Ah My Goddess Fan Fiction / Fan Fiction / Crossover Fan Fiction ❯ MUGEN Universe: Tournament of Champions ❯ Episode 1: The First Wave, Part II ( Chapter 3 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Napoleon De Cheese 
They are on their way there!
Anime/Manga: Ah My Goddess Fan Fiction / Fan Fiction / Crossover Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Comedy / Adventure / Action | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 05.02.2006 | Pages: 8 | Words: 11.4K | Visits: 467 | Status: Work In Progress
They are on their way there!
Anime/Manga: Ah My Goddess Fan Fiction / Fan Fiction / Crossover Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Comedy / Adventure / Action | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 05.02.2006 | Pages: 8 | Words: 11.4K | Visits: 467 | Status: Work In Progress
Down in the dark corridors of the UMBRELLA Labs of Wisconsin:
Naga pulled out a tiny, square device from between her huge melons, and pressed a few buttons on it while mumbling, "I just hope I remember well how to handle this... Honestly, I don't know why he couldn't just go with a simple teleporting spell, instead of this... thing".
B.B. Hood then noticed the air around them starting to shine in a strange yellow light, and could hear that annoying, loud zooming sound again. "Hey, what's this?!" she shrieked. "I swear, if this is some sort of setup against me, you'll be sorry...".
"Don't be so silly" the sorceress humphed. "I'm merely taking us with my employer". And then, they blinked out of existence, only to return to it a couple of seconds later. "Ah, here we are".
It seemed to be the eerie, sinister insides of a huge cave, barely illuminated by some diminutive red flames floating all around the ghostly figure that hovered high above the floor in the middle of the dark shrine at the end of the cave. The spectral being looked like a giant head with no body at all, but with a long, thick black beard, and burning redish eyes that looked like the eyes of either an angry saint or a devil.
"I knew it!" the killer Red Riding Hood almost spat in rage. "This is nothing but Darkstalker trickery! Who are you, Jedah's cousin or something?".
"Silence" a tall man in a weird battle outfit with tall boots and a half black, half red mask that covered all of his face (except for his cold eyes) told her sternly. He had been standing next to the shrine until he walked to meet the females. Then he talked back to the supernatural apparition as he looked down at Hood, analyzing her with his icy stare. "Don't tell me *this* is our third teammate. I thought this was supposed to be a serious assignment".
"You don't know about her potential, Deathstroke" the ghost (or whatever he was) spoke, in a voice with a recognizable English accent. "She has the deadly skills and instincts required for this mission".
"What in the world are you talking about?" the child asked, still very distrusting.
"The Heavens and Hells, the Cosmics and the Humans, all alike, they all are amassing their forces, preparing for the Final Day" the ghostly voice boomed. "The recruitment drives have started, fast and furious, all through the Universe, and anyone with any talent is being brought in by a party or another. Everyone is making a play for power... or mere survival. You are part of my soldiers in that war. My Mercenary Team".
"Now I understand even less..." Hood admitted, blinking.
"You will understand it soon enough. Suffice to say for now, I want you to eliminate the threats to the advancement of my other Teams in the battles that are about to come. You will be their support team, dispatching anything and anyone that can interfere with our plans".
"Wait, wait, wait!" the young Darkstalker Hunter shook her small hands in front of herself. "You still haven't even told me your name, and you want to push me into some sort of war for you?".
"You can call me... Moore. I will not tell more about that for the time being. If you do what I tell you to, you all will be greatly rewarded, with prizes far beyond your wildest dreams".
Naga drooled at the simple idea of that. Deathstroke the Terminator only stayed quiet and silent.
"Heh..." B.B. Hood made a twisted grin on her little cute face again. "Are you sure about that? I have pretty big dreams... But, anyway, as long as there are no doublecrosses or funny stuff like that... I could do it...".
Naga pulled out a tiny, square device from between her huge melons, and pressed a few buttons on it while mumbling, "I just hope I remember well how to handle this... Honestly, I don't know why he couldn't just go with a simple teleporting spell, instead of this... thing".
B.B. Hood then noticed the air around them starting to shine in a strange yellow light, and could hear that annoying, loud zooming sound again. "Hey, what's this?!" she shrieked. "I swear, if this is some sort of setup against me, you'll be sorry...".
"Don't be so silly" the sorceress humphed. "I'm merely taking us with my employer". And then, they blinked out of existence, only to return to it a couple of seconds later. "Ah, here we are".
It seemed to be the eerie, sinister insides of a huge cave, barely illuminated by some diminutive red flames floating all around the ghostly figure that hovered high above the floor in the middle of the dark shrine at the end of the cave. The spectral being looked like a giant head with no body at all, but with a long, thick black beard, and burning redish eyes that looked like the eyes of either an angry saint or a devil.
"I knew it!" the killer Red Riding Hood almost spat in rage. "This is nothing but Darkstalker trickery! Who are you, Jedah's cousin or something?".
"Silence" a tall man in a weird battle outfit with tall boots and a half black, half red mask that covered all of his face (except for his cold eyes) told her sternly. He had been standing next to the shrine until he walked to meet the females. Then he talked back to the supernatural apparition as he looked down at Hood, analyzing her with his icy stare. "Don't tell me *this* is our third teammate. I thought this was supposed to be a serious assignment".
"You don't know about her potential, Deathstroke" the ghost (or whatever he was) spoke, in a voice with a recognizable English accent. "She has the deadly skills and instincts required for this mission".
"What in the world are you talking about?" the child asked, still very distrusting.
"The Heavens and Hells, the Cosmics and the Humans, all alike, they all are amassing their forces, preparing for the Final Day" the ghostly voice boomed. "The recruitment drives have started, fast and furious, all through the Universe, and anyone with any talent is being brought in by a party or another. Everyone is making a play for power... or mere survival. You are part of my soldiers in that war. My Mercenary Team".
"Now I understand even less..." Hood admitted, blinking.
"You will understand it soon enough. Suffice to say for now, I want you to eliminate the threats to the advancement of my other Teams in the battles that are about to come. You will be their support team, dispatching anything and anyone that can interfere with our plans".
"Wait, wait, wait!" the young Darkstalker Hunter shook her small hands in front of herself. "You still haven't even told me your name, and you want to push me into some sort of war for you?".
"You can call me... Moore. I will not tell more about that for the time being. If you do what I tell you to, you all will be greatly rewarded, with prizes far beyond your wildest dreams".
Naga drooled at the simple idea of that. Deathstroke the Terminator only stayed quiet and silent.
"Heh..." B.B. Hood made a twisted grin on her little cute face again. "Are you sure about that? I have pretty big dreams... But, anyway, as long as there are no doublecrosses or funny stuff like that... I could do it...".
************************************
Mini Interlude: Inside of the madman's mind.
They are simply soooooooooooooo unfunny.
It shouldn't surprise me, actually. People who thinks they are big stuff are always like that. That's the problem with them, they just don't know how to have fun.
Do they really think they'll never die? Oh, please. No matter how high and mighty and demonic they are, they'll have to croak someday. That's the thing. Nothing lasts forever. Nothing but The Joke. The Ultimate Truth of the Universe, the Fact about Everything Else being Nothing but...
... Nothing.
In the end, despite all their bravado and illusions of grandeur, they'll all vanish in the void, like the sound of laughter in the winter wind. What power will they keep then? Who will hail them, tell them how uber they are, when everything is wiped off and the theater's lights are out? Then, the only thing they'll have is how much fun did they have in their lives.
And they'll find out they didn't have any.
Too busy chasing their dreams of power and supremacy. You should listen to that little pipsqueak Hild, talking as if she's the biggest thing since the rubber chicken, acting all mysterious, giving me nothing but the basic info. Try finishing your potty training first, kiddo. And Mara's even worse. What a stuffy, full of herself gal. You'd say she thinks of herself as someone with real big power, instead of just Hild's puppet. Maybe I can't throw lightning bolts out of my hands or float like a stupid butterfly, but at least I'm the owner of my own fate. That's more than what Mara could ever say, by the looks of it so far.
Sure, I'll play along with them for the time being. But that's just because I want it so. It's not like I'm impressed by them being *the forces of Nifelheim*... or by that fanatical Goenitz goon always looking above my shoulder. Pompous cretin. From what I've heard so far, I think he was killed by some losers, and Hild took pity on his pathetic hellbound soul and made him one of her lapdogs. Or something. Whatever the case is, I, The Joker, am not going to be scared by a simple preacher of Heck with a bad haircut.
They told me we need to form a four members team for some sort of battle against Heaven and anything on the way to Heaven, too. So, that makes us Mara, Goon-enitz, old wonderful Yours Truly, and the guy Mara went off to recruit now. I get the basic rules of the contest. What still puzzles me, is, why did they choose *me* of all supervillain people in my world? True, no one can hold a candle to my sheer genius and unparalleled showmanship, but still, I'll admit I'm kinda outmatched in the raw power department. I'm not a brawler. So, why me?
I asked Hild, and she just smiled. "You'll understand it later". What kind of answer is that? Just like I said: dumb little brat from Hell. We'll see who laughs last.
I only hope we get to see Bats along the way. We simply must.
If the world is in danger, he WILL be there.
And we'll dance under the pale moonlight again.
They are simply soooooooooooooo unfunny.
It shouldn't surprise me, actually. People who thinks they are big stuff are always like that. That's the problem with them, they just don't know how to have fun.
Do they really think they'll never die? Oh, please. No matter how high and mighty and demonic they are, they'll have to croak someday. That's the thing. Nothing lasts forever. Nothing but The Joke. The Ultimate Truth of the Universe, the Fact about Everything Else being Nothing but...
... Nothing.
In the end, despite all their bravado and illusions of grandeur, they'll all vanish in the void, like the sound of laughter in the winter wind. What power will they keep then? Who will hail them, tell them how uber they are, when everything is wiped off and the theater's lights are out? Then, the only thing they'll have is how much fun did they have in their lives.
And they'll find out they didn't have any.
Too busy chasing their dreams of power and supremacy. You should listen to that little pipsqueak Hild, talking as if she's the biggest thing since the rubber chicken, acting all mysterious, giving me nothing but the basic info. Try finishing your potty training first, kiddo. And Mara's even worse. What a stuffy, full of herself gal. You'd say she thinks of herself as someone with real big power, instead of just Hild's puppet. Maybe I can't throw lightning bolts out of my hands or float like a stupid butterfly, but at least I'm the owner of my own fate. That's more than what Mara could ever say, by the looks of it so far.
Sure, I'll play along with them for the time being. But that's just because I want it so. It's not like I'm impressed by them being *the forces of Nifelheim*... or by that fanatical Goenitz goon always looking above my shoulder. Pompous cretin. From what I've heard so far, I think he was killed by some losers, and Hild took pity on his pathetic hellbound soul and made him one of her lapdogs. Or something. Whatever the case is, I, The Joker, am not going to be scared by a simple preacher of Heck with a bad haircut.
They told me we need to form a four members team for some sort of battle against Heaven and anything on the way to Heaven, too. So, that makes us Mara, Goon-enitz, old wonderful Yours Truly, and the guy Mara went off to recruit now. I get the basic rules of the contest. What still puzzles me, is, why did they choose *me* of all supervillain people in my world? True, no one can hold a candle to my sheer genius and unparalleled showmanship, but still, I'll admit I'm kinda outmatched in the raw power department. I'm not a brawler. So, why me?
I asked Hild, and she just smiled. "You'll understand it later". What kind of answer is that? Just like I said: dumb little brat from Hell. We'll see who laughs last.
I only hope we get to see Bats along the way. We simply must.
If the world is in danger, he WILL be there.
And we'll dance under the pale moonlight again.
************************************
~The man with seven scars, the white-winged princess, the Red Destroyer and the Naru Punch~
"What the hell is he, some kinda monster!?" "Kill him, kill him!" "You two, flank him on both sides! Quickly, or we're all..." The second in command of Hellywood, the flyting fortress screamed as the smell of blood reached her nostrils, behind her the would-be ruler of Earth, the mad king Hamdo, his hands shaking uncontrollably as his eyes darted around the room, and the finally to the monitor, where a tall man clad in blue coveralls with cold, brown eyes stared back at him.
"Where is the woman? The one you kidnapped up last week?" his icy tone barely breaking as he landed swift blows onto the heads and bodies of several more of Hamdo's soldiers, seemingly without moving. The men convulsed for a moment, and then their bodies ruptured, their intestines spraying the walls in a collage of blood and gore. "I have come for her, call back your troops. There is no need for any more of them to die today..."
Terror overtook him as Hamdo fired point-blank into the screen.
No less than fifty decks below, more bodies broke apart, more heads gave up their contents and yet more bodies hit the floor as the man strode purposefully forwards, not once breaking his stride, until he reached the door at the end of the corridor. The holding place for recent "aquisitions." He felt over the door, tapped it a bit, establishing how thick it was. There was no need for undue force; as a matter of fact, he knew that the door shattering would flood the room on the other side with deadly shrapnel. He stepped back a ways, and with a small twist of his hips landed a crushing kick into the center of the barrier.
"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.....TAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAA!!!!!!!"
The princess came to as the door to her cell shattered, and she looked up at her rescuer through hazy vision, the result of the beatings her captors were only to happy to have dished out over the past week. She had fought, bitten and clawed her way through every ecounter, strugging to make bloody sure that every man of Hamndo's who had tried to lay a hand on her flesh would think that she was too much trouble to even try raping her.
"Kenshiro..." she coughed, her voice raspy. Her last would-be assailant had thought it would be a lever thing to try choking her into unconciousess. Her belongings fell before her, the arconium-ceremi sword and the lever-action rifle. Together with assorted rounds, and the blue, short-hemmed dress that she always wore.
"Nausicaa. Get up, there are more coming, you have to leave. I do not want for any more of these misguided people to die for their king. There is a hangar three decks below where your glider is kept. I will meet you again in the town nearest here..." The tall man spoke with anger, as te strong fabric of his coveralls began to rip as the gigantic muscles of his chest grew to immense size below them. "There has been enough blood shed by his madness. It ends now."
Nausicaa scrambled through the dark corridors, using the flat of her sword to sway her way through the children without killing them. The adults she did not go easy on, sprinting from assailant to assailant, spinning with each cut to deliver a deft crack to the temple of every secod man. The flying fortress began to shake as she reached the hangar, the ancient steel beams and trusses buckling from what seemed to be irresistable pressure. The door before her fell away as the frame of Hellywood buckled, vital portions of its structure ceasing to exist above her. As she kicked the throttle all the way down, the place that she had been held captive for a hellish week seemed to explode form all around, and as she again soared into the blue younder, the explosion behind her caused her to turn back. She gasped with horror.
Hellywood was dissapearing, no, it was being consumed from the inside out by the expanding barrier. Parts of it collapsing, others collapsing into themselves. I moments, the remnants of the flying fortress crashed into the hot desert sands, aided in their descent by the few remaining safety systems. Testament to the power of the Muso Tensai, and the skill of the last person left alive who could use it. She descended, and came scraping to a halt in front of the largest section as the boys poured out of it, all of them looking up at the giant of a man who towered over them.
"Hamdo and the men who made you fight and kill are dead. The war is over, you must make your own way in this world..."
*Some time later*
"Celestine said to meet him here," Nausicaa whispered, her thoat still sore as she massaged it. "Where is.." She found a flask of water held gently in front of her.
"Drink, don't talk. You still need to rest."
She drank, wondering how a man as brutal as Kenshiro could also be as kind and understanding as anyone else she had met. He seemed to read her thought as he answered.
"This is the fate that belongs to all of us, the practitioners of Hokuto Shin Ken. Some use it to commit injustices, others use it to become kings. There can only be one Heir for every generation." Kenshiro replied. "One week ago, in this very place I thought about what life would be like if the nuclear war had never happened. Then a man came to me, calling himself Celestine."
"That was the same day I arrived here," Nausicaa said, sill rubbing her aching neck. "the day they took me to that place. I met him too, he said that I should be here if I wanted to stop the war from ever happenning, to stop the God Warriors from ever being created..."
Night came quickly, and their tiny fire, in the middle of the dying town lit the shattered buildings of their apocalyptic world, casting dancing shadows as the flames licked the black air. In this day and age, no-one save the warlords had much at all, and both Nausicaa, the princess of the Valley of the Wind and Kenshiro, the heir to Hokuto Shin Ken, the Fist of the North Star, were thankful for the little meals that the townspeople had afforded them, a sign of thanks for ridding their lands of the mad king Hamdo.
"They did not have enough for themselves, but yet..." Kenshiro's voice betrayed his sadness for a world that was dying as he held up the tiny piece of bread. A tear rolled down Nausicaa's cheek as she gazed into the tiny flask of water that a small boy had brought them, he had thanked them pofusely for saving his elder brother from Hamdo's madness.
"And they never will," the voice came from the opposite side of the fire. Both Nausicaa and Keshiro looked up, and found there a man whose exquisite robes, sharp features and stragnely-styled hair stood out beyond anything they had ever seen. The marks on his face, the smoothness of his hands, they told of his past to Nausicaa. The sadness in the man's voice spoke volumes ot Kenshiro. "Celestine." The heir of Hokuto Shin Ken nodded to the man and poured him a cup of water, which he recieved gracefully. Everything about the man held grace.
"It is beginning," he fixed his eyes on Kenshiro, and then on Nuaiscaa. "The end of everything is coming. You are the only two chosen from this world to represent Earth in the Final Conflict between Heaven and Hell. Armegeddon itself." Celestine's face was grim.
"What can we do then," Nausicaa asked him, "we're only human."
"And that is your greatest strength, Nausicaa. Only the righteous of heart may stand a chance against her. I do not wish to see her die." Celestine looked up the the stars.
"Who is going to die?" Kenshiro asked, taking a nibble from the tiny loaf of bread he held in his right hand.
"The kindest, most gentle Goddess I have ever known. She was my student once upon a time, and I was her mentor. She grew up into a beautiful young woman who treasured life so much, she was willing to give up her own for the sake of the world."
Both Nausicaa and Kenshiro looked at the man in confusion.
"Her name," Celestine began, "is Belldandy. Two months ago, her Father, my Master decreed that i was time to start anew. The ultiverse would be wiped out and then rebooted, everything in this multivers is going to be recreated. It is Heaven's way to start afresh when things have gotten out of control. She could not bear it, especially when she wa the one asked to carry out the plan for the full system reformat. She put forward an alternative plan, to give the strongest beings in God's multiverse a chance to show that they deserved to exist. What she proposed to Kami Sama himself was a tournament of epic proportions, where it would be proven one and for all that good can and does triumph over evil, and that existance is still worth saving. Gods, devils, humans and superhumans are coming together, taking sides, establishing the battle lines in this last conflict. I have been asked to select a group of four who will enter this great battle as a team." Celestine sipped from the rusted old cup. "I need you, for your are the most righteous of heart left in this forsaken timeline."
"So, if we succeed, then the war will have never happened?"
"What the hell is he, some kinda monster!?" "Kill him, kill him!" "You two, flank him on both sides! Quickly, or we're all..." The second in command of Hellywood, the flyting fortress screamed as the smell of blood reached her nostrils, behind her the would-be ruler of Earth, the mad king Hamdo, his hands shaking uncontrollably as his eyes darted around the room, and the finally to the monitor, where a tall man clad in blue coveralls with cold, brown eyes stared back at him.
"Where is the woman? The one you kidnapped up last week?" his icy tone barely breaking as he landed swift blows onto the heads and bodies of several more of Hamdo's soldiers, seemingly without moving. The men convulsed for a moment, and then their bodies ruptured, their intestines spraying the walls in a collage of blood and gore. "I have come for her, call back your troops. There is no need for any more of them to die today..."
Terror overtook him as Hamdo fired point-blank into the screen.
No less than fifty decks below, more bodies broke apart, more heads gave up their contents and yet more bodies hit the floor as the man strode purposefully forwards, not once breaking his stride, until he reached the door at the end of the corridor. The holding place for recent "aquisitions." He felt over the door, tapped it a bit, establishing how thick it was. There was no need for undue force; as a matter of fact, he knew that the door shattering would flood the room on the other side with deadly shrapnel. He stepped back a ways, and with a small twist of his hips landed a crushing kick into the center of the barrier.
"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.....TAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAA!!!!!!!"
The princess came to as the door to her cell shattered, and she looked up at her rescuer through hazy vision, the result of the beatings her captors were only to happy to have dished out over the past week. She had fought, bitten and clawed her way through every ecounter, strugging to make bloody sure that every man of Hamndo's who had tried to lay a hand on her flesh would think that she was too much trouble to even try raping her.
"Kenshiro..." she coughed, her voice raspy. Her last would-be assailant had thought it would be a lever thing to try choking her into unconciousess. Her belongings fell before her, the arconium-ceremi sword and the lever-action rifle. Together with assorted rounds, and the blue, short-hemmed dress that she always wore.
"Nausicaa. Get up, there are more coming, you have to leave. I do not want for any more of these misguided people to die for their king. There is a hangar three decks below where your glider is kept. I will meet you again in the town nearest here..." The tall man spoke with anger, as te strong fabric of his coveralls began to rip as the gigantic muscles of his chest grew to immense size below them. "There has been enough blood shed by his madness. It ends now."
Nausicaa scrambled through the dark corridors, using the flat of her sword to sway her way through the children without killing them. The adults she did not go easy on, sprinting from assailant to assailant, spinning with each cut to deliver a deft crack to the temple of every secod man. The flying fortress began to shake as she reached the hangar, the ancient steel beams and trusses buckling from what seemed to be irresistable pressure. The door before her fell away as the frame of Hellywood buckled, vital portions of its structure ceasing to exist above her. As she kicked the throttle all the way down, the place that she had been held captive for a hellish week seemed to explode form all around, and as she again soared into the blue younder, the explosion behind her caused her to turn back. She gasped with horror.
Hellywood was dissapearing, no, it was being consumed from the inside out by the expanding barrier. Parts of it collapsing, others collapsing into themselves. I moments, the remnants of the flying fortress crashed into the hot desert sands, aided in their descent by the few remaining safety systems. Testament to the power of the Muso Tensai, and the skill of the last person left alive who could use it. She descended, and came scraping to a halt in front of the largest section as the boys poured out of it, all of them looking up at the giant of a man who towered over them.
"Hamdo and the men who made you fight and kill are dead. The war is over, you must make your own way in this world..."
*Some time later*
"Celestine said to meet him here," Nausicaa whispered, her thoat still sore as she massaged it. "Where is.." She found a flask of water held gently in front of her.
"Drink, don't talk. You still need to rest."
She drank, wondering how a man as brutal as Kenshiro could also be as kind and understanding as anyone else she had met. He seemed to read her thought as he answered.
"This is the fate that belongs to all of us, the practitioners of Hokuto Shin Ken. Some use it to commit injustices, others use it to become kings. There can only be one Heir for every generation." Kenshiro replied. "One week ago, in this very place I thought about what life would be like if the nuclear war had never happened. Then a man came to me, calling himself Celestine."
"That was the same day I arrived here," Nausicaa said, sill rubbing her aching neck. "the day they took me to that place. I met him too, he said that I should be here if I wanted to stop the war from ever happenning, to stop the God Warriors from ever being created..."
Night came quickly, and their tiny fire, in the middle of the dying town lit the shattered buildings of their apocalyptic world, casting dancing shadows as the flames licked the black air. In this day and age, no-one save the warlords had much at all, and both Nausicaa, the princess of the Valley of the Wind and Kenshiro, the heir to Hokuto Shin Ken, the Fist of the North Star, were thankful for the little meals that the townspeople had afforded them, a sign of thanks for ridding their lands of the mad king Hamdo.
"They did not have enough for themselves, but yet..." Kenshiro's voice betrayed his sadness for a world that was dying as he held up the tiny piece of bread. A tear rolled down Nausicaa's cheek as she gazed into the tiny flask of water that a small boy had brought them, he had thanked them pofusely for saving his elder brother from Hamdo's madness.
"And they never will," the voice came from the opposite side of the fire. Both Nausicaa and Keshiro looked up, and found there a man whose exquisite robes, sharp features and stragnely-styled hair stood out beyond anything they had ever seen. The marks on his face, the smoothness of his hands, they told of his past to Nausicaa. The sadness in the man's voice spoke volumes ot Kenshiro. "Celestine." The heir of Hokuto Shin Ken nodded to the man and poured him a cup of water, which he recieved gracefully. Everything about the man held grace.
"It is beginning," he fixed his eyes on Kenshiro, and then on Nuaiscaa. "The end of everything is coming. You are the only two chosen from this world to represent Earth in the Final Conflict between Heaven and Hell. Armegeddon itself." Celestine's face was grim.
"What can we do then," Nausicaa asked him, "we're only human."
"And that is your greatest strength, Nausicaa. Only the righteous of heart may stand a chance against her. I do not wish to see her die." Celestine looked up the the stars.
"Who is going to die?" Kenshiro asked, taking a nibble from the tiny loaf of bread he held in his right hand.
"The kindest, most gentle Goddess I have ever known. She was my student once upon a time, and I was her mentor. She grew up into a beautiful young woman who treasured life so much, she was willing to give up her own for the sake of the world."
Both Nausicaa and Kenshiro looked at the man in confusion.
"Her name," Celestine began, "is Belldandy. Two months ago, her Father, my Master decreed that i was time to start anew. The ultiverse would be wiped out and then rebooted, everything in this multivers is going to be recreated. It is Heaven's way to start afresh when things have gotten out of control. She could not bear it, especially when she wa the one asked to carry out the plan for the full system reformat. She put forward an alternative plan, to give the strongest beings in God's multiverse a chance to show that they deserved to exist. What she proposed to Kami Sama himself was a tournament of epic proportions, where it would be proven one and for all that good can and does triumph over evil, and that existance is still worth saving. Gods, devils, humans and superhumans are coming together, taking sides, establishing the battle lines in this last conflict. I have been asked to select a group of four who will enter this great battle as a team." Celestine sipped from the rusted old cup. "I need you, for your are the most righteous of heart left in this forsaken timeline."
"So, if we succeed, then the war will have never happened?"
Celestine sighed, and began again. He explained that in this particular universe, the great battle did not come to an end. Instead of reaching its definitive conclusion, the governments of the Earth had organised a task force made up of the elite within their own forces. They struck at Belldandy during her own match, and were destroyed. The sheer number of dead and dying awoke somthing terrible, and it descended to Earth from the Lunar Dungeon, and itself took on the Goddess of the Present in mortal combat, for the sake of the world it wanted to protect. The battle between them was so intense that all of mankind that everyone except those in the know thought it to be a nuclear war. It was not. It was a clash of infinites.
"So we have a chance now, a way to retur everything to normal?" Nausicaa couldn't believe it.
"This is normal," Celestine explained, "what the two of you have is a chance to change this normality to somthing better. Should you choose to take part in this greatest battle, and should either of you emerge victorious, then you will be granted a wish. Any wish. And the wish you make will come true. However, it is also very likely that both of you will not make it, and that you will lose your lives in the prelimanary rounds."
Nausicaa and Kenhsiro fixed their eyes on Celestine. It was Kenshiro who spoke first. "If there is even the smallest chance that all the lives lost will be saved at the cost of my own, then so be it. I have asked myself many times before if there could ever be such a trade, I have seen too much pain and suffering visited upon man by other men. I accept your offer." The princess nodded. "My people are dying because of the Toxic Jungle at the other side of this world. If I can save them, and give them a better life, I'm willing to sacrifice everything I have to do it, even my own life."
Celestine smiled. "You're so much like her. Very well then, let us go." With a gesture, a sphere evneloped the trio as another two joined them. "These will be our team-mates for the tournament. May I present Naru narusegawa, and the man with her is called Raven."
The pair stood before Nausicaa and Kenshiro, and introduced themselves. Naru was bubbly and friendly, but Raven was her complete opposite, cold and foreboding. "I've had enough of fighting," he explained as the big red machine descended slowly behind him, a low and sinister growl echoing from deep within the Geno Breaker. "I've killed so many people, all in the name of what exactly? A madman? A cause? Nothing. Let me tell you this, that wish blongs to me, and if anyone or anything gets in my way..."
"Enough!" Celetine spoke with authority. "Save your anger for the battlefield, Raven. Your entire planet is counting on you. Do not deny your own heart."
Raven spat onto the nonexistant ground in protest. "At the very least I want that wife of mine to stop nagging me every three munites."
Naru and Nausicaa giggled, and Celestine smiled his approval. "Then I bid you welcome, to the battle that will decide the fate of existance!"
"So we have a chance now, a way to retur everything to normal?" Nausicaa couldn't believe it.
"This is normal," Celestine explained, "what the two of you have is a chance to change this normality to somthing better. Should you choose to take part in this greatest battle, and should either of you emerge victorious, then you will be granted a wish. Any wish. And the wish you make will come true. However, it is also very likely that both of you will not make it, and that you will lose your lives in the prelimanary rounds."
Nausicaa and Kenhsiro fixed their eyes on Celestine. It was Kenshiro who spoke first. "If there is even the smallest chance that all the lives lost will be saved at the cost of my own, then so be it. I have asked myself many times before if there could ever be such a trade, I have seen too much pain and suffering visited upon man by other men. I accept your offer." The princess nodded. "My people are dying because of the Toxic Jungle at the other side of this world. If I can save them, and give them a better life, I'm willing to sacrifice everything I have to do it, even my own life."
Celestine smiled. "You're so much like her. Very well then, let us go." With a gesture, a sphere evneloped the trio as another two joined them. "These will be our team-mates for the tournament. May I present Naru narusegawa, and the man with her is called Raven."
The pair stood before Nausicaa and Kenshiro, and introduced themselves. Naru was bubbly and friendly, but Raven was her complete opposite, cold and foreboding. "I've had enough of fighting," he explained as the big red machine descended slowly behind him, a low and sinister growl echoing from deep within the Geno Breaker. "I've killed so many people, all in the name of what exactly? A madman? A cause? Nothing. Let me tell you this, that wish blongs to me, and if anyone or anything gets in my way..."
"Enough!" Celetine spoke with authority. "Save your anger for the battlefield, Raven. Your entire planet is counting on you. Do not deny your own heart."
Raven spat onto the nonexistant ground in protest. "At the very least I want that wife of mine to stop nagging me every three munites."
Naru and Nausicaa giggled, and Celestine smiled his approval. "Then I bid you welcome, to the battle that will decide the fate of existance!"
**************************************
Nifelheim:
"Everyone's gonna die, gonna die, gonna die" Joker sang cheerfully as he walked through the hall right outside of Hild's office, time and time again, his arms open, like a child playing to fly. "Everyone's gonna die, and boy I'm so happyyyyy...".
Inside of the closed office, Goenitz snorted very slightly. "I still don't understand it, Mistress. Why him?".
"He has his uses, you can be sure of that" she told him, back into her voluptuous, six feet tall adult form in the skintight dress, smiling quietly to herself as she stayed sitting behind her desk. "I know he can look like nothing but an annoying burden right now, but he has a link to something I desire. And I'm not willing to let THAT go".
"But he is so... pathetic. No powers. No view of the future. No rationality. The man is nothing but madness, and chaos".
"Precisely..." Hild almost chuckled, delighted at the idea. "Chaos...".
"Excuse me, please?".
"Oh, I won't spoil the surprise for you. Just be patient and take care of him during the tournament. Don't let anything to happen to him until the finals".
"If that is your wish, consider it done". He bowed formally to her. "However, if you don't mind about it, might I ask why did you show yourself to him in your... more youthful form?".
"I wanted him to take me lightly, that's all. Play a bit of mind games with his fractured mind. Let him to think of me that way; so he'll be for a small surprise or two later on".
"Hmmm".
"You can leave now, Goenitz".
"As you say, Mistress".
"Everyone's gonna die, gonna die, gonna die" Joker sang cheerfully as he walked through the hall right outside of Hild's office, time and time again, his arms open, like a child playing to fly. "Everyone's gonna die, and boy I'm so happyyyyy...".
Inside of the closed office, Goenitz snorted very slightly. "I still don't understand it, Mistress. Why him?".
"He has his uses, you can be sure of that" she told him, back into her voluptuous, six feet tall adult form in the skintight dress, smiling quietly to herself as she stayed sitting behind her desk. "I know he can look like nothing but an annoying burden right now, but he has a link to something I desire. And I'm not willing to let THAT go".
"But he is so... pathetic. No powers. No view of the future. No rationality. The man is nothing but madness, and chaos".
"Precisely..." Hild almost chuckled, delighted at the idea. "Chaos...".
"Excuse me, please?".
"Oh, I won't spoil the surprise for you. Just be patient and take care of him during the tournament. Don't let anything to happen to him until the finals".
"If that is your wish, consider it done". He bowed formally to her. "However, if you don't mind about it, might I ask why did you show yourself to him in your... more youthful form?".
"I wanted him to take me lightly, that's all. Play a bit of mind games with his fractured mind. Let him to think of me that way; so he'll be for a small surprise or two later on".
"Hmmm".
"You can leave now, Goenitz".
"As you say, Mistress".
***************************************
Tokyo:
She was walking back to her home, her shoulders slightly down, her normally lively steps slower than usual. The average looking (but still cute) schoolgirl in the sailor-type uniform walked alone through the afternoon, depressed as she couldn't stop thinking about him.
She hadn't seen Ryu in such a long time...
In moments like those, she really wondered if she meant anything at all for him. She knew his journeys of training were hard, rigurous and long, but surely it wouldn't kill him to stop by every once in a while in Tokyo and talk to her. Just for a short while.
Stupid girl, she told herself. He barely knows you, after all. And of course, he doesn't know how do you really feel about him. The heights of your admiration.
"And even if he knew" that annoying, tiny voice inside of her was saying again, "odds are he wouldn't care about it anyway".
Then she heard another voice, but this time, she really could hear it, coming from behind her. It made her to stop right on her tracks.
"Sakura!".
She spun around; she knew that voice very well. And there he was, smiling down at her in that arrogant, slightly goofy way of his. The man in the pink gi.
"Dan!" she said, surprised. "When did you come back to Tokyo?".
"Ahh, just yesterday". He crossed his arms and chuckled. "I was in Hong Kong, you know... winning throphies, recruiting dozens of students for my school... the usual stuff".
"Yeah, yeah, sure...". She nodded weakly. Who did he think he was fooling? Surely he had just been receiving poundings again. "Then what brought you here?".
"I have an offer for you".
Now that was unexpected. "An offer? What are you talking about?".
He showed her some sort of... invitation? "I just got this. It's my ticket for a new massive World Tournament. Something like that 'King of Fighters' event... but this time, obviously it at least has some class, since they invited ME...".
"Man". She blinked. "I think I've heard something about that. I thought it was just a rumor, though... And you want me to join forces with you for it?" she guessed.
"Hah! My student is as bright as her sensei!" Dan beamed, nodding with enthusiasm. "I was required to show up with a team of four... well, that's what the invitation says... so I immediately thought of you. Whaddya say?".
Sakura's already big eyes widened hugely, and her heartbeat quickened. If it meant fights galore, surely Ryu would be there.
She would be able to see him again.
"Okay!" she almost jumped, excited. "Count me in, Dan! I'll give it my best!".
She was walking back to her home, her shoulders slightly down, her normally lively steps slower than usual. The average looking (but still cute) schoolgirl in the sailor-type uniform walked alone through the afternoon, depressed as she couldn't stop thinking about him.
She hadn't seen Ryu in such a long time...
In moments like those, she really wondered if she meant anything at all for him. She knew his journeys of training were hard, rigurous and long, but surely it wouldn't kill him to stop by every once in a while in Tokyo and talk to her. Just for a short while.
Stupid girl, she told herself. He barely knows you, after all. And of course, he doesn't know how do you really feel about him. The heights of your admiration.
"And even if he knew" that annoying, tiny voice inside of her was saying again, "odds are he wouldn't care about it anyway".
Then she heard another voice, but this time, she really could hear it, coming from behind her. It made her to stop right on her tracks.
"Sakura!".
She spun around; she knew that voice very well. And there he was, smiling down at her in that arrogant, slightly goofy way of his. The man in the pink gi.
"Dan!" she said, surprised. "When did you come back to Tokyo?".
"Ahh, just yesterday". He crossed his arms and chuckled. "I was in Hong Kong, you know... winning throphies, recruiting dozens of students for my school... the usual stuff".
"Yeah, yeah, sure...". She nodded weakly. Who did he think he was fooling? Surely he had just been receiving poundings again. "Then what brought you here?".
"I have an offer for you".
Now that was unexpected. "An offer? What are you talking about?".
He showed her some sort of... invitation? "I just got this. It's my ticket for a new massive World Tournament. Something like that 'King of Fighters' event... but this time, obviously it at least has some class, since they invited ME...".
"Man". She blinked. "I think I've heard something about that. I thought it was just a rumor, though... And you want me to join forces with you for it?" she guessed.
"Hah! My student is as bright as her sensei!" Dan beamed, nodding with enthusiasm. "I was required to show up with a team of four... well, that's what the invitation says... so I immediately thought of you. Whaddya say?".
Sakura's already big eyes widened hugely, and her heartbeat quickened. If it meant fights galore, surely Ryu would be there.
She would be able to see him again.
"Okay!" she almost jumped, excited. "Count me in, Dan! I'll give it my best!".
******************************************
The old manor was quiet as a mauseloum that morning, as it had been for the last weeks. She liked it that way better nowadays.
Sitting in an old red couch, a shadow of the woman she once was, the young, fair skinned female with long black hair, all clad in a long white robe, stayed staring at the huge portrait hanging from the wall in front of her. In the image, the inanimated eyes of her sister looked back at her.
It had been that exact same way for hours since she was awakened. She had not said a single word, neither wanted to eat anything. She just wished to stay there, thinking, and staring, fully knowing she wouldn't find an aswer, anyway.
The butler's voice drew her back to reality. "Madame, excuse me for intruding like this" he said from the room's door, his voice dry and formal, "But three ladies want to talk with you know. They say it is because of an urgent matter".
"Tell them I'm not in conditions to meet anyone today" she answered, still not moving. "As a matter of fact, tell them I won't be available for the whole week".
He seemed to hesitate. "Yes, Madame, but... Honestly, I doubt they would take that for an acceptable answer. They... seemed quite determinate to talk with you... And one of them... well, one of them has... something... around her that... worries me, to say the least".
She finally looked back at him. "Exactly what do you mean?".
Then she saw her for the first time ever. She was stepping next to him and into the room. An old-style, traditional Japanese priestess, with pale skin and distant, cold eyes, in the clothing style of an age long gone. There seemed to be something eerie, supernatural around her, like an aura. The current owner of the manor could have said that even if she had not seen the two ghostly creatures floating around the newcomer.
"Chizuru Yata Kagura" the unknown woman said, with an unemotional tone of voice. "We simply have to talk, right now".
Behind her, other two women stood. One of them had European features in her face, a purplish hairstyle that made Kagura think it made Benimaru Nikaido's look normal by comparison, and also a peculiar liking for clothes styling, by the looks of what she was wearing. The other dressed in a much more conventional way, with long skirt and gray blouse, and had long hair in a tone between the stark black and the dark green.
"Forgive us for interrupting your well deserved rest, please" this latter woman made a reverent bow at Chizuru. "But this just can't wait for long. My name is Setsuna Meioh, and these ladies are Miss Rose" she signaled towards the one standing next to her, gently, "and Miss Kikyo" she added, doing the same with the priestess. "I'm afraid we may need your services, Kagura-sama".
"Why for?" Chizuru sighed deeply. "I'm not in any shape to help anyone".
"We know" Rose replied, softly. "We have heard about your unfortuante encounter with Ash Crimson".
Chizuru's eyes narrowed at the mention of that name. "How do you know about that?".
"We have our ways, Kagura-sama" Setsuna assured her, very seriously. "Just like you have yours. You are still a very resourceful woman, and we have a need of you. The world's greatest living authority on the study of the Orochi...".
Now, Chizuru's eyes widened in shock. "The Orochi? You mean you are--".
"He is coming again, Kagura-sama" Setsuna nodded solemnly. Then she handed her an invitation.
"The 'King of Fighters'?" she asked, examining the piece of paper. "But it wasn't supposed to start at this time of the year...".
"Not the King of Fighters. Something much, much bigger. And much more dangerous" Rose said.
"The end of the world" Kikyo added, still apparently emotionless.
"It can't be..." Kagura's voice was a gasp. "You want me for your... team? But I can't... I lost...".
"Yes, Mr. Crimson took it from you. Your power" Rose said. "That's why you haven't been able to feel it coming. But we did. I saw it... in my tarot cards... The coming of a power that makes the might of my nemesis, Bison of Shadaloo, to look insignificant".
"Bison of Shadaloo?". Chizuru had heard the stories about that man.
"I also felt them... the rips in the fabric of time and space... Only small ripplings in the universal continuum for now, but they will grow and grow until all Hell breaks loose. And the God of Destruction will be in the middle of all of it" Setsuna continued. "I have friends that are working on their side to prevent it from happening, but we need an expert on the Orochi matter. That is where you come in, Kagura-sama".
"And about your missing powers..." the priestess took a tiny, shining slice of crystal from inside one of her long sleeves. "This may help you to regain some semblance of them. Normally, I would never do this, but these are desperate times demanding for desperate actions". She gave it to Chizuru, who could feel the power flowing out of it into her hands.
"This can't be... I always thought it was nothing but a legend... The Shikon no Tama ...".
Rose spoke then again. "Use it wisely, Kagura-sama. It's a very dangerous thing. Then again..." she paused, and sighed, "it's also the least of the dangers we shall be taking on from now on".
Sitting in an old red couch, a shadow of the woman she once was, the young, fair skinned female with long black hair, all clad in a long white robe, stayed staring at the huge portrait hanging from the wall in front of her. In the image, the inanimated eyes of her sister looked back at her.
It had been that exact same way for hours since she was awakened. She had not said a single word, neither wanted to eat anything. She just wished to stay there, thinking, and staring, fully knowing she wouldn't find an aswer, anyway.
The butler's voice drew her back to reality. "Madame, excuse me for intruding like this" he said from the room's door, his voice dry and formal, "But three ladies want to talk with you know. They say it is because of an urgent matter".
"Tell them I'm not in conditions to meet anyone today" she answered, still not moving. "As a matter of fact, tell them I won't be available for the whole week".
He seemed to hesitate. "Yes, Madame, but... Honestly, I doubt they would take that for an acceptable answer. They... seemed quite determinate to talk with you... And one of them... well, one of them has... something... around her that... worries me, to say the least".
She finally looked back at him. "Exactly what do you mean?".
Then she saw her for the first time ever. She was stepping next to him and into the room. An old-style, traditional Japanese priestess, with pale skin and distant, cold eyes, in the clothing style of an age long gone. There seemed to be something eerie, supernatural around her, like an aura. The current owner of the manor could have said that even if she had not seen the two ghostly creatures floating around the newcomer.
"Chizuru Yata Kagura" the unknown woman said, with an unemotional tone of voice. "We simply have to talk, right now".
Behind her, other two women stood. One of them had European features in her face, a purplish hairstyle that made Kagura think it made Benimaru Nikaido's look normal by comparison, and also a peculiar liking for clothes styling, by the looks of what she was wearing. The other dressed in a much more conventional way, with long skirt and gray blouse, and had long hair in a tone between the stark black and the dark green.
"Forgive us for interrupting your well deserved rest, please" this latter woman made a reverent bow at Chizuru. "But this just can't wait for long. My name is Setsuna Meioh, and these ladies are Miss Rose" she signaled towards the one standing next to her, gently, "and Miss Kikyo" she added, doing the same with the priestess. "I'm afraid we may need your services, Kagura-sama".
"Why for?" Chizuru sighed deeply. "I'm not in any shape to help anyone".
"We know" Rose replied, softly. "We have heard about your unfortuante encounter with Ash Crimson".
Chizuru's eyes narrowed at the mention of that name. "How do you know about that?".
"We have our ways, Kagura-sama" Setsuna assured her, very seriously. "Just like you have yours. You are still a very resourceful woman, and we have a need of you. The world's greatest living authority on the study of the Orochi...".
Now, Chizuru's eyes widened in shock. "The Orochi? You mean you are--".
"He is coming again, Kagura-sama" Setsuna nodded solemnly. Then she handed her an invitation.
"The 'King of Fighters'?" she asked, examining the piece of paper. "But it wasn't supposed to start at this time of the year...".
"Not the King of Fighters. Something much, much bigger. And much more dangerous" Rose said.
"The end of the world" Kikyo added, still apparently emotionless.
"It can't be..." Kagura's voice was a gasp. "You want me for your... team? But I can't... I lost...".
"Yes, Mr. Crimson took it from you. Your power" Rose said. "That's why you haven't been able to feel it coming. But we did. I saw it... in my tarot cards... The coming of a power that makes the might of my nemesis, Bison of Shadaloo, to look insignificant".
"Bison of Shadaloo?". Chizuru had heard the stories about that man.
"I also felt them... the rips in the fabric of time and space... Only small ripplings in the universal continuum for now, but they will grow and grow until all Hell breaks loose. And the God of Destruction will be in the middle of all of it" Setsuna continued. "I have friends that are working on their side to prevent it from happening, but we need an expert on the Orochi matter. That is where you come in, Kagura-sama".
"And about your missing powers..." the priestess took a tiny, shining slice of crystal from inside one of her long sleeves. "This may help you to regain some semblance of them. Normally, I would never do this, but these are desperate times demanding for desperate actions". She gave it to Chizuru, who could feel the power flowing out of it into her hands.
"This can't be... I always thought it was nothing but a legend... The Shikon no Tama ...".
Rose spoke then again. "Use it wisely, Kagura-sama. It's a very dangerous thing. Then again..." she paused, and sighed, "it's also the least of the dangers we shall be taking on from now on".
********************************************
"This way, Mr. Morningstar!" The pretty little thing beamed as she ran ahead of the tall, well-built blond man in his immaculately kept tuxedo, his steps purposeful and measured as opposed to her own playful skips. He had become curious of the child over the course of the last few hours, the time in which he had been summoned back to Heaven, to answer again to his Father who he had come to loathe.
"Be careful not to fall, Sassami!" he spoke camly to her; he knew all too well that others around him responded the best to words that did not threaten them, but instead seemed to show concern. He had time and time again used these simple methods to gain the advantages that he desired over almost everyone and everything that he had come across, but this child, she was different. She was an Avatar, one of the chosen few who could channel the power of Gods, or in her particular case, a Goddess, the Chousein called Tsunami. And in time, it would be Tsunami that Sassami would become."Are we here?" He smiled down at her, as they stopped before the intricately decorated door. Lucifer had known it well; this was the only door in his Heaven that was to have never been opened until the days of Ragnarok came.
"So it is time," he muttered, "my Father has decreed this I trust?"
Sassami only nodded; Lucifer's words had brought the gravity of the situation back to her. Being taken from the Masaki Shrine by none other than Tsunami herself and then being thrust into the care of the Goddess of War called Rind was a harsh blow, but being told that the most powerful beings in the multiverses were being summoed to do battle for their respective worlds, that was, to her, even worse.
The door creaked open, Sassami ran ahead into the big, plush chair before the screen at the other end of the room. Lucifer approached with care; this was the office of a Chousein, another of the beings whom he had been told, was tasked with the orchestration of Armeggedon itself. He shortened his steps as the blue-haired woman appeared beside her Avatar.
"And you are Tsunami." He casually spoke, moderating his tone so as to appear unimpressed. The Goddess only smiled her reply.
"And my sister? Is she well?" his tone became stern, demanding.
"She is suffering." Tsunami's expression became one of concern. "She bears a great burden in these last days. However, other matters demand your speific attention and she will have to find the strength within herself if she is to pull through all this."
"You expect a child to handle such a task?" Lucifer supressed his rage; even though he had known his sister for only a short amount of time, he did remember her kindness, and how gentle she was. He also remembered how much value she placed on life. "Would it not b better if this task was left to him?"
"But he's..." Sassami found the Goddess' hand on her shoulder.
"He is a loose cannon, such operations must be handled delicately. Summoning him would be like swatting a fly with a planetary collision. It has been decided that he will sit this one out. The operation is too big to risk with the likes of him being around." The brown-haired Chousein appeared beside her contemporary. The Goddess Tokimi. Lucifer nodded; he knew full well the being which Tsunami was speaking of. Even though he was but a planetary-level diety, his skill in the use of his power was nothing short of amazing. Similarly with his disregard for authority. "You should direct your attentions to this matter in particular," Tokimi gestured at the screen which had just formed beside the Morning Star, who began to take in the scene before him.
"Now that, is simply impossible..." Lucifer's surprise shone through his veil of control as he observed the real-time transmission from one of the many audience rooms, where beings fresh to the Omniverse were interviewed. He watched as the man with white hair, a half-face mask and a white trenchcoat walked straight into the embodiment of hid Father's wrath, the green-cloaked Spectre, and walked out the other side...
*The interview from Hell...*
"Now, just how many of you do I need to kill before you yahoo's just LEAVE ME THE F*CK ALONE!?" The half-masked man spat through his mouthpiece as the Wrath of God crumbled behind him, still twitcing. "Trans-spatial phase variance, you're now crumbling into yourself three Continuities removed. Beyond the Fourth Wall, so there's pretty much squat that can be done about it." The trenchcoat swirled as the white-haired man spun around and seemingly, physically dragged a member of The Endless into the Material Plane. Lucifer recognised her as Delerium.
"Look girl," Nudoru shook her, "Seicross told me that I could have a chance to earn a place here, so open up that door and take me to the Goddess called Peorth." The fabric of reality shifted around him, just enough to be noticible. "Alright, the rest of you jokers too! GET IN HERE!"
Death, Destiny, Destruction, Dream, Desire and Despair simply became, and were met with a well-placed roundhouse kick which slammed them all into the wall behind them. "Lords of Disark you bunch sure aren't," the half-masked man muttered, slamming a seemingly scattered fist into the bright white light which had suddenly filled the room, causing a large golden, three-faced man to fall to the floor, his form de-rezzing continually. "Judge, jury and executioner. You must Heaven's High Inquisitor. Sh*t you can do when you've been three quarters removed to a multiverse you have no jurisdiction over, isn't there?"
Ultimate Force seals began to flow over the fallen, binding them in the positions they were in. "Where. Is. Peorth?"
The door burst open as the pint-sized Angel of extremely violent deaths skipped her way into the room, and presented Heaven's latest "guest" with an envelope. "Your express mail, Sir!" Dokuro-chan smiled.
"Huh?" Nudoru opened the envelope, not noticing the tattered edges that were consistant with Al-Quaida tamperings with registered mail.
"Damn you, moron!" the letter began, "who the f*ck told you to go and beat the living sh*t out of everyone you came across? You some kinda f*cking retard!? Now quit it and quit f*cking up! Lift the goddamn seals and just listen, damn it man no wonder you keep dying so often! You are a f*cking retard!"
The letter ended with only a brand, one he knew only too well. It was the seal of Seicross, and with it came all too often things that were bad. The golden circle interlaced intricately with whists of silver began to glow, and finally, impossibly thin tendrils of silver spewed from it, and dissapeared as they enveloped everyone in the room. Dokuro-chan approached him, with her impossibly huge spiked club grating across the floor behind her.
"Be careful not to fall, Sassami!" he spoke camly to her; he knew all too well that others around him responded the best to words that did not threaten them, but instead seemed to show concern. He had time and time again used these simple methods to gain the advantages that he desired over almost everyone and everything that he had come across, but this child, she was different. She was an Avatar, one of the chosen few who could channel the power of Gods, or in her particular case, a Goddess, the Chousein called Tsunami. And in time, it would be Tsunami that Sassami would become."Are we here?" He smiled down at her, as they stopped before the intricately decorated door. Lucifer had known it well; this was the only door in his Heaven that was to have never been opened until the days of Ragnarok came.
"So it is time," he muttered, "my Father has decreed this I trust?"
Sassami only nodded; Lucifer's words had brought the gravity of the situation back to her. Being taken from the Masaki Shrine by none other than Tsunami herself and then being thrust into the care of the Goddess of War called Rind was a harsh blow, but being told that the most powerful beings in the multiverses were being summoed to do battle for their respective worlds, that was, to her, even worse.
The door creaked open, Sassami ran ahead into the big, plush chair before the screen at the other end of the room. Lucifer approached with care; this was the office of a Chousein, another of the beings whom he had been told, was tasked with the orchestration of Armeggedon itself. He shortened his steps as the blue-haired woman appeared beside her Avatar.
"And you are Tsunami." He casually spoke, moderating his tone so as to appear unimpressed. The Goddess only smiled her reply.
"And my sister? Is she well?" his tone became stern, demanding.
"She is suffering." Tsunami's expression became one of concern. "She bears a great burden in these last days. However, other matters demand your speific attention and she will have to find the strength within herself if she is to pull through all this."
"You expect a child to handle such a task?" Lucifer supressed his rage; even though he had known his sister for only a short amount of time, he did remember her kindness, and how gentle she was. He also remembered how much value she placed on life. "Would it not b better if this task was left to him?"
"But he's..." Sassami found the Goddess' hand on her shoulder.
"He is a loose cannon, such operations must be handled delicately. Summoning him would be like swatting a fly with a planetary collision. It has been decided that he will sit this one out. The operation is too big to risk with the likes of him being around." The brown-haired Chousein appeared beside her contemporary. The Goddess Tokimi. Lucifer nodded; he knew full well the being which Tsunami was speaking of. Even though he was but a planetary-level diety, his skill in the use of his power was nothing short of amazing. Similarly with his disregard for authority. "You should direct your attentions to this matter in particular," Tokimi gestured at the screen which had just formed beside the Morning Star, who began to take in the scene before him.
"Now that, is simply impossible..." Lucifer's surprise shone through his veil of control as he observed the real-time transmission from one of the many audience rooms, where beings fresh to the Omniverse were interviewed. He watched as the man with white hair, a half-face mask and a white trenchcoat walked straight into the embodiment of hid Father's wrath, the green-cloaked Spectre, and walked out the other side...
*The interview from Hell...*
"Now, just how many of you do I need to kill before you yahoo's just LEAVE ME THE F*CK ALONE!?" The half-masked man spat through his mouthpiece as the Wrath of God crumbled behind him, still twitcing. "Trans-spatial phase variance, you're now crumbling into yourself three Continuities removed. Beyond the Fourth Wall, so there's pretty much squat that can be done about it." The trenchcoat swirled as the white-haired man spun around and seemingly, physically dragged a member of The Endless into the Material Plane. Lucifer recognised her as Delerium.
"Look girl," Nudoru shook her, "Seicross told me that I could have a chance to earn a place here, so open up that door and take me to the Goddess called Peorth." The fabric of reality shifted around him, just enough to be noticible. "Alright, the rest of you jokers too! GET IN HERE!"
Death, Destiny, Destruction, Dream, Desire and Despair simply became, and were met with a well-placed roundhouse kick which slammed them all into the wall behind them. "Lords of Disark you bunch sure aren't," the half-masked man muttered, slamming a seemingly scattered fist into the bright white light which had suddenly filled the room, causing a large golden, three-faced man to fall to the floor, his form de-rezzing continually. "Judge, jury and executioner. You must Heaven's High Inquisitor. Sh*t you can do when you've been three quarters removed to a multiverse you have no jurisdiction over, isn't there?"
Ultimate Force seals began to flow over the fallen, binding them in the positions they were in. "Where. Is. Peorth?"
The door burst open as the pint-sized Angel of extremely violent deaths skipped her way into the room, and presented Heaven's latest "guest" with an envelope. "Your express mail, Sir!" Dokuro-chan smiled.
"Huh?" Nudoru opened the envelope, not noticing the tattered edges that were consistant with Al-Quaida tamperings with registered mail.
"Damn you, moron!" the letter began, "who the f*ck told you to go and beat the living sh*t out of everyone you came across? You some kinda f*cking retard!? Now quit it and quit f*cking up! Lift the goddamn seals and just listen, damn it man no wonder you keep dying so often! You are a f*cking retard!"
The letter ended with only a brand, one he knew only too well. It was the seal of Seicross, and with it came all too often things that were bad. The golden circle interlaced intricately with whists of silver began to glow, and finally, impossibly thin tendrils of silver spewed from it, and dissapeared as they enveloped everyone in the room. Dokuro-chan approached him, with her impossibly huge spiked club grating across the floor behind her.
Nudoru Kaarage quickly read through the rest of the letter as the little Angel hefted the instrument of impending doom over her head.
"These guys are on your side, moron! If you can't f*cking see it I'll explain it to you: you just kicked the sh*t out of The Endless, the wrath of that partiular continuitiy's God, and the Living Three-Faced Joke, uhh, I mean The Living Tribunal, all of whom you will be answering to if you f*ck it up," The glowing words screamed across the page and then vanished as Nudoru read them. "Get it straight, from now on you are working for them, and not for me. Since you want to find yourself so badly, these boys will guide you on your way in exchange for a little service; they all agree that Armeggedon is coming too early, and since the Goddess of the Present has been empowered by The Big Guy himself, there's squat they can do about it for now. Which is where you come in."
Nudoru looked up for a moment. The club was already screaming towards his head. He hastily sped through the remains of the letter.
"That's right, as of now you're a f*cking TOOL! So have a nice day and go fall in one of their coffee's when you feel the need to die, because you sure as hell aren't coming back here until you're happy! ~Your roomie, Seicross."
"Oh snap..." were the only words that escaped him as Nudoru's brains splattered across the wall, and the blue-haired Angel of Really Violent Deaths began to pound the rest of him into a bloody mess.
*In the next room*
"That's just...wrong!" Lucifer tried to control his urge to vomit, indicating that Heaven's High Inquisitor, the Living tribunal was already throwing up in three directions at once because of Dokuro-Chan's onslaught. Spectre was holding back his own sick wish his cape as he desperately tried to hum away the sound of breaking bones and ripping flesh at his back, and The Endless were just stading there in awe of Dokuro-Chan's pin-point bone-breaking abilities.
"I never knew that a human body could stretch that far before it broke in half...oh...I think that half just landed in front of Dokuro-Chan again...oh...oh my..." Dream whispered to Death, who kicked a small bit of spleen back in Dokuro-Chan's general direction. "Hey, this bit was getting away!"
"Don't worry, I got it!" the petite Angel beamed as she slammed the spiked club down hard, causing shockwaves to tear through the corridor outside.
Tsunami smiled, as she indicated the corpse of Nudoru Kaarage, which was being clubbed into consistantly smaller and smaller fragments, only to momentarily regenerate in order to be met with the same abuse over and over again. "Meet your new teammate!"
The Morning Star stood aghast at the debacle before him, watching as the envelope that the Godkiller recieved suddenly puffed a white cloud of dust over his remains.
"That isn't..." Lucifer began.
"Anthrax...spores." Sassami finished.
Destruction of the Endless noticed the flowings of unknown energies slowly making their way back to the envelope. "What's this?"
"it looks like..." Dream bent over to examine the flow more closely, "it seems that this being is having the better part of his power removed from him."
Everyone in the room began to smile wickedly as the Godkiller slammed into the blood-soaked floor at their feet, tumbling out of a portal which had opened up above them. "It's payback time!"
"These guys are on your side, moron! If you can't f*cking see it I'll explain it to you: you just kicked the sh*t out of The Endless, the wrath of that partiular continuitiy's God, and the Living Three-Faced Joke, uhh, I mean The Living Tribunal, all of whom you will be answering to if you f*ck it up," The glowing words screamed across the page and then vanished as Nudoru read them. "Get it straight, from now on you are working for them, and not for me. Since you want to find yourself so badly, these boys will guide you on your way in exchange for a little service; they all agree that Armeggedon is coming too early, and since the Goddess of the Present has been empowered by The Big Guy himself, there's squat they can do about it for now. Which is where you come in."
Nudoru looked up for a moment. The club was already screaming towards his head. He hastily sped through the remains of the letter.
"That's right, as of now you're a f*cking TOOL! So have a nice day and go fall in one of their coffee's when you feel the need to die, because you sure as hell aren't coming back here until you're happy! ~Your roomie, Seicross."
"Oh snap..." were the only words that escaped him as Nudoru's brains splattered across the wall, and the blue-haired Angel of Really Violent Deaths began to pound the rest of him into a bloody mess.
*In the next room*
"That's just...wrong!" Lucifer tried to control his urge to vomit, indicating that Heaven's High Inquisitor, the Living tribunal was already throwing up in three directions at once because of Dokuro-Chan's onslaught. Spectre was holding back his own sick wish his cape as he desperately tried to hum away the sound of breaking bones and ripping flesh at his back, and The Endless were just stading there in awe of Dokuro-Chan's pin-point bone-breaking abilities.
"I never knew that a human body could stretch that far before it broke in half...oh...I think that half just landed in front of Dokuro-Chan again...oh...oh my..." Dream whispered to Death, who kicked a small bit of spleen back in Dokuro-Chan's general direction. "Hey, this bit was getting away!"
"Don't worry, I got it!" the petite Angel beamed as she slammed the spiked club down hard, causing shockwaves to tear through the corridor outside.
Tsunami smiled, as she indicated the corpse of Nudoru Kaarage, which was being clubbed into consistantly smaller and smaller fragments, only to momentarily regenerate in order to be met with the same abuse over and over again. "Meet your new teammate!"
The Morning Star stood aghast at the debacle before him, watching as the envelope that the Godkiller recieved suddenly puffed a white cloud of dust over his remains.
"That isn't..." Lucifer began.
"Anthrax...spores." Sassami finished.
Destruction of the Endless noticed the flowings of unknown energies slowly making their way back to the envelope. "What's this?"
"it looks like..." Dream bent over to examine the flow more closely, "it seems that this being is having the better part of his power removed from him."
Everyone in the room began to smile wickedly as the Godkiller slammed into the blood-soaked floor at their feet, tumbling out of a portal which had opened up above them. "It's payback time!"
*****************************************
Somewhere else:
She sat bored in a bench, waiting for her father's meeting to end as she petted the head of the sleeping GIR resting on her lap. Then she yawned softly; her father had awakened her way too early that morning. And then there was the fact he had made her to sit down there to wait, for more than one hour now, as he talked with the visitor. And, then again, of course, there also was the fact she didn't like that woman any bit.
There wasn't a single thing the small, silvery white-long haired child liked about that lady. If you could even really call her a lady. She seemed to exhude treacherousness and evil out of every pore of her skin. And her smile was so unnerving, so...
Devilish.
There wasn't really any other word to describe it well. What was he thinking, making deals with her? This just couldn't end well, not at all, the little girl thought bitterly as she stopped petting the head of her alien pet.
Still, she couldn't question his authority. Just like she couldn't do anything but obey when she heard his commanding, but even so quiet, voice calling out for her.
"Bell? Come here, please".
She walked to the dark, huge throne room of the Council's Headquarters, carrying GIR in her arms. She stopped right before the majestic throne where the tall, massive and imposing figure of her creator sat. "Yes?" she asked softly.
"The time has come, Bell" he told her, gently. "You must go now with Miss Mara to your new assignment. I'm sure you'll make me proud once again".
From the back part of the room where she stood, Mara thought of how much of a weird kind of sense of humor her boss could have at times. Recruiting a Bell for the war against Belldandy. Cute, Hild. Cute.
The girlie had turned around to look at her, with those wide and huge round clear eyes of hers. It was evident she didn't like her at all. Although the feeling was most definitely mutual.
Neither of both of them said anything, though.
"I'm sure Bell will satisfy all of your expectations" Dr. X was saying for Mara from his royal seat, a strange shade of golden light shining in his eyes. "As I told you, her raw power is that one of a true Powerpuff Girl... potential almost on the Pre Crisis Kryptonian scale... and the heart of a warrior, as well. Don't let her appearance to fool you".
"I'm never fooled" the she-demon replied dryly. "So don't worry about that".
"Just remember... if anything, and I mean anything, bad ever happens to her..." he started to warn, now with bigger, more pressing tension on his words, "... no matter who you are, you can be sure you'll have Hell to pay".
Mara frowned at him. "You REALLY don't have to use that tone with me. Don't be afraid about the girl. We'll give her back to you safe and sound... along with your share in our prize, for course".
"I hope so, for all of our sakes" the mysterious sitting figure nodded. Then he gestured to the child. "Take care of yourself, Bell dear".
They hugged warmly, as Mara looked elsewhere. Such stupid displays of sappy affection made her to feel sick.
Then, the girl walked to her, saying nothing but "I'm ready".
Mara looked down at the creature she held on her arms. "Are you going to take that thing with you?".
"Girly is my friend" Bell shot back. "I'm not going if I can't go with him!".
"Okay, okay! Sheeesh" the demon shook her head, as the three of them disappeared in a cloud of yellowish smoke. "Seriously, you're almost as bad as the buffoon...".
Once they were gone, someone else, also small and female, cautiously approached the majestic figure in the throne. She asked, in a low tone, "So, what do we do now? Surely we aren't going to stay still as all of this goes on...".
"Indeed, not" Dr. X answered. "Call on the forces, Samantha. I want you to investigate something. Bell may be our best card in this whole affair..." he paused, "... but we would be foolish if we didn't have other aces under the sleeve".
She sat bored in a bench, waiting for her father's meeting to end as she petted the head of the sleeping GIR resting on her lap. Then she yawned softly; her father had awakened her way too early that morning. And then there was the fact he had made her to sit down there to wait, for more than one hour now, as he talked with the visitor. And, then again, of course, there also was the fact she didn't like that woman any bit.
There wasn't a single thing the small, silvery white-long haired child liked about that lady. If you could even really call her a lady. She seemed to exhude treacherousness and evil out of every pore of her skin. And her smile was so unnerving, so...
Devilish.
There wasn't really any other word to describe it well. What was he thinking, making deals with her? This just couldn't end well, not at all, the little girl thought bitterly as she stopped petting the head of her alien pet.
Still, she couldn't question his authority. Just like she couldn't do anything but obey when she heard his commanding, but even so quiet, voice calling out for her.
"Bell? Come here, please".
She walked to the dark, huge throne room of the Council's Headquarters, carrying GIR in her arms. She stopped right before the majestic throne where the tall, massive and imposing figure of her creator sat. "Yes?" she asked softly.
"The time has come, Bell" he told her, gently. "You must go now with Miss Mara to your new assignment. I'm sure you'll make me proud once again".
From the back part of the room where she stood, Mara thought of how much of a weird kind of sense of humor her boss could have at times. Recruiting a Bell for the war against Belldandy. Cute, Hild. Cute.
The girlie had turned around to look at her, with those wide and huge round clear eyes of hers. It was evident she didn't like her at all. Although the feeling was most definitely mutual.
Neither of both of them said anything, though.
"I'm sure Bell will satisfy all of your expectations" Dr. X was saying for Mara from his royal seat, a strange shade of golden light shining in his eyes. "As I told you, her raw power is that one of a true Powerpuff Girl... potential almost on the Pre Crisis Kryptonian scale... and the heart of a warrior, as well. Don't let her appearance to fool you".
"I'm never fooled" the she-demon replied dryly. "So don't worry about that".
"Just remember... if anything, and I mean anything, bad ever happens to her..." he started to warn, now with bigger, more pressing tension on his words, "... no matter who you are, you can be sure you'll have Hell to pay".
Mara frowned at him. "You REALLY don't have to use that tone with me. Don't be afraid about the girl. We'll give her back to you safe and sound... along with your share in our prize, for course".
"I hope so, for all of our sakes" the mysterious sitting figure nodded. Then he gestured to the child. "Take care of yourself, Bell dear".
They hugged warmly, as Mara looked elsewhere. Such stupid displays of sappy affection made her to feel sick.
Then, the girl walked to her, saying nothing but "I'm ready".
Mara looked down at the creature she held on her arms. "Are you going to take that thing with you?".
"Girly is my friend" Bell shot back. "I'm not going if I can't go with him!".
"Okay, okay! Sheeesh" the demon shook her head, as the three of them disappeared in a cloud of yellowish smoke. "Seriously, you're almost as bad as the buffoon...".
Once they were gone, someone else, also small and female, cautiously approached the majestic figure in the throne. She asked, in a low tone, "So, what do we do now? Surely we aren't going to stay still as all of this goes on...".
"Indeed, not" Dr. X answered. "Call on the forces, Samantha. I want you to investigate something. Bell may be our best card in this whole affair..." he paused, "... but we would be foolish if we didn't have other aces under the sleeve".
*******************************************
It was just another day for your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, swinging from building to building, having just finished today's quota of photographs for your ever-friendly slave-driver at the Daily Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson. Thing fighting Hulk (again), Random Ridiculous Loser Bad Guy of the Week #19827 comes crashing into New York (again), Webslinger beats Loser Bad Guy Senseless (again), but still winds up smeared all over the Bugle as "turning on his newest partner-in-crime" (noticing a pattern yet?).
But today, he was feeling realy good about himself. The bad guys seemed to have just taken a break for the week, leaving him with one good week of just kicking back and relaxing with Mary Jane, picking off minor thugs who he was pretty sure he can handle with both hands tied behind his back. Well, there's the organised crime section, but Petey was pretty sure Daredevil had that under control, what with him being the new head honcho of Hell's Kitchen and all...
And speak of the Devil (he chuckled at the pun). Blind Ol' Matt Murdoch was standing on the roof of an apartment building. Apparently waiting for someone.
Well, might as well drop in to say hi, thought Parker as he swung down.
"Hey there, Matt-" Spider-Man began as he made a ten-point landing on the roof, but the blind lawyer cut him off.
"Sorry to ruin your good mood, old friend," Matt started. "I can tell by your pulse and breathing that you're really excited about something. And given how rough your past few weeks were, you must have been looking forward to a good vacation."
"Okay, Matt, you can stop now. You're beginning to scare me."
"Funny, I haven't even started," replied Matt dryly. From the look on his face, he felt anything but humorous. He pulled out a white envelop with a red wax stamp on its back. "Some...one... dropped this at my office earlier today. He said he would have given it to you directly, but you were busy."
"What's wrong, Matt? You look really spooked when it comes to this guy."
"Well, if you had exceptional sense like mine and he only lets you know he's there when he gives you something, and that he seems to know an awful lot about us, what would you do."
"Okay, now I'm getting scared." Spidey tore open the wax seal and opened the envelope.
But today, he was feeling realy good about himself. The bad guys seemed to have just taken a break for the week, leaving him with one good week of just kicking back and relaxing with Mary Jane, picking off minor thugs who he was pretty sure he can handle with both hands tied behind his back. Well, there's the organised crime section, but Petey was pretty sure Daredevil had that under control, what with him being the new head honcho of Hell's Kitchen and all...
And speak of the Devil (he chuckled at the pun). Blind Ol' Matt Murdoch was standing on the roof of an apartment building. Apparently waiting for someone.
Well, might as well drop in to say hi, thought Parker as he swung down.
"Hey there, Matt-" Spider-Man began as he made a ten-point landing on the roof, but the blind lawyer cut him off.
"Sorry to ruin your good mood, old friend," Matt started. "I can tell by your pulse and breathing that you're really excited about something. And given how rough your past few weeks were, you must have been looking forward to a good vacation."
"Okay, Matt, you can stop now. You're beginning to scare me."
"Funny, I haven't even started," replied Matt dryly. From the look on his face, he felt anything but humorous. He pulled out a white envelop with a red wax stamp on its back. "Some...one... dropped this at my office earlier today. He said he would have given it to you directly, but you were busy."
"What's wrong, Matt? You look really spooked when it comes to this guy."
"Well, if you had exceptional sense like mine and he only lets you know he's there when he gives you something, and that he seems to know an awful lot about us, what would you do."
"Okay, now I'm getting scared." Spidey tore open the wax seal and opened the envelope.
Quote:
To Peter Parker, AKA the Amazing Spider-Man...
Congratulations! You have been chosen to participate in a grand tournament of champions across several Universes. However, a word of caution...
While you might have been a contestant in several such tournaments before, the stakes for this one are much, MUCH higher. It involves the survival of a giant mass of existance stretching across multiple dimensions and universes, namely the Multiverse. The details are currently too complex to get into, but you will learn them quickly enough as you go on.
What is of paramount importance is the fact that the fate of your world, your Universe, and that of many others, is up to you and a few others selected for this tournament. As such, you must be fully prepared in body, mind, and spirit.
You will find me waiting at the New Jersey waterfront, tomorrow night, at about 7:00 PM EST. There I will provide you with further information and necessary items. I hope you will be punctual.
Congratulations! You have been chosen to participate in a grand tournament of champions across several Universes. However, a word of caution...
While you might have been a contestant in several such tournaments before, the stakes for this one are much, MUCH higher. It involves the survival of a giant mass of existance stretching across multiple dimensions and universes, namely the Multiverse. The details are currently too complex to get into, but you will learn them quickly enough as you go on.
What is of paramount importance is the fact that the fate of your world, your Universe, and that of many others, is up to you and a few others selected for this tournament. As such, you must be fully prepared in body, mind, and spirit.
You will find me waiting at the New Jersey waterfront, tomorrow night, at about 7:00 PM EST. There I will provide you with further information and necessary items. I hope you will be punctual.
"Great," Spider-Man muttered as he put aside the note. "My good mood has been officially killed."
"That bad?"
"Yeah. You know, Ragnarok times a bajillion, end of all existence across oodles of realities and universes. Fun stuff." He shot a web upwards. "Hey, Matt, I'm going to be gone a while. Mind covering up in my sections?"
"I'll manage," replied the blind man gravely. "What about Mary Jane?"
"I'll... I'll manage," Peter sighed under the mask. "After all, hey, what's the price of my happiness against the greater balance of the cosmos? I'll see you again, Matt - I hope..." With that, he leapt into the sky.
"Good luck, my friend," Daredevil replied, out of Peter's earshot.
Later that evening, Mary Jane was sitting on a couch, across from a tired Peter. She was dumbstruck.
"And you're going? This this... set-up?!"
"Yes, MJ."
"You realise this could be a trap?!"
"MJ..."
"Peter, when will you realise that you made a promise to me about quitting this super-heroism nonsense? And I made you make that promise for a *reason*?" The redhead got up angrily in her chair. "Do you know how many nights I spend each night awake, wondering if you'll ever be back? Do you know the amount of times I stay up late, afraid you'll be found in a ditch with your head split open, or even not return at all?!"
"MJ, please-"
"And now you want to go to this?! You realise how much this sounds like a trap?! God knows I might be the biggest fool around at times, but Peter..." her voice soothed to a pleading tone, "can't you see? Isn't this a trap?"
"Mary Jane... if it were a trap, then whoever sent it will make sure I'll have to go. And if it's the real thing, MJ," he looked up at her, "then *not* going would be worse."
"Please, Peter..."
"No, MJ," he spoke softly. "Please listen to what I have to say. All this time, I've been risking my life, so that nobody gets hurt. Especially not the ones I love. MJ... you said you're always worried about what would happen if I never returned home.
"What I can say is - you don't know the half of it. What I feel every time some maniac cuts loose in the city. For some reason, I know that if I don't stop him, nobody else can. People will get hurt. People will get killed. I owe it to their loved ones to save them; even if I never knew them, even if they're ungrateful.
"Because I know that sooner or later, if I don't help them, someone I know, someone I love, will be next." He got up and held the reluctant MJ in his arms. "And after Gwen, Uncle Ben, and our child, losing you would be the one thing that I couldn't bear.
"So I have to go. The thought of losing you... it's too much for me to bear..."
"Peter," MJ said sobbingly, "I love you..."
"And I love you too MJ..."
***********************************************************
"That bad?"
"Yeah. You know, Ragnarok times a bajillion, end of all existence across oodles of realities and universes. Fun stuff." He shot a web upwards. "Hey, Matt, I'm going to be gone a while. Mind covering up in my sections?"
"I'll manage," replied the blind man gravely. "What about Mary Jane?"
"I'll... I'll manage," Peter sighed under the mask. "After all, hey, what's the price of my happiness against the greater balance of the cosmos? I'll see you again, Matt - I hope..." With that, he leapt into the sky.
"Good luck, my friend," Daredevil replied, out of Peter's earshot.
Later that evening, Mary Jane was sitting on a couch, across from a tired Peter. She was dumbstruck.
"And you're going? This this... set-up?!"
"Yes, MJ."
"You realise this could be a trap?!"
"MJ..."
"Peter, when will you realise that you made a promise to me about quitting this super-heroism nonsense? And I made you make that promise for a *reason*?" The redhead got up angrily in her chair. "Do you know how many nights I spend each night awake, wondering if you'll ever be back? Do you know the amount of times I stay up late, afraid you'll be found in a ditch with your head split open, or even not return at all?!"
"MJ, please-"
"And now you want to go to this?! You realise how much this sounds like a trap?! God knows I might be the biggest fool around at times, but Peter..." her voice soothed to a pleading tone, "can't you see? Isn't this a trap?"
"Mary Jane... if it were a trap, then whoever sent it will make sure I'll have to go. And if it's the real thing, MJ," he looked up at her, "then *not* going would be worse."
"Please, Peter..."
"No, MJ," he spoke softly. "Please listen to what I have to say. All this time, I've been risking my life, so that nobody gets hurt. Especially not the ones I love. MJ... you said you're always worried about what would happen if I never returned home.
"What I can say is - you don't know the half of it. What I feel every time some maniac cuts loose in the city. For some reason, I know that if I don't stop him, nobody else can. People will get hurt. People will get killed. I owe it to their loved ones to save them; even if I never knew them, even if they're ungrateful.
"Because I know that sooner or later, if I don't help them, someone I know, someone I love, will be next." He got up and held the reluctant MJ in his arms. "And after Gwen, Uncle Ben, and our child, losing you would be the one thing that I couldn't bear.
"So I have to go. The thought of losing you... it's too much for me to bear..."
"Peter," MJ said sobbingly, "I love you..."
"And I love you too MJ..."
***********************************************************
"As the Tournament will be broadcast live across every Universe with a Champion representing it," the Tribunal began its breifing, "we have decided that, since the rules will speak for themselves, that there will be a commentary panel to keep the audience apace of the stages." The face of Equity puffed up its veil in the direction of the table before them, and spoke in its turn. "Everyone gets a fan-pack with a rulebook, a big bottle of coke, some chips, and a Sensu bean in case things get out of hand." The face of Necessity then spoke. "And some fan-packs will have a Yaoi/Yuri original creator artbook too...hey, fanservice is a necessity!" "Will the two of you just be quiet? Just because we are out of a job for the moment doesn't give you the right to be a@sholes!" Just Revenge butted in, silencing the other faces of the Tribunal. "Now, as was being said, to keep the audience apace of the battles in every stage of the Tournament, there will be a panel of four commentators, and they will represent the good, the evil, the neutral, and the ignorant. As The Endless are basically embodiments of concepts with really nothing to do but have names that sound cool, they will be providing the interviews."
"HEY, F*CK YOU D!PSH!T!!!" Death screamed from her seat at the rear of the auditorium.
The men and woman in the room looked at each other, and began to murmur amongst themselves.
"Silence, please!" The Tribunal spoke. It had been a long day, since the number of them, perhaps the highest powers in existance besides the being whom they answered to had been suspended from their duties. "Here's the roll call, Lucifer, you'll be speaking on behalf of Evil, I will be speaking on behalf of neutrality, Spectre here will be commentating from the perspective of Good, and you, newcomer..." he raised a golden finger at the half-masked man who had earlier punched him in the face of Just Revenge and then displaced him from the concept of of the tangential vectors of reality, "since you're on loan, it might be best if you spoke on behalf of idiocy...uhmm...I mean, of the Beyond, as my Master has no power outside of this continuity. Yours will be the fresh perspective, as you are, obviously, clueless."
The men and woman in the room again began to murmur.
"The Endless, as they embody concepts that cannot be destroyed within this Omiverse, will be conducting the on-site interviews since some of the guests will have a penchant towards extreme voilence."
"HEY F*CK YOU, A$$HOLE!" Dream shouted from his seat, sticking is middle finger up high. It had been a while since he had been released from his binding, stuffy character role.
"Now, if you will all follow me, we will adjourn for lunch and then begin to familiarize ourselves with the entrnts who have already been recruited. Please note that only a small number have thus far accepted, and a great number are still considering their invitations." The Tribunal motioned towards a growing pile of dockets in the table at the center of the room, surrounded by plush lay-z-boys.
Again the others began to murmur.
"What in the name of The Prescence could be more pressing than the matter at hand!?" The face of Just Revenge screamed in frustration, as the others looked back at it.
"It's nothing really," Nudoru Kaarage snickered behind his mask.
"No, nothing at all," Destruction and Death replied as well, their hands over their mouths.
The tribunal sighed, and then motioned towards the antique door at the end of the room. "Please, this way. Luncheon will be Steak and potatoes..." He turned to leave, but the others again began to murmur.
"I didn't know he was into big hair..." Delirium whispered to the newcomer, the God-Killer.
"That's some serious curls," Nudoru thumbed at the Tribunal's back as he exited the room, as The Spectre, Desire, Despair, Lucifer and Destiny carried on their own conversation on the same subject. "Man, I never knew you could hide an afro that big under a couple of veils!" Despair choked with shock.
"HEY, F*CK YOU D!PSH!T!!!" Death screamed from her seat at the rear of the auditorium.
The men and woman in the room looked at each other, and began to murmur amongst themselves.
"Silence, please!" The Tribunal spoke. It had been a long day, since the number of them, perhaps the highest powers in existance besides the being whom they answered to had been suspended from their duties. "Here's the roll call, Lucifer, you'll be speaking on behalf of Evil, I will be speaking on behalf of neutrality, Spectre here will be commentating from the perspective of Good, and you, newcomer..." he raised a golden finger at the half-masked man who had earlier punched him in the face of Just Revenge and then displaced him from the concept of of the tangential vectors of reality, "since you're on loan, it might be best if you spoke on behalf of idiocy...uhmm...I mean, of the Beyond, as my Master has no power outside of this continuity. Yours will be the fresh perspective, as you are, obviously, clueless."
The men and woman in the room again began to murmur.
"The Endless, as they embody concepts that cannot be destroyed within this Omiverse, will be conducting the on-site interviews since some of the guests will have a penchant towards extreme voilence."
"HEY F*CK YOU, A$$HOLE!" Dream shouted from his seat, sticking is middle finger up high. It had been a while since he had been released from his binding, stuffy character role.
"Now, if you will all follow me, we will adjourn for lunch and then begin to familiarize ourselves with the entrnts who have already been recruited. Please note that only a small number have thus far accepted, and a great number are still considering their invitations." The Tribunal motioned towards a growing pile of dockets in the table at the center of the room, surrounded by plush lay-z-boys.
Again the others began to murmur.
"What in the name of The Prescence could be more pressing than the matter at hand!?" The face of Just Revenge screamed in frustration, as the others looked back at it.
"It's nothing really," Nudoru Kaarage snickered behind his mask.
"No, nothing at all," Destruction and Death replied as well, their hands over their mouths.
The tribunal sighed, and then motioned towards the antique door at the end of the room. "Please, this way. Luncheon will be Steak and potatoes..." He turned to leave, but the others again began to murmur.
"I didn't know he was into big hair..." Delirium whispered to the newcomer, the God-Killer.
"That's some serious curls," Nudoru thumbed at the Tribunal's back as he exited the room, as The Spectre, Desire, Despair, Lucifer and Destiny carried on their own conversation on the same subject. "Man, I never knew you could hide an afro that big under a couple of veils!" Despair choked with shock.
He snarled, looking at the coastline and the big ship anchored on it.
The tiny island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean was the closest thing to a 'home' the dark errant warrior had. From time to time, he'd retreat there to train between his wanderings around the world. During those days, he'd discharge his rage, his power, at the elements. He had already destroyed several parts of the island in those displays of might, as a matter of fact. Nonethless, the place was only his to have. Having that ship around it was, in the human ogre's eyes, an unforgivable intrusion at his few moments of relative peace.
However, the most annoying part wasn't even that. It was the fact he actually recognized that ship. During his travels, he had heard about it and its owner.
The Black Noah.
"Do you like it? You have been looking at it with so much interest..." a strong male voice came from behind him.
"I have no interest in such things" he replied without turning around. "It's the mere fact I don't want it here that makes my blood to boil...". He finally turned around, to face the tall man in an elegant black suit surrounded by two shapely women of cold stares. "I had heard you were dead. Rugal Bernstein".
"You could say I was. More than once" the other man smiled a bit, wickedly. He had one of the dark Shotokan warrior's training dummies between his hands, and crushed it with his fingers, easily. "But Hell seems to be spitting out its dead lately. I am so pleasured to meet you at last... Akuma, Master of the Fist...".
"What are you looking for here?" Akuma growled, approaching the trio at a steady pace. "A new death? I'd be glad to grant you that, if you are so desperate for it".
"Actually, no" Rugal shook his head. "I just wanted to give you this". And he threw an envelope at the man in the dark dogi. Akuma caught it on the fly, ripped it open, and read its contents.
"A contest. How... pitifully ordinary".
"It's anything but ordinary" Rugal said, as a panther approached him and purred, rubbing against his legs as it looked at Akuma with barely contained ferocity. "It is the Ultimate Battle. A challenge really worthy of your attentions".
"I doubt it" Akuma snarled again. "Weaklings. It surely will have nothing but weaklings".
"I will be there" Rugal observed, with intention. "Care to try me? I'm as far from being a weakling as you could ever imagine".
"Fool" the Shotokan fighter readied his fists. "You are going to regret your stupidity".
"We shall see" Rugal took out his jacket and handed it to the blonde woman of the duo following him. "Take good care of it, Mature".
"Be careful, Rugal-sama" she warned.
"Oh, I shall be careful of not hurting him too much. He wouldn't be an useful teammate, otherwise". He gestured to the murderous errant. "Come to me, Master of the Fist. Let me see the power of your technique".
Akuma roared hoarsely, running towards him. Rugal did the same, then. The ground trembled below their combined, quickened steps.
And so it began.
The tiny island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean was the closest thing to a 'home' the dark errant warrior had. From time to time, he'd retreat there to train between his wanderings around the world. During those days, he'd discharge his rage, his power, at the elements. He had already destroyed several parts of the island in those displays of might, as a matter of fact. Nonethless, the place was only his to have. Having that ship around it was, in the human ogre's eyes, an unforgivable intrusion at his few moments of relative peace.
However, the most annoying part wasn't even that. It was the fact he actually recognized that ship. During his travels, he had heard about it and its owner.
The Black Noah.
"Do you like it? You have been looking at it with so much interest..." a strong male voice came from behind him.
"I have no interest in such things" he replied without turning around. "It's the mere fact I don't want it here that makes my blood to boil...". He finally turned around, to face the tall man in an elegant black suit surrounded by two shapely women of cold stares. "I had heard you were dead. Rugal Bernstein".
"You could say I was. More than once" the other man smiled a bit, wickedly. He had one of the dark Shotokan warrior's training dummies between his hands, and crushed it with his fingers, easily. "But Hell seems to be spitting out its dead lately. I am so pleasured to meet you at last... Akuma, Master of the Fist...".
"What are you looking for here?" Akuma growled, approaching the trio at a steady pace. "A new death? I'd be glad to grant you that, if you are so desperate for it".
"Actually, no" Rugal shook his head. "I just wanted to give you this". And he threw an envelope at the man in the dark dogi. Akuma caught it on the fly, ripped it open, and read its contents.
"A contest. How... pitifully ordinary".
"It's anything but ordinary" Rugal said, as a panther approached him and purred, rubbing against his legs as it looked at Akuma with barely contained ferocity. "It is the Ultimate Battle. A challenge really worthy of your attentions".
"I doubt it" Akuma snarled again. "Weaklings. It surely will have nothing but weaklings".
"I will be there" Rugal observed, with intention. "Care to try me? I'm as far from being a weakling as you could ever imagine".
"Fool" the Shotokan fighter readied his fists. "You are going to regret your stupidity".
"We shall see" Rugal took out his jacket and handed it to the blonde woman of the duo following him. "Take good care of it, Mature".
"Be careful, Rugal-sama" she warned.
"Oh, I shall be careful of not hurting him too much. He wouldn't be an useful teammate, otherwise". He gestured to the murderous errant. "Come to me, Master of the Fist. Let me see the power of your technique".
Akuma roared hoarsely, running towards him. Rugal did the same, then. The ground trembled below their combined, quickened steps.
And so it began.
Next: Pleased to Meet you.