Raphael attacked. 'No Escape!' he snarled. Ivy curled her whip around herself and released the handle; it floated in the air and tugged on its own. Ivy spun like a top, lifting off the ground and striking with her hands the line of lizard men. Then spinning straight back to the hilt with a laugh. That last coil hadn't released her and she'd used her Infernal Yo- Yo to take out quite a few of the lizard beings.
Siegfried spun the sword along the ground, slicing the legs from under the first lizard, blood spurting from the severed ankles as he sliced the thing in two and killed it. These were wild lizard men, old wooden shields and badly made swords.all but one. Its eyes glimmered with an intelligence eluding the others.
'Karsos Bacconius' Maxi said as he attacked the intelligent one. His nanchukas making a hurricane of crushing pain. 'The man made a lizard!'
'HSSSSSSSS' was the reply. Karsos blocked the nanchukas with his metal shield and slammed the butt of his blade into Maxi. A flip kick knocked Maxi to the ground. Karsos raised his sword over his head to strike down on the winded pirate.
Kilik's staff struck him along the head. He collapsed. Maxi picked himself up and gave Kilik a thumbs up.
Ivy and Eloise raced for Sapphire who was seated at her organ. 'TAKE THIS!' Sapphire shrieked angrily and began to play. 'The song of flames! And a -one-ah-and-a-two-ah!'
'Blast another polka!' Maxi exclaimed. A jet of flame erupted from a tile, missing Ivy by a hairs breath. The flames spat upwards. Eloise leapt and flipped to avoid them while Ivy demonstrated a series of cartwheels and rolls to avoid blasts of heat shooting at her. Sapphire sped the pace up with a snarl.
'BE SILENT!' Ivy shouted, the whip cracked out and snared Sapphire's neck. She was dragged backwards off her stool. The electric current shocked Valentine to release and left Ivy nursing the wounded blade. Sapphire rose and extended her hand. The batons materialized in her hands.
'I'll punish you child!' she snarled she launched at Ivy with a banshee like scream, flying on the air. Eloise moved to slash out. Andreas's blades caught hers and knocked her off balance.
'Out of the way Andreas' Eloise warned. 'Or I'll hurt you'
'Look, I don't always agree with the boss but I have a reason to stick with her.'
'You're loyal an noble?'
'No. She's got a great dental and health care plan.'
He deflected her slash but not her back flip kick. He spun into a blitzkrieg of spinning kicks and knocked her back.
Ivy and Sapphire were hissing and snarling like cats. 'You'll fall CHILD! You're weak and spineless, like warm gelatine or a pillow.or some sort of elastic or rubber shape that can't stand alone!'
'But that just means---' Ivy smiled a dark smile. 'I'm FLEXIBLE!' She cart wheeled backwards and launched Sapphire upwards. Her whip cracked out and encircled Sapphire in a cone without touching her, inches from her body. And then they constricted and retracted into the blade, launching Sapphire onto the organ.
She hit a flat note and a blast of flame shot up, scorching Siegfrieds behind and earning a yelp. Ivy cracked her whip at sapphire. The batons crossed and trapped it in and X. Sapphire tugged. 'You're no match for an immortal like me child! No matter your heritage!'
That sent Ivy's mind partially back to the night she'd fought her father.
====A Year (and one badly placed flashback) Ago====
Ivy stood on the rocky cliff. The pirate brandished the two swords carefully. They flew from his hands and circled him, orbiting his undead body. His white flesh was radiating a chill. But the iciness of his daughter outdid him.
'I am not as evil as you think Ivy' he said in his rasping voice. 'I am merely a man, a man bound by a curse.like you are held!'
He touched the swords as they floated before him. 'Come with me to hell! Join me on my boat of the damned! Once you do the side you hide away, the side of the immortal within you will be freed! You will live eternally; with more power then you could believe! You would never die!'
'Everyone must die!' ivy shouted. Then, in a quieter tone, she said: 'You are my father, genuinely, you are.'
'Indeed I am' he growled. Ivy took a step back, the essence of Valentine purred in her ears. 'I am your father' he repeated.
'No' she said. 'My father died! In pursuit of a treasure!'
She spun and cracked the links at Cervantes the pirate. His swords blocked the kin blade of their master's child. She retracted the blade elegantly and prepared for the fight. 'You will die! I must purge the evil that killed my true father!'
'It killed two fathers for you child.you must come with me'
Ivy whipped her blade against his hand as he extended his arm as if to lead her home to safety. She gripped the whip tighter and prepared once more, shaken by his aura of darkness. 'I will destroy the Blade!' she exclaimed. With a snap she swung the whip again, the swords flitted to his hands and he defended. 'Child, that was foolish!' He lunged at her she stepped backwards and swung her blade into his side as the thunder-clashed overhead.
The battle raged between them on many levels. The symbiotic nature of the Ivy Blade and Ivy herself was overpowering in some ways. It evened up the fight between the pair. She spun and her whip spun around her leg as she planted it on her father's chest. It spun like a drill and sent sparks of flame flying from his torso. She leapt and her blade connected as she stabbed it into the ground and used it to fault her legs into her father's head. She slammed the soles of her feet into his nose and chin several times before flipping away and preparing.
'So skilful, you have the grace of your mother.but you must come with me!' He surged forwards and slammed his shoulder into her. The immortal strength knocked the wind from her lungs and threw her away. The rain poured down, Ivy was growing weary as she fought, while her father continued laughing at how she would not embrace the immortal side that could give her strength.
'I don't need it to defeat you!' she hissed. She pulled the tube of blue liquid from her cleavage and tossed it into the face of Cervantes. He screamed in anger and pain.
'Ah! No! A fragranced corset by Victoria's secret! The perfumes in my eyes! And this potion isn't helping!'
Ivy snapped her whip around his neck and it constricted. The segments twisted and sliced the head from his shoulders.
'I hope that you can get better immortality then that' she snapped as she strode away to find the sword.
===End flashback (wibble, wobble, wibble, wobble)=====
Sapphire laughed as Eloise and Andreas went fighting bare fisted. Raphael rushed up the steps to aid her. A lizard man rushed into a tackle at him.and speared itself on his blade by accident.
'Idiot!' Raphael snorted as he placed a boot on the lizard man and shoved it off, its brain leaking to the ground. He attacked Andreas. The men were locked in combat until. WHACK! Andreas roundhouse kicked Raphael off the platform of the organ and gave Ivy a jumping kick off the platform as well.
'Boss! Bella's waiting in ITALY' he said. 'We can leave them'
He cast an eye to the stunned Eloise on the ground, listening to him talk.
'Very well!' Sapphire said. 'To the Secret Escape Route!'
'The fire escape, yeah' Andreas nodded.
'I said the Secret Escape Route' Sapphire snapped. '
'All right sheesh! Its only secret because you took the flashing neon sign off the spot over the door!'
'Get going' Sapphire snapped. She sat back at the organ. 'Prepare to meet your doom!' she called as she began to play. The floor flashed colours in synchronized patterns; the lights dimmed and abruptly something came from the ceiling, spinning on a cord. 'A ball of mirrors!' exclaimed Siegfried, rubbing his behind.
'What DAMN! I didn't want to play "Staying Alive" I wanted "High On A Hill Live A Lonely Goat"' Sapphire snapped. The music cut and the floor ceased flashing. Maxi and Kilik paused mid dance routine. After an uncomfortable silence they heroes lined up. Eloise struggled to her feet and grabbed the rapiers. Sapphire continued to play, but a tendril of blue static snapped out and hurled Eloise back straight into Raphael and Siegfried.
'DIE!' Sapphire laughed. The mirrors on the walls and pillars lifted up slightly and small hissing barrels rolled out. Ivy sniffed. 'That's a deadly mix of gunpowder and fire fuel that will shatter any fortress like an egg!'
'How do you know?' Siegfried asked.
'Because it says so on the barrels' Ivy said pointing. 'Old Granny Greene's Deadly Mix Of Gunpowder And Fire Fuel That Will Shatter Any Fortress Like An Egg'
'Ah I see it now' Siegfried said putting a small pair of glasses on. 'I'm a bit short-sighted sometimes.mainly when it's foggy'
'Gentlemen, please!' Ivy snapped. 'We have very little time, LET'S GO!'
Raphael cast a glance at Andrea, Karsos and Sapphire darted from the old fire escape. 'Blast! Let's go!' he shouted.
Ivy hurriedly opened a pouch on her belt. 'We don't have time for a mad dash.this device will help us'
'What is it?' Maxi asked looking at the bronze device with mahogany buttons.
'I call it the Remote' shrugged Ivy. She pressed a button.
===========And Later.after a lazy author===
'Well I hope she kept the receipt for that island' Maxi said as he watched the fortress was reduced to blazing ruins. Valentine coiled around Ivy's waist.
'We will never find her now!' Raphael growled.
'We have Eloise' Siegfried said firmly.
Raphael twisted firmly. 'True but we must find them, they must be punished!' 'We have no idea where they're going' Kilik pointed out.
'They're in Italy' Eloise said sitting up in Siegfrieds arms. 'You can put me down cher, they have gone to Italy to meet a woman named Bella'
'But Italy is an entire company!' exclaimed Raphael. 'We cannot search for that long?'
'They must be stopped' Eloise said. 'They have.plans. They are searching for the pieces of a weapon known as The Hellbiter. C'est trés dangereux!'
'How dangerous?' Ivy asked.
'End of the world dangerous' Eloise said. 'With it the user wields a single power. End. The end of whatever they wish.'
'Nice' Maxi said. 'Good luck with that!'
Kilik glanced sharply at Maxi. 'We have to help them!'
'Sorry, but there's a nice Hawaiian island with this ship, crew and captain's name on it.literally Maxinirvanacrew is longwinded but so nice.'
Ivy strode after him as he climbed up to the wheel. 'Maxi a word' she said firmly. He gave a short nod. 'All right, but its no good, we're headed to the island.' Ivy pursed her lips into a cold smile. 'What?'
'I'll give you this if you take us to Italy.'
She showed him the contents of the bag. Maxi bit his lip. It was a very strange offer, he looked at it closely. Apparently it was also accurate and tempting.
=============================
Kilik looked at Ivy and Maxi, they had their backs to the others and were talking about something at the wheel. 'What's she doing?'
'Showing her ankles?' Eloise asked.
Raphael laughed. 'No doubt offering a glimpse of her cleavage for passage' 'It wouldn't work on Maxi. He's a dandy not stupid'
'And he's male and not blind' Siegfried mumbled.
Eloise laughed. 'Kilik is correct, that is neither going to work or what Mademoiselle Valentine intends.'
She walked away into the hold with a smile on her lips, which was getting to irritate the men. The crew scampered after her, simpering about what they could do for the fragile looking figure.
'We're going to Italy' Maxi shouted. 'Hey Kilik, come here!'
Kilik frowned and followed Maxi into the cabins. Siegfried and Raphael looked at one another. 'What did she do?'
'Cleavage?'
'No'
'Ankles?'
Raphael looked at Ivy across from him and brushed his hair from his eyes. He strode after her as she walked for the door to the cabins. He blocked her way with his arm. 'Lady Valentine.what did you do to convince Maxi?'
She brushed a hand along his angular jaw. 'Come into the parlour' she said. 'And all will be revealed'.
Raphael's eyes drifted down, she gripped his chin firmly and forced him to gaze into the unusual blue eyes. His breath rattled as he attempted to lean in on her. She ducked aside and he kissed the doorframe. Eloise ducked under his arm as she emerged. 'So trying to get lucky uncle' she laughed. 'I hope you and the doorframe are very happy together. No doubt the children will be chips off the old block or the leaders of a splinter group'.
Raphael ignored her and slowly walked towards the cabin that Ivy had gotten and intended to share with Eloise. Her clothes lay discarded on the floor while her shape was visible thanks to the elegant light of the flaming island in the distance. She was silhouetted behind the folding screen. She stepped out in the flowing white dress with the corset of leather.
'Hello Mr Sorel' she said in a sultry voice. Raphael shuddered with a strange pleasure as she moved closer to him and ran her hands up his chest. 'Wonder how I got us pass to Italy?' she breathed into his ear.
'Yes' Raphael said swallowing his thoughts and the lump in his throat. 'Do share.what did you promise?'
Ivy laid back on the small gold wood and purple cushion of a settee lying elegantly. 'I went to finishing school' she said. 'You should see some of the things I learned when I sneaked out to the village.'
Raphael slowly walked over and sat on the edge as his arm leaned on the wall of the settee and trapped her there in theory. Ivy ran her hands up his chest to rest on his shoulders. 'All kinds of everything.like this'
Raphael looked around as his belt flew off past his head. Yet her hands were still on his shoulders.how did she manage that?
'Magic' she said. 'I am a witch after all.'
She paused. 'Oh yes.here's the answer to what I gave Maxi'. The sound of bedsprings came from across the hall and rather lewd grunts and moans.
'I gave him an aphrodisiac' she sighed. 'A pretty potent one too, they'll be at it like rabbits for a good five hours.and neither will walk straight for a few days.'
'Eloise is the only other woman on board' Raphael exclaimed as he rushed towards the door. 'You had no right.'
Valentine snapped around his waist and tugged him back to the settee. 'Actually that's Maxi and Kilik at it like rabbits. Dear Eloise is currently playing strip poker with the pirates'- she laughed as Raphael's eyes widened. She rose and walked over to the door, brushing her body past Raphael deliberately. She opened the door and Raphael watched Eloise walk past with a wheelbarrow of clothes and missing one boot.
'Stripes cheated' she said to Ivy as she wiggled her toes. She was still dressed in the piratical suit from the tower and Raphael wanted to tell her to change. Ivy glared at him. 'I assume you're going to own all their clothes by the end of the night?'
'Yes' Eloise said. And with that she set off with the wheelbarrow to the storeroom. 'Just as soon as I finish moving these to the storeroom and lock the door.'
Raphael looked at Ivy. 'So you gave Maxi and Kilik a love potion?'
'And that Naughty Boy Book'
'Ah.' Raphael said. Ivy strode forwards and gently shoved him out the door.
'Goodnight Monsieur Sorel' she sighed and slammed the door. He stared at the wood and groaned.
'Put a leash on it mon oncle' Eloise purred as she strode past him.
NEXT: Italy! And another plot twist! Well a better one.I hope.why, am I explaining myself to you? Humph! You humans always so sure of yourselves! I don't need you! Oh wait.. yes I do.REVIEW ME! Tell me what you think of the characters, any suspicions about the plot. Even Ideas (you'll get credit). And possibly love for Siegfried. maybe an OC or maybe a game character.plus a few cameos! Thank the General for getting me to add the MaxiKilik thing in
Disclaimer: We've been through this I don't own Soul Calibur 2! Well I do have a copy.I own Eloise and Andreas and the Leader and the pirates.and the assassins and the fortress and.yeah I'll go do something creative and evil now.
AUTHORS NOTE: What do you think of Eloise and Andreas? Does Andreas seem gay to you. Is Eloise a snob? Should they hook up? MILD YAOI IN THIS CHAPTER! My damn General has pushed yaoi mentions into everything I do! I told my General to get an account.and a life. No go. Oh well.
A/N 2: I changed my Siegfried-Sigmund problem. I was playing Bloodrayne before I started writing this.and there are two boss characters called Sigmund and Siegfried, I ended up mixing the names and.well here we are. On the brightside I finished the game! YAY ME! Thanks to Raikou for pointing my mistake out.
L'il Miss Moira: Inspired you? Wow, thanks.hey I can't wait to read your fic.ehh wait don't write one you'll be better then me! Damn now I have to dispatch my demon warriors to stop you in a bullet time kung fu sequence.you do kung fu or another martial arts right? Thanks!
Faye: My you are the clever one. Never take things for face value.good for you! Pitiful looks are a bit cliché and when you're as ugly as me.well you don't get away with them. Tell me what you think of Andreas and the boss this time around.
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'Welcome to the fortress of the vanities' the assassin in green said. 'How may I UGH!'
Siegfried punched him clear across the room. Eloise lead them down the hall. 'We must be prepared for a fight' she said. 'The leader is here.and dangerous.'
Ivy cracked the whip. 'We'll see how much longer that lasts!'
'I think it's this door' Eloise said, pointing at the large wooden door. 'Siegfried, shoulder it now!'
Siegfried rushed at the door and smashed it in with the shoulder.they wound up in the yoga room. The group of women looked at them, their legs locked behind their ears. 'Can we help you?' the teacher asked.
'Yes.umm.' Siegfried avoided looking at the women in the tight outfits. 'Which way to the leader?'
'Through the door in the corner, up the hall third door on your left' she said.
'Beg your pardon Madam.but what are you doing here?' Raphael asked, eying the spandex covered backsides and chests. Ivy swatted him across the back of the head.
'Oh, we rent out' explained the teacher. 'Now, if you'll excuse us.'
'Sorry' Ivy called as they raced through the rooms. Kilik grabbed Ivy and pulled her backwards, the pendulums slashed through the air before her, back and forth, so thin and narrow they'd barely be noticed.
'Well, that'd cut our visit short!' Maxi quipped. There was a group groan and Kilik gave the dandy a playful shove. Ivy looked up at the point the pendulums swing from on the ceiling. 'GO THERE!' she commanded.
Valentine snapped out and struck the point in the roof. There was a clunk and the pendulums collapsed down, the slit they passed through in the walls and floor wasn't big enough to stand them. The others retreated away as Ivy let the long stalks of the pendulum snap down beside her. 'Yes, I thought so, ACME easy steel mix.very weak.'
She walked forwards and found double doors shaped with statues. 'My guess this leads to the leader of the Fortress of the Vanities!'
'Well the organ music's nearer.and louder' Kilik nodded rubbing his throbbing eardrums from the crack of thunder and organ music. 'Now, lets take him down!'
'Ehh about that.'Eloise began. She touched the choker around her neck. 'My locket's on the organ.wow.this visions in colour.Surround Sound we're available? What's that got to do with anything?'
Raphael looked at Ivy. 'What's happening?'
'The necklace lets one see into the past, present, future and flux possible.the place where all probability exists.its also a shameless advertising tool'
'Good lord, I'm receiving visions in Spanish!' Eloise exclaimed. 'Mon Deu! C'est impossible!'
Raphael knocked her hand away from the choker. 'How did you learn to use this?' he asked.
'I was bored, I practiced. Spying on people in the fortress.the lizard men practicing swordsmanship, Berserkers being made.Andreas in the bathing pool.' She blushed slightly under the pale make-up. 'That was an accident.'
She could still recall when she'd accidentally projected her visions out into the slightly tropical woods. She'd followed a path with her vision and found herself at a small pool made of raised beige rock, formed naturally, surrounded by bushes, trees and sand. A waterfall pouring from the rock face down into it. Suddenly a shape had burst from the dark water, muscled body wet and gleaming hair wet and dark. Soap running down his chest to.then she'd be dragged back.
'You saw the assassin in the bath.by accident?' Raphael muttered.
'And you stare down lady Isabella's shirt every five minutes!' Eloise exclaimed.
'I do not!' Raphael snapped, his eyes abruptly flickered to Ivy's cleavage then back to Eloise's eyes.
'Tu es un hypocrite super! Et un idiot ici!' she snapped. With that she shoved open the door and entered.
The room was mirrored, walls and everything! The stained glass windows cast a pattern of colours on the tiles. The organ at the back was gold and dark blue taking up an entire wall. The black-cloaked shape sat playing a slow ominous tone of evil.
'Ah! It's a polka!' Maxi shrieked covering his ears. Siegfried swayed back and forth slowly. Ivy shook her head and stepped forwards. 'Show yourself leader!'
The shape rose. 'Welcome my child.' the sinister voice said. And turned.
'The Leader is a Woman!' Maxi gasped.
'D'uh!' sighed Ivy and Eloise together. 'It's the ultimate Anti-Climax! Can you say you weren't expecting this?'
Raphael shrugged. The woman approached. She wore a long velvet gown with leather trousers visible from the slits at the sides and back, a corset and frills around her cleavage. Her hair was shock white and she was in her forties but still looked good for her age. (Thanks to Soulless Beauty Products, $19.99 at your local Evil Overlord Shoppe, or call 1800- Evilincarnate-981)
'I am Sapphire Solequiez that's Sol-ah-kwee-ayeh, mistress of Vanities. Welcome to my Fortress.'
Her gloves were snakeskin and her dress was lined with it. She pressed a few keys on the organ and immediately panels sprang up in the floor. Lizard men leapt from them ready to attack.
'That is the song that spells a fight' laughed the woman.
'Wow, I have a new fear of "Ooom-papa"' Kilik murmured as the dozen lizard men circled them. 'Let us begin!' exclaimed Eloise. She lunged into the fight, twin rapiers flying expertly, pivoting in her hands.
Raphael attacked. 'No Escape!' he snarled. Ivy curled her whip around herself and released the handle; it floated in the air and tugged on its own. Ivy spun like a top, lifting off the ground and striking with her hands the line of lizard men. Then spinning straight back to the hilt with a laugh. That last coil hadn't released her and she'd used her Infernal Yo- Yo to take out quite a few of the lizard beings.
Siegfried spun the sword along the ground, slicing the legs from under the first lizard, blood spurting from the severed ankles as he sliced the thing in two and killed it. These were wild lizard men, old wooden shields and badly made swords.all but one. Its eyes glimmered with an intelligence eluding the others.
'Karsos Bacconius' Maxi said as he attacked the intelligent one. His nanchukas making a hurricane of crushing pain. 'The man made a lizard!'
'HSSSSSSSS' was the reply. Karsos blocked the nanchukas with his metal shield and slammed the butt of his blade into Maxi. A flip kick knocked Maxi to the ground. Karsos raised his sword over his head to strike down on the winded pirate.
Kilik's staff struck him along the head. He collapsed. Maxi picked himself up and gave Kilik a thumbs up.
Ivy and Eloise raced for Sapphire who was seated at her organ. 'TAKE THIS!' Sapphire shrieked angrily and began to play. 'The song of flames! And a -one-ah-and-a-two-ah!'
'Blast another polka!' Maxi exclaimed. A jet of flame erupted from a tile, missing Ivy by a hairs breath. The flames spat upwards. Eloise leapt and flipped to avoid them while Ivy demonstrated a series of cartwheels and rolls to avoid blasts of heat shooting at her. Sapphire sped the pace up with a snarl.
'BE SILENT!' Ivy shouted, the whip cracked out and snared Sapphire's neck. She was dragged backwards off her stool. The electric current shocked Valentine to release and left Ivy nursing the wounded blade. Sapphire rose and extended her hand. The batons materialized in her hands.
'I'll punish you child!' she snarled she launched at Ivy with a banshee like scream, flying on the air. Eloise moved to slash out. Andreas's blades caught hers and knocked her off balance.
'Out of the way Andreas' Eloise warned. 'Or I'll hurt you'
'Look, I don't always agree with the boss but I have a reason to stick with her.'
'You're loyal an noble?'
'No. She's got a great dental and health care plan.'
He deflected her slash but not her back flip kick. He spun into a blitzkrieg of spinning kicks and knocked her back.
Ivy and Sapphire were hissing and snarling like cats. 'You'll fall CHILD! You're weak and spineless, like warm gelatine or a pillow.or some sort of elastic or rubber shape that can't stand alone!'
'But that just means---' Ivy smiled a dark smile. 'I'm FLEXIBLE!' She cart wheeled backwards and launched Sapphire upwards. Her whip cracked out and encircled Sapphire in a cone without touching her, inches from her body. And then they constricted and retracted into the blade, launching Sapphire onto the organ.
She hit a flat note and a blast of flame shot up, scorching Siegfrieds behind and earning a yelp. Ivy cracked her whip at sapphire. The batons crossed and trapped it in and X. Sapphire tugged. 'You're no match for an immortal like me child! No matter your heritage!'
That sent Ivy's mind partially back to the night she'd fought her father.
====A Year (and one badly placed flashback) Ago====
Ivy stood on the rocky cliff. The pirate brandished the two swords carefully. They flew from his hands and circled him, orbiting his undead body. His white flesh was radiating a chill. But the iciness of his daughter outdid him.
'I am not as evil as you think Ivy' he said in his rasping voice. 'I am merely a man, a man bound by a curse.like you are held!'
He touched the swords as they floated before him. 'Come with me to hell! Join me on my boat of the damned! Once you do the side you hide away, the side of the immortal within you will be freed! You will live eternally; with more power then you could believe! You would never die!'
'Everyone must die!' ivy shouted. Then, in a quieter tone, she said: 'You are my father, genuinely, you are.'
'Indeed I am' he growled. Ivy took a step back, the essence of Valentine purred in her ears. 'I am your father' he repeated.
'No' she said. 'My father died! In pursuit of a treasure!'
She spun and cracked the links at Cervantes the pirate. His swords blocked the kin blade of their master's child. She retracted the blade elegantly and prepared for the fight. 'You will die! I must purge the evil that killed my true father!'
'It killed two fathers for you child.you must come with me'
Ivy whipped her blade against his hand as he extended his arm as if to lead her home to safety. She gripped the whip tighter and prepared once more, shaken by his aura of darkness. 'I will destroy the Blade!' she exclaimed. With a snap she swung the whip again, the swords flitted to his hands and he defended. 'Child, that was foolish!' He lunged at her she stepped backwards and swung her blade into his side as the thunder-clashed overhead.
The battle raged between them on many levels. The symbiotic nature of the Ivy Blade and Ivy herself was overpowering in some ways. It evened up the fight between the pair. She spun and her whip spun around her leg as she planted it on her father's chest. It spun like a drill and sent sparks of flame flying from his torso. She leapt and her blade connected as she stabbed it into the ground and used it to fault her legs into her father's head. She slammed the soles of her feet into his nose and chin several times before flipping away and preparing.
'So skilful, you have the grace of your mother.but you must come with me!' He surged forwards and slammed his shoulder into her. The immortal strength knocked the wind from her lungs and threw her away. The rain poured down, Ivy was growing weary as she fought, while her father continued laughing at how she would not embrace the immortal side that could give her strength.
'I don't need it to defeat you!' she hissed. She pulled the tube of blue liquid from her cleavage and tossed it into the face of Cervantes. He screamed in anger and pain.
'Ah! No! A fragranced corset by Victoria's secret! The perfumes in my eyes! And this potion isn't helping!'
Ivy snapped her whip around his neck and it constricted. The segments twisted and sliced the head from his shoulders.
'I hope that you can get better immortality then that' she snapped as she strode away to find the sword.
===End flashback (wibble, wobble, wibble, wobble)=====
Sapphire laughed as Eloise and Andreas went fighting bare fisted. Raphael rushed up the steps to aid her. A lizard man rushed into a tackle at him.and speared itself on his blade by accident.
'Idiot!' Raphael snorted as he placed a boot on the lizard man and shoved it off, its brain leaking to the ground. He attacked Andreas. The men were locked in combat until. WHACK! Andreas roundhouse kicked Raphael off the platform of the organ and gave Ivy a jumping kick off the platform as well.
'Boss! Bella's waiting in ITALY' he said. 'We can leave them'
He cast an eye to the stunned Eloise on the ground, listening to him talk.
'Very well!' Sapphire said. 'To the Secret Escape Route!'
'The fire escape, yeah' Andreas nodded.
'I said the Secret Escape Route' Sapphire snapped. '
'All right sheesh! Its only secret because you took the flashing neon sign off the spot over the door!'
'Get going' Sapphire snapped. She sat back at the organ. 'Prepare to meet your doom!' she called as she began to play. The floor flashed colours in synchronized patterns; the lights dimmed and abruptly something came from the ceiling, spinning on a cord. 'A ball of mirrors!' exclaimed Siegfried, rubbing his behind.
'What DAMN! I didn't want to play "Staying Alive" I wanted "High On A Hill Live A Lonely Goat"' Sapphire snapped. The music cut and the floor ceased flashing. Maxi and Kilik paused mid dance routine. After an uncomfortable silence they heroes lined up. Eloise struggled to her feet and grabbed the rapiers. Sapphire continued to play, but a tendril of blue static snapped out and hurled Eloise back straight into Raphael and Siegfried.
'DIE!' Sapphire laughed. The mirrors on the walls and pillars lifted up slightly and small hissing barrels rolled out. Ivy sniffed. 'That's a deadly mix of gunpowder and fire fuel that will shatter any fortress like an egg!'
'How do you know?' Siegfried asked.
'Because it says so on the barrels' Ivy said pointing. 'Old Granny Greene's Deadly Mix Of Gunpowder And Fire Fuel That Will Shatter Any Fortress Like An Egg'
'Ah I see it now' Siegfried said putting a small pair of glasses on. 'I'm a bit short-sighted sometimes.mainly when it's foggy'
'Gentlemen, please!' Ivy snapped. 'We have very little time, LET'S GO!'
Raphael cast a glance at Andrea, Karsos and Sapphire darted from the old fire escape. 'Blast! Let's go!' he shouted.
Ivy hurriedly opened a pouch on her belt. 'We don't have time for a mad dash.this device will help us'
'What is it?' Maxi asked looking at the bronze device with mahogany buttons.
'I call it the Remote' shrugged Ivy. She pressed a button.
===========And Later.after a lazy author===
'Well I hope she kept the receipt for that island' Maxi said as he watched the fortress was reduced to blazing ruins. Valentine coiled around Ivy's waist.
'We will never find her now!' Raphael growled.
'We have Eloise' Siegfried said firmly.
Raphael twisted firmly. 'True but we must find them, they must be punished!' 'We have no idea where they're going' Kilik pointed out.
'They're in Italy' Eloise said sitting up in Siegfrieds arms. 'You can put me down cher, they have gone to Italy to meet a woman named Bella'
'But Italy is an entire company!' exclaimed Raphael. 'We cannot search for that long?'
'They must be stopped' Eloise said. 'They have.plans. They are searching for the pieces of a weapon known as The Hellbiter. C'est trés dangereux!'
'How dangerous?' Ivy asked.
'End of the world dangerous' Eloise said. 'With it the user wields a single power. End. The end of whatever they wish.'
'Nice' Maxi said. 'Good luck with that!'
Kilik glanced sharply at Maxi. 'We have to help them!'
'Sorry, but there's a nice Hawaiian island with this ship, crew and captain's name on it.literally Maxinirvanacrew is longwinded but so nice.'
Ivy strode after him as he climbed up to the wheel. 'Maxi a word' she said firmly. He gave a short nod. 'All right, but its no good, we're headed to the island.' Ivy pursed her lips into a cold smile. 'What?'
'I'll give you this if you take us to Italy.'
She showed him the contents of the bag. Maxi bit his lip. It was a very strange offer, he looked at it closely. Apparently it was also accurate and tempting.
=============================
Kilik looked at Ivy and Maxi, they had their backs to the others and were talking about something at the wheel. 'What's she doing?'
'Showing her ankles?' Eloise asked.
Raphael laughed. 'No doubt offering a glimpse of her cleavage for passage' 'It wouldn't work on Maxi. He's a dandy not stupid'
'And he's male and not blind' Siegfried mumbled.
Eloise laughed. 'Kilik is correct, that is neither going to work or what Mademoiselle Valentine intends.'
She walked away into the hold with a smile on her lips, which was getting to irritate the men. The crew scampered after her, simpering about what they could do for the fragile looking figure.
'We're going to Italy' Maxi shouted. 'Hey Kilik, come here!'
Kilik frowned and followed Maxi into the cabins. Siegfried and Raphael looked at one another. 'What did she do?'
'Cleavage?'
'No'
'Ankles?'
Raphael looked at Ivy across from him and brushed his hair from his eyes. He strode after her as she walked for the door to the cabins. He blocked her way with his arm. 'Lady Valentine.what did you do to convince Maxi?'
She brushed a hand along his angular jaw. 'Come into the parlour' she said. 'And all will be revealed'.
Raphael's eyes drifted down, she gripped his chin firmly and forced him to gaze into the unusual blue eyes. His breath rattled as he attempted to lean in on her. She ducked aside and he kissed the doorframe. Eloise ducked under his arm as she emerged. 'So trying to get lucky uncle' she laughed. 'I hope you and the doorframe are very happy together. No doubt the children will be chips off the old block or the leaders of a splinter group'.
Raphael ignored her and slowly walked towards the cabin that Ivy had gotten and intended to share with Eloise. Her clothes lay discarded on the floor while her shape was visible thanks to the elegant light of the flaming island in the distance. She was silhouetted behind the folding screen. She stepped out in the flowing white dress with the corset of leather.
'Hello Mr Sorel' she said in a sultry voice. Raphael shuddered with a strange pleasure as she moved closer to him and ran her hands up his chest. 'Wonder how I got us pass to Italy?' she breathed into his ear.
'Yes' Raphael said swallowing his thoughts and the lump in his throat. 'Do share.what did you promise?'
Ivy laid back on the small gold wood and purple cushion of a settee lying elegantly. 'I went to finishing school' she said. 'You should see some of the things I learned when I sneaked out to the village.'
Raphael slowly walked over and sat on the edge as his arm leaned on the wall of the settee and trapped her there in theory. Ivy ran her hands up his chest to rest on his shoulders. 'All kinds of everything.like this'
Raphael looked around as his belt flew off past his head. Yet her hands were still on his shoulders.how did she manage that?
'Magic' she said. 'I am a witch after all.'
She paused. 'Oh yes.here's the answer to what I gave Maxi'. The sound of bedsprings came from across the hall and rather lewd grunts and moans.
'I gave him an aphrodisiac' she sighed. 'A pretty potent one too, they'll be at it like rabbits for a good five hours.and neither will walk straight for a few days.'
'Eloise is the only other woman on board' Raphael exclaimed as he rushed towards the door. 'You had no right.'
Valentine snapped around his waist and tugged him back to the settee. 'Actually that's Maxi and Kilik at it like rabbits. Dear Eloise is currently playing strip poker with the pirates'- she laughed as Raphael's eyes widened. She rose and walked over to the door, brushing her body past Raphael deliberately. She opened the door and Raphael watched Eloise walk past with a wheelbarrow of clothes and missing one boot.
'Stripes cheated' she said to Ivy as she wiggled her toes. She was still dressed in the piratical suit from the tower and Raphael wanted to tell her to change. Ivy glared at him. 'I assume you're going to own all their clothes by the end of the night?'
'Yes' Eloise said. And with that she set off with the wheelbarrow to the storeroom. 'Just as soon as I finish moving these to the storeroom and lock the door.'
Raphael looked at Ivy. 'So you gave Maxi and Kilik a love potion?'
'And that Naughty Boy Book'
'Ah.' Raphael said. Ivy strode forwards and gently shoved him out the door.
'Goodnight Monsieur Sorel' she sighed and slammed the door. He stared at the wood and groaned.
'Put a leash on it mon oncle' Eloise purred as she strode past him.
NEXT: Italy! And another plot twist! Well a better one.I hope.why, am I explaining myself to you? Humph! You humans always so sure of yourselves! I don't need you! Oh wait.. yes I do.REVIEW ME! Tell me what you think of the characters, any suspicions about the plot. Even Ideas (you'll get credit). And possibly love for Siegfried. maybe an OC or maybe a game character.plus a few cameos! Thank the General for getting me to add the MaxiKilik thing in