Dishes clattered and forks scraped as people dined in the mall food court. People chatted with their companions about their daily happenings, and ever-moving shoppers wove their way around the tables on their way to the opposite side, bags brushing up against seats as they passed. Most of the tables could accommodate only four seats. The group of women at one, however, managed to procure a fifth. Atop the center of the table rest what looked like a simple pewter pendant, adorned with colorful gems.

"The Ronin Cross….who would have thought such an artifact existed!" Mia remarked.

"'Capable of restoring the soul and renewing the flesh'. From what I saw in the battle with that guy Chaizar, it not only healed Sage, but totally buffed him," Shannon explained. "The earliest members of my bloodline were druidic metal-workers who shaped the Earth's substances into items of incredible power, but I'm still not sure how they came to know about the Ronin Warriors."

"Well, The Ancient lived for well over a thousand years. He traveled a lot during that time and made contact with other mystics. I'm thinking, like the Armor of Typhoon, the Ronin Cross is a sort of back-up plan to even the scales against the Dynasty."

"Imagine that: such an bitty thing capable of so much. This 'Dynasty' will think twice before messing with any of the guys," Roxi snickered.

"Actually, I'm fairly certain the Dynasty will redouble its efforts to eliminate the Ronin Warriors. Anubis believes the reason Dygra has held back from an open campaign is to eliminate any resistance. Talpa dismissed the real threat the Ronin posed, and that ultimately led to his defeat," Mia stated.

"Look," a gray-sleeved arm thumped against the table. The four women glanced at their fifth companion, who sat on her chair like a guy, legs straddling the seat and arms draped over the backrest. "Not that I don't find this interesting….which I don't, but I think I can spend my afternoon doing something better. Can I go to the arcade or something?" Tanya whined and looked to Mia.

"Tanya, I organized this lunch so we could get to know each other. Shannon's ancestors helped create your Armor. You could at least show some courtesy," Mia stated calmly. Tanya narrowed her eyes and gazed from Shannon, to Roxi, to Brianna.

"HI, HI, HI! Can I go now?!" she demanded and moved to stand.

"Tanya, you are going to stay until I say it is time for us to leave," Mia said firmly. Tanya's glare intensified and she sat there for a few seconds before rising slightly, leaning over the table and extending her left arm, curling four of five fingers back.

Shannon placed one elbow on the table and brandished her middle finger lazily, while Roxi opened up with both barrels. Tanya's jaw dropped and she let her fingers uncurl when she saw the two Americans' rebuttal. Brit broke out in a squealing chuckle and Mia shook her head and closed her eyes, keeping her laughter behind a smile.

"WOW! I've never seen anyone get out-birded before! Ooh hoo hoo!" Brit crowed and shook in her seat. Tanya folded her arms across her chest and buried her hands in the folds of her windbreaker. She hunched her shoulders and scowled as the laughter continued: Shannon with her goose-honking, Roxi with her pig-snorting, and Brit with her bird-like tittering. Mia maintained her composure. She had her own ways of dealing with the surly Lady Ronin, but she had to admit, she enjoyed seeing Tanya beaten at her own game. Tanya's scowl deepened and she growled softly in her throat, lowering her chin towards her chest.

"What is the deal with her anyway? It's like she hates everyone," Shannon snorted.

"I wouldn't call it that, necessarily," Brit commented.

"What would you call it then?" Roxi asked and shifted in her seat.

"Well, I study a bit of psychology. You see that scowl?" Brit glanced at Roxi and Shannon before pointing at Tanya, who continued to glare at them icily. "That prickly attitude of hers: It's a defense mechanism! She doesn't want us to know she likes us and is having fun," Brit smirked and clasped her hands on top of the table. Shannon tilted her head, as if trying to examine Tanya.

"Yeah….I kinda see that…" Tanya's eyes looked almost closed as she glowered at them fiercely.

"Me too," Roxi drawled and stroked her chin.

"See, the best way to think of her is to compare her to an oyster: She's all rough and hard on the outside, but deep down inside there's a beautiful pearl waiting to be uncovered!" Brianna sighed and clapped her hands together. Roxi and Shannon raised eyebrows and once more turned curious glances at the fuming Lady Ronin.

"Yeah….somehow I don't see that part," Roxi said.

"Me neither," Shannon shook her head.

"SAAAAAAAAAAYYYAAAAAAGE!"

"Oh what the freaking *censored*!" Tanya swore and slammed an arm down on the table, rattling glasses and plates. Shannon winced as she recognized that voice. She had her back turned as the person approached and slowly turned to the side.

"SAGE! I'm so glad you're here-" The giddy girl Tanya and Shannon remembered being called Karla skidded to a stop by the table. Her glowing expression of joy immediately faded when she saw Shannon's face under the blonde waves that looked so much like Sage's. "OH….it's….you…" Karla's gaze snapped to Tanya, who remained hunched over the back of her chair, gazing at her levelly. "And you….okay…backing away slowly…" she whimpered and stepped back, both hands raised defensively. She turned around and took off through the court, squealing hysterically. Tanya and Shannon watched her disappear into the crowd.

"What'd you do to her?" Tanya asked lazily.

"Made her fall on her butt. You?"

"Tripped her flat on her face."

"Really? Nice!" Shannon raised an arm to give her a high five, but frowned when she saw Tanya gazing at her, expression neither annoyed nor welcoming. Shannon bit her lip and lowered her hand. It would take a lot of effort to extract this pearl…

She saw a shadow fall over the table and turned in her seat. "Back again? You sure don't know when to-" Shannon's voice froze in her throat when she saw the tall girl with pale skin, short black hair reaching down to her neck, and sharp green eyes.

"Hello there, Shannon….nice to see you doing well," the girl commented evenly. Shannon had her glass in her other hand, and Brianna's eyes popped open wide when she saw the tendons on the back of Shannon's hand pop out, turning white. Tanya blinked when she saw the side of Shannon's face: jaw clenched tight, nose wrinkled in a furious sneer, and eyes narrowed enough to rival Tanya's glare from earlier. Mia and Roxi didn't know what to make of the girl regarding them with a smooth, supercilious smirk. "I see you're busy…I'll catch up with you some other time," the girl flashed Shannon a grin and turned around and walked away from the table. Shannon's grip on her glass relaxed and she let her palm rest against the table surface. Any tighter and she might've either crushed the glass or left impressions where her fingers wrapped around it.

"…I may be socially inept, but I know the Evil Eye when I see it and that was definitely it. There something between you two?" Tanya asked softly.

"No….she's nothing," Shannon sneered angrily, gazing into the distance. Tanya pursed her lips but knew it wasn't her place to pry. She picked up her glass and took a sip through the straw but blinked when she saw Brit gazing at the table.

"Well what are you moping about?" Tanya snorted and lowered her glass.

"I'm not moping about anything!" Brit squawked then returned her gaze to the table. "I'm just thinking."

"….about?"

"It's just….I shouldn't say, it's quite embarrassing," Brit muttered.

"You can say anything. We're all friends here, right?" Mia encouraged.

"That's kind of it: I feel out of place with the rest of you. I feel like I'm the only one without a special power. I mean, Shannon's a mystic, you're a computer genius," Mia raised an eyebrow at that remark. "And Tanya, she's a Ronin Warrior!"

"What about me? I don't have any powers," Roxi shrugged and gestured to herself. Brit threw her a skeptical look.

"I've seen you shoot," she said matter-of-factly. Roxi snorted and leaned back in her chair. Tanya rolled her eyes and started sipping on her drink again. "What am I good for? There's nothing special about me. That just makes me feel like I don't belong."

"Brianna, you shouldn't look at what makes the rest of us different, or think we're somehow more special than you. Having special abilities doesn't necessarily mean having super strength or using magic," Mia stated.

"Yeah, I can use the Ronin Cross, but I, myself, am mortal. I can be killed just as easily as anyone," Shannon added.

"And I wasn't born knowing how to shoot. It took years of practice to perfect my skill," Roxi said.

"I may be computer savvy, but I don't do it to make myself special, I do it because I can, and because I help others with my skills. You see, what really makes us special is we have the courage to oppose real, true evils like the Dynasty, and that we support the Ronin Warriors in their battles."

As Mia continued her speech, Shannon noticed how Tanya sipped her drink excessively. She'd just about finished her drink and maneuvered the straw around the bottom, intent on getting every last bit of soda. This, of course, created a very loud, rude sound as air bubbles competed with soda for space up the straw. Shannon bit her lip and glanced from the Lady Ronin to Mia.

"The Dynasty draws its terrible powers primarily from the fear of mortal people. If you're not afraid of them, they have no power, but that's not an easy thing for most people to do…" Mia narrowed her eyes and glared at Tanya, who blissfully sucked away at soda residue and melting ice. "That's what makes people like us who have no fear of the Dynasty so important to the Ronin's cause…" Mia's voice rose ever so slightly and she scowled at Tanya, who appeared to be giving the straw everything she had. "It's not easy for the guys to fight on such a regular basis but having friends to comfort them-TANYA, DO YOU MIND!" Mia shrieked and braced both hands on the table's edge and kicked Tanya sharply in the shins.

Tanya squawked in protest and reached down with her free hand and clamped it over her leg. She still held her glass in her other hand and barely managed to lift her middle finger in Mia's general direction. Mia fumed from her end and looked ready to return the gesture, but quickly composed herself.

"And so you see, Brianna, you shouldn't consider yourself any less special or any of us any more, because each of us has done something pivotal to help the Ronin Warriors."

"Yeah. Cye told me how you hit a Dynasty Warlord with a book," Shannon said.

"More like walloped! I heard you hit him twice!" Roxi mentioned.

"Oh…I wouldn't exactly call that noteworthy…" Brit mumbled and twiddled her fingers and hunched over in her seat, averting her gaze shyly.

"I would."

"Hmm?" The others glanced at Tanya, surprised that she chose then to speak. The Lady Ronin had her arms crossed over the back of the chair and leaned back slightly.

"Actions like that help to break the Dynasty's power further." Tanya pointed at Brit, who looked a bit stunned. "You were talking about defense mechanisms earlier? That's what my cussing is! That's my defense against the Dynasty! When they're attacking, I don't go squealing like a sissy schoolgirl! I tell them to *censored* off!"

"Tanya, language, please. We're in public," Mia said sternly and shook her head, exasperated.

"Well *censored* them!...The public…that is…" Tanya trailed off and swished ice about in her glass absently.

"So….you're saying we should…give the Dynasty the finger?" Roxi asked. Tanya had been eating ice out of the glass when she said this and gulped down some quickly and set her glass down with a loud thump and wiped her mouth with her sleeve.

"Exactly! Show them you're not afraid! Show them they have no power over you! Give them the finger!" Tanya shouted and flipped the bird at no one in particular. Shannon, Roxi, and Brit exchanged glances.

"Give the Dynasty the finger," Roxi shrugged and made a rude gesture.

"Giving the Dynasty the finger!" Shannon made the bird with gusto.

"Giving the Dynasty the finger!" Brianna added and flipped the air off cheerfully. All the while Mia rubbed her brow with the tips of her fingers and shook her head, muttering under her breath.

"Come on, Mia. Don't be shy," Tanya teased.

"I'll do no such thing! I have my own ways of defying the Dynasty," Mia defended.

"Yeah…she'll send them a scathing e-mail," Tanya snickered. Roxi and Shannon broke out laughing aloud and Brianna joined in giggling. Mia shook her head, and yet couldn't help but smile. Her luncheon proved a success after all…

Tanya stopped chuckling suddenly and glanced to the side. Mall workers had set up a short stage ringed with velvet rope. Children milled along the outside of the platform and watched a performance by fuzzy-suited cartoon mascots. She had no interest in the show itself, but something else had alerted her senses...

"So Mia, which guy you have your eyes on?" Shannon asked abruptly. Mia blushed.

"I-I'm not involved with any of them. We're all just friends," she said hastily.

"I can't say I haven't heard that before," Roxi drawled.

"What about Ryo? I mean, now that we've taken up three of the guys, he's pretty eligible," Shannon chuckled. Mia looked very embarrassed by now at this topic.

"Or Anubis! He seems like a polite, educated young man," Brianna said.

"Hello! He's over four-hundred years old!" Tanya exclaimed, her attention returning to the table. The girls exchanged incredulous glances.

"He is?" Brianna asked timidly and blinked.

"Yah-huh. He used to be one of Talpa's Dark Warlords. I think they gave him 'unholy immortality' or some shit like that…" Tanya muttered and swished ice in her glass.

"…well he still looks cute," Roxi commented. Mia almost choked on some ice from her glass and patted her chest some, fighting down protest and laughter.

"Or what about that other guy? I don't think I've met him yet…but I heard Sage talking about him," Shannon said.

"Kento? He's friendly…" Mia began. Tanya made a loud "Pfft" into her glass.

"What's that supposed to mean? Brit asked.

"That's Tanya's way of disagreeing with me…she and Kento don't exactly get along."

"Ohhh….that mean he's the one she's taken to?" Brianna teased. Tanya set her glass down hard on the table and rose out of her chair suddenly and pulled a fist back. Roxi stood up just as quickly and leaned over the table to intercept.

"Whoa there, hon," she said calmly and grabbed Tanya's wrist. Tanya glanced from Roxi, who stood slightly taller, to Brianna, then slowly sank back to her seat. Roxi released her hold and returned to her chair as well.

"She wouldn't really hit me…would she?" Brianna whispered meekly.

"Oh yes she would," Mia hummed calmly and sipped at the remains of her drink.

The children's show continued on the platform near the food court. One actor waggled a finger at the children gathered then turned to gesture at a fellow actor on the stage. Instead of a fellow costumed mascot, something else leered at him.

Three sets of eyes glowered at him from three heads. Saliva dripped from three sets of fangs and three pairs of lips curled up in three snarls. The actor staggered back so much his mask fell off completely. Three separate roars belted out of three mouths, but one clawed hand shot out and grabbed the actor by the front of his suit and tore off the fabric. The children immediately scrambled to their feet, fleeing from the stage, screaming shrilly upon seeing a real-life monster.

"Whoa!" Tanya rose out of her seat when she saw the swirling white portal. What emerged looked like a Dynasty Soldier from a distance, followed by a towering reptilian shape. The three-headed wolf creature sniffed at the air. "Mia, girls, get out of here fast!" Tanya ordered and swept her arm to the side, white metal covering her fingers, the cuff of her jacket slipping away from the pink plate on the back of her hand.

"Tanya, you can't take them on by yourself!" Mia protested.

"Not like I have a choice! You'll have to contact the guys and tell them we've got trouble. Get as far away from here as you can! I'll distract them as long as possible!"

"Come on, you know not to argue with her," Mia said and made a shooing motion at the others. Just as the four of them backed away from their table, the three-headed wolfman turned its gazes in their direction. It let out a series of low, moaning howls. Brianna squeaked when she saw a…thing shambling towards them.

It wore armor much like a samurai warrior, except the armor looked dirty and worn with peeling lacquer and rusting trim. Instead of flesh or shadowy void, they saw yellowed bone and desiccated flesh. The exposed skull, just as intimidating as any metal mask, gazed intently at the retreating women with empty sockets. Its thin fingers closed around the grip of a heavy-looking sword and it drew it out with speed that belied its condition. The samurai-lich pushed aside tables and chairs as it approached. It completely ignored Tanya and made a beeline straight for Shannon, its shambling, erratic gait shifting into a swift charge.

Shannon proved herself no screaming schoolgirl as she drew her pendant out from under her shirt by its chain. She pinched the top end and wrapped her hands around the hilt of the newly transformed Ronin Cross. She managed to lift the heavy claymore slightly and plunged the tip into the floor. The armored lich rapidly closed the distance as Shannon sank to one knee.

"By the power of the Ronin Armors, I turn thee!" she howled. The blade of the sword erupted with bright light of shifting color. The samurai lich raised one arm infront of its withered face in a futile effort to shield its empty sockets from the holy light. It staggered back, stumbling against an upturned table. Brit marveled at the strength of the ancient claymore. Mia looked amazed as well at the power Shannon commanded.

"He is WEAK because he is undead, but I am STRONG because I LIVE!" The hissing roar jerked Shannon out of her concentration. Mia gasped and Brianna yelped as the reptilian thing stalked towards them. Shannon pulled the Ronin Cross back and it reverted to pendant form. Unlike the lich, this creature bristled with life, deep red scales coating a body thick with muscle. Flaming orange eyes glared at the Guardian and it reached out with fingers tipped with thick black claws.

"Back off ya overgrown horned toad!" Tanya screamed and dove between Shannon and the demon. She flipped forward and braced her hands against the tiles, lashing out with her feet, striking the beast in the gut and forcing him back a few steps. She landed on her feet and stood before the reptile defiantly.

"Let's go before something else comes for us!" Mia yelled. She helped Shannon to stand while Brit took the Guardian by the wrist and pulled her away from the dining area. Roxi ran in front, glancing from side to side. The wolf-beast hadn't spotted them, the lich remained in a daze from Shannon's rebuke, and the demon lizard busied himself with the Lady Ronin. So far, so good…

Brianna barely had time to register the movement from her right side. She had just enough time to squeal shrilly and stumble forward to avoid the object hurtling towards them. Mia staggered back against the wall and Shannon cried out as she felt a heavy force slam her against the wall. Brit pushed herself up on her elbows and shook her head, blinking dust from her eyes. She looked over her shoulder, surprised to see the top of a round dining table, its edge embedded firmly into the wall. On the other side, Mia saw Shannon pinned quite securely by two of the table's legs.

"Shannon! Don't worry, we'll get you ou-Roxi!" Brit shouted when she saw the blue-haired markswoman take off running. "Where are you going-Roxi! Get back here! You're not gonna help? Roxi! What the heck are you doing!"

"Going to get some firepower!" Roxi called back and vanished down the corridor.

Damn civilians! Doesn't anyone know how to flee in terror anymore? Tanya glared at the few people that lingered in the area, transfixed by the commotion. Her attention returned to the demon as it slammed its tail at the floor next to her. She rolled out of the way and once more glanced at the civilians, who looked very surprised to see a relatively petite girl in a gray jacket and weathered jeans standing up to a huge monster.

People have a habit of fearing and attacking what they don't understand. People don't know who we are, and we can't transform out here like this without taking that risk… Sage's warning echoed in Tanya's thoughts as she weighed her options.

If I could just transform I could blow these bastards out of here, no problem. Without my Armor, I can't keep them from going after Shannon and the others for long…

"I hunger for flesh, Lady Ronin!" the demon roared and lunged. Tanya steadied herself then shifted her weight onto her left leg. She knew exactly what move to use against the demon, a move she devised herself and perfected throughout her training. She dubbed it the Windmill Kick, and she lashed up and around with her right foot, striking the beast in the side of its jaw. The second her right toe touched the floor, she moved her weight onto her right leg and lashed up with her left. The demon had barely recovered from the first blow when it reeled again from the right kick, then a third time from the left. Even though she wore her armor, and her sneakers cushioned her feet, the blows jarred her leg all the way to the hip. The beast lacked a glass jaw, but Tanya prepared for a fourth kick. Every little effort would buy more time for either Shannon to escape or the guys to arrive…

"GAACK!" Tanya squawked as she felt something wrap around her right ankle and yank her off her feet. She hung upside down before the demon as it lifted her up. It craned its thick neck forward, dark crimson spines quivering in anticipation.

"Aaaaahh…I will shell you of that armor, like a sweet, succulent nut," it hissed, licking its chops gleefully and poking at the cuff of Tanya's jeans with a finger.

"Not before I crack yours!" Tanya shrieked and pulled her arm back and drove her fist into the demon's crotch.

She'd assumed anything that walked on two legs always had its privates in the same location, and her hunch proved right as the demon released her and collapsed onto the floor. Tanya landed neatly and stepped back, but the demon looked far from incapacitated. It spread its legs slowly and rose to its full height. "Insolence!"

Tanya tensed, and clenched her fist. "AAAAoooOWWW!" she cried and shook her hand, trying to soothe the pain that flared up through her tendons. She gasped as the demon lunged again.

And then it stopped. The demon's eyes widened and its jaw hung open in shock. Tanya raised both eyebrows as she saw something lift the demon off the floor.

"aaaaaaAAAAAAGH!" Black plated fingers gripped the demon's neck and tail firmly. The silver and orange armored warrior hoisted the beast above its head, turned around, leaned back then flung the demon quite a distance away. "You ok?"

"…well I was-" Tanya grumbled and massaged her hand.

"There's some dressing rooms in that store over there. Go armor up," Kento stated and pointed at a small clothing store off to the side. Tanya glanced from the glass windows to Kento, growled softly, and bolted for the store. Kento watched her leave then glanced forward. The demon reptile had recovered from its impromptu flight and flung chairs and merchant carts to either side on its way back. "Heh, even the Dynasty can't resist the food court," Kento chuckled and readied his bo.

"I-I can't br-uh-eathe!" Shannon croaked. Whatever had thrown the table at her did it with such force the legs compressed her ribcage. She reached up and tried to push the legs off with her hands, but couldn't get enough leverage. On the tabletop side, Brit tried to work her hands between the edge and the wall, but she didn't have much success. She looked up when she heard a familiar sound. With the Guardian paralyzed and the Lady Ronin distracted, the samurai lich had more than enough time to recover. It fixed its sockets on Shannon and Mia, but took no notice of Brianna hiding behind the tabletop. Brit glanced around the floor and spotted a plastic tray. The skeletal warrior lifted its sword, moving its arms behind its head.

"Yeeaaah!" Brit cried out and slashed with the tray, slicing neatly through the neck vertebrae. The lich's head tumbled off its shoulders and onto the floor and it dropped the rusted sword. "Hah!" Brit clenched her fist and shook it triumphantly. She blinked when she saw the lich drop to hands and knees and start reaching about the floor. The disembodied skull rocked back and forth, jaw working as it moaned, somehow trying to guide the groping fingers. Brit narrowed her eyes and dropped the tray and stepped past the decapitated body. She picked up the armored skull gingerly, walked over to a short metal trashcan, and lazily flung the skull inside. The lich's body stood up and hobbled over towards the can. It reached inside with one arm but its bulky armor as well as the amount of garbage hindered its search. Brianna slapped her hands together and rubbed her fingers over her shirt then skipped back to Mia and Shannon.

The three-headed werewolf contented itself with toying with one of the costumed actors from the stage. The man trembled inside the thick fuzzy suit as the werewolf grabbed him by the collar and lifted him up, fully intending to dine on the civilian.

The werewolf didn't know what to make of the thick black chain that swung around his necks and looped around them several times, or when it tightened and yanked him off balance, causing him to drop the man, who wasted no time fleeing.

"Down, boy!" a voice sneered and something whipped the chain violently, flinging the werewolf to the side. The werewolf shook the chains off and looked up, growling angrily. "I'll teach you some manners, vile cur!" Anubis gathered up his chain and drew it taut with his hands, looking every bit deserving of his namesake: The God of Death.

The doors to a dressing room flew open, startling a pair of women who had foolishly remained, hiding themselves behind clothes racks. Tanya, fully armored, ran out, returning to the food court. One of the women watched her leave and blinked. "Wow, where can I buy one of those?" she remarked.

The demon reptile picked up two chairs and flung one at Kento. While Kento could have easily swatted it away, Tanya took out her chakaram and hurled it, knocking the chair off course and slicing through it. The weapon bounced off a pillar on the far side of the area and Tanya thrust her hand through it, snatching it just as it came near. "Time for some diced lizard!" she snarled. The demon didn't look fazed by the threat and flung the other chair. This time a long, flaming blade sliced through it. As the quickly melting halves fell to the floor, a red and silver form landed between them.

"Make that roasted lizard," Ryo stated and readied his swords.

"Uhhhn…mmmph…" Shannon squirmed, thinking if she moved this way or that, just maybe she could slide out from under the table that kept her pinned.

"Here, move towards me," Mia coaxed and grabbed Shannon's arm. They couldn't dislodge the table, but if Shannon kept scooting to the side, bit by bit, she'd be free. Shannon looked at Mia, amazed at how calm she'd been during the attack. Mia smiled reassuringly and tugged while Shannon kept wiggling sideways.

Both of them looked up when they saw a shadow move over the table and wall. Brianna, from the tabletop side, whimpered and cringed when she saw the towering humanoid figure. Out of all the attackers, it looked most human, except it stood well over nine feet tall and wore strange cloth and leather armor over its pale blue skin. In one hand it held a huge curved sword. The other it extended to Shannon. "Come now, girl. Give me the pendant. Holding onto it will merely cause more trouble for you and your friends. I give you my word I will not harm you," it spoke in an almost kindly voice. Shannon shuddered and gulped and reached under her shirt and pulled out the pendant by the chain. "Ah, yes…hand over that precious bauble…"

Shannon closed her hand around it and shook her head. "Give it to me…" the being demanded firmly. Shannon shook her head again, rapidly in desperation. The humanoid scowled and twisted its broad mouth in a sneer. It lifted the sword-which Mia recognized as an Egyptian kopesh-gathering strength for a single strike that would cleave the table, and Shannon, in two.

Shannon tried to think of a spell, tap into the ancient knowledge engrained in her memory. A shield of energy, a strong blast of air, something to stop the blue behemoth, but fear froze her thoughts. She awaited the whoosh of air as the blade descended, or the initial icy pain then numbness when the sword sliced into her skull, but she only heard the distant click of metal on metal.

Then there came the explosive report, followed by the grisly splat as blue flesh and blackish blood sprayed from the monster's back, near the shoulder. The giant dropped his weapon and reached up with his other hand, trying to cover the wound. His large jaw clenched in anger, but he ducked his head from a second shot. Something buried itself in the tile-covered wall and Shannon sputtered and shook her hair when bits of drywall and ceramic rained down on her. The Egyptian-armored humanoid growled in frustration but frowned when he saw the other two monsters still in combat with the Ronin, and the samurai lich rummaging around the trashcan in search of its head. He knelt down and picked up his sword.

"The mission is compromised! Retreat! Back through the portal!" he howled. The werewolf and reptile paused, exchanged glances, then turned tail and bounded towards the open gateway on the stage. The humanoid lumbered over scattered tables and chairs but paused and grabbed the lich by its waist with one arm and the trash can with the other before running through the portal.

Ryo sheathed his swords and Anubis reached down and helped Tanya stand. The portal remained open but it looked as if all the attackers had fled.

"Did I get 'im? Please tell me I at least got one!" Roxi hefted the enormous single barreled bolt-action rifle in her hands. Anubis and Ryo stared at the weapon, wide eyed.

"…Isn't that thing illegal?!" Ryo asked.

"Not outside the continental U.S.," Roxi replied and shouldered the weapon by its strap. "They gone?" she asked and gazed about the ruins of the food court.

"Yeah…for now…" Ryo muttered and glanced over to the far wall.

Despite Mia's patient guidance, Shannon barely managed to move a few inches. Then something suddenly pulled the table out of the wall. Shannon sank to her knees and Mia and Brianna rushed to her side, checking for any injuries. "You three okay?" Kento asked and dropped the table to the side. Shannon looked up at her rescuer and nodded shakily. Brit, who hadn't met the Ronin of Hardrock in person before, felt surprised at the boyish face and round, sparkling eyes. His armor served to enhance his natural stockiness and the huge gold horns that curled up from his helm called to mind a large, but gentle bull. She couldn't resist giggling at the thought and put a hand to her mouth. Kento smirked. He didn't mind being thought of as the goofy one.

"That portal…it just appeared… and those things attacked us when we were minding our own business," Shannon commented as Mia helped her to stand.

"Yeah, they have a knack for doing that…" Kento muttered and glanced at the portal. It hadn't closed completely yet, but it looked noticeably smaller. "But they're gone now," Kento clapped his hands together with a loud clink and grinned. Brianna giggled again, and Kento felt a prick of envy at his friend Cye for finding such a cute girl.

"Hey, everyone allright?" Ryo asked as he walked up, followed by Anubis and Tanya. Shannon and Brianna blinked. If they felt intimidated by their first encounter with the Ronin Leader, he looked even more imposing in full Armor. Anubis's Armor looked drastically different in design compared to the younger Ronin. Hadn't Mia mentioned him being an ex-Dark Warlord...?

"She's just rattled but otherwise I think she's ok. All's well now," Mia said and brushed tile fragments out of Shannon's hair. "How did you all get here so fast?"

"Well, it's partly because of her," Ryo said and nodded at Shannon. "I think her pendant can send out a kind of distress signal to the Ronin Armors. Kento and I were the closest to the area, so we rounded up Anubis and ported over."

"Good thing too. I didn't think Tanya would last long against all three of those big nasties. The other guy must've arrived later," Roxi commented and patted her rifle.

"What were those things, though? It's obvious they were after Shannon and the Ronin Cross, but I've never seen Dynasty servants like them before," Mia commented.

"Those were likely members of Dygra's elite Demon Warriors. Twisted men who willingly traded their humanity for the power Dygra offered…" Anubis stated.

"You mean like you and the Warlords did?" Kento asked. Ryo grimaced awkwardly, but Anubis didn't appear the least bit offended and in fact chuckled heartily.

"Nooo, Kento…they gave up far more than their figurative humanity," he sneered and narrowed his eyes angrily.

While Roxi retrieved spent shells and Shannon tidied herself up a bit more, Brianna stood off to one side and watched the four armored warriors. She studied each of their expressions and their individual tones. Ryo almost always sounded irritated or sad. The way his eyebrows forked at the ends made him appear angry. Tanya seemed much more relaxed, swearing often as she recounted her battle with the demon reptile. Kento looked and sounded cheerful, easily the most animated of the lot. Anubis spoke with an odd purr, like a comfortable cozy cat, and from what Brit had seen, could unleash incredible rage not unlike a furious feline. Outside of combat, though, he seemed quite amiable. Brit nodded in approval. She liked his voice…

Far away from the group, behind the ruined stage, the black-haired, green-eyed girl from earlier crouched close to the floor. She didn't know what to make of the armored men that seemed to know Shannon, but she had watched the fight, from the blue giant flinging the table to Shannon squirming under the shadow of imminent death. She grinned when the giant prepared to cleave Shannon in two, but her expression turned to dismay upon seeing the blue-haired girl with the huge shotgun firing at the giant. She bit her lip and glanced at the floor, weighing her options.

The portal shrank to a mere few feet in diameter. The girl glanced at the armored warriors then the portal. Kento thought he saw something and looked over his shoulder just in time to see the portal shrink and vanish. He grunted, satisfied by the disappearance, and returned his attention to the chat between Ryo and Anubis.

"We should take precautions to make sure she won't be in this kind of situation again."

"I agree. We cannot rely on proximity and quick response all the time."

"Hey! We should set up a watch rotation or something! That way Shannon's protected around the clock!" Kento piped in.

"Whoa whoa whoa, hold on there guys. I don't want a bodyguard or anything. I'm not gonna change how I live my life just because of the Dynasty," Shannon protested.

"Shannon, the Dynasty attacked you in broad daylight, in public. What's to stop them from coming after you when you're at home, or elsewhere?" Ryo argued.

"Don't care, don't care, don't care," Shannon waved her index finger back and forth rapidly after each phrase. "We already know the Cross can send signals to the Five Armors, so next time I get attacked, I'll let you know."

"Such disregard for your own safety is unwise. There might come a time where you cannot call for help. The Ronin Cross has limits to its abilities. You might find yourself in a position where you cannot access those powers," Anubis warned.

"Don't care! If the Dynasty comes for me again, I'll just follow Tanya's advice and give them the finger!" Shannon whirled around to walk away, but moved her arm back and flipped off the guys. Ryo, Anubis, and Kento blinked, bewildered, and watched Shannon leave. Then they looked to the side and scowled at Tanya, who stood there with arms folded over her chest, nodding in approval. She blinked when she became aware of their stares.

"….whaaaat!? Oh *censored* you guys," she flipped them off then stalked away, debris crunching underfoot. By now civilians had finally fled, and sirens echoed from the street.

"We should get going. Wouldn't want you to get arrested for firing a weapon in public," Ryo said to Roxi.

"Oh yeah…I suppose you'd have that law here too…" Roxi muttered and bit her lip.

Kento glanced once more at the stage. He could've sworn he'd seen something go through the portal just before it closed. He shrugged dismissively and waved one hand lazily. Was probably just a trick of his vision…

*****

She kept low to the floor, almost crawling on hands and knees over the black and white marble. So far no one had noticed her, and she wanted it to stay that way. She crept towards the loud voices she heard until she found herself in what looked like a throne room. Rich red carpet ran along the floor in a wide, straight path towards a tall elegant chair. She recognized the creatures she'd seen in the mall as they knelt on the carpet along with several other figures she hadn't seen before. Some of them seemed to be human. They stood off to one side and kept their arms folded over their chests.

"The mission couldn't have been any clearer! You were to KILL the Guardian and seize the artifact, not waste precious time toying with her and the Lady Ronin!" The creatures flinched each time the woman seated on the throne yelled. Her fingers, tipped with curved silver claws, splayed over the armrests.

"Of course the Demon Warriors would botch such a trivial mission. They're nothing but minimally intelligent beasts," a young man with black hair and scars etching his face sneered.

"We are Dygra's chosen," the three-headed werewolf growled with three voices. The man "eeped" as it leered at him, saliva dripping from its canines. "Because we are the future! We are stronger and far superior to any feeble human."

"Remember your place, Cerberus," Dygra growled and lifted a finger. Cerberus gagged and put a hand to one of his necks, curling his furred fingers around an invisible collar. The black-haired man and his companions, a rusty haired man with a horribly disfigured face, and a dark blonde who kept shuddering slightly, smirked in contempt. "I wouldn't be gloating if I were you, Chaizar. Nor you two: Balthazar and Scar! The Night Warlords' efforts in eradicating ANY of the Ronin Warriors have proven far from fruitful!" The three men gasped and squirmed as Dygra raised three more fingers.

"The Lady Ronin kept interfering! And those other women, they used trickery to thwart us-" the bulky red lizard-man hissed then squawked as he found himself snared by the same invisible choker as Cerberus.

"Excuses, excuses, Balkak! ALWAYS EXCUSES!" Dygra shrieked.

"Forgive them, my dear Beast Warden," the Egyptian giant spoke eloquently. "The other Demon Warriors exercise far less restraint when presented with such tempting prey. They were quick to let their bloodlust consume them. I, on the other hand, remembered your orders and concerned myself with the Guardian alone."

"You are as much at fault as the others, Pharaohn!" Dygra raised another finger and the giant sank to his knees, choking and gagging. "You HAD her! A single strike and she would be dead and the Ronin Cross in my hands, but you had to charm her. You spoke 'fairly' to her and prolonged what should have been a swift execution! Every single one of your unnecessary delays gave the Ronin Warriors more time to mobilize and counterattack!" By now Dygra had all her fingers raised. Even though the samurai lich- head finally back in place-had no need to breathe, he suffered just the same under the intense magical pressure. Dygra curled her fingers, silver claws scraping against the armrests, and the invisible collars tightened.

The black-haired girl crouched behind a pillar and placed one hand on the polished stone and peeked around it, green eyes widened in a mixture of shock, delight, and intrigue.

"I CANNOT AFFORD OR CONDONE SUCH BLATANT FAILURES!" Dygra screamed. The humans' eyes bugged out and Cerberus whimpered pleadingly. "I should snuff out every single one of your lives and be done with it! What need have I of such incompetence, such dim-witted FOOLS?!" The lich's jaw creaked as it "cried" in protest, and Pharaohn grimaced at the pressure around his thick neck.

The girl blinked, surprised that Dygra threatened her own minions for failing to kill the "Guardian". She smiled.

"Hmm?" Dygra looked up sharply and relaxed her fingers. The Demon Warriors and Night Warlords all but collapsed onto the carpet, gasping for air as the magical snares vanished. Her eyes scanned the far back of the throne room. Then her gaze locked onto one of the marble pillars.

The girl cringed. She can't see me! She can't! she thought frantically. The braziers lining the path to the throne cast very little light by the pillar. She could easily hide her entire body behind the width of the pillar. She'd only moved the barest sliver of her face out from behind to see. Dygra narrowed her eyes.

The girl didn't move and remained still, hoping she remained unseen. "I know you are there. I can see you quite clearly. Come forward now," Dygra said sternly. The girl's heart squeezed and she slowly raised a finger to her chest. "Yes, I am addressing you, human. Come here," Dygra repeated. The Night Warlords and Demon Warriors looked confused about all this and exchanged glances. Behind her pillar, the girl stood up and stepped out onto the carpet timidly.

"A mortal girl?" Balthazar whispered.

"What audacity, how did she get here?" Scar muttered. Chaizar said nothing and watched intrigued as the girl approached the marble stairs leading up to Dygra's throne.

"Who are you?" Dygra demanded with a surprisingly gentle voice.

"J-J-Jennifer C-Carole," the girl stammered. Dygra cocked her head to one side, regarding the girl with surprise at such a bold feat. Not only had she infiltrated her castle in secret, she actually obeyed her command instead of fleeing.

"Why are you here?"

"I-I heard you wanna smoke Shannon real bad."

"The Guardian? Yes, I have tried several times to have her eliminated, yet these bungling excuses for warriors have failed to carry out my orders. Again I ask; Why are you here," Dygra reiterated. Jennifer flinched at the new harsh tone and bit her lip.

"I wanna help! Give me powers like them," she gestured at the Demon Warriors.

"Power is not merely given, it must be earned." Dygra stood up and walked to the edge of the stairs. "If I am to grant you the power of a Demon Warrior, you must prove yourself worthy. Are you willing to do this?" Dygra asked and narrowed her eyes.

"Yes! I'll do anything! I want to see O'Connor dead as bad as you!" Jennifer said eagerly. Dygra sniffed and nodded.

"Good. Kill her," she said simply. Jennifer gasped and whirled around when she heard a snarl from behind. The new shape crept into the throne room slowly. It looked like a classical werewolf, body covered in shaggy gray fur. It wore tattered brown pants and what looked like a cutlass hung in a scabbard at the waist. Instead of drawing it, however, it dropped to all fours and stalked closer to Jennifer, baring its' fangs. Jennifer took a step back, eyes wide in shock.

"It seems Don Marquin will have some new bones to play with," Cerberus rumbled and watched his young pack brother as he closed in on the human girl.

Just as the werewolf pounced, Jennifer reached under her jacket and pulled out a coiled object. She let it unfurl, swung it back, and then lashed forward, the long, thin black whip striking Don Marquin square on his flat forehead. The werewolf yelped and tried to dodge a second strike, but Jennifer whipped him once more in the muzzle. She pulled the whip back and lashed again, and again until she had Don Marquin curled up and whimpering on the carpet, bleeding from several gashes in his hide.

"ENOUGH!" Jennifer halted and gathered up her whip at Dygra's command. She straightened herself as the Beast Warden walked over. She ignored Don Marquin's pleas for aid and stepped over the fallen werewolf and stopped infront of Jennifer. "It seems I have underestimated your abilities…" she began and reached down and grabbed the tasseled end of the whip. She thumbed the braided leather then let it fall and circumvented Jennifer. Jennifer remained quiet and stood still as Dygra assessed her.

She looked tall, almost as tall as the Beast Warden herself, and seemed strong and athletic with a slim, yet well cut body. Her eyes looked anxious and eager, seeking approval. Dygra paused and tapped a finger against her chin. Centuries had passed since she had recruited any new minions, and much longer since a human approached her so brazenly. She folded her arms over her chest and moved back a step.

"If I give you power, you must agree to become one of my Demon Warriors and serve me forever. You will become much stronger than you are now, but you can never return to what you had before. All that you once were, who you once were, will no longer be of importance. If I deem your actions pleasing, you will gain favor with me. If I disapprove, you will suffer greatly. Are you willing to fulfill these obligations?" Dygra asked.

"I'll do it! I'll do anything! Shannon took everything from me. I have nothing left to lose and everything to gain," Jennifer snarled. Dygra sensed intense hate rising off her.

"Excellent." Dygra stepped back again and raised one arm. She pointed a claw downward and began drawing a circle in the air, muttering words from a strange ancient language. Crimson vapor streamed out from her fingertip and swirled into a wide funnel. Jennifer leaned forward and peered into the chaotic mist. The vapor solidified into a large bowl resting atop four spiky legs. Twisted spines of metal poked up from the rim, and when Jennifer unconsciously placed her hand on the rim, she gasped and yanked her hand back, swearing under her breath. A few drops of blood fell into the dark, frothy liquid inside the bowl. While Jennifer nursed her injured hand, pressing her thumb over the puncture in her finger, Dygra smiled. The girl had unknowingly contributed the first and most important ingredient. She peered into the liquid and saw a shape only she could see.

Wings spread and talons flexed. Eyes glowed bright yellow and she heard a screech. A bird of prey…this is what she will become. How fitting that her vengeance takes such form… Dygra raised her hand and waved her fingers upward. A small portion of fluid rose up and became wrapped in the same crimson mist from before. The mist solidified into a smooth black chalice. Dygra held it out to Jennifer, who eyed it skeptically.

"This is no mere beverage. This will give you the power you desire, if you are certain this is what you want," Dygra stated. Jennifer glanced from the chalice to Dygra then reached out and accepted it.

"I do," she smirked and raised the chalice slightly. "Bottoms up." The Night Warlords and Demon Warriors watched, amazed as Jennifer gulped down the entire frothing potion without hesitation. She lowered the chalice and ran her tongue over her lips then closed her eyes, breathing slowly. Dygra waited patiently for the spell to take hold.

Jennifer cried out and arched her back. Her fists clenched tight and with such force she crushed the chalice, broken bits clattering to the floor before evaporating into red mist. Her entire body convulsed and she cried out from the intense tearing pain. This would be no slow, tedious transformation like the movies. This felt swift, real, and agonizing. Her shoes ripped open to reveal yellow-scaled three-toed feet tipped with deadly sharp talons. A sharp pain emitted from the base of her spine as long black objects grew out of her lower back. Her scalp tingled as her shiny black hair became long jet-black feathers. She convulsed again as two bulges sprouted out of her back close to her shoulders, all but shredding her shirt and jacket completely. The shapes lengthened into pinions. Long black feathers grew out from the lower edge, forming wings with feathers as sharp and deadly as knives.

Jennifer collapsed onto the floor, totally spent from the sudden transformation. Her breathing came out in labored gasps and she held one arm over her chest, keeping the remains of her shirt and jacket close. Dygra whispered another incantation and made several gestures with her fingers. Shiny black and gold armor replaced Jennifer's tattered clothing. Jennifer noticed this and pushed herself up on one knee slowly. She placed one clawed foot against the carpet and stood up straight.

"You are no longer Jennifer Carole. She does not exist. You are now Black Hawk," Dygra stated.

"I…am…Black Hawk," the newly formed Demon Warrior repeated firmly, embracing her new identity.

"Know this: The transformation is permanent and irreversible. All of my Demon Warriors were once mortals who desired such power and have been in my employ for centuries, as shall you. Now go, and destroy the Guardian!" Dygra ordered.

"I will do as you command mistress!" Black Hawk said and took off running to a nearby balcony. She sprang onto the rail with surprising agility and spread her wings. She leapt off into the air; wings beating as if flying came naturally to her.

"Death comes on swift wings to the Guardian of the Ronin Cross…" Dygra muttered.

*****

"Dad! I'm home!" Shannon called cheerfully as she closed the door behind her. Danielle O'Connor looked up at her daughter from her laptop where she typed away at another one of her mythology articles and pulled her glasses down slightly.

"Hi Hon. Your Dad's in his study. Slow day at work, he actually made it home early."

"Wow, stop the presses, that's a medical miracle!" Shannon joked. The two women laughed heartily. "Okie doke, I'll go find him." Shannon skipped towards her father's home office but paused when she heard the kitchen phone ring. She ran over and plucked it off the hook neatly. "Dr. Charles O'Connor's residence, how may I help you?" she asked politely, reciting the line flawlessly from her time interning at the hospital.

"Shannon? That you?" Shannon scowled as she recognized the voice. She wove her fingers through the coiled phone cord and twisted them in her grip, knuckles going white and fists shaking in renewed anger.

"Jennifer…how did you get this number?!" Shannon demanded.

"Hey, your dad's a doctor! How many O'Connors live in Japan, in Toyama no less. I just looked him up in the local registry and took a stab at the number listed."

"What? So you could take a stab at me? The restraining order wasn't enough? Getting kicked out of your parents home wasn't enough? What the hell do you want? What will it take for you to understand that's in the past! Finis! Omega! Get lost!"

"Shannon, Shannon! Easy girl, tuck in the talons some! I am over it. That's why I called and why I tried talking to you in the mall earlier. I wanna apologize: put this whole thing behind us and try to start over. Look, exams and stuff aside, we were still best buds. You know; peas in a pod, that kinda thing. If you're willing, come down to the harbor for a nice neutral chat. I'll explain everything. Please, Shannon. I really do want to bury this thing." Shannon relaxed her death grip on the phone cord and sighed.

"The harbor? Why not someplace like a café or restaurant?"

"There's too much noise there. What I want to say is for our ears only. I'd invite you over to my place but it's…kinda on the other side of town. Real dismal, ya know?"

Shannon bit her lip. Suspicion tugged at the back of her head, but the better half of her wanted to forgive her former friend. "What time do you want me there?"

"Midnight. My shift starts early in the morning and that should give me enough time to take off and you to get home and sleep. What d'you say?"

Shannon opened and closed her mouth. She ran her fingers through her thick blonde hair, bit her lip, then let out her breath in a single large sigh. "Okay…I'll...I'll be there…"

"Thank you SO much Shannon! I promise you, this'll mean a new beginning for both of us!" Jennifer said enthusiastically and hung up from her end. Shannon replaced the phone in its cradle and folded her arms over her chest.

"Mom, I'm going out for a while. I'll be back late."

"At this hour? What on earth for?"

"I'm gonna chat with a friend…" Shannon muttered and slipped on her jacket.

*****

She stood there waiting under a huge spot close to the main offices of the harbor. She looked over her shoulder, spying the single watch person in a small office some distance away. If anything went wrong, she could call for help and the guard in turn could notify police. She hated to think so little of Jennifer even after all that she'd done, but she had to have all her bases covered. Shannon glanced at her watch. 12:01

She might not show…she could be just late, I guess…I can't fault her for that…

"Sorry, I keep you waiting?" a voice purred from the shadows between two shipping containers. Shannon whirled around.

"Jennifer! There you are. For a moment there I thought you were gonna stiff me."

"Well…in a manner of speaking, I will…" Shannon watched a shape move out into the light and recoiled when she saw the creature. Shiny black armor covered the arms from the elbow to the wrist. A simple black skirt hung from the waist down to just above the knee. Black plate covered the shins with smaller plates decorated with three splayed gold talons covering the kneecaps. A gold symbol like a tongue of flame decorated the middle of the black breastplate. Pointed black armor spread out from the collar over the shoulders and an elegant golden crown hung down over the humanoid's brow. The resemblance to a human ended there, however, with long, thin jet-black feathers in place of hair. Large wings lay folded over the back and a tail of long dark feathers spread out from the lower back. It splayed its toes, yellow scaled and tipped with wicked talons.

"…what-who are you?!" Shannon demanded and backed away.

"I'm sorry, Shannon. I guess you wouldn't recognize me after my little makeover, courtesy of Dygra," the creature laughed and twirled a finger through its feathery mane.

"Dygra?! The Dynasty Beast Warden! Jennifer, what have you done to yourself! How could you! I-I thought you wanted to talk things over! Bury this whole thing!"

"…and you believed that?" Jennifer threw her head back and laughed richly. "Well, you see…I really wanted to bury you." Jennifer reached down to her tail and plucked out a long feather. It rippled slightly and became stiff and sharp, like a sword. She pulled back and hurled it, not at Shannon, but at the guard on duty in the small office. The feather plunged through the feeble pane of glass. Shannon stood far away enough not to hear the man's dying gurgle.

"Jennifer…this is a huge mistake!"

"Jennifer no longer exists. I am BLACK HAWK!" Black Hawk uncoiled her whip and lashed, striking Shannon along the arm. The tassel rent open both layers of fabric and Shannon staggered back, hand clamped over the stinging wound.

"Jennifer, please! Dygra's just using you to kill me! You have to fight her control!"

"One: I'm not being used. This is all me. Two: she's not controlling me. I want to kill you. And three: I'm not Jennifer! I AM BLACK HAWK!" Black Hawk flapped her wings and rose into the air. Shannon ducked her head and dove between the two crates Jennifer had emerged from. She kept to the shadows, making her way further and further from the great spots that illuminated the harbor, hoping to hide herself in the maze.

Black Hawk hovered several meters above the ground. Her eyes, now yellow with black slit-shaped pupils, remained fixed on the fleeing woman. She spread her lips in a sinister grin and plucked a feather out of her wing and hurled it. Shannon yelped and stumbled back as a large black object plowed through the solid metal wall of a container. She blinked, stunned, and stepped close to study it. It had the appearance of a feather, but looked stiff and sharp like a knife.

She screamed and fell to the ground as more of the feather knives pierced the walls. She crouched low and crept away as more feathers pelted the area where she stood. Man…now I know what a pincushion feels like! Shannon scooted further away and glanced all about. She didn't see the ominous winged shape anywhere. She glanced around, trying to get her bearings. She'd taken her Mom's car. If she could only sneak back to it, she could make a quick escape...

The moment she stepped out from the shelter of the towering crates, something sharp dug into her shoulders. Shannon screamed and looked up, horrified to see Black Hawk hovering above her, grinning madly. She flapped her wings and lifted Shannon high above the ground. Shannon kicked and screamed, beating her fists against the ugly yellow scaled feet. The talons dug in slightly, and red stained the cloth around them.

"Put me down! LET ME GO!" Shannon shrieked.

"If you say so," Black Hawk said in a musical tone and opened her talons. Shannon screamed as she plunged into the cold waters of the bay. Shannon broke back to the surface, sputtering and coughing up water. She glanced about and saw a crude rope and tire ladder and swam towards it frantically. She managed to haul herself up and collapsed onto the even colder concrete of the harbor. Water pooled under her body and seeped out from her sodden hair. She pushed herself up on her hands and spit out more water, looking up when she heard the dreaded click of talons.

"Looks like you're all washed up," Black Hawk taunted.

"W-Why….why are you doing all of this?" Shannon whined.

"You need me to answer that? Are you so high and mighty now that you've forgotten what you did to me?!" Black Hawk growled and grabbed the handle of her upgraded whip.

"The…exams…that? ...That's what all this is about?! Everything that happened you did to yourself!" Shannon protested and sat up on the pavement.

"You were supposed to be my friend! We knew each other since middle school, and when I needed you the most you refused to help me! All you had to do was get the master copies, and everyone would be happy. But you and your righteous indignation, you had to be the do-gooder. You cheated me out of a future! And now that I have power, I will make you suffer for what you did to me."

Shannon leaned forward slightly, shuddering, but not from cold. Her lips curled back over her teeth and her eyes narrowed, the heat of intense fury alleviating the chill of her unwanted dunk in the bay. "If you…were willing to sell your soul to the Dynasty…over something as TRIVIAL as that," Black Hawk scowled at that but remained silent. "You're even more pathetic than I ever thought you could be," Shannon snarled.

Black Hawk sniffed and began pacing around Shannon. "Go ahead and think what you want." She knelt down and placed the broad end of her whip under Shannon's chin, tilting her head up sharply. "I like these powers. I like being Dygra's servant, and I'm gonna like the satisfaction I'll get from grinding you into dust." Shannon cried out as Black Hawk pressed her foot against her back and pushed her down, her cheek scraping against the ground. "And best part of it is, I won't get in trouble for it. No fancy lawyers and their restraining orders, no rich Mommy and Daddy! Nothing's gonna save you."

"If you serve the Dynasty now, this will!" Shannon pulled the Ronin Cross out from under her shirt by its cord. Before she could move her fingers over the gems, Black Hawk slashed with a feather sword, severing the cord, sending the pendant flying and bouncing a few times before landing in a deep crack. Shannon cried out and scrambled towards the crack on hands and knees. She tried working her fingers under the embedded pendant, but her fingers couldn't find purchase. Meanwhile, Black Hawk shook out her whip and lashed, the braided leather wrapping around Shannon's left ankle firmly, and jerked upward sharply.

Shannon screamed as she twisted around in mid air and landed on her side roughly. She felt an audible pop and her right shoulder burned with pain. She clutched her dislocated shoulder and sat up shakily. "Dygra might dote on you for now, but you're only as good to her until you make your first mistake. After that, you're cheap fodder!" Shannon warned. Black Hawk didn't seem the least bit worried and still held the feather sword in one hand. Shannon closed her eyes and tensed, but instead of stabbing her in the chest, Black Hawk caught the edge of her jacket and plunged the sword into the ground, pinning Shannon by her sleeve. Shannon tried tearing out from under the sword, to no avail. Black Hawk turned around and pulled out another sword.

"While we're at it, let's make this fun, shall we?" she purred and flung the sword behind her lazily. The blade tumbled about midair before dropping down. Shannon yelped as the blade plunged through her left sleeve, barely scraping her flesh. Black Hawk chucked another feather behind her without looking, and this one embedded itself between Shannon's legs, catching the loose right leg of her jeans. Black Hawk looked over her shoulder and smirked. "I do have terrible aim I suppose. Oh well; Third time's the charm." She turned back around and tossed another sword back. She closed her eyes, waiting to hear the pulpy smack of the blade driving through Shannon's gut.

Instead she heard the sound of metal against concrete. She turned around and saw Shannon's jacket, still pinned to the ground, and a torn chunk of her jeans. The sword had landed where Shannon's stomach should have been. "Aw man…well…at least my aim was good," Black Hawk muttered and pouted.

Shannon half-stumbled, half-staggered. She didn't have much time before Black Hawk found her. She glanced around frantically, scrambled mind trying to remember where she parked. She spotted her Mom's car and hurried over, digging into her pockets to find the key. She couldn't find it in either jean pocket. Shannon looked up in sudden realization: Her jacket had the keys.

Shannon slapped her left hand against the glass window several times, screaming under her breath. She sagged down to the ground and leaned against the car door, sobbing heavily. She didn't bother looking up when she saw a shadow slide over her.

"You're so stupid, Shannon. Like a mouse caught in a trap," Black Hawk muttered.

"I'm not trapped yet!" Shannon shrieked, summoning up the last of her physical strength to stand up and run. Black Hawk turned around in the air and watched as Shannon sprinted, not towards her jacket and car keys, but for the deep crack where the Ronin Cross had fallen. If she could just touch one of the gems, especially the Strata Sapphire, she could summon help. Black Hawk grinned and lifted her wings slightly. A single flap would send a rain of deadly feathers to impale Shannon.

Dygra had granted her heightened senses, especially sight and smell, and her sharpened hearing made out a faint click followed by a loud crack and thunderous boom. Black Hawk screamed an inhuman sound and dropped to the ground, landing on her feet. She sank to one knee, pushed herself back up, and glanced at her left wing. Something had torn a hole the size of a basketball through the black feathers. Wisps of smoke rose from the feathers along the edge and the acrid stench of gunpowder assailed her nose. She blinked when she saw a pair of legs through the hole and lowered the wing.

"Where I come from, it'd be duck hunting season," Roxi Hirochner drawled. Shannon blinked, surprised to see the blue-haired sharpshooter with her famed Sharps rifle. Her surprise deepened when Brianna and Mia ran to her side and helped her stand.

"Shannon! Poor girl, what did that big ugly chicken do to you?" Brit queried when she saw the many cuts and tears.

"Here. Let me fix those." Mia tended to Shannon's cuts with strips of gauze and linen bandages.

"What-how…what are you all doing here?" Shannon asked, amazed.

"We called your house to check up on you and your Mom said you'd gone out to the harbor. The four of us got worried and decided to look for you," Mia explained as she administered first aid.

"Four…?" Shannon raised an eyebrow.

"HEY! You big spawn of a harpy! Yeah, I'm talking to you, you shit-ugly piece of Dynasty poultry!" a defiant voice called out from the highest end of a ship crane. Shannon gasped when she saw the pink-armored Ronin Warrior.

"Huh?" Black Hawk grunted and looked up, making a face. "Who the heck are you?"

Tanya Sanada glared at Black Hawk with angry bronze-brown eyes. "I don't know who you are, or why you've attacked Shannon, but I'm gonna give you one chance and one chance only to renounce the Dynasty's power and seek forgiveness."

Black Hawk blinked slowly. Then her lips spread in a grin. Roxi reloaded her rifle and stood ready. Mia and Brianna positioned themselves infront of Shannon. "Why…would I wanna do that?" Black Hawk asked smugly.

"…That….wasn't an answer…." Tanya growled and crouched and sprang into the air. She flipped forward once and dropped to the ground, drawing her swords swiftly. Roxi ran to the side and around, making her way to the other girls, while Black Hawk sprang back out of the way of Tanya's landing. Tanya slashed once, which Black Hawk avoided easily, then again, grazing her right wing. Black Hawk had to skip back to avoid successive attacks and drew out two feather swords and raised them.

"I remember you…you're the girl from the mall earlier today…or rather you used to be. You went through the portal to Dygra's Citadel and offered yourself to her. I should have suspected as much from the start. I could sense evil coming off you like a rotten stench," Tanya growled. Shannon blinked, surprised by how thick she laid it on, a strained, visceral disgust in her voice.

"This isn't any of your business!" Black Hawk said and side stepped, trying to get line of sight on Shannon. Tanya moved between them just as quickly.

"When you attack a friend of the Ronin Warriors, it becomes our business!"

"Just…let me have her! She deserves to be punished!" Black Hawk moved again, and again Tanya moved to block her.

"The only thing she deserves is a front row seat to the biggest ass-kicking she's ever seen! I know what kind of person you are…I've seen your kind too often. People like you never take any responsibility for your own actions, but when things don't go your way, you blame everyone but yourself!" Tanya screamed and lunged. Black Hawk managed to block but the blow caused her to buckle slightly. "People like you make me SICK!"

Shannon blinked, shocked, and had to look twice to make sure she saw what she thought she saw: Tanya seethed, no, quaked in rage. The Swirlwind Swords vibrated rapidly and Tanya took in sharp, deep breaths, upper lip curled in a sneer. She slashed again, pushing Black Hawk further and further away.

"Oh it's okay if you go picking on helpless people, but HELL if anyone does it to you!" Tanya screamed and slashed horizontally, slicing open Black Hawk's armor over the stomach. Black Hawk gasped and clamped a hand over the cut.

This wasn't part of her plan! She wanted to beat Shannon to within an inch of her life then kill her. She never intended to fight a full-fledged Ronin Warrior! She gazed past Tanya and saw Shannon watching the Lady Ronin, hope in her eyes. Black Hawk screeched like a hawk and made her own offensive, lunging at Tanya.

The Lady Ronin lifted her arms up and swung them around her neck, blocking the feather blades with her swords. She pushed them away then-like a snapped rubber band-swung her arms back around and slashed at Black Hawk's side, slicing off a great deal of feathers and leaving two deep grooves in the shiny black armor. Black Hawk skipped back, stunned, and ran her fingers over the now bleeding cuts.

"You still bleed human blood….there might be hope left for you. I'll give you one more chance: Throw away this anger, abandon your hate!" Tanya cried.

"And give up all these cool powers? Never," Black Hawk replied smugly. Any trace of mercy vanished from Tanya's face and she raised her arm. Black Hawk ducked and dodged to avoid the storm of mini boomerangs. She crouched as the blades returned to Tanya then leapt into the air. "Just because you shot me doesn't mean I can't fly!"

Shannon gasped and watched as Black Hawk back-winged and landed on a nearby container. She let her whip hang loose then started twirling it in a loop. Tanya held her swords ready and narrowed her eyes. Black Hawk made one more loop of the whip then cracked it in Shannon's direction. "WHIP…LASH…THRASH!" she cried. The cord split up into thousands of smaller whips that struck the pavement and shredded it. The whips reared up like the necks of a hydra and snagged shards of concrete.

"Run!" Mia cried. She and Brianna grabbed Shannon by her arms. Black Hawk drew out three knives and hurled them. One sliced into Mia's arm, grazing her wrist. She yelped and staggered back. The other grazed Brianna's thigh. She screamed and clutched her hand over the wound. The third knife struck Shannon in the leg, pinning her jeans to the ground. Shannon tugged furiously, but the fabric refused to yield. Black Hawk grinned and narrowed her eyes. The whips threw the shards in a focused strike, the attack meant for Shannon and Shannon alone.

"Shannon!" Brianna cried and reached out for her. She screamed when a feather sword whizzed past and recoiled.

Shannon gave up on trying. This is it. She would die here and now, and like Anubis had warned, the power of the Ronin Cross couldn't save her this time.

All of a sudden, Tanya lunged forward and hugged Shannon close, shielding her with her back and broad shoulder plates. Shannon felt the Lady Ronin's body shudder as the shards hit. Tanya's body sagged towards the ground, her weight bearing down on Shannon. Shannon managed to scoot out from under her and looked at her back.

"OH NO!" she gasped, horrified at the sight of Tanya's back peppered with metal and concrete splinters. Some had punctured the armor all the way to the skin. Tanya's eyes looked half lidded and her breathing sounded shallow. "Hang on Tanya! You'll be allright!" Shannon assured and laid Tanya down, her belly resting against the ground.

Black Hawk smiled and rose into the air. She drifted towards Shannon and the fallen Lady Ronin, intent on finishing the deed. Roxi ran out to face her and opened up with several blasts from her rifle, reloading after each shot with practiced swiftness. Black Hawk had to duck and bank sharply to avoid each blast. Roxi Hirochner demonstrated her title "Deftest Gun in the West"… and Black Hawk didn't want another shattered wing.

"I'm no good with my arm…Mia, hold me from this side. Brit, I want you to push down on my arm this way as hard as you can," Shannon said. Brit placed one hand on Shannon's right shoulder and grabbed her arm firmly. Mia supported her from the left and held her steady. Brit took a deep breath then pushed abruptly. She heard a snap and Shannon screamed briefly before shaking her right arm and flexing her fingers testily. "Ah, that's better. We need to remove these splinters as fast as possible. She could be bleeding internally," Shannon stated and plucked shards out of Tanya's back.

"Some of these hit close to the spine…Tanya, are you holding up okay?" Mia asked.

"My back hurts like a bitch…" Tanya grumbled.

"She'll be fine," Brit and Mia worked feverishly to remove the shards, ignoring pain as the sharp edges nicked their fingers.

"The Cross! I'm such an idiot! I can heal her much quicker!" Shannon spotted her pendant, still wedged into the crack. She scooted over and tried prying it out, without much success.

Roxi glanced over her shoulder and noticed. She shot at Black Hawk again, stepped back and knelt on the ground, and pulled out a huge knife from a holster in her boot. She slipped the tip into the crack and moved the handle downward, like a lever. The pendant popped out easily and into Shannon's waiting hands. Black Hawk loomed close, moving to attack again, but Roxi pulled the trigger and blasted her in the chest without even looking. Black Hawk squawked angrily and faltered midair.

"Thanks Roxi! Tanya, hold still," Shannon said and held the Cross in one hand and placed her other on Tanya's back under the sword scabbards. Tanya remained still as she felt soothing warmth spread into the holes in her armor. The glow brightened momentarily then faded. "The cuts are healed but I can't repair your armor since it isn't a true Ronin Armor," Shannon cautioned.

"That's okay. I can still use my power. Yo Roxi! Out of the way, I'm gonna turn on the AC!" Roxi nodded and fired off one last shot before bolting towards the girls and running behind Tanya. Black Hawk still hung in the air, armor considerably scored from Tanya's attack and wings ragged from Roxi's efforts.

"How DARE you interfere! I'll tear you all to shreds!" Black Hawk screamed.

"Why don't you go fly south!" Tanya shouted and linked the Swirlwind Swords together and twirled them. Black Hawk raised her wings and launched another rain of feathers. "I'm gonna blow you away…" Tanya muttered and swung the sword wheel to the side then forward. "TYPHOON BLAST!"

The force of a wrathful storm swirled up towards Black Hawk. The feather knives didn't scatter from the powerful winds: they disintegrated, dissolving into black particles. Black Hawk flapped her wings furiously and tried to keep steady but the overwhelming gusts pressed against her, throwing her back and sending her rocketing into the air.

"SHANNON! THIS ISN'T OVER! I WILL KILL YOU!" Black Hawk shrieked before the winds drove her out of sight.

Tanya disconnected her swords and sheathed them. Her Armor flashed bright pink then vanished, leaving her in her casual wear. She turned around and looked down at Shannon. "You allright?" she asked softly. Shannon nodded slowly.

"I-I don't know what to say…Thank you, all of you. You're the last people I would have expected to save my life."

"Hey, we Ronin Girls have to stick up for each other," Brianna said cheerfully while Mia bandaged her cut.

"Now that that ugly harpy's gone, mind telling us what all that was about?" Roxi asked and unloaded her rifle. Shannon bit her lip and looked down.

"I don't want to talk about it…"

"I think you should. We have a right to know," Tanya said and folded her arms over her chest. Shannon glanced at her then took a deep breath and sighed.

"She's-she used to be Jennifer Carole…back in the states, about three years ago, we attended the same high school…and my mother…was one of the teachers. She oversaw college entrance exams." Shannon took another sharp breath before continuing. "A lot of people put on me to…obtain the master keys for the exams…most of all Jennifer, who was my best friend at the time."

"They wanted you to steal from your mom! How horrible!" Brit scolded.

"Downright shameful…" Roxi muttered.

"She took advantage of your generosity..." Tanya growled, scowling.

"If students were plotting to cheat like that, wouldn't the school have them punished?"

"I thought so too, at first, but when I kept getting threats even after I told the principal, I knew the truth: they were content to turn a blind eye. They wanted students to cheat…they wanted the high scores, to make the school look better. A week before end of course they were still pressuring me…but I didn't buckle in!"

"You stuck to your guns," Roxi said. Shannon nodded and glanced at her.

"Yeah…I did…but some of the student body didn't appreciate that… Jennifer…had a talent for…coaxing things out of you. It used to be simple stuff: the snack out of my lunch, makeup, magazines… She tried to get me to break into my mom's desk and give her the master keys… But I put my foot down and said No! Night before finals…she tried to 'obtain them herself'…she got caught and was suspended by the school."

"So…this Jennifer bitch became a Demon Warrior to kill you because you didn't help her cheat on a test and she got kicked out of school?" Tanya asked skeptically. Shannon choked softly and shook her head, tears streaming out of the corners of her eyes.

"She didn't get expelled for cheating on the test…she got expelled for doing this…" Shannon shifted around in her seat and reached behind her. She gripped folds of her shirt in her fingers and slowly pulled it up over her back and around her shoulders.

Mia drew in a sharp breath and Brianna clamped a hand over her mouth. Roxi winced and raised her wrist to her chin and Tanya closed her eyes and looked away from the deep, ruinous scar that ran diagonally across Shannon's back. The wound looked angry red and puckered, as if still fresh. Shannon closed her eyes, ashamed.

"She caught me in the halls one day after exams and attacked me with her whip. My Dad said any deeper and I would have been a paraplegic. She was arrested for aggravated assault… The district had a choice between expulsion or crippling lawsuits…and her parents disowned her soon after." Shannon rolled the shirt back down and tucked it into her jeans and hugged herself tightly. "It didn't end there…she kept stalking me, making threatening calls, showing up at places unexpectedly. My parents filed a restraining order, and when that didn't work my Dad moved us out of state, then out of the country entirely…" Shannon started sobbing. "And now she's turned herself into a monster! She… won't stop until I'm dead! She used to be my friend… now she's my worst enemy…"

"Then, if you ask me, this girl was never your friend. You see, friends don't make demands. They ask." Shannon blinked tears away and looked up at Tanya, who stood infront of her with a hand on her hip. "Friends don't hold grudges, they forgive," she said firmly. Shannon raised an eyebrow, surprised to hear a speech about friendship coming from Tanya. She blinked, stunned when Tanya leaned down and held out one hand. Shannon cautiously reached up and grabbed the Lady Ronin's hand and let herself be pulled to her feet. "Most of all, real friends don't hurt each other. They help each other when help is needed most."

The Lady Ronin and the Guardian stood there, staring into each other's eyes. Tanya's lips spread in a genuine smile and she nodded approvingly. Fresh tears of joy came to Shannon's eyes and she placed her other hand on top of Tanya's. Tanya gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and patted her arm. Roxi, Mia, and Brianna watched, faces alight with joy. Shannon glanced at each of them. If she had made a fierce enemy in Black Hawk, she'd made even fiercer friends with the four Ronin Women.

"We should be getting you back home. I left my car parked by the street, and I think I spotted yours too," Mia began. Brit kicked down the feather swords that pierced Shannon's jacket and scooped up the ruined garment. Shannon's keys still jingled in the pocket. Brit held it out to Shannon, who took it gratefully.

"Yeah. Sage's gonna have kittens when he hears about this. Now Ryo's definitely gonna want you watched 24/7," Roxi snickered and turned around to follow Mia.

"I won't refuse this time," Shannon chuckled then bit her lip. "Um…the rest of you go on ahead. I wanna ask Tanya something." Mia and Brianna nodded while Tanya raised an eyebrow in confusion. Shannon waited till they walked some distance away before turning to Tanya. "Hey Tanya, I…well I can't thank you enough for saving my life."

"Wasn't just me. The other girls helped in their own way."

"Yeah, but they didn't fight Black Hawk head on…well maybe Roxi, but I'm getting off track," Shannon chuckled slightly then frowned. "I…I couldn't help but notice how…emphatic you were fighting Black Hawk…I… I don't know how I can say this without coming off rude…" Shannon muttered. Tanya frowned, concerned. Shannon took a deep breath then looked at the Lady Ronin with a stern expression. "Don't feel for me." Tanya blinked and raised both eyebrows, surprised by the odd statement. "Don't…feel…for me," Shannon stated again firmly. "Don't feel my anger. Don't feel my hate. It's not right for you to do that to yourself!" Tanya didn't say anything right away and stood there, silent. She gazed at the ground, looked up to the side, and cocked her head slightly. Shannon expected her to cuss…

"You ever hear the story about the Frog and the Scorpion?"

"…what?" Shannon blinked and wrinkled her eyebrows.

"You see, once upon a time there was a scorpion, and he wanted to get across the river, but scorpions can't swim. So he spotted a frog and asked him, 'Hey there, can you carry me to the other side?' The frog refused. 'You'll sting me,' he said. Scorpion said 'No I won't. I promise.' Frog relented and let Scorpion on his back and took off swimming. Midway through the river, he felt a pain on his back and his body started to go numb. Frog said 'Why did you do that?! You promised you wouldn't sting me'!"

Shannon didn't know what to make of this. She hadn't expected Tanya to start telling stories. Tanya tilted her chin up slightly. "And Scorpion said: 'I can't help it…it's my nature'." Tanya shook her head then turned around and walked away, leaving Shannon stunned. Shannon remained there for several moments, shocked she chose to describe herself that way.

Brit says your attitude is a defense mechanism...but what are you defending yourself from? It certainly isn't the Dynasty... Shannon wondered and watched the departing Lady Ronin before finally following her slowly…

*****

Black Hawk swooped into the throne room before alighting neatly on the carpet. She walked up to the stairs and knelt down reverently. Outward she appeared dead of any emotion, but inside she felt quite nervous. "Mistress Dygra…I regret to inform you that I failed to destroy the Guardian…I…I'm fully prepared to accept my punishment."

"I never really expected you to actually kill the Guardian, but you performed well beyond my expectations." Black Hawk blinked and looked up at Dygra, bewildered. Dygra stepped down onto the carpet and walked towards Black Hawk. Black Hawk stood up and straightened her shoulders. "You came closer to killing her than any of my veteran warriors. You even brought the mighty Lady Ronin to her knees. That is much accomplished on your first mission. If you did not break the Guardian's body, you most definitely broke her confidence, and that pleases me greatly." Dygra smiled and placed her hands on Black Hawk's shoulders. "You are a true Demon Warrior now."

Black Hawk nodded and bowed her head. "Thank you, Mistress Dygra," she said. Dygra returned to her throne and Black Hawk moved to the front of the Night Warlords. She glanced over her shoulder at Chaizar, who smirked charmingly. Black Hawk giggled softly and looked back to the front. What a cutie! she thought. She fluttered her wings slightly and placed a hand on her hip, wiggling her talons, exalting in her new power.

"I'm gonna like it here…" she chuckled softly.

*****

We were born in a turbulent age, each hailing from nations struggling with war or the ravages of unexplored lands. We were the strongest, the most cunning and resourceful of all the pitiful humans of that era, thus we were chosen to serve the Beast Warden as heralds of destruction…but now, because of the Traitor, and the Lady Ronin, our value in the eyes of our mistress is diminished. Still, we have a second chance, an opportunity to gain power and destroy even the strongest of the Ronin Warriors. If it means pleasing Mistress Dygra, then such a small sacrifice as our humanity...will be more than worth it…

Next on Ronin Warriors: Aftermath

The Mutant Warlords