The Hinomoto Rebellion (53 page)

“I’ll make you pay for that, bitch,” he snarled.

Andrea reached up and moved some of her wet bangs out of her face, exposing the scar on her forehead as she tucked the soaked strands behind her ears. “Do you take checks?” she growled back.

With a roar that sounded inhuman, Ryoku leaped at Andrea, his black feathered wings unfurling from his back as he cleared the distance between them. He swung his spear over his head to bring it down on Andrea. The Aka Ryuu stood her ground, throwing her arms up to block the overhead strike. The wooden handle of the spear came down on the edge of her blade, causing a crack that rivaled the thunder. Ryoku’s swing followed through as the sharp end of his spear and a third of the handle flew across the roof, severed from the rest of the weapon. He used the momentum of his swing to spin himself around, shoving the staff in to Andrea’s collarbone before she could bring her arms down to defend herself.

Andrea let out a wet choking sound as the hard wood hit her with enough force to collapse her windpipe. The force and surprise of the blow caused her to lurch off-balance, sending her rolling across the roof as the katana clattered to the ground and scuttled away from her. The Tiger lay on her stomach, stunned and choking as she gasped desperately for air. She clawed at her collarbone and tried to breathe while telling herself to get up. To lay there choking with the rain on her back and without a weapon was a sure way to get herself killed. Through her daze she managed to push herself up to her knees before a swift kick landed in her belly. She found herself with her cheek once again pressed on to the hard roof as rain ran down her face and hair.

“I do hope that Densetsu gets here soon,” Ryoku purred behind her. Andrea felt a hand grab her hair at the base of her neck and jerk upwards, causing her to cry out just as another roar of thunder pierced the air. His lips were near her ear now as he whispered. “I’d hate for him to miss it when I kill you.”

Andrea swallowed back the sudden bitter taste of fear as she mustered her remaining strength to shove her ki into her hands, making them glow and arc energy before she reached out for Ryoku’s face.

The media that was trying to squeeze under the balcony outside of the Capitol had their microphones and cameras trained on the Shogun and the two
Kemono
standing next to him. The ambulance with Kanjou in it was already gone, with orders from Kunota to give him the best care possible. Now he was giving the reporters and people all over the world an impromptu speech and trying to answer as many questions as possible about the attack, about Daimyo Yasakuto, and about the appearance of the
Kemono
. 26 and Deuce stood on either side of the Shogun, acting as bodyguards to the politician.

26 noticed a figure come out of the smashed and scorched doors of the building. She squinted her yellow-green eyes for a brief second before recognition crossed her face and she began to push through the sea of reporters.

Fushicho looked over and saw 26 coming toward her, shoving cameras and people in suits out of her path until she finally got to the red-head. She looked up at 26 as the
Kemono
fell out of the crowd, her wings folded close to her back. The two took a moment and embraced each other before Fushi stepped back, her hands holding on to 26’s upper arms.

“I see Shogun Kunota. Where’s Kanjou?” Worry seeped into her flame colored eyes.

“He’s already been sent to the hospital. He was pretty banged up, but the paramedics said he should be okay. Where’s the others? Did you find Andrea?”

Fushi frowned. “Roni and I split up to look for D. I couldn’t find him so I came back out here,” Her lower lip trembled a little before she continued, “Andrea tried to arrest Daimyo Yasakuto, but Ryoku killed him when he tried to get to her. She followed after him and I haven’t seen her since. She was already injured when we found her too so I honestly don’t know what her chances are against him.”

26 felt her fur bristle a little. She turned and caught Deuce’s eyes, then nodded toward the Shogun. The
Kemono
turned back to Fushi and headed into the building with Fushi following. “26? Where are we going?”

“To find everyone else, and to help Andrea and D,” she glanced over her shoulder, “After all, it would be a hollow victory today if all of us weren’t around to share in it.”

Fushi stared, then nodded. “You’re right! Let’s go!”

 

Roni waited just around the corner as D walked into Yasakuto’s office. There was a few moments of silence, and then he stepped back out into the hall, looking down at the floor. The pig-tailed girl peeked around the corner and saw D crouch down, examining the carpet. She saw him reach down and touch something, then pull his hand back with blood on it.

“Andrea,” he muttered to himself as he stood again. He waited for a moment, then turned. “You can come out, Roni. I know you’re there.”

The small girl started and gulped, taking a moment before stepping out into view. She smiled sweetly as D raised an eyebrow at her, then smiled himself. “I told you to go to the others,” he said.

Roni rubbed her head innocently. “Yeah. but I’m worried about Andrea and I want to help!”

 

D sighed. “Alright, come on then. I don’t have time to argue with you.”

Roni ran up to his side with a smile. “Just, don’t try to fight Ryoku,” D looked down at her with concern. “Kanjou and Fushi will kill me if something happens to you.”

Roni giggled. “Alright, I promise.”

The two of them started back down the hallway, following a trail of blood spots as they went. After a few minutes, the random dark splatters led them to an open set of stairs that led upwards. D grabbed the door and moved it so he could see the front. “Roof Access,” he read off before swinging the door back all the way open.

Roni stuck her head in the stairwell and pointed to a bloody hand print on the wall. “Looks like Andrea’s hand to me.”

From above them, they heard the rain pounding on the roof. Roni jumped as thunder crackled through the air above them. As the roar died out, the sound of a sharp twang followed by a strangled shout reached their ears.

“Shit! Andrea!” D leaped up the first three stairs, taking them three at a time as he raced toward the downpour at the other end of the narrow corridor. Roni dashed after him, forced to take the stairs two at a time because of her legs. Densetsu jumped out onto the roof and was drenched almost instantly, his hair sticking to his face as water ran into his eyes.

Halfway across the roof was Ryoku, holding his bow in one hand and Andrea’s throat in the other. She was clawing with one hand at him, her eyes shut tightly as her other arm hung at her side. Her dead arm had an arrow protruding from her shoulder and was weeping blood from around the shaft.

Ryoku smirked at D as Roni came up the stairs behind him. The two halves of one whole glared at each other, blue and gold eyes boring deeply into one green eye. Ryoku’s smirk widened as he dug his fingers deeper into Andrea’s throat, causing her blue eyes to pop open as she clawed more desperately at his wrist. D noticed there were some burn marks on the side of Ryoku’s neck and a slash across the pants of his jeans.

“Looking for something, Densetsu?” chided Ryoku. “Put her down,” D replied, his voice cold and commanding. “And what if I don’t?”

“Your fight is with me, Ryoku! Put her down
NOW!
”

Ryoku rolled his eyes. “That’s one thing I never did like about you, Densetsu. No sense of humor at all.” He slowly unlatched his hand from around Andrea’s throat, causing her to fall back to the ground in a heap, hacking and coughing as she curled into the fetal position and clutched at the arrow that was buried in her flesh.

As soon as Andrea was clear of Ryoku, D was flying across the roof at him. He covered ten meters in three steps, throwing himself feet-first into Ryoku’s chest and landing on top of him as he rolled. One of Ryoku’s wings smacked into D’s head, causing him to roll to the side as the two of them got caught in a grapple on the rainy rooftop.

The moment she safely could, Roni raced over to Andrea and knelt by her side. “Andrea! Are you okay!?”

 

“Oh yeah,” Andrea sputtered, “I love being a pincushion. Makes my day.”

 

Roni reached down and helped Andrea sit up halfway. “You need a doctor,” she said worriedly.

Andrea guffawed and grabbed the arrow. “No, I need to go help D,” she said through clenched teeth. Roni watched in horror as Andrea’s grip on the arrow tightened, her knuckles turning white as she strained her free arm. Finally, there was a loud snap as the arrow shaft broke off at her skin. Andrea growled and threw the broken arrow away. “Help me up,” she said to Roni as she held out her good arm.

The smaller girl grabbed Andrea’s hand and pulled her to her feet. The Tiger swayed for a moment and Roni reached out and grabbed on to her arm. “You can barely stand, Andrea! You can’t keep fighting!”

“Someone has to help D,” Andrea looked down at Roni, trying to keep her face expressionless to hide the pain, “You think you’re strong enough to take on Ryoku? Because if so, feel free.” She motioned toward where D and Ryoku had gotten up off the ground and were now trading blows as fast as they could.

“No... I’m not strong enough to help D,” she said, hanging her head in shame.

Andrea knelt down and gripped Roni’s shoulders. The Tiger smiled, and Roni noticed that for the first time the smile seemed genuine. “It takes more courage to admit when you’re not strong than it does to rush in and get yourself hurt, Roni. Now, I’m going to go help D, okay?”

Roni looked up at Andrea. “But.. You’re not strong enough either, Andrea. You’re hurt, and badly too!”

The woman stood. “I’m not as courageous as you are,” she said before she turned. Roni stood there in the rain, watching as Andrea the Tiger went to join the fight.

Ryoku grabbed D’s fist and clamped his hand down hard, causing his other half’s face to contort with pain. The black-winged half angled his hand and started bending D’s wrist backwards.

“Well, Densetsu, so far you’ve proved to be as boring as usual,” sneered Ryoku. “I should have killed that bitch. Maybe it would’ve put more fight in you.”

“Bitch this,” snarled a voice from directly behind Ryoku. Before he had a chance to turn around, a white and blue tennis shoe slammed into the back of his head, causing him to let go of D’s fist. D swung around and punched Ryoku in the side of his face, causing him to stumble off to the left. Andrea stood across from D, her hands curled into fists as she smirked at him. “Need a little help?”

D stared, then nodded. “I’d appreciate it. Although I was coming to save
you
.”

 

“You’ve saved me enough today, Wakame,” Andrea turned to face Ryoku. “Let’s get you whole again.”

D turned as well just as Ryoku was standing to face them. “Well well, isn’t this sweet. I suppose you two are going to band together to defeat me?”

Andrea narrowed her eyes at Ryoku, but muttered to D, “What do you need to do to rejoin with him?”

 

“Mirror’s Gate. It’s a ki attack that rejoins us. I’ve been toying with a version of it that I think might work.”

“You think?”
“Well, I haven’t exactly had a chance to try it, now have I?” “Alright, alright. Let’s kick ass then.”

“If it works though, you can’t get caught in it. It’ll steal your soul.”

“Okay, Wakame, I get it,” She shot him a look.
“Just telling you.”

“Would you two shut up and stop acting like a married couple!?” shouted Ryoku from across the roof.

Both D and Andrea leaped into action. Andrea ran to the left, D to the right, each heading for Ryoku in an attempt to flank him. Ryoku stood with his wings held poised behind him. The two Aka Ryuu closed in, Andrea pulling back a fist as she ran. D stopped short and threw a leg out, just missing Ryoku as he gave a mighty flap of his wings and rose into the air. Andrea had to throw herself to the ground in order to keep from either punching D or being hit by his kick.

As he hovered in the air, Ryoku charged up his own ki. Andrea and D both looked up as they heard energy crackle. With a yell of anger, Ryoku crossed his arms and shot a blast of red energy at each of the Aka Ryuu.

Andrea rolled away from the attack on her injured shoulder. She swallowed back a cry of pain as the arrowhead cut more deeply inside of her. She heard D let out a shout and then heard the unmistakable sound of a body hitting the roof.
Idiot...
she thought as she leaped to her feet with a grimace of agony and looked up as lightning flashed behind Ryoku.