S-CRY-ed Fan Fiction ❯ The Spectre's Seven ❯ Chapter Six--Checkmate ( Chapter 7 )

Disclaimer: Uh, yeah. Crane's mine. Raviel's mine. Sea Monkeys are mine. Ya know? ^_^

A/N: Just as I promised, this whole chappy is about Ryuho, Kazuma, and the rest of the gang. Huzzah.

Chapter Six--Checkmate

When the faint traces of the moon that had showered through the small window in Asuka's house had vanished, Kanami was the first to know. Now nearing around 3 o'clock in the morning, she had already left her warm bed, and plodded down the hall. Much to her relief, the door had been left unguarded and vulnerable.

The padlocks were unlatched and the doorknob slightly turned until it edged slowly across the floor and was held open, leaving the twelve year-old to peek inside. Gray and Sydney leaned against each other, asleep, bound to one another by thick ropes and dirty chains that Asuka had found in his garage.

Shutting the door soundlessly, the small girl tiptoed across the floor, her pale nightgown hitting against her knees. As she knelt down beside them, her chestnut hair cascaded around her shoulders.

"Gray," Kanami whispered, causing him to stir slightly.

"What?" He answered, much to her surprise, without the least bit of grogginess. Apparently, he hadn't been asleep at all.

She smiled and reached down for the rope. "I'm going to get you out of here."

Gray jerked slightly. "What did you say?"

"I have to," She said, pulling back on the binds. "Kazu-kun won't listen to me and Ryuho is just as stubborn. I know that you never did anything wrong."

"Well, I wouldn't put it that way…" But when the older man glanced up, he saw the seriousness in her eyes. "Kanami…I don't want you to get into trouble on account of us."

Her eyes softened and the ends of her firm lips melted into a gentle smile. "You've been very kind to me," She told him. "You and Raviel and Sydney alike. This is the least I can do for you."

She continued to untie them, until her real barricade became the chains.

"You'll never get those undone," Gray muttered. "Just leave us and get out of here." He was instantly silenced when she waved the key in his face. "Kanami…"

"Just a moment, Gray," She told him, beginning to challenge the locks and chains before her. "Mr. Tachibana always hides things in the same exact place."

The man chewed on his bottom lip, and waited until the binds loosened at his sides. Shaking them off, he tapped his partner on the back until Sydney began to twitch.

"Kanami I don't know how we'll ever be able to repay you," Gray told the girl as he helped the blue haired man to his feet. "Nothing we've ever done can be enough for what you've done for us. I would ask you to come back with us, but I know how much that Kazuma guy means to you. And I'm sure I can trust you not to give up our faces." While Gray waited for his partner to slowly depart from his world of slumber, he kneeled down, gently holding the girl by her shoulders. "I'm sure we won't be seeing each other again."

She removed his hands and shook her head. "I doubt that." Then she began to usher them from the room, escaping down the hall and out the door. Being expert bandits, this was no problem for Gray and Sydney.

Kanami stood in the doorframe as Gray hijacked one of Asuka's cars and he waved farewell before speeding down the road.

Not even ten seconds into their escape, a certain Shell Bullet Alter User had flung himself out the door and dashed down the street.

"What!? Waaaaaaaaa------it!" But it was too late.

His steps slowed, and his burning eyes fell back upon Kanami.

"Kanami…" He tried…tried to calm himself! However, they say that emotions rule over all. "What happened just now?"

She held her tongue, her eyes lowering to the ground.

"Kanami!"

Still no answer.

He towered above her, flaring, but somehow managing to hold back his anger, he just stormed past her and began to scream into the halls.

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"Get this," Asuka said, reading the newspaper, trying to suppress all feelings at the moment. "Isaac Crane raided a village in the northwestern region, taking all citizens into custody, stating that the reasoning was justified as all residents were harmful cannibals…"

Urizane glanced up at him briefly, scowling. "Was that supposed to make us feel better?"

"Kanami, how could you do that?" Ryuho's stern gaze fell upon the girl. "What on earth motivated you to let the bandits go?" He was much better at keeping his cool than Kazuma, who spent the time now pacing back and forth outside the house.

"I…" Kanami fidgeted. "Ryuho…they weren't bad guys…I really mean it."

"That wasn't your decision in letting them go." Ryuho told her, assured that he was right in what he was doing.

"Let it go, Ryuho," Asuka said, his own eyes narrowing. "There's nothing we can do about it now."

Elian sat at the table with Asuka, his feet swinging back and forth in the chair. "Asuka," The normally shy boy began, "How long ago did Isaac attack that village?"

"Uh…" Asuka flipped back to the first page. "Three days ago. Surprisingly that was the same day that third bandit took Miss Kiryu hostage."

"Perhaps he's on to something?" Urizane suggested.

"There's only one way to find out," Ryuho said, standing. "We'd have to infiltrate HOLY directly."

Asuka's eyes lifted from the paper. "Are you crazy? We'd be massacred in three seconds flat!"

"We had no problem taking on Mujo." Ryuho argued.

"But if you're forgetting already, there were more of us, and people died on that mission." Urizane mirrored Ryuho's movements in standing. "I'm not saying that it's a bad idea, but take all possibilities into consideration, Ryuho. What would happen this time that didn't happen last time? Or will history repeat itself?"

"It will inevitably repeat itself if we DON'T do anything," Ryuho protested. "Mimori and the bandits, Isaac and HOLY…There's just no way of telling what might really happen unless we try. It seems to me that Isaac is intending of running HOLY the same way Commander Zigmarl did. But whether or not the Mainland is manipulating him, that's another story."

"So what about Miss Kiryu?" Asuka set the paper down and perched his elbows on the table.

"We'll just have to wait and see," Ryuho said, giving the best answer he could.

"I think I'll have to agree with Ryuho on this one." Everyone jolted, slightly startled by Kazuma's haunting presence in the door. "This Crane fellow is overstepping his bounds, and I don't like it. I say we go there and make him wish he never met us."

Asuka and Urizane sighed. Evidently, they were the only ones there that had any sense of logic. And without Miss Kiryu, there was no way of making them recant their hasty decision.

"When?" Asuka found himself asking.

The Shell Bullet Alter User shrugged. "Why not now?"

"Because you're supposed to have a plan first," Urizane told him.

Kazuma cocked his head. "You're beginning to sound like Cougar."

"Well, maybe that's because Cougar at least had more sense of logic, unlike you."

"Enough!" Asuka shouted, silencing the room. After a moment, Tachibana continued. "Seeing as Isaac isn't going to wait around for us forever, I don't see much of a choice other than going in there directly." Asuka stepped out from behind the table. "There's Ryuho, Kazuma, Urizane, Elian, and myself."

"And me," Kanami piped up. Several pairs of eyes turned their attention to her and Kazuma snorted.

"Thanks, but no thanks. You've already been more than useful today. Besides, this is far too dangerous."

"Kazu-kun!"

"Anyway," Kazuma continued. "I say that Ryuho and I go in there and take care of Crane and his dogs. That way we can cause more of a distraction, allowing you three to go in and find all the captured Natives and Inners and then perhaps find out what the heck is going on here."

"That's a good idea," Asuka agreed and then the cynosure of his eye became Elian. "Elian, you can be my lookout. If I give Urizane a communicator, then you can talk to me while I infiltrate HOLY the other way."

"What?" Urizane was at a loss for words. "What makes you think that you're gonna go in there all alone, Tachibana!?"

"There aren't enough of us to argue," Asuka pointed out. "Besides, with all the attention that Kazuma and Ryuho are obtaining, it shouldn't be a problem for me. And if Elian is my lookout, then I definitely won't have anything to worry about."

No one liked that idea. Heck, even Tachibana wasn't too fond of it. But how else could it work?

"I say that we prepare," Asuka said and gestured to the watermelon man and the clone. "You two had better change back into your HOLY uniforms. That way if anyone spots us, it'll take longer for them to figure out who we really are. I'll go do the same." He edged towards the hallway.

"But that's how they were able to spot us in the first place," Elian noted. "Those HOLY-S members could tell the difference."

A devious smile broke at Asuka's face. "Anyone have some paper and tape?"

Groans emitted from all over the room.

-----------------------------

Asuka drove the others to HOLY, with much protestation from Kanami, who begged to come along. But Kazuma would have none of it. His disappointment in her was so strong, it was enough for him to stay angry at her for a little while longer.

"Asuka…we're going to get caught," Elian pointed to the paper cutout of the HOLY-S badge that was taped on all the ex-HOLY members' (excluding Ryuho) uniforms.

"Nonsense," Tachibana said, not bothering to turn his head to the backseat. "Are you mocking my artistic abilities?" His attempt at a jocular mood was failing.

"I don't think that that's what they were talking about," Ryuho said from over in the passenger's seat.

The driver frowned. "Joy killer."

-----------------------------

"Hey Chief," Kazuma leaned over the backseat, nearly blocking Ryuho's view, and pointed to the polished new HOLY building. "So how are we gonna do this?"

"I'd suggest dropping us off directly at the entrance," The Zetsuei Alter User shrugged. "That way, you can find a safe place to camp out at while Asuka comes in from another way."

"All right," Urizane bought that. "But the second we let you out, you'd had better start a commotion."

Kazuma sneered.

-----------------------------

"Commander!" Isaac Crane was tired. It seemed like every five minutes, he was being interrupted.

"Yes?" The new Commander rolled his temples with his index fingers.

"Intruders, Sir!" The HOLY-S member warned. "They're coming up to the entrance right away!"

"Identification?"

"We have reason to believe that it is Kazuma and Ryuho, Commander Crane." Isaac glanced up.

"They must've read the paper then." Crane chuckled, his voice deep and hollow. "I figured they'd be coming to find their friends. It's too bad that we were unable to locate Miss Kiryu and the bandits." Crane stood up from his chair and glanced outside. "If it's a battle they wish, then give it to them. But don't kill them. I'd like to see them alive and…in person."

-----------------------------

"Annihilating Second Bullet!" The explosion was fierce, and even the Alter User of Zetsuei had to turn his head to avoid the oncoming debris.

As soon as the smoke had cleared, however, the Independent Alter was before its master.

"Zetsuei!" Ryuho called out.

"Come on Ryuho," Kazuma said, continuing forward. "We're supposed to be creating a DIVERSION here. Just stand back and let me take care of things."

The ruby eyes narrowed, thickening the crease above Ryuho's forehead.

-----------------------------

"Ah, it's perfect," Isaac Crane pressed his gloved hands up against the windowpane. "Allow them access into HOLY."

"Sir?" The man asked, befuddled.

"I want to see how far Kazuma and Ryuho can get before they are torn down by the Puppetmaster."

-----------------------------

"What do ya see, Elian?" Urizane asked, him and the small boy perched on the top of a hill, overlooking HOLY. Asuka's car was parked behind them.

"Well…It's as Kazuma and Ryuho have planned," Elian remarked. "All the sectors are clearing out instantaneously. Tell Asuka that he should have no problem wandering the halls now."

"Roger that," Urizane replied, bringing the communicator on his wrist up to his mouth. "Tachibana, the kid says that you're free to move about. He'll be tracking your steps from now on."

-----------------------------

"Got that," Asuka affirmed. "I'm moving towards C Hall now. Over and out." Releasing the button, the user of Eternity Eight maneuvered down the halls fearlessly. As he approached the C hall elevator leading downwards, he halted, waiting to see if Urizane would talk to him.

Indeed he was right. "Elian says to go down, but avoid going up. If you're getting on the elevator though, you'd better move it. You've got about thirty HOLY-S thugs above ya."

Nodding, Asuka smashed his hand against the down button, and climbed inside the empty elevator.

-----------------------------

"Is this what HOLY-S is all about!?" Kazuma roared. "Don't make me laugh!"

Zetsuei moved with great celerity around the HOLY-S troops, easily outwitting them as Kazuma fought off the adversaries from the east.

"Exterminating Last Bullet!" Kazuma plowed through the wall effortlessly, and continued into the hall, surprising more HOLY-S members than he could count.

"Zetsuei!" Ryuho held a hand out to his enemies, which were picked off smoothly by his Alter's razor sharp ribbons.

"You're nothing!" Kazuma thrust his hand through the wall again, allowing it to collapse violently before him.

-----------------------------

"I-Isaac, Sir! How long do we let this madness continue!?" Several members barged in through his door, panting heavily. "You tell us not to fight back, but at this rate, HOLY will be obliterated in minutes!"

The middle-aged man had his back turned to his subordinates. "That soon? All right."

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"How dare they leave me behind!" Kanami paced back and forth in the room, angrily. Her small hands balled into fists at her side and she looked outside. Over the horizon was a small green van, heading her way. Throwing the screen door open, Kanami dashed outside, nearly tripping, and waved her hands frantically.

"Cammy! Cammy!" Kanami cried, and leapt in front of the car, which skidded to a dangerous halt.

The window rolled down and Cammy stuck her head out, her face as white as a sheet.

"Kanami! Don't you know that you're not supposed to throw yourself in front of a moving vehicle!?"

The girl ignored the scolding and merely lunged against the window. "It's Kazu-kun and the others! They've gone to HOLY to fight Isaac Crane!"

"Fight!?" Cammy nearly had another heart attack. "Where's Asuka!?"

"He's with them," Kanami said, her voice rising. "Everyone's gone there! Oh Cammy, something bad will happen to them, I know it! Please! We must hurry and stop them!"

Quickly pulling the car out of neutral, Cammy motioned the girl inside. "Come on, get in!" Then she paused. "What about the robbers?"

Kanami fidgeted. "Uh…well…"

"Never mind, we'll talk about that later." The older woman turned to look behind her, bringing the car into reverse, and then threw it into second gear, whipping the van around hazardously, and the two were off to HOLY.

-----------------------------

Asuka was already in the cells by the time that Kazuma and Ryuho had entered HOLY. He jogged around into a semi-circle, hugging the wall, and then stopped at a corridor. Forcing himself to breathe, he brought the communicator back up to his lips. "Navigator! Navigator! Where to?"

A moment passed and then…

"West! Elian says west and hurry! You're about to be bombarded, Asuka!"

"Nuts," The Alter User mumbled and lunged into the western corridor, immediately sprinting. His heart dropped when he saw multiple shadows ahead of him.

-----------------------------

"Where did those come from!?" Urizane's jaw fell agape as Elian announced the bad news. "Elian, I thought you said the western corridor was safe!"

"It was!" Elian argued, his own reasoning too much to be true. He watched as ten HOLY-S members appeared in front of Asuka in a matter of seconds. "Oh no…Asuka…"

-----------------------------

"Navigator!" Asuka cried out into the communicator. "What is this!? I thought that you said it was supposed to be safe this way!"

"Hey, it's an intruder!" Asuka froze instantly as he was spotted.

"Eh…drat…" Turning his face slightly to see the soldiers, he held out his hand, his body glowing mildly. "It's not a good thing to be fighting here…"

-----------------------------

"What the heck!?" Kazuma glanced around, his adversaries retreating down the halls. "Where do you think you're going, you weasels!? Get back here!" He began after them until Ryuho caught his shoulder.

"Kazuma, wait," The green haired man said. "This is unlikely. Soldiers who give up their post? Something's going down. It's best to travel together now."

"Huh?" Kazuma whirled around. "Who are you to start giving me orders, Ryuho!?"

But a small glint of light caught Ryuho's eye. "This way!" And he brushed past Kazuma and rushed down the hall.

"What the? You loony! Don't even THINK about leaving me behind! Glory hog!"

Ryuho didn't care much for the name calling, but at the moment, the light had mesmerized him. Something was there that should not have been.

-----------------------------

"Come on!" Asuka swung the Alter-like sword he had constructed using the Eternity Eight and smashed it against the head of one of the HOLY-S members. "If you're gonna surround me, you could at least fight back!"

But his opponents just got back up and continued to circle around him.

"I don't get it," Asuka mumbled, watching each and every one of them from out of the corner of his eye. "What is going on?"

Then one of them lunged! And then another! Asuka twisted on his heel and swung the sword again, catching the first in the gut, and the second in the back of the calf.

"All right then, if you're not gonna fight, then I'll make you help me." The sword disassembled itself and floated towards eight of the attackers. "Using mind control, of course."

But Tachibana was taken aback as the balls were repelled and clanked motionlessly against the floor.

"You cannot control what is already being controlled," Another voice resounded down the halls. "It was a nice try though."

Asuka turned sharply, his throat immediately becoming dry.

A cold fog chilled him suddenly, and Asuka clutched his shoulders, his teeth chattering. "W-What…? It's so cold…"

"I like the way you fight, Mr. Asuka Tachibana…" And then a black figure came through the fog, as though he had been created from it. In his right hand clanked a brass cane with a sapphire decorating the very top where his white gloved hand embraced it. He walked slowly, his dress shoes making a nice rhythm against the tiled floor and his velvet suit glowed slightly against the dim lights in the hallway which had strangely turned blue with the sudden coldness. The tails in the back of his coat swayed behind him, and with his free gloved hand, he tipped his top hat slowly to Asuka, smiling.

Asuka's movements were curtailed instantly as the enemies that had ambushed him earlier began to rise up again and circle around him.

"You see, I already knew you were coming. This is not a battle. It was merely something more of entertainment. And I will hand it to you that you have entertained me. Very much indeed."

Asuka's breath became much like his movements, slow and stiff. His muscles ached with the sudden tension, and his breath could easily be delineated, even through the fog.

Then the man stopped. "You strike me as, somehow, baffled. You didn't really believe that it was this easy to best me, right? Perhaps it was this easy for Mujo, but I am no Kyoji Mujo."

"No…" Asuka could barely shake his head. "I know who you are though. Y-You're Isaac Crane…aren't you?"

Isaac Crane threw his head up, and held his arms outstretched. "I see you're already garbed up in your HOLY uniform. Welcome to the team, Asuka. With a little bit of refining, your power could easily exceed those of my normal subordinates."

"Refining?" Asuka remembered Mimori explaining this when he and her had first truly met in the Undeveloped Area. "How can that be!? There hasn't been a single refined Alter in four years!"

"Ah, but you see, I have full access now to any kind of refining I want." Crane explained smoothly. "I have that kind of power, you know. Now do me the honor of coming along quietly, or else I'll be forced to take drastic measures."

"It will be a cold day in Hell before I become one of your dogs, Isaac Crane! Eternity Eight!"

The green orbs shattered into thousands of pieces, and Asuka could do nothing more but stare at the remains of his Alter, and what it had once been. Then he forced his eyes to turn upon the new Commander, whose own hand was outstretched, while the other remained relaxed upon his cane.

The Puppetmaster sighed. "Do we have to go through this every time?" And then he began to move his wrists in circles. "Get on the ground."

Feeling his muscles become abruptly weak, Asuka could not even resist the power slightly. Whoever this man was, Asuka held no candle to him.

Tachibana was on the ground in a matter of seconds, as though all gravity had been lost in the room. The flats of his hands burned ironically against the coldness of the floor and his knees were experiencing the same feel.

"I suppose that I should say that, ironically, it HAS become a cold day in Hell," The ends of Crane's lips curled. "Therefore, you have a promise to keep, Tachibana. You are to become one of my dogs. And as a dog, you shall act as one." Then Crane lifted his hand up. "Shall we leash you?"

Tachibana turned his eyes away as a long, thick, rope was tied around his neck.

"Carry on then," Isaac motioned for them all to continue down the hall. "I've other business to deal with."

Deprived of his dignity, Asuka was unwillingly pulled along beside his captors, his hands and knees moving involuntarily for him. Even his tongue had been restrained from speaking.

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"I lost sign of Asuka," Elian's eyes widened, terrified. "I can't find out where he's gone!"

"What!?" Urizane mirrored the boy's face and began to rip at his ponytail. "Dammi--"

"Urizane!" The sound of a running motor interrupted his cursing, and both he and Elian turned back to see Cammy in her green van, Kanami strapped into the passenger's seat. "Where is Asuka!?"

"He's inside," Elian answered for his larger colleague. "But it doesn't look good."

A lump formed in Cammy's throat as her hands grew numb against the steering wheel. "…What?"

"Let me go inside," Kanami tugged at the older woman's shirt. "Someone has to tell Kazu-kun!"

"Kanami, you can't!"

"But I'm an Alter User," The small girl protested. "And if we don't tell Ryuho and Kazu-kun, something bad may happen to Mr. Tachibana."

Cammy did not like the thought of the small girl entering by herself.

"Kanami, your Alter isn't fully developed though…"

"What are you two talking about in there!?" Urizane demanded to know.

"Please?" Kanami begged. "Please let me do this."

Reluctantly giving in, Cammy stuck her head out the window once again and leaned over to Urizane. "I'll be right back. See if you can find my husband."

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"…Okay, so what's this place again?" Kazuma asked, awed by the astounding commodious room that he and Ryuho had come into.

"They've really shaped up HOLY," Ryuho noted, more to himself than to his rival.

"Never mind that, I'm gonna tear this place down." Kazuma said, punching his balled fist into the flat hand of his Alter.

"You don't have any bullets left," Ryuho reminded him. "It would be better to charge down and try again."

Kazuma waited until Ryuho's back was turned before sticking his tongue out at the other Alter User.

"I saw that, Kazuma."

Kazuma's back straightened. "How could you!? Your back was turned!" Kazuma concluded that the snobby rich kid had eyes in the back of his head. It was the only fathomable (and yet slightly humorous) solution.

"For having eyes in the back of his head, he certainly could not detect me."

"Huh? Hey! I didn't even say that…" Kazuma pivoted and then paused, his words fading. "…aloud…"

Ryuho directed his gaze to the same man, dressed in a black top hat and velvet suit. Bringing a white gloved hand up to his hat, he tipped it back slowly, the man's ruby eyes tearing through the two Alter Users.

"Welcome to my humble abode, Kazuma…Ryuho…I see you've had your fun and games. But I'm afraid that that will have to end here."

"End?" Kazuma leaned forward, grinning from ear to ear. "I believe that my fun is just starting! So you must be Isaac Crane, right? You're not even dressed like one of those HOLIES. Not bad, though, I must say. Your snazzy suit and all…"

Crane nodded slightly. "So you've heard of me? That's good then. We can skip the introductions."

"But there's just one thing I would like to know, Crane." Ryuho said, stepping forward. "I want to know the truth! Who are you and what are your plans for the Lost Ground!?"

"Such brusque questions," The new Commander held out his hand. "Well perhaps if you best me in battle, I'll tell you."

"Sounds fair enough to me!" Kazuma charged down and immediately brought back his Alter. "Shocking First Bullet!"

The impact came hard and the Alter User of Zetsuei was tossed into the wall like a ragged doll. Kazuma stood there, his body shaking. "…Did I…do that?"

"Kazuma! What do you think you're doing!?" Ryuho staggered to sit up, broken plaster falling onto his head.

Kazuma the Shell Bullet whirled around to Isaac Crane, who still stood there, smiling. "I was aiming for you! What happened!?"

"I suppose your aim is off," The mysterious man said, circling around Kazuma. "Try again."

"Wipe that grin off your face!" Kazuma came like a flash, his arm winding back. "Annihilating Second Bullet!"

Then Isaac Crane disappeared before Kazuma's eyes and Ryuho was again standing there. Arching back, Kazuma collided into Ryuho and the two slid roughly across the floor, burns forming on their arms and legs.

"Ryuho! Why did you shield him!?" Kazuma's eyes flared up dangerously.

"I…I didn't!" Ryuho argued. "I was on the ground back there!"

"You two can't even get your bearings together," Crane laughed, stepping in behind them. "Come on now, is this the best you've got?"

"Zetsuei!" The Alter materialized behind Crane, a single ribbon attempting to strike from behind.

Kazuma watched as the ribbon missed Crane completely, coming around his side, and swept Kazuma to the other side of the room.

"Very good, Ryuho," Isaac said to the gaping boy, who, no doubt, could not comprehend why his Alter had worked against his orders. "Pay back for earlier, right?"

"Ryuho, stop screwing around!" Kazuma coughed, blood pouring from his lip.

"I…It wasn't me!" Ryuho cried, and stumbled to his feet. "I was aiming for Crane!"

"You both are pitiful sights," The man stepped backwards, and laughed. "Shall I tell you what's wrong?"

"Don't bother!" Kazuma balanced himself and looked to Ryuho. "Exterminating Last Bullet!"

"Zetsuei!"

Pinned in between both Alters, Crane did nothing but stare out into space as the Master of the Shell Bullet sped towards him and the Independent Alter endeavored to attack him from the other side.

Both blows came hard, and Kazuma was heaved to the ground as the form of Zetsuei was shattered and landed uselessly in a broken heap upon the floor.

Ryuho held the wall behind him for support as his rival lay broken on the floor, the wind knocked from his lungs. They still had not even touched the man.

"I've tired of you two," Crane pretended to yawn, flapping a hand to his mouth. "So now, I want you two to finish each other off for me."

"I'd be dam--OOOFF!" Kazuma was pushed back to the ground as Zetsuei, who had reconstructed itself, tackled Kazuma from above. "RYUHO!"

"K-Kazuma…That wasn't me…" Ryuho said, before a blurred body undertook his own and he, too was flung to the ground, Kazuma above him this time.

"Ryuho…" Kazuma whispered. "I swear that wasn't me…"

"It wasn't me! It wasn't me!" Crane sang out, wandering around the two. "Of course it's not you. It's NEVER you."

"I'm beginning to believe you now, Kazuma," Ryuho whispered back. "This man…he is no ordinary man…"

"He has to be an Alter User then!" Kazuma's face wretched back to Crane's, hate filling his eyes. "He's playing us against each other!"

"It took only so long to figure that out?" The Puppetmaster asked smugly. "My apologies. I hadn't meant for it to happen so quickly. Well then…" And then a flash struck his mind. "Another Alter User?" He stared down at Ryuho and then looked back up at the Shell Bullet Master, then waved his hand, watching Kazuma crash to the ground on top of the Zetsuei Master. "I'll be back to deal with you later."

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Cammy came back to the hilltop, Kanami gone from the passenger's side.

"Where is she!?" Urizane asked, horror seizing him.

"She went inside looking for Kazuma."

"Urizane!" Elian broke through, and his wide eyes overtook him. "Kazuma and Ryuho are down!"

"Are you kidding me!?" Urizane stepped backwards. "That's impossible! It's Kazuma and Ryuho!"

Elian disengaged himself from his Altered Bubble and began to rush down the hill.

"Elian!"

"There's no one there now! We have to get them back before 'he' does!" The boy called back.

Rolling his eyes, Urizane instructed Cammy to stay put as he followed closely behind Elian.

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"Looks like no one is home," Raviel said as Mimori stepped out of the car. "It's a good thing that ship came along and gave us this nice rental car." He grinned.

Mimori looked back at him, disgusted. "You stole it."

"Oh, that's right, huh?"

"Listen," Mimori leaned her head back into the window. "Just get out and talk to them. I'm sure they'll come back soon and we can work this mess out."

The smile disappeared from the bandit's face.

"I've seen the way you work, Raviel. I know you're not a bad guy. If you were, you would've abandoned me that night instead of coming back for me."

"I can't." Raviel shook his head. "And I'm only letting you go because now we have some new info that may put Crane behind the slammers. I'm trusting you to only walk away telling them that and not that you've seen my face. Besides, I need to get back to my comrades."

"Raviel!" She interrupted.

But he interrupted her right back. "I need to get out of here," He said. Then, resuming his normal demeanor, "Maybe we'll see each other again, no? And hey! You're a scientist, right? Do me a favor and conduct some research on those Sea Monkeys, will ya?"

She stepped away from the car and he took off, leaving her behind.

"Idiot…" She mumbled and retreated into the house.

It was true. Everyone HAD vanished. Mimori checked every room before looking outside to see both vehicles gone. She prayed that they weren't still out looking for her.

But perhaps it WAS good that they were all gone. Raviel was right. They couldn't understand a criminal's mind. After all, look at all the trouble that had gone on between Kazuma and Ryuho. If Mimori went to confront Crane directly, then perhaps she could get him to step down, knowing what she did about him. And if she needed to involve her parents, then perhaps it was the only thing that she could do.

She ran to her room, looking for her old HOLD uniform, and quickly changed, figuring that it would be best to let Crane know that she, herself, was once associated with the mighty HOLY. She would go to the city by foot, which wouldn't take long, as Asuka DID live right on the edge of the wall. The Lost Ground would depend on her decision now.

-----------------------------

"Kazuma! Ryuho!" Elian and Urizane each took an Alter User, who both were unconscious.

"Good," Urizane breathed. "They're both alive."

"Quickly, we have to get them out of here." Elian said, pushing Ryuho to the heavy man.

"We can't leave! Tachibana and Kanami are in here!" Urizane threw Kazuma over one shoulder and took Ryuho underneath his other arm.

It was true, undoubtedly, and Elian stood up, his Alter forming over him.

"Still no sign of Asuka?" Urizane asked, adjusting his weight to balance Kazuma and Ryuho's.

"…No…" Elian mumbled.

"And Kanami?"

Again Elian searched, and all air was lost to him.

-----------------------------

"Kazu-kun? Kazu-kun?" Kanami slowly padded through the halls, somehow the air began to chill without her knowing it.

Then she halted.

"Run, run, as fast as you can…"

Kanami looked up, the shadow of a man lingering over her.

"Hello, Cupcake."

-----------------------------

"Crane has them both!?" Urizane and Elian retreated from HOLY as fast as they were able. "Can't we go after them too!?"

"And what do you think that WE can do by ourselves!?" Elian argued, following behind the watermelon man.

Urizane did not respond; Cammy did all the screaming.

"Where are they!? Where is Asuka and Kanami!?" Cammy jumped out of the car, grabbing Ryuho from Urizane's arms.

"HOLY!" Elian motioned to the front entrance where swarms of HOLY-S officers came nearer.

"They've spotted us!?" Urizane looked down at Elian. "Best not to leave any evidence behind. You get in the car and I'll take Kazuma in the other."

Arguing was senseless at this point.

-----------------------------

Crane was found back at his office, not caring one way or another that Kazuma and Ryuho and the others had escaped. They would be back for the hostages, oh yes. Yes they would be back.

Asuka, now locked in the cells below D Hall, was waiting for a verdict from dear old Crane, and the small girl…well…Isaac had kept that little bit a secret. Now waiting for the repairs to his precious HOLY interior, Crane wiped the beads of sweat from his face.

Three hours ago, the entire building had been in an uproar. But now, it seemed like nothing ever happened.

Which was the way Isaac liked it.

But he did not relax long, as one might find, when over his loudspeaker came the voice of a male security guard.

"Commander, there is a woman here to see you."

"Doesn't this woman have a name?" Crane lifted an eyebrow.

"She refuses to give it Sir. What will you have us do with her?"

"I'm tired of all the hostilities around here. Please, go right ahead and send her in."

The man did not wait long before the door opened, and a raven haired woman walked in. Crane, who was taken aback just slightly, offered her a smile.

"Commander Isaac Crane, my name is Mimori Kiryu and I'd like to have a word with you."

'Like a lamb to the slaughter…' Crane's smile widened. "Of course. Take a seat."

-----------------------------

Gah! Mimori! You fool! Ah, oh well. It's all apart of the story anyway. ^^' Ya know, it really DOES make sense as to why Crane is stronger than Ryuho and Kazuma, but that's for later.

May the Sea Monkeys rule!

Kat