Author's notes: sorry for the long wait everyone. Just cranked this one out today. But I'll warn you. This one is cranking it up a notch! Enjoy!

Raphael blinked awake into the shadowy forest. Somewhere a faint light flickered, like a campfire in the distance. The preteen keyblade wielder scrambled to his feet and peered around in desperate confusion. For all he knew the fire, perhaps a hundred yards or more away, was the train. He remembered the fighting on the roof above, the bus speeding ahead only to turn and ram the train head on. Mercy shouted for everyone to teleport. Rodent and Apache had grabbed him, then all went black until seconds ago when he blinked awake between the trees.

"Mercy?" Raphael ventured a faint cry. No answer. "Swan? Apache?" The second name was cut off by a strong, dark palm slapped around his mouth from behind. A harsh hiss hushed him. The hand turned the boy's head gently to reveal its owner. Raphael turned to embrace Apache, who cringed slightly at the affection only to hesitantly return the embrace a moment later. Seconds later Rodent arrived to grasp Raphael's shoulder.

"Keep it down," Rodent whispered. "I heard shouting a moment ago, I think it was Jax. But I can't be sure. I think the last of the Bulls went up in flames with the wreck, but some of them might have ported out too. I can see the road from here, let's just keep to shadows and follow it back to town, nice and quiet."

"What about the others?" Raphael asked.

"He's right, Raph," Apache softly cut him off. "If there's more of them out there it's no good just us three. We might even run into Swan and the others out here on the way. So just keep quiet and keep your eyes peeled for them." He looked from Raph to Rodent, both nodded in agreement. The three wielders crept cautiously through the trees towards home.

Mercy tasted dirt as she awoke in a shadowy ditch. A moan escaped her lips as she felt the after effects of the impact. Moments later a strong but gentle hand was on her shoulder. "Swan?" she gasped as her eyes adjusted to the darkness.

"No, it's me," Flix answered. Mercy blinked.

"Where is everyone? The train!" she gasped looking up from the ditch, mere yards away from the crackling inferno of the wreck. Flix grasped her arm dragged her back down with a hiss.

"Keep it down! We don't know if there's others out there! I thought I heard shouting a moment ago. And I know I saw about a dozen guys running through the trees a moment ago. Not ours." Mercy felt herself go cold. Swan, Jax, Raph, the others!

"Don't worry," Flix whispered calmly. "They're strong, you know that. They can take care of themselves." In an instant he shuffled deeper into the darkness. Mercy followed hesitantly, allowing her eyes time to adjust to the shadows as a metallic sound led her to his side. Her eyes acclimated to the sight of Flix dropping a manhole cover in the dirt and motioning down into a partially buried sewer entrance.

"It's part of the city's drainage system," he explained. "We can't be more than a few miles out, I used to explore the sewers for fun. Once we pass under the city walls I can get us to the hideout easy."

Mercy suppressed a disgusted gasp but her face contorted at the thought of trudging through the sewers. Things had gotten pretty desperate in recent months but never that desperate! Flix sighed in understanding but insisted it was the safest way into town.

"I'll go first, follow me," Flix said as he stepped down to a metal ladder and vanished into the subterranean shadows. Mercy steeled herself for the ordeal. It would be dark, damp, smelly, and probably full of rats…or worse! But it was either that or run off into the shadowy woods. The flickering inferno nearby and the softly howling wind gave her goosebumps. She felt like a character in a ghost story, suddenly she felt an urge to be beside Flix…anyone really.

Lowering herself down into the gaping maw of the sewer she took a deep breath of fresh air. For all she knew it would be her last.

Jax and the other three panted for breath as they came to a halt behind Swan. They all gazed back over their shoulders into the trees and shadows. "Did we lose those freaks or what?" Jax turned briefly to demand.

"Ask them yourself!" Swan grunted with a nod back the way they came. Jax cursed to see the Fountain Furies loping after them through the oaks and elms. Swan didn't need to give the order, all four resumed their mad dash from danger. A dozen rogue wielders trampled through the woods hot on their heels. Jax wondered if they were taken by the darkness too. Not that it mattered. One way or another, they were the enemy and they outnumbered them three to one.

Faint rays of moonlight shone through breaches in the leaf canopy overhead, the only light left in the world. Giving both the chasers and the chased just enough light to see the other. A larger patch of moonlight loomed dead ahead, Swan was leading them right towards it. Jax was about to object when his fearless leader cut him off.

"Flurry! On me!" he grunted. "Jax, Cowboy, keep going. We'll ambush them from behind. Once you reach the town wall, turn and face them. We'll sandwich them!" Before Jax or Cowboy could inquire, Swan lunged off into the deepest shadows to the right, followed by Flurry. Jax and his younger brother-Ursus continued on through the moonbeam.

"Not bad, kitty cat!" Jax grunted softly. He cursed himself for not thinking of it himself. Divide and conquer, Aced had once taught. Jax looked back to see the Furies were still coming uninterrupted and without hesitation. Swan's clever plan had worked! The freaks still thought the other two Warriors were up ahead. All they had to do was reach the town wall. With their backs to the wall the Furies wouldn't be able to flank them! And before they'd know it, they'd be flanked by two more Warriors. If they kept quiet the Cat and Flurry could down at least two before they knew it. Maybe they could even ghost a few of their stragglers along the way. Then suddenly the odds wouldn't be so lopsided.

That was fine by Jax, he hated having to run anyway. Even outnumbered as they were he had to fight his own instinct to turn and face them. Cowboy hated running too, though for a different reason. The poor kid was wheezing and panting already. His strides were labored and starting to fall behind. Jax urged him on with a slap to the back. Cowboy never was much good with cardio. But on they ran. Ran for their lives. Ran for hope; what little remained.

The two Warriors' desperate sprint through the night went on for several minutes. The town wall was nowhere in sight. Jax hoped they were going the right way. Maybe that darn Cat steered them wrong. Maybe they should have veered left a few dozen trees back. Maybe it didn't matter.

"I can't make it!" Cowboy gasped midstride in agony.

"You sure?" Jax asked.

"YEAH!" Cowboy panted, sounding on the verge of tears. From pain or fear, maybe both. Jax looked back to sneer at the lead runner of the Furies.

"GOOD!" he grunted. "I'm SICK of running from these WIMPS!" They emerged into a small clearing. A young, sickly tree stood flimsily in the middle. An oversized twig standing in the grass. "THERE!" Jax barked. "Back to back!"

The two Warriors halted at the tree. Jax turned immediately to face the oncoming foe. The Fury had just brought up his keybalde for a downward swing when Jax lunged forward and sent up a side-kick into the hoodlum's jaw. No sooner had the enemy toppled over than another came in for a swing. Too late, Jax caught the punk's arms, pulled him close and planted a crushing head-butt on the nose.

With two opponents down, Jax turned to see Cowboy had summoned his keyblade and was blocking repeated blows from a taller, leaner foe. The weakened, exhausted kid's hands were trembling harder with each strike until finally his knees gave out. The Fury was instants away from skewering Cowboy's heart when Jax's keyblade struck his skull from behind. The Fury fell limp at Cowboy's side.

Jax turned to see the remaining furies encircling his fallen comrade and him. A feral smile spread his lips as he only counted seven. He'd just downed three, which meant Swan and Flurry had done their job. Now all he had to do was by them time to get there. Cowboy would be on his feet soon. The kid was short of breath, but once he had it back he'd be unstoppable!

One Fury stepped forward, taller than the rest. He wore a ball cap, his pale blue face-paint, piercing gaze and maddened scowl gave him an other-worldly look. Jax clutched his keyblade and stepped forward, accepting the challenge.

"I'll shove this blade up your ass and turn you into a pop-sickle!" Jax growled. "Come on you little wimp!" The freak took another step forward then twirled his sword in an ach before twisting it into a figure-eight. Jax stopped short, the Fury was doing some kind of dance. A twisted smile spread the Fury's blue lips as his blade twisted and turned in his grasp. He moved with such grace it was almost hypnotizing. Jax strained his mind to keep focused. This wasn't magic! The freak was trying to distract him. And it almost worked. Almost.

The Fury's blade stabbed at Jax's heart without warning. The tip came within an inch of its target before Jax could parry it. His foot came up sharply between the dancing freak's legs. Lucky for him Jax grasped his keyblade from both ends and knocked out his opponent with a sideways blow to the forehead before he could really feel it.

"Freakin A!" Jax snickered over a fourth felled foe.

"HEY!" A familiar shout rang out. Swan downed another Fury just as he turned to face him. Flurry plowed into another. Jax acted quickly, picking a surprised, faltering opponent and downing him with a mighty swing. That was number five for him! He heard the encroaching attack too late. So did his attacker. A strike of metal on bone and Jax's attacker fell to Cowboy's keyblade. With a shared nod, the two brother Bears joined their friends in the melee.

Cowboy's back-hand sword stance was fast and furious. He caught an enemy's swing with his keyblade and downed him with a swift punch to the face. Jax smiled, he knew all the kid needed was a moment to catch his breath.

The final foes went down with relative ease. Swan stood triumphant over the last one. Jax shared a long, silent glaze with Swan. It was the closest thing to a "thank you" Swan would get. Both knew it and accepted it.

Looking around at the fallen Furies, Jax wondered again if they were possessed by the darkness like the Raging Bulls. Who was to say? It was too dark in the woods to get a good look at their eyes. All they could do was carry on to the city. Swan led the way without a word.

The four Warriors walked slowly but surely into the woods at the far end of the clearing. With a final glance back at the vanquished opponents lying on the grass, Jax snickered. "Heck! I figured they were wimps!"

Raphael huffed a loud sigh at gate of Daybreak Town standing wide open. Some lights from the town shone through the gate from houses and apartments. They were practically home!

"We made!" Rodent huffed a laugh as the three of them emerged from the trees. "Hot dog we made it!"

"I don't see anybody!" Apache said. "If anyone was there they'd probably have rushed us by now. I think we're in the clear!" Rodent laughed again and held an opened palm high for Apache to give him five, which he did. The dark-haired joker held a hand down low for Raphael, who thoughtlessly slapped down, forgetting Rodent's penchant for snatching his hand away at the last second. But he didn't. The rat-faced Warrior grunted and shook off his hand.

"That one hurt, little man!" Rodent giggled. "You really are getting strong there!"

"Shoot, maybe you should have gone up to help Jax and Swan on the roof!" Apache suggested. Raphael's smile turned to a grimace at the thought. "Come on, little man! You could take them!"

"Heck in an even fight, we could all take them!" Rodent blustered on as they strode casually through the gate. "Bunch of chicken shits!"

"I don't know," Raphael chuckled. "Those were some desperate dudes!"

"So was we!" Apache snickered. "But we made it! And now it's just a few blocks away from home-sweet-home!" Again Rodent and Apache exchanged high-fives.

"He's right, man! We're home free! And I'll bet ya Swan, Jax and the others all had it way easier than us!" Raphael smiled and laughed along with the other two, but quietly prayed they were right.

Their moods lifted, the three Warriors sauntered into town past familiar houses and buildings. Just a little up-hill from the gate they came across a familiar sight. A very pretty sight; nine pretty sights, to be exact. The same beckoning sirens they'd passed earlier that night were beaming at the teenaged boys with all their beauty.

A platinum blonde stood an inch above the rest and greeted the three of them with an alluring smile. Even Raphael, despite his natural bashfulness, couldn't help but smile. Though the two bigger boys were smile even wider. Raphael wasn't sure he liked this.

"So, handsomes, how was that big gathering out in the badlands?" the blonde asked.

"Oh you didn't miss anything," Rodent said. "Just a lot of chaos and fighting. We all fought our way out though," the joker paused to flex his muscles.

"Ooh!" the blonde cooed with fluttering eyelashes. Nearby the other girls did the same. "You boys need a rest? We have some tea inside," she paused to nod at their apartment building. "You could just, you know, chill with us a while," she said with a wink.

"Well shoot, that's mighty generous of you!" Apache giggled.

"Heck, who are we to turn down generosity?" Rodent asked. Raphael grabbed Apache's arm only to have his hand batted away.

"Chill man, we got time," he told the younger teen with a smile.

The beauties led them into the tenement building with smiles and cute giggles. Their room was on the first floor. It was shabby, but well lived-in. Warm and cozy, with all the fruity smells of girl's perfumes. Raphael didn't hate it, but it wasn't home. It was alien and somehow foreboding. Some of the girls went ahead to the living room and took their seats on couches and cushioned chairs.

"Hey there cute little thing," a tall, dark, beauty with a thick afro beamed down at Raphael. "So you're one of the Warriors!" her fingers reached down to softly take his cheek and chin in hand. Her fingers were soft but her nails were long and sharp. Though somehow he didn't mind. Her other hand brushed over one of his arms and shoulders, then slide over his best and onto the bare flesh of his chest. Her fingers then slinked down to his abdomen. "Ooh, look at those muscles, you must be older than you look," she said with a smile both adoring and carnivorous.

Raphael felt his face burning crimson then felt the door of the apartment press against his back, cutting off his escape. "He sure is, sweat-heart!" Rodent chuckled. "Downed about a dozen heartless back in the Badlands," he lied. Raphael was too stunned with conflicting feelings to rebuke him.

"Aw, babe, you're turning red! Aren't I pretty?" the girl asked. Raphael quickly nodded nervously.

"Don't worry about him, Gorgeous," Rodent broke in. "He's just a little new to this sort of thing." Raphael's face starting to burn even more for what fun Rodent and Apache were having watching his ordeal play out.

"Well, once you're warmed up to it, just let me know, babe," she said, leaning down close to Raphael's face. "Maybe tonight I can show you what it means to be a real man…"she whispered sweetly before her thick lips sucked a soft kiss on his cheek. Raphael was getting weak in the knees. She straightened and slowly sauntered deeper into the apartment towards the living room. She paused just a few paces away and slowly bent over as if to touch her toes. The skin-tight fabric of her short-shorts created a sight that made Raphael dizzy. She straightened her stature and gasped, "Hear it is! I found it!" she held up a clench fist that even Raphael knew had nothing in it. "Been looking all over for this! She said with a wink at the smallest Warrior before hurrying to a couch where she and two of the girls burst out laughing.

The other two Warriors and the girls beside them were laughing too. "So you've heard of us?" Apache asked. Raphael silently thanked him for changing the subject.

"Sure, everyone knows about you guys! The Warriors…" the platinum blonde replied.

"Well heck, I guess we are pretty well-known," Rodent said in wonder.

"You sure are," the blonde smiled. "Okay girls lets go fetch our guests some tea," the other girls walked towards the kitchen, some breaking off to sit on the couches and giggle with the other girls.

"Man we need to visit this side of town more often!" Apache snickered.

"What about the others?" Raphael asked. "They're going to be worried about us!"

"Relax, little man!" Rodent said. "After all that, do you seriously want to leave now?"

"We'll just rest up here a while, loosen up. Then we'll head for the hide-out," Apache said gently but firmly. Raphael slumped to the floor with a deep sigh.

"Hey, real quick, little man," Rodent leaned down to his exhausted comrade. "You gonna get over there and get to work on that gal? If not I'll consider her fair game…" Raphael shrugged and waved him on with a nod, accepting defeat. "Suit yourself, kiddo! Don't worry though, more than half those gals were looking at you the same. You can definitely get lucky tonight."

With that, the joker was off and soon seated beside the tall girl with the afro. She beamed at him with identical adoration. It looked sincere, like it had with him, but something about it seemed fake to Raphael. Or maybe he was just nervous and paranoid. "Hang in there, little man," Apache said. "Just be cool." Apache made his way to the opposite couch and was getting cozy between a red-head and a brunette.

A few minutes of cute girly giggles, manly chuckles, and casual conversation went by before two girls emerged from the kitchen with tea-cups for Apache and Rodent. Raphael would have given anything, including what that one girl wanted, for sip of tea right then. He shook the thought from his head. He remembered his mother well enough to know she wouldn't approve. And neither would Mercy, Swan, or Flix. He sure hoped they were alright.

"Aw, you look lonely down there!" Raphael looked up to the adoring gaze of the platinum blonde, who seemed to be in charge. He was careful to avert his gaze from her mini-skirt. Again he blushed as he saw she noticed his glance's change of course. "And a real gentleman!" she beamed. His gaze dropped to the floor. That was what Mercy always called him for not taking part in any of the rude jokes with the others. A tea cup slowly slide down under his face. He looked up to see her sleek, tender arms holding it down to him.

"A gentleman deserves a reward sometimes," she said, almost pleading. He accepted the cup with a nodded thanks. "What's the good of being a gentleman if a lady doesn't reward it once in a while?" Raphael gave an awkward smile as he wondered whether Mercy or his late mother would call her a lady. He took a sip of the black tea, it wasn't too hot and double sweet, just how he liked it.

"And you Warriors deserve a big reward," she went on. "Fighting through and escaping our perfect little trap back there in the Badlands!" she said with a hint of venom. He blinked in surprise, how did she know about that? The snapping of the door's bolt snapped his gaze up just in time to roll away from a keybalde. The platinum blonde's weapon thundered as it struck the floor. He gazed up into her formerly a sharp grey eyes, now emitting a fiery yellow spark, surrounded by a miasma of inky black!

"Crap!" Raphael gasped. "THEIR WIELDERS! THE GIRLS ARE WIELDERS!" he cried, summoning his own keyblade and deflecting another downward swing. Shocked gasps and angry cries from the living room told him the trap had sprung on comrades too! Raphael sprawled to his feet and parried another blow. Somehow he knew the set-up had been too good to be true!

A frantic melee ensued behind Raphael in the living room. He only caught vague shapes out of the corner of his eye, but at least his two brothers were still fighting. Another furious swing from the platinum blonde and their blades locked. He pushed back with all his might. Despite being shorter he was equally strong as the girl. With a flash of momentum her other hand's fingernails slashed at his face.

Raphael fell with a painful cry. He was on his back only an instant when the blonde stood over him, ready to bury her keyblade in his heart; claiming it for the darkness. His eyes widened in horror for a split-second before a taller figure leapt in to the rescue.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!" Rodent roared instants before his keyblade struck her face with full force. She toppled over with a rack of bone on metal. Rodent quickly dragged his fallen brother to his feet. Apache was soon at their side, sending four girls tumbling back with a horizontal swipe of his keyblade.

"APACH! LET'S ZAP EM!" Rodent needlessly shouted. Apache nodded. Both older Warriors raised their blades together.

"THUNDARA!" both roared in unison. Lightning bolts burst from their blades, stunning and toppling the no-longer-friendly girls.

"RAPH, BURN THE DOOR!" Rodent snapped. Raphael didn't need to be told twice. He leveled his keyblade at the locked door.

"FIRE!" he shouted, unleashing a fireball which charred the door black instantly before vanishing.

"MOVE!" Rodent roared, charging the door like a mad bull. He burst through the charred wood, followed closely by Apache and Raphael. The three Warriors burst out of the tenement and sprinted up the street towards the joint-towers standing above the roof tops. None of them said a word, none of them looked back. The town they thought was relatively safe had become a deathtrap!