La Guerrita *FINISHED*

[Rachael]

I'm a little shy about posting a story I wrote for my friends on a church's message board, and I'm also nervous because it's not exactly "church appropriate," but Oni said it would be okay, and I am eager to share my work, so...

This is a story I wrote a while ago for some friends of mine, namely Oni, Esther, and Ben.  It's basically a gruesome story written in a somewhat light-hearted manner.  Because of this, I'm going to have to give it an M rating due to lots of blood and violence, language (including, but not limited to, generous amounts of the "f-word"), and sensuality (there are no actual sex scenes, though).

So please do not read it if any of the above offend you.

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The full moon shone down on the battlefield, bathing the soldiers in glittering silver light.  Sanbun looked out across the frosty countryside, trying to scope out the location of the opposing army’s commander.  It didn’t help that they all wore the same set of ears and a tail, and they all had their hair tied up in the traditional samurai ponytail.  They were the Kitsune Clan, the deadliest enemy Sanbun would ever face.  And they were out for him.
   
Their infamy was well-known all across the continent.  They were known to have devastated entire villages within hours, leaving naught but widows and orphans in their wake.  They only fought when provoked, but when provoked, they killed without mercy.  But there was something they had that Sanbun wanted, something he was willing to stake the lives of his thousands of soldiers, even his own life, for.  It was the hat that was worn by their chief war strategist, the man known by a single name: Oni.  Rumor had it that hat had all the wisdom and knowledge gathered by all the great masters of history: the secrets of life, the secrets of death, the secrets of war, and the secrets of love.  Sanbun thirsted for that knowledge, lusted after it.  If he could get his hands on that hat, he knew, all his wildest dreams and desires would be granted.
   
“Commander,” whispered Sora, his second-in-command.  “Over there.”  She nodded her head towards the far corner of the front line, where a man with gorgeous golden-red hair stood ready for battle, his gaze more intense than all the rest.  His ears and tail, rather than an accessory, appeared to be part of him.  His human ears—if he had any—were completely hidden by the copper-colored locks that framed his face; the fox ears appeared to be indistinguishable from the rest of his head.
   
“That’s him?” Sanbun asked in disbelief.  “The man of legend, the Kitsune Clan commander, the one known as Goman?”
   
“Yes.  I’m certain of it.  He’s a true fox.  The rest are just sheep.”  She smiled grimly, as if pleased with herself but unhappy with her discovery.
   
“It couldn’t be.  He’s too…too pretty, too cute, to be the ferocious, merciless soul I’ve heard so much about.”  Sanbun spat at the ground, a manly gesture to hide his nervousness.

“Looks can be deceiving, Commander.”
   
“I told you, none of that ‘Commander’ bullshit.  We’re friends, so call me Sanbun.”  He squinted and scanned the army again, wondering where that fiend, Oni, was hiding.  “I suppose he won’t come out until we start the battle.” He tightened his grip on the sword he was holding, trying to ignore the sweat that was starting to form in his palms.
   
“That’s for sure.”  Bill, their strongest combatant, got ready to draw the two swords he used from their sheaths.  “This won’t be easy.  Nobody knows where that demon cat is, and he always picks the most opportune moments—for their side—to jump out of hiding.  And once he’s there, he, Goman, and their entire army are unstoppable.”
   
“It’s the hat,” Sanbun muttered under his breath.
   
Mary, another combatant gifted in medicine, shook her head.  “Are you on about that hat again?  It’s not really powerful.  You just think it is because On—“
   
Her words were cut off by the sound of the wind picking up and blowing through the trees.  It was colder than the eyes of the countless warriors of the Kitsune Clan.  It appeared to be a signal for Goman, who shifted his stance slightly, focused his gaze so that he and Sanbun were locking eyes, and uttered a single word:
   
“Yiff.”
   
The fight started.  It was as if a pack of rabid dogs from hell had been unleashed.  Thousands of men seemed to appear from out of nowhere, their fearsome eyes and angry teeth shining in the moonlight.  Sanbun barely had time to move before two different warriors flew at him from completely opposite directions.  He managed to kill one, narrowly missing the second’s throat and slicing his shoulder instead.  The wounded one hissed angrily and clawed at Sanbun’s face.  Sanbun let out a cry of surprise and pain and thrust his sword through the foxlike fighter’s body, slicing through tissue and muscle before piercing his heart.
   
“Sanbun, behind you!”
   
Sanbun looked up just in time to see yet another fighter jumping down on him from above.  “sh**!” he muttered, raising his sword just in time to block what would have otherwise been a death blow.  He looked around and realized with a sinking feeling that he was surrounded.  There were too many of them to…
   
“Hang on, Sanbun!”  Mary appeared at his side, her golden tresses blowing in the wind.  “We can take these guys on.  They’re quick and smart, but they’ve got low stamina.  That’s their weakness.  One slash ought to do it, if you know where to strike.”
   
Sanbun nodded.  He could always count on Mary’s sharp eye.  “Got it.”  The two made quick work of the men surrounding them.  The air was thick with the screams of the dead and dying.  He knew that Bill and Sora were taking care of their units, and making good time.  But he also knew that he was losing fighters, fast.
   
Just then, there was a flash of steel, and before Sanbun could even blink, the front of his shirt was getting soaked in a shower of Mary’s blood.  He looked around, and finally spotted some movement in a nearby tree.  “Who is it?” he demanded.  He understood that tears would do him no good now.  He would mourn her death later, when there was time.
   
Out of the shadows stepped the man Sanbun had been waiting for, the dreaded, ferocious, wild creature of the night, a man rumored to be half-cat, half-demon…the one and only Oni.
   
He was also equipped with a tail, but not that of a fox.  The rumors of his feline blood must have stemmed from this tail, which appeared to be a cat’s tail.  Its color was dark, silver perhaps, but everything looked silver tonight, even the blood which stained their swords.  His clothing was all black, including his hat, which was umbrella-shaped and probably made of straw.  This was the hat Sanbun had been searching for, the black hat of legend.  It obscured Oni’s eyes, which made his overall impression all the more intimidating.  Sanbun yearned to see those eyes, to find out for himself if they were as black and as soulless as those who managed to see him and survive had said.  Of course, men liked to talk, and when they talked, they made that which they’d survived seem all the more horrible.  Perhaps it was a way of dissuading the shame of their cowardice.  At any rate…
   
“Are you going to fight, or are you just going to gawk?”  A cold, almost eerily calm voice pulled Sanbun back from his thoughts.
   
“Tell me,” Sanbun said, his voice hoarse, “is it true that hat you wear will grant you all the wisdom in the world?”
   
“Is that why you have come?” Oni asked, the corners of his lips lifting slightly.  “To take my hat?  Is that why you have risked the lives of your men, who are dying because the two of us are having this pleasant conversation?  I must say, you pick the most interesting moments to ask questions.”
   
With a snarl, Sanbun flew forward, his sword aimed right at Oni’s heart.  Oni leapt back quickly, disappearing once again into the surrounding foliage.
   
“Bastard!” Sanbun shouted.  “Don’t run away, you coward!”
   
“Excuse me.”  A man’s voice interrupted Sanbun.  It was so soft, he almost missed it.  “I believe you wished to fight me?”
   
Sanbun spun around.  There, standing before him, was the commander of the Kitsune Clan, Goman.  His sword had been placed back in its sheath.
   
“Not you,” Sanbun blurted out.  “You don’t have what I’m looking for.”
   
“But you can’t fight Oni without fighting me first,” Goman explained.  “I bear no ill will towards you, but I am afraid I shall have to kill you if you mean for any harm to come to Oni.”
   
“He’s the one who’s making it difficult!  If he’d only hand over the hat—”
   
“How do you know the hat is really what you perceive it to be?” Goman interrupted.  “Oni is a genius when it comes to war.  I do not know the story behind the hat myself, but rumors often sprout from wishful thinking.”
   
Sanbun sneered.  “If Oni is such a war genius, then why did he run away like a coward?”
   
Goman smiled, the expression on his face almost serene.  “He knew he was not needed.  My skill far surpasses yours.”  He calmly drew his sword.  “Come on.”
   
At that moment, all the sounds of the battle around them vanished.  Sanbun could only see the person in front of him.  This was the person he had to kill.
   
I have to be calm, he told himself. If I let myself be ruled by anger or fear, I’m going to be turned into minced meat right here.  If I’m going to defeat this guy, I have to think clearly.
   
First, Sanbun decided to test Goman’s reflexes, see how fast he really was.  He made an obvious strike at the young man’s heart, which was quickly blocked and countered.  Sanbun felt a twinge of pain in his left arm.  He’d been cut.
   
“You’re good,” he said to Goman.  “No one has managed to touch me in many years.  I can tell this is going to be a good fight.”
   
Goman laughed grimly.  “I have slain more than 50,000 men.  Does that invoke terror in your heart?”
   
“Talk is cheap,” Sanbun answered, avoiding the question like a true warrior.  His mind was racing.  How was he going to manage to defeat this man?
   
“I’ll kill you if you don’t run,” Goman continued.  “Being a man, you must know the consequences of war.”
   
“This is hardly a war.”
   
“You’re right.  It is merely on a foolish notion that you attack me.”
   
“Shut up!” Sanbun yelled suddenly, making a wild slash at Goman’s face.  His anger and desperation caught even the vulpine swordsman off guard, and he actually succeeded in scratching his cheek, not very deeply, but enough to draw blood.
   
“You…cut me,” said Goman, almost numb with disbelief.  “Nobody, in all the years I’ve been fighting, has ever done that before.” 
   
“Maybe now you’ll take me seriously,” growled Sanbun, breathing heavily.  “I’d say this is an even match, wouldn’t you?”
   
This time, Goman laughed loudly, betraying the amusement that lay beneath his polite façade.  “An even match?  Hardly!  I did underestimate you slightly, I’ll grant you that.  But I haven’t even begun to get serious yet.”
   
Before Sanbun could even bat an eye, Goman leapt forward, slashing so quickly that Sanbun could barely move fast enough to dodge or block.  This was the fastest, most clever fighter he’d ever faced.
   
The hat! a voice in his head reminded him.  You need that hat.  Remember what it means to you!  All the world’s knowledge!  You’ll never need to fight for anything again!
   
Something made Sanbun’s body move on its own.  He began to fight back, surprising Goman once again.  This time, however, he recovered quickly enough to continue to parry Sanbun’s every strike.
   
“I can’t lose this fight,” Sanbun kept saying with each thrust.  “I’ve come too far, sacrificed too many lives, to give up now!”
   
There was one last sound of metal hitting metal, and Sanbun’s sword went flying through the air.  Goman’s sword was at his throat.
   
“I can’t lose, either,” he said softly.  “There is someone I love, someone who would be devastated if I died.  I must stay alive, for him, so I can make him happy.”  There was something oddly childlike in his speech, a sort of innocent fondness with which he spoke of that person.
   
Just then, Oni appeared again.  He whispered something into Goman’s ear.  Then he was gone.
   
Goman stared intently at Sanbun for a moment, then said, “Oni tells me your army has been destroyed.  Not one man remains.”
   
Sanbun said flatly, “I don’t believe you.”
   
“Go check for yourself.”  With that, Goman disappeared into the forest just as abruptly as Oni had done.  Without his men, Sanbun no longer posed any threat to him.
   
It can’t be, Sanbun assured himself, even though he had a gut feeling more people had been killed than he’d expected.  After all, the battlefield was eerily silent; there was not a sound, aside from his feet walking over the grass.  It suddenly occurred to him that he may have had one of his “episodes.”  Sometimes, without understanding why, he found himself “skipping” time, almost as if time moved more slowly for himself.  Why, he had probably been facing off against Goman for hours, but it had only felt like a few minutes.  To make matters worse, when he was focused on one task, all other sights and sounds became non-existent.
   
He wandered the deserted battlefield, lost in his thoughts. This isn’t happening.  Oni, I swear…I will kill you!
   
He stopped and looked down at the ground.  Mary’s body still lay upon the soil that was stained with her blood.  Her eyes were closed.  He suddenly remembered the sword that had come out of nowhere and ended his comrade’s life.
   
“N…no…” he whispered, kneeling next to her lifeless body.  All was lost.  His hopes, his dreams, his ambitions.  His friends.
   
He stood up again.  Sora.  He had to find her body and bury it.  It would be the last thing he could do for her.
   
“Sora,” he cried out, “I’ll find you, if it’s the last thing I do!”  Then he fell to the ground again on hands and knees, sobbing loudly.  “Sora, I’m sorry.  I’m so sorry.  Bill, Mary, I’m sorry.  All I needed was with me all along, and now it’s gone.”

***
   
Goman was polishing his sword.  One had to be careful, and having been soaked in the blood of tens of thousands of men, it was definitely looking the worse for wear.  At some point, however, he had taken to polishing it every night, even when it had not been used.  If nothing else, it pleased him to see the light reflect off the metal, shining so brightly that he could see his own reflection.

Tonight, however, his eyes were focused on something other than the light.  They rested on the wound on his cheek.  It had long since stopped bleeding, and the pain had lasted for but a fleeting moment.  Even so, it bothered him that someone had actually been able to cut him, after all these years.  Was he getting soft?
   
“A shame to have scratched such a beautiful face.”
   
Goman looked up and smiled.  Oni was standing in the doorway, a mischievous gleam in his enticing grey eyes.  In the light, he looked far less intimidating, but the overall feeling of menace was still there.  He had removed his hat, and his features were no longer obscured in shadow.  It could now be seen that he had dirty-blond hair which reached to a little past his shoulders.  It had a tousled look to it, as if it were normally tied back into a ponytail.  He did not have the ears of a fox, but those of a cat.  He wore a bell around his neck.  This man clearly had a different relationship to Goman than all those foxes of his.
   
“Oh, Oni, it’s you.  I was hoping I’d get to see you some time tonight.”
   
Oni walked over to where Goman was kneeling and hugged him from behind.  “I hardly got any sleep last night, so I thought I’d take a quick cat nap before coming down to see you.”
   
“He cut me,” Goman muttered, pouting a little.  “Now I’ve got this ugly scar just below my eye.  God only knows how long it’s going to stay there.”
   
Oni turned Goman’s face towards his and kissed him gently.  A few moments passed before their lips parted.  “I think you’re beautiful,” the feline whispered, delicately brushing his fingertips against the wound.  “Nothing in the world can change that.”  He leaned forward and kissed the young fox again, this time a little more intensely, slowly undoing Goman’s hair as he did so.  It tumbled loosely past his shoulders.
   
“I’m glad you’re here,” Goman murmured.  “I was getting awfully lonely.  I was afraid I’d have to sleep all by myself tonight.”
   
Oni grinned playfully.  It was a devilish smile, and very alluring.  “You won’t be alone tonight…but I doubt you’ll be getting much sleep either.”
   
“Oh?”  Goman raised an eyebrow.  “You have…plans for tonight?”
   
“Oh, come off it now.  You know as well as I do why you called me here.”
   
Goman chuckled lightly.  “Actually, I just wanted to be with you.  The rest is just…an added bonus.”
   
“You’re right about that,” Oni said softly.  “But, you must admit, it’s a damn good bonus.”
   
Goman smiled as the two of them lay down together.  “I can’t argue with you there.”  He sighed contentedly as Oni wrapped his arms more tightly around him.  “We will need to kill him, you know.  But tonight…I just want to think about you and me.”
   
“Done,” Oni agreed, and he began to slowly remove Goman’s haori.  “I will make sure you think of nothing else.”
   
“I look forward to it,” Goman whispered.

And now this author will leave them to their privacy.

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I will post more when I have time.

[Oni]

WOOT! I can't wait for the rest. Rachael please don't leave me hanging. YOu left it on such a good point.

[Kritter]

Yea, you posted the story!!!! I can't wait to read the rest and when I come into the stroy .

I am happy that you finally decided to post the story.

[Goman Fox]

Wow, it's great reading this again, since it's been such a long time since I've read it.

I still see Sanbun as the original character/person you had him though.  But since he's not on this forum and such, I understand why you changed the name.

Bah, I was gonna make a comment/suggestion about something, but since you didn't post the whole story, I can't say anything yet without possibly spoiling the ending. ;.;  But I'll comment again after you post the rest!

[Rachael]

Okay, second part...

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Sanbun was still crying.  He knew a true warrior should never show his emotions, but he also know there was no human who could live up to that.  Being sad was a part of life, especially when all the people one cared about were dead.  He would give anything, all the power and glory in the world, all the priceless Ming vases he’d looted, to have his army back.
   
“Stop that, young man,” said a familiar voice.  “What kind of warrior cries like that?  Weren’t you prepared for people to die when you began to fight?”
   
Sanbun looked up.  Hobbling towards him was none other than Bill, leaning on Sora for support!  He shakily got to his feet, unsure whether this was real or an illusion.  “Sora,” he said, his voice hoarse.  “Is that really you?  Bill?  You’re…alive?”
   
Sora smiled.  “That’s right,” she said.  “Did we scare you?  There are a few more of our men alive, too.  But Mary…”  She shook her head sadly.
   
Sanbun nodded.  “I know.  I saw her die.”  His eyes narrowed as he remembered the smug, almost taunting voice of Oni, the man who had slain her.  “I no longer care about the hat.  I shall avenge the deaths of my comrades.  I shall destroy Oni.  I shall wipe that arrogant smirk on his face for good!”  He hated Oni with a passion, a feeling more strong than any he’d ever had towards anyone else.  Even Sora.
   
“He was laughing at me…and that cheeky little fox boyfriend of his laughed at me, too.  I’ll kill them both.  I’ll avenge everyone’s deaths.  Bill, Sora.  Will you fight with me?”  His eyes were afire with determination.  There was no sign of fear.
   
Sora and Bill looked at each other, and they both nodded.
   
“We’ll fight with you,” Sora said.  “But please, Sanbun, be careful.  Don’t go rushing mindlessly into battle, or you’ll get yourself killed.  Keep in mind that we have less than a dozen fighters left.  Attacking them now would be suicide.”
   
Sanbun nodded slowly.  “You’re right.  We have to find another army.  One that can handle these ferocious felines.”
   
“Um, Sanbun?” Bill spoke up.  “Foxes aren’t felines.  They’re canines.”
   
“I knew that!” Sanbun snapped.  “But the two F’s sounded cool together.  ‘Ferocious canines’ or ‘ferocious vulpines’ doesn’t have the same ring to it.”  And, he added to himself, at least one of them is feline.  “So,” he continued, “what do you suggest we do, Bill?  You’re the veteran here.”
   
For a moment, Bill was silent.  Then, he began to speak again.  “I remember,” he said softly, “hearing a story.  Or rather, a legend of sorts.  Years and years ago, there was an army, one believed to even rival the Kitsune Clan.  It caused such a stir because it was commanded by a woman.  That was unusual back then, you see.  Her army had no name, and the woman who led them was known by only one name…Kritter.”  He shivered a little as he recalled the name of she who had done so much damage.  “She never held a grudge against anyone.  She killed because she enjoyed it.  Any army that asked for her help had it, and any army she fought against was destroyed.  She would laugh as she slaughtered, and then lick the blood off the sword.”  Truth be told, he could actually not remember if she did that.  It sounded good, though, and it certainly caught Sanbun’s attention.
   
“What happened to this…Kritter?” Sanbun demanded breathlessly.
   
Bill shrugged.  “She disappeared years ago.  It is rumored that she gave up fighting because she no longer saw any challenge in it.  There was no longer anybody who gave her a good fight.”

***

Kritter was having a bad day.  “This life is so…boring,” she sighed, looking out her window.  “I want to fight again.  There’s hardly any violence in my country.  How I long for the old days of destruction, chaos…and blood.”  She looked up at the wall, which was mounted with countless weapons, as well as the skulls of the hundreds of thousands of men she had slain.  She smiled nostalgically.  “My darling, beautiful swords and knives, bows and arrows, clubs and maces…How I long to caress you once again!”  She laughed and walked over to one of her skulls, which she had named Doku, and she picked it up carefully.  “And how are you today, Doku?” she asked sweetly.  “Are you well?”  The skull was silent, its sad, hollow eyes revealing nothing.  “Why won’t you talk to me, Doku?  Have I angered you in some way?”  The skull stared at her soullessly, neither able nor willing to speak.

Suddenly, Kritter’s smile turned into a snarl, revealing sharp canine teeth.  With a wordless cry of anger, she hurled the skull across the room.  It hit the stone floor and shattered into a thousand pieces.  Doku was no more.
   
Having released some of her pent-up aggression, Kritter calmed down almost immediately, and her serene smile returned.  She walked over to the full-body mirror next to her bed and looked into it.  She was a very lovely lady, with a dark complexion and hair that was almost black.  On her head were white ears resembling those of a wolf.  They were both pierced with black earrings.  Like Goman and Oni, she also had a tail, a white wolf’s tail, which she brushed daily out of boredom.  Her eyes were normally dark brown, but they glowed red with bloodlust when she was on the battlefield.
   
She leaned forward and kissed her reflection.  “I’m sorry, Kritter,” she said.  “I know how dull life must be for you now, locked up in this castle.  But don’t worry, my dear.”  She grinned broadly, showing off her ferocious teeth again.  “I have a feeling that soon, very soon, we shall be seeing a lot of…red.”  Her eyes were already starting to show signs of red in them, faint but unmistakable glimmers of anticipation.  “Before the next full moon…I, Kritter, shall strike again!”  She laughed loudly, causing the birds outside to fly away in fear.
   
Feeling aggressive again, Kritter picked up one of her smaller skulls and hurled it at the birds.  It didn’t kill any, but it did hit one on the wing.  It fell to the ground and started to hop around in the garden, desperately trying to fly again with its broken wing.  It made sad, frustrated chirps.
   
Kritter stuck her head out the window and looked down at it.  “A crow,” she whispered.  She ran down the stairs, an ancient Celtic hymn playing backwards as she did so.  She slowed down as she approached the door and sauntered into the garden.  There was no need to hurry: Her prey could not escape now.  The crow, sensing its time was near, started to flap its one wing more frantically.  When Kritter’s shadow fell over it, it began to make terrified squawks.
   
“Don’t be frightened,” Esther murmured as she gently picked up the trembling bird.  “I’m not going to eat you…while you’re alive.”  She then commenced to pull the feathers out of the poor creature’s body, relishing its painful caws, singing as she did so: “Alouette, gentille alouette.  Alouette, je te plumerai.”
   
Yes, Kritter was cruel.  She was evil through and through.  And she loved every minute of it.
   
“Je te plumarai la tête, je te plumarai la tête.  Alouette, allouette, ohhh…”
   
The bird gave one final cry of anguish before it lost consciousness.

***
   
“Bill.” 
   
“Yeah?”
   
It was nighttime, and what was left of Sanbun’s army was settling down for a good night’s sleep.  They would need all the strength they could muster if they were going to travel the long journey to seek out Kritter.  Sanbun, however, was wide awake.  He couldn’t get the images of Oni, Goman, and Mary’s death out of his mind.  He never had been a good sleeper.
   
“Don’t you have any idea where Kritter’s castle is?  I mean, even some general direction?”
   
Bill shook his head.  “No, I don’t.”  Then, after a pause, he added, “But I know someone who might.  His name is Bob, and he’s not very bright, but he’s got an excellent sense of direction.  He knows where everything is.”
   
“Friend of yours?”
   
“Oh yeah, we go way back.  We were in the same army.  He never really liked to fight, but he had to in order to support his parents.  After his parents died, he left the army.  I stayed.  You know how it is.”
   
Sanbun nodded, and then sat up.  “Hey, wait a minute.  You do know where this guy lives, don’t you?”
   
Silence.
   
“…Bill?”
   
There was a cough.  “Weeeeell, you understand it’s been a long time.  I know he lives somewhere in this country.  If I recall correctly, it’s somewhere in the north.  Or was it the west?”
   
Sanbun sighed.  “Oh, goodie.”
   
“Hey, I’m sorry.  But I’m pretty sure it’s in the northwest.  Or the southwest.  Somewhere in the west.”
   
“What I wouldn’t give to be able to fly,” Sanbun groaned, rubbing his forehead wearily.  “Just thinking about traveling that far makes me depressed.”
   
“I’m not the one who’s good with directions.  If I were, we wouldn’t have to go visit Bob in the first place.”  He paused.  “I’m pretty sure it was in the southeast.”
   
“Bill!”
   
“Sorry, sorry.  It was a joke.”
   
“Go to sleep.”
   
“Right.”
   
Long after Bill was asleep, Sanbun was still wide awake.  He looked across the field at Sora.  He had to protect her.  Maybe I should ask her not to fight, he thought, but he knew it was useless.  Sora would insist on fighting.  Besides, she was one of his more skilled fighters.  Only he and Bill were stronger than her, and at this point, they needed all the help they could get.
   
As he finally began to drift off, he wondered how many people were in Kritter’s army.  How strong were they?  Sanbun knew from experience that the army with the most men was not always the strongest, but it certainly helped.  And just how good of a fighter was she?  Would she even agree to help them?  Perhaps she had gone soft from years of not fighting.
   
His final thought before he fell asleep was, Protect Sora.  Kill Oni.  And while I’m at it, kill Goman too.

***

Sanbun was in no hurry to leave.  After all, there was no chance of Goman and Oni attacking him.  They thought he was the only one left.  Besides, for all he knew, Bob could be all the way on the other side of the country.
   
He stared into the stew he was making.  He was bored, but he was used to that.  Everyone was still asleep.  He was always the first one up.  Nothing could…
   
“Good morning.”  Sanbun jumped a mile into the air, and then turned around to face the culprit.  “Sora!  You fucking scared me.  What the sh** are you doing up already?”
   
Sora shrugged.  “I slept well last night.  Killing is exhausting work.  I needed a rest.”  She laughed heartily.
   
Sanbun smiled.  Nothing could get Sora down.  Even though several of her closest friends had been killed in the previous night’s battle, she could still find something to smile about.
   
“Sora,” he said slowly, “I really admire you.  How do you manage to stay so happy all the time?”
   
Sora stared off towards the horizon for a minute, then turned to Sanbun and smiled.  “I guess it’s…because I’m with you.”
   
Sanbun’s heart began to beat faster.  “You really feel that way about me?”
   
“Well, sure.  You and Bill are the only friends I’ve got left now.”  Sora sadly looked down at the ground.  “All the others are…gone.”  She rubbed her eyes, and then looked back up, smiling again.  “But you know what?  Our fallen comrades wouldn’t want us to be sad, would they?”
   
The two of them were quiet for a minute.  Then Sanbun smiled for the first time in years.  “You’re right.  We will fight on their memories.  But know this, Sora.  For as long as I am able, I will protect you.”
   
“Thanks, Sanbun.  I’ll do the same for you, okay?”
   
“Sora, don’t do anything foolish.  I don’t want you to get hurt.” He leaned closer to her and whispered, “You see, I…”
   
“GOOD MORNING!!!!”  This time, Sora and Sanbun both jumped.  It was Bill, and he seemed very happy about something.  “How are you two today?  Hey, guess what.  I remembered where Bob lives!  Isn’t that awesome?  I woke up and it was like, all of a sudden, I just knew.  Anyway, turns out, it’s in the town of Machi, which is just a few miles south of here.”  He beamed.  “I was way off.”
   
Sanbun sighed.  He was glad Bill remembered where Bob was, but he wished he could have greeted them just a few seconds later…No matter.  There were more important things to worry about than that.
   
“Good work, Bill.  Now we just have to wait for everyone to wake up and—”
   
“Everyone’s already awake,” Sora interrupted.
   
It was true.  Bill’s loud greeting had woken everyone up.
   
“Well then!” Sanbun stood up with a new kind of energy.  “Let’s get started!  On our journey to revenge!  Remember, the road from here on in will get rough, so let’s give it our best!”
   
Everyone cheered, even those who were still half-asleep and had no idea what was going on.
   
Within half an hour, the tiny army had broken camp.  They started in a procession, with Sanbun, Sora, and Bill in the lead.
   
Their final journey had begun.

***

Bob was happy.  The chickens had been fed, the cows had been milked, and his chores were done.  Now he could do the thing he loved to do more than anything else in the world…
   
EAT.
   
Eggs were Bob’s favorite, but this morning he was more in the mood for bacon.  The problem was, he’d have to kill a pig, and that was never fun.  But his mom and dad had always said that it was natural for humans to kill animals for food.  He’d see the pig again in Heaven.
   
As he walked back towards his house with some fresh soon-to-be-bacon meat, he heard a shout.
   
“Bo-o-o-o-o-ob!  Long time no see, buddy!”
   
Bob looked down at his hands, which were bloody and full of raw meat.  This isn’t the best way to greet a guest, he thought.  He ran into the house, put the meat in the pot, washed his hands with warm water, and ran out before you could finish the first verse of “O Fortuna.”  When he saw who was coming up the hill, he beamed.  Tears of joy brimmed his eyes, and he ran down the hill, knocking Bill over in a big bear hug.  The rest of the army fell down the hill like dominoes.
   
“Fucking hell,” Sanbun muttered as he got up, rubbing his head.  “What the sh** was that?  A fucking cannonball?  Goddammit.”
   
“Hey!” Bob yelled over Bill’s shoulder.  “Please watch your language.  I heard enough of it in the army, thanks to Bill.”  He stood back from Bill and smiled.  “It’s been so long, my friend.  To what do I owe this pleasure?”
   
Bill’s face grew serious.  “Actually, I have something important to ask of you.  Do you know where I can find…Kritter Castle?”
   
“Sounds like a kid’s amusement park,” Sanbun muttered.
   
The smile faded from Bob’s face and a dark expression filled his eyes.  “Bill.  I thought we made a vow that we would never face that woman again.”
   
“We made a vow that we would never fight her again.  But now it’s no longer you and me.  I’ve never given up the old ways, Bob.  I’m a fighter, and I always will be.  I’ve seen too many of my friends die to give up.  I need to know where Kritter is.”
   
Sanbun rolled his eyes.  “Bill, don’t forget to mention we’re not going to fight Kritter.  That’s kind of an important detail, wouldn’t you say?”
   
“Oh, right.”  Bill blushed.  “Yeah, we’re not gonna fight her.  We’re gonna sic her on these bastards that wiped out our army.”
   
Bob sighed.  “Bill, I vowed I wouldn’t cause any more death.  If I tell you where Kritter’s castle is, there will be nothing but more death and bloodshed.  I can’t, with a clear conscience, tell you that it’s just about nine miles south of he—Oh, snap.”
   
Bill grinned and patted Bob on the shoulder.  “Thanks a lot, old buddy.  I can always count on you to make a slip-up like that.”
   
Bob sighed.  “Well, as well as you are here, would you like some bacon?”  He paused for a moment, and then added, with a small smile, “It’s fresh.”
   
“Hey, why not?  I haven’t had anything to eat in seven hours.  How’s old Porky doing?  Still kickin’?”
   
“Bill, I killed Porky the last time you were here—that is, the first time—because you had a sudden craving for ham!”
   
Bill rubbed his head sheepishly.  “Oh yeah, you’re right.”

-----------------------------------------------------

Sorry I have to keep cutting off--I need to stay within the text limit.

[Oni]

Meow,
Can't wait for the end of the story.

[Rachael]

Now, before you read, I want everyone to know that in the upcoming scene, Rachael is disgusted at the prospect of people copulating in front of a young lady, not at homosexuality.  And for those of you who are first-time readers, don't worry--no copulation actually takes place.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Nighttime had risen once again.  The moon was now a beautiful crescent in the sky.  The stars were out, flirting shamelessly with the eyesight as they shone brightly, twinkling and winking at the travelers down below.  An angry breeze made its way through the forest, causing the trees to give the impression that they, too, were sentient beings, standing guard over the unknown creatures of the dark.
   
“Everyone, stay close!” Sanbun shouted over the wind.  “We can’t afford to lose any more men, especially to something as petty as the darkness!”
   
“Petty!?” Bill spat.  “It’s fucking creepy in this forest.  And don’t think I’m going to—EEEEEAAAAARGH!” he screamed as a giant spider dropped down in front of him.  “SANBUN, SORA, SOMEONE KILL IT![/u][/i]”
   
Sora took out her sword and, without uttering a word, cut the spider into two perfect halves, slashing vertically.  It fell to the ground, its body still moving, for it had not yet registered that it was dead.
   
Sanbun shook his head in amazement.  “I can’t get over how fast you are, Sora.”
   
Bill was still shaking.  “I hate those things,” he squeaked. 
   
“Bill, after fighting hoards of the most fearsome fighters on the continent, how could you possibly be afraid of a harmless little spider?” Sora demanded.
   
“I can see where my enemies are.  But those damn things come out of nowhere!”
   
“Shhhhh,” Sanbun hissed.  “We’ve reached the clearing.  I’m concerned.  Kritter may have all kinds of defenses against intruders.  We need to be careful.”
   
As they slowly, silently approached the castle, nothing happened.  It was very quiet.  Could it be abandoned?  Just then, an angry, hissing voice interrupted them:
   
“Who dare disssssturb usssss?”  The voice was fierce, condemning.
   
Bill stepped back, his face a deathly pallor, but Sanbun was not impressed.  “You’re really just a little girl, aren’t you?  You’re like one of those tiny yap dogs.  You yap and yap, but you never actually do anything.  Am I right?”
   
The tall, cloaked figure sputtered angrily.  “How dare you!” it shouted in a much higher, human sounding voice.  “You shouldn’t be trespassing here anyway!  I’m the only—WAAAAAUUUUUGH!” she screamed as she lost her balance, falling off the stilts she had been wearing and rolling out of the black cloak that covered her.  Underneath was a young woman, about 19 or 20 years old, groaning and rubbing her arm crossly.  ‘That hurt!”
   
Sora looked down at her dubiously.  “You can’t possibly be…”
   
“Kritter?” Bill interrupted.  “You’ve certainly aged well.  Although I must say, you used to be a lot more grace—“
   
“I’m not Kritter!” she screamed in exasperation.  “I’m Rachael!  I’m the architect!”   
   
Sanbun raised an eyebrow.  “Architect?”
   
“Yes,” she said, a hint of pride in her voice.  “I designed this castle.”  She made a grand gesture with her hand, indicating the giant castle in all its glory.  “Of course, I didn’t build it.”  Then, her face turned stern again, but her short stature and wide eyes made the effect more comical instead of frightening.  “But I am not here to boast.  I’m here to guard this castle.  What business do you have here?”
   
Sanbun coughed behind his hand.  Be patient, he told himself. She’s probably just a concerned sister or something.  Just deal with her as you would a child. “We are here to ask Kritter to help fight an enemy.”
   
Rachael raised an eyebrow.  “An enemy?  You mean there are armies in this land who have not been destroyed by Kritter?  It was her calling to bring peace to the world.  That’s what she told me.”
   
How naïve is this girl? Sanbun thought. 
   
“Of course,” she continued, “I personally don’t agree with her methods.  Killing people, I mean.  But you know, we can’t all be conscientious objectors.”
   
“Uh…huh.”  Sanbun was getting sicker of this girl by the minute.  “So can we see Kritter then?”
   
“Well…I really don’t want to help cause any more death.  But then again, if Kritter wins, then there won’t be any more armies left…that we know of, anyway.”
   
“Yes, go on,” Sanbun urged impatiently.  “Be a good girl and let us in.”
   
Rachael glared at him.  “I’m not five, you know.  Yes, I’ll let you in.”  She took a key from her pocket.  “In the meantime, tell me more about this army.  I’m curious.”
   
“Well,” Sanbun began as she opened the door, “They’re called the Kitsune Clan.”
   
Rachael spun around excitedly, letting the door close again with a BANG!  “Did you say kitsune?  Did you know that’s Japanese for ‘fox’?”
   
“No, and I don’t care,” he replied in a monotone voice.  “Are you going to open the door or not?”
   
“Oh, right.  Sorry.”  Rachael began to open the door again, but then let go suddenly, causing it to BANG once more.  “I’ve been studying Japanese for quite some time now.  Fascinating language.”
   
“Rachael,” Sora said.  “Door.”
   
“Oh, yeah, I forgot.”  Rachael began to open the door once again.  “Sorry, I get kind of excited about Japanese.  Go on, please.”  She opened the door and beckoned them in.  “Let me hear more about this charming military.”
   
Charming?  “Well, the leader is called Goman, but he’s backed by his war strategist, Oni.  The man’s a real demon.  He des—“
   
He was interrupted by a loud laugh coming from Rachael.  “That’s really funny, actually.  You know, Oni is actually Japanese for ‘demon.’”
   
“Mmmm.”  That was Sanbun’s polite way of saying he didn’t care.  “I think there’s more to that Oni than meets the eye.  I think he has a…special relationship to Goman.”
   
Rachael squealed with delight.  “You mean they’re lovers?  Then they fight for each other.  That’s so romantic!  Do you know the Japanese word for ‘lover’?  It’s koibi—”
   
“I DON’T FUCKING CARE!” Sanbun yelled at her.
   
“Sanbun…” Sora warned.
   
He shook his head.  “I’m sorry, kid.  You know, my entire army was obliterated by theirs.  I lost one of my dearest friends just last night…not to mention we’ve been traveling all day.”
   
Rachael nodded sympathetically.  “I understand.”  They had reached the stairs.  “Now, this was pure genius on my part,” she said smugly.  “You see, I’ve made it impossible”—she stepped on the first step and it played out a lovely C minor—“to make a sneak attack.”
   
Sanbun was slightly impressed, but he didn’t say anything.
   
She turned around to look at Sanbun’s army.  “At the top of these steps…Miss Kritter awaits.”

***

Kritter was busily polishing each of her skulls, calling every one lovingly by name.  “Ah, Maria, you look ravishing this evening.  Juliette, how are you tonight?  Manuel, don’t look so down; life is a battlefield.  Enjoy it!”
   
Etc., etc.
   
She heard music coming from outside the door, and thew it open to see who it was.  She knew she shouldn’t get her hopes up, but maybe, just maybe it was a sneak attack.  After all, she couldn’t have killed everyone in the country.
   
But alas, it wasn’t a sneak attack, although there were seven or eight people Kritter had never seen before.  Rachael was at the head of the line. 
   
“Who are these?” Kritter asked, her a bored note in her voice.  “Friends of yours?  Are you going to have a slumber party?”  Then, one of the older men caught her eye.  “You…?  You’re that man from the last battle I fought.  The one who vowed to destroy me if you ever saw me again, correct?”  The ponytailed man winced.  “I killed your sister, if I remember correctly.”
   
“I…I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he stammered, looking away. 
   
“Don’t lie to me, William.  I never forget the face of someone I’ve killed, and in this case, I never forget the face of her brother, either.  Don’t worry, I won’t hold a grudge against you for wanting to kill me.”  She grinned, a wicked smile that revealed her sharp, hungry teeth, and her eyes glowed red.  “The way her blood soaked the white uniform she was wearing…The way the light left her pretty brown eyes…The deathly pallor of her already pale skin.”  She licked her lips.  “And the taste of the blood that ran from her lips…delicious,” she hissed.
   
Bill stood with his eyes glued to the floor.  Tears were streaming down his face.  “Cruel,” he whispered.  “You’re horrible.”
   
“Don’t be sad, William.  Your sister is in a better place.  I know this because any world without me would be ‘a better place.’  In the meantime, would you like to have her skull as a souvenir?  It’s one of the loveliest skulls of my collection, I must say.  I’ve renamed her Diana, but if—“
   
“Kritter?”  Rachael spoke up timidly, trying to drown out Bill, who was now reduced to a bawling heap on the floor.  “A certain Mr. Sanbun would like to request an audience.”  She gestured dramatically to Sanbun, who stepped forward.
   
“Miss Kritter—” he began.
   
Kritter waved away the greeting.  “Just Kritter, please.  This isn’t a fucking business proposition, for Christ’s sake.”  She smiled.  “You want me to fight, don’t you?”  The excitement in her voice was unmistakeable.  This woman lived for the battlefield.  “That’s why you wanted to see me, wasn’t it?  I could feel it.”  Her eyes had become a deeper and deeper red, until it seemed as though they were positively swimming with the blood of her future victims. 
   
“I fight for pleasure, Sanbun,” she went on, pacing eagerly as she did so.  “I fight because I enjoy it.  Not for business, not for honor, not for some ridiculous ideal.  I love the sound my weapons make as they slice through human flesh and bone, the splash of hot blood on my face and neck, the feeling of the body going limp at the end of my sword, the screams of pain and sorrow that fill the battlefield as I destroy all the human life I can.”  She waited for a response, and when she got none, she pressed on: “Understand?”
   
Sanbun nodded, trying not to be sick to his stomach.  “Yes,” he croaked.  “I understand.”
   
***

Rachael flew down the stairs two steps at a time, not caring how horrible the backwards hymn sounded now, all but ignoring it.
   
I can’t believe it, she thought, unaware of the fact that she was being followed by most of what was left of Sanbun’s army.  Kritter…a cold-blooded serial killer?  Someone who gets pleasure out of killing?  I designed a castle for this?  She was leaving.  Kritter no longer needed her, and she had a home back in the southcentral region to which she could return.
   
“Hey, kid.”  One of the men in Sanbun’s army had spoken up.  His name was James, and he had fought in Bill’s army.  Unlike Bill, however, he preferred to stay in the background, unseen.  “Where’s the way out of here?”
   
Rachael pointed towards the entrance.  “Why are all of you leaving?  Aren’t you going to fight with Kritter and your friends?”
   
“They’re not really our friends,” he answered, looking slightly irritated.  “We fought a few battles with them.  And we do not feel comfortable fighting alongside this madwoman.  Are you any different?”  He cleared his throat.  “Anyway, fighters have secretly been leaving the army for the past couple of days.  Sanbun is beginning to get obsessed with his revenge.”  He nodded at her.  “You’d best get a move on as well, missie.  There’s no telling what Kritter’s going to ask of you next.”
   
She shrugged, the universal non-committal answer.  “Well, anyway, the exit’s the same as the entrance.  If you need to use the privy on your way out, it’s down the hall and to your left.  You can’t miss it.”  The men all ignored her as they walked out the door.  “Wash your hands!” she called after them.  She was starting to feel a little better. 
   
I’ll tell Kritter I’m leaving, she thought, and thank her for the food and shelter she has provided me with.
   
As she headed up the stairs again, however, someone grabbed her neck from behind and covered her nose and mouth with a wet cloth.  Before her mind could grasp what was happening, she fell asleep.
   
“That was easy,” observed Alex, who was standing watch to make sure no one attacked.
   
Dave smiled at the sleeping figure in his arms.  “She’s a cute kid,” he said, “but not my type.  Well, we’ve got what we came for.  Shall we go?”
   
Alex nodded, looking around the castle with terrified eyes.  “Yeah, let’s get out of here.  This place gives me the fucking creeps.”
   
Dave lifted her up, then stumbled backwards.  “God, she’s heavy!  Alex, give me a hand here.”
   
Alex nodded and helped him pick her up.  He, too, struggled to keep his footing.  “She is heavy.  What has this woman been feeding her?”
   
Rachael stirred in her sleep, then muttered, “Soylent Green,” followed by something incomprehensible.
   
Dave narrowed his eyes.  “Soylent Green, eh?  I bet I can guess where Kritter gets it, too.  That woman is sick.  My friends told me she killed solely for pleasure.”
   
“Mmm-hmm,” Alex said, helping Dave carry her out the door.  Dave had told him this story several times before on their long journey to find Kritter’s castle.  “So what are we taking this girl with us for again?”
   
***

   
“Interrogation.”  Oni reinforced the meaning of the word with a thump of his cane on the cold stone floor.  “That is why we brought you here.”
   
Rachael glared up defiantly at this catlike stranger, trying not to betray the confusion and fear she was feeling.  “What do you wish to interrogate me about?  I know nothing about war or even Kritter herself!  What kind of information could you even possibly hope to get out of me?”
   
“You may not know anything about war,” Oni said calmly, taking a drag from his cigarette, “but I do believe you know more about Kritter than you let on.  First of all, is she or is she not going to help Sanbun’s army fight us?”
   
“I won’t tell you!  What Kritter does is neither my business nor yours!”
   
“Oh, but it is our business.”  Oni finished his cigarette and knelt down next to Rachael so that their eyes were level.  “Sanbun and his army attacked us with neither provocation nor reason.  Do you know why Sanbun came after us?”  He tapped his forehead cryptically.  “He was after my hat, thinking it had ‘magical powers.’  But this”—he picked up the hat at his feet and held it up so she could see—“is simply an ordinary hat.  Because I am a genius, he jumped to conclusions and sacrificed countless lives for an old, worn-out hat.”
   
Rachael squirmed a bit and looked down at the ground.  “But Kritter…she’s my friend.  I can’t betray her, even if she is a cold-blooded serial killer.”
   
“She’s not going to mind, hun.  From all I’ve heard about that woman, she’s always itching for a good battle.  The more challenge, the better.  She’d love a sneak attack from us, and I’m not even asking where her castle is.  I know where it is.  All I need to know is if we can expect an attack from her in the near future.”
   
“I WON’T!” Rachael yelled.  “I won’t tell you about Kritter’s intentions!  If you want to know so badly, you can ask her yourself!”
   
Oni was starting to get impatient.  “If you don’t answer me, I may have to resort to…torture.”
   
Rachael’s eyes narrowed.  “No matter what kind of pain you inflict on me, I won’t say anything!” she said, her voice shaking.  There were tears in her eyes.
   
I’d better hurry up, or she’ll start crying, Oni thought, cringing behind the calm mask he wore so well.  He had sensitive ears, and he was pretty sure this woman was an expert at crying.
   
He beckoned to Dave, who had sent Alex on his way a few hours ago.  When Dave approached, Oni said something in a strange tongue that Rachael didn’t understand.  Dave nodded and left the room.  A few minutes later, Goman returned in his place and went to Oni’s side.  They exchanged a quick kiss before turning to face Rachael again.
   
“Young lady,” Oni said, speaking softly so she would hear every word, “if you do not give me an answer in two minutes, this lovely young fox and I are going to have wild, hot, passionate, orgasmic sex right here in front of you.”
   
The lass’s eyes widened.  “No…” she whispered.  “You wouldn’t.”
   
“Oh, we will.  Until you crack.  And we can keep going for a long time.”
   
She glared at Oni again.  “Unbelievable!  You’d resort to such vulgar methods?  Your evil knows no bounds!  God will smite you for your perversion!”
   
Oni shrugged a bit.  “I get that a lot.”
   
Rachael was quiet for a moment, then looked up at them and blurted out, “YES!”

----------------------------------------------

Hopefully the next or one after that will be the final installment...

[Goman Fox]

Wow, I forgot about that last part there.

Yay, more story!

[Oni]

ROFLOL ya so did i. lol  

[Rachael]

The third line from the bottom was actually new.  I added it because it sounds like something I would say to you two. :p

No classes today!  I have time to post the rest!

---------------------------------------------------------------

Days passed.  Finally, on the night of the new moon, both armies were ready.  This time, it was dark, and impossible to see how many men each army had.
   
Sanbun was breathing heavily, trying to stay calm.  This is it, he thought.  This is the moment of truth.  This is the moment when we will find out what we’re really made of.
   
Kritter had pulled an army seemingly out of nowhere, but the truth was, she had many fans and followers.  There were people all over the country who awaited her beckon and call.  They, too, wished to fight, although few of them experienced the rush, the sheer enjoyment, that she did on the battlefield.
   
“Are you ready?” she asked Sanbun, grinning wildly.  “This will be fun.”
   
Somehow, Sanbun wasn’t able to share her enthusiasm.  “You call this fun?  This is a quest of sorrow, one spurred by the death of one of my friends who—”
   
“Sanbun, you’re forgetting one fatal flaw in your argument: I don’t care.”  Kritter was still grinning.  “I’m only here for one thing, and that’s death, blood, and chaos.”
   
“That’s three things.”
   
“Refer to previous statement.”
   
Sanbun sighed and looked out across the battlefield, straining his eyes to see if there was any sign of Goman and his army.  He couldn’t tell, and he hoped that foxes couldn’t see in the dark.  Or at least, that fox-people couldn’t.  As his eyes adjusted to the dark, however, he could see that nobody was there.  His army was alone on the battlefield.
   
He turned to Sora.  “Do you know what’s going on?  Don’t they usually have people standing guard?  Where is everyone?”
   
Sora shook her head.  “I don’t know, but I have a bad feeling about this.”
   
Bill shivered.  “I don’t like this, either.  It’s too damn quiet.  They’re planning something, the bastards.  I don’t know how, but someone tipped them off that we were coming.”
   
Kritter turned to him and smiled.  “I know who.  It must have been Rachael.  I haven’t seen her since that night.”
   
“Rachael?”  Sanbun scowled.  “That little brat betrayed you?”
   
“More or less, but I doubt she did it because she wanted to.  She was probably threatened by one of the Kitsune Clan.  She’s a nice girl, but she’s not very brave.”  Kritter smiled.  “It’s all right.  I don’t hold it against her, and you shouldn’t either.  It’ll make tonight much more interesting.”
   
Sanbun snorted and looked up at the sky.  The stars barely gave enough light to see a few feet in front of one’s face.  Hopefully, this would be a hinderance to the Kitsune Clan as well.
   
Bill spoke up suddenly.  “What’s that noise?”
   
Those were his last words.  The noise was the sound of a spinning metallic disk flying through the air.  It sawed through Bill’s neck before he had the chance to scream.
   
“NOOOOO!” Sanbun shouted as blood sprayed everywhere.  “Bill!  Bill!  GODDAMN YOU FUCKING BASTARDS, WHERE THE f*** ARE YOU!?”
   
“It has begun,” Kritter whispered, and smiled.  This would be fun.
   
Sora shook her head and closed her eyes.  “Bill…” she sighed.  “We will fight on, for you.”  With an angry battle cry, she turned around and thrust her sword through the first fox she saw.  He gave out a pained cry and fell backward.  She pulled out her sword and moved on to the next victim.  Within minutes, she had slain more than 30 fighters.
   
“Great job!” Kritter yelled happily.  “Now let’s see how many we can kill!”
   
Sanbun, however, was not having such a great time.  Bill had been the second most important person to him.  Now he had to protect Sora, at any cost.  She was all he had left.  “I…I’ll kill you all!” he cried, following Sora’s example and stabbing every person he saw with those ears.
   
Kritter’s army was taking plenty of hits, but they were far stronger and smarter than Sanbun’s army had ever been.  Far more men from Goman’s army were falling.  And still there was no sign of Goman.
   
“Where the f*** is he?” Sanbun shouted over all the noise.  “Isn’t he going to help his comrades fight?”
   
“Probably he knows I’m going to kill him if he does!” Kritter replied, relishing every body she added to her “collection.”  “Don’t worry, though.  I doubt he’ll be able to take this much longer.”
   
Sure enough, as if to confirm Kritter’s words, there was a loud shout: “SANBUN!”
   
Sanbun looked out across the field, and at the very end stood Goman, his unmistakable copper-colored hair blowing in the wind.  The expression on his face was one of anger and determination.
   
“You’ve done enough,” he said slowly as he began to walk towards Sanbun.  “You attacked us without provocation for a hat that has no powers.  We let you go, and yet you come after us once again.  What reason do you have for this?”
   
“I’ll admit that it was my mistake to come here in the first place,” Sanbun answered, approaching Goman in the same cautious manner.  “But after you killed Mary…or rather, after Oni killed Mary, I cannot allow him to live.”
   
Goman smiled, that same serene smile with which he had greeted Sanbun during their first encounter.  “Do you think you can get through me this time?  You must have had some good training to make you this confident in only a couple of weeks.”
   
Sanbun shrugged, careful to not betray his plan.  “Well, I may as well try again, eh?  My army has been destroyed.  If I cannot avenge them…”  He got into his sword-fighting stance and Goman followed suit.  “…then I shall die trying!”  He flew forward, hearing a satifsying CLANG! as his sword met with Goman’s.  “If I have to kill you first, I will!”
   
Goman pushed his sword forward as hard as he could, forcing Sanbun back.  “You won’t kill me,” he murmured.  “I won’t die.  I won’t put Oni through that kind of torment!”  He pulled his sword back and thrust it out again.  “I won’t hold back this time.  I will keep going until I kill you.”
   
“Those are my lines!” Sanbun yelled, jumping back in time to dodge Goman’s attack.  “I’ll kill both you and Oni for what you bastards did to Mary and Bill!”
   
The two men rushed at each other again.  The rest of the fighters had stopped attacking each other and were now watching, spellbound, as the match began to grow more intense.  Neither man was yielding even slightly; neither seemed the least bit worn out.  This was truly an even match between two expert swordfighters.
   
Then, after distracting Goman with a hit from his sword, Sanbun drew his sheath and hit Goman square in the jaw.  Goman fell back, stunned.  Sanbun then grabbed his sword and struck again.  Goman managed to regain his footing and dodge just in time, but the force of the blow caused his hair tie to snap.  His hair tumbled past his shoulders once again.
   
“Damn it,” he whispered.

***   

Oni was not happy.
   
In spite of all the hard work he had put into strategizing a sneak attack, things were not going well.  Kritter’s forces were winning by sheer will.  There was so much manpower that very little intelligence was needed, although Oni had no doubt that Kritter had plenty of grey matter as well.
   
Oni was somewhat concerned about how Goman was faring.  He didn’t care so much about the other warriors; they could easily be replaced.  But Goman…
   
“Sir!”  It was Dave.  “Our forces are deteriorating!  According to my calculations, we’re losing 15 men per minute!  For lack of a better word, we’re being slaughtered!  What should we do, sir?”  He secretly detested calling Oni “Sir,” but he had the utmost respect for Goman.
   
Oni took a puff of his cigarette and waited a minute before answering.  “Protect Goman.”
   
“Sir!”  Dave bowed deeply, having a new-found respect for Oni.
   
After Dave was out of sight, Oni took off as fast as he can and ran to where Goman was.

***
   
Goman was getting frustrated.  Sanbun wasn’t relenting, and he was running out of options.  What’s more, he was starting to get tired.  He needed to rest.  He hadn’t slept well last night, in anticipation of this battle.  Even Oni could only do so much.
   
Why am I fighting? he asked himself.  Why does anyone fight? 
   
“Goman!”  Goman’s ears twitched at the sound of Oni’s voice.  “You’re thinking too much about what you’re going to do!  Just fight!  Let your body move on its own!”
   
Oni’s words gave him new strength.  That’s right! he thought.  I’m fighting for him and for myself!  We’ll fight together, and defeat this menace!
   
With the energy that could only be mustered so suddenly by a fox, Goman rushed forward, almost too fast for Sanbun to see.  I’ve got him now.  He’s never going to dodge this.  It’s over, Sanbun!
   
There was the sound of metal penetrating human flesh, then tissue, then heart.  Goman pulled the sword from his victim’s breast, sighing with relief as he did so.  It was over.  He could go back to living a normal life with Oni and…
   
“S…Sanbun…”
   
Goman looked at the person in front of him and his throat went dry. No…It can’t be…This…
   
“NO!”  Sanbun dropped his sword and took Sora in his arms.  “Sora, why?  I told you to…to…”  His eyes filled with tears and quickly spilled over.  “I didn’t…I didn’t ask you to do this!”
   
“I…I know,” Sora gasped.  “I just…I didn’t want to see you…die.”  She closed her eyes and her body went limp.
   
“NOOOOOOOOOO!  SORAAAAAAAA!”  Sanbun’s cry of anguish could be heard from miles around.
   
Everyone had stopped what they were doing to watch this tragic scene unfold.  Even Goman was completely still.  He had heard of it happening, someone giving their life to save a friend or loved one…but he had never actually seen it.
   
For what seemed like hours, Sanbun held Sora’s dead body tightly, sobbing and saying her name over and over again.  Finally, Kritter shouted out, “Sanbun, he’s off-guard!  Now’s your chance!  KILL HIM!”
   
But Sanbun had already begun to move at the mention of his name.  He stood up and drove his sword into Goman’s upper body several times, shouting “DIE!” with each stab.  By the time Kritter finished her order, Goman’s blue hakama was completely soaked in blood.  The expression on his face was somewhat startled, but otherwise calm.
   
This time, it was Oni’s turn to shout, but he quickly regained his composure.  He picked Goman up gently, knowing it was already too late, and asked, “Is there anything I can do for you, Goman?”  He blinked quickly to hold back the tears in his eyes, and whispered, “Anything at all?”
   
“O…Oni,” Goman choked, struggling to speak, “I’m sorry…I know it’ll…taste like blood…but I…”
   
Without another word, Oni lifted Goman’s face up to his and kissed him on the mouth.  Some of the more sensitive warriors looked away, trying to hide their own tears.  By the time Oni had finished his kiss, the young fox was already gone.
   
Oni gently laid Goman’s body down on the ground and closed his eyes with his hand.  His face was very peaceful, and if not for the blood, one would have taken him to be asleep.
   
Several of the foxes and men were now crying audibly, a few of them sobbing into each other’s shoulders.  Oni stayed put, the expression on his face unreadable.
   
Then, he spoke, his voice as cold as ice: “You…Sanbun.”
   
Sanbun broke out of his trance.  “Huh?”
   
Oni spun around, his eyes overflowing with tears of sorrow and hatred, and let out a wordless cry of rage, one that showed all his teeth, and dove at Sanbun.  In that moment, Sanbun finally understood the true meaning behind his name.
   
Men from both armies fled, for they had never seen such a horrifying sight.  Not even those highest in rank had ever seen Oni pushed over the edge.  All they could do was feel pity for Sanbun as the battlefield cleared.  Within seconds, only Oni, Sanbun, and Kritter remained.
   
Kritter did nothing as Oni pinned Sanbun to the ground, nothing as he took out his knife and cut into Sanbun’s flesh, nothing as Sanbun’s cries of pain and horror emerged, nothing as blood poured from nearly every inch of Sanbun’s body, nothing as the screams grew steadily louder, then softer and farther between until Sanbun was too weak to utter a sound, nothing as his body continued to twitch, more spasms than struggles, nothing as it finally stopped, laying utterly still as Oni got to his feet.
   
“It was too gentle a death for what he did,” he hissed.
   
Kritter smiled.  “I disagree.”
   
Oni looked over at her, his eyes having gone from their normal pale color to red, blood-red, the same shade as hers.  “Do you?”
   
“Yes.”  Her smile widened, so that Oni could see her teeth.  “It was too gentle a death, period.”  She drew her sword.  “Shall we?”
   
He narrowed his eyes at her.  “I have no reason to fight you.  Now that Goman’s gone, so is my reason to fight.”  He looked back at Goman’s lifeless body.  “I fought for him.  To protect him.”
   
Kritter nodded understandingly.  “That makes sense.  But you know, he wouldn’t have killed Goman if it weren’t for me.  He would have sat there and cried like a baby until Goman regained his senses and put him out of his misery.  But it was Sanbun who asked for my help, so I helped him.”
   
Oni was silent.
   
Kritter licked her lips before continuing.  “You see…I wanted to see him die.  Such a beautiful young man…I knew he would look even more gorgeous with the blood flowing from his body, with the realization of death appearing in his eyes.  Death makes people look lovelier than they ever did in life.”
   
Oni drew the sword he kept at his side for just such moments.  “All right then,” he said, locking his eyes with hers, “I shall humor you.  But don’t expect me to show any mercy.  I will kill you.”
   
Kritter grinned again.  “I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
   
He slowly began to walk towards the waiting Kritter.  “My methods of killing are different from Goman’s.  You will suffer.  I’ll make you beg for death, but I won’t grant it until I’m damn well ready.”
   
“I only wish I had met someone like you a lot sooner.”  Kritter did not seem terrified at all; rather, she was trembling with excitement.  “Enough dawdling.  Let’s begin!  I won’t stop until I’ve had enough!”
   
The fight commenced.
   
Both warriors moved almost too fast for the naked eye to perceive.  There was no one else around, so neither one had to hold back.  Metal hit metal over and over again.  Neither fighter spoke to the other.  It was an eerily wordless battle, each side having only one resolve: To kill the other.
   
Oni managed to land several hits on Kritter, but each time, he struck a non-vital area.  Kritter was simply too fast and too agile to stay in one place or position long enough for him to strike.  She was bleeding from several spots, but she didn’t seem to notice or care.  Rather, each cut just seemed to make her all the more energetic.  She seemed to be having the time of her life.  He was starting to get annoyed.
   
Finally, he took out the knife he had used on Sanbun.  He could move faster with this, but only worthy opponents—or those who severely pissed him off—were allowed to die this way.
   
Having equipped himself with this weapon, he made a lightening-fast jab at Kritter’s heart—only to have it blocked in an equally lightening-fast flick of her left hand.  Oni’s eyes widened in shock as the blade went right through her palm, stopping at the hilt as she pushed it away.  Then, taking advantage of the situation, Kritter dropped her sword, drew a hidden dagger from the inside of her robe, and thrusted it through Oni’s throat.
   
At that moment, the red faded from Oni’s eyes and they returned to their original color.  They were once again wet with tears.  Kritter withdrew her weapon and blood spurted onto her face. 
   
“Kritter…” he whispered.  “Please…let me die…next to Goma…n.”
   
Kritter started to carry him towards the body of his beloved, then stopped.  That evil grin spread across her face once more.  “No,” she said, “I don’t believe I will.”  She then unceremoniously dropped him on the ground.
   
Oni coughed up blood and sputtered, “Mother…fucker.”  Those were his last words.  Oni the Demon Cat was no more.
   
A young traveler named Rosa happened upon the scene of the battle.  She had seen the final death, and she looked down at the body, its eyes still wide open.  She looked back at Kritter and asked, “Are you not going to shut the eyes of your fallen foe?”
   
“No,” replied Kritter, “let him stare up into the sky of this diseased world as his flesh slowly rots into the earth.”
   
Rosa thought for a moment, then nodded.  “Fair enough,” she said, and continued on her way.
   
Kritter looked at her dagger, then lifted it to her face and licked a little of the blood from the blade.  She smiled.  This time, it was a calm expression of pure joy.  “Your blood,” she whispered, “is deliciously evil.”  Then she dropped it to her side and laughed out loud.  She had won.

The End…or is it?

***

Epilogue I
   
After all was said and done, Kritter had a lot of skeletons to drag back to her castle.  This time, she had no army with her, so she had to do all of the work herself.  No matter.  She would have plenty of new bodies and weapons to clean and admire before she got bored again.  Hopefully, by then she would find a new army to fight.
   
She sighed.  “But that musical staircase is going to get really old, really fast.”

***

Epilogue II

   
The next morning, far away from the battlefield, Rachael woke up to a bright, sunny day.  She stretched, got out of bed, and walked to the window.
   
“It’s a lovely day today,” she beamed.  “Don’t you think so, Scruffy?” she asked, turning to her pit bull puppy.  He barked happily in response.
   
Rachael put on her shoes and walked outside to the well, where she washed her face and hands, then looked up at the blue sky.  There were white clouds everywhere.  One of them was shaped like a moose.
   
“I think I’ll feed the chickens,” she said.

***

Epilogue III

   
The angels found it quite annoying, but Goman insisted on waiting for Oni at the pearly gates.  As it turned out, he didn’t have to wait long. 
   
Now, the two of them stood before God.  And God was not pleased.  He was looking at two large books, each one presumably their respective lives.  He sucked in the air through his teeth.
   
“This doesn’t look good, you two,” he said.  “I’m afraid it’s ‘downstairs’ for both of you.  We don’t allow homosexuals up here.”
   
The two men were shocked.  “W…what?” Goman squeaked.
   
Suddenly, God started to laugh.  It was a loud, booming laugh.  Oni and Goman had to cover their ears and some of the more delicate angels lost their balance.
   
“You should have seen the looks on your faces,” God roared.  “Nah, I’m just kidding.  You’re going to hell because you killed people.”
   
Goman and Oni exchanged baffled glances, then shrugged.  Then, Oni smiled.  “If that’s the case, then eventually, we’ll be meeting up with Sanbun and Kritter, too.  And when we do, well…I’ll make their afterlives a living you-know-what.”

----------------------------------------------------

And there you have it.  I may get around to writing a prequel sooner or later, but don't count on it happening too soon. 

[Goman Fox]

Aww, I was gonna suggest a prequel to it, but looks like you already got the idea. ;.;

I think it'd be fun to see into the characters' histories, through like, a series of smaller stories or something.

Glad to see the whole story again finally.  I don't think I ever got the entire thing on my computer for some reason, or I lost it or something.  It was like reading a new story all over again since it's been over a year since I last read it.

Very good job Rachael.

[Oni]

Yay! I am glad to finaly have all of your story up and out for other people to read. Can you tell me how many characters it is? That way I know for future stories about how much space to allow people. Or do you think that the space is fine for deviding up stories.
I really like your story because it has elements of all sorts. I love how the story doesn’t directly revolve around the fact that there are gay characters in it. It is a story that I would love to see a movie of. I can visualize it in my head, and I think it would be great. The details and emotions really come out in it, bringing every aspect of the story to life. I do love the way you portray the cat character, I think he has to be the best character in it, I mean no one could be that wonderful than a cat. Hehe. Really though as you read it you can see not only an image of each character, but you can see how they are thinking, and how everything ties together. You can see were you droped in jokes here and there, and I even recognize some of them from reality that was happening at the time when you were writing it. I think that’s very cool when a person is able to look at the story and look at how the life around the author at the time effected the story. To be able to see what inspired them.
I think your story is a true work of art, worthy of being published and hitting the top stop on the New York Best sellers list.
I wonder what other people feel about this story.

[Kritter]

YEA, the whole story here! I love reading it and I would just love to see a movie out of this. hehehehe. So cool!!!!!! 

I do love the way you portray the cat character, I think he has to be the best character in it, I mean no one could be that wonderful than a cat.

OH, please, you only like that character because it is YOU. The character called KRITTER is the BEST!!!! I love her   

[Oni]

I would like to invite everybody to go here Page 1 and read this. This story always gets to me. It was written by a very dear friend of Fox and I's about 5.5 years ago.