Stand By Me? Ch. 15
"Kyoko, they're coming closer."
"All right, Access. I gotcha, I gotcha." The Angel Gym leader's mind was racing, trying to come up with a solution to their situation....and fast. They had to get out of the Genesis facility with Hotura. She had promised both Kei and the little girl that Hotura would be reunited with her parents. But how to get out first?
"How many guards are there?" she asked.
"Two scientists, one man and one woman," Yue whispered, brushing back a stray silver hair. "Five human guards with them."
"That's not so bad." Kyoko didn't like the frown that suddenly appeared on the angel's face at the end of her words.
"It gets worse."
"Worse?!" Access hissed. "We're trapped in a room with only one exit and the enemy coming right this way. How can it be any worse??" Ignoring his fellow angel, Yue turned to his trainer, his amythest eyes focused on her face.
"Two hybrids just joined them....and they look like demon induced versions of me."
"Hybrids no less," Heaven commented. "Must be a few of this facilities creations. I remember seeing some of them from the windows when I was checking the outside. They're probably using them as guards. They're time limit might almost be up though." Kyoko sighed, pulling out Organic Angel's bishie ball.
"Guess I don't have much of a choice."
"What are you going to to?" Heaven asked, kneeling next to her. Hotura remained quiet, huddling in Kyoko's arms. Gently the gym leader patted her back, trying to comfort her as she released Setsuna from his ball. The angel immediately stretched his shoulders upon being released.
"Okay, what's the plan?" he asked, his tone serious, his voice low. Setsuna already knew the general plan: get in, get Hotura, and get out. But he also knew that if he were released, the situation was dire.
"We're trapped in here with five guards, two scientists, and two hybrids just down the hall and coming this way," Yue said, his eyes still focused on the approaching danger.
"Do we have her?" Kyoko nodded, shifting slightly to give Setsuna a glimpse of the little girl.
"So then, what's the plan for getting out?"
"Guess we'll just have to go the direct approach," Kyoko said, getting to her feet, one arm lifting Hotura while her free hand fished around in her pockets before producing a small round black sphere.
"Heaven, Yue, Access, back into your balls. It'll just be me and Setsuna for the break out."
"You sure?" Access asked, his face and voice conveying his worry. She nodded.
"We'll never make it with all of you. Just Setsuna will be enough this time. The less people there are, the less hazards and obstacles we'll run into."
"Daijoobu da," Setsuna said, winking to the other three angels. "I'll make sure neither of them gets hurt." Reluctantly the three angels nodded before disappearing back into their balls as Setsuna summoned his Nanatsusaya.
"Let's bust out of here then. And let's see if we can't do a little damage while we're at it." Kyoko nodded, clutching Hotura closer to her while both she and Setsuna covered their mouths and noses with parts of their clothing, partially to hide their faces, partly to prevent them from inhaling the smoke bomb Kyoko was about to let loose.
"We'll get you back to your parents," she whispered to Hotura. The little girl, silent as ever, nodded, burying her face in Kyoko's shoulder.
"Ikuzo!" Throwing the smoke bomb to the farthest corner of the room, Kyoko waited until it had gone off and released a fair amount of smoke, enough to filter into the hallway.
"What's that?!"
"There's smoke coming out of the room!"
"The room's on fire!"
"How can that be?! Get it cleared, NOW!"
"Go!" Kyoko hissed to Setsuna. The angel responded almost before his trainer's voice had reached him. Reacting quickly, he cut down the door, elbowing two guards out of the way before taking off down the hall, Kyoko with Hotura close at his heels.
"Stop them!" came a shout from behind. "They have the hybrid girl! Don't let them escape!"
"Yeah yeah, that's what everyone says," Setsuna taunted over his shoulder, neither he nor his trainer stopping. Down the hall they ran, Kyoko thankful the laser net had been turned off. Unfortunately, the laser camera was still running. As they ran down that hallway, the laser mounted below the lens started shooting. While Setsuna was able to dodge them, his trainer wasn't so lucky, getting hit in the shoulder and leg.
"Kyoko!"
"Keep going, baka!" she hissed as they went on running. "If we stopped for each and every injury we get, we'll never make it out of here." He nodded and continued on, cutting down anyone and anything in their way; it didn't matter if the object in his way was inanimate, human, or hybrid, it was not going to stop them from getting out. Kyoko ignored the pain coming from the laser burns, clutching Hotura tighter as she ran behind one of her best angels.
~I've got to make it out of here, I have to. This little girl has to see her parents again. Ele, Hee, Shin, I swear I will get Hotura out alive. I swear on my life I will.~ The exit was just up ahead....but it was blocked by guards and hybrids with more coming. Setsuna's eyes went completely white as his hands came together, forming an energy ball pulsating with blue lighting, his Angelic Sphere attack.
"Out of the way!!" he yelled before releasing the pent up energy. The door was blown to pieces, fragments of rock and glass flying everywhere. The twenty some guards that had arrived to block their exit either scrambled to get out of the way or were thrown across the room from the force of the blast, allowing the trainer, her bishonen, and their little package to escape.
As she exited the building and bolted towards the forest, Kyoko pulled the mask from her face, her eyes dancing here and there. Setsuna made sure none of the approaching hybrid guards came near her by either swining his Nanatsusaya in wide arcs or throwing bursts of Angelic Illumination attacks from his free hand.
~Where the hell is it?! It's supposed to be right here! There it was!~ Her bike was right where she had left it hidden. Now all she had to do was find Ele and Hee as easily.
"Setsuna!" Kyoko shouted over her shoulder as she grabbed her jacket and threw it over Hotura. "Get up there and find Hisui and Chihaya. I need to find Ele and Hee but I need a distraction. Make one for me."
"You're the trainer," the three winged angel replied, spreading his wings and taking off.
"Are we going to see tou-san and daddy now?" Hotura asked, peeking out from underneath Kyoko's jacket.
"We sure are, sweetie," the trainer replied, mounting her bike while setting Hotura in front of her. "I need you to do me a little favor though. I want you to hold on tight, okay? We're getting out of here in a hurry. Don't worry, I'll get you to your tou-san and daddy soon. Just hold on real tight." The little chibi nodded, clutching tightly to the front of Kyoko's shirt with her little hands as the bike started with a roar. Quickly strapping on her helmet, Kyoko took off as she heard the sounds of vehicles approaching fast. When she was on the road, she chanced a glance behind her, not at all surprised to see guards in jeeps tailing her bike.
~K'so! They never give up do they?~ They were getting closer; she turned her eyes to the front, trying to come up with a way to escape. A piercing pain hit her shoulder, another in her arm.
~Great, now they're taking pot shots at me. Dammit Setsuna! Where are you?!~ She became alerted to the sound of wings overhead and let out a sigh of relief. Black birds blending into the night flew over her head, heading for the jeeps. Shrieks of surprise and curses filled the air accompanied by the sound of brakes connecting with concrete. Under her helmet the Angel Gym leader smirked; maybe they would make it after all.
Something popped; the sound was followed by rushing air and a lose of control on the bike. Glancing behind her, Kyoko found the back tire of her bike pierced and deflated. Ripping off the helmet, she wrapped her arms around Hotura, ready to jump. Using her seat as a spring board, she leaped into the air just before the bike crashed into a nearby tree. She excepted to collide with the ground soon; instead, there was a flash of light before Kyoko felt herself falling into someone's arms. Slowly opening her eyes, she found herself gazing into a familiar pair of violet orbs, the owner sporting black and red leather.
"Heaven!"
"Baka," he chided gently, setting her to her feet. "Did you really think you could make it safely out with Setsuna alone?"
"Well, I did, didn't I?"
"You're hurt, aren't you?" She pursed her lips at his words, keeping silent. He sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"Whatever whatever. Come on. Staying out in the open isn't good." Nodding, the trainer followed the bishie, heading into the woods before the Genesis guards could catch up. They walked for some time, Kyoko trusting Heaven to get her and Hotura to a safe place. She was a little worried about Setsuna, Hisui, and Chihaya, but she knew they wouldn't get into any trouble and would catch up eventually. She began to wonder what was happening back at the gym and whether everyone was all right.
She looked up, focusing on the sky. The moon was still high; midnight had come and gone but it was still the middle of the nght. Kyoko wondered how much longer until they reached the place Ele and Mew and their bishonen were at. In the distance, she began to hear the sounds of clashing.
"Does that sound like..."
"A Bishonen battle?" Heaven finished. "Yeah, it sure does. It's coming from somewhere up ahead."
"Let's get a closer look and see who it is. I can't believe someone is battling this late at night and so far from anything." The dark angel nodded before they proceeded further through the dense forest. They began to hear voices after progressing just a few steps.
"INJUSTICE!"
"Shi no Hime! Just get him!"
"Shi no Hime?" Heaven asked, looking quite perplexed at his trainer. Kyoko shrugged.
"Don't look at me," she replied, her eyes suddenly narrowing. "But that Injustice attack sounds a lot like Ele's Wu. Let's get a little closer." They edged closer to the sounds of clashing and battling they heard. Soon after they came upon a scene Kyoko never expected to see: Shinigami vs. Wu. And the battle was getting fiercer by the minute. Shin was accompanied by what Kyoko gathered to be Shi no Hime, his female counterpart; together they battled what seemed like an enraged and over-evolved Wu.
"Heaven! Shinken Wave! Stop them NOW!!"
"You got it," the dark angel replied, his tall and slender destined sword coming to hand. The air around him pulsated with energy as small arcs of lighting crackled up his arms as his blade began to glow. His violet eyes snapped open as he brought the tip of the blade crashing into the ground. An arc of raw energy spun through the air, cutting the space between the dark twins and the dragon, stopping their fighting any further. Two pairs of violet eyes and a pair of rage filled orbs snapped in Heaven's direction, their owners about to take their frustration about the interrupted battle out on the lone angel.
"Okay okay, break it up," Kyoko said, emerging from the bushes she had been hiding in. She turned and smiled at her fellow gym leaders. "Ele, Mew, long time no see. How ya guys been? Eh....not the best time for intros is it?"
"Onna!" Wu yelled down at her. "What do you think you are doing by interrupting this battle?! Do you want to die?!!"
"Not particularly. Oh, Shin, He-chan, I've got a little something for you. Try not to lose it next time, okay? I don't want to have to risk my health to get it back again." With a wide grin, Kyoko pulled the jacket away from the bundle she was carrying. Violet eyes peeked out as pigtails bobbed here and there as Hotura sought out her parents.
"Tou-san? Daddy?"