Finally the second part of my annoying cliffhanger is up. Took longer than I thought due to some glitches with the end bit but it works now. And...SUZUKA'S IN THIS ONE! Whoop, whoop! (FB does konga)

BW: Like you said, finally! Took you long enough getting chapter 7 up. You promised it to me yesterday!

FB: (flustered) But I had 6 hours of tech and I was attacked by a guy in an SUV!

BW: Attacked? Come on, the guy pulled your mum over and yelled at her. If it was that bad she wouldn't've been laughing!

FB: But I'm...traumatised from it...I may never learn to drive now!

BW: Stop being such a cry author.

Disclaimer: I do not own Outlaw Star, hmpf, the ransom didn't work. Must devise new plan.

-

Unfinished Business, Suzuka's Hunt

Out of nowhere, the sound of a thunder slash seemed to split the ground in two. The machine by the car had to spring back to avoid being torn in half.

Everything stopped. All watched the hazy figure walk forward through the gradually clearing smoke.

Her usual white kimono had been traded in for a sleek black one but it was still lined with her usual red sash. Her wooden sword was hanging limply from her right hand, her enticing brown eyes were analysing the scene before her.

" Four on three doesn't seem fair now does it." said Suzuka, a smile lining her lips. "Would you like me to lend you a hand Gene?"

"Suzuka!" exclaimed Gene, gun still locked on the machine. "Your help would be…"

The machine came at him again. He launched himself sideways and fired the number 2.

"…much appreciated." he finished.

Suzuka bought her sword in front of her and met the last machine's attack head on. Suzuka didn't even need a moment to catch her breath, her wooden sword cracked on the ground like a whip. The machine had to weave a path sideways to escape Suzuka's onslaught.

"You're more advanced than previous Kei Pirate toys but you're no match for my techniques." said Suzuka bringing her sword above her head.

The machine couldn't fathom what happened next. Suzuka slashed down and then sideways in cross technique that seemed to cut the atmosphere itself into quarters. The machine had nowhere to go. A pile of scrap parts littered the road.

On another part of the road, Gene stood facing the machine.

"One shell left," he told himself. Carefully he reached into his belt for the number 7. His fingers brushed two shells. The number 9 shell he had almost used on White Fire in the pub the other day. He fingered it lightly in a moment of indecision and loaded it in. As though sensing Gene deciding on a course of action, the machine launched itself towards him.

"Eat this!" Gene howled firing the number 9. The shell collided with the machine and a black ball seemed to form, indenting it's face.

Gene knew what would come next.

Electric ripples severed the air, cutting into the machine's metal and wearing away it's circuits. As a lasting effect the ripples turned into a massive force which blew the machine into the two Kei Pirates. All three were thrown backwards into a heap on the road. The machine was mangled beyond recognition, the two Kei Pirates did not get up again.

A raging agony gripped Gene. It felt like every nerve ending in his body had been set on fire. Static shocks ran over his body sucking precious life force from his body. The pain was unbearable, he threw his head back and screamed.

Almost as soon as it had started, it stopped. Gene was left down on one knee, struggling for breath. When he finally felt he had the strength to stand up, the fight between Flynn and his machine was over. He had a single scratch down one side of his face but it wasn't deep, it wouldn't scar. He stood with one foot over his beheaded machine, wiping away the small drops of blood that were weaving away from his scratch down towards his chin.

Aisha and the last machine were still moving, slowly circling each other, each expecting the other to move first. Aisha's cat-like eyes were sweeping the machine as she stepped sideways, scanning the machine for any weakness she could exploit. There were hardly any, the pirates had upgraded their technology quite a bit since their last encounter. The machine mimicked her moves exactly, waiting for the right moment when she made a move that would jeopardise her life.

Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she caught a flash of black. Suzuka. Standing with Gene and Flynn, wooden sword gripped readily by her side.

'What's Suzu doing here?'

The machine sensed the waver in concentration and the lull in the precise steps Aisha had taken. It launched forwards, a profound movement that Aisha almost missed. On a reflex rather than thoughtful planning she propelled herself backwards onto her hands and kicked the machine up into the air. It was the move that finished the match.

The machine was catapulted clean over Jim's car. It knew that it had lost when it started plummeting out of the sky and blacked out before it hit the ground, shutting down before it was actually defeated.

Aisha turned to the others beaming triumphantly.

"A machine that knows when it's beaten, go figure!" she called out.

"You're a riot Aisha," mumbled Gene wearily.

"So what brings you to our neck of the woods?" he asked Suzuka eyeing the mess on the road and wondering whether or not they should save the questions for later and make a quick getaway before the police arrived and blamed them for the damages.

"A hunt." said Suzuka simply.

Gene gawped at her cluelessly.

"A hunt?"

"Yes. I've been chasing him for a long time. And then I heard he was after you and Melfina so I came back to see if he would show up."

"Who is this guy you're looking for?" Gene asked curiously.

"He is known as White Fire."

-

The shadowed figure watched the events unfold before her and heard the assassin speak of White Fire. He was drawing too much attention to himself. And Gene Starwind was asking too many questions.

He would have to be dealt with.

"I want the Twilight Generals on this." she hissed venemously.

-

So Suzuka's back and she's looking for White Fire! Why? How does she know him? And who are the Twilight Generals? Not to mention the 'shadowed figure'? Had fun with the fight scene. Just in case you're wondering about the guy in the SUV. I had a lot of stuff to take home for tech yesterday and we were blocking up the road (I didn't mean to I swear) and he started beeping and driving slowly forwards and I did try to get a move on but my bag got caught to my shoulder so I couldn't move. When we did get out the way, he chased us down the street and started yelling at us when he eventually made us stop. Mum was laughing because she didn't care and found it hilarious but I pretty much had a nervous breakdown in the seat next to her.