A Grim Battle.

Serenity walked the darkened hallway, her footsteps echoing on the hard steel floor. She walked forward, as one with a purpose, determined to see the end of the hallway. Sounds behind her, claws scraping against the steel. She heard them, yet walked on, she had not the time for such nuisances. The only thing that mattered was to find what she hoped was not destroyed, to find it, and to put an end to it all, to answer questions best forgotten. Though she believed she already knew the answers, many were trick questions, leading down a seemingly lightened path, only to be dumped in a darkened room.

The large door to the testing grounds appeared before her. Serenity looked to the control panel, and walked to it. She typed in the code, and the doors grinded open, making a hideous racket. She wasn't worried, the sounds behind her halted. Serenity stared into the darkness, and switching on her flashlight, stepped into the room.

The old equipment was dusted over with years of being untouched. Serenity stepped into the room, and observed it. The old monitors were cracked, the computers were lying on the ground, ripped from the walls. The old room was in complete disarray. Serenity stepped gingerly over the fallen equipment and stared into the room below.

It was a dome, scanners lined the walls, they looked like eyes, only they were photographic scanners meant to examine an experiment's progress. The room was huge, and it was completely empty. Yet for Serenity, it would never be empty. This room could never be empty, it could never be more filled than it was already was. Below, in the bottom of the arena, skeletons lined the floor, lying in obscure positions, screaming their death screams from that day.

Serenity heard a noise behind her, a vicious snarling. She turned to see a crocodile like creature, standing on it's hind legs. It stared at her with four brilliant red eyes, it drooled into the floor, a black liquid that had a stench that would raise the dead. Serenity stared at it, and fingered the plasma pistol holstered on her belt. She shook her head, 'No, it would do no good against this creature...'

The creature looked at her, then leapt on the computer. It looked at her, snarling. Serenity watched it warily, steeling herself for the attack. The creature barked at her, and leapt into the arena. Serenity looked down into the dome, to see many more of the dark monsters gathering, all their red eyes on the terminal room where Serenity now watched.

Serenity watched them, she heard a noise. She looked to her left to see a metal chair, with bracers along the arm rests, rising up the incline to the room. Without hesitation, she walked to the chair, and seated herself. She looked below, there were numerous creatures now, at least fifteen. Serenity sighed, "Grims, walking nightmares, come, let me ease thy pain...as only I can..."

The chair whirred, gears grinded, and the chair began to lower Serenity into the arena. The Grims barked and howled, their tongues lolling, excited for a chance to fight the small white experiment. Serenity stared at them with a grim determination, beyond these beasts were the labs, and she had to reach the labs, she already knew which lab to reach...

The chair stopped, and Serenity stepped into the arena. She watched the Grims, and she walked steadily to the center of the arena. The Grims watched her, and they got on all fours, and danced wildly, surrounding her, waiting for her to begin.

Serenity watched them all, analyzed them. She began to draw in her power. It felt wonderful to use it once more. Her eyes blazed a brilliant blue, her fur prickled, the sheer power of it lifted her from the ground. The emblem on her chest blazed, the wings glowed in the darkness. The light, the beautiful light fueled her. Serenity focused the power through her arms, down to her hands, and two shining blades of light appeared, each seemingly attached to her arms.

The Grims watched all this, and became frenzied. Serenity watched them, and took up a fighting stance, a confident stance, though the beasts towered above her, she showed them no fear. The warriors, the multitudes of darkness watched the warrior of light, and the warrior of light spoke, "COME FORTH! GREET MY BLADES! THEY THIRST FOR THE BLOOD OF THE DAMNED!"

The Grims charged, and Serenity leapt high into the air. She watched the teaming mass of the creatures collide, and she focused on one, and pointed her blades downward, and fell, her blades drove into the creature's skull. The creature screamed, the blades of light seemed to scorch the creature, and it fell, dead. The Grims watched, and they hesitated, staring at the dead grim. The dead Grim slowly disappeared into dust, and was gone. The Grims watched Serenity for a moment, and charged once more.

Serenity was ready, the first creature reached her and lashed out with it's tail. Serenity leapt above the tail, and twisting in air, cut the tail from the creature. She turned again in mid-air and brought her blades crashing into the chest of another Grim, driving the blades deep into it's sickening flesh. The Grim fell and dematerialized, and the Grim with a stub of a tail screeched in it's agony. Serenity rushed to the wounded Grim, and leaping into the air behind the creature, finished it off with a swipe of her blades. The Grim fell, and became dust, to add to the layers on the computers.

The other Grims wasted no time, they charged Serenity. Serenity met one with the points of her blades, and it fell. She turned to another which reached out it's jagged claws to make a swipe at her, only to be deflected by the blades of light. While the creature's arm was extended, Serenity ran up the creature's long arm, and drove her blades into it's face, and it fell silently. Serenity felt huge hands grasp her, and she was lifted into the air. The hands squeezed her, she felt her insides being crushed, she gritted her teeth from the pain, and focusing her power once more, she moved her hand around, the power filled her palm, and she let loose a blast of light at the creature. The light beam hit not only the attacker, but some of it's compatriots behind it, all hit by the blast disintegrated into dust.

Serenity hit the ground on her feet, and the blades appeared in her hands once again. There were only eight remaining now, and they appeared hesitant to proceed. Serenity nodded, and choosing one for the battle, charged, her sword points thrust outward. The creature made a vain attempt to stop her, yet she merely leapt over it, and landing upon landing drove her swords into the creatures back, and it became dust.

The remaining seven Grims lost all control, and charged blindly. Serenity waited, and the battle seemed a dance. Serenity danced from Grim to Grim, with every flash of her sword a Grim fell. She moved gracefully, without fault, dancing the deadly dance from each deadly creature to the next. She finished off another, and looked to the remaining Grim, the only survivor of the battle. The Grim watched her, and turned to flee. Serenity refused to look over her shoulder the remainder of the voyage, and focusing her power, she struck down the beast with a mighty blast.

The battle over, she observed her surroundings, listening in for further attackers. Serenity nodded, 'If there were any, they would've fled by now...'

Serenity eased the strain of her power, and the blades slowly evaporated. She shivered, it always felt strange to be cut from something so wondrous. She took a more careful study of the room, and she saw the large double doors through which she must travel. She approached the doors, she remembered their purpose. If an experiment failed in combat, it would go through these very doors to be upgraded. Serenity scowled at the doors, and dove her claws in the steel, and ripped them from the wall. She tossed them with ease to the center of the arena.

Before she entered, Serenity picked up something, someone was running to the room. She listened, it was not claws on the steel floor, it was boots...Stitch.

Serenity relaxed, and waited for Stitch to join her.

Stitch perked up his ears, listening intently to any sounds behind him. For some reason, the Grims had halted in their pursuit. He could no longer hear them beating down the hallway towards him. He slowed his step, he was breathing heavily, not from the fatigue, one of the few times in his life, he was afraid.

"Damn," he sighed, "couldn't even hurt those things." He took more deep breaths, and realized, "Oh no, what if they found Serenity?"

Stitch resumed his track, running as hard as his legs could carry him. He didn't bother listening anymore, he was certain they hadn't followed him. He ran on, and he came to the crossroads, and ran down the path Serenity had taken earlier. He ran, and he finally came upon the large doors that led to the testing area. Stitch found them opened, 'Serenity must be inside...'

He entered, taking note of the sprawled equipment that littered the floor. He ran to the glass windows overlooking the test area, and saw Serenity standing near one of the ripped open doors. He waved, and shouted, "Have any trouble?"

Serenity shook her head, "No," she shouted back, "no trouble at all!"

Stitch sighed with relief, and thought, 'At least the creatures didn't find her...'

Stitch stepped into the window, and leapt to the ground, noticing a crunch below him. Stitch looked down, to see a skeleton skull facing him. He blanched, and walked shakily to Serenity. She looked at him and giggled, "Not afraid of the bones are you?"

Stitch shook his head, "There are worse things to be afraid of."

Stitch told her his story of his encounter with the crazed Jornhald, and his flight from the Grims. Serenity took this all in silence. Then he told her of lab Alpha 003, and said, "Okay, so we have to go-."

"Right through here," Serenity said, pointing to the door behind her, "we go this way."

Stitch stared at her, 'How does she know?' he wondered. Then he asked, "How do you know this?"

Serenity seemed taken aback, and she said, "The map, the map shows the labs."

Stitch stared at her, he recalled Jornhald's words, "Closest relative..."

Stitch remembered the map well, he didn't recall the maps exactly showing the labs, Jumba had been scarce with the details, saying that he hadn't seen much of the lab himself. Stitch remembered this, and nodded, saying, "Okay then, lets go."

Serenity nodded and led the way. Stitch followed shortly, his mind buzzing once again with new thoughts, 'I shouldn't suspect Serenity, though it does make me wonder. Why hasn't she been hunted?'

Stitch shook the thoughts from his mind, 'Serenity is my friend. I don't doubt her at all.'

Stitch followed Serenity, to the lab Alpha 003.