Part 22: Aries

Draco:

It used to be pretty simple for me, Ryuki Leonard Hasuma a.k.a. Zodiac Knight Draco. Well, maybe not that simple. It was usually this: transform, enter the Mirror Dimension and kill evil monsters. Well, there were other monsters in the real world. There was Plasmus then there was Overload. I guess Cinderblock could be considered a monster. However, these monsters were considered criminals. I've also heard of this monster called Kardiak. Believe me, I've never encountered Kardiak, but when I read his file I couldn't believe it. A giant beating disembodied heart? Well, I think…I knew that I could take down Kardiak. It wasn't really human.

Okay, rewind a sec. Let me start from the beginning. A few years back, when I turned 15, I rummaged through my ottosan's stuff in the attic. That was where I found this rectangular metal case with a slot. It had cards inside. Well, most of the cards were blank. At the time, I sure as hell didn't know what I was getting myself into. I found out there was a world called the 'Mirror Dimension' (Or Mirror World. Whichever you want to call it) and that monsters inhabited it. I tried telling my friends, but they all called me crazy; one of them even suggested I write a book. Not a bad idea, if I was just imagining the whole thing, which I wasn't.

Fast forward, I became a Zodiac Knight. Well, I thought it was simple. Just go and fight monsters, protect people y'know. Then, I found out from Takada and Ichijyo that it wasn't really so simple after all. Those who became Zodiac Knights were destined to fight one another until there was only ONE remaining Zodiac Knight. Why? All I knew that the LAST Knight will receive a great power and a wish that could change all reality. Well, with a prize like that, which was tempting…very tempting, I guess it wasn't so surprising, huh? I mean, to wish for whatever you wanted with no strings attached. Of course, to do so, a Knight had to defeat all the other Knights, usually by killing. I've always been against killing, still am. I didn't like this rule. Then again, I didn't have anything to wish for…at least not in the beginning. I continued to fight the monsters and tried to stop the Knights from fighting one another. Well, I got Takada and Ichijyo to stop and join me, but I still feel that they REALLY wanted that wish. They had their own reasons for fighting and I think those reasons are what still drives them to this day. We met some bad Knights, but nothing we couldn't handle together. We met Tazuka, who was the Zodiac Knight of Pisces, Jawz. He and I became the best of friends. Sure he was weird and well, he was a fortune teller, but he was good company. He also didn't want the Knights to fight one another saying that it would be better to work together and fight to protect people. Well, Takada warmed up to him, Ichijyo was just being Ichijyo, but I think he was accepting Tazuka as part of the group.

Of course tragedy struck when Asakura, an extremely dangerous criminal who could give the Joker a run for his money, became a Zodiac Knight. He was utterly evil and unreasonable. He…he killed Tazuka (he killed another Knight called Striker before) and I defeated him, destroying his deck and sending him back to prison. I knew from the way he was staring at me that he was plotting his revenge. All I cared about at that time was mourning over Tazuka.

Of course, that wasn't the end of it. I found out my own sister was a Zodiac Knight, the evil Cat Knight who'd been trying to kill us this whole time. Well, after two years of endless and meaningless fighting, I snapped. We fought, I lost, I ran. I ran to Jump City, but I couldn't abandon my duty. I still wanted to protect people. I ran into the Titans and it all started again from there. New beginnings, right? But, as always, the past would always come to follow us. Soon, the Knights were fighting in Jump City, California, USA.

Remember when I said that I fight to protect people? I wasn't being completely honest there. I also fight to find out the truth about my father's death and his past. I found my Dragon Deck in a box of his old stuff and I wanted to know how and why. Did he really die when I was three, or…?

Wow, thinking too much. Oh, you want to know what's happening right now? A new Zodiac Knight was being born. How do I know? I'm watching it right now.

(Back at the campsite, normal POV)

"I still can't believe you just gave your brother the suit," Tim said to Ichijyo.

"What's not to believe?" replied Ichijyo. "He did earn it, remember? Besides, it was going to be his anyway." Tim just rolled his eyes.

Gar was playing with a GBA as Vic was checking in on the girls back at the Tower, Takada was looking up into the night's sky. Noticing that it was getting dark and that Ryuki and Craig still hadn't returned, he asked, "Hey, where are those two anyway? We're gonna be needing some firewood right about now. It's getting dark."

"So you don't get attacked by 'man-eating-bunnies' again?" Ichijyo quipped.

"That happened and you knew it!" Takada retorted sharply.

Ichijyo, who was strumming his guitar a bit, said, "Maybe I should give Leo a call." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his SNK-Phone. As he was about to flip it open, his pocket began to glow. Takada's pocket was also glowing. "What?"

"Hey, what's happening?" Tim asked as he noticed the strange glowing coming from the Knights' pockets.

"Yeah, why are your pockets glowing?" Gar asked as well, turning his attention away from his GBA.

The Knights reached into their glowing pockets and pulled out their Zodiac Decks.

"The Decks," Ichijyo began, "They sense something." The Zodiac Crystal in his Deck was glowing and so was Takada's.

"And this glow only shows up when there's a new Knight close by," Takada stated. He then realized. "There's a new Knight out there!"

"Right," Ichijyo nodded.

Gar abandoned his video game and asked, "Need some help?" Takada shook his head.

"No. I think you three should stay here. Me and the Mutt will check it out," Ichijyo told them before turning to a grumbling Takada. "Let's go, Mongrel!"

"Right behind you, Poison-Lips," Takada said to him before they went into the forest.

Craig…Mortuary's NEW Zodiac Armor was primarily brown and black and worn over a black bodysuit with the Symbol of Aries resting on his black chestplate. Mounted on his right knee was a kneepad that looked like a gazelle's head/skull. His helmet was silver and brown, with vertical slits where the eyes would be and with a blue diamond shaped jewel in the centre. There were a pair of brown horns attached to the sides of the helmet that jutted upwards. His shoulder pads held two curved spikes on each. There was a silver mouthpiece on the helmet.

Mortuary looked at his brown and black gauntlet covered arms curiously. "Wow," he managed to breathe out before he was tackled by the Bear Orphenoch and smashed into a tree. The tree fell upon impact, uprooted by the sheer strength of the Orphenoch.

"Craig!" Ryuki shouted as he picked up his Deck. He wanted to help, but the belt wouldn't come to initiate the transformation. He then heard a familiar voice call him.

"LEO!" it was Takada and following after him was Ichijyo.

"Takada! Ichijyo!" Ryuki called after them.

"We got worried and…" Takada trailed of when his eyes went over to the NEW Knight of Aries who was fighting the Orphenoch. "What the heck is going on?"

Ichijyo looked down at the Snake Deck clutched in his hand. It was glowing. He then answered, realizing, "This must be the new Knight our Decks sensed." He then noticed Craig wasn't with Ryuki and put two and two together, realizing the truth. "Is that who I think it is?"

"Yeah," Ryuki smiled. "It's Craig."

"He's a Zodiac Knight?" Takada barked.

"He is," Ichijyo frowned grimly. 'Great, more competition.'

Mortuary wrestled with the Orphenoch and kicked it away. He then, as he seen the Knights do so many times before, reached for the card deck and drew a card. "Okay," he said to himself, "Let's see how this is done." He slid the card into his right kneepad, which he guessed was his card reader. "Strike Vent!" A gauntlet equipped with a pair of long drills appeared and equipped itself to his right forearm. He then winged it and charged the drills with his necroplasmic energy before striking at the Orphenoch. He yelled out as he stabbed the Orphenoch, sparks flying as he landed each and every blow.

"Go Craig!" Ryuki cheered. Mortuary then demonstrated several kick boxing moves and jumped up to knee the Orphenoch in the face. The Orphenoch fell against a large stone boulder that was in the ground. It turned, grabbed the boulder, and pulled it out before throwing it at Mortuary. The Knight of Aries just stabbed his drills into the boulder as it came hurtling towards him and shattered it.

"Time to die, you monster!" Mortuary yelled out and ran at the Orphenoch before striking it straight in the heart with his drills. The Orphenoch then exploded with blue flames before crumbling to ashes. Takada cheered upon Mortuary's victory while Ichijyo was silent. Ryuki averted his eyes from the Orphenoch's destruction, letting single tear fall from his eyes.

Mortuary then looked at his handiwork and grinned. His armor then disappeared. He looked down into his hand and saw the Zodiac Crystal glow a bit. He smirked, "Things are going to be very interesting from now on."

Craig then slid the Aries deck into his pocket and walked towards his friends. Craig stopped in front of them, "So, how did I do for my first time?" he asked.

"Not bad, not bad at all," Takada started. "Just remember not to get too far ahead of yourself there, hotshot. You'll still require some training now that you're one of us, so don't get cocky like you usually do."

"Alright then, you gonna train me then, Takada?"

Takada shrugged. "I might as well. I've been a Zodiac Knight far longer than most anyone here and there's also the fact of Leo not recovering yet and Ichijyo doesn't have the patience, I'm afraid."

It was true. Seeing Mortuary kill an Orphenoch so easily unnerved the Knight of Combustion, but he had to remember the family the Orphenoch had killed.

The four (that's right, FOUR!) Knights returned to the campsite with the firewood thinking of the other guys' reaction when they find out that Craig was now a Zodiac Knight. Takada and Craig approached the T-Car alone.

Tim and the rest of the guys looked confused at the situation.

"Ichijyo, what's going on?" Tim asked

"Takada is giving Craig a little training session," Ichijyo answered back in annoyed tone. Ichijyo did like Craig, but he sort of saw him as a loose cannon. "He's a Zodiac Knight now, don't ask me how because even I don't know."

Tim just decided not to ask and watch what was going to happen.

Takada approached the T-Car first and turned to Craig, "Alright Smith, are you ready?"

"Always," Craig answer in his usual reassuring tone

They both drew out their Zodiac Decks and held them out in front of the windows reflective surface. The belts then formed around their waists before they yelled out their transformation commands

"Empowerment of the Zodiac Dog! Henshin!" Takada slid the deck into his belt. Blue energy whipped around him.

"Empowerment of Aries! Henshin!" Mortuary slid his deck into his belt. Brown energy whipped around him.

Their armors encased their bodies. Pluto's looked at Mortuary who also turned to look at him. "Lesson 1: handling a Knightrider."

"A Knightrider?" Mortuary questioned, still new to the whole Zodiac Knight business.

"I'll show you!" Pluto leapt into the Mirror Portal that formed in the car window. Mortuary decided to just go with it and followed after him.

"You okay?" Tim said to Ryuki.

"A little," Ryuki said to Tim. He was a bit unnerved by how easily Mortuary took care of the Bear Orphenoch, but not just by that. What scare him was that Mortuary enjoyed doing it a little too much. Ichijyo picked up on Ryuki's worry with his empathy and was having similar worries as well. He knew all too well that power corrupts.

Earlier, in the same forest, another group familiar to the Titans (but not exactly on good terms) was camping out.

"Why do we have to do this again?" asked a blonde haired teenage boy that was 18 years old. "I keep forgetting the point to all of this."

"Because daddy thinks it's a good idea for us to camp out together. Kinda like an exercise to promote unity," reminded a girl who was 15 and had long platinum blonde hair that was pulled in a ponytail.

"Really, I thought it was because father wanted an excuse to minimize the damage being done to the house."

'That too…' the girl thought. "You're thinking too much, Grant."

"Whatever, Rose," Grant said dismissingly. "By the way, where's Kat and Joey?"

"They went to get firewood," Rose replied.

That's right, these guys were Team Tartarus. However, they already dropped 'Team' from the name so now they are simply known as 'Tartarus'.

Unlike the Titans who had to set up tents, Tartarus actually drove an RV. It was quite big, even for a regular RV, and also housed plenty of room and plenty of options.

"I hope that crazed cat doesn't set fire to the woods," joked Grant. He got smacked in the head by Kat.

"I'd set fire to you if you don't watch your mouth, Grant!" Kat hissed as she put some of the firewood down. Her hair was braided and she still had the bow in her hair. Joey was making the fire pit and putting rocks around it. Several logs had been set there to provide seating for the team. "Or do you prefer I stick these sticks right up your-"

"MAMA!" squealed a little girl that looked five years old. She had short purple hair with a little black bow in it and wore shorts with a black shirt. She also had, believe it or not, a purple tail. She hopped into Kat's arms.

"Hey, Cathy!" Kat smiled down at the little girl in her arms. Cathy smiled at Kat and hugged her.

This little girl was actually the same mutant baby that Kat had found and adopted all those weeks ago back in Bayville.

"I can't believe how fast she grew up," Rose said as she ruffled Cathy's hair.

"I can," Grant said evenly. After Kat had found Cathy she was examined both medically and genetically. She had an X-Gene, which accounted for her mutation as well as her accelerated growth rate. She grew about a year for each week, both mentally and physically. Thankfully, her growth rate would slow down to normal when she reached puberty.

Kat put down the little girl and she ran off to look around the woods. Joey went with her. "Don't wander off!" Kat advised. Joey gave her a silent nod and Cathy waved.

"You know, I still can't believe that it's only been 5 weeks," Grant said.

"They grow up so fast," Kat wiped a tear from her eye as she smiled softly. Grant rolled his eyes. He was thinking that Kat was going soft, but knew better than to say this to her. Thinking it was just as dangerous since she was a telepath. Hopefully, she wasn't trying to pick up on his thoughts.

"Remember what happened when you told father if you could keep her?"

"Yeah. I never seen Slade-sama faint, much less look startled before."

What do you think would've happened?" Rose asked. "His apprentice just asked him if she could keep a baby."

"He almost thought you were pregnant!" Grant added. The trio of Tartarus laughed. "It was a good thing, although surprising, that he did let you keep her. Personally, I like the little rugrat." It was true. Slade did allow Kat to keep Cathy. The little girl was now known as Catherine Wilson Hasuma. Her codename when she was ready would be Nekokage…Cat of the Shadows.

"As do I," Rose placed a hand on Kat's shoulder. "She's really a sweet kid."

"Thanks guys," Kat smiled. She could always count on her teammates to back her up. Cathy then ran back to Kat with Joey chasing close behind.

((Kat we got a situation!)) Joey telepathically said to Kat. He sounded frantic.

"What's going on?" Kat asked back. She picked up Cathy.

"Mama! I just saw a monster. It was grey and looked like a bear!" Cathy said frantically, looking scared as her tail swished about. She temporarily turned invisible in her panic.

"Hush, now," Kat hugged her daughter. Yes, Cathy was Kat's daughter. Adopted or not, she was Kat's daughter no matter how you see it. She looked to Joey.

((Actually, I think the thing Cathy saw was that Orphenoch thing your brother turns into)) Joey explained. ((But there's something else! Your brother and his friends are here too!))

"The Titans are here?" Kat exclaimed with surprise.

((Actually, I didn't see the girls, just the guys.))

"I should've known," Grant said as he kicked a pebble. "Just our luck."

"Who are the Titans, mama?" Cathy asked.

"They are bad people that don't like us," Kat answered. She hated to lie to her daughter, but she wasn't really lying to her daughter. Technically, the Titans didn't really like Tartarus and vice versa. To Slade, they were thorns to his plans. Saying the Titans were 'bad' was a bit of a stretch, but Cathy needed to be raised to believe that if she was ever to encounter them.

"So what now?" Rose asked. "Do we fight them or do we go?"

Kat was about to reply, but was then interrupted by a familiar ringing sound in her ear. The same ringing sound came to the ears of the others, except for Cathy since she wasn't a Zodiac Knight like the others. She asked Joey, "Did you see anything else?"

((That new guy, Mortuary…he's a Zodiac Knight now too.)) Kat's eyes widened. She wasn't expecting that.

'Damn!' Kat thought. She was thinking among the same lines as Ichijyo. 'Even more competition. Gotta get rid of him while he's still new!'

"Now the Titans have four Zodiac Knights on their roster! As if the Titans didn't already outnumber us!" Grant shouted in frustration. That was true. With the number of Titans increasing more and more, even honorary members as well as operatives from Smart Brain, the Titans were becoming more of a threat to Slade than he originally realized. Despite the number of villains that Slade knew, the Titans were adding more members to their ranks. Additionally, the Knights had become reserved members of the Justice League like the other Titans. The Titans were also being backed up and funded by Smart Brain Corporation. This wasn't exactly good news to Tartarus. Now with the addition of Mortuary and the fact that he had achieved Zodiac Knighthood, the Titans were becoming an even more dangerous threat to Slade and his plans.

"Grant, you come with me," Kat ordered, putting Cathy in Rose's arms. She asked her, "Do you mind watching Cathy for a while, Rosey-chan?"

"What are you going to do?" Rose asked with Cathy in her arms. Kat reached into the pocket of her jeans and pulled out her Cat Deck, grinning at her girlfriend and daughter. Grant understood and took out his green Taurus Deck from the pocket of the vest he was wearing.

"We're gonna give this new Knight a nice little welcome," Kat smirked dangerously. She and Grant stood in front of the RV windows and held out their Zodiac Decks at their reflections. Their Zodiac Belts formed around their waists.

"EMPOWERMENT OF THE ZODIAC CAT!"

"EMPOWERMENT OF TAURUS!"

"HENSHIN!" Kat and Grant slid the decks into their belts and their armor formed over their bodies. Cathy watched this and smiled. Her mama and her friends were so cool. The Zodiac Knights Copycat and ARMS leapt into the Mirror Portal that formed in the RV windows.

Both Mortuary and Pluto, after jumping into the T-Car's mirrors, were transported to a crystallized room and there awaiting them were two Knightriders. As Pluto approached his the roof of it had opened up and he then mounted it. Mortuary had just followed exactly what he was seeing.

"You know how to ride a motorcycle, right?" Pluto asked. Mortuary nodded. "Then let's go," Pluto ordered

They both rode off till they jumped out of a portal and into the Mirror Dimension. It looked like they were back at the campsite, but they were really in the Mirror Dimension, a reflection of the real world. When they found an open field, they stopped and then dismounted from their Knightriders.

"Ok," Takada spoke up "Now I'm going to teach you one of the most important things about being a Zodiac Knight. That thing is the code."

The CODE of the Zodiac Knights:

1. A Knight must not invade the domain of another Knight.

2. A Knight must not reveal the identity of another Knight to outsiders.

3. A Knight must accept a challenge from an opposing Knight.

4. A Knight must accept and uphold the terms of the challenge.

5. A Knight must fight in order to survive.

6. A Knight must fight until the end.

Mortuary had heard the entire code and was now ready to start his training. He began by drawing a card and then lifted his knee before he placed the card into his card reader. "Strike Vent!" A brown light then covered Mortuary's lower legs and feet. When the light vanished, he had adorned large spike covered boots that went up to his knees. These were his Strike Vent, the Horned Greaves. "Nice," Mortuary admired.

It was then Pluto's turn to draw a card before he slid it into his sword. "Sword Vent!" Pluto's Wing Lancer landed in Pluto's hands. As soon as both knights had their weapons they began striking at each other. Pluto was surprised at how fast Mort could kick and jab he could see that Mort was an accomplished kick boxer and was able to keep up with him. Pluto's swings and stabs were being either dodged or countered by Mortuary's speed, agility and acrobatics. 'Must be the influence of his Zodiac Beast, whatever it is,' Pluto thought.

"Getting tired yet?" Mortuary asked his new trainer in his usual 'I'm better than you' tone.

"Haven't broken a sweat yet, oh modest student," answered Pluto, matching wits with his student.

Mort kept on kicking and puching until he decided to surprise Pluto with a necrobolt, but Mort was the one surprised when Pluto deflected the bolt back with his lance. The bolt connected with Mort's chest and toppled the Aries Knight over. Pluto was about to drop kick into Mortuary's chest until Mort did a handstand which made Pluto land on the soles of Mortuary's feet. Mort then used his legs and pushed Pluto up into the air. While Pluto was airborne Mort took it as an advantage and launched himself into the air and kicked Pluto back down to the earth. Pluto landed with the help of his cape. Pluto quickly got himself back up and as soon as Mort was nearing the ground, he swatted him down with the lance. It was a very forced blow and Mort had a hard time getting back up after it.

"Alright, I think you've had enough for today," Pluto said.

"I'm not ready to stop yet," Mortuary said as he got into a ready stance. Suddenly, there was a sound of a gunshot (BANG!) and Mortuary let out a yell as sparks flew from the back of his armor.

"MORT!" Pluto yelled.

"I'm…fine," Mortuary said, still in a little pain but was slowly recovering.

Pluto then looked for the direction of the gunshot. He then saw a familiar pair of Zodiac Knights. He glared at them, one in particular. "Kat…" he growled.

"Is this a private party?" Copycat began as she cracked her whip, which was now a cat-o-nine-tails with knives attached to the whip tips. "Or can anybody join in?" she purred. A red visor with horizontal grills formed over her eyepieces. ARMS stood next to her, gun aimed at the two Zodiac Titans.

Pluto turned to Mortuary, who had recovered, "Ready for your next lesson, Mortuary?"

Mortuary nodded, understanding what Pluto meant. "Yeah."

"Right!" Pluto shouted, "Let's go!" he charged at the two Tartarus Knights. Mortuary yelled and followed after him.

"Let's play!" Copycat cracked her whip and charged back. ARMS followed after her, his trigger finger getting itchy.

To Be Continued…

Mort's first fight as a Zodiac Knight. How will he fair? As always, I'd like to credit my friend Zombi 138. He also wrote some of this chap. Thanks man.