The Hunted
A CAPOW original story
(originally posted in Rec.arts.anime.misc)
Written by: Anne Packrat, Weapon X, Susano Orbatos, Jerry "Tsubame", Emiko's Agent RL-Rem, Nathan Williams, and Ace Bandage. Compiled for the CAPOW library by Anne Packrat, HTML version by Chris & Madoka
[Anne]
Anne closed up Washu-chan's Bookstore for the day. She then sighed, stretched and headed over to the
Lurker's Retreat for a quick root beer before going home. As she reached the door to the Retreat she
stopped in her tracks. The hairs on the back of her neck were standing on end and her "danger sense" was
yelling at her. Anne slowly turned around and called forth her mallet, dropping into a battle stance. The
street was empty. Anne sent her mallet back, shrugged and went inside.
Inside the Retreat the place was full of the regulars, Susano and Reikishi were drooling over Emiko.
Ace was talking with a GRITer on the properties of rocket propulsion in HammerSpace. Remus and the Nevian
were watching everyone. Jeff was talking to air (the "ghost" he says that he keeps talking to... Right....).
The rest of the CAPOW, GRIT and LURKER gangs were just drinking and talking. Madoka, of course, was serving
drinks. Anne went up to the bar and sat down on a stool heavily. "Usual, Mads," she said.
Mads slid a glass of root beer and a bag of Cool-Ranch Doritoes toward Anne. "Bad day?"
Anne nodded. "Want to talk about it?"
Anne sighed. "It's been really hectic at the store. Pickett/Thickett came in and was enraged
when I didn't have the latest Danielle Steele novel yet. Susano's borrowing my fuku again and Ace
delivered more copies of Jurassic Park in Russian."
"What again?!" exclaimed Mads.
Anne nodded and continued. "Cold water has just seemed to find me today too. I've had to boil four
kettles of hot water. And the worst is that I've had this sense that something horrible is going to happen
today..."
On cue, the door to the retreat shattered revealing a tall, brown-haired man with a flowing cape and large
rifle. The man wore beads of a bounty hunter in his hair. "I'm looking someone," the man said as he pulled
out his laser rifle, "a girl that changes into a magician." The man grinned wickedly as he surveyed the room.
"Any of you know her?"
As one, the assembled group looked toward Anne. Anne's mouth was working soundlessly. Finally she got out,
"Huck...."
Huck's gaze rested on Anne and his grin widened. "So good of you to remember me, Anne! The agency was very
upset when you left and they want you back."
Anne seemed to gain some confidence and raised her voice. "I'm never going back there! Never!"
Huck rested the rifle on his shoulder. He shook his head and made a "tut-tut" noise. "I'm sorry to hear that,
Anne. Guess I have to do this the hard way." He looked around the Retreat. "Nice place here.." In one lighting
motion he cocked the rifle and fired it, shattering a glass behind the bar. "It'd be a shame if someone were
to wreck it."
Mads was fuming. She opened her mouth to say something, but stopped when Anne started talking. "I will
not let you get away with this!" Anne yelled, aura glowing.
Huck laughed and brought his rifle back to his shoulder. "And what exactly do you intend to do about it?"
He grinned and looked straight at the girl in front of him. "You know you're powers have never worked on me,
sister."
-oOo-
[RL-Rem]
Remus picked a shard of mirror out of his iced tea and sighed. "Huck, you said your name was?"
"I did," Anne pointed out.
"Right..." the detian muttered, putting down his tea and turning around on his bar stool. "What right do
you have, coming in here and disturbiong the Wa of this bar?"
"I have all the right i need, punk..." Huck muttered, firing off a round into Remus' chest.
"Is that it?" Remus muttered. He hadn't even budged when the blast hit. "This is the *wrong* place to
come with intent to harm someone..."
Susano and Rachael walked over and stood by him.
"We don't take interlopers.. lightly..." Remus muttered.
-oOo-
[Jerry]
Huck then seemed to smile slightly as he entered in a new clip of ammunition. "All right then, I guess
it is time I use more power". Several glowing bullets began to ignite the bar, causing most of the patrons
to head to the exits. The only people left in the bar were Mads, who was threatening to go down with the
ship, err, bar. Mai, who was still trying to con some omeboshi out of the everyone, but she was heading
outside, no that was not a major concern except to those outside... Remus, who was slightly hurt by getting
hit by several demonbullets, and Jerry, who was still talking to his ghost. Jerry then npticed the flames
around the bar and saw the various people inside. He then saw the raving maniac with the gun who was finally
responsible. He was MAD. He took out his orb, and gave the maniac about 7 good hard thwacks with his orb,
which is usually enough to smash a small building. Huck barely moved. Then Remus asked Jerry if they should
combine powers, Jerry agreed, seeing how tough this guy was. Jerry knew he could fight this guy all day, but
niether of them would get hurt much, Jerry could teleport all day and this guy couldn't be hurt much by
anything but Jerry's most powerful spell, which he needs to save. Jerry prepared his Dark Greeting, and Remus
prepared some chi-blast that Jerry was totally unfamiliar with, they both fired it at the same time while Mads
was getting out her old 1897 Shotgun and blasted ineffectually at the maniac. At the same time Huck was staring
at Mai smashing another bar patron. He cocked his gun when all 3 attacks hit. THAT got his attention and drew
a little blood. Huck then said, "Playtime's over." and started glowing. Jerry was concerned.
-oOo-
[Nathan]
No one had noticed the tall man in a trench coat that had entered in all the confusion. He stood in the
shadows watching this exchange with a strange look on his face, as if debating whether or not to interfere.
Then Huck started glowing. The strange man's eyes, which had been dark green, flashed quickly to bright blue
and then to bright green. He stepped out of the shadows, himself beginning to glow with energy, but it was
energy that somehow seemed to radiate confidence and protection, rather than fighting spirit.
The movement distracted the fighters enough to delay any further attacks, and that was all the chance the
man needed to do what he wanted to do. He stepped between Huck and the others, his body now glowing much
more brightly than Huck's. He glanced at each fighter in turn, his bright green eyes coming to rest momentarily
on each person in the room. Then he calmly walked over to the bar and sat down, still glowing.
"Could I please just have a glass of water?" he asked Mads calmly. "And get something for these hotheads.
They need to cool down." He glanced over his shoulder at the others, his eyes now yellow, and increased even
more the glow around his body.
-oOo-
[Ace]
From out of nowhere, SD Ace popped up behind Huck and shoved a bottle of sake into Huck's mouth. Everyone
in the room watched as true to anime form, the bottle slowly drained its content down his throat. Huck's nose
became red and hickups started issuing forth as he staggered into a seat before he collapsed onto the floor.
"Hm, it seems that he can't hold his liquor," observed SD Ace. "The problem with you guys is that you always
try to do things the hard way. Just look at the mess you guys made of Madoka's bar."
"Ahem, maybe he should pick up the tab for all the unpaid drinks long with the damages," Commander Thickett
chimed in.
Patrons started to wander back in as Madoka forced Jerry and Remus to sweep up the mess created by their
battle with Huck. Ace watched and scratched his head as if forgetting something important. Sake bottle, sake
bottle, sake bottle kept rattling inside his head as he tried to remember why he had one in his hand in the
first place.
"99 bottles of sake on the wall," mumbled Huck. "99 bottles of sake, take one down don't pass it around, 98
bottles of sake on the wall...."
Hearing that familiar tune, Ace finally remembered and shouted "May I have your attention please! I have a
very important announcement to make." Ace looks around the room and spots the two people he was talking to
earlier. Putting his arms aound each person, Ace continued to shout, "PsychoKick and Kubo Gray have officially
joined CAPOW! All drinks from now till closing tonight are on me. Let the Sake party begin!"
Kubo wiggled out from under Ace's arm and whisped harshly to to him, "Stop it! You're embarrasing me!" before
stomping off to a remote corner of the bar. Like a shark sensing blood in the water, Thickett drifted over to
Kubo to comfort the lost soul and maybe learn more about him for future gain.
Unfazed, Ace let go of PsychoKick, took a bottle of Sake from Madoka and went to Huck's table. The bottle in
front of Huck was just about empty and he was about to leave as Ace asked him, "Half a quart low? We can't have
our guests leave early." Ace pinced Huck's nose and forced his head back until Huck's slacked jaw fell open. Ace
then put the fresh bottle in Huck's mouth as he did earlier that night and went back to Madoka.
In the middle of the bar, Emiko's Agent was having a Karaoke battle with Emiko while the rest of the CAPOW
crew were trying to dance to their drunken songs. A college student, a salary man and a middle aged house wife
carrying a white fan with a red dot in each hand lead the CAPOWers on.
"What happed to Mai-chan?" asked Madoka Ace as she looked around the bar. She then spotted a trail of omeboshi
on napkins leading to several unmarked crates in the corner. "Those crates weren't there earlier tonight. They
wouldn't happen to be..."
"What do you think I was doing during the confusion, Mads?" asked Ace. Both watched the trail until Mai
discovered it and started eating omeboshi like Pac-Man in a maze of wavering bodies. "If you will exscue me, I'll
go keep Mai company. Don't worry, I'll keep her out of trouble." For some reason, that last sentence rang in his
ears like other famous last words he heard far too often.
Two Dark figures watched the partying inside Madoka's with feelings of sincere disgust. The room was dark and
the glow only outlined the figures to make them distinguishable from the dark surrounding them.
"I can't believe that Huck failed us!" said a female shadow.
"He knows well the price of failure," another commented. "Come on, we have to tell the others about this."
Without a trace, both vanish without moving.
-oOo-
[Anne]
Later that night as nearly everyone was sleeping off their sake induced stupor in the Retreat, Huck sat up
and shook his head, and immediately regretted it. "Damn idiots. I'm getting them this time..." He readied his
laser rifle and pointed it on the assembled sleepers. He had just started to depress the trigger when a sound
erupted from his communicator. Quickly Huck turned the volume down and cursed. -HUCK!!!- squealed the
communicator, -Forget the others! Go after your sister! We need her.-
Huck lowered his rifle. "I get you all later..." he whispered to the sleepers, then addressed the voice
over the communicator, "Where is the little bitch?" -The tracker shows her signiture in the backroom of the bar.
There is... CRUD!- "What?!!" Huck asked hurriedly. -There is one more, no two more signatures in the bar as
powerful as your sisters!- "Kuso....." muttered Huck, "That shouldn't be possible!" -I know. I know," said
the voice, -Bring them in too. I'm transmitting their locations to you now.- Huck's wrist transceivor beeped.
Huck pushed a button and looked at the display. "Okay got it." -Bring them quickly,- the voice said before
fading out.
Huck shook his head to clear the last of the hangover. He found the first renegade signal and set up a
force cage. "The wizard," he whispered to himself, "I should have known." He deposited Jeffery into the cage
and then followed the other signal. "No! It can't be her!" he checked his instruments and confirmed the signal.
He shook his head, and placed Mai in the cage. "Now to get that bitch sibling of my mine." He went into the
backroom and readied the force cage.
Anne woke up (after being drugged by someone) and tried to scream, but was prevented by Huck's hand placed
over her mouth. "You're coming with me, dear sister, and if you try to scream you're friends are dead."
Anne's eyes moved to the cage and her eyes widened as she saw Jeffrey and Mai trapped. "Understand?" Anne
nodded. Huck placed her in the force cage and then sent it into SubSpace for storage. Then he walked outside
and got on his hovercycle and drove off.
-oOo-
[Jerry]
Meanwhile, at a hidden lab somewhere, two guys in masks were talking to each other.
"Dr.Gargoyle, have you finished your experiment?"
"My Liege, I have, and I can present the results." A lecherous looking lad in a tuxedo trailed behind him.
The other figure in the mask looked sternly at Dr.Gargoyle, "IS THIS ALL YOU CAN DO!!!???"
Suddenly a provocative-looking female in a sailor outfit and similar-shaped mask appeared and said in a
husky voice, "That will do. Besides, I can handle my younger sister myself." The lech in the Tuxedo charged
the female, crying out "Suki Yo1, Suki Yo!" in a high-pitched voice, only to be stopped by a cry of "MAKENDO
SUPREME ZAPPING!!!" and a terrifying blast of lightning. Dr.Gargoyle started to speak.
"My Liege, Sailor Makendo, I present to both of you the protector. Combined from two animes using my
Combinator device, I created a creature able to fight very competently offensively and is invulnerable to
almost anything save lightning, appropiate in Makendo-sama's case. As for why I chose those two to combine,
well I had no other choice because someone stole the Dragonball Z and Bastard tapes."
Sailor Makendo shrugged. She knew it was probably her bubbleheaded younger sister, who has a serious
anime fetish. She wondering about her, and her missing younger sister Sailor Tatooine, who was finally coming
home. Maybe the three of them can be happy again as they were as little kids. "Maybe this Tuxedo Loser will
be half-useful after all..." she muttered to herself before forgetting that she said it out loud.
The Liege spoke. "Agreed. Take Tatooine and reverse her brainwashing, and as for the two intruders, if
they don't cooperate, they can be executed, but nothing brutal. We have our honor." With those commands,
Makendo and the Tuxedo Guy lept off in a Starlights-esque fashion, ready to deal with the three prisoners.
-oOo-
[RL-Rem]
Remus opened an eye slowly, observing the people departing. "Sis, Susano... the game `tis afoot..."
Remus, his younger sister and the wandering god got up and headed out to the parking lot.
Susano called up a few wind currents and floated in the air, waiting for his old friend patiently.
Moments later Remus and Rachael puled up on identical, black and gray Harleys. "Shall we?" the detian
gweep asked the god with a Sneaky Grin (tm).
"Let's..." Susano muttered.
The Magnifcent Three roared off into the night in hot pursuit.
Remus' voice carried over the roar of the cycles' engines and rushing wind. "That hovercycle's got some
major repulser problems... It's leaving a very obvious ion trail..."
"So I noticed!" Susano shouted back.
Rachael snickered. "This is gonna be fun.. I consider Anne a close, personal friend. I don't care if
the Overfiend's caught her.. I have friends that've kicked *his* ass back to Hell so hard that dimensional
conquest was the *last* thing on his mind!"
Remus glanced over to his sister. "You've been hanging around with Latus and the gang again? You know
how much my boss hates it when we do that..."
"What the boss doesn't notice won't hurt him... He's too busy with other things!"
"Who's the boss?" Susano asked innocently.
"A rather eccentric god a few universes over..." Remus replied. "Imagine.. no.. not even you can
understand someone as weird as our boss..."
"Ooookay..."
-oOo-
[Weapon X]
"I'M GOING TO KILL THAT BASTARD!"
Rekishi watched with concern as Emiko released some of her anger. Her fists were clenched around her light
sword in a very threatening position. "Heaven help him," Rekishi thought to himself.
"Where the hell has he taken Mai?" Emiko, understandably, was very upset. Mai was much more to her than
just a 'sidekick'. Mai was her best friend. "Eric would fume if he knew." Emiko thought to herself. "Alright,
Rekishi. Where are they headed?"
"I know their course," Rekishi said solemly, "but we would need some sort of transportation. It is quite a
distance away. It seems as though the two teleporters have their own troubles as well.. we won't be able to
rely on them."
"Don't worry about that. Um.. I guess you could say I have connections.."
Rekishi accepted her response, knowing that now was not the best time to question her. "I'll need but
a moment," he said as he walked away.
"What is it, Rekishi?"
I.. er.. need to.. you, know..."
Emiko rolled her eyes. "Okay then, I need to do a few things too," she said, thinking to herself how
immature Rekishi can seem at times, when at others, he appears to be the pillar of responsibility.
Rekishi returned a few minutes later. "Ready?"
"Um.. yeah.. but this might be a rough ride." Rekishi grasped his staff firmly, readying himself for the
journey. Emiko notice him mumbling to himself with his eyes closed, and was curious. "What are you doing?"
"Just saying a few words for good luck."
"Oh," she said as she drew her weapon, which was unpowered at the time. "A spell?"
"A prayer. It works better.."
The last things heard before the pair exited the surroundings was Emiko's, attempting to torture Rekishi.
"You know, you were pretty quick in there.. but don't worry, I've heard that a lot of guys...."
-oOo-
[Anne]
Anne sulked for a bit in her cage, until she noticed Mai crying. That reminded the book-assistant that
she wasn't in this alone. Anne looked over at the third cage and saw her teacher playing solitaire. "How can
you be playing solitaire at a time like this?!" Anne shouted at him. Jerry shrugged. "These cages are
resistent to magic, as is your brother. There is nothing else to do." Anne sighed. "Sorry. Of course, the
cages are resistant to magic. Huck was planning to bring me back. The Agency doesn't give up its prize
specimens easily. Mai-chan, it's going to be fine. Huck won't hurt you."
Still crying Mai shook her head. Anne sighed again. "It's true, Mai," Jerry replied, "They want to use
us for some purpose, so we are of no use to them dead."
"Why?" Mai wailed, "Why do they want us?" Both looked over at Anne questioningly. Anne hung her head.
When she spoke it was in a terrified whisper as if she were reliving painful memories. "The want to use us for
experiments. You, me, Mai, we each have a rare type of power that the Agency uses to power machines and to
generate life. My family...." Anne choked back tears. Jerry's heart went out to her. "My father is of an
alien line with powers. Me and my sister's inherited some of these powers and that's why we change. Huck
didn't end up with any powers at all...." she trailed off again, her look resentful, "My mother worked for
the Agency. Early on she had us all tested to see whether we had the power the agency wanted. I'm the only
one who did. My mother turned me over to them, and...." Anne's sentence ended in a sob as the years of torture
came rushing back. Jerry and Mai stared at her silently, not knowing what to say. Finally Anne's sobs ended
and she regained her voice. "I'm sorry you two got dragged into this."
Jerry looked Anne straight in the eyes. "It wasn't your fault. It was that bastard you call a brother
who captured us." Mai smiled. "It's all right, oniihan! I'm sure Emiko is coming to save us!" Anne smiled
sadly at Mai and her teacher. "I'm sure she is, Mai-chan. Why don't we get some sleep?" Mai nodded, and was
soon snoring soundly. Jerry glanced at his student. "You all right?" Anne nodded. "Water under the bridge.
Get some sleep, sensei." Jerry stared at Anne a moment more and then closed his eyes.
-So, telling them your life story, eh, sis?- rang the arrogant voice of Huck in Anne's head, -Quite a pair
those two.-
-Shut up!- Anne spat, hating the telepathic link that connected her to her siblings.
-Touchy aren't we?- said Huck in an amused voice, -You care for the male don't you? Quite a lot of power
he has. The Agency will have fun with him....-
-SHUT UP!!!!!!!!!- Anne screamed through the mindlink. She experienced a brief moment of triumph as she
felt Huck's end of the link waver.
-Not bad, sis,- Huck said when he'd recovered, -Guess you did learn something from that teacher of yours.-
-Huck, I'm the one the Agency wants. Let these others go.-
-Not a chance, sis. Agency needs new subjects, and they'll pay well to get these two.-
-You're as much a bastard as you were five years ago.-
Anne could feel Huck's grin through the link. -Takes one to know one, sis.- Then her mind was empty as
Huck left her to her own thoughts.
-oOo-
[Jerry]
Jerry saw the pain in Anne's face and figured something was wrong. Fortunately, while the CAGES were resitant
to magic, so Jerry couldn't break them with any spells, they didn't hamper magic, so he was able to sense the
presence of Anne's maniac brother in the area. Unfortunately, telepathy with the living was not something Jerry
was trained in, since necromancy deals more with the dead and unliving. Jerry again considered his options, he
could try to bail his own ass out ot here, but that would leave his students dead, or worse, and Jerry couldn't
allow that. As for a frontal fight, he mused, laying a 7 on his 8, he would have to go aginst Huck, whatever
else they had, and they had taken him hostage fairly easily, so that would be an impossible battle at best.
Jerry knew he had to do something, the chills down his spine from sensing all the tortured wails of the former
victims of the area, it was like that time his father sent him off to battle... That was when he decided to
run away from his destiny and his heritage and take up the ways of power thru knowledge instead of the blade,
though he kept the Blade just in case.
Mai was thinking about several things as well. First, she wondered what was going to happen to her, to Emiko,
to Anne, to Jerry... Hopefully Jerry was right, though she knew this was danger, more danger than anyone she
had been with Emiko... Her biggest complaint right now, was food. She wasn't being fed enough by the guards,
so she tried to remember one of Jerry's cooking spells. She was about to start casting when Jerry yelled at
her to stop it. She agreed, though she asked why.
Jerry replied, "It wouldn't work right, it would probably backfire on us all, given these cages..." Mai
murmured out a "Hai." before going back... Jerry knew he was lying, and felt guilty, but he did not want to
reveal his trump card, that his magic still could work somewhat... He may need that as a last ditch resort.
Then a masked man arrived and started to laugh.
"The last of the legendary three senshi has finally come home..." he stated, and we have two more guests as
well, "The young lady seems, interesting, maybe she could be a concubine of some sort, I'm sure my brother
knows what that means..." Jerry recognized the voice. His twin brother, though they were nothing alike.
"Surely you remember those fun times we had building the Empire, I know the passion still exists in your
heart..." Jerry heard the hollow truth ring through within his brother's speech. The two of them used
to be tight, always competitive, usually close except in one area, the blade. While Jerry was fairly skilled
with his spear, he was never a match for Jay's sword. HE could do several legendary feats with his blade,
creating massive amounts of chi from a single stroke. Even with all his magic Jerry doubted he could beat his
brother in an even fight. However, Jay, unlike Jerry, was never able to control his dark side. He remembered
the screams of several of the servants, both male and female, the bodies being carried out from practice
sessions, the calm rage with which he fought, and Jerry felt a twinge of guilt.
"Why did I run away?" He thought to himself... "Maybe I really was a coward, I didn't want to face my
brother because I was terrified..." Jerry looked at Anne and Mai, shaking from the mere presence of this
dangerous man.
"I must, for them, at least try..."
Anne noticed the man standing in front of them, he looked familiar for some reason, though he was terrifying.
Anne knew the power of the Empire, but she had heard about a man called the "Smiter of Sarazano." and his
invincibility.
This was who she was facing, and Jerry was his BROTHER??? Anne didn't know what to think of all this, Jerry
seemed like such a nice guy, how could his broth be so evil!!! Anne cowered in the corner, afraid of what
would happen next.
Mai squeaked as she felt the presence of Jerry's brother. She hoped that would mean that Jerry's brother
would not let of them come to harm, and that made her happy, but she also felt the mutual loathing between the
two of them, and the slight hint of fear inside Jerry, something she had never seen in him anywhere before,
even when he faced 12 of himself... Mai whispered to Anne "I'm scared." and started to whimper.
Anne stared straight and Jerry and said, "What do YOU have to do with HIM???"
Jerry looked Anne straight in the eyes and said, "He is my brother by birth, but I don't like talking about
him..." Jerry starting to get fidgety in his cage, now that his brother was here, things were going to get a
lot more dangerous, more dangerous than he can handle alone.
Meanwhile, Jay motioned to guards, "Keep them here for tonight. Do not kill them, they will be of great
service to the New Utopia, either in service to the Empire or as a source of power. I wonder if Tatooine or
my brother will ever see the light, I wish we could be together as we were at Sarazano..." The guards saluted.
-oOo-
[Emiko's Agent]
"WAAAAIIIIIIT!!!!!" But by then, it was too late, as Rekishi and Emiko vanished into thin air. "Kuso!"
Eric Gen swore under his breath, clenching his fist as he struck the ground that he landed on. The misted
eventually cleared away from his moment of transport, and he gracefully stood up until his blue trench coat
drifted off the dirt floor. The emotions of anxiety swept through his body, making his sharp elf ears
twitch, as he forced himself to wait.
Then beside him, a small black orb appeared. It had the diameter of about two basketballs, and a line
sweeped around the ball at a point lightly higher than it's equator. Engraved into the line at one position
was a circular yellow lens, no larger than a tennis ball.
"Eva," he patted the ball gently and it wavered up and down in response. "Good, you made it."
"Hai." Eva's voice sounded naturally weak and quiet, part of her programming which made her quite the
obidient helper. She was also unaware of most social behavior, as she was designed not to fall under the same
insane problems of her predessesor, Sharon Apple. "Gomen nasi--"
"Don't bother," Eric smiled. Eva was always apologizing for everything, not because she knew she made a
mistake, but rather because she thought she made one and just wasn't aware of it. "This test is a success,"
he continued. "With your remote unit here, we still have an established connection to Genesis. I've got to
find Emiko and get her out of here. As for Mai.....shit! Well, looks like a rescue attempt will be necessary."
The Eva Remote Unit (ERU) began to project an image before him. It started as a fizzle, but eventually
produced the hologram of a 17 year old girl, with similar hair to Sharon Apple but shorter and with a more
innocent look to her face. The rest of her was covered in this skin tight white full-body jumpsuit, making her
seem more like a silent ghost than an living being. "Eva?" Eric perked up a blue eyebrow.
"Hai. My projection abilities do not seem to be restricted in this dimension. I hope to be of better service
this way."
"Good. What's my profile?"
"You are Eric, wanderer. I have calculated that a lack of personal information will not jeprodise the mission,
as this is not a drawn out campaign. Wanderers also do--"
"Fine Eva. I trust your abilities."
"Hai. Arigato gozaimasu." With a curt bow, the image faded away.
"Where are we?"
"We are at the point of Emiko and Rekishi's disappearence. Had we been a little more prompted in our arrival,
we would have been able to use their teleport to our advantage...I have implemented a hyperspace algorithm, and
have located their position." The image of a compass needle pointed to the northeast. "They are 20 degrees
northeast of here. If you wish, I can formulate a layout of terrain and show you exact coordinates."
"Unnecessary. I trust you will make the prober calculations."
"Arigato." The ERU drifted above Eric's head and produce a pair of handles from it's seamless underside.
"It would be quickest for you to use my ERU instead of other modes of transfortation....unless you wish to use
another method...I don't mean to push you or any---"
"It's okay," Eric grinned. Eva tried extremely hard not to anger anyone, which often resulted in quite a
few apologies and mumbling.
"Hai. We will be there in 5 minutes and 32 seconds, if the direct path is taken." "Ikuzo."
-oOo-
[Anne]
Anne couldn't sleep. Not after that encounter with Jerry's brother. It was so hard to believe that a guy
like that could be related to her teacher. She looked over at the other two cages. Jerry was stretched out as
much as he could in the powercage. Anne grimaced, she never knew her mentor snored.
Anne moved her gaze over to the other cage and the young girl trapped inside. While upset at first, Mai had
adapted rather well, relying on her faith in Emiko and Eric to save them. Mai was sprawled in the cage clutching
a stuffed rabbit that Jerry had conjured for her. Anne sighed. -I was never that trusting...- she thought, then
her expression hardened, -Not like I had a chance to be!-
Memories and emotions came flooding back to Anne, but she walled them off as she had learned to do so long ago.
But the memories were getting insistent, gaining power from the proximity of their starting place. Anne used some
of the techniques that she had been taught to relax. She stretched out and tried to sleep.
[Cold instruments lay on her skin, taking measurements. Distant beeps and hums of half-seen machinery echoed
throughout the room. Faintly she heard a monotone voice say, "Begin." Then all she felt was white hot lightning
pouring through her skin ripping through her mind slashing at any defenses she put up, until it reached the core
where it transformed into a thousand searing knives that stabbed at her again and again, until pain became a
constant sensation and then it faded... and she was back in the room. She was screaming. A grey figure injected
something into her arm and she became numb. She heard the distant voice speak again, "Good. Try 60%." She
screamed as the lightning returned this time more intensely. She felt it striking her brain, tearing apart her
soul. She screamed until her throat was dry, struggling against the restraints that held her, wishing only for
the terrible pain to end. Her wish was answered as she met the cool darkness of unconscienceness...]
Anne sat straight up. She was breathing hard and sweating. -Just a dream....- she thought to herself.
Silently she ran through her mind-clearing excercises, until she sensed a prescence in the room. She cursed
softly. "Come out you, monster," she whispered angrily. Her brother stepped into the dim moonlight. He held
a device that glowed. Anne recognized a dream stimulator. She barely managed to control her shaking. A blue
aura began to glow around her. "YOU! You.....!" Huck grinned and walked out of the light. Faintly she heard
him call back, "Sweet dreams, sister...."
-oOo-
[Emiko's Agent]
"Now then," Huck turned the device on the tiny figure in the adjacent cage. "Let's see what you have to fear,
little girl."
"You leave her alone, you bastard!!" Anne cried, deparately trying to wrench the bars apart with her bare
hands. "Mai-chan!" she cried, "WAKE UP!!" But it was too late, the device was activated.
Mai snuggled against the plush bunny with her little hands, and her mind flowed into the distance.
"Worthless!" was the first word of a familar voice. Mai opened her eyes, to see her mentor and friend staring
down at her with menacing eyes.
"Emiko-sensei?"
"Damn it, Mai, where have you been? I needed your help, and where were you, huh?!" Emiko's blue eyes seem
so wrong when she was angry. Mai had never seen her teacher so upset.
"I always help my sensei!" she blurted out in response.
"Be quiet!" Emiko snapped. "Damn it Mai, I can't depend on you for anything! What happened to that precious
book of yours?!" Mai felt like her mind was trapped outside her body, but somehow her right hand felt the hard edge
of a thick book resting in her front pocket. She took it out. "Here, sensei!" she beamed a smile, attempting
to gain favour.
"Hmph! Some sidekick's handbook, huh!? As I recall, one of the top fundamental rules of being a sidekick is
to always be at your leader's side! Always help in every way possible! Isn't that right!?"
"H-hai.." Mai shook.
"Help! You call yourself HELP!? You can't do ANYTHING! You're weak, you can't fight, you can't even carry
heavy equipment! And now you're late for work! You little brat!
"E-E-Emiko sens--"
"Who needs you? Who needs YOU?!" Emiko's last screams shook Mai's thoughts like an earthquake. Everything
seemed to get smaller, while Emiko's eyes and menacing glare that she has never seen before grew larger and larger.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she tried to speak. "G-g-gomen nasa---"
"Sorry?! Is that all you can say, you're SORRY? You think that's some miracle apology that can get you out
of everything?! Damn it, always crying all the time...why don't you grow up?!"
Mai heard the words, but it was not something she could fix so quickly, and the tears began to flow down her
soft cheeks. Suddenly, there was another dark figure behind Emiko. "Eric-san!" Mai cried in relief.
Eric merely pointed an accusing finger into Mai's soul, as one harsh word echoed out of his mouth.
"WORTHLESS!!!!"
Her mind was about to crack. Her world was collapsing...all she thought were her friends..all she thought she
could trust..were fading away, until she was all alone. She reached out for something to hold, but found nothing
as the words continued to eat away at her. "Worthless! Useless!" the voices echoed. Her hot tears fell like
waterfalls, until it almost seemed she would drown in a sea. "Gomen nasai," she pleaded with the shadows.
"Gomen nasai! Gomen nasai! gomen-gomen-gomen!!" Then, she heard it.
"Enough!!!" With that powerful command, everything stopped. The siloettes of angry Emiko's and Eric's
slashed into pieces with the cut of razor sharp yet gentle wings. They were the wings of an angel. Darkness
became light, and soon the peaceful arms of a heaven sent mother lay her hands on the little girl.
"N-N-Nana-sama!" Mai rushed into the arms of the dove-winged adult.
"My poor child!" there were tears in the eyes of the angel as well. "What have they done to you?"
"I-I-I'm no good, Nana-sama!" Mai hugged the soft figure with all the strength her small frame would allow.
She felt so inadequate.
"My poor child," she repeated affectionately. "No..this is wrong. I won't let them hurt you like this. It
is too soon for you to be growing up." Mai's watery eyes looked up at the guardian angel, hugging her tighter.
"I don't want anyone to hate me, Nana-sama. B-b-but Emiko hates me!"
"No.." the angel paused, her hands laying over Mai's eyes, radiant white hair cascading over the young one's face.
"Close your eyes, Mai-chan," she cooed. The words sounded so comfortable, and as the delicate fingers touched over
Mai's eyelids, they suddenly grew heavy like lead weights pressing them down shut. As she drifted away, Mai's fears,
anxieties, and shame were replaced by sweet thoughts...thoughts of friends that loved her and cared for her always.
"Mai-chan.." Emiko's voice echoed into Mai's ears. Mai opened her eyes slightly anticipating a harsh stare, only
to see Emiko's smiling face, wiping some dirt from Mai's arm. "Hey, you tried your best, Mai-chan. What more
can I expect from a sidekick, ne? Next time, we'll get 'em, right?" That was the Emiko Mai knew. The face
drifted away, to be replaced by a large cloaked figure, his elf ears and blue hair coming down until Eric's face
met with hers.
"Hey, Mai-chan,"' he grinned, acting out his best father-figure voice. "Now I handpicked you to be Emiko's
sidekick! Don't let me down, okay?" Mai could almost hear herself shout back, "Hai, Eric-san!" on her first day
on the job. The dashing man was replace like Emiko by another figure.
"Mai-chan! Next time I race, I'll give you the trophy!" Ace beamed as his figure dashed to his rocket.
"Arigato! Gabatte ne, Ace-kun!" Mai saw herself wave to the departing rocketeer. Suddenly she saw herself
ontop of Remus' broad shoulders, as he swung her in circles.
The memories came like a flood of sunlight, as all her new friends entered her mind.
"Hey, Remus-san, for 500 years, you sure dance slow!" "Slow?" he mused. "I'll show you what a 532 year old
can do!" Their dance became more exciting than before, as Mai saw herselt giggled gleefully.
"Up your alley, assholes!" Rachael launched the bowling ball into the black cloud."
"Strike!" Mai yelled from behind her leg.
"But of course!!" Rachael beamed, readying a new ball for launch.
-oOo-
"You think you can handle it, Mai-chan?" Jerry's amused face asked, watching Mai struggle with the spell. In
a poof a donut appeared.
"Yeah, a donut!" Mai cheered.
"Ora?" Jerry looked down at the book. "It was supposed to be a light spell.." Mai laughed out loud.
..
"Mai-chan!" Susano gasped, but Mai was unrelenting.
"Now Susano-san, I tell you that if you ever want to go out with my sensei, you need to talk to her!"
"But..I..er.." he sighed, then smiled, scruffing her head. "I never could keep a secret from you, Mai-chan."
"Rekishi, what are you thinking?" she looked up and the pondering man.
"Oh, the darkeness that is surrounding us," Rekishi pointed at all the red eyes in the distance. "Will we be ready?"
Mai threw a very weak punch at Rekishi's leg. "Hey, you think too much Rekishi-san! Sometimes you have to take
the day as it comes!" She smiled brightly, and Rekishi nodded.
"Alright, Mai-chan. Today, I will do what you say."
"My bar, My bar!" Madoka screamed, the damaged caused by the beady eyed creatures ruining her business. Mai
pulled up to her side.
"Hai! I'll have one fruit punch please!"
Mads stopped for a moment to acknowledge the gesture. "Well, I see I still have a customer! Will YOU be picking
up the tab?"
Mai scratched her head. "Eh heh heh heh..gomen nasai!"
-oOo-
"Stop making fun of my uniform, baka!" the frustrated Sailor senshi yelled as another guy hit the wall.
"I think you look great!" Mai cheered.
"You're kidding, right?" Anne said as she kneeled to Mai's level.
"No way, I think Sailor senshi are the best! They're always saving the universe! What is there to be ashamed of?"
Anne scratched her head. "Well, when you put it that way...." she saw Mai stick her tongue out. "Still, I
have GOT to get out of the get-up!"
-oOo-
The faces of evil Emiko's and Eric's disappeared, and in the distance flashing a warm smile, stood the angel,
waving and winking as the warm light consumed all of Mai's shadows, until they were not even memories. Her eyes
fell closed, a smile on her face.
"Shit!" Huck scowled, looking at the readout of the simulator. "What the fuck is happening?" The simulator
only seemed to have a temporary effect on the small girl. Anne (though confused) had a small triumphant smile on
her face, watching Mai remain at peace in her cage, hugging Jerry's plush bunny.
Frustrated, Huck tossed the simulator on the table and returned to the shadows. Perhaps, Anne thought, we
have hope. It was not enough to suppress her fears, but enough to let the fatigue of her body send her back to
sleep. Who knew what would happen next.
-oOo-
[Jerry]
Images of Sarazano entered Jerry's mind as they usually did from time to time, but this time they were even
more nightmarish than before. Usually Jerry could just see the blood and hear the screams of the vanquished,
but tonight he saw something that had been seared away from his mind ever since that day- the look on Jay's face-
and then the butchery with which he dispatched the entire army- no mercy, no feeling, no remorse. That evil
chuckle, Jerry wondered if his brother had been posessed that day. After the battle, Jerry saw all the destruction
and wept. His father- dead, his head had been chopped off and carried 100 yards before they caught the soldier
responsible. Jay then slapped his back, "Brother, today was a good day. We sure kicked their asses!" he said,
gleeful at the hard-fought victory. This was not the brother Jerry knew- although Jay had an unbeatable spirit,
he did know when to stop. Now it seems like he was addicted to he blood. Jay was afraid, petrified. He knew
that with his father's death, the family would be in a struggle for control , and he was afraid of what his brother
would do. So he did the cowardly thing and fled. While this was not the honorable thing to do, it may have been
the best choice. Before then, there was no way Jerry could have stopped his brother. Now, with his immense gains
in magical ability, he might have a chance, but the odds were still stacked, as usual. Jay had his two students,
and if Jerry tried anything, he didn't know if Jay would use them to his advantage. While the Jay of old was
honorable, Jerry knew little about the butcher of Sarazano that his brother has become. His musings were stopped
by a whack in the head. Anne then yelled at him to snop snoring.
"I never snore!" was jerry's indignant reply. Jerry did have another ace in his sleeve though, and he was going
to use it right now. Jerry summoned up a ghost of the past and asked it too keep an eye on Jay. Unfortunately for
Jerry and the rest, the ghosts were loyal guards of the Empire who had died in the line of duty,so they weren't
willing to help out an accused traitor. On his 4th attempt, Jeery found someone useful, an ex-prisoner who was
killed and wanted revenge. There was two problems with using the spirit. One was the fact that the prisoner never
left the prison, so he knew nothing about Jay or what was supposed to go on, so Jerry had to tell the ghost what to
do. The second problem was how to keep the guards away from him, because guiding this spirit required a lot of
concentration, especially when it came to allowing this ghost to move. Jerry did have a plan though. He asked
Mai to tell Anne all the adventures she had with Emiko. Jerry hoped that this would make the guards think that
none of them were up to anything, but it wasn't a sure thing. One of his master's lessons was useful in this
situation. It was something along the lines of when you're losing, you have to take chances.
Jerry enabled to spirit to travel to the old planning room, where he hoped Jay would be discussing what to do
with the three of them. The spirit traveled through the hallways, through some of the ladies of the court, this
was a pleasant sensation. Then he went thru the wall into the room where Jay and Anne's two sisters were
discussing strategy.
Meanwhile Mai was telling Anne all about her adventures with Emiko- sensei and how Emiko's resourcefulness
kept them alive every time. Anne was impressed with two things right now. One was Emiko's resourcefulness
given all the problems they put themselves into. The second ting, was that she felt the presence of Huck again,
"Little sister, you know what they are going to do to you, and your two runt friends..."
"SHUT UP!!! " she snapped back telepathically.
"Heh. You know your plan to get out is going to fail, Jay-sama's runt brother was never anything but a coward.
Ask him. He won't do anything because he's scared and always has been." Anne this time managed to sever the link,
but became exhausted from the effort and couldn't hear how Emiko defeated the vampire who could sunbathe.
-oOo-
The spirit listened in to the conversation between Jay and the two senshi. The sisters wanted to use the
prisoners as "material" immediately, because traitors should get what they deserve. The creation of Dr.Gargoyle
wanted to kill Jerry outright but save the other two as concubines, but was quickly stomped away into irrelevance.
Jay, however, wanted to see if Jerry or Anne could come back to the Empire, because he knew their services would
be more useful that way, especially Anne's. As for Jerry, Jay knew that he was nothing but a coward who ran away
from his responsibilities, but he wanted to preserve his father's dying wish to keep the family together. Hemused
to himself, "If only Jerry had become a man then..." He then noticed something. A flash of the sword later,
the presence was gone. Someone had summoned a ghost to spy on them. Jay knew who it was, maybe his brother was
growing up after all. Now he has to die. Jay then headed to his room, got on one knee, and asked his father to
forgive him for what he was about to do, but it was for the Empire.
Jay felt the screams of the ghost's essence dying by Jay's chi. "Oh shit." he said, and Anne picked up on it.
"What?" Anne replied.
Jerry than looked at her with a straight face and said, "Our time is up. We're going to have to do something,
earlier than I had planned." He immediately teleported out of his cage, and the "pop" sound from the exchange of
air alerted the guards, who sounded the alarm and charged. Jerry dispatched the guards by summoning a shade that
drained all the guards, then quickly teleported where Mai was, then back, then where Anne was, then back very
quickly to get those two out of their cages. As soon as Jerry caught his breath, he saw in front of him, Huck
and a company of guards, Jerry then said, "Run." and Mai and Anne followed him, and they were followed by
Huck and his guards.
-oOo-
[Anne]
A burst of lightning caused Jerry, Mai and Anne to slow down. They looked around frantically, but there was
no way out. They were trapped. "Not her..." Anne muttered, feeling another prescense in her mind, "Crud..."
A tall, blond woman followed the lightning. She was dressed in a fuku and hip-high boots. The senshi carried
a wand in one hand, and from the other crackled lightning. "So good of you to join us, dear sister," purred the
senshi.
Huck went up to the senshi, bristling with anger. Even though he was a foot taller than the woman he was
dwarfed by the force of her prescence. "Makendo...." growled Huck, "I told you I would handle the runt."
Makendo studied Huck as a cat would a mouse. When she spoke, it was in a cold, disinterested tone. "Obviously,
you haven't done a good enough job, brother. Now go leave Tatooine and these others to me." Huck glared at his
sibling, and opened his mouth to say something, but promptly closed it. He motioned to two of the guards and
stomped off down the corridor. Makendo focused her attention on the prisoners. "Now, what shall we do with you?"
Anne growled, much in the same way Huck had. "Drop the act, Ami. I know where we're going." -Or do you wish
to become a traitor?- she asked scathingly, through the sibling's mindlink.
Lightning flashed in her eyes. "I am called Makendo. Or Sailor Makendo if you prefer." -Ami is dead,
Tatooine, as you well know.- she replied.
-Because you killed her!- Anne retorted, -And I am not Tatooine! I'm Anne, which is the name I was born with!-
Makendo shook her head. "It is a pity that you still reject your true self, sister."
"This is my true self!" Anne shouted. -I'm Anne, and you're Ami, my sister!-
Makendo was about to reply when she heard Jerry chanting softly. Her eyes flashed as she turned toward the mage.
She spat a word and Jerry was engulfed in lightning. He screamed. "JERRY!!!!!" Anne yelled. Mai stared in horror
and then she ran toward Makendo and grabbed onto her wand. "Please!" she said through tears, "Let Jerry-chan go!"
The senshi threw Mai to the floor. "BRAT!!!!" she screamed, and cast an arc of lightning at Mai.
Jerry saw the arc coming at Mai, and (despite intense pain) cast a counterspell, which, actually turned into a
pretty effective shield instead. Mai was safe, but Jerry screamed again as Makendo renewed her assault upon him.
Anne stared in horror at the scene. Then something in her snapped. "BITCH!!!!!!!!!!" she screamed, and
hurled an energy ball at her sister. The ball bounced off Makendo's shield, but it got her attention. She dropped
the lightning assault. Jerry dropped to the ground writhing in pain. Makendo turned towards her seething sister.
"So... the power has not left you, entirely. I welcome you to attack." She dropped her shield and spread her
arms. "Come get me if you can."
Anne stood, breathing heavily, hair disheveled as she glared daggers at the senshi. Makendo grinned and
approached her sister. Anne watched her warily. "You know you cannot hurt me without your power, little sister,"
Makendo said as she advanced, "Anymore than I can hurt you." When she was close enough Makendo reached out with
a hand, and lifted her sister's chin until they met eye to eye. "But with the power..." she whispered in Anne's
ear, "You can do anything....." Lightning raced through Anne's body. Spasms wracked her frame. Makendo let go
of Anne's chin, and she collapsed. Makendo shook her head. "If you weren't a Sig, dear sister, I would kill you
now." She sighed. "I was a fool to think I could convince you to come back. She motioned to the remaining guards.
"Take them all to Prison Bloc A," she glanced at Jerry, "Make sure it's surrounded by anti-magic."
As the guards dragged the three away, Makendo heard Anne's voice ring in her head, -Just remember, Am-, no Ami
is dead... Just remember, Makendo, power corrupts!-
-oOo-
[Jerry]
Jerry woke up in a cell by himself, his body racked with pain. The words "Ouch." entered his mind before passing
out. Mai and Anne were relieved to see Jerry was still alive, he took a serious beating from Makendo.
A couple of hours later, Jerry woke up in his cell, and noticed that whoever was guarding the place left meals
for the three of them. They were surprisingly good, but they needed a little salt, so he tried to create some
magically. Nothing. Jerry asked Anne to try and cast a spell, but Anne said it was useless, they are using anti-
magic. "Damn" Jerry said, but he was not surprised, anti-magic was a logical step and he was surprised his brother
didn't order it in the first place, though his brother always underestimated him. Jerry's orb was gone as well,
they probably discovered it when they put him in the cell...
Fortunately Jerry still had a dagger with him, legacy of his days at court where being armed was a prerequisite
for survival, though he had little skill with the weapon. Mai then asked Anne why they were being kept in such a
good cell. Anne told Mai that they were too valuable to be put in with the common prisoners, and they want to keep
our strength up. Jerry nodded, and was trying to think of something to do. Jumping the guards would be a bad idea,
Jerry was not a great hand-to-hand fighter, unlike his brother, and 1 on 5 or more was not good odds. Jerry then
asked the age old and cleched question, "Does anyone here have a hairpin???"
Anne facefaulted, "You really think that ole cleche works? Someone needs to show you what a real woman has to go
through!" This reminded Jerry of a possible means of escape. While his magic was gone, he could still sense and
speak to spirits, and knew of one other person who could. Jerry searched around for a spirit both willing and strong
enough to go to her,and hoped she would be able to do something. Jerry searched all through the night, scanning every
avaliable corner of the nether space for a ghost fitting both descriptions. After a long and exhausting search,
he found one, a prisoner captured after Sarazano, tortured and executed. While this spirit was not exactly stable,
his hate of Jay made him work for Jerry, and the hate in his soul gave him strength. He waited, took out his deck
of cards, and then stared at Anne taking off her clothes preparing to go to sleep. Jerry was, well, surprised. Anne
then noticed Jerry staring and went, "You old hentai! Turn around!" and snuck in the bed. Jerry did not know
what time it was. There were no windows in the prison, though it was well lighted- "the insanity comes later..."
Jerry mused to himself. Jerry then reminded Mai to tell him before doing anything like that tomboy Anne does so he
can turn around. Mai yawned and Jerry turned his back. Now only Jerry was awake, which in a way was better so he
could concentrate on what the spirit was doing. Jerry was worried about having no control, but the anti-magic made
this risk necessary. About four hours later, the cell door opened. She arrived.
She flowed in her traditional yellow oufit, andthe long black hair with the ribbon in the back turned Jerry on.
She spoke in a soft voice. "Darling, you've gotten yourself into quite a mess." A blood-stained creature with
the heads of four imperial troopers was trailing her, but kept outside the cell for obvious reasons, because it
was the spirit Jerry had summoned earlier. Apparently Marie had restituted the demon to help her get rid of the
guards. She had three outfits ready. One for Mai, to disguise herself as a servant girl. One for Anne, who would
be disguised as a squire, and one for Jerry. Marie hen kissed Jerry passionately and asked where he had been all this
time.
Jerry then said, "I am so sorry. I was a gutless coward. I was afraid. I won't blame you if you never forgive
me, but why are you helping me?"
Marie than whispered to Jerry in her soft voice, "Oh, I'm still mad, but I think I know why you ran away, to save
yourself for when you were stronger. I've already got your punishment in mind..." She got out a cold razor and put
shaving cream all over Jerry's face and body. "Stay still, Darling, or else this could hurt a lot." She then
proceded to delicately shave all the hair off Jerry's body, except for the hair. She then got out Jerry's disguise.
"I think you can pass as a shrine maiden, though you are a little tall, I'll help you put this on." Jerry gasped,
but realized this was his best chance of getting out of there.
Anne woke up, saw what was going on, and was about to yell before Mai gave Anne the "shhh" sign and giggled.
Anne figured out what was going on and had to keep herself from laughing out loud. Jerry didn't look very feminine
in his flowing gown with artificial breasts, though the tights and sandals were irritating. Marie then kissed Jerry
on the cheek and said, "The way you look now, if I was a lesbian and you were the last woman on earth I would go
straight, but it will have to do. Hopefully this works."
Jerry was going through several things in his mind. The first thing on his mind was trying to get back into
Marie's good graces, as long as he did that he could live happily no matter what- well, almost, when it came to
the second thing, the safety of his students. Of course, what really bothered him now was why his tights itched
so much... Jerry walked through the door while Marie sent the spirit out into the guards' quarters to raise a
commotion, while Marie, Jerry, Anne and Mai went out of the prison and out of the castle, where they ran into
what Jerry though to be a funny-looking guy with blue hair and elf ears...
Mai hugged him tightly "Eric-sensei!!!!" she cried. Eric hugged her back tightly. "Meet my friend Jerry, and
my friend Anne, and this nice lady who is Jerry's lover!"
Eric then looked at Jerry and said, "You look weird. Next time, try tissue paper." and pulled out the fruit that
had been subbing as his breasts.
Jerry then got out of the drag and told Eric. "Look who's talking, Spock." Eric growled,then Jerry smiled at him
and said, "You're Mai's friend, so you can't be all bad, but how the hell did you know we were here?" Anne was
busy trying to ask Eric out on a date, while Eric was saying, "I'm not gay."
Then Anne removed the straps holdingher breasts together and said, "Am I gay now?" Eric then asked Marie,
"Is everyone a transvestite in these parts?"
Marie replied, "Only those who took about 1000 volts saving Mai. That's why I came to help you out Darling. I
am sorry for not trusting you at first, but after hearing about how you stopped that awful Makendo Lightning to
save a girl, I knew you weren't the bastard I thought you were. Also, Darling, I was a little jealous,so I guess
the passion is still there." Jerry then held Marie's hand.
"Darling, I had to do some things nad I couldn't tell anyone for their safety. I had to get strong. I should try
to get stronger, but I can't stand being seperated anymore, so I have to fight."
Anne than asked Jerry if it would be a better idea if they all just fled back to Madoka's bar. "No," Jerry said,
"if I ran off, Jay could trace the teleport with his chi, and Mads would really run up my tab for bringing an army
in her bar." Anne then said Jerry had gone loopy from getting 100 bolts and being in drag for a couple of hours.
Eric shrugged and asked Mai to go back to Emiko, that this matter did not concern her. Eric then thanked Marie for
rescuing Mai and prepared to go back before Mai blurted out, "I'm staying with Jerry-san! He needs help or he's
going to get zapped again!" She then explained some of the situation to Eric.
Marie then whispered to Jerry. "You know, with a little work, you would look very cute in a dress..." Jerry
fainted. Eric sighed. He didn't want to get involved, but Emiko would kill him if he let Mai get hurt, and she
wasn't going anywhere. He then softly said, "Guess I'm here as well, to protect Mai."
-oOo-
Jay was having an intimate moment with his lover when the word got out that the traitor Jerry and his accomplice
Tatooine had escaped with their assistant. Jay was furious and prepared to go out personally, when his lover came
out and offered to do the job herself. "Jay-sama, let me do it, it will be fun." Jay agreed, but required her to
take Makendo with her, just in case. He had underestimated Jay twice, and was not going to make the mistake three
times. The two of them knew linked to their sister, and Makendo's voice came through.
"We are going to take you back, and use your friends, and you will do nothing about it, so why not come home and
save yourself some pain?" she laughed through the link.
Anne replied. "We're going to stop all of you, someway."
Makendo laughed. "How? That loser wizard friend of yours, that pathetic runt sidekick???"
Anne's other sister was silent the whole time. Anne wondered what she was thinking.
Anne shut off the link and warned the rest about the oncoming attack.
-oOo-
[Emiko's Agent]
Eric smirked to himself. Despite not wanting to get involved, he had a hankering that things would end up this
way. Mai had prepared a feast for himself useing some new magical powers, causing Eric to raise and eyebrow.
"New powers, Mai-chan?"
"Hai!" Her teeth bit hungrily into a chicken leg. "Want some?"
"No thanks." he smiled. Mai didn't seem to be taking these new found powers very seriously, using them for
pleasure rather than offensive power. But that was typical of her. To use unecessary force was against Mai's
principles. "Hey, Mai-chan," he whispered, "here's someone you might like to see." Eric kneeled down, revealing a
small communicator straped under his gloved hand. The image of a young teenager with orange hair appeared on the
small monitor.
"WAI!! Eva-san!" Mai had forgotten about the food and latched onto Eric's wrist. Her glee was so loud that Jerry
looked up his location.
"Ohayo, Mai-chan. Are you well?"
"HAI!! What 'ja doing in that small little wrist strap!"
"...." she paused, looking up at Eric.
"It's okay, Eva."
Eva continued in her quiet distant voice. "I am not in the wrist console. I am still currently located at the
point of your escape, Eric-san..like you told me to do. I've erected a field around me that will prevent any detection.
Despite being a high tech system, this base of operation shouldn't be anything I can not handle. Oops, sorry for my
bragging."
"It's okay!" Mai beamed. Anne came over and sat close to Eric...a little too close causing Eric to shift
uncomfortably. Jerry appeared in front of Eric and soon they were all starting at Eva's face. The sudden
attention of all these people caused Eva to blush slightly..a programmed reaction, but one that Eva's AI emotions
registered as genuine."
"Go on, Eva." Eric said, relieving them both of some attention.
"*ahem* Umm...I'm now scanning for Emiko-san and Rekishi-san. They appear to have teleported to a room inside the
base. As for Remus, Rachael and Susano, they have just arrived on two-wheeled motorized vehicles. They are also
preparing to advance into the base. It can be assumed that they are all looking for Mai, and you other two. What
do you wish me to do?"
"Crud!" Anne blurted. "Eva, tell them to get out!" She cursed inside. There was no need for anyone else to get
involved in this. If they were captured, it would just create a bigger hassle. Eva's calm cool eyes stared back.
"Gomen, but I do not recognize your authority."
"What? Eric, tell her to get them out!" she cried, pulling on his arm.
"Eva, monitor the situation. Develop a virus to destroy their systems, but wait for my word before establishing
a connection. While you wait, rendevous with Emiko, and assist her, in any way you can. Eric out."
He then turned to the gang. "Well now. Things don't seem too bad, now do they?" he smirked. "Anne-san and
Jerry-san. I don't know what is going on with your families, so please do what you see fit. My powers.." he held
out his hand and formed a small round ball of strange green energy inches from his palm, "and Eva may be of some
service. I don't know who you people are, but if Mai trusts you, then that is good enough for me...for now. What
do you propose we do?"
-oOo-
[Ace]
Earlier, the afternoon after the sake party...
"Aw, Mads!" whined Ace as he sweeped the floor of broken bottles. "How come I have to clean up everone else's
mess?"
"Well, you caused a good portion of this mess Ace," Madoka said in a quiet, teasing manner as she gently pushed
Ace's chest. "You still have to pay for damages to my bar from earlier incidents and their is always the issue of
the tab."
"How are you doing Ace," greeted Commander Thickett as he walked in the door. "I'm surprised that you aren't out
there to rescue your precious Mai."
Ace slowly turned around and stared hard at Thickett. He paced closer and closer to him until they were face to
face and asked, "What did you say?" Fear and anxiety rushed clouded Ace's mind as he experienced these emotions
for the first time. His face flushed a deep red as he fought the urge to not grab Thickett and demand what happened.
No, he knew better than to try to force information out of Thickett.
"Sit, sit Ace," said Thickett as he motioned to an empty table. "Just look at you. You're all dirty! Is that any
way to present yourself in public? You know that fellow from the night before? You're staring to look a little like
that chap, all dirty and smelly. Anyway, it looks like you don't know that the kidnapped her. Don't go flying off
quite yet like you usually do. I can't get involved for personal reasons, but I can tell you where she's being held.
However, you are seriously outmatched this time Ace. I wouldn't go this alone.
The night air felt good as Ace and a handful of fellow rocket jockeys sped towards the base. Sirens blared in the
night sky as the base was already on full alert from Jerry, Anne and Mai's escape. Hidden near the base, television
crews filmed the rocket jockeys approaching and the impending attack.
Everyone flying towards the base felt a mixture of nervousness and an adrenaline rush as they knew that they
could get killed that night. However, tonight's war was no ordinary war. No, this was different. There was no prize
this time and Ace's bleeding heart story about rescues and justice fell on deaf ears. Tonight was for glory and the
bragging rights that nobody else could live down.
Ace tried to yell something memorable to everyone as they began their attack run, but it was lost in the wind
as everyone was consumed with battle frenzy.
On the ground, television crews started their broadcast of the attack. "Welcome to Rocket War!" shouted the
announcer. "Tonight's event is brought to you by Ace Ban Dage's Delivery Service. This night is no ordinary event.
A special field has been rigged earlier in front of this base to supply our jocks with their instuments of destruction
and mayhem.
"Each of the riders tonight are wearing Kevlar suits and riding re-enforced rockets for when the bullets do fly.
And they really will fly folks since real bullets are being used by the jockey's opponents.
"It looks like they are beginning the attack ladies and gentlemen. Ace Ban Dage pulls an early lead by hooking a
mine and flinging it into the machine gun nest. Ouch! That's got to hurt when the guns exploded.
"Oh, it looks like El Muerte has hooked himself a live one this time. Wait a minute, he's circling the base and
the using the guard to knock others off their feet. That's using your noggin, or someone else's for that matter.
"Ouch! Arty "The Torch" Jablonski crashed head first into another machine gun nest and the entire area just went
up into a fireball. That's got to be bad for the complexion!
"Looks like Ace Ban Dage is getting ready to pick up another instrument of mass destruction. Which will it be
this time? Wait a minute, instead of the bombs, it looks like Ace will go for the lead ball. Look at Ace go with
that wrecking ball action!
"Hold up, it seems that the opposition now has some jets in the air. Some are chasing Ace, but he seems to be
holding his own. Oh, no! Demolition Donna Dombrowski is shot down before she can live up to her namesake. Ace with
assistance from Muerte have brought down a jet, but it looks like trouble for the rocket jockeys."
