Disclaimer: As always, I only own Greg and the story, as everything else and the characters that appear in this story belong to their respective author/game/anime or manga material.
ShardclawK: Yes, folks. Believe it or not, but I'm back to bring you another new update for favourite psychic soldier and his crazy adventures! Sorry to those who waited for an eternity for an update, but you know me…aside from the onslaught of uber cute and hawt PC H-game chicks that were sent to me for my birthday, I had to deal with work and a lot to problems that prevented me from getting this fic going. Hopefully, I still have what it takes to entertain the masses after seeing the fans that went crazy over the last End of Evangelion May Cry updates…
Greg: What, we thought that the reason for the updating delays was how really sore you got when those girls had their fun with you.
ShardclawK: Dammit, Greg! Don't give away too much info! But really, I do envy DarkFusion for being able to play those kind of games, but that isn't no scene there, since I'm a member of an online hentai board, I can actually access the 'goodies' of what the girls are capable of, so we're almost even. (Just you wait till I get my own computer one of these days and unleash my power, world!) Damn, I've never been sore since last years Christmas holidays…
Just before I went on, Miyabi aka-Slinky, Seductive and Scandalous as hell-Kagurazaki stepped in, wearing what it appears to be a red, tight lacy swimsuit.
Miyabi: Shardclaw-sama, how can you keep Dark-san and your other faithful fans waiting for so long on an update on this story? You do know what happens if you don't follow up on time, do you? Or are you deliberately making this happen?
ShardclawK: No, Miyabi, I said before I was going through some problems getting this chapter ready, so cut me some slack! I'm only human.
Miyabi: Well, I think you need to be 're-evaluated' to suit the needs of your fans on a more regular basis. (Snaps her fingers.) Come out, girls.
From the side of the stage door, the girls from the H game, Nocturnal Illusion stepped in, all of them wearing see thru, loose, lacy negligee in varying, exotic colours. They were, Maya Okazaki, Arisa, Misao, Miwako, Sari, Yukina, Yura, Mistress of the Mansion, Red Hood, and Mermaid Princess. Mistress and Arisa huddles against me.
Arisa: Shardclaw-sama, we do hope that you've haven't gone out of…'practice'.
Mistress: Yes, we have been noted to tell you that Dark-san has a slew of other hawt chicks like us waiting in line to be shipped for you, and only heaven knows their extent of their sexual, voracious appetites for 'meat' and 'milk'.
ShardclawK: Aw, crap. You love tormenting me like this, don't you, Miyabi?
Miyabi: My, my, my. There isn't anyway you can run now. Take him inside, girls and let's get this over with.
As I get carried off, Greg looks on at the Weiss boys as he shrugged.
Ran: I don't understand how you can put up with him at time like that…
Greg: I wonder sometimes. Anyway, let's cut to the recap and this time, Omi has the honours.
Omi: So far in SX, Greg and his group of close friends had a nasty encounter with Shade, who himself revealed to them to be a descendant of the Orochi, making him an invincible foe. All the while to attempt him getting close to a homeless girl named Ambrosia, their attempts up to this point are becoming feeble because of his immense strength. Meanwhile, Aika Sumeragi arrives in the hope to counter the problems growing within Greg, but will she make it in time along with WARRIOR, Noir and the Uruha ninja group behind?
Ken: Well, we will just have to hang unto our seats for some wild stuff to happen in this chapter. Let's gets the show on the road.
Youji: Right, so everyone, do enjoy as always, despite it heading towards a dark arc. But Shardclaw guarantees it will still be worth the read.
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Metal Gear: Soldier X
Chapter 26: The Drowning Man, Part 1
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Greg was still trying his hardest to get through with Orochi Shade's attacks, but even with the Sekichu madougu equipped, the transformed powers of Orochi Shade ate through the defences Greg put up and he was still being trashed around by the mercenary ninja's attacks.
"Dark Gospel!" Orochi Shade shouted, throwing three dark energy disks at Greg. The young psychic put up a forcefield to block the attack, but the attempt was feeble when Orochi Shade was using this to flank him into an even deadlier attack.
"Storm Crush!" Orochi Shade shouted, as a dark shield of energy penetrated Greg's defence and sent him hurling back a few feet. Greg used his feet to stop sliding back and gain some momentum as he looked on at the power fed Shade smiling at him and his friends who stood around him, witnessing this nightmare.
Greg stood upright for a moment, until he ended up holding unto his abdomen's area, as blood started to trickle down the right side of his temple, now nearly covering his right eye in red.
"Guuaaahhhh….." Greg muttered, as his body trembled with pain coursing through his body. But most of it didn't come from Shade's previous attacks, as most of it was contributed by his own powers. No one, not even Shade, was aware of this.
"Heh, are you finished already, Kinezono?" Orochi Shade asked arrogantly. "You were so enthusiastic a minute ago..."
"Greg!" Riku shouted.
"Sempai!" Yuina shouted.
"Stay back!" Greg shouted in reply. He didn't want to get his friends and his apprentices, Yuina and Nagi involved, but it was too late. He knew they are not skilled, let alone, strong enough to take on one of the Orochi.
(Dammit, I got to do something!) Riku shouted, watching by the sidelines as he made sure Yuina was busy getting herself, Seraph and Amber out of danger. (I can't sit around and watch Greg keep getting himself being pounded around like this. And surely Yuina can't stand the same thing as well.)
Looking over to Nagi and Tot's direction, he sensed the same kind of fear facing Shade like this. Nagi was in a stance in front of Tot's position, ready to protect her at any costs.
(Stay back, Tot. I won't let that bastard hurt you!) Nagi telepathically spoke to her. (Greg doesn't seem to be in the best of shape to take Shade on right now, but I got something that should work. Get your weapons ready!)
Tot only nodded in reply to Nagi's plan and now realised something that she forgot.
(Uh...Nagi, there's a problem.) Tot spoke to Nagi, via telepathy. (I kind of forgot one of my weapons.)
(Which ones?) Nagi asked hesitantly.
(Just the Kuchibashio madogu.) Tot answered. (Kuchibashimaru asked me if he could borrow it for a little so I did, so...)
(This is so not a good day.) Riku thought to himself as he heard this too. He looked back at Greg's direction and saw the now contorted look on Greg's face, as if he was reeling from extreme pain, which was a rare thing for Riku to see, knowing Greg is the type to tolerate pain to an extent, even during a battle, but his premonition as a ninja told him Greg was going through something worst at the moment than facing Orochi Shade right now.
(Something's seriously wrong with Greg, and he might just do something crazy that it may put all of us in danger.) Riku thought for a moment and reconsidered. (No, not even Greg will risk harming us just to stop Shade like this, but even so…)
"No matter how you look at it, any attack you throw at me is just futile." Orochi Shade spoke. "Why not make it easier for me, Kinezono and just give up, so you wont' have to prolong your death?"
"It…will take more…than just the…cursed…Orochi to stop me…mid-boss." Greg muttered as he stood up. "I faced even worst of your kind who were drunk on booze like this and came out walking."
"But it appears you are not in good shape, yourself, aren't you, Kinezono?" Orochi Shade replied, charging up his fists. "Let's see if you can handle…THIS!"
Shade charged up a powerful, dark electric charge and threw it at Greg's direction, and before it reached him, split into three discs as if Shade had turned them into the chakram weapon he had. Greg managed to deflect on with his psychic shield, but the other two soon penetrated it and sent Greg flying back a few feet.
(H…how!) Greg pondered as his defence was broken easily. (It's not because he's an Orochi I couldn't defend myself…is it because my powers are starting to fail me now too?)
As he started to recover from the projectile attack, Orochi Shade was now approaching Greg at a quick pace, when suddenly…
"Genjutsu Wakemi!" was a shout Greg heard from Riku's direction as Greg saw a few copies of Riku dashed out at Orochi Shade and gave him several quick jabs to get Shade to focus on Riku instead. Riku was prepared to face Shade, with his fire blade, Saiha drawn out.
(Alright, this guy's gotten buffed up with that transformation so maybe he's gotten slower.) Riku thought. (If I use my speed, I should be able to avoid his attacks, and hopefully wear him out...that is if these Orochi people can get tired.)
"So, you plan to get in the way, you pesky kid?" Shade stared at him with a grin on his face. "Well, at least I was getting bored beating the life out of Kinezono like this, I'll be sure to get some entertainment of you."
"You're very much welcome to go ahead and try." Riku growled at Shade, getting into a standoff. Just then, Nagi joined Riku at the side, ready to back him up.
"Well, well…certainly this has gotten even more interesting. Come on, you two can both attack me with everything you got!" Shade beckoned the two as Greg shouted from the background.
"No, Riku! Nagi! Don't do it!" Greg shouted back, but felt the pain increase in his chest from Shade's attacks and his own powers going on a fritz. Yuina, Amber and Seraph came rushing to his aid.
"Sempai! Are you okay?" Yuina shook Greg as he groggily looked at her.
"Just…barely." Greg muttered clenching unto his chest, as Seraph looked on.
"I have analyzed the historic data of the Earth culture since the beginning of humankind's time to this date during my time with Yuina. The Orochi is also included in the database." Seraph spoke.
"And what did you find out?" Yuina asked.
"From what I can analyze at the current situation, it is confirmed Shade's a participant for the Orochinagi culture, though, this is just a minor use of his power he is using right now." Seraph said. "He may be just holding back the source of his strength for a good reason…"
"Well, we can't just sit around and watch him pummel sempai and our friends to death like this!" Yuina cried out. She then stared at Greg, holding unto his right nano hand. "Sempai, let me use the madogu I was given against Shade in my emulate form."
"No way, Yuina! This is suicide if you're going to face him!" Greg shouted at her.
"I'm not going to run from a monster whose only intent is to take away the ones I care about so much from me again! I won't stand for it!" Yuina replied, gripping unto Greg's jacket. "Please, sempai, let me and Seraph fight."
"Yuina…" Greg muttered as Amber simply patted his left shoulder and spoke to him.
"Have faith in them, they may have a chance." She replied. Greg gritted his teeth as he had to confide in Yuina with this until he can come with a way to put Orochi Shade down. For now, this was a chance to help distract Shade with something he never saw coming.
"Fine, then…I'll be watching for an opening then we both hit him with everything we got!" Greg muttered. "You can do this, Yuina! Use the powers you used when you fought me during that time with Mantis, so Shade can't seriously hurt you or anyone else, got it?"
"I understand sempai! I won't fail you." Yuina got up and stood watching Riku and Nagi take on Orochi Shade, who was barely even fazed by the attacks they threw at him. Nagi was in the lead of attacking Shade with his psychic attacks.
"Hyper Psyche Shot!" Nagi shouted at Shade, throwing a barrage of psychic energy globes at Shade, which he simply deflected away using a flick of his arm.
"That was pathetic…is this true strength of psychics these days?" Shade muttered. "I know you can do much better than that!"
"Dammit!" Nagi muttered, as Shade came rushing towards him. Thanks to the training he had with Greg and Yuina for the time he met them, Nagi was able to use his powers to be used in CQC defence techniques. Still, each punch and quick Orochi Shade that threw at him still penetrates the guards he put up and his body began to hurt like hell. Tot began to quiver at the sight of seeing Nagi attempt deflecting Orochi Shade's brutal attacks.
"Nagi!" Tot screamed aloud as she saw Shade reached for Nagi's head area in an attempt to go for his neck area. She rushed in at Shade with her Muramasa and slashed into his back, expecting him to go down, but the slash she made never registered, as Shade quickly turned around and kicked her stomach with a roundhouse kick. Then grabbing Nagi by the collar, he threw him at Tot, which knocked over the two and sent them flying back a distance. Greg, Yuina, Seraph and Riku looked on horror to see Nagi and Tot get taken down together at the same time by Shade.
"Bothersome." Orochi Shade simply said, as he glanced at Riku now, who was ticked off at seeing his two partners get hurt like this. "Oh, don't worry, they are still alive, so I still have my little plans of enjoying their deaths once the rest of you are out of the way."
"That was uncalled for!" Yuina shouted at Orochi Shade. "They were only trying to help!"
"And that what happens to those who get in the way, little one." Orochi Shade said, now grinning at her direction. "My, my…you're the prize that Mantis had taken, I see. I can surely see why he did what he had to do, but why you would waste your time around that Kinezono is simply a thought I can't really comprehend…"
"RRRRRRRAGGGGHHH!" Greg's shout from behind suddenly sounded more like an injured animal's roar, as suddenly a rush of flames emitted towards Shade's direction and send him crashing into a wall. It happened so quickly that no one, not even Riku saw it coming, but to their shock, they suddenly saw Greg's psychic powers on full effect like this as he had to step out of the way. He looked onto the ground and to his surprise, saw foot prints with steam rising out of them. Anything contacted with water in the path of Greg's flames was soon evaporated as Greg pryokinetic powers were generating enough heat to melt the asphalt around him.
"S…sempai?" Yuina said, as she saw Greg on the other side of the wall in front of them, Shade knocked into it, creating a huge crater behind it, as steam, ashes and blood creeping out of Greg's nano arm had pierced Shade's chest area. It was then both Riku, Yuina, Amber and Seraph came to a realisation…the rush of flames they saw that hit Shade a while ago WAS Greg! They can clearly see the burn marks about his upper body, and most of the jacket and shirt he was wearing was now in molten rags. Greg suddenly pulled back from Shade, now in a dazed state.
"Greg…? Hey, Greg, say something!" Riku said stepping in front of him, but to his surprise, saw another shocking sight. Greg's eyes were dilated, his arms now hung in front of his body.
"Bad…call…to even speak to Yuina like that…Mid-Boss." Greg muttered, as if he had gone into shock and before falling over backwards unconscious and heavily injured.
"Sempai!" Yuina cried out, as she ran towards him and held him up. Riku would take the time to think what exactly happened, but if the noise behind him didn't give him the choice, he would have used it to get Yuina out of there, because Shade began to move out from the crater.
"My, my…it seems our psychic friend went a little overboard, didn't he?" Shade spoke, as the wound Greg made with his nano arm heal. "Still, it would take more than just that to stop me, Kinezono. You're not the only one who is special."
Yuina simply clenched her fists as she gripped on Greg's unconscious body even tighter. Looking at Riku, she began to speak telepathically to him.
(Riku, we have to do something before…) Yuina said to him telepathically before he cut in.
(I know, Yuina. I won't let this guy get you, Amber and Seraph in anyway. I got a plan that may work.) Riku replied. (Think you can get into emulate form and help Nagi and Tot while I distract Shade?)
(I should be able to do so.) Yuina replied. (Then, I can focus on helping sempai as well.)
(Sounds like a plan.) Riku nodded, as Shade, still in his Orochi appearance, walked towards them.
"Well, I don't have all day, young ones. The faster you die now, the better I can live along without having to deal with the likes of you brats ever again will be much fitting." Orochi Shade said, as suddenly, a burst of light emerged from Yuina's body.
"I've had it with you! All you ever do is torment, destroy and ruin people's lives for the sake of your twisted enjoyment!" Yuina cried out.
"So what about it, hmm?" Shade replied calmly. "It's the process of survival of those living in this world, didn't you know that?"
"That's not true!" Yuina said, as the long ponytail she had was loosened out and she took off her glasses.
(Hmm…can this one be a…C-genome? No, it's not possible…the taller woman is also resonating the same kind of power with her…) Shade thought to himself, while Riku looked as well.
(Oh, boy…looks like Shade got Yuina pretty pissed right now. I wonder if this can help the situation.) Riku thought, as he then saw Yuina holding unto the Sekichu madogu now. (She has Greg's madogu as well! Maybe with her powers, we may have a chance of living against this guy.)
"I don't want my sempai, and those closest to me get hurt ever again! I will stop you with everything Greg has taught me with!" Yuina shouted "Seraph, lend me your power!"
Suddenly, the light around Yuina got brighter and engulfed her and Seraph both as they two then integrated into Yuina's, beautiful, angelic emulate form. Yuina let her large wings folded out, as she stared at Shade with a determined glance in her eyes, while Shade was barely impressed by this.
"Heh, so…you're not a tennyo, huh? But the power is almost…similar and yet, intriguing." Orochi Shade said. "No matter, I do hope you can provide a better fight than your worthless master."
"I'll make you regret you ever harmed a human in the first place!" Yuina said as she and Riku got into position for battle against Orochi Shade.
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Meanwhile, somewhere else in Neo Tokyo….
"Step on it, Yuji! We don't know how much more time we got to reach Greg in time!" Rio shouted, over Yuji's shoulder, who was furiously driving the Team WARRIOR van through the streets. In the van with them as well, were Aika, Kurei, the three Bakas, Lilica, Maypia, Rion and Nanvel. Two other SUVs' that came from the Uruha mansion as well were behind them, those containing Noir, Raiha, Maki, Nastasha and Joker.
"I'm going as fast as I can, Rio! But even if I go through these shortcuts, it won't be enough!" Yuji spoke, using his mad driving skills to get through this.
"Hey, Rio…I'm sure by the time we get to Greg, it won't be as bad as the last time." Nanvel said.
"I highly doubt it." Aika said, making everyone turn heads. Rio sternly looked at her.
"What the hell that supposed to mean?" she asked.
"If his powers are beyond help now, all we can do is just prepared for the worst." Aika said. "I really don't like it myself, but I even have doubts he will even stay sane if he goes into RIOT mode the next time, that's why he has to be administered as soon as possible."
"But, still…even though Geese knew this would happen, why he didn't say anything?" Kurei asked.
"There must be a conspiracy to why he did so." Aika said. "Look, we can't let this get us down totally, as always, I'm sure Greg has a plan for all of this."
"'Where's there's a will, there's a way', right?" Rio asked. "You think you can buy a way out of this with that?"
"Since when you're in doubt of the will of your own son, Rio?" Aika asked. "No matter how grim things get, he's going to pull something out of his bag of tricks and surprise us all in a matter of days. I can promise you that."
(I have a feeling she's not letting on everything we need to know about Greg's powers. Unless there's something that…) Rio shook her head as she focused on getting Greg some help. (Just hang on, Greggie…I won't anyone do anything that you won't want to do if you only want to go on living, I can promise you that!)
"Another four kilometres till we've reached the location Greg and the others are!" Lilica reported. "ETA is approximately ten minutes!"
"I'm flooring it!" Yuji said, as he mashed the gas pedal and the van increased in speed, heading closer towards the location where Greg and the others were having their showdown against Shade.
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Meanwhile, back to the isolated region of Old Tokyo, the battle between good and evil raged on, as Riku and Yuina held their own against Shade in a heated battle.
"Dragon Strike!" Riku shouted, striking Orochi Shade's chest area with an enclosed right fist blow. The flame then set fire on Shade's body as then Yuina used her Fall from Grace move to pincer Orochi Shade with an energy stun attack from midair.
"Romantic!" Yuina cried out, now cancelling her move into a Homing Spear move, and with her Hizangu equipped, and her increased emulate powers on the maximum input, she was nearly untouchable from Orochi Shade's attack.
"Grrrrgh!" Orochi Shade felt the combination of attacks, but it really didn't affect him. He simply shrugged off the pain and pressed on his attacks on Riku, who used his Genjutsu Wakemi to make more copies of him to attack Shade, while the real copy used authentic attacks on him.
"Double Dragon Strike!" Riku shouted, using his left fist this time and hitting Orochi Shade with multiple hits, setting him on fire more, while the Riku copies rushed him.
Yuina then used her Seraph Install move to temporarily increase her speed and strength stats and started to pincer Orochi Shade with her Energy Sword moves, cutting into Orochi Shade's body with light based attacks.
"Holy Extension!" Yuina said, using her emulate powers to summon an energy spike from the ground and ambush Shade. Orochi Shade avoided the move and smacked Yuina back with a Dark Gospel move, but she quickly recovered while in mid air and used three Homing Spears at the same time to target Orochi Shade. They all missed at the time he vanished into the shadow and was right in front of Riku, who was met with a brutal gut punch and, then taking out a kunai from one of Riku's packets, stabbed the area where he got kicked from.
"Riku!" Yuina cried out, seeing him get hurt while ignoring her own wounds.
(Yuina, you're badly hurt! Further combat is impossible in our condition!) Seraph spoke to her.
(But…) Yuina muttered.
(Regenerating damaged areas.) Seraph reported. (Yuina, I want to do this as much as you can, but I won't be able to keep up with you on maximum strength any longer. This fight has to end soon, or else…)
(You guys worry too much.) Riku's voice spoke telepathically to the two. (Seraph's right, though…we got to end this fight as quickly as possible before Shade gets really annoyed and we won't make it out alive.)
(But how?) Yuina asked.
(There's no way I can fight this guy toe to toe without getting myself killed.) Riku thought. (My best bet would be to do something to keep him occupied...Alright, if I do 'that' it should buy a few seconds, but I'd better at least try to look like I'm being serious in order to buy more time and keep him from finding out. I just hope I don't get killed in the process...)
(Riku…? Just what are you planning?) Yuina asked, hearing his plan, as she then saw Nagi and Tot wake up in time to see what was happening before them.
"Greg!" Nagi shouted, seeing an unconscious Greg lying down, and then looking over to see Yuina and Riku facing off Orochi Shade. Yuina glanced over at Nagi and called out to him.
"Nagi! Try to get sempai to wake up!" Yuina said to him. "I have an idea too!"
"We'll try." Tot said, getting over to where Amber was looking over an injured and unconscious Greg and helping him up.
"Yuina, on my mark, you use your long distance attacks and keep Shade at bay, while I will use a jutsu to keep him in place, so by the time Greg gets back up, you and Greg put together your powers like you said before and take care of Shade once and for all." Riku said. "Think you can do that?"
"For sempai and everyone else, I have to." Yuina bravely said, nodding her head. Just then, Shade simply powered up himself to charge at Yuina, but the girl was set of keeping Shade at bay with her string of Holy Extension moves.
"Holy Extension!" Yuina cried out, pinning Shade in place. The mercenary ninja punched away the spike with his bare hands, but Yuina pressed on.
"Holy Extension!"
"Holy Extension!"
"Holy Extension!"
"Holy Extension!"
"Holy Extension!"
"Holy Extension!"
"Holy Extension!"
Each spike was enough to bring some distance between Shade and the group he so much wanted to destroy, but he can easily smash through them using his inhumane powers. He then saw Riku preparing a somewhat, familiar stance.
"You insist on delaying the inevitable...how amusing." Orochi Shade grinned at Riku. "But in all seriousness, why don't you save the both of us trouble and accept your fate and die like a ninja?"
"My time of dying is not on today's calendar, sadly." Riku muttered. Then he saw Shade eyeing Greg's direction, and started to power up as he sent a shockwave into the ground to shatter all the spikes Yuina created in front of him.
(Damn, this guy is strong!) Riku thought, breathing heavily as he stood up despite his wound. (But I still need to keep Shade occupied, and at the same time make sure he doesn't figure out what I'm planning.)
"Well little dragon, are you ready to continue?" Orochi Shade asked arrogantly. "I'm ready to escort you to your funeral now."
"You think just because you managed to hurt me that this is going to be easy?" Riku asked in reply and got into a fighting position. "I'll show you the true strength of Hokage here and now. Prepare yourself!"
"Of course." Orochi Shade grinned. "When this battle is through, I'll make sure to deliver what's left of you to Kagero for old time's sake. I can't wait to see her expression as she tries to recognize your remains."
Riku can see Shade was dead serious now. Glancing quickly at Greg's direction, he can see Greg slowly regaining consciousness. Yuina got into her feet firmly and opened up her wings. He knew she was up to something as well.
"Guard Yuina and help Greg!" Riku ordered to Nagi and Tot as he made a rush to Shade. "I'll distract Shade!"
"How?" Nagi shouted back. However, Greg placed a hand on Nagi's shoulder and suddenly he was back on his feet. The right side of his face was now covered in blood and some of the nanomachines had integrated into the living natural veins of his face. He looked as close to something of a sci-fi flick.
"Trust…Riku on this one." Greg muttered, only ignoring his appearance and walked over to Yuina's position.
"Yuina, on my command…get ready to unleash the attack we learned…together!" Greg shouted. Yuina looked over at Greg's position and nodded in reply as energy gathered around her upper wing areas.
"Ahhhhhh!" Yuina cried out, holding unto her sides, generating strength. Meanwhile, Riku attempted one more rush against Shade.
"SHADE!" Riku shouted, causing Shade's attention to turn to Riku, who jumped into the air and threw a kunai shuriken at him. "Die you sick son of a bitch!"
"Are you serious?" Shade asked with a sadistic grin as he sidestepped from the incoming shuriken with ease.
"Sempai…it's starting to…" Yuina cried out, but Greg objected.
"Not yet, Yuina! Wait till Riku's out of the way!" Greg shouted. He was waiting for a chance when Shade wasn't mobile enough to evade this move.
"It's useless!" Orochi Shade said, now setting up for an attack. "I'll smite the angel wannabe before…hmmm?"
Shade felt something was wrong now as he noticed why Riku missed on purpose.
(What the?) Shade thought and looked behind him. He then saw the kunai shuriken Riku had thrown at him earlier stuck to his shadow. The shuriken had a piece of paper attached to it with a set of kanji and symbols written on it, which Shade instantly recognized. (A shadow binding jutsu!)
"Heh, too late." Riku grinned, despite his wounds. "Let's see how well you fight now."
"No! I won't be able to move out of this!" Shade thought out of horror, as he then saw Greg smirking devilishly at him, waving at Orochi Shade as he spoke to Yuina.
"Time to say good bye, Mid-Boss!" Greg said. "Yuina, do it now! Dual Tech Master and Student Dual Tech…"
"GAMMA RAY!" Both Greg and Yuina shouted at the same time, as the energy Yuina was storing up in her wings and soon after, two laser like beams of light shot out from the tip of her wings, hitting Shade, but the big surprise was a giant burst of light that came from Yuina's wings which formed themselves into a cannon like weapon, emitting a stream of mental energy at Shade's direction. Soon after, they saw a giant spot where Shade was and the giant crater that went as far into the next building.
"Did…did we get him?" Nagi asked, almost shocked to see a spectacle like this in front of him.
"I don't know…as long as he's gone, that's all that matters." Greg answered, now holding unto Yuina. She was extremely tired from performing an attack like that. "It's all over now…"
Before the group can organize to get out, they suddenly heard an evil like cackle from behind them. That suddenly sent chills down their back as they looked around to survey the area.
"What the…?" Greg asked, before he can see a flying object heading towards Yuina's direction. It was Shade's chakram. Yuina screamed in horror to this as she thought this would be the end for her. Greg put out his arm to knock Yuina down and was successful, but the chakram passes just above Greg's back in an upper vertical slash.
"Guuuuaaahhh!" Greg shouted as he fell down head first in a heap. Yuina saw what happened to Greg and came to his aid, and to her and everyone's sight, they saw Shade standing before them, the wounds he got from the previous attacks did a number on his body, which was healing by now like nothing.
"No…we failed…" Tot muttered.
"After everything we threw at the guy…" Riku said, barely able to stand. Shade merely grinned at the group.
"Well, that was quite a show, but now, you've really done it now. It's time for you all to die very painfully for what you just did to me." Shade said. Before he can do something else, all of a sudden a burst of wind came forth between him and the group suddenly. It was powerful enough that it created a windscreen of sorts and soon when the dust was cleared, Shade found himself looking at a clear spot where the group was.
"How did…?" Shade asked when suddenly he turned and saw a tall, figure of a male Japanese person, with long dark greyish hair. He was suited in casual clothing of a white, button dress up shirt and blue jeans. In his hand, held a long Japanese sword of ancient Japanese origin.
"I think you have done enough harm for one day, Shingen." The man spoke harshly at Shade. "Unless you have enough of that cursed strength to deal with me."
"Heh…well, it seems you too are in need to die as well…Sanada." Shade replied. "I'll make this little meeting brief so I can go after those pesky brats and deal them in."
"I don't think so." A voice said right behind Shade. "I've taken them to a place where you will never harm them again."
Shade turned around and met a man of Japanese decent as well, with black hair with short bangs. He was wearing a traditional jounin's outfit with the Uruha insignia's on it. Shade started to step away from the ninja and the samurai, as he felt his cell-phone on vibrate call him.
"Gentlemen, I would like to take the time to take your lives, but I'm behind schedule for an important meeting." Shade said, putting up his arm over his face. "I'm certain this won't be the last time in a while we've met, Sanada."
"Stop!" the samurai spoke as he ran towards the spot where Shade disappeared into darkness.
"He's long gone, Yukimura-san." The ninja spoke calmly.
"I'm sure he'll show up again soon." Yukimura Sanada said. "Where have you secured Riku and the others?"
"They are with their family members, the rest of the clan had arrived looking for them." The ninja replied. "We must go to them at once, that psychic friend of theirs is injured the most."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Greggie! Greggie!" Rio shouted, as Greg slowly woke up and saw Rio, Yuina, and Lilica looking over him. "Are you okay?"
Greg sat up suddenly and looked around him, as he was back at the Uruha mansion on the outside garden and in the SUV he was being treated. The damage that the nanos did to his face seems to have reverted to normal now.
"What…happened to me…?" Greg muttered, still dazed out over what happened. Before anyone can answer, Yuina suddenly hugged him tightly.
"Oh, sempai…! You had me and everyone else so worried! I thought you were actually…" Yuina cried in his arms. "And you risked your life to save me from that horrible man as well…you have to stop doing this."
Greg simply hung his head as he slowly took Yuina's arms from holding unto his bandage covered chest area. "Sorry about that…everyone…I tried my best to be careful, but…"
"Well, you've certainly went and down it now, haven't you, Greg?" Aika's voice said as Greg noticed her at once and stood in front of her, not even caring of putting on a shirt to hide the wounds he bore.
"Sensei Aika! You're here?" Greg asked.
"For good reasons." Aika said, as she looked around and saw the ninja from before approached them. Greg instantly noticed him.
"Kenshin Mori aka Shadow Dragon…" Greg simply said. He knew the eldest son of Kurei since his times in FOXHOUND. "You're here too?"
"Greg, you are a mess. It's a good thing you were treated in time or else you wouldn't have made it alive." Kenshin spoke, giving space to Riku and another male who entered the area. During then, Yukimura was speaking secretly to Riku before they got within Greg's listening distance.
"Oh one more thing, Riku." Yukimura added. "Until I say otherwise, call me Masanori and not Yukimura for now."
"So Greg won't figure anything out about whom you really are, huh?" Riku asked in reply and Yukimura nodded. "Alright, your secret's safe with us, though I still don't see much point with all this secret identity stuff."
"You'll understand someday." Yukimura replied as he met Greg now. "Gregory Kinezono, I was along the way with Kenshin back to the Uruha when we saw the fighting and stepped in time."
"Yeah, he's another old friend of the Uruha, so he's pretty much dependable." Riku spoke.
"You seem to know this guy, Riku." Greg spoke, while eyeing Yukimura strangely.
"Yeah, Yu-Masanori-san is a friend of the family." Riku replied, and then quickly turned to Yukimura. "Anyway, this is quite a surprise; we weren't expecting you, Masanori-san. So what brings you here today?"
Greg could immediately sense there was something behind what Riku was saying, but decided not to say anything.
"Well, all I can say is that my friends and I are in your debts, you two. You came in the nick of time before that antique did us in." Greg simply said, as he then walked up the stairs. "Dammit, after a near death experience like that, I need a drink…it surely scared the hell out of me…"
"We were all scared, Greg." Riku said. "Nagi, Tot, Seraph and Amber are resting inside, but the experience really left them rattled. I don't think they would want to face Shade with a brave face ever again."
"That's for sure." Greg said, before he stopped again. "Riku, just to ask you this…why did you stick your neck out during that fight when you knew the dangers?"
"Hey, I wouldn't feel better about myself if I stood around and saw you take the beatings like that." Riku replied. "You looked as if you need the help anyways, so I had to take the shot."
"Heh, thanks much appreciated." Greg said, he continued inside the mansion. Riku lowered his gaze and remembered what he was told about Greg's powers when he decided to come to Rio and demand some answers from her.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Flashback: Twenty minutes prior Greg has awakened and Riku was in the WARRIOR transport van. Kurei, Lilica and Nanvel were administering to everyone's wounds.
"Rio, I know that this is hard for you, but I need to know what the hell is going on with Greg." Riku said seriously.
"Riku…I want to say it….but…it's just too much right now." Rio spoke as she treated Greg's nano arm with Aika's help, who was administering a new colony into it.
"First I've noticed Greg's been acting a little strange recently." Riku said. "For a while I assumed it was either from stress of what's been going on with the Patriots or he just wasn't feeling well. But that fight we had with Shade threw that idea out the window."
"It's not that we were surprised Shade was able to overpower Greg." Nagi spoke in. "Orochi or not, we know Shade is never one to be underestimated."
"Yeah, it was how Greg was throughout the battle..." Riku said. "He obviously wasn't his usual self. One look at him then would have told you something else was up besides Shade."
Rio's eyes started to water as she clenched her fists to tell Riku the truth with Greg's powers. "We think…Greg's losing control of his powers, they are starting to affect his mentality. We don't know why this is happening, maybe he has gone through enough stress to make it happen, but it's something else…"
"You're saying its possible Greg can…?" Riku muttered, as Aika spoke for him.
"Greg's changing to something he doesn't want to be and unless that process is stopped, he is lost." Aika answered, causing Riku and Nagi to hear this.
(It's a good thing Yuina isn't here to hear this. So Greg's power is affecting him in ways worse than anyone could have predicted.) Riku thought to himself. (And from what Rio and that Aika woman told us, if his power goes out of control...)
Riku's eyes then, almost involuntarily, strayed to a kunai shuriken he had hidden at his sleeve.
(If Greg's power goes out of control, and there is no way to save him...will one of us have to... In order to protect my friends and my clan, will I...can I...?) Riku then shut his eyes and shook his head violently as if to banish the thought that was about to form in his mind.
(What the hell am I thinking!) Riku thought, and then sighed. (This is just too much. I'll just get some rest and hopefully I can sort this out in the morning with everyone else.)
As he began making his way inside, he suddenly met the Three Nincompoops, all of them covered in bandages in various places.
"You guys look like you went through a nasty fight yourself." Riku spoke, noticing the bandages the three were wearing. "What the hell happened to you guys anyway?"
"Uh...we err...fell down the stairs, Riku-sama." Hanemaru answered quickly.
"The three of you...fell down the stairs...at the same time..." Riku sweat dropped as he could already find this hard to believe.
"Actually, that Aika woman did that to them, when they mistook her for an intruder and attacked her out of the blue." Mireille simply said, overhearing the conversation.
"She's right; we were there when it happened." Kirika said.
(This Aika character has mystery emanating around her, besides the fact she's both Greg and Kenshin's martial arts teacher, she knows more than us about this thing with Greg.) Riku thought to himself. (Oh, well…once everyone's settled down by the next morning, we should be fixing this mess once and for all.)
"Hey, did anyone tell Greg that he's got a waiting visitor in his room?" Mireille said, causing Riku, Rio, Yuina and everyone else to stop.
"A visitor?" Rio asked.
"Yeah, an attractive lady stopped by and said she would wait for Greg." Raiha spoke. "Had a sad look on her face, though…"
"Can it be…Linn?" Rio muttered.
"No, not her." Joker corrected her. "Her name is Michiko Tachibana and she has something important to show Greg. And she said its best not to interrupt as well."
"Hey, if you think Greg is going to cheat on his woman like that, don't even…" Before Rio can continue, Joker cut in once more.
"It's not about that, but something more grave and serious." He answered. "Something that can't be described with words alone…"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Greetings, Greg Kinezono. We finally meet." An attractive Japanese woman with long brown hair and a gentle tone of appearance, wearing a long brown trenchcoat over her casual outfit of a long dress. She was seated on his bed, watching its contents and the Ascension, which seemed to be emanating a weird energy.
"Oh, God…it seems you're already under the influence, aren't you?" she said, noticing his appearance. Greg simply tilted his head upwards and looked at her.
"Just what business do you have here, lady? No mean to be rude, but I'm not the 'sharing' kind." Greg simply said as he stepped into the bathroom, which Michiko stepped in front of him.
"Please hear me out, Kinezono…I really don't want to do this, but in order to help you, I have to show you something important." Michiko said, opening her hand. "If you really want to be saved from the nightmares about your gifts, you have to be able to confront yourself first. For the sake of those who care for you, please, Kinezono."
Greg felt that this woman wanted to help in some way, but she was a total stranger, how can he trust her like that.
"Well, I guess the only way for this to be over with is give it a go…" Greg complied as he touched her hand. All of a sudden, everything became a pitch black around them…
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Commander, it has begun. The psychic had gotten into contact with the target. Should we intercept?"
"No, this can prove an interesting challenge for the subject. Whether he is strong enough to endure and face himself is all that matters now."
"But in his current condition…"
"I have full confidence Greg will understand. This is all for a good reason. How much time has passed since the integration of the nanos began?"
"About 48 hours, 53 minutes seconds and 12 seconds ago."
"He has only 48 hours, huh?"
"Affirmative."
"Then prepare to intercept within the 24 hour limit, he may need the 'Recourse' then."
"Yes, Commander."
Time left for Greg Kinezono's existence: 48 hours, 53 minutes and 12 seconds….
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
ShardclawK: Damn, whatever this Michiko character has to show Greg isn't going to be a pretty picture, I can assure you. So brace yourselves for a chapter you think you have never seen before. More Flame of Recca characters, twists and turns, and the saddest plot you've seen. And it gets worst afterwards!
Ran: Damn, something tells me that the next SX chapters won't be average to tell, but why the '24' reference, Shardclaw?
ShardclawK: Hey, I can't help it if I have to draw reference from one of my favourite TV shows now. Just wanted to add to the tension, you know, and it came from reading a decent chapter of Capcom vs. SNK: Infiltration by the ever so great Lryix.
Ken: Anyway, that's one Easter Egg out of the way. Shardclaw wants to thank all who reviewed the bonus chapter, as more unique ones like those are on the way soon. Shardclaw also wants to thank DarkFusion for sending all the cool anime and manga titles and goodies up to this point, he's really enjoying them.
ShardclawK: Now if only there's a way to really enjoy Girls Bravo without the editing and censorship of the fan service, dammit! As of this moment, all forms of censorship will be destroyed!
Before I continue, the girls from the anime, Maburaho, entered, Yuna Miyama was wearing nothing but a pink, tight, frilly apron, and Kuriko Kazetsubaki was in slinky cosplay outfit with long garners for her high heels and Rin Kamishiro was in a short, hot pink yukata and lace, slip off thongs.
Yuna: Shardclaw-sama, we do hope you're ready for us until DarkFusion's shipments come to you. Tempest made sure to train us with elite training for special bedroom activities.
Kuriko: Not to mention, that we're quite hungry after all this time waiting.
ShardclawK: Aw, damn….look like I got my hands full, and it's not just being taken up playing too much God of War either. (To those who never played it yet, you're missing out on one of the most beautifully, gory games for the PS2!) I'll be seeing you boys around.
Ran: Let's hope things stay light like that when the next chapter comes out, soon I hope. See you all then and please review.
Collis aka ShardclawKusanagi.