Disclaimer: I own a lot of things. But not any of the animes or their associated characters etc.

Ceestar: OK…so this isn't exactly soon. But the next chapter is finally up.

NOTE: Language will be slightly stronger in this chapter. There won't be any strong swearing, but there will a cursing, and a bit of cursing. No F's.

Chapter 9: The beginning of the end…

"Welcome to my world..." A deep voice replied.

- : MY POV : - (as always)

We all froze and broke into a battle stance. Yuki brought out her guns, Tiffany grabbed an arrow and I unsheathed my sword (I know I got a sword out of no where). There was no mistake in telling whose voice that was.

"Black Ghost!" Albert yelled.

Yuki and Tiffany turned around in shock, were they really facing Black Ghost now?

"What do you want with us!" Jet called out as well.

"I told you, I want to finish my little X" The voice echoed.

We would've tried to pin point his location by the direction his voice was coming from, but it seemed to be echoing throughout the entire space. Everything was black so we could not tell where we were, whether in a tight room, or endless space. It was impossible to tell.

I growled as my blood boiled. "If you want me, take me! Leave my friends out of this!"

"Don't try to be a hero Jade! You know you can't deal with him on your own!" Albert said.

I tried harder to find Black Ghost, but nothing. I couldn't see anything except the others and pure black. I walked a few steps, my sword grasped tightly in hand. Each step echoed and hit our ears hard.

"Don't be a coward, come out!" I yelled.

The dark voice laughed and laughed, mocking us. "Why would I need to do that? I much rather watch from here the action."

"What do you really want Black Ghost?" I called, repeating Jet's words.

"To finish you X-"

"Cut the crap! What do you really want!" I cried again.

All the others stared at me, knowing I was angry. I would never use any word but 'crud' if I wanted to curse.

"Tsk tsk X. You're better than that. But if you really want to know, I would be more than happy to tell you my intentions.

We all know you are the one project I never finished. Your brother and all his little friends may have been prototypes, but they were finished prototypes. You however my dear, were never finished. We had given up on you, and you would've been thrown out with the trash if the others hadn't come.

I have been pondering for a very long time and I have come to the conclusion that I just don't want to leave a piece of my work unfinished. I know that it will be easy, because you will not have a choice. Technology has come such a long way wouldn't you say? There is so much I could do now.

We never removed your humanity, or your memories, even though we were close to doing so with 009. That will be the final step of course. I want you to, even for a short time; feel the power we will be giving you. Then all humanity will be taken out, every last memory and feeling.

You won't believe the technology we have bought. It is all of course the most advanced money can by, or evil can steal at least. You will be able to unleash such destruction to the world. It will be magnificent."

"SHUT UP!" I screamed, tears pouring out my eyes. "I don't want to hear it! I'm not a weapon!"

Black Ghost laughed. "Yes you are. Your eyes cause explosions, and your palms could choke anyone to death in seconds. Once we make a few adjustments and insert some upgrades, you will be the perfect killing machine."

"I'm not a machine!" I cried, falling to my knees and dropping my sword. "I'm not a machine! I'm a teenage girl! I'm not in this world to kill!"

"Don't fool yourself X, the only reason you are still in this world is to wreak havoc upon it."

"NO!" I cried even louder.

Albert and Jet ran up to me and I could feel Albert holding me.

"Hey, it's ok." He whispered.

I cried into his chest and he wrapped his arms around me. Jet's hand landed on my shoulder as he knelt by me as well. His grip slowly tightened, and I knew he was angry, but I didn't want Jet to fight. I didn't want anyone to fight. Was that really all we were there for? Fighting and killing?

"What's wrong? The truth hurts?"

"Leave her alone!" Jet yelled suddenly. He stood up and pulled out his gun, but I grabbed his shirt before he could go anywhere.

"No Jet," I whimpered. "I don't want you to fight."

"It's alright Jade; I'm going to take Black Ghost down once and for all." He said in a comforting tone, even though there was still a lot of anger in his eyes.

"No! I don't want to fight! It's too much!"

"Jade," Albert said softly, holding me closer. "I'm here to protect you and so is Jet."

"Protect what? A weapon?"

Albert snarled and ran his hand through my hair, it felt really nice, but Black Ghost's laugh kept ringing through my mind. And that one word; weapon.

"I do have things to do, and as much as I love watching you suffer, I have a weapon to build, and a world to take over."

Suddenly, all the darkness seemed to move. Looking at it made me dizzy and slightly sick. Red swirls had appeared in the ground and they were now moving like a trickle of paint in moving water. The contrast of the bright red against the black made me think of blood somehow, and the swirling motions revolted me. The others were probably thinking similar things because they all had rather disgusted looks on their faces. I stood up, but Albert still held my shoulders.

Black Ghost let out a deep, maniacal laugh. It felt like the laugh was shaking the very air itself.

"I'm not a weapon. But if you want me to kill, I will." I snarled in a cold voice.

I pushed away from Albert and picked up my sword. I still didn't know where Black Ghost was, but I felt that it didn't matter which direction I went, no matter what, he would be right there. Following me.

"Jade, you can't do this alone." Albert said.

"I know. But if everyone believes…" I stopped and smirked. Yuki and Tiffany smirked as well.

"That's so corny." Yuki said.

"Worse that usual." Tiffish agreed.

"Oh hush!" I said, sticking my tongue at them.

The laugh came again and we all became serious in a split second. Nothing had happened, but we all knew this was no time for fun and games.

We all stood guard, watching the red swirls in the ground. They were slow and calm, just moving around as if they had no purpose.

That's how I felt now. Like I had no purpose in the world, no reason at all for me to still be here. Was I really in this world to merely be a weapon and cause destruction and pain? The same pain that Black Ghost had been causing me over the last couple of days. I remembered what I felt when I thought everything was lost to me. When I saw Rokusho's body, smashed to nothing but debris, I was so scared. It was like nothing else mattered, all I knew was that I was alone, and all I cared about was gone. I hated that feeling, and I wasn't going to have others feel the same because of me.

We were all staring in different directions, but yet still looking at the exact same thing.

No one knows how much time passed before anything were to happen. I often felt impatient, but I knew better than to let my guard down. Everyone else did begin to get annoyed that nothing was happening. Black Ghost was made it clear he was going to attack, and were expecting something big. Yet still nothing had happened. I'm sure at least a good ten minutes had gone by (it's a lot longer than it sounds).

Without warning, the swirls became rapid. They began moving a lot faster and we all went to maximum guard right away. Every now and then, it looked like the swirls were jumping up at us, as if trying to break out of the ground. We all grew apart one way or another, standing further away. It may have been the ground moving, or just us examining our circumstances. Whichever, that was our downfall.

The red swirls began slowly wrapping their way around Tiffany's leg. It moved with great stealth and made no sound, we didn't even notice. It was almost like a shadow climbing up her leg. Not until she tried to move did anyone take notice.

"Hey!" She cried. "I'm stuck!"

I watched Yuki point at it and want to fire, but she knew she may as well blow Tiffany's legs clean off like that. We all wanted to help, but that wouldn't do, there was no way to get the red swirls off. Jet and Albert were trying to get a grip on them, but just like a shadow, we couldn't touch them without just holding onto Tiffany's leg.

I began running over to see if I could help, but found my right leg wouldn't follow. I looked back in horror to see that a thick swirl had begun its way up my own leg. Looking forward, I saw the swirls approaching the others.

"Watch it! Those swirls will come after you too! You have to stay off the ground." I called.

The remaining three looked at the ground and acted in haste. Albert threw Yuki on his back and Jet lifted the two off the ground. I was relieved that they were now out of harm's way, so there was only one other problem. Tiffany continued to struggle against her swirl, while I tried to break free of mine. That didn't work. The swirl was now up to Tiffany's waist and rising quickly.

I looked up and Jet and something snapped. I mentally slapped myself for not thinking of this earlier.

I activated the booster in my left leg and put it on full throttle. But no matter how much speed I would be gaining, or how much fuel I was burning, my right leg would not leave the ground. I kept on trying when I looked up.

A red swirl had come out of the ceiling surface (or whatever was above us) and turned its end to a sharp point. It flew down like lightning, and before anyone could give the others warning, or before they could notice it themselves, the red lightning bolt stuck. My eyes went small at the image in front of me.

I heard Yuki scream, Jet curse and Albert call out in pain.

The strike had pierced right through his right leg and thrown him to the ground. Jet managed to grab Yuki before she also went tumbling to the ground. I saw that both Jet and Yuki got a small splatter of the blood that came from Albert's leg. I looked down in horror to see Albert clutching his leg, hands already now drenched in blood.

"ALBERT!" I screamed. I wanted to help him, I needed to help him. I struggled again, hopping every now and then. I couldn't let my left leg touch the ground as well and all my fuel had been used up.

Tiffany was neck high in the swirls, she seemed frozen in fear, but then I found out that she wasn't. The swirls had begun twining themselves on my right arm, and the further it went, the less of my arm I could move. The look of fear in my friend's eyes, the amount of pain Albert had to be going through. I again tried to jump over to him, but fell flat on the ground. I cried out in pure rage and my eyes flashed red. The red swirls somewhat reacted and began entwining faster, Tiffany was completely taken and there was nothing I could do. Jet was running out of fuel, I could see it. Albert was slowly being captured as well. The swirls were moving faster and spreading all over my body now that I was fully on the ground.

The next thing I knew, I was…sinking! What in the world was going on!

The swirls, they were pulling me in. I know Jet noticed because I faintly heard him call out to be and rush down. The last thing I heard was Albert's voice before for the third time, being engulfed in darkness.

"Jade!"

Ceestar: Sorry for the long wait minna-san! Gomen, gomen! Also, sorry this is shorter, I wanted to end it there. Action will be soon.