Notations:
0/0 denotes singing.
"[[ ]]" denotes Chinese.
~~ ~~ denotes telepathy or spirit speech.

Shadoloo troopers were mauled, chi-blasted, hurled forty feet or more to land in twisted heaps, and the *really* unlucky ones had several of these happen at once as Sakura plowed through them with the *chi*-aura Sho-Oh-Ken.

Bones broke, muscles tore, and skin split as the troopers landed from their short flights, unable to move but not dead. Vengeance was dealt with nearly surgical precision as Sakura kept an eye on the surrounding fights as well.

A massive battle aura sprung up around Akiko as she worked out the last of the Psycho Power from her system. Glowing like a human bon fire, she tore into the regular Shadoloo troops with the reckless abandon of the damned. Potent chi attacks levelled the Shadoloo legions as they were decimated in a few minutes.

The first unfortunate flunky found himself on the receiving end of a leaping roundhouse kick that pulverised his jaw. A squad of sentries chanced by the grisly scene. In motions reminiscent of Sailor Venus' Crescent Beam, Akiko pointed her finger at the Shadoloo goons and called out the name of her attack. "Melody of Tears: Minor Note!" A pencil thin beam lanced out of her outstretched finger and stabbed through her opponents accompanied by a high "C" note played on the purest flute ever heard. Akiko scythed the silver energy pouring out of her fingertips, cutting down the troops with ruthless efficiency.

She ran to the nearest barracks as soldiers poured out to face this nearest threat. "Melody of Tears: Symphony!" The sound of innumerable instruments was heard just as a man-high column of silver chi shot forth from Akiko's hands to incinerate the entire barracks and all those inside it. Gasping for breath, Akiko fell to one knee. No one could just shrug off such a massive expenditure of life-energies so easily. Even her battle-aura seemed to have dimmed. A platoon of gun-toting troops surrounded the seemingly-spent martial artist. As one, they cocked their weapons and prepared to fire. To hell with the embarrassing friendly-fire situations, anyone who could throw around that much power had to be put down now!

Akiko looked up at the men surrounding her. Her glowing silver eyes made more than one of them step back before she unleashed her next attack.

"Melody of Tears: Cacophony!" An omni-directional chi explosion wiped out her foes to the sound of a thousand harps being played at the same time.

As Akiko fell to her knees, Sakura turned from her battle and raced through her foes to Akiko's aid, only coming to a halt as the girl blasted her attackers away.

Unknown to her, her red-shot aura had gleamed briefly into a blue found in the purest sky.

Slamming the heads of two troopers together and hurling them into the remainder of their squad, Sakura abandoned vengeance to run after the depleted young warrior.

By this time, the remnants of Shadoloo's regular infantry had formed up in what used to be the village square. Nearly a full company readied their weapons. They cursed their "special forces" compatriots. Where were those idiots? It was *their* jobs to handle the paranormals. They sure as heck never signed on to fight girls who had mil-spec (military specification) weapons hidden in their sleeves. Many of the troopers looked up as a silver comet blazed in the night sky. Akiko's deceptively melodic voice cried out the instrument of their doom. "MELODY OF TEARS FINAL ATTACK: CELESTIAL CHORUS!" Another grey-and-red streak accompanied it as Sakura joined Akiko's orgy of destruction.

Gargantuan balls of chi descended upon them like the wrath of God himself. As the Shadoloo goons were vaporised, the last things they heard were the crescendo of an angelic choir and an attack phrase.

"TENMA-GOU-ZANKUU!"

Sakura paused as she touched down, noting in the back of her mind that she'd used Akuma's signature volley of *chi* balls, but she put it to the back of her mind as a sight to one side stole her attention entirely away from mauling soldiers. As both Sakura and Akiko headed for the village, the two passed through a curtain of smoke and fire, emerging on different courses as Sakura headed for a different objective than her silver-auraed compatriot.

Yang was too locked up to comment about his bad luck. He would have made a comment about worse luck as two feminine figures strode out of the flames. With her sienna hair waving behind her like a banner and limned with silver light, Akiko's surreal beauty made her look like some kind of kami reborn in mortal flesh. Sakura on the other hand was an avenging angel incarnate. Her eyes glowing with the Satsu no Hado, the tails of her headbands flapping in the breeze; it was difficult to associate this otherworldly being as sweet Sakura-chan.

"Rin-rin!!" Sakura cried out as she dashed up to the pair, Akiko continuing on to savage more troopers. "What happened?" she asked, looking over Rin-rin's wounds.

"She was... poisoned." was all Yang said, and rather moodily at that.

Sakura looked down at Rin-rin, her senses still in the hypersensitive mode triggered by the battle... and she saw a dark shadow hovering about the claw marks. {What the- } she thought, kneeling down to examine the wound more closely. She brought up her hand, still aglow with the fires of the Satsu no Hadou, near the wound... and the shadow flinched away, just a little.

Sakura jolted upright. "Yang, watch over us! I might be able to burn out the poison!" she said, reasoning, {The poison must be mystical or *chi* based! If that's true, then I might be able to drive it out or get rid of it!}

Squatting down, Sakura began to channel *chi* into the dark shadow... and her perception of the outside world began to fade.

"[[Aha. There you are, young man.]]" the snake woman declared.

Yang had not much time to wallow in self pity as Sibilant arrived on the scene. He did a double take. Did she just *teleport* in?

"[[Are you ready to follow in the fate of your forced wife? Or does she mean more to you?]]"

Yang then turned to Sibilant. "[[None of your business.]]" were his spoken words. However, the glacial fire in his eyes said much more. 'Perhaps I am only human, but I must fight when I am needed. Prepare yourself for the Blue Dragon of the Gale in his icy-cold fury.'

Yun's cap blew into the area. Yang sniped it, placing the cap on his head with the bill turned backwards, then quickly donned his rollerblades. "[[Monsters rule!]]"

What followed then was a fight which any innocent bystander, perhaps even Sakura if she'd been paying attention, would have trouble catching. Yang sprung forth with a Torou Zan at the exact same time Sibilant came with a claw slash. Their attacks swung into each other with a *clang* like the collision of dual swords.

Yang swung for the second Torou Zan slash.

*CLANG*

Sibliant intercepted with a right hand stab.

Yang ducked under for a final slash.

"HAAAIII!!"

*CLANG*

Sibliant caught Yang's knifehand between her claws.

"[[Ah, ah, ah...]]" Sibilant began her condensation.

But her next attack, a quick poison jab, struck thin air and was blown off course by a sudden gale. Yang vanished at Kaihou speed, back, then forth, and along the side of the walls, hoping to throw Sibilant's senses off course before the strike. With his rollerblades, his speed doubled, perhaps even more.

"[[You're clever... I like that in a man.]]" Sibilant hissed. "[[However, I can ssseee sssstraight through your puny trickssss...]]"

A quick flash shot by her face for a fraction of a second. Snickering, she slashed an outstretched claw straight forward - and connected - with a pair of rollerblades currently unoccupied. The moment she looked up, her face connected with Yang's foot - a Raigeki Shuu (swan dive kick), but kicked her multiple times as he was still airborne. He landed directly into his rollerblades and vanished once again.

Sibilant wiped some blood from her face. Her slit eyes warily searched the area. The boy's presence neared her for only a fraction of a second. To the left, then to the right, then above, then to the left again. He was unpredictable. But she figured if she timed her slash just right, she can grab him by surprise.

To the left! 11 o'clock!

Sibilant's claw thrust forward like a sword. Sure enough, there was Yang. But all she caught was some slivers of his prominent hair as he ducked under her, his hand ready for another bout of Torou Zans. His knifehands slashed quick and furious, five times, the last one shoving Sibilant a few feet away. Then, he vanished again.

But this time, Sibilant was ready. Her energy was slowly wearing down. "[[Time to end thissss little game.]]" With a wave of her hand, she struck Yang's current location. The blue dragon parried the blow but was sent forward a few more feet then he should. But upon ground impact, his legs gave out.

[['Damn... not now!']]

Sibilant chuckled. Her light amusement turned to full-blown laughter. Sweat trickled down Yang's brow and all along his body. His heart beat rapidly. How could he not have forseen? Even with his rollerblades, the Kaihou drained his stamina more than he predicted. [['If only I had more time to train...']]

"[[I'm enjoying thisssss thoroughly, little boy. Now it'sss my turn.]]" With a wave of her arm, Sibilant, too, vanished.

Yang struggled to his feet, eying his terrain. But he sensed nothing. [['She must have teleported - the same way she entered,']] Yang thought warily, recalling a similar technique Sakura herself used. [['If so, she could reappear anywhere. I have to keep my senses open.']]

As with Yang's earlier wall richochet, Sibilant's laughter echoed throughout the walls. And also as earlier, Yang gazed with his eyes to where Sibilant's aura briefly appeared. To the left, to the right, then directly above, then to the left again. [['She's attempting to use the same technique I used to throw me off guard.']]

Yang closed his eyes. Immediately, his logic and senses flared to Sibilant's real location.

[['She wouldn't...!']]

Sakura concentrated harder and harder on Rin-rin's wound and the dark shadow surrounding it. Unknown to her, her eyes and aura began to glow a beautiful green - the kind you find only in the most unspoiled leaves and plants.

She pushed more and more of her *chi* into the wound, tears on her face as she thought, {Don't you dare die, Rin-rin!}

Suddenly, everything shifted. Looking around, Sakura found herself drifting in a gray featureless space with phantom images of the Jokuzetsu camp scattered through it. Looking back, she saw a silvery cord tinged with green leading back to the image of her body. A look around showed another cord beginning from the image of Rin-rin's still form and leading upwards. At the end was Rin-rin, restrained by two black silhouettes of Sibilant while a third tore at the cord.

Somehow Sakura *knew* that if the cord was severed, Rin-rin would die. Lauinching herself upward, just as she had in her dream of battling Morrigan's father, she lashed out a *chi*-flared kick, slashing it into the head of the shadow attacking the cord.

With a shriek that echoed oddly in the grey place, the shadow vanished. The two remaining shadows looked at each other, and one remained to hold the limp Rin-rin while the second hurtled down at Sakura. The two of them battled back and forth in the grey void, but the outcome was never in doubt. Sakura's *chi*-flared punches and kicks, for some reason colored a brilliant green, seemed to eat away at the shadow with every strike, while the shadow could do little in return. Finally, the second shadow faded as the third had, and Sakura looked up to the limp Rin-rin and the first shadow-

But the shadow wasn't there. Suddenly, Sakura felt an aching pain, like a migraine through her whole body, and on instinct glanced back at her silver cord.

The remaining shadow was there, her cord clasped in its jaws. Desperately Sakura tried to lunge down and attack the thing, drive it back, but it ground its jaws down harder and she writhed, helpless from the pain. {I'm going to die if I don't fight back-} she thought, trying to regain some control over her pain-wracked self.

Then the pain suddenly ended, and Sakura looked down in surprise.

Below her she saw Rin-rin, who had pulled herself down to the shadow hand-over-hand along her own cord and chopped the shadow at the base of the neck, obviously breaking it. Flying down to the Amazon, Sakura said, ~~Thanks, Rin-rin. You saved me!~~

~~It's no problem, Sakura,~~ the girl replied, her speech missing her usual halting words and heavy accent here in a spiritual environment. ~~Those things grabbed me and pulled me away from my body, and I coudn't fly, and I got weaker the farther we went. You saved me first,~~ she finished with a grin.

~~Yeah, let's get back to our bodies,~~ Sakura grinned back, grabbing the girl by one arm and towing her back down to her body's image before heading back to her own.

Unfortunately, the girls hadn't returned by the time Sibilant reappeared over their bodies. Even worse was that the girls were unprotected; they say that during spirit travel, astral projection, even should one's body be moved, the spirit is separated from the body -- permanently.

Sibilant was fully aware of that. Her laughter echoed from her own mouth. [['The boy iss too far away to ssstop me. And he appearsss too exhaussssted to ussse hisss sssspeed attack. Ssssay goodbye, girlssss.']]

But Yang was ready after all. He lunged towards Sibilant with an attack he thought he'd never use again. An attack he thought he never could use again -

- a Zessho Hohou.

Sakura awoke in time to see Yang connect with a lunging punch of sorts. Rin-Rin awoke too. What they saw was Yang facing Sibilant. Both girls were struck with the thought that Yang needed protection. Sakura was the first to regain her feet. With her heightened power, summoning a giant flare of *chi* was a snap.

"HADOKEN!"

The projectile was headed straight for Sibilant. But as Sakura followed up with her attack, she was surprised to see Yang chi-parry the projectile. He held out one arm to stop her.

"What the - Yang, what are you doing?" Sakura yelped in surprise.

"Rin-Rin's spirit may be healed but her body still needs rest. Take care of her." Yang mentioned.

Sakura's face took on an interesting pout. "I'm not a child, Yang! I can take her on no problem! Watch over Rin-Rin for me me, okay?" She rolled up her sleeve and marched on but was stopped by Yang again.

"This is my fight, Yugure-san! Let me finish where I started... please.." Yang restrained himself from snapping, albeit with difficulty.

"... Yosh!" Sakura nodded and flew off towards Rin-Rin.

[['Although my brother and I play no significant role in reclaiming Jokuzetsu, we must do our small part. I know my brother is thinking the same.']] Yang turned towards Sibilant, glaring.

Sibilant chuckled. "[[How cute. The little boy needs protection from the big girls. You can't fight your own battles properly, can you, weak little boy?]]"

Her words did the trick. Yang snapped. "[[Shut up!!]]"

The blue dragon raised his arms and outer leg into a Crane Stance. His own aura of royal blue engulfed him, then became two extra coherent shapes in the form of shadow images. "HISSATSU -- SEI'EI ENBU!!"

Sibilant laughed. "[[Futile!]]"

Yang came in with the first hit of a Torou Zan. Sibilant easily swatted his hand away.

The second shadow copy's hand swatted her hand away.

The third shadow copy struck the side of her face.

"Chk..." Sibilant spat.

Yang quickly swung with the second hit of his Torou Zan.

The first hit struck her face.

The second hit struck her outstretched arm.

The third hit sliced a gash equal to a gash Sibilant caused on Rin-Rin.

Green blood squirted from Sibilant's new wound. She raised her right arm in preparation for the third hit. Instead, Yang paired his palms together and shoved them outwards in a chi-based strike: Byakko Soushouda. Yang's large twin palms and forcing chi struck Sibilant once, twice, three times and sent her flying back. Yang quickly followed up with a Senkyuutai (rolling leap kick). His second and third shadow copies kept her airborne while Yang the original landed first.

The next few minutes caused Sibilant to regret underestimating her opponent.

Yang poke-jabbed her pressure points thrice, then lunged forward with a quick Torou Zan which sliced her skin and forced her airborne once more.

She couldn't hit the ground.

Yang wouldn't let her.

His jabs were accurately aimed. He disabled her tail-like body from moving. Then slashed it. Then dislocated the sockets of her arms. Then slashed.

Then Sei'ei Enbu ended.

This would have been a good opportunity for Sibilant to fight back, if she could move. Yang had the upper hand. He stepped forward and, combining as much power as he could with accuracy, slammed his elbow into her solar plexus - a pressure point in between the ribs against which, with the right amount of power and precision, a strike meant certain death. Sibilant coughed blood, some spattering on Yang's arm. "[[For... my... tribe...]]"

Her body now lay limp in his arms. Yang, unfazed by her last words, settled the snake woman to the ground. "[[Don't come to a fight to seek mercy.]]" he muttered.

Sullenly, hands in pockets, he strode away. He didn't care that he left Sakura and Rin-Rin behind. Not that they'd care about him either. He just wanted a little time to himself and his thoughts. Besides, Yun might want his hat back soon...

[['Ah... that's better.']] Yun thought to himself, rubbing his once sore foot. Yuki no onna's frozen touch acted as an ice pack to numb Yun's foot, however temporarily. Yun knew he was able to jump properly but any attacks which will put extra pressure on his foot, including side kicks, were out of the question.

His smile of relief soon became a grin upon hearing, "Come on out, little boy!" Because Yun, hidden inside a building, could see Bruticus but Bruticus couldn't see him.

Bruticus pulled a small piece of machinery over his eye - one that contained a heat-detector. A quick scan of one building showed a heat source eminating behind a wall. Bruticus smirked. He opened his 'chest' to reveal a giant cannon of sorts.

Yun didn't like that loud humming sound coming from outside.

Bruticus fired.

The force from the cannon would have made Gundam X/9000 proud.

The entire building exploded into a rising column of fire. Steam rose from the cannon's opening. Bruticus grinned in triumph. "The poor boy has now become ash along with that building."

"Guess again, pal." Yun, by Bruticus' feet, declared. He paired his palms together and shoved forth with one of his few chi-based strikes - a Kobokushi. Unfortunately, Bruticus didn't fly back as far as Yun expected, or wanted him to.

"Mwahahaha...! Nice try, little boy." Bruticus gloated.

[['Great. He's bigger than I thought. Gotta wear him down.']] Yun cracked his knuckles. "Try and catch me if you can, you overgrown tub of recycled car scrap!"

"I've had enough of your games!" Bruticus growled. With a twitch of his shoulders, he summoned more missiles.

"Don't you know when to quit?" Yun sighed. He leapt into the air. He was surprised to see his peak was higher than usual. He used his higher jump to his advantage, lightly stepping on the highest missile, then leaping off - the second it exploded - with an EX Zesho Hohou. He literally soared straight forward like a speeding bullet, cleanly connecting *through* Bruticus' iron-protected head.

Bruticus' attempted to grab Yun in midair but the nimble fighter had already landed in a nearby building.

"Take this, why don't 'cha?" Paired beam cannons, smaller than the one from his 'chest', snapped out from under his arm and quickly fired. The building exploded but not before Yun vaulted away.

"Now I got'cha!" Bruticus swung his arm to grab Yun. The white dragon was ready, quickly reversing the grab Bruticus had and - almost as if Yun weighed nothing - used the large man's arm to hand vault away and land a good distance behind.

"Are you done yet?" Yun yawned. "I'm bored already."

Bruticus was never a better sucker for bait. "BRUTICUS PUNCH!"

The heavy-handed blow was met with ground. Yun flipped backwards, easily preforming acrobatics that would make a gymnast green with envy, and hid behind another building.

"BRUTICUS PUNCH!"

Bruticus slammed his fist into the nearby building. A hail of debris shattered into the ground. But from the dust emerged Yun, slamming his shoulder - a la Tetsu Zanko - into Bruticus' knee. The mighty iron man collapsed to the ground.

Yun rubbed his shoulder. Somehow, he knew he was hurt by that Tetsu Zanko more than Bruticus was.

When Bruticus awoke, Yun was already ahead of him. "ARRGGHH!!" he screamed, doling out as many missiles and explosive projectiles as his iron body carried and chased after him.

The neighborhood had seen better days.

After what seemed like an hour of running around Jokuzetsu, destroying half the town in the process, Bruticus finally ran out of ammo. It was a good thing too - Yun was on his last legs.

"I've had enough of your games, boy." Bruticus panted. "Let's finish this once and for all."

Yun wiped some sweat from his chin. "Fine with me."

Yun hopped forward, knowing he'd be safe, and summoned forth the rest of his energy into power through his hands - the starting of his favourite You-Hou.

He hadn't jumped forward far enough.

The first two quick hits of You-Hou struck thin air.

"Mwahahaha!!" Bruticus gloated. "Take THIS, foolish boy!" And from thin air a giant cannon fell on his shoulder. A quick burst of energy built up inside.

Then, it fired at Yun. Point blank.

"Natch!" Yun grinned.

Bruticus, using all his energy to hold the Proton Cannon blast, couldn't stop Yun who *ducked under* the blast...

"DAHH!!" Yun cried, sending the final blow of the You-Hou straight into Little Brutie. From the chi-powered fist came a sickening crack and squelch. Bruticus was sent flying, screaming and howling in pain.

Yun raised a hand over his eyes to look over the horizon. "[[There goes the rest of his humanity,]]"

He slumped on a nearby wall. "[[Ah... that was fun. Now I gotta find my hat.]]" And with his foot returning back to its original pain, he limped off.

Aoshi led Makoto's body in an intricate dance of blades with Shidoshi as a partner. The two of them leapt, danced and flowed around each other as their attacks were launched and deflected.

The deadliest salvos, however, were launched not from Aoshi's blades but his voice.

"You claim to be descended from the Hitokiri Battosai, but you embody all that he despised."

Shidoshi slashed out with a right-left combination which Aoshi parried on his two Kodachi.

"You have no trace of his honour."

Shidoshi tried to batter aside Aoshi's defenses, only to have him flow out from under her assault like water.

"Your murderous bloodthirst embodies all that he ever opposed. You kill without purpose, only to satisfy your own desires... and your swords are nothing but an excuse."

"Uruuusaiii!!" Shidoshi howled. "Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, RYUU-KAN-SEN!!"

As she cried out the name of her attack, Shidoshi whipped her body around in a sidewise spin, using the momentum to lash out with both blades, but Aoshi had leapt and was no longer there. He passed over her, and as he flipped Makoto's body upside down, his thoughts were audible to Makoto as he planned out maneuvers. Settling on one, he lunged as he landed.

"Oniwa-Banshuu Kodachi Nitou Ryu, Gokuu Ju Ji!" Aoshi's voice stated flatly from Makoto's mouth. The two Kodachi came together like the blades of a scissor, slicing forward at Shidoshi and cutting into her shoulder as she twisted away.

"Now you've been paid back for your injury to my granddaughter," Aoshi's voice went on flatly. Shidoshi cursed and quickly bound her shoulder up, then lunged in a seemingly rash attack. Aoshi's blades curved out at her -

- and the world blurred as 'distance' vanished and Makoto came back to herself. Immediately she was aware of how far past her usual limits Aoshi had pressed her body, as all her muscles started to ache. Unsure why Aoshi was no longer guiding her body, she glanced around.

Instinctively she reached to the amulet only to find that the chain had been severed. Shidoshi held the amulet teasingly. "Looking for this koneko-chan?" (Koneko-chan: Kitten. Figuratively a helpless little girl)

Makoto scowled. "I may be on my own, but I'll still defeat you-"

Shidoshi blurred. Makoto caught a glimpse of motion and snapped up the Kodachi she still held, parrying. There was a *clang* as sword met sword, but Makoto's arm sported another gash when Shidoshi stopped. "Oh, really?" Shidoshi smirked. Dashing in again, she blurred around and around the adopted Amazon, each exchange leaving another gash on Makoto's body. Finally, Makoto caught a glimpse of Shidoshi coming in, parried with both Kodachi and lashed out with her front foot, catching the overconfident Shidoshi under the chin and stunning her for a fraction of a second. Using the time, Makoto leaped away, superjumping to a landing some forty yards away on the corner of an empty building.

Quickly inspecting her wounds, Makoto was both relieved and angry to note that they were all shallow. "Dammit, if you're going to kill me anyway at least take me seriously!" she cursed at Shidoshi, who smirked.

"It'd be over far too quickly then, koneko-chan," she purred back with a smug expression. "But as you wish - the next exchange will end the fight. Then I'll drag you off to die in front of your aunt."

Makoto growled, but didn't come down from the corner. {If Grandfather was only still with me-} she thought in fury, then paused as her mind showed her techniques that she'd never learned - the Oniwabanshuu's Kodachi Nitou Ryu (Twin Kodachi school) maneuvers. {I still remember the moves he ran through in my head!} Makoto thought in shock, then quickly selected one which offered her a chance to even the odds. Flipping the two Kodachi over so she held them point-down, Makoto placed the tip of the left one firmly against the pommel of the right and stepped off the corner. As she dropped to the ground and Shidoshi began her straight-line dash to the attack, Makoto cocked both arms to her right side and prayed.

"Oniwabanshuu Kodachi Nitou Ryu, On-Myoh Hatsuji!!"

As Shidoshi charged, the final Amazon touched down and threw her right-hand Kodachi at the killer, aiming right between her eyes. Shidoshi smirked as she braked and put her swords up in guard position. "Fool! Now you have only one blade-" she cried out as Shiyokai came across to bat the projectile away...

...to reveal the second Kodachi, thrown so perfectly as to be hidden behind the first, *also* heading right for the bridge of her nose. With a shriek of surprise, Shidoshi slashed Chikara around, striking the second attack away.

By the time her eyes were again focused farther forward than two inches from her face - Gods that had been close! - it was too late. Shidoshi's vision was full of the face - and fist - of Makoto "Xian Pu" Rindou. Caught with both swords spread wide and out of position, off-balance from her dash, stop, and double-slash, Shidoshi could only absorb the blow...

"HAAH! HAYATE!!"

...which was considerable.

Shiyokai and Chikara were knocked out of her hands and went flying. Shidoshi instinctively reached out after them instead of evading or retaliating and thus made her second-last mistake.

"KARAKUSA!"

Dizzied by the sudden jolt and pause in the blood flow to her brain, Shidoshi again was trapped and unable to evade, as Makoto launched a deadly chain combination, ending each series of punches and kicks with a Karakusa, not daring to use any other special maneuvers for fear of giving Shidoshi time to use that incredible speed of hers again. Finally, almost two minutes later, an opportunity for the finish presented itself, as a three-punch combination to the chest doubled Shidoshi over with a wheeze that made it clear there was little or no air in the woman's lungs.

Still not daring to try the Tanden Reki, Makoto made a brief leap into the air, taking herself out of Shidoshi's field of vision and setting up one of her hardest-hitting special maneuvers.

Shidoshi gasped air into her lungs - *Finally* the accursed girl had let up for a moment! The killer looked up, trying to locate the girl who'd dealt her more punishment than she'd taken in the last year put together, *including* sparring with Lord Bison.

A brief flicker of motion drew her eyes upward -

- to see a *chi*-charged heel descending toward her head in a blow that would surely split her skull. Desperately Shidoshi lunged to one side, trying to evade a maneuver already well underway.

"HAAH! TSURUGI!!"

She *almost* made it.

Makoto smiled savagely as the EX Tsurugi connected, but frowned at the feel of the move as something made a cracking noise and the impact lacked the solid feel of a headshot. Shidoshi went down, the impact of her body against the ground raising a small cloud of dust, and Makoto reached down into it and pulled the woman up by her collar and sleeve.

She aborted her intended slam, however, as Shidoshi's upper body emerged from the dust, the killer moaning incoherently. Makoto blinked, appalled, at the garish break in the killer's right arm between the shoulder and elbow. It was obvious that the break was complete by the way the limb flopped loosely at the break point.

{She tried to dodge the Tsurugi and it caught her on the upper arm,} Makoto thought, working it out. Releasing the arm to dangle at Shidoshi's side, Makoto held the Shadoloo leader upright with one arm and, as her eyes focused again, spoke.

"You've lost," she began, then switched to Chinese as she noticed her battle had drawn the attention of her remaining warriors, who had evidently finished with the Shadoloo troops while Makoto had been busy.

(note: It was really D-Sak and Akiko, but she doesn't know that.)

"[[You can fight no longer with that broken arm. For your crimes against my village I should kill you, but for the sake of the ancestor you claim, I will grant you the mercy he always showed. Leave these lands, never to return, and I hope you can learn to be as fine a samurai - no, ruroni - as your ancestor was, learning, as he did, not to kill.]]"

Several Warriors looked angry at this, but most nodded. It seemed a wise judgement, and Jokuzetsu lore was filled with tales of killers who had learned mercy from being spared. Makoto waited until Shidoshi was steady on her feet again, then released her, speaking now in Japanese. "Your ancestor and mine began as enemies but became great friends. I hope that, perhaps, we too can meet under happier circumstances someday."

In reply, Shidoshi growled, began to turn away - and then spun back, her left hand whipping a *tanto* - a small Japanese knife - out of her Yukata sash and slashing it deep into Makoto's gut. "[[There's my thanks for your 'mercy!']]" the killer screamed at her as shock threatened to set in on Makoto. As the karateka wavered on her feet, Shidoshi held up the knife to her face and screamed to the watching Warriors, "[[Bring me my swords or she dies!]]"

She thereby made her last mistake.

The thought of Shidoshi using her for a hostage after being granted mercy filled Makoto with utter rage. Not missing the opportunity, she channeled it, the fire in her *hara* eclipsing the pain of the near-evisceration. As the Tanden Reki came into effect, Makoto's hands shot up, one clamping onto Shidoshi's left wrist and twisting it over.

The other rose and fell in a deadly chop.

"HAAH! *OROSHI!!*"

With an ugly *Krak,* Shidoshi's good arm broke just below the elbow. For the remaining time the Tanden Reki allowed her, Makoto hurled a barrage of fists and feet at the defenseless Shidoshi, breaking nearly every bone in her face and hammering her upper torso mercilessly. The Warriors surrounding the two later said they could *hear* more bones go on at least three occasions.

Panting and knowing that her life would likely end with the Tanden Reki's time limit, Makoto barked out, "[[Take *that* to the next valley over and *dump* it there. Then someone go get the refugees and bring them back. The battle.. for our home... has.. been.. won-]]" she managed before collapsing, the world fading to black around her.

The last thing she heard was someone calling out, "Cousin!!"

{That's funny,} she thought as her mind began to shut down. {I'd swear whoever it was was speaking Japanese... I'm sorry, Father, I hope you'll be proud of me... Auntie Comb, Grandma, please... be... okay...}

Then even her mind went black, and Makoto Rindou knew no more.

Eric Masterson fled the MCV as soon as Akiko managed to free herself from her Psycho Collar. He knew his Angel would come for him soon enough and he planned to be far, far away in the sanctuary of Mriganka when that happened.

Turning a corner, he found himself the witness to a spectacle that stole his breath away and made him break out in a cold sweat all at the same time. Akiko stood there, her battle aura diminished to a silver radiance that illuminated her immediate surroundings.

Eric knew that even in her exhausted state, she would be more than capable of killing him. A sig-sawyer sat untouched in its holster as Akiko approached him with the intent of avenging herself on her defiler. Eric knew he would never be able to harm his Angel, even if it cost him his life.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl as Akiko raised a single fist to strike him down. Her eyes were rimmed with tears as she remembered how this particular scientist was the author of her miseries. Without his Psycho Collars, Bison could never have controlled her as he did. One punch and her family would be avenged.

A gurgling cry caught her attention then. Turning her head, Akiko saw Makoto fall to Shidoshi's tanto. With a cry of "cousin!", the fiery-haired warrioress abandoned her vengeance. Preserving life always took precedence over dealing death.

Eric babbled with fear as he realised that Death had come for him. Unable and unwilling to stare the Reaper straight in the face, he closed his eyes and waited for the fatal blow. A minute later, he opened his eyes. He would have bet his last dime that death would have hurt a least a *little* bit. Patting himself in incredulous joy, the realisation reached his central nervous system that he still existed in the world of the living.

Scampering for a hiding place until the battle was over, Eric ignored the acrid-smelling stain on his pants leg. His discomfort could be dealt with later; he had been granted a reprieve and only an idiot would waste such a second chance at life.

(Later...)

Tense moments passed. Random ticks from a once fully fuctional clock now gestured to the same moment, to the same point in time, with each passing second.

That was exactly how the atmosphere passed itself as Yun watched Makoto from her bedside.

This was the third time he had to wait under such tense moments. Only this time he was watching the victim herself.

"[[Damn it all... even your near dead face is... is...]]" he trailed off. "[[Don't look so peaceful when you're near dead. Gives me the impression you don't care if you die. ... Nah, you ain't dead. You're gonna spring up at any second and say, 'BOO! Nyah, Yun-kun! Scared ya, didn't I?' Right?]]"

More silence passed. Yun knew he was only talking to himself. Lying to himself, even.

Yun gently touched her hand, hoping she would immediately spring to life and send him rocketing with a Seichusen Godanzuki. No such luck. Her form was as lifeless as before.

"[[You stupid, violent, unfeminine tomboy! Why'd ya have to go actin' like a big shot then dying like that, huh? You're so stupid!]]" he snapped, hoping to ignite a Tanden Reki.

Still no response. He dropped her hand. He raised his hand over his chest - the place where he would have put his cap should he have had it. His solemn expression was soon replaced by a grin.

"[[You're gonna be better before you know it. If not, Yun Lee will pick you up and drag you back from Heaven.]]"

"Yun... isn't it?" spoke a soft voice in Japanese.

Yun looked up. Standing by the doorway were Comb and Akiko Tendo.

"I... I am able to help Makoto. Please give me some time."

"Sure thing." Yun saluted.

Comb watched the unusually cheerful boy leave the room with suspicion. [['His eyes betray his demeanor. The expression in his eyes are the same his brother was wearing when I passed him by earlier...']]

Akiko glowed again with a silver aura as she summoned the power of her spirit once again. Used correctly, *chi* could level mountains. The same amount of *chi* could also heal a minor injury. It is far easier to destroy than to create, a single seed contains far more power than a massive hurricane; men like Bison will never realise this, that is their folly.

Comb sat and prayed as Akiko's life energies seeped into Makoto's ravaged form. Slowly but surely torn muscles knit themselves together, severed tissue was mended and the vital organs pierced by Shidoshi's treacherous strike were restored. To the amazon, raised to see *chi* as the penultimate weapon, it was nothing short of miraculous.

But miracle or not, she did not care: it was giving her back her niece - the girl who might have been her daughter.

"[[Aha! I knew you'd be here.]]" Yun tilted his head, grinning, as he looked at his brother perched on the rooftops.

The younger brother's gaze changed from the destroyed village to Yun. His own eyes reflected the bright sunlight on the outside, while inside burned with his feelings of doubt. At times when he was alone, he allowed his emotions to cover his logic.

Yun, still smiling, sat beside Yang.

"[[Big brother...]]" Yang spoke up.

"[[I've been looking all over for you.]]" Yun interrupted, promptly returning his hat from Yang's head to his. "[[My opponents call me cheap but don't you know how much I paid for you, you silly hat?]]"

Yang smiled, only briefly, at his brother's silliness. He noticed Yun's right foot covered in blood. "[[What happened there?]]" he asked, slightly worriedly, gesturing to Yun's shoe.

Yun shrugged. "[[Nuttin'. Just a scratch.]]"

"[[Let me see.]]"

"[[You don't gotta.]]"

"[[Let me see.]]"

"[[I ain't a baby!]]"

Yang grabbed for Yun's foot.

Yun quickly grabbed Yang's wrist only to have the younger brother reach with his other hand. Their exchange of blows turned into a quick scuffle with Yang gaining the upper hand - by poking a pressure point which caused Yun's leg to swing over onto the younger brother's lap. The bloodied shoe was soon lifted.

"[[Seven broken bones,]]" Yang declared.

Yun chuckled. "[[Really? Felt more like a few bruises to me.]]"

"[[Hmm...]]" Yang wasted no more words into realigning the bones. Yun winced, more from the sickening noise than the actual pain. He noticed that with each mended bone the pain slowly went away.

"[[How'd you learn to fix broken bones 'n' pressure points 'n' stuff?]]" Yun asked.

"[[From grandfather.]]"

"[[Huh...]]" Yun scratched his head. He figured Yang learned about that accupressure junk while Yun himself slacked off.

Yang's expression quickly returned to morbid while he worked on Yun's foot. "[[People change...]]"

"[[Yeah... so?]]"

More silence between the brothers. Yang hunched over even further. "[[I... couldn't help Rin-Rin when she was poisoned... I ...]]" his voice subsided to muffles, "[[... I'm useless ...]]"

"[[Yeah... so?]]"

Yang glanced, a little annoyed, at his brother's passiveness. It was no surprise that the older brother was grinning nonchalantly.

"[[I had fun back there. Did you?]]" Yun asked. Yang's sulky expression faced Yun's cheerful one. When no further words were spoken after awhile, Yun playfully slapped Yang on the back. "[[Cheer up, Mr. Sulky. You're on candid camera!]]"

He pointed straight ahead to where Sakura was watching.

Sakura laughed and hopped up to sit on the roof edge. "I guess I can't fool you. About time I found you - I've been looking for you for ten minutes." She turned to Yun. "Acchan says Ko-chan's going to be OK."

"'Aachan'?" Yang repeated, more to himself than Sakura.

Yun scofed. "Bah, she's too stupid to die."

"Hey!" Sakura hopped up, bapped Yun on the head, and hopped back to the edge. "And, um, as for the term, Yang... I don't know how, but I kind of ended up inside her head - or heart, I'm not sure - for a bit there. Calling Akiko-san that... just seemed natural, I guess." she paused. "I heard some of that. Yang, that was a magic poison, or *chi* based at least - there was nothing you *could* do." she shrugged, "I'm not even really sure what *I* did..."

Yang said nothing.

Yun grinned. "Hey-hey, we all had fun an' scraped out alive, right? That's what counts."

"It-" Sakura shook her head, "-your parts - count for more than that, you two."

"Hmm...?" Yang asked.

"I've been talking with the Elders -" Sakura sighed, "they're the only ones who speak much Japanese, and you know my Chinese sucks rocks. Anyway, it seems the five bruisers we took on were the big reason the village fell, just like Rin-rin said... and not only did you two occupy them, you beat them. If you hadn't been here, they'd have fallen on Ko-chan and me in the middle of our fights, and then..." she made a cut-throat gesture across her neck.

Yun shrugged. "We're happy to help. 'Sides, we can't leave cute girls like yourselves unprotected. It goes against my morals."

Yang said nothing but his expression lightned a little.

Sakura smiled. "Thanks, Yun." She patted him on the cheek. "And as for you..." she turned to Yang, "Would you cheer up?? For heavens' sake, you saved my life out there - and Rin-rin's with me!" As innocently as ever, she kissed the younger twin on the cheek.

Yang's passive expression was only a cover-up for his furious blush.

"Woo hoo! Score, little bro'!" Yun grinned, nudging Yang with his elbow.

Sakura smacked Yun lightly. "Hush! I..." she looked at Yang and blushed a bit. "Um!" she shook her head. "I just wanted to say, without you two we wouldn't have won... so don't go moping about how big or small a part you played, OK?" She shuddered at the thought of taking on Akiko and Yuki no Onna both at once. "Brr... must be a cool breeze out here. I'm gonna go back in and keep an eye on Acchan and Ko-chan. Bai!" With a small wave, she dropped off the roof.

"[[See?" Yun smiled. "You are worth something after all.]]"

"[[...*we* are.]]" Yang corrected.

"[[Yeah. You some days and me every day.]]"

Yang shoved Yun's shoe to its rightful place. The younger brother was smiling now, that was a good sign. The brothers looked up to the sky in silence. Each relished the other's company.

Makoto awakened to the feel of gentle hands running a damp cloth over her face. Opening her eyes, she found the world to be a kaleidoscope of colours.

Blinking several times to bring the world into focus, the first thing she saw was the face of her Aunt Comb. "Does this mean I'm dead?" Makoto croaked, her throat constricting painfully as she forced out the words.

Comb waved her finger in mock admonishment, "You nearly did die, you reckless girl. If it wasn't for Tendo Akiko, you really would have passed on."

Makoto pulled off the shift they had dressed her in to examine the wound that should have claimed her life. All that remained of that mortal injury was a pale, thin scar.

"Hey good-lookin' how ya doing? You really gave us a scare there you know," Yun said, ambling into the room.

Makoto grinned at him. "Okay, I'll try and warn you in advance the next time I nearly get killed." Yun gave her the redeye.

Emerging from his place of concealment, Eric Masterson ran until his lungs burned. Only a few more metres and he would be out of the boundaries of Joketsuzoku. He was no fool, he had prepared for an eventuality such as this. A private helicopter awaited him just another kilometre away. Once airborne, he was confident that he would be safe.

Glancing behind him, he lamented the loss of his Angel but it could hardly be helped. Lord Bison had captured her once; it should be little problem to capture her again. This experience was just an anomaly, his redesigned Psycho Collars would easily handle any eventualities. Then she would his again, forever.

As his IQ of 220 was busy putting in new improvements in his designs, his attention wavered from the path before him. Much to his detriment. The air rushed out of his lungs as the scientist collided with something at full tilt. Picking himself up from his undignified sprawl on the ground, Eric pulled out a handgun to deal with whatever threat that had imposed itself into his flight to safety.

The piece of modern hardware fell from his limp fingers as he beheld the figure before him. Almost nine feet tall, the being was clad in gothic plate mail. Towering over the cringing Shadoloo crony, the only part of the entity that was visible were a pair of glowing eyes hooded by the armour's helm.

For the second time in as many days, Eric babbled in fear as a creature out of medieval fantasy cast in a mirror darkly was suddenly made into stark reality.

A gauntleted fist snared the scrawny scholar by his neck and easily lifted him off his feet. Kicking his feet vainly in mid-air, Eric could only pray that this was some horrible joke played on him by the cosmos. The chill of the grave permeated his skin on contact with the creature, causing a ring of rime-tinged skin to form at his neck.

"My master counts himself a friend of the Joketsuzoku," intoned Ishan in his sepulchral tones. "And he suffers cowards poorly as well."

Eric found in his frantic struggle enough breath to scream one final time as Demitri's minion literally melted into the shadows. Taking Eric with him.

The amazon warriors tasked by Xian Pu to dispose of the madwoman's carcass took to their task with unseemingly glee. Carting off Shidoshi's limp form, they dumped it into the nearest valley with more enthusiasm than that exhibited by a six year old running after an ice-cream truck. One of the warriors spat in good riddance as the Scourge of Joketsuzoku vanished into the mists.

Plum accompanied her father in his lonely vigil over the valley of Jusenkyo. Few dared to even enter the region, fewer still actually heeded the Guide until it was too late. Alas, it was their lot in life and both had long learnt to be content. The Guide took her on their daily inspection when a dark shape plummeted into a nearby spring.

Rushing over to the spring, they noticed the broken figure of a cute Japanese girl immersed in the spring's water. The poor girl looked as if she was the victim of a steam-roller accident with multiple fractures all over her body. The slow stream of bubbles from her mouth dwindled rapidly even as her blood tinged the pristine water red. And yet the only thing that Plum would always remember about the incident was her eyes. The girl's eyes stared straight at Plum. Piercing even in death, they were twin pools of malice, hatred and madness. They were eyes that would haunt Plum to the day she died.

It was most of a day later when all the wounded and sick were finally well enough to gather in what used to be the main square. Khu Luong led the remaining Elders as the remains of the tribe gathered.

"[[Warriors, it is plain that we have overcome great odds in this battle,]]" she began. "[[and it is largely thanks to our adopted clan-sister, Xian Pu, born Makoto Rindou, and her allies: Sakura Yugure, Yun and Yang Lee, and the brave Rin-rin whose search ranged over two continents to find Xian. And let us not forget the valiant and merciful Akiko Tendo, who showed our captive people mercy even while under the thrall of the vile Shadoloo. I call upon you now, accept these six as Heroes of the Jokuzetsu!]]"

There was a huge round of cheers and applause for the six warriors gathered on the small hilltop. Much to Makoto's surprise, Yun and Sakura hoisted her onto their shoulders to better recieve the adulation, and to her mortification, she blushed scarlet. Once let down, however, she insisted that Rin-rin get a turn in the spotlight as well; "[[If she hadn't somehow tracked me across two continents to find me, I'd still be ignorant of your plight, and you might have all died! Three cheers for Rin-rin!!]]" she exclaimed, and Rin-rin spent a minute atop Yun and Sakura's shoulders too. Yang, meanwhile, watched silently from the sidelines.

The gathering took a more sober turn after that. Khu Luong reminded them all, "[[The threat to our tribe is not over. Even if the minions of Bison do not return, our numbers are depleted. Many of our younger ones died, and our myths of total martial superiority have been shown to be exactly that: myths. We are excellent, true, but others can and have overwhelmed us. We must restore our numbers, we must expand our experience, and most of all we must ensure that we cannot be so easily taken in one package as we were by Shadoloo.]]"

There was a great deal of muttering among the Warriors and tribesmen at this, until finally one came forward to ask, "[[Elder, how may this be accomplished?]]"

Khu Luong smiled down at the young woman. "[[Kher Ler, you ask a good question,]]" she replied. "[[My fellow Elders and I have been debating that for much of the time since we were freed, and for a great deal of our time while imprisoned as well. I have come up with an idea not liked by all, but sensible enough that the other Elders have seen the logic of it. Kho-Om and Rin-rin have already shown us the way of it.]]"

There was more murmuring, and then Makoto stepped out of her group of friends to address Khu Luong. "[[Grandmother, you mean to send other Amazons out to gather students, don't you? Aunt Kho-Om said that it would be a good idea while she was still with Father.]]"

Khu Luong beamed at Makoto and replied "[[You have it, child. Our foremost teachers, and those who already have contacts with the outside world, will go forth and gather students. The most promising of these will be offered the chance to become Amazons in truth and return to the village which most of us will work to rebuild and guard, and so we will once again grow, and more importantly, our isolation, the ignorance that let us grow complacent in our fighting skills and training, will end as the new Amazon blood comes to us from across the world.]]"

Makoto nodded. "[[An excellent plan, Elder. I commend you,]]" she said, then turned to the others and murmured in Japanese, "Even if it *was* Aunt Comb who came up with it while I was twelve."

"Hey, I remember that!" Sakura murmured back, and the less solemn of the group were hard put to stifle laughter.

Some time later, the young warriors were gathered together, with one addition, at the edge of the village, preparing to depart even as the tireless Amazons began to raise their homes again.

"The Elders are still debating most of the senseis they're going to send out," Makoto noted wryly. "So we're all that are leaving, so far - none of the Elders could deny that Auntie and Rin-rin already have the contacts with the outside world they wanted."

Sakura sighed. "You'd think they could just acknowledge which teachers were the best and send them, but nooo, they have to get all political and stuff- ow!" she finished as Comb smacked her behind the ear.

"Silly child," Comb commented. "Of course they are - the ones sent out are going to be the future of the tribe, and as such will give a great deal of prestige to their families. We don't want to so offend an Elder now that she leaves and weakens us further."

Yun grinned. "Yeah, I can see that. Hey, Makoto, I seem to remember an invitation to come celebrate in Hong Kong once our Succubus problems were over with - this'd seem to be just as good a reason for a party. Y'wanna come back with us?" he asked.

Yang, standing off to the side, gave his brother an inquiring stare, which Yun merely grinned back.

Makoto blinked, then blushed pink. "Yun-kun, I'd love to," she replied. "-That is, if Auntie won't miss me..." she finished belatedly, glancing at Comb.

Comb smiled benignly at her. "I understand your friendship, child," she said, and carefully did *not* say {And the fact that you're infatuated with the young Lee boy there. Well, good luck to you.} Instead, the Amazon turned to Akiko and asked, "And where will you go now? From your story, you have no home to speak of..."

As Comb trailed off, Sakura took up the thread. "...and I know what happened to your last haven. Tell you what - if it's OK with the Rindous, including Comb-san here," she said, glancing at Comb for an approval which she quickly recieved, "why don't you come to stay at your cousin's *dojo* for a while? It's quiet enough, on the outskirts of the city so you have streets and countryside both in view, and," here her voice dropped to a whisper as she spoke to Akiko alone, "I happen to *know* that it's similar to the Tendo place - enough to soothe you, but not enough to hurt," she finished. Aloud, she asked, "So how about it? I think I'll head back there too, at least for a while... and I could sure use a training partner at your level," she finished with a challenging grin.

Comb nodded. "As a relative and as an Amazon - since being a hero automatically grants you a place in the tribe - you would be most welcome."

Akiko's face slowly grew a grin of its own - a small, sad one, but a grin nonetheless. "...I'd like that," she agreed softly. "If it wouldn't be too much of an imposition."

"Hmph!" Makoto snorted. "Maybe between the three of you, you can get Dad off his rear and practicing the Art again! You'd be more than welcome, Akiko-san; please do stay with us for a while." Turning to her fellow teenage Amazon, she asked, "And where are you headed, Rin-chan?" {As if I didn't know,} she thought with a wry grin.

"Aiyah! Where Airen go, Rin-rin go!" the blue-haired beauty exclaimed, latching onto Yang's arm.

"Well, time's a-wastin'," Yun said, and hoisted his bag - filled both with his things and his share of the reward given the group by the Amazons - to his shoulder and began to walk. He sped up to a light jog as the other three members of his group paced him, and in a few minutes they were out of view.

Comb turned to the others and asked, "Shall we be on our way as well?"

Sakura paused. "Um, hang on a sec. I can teleport, and I know the Rindou dojo well enough to go there - I just don't know if I can take someone else. Does anyone want to try...?"

Akiko came up to her and nodded. "Try me first - I weigh less and I may be able to help if things go awry," she reasoned. Sakura nodded and picked up the small redhead piggyback-style, and in the *FFVSZZWHAWW* of the Ashura Warp, they were gone.

A moment later, Sakura warped back in alone, looking ecstatic. "YATTA! It *worked!* Okay, Comb-san, climb aboard!" she said, and a moment later there was only wind whipping through the mountain pass giving entry to the Jokuzetsu Village.

M Bison grinned triumphantly as the black-armoured pseudo-knight melded with the shadows. This confirmed the rumors he had heard from the Society: that Joketsuzoku had a mysterious, supernatural protector. The ultimate vindication of the theories that were laughed at in his days among the Watchers. Conclusive evidence of the existence of a kind of being others called "Darkstalkers".

Turning away from the monitors, M Bison watched impatiently as his scientists fiddled with the innocuous sixteen year old girl lying on a surgical table. It was in fact designed to be the ultimate hunter-killer, given a chassis that would give it the greatest psychological advantage possible over its prey. Green LEDs showed the status of the android's programming:

Initiating cognitive matrix.

Initialising power flux.

Type Designation: Alita Model Android A-1

Unit Desgination: 'Mei'

Weapon system diagnostics: OK

Sensor system diagnostics: OK

All systems nominal.......ready to initiate programming.

Input mission specifications: ...Acknowledged.

Mission parameters: Hunt down, incapacitate and capture target designate: Yugure Sakura.

Initialising combat mode..........