Shinryu ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "Son of a bitch," Rinako spat angrily, "I gotta pay more attention to these things. It's not like fighting some street punk back home anymore." From behind her dumpster, Princess Umi began shouting to Rinako. "Rinako! You have to do better than that! You have to keep your guard up! Otherwise that demon will kill you!" "Well thanks a bunch for stating the obvious!" Rinako replied, returning her gaze to the slimy covered ogre of the Jikininki, "I get enough of that from Miki!" Speaking of which, where were the others? Umi stepped away from the dumpster as Rinako once again engaged the demon soldier. But Umi's attention was far from that. The other members of the team had to be showing up soon. Ever since they had been dragged from their own realities into Forbidden Tokyo, they were given an acute awareness of Jikininki activity. They should be arriving at anytime now. She knew that Keiya wasn't feeling so well so would not be able to fight with them. But Miki, Esperanza and Natsuna were more than enough. So where were they? As powerful as Rinako was, there was no way she could handle that creature alone. Not yet anyway. She needed some support. "Where are the others?" Princess Umi questioned, "If they don't get here soon..." Thankfully... ... A second voice called out behind her from the alleyway that she had been hiding in. "Chill out, Princess. Rinako's got her cavalry." Princess Umi stood upright and turned around and looked behind her. The bright smile returned to the Princess's face as two additional members of her all-star team had come to her aid. Namely the sultry swordswoman from the land of Juukumei; Miki Soujumah, and the defensive legend of the former Kagami Bandits; Natsuna Tsugano. "Miki! Natsuna!" Umi was more than happy to see them, even though Keiya and Esperanza weren't there. Of course, that cheer turned into a stern glimpse. Better reflecting Umi's regal nature, "You two certainly took your time! The Silver Valkyries are a team! We work best that way! You have to be ready for anything!" Natsuna scowled at her. "Didn't I tell you to chill out a little? You sound like my mother. We got here and that's enough. So keep your top on. God, you kids today are so prim and proper when it comes to time." "Well, regardless," The older Miki rested a hand on Umi's shoulder, "We came as fast as we could. But we did warn you to be on your guard while you came here with Rinako. The drones of the Jikininki are more than willing to attack the true heir to Forbidden Tokyo. So you must be ready for attack at any moment." And it wasn't like Princess Umi could quite rightly disagree with that. The young woman looked downwards, sadly. Maybe this was her fault. She had been the one to force Rinako to come with her after all this. "...I just wanted... Rinako and I... to be alone together..." Miki nodded in understanding. No matter how patronizing that Umi came off as, her feelings for Rinako were very much a reality. "It's okay, Umi. We just need to be more careful." The characteristically distant Natsuna just frowned at this. "Miki, are you done licking her wounds? We should help Rinako now. That thing looks a bit tougher than usual." Miki understood that much. The wise woman took one last moment to check if Umi was okay, then joined Natsuna as they went to Rinako's aid. Rinako herself wasn't exactly having the time of her life while fighting that creature of the Jikininki. The girl dodged and ducked each of its powerful swings and punches but couldn't get the slightest bit close enough to land a clear blow. For such a bulky beast, this monster was rather quick on its feet. Rinako stepped backwards, her trainers skidding along that dusty Shinjuku street while getting her hands back up into a fighting stance. It was then, from the corner of her eye, that she noticed two figures approaching her. To her great pleasure, it was Miki and Natsuna. "Alright guys!" Miki skidded to a stop. "Sorry we weren't here sooner. Keiya was still feeling a little sickly so Esperanza decided to stay back and look after her. But we should be able to handle this without them." Natsuna rested her hands on her hips. "Well it's up to you two. I'm no fighter but I can give you good cover with my Fake Magic techniques, as you know." To that, Rinako nodded. "Right. Miki, follow up my attack, okay?" And so Rinako Ikatsuji went straight for the jugular. The girl ran right at the creature sent by the Jikininki and jumped. With her honed martial arts skills, Rinako turned her whole body around with the force of the jump and projected her leg forward at the lesser ogre. The beast gave a foul and echoing cry as Rinako kicked him straight across the face with a searing blow, knocking back its slime-covered face in one nasty snapping jerk. Rinako landed seconds afterwards. Then retreated from that position, vaulting away from the stunned creature. The great swordswoman of Juukumei, Miki Soujumah, knew that she would be delivering the final blow this time around. The brown-haired angel slowly shut her eyes. Then let her hand slip downwards to the leather sheathed sword that had been strapped over the hem of her auburn skirt. Her gentle fist clutched at its hilt. And so she withdrew the mighty sword she had carried for so long, her faithful Kotetsuseiken. Her eyes flashed open in readiness. And she then acted on it. The sage of the sword charged forwards in the exact same way as Rinako had done. With her sword trailing behind her. Once she came into close enough contact with demon, Miki brought up her sword to a poised position over her head. "Seeya!" She then slashed downwards over the stunned demon. Her blade moved like violent lightning. Miki sheathed Kotetsuseiken and jumped backwards, away from the demon. For a brief few seconds everything remained quiet. The demon looked okay. In fact it was actually still breathing. But Rinako and Natsuna knew better. A few moments later, the demon gave its dying breath as its body separated into two even slices, a geyser of green blood splattering all over the street. Natsuna scowled at the flashing waves of blood but did nothing to shield herself from it. The ogre collapsed to the ground in two even halves. And it remained there, dead, until black winds began to surround it. The corpse of the creature soon faded away until there was nothing left but its bloodstains. It was, after all, just another weakling puppet for the Jikininki. Who knows when they would send something that would pose a serious threat. Miki released her breath. "At least that issue is over with." "Yeah," Rinako offered, "But... don't you think the Jikininki toying with us? After all... I know that I could have taken that thing on my own if it was absolutely necessary. I just know that something stronger will come soon." Natsuna cast a sharp look over at Umi, still hiding behind the dumpster. "We wouldn't have had to deal with anything if not for our Princess over there. We told her not to come out like this without double-checking her cloaking magic. But does she listen?" "Be reasonable, Natsuna," Requested Miki, "She's a young woman at the heart of it. We cannot expect her to isolate herself because of her position. Surely you remember what it was like to be that age?" Natsuna just scowled. "..." "Well anyways," Rinako never really did understand adults and their talk, "I'm gonna go check on Umi. To see if she's okay." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Palace of Dreams, Forbidden Tokyo On the edge of Forbidden Tokyo, far from the central Mecca of Shinjuku, was a place that few in this city had ever come to. Or even known about. Which was surprising in itself. Because the building was gigantic. Forbidden Tokyo belonged to one of the many realities of Earth. And it was a city that was based during the 1990's. Though it had far fewer people inside it. At this point, westernisation had taken a strangle hold on Japan. Which explained the grand, almost Georgian, design of the Palace of Dreams. Tall pillars of polished marble, many large echoing halls and chambers, surrounding water gardens and a thick wall lined around the entire grounds... this was the Palace of Dreams. So called for many reason that were as yet unknown to those who had come to see or know of it. Deep inside the Palace of Dreams, in its largest and most richly designed room, was a throne. Made from solid steel and decorated with throw rugs that had been imported from the few regions left outside of Tokyo that had not been destroyed by the ecological nightmares of ten years ago. And sitting on the throne itself was a woman who was threatening the entire city. Her name was Mizuki of the Shinryu Family. But all her subjects, those of the Jikininki, came to know her only by her family name. They called her Shinryu. The powerful woman, who looked no more than 20 or 21, lowered her face and growled under her breath. As her long dark hair fell across her face, she could tell that the drone she had sent out to capture Princess Umi had been killed. Slaughtered. "Damn..." Shinryu swore, "It's dead. I should have known that it would not have succeeded. A rare opportunity when Umi's cloaking powers were lowered and I sent one of those useless ogres to catch her. My own error in judgement... Kumi!" Shinryu cast her authoritative scarlet eyes over to her left. From a side hall, enswathed with darkness, came a young woman. Who was about 15 years of age. The timid girl then slowly walked up to Shinryu's steel throne and kneeled, her short brown hair falling over her face. "You called... Lord Shinryu...?" The leader of the Jikininki scowled. "Tell me, Kumi. Is my feeling true? Has the drone I sent out been killed? I no longer sense its energy." "Yes. Your sense does not mislead you, Lord Shinryu. The Oniko (Demon Child) that you activated was killed in battle. But this was not the action of Princess Umi. As we know, Umi will not achieve her great powers until her eighteenth birthday. We believe that this was the action of the five soldiers that she recruited from other realities with her current magics." "So it's true..." Shinryu mused the idea, "the child really has summoned fighters from other worlds to defend herself, eh? Her powers are growing if she could handle such an ability. What do we know of these fighters, Kumi?" The younger girl looked upwards. "We have assembled a small selection of data about them, my Lord. Please turn your attentions to the monitor." Very well. Shinryu let her commanding ruby eyes travel from Kumi to the white marble ceiling of this Grand Hall. There was a slight gap up there. Square shaped. It parted a few moments afterwards, pushing down slightly and then moving across. Revealing a hidden compartment. From that compartment came a thin monitor, trapped to the ceiling by steel and wires. That screen shifted slowly into place until it was directly facing Shinryu. From a small distance. Kumi stood upright from her kneeling position and turned to it. An image appeared on screen. The image of a young woman. Kumi pointed to the image. "This is the first of the fighters that Princess Umi has summoned. The name is Rinako Ikatsuji. Age 17. A martial artist, just like yourself, my Lord. She seems to be the master of a fighting style she calls 'Rai shou en ken'. Her level of power is as yet unconfirmed. Japanese by birth, she originates from a reality of Earth that is relatively very similar to our own, though her world has not seen the kind of ecological disasters that have afflicted ours." Shinryu nodded. "Continue." "Yes, my Lord," The image changed to someone else on screen, "The second guard of Umi is apparently known as Miki Soujumah. Age 26. An expert swordswoman. She does not come from Earth. But a strange, backwards planet that exists far away in space. Clearly the most talented of all the fighters but rather alien to the cultures of this world." The picture changed again. "The third is called Esperanza D'Laine. Age 18. An earthling. And a skilled fighter with a metal quarterstaff. Her world was hit by an extremely powerful comet that subsequently destroyed most of it. Esperanza is one of the descendants of the few survivors, born in what was left of what we used to call America." "And this one," Kumi continued with a forth picture, "Is called Keiya Shindou. Age 16. An earthling and a native of Japan. Though her world was a rather peaceful one. She possesses a special and unknown magic that is tied into her blood. It allows her to increase her powers and use these magics at any point in time. When her magics are activated, she dubs herself with the name 'Waterstar' and she possesses a cloaking magic that is similar to that of Princess Umi." Kumi then pointed to the last. "This final one is called Natsuna Tsugano. She comes from another planet, similar to Miki Soujumah. But her world is far more war-like. Age 27, and a user of something she calls 'Fake Magic'. This is not really magic but a substitute force that has very unusual properties. These properties allow her to create energy barriers and spiritual shields to defend herself and others." "...So..." Shinryu spoke again once Kumi stopped. "...These are the warriors that Princess Umi has summoned to protect herself from me? The fool. She may have assembled a fine force of fighters to oppose me... but the Jikininki is far beyond her understanding. Kumi! We will test their powers! To see how much of a threat they are!" "How?" Kumi wondered. Shinryu already had the perfect warrior in mind. "...Never you mind, Kumi. I will personally summon this warrior myself. Umi will learn not to fool with the powers of Ashidah without full mastery... she will regret the day she called for those soldiers of hers...be sure of it..."
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