Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction / Saint Seiya Fan Fiction ❯ The Intense Clash of the Gods ❯ Tale 47 ( Chapter 47 )

"MINAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!" Asuka, Horoki, and Mana screamed as the Ambrosia reincarnation flinched nervously. The three of them had just been let out of the hospital and they were already being dragged back into action by their goddess.

"Well, we need at least five people to field a team," she said nervously, "And Mizuki agreed..."

"Eventually," Asuka said, the others looking at her. Asuka smirked, pointing at her Magatama necklace. "Forget?"

"But I mean, I might have something to do down at the Precinct or something!" Mana pointed out. Horoki nodded in agreement.

"Besides, I can't play favorites when it comes to a school function!" Horoki pointed out.

"But you're going to have to be there anyways since it IS a school function," Mina countered. "And we're talking about a lot of money being handled, so the police station might want to be wise and send a few officers down to keep an eye on things. And..." she smirked mischievously, "There'll be games of chance there too!"

Horoki, Mana, and Asuka suddenly burst out in nervous sweats. She had all three of them. She had presented the very objects of their desire or responsibility before them... not even needing to say another word.

Mina walked away, whistling "Benny Hill" music as the three slumped down.
_
"Quite the boatload of destruction, eh?" Radamanthys asked as he and Pandora looked over the ruins of the Nerve building, various reconstruction crews already laying out plans a few tents down.

"Aiacos Higashi, master of the infamous Objection Force and one-man wrecking crew..." Pandora mused. "At least we're into putting stuff back together, right?"

"Just hope there aren't any other Plagas here or anything," Radamanthys said, walking down to the center of the rubble. "Last thing we need is more trouble here."

Suddenly his phone rang, he took a look down at it before flipping it up. "Yes? Oh, hello Rajoshin. How goes it? Sounds good... fax the papers to Pandora and me as well as Aiacos. We'll take care of our part." He hung up and explained to his wife. "Ambrosia's priestess took a look into her records and thinks she has something. I'll take a look at it later."

"Sounds good." Pandora was about to head back and begin advising the crews where to start when she noticed what appeared to be a small child loitering nearby. Walking over to him, she knelt down. "Are you lost?"

"No, I'm not lost, vile woman!" the 'child' said in an aged voice, and on closer inspection, Pandora realized that he probably was just a midget. The man took out a wallet, showing his driver's license to her. "Ramon Salazar. I flew over from Spain when I heard the news."

Pandora rose up, wondering if he was connected with Eurydice at all. "You were an investor with Nerve?"

"Yes," Salazar said, looking up at her. "I actually had a program that I funded in more ways than one..."

"It would not have anything to do with Plagas, would it?"

A chill passed through Salazar as he looked at Pandora, but his face betrayed nothing as he answered. "'The Plague'? I'm sorry... I don't know anything about that." She knows. I need to end this.

His hands slid to his pocket, fidgeting around something as Pandora left. He breathed a sigh of relief, until she returned with an intimidating blonde-haired man that looked more than willing to step on him.

"Can I help you?" Radamanthys asked, looking down at Salazar.

"Uh, I was just hoping to take a look around. I was an in-"

"I heard," Radamanthys answered. "This is currently off-limits, especially to a Nerve financier. You can look around after we're done here."

Radamanthys left without another word, Salazar backing away just at the feeling of intensity of it. "F-fine... how about..."

"We're done here in five hours. Go to the arcade or something, kid."
_
"It's... it's wonderful to be home," Isabeau said in relief as she stood, along with Moriya, Shigen, and Kaede stood together in a field, each of them facing the appropriate direction.

"Kyoto... where the Four Symbols possess powers exceeding even the gods..." Kaede said as he sprawled out on the grass, staring up at the sun... the damnable symbol that Ambrosia was still alive...

"It is the perfect geological location," Shigen continued, enjoying as the wind blew through his hair. "I could spend every day of my life right here and be the most content man in existence."

Moriya quietly meditated, but decided to be the voice returning them all to the necessity of the plan. "But we can't stay here forever. Ambrosia won't be dead until we deliver Eurydice's retribution and send the bloated corpses of Radamanthys and Aiacos back to the Underworld as a message to Hades. And then there is Poseidon, who somebody nearly was killed by."

"I won't screw up next time," Kaede answered.

"Just make sure there IS a next time," Moriya countered.

"But the plan itself shouldn't be that difficult. We rest here and gather our strength for two days, and Isabeau, since you're the closest to Ambrosia, dispose of her so we can kill her here. Simple enough?" Shigen asked.

The others nodded.

"Good. Then let us simply bask in the beauty that is Kyoto."
_
"I'm telling you, crime scene investigation is NOT like CSI!" Mana repeated for what seemed the millionth time as she, Asuka, and Horoki walked down the street. With homework disposed of for another day and that they were now out of the hospital, they though it appropriate to see the wreckage of Nerve. If anything, it would be the symbol that all they had to worry about now were the Four Symbols... whoever they were. Mana was about to continue her explanation of how crime scenes were investigated when a figure bumped into her from, causing her to fall over.

"Oh, sorry," he said as the three of them finally caught sight of him...

He was a SHORT Spanish loser!

Mana looked at him once, blinking through her pink-lensed glasses before lifting them up and standing. "It's no problem... really..."

He nodded and ran off, Mana waiting until he was out of earshot.

"Zepplin. Ask his soul about Plagas, please."

Asuka didn't need to be told twice. She gave him one glance and then nodded. "He's connected with them. Let's go."

Horoki suddenly began sweating. "But... I haven't even figured out the Kusanagi sword yet!"

"Improvise then!" Mana and Asuka said in unison.
_
"Okay then," Radamanthys said as the various repair crews closed up for the night, "Just get a good night's rest and we'll continue tomorrow. Clear?"

"YESSIR!" the answered before leaving. Radamanthys then pulled up a seat, waiting around. Pandora was safe at home with a Desert Eagle loaded. And after seeing how she could handle that during the Thanatos and Hypnos incident, there wasn't anything to worry about.

Time went by quickly, he didn't mind waiting that much.

As soon as he appeared, Radamanthys made his move.

"So you're here."

Salazar flinched, turning to see that imposing man again, looking down at him. "Uh... you said I could, right?"

"Sure," Radamanthys answered, "But I'm not leaving until you do." He turned and walked away, counting down in his mind. He knew what was going to happen, honestly, he was elated at with it

There was the sound of a tentacle shooting out, Radamanthys rolling to the side.

"Wow, didn't see that coming," he sarcastically announced, seeing Salazar now standing a good foot taller than him, Plagas parasites all around his body.

Salazar grit his teeth as he stared down at Radamanthys, launching another oversized tentacle at him.

"LEGENDARY CRUSADER!"

Radamanthys's fist hit it dead on, the shock of the force causing the appendage to burst in a bloody mess.

Salazar grimaced, preparing to attack again before a purple stream of fire shot down in front of him.

"You'll be doing no such thing, Plagas Monster!"

Radamanthys looked up and immediately slapped his forehead.

"Do they ever just leave things to the professionals?" he asked, seeing the Three Sacred Treasures of Ambrosia's Coronas standing atop a building, already in their outfits.

Horoki, Asuka, and Horoki jumped to the ground, landing gracefully. Even Asuka, who had a belt tied to the backs of her knees, felt as if they were a lot more mobile now.

Must by the essences of Krylov and the others... she mused as she quickly looked at Salazar, who was looking back at them while clutching his bloody appendage.

Do you know about Eurydice?

No

Did you do this for purely financial reasons?

No

Did you plan something with Nerve, not know about what they were really planning?

No

Did you plan something with Nerve, being informed about the Hakkeshu, but not their true purpose?

Yes

"Well then," Asuka announced arrogantly, "We're finally getting down to the source of this all..." She pointed accusingly at Salazar, not flinching at the sight of his skin falling away to reveal more and more disgusting tentacles. "You planned something with Nerve... but you weren't privy to all the details!"

Salazar winced in shock... was that girl telepathic or something?

"So that was it," Radamanthys answered, turning back to the man... now more like a blob attached to the wall with countless tendrils all over him, including one rather large one in the middle with an eyeball on it.

Reminded him of Laimi... at least a little.

Suddenly the eyeball stalk burst in half, revealing rows and rows of teeth that shot straight at them. Radamanthys simply jumped up, while the Coronas rolled to the sides. Horoki slashed down with her sword, cutting up part of it, but from the enraged howls from Salazar, it was just getting him more and more angry.

"Enough playing," Radamanthys said he landed, pulling back for a punch. "One Astral Phantom will completely destroy this idiot."

"But you can't!" Asuka shouted. Radamanthys turned around and then jumped over to them right before another tentacle hit the ground. Those things were getting faster.

"What are you talking about?!? This guy is connected with Nerve!"

"But we don't know everything yet, blondie!" Asuka shot back, "Give me like, five minutes to give him an extensive Q&A session! Everything I can think of for information!"

Radamanthys shook his head and shrugged. "If you insist..." He walked up to a wall and leaned against it.

"What the hell!?!" Horoki shouted, "You're just letting us do this on our own?"

"Why not? This is something you want to do, right? Plus you need to work out the kinks on your new powers, and if I fight, I might overestimate his fortitude and blow him away with something. Safest bet for me is just to sit back for these five minutes. Second you're in trouble though, that thing dies. No matter how close you are to getting info, it dies."

"Well, if you insist..." Mana said as she, Asuka, and Horoki approached the monstrosity... the thing was getting bigger too.

Tendrils shot everywhere at them as small, spider-like creatures appeared on the ground and ran straight at them. Purple flames courtesy of Asuka disposed of them quickly as Mana tried to figure out a point of attack. It wasn't like she could really copy any of this thing's moves...

Her focus slipped for just a second as another torrent of tendrils shot at her, but they suddenly were ripped to shreds, Horoki's katana grimy-green.

"Cuts just as well though... if not better..." she said as she looked down at it. Wiping the goo off it, she noticed the word 'Tisiphone' on it... "Tudor!!! Word 'Tisiphone' mean anything to you?"

Radamanthys calmly responded, "One of the three Erinyes, or Furies."

Turning around again, Horoki hacked through another group of tentacles before setting her sights on the source of it all.

"Salazar..." she said as she spun her sword in her hand, looking over to Asuka.

The redhead shook her head and shrugged. "Go ahead... the guy was in the dark about so much anyways..."

She nodded and flung her sword straight into the center of the mass, glad to hear maddening screams of agony from it.

"Perfect!" the Kusanagi Corona said as she turned around and gave Radamanthys a thumbs-up. "Piece of-"

"HOROKI!" Mana shouted, tackling the girl as her sword went sailing right back at her. The weapon missed by mere centimeters, Radamanthys moving quickly in the seconds immediately afterwards.

True, he just stood there, but it was like he was shooting copies of himself at Salazar, punching or kicking with each one in a blinding flurry of attacks before he finally blasted it with a Greatest Caution, leaving nothing behind. He walked over to Mana and Horoki as they were standing up, the girls both looking a little embarrassed.

"I'm sorry..." Horoki said, "Just got a little overconfident. It won't happen again, I swear."

Radamanthys just looked at her for a moment and then smiled. "Don't worry about it. You're still relatively new at all this." He then looked over at Asuka. "Anything?"

"Just the fact he supplied Nerve with the Plagas and was planning on using them for personal gain. He oversaw part of the Hakkeshu creation, but he didn't know about the plan with Ambrosia."

"It's something..." Radamanthys said as he walked away. "Get a good night's sleep and look into that sword. Things might turn sour soon."
_
"Members of the team?" asked the attendant as Mina and Mizuki stood at the front of the line.

"Mina Yuki, Mizuki Rajoshin," Mina said, "Horoki Hikari, Asuka Zepplin, and Mana Kirishima."

"Entrance fee?"

"Right here," Mizuki said, putting several thousand yen on the table.

"All right, that's it. Just show up next week at the stadium at 7:00 am. Program runs until the same time the next day."

"YAY!" Mina shouted happily, although earning a number nervous glances all around as Mizuki grabbed her by the sleeve.

"Come on, let's get out of here," the miko suggested. They walked out of the building, walking down the street on the way for home, although they stopped upon hearing Isabeau's voice as they rounded a bend.

"You actually signed up for that?"

They turned to her, Mina's expression changing from a cheerful one to being very serious.

"Well, yeah. Why not? It's not that costly, and all the money goes to a good cause."

"But it'll never make a difference," Isabeau sighed as she leaned against a wall. "Life is horrible. I mean, people kill each other in wars every single day. Thousands of diseases believed 'defeated' spring back fifty or a hundred years later and all the old drugs don't work. The polio outbreak in the 1900s was because of sanitary improvements, hope that cities could be cleaned up. What does that say about any attempts at bettering society?"

"But a lot more people would've died if those improvements weren't made in the first place," Mizuki countered.

"What came with those improvements?" Isabeau sarcastically answered. "Weapons like this world has never seen. Ever see the movie 'Soylent Green?' It depicts a world suffering from massive overpopulation... the governments actually encouraging euthanasia. And the miraculous Soylent Green product meant to feed the living? It's people. One of the famous lines of the series was 'Soylent Green is made of people!!!' said by Charleton Heston at the very end of the movie. But the line I prefer is 'People have always been rotten.' So why bother?"

Mizuki was about to speak up, but Mina just started walking away.

"What's the matter? The truth finally get to you?" Isabeau asked.

Mina shook her head. "Arguing about ideas like hope is stupid. Come on, Mizuki. Let's get going. And Isabeau? Shove it."

The reincarnation of the Vermilion Bird was left there, staring at her quarry walk away.

She wanted to kill her right here, right now. That wasn't too far off from the plan anyways... but no.

"Fine then. Ambrosia... I'll crush your hopes and dreams at that relay."

 

A/N: As you can see, there's a recurring theme with Eurydice's main underlings… they hate life and especially hate people that try to better their lot in life.