Warriors of Magic

By K'thardin

Standard Disclaimer:  Pretty Sami is property of someone else.  
I'm just borrowing the characters for a time.  Any characters I 
make up are mine, and if you don't know the difference you need 
to go watch Pretty Sami!  Heh.

Authors Forward:  Again, I would like to take this opportunity to 
thank all those that gave me invaluable input during the making 
of this chapter.  Arigato!  BTW:  BGlanders...don't worry, what 
you asked for will be given to you in spades in the next chapter. 
^_^

Crisis of the Warriors

<Opening Theme: Please Don't Go - KWS>

	"And for our last order of business...the Sensei-Master of 
the Dragon-Kaiyo Warrior Mage Form, requests an audience of the 
One Hundred and Eight Priests; the Queen elect of Juraihelm, 
Tsunami; and the second in line, Ramia."
	As the sound of the priest's booming voice finished echoing 
to the furthest reaches of the Great Hall of marble and gold, the 
main doors swung wide, to grant entry to the Sensei-Master.  For 
a long few seconds, only the luke warm wind from the outside blew 
into cathedral, purging the air of its stuffy and stagnant 
quality.
	Tsunami took this time to breath in the air, enjoying its 
quality of life and motion while she flashed a sultry glance at 
her second in command and aide in the state of affairs of 
Juraihelm, Ramia.
	Ramia almost flinched in response, before leveling a 
sidelong glare that told Tsunami not only no, but HELL NO in 
regards to her most recent pass.  Tsunami sighed, wishing that 
Ramia wasn't such a prude concerning such things.  It wasn't like 
Ramia wouldn't enjoy it...Tsunami was certain that she could make 
it an experience that her long time friend would never forget, 
and even...want more of.  And ohhh...the things she would do with 
that gorgeous body Ramia sported to satisfy her own appetites.  
She would take her again and again and...
	Her daydream abruptly ended when a small drake flew inside 
the Great Hall slowly.  Using the blue tiles as his guide, the 
dragon flew in near slow motion toward the slightly raised dais.  
He hovered above it for a short time, and then settled himself 
down upon it.  His form then began to glow and change to a liquid 
incandescent energy, which grew and reshaped itself.  A man's 
outline began to emerge from nebulous mass of power, a man's 
kneeling outline.  A span of time that could only be measured in 
a few grains of sand falling from an hourglass, and it had grown 
more defined. He had white hair, and a white beard; black upon 
black clothing, green piercing eyes amidst a very sour scowl, and 
general bad attitude about the whole situation.
	He didn't look like he had any intention of moving from his 
place either.
	"Anata."  Tsunami said softly and happily.  Another of her 
oldest and dearest friends...so old and dear that she'd taken to 
calling him by the term of affection reserved for only those 
closest to the heart.  That he had also been her protector at one 
time was no small reason either.  "What can we do for you, 
dearest Anata?"  It was also a term used between lovers and 
spouses.
	The man visibly winced, because it was that much worse with 
her...the capitalization of the pronoun was very real to her.  He 
trembled as he drew to full height.  Not a very impressive 
height, even Tsunami was taller than he.  Yet still could all 
tell that great power radiated from him.
	Despite his power, he looked on the verge of tears before 
the sour expression replaced itself on his face.
	"I have come," he growled, "to once again ask for my two 
students to be released from their service here...so I may take 
them back to the deserts of Ryoken and complete their training.  
I have come to ask for Ryo-ohki and Rumia."
	"Impossible.  You know this, Sensei-Master Cyraqs."  The 
one, dressed more ornately than the others, stated almost before 
the words were out of Cyraqs' mouth.  It was the high priest 
himself.
	"They were taken during a very critical time.  Just 
beginning to discover their real powers.  You risk one of the one 
hundred one schools of Kaiyo by not allowing me to complete their 
training.  Should I die..."
	"You know the Magical Realm is also in a period of 
transition.  Your two students have been called back to be used 
by the queen elect Tsunami and the second in line Ramia for this 
purpose.  You have asked this one time every six months for the 
past three years.  You KNOW THIS!"
	Cyraqs' face tightened.  "Please..."
	"No.  The decision is final."  The priest pounded his staff 
on the floor to signify the matter closed.
	Tsunami's sensitive heart nearly broke as she felt the pain 
come from he who was again kneeling on the floor.  Every time he 
asked...this happened, but even she knew the necessity.  She 
found that during this time there was no way she could have 
existed without the aid Ryo-ohki provided, and she knew Ramia 
could not possibly function without her kid brother.  Perhaps in 
a couple of years, when she was queen...
	But as she saw him get up, will his walking staff into 
existence, and turn to walk back the way he had come in defeat 
once again; she wasn't really sure he would be able to handle two 
more years.
	She hadn't seen much of him for the last ten or so years, 
not since...not since he had left to 'carry on...' as he had 
cryptically told her.  If only she could figure out a way to help 
him.  She couldn't even allow Cyraqs to see Ryo-ohki, he was on 
another world with the magical girl.  As for Rumia, she knew 
Ramia had him running almost non-stop errands to the far reaches 
of this and many other worlds.  There had to be some way to help 
him.  She was definitely going to have to talk to Oyuki tonight 
about that.  After certain pleasantries of course.
	She smiled languorously when she imagined the prospect.  Oh 
she was going to enjoy that.
	Cyraqs found himself brooding in the courtyard, sitting 
down on the outskirts of a fountain, his staff on top of knees.
	Anata...damn Bitch still calls me that.  A tear fell from 
his eye, and began the trek down his cheek.  Still...I'm gone for 
most of ten years, and she still...damn you.
	And you won't give me the only thing that's been any source 
of joy to me since I saw that I could not ever be anything you 
would want.   Damn that I cannot hate you for taking it all from 
me.
	Enough Cyraqs!  That is not the reason...you know why!  You 
NEED to train those boys!  There is a reason that their training 
must be completed...the same fucking reason that the kingdom is 
in this crisis!  The same reason there is no ruler now!  The same 
reason they have had to train and test these new ones!  They 
could come...I could die!  Without a second generation, we will 
die!  There must be a way.
	Shrugging inwardly he made a decision.
	If they will not give them to me...I will go to them.  One 
way or the other, I will finish it.
	Cyraqs dreaded what he was about to do, standing outside of 
this door...he truly did not want to talk to her.  But she was 
one who had one of his students under service.  It was going to 
be far easier to talk to her than to talk to the other one.
	"Shit...this one's only going to be abusive while she 
offers to jump my bones.  What could be so problematic about 
that?  I mean the other one's only going to rip my heart out and 
stomp on it a couple of times."  He quipped to himself bitterly.
	He tapped on the ornate door, then casually shattered it.
	"Something the matter Master Cyraqs?"  Ramia asked, not in 
the least perturbed about her door losing physical cohesion.
	Cyraqs closed the distance between himself and Ramia as she 
worked diligently at her desk on some piece of paperwork or 
whatnot, not even bothering to look at him.  Without further ado, 
and as politely as possible (if such an act can be done politely) 
he pulled the pen and paper from her hands and set it aside, then 
casually tossed the desk into the nearest wall.
	Her eyes twinkled as she looked up and met his.  A half 
smile formed on her lips when she asked, "Are you quite done?"
	He said nothing for a moment, before his rough voice 
finally spoke, "It occurs to me that the only reason that the 
priests would say such a thing to me, for the past three years, 
is if he had orders from those that held their service that any 
such notion could not be entertained.  No matter what."
	"Oh did you just NOW figure this out?"
	He ignored the sarcasm, for the moment.  "You risk one of 
the warrior mage schools by doing this!"
	She put her hands on her head, affecting a faint.  "Oh 
forgive me Oh Wise and Powerful Master!  I didn't know the need 
was so pressing that we couldn't put it off for a few years while 
we correct a slight problem concerning the very HEART of our 
beloved Juraiheeeepp!"
	For such a small guy, he was incredibly strong she noted as 
he pulled her from her chair, threw her on the nearest wall, 
and pinned her there.  But then she had always known how powerful 
he was.
	He didn't hurt me a bit when he did that, she thought 
happily.  Oh you try to be all mean and menacing, but you just 
can't do it right, can you?
	"If I thought for a second that was your concern I wouldn't 
be playing this game, like I have with the damn one-hundred-eight 
priests who I KNOW really think that way!"
	And you still must feel something for me, she said to 
herself when she noticed his body had pressed itself up against 
her very gently.  You're still seriously messed up, aren't you?
	She put her arms around him gently; in counter point to the 
tone of her voice as she said, "I am a magical girl!  You know 
what that means, so don't think for a SECOND that I don't love my 
world too!  Tsunami is too soft...too weak to rule!"  Her face 
softened and she began to caress him sensually.  "She's not even 
a real woman.  C'mon...throw away your feelings for her.  I can 
ease your pain...make you forget all about her, like I did those 
ten years ago when you first found out what she was.  When you 
saw her and the Lady Yui making lo..."  He let her go, and she 
landed on buttock's with an, "oof!"
	"That was a mistake I made a very long time ago.  One I 
have no intention of repeating."  He told her hotly.  He walked 
to the opposite wall and leaned against it.  "Now, where is 
Rumia?"
	She pulled herself into a kneeling position, head bowed in 
supplication, and hands before her.  A near prefect imitation of 
the same way Tsunami sat down, were it not for the mocking smile 
on her face.  "What if I don't tell you?  Will you tie me up and 
whip me?  Hmmm?"
	Green energy crackled around him for split second before he 
answered.  "Yeah, sure...tie you up and deliver you gift wrapped 
to Tsunami.  I'm sure she could find all sorts of uses for you."
	Ramia lowered her head even more, letting her hair cover 
the brief flash of disgust that had come over her.  The thought 
of having that...thing touching her repulsed her right down to 
the core of her very being.  No matter how much she told her 
'friend' that she was not that way, Tsunami still tried to 
convince Ramia to share her bed.  His insult then would have been 
one of the deadliest sort...had he not said it with as much 
bitterness and self-loathing as he did.
	Poor bastard still loves her, she thought in both pleasure 
and jealousy.  Indeed you are messed up...my love.
	Another thing that Tsunami had that she did not.  His love.  
Even though Tsunami had neither knowledge of it...nor would have 
any clue what to do with it if she did.  Ramia just didn't get 
it.
	She was smarter!  Stronger!  Better looking!  A real woman!  
Still fully bonded to him!  Yet every single time it seemed that 
Tsunami was just one step ahead of her.  She had gained 
everything that Ramia could not.  How had she done it?  
Hell...she'd even gained the love of the man that they had grown 
up with.
	That wasn't supposed to happen!  I love him!  He was 
supposed to be with me! She raged.  He is my guardian, not hers 
anymore, and he's supposed to be mine!  She remembered the month 
she had spent in his arms, giving him the comfort and love that 
Tsunami would never be able to.  That was when he had finally 
found out about Tsunami...when he had caught Tsunami and Yui in 
Tsunami's private quarters cooling after a heated bout of passion 
between the two.  And Tsunami, poor clueless Tsunami, was 
probably still trying to figure out why he was gone for most of 
ten years...even before he started training his students.
	She remembered clearly the day he had rose from the bed he 
and Ramia shared.  A look of...pain on his face, and all she 
could see was that he realized he had betrayed his feelings for 
Tsunami, by giving them to another woman, however briefly.  A 
moment of weakness he called it.  Without a word he had 
left...and Ramia's relationship to him had been thusly, ever 
since.
	"She doesn't deserve you."  Ramia told him.  "Remember what 
happened to you when you were her boy-protector?  She doesn't 
even want you.  We both know whose gorgeous bod she's REALLY hot 
for."
	"Rumia.  Where?" he replied emotionlessly.
	"No."
	He then sat up straight, and walked out of the room.  At 
the doorway he turned to look back at her, as she was still 
kneeling.  "Her tongue would freeze."
	The satisfying sound of an enraged shriek and a desk 
crashing from behind, followed him on his way down the hallway.
	He grinned.  She hasn't changed a bit.  Then he grimaced.  
Too bad she lets her darkness poison her soul.
----------------------------

	Ryo-ohki's claws raked across Rumia's face causing Rumia to 
stumble back.  His counter spinning kick nailed Ryo-ohki's upper 
jaw, splitting his lip on one of his own fangs.  Both pulled 
back, and circled each other wearily, hardly seeming to be aware 
of their injuries, as the blood leaked from their faces, staining 
the clothing they wore.
	They closed, locking forearms, then with a quick flurry of 
blows, pulled back again. 
	He's stronger, they thought simultaneously.  Much stronger 
than before.  I cannot hold back any longer.
	Ryo-ohki pressed his attack again, feral and fierce 
movements of a cat, pitting itself against the control and grace 
of a bird.  Each countering and attacking with the same will as 
their spirit animal.  Ryo-ohki stronger, Rumia faster; and each 
highly skilled.
	Ryo-ohki, realizing this fight was not going to be one this 
way managed to push Rumia away with a full on punch into Rumia's 
hastily raised cross block, sending him back a few feet.
	Ryo-ohki knew he couldn't let Rumia get back up, so placing 
his hands at his side he began a spell...suffused with his ki 
energies, and unleashed it with golden devastating force upon his 
opponent.  It impacted nothing but the wall and a few garbage 
cans as Rumia managed to recover in time and leapt into the 
air...letting his animal spirit overcome him.  Changing him to 
look more avian...less human.
	"So then..."  Ryo-ohki let his spirit overtake him as well, 
his cat force streamlining his features, causing his face and 
body to become more feline.
	Each began another death spell.  Despite the fact that they 
had both grown stronger, it was a fight Ryo-ohki knew that Rumia 
had no hope of winning.  This fight was pure strength, pure 
animalistic hunger that consumed all in it's path, and he was 
always stronger.  His friend was handing him victory.
	Damn, those that made it have to be this way.
	With a wordless scream, each thrust their hands forward and 
focused his power at the other; the energies literally tearing 
loose from their bodies.  The scream was soon drowned out by the 
roar of the explosion as their two powers met in midair, 
struggling to overcome the other, fueled by the wills of the two 
warrior mages. Locked in this battle of wills, neither could turn 
from the other...not even as the golden power ate the purple, and 
struck the bird with a thunderous force.
------------------

	Misao struggled against something in her sleep.  She could 
see in her dreams, a great battle being fought.  A boy...the one 
she saw before...the one that helped her, was fighting for his 
life against another.  Each began trading blows of the kind she 
had never even seen, much less conceived of.  Soon they began to 
change, each becoming stronger, more inhuman.
	She tossed and turned...or at least tried to, for her body 
could not keep up the fight, yet something drove her on as she 
whimpered and gave small peeps of terror, and something else, as 
her dream kept playing itself out.
	In it she saw the boy, the one she felt connected to, be 
beaten back by the other's tightly controlled strikes.  She could 
feel him pulling his punches.  She could feel him not dodging 
strikes, not fighting to full potential.
	Why?  FIGHT!  Don't let him kill you! She shouted 
helplessly in the way that dreamers are sometimes helpless to 
control what they see.  Don't let him hurt you!  Please Rumia...
	She knew his name.  She knew him as she knew herself, yet 
did not question this, the same way one does not question many of 
the things in life that one takes on faith...it's simply 
something that was known to her.
	Instinctively she reached out and tried to shield him from 
the other's blast, knowing that there was nothing she would be 
able to do as the beam of golden power shot through the air 
toward the one she wished to protect.
	Somehow Rumia pulled up and away before it hit.  She gasped 
in both relief and terror when she saw he got away, but what he 
had become...
	He had what seemed to be long and straight feathers 
protruding from his arms and legs, his hair had grown spiked, 
flowing outward in a kind of mix between feathers and hair, and 
his facial features had grown more avian...like a bird of prey.  
However, it was the eyes that were the most changed:  they were a 
bird's eyes mixed with a fierceness and determination that she 
had never seen in them before, but that he seemed to welcome back 
as a long lost friend.
	Yes, she was scared at first, but only at first.  The 
terror faded to be replaced by wonder, as the colors of the 
feathers began to shimmer under the purple light that had begun 
to emit from his body, in counter point to the gold that she saw 
from the corner of her eye.
	Soon the glowing of the two became a near incandescence of 
energy that tore loose with soundless fury, and exploded against 
each other in a billion billion colors and light.
	It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.  Yet 
terror overtook her again, as the gold climbed up the beam of 
purple, devouring it with a hungry intensity, and striking the 
avian boy mage-warrior.
	His wounded shriek caused her to scream and bolt upright in 
her bed.
	Grasping her chest, as her lungs refused to pull in any 
more air she fumbled toward her dresser.  Driven by an urgency 
that had no name, she grabbed her inhaler, and pulled some of the 
foul liquid into her lungs, barely even allowing it to stabilize 
her breathing, before she ran out of her house as fast as her 
legs would take her.
-------------------

	Sasami made an unhappy "Hmmm..." sound in her sleep.  
Something was missing she was sensing.  Something was not right.
	She twitched and rolled, as she subconsciously looked for 
what it was that was not there.  It was something important.  It 
kept her all cuddly and safe from the things, real and imagined, 
that was in the dark.  It made her worries and cares much less.
	Hell, it even relaxed her, made her feel very good when it 
was near in some...indescribable way.
	Her hand brushed a stuffed animal.  Yes, that's right...it 
was fuzzy.  But it had it's own heat, it's own life to it.  Not 
like this rabbit of polyester and styrofoam stuffing.  It had a 
nice steady heartbeat as she held it to her chest, which kept her 
warm in a way the blankets never could.
	Ryo-ohki...that was it.  That was what was missing.
	Her subconscious demanded she find the little cabbit before 
she be let back to sleep.
	"Rsyo-sohki. Whers are you?" she asked sleepily.  With no 
answer forthcoming, she was forced to fully open her eyes and 
look around.  He must have rolled off the bed, was at her feet, 
or something.
	Seeing him neither at her feet nor on the floor, she began 
to frantically search in her covers, under her bed, in her 
drawers (still hadn't forgiven him for the time she found him 
asleep in her panty drawer).
	"Ryo-ohki!  Where are you?"  She called out silently.  
Hmm...where could he be.  Maybe someone else would know.

	Tenchi awoke to his sister frantically shaking him awake.  
At least it was his sister and not one of the two beautiful 
damsels that routinely tried to do this and that with him.  Not 
that, that was a bad thing; it's just these girls...well it was 
getting seriously complicated.
	Too bad he couldn't just take both and solve the whole 
problem.  He guessed he'd just have to figure it out.  
Later...his sister needed him right at the moment.
	"What is it Sasami?"
	"Have you seen Ryo-ohki?  I can't find him anywhere!" 
	"Take it easy, calm down."  He really wasn't sure where his 
sister had found that weird looking cat, but ever since she had, 
she had almost never been without the little guy.  "I haven't 
seen him anywhere.  Let's look around..."
	A flash of bright light outside of his window, with an 
accompanying sonic boom that shook the entire house, killed that 
idea.
	"What the hell?" Tenchi asked, picking himself and his 
sister off the floor.
	Oh nooooo.  Sasami groaned.  Not now!  I have a math test 
tomorrow!
	"Stay here Sasami.  I'm going to go check that out."
	Uh huh...and most likely get your butt fried in the 
process.  Too bad she said the last out loud.
	"I'll be fine.  Don't worry, if it's too dangerous I'll get 
back here."  Still, he took his baseball bat as he left his room.
	Oooohhhhh, I am so going to beat him up when I'm older!  
First things first, though.  She rushed back to her room and 
looked on her dresser.  He sometimes left it out, and now she 
hoped was one of those times.
	"YES!" she cried triumphantly.  Seizing her transformation 
wand, she opened her window, climbed up on the sill, and then 
paused.
	I have got to quit watching the Mahou Sentai Ku Rangers.  
I'm beginning to pull some of the same bogus things they do.
	On that thought, she leapt.  "Pretty Mutation..." 
appropriate dramatic pause inserted "...Magical Recall."  She 
made a mental note as she transformed:  Find out who invented 
stupid magical command lines and send them to the next dimension.  
Then find out who invented that phrase and do the same to them.
-------------------

	One street.  Two?  One corner?  Two?  Three?  Misao didn't 
know...but she was running as fast as she could...something 
leading her on.
	Desperation was her energy, fear the power she used to keep 
going long past the time her legs would have given out.  He was 
in danger.  It was all she could think of, her friend was going 
to die.  He was dying now...
	Why?  He was not fighting back.  He was scared...but not 
for himself.  That's why he was not fighting.  She had to get to 
him...had to stop it.
	She tripped over her own two feet, skinning her palms on 
the cement.  The pain brought her back to her self, pushing the 
mind numbing fear to the back for a moment.
	Why was she so scared?  A dream?  An explosion rocked near 
her.  No...no dream!  But why...why was she scared out of her 
mind for this boy?  Why did she want to save his life so badly?
	Pulling herself to her feet she felt that she was very 
close to her goal.  In fact as soon as she turned into alley she 
stumbled onto the battle scene.  Police would be here soon, but 
they'd be too late to do anything, if there was anything they 
could do here.
	She didn't know why this terror gripped her heart for this 
boy...what was his name?  She knew that she knew it; it was at 
the tip of her tongue just waiting for her to speak, and all 
would be revealed to her.  All she knew now though, was that his 
life was more precious to her than her own.
	She rounded another corner, and there he was...in the grip 
of the other one.  All his avian glory beaten down and bloodied 
by his battle.  	The pretty bird!  He's the pretty bird! she 
realized.
	"Stop it." she said between her deep heaving gasps for 
breath.
	The one that was like a fierce tiger never let up pummeling 
the one that was as majestic as a golden falcon, never even 
hearing the girl's plea.  She was too weak to speak...there had 
to be some way to make herself heard.
	"Stop it." She managed to say fractionally louder.
	Again she was not heard as the tiger threw the hawk into 
and through a stone fence.  He lay there unmoving in that vacant 
lot, but she could feel he was not dead.  The cat drew close and 
pulled the bird to his feet.  They exchanged words...then the 
bird started smiling, while the cat looked on sadly.  
	"Stop it."
	It was warming...something warm and bright, just within her 
reach.
	The cat drew his claws back, in preparation for the killing 
blow.
	No.
	Yes...just beyond the outskirts of her vision.  Something 
powerful; something for her to use.
	No.
	It was there...glowing brightly.  She had only to reach out 
and grasp it...and she could save him.
	"NO!"  She reached out... "STOP IT!  STOP IT NOW!  RUMIA!"  
and her whole world went yellow.
	"Whoa...Super Saiyan!"  The two said together, as they 
witnessed Misao's transformation into Pixy Misa, and then 
groaned, "Oh shit."
-------------

	Oooohhh I am so mad!  Sami thought as she ran.
	First off she was having this really cool dream of ice 
cream...a whole world of sweet ice cream with more flavors than 
she could count in her lifetime.  That didn't last long as her 
favorite heat supply had, for some unknown reason, taken a hike 
to parts unknown.
	I am going to beat him senseless for leaving me like that!  
Then I'm going to beat him some more for making himself my 
favorite chest warmer!  Little hentai probably gets a kick out of 
that too, even though I'm not his species!
	Second off, it had to be on a test night!  A night she 
really, REALLY, REEEAAALLLYYYY needed her sleep.
	I'll be lucky to pass...AGAIN!  What kind of life is this 
for a fourth grader?  Fighting monsters, fighting Misa, fighting 
Ramia...and speaking of that, where the heck was Tsunami in all 
this?  It's like she just lets this happen!
	Third off her brother was being a total idiot.  If she 
didn't get to wherever that light came from before Tenchi did, he 
was liable to get himself hurt...or worse.
	Too many really obnoxious words a girl her age should 
probably not be aware of filtered through her mind when she 
considered all the ways her brother was a dope for making her 
worry like this.
	It was a good thing she loved him.
	And fourth...she was getting way too many conflicting 
feelings from...somewhere.  It was unnerving to feel such sadness 
tinged with the fierceness she had come to know as fighting 
spirit.  She would know, she had felt enough of it herself 
recently.  It wasn't from her she could feel...it was like she 
was a radio antenna, picking up someone else's emotions.
	But whose were they?
---------------------

	Misao, now Pixy Misa, threw her dual bladed sword like a 
boomerang, forcing Ryo-ohki to drop Rumia and leap to one side.
	"You will not hurt Rumia anymore!" she told Ryo-ohki in a 
tone that told him he was going to die.
	She jumped long and far, her wand returning to her hand in 
midair, and she landed between the two of them, placing herself 
in front of her boy.
	Oh yes...he was hers, and woe be it to those that would do 
him harm!
	"I thought you said you held her weapon?"  The cat 
screamed.
	"I DID!  SHE TOOK IT AWAY FROM ME!  IT'S HERS NOW!"  Rumia 
screamed back.
	"Great!  Now what do you want me to do?  I can't take her 
without hurting her!"
	"I'm too hurt to help..."
	"Diable sont-ils vous deux parlant?" Pixy Misa asked in 
very accented French.  What the hell are you two talking about?
	"ALRIGHT!  I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON HERE, BUT THIS 
WANTON DESTRUCTION ENDS NOW!  SO SAYS ME, PRETTY SAMI!"
	The three of them looked to where Sami had appeared, just 
as she finished her kawaii pose.
	"I THOUGHT YOU KEPT HER BATON, RYO-OHKI?!"  Rumia cried.
	Ryo-ohki laughed weakly, "Ooops."
	Sami and Misa blinked, looking at the two boys for a very 
long few moments.
	"Ryo..?  Umm...what's going on here Pixy?"
	"Got me Mon Chere Sami.  Got me."  They gravitated toward 
each other, and glared hard at the two boys.
	They barely got out an embarrassed chuckle as they clutched 
at their individual wounds.
----------------

	Hands, soft as silk and gentle as a spring morning's 
breeze, caressed up a woman's exceptional form underneath her 
very brief, yet volumes nightgown.  She sighed lustily as the one 
who was touching her continued running her hands slowly and 
sensually all over her body.  Soon the hands reached her breasts, 
sliding over the nipples which hardened gratifyingly at the 
sensation.
	"Ah...ooohhh...my lady." She breathed passionately, 
"mmm...I must say you are very amorous tonight."
	A muffled giggle was the only response the woman received, 
as she felt another's nubile nude form slide up inside of that 
nightgown to join her in it.  She paused occasionally to touch 
and kiss all the places that made the woman want to scream and 
beg for more.  She restrained herself, for she knew she would get 
it...and be giving it in return.  Soon the woman was face to face 
with the other who tormented her so.
	"My lady Tsunami..." she managed to get out before Tsunami 
kissed her full on the lips, slipping her tongue between the 
woman's teeth to taste the other woman as fully as she could.
	Not to say the other woman was idle at all, but for her 
part was simply riding the wave of Tsunami's passions as they 
struck her, full force.
	Tsunami broke the kiss and said, "Oyuki...shhh..."  Then 
she pulled the nightgown off of both of their forms.
	"Uh hem!"
	"GAAA!"  They both shouted, in surprise.
	"Oh, Anata...it's only you."  Tsunami said as she calmed 
down and recognized the vague form in the darkness of her room.  
"Why are you here?  How did you get in?"  She asked, turning to 
study him, giving him a very full view of her body.  Oyuki for 
her part, had pulled up the covers around her body, blushing 
furiously that this man had seen her...seen them both like this.
	Then she saw his eyes, and at that same moment never wished 
to see them again.  There was enough anger, pain, and jealousy 
there, quite a bit of it directed at her, to crush only the 
strongest...or most insane spirit.  She was not willing to 
speculate on which he was.
	Of course she knew of Cyraqs, and his feelings for the blue 
haired heir whose bed she now shared.  But to see it up close 
like this, to see what Tsunami really did to him...she made a 
mental note to watch her step from now on.  If he broke down, she 
wanted to be nowhere near him.
	As it was, he seemed only to nod curtly in her direction, 
before he spoke.
	A thought crossed Cyraqs' mind before he addressed Tsunami.  
She's pink-haired...Tsunami seems partial to that particular 
shade for some reason.
	"Forgive me.  I flew in through the window."
	She nodded once, and crossed her legs in front of her, not 
in the least covering anything up.  In fact she seemed to have no 
modesty whatsoever where he was concerned, and had no apparent 
inkling of what it was doing to him.
	"As for why I am here...I know you need to keep Ryo-ohki 
with you.  However, I need to find him, and complete his 
training.  I am prepared to work with you on this.  Just point me 
to where he is, and I promise that I will only work with him when 
he is not presently engaged in the duties you have assigned him."
	Tsunami sat and thought about it for a very long time.  
Many things that could happen running through her head if she 
either granted, or refused to grant his request.
	"What about Rumia?"
	Cyraqs' voice was ice when he spoke, and this Tsunami did 
hear.  "Ramia has refused me.  I must get to one of them at 
least.  Then the line is secured for a time...Rumia I will have 
to train later.  I or Ryo-ohki."
	"She had to refuse you?"  This made up her mind.  "I have 
your word that you will not interfere with what Ryo-ohki is 
doing?"
	"You have my blood bond, he will not be interrupted."
	Tsunami then acquiesced.  "He is on the world of Chikyuu, 
guiding the one that was chosen for the test."
	"Chikyuu." he nodded, "I have permission to use the 
portal?"
	Tsunami arose to her knees and scooted to the edge of the 
bed where he was.  She then leaned over and kissed him once on 
the lips; his flinch so apparent that even Tsunami could not hope 
to miss it.
	"I have granted you access."
	He nodded once curtly, before he transformed to the small 
drake that was his spirit animal, and flew through the opened 
window to disappear past the moonlight.
	Tsunami then kneeled back on her haunches, her shoulders 
slumping down as if tired.  Oyuki sat up with her only to see 
Tsunami lost in her own thoughts.  Oyuki put her arms around her 
lover and held her tight, feeling Tsunami was shivering ever so 
slightly.
	"He was cold.  He felt Dark.  Almost...almost..."
	"I know."  Oyuki said, pulling Tsunami's head to her 
breast.
	"Anata was never like that before.  Not since he...what has 
happened to him?"
	Oyuki didn't answer, knowing the answers were beyond what 
Tsunami would be willing to understand and accept right now.  So 
she settled instead, for pulling them both under the covers and 
holding her mistress protectively all that night.
-------------

	"Hold still, Rumia.  I still need to clean these cuts out."
	Rumia squirmed as Pixy forcibly bathed him in her house's 
bathtub.  None too gently either, as she scrubbed him over his 
cuts, bruises and broken ribs with force that really did not make 
him feel very appreciated, even though he'd heal in a few hours.  
After all...he was about to get himself killed to ensure she 
would survive.
	She didn't seem to think it was a very good notion.
	Enough Rumia...now we have to think up another plan, he 
told himself.
	A lot of what they were doing hinged on the girls NOT 
knowing what was going on.  Now they did.  Now all hell was 
likely to break loose, without the promised expansion pack, and 
those that they had sought to keep from harm were probably going 
to get thrown into the middle of it.
	Now here he was...being bathed by Pixy Misa after his fight 
with Ryo-ohki.  She had informed him he had some...explaining to 
do, after she had forced him to strip and get in the bathtub, 
despite his many objections, protests, and embarrassed pleas.  He 
was not looking forward to that.
	At least it was Pixy doing this, and not the ever-shy 
Misao...
	Oh God!  Misao!  Suddenly he looked at her, trying to reach 
out with his mind to touch her power.  As he expected, he found 
he couldn't even touch it anymore.
	It's hers now.  She's taken it from me...I don't know how, 
but she has.  Now it's up to her when she goes back to being 
Misao.
	"Who says I want to?"
	What the?  He tried something.  Misao?
	Yes, she answered.  I hear you now.  You had to make this 
connection when you first started using me...when you first 
became my, she hesitated, guardian.  Now...now it's two way.  She 
smiled sadly.  Now I'm Pixy Misa...for as long as *I* wish to be.
	"No...don't do that Misao!  You know what'll happen!"
	"What do you care?  You tried to leave me alone!"  Tried to 
leave me...
	He grabbed her roughly over the tub's threshold on her 
robe-clothed shoulders, no longer concerned by his nudity.  "I 
had no choice!  It was the only way!  I die in battle...then 
MAYBE we could have gotten the attention of the 101 priests.  I 
know we would have convinced sensei to side with us, despite his 
problems.  If not him, than I do know of others that would.  It 
would have only been a matter of time, then you would have been 
safe...and free."
	"And alone..."  she responded.  "So alone."
	"Sasami..." he began.
	"...has her own life." she finished.  "And would have begun 
to live it...she will not always be able to be there."  Not like 
I know you would.
	Not only thoughts, but feelings were leaking through, a lot 
of really...adult ones, as well as the ones of a girl just into 
her adolescence.  Her mind was a strange mix of adult and child.
	How did this happen?
	And before she could stop it, she asked a question of him.  
One that was to reveal one of her deepest, darkest secrets in the 
universe.
	"Do you think you are the only one to have used me for 
something?" she asked with more pain in her voice than she had 
expressed in quite some time.  For a brief moment, a memory of 
her father coming into her room, in the deepest of night and 
he...
	"NO!"  Rumia cried.  "NO!  I will not let that happen!  I 
will not..." But he was too late...it had happened, and now he 
knew this terrible thing.
	"Oh..God..no..Misao.  I am..."  He found himself at a loss 
for words, and he bowed his head in a shame so profound he could 
find no end to its depths.
	So it was with a bit of surprise that he found his head 
tilted up to look into the sympathetic crimson eyes of his ward.  
"There was nothing you could do.  Nothing anyone could do.  It 
has already been taken care of, and he will never do that again 
to another."  She sighed.  "So now you know, Monsieur.  Now you 
know why Misao is weak.  Now you know why, Pixy is so strong.  
Now you know why there is such a difference in the two.  Now you 
know another reason why we both like being this way."
	He had to find another way, he realized.  He couldn't leave 
her alone like this again.
	It's just..."Pixy...Misao...I..."  won't ever let anything 
happen again.  I can't leave you.  I won't leave you.  Ever.  
Please...please forgive me...
	"Don't worry, Mon Ami.  Stupidity is easily forgiven, when 
it is stupidity caused by l..."  She gasped sharply, then started 
clutching herself, and fell to the floor in a spasm of pure agony 
so intense she couldn't even scream.
	"MISAO!"
------------------

	If tension in the air were a physical property...you 
wouldn't be able to cut this stuff with a Light Hawk Wing.  
	Sasami had been glaring at Ryo-ohki...
	Human boy Ryo-ohki, she violently corrected herself.
	...for awhile.
	Deciding the silence was hurting worse than the verbal and 
physical abuse he was likely to receive if he did talk to her, he 
broke the silence.
	"So...you mad at me?"  Now where the HELL did that one come 
from?
	To her credit, or perhaps it was the calm before the storm, 
her features smoothed out to a near pleasant expression.
	He knew he was young and inexperienced in dealing with 
girls, but even so, he realized very quickly that he was screwed.
	"Mad?  No, I'm not mad."  She said waaaayyyy to nicely.
	Oh just kill me Sasami and get it over with!
	"I mean why should I be mad?  My friend not only turns out 
to be a boy (as I already knew), but a human boy."  At least I'm 
not a monster or something, he thought.  "Correction...not quite 
human."  O.K., scratch that.  "I just found this out, mind you.  
Right after he got through beating the daylights out of one of 
his best friends in some insane attempt to put an end to Pixy 
Misa.  Who just happens to be MY best friend."
	Can I still run?  Is that still an option?
	"Also this boy has been sleeping with me for...over a year 
now, probably thinking all sorts of ecchi thoughts as 
I...I...hugged him all night," she pushed out.
	Sahara Desert maybe?  Perhaps the Himalayas?
	"Found him asleep in my Panty drawer one time."
	The moon?  Mars maybe?
	She walked up to him, still smiling sweetly.  "No, I'm not 
mad about that.  Why should I be?  I'll even bet you were the one 
who kissed me when that alien attacked.  Probably gave me the 
power to beat that when you did."
	He nodded an imperceptive affirmative.
	"And to top it all off, I find I can feel what the boy is 
feeling, as he probably can for me."
	Oh, could he.  Right at this moment what he could feel from 
her was a hurricane of menace.  She was seriously not happy.
	She smiled really sweetly then, and raised her knee sharply 
between his legs.
	"Not mad at all." she told him nicely as she walked away 
from him, kneeling on the ground clutching his manhood in agony.
	"O.K....I deserved that," he grunted as soon as the feeling 
of something sharp being rammed into that part of his body faded 
to a dull thudding sensation.
	She wheeled on him, her eyes full of tears.  "YOU'RE DARN 
RIGHT YOU DID!"  She sniffed, a couple of times, and it was all 
he could do not to rush to her.  It probably would have been 
suicide for him to even try.  "How could you?  How could you 
betray me like that?"
	"Sasami...I...."
	"How could you just...USE me like that?  How come you never 
said 'Sasami, I have to go around like this because it would be 
easier than telling them why I look the way I do!'  Or even 
'Sasami...I lo..lo...'"  
	He shook his head as he tried to answer, but was 
interrupted by Rumia's terrified shout of "MISAO!"
	They both ran to the bathroom.
----------------------

	So here I stand, Cyraqs thought.  In front of this 
monstrosity of a portal, reflecting the world of Chikyuu in its 
dimensionless depths.  One quick step and I'll be flying to where 
I want to go on that world.
	He tensed for a moment.
	Only thing I have here is my art.  I don't have the love of 
the woman I love.  The woman that loves me is becoming darker as 
we speak.  What a pair we would make.
	He reached out and 'tapped' the Japanese Isle.  Instantly 
the picture on the monolithic portal zoomed in on the specified 
area of the planet.
	It would have been nice, he thought whimsically.  If only 
my heart would cooperate.  I have only my art here.  I have a 
mission to protect.  I cannot do that adequately if I cannot 
teach.  My other is not suitable for instructing...she never was.
	He tensed again.
	The next generation must be secured, in case I die when I 
protect from...them.  I know they will come again...Ramia is 
right, Tsunami is too weak to prevent it.  I must get to at least 
one of my students and complete his training before that happens.
	He bent his knees in preparation.
	I don't have much on this world.  What I do have I'm not 
really going to miss.  Ah well...time for a whole shitload of 
hurt.
	He took a step, and vanished.

<End Theme:  It's a Kind of Magic - Queen>

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