[BAT] Nothing left to lose (Raite + Taranis) FIN

[Xaki]

Clouds were gathering over the horizon. The normally bright night, where the moon shone brightly on Destiny city had been obscured by the clouds tonight. Instead, the city was left with a gloomy feeling with rain pending in the air. It was not a pleasant night to be out on by any means.

Instead of being at home tonight, Raite was busy taking care of some business for his uncle. On the way, he had encountered a few shady men who were eager to rob the young college male. However, Seth wasn't the one robbed as they were of their starseeds.

Ha yawned, feeling easily tired these days. It appeared he hadn't fully recovered from his time in the coma at Tartaros. His fingers covered his yawn, Raite planning to head home and sleep soon. There really was no reason for him to be out. In fact, he hadn't even planned on becoming his alter persona until these men had come. But one couldn't say the negaverse was innocent. It was the sharp tension of the city, the recent deaths, the increasing youma that was contributing to the moral decay of the city. As more people cowered in fear, others rose up to take advantage of people's fear.
 

[Akina Tokuwa]

Sailor Taranis -- well, Super Sailor Taranis -- was still adjusting to his new level of power. He had spent the better part of the previous night testing it out on the trees near the park by Meadowview. It was a strange adjustment, but one that he was happy to make. With this surge of skill, Taranis felt certain that he would quickly achieve his goal of squeezing the life from the blue-haired Negaverse agent, just as she had stolen the life of Sailor Magellan.

It was a goal, and for a boy who felt lost, a goal, any goal, was a good thing, despite its dark nature.

The night was a gloomy one, but Taranis didn't mind. The gloom outside matched what he felt within. The senshi of sand was on his way back to his apartment in the darkness when he sensed the thrum of dark energy. It was weaker than him -- a low-level Nega out alone.

Perfect.

Since he had come back, Taranis had not had the pleasure of meeting any member of the Negaverse. He had no idea how extensive the organization was, but he knew that he was prepared to punch as many skulls as needed to figure out the name, identity, and location of the woman who had stolen his girlfriend.

That fight would start tonight.

Under cover of darkness, Sailor Taranis wove through the night, drawing closer and closer to where he felt the energy signature. It was up ahead, down an alleyway. Normally Taranis would not choose a direct fight, but there was fire in his veins and it cried out for fuel. Here was the opportunity.

Super Sailor Taranis walked casually out into the center of the alley and where it met the street. The only way out would be past him. That was how he wanted it. He couldn't make out the dark figure lurking farther back, but he spoke anyway, "Don't run and this will be easier." The words didn't sound right coming out of his mouth. Taranis was not the type to make ominous threats.

He drew one hand into a fist. "I'm not in the mood to play games," he spat.  

[Xaki]

Raite may have been a low rank within the negaverse. But you couldn't mistake him for being weak.

It appeared that his plans would have to wait. In all actuality, Raite would have preferred to just go home instead of meeting with a senshi. But he would have to put up with that. And his words were unfathomable for Raite. It was a coward's route. Raite's pride would have never allowed for that, it had never even crossed his mind. "Running is for the weak." The statement was made in calm but cold anger for even implying that weakness.

This energy signature seemed significantly stronger then those that Raite had fought with. He had sensed this earlier from those above him in the Negaverse. It must have been the same for senshi then. But Raite wasn't one to care about those facts. Strength was the only thing that mattered between him and his enemy. "Good. Because I'm not interested in games." Raite wasn't like other lieutenants. Playing negaverse wasn't fun and games. You couldn't call quits once it became too hard for you. It was a matter of life and death. And it was lives they were dealing with. One had to be prepared for the heavy weight of murder.

Raite wouldn't know Super Sailor Taranis, or what was odd or normal for him. This senshi was just one of the many he seemed to be encountering. "Let's get this over with." His gloved hands gripped the wooden tonfa, quickly spanning the distance in the short alleyway to the senshi, intending to hit him from the side.  

[Akina Tokuwa]

Taranis had never loved to fight, not like some senshi did. He fought because he had too, just like he patrolled because he believed he had the ability to save lives merely by keeping an eye out. In all his time as a senshi, he had never taken a life, even on the night when he lost the most important person to him. That was a statistic he planned to change, one bit of information at a time.

The Nega across the alley wanted to fight? Well, good. Because Taranis had some rage he needed to work out of his system.

The senshi of sand barely had time to grit his teeth and buckle down before the Nega was on him. He jumped to the side, but the tonfa still caught him hard, forcing some air out. Taranis shot a gloved hand out to the arm that wielded the tonfa and gripped hard, locking their arms pulling the Nega close. Spend enough time getting your a** kicked, and you actually pick up a few fighting strategies.

Closeness was not what Taranis needed, not yet. He needed to keep the Nega close enough to question him, but far enough away to use his ranged attack. The solution? With one of the Nega's arms locked, Sailor Taranis used the leverage to forcibly throw the dark-haired boy back into the alley, aiming specifically for the open green dumpster.  

[Xaki]

Raite was caught in the arm lock, and unable to avoid the throw. His body went flying in mid-air, but Raite had been in enough fights to, while not completely able to avoid it, changed the momentum of his body to hit the wall beside the dumpster.

He crashed against the wall with a deafening thud. He lifted himself up, ignoring the pain coming from his ribcage. He hadn't sustained any lethal injuries. It was merely pain that would subside given a bit of time. He could see that the senshi wasn't like him or Chaonis. He was a senshi with experience. But he wasn't a fighter that fought because of their enjoyment for the past time. Neither was he like other senshi, wishy-washy in their justice.

He sensed a great deal of emotion within the senshi. It was easy to tell, Raite being considerably calmer between the two for a fight. Well, it didn't matter to Raite either way. His opponents rarely did. But he lifted his gaze towards Taranis, questioning one thing. "Why are you here?" Clearly Taranis wasn't out to kill him. Otherwise, Taranis wouldn't have merely thrown him. Nor was he for the civilians who laid in the alleyway behind them. All senshi uttered some foolishness about returning starseeds when they did so.

Raite didn't appreciate being underestimated.  

[Akina Tokuwa]

The lieutenant didn't land where he aimed, but Taranis could still work with this. He lifted a bent hunk of metal from the ground beside him and held it high. Negas might be strong, but they weren't the only ones who could wield weapons.

"I'm looking for someone," he said, stepping closer to the Negaverse agent. "And you are going to tell me everything you know about her."

His hand tightened on the metal piece. It looked like it was a piece of the outer layer of the car door. Light enough to carry, but flimsy enough to fail as any kind of cutting device. Not that Taranis needed a weapon. His power was born from within, and it was where his real strength came from. He planned to save that until the last moment, a surprise that could wait for the Nega to get too cocky.

Taranis made his advance. He leaped into the air, wielding the metal piece in front of him like a shield. From his angle, it seemed like he aimed to pin the Nega back against the wall.  

[Xaki]

"What..?" The surprise was evident in his eyes. Raite barely associated with anyone in the negaverse himself. He couldn't see how a stranger expected him to.

The truth was, despite the negaverse's attempt at organizing their members into teams and bringing out a more coordinated team, it still failed. The only times that the negaverse really saw their entirety was when meetings were held, which was very rarely. Many of them didn't seek each other out, neither did they know about other people beyond their teams unless they met on a night like this.

"I doubt that I can help you." The way he spoke was entirely too matter-of-fact. As if they were customers in a store instead of fighting for their lives in the middle of the night. Raite wasn't lying. And he wasn't saying so for the sake of the negaverse. He didn't owe the organization that much loyalty. Seeing Taranis coming towards him, Raite went the only way he could. Up. He darted across the dumpster, and the tiny balcony, before progressing to the rooftops. He didn't have to look back to know that the senshi would follow him. His anger and emotions wouldn't let Raite leave.

Water droplets began to fall from the sky, drizzling at first. And then it turned to heavier rain, the water beginning to permeate his uniform.
 

[Akina Tokuwa]

A scowl crossed his lips. It wasn't that Taranis expected this to be easy, but that didn't make the resistance any less annoying. He didn't have time for these games. He needed to track down Dani's killer so that he could make her feel just as much pain as his late girlfriend had, and then some.

The metal piece missed its mark. Throwing metal wasn't his forte, but throwing sand was. His fingers had just begun to tingle with energy when Raite took to the rooftops. Rain sprinkled down from the sky. As a normal senshi, this would have meant retreat for Taranis. His sand orbs were sometimes undermined by the rain. But Super Taranis? For him, it brought only a wicked grin.

Raite moved too fast for Taranis to get an attack off before the long hair and dark jacket of the Nega disappeared on to the rooftop. There was a ladder at the end of the alley. Taranis climbed in two rungs at a time, flipping over the last few and landing on one knee.

His hands were low, but the attack was already prepared, the basketball-sized orb of hard-packed, wet sand swirling like a cyclone on his fingertips. With a grunt, he shot it off like a rocket, aiming for the Nega's chest. If it made impact, it would stick and congeal, a heavy burden aimed to slow a too-quick opponent.

"You will tell me," he hissed. "About the blue-haired Nega captain with the silver staff."  

[Xaki]

It was fortunate for Taranis that the heavy ball of sand hit Raite's chest, sending him to the ground with a heavy thud! He landed on the rooftop, while his gloved hands reached to see what was holding him down. His index and thumb came away with the gritty material, rubbing together to feel the material. ".. Sand?" He accurately guessed while looking at Taranis. "Hn. Senshi of sand, I suppose?"

The sand kept him immobile for now. Which would suit Taranis's needs quite well.

The description rung a bell within his head, knowing of her from Serandite's description as well as the sight of her from the negaverse meeting. She was a general, one of the only generals under Queen Beryl. "Why do you want to know?" He asked with his usual apathetic expression. After all, the problem wasn't his. Of course, the matter was over killing. That was what the negaverse did. Raite could only assume that the general had killed someone beloved to the senshi. That wouldn't be far-fetched considering the number of people that they killed every night.

But he wouldn't divulge information, not easily, without at least knowing why.

 

[Akina Tokuwa]

No sooner had the ball made contact and Taranis was on top of the Nega, throwing a punch into his chin. Never trust a Nega. Never trust anyone. One gloved hand grabbed a fistful of his hair, yanking his head to one side. "I have to be sure whatever spews out of your mouth is the truth. Not lies." He threw another punch, rage burning in his eyes.

The apathy in Raite's eyes did not dissuade the senshi of sand. "What is her name?" He yanked at the handful of hair. "What is her civilian identity?" Clear eyes narrowed.

Taranis had his reasons for needing to know the information. He didn't need to share them. What good could telling a Nega actually do? Then something struck him. It could do something. "That Nega took someone from me, and now I'm going to destroy her. I won't be so quick about it. I am looking for her. And I want her to know that I'm coming." Again, he pulled at Raite's hair. "Now. What is her name?"  

[Xaki]

"..." Raite continued to not answer his questions, taking the punches from Taranis. What else could he do? Although Taranis could punch, a sign that not all senshi was useless, he realized with a reluctant admittance. It wasn't as painful as it could be since Raite was used to fights. Still, it didn't detract from the fact that he would need a cold compress later. He was used to fights, but he really disliked being the one taking it. He really disliked it. His hand felt at the sticky mud, droplets of water thinning the material binding him down. Just a bit more, and he would be able to...! With a stubbornness that matched Taranis's, he broke free of the hold and sat up. His fist clenched into a ball. His fist hit Taranis's cheek with all of his strength, and then followed up with a broad kick. Payback.

"That's enough." He stood up, his gray eyes still filled with the same apathy, but also with a measure of being pissed off. He wiped his cheek, and the blood from his mouth from Taranis's punches. Why was he getting dragged in somebody else's business? Did they honestly think he had nothing better to do then play messenger in some tragic senshi-negaverse play? The iron taste of blood filled his mouth. "You were too weak to protect her. Regardless of what you continue to do now, she'll still be dead."

"I'll share one thing with you as a reward for this." He fingered his face for Taranis's ability to knock him down. Raite was a bit fair after all. "Her name may be General Linarite." But he ignored Tarani's question about her civilian identity, brushing it off. Even if he didn't like the negaverse, he wouldn't betray the people within the negaverse. "Whatever else you want, find it out for yourself." He stared down with firm refusal. He hadn't given information because of Taranis's force, but because he thought Taranis deserved it. He wouldn't reveal anymore.

 

[Akina Tokuwa]

It felt good to punch, to sweat, to rage. Taranis had been a quiet riot for so many months. Now he was just ready to be a riot, period, and it would start that night. He would collect all the information piece by piece until a clear picture of the girl who stole the world from him slid into view. He would learn her, he would track her, he would kill her. It was the only thing in his life that he was entirely sure of.

The rain distracted Taranis, made him sloppy. He should have known that eventually it would wash away his mud and give Raite the leverage to break free. He took the fist full-force in his cheek, knocking him off of the Negaverse agent. Taranis was back on his feet, determination burning in his eyes, but then Raite spoke. He made no move to run, even though he certainly had to know the odds were stacked against him.

It was that single lack of retreat that kept Taranis from pursuing him. He kept his aggressive stance, arms poised for attack, but did not advance. He listened. And then scowled. These words did not calm him. She? How did the Negaverse agent know the person who was taken from him was female? Taranis knew he had been too weak to protect her. Wasn't that obvious? But that weakness only made him more vicious now.

Linarite. General Linarite? She was a general? There was no time for concern. He had to make sure this information was the truth -- and he needed more of it. "For someone so weak, you have a very stupid mouth." In a flash, Taranis was wielding another ball of mud. "I don't need your permission to ask questions. I'll make you tell me!" The ball was off his fingers like a rocket, flashing toward Raite in a hail of rain and rage.  

[Xaki]

"Let's see if you can." Raite jumped back, sliding back across the slippery rooftop. The attack narrowly missed the lieutenant, while Raite's tonfas appeared in his hand again. He was prepared to attack, clearly intending to return Taranis's favor. It was at that exact moment, the sound of a helicopter filled the air. The bright line shone upon both occupants of the roof - a flurry of talking from the pilot of the helicopter reported to their command center. "Two suspicious individuals spotted. It's unclear whether or not we need back-up."

"Hold your hands up in the air. Drop your weapons." The other male in the seat next to the pilot seat began to yell through his speakerphone, audible even above the sound of the chopper. He held onto the roof of the helicopter while leaning out to catch a better glimpse of the two individuals.

Raite's gloved hand immediately went to cover his eyes from the bright flash. He looked up at the police chopper, "Tch." A sound of disappointment emerged from his mouth, forced to admit that this was no longer the right place or time to engage in a fight. "It looks like things won't go your way." With a shake of his wrist, the tonfas disappeared into the negaverse's subspace.

"I look forward to seeing if you can carry out your revenge." His lips curved into a bold smile, interested in seeing how Taranis would progress. Since he had no plans to get caught, he jumped down from the rooftop and disappeared within the dark alleys of the night.

 

[Akina Tokuwa]

Sailor Taranis watched his mud blast sail out of sight over the edge of the roof. He heard it slam into the outer wall on the opposite side of the street. The brick took in the rage that was intended for Raite. When the Nega took out his tonfas, Taranis dropped into a defensive stance, prepping himself to fend off the coming attack.

Both men were poised for attack -- but neither would get the satisfaction.

The bright beams of the helicopter created blinding spotlights on their battleground. The rain illuminated the glow until the entire space was shrouded in white. Hazy spots appeared in the corners of his eyes, making his head swim. Instinctively, Taranis fell out of the light, sliding behind a raised column on the roof. The light trailed after him and flooded his vision again.

His ears could barely register the words of the Nega over the helicopter's loudspeaker. Only the last sentence caught in his mind: I look forward to seeing if you can carry out your revenge. This was why the Negaverse would not win. They would eat themselves alive from the inside like parasites.

There was no time left. Taranis made a run for the edge of the building, framing one hand on each side of the ladder and sliding all the way down to the ground. The helicopter seemed torn between which one of the boys to chase, which gave both the chance to escape. Taranis shook off his fuku just as soon as he was out of harm's way and slipped quietly onto the subway as Parker.

The name buzzed in his head, wouldn't stop its repeating:

Linarite Linarite Linarite Linarite Linarite Linarite Linarite Linarite Linarite Linarite...

It didn't stop all night.