Kumori screamed. Faintly she was aware of the fleeting forms of Lilly, Iwa and Yang rushing behind her, towards the source of the explosion merely seconds ago. Suddenly her hands came into view, bloodstained.
Absently she wondered who's it was, she didn't remember taking a hit. Fire was everywhere, engulfing the previously tranquil area in a maddening haze of red.
Strong hands grasped her shoulders, shaking the young woman roughly. Fire. Everywhere. What had happen-
*SMACK*

A trickle of blood fell from her now bruised cheek, Ayame realized. Why? What had she- oh. She was still screaming. Her eyes suddenly came into focus of the serious expression of Zero1, dark locks of hair shadowing his face neatly for effect, but she realized he was no longer looking at her.

"Where-?" Kumori began.

Zero1's head twisted once more towards her. "HELP THEM!" he barked roughly, shoving Kumori stumbling towards..

"Kami help me." Kumori fought the oncoming rush of panic and the instinct to scream.

Kay, Lee, however, was doing this quite nicely for her, screaming Ayame's name out into the night, eyes wild, clutching his head and moaning at all the same time.

No, what she now ran towards was the crawling form Volpe, blood trailing neatly behind his nearly prone form, and his ultimate destination of Ayame, John Heagy somehow next to her frantically attempting to bind her wounds.

"....Ayame." Aaron struggled to rise, the massive wounds from combined shrapnel and firearms failing to allow him to do so as he cried out in pain. Slowely, one shaking bloodstained gloved hand rose towards her prone form.

The soft touch of fingertips caused his eyes to come into the focus of Ayame's sad smile. "Not again.." His teeth ground into a feral snarl, as he brought himself to crouch above her torn form.

"...it's...all....right...." she managed, eyes shining. "...Volpe sama.... Heagy...kun... .. K...K...Kay..sem.." Her long lashes closed. "...pai.." And then she lay still.

Kumori's hands flashed with energy and light, bringing above their forms. Within mere seconds she dropped to her knees, tears streaming from her eyes.

"I'm ....to ...late..."

Heagy bowed his head, slamming his fist into the nearby torn concrete.

"AAAAAAAYYYYYYYAAAAMMMMMMMMEEEEEEEE!!!!!" Kay screamed.

A massive section of wall nearby on the ground exploded into a flash of light, followed by Crimson's glowing palms exploding through it. %^$$^ thing landed on me! Where is everybod---" The large dark skinned man eyed the status of our heroes and then he, too, sunk to his knees.

"%#@!." he stated simply.
"I'm.. too late.." Kumori began again, her hands shaking.
"Too late.." echoed Heagy sadly.

Then the rubble and destroyed nearby flora and fauna launched up high into the air, twisting madly in an burst of wind.

"Negative."

Kumori blinked back her tears in amazement at the sight of Volpe, now standing beside her, wounds closed, pulsing with an eerie green light.

Both Heagy and Crimson blinked in amazement.

"Nay, it 'tis never to late." His gloved hand to hers softly. "Learn this now, Kumori-chan. It 'tis never.. ever..." The wind and light grew to such and extent that Crimson shielded his eyes.

Heagy started in amazement as Volpe gripped his shoulder amidst the middle of the green malestrom of light.

"..Too late."

...And then they were gone.

A hopeless feeling. Followed by rage.

These emotions Darius understood well, even as he awakened to his current incarnation. Memories of his Juliana taken away from him were still fresh in his thoughts. The hatred which had developed upon his once innocent mind had tainted it. But it would be upon this incarnation that he felt power overwhelming. The bonds which held his power in check were pushed aside in his rage, even as he rose up, green electricity running across his form.

It took him a moment to realize the injured young woman a small distance away from him. She was no longer breathing. There would be hell to pay.

"Kay!" Crimson shouted, staggering over the gravel towards the young man.
"What happened?!"
"Hold it." Zero1 placed a hand on Crimson's shoulder, stopping the young
Bushin warrior from going any further. "He's not himself anymore."

"Wh-what?" Crimson's muscles tensed as he reflexively assumed a fighting stance. His eyes widened when he noted the way Kay stood, the usually graceful Chinese martial artist stood almost stiffly. The immense power being emitted helped too.

"We'll take care of him." Zero1 said over his shoulders to the others, grinning wickedly, he said to Kay.
"Well, its time for that rematch at what happened at the airport."

Kay Lee turned to them, his bangs hanging lower over his eyes than usual. His lips turned slightly upwards at a corner, and he whispered. "Let's go."
 

*Clop...shuffle....clop..shuffle.....clop..shuffle....clop*

The sound of heavy combat boots being dragged through the massive empty halls was easily recognisable.

*..plip....plip..plip*

As well as the sound of dripping liquid.

"Almost there, little one." Spoke the weary man in combat fatigues, brawny arms cradeling a young girl, nearly a child, limping heavily. "Just need to find some sort of radio device, I think.. that would be good." Absently the man brushed some matted hair from the young girls unblinking eyes with bloodstained hands.

*Clop...shuffle....clop..shuffle.....clop..shuffle....clop*

Kay disappeared from their vision and was in their faces just as quickly as he smashed both of his fists into their faces. Spinning on one leg, Kay followed through with a roundhouse. Crimson and Zero1 retreated to recover
their wits as they took on a more defensive pose, surprised by the aggression Kay presented.

"Shi!" Kay grunted under the weight of Zero1's leg against his raised arm, grabbing the dark-skinned fighter by the shirt, Kay tossed him at an incoming Crimson.

"Houya!" Zero1 shouted, spinning back into fist range with a flying kick.Crimson followed closely behind, using Zero1 as a cover. Kay's clairvoyant abilities were not fooled.

"Tricky, tricky." Kay whispered, appearing behind Crimson and slamming his entwined fists down into the middle of Crimson's back. Rushing forward through the air, Kay shot his hand forward, sending a streaking line of blue energy towards Zero1. The streak wrapped itself about Zero1's neck and Kay yanked at it, pulling Zero1 in close before sending him off with a blast of kinetic energy.

"They have got to be kidding me . . ." Zero1 groaned, grabbing at the ground beneathe him.
"No s--- . . . where the hell is he packing this firepower?" Crimson groaned, struggling up into a fighting stance. His eyes narrowed as he analyzed their situation now.
"He's really fast, he packs a hell of a punch, and then there's all that fancy stuff he's been pulling out on us."

"Nice obvservations." Zero1 stood beside him, unneeded hands at his back, one leg raised as it swung lightly in the air. "But what use are they if none of them are weaknesses?" His tone was sarcastic, but his expression was grim.

"Ha ha ha ha." Kay laughed chuckled softly, floating forward. "Can't kill me now, can you? Not hang me like last time . . . oh, no, you won't take my Juliana away this time . . . not this time. I'll drag you by your entrails all over the world until even your mother wouldn't recognize you. You'll die . . ." Kay's tone grew darker. "You'll all die. Die like I did . . . die when I knew what would happen to my Juliana, die as they hung me . . . die . . . a thousand deaths."
"Now, he's scaring me." Crimson gulped.

Zero1 nodded, wiping the sweat from his forehead. Not usually one to show such emotions, but the emphatic waves streaming from the young man before them was almost unbearable. The anger, the sadness, the bitterness. There was no joy coming from him now. Knowing his opponent might be feeling it was no
problem, but his opponent actually PROJECTING these emotions . . . that was kinda tricky.

"Siiha!" Kay shouted, rushing forward across the air, light suddenly flared from his right hand as he drew out his gently humming kinetic blade. The blade swung before him in a wide arc that recovered quickly even as Crimson and Zero1 ducked and fell back as he made a vertical swipe onto the ground. Gravel exploded forth from it, cutting the two.
 
 

The little girl didn't say much. In fact, for the last twenty minutes the man had been navigating the massive hallways he was in she hardly even breathed heavy.

*Clop...shuffle....clop..shuffle.....clop..shuffle....clop*

And then the sounds of screaming echoed within the halls.

The man sighed with a grin, setting the girl down with care. Tightening the bloodsoaked banadage wrapped around his leg, he looked at the welling red wound at his middle.... he then tossed his Kevlar helmet to the side. "....I shall get you out of here yet. Just wait. Wish me luck."

The girl's unfocused eyes refused to blink.

The man produced a massive revolver from his side, sighing again. "Thanks." Then he ducked around the corner of the hallway.

The sounds of gunfire also echoed through the halls.

"This . . . would be a good time for a miracle." Crimson prayed to whatever
deity chose to listen.

The kinetic blade suddenly winked out and Kay was clutching at his head, eyes
wide. He emitted small cries of pain, Crimson and Zero1 could actually FEEL
the immense waves of pain which emanated from the young man. But it was just
as quickly gone, and Kay still stood there, retching in pain.

"Guess all that psychic power is too much for that dense head of his." Zero1
smirked, standing up and wiping the blood from his mouth slowly. "Payback
time."

With that, the two warriors charged, strength renewed by the sudden sight of
weakness. Adrenaline rushed into their blood gratefully as they closed in on
their opponent.

Kay gasped as he felt Zero1 knee him up the gut, and Crimson's entwined hands
beat him down. Crimson squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting to think that he
was actually hurting his friend. But he had to, this was for Kay's own good.
He hoped.

Zero1 was expressionless as he sent Kay flying with an upward kick, then
followed through by sliding forward with one leg extended in the form of his
Demon Yop Powerful. Kay doubled over, at a loss between two different forms
of pain, unable to come to a balance. He vaguely noted that he was in the air
now from an upward roundhouse. As he reached the apex of his ascent, Kay felt
someone's arms entwine his waist and brought him down in a powerful, shaking
suplex.
 

"I am sorry.." The man closed the still open eyes of the young woman, as well as the three others nearby. The revolver snapped open as his still shaking hand emptied the used rounds, replacing the shells with new ones. "Come on down, little one." Worldlessly the girl rounded the corner and stood directly at his side.

The man smiled and ruffled her hair with his left hand, his right hanging at his side, as she stood dispationatley. "I can't carry you any more little one. You'll have to walk on you own."

He then limped over to the nearby door, wobbling dizzily. Shaking his head he booted the massive door open and moved through it in one easy motion.

The pair of guards brought their weapons to bare just as the heavy bullets slammed through the firsts middle and the seconds chest, directally dead center. A garbed figure quivered in the corner, nearly soiling himelf.

"Run now." The man in military battle dress attempted to steady himself against the wall.

The bearded man in the smock froze.

"Before I change my mind. Go now. You won't have a second chance."

Within seconds the older man had ran through the door at breakneck speed.

"We'll have to be fast about helping these people, little one, he's bound to bring back reinforcements." The man limped over to the nearby tables with bloodied scalpels and other such items. The man blinked. "Make that help that one. Bison has made short work of the others."

He collapsed dizzily, barely hanging on to the expirement table in front of him. "I'll nead your help with the restraints, little one."

The girl moved forward and snapped open the metal restraints with a mere twist of her hands.

He wasn't going down this easily.

Light flared from his hand and he drove it into the Bushin warrior above him.
Crimson letted out a cry of pain as he doubled over from the force which
threatened to burrow into his abdominal, sending him flying several yards
away. Kay's eyes were more crazed as he stood up, scanning the area for the
Tae Kwon Do master.

"There you are." Kay whispered to himself as he brought his hands before him,
gathering kinetic energy rapidly between his hands, he flung the Kinetic
Burst towards Zero1.

"HA!" Zero1 shouted as he performed his Demon Yop Powerful again, shattering
Kay's projectile. Zero1 shook his head in disgust. "Urk!" Zero1 suddenly
shoked and looked into the wild eyes of Kay Lee Unleashed, a powerful grip
holding upwards above the ground.
 

"Who are ye?" Murmurred the individual on the table, struggling to sit up. Then he ended up proping up the military man up against the wall, due to him being unable to stand. His eyes widenned in shock at the little bloodstained girl. "Who is she?"

"...I am what is left of the heroic assault on the mad dicators so-called secret base," the man chuckled. "The girl you see before her is important to a friend of mine, so I came back for her."

"And why did ye save me?" The nearly naked man frowned, his yellow hair shifting slightly to reveal pointed ears.

He closed his eyes. "You were in pain. Nice ears." The military man's breathing became ragged and torn.

The other man attempted to cover his ears once more with his heavy hair, but was waved off.

"Don't.... worry about...it... seen worse..methinks...." The military man set his heavy caliber revolver in front of him, along with his remaining ammunition. "This is all I have.... used everything else.. Do me a favor and get out of here, protect the girl."

"..Why would ye do this?" The golden haired man stopped the other from removing his flack jacket.

He grinned. "You see the need to ask? Those two look.... looked a bit like you. Nobody deserves vha..." he shook his head again. "..what happend to them. I'll hold them off with those guards weapons as long as I'm able."

With a barely checked scream he stood once more, handing the pointy eared-one his barely serviseable flack jacket. Then he stood and began moving once more towards the door. "The map in here says the exit is due left. Tell Chun-chun, Charlie, Ken and Guile it's been fun. Good bye Iwa."

The girl didn't even blink.

"Wait."

"Yes?" The man bent low, proccuring an assault rifle from the torn forms of the guards beneath him.

"Maybe there is something you can do for me... for us, instead..."

Nothing was said, except immense pain slammed across his form. Invisible
punches that he did not know where they came from. He went slightly limp in
Kay's hand as he was tossed into the distance, almost negligantly.

"Juliana . . . Juliana . . ." Kay panted softly as he held his head. The name
was important to him, he didn't know why. But there was also another name
which was important to him, one he could not grasp beyond the fog in his
vision. "I'll destroy them all . . . oh, my Juliana . . . I'm so sorry to
kill them in your name . . . but I'll take revenge Juliana . . . my Juliana .
. ."

"BUSHIN-RYU HADOURYUKEN!" Crimson's voice shouted, and a burning pain
suddenly appeared at Kay's back. He flew forward, not of his own will, into a
pile of debris. "Zero1, are you alright?!" Crimson called out to the dark
warrior, holding his abdominal carefully and wincing at the pain.

"Not so easy . . ." Kay whispered as he staggered up, wincing at the sudden
sharp pain which ran through his mind. "Destroy you all I will . . . power .
. . overwhelming . . ." Electrical currents filled the air around Kay's
hunched form as he glanced back blankly towards his opponent.

"s--- . . ." Crimson cursed as he backed away. He was in no real condition to
trade blows after that last bit where Kay shoved whatever it was up his gut.

"You're not going anywhere." Zero1 growled as he sent an axe kick onto Kay's
head, followed by a knee bash to the chest, jumping shin to the head,
sidekick to the stomach, but just as he was about to deliver an axe to the
back of the head, thus ramming Kay into the ground, in completion of his
Brutal Thai Bruiser. He found his leg frozen in place, even as Kay stood up,
blood flowing freely from his mouth, glaring angrily at Zero1.

Grabbing Zero1's leg, he hurled the man towards Crimson. Kay suddenly stood
still, but moments later, his hands began to glow brightly. But he continued
to stand there, as if in meditation.

"What's he up to now?" Crimson croaked.

"I'm afraid to ask." Zero1 replied. "And I got these ribs that are kind of
holding my attention."

Kay's eyes snapped open, and the world suddenly became black filled with
colorful bursts of light followed by pain. It was to their credit that they
did not scream in the midst of Kay's Phantom Barrage. They coughed, and
stared at kay, who again stood motionless.

When he moved again, they cringed, expecting the worse. But Kay merely fell
forward, as if in exhaustion.

"Who was... what was?" Began Heagy.

Kumori just shook her head. "I think I may know..."

Volpe grinned. "That'll have to wait, for the time being, methinks. I have an idea to try, friends to save, and little time to do it in, mayhap." He offered his hand to the two others with a smile, bullet holes still visable in his clothing.

"What are you talking abou..." John gazed at his unfamiliar surroundings, blinking. "Umm.."

"Where are we?" Asked Kumori.

"Naar homeworld. 'Tis a sizeably dreadfull place, with no plumbing and all. Did either of ye bring some toilet paper or a newspaper, mayhap?"

....time passed.

"WHAT?!!!" the two yelled in unison.