Epic Battle

Chapter 2: Mysterious Prince Charming

Ichigo found that Kish had teleported her to the top of a large stone structure. "This is where we first met," Kish said, still holding her. Ichigo broke free and jumped down. Kish leaped down after her. "Ichigo, you're not getting away from me. Ichigo unwillingly yawned. Darn it, time for my nap, she thought. She began to sprint down the village. Kish stormed after her. Ichigo's limbs began to feel heavy and she lost her transformation. Kish smiled. Ichigo turned into an alley and sprint down it, but found herself at a dead end. Kish cornered her there and said, "You're powerless in this form, Koneko-chan." Ichigo felt herself yawn again. She stretched out her limbs, as dead as they were. Kish's golden eyes glowed eerily and a green orb appeared in his hands. "Thorn Prison!" He shouted. thorny vines shot up from the ground and curled around Ichigo's wrists and ankles. Other vines curled up around her body, making movement impossible without great pain. Ichigo's eyes drooped as Kish took off and the vines brought her after him. She fell asleep from exhaustion and sleepiness before they had reached their destination.

Kish brought her back to the large stone structure turned to face her. "Now, Ichigo, I want you to marry -- hey! Why are you sleeping?" He shouted. He floated up to her and kissed her. Ichigo didn't move a muscle. "Ichigo, wake up," Kish said. "Ichigo! Ichigo! Wake up, Ichigo!" Kish shouted, shaking her shoulders. Ichigo moaned and turned her head to the other side. Kish glared at her and released her from the vines, so that she dropped to the ground. Ichigo rubbed her head. "Oh, come on, Ryou! I know I was sleeping, but you didn't have to pull me outta bed!" Ichigo yelled, rubbing her head. Then she opened her eyes and saw Kish. "You sleep in the same bed as Ryou?" Kish shouted angrily. "No, what made you think that?" Ichigo defended herself. "I just sleep in the same room!" Ichigo explained. Kish shrugged. "It doesn't matter because you are going to marry me," Kish said. "What?" Ichigo shouted, scandalized at the thought. Kish pounced on her and said, "I love you, Koneko-chan, and I want you to be mine." Ichigo glared. "Why are you telling me this now?" She asked. "Because I have come up with a fool proof plan to destroythe humans," Kish answered and looked at Ichigo. He walked up to her and she turned away. He placed his hand beneath her chin and pulled her up to look at him. "But don't worry, Koneko-chan, I'll save you from it," he answered and kissed her. Ichigo slapped him and backed away. "I can never love you , and Iwill certainlynever marry you," She said determinedly.Kish summoned his dragon swords. He held them across her neck. "Marry me, or I'll kill you," he threatened. Ichigo's eyes narrowed. "I said no." "Koneko-chan, please," Kish begged. Ichigo shook her head. Kish's eyes narrowed, "Then DIE!" He raised one of his swords and brought it down.

Ichigo braced for the pain, but none came. She opened her eyes and found herself looking at a double edged longsword. It threw Ichigo's death back and Kish got off of Ichigo. The magenta haired girl stood and looked up at her savior. He was a tall alien with long blonde hair, like the sun. He had crystal blue eyes, clear as the sky. He was taller than Ichigo and wore a cerulean blue yukata (it's a robe much like a kimono, only made for guys)and black boots. He pushed Ichigo behind him and glared at Kish. "Who are you?" Kish asked angrily. "I am the Blue Knight, Protector of the Fire Guardian, Ichigo," he answered. "Give Ichigo back," Kish hissed. When the Blue Knight made no move to do as Kish bid, the green haired alien shouted, "Dragon Swords!" And he attacked. Ichigo's protector'ssword glowed bright blue as he swung and blocked Kish's attack. He swung again and knocked Kish away. Kish glared at him, and he glared back. The green haired alien vanished. The Blue Knight turned to Ichigo. "Are you all right?" He asked. Ichigo nodded. The Blue Knight smiled and Ichigo blushed. He scooped her up bridal style and flew away from the battle site.

Ichigo looked up at her protector. "Thank you, for saving me," Ichigo said. The Blue Knight nodded. "You're welcome, Ichigo." "Where are you taking me?" She asked. "Home," he answered. Ichigo nodded and leaned her head against his chest. "Are you really my protector?" Ichigo asked. "Yes. That is my will and my duty, to protect you when you are in danger," the knight answered. "You're voice, it sounds familiar. Do I know you?" Ichigo asked. The Blue Knight stayed slient and touched the ground in front of her house. "This is your home, is it not?" Ichigo's protector asked. Ichigo nodded. "It is," She answered. The Blue Knight nodded and flew off. Ichigo looked at his vanishing figure and said to herself, "I hope I see you again, my mysterious Prince Charming."

Then she head a loud explosion and remembered about Kish's comrades. She walked through the house out back, where she found the guardians intently watching the battle. "Hey guys," She said, surprising them. Ryou turned on her, "What are you doing? Transform and get out there!" Ichigo nodded. "Strawberry Transformation!" She shouted. The familiar pink mist surrounded her and she became Ichigo, Guardian of Fire. A strong hand on her shoulder stopped her from going out. "Use a combination attack," Ryou said. "How do I do that?" Ichigo asked. "Sense the powers of the others and use them," Ryou said. Ichigo nodded at the vague description. The pink haired cat girl bounded out to the battle arena. She let herself drift, searching for the powers of the other guardians. She only felt air and water, the only two whose basic level attacks she had used. "Ryou, I can only sense two of the powers!" Ichigo called. "Use them," Ryou urged. "How?" Ichigo asked. "Let them both flow through your fire and the rest will come naturally," Ryou shouted back. Ichigo nodded and released her fire. It called the air and water to it. She let the two powers in and absorbed them. They swirled around inside her and condensed into a physical form in front of her. Ichigo's two fire balls swirled around the mass.

Retasu and Minto felt as though they were being drained of their power. "Zakuro, something's wrong," Minto called. "What is it?" Zakuro asked. "I don't know, but it's happening to me, too," Retasu replied for Minto. "Ichigo's going to use a new attack, stand by her!" Berri shouted. "We can keep him busy," Zakuro said, referring to Pai. Retasu and Minto nodded. They weakly walked toward Ichigo and stood by her side.

Pai turned to attack Retasu and Minto and shouted, "Windy Ice Fan!" but Zakuro shouted, "Rose Whip!" Her cards glowed and combined into a purple ninetail whip and she captured Pai attack. "Thanks for the power!" Zakuro called, then shouted, "Iris Fold, level up!" Her whip pulled itself apart into the five playing cards, then combined into a long stemmed rose. The emerald stem had eight thorns on it and one detailed leaf. The rose itself was only a bud, made from a sparkling royal purple gem. "Rose Tomb!" Zakuro shouted. The rose but opened and purple and black sparkles flew out and planted htemselves in the ground around Pai. Thorny rose stem vines shot up from the ground and wrapped around Pai, encasing him in a thorny tomb. "Windy Thunder Fan!" Pai shouted and burst through the foliage surrounding him.

Ichigo's fire balls swirled up in the sky guiding Ichigo tothe ball of power. The ballglowed brightly and condensedinto a large pink heart shaped ring. Golden bells were tied on with milky amethyst ribbons. Ichigo jumped up after it. Minto used her power to lift herself and Retasu up after Ichigo. The fire guardian flew through the murkey clouds and grasped the new weapon.At her touch, itglowed white. Ichigo glowed fiery red and Minto glowed a sapphire blue as she gripped her glowing silver and sapphire sais. Retasu glowed bright emeraldas she held hersiver flute up to her lips. Ichigo's fire balls vanished into the center of the new heart shape wepaon.

"Thorn Wrap!" Taruto shouted, summing his large club again. Thorns shot up fromt he ground and leaped after all three of the guardians. "Absorption!" Ringo shouted. Her bell glowed and absorbed the two vines that were after her. Sango held her staff high and shouted, "Snowball!" The crystal pulsed and large boulders of snow and ice flew down, crushing and freezing the vines after her. Purin jumped up and vaulted behind Taruto. "Hey!" He shouted. The vines knocked him over and Purin dropped lightly to the ground and summer saulted. She landed back to back with Sango. Taruto freed himself from his vines and sent them after the duo. Sango struck one with her staff and it froze over. Purin raised her tambourine and shouted, "Shockwave!" A large expansion of electricity and lightening condensed and rolled over five more of the thorny vines. Sango beat down the rest on her side. Taruto summoned his stormy grey ball of magic and shouted, "Suffocation Cocoon!" The malicious cocoon sped toward Sango and Purin, but Ringo jumped up and shotued, "Absorption!"Her bell pulsed again and she shouted, "Poison Wave, level up!" Her bell glowed and turned the large energy from the Suffocation Cocoon and thorn wrap into bright red energy she could use. The bell shrunk into a diamond-cut (That sort of cut is the kind jewelers use on diamonds for wedding rings) ruby. It floated in Ringo's hand and she shouted, "Snake Fire!" The gem glowed and evaporated into a large red smoke that smelled of apples. The image of a snake was seen then it all turned to fire and rushed at Taruto. "Thorn Wrap!" The younger alien shouted and deflected most of the attack. The rest of it hit him and melted his leg.

Ap owerful tornado of whirling winds surrounded Ichigo, Minto, and Retasu. Firetwirled up through the eye of the storminto the clouds.Retasu played her flute and clear healing waters turned murkey combining with the turmoiled wind, turning thewhirling winds into a hurricane. Minto slashed the powerful destructive windswith her pulsing sais and reversed the healing effects of the water and Ichigoshouted, "Strawberry Surprise!" The scent of freshstrawberries filled the air and the firey hurricane scooped up the two alien invaders, tossing htem and bruising them and scorching them. Taruto yelped out in pain and both he and Pai teleported out. The attack evaporated as though sensing the aliens were gone. Ichigo, Minto, and Retasu landed on the ground not far away. The new weapon vanished and Ichigo's balls came back in a flurry of fire.

"Wow, Ichigo! That was so cool, na no da!" Purin shouted and clapped. Sango stood tall and smiled, a small red blot formed on her arm. Kaito rushed to her side. "Sango, you've been cut, it needs to be treated," Kaito said. Sango nodded and walked inside. Ringo bounced around happily with Purin. Mashio and Kyou tried to calm them down and get them inside. Zakuro felt faint and detransformed. Toshino appeared by her side and she let her twin help her inside. Tasuku lifted Berri up and spun her in a circle before hugging her. Berri giggled and the pair vanished inside. Minto, Retasu and Ichigo were met by Keiichiero, Yukitto, and Ryou. Keiichiero and Yuki congradulated the trio. "Ryou, I've got bad news," Ichigo said. Ryou nodded and pulled her away from their comrades. "What is it?" Ryou asked. "Kish said that they had come up with a fool proof plan. They've got some large destructive weapon," Ichigo imparted. Ryou nodded. "We've got to find out what it is. Do you think you could get it out of him?" Ryou asked. Ichigo shook her head, "He wouldn't tell me for the world." Ryou nodded. "What if you turned to their side?" He asked. Ichigo shook her head. "No way am I gonna do that." "You're right. That's giving you too much credit. Maybe Retasu could," Ryou said thoughtfully. "Retasu?" Ichigo asked. Ryou shook his head. "Ask Minto. Anyway, if she could get in and get the info, that'd be great," Ryou said. Ichigo shook her head. "None of us are going up there," Ichigo said firmly. Ryou sighed. "Then we'll have to get the combination attacks down." "So we will," Ichigo said as the pair walked into the house.

Gabriel and his counterpart looked down on the mortals. "'tis a great shame. The greatest battle in all of history is about to begin and no one will remember it in the years to come," Gabriel sighed. His partner nodded. "They will be remembered in Heaven's archives," he said. "But the mortals, they will know nothing of it. And think of the ones who have to fight the battle . . ." Gabriel sighed. "There is nothing we can do, Gabriel," his comrade sighed. They both looked down sadly on the earth. "If only they would let the others know, but then, all those others would die," Gabriel said. "It would be best not to include the other mortals, even if only to save their small lives," his partner said.

Lucifer smiled. He had found the body he would use. It was strong and powerful and looked like the invaders' bodies. He must locate the owner of the body. He must locate this . . . Blue Knight. Lucifer cackled evilly and rubbed his hands together. He floated through the roof of his abode and ghosted onto the crust. The body he sought would not be found near the guardians, he knew that much. Lucifer's eyes glowed red and he floated through time. The Ruler of Hell watched his spinach headed alien lose to the one he sought. Pitiful, really, Lucifer thought. He followed the Blue Knight to the guardians' home, watched the encounter with the Fire Guardian, then followed the Blue Knight as he left.

Lucifer trailed the alien entity to the village where he glowed. Lucifer smiled. Perfect. He'd slip into the body and take possession as the boy transformed, then he'd twist the powers to match his own and show the alien scum Deep Blue. Lucifer cackled again and sank below the crust down to his kingdom of suffering and pain.