Um.hi again. Look, this story's gonna be more interesting from this point
on. Please review. If you have any suggestions on how I can liven up the
romance a little, please send me some suggestions. I'm not really good at
romance, though I actually wrote this story from the end and worked my way
to the beginning. A little help? Please?
Ghost and Shadow 12: Hidden Strength That Is Desired
The deep purple light flooded the whole of the field, along with some of the forest. As quickly as it filled the area, it just as quickly turned into a single beam centered over Zarkia. The light made a wave like motion and then appeared to be sucked into Zarkia herself.
"AHHHHHH!" Zarkia was screaming and wriggling about in pain. The energy coming out of her body formed a light purple cloud around her that could easily be overlooked. Suddenly, an explosion rocked the foundations of the very ground, and seemed to come from Zarkia herself.
When the dust settled slightly, Kurama stood up shakily and whirled around to face Kris. "When were you planning on telling me you had perfected that attack?"
"Aw, you mean you aren't proud of me?" Kris responded with a pout. "I thought you would be!"
"I suggest you stop playing around." Hiei was up off the ground, but his right shoulder was still spewing blood. He was in no condition to fight, but he was in good enough of a condition to offer his wonderful advice. "You didn't kill her, the fight isn't over. Shut up."
"Oh, aren't you Mr. I-am-not-sarcastic?" Kris stuck out her tongue at the Jaganshi, but she knew he was right. Kris had sensed Zarkia's energy fall rapidly and then rise after the explosion.
"Kris, you used a good portion of your energy on that attack, didn't you?" Kris had a tendency to dump all her energy into one blow, just like Yusuke. Kurama had witnessed this on several occasions, and thought her a goner. However Kris had one more ace up her sleeve, and that might win her the fight. "Kris, since you are the only one in any condition to fight right now, would you mind finishing up while I tend to the others?"
"What are you talkin' about?" Yusuke said in a very dazed voice from his spot on the ground. He pointed a finger in the air. "I'm in every condition to fight! Lemme at her!" The hand fell down and they heard snoring issue from Yusuke's mouth.
"Uh, you we saying?" Kris was shocked at Yusuke's behavior, but that didn't stop her from interrogating Kurama about what his grand plan was.
"Huh? Oh, yeah." Kurama shock his head as if to clear thoughts and continued with his plan. "Well, you finish off Zarkia over there," He pointed to the crater where Zarkia had last stood. There was still a cloud of dust around it, and they could see a figure moving about inside it. "And I'll make sure no one dies over here. Though I doubt it. Knowing Jin and Yusuke, they probably fell asleep."
Kris sighed, "All right, I'll do all the hard work, but you owe me big time."
"Good luck, if it means anything to you."
"Yeah, do your job and I do mine." Kris turned on her heel and walked away. She called out over her shoulder, "I won't screw this one up."
"You think you should let her go?" Jin was up and about, trying to fly over to Kurama but falling out of the air. He resorted to walking. "I don't think she's in better shape than any of us."
"Energy wise, no. But (I never thought I'd say this) have some faith."
"Uh-huh," Jin cackled slightly. "I won't carry her back, just so you know."
"Stop moving so I can treat you." Kurama pushed the wind master down to the ground and began to treat his wounds, all the while thinking, 'I hope Kris'll be ok.' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Though Kris would never admit it, she was very scared of this woman she was about to face. Never before had she met someone so strong, and it freaked her out. And also the fact she had no backup.
"Whoop-de-do." she muttered under her breath, "A lone fox sent to meet a lion. I wish I had at least one person to back me up.But they're all incapacitated at the moment."
Suddenly Kris stopped dead in her tracks. Zarkia was emerging from the cloud, and from the looks of things her cloak had been blown off. What had been under the cloak was something Kris never wished to see.
Zarkia looked like she had been human at one time, but with all the metal and wiring she steadily transformed into a perverted kind of android. Half her face was metal, and there appeared to be no effort to cover the metal before the blast. Along with her face, a good half or more of her body was metallic and full of wiring and various other things. There was very little clothing on her, just a torn tee-shirt and a pair of khaki colored shorts; which looked like they wouldn't last anymore.
'Must've been her clothing before the transition,' Kris observed, feeling a bit sorry for the former woman in front of her. That pity didn't last for long.
Zarkia brushed herself off and bent down to pick up her claymore where it had fallen. Her metallic voice rang throughout the field, "Let us finish this."
"My thoughts exactly." Kris took a fighting stance and whipped one of her swords out. Her other one had been blown away in the explosion of her previous attack.
"Little pest, and that's exactly what you are."
"Can I ask you something?"
"One thing."
"Well, why is you're master," Kris spat the word out. She didn't believe in masters. "Doing all this?"
Zarkia paused for a moment, closing her eyes as if to think. After several long moments she finally answered, "To get revenge."
"On who?"
"That's more than one question, so let us begin the fight." At that Zarkia charged at Kris with the claymore held parallel to the ground.
"Wha-?!" Kris yet again barely escaped the blow, but the sword slashed some of her clothing on her upper torso. She was quick to retaliate with a blow to the back of Zarkia's neck. However, the slash appeared to do nothing, not even dent the metal or cut the skin. "I'm in trouble."
"Die!" Zarkia lashed out with her claymore and caught the blade in Kris' hand, sending it flying into the wilderness. Kris couldn't see where it landed, which wasn't good in the least. "Now you are finished."
Kris gulped as the claymore's tip was placed on her throat. 'I promised I wouldn't screw up, but I don't want to use that attack.' She sighed audibly, causing the blade at her throat to waver slightly while Zarkia pondered the meaning of the sigh. "No choice then," she said aloud and began the power up.
Kris leapt backwards and began to chant softly while her spirit energy came to the right frequency. Her most effective attack was also the most painful one she knew, and she had always been able to execute it when the times called for it. Kris just hoped she had enough energy left to perform it.
"Huh? I do not understand this skill." Zarkia apparently was programmed with every skill known, just not this one. Kris had figured that since before she had executed her first assault.
All the while Zarkia contemplated Kris chanted. Finally her energy was at the right level and she concentrated it in the palm of her right hand. Kris could feel the skin in the palm of her hand ripple and contort with the energy. She could feel the pain as the skin suddenly ripped back and then felt the cool metal of a blade come through the hole in the skin. When the blade was fully extended, the skin ripped back into place and then re-contorted into a handle for the blade. The finished product was a sword that was still attached to her hand, the handle made out of the flesh of her own skin. (for those who've read or seen X/1999, this is Arashi Kishu's special attack. One of the Seven Seals.)
"Now," Kris said, holding her newly forged blade of flesh in front of her, "Are YOU ready to die?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hey, Kurama?" Touya asked, now fully healed and sitting on the side lines watching the fight. "What is that she's holding?"
"A Flesh Sword. It's a hereditary attack that is used as a last resort. It's the only thing she's thankful to her parents for." Kurama responded, finishing the healing on Hiei's shoulder.
"I kind of wish I could do that," Hiei muttered. "That way now one could steal my sword from me."
"No you don't," Kurama stepped away from Hiei with a serious expression, studying his handiwork while paying close attention to the fight. "The attack uses a bit of life energy as well as spirit energy when evoked. After it has been used too much, the bearer will die. I have only seen Kris use this attack once before, and it left her incredibly drained."
"So you mean she's technically risking her life for us?" Jin asked, now able to hover in the air slightly thanks to Kurama's superior healing abilities.
"That's exactly what I'm saying." Kurama said it in a neutral voice, but it betrayed what he really thought. 'Truth is, I think she used it more times than the one I saw. I have no idea how many more times she can pull this off before she dies.' He checked everyone to make sure they were fine, and watched the final round of the fight against Zarkia. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kris raced to Zarkia, bearing all her strength on the tip of the sword. If she could just get a clear point, she could easily chop this girl in two. Her blade could chop through anything, just like Kurama's signature whip. The blade itself was similar to Kuwabarra spirit sword in a way, but in the nature that her energy actually transformed into actual metal. It was very tricky to pull off, and it took her years to master. And every time she pulled off a perfect transformation, she could feel a bit of her life energy slip away; like sands in a cupped hand. Little by little. Who knew when the technique would kill her, and it could easily be today.
Zarkia was not ready for the new attack, and saw it a little too late. She jumped to the side, but Kris' blade slashed through her shin. Bearing her teeth in pain and in surprise, Zarkia flipped forward and landed on her feet, one hand on the new wound.
"You." Zarkia hissed at Kris, all the while holding onto the wound. Kris noted that no blood came out, instead wires were overflowing as blood would. "You are going to pay. First you, then I'll finish off the others!" and so Zarkia charged with her claymore, this time with a slight limp. Wires trailed out after her, like a perverted new pair of pants of skirt.
Kris parried the blade expertly and continued to block and dodge every other assault that was given to her. 'This is hardly the challenge anymore,' she thought disappointedly. "If you don't mind," Kris spoke aloud. "I would like to finish this now."
"Go right ahead! Try!" Zarkia tried to scream it but the threat came out in more of a whisper.
"Alright." Kris held the blade above her head and chanted again. "This really should kill you. A combo of my two attacks."
"But you don't have enough energy!"
"A surprising thing about this sword," Kris said slowly. "It takes away from your life-energy bank, and puts it in your spirit energy store. In reality, while you've been attacking me, at every blow I've gotten stronger." The energy was at the right frequency. The sword began to glow purple and Kris brought it down to her side. "Fare you well. Rose Blood Stem!"
The purple light exploded from the blade and Kris was the only one not dazzled by it. She seized the opportunity and rammed the full blade into Zarkia's stomach. Zarkia twisted and writhed about in pain before exploding in a shower of wire and metal, but not before shouting:
"They will be back for you!"
Kris stood up amidst the rubble of the now defeated Zarkia. All the guys on the sidelines, now fully healed, stood in shock at what just happened. Kris started shakily towards them, allowing the blade to reenter her skin, the hole vanishing as if it were never there.
"I told you," Kris said when she stopped in front of Kurama. She had a small smile on her face but his was expressionless. "I wouldn't screw it up."
"The situation wasn't desperate enough for you to use that attack," Kurama was covering his worry with cynicism. Kris' face fell, and he felt a little bad but kept it up with the mask. "You don't know how long you can keep doing that."
"You're right, but still. I had to." Kris suddenly toppled forward on Kurama, blacking out from sheer exhaustion and lack of energy.
"Kurama, should we get her back?" Jin asked, flying over to the two Youkos. Kurama put Kris' head on his leg and examined her.
"Yes. Quickly. Now." They grabbed Kris and sent Jin to fly her to the cabin, all the while Kurama was thinking, 'She's slipping away.'
That's it for now. Not done yet. Please review.
Ghost and Shadow 12: Hidden Strength That Is Desired
The deep purple light flooded the whole of the field, along with some of the forest. As quickly as it filled the area, it just as quickly turned into a single beam centered over Zarkia. The light made a wave like motion and then appeared to be sucked into Zarkia herself.
"AHHHHHH!" Zarkia was screaming and wriggling about in pain. The energy coming out of her body formed a light purple cloud around her that could easily be overlooked. Suddenly, an explosion rocked the foundations of the very ground, and seemed to come from Zarkia herself.
When the dust settled slightly, Kurama stood up shakily and whirled around to face Kris. "When were you planning on telling me you had perfected that attack?"
"Aw, you mean you aren't proud of me?" Kris responded with a pout. "I thought you would be!"
"I suggest you stop playing around." Hiei was up off the ground, but his right shoulder was still spewing blood. He was in no condition to fight, but he was in good enough of a condition to offer his wonderful advice. "You didn't kill her, the fight isn't over. Shut up."
"Oh, aren't you Mr. I-am-not-sarcastic?" Kris stuck out her tongue at the Jaganshi, but she knew he was right. Kris had sensed Zarkia's energy fall rapidly and then rise after the explosion.
"Kris, you used a good portion of your energy on that attack, didn't you?" Kris had a tendency to dump all her energy into one blow, just like Yusuke. Kurama had witnessed this on several occasions, and thought her a goner. However Kris had one more ace up her sleeve, and that might win her the fight. "Kris, since you are the only one in any condition to fight right now, would you mind finishing up while I tend to the others?"
"What are you talkin' about?" Yusuke said in a very dazed voice from his spot on the ground. He pointed a finger in the air. "I'm in every condition to fight! Lemme at her!" The hand fell down and they heard snoring issue from Yusuke's mouth.
"Uh, you we saying?" Kris was shocked at Yusuke's behavior, but that didn't stop her from interrogating Kurama about what his grand plan was.
"Huh? Oh, yeah." Kurama shock his head as if to clear thoughts and continued with his plan. "Well, you finish off Zarkia over there," He pointed to the crater where Zarkia had last stood. There was still a cloud of dust around it, and they could see a figure moving about inside it. "And I'll make sure no one dies over here. Though I doubt it. Knowing Jin and Yusuke, they probably fell asleep."
Kris sighed, "All right, I'll do all the hard work, but you owe me big time."
"Good luck, if it means anything to you."
"Yeah, do your job and I do mine." Kris turned on her heel and walked away. She called out over her shoulder, "I won't screw this one up."
"You think you should let her go?" Jin was up and about, trying to fly over to Kurama but falling out of the air. He resorted to walking. "I don't think she's in better shape than any of us."
"Energy wise, no. But (I never thought I'd say this) have some faith."
"Uh-huh," Jin cackled slightly. "I won't carry her back, just so you know."
"Stop moving so I can treat you." Kurama pushed the wind master down to the ground and began to treat his wounds, all the while thinking, 'I hope Kris'll be ok.' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Though Kris would never admit it, she was very scared of this woman she was about to face. Never before had she met someone so strong, and it freaked her out. And also the fact she had no backup.
"Whoop-de-do." she muttered under her breath, "A lone fox sent to meet a lion. I wish I had at least one person to back me up.But they're all incapacitated at the moment."
Suddenly Kris stopped dead in her tracks. Zarkia was emerging from the cloud, and from the looks of things her cloak had been blown off. What had been under the cloak was something Kris never wished to see.
Zarkia looked like she had been human at one time, but with all the metal and wiring she steadily transformed into a perverted kind of android. Half her face was metal, and there appeared to be no effort to cover the metal before the blast. Along with her face, a good half or more of her body was metallic and full of wiring and various other things. There was very little clothing on her, just a torn tee-shirt and a pair of khaki colored shorts; which looked like they wouldn't last anymore.
'Must've been her clothing before the transition,' Kris observed, feeling a bit sorry for the former woman in front of her. That pity didn't last for long.
Zarkia brushed herself off and bent down to pick up her claymore where it had fallen. Her metallic voice rang throughout the field, "Let us finish this."
"My thoughts exactly." Kris took a fighting stance and whipped one of her swords out. Her other one had been blown away in the explosion of her previous attack.
"Little pest, and that's exactly what you are."
"Can I ask you something?"
"One thing."
"Well, why is you're master," Kris spat the word out. She didn't believe in masters. "Doing all this?"
Zarkia paused for a moment, closing her eyes as if to think. After several long moments she finally answered, "To get revenge."
"On who?"
"That's more than one question, so let us begin the fight." At that Zarkia charged at Kris with the claymore held parallel to the ground.
"Wha-?!" Kris yet again barely escaped the blow, but the sword slashed some of her clothing on her upper torso. She was quick to retaliate with a blow to the back of Zarkia's neck. However, the slash appeared to do nothing, not even dent the metal or cut the skin. "I'm in trouble."
"Die!" Zarkia lashed out with her claymore and caught the blade in Kris' hand, sending it flying into the wilderness. Kris couldn't see where it landed, which wasn't good in the least. "Now you are finished."
Kris gulped as the claymore's tip was placed on her throat. 'I promised I wouldn't screw up, but I don't want to use that attack.' She sighed audibly, causing the blade at her throat to waver slightly while Zarkia pondered the meaning of the sigh. "No choice then," she said aloud and began the power up.
Kris leapt backwards and began to chant softly while her spirit energy came to the right frequency. Her most effective attack was also the most painful one she knew, and she had always been able to execute it when the times called for it. Kris just hoped she had enough energy left to perform it.
"Huh? I do not understand this skill." Zarkia apparently was programmed with every skill known, just not this one. Kris had figured that since before she had executed her first assault.
All the while Zarkia contemplated Kris chanted. Finally her energy was at the right level and she concentrated it in the palm of her right hand. Kris could feel the skin in the palm of her hand ripple and contort with the energy. She could feel the pain as the skin suddenly ripped back and then felt the cool metal of a blade come through the hole in the skin. When the blade was fully extended, the skin ripped back into place and then re-contorted into a handle for the blade. The finished product was a sword that was still attached to her hand, the handle made out of the flesh of her own skin. (for those who've read or seen X/1999, this is Arashi Kishu's special attack. One of the Seven Seals.)
"Now," Kris said, holding her newly forged blade of flesh in front of her, "Are YOU ready to die?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hey, Kurama?" Touya asked, now fully healed and sitting on the side lines watching the fight. "What is that she's holding?"
"A Flesh Sword. It's a hereditary attack that is used as a last resort. It's the only thing she's thankful to her parents for." Kurama responded, finishing the healing on Hiei's shoulder.
"I kind of wish I could do that," Hiei muttered. "That way now one could steal my sword from me."
"No you don't," Kurama stepped away from Hiei with a serious expression, studying his handiwork while paying close attention to the fight. "The attack uses a bit of life energy as well as spirit energy when evoked. After it has been used too much, the bearer will die. I have only seen Kris use this attack once before, and it left her incredibly drained."
"So you mean she's technically risking her life for us?" Jin asked, now able to hover in the air slightly thanks to Kurama's superior healing abilities.
"That's exactly what I'm saying." Kurama said it in a neutral voice, but it betrayed what he really thought. 'Truth is, I think she used it more times than the one I saw. I have no idea how many more times she can pull this off before she dies.' He checked everyone to make sure they were fine, and watched the final round of the fight against Zarkia. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kris raced to Zarkia, bearing all her strength on the tip of the sword. If she could just get a clear point, she could easily chop this girl in two. Her blade could chop through anything, just like Kurama's signature whip. The blade itself was similar to Kuwabarra spirit sword in a way, but in the nature that her energy actually transformed into actual metal. It was very tricky to pull off, and it took her years to master. And every time she pulled off a perfect transformation, she could feel a bit of her life energy slip away; like sands in a cupped hand. Little by little. Who knew when the technique would kill her, and it could easily be today.
Zarkia was not ready for the new attack, and saw it a little too late. She jumped to the side, but Kris' blade slashed through her shin. Bearing her teeth in pain and in surprise, Zarkia flipped forward and landed on her feet, one hand on the new wound.
"You." Zarkia hissed at Kris, all the while holding onto the wound. Kris noted that no blood came out, instead wires were overflowing as blood would. "You are going to pay. First you, then I'll finish off the others!" and so Zarkia charged with her claymore, this time with a slight limp. Wires trailed out after her, like a perverted new pair of pants of skirt.
Kris parried the blade expertly and continued to block and dodge every other assault that was given to her. 'This is hardly the challenge anymore,' she thought disappointedly. "If you don't mind," Kris spoke aloud. "I would like to finish this now."
"Go right ahead! Try!" Zarkia tried to scream it but the threat came out in more of a whisper.
"Alright." Kris held the blade above her head and chanted again. "This really should kill you. A combo of my two attacks."
"But you don't have enough energy!"
"A surprising thing about this sword," Kris said slowly. "It takes away from your life-energy bank, and puts it in your spirit energy store. In reality, while you've been attacking me, at every blow I've gotten stronger." The energy was at the right frequency. The sword began to glow purple and Kris brought it down to her side. "Fare you well. Rose Blood Stem!"
The purple light exploded from the blade and Kris was the only one not dazzled by it. She seized the opportunity and rammed the full blade into Zarkia's stomach. Zarkia twisted and writhed about in pain before exploding in a shower of wire and metal, but not before shouting:
"They will be back for you!"
Kris stood up amidst the rubble of the now defeated Zarkia. All the guys on the sidelines, now fully healed, stood in shock at what just happened. Kris started shakily towards them, allowing the blade to reenter her skin, the hole vanishing as if it were never there.
"I told you," Kris said when she stopped in front of Kurama. She had a small smile on her face but his was expressionless. "I wouldn't screw it up."
"The situation wasn't desperate enough for you to use that attack," Kurama was covering his worry with cynicism. Kris' face fell, and he felt a little bad but kept it up with the mask. "You don't know how long you can keep doing that."
"You're right, but still. I had to." Kris suddenly toppled forward on Kurama, blacking out from sheer exhaustion and lack of energy.
"Kurama, should we get her back?" Jin asked, flying over to the two Youkos. Kurama put Kris' head on his leg and examined her.
"Yes. Quickly. Now." They grabbed Kris and sent Jin to fly her to the cabin, all the while Kurama was thinking, 'She's slipping away.'
That's it for now. Not done yet. Please review.