Dev City of Jade

[Sawa Ike]

Nine Lives

Sawa was looking and listening... K1 seemed to be joining in much more of it and the prefect had to think about it because she was afraid but her fears she could face... that wasn't entirely the problems... being scared was healthy and if you didn't let them rule you then you would be able to survive. Sawa was looking at Ni-Ne though as they were looking at more of it and she had to think about it... she had to really prepare herself and spoke seeing K1 reveal his fears. "I am.... I am afraid of...." She thought about it while standing there and holding the hands of the other girl with a nod of her head and there was comfort a warmth there... The look though that she had was one of importance.

"I am afraid I will never live up to my family legacy." There was the sound of something cracking and she could see splintering appearing... spider webs. She was thinking more about it and looked at Ni-Ne. "I am afraid of losing you and K1 and all of this... this missions, this journey that has been the most exciting despite the woman trying to bad touch you." She said it and just wrapped her arms around Ni-Ne and held her close as she was trying to really focus on it and have no fear... better yet she was saying what she was afraid of and the two of them losing each other was a big one... she didn't want to go back to what she had been doing.. she wanted to be like this just holding her in her arms.

 

[Nine Lives]

The mirror cracked fully, and bright white light surrounded them...

...and they were back in the swamp, just outside the mirror entrance to the tomb with K1.

Ni-Ne looked at Sawa Ike

(Cutaway of Sawa Ike surrounded by sunrays and falling petals)

("Heaven's Divide" by Donna Burke Plays)

"We're free..." Ni-Ne said. "Lets get back to Albrecht. We should tell him what happened here..."

Ni-Ne then sensed danger, great danger everywhere.

The sky turned a strange color as the pillar of black fire conjured by Lady Li-Ves stretched into the sky and smothered the feeling of Light and Nature all around them.

Ni-Ne cried out as an arrow impacted her shoulder from behind, then an arrow went into the back of her thigh.

(Record Skips)

She collapsed, helpless and in pain as the armed guards of Princess Midori, along with Midori and her personal bodyguard, to surround Sawa...

Meanwhile...

The Golden, Semi-Transparent Capital Ship sailed through the Black Void on a Journey Home.

So long it had waited to be called home. So long since the Emperor's treachery had marooned it and is crew on the planet where the Black Fire had come from, a tiny fragment of Black Flame having been once brought to Atrisia and made into the lake of Fire that now resided under the Destroyed Remains of Castle Li-Ves. The ship carried a much, much larger sample, which empowered it and kept it whole, among other things.

Of course, unknown warships are bound to draw attention from relevant authorities. Other warships, particularly those sent by the Emperor. It had left a wake of his broken ships behind it, its last inhabitants just done asphyxiating in the cold of space, frozen solid, their ships destroyed by the Sacred Ancestor's superior weaponry.

The Emperor had been sending ships off in secret for months, hoping to destroy it, after his deep space spies had reported the Ancestor had been spotted by a spy drone deep in the outer rim.

And more were due to arrive. Their fate would be the same as the rest.

One of The Emperor's Frigates and full compliments of Starfighters aboard a Carrier came out of Hyperspace, guns blazing, fighters with Anti-Ship missiles deploying.

It was all nothing to the Sacred Ancestor. Despite being designed and built decades ago, it was still bleeding edge technology for its era. It might as well have been Pinpricks to its shielding systems...

Its multiple heavy cannons opened up in rapid fire pulses, ripping through shields and melting armor in seconds, smaller cannons auto targeting the fighters. They burst in the dead of space, glittering like airburst fireworks as they were rent apart by auto targeting laser fire.

The crews did their duty, dilligently. No one suggested fleeing. They knew that they were the only thing standing between it and Atrisia.

And so they died, some ships getting so desperate as to try and ram it, only to be destroyed by concentrated heavy turbolaser fire.

Its magnificent, palace-like design, meant to showcase the potential and brilliance of The Atrisian People, was at odds with its true, horrific capability as a warship. O-cho Li-Ves had blended Aesthetics and Pragmatism in her design, and yet it was still like a great, golden Castle of Transparent armor with a golden tint.

Many thought of their families as the lasers lanced through them, or they were sucked out into space. For some it was quick, instant, and painless. Others it was a slow and brutally painful demise. But they fought to the end because they knew what was at stake.

The Sacred Ancestor didn't change course, and didn't slow down. It would reach its master, and the hell its crew represented would initiate a feast on Atrisia that no one would ever forget. It was gonna be The Red Wedding, but all of Atrisia...

Meanwhile.

Penelope held the darkness at bay with the green Force Light she conjured.

It was so difficult to focus. So difficult to concentrate. But she refused to give up. Refused to let O-Cho win.

The survivors of the Shadow Vampires slaughter had crowded into the protective radius the green light provided. The Vampires themselves longed to get in, but the Light was painful to them.

But the evil of the black pillar of fire stretching into the sky was starting to weigh on her mind. She kept to her discipline, but it wasn't easy...she didn't know how much longer she could keep it up, and the Pillar seemed to be getting stronger, flooding her mind with visions of horrific futures...

She realized she needed help, so she reached out, reached out for any who could feel the Light, to come to her, to aid in the defense of the innocent.

As long as Penelope drew breath or could stand, she would never give up, but what if the pillar just got too strong...?

As she held up the light, fending off the curses of the ninja-like shadow vampires that threatened to ruin her concentration, she felt a powerful Light Side presence she hadn't ever felt before, and looked in shock as green lightning erupted from the clouds, destroying some of the Vampires off in the distance even as they tortured and slaughtered in the streets.

Penelope stared at the figure approaching, dressed in an obsidian catsuit with golden gauntlets, holding an older model of lightsaber mounted to a belt power source. She had nigh impossibly beautiful features, and her hair was a deep crimson that contrasted pale skin. She was curvy, but clearly muscled.

The woman called down electric judgement from the sky, destroying more as she made her way to Penelope, shocked and surprised such a powerful Light Adept was on Atrisia.

"Greetings..." the woman said with an unusuallly serene voice that didn't match the insanity around her, blinking sharp blue eyes at Penelope's green.

"I would not leave such a brave persom to face this darkness alone..." the red head continued, frying a Shadow Vampire with green Light Side Lightning that leapt from target to target, killing more of O-Cho's evil minions.

"Your assistance is greatly...appreciated..." Penelope gasped, wondering where she had come from and how long she had been here before Penelope called for help across the Galaxy...

The woman, by the way, looked like The Amalgam.

 

[Sawa Ike]

Nine Lives

Sawa could see the illusion breaking as she looked around and she was staying there near Ni-Ne as the sounds of arrows coming was there and suddenly they were surrounded... with determination on her face as she felt something smash into the back of ehr head and last thing she saw were Yovshin and Ni-Ne on the ground... then things went black with the sounds of K1 shooting things... then beeping and booping as it spun around until it was out of ammo in its weapons. She was in a place in her mind being able to feel something... she could feel a pressure on her head as she laid there and smacked into the ground.

Meanwhile on the planet her mother and father were moving... there was a dangerous situation brewing and they needed to be able to coordinate as the number of different cities were reporting... a lot had happened on Atrisia and there wa smuch others had not seen. Sawa's mother remained in her armor as news of the horselords on the borders came up.. one of the largest problems was that the emperor seemed to think he could demand respect from their god emperor/empress... a being who literally transferred from body to body and had since ancient times. Now though he was younger looking but still a danger if there was a chance of weaknesses as shadowy assassins had tried to fight him and rumors of death came but then also that they wer repelled violently.

 

[Nine Lives]

Ni-Ne awoke to the sight of Midori's bodyguard, Akiko, standing over her, with a smirk.

Ni-Ne was in chains. It was dark. Dungeon like. She had been stripped of her red combat robes.

"You just gonna stand there, grinning like a moron, or are you going to hurt me?" Ni-Ne growled.

Akiko slugged her across the Jaw.

Ni-Ne spat out the blood in her mouth.

"You hit like like you have Arthritis."

Akiko chuckled. "Oh yes...you're Shimada's daughter alright. The old fool is dead, did you hear?"

Ni-Ne spat at her and got slugged in the jaw again.

"Did you think you could steal The Princess's Squeeze, help burn down Kagemiri Academy, betray the Emperor, slay his warriors and NOT suffer the consequences?"

"Oh, I knew there would be consequences..." Ni-Ne spat, realizing just how many bridges she had burned to do the right thing and save Atrisia.

(Cutaway of Laertia Io turning on the Jedi at Dantooine.)

"But as for all the stuff you just mentioned...I didn't think I could do it...I knew I could do it."

This earned her yet another blow...

"I fought him, once. Old man could barely keep up with me. Proved my superiority that day. A pity I could not kill him."

"What was your beef with him?" Ni-Ne asked.

"He never told you, did he?" Akiko snorted, Ni-Ne starting to notice something troublingly familiar in her facial features. "Typical. Shimada always was fond of compartmentalizing inconveniences."

"What do you mean?"

Akiko smirked and circled the chained warrior.

"It was before your mother disappeared with the most valuable ship Atrisia ever created. My mother had wanted him for years and pressed the advantage. Shimada, in a moment of weakness...relented. It was before you were even born. But Shimada felt great remorse and crawled back to his shrew of a wife!"

Ni-Ne was very quiet as Akiko leaned into the bruised and beaten woman's ear.

"That's right...Little Sister..."

"Submit to the mission of destroying The Sacred Ancestor or be killed by me. I offer no other paths." Ni-Ne demanded quietly.

Another blow to her face.

"Your father dishonored my mother in refusing to marry her. He humiliated her! I served in The Yovshin for years trying to be worthy of his gaze! He refused to even acknowledge me! Oh, how I wished I could have seen his head come off!"

Release me, and you can complain to him in person." Ni-Ne replied, giving zero feths at this point.

Akiko drew her blades and edged both of them towards her captive's neck.

"It would be too easy to kill you like this..." Akiko snarled. "But Midori wants a show...and a show she shall have..."

"I don't dance, Akiko."

"But you can fight..." Akiko snapped.

"If you desire bloodshed, this is the wrong time for it. The Sacred Ancestor is the bigger threat!"

(Cutaway of Laertia Io fruitlessly making the same argument to the Jedi about The Bryn'adul.)

Another blow to the jaw. Ni-Ne collapsed, spitting out more blood, but refusing to cry out in pain.

"We shall deal with your mother's treachery soon enough." Akiko snarled, clutching Ni-Ne by the throat. "Even now her Shadow-Shinobi ravage the Jade City, slaughtering all who oppose them, feeding on their shadows!"

"That's why we must unite to stop The Sacred Ancestor!"

"You are in league with O-Cho!" Akiko accused. "Bring her to Midori!"

Meanwhile...

K1 had simply been too murderous to put down through ordinary means. Even when out of ammo, it had used its sheer weight and bursts of speed to successfully bludgeon two people to death before getting hit with a restraining bolt. Then it had been brought, helpless, to the Royal Court of Midori.

It beeped and whooped as it spotted Sawa, now back in the smirking, arrogant Midori's clutches as Ni-Ne was dragged into the lavish throne room of Midori's palace, clad in rags...

Ni-Ne was still in chains as she was dropped in fromt of the Princess.

"Oh, look, Little Miss Spoilsport decided to finally get in on the drama..." Ni-Ne snapped at Midori. "Release me and Sawa. Now."

"You are in no position to give orders!" Akiko snarled.

"I am where The Sacred Ancestor is concerned. Midori, I do not regret me and Sawa falling for each other and making out passionately right
under your nose, but we have much bigger problems. The Sacred Ancestor will arrive in a matter of days. We can find a way to destroy it we just need a chance to properly study the schematics..." Nine said, wincing, shuddering in horror at the Black Pillar of fire she felt spreading the Dark Side throughout all of Atrisia.

Meanwhile...

Penelope and the strange Redhead that looked like The Amalgam maintained a mutual Force Light spread over a wide area as they lead people out of the city, the Shadow Vampires of O-Cho Li-Ves forced to keep their distance even as they slaughtered everything not in the radius of the protective Light, coming from palms stretched high into the air.

Penelope kept her eyes on the strange redhead, who strained under maintaining such a powerful light as they moved slowly with the hoarde of completely terrified civilians following.

Penelope was terrified herself, but let it pass through her and out to focus channeling the protective light.

"We will need to find a safe haven, and soon..." The Redhead said, wincing in great pain as she channeled Force Light.

"How long can you keep this up?" Penelope hissed, the black pillar flooding her mind with more and more horrific images. It was like nighttime in the Jade City, but there were no stars, only black flames marking the doom of Atrisia.

"Not much longer..." The Redhead admitted. There is a temple here run by monks strong with the Light. The Shinobi have not moved on it yet. If we reach it, we can have a chance to rest...I'll lead the way..."

Penelope turned to the frightened pack of civilians and surviving soldiers.

"Follow us! Quickly!" The green eyed young woman who looked like Maple Harte called out to the others.

They made their way at a brisk walk through gore soaked streets, fires on multiple buildings burning through to their architectural skeletons, the Shadow Shinobi ruthlessly slaughtering anything not in the protective radius of The Force Light being manifested. The Redhead led them quickly through a few turns, careful not to trip over anything in their path.

Penelope felt the Light of the traditional looking Atrisian temple. Powerful enough as a simple aura to keep the dark abominations serving O-Cho at bay, even with the pillar of black flame. But in a few days perhaps, even that would be overwhelmed.

They walked to its front gates, patrolled by terrified Monk guards behind the walls.

"OPEN THE GATE!" The Redhead yelled.

The monks quickly opened it, and Penelope and the redhead quickly ushered everyone in before closing it.

The Monks for the most part were engaged in ritual prayer, their faint connection to the Force reinforcing the aura of the temple. But their concentration was causing more and more strain. They might by the temple an extra half day before the black pillar sapped all their connection to the Light. Even now Penelope felt her connection to the Light dampening. At one point, she knew it would be nearly impossible to touch.

The temple grounds had once had a beautiful garden, all the flowers now rotted.

"We need to get a message to The Jedi Order and the Republic!" The Redhead said to one of the monks. "Only they can help us now. Do you have any long range communications?"

The shaved headed, blue robed monk shook his head.

"I am afraid not. The Emperor does not permit us citizens communications that can go beyond this planet, lest we start to realize there are alternatives to his tyranny and paranoia."

"Where then?" Penelope asked.

"A royal comm tower in the south end of the city...far from here, I'm afraid." The Monk answered, eyes darting around at the black flames in the sky.

"We'll have to risk it." Penelope asserted. "We can't beat this on our own...no way."

"But we can't leave these people here defenseless!" The Redhead protested. "What if that horrible woman comes back?"

"This temple is patroned by The Ike Family..." The Monk mentioned. "We have limited communications still being maintained with the heads of the Ike family. We've informed them of what we could, but we don't have much good information beyond the temple grounds."

"Chit..." Penelope snapped, turning to the Redhead.

"You good to fight?" Penelope asked.

The Redhead nodded, pointing to her belt connected Lightsaber.

"Thanks for the help back there..." Penelope said, holding out her hand.

"I'm Penelope."

"Got a last name?" The Redhead asked.

"No. You?"

"The name is Lektro. Natalee Lektro." Natalee answered grimly, eyes darting to a black flamed sky.

(Clip of Bond Theme Plays)

One of the monks, who had concealed a mental illness for years, darted his head about in confusion looking for the source of the OOC music.

"Here..." the monk trailed, handing them a city map he had one of the acolytes retrieve, marking the tower location.

"Thanks. Got any weapons?" Penelope asked.

The Monk snapped his fingers, and two acolytes brought out Semi-Auto-shotguns with drum clips.

"Holy feth I thought you guys were monks!" Natalee exclaimed.

"This is Atrisia, Outsider. There are super creepy demons and spirits everywhere! Why just last week I had to kill a creepy ghost girl coming out of a viewscreen! Knew I shouldn't have watched that damn holotape..." The Monk rambled anxiously.

"These won't last us long. We don't have enough ammo for all of them, and even if we did we still wouldn't win." Natalee pointed out.

"We shoot only when we have no other choice..." Penelope said quietly, signaling for the Gate to be opened, dampening her presence in the Force, while Natalee's green lightning surged across her arms.

The monks also provided flare pistols and flare rounds along with regular emergency flares blessed in the waters of the temple. "Call it a hunch..." The Monk explained.

The pair were soon off into the streets, Penelope hurling a red flare ahead into inky black street. The bright white light repulsing the Shadow Vampires for its intense brightness and slight holiness.

Natalee backed them away further, by flinging green lightning at them, and all but vaporizing them, cooking them up in seconds...yet it felt like it came from the Light Side...

"Are you a Jedi?" Penelope asked as she used her staff to crush in the skull of an approaching Shadow Vampire, deflecting the shuriken the corrupted Shinobi had flung at her.

"No..." Natalee admitted. "I was...I left...when the green lightning first manifested in me..."

"Bosses didn't like it huh? Figures..." Penelope remarked, blasting a whole into one of the Shinobi as they advanced down the street.

"You're pretty handy with a gun, Penelope." Natalee observed.

"I wasn't always a healer..." Penelope answered, shooting another in the face as they began looking for less exposed areas to use to reach the tower without constant, relentless, brutal assault....

Sawa Ike

 

[Sawa Ike]

Nine Lives

Unaga stood there as she worked with some of the others.. her once golden armor gleaming in the light still but splattered with blood and viscous goop from things.. Her sword gleamed though as she moved with the empress and there was news from her husband... the emperor was dead. He had been killed dishonorably compared to what they would normally had recommended for him to save face. His sister though was being protected as the yovshin who had come to meet her joined into the fight and they fought tooth and nail above most of the soldiers who had been killed.. the people suffering as something struck her face. The sound of the arrow deflected off of her face mask as it cast it aside and revealed the scars.

She didn't just wear it for show as there were gashes that had been burned by hot iron to leave a gap in her cheek. The flesh contracted to show teeth and scar tissue around it swollen which held retain saliva. She was moving though and her eyes tracked one of the things stealing and attacking the shadows... these beings were dangerous and the ship that was returning was a problem they would have to solve. As her blade sang through the air though she sliced into one of them and heard a roar... then a ripple as the air shifted and a longma appeared. Thickly muscled and massive with a spear wielding rider on the back of it. The spear pierced one of the beings and the snarling horselord roared anger and defiance at seeing another.

She stood there as the man jumped down from the tall horse with its eight powerful legs and tongue coming out. The spear in one hand and a sword in the other before he stood almost a head over her and she was taller then most... his chest right in her face as the glow of his eyes said who he was. "So the god of the horse lords graces us with his presence.. what have we done to merit such a display?" SHe said it and the being stood there for a moment looking down at her and there was excessive arrogance.. the horselords didn't leave their valley.. they didn't interact with the rest of Atrisia after all and wars with them were long and bloody.

Still him being here was not well it was not a bad thing as if there was anyone who could really fight a threat like this... let it be a literal immortal who tried and ruled through sheer force of his own willpower against many of them. "Pathetic... these insects are barely worth my boot let alone should be considered a threat." The voice was all things.. masculine, feminine and in between while shifting or staying... it was also resonating with a sense of reserved power as whatever this ancient being was or had been. She was looking at him as others joined and the horselords were not content as many to be in cities like this... she imagined this was the first time most of them had seen the grandeur of Atrisia.

Meanwhile K1 was looking on... the little murder droid had no more ammo but clearly that had not been the problem as its treads were covered and slick with the grease and body fluids of its enemies.... it had smashed and crushed... rolled over limbs and closed its small compartment doors on hands. THe grapple hook had been used with the arc welder to burn faces and choke a shutta behind him as he was finally captured and fitted with a restraining bolt that prevented a number of its upper systems from working. Still it was able to do a lot and watching the yovshin and shinobi who had dragged his master and her main squeeze here.... K1 was seething and plotting grand revenge... he would have his day.. he would have his vengeance for these ones had started a vendetta andf internally on its memory core it was recording their names and information for later use of hunting down their families and ensuring root and stem was removed. He wasn't a psychotic murder droid... no not at all who had a long memory and even longer list of ways to keep someone alive as it killed them.

Sawa on the other hand had been here... whiel Ni-Ne was going through something off in another room she had been subjected to... nothing. Midori had brought her back here and dressed her up yes.. she had her in the throne room with heavy guards but there was less around them and even less announced about what was going on. Midori had some fo the academy students here as well and they were not being held captive but they were scared. Sawa had heard them talking and it was more clear they were part of Midori's playthings.. ones she had rescued from the academy but they served her and would continue to serve her.

Sawa was looking on as Midori mostly ignored her and sat there looking at the levels of destruction and fighting.. she had more yovshin with her who were siding with Akiko as their silver armor gleamed and Sawa could see that communications as well as information was cut off from the capital where her mother and father were fighting with her aunt... the princess in exile... or was she the empress now that she had ursurped her brother. "What have we done." Sawa said it mostly to herself when she saw Ni-Ne being brought into the throne room. They had more guards being brought in as K1 saw there off to the side and the keisei who was with them held in the corner.

 

[Nine Lives]

Penelope and Natalee moved through the blood soaked streets of The Jade City, running for their lives

The assault from the Shadow Shinobi had grown so intense, that they had long since expended their shotgun ammo, and now it was either a make it break sprint to the Royal Tower, and upon sighting it, they realized it had been defiled as the rest of the city.

But what disturbed them more was that there were signs of ritualized defilement. Body parts arranged in pentagrams, with strange almost Math-Formula-like runes drawn within.

The pair proceeded carefully, as the tower was almost certainly compromised.

They didn't say anything to each other, soaked in ninja blood. Penelope's staff had crushed many a Shinobi Neck, but Natalee's green lightning had chain-killed dozens more, yet the black pillar of fire stretching into the sky was making it more and more difficult for both of them to use the Light Side of the Force.

They spotted no enemies as they ran for it, Natalee drawing her Lightsaber, keeping in mind the location of a wire connecting it to a belt mounted power source. Shadow Shinobi slipped from various natural shadows, wielding red Lightsabers, connected to a belt mounted battery of their own.

Penelope readied her staff, drawing close to Natalee as they were surrounded.

They were rushed all at once. Penelope's staff, whipped through the air, connecting with a ninja jaw, breaking it on impact. Natalee defended against an endless series of blades slicing at her chest and throat, patiently holding her ground until they made a mistake, beheading them soon after.

Penelope's staff, armored by the Force, withstood the Lightsaber blows bludgeoning in a rib cage before smashing the neck. She was a buzzing fly, constant dodging and attacking at the same time, deflecting tossed Shurikens, retaliation coming in the form of quick, leaping blows to break a neck.

Soon, All the Shinobi were dead, and they were both exhausted. They wearily went to the front entrance, Natalee taking point as she had the more dangerous weapon.

The staff at the tower had made a final stand. They had only simple laser pistols. Penelope went down and retrieved two from a fallen corpse.

"They're in here. I feel them..." Natalee warned as she moved up the steps.

"So Natalee..." Penelope asked quietly as they moved up the emergency staircase, finding horrors in the turbolift that cannot be committed to words. "What brought you to Atrisia?"

"I came to help someone important to my future..." Natalee said, feeling a bit of the Darkness move from above...

Meanwhile...

Ni-Ne scowled at Midori as she was handed a Katana.

What's that for?" Ni-Ne asked sarcastically.

"Princess Midori seeks to know if the swordsmanship of House Li-Ves is truly as terrifying as they say..." Akiko answered slyly.

"I will not fight for your amusement, Midori..." Ni-Ne said, ignoring Akiko.

She was punched in the face, which genuinely disoriented her, and made her drop to the ground.

"You will." Akiko snarled through gritted teeth. "Or we shall force the Traitorous Sawa Ike to watch as you are torn apart by crocodiles..."

"Oh, c'mon, you could have at least swore to sic some yovshin on me and make it interesting..." Ni-Ne complained. "Though I can't fault the terror tactics in and of themselves..."

Akiko drew her own Katanas.

"Shimada had the same rotten, smartass mouth you do and I am going to shut it up!"

Ni-Ne grabbed the sword and went into a guard.

"You will try..." Ni-Ne said calmly.

The next seconds were a chaotic blade exchange. Akiko immediately put Ni-Ne on the defensive with her fast, relentless dual bladed swordplay, and now Ni-Ne began to wonder if she had underestimated her for as her father's earlier warning about Akiko began to filter in as she was pushed backward.

Akiko struck like an angered viper, Ni-Ne held to a turtle-like defense of her own blade, intercepting and parrying. Never striking. But it was becoming more and more difficult as Akiko seemed to be getting faster the longer the duel went on, and the blade sparks flew...

 

[Sawa Ike]

Nine Lives

Unaga was moving as she heard the god emperor around her.. he was just as powerful and they crested one of the walls in the city moving towards the inner districts... the sight of others coming was there... longma rushed through tunnels and there were more horse lords who were there fighting. You didn't really mess with some of the best warriors on Atrisia and endanger their... supremacy as it were. She could see many og them fighting and they had swords, lances and spears.. one jumped off of their horse and towered over many of them as her blade flashed and it was brutal looking... less from the sharpness then from the look.. it was a blade that had been used and screamed it.

The blade was knicked, dented and looked more dull but it was massive and the strength behind it was scary strong as the dark skinned woman... and she could only tell it was a woman because the brightly colored feather cloak flew off of her so she could withdraw the blade and stood there... Thickly muscled... barrel chested with everything on her looking like it was muscle and nothing soft. The battle skirt she had was short and around mid thigh, the cropped top strained to contain her ample chest.. her hair was in thick braids out of her face and she had pale scars across her body that decorated the muscled curves.

Unaga was moving though and she saw how some of the horselords could fight or at least this one... she was a beast... massive and her blade didn't slice through as much as cleave and send everything around her flying away to impact into a wall. She was going to smash and bludgeon as the sword showed no real care or the scabbard but she was still dangerous with it. in contrast though they moved and she lept as one of the shinobi was sent flying from the blade smashing into their shoulder and the crack that came echoed but Unaga lept up slicing into them and finishing them off before going along a wall as the small group was joined by a few others going into the city.

Sawa was watching and she looked at Midori who remained there... her face was twisted but where there was anger and hatred there was also something else... she had always been cruel and Sawa knew it but they were supposed ot be able to save her or keep her from going overboard. Akiko on the other hand was many degrees more crazy and there wasn't much she knew they could do aside from Ni-ne fighting her... it wouldn't be easy in most terms but it wouldn't be one sided either... yovshin... even former yovshin were formidable but not invincible that is why they always had to recruit more and for the different guards. "Good luck." She said it looking at Ni-Ne and she was focusing on her face she felt something... a tug... a bond... a bridge and she was giving as much resolve and hope as she could towards her.... (transfering force energy to revitalize)

 

[Nine Lives]

"Who did you come to save?" Penelope asked of Natalee as they ascended the over run comm tower, finding more and more evidence of the Shadow Shinobi's handiwork in the slashed up bodies.

"Someone close to my heart. Someone so close the thought of losing her terrifies me. I'm here to save my daughter." Natalee answered, ascending up the steps, prepared to take the worst of whatever attacked.

"Where is your daughter?"

"The Future..."

Penelope raised an eyebrow, but not wanting to challenge her only ally under such dire circumstances she remained silent.

As they ascended, Penelope noted strange markings on the walls. More of that Math Like Rune Magic.

She felt strange, Light Headed suddenly as she ascended the steps finally reaching what looked like the control room, absolutely covered in runes.

"This Magic...it will be difficult to overcome..." Penelope said grimly. Give me a few minutes...Where are the Shinobi?"

"Hmmm..." Natalee muttered pacing around the control room. "Good--"

Natalee's belt powered green blade activated just in time to block the deadly Vibro-Katana strike to her face, immediately disarming her cloaked attacker and cutting his head off, for the Shadow Shinobi were abominations.

Penelope's staff whipped about after a blade nearly cut her throat open as other Shadow Shinobi uncloaked, armed with sickles. She battled them fiercely, whipping her staff about to part deadly slices, Natalee slicing them apart, noting how the swords were pretty resistant to the Lightsaber...up to a point. This was still an era before the alchemical science had been fully explored and perfected. Lots of Alchemized sword attempts at this time had flaws in the working, and failed sometimes or broke even earlier than the wielder expected, while others lasted a considerable length of time. Natalee was none the less shocked at the presence of so many Alchemized Blades in the hands of an enemy organization...the most experience she had were with Force Imbued Jedi Katanas, which, at the time, were the finest Alchemy examples extant and wide spread, and even those sometimes failed.

The pair butchered them. They were vicious, but half their deadliness was in the ambush. Deception. Their understanding of the Force was ultimately crude.

Natalee moved with a practiced ease in her slashes and stabs, cutting apart these dark minions, the most corrupt she had ever fought, until one managed a lucky blow against her saber's power cord, deactivating it. He scored a cut on her side, driving her back, and pressed the attack, only to be shot in the head by Penelope with a laser pistol.

Penelope went over to the injured Natalee, who bled red blood.

"Here...let me look." Penelope said, going over to her.

"Well, there goes the Saber. Can our day get any more full of crap than it already has?"

"It could literally start raining crap..." Penelope offered.

Natalee managed a smile. "Don't tempt fate..."

Penelope set to work on healing the cut to her side.

"No more bikinis..." Natalee joked. (Public displays of affection make people uncomfortable: 90 XP)

"Ha ha..." Penelope replied dryly, focusing the Light to close up the last of the wound.

"Now...to business..." Penelope said, going into a lotus position at the center of the room, meditating and chanting to slowly undo the magical traps and protections on the controls, noting their complexity in The Force.

"What were you?" Natalee asked.

"Not important..." Penelope answered...

Natalee picked up Penelope's staff in order to defend her from any more Shadow Shinobi...

Meanwhile...

Akiko hammered at her defense relentlessly, but an exhausted, injured Ni-Ne, even getting revitalized by Sawa Ike , couldn't stop such a nasty offense from leaving it's mark.

Ni-Ne didn't even get a cut in, though her defense lasted far longer than it should have before Akiko cut her across the thigh with the tip of her Katanas. Ni-Ne dropped but didn't scream, struggling to stand. Akiko slashed and cut her shoulder, And this time Ni-Ne dropped her sword.

Akiko pointed her sword at her. "Beg for Princess Midori's mercy, Traitor."

"I am a Li-Ves. I do not beg, Cast-off of Father." Ni-Ne replied coldly.

Akiko snarled, crossed her sword and Ni-Ne's against the injured woman's neck.

"BEG!" Akiko screamed. "I DID NOT WAIT ALL THESE YEARS JUST FOR YOU TO NOT BEG!"

"Yes..." Ni-Ne replied back icily. "You did."

Akiko snarled and proceeded to drop the swords, hands going around Ni-Ne's throat.

Ni-Ne let the attack happen, and used the last of her strength to telekinetically fling Akiko's sword at Sawa for her to catch, flinging the other at K1's restraining bolt, damaging it, and allowing K1 to go full whackjob with his hidden weapons on the guards just as Ni-Ne started to black out...

 

[Sawa Ike]

Nine Lives

The sword flew towards her and Sawa was prepared... there was a lot of things she could see happening and death would be a good alternative to whatever Midori might have planned... THen she had her binding cut and remained there for a moment as the sounds from K1 could be heard with a thrilling sound as the bolt was smashed from his chassis... the distinctive sliding og the metal before ignition of the flamethrowers it had as he spun around with the blade to make a whirring spiral of death and flame. Like a tornado it kept her going and the prefect was looking over at more of it when she moved to the side and held the sword dodging flames and a flailing body that struck the wall.

She rolled and clutched the sword closer to herself as she came up and slashed into the legf of one of the guards... Midori was there and shouting but she was calm... a rage washing over as Sawa could feel it and she rose up holding the blade in a ready stance before K1 came close and barreled into another guard getting a snap of its leg... the guard fell over and shouting they looked at each other for a moment. THe little droid warbling for a moment as it bounced from side to side and Sawa turned back to look at Ni-Ne who was fighting as she blew out a breath... her mind going to white noise and a stillness she had been taught when using a blade.

Then she was moving as one of the yovshin came at her and Sawa ducked under the blade pivoting off of her back foot and cartwheeling over the second as it slashed. SHe fought with a cold fury and moved around quickly slashing to the back of his legs at the tendons that were exposed to largely allow movement... her third slash going to the armpit of the armor and slicing up to sever the nerves as his arm hung limply. She didn't need to display emotion or rely on rage to kill she did it with a calculation... they were threatening Ni-Ne... and her but mostly Ni-Ne as her hand came out and she felt something mentally snap and she just knew she could do it.. she just knew she could constrict the throat of Midori who was there and looking at her.

 

[Nine Lives]

Ni-Ne had almost blacked out as Akiko strangled her.

The need to save Atrisia burned within her still and she was loath to surrender to nothing. She was Li-Ves. It was her nature to fight.

So Ni-Ne fought, fought to retain consciousness. Fought for Sawa. Fought to return to her.

Ni-Ne grasped her hands around Akiko's neck and squeezed. Akiko was strong. But Ni-Ne wanted to save Sawa, who was killing everything in a rage. She could feel a coldness from her she did not like and wanted to sooth.

But that meant strangling Akiko first.

Ni-Ne squeezed and squeezed, and though Akiko's murder rage sustained her, in the end, she was clutching at her throat.

The Li-Ves in her said kill. Her Father, and Albrecht Bo said it was time to stop thinking as the Li-Ves of old. Albrecht had had more of an influence than she thought.

She didn't want to kill Akiko, despite regarding her as a severe threat who probably. Already, the Jedi habit of indulging in 'Batman Syndrome' was beginning to infect Ni-Ne.

Ni-Ne stopped just before Akiko suffocated completely, and instead knocked her out with a hard punch. She wanted to help Sawa. Had to help her.

The Jedi way was a thing she was still getting used to.

By instinct, Ni-Ne's hand leapt up and a bolt of green lightning hit one of Sawa's approaching attackers. She was still on the floor, wounded. Unable to walk and no closer to defeating the Sacred Ancestor.

It was all the remaining energy she could muster.

Ni-Ne fell unconscious.

Meanwhile...

Penelope had disabled the traps at long last. Natalee helped her up.

"You're very skilled..." Natalee remarked softly, eyes glittering in the dark of the comm station.

"We should send the message out now..." Penelope trailed.

Natalee nodded in agreement and they both went to the console, immediately sending out a distress signal to the Republic:

ATRISIA CALLS FOR AID. THE DARK SIDE THREATENS TO KILL US ALL. BRING LIGHTSABERS. LOTS OF LIGHTSABERS.

"How long do you think before they get here?" Penelope asked.

"They loooove killing them some Darksiders. They'll show up. By tomorrow at least. Or the day after."

"Can Atrisia hold out?" Penelope asked.

"I don't know..." Natalee confessed, turning to her. "I know only that I have to protect you..."

"Huh?" The green eyed young woman asked.

Natalee stroked her cheek.

"I thought you said you were here to protect your daughter."

"I am..." Natalee said. "It's you..."

"You aren't making any sense..."

"You're my daughter, lovely Penelope."

"What?" Penelope asked, backing away.

"You will be...someday..." Natalee said softly. "I've been haunted by your face for years...to see you...you don't know what it means to me..."

Penelope broke into a run.

 

[Sawa Ike]

Nine Lives

Sawa felt it.. her hand was on Midori's throat and the princess sneered as she was choking... her eyes going wide eventually and Sawa almost snarled as there was something... a flash of memory. Midori and her when they were in school... a month or so ago. THey had been at one of the dances, Midori sitting in a seat that had been elevated as she had been voted as it were the queen of the dance along with a king who was Sawa in disguise... mostly with her long hair pulled tight and close to her head so it looked short. No one really knew it was her as only a few were technically there and visible.. most guessed that Sawa was off in the corner somewhere pining.

"See no one cares Sawa... just like I told you they wouldn't even notice." Sawa sat there and was looking as she had a black silk mask on and looked at Midori for a moment but she had been like this most of the time... the two of them were well inseparable since she was a playmate... a friend in her opinion but there was always something akin to a fear of being thrown away there. "It isn't that they might care, I have seen how fickle they can be but they are also wanting to all try and be with you because their families believe it is a quicker way to new social status." She said it and their conversation was largely private, able to be hidden with fans and Midori spoke. "YOu have been my...." she seemed to think about it.

"Friend... playmate, servant." Sawa offered the words for her as Midori spoke. "Playmate fits since we were both little. Our families have been friends a lot longer. There is no way I would replace you." She said it and Sawa was wondering to herself but she brushed it off... stopping just long enough as the music came and the two of them were expected to dance. Midori leading the way for the two of them to get onto the central platform for everyone to look at them. HEr other friends... entourage were there and following around behind them. THey mostly were dancing with each other cause there was no one else that they deemed worthy.

Then she was back and Midori seemed to be dying... Sawa was almost foaming in her rage and everything.. all of the resentment... all of the abuse that had been heeped upon her... she let it there settling for a moment. Midori might have had a screwed up world view but she wasn't all that terrible... Sawa's mind flashed to later when they had been alone and how sweet she could be... offering to marry her because there was little to no one that she would have wanted. Being the youngest of the royal family meant she was a political tool that would have been traded to where it was convenient but with Sawa she could ensure the family loyalty.

Sawa could feel it and there was something pressing on the back of her mind.. she felt it for a moment and there was the coolness.. a sensation as mentally there were hands on her shoulders directing her.. whispering close to her ear and she could swear she felt the tickle of warm breath. 'Better, now squeeze and watch that life slip from her eyes.' He seemed to be encouraging her and she knew his plans at least some of them.. he wanted things to go back to a more chaotic time... a dangerous time... he wanted destruction and the chance to train one who would bring it was an important one that he rarely had.

Midori passed out.. more then that there was the sound of something snapping and Sawa lurched forward feeling her bodies tension fade away as everythign was loose and like jelly... her mind reeling for a moment as it came back to itself and she was trying to figure out what they would be able to do before turning to look at the rest of the fight. Midori wasn't dead... she knew that.. she could feel that and hadn't felt her life slipping away or extinguished.. just her neck was at an odd angle to the rest of her body. K1 was right there helping protect her and she gripped the sword in her hand grasping as the floor with the other and clenching a fist.

She knew more fighting was still going on and laid there for a moment as Midori seemed to be twitching and looking at her. One hand not moving and Sawa looked at her more wanting to try and help her now before her eye lids were getting heavy and she just wanted to lay there not knowing what this feeling in her gut was.

 

[Nine Lives]

Penelope dashed down the stairs, terrified.

"Penelope?!" Natalee called out, from above as Penelope fled the Comm Tower.

"Penelope, wait. Please. I'm not here to hurt you, I swear." Natalee called out, moving down the steps as quickly as she could.

Unfortunately, Natalee, being unnatural, didn't understand the level of pure 'Nope' that had been in her response. 'Nope' responses tend to illicit 'Nope' reactions.

Penelope had just gotten out the door, deciding to take her chances outside when she remembered that there were murderous Shadow-Shinobi rampaging through the Jade City, and that they had all pretty much converged on the location after getting the distress of their brethren at being massacred through the Dark Side.

Penelope gripped her staff as Alchemized Katanas were drawn.

Two leaped first and Penelope quickly smashed her Force Imbued staff into their heads, crushing them. Several attacked her at once, and the power of the black flame spreading through the sky weakened her focus, and she was soon struggling to call on the Force, and fending off Multiple enemies grew more and more taxing forcing her to fall backward in the street in order to survive, but the gangs of Ninja followed, attacking with both sword and storms of Shurikens forcing her to not only parry, but swat aside the deadly throwing stars, all the while breaking both necks and backs. One Shuriken grazed her however and that was enough to render her instantly woozy.

The Shurikens had been poisoned.

Penelope grew weaker as she retreated, less fluid, less coordinated in her defense, and one made her pay for it slicing her across the shin, then the abdomen.

Pain lanced through her whole body. she staggered back crying out. The Shinobi advanced...

The whole area flooded with green lightning, erupting through their shadowy bodies and red eyes, breaking them down, unable to withstand such concentrated light side energy. In seconds they were ashes.

Penelope was having trouble seeing, trouble breathing as she saw Natalee walk up to her.

"It will be okay, future daughter..." Natalee whispered as Penelope faded in and out of consciousness, watching in horror as Natalee's flesh shuddered everywhere...

"It will be okay..."


Meanwhile...

Ni-Ne stirred as K1 poked her with one of his instruments.

Everywhere hurt. Sawa Ike had apparently finally had enough of Midori's crap and broke her neck. Ni-Ne was horrified that Midori had succeeded in bringing that wrath out in the innocent prefect.

She would never forgive Midori for tapping into Sawa's rage, and the terrible black flames spreading over Atrisia were only making it worse for both of them.

She heard K1 give a whoop as she regained consciousness, spotting a Pydrian Healing Stick on one of the dead guards belts and grabbed it, immediately applying it to her own wounds from Akiko.

She felt a little relief. She was still in no real condition to fight. But she forced herself to anyway, picking up Akiko's sword.

"Sawa..." Ni-Ne called out, pale from blood loss and pain. "Sawa...we have to get out of here, my love...there will be reinforcements...it's standard procedure."

K1 gave a series of whoops and beeps.

"K12, you can't decouple someone's lower intestine with those kinds of instruments. You need at least a butcher knife. My father showed me how, in--"

She stopped, realizing she said too much.

"Forget it, let's just find the fething exit..." Ni-Ne muttered as the doors burst open and guards came rushing in for them all.

Ni-Ne readied her blade and stayed defensive next to Sawa. She hated not being able to comfort her over what had just happened. It seemed the Galaxy itself was trying to keep them from being together...

But nearly dying...that had put her on the back foot. But she had to keep fighting. She would defend Sawa and her honor with her life...

She deserved so much better than what Ni-Ne was currently capable of giving her. Their lives had been torn apart by powerful forces over which they had no control.

Ni-Ne tried not to despair, tried to be strong for who she loved, but it was so difficult, as she beheaded an attacker.

Even if they did save all of Atrisia from The Sacred Ancestor...how could they save it from the Black Flame? What would it take? Destroying the Sacred Ancestor alone would cost her her life, possibly. What would it take to stop the Black Flame? Her soul?

Ni-Ne knew only battle as the will to save all of Atrisia gave her newfound strength as she blocked and parried sword attacks from multiple guards...

 

[Sawa Ike]

Nine Lives

Sawa felt something in her mind and in her body she was falling towards the ground and there was something in the distance... whatever was happening it was taking a toll on her and she wasn't certain what it was... her anger had peaked... her rage and hatred was there but she could not remember when she was listening to something in the distance... K1 was next to her though and nudging her as Ni-Ne was helping her up and she came back to herself. Her hearing returning when she looked at Ni-Ne for a moment and was lost in what was happening around them she wasn't certain what had happened. "Huh...." Sawa said it and was checking to see what she had around her... she was feeling a tinge of fear when she saw Akiko and Midori and neither of them were moving as she realized what had happened.... "Oh this is not going to be good."

 

[Nine Lives]

Ni-Ne cut through a dozen more attackers, the Blood Tiger within having full sway in her at the moment. She would kill these guards for threatening Sawa Ike , even as she was driven backward by their relentless attacks.

At Sawa saying this wasn't going to be good, Ni-Ne could not help but agree.

"We have to get out of here!" Ni-Ne yelled as she beheaded a guard. "They'll just keep coming!"

K1 thought quick and beeped and whooped, firing a rocket at the ceiling, and down it came.

Ni-Ne tackled Sawa protecting her from being hit by the rubble. K1 rolled away from the collapsing ceiling area. Midori and Father's castoff were not anywhere near it unfortunately. Damn it all!

Ni-Ne looked at the blocked off path. They didn't have long. She turned to the Droid.

"That was some quick thinking, K1..." she complimented.

The Droid beeped in approval before using a manipulator to point the way to the hangar. They had to reach Albrecht Bo, but they didn't even know where he was.

So desperate was Ni-Ne to contact him, that Albrecht felt her distress and reached out through the Force, shocking Ni-Ne.

Ni-Ne! Thank, the Force, you're alive! Albrecht exclaimed mentally. The Black Flame's effects are spreading. The whole planet is being covered in some sort of miasma of Dark corruption

Can we stop it? And how are we talking? Ni-Ne asked.

Nothing is impossible with the Force... Albrecht answered. "Life generates it, it surrounds us. Calm your mind...trust what it asks of you.*

Alright Albrecht...I'll do that... Ni-Ne said, having had enough of winging it.

Close off the outside distractions. Focus only on the connection of life with other life... Albrecht instructed.

(Yoda moment ensues)

Ni-Ne closed her mind to outside distractions and focused on the current of life.

What she felt horrified her.

The Black Flame affected all connections, drowning them out, smothering, corrupting all...even them.

This...this was awful...this...it screamed of wrongness to the last Blood Tiger, who knew evil when she saw it.

This was just as serious a threat as the Sacred Ancestor Battleship coming for them...and Ni-Ne had no idea how to stop either yet. She needed to look at the Sacred Ancestor's schematics. Maybe she could use the ship to destroy the black flame...

We have to rendezvous...in the city. While we still can... Ni-Ne said. We have to go to Sacred Bell Temple.

What's over there? Albrecht asked.

Sabotage materials... Ni-Ne answered. She turned to Sawa.

"Sawa, we have to go to Sacred Bell Temple. And we need to steel another ship. C'mon."

Ni-Ne began running. K1 followed.

The run to the hangar didn't take long, but to Ni-Ne's distress she didn't see anything she knew how to pilot. She turned to Sawa.

"See anything you recognize?"

 

[Sawa Ike]

Nine Lives

Sawa was in a state.. she wasn't certain how or what she would call it.. she was there just she wasn't there... her mind reeling for a moment when she heard Ni-Ne speaking and she could hear K1 who was beeping to get her attention. THey had moved to the hanger and it presented some of the airspeeders for them to work on. She was looking around and motioned towards one of them going over to it and she checked it out. It was Midori's one and she was used to it as they had snuck away with it a few times. She put her hand on the keypad opening it up as it identified her as she motioned for them to get in and she was checking over many of the systems. Staying quiet and at the ready.

Her mind raced as what had started a few days ago had quickly balooned into she had no idea what.. they were taking a Keisei back to her people and then being followed and used as puppets by others in whatever games they were playing and now there was an all out attack and people were dying and dead and her mind was racing trying to figure out what was happening in all of this. She set the controls and remained at the ready as they were taking off and motioned with one hand for the secondary seat while K1 went to operate the systems and get the doors opened with an access code. Sawa was looking at it and her mind drifted as she guided the ship out.

"I don't know." She said it mainly to herself and she was sitting there in the seat... low murmurings at first but she was keeping her attention on the ship flying them as it cleared the mountains.

 

[Nine Lives]

Ni-Ne at last managed to catch her breath as Sawa Ike piloted the ship they had to the Sacred Bell Temple, still under control by Clan Li-Ves. Ni-Ne found herself hoping against hope that the Emperor's Forces had not sacked this temple before going to her Family Palace.

That hope was dashed as she at last spotted it.

It had been magnificent once. A great tower surrounded by gardens, now burning and on fire...

They'd sacked it likely at the time her Father's palace had been sacked.

The feeling of the Black Flame shooting into the sky grew more horrible the closer they got to the Jade City. The streets were littered with the Slain.

"Take us down..." Ni-Ne requested grimly.

Once they were down, Ni-Ne quickly got out of the ship and started running, yelling for Sawa to follow. It was on the very outskirts of the city. At best, this fact would only buy them maybe ten or fifteen minutes before those Shadow Shinobi were allllllll over them.

The front gate was shattered open, and she saw the dead monks everywhere. One of them had a bundle in their hands that she was drawn to for reasons she didn't understand, but felt it calling to her.

She approached it, taking out the bundle from the dead monks hands, noted the golden silk and realized it was an old Family Treasure.

She unwrapped it slowly, respectfully. By some miracle no one had thought to search him, and pulled out a glittering, silvery hilt that she didn't realize was off world tech. She hit a switch and a a faint, blue, flat and double edged blade the length of a sword came out...

(Zelda Acquisition Theme Plays)

(Sawa got a new Weapon!)

Weapon: PHASE SWORD

Spoiler

Exotic Off World Weapon, creating an ultra sharp blade based on Molecular Shield tech. Rotoscoping effect makes it difficult to control.

She instantly discarded Akiko's sword, and held it, admiring it's craftsmanship before deactivating it and turning to Sawa.

"Sawa...there is no easy way to say this... somewhere in this temple there is a deadly substance acquired many years ago at great expense. It's called Baradium...and it's use is as an obscenely powerful explosive. It's highly volatile and could blow us the feth up if we aren't careful. We have ten minutes to figure out where it is...I...I dunno how...but I sense the enemy trying to reach us even now.

Ni-Ne put her hands on Sawa's shoulders.

"I know you're scared, but you've been very strong so far. Thank you for getting us out of Midori's clutches. No way we would have made it out of there without you. You need to stay strong. After we get the Baradium, we make a break for the mountains. Trouble is...I don't know where exactly it's hidden...here...take this. I dunno where it's from but it almost looks like those Lightsaber thingies. I would rather it protect you over me..."

 

[Sawa Ike]

Nine Lives

THe feeling in her mind and body was there... tiring... heavy. A burden that made her feel like they were just pawns in some one elses game but there was also something else there... hope.... Freedom. She had never felt like this before and when she was around Ni-Ne well there was a lot that she could only think about doing... even more that she was able to do and did do. In many cases the pair of them complimented each other. Sawa was looking around as she heard Ni-Ne speaking but her mind was still off... still wandering what she would be able to do and Midori was dead... she had killed her now.... her job was to help protect her... to be her friend and companion and she had killed her for.... Ni-Ne.

Sawa's mind raced and the moments between heart beats seemed to stretch forever... she was stuck between the tick and the tok.. the heartbeat stretched out further and further as she was envisioning what came from it... what was Ni-Ne to her... they shared a lot but relationships forged in the heat of conflict.. in stressful situations. What if they were just being drawn together from the events more then they were actually in love... or maybe lust... both of them She was imagining it another way... another place. THe startling ideas of it as she moved with Ni-Ne and allowed herself to feel the force again.. the sensations around her were overwhelming.

THey came as they moved and in reality she was just sitting there.. her eyes unfocused and in a stare as within her mind she spun. THe sounds of music was around her. They spun around on the damp stone and would never want to leave. Her eyes on Ni-Ne wanting to ask so many more questions.... in the back of her mind she could feel something else. Xavier was there and slowly Ni-Ne disappeared as the tall man spoke to her. Standing in front of her and she could swear the warmth was there in his chest... her hands coming up and touching the dark skin... corded muscles underneath the flesh. His arm was around her as he held her close.

'It is okay child, what happened to her is mathematical... sshe threatened you and your life... she would have taken it from you and there is so much more you are meant to do... this is merely the first step towards fulfilling your destiny Little Sawa.' His voice came out and she looked up at him as he moved to lean down and dark skin glistening... hair with the scent of rain and musk... heavy on the nostrils as she could feel upn herself something else... a bond was there and more. SHe could feel him in her mind and there was a great deal more as his eyes were like black pools with starlight in them... she could see light flecks.

'You and I have a lot more child, we'll meet again when you are ready.' He said it and Sawa could feel something in her chest... she didn't know what it was... rage, fury an intense seething hatred for everything that was being done to manipulate them. He didn't care about her... or maybe he did but it was for a singular goal and purpose. She was practically shaking there in place as she stood.. him leaving and only stopping enough to turn around and reaching out to touch her face. SOft hands on her cheek that traced her jawline for a lingering moment and she could feel the warmth there. Ni-Ne was there looking around when she came back to herself.

Sawa was back to herself... standing there with Ni-Ne who was speaking about explosives and giving her a new weapon. She looked at it and nodded her understanding when she moved looking at Ni-Ne... her eyes looking at her and voice coming out hoarse. "Home.... we should.... home." She was partially babbling and speaking but she understood what Ni-Ne wanted.. she was focused on it... she was prepared for things to escalate and the danger was ramping up for them but all Sawa could do.. the only thing that could drive her wasn't her family it was the girrl in front of her. Her hands raising up to hold her as she felt tears.

"I betrayed my friend.... I.... I... killed her for..." She said it looking at Ni-Ne for... something.... anything... there had to be something there.. she needed it bringing her hands to touch shoulders, cheek... anything for a moment. THe barest of contact to try and stay here.. stay anchored to not lose herself. "You." THe voice came out so soft it was barely a whisper and she looked upon her. "You are my...." She trailed off wanting to remain there forever but knew they would need to move on. THey would be attacked, their enemies were infinite it seemed but she needed this.. she needed to be reassured that she was doing the right thing as Atrisia fell around them to attacks.

She felt something there.. on the back of her mind... in her head whispering and pressing her to survive but she wasn't going to just survive.. she needed Ni-Ne... she wanted Ni-Ne to survive and that was going against whatever it was... she was guessing it was Xavior or Maranon... or the Jedi any of them seemed to want to divide them.. to push them apart to serve their own ends. She was trembling as she fought against it just trying to stay there against Ni-Ne... "I just want to go... home with you." She said it fully and buried her face into the curve of her neck... feeling the heartbeats of herself pounding in her ears before she felt it in Ni-Ne's chest and it thundered.

"Just with you." She said it low just staying there and inhaling the scent of sweat, flesh and Ni-Ne... she thought her heart was going to explode from her chest as they could stand there. "Just with you." She kept repeating it to herself and into the skin where she was. Her arms were wrapped around her and in a near death grip when all she was trying to do was remain there. Eyes clenched closed until the thunderous beats subsided and slowly she could feel her heartbeat matching with Ni-Ne's so it felt calming to her mind and body... the pressure had eased off and there was nothing she wanted to let spoil the moment.

 

[Nine Lives]

It wasn't fair

Ni-Ne found herself cursing fate. All she had wanted was to go home. To a point before all this insanity had started.

But it was not here or there. Her world was burning down around her, and all she could do was keep fighting until not only it was burned, but drowning in darkness. Burning and Drowning, dragging Sawa Ike down with her.

She embraced Sawa, taken the trembling ex prefect into her arms, smelling her hair. She didn't quite leave the Battlefield, but she was somewhat relieved to be doing something for a moment beyond killing and survival.

But she knew it couldn't last.

"I want to go home too, Sawa." Ni-Ne said, clasping Sawa closer.

Eventually however, Ni-Ne had to pull away.

"Let's go look for that Baradium..."

Meanwhile...

O-Cho Li-Ves surveyed the carnage that was spreading across the City of Jade.

It had been such a long time coming. Years of Service, betrayed in an instant by a Paranoid Emperor. Her and her crew, tumbling to the planet with a black flame...

Then came the months of painfully being reshaped by it, being horribly mutated...

...in this, she had found... Purpose. As the shadows creeped into her every cell, she had at last understood.

She had returned to Atrisia in secret. And there had come the first roadblock, in the form of her own husband.

None of them understood. The whole system that had allowed the marooning of her and her crew until the black flame had helped repair The Sacred Ancestor had to go. It was too abusive.

Thing was...the populace would also be a problem. So would the public.

That is why the screams of the innocent cried out across the city, the temples becoming nigh overwhelmed refuges of last resort. They were quickly becoming swamped.

O-Cho felt only satisfaction, watching a city engulfed in the purging fire of suffering from the top of the Emperor's massive, ornate golden clocktower, one covering panel alone worth more than the average peasant on this world would see in thirty years of back breaking labor.

The smell of blood and smoke drifted into a delicate looking nose, feeling Ni-Ne's mixed emotions. Wanting Sawa but also wanting to stop her.

But as to where her daughter was...

O-Cho reached out in the Dark Side, feeling at last her estranged child's location. Felt her life force entwining with some prefect that was...pretty fething strong with the Force, actually!

They both were. Both had such potential...

She would have to corrupt them utterly of course, in order to succeed.

She directed a small contingent of her ninja shadow vampires (Or was it Shadow Vampire Ninjas?) to the temple they had fled to.

"Soon..." O-Cho said to herself, growing stronger with the darkness the more the black flame spread throughout the sky.

"Soon the Sacred Ancestor will arrive...much sooner than even you think, Ni-Ne..."

The White Garbed Former Admiral leaped down from the 14 story tower, landed on ground soaked in the blood of the innocent, and began calmly walking to the temple where Ni-Ne and Sawa was.

She would capture them personally...

It would take her about a half hour but the Shinobi were not to attack, merely prevent them from leaving...

 

[Sawa Ike]

Nine Lives

Her body was still shuddering but listening to Ni-Ne as she spoke and shared at least the want was enough... internally she was relaxing and relearning how to breathe... how to focus her mind. Her thoughts racing and more was going on as the prefect prepared herself... steeling her mind and body to not freak out as they needed to continue.. they needed to survive to have a future. So she would fight and she was picking up her blade as she was prepared. "Alright lets go and get it." She said it while she stood up tall and ready for anything.. her breathing stabilizing so she could let out a long held breath.

She was nodding to herself and her head hurt a little... pressure behind her eye as she felt something was coming but wasn't certain about her senses or instincts yet... the hair on the back of her arms was raised like the rest of it.... she was worried that they were going to be attacked again and they just needed the moment to breath.. to prepare themselves but she was looking at Ni-Ne who seemed resolved and so she could become just as resolved... she was ready for it before looking back and she thought she saw them being followed... she needed to focus her mother and father... what would they do in this case.

Meanwhile Unaga was moving, she had been joined by a few others and while the emperor and his sister fought... she had been surprised. He was mad... paranoid and willing to kill many but he wasn't lazy about it.. he knew how to use his blade and his sister was just managing to keep up with the physical differences between them. The emperor using the throne room at first to his advantage but then the pair had moved onto the roofs and onto one of the large statues as they were over the imperial city. Explosions going off around them and she was leading defensive measures against shinobi that were attacking.

The fighting led her to the courtyard and she was joined by two others.. the silver clad crane general... sky blue cloak in his armor and it was sleek... and a horselord... her black robes with a strange wired armor. It molded to her body but she was massive and her blade was huge.. she wasn't one to be tossed around and the blades she was using looked like they could cut a longma in half with a single stroke of her massive blades. She was moving like a whirlwind into anything that was trying to attack them. The news that the horselords were uprising had been... premature... their god emperor was observing what had happened... was involved... but had sent one of his most deadly warriors to aid against the attack.

She was moving with them and her husband was there as well bringing two of their daughters when the blades came. Some of the new droids they had gotten from offworlders were being used to set up a defensive line and aid the soldiers with blaster fire alternating with arrows. Unaga was moving and she could feel more as her mask deflected a throwing knife... the blade scratching it and sending her head back with a snap but it didn't go through the mask itself as she remained there. THey were making progress and protecting the way up to the statues that the emperor and his sister were fighting on.

Sawa continued to push forward and from the distance Xavier remained there.. off in the shadows with one hand gripping a guard. The armor clinking to the ground while he held them up with one hand and made a space to bit into their throat and shoulder. The energies coming out before they looked over at more of it. He was watching Sawa and prepared to protect her if needed... she was important to his plans after aall and a strong force user here on this backwater world.. let alone two and one so accustomed to violence.. well both would be a prize but one would be good enough for what he could want to do.

 

[Nine Lives]

Ni-Ne carefully, methodically searched the shrine, as chaos erupted outside the shrine. She worked feverishly as the fighting outside intensified, making sure to keep an eye on Sawa Ike the whole while.

This was when Xavier (No, not Patrick Stewart) decided to show up and Ni-Ne was instantly on edge at just the sight of him. He was not doing anything other than be creepy, with a creeper stare (And drinking a Dude's blood, which was only the 128th most metal AF thing going on in the Jade City at the moment).

Eventually, Ni-Ne located the satchel of Baradium, hidden in a hollowed out Lion statue, and then rushed to Ni-Ne.

"We need to leave. Quickly. The shrine is only going to keep the enemy out for so long--"

A Shadow Ninja managed to scale the wall, and approached slowly and methodically, sword drawn.

Ni-Ne turned to Sawa.

"I got almost no energy left to fight...I hate to ask...can you handle this?"