MarkQ's Fan Fiction Page.

Please email any comments to me at xyzmarkmq134@netscape.com - please remove the "xyz" part of the said email address and enter the subject as "fan fiction".

This fanfic was written to enter the Viz Comics competition for Silent Mobius - see www.viz.com for excellent Anime and Manga. >Mq.

Copyright Notice: The following fanfic is based the manga Silent Mobius. While I reserve the copyright of the following fanfic as a story of my creation, it is without doubt that the copyrights of the main characters and sites used belong to the brilliant manga artist Mr. Kia Asamiya (who I hope is not too offended by my usage! Gomennasai Asamiya-san!)

Also whatever other rights go to Viz Comics. Without their great translation of this manga, I certainly would not have been able to write the following fanfics, as well as depriving all of us of this great manga.

I entered two fanfics Abomination and Coffee

Author's Note! Each chapter is started by 'SM' and a number.

Silent Mobius – Abomination. SM1.

The man pulled his gray cloak tightly about him and shouldered his rucksack. The fog and mist that clung to the trees obscured the view of the valley below, but he started walking down the mountain anyway. The noise of a twig breaking behind him, caused him to falter. He stopped, turned and looked back.

He saw that it was his Father, stepping amongst the trees, collecting fallen branches to be used for firewood. Mother would be waiting for him.

The man looked back up the mountain. Although he knew was about twenty metres away, he could not see the entrance to the cave that had been his home for the last eighteen years. Doubt crept into his mind.

"Father?" he called out.

"Son." his Father said, looking up at him.

For the first time, the man really looked at his Father. The wrinkles on his face and the slight mottle of the skin on his baldhead, made the man realise just how old his Father really was. However, when he looked into his Father’s brown eyes, he was surprised to see there an undaunted spirit, that was not yet done with this life, and it was still willing and strong. It made him doubt his own course even more.

"Son, how will you go down the mountain?"his Father asked.

"I…I guess I’ll…"

"No guesses, my Son. How will you go down when you have never been before?"

The man looked up at his Father.

His Father’s serious look changed and he smiled at his Son. The man’s doubt ran out of him.

"Father, I will make my own path and I will get down the mountain." The man replied and smiled back.

"Good," his Father said, beaming proudly. "And hopefully the worst that can happen is that you will end up home again. All of our prayers go with you, my Son."

"Thank you, Father. I know my course is different than Mother’s and your’s, but…no, I will see it to the end." The man said firmly.

He waved to his Father, turned and walked confidently down the path only he could see.

SM2.

"Hey, has Nami gone home already?"

"Yes she has." answered Yuki and happily added: "And I’m going too! Goodnight everyone!"

"Damn, I hate the nightshift." Said Kiddy. "Hey, Katsumi are you…?"

"Yep! I’m going home too, as soon as I see the Chief." She replied moving towards the Chief’s office. The doors slid open, admitted her in and with a whisper, slid shut.

"I don’t mind the nightshift, Kiddy." Said Lebia, looking out the window. "The City takes on a different look. It’s the lights, the moon and the stars. It’s like a different Tokyo has come out."

"Yeah, a different Tokyo all right. A full moon like that seems to make the crazies come out, and the normal people just plain nervous."

"Oh, you’re so negative about everything…"

"And you’re just a hopeless romantic, Lebia. Hey Yuki, aren’t you going home?"

"Uh, yes. I…I’m going." She answered, but continued to stand where she was.

"What’s the matter, Yuki?" asked Lebia, concerned. She glanced sideways at Kiddy.

"Come on, Yuki. I’ll drive you home, the Chief won’t mind me getting some air…"

"No, no. It’s okay. I’m a big girl." Yuki said, smiling at Kiddy. "Thanks anyway. I’ll be all right."

Yuki walked to the lift and pressed the button. It arrived and opened its doors. She hopped in and turned around. Sure enough, Kiddy and Lebia were watching her, their concern written plainly on their faces.

"Please have a goodnight and I’ll see you in the morning." She said. She cupped her hands in front of her, smiled and bowed.

"Yes, of course! See you tomorrow!" said Lebia, smiling back.

"Sure, sure in the morning. Keep safe!" said Kiddy, offering a smile and a wave of her hand.

Yuki pressed the button for the ground floor and as the door’s closed, she looked at them and silently took some strength from their concern and care. However, it did not dispel the unsettling feeling from the premonition she had just had.

"‘Keep safe’? Now what’s that suppose to mean, Kiddy?" Lebia asked angrily.

"Well, you know, it’s just a saying, all right?!"

"She was happy before you blabbed about the ‘crazies’. Normally she’d make one of us nervous with one of those premonitions she has."

"Yeah." Kiddy agreed. "But if she’d just got a premonition, she would’ve told us about it right?"

"She normally would. Especially if it has to do with one of us." Replied Lebia, slumping back in her chair. Kiddy looked at her, as Lebia raised her fingers to her lips.

Lebia looked back at Kiddy and saw they were thinking the same thing.

"Maybe I’ll just take the spinner and cruise past her place. You know, she owes me a cup of coffee." Kiddy said, strapping on her gun belt.

"Mmmm, I’ll give her a call in a minute or so, just to see if she’s home. Wouldn’t want you to waste a trip out that way." Lebia said "I’ll tell the Chief…"

"Tell me what?" said Chief Isozaki, coming out of her office, with Katsumi close behind her.

"Oh, its..er.." Lebia said, haltingly.

"It’s Yuki, sir. We think she’s had a premonition." Said Kiddy. Why beat around the bush?

"Hmmm, and she didn’t tell you what about, eh? Hmmm." Said Isozaki and she took a few seconds to consider it. "Okay, Lebia call Yuki to see she made it home. Kiddy, I need you and Katsumi to go to this site."

"But Chief! I’ve got this new disk and I…I…" Katsumi started in protest, but saw the stern look in the Chief’s eyes.

"I’ll give you some extra time off later, Katsumi. But right now, we have a rogue Megadyne at this site."

"But Chief," said Lebia. "The Police have Mobile Armored Suit Units that can handle Megadynes."

Katsumi looked at the Chief, still hopeful to go home.

"True, but there are some unconfirmed reports that a Lucifer Hawk was sighted near or around the Megadyne. So I want the both of you to scout out the area." Isozaki replied looking at Kiddy and Katsumi.

"Megadynes and Hawks…they don’t usually work together." Katsumi said, reflecting on that fact.

"Yes, and I want to make sure that is true. Okay, get going."

"Yes Sir!" said Kiddy and Katsumi together.

"And if it is nothing, Kiddy, you can swing by Yuki’s on the way back to here." Isozaki said, giving her a small smile. She then turned and walked back into her office.

"Yes Sir!" said Kiddy.

"Let’s go!" said Katsumi moving quickly towards the door. Kiddy turned and was right behind her, as Lebia started to reach for the phone.

SM3.

The monitors showed the Combat Megadyne moving leisurely over the fallen bodies of the Police.

"Bastard." Swore Robert DeVice from inside his Mobile Combat Armour.

"Drop in twenty seconds!" came the voice of the helicopter pilot over the radio.

"We’ll show him." Said Techikawa, and several grunts of agreement came from the rest of the squad.

"Ten seconds!"

"Lock and load!" Robert shouted, priming his weapon then moving towards the helicopter’s drop door. He heard the other suits rustle up behind him and the final clack of another weapon being readied. A nervous silence followed, but Robert knew it wasn’t fear they felt. Seeing the ripped up bodies of the normal Police made them all feel that way.

"This thing’s dead meat." Said Izawa angrily, as the helicopter began to hover.

One last time, Robert looked at the monitor. The thing was about ten metres away and facing away from them. The helicopter’s whisper quiet rotors must have covered their approach.

"Door opening!" said the pilot, as the drop door slid away.

"Drop formation delta! Let’s go!" said Robert stepping off.

They rushed out of the helicopter. Izawa and another man moved out on Robert’s left, while Techikawa and the last man on the right. Quickly they took position and aimed their guns - directly at nothing.

"Damn! Where is it?" said Techikawa.

"Aaaaaaahhhh!" Izawa screamed.

The men turned towards Izawa, but the first thing Robert saw was Izawa’s suit flying at him. Izawa collided with him, throwing him backwards, as bullets from Izawa’s gun sprayed the men behind Robert.

More screams came over the radio. Pinned momentarily beneath Izawa’s inert suit, he thought he heard Techikawa telling the pilot to lift off, but a massive explosion silenced them all.

The force of the explosion threw both Izawa and Robert forward, fortunately the Suit protecting Robert from the blast. Now laying flat on his front, Robert tried to stand, but damage had been done to the Suit restricting his mobility. After a frustrating few minutes, the best he could do was a semi-crouch. At least he was still holding his gun.

Looking around, he saw Izawa next to him and another Suit with an arm sheared off with blood flowing from it. Near the burning remains of the helicopter, he saw Techikawa’s and the other man on the ground laying facedown. They were on fire.

"TECHIKAWA! TECHIKAWA! DAMMIT!" Robert screamed, realising his radio was not functioning. "Got to help them…got to…Kuso!"

As Robert tried to move toward Techikawa, he saw the Megadyne outlined by the fire from the burning helicopter. It started to walk towards him.

"You bastard! I’m going to blow you away!" Robert shouted and raised the gun.

CLICK!

Nothing happened.

He pulled and pulled the trigger. Nothing. The explosion had damaged the gun too. Quickly, Robert tried to get into a hand-to-hand fighting position but found that his left arm was also not working. He looked up. The Megadyne was standing right in front of him. Robert sucked in his breath noisily.

"YYYYAAAAAAHHHHH!" he screamed in anger towards it. The Megadyne raised its right arm and like a spear, sent it down to go through the Suit’s visor.

To Robert the fatal arm was a blur, and the last thing he heard was of the visor’s glass breaking.

Sm 4.

"Rrraaallyyy…" whispered the voice.

Yuki turned over in her sleep. Although her hands had drawn the blankets up and the room’s thermostat was set to an average temperature, she shivered, and Goosebumps broke out over her skin. Her teeth chattered but this did not wake her. Even the phone ringing did not disturb her even though it was on her bedside table. While Yuki’s body showed that she was cold and asleep, her mind was also in a cold place but certainly not sleeping.

Standing naked on a smooth, earth-brown surface, Yuki clutched herself with arms for warmth. She looked in all directions and saw the land rise and fall, much like a solid gentle rolling sea. The sky was blue, but far in the horizon, where the sky met with the land, there seemed to be a gradual blend of colour from blue to brown. There seemed to be nothing else.

"Rraallyy…" said a voice that seemed to float over from her left. Resigned that there was always a reason for these things, she gingerly set off in that direction.

After a time, she wondered just how far she had gone. Here there did not seem to be any sense of time but she seemed to be getting tired. The land’s gentle valleys and peaks she thought was like ‘rocking’ her to sleep and although she fought his feeling, her eyes were being to droop.

"Rallyyyy…" called the voice, much stronger and closer this time. Yuki topped the next rise expectantly, but saw nothing, just the same landscape. Her anger flared.

"I am not going to fall asleep in my dream and I want that person whose voice is calling to appear right now!" she said. Nothing happened.

"I SAID – NOW!!!" she shouted. For a few seconds, nothing happened but Yuki’s mind was made up and she held onto what she had commanded.

The ground below her cracked. Slowly at first, it picked up speed, carving the outline of a large five-pointed star. The centre of the star then caved in and fell away, showing no ground or bottom.

The figure of a woman with her arms outstretched appeared, suspended invisibly on the blackness. The woman turned her eyes towards Yuki.

"Rosa!" Yuki gasped. Rosa turned her eyes to another spot. Yuki looked over and saw a large slug with long, black coarse hair slithering towards her. It was a low-level entity. Yuki prepared to run, but Rosa said something in broken speech and it stopped its advancement. Rosa looked back to Yuki.

"Must tell Rallyyyy…trappeddd…itss not what it seemsss…" Rosa said. It looked like it took a great effort for her to speak.

"What is IT, Rosa?" Yuki asked. A menacing growl from the entity however, drew their attention away. The entity slithered to face away from Yuki.

"Ittt comesss…" Rosa said, as the entity reared up.

Yuki looked at what the entity was facing but saw what looked like a white cloud approaching them.

The entity bent itself backward in a doughnut shape and its black hairs straightened and stood out. As the cloud neared the entity uncoiled itself in whip-like movement forward, firing the black hair at the cloud. Like hundreds of darts, the hairs flew at the cloud and pierced it to about half of a hair length. A hissing noise, that sounded like acid burning, came from each of the strikes.

The cloud stopped in front of them and slowly began to take form.

Yuki watched as the cloud solidified into a human figure wearing a long, white robe. The person had their arms clasped and raised above their head, causing the robe’s wide looping sleeves to hang down, which not only hid the person’s face, it also protected them from the hairs which stuck out all over the material. The person shook their arms and Yuki watched the hairs fall out. As the hairs hit the ground, they sizzled and burned into it, but after a while the ground closed over them and was smooth again.

The entity growled again, bearing it fangs as it realised its first attack was unsuccessful. With their arms still raised, the person using their right hand, drew out slowly from the left sleeve a small dagger. The person raised the dagger straight into the air then drew down towards them.

Yuki watched the air split, and the entity in front of her, to split violently in two pieces. Yuki flinched away to one side as the force caught her arm. Looking at down, she saw that her arm was cut and there was some pain, but strangely, there was no blood. Then she heard Rosa scream.

"NOOOOOOOOO!!!…LET ME GOOOO!!" Rosa screamed as her form began to sink slowly into the blackness. "MUST TELL RALLLYYYYYY…AAAAHHHHHH...!"

With she vanished and the ground smoothly rolled over and closed the pentagram.

Yuki realised that she was the only one left. She looked at this person, who now had their arms by their sides, but was still turned towards where Rosa had been. Yuki could still not see the person’s face, but that long, white priestly robe, the person’s short black hair and that dagger seemed very familiar to her.

"Nami?" Yuki asked, fitting all the clues.

Nami Yamigumo turned towards her.

"Nami!" Yuki said, this time with relief. "Thank the spirits! It’s you! I was so scared!"

Nami did not reply, but instead advanced and gently grabbed Yuki’s wounded arm and stretched it towards her.

"Nami, wasn’t that Rosa? And she was calling for Rally…?" Yuki asked, as Nami waved her hand over the cut. Yuki looked down and saw her skin fold over it and close. With another wave of Nami’s hand, almost any sign of the cut was gone.

"What’s going…?" Yuki started to ask, but Nami put her fingers to her lips. Almost immediately, Yuki’s mind started to cloud over.

"Please," Nami said, whispering. "I’m tired and so are you. Please promise me that you won’t tell Rally that I was here."

"But Nami…"

"Please Yuki, promise me…?"

Just before Yuki fell asleep, she weakly muttered: "I promise, Nami."

Yuki did not dream anymore and was having a deep restful sleep, until the door crashing in

Sm5.

Katsumi steered AMP spinner lazily around the buildings. She saw the Mobile Armored Unit helicopter begin to descend among the buildings to the street below. These City blocks had been evacuated and cordoned off, making it easier to handle the Megadyne. It should have made their job easier too.

"See anything, Kiddy?" asked Katsumi, looking back out the right window.

"Nope. Damn entity must be shy." Answered Kiddy looking out the left window. "Hey, is Robert on duty tonight?"

"Yes, he sure is. He doesn’t like my AV’s, so now would have been a good time to play them. Especially with the new player I have."

"Yeah well, Lebia also, doesn’t like your AV’s or your new player." Kiddy said.

"Hey, I said I’ll pay her back. If she can’t afford to loan me the money then…"

An explosion rocked the Spinner causing it veer away for some seconds before Katsumi regained control.

"What was that?!" exclaimed Katsumi.

"Over there! Quick, Katsumi!" Kiddy said, pointing to the left.

Katsumi quickly turned the Spinner in that direction, and saw a huge column of smoke was rising into the night. As they came over the last buildings and dropped closer to the street, the sight of the burning helicopter caused her to gasp.

"Oh gods." Kiddy said, then opened the spinner’s door and jumped out.

"Kiddy, wait! What’s…OH NO!" Katsumi said, as she saw through the open door, a Megadyne standing above one of the Mobile Armored men.

"ROBERT!!!" Katsumi screamed, as Kiddy landed heavily on the street.

The twenty-metre fall was within specification of Kiddy’s Megadyne body, but it didn’t matter. Whether that person was Robert or not, also didn’t matter. What did matter to her was that no Megadyne was going to take a human life while she had a say in it.

She sprinted and connected with the side of the Megadyne’s head with her fist, just as the Megadyne’s arm shot down.

The Megadyne was thrown away from Robert; it’s stiff hand breaking the visor’s glass but not connecting with Robert’s head. The Megadyne landed some metres away and lay still. Robert fell forward unconscious, as Kiddy recovered from the hit and turned towards him.

The spinner had hardly landed behind them, when Kasumi’s flashing form ran towards Robert. They reached him at the same time, and flipped him over onto his back. With a few strong twists, Kiddy wrenched off his helmet.

"Robert!" shouted Katsumi, cradling his head in her lap.

Slowly, his eyes opened.

"This must be heaven." He said and Katsumi said his name again and hugged him.

"He looks to be okay." said Kiddy, patting Katsumi on the shoulder. Katsumi looked up at her with tears and gratitude in her eyes. Kiddy smiled back acknowledging the silent thanks.

"Okay," Kiddy said, turning away. "Let’s clean up this piece of scrap metal… Katsumi!"

Katsumi looked up to where Kiddy was turned.

The Megadyne was gone.

"Stay here, Robert. I’ll be back soon." Katsumi said, laying him gently down. He had fainted again.

"Let’s get this thing." Katsumi said vehemently, standing up. She pulled out her gun. Kiddy glanced sideways at her and nodded.

Standing side by side, they advanced towards where the Megadyne had been, glancing cautiously to each side. The walked over the spot and continued, until Kiddy stopped at the brick wall.

"Damn! Where did it go?" Kiddy said, surveying the tall brick wall that stood between two buildings. Too tall to for it to clamber over. She looked up the street. The entrance to the buildings were probably around the otherside, but that was much too far for it to have run without them seeing it.

"I’d say it went down the alley." Katsumi replied, glancing at Kiddy with a puzzled look.

"What alley?!" asked Kiddy, giving her the ‘your crazy’ look. Katsumi, still puzzled by Kiddy’s response, walked forward and disappeared into the brick wall.

"Whoa! Katsumi, how’d you…?"

"What?" Katsumi said, stepping back to reappear next to Kiddy.

"How do you go through the wall like that?"

"What wall?" asked Katsumi, turning to the wall.

She stared at it, then with a nod said: "Take my hand Kiddy."

Kiddy grabbed her hand. As they walked forward, she held her breath as they neared the wall and went through.

"Was that wall a holograph?" Kiddy asked.

"No, too convincing. The air here feels thicker. Must be a spirit shield of some sort."

"A spirit shield? But Megadyne’s don’t have…Damn, should have brought the graviton." Said Kiddy, warily looking around the dark alley. Her eyes had adjusted to the dim light and she could now see that the end of the alley about fifteen metres away.

"Looks like we found the entiitttyyyyy…" slurred Katsumi. Wide-eyed, she slowly looked at Kiddy with surprise.

"Ssoommeetthhiinnggss ccoommiinngg…." Said Kiddy, trying to quickly get into a fighting position but for some reason all of her movements were slow. Katsumi also tried to turn quickly and raise the gun, but she felt like as if she was moving through heavy water. By the time they were ready, the figure of a woman ran slowly past them and back through the wall.

"Ddaammiitt…" said Kiddy, throwing an arm out to try to catch the woman. Her hand connected with a now solid brick wall.

"Wwhhaatt tthhee…!" she said, surprised. Katsumi looked at her, shook her head.

Kiddy watched Katsumi slowly holster her gun, clasp her hands and bow her head. Slowly, Katsumi raised her hands in a looping arc up, and gibberish tumbled from her mouth. Her hands reached up above her head and stopped. Spreading her fingers, she appeared to be holding and invisible cylinder above her.

"Kiddy…" Katsumi said without any slowness.

Her eyes were closed and she was labouring for breath. Sweat started to run down her face. "Hit the wall…when you see…the clear space."

Kiddy nodded, as Katsumi drew a deep breath. Slowly, she lowered her hands in an arc down the wall. Kiddy watched as a circle of ‘different air’ travelled down the wall. When it was at about the right height, she punched into it and towards the wall. Her fist went from travelling very slow to very fast. The wall crumbled and she pitched forward into the debris. Katsumi released her breath and sank to her knees.

"You broke the shield." She muttered tiredly.

Just then, a ripped piece of paper fluttered down and landed in her lap. Looking at it, she turned her head to make sense of something on it. She snatched it up suddenly realising what it was.

"Kiddy!"

"Damn, my arm’s broken again." Kiddy said, holding her limp right arm.

"Kiddy, we’ve got to get back base…"

"Katsumi, what do you mean get back base? That woman can’t have gotten too far."

"No, she would be long gone." Said Katsumi quietly, as Police cars and Ambulances started to arrive. "And she’ll slip by the Police fairly easily."

Men started checking the dead and wounded. Katsumi watched two paramedics load a still unconscious Robert into an ambulance.

"Let’s at least get in the Spinner and search the area." Said Kiddy standing above her. "What have you got there?"

Wearily, Katsumi stood up and began walking towards the Spinner. She held up the ripped paper which had thick black lines on it. Kiddy walked with her examining the lines.

"It can’t be!" she said, snatching the paper. "It’s a Talisman! Just like the ones…"

"Used by Nami." Katsumi finished, getting behind the wheel of the Spinner. "We’ve got to talk to Rally."

"But that woman wasn’t Nami. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t. But to come to think of it…" said Kiddy, getting into the passenger seat and closing the door. "I sure I’ve seen her before."

"We both have. It was Rosa Cheyenne."

"Rosa? … Yeah, you’re right Katsumi. It was her, but what does Rosa and Nami have to do with a rogue Megadyne?"

"I don’t know, Kiddy." Katsumi answered, starting the Spinner up. "But lets keep Nami out of this until we see her for ourselves."

Kiddy saw the look Katsumi was giving her. She nodded in agreement. Nami was a friend and it was hard to believe that she would go up against the AMP.

"Kiddy! Katsumi! Where are you guys?!" shouted a voice over the now active radio.

"We’re here Lebia. Boy, we’ve got some news…"

"Not now Kiddy! I been calling Yuki’s house for about three hours and there’s still no answer!"

"Right, we’re on our way." Katsumi replied. She raised the Spinner off the street and then pushed its’ accelerator to the floor.

"Rosa couldn’t have gotten there that fast. It’s at least 30 minutes by air."

"Yes, maybe Kiddy." Katsumi answered numbly, as she tried to think things through.

"And why Yuki?" Kiddy asked, looking out the window. After all, the answers were out there - in the night.

SM 6.

As the AMP Spinner accelerated away, a woman entered the busy Shibuya district. As she walked through the crowds, the people moved away from her, giving her about a two metre space all around. Those who did not move away from her, soon found themselves feeling nauseous. And men, who openly appreciated her beauty, found themselves veering way from her, even though that was not their intent.

It was some deep instinct inside, telling them that something was not right about this woman.

The woman left the steet and entered a Strip club.

Ignoring the naked dancing women, she went up to the bar and ordered saki. The barman wrinkled his nose, as if he had smelt something that was rotten. He poured her a glass of saki and left it on the bar. Before he could ask for money, the woman drank it down in one go.

"Another." She said. The barman started to feel ill, but complied with her request.

After several glasses, the barman left the bottle. In a minute or so, he replaced it with another. She drank it quicker than the first. The barman put two bottles out for her this time.

Another man siting at the other end of the bar, watched her drink. This bar was one of his regular hang outs. Here, he would come to watch the girls and at other bars sleaze his way onto any that looked like an easy opportunity. He certainly had not expected to find one here, and a pretty one at that. He stood up and approached the woman with a confident swagger. After all that much saki would make a horse pass out.

‘If you could make the horse drink that much.’ He thought with a smile, which helped to boost up his ego. Then, his stomach churned and a long, loud burp forced its way out of his mouth.

His face reddened as other patrons turned to look at him. He dipped his head in embarrassment and was backing away, when he saw that the woman’s back was still to him. She didn’t hear that?

‘Must be my lucky night!’ he thought, forcing himself towards her even though stronger and stronger waves of nausea racked him. When he finally did reach her, he was barely keeping it down.

"Hey lady, want a … want a drink…UURRRPPPP!"

She had begun to turn towards him when he vomited. It splashed onto her blouse and washed down to her feet. The man’s stomach emptied out onto her.

Dry retching he fell to his knees as the woman stood up. Looking down at her ruined clothes, her face became a mask of anger. She screamed and slapped the man, sending him flying across the room. He crashed onto the table of four visiting Australian seamen, sending their drinks and food all over their white uniforms.

Angrily, they picked up the unconscious man and threw him roughly to the ground. They also angrily stared at the woman. She stared back defiantly, and with her fingers, flipped them a rude sign. Unsure of how to handle this, the men looked at each other. Then the woman uttered a low menacing growl.

Three of the seamen backed away, but the largest of them igorned his instinct of survival and strode up to her. He expected her to retreat, and was completely surprised when she advanced up to meet him. She grabbed him with one hand under his neck and lifted him up, off the ground. The man struggled briefly and she felt him gagging. She threw the man on top of the others, sending all of them crashing to the floor. Casting fearful glances at her, the three sailors scrabbled away and dragged their unconscious mate.

She smiled victorious, but saw only horrified faces around her. Scowling, she made a hasty exit as sound of Police sirens filled the air.

‘Damn tears! I almost can’t see anything. Why don’t people like me?

I’m a pretty woman. My clothes … my clothes were nice before that vile person ruined them and embarrassed me. Why did he do that?’

‘People are fierce when frightened by something they don’t understand.’

‘Shut up, Priest. Who said you could talk?’

‘You did. How else?’

‘Be quiet then and answer me this: you were once a person, wouldn’t you like me?’

‘I still am a person…’

‘No! I am the person! Do you deny me my existence?’

‘No… I do not. But just because I am part of you does not mean that I am not a person.’

‘We’ve been over this before Priest. I am the person and I want my question answered… Now!’

‘Hmmm … maybe people don’t like you because you are overbalanced. Maybe ..’

‘Maybe there is too much of Nemesis inside me. Aha! Now I know where to go!’

‘Wait! Listen to me …’

‘Shut up Priest. I going to the Underground Complex …’

‘But at the Shrine …’

‘Silence! I know what you want there, but I am the person. No! I not a person. I am an Entity like my ancestor Rosa, and now I go to meet with my people!’

The woman was but a flash along the streets, as she ran the quickest route to the Underground Complex.

The Complex was an area below with its street entrance barred and boarded up. A Spiritual Seal also locked it.

The woman looked at the Seal and felt its’ power. However, just as the physical barriers were not an obstacle for her, neither was the Seal. Going down the long stairs, she entered the Complex, ready to embrace its’ inhabitants – the Entities.

SM7.

From a chamber deep inside the AMP, Rally Cheyenne used her powers and watched her sister walk quickly and purposefully from Shibuya to the Underground Complex.

‘Why is she using the street? She could have just materialised there. Where are the Entities that normally accompany her?’ Rally thought to herself.

"Just what are you up to, Rosa?" she said aloud.

"Sorry Superintendent Rally, what did you say?" said Lebia over the intercom.

"Nothing, Lebia." Rally answered, as she saw Rosa go down the stairs into Complex.

The Underground Complex was an area infested with Entities. To contain them, the street entrance had barriers erected and a Great Spiritual Seal had been placed. At the Complex’s lowest level a Great Shinto Shrine barred the Entities. The Shrine was the home of the House of Yamigumo, who had been protecting Tokyo from Nemesis’s citizens for generations.

‘And Nami will certainly be worthy to carry on that responsibility.’ Rally thought proudly. Since Nami’s entrustment to the AMP by her Father, Rally saw the girl transform into a very capable, young woman. Rally was not happy that Nami wore her priest’s robes sometimes over her AMP uniform, but the work she did was exemplary as was her dedication to protecting this City. So Rally overlooked it.

Rally watched Rosa pass through the barriers and glance at Seal. Surprisingly, that was all Rosa did and continued passed it, into the Complex.

‘My Sister must have gained some power from somewhere.’ Rally thought, no longer able to follow. Being half an Entity herself, the Seal stopped her and her powers from entering. However, she was still able sense Rosa and the Entities within the Complex.

"Ah, excuse me Superintendent Rally. Katsumi, Kiddy and Yuki have arrived." Lebia said over the intercom.

"Good. I will be there shortly." Rally answered, drawing her power back. She walked to the door and it slid open with a whoosh. She noted the piece of sacred paper stuck there. It had Nami’s Spirit Shield talisman written on it, and although there had been not enough time to summon Nami to enable it, Rally had left it on there.

‘For luck.’ She reasoned. After all, she had already been lucky in having good people support her, as well as being her friends.

Rally exited the chamber and entered the open elevator. She pressed the button for the upper floor and pondered the day’s activities.

Earlier in the day, Rally had sensed an Entity like none she had ever felt. It was definitely in the City, but she had been too busy to deal with it. Then tonight, she felt its’ first surge of power. Without knowing the Entity’s exact whereabouts, she felt that it was near the area where the Mobile Police were handling a rogue Megadyne. She asked Chief Isozaki to send Kiddy and Katsumi to investigate, as again she was too busy to do it herself.

In hindsight, after she felt its second surge of power, she should have dropped the case of the stolen Chinese Prayer Wheel and looked for the Entity from her first sensing. Especially now that she had found out that it was Rosa. However, the Chinese Government had put considerable pressure on the Minister for the Wheel to be found.

"After all," they said. "It is Chinese National treasure stolen whilst in Japan’s care."

That line of reasoning did not convince Rally that the AMP should take the case, but the appeal of the Priest did.

The Priest had brought the Wheel to Japan’s Museum for display. He expressed that the Wheel had great Spiritual power, and that should it fall into the wrong hands...

‘What would the Entities do with such a thing? After all, it was a Holy object, spiritually empowered by the Holy prayers of Priests. Who else but another Priest could use it?’ she thought as the elevator arrived at the floor she wanted.

Still, the Wheel was proving to be very elusive and her search had not even given her a lead. As the doors opened and she walked to the AMP Operations room, she made up her mind on how to handle both cases. The sound of loud voices interrupted her thoughts and she entered the Ops room quietly.

"Kiddy, did you have to kick in my door? It’s going to cost a whole month’s pay to fix!"

"Now look! Katsumi and I thought you were …"

"Kiddy, you leave me out of this! I suggested we try the doorbell first…"

"Come off it, Katsumi! After Lebia’s panicky call, you thought, just like I did, that maybe that woman was in Yuki’s apartment!"

"I was not in a panic, Kiddy! I just said that I couldn’t get through on the phone!" Lebia said in her defence.

"Kiddy, you’re going to have to give me at least half the cost." Yuki said.

"No way! Not unless these two pay…Damn arm!" Kiddy said, remembering her broken arm as she tried to point at Katsumi and Lebia.

"Us pay?!" said Katsumi and Lebia together.

"Hey, I not the one who almost broke her foot kicking in Yuki’s door!" Katsumi said.

"Yeah, well how would you like it if I broke my other arm on yer face!?" Kiddy threatened.

"Ahem!" said Rally, clearing her throat.

"Oh! Superintendent Rally! Ma’am!" said Lebia, standing up from her console.

"Ma’am!" said Katsumi, Kiddy and Yuki together. The stood and faced her.

"Lebia, please call Chief Isozaki at home and ask her to come in immediately. Then look at my notes regarding the Chinese Prayer Wheel. I am giving that case over to Chief Isozaki and yourself, so please brief her when she arrives."

"Yes, ma’am." Lebia answered.

"Kiddy, you’re arm’s broken?"

"Ah yes, ma’am."

"Okay, Katsumi, Yuki and I will go with you to get it fixed. Then all of you can give me your reports and an opinion on why my sister is in Tokyo." Rally said, then turned and walked back to the elevator.

Katsumi, Kiddy and Yuki looked at each other with the same question on their minds: how did she know Rosa was here?!

"Are you all coming?" asked Rally from the elevator.

"Yes, ma’am!" all three of them said, racing to catch up.

SM 8.

Rosa crawled to the elevator and tiredly sat up against it.

"Priest!"

‘No need to shout, I am here.’

Rosa opened her mouth to respond, but instead let out a tired sigh.

‘You said that I was one of them.’ She said with her mind.

‘No, I did not. I just said you were overbalanced…’

‘Yes, which means I am more Entity than Human. So why did they attack me like that? … That big one was really tough.’

‘Yes, if not for the Seal, we may have been destroyed … so what now?’

Rosa cleared her mind but found it was still in turmoil. She had been beaten and it had left a bitter taste.

‘Alone, we cannot hope to bridge the gap between Humans and Entities. When you are balanced then maybe there is a chance of acceptance.’

‘Okay Priest, we’ll do it your way. But remember I am the person.’ Rosa said, as her form changed from female to male.

"Always." The Priest said.

The bell chimed signalling the arrival of a visitor.

"Who would be visiting so late?" Nami asked her sister.

"Ssshhhhh! Grandfather is asleep! You’ll wake him!" Her sister said, and continued in hushed tones: "It maybe pilgrims wanting lodging, please go and see."

"But…"

"Nami."

"Yes, Elder Sister." Nami said, recognising her Sister’s firm tone.

Still wearing her robes, Nami went from their living quarters, through the Shrine and down the steps. At the bottom was the Shrine’s Gate and standing there was a Priest. To Nami, he seemed very familiar.

Not too tall, a stocky build, long black hair and an open face. His expression became warm and friendly when he saw her approaching.

"Yamigumo Nami-san, how are you?"

"Well, thank you." Nami said, unsure where she had met this Priest. "And you?" she asked politely.

"I too, am well." He replied, stepping up to meet her. Before she could react, he reached out and held her hand. "In fact, better now that you are here."

Surprised, Nami jerked her hand away, slightly annoyed with the man’s forwardness and her inability to remember him.

"Oh! I am sorry if I offended you." The man said seriously and bowed to her. "I apologise."

Then a mischievous grin appeared on his face.

"So you will apologise to me for holding my hand when we were younger?"

"Hold your hand?" Nami repeated.

It triggered a long almost forgotten memory.

"Ishido? Ishido-san, is that you?!" Nami said excitedly.

"Nami-sama, it has been a long time." Ishido said smiling.

There was a silence as the two childhood friends stood opposite each other.

‘Ishido, what a man you have grown up to be. No longer that shy, reclusive boy that I used to tease.’ Nami thought.

When they were young children, Nami used to sneak up behind Ishido, throw her arms around and hug him. His reaction was to yelp with surprise and then he would struggle to get her off. Once he was free, he would run away and she would chase him, trying to hug him again or hold his hands.

Ishido had always been that way with affection or being touched by other people. Nami always thought it was just a game. A silly child’s game.

‘Now here you are, a boy no longer yet I still want to hug you.’ Nami thought.

As if he had heard her, Ishido moved one step below the one she was on. His robes swished as he held his arms out towards her.

"I don’t want to offend you again, Nami-san." Ishido said, looking into her eyes. She gave into her desire and hugged him. His arms wrapped around her and the side his face touched with hers.

"It is said that an affection returned is sweeter than one that is not." Ishido said quietly.

"Yes." Nami agreed. "Who said that, Ishido-san?"

"I just did." Ishido said chuckling. "Because I have just found out how true it is."

Nami broke their embrace suddenly, the reality that Ishido was no longer a boy sinking in.

"I…I’m sorry about that Yochiyo Ishido-san. Do you have business with Grandfather?" Nami said looking down, as her face blushed hotly.

"Er…No. But I do with you." Ishido said, recovering from her departure.

"With me?" Nami asked.

"Yes, Yamigumo Nami-san." said Ishido, serious again. Then that mischievous grin appeared again. "Would you like to go out with me tonight?"

Everything told Nami not to go.

It was late and she felt a little tired. But then again, she would probably perk up once they got there.

Sure, they had been friends when they were children, but she really did not know this Ishido. What if he was a murderer?

No. Ishido’s Father was a close friend of Nami’s Grandfather. She would have been told.

Something worse then. What if he had become an insect collector and he wanted her to see his whole crawling and slithering collection? Eeeekkkk!

But Ishido did not seem the type, and he did mention going to Shibuya, if she wanted.

Still, she was not sure.

Ah! She could not go anyway, Elder Sister would forbid it. Then again it would be fun to sneak out … And that’s what they did.

Nami returned inside and told her sister that it was a messenger asking for Grandfather to call Ishido’s Father in the morning. While Nami was talking, Ishido quietly stole into her room. Nami then excused herself to go to bed. She held herself back from running.

Opening the door slightly, she saw Ishido was getting changed into the clothes he had brought in a rucksack. She blushed again, seeing that he had grown up indeed. She waited until he had to fully change before entering. He was wearing clothes that were casual yet stylish. It was then she realised with alarm – she had nothing to wear!

Almost an hour later, they chose the clothes she would wear. It was too risky for Ishido to be outside, so he sat on her bed with his back to her. Nami changed as quick as she could, but when she finished she saw Ishido’s ears were red.

‘Eekk! He peeked!’ she thought. Then, looking at his back she thought: ‘Does it really matter?’

A mischievous grin spread across her face. She ran to him and threw her arms around and yelled: "Gotch’ya!"

Surprised, Ishido jerked forward to his feet. Somehow he tripped and together they landed on the floor. Nami was still on top and she tightened her grip, although she did feel that Ishido could easily dislodge her.

They rolled left then right; bumping into her bed, chairs and whatever else was in the bedroom. Finally, Ishido stopped struggling. Nami still had her arms around him, except now he was facing her and his arms encircled her.

"I give up." He said, breathing heavily and looking up at her.

"Yes, and that’s the way it should be." Said Nami with a triumphant huff and a victorious smile on her face. She released her arms and put them on his chest to prop herself up.

She looked down at his face. It was slightly reddened from the exertion. She saw that his lips were moist, and they moved from a smile to an invite. She looked back to his eyes and saw they were staring into hers. Slowly, she moved down to him.

"Uh…shall we go now?" he said and hoisted the rucksack over his shoulder.

Surprised by him again, Nami pulled back and saw that mischievous grin on his face. She nodded and laughed, and he laughed with her.

That’s the way the whole evening went.

They giggled as the snuck out of the Shrine. Talked and laughed as they had a late dinner. They laughed while shopping for clothes and things, as each of them tried to get the other to wear what they liked. And it was not necessarily something that gender would normally wear either!

They entered a Club and danced to the music’s loud thumping beat, laughing at each other’s frenzied and crazy movements. It didn’t matter that people around them thought they were strange and mad, all they cared about was each other.

Finally they left the Club, and arm in arm they walked back to the Underground Complex.

SM 9.

It had taken three hours for Kiddy’s arm to be fixed. Rally listened to the reports from Katsumi, Kiddy and Yuki. Finally, Rally sat quietly thinking about what they had said.

‘What or who was the white cloud that rescued Yuki using a dagger? And if Yuki had seen Rosa trapped, who was it that Katsumi and Kiddy saw in the alley? Much less trapped them in a Spirit shield that they said had no ring of talismans to create it?’ she thought to herself.

Siting there, Rally saw Katsumi fiddling with her hair bun. It was already tied up neatly, yet she insisted on re-tying it.

Kiddy was flexing her arm, even though it had been calibrated and tested at least forty minutes ago.

Yuki seemed to be the only one to make eye contact, but she would look down at her shoes then up then down again.

Rally sensed their reports did not add up, and they were all hiding something. But what?

"Okay." Rally said, getting up. "Let’s go to Nami’s house …"

"NO!" the three of them stood up and said. Katsumi and Kiddy looked at Yuki, surprised that she had the same reaction as they did.

Bewildered, Rally asked: "Why?"

"Well, er… Superintendent Rally, it’s just that um… Nami might be sleeping." Katsumi stumbled to say.

"Er, yeah. It takes Nami er … a long time to get to sleep! So we’re best off to visit her tomorrow." Kiddy added.

"Yes, tomorrow’s better I think." Yuki agreed.

‘So what they are not telling me has to do with Nami.’ Rally thought but said instead: "Rosa has entered the Underground Complex and we must find out what she is doing there. She maybe a threat to Nami and her family."

"Rosa’s gone to Nami’s house?…" Katsumi repeated, giving Kiddy a particular look. Kiddy stared back and then looked away, shaking her head.

"I … I don’t believe it." Yuki said shakily. Standing up, Rally could see this was her chance.

"All right. Who is going to be first to tell me about Nami and my sister?"

Katsumi and Kiddy sat quietly in the speeding Spinner. Rally and Yuki were following them. For long moments the only noise was of Katsumi steering and the night sounds of the City around them.

"Its not like we’ve betrayed Nami, you know." Kiddy said, looking straight ahead.

"Yeah, so why does it feel like we have." Katsumi replied, then they were quiet again.

‘Nami,’ Katsumi thought. ‘Why have you sided with Rosa?’

"Maybe she’s under a spell or something." Kiddy said, looking hopefully at Katsumi.

"Maybe." Katsumi said, but then why would Nami go home? Her family would probably have sensed the change. And when did that spell start? After all, Nami was fine when she left work today. She shook her head clear. It was too much to think about especially when they had no answers.

"We’re here." Katsumi said, steering the Spinner down. "Whatever we find Kiddy, I’ll always think of Nami as a friend."

"You’ve got that right." Kiddy replied, as their Spinner landed. They got out and watched the other Spinner land. The door opened and Yuki ran towards them.

"Katsumi! Kiddy! Rally’s called Nami’s house and Nami’s missing!" Yuki said.

"What?! How?…"

"Yes, it appears that Nami has been kidnapped." Rally said calmly, walking up to them. "Nami’s sister went to wake Nami but found her room in mess. It looks like she struggled with someone before being taken."

"There I told you, Katsumi! Nami would never go against her friends!" Kiddy said happily. Rally smiled a little as she saw the relief on Katsumi’s and Yuki’s faces.

"Okay. Nami’s Grandfather has removed the Seal temporarily to let us in. Our priorities are to find Rosa and rescue Nami. Is that understood?"

"Yes ma’am!" they answered Rally enthusiastically.

"Let’s go then." Rally said and led them down the steps.

Nami’s Sister had also told Rally about the visitor that came to the Shrine that night and that it appeared that Nami had let this person in willingly.

"Well," Rally said to Nami’s Sister. ‘If Nami is in trouble, she will need the AMP working together to get her out of this. If this is something that Nami has taken a willing part in … I will handle that when it comes."

SM 10.

"Chief Isozaki! I’ve seen those symbols before." Lebia said, examing a photo of the Chinese Prayer Wheel.

"Really? They seem to be ancient Chinese characters, moulded into the Wheel." Isozaki said. "I been told that they are randomly placed on it."

"Hmm, well I received a request earlier this week to try to identify them, although the request never mentioned that they came from this Wheel. But I thought the request was really strange when it asked me to use my database on Tokyo’s population."

"So what did you find, Lebia?"

"See on this screen? It’s display of some data from the database. At first I was not sure how to find these characters, but the request stated to look at this data as a collective whole." Lebia said. She manipulated the data so as to display more and more.

"Hmm. I see it." Said Izosaki, as a rough line through the data began to appear. As more data came on, the line became definite and longer. Finally, it displayed one of the characters. It was the Chinese character that roughly translated to mean a ‘Person’.

"I wonder what this means?" Isozaki said.

"I don’t know, Chief. But I did e-mail the information back." Lebia said.

"Who to, Lebia?"

"I don’t know who to exactly, Chief, but the request did come through with the authority from the House of Yamigumo."

"Nami’s family? Rally and the rest of the AMP are over there now." Isozaki said. She walked over to the window and saw rain beginning to fall.

"Lebia, get the Simurgh ready. We’re going over there now. I’ll advise Superintendent Rally that we are on the way."

"Yes, Chief." Replied Lebia, getting up and walking out.

Mana Isozaki picked up the phone. She wondered if there was just too much coincidence that Rosa Cheyenne was near the House of Yamigumo, where a stolen Prayer Wheel might be hiding.

Nami was content. Inspite of all her misgivings, she had had a fun night out with a special friend.

‘Maybe more than just a friend?’ she thought and pressed herself into the Ishido’s side. Ishido responded by putting his arm around her, not only trying to shelter her from the rain but keep her warmth be side him.

They walked towards the Underground Complex this way, as lovers do. Ishido mentioned something that happened at the Club and they laughed together, remembering it. Then they saw the AMP Spinners.

"Oh my! What are they doing here?" Nami wondered.

‘The AMP is here! Ask her now Priest!’ Rosa said directly to Ishido’s mind. He had forgotten about her. He decided to resist her. At least until Nami was safe.

‘Priest, we need her before we meet the AMP!’ Rosa said.

"Nami-san, do you know that I care for you very much?" Ishido asked. Nami looked at him, half expecting that cheeky grin. However, she saw that he was serious.

"Ishido-san, I do know." she said with a cheeky smile. Ishido looked at her face and memorised it.

It was the face of someone maturer and more beautiful than the girl he remembered in his youth. Even though he ran away from her, it did not stop him from falling love with her. It saddened him to think of what he was going to ask her to do. Was this really the future that he wanted for her?

Nami saw his expression sadden and she turned to hug him. His arms came around her, then she lifted her eyes to meet his.

Ishido saw her intent, but as much as he wanted to kiss her, it would only make things worse. Before she could get closer, he released his embrace and drew his rucksack between them. He had surprised her and he saw the disappoint clearly on her face.

"Please Nami-san, change into these." He said, opening the sack.

‘Priest! What are you doing?!’ Rosa said angrily.

"What are… Hey!… These are my robes! Why did you?…"

"Please Nami!" Ishido said. He could feel Rosa trying hard to usurp him.

‘Priest! You have betrayed me! I’ll make this girl pay for what you have done!’

"Quickly Nami! I’m sorry I don’t have time to …"

"Oh! I feel sick all of the sudden. That meal must have been … Hey! Ishido! Where are you going?!" Nami asked, as Ishido turned and ran to the Complex’s entrance.

"Please don’t forget me, Nami-san." He called back, as tears coursed down his face.

He had bolted down the stairs and was a fair way inside the Complex before he could resist Rosa no longer. He ducked into a room and his form fell away.

Katsumi saw Rally drop the phone. Then they all felt it. Katsumi felt nauseated and watched the others go pale. Only Rally seemed to be less affected, but Katsumi could tell whatever was causing them to be sick was getting stronger.

"Yuki!" Rally said tight-lipped and grabbed Yuki’s hand. Yuki nodded and a look of concentration appeared on their faces. After a few moments, Katsumi felt a little better.

"What was that?" Kiddy asked, her face still pale.

"Some sort of Entity. Behind us. Yuki, are you alright?" Rally asked the younger girl. She nodded in response, but Rally knew she was using all of her psychic ability to help her. Rally could hold out much longer but she would eventually tire.

"Over there? Come on Katsumi, lets get that Entity…"

"Wait Kiddy! We can’t leave Rally and Yuki unprotected. They’ve got come with us!" Katsumi said. Slowly, they helped Rally and Yuki towards the source. Yuki now had her eyes closed but she gripped Rally’s hand tightly.

"It’s in that room!" Katsumi said. It was like no other Entity she had ever felt before. She had sensed that there may be was a mid-level Entity already in the Complex, but it seemed to be staying away from them. Now, she could no longer sense it as this one overrode it.

As they neared the room, Kiddy released her hold on Yuki and charged forward.

"Wait Kiddy!" Katsumi said.

"Go," Rally said, her voice not as strong as before. "We’ll catch up."

Katsumi let go of Rally’s arm and ran after Kiddy. She could hear sounds of combat and heard Kiddy shout. As she entered, she saw Kiddy fly back against the wall.

"Well, well. If it isn’t Katsumi Liqueur. Didn’t you and Kiddy like the little prison I made?" said Rosa in a mocking tone.

Nami had rushed down the stairs calling Ishido’s name. She felt the presence of a strange Entity, which seemed to be making her sick. She quickened her pace. Ishido might be in danger. What had happened to the Seal?

As she rounded a bend she saw Rally slowly moving forward, with Yuki leaning on her heavily. She was going to call out but felt she would probably lose dinner if she did that. As she caught up to them, she started to feel better and sensed they were somehow lessening the Entity’s affect.

"Superintendent Rally! Yuki!" said Nami catching hold of Yuki’s arm to give Rally a hand. Yuki opened her eyes and Nami saw a look of alarm on her face. She weakly tried to draw her arm away from Nami.

"Yuki! It’s me! Nami! What’s going on?" Nami said, puzzled. She looked at Rally and saw suspicion on her face.

"Please! What’s the matter?" Nami said, pleadingly. They were her friends and she had to help them.

Rally watched Nami’s face. She felt and saw Nami’s genuine innocence and care. It appeared that Nami seemed to be unaware of the situation. Rally realised that she was relying on intuition rather than facts, but she knew Nami. Still it was a risk to trust her. Then they heard Katsumi scream.

"Was that Katsumi?…" Nami asked looking towards the room.

"Come on, Nami. Help us to get in." Rally said.

Yuki looked at Rally, who assured her with a nod. Yuki threw her arm around Nami’s shoulders and closed her eyes again. Together, Rally and Nami carried her into the room.

Sweat was rolling down Rally’s forehead and she was breathing heavily, as she fought the Entity’s strengthening effect as well as carrying Yuki into the room. But her breath caught suddenly, as she saw a wild-eyed Rosa with her hand outstretched. Her hand was emanating some power that was pinning Katsumi to the wall.

"Rally Cheyenne!" Rosa said, seeing her come in. She lowered her hand and Katsumi slumped to the floor. "At last you can see me audition for the AMP!"

Katsumi felt as if a she had just been in a garbage compactor. She was wheezing noisily for breath as she listened to Rosa’s unbelievable dialogue.

"See Rally, I more powerful than these two. I might be even more powerful than you! But don’t worry! I’ll still respect you as the senior person."

"You’re not my sister." Rally stated. "What are you?"

"What am I? Don’t you mean who am I?"

"What have you done with Ishido?!" Nami said, moving forward. Rosa looked at her and brought her hands together on her chest. With her forefingers and thumbs out, she crossed her other fingers and chanted.

"Watch out, Nami!" said Rally.

A light appeared in Rosa’s chest and revolved. Rosa pointed her forefingers towards Nami and two sacred talismans shot out and floated either side of her. Nami tried to move away but found she was trapped. Rosa pointed at Rally and Yuki and another talisman came out and floated next to them, trapping them. Rosa lowered her hands and the talismans and the light remained.

"Silly girl," Rosa said to Nami. "How could he love you? You are nothing compared to me."

Katsumi saw that Kiddy was lying on her side facing Rosa. She thought that Kiddy was unconscious, but saw Kiddy’s hand reach slowly behind her. Then muzzle of the Graviton appeared on Kiddy’s hip.

‘I’ve got to do something." Katsumi thought.

Then she sensed it. It was probably because she was lying on the floor that she could felt it rising from there. She saw Kiddy look to her and she held out her hand. Wait, Kiddy. Timing was crucial.

"Rally, I’ll make you a deal…" Rosa started.

"No you wont!" said Katsumi getting quickly to her feet. "It’s the AMP who are going to deal with you! Now, Kiddy!"

Kiddy fired the Graviton from where she was. Katsumi was surprised as Rosa reacted and dodged the shot, but Rosa could not escape erupting ground as the Entity struck up from below.

With a loud crack Rosa was smashed into the ceiling by the misshapen Entity. It seemed to try to pin her there and squash her completely.

Rosa screamed and Katsumi felt her power emanate. The Entity’s form shuddered once. Then it resumed to push up. Katsumi felt Rosa’s power double and she began to feel sick again. She looked to Rally, who was now on the ground. Yuki looked to be unconscious.

"Be ready, Kiddy." Katsumi said, as she saw Kiddy regain her feet. The Graviton was shaking slightly in her hands, but Katsumi saw her determination.

"Katsumi!" shouted Nami, as the Entity’s form shuddered again.

Katsumi saw the floating talismans around Nami and realised her and Kiddy’s mistake. How could they ever think Nami would go against them?

"Kiddy! Let’s go!" Katsumi said moving towards Nami. The Entity’s body was shivering now uncontrollably and as soon as Katsumi and Kiddy reached the outside of the Spirit shield holding Nami, the Entity collapsed back through the floor.

Rosa landed on her feet before them. To them, she looked undamaged by the attack, but Katsumi saw Rosa’s form disappear for a few seconds. She and Kiddy gasped as they recognized the missing Megadyne. Then Rosa was back.

"Why?! Why won’t you accept me? I am a person who will bridge the gap between Entities and Humans!" Rosa shouted.

"No..you are an Abomination." Nami said. "That’s why Nature will not accept you and that’s why we won’t either."

"Why you! I should crush … Priest! What are you doing?" Rosa said as the revolving light inside her dimmed. Nami chanted and took a step forward. Rosa gritted her teeth and the light shone bright again.

"Kiddy!" Katsumi said, then incanted a force spell.

"Right!" Kiddy said firing the Graviton at Rosa. Another couple of talismans flew out towards them blocking the Graviton’s fire and Katsumi’s spell. But only just.

Nami took another step forward and overshadowed Katsumi and Kiddy from Rosa. Two talismans disappeared.

"No! Get back!" Rosa screamed, as the light dimmed again. Nami went to take another step but her movements seemed slowed.

Katsumi stepped up behind Nami. She raised her hands in a looping arc up and said the words to dispel the slowness. Holding the invisible cylinder again, she made a funnel of her hands to suit Nami’s height. Nami walked forward at normal pace but Rosa’s arms came out and grabbed her.

"Stay away from me!" Rosa shouted digging her fingers into Nami.

"I don’t think so!" Kiddy yelled, running up from behind Nami. She jumped behind Rosa and dragged her arms off Nami.

"NOOOOO!" Rosa screamed.

"Hurry Nami!" Kiddy said, struggling to keep Rosa’s arms pinned.

Nami chanted some more, then her hands reached into Rosa’s exposed chest. Rosa screamed as Nami seized the revolving light and withdrew it.

"I am the personnnnnnnn…" Rosa said as her form began to fade.

Nami finished chanting and the light faded out. She pushed her hands onto the Chinese Prayer Wheel and it stopped spinning.

Kiddy felt the trapped arms go slack and released what was now the Megadyne. It clattered noisily to the floor, a harmless pile of junk.

Katsumi released her spell, but turned to face Rosa Cheyenne.

"Well done, AMP." she said.

She then turned to Rally, who was getting up from the floor.

"Till we meet again, Sister." She said and vanished.

"Yeah, next time all you’ll be seeing is the Graviton." Said Kiddy, waving the weapon at the empty space.

"Yuki!" Katsumi said and came over to help her and Rally up.

While Katsumi was helping Yuki, Rally approached Nami, who was still holding the Wheel.

"So, is this a friend of yours?" she asked Nami.

"Yes." Nami answered looking at the Ancient characters on the Wheel. "I guess he figured it out. Please Superintendent Rally," Nami turned to Rally and offered the Wheel. "This Wheel can generate the perfect Spirit Shield and would be a valuable asset to the AMP."

"Hmmm." Rally said but did not reach out to take the Wheel. "Is this what you want, Nami?"

Kiddy walked over to Katsumi and Yuki. They were all watching as Nami looked away.

"No." Nami replied. "But I know that he didn’t mean to cause so much trouble. This is his way of making reparations."

"What are they going on about?" Kiddy asked Katsumi. But all Katsumi did was shake her head.

"Well, would the AMP require such as weapon? I don’t know," Rally said, as Nami looked back to her hoping. "I believe the Weapons Research and Development Division already has such a thing. I don’t see any need for it." Nami smiled at Rally.

"I think you had better disarm the weapon, Nami."

"Yes ma’am." Nami answered. She closed her eyes and began to chant. She released her hand from the top of the Wheel and it began to revolve on the palm of her other hand. A golden light began to shine out.

"Yoichi Ishido-san … I call for your Spirit to be released." Nami said. The light from the Wheel became unbearable to watch and so none of them saw Ishido come out from the Wheel. Ishido walked over to Rally. He then bowed his head and kneeled before her.

"Next time you come to Tokyo, Yoichi-san, please just make an appointment to see us." Rally said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "And tell your Father that you were no trouble." Ishido looked up and Rally gave him a curt smile. "Yuki, Kiddy, Katsumi are you all right?"

Still standing there stunned by what they had seen, it was Katsumi who shakily replied for the three of them: "Ah… yes ma’am."

"Good." Rally said. She retrieved the Wheel from Nami and handed it to Yuki. "Nami, don’t be too late, I want to see you in my office. Okay, let’s go!"

With that Rally left the room with Yuki behind her.

"Wait a minute!" Kiddy said in a hushed voice. "Katsumi! You mean to tell me he was powering the Spirit shield from inside that Wheel?"

"Come on, Kiddy! Let’s go!" Katsumi said, grabbing Kiddy by the shoulder. She gave Nami a wink as they also left the room.

"I … I’m very sorry." Said Ishido, still down on his knees.

Nami walked up next to him.

"Putting me and my friends in danger is already one bad thing." Nami said then looked down on him. "To do what you did to me tonight … you were going to incorporate me in that thing weren’t you?"

"Yes." He answered. Nami walked towards the room’s exit.

"Well, come on. I will ask Grandfather to get you some transport home." Nami said. Angrily, she walked out of the room and had taken a few steps before she realised that he was not following.

‘Rot down here, Ishido. I don’t care …’ she thought, but turned back anyway. Before she entered the room she heard him say quietly: "Nami-sama, I never wanted to hurt you. I’m sorry that I am not worthy of your love. But I …I … I do love you. Goodbye."

The she heard him shuffle to his feet and move towards her. Quickly, she turned and resumed walking away.

SM 11.

"So this wheel can accept the Spirit of a person?" Mana asked Rally. They were inside Rally’s office discussing Nami’s report.

"Yes Mana and then Ishido was able to emit Holy Talismans to start a Spirit Shield. He used this power to entrap my sister. He then used the Megadyne to house their fusion so that the person created would be accepted by Humans. However it could also change form so as to be accepted by Entities."

"But the mix wasn’t quite right," Mana said, feeling the Wheel’s surface.

"No and that’s why he went after Nami. He has great respect for her and that’s probably the reason why he appeared that way toYuki."

"I wonder …if he could do it maybe I or Nami …"

"No Mana," Rally interrupted her. "The Wheel only accepts one Spirit at a time. And then it is different for each Spirit. I know this because the characters have moved."

"By themselves?" asked Mana looking at them closely.

"Yes and very subtly too. It will be a long time before another person can do what Ishido did." Rally said and looked out the window.

"Did Nami have anything to say about Ishido?" Mana asked.

"No," Rally answered. "But we might hear something about it this afternoon. I gave Nami some time off. I believe she said something about giving Ishido a chance."

Mana shot Rally an inquiring glance.

"To get back his rucksack." Rally said with a smile.

THE END.