Disclaimer: Lalala…the smurfs are coming to take me off to Neverland…

Transformation

Chapter 11

(A.N.) Thanks for the reviews and compliments. You all rock! So, you all get cyberbrownies! Very filling!

Mimori's P.O.V…

The dying light cast harsh shadows over the Lost Ground, pockmarks deep in the soil and rock. The white and stainless steel of humanity was so out of place in this rugged and strangely beautiful place. HOLY trucks and personnel were everywhere. The cover of night would not be an advantage. The large luminescent lights that had been set up lit the entire area in stark relief.

Ryuhou's hand was warm and strong in mine, and he asked, "Are you ready?"

I looked at him, trying my best to smile. "Born ready." He squeezed my hand in reply.

Pulling out my cell phone, I speed-dialed Aunt Naria. She picked up on the first ring. "Mimori?"

"We're ready to go. Are you guys set?"

I heard her take a deep breath. "Yes."

"Then let's get going. Good luck."

"Mimori…" Ria trailed off, then continued, "Be careful."

"I will. Love you."

"Love you too, Mori. Kick some ass over there." Her voice sounded forced, the humor an attempted comfort.

"You too."

We hung up, and I said to Ryuhou. "Let's get this show on the road. We've got ass to kick and names to take."

A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, even through all his seriousness. I congratulated myself with that tiny victory. And I hoped that a bigger victory was on its way. I looked back down at the station from our position on one of the surrounding plateaus, watching HOLY officers patrol alertly around the perimeter.

"Move out," Ryuhou told me. "You know what to do." Then he was gone, and suddenly Alter light blazed from the ground below. Shouts echoed from the station guards, and more green lights retaliated.

I followed Ryuhou to the battlefield.

Things were already diminishing into chaos. People ran left and right, all trying to engage Ryuhou. There were so many… Kneeling, I placed one hand on the ground and concentrated. The newly familiar blue swirls on my arm glowed, and ice spread outward. The HOLY soldiers slid and stumbled, their footing shot to hell. Shouts from behind me caught my attention, and I turned to find that I was now prime target number two.

"Shit," I muttered, running for the platform. Guards poured into my path, like sand filling a hole freshly dug. Frantically attempting a change of course, I found myself grabbed from behind. Yelping, I kicked back. I hit my mark and rolled as the man dropped me. Another officer lunged, and I re-directed him into the ground.

More and more came at me, and I was able to take each one of them down. My training had paid off in the end. But there were so many, more than we had estimated. Searching for Ryuhou with my eyes, I spotted him surrounded by Alter users. Ryuhou was powerful, but even Zetsui isn't fast enough to keep up with the insane number of soldiers he was fighting.

"RYUHOU TAIREN!" a booming voice called.

Everything seemed to stop as everyone looked up at Zigmar. The HOLY commander stood, regal as a king, on the platform. Zigmar jumped from his perch and landed as gracefully as a cat in the midst of Ryuhou's fight. Words were exchanged between the two men, but I couldn't hear them. I was too far away.

I knew things were going to get ugly, but things went to hell in a fast car and showed no signs of slowing down. Ryuhou and Zigmar had engaged in an all out war, with Zigmar having a hundred other Alter users at his back. I was swarmed with still more combatants, and couldn't get near the bomb. Things were bad, very bad.

One of the Alter users caught me in the head with his Alter, a giant snake. Landing on my back, the world spun above me. I pushed myself to my feet, and felt my stomach roll. I have a concussion. Blurred motion in the corner of my vision sent me into an automatic block. A thick coil struck me, and I staggered. The man waved his Alter on in encouragement, eyes filled with battle lust.

I flung out my hand, icing the damn snake. Another officer attacked from my right, and two more were making their way towards me.

"You must be willing to destroy."

The words hit me like a steam engine. The Cave's voice ricocheted inside my skull, almost painfully.

"You said you were willing."

And I still am.

A deep coldness spread through my body, frost crystallizing my hair and clothes. A sharp stake of ice materialized in my hand, and I slashed the closest HOLY bastard across the throat. Blood spurted, spattering my face, as he fell. I was on the next one before my first kill had hit the ground.

Nothing mattered besides killing them, besides destroying them. The Cave's voice whispered in my head without emotion, but it reminded me that this was necessity. They were going to kill or imprison those who had done nothing wrong. I wouldn't let them do that, couldn't let them.

A resounding crash caught my attention, and I spun in time to see Ryuhou fly into the cliff wall. Rock sprayed everywhere as he made contact, and then he fell to the earth.

He didn't get up.

Time literally slowed for me, my mind not believing what I was seeing. He wasn't getting up. I took a step in his direction.

"Hold it, Miss Kiryu," a young voice ordered.

I stepped forward again.

A small hand grabbed my shoulder and then Sheris was in front of me. She was between me and Ryuhou. She was stopping me. Why was she stopping me?

"Get out of my way, Sheris," I whispered, pushing her hard.

"I won't let you sabotage HOLY!" the blue-haired girl yelled.

"But you'll let Zigmar sabotage Ryuhou?" I screamed, slashing at her.

"I'm doing this for Ryuhou! He will understand once I tell him!" she screeched angrily. She kicked at my face, and my head snapped sideways. Tasting blood in my mouth, I turned back to her slowly.

"Destroy to protect. Destroy it all."

"Yes."

I stabbed her clean through her sternum.

(A.N.) I know, it's short...again. But this was my spout of inpiratioin tonight. I'm happy that I even got to update, so I can live with it. I'll try to type up a lengthier chapter next time! I promise I'll try! So now, all who are reading will also REVIEW, right? Because we all want Dagger to be HAPPY, don't we? (pulls out gun) Don't we? (evil laugh)