WolfGear Presents: Negima? The mage and the Gunslinger
Pairings: Negi X ku-Fei Kaede X OC
Chapter 57: A cruel twist of fate
I don't own Negima
Kaede swiftly moved along the shadows, she had trained her whole life for this moment, but this wasn't the forest or Mahora were if she messed up she could laugh about it later, no here there would be no later. These men would see her as an enemy and would do their best to perform their duty, which was guarding the treasures that were sealed in the vault behind them. There was no doubt in her mind that the twelve guards that stood here were the best of the best. Heavily armed, and over flowing with power it would be difficult to get by them without killing them or alerting the more guards to what was going on. The timing would have to be perfect.
Calmly Kaede checked the guns she acquired from Jack's satchel bag. They were .45 cal. six shooters. Meaning she only had one shot for each guard. Her plan was to aim for non-lethal points, and then get in close and knock them out cold with a quick blow to the neck. Normally she would simply use knock out gas, but the filters attached to the guards' helmets rendered them useless, and her kunai knives wouldn't piece their heavy armor.
Alright, this is for Jack. No time to screw up.
Kaede readied her aim, marking her targets with her mind's eye like Jack had taught her. Any second now… and now!
The guards didn't even know what hit them. Twelve shots rang through the air, each one hitting its mark perfectly. In the moment the guard inspected the severity of their injuries Kaede pounced into action! Sprinting down the hall, raising the butt of her guns and pistol whipping each guard in the back of the head, knocking them out cold!
"Well that was easier than I thought it would be. Now time to get inside and get what I came for." Kaede snatched the keys that hung around one of the guard's belts. It surprised her that they would have the key on hand like this, but it made no difference to her, all she had to do was turn the key, and then solve… a … 100 digit lock… code?
Kaede took a deep breath. "Ok, ok things aren't going exactly as planned, but they couldn't worse right?" She told herself just as more guards stormed into the hallway.
"Look there's the intruder get them!"
"Oh for the love of…" She yelled smashing her fist into the advancing guards face. She wasn't in very good mood, and these guys just volunteered to be her stress reliever.
Five minutes later the guards were smashed into submission and stacked neatly in a pile around the corner as Kaede rigged a series of explosives up to the vault door. After commandeering one of the guard's communications devices, she falsified a report saying the situation was under control. Giving her at least ten minutes to work, before they would start to get suspicious and see for themselves what was really going on.
"Ok, attach this wire to this one and we should all be set!" Kaede rushed behind the corner, plugged her ears and waited, one… two… three… four… five… BOOM! The vault was open! But not for long though the door was quickly resealing its self with some sort of foamy like metal. She ran for all she was worth, appearing as nothing more than a blur, Kaede torpedoed herself into vault just as the door finished repairing itself.
Inside the vault wasn't what she expected. She thought there would be at least a failsafe trap, or something, but there was nothing, just a large dark room with two pillars of light in the center and inside the pillars were the artifacts!
Kaede approached the pestles to her left was a silver gourd looking thing; she guessed that was the soul flask, the thing need to cure Jack's curse. Overall it wasn't exactly an eye catching piece, it had no radiant aura of power, no markings, and in fact it was very ugly to say the least. The set of silver claws to on the right however was a different story. Vibrant energy flowed around the shiny blades as if calling her to wield them (Kaede's eyes go blank) to bring death, destruction, and decay to the lands and its people, to shed the blood of as many as she could to satisfy her lust!
Kaede slapped herself forcing her gaze away from the claws. What in the hell was she thinking! She didn't want to do any of that, but… she thought peeking at the claws again deep down in the darkest part of her soul her ninja nature craved for battle, and these claws could deliver that to her.
No, she told herself that wasn't her, she didn't want that, she just wanted to get the gourd looking thing to Jack as soon as possible, and that was all!
"Oh… did someone fall under the Slayer's claws spell?" A voice mocked from the shadows of the room. The Scottish swordsman Haze Highland emerged from the shadows, dragging his monstrous sword across the stone ground, producing a low scrapping noise as the sparks flew from the friction.
"What are you doing here?" Kaede growled, drawing her knives. How did he get in here without being seen by the guards? There was only one entrance to the room.
Haze smiled evilly. "That my dear is none of you concern, but since you asked so nicely I guess I can tell you. You see these claws here. They were made from the claws of the beast slayed by Jake McCoy, so many years ago. And it is said that the hatred of that beast still thrives for revenge against the one who slayed him. This made any weak user of the claws go mad as the beast tore then apart from the inside out, until they were put down before the beast could regenerate itself."
Kaede eyed the swordsman warily. "Nice history lesson, but that doesn't explain why you want the damned things."
"Oh I don't want them, my mistress does, so how about it? You take the flask and I take the claws and we call it even?"
"I can't do that," Kaede said, "I feel those things power, and I saw the damage you mistress did to Jack. There is no way in hell I'm going to let you get any more powerful!"
Haze sighed, "Such a shame, and here I thought I could save you the heart break of fighting the one you love most."
"What are you talking about?" She demanded.
Haze snapped his fingers, "This is what I'm talking about. Please meet my newest brother in arms, Blackjack!"
Kaede couldn't believe her eyes, it was Jack, her Jack! But yet it he wasn't. This guy's skin was gray with black flame like tattoos covering his exposed torso and arms, his hair was bone white, his fangs were lengthen like that of a predator, and his once beautiful blue eyes that she loved so much had turned blood red with only thing left was the suffocating lust for blood.
"What… what did you do to him?" Kaede uttered softly. The creature before her was not her Jack, no, it was a monster; the mere sight of it torn her heart in two.
"Me?" Haze said coyly. "I did nothing to him. My mistress on the other hand, did many things, including saving his life. Sure he's a little different, but really isn't it better that's he's alive?"
A single tear fell to the ground as Kaede mustered the courage to answer, "No. Jack would never want to live a life without freedom; it's like not living at all! So… so that's why I'm going to get Jack back! Even if it means I have to beat him to death to do it!" Kaede declared flinging three kunai knives from one hand, and then firing six bullets from the other. Both attacks however were rendered useless, by the wall of black flames that rose in front of Jack incarnating the offending projectiles.
"This should be interesting." Haze said taking a seat on the opposite side of the room. "Feel free to go all out Blackjack, show this woman how out classed she really is."
"Shut up," Jack snapped.
"What did you say?"
"I said shut up! My only wish is to fight the strongest opponents. That is the only reason I fight for your mistress. And if there is no one left to fight, I will gladly turn and fight you." Blackjack said harshly. This shocked Haze; he thought the mistress's Atrum servo vomica would turn him in the perfect servant. No, he thought that wasn't what she said…
Flashback!
Haze had just returned to base with his new brother in arms in tow, and faithfully bowed to his princess like always, but Blackjack did not bow, or seemed rejoiced that he stood in his master's presence.
"Insolence! Bow before the princess!" He scolded, but the turned cowboy did nothing, but grin hungry at the princess, but it was not a hunger of the flesh, no it was the hunger of psycho looking at his next victim. Haze had seen this once before, when the princess turned a Viking warrior into a slave the same way she had done to this one.
"Fool I said bow!" Haze commanded reaching for his sword, but Shihime's icily cold voice stopped him in his tracks.
"Enough Haze," She ordered, "There is no point trying to order him around. He is not under the effects of my spell."
"But then why?"
Shihime held up her hand. "But the spell did do something interesting, it has awakened his fighting and killing instincts to point that all he what's to do is fight. Much like a berserker actually. It also awakened his darker side. The being that stands before you is the darkness that lives inside Jack McCoy, now completely separated from the light side. But enough of this drabble go and get the Slayers claws and if you go with him Blackjack I'm sure you'll come across some strong opponents."
Blackjack scoffed. "There is only one man I consider worthy of fighting, but I will go and see if there is anyone else who can stand up my strength."
"That's fine," Shihime said waving them off, "Don't have too much fun now."
End of flashback
"I understand I will not interfere anymore." Haze submitted.
"Good," Blackjack grinned sadistically, "Are you ready girl? Here I come!"
Blackjack lunged forward grabbing hold of the ninja before she even had a chance to react, she was thrown hard into the stone wall behind her, but he wasn't done, summoning a set of knives Blackjack pinned the ninja to the wall by her wrist and ankles.
"You look kind of cute like that you know? I feel like taking you right here and now."
Disgusted Kaede ignored the pain and pulled her arm through the knives pinning her arms and delivered a Ki enhance punch right into Blackjack's face! The blow was powerful enough to send the demented cowboy flying into the opposite wall, giving her enough time to free her legs, and attach some paper bombs to the knives and throw them; resulting in an explosion powerful enough to shake the room! But as the dust cleared Blackjack stood unharmed, and even more blood thirsty.
"That was pretty good." He mocked. "But this is better Telum subpono (weapon forge) Ferrum cruor spikes (Iron blood spikes)." Black metal spike needles popped out of Blackjack's arms and grew to over a foot long with at least ten on each arm. Crossing his arms in front of him he swung them outward releasing the spikes.
It felt like it was happening in slow motion. The iron spikes soared through the air towards Kaede. She quickly put up her guard and summoned her rosary beads and spun them to act as a mock shield. It worked. The beads repelled the spikes easy, but one managed to slip through and land directly into Kaede's stomach!
"Dammit!" Kaede gasped. She could feel the blood rising in her throat, and trickle between her pressed lips. There was no time to stand there worrying about her injuries Blackjack was still on the attack! This time with a magic enhance fist. Kaede was ready though using the Aftershock Technique, she grabbed Blackjack's fist in her palm and transferred the force through her body and harmlessly into ground, and did the same thing when he tried to attack with his left hand. Now the two were dead locked.
Suddenly Blackjack smiled. "You don't think you have me right? Ferrum cruor zubs (Iron blood claws) Two claw grew out of each of Blackjack's hands, and stabbed right through Kaede's, it was lucky she still had her beads out or her hands would have been cleaved in two!
"Aaaahhhhh!" Kaede screamed in agony as Blackjack forced her to her knees. It was then that he did something strange; he suddenly pressed his lips to hers, forcing his tongue inside her mouth and ravaged her mouth! She was stunned, unsure what to do, till finally he pulled away, a thin string of saliva lingered between them, before breaking apart.
"That was nice." He said huskily. "I think you deserve award." He walked over the pillar that held the flask, and for belief moment his eyes turned blue, and he whispered, "Sorry…" And then rounded housed kick the flask straight at Kaede! The power of the blow smashed her right through the wall and the next wall and the wall after that till suddenly she found herself sailing through the air outside in the stadium area.
Kaede held on tight to the flask and shed tears of joy. He was still in there, inside that monster, she had seen it! She looked to her left and saw Ku and the others staring wide eyed at her, it was the wrong situation, but she laughed anyway they just looked so funny! She then looked to her right and saw Negi. He looked confused and horrified like a child. She smiled at him too. It was still hard to believe he was actually twenty two.
I know. I know you're the only one who can bring Jack back, Negi-Bozou. You are the one that he wants to fight more than anyone else. And for once I want him to lose, so please Negi win… And then she hit the wall and blackness started to enter her vision as the others crowded around her. She had just enough time to point in the direction she had come from and say…
"He did…"