CHAPTER 11: Soggy Wolf, Tied Cat
Saito elbowed Taikan's chest and broke free from his hold. He swam to the top and tried to climb out, but his exhausted muscles couldn't pull his body out because of his soggy clothes weighing him down. Taikan came up, gasping and delivered a quick (and cheap) blow to Saito's head. Saito punched him back, then dived underwater so that he could grab onto Taikan's feet. Saito grabbed Taikan's ankles and yanked hard, making Taikan topple over back underwater. Taikan kicked and managed to connect with Saito's jaw. Saito shot forward and smashed his head into Taikan's nose, causing bright red blood to spill into the water. He surfaced, spitting blood and gasping. Taikan surfaced as well, holding his nose.
"You're pretty good," Taikan said. "But you won't win this one, wolf. I've got the advantage here." Saito smirked.
"You do? All I see is your blood," he said. "And that means that you're hurt." Taikan frowned, annoyed.
"I may be hurt, but you're going to be dead!" Taikan said. "You're really tired already. I can tell by your breathing."
"Well, then we're equal," Saito said. "Let's finish the battle quickly so I can get out of here sooner." Taikan laughed.
"I'm supposed to stall you so you can't play the hero, Saito," Taikan said. "By now your wife and Eiji should be dead and Gimmei should be... out of commission. You're the only one left." Saito's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Let's finish this," Saito said. Taikan wiped his nose, shaking his hand and splattering blood into the water.
"You're scared," Taikan stated. "Scared that Tokio really is dead." Saito just gave him a glare. Taikan raised his fists.
"Tokio isn't dead," Saito said simply, also raising his fists. Taikan stepped closer to Saito and then threw a punch. Saito easily blocked it, then raised his hand to block another. Taikan grinned.
"You're all too predictable, Wolf!" Taikan yelled, twisting his hand and flicking his soggy sleeve. A knife fell out of it and Taikan caught it, driving it into Saito's forearm. Saito gasped in pain and pulled away, making sure to trip Taikan in the process. The spring was a light shade of red at this point, dying the fighter's clothes red as well. Saito clutched his forearm, watching the blood ooze through his fingers.
"That was a dirty trick," Saito snapped. "I guess that's what you meant by 'advantage.'"
"Yes, it's exactly what I meant!" Taikan laughed. He raised the knife, which was drenched with Saito's blood. Taikan brought it to his lips and licked it with a crazed glow in his eyes. Saito fought to keep from flinching.
"You know, that's pretty gross," Saito said, clenching his fists. "Why someone would want to lick my blood I'm not sure of, but so far two people have. You and that freak Usui. Hmmm...maybe freaks like to do that... which would make you a freak..." Saito mused thoughtfully. Taikan let out a roar of anger. Saito smirked. His musings had done their job.
"I'm not a freak!" Taikan yelled. He charged at Saito, brandishing his knife. Saito raised his hand to block and Taikan lodged it into Saito's palm, but Saito grabbed the protruding handle and dove underwater with it. Taikan dove under after him, but was met with his own knife in his face. Saito burst to the surface and, using all the strength he had left pulled himself out of the water.
"End..." Saito gasped, lying down at the edge of the pool of water. He closed his eyes, trying to stop the dizziness, and instead the darkness took over.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Gimmei screamed and clawed and kicked, but it did no good. It seemed that everyone was not on her side today. Except for... her enemy. Saito Hajime had saved her life and had become her ally. Gimmei hoped he'd come soon because... she hated to admit it, but she was quite helpless right now. She was slung over some ninja's shoulder and being carried to some place in the base. She bit the shoulder.
"YEEEOOOOWWWW!" the ninja yelped, dropping her to the floor. Gimmei rubbed her rear end, then sprang up and dashed for the exit. She bumped into another ninja, falling to the floor again. The ninja picked her up and dragged her to a room where he tied her hands and legs very tightly together with some thick rope. The ninja kicked her into the corner and left, telling them that she was free for anyone who wanted her. Gimmei let out a small whimper.
"Saito you big jerk! You better get here before something terrible happens or I'll never forgive you!" Gimmei hissed to the wall. She rolled onto her stomach and slithered over to a cabinet. She tried to smack into it so that it would open, but she couldn't hit it hard enough. Gimmei stopped her futile attempt to get a pointy object and started to cry.
"Shiki, help me," Gimmei sobbed, wishing her brother was still alive. "Someone... please..."
"Hello, Gimmei!" a male voice said behind her. She looked over her shoulder. There was a group of ninjas standing behind her. "We're here to... help you..." Gimmei spat toward their feet.
"Yeah right! Stay away from me!" the ninjas laughed at her retort. She bit her lip.
"Look, the girl has some fight! Let's give her what she wants!" another ninja said. Gimmei scowled. NOW WHAT?! The ninjas approached her and crowded around her in a circle.
"You ready?" the first ninja asked, cupping her chin in his hand. Gimmei gasped. There was nothing left for her to do... she started to cry again, wishing someone would hold her and tell her that she was going to be fine. But no one there would do that. They would just make it worse.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: Sorry 'bout the last chapter, hope this one's better. Not long, but... longer than the last one. Hey, be thankful that I updated!!! ^_____^ Thanks to everyone who reviewed and everyone who is reading (even though you're NOT reviewing!!). I'll update as soon as I can!! Sigh... IWIWF... (I wish it was Friday)
REVIEW RESPONSES:
Kairi7: You're sure it wasn't disappointing? Hope you liked this one!! ^_____^
MissBehavin: Uh... okay... Kenshin'll fight in the next chapter. You'll see... it'll be an interesting fight. Thanks for all of your wonderful comments!!
Protector of Meladon: You changed your name!! I'll have to get used to it. I'm still used to you being Koneko or the Huntress and the Fairy. Thanks for reading!!
Saito elbowed Taikan's chest and broke free from his hold. He swam to the top and tried to climb out, but his exhausted muscles couldn't pull his body out because of his soggy clothes weighing him down. Taikan came up, gasping and delivered a quick (and cheap) blow to Saito's head. Saito punched him back, then dived underwater so that he could grab onto Taikan's feet. Saito grabbed Taikan's ankles and yanked hard, making Taikan topple over back underwater. Taikan kicked and managed to connect with Saito's jaw. Saito shot forward and smashed his head into Taikan's nose, causing bright red blood to spill into the water. He surfaced, spitting blood and gasping. Taikan surfaced as well, holding his nose.
"You're pretty good," Taikan said. "But you won't win this one, wolf. I've got the advantage here." Saito smirked.
"You do? All I see is your blood," he said. "And that means that you're hurt." Taikan frowned, annoyed.
"I may be hurt, but you're going to be dead!" Taikan said. "You're really tired already. I can tell by your breathing."
"Well, then we're equal," Saito said. "Let's finish the battle quickly so I can get out of here sooner." Taikan laughed.
"I'm supposed to stall you so you can't play the hero, Saito," Taikan said. "By now your wife and Eiji should be dead and Gimmei should be... out of commission. You're the only one left." Saito's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Let's finish this," Saito said. Taikan wiped his nose, shaking his hand and splattering blood into the water.
"You're scared," Taikan stated. "Scared that Tokio really is dead." Saito just gave him a glare. Taikan raised his fists.
"Tokio isn't dead," Saito said simply, also raising his fists. Taikan stepped closer to Saito and then threw a punch. Saito easily blocked it, then raised his hand to block another. Taikan grinned.
"You're all too predictable, Wolf!" Taikan yelled, twisting his hand and flicking his soggy sleeve. A knife fell out of it and Taikan caught it, driving it into Saito's forearm. Saito gasped in pain and pulled away, making sure to trip Taikan in the process. The spring was a light shade of red at this point, dying the fighter's clothes red as well. Saito clutched his forearm, watching the blood ooze through his fingers.
"That was a dirty trick," Saito snapped. "I guess that's what you meant by 'advantage.'"
"Yes, it's exactly what I meant!" Taikan laughed. He raised the knife, which was drenched with Saito's blood. Taikan brought it to his lips and licked it with a crazed glow in his eyes. Saito fought to keep from flinching.
"You know, that's pretty gross," Saito said, clenching his fists. "Why someone would want to lick my blood I'm not sure of, but so far two people have. You and that freak Usui. Hmmm...maybe freaks like to do that... which would make you a freak..." Saito mused thoughtfully. Taikan let out a roar of anger. Saito smirked. His musings had done their job.
"I'm not a freak!" Taikan yelled. He charged at Saito, brandishing his knife. Saito raised his hand to block and Taikan lodged it into Saito's palm, but Saito grabbed the protruding handle and dove underwater with it. Taikan dove under after him, but was met with his own knife in his face. Saito burst to the surface and, using all the strength he had left pulled himself out of the water.
"End..." Saito gasped, lying down at the edge of the pool of water. He closed his eyes, trying to stop the dizziness, and instead the darkness took over.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Gimmei screamed and clawed and kicked, but it did no good. It seemed that everyone was not on her side today. Except for... her enemy. Saito Hajime had saved her life and had become her ally. Gimmei hoped he'd come soon because... she hated to admit it, but she was quite helpless right now. She was slung over some ninja's shoulder and being carried to some place in the base. She bit the shoulder.
"YEEEOOOOWWWW!" the ninja yelped, dropping her to the floor. Gimmei rubbed her rear end, then sprang up and dashed for the exit. She bumped into another ninja, falling to the floor again. The ninja picked her up and dragged her to a room where he tied her hands and legs very tightly together with some thick rope. The ninja kicked her into the corner and left, telling them that she was free for anyone who wanted her. Gimmei let out a small whimper.
"Saito you big jerk! You better get here before something terrible happens or I'll never forgive you!" Gimmei hissed to the wall. She rolled onto her stomach and slithered over to a cabinet. She tried to smack into it so that it would open, but she couldn't hit it hard enough. Gimmei stopped her futile attempt to get a pointy object and started to cry.
"Shiki, help me," Gimmei sobbed, wishing her brother was still alive. "Someone... please..."
"Hello, Gimmei!" a male voice said behind her. She looked over her shoulder. There was a group of ninjas standing behind her. "We're here to... help you..." Gimmei spat toward their feet.
"Yeah right! Stay away from me!" the ninjas laughed at her retort. She bit her lip.
"Look, the girl has some fight! Let's give her what she wants!" another ninja said. Gimmei scowled. NOW WHAT?! The ninjas approached her and crowded around her in a circle.
"You ready?" the first ninja asked, cupping her chin in his hand. Gimmei gasped. There was nothing left for her to do... she started to cry again, wishing someone would hold her and tell her that she was going to be fine. But no one there would do that. They would just make it worse.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: Sorry 'bout the last chapter, hope this one's better. Not long, but... longer than the last one. Hey, be thankful that I updated!!! ^_____^ Thanks to everyone who reviewed and everyone who is reading (even though you're NOT reviewing!!). I'll update as soon as I can!! Sigh... IWIWF... (I wish it was Friday)
REVIEW RESPONSES:
Kairi7: You're sure it wasn't disappointing? Hope you liked this one!! ^_____^
MissBehavin: Uh... okay... Kenshin'll fight in the next chapter. You'll see... it'll be an interesting fight. Thanks for all of your wonderful comments!!
Protector of Meladon: You changed your name!! I'll have to get used to it. I'm still used to you being Koneko or the Huntress and the Fairy. Thanks for reading!!