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BIoodbane's Fav

Ruthless Firestarter

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                      Nill had talked to Noah's father by pouring out everything that she was holding in her heart. All she ever needed was to be asked the question of why she loved Noah, and she would gladly take any stand necessary to making sure that whoever asked knew exactly how she felt. She could close her eyes any time throughout the day and see her in a clear image pooling in her mind. She had closed her eyes on stage, closed her eyes whenever she cried, in her sleep, and anywhere, and he was there. She looked at the tall and towering man that had intimidated her far beyond that of any other human she had ever met... Mostly due to the fact that this was Noah's father. She only got to make one first impression on his family upon meeting them, an for his sake and hers she wanted to do it right, She wanted to make sure that she wouldn't screw up such an important day in any way possible. It was hard to choke out the parts of her speech that downsized her even further, but when she talked about Noah she could feel her wings wanting to flutter gently just by the thought of him. She believed that even though this conversation was private, she could truly tell anyone and everyone just how she felt. For now, she was brave enough to open up in front of Kunik, and more importantly to his dad.

                      Nill spoke softly about how she loved him. It was getting to the point where she knew that she could go on for hours. She found the places to keep going, summarize and stop. It was a moment she wanted to redeem herself for how she really felt. Of course she felt insecure about Carlos, but that was only because she wanted him all to herself... but what she wanted more than that was for him to be happy. She knew he deserved a happiness like no other, even herself, for all he had done and was continuing to do for the world. In an effort to redeem her love for him, she admitted that if Noah would ever happen to let her go she would still be willing to do all that she was now. She would follow him on his quest no matter how long the journey or how hard the heartbreak. She would keep pushing herself to greater heights to making sure that she could always be there for him and be the guardian angel she wanted to be for him. She knew he was the one to free her from the darkness. Her life was given to her by Noah from pure wish, and she would use that life given to her to make sure she never let him down.

                      She looked at Amak that looked straight back at her. He seemed to be more than just Noah's father in the moment she confessed all she had in front of him. Had she ever gotten to truly explain how much she loved Noah? How much she cared about him and how often she thought about him? She could feel small tears fight their way to the bottom of her eyes as she continued to speak up. In every breath that I take... she continued explaining. Each word of her family and past bringing a stinging pain but healed as quickly as it came. In every fiber of my people. Every thing that I am and am made of... She continued to explain how she followed him, how he helped her see the sun, how he brought her back to life and saved her from death. He had done so much and so little got back what he deserved. She would take and do anything and everything for him. Then came the more painful part of her speech. The part where she would have a resolution to coping in case they didn't get Amak's approval and may drift apart somehow. "He may even lose interest in me later and find someone you think is better, but I'll always be standing behind him. He's done so much for me, I would die for him. I would do anything and everything to make sure he was happy, because that's what he deserves. He does too much for people to be hurt so easily, so I'll take the pain like I always have. That's what I was made for. That's who I am. I hope you can come to accept me, and see that behind these looks and powers is a girl whose whole world is your son. That all she's ever done with her life has surmised to providing whatever light she can for the only person that matters."

                      She sincerely meant that she would do it all and everything she could. She even went as far as saying that all the rights, wrongs, actions and doubts she had ever put in life, everything, surmised to the only goal she needed to keep and reach for endlessly: to provide Noah with light. She bowed, "My name is Nill. I don't know how old I am or what I was created for. But I know why I'm here. I'm here... Because I love Noah... I'm here because I want to thank you. Thank you... for all you've ever done. Noah is the greatest man I've ever met in my life.. And he's who he is because he has such a wonderful family that raised him." She closed her eyes as a quick tear fell straight to the ground. She had just put her heart out, and after feeling such a powerful wave of emotions wash over her like that she only could feel some emotion beginning to pour out. As she lifted herself to look at them again, she suddenly felt a pair of arms wrap around her stomach. She felt a bright red blush flush instantly to her cheeks, bringing the rose color on her face back to life as he held her tightly. "N-Noah--" "I love this woman with all of -- " "Silence, Noatak." Nill was surprised by Noah's act, but looked to his father when telling Noah to silence himself. Noah had released her, but was still willing to stand strong for her as he did walk by his family, allowing Amak to talk to her.

                      She moved her turquoise colored hues to gaze carefully over the behemoth man as he spoke, "When Noatak lost his eyesight I cried for him many nights, frustrated by what I knew he may never regain. I became angry at the people who left his side because they were incapable of handling it, or just didn't want to be there for his darkest moments. As a parent, the worst thing I can see is another human being hurt my children. I judge people harshly because our names are uncommon, the Kesuk name is unique and once they learn it they know who we are. We are wealthy, all of our children will inherit that one day, I have bullied and interrogated potential partners for my children only to learn their only driving force is money. Now people have thanked us for our contribution to their charities, for rebuilding libraries, funding schools, investing into the future. Do you know what not one single person has ever done? No one has ever thanked us for raising our children, no one has appreciated the work my wife and I put into making our children into the wonderful, if not frustrating, human beings they are today. Not until you." Nill widened her eyes at Amak, completely speechless at what he was talking about. She was the first to thank them for raising their children? She was honestly quite surprised that with as much effort that they had put that they weren't... but maybe she didn't know that much about socializing in general like she thought.

                      Amak knelt down to be at eye level with Nill, and kneeling down he was exactly eye level with her, "I believe every word you say, the bravery you have shown in the face of great opposition is foolish...but noble. You love my son in ways I've never seen another outside this family show before, and commend you for living such a dark life, overcoming great challenges, and ultimately showing my son the kind of love and respect he deserves. Clearly, you deserve the same, and I expect nothing less than the best from my son, in his duties, in his actions, and in the love he gives. You portray the appearance of a coward, but inside you beats the heart of a warrior. Your strength and courage is limited only by how much you limit it, and I think without limits you would rival even myself. Welcome to my family, I hope your stay is a long one." She blushed slightly from his comment on her having the heart of a warrior... something she never thought she would live to hear coming from another person. She was overwhelmed with relief that Amak had taken a second glance at Nill and took her words so seriously. She was overjoyed to the point where she smiled shyly with more tears spilling from her eyes. Even as nervous as she was, she could never contain how happy she was to have Noah's father accept her and then go as far as turning to Noah and saying, "she is a good one, Noatak, treat her well and she will treat you in kind. Don't lose this one."

                      Noah smiled, approaching Nill and grabbing her hand, looking up to his dad, "she's been worth everything, I couldn't be apart from her. I realized something important when I was sitting in the audience watching her model Kunik's dress. I realized just how selfless she is. It's true she saved the life of a friend in the past, but somehow a life of torment and sadness is easier to end than continue forward after adding to your own strife and embarrassment." Nill widened her eyes as he had seemed to break down everything that she had gone through into a simple sentence. She could immediately assume that by his statement that it was directly how she felt when she was about to die by Mizu's water and the ice that was killing her in Pain Tolerance just yesterday. She had gone through torment and sadness, and that wasn't something that she liked to say out loud about herself. She never wanted a pity party for feeling like she had lived such a life, but Noah acknowledged that for her. ""What I'm saying is," Noah stepped in front of Nill and looked down at her, grabbing her other hand, "what you did for Kunik was unbelievable, you sacrificed every comfort you had and modeled the dress for something that was, to be honest, on the other end of the life-or-death spectrum. She would have found the money another way. Your willingness to do anything for anyone, to be there no matter what has made me realize that your selfless heart, your courage and strength to stand in front of dozens of unknowns to do something you've never done before, for someone you've known all of a few days, for no other reason than she was too proud to be funded by her parents, has made me realize that I don't want to lose the greatest gift I've been given. Even more important than that, I want to give you the reassurance you deserve that you're the best there is for someone like me, you are the best I can do and that's far from a bad thing. You're more than I deserve."

                      She blushed strongly as Noah held both of her fragile hands, her wings wanting to come out from behind her as for some reason she felt now more than ever to want to crawl right into his arms and cry. It was a beautiful and magical moment that she was experiencing with him now. All and any moment of any time frame she shared with him were all magical. It was amazing to look at him holding her hands so dearly. Just years ago she was dreaming for something of this much joy to come true but have no expectations that it would ever occur. This day and every day since he freed her, he had her living the dream. Even in the pain they could experience together, the strides they took to overcome huge obstacles together, and all that they suffered through to make sure they survived. This was it. She looked down when Noah gave her credit and appreciated her strongly for what she had done for Kunik. She wouldn't admit that it was something she would have avoided on her own sake, but when looking at the desperation in Kunik's eyes to accomplish her goals, she wanted nothing more than to help her. She could see herself in Kunik's eyes, and felt like she was being looked to for guidance. Maybe even if she wasn't born an angel exactly, she transcended her fabricated nature to having the wishful thinking and the naturally guiding help that any angel would contain.

                      Shortly after telling Nill how he believed her to be selfless and kind, he also stated he wanted to reassure her that he was the best for someone like him. She shook her head. After all that she had been through in her life, the mistakes, the memories and the monster... she wanted him to know that he was her everything. She wouldn't like to think she was the best for him, but she strived to be. She always wanted to be the first person to go to for anything, and to always stay by his side. Until death, forever and always. It was after he wanted to reassure her that he spoke and mentioned that she was better than anything he deserved. Noah would never say something he didn't mean when he said it like that, and spoke it with such sincerity. She blushed even more strongly, feeling elated and heavenly that he was willing to go so far as to tell her such sweet things. To be better than what he deserved seemed impossible, but Noah always managed to make Nill feel the impossible by embracing it's appearances in reality. Reality suddenly settled in the same motion that he was able to kneel down before her. Nill looked down at Noah carefully as she studied his expression at looking at her. She heard the gasp from the other two women as she was still comprehending what was taking place. Noah let go of Nill's left hand to pull something out from his pocket, kneeling down on one knee as he looked up at Nill. Something about how he was looking at her now felt vastly different from what she had experienced from him before, but was similar to the time they first visited a zoo. She could sense the seriousness from him, and listened.

                      "How long have we known each other? Dated one another? When I look at you I see someone I've known through all my lifetimes, someone who turned a long emptiness into satisfaction and fulfillment. You're my soulmate, Nill. I'm an analytically deep thinker, before I do anything I've already thought through every action and consequence, while being your hero and being myself. I can't think of a scenario in which I don't want you in my life for however long I have left. I opened my life to you, my entire world to you, and knowing you can handle it all makes me want you part of it even more. Nill, I want you to be my wife, I want you to become Nill Kesuk. If you don't have a last name I want to give you mine. Will you marry me?" Noah opened his right hand to show Nill a ring that he'd had crafted. Nill's eyes widened from what she was hearing, seeing, and all happening so quickly. She looked at him carefully for each word he spoke. The soulmates, the thinking, the opening of his world, and he wanted her to be a part of it forever. He wanted her to be Nill Kesuk. She looked down at him with her tears having stopped entirely, but feeling her pink cheeks flush even further at the sight of his palm opening. He revealed a black band with a white trim and recognized its symbolism. In the heat of the moment and feeling so much emotion, Nill gazed softly into his eyes and parted her lips slowly, moving a hand to her chest as her other hand motioning for his open one. Then suddenly a crash occured, and Nill looked to see a giant demon in the dining room.

                      She, as well as Noah, took a quick look at the beast that growled ferociously at the rest of the guests inside the building. She noticed the same texture that he had, remarking the same textures that he did in regards to coral and scales. "No, Mizu...?" Noah said softly as he stood up and put the ring in Nill's hand, standing in front of her as the beast grabbed their scent and stared to the family. Nill held onto the ring tightly and held it against her chest, feeling a massive amount of discomfort at the arrival of such a terrifying enemy. "Mizu, show yourself." "Oh, was it that obvious?" Mizu replied and appeared in the dining room as the screaming and terrifying patrons were attempting to leave, but finding all the doors locked by her magic. "Well, this is why you're the competent one of the group, isn't it, darling Noatak?" Mizu spotted the ring that Noah had given Nill with a faint smirk on her face, "oh is someone getting married? Congratulations." Her sarcasm was thick. Mizu looked as Noah unbuttoned his jacket and pulled out some of his technology that he usually carried in his luggage. He just never left any of his s**t behind did he? "What are you doing here?" He asked as he was ready to blind her with his flashbang disk, "isn't it obvious? I'm here to take back the power Vance gave you. And by "take back" I mean "kill you". While Vance works his little magic with the idiot's fire-starting girlfriend, I get to have my fun with you." She was fairly serious about taking back the powers that Vance had given him, but knew that there was no way to actually do so unless Vance was here to do it himself or kill him.

                      "Haha, and what makes you think Kaito won't show up to beat you a second time? Or that I just won't do it myself?" "Well it's not about winning, it's about distractions. In the off-chance Daxter does call for help I don't want him to have the satisfaction of anyone to rely on. He's a little preoccupied fighting his own demons. If I kill you two that's just a bonus." Mizu smirked, vanishing from the dining room as the demon charged at the Kesuk family. "I've got this." Noah said as he tossed the flash disk on the ground at the demon's feet and removed the jacket, tossing it into the air to block the blinding light from hurting anyone on the balcony. Nill looked panicked as Noah launched himself into battle and wanted to help strongly, but was surprised as all of the women of the family were made to step aside at the sight of Amak taking his own stand. "Dad what the hell are you doing?!" Noah exclaimed, those exact words running through the minds of the others as they all followed his dialogue in the same manner. "You've got to be kidding me." Amak moved his arms around the demon's neck and slammed it to the ground. "Go daddy!" Kunik said suddenly, to which Nill was surprised, but smiled nervously. Better to cheer and hope for the best than try to draw back out the fight and run forever. Amak and Noah discussed the abnormality of the monster itself until Amak was forced away and Noah spoke up. "Trust me I've got this, just keep an eye on the family." The demon towered over Noah as Amak nodded, "very well, show me what you can do, Noatak."

                      Amak returned to the rest of them on the balcony, keeping a close eye on them. It was a surprise that Mizu had not taken advantage of the family standing on the balcony, but had actually decided to rejoin Noah while watching his attempt to fight her demonic creature. It seemed she was toying with him and that was just cruel. Once the tail of the beast had grabbed hold of Noah, Nill panicked and crossed her fingers in hopes that he was alright. She looked to his family that just looked as worried as she did, all of them hoping that Noah would be the one to defeat this beast quick and easy. "You're doing great, Defiance, really, you're sure to win this thing." Mizu smirked as she appeared in front of Noah as he stood up, smirking at her as he rushed past her and at the beast. Mizu shook her head at this guy, at least Kaito was fun to mess with, Noah just wasn't as talkative. "It's blind, it sees by scent. As long as you don't let it get a whiff of your blood, you might still find a way to beat it." She said with a teasing tone, giving him a "helpful" word of advice. "Thanks for the tip," he said with an odd amount of confidence in his voice. Nill widened her eyes at the sight of a dagger that caused Noah to cut himself, "Noah! What are you doing?!" she cried out and watched him get slammed into the wall near Mizu. "I see, baiting yourself to keep your family out of harm's way. How...stupid." Noah stood up and wiped his bloodied wrist on Mizu's dress, dunking his hand in a pitcher of ice water at a table a few steps away from them. "D-Did you just wipe your blood on me?! That's disgusting!" Noah smiled at her, Nill surprised that Noah had done such a thing and Amak smiling at the situation. "Have fun, Mizu." Mizu stared at Noah with a scowl until she realized the demon was charging at her. The demon had caught Noah's scent through his blood, with it all over Mizu the demon mistook Mizu for Noah and went straight for her. It happened so fast, Mizu so surprised by the cunning act she didn't even get to move out of the way. "...I really hate you." Slamming into Mizu, the demon and her tumbled to the streets below where it killed the demon and forced Mizu to retreat. Before Mizu could have hit the concrete, she vanished, and the demon disintegrated into nothing but a small puddle of water of the streets below.

                      "That was...the most impressive fighting I've ever seen." Amak said simply, looking down to Noah as he approached Nill with a smile, hugging her tightly. Kunik seemed to speak out on the joy of everybody's mind. It was difficult to see Noah bleeding, even into a gauze, as Nill's white wings unfolded and she began to glow white. She took Noah's injury in her free hand after they separated in their hug and began healing him, just as she had for Amak in healing him once he was injured from his short clash with the beast. She didn't want anyone to be sore or suffering. Not today or any day. It seemed when the dining guests had their turn and the restaurant was now empty, Noah looked to Nill whom he'd had to ignore for a while to take on this challenge. She then finished the healing of his injury and peered up carefully into his eyes. She could see by the lingering look he held that he truly wanted to know. "So, I never did get your answer: will you marry me, Nill?" Nill's wings fluttered slightly as the strong rush of blood reappeared on her cheeks and she began to explain, "When have I ever said no to you? How could I... ever say no to you... You are everything to me. A-And nothing would make me happier than having your l-last name. I've only had Nill... and now with you..." she slipped the ring on her finger, squinting the tears from her eyes, "I can feel complete. Y-You are the only one to complete me, Noatak. Please... never let me go." She wanted to say more, but she hugged him quickly and felt herself smothering her tear stained cheeks onto his suit. She looked over his shoulder carefully and shyly at Amak with grateful eyes as well as to Kiari. There was nothing else besides this moment that made her the happiest girl in the world.

                      Meanwhile, Ember and Daxter had finally arrived to the Cherry Blossom festival. Seeing Daxter play the first game of the night she had suggested with much vigor brought a glimmer to her eyes. She looked over him with admiration, like she had for a long time, but decided to keep quiet on how many he was catching. He seemed to be having a lot of fun, but once it was all said and done she realized that he had caught way too many. Of course there were times where Daxter exceeded her natural expectations, but he truly did, as he told the woman, wreck this game's record. Once she had convinced him that hey couldn't keep that many fish, Daxter looked to the fish sadly then looked to Ember with a smile, inquiring to the game's hostess if the prizes could be given away to those children who didn't win anything. She watched him carefully as he asked the woman, a little surprised at how happy he was with the decision and then going a step further by handing one to a small child who didn't win anything. "Take good care of him for me, his name is Taco, he'll be a good friend to you." Ember widened her eyes while looking at the conversation between Daxter and the small teary-eyed boy, "Taco! Thank you!" The little boy had given Daxter a quick hug and rejoined his family to show off his beautiful fish of a prize, Daxter standing up and returning to Ember. "Yeah yeah I know, good deed, let's go Jiminy Cricket, before you tell me I might have a conscience." Ember smirked and followed Daxter.

                      The magical night never seemed to dull in a moment with all that was going on between the two of them and enjoying the festival. Ember moved gracefully in her kimono, walking alongside Daxter and feeling like a part of herself was coming undone for him. She never had too many public affairs, especially when she was in hiding for song just looking for revenge. She glanced over at him and saw all she wanted to see. She could see the life in his blood red eyes, the bounce in his step, the passion in his strife even with it being just a simple walk. He was truly a handsome man, with a mind more complex and intellectually deep than she had ever encountered. Maybe she had found somebody like herself, but in time that wasn't true. No, Daxter was a separate person with a totally different background and only slightly similar experiences. It was amazing to meet another person with wisdom every now and then, since she never got to talk to people on much on an occasion.. but having met Daxter again after the months they hadn't been on the same team and getting to see him in a completely different perspective? She was utterly surprised at how often he thought things through, how many adventures and turmoils he had gone through, how ******** up he believed himself to be but how contradictory he was too. She watched him undergo an amazing transformation in his life, taking bigger steps in his desire to live a better life and like he had said many times: not hate himself... But it didn't matter to Ember on whether or not he hated himself, because she loved him exactly for who he was.

                      A match made in hell, but a happy one. After experiencing the first haunted shrine and Daxter being more than willing to protect his suddenly 'fragile' dragon, Ember had written on the floating lantern before letting it go, and she didn't often say things so straight-forward, but she wanted to make sure she wasn't going to lose Daxter by being so closed-minded all the time. Or distant. In some ways, Ember felt like she hadn't done all that she could to show Daxter how much she loved him. There was just some things that were left stirring in the back of her mind that wouldn't clear. She wondered constantly if she had truly avenged her father's death herself? Even if the death and disestablishment of the DOGS Corps wasn't by her hands alone. She wondered if there were still demons talking in her head, just plotting to rip her open from the inside out and consume all that she was and the ones that she loved. She wondered if her dragon traits would one day lead her into oblivion where her mind would be casted away from naturally thinking and that maybe she would be nothing but a creature with the primary objective of killed or be killed. She shuddered at the thoughts throughout the middle of the night. She would turn over and look over to Daxter at random dead hours throughout the middle of the night and remember that she wasn't like that. and that he was still here for her. Having seen Daxter go through his transformation, Ember wanted to experience a change for the better of herself as well. She had changed gradually over time to accepting Daxter as a close, irreplaceable figure in her life in the form of a lover. However, she hadn't completely shed herself of all the demons she carried. And with that being said, she had yet to be able to truly follow him into hell.

                      Ember had written the message regarding them on the lantern for many reasons, but one reason stood primarily more than the rest. She wanted their love to reach new heights, and by writing what she thought would be a solid fact of life that would transcend even eternity, she poured her heart into the little ink she used to convey the message, and mixed her own blue flame with his golden blaze to stir the fire inside until they released it together. She smiled shyly, causing Daxter to smile brightly, touching his forehead to hers and giving her a quick kiss on the nose, playfully. She felt more calm when he kissed her forehead. It was a pressure but it was more than welcome to sooth all of the trouble and misfortunes that brewed to a boil inside. She calmed, relaxed, and flinched slightly at the feel of a kiss on her nose. "That was the cheesiest thing I'd ever heard, but I loved it a lot more than I want to admit." Then he kissed her lips and they released the lantern together, Daxter whispering "I love you." As she tilted her chin upward to watch it go, it went straight up into the sky, journeying closer and closer to the moon and beginning to resemble something of a star. After their release of the lantern, Ember was far from having the night end on such an emotional note. She wanted to add more memories and go even further to spend every second of this day off they had together, thus recommending a different kind of haunted shrine.

                      On opposite ends of the shrines entrances, she felt exactly like Daxter had. She felt alone. She wanted to see him, and not having him was almost unbearable... but there was something different about being alone. She felt her impressions she held high for him drop as she became her other self, the former loner of the past. She grazed her hand carefully along the walls of the shrine and as she continued through the halls, the pop ups and the traps no longer scared her. Was it only with Daxter by her side that she could ease up more naturally? This was a terrible idea... she noted to herself as she continued. The dark howls of the night wind released into the shrine and blew Ember's hair off her shoulders and upward. She glanced through the cracks of the walls in the shrine until she finally stepped outside to the forest. In what seemed like a maze of eternity, Ember quietly wandered through the forest in search for Daxter. She kept her cool, staying warm, and the finally sighing, This forest feels like it could go on for hours. How can I be so sure I'll even find him fast? Ugh... Where are you... but then behind her she heard the crunching noise of leaves crushed under footsteps. She turned, and as quickly as it had happened she found herself being pinned up against a tree. She could feel him, feel his bosy and his lips all pressing against her in an all too familiar sensation against her body. This was the same kind of feeling she got each time Daxter had pinned her anywhere... He pressed her up against a tree and clasped their lips together immediately, entangling his fingers into her hair as he pinned her and put his right knee between her legs.

                      She was surprised, clutching onto the sleeves of his kimono and then slowly letting him loose in her grip as she was comfortable with letting him come so close. Even if they were seen, who cared? All she needed was him, and she knew she would be fine. She panted to catch up to his kissing, seeing him kiss her deeply and causing her to whine slightly. Daxter's touches were all full of passion. His fingers that ran through her hair sent chills down her spine the more that she felt entangled to him in his touch. She wanted to say something to him about how lonely she felt, how she was looking for him, but the bright red blush that had spread across her cheeks proved that Ember was trapped in his heat. His hand touched her collar bone and moved slightly to rub over her left shoulder, moving the kimono to reveal more of her skin as she continued to kiss him. She loved the way that he felt naturally against her skin and how passionate that he was being. She tried to open her eyes slightly more to get a look at his face, but when their lips parted only then was she able to gaze lovingly into his... blue eyes? She widened her eyes more in disbelief that they had changed color as he voice revealed the destructive truth.

                      "You noticed how well we go together, and how well we read each other just by body movement? I've never seen you so out of breath before... Ember..."

                      Ember slowly rose a hand to cover her lips, not sure what to think as Vance stepped forward, his disguise as Daxter still in effect but his hand grasping hers and pulling it away from her lips. He yanked on her arm slightly, her locked legs causing her to fall in a numb shock against his chest as he slipped the rest of her kimono off, revealing her attire underneath. She was dressed her regular crimson tanktop and black leggings. She was barely able to move herself off of him as something in that last kiss of pulling away from her lips had done something to her, but she couldn't explain what it was. It was as if her energy had come to a halt, and something had pained her deeply in the mentality of her mind. She could feel his hand pull her chin up so he could glance directly into his eyes, he grinned a charming smile on Daxter's expression as his blue eyes stared deeply into her silver ones. He wrapped a free arm around her waist and pressed her even closer to him. "Come now Ember, don't have weak knees on me. After all, it was just a kiss. Ah I see," he said as he leaned forward again and brushed hips lips in a tease against hers, grazing and lingering over her gently as she whispered, "Maybe you want more already." Ember's eyes glowed a powerful silver as she broke free from whatever numbing state he had put her in and gritted her teeth with his face so close to hers. "Y-You monster" she said as a little blood spilled from her lip.. In the process of breaking these seals on her body, it put a lot of pressure on her. Vance chuckled, slightly surprised and amused that she was fighting back so hard. He leaned over by her ear as she tried to fight him and the paralysis he'd casted over her, "You don't think your father died and left nothing behind... did you?" Ember widened her eyes, looking over his shoulder in a more panicked state mostly triggered and fueled by anger. She coughed blood onto his shoulder, "W-What do you mean? How do you k-know my father?"

                      Vance leaned back and looked as Ember broke free and launched a hit for his face. He caught it in hand and moved it from him, twisting her arm and moving it behind her back. Ember would have done more, but then suddenly they both turned their heads to see the approach of the real Daxter. "Hands off her before you have no hands left!!" He said in a loud and angry threat, approaching the two as he prepared to kill their greatest enemy once and for all. Vance watched the approach of Daxter and allowed the man to come a foot within him before lifting a hand and catching the blade of Daxter's collapsible sword in his hand. The moment the blade struck against his palm, a large sound wave echoed through the entire forest and ricocheted with such intensity that all the forest trees were bent away from their standing point, permanently curved and broken. A third of the entire forest maze suffered from their collision, but then Vance rose. His eyes glowed silver like Ember's as he released blue flames on the collapsible sword. Whatever special flame that Daxter had summoned, be the black flame or Ember's magic protecting him, Vance was quite surprised that he could not melt the blade of his sword on contact. "I see the dust failed," he spoke aloud as he looked at Daxter and gave a grin, his fangs showing from under his lips.

                      Ember looked to Vance in disbelief as he started to form scales up and down his skin. "What's wring Ember? You look a little pale." Ember widened her eyes when she saw the transformation. "Are... Are... you... a dragon?" Ember couldn't believe what she was seeing. Daxter's illusion that Vance wore broke free as the blue haired male returned. His hair was frosted to the tips with a dark black color as two wings emerged from behind his back. His blue hair was eventually consumed by the black color on his locks and his eyes stayed a silver as he took off his mask. He refrained from answering her question as he looked directly at Daxter and spread his pitch black wings, the sharp edges of his wings catching on fire in his signature blue flame. He pulled out his own sword and then crouched down, Ember seeing that he was ready to pounce. "Time to die, Daxter McLain." He then rushed at Daxter at high velocity. He crashed Daxter through multiple trees as Ember sustained the injuries she suffered in trying to break free from the seal, then attempting to heal herself as she limped and fell over on the ground. "Daxter!!!!" she screamed in agony. She couldn't believe that she was put out of the fight already and just by a simple manipulation through touch. She displayed great amounts of anger as she moved her chin to look and see where they were.

                      Vance collided with Daxter at high speeds through the trees and through the initial shrine that they had entered. Civilians were shocked at the great amount of fire that he was emitting everywhere, and even set all of the game shelters on fire, The stage with the fire dancers fell victim, the game shelters began burning down to a crisp almost instantly. The game with the fishes not only crashed, but any surrounding children were victim to the crushing wood that landed directly on top of the, the water of the game spilling everywhere with the fish gasping desperately for air. It was hell in just two minutes, but Vance was prepared to show Daxter what it meant to hold true power.

Dangerous Lunatic

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                              The most nerve-wracking thing that Noah had ever done wasn't fighting the DOGS, infiltrating their bases, or extracting information that would be important; it was facing his father. Noah had always known his father was hard to please, though he was loving, kind, caring, and always respectful to his own children his father, Amak, was the most difficult man in the world to find approval of. Noah would have been the first to admit that even he didn't think he would be able to acquire that man's approval, and he was probably the most hard-working of any of his family, even including his father. The only little bit of solace he could take away from everything was that he wasn't the one to actually deal with his father, that little bit of joy went to Nill. That little bit of solace, however, was taken away from him because he felt terrible for the angel. She already had a hard time opening up to other people, even her friends, it must've been nearly impossible for what little bit of eye contact and speech she'd given towards Amak, a total stranger and towering man. Noah had listened intently to the conversation between Amak and Kunik, getting closer to the balcony as Nill had gone on and on about why she loved her boyfriend, what he meant to her. He'd always heard her say nice things directly to him, but he never heard her speak that way about him to other people. His heart was beating faster as he listened to what she had to say and he could only imagine what his father was thinking. Her amazing, heart-warming, soulful speech had finally ended and Noah came up behind Nill and wrapped his arms around her, intending to speak to his father and hopefully get him to accept her. Noah was surprised that his father told him to silence himself, and even more surprised that he did it without a second thought. Noah shut his mouth as his father's reply was surprisingly positive, ending with his approval of Noah's angel.

                              Everything that had happened since the day they met at Vance's compound to the point of their dinner with Noah's parents made him realize both how quickly life moved, how fragile it was, and how short it ultimately seemed. When he thought about the future, the ones where they hadn't been killed, he always saw Nill with him standing beside him or behind him, but she was always there. Noah didn't imagine a future without her, and he knew with all their work against Vance that there was a good chance that their future would be ever shorter than any of them imagined. It was because of the uncertainty of their life that Noah realized that, for however long was left, he wanted to be with her. Nill wasn't the kind of girl that would find someone better and move on, at least that's not how Noah had come to understand her, but hidden in her speech of how much she loved him was a woman who was insecure about her relationship and wondering, scared perhaps, that the love of her life would leave. There weren't enough words in the world to tell her how wrong she was, but if he already wanted to be with her the rest of his life then why tell her she would be with him forever when he could show her? He had crafted a ring in the early days of Defiance that was a symbol of what he was, for a while it was hard to say which was the mask, but he'd come to recognize Defiance as the tool, yet even though it was a tool to carry out his means it was the most important tool he had. Defiance was as much a part of him as his jade green eyes, the ring was just his young dumb self's way of keeping that part of him with him even when the actual suit wasn't around. That ring was, essentially, as important as a family heirloom and, unbeknownst to Nill, he'd had it resized to fit her just a few days prior. He didn't know when he'd give it to her, but the thought had crossed his mind ever since they returned from his village back to Los Angels after everything they had gone through. Now she was going to wear the Defiance ring, the symbol of who he was and know, every minute of every day, that who he was was hers to have. Her hero was all hers and he would make sure she knew it by asking her to marry him.

                              Asking her to marry him was the hardest thing he'd ever had to do, he didn't think for a second she would say no but he was worried that he was moving too fast into it, maybe she would want to wait, or a million other responses. Before he could even get her reply the sea beast had shown up at Mizu's summoning to destroy them. Noah had to destroy this thing quickly before there were casualties and, most importantly, so he could get her answer. Noah had an analytical mind as even he'd stated to Nill earlier, he was trying to gauge it's weaknesses and strengths, and had realized it was blind even before Mizu had said something. It wasn't hard to tell, he himself had been blind and could tell that its eyes wasn't following him, but it was keeping track of its opponent. Sound or scent was the next question, but Mizu had answered that one for him and given him everything he needed. If Mizu thought she was going to stick around and watch for her own amusement then she would be wrong, using his own blood to keep the beast focused on him and then smearing the blood on Mizu's clothes to keep it focused on her. The plan worked beautifully, soon as he cleaned the blood off his arm with the pitcher of water the beast ignored Noah completely, crashing into Mizu and ending their little battle sooner than anyone might have anticipated. Returning to the family Kunik was singing her praises of him, and even his father had a kind word to say. Most importantly, however, Noah had to know what Nill's answer was, looking at her as he inquired if she would marry him.

                              "When have I ever said no to you? How could I... ever say no to you... You are everything to me. A-And nothing would make me happier than having your l-last name. I've only had Nill... and now with you..." Noah watched her slip the ring on her finger, tears falling from her eyes, "I can feel complete. Y-You are the only one to complete me, Noatak. Please... never let me go." Nill hugged him, pressing her tear-stained cheeks into his suit, and he just held her there. "Are you kidding? I'll never let go of you, angel. I wouldn't give you my last name if I wanted to do that." He kissed her head softly and gently grabbed her cheeks with his hands, moving her head to look at him, "I love you, Nill, you're no longer allowed to worry about other people. I'm marrying you. Remember that." He smiled gently as he suddenly remembered Mizu had said something about Daxter fighting his own demons, which caused him to sigh. "I need to check in with Daxter and make sure he's alright." Noah grabbed the cell phone from his pocket, but kept an arm around Nill's waist as he dialed Daxter's number and inquired about how he was doing. The call was short, hanging up only a minute after dialing the number. "I'm concerned, hun, I think we should head down to the Cherry Blossom Festival, Daxter didn't sound like his usual self. I think he might be in trouble, just too proud to admit it."

                              Amak stepped forward, having listened to the conversation, "you two should go if your friend is in trouble, I'd expect nothing less from you, Noatak." Noah smiled lightly at his father and nodded, looking straight at him, "thank you, not just for allowing us to go but for giving us your approval." Amak smiled, probably one of the first genuine smiles of the night, "Nill earned it, you should be thanking her for being in love with you as much as she is. Now go." Noah nodded and grabbed Nill's hand, leading her out of the restaurant and towards the destination of the Cherry Blossom Festival.

                              While Noah was busy with his father, Daxter was busy with the devil. Inside the haunted shrine Daxter had come face-to-face with the spirit of Dax, the long thought dead psychopathic personality he assumed he was born with. The personality of true evil had taunted Daxter and made him feel horrible, scared, and more alone than ever. Dax had wanted control, wanted Daxter's power and the body that it came with. Daxter, however, while being confronted by Dax's terrifying personality had come to find the strength to stand up against him, push back, and push him away. Daxter had pushed back against his darkness and won, if only temporarily, able to leave the shrine and go after Ember. But the question remained: was that really Dax or just a hallucination? It didn't matter, not right now, the only thing that mattered was Ember and making sure he found her before anything had happened.

                              "I see the dust failed," Vance spoke aloud as his eyes locked onto Daxter and his mouth twisted into a fanged grin, the sword having clashed with Vance's bare hand in an epic show of power from both men. As Daxter contemplated how he would kill Vance, their greatest enemy had begun forming scales up and down his body. Ember's inquiry about Vance's possibly dragon DNA had gone ignored as he transformed into an image that had answered the question for him. Vance had shifted into a dragon-like form. His hair had gone pure black, his eyes remained silver, and he grew two large wings on his back. He was in attack formation, blue flames consuming the tips of the wings as he crouched down, ready to strike. "Time to die, Daxter McLain." Vance said simply, "go to hell." Daxter replied, Vance rushing at Daxter at impossible speeds. The two collided, Vance crashing Daxter through multiple trees as Ember remained behind to try and break free of the seal that Vance had bound her with. "Daxter!!!!" He heard her scream as the two of them crashed through the trees and the first shrine they had visited. The people in the vicinity had stopped to see the powerful flames emitted from the two enemies, spreading to engulf the game shelters and the dancer's stage. Daxter rolled and slammed his sword into the ground to halt his movement, standing up to see the carnage Vance had caused in as little as two minutes, watching in horror as the wood burned to a crisp almost instantaneously and causing the stands to collapse onto the children attempting to win Koi fish, those same fish now gasping for air and dying in suffocation.

                              "N-No, you son of a b***h." Daxter spotted the pooling blood from the dead children, some impaled by the collapsing, others' clothes caught on fire and burning them alive. Daxter had watched as anger boiled up inside of him, hypocritically watching the result of Vance's display of power. Daxter had done a lot of terrible acts in his lifetime, cruel and unjust actions that ruined hundreds or thousands of lives in a decade of time as a mercenary without boundaries. He'd tortured, tormented, psychologically broken, and physically crippled people...sometimes for no other reason than money. Sometimes children got in the crossfire, sometimes innocent people just died, but Daxter's active attempts at making himself a better person had stemmed from a sudden conscience that appeared a few years ago, perhaps the result of a broken mind or the cause of a reparation. Either way, Daxter knew that the deaths of those children were wrong and something to feel terrible for. He knew what Vance had done warranted the kind of anguish that the parents were feeling as their innocent children were dead, buried underneath crackling firewood. Daxter was angry, upset, and not at all willing to let Vance get away with it. "You think just because you force the people to follow you that you can have free reign of the world and do what you want? You twisted psychopath, this world isn't your goddamn playground!!" Daxter's anger was boiling, his hands were gripped into tight fists, he was emitting a lot of smoke from his hands. "How ironic coming from you, a man whose entire life was making people his playthings. How much have you really changed?" Vance replied with a fanged grin, unafraid of Daxter's anger. "Enough to realize this is wrong, I don't care how loved the Gifted are, I can't let you kill innocent people just because you can!" "That's the beauty of it, Daxter, I can do what I want."

                              Daxter had burned a fire in his hands long enough, it finally ignited a powerful burst that engulfed his arms and swallowed his sword. The yellow flame flickered and licked at the skin of his arm and the fabric of his t-shirt, flashing into a powerful orange flame that began to burn hotter, brighter, and transitioned into a brilliant blue flame, indicating the kind of heat and power he was giving off. Daxter's blue flame, however, was natural while it was clear that neither Vance's nor Ember's was produced through normal means. The flame didn't stay blue, however, as it continued through the color spectrum as Daxter lost himself in the fury and anger of watching children die, of watching things happen that he would have once caused himself. Vance was almost a reminder of the kind of cruel evil he could be, and having just spoken to Dax was an even worse reminder that the devil on his shoulder was always going to be there, a constant realization that, no matter what he did or how much he tried to play hero, Daxter was always going to wear the weight of his past with him. It seemed that no matter how many times Daxter had become "okay" with himself, something always happened that pushed him back. It felt like a never-ending cycle of self-loathing, pushing away his problems, learning to deal with who he was and who he wanted to be, then repeating the process. Even Daxter had to wonder how many more times he would go through before Dax would leave him alone. This was all Dax's fault, everything he used to do had been because of what Dax had done in the past. But what if...who Daxter was now was the same person Dax was then? What if Dax and Daxter...were never really that different all along? What if they had always been the same person? The flames that coated his arms as Vance watched, remaining still out of pure curiosity at what was happening, became brighter, stronger, hotter, and pure white.

                              "You've always been scared of who you were, Daxter, all this time the only way to deal with your problems is to push them away, push the blame onto someone else." In reality the flames continued burning a brilliant bright white, flickering and shifting as it lost the purity, but mentally Daxter came face-to-face with the evil personality that had caused him to do all those terrible things, except this time the gears in his head began turning and an entirely different thought process was happening. Daxter realized with what Vance had done, the deaths of those innocent children had been something he felt angry and distraught over, that whoever Dax was was not who he was becoming. He realized that, because he could love people like Ember and his mom while rejecting the evil inside of himself that he was in no danger of becoming who he used to be. And that was the key word...used to be. Daxter had wrestled with the idea of Dax being a separate personality that was different than who he was, but became fearful of the idea that Dax could come back and gain control. It was the weakness of the idea, even if he hadn't seen the guy since Solica until today, he was still terrified. But now perhaps there was a new idea that could erase all that fear. The idea that Dax and Daxter were the same person all along, created because Daxter didn't want to face his problems. Even though he would talk about doing terrible things in his past, he always believed it was Dax who had done them, not him, and that somehow made it better.

                              "You see it now, don't you? The train station in Solica, the shrine here in Tokyo, what I am is just your way of dealing with the guilt you suffer and pain you caused others. When you were born you were innocent, a child, without the tendencies to hurt and caused others. Watching your parents die festered in your memories and twisted you into who you became, but somewhere inside you there was always that little bit of innocence that tried so desperately to fight back against your evil nature. You were born good, Dax, and that good side of you had always been lashing back against your evil corruptive self. The fire you started trying to kill Dexter and your adoptive mothers had become too much for your good self to handle and, to protect yourself, you created two personalities to carry the weight of your actions: Daxter and Taco. You, Dax, focused all your energy on suppressing yourself as the evil nature of your life. Daxter was the child, who you never got to be as you were too busy growing up into a psychopath. Taco was the good nature, who you could have been if your parents had just a little more consideration and killed themselves with you in another room. As your evil nature continued to win Taco and Daxter became one and created a yin-yang split of good and evil. Your good nature so desperately wanted to be separated from your evil nature that you began to put all that blame on Dax. You never could live with the consequences of your actions as your personality splits carried you. But now you understand it, don't you? You understand that there is no convenient way for me to get off the hook for what I've done. You have to live with yourself but that's the beauty of human nature. You can finally let go." Dax walked up to Daxter and put a hand on his shoulder, the "evil" personality created by Daxter a long time ago to push away all the feelings and emotions he never wanted to deal with. While Dax finally came to understand what he'd done and how much it had made things worse, only seconds ticked by in reality as the white flame lost its purity and began flickering a deep, dark, rich, black fire.

                              Daxter realized that his evil personality and his good personality were still at war, the meditation and the flip-flop back and forth between who he was was a constant struggle between himself. He finally understood that to be whole, to stop worrying about his evil self, he had to become he evil self, and he had to meld his good self with it. Yin and yang was about balance, harmony, Dax wanted to become the pocket watch: a perfectly in-sync ticking that worked without skipping a beat. Dax had always struggled with who he was, this would mark the third time he had tried to let go of the animosity he held against himself, only this time was different. Dax was different because this time he stopped lying to himself. As seconds ticked by in reality as the black flames traveled up his arms, Dax finally opened up his eyes and stared to Vance who continued to watch in interest, wondering where this was going.

                              "I've always been afraid of the evil inside me because I've always separated evil from good. But what I've always failed to realize is there is no good without evil, and no evil without good. I finally understand that to be who I've always wanted to be I have to be what I've always been afraid of becoming. But I'll be okay, because as I let my evil nature back into my heart I know my good side will keep me in check, and I have a great support system. You asked how much I've actually changed and the answer is...a lot." No more Dax and Daxter, good and evil, there was just...him. "I was always afraid of hurting the people I loved, I tormented Sapphire because I could and I was always afraid that it was because my evil self was coming back. But I never got rid of it, I just kept it caged up and everything I've ever done was because it was lashing out. But now...? Now...I get to let it out." The black flame exploded as it surrounded Dax and twisted around him like a pure black tornado, Dax's blood red eyes peering through the darkness of the fire as it scorched the ground around him. "The last time I was able to create this flame was when I had given up on life, given up on myself fighting Salem. But now it's because I am who I wanted to be, and I'm worthy enough to wield this fire again. Vance, you are ab-so-lute-ly right, I spent my entire life making people my playthings and now I'm going to spend the rest of my life being the kind of person Ember sees me as. I'm going to take all my destruction, my evil, and my good, and focus it in the right areas now. I meditate because I'm scared I'll lose myself, but I would only lose myself if I lost myself in being something I'm not. Ten goddamn years and no matter how many times I thought I fixed myself I kept running from my problems. Not anymore, now I admit I am a real b*****d."

                              As he stepped forward into the puddle of blood the blood itself hissed and sizzled, his foot evaporating the blood from the intense heat his body generated. "That's very nice, I really applaud all your effort to becoming a better person, but it's not going to help you, Daxter." Vance smirked as he spread his wings out flapping them to create a small burst of wind at Daxter. "Au contraire, it's exactly what I needed to help me." Daxter rushed forward with his black flame consuming his arms, throwing out black fireballs towards Vance who used his powerful blue flames to counter and protect himself from the supernova-strength heat that was coming from the black fire. 'Dax, Daxter, there's just me. No one else, no one to be afraid of. I always talk about how if Dax ever comes back then there won't be a force alive to stop him when, really, if I ever lost what little humanity I have left I'll be the most evil thing alive. Well, I am Dax, and I know I'm not evil, I can do this. I can be the kind of person I always wanted to be, because I did all those horrible things to Dexter, I tried to kill my parents, I hurt Sapphire and I'm also the guy who had a stuffed animal friend, fell in love with Ember, made amends with my parents, and value my friendship with Noah and Nill. And, after all this, I can let go of who I used to be and forgive myself for it, because I was a different person back then, who I am now is not who I was then. It's over, the struggle is over and I'm finally...me.'

                              Vance and Daxter clashed, throwing a series of punches to one another until Vance was able to create an opportunity to strike Daxter int he stomach hard enough to send him tumbling towards one of the haunted shrines, slamming through wall and sliding to a halt amidst the dust and debris that followed him. Daxter stood up quickly as the black fire concentrated itself in his palms, Daxter still holding his collapsible sword for when Vance would be showing up to take care of him. He could feel himself healing, as the mental tears he'd been creating up until the time he and Ember started dating slowly closed up. They would leave scars, deep psychological wounds like that would never fully disappear but they would hurt less and be less noticeable, perhaps now, as he forgave himself for the terrible deeds he'd done, he could finally move on. 'For every bad deed I've ever done I've done my best to make up for it, it's about time I forgive myself for them. Who I was then is not who I am now. I know who I am, and who I am...is Dax.' Daxter grabbed the pocket watch from his pocket and held it tightly as his mind shifted to Ember, smiling softly at the thought of her, how he fought for her, how he wanted to protect her and be with her. Daxter's smile shifted into a grin as he held the pocket watch he loved so much, a symbol of love from a person he loved more than anything else in this world.

                              "That's it then," the personification he created appeared in front of him, the same personification that had appeared in the train station in Solica, the one Sapphire had seen him arguing with, fighting with, the one that almost caused him to put a bullet in his brain. "Congratulations you b*****d." Daxter's "evil" personification and Daxter himself raised their hands to touch one another, a mirrored image. "No more hating myself, I'm done. I'm going to focus everything I am on taking down Vance once and for all. Then, when he's dead or retreated with his tail between his legs I'm going to show Ember how much I love her." "We're going to be just fine, then. This is the last time you'll ever see me." "Because I'm just talking to myself, and that's just weird." The "Dax personality" he created as a scapegoat for his terrible deeds dissipated as Vance blew open the side of the shrine with a burst of fire and stepped inside, approaching Daxter.

                              "I thought that hit killed you, I'm almost disappointed." "I'd tell you to bite me, but I'm just not that into you." Daxter rushed forward with the black flames still licking up his arms, moving quickly to match Vance's speed and agility, striking him with the sword until he got behind him and leaped quickly, slicing the sword into one of Vance's wings, kicking him in the back to distance themselves from one another. Vance turned and held his hands a few feet in front of his chest, palms facing one another as he started to pull in soundwaves from the shrine and pulsate them in his hands. "Dax, Daxter, psychopath or a twisted little pony fan, I don't care who you are because you're going to die." "You know about the pony club? Lemme guess, you're a Twilight Sparkle kind of guy. I won't tell if you won't." He said in a teasing singsong, winking playfully to Vance. Daxter had definitely changed, instead of being angered by what Vance had done he channeled that anger into something useful. The playful banter, the witty jokes, the things that made Daxter a far cry from the kind of twisted monster he used to be wasn't intending to be anything but a representation of himself. He finally understood the kind of person he was, and all it took was a little pants peeing from seeing the devil inside him again and a bunch of dead children. "By the way..." Vance erupted the sound in an explosive wave, Daxter's entire body, individual cells, had become intangible as smoke and dissipated in the wave of sound that Vance had created.

                              Daxter rematerialized behind Vance and formed a swirling black beam of fire at his back and sent him slamming out of the shrine and skidding to a stop on his back. "That's for all those kids you killed you son of a b***h!" Daxter ran out of the shrine and turned himself into smoke, swirling through the air as a vortex and slamming into Vance as Daxter, incorporeal as he was, was still able to cause physical harm to him like a beam of energy. The smoke engulfed Vance and Daxter emerged from it like a ghost, the smoke expanding and then dissipating in a single second, leaving Daxter standing near Vance as his arms immediately engulfed in black fire. Vance jumped to his feet, electricity crackling in one of his hands and firing out a bolt of lightning at Daxter, who used his sword to block it and keep it from electrocuting him. "As tragic as it was killing all those kids, it made me realize that I can never run from who I am. And you wanna know who I am, Vance?! I'm the guy who is going to ruin your day!" Daxter gave Vance a little s**t-eating grin behind the sword that continued to conduct the electricity Vance was firing. "You annoy me." Vance replied simply as Daxter kept blocking the lightning that was trying to fry his heart. "That's the idea! I talk a lot to hide the fact that fighting you is kind of scary!" Without warning Vance felt a telekinetic force slam into his back which knocked him into a wall and dissipate the lightning attack. Noah arrived on the scene having seen the kind of destruction that the two combatants were causing. Knowing Daxter was in trouble, Noah and Nill had arrived as soon as they could, Noah sending his loving angel to find Ember and help her while he went to face Vance with Daxter.

                              "Good to see you're still alive." Noah asked, Daxter looking to him with a smirk, nodding. "Death just doesn't seem like an option today." "Well good, that would distraught Ember and a distraught Ember would upset Nill, and we're not going to upset Nill, are we?" Daxter grinned, "of course not." Daxter turned his back on Noah to see Vance standing back up, irritated by these two. "Great, so what say we take on Vance on show him the power of friendship?" Noah tossed out a few flashbang disks at Vance which lit up the area and produced a loud explosive noise, disorienting him for a moment. "Oh good, the pony stuff is back." "Whadda mean?" Daxter extended his arm, the black fire burning in a dancing pattern from his hand, his left hand holding the sword for the moment as he pushed forward and fired off a few black fireballs at Vance as the flashbang disorientation was wearing off, knocking him against the wall. "Isn't the pony thing's motto "power of friendship"?" Daxter chuckled lightly, almost finding it adorable how ignorant Noah was, "friendship is magic, power of friendship is something else. But hey, I'll teach you everything you need to know." "I'm good, thanks. I can see whatever little mental sorting you did while at the festival brought back the pony fan." "It's a fun show, and after a few years of giving up on video games I am so excited to catch up with what I missed."

                              "I'm sorry, did we just forget about me while you two are busy with therapy? Let's not forget what I'm planning to do." Vance glared to Daxter, a beam of white energy piercing through the rooftop of the shrine and expanding like a swirling tornado, ripping the roof off of the shrine and exploding in Vance's direction, who shielded himself from the attack with his wings. "Surrender?" Kaito said as he appeared with a smirk, standing with Daxter and Noah. "Awww yiss, ********' back-up. How'd you know we needed help?" "I was at the festival with Umiko when this all happened, it's hard to ignore the screaming." "Why didn't you say so? We could've had a double date." "H-Hey it wasn't a date, me and Umiko just...er...a-alright so maybe it was a date but that's none of your business." Noah looked over to Kaito with a small laugh. "Nothing wrong with dating someone you like. That's how relationships start." Kaito smiled, understanding the teasing tone Noah was giving him, "I don't date a lot, technically this is Umiko and I's second date, it's nice, we've been having a lot of fun." "Proud of you, my little man is finally growing up!"

                              "ENOUGH!" Vance yelled loudly as he was, again, being forgotten about. "Having you here now saves us the trouble of taking you down later. Tell me, Vance, what did you hope to accomplish by coming here? Recruit Ember, shake the foundation of Dax and Ember's relationship, demonstrate your power to us? You knew we'd show up, so why bother?" "The guy is a goddamn egomaniac, he forces an entire planet to love the s**t out of him, if you wanted my guess the only reason he's here now is because he can be, so let's kick his a** just because we can." Daxter looked to the other two men as they stood their ground in preparation of fighting Vance, who rushed forward and struck Daxter in the ribs, hitting again in the chest as he flapped his wings to slice into Kaito and Noah.

                              Meanwhile as Nill and Ember were busy with their own problems, Mizu appeared with a smile on her face. "It's been such a long time since I've had any girl time, what say we all have a little fun, hm?" Mizu had arrived to attack Ember and Nill while the men were busy, summoning up a serpent-looking beast that would, as the last beast, appear to be born from the ocean. The sea snake-like creature hissed as it towered over the trio and snapped its sharp-teethed jaws. "Have I ever told you how much I hate your darling little Noah, Nill? Because I'm going to enjoy how much Vance makes him suffer." Mizu was, admittedly, still bitter over the restaurant fight. Mizu smirked as she pulled the water from the nearby fountains and ponds and began using it to attack the two girls, the snake lunging for Nill as it intended to decapitate her head clean from her shoulders.

                              Back with Vance and the heroes, the three were engaging in a 1 vs 3 battle royal, Vance using his wings to keep two of them at bay while Daxter was forward enough to be striking Vance from the front. Noah pulled away from Vance's reach and pulled something out of his utility belt while Kaito rushed behind Vance and leaped onto his back, forming an energy sword made of time to strike him with. Vance reached behind himself and grabbed Kaito by the back of the kimono, throwing him at Daxter as Noah slid a small disk underneath Vance's feet, a powerful electrical energy emitting from the disk that began to burn at his skin. Vance turned to Noah and let out a powerful burst of blue beamed fire towards him, Noah rolling to the side as the fire crashed through one of the remaining walls of the shrine and tore up the siding as Vance followed Noah with the beam, intending to hit him with it. Kaito leaped onto Vance's back and kicked off the back of his head, pushing him into the ground on his hands and feet, the blue fire dissipating. Daxter rushed up and gave Vance a kick to the face, another kick caught by Vance's hand and pulling Daxter down, a downward punch breaking the wooden floor and causing a small crater where Daxter lay. Noah threw out a few explosive disks that struck Vance's dragon scales and exploded, causing little damage to him. Kaito gripped at Vance with time energy and knocked him backwards, Vance catching himself with a flap of his wings and steadying himself, rushing at the trio as he stomped a foot down on Daxter who remained laying on the ground, then kicked at Kaito and Noah, knocking them away. Daxter stood up and rushed at Vance who turned to grab him by the neck. "I grow tired of you people." Gripping Daxter's neck tightly, he tossed him away violently through the remaining wall of the shrine. Noah realized the shrine was still standing because of the beams that held up the roof, throwing out disks that latched onto the support beams. Noah pushed Kaito away and the two hurried to Daxter when the disks exploded, causing the roof to collapse on Vance.

                              "We're keeping him at bay -- " "but he's too strong. Those dragon scales are absorbing most of the damage we're doing, we need to figure out his weakness." "Light, pure light. While exploring Nill's history we discovered that he was weakened by her light." Noah nodded, looking towards the direction of where Nill and Ember would be at. Vance released an explosion of fire energy that ate away at the rooftop and let him burst through the debris, staring to the trio as they quickly took off in the direction of their loved ones. "Dax, Noah, you two go for Nill and Ember I'm going to hold Vance back." Kaito skidded to a stop as Vance began rushing after them. "You're crazy! We barely -- " "Trust me! Go! Keep Umiko safe for me." Noah nodded and pulled Daxter with his shirt, the two quickly taking off once again towards their significant others. Vance stopped as Kaito stood his ground to stop him from following after them. "Your bravery knows no bounds, or your stupidity has no limit." Vance smiled, a fading smile as Kaito began to tap into the time stream directly, bypassing the Kronos conduit to channel its power without a filter. The power Kaito emitted was something Vance could easily feel, which amused him. "So this is the power that defeated Mizu and saved your precious Umiko. I want this power for myself." "It's not something that can be taken, it has to be given, and a higher power than myself has to be the one to select you, which is never going to happen." Vance seemed disappointed, especially if such a power wasn't something he could take by force. "Then I'll just make sure you don't have it either."

                              Vance clashed with Kaito who, now, was having a much easier time holding his own, using time to speed him up, slow Vance down, and keep Vance at bay a lot better than when it was him, Dax, and Noah. Vance was actually impressed by Kaito's ability, realizing that this time lord was going to be the biggest concern in the group, but one that could be remedied with taking Takashi for himself and using that power to destroy him. A plan that formulated in his head, something he would have to use later. Kaito knocked Vance backwards with time energy, the clashing of the two powerful Gifted moving their fighting towards where Vance had killed those children in a display of power. Time energy began wrapping itself around the collapsed game hut, the event that had occurred reversing itself as the deaths of the children was undone. Vance wouldn't show it, but reversing time to cancel the deaths he'd caused was a power he didn't know was possible, and now he realized he had to have Kaito on his side, he needed that power. The children awoke from their previous deaths healed and back to normal, the shock of what happened being undone by Kaito's power as the children quickly ran off to their parents, the festival goers in awe and shock at what just happened. "So this is the unrestrained power of a Time Lord, a man who can reverse time to undo death." "I can't let you hurt innocent people, Vance. No matter how many times you can get away with it, and you won't keep getting away with it." The question now was did Vance retreat and come up with some new plans with the knowledge he had in mind now known, or did he continue forward with his entire reason for being there?

                              Daxter leaped off a tree and landed on the serpent's head, slamming the sword through its skull and into its brain. Looking down at Mizu, Daxter waved, "was this yours? You should never let your pets off their leash! And where's its collar?! It's tags?! Well it's dead now, time for a new pet, I hope you weren't attached to it." The serpent collapsed, Daxter rolling off its head and standing up, looking at Mizu who seemed visibly angry at Daxter and Noah's sudden arrival. "How're you holding up, Mizu? That landing didn't hurt, did it?" "You think you're so cute, don't you?" Noah smiled, looking to Nill, then back to Mizu, "no, not really. Nill does though." Mizu let out a scowl of annoyance, irritated by Noah. Daxter approached Noah and rested an arm on his shoulder, "you've been hanging out with me too much." Daxter said suddenly, looking to Ember and hurrying to approach her, "are you alright, baby?"

                              Kaito suddenly appeared as he flew through the trees and tumbled to a stop, wiping away some blood from the corner of his mouth, standing up and looking to Mizu and Vance as he approached. "He caught me off-guard, no big deal. Is everyone here alright?" "Ember and Nill seem fine, Daxter and I aren't hurt." Daxter twirled the sword in his hand and stared to Vance, smiling. "You're outnumbered, it's 5-to-2 in our favor. I've got some bitchin' black flames, Kaito here is some kind of beast, Noah is...Noah...and let's not forget we got an angel and dragon on our side. If you two wanna die tonight we'll be more than happy to oblige, but this is your only chance to run. Only." Noah suddenly grabbed Mizu with his telekinetic power and slammed her into the ground, keeping her held there as she struggled to push herself to her feet, using his power to pull her away from Vance as she gripped into the dirt to keep herself from moving, but was being dragged towards the heroes. Daxter took a leap forward and put a foot on Mizu's back as Noah held her to the ground, the sword touching her neck with a hissing sound as the sword's blade, coated with black flame, burnt her skin. "I'll kill your b***h -- I mean witch, trust me, I'll enjoy it too." Vance smiled as he watched Daxter and Noah team up to threaten Mizu, which only made him carelessly flick his hand in her direction, "go ahead." "What?!" Mizu sounded scared and betrayed that Vance would just willingly throw her aside, whether or not it was a bluff didn't matter because, either way, Daxter would kill her without hesitation. Even if Vance wasn't going to let them kill her he did have others he could use as minions to do his dirty work. "I don't see what you're waiting for, Daxter, kill her."

                              Daxter looked down to Mizu, pressing the blade a little deeper into her neck, then looked over to Vance with a shrug, "okay. If you say so." Daxter swiped the sword at Mizu's neck, intending for a swift decapitation but finding himself surprised when the sword was blocked by Noah's telekinesis. "We're better than this, Dax, I've not been afraid to kill some people in the past, and I'm sure none of us would have hesitation about killing Vance, but we're better than killing everyone that gets in our way." Daxter looked over to Noah, interrupted in what he was going to say by Vance. "Weakness, just as I thought." Vance rushed forward and grabbed Daxter by the back of his shirt, pulsing electricity through his body and tossing him aside, picking up Mizu and putting her on her feet. "Y-You would have let me die?!" "If I was going to let you die you wouldn't still be alive now."

                              Daxter stood up and shook off the electricity, Noah approaching Nill as everyone prepared for round two of the battle. "We need your help to fight Vance," Noah said softly as he leaned in close to Nill and whispered to her, "Kaito says Vance is weak against light, your light, will you be able to help us fight Vance? We might be able to destroy him once and for all with your help." Noah pulled away and looked at Nill in the eyes, smiling gently, "we'll try without your help if you don't feel that you can, we'll get another chance later, but we may have a chance to finally end this right now." Daxter and Kaito stood close to one another as they prepared to take on Vance and Mizu while Noah spoke with Nill about helping them defeat Vance. Either round 2 of the battle would begin or this would be where Vance and Mizu fled. A lot of damage had already been done to the surrounding area, a lot more could easily be accomplished without much effort, or the night of fighting could end and the team could take the rest of the night to recuperate from their battles.

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Ruthless Firestarter

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                      As long as I can remember... I was always alone. I was always looking for some sort of fulfillment for myself... giving myself a purpose I could believe in. When I woke up one morning.. I was in an adoptive home. A woman looked over me, and her blonde hair hung loosely off her shoulders as she gazed straight down at me, placing a wet towel over my head. I asked where I was, and who she was. She told me that I was a lost child, but that I was home. That was the first home I'd ever had. She treated me so kindly, and her sons were great too. Her husband was an admirable man. These two were a symbol of happiness, married and loving to their two adoptive children.. Deva and I. I looked at the shine in her eyes when she talked to her husband. Even for as briefly as I had known them, they were happy. They had a family, they were responsible and caring.. but they were madly in love. I remember how after I shortly woke up, my adoptive mother confessed to her husband just how badly she wanted to take care of me. That I was an angel and she couldn't let me go. That kind of mothering nature, and his receptiveness... They were so... communicative. Just after a little while of seeing them around, how they acted and listened... I wondered if all marriages were happy like theirs. I wonder if people were able to be as happy as they were. I was sourly mistaken.

                      The world was not full of happy people. My home got stripped away from me as fast as I had learnt it was my only home.. because I couldn't recall anything about else myself. I felt terrible when it happened. I couldn't remember who I was, and my adoptive mother had tried so hard to help me. I was so busy goofing off and playing tricks on soldiers with Deva that I hadn't been there when they may have needed me most. Even more terrifying was the realization that something in this world wanted us dead. They wanted Gifted people dead. I didn't know I was Gifted or that the world discriminated against beings such as myself until I was standing on the ashes of my former home... and a DOGS soldier called me and Deva out. They screamed at us, and these were people who... I didn't know. They didn't know what I had gone through to get here, or that they had taken away my home. I was terrified, and put into a downward spiral. But... Deva grabbed me, made me run. I ran with her, she fell but told me to keep going. She wanted me to... keeping trying. Keep surviving. That's what I believe. And again... after losing my home but this time remembering the pain, I walked along the underground with almost no purpose. People prayed to me, and gave me the purpose of being a shoulder to cry on and a messenger to God. They thought because of being an angel I could bless them and save them... But we were already in hell. I wasn't so sure heaven even existed.

                      I escaped the Underground. I went to the surface after a long time just to go with Gavin to take a look at a hero I'd only heard about. I wanted to see if there was still hope... And there was. There was hope when I saw him. He stood with the posture I'd surely lost. He held confidence and fought against that evil that sought to destroy what did not asked to be created in the first place. I felt personally protected by him among the others, and finally felt less alone. Gavin went home, but I stayed above the surface. He became my purpose. A few years passed, and I had died with this purpose still strong in my heart. I was still willing to go anywhere to any extent to save his cause, even if it meant to sacrifice myself for the greater good... and it worked. Solica was not destroyed by Daxter's rage. Sapphire lived and proved to be more useful than myself. Ember was saved, and Flowrite was destroyed... Because I gave up my life for them. I thought I would have joined Deva and my family... but I was ensnared into the darkness of Vance. He brought me back, and maybe the peaceful thought of dying was a sin itself. Maybe I didn't deserve to rest, and he was my punisher... But after finding out it was him and not God... that it was not naturally done... I felt like a bird in a cage. I wanted to go outside. I wanted to feel what I had not felt for years, and didn't want to live the Underground life anymore. I wanted to at least FEEL free.

                      Then he came. Just when my purpose of living had been washed away again... my hero came and promised to save me. He... He promised to set me free. I had always known my admiration had run deep for him. That... I would always believe in him.. But when he looked into my eyes and held me, saying he would save me... I felt like I was the only girl in the world who got to feel that way. He held my hands, his soft tender hands with a firm grip to reassure me that I could trust his strength... his hold... His amazing gaze. Those emerald pools that sunk deeply into my heart. Everything about him in every way... It was so amazing. I had never heard such beautiful words, never seen a man more beautiful than him, and never thought that I would come closer to him than an acquaintance... a friend. But here I am. I... I have this ring. This... small ring... that means more than anything in the world to me. I could have only dreamed about this day. But if I didn't have a purpose of being here for Team Defiance... then I have the greatest purpose and reason for existing now. That happy marriage I saw from so long ago, I want to make that again. I want to make it with him. I want to see his beautiful smile, I want to make him happy every way I can. I want more than anything in the world to be his in every way... so... what am I waiting for?

                      "When have I ever said no to you? How could I... ever say no to you... You are everything to me." She spoke finally. Her thoughts all surmising to this acceptance, and feeling an overwhelming joy stemming from the bottom of her heart, "A-And nothing would make me happier than having your l-last name. I've only had Nill... and now with you..." Tears fell from the angels eyes as she felt her cheeks light up like they never had before, They were bursting with their vibrant red color, making her feel more heated than ever before. She gazed at him softly and swooned to be his every desire as he was hers, and gave the final statement, "I can feel complete. Y-You are the only one to complete me, Noatak. Please... never let me go." She went close to his chest. This heart she could hear beating against her ear, this warmth she could feel radiating from him, and the way he held her there... she never wanted it to change. "Are you kidding? I'll never let go of you, angel. I wouldn't give you my last name if I wanted to do that." He kissed her head softly and gently grabbed her cheeks with his hands, moving her head to look at him, "I love you, Nill, you're no longer allowed to worry about other people. I'm marrying you. Remember that." Nill blushed and smiled innocently, holding both his hands over his cheeks as her ring shined on her ring finger. "I-I will never forget anything. I want to cherish every moment of every second with you for the rest of our lives... and in the next."

                      After the final tears dropped, she watched him smile gently then wiping her tears as he sighed gently. "I need to check in with Daxter and make sure he's alright." Nill nodded as she understood, then being approached by Kunik who hugged her happily around the next and exclaimed, "I am so happy for you!" Nill smiled gently and hugged Kunik, "Thank you so much," she said and then watched as Kunik pulled back and grabbed her by the cheeks. "We are going to be real sisters! Ugh! You have no idea how long I have waited for something like this to come around! And knowing that if I ever get into a bicker with Noah that you'll be there to help? Hell yes! Life keeps getting better!" she joked, as if maybe Noah might drive her up and wall and tempt her to start a fight. Maybe it was just big talk after seeing him fight against the monster Mizu had sent to make herself look like an older sister still, but Nill looked nervously to Kunik and whispered, "Can... Can I ask you a f-favor?" Kunik blinked at her and waved her hand. "Oh I am so designing the wedding dress. I already have a million ideas or more running through my mind!" Nill blushed excessively and fluttered her wings rapidly, tumbling backwards a few steps. Nill's blush was red as ever, but before she could ask her real question Noah had looked back down at her, having held her close while he'd called Daxter, "I'm concerned, hun, I think we should head down to the Cherry Blossom Festival, Daxter didn't sound like his usual self. I think he might be in trouble, just too proud to admit it."

                      Amak stepped forward, having listened to the conversation, "you two should go if your friend is in trouble, I'd expect nothing less from you, Noatak." Noah smiled lightly at his father and nodded, looking straight at him, "thank you, not just for allowing us to go but for giving us your approval." Amak smiled, probably one of the first genuine smiles of the night, "Nill earned it, you should be thanking her for being in love with you as much as she is. Now go." Nill smiled brightly at Amak. She was so happy that he had come around to accept her, and what's more was that he was accepting of Noah's quick marriage proposal. She would not let his father down, and would show that with all the trust his parents could put into her making him happy, that she would stop to no end to make sure that he was always going to be happy, safe, and home in her arms. She waved goodbye to his family as they departed, and held onto his hand tightly. The same hands that were soft, but firm in their trusting grip. She departed with Noah to where they needed to go, slowly transitioning but looking down at her ring as they made haste. We are one... she thought quietly to herself and then looked to his back. I... I'm complete... And now I feel it. Now I feel that I can do anything.

                      MEANWHILE...

                      Ember was going through a shocking turn of events with Vance. Having him dressed as Daxter and then causing her to fall for his trap, she wondered why he had not taken the opportunity to strike at her. She felt strange during the kiss, though it was nothing that would hold any signs of romantic feeling, she felt a darkness and a sin in the touch. While with Daxter she felt fire, passion and love, Vance... she felt warmth and coldness, she felt possibly overwhelmed and darkness. He was a devil that her and Daxter would have to deal with, but after fighting him off of her while trying to break the paralysis cast on her body, she was relieved to find Daxter coming to her rescue. "I see the dust failed," Vance spoke aloud as his eyes locked onto Daxter and his mouth twisted into a fanged grin, the sword having clashed with Vance's bare hand in an epic show of power from both men. Seeing the fanged grin and the features of scales appearing all over his skin, Ember was ultimately shocked that he was indeed a dragon as she had asked. A dragon in this world was hard to come by.. Could it be that Vance and herself were the only two left? Maybe there were others? But she didn't pay as much attention to her species as she did to the safety and concern for her lover, "Time to die, Daxter McLain." Vance said simply, "go to hell." Daxter replied, Vance rushing at Daxter at impossible speeds. The two collided, Vance crashing Daxter through multiple trees as Ember remained behind to try and break free of the seal that Vance had bound her with. "Daxter!!!!"

                      The duo had disappeared into the distance, and Ember was left on the ground in her own turmoil. What does he know about my father?! she screamed her head as she gritted her teeth and flipped over, trying to lift herself off the ground. She closed her eyes, her blood pooling out of her mouth as she tried to gather the strength, but she was too paralyzed. Over the time he had paralyzed her, she could feel it's affects lightening slowly. Maybe it was a stage of paralysis that, given enough time, she could break free from. She rolled onto her back and looked up sadly at the moon, thousands of children and civilians crying and screaming. My hearing betrays me... she thought as she heard the screams of children suddenly silenced by the sounds of wood crashing onto the ground, bones breaking, Daxter growling at Vance for the crimes he committed. Ember gazed upward as the red blood pooled from her mouth and stained her red hair with a darker shade. She coughed, trying to relax her breathing as she laid useless on the ground and forced to gaze up at the sky. This world is still cruel father... she thought as she prayed that Daxter make it without her for just a while longer. "You think just because you force the people to follow you that you can have free reign of the world and do what you want? You twisted psychopath, this world isn't your goddamn playground!!" she heard from Daxter as he yelled at Vance. A hopeful smile embraced her lips as tears filled her eyes.

                      "How ironic coming from you, a man whose entire life was making people his playthings. How much have you really changed?" Vance replied. He's such a monster... Ember smiled sadly as she tried to take in the situation from afar, then hearing Daxter, "Enough to realize this is wrong, I don't care how loved the Gifted are, I can't let you kill innocent people just because you can!" She squinted her eyes as she heard what she wanted to hear. Daxter was doing the right thing, and she wanted so desperately to join him, "DAXTER!" She shouted in support for him, trying to reach him. With enough sound magnification in her powers, she was able to echo her supportive cry to him while she heard Vance's determination that he could indeed do as he pleased. Please father. I need the strength to carry this on. I need the strength to push off the ground. Begging for your dad again? I say... That must be a tiresome hobby. Ember widened her eyes and narrowed them shortly after. What more do you want from me. Are you ever going to be done... Don't be like that. I'm your conscious You're a liar. Get out of my head. Pushing me away will just postpone your upcoming fate. Upcoming fate? Ember asked as she looked up to the sky. You were destined for greatness, like your father. He never live to tell you what kind of purposes you may have to fulfill. It's a shame, but the ceremony will-- I don't have a clue what you're talking about. My destiny is what I choose. Is that so Yes. I reserve the peace of my body and mind to myself. No one, including you, can tell me what I am meant to be. The voice was gone for a while, but Ember felt the argument was significantly weaker than usual. It would push and push... but it didn't.

                      "I've always been afraid of the evil inside me because I've always separated evil from good. But what I've always failed to realize is there is no good without evil, and no evil without good. I finally understand that to be who I've always wanted to be I have to be what I've always been afraid of becoming. But I'll be okay, because as I let my evil nature back into my heart I know my good side will keep me in check, and I have a great support system. You asked how much I've actually changed and the answer is...a lot. I was always afraid of hurting the people I loved, I tormented Sapphire because I could and I was always afraid that it was because my evil self was coming back. But I never got rid of it, I just kept it caged up and everything I've ever done was because it was lashing out. But now...? Now...I get to let it out." Ember peered her eyes open as she heard the strong declaration made by Daxter to let go of what was holding him back as he attacked Vance. "The last time I was able to create this flame was when I had given up on life, given up on myself fighting Salem. But now it's because I am who I wanted to be, and I'm worthy enough to wield this fire again. Vance, you are ab-so-lute-ly right, I spent my entire life making people my playthings and now I'm going to spend the rest of my life being the kind of person Ember sees me as. I'm going to take all my destruction, my evil, and my good, and focus it in the right areas now. I meditate because I'm scared I'll lose myself, but I would only lose myself if I lost myself in being something I'm not. Ten goddamn years and no matter how many times I thought I fixed myself I kept running from my problems. Not anymore, now I admit I am a real b*****d." To hear her own name and to hear him just trying so hard to fight Vance for the sake of saving the world was more than enough for Ember to know that she had to try just as hard as him.

                      You want me to give in, right? she asked the demon in her mind. You want me to surrender, let you take over me and turn me into a beast. A beast like Vance? You could never be more foolish. Make a declaration of power Ember. It can be the last one you make. she gritted her teeth and growled. I'll never give you the satisfaction of turning me into something I'm not! I was alone in the beginning, but I'm not alone now. Daxter is doing his best to be what he can for my sake. He's become a new person who embraces his bad and his good. I know I'm not perfect, and I know I'm not good... But I sure as hell care for those around me. There isn't a thing you could ever tell me to make me feel otherwise. I'm in love, I have friends, Stop Ember. You keep telling yourself these things. You haven't made one justifiable way that you are independently fighting me or your evil nature. How can I take your words seriously when all that you're doing right now is paying the most attention to the lesser threat? I'm just a voice in your head, and you make it seem like so much more than that-- But you are more than that. You drive me insane, and I can't take your spewing bullshit. You lie to me and make me feel what isn't true. You almost ruined my first night with Daxter, and nearly drove me to suicide, but NO MORE.

                      Ember's eyes began to glow their silver aura, but she gripped at the ground and gritted her teeth, emitting a clear growl that erupted in her throat. She felt the paralysis wrack her body with pain as she tried to break it, but while gripping the ground with her claws she felt an inclined shout begin to emit from her mouth, the silver aura pulsating underneath her in ripples the moved the dirt of the earth and formed a crater. She was trying to use her God Power. I can do this. I haven't used my God Power since Zack... but I can do this. I can show that I can CONTROL THIS BEAST!! While Ember incline of breaking the paralysis seal started to rupture dangerous waves into the ground she laid on, Vance was dealing with Daxter. "That's very nice, I really applaud all your effort to becoming a better person, but it's not going to help you, Daxter." Vance smirked as he spread his wings out flapping them to create a small burst of wind at Daxter. "Au contraire, it's exactly what I needed to help me." Vance wasn't liking this form of Daxter. He was better broken and crying at the thoughts and illusions of his former self putting him in agony and despair. Somehow, Daxter had overcome those fears. As sensitive as he appeared to be in most situations, Vance miscalculated just what a cold-hearted b*****d Daxter could be when pushed too far.

                      Vance and Daxter clashed, throwing a series of punches to one another until Vance was able to create an opportunity to strike Daxter in the stomach hard enough to send him tumbling towards one of the haunted shrines. Finally, Vance thought as he felt some immediate relief in getting the man to tumble away from him. It usually didn't take him long to get an opponent down in a one on one fight... but Daxter was proving to hold his own against the dictator, a confidence and belief Vance would shred away as quick as he could. "It's okay" a voice rang in Vance's head that caught him off guard. It was a woman, kind and gentle. "It's going to be okay... Ember." It was aggravating. These memories that weren't his own as a person, but trying to infiltrate his heart that had been closed off from accepting anything or anybody. Even Nill, who he sought some companionship, was admitted to being nothing but a simple toy. They're all fools... Vance thought to himself as he launched himself towards Daxter again, the blue flames casted all over his body as they licked and clung tightly to his exterior. The scales on the back of his next and his wings lifting slightly to emit more of those flames. Complex creatures that have all turned out to have a wasted life... and I'm intending to return all of that wasted energy to the planet. I won't stop until I get what I want... he growled. He finally go to Daxter, stopping short and making the simple remark, "I thought that hit killed you, I'm almost disappointed." Maybe not so much of a wasted life if he can hold up for this long without his friends.

                      "I'd tell you to bite me, but I'm just not that into you." Daxter had successfully matched the agility that Vance was at and rushed to leap behind him, dodging attacks and then stabbing Vance's wing. Vance was kicked back, skidding from Daxter and then creating soundwaves in his hands. "Dax, Daxter, psychopath or a twisted little pony fan, I don't care who you are because you're going to die." "You know about the pony club? Lemme guess, you're a Twilight Sparkle kind of guy. I won't tell if you won't. By the way..." Vance erupted the sound in an explosive wave, Daxter's entire body, individual cells, had become intangible as smoke and dissipated in the wave of sound that Vance had created. Vance widened his eyes, but a dull look soon graced his facial expression as Daxter rematerialized behind him and sent a swirling beam of fire straight into the middle of his back, causing him to slam out of the shrine. "That's for all those kids you killed you son of a b***h!" Vance growled in anger, not expecting for Daxter to hold the power necessary that could break down his body and destabilize him into taking a smoke form. Unique and complex as it was, Vance had no mimicry of the power or a stronghold against it, dealing with the beams and blasts emitting from Daxter until finally he was able to send a strong lightening bolt out to hit Daxter, instead hitting the sword that redirected the electricity to crackle into the sky."As tragic as it was killing all those kids, it made me realize that I can never run from who I am. And you wanna know who I am, Vance?! I'm the guy who is going to ruin your day!" Daxter gave Vance a little s**t-eating grin behind the sword that continued to conduct the electricity Vance was firing. "You annoy me." Vance replied simply as Daxter kept blocking the lightning that was trying to fry his heart. "That's the idea! I talk a lot to hide the fact that fighting you is kind of scary!"

                      PART 2 BELOW

BIoodbane's Fav

Ruthless Firestarter

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                      Vance pressed further, planning to dissipate the electricity and charge at Daxter with another trick up his sleeve, but he was suddenly taken by invisible hold and slammed onto his back and into a wall. Ugh.. Well if it isn't the blind hero. Noah tossed out a few flashbang disks at Vance which lit up the area and produced a loud explosive noise, disorienting him for a moment. Vance growled, holding his own as the rest of the group continued talking. He paid no attention to the conversation as he began sending out his signal to Mizu to take care of her business. Once finished, he looked back to the others and spit, "I'm sorry, did we just forget about me while you two are busy with therapy? Let's not forget what I'm planning to do." Vance glared to Daxter, a beam of white energy piercing through the rooftop of the shrine and expanding like a swirling tornado, ripping the roof off of the shrine and exploding in Vance's direction, who shielded himself from the attack with his wings. "Surrender?" Kaito said as he appeared with a smirk, standing with Daxter and Noah. More talking, more annoyance, and in a loud and angry shout of now having the three men banter before him he shouted, "ENOUGH!" "Having you here now saves us the trouble of taking you down later. Tell me, Vance, what did you hope to accomplish by coming here? Recruit Ember, shake the foundation of Dax and Ember's relationship, demonstrate your power to us? You knew we'd show up, so why bother?" Vance chuckled to Noah. "None of the above." "The guy is a goddamn egomaniac, he forces an entire planet to love the s**t out of him, if you wanted my guess the only reason he's here now is because he can be, so let's kick his a** just because we can."

                      MEANWHILE...

                      Ember's silver aura continued to pulsate through the ground, the crater of where she laid began to dig even deeper after several inches of the soil had collapsed on itself. You can get rid of me... the voice whispered as tears built up in her eyes. You're wrong! I know I can! And I... I... will do-- "whatever... i-it takes..." she growled, no longer thinking the thoughts as she had to spill them out. Her concentration was running rapidly, and couldn't contain herself. She was releasing bits of her God Power in surges until she closed her eyes as the approach of other footsteps could be heard. Nill had finally approached Ember's side and skidded to a rough stop to be beside her, picking her up lightly and trying to heal the paralysis. "It's no use right now. You--" Ember tried to speak, but a surge of light emitted from Nill and ruptured through Ember. Instead of healing, Ember's silver eyes glowed more powerfully a she convulsed and coughed out silver blood. Nill looked over, holding Ember up from behind her shoulders and rested a hand on Ember's stomach, "E-Ember! I-I'm sorry are you okay?!" But Ember growled in the action having wracked her body with even more pain, causing her nails to dig into the ground and pull up the roots. "L-Let me go," Ember told Nill as she coughed weakly, "I-I can do this--" but before she could continue, an spear quickly shot between the two women, causing Nill to flip backwards away from the projectile that stabbed itself into Ember's shoulder. Mizu appeared with a smile on her face.

                      "It's been such a long time since I've had any girl time, what say we all have a little fun, hm?" She spoke as she summoned up a serpent-looking beast that would, as the last beast, appear to be born from the ocean. The sea snake-like creature hissed as it towered over the trio and snapped its sharp-teethed jaws. "Have I ever told you how much I hate your darling little Noah, Nill? Because I'm going to enjoy how much Vance makes him suffer." Mizu was, admittedly, still bitter over the restaurant fight. Mizu smirked as she pulled the water from the nearby fountains and ponds and began using it to attack the two girls, the snake lunging for Nill as it intended to decapitate her head clean from her shoulders. Nill quickly ducked from the snake and pushed upward, holding it up and away from Ember's paralyzed body. Ember somehow was able to bring herself up to lift her head and attempt at sitting up at the worry on Nill's behalf, but Nill's right hand pulled away from the neck of the beast and formed a light sword, stabbing directly into the throat of the monster. Mizu herself began to go after Nill while the snake drew back and circled around the two fighting women, headed directly for Ember. Ember watched the snakes' attempt to get close to her, but summoned a ring of fire to protect herself in. "G-Get away from me!" her voice echoed in a roar as she made the fire pulsate and spread out further and stronger. Nill felt the oncoming heat and barely dodged it while Mizu was slightly burnt, and the snake suffered from the burns that were able to latch itself into the body of the snake and begin tearing it apart from the inside out in the movement of a fire tornado being barely contained inside it. Nill watched momentarily in surprise until she once again had to defend herself from Mizu.

                      Umiko then rushed into the scene shortly after the arrival of Nill, both of the ladies looking back to Umiko who seemed entirely too defenseless to be standing where she was. Ember looked back, and then saw the approach of the giant snake that would try to engulf Umiko on the spot. "You fool!" Mizu shouted in a bantering laugh as she watched the snake attempt to retrieve her lost compass, but was surprised when she saw the body of the snake halt. Ember's eyes emitted a silver glow as her black wings of steel had finally come out of her lower back. Her long red hair fell to the ground as it was extended, and her outfit changed to her natural dragoness attire. The blood stains remained and spilled down her stomach that was bare, but her paralysis was still in affect, causing her to use her steel wings to hold herself up. Ember's left wing had not only stopped the snake at a complete halt, but had decapitated it in its launch towards Umiko just seconds after it had appeared. It was a large, black steel wing that shined with the moonlight on it's grooves, the blood of the snake spilling down the light metal feathers until the body of the serpent collapsed and Ember looked at Mizu who her silver gaze. "Come get me," she spoke in a dark tone.

                      "E-Ember I'm sorry! Y-You look so hurt! That spea--" "Don't worry so much about me," Ember coughed as she lifted herself and began to regenerate her body from all the wounds she'd suffered. She got rid of the paralysis, and tossed the spear to the side as she was finally activating her God Power. "You will kneel before me," Mizu said in a bellowing voices as she countered another attack attempt made by Nill, taking her by a handful of feathers when catching her back turned and slicing them off rather painfully, causing Nill to cry out in pain and fall over. Mizu kicked the girl with her heel roughly, Ember staring to her hurt friend and the slowly back up to Mizu. "You are looking at the Witch of the Sea, a woman of powerful reputation and respect. I will get what I want from you and your little group of worthless friends." Ember stared at her blankly, "Your reputation is what you care about? Your power and respect? Well then... time to ruin a reputation." Ember quickly made her way up to Mizu in a matter of seconds, transcending her original agility with a much higher one and swiping her left hand in front of her. Suddenly nine seven foot long blades hovered out of seemingly nowhere attached to Ember's right arm, floating in front of her as she waved and flung them to Mizu. The witch was able to slide some of them away by caressing the flat of the blades and curving their direction, but Ember pulled then back, cutting some of Mizu's hair on the descent backwards and also scaring parts of her dress in the process. A blast of water quickly erupted under Ember and forced a grip around her body, but was broken apart when Ember's god power refocused on the water and collapsed it all with anti-gravity power, each drop looking like the paused effect on rainwater.

                      Ember's anti-gravity effect wore off as she fell to the ground hard, all the water coming down with her with enough force and pressure in the pull to act like water from a fire hose. Mizu was pelted by the rainwater that felt like small bullets rippling on her body, but Ember was shielded from this aftermath by her wings, then using her god power to redirect the rest of the falling water away from hurting anyone else in the perimeter and driving them all to Mizu's location. Mizu was being tossed and beaten by her own element, but then conjured up a water barrier that took in the water Ember was pummeling her with. Ember's silver eyes allowed a small white light to travel quickly from her standpoint and tap the barriers, immediately converting the water barrier to an ice prison on contact. Ember made an open circle in with her hands, still looking at the barrier and then pretending to make the barrier a small circle closing in to crush Mizu. Mizu, feeling trapped and the prison becoming smaller, quickly converted herself into water and froze herself with the ice barrier, taking over the ice and break it apart. Her body rematerialized with magic by the ice while the rest of the shard floated on her command and headed for Nill and Umiko. Ember quickly shielded the two with her barrier powers and then launched herself at Mizu, kicking her in the middle of the chest by slipping right through. She was shocked, until she realized that Mizu had created an illusion and drove Ember the wrong direction. "You missed me," Mizu laughed with a hum and appeared behind Ember, kicking her in the small of her back and causing Ember to feel a great deal of pain where her past four surgeries had taken place.

                      MEANWHILE...

                      Vance held his own against the three men well, all while hearing the pleas and cries of the girls from a distance. "Dax, Noah, you two go for Nill and Ember I'm going to hold Vance back." Kaito skidded to a stop as Vance began rushing after them. "You're crazy! We barely -- " "Trust me! Go! Keep Umiko safe for me." Vance stopped as Kaito stood his ground to stop him from following after them. "Your bravery knows no bounds, or your stupidity has no limit." Vance smiled, a fading smile as Kaito began to tap into the time stream directly. "So this is the power that defeated Mizu and saved your precious Umiko. I want this power for myself." Vance spoke softly to himself for the most part as he was intrigued by such a phenomenal power. This was the power that was able to allow Kaito to go through time streams and search for answers, clues, and possibly jump into another's memories such as his own. "It's not something that can be taken, it has to be given, and a higher power than myself has to be the one to select you, which is never going to happen." Vance seemed disappointed, especially if such a power wasn't something he could take by force. "Then I'll just make sure you don't have it either." Vance clashed with Kaito who, now, was having a much easier time holding his own, using time to speed him up, slow Vance down, and keep Vance at bay a lot better than when it was him, Dax, and Noah. Vance was actually impressed by Kaito's ability, realizing that this time lord was going to be the biggest concern in the group, but one that could be remedied with taking Takashi for himself and using that power to destroy him.

                      A plan that formulated in his head, something he would have to use later. Kaito knocked Vance backwards with time energy, the clashing of the two powerful Gifted moving their fighting towards where Vance had killed those children in a display of power. Time energy began wrapping itself around the collapsed game hut, the event that had occurred reversing itself as the deaths of the children was undone. Vance wouldn't show it, but reversing time to cancel the deaths he'd caused was a power he didn't know was possible, and now he realized he had to have Kaito on his side, he needed that power. The children awoke from their previous deaths healed and back to normal, the shock of what happened being undone by Kaito's power as the children quickly ran off to their parents, the festival goers in awe and shock at what just happened. "So this is the unrestrained power of a Time Lord, a man who can reverse time to undo death." "I can't let you hurt innocent people, Vance. No matter how many times you can get away with it, and you won't keep getting away with it." Vance grinned significantly wider than he had when seeing Daxter in turmoil moments ago, now realizing what he would have to do to get a hold of such a power. Daxter leaped off a tree and landed on the serpent's head, slamming the sword through its skull and into its brain. Looking down at Mizu, Daxter waved, "was this yours? You should never let your pets off their leash! And where's its collar?! It's tags?! Well it's dead now, time for a new pet, I hope you weren't attached to it."

                      Mizu was visibly angry as she had already had the head of the serpent decapitated but had it tossed her way by the infamously stupid Daxter McLain. Ember laid on the ground, her body weak from the kick in the small of her back but watching at the approach of her friends. "How're you holding up, Mizu? That landing didn't hurt, did it?" "You think you're so cute, don't you?" Mizu growled as she looked to Umiko and saw her hiding behind the other four. Noah smiled, looking to Nill who was lifting herself up and smiling weakly at him, then back to Mizu, "no, not really. Nill does though." Mizu let out a scowl of annoyance, irritated by Noah. Daxter approached Noah and rested an arm on his shoulder, "you've been hanging out with me too much." Daxter said suddenly, looking to Ember and hurrying to approach her, "are you alright, baby?" Ember grabbed onto Daxter's sleeve and lifted herself up on him slightly, kicking once into the ground and containing Mizu in the soil by holding her ankles captive. "Could be worse..." she said, almost drained from it all. Breaking the paralysis had done such a powerful toll on her body, she was unsure how much more that she could manage to handle. Kaito suddenly appeared as he flew through the trees and tumbled to a stop, wiping away some blood from the corner of his mouth, standing up and looking to Mizu and Vance as he approached. "He caught me off-guard, no big deal. Is everyone here alright?" Umik widened her eyes in surprise, now seeing that he had gone and held himself up against Vance all by himself and with the help of absolutely nobody else. She admired his strength and his heart.

                      "Ember and Nill seem fine, Daxter and I aren't hurt." Daxter twirled the sword in his hand and stared to Vance, smiling. "You're outnumbered, it's 5-to-2 in our favor. I've got some bitchin' black flames, Kaito here is some kind of beast, Noah is...Noah...and let's not forget we got an angel and dragon on our side. If you two wanna die tonight we'll be more than happy to oblige, but this is your only chance to run. Only." Noah suddenly grabbed Mizu with his telekinetic power and slammed her into the ground where Ember had kept her bound, then seeing Daxter take a leap forward and put a foot on her back. Mizu could feel the flames steam against her skin, causing her to wince slightly. "I'll kill your b***h -- I mean witch, trust me, I'll enjoy it too." Vance smiled as he watched Daxter and Noah team up to threaten Mizu, which only made him carelessly flick his hand in her direction, "go ahead." "What?!" Mizu sounded scared and betrayed that Vance would just willingly throw her aside, whether or not it was a bluff didn't matter because, either way, Daxter would kill her without hesitation. Even if Vance wasn't going to let them kill her he did have others he could use as minions to do his dirty work. "I don't see what you're waiting for, Daxter, kill her."

                      Daxter looked down to Mizu, pressing the blade a little deeper into her neck, then looked over to Vance with a shrug, "okay. If you say so." Daxter swiped the sword at Mizu's neck, intending for a swift decapitation but finding himself surprised when the sword was blocked by Noah's telekinesis. Ember took a glance to Noah, not knowing why they had postponed something that could have better benefited the team. "We're better than this, Dax, I've not been afraid to kill some people in the past, and I'm sure none of us would have hesitation about killing Vance, but we're better than killing everyone that gets in our way." Daxter looked over to Noah, interrupted in what he was going to say by Vance. "Weakness, just as I thought." Vance rushed forward and grabbed Daxter by the back of his shirt, pulsing electricity through his body and tossing him aside, picking up Mizu and putting her on her feet. "Y-You would have let me die?!" "If I was going to let you die you wouldn't still be alive now." She looked up at Vance with a hint of betrayal in her eyes, but could not fight the determination in his eyes that what he predicted was true, and he had indeed stepped forward to free her from Daxter's footing on her back. She looked at the rise of Daxter who was shaking the electricity until she was quickly attacked by Ember with the damned God Power. The water that she had left in a trail behind her was ignited by Ember's own form of electricity, electrocuting the witch and allowing Ember to launch herself at her. However, a hand got in her way, grabbing her by the neck and then lifting her up to a choke hold. Vance looked up at Ember, squeezing tightly while she dangled and sent metal shards at him, deflected by his personal wings.

                      Nill watched in panic as Daxter went to go assist Ember in being freed, Kaito doing the same by use his time powers to attack Mizu before she had time to summon another water creature after them. "We need your help to fight Vance," Noah said softly as he leaned in close to Nill and whispered to her, "Kaito says Vance is weak against light, your light, will you be able to help us fight Vance? We might be able to destroy him once and for all with your help." Noah pulled away and looked at Nill in the eyes, smiling gently, "we'll try without your help if you don't feel that you can, we'll get another chance later, but we may have a chance to finally end this right now." Nill looked between gazing into his soft eyes and seeing the chaos erupt from behind him, then holding her own shoulders gently as she stammered, "I-I don't know. I can try. I-I just.. need an opening..." Noah nodded, then turned around to try and help the rest of the team. Umiko rushed up to Nill's side, grabbing her shoulders and saying, "Are you okay? That clip she did to your wings--" "...is healed. I'm okay..." she thought, a memory of Ember coughing up the silver blood from her attempt to heal bothering her slightly before she redirected her attention back to the fight. Vance held up Ember under Kaito broke through the personal barrier and caused hi to release Ember, Daxter then skidding behind Vance to kick him up into the air. Noah tossed his shurikins at Vance, exploding on contact and causing the dragon to fail at catching air under his wings in order to support flight. Meanwhile Mizu had finally gotten Kaito to focus on Vance and immediately sent out another serpents out from behind Nill and Umiko. Umiko pushed Nill out of the way, then being strangled in the hold of the serpent.

                      Ember went for Vance, taking flight up to where he was and using her god power to lift to soil up behind her creating a stabilized path for Daxter and Noah to race on in the battle that was taking to the skies. Ember stopped building the path and leaped off the top of the bridge of soil that rose a good forty meters in the sky, causing it to shape into a circular arena large enough for Daxter and Noah to have good footing on. With Noah speculating whether or not the pillar that supported the arena would last, Daxter grinned and reminded Noah that he could fly. Noah had not yet seen it to believe it, disregarding the warning as Vance clashed with Ember, creating random waves of sonic pulses to barely miss Noah and Daxter from away. Noah placed his foot on Daxter's closed hands, then being launched high into the air where Ember focused her god powers on Noah and moved him behind Vance in the middle of their close combat flight fight. She drifted back and away from the two as Noah was able to wrap a metal cord around Vance, tying up his wings and kicking him down to the soil arena where Daxter ran up and kicked Vance's skull directly. Vance cracked his neck, looking at Daxter while his arms and wings were bound tightly, but swerved on his back with a momentum that not only caused Daxter to step back from being hit by his legs, but the air movements suddenly amplified to knock Daxter out of the arena and fall off the edge.

                      Noah was utterly shocked, but kept his focus on Vance while Ember began to rush for Daxter falling. Just then before Noah landed, Vance summoned a lightening bolt from the sky to catch Ember off guard. In the moment all four were focused on such a powerful attack, Ember was seen in the strike as being totally shocked the unbelievable amounts of power. Unfiltered, and uncontrollable voltage caused Ember's heart to not only stop, but paralyzed her and disabled all her powers, making her fall in her Dragoness form to Valor's soil. Daxter flew to catch her, even if she burned like hell on her skin, Noah then being so distracted as Nill finally made her way up the pillar and watched Vance wrestle Noah until he sat on top of the man, grabbing Noah by his face and temporarily disabling his telekinetic powers. "I like this better than your mask, Defiance. Speaking of Defiance, congratulations of your success of dressing Nill's ring finger in such a lovely part of yourself." Noah attempted to break free of Vance, but Nill watched as Vance pulled his hand off of Noah's face, something dark happening. The dark energy that was installed into Noah to give him his powers appeared to be in the process of being stripped away from him while something dark took place. Noah's emerald eyes were filled with black as Vance was pulling back the energy, attempting to take back more than just power. "Let's see if you can ever see your angel after I'm done with you," he laughed darkly.

                      Nill widened her eyes at the right hand as she launched forward, seeing his hand turn into blue flames and creating the whirling sounds of a drill. He was about to attempt to either fill Noah with complete darkness or kill him, but Nill dashed as fast as light. She appeared behind his back, then stabbing him in the shoulder of the arm he had used to form the drill. Nill huffed excessively, trying to catch her breath but Vance's angry growl emerged as he turned around, releasing Noah and slicing at Nill who screamed in a terrified reaction. She had summoned the courage to fight the beast that tortured them all, but she was absolutely terrified at this point. He pinned her with her dark shadows clutching her tightly against the soil of the arena and moved a hand up above her. He created a dark blade that sliced at her shirt, revealing her bra cut in the middle and stomach now with a large scratch across it. He looked to her heart scar formed the drill in his hand, but not until he blasted Noah away from behind him and surrounded Nill and himself in a blue ring of fire. "Time to pay the price of leaving your cage, Nill Kesuk," Vance chuckled darkly as Nill shouted loudly, "NO!" She struggled but felt the tip of his drill fire hand touch her skin, then her eyes glowing white as she caused him temporary blindness. He stood up, slightly disabled but he still attacked Nill blindly, her being stabbed in the shoulder by his blade instead of the drill that took all his concentration to create and could see the crimson flow from her shoulder. He kept her pinned to the ground while grunting in his temporary pain. "If anyone was so lucky to have you wielding the light, it's me, Nill."

Dangerous Lunatic

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                              There was a crash in the distance, the sound of a window had broken and a heavy boot crunching the glass on the hardwood floor, the blonde turned her head as her heart began to beat at a faster pace and her breathing became panicked, erratic. She turned her ruby red lips to the well-dressed men accompanying her in the room and silently motioned for them to check out the noise. Three men with black painted pistols slipped through the door and into the hallway, the barrels of their weapons accompanied with flashlights illuminating the dark corners of their path. The point man quickly turned the knob to a door and pushed it open, flashlight illuminating the dark corners of the room, a silent "clear" from his lips as his other teammates continued ahead of him and followed the same pattern for four more rooms. Each one ending with a silent "clear" from their throats as their intruder was nowhere to be found until they heard the distant unmistakeable sound of a refrigerator door closing downstairs. The three men made their way as silent as possible down the stairs and continued their pattern of watching their backs and checking their corners. These men were talented, trained, and cold-blooded, former military and the meanest men to ever be dishonorably discharged recruited as no-nonsense bodyguards that were paid better than the military with better benefits to boot. These were no rent-a-cops traversing down a flight of stairs towards the kitchen of the large mansion, these men were shoot-first-ask-later kinds of people, and they weren't about to let some pissant get the jump on them.

                              Their journey into the kitchen through the open framed entrance funneled them in where they quickly spread out, their flashlights steadily trained on the fridge's door, wide open as the clinking of condiments could be heard while someone rustled through the contents of the large box. The man pulled away from the fridge with a personal-sized pizza box in his hands, the lid opened and hanging in front of him as he noticed the men aiming their pistols at him. "Any of you order a hot lead pepperoni?" Asked the young Daxter, a bullet passing through the pizza box's lid into the chests of the two men, misfiring their weapons in reply as they fell to the ground. Daxter dropped the pizza box carelessly and approached them, one shot apiece into their forehead to end them, "no one? Huh. Wait weren't there three of you?" Daxter turned as the third bodyguard with a large survival knife rammed the blade towards his neck, his forearm pushing up into the wrist of the man to block the thrust. "I killed your friends, and I'm going to kill you too." Daxter replied simply, but with a twisted hint of playfulness as his gun fired into the stomach of the guard, dropping him instantly. Daxter, with a sense of devilish a*****e in him, grabbed the bodyguard's gun and heard the reason the knife was even necessary: click click. The gun wasn't empty but jammed, the guard kicking Daxter in the pelvis and, using the adrenaline surging through his body, painfully rolled to his feet and thrust the knife towards Daxter's stomach. Daxter grabbed the arm of the man as he dropped the jammed gun and rammed his knee into the stomach of the steelblue, a gush of blood coming from the wound, pushing one hand into the guard's face, "let's get you a tan, you're so pale." Daxter laughed as fire crackled from his hand and burned the face of his opponent, pulling away as the melted flesh stuck to his hand and dropped the guard for good. Walking away, Daxter pulled the flesh from his hand with a disgusted groan.

                              The bedroom door kicked open and Daxter fired four well-placed bullet holes into the remaining four bodyguards, dropping them as the blonde woman screamed and cried out in fear, rushing to the window. Daxter grabbed the back of the woman's loose-fitting dress shirt and tossed her onto the bed, running faster than her to catch her with ease. Daxter crawled on top of her and pressed her hands down to the bed, one hand pressing the warm barrel of the recently fired gun to her temple, pressing hard enough she felt the pressure. "P-Please don't hurt me." "Your mouth stays open like that and I'll have to fill it. Shut it, slut." There was a darkness to Daxter that wasn't often seen, not in these earlier days, these mercenary jobs often utilized the fun-loving goofy guy, but tonight he was purely the Dax from his teenage years, getting himself out of the cage and pushing the other two personalities in. Daxter often had command, Taco anthropomorphized into that of a bean bag chihuahua, but tonight Taco was gone and Daxter was keeping quiet. The personality that present-day Daxter often ran from and made out to be a separate entity was just Daxter without the distractions, without the jokes, and without anything that made him less than terrible.

                              So who was she? She was thin, petite, half his height but nearly twice his age, long beautiful blond hair running to her elbows and plain chocolate brown eyes staring up at him behind swelling pools of tears. She wasn't wearing a lot of clothes, soon as she heard the noises from the courtyard of her guards dying in rapid succession she threw on a dress shirt and was already wearing underwear but her inside-assigned men burst into her room to ready themselves to protect her. Daxter leaned down to her shivering body, licking her neck playfully as she cried out in terror. He sniffed her in a sick delight as she kept her mouth shut out of fear, but was shaking uncontrollably. "W-W-Why are y-you d...do...doing this?" She asked, the only words she could get out with any clarity. "Husband, Michael St. Jones, 43 with two kids, has had less sex than you in the last six months of your marriage. I'm a hitman," she began crying and screaming, Daxter pistol-whipping her in the cheek, "he lost count of how many dicks had been in your mouth after number 37. Is there a lifetime achievement award for that?" The woman squirmed and tried to free herself from Daxter's one hand, despite the cooling barrel against her head. Daxter fired once, the woman gone limp as the bullet hole released a bit of smoke in front of her eyes, less than a quarter-inch in front of her face. "I'm not a terrible person, sure he's paying a solid twenty-eight percent higher rate than my usual customers, but once I heard you've been campaigning him as an unfit father and dragging his name through the mud, well..." Daxter clicked his tongue in disappointment, "I just had to take this contract. Plus, as long as your dead he doesn't care what happens to you. So let's make 38."

                              A gunshot rang out, Daxter leaving the bedroom while a fire raged uncontrollably from the bed, zipping up his pants as he left the mansion with a sly grin on his face. The fire burst through the windows and consumed the mansion, spreading to the lawn and continuing outward until there was nothing but ash of the mansion and surrounding area.                               Daxter's stare to Vance while speaking to him about changing concluded, "now I admit I am a real b*****d." Going through his memories to remember the worst things he'd ever done to people for money or fun had brought the monster inside him back to the forefront, but instead of pushing it away he embraced the demon he was, his dark side clashing with who he was and the two becoming one as Daxter, for the first time in his life, admitted to himself every terrible thing he'd ever done was a conscious choice. He chose to kill people for money, innocent and otherwise, take them for his own twisted pleasure, paint walls with their blood, or just let them scream into the night like music to his ears. He was an evil b*****d who knew how to hurt people by pure intimidation or by the real sadistic mind games he would play.

                              Daxter walked along the path of the park with his head down and hoodie covering his head, he walked into a man holding a hotdog and bumped into him, taking the hotdog for himself and eating as he walked away. The man's confusion as to someone just outright stealing his hotdog turned to complaints to the vendor about what just happened. Years later after the mansion incident Daxter's business had slowed down and, due to a mismanage of money, was terribly poor at the time. Resorting to stealing, common thievery to get by on what he needed as assassinations were just less common now it seemed. He ate the hotdog as he pulled the hood down off his head and let his red eyes squint towards the bright sun. It was a brightness that struck the dark creature, causing him to turn away from the light. Even though Daxter had always admitted his personalities were split into two or three different ones, he always admitted the evil persona, Dax, was never who he really was. Presently Daxter would admit that, yes, Dax was just as much himself as Daxter or Taco, but back then it was a different claim.

                              He tossed the hotdog wrapper into the garbage and continued on his way, his hand feeling the faux-furry chihuahua in his pocket, but the dog being unusually quiet today, as was Daxter. The path Daxter took was in the middle of a park and an enormous lake, looking over deep blue waters. As Daxter continued to walk along the path he spotted a child all alone, no adult nearby obviously related to her as they ignored her or kept walking, but this little girl looked like she was starting to become panicked and eventually began to cry. Daxter strolled past the girl coldly until he felt a tiny hand grab at his pant leg, Daxter stopping and turning to look down at the crying little girl, her face staining with tears and her voice hiccuping at every word. "C-Can you he-help me find my mom?" The girl asked as she cried softly, looking up to Daxter with her big sad blue eyes. He had no intention of helping her, not at first, but then he crouched down to eye-level with the girl and put a hand on her head, pulling the chihuahua Taco from his pocket. "Don't cry, Detective Taco is on the case," Surprisingly, or perhaps unsurprisingly to those who would know him, Daxter pulled out a tiny felt Sherlock Holmes hat from his pocket and put it on Taco's stuffed head, grabbing the stuffed animal's arm and waving it at the girl, who, while sad, still managed a soft laugh. "W-Will you help me find my mommy, De-Detective Taco?" She asked as the stuffed animal caught her attention. Daxter, with a high pitched voice, replied, "of course! No job is too -ruff- for me." Daxter carefully put Taco on the girl's shoulder and then grabbed the little girl and put her on his back, piggybacking her, standing up tall so she towered above the world below her. "Point me in the direction of the playground, little girl." The girl's hand shot out and Daxter walked towards the playground that the girl's mother was last seen at.

                              "Oh my god, Amelia!" The mother ran up to Daxter and the little girl, Daxter lifting Amelia off his shoulders and lowering her to the ground, grabbing Taco as the mother approached them, hugging her daughter tightly. "Don't ever run off like that! I was so scared!" "I-I'm sorry mom, I couldn't find you!" The mother ran her hand through the girl's hair and the two had a short back-and-forth about what happened, Daxter ready to leave as the mother approached Daxter and thanked him profusely. "I don't know what I'd have done if I couldn't find her. You're a hero, thank you!" "No big deal, I did what any decent person would have done." The mother shoved some money into Daxter's hand and insisted he take it for helping her find her daughter, Daxter didn't say anything as the girl and her mother thanked him again and walked off. Daxter looked down to the money and crumpled it up in his hand, watching as the little girl Amelia returned and gave him a quick hug around his waist, "thank you Detective Taco." She ran off to her mother and the two went on their way. Daxter watched them walk away, turning his back on the playground and igniting the money, letting the ash fall to the grass. "I know I could use the money, but it doesn't feel right." He said to no one, himself perhaps, as he walked away from the park after his good deed.

                              'For every bad deed I've ever done I've done my best to make up for it, it's about time I forgive myself for them. Who I was then is not who I am now. I know who I am, and who I am...is Dax.' Vance and Daxter battled furiously until Daxter had been blown into the haunted shrine, recovering himself and letting go of Dax being a separate entity, finally letting go of the animosity he had for himself. It was over, now it was time to end Vance and life as normal a life as Daxter figured he was able. Noah arrived to help Daxter take on Vance, and Kaito soon showed up after that. The trio of heroes had taken on Vance but, admittedly, were having some kind of difficulty with him as he was still more powerful than all of them. The trio heard the cries and yells of the girls in the distance fighting Mizu, knowing that they would be needing some help, Kaito telling the others to run along and let him take care of Vance. It sounded foolish, stupid even, but Kaito was able to hold his own against Vance better than the other two because, like Ember, he had some kind of god-like power he could use. Unlike Ember, he was in control of the power, could use it at will, but knew he had to be careful with it.

                              Kaito and Vance fought for a short time, exchanging blows and holding their own against one another on an almost equal level, but Kaito was more susceptible to being hurt than Vance, who had the strength of a dragon on his side, and the armor of one as well. Kaito, on the other hand, only had soft, fleshy skin to protect him. Kaito had been surprised by Vance, the one shot throwing him through the shrine and trees towards the rest of the ground, causing him to tumble and skid to a halt. "He caught me off-guard, no big deal. Is everyone here alright?" Kaito said quickly as he stood back up, the Time Lord power coursing through his veins as he let time heal his wounds as quickly as Vance had made them. The set of heroes regrouped quickly, Vance and Mizu obviously outnumbered making this the perfect time for them to escape, but it didn't seem like that would be happening. In a display of cruel power, Noah pulled Mizu close to the group and pinned to the ground, Ember bound her and Daxter, processing quickly what was happening, put his boot on her back to keep her where she was, the sword coated with fire pressing against her neck. Daxter threatened to kill her, it was a display of dominance to kill her second-in-command, but Daxter knew darkness too well and knew that Vance would find another. Noah had the right idea, but Dax knew that this wouldn't do anything, he would likely tell the group to "kill her." Through everyone else might've been a little surprised, Daxter knew how cold-hearted b*****d someone could be, and simply shrugged at the suggestion. Bluff or not, he was going to do it and swung his sword at Mizu's neck, stopped by Noah's telekinesis. Again, not a surprise, but Noah had the heart of a hero and didn't want to kill Mizu. Not because she didn't deserve it, she had done some fairly horrible stuff in her time, but there had also been a few moments of heroism in her life also. Though Noah wasn't sure, Alice had given Daxter some of Lucia's blood to formulate the cure for the poison with, if that was Mizu was another matter entirely. But she didn't deserve to die, not so coldly. Daxter didn't struggle with the sword for long, letting Noah have his hero time.

                              "Weakness, just as I thought." Vance rushed forward to grab Daxter by his shirt, pulsing electricity through his veins and muscles, tossing him aside carelessly as Mizu expressed some anger and betrayal at being willing to let her die. Vance's reply was cold, but truthful: "If I was going to let you die you wouldn't still be alive now." Daxter rose up after being tossed aside carelessly, shaking off the electric attack he'd endured, watching Ember rush at Mizu with her god power active, knowing that it wasn't a good time for a wolf-whistle, but knew how damn exotic and downright sexy she looked in that form. They would have some goddamn good-looking children if they got their mother's genes. Daxter then slapped himself hard enough Noah had to turn to look at him curiously, shaking the images of being a father out of his deranged head. Not that he was interested in the idea, he wasn't, but the thought of how gorgeous his lover was certainly brought an idea that she would make some beautiful children. Regardless of what thoughts he had in his mind, the fight was still raging on between Mizu and Ember, the latter stopped as Vance grabbed her by the neck.

                              Noah watched the events unfold as Daxter and Kaito rushed to help Ember against Mizu and Vance, the thought that she would be able to take them on alone an impossible one with the kind of strength Vance just by himself, and by adding Mizu into the mix made Ember's chances nearly astronomical. Noah had to ask Nill for something he wouldn't have bothered with if he knew they could win on their own, but with her light power such a strength against Vance he couldn't help but know that the only way they would survive was with Nill's help. She would try as long as she had an opening which was all she needed to say, Noah would give her one to the best of his abilities. He noticed her wing had looked like it had been cut, thankful that that wound seemed the worst of her injuries, kissing her lips quickly, "please, stay safe, love."

                              The barrier than Ember was being held by was able to be broken by Kaito's time powers, releasing her while Daxter skidded to a stop behind Vance and kicked him into the air, forcing him to release Ember while Noah tossed a series of his shurikens at Vance which exploded on contact. Vance slammed into the ground as Mizu focused her efforts on the girls sans Ember while Umiko protected Nill, a serpent strangling the life out of her body. Kaito noticed Umiko in trouble while Vance and Ember battled skyward, Ember creating stairs and an arena for Noah and Daxter to utilize to keep them on level with the two dragons. Kaito rushed ahead and sliced at the serpents that were strangling her. Kaito made quick precise strikes to avoid hurting Umiko as Mizu stayed on the ground to fight while Noah and Daxter ran up the soil stairs to the arena.

                              "I don't think this pillar will hold the arena for long, it's constructed in haste." "Doesn't matter, I can fly. I'll catch you before you splat." Noah glanced over to Daxter and shook his head, "I'd prefer the splat than to be indebted to you." Daxter clasped his hands together and nodded in the direction of Vance and Ember, "express elevator, let's move." Noah looked up to the battle taking place between Vance and Ember, their sonic waves clashing powerfully enough that it narrowly avoided hitting the two men. Noah jumped into Daxter's hands as he used his strength to throw Noah into the air where Ember utilized her god power to move him behind Vance, Noah pulling out a metal cord that he used to wrap up Vance's wings and kick off his body, throwing him into the dirt arena with a soft thud. Daxter approached Vance and gave him a swift kick in the skull, "does that feel good, baby?" Daxter smirked as he stepped back away from Vance who stared to the mercenary, moving quickly enough despite being bound to produce air current strong enough to strike Daxter and knock him off the edge of the arena.

                              Noah let Daxter take care of his own problems as he continued the fight in Daxter's place while Ember went to go save Daxter from the splat they were so concerned about earlier. Noah rushed Vance and tossed out a few explosive shurikens but that didn't stop the lightning strike from the sky that hit Ember hard enough to not only produce a powerful amount of electricity, but heat the soil enough to solidify it as charred rock. Daxter spun to look up at the light that struck Ember, igniting his body with fire and catching himself from falling and then going to rescue Ember from the same kind of fall, holding her in his hands as they touched down on the earth where she remained in an inert state, barely moving. Her skin was hot to the touch, nothing he couldn't handle but nothing that was pleasant, she was in pain and hurt badly, she was out of the fight even if she was going to stand back up. Daxter grabbed her burnt hand and held it gently, looking down at her with soft, sad eyes. "Ember? Speak to me, say something." Noah sensed Nill arriving and turned to look at her, distracted momentarily as Vance wrestled with him and pinning him to the ground, sitting on top of him. "You've gained weight." Noah said in not-so-pleasant tone, staring up at the dark-haired man with silver eyes, "I like this better than your mask, Defiance. Speaking of Defiance, congratulations of your success of dressing Nill's ring finger in such a lovely part of yourself." Noah gritted his teeth, "don't worry, you're invited as my best man. After all, if you hadn't brought her back to life and been so cruel maybe she would have seen you as anything but a monster." Perhaps that was the comment that pushed Vance over the edge, or just angered him, or perhaps he wanted to get back at Noah for that one, but regardless of why Vance put a hand on Noah's face, his emerald eyes peering between Vance's fingers as he began to strip him of the telekinesis power he'd been given. Pulling back his hand, Vance wiped away the telekinesis power he held and filling him with a darkness that clouded his vision. "Let's see if you can ever see your angel after I'm done with you," Vance laughed darkly, intending to completely blind Noah, his right hand turning into a darkness drill and striking at him. Nill arrived and stabbed Vance in the shoulder that formed the drill, releasing Noah from his grasp and striking at Nill who screamed in terror. Vance cut into Nill which sliced open her shirt and bra, blasting Noah away before he could do anything to save her, surrounding the angel and himself in a blue fire. "Time to pay the price of leaving your cage, Nill Kesuk," Vance chuckled darkly as Nill's terrified scream sent Noah over the edge. Holding onto the arena he used all his strength to not only pull himself, but launch himself onto his feet. He huffed as he blinked, his vision blurry and unclear, but partially there despite the cloudiness of it. His radar kicked in and filled in the blanks, despite the partial blindness he would be fine, the radar would pick up the slack. Vance stood up as he stabbed her in the shoulder, an act he could clearly see with his radar as he rushed at the two of them.

                              "If anyone was so lucky to have you wielding the light, it's me, Nill." Noah realized the blue fire was more powerful than any other kind of fire he'd encountered before, this wouldn't just be some simple fire to leap through, this was powered by a different force. Hopefully, though, it followed some laws of physics and as he tossed out two disks filled with fire extinguishing foam that exploded he saw the fire briefly twist open, allowing Noah to jump through the fire and pull out a dagger, stabbing Vance in the back of his neck, "you ever ******** touch my fiancé again I'll slit your throat." Vance pushed backwards and hit Noah in the stomach with his steel wings, knocking him a few steps backwards. Vance reached to his neck and grabbed the dagger, pulling it out of his neck and grunting as blood trickled down his shoulders. Vance backhanded Noah hard enough he flew out from the ring of blue fire, Vance looked back at Nill and grinning, admittedly in a wince of pain, "I'll be back, I'm going to make you a widow before you even get married." He walked through the fire as he approached Noah who pulled out two more daggers from specialized pouches in his belt, holding them in preparation for Vance. "Temper, Defiance, people get sloppy when they're angry."

                              Meanwhile, Mizu was fighting against Kaito and Umiko while Daxter stayed with Ember, keeping her stable. Mizu was having difficulty facing Kaito in his Time Lord power, but she was doing her best to keep herself at the top of her game, using whatever tricks and monsters she could summon. Kaito dodged through the ice-spiked water and grabbed Mizu by her arm and twisted behind her back, pushing her onto her knees as his time sword's point pricked her in the back of the neck. "It's over, give yourself up and no one else has to get hurt. You really think Vance will come save you anymore? He would have let you die." "Vance does what is necessary." She replied simply, grunting as Kaito kept a hold on her arm that, with anymore pull would dislocate her shoulder. "Do you really think your death is necessary? It doesn't have to be like this, help us defeat Vance, you'll be forgiven. No more death, no one else has to die. Please, this is the best way." "What makes you think your precious Umiko will be safe from me, even if I did join your team? She's a mistake that needs to be erased, give her to me and I'll help you with Vance." An ultimatum, Kaito realized that he wasn't going to be giving Umiko over to Mizu, and Mizu wasn't going to rest until Umiko was hers. Vance might have nearly sacrificed her to Team Defiance, which caused her loyalty to waver tremendously, but she still wanted Umiko for her own needs.

                              "I can't let you have Umiko, you know that, she's not yours to command." "I created her, I will destroy her. I know secrets about Vance that will make your head explode, I know ways to get to him you couldn't imagine. With my help you can defeat him, no question about it. But without me? Just look around you, Ember is down, Daxter is useless, and who knows how dead Nill and Noah are about to be. The only way I help you is with Umiko back in my possession. There is no deal that ends with us both getting what we want." Mizu was relentless, she wasn't going to stand down without the promise of Umiko back, and Kaito knew there was no other way to do this, no other choice in the matter. He tried to delegate and bring a peaceful solution that would end without bloodshed, but there was no way around this, he couldn't let Mizu have what she wanted, even if Mizu had a definite way to end Vance's reign. There was no choice in the matter, Kaito knew what he had to do.

                              ...PART 2 BELOW...

Dangerous Lunatic

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                              Part of being a Time Mage, or even a newly formed Time Lord, was the choices that had to be made for the good of all. The needs of the many outweighed the needs of the few, and Kaito knew the choice to leave Mizu alive in exchange for Umiko was the right choice when it came to being an Agent of Time, someone who had to fight for the greater good and rejected emotion and closeness to people. There was nothing more damning to a Time Mage than developing relationships and having those relationships bite you in the a** later. His feelings for Umiko meant that he couldn't think objectively, he couldn't do the thing that was necessary to end Vance once and for all, even though Mizu was clearly his right-hand for so many years, which meant she had to be telling the truth. Kaito couldn't do it, he couldn't kill Takashi either, but that just meant that there had to be another way, a way that meant everyone would get what they want in some way, shape, or form. If he were tied to Kronos right now there would be some choice words coming from him, but he knew that while Kronos was likely watching these events unfold, there was nothing he could say. Right now Kaito was in the running to completely replace his Kronos and just have a direct tie to the Time Stream, something no other Mage had ever had the chance to do. It was now or never, he had to make a choice.

                              "It's okay," Umiko said softly as she approached Mizu, realizing that for the greater good she would be giving up her life, her freedoms, and her future. Kaito turned his head to look as Umiko began to approach them. "I...I don't have much of a life to go back to, I have a few weeks of memories but that's all I have. Vance will continue...he will hurt so many people and I don't want that." Umiko had found some end-of-life hidden strength that she could use to speak her mind and let Kaito know that everything would be okay as he approached him, putting a hand on his cheek, the redness rushing to her face as she stared into the pool of teal eyes that opened a window into the depths of his beautiful soul. She touched his face with her hand, the warmth she could feel penetrating into her very core. "T...There are so many people with lives longer than my own, people who...deserve a real future with the people they love. Ember...and Daxter, Noah and Nill, so many millions of people who have a long time ahead of them. But me? I'm just...an ocean child, I don't have years of memories to look at and smile from, and I don't have years ahead of me to hope for. This is my purpose, Kaito, to die so that others may live." Kaito shook his head as Umiko stared at him with a sadness that could never be matched by another living person, knowing she would be walking away from him but so that he could continue on.

                              Mizu grinned to herself as Umiko was giving her life away for these people, finding it admirable but stupid. "You gave me a name, you gave me a purpose, but now...now I have to find my own purpose. Kaito...thank you for giving me such a beautiful life...but...but I will...give myself to Mizu...so that you can beat Vance and save everyone. You have to save everyone. Someone else would just get it wrong." Kaito looked at her with a sadness in his eyes, he realized she was making the right choice for him, a choice he couldn't make. He wasn't fit to be a Time Lord because the choices he made would be difficult, unable to make the sacrifices that were needed for the worlds he traveled, not as long as he continued to have friendships and get close to people. Mizu knew she had won, she was going to be given Umiko and Kaito couldn't argue with Umiko, it hurt to admit she was right, and nothing he said would be able to convince himself otherwise. With Umiko's last moments to share between the two of them, she leaned in with all the bravery and strength she could spare and kissed him quickly, if she didn't she'd never get another chance to do it. As she leaned forward so did he, their lips touching in a soft moment of tender love. Umiko released tears from her eyes as the taste of the man she had fallen in love with was a taste she'd only experience once and never again, Kaito also realizing the woman he was giving himself to was a woman he'd never get to see anymore, except in memories, painful memories. There would be no time travel to stop this from happening, no second chance to make this happen in a different way, there was only one way this moment would turn out and Umiko made the choice for the two of them. Kaito released Mizu as him and Umiko pulled away from one another, Mizu taking a few steps back and seeing her triumph in the form of the ocean child.

                              "In every life a person lives there is a fate they hold, their fate may be to die, their might may be to stop something, their fate may be to change the lives of someone else or to learn something they may pass on to others. For me, I may live another few thousand years traveling from world to world, stopping events that would lead to Time's collapse. In my first thousand years I learned everything I needed to about protecting the Time Stream, how to act, what to do, how to use my powers to the best of my potential. In all my years I've never met a single person who wasn't important, and all of them I've met I've had to keep my distance from because a Protector of Time was not someone who could do their job properly while involved with someone else. There have been a few instances I've made friends, and a few instances those friends had to die. Everyone I've killed has been necessary, and that is my fate. I have to let people die, or kill people personally so that the Time Stream is protected, safe, and continues on. There are worlds I will never go back to unless forced because of decisions I've made, Valor is not a world I want to leave behind while living with my mistakes. Umiko, you are a remarkable woman whose strength has no limits. You don't deserve to live a life so short, there are years to experience, things to try, and people to love. If not me, then others you can get close to and live for. What I'm saying is...I can't let you die."

                              Umiko smiled with tears in her eyes, but shook her head as she stepped closer to Mizu and made the decision for the both of them, each step closer to Mizu another step Kaito held his breath for. Her mind was made up, this was how it had to be, because if Vance was allowed to continue his reign of terror than his power would continue to grow, and if he had to the God Power and the determination to use it then he knew that the Time Stream would be in danger of collapse, if not for this world than others, billions of universes that the God Power could destroy and he knew if he let Vance live, even a little while longer, that he was putting the entirety of Time at risk. Umiko was beginning to cry, trying to be as silent about it as possible. "I'm going to miss you, Kaito. I know...I...I know you'll save the world, all of the worlds...because...that...that is what you do." Umiko's tears began to flow from her eyes, streaming down her face as she stared to Mizu in a moment of pure sadness, unable to hold her tears back any longer.

                              "Can you live with yourself, Mizu? The things you force people to do, the lives you ruin? Do you deserve to live with the kind of unjust cruelty you place upon the world?" Kaito stared at Mizu with a look of sadness mixed with anger, she smiled gently as she nodded. "Nobody here is a saint, Time Lord, we all do things that are terrible in their own right. Your goal is to protect the Time Stream no matter who gets in the way or who gets hurt. Umiko's purpose is my own design. Daxter is a murderer, Ember is no different. Noah's life was dedicated to hurting the DOGS no matter how innocent the soldiers themselves were. Nill is a monster. We're all terrible people, but when I'm done with Umiko I'll be back to help you get rid of Vance. At least you have that." Kaito looked down to the ground, "you're right about one thing...we all do do things that are terrible." Kaito's eyes turned to white with a powerful glow behind them, understanding that what he would do would change the course of Valor forever. Wind kicked out as time energy swirled around the three of them, kicking up dirt and dust, there was no happy ending for this world, not without effort and work, and he couldn't let them take an easy way out as long as the easy way meant an innocent life was taken. Umiko was as pure as there could be, she had no moments in her life where she didn't do something for another person. She, like Nill, was meant to be protected because no matter what kind of terrible atrocities went down upon this world there had to be some light to break apart the darkness.

                              "W-What are you doing!?" Mizu asked as the time energy formed a barrier around them, forcing her to remain within it as she found herself unable to leave it, no matter what method of power she tried. Umiko stared at Kaito as the power began to focus itself around him, swirling around his body, unable to believe what was happening or even why. "I'm ending this. I'm ending everything." They didn't know what that meant, nobody understood what Kaito was doing anymore and even he had to admit he was playing it by ear. His connection to the Time Stream became stronger and more focused, his power was becoming concentrated, Kaito was going to stop this before it got out of hand any further.

                              The arena was alive with the sounds of fighting, Noah was half-blind and facing off against a powerful dragon-formed Vance, all of Noah's training had to be used just to avoid any kind of lethal hit that would either kill him or incapacitate him. Vance was hurt but nothing that was critical to his health, he would recover just fine and in the meantime he had to take care of Noah before he could finish his time with Nill. Noah barely managed to avoid the lightning strikes from above as he could feel the static in the air from the forming strikes, rolling to avoid them in different directions to keep Vance from guessing his next movement. Each moment he had he tossed out an explosive disk or a flashbang, something to keep Vance on his toes and hurt him a little more. The final two disks in his entire belt were used as they exploded on his chest, knocking him back. This was it, Noah raced forward and rolled underneath a swipe of Vance's powerful wings, leaping onto his back and slamming the daggers into near his spine where the steel wings ended, his daggers unable to pierce such metal. Noah leapt backwards and pulled the daggers out of Vance with a line of blood from each wound following his trajectory, a lightning strike slamming down from the sky into Noah and pounding him into the soil. Noah released the daggers, their metal blades and rubber handles able to draw in and disperse the majority of the electricity but enough hitting Noah that it hurt and it hurt bad. He was in trouble now, his suit had rubber insoles to dissipate electricity safely, but he was wearing normal clothes so what the daggers didn't help him deal with he endured the brunt of. Noah pushed through the burning, stinging pain as Vance grabbed Noah by the neck and squeezed tightly, draining the life out of him.

                              "This is the way the world ends, not with a bang but a whimper." Vance's squeezing wasn't going to choke Noah, instead he was going to break his neck, one quick twist would be all he needed to end him, get rid of Defiance in a definite manner. There would be no resuscitation, resurrection, Noah would rot away in the ground as the world moved on, his world moved on. Noah grabbed Vance's cheeks and pressed his thumbs into his eyes, intending to blind him as he'd tried doing to him earlier. Vance let out a roar as Noah's nails began to dig into his pupils, twisting and moving his head to avoid the scratching out of his eyes. Noah was fighting for his life, every second he did at this point was to survive, no matter how dirty he had to fight. Vance kicked his knee into Noah's stomach twice, but Noah didn't relent on gouging out his eyes. "The more you struggle the worse it'll get for Nill! I'll make her mine do you understand me?! I'll will no longer play nice I will tie her down and I will take her, she will know what it is like to be considered subhuman!! She will be a thing only used for my enjoyment, Noah, I will ******** her as she cries out your name!!" "You lay a hand on my angel and I will find you and I will make your worst nightmares come to life, Vance. Your entire life will be used solely for the twisted desires you let out of me. I will take a page from Daxter's book and I will become the kind of dark-hearted cruelty you could only HOPE to achieve in your lifetime." Though Vance's grip on his neck had been loosened in their struggle, Vance's attempt to keep his eyes intact only momentarily ruined his concentration, removing one hand and using his elbow to slam into his chest and knock the wind out of him, forcing Noah's arms to go limp as he coughed and sputtered. "It's over."

                              "THIS IS FAR FROM OVER!" White light of time energy shot out from underneath the arena between Noah and Vance, the pain of the energy slicing into his arm that forced him to release Noah and step back. Kaito appeared in a teleport on the arena's soil and the powerful energy extinguished the blue flame from around Nill, giving her the freedom to rush to Noah as he laid out coughing, sputtering, trying to catch his breath. Vance snarled as he stared to the Time Lord standing in front of him. "No more, NO MORE!! No one else dies because of you, I won't allow it!!" Kaito's powers moved him at incredible speed, equal to Ember's god power and allowing him to match attacks with Vance blow-for-blow, the two combatants fighting to their full strength with enough power that each hit sent out a sonic shockwave that rumbled the arena and caused the ground to rumble. Each powerful attack shook the foundations of the haunted shrines nearby until their centuries old wood crumbled, collapsing from the power the two combatants were wielding. It was clear Vance was weaker than Kaito at this point, all the fighting he'd done against everyone had taken a lot out of him but he was still able to keep Kaito at bay while the power of the Time Stream flowed through his veins in power equal to the God Power. After all, without time there was nothing, Time and God had to be on equal footing for anything to exist.

                              Time energy flowed without hesitation as Vance fought back, lightning, fire, sound all converging to attack Kaito while the two continued to clash with absolute power. Vance fell to the arena and through it, slamming into the earth below. The large crater formed by Vance's fall caused him tremendous pain, but Vance's power and strength forced him to stand up and watch Kaito fall from the sky and slow to a stop on the ground, throwing out enormous time energy to where Vance was standing, the part-dragon slamming his wings downward to push him into the air as the energy pulsated below him, avoiding the attack. Kaito rushed ahead and met with Vance in the air, his knee slamming into Vance but the dragon able to grab it and send him slamming into the ground below, rolling to a stop near Mizu and Umiko, catching his footing and using time to stop himself from moving backward, the pulse of energy kicking up dirt behind him. "Kaito!" He looked to Umiko with a faint smile on his face, "I told you I would do this." "You are so stupid." "No one else will die do you hear me? Not Umiko, not even you." "What makes you want to save me?" Mizu scoffed, crossing her arms, finding this "hero" act nothing but an idiotic farce. "Because everyone deserves the change to do the right thing. Now stand back." Kaito pushed off the ground with a ripple of distortion from the power released to spring into the air to meet with Vance, seeing as how he couldn't actually fly he had to utilize his power to send him skyward each time he needed it. Flight would be a power he was going to market to whoever actually decided what powers would be useful to them, a powerpoint presentation with charts and graphs.

                              Vance let out a powerful burst of lightning from his hands, Kaito pulsing energy from his own hands to dodge the attack and push him forward into Vance, slamming into his enemy and the two tumbling to the ground where they rolled, Vance kicking Kaito off of him, Kaito tumbling to a stop. He was tired, very tired, both of the fighters were definitely at the point of near exhaustion from using so much power, power Kaito had never been able to use before, but he had to keep going, he had to kill Vance to end this, even though he said no one else would die tonight one man had to to end it all. "Look at all this destruction, this chaos, is this the world you wanted to save? You're destroying it." "I will save this world, this is my duty and I'll do it with my last dying breath." Kaito's hair was matted down, his face coated in dust and dirt that clung to his face, his clothes were ripped and torn, dirtied by all the fighting. Vance looked no better for the wear and the two showed the signs of their fierce battle on them. Everyone was out of commission except for these two fighters: Daxter was tending to a badly injured Ember, Nill was helping Noah who couldn't fight anymore if he wanted to, Mizu wasn't fighting against Vance unless she was given Umiko, and Umiko didn't know what powers she had - if any - that would help her fight. Kaito was the only one who could do this right now, and Vance was determined to finish them all off...except him.

                              "Don't you see what's going to happen? Even if we continue to fight to exhaustion everyone will still die. I will recover and I will come back, stronger than ever. How many times will you use your God power to save them? Eventually, no matter how hard you try someone will fall." Kaito panted, Vance doing the same thing in their exhaustion, "I will bring them back every time like I did with those children. My power is ultimate, I will never stop delaying their death as long as it's by your hands." Vance stood up as tall as he could, his various wounds making it difficult, "we can end this, right now, and you'll get exactly what you want. No one else will die. Ever." Kaito raised an eyebrow, his stomach was hurting and he had cuts and bruises along his arms, but he stood up tall as he could to match Vance, intrigued by his comment. "I give you my word that not only will no one here die tonight, but I will not attempt to harm any of them ever again. I will let Ember free, Daxter will never contend with me again, Nill can live peacefully in holy matrimony with Noah for eternity, I'll even make sure Umiko is safe from Mizu for as long as you desire it. I know I'll never have your power, not as long as it is safely protected by your precious Time Stream, but I can use your power through you, and to have what you want the only thing you have to do is become my second-in-command, do so and no one will be hurt or killed by my hands. No more looming threat of my power over their heads. It's the only way any of us will get what we want tonight."

                              Kaito stared at Vance unable to believe what he was asking of him, to become his second-in-command, his right hand, his lieutenant? Kaito would have to give up so many freedoms and liberties working for Vance, but it was for the good of all of his friends, the entire world. Vance would leave them alone and they wouldn't worry about him anymore, and it wasn't like this would be the first time he'd worked for evil. In other world, another life, Kaito had been a powerful soldier for a private military corporation that had similar goals and aspirations as the DOGS: the eradication of the super powers of the world. Working for Vance was no different than working for the Tactical Neutralization Team in the other universe, this was not something he was opposed to, but still he would be betraying his friends, and that was something he was definitely opposed to. At least when he became a soldier hunting down the superhumans that was before he'd been friends with anyone, he was a loner at the time and it made it easy, and he never actually killed anyone, just helped them hide and faked a lot of deaths. But how would anyone react to that? If he agreed to helping out Vance for their sake...would they understand?

                              The Time Lord looked over to Mizu, as if to gauge her response on how his life would become if he agreed, looking to Vance as he weighed the options. Then he spoke up, the entire team within earshot as the two talked, listening to what Vance's offer was, "how can you promise Umiko will be safe?" Vance looked over to Mizu and nodded to her, "you will be a good girl for me, won't you?" He asked, giving her a fanged smirk. Mizu gave a heavy hmph, "one of these days I will have what I want, no matter who protects her." Vance's grin faded, "not the answer I was looking for." Vance raised his hand and a bolt of lightning shot out into Mizu's skull, the lightning boring through until the lightning strike passed through her head and dissipated, the lifeless Mizu crumpling to the ground. Kaito snapped his head towards Vance in anger. "I give you my word no one will harm Umiko. Not now, anyway." Kaito clenched his fists together, looking away with closed eyes as he felt his failure in saving Mizu's life, looking to Vance coldly. "Come with me, Kaito, your friends will be safe and no one else will die tonight. Do you really think I will leave peacefully otherwise? Noah is badly hurt and is one hit away from death by my hands, same for Ember. Umiko is defenseless, and we all know how much I want Nill for myself. But I am offering them amnesty, protection, I walk away with you and they can recover, they can be free from me for the rest of their lives."

                              Kaito's eyes softened as he looked to the rest of his friends, Nill and Noah now on the ground with the rest of them as Noah was only standing with Nill's help, Ember was still on the ground though conscious with Daxter still by her side, Umiko standing speechless by Mizu's dead body, and the ground around them scarred with battle. Everything was a mess and a disaster, but there had to be a better way, wasn't there? Kaito looked at Vance, realizing his answer, "I come with you and everyone standing here tonight is safe and you won't attempt to hurt any of them?" "You have my word that everyone still standing in this area is free from my tyranny for the rest of their lives. I won't attempt to harm any of them anymore, as long as you remain my second-in-command and do as I request." "What you ask of me can't go against the laws of time." "Of course, I won't make you do anything that would be against your code of conduct. So what do you say?"

                              The Time Lord approached Umiko and Mizu's body, kneeling down to Mizu and closing her eyes for her, whispering softly, "tu es liber. Requiescant in pace." Latin, an old language, he was telling Mizu's spirit she was free and to rest in peace. Standing up, Kaito let time energy flow through Mizu and disintegrate her body. He looked over to Umiko who clung to him tightly, "I'm going with you!" "No!" Kaito snapped, pulling away from her and shaking his head, "I won't let you, no matter how much you want it. You'll stay with the group no matter what happens." Kaito turned his back on her, approaching Vance as Umiko began approach him regardless, hearing her footsteps. Kaito turned quickly and let time energy flow between them, staring at her between the veil. "I told you to stay back, you will obey me." Cold, cruel, heartless, not without necessity but definitely without desire to do so. Umiko could feel the chill coming from Kaito, she looked hurt as he spoke so cruelly to her, but it was for her own good. No matter what came from Vance she couldn't be part of it. "Now you will stay with the team no matter what happens, nothing you do should even attempt to locate me. It's over, whatever we had between us...it has to be over." Kaito turned his back on her and approached Vance, staring to him, "let's go." Vance smiled a fanged smile as he nodded, standing next to Kaito.

                              "I have given Kaito my word that I will not attempt to harm any of you anymore, not so long as he is on my side. Attempt to locate us, or if you find us, and my word is void and you will be killed. Farewell, Team Defiance." Vance and Kaito vanished from the Cherry Blossom Festival, leaving the group hurt and broken. Kaito was gone, he severed any potential relationship with Umiko, and the team may never trust him again. Noah didn't know what to say about Kaito's decision, Daxter was staying quiet as he held Ember in his lap until she was feeling better enough to walk, and Umiko no doubt was crushed by Kaito's last act of cruelty. They would have to recover from what they've been through tonight, any chance of a happy vacation in Tokyo was now a distant thought. Perhaps it was time to head home.

BIoodbane's Fav

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                      A test of time, Ember. If you really care for something, you're going to learn how long to hold onto it, and when to let it go. Ember's eyes narrowed for Daxter as she extended her arm towards him. He looked back at her, reassured by her confident gaze that she was and would always be able to catch him. I can do this, she told the voice in her head, but then suddenly the sky roared like never before. Ember had given a hesitance that ended up being the very split second she would put her life at stake. Vance never missed a beat with this sort of thing, as he snapped his finger and was able to strike Ember with the heart of a lightening bolt. She widened her eyes, feeling more pain in the timespan of just a few short seconds than she ever had. Her god power began to haywire with the lightening that hit her body, then causing metal shards to fall to the earth like rain as her body naturally tried to defend itself against this massive power, but it short circuited every one of her bodily functions, her mind blanking out and her heart stopping. Her vision was out like a light though her eyes remained open, and her skin was ignited beyond the temperature of her own flames. Her form stayed, but her God Power was disabled. All of her self-healing and all of her powers went out with her conscious as she then fell victim to Valor's gravitational pull on her body.

                      While in her unconscious state, she could envision a golden blaze in her dreams... that was slowly morphing into a tint of blue. It was enchanting to watch, until the shadows of bodies rose up. It wasn't zombies... but people she knew. They were all still in the process of dying by her gentle flame. How come they are crying? asked a younger voice. Her eyes peered down to a younger version of herself looking back at her with the spring green irises. Why do they cry? This is my love. Ember herself looked up and could see that this was her heart. Few people she treasured, knew, or even remotely cared about were melting in standing position. Some melted as far up as their waists, and would start crawling. They didn't move. Ember gazed at the fire and furrowed her brows. What kind of nightmare is this? The younger girl started crying and wiping away her tears as she hiccuped, I burnt them. I burnt them all with my love. Her eyes widened.

                      Mars struggled in the ground as tears filled his eyes. He scratched and dug his nails into the ground while trying to escape the puddle of fire he was melting into. His torso tossed over the dirt filled with his sweat and blood made Ember turn away from her younger self to witness the black hair boy struggle. You... he said in an angry tone filled with tears in his throat and passion. I should have never trusted you! He shouted at Ember, making her freeze in place as she watched him hate her. She walked up to him anyway, feeling his gravitational power push her against the dirt hard and try to crush her. Ember crawled to him, reaching a hand out for him to take. Mars!!! She shouted but suddenly felt his hand slap hers away roughly. Don't ******** touch me Ember! She looked at him, her eyes filled to the brim with grief. My best friend betrayed me to my own family. My whole family, school, everything... hated me! But you? You knew me and still left me to die! I ******** hate you! His eyes sunk as his hand lost the energy of hatred fueled anger and dropped dead to the ground. Ember could feel the weight of his gravitational power give out, but not the weight in her heart.

                      She stood back up and walked over to her younger self, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her, Stop! You don't have to do this anymore! The younger version of herself looked back up to her with tears falling from both eyes. Ember wanted to wipe away those tears, but her younger self rose her hands and shielded her face from being touched. Don't touch me! You'll burn too! I know it! She swallowed her breath as her younger self was in turmoil, but a pair of hands were seen patting down on the young girl. Ember widened her eyes when the blaze of the fires came over to the two and revealed Zack hugging the girl from behind. Young Ember's cheeks were flushed, her runny nose and tears evident as she struggled. It's okay, he said as he held on her shoulders. Ember stepped back as she looked at the young version of herself form into her nineteen year old self. She hugged Zack intimately and clung to him tightly as she started crying into his sleeve. I love you, she told him over and over while he was her support. However, Ember watching this scene unfold between her past self and the death-filled surroundings seemed too surreal. It was as if Zack found her in a moment of torment, and was recovering her from it all. A guilt sank into her as she watched Zack kiss her former self softly. Tears built up in her own eyes as she squinted them shut.

                      The kiss that her former nineteen year old self sealed a fate of turmoil and regret when she pulled back from Zack who was starting to burn. Ember watched Zack stare at her younger version is utter shock as his boy starting to glow with Chroma energy. She screamed, W-What's going on? Zack?! She was scared as she tried to reach out and touch Zack, to try and heal him, but was sent back in a blaze of her own fire mixed with Chroma energy. Zack cried from one eye while the other glowed with the same color of the Chroma energy. I'm sorry. He rose a hand up to Ember, as if being controlled like a puppet on strings. The young version of herself stared at Zack, horrified of what the DOGS had turned him into and Ember started to sob. NOOO! she screamed at the top of her lungs when the Chroma energy fused with her fires to cause more destruction. Zack looked like he wanted to hold Ember and keep her safe, but the mechanics inside of his that was the generator of his power dissolved his ambitions and kept him working against his will. The young nineteen year old version of Ember sparked a black and orange fire from her hands, standing up and looking at Zack from a distance with tears marring her face. Ember stood back in shock. No. Not this again. No... Ember kept her hands over her ears as she couldn't block out the sound of her younger self crying when she launched herself into the air. She cried harder than she ever had when seeing her younger version cry the same, stabbing Zack in the heart and continuing to tear him apart. The DOGS had modified a safe-switch in Zack to act this way.

                      He was going to kill her against her will. She had to protect herself. But it was wrong! He was still human! She took his life away. Ember watched her nineteen year old self transform into who she was currently, seeing a black figure walk up to her and kick the orange flames to the side. Ember narrowed her eyes, falling to her knees in grief. Who-- she asked herself shortly as she moved her eyes to see the shadow that was casted over her form. Her and the image she had seen as herself merged into the same, and now she was living the illusion instead of seeing it from the side. A relapse of memories... all filled with pain. What could come next? She looked from the shadow up the figure's appearance until she saw him. You... she growled instinctively as she stood up again. Even with as weak as she was from viewing the betrayal of those she had done wrong in the past, she could still try to do the right thing. I didn't do this to you, Ember, she said as she was about to accuse him of messing with her dreams. How long have you had this recurring nightmare? It's been since the beginning. Then your nightmare expanded. Each time you went after something horrific and devastating with another, your dream recorded it. It's like a secret passage in the back of your mind that you relive your sins. It's a false sanctuary... Ember was shocked, his words putting her thoughts and feelings out in the open. Even as clearly right as he was, she growled, You are not a sin of mine.... Oh yes. I am. Vance smiled small.

                      Meanwhile Daxter grabbed her burnt hand and held it gently, looking down at her with soft, sad eyes. "Ember? Speak to me, say something." There was no telling how long it was going to take for Ember to wake, but even in her unconscious and with everything coming to a complete standstill, her hand gripped him slightly. Her heartbeat was revived, but even in his arms, alive, she was living a new kind of pain in the confines of her mind. One that Daxter could only be a physical company of, while she was having to suffer the trials of her sins alone. Nill had seen what happened to Ember, only imagining the kind of pain that she was in but she had to do something. She could have turned around, going back to heal Ember and try to make sure she was okay, but the only way to truly stop the pain was to stop the creator or cause of it. It seemed nobody sensed her presence, as far as she could tell, but she listened as she slowly approached. Nill watched as Noah's face was grabbed, her pace becoming faster at the alert feeling she had from Vance's actions. "Let's see if you can ever see your angel after I'm done with you," Nill successfully stabbed Vance's shoulder, trying to have aimed for a far more damaging place with her light powers, but missed and watched as the beast of a man turned around, pinned her down, surrounded them in fire and soon had her from the confident form of trying to get him off of Noah to the merciful look of wishing to escape his grasp. She screamed in terror, a sheer part of the enjoyment Vance would be getting from putting Nill on her back and having her cry for mercy.

                      "Time to pay the price of leaving your cage, Nill Kesuk," He stabbed her shoulder, feeling the same scenario of her past, having relived it with Kaito, appearing once more. N-No... she begged in the back of her mind while laying on bent wings for Vance to do his worst. "If anyone was so lucky to have you wielding the light, it's me, Nill." Then she widened her eyes at the appearance of Noah having come back and through the fire to stab Vance in the back of his neck. While it may have been protected by his dragon scales, she alone could see him looking down at her with a little fear in his eyes, causing her heart to accelerate at the very thought of Noah having partially scared Vance. "you ever ******** touch my fiancé again I'll slit your throat." Vance pushed backwards and hit Noah in the stomach with his steel wings, knocking him a few steps backwards. Vance reached to his neck and grabbed the dagger, pulling it out of his neck and grunting as blood trickled down his shoulders. Vance backhanded Noah hard enough he flew out from the ring of blue fire, Vance looked back at Nill and grinning, admittedly in a wince of pain, "I'll be back, I'm going to make you a widow before you even get married." He walked through the fire as he approached Noah who pulled out two more daggers from specialized pouches in his belt, holding them in preparation for Vance. "Temper, Defiance, people get sloppy when they're angry." Nill quickly sat up, healing her injuries and then taking off her top and using her light magic to re-fabricate a new top, one that would cover her up and then made haste to get out of the blue ring of fire.

                      MEANWHILE...

                      Meanwhile, Mizu was fighting against Kaito and Umiko. Mizu was having difficulty facing Kaito in his Time Lord power, but she was doing her best to keep herself at the top of her game, using whatever tricks and monsters she could summon. She was an excellent magic user, and wasn't about to give in to some simple time manipulation. After all, she had always found a way around time... That's right. I've always found a way to cheat time. Just because I stand in front of some mere Time Lord won't mean that my time has come. It's simply beginning. Kaito dodged through the ice-spiked water and grabbed Mizu by her arm and twisted behind her back, pushing her onto her knees as his time sword's point pricked her in the back of the neck. "It's over, give yourself up and no one else has to get hurt. You really think Vance will come save you anymore? He would have let you die." "Vance does what is necessary." "Do you really think your death is necessary? It doesn't have to be like this, help us defeat Vance, you'll be forgiven. No more death, no one else has to die. Please, this is the best way." "What makes you think your precious Umiko will be safe from me, even if I did join your team? She's a mistake that needs to be erased, give her to me and I'll help you with Vance." Mizu knew that deep down, even having offered a way to kill off Vance and save this world, that he wasn't going to give up Umiko. It was worth the try, but having seen him search the ocean floor for her? Nearly dying for her and going against the forces of nature to rescue her? Of course.. she could see the motivations behind his determinations to put her down, not permanently, and keep a conduct. But the real world was not a fairy tale, even with the obvious presence of a witch.

                      "I can't let you have Umiko, you know that, she's not yours to command." "I created her, I will destroy her. I know secrets about Vance that will make your head explode, I know ways to get to him you couldn't imagine. With my help you can defeat him, no question about it. But without me? Just look around you, Ember is down, Daxter is useless, and who knows how dead Nill and Noah are about to be. The only way I help you is with Umiko back in my possession. There is no deal that ends with us both getting what we want." She was relentless to get her hands on what was rightfully hers. It's funny... that she was mine from the beginning and I was caught up elsewhere. That the few hours of him getting to her before me... made me lose my chance. Not now. He's going to give her to me in one form or another, It's her destiny to become mine, and then I continue on doing what I was destined to do for myself. Umiko glanced nervously at the fight between the two, holding her own and trying to stay out of the way from being harmed by Mizu's vicious monsters that were seeking to captivate her. She looked out in a worried expression to Kaito who was trying hard to do what was necessary, but Umiko couldn't help but overhear the things that Mizu had told him. Even with a life lived short, she could see that Vance was untouchable. He didn't have a team to attack. His foundation was both hypnotized and rock steady. This world was becoming his vessel and he could do anything he wanted to. There was no force in the world that he couldn't outweigh, and he could be God of this planet if he truly willed so.

                      Umiko looked as the battle between the two continued to rage on to such extremes that even Kaito's expression held a concern over what to think and do. She studied him carefully. She didn't want to live in a world where they might be hunted everyday. She wanted to ensure that he and the rest of their friends could live. She looked to Mizu... knowing it was indeed her purpose to fulfill. Maybe it's not what Kaito wanted due to his code of conduct, and maybe they were just hanging onto the belief that nobody innocent had to die, but that would change if she was willing to, right? Instead of being pursued and keeping Kaito in constant danger, maybe she could protect him for a change. She gazed down at the ground, staring at her own feet and then feeling herself becoming heavy. I've only been alive this long, but is this what it's going to be like... for me... forever? I'll just be standing here... being rescued all the time and living what might be a short remainder of my life in the fears that one day Mizu will have her way and take me back for her own purposes. I don't... I don't even know what love really is. I care about Kaito, but I haven't gotten to experience it whole-heartily. When I was born, a voice told me I was supposed to define true love... but is this... she looked at the mud, puddles and splashes of blood on the ground and her clothes. The clashing between Kaito and Mizu continuing in screams of anger. ...is this what love is? For me to stand here and watch him suffer... to pull through these hardships for me? What do I do for him... and for the world... without risking my own life?

                      Watching the fight unravel, and just a short moment's time.. Umiko looked sorrowfully at the two and stepped forward. "It's okay," Umiko said softly as she approached Mizu, realizing that for the greater good she would be giving up her life, her freedoms, and her future. Kaito turned his head to look as Umiko began to approach them. She was surprised that her small steps of coming into the battle had halted all the action between the two forces clashing, and then looked at him. "I...I don't have much of a life to go back to, I have a few weeks of memories but that's all I have. Vance will continue...he will hurt so many people and I don't want that." Umiko had found some end-of-life hidden strength that she could use to speak her mind and let Kaito know that everything would be okay as she approached him, putting a hand on his cheek, the redness rushing to her face as she stared into the pool of teal eyes that opened a window into the depths of his beautiful soul. She touched his face with her hand, the warmth she could feel penetrating into her very core. "T...There are so many people with lives longer than my own, people who...deserve a real future with the people they love. Ember...and Daxter, Noah and Nill, so many millions of people who have a long time ahead of them. But me? I'm just...an ocean child, I don't have years of memories to look at and smile from, and I don't have years ahead of me to hope for. This is my purpose, Kaito, to die so that others may live." Kaito shook his head as Umiko stared at him with a sadness that could never be matched by another living person, knowing she would be walking away from him but so that he could continue on.

                      She couldn't help as the redness struck her cheeks painfully to wince. On the inside she was begging to run away with him. To be cowardice and take her to another world. To escape this disaster and leave it all behind. Her heart was trying to break free from her chest, feeling it beating with more fear and anguish than she had ever felt before. It was hard to believe that Nill could do this so easily, but it was so hard for her. Both women didn't have much of a past... but Umiko was not an angel. She wasn't created in a lab, but purely out of magic. She couldn't begin to comprehend how one could handle this so easily. The other side of herself wanted to clutch onto Kaito and to escape this mess of a planet, but she knew it was wrong. It was definitely wrong to feel that way. She wanted to hug, kiss and hold him. He was the most important thing in her life, and she didn't want to be without him. Mizu grinned to herself as Umiko was giving her life away for these people, finding it admirable but stupid. "You gave me a name, you gave me a purpose, but now...now I have to find my own purpose. Kaito...thank you for giving me such a beautiful life...but...but I will...give myself to Mizu...so that you can beat Vance and save everyone. You have to save everyone. Someone else would just get it wrong." She looked at Kaito, having made a choice for the both of them and smiled gently. With Umiko's last moments to share between the two of them, she leaned in with all the bravery and strength she could spare and kissed him quickly, if she didn't she'd never get another chance to do it. As she leaned forward so did he, their lips touching in a soft moment of tender love. Having him press back against her lips sent a wave that rocked her soul painfully to the very core.

                      Mizu took her steps back and looked to Umiko. Come.. she whispered with haste in the back of her mind. Her skin showing the scales starting to peel from under her flesh. I don't have all day.. she thought, covering her hand up and then seeing Umiko's approach. "In every life a person lives there is a fate they hold, their fate may be to die, their might may be to stop something, their fate may be to change the lives of someone else or to learn something they may pass on to others. For me, I may live another few thousand years traveling from world to world, stopping events that would lead to Time's collapse. In my first thousand years I learned everything I needed to about protecting the Time Stream, how to act, what to do, how to use my powers to the best of my potential. In all my years I've never met a single person who wasn't important, and all of them I've met I've had to keep my distance from because a Protector of Time was not someone who could do their job properly while involved with someone else. There have been a few instances I've made friends, and a few instances those friends had to die. Everyone I've killed has been necessary, and that is my fate. I have to let people die, or kill people personally so that the Time Stream is protected, safe, and continues on. There are worlds I will never go back to unless forced because of decisions I've made, Valor is not a world I want to leave behind while living with my mistakes. Umiko, you are a remarkable woman whose strength has no limits. You don't deserve to live a life so short, there are years to experience, things to try, and people to love. If not me, then others you can get close to and live for. What I'm saying is...I can't let you die."

                      Umiko smiled with tears in her eyes, but shook her head as she stepped closer to Mizu and made the decision for the both of them. She knew that Kaito didn't want her to die and that he couldn't let her.. but this was her choice. She wasn't going to sit by and question her own purpose anymore. She was giving herself the choice she believed would fulfill her purpose in life. However... as Umiko walked up to Mizu slowly, trying to show Kaito that it was okay... silently and slowly her expression began to show itself for the raw emotions of the fear of death. Her sadness. Her turmoil. It's not okay... Umiko was beginning to cry, trying to be as silent about it as possible. She could cry an ocean of tears, given the time and ability to do so. She felt her warm tears start to pool along the bottom of her eyes as she replied to Kaito, "I'm going to miss you, Kaito. I know...I...I know you'll save the world, all of the worlds...because...that...that is what you do." Umiko's tears began to flow from her eyes, streaming down her face as she stared to Mizu in a moment of pure sadness, unable to hold her tears back any longer. She looked up at her 'mother' and felt the life given to her already start to be sucked away from her. Before Mizu could do anything for that moment, she looked to Kaito as he spoke up, "Can you live with yourself, Mizu? The things you force people to do, the lives you ruin? Do you deserve to live with the kind of unjust cruelty you place upon the world?" Kaito stared at Mizu with a look of sadness mixed with anger, she smiled gently as she nodded.

                      "Nobody here is a saint, Time Lord, we all do things that are terrible in their own right. Your goal is to protect the Time Stream no matter who gets in the way or who gets hurt. Umiko's purpose is my own design. Daxter is a murderer, Ember is no different. Noah's life was dedicated to hurting the DOGS no matter how innocent the soldiers themselves were. Nill is a monster. We're all terrible people, but when I'm done with Umiko I'll be back to help you get rid of Vance. At least you have that." Kaito looked down to the ground, "you're right about one thing...we all do do things that are terrible." Umiko paused her tears falling and looked to Kaito whose eyes turned to white with a powerful glow behind them. "W-What are you doing!?" Mizu asked as the time energy formed a barrier around them, forcing her to remain within it as she found herself unable to leave it, no matter what method of power she tried. Umiko stared at Kaito as the power began to focus itself around him, swirling around his body, unable to believe what was happening or even why. "I'm ending this. I'm ending everything." Umiko and Mizu both looked to Kaito with a wondering gaze on what he was about to do, only imagining that whatever came next would be something to change the course of everyone's actions. Forever. W-What is he doing... Kaito no... she thought in the still belief that he was going to do something that, without her sacrifice, might end terribly. You don't have to fight for me anymore. You can protect them planet... Why do you go so far...

                      MEANWHILE

                      Nill watched as the arena was coming to life with fight between Vance and Noah. Both men moving at incredible pace, but seeing Noah's fuzzed out vision. Vance was sure that he had at least impaired the vision of Noatak, and while trying to figure out just how Noah was holding his own, sent multiple lightening strikes at the young man. Noah barely managed to avoid the lightning strikes from above as he could feel the static in the air from the forming strikes, rolling to avoid them in different directions to keep Vance from guessing his next movement. Vance was getting worn of the silly game of hit and run. It was just a matter of time before Noah would fall fate to Vance's power, but admittedly Vance was slightly becoming more tired of this fight as it dragged on. Noah had attempted to stab his steel wings in the middle, failing and then feeling the young hero leap backwards and pulling the daggers out as he recovered. He had landed a lightening strike on Noah, not as powerful as the one that hit Ember but powerful enough that Noah was forced out of the fight to lay in pain. Vance grabbed Noah by the neck and squeezed tightly, draining the life out of him. "This is the way the world ends, not with a bang but a whimper." I'll get rid of this pest once and for all... finally... Vance began to hum to himself as he was sure to break the neck of Noatak Kesuk for good. It would be quick, painful, and flawless.

                      Noah grabbed Vance's cheeks and pressed his thumbs into his eyes, surprising Vance that Noah was fighting dirty in the struggle for his life.. but it wasn't actually too shocking. In fact, Vance could see that Noah was madly driven over Nill and how he'd hurt her. What's more, he was doing whatever he could to try and save his life. It was pitiful that the hero wouldn't accept his fate as he roared, twisting his head away to avoid Noah scratching his eyes out. Vance kicked his knee into Noah's stomach twice, but Noah didn't relent on gouging out his eyes. "The more you struggle the worse it'll get for Nill! I'll make her mine do you understand me?! I'll will no longer play nice I will tie her down and I will take her, she will know what it is like to be considered subhuman!! She will be a thing only used for my enjoyment, Noah, I will ******** her as she cries out your name!!" "You lay a hand on my angel and I will find you and I will make your worst nightmares come to life, Vance. Your entire life will be used solely for the twisted desires you let out of me. I will take a page from Daxter's book and I will become the kind of dark-hearted cruelty you could only HOPE to achieve in your lifetime." Vance's grip had loosened significantly on Noah's neck, but was able to move one away to knock the wind out of Noah, "It's over." Nill cried as she could barely see the fight from behind the flames, but enough to know that whatever was happening was too much.

                      "THIS IS FAR FROM OVER!" White light of time energy shot out from underneath the arena between Noah and Vance, the pain of the energy slicing into his arm that forced him to release Noah and step back. The powerful flame that sealed Nill away from the fight was extinguished, amazing itself but finally freed the angel to go to the immediate aid of, "Noah!" Vance snarled in the direction of Kaito and watched him speak, "No more, NO MORE!! No one else dies because of you, I won't allow it!!" Vance was impressed with how Kaito was able to move so fast, both of them landing attacks blow-for-blow in a clash of full strength and power that shockwaved through the arena and back to Valor. Their powerful attacks were so trembling that old shrines collapsed by their tremor, and the citizens in this region couldn't ignore such a display of power. Electric cords that ran into the city fell, and the foundation was rocked like mad in ripples that went of the surfaces and stretched out across Japan like earthquakes. Nill looked back, holding Noah cautiously and tightly against her chest as she looked at the men. Umiko looked up to Kaito, seeing all this power and holding a hand up to her chest as Mizu spoke, "You can end this you know." Umiko looked back to the witch and saw the hand outstretched towards her. "Once Kaito sees you gone, this chaos can stop. I will jump into that fight without fail, and I will bring down Vance. Come, compass..." she spoke gently as she gazed at Umiko. Umiko looked down to her hand, and was already standing close to her, but drew back slightly. Had she taken her hand at that exact moment, would everything have changed?

                      PART TWO BELOW

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                            ___Eventually and shortly after the offer, Vance having collapsed through the arena and fighting Kaito, the young man skidded and rolled to a stop near Mizu and Umiko, catching his footing and using time to stop himself from moving backward, the pulse of energy kicking up dirt behind him. "Kaito!" He looked to Umiko with a faint smile on his face, "I told you I would do this." "You are so stupid." "No one else will die do you hear me? Not Umiko, not even you." "What makes you want to save me?" Mizu scoffed, crossing her arms, finding this "hero" act nothing but an idiotic farce. "Because everyone deserves the change to do the right thing. Now stand back." Kaito pushed back into the fight with Vance, then seeing Vance send more strikes of lightening from his hands.

                            Mizu looked at Umiko, stepping in front of her and crossing her arms. "I'm not going to be subject to waiting any longer, you have to come with me Umiko. One of these two men fighting are going to die tonight, and I know for a fact it won't be Vance. He has ways around this that even you wouldn't believe. You just need to accept the fact that your Time Lord can no longer hold his own, and we need to do this. Don't you see? This world is a balance of good and evil. The evil is outweighing the good. I'm not always evil, and I'm not always good. I've done a number of mistakes in my lifetime, and you are one of them. I should have relied on other methods to to take my chances on the activation of a curse to release my power... but we can change that. Come with me, Umiko, and you'll never have to suffer like this again." Umiko looked at Kaito fighting Vance as the enemy shouted, "Look at all this destruction, this chaos, is this the world you wanted to save? You're destroying it." "I will save this world, this is my duty and I'll do it with my last dying breath." She looked sadly between the two and then gazed back at Mizu who narrowed her eyes. "Kaito is right. We can still have the chance to do the right thing. So please allow me to undo my mistake made from so many years ago... and come."

                            "Don't you see what's going to happen? Even if we continue to fight to exhaustion everyone will still die. I will recover and I will come back, stronger than ever. How many times will you use your God power to save them? Eventually, no matter how hard you try someone will fall." Kaito panted, Vance doing the same thing in their exhaustion, "I will bring them back every time like I did with those children. My power is ultimate, I will never stop delaying their death as long as it's by your hands." Vance stood up as tall as he could, his various wounds making it difficult, "we can end this, right now, and you'll get exactly what you want. No one else will die. Ever." Vance had made a powerful suggestion that he could see a better reaction coming from Kaito. "I give you my word that not only will no one here die tonight, but I will not attempt to harm any of them ever again. I will let Ember free, Daxter will never contend with me again, Nill can live peacefully in holy matrimony with Noah for eternity, I'll even make sure Umiko is safe from Mizu for as long as you desire it. I know I'll never have your power, not as long as it is safely protected by your precious Time Stream, but I can use your power through you, and to have what you want the only thing you have to do is become my second-in-command, do so and no one will be hurt or killed by my hands. No more looming threat of my power over their heads. It's the only way any of us will get what we want tonight."

                            Vance looked to his now potential ally and watched as he turned to face Mizu, looking for a response for how his life would transform. Nill was rather struck with surprise when she heard the question Kaito asked Vance, "how can you promise Umiko will be safe?" Umiko looked to Mizu who was facing her, but Mizu was then spoken to by Vance. He replied, "you will be a good girl for me, won't you?" He asked, giving her a fanged smirk. Mizu gave a heavy hmph. She knew what this could mean for her, and looked at Vance, wiping the dirt under her heel with determination, "one of these days I will have what I want, no matter who protects her." Vance's grin faded, "not the answer I was looking for." Vance raised his hand and a bolt of lightning shot out into Mizu's skull, the lightning boring through until the lightning strike passed through her head and dissipated, the lifeless Mizu crumpling to the ground. Kaito snapped his head towards Vance in anger. "I give you my word no one will harm Umiko. Not now, anyway." Kaito clenched his fists together, looking away with closed eyes as he felt his failure in saving Mizu's life, looking to Vance coldly. "Come with me, Kaito, your friends will be safe and no one else will die tonight. Do you really think I will leave peacefully otherwise? Noah is badly hurt and is one hit away from death by my hands, same for Ember. Umiko is defenseless, and we all know how much I want Nill for myself. But I am offering them amnesty, protection, I walk away with you and they can recover, they can be free from me for the rest of their lives."

                            Umiko looked longingly at Kaito to refuse such a request, but she couldn't help but look at the lifeless corpse that once belonged to Mizu and felt the tears fall from her eyes. Even with Mizu having the possibility of taking Umiko and joining their side... all this.. No. It was all gone now. I lost my chance. Nobody here knows Vance well enough to bring him down... and now he's trying to take Kaito. For the sake of all of us? Nill looked with tears also in her eyes, holding the hand of her lover tightly in her own as she wished cruelly that Vance would take what he wanted and leave them alone to recover. She didn't wish to see Kaito go with him, but she nor Daxter could handle the fight now. Not even Kaito would be able to regain enough energy to finish him off, and surely with the Ember and Noah out of commission, their chances of survival were drastically slim. "I come with you and everyone standing here tonight is safe and you won't attempt to hurt any of them?" "You have my word that everyone still standing in this area is free from my tyranny for the rest of their lives. I won't attempt to harm any of them anymore, as long as you remain my second-in-command and do as I request." "What you ask of me can't go against the laws of time." "Of course, I won't make you do anything that would be against your code of conduct. So what do you say?"

                            Umiko felt her heart lift lightly at the hopes that Kaito was stilling willing to go on, that he would do something. Could he indeed reverse the time to bring Mizu back and get her to escape? Maybe he would change everything, but instead the Time Lord approached Mizu's body, kneeling down to Mizu and closing her eyes for her, whispering softly, "tu es liber. Requiescant in pace." Standing up, Kaito let time energy flow through Mizu and disintegrate her body. He looked over to Umiko who clung to him tightly, "I'm going with you!" "No!" Kaito shouted loudly at her and pulled his arm back. Surely... Kaito could be reasoned with. Umiko looked at Kaito as he shook his head, "I won't let you, no matter how much you want it. You'll stay with the group no matter what happens." Umiko widened her eyes in disbelief that Kaito was.. going to leave her. She looked as Kaito turned his back on her, approaching Vance. She felt her heart stay still for the few steps she took forward to instinctively follow him since the first day he took her in. She shuddered when Kaito turned quickly and let time energy flow between them, staring at her between the veil. "I told you to stay back, you will obey me." And she froze. No need for his time power as the hope that held her arms up from her sides dropped back down, as her feet never felt so heavy before. Her heart began to hurt, seeing how cold he was becoming towards her. This isn't how it was supposed to end... not tonight... She started to cry as she looked at him staring back at her with a harshness in his eyes, in his tone. It was ultimately the worst feeling in the world... But it got worse.

                            "Now you will stay with the team no matter what happens, nothing you do should even attempt to locate me. It's over, whatever we had between us...it has to be over." Kaito turned his back on her and approached Vance, staring to him, "let's go." Vance smiled a fanged smile as he nodded, standing next to Kaito. Umiko's lower lip trembled with a sharp inhale, causing her entire throat to seize up as she felt the moisture fall from her eyes down her pale cheeks. Suddenly Umiko's once clear vision that had clarified in continuous disbelief had broken and was clouded with tears. Her misty eyes could only stare at his back for so long until she slowly stepped backwards. She stopped in two steps, his time energy disappearing and Vance looking back, "I have given Kaito my word that I will not attempt to harm any of you anymore, not so long as he is on my side. Attempt to locate us, or if you find us, and my word is void and you will be killed. Farewell, Team Defiance." Umiko listened to the words that escaped Vance's lips, then falling to her knees and wrappings her face up in her arms. She started to cry, worse than she had when she was about to die by the hands of Mizu. Her screams echoed over the team that looked sorrowfully to her, Noah holding himself up as the concerned angel look down at him to make sure his sight and injuries were fine so she could tend to Umiko.

                            Nill quickly made haste to the girl who was crying like she was, having discovered herself to be a monster. "U-Umiko..." Nill spoke but saw Umiko having turned to Nill and shuffling backwards, "N-No. P-Please!" She begged out of the pure want of being alone. "I... I can't..." Nill said as she only wanted to accompany the poor distraught female from her tragic emotions. Nill got to her knees as well, crawling slowly up to Umiko who was curled up in her own ball of sadness. "Please Umiko.. there is still--" "I've failed Nill!" she choked out in her tears, wrapping her arms around her knees and holding them to her chest. "I-If I had j-just taken Mizu's hand.. If I had just gone then THIS w-would NEVER have happened!" Nill felt tears pool in her own eyes from seeing a broken soul and cried, sniffling slightly as she looked at Umiko, "I want to believe h-he did this for you Umiko, Please don't cry--" "I can't control myself right now. I know I'm not alone, but I feel s-so imcomplete. I f-feel like I can't go back to where home was. T-The only home I ever kn-knew was with him and now h-he's gone. I'll never see him aga--" "We won't let that happen, U-Umiko--" "It's what he wants..." Umiko sobbed. Nill reached a hand out but drew it back, standing and looking back to Noah and the rest of them.

                            Ember slowly opened her eyes, having heard what happened towards the end but was finally gaining control of her body back from having been fried. She'd healed herself as fast as she could, Daxter holding her hand as she looked up and smiled weakly. "D-Daxter..." but as she turned her head she too looked to Umiko, unable to move as she reverted from her dragon form back to her original appearance. "Umiko..." Ember spoke up, as if prompting to talk to the female, but she sobbed more quietly, until she was done. They waited for a response, unsure of how to feel with Kaito having joined his side but feeling bad for her none the less. Finally after some time she replied, "...I am... not Umiko..." Ember and the rest of them looked to Umiko, who stood and grabbed a handful of her hair up to her hairline and drawing a metal shard dropped from Ember during the fight. She pulled her hair back and grabbed the shard, trying to avoid cutting her own palm but failing to do so as she cut her hair in one swift slice. She held onto the long locks of her hair, pulling her closed fist down to her side and releasing the dagger out of her hand and dropping it onto the ground. She could feel the wind hitting the back of her neck, cleaning her of anything staying in strands and flying out in front of her as her bangs were still able to shadow the unseen expression of her face.

                            "Kaito gave that name to me... He gave me purpose and a life. He called me a child of the sea... meaning that my name would be Umiko. But I... Without him... I cannot be Umiko anymore. I don't feel like a child of the sea. I feel like a child of despair. Mizu is gone... and she can no longer tell me my intended purpose for my creation or give you any assistance in taking care of Vance. Kaito is gone... a strong enough person that Vance can write us all off his hit list as long as he has this new second-in-command. And me... Well... I don't intend to stand here anymore. I missed the opportunity to fix all this. Nill... I know what you did in the past. Without your sacrifice, this world would be drastically different. I intended to make that same choice like you without ever thinking about being reborn. I believed that my sacrifice would hold its merits... and could have saved you all... but Kaito didn't want me to die." She looked at them all with a miserable expression written on her features, "And never had I felt a pain so cruel that I actually wished I had died up until now." She swallowed slightly, and then lowered her eyes. "So.. now I am... Ianthe." Ianthe was greek for "violet flower" and also was the name of an ocean nymph in legend. She felt the last tear fall from her eye as it trailed down the left side of her cheek, then holding her fist full of hair out before her and feeling a large gust of wind blow, taking her hair from her hand as she released it high enough towards the sky that it all disappeared, turning into light violet petals in the breeze. If I could reach him somehow... she thought as she watched those millions of petals drift away and high into the night sky. He would probably never see these petals, but the last optimistic thought was all that Umiko held as the moon's bright light rays shined through those petals, the somewhat sunken eyes of Umiko looking to the rest of the group.

                            "It's time to go..."

                            TIMESKIP

                            The group had managed to make it back to the hotel, and all resting. Ember collapsed as soon as they had gotten back, no longer managing to keep herself awake. Nill was held in the arms of Noah, tending to his eyesight and fixing all the darkness Vance had tried to put him him, keeping him pure... But they all wondered just how Umiko was doing in the living room. Ember, before having passed out, offered her their bed, Daxter and Ember being on the couch for the night, but Umiko denied all their offers. Firstly, she would be sleeping in a bed for two... and the thought of that alone put her in a more sorry state. As the hours passed into the dead of night, everyone asleep, Umiko had vanished. She was silent as ever, and knew that nobody had followed her. She stood with her short hair being caressed by the winds at the height of standing on the top ledge of the hotel's rooftop. She was dressed in a plain white dress that flapped in the breeze, the lights of Tokyo reflected in her eyes as she she slowing turned around on the ledge, having faced the city for a while. I can't do this anymore, she smiled very gently, the last smile she believed she would feel for a long while as she decided that the failure to take Mizu's hand to prevent this kind of outcome could still be redeemed in her own sorrowful state of mind. To her excuse, the embrace of the winds could have easily pushed her off of the edge, but she knew better. Now Ianthes, she looked up to the moon as she angled her fall, her back horizontal to the ground as she slowly closed her eyes. I'm sorry, she thought, shutting them tightly, without you... I can't be happy.

                            Umiko waited, but the falling motion stopped. She slowly opened her eyes, and saw a blue starry sky, above her. She could hear a rather loud ticking noise, then moving her head slightly to the left and spotting a large clock with the gears slowing turning. The colors of the ocean seemed to shine through this large clock in the sky, having Ianthes rise slowly to sitting up and realizing the ground that she was sitting on was a wet floor. Suddenly she noticed that whatever floor the was, there were no trees, no buildings, no society or earth. Instead there was rain that formed around this large space, causing the infinite floor to puddle water under her feet that neither rose nor fell. "Where am I..." She spoke aloud, seeing and hearing beautiful music playing on a piano nearby. She could see the top of the piano case, and walked along the puddled floor to make her way around and saw, "Mizu..." Mizu kept her eyes closed as she embraced the keys of the piano with her slender fingers, continuing to play out the song called Dearly Beloved. "Am I dead?" she asked the witch, who had paused for a moment to open her eyes and look at Umiko. "Do you feel dead?" Mizu asked as she closed her eyes and continued. The appearance of Mizu morphed into another appearance... One that Umiko had never seen for herself. "This is my true appearance... before you begin asking questions. This is my original body." Umiko widened her eyes slightly at the remark. "Original...?" Mizu scooted on the end of her benchseat and patted it once, obviously demanding that Umiko sit beside her.

                            Umiko looked carefully and walked over to Mizu, sitting and watching her play the piano continuously. "I have only lived the life of immortality by taking over vessels previously belonging to other souls." Umiko seemed surprised, looking over her shoulder to Mizu who spoke up, "But as much as you would like to believe that I am going to hell for such a thing... I'm not. I'm a subject fabricated by magic, and the laws of nature do not apply to me just on Valor. You see, this sanctuary is my resting place. Now... Now it is yours." Umiko looked sorrowfully at the keys she played and remarked, "Then... I am dead." Mizu shook her head. "No. You were saved. As foolish as I believe it was for you to take your own life like that... you magic has activated, and this place is not yours to rest... yet." Umiko blinked slightly, looking back to the witch. "What... What do you mean?" Mizu looked back at her, then speaking, "You are an extension of myself. All of the vessels I have taken over in my lifetime on Valor were basically an on the spot ordeal. I had to override everything about their history, souls and emotions before I could fully wear them. Even Alice was an extension that I took over. When I was finally fitted into her body, I was able to take on that appearance you saw before. It no longer looked like Alice, because her body had succumbed to my magic. And you... You would have been a vessel created solely by me." "So... why didn't you take me?" Umiko asked sharply, Mizu smiling lightly.

                            "Sadly, I placed a curse on a young woman man years ago as tribute to another man. This curse took so much magic to create that I had to set aside the last of my reserved magic to create you. I was tricked into wasting so much damn magic on that girl, I had to wait for the fated kiss on her lips to get back all that stored magic to activate your vessel... to finally create you and having you living. Then... things did not go according to plan. I was to find you after you woke... but Vance kept me at his base. I was unaware that Takashi had kissed Lyn, the woman of my curse, and realized it had been hours since you had been set free. Then as I checked on you... a man of white hair found you. I was damned that somebody had gotten to you before I could... and it would have been a swift and painless process... but that fool. He took you in and gave you a name, when your name should have been Mizu, and you should have been mine." Umiko looked over at Mizu, who seemed angry but only for a short period of time until she saw the witch begin to unwind with the piano. "I used to love the piano. But... My life passed by so quickly that I never got the time to sit down and do this again. It's a sweet release.. and now.. I suppose I have no choice but to let it all go. How about you, Ianthes?" she asked the girl who had renamed herself and grabbed her left hand, dragging it to the piano and making her play."Are you ready to let it all go?"

                            Umiko looked at the piano, playing it with Mizu but slowly as the time progressed throughout the song, Umiko felt tears fall down her face, "N-No. I'm not. I.. I never wanted to." "Then why did you attempt to kill yourself?" "Because I couldn't deal with the heartbreak. I just couldn't imagine a world without him." Mizu kept playing but stood as she the tempo soothed, then standing behind Umiko and making her play the piece with her hands guiding over her. Umiko played, even though never having been taught, but could feel it coming naturally having to exist as an extension of Mizu. "When you woke, you heard a voice telling you to define love, did you not?" Umiko was slightly surprised, but she kept her fingers over the keys and nodded slightly."That was my only wish as the Witch of the Sea. I wanted to know what true love was... and sadly I never found it." She looked down at the piece, following it with Umiko as their hands went rapidly over the keys, "But now... you are the one to carry on my dream. You can find that answer, and choose whether or not you need a vessel to prolong immortality and life." "W-What?" Umiko asked the witch as she was curious what that meant exactly. "Ianthes. Umiko. My child. I am no more, and he was my bittersweet defeat. As much as I want revenge on Vance and what he's done to me, I want you to take my power, and do what is... right." Umiko widened her eyes, almost in disbelief to what she was hearing, but Mizu's fingers slowly pulled away from her own as she watched herself continue to play the song, Dearly Beloved.

                            "Umiko, if I have no given you a purpose, and Kaito's purpose is void for his disappearance, it is time that you stand with the rest of us. I will not allow the extension of myself to be so weak-hearted, now that it holds all the power I did to be able to change things... and more." Umiko looked at the piano sheets, then stopping as she turned on the seat and looked back to Mizu. Mizu began to disappear as she walked away, allowing Umiko to stay in the sanctuary for just a while longer. She looked up to the starry night sky, and then back down to the piano as she felt something in her heart begin to shift, Then it happened to her mind, her body, and then finally her soul. A small orb came from her chest and floated in from of her, showing a violet flower laying on a small puddle of water and then watched the flower bloomed. Magic waves began to swirl around this visible display that was her soul, and felt the energy transcend the orb itself as it rocked Umiko's body with transformation. While her hear stayed short, and most of her appearance stayed the same, a symbol appeared on her chest that glowed a violet color trailing up to her collarbones. She gasped slightly at the feeling of being taken over, and finally pulled her right hand up and reached towards the night sky, sending a blast of energy into that starry landscape and sat, seeing that energy had turned into water and ignited the sky to begin raining. She felt the rainfall on her skin and drench her white dress to cling tightly against her body. She closed her eyes as the water ran down her slender figure, and smiled small. I may finally have a chance to change all of this... and somehow... Just somehow... make it right.

                            The illusion faded into white, and then Umiko laid restfully on the couch, not drenched in water but appearing just as she had after falling from the ledge. A blanket coated the unconscious woman as she mumbled Kaito's name in her sleep, then releasing another tear from her eye before she was out for the rest of the night.

                            sdkfjgnd ⇢☆ ★ ☆ ★)▒███ -::- 「in the.WORLD;︾ of the ＬＯＮＥＬＹ★!! ❛I`M THE F L O W E R BORN IN THE SEA
                            &*(I`VESEEN→THELIGHT— ｛OF THE MOON THAT GAVE PURPOSE TO ME✧｝.SCARED:TO ┊ LOVE■
                            ♛ ▰ ▱ ▰ ▱ 〈i n 0 h e r e 0 w e 0 ╒ a c e 0 o u r ╒ e a r s -- ★00 ☆
                            ↳W__ELCOME⇢to the p.lace of⊱ birth❞ by﹂ＳＬＥＥＰ

                                                    BIRTH BY SLEEP IN THE MOONLIT SEA
                                                    BIRTH BY SLEEP IN THE MOONLIT SEA
                                                    BIRTH BY SLEEP IN THE MOONLIT SEA

                            ▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

Dangerous Lunatic

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                              'My name is Kaito Kojima, that is the name with which I was born, and that is the name with which I will die. I have been alive for long than I care to admit, yet I remember every single day of my life I have lived and every life I've made for myself. I have been a painter, a wielder, a police officer, a storm chaser, a repair technician, a musician, an actor, an advertising executive, an author, a lifeguard, and many more. In my years I have met more people than I can count; I don't remember all of them, in fact many of the names of people I've heard multiple times and met alternate versions of some people throughout different worlds. Despite that, no person I've come across has been unimportant, everyone has a purpose to play and a destiny to reach for.' Kaito sat in the chair underneath the light of the desk lamp illuminating the tattered leather bound book he wrote in, his pencil scribbling his words down on the pages as he wrote his experiences and thoughts for the day in them. On mundane days he often wrote little or nothing at all, knowing not every day could possible be exciting and eventful, but on the other days he'd write it down and detail his experience. On Valor he'd written the days he'd started his job with Golden Sun Advertising, the big meetings he'd had and the ads he'd been able to work on. He wrote the days he met Takashi, the day he told Serene about his true purpose, when he met and joined with Team Defiance, and the day he walked right out of Umiko's life by accepting Vance's offer of joining him as second-in-command. Through over eight-hundred journals he'd written in over the years he wasn't always proud of the things he would write, but he wrote them anyway. In one journal specifically he wrote down his experiences as a Time Mage, what he learned and powers he'd gained, how time worked and various other tidbits that could be vital to anyone with time power. The only Time Mage to do so, the book itself was often considered the Holy Grail of Time Knowledge. Kaito continued underneath the desk lamp as his pencil, forever sharpened, looped and twisted his handwriting into words onto the page.

                              'I have met people that I would consider myself interested in, people whom shine their light upon the world with their radiant glow, brightening an otherwise tragic universe. In Universe-1020, in a city hit with the destructive force of a nuclear explosion, I had met a charming woman named Keeva who, despite the opposition would always volunteer her time at the only standing hospital in the city. Captured by the soldiers I led a rescue mission to save her, along with the father of an ally, our mission was not without a heavy price. Despite my determination, my powers, and Keeva's entire nature she did not survive the rescue, and I was admittedly heartbroken. In another universe similar to U-1020 I had met her doppelganger, the first time I'd met the doppelganger of a woman I'd consider myself even vaguely interested in -- romantically. The pain took time to subside.' Kaito continued writing in the pages of the journal, the pencil scribbling away his life story since the last time he'd sat down.

                              'When I met Umiko I could tell immediately she was special, ignoring the obvious signs of her birth from the ocean, complete amnesia or lack of any formed memories, Umiko was a woman who would be special to someone somewhere. I did not realize she would be special to me. Despite my thousand years scattered across the cosmos I am still a human being with thoughts, feelings, and needs. Umiko had a beautiful length of violet hair, her eyes a lighter shade of similar color. Her innocence in a world of corruption and hate had been refreshing, almost enchanting. I had asked her to be my date for the dinner I'd had with the Team, one of the few times I've been able to say I'd asked someone out on a date that was just for my own pleasure. She was radiant and overtly lovely, I was finding myself more into her as the minutes passed on, despite her silent nature she spoke with her facial expression and, more so, with her eyes. I wanted to know more about her, this entire planet with which Chroma energy intertwines has left the majority of my abilities weakened or non-existent, making searches of a person's history difficult or impossible. I don't sure what made me desire her more: her lack of history or everything else. But the way she wore that dress we had picked out for her, the way she moved, the way her eyes stared to me when nervous, she was gorgeous and I was placed under her spell. I protected her against the Witch of the Sea - Mizu, and I nearly died to do so. I would do so again without hesitation.'

                              Kaito adjusted his chair as he twirled the pencil in his hand, leaning back in the chair and running a hand through his hair, pushing his bangs back, staring to the journal that was filled with writing, symbols, doodles or just random notations. Tonight he had a lot to write about.

                              'I again asked her to be my date, this time for the Cherry Blossom Festival which Daxter McLain and Ember Dusk would also be attending. She accepted my proposal for a date in less than a heartbeat and went out to the festival where we purchased our own set of kimonos. The customs of the nation here were somewhat different than the others worlds I'd been to, and far different from the world I was born. We spent out time playing games, walking the shrines, talking to the locals, feeding the fish, eating the delicacies, lighting a lantern, and having so much fun. The screams in the distance were unmistakeable and I raced into action as soon as I could, Daxter and Vance engaged in battle that took them to a haunted shrine while I remained behind to help direct people to safety. When Noatak arrived I had more time to help the festival-goers escape the chaos and immediately raced off to fight Vance. I don't know what makes him so strong, the Chroma, the darkness, or if my powers are just excessively weak here in comparison, but even the Source Connection - a direct connection to the Time Stream - I could only fight him on equal grounds. Kronos had admitted that the power, noted as Time Lord power, would be on a trial basis and at a fraction of the true power I could hold. Perhaps I am not much stronger than with the Mage power. Regardless, my lack of foresight in battle meant I fought blindly, and Vance was able to get the jump on me. All I could think about was Umiko, fighting for her, keeping her safe. I had made Noatak and Daxter leave to help the women against Mizu, I had wanted to take care of her myself, keep Umiko safe from the Witch, but I knew only I could truly handle Vance.'

                              Kaito leaned back in the chair again as he gathered his thoughts and raised the glass of water to his lips, letting the still ice cold liquid into his mouth and swallowing gently. A memory flashed in his mind of anger, throwing a small glass against the wall as he yelled. Kaito sighed to the memory and continued writing.

                              'I fought for her, Kala help me I fought with all my strength against Vance, then Mizu spoke up in her twisted, manipulative way to tell me she could stop Vance - permanently, as long as I gave her Umiko. I would do no such thing and yet I knew that stopping Vance was my primary reason on Valor, and I could not do it. Umiko, to my surprise, made the decision for the both of us. Am I unfit to be a Protector of Time, then? Is my purpose for these abilities and travels undone by the inability to do the right thing? I had challenged Kronos - the source of my power - to prevent Takashi Kentaro's death, I kept him alive despite the consequences that may occur and I couldn't help but try to do the same for Umiko. To be unchallenged in my decisions is nice, but perhaps I am incapable of making the proper ones. What then, am I doing, letting Umiko make the choice that I knew is the only logical one to make? Then we kissed, it was quick, 3 seconds at best but 3 seconds of bliss. She walked away and I knew I could not let Mizu do to her what I could only assume she wanted: kill the consciousness. Unleashing as much of the full Time Lord power I could I faced Vance alone and held my own, but we were both exhausted. He had told me he would continue trying to kill my friends, unless I came with him. He was right, even without foresight I knew he would, not a moment would pass he wouldn't try. I made the only choice that could be made in such a situation: I accepted his conditions. I became his second-in-command in exchange for the safety of my friends. Umiko would not take no for an answer, she had to come with me. I couldn't allow it, no matter how much pain she'd had in the past what Vance could have her do would be nothing compared to it. I've lived a long time, hundreds of years between various dimensions, but in all of them I have never been purposely cruel. For the first time tonight, on this date in Universe-358, I demanded from Umiko she remain behind, using anger, and told her she would OBEY my command.' Kaito, upon writing the word 'obey' would scribble it on the paper roughly, careful only to not rip the paper. He made it bold, he scratched it on there in a way that would be clearly visible as the first thing to be seen when he opened the page.

                              'I could see the look in her eyes as her heart broke, I remained cold so she could not see mine follow the same action. I went with Vance and tonight I sit in his complex writing my experience. I have been angry before, I have given orders that would mean survival, but I have never demanded something from someone with borderline HATE before.' He did the same with the word 'hate', scribbling it in there in bold capitalized letters, ensuring on that page it would be the first word he saw.

                              'Right now she stands on the rooftop of the hotel overlooking the city, I can see her waiting to fall and I know I have made a mistake. I have driven her to suicide and if she succeeds I don't believe I will be able to live with myself. I have done things that I cannot be proud of, but driving an innocent woman filled with love and light to suicide may be the most atrocious act I've committed. I will save her and then I will leave her once again. How many more times must I destroy her life? Perhaps we'll see.'

                              "So.. now I am... Ianthe." Kaito sat on the slanted wooden rooftop of a haunted shrine that remained standing, overlooking from afar the consequences of his actions, returning back in time from the present to watch with sorrow as the words Umiko had spoken led to her slicing off her lengthy violet hair and changing her name, denouncing her old name of Umiko. Kaito remained stoic as he watched, bottling up his emotions that released slowly in the form of silent tears trailing down his cheeks, slowly one by one they fell to the flattened grass below. A gust of wind picked up as her strands of hair changed into violet flower petals that flew through the air, Kaito wishing he could smile at the sight of the petals. "It's time to go..." Ianthe/Umiko had spoken, to Kaito's utter surprise Noah, as he walked with Nill, only momentarily turned his head in Kaito's direction, staring at where he was sitting, then he vanished.

                              The scene changed into the skyline of Tokyo behind him, Kaito sat on the edge of the building adjacent to the hotel that the group had been staying at, this time in the present as he caught up with the timeline having gone back to see his handiwork, one that he wished he hadn't the curiosity to watch. He saw Ianthe/Umiko standing there until she fell backwards to hit the ground, Kaito standing on the ledge of the building and using his power to propel himself forward into her trajectory, their movements soon to intersect as he watched her falling to the ground below, holding out his arms to catch her until suddenly...she vanished. Kaito oriented himself in midair and caught himself against the building, time energy adhering him to the side of the building between two large pane windows, looking around to see where Umiko may had gone. "How is this possible? Where could she have gone?" She hadn't hit the ground, to his knowledge she wasn't dead, but she was gone from his detection and the world. Kaito realized this was his defeat and let go of the building, vanishing in midair.

                              When he reappeared it was in the street as the moon shined overhead, his hands were in his pockets and snow-white hair fluttered gently in the breeze. Cars drove past him as a bit of light rain started to fall on the ground to form puddles their tires would race through. The rain matted down Kaito's hair while other people brought out umbrellas in preparation for the late-night rain. His teal eyes darted from person-to-person, taking in their facial expressions until he passed a vendor on the sidewalk, imploring people to buy roses for their significant others. Kaito stopped and looked at the collection of roses the guy was selling, beautiful bright red roses with healthy green stems. "Sir! Would you like some roses? You look like a man who needs to recover a mistake." Kaito smiled, pulling out some yen from his pocket and handing it to the man for a single rose, grabbing it to find a thorn p***k his finger. "Oh goodness, I'm so sorry! I thought I had -- " Kaito shook his head, "quite alright. Thank you." Walking away from the vendor, he held the rose in his hand and ran his finger over the soft silky petal.

                              Further outside of the city near the harbor overlooking the sea, Kaito tossed the rose into the water. "I've made a mistake, I don't believe I know how to handle people as well as I thought. I drove Umiko to suicide for what I believed was for her own good. Relationships are...difficult. I need advice on this matter." Turning his back on the sea, he came face-to-face with the spectral entity of Kronos, the demonic-appearing beast giving Kaito a faint fanged grin. "Are you ready to give up your freedom for the guidance of infinite combined years of knowledge? You are not prepared for solidarity." Kaito's eyes turned white as he connected to the Time Stream, looking at Kronos as the glow died down, "no. But I am ready to admit I don't know anything about romance, and I need help." "You have already made a life-changing mistake, what makes you think he could give you the right advice?" Kaito smiled lightly, looking to the ground, "because he's my best friend." Time energy swirled around Kaito as he opened a connection to escape the universe, an implosion of space-time removing Kaito from the timeline, leaving Valor.

                              The implosion of space-time occurred on top of an enormous skyscraper overlooking the view of a similar but foreign world, Kaito leaning over the railing as he inhaled deeply, "New York City, it certainly has been a while. Now then, where are you?" Kaito vanished and reappeared in front of a club, two bouncers standing by the doors as the moon shined across his face. Nodding to the bouncers and showing his ID to them Kaito walked inside of the strip club, the bass booming loudly with lights streaming across the ceiling, walls, and floor. It was crowded this evening, the dancers working the poles expertly as their barely-clothed appearance gave the men and women of the audience something to excite them with. In a plush chair sitting alone was a man with dark hair, Kaito pulling up an armchair and sitting next to him, looking up to the dancer that was grinding the floor as a display of erotica.

                              "So is this what you do now?" Kaito asked his friend, staring up to the woman. "You don't ever want to just watch strangers dance?" He replied with, the two casually watching the dancer as Kaito's friend tossed a series of one dollar bills up onto stage. "You and I have different definitions of dancing." His friend turned his head to look at Kaito with a smirk, Kaito turning to his friend, "business or pleasure, Salem?" In this world that Kaito had gone to for advice sat the doppelganger of Salem Wolf, a different person than he was on Valor. Friendly, heroic, not at all the kind of person to kill Gifted. In this world he was the leader of a group of superhumans, risked his life for them, would die for planet Earth. "Want the truth? I'm enjoying the view, but I'm here most on business. See the big guy with a beard?" Salem nodded his head in the guy's direction, Kaito looking at the target. "Drug smuggling? What does that have to do with superhumans?" Kaito asked, reviewing his past in a way he wasn't able to do in Valor - quickly. "It inhibits superhuman ability." Salem nodded, "bingo. The drug is pumped into the blood and suppresses the majority of superhuman power. I'm only going to watch him, once he's distanced himself from the girls he's paid for I've got a team of non-supers going to capture him, they don't want me taking him on...just in case." Kaito nodded, "I see, so you're working with the government again?" Salem nodded, grabbing the glass of dark colored drink, bringing the soda to his lips, "that's right," he replied, drinking half the glass and setting it back down on the table. "So what brings you back to our world? Business or pleasure?" Kaito slouched in his chair, sighing. "That sounds good. Whose heart did you break, lover boy?" Kaito exhaled with a slight pfft, which caused Salem to turn his head and smirk, "you're kidding, you're actually a heart breaker? What world is this and how can I join you? I need to see that."

                              The man Salem and Kaito were watching started to leave, a quick call and half a dozen government agents closed in to capture him, mission accomplished. Salem stood up from the chair and looked down to his friend, seeing him in a depressive state for the first time in...ever. Grabbing his hand, Salem lifted Kaito into the air and positioned him over his shoulders, "h-hey what are you doing!? I can walk!" "Let's go talk." Salem ability allowed him to open up teleportation portals, which he did along the wall and the two walked through it, appeared on a rooftop overlooking the harbor. Salem carelessly dropped Kaito, not out of maliciousness, then sat down at the edge. Kaito slammed into the rooftop and then stood up, dusting himself off. "What's her name?" Salem asked as Kaito took a seat next to him, staring across the moonlit harbor. Kaito sighed, "Umiko." Salem looked over to Kaito, "that's a unique name, child of the sea?" "Close, but yes." "Huh. So what happened?" Salem asked as he stood up from the ledge and walked into a portal he formed, returning with a couple cold bottles of soda, handing one to Kaito.

                              "Well..." "First, questions. Designation?" "Universe-358." Salem opened up the bottle and took a drink, well aware of Kaito's official career as a time traveler and his exploits. "Neat. Tell me about the world." Rolling his eyes, Kaito went on to describe Valor and how different it was from this Earth, yet how similar it was. He explained Chroma and how different it was from this universe's main source of energy: Cosmic, and a little about the history of it. "You don't think our world's are tied, do you? Valor and Earth, Chroma and Cosmic, DOGS and TNT. Los Angels and Los Angeles, New Vegas and Los Vegas I mean, come on, too many similarities." Kaito shook his head, "I don't believe so, lots of worlds seem modeled after an Earth. Perhaps not this one, but one of them. Can we get back to my problem?" Salem, in mid-drink, nodded, swallowing his liquid, "right, sorry. So, Umiko, tell me about her."

                              Kaito looked down over the ledge, staring to the illuminated streets below, "where to begin? She came from the ocean -- " "-- the ocean? That is wicked." "Right. Well I found her the night she washed up on the beach, without any memories before then. I took her back to my apartment and -- " "You didn't...you know?" "No, Salem, do you really think I would?" "Well no, but I had to ask." "Alright then, will you let me finish? We spent the next few weeks together, I took her shopping, taught her what she didn't know, I don't think we had a single hour apart. It was nice, the companionship, I'm usually alone during my missions." "That brings up a question: how are you back here? I thought you can't leave the world until the mission is over, what happened?" "I will never be able to finish my story, will I?" "You're the one who came back to New York six months after you left, when you could have just come back six minutes later. There are things about you I'd like to know."

                              Kaito raised a finger as if to say something, then dropped it. "Fair enough. The Kronos conduit tied to each Mage refuses to allow them to leave any world they're in until finished with their respective missions. The long story short: I refused to kill a target, a cataclysm that could unravel the Time Stream and destroy everything, challenging my conduit gave me the chance to be a Time Lord -- " Salem laughed, "admit it, you stole the term Time Lord from Doc -- " "Yes, Salem. Anyway, Time Mages are those governed by a conduit: Kronos. Time Lords are directly connected to the Time Stream and have free reign over how they use their powers or accomplish missions, much more powerful too. Mages often use a conduit for their power, like your brother used to, a Time Lord seemed more appropriate for this power, and Time Sorcerer seemed...too much. I know you wanted to know." "Yes, thank you for explaining your reasoning. Of course both know you're only using it because of Keeva." Kaito shot him a look as Salem quickly raised the soda to his lips, drinking thirstily. "At any rate, I'd become the first Time Lord. My powers are on a trial basis and I can access them at will, but the consequences can be detrimental. But enough about that. So Umiko and I spent the majority of the few weeks together, then she's kidnapped by Mizu...her creator. Taken underneath the sea I decided to rescue her, it's that decision, the determination to save her that, I don't know, somehow gave me the chance to become a Time Lord. I save her life, we get back to the surface and...I don't know, I'm captivated by her. She's gorgeous, Salem. Violet hair and eyes, I just...I get lost in her appearance and I don't know why."

                              Salem stood up from the ledge and laughed, stretching, "you're in love, my friend. Or close enough. So what happened, why are you looking for advice?" Kaito went on to explain Vance and what happened, Salem nodded and listening intently as Kaito wrapped up the story with Umiko's suicide and how she vanished. "A girl spends what is literally her entire life with someone and then faces the angry a*****e she never knew existed, suddenly her life is flipped upside down. Told to obey which, honestly, is just damn cruel, and goes off with the world's major enemy...well yeah I'm not surprised. You are her world, Kaito, and then you cruelly tell her its over that's gotta be heartbreaking. What did you expect? She jumps off a building, you be goddamn lucky she didn't put a gun in her mouth."

                              Kaito stood up and turned to Salem, shaking his head, "thank you, this is exactly what I needed to hear." Salem put a hand on Kaito's shoulder, "hey. She's alive, you know that. Vanished? Yeah something or someone saved her life." "What do you think I should do? This is all new to me, relationships are few and far between and rarely ever last." Salem smiled, "well, my little boy is finally getting into big boy relationships, so let's just take a minute to appreciate that. Next, you ******** up good, you can't just go to her and tell her you're sorry, any woman will be scorned for a while and you do not want to face that. My suggestion is let things cool down between you two, keep your distance for a few days, maybe a few weeks, once things are calm you can attempt to talk to her, explain your side of things. It happened in the heat of the moment and heat of the moment usually happens fast."

                              Kaito put his hands behind his neck and nodded, "is it strange that I...miss her?" "Do you usually not miss people?" "Aside from you and the group, not usually, but that's because you guys are the closest friends I've ever made." "Well you have known us for years, not counting our time in the TNT together." "Speaking of, it's been a while, how is Kara?" Salem laughed, "she's great. You should stop by some time, hell you should check in with the group once in a while, I'm certain they think you're dead." "Soon, I need to be getting back to Valor." "You can afford a few hours. But that's up to you. Anyway, well look, you miss Umiko so it's obvious you really like her, but you should be acting on your feelings according to what'll happen when you're done with Valor. If you stay you should try to fix things. However, if you're just going to leave when you're done taking care of this Vance douchebag, you should probably at least try to help her so when you're gone she doesn't attempt to kill herself again." "I don't know what I'm going to do. By all accounts you're right, I could just live a life in Valor while maintaining missions, no time will pass between when I leave and return, I could have a life there and she'd never know I'm leaving for years at a time. But..." "You know you're leaving for years at a time." "Yeah," Kaito sighed, his hands dropping to his sides, "so I don't know what to do." "Well, assuming she doesn't hate you when this is all said and done, take her with you. You can have companions, can't you Doc?" Salem grinned. "You're hilarious. But...I don't know. I should be getting back, not that I'm a rush but I just have things to do, sooner I do them the sooner I can sort this mess out."

                              Salem and Kaito grabbed one another's hands, moving in for a hug between best friends. "Don't be a stranger, if you can travel between worlds at will then use it." "Of course. Oh, here," Kaito pulled out a necklace from his pocket, handing it to Salem, "this is for Kara. I promised her the next world I travel to I'd bring her something back." "So you give my kid a gift but my best friend brings me nothing?" Kaito smirked, shrugging slightly until he pulled out a candy bar from his pocket, handing it to Salem, "it was an impromptu return, but here." "So are your pockets bigger on the inside too?" "You're funny." "I'm just giving you s**t, unless you really can -- " "I can't." "Pity, well thanks for the candy bar." Salem took a few steps back from Kaito as he prepared to leave, "whatever happens on Valor...good luck. I'm sure Umiko really likes you, I doubt you've completely ******** it up, okay? Don't worry about it so much, everything will work out for the best." Kaito smiled, "thank you, I appreciate all the advice you've given me. I'll be back sooner than you know." The implosion of space-time kicked up wind that whipped through Salem's close, looking at the spot where Kaito left with a faint smile.

                              Back on Valor with no time between his leave and arrival having passed, Kaito looked up to the constellations that differed from the world he was most familiar and comfortable with, he couldn't help but feel an overwhelming loneliness not having this night with Umiko. Salem was right, she needed time before he could try to fix his mistake, he just hoped she would forgive him. He knew what he'd done was necessary, perhaps a bad way to go about it, but something he'd never live with himself for if his siding with Vance caused Umiko any harm. Kaito ran a hand through his wet hair, the rain still falling while in the other universe it had been clear starry skies, then started walking away from the Neo-Tokyo Bay Harbor and returning to Vance's complex. He wondered what Umiko was doing, if she was okay, what had happened. He did his best to keep an eye on her with his powers, but the Chroma energy on this planet made it a lot harder to do such a thing than it did on Earth, where his powers were clear and typically uninhibited. Kaito vanished from the harbor, deciding he had to make sure she was alright.

                              The hotel was dark, quiet, he had pinpointed Umiko's location after a space-time hour, merely a few minutes in real time. He saw her sleeping gently on the couch and stood in the dark corner of the room, masking himself from anyone that might be looking in his direction. To his surprise a hand cupped his mouth and someone dragged him into the hallway, Noah starring at him with a glare in his eyes. Nill had been able to repair his eyesight and heal him enough he could walk without her aide, despite the darkness that Vance had tried to imbue in him. "What are you doing here?" He had asked Kaito, taking a step back, "I had to see Umiko, make sure she was alright." Noah understood that, but he'd still made a choice that sided him with Vance, then again, he knew better than anyone else what kind of choices had to be made. "I saw you nearby after you "left" with Vance. You saw the consequences of trying to protect someone you love, it's never easy is it? But I commend you for making it, as well as making the deal with Vance. I don't know if Ember and Daxter will see what you're doing the way I do, so I think it would be best if your late-night visits to Umiko begin and end with tonight." Kaito nodded, agreeing with Noah, "take care of her for me, would you? She tried to commit suicide, I suppose when you are someone's entire life, literally, getting that part of you ripped out is a terrible feeling." "She's in good hands, Kaito." "Thank you." Kaito turned his back on Noah and began walking away, then stopped, shaking his head softly, "I'm sorry to drop this on you, but..." Noah waited for Kaito to finish his sentence, "I'd appreciate it if you could meet Takashi at the recording studio tomorrow at noon, he's doing the duet for the Fallen Gears music video with Vanille." "Why any of us? You may be siding with Vance but that doesn't make your duties to Takashi impossible." Kaito shook his head, "because Takashi is now sided with Team Defiance, and I am not. The deal is void if I reach out to any of the team, and I can't get involved with the team until the opportune time, for now it's better if I distance myself from everyone. Takashi and Umiko need friends to rely on now more than ever." Kaito turned back to Noah and approached Noah, giving him Takashi's phone number, "got it." Noah said in reply, putting the number into his cell phone. "I understand, they'll both be in good hands then." Kaito turned his back on Noah and walked away again, this time stopped by Noah as he spoke, "whatever you plan to do with Vance...I hope your decisions are worth it." Kaito nodded and disappeared, leaving Noah to return to bed with Nill.

                              ...PART 2 BELOW...

Dangerous Lunatic

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                              The night was one they would sooner forget, between Vance's arrival and Kaito's leave it was not one filled with joy. Umiko was inconsolable, and they lost a fine warrior to his side despite the victory it signified. No more Vance, but he was still a threat to the world even if the team would never have to see him again. If there was, for a moment, any doubt in the team's mind that their efforts to find and kill Vance would be lost, it was gone the moment he had left and Daxter stood up, a bestial snarl escaping his throat. "I'm going to find him and make him eat his own heart. Any objections?!" Looking around, Daxter calmed down quickly as Nill and Umiko had their moment together, trying to console the heartbroken female. Ember spoke his name softly, Daxter dropping to his knees to grab her hand and hold it as Ember also took notice of the heartbroken woman on the verge of tears. Noah kept his distance, unwilling to move as he was still hurting and moving was still difficult. He watched as Nill seemed unable to help Umiko, which wasn't entirely unrealistic, she had just had her heart ripped out and stomped on by the unnecessarily cruel time traveler. Noah looked up as his radar caught something in the distance, turning his head to focus his eyesight on Kaito who was watching from a shrine rooftop. He was watching the damage he had done and no doubt with a heavy heart. Noah could understand the sacrifices though, he had joined Vance for much less even if it was always with the intent of destroying him from the inside-out. Noah turned his head back as Umiko finished her speech about becoming Ianthe and letting the petals fly in the breeze. It was time to go back to their hotel and think about heading home, there was no more reason to remain in Tokyo.

                              Back at the hotel everyone had had a long enough day, it was time to rest and recover. Noah's eyesight was back and wounds were healed thanks to the angelic Nill, Daxter hadn't suffered too much and took care of Ember while she healed all she could, and Umiko was just going to stay on the couch away from everyone else. No one would argue, she needed time to herself and everyone needed a good night's rest, prompting them to go into their respective rooms and let the night come to an end, tomorrow would be a new day, a new day filled with unknown challenges and destinations. Hopefully it would also be a better day, they could rest up and recover, but no doubt Noah would be more concerned with ending their vacation early, getting the plane tickets for back home. With Nill in a deep slumber Noah carefully moved off the bed and into the hallway where his radar had detected something in Ember and Daxter's room, using the spare key to open the door and quickly corner the figure in the shadows, hand over their mouth to silently drag them into the hall, surprised (or not so much) at it being Kaito. The two had a quick talk between them about Umiko and Takashi, leaving Noah alone in the hall to call Takashi to inform him of what had happened, and to arrange to pick him up in the morning. Takashi was understandably upset over Kaito's move to Vance's side, but Noah had assured him it was the right thing to do, and told him he would personally step in to help Takashi control his powers, even if Noah no longer had any powers of his own, radar aside.

                              With his arrangements finished between himself and Takashi, and changing the flight times on the tickets back home, Noah returned to his hotel room and crawled back into bed with Nill, snuggling up behind her and wrapping his arms around her chest, keeping her close. He drew his face close to her hair and snuggled into her, holding her tightly. "I love you, Nill. I will always love you." Noah closed his eyes and let himself drift into a deep sleep, letting his body and mind recover from the day they'd all had to endure against Vance. Noah was sore and his body ached, but after such a powerful battle it was no surprise he would be feeling it the next day.

                              The morning came a lot quicker than any of them would have likely hoped, but Daxter stayed in bed despite the quickly passing time, knowing he and Ember could just sleep in today since Noah arrived around 10 in the morning to announce he would be going with Takashi to the recording studio to meet up with Serene. Daxter remained in bed cuddling with Ember, speaking up, "so what about Kaito?" "What about him?" Noah replied, buttoning up the last button of his business jacket, "what do we do?" "We don't do anything. He chose to go with Vance the same way I did, if he's half the person he's made himself to be then he has a plan and we should trust that. Kaito isn't our enemy, remember he went with him for our behalf. In a perfect world this buys us as much time as we need to locate him without worry of his attack, but this isn't a perfect world so we know Vance will still strike, but he can't do it in a way that makes Kaito aware of it, so it'll be subtle, which either makes it more dangerous or more in our favor, so be on your toes. Today just rest up, we'll be leaving for LA tomorrow. If you need Nill or I we'll be reachable by phone." Noah left the hotel room while Daxter kept his arms around Ember and held her tightly, being so close to his love brought emotions and desires to the forefront of his mind, but after last night she was too sore to be wanting anything from him and he was content, shockingly, with just cuddling her. Perhaps it was the change he went through yesterday, the way he'd decided to stop running from himself, but he was enjoying the cuddling without sexual interaction, knowing that Ember was all his and that even the dark parts of his mind was enjoying the warmth.

                              Noah returned to his room and noticed Nill wasn't anywhere to be seen, calling out to her, "honey? Nill?" He asked as he walked into the bathroom to find Nill having just finished with a shower and drying her hair, Noah leaning against the door frame as he smiled to her nudity, "I am so glad you gave me my eyesight back." Noah watched the startled Nill embarrassingly cover herself up, then winked to her playfully as left the bathroom and closed the door behind him, "I'll be waiting for you." Nill took a little while longer to get ready, the two were inseparable so it had never been a question of if she would be accompanying him, but whether what time she actually wanted to get ready for it. Noah waited until she was ready and left with her to meet with Takashi at the studio.

                              Today was a gorgeous, bright sunny blue sky kind of day, the destruction of last night had been in all the papers and news reports, but none of them had an unkind word to say about the fighting between Gifted, in fact everyone was treating it like a confrontation gone wrong, and that they would be rebuilding the century old shrines. Noah had to admit, if even for a moment, the universally-loved Gifted made this easy for them. Still, it had to be fixed, no matter the hate or bigotry towards the Gifted it couldn't last forever, not until it could be instilled in humankind naturally, and not through trickery or deceit, it was the only way it would last.

                              The recording studio was busy today, Takashi met with Noah and Nill as soon as they were arrived, Noah surprised that Serene was nowhere to be seen, "where's your agent?" He asked curiously, looking around to see dozens of other people but none that were here. "Oh, yeah, Serene-chan said she wouldn't be able to make it until late, sometimes I forget I'm not her only entertainer. She was roped into a last-minute emergency with someone else, but promised to be here as soon as she could, just you and me." Takashi looked around and then hesitantly stepped closer to Noah and Nill, looking at Noah for a moment, whispering low, "s-so, about Kaito-chan...is...is he okay?" Noah nodded, "he'll be fine, he's a tough cookie. The question is are you? Between the conduit power and Kaito's defection, I have to wonder how you're handling things." Takashi stepped back, glancing to Nill for a moment before looking down, "ah...well." He sighed, "I'm fine," he said, looking up at Noah, "okay no that's not true at all I can't do this I'm nervous I'm freaking out." Noah blinked, "I...er...well it's natural to be nervous you know? I hear Vanille is extremely popular, it's natural to have a crush." Takashi waved his arms in protest as he shook his head, "w-what no! I can't do this, I can't. Okay, social anxiety and I've never sang for anyone before, the only reason I'm here is because Serene-chan has a big mouth!! I'm terrified, Kesuk-san -- " "Noah is fine." "-- and I mean...I can't believe Serene-chan she's so cruel to do this to me. She knows I can't sing for people, but whatever makes me a bigger star! She doesn't even consider my feelings I'm going to kill her!! KILL HER!" Takashi's breathing slowed down as he had been momentarily freaking out, then looking to Noah and Nill with big sad eyes. "Erm, well when you're in the booth keep your eyes closed, pretend you're in the shower or alone in your home, how about that?" That did, surprisingly, seem to calm him down enough that Takashi felt better. "A-Alright, yeah, thank you...Noah-san." "So the question remains, how are you doing with your abilities?" "I've been able to vent the excess energy just as Kaito-chan taught me, but I'm having trouble using it the way I should be. M-Maybe when we get a moment someone in the group can teach me?" Noah nodded, "of course, it would be a smart idea to gain control of your powers as soon as possible."

                              The studio was bustling with activity as Takashi met with Vanille for the first met, smiling as he shook her hand, ready to get this underway while also getting it done and over with. She was a cute woman, polite too, but it seemed the more days that passed that he couldn't see Hikaru made him miss her all the more, even with the texts back and forth. Takashi, before heading into the recording booth with Vanille opened up his phone and texted her:

                              starting the recording, wish u were here, i'm nervous ^__^;;

                              Putting his phone away and silencing it, Takashi walked into the booth as the instrumental began to play and the song began to fill their headphones, hearing one another's voice in the headphones to the instrumental. Takashi had been a talented vocal artist, after all if he hadn't been he'd never have been asked to do the duet with the extremely popular Vanille, but as Takashi had said he had social anxiety stemming from his Conduit ability, which made being around people difficult, and singing in front of anyone was harder. Thankfully, Noah's advice to close his eyes helped a lot, and soon he was able to open them to see only Vanille, watching her as she sang with a smile on his face as he hit all the high notes and the low notes. Noah listened, his highly tuned hearing able to detect that Vanille was singing a little shakier than when they first began, which was odd for a talented artist such as her. Noah looked over to Vanille's agent, Mr. Aved, and inquired about that, "she seems to be a little shaky, is that normal?" "I wouldn't worry, she knows what she's doing and she's singing with a lot of emotion, typical of high-prized talent such as her." Noah could feel the stinging remark on "talent" that was a back-handed insult towards Takashi. Noah wasn't sure if he should be offended or not, he wasn't Takashi's agent or anything. Then suddenly, as Vanille's shaky singing was accompanied by tears she left in a hurry. "Your high-prized talent just fled." "T-That idiot Kentaro-san must have upset her! Vanille!" Takashi had seen her leave and hurried to follow after her after Noah had made his slightly douche comment. He might not have been Takashi's agent but he was Takashi's friend.

                              Takashi followed after her while a member of the crew had entered the studio through a door she was trying to leave from, slipping past the crew member as her hair was pulled back to reveal a wig to reveal different colored hair underneath. "Hikaru!!" Takashi was shocked to find Hikaru was actually Vanille, beyond surprised and more like heart-stoppingly surprised. Hikaru turned back at Takashi with a shocked and hurt expression, running from the hallway and jumping through the window onto the fire escape. Takashi caught up with her and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her back in, "H-Hikaru are you crazy?! You'll get yourself killed!" "L-Let me go!" She said as she squirmed and twisted to look at him, pressing her fingers against his forehead, tapping him while she used this moment to leave the building via the fire escape. Takashi fell to the ground as her agent, Aved, arrived. "W-What the hell just happened? Augh! She's leaving, someone call security!"

                              Down below in the parking lot Hikaru continued her escape towards her vehicle, Kaito sitting on her motorcycle and pushing off of it, knowing he had some time before anyone from the team arrived, which wouldn't void his conditional arrangement with Vance until that happened. "Hello there, so what seems to be the problem?" He asked curiously, crossing his arms as she approached him to get to her motorcycle. "N-Nothing worth the explanation, I need to go and I don't have time for this." Kaito smiled in response, "nonsense, you have all the time in the world, I'm the one running out of it. So few people use what they have wisely and it ends up lost." Hikaru noticed that Kaito was not budging from where he was, between her and her motorcycle and stopped, shaking her head, "I-I... I used mine up. You don't know. I... I'm... Look. I'm in a really bad place right now. I just jeopardized both of my biggest paychecks. I can't do this right now. I... used to have all the time in the world, but I took it and gave it to somebody else. I don't regret it... But I can't waste time standing here about my problems. And.. I can't keep doing what I need to do when he gets close to me..." Kaito put a hand on Hikaru's shoulder with a faint smile, keeping tabs on how much time he had left before anyone would arrive.

                              "You're wrong, you know. There's still lots of time left to fix your mistakes. You have the gift of youth, do you realize how precious that is to be able to make a mistake and yet still have time to fix them? Do you know how many people live with a mistake for the rest of their lives and only realize too late how repairable it was? I know that feeling, I may yet repair my own or live with them in heartache. Panic and all is lost, you lose seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years. Eventually you're out of time and only then do you realize that the people you're running from...were only a small part of the seconds of your life, when you wanted them to be worth years." Hikaru froze for a few seconds and pressed her fingers against his forehead twice. "It... It's my punishment, my burden to bear. Any who follows will surely be dragged down into the Organization as well. I can't do that to the people w-who mean so much..." She cut herself off and jumped on her motorcycle, but Kaito blinked and with a flick of his fingers Hikaru has issues starting her motorcycle. "I don't mean to keep intruding, truly I don't, but you'll find that running away from the people who mean so much...are the people who would rather run with you. Why is it people like you never realize the value of the company around you? If you asked Takashi to help you, do you think he would? If you asked for a way out...do you think you could have it? If you asked for more seconds to do what you needed do you think you could have it? You're very special, Hikaru, just like me, just like Takashi, but special people like us aren't special because of what we can do...but because of the company we keep. You're not alone, for as little time as you think you have left...you'll find every second can be used to its fullest." Time running out, Kaito made a do-or-die decision to avoid voiding his and Vance's arrangement, and time froze around them, Hikaru noticing that all the moving cars, the birds, even the people nearby stopped moving underneath the bright sunny day.

                              "Use your assets, Hikaru, rely on your friends, your lovers, your allies. If you don't, that Organization you mentioned will pale in comparison to the damage you do to yourself by pretending you're alone. I suspect my words will fall on deaf ears, they typically do. But if you wait just another minute longer you won't be alone anymore." "W-What? People like me? As if you'll put me in a pool with the handful that aren't willing to listen to heartfelt advice? If I asked for help, I may get some. If I let people come along, they might come. But my company is... the faces I've made up myself. I lost two... friends today. I can't lose anymore if I don't make any." "Then I'm sorry." Kaito began to walk away as a small drip of blood escaped his nose, even with Time Lord powers he was still subject to Time's rule, at least until he had full control of the powers he was bestowed. He smiled softly as Hikaru could see Takashi frozen in the distance, heading towards her. "You know, I feel bad I've never actually listened to your music." Kaito vanished as time resumed moving forward, even with her words she gave Takashi the precious few moments to approach her, panting heavily as he put his hands on his knees bent over trying to catch his breath.

                              "H-Hold on! Don't. Go. S-Stay, just stay." Kaito was watching from afar, he wasn't voiding the agreement by watching, as long as he didn't contact Team Defiance he was fine, and he would be sure Vance would never know when he contacted the team. Hikaru wasn't part of the arrangement, he could contact her whenever he wanted, which was why he did so in the first place, after all helping Takashi's developing relationship was important, a romantic interest would help him have a goal to reach for, help his powers develop safely if he had someone he wanted to protect with all his being. Plus, everyone deserved a chance at true love, maybe he could still have his chance too. "Kentaro-kun..." Takashi was blushing lightly, or perhaps he was red from the running, either way, it was clear there was something happening. "Don't go, stay. I don't care if you're Hikaru, or Vanille, or whoever. I like you for you." Hikaru's eyes opened slightly in surprise when she heard what he'd said, her engine turning over as she started it up. Though instead of leaving she got off her motorcycle and approached him, "Takashi..." she said softly, "I..." She reached for his hand, but pulled it back. "Hikaru-chan..." He replied softly, looking at her still blushing, "why did you run? You know I'd have to follow." "Not...Hikaru...just..." she paused, closing her eyes for a second and stepped closer, grabbing his collar and pulling him close, tapping his forehead to freeze him and then kiss him for a few seconds and releasing him, "Lynette." She hopped on her motorcycle and speeding off, Takashi unfreezing and touching his fingers to his lips, whispering, "Lynette." Kaito smirked from afar, having watched the entire event unfold, "much better than any romance manga. Well, perhaps I'll just have to keep fighting for Umiko, now more than ever since last night. I won't give up so easily, and neither should you, Takashi." Kaito vanished as Noah and Nill left the studio to approach Takashi, seeing if he was doing alright.

                              The next hour had marked the arrival of Serene who was told the incident by Noah and Nill, Takashi sitting in the lobby as he recalled everything that happened between him and...Lynette. Noah was surprised to find his phone vibrating, a new text message coming through from an unknown number he didn't recognize, with an area code that couldn't belong to any part of Japan either. The text message was simple, mentioning New Vegas as a possible location for their next destination, perhaps a secondary vacation after the first had been ruined. Noah texted back but got an instant reply that the phone number was out of service and the recipient unreachable. However, the signature seemed familiar to him and he had to wonder if this was Kaito's work, some kind of destination for the group to head to next. Well, it was no surprise that they needed an actual vacation and New Vegas could definitely be a lot of fun with all the shows, the circus, even some gambling could be entertaining for a little while. "Pack your bags, Takashi, we're leaving for New Vegas." Nill turned her head towards her future husband, "a little birdie says it might be a good idea, and let's face it love, our vacation to Japan was a bust. Not to mention we were only really here on business in the first place. New Vegas will be purely a vacation spot, and with Kaito's deal with Vance we should be safe from running into him. We'll have fun." He smiled and kissed her lips gently, putting an arm around her waist, "Takashi, pack light, what you don't have I can provide. I'll meet you at your apartment in an hour with the rest of the group." Noah left with Nill back towards the hotel so the group could pack up and check out, changing their plane tickets for New Vegas.

                              "WOOHOO!! New Vegas are you ******** kidding I am so excited! One word of caution though, I am not officially allowed back in there. Let's just say things happened." He looked over to Ember who gave him a look, smiling, "things, baby. Don't worry about it! New Vegas is fun as hell. To be honest I really wasn't looking forward to going back to LA, a real vacation in Vegas is more than what we need. There's a nerd convention this week too, biggest anime convention on any coast! Anime Expo bitches!" Daxter grinned as Noah suddenly spoke up, "you are a nerd. Lest we forget." "I wear my nerddom with pride and I wear it well, I'm not 28-years-old living in my parents' basement for one, and two I am awesome, lest we forget. Either way, I will be attending, I bought my tickets last year, I'll just have to find a computer to print out my tickets, no biggie. I actually bought 6 tickets, I intended to sell five of them for insane prices when they were sold out but, hey that leaves enough for all of us to go." Noah shook his head, undecided on what he would do but finding it an idea that he wouldn't dismiss right away. He heard about these conventions, people dressed up, celebrities would attend, Q&A panels would be available, and would be something new and exciting to show Nill. Still, the idea of a convention center filled with anime nerds like Daxter wasn't exactly something that sounded safe, though he could imagine Daxter being the only unsafe one there. "Well, er, we'll talk about it later, I'm undecided on if I'm going. For now, let's pack up and meet with Takashi, we're heading to New Vegas next."

                              While everyone packed, once Noah was done, he sent a heads up to Theodore and Melody about their next destination and gave an update on the situation, the two breathed a sigh of relief that Vance would be leaving them alone for the time being and, though they didn't know Kaito personally, were understandably disappointed that their new teammate had already joined Vance in an effort to protect them. Giving out their destination as New Vegas, and with everyone ready to go, the group left the hotel via taxi service and picked up Takashi, where he was seen talking to Serene.

                              "I wish I could go with you, but I have other duties to perform here. If...If you see Kaito-chan let him know I'm sorry about how everything went down during your fight against Zero." Serene kissed Takashi on the cheek and backed away as Noah helped load his stuff into the back of the taxi he would share with Nill and himself. "I'll let him know, maybe you'll see him again and, hey, when this is all over...well you know I'll be back, right?" Serene nodded, Takashi smiled, "try not to run your other clients ragged like you did with me. I'll keep in touch." Serene leaped forward and hugged Takashi tightly, then let him go and watched him get into the taxi's front passenger seat, Noah and Nill sharing the back. Serene waved goodbye as the two taxis drove off for the airport.

                              Going through security was a breeze, and boarding was even easier, the group relaxing once on the airplane and heading to New Vegas, just a few states away from LA. The flight itself was smooth and arrived just on time in New Vegas, the group collecting their baggage and heading towards the hotel Noah had booked for them, just as nice of a place as in Tokyo. Vegas was surrounded by miles of desert terrain, unlike Tokyo which was a huge sprawling metropolis surrounding by miles of beautiful scenery, outside of Vegas there was desert. The city itself, however, was beautiful and filled with neon signs and a bustling life to it. They had arrived in the early afternoon thanks to the time zone changes, giving them plenty of time to rest after their travels, settle into their respective rooms, and perhaps nap before they went off to see what the city offered at night. Once again, Ember and Daxter shared a room, Noah and Nill had their own, and Takashi was given a single-sized room to call his own for their stay. Unpacked and ready for whatever adventures awaited them in this location, a location that only Noah knew was recommended by Kaito secretly, the group prepared for whatever they would find in the bustling city where it really came alive at night. After Tokyo, they were all looking forward to Vegas being fun, relaxing, and most of all...Vance-free.

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                      Umiko laid in a deeper sleep than one would have expected of the newly heartbroken girl, but it was easy to sleep after feeling like you could no longer cry and try to keep yourself awake. In one of the most, no... probably the most tragic moment that Umiko had ever faced, aside from the scare of losing Kaito to Mizu, she felt as though she had completely lost him this time. While standing on the edge of the building's roof top, she contemplated everything that she would be throwing away... but then recalling how easily he tossed aside their relationship saying it had to be over. If that was what he wanted, how could he have expected her to not commit suicide? Or even yet.. how could she go on? Erasing her name and calling herself something else was like trying to pick the scab of a wound. The scab was darker and more textured than the skin... it was an ugly mark that showed the past of having received such an injury being evident on her person. Yet... peeling the scab resulted in the reopening of the wound, and it ended up hurting so much worse. She couldn't focus on all the happy memories in the moments that Kaito was leaving her behind. Vance promised not to harm her, so what would coming with Kaito do in means of hurting her? Surely he would have kept his word, and if not, Kaito would have been there for being the second-in-command. Maybe the other team members of Defiance would have seen Umiko wanting to blindly submit to power to stay beside someone she cared deeply for... but she didn't care for their judgement. In the end, all she wanted was to be with Kaito. And ultimately no matter how hard she tried to persuade him, she was abandoned. It was too much sadness to bear. Had Kaito not thought about Vance's deal that deeply? Did he not trust Vance to be in any perimeter of her person? What if somebody besides Vance hurt her. Or worse... did he just want to get away from her?

                      She couldn't help but think that she was being clingy from time to time. She loved him, so deeply... but knew over the time they spent together who he was, how powerful he was, and how important he would be. There were more places that would need his rescue, and in the end, Umiko knew that they were just a couple who's time was run short. He may have done it for her, and she could tell that was part of the reasoning for Kaito have asked Vance how and the end result of Mizu's death.. but it was so much worse. Did Kaito know how much she loved him? How she would have rather gone with him then to be left alone, scarred in the world? It was said and done. He turned his back with the full intentions of leaving her behind. It was when she tilted back and began to allow gravity to pull her that she smiled, finally, after what seemed like a short eternity of sorrow. Even the pain was something she couldn't push herself through, and something she sincerely believed time could not heal in her heart. She smiled because she would be cutting short the life that was surely bound to end with misery. She couldn't live with her most important person being so heartless, cruel, and cold towards her, leaving her in the end. She accepted her final moments, although deep down she was going to die in silent pain. A pain that would be worse that the instant second her body would crash and die. It was a pain of knowing that she never got to express her love to him. A pain knowing that her future was gone and that she wasn't going to try. She was going to turn into a puddle of water, just like Mizu had intended, and die as a fallen angel of her own.

                      But she was saved. The magic that cursed Umiko's wake put her into an entirely magical dimension connected to Valor but in a place that could not be located. It was the most beautifully striking place she had ever seen, and the first time she had ever heard piano music. What was more surprising was the elegance she was able to discover in her creator, Mizu, who talked to her calmly... though Umiko held much distrust. It was natural for her to feel that way after Mizu talked down to Kaito. Umiko could barely contain herself from lunging for a quick slap or an attack. It wasn't like she would have anything to lose if she had, and she'd be able to, if anything at all, feel better about it. After all, Mizu ruined her chances for happiness and gave an ultimatum to Kaito that drove him over the edge into fighting Vance. She was the reason she was created. Mizu... was the reason that Umiko could even feel suicidal or sad. As much as Umiko hated her for all she had done, she had to put that hatred to the side. This peaceful environment, the music, the witch who wasn't starting a fight for once... it was clear that something needed to be said, and soon it was. Mizu began to tell Umiko how she was a vessel, how she avoided the consequences of time aging her as she continually found ways around it. It was surprising, even more boiling to her blood at the thought of the witch selfishly taking innocent lives to extend her own... but it was sad. Sad that after all that killing, all that taking, all that searching, the the witch had never found what she was looking for. True love.

                      It was at this reunion of a creator and her creation that a gift was passed down. The gift of magic. Although, while Umiko could feel her soul change, the magic beginning to course through her veins, and all the more power being flooded into her being, something was burrowed into her soul. She realized that Mizu never had found true love, and with her current circumstances she was hypothetical as to whether or not she still had a chance herself. Had she secretly been cursed to follow the life that Mizu once led? Was being an extension of Mizu's person going to curse her chances of ever having true love again? It was as she played Dearly Beloved with a grim smile on her face that tears flowed freely from her eyes. She stopped shortly and the rain began to pour from the infinitely starry sky. She made a willful promise that even with this magic, she would refuse to take the lives of others to continue her own. And maybe... if her return back to Valor did not prove to be worth the effort, she would make sure to go out the way she wanted to. It was a sad thing to think about, but as the thoughts trailed in Umiko's mind, then going back to Valor in sleep, she continued to think about how meaningless her life had become. He gave it all the meaning in the world, and with him gone she felt it no more. There was no longer something she could keep, and as sad as it was, she couldn't bear to think about a continuing story of ever-lasting sadness. I'm just going to fade into the darkness by somebody's hands other than his... she thought silently to herself. Her dreams taunted her ever so softly as even in this depressing moment she could remember how soft his lips were when they kissed, and how she still believed to have felt him lean into it to. W-What was this... What were we... "..kaito..." she mumbled in her sleep.

                      While Umiko rested in her sleep, Nill had laid on her side and faced Noah, putting her hands on his cheeks and grazing against his face with all the love in her eyes. While she still felt major concern for Umiko and the health issues of the young woman's mind, the night was a time of rest and peace. Sure they would figure out more on how to help Umiko later. Nill always wished strongly she could be a healer of the heart for others, and herself in the depression of following Vance, but she knew that life was a struggle. Happy as she was now, she knew that the battle would never be over. She wanted to be in her own world for now, laying in bed with the love her life and seeing him look at her, his pupils fuzzed out from being partially blinded by Vance. Slowly and softly, she caressed her fingers over his eyes carefully and purified the darkness that had tainted him, but knew that he was wearing the charm necklace she gave him a long time ago to keep him safe. She looked at him as she touched his face, both of their bodies engulfed in her warm light as she looked closely to his face. She was able to feel how smooth his skin was under her fingers, how soft that his hair was was she moved her small fingers to brush through the messy locks. She looked at the color of his emerald green hues, and gazed softly at how... amazing they were. How deep that they were... and she just wanted to get lost in them. Then as she pulled her left hand down from his hair to rest on his cheek, she caught glimmer of her ring in their light and smiled ever-so-softly. "I'm still so.. infatuated with you..." she spoke in the most gentle tone she could. He drew his face close to her hair and snuggled into her, holding her tightly. "I love you, Nill. I will always love you."

                      Nill looked at him as he was breathing lightly against her hair, and moved her hands away from his face to his chest, touching the scars exposed on his chest and grazing her cheek carefull against him as she fluttered her wings very softly under the sheets. He held her body close to his, which would always be his to hold for however long he wanted to given any time of day. Nill's eyelashes brushed lightly against his skin and peered nervously, knowing that these sweet and romantic feelings tugged at her heart strings and drove her to want to kiss him. After such a long day, she wasn't surprised that he would close his eyes and drift off into sleep. She continued to heal and relax him in her light, exclusively giving him the best treatment she could without damaging herself. Her wing already healed and with nothing else to worry about, she tilted her chin upward, looking at the cutest sleeping expression in the world and kissing his chin rather quickly. "I love you more..." she spoke softly while she gazed at him and slowly closed her eyes. While the day had been rather long, the ring on her finger was worth all of that and more. She laid silently, resting her head against the pillow and then soon drifting off into her own dreaming state...

                      The light of the sun barely cracked through the manhole cover above the group that huddled around the angel. Her small and delicate frame was surrounded by scared individuals, some both wrapped and warped from the turmoil of the DOGS Corps taking over that they put their palms together and pointed their hands in the direction to who they were sending their prayers of repent to; Nill. She looked down and heard all the voices echoing each other, the sounds of their pleas bouncing off the long cylinder walls of the sewage filled underground. Human trash and filth were left down here, and the smell filled all these scorned individuals with the undeniable feeling that humans were truly monsters themselves. It was as if the humans considered the Gifted to be just as worthless as what they left Underground, and that was later proven a fact. For now, the DOGS Corps and it's attack was fairly fresh in everyone's minds. A woman of thirty clasped the hands of the angel who stood against the wall, as she was uncomfortable to sit where all the Gifted surrounding her crowded any available floor space. This woman looked at Nill with sunken eyes, a wound on her stomach that was being held by fabric tied around, and hair completely disheveled. Her knuckles were bleeding, and she was scratched up all over her person. Nill shuddered, her wings now pressed flatly against the wall as that woman clasped her young, ivory skinned hand tightly in hers covered in scar tissue and fresh wounds. "Y-You are an angel!" The woman shouted almost in exclamation.

                      A man who was below the woman, on his knees in prayer, stood up and grabbed that woman, who and with her tone could be identified as crazy, and shouted to her, "Watch yourself! She is but she's not secluded to one person's wish! We're --" But the lady snapped her hand back from the man and looked at Nill desperately, "I-I don't care! M-My son! Please! Y-You are God's child you can bring him back! PLEASE!" Nill widened her eyes in fear, her own eyes filling up with tears as the woman was forced onto the ground by others. Nill knew that she had no memories of her origin... but whoever this God was... he seemed to be the most powerful figure on this planet. She was scared to ask about God, but couldn't deny their claims of being his child. As she'd heard from others, all of them were God's children, but she was reminded that angels were the protectors of others, and holy spirits sent to carry out God's tasks. What is my task? she asked herself as she looked down at the woman whose face was marred with tears, and her blood pooled out to the side. The others saw this woman as a threat to trying to steal the angel for herself, or even trying to prioritize her wish over the wishes of others. Nill extended a hand, as she had for the rest of these people, mute as she had been for most of the time, and healed her wounds. The woman widened her eyes at the light healing her, but as the healing continued, the people pinning the woman to the ground observing this miracle, the woman sobbed, "You c-can heal my wounds... But..." she turned her chin up to Nill, "C-Can you heal my heart?"

                      Nill widened her eyes, her fragile hand trembled slightly as she was focused on healing the woman but cautiously drew it back to her chest once she was done. Nill's eyes displayed sorrow, which the woman quickly interpreted as a silent 'no.' "I... I want to..." Nill spoke out of kindness but a trembling shake in her voice. She wished to heal the hearts of others, just as she wished she could heal her own. "Then why don't you?" the woman asked, growling slightly as her body struggled with those forces holding her to the ground. "Why don't you TRY?!" Nill nervously hiccuped, holding her cheeks with both her hands and started to speak as soft as she could, "I-I'm sorry..." she hiccuped again, sniffling and feeling terrible... "B-But... I am not God." The woman was shocked almost, and then the realization of asking the angel for such a thing, to see she made an angel cry, caused the woman to give in to all the forces tieing her down. They saw her resistance fall, and eventually released their grip on her. "...I'm sorry," the woman choked on the words as they came out. "... I am truly sorry. I-I just... I just miss my boy... My poor Harrison." The woman cupped her face in her hands as she sobbed continually. The man who once pinned her angrily came and rubbed her back gently, "We have all suffered a great loss. All we have now is this..." he motioned the group, having her join and then continuing back. "H-He was too young to suffer such a fate..." Nill looked down as she sobbed, holding her arm. Too young... But no matter what age we are, how innocent we might be... they want to get rid of us. It's not just the young who don't deserve this. It's all of us... She looked at the people that gathered around her, and when they were done with this session they talked to one another, healed each other's wounds by sharing each other's pain.

                      A voice whispered softly into her ear, "Are you free?" Nill flinched slightly, recognizing the voice of the male but then turning her head and seeing a small butterfly perched on her shoulder. She gave a small nod while the people were gathered in their groups, talking, sleeping, eating whatever they could scramble together and healing as she walked softly and quietly away. She turned a corner, and then in her softest voice spoke, "What is it... Gavin?" He flew off of her shoulder, his blue wings finally turned as he quickly formed back into a human. The male turned to look at her, keeping his cat ears and tail appearing in the outfit of a young man attending high school. He was a year or two older than her, and when he stood from being crouched on the ground he rose five inches above her height. He quickly extended his arms around the young girl and pulled her close, hugging her softly and petting her hair, "Are you alright?" he asked, Nill being a little surprised but sniffling lightly and nodding her head in silence. Gavin gave a small, soft smile and leaned back to look at her face and put his left index finger on her cheek to catch a spilling tear, "Come on Nill, don't cry. That would have scared me too," he said. She hadn't known he was watching the events that unfolded with the Gifted woman, but she smiled with the remaining sorrows in her eyes starting to fade away. "Thank you..." she said and looked at Gavin's tie.

                      Gavin was silent for just a bit, but then his eyes widened slightly as he put a hand on her cheek and lowered himself to meet her gaze, "Hey, come on. I heard something earlier on the news 'above' and I figured you'd want to see. Are you busy right now?" Nill looked behind her shoulder but Gavin turned her back, "Hey hey don't focus on them. It's okay this is about you and what you want. Don't you want to see what's up there? I promise it'll be worth it." Nill looked down and shuffled her feet below her, putting a hand to her elbow and nervously fluttered her eyelashes as she whispered, "Is... I-Is the news about... uhm..." "Yeah, your hero," Nill lit up like fire and looked at Gavin with a blush spread from ear to ear on her face. "G-Gavin!" she softly exclaimed as he proceeded to grab her hand and he spoke, "Quick! No time to lose!" Nill gave up her ties to the people behind her as she scrambled to catch up to her friend who was taking her to the surface... She had snuck out from the Underground a few times, having put on her necklace to go in search of food or clothing, but what she had encountered on her visits to the surface was the name of Defiance. Yes, a masked vigilante who would take out the enemies inventory and showed the world in brilliant displays other than death that justice was corrupted, and he was going to ignite change. She followed Gavin up the ladder as he proceeded to lift her out of the cover with his hands under her arms. After setting her on both her feet, he took transformation of a husky, a very noble and charming dog that Nillan glanced at carefully. Gavin gave a stare up to Nill and then rolled his eyes, seeing the pink evident on her cheeks and turned his head to her. "Go ahead," he said, Nill looking carefully as Gavin began to wag his tail and woofed at her. She blushed brightly and a squeal of delight escaped her lips as she pet Gavin on the head, proceeding to get on her knees to scratch his fur and pet him gently. Nill made a hnnng sound as she pet him, Gavin then licking her cheek and nuzzled her like any dog would.

                      Nill smiled, but then shook her head. This was Gavin! "G-Gavin," she exclaimed until she looked around and saw the approach of people talking to her dog. Gavin snickered only slightly, enough for only her to hear, and then walked off with the intentions of knowing that she would follow. She blushed, a hand on her cheek as she shook her head to follow him. Once they walked down an empty alleyway she spoke softly, "Why did you lick me?" Gavin looked up at her and then back on their path, "You wanted to pet a dog. That's what happens when you pet a dog." Nill didn't argue any further as they arrived to a rather large tree sitting on the top of a tall steep hill. Nill looked down and saw a base for the DOGS Corps, looking nervously to Gavin who looked back at her and gave a small woof. "It's okay," he said. She sat with him as the dark hours passed, and sure enough without any warning the building began to ignite in flames. The orange smoke filled the windows as many soldiers were forced out of the building, running to vehicles or trying to get back up. A helicopter rose on the scene after twenty minutes of watching, Nill pressing her chances to see the hero though she was scared to get caught. However, Gavin convinced her to stick it out. Sure enough a light shined from up above and was fixated on a figure in the smoke on the rooftop, dropping a DOGS soldier he saved from dying a pitiful death of suffocation by the flame inside and then turning back to look at the hill. Nill couldn't have imagined that he'd seen her and Gavin, but he took notice (with the radar she was not aware of), and then fled the other way. Maybe they had taken his first preferred escape route, but drew the crowd of soldiers and officials away from their location. Whatever it was, Nill had experienced her first time seeing her hero... and looked to Gavin.

                      "Gavin..." she spoke softly. "I... I don't know why... but I... I want to live up here again." Gavin tilted his head. "After seeing this... seeing what he can do... I want to follow him and try to contribute. Do.. Do you think..." Gavin came up to her lap and rested his head on her. "I understand. Like I told you earlier, don't think about the people underground. They'll survive without you like they survived the attack." Nill shook her head, "I'm not leaving them behind though. I'm not leaving you behind," she pet his head gently, her eyes filling up with tears again. "They all believed I would save them from the destruction and bring them... something. That I was an angel who they believed could change their fate. Defiance... is the one changing their fate. I want to go follow him... to help change it as well." Gavin's golden eyes closed as he spoke, "I understand," and lifted himself from her lap. "I have to stay with them though. My sister is down there... and I can't leave her behind. I wish I could go with you, but until she's willing to come back up to the surface I may never see you again." Nill nodded her head sadly, but her chin was raised by his nose. "Come on Nill, stop looking at the ground. Look at me," he said, then licking her cheek again. "I'm going to miss you. Just be careful," he said. Nill shook her head, hugging him around the neck and then releasing him shortly after as he walked back to the manhole cover they came from. She sat, feeling the warmth of the blazes below hit her gently as she mumbled with a fragile tone, "I just have to try..."

                      Ember, in the room across the hall, was doing her best to recover her body's injuries while in her sleep. She was wrapped up comfortably in Daxter's arms, unable to spread her healing over to him as he body began to relieve her of all the damage she had taken. Yet, deep in her sleep, she was angry, upset, and crushed. I was doing so well. I was finally being able to use the God Power, as hard as it is to control. I could feel my own move, make my own actions transcend into the elements surrounding me... but he.. He's always getting the upperhand with me. He sent Daxter flying off the arena, and I had forgotten Daxter could fly. But I wanted to protect him, and that was Vance's opening. He took advantage of my care and distraction, then shocked me. That dirty b*****d. Her hand clutched the top of Daxter's shirt as he held her in bed. How many more times am I going to fall victim to his dirty games until I finally get the upperhand? Then she recalled her dream as she was out of the fight. He said he was one of her sins. What did he mean by that... You really are a clueless girl. It's simple, you've gone about ruining other people's lives so much you forgot just who along the way. I don't know him. That blue hair. That dragon ability. That... change to silver. He's even a steel type! He's not my family, relative, friend, or anything-- But he is that powerful. He can have virtually any shape, any power, or any combination of people under his wing. Face it, you know nothing about him or his weakness and that's why you're frustrated. You have no idea how to destroy him. I know enough about him that I-- Have you won so many fights against the DOGS Corps and the Wolfpack that you think you're unbeatable. That being beaten by Vance has shown you that you're not as strong as you claim yourself to be? I'm not full of myse-- Maybe you are. You're so quiet around everyone and you always act high and mighty I don't know what to say You're always thinking nobody else has enough power to change your position or help you out These are my problems not theirs You don't want people to be above you, like Noah or Vance. Hell, even Zen I don't have a problem with authority Yes you do. Face it, you'd rather be your own boss and ready to consume the next higher power. You fought your way from the bottom and you think you've faced a tragedy worst than all, and now you think you deserve to be on top-- ENOUGH.

                      Ember was sick of this parasite in her mind always battling how she felt. What she hated more than that was that there was the possibility that truth laid behind those words. Maybe she did feel like her solo days were progressive, because she was her own boss and that made communicating with other very easy-- since there was no one. But no, she had Daxter, and she didn't want to be alone without him. She was for the Team Defiance, seeing how being in the team had gotten her closer to Vance than she ever could have on her own... and Noah was the resources and brains she didn't have to make it so. She owed a lot to his leadership, but the thought of being both the strongest and her own leader was still enticing. No, Ember refused the dark desires to submit. They may be a team, but they are my friends first and foremost. I would never leave them behind for something as selfish as higher power and total rule. So you say. But I guess only time will tell. She felt like her argument was dissolved, but had to think quietly to herself on how to get back at the voice in her head. It was always dark, telling her that her hopes were nothing special, her ambitions were always false, and that she was weak. I... she thought quietly to herself as she knew everything the voice could have said on how she was weak. She thought about asking this question, just to inquire the knowledge the voice may have held, but her question was tossed away. She felt it was better not to know a biased answer. This voice in her head wasn't Truth or any sense of a greater wisdom. She was wiser...

                      The morning came a lot quicker than any of them would have likely hoped. Ember stayed in the arms of Daxter, still in slumber until his voice woke her up, "so what about Kaito?" Ember's eyes opened slowly, her green irises looking over Daxter's chest and seeing her hand placed over his heart, his arms still holding her tightly while she laid on him partially. Their legs were entangled, and hearing him call out to Noah across the hall made her feel slightly nervous. She hoped Noah wouldn't just walk in the bedroom to talk to Daxter while she was tangled into him like this, but her eyes shut as she feigned sleep a while longer. "What about him?" Noah replied. "What do we do?" "We don't do anything. He chose to go with Vance the same way I did, if he's half the person he's made himself to be then he has a plan and we should trust that. Kaito isn't our enemy, remember he went with him for our behalf. In a perfect world this buys us as much time as we need to locate him without worry of his attack, but this isn't a perfect world so we know Vance will still strike, but he can't do it in a way that makes Kaito aware of it, so it'll be subtle, which either makes it more dangerous or more in our favor, so be on your toes. Today just rest up, we'll be leaving for LA tomorrow. If you need Nill or I we'll be reachable by phone." Ember didn't agree with Kaito's decision to leave the group, and was still strongly repelled at the idea of ever letting him back in. It even took a long time of Ember looking the other way to still feel comfortable around Noah again... But knowing he gave up that affiliation for Nill's sake... a friend of the past... she eventually let it go. Is everyone going to get close to him while I sit here on my hands, waiting for my turn to just be in close proximity for attack? Well you could join him and then get your hands on him later. Ember ignored that. There was no way in hell.

                      Umiko sat on the couch in the living room, hearing the commotion about Kaito and how Noah believed that the dangers still existed. She didn't bother explaining her newfound powers or her voice to anyone, seeing how they wouldn't be too involved with her for a while, but she listened. She heard Noah saying they should trust Kaito, and as much as she loved him, the complexities of trusting him after leaving her behind had her scorned. She wanted to trust that his decision was the right one to make, but she couldn't blame anyone but herself for not having taken Mizu's offer sooner to avoid all of this. But he was gone now, and she had to try and change something, even if it included herself. Keeping these thoughts in her own mind, unvoiced, she curled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her own knees. Meanwhile, Ember stayed curled up to Noah. Multiple minds in the hotel rooms thinking about what had transpired that night, and what needed to be done now. Nill was taking a shower, probably the only person who wasn't so focused on what happened to Kaito as she was more focused on the events for the day. My dream... she thought quietly to herself as she put the shampoo in her hair. [x] She continued to scrub her long blonde hair as her eyes looked down to the drain at the bottom of the shower. The water that took the dirt off her body, would go back to the underground, and would stream by the corpses of dead Gifted, those who may have still been in hiding, and Gavin. Gavin... who may or may not have still been down there. I hope you're alright... she sighed softly to herself as she wondered just what happened to them all since this world had changed. After dying, being refabricated by darkness, then dying again and being brought back in eternal light, she wondered if Gavin would have been angry to know that she did give up her life.

                      It was the dream towards the beginning that hurt Nill the most. Now she knew she was not an angel that all those people had prayed to. That all their prayers for repent and to go to heaven would be in vain. Her angel wings lowered slightly downward in the sad thought that struck her. I'm not God... she told herself again. She knew better than anyone that she couldn't bring them back. If she had that kind of power, the DOGS Corps purposes would have already been dissolved. No purpose in trying to kill what could not be killed... but to wish for a miracle... was another thing. Nill knew for some she was a beacon of hope, and having her gone. I don't need to think about that anymore... she thought as she washed herself. The water poured of her slender frame, the water trailing around her hips, on her cheeks, down her slender extended arms. The warm water felt great on her skin, and she smiled quietly as she remembered that trying to change the world had finally happened. The DOGS Corps was no more, and she was finally helping her hero in more ways than she ever could have dreamed about. The most important being the ring on her finger. She glanced at it, then turning off the water and twisting her hair over her shoulder to get the water out. After doing so, the fragile angel stepped out and began to dry her hair.

BIoodbane's Fav

Ruthless Firestarter

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                      She looked to the mirror, then taking a comb and working out the tangles before towel drying her hair first. "I am so glad you gave me my eyesight back," she heard from the direction of the door. A spark ignited all across her body in a twitch where she dropped everything in hand and turned her turquoise hues to get a glimpse of "N-NOAH!" She stumbled for a towel to cover up with, her face as red as ever with watery eyes as she felt extremely embarassed to be seen in such a state. She couldn't manage to stand for the wink he'd given her, collapsing onto her knees and covering her head with the towel as she heard the door click shut. "I'll be waiting for you." She looked at the door with the blush still completely painting her cheek red, and then took a little while longer to get ready. She knew she had to hurry, because the day was far from being over for them. While making haste and being sure that she looked presentable, she soon stepped out of the bathroom and came with Noah who was dressed in his business suit. She knew the last time he was in his suit she wanted to stay at the hotel. When will my wish come true? she sighed as she followed him. Today was a gorgeous, bright sunny blue sky kind of day. Nill wondered if the world would have changed due to all the destruction of last night... But even with all the headlines spilling out the details they claimed it was a confrontation gone wrong. This world was so warped and washed that Nill found it hard to believe how easy she could breathe after experiencing such a disastrous fight.

                      They eventually made it to the recording studio that was busy today. Takashi met with Noah and Nill as soon as they were arrived, Noah surprised that Serene was nowhere to be seen, "where's your agent?" He asked curiously, looking around to see dozens of other people but none that were here. "Oh, yeah, Serene-chan said she wouldn't be able to make it until late, sometimes I forget I'm not her only entertainer. She was roped into a last-minute emergency with someone else, but promised to be here as soon as she could, just you and me." Takashi looked around and then hesitantly stepped closer to Noah and Nill, looking at Noah for a moment, whispering low, "s-so, about Kaito-chan...is...is he okay?" Nill blinked her eyes to Takashi, stuttering and having stepped close to inquire information about his friend. Her eyes looked sorrowfully downward as she wondered what may have happened with Umiko by now, and how she was holding up. Noah nodded, "he'll be fine, he's a tough cookie. The question is are you?"

                      While the two friends were gathered with Takashi and discussing their talks about Noah, Lyn was in another room with Aved and her directors planning out the music "Let Her Go". She took a nervous glance down to her cellphone connected to all the others and turned it on silent. Nothing new from Takashi, seeing how she told him she would be busy today. She wondered if staying in a room, singing such an emotional song with him would cause her any problems. She only hoped not, but saw nothing that needed to be done about it at the moment. It was already to late to turn around and change the past. Just calm down, Lyn. You're going to be fine. It's just a song... and it's no big deal. She was so head over heels for Takashi, she had to recall the reasons of drawing away from him. She didn't want to be in love with him because of a curse, and didn't want to hurt him... but the song was interpreted more differently in her mind. I feel so strange about these lyrics... she thought while looking over them once more. For some reason, the idea of being let go hurt her deeply, and she clutched the fabric above her heart rather tight. In truth, and at this moment, Umiko was subconsciously synced to Lyn due to Mizu's magical curse, and the emotions rippled over the fabrics of magic tied between the two souls to feel pain. For a quick moment, Lyn's eye color had even changed to Umiko's but then reverted back without her being aware. The feelings died down thankfully, and she left her room with the manager.

                      Later as they gathered into the studio, Takashi and Vanille met for the first time. She smiled at him, taking his hand and shook with her own. The physical contact left an impression on Vanille, seeing his grip had naturally gotten stronger since she had last seen him... She walked into the booth with him, trying hard to not stare at him so often. They put on their headphones, looking to each other with polite smiles on their expressions. She never knew that Takashi could sing, and there were always things that she wondered and wanted to explore about his person aside from this curse... but she just had to distance herself. Even for a while. It's hard to trust somebody... and I just don't want to make those same mistakes again. She looked at Takashi as the instrumental barely allowed either mind to try and calm themselves, and then she began to sing, "Well you only need the light when it's burning low
                      Only miss the sun when it starts to snow
                      Only know you love her when you let her go..."

                      She was able to do the first chorus until Takashi would later jump in and take over the next chorus, the two of them being able to glance at each other only as they were in the dimly lit booth together. The eyes of their managers, directors and friends were behind the glass which showed nothing but their own reflections. Lyn looked at that glass window, seeing that she was indeed in a room with Takashi. Somehow... something began to stir... A deep pained misery that was tightening her body up more and more. She heard his beautiful voice fill the room and her heard with his high and low notes, expressing emotion into the song which she had tried to keep herself from doing in a way that showed more of her obvious feelings. What's wrong with me? she thought to herself as her voice began to shake steadily. Her persona that she had spent so many years expressing her hand written songs and emotions into for the sake of music was starting to dissolve by her own sadness, and her hands clutched the end of her own fabric nervously. I can't do this... she thought to herself as she looked down as her hands, her mouth no longer facing the microphone that was supposed to be catching her every word. She tore her headphones off of her head, looked frantically to Takashi as the tears quickly spilled down her cheeks and she gave a broken-hearted smile. "I-I can't sing this." Those feelings of being left behind, and the feelings of being hurt by somebody one could trust was mixed with the emotions she held for Takashi of having to hold herself back. In a both painful and agonizing way, she had to cut the tie of Vanille being in the booth with him, now.

                      Takashi had seen her leave and hurried to follow after her after Noah had made his slightly douche comment. While Vanille was on her feet and trying to get away from the slowly building crowd behind her, she looked to a fire escape and knew it was her only chance. I have to jump and get to my motorcycle. Act now, ask questions later. Takashi followed after her while a member of the crew had entered the studio through a door she was trying to leave from, slipping past the crew member as her hair was pulled back to reveal a wig to reveal different colored hair underneath. Lyn opened her eyes wide, slowly turning to see that her wig had come off and-- "Hikaru!!" Lyn turned back at Takashi with a shocked and hurt expression, running from the hallway and finally jumping through the window onto the fire escape. He saw-- but then suddenly a pair of arms grabbed her around the waist, pulling her back inside. "H-Hikaru are you crazy?! You'll get yourself killed!" She had no time. "L-Let me go!" She said as she squirmed and twisted to look at him, pressing her fingers against his forehead, tapping him while she used this moment to leave the building via the fire escape. She felt sorry for having to stop Takashi like that, but she needed to. It was the only chance she had to try and distance herself without reasoning with him. With her crazy world full of mixed personas and different personalities all built now falling.. she had no idea what was going to happen to her.

                      Down below in the parking lot Hikaru continued her escape towards her vehicle, then seeing the familiar face of "Kaito..." "Hello there, so what seems to be the problem?" He asked curiously, crossing his arms as she approached him to get to her motorcycle. She wondered what he was doing here... Maybe he was here for Takashi but if that proved true then why was he outside? It was almost as if he knew she was going to be there. "N-Nothing worth the explanation, I need to go and I don't have time for this." Kaito smiled in response, "nonsense, you have all the time in the world, I'm the one running out of it. So few people use what they have wisely and it ends up lost." Hikaru noticed that Kaito was not budging from where he was, between her and her motorcycle and stopped, shaking her head, "I-I... I used mine up. You don't know. I... I'm... Look. I'm in a really bad place right now. I just jeopardized both of my biggest paychecks. I can't do... this right now. I... used to have all the time in the world, but I took it and gave it to somebody else. I don't regret it... But I can't waste time standing here about my problems. And.. I can't keep doing what I need to do when he gets close to me..." Kaito put a hand on Hikaru's shoulder with a faint smile. Somehow she was feeling pushed down, though his hand barely weighed on her.

                      "You're wrong, you know. There's still lots of time left to fix your mistakes. You have the gift of youth, do you realize how precious that is to be able to make a mistake and yet still have time to fix them? Do you know how many people live with a mistake for the rest of their lives and only realize too late how repairable it was? I know that feeling, I may yet repair my own or live with them in heartache. Panic and all is lost, you lose seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years. Eventually you're out of time and only then do you realize that the people you're running from...were only a small part of the seconds of your life, when you wanted them to be worth years." Hikaru froze for a few seconds and pressed her fingers against his forehead twice. Something about him giving me a lecture about the importance of others is really hurting me. In any case I need to leave now. "It... It's my punishment, my burden to bear. Any who follows will surely be dragged down into the Organization as well. I can't do that to the people w-who mean so much..." She cut herself off and jumped on her motorcycle, but Kaito blinked and with a flick of his fingers Hikaru has issues starting her motorcycle. "I don't mean to keep intruding, truly I don't, but you'll find that running away from the people who mean so much...are the people who would rather run with you." With that Hikaru emitted a growl that erupted from her throat and looked at him. "Like you?" Umiko's appearance took over hers for a quick flash in a few short milliseconds, but the eyes stayed the same for just a moment as Hikaru gathered the reasons as to why she had called him out in the middle of his speech... but he continued,

                      "Why is it people like you never realize the value of the company around you? If you asked Takashi to help you, do you think he would? If you asked for a way out...do you think you could have it? If you asked for more seconds to do what you needed do you think you could have it? You're very special, Hikaru, just like me, just like Takashi, but special people like us aren't special because of what we can do...but because of the company we keep. You're not alone, for as little time as you think you have left...you'll find every second can be used to its fullest." She then noticed that everything stopped. She looked around, no longer feeling the breeze pick up her hair or brush her gently with a calm wind. The cars all halted, and the people stopped walking as well. "What.. did you do..." Hikaru narrowed her eyes at Kaito. Her whisper went unnoticed as he hastily spoke, "Use your assets, Hikaru, rely on your friends, your lovers, your allies. If you don't, that Organization you mentioned will pale in comparison to the damage you do to yourself by pretending you're alone. I suspect my words will fall on deaf ears, they typically do. But if you wait just another minute longer you won't be alone anymore." "W-What? People like me? As if you'll put me in a pool with the handful that aren't willing to listen to heartfelt advice? If I asked for help, I may get some. If I let people come along, they might come. But my company is... the faces I've made up myself. I lost two... friends today. I can't lose anymore if I don't make any." "Then I'm sorry."

                      She watched as he walked away and time unfroze itself, Takashi being in the distance,, While having listened to Kaito's words, the sting in her heart against him dissolving shortly and converting back to sorrow, she took a soft glance at his back. Umiko's eye color came back, then feeling like she hadn't reached him. What was to reach? Hikaru thought, seeing how she wasn't focused on any relationship between her and Kaito, but more concerned over Takashi. Umiko herself, wherever she was, could have seen these events unfolding, but her emotions coming out from Hikaru's lips were only a display uncontrolled to express some grief she still held. "You know, I feel bad I've never actually listened to your music." Takashi made his approach, somehow she had stayed. "H-Hold on! Don't. Go. S-Stay, just stay." "Kentaro-kun..." Takashi was blushing lightly, or perhaps he was red from the running, either way, it was clear there was something happening. "Don't go, stay. I don't care if you're Hikaru, or Vanille, or whoever. I like you for you." Hikaru's eyes opened slightly in surprise when she heard what he'd said, her engine turning over as she started it up. Though instead of leaving she got off her motorcycle and approached him, "Takashi..." she said softly, "I..." She reached for his hand, but pulled it back. "Hikaru-chan..." He replied softly, looking at her still blushing, "why did you run? You know I'd have to follow." She wanted too tell him why she left, why it hurt to sing such a sad song with him, and how she still wanted to be by his side... but then she would have to explain the reasons why, expressing that this curse was something she couldn't handle lightly. Even still.... even if there is a chance for me in his heart... I want it to stay alive.

                      "Not...Hikaru...just..." she paused, closing her eyes for a second and stepped closer, grabbing his collar and pulling him close, tapping his forehead to freeze him and then kiss him for a few seconds and releasing him, "Lynette." She hopped on her motorcycle and sped off. Nill had followed Noah outside to reunite with their friend that had discovered the name of the true identity belonging to Hikaru, and wanted to make sure that he was alright. Nill was surprised at the name, and even more so that Lynette had been a famous actress, singer, and more under different identities. That would be so hard to keep track of... she thought as she tried to understand what might have been going on with Lyn. Nill was always trying to see from another perspective as help and to give good insight on why Lyn might have had so many identities and doing such a thing... but the question was unanswered as it was too much of a mystery to solve. The girl seemed to want to be alone, but obviously held some feeling for Takashi to leave him with her real name. She looked at Takashi and sighed... wondering what was going to happen next to the group. But soon after seeing Noah get a text message, Nill suspected the answer to her curious thoughts would come rather quickly.

                      "Pack your bags, Takashi, we're leaving for New Vegas." Nill turned her head towards her future husband, "a little birdie says it might be a good idea, and let's face it love, our vacation to Japan was a bust. Not to mention we were only really here on business in the first place. New Vegas will be purely a vacation spot, and with Kaito's deal with Vance we should be safe from running into him. We'll have fun." Nill looked at Noah, seeing that she was happy to hear that they were given the heads up by such a good friend. He smiled and kissed her lips gently, putting an arm around her waist. She nervously fluttered her wings and pulled herself closer into Noah, "Takashi, pack light, what you don't have I can provide. I'll meet you at your apartment in an hour with the rest of the group." Noah left with Nill back towards the hotel so the group could pack up and check out, changing their plane tickets for New Vegas. Ember was rather surprised when the two appeared back at the hotel, Noah mentioning the next place they were going to go as--

                      "WOOHOO!! New Vegas are you ******** kidding I am so excited! One word of caution though, I am not officially allowed back in there. Let's just say things happened." Ember blinked her eyes, rather curious at why he was banned from a city. He replied, "things, baby. Don't worry about it! New Vegas is fun as hell. To be honest I really wasn't looking forward to going back to LA, a real vacation in Vegas is more than what we need. There's a nerd convention this week too, biggest anime convention on any coast! Anime Expo bitches!" Daxter grinned as Noah suddenly spoke up, "you are a nerd. Lest we forget." "I wear my nerddom with pride and I wear it well, I'm not 28-years-old living in my parents' basement for one, and two I am awesome, lest we forget. Either way, I will be attending, I bought my tickets last year, I'll just have to find a computer to print out my tickets, no biggie. I actually bought 6 tickets, I intended to sell five of them for insane prices when they were sold out but, hey that leaves enough for all of us to go." Ember was surprised at the 'coincidence' of Daxter having bought six tickets, the number fitting them rather nicely, but also felt inclined to believe that she was going to have to go with him whether or not she wanted to. From what she knew about anime already, it was random and for some, very exciting. Nill was actually a little joyful to hear that Daxter was already making a fun plan for them, but she forgot she was trusting a close-psychopath to make up something fun for them to do.

                      Noah shook his head, "Well, er, we'll talk about it later, I'm undecided on if I'm going. For now, let's pack up and meet with Takashi, we're heading to New Vegas next." While everyone packed, Ember noticed that there was somebody missing. "...Where's Umiko?" she asked, Nill hearing her and then both ladies gathering to the living room. "I have no clue..." But then Nill heard a crunching noise under her feet. She lowered down to pick up the note, turning it over and then seeing the words, "Good bye Team Defiance. I'll be back another day." Nill looked worried to Ember, who crossed her arms in response. "It's tough when the world takes a toll on you. Just as what you and I had to do in terms of finding our place in the world, I think that's the step she'll be taking next." And that was exactly what Umiko had done. The two girls kept packing and then left the hotel. Going through security was a breeze, and boarding was even easier, the group relaxing once on the airplane and heading to New Vegas, just a few states away from LA. The group's flight and travels were easy, and on the arrival to the actual hotel, Nill and Ember unpacked and waited to see what the boys had in mind in terms of ideas for how to start off the day.

                      Somewhere else in the district of New Vegas, on the far outskirts of the city and over towards one of the former DOGS Corps bases, a woman dressed casually walked in the hallways. Her icy blue eye peered over the people she passed, all in white lab coats and looking over important written documents. "Excuse me," she stepped in front of one of the females who stopped and looked to the silver hair woman. "I-Irene," the woman exclaimed in surprise, "What can I do for you?" Irene locked eyes with the woman, lifting her eye patch and the showing the other ruby red iris hidden. She locked gazes with the woman, gathering all the intel that she needed as the female researcher shook her head, not knowing what just happened. Irene smiled politely, "I'm going to need to borrow a restroom." The female gazed up at her and pointed her politely in the right direction. Irene smiled, leaving for the restroom but when walking in locked the door behind her. The image of Irene faded and was replaced with the short purple locks of Umiko, who panted heavily from using her magic. It's okay, Umiko thought to herself as she allowed the last bead of sweat to roll off her cheek. She had been taking on the appearance of a former DOGS Corps member and her only gateway to her magic was the red eye she'd given her new appearance, unlike the real Irene who actually held no eye under her eye patch. "You can do this..." she said, having retrieved enough of that female's memories to know where to go in the ventilation and the codes necessary for any problems she may run into. She only picked the memories of what she could think of needing, and wanted to utilize them to find out what scientists were doing in the labs that Team Defiance had yet to figure out.

                      She crawled into the ventilation above her and carefully made her way through and through again, her silver bangs falling between her eyes as she continued forward. Eventually after silently passing over the heads of may researchers in the building, and seeing nothing of particular interest, she noticed that all these people were mute. They didn't discuss anything of valuable information, and didn't actually give away any future plans. They stared into secure screens in a language that Irene could not understand, and seemed to be working very top secret. However, she finally came to looked over the rooms holding deceased people spread on tables. Wires, cords, and tubes trailed everywhere. It looked like a morgue room... but it didn't seem like anything... evil. Irene shook her head, being uncomfortable by the ideas of staring at the dead bodies of people and moved more forward. She eventually came over to a smaller vent, one she could not fit into, and shrunk herself enough to fit inside like the one she had previously traveled in. She looked down over another vent, peering downward to see a large generator that was running tons of power with a golden glow. Irene's eyes studied the generator carefully, then seeing the body of a still living person strapped onto a table coming close to face the opening of a generator. What is this... she thought as she studied it even more closely, getting a better look at the person, who didn't seem to carry any emotion of their face, being elevated on the table to vertically face the generator that began to hum louder.

                      The building shook gently, Irene cursing to herself quietly as the generator's lights flashed greatly. The person's body ignited in light, the Chroma energy being sucked away from their body and into the generator. Irene widened her eyes, lifting her eye patch to watch with both as she thought quietly, W-What is it doing? It's taking the energy! Suddenly the tremor and hum of the machine died down from it's full running capacity and the table lowered itself to reveal that the person strapped on was now - "dead." Something snapped as Irene/Umiko activated her magic. She kicked out the bars of the vents she was held in and dropped directly above the table holding the next victim. She summoned ice to trap all of the researcher in the room in their steps, then looking at the victim and spoke, "I'm going to get you out of here--" "NOOOO!" the victim cried at the sight of her. She was confused beyond explanation as to why they were resisting rescue, but she was then knocked over by the patient, seeing their legs unstrapped, and hitting the closed entrance of the Chroma generator. "Y-You... don't want to be saved?" The civilian shook their head. "I am Vance's disposable servant. I am fuel." Irene widened her eyes until she was attacked by another scientist, this one somehow being very agile with their attacks. They had escaped her ice, and she was concerned. She dodged a swift kick to the head and kicked upward, knocking them in the chin. She leaped off the ground and rose swiftly back to her feet, looking around the ground and then seeing the same agent shake off the the head related injury rather fast.

                      She was jumped, having to try and dodge his coming attacks but finding it rather hard as time passed. One opponent, turned into five, in which she was not accustomed to fighting with her magic just yet. She summoned ice to try and trap them, water to push them back, but eventually she was caught by those behind her and strapped to a table. She laid down, seeing herself being pushed over to the front of the generator as she shouted to be set free, another researcher taking a step forward as he spoke with the voice of Vance in his throat. "You are free..." he said with a smile, his silver eyes gazing over Irene. "What are you doing to these people?" Irene said as she laid sprawled on the table. "I'm simply giving the energy carried in people back to the planet... and apparently you seem to have much more in your body than you should. What I see..." he said as he flipped through blank pages on his clipboard, "...is that you have enough Chroma power equivalent to five thousand lives." Irene widened her eyes, not knowing a rounded number for how many vessels Mizu had taken, but now with all the magic and Chroma compounded into her structure, she wondered how she could hold so much Chroma without it destroying her. "Magic is certainly a good wear for the body. It can really prove to defy logic and the laws of nature... but your travels end here." He stepped back, the hum of the generator acting up, and Umiko being forced to stare into the light of the machine whose doors were opening slowly. She could already feel some Chrome being sucked out of her, but she screamed, releasing shards of ice everywhere to cut the straps on her arms, hurt those researchers that surrounded her, and even hit the massive power cords that kept the generator running.

                      She started a meltdown. She quickly found the light blinding her as she saw the destruction of the generator start to blow outward, destroying the entire base. Irene's eyes changed to Umiko's as she closed them tightly, encasing herself in a protective barrier as the Chroma energy expelled. The base was eaten away by the power, and even parts of her strong barrier were ripped apart, scratching and causing major damage on her person. When all was said and done, she looked around, seeing that this was just one of many bases planted around the world. The hypnotized minds of millions were suffering this fate of being fed into generators for whatever Vance's ultimate goals held, and Umiko shed the appearance of Irene as she laid unconscious from all the destruction.

Dangerous Lunatic

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                              They were more than a little thankful that their battle had ended with no fatalities, and though they were still feeling the pain well into the night, no one was critically injured and that was something to be thankful for. Everyone settled into their beds to rid themselves of the soreness their bodies would be feeling after many of them surpassed their initial limits just to face Vance equally. It was amazing how they could come together to fight him like they did, yet still remain a broken team. They hadn't yet learned the true purpose of teamwork and they had to have known it would be the only way to get rid of Vance. Fighting on their own, flying solo, would be the only way to ensure an early end. But tonight would be no time to focus on those kinds of thoughts, not with the wondrous reprieve they were given: no Vance for the foreseeable future. Tonight would be resting with their loved ones, those who still had one to rest with, and pleasant dreams, for those who hadn't held a life of misery.

                              It was perplexing how coincidental it could be for two different people in every which way to share similar dreams. Nill dreamed of the underground, rising to see her hero she was now getting to marry, treated as an angel to the refugees hidden away from the DOGS. Daxter, on the other hand, was dreaming of an angel of his own. Through the night Daxter stirred lightly in his sleep as his mind was processing memories of his past, terrible atrocities he committed as all the damage he'd done to himself by running was slowly being repaired by the conclusion that he was the monster he'd been trying to escape. It was a revelation that gave him the balance of yin and yang he'd so often sought, but never could achieve. Memories, both good and evil, spread themselves throughout the night in his subconscious as he recalled everything he'd ever locked away.

                              In Solica, a long time ago, Daxter McLain had made a name for himself as the dangerous mercenary Killzone, taking on every job that came his way. It didn't matter who or why, as long as he was being paid handsomely he would do anything without remorse or regret, and sometimes he would let himself enjoy the finer aspects of the job that few people had the broken moral compass of allowing. As his jobs took him all over the city and beyond it was inevitable that he would hear things, rumors and mutterings about something that, for some reason, angered him. Death had a funny way of revealing the kinds of deep down secrets that few people would often show any other time. With a gun to a person's head, or a sword to their throat, or the threat of their ending coming quickly, Daxter often truly saw the kind of person a person was. It was in their final minutes that Daxter enjoyed the most, because the kind of person someone often hid underneath many layers would reveal itself and float to the surface of their mind.

                              Daxter stood in a dimly lit room, blood and glass scattered across the wooden floor, standing over a middle-aged man with graying hair and blood pouring from open wounds across his shirtless torso and face. He was a Gifted, not that it mattered to him who he was, that was in the way of someone's success and had to die. He hid himself from the DOGS for decades, never using his powers, never making any kind of revelation of who he really was. Someone found out, and instead of using the DOGS to get to him a mercenary was hired to kill him. Daxter was called in to take care of this guy, not because he was Gifted, but because was an executive high up the corporate ladder, and someone wanted his spot. His powers were unknown at first, but Daxter found out quickly that his powers were atrophied from decades of hiding them. The power to control shadows was so weak, so withered, that they were nothing but mild annoyances. Crouching down to the man holding the silver cross in his hand, praying to his God, Daxter stabbed the sword into the wood and stared at him with a bit of a smile, "I don't think he'll hear you in here." Daxter spoke grimly, standing up to flick on the light switch, brightening up the room and eliminating most shadows as the lights lined up along the wall were illuminated. "Fictional things don't. Take it from me, if God exists then he's next on my list." The thin man looked up to Daxter with tired eyes, a spark of fear behind the faintly purple irises, the only unique characteristic of the man. "God exists, I have seen the face of one of his angels." Daxter scoffed, putting a bullet into the man's shoulder with a loud echo of the gunshot in the office.

                              "Take it from, pal, telling people you've been abducted by aliens will get you laughed at. Telling people you've seen angels will get you locked up. I mean I thought I was bananas, but you are just one special kind of crazy." Daxter laughed as the guy, who had screamed out in pain when the bullet entered his shoulder and into the wall behind him, held the bleeding shoulder with labored breath. "I...I have seen her face, she is a lovely thing. She is proof of God." This angered him, Daxter was not going to believe that angels existed, pushing his sword into the other shoulder of his victim. "Say it with me: angels don't exist." The man, with heavy breathing and blood pouring from his wounds, exhaled sharpy, "angels. Exist." Daxter pushed the blade in further and twisted, "okay, it's fine, you're just a little confused. Lots of blood loss. Understandable. Say it with me. Angels. Do not. Exist." The man, still breathing hard, collected his saliva and blood in his mouth and shot it out onto Daxter's face, spitting at him. Wiping the blood-saliva mix off his face, Daxter pulled the sword out without any care or precision with it, one quick twist to dislocate his shoulder as it was pulled out. The man screamed loudly, sweat dripping from his brow as he was nearing the end of his endurance to handle all the suffering he was receiving. "S-She will...judge you harshly." Daxter shook his head, kneeling down to eye level of his target, "so, first, obviously, great spitting distance, very impressed. Second, tell me about this angel, where does one find a servant of God?" He asked, curious to see where the story ended of this angel.

                              "She...cannot be killed by the likes of a demon such as yourself. But I will...n-never tell you where she is. I would not betray my God." Shaking his head, Daxter stood up, "it's cool, no big deal. I'll find out from someone a little less...faithful. But, if heaven exists so does hell, and guess where you're going!? Tell him what he's won! That's right, an eternity in hell!! Richard Martinez sends his best regards." Flames ignited at the feet of the battered and bruised man, sending him into a screaming frenzy as he was coated with the flames of hell. "Angels don't exist." Daxter said in quiet anger walked away as the screaming quieted down into a suffering whimper, and then quietness. The flames crackled and popped as the clothes, skin, and bones of the victim were eviscerated by the fire. He left the office with the charred smell of the burnt body behind him, in search of the angel he wished to have a chat with.

                              "Angels don't exist, for ******** sake!!" Daxter slammed his clenched fist into the nearest wall of the bar he was in, the sparsely populated hole in the wall housing the bartender, Daxter, and two others who were drinking, Daxter just there for the atmosphere. "Shut yer gob, mate, can't let a dyin' man hav' the last bit o' faith?" Daxter turned to the golden-haired man wearing it in a small ponytail, leaning over to put his hands on the table, "just shut the ******** up. No God. No angels. I burned him alive like I was having a barbeque. Are you telling me you believe angels exist?" "Ah well, gotta hav' a little some'hing t' keep ya going." The blond man peered at Daxter over the rim of his filled mug of alcohol, taking two large loud gulps. "I'm going to find her and I'm going to skin her alive. I will kill her, and we'll see just how "heavenly" this angel is. If she's anything she's just some Gifted with wings and people are too stupid to see it differently. Angels, pfft." The blond man rolled his eyes, putting the mug on the table and standing up, "look, ya wan' some information I'll find it. See where th' lass be hidin', but next payin' job comes 'round I want double th' fee. Findin' an angel ain't gonna be easy, mate." Daxter stood up and turned his back on his information gatherer, "fine. If I kill an angel, though, and I will be a god."

                              "Got one, Aileen Winsworth. Might know o' the angel."

                              The subway tunnels were empty this late at night aside from Daxter and a few others. He kept himself moving as a few DOGS Soldiers were patrolling the quiet stations as subway cars flew through them at high speeds. Daxter kept an eye on the next target as the subway train pulled into the station and she stepped into it, Daxter soon to follow. The car itself was empty aside from them two, the woman opening up a newspaper to read on her way home while Daxter pulled out a pistol and approached her, pressing the gun to the newspaper, "got the sports?" He asked casually, the woman dropping the newspaper down to look at him then suddenly gasping audibly at the sight of a black colored gun barrel pointed in her face. "What, this old thing? It's nothing, but if you scream it'll be something real fast. I'm looking for an angel, I mean to kill her. Disprove she's an angel, disprove God, basically make everyone as miserable as I am when their angel is exposed as a fake. Someone tells me they're underground, they say you know where because you help smuggle hunted Gifted. Two ways this end: you dead or the DOGS' newest b***h. Either way, give me what I want." The woman stood up slowly with her arms held up, nodding until she smacked the pistol away from her body and grabbed Daxter's arm, twisting. Daxter countered with a twist of his body and repositioning himself until her arm was behind her body, a twisting motion of her arm making a loud snapping sound which caused her to scream loudly. "Baby you ain't never dealt with a guy like me before, masturbating is gonna be hard with two dislocated shoulders." Daxter kept hold of her dislocated arm behind her back, pushing her into the subway car's window and slamming her head into it, breaking the glass. He threw her into a seat and took a seat of his own across from her. "Do you have a boyfriend? Sorry, bad timing. You're cute though, we should get dinner sometime. Anyway, underground, where is it?"

                              The woman caught her breath as blood dripped down her face from the cuts of the glass, staring at Daxter with gritted teeth. "You're a demon, but you can't stand up to the likes of her. She's God's gift to us for our loyal servitude, she will cleanse us of our sins and -- " Daxter fired off his gun next to her head, close enough to shave off some hairs. "Yeah yeah God, redemption, heaven is awesome and I'm going to hell when I die. Great! I know, let's skip to the part where the lovely little angel fights this sick twisted demonic sack of s**t. Hm? I mean, if she's really an angel she can kill me, right? Heheh. C'mon, I just wanna talk to her." The woman spat at Daxter, though not with the range of his last target, missing. Daxter shook his head, "alright, if you believe in God so much then let's see you [********] meet him." Daxter approached her and put a gun to her temple, pulling at the trigger. "Wait," she said with a sharp inhale, closing her eyes, "we don't know her real name, we just call her Angel, she has given sight to the blind, given movement to the crippled, and given life to the dying. She has two large angel wings on her back, bright white untouched by our filthy world. She is kind, soft-spoken, but sees all with passion and love." Daxter took a step back, rotating his wrist with the gun in a "hurry up" motion when the girl had opened her eyes to stare into the face of a devil. "She is more powerful than anything on Earth, she will lead us through the gates of heaven while the damned are judged for purifying this world of the Soldiers of God. The Gifted." This, especially, made Daxter angrier than ever, "Gifted are Soldiers of God?" "Some have fallen from their righteous path, but she tells us they are soldiers. Like the archangels. All Gifted have been chosen by Him to bring us peace in a violent world." Daxter, now, started laughing, but not a lighthearted laugh, but a laugh of twisted darkness.

                              The woman stared up at Daxter as he laughed, his free hand producing a flame that rose up his arm and burned brightly, the woman's eyes widening in disbelief. "You mean to say I am a SOLDIER of GOD?! If I'm a soldier of some nonexistent GOD then why is my entire LIFE a living HELL?! If I am an archangel...then why has he forsaken me? No, pretty lady, I am as far from a Soldier of God as one can be. If God exists then he has ******** sucked at his job. Tell you what, honey, you tell God, if he exists, that Daxter McLain is coming for him. That's capital 'M' lowercase 'C', capital 'L' lowercase A-I-N." "The angel is housed in a sewer system southeast of Solica underneath the old railroad station. Please...I told you all I know I'm not ready to die, I have a son!" "God will take care of him for you." The gunshot violently splattered blood along the walls and windows of the subway train car as it came to a stop at the station, Daxter leaving the car and heading for the surface.

                              The pistol returned to the holster, Daxter kept walking south of town towards the abandoned railroad station, a station that would be the future home of his realization that his dark side can't be suppressed forever. It would be the site of Daxter's mental breakdown, the fire-formed version of Dax and where he attempted suicide in front of his future ex-girlfriend Sapphire. The station was abandoned when the railroad was shut down decades ago, and a perfect place to enter the sewer system that would house the angel Daxter didn't believe would exist. The walk towards the station was longer than he could have imagined, every thought he had focused on that angel. God couldn't exist, Daxter was convinced that there was no God, no angels, no happy ending. He was a sinner through and through, nothing he did later on would wipe away clean the tragedies he committed, and no God in heaven would have ever allowed him to grow into the twisted psychopath that had no remorse for loss of human life, who enjoyed the intricate blood splatters from wounds he created. If there were angels then there were demons, and the only explanation for his depraved actions would be that he was a demon, a servant of hell, maybe even the devil in disguise. God forgot about him a long time ago, and killing this angel was the only sick way Daxter could prove that there was no God. He didn't know if he could handle the idea of a God existing, not if he was left to be suffering, pained, depraved, hurting, and sick without God answering his pleas for help. No, Daxter was alone in this world and he wouldn't let some angel prove that God stopped caring about him a long time ago. Daxter entered the station and moved through its dusty, empty halls until he came to the sewer entrance in the employees only area, pulling open the drain and dropping into the long tunnel downwards that led into the intricate underground system.

                              He landed with a hard thud, but nothing that would hurt or he couldn't shake off, walking through the tunnels as he continued on his path towards where the angel would be at. In the distance he heard praying, shouting, people praising the powers of their angel. Daxter followed the echoing voices until he exited into a large maintenance room that spanned several dozen feet, his arrival stopping the sudden acts as he began approaching the angel being praised. She was beautiful, long golden hair, huge fluffy white wings, eyes as golden as the sun. She stared to Daxter, her soft features looking at him with kindness, a smile so bright it could light up a room. A man kneeling before her stood up and turned to the group, announcing his pain was gone, the group shouting praise to the angel. Daxter felt uneasy, nervous, for the first time he was struggling to keep a strong act going as he approached, standing in front of her as the others began announcing their disapproval of him butting in line. He turned to the ground and bared his teeth, snarling at them to keep their mouths shut, then turning to the angel. She wore long flowing white robes, intricate detail and design sewn into the fabric. "Can I help you, my child? For what ailment do you seek assistance for?" Her voice was as airy as her appearance, then Daxter pulled out a large combat knife and stabbed it into her chest, pushing her back against the wall. The others cried out in horror and fear as they backed away from the madman, terrified at what he'd just done. Daxter stared the angel in the face, snarling as he spoke, deep anger and hate in every syllable, "you're a fake." He watched the blood pour from the wound, spitting out of her mouth as she looked down at the bloodied knife pulled out of her, redness seeping into her delicate clothes. "Just a healer, that's your miracle, you're Gifted. There are no angels, no God, no redemption for the damned. Just a fake. I knew it." Daxter almost sounded hurt by the revelation that this angel was a fraud, a Gifted with healing powers. He gripped tightly onto her wings and pulled him out of her skin, simple fabric wings sewn into her skin, ripping them out as blood flowed down her back, ripping out the other fake wing.

                              The realization their angel was a fake brought the believers to their knees as their faith was shattered, Daxter turning to them while the fake angel fell to her knees. "Just a phony." He cleaned off the bloody knife and walked away, leaving the group a broken mess over what he'd just done. "If it's too good to be true, kids, it is. There is no redemption for people like me, you live the life you're given no matter how much you wish you could die." He left them, scared, broken, confused, and hurt, shattering their faith in God and leaving them a shell of their former selves. He left the station back into Solica and looked down at his phone, missed calls from his information gatherer, calling him back. "I just killed an angel, I told you there was no such thing." "That's...heartbreakin'." "Left a dozen non-believers in the sewer system underneath the abandoned railroad station in south Solica, might wanna do something about them, it's not my job." "Did ya say south? That...is not where my informants are telling me she's at." Daxter stopped in his tracks, looking around, "what...do you mean?" "I...I think ya just killed an imitation. Th' one I'm hearin' about is north, just shy of DOGS outpost 228. Whoever you killed mate...it ain't the real one."

                              Daxter took off in a sprint, the next one would be a fake too, he would just have to take care of that one and prove, once and for all, that there was no such thing as angels. He rushed through the street and climbed to the rooftops, crossing from rooftop-to-rooftop until he reached near the DOGS outpost was located, standing there as he overlooked the city, the setting sun striking his face with a warm glow. "I'll find this fake too, I'll kill her, there's no such thing as angels, no God, no nothing!! Just healers pretending. They're just pretending." Daxter exhaled in a shudder, looking at the sun as tears began to fall from his eyes. "I don't care, I don't care! I'm going to find her, I'm going to kill her. I'll wear her wings."

                              Days of searching and information gathering came to this, the day he pushed himself off the rooftop of a building near the DOGS outpost he'd been to days prior, and landed on the street. He wiped away the tears as the thought of an actual God tore him up inside, walking along the sidewalk until he came to the entrance of where the reported sewer holding the real angel was. He entered through the manhole cover and fell into the sewer, this time he could feel it, the angel everyone who'd even been to the underground was talking about. This had to be the real one, the real "fake" angel he was looking for from the start. Finally he arrived to where refugee Gifted were hiding, all the days of information gathering to pinpoint the entrance to the refugee camp led to this moment, the day he would meet and kill the angel.

                              The refugees were tired and broken, hunted by DOGS and brought here for protection to be hidden from their evil intent. There was no purity in this location, there was no one here who looked even the least bit happy, they all looked desolate and terrible. These people were real, no matter what angel may or may not exist they were suffering on the inside. But Daxter was determined, he continued forward as he reached a refugee and asked her about the angel, the first smile he could see in the camp on her face as she talked about the wonderful angel with the small wings. Golden hair like the sun, beautiful teal-turquoise eyes, such soft features she had to come from heaven. She granted wishes, her wings were soft and feathery, fluttered and moved in relation to her emotions. Daxter listened as this woman happily explained the angel that stayed with them, everything she'd done for them. He could see how happy this angel had made them, the poor forgotten souls of the underground were tormented and pained, but this angel made things better. "Where is this angel?" He asked after the woman finished her talk about the angel that Daxter wouldn't learn the name of until years later: Nill. Daxter learned that the angel had left, though no one could tell him why. The people he spoke to all praised the angel for what she'd done, some said she had gone to spread her love for others who needed it, to raise spirits to those with none to spare, and some said she'd just left because her will was done.

                              Daxter found himself increasing frustrated, no one could tell him where she'd gone, why she'd left, when she would be back, but they all described the angel as a wonderful being. They talked about her wings, showing him feathers that fell out that were still as white as newly fallen snow despite the dark grungy appearance of their camp. Daxter was angry, confused, angels couldn't exist but no one was disputing it, and this was not like the fake angel with the fabric wings that were as dirty as everything else, she didn't just heal people she granted wishes for people. This wasn't a healer, this was a literal miracle, a Gifted with incredible power or, as more and more people continued to say, an angel to bless them for their faith. His anger and frustration increased, Daxter was becoming blinded by hatred of this angel. If she existed so did a God, if God existed then everything that had ever happened to him was because He wanted it to happen, and wouldn't help him make his life a little bit better. Daxter suffered, he was hurting and no one could save him, no angel would visit him to take away the pain, no God would bless him with a better life. No, he was alone and the existence of an angel made him feel worse than ever. He focused all his self-loathing into pure anger, grabbing his gun and aiming at the last person he'd talked to. No one was looking at him, no one had even noticed he'd pulled out a gun. Daxter's grip was shaky as he continued to hold the gun in the direction of a refugee's head, ready to slaughter everyone in the camp. "If...If there is a God and you're blessed by an angel...he won't let me kill you. He won't let me kill any of you." He said softly, a hushed whisper shaken by anger and desperate sadness. He gripped tightly to the pistol and as he prepared to fire shoved it back into the holster. He couldn't do it, he couldn't kill anyone in the camp. They were all so desolate, sad, pathetic, he told himself they weren't worth his time or effort, that their deaths weren't even a challenge and wouldn't make him happy. But really, Daxter didn't know why they were still alive. He left the camp without a word, no one the wiser that he tried and failed to kill anyone.

                              Daxter left the sewer system and strolled past the DOGS outpost, feeling his feet starting to become heavy, his body weary. He felt as though he was walking through thick mud that covered him to his waist, trying to wade through it but was getting no where with all his efforts. As his body slowly stopped he fell to his knees, his head turning to look at a church that he'd been unable to walk past, exhausted by the events of his search for the angel he had wanted to kill. He pushed himself to his feet and burst in through the front door of the church and approaching the alter, falling onto his knees and looking up to the large statue of the holy father. He exhaled sharpy as he bowed his head down, staring to the red carpet underneath him. "You don't exist...angels don't exist. Then...then why couldn't I kill them? Why have I been abandoned? I'm suffering alone, and if you exist," Daxter raised his head to stare at the statue, "then this is all your fault. So answer me, if your precious little angel walks this world why don't I get a reprieve? A damn break?! Huh?! ANSWER ME!!" Daxter yelled out for God to answer him, but as loud as he yelled for an answer he was met with silence. Then he just screamed, Daxter screamed as he unleashed his fire within the church and igniting the holy house in flames. "YOU DON'T EXIST! DO YOU HEAR ME?! If you exist then stop me!! Stop me from burning down this sacred place!!" Daxter was yelling, his fire coursing through the pews and rising to the stained glass windows, the carpet igniting and spreading the fire through the hallways and into the offices. "Give me some kind of ******** sign!! You worthless excuse for a deity!! I will kill thousands of your children and you won't stop me?! I don't believe in you, I believe in me!! Do you hear me?! ANSWER ME!!" Daxter looked down to the carpet as he panted lightly, the fire surrounding him as he began to release tears from his eyes, frustrated and angry by everything that was happening. He screamed in pain as the troubled Daxter fell forward on his hands, breathing heavily. "I'm coming for you...you son of a b***h." Daxter said softly as he stood up carefully, walking through the fire and leaving the church through the back entrance as the fire burst through the windows and began consuming the rest of the building. He couldn't help but look back as the fire destabilized the building and it collapsed, but in the wake of the collapsed church a bronze cross from the roof remained standing from the only section of the roof held up by a support beam not consumed by the flames as firefighters put out Daxter's handiwork. Daxter stood there as the bronze cross remained standing, almost taunting him for what he'd done. He clenched his fist but could only give a dark twisted grin, then started to laugh.

                              Daxter tossed in his sleep, his back to Ember while sleeping in bed with her, silent tears from the emotion of the dream escaping his eyes as he opened them, staring at the dark hotel room he awoke in. He rolled off the bed and approached the balcony, opening the sliding glass door and closing it behind him as he gazed out across the skyline of Tokyo, sighing heavily at the memory he'd dreamed of chasing down Nill. Looking up to the stars above him Daxter could recall the event in question, how lost and alone he felt, forsaken he thought he was by the realization that if angels existed then God just didn't care about him. He didn't know if he believed in a God anymore now than ever before, but he'd found the angel he'd once chased for the sole purpose of killing just to prove she wasn't a real angel, and now she had become one of his friends. 'Friends...' Daxter thought softly, a chuckle escaping his lips, 'friends. I can have friends.' He slowly exhaled, the chill of the night showing his breath. Maybe she wasn't a real angel, maybe her creator just had a twisted sense of humor, or maybe all the talk of her powers, her appearance, wasn't because some sick scientist created her in a lab and maybe, just maybe, it was all divine intervention. Regardless of how she came to be and why, he knew that no matter how hard he searched, how long he looked, he never found Nill and wasn't meant to kill her. Daxter wasn't an idiot, he could track and find anyone, it came with the job to be able to find someone, but Nill always seemed to elude him. There was something special about her, regardless of her laboratory creation, and he knew that to be true. So maybe if there was a God, maybe he wanted her to exist and she was here for a reason. If that was the case, maybe he was too, maybe beyond his psychosis he also had a purpose, and all his hard work to become a better person was his reward for all his suffering. Or, maybe, they were special without the help of a God. Whatever their purpose, their reasoning for existing if they even had one, Daxter could say without hesitation that these people...were good people, 'and no one will ever hurt them.'

                              Daxter turned his back on Tokyo and returned to the hotel room to climb into bed with Ember, who was still fast asleep. He snuggled up tightly to her and whispered softly, "you're safe with me, Ember, no one will ever hurt you again, and I'll always be here. I love you, I'm absolutely crazy about you, I'm a better person because of you. I don't know that I believe in God, or fate, or soulmates, or the gag-me-crap that Noah and Nill say, but I'll tell you this much: I'll make you the happiest woman alive." He kissed her gently and fell back asleep, holding her throughout the night as the rest of his dreams were happier, pleasant, involving him and her and, perhaps for once, a normal life they could have together.

                              Meanwhile, in the middle of the night in the room next door after talking with Kaito, Noah returned to bed with Nill and laid on his back as Nill snuggled up against him, resting her head on his chest as they remained close to one another throughout the rest of the night. He looked at the ring on her finger he'd given her with a soft smile on his face, knowing she would be his for the rest of their life together. He loved her, he was thankful for her, and would be an idiot to let her go. Noah closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep. Perhaps there was a reason the three were dreaming of one another; they seemed to be connected. Maybe they had been fighting together underneath such tough conditions the Chroma energy just tied them together, but for whatever reason, as Daxter was dreaming about finding angels and arguing with God, Nill dreaming of the underground and meeting her hero, Noah was dreaming of the first time he'd ever gotten a glimpse of Nill long before his eyesight returned, the night she'd met Defiance.

                              There was so much screaming, gunfire echoing in the warehouse inside the DOGS Corps outpost base 228. The black-suited masked figure raced through the walkways and catwalks, leaping and jumping to avoid the gunfire as every soldier he came across he struck with a pair of tonfas he carried on him. Smoke started filling the warehouse as the gunfire continued without pause, no care or concern for who got hit as long as Defiance was one of them. The beeping in his ear as it counted down the minutes until the explosion kept him on his toes, rushing through the warehouse leaping onto the catwalk above and slamming his elbow into the unarmored man wielding an assault rifle. He put a knee on the man's neck, "you have two minutes before this place goes up in smoke and your idiots shot up the central server. Back-ups, now." The base commander scoffed until Defiance lifted him up and threw him over the catwalk, quickly grabbing him with the grappling hook at the end of his tonfa, keeping him suspended amidst the gunfire. "They're shooting blind, tell me what I want to know or I can't tell you how long it takes for them to hit you." "Room 2A other end of the base in the storage building. Pull me up!" Defiance pulled up the commander and struck him in the chest, knocking him out on the catwalk, rushing out the nearest window across the base to reach the back-up servers.

                              Defiance raced with all his speed as he avoided the gunfire that were aiming for him, bashing his way into the storage building and racing through the halls. The first set of explosives went off as he reached Room 2A, sticking a USB drive into the computer and tapping into the servers using a specialized program built for him to allow Noah, who had been blind at the time, to hear what he was accessing and control what information he was receiving. The voice in his earpiece let him know that the data transfer was complete, planting the C4 on the back-up servers and setting the timer. He escaped the building before it blew, realizing that very few soldiers were evacuating the warehouse. He hurried to the scene and realized the first set of explosives had cut off an exit for the soldiers, unintentional as he hadn't intended for anyone to die. It wasn't always possible, but he wasn't going to commit a genocide of the DOGS Soldier just because they worked for people who had terrible motives for everything they did. Using a grappling hook to fling himself into a window of the warehouse, tossing an explosive disk towards the debris to clear it so the soldiers could escape as the rest of the explosives were going off, a fire consuming the building. Defiance wasn't going to sentence the unconscious to die just because he'd hit a little harder than they could take, so even with risk to his own life he returned to the one man he'd left in a place no one could reach him, and picked up the base commander to carry him outside as the helicopter's spotlight illuminated him. Dropping the commander he turned to the hill, his original planned escape route, it would lead him down a declining hill into a ravine he could follow to a thick forest where he'd easy lose any pursuers, but his radar expanded to keep an eye on his escape route and noticed a female figure and a dog.

                              'If I go my original path the girl and her dog will likely get caught in the crossfire as the soldiers pursue me. Plan B.' Defiance stared at the hill, even if he couldn't see it through his eyes, then turned his back on the hill and took to the city streets. It didn't take long to lose them, a little smoke and a disappearing act was enough for Noah to walk the streets out of his Defiance costume without arousing any kind of suspicion. After all, who would believe a blind man could be the agile Defiance. Noah wouldn't have known that the figure on the hill would be Nill, not until the day they met face-to-face many months later, a day that would be considered an eternity ago for the present-day Noah. That day, also, would be strange to look back on as he'd never imagined back then he would be marrying the woman who admired him so much, long before he even knew her name, or before she knew his real name. He remembered that day clearly, his dream shifted from the first time they unofficially met from a far away distance, to the day they came face-to-face with one another for the very first time.

Dangerous Lunatic

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                              It had been so long ago that they'd met officially, it was a month after Zack had been let go from the DOGS, freed from their grasp, and it would be the first time Nill would be introduced to the individual heroes. It was the moment he heard her name that he did all the research he could on her, information gathering, contact a few sources to find out who she was. It was the kind of thing that Noah did for everyone he ever came in contact with, he'd received all the information he could by taking it from the DOGS about Ember and Daxter when he first met them, same with every other Gifted. Nill was a little harder to find information on, mostly rumors and hearsay by the time they first met face-to-face, but Noah had always been cautious about his identity. Few people knew it at the time, Zack and Ember one of the few, even Nill with all the rumors of her angelic origins would be left in the dark with his name and even his face. She wouldn't see that until years later when he joined up with Vance. In his full Defiance outfit he met with Nill for the first time, studying her from afar before he met with her on ground level and approached her, his radar keeping a close view on her body, her shape, her long hair. He heard she was beautiful, it was hard to confirm such a detail without vision, but from what he could tell she had smooth skin, a petite frame, and carried herself nervously. She knew she'd be meeting with Defiance and, she would be the first to admit, he was a hero to her, nervousness was to be expected.

                              "I was almost worried you wouldn't show," he told her from behind, Nill quickly turning to face him, her teal-turquoise hues gazing at the man she'd admired from afar for so long. She had no voice, Noah's senses heard the small gasp in her voice from her attempting to speak but being awestruck at his arrival. He wasn't used to fangirls, he didn't know that he was into the idea of them, but she was Gifted and would be against the DOGS Corps, he had to meet her before it happened. "Can you speak?" He asked, though she wouldn't have known it was little more than a tease, Defiance gave a thin smirk underneath the mask. "Y-Yes! I-I'm sorry!" Nill said quickly, apologizing for her awkwardness. "It's fine," Defiance replied simply, wondering if he'd met her before, she seemed familiar but not in the traditional way. Didn't she used to have a dog? "I realize this may be somewhat new to you, I hear you're a fan." Nill blushed a deep hue of red, determined not to look away from the mask that hid the face of the man she admired, and with some level of willpower remained looking at him. "I...I...I uh...I..." She stammered, stumbled over her words, blushing redder than ever, "I...I am...a fan." The smirk underneath the mask faded, "I'm not big on fan clubs, but I appreciate the sentiment, Nill." She smiled brightly, blushing still as he spoke to her, a dream come true to meet the man she admired for so long. Everything he'd done, all his actions, heroics, had been inspiring to her, she wanted to be like him.

                              "I...I've always...wan-wanted to be like you." It was cute the way she stammered, stumbling over her words. He could sense the heat from her cheeks, the blood rushing to it, her entire body language was that of someone who seemed barely able to walk without tripping over her own two feet. It was adorable, Noah didn't know he'd ever met someone like her, so seemingly innocent. "I hope you do, we could use more people with the ambition to be heroic. But being a hero isn't about wanting to do something, it's about doing it, sometimes without a second thought." He stepped closer to her, just his approach made her give a high-pitched 'eep' that escaped her lips, "though being like me is as much heroics as it is stupidity." Nill suddenly found her voice, "no! You're not stupid!! What you do is the most amazing and brilliant thing anyone has done!" Defiance stopped approaching, sensing her heartbeat that raced at the bravery she displayed. She was too meek to be a hero, but that would be better for her, give her a longer life. She didn't need to do what he did, it was hard and lonely work. "Oh, but it is. I spend more time in uniform than I do out of it, I have few friends, I spend hours researching a place before I attack, and once I do I'm always in the middle of dozens of soldiers, hundreds of bullets whizzing through the air. One wrong move, one small misstep, and I'll be dead. Tell me how that's smart, Nill."

                              Nill looked away from him, she understood his point about it being stupid, giving up any ability to have a social life, relationship, friends, for the sake of the Gifted population of the world, but that just made it all the more spectacular. He put 100% of himself into helping people, and she looked at him where his eyes would be, unable to truly see them behind the mask, but wishing she could. "You inspire people! You give people like me hope for a better world. Y-You are a hero, a true selfless hero! You save so many lives...people like me could only hope to be as...as...as amazing and wonderful as you are!" She blushed heavily, the deep red coating her face as though she'd just taken a red paint brush to her head, but he had to understand how important he was. Noah was beginning to understand the kind of person she was, and that meant knowing how she would fit with the group. He stepped closer to her, looking down at her as she slouched slightly and made herself look smaller, unable to look at him, staring to her feet. His gloved hand, but his hand nonetheless, touched her shoulder while he put his index finger from his other hand on her chin and lifted it up, lifting further so she stood up tall and straight. She was staring into the mask, she could imagine behind that mask stared at her the most beautiful eyes in the entire world, belonging to a man she admired and daresay loved for everything he ever did. "Anyone is capable of great things as long as they push themselves into doing so. Someone like you can be just as inspiring as someone like me, if that's what you want. You want to be like me? To protect the people who need the most help? Speak for those without a voice?" She nodded shyly, "then do it. Don't jump into a DOGS outpost, but help people. Give some of your free time to be the inspirational figure you see in me. Volunteer to help those who are unable to help themselves, speak against the DOGS and their cruelty, or just make someone's day better by being the kind of person they wish they could be."

                              Nill listened to his every word, she repeated everything he said to her as he spoke to her, staring up at him. "Sometimes all anyone needs is a stranger's smile. I can see great things in you, Nill, you're a very special person. You want to help people, that is an amazing desire to have. If you can push yourself into it, then you can inspire people to be better themselves." Nill smiled softly, still blushing, but feeling more comfortable around him the more he spoke to her. She nodded gently in response to what he was telling her, "I can really be like you?" "Anyone can be like me. What makes me special isn't what I do, it's the message I send. Sending the right message can make all the difference in the world, Nill." The way he said her name sent shivers down her spine, she put a hand to her chest and gripped the necklace she wore tightly, looking at him. It excited her to hear him say her name, something she never expected to ever happen, let alone just the thought of meeting him. "I...I will do my best." She said softly as his hand fell from her shoulder and chin, nodding to her. "Nill, I would like to clarify something." She looked at him curiously, then nodded, "y-yes of course. Anything." "Before I arranged this meeting I tried to learn everything I could about you. Don't take it personally, I do it with everyone. But, I found very little except for one small detail. Clear something up for me, would you? Everything I've learned has told me that you, Nill, are an angel."

                              Her heart leaped into her throat, she had trouble speaking and her breathing suddenly became shallow. She looked away from him and then slowly nodded, moving her slender hands behind her neck and messing with the necklace clasp. This man was her hero, he was everything she wanted to be and admired him so greatly, he wanted to know if she was an angel. She didn't know if it was true, but people told her so often she had to think that it was difficult for so many people to be wrong. "I...I have been told...s-so many times I'm an angel. I...I guess...I...I make people f-feel better, I sometimes..." She exhaled slowly and removed the necklace, looking carefully at Defiance as her small wings appeared from her back, fluttering nervously as she continued talking, "g...grant wishes for people. Healing them...a-and...they pray to me. I do-don't know why. B...But it makes them feel better." She tried to make herself small, being an angel to strangers was hard enough, but to call herself an angel to her hero, Defiance, seemed almost ridiculous. She was self-conscious of her title to a man she'd see perform amazing feats of heroism. She didn't think her angel act was anything special to note. "So....you are an angel." "I...I guess." Defiance approached her again, he couldn't see her angel wings but his radar was focused on them so intently he could see each individual feather as she fluttered them nervously. "May I touch them? Your wings?" He asked carefully, pulling off a glove from his hand to reveal his tanned skin underneath of it. Nill turned a shade of red that she may have invented from embarrassment alone, rarely wanting or liking anyone to touch her wings, but for Defiance to ask it was an honor, she couldn't say no. She nodded.

                              Nill turned her back to him and kept her wings calm as his ungloved hand began to pet the soft feathery wings that protruded from her back. She could feel her heart beating hard against her chest, faster than ever before, her body becoming hot from the touch of his hand. Her hero was touching her wings, something so few people had ever done before, and none of them were the hero she loved so much. Defiance slowly caressed her wings and moved to her bare skin where her wings came from, trailing along the length of the wing's protrusion. Nill was nervous, his touch was so gentle though she couldn't help but be entranced by it. She squeaked softly as his palm pressed against her bare back, feeling the fluttering of her wings underneath her skin, understanding they were connected to her and all too real. Defiance stepped back and put his glove back on, Nill turning carefully as she tried to slow down her heartbeat, but she couldn't look at him, not yet, she was still unwinding from his touch.

                              [x] He spoke to her softly, telling her what he wanted to say and picking each individual word out carefully as he talked. "Everybody loves a hero, Nill, people line up for them, cheer them, scream their name. Years later they'll tell how they stood in the rain for hours just to catch a glimpse of the one who taught them how to hold on a second longer. I believe there's a hero in all of us, that keeps us honest, gives us strength, makes us noble, and finally allows us to die with pride. Even though sometimes we have to give up the thing we want the most. Even our dreams. The world needs heroes, courage and self-sacrificing people who will give the best of what they have no matter the opposition they face." Nill listened intently, her eyes lit up as he gave her the speech about a hero, and she knew she could relate to standing in the rain just to catch a glimpse, about teaching her how to hold on. "Heroes can come in all kinds of forms. A teacher giving a student that little bit of extra attention, a man on the street giving CPR to a dying person no one else would touch, or an angel who gives people faith, shining a light on the darkest parts of a cruel, unjust world. You give people hope, you grant their wishes, and they have something to believe in when ideas can be lost. You're already a hero, Nill, and though you may not take on the DOGS and free the Gifted they kidnap, you're the kind of person that they think of when they wait for someone like me to show up." Defiance stepped up close to her and put his hands on her shoulders, looking down at her from beneath his mask, "you aspire to be me, but what you fail to realize is that you're already doing it. You may stand before me, maybe thinking this is the greatest day of your life, meeting a man whom you've been trying to model yourself after for years. But the kinds of things you do for people, people without hope and lost in the darkness? You shine a light on them and show them the way. Today, Nill, I'm the one honored to meet you. Today I get to meet my hero."

                              Nill could have died right then and there, happier than she'd ever been before, to hear such sweet things from the man she admired so deeply, his speech touching her in ways she never imagined. This was more than she could have ever hoped for, and she felt herself very lucky to be standing in front of Defiance and hearing what he told her, regardless of if she believed it. Defiance put his hand on her cheek and spoke softly, "I hope you never change, angel, and I hope we meet again." Defiance stepped away from her and pulled out a tonfa, raising it into the air as the built-in grappling hook fired from one of the ends and latched onto a building, "don't ever stop trying, Nill. The world needs people like us, no matter how hard it gets." The line retracted and Defiance flew into the air, landing on top of the rooftop and out of sight of Nill, deeper in admiration for her hero than ever before, and even Defiance finding a deep admiration for the angelic woman. It was a day Noah never forgot, and the day he met her at Vance's compound he recalled the first time they met, the things he said to her, and how much she inspired him.

                              Noah smiled softly as his bright green eyes opened to the darkness in the middle of the night, turning to Nill and wrapping his arms around her as he closed his eyes again and kept her close to him as he slowly fell back asleep. As he lost himself to sleep once again, he muttered softly three little words, "goodnight, my hero." In his tired, sleepy state, he kissed her forehead and dreamed other dreams that would last until morning.

                              The day of Takashi's duet with superstar Vanille meant that Noah and Nill would be accompanying him to the recording studio and listening to the two stars sing a theme for the movie, which would be turned into a music video. Takashi seemed nervous to be performing for what he knew would be a dozen or so different people, but being in an enclosed mirrored room helped him overcome some of his anxiety so he could better focus on the single person in the room: Vanille. As time went on she became progressively unstable until she burst into tears and took off, Takashi giving chase to the singing sensation. Noah wasn't in a big hurry to follow after some singer's drama, but it seemed to get Takashi's attention so he followed along regardless. Down in the parking lot Kaito made his appearance less than a day after siding with Vance for the sake of his friends, which didn't include Hikaru, Vanille, or as she was really known by, Lynette. As long as he avoided the team he would be fine and well within his right to help whoever he wanted to, which was part of his job. He interrupted Lynette's escape from Takashi, intending to help them from growing further apart, which honestly was him giving advice he should have taken himself before abandoning Umiko to loneliness, but hindsight wasn't always easy to come by even for a time traveler.

                              Lyn and Kaito had a short discussion about why she was running and that running from the people who want to help her out the most is an unwise decision. Kaito realized the hypocritical statement it made, especially telling Umiko she couldn't come with him when, really, all she wanted was the ability to help him out as Kaito suggested Takashi could help Lyn. Perhaps it was no surprise that, for a brief window of time, Lynette seemed curiously able to channel not only the appearance of Umiko, but also the voice, "like you?" Her eyes remained the same clear violet hues of Umiko's for a few moments after, which surprised Kaito but didn't cause him to miss a beat. He continued his speech to her, trying to get her to see to reason, and even though he avoided answering it he clearly heard her ask in a soft tone, "what.. did you do..." It was a question that would pain him for some time, and one that even he wasn't sure the answer to. What did he do? Not just last night but in the long run as well. Maybe a greater mistake than he ever could have imagined. Regardless of his issues he continued to help Lyn until it seemed she would be just as stubborn as he had been, turning his back on her and leaving her to her own devices. He could have sworn, for some strange reason, Umiko was staring at him as he left. It wasn't impossible, but his mind was wanting something he knew he couldn't have, and just continued to walk away.

                              Maybe part of what Kaito said had reached her, or maybe there was another reason she hadn't moved when Kaito walked away, whatever the case it gave Takashi the precious few seconds he needed to reach her and talk to her a little bit before she paralyzed him and drove off, but not before giving him her real name. Noah and Nill arrived outside just as Kaito teleported out of the area, once again Noah catching it on his radar before he'd left, this time though he hadn't actually seen him like last night. Receiving a text message just a few minutes after the events of the studio died down, Noah announced that Takashi would be packing his bags and the entire team would be heading for Vegas on a well needed, but impromptu, vacation.

                              Back at the hotel it was clear Daxter was excited about their trip to Vegas, despite the small warning that he wasn't actually allowed back in, which would have to be a story for another time. It was clear that Umiko had left the hotel room and no one had known where, Ember the first to actually make a mention of her being gone, which confirmed to Noah that it seemed unlikely she would be following the group back to the states. Nill had stepped on the note Umiko had written about her leaving, which was the moment he realized the team would be down one more member. "She'll find her own way, this won't be the last we see of her I'm sure." With that in mind, the group packed up their stuff and traveled by plane to New Vegas, a welcome vacation spot after the disaster of a trip they'd had in Japan. Once arrived, the group found the hotel that Noah had booked them and they went in their separate directions into their individual rooms to unpack and prepare for a small outing to see what Vegas offered them, only Daxter having any kind of idea as he'd mentioned there would be a convention, Anime Expo, held in a convention center during the week they could visit. Coincidentally Daxter held enough tickets for the group to go for the entire duration of the convention, tickets he admitted to planning on selling for high mark-up and profit, which would be a technical loss for Daxter, but a gain for the group as a whole, giving them a fun and exciting activity they could do later. Although, admittedly, Noah wasn't so thrilled about the idea of an anime convention, but perhaps someone in the group, besides Daxter, would find the idea enjoyable and could convince them all it would be worthwhile. After all, Daxter telling them anything meant they'd be taking it with a grain of salt, he would say whatever they wanted to hear if it got him what he wanted, and what he wanted was company for the convention.

                              The City of New Vegas wasn't the only place filled with activity, as the outskirts of town where an old DOGS outpost once was located also seemed to be quite busy. A woman by the name of Irene had arrived to the outpost where she left for the restroom only to reveal her true form as that of Umiko, who took to the vents to explore what was happening in the former outpost. There she had discovered experiments of normal people turned into Chroma batteries for a generator, a purpose which was as of yet unknown, but couldn't be good regardless of its intended purpose. She fought another intended victim of the Chroma drain, refusing to be rescued as by now he was giving himself up to Vance to be used as he intended. Umiko's fight with the victim turned into a fight for her life as she was forced to engage five people as they freed themselves from her ice, strapped down to a table to be used as fuel in the same way the civilians were. The absorption of some of her Chroma energy lead to a meltdown of the base's generator, which wiped the base off the map and left Umiko, completely reverted back to her true form, unconscious amidst the debris.

                              If Kaito had known about this he'd have believed it to completely nullify the arrangement he'd made for Umiko's safety, but he'd also know that part of the arrangement was that none of the team would go searching for him, and it would be clear to Vance that this would constitute searching for him. Team Defiance and Umiko were separate parts of the same deal, even if she strayed away from the team that didn't mean she was exempt from the clause Kaito put forth when he became Vance's second-in-command, as he was sure to make it clear no one would hurt Umiko. Not even a full day later and Kaito would have easily gone back on his deal with Vance, he would have taken his chances and rescued Umiko, but only if he'd known. However, as much as Kaito would be unaware of what had happened, Umiko was not alone.

                              By the time Umiko would have woken up she would be in a well-lit apartment laying on a twin-sized bed with an emerald green blanket covering her, a man in a dark blue hooded sweatshirt in the corner of the bedroom on a computer typing away. Her stirring could be heard and the man turned in his swivel chair to look at her, smiling with a fudge popsicle hanging out of his mouth. He grabbed the wooden stick and took a bite of the fudge bar, looking at her through bright red bangs. "Oh good, you're awake," he said as he pulled the hood down to hang behind his neck, staying where he was so as not to alarm her. "It's alright, my name's Adam, I found you in the rubble near an old DOGS outpost. Scary stuff happening in my backyard," the young man named Adam took another bite of his popsicle, "want one? They're really good." Before she could even accept or deny his offer he stood up off his chair, moving out of the way of the dimly lit computer screen, leaving the bedroom and returning a few moments later with a wrapped fudge popsicle, tossing it at Umiko. "Are you alright?" He asked, noticing she looked fairly beat up, but conscious which was good enough for now.

                              Umiko would notice the boy being non-threatening as possible, he had bookshelves along the walls of the medium-sized bedroom filled with different titles of fiction and non-fiction, the majority of the bigger-sized books relating to laws and law history. On the wall would be a framed diploma from a prestigious university in the states made out to Adam Aldric, who majored in law. He noticed Umiko looking at it and glanced at it as well, "took me three years to earn that law degree, got a job with a real nice law firm after graduation. Sadly, it's not as much fun as the video games make it out to be. They'll hold you in contempt if you yell out OBJECTION and point to the defendant. They're real uppity about that kind of thing." Adam smiled, it was hard to tell if he was joking or not, "you'll have to forgive me for prying but...while you were out I noticed you kept mumbling the name "Kaito". You don't look like a Kaito to me, so it's not your name, is that the name of your boyfriend? Friend maybe? If you have a number I can call him for you, let him know you're okay or have him pick you up." He didn't realize it might've stung, but Adam was just trying to be helpful. He returned to the office chair and took a seat, looking at Umiko as the seconds ticked by. He had a lot of questions for her, but felt it would be best to let her process everything that was happening before he went further in asking her anything. Besides, it was just as likely she'd want to leave and he wasn't going to force her to stay. Even if, for the short time she was awake, he did enjoy the company of another person.

                              Meanwhile, Team Defiance was leaving the hotel after settling down in their rooms, the five of them discussing where they could go. Takashi's only condition was they would have to go to the anime convention without him, either today or later on during the week. As an actor in popular Japanese movies and having done some voice acting for various anime shows, he wasn't really in the mood to be recognized by anyone. Daxter could understand, though it didn't help that Daxter knew all of Takashi Kentaro's roles since he himself was an anime nerd. Regardless, the convention could wait when they could go early in the morning and spend their entire day there, and Daxter was interested in getting or making a costume he could wear for the day or days they...or just he...went. "A'ight, so while ya'll been busy unpacking, my baby so loving to unpack for me, I took the liberty of doing some research. From 9am to 10pm the anime expo is taking place at the convention center until Sunday night, from 6pm to 11pm there's a circus nearby filled with animal tamers, acrobats, and some pretty sweet acts. In two days there's a magic show at the Planet Vegas Theater running for three days, very popular, and other magic shows not as awesome. There's also a highly hilarious and popular comedian I know you guys are too lame, Ember excluded, to have heard of. He will be performing at Lincoln Hall on Friday and Saturday, it's a big deal. Now then, I wasn't sure what you guys would want to do and tickets are going fast, so I just bought a bunch of tickets. Thank you, Noah." Noah loudly groaned at Daxter's frivolous purchases of the tickets to what he assumed was for each day of the shows mentioned. "How much?" Daxter thought about that for a moment, then smirked, "twenty-three hundred." Noah groaned louder, Daxter spending $2300 on tickets for each day of these shows they would likely go to only once.

                              "Hey, when we plan out what we do I'll sell the tickets we don't need. Trust me, I'll double maybe triple what I spent." "Ticket scalping is illegal." Noah pointed out, which only got a pause from Daxter. "Right. Mercenary. You don't care." "Tell you what, since you're all moral high-ground I'll just sell the extra tickets so we can break even. Or I'll tell you that and pocket the extra. ******** did I just say that out loud?" Noah facepalmed. "Well, not that you care, twenty-three hundred is like lunch money to you." "Just because my family is wealthy doesn't mean you need to spend several thousand in one day. But, I should expect this from you, so I'm not even upset, just surprised I didn't see it happening before you did it. What else did you find out for us to do?" Daxter smirked, a victory in his eyes over the money, "well there's go-kart races, casinos, I mentioned magic shows that aren't likely to be sold out, there the Bellisimo Fountains, happens at night, water streams shooting into the sky and lit with color. Supposedly it's a popular attraction. Indoor skydiving, race tracks, exotic cars to rent and drive, dune buggies, amazing restaurants, huge botanical garden, exotic animal habitats. I mean, we could be here a month and not even get close to experiencing everything. So many awesome places."

                              Noah had processed everything and was thinking about what to do, today the only actual ticketed event would be the anime convention but it was late afternoon, no point going yet. They could get dinner and a show, or experience -- "the casinos! Rising Phoenix Casino is the largest casino in Vegas." Daxter looked around, excited at the prospect of gambling, "huh? Huh?! C'mon guys tonight let's experience the casinos, get it out of our system until one of us develops a crippling gambling addiction, and then go do other non-stereotypically Vegas things. Heck we'll even get Noah and Nill married through one the drive-thru chapels. Get you guys taken care of." Noah glared at Daxter, who smirked as he looked to Ember, then nudged her, "or us. Hm? Let's get married baby, you can be Mrs. Ember McLain." He nudged her a few more times, playfully suggesting they get married. That would be a long time coming for someone like Daxter, but joking about it certainly off-limits. He wasn't planning on going anywhere, but the thought of marriage was a far away thought as he had only just begun fixing his mental problems. "I'm okay with a casino." Takashi suddenly spoke up, looking to the ground, "after the whole Lyn thing, and you guys fighting Vance, who doesn't want to drink, gamble, and just throw away some money?" Daxter put an arm around Takashi's shoulder, "Taka, you and me are going to get along just fine. I say let's go get ********' wasted at a casino and piss away hundreds of dollars! Nill, you look like a girl who has never had alcohol before, so let's pop that cherry." He looked over to Nill, then to Noah, "and I just wanna see you drunk. Besides you've got a stick up your a**, let's unwedge the pointy thing and loosen you up! Takashi," Daxter looked over to him with a grin, "we're the commanding officers of Operation Blackout." Noah didn't like the idea of getting "blackout" drunk, let alone any kind of drunk, it dulled his senses and impaired him overall, and Nill drinking was just an odd thought to have. But after everything they'd gone through, it was hard to argue that they could definitely relax.

                              "If Ember and Nill agree with it, Rising Phoenix Casino it is. But," Noah added quickly, "the drinking idea is on hold until further notice. If anything happens we need to be on our guard." "No! For ******** sake, we're always on our guard. You said it yourself, Kaito sacrificed his freedom to join Vance so that we won't have to see him again. We can afford one night! One! Ember, sweetheart, back me up." Daxter looked over to Ember for her to, hopefully, back him up on the idea. "Ugh! Come on guys, is it going to kill us if we relax for one night?" Noah shook his head, "I don't want to take the chance. Anyway, girls, what's the final opinion on the casino?" Noah looked over to Nill and Ember to see what they thought about gambling, unable to get a word in edgewise between Daxter's constant rambling and his arguing with Noah over drinking. It was up to them, and if the idea was approved they could head off to the casino and start their vacation.

BIoodbane's Fav

Ruthless Firestarter

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                      In the midst of her depression and suffering, Umiko had somehow found the strength to put aside her turmoil and refocus her objectives on taking care of the threat that ruined her life; Vance. She felt a lot of hatred towards Mizu for having created her, trying to take her back, and causing a great deal of conflict in both the group fighting Vance and Kaito's decisions on defending her. But... had it not been for Mizu's need of another vessel, Umiko would have failed to exist. It was an irreversible mistake on Mizu's behalf for having created Umiko, but Umiko decided that her birth is what caused the greater suffering of losing Kaito, but the man who drove the two apart by means of manipulation and putting his pursuers out of possible future suffering. He takes what he wants from anyone for any kind of sick desire... A sentence engraved in her heart caused by the pain of losing the most precious person in her life, as well as seeing the thousands of civilians stripped of their Chroma and souls by generators. We're all just puppets in his game... not even knowing the end in mind. She tossed in her unconscious slumber, the dust and debris kicking up with the wind the rustled her violet hair. Are we all just fighting for a lost cause? Everyone on this planet is under his hypnosis. He has an army of sleeping agents. In a single instance... he could have every individual on this planet throwing themselves at us. At me. But he's looking for something. He's not aiming to kill us. I just want to know what he wants... she turned in her sleep, So I can take it from him. Like what he did to me.

                      The thoughts of revenge seeped into the depths of Umiko's heart and mind, transforming her from the purely innocent woman of the past into a slowly twisted heart filled with sorrow and frustration. Ember was right... she thought exhaustively so as she could envision the red haired woman looking at her with a fire in her eyes, "I wish I knew what that b*****d wants from all of us. He already has the world, I can't see what more he needs, other than protection. Challengeless rule or not... we haven't even touched him yet. Besides he..." Umiko recalled those words from Ember at a time the group had gathered for dinner, then picked up on the cliffhanger of Ember's sentence from just a few weeks ago. Besides he... what? She was curious, but she wasn't sure what to think. Instead she twisted in her sleep on a twin-sized bed, gripping lightly on the sheets and showing signs of a female exhausted from a fever. I can't take this anymore. I feel like I'm a puppet on strings! Her mind was being consumed by negative thoughts, the feeling of having the Chroma ripped from her soul earlier resulted in the terrifying experience of feeling like her soul was splitting in two. She felt the heat of the Chroma generator's abilities digging into the very core of who she was, and having felt it take whatever it wanted from her. It was the hottest feeling in the world, and she was suffering the aftermath in her recovery, crying out the name of the only man she knew in this world that made her feel safe from all the pain she'd ever suffered... knowing he was gone and never to return.

                      When she finally did wake, she'd sat up, her throat seizing up before she could release a scream from the flashing visions she held in her mind from that generator, but still panting like she was out of breath. She widened her eyes, refocusing her dizzy gaze and noticing she was holding an emerald green blanket tightly in her clenched hand. She heard clicking noises in the corner of this room, and turned quickly and pressed her back flat against the wall to gaze at a young man with bright red hair looking at her. He held some kind of food in his mouth, allowing it fully exposed as his entire front as she was thinking of an attack in the forefront of her mind. She'd been kidnapped? Possibly --- "Oh good, you're awake," she heard the man speak. His tone was gentle and as sincere as he could be, as if handling the most sensitive creature he'd encountered. Umiko's gaze was looking at him intricately, showing very little to no trust in his intentions because she had never encountered a stranger on her own. She was always with Kaito who could bring a fair and honest judgement on others. He was a guide, leading her between the right and the wrong people. With this one, she would have to make her own call, so she was being highly cautious. "It's alright, my name's Adam, I found you in the rubble near an old DOGS outpost. Scary stuff happening in my backyard." Umiko had no idea there was a resident anywhere near the DOGS outpost, and wondered for a split second just how far away from New Vegas she was.

                      She continued to stare at him, not saying much of anything to him as she gazed at him, then over and around the contents of this room. It seemed like... an apartment? A house? It reminded of an apartment similar to the one Kaito had in Tokyo, but she eventually pieced together that this was no spare bedroom. She eventually allowed her gaze to settle on a dresser, one partially open and revealing his various undergarments and pants. I-I've been sleeping in this stranger's bed?! She immediately unclutched the emerald blanket, the one that covered him each night, and scooted to hold her knees up to her chest. She could practically smell his scent on her from sleeping in his bed, and shivered slightly. She was feeling out of place, and eventually heard him ask, "want one? They're really good." She was confused. Want one what? she asked herself as he then left and returned with one of those treats that he was eating, tossing it in front of her. She felt how cold it was, and stared at it, picking it up and then feeling it was cold. She narrowed her eyes slightly, not wanting to take it, but not wanting to seem rude. Instead she held it with her right hand, keeping it cold with her power. "Are you alright?" He asked, catching her attention and surprising her slightly. Though she was fairly caught off guard by having a stranger outside the group asking that question, she lowered her eyes and failed to answer once again.

                      As much as there was the idea of comfort to open up to a stranger and allow them a little insight on how she felt, she didn't want advice, emotionally boosting speeches or any sort of lecture. Though she was quick to assume this man would do any favors, she didn't want to discover it either. She didn't want to tell somebody her pains, only to find out she could be feeling selfish or sinful on her new perspective of revenge. There was so much going on in her world, in her mind, and in her heart that she spared the man a possible sob story or a tale filled with opinionated tragedy and barely gave any response. The only reaction she offered was the nervous glance from him to looking at her knees with a bit of sorrow on her expression. Instead she looked at her surroundings once more, deciding she would rather pay attention to all of what he stored in his room. She eventually found herself looking at a piece of framed paper with his name written on it, "took me three years to earn that law degree, got a job with a real nice law firm after graduation. Sadly, it's not as much fun as the video games make it out to be. They'll hold you in contempt if you yell out OBJECTION and point to the defendant. They're real uppity about that kind of thing." She glanced at his smile, and then emitting a small smile from her own lips, the first one she'd shed since last night, she replied, "Really?" A small chuckle stayed caught in her throat, coughing it rather as she stared at him.

                      "You'll have to forgive me for prying but...while you were out I noticed you kept mumbling the name "Kaito". You don't look like a Kaito to me, so it's not your name, is that the name of your boyfriend? Friend maybe? If you have a number I can call him for you, let him know you're okay or have him pick you up." Umiko stared at the man, the smile faded from her pale lips as her eyes turned their gaze for the door. "I'm sorry for worrying you, next time I'll be more careful should I have to fight. Would that make up for it?" Umiko sensed the complete sincerity of his apology and blushed, "Y-You are a h-hero. I can't ask you to do something different. W-What you do now works in terms of staying a-alive, and I don't ever want you to hold back f-from doing what you have to do. If... You could just remember me supporting you... then you won't have anything to make up for... E-Except maybe a hug every n-now and then... because they are quite.. warm." "Alright, a hug every now and then." He nodded with a smile. Umiko recalled the memory in such a quick flash, that an overwhelming sadness struck her. She was suffering the aftermath of his disappearance, and though it had been just a day, the damage of memory would continue to tear her to shreds. She was trying to focus on the now, her new objectives, this Adam, but deep down she was holding onto Kaito as hard as she could. Even the remains of all that was left. She'd kissed him after that fight with Gabriel. The first she'd given and the first he'd given her as well. It was... touching. Hearing his name, she recalled his promise for a hug every now and then... and what she wouldn't give to have one now. It was almost as if she would accept anything, even death, as long as he was there to deliver it. She was so warped in the pain of her soul feeling split in two, that when coupled with the trauma of losing Kaito... she couldn't bear such a thing.

                      "T-That's not necessary." She looked at Adam barely as she looked at his door, leaving the wrapped popsicle on his bed and nodding, "But I-I need to go. I.. Thank you..." and she walked out the door. She had no idea where she was, but she didn't bother to hear if he was following or not. She'd practically fast-walked her way out and made it outside his apartment door, feeling her head swirling in the need to cry but unable to be in a sanctuary to let it out. She felt so starved, like the lack of love and affection which she felt bits and pieces of for days were stripped away. She felt like pieces of herself were taken away with his leave, and it was all too much to show a stranger. To unload all this sadness and sorrow onto one she neglected to trust or depend on was fairly selfish. She didn't want ears to listen, or words to exchange. She didn't need a guide to better light or to fall into oblivious darkness with distractions and thoughts. No... she just wanted his hand to hold once more... just to tell her everything would be okay. Tears eventually did build up in her eyes. Would she cry everyday at the thought of Kaito? Is this the way she wanted to get back in the game? Vance's game? Having him... win with her already? She had to question herself, but knew that her question's answers seemed clear. I know it's going to take time to recover... but time... It was irony. She wanted time, and that was what he was. He could literally heal with time, control it, navigate through it. With him, there was all the time she needed... but such a phrase twisted her stomach. Such a thing... seemed impossible now. If time will not heal my wounds... what will. She squeezed her eyes shut, the tears falling quickly to hit the ground by her feet in her clumsy walk down the hall. What will heal my broken heart!?

                      Meanwhile... Team Defiance was leaving the hotel after settling down in their rooms, the five of them discussing where they could go. Ember noted Takashi's dodge of the anime convention, something she was sure she would be going with because it was natural for her to go wherever she could with Daxter, though... she was curious as to what they would be doing for such a thing. "A'ight, so while ya'll been busy unpacking, my baby so loving to unpack for me, I took the liberty of doing some research. From 9am to 10pm the anime expo is taking place at the convention center until Sunday night, from 6pm to 11pm there's a circus nearby filled with animal tamers, acrobats, and some pretty sweet acts. In two days there's a magic show at the Planet Vegas Theater running for three days, very popular, and other magic shows not as awesome. There's also a highly hilarious and popular comedian I know you guys are too lame, Ember excluded, to have heard of. He will be performing at Lincoln Hall on Friday and Saturday, it's a big deal. Now then, I wasn't sure what you guys would want to do and tickets are going fast, so I just bought a bunch of tickets. Thank you, Noah." Noah loudly groaned at Daxter's frivolous purchases of the tickets to what he assumed was for each day of the shows mentioned. "How much?" Daxter thought about that for a moment, then smirked, "twenty-three hundred." Nill jumped slightly and looked at Noah who groaned at the money spending. She felt bad to see him spending so much money on the group, but then knew that Daxter was fairly determined to wiggle his way into Noah's wallet with the promise of fun and friendship.

                      "Hey, when we plan out what we do I'll sell the tickets we don't need. Trust me, I'll double maybe triple what I spent." "Ticket scalping is illegal." Nill had no idea what that meant, Ember giving an audible laugh as Daxter was blankly staring back at Noah. "Right. Mercenary. You don't care." "Tell you what, since you're all moral high-ground I'll just sell the extra tickets so we can break even. Or I'll tell you that and pocket the extra. ******** did I just say that out loud?" "He's onto us," Ember spoke up as Nill looked to Ember, "W-What?!" Ember staring back at Nill and then winking, "Teasing. I would never take advantage of our dearly beloved Defiance." Noah facepalmed. "Well, not that you care, twenty-three hundred is like lunch money to you." Ember laughed at the mention of lunch money. "Well, not that you care, twenty-three hundred is like lunch money to you." "Just because my family is wealthy doesn't mean you need to spend several thousand in one day. But, I should expect this from you, so I'm not even upset, just surprised I didn't see it happening before you did it. What else did you find out for us to do?" Daxter smirked, a victory in his eyes over the money, "well there's go-kart races, casinos, I mentioned magic shows that aren't likely to be sold out, there the Bellisimo Fountains, happens at night, water streams shooting into the sky and lit with color. Supposedly it's a popular attraction. Indoor skydiving, race tracks, exotic cars to rent and drive, dune buggies, amazing restaurants, huge botanical garden, exotic animal habitats. I mean, we could be here a month and not even get close to experiencing everything. So many awesome places." Nill stared right at Daxter, her eyes spinning and her wings twitching from all of what Daxter had listed. "I-Indoor... b-botani-ical... a-animal...e-ex-exotic...uh--"

                      "the casinos! Rising Phoenix Casino is the largest casino in Vegas." Daxter looked around, excited at the prospect of gambling, "huh? Huh?! C'mon guys tonight let's experience the casinos, get it out of our system until one of us develops a crippling gambling addiction, and then go do other non-stereotypically Vegas things. Heck we'll even get Noah and Nill married through one the drive-thru chapels. Get you guys taken care of." Nill blinked wildly, then sinking her face into her hands with a bright red blush on her cheeks. Daxter then leaned over to Ember and nudged her, "or us. Hm? Let's get married baby, you can be Mrs. Ember McLain." Ember was surprised by the comment, her straight face not changing in expression but an obvious deep shade of red coming over her rather quickly. She unpacked her shirts, the same straight-face with focus on her clothes, but each nudge was cranking up the saturation level of red on her cheeks. "I'm okay with a casino." Takashi suddenly spoke up, looking to the ground, "after the whole Lyn thing, and you guys fighting Vance, who doesn't want to drink, gamble, and just throw away some money?" Ember could see Daxter moving on to his next victim, then taking a swift gander at his suitcase. She noticed the pikachu keychain on the end tag of his suitcase, flipping it over and reading the words, "You tone the ******** down." She saw an ugly picture taped to the back of the pikachu chain of a redrawn version with a rather disgusted, angry face, and rose a curious brow.

                      Daxter put an arm around Takashi's shoulder, "Taka," "Taco?" "you and me are going to get along just fine. I say let's go get ********' wasted at a casino and piss away hundreds of dollars! Nill, you look like a girl who has never had alcohol before, so let's pop that cherry." Nill looked over at Daxter and tilted her head curiously. "U-Uh alcohol?" He looked over to Nill, then to Noah, "and I just wanna see you drunk. Besides you've got a stick up your a**, let's unwedge the pointy thing and loosen you up! Takashi," Daxter looked over to him with a grin, "we're the commanding officers of Operation Blackout." "If Ember and Nill agree with it, Rising Phoenix Casino it is. But," Noah added quickly, "the drinking idea is on hold until further notice. If anything happens we need to be on our guard." "No! For ******** sake, we're always on our guard. You said it yourself, Kaito sacrificed his freedom to join Vance so that we won't have to see him again. We can afford one night! One! Ember, sweetheart, back me up." Daxter looked over to Ember for her to, hopefully, back him up on the idea. "Ugh! Come on guys, is it going to kill us if we relax for one night?" Noah shook his head, "I don't want to take the chance. Anyway, girls, what's the final opinion on the casino?" Ember smiled. "I totally approve at the idea of the Phoenix Casino. Sounds like a lot of fun. But first... we gotta unpack." She picked up Daxter's suitcase by the handle, then flinging it past the head of Noah and Daxter, her precision making sure to hit nothing other than the wall that resided in Noah's room across the hall. Such a thud caused her undoing of the zipper halfway to reveal all of Daxter's belongings to spread on the bed.

                      It was all the glory of his suitcase, exposed partially. My Little Pony merchandise he carried, to boxers and spare shirts, Ember gave a frustrated blush on her cheeks and hands on her hips as she bumped into Daxter, "Nill, grab your things. You can stay with me," Nill, by natural instinct of listening to her older sister figure, immediately regathered all her belongings on Noah's bed into her small hands, all the clothes piled onto her chest and hugged tightly against her as a blush lit her cheeks brightly and spoke up, "B-Big sister time?" Her eyes sparkled with the sheer delight of being able to spend quality time with Ember, to which Ember nodded and walked back into her room, waiting for Nill before slowly shutting the door and waving at the boys, "Don't have too much fun~" She turned to Nill and smiled, "I'm going to take a shower," to which Nill replied with a nod and happily got her things unpacked and smiled with being able to spend time with Ember. The two ladies got ready and then eventually headed out to have some fun at the Phoenix Casino.
Gaia Forums » GAIA Community » Barton Town (Role Play) » Invitation-only RP

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