Title: Crossing Paths pt.12/?

Author: Deathangelgw

Disclaimer: The boys and their toys aren’t mine.  The OCs are though so no sue!

Warnings: same old stuff.  Violence, language, torture…no citrus though!

Pairings: um…not touching that! TOOOO MANY!!

Rating: R for violence and language

Note: ok…. the last one was short.  So will this one…I think.  Betcha you’re wondering what I’m gonna do, huh? ~_^

Feedback: oh such rare but yummy stuff!

/Shadow talk or telepathic/

Seiji moaned softly in pain as he woke up.  Blinking blearily, he tried to establish what had happened.  Leaning up, he became more wary as he heard hissing and cackling, signs of the Shadows’ presence.  As he looked around, memories of what had happened came back to him and he groggily croaked out, “Quatre? Genaisa?”

A soft moan from his left informed him of Quatre’s whereabouts and he crawled over to his lover’s side.  He tenderly stroked Quatre’s cheek and smiled as the aquamarine eyes showed themselves, and echoed the pain that the blond Trooper felt.  Quatre groaned again as he leaned up, then looked around, asking groggily, “Genaisa?  Where…Where is she?”

“Right here…in some way, shape, or form,” her mumbled response floated to them from their left and they turned to see her lean up and smirk slightly at them.  She crawled over to them and they hugged together, drawing strength from the other.  They all stiffened and got up swiftly into defensive postures as the sinister laughter of the Shadows grew around them.  Genaisa’s eyes narrowed and she murmured softly, “Time to blow this pop-stand and put a little light on the subject.”  She brought her hand up and it began to glow and a small ball began to form.  But, before the ball of light could gain any life, she cried out in surprise as her arm was snatched back and up, a black rope wrapped around her wrist.  She reached to try and undo the rope, but was stopped by another rope.

“Genaisa!” Seiji cried out as she was strung up.  Seiji and Quatre raced to help her, but were captured the same way.  They watched in anger and horror as her body was covered with tendrils of black lightening.  Biting back a scream of pain, but not for long as her body arced under the pain.  Screaming in agony, she tried to free herself.  Seiji and Quatre struggled vainly to free themselves, but then the torture spread to them, screaming, as they were shocked.

An evil cackle floated to them as the lightening faded from their bodies and they looked up slowly, trying to ignore the pain that was racing through their bodies.  Arago laughed again and mused, “Well, looks like the Keys have been enjoying our hospitality, wouldn’t you agree, My Queen?”

They watched in pain-filled wariness as the shadows shifted and fluttered then parted to reveal a woman with long black hair.  Her eyes glowed redly as she smiled wickedly at the now angered Troopers.  She floated towards Genaisa, who snarled softly at the woman.  /Now now, my pet.  That isss no way to talk to your future missstressss,/ she crooned mockingly as she caressed a light finger down Genaisa’s front and then brought her hand up and slapped Genaisa hard.

Genaisa snarled again, straining her bonds as her eyes glowed. “We serve no one, bitch…except for the Light,” she snarled softly as her hands began to glow.  The Queen laughed softly, her red eyes glowing more as lightening came down again, causing Genaisa to scream in agony.  Fading once more, the torture left Genaisa panting in pain, but still defiant.  The Queen smiled again, no mirth present as she brought her hand up and scratched down Genaisa’s cheek, leaving a red line of blood in its wake.  Genaisa strained in her bonds again, as did Seiji and Quatre and the Queen laughed mockingly.

/I would sssuggessst that you give up your ssstruggling, my petsss.  But then…I alwaysss loved it when they fought back a bit.  It makesss the resssulting defeat more to sssavor./ Her voice scratched on the air as she spoke and went over to the other two Troopers.  She caressed a light finger down each of their fronts, as if marking them.  The shadows surrounding them cackled and shifted with evil amusement, mocking the angered replies of the captured Troopers.

“You won’t get away with this.  We will escape and then the Shadows are going down!” Seiji cried defiantly and the Queen and Arago laughed.

/I highly doubt that, SSSeiji of Korin.  SSSoon, you and the other Keysss will ssserve me and the SSShadow Kingdom will reign all in darknessss!/ she retorted as she looked at them, then her arm extended towards them, shooting out black lightening.  The shadows shifted and hissed in glee as the sound of their screams mixed with the evil laughter of Arago and the Queen.

*~~**~~*

Shu sighed impatiently and began to tap his foot as they all sat around and watched Nasuti try to find information on their enemy.  Kayura and the new Troopers had informed them that the enemy was known as the Shadow Kingdom.  Suddenly, Shu felt a hand on his leg, stopping him effectively.  Looking down and then up in surprise, he saw his lover’s slightly annoyed look and smirked sheepishly.  Taking his own hand, Shu laced their fingers together and they watched as Nasuti sighed in frustration.  She looked up as Shuten put a comforting hand on her shoulder in concern and whispered softly, “I can’t find anything in my grandfather’s information on how we can get to them.” Sighing in frustration again, she looked over at Kayura, her question asked silently.

Kayura sighed sadly as she met the other woman’s gaze. “I’m sorry.  I have no other information.  Some guardian, huh?” she replied ruefully as she looked down at her hands on the staff. 

Anubis went over to her and placed a gentle hand on Kayura's shoulder and murmured softly, “It isn’t your fault.  And you have indeed been an excellent guardian.  It isn’t anyone’s fault that this happened so fast.”  She looked up at him and they smiled at each other.

The others watched them, then looked at each other.  Duo snickered softly but was shushed by Trowa as they all saw the little relationship that was budding between the two.  Suddenly, they all jumped as Touma cried out in pain, grasping at his middle as he bent over. Ryo, Heero, and Rajura all ran over to the pain-filled Trooper.  Touma collapsed into Ryo’s arms panting as he groaned out, “No…stop it….you’re killing them…”

The others looked at each other in shock as Duo asked, “Them?”  Ryo held onto Touma as he cried out again in pain, stiffening as shudders shook his body.  Then, just as suddenly as the attack hit, it stopped.  Touma collapsed unconscious into Ryo’s arms with a groan.

“Touma!?”  Ryo’s voice was filled with worry as he looked down at the unconscious face of his friend.  Lines of pain still creased the blue-haired Trooper’s face as Ryo brushed the sweat that had appeared around his friend’s face.  Heero leaned in and put his arms gently under the Strata holder’s body and lifted him easily up and carried him to the couch in the corner of the room.  Laying him out, they checked to make sure Touma had a pulse, and then put a pillow under his head.

Duo looked at the scene with confusion. “What just happened?  Who are the ‘them’ that he’s talking about?” he asked as Ryo sat with Touma. 

Kayura went over to Touma as well and placed a gentle hand on his face, then frowned.  She sighed softly as she stood up and looked at Touma. “It’s as I feared.  He felt what the other three were experiencing through their link.”

“Link? What link?” Duo asked incredulously as they all looked at her in shock.

“And what do you mean by what they are experiencing?  Are Quatre, Seiji, and Genaisa in pain?”  Trowa asked softly as they all looked at Kayura.

Shin scratched his head and replied, “Well, we know that Touma and Genaisa share a strong bond because they are basically meant to be.  And, we Troopers share a bond through the armors and Genaisa as well.  But…why would Touma have a link with Quatre?”  They all looked down thoughtfully at this then looked up as Nasuti gasped softly.

“Of course!  I forgot!  Genaisa had given me a disk that holds everything she was taught by the Kaos.  It even includes stuff about the staff!  She said that I was to use it if she was never there to help out,” she exclaimed excitedly as she put the disk into her computer.

Shu laughed softly, “Leave it to Genaisa to think ahead!” he commented laughingly and everyone relaxed slightly as they listened to her type swiftly.

Duo then suddenly smacked his head. “Oh DUH…I am so stupid!  They all walked in yesterday together…which means that they must have…. Man!  Didn’t know Touma was into that!” he stated laughingly.

Shu scratched his head in confusion as he watched Trowa elbow the snickering Duo and mumbled, “I don’t get it.  They came in together and had prolly done some….exercising….ooohhh…I get it now….” He blushed slightly as the realization hit on what ‘kind’ of exercise his friends had engaged in.  Wufei chuckled softly and smiled reassuringly at his lover.

Kayura nodded then looked over as Touma moaned softly as he woke up. Ryo leaned closer and asked anxiously, “Touma?  You ok?”

Touma’s eyes slowly slid open as he groaned.  Struggling, he tried to sit up and hissed in pain and would have fallen backwards if Rajura hadn’t sat down behind him and supported his body.  Touma leaned weakly against Rajura and panted as he tried to let the pain pass through him. “They are…being tortured.  Badly.  It felt like I was put out into an electric storm with metal clothing,” he whispered softly as he panted, slowly relaxing as the pain receded.  He opened hazy eyes and gazed at Ryo, who looked at him in concern.

“Why are they being tortured?  How can we get to them?”  Heero asked softly then turned his gaze to Kayura.

Kayura sighed sadly and replied, “They are the chosen ones…the Keys. With their power, if they are turned, the Shadow Kingdom will be able to open a gateway to this realm and plunge our world into darkness.  But, they seem to need to ‘prepare’ them.” She frowned in worry and looked up as Anubis placed an arm around her shoulders.

Duo growled softly as he said, “Ain’t no way those bastards are going to do that to MY world!”   The others nodded in agreement then turned in surprise as Nasuti shouted in triumph.

“Yes!  I have it!” she cried and Shuten leaned in closer, looking over her shoulder in curiosity.  She looked up at him and smiled in relief as she stated, “Genaisa said that the staff is able to make a portal to a place if there is someone there that the staff can connect to.”

Ryo looked over at Shuten and commented, “So that’s how you were able to make a portal for us to the Youjakai.  The guys were already there so you used that.”  Shuten nodded and smiled softly.

Anubis looked at Nasuti and asked, “So, this means that Kayura would be able to open a portal with the staff by using the fact that Seiji, Genaisa, and Quatre are all there?”  Nasuti nodded affirmatively and smiled at Kayura.

Shu stood up, practically bouncing. “Well, what are we waiting for?!  C’mon!  They need our help!” he cried impatiently.

Trowa looked at Shu and asked softly, “But, once we are there…how do we find our friends?”  Shu visibly drooped as he realized this.

Touma struggled to his feet and wobbled as he answered softly, “I will lead you to them.”

Ryo got up and supported his friend with an arm as he protested softly, “Touma…you’re too weak.  Are you sure you can?”  Touma smiled reassuringly at him and nodded. 

Duo stood up and proclaimed, “Well, like Shu said…What are we waiting for?!”  A chorus of agreement answered him.

“Right.  Let’s head for Shinjuku and get our friends out,” Ryo commanded sternly and they all nodded.  Putting on their sub armors, they then headed for Shinjuku.

*~~**~~*

Wufei sighed softly as they looked at the shadow-enshrouded city of Shinjuku.  “So many people.  I wonder if they are alright,” he murmured softly as they looked at the city. 

Trowa looked at his comrade with sad eyes and replied, “Let’s hope that the Shadows didn’t get them.”  Wufei gazed at his friend and nodded.

Sighing sadly, Ryo stated softly, “If they are working with Arago….we won’t be so lucky.  He uses the people’s fear like we do food.  It’s how he survived for all those years.”  The remaining Gundam Troopers looked at him in worry as he looked over at Kayura.  Nodding, they both turned towards the city.

“Well….if we’re going to free the city and our friends, we better get to it,” Shu declared with determined glee.  He was just itching for a fight.  He needed to get back at those shadows for torturing his friends and they all knew that getting into the city wouldn’t be easy.  But, they needed to get as close to the edge or farther in as possible in order for Kayura and the staff to get a focus on the three missing Troopers.

Nodding firmly in determination, the other Troopers took one last look at the city.  Then, at a fast pace, they headed for the forsaken metropolitan.  As they neared the suburbs of the city, they grew grim as they saw all of the shadow soldiers that were waiting for them, hissing in anticipation as they shifted and rustled.  Speeding up his pace, Shu snarled as he jumped into the middle of a fairly large group of shadows.  Getting as many hits as he gave, he smirked as Wufei backed him up, a muttered, “Baka” drifting towards his ear.  Shu snarled as the shadows hissed mockingly as he fought them, noticing that the others were fighting, but they weren’t making any headway.

Finally, Ryo and Heero looked at each other and nodded. “Armor up!” came from them in unison.  The others nodded and soon faced the shadows in their full gear.  Heero brought up his swords as the glimmering wings appeared and he called out, “Angel…Wing…BLAST!”  The white light from the angel form that had appeared blasted out and left a cleared column in its wake.  The Troopers and the Gundams ran through that path, fighting off the shadows as they attacked till they finally came to the edge of the shadows.  Trowa and Duo looked at each other and nodded once then did their attacks.

“Takai...Gai...Nami!”

“Hoshi...Hitoame...Dageki!”

The shadows were effectively cleared out and they all looked around.  Anubis looked at Kayura and cried, “Now, Lady.  While we are in the clear.”

Touma looked at her and requested softly, “Take care of Nasuti and Jun, ok?” 

Kayura nodded at the group, then brought up the staff and pointed it at the shadowed area.  The staff began to clang loudly and a ball of light appeared at the end ball of the staff.  Flying out, the ball stopped in the center of the shadowy cloud that surrounded the city and grew.  When it stopped growing, Kayura looked at them and instructed softly, “Go quickly and remember that light is their weakness.  But, it isn’t their end.  In order to defeat them, you may have to sacrifice.  Be aware…if the Keys are transformed and the Door is opened, the world will be lost.  Be ready to make that sacrifice if you need to.” 

The Troopers nodded solemnly at her, and then turned to the portal.  Duo smirked evilly and cried, “Well what are we waiting for?  Time to kick some shadow tail!”

Shu laughed and slapped the Deathscythe Trooper on the shoulder. “Right on brother!  Let’s take em down!” he agreed and the others nodded, smirking confidently.

Ryo looked at Heero and Shuten, and then turned to the others. “Let’s do it,” he ordered calmly and they all walked into the portal that called them.

TBC

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