Episode XXI: Remnants of Good and Evil
Keiko peered into the distance, concentrating hard at a distant point. She got the feeling that her group was not alone in the frozen north. She had recently snuffed out Grady’s flame and helped return the galaxy to sane order with Aisuna’s help, but she was positive that there was more to the situation than just that. She knew of at least two more enemies who had worked with Grady, and though the alliance was now down to two, they would probably be revealing themselves in the near future.
“Yeah, I see ’em,” pointed Bloodstorm emptily. “Way over there. They’re taking their sweet time. There’s a whole bunch of ‘em; I’d say nine.”
“So what’re they doing way up here?” wondered Asuka. “You think they’re part of that old guy’s crew?”
“Yes, no doubt,” replied Keiko, her voice as cold as the snow. “Two with exceptional positions of power, and the rest are probably their underlings. Lantariz, you should be on your guard. One of them will most certainly be your mother.” The petite redhead stared back at Keiko frightfully, and hugged herself in the cold wind as she prepared to meet a person who was more witch than woman. Shellby took her into her arms and held her, which helped a little.
“I think I shall kill that bitch when I see her,” snorted Asuka bitterly. “Nobody should be allowed to exercise that much abuse over anyone. Sending me and Storm out to capture her own daughter! And what kind of a sick soul would kill her own child’s father to get there? I tell you, the thought of it makes me sick!”
“Stay calm, now,” said Brinna as she placed a calming hand on Asuka’s arm. “We don’t want to just charge in and smite her, though I admit I’d like nothing better. Let’s watch and see what happens.”
“All right, but my patience doesn’t hold out forever.” Brinna understood, and kept her eyes focused on the point that Bloodstorm was pointing to. Soon, everyone could see the group of people approaching them, all covered with heavy clothes and protection against the cold. The two apparent leaders of the group were in front, one tall and imposing with silvery hair and a mask over their face, the other smaller, more snakelike, and dark-skinned.
They were flanked by a tall woman who could have passed as a lifeless statue if she wasn’t walking, and a muscular man whom many of the group recognized, some with more distaste and fear than others. There was also a small group of creatures tailing them, keeping to themselves like a pack of demons impatient for the kill. The entourage stopped once they were within a three meter’s distance from the other group, and a curtain of cold silence fell between them as the two sides stared at each other.
“Where is Grady?” asked the silver-haired man in front. “Has he been beaten here? That would be a pity, albeit a farcical one.”
“The man you speak of is over there,” said Keiko, indicating the large mound of snow that was slowly covering the madman’s body. The silvery-haired man glanced at it briefly.
“Hmm, I see. So he is dead. I cannot say that I am wracked with grief over his loss. I may in fact be in debt to his killer. Let me introduce myself as Kagai Shazou, a man who seems to have been given a rather strange hand due to Dorina’s demise.”
“Hey, aren’t you that famous nobleman that supposedly got killed a few years back?” gawked Jack. Kagai shook his head.
“No, I am very much alive. The information you heard came from a newsletter that was obviously connected to my enemies. They have a very bad habit of omitting the truth in their stories…”
“Yeah, I’ll bet!” he exclaimed. “So anyway, what’re you doing all the way up here?”
“You could say that I’m here to wrap up all the loose ends,” said Kagai mysteriously, waving his hand below him. “You see, with Grady’s death, I have lost a member of a nauseous but necessary alliance, and my power has now been reduced significantly. I am no longer able to obtain my goal--but seeing as how Grady wanted to control me, in a sense, I can completely forget about any alliance with him, so first I will thank you. Secondly, I believe that I have a bargain to uphold with my colleagues behind me.” Kagai pointed to the five creatures behind him, who quickly became animated and livid as they were mentioned. Ichi recognized them.
“Those are… the last surviving members of the Demon’s Twenty!” she gasped. “Do you mean to tell me that it was you who hired them to find me?”
“In a sense,” replied Kagai, his soft voice completely flat and lifeless. “It was through my influences that they all came to be working for our alliance, but it was Grady’s idea to have them go after you, Miss Ichi. So the answer to your question is Yes, in a way.”
“Then… that means…”
“I would not miss another encounter with you for the world,” grumbled the familiar voice of Demon’s Twenty member Number Thirteen. Smiling darkly, the large monster of a man stepped forward, cracking his knuckles and looking excited to finally fight his nemesis once again. Ichi took a step back, and stared at him as strongly as she could. Even with her powers, and even with her friends behind her, there was still something about the tall man that scared her. He was just not normal.
“So, it looks like we meet again, Thirteen!” exclaimed Jack Lazarus. Thirteen looked over at the other man and smiled cruelly.
“Yes… it’s been awhile, Lazarus… When was the last time that you and I got together? It’s been such a long time… And… ah yes, I see that Lady Keiko is with us as well. The entire gang is here, or those who survived.”
“I cannot say that I am completely happy to see you again, Thirteen,” muttered Keiko quietly. She and Jack stepped towards him, looking more betrayed than afraid as they gathered together. There was something in their eyes that told everyone of an unspoken history together, a past and a life that had barely been mentioned thus far. Nobody really knew the history of the loveable Captain Lazarus, not even Ichi or his employees, but they could sure guess as they saw him and Keiko speak with the villainous Thirteen.
“But I am experiencing joy,” said Thirteen to Keiko. “It has been too long since the three of us were together. Tell me, Lazarus, are you still running away from your destiny? Do you still believe that you can escape who you are by pretending to be somebody else?”
“You know me better than that, Thirteen,” he replied. “Or should I call you Elijah?” Thirteen grinned, and chuckled darkly as everyone else became absorbed with the conversation. Ichi, more than anybody else there, dared not to look away or cover her ears, for every breath they uttered was priceless.
“Ahh… I haven’t been called that in a long time,” sighed Thirteen. “It really is good being with you two. I have missed those old days. It’s a strange, ironic pity that we have to be on opposite sides, isn’t it?”
“So why are you calling yourself a loyal servant, Elijah?” asked Jack. “The last I recalled, you were never the type to bow to anybody.”
“I am not bowing,” argued Thirteen calmly. “If Kagai Shazou wants to think of me as his servant, he’s free to, but I’m only serving one purpose: my own. I am embracing my own destiny even as you are running from yours. I am the one who should be pitying you, Lazarus--not the other way around.”
“But I never took pleasure in fighting as you did,” argued Jack. “And neither does Keiko. This beautiful, noble woman has a heart, a heart that throbs with passion and love for the people of this galaxy, and one that was broken as they became the unfortunate slaves of the madman that you serve--not Shazou, the other guy. I never wanted the ‘destiny’ that was given to me, Elijah. All I wanted was a peaceful life where I could be with other people, and make a difference in their lives as well as all of life in general. That’s why I opened up my small business; so I could live out my dream. But is this really your dream?”
Silence.
“It no longer matters,” muttered Thirteen. “Even if I was to change my outlook, it’s too late for my comrades. They want the blood of Ichi covered on their bodies, and nothing you or I could say will stop them. I admire them for their persistence, at least.”
“What a disgusting, destructive thought…” Jack sneered, and shivered, though it had nothing to do with the cold. He and Ichi prepared to fight off the demons, but it was Keiko who stood in front of them, her sword out and shining in the cold air.
“Elijah… we were once comrades-in-arms, ages ago… I loved and admired you, as I loved and admired all those whom we worked with. We each strived for the exact same goal, that of a more peaceful life for all to live in, and we are still fighting even now. Lazarus is doing what he feels is best, and I continue to act as judge and savior for those in need, but you…” Keiko whipped her sword into the air, pointed the blade right at Thirteen, and snarled.
“You disgust me!” she shouted. “How could you sell yourself to these destructive and blasphemous creatures? How could you damn yourself into this Hell? I swear by my sword, my superiors, and my love that I shall remove that curtain over your eyes and make you see the light!!” Before anyone knew what had happened, Keiko rushed forth and slashed at Thirteen’s face, breaking the sunglasses he had always kept over his eyes. They fell to the ground in pieces, revealing a pair of green eyes that expressed shock, and a tiny red scar running between them. She gave him a cruel snarl, then turned her attention towards the demons approaching her.
“Ichi, allow me to eradicate this darkness from the world,” she pleaded. Ichi, breathless with awe, numbly nodded her head and allowed the Seventh Judgment to do as she wished. Without anything else to hold her back, Keiko flew into the monstrous Demons and began to terminate them with blinding speed and merciless attacks. She first concentrated on Twenty, the strategist of the group, and ran towards the frightened creature with full speed. She thrust her palms into his throat, crushing his windpipe with a single powerful blow. Before he even hit the ground, she swung her sword like a bat and carved open his abdomen.
She rammed her sword into Two’s chest, then leaped away and sliced at Eighteen before he could blast her. Six and Ten charged her, one turning invisible while the other using its senses to detect patterns in Keiko’s attacks. But the Seventh Judgment was beyond their tricks, and charged them both with a death assault. She grabbed Six’s neck before he could leap away, and smashed the butt of her cursed blade into his shoulder. She then slammed the creature onto the ground, shattering his bones into powder, and fiercely whipped her sword out to split Ten in half as the invisible creature charged towards her.
Taking a very deep breath, Keiko sheathed her spotless katana back into its scabbard, stood up, and turned to glare at Thirteen, who merely gave her a smug grin. Kagai Shazou chuckled softly and applauded her violence, and the two women flanking him watched with lustful interest and disdain, respectively. Still glaring, the Seventh Judgment hovered over the fields of snow and ice, coming back to her comrades with a stony look on her face. She didn’t look like she had enjoyed herself.
“Wow!” whispered Ichi. “That was amazing! That was the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen in my life! Keiko, where did--”
“This is not the time,” stated she, keeping her eyes locked onto Thirteen’s. The imposing man easily stared back at her, a feat that few could do.
“So what will you do now, Keiko?” he wondered. The woman pointed her finger at Galaga Starik, who had been watching quietly.
“She will be next.”
“Ooh, spunky!” Galaga shivered and grinned as some perverse thought ran through her mind, but Keiko was anything but spunky. Lantariz, noticing the woman who gave birth to her, meekly hid behind Shellby, Brinna, and Bloodstorm as she watched things ensue.
“Detestable monster…” growled Keiko. “I will make your judgment slow and painful, as painful as your perverse nature has been during your years of life.”
“Ah! Not so fast!” shouted Thirteen suddenly, regaining her attention. He smiled down at the shorter woman, still imposing despite the loss of his shades. “Aren’t you forgetting something, Keiko? I still have a score to settle with Ichi.”
“You bastard!” shouted Asuka. “Don’t you get it?! This whole stinking deal is over! Grady’s dead, Aisuna’s not about to grant any more wishes, and there’s no more need of any of this! Why don’t you just admit defeat and go away??!!”
“Strong words from one so puny,” purred Thirteen. Asuka’s face flew into a rage as she ripped her sword out of its home.
“WHAT DID YOU CALL ME??!! DID YOU SAY I WAS PUNY??!!”
“And deaf too, no doubt…” Asuka screamed fiercely and charged towards the creature that dared to insult her, swinging her massive blade at him like a fanatical helicopter. Thirteen was amazingly fast, and easily leaped over or stepped to the side of her blade, which could only fly in so many directions due to its size and weight. Asuka thrust it ferociously, paying little attention to her battle tactics and more to simply trying to destroy Thirteen, which was her mistake. She rammed forward, but Thirteen knocked her large sword away with a single punch, then he turned the tables and attacked her.
He first gave her a powerful deck to the face, knocking the half-elf backwards and towards the ground with a ferocious punch. She flipped back to her feet, growling at her injury and at him, and screamed towards him again. Now without a significant weight added to her body, Asuka was much faster and lighter, though she did not have the same physical impact as before. She swiped at Thirteen several times, but he easily danced around her blows or else slapped them away like they were flies.
Asuka spun around and kicked him, then shifted her balance and sent her other foot into the air, barely brushing up against him. Thirteen ran after her once both legs were on the ground and slapped her away fiercely, then grabbed her by the foot before she could hit the ground. With her body immobilized, Asuka could only yell as he twirled her around in the air like an Olympic hammer, churning and spinning her around until her weak stomach caught up to her, and a dizziness clouded her eyes.
The dizziness and sickness died as Thirteen flung Asuka into the air and slammed her onto the ground, smashing her body and face into the rock-hard surface. The snow softened the blow, though not by much, and a sudden kick in the ribs crushed whatever was left of Asuka’s fight. Brinna screamed for him to stop, and to her amazement, he did.
“That’s enough,” he muttered as he left the beaten half-elf alone. “I think I’ve set a good enough example. This woman was strong, but no match for me. Ichi, where were we before we were interrupted?”
“I think you were about to die!!!!” snarled Bloodstorm. The sadistic robot flashed his teeth for all the world to see, and a look of masochistic excitement burned in his dark eyes as he snapped out his blade and gun from his arms. Thirteen smirked and let out a cough, apparently not too impressed.
“So you are a humanoid cyborg… I have always wanted to fight one in combat. I hope you bring nothing personal into this battle for what I did to your comrade.”
“Personal?!” spat Bloodstorm. “Hell, no!! I just wanna slaughter you! And according to my observations, I now have that right! So get ready, cause the white north pole’s gonna be washed red with blood!!” Laughing uncontrollably, Bloodstorm shot after Thirteen like a bullet, ramming into his body and crashing him into the ground. Without any mercy, Bloodstorm smashed his mechanical fists into Thirteen’s stomach, cackling and even singing out loud as he pummeled him.
As his belly was being brutalized, Thirteen quickly brought his arms up and struck the side of Bloodstorm’s head, smashing it with a tremendous blow. Bloodstorm only cackled and gave Thirteen a slug in the face. As he was being knocked out, Thirteen reached his legs up from the ground and tightly latched them around Bloodstorm’s waist. With a powerful kick, he sent the machine tumbling away, giving him space to breathe once again.
Bloodstorm stood up and fired his gun at Thirteen, forcing the other man to run and hide for his life as the ground became cratered. The cyborg couldn’t help but laugh as he chased Thirteen around with his gun, a delicious mix of rattling, explosions, and laughter filling the chilly air. Bloodstorm continued to follow Thirteen as he ran across the snow fields, wondering who would become exhausted first. The answer suddenly came to him as his gun-arm finally ran out of bullets.
“Oh, damn!” snorted the cyborg. “Ah well, I like using knives anyway. It’s just so much more fun to carve up a person myself!!” With that, he switched his gun with another blade and ran after Thirteen, who was charging after Bloodstorm now that there were no bullets barring his way. The two crashed into each other and attacked in a violent free-for-all, which more resembled a cockfight than anything else. Both Storm and 13 pummeled each other’s bodies, the punches and kicks of their attacks creating swelling bruises, nasty cuts, and a few small craters in their bodies.
It was a violent scene to watch, even for those who were used to the sting of battle. Neither one cared whether they were getting killed or not; it was just an all-out battle between two creatures who seemed evenly-matched. Both Bloodstorm and Thirteen had amazing power, but those watching the fight put their money on Storm, since he had limitless energy and could keep that kind of pace up all day if necessary. There was only one way Thirteen could’ve won the fight.
As the two titans smashed each other and turned the other into walking stacks of tenderized meat, Thirteen struck Bloodstorm hard in the abdomen, a place which Kit instantly recognized. The cyborg didn’t go down from the blow, but he did crumble to the ground. Bloodstorm coughed and cackled out a curse as he clutched his stomach, a feeling of electronic pain washing over his circuits as he knelt there.
“D’gaaaahhh!!! Damn it!!! You… worthless… freak!!”
“I… don’t know… what it is… that I did…” wheezed Thirteen, leaning on his knees for support, “but I’m glad I did it!” Now that there wasn’t anything blocking the view, everyone could see that his body had been severely beaten in the fight. Most everything was covered in red and purple, and his clothes had been shredded apart. Bloodstorm didn’t look too good either--several noticeable dents and bumps were in his metal skin--but it was Thirteen who stood, not Storm.
“Oh… I hoped that this wouldn’t happen,” moaned Kit quietly. She turned to Eien, a helpless look in her fragile green eyes. Eien couldn’t help but take the adorable young lady into her grasp, and cursed Thirteen for making her beloved so frightened.
“Honey… it’ll be okay. We can take him. We just have to work together, that’s all.”
“Hey, isn’t anyone gonna ask if I’m okay?” muttered a voice from below. Everyone suddenly looked down, and saw Asuka looking back up at them, bloody and beaten severely. Brinna gasped and dove towards the woman she loved, holding her gently and staring fearfully into her green eyes.
“Oh, Asuka, sweetheart, I’m so sorry!! We were just… ah… too caught up in that battle! I’m so sorry! Please forgive me, sweetie, please!! I didn’t mean to leave you there!” Asuka coughed gently, managing to smile even though she felt a bit of resentment.
“Eh… that’s all right. I guess… I deserve it…”
“No you don’t!” argued Brinna as she lifted her beloved from the snow. Asuka coughed again, and Matthew joined in to support her. Slowly, everyone else approached the agonizing Bloodstorm, and carried him away for Kit to investigate. She already knew the problem and even the solution, and with the help of Glavius, she was able to take Bloodstorm into the warm cave, where she could work on him without freezing. Most everyone else followed her in, but Ichi, Keiko, Jack, Shellby, and Lantariz stayed behind.
“Well?” growled Thirteen, slowly recovering from his injuries. “Does anybody else wish to come between our rematch? As you can see, I’m not afraid of overcoming anything.” Quietly, Ichi stood forward and presented herself to her nemesis, appearing to be neither afraid or reluctant.
“No, there won’t be anything else standing in our way. If you want to fight me so bad, Thirteen, then you’ll get your wish, though I don’t think you’ll like it. Come on, let’s see what’s so scary about you…” Despite his wounds, Thirteen couldn’t help but smile as Ichi challenged him to a fight, so he stood to his full immense height and prepared for what would definitely be their last battle.
He ran first, charging and screaming and sending the snow flying as he set the stage for the final act of a strange shared destiny. He struck first, splitting the heavens with a divine hand, but Ichi simply moved to the side, not even allowing a hair on her head to be brushed by him. His hand chopped to the side, cutting the falling ice and snow apart, but she just bent over backwards, calmly keeping her eyes closed as he fought. The hand came down like a hammer, making the heavens throb with such power, but she easily wheeled away, and stood up once again.
He sent attack after attack towards Ichi, but the pale woman easily swerved away from everything with the grace of a heavenly ballerina. Never once did his skin even touch her, even though it flew fast and made the skies quiver in fear. Thirteen screamed and swore, his mouth overflowing with saliva as he continued his offense, getting angrier and angrier as Ichi slipped away from everything he gave her. The woman didn’t even look afraid or wary of the attacks--no, she had a look of calm on her white face, a passive expression where even violence and frost could not reach.
Some would’ve said that inwardly, her desperation for peace caused her to be so tranquil. Ichi had been through such hardships in a very short amount of time, from having her colony attacked to losing loved ones, not to mention the addition of her freakish powers and the sudden rise to leadership over an entire foundation of rebels. Thirteen seemed like a living representation of all those experiences and feelings, a moving, working, thinking metaphor for everything she had once feared, or hated, or faced with trembling lips and unheld hands.
Others would have sworn that she looked more sorrowful than peaceful as she avoided being struck by her nemesis. She continued to mourn and feel empty even during a moment of high violence, inwardly grieving for the chaos to cease and for the light to shine once again on a dark world, eternally and brightly. Her body was best described as a feather in the breeze, being only buffeted by the wind but never really struck by it, always flying here or there without ever really meaning to. She didn’t know whether she was avoiding a battle or avoiding a problem; in any case, Thirteen fought on, madder than before, his injuries forgotten.
And just like that, he buckled under a shockwave of pain. Ichi had finally defended herself and struck back, square in the gut, stopping him effectively and firmly. Some might’ve said it was an accident, or caused by instinct, or maybe divine foresight into things unseen, or most unusual, caused by her desire for peace. Whatever the case, she turned around and kicked him, sending him flying into the air. Her face remained calm as she leaped after him, and crashed into him, sending him towards the ground.
Everyone watched with awe as the pale woman stoically beat her enemy, her face neither angry nor sad as she struck him again, and again, and again, and again. There was no hatred, nor fear, nor even any spite or anger--just emptiness, and a hidden burning hope, perhaps coming from a woman who thought she had nothing to lose by acting so maniacally calm. Either way, she lost herself in the fight, and didn’t snap out of it even when people began to scream at her.
Stop, they said. That was enough. Ichi didn’t realize that she had been butchering him the entire time. She almost fainted. Jack quickly took her away and held her shaking body in his arms as the dam finally broke and she began to cry. Her eyes stayed open, though, as a pair of crystal orbs shed crystal pearls to trail down her conflicted face. Nobody spoke for a very long time.
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“Are you satisfied, Thirteen?” asked the voice of Kagai Shazou. Thirteen only groaned. “The score is settled. The one that has been afraid of you, and afraid of herself, has finally won. If I were a more artistic man, I would find some metaphor in that, but since I’m not, I won’t. Scarlet.”
“Yes, Master,” spoke the tall woman. She had said nothing until that time.
“Retrieve him. He has fought well, and deserves to be recovered.”
“Yes, Master.” She obeyed, and went over to the severely-beaten man. Not even her stony face could help but wince as she saw how badly he was damaged. Since she couldn’t lift his heavier body, Scarlet dragged Thirteen through the snow, and placed him a good distance from her master as she began to administer to him. Meanwhile, Galaga Starik smiled and walked towards the group, particularly Lantariz and Shellby.
“Well, that was fun. I don’t know why everyone’s so dramatic now, but it doesn’t matter. Ah… Lantariz… I haven’t seen you since you were little. Here, let your mother come and have a look at you.”
“Go away, you whore!” screamed Lantariz fiercely. “Ah don’t ever wanna see you again!”
“Now that’s no way to talk to your mother!” she stated playfully. Lantariz snarled, but before she could strangle the woman, Shellby boldly stepped in front and acted as her shield.
“You are not a human!” she whispered fiercely. “Even I know what it must be like to be human! You cannot even call yourself a human, or even a woman! You are a blight on this life, you filth, and I hope that you will receive all the misery that you have inflicted on everyone else! May God forgive me for saying this, but I hope you rot in Hell!”
“Charming,” muttered the older woman wryly. “And just who are you to say all that to me?” Shellby firmly kept her indigo-blue eyes locked onto Galaga’s, and clutched Lantariz’s hand proudly.
“I am Shellby Blake, the legendary Booraykoo-kun, and I have loved this woman more than you ever could!”
“Ah, so she likes her women, eh?” Galaga purred softly, apparently more aroused than before. Shellby, however, was an angry aegis.
“You despicable bitch! I won’t allow you to come near her! You’ll have to choke on my own blood before that!!” Galaga chuckled darkly and seemed willing to take Shellby up on her offer, but before she could take three steps, she suddenly froze in her tracks. The woman’s mouth gaped open as she felt something stab through her body, and as she slowly looked down, she saw the tip of a sword protruding out of her.
“Who…… Why……” Behind her, Kagai Shazou coldly whispered into her ear as he withdrew his sword from her body.
“That was for many crimes which I have not the years to repeat, demon!” Galaga’s blood turned to ice as she heard the hissing knell of her doom, but couldn’t even move from the shock of it all. She had felt no pain. Suddenly, she felt something cold and hard touch her head; the barrel of a powerful handgun.
“And this is for the dignity of my master and myself,” said Scarlet, and she pulled the trigger without delay. Tara and Shellby flinched as the woman’s head was destroyed, and looked away from the ghastly sight. Scarlet took in a deep breath, and mentioned something about how that death had paid off the rest of their debts, then joined her master in silence again. Calmly, Kagai walked around the mess his bodyguard had made and looked into the petrified faces of Tara and Shellby.
“Forgive our actions, but it had to be done. I hope you bear me no ill will for the destruction of your mother.” Lantariz shivered uncontrollably, from the snow and the fear still welling up inside her, but she managed to turn her head and look at her surprise benefactor.
“That woman…… was not my mother…” She then turned her head back to Shellby, and held the woman she loved with all her strength. Kagai took in a deep breath and nodded his head.
“Yes… I know.”
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Nobody had said a word, but they all felt that it would be best to enter into the cave before they all froze to death, so they did. Kit greeted everyone with her trademark shy smile, and gave good news to Asuka and Brinna: Bloodstorm was making a very fast and very annoying recovery. It was the least she could do, she said, for what she had done to him earlier, and even though their cyborg companion was a creep, the half-elf and the dancer thanked Kit for her work.
“So what happened out there?” asked Matthew, who had wrapped Kit and Miichi in his wings to warm them. “I heard a lot of piercing voices, several shouts, and a gun going off. What sort of violence has beset us this time?”
“The necessary kind,” replied Kagai mysteriously. Matthew gazed at him in wonder, but his was a sharp mind and he picked up fast. He noticed that Thirteen was severely injured and Galaga was nowhere in sight, whereas both Shellby and Lantariz were shaken up, so he understood after a moment of thought.
“Ah… I see. Who are you, anyway?”
“Right now, I am nobody,” replied the older man. “The name I was given is Kagai Shazou, one that I am sure you have heard of. You may also wonder why I was in allegiance with Dorina and Starik, and since they have both been eliminated, I suppose I can tell you. I have little hope of accomplishing my mission now, but after bearing witness to all this violence, I wonder if it’s the right thing to do.
“Many years ago, I was not quite so gloomy as I am now. I was once rich, spoiled, and surrounded by everything I could ever want, except for any real semblance of love. One day, my parents were abducted by a terrorist group who were raiding the upper class. They raped, tortured, and killed my mother in front of me, and I was led to believe that my father died similarly. The government covered up the attacks, though, and I have come to the conclusion that they were paid by the butchers who destroyed my family. So, of course I wished to seek revenge. What loving child would not, after all?
“Using my riches and influence, I attacked the government buildings and flushed out as much truth as I could, rooting out the ‘weeds’ in my search for why all of this happened, and who exactly was responsible for corrupting everything. One day, I found the location to one of their most important hideouts, and took all my forces to wipe it out. It was there that I met my father.”
“Your father?” parroted Matthew. “But you said--”
“Yes, that seemed to be another thing that was covered up,” he replied calmly. “But he was alive, and in astoundingly good condition, too. It was he who was behind the ransom, and he who had funded the terrorists that attacked my mother. He would reap in the rewards, from insurance to the ransom, while the rest of the company would be thrown into chaos and turmoil. I did not exactly approve of his methods, but even though I was enraged, I expressed leniency towards my father, and ‘only’ gave him a bullet to the head. From that moment on, I have only moved forward in a determined, passionate, sometimes violent drive to continue what I started.”
Silence. Not a single mouth moved, not even Bloodstorm’s.
“Ghastly!” hissed Matthew at last. “Simply ghastly…”
“Yes, and that was just the short version,” said Keiko quietly. Kagai craned his head over to her direction.
“What? You know of my plight?”
“Regrettably, as well as you do,” she said to him. Kagai frowned.
“And what do you think of it, Lady Keiko?”
“I think that your motive is pure, albeit violent, and that you have taken the wrong road to salvation.”
“What wrong road? What do you mean?”
“There is more than one path,” she told him mysteriously. “You freely chose to align yourself with two people in high position, but their goals were filled with greed and wickedness, whilst yours was only a determined thrust towards truth and order. I have grown to admire you ever since I first knew of your situation, Kagai Shazou. That is why I would like to offer my help instead of the help of wicked people such as Dorina and Starik.”
“You would help me?” he asked doubtfully. “But you know of my sins. You know to what extent I have gone to be this far, and you would still help me?”
“All people sin,” she replied wisely. “But very few abhor their sins. It is your abhorrent nature towards your crimes that separate you from the greed and lust of your former allies. Yes, Shazou, I would be willing to help you. I may be a judge of men’s souls, but that does not mean that I do not have compassion.” Kagai looked at Keiko wearily, as if a long-buried part of him believed her--he wanted to believe her--he dared to, perhaps in a flicker of desperation.
“I would not object to your assistance, Lady Keiko,” he replied. She nodded his head and gave him a punctual smile.
“Then I should like to start immediately. We shall wait here while Ichi summons her shuttles to this place.”
“What? My shuttles? What for?” Keiko gave her a hidden smirk.
“You intend to leave this land of ice, do you not?”
“Well… yes, but--”
“And how do you think you would accomplish that?” Ichi meekly blushed, smiled, and admitted defeat. With a sigh, she dialed up the Foundation’s number and asked those onboard (particularly a delighted Lio Tornheart, who had insisted on staying behind) to bring back all the shuttles so that everyone could leave.
“So that’s it? Is that really the end?” asked Jack. Keiko tilted her head cutely (a rare occurrence indeed) and gave him a soft stare.
“No, my friend--life hardly has an end. I have business to attend to, first with this man and then back up here. I believe that you and your companions have a place to go back to, and Ichi is now freed from the terror of the Demon’s Twenty, so she shall have to find a new life.”
“What about him?” pointed the ever-silent Max, referring to the beaten Thirteen. Everyone looked over at him, but he said nothing.
“He can come with us,” suggested Kagai. “I’m sure that a man of his skills could come in handy where I intend to go. Besides, he interests me. I’m sure he’d rather be working for a good cause again, and not chasing after a poor young woman for another man’s purposes. Am I correct?” Thirteen coughed a short while, which turned into a strained chuckle. He smiled and nodded his head, still too weak to speak just yet. Ichi gave her nemesis an empty stare, and slowly approached him. He looked up at her, a woman who was no longer an enemy, and smiled as she extended her hand.
“You were a worthy opponent, Thirteen, and I hope I never see you again. Put ‘er there.” He grinned, and shook her hand without question.
“You… are… too kind, Ichi. I certainly… enjoyed… being your nemesis. If we ever did meet…… I’d like to face you again in sport.”
“Didn’t you just hear what I told you?” she grinned. He chuckled back, and winced slightly as Keiko and Scarlet supported him. Even Kagai managed to smile, though few saw it.
“Ahhhh…… I guess it’s back to the real world now that all this is done,” sighed Asuka wearily. She winced softly as her own injuries sang out to her, but since she didn’t feel all that spiteful to the one who caused them, she was in a pretty good mood. Brinna smiled and gave her a brief kiss, and expressed a whisper of her love in front of everyone. Glavius coughed.
“Yes, well… before it gets too warm in here, maybe we should all be on our way. It was a pleasure meeting most of you, though I could have done without knowing the rest of you.” Keiko smiled and rolled her eyes at him.
“Humorous as ever, my friend.” He chuckled and saluted, and when he was sure that everybody was looking, he slipped his hand into Aisuna’s, whom had kept quiet the entire time. Personally, she was glad that nobody was gawking at her, or asking questions, or worse--asking her for wishes. She honestly hoped that bringing sanity and free will to the galaxy would be her last.
Aisuna and Glavius watched as the shuttle lifted Keiko, Kagai, Scarlet, and Thirteen into the air first, and smiled as everyone bade them farewell. It didn’t seem to matter that most of the passengers had once been enemies; all the conflict appeared to be resolved, and it looked as if they were going to have a happy ending, as well. A second shuttle came by for Ichi, but before she could step in, Max Rockwell stopped her.
“Can you spare a moment?” he asked. Puzzled, she accepted him in the shuttle with her, and he quietly bade for Matthew to accompany them.
“What’s up?”
“I have an important offer to make you, one that you will both love and hate. It involves your friend Tobi, believe it or not.”
“What?!” Ichi suddenly grabbed him, staring into his haunting red eyes desperately as she shook him for answers. “What do you know about her? Tell me!!”
“Calm down, my friend,” said Matthew. “I am sure that he will not be so cruel as to leave you hanging there.”
“No,” replied Max, “but you will not like me when I tell you what I know. You will most certainly want to kill me.”
“I’ll be the judge of that,” she stated. He shrugged, and with that, the shuttle lifted off into the air. Asuka, Bloodstorm, Brinna, Lantariz, and Shellby boarded the next one, their faces smiling and peaceful. Brinna supported Asuka gently, who was beginning to like being “soft” and “gentle” more than a battling warrior. Poor Bloodstorm muttered the whole way, probably more hurt egotistically than physically, and Shellby was doing her best to comfort Lantariz. After all, she had been present when the woman who gave birth to her was killed.
“Ah… ah’ll be all right,” she said shakily. “Ah just… need some quiet time, that’s all. But don’t you dare leave me, Shellby Blake. Don’t you dare.”
“I’d never,” insisted the taller woman. “I… I just love you, Lantariz. I’d never do that to a person I loved.” Tara gave her girlfriend a gentle smile, not quite bloomed into confidence yet but still a smile, and boarded the ship. Glavius couldn’t help but sigh in awe.
“Awwww… that was cute!”
“I suppose…” voiced Aisuna. He chuckled even harder after that. Finally, Jack Lazarus shepherded his crew on the last shuttle, watching curiously as Kit and Eien boarded with hands clasped, and Miichi and Silvara jabbering on as always. He looked up and gave the distant couple a weary smile, and offered them a ride.
“Not on your life, Lazarus!” replied Glavius sharply. “I wouldn’t give up my time spent with Aisuna for the world!!”
“Suit yourself, Frosty!” With a smile and a salute, Jack got on the shuttle and rode it all the way to his business, where he would once again embrace his own destiny, rather than allowing destinies to embrace him.
Glavius and Aisuna were now alone together, and that was something they didn’t mind at all.
Closing comments: As you can tell, the story’s coming to an end. It’s still not over, as several things still need to be resolved, but the finale is near. I’m going to close the curtain on every scenario before I reach the end, and the first scene happens to be next. Preview of next chapter: Keiko Yamanaka and Thirteen team up with Kagai Shazou and his loyal bodyguard to finally dish out revenge to his enemies! It’s a bloodbath with the baddest characters on the block!
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