Author's note: I don't own DP. Anyone you've never heard of anywhere else though, is all mine.
Thanks to the sleep warrior, darkflame1516, enigmatic penguin and Moss Royal for your lavish reviews.
After this chapter, there should be two more, and an epilogue, and I ask you now, DON'T FORGET THE EPILOGUE!
Chapter 17 (Phase Five: Their Rallying Call)
"You know, when I felt that burst of energy, I didn't realize I'd grown an extra appendage," Tir said as he swept the four feet long lash of a tail that had grown from his behind. It was as big around as my leg at its base, and, as we'd found out, it could very easily crush, and even puncture, steel an inch thick. And it wasn't just strong either, it was very prehensile. It could pick up a piece of paper as easily as a finger and thumb.
"Kind of like a combination between an extra arm and leg, right?" I asked, sitting on a bench by the stairs. Umbrus was asleep beside me, snoring lightly and curled up into a ball.
"Right," he answered, "Though that isn't the main reason I called you all here."
"It's about Kara, isn't it?" Tai asked. Tir froze right where he was. I'd known my little brother his whole life, perhaps longer than he'd known himself, and in those near fifteen years I'd never seen anything affect him like that. I thought dad's death had shaken him. I had an idea of his pain, but I could barely imagine how deeply Kara's betrayal had cut him.
As quickly as he'd frozen up he was speaking again, "Yes. I don't think we need to worry about any more spies, so much as the oncoming storm." We just stared at him in silence as he said, "I've asked Col. Suzuki to be expecting us later. I'll tell you all about it then."
OOOOO
"Okay Yurei," Suzuki said as we sat down at the conference table, "What's this all about?" It might just have been me, but the Colonel seemed much more exercised and relaxed than the last time we'd seen him.
Tir was quiet for a few moments before he said, "It's coming, sir."
What was left of the Colonel's relaxed ambience vanished immediately. "What's coming?" Snow asked. I thought she had at least a vague idea of what Tir was talking about.
"Within weeks, perhaps even days, we'll all be engaged in an interdimensional war," Tir said bluntly. Every pair of eyes in that room widened. "In the brief time yesterday that I was made prisoner I learned of our enemy's movements. As much of the Ghost Zone as he holds sway over is flooded with his minions. For all I know they may already be mobilizing."
"So he means to enslave humanity?" Suzuki asked. If he hadn't learned to trust Tir's every word he would've been skeptical of such an idea.
"Not just humanity," Tir answered, "the planet itself. And we've got to make sure he fails at all costs. He'll attack us here first."
"But why us?" Yashimi, who'd been silent up until that point, asked, "Why not attack a more vulnerable part of the planet?"
"Sassamashin will hit us first for several reasons," Tir answered, "One. I believe that the Ghost Zone is divided into continents, regions, you get the idea, much like our side of the portal. I have a feeling that the ghost portal that made me this way isn't the only one of its kind. When Sassamashin takes control of the area between here and the next ghost portal, he'll use that portal to invade that region of the Ghost Zone, and the pattern is going to keep on going like that until both worlds are under his control."
"Two. This area has by far the largest quantity, as well as the most advanced, ghost-fighting equipment this side of the portal. He'll want his minions to be fresh and topped off at full strength to fight us. If he conquers us, both worlds are doomed."
"And three. He's had his men trying to hunt me town and gut me like a fish for months. It would make sense to him that my end should usher in the world's end. Is that good enough reasoning?"
Everyone nodded their assent, albeit they were a bit surprised by Tir's vivid, if not prudent, assessment of the situation. "We still have to run a few hurdles before we're ready though. Colonel," his gaze met Tir's as Tir asked, "How many spare ghost suits do you have in stock?"
"Five hundred sixty-seven," Hanlin answered for him, "We just don't have the number of spare people to fly them."
"I have a plan to remedy that, though you aren't going to like it at all," he warned, "It'll be risky, and I'll be putting myself at risk in order to pull it off, but it might help." He explained his plan. He was right. We didn't like it.
"I'VE FOUGHT TO PROTECT THESE PEOPLE FOR FORTY-FOUR YEARS OF MY LIFE," Colonel Suzuki roared, "AND I AM NOT GOING TO HAVE THEM SEND THEMSELVES TO THEIR DEATHS, ESPECIALLY NOT UNDER MY COMMAND!"
In the brief time I'd known the Colonel he'd proven to be a very commanding, if temperamental, person, and I'd never seen him that angry. Even Yashimi was shaken. After he got his yelling over and done with, everything was silent for a minute or two.
I think we were all surprised when Tir said, "So you'd have them hide, cowering like terrified mice until they're either killed or enslaved, when there's a slim chance, but a chance none the less, that they could've prevented it?" Suzuki was staring in awed silence as Tir continued, "I've read up on my history, Colonel. The Japanese, when roused, can be among the fiercest fighters the world's ever seen. I once heard of a band of samurai, led by none other than Hitori himself, that numbered only seven hundred in all. But they fought invaders that outnumbered them at least twenty to one, and they defeated them. Partly in credit to Hitori's cleverness, but also because his warriors had the strength and will in each of them to fight any foe. They settled here, Suzuki. That same blood flows in the veins of these people. Believe me I've seen it show more than once." He glanced over at Tai as he said that, and if Tai hadn't had his helmet on I know he would've been blushing.
"I ask only that we meet with the people of this town, tell them what must be done, and let them decide. It's there choice, but I have faith in them. It can't be that hard to find six hundred willing warriors in a town of ten thousand."
"I'm sorry it has to come to this sir, but we have little choice," Tir finished, "Whether we go through with this, however, is your decision."
Suzuki was silent for a long time. He wound one hand over the other and held them under his chin, a totally blank expression on his face.
"Alright," he said after an eternity, "So long as the people are willing, we might as well let them come."
"Thank you sir," Tir said gratefully. Turning to Tai and Umbrus he said, "We'll need a distraction so the military jerks don't rain on our parade. That's your job. It's a Sunday, so there should only be two dispatch teams in town. I'm sure you can handle them." Turning to Suzuki he said, "I'll contact you immediately after the meeting to start setting up defenses against our foes."
As Suzuki nodded his assent Tir turned to me and said, "To you I give perhaps the most important task of all." I stared at him as he said, "You'll be with me. If things go wrong I'll need a strong right hand to back me up. Are you alright with that?"
Almost without thinking I said, "Of course."
"Good," Tir almost smiled, "Then let's begin "Operation WarCall."
OOOOO
"Hey Frank, what's that on radar?" one of the military asked, pointing to a yellow-green blip on the radar screen in their jeep.
"Not a clue, but we'd best check it out, Taul," his partner asked, turning the ignition. "No need, there it is!" They both looked up as a white shape shot past overhead.
"It's that Yurei Ninja! Let's go!"
OOOOO
Good thing Hanlin let me borrow this white ghost suit, Tai thought as he shrieked through the air, weaving a few circles in the sky and waiting for the military jeep to catch up.
OOOOO
"We've gotta nab that pooch and get a tracking device on him, Maurice!"
"I know, Julien, I know, now give me the darn sniper so we can hit him with a tracking device!"
OOOOO
"They're outside city limits, Tir," Tai buzzed in, "Phase two can begin at any time."
"Excellent," Tir said as he strapped the electrodes to his temples, then attached the other ends to the base of the dish's broadcasting system.
"All channels interrupted," Mom called from the back, watching the results on the TV screen, "It's amazing the satellite jamming equipment these people have."
"That said," I cut in, "Let's get their attention."
OOOOO
It was a Sunday afternoon, and Mr. Katsu Hashimi was watching TV in his home.
I can't wait until tomorrow, he thought to himself, not only is it Christmas, but it means a whole two weeks more of studentless slacking off.
He was interrupted from his reverie as his TV's screen went static. He wondered at this for a second before a voice blared into his head, PEOPLE OF HITORI, JAPAN. THE WORLD IS ON THE VERGE OF PERHAPS THE GREATEST EVENT IN HISTORY. COME TO THE RESTORED HALL AND I SHALL TELL YOU MORE. LET NO ONE IN YOUR FAMILY UNDER THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN ATTEND.
Mr. Hashimi, almost never one to disobey an order, rose from his seat and thought to himself,
Well, if this is some sort of prank, then at least it'll happen to everyone. That or no one will see me make a fool of myself.
OOOOO
"So?" I asked as Tir disconnected the electrodes from his head.
"Go see if Tai and Umbrus have still go those twits distracted," he wheezed. I could tell from his tone that it had worked, although he had exerted himself to do so.
OOOOO
The hall was packed, no doubt about it. Everyone in Hitori eighteen and older had decided to attend. Tir really had gotten their attention.
"Well, Shiro," Tir called me by my super hero identity as he rose from his seat behind the curtain, "It's time to spill the beans."
"After you, Yurei," I said, lifting one side of the curtain for him. He nodded in my direction and stepped out, myself following.
"Hey look, it's Yurei Ninja and Shiro Girl!" someone called from the back. At first I couldn't tell whether the person's tone was good or bad, as the military had gone to extreme length to blacken our image as well as Suzuki's.
I was shaken from that doubt as an enormous blast of cheers erupted from our audience. Tir, always the calm one (actually, that was one of the few times he actually was calm in his entire life), simply acknowledged their cheering with a respectful nod and stepped up to the podium and waited until the cheering had ceased.
Finally he called out, "I thank you all for coming this afternoon. However, your enthusiastic cheering isn't really appropriate for the occasion." Whatever chatter there was in the background was silenced as he called out to the masses, "The destiny of our entire world is balanced upon the edge of a knife. An ancient evil is rising. And our town is the first target of its evil."
There was silence as he said, "At this minute my allies are preparing for battle. I don't doubt that they'll fight until the bitter end to protect you, your homes, and your beliefs, but they have supplies extra for close to another six hundred able bodies. They need your help."
Everyone was silent for a moment, until someone said, "Why don't we just leave? Then no one will have to worry about our town."
"My family has lived here for over three hundred years," a woman's voice piped up, "And I don't intend to be part of the generation that abandons it!" Those two comments sparked a full-throated argument. Some people wanted to stay and protect their homes. However, most of those were barely eighteen, and their parents wouldn't have them sacrificing themselves at such a young age.
Most wanted to leave, not realizing that Sassamashin's evil would find them, no matter where they went. Tir wasn't looking too hot either.
His message earlier must have greatly drained him, because he was swaying on his feet. His words from earlier came to me at that moment. I can't do this alone, Veronica. I need a strong right hand to back me up if things go wrong, and no one I can think of has supported me with more loyalty than you. I stood up out of my seat and walked up to Tir and grasped him lightly by the shoulder.
"Let your strong right hand go to work, brother." I could see the intense appreciation on his face as he nodded and sat down. Rising to the stand I adjusted the microphone to my height.
I cleared my throat, took hold of the podium in both hands, then roared at the top of my lungs, "QUIET!" The combination of my intense volume magnified a hundred fold, as well as the huge reverb from the microphone itself, got everyone's attention. People an inch away from blows turned their heads and stared.
"Listen to you!" I shouted after the reverb had died out, "The world is on the brink of destruction, and you're all arguing amongst yourselves. I can understand why you're all afraid. I'm afraid of what's yet to come, but am I turning and running, leaving those brave enough to stand and fight to their fate! No!"
"Look around you! Hundreds of years ago these very walls were raised by the band of seven hundred warriors that defeated over ten thousand in the Battle of the End! Those warriors gave their lives to protect their homes, their loved ones, and their world! Their blood flows still! Even over five hundred years later you still carry the spirits of warriors in your past!"
I surprised myself with the authority in my voice as I shouted, "No one holds it against you if you wish to protect your family elsewhere, but, as self-righteous as this sounds, we are your best hope for survival. Help us, and the world may yet see another sunrise over its wondrous lands. What say you, the people!"
There was a moment's silence, then a wave of cheers that set the last one to shame blasted our ears.
As the noise died down I called, "Any able-bodied persons willing to help fight, show up on the northeast side of town tomorrow night. Doctors, find as many assistants as you possibly can and join them. I don't doubt that we'll need you."
OOOOO
Tir was still sitting at the back of the stage. He was breathing heavily, and sweat was running off his hands. Everyone else was gone, so they couldn't see his exhaustion.
Between breaths he rasped, "Thanks, Ronnie. I don't think I could've handled that crowd by myself. Thanks for coming."
"You asked," I replied, "So, now what? We wait to see how many people come and do what we can to help prepare?"
"I've still got one last thing to do," he answered, "And I'll need to call up an old friend so I can get it done."
OOOOO
It was a cool night in the mountains. The stars were out, and the wind sang its lonely song as it weaved in between the massive peaks. The great ghost sat on a hilltop from afar, watching over his new home. Suddenly, something caught his attention.
A short note, shrill and quiet, as if sounded from afar, echoed down the mountainside. It was followed immediately by a longer, lower note. He wondered at its meaning for a moment, until it came again, louder, as if beckoning him.
"It cannot be," he whispered. As he rose to his hoofed feet it dawned on him, "He needs me! He wouldn't have summoned me otherwise!"
OOOOO
"Well, that should get his attention," Tir grinned dryly as he lowered the whistle from his lips. We stood in the clearing, under a starlit night sky.
"I still don't get it, Tir," I asked, confused, "What's the whistle for? Who's coming?"
"You'll be finding out in about three... two... one!" he answered just as a large dark shape landed heavily behind him. Turning around he extended his hand and said happily, "Arrean the boar beast! It's been a while! You haven't changed a bit!"
I was mildly (and when I say mildly I mean shocked) surprised as the huge boar-headed ghost grabbed Tir's hand in a huge gnarled fist and shook it vigorously and replied, "Yurei Ninja! I'd say you haven't changed either, but it would be a blatant lie!"
"Correct, of course," Tir admitted as he held the end of his tail in his free talons, "But I didn't invite you here to tell you about this. Oh, by the way, this is Shiro, my partner in arms."
"Charmed," Arrean bowed with more politeness than his looks would imply, "I thought as much. You wouldn't have summoned me otherwise."
"Naturally," Tir replied, relieved that Arrean had finally released his hand, "I have a task for you."
"What do you wish of me?" Arrean asked, his arms crossed over his huge chest.
"I need you to deliver a message or ten..."
OOOOO
"I hope the old place hasn't changed too much," Arrean said as he vanished from our dimension.
OOOOO
One day later...
"So, who called us all here?" a beautiful woman with green skin, long black hair and red eyes asked, "Was it you, bug boy?"
An enormous blue serpent with huge mandibles and red-tinted compound eyes replied, "No. Nor was it the two cats, the samurai, or the weird little grey thing with the eels."
"I have a name!" the little grey ghost piped up. Speaking a bit more calmly he added, "Also it wasn't the guy in the cloak, or the bird."
"Nor was it I," A large ghost in thick silver armor growled, "Now what is our host doing keeping us waiting for?"
"He is no longer," A slim figure stepped out of the shadows, as if he had just appeared there. Despite his physical mutations, it took the assembled ghosts no more than a second to identify their arch foe.
"YOU!" they roared, immediately ready to throttle him into the ground.
"Go ahead, kill me," he said calmly, holding his arms wide, "Kill me and you'll never get your lairs back." Immediately their anger subsided, replaced by mild surprise. They didn't have any idea how he could've known they were all of a more nomadic nature at the moment.
"You're all aware of the threat of Sassamashin, I presume?" he paused as they all nodded. "He's seized your lairs and booted you out into the barren wastes of the Ghost Zone. Naturally you all want revenge." Again he was answered by the nods that went all the way around the table in the middle of the room. "I can help you, but you must be willing to work a little."
They were silent as he continued, "As few of you know my home has been under siege by Sassamashin's minions for some time. He'll be launching his legions upon us in weeks, perhaps days. At the moment, we've got only a couple thousand people defending that town, armed with ghost-fighting equipment. I don't doubt that they'll make as much a fight of it as they can, but they'll be over whelmed in under a day."
"The first thing I need to know: does anyone have an accurate count of Sassamashin's forces?"
The room was silent for a moment before the ghost in silver armor answered, "Sassamashin offered me a place in his army, in exchange that he release me from my prison, no more than a week or two ago. He told me that within two weeks he'd have well over fifteen thousand at his back, and he'd launch an assault on the mortal world. I could have any hundred square miles I wanted, so long as I defeated ten times as many humans in my time of service."
"Kitaiyou, it's been a while," Yurei nodded his head, "You've changed your appearance. Looks more fourteenth-century European than the last one."
"I have taste in armor," he replied curtly, "However, you still haven't told us your plan so worthy of our attention."
Fifteen thousand, Yurei thought to himself, Well, at least the odds are about the same.
"Before I tell you, how about you all introduce yourselves? I'm sure you've all heard of me." They growled in response. He nodded at the ghost sitting on his right side, and he began to speak.
"I am Tarra, tiger of darkness, and my sister is Tanna, tigress of light," the great cat nodded to the elegant feline beside him.
"I'm Typhonus, Serpent of the Ancient Seas," the huge beast rasped through his slimy jaws.
"I'm Meiyorn, hunter of a thousand ghosts," he rose, hood up over his warped eye, "And Aile Garde is my friend and ally."
"Hey, Dynastina, Sorceress of the Unholy Flame, yaddayaddayadda," she said nonchalantly, as tongues of flame burned away what little grime existed beneath her nails.
"Black Fist, Lord of all Technologies, both evil and beneign," he rose as he formed a cup holder from one hand.
"Kitayou," he said as he placed his cup in Black Fist's "hand", "Greatest warrior of all ancient Japan."
"And I am Eunagi Yurei!" the stubby grey ghost made an eel appear from thin air and slapped it against the far wall, an inch from striking Dynastina's head, "Master of all things slimy, legless and gross!"
"Hey!" Typhonus grated threateningly as everyone else stared skeptically at Eunagi Yurei.
"And these four," Yurei said as he opened a door behind him, "Are my closest partners," indicating Shiro and Haiiro-kun, Umbrus, and Arrean. "If they give you an order, follow it," he said sternly, "And remember that I'm only wiping Sassamashin out for my own means. You can all just as easily be removed from the battlefield. With a thousand trained soldiers nearby it wouldn't be that hard."
"Relax, this is just a temporary alliance," he added, seeing the highly displeased looks they were giving him, "You can go on hating and hunting me, but after this battle's over."
"Who's in?" At first they were all silent. Then Kitaiyou slowly raised his hand. Without a word Shiro handed Yurei a scroll, who then presented it to Kitaiyou. "Sign it."
Kitaiyou stared at the parchment for a few seconds, studying it, then wrote his name in red. After a second Dynastina raised her hand, and without even looking zapped her name onto the parchment with one finger.
Within a few moments nine names were signed on the script, and it was passed back to Yurei, who tied it with a white scripted ribbon, then sealed it with a stamp similar to a gargoyle's head.
"It is done. Very well then. I've requested that quarters be prepared for you, each with a motif to suit its owner. You'll remain there until you are called into action. Understood?"
They all nodded as a door in the wall opened for each of them. As they left Yurei called after them, "I'll brief you more thoroughly on my plan tomorrow. Until then, prepare yourselves, and try as much as you can to relax beforehand."
As the doors shut behind each of them, Yurei sighed, "I hope I'm doing the right thing."
XXXXX
And so yet another chapter ends. And finally, after so long a wait, the board is set for the greatest battle of our time. Soon the game shall begin! Shall earth be among the defiant, or the damned? The final phase begins in Chapter 18!