Author's Note: My apologies on the delay in getting this up. Had writers block for a long, long time, and on top of that, I gave myself distractions by writing other stories at the same time. Updates my come slowly, but please have faith.
Just so you know, I'm kinda scimping on details, and taking some liberties with the Xmen's landing. I don't know if there's a bus terminal outside of FT Lewis, but for this story there is. I also don't have a clue as to what Seattle's airport is called. If anyone knows I'd appreciate it if you would clue me in. J
Also, if you wish to be emailed about when an update has been put up, let me know in either your review by giving me your email address, or by emailing me direct. This is of course if you didn't pay for support services with FanFiction (which does the same thing really). I'll make sure to let you know either right before I post the update, or the day I posted it.
My apologies again. Enjoy!
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RBL_M1A2Tanker
An Unnatural Thing.
Chapter 3: Convergence.
It was quiet inside the Xmens' jet, each member keeping to themselves as Cyclops guided the high-tech aircraft to their rendezvous with the Sailor Scouts in Seattle. The world outside flew by at a high rate of speed, but their minds were flying even faster than the jet was.
"I don't get it." Cyclops thought. "Something's gotten under Logan's skin, but we haven't been able to pinpoint anything. What could it be?" No answers were forthcoming.
The other Xmen were thinking much along the same lines, well, all except Logan. He had been unable to sleep for over a day, and it had taken its toll on him, which was very unusual. It was also unusual for Wolverine to be the only one to have picked up a disturbance, although they knew it was serious from his actions. Normally gruff, tough as nails, they watched him closely while Logan slept fitfully. He growled slightly in his sleep, although Jean knew from scanning his mind that it wasn't from a nightmare. In fact, his mind was clear of much of anything in terms of images, other than the one that continued to appear. Wolverine in his yellow and blue garb, claws extended, hunting cautiously in a dark place, smelling something that almost begged to be avoided; yet he was unable to do so.
"He's fighting this fear. That's what's making him edgy." Jean finally surmised to herself. Cyclops broke through her train of thought at that moment.
"We'll be landing outside of Seattle here shortly. With any luck we'll be at the airport with plenty of time to spare."
"Aye, mon ame." Gambit's Bayou accent filled his voice as he spoke up. "Let us hope that we don't have a repeat of the last time we went to an airport." He spoke of the last time the Xmen had gone to meet the Sailor Scouts. An alien force had attacked Kennedy Airport where they had met, thoroughly thrashing the place with an android attack force. The Scouts and the Xmen, along with some help from Spider-Man had managed to repel the attackers easily enough though, once the civilians had cleared the area. Nonetheless, it wasn't an experience they wanted to repeat.
"Yes Gambit. Let's hope that doesn't happen." Cyclops responded.
"Oh sugah, don't you fret." Rogue said cheerfully in her Georgian accent. "It'll be just fine. We'll pick'em up, and be on our way in no time."
"That's the plan." Cyclops said, although everyone was well aware of how plans could quickly change. Conversation stopped as Cyclops brought the aircraft down into a clearing at the base of Mt. Rainer, just south of Seattle. They roused Wolverine, and quickly camouflaged the jet before hiking towards a bus terminal just outside FT Lewis.
The plan so far was good, and they arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare before the Scouts would land. Wolverine brusquely walked about, sniffing the air constantly as they waiting in the lounge for the Scouts flight. So preoccupied with his struggles with his anxiety he bumped into someone without noticing.
"Hey, watch it buddy!" The blond guy cried.
"You watch it bub." Wolverine took in the man before him. He stood at about his height…maybe taller, with his long blond hair drawn up into a ponytail by a red ribbon of sorts. He dressed conservatively in a loose green shirt and tan khakis, but Logan could tell the man was trained. The smoothness of his motions, the unconscious widening of his legs as he took up a stance, and the hardness of his eyes as the man analyzed him back were the biggest indicators.
Logan grunted, and then said, "Eh, forget it. I had other things on my mind." It was as close to an apology as he was willing to get. The other man relaxed, then nodded.
"Alright then. Sorry for breaking you concentration." Ken Masters said as he turned and walked towards his own lounge to wait for Ryu.
Over the Pacific…The Sailor Scouts sat in cheap seats on the Boeing 747, feeling anxious as the lumbering craft closed in on Seattle. They hadn't slept much on the long flight, either from thinking about the possible battle that lay before them, or from thinking about seeing the Xmen again.
Mina turned to Ami, worry in her eyes, "I hope we don't have the same problem we did last time we went to America."
"Oh come one Mina." Serena jumped in. "This isn't the same thing. It won't happen."
"Oh yea? And how are you so sure?" Mina looked at their leader wryly.
"Easy! We're not going to the same airport!" Serena stated, as if stating something they all should have figured out. The other just hung their heads.
Ami raised a finger as she made a point, "She is right though. It can't be like last time, because we defeated those guys a long time ago."
The Scout of Love nodded, accepting this. "I guess you're right."
Before anyone could say anything else the intercom clicked on. "Ladies and Gentlemen we of Japan Airways thanks you for flying with us. We'll be landing shortly at Seattle International Airport. Please lock your seats and trays up, and plant your butts down in the seats with the seat belts firmly attached…this especially goes for the girl with the meatball looking hairstyle. Thank you, and may you enjoy your stay in America."
"Ooooooooooh!" Serena's face flushed, but she did as told, while her friends giggled with hands covering their mouths to keep the sound from carrying. Didn't matter though, the other passengers did enough laughing aloud for them.
In fairly short order, the large jumbo jet took up the approach path, and came down deceivingly slowly, with the aircraft rumbling as the air around the plane bounced over the tires as the landing gear was lowered. In no time the aircraft had touched down with a screech and a puff of smoke, and not longer after, began to taxi off the runway for the American Airlines Flight that was following behind them in short order.
Aboard the American Airlines flight sometime before…Ryu sat in his window seat quietly, gazing out at the landscape far below as it passed by, musing. There weren't many on the aircraft, a rarity coming from Cancun. However, Spring Break had just begun, so many weren't yet ready to make the return trip just yet.
The airline staff almost protested his boarding the aircraft without anything on his feet, but decided against it when they took in the rest of his attire. They even let him take his duffle as a carry-on item. The look on his face had silenced all complaints. He was getting on the aircraft, as he was, with everything in easy reach. No questions about it.
Now the majority of the flight had passed, with the cute blond headed stewardess having left him the cart for him. It was a very empty flight, and while normally she could be held accountable if something happened to him or the cart, she left it at his insistence. She checked up on him from time to time, but otherwise left him alone during the flight.
Ryu gazed out at the forests and mountain range below, yet not really seeing them. His mind was elsewhere. Wondering just what it was that he felt. It had touched him deep within his soul, to a part that he wished it hadn't. It had touched his darker side, the side that threatened to swallow him up in its' evil energies if he allowed it. It was the Dark Hadou, the same energy that had consumed Akuma, the proclaimed Master of Fists, and a master of the Shotokan Art in every possible way. The Dark Hadou had consumed him utterly, until he fought only for the sake of fighting itself, to commit violence for its sake. His age was unknown, although it seemed that the Dark Hadou made Akuma ageless. He wasn't human anymore; he was a demon, constantly searching out strong warriors to fight, and sometimes killing them with the most deadly of techniques, the Raging Demon. Ryu only hoped that Akuma wasn't at the center of this trouble. His first encounter with the man-demon was less than stellar. In fact, he had barely survived it with his soul intact.
Across the speaker, a crackle of static, breaking his thoughts, then, "Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your Captain speaking. We'll be landing at Seattle International Airport in about thirty minutes. Please note the fasten seat belt sign is lit. Please make sure that your seat and tray table is in the upright and locked position. We thank you for flying American Airlines, and we hope you enjoyed your flight." With a click the intercom shut off.
Ryu readjusted his belt, and then waited as he felt the aircraft first tilt to the right, then shudder as the pilot lowered the landing gear. He felt his stomach seem to lift above his head as the plane came down towards the tarmac. He watched as the distant buildings of the city grew from being mere Micro-Machine size to Hot Wheels, Erector, model, then life size as the plane closed in on the strip to land with a jolt and loud blast of sound from the engines as air was blown from the exhaust forward to help slow the aircraft down.
Soon, the plane would be at the terminal, and he'd be reunited with Ken once again, and they could get to the bottom of this before the ominous feeling of foreboding in his gut could come true.
Hopefully.
On the Grand Kai's planet…"Goku, we're almost ready. In a short while the portal will be open for you." The Supreme Kai told Goku and the rest of his group. The Supreme Kai looked exhausted, his long white hair seeming to be thin upon his slightly purple head. Even his red outfit looked weary, with the pointed tips on his shoulders seeming to droop. As well he should look wear though, for he had spent over a day with the Grand Kai channeling their energies to create the rift that would allow Goku and his friends to travel. The Elder Kai had also been assisting, using his innate knowledge of magic to help speed along the process.
Soon, it would be open, and the team could jump forward and engage the evil there before it got to them.
"Great. Thanks Supreme Kai." Goku smiled, turning back to the group. They had continued to train Videl; helping her to maintain her power level for longer periods of time each time she raised it. Vegeta's battle with Pikkon had ended not long ago, although not in Pikkon's favor. Vegeta stood not far away, arms crossed over his chest smirking in victory. Pikkon, for his part, took the defeat well. He stood not far away, eyes closed as he meditated, going over the fight in his mind to find where he had been weak so he could correct it. Other fighters had arrived, having heard of the disturbance and that a team was being sent to deal with the problem. But just in case Goku and the others failed, they were going to be there to help fight off whatever it was when it arrived. They only hoped that it wouldn't come to that though.
Krillin turned to his best friend. "Hey Goku." Goku looked down at him. "Yea?"
"I just thought of something. If this thing is as bad as everyone says it is, maybe we need more than just senzu beans?"
"What are you getting at Krillin?" Goku asked, scratching his temple.
"What I'm trying to say is…the senzu beans might not be enough. Maybe we should take along Dende?" Dende, the Guardian of the Earth, was a Namek with the power to heal any wounds by merely holding his hands over a person.
"Hmmm. Not a bad idea. But…shouldn't there be someone on Earth to guard it?" Goku replied.
"Well…Piccolo is there. And Trunks and Goten. That should be enough to hold the fort till Dende gets back." Krillin responded.
"That's a good idea Krillin." Gohan spoke up from his seat on a boulder where he had been watching Videl.
"Alright. So it's agreed." Goku smiled that easy smile of his. "I'll go pay him a visit and see if he's up to it."
"Ok, don't be long Dad."
"Sure thing son." Goku placed his fingers on his forehead, and with only the slightest flicker of psuedomotion, he was gone. As Gohan turned back to Videl, he sensed Goku return just a mere moment before he reappeared, Dende in tow. The young Namek looked worried as he clutched his wooden staff tightly.
"Wow…that was fast." Gohan blurted out. Krillin blinked his eyes.
"Yes. I've been monitoring things from the Lookout. I agree that you'll need me over there." Dende said. He stepped over to Gohan on his boulder, speaking all the while, "I already had Piccolo get Goten and Trunks. Yamcha and Tien arrived not long after."
"They all at the Lookout?" Gohan asked. Dende nodded.
"It's as good a place as any I guess." Krillin mused aloud. Another nod.
King Kai walked up to them; sweat beaded on his pudgy blue face, his arms behind his back. "Goku. They are ready."
Goku nodded, and headed towards the open field where the Supreme Kai, Elder Kai, and Grand Kai had been working. The Elder Kai held his hands out forward, chanting incantations that could be barely heard, although not understood. The Supreme and Grand Kai sat cross-legged, there hands pressed to each other at the palms as they repeated the incantations. A bluish glow surrounded all three of them as they worked. The Z Fighters stood a few feet away, as the Kai's performed the final incantation, their voices rising in the chant as they concentrated.
"Karaked, nec blach conchamph. Rasken chink wotho. Tongatapu nikumaroro Majuro. With this final cry we open the gate to the further dimension we seek…" The Kai's took a deep breath, then, opening their eyes quickly, the Supreme and Grand Kai's thrust their hands forward as the Elder Kai screamed, "…open up damn you!" The gathered fighters collapsed from the anti-climatic cry.
Above them the sky began to darken ominously. Lightening crackled, bolts flashing across in small yet ever increasing bursts. The ground shook ever so slightly, as two beams of energy, one blue, and the other yellow, converged between the Grand and Supreme Kai in an ever-growing ball of light. In an instant, the largest bolt of lighting blasted down from the heavens, adding its' power to the mix. With a sound much like of canvas being torn asunder, A large irregularly round portal formed in front of all, the edges formed by a flowing green energy. The center was filled with a purplish-yellow mix seeming to flow much like water, ripping and rolling about as the cascading energies from the Kai's forced the rift larger.
Sweat pouring from his face, the Supreme Kai grunted out, "Goku! Now! We can only hold it open for but a few moments!"
"Right! Everyone! Grab on!" Goku called out, placing his fingers on his forehead again, concentrating all his senses through the rift, searching for a strong concentration of energy on the other side for him to focus on and bring them there. Vegeta, Krillin, Dende, Gohan, and Videl made a circle around Goku as they placed a hand on him. Sweat started to bead on Goku's temple as he became frustrated.
"Darn it! I need more!" With that, he jumped his power level to Super Saiyan, a yellow glowing field flowed around his body, his now golden hair standing on end, adding the extra power to his search. He became more frustrated as the boiling energies within the rift resisted his efforts, muddying up his senses.
"I still need more!" He ground out, his now cyan eyes hard.
"Here Dad! We'll help! Haaaaaaa ah!" Gohan made the jump to Super Saiyan, pouring his energy into his father to keep him from exhausting himself if he had to leap to Super Saiyan 3. Vegeta didn't say a word, but merely yelled as he also made the jump. Videl and Krillin also raised their power, adding it to Goku to help him. Dende was the only one who didn't, seeing as his power wasn't like theirs, it was doubtful it would have helped. Between the five fighters they were connected by the open flow of energy and concentration, almost as one as they blasted into the void. What seemed like ages was only less than a minute, and they finally found the concentration of energy they were looking for.
"There!" Goku cried out, homed in. With a flicker of psuedomotion, all six were gone instantly. Half an instant later the rift snapped shut, without so much as a trace of it ever having been there. The three Kai's collapsed in sheer exhaustion, sweat plastered to their bodies.
King Kai rushed over with a wet rag, dousing each man to help cool him. The Supreme Kai, being a younger man, was the first to lift himself up, thanking the pudgy blue Kai in appreciation.
"Thank you North Kai." He said, taking a sip from a proffered glass of water from someone else.
"Supreme Kai, did they make it?" King Kai asked, anxious.
The higher god nodded. "Yes, they did. Now it is up to them, and to whomever they get to help them. I feel they'll need all they can get."
King Kai could only swallow in apprehension as they began their long vigil of waiting and hoping that they would overcome and return soon.
To be continued………
Aren't I just evil? MWUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA**cough hack cough…spritz cough medicine**HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
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