Bible 2.0: Closet Deist

[CarRepairer]

lol shadowrun.

[Zoombie]

Lol Shadowrun!

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ÔÇ£I'd tell you you're kidding b-but,ÔÇØ He said, trailing off. Partially because, well, he had seen the Elves and their little factories and with their coats and bow-ties. And partially because, well, she was still holding his hand, sending little bits of electricity through him.

ÔÇ£Daniel?ÔÇØ Tybalt's voice called out. Daniel let go in a hurry. After all...she WAS his 'cousin.'

Chapter Seven: Monday Afternoon

Tybalt dropped Gitta and Daniel off. They walked inside and wrote on the Bible some more. Then, to relax, they ate some leftovers from the fridge and watched old Hitchcock movies. Then they went to sleep.

why are you looking at me like that? What do you mean Chapter Eight?

...oh right! It was TUSEDAY where everything went to shit. Sorry. Chapter Eight should really be more like, Chapter Thirteen.

Chapter Nine: The Melancholy Reflections of Hiraku Watanabe

Hiraku Watanabe knelt before his shrine and bowed, slowly, till his forehead touched the wood before him. The shrine was not as it should have been...in this day and age of the Religions of the Book and rapid and intercontinental travel, there were a lack of true Shinto shrines in other nations. And so, Hiraku packed his own shrine, as he had no real home to call his own. He and his Clan had been cast from Japan itself in the silent wars of the late 80s, and now he sought a new home. Unfortunately, few wished to take up a Clan of ninjas that had no home and many enemies.

However, an unlikely alliance had formed...when Hikaru's third cousin, a naive boy, had taken up with Catholicism. Somehow, the lad had managed to marry Catholicism and Shinto and Buddhism into some kind of slouching monstrosity of a faith that he and his fellow Ninjas called ÔÇ£SkunkÔÇØ for no readily apparent reason.

However, it was not until Hiraku, being their protector, went to their local church to make sure that the priest there was not a child molester, that things really changed. Hiraku had heard much to do with child molesters, but he could not remember if that had been recently or a decade ago. Either way, he really did not want the kind of attention that eviscerated priests had a way of drawing. There, though, he had found a Priest, backed against a wall with a strange man about to use his terrible jaw to rip out his throat.

Hiraku leaped from the shadows and lopped the strange man's head right off. At which point, the attacker burst into flames, then turned to dust, which blew away. The Priest coughed, then thanked the strange, black clothed man before him.

And thus, Hiraku found that other peoples had their own quiet wars. The Catholic Church had many enemies as well: Vampires, werewolves, deamon cults, and (of course) Scientologists. They were undermanned, outgunned, and losing on many fronts...but they had enough money to buy the Watanabe Clan a home.

Hiraku lifted his head up, sighing softly. Then he closed the briefcase he had his shrine packed into, compressing it down. He murmured an apology to his ancestors, Buddha, and the spirits. That finished, he turned around and sat down at the desk in his hotel room. He slid a paper free and read notes on this...Daniel D. Danton.

A thoroughly unremarkable atheist, he had no connections to anything dangerous. He was not even a LARPer. But recently, he had begun to E-mail himself some kind of new Biblical text that, according to church augers, was...dangerous.

Hiraku sighed, slowly. His stomach turned slowly over and he crossed his arms over his chest. Something felt...different about this mission. As though it were important. Dangerous. He shook his head, then stood and cleared off a space with witch to warm up.

Afterall, he had some planning to do before he assassinated Daniel and destroyed this...Bible 2.0.

Chapter Ten: Skunk

Daniel lounged in his sofa, dreading the end of the morning news announcements. Why? Cause it meant that he'd have to go in for Tuesday and face another day of trying to figure out what the flipping hell he FELT about Gitta and Cindi and...

ÔÇ£And now, for some youth news, we have Drew Struzan,ÔÇØ The newscaster said through clenched teeth that COULD have been a smile if you couldn't see every vein in his neck.

The camera jerked too Drew, a youthful girl with really huge eyes. ÔÇ£Well, Tom,ÔÇØ She said. ÔÇ£There is a new craze going through kids in Julian High School, and its called Skunk.ÔÇØ

A quick clip of some kids wearing black headbands, waving crosses while chanting something in horribly mispronounced Japanese.

ÔÇ£Apparently, a synthesis of Buddhism, Shine-toe and Christianity, Skunk has taken this high school by storm-ÔÇØ

The shower door clicked open and Daniel craned his head back, looking at Gitta. ÔÇ£Hey!ÔÇØ He called. ÔÇ£Ever hear of Skunk?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Those are those things that squirt stink outta their bums?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£No, its like this new religion thingy.ÔÇØ He bit his lip. ÔÇ£Think someone beat us to the punch?ÔÇØ

Gitta looked worried. ÔÇ£I...don't know.ÔÇØ She walked over to the sofa and plopped down, watching the 3V as well. She bit her lip.

ÔÇ£Its like...we're not unique anymore!ÔÇØ Daniel whispered. ÔÇ£T-They beat us to the punch!ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Those bastards!ÔÇØ

The news report ended and the two looked at one another. ÔÇ£We...ÔÇØ Daniel growled. ÔÇ£Should totally make a better religion than them!ÔÇØ

Gitta nodded.

ÔÇ£But wait,ÔÇØ Daniel held his finger up, his common sense rearing its ugly head. ÔÇ£I just had a better idea. Lets just incorporate it into our religion!ÔÇØ

Gitta looked unsure, biting her lip in that cute way she had.

ÔÇ£Christians did it all the time back in the early days!ÔÇØ

She nodded. ÔÇ£I suppose...ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£And, hey, maybe someone at school would know.ÔÇØ Daniel snapped his finger. ÔÇ£In fact! I know JUST who would know!ÔÇØ

Chapter Eleven: The search for Skunk

ÔÇ£Skunk?ÔÇØ Ami looked up from the table she sat at, her burger dribbling with ketchup. ÔÇ£Why do you wanna know about Skunk, Daniel?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Uh...ÔÇØ Daniel gulped. ÔÇ£I-Its for a project. Ya know. Essay, for class. That is.ÔÇØ

Ami cocked her head, musing. More ketchup dribbled off of her burger, plopping onto the plate. ÔÇ£I think that new kid, Jamie, he's into Skunk.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Me? Skunk?ÔÇØ Jamie looked quizzically, first at Daniel, then at Gitta. ÔÇ£Nah, I don't know anything about Skunk. Who said I know something about Skunk?ÔÇØ

Daniel sighed and Gitta crossed her arms over her chest. ÔÇ£Ami told us you were into it.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Amy?ÔÇØ Jamie blinked. ÔÇ£I don't know any Amy.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Ami with an I.ÔÇØ Gitta added, helpfully.

ÔÇ£Oooh, THAT Ami. Yeah, um, no, I'm not into Skunk. I think Keven is.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Skunk!ÔÇØ Keven turned around from his locker, closing it with a clang. ÔÇ£Yeah, I'm in it, why do you ask?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Project.ÔÇØ Gitta and Daniel said at the same time.

ÔÇ£Well...ÔÇØ Keven crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back against the locker. He rolled his head back, closing his eyes. ÔÇ£How to explain this...Skunk is l-like...this new movement! Its like, the most awesome religion I had ever heard of. I mean, before I was, ya know, kinda into this whole Christianity thing, but like Skunk made way more sense to me.ÔÇØ

Gitta and Daniel both nodded. ÔÇ£Who got you into it, though?ÔÇØ Daniel asked. ÔÇ£Like...a head hauncho?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Well,ÔÇØ Keven bit his lip. ÔÇ£I dunnkow. I just kinda found this webpage.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Oh?ÔÇØ Gitta grinned. ÔÇ£Could I have the link?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Sure thing babe.ÔÇØ Keven took out his pen, then scribbled it down on Gitta's arm. Then he slung his backpack over his shoulder and hustled off, as lunch was ending soon. Gitta pumped her fist and Daniel tried to suppress a completely and totally irrational burst of anger for Keven's flippant use of the word 'babe'.

ÔÇ£Yes! Now we can get their info.ÔÇØ She pursed her lips. ÔÇ£Now, I know its not my department, but this Skunk thing is weird.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Oh really?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Yeah! Really.ÔÇØ She frowned. ÔÇ£I had to convince the Big to not hit you with a lightning bolt!ÔÇØ

Daniel gulped.

ÔÇ£Also,ÔÇØ Gitta went on. ÔÇ£You'd think that I'd have heard about this at a staff meeting or something. I know I got a lot of warning before Scientology showed up...ÔÇØ

Daniel looked around, feeling as though he were wearing a lightning rod or something. ÔÇ£W-Well, uh...ÔÇØ He bit his lip. ÔÇ£Can we get that down on paper?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Sure!ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Hey Daniel!ÔÇØ Daniel turned around and Cindi waved at him before walking over. Daniel grinned. Despite everything else, Cindi was a sight to put a smile on someone's face. Not just because of her amazing breasts (though amazing they were) but also because of the simple happiness of her. She was like the sun coming out from behind the cloud, or the brilliance of a nuclear bomb.

ÔÇ£Hey Cindi!ÔÇØ He said.

ÔÇ£So, uh...today is your Shadowrun Club thing, right?ÔÇØ

Daniel blinked. Fuck. He had forgotten. That was a first. ÔÇ£Uh uh hu hu, yeah.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Cool!ÔÇØ Cindi bit her lip. ÔÇ£I...I was just wondering if I could j-join?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Sure!ÔÇØ Daniel said without thinking a jot.

ÔÇ£Can I come too?ÔÇØ Gitta asked, her voice squeaking slightly.

Daniel turned and looked at her, eyes wide. Gitta scowled at him. Oh right, she was a Guardian Angel.

Flashback: ÔÇ£I can't get more then ten meters away from you.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Why?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£I'm your guardian angel, that's why.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Sure.ÔÇØ Daniel said, his voice strained.

ÔÇ£Thanks!ÔÇØ Cindi beamed, then kissed him on the lips. Her lips were feather soft and warm and it was over way too quick. On the one hand, it was rather anti-climactic for his first kiss. For another thing, it was totally the most awesome thing ever. Cindi flushed. ÔÇ£S-Sorry.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£N-Nah, I'm good.ÔÇØ Daniel said, his voice catching.

ÔÇ£Well...ÔÇØ Awkward pause. ÔÇ£See ya!ÔÇØ

Daniel looked at Gitta. ÔÇ£Um...ÔÇØ

She looked white. And in that instant, Daniel realized it. She liked him. Liked liked him.

Life had just gotten really complicateder.

[Zoombie]

I should mention that the elves never happened.

[[TS]Lollocide]

And then Zoombie was the zombies

[Zoombie]

More stuff!

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ÔÇ£Heeeellloooooo my sweets!ÔÇØ Tybalt purred, sliding over and sliding his arms around Gitta and Daniel's shoulders, hugging them both tightly. He kissed Gitta on the forehead, then Daniel on the lips, then laughed. ÔÇ£I just got...an A PLUS!ÔÇØ

He brought up his Chemistry test with a flourish, grinning between them.

ÔÇ£Awesome!ÔÇØ Gitta and Daniel said, both of them using an entirely false tone of voice. Tybalt, being an astute person, noticed. He smiled, not letting them know.

ÔÇ£Say,ÔÇØ He said, putting his hand on Daniel's chest. ÔÇ£I think Daniel and I need to go and freshen up.ÔÇØ He gestured at Daniel's face. ÔÇ£See? He needs his lipstick!ÔÇØ

Gitta nodded, and then Daniel was dragged off into the bathroom.

Tybalt looked around in the bathroom, then nodded at Daniel. ÔÇ£Its clear.ÔÇØ

They walked in and Tybalt pirouetted around to look at Daniel. ÔÇ£Whats the deal, bro?ÔÇØ

Daniel drew in a deep breath, opened his mouth. Closed it. Opened. Closed. Opened. Closed. Opened.

ÔÇ£Dear, you look like a fish.ÔÇØ Tybalt smiled, a bit sadly. ÔÇ£Its Cindi, is it not? I knew that getting involved with that femme fatal would be the end of you! What is it? Cyanide capsule in the kiss? A poisoned dagger to the back?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£I...ÔÇØ Daniel bit his lip. ÔÇ£Okay, Tybalt...I need to level with you. Gitta...is not my cousin.ÔÇØ

Tybalt gaped. Then he snapped to full straightness. ÔÇ£I KNEW IT!ÔÇØ He leaned in. ÔÇ£Who is she? Tell, before I die of suspense.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£She's...a...friend.ÔÇØ Daniel bit his lip. ÔÇ£Like...okay, like, I asked Cindi out, and it was good. But then I meet Gitta and she's just a friend friend, and like, um...ÔÇØ He put his hand behind his head. ÔÇ£I like...feel. For Gitta.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Feel.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£And for Cindi too. And, uh, Cindi just pecked me on the lips and and...well...you saw Gitta's face!ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£All white and horrified?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Yes.ÔÇØ Daniel put his hand on his face. ÔÇ£And like, there are complications with Gitta, like...ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Not 'couisnish' complications, right?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Right.ÔÇØ

Tybalt frowned. ÔÇ£I'm not getting the full pic-a-ture am I?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£No.ÔÇØ Daniel sighed. ÔÇ£And you're not gonna.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£I can't help you if you're like that...ÔÇØ

Gitta was biting her knuckle. Hard. Her ear was at the door, her heart going a mile a second. Daniel liked her. She liked him. Cindi liked Daniel. Daniel liked Cindi. She hated Cindi. Cindi was friendly with her.

Angels were not supposed to get into these kinds of situations!

She slipped away from the bathroom and walked into the girl's bathroom. She sat down on a toilet with its seat down and sighed, putting her head in her hands. Then she started to think. Think really really hard.

Oh, and cry too. The tears came fast and hot and dribbled down her cheeks into her hands. It was like there was this big old knot in her stomach. She rolled her head back and sighed, trying to unclench her jaws. Her wings fluttered and became visible and corporeal, ripping holes in her shirt. They slammed against the walls of the stall, a single feather fluttering down too rest on the ground.

PLOT POINT PLOT POINT.

She shook her head, sniffing. ÔÇ£Ich bin ein Narr von Hause aus.ÔÇØ She rubbed her wing joint and forced then to become invisible and incorporeal. ÔÇ£Now my shirt is broken...ÔÇØ

And it was her nice shirt. Daniel had picked it out for her, cause it had a little devil on it and that had been funny. Gitta closed her eyes and sighed. ÔÇ£Okay,ÔÇØ She whispered in English. ÔÇ£Get a grip, you're not sixteen. You're not stupid.ÔÇØ

She sighed and opened the stall. She bit her lip, then...tried...just tried for a single moment too imagine what would happen if she...let it happen between her and Daniel. She imagined kissing him. She imagined French kissing him. She imagined things Angels were definitely NOT supposed to imagine...and she was shocked at how appealing it all was. She squirmed on the toilet seat, closing her eyes.

Despite her interest, despite her shockingly vivid mental images, despite everything...she knew that it was impossible. Daniel deserved a nice, normal, human girl. One that wouldn't leave once he didn't need guarding. One that didn't...

She sighed, looking up at the stall door. It was shiny and reflective, a bit warped. Her eyes were huge and her lower jaw was shrunk to a small point, making her look like a warped and weird goblinoid.

She murmured to herself. ÔÇ£I'm going to have to do...ÔÇØ

Chapter Twelve: The Talk

ÔÇ£Daniel, we need to talk.ÔÇØ

Were there any worse four word combinations in the English language? Daniel started compiling a list to distract himself from those words. Lets see, 'your entire family died.' 'You have terminal cancer'. 'Hitler lives once more.' 'The robots are rebelling-'

ÔÇ£See, like...ÔÇØ Gitta laced her fingers together, glancing around the most quiet and secluded corner of Meadows High (jammed between the Gym and the fence). ÔÇ£I...have feelings for you.ÔÇØ

Daniel bit his lip.

ÔÇ£But...we can't...

ÔÇ£Yeah.ÔÇØ Daniel said.

ÔÇ£It'd be...

ÔÇ£Inappropriate.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£And, well, we should...ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Stay professional.ÔÇØ They said exactly at the same moment.

They both nodded.

ÔÇ£Good!ÔÇØ Daniel forced a smile to his face. ÔÇ£You know, I know that we had some kinda...ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Unresolved feelings.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Yeah.ÔÇØ Daniel nodded again. He felt like his head was a bobble. A bobble head. Bobble bobble bobble.

ÔÇ£So, now they're in the open.ÔÇØ Gitta laced and unlaced her fingers. ÔÇ£And now that we're like...we can like...ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Work without compromising our professional integrity.ÔÇØ

They both nodded. This was very professional, very mature, very reasonable.

So why do I feel like shit? They both thought in unison, even as they smiled and shook.

ÔÇ£So, uh...whens that Shadowrun thing?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Soon, actually.ÔÇØ Daniel bit his lip, looking at his watch. ÔÇ£I just have a wee problem. See, all my rule books and maps are back home. But if Tybalt comes out right now, we can make it back home in a hurry...and then come back and then be ready before school ends.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Okay. Um, isn't this like, Choir?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Yeah.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£And isn't Choir stuffed full of cute boys?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Also yes.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Scheisse.ÔÇØ Gitta narrowed her eyes. ÔÇ£You could always-ÔÇØ

She looked at Daniel. No, that was a stupid thing to suggest.

ÔÇ£We could always...ÔÇØ She put her hands behind her back, looking down. ÔÇ£Borrow...Tybalt's car.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Borrow?ÔÇØ Daniel cocked an eyebrow.

ÔÇ£We'll give it right back!ÔÇØ Gitta put her hands together. ÔÇ£And don't worry, I know how to drive.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£And hack a car?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Well...no. I know how to use magic, though.ÔÇØ Gitta wiggled her fingers. ÔÇ£Angel magic!ÔÇØ

Daniel bit his lip, looking at his watch. The time was ticking by, faster and faster every second. He looked up at Gitta. She was grinning. Oh how could he say no to that?

ÔÇ£Lets do it!ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Okay!ÔÇØ Gitta turned and started to jog and he noticed that her shirt had two big holes in it.

ÔÇ£Whoa, whoa whoa,ÔÇØ He walked after her, even as she got to Tybalt's car. She looked up, hand on the door. ÔÇ£What happened to your shirt!?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£What?ÔÇØ She narrowed her eyes and Daniel could almost see the gears clattering along her brain, trying our various excuses and possible reasons and other lies. The gears jammed and her face jammed as well, her eyes closing. ÔÇ£Cause...I...ÔÇØ She said, drawing out the I to fill at least three paragraphs.

ÔÇ£Cause I what?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Cause I...ÔÇØ Gitta bit her lip. Was so distraught at the idea of having with you and then...my wings popped out without me thinking about it? She didn't say that out loud. And yes, she was afraid to think of the word...

(Feelings)

ÔÇ£Cause I...ÔÇØ She started for the third time. ÔÇ£...when...we talked, you...felt bad, right?ÔÇØ

Daniel blinked, but she saw the answer in his eyes...she had known it already.

ÔÇ£You're not the only one.ÔÇØ She said, softly, looking down.

ÔÇ£T...Then why do we have to be fucking professional!?ÔÇØ Daniel shouted. Gitta's head snapped up. ÔÇ£You feel it, I feel it...lets just...feel it!ÔÇØ

He slid around the hood of the car, fingers dragging along the metal. He felt a weird jangling in his chest, like his heart was a keyring held in a dog's teeth.

ÔÇ£But I don't...we can't!ÔÇØ Gitta put her hand on his chest, stopping him from...what? Daniel wasn't quite sure. Was he going to keep walking or stop? Well, to keep walking would be kind of a dick thing to do. So he stopped.

ÔÇ£Why not?ÔÇØ Daniel asked, trying to not sound pathetic or whiny...but he just knew he sounded like both. Probably like a jerk too.

ÔÇ£B...Because!ÔÇØ Gitta snapped. ÔÇ£Because I'm leaving in two months!ÔÇØ

Daniel jerked backwards, almost falling down. ÔÇ£Y...You w...you what?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£I'm leaving in two months!ÔÇØ She said, her teeth clenched. ÔÇ£Daniel, you're just a temporary assignment, okay? You...you were just supposed to be an easy job, to just...make sure you stayed good, and...and didn't get killed or anything. It was just a...a trial run.ÔÇØ

She looked at her feet.

ÔÇ£If I got you through...then I got my old job back.ÔÇØ

Daniel looked at his feet as well.

ÔÇ£I didn't expect...this.ÔÇØ Gitta sighed. ÔÇ£And I don't want it.ÔÇØ Unspoken words rang in her mind. Again. I don't want it again.

Daniel sighed. ÔÇ£So, you go away and...and what?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£And you live your life like before.ÔÇØ Gitta scowled. ÔÇ£Or you would, if I hadn't let you talk me into this stupid Bible thing!ÔÇØ

Daniel looked up at her. ÔÇ£So...that's not on the plan.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£You already knew that.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£If that's not on the plan...why don't we just...fuck the plan?ÔÇØ He looked into her eyes.

Gitta's mouth worked. It opened. Then it closed. ÔÇ£I...can't do that for you.ÔÇØ She opened the door and got in. ÔÇ£I'm sorry.ÔÇØ

Her voice was thick, like there was a sock jammed down her throat. Daniel opened his door and sat down as well. And then Gitta waved her hand over the car's steering wheel. The car purred to life, and then Gitta drove off.

Neither of them talked.

Daniel's house came up, Daniel popped out and ran up to the front door. Gitta sighed and relaxed back into her seat, putting her hands over her face, sighing again.

Daniel opened the door, then closed it moments before a shuriken thudded into the wood, sinking almost entirely into the door. A few moments later, Daniel came out bundling a large binder and three hardbound rulebooks. He clambered into the car, which sped off.

A moment later, the shuriken was silently retrieved by Hiraku, his arm snaking out of a small bush near the front door, then slipping back in. A few moments after that, he strode away in plain clothes, looking all the world as though he was just whistling gaily as he walked through the rather picturesque neighborhood.

Daniel adjusted the books on his lap, then sighed, looking at Gitta. ÔÇ£I...I'm sorry.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Hrrm?ÔÇØ She didn't take her eyes from the road and her knuckles were white. Daniel wondered if it was because she was angry at him...or if because she wasn't used to the car or something. As the narration is in his head at this time, we'll never know.

ÔÇ£About earlier.ÔÇØ He looked down. ÔÇ£I was kinda jerky.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Its all right.ÔÇØ Gitta sighed. ÔÇ£This is kinda confusing for both of us.ÔÇØ She bit her lip. ÔÇ£I haven't...had a ward like you for a long time.ÔÇØ

Daniel nodded, slowly. ÔÇ£It'd be like trying to ride a bike after not being allowed to ride a bike a few times.ÔÇØ

Gitta looked at him, her brow furrowing.

ÔÇ£I mean, like...nevermind.ÔÇØ Daniel sighed, looking out his window at the buildings whizzing by.

They arrived at Meadow High School with a few minutes to spare. Gitta parked the car where they had left it, then they quietly slipped out and started walking.

ÔÇ£So, um, Shadowrun is a game that takes place in the future,ÔÇØ Daniel said. ÔÇ£Well, its an old game, so they kept having to roll forward what the future is. Anywho, its in the future, but magic came back.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Magic?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Yeah. Like...you know. Magic.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£That actually sounds kinda cool.ÔÇØ

Daniel and her walked towards the room that the school ever so graciously allowed them to borrow for their Shadowrun games. Before the club had been official (And it had taken weeks of slogging through paperwork and various bits of minutia and red tape to get that bit of offical busy work out of the way) they had met behind the gym. The only problem was that every other time, the oversexed Goth kids met back there to do some Vampire LARPs.

And nothing. NOTHING. Irritated Daniel more than oversexed Goth kids LARPing. First, they were actually getting laid, and secondly, they were LARPing!

Eeeeew!

Gitta opened the door for Daniel, who walked in and looked about himself. The room was fairly cramped, fairly smelly, and fairly dark. But it was home. The Shadowrunners had made it that way, with the little refrigerator they kept stocked with drinks and sodas. The vintage Watchmen posters. The pervading smell of nerd. He turned to Gitta. ÔÇ£Come on, lets start making your character.ÔÇØ

They both plopped down at the table and Daniel cracked open the books, even as the posters looked down silently.

ÔÇ£So, first, you need to choose your race.ÔÇØ Daniel pointed down at the paper. Gitta nodded, her shoulder pressing to his. ÔÇ£And, um, well, I'd suggest we figure what kind of...character you'd be interested in playing.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Could I be like, a wizard?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Sure!ÔÇØ He looked up, grinning. Then, with the suddenness that comes from crazy impulses that should never be followed and yet they always are, he moved forward and kissed her. His lips pressed to hers and their noses bumped. She turned her head and returned the kiss, moaning softly at the back of her throat. Daniel's hand slid along her cheek and he pressed into her, the table sliding away from them, the room collapsing and falling apart till they floated in black space, with nothing but each other.

Her tongue pressed into his mouth. He pressed back. She grabbed his hips and slid herself onto his chair, her hips spreading to either side of him. His neck craned up as his hands slid down her bac, to her ass. He squeezed. She gasped/moaned, rolling her head back, eyes closed. Daniel pressed his lips to her neck and sucked, teeth nipping gently.

Gitta made a soft gasping noise, fingers on his shoulders. She leaned down in for the next kiss. Daniel felt like he had been clouted on the side of the head, but his hands and lips and body was smarter than his brain was. While his brain was panicking/marveling, his body was kissing Gitta like the world was going to end.

After a thousand years, or about thirty seconds, Gitta drew back, panting. She slid off of his chair and back onto her own, her body trailing out from between his fingertips like a fog.

They sat there, both of then panting softly, silence stretching out between them. The posters on the wall watched them.

ÔÇ£S...So if you want to be a wizard,ÔÇØ Daniel said, looking at his hands. ÔÇ£You're gonna have to priorities your skill points...ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Yeah, that'd be good.ÔÇØ Gitta turned her chair back to the table. ÔÇ£M-Maybe I should focus on healing? Healing is good. I like healing.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£You should take extra points in Willpower.ÔÇØ

[Forboding Angel]

ÔÇ£You should take extra points in Willpower.ÔÇØ

lol

[Zoombie]

Right, moar stuff!

###

Chapter Thirteen: The Infamous Shadowrun Game.

The table was full. Across the center was a map that Daniel had drawn up. To his left was Gitta, then Stan and Charlie. To his right was Cindi and then Tybalt.

Stan and Charlie had their sheets and were sitting attentively, ready to role play. Tybalt was sprawled in his chair, taking up just about as much of the table and chair that he could. Cindi smiled at everyone, bright and bubbly as ever. And finally, Gitta and Daniel sat as close to one another as you could while they tried as hard as they possibly could to not touch one another.

Gitta shuffled her character sheet, even as Daniel finished scribbling in the last bits of Cindi's character sheet.

ÔÇ£I'm a troll!ÔÇØ Cindi grinned at everyone.

ÔÇ£How are we going to integrate a troll into our group?ÔÇØ Stan asked. A perfectly reasonable question, phrased politely that irritated the crap out of Daniel.

ÔÇ£Well...uh...ÔÇØ Daniel went into GM mode. Rule one of all Game-Masters was thus: Make sure everyone has as much fun as possible. ÔÇ£Your next mission, given by your Mr. Johnson-ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Who?ÔÇØ That was Gitta.

ÔÇ£Uh, he's a guy who gets the party missions.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Aah.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Anywho, your Mr. Johnson has just gotten the Shadowrun of a lifetime.ÔÇØ Daniel leaned forward. ÔÇ£Its a twenty thousand nuyen job, and he wants to make sure that it actually gets done, and so he's hired on two new Runners...ÔÇØ

He looked at Cindi. ÔÇ£Throp McCalinhan, heavy weapons expert.ÔÇØ

Cindi waved, looking nothing at all like a troll.

ÔÇ£And Festina Ramos, healing shamen.ÔÇØ

Gitta nodded, smiling at the others.

Daniel glanced around. ÔÇ£You all meet at Justin's apartment-ÔÇØ Justin was Tybalt's character. ÔÇ£-and introductions are preformed by all. Everyone is fairly professional, so we don't really have much of a problem there.ÔÇØ

They all nodded. ÔÇ£Anywho, the Run in question is EE!ÔÇØ

Everyone looked at him. He smiled and flushed, even as he stammered back into motion...and felt a foot. A foot rubbing along his calf. W-Who's was it? Her toenails were well manicured and soft and slid up under his pants, warm and teasing. Oh right. If foot was on that side, and Cindi was on that side, then...

ÔÇ£Y-You're target is the Corporation Red Sun.ÔÇØ He said, glancing around at the other players. Tybalt was trying to not laugh. Stan looked cross. Charlie still seemed a bit shell shocked at how there was a girl in the room. Two girls, actually.

ÔÇ£Wait,ÔÇØ Charlie snapped from his drooly gaping. ÔÇ£You mean that super big super evil one?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Like Microsoft?ÔÇØ Tybalt grinned.

Cindi, Charlie, Stan and Daniel laughed. Gitta looked confused.

ÔÇ£Oh wait, they made Vista, didn't they?ÔÇØ Gitta looked around at the others. Daniel coughed.

ÔÇ£Anywho,ÔÇØ Daniel dragged the conversation back on top. ÔÇ£The item you need to procure seems to be easy enough. A small data disk. The only problem is that its in the center of...ÔÇØ His hand, the sneaky bastard that it was, settled on Gitta's thigh. ÔÇ£...the center of...uh, their data vault.ÔÇØ

Charlie popped a soda can. Gitta flinched. Cindi smiled. Tybalt sprawled. Stan scowled. Charlie slurped.

ÔÇ£Well, we should get the plan of the vault, shouldn't we?ÔÇØ Gitta said, her voice fairly no nonsense. ÔÇ£Um...one of you is a hacker, right?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Decker.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Oh, Decker.ÔÇØ She nodded at Stan.

Cindi kept smiling.

ÔÇ£The problem with decking is,ÔÇØ Stan spoke up. ÔÇ£You kinda need to be close enough to jack in. But once we're close enough, I can handle that!ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£I could break us in.ÔÇØ Tybalt said, smiling. ÔÇ£Assuming there's no magic in the way.ÔÇØ

Gitta perked up, her thigh pressing into Daniel's hand. Daniel squeezed and she flushed, even as she spoke with remarkable control. ÔÇ£I can handle magic.ÔÇØ

Cindi's foot went up, then down. Daniel looked at her and she smiled demurely. His heart skipped. Okay. He couldn't do this.

He slid his leg away from the foot and took his hand off the thigh. His fingers interlaced and he smiled, trying to focus on the game and not the sexy, amazing, and all around incredibly girls to either side of him.

ÔÇ£I can cover us if we need to fight.ÔÇØ Cindi murmured. Gitta looked away, scowling at the wall. Cindi didn't notice. Daniel did notice, but that was just because he was looking first at Gitta, then at Cindi, then at Gitta again.

Tybalt watched, his eyes knowing.

Daniel glared at him, but the game continued to lurch forward...even as Cindi's hand settled on Daniel's leg, stroking him. His hand grabbed her hand and squeezed. He smiled at her side ways. Gitta looked like she was about to bite Daniel's face off. Daniel let go and concentrated on the growing and incredibly complicated plan.

Gitta's knee pressed to his knee. Cindi's foot played with his foot. They both leaned in, as if they knew they were in competition with one another.

Stan and Charlie looked confused, as though they knew something weird was going on, but they didn't know what.

Finally, the game ended, with Stan and Charlie ambling out a bit dazed and confusedly. Tybalt gave a long look at Daniel, then walked out as well.

Then it was just him and Gitta and Cindi.

ÔÇ£Say, can we talk alone?ÔÇØ Cindi asked, glancing at Gitta. Gitta turned red and stood up, walking out of the room.

ÔÇ£Uh...ÔÇØ Daniel said, tapping his thumbs together.

ÔÇ£How did I do?ÔÇØ Cindi asked, her eyes looking up and away.

ÔÇ£Good!ÔÇØ Daniel looked at her. She looked at him and beamed.

Gitta who?

Cindi leaned forward. She didn't have the sudden decisiveness of Gitta. But then her lips were pressing to Daniel's and Daniel pressed back. She probed him with her tongue, then made a soft, surprised noise in her mouth as Daniel slid closer to her, his hands sliding along her hips. He squeezed and she pressed to him. Her breasts were full and warm against his chest and he could feel the slight tips of her nipples against him. He slid his hands up her back, then to her breasts.

Squeezed.

ÔÇ£Nnn!ÔÇØ She made a soft soft noise, her face tightened. She put her hands on his wrists and then slid his hands away. ÔÇ£N-Not yet...ÔÇØ She whispered, smiling slightly.

ÔÇ£S-Sorry.ÔÇØ Daniel flushed, looking away. She put her hand on his cheek, turned him back to her. She smiled.

ÔÇ£Don't worry about it.ÔÇØ And she leaned in and kissed him again. Daniel supposed, theoretically, that he should tell Cindi or Gitta that he felt things for Gitta or Cindi and that they should totally not be doing this.

In years before, Daniel had read about people who cheated on people and though, oh how could they do that? But what he had never realized was that...well...when you were actually thrust into the situation, your brain went into overdrive thinking up excuses.

Well, but we're not actually dating.

Oh but its just a kiss or two or seven.

Its not going to go anywhere, honest.

And then it boiled down to...you stopped making excuses because a hot girl was kissing you and every other girl was a million miles away for a while...Cindi drew back, panting softly.

ÔÇ£Kissing is fun!ÔÇØ She smiled. Daniel smiled and nodded. At that moment, anything could have come from her mouth and he'd have smiled and nodded. ÔÇ£Anyway...ÔÇØ She looked down, her hands on his knees.

ÔÇ£I need to clean up h-here...I'll see you at...t...tomorrow.ÔÇØ

She nodded, smiling. ÔÇ£Thanks...Daniel, you're a good person.ÔÇØ She kissed his forehead, then stood up and walked out.

Daniel didn't feel guilty till the door closed. Even then, he only felt a little guilty. Cause, well, he had just kissed two of the most awesome girls he knew in his entire life. Any boy would feel top of the world right then.

He put his hands behind his head and leaned back in his chair, which creaked softly.

ÔÇ£You stupid idiot!ÔÇØ

He fell out of the chair with a crash and lay on his back, looking up at Tybalt, who loomed over him with his hands on his hips. ÔÇ£Hi T-ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Don't hi Tibby me!ÔÇØ Tybalt scowled, kneeling down. ÔÇ£You...I...you just...ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Okay, I know this looks totally incriminating...ÔÇØ Daniel blinked. ÔÇ£Why do-ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£I saw you and your quotation mark cousin end quotation marks.ÔÇØ Tybalt scowled. ÔÇ£Daniel, you did bad and you should feel bad!ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£I do!ÔÇØ Daniel said, almost truthfully. ÔÇ£I really do...but-ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Buuuuuuut?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£But...ÔÇØ Daniel looked down, at his feet. Which was more like to the side from the perspective of most people, as Daniel was horizontal rather than vertical. ÔÇ£But...it...kissing is fun!ÔÇØ

Tybalt smacked Daniel.

ÔÇ£OW!ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£You're being a twunt, Daniel. If you don't stop being a twunt, you're going to lose both girls and me and everything you ever liked about life.ÔÇØ

Daniel sighed, slowly. ÔÇ£You're right.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£I'm always right. Now. Which one?ÔÇØ

Daniel blinked.

ÔÇ£Both of thOW!ÔÇØ

Tybalt grabbed Daniel and hauled him up. ÔÇ£Get your head screwed on straight and stop being a twunt, you stupid twunt!ÔÇØ

Daniel nodded as best he could.

Tybalt sighed, his eyes hard to read. ÔÇ£Sometimes...ÔÇØ He shook his head and let Daniel go, then turned around and walked out of the room. The door slammed shut and Daniel blinked.

ÔÇ£What's his problem?ÔÇØ Daniel muttered. He knew he was acting like, in Tybalt's word, a twunt. He just didn't particularly care. He cared a lot more about his sore cheek and ringing head. He rolled up his hand-drawn map and then jammed it into his backpack. He grabbed his books and jammed them in as well, then zipped it up and scowled.

ÔÇ£Daniel?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£What!ÔÇØ He turned, looking at the door. Gitta arched an eyebrow at him, peeking in through a crack in the door.

ÔÇ£Jeeze, I was just wondering how you were doing.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£I'm good.ÔÇØ Daniel rubbed his cheek. ÔÇ£Just...Tybalt wasn't happy with the game.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Right.ÔÇØ Gitta's voice was dry.

Oh. There was the guilt.

ÔÇ£I'm lying.ÔÇØ Daniel said.

ÔÇ£I know you are.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£I...Cindi an...ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£I figured.ÔÇØ Gitta turned around and the door closed. Daniel ran to the door, dropping his backpack. He yanked it open in time to see Gitta turn invisible. He bit his lip. ÔÇ£Fuck.ÔÇØ

Chapter Fourteen: Gathering Storm clouds.

A Mime was standing at the corner of the street that Meadow High pressed against. It was passed by those that thought it to only be a harmless entertainer, passed by by those with blessed ignorance of the true horror that waited at the edges of reality to swallow them whole. The Mime waited, creating invisible boxes and ladders, its patience as infinite as the Universe itself.

Hikaru waited on top of a roof, his clothes blending perfectly within the slanted tiles. The heat was incredible, as the sun had been baking on him for hours, but he paid it no mind. He did not deign to notice the sweat that beaded on his forehead. He simply focused on the doorway across the street, his crossbow cradled in his palms, his finger touching the feather light trigger.

Cocked. Loaded. Aimed. Tipped with deadly Red Arrow poison, the bolt would kill with a scratch, but he planned to give his target more than a simple scratch. He planned to place this bolt right through his heart.

A dark figure tapped a locked door with his finger. The door creaked open and the figure strode into one of Meadow High school's many many many female bathrooms. His shoes thumped along the ground...and he knelt down by a bathroom stall. A light shone from a flashlight...and fell over a single, glimmering white feather.

Fingers reached out and plucked the edge of the feather, sliding it carefully over the floor. Then he stood, keeping the light trained on the feather as he brought it up to his eyes.

ÔÇ£Oooh, you've got to be fuckin with me,ÔÇØ He muttered, looking at the feather. He jammed his flashlight into his armpit and rummaged around in his pocket. He flipped it open and sighed, closing his eyes. What...was that...number?

Oh right! He tapped out a few numbers, then pressed it to his ear.

ÔÇ£...yeah. Hi Mom!ÔÇØ He frowned. ÔÇ£Still mad?ÔÇØ

Pause.

ÔÇ£Well, listen...I've kinda found a wee problem and I need...Dad.ÔÇØ

Pause.

ÔÇ£Tell him that its really serious. Tell him it something with wings, feathers and a big old stick up its ass.ÔÇØ

Pause.

ÔÇ£S...Sorry mom, I'll watch my language.ÔÇØ

[Zoombie]

I hope someone is reading this...

###

Daniel lay on his sofa. He had come in through the back door and collapsed into his sofa, thumping face first into the pads of the sofa. He rolled onto his back and sighed.


ÔÇ£Twunt,ÔÇØ He muttered.


He turned his head to the 3V and thought about turning it on and losing himself in the mindlessness of television violence. Then he shook his head and sat up. ÔÇ£Gitta?ÔÇØ He called, softly.


ÔÇ£Yeah?ÔÇØ Her voice was cold as she phased into view before him.


ÔÇ£Um...ÔÇØ Daniel looked at his feet, then up into her eyes. Okay. Just cut to the chase and face the music. ÔÇ£I-ÔÇØ


ÔÇ£You did the right thing.ÔÇØ


ÔÇ£What?ÔÇØ


Gitta sighed. ÔÇ£You proved it. Anything between us is a terrible idea.ÔÇØ


Daniel blinked.


ÔÇ£So, yeah, go have fun with Cindi, she's a nice girl.ÔÇØ


Daniel blinked again.


Gitta nodded. ÔÇ£And we can just focus on the Bible. Right?ÔÇØ

Daniel gulped. ÔÇ£I...suppose.ÔÇØ


Gitta smiled and it almost looked real. ÔÇ£Lets get to work then.ÔÇØ


She strode past him and then started to walk up the stairs. Daniel lurched to his feet and sighed. Well, that was anti-climactic, but...she was right. Cindi was the girl for him.


The only problem was that he didn't want Cindi right now. He wanted Gitta.


Daniel seriously started to consider that he was insane. That he had somehow been driven mad last Friday afternoon and had been hallucinating more and more. Maybe he had gone insane when he had first decided to ask out Cindi.


Or maybe he was just a prick.


He stood up and walked to the stairs, then strode up them about two a time.


Hiraku continued to wait.


Gitta sat at the computer, the Bible 2.0 file open. She tapped her fingers against the keyboard and Daniel stood at the doorway, leaning on the frame. Gitta was wearing one of her shirts, a blue-greenish one, complete with matching jeans. She slouched, had bad posture, and her hair needed a bit of a wash.

She was still the loveliest girl Daniel had seen recently. She was lovely and she was smart and she was going to be leaving soon...


ÔÇ£I'm thinking,ÔÇØ She said, glancing at Daniel. ÔÇ£That we need some more pizazz. We need something new in this Bible, something to catch people's attention.ÔÇØ


Daniel nodded.


Downstairs, a man stepped up to the front door and rang the bell. He shifted from foot to foot and brought his finger up to press the doorbell...

And then he was shoved aside, slammed into the side of Daniel's house. He fell into the flower bed and groaned, his copies of the Watchtower scattering across the grass lawn.


The door exploded inwards, blown completely off of its hinges. Daniel and Gitta leaped to their feet, eyes wide. ÔÇ£What was that!?ÔÇØ


Three figures in futuristic power armor ran into Daniel's house, futuristic rifles readied. One swung his gun around to cover the living room. The other covered the ------- and the stairwell, even as the third ran up the stairs, taking them five at a time, his metallic boots slamming into the wood.


Daniel poked his nose out of the door to his room as the soldier came around the bend. Daniel gaped...and then a flashbang slid between his legs and went off in the room. Gitta yelped, clapping her hands to her eyes, even as Daniel staggered forward, head screaming. A metallic fist grabbed his chest and yanked him forward.


ÔÇ£Are you Mr. Danton?ÔÇØ A tinny voice asked, barely audible through the ringing noise in Daniel's ears. Behind Daniel, Gitta stumbled into the wall and fell over.


ÔÇ£Uh...ÔÇØ Daniel blinked, trying to clear the spots in his eyes.


ÔÇ£ARE YOU MR. DANTON!?ÔÇØ


ÔÇ£Y...ÔÇØ Daniel nodded.


The soldier nodded, then threw Daniel before him. ÔÇ£Come on, get him to the van!ÔÇØ


The two other soldiers grabbed Daniel and hustled him down the stairs, out the door, past the dazzled Jehovah Witness, and into a plain white van. They jammed Daniel in through an open side door a moment before a crossbow bolt whistled through the air and thunked into the side of the van, almost spearing through and into Daniel's easily wounded flesh. Daniel yelped, recoiling away from the bolt and into a man in plain clothes: White tee-shirt and brown khaki pants.


The van door closed and the van squealed off, leaving two tread marks, a POed ninja, and one confused as hell Guardian Angel.


Then the van rounded the corner as Gitta ran out the front door. She felt the astral connection between her and Daniel grow...taut. And before she could even scream, she was yanked off her feet and dragged along the ground behind the van. She grabbed at the astral teather and grunted, her eyes closed tight as her back ran along the asphalt. She tried to get her feet under her, or her wings out...but neither option looked particularly good right about now.


ÔÇ£Mark!ÔÇØ The man in the white shirt and kakhi pants shouted. ÔÇ£Turn on the Astral Blocker, we need to be untraceable.ÔÇØ


ÔÇ£Got it!ÔÇØ One of the power armored individuals nodded. He turned to a small device crammed behind the driver's chair (the driver being a rather nice looking young girl) and flipped it on. As the device, the driver's chair, and some weird radio equipment in the back were all the furnature in the van, Daniel just had to huddle against the corner and hope the sharp turns didn't slam him into something that would kill him.


The tether snapped with a TWANG and Gitta rolled along the ground for a while before finally coming to a stop. Her shirt was ripped to shreads, her back blead sluggishly, and tears of pain leaked from her eyes. She worked her hands under her and gasped, slowly rising to her hands and knees. Wings sprouted form her back and flapped once, twice. They were undamaged.


She looked up, eyes wide as the van squealed around another corner.

Tether.


Snapped.


The astral tether was...snapped.

She felt an empty pit in the base of her chest, right below and between her lungs. She let out a shuddering gasp, her entire body almost convulsing. Her fists clenched. She had felt that before.


Flashback: The city was burning.


ÔÇ£Not again...ÔÇØ A deep deep growl at the back of her throat.


Flashback: The gun was smoking.


ÔÇ£Not...AGAIN.ÔÇØ She stood up, her fists clenched even more, tears running down her cheeks. ÔÇ£NOT AGAIN!ÔÇØ


ÔÇ£Why did you take me!ÔÇØ Daniel shouted. ÔÇ£What is going on!?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Mr. Danton,ÔÇØ The white shirted and brown kakhi''d man said, grabbing onto both walls of the van to keep himself from falling right over. ÔÇ£Its good we got to you in time, you've been targeted by ninjas. We've already put your parents into protective custody.ÔÇØ


ÔÇ£What!?ÔÇØ


ÔÇ£I said you've been targeted by Ninjas, the Watanabe clan to be specific.ÔÇØ


ÔÇ£Ninj...a...ÔÇØ Daniel closed his eyes. ÔÇ£Okay. Why-ÔÇØ The van zoomed around a corner and he narrowly avoided braining himself. ÔÇ£W-Why Ninjas!?ÔÇØ


ÔÇ£The Catholic Church has targeted you for termination.ÔÇØ The man in the white shirt and khaki pants said, his eyes grave. ÔÇ£We're here to protect you.ÔÇØ


ÔÇ£A-And you are?ÔÇØ


ÔÇ£The SFT.ÔÇØ


ÔÇ£R-Right, and that is?ÔÇØ


ÔÇ£We're-ÔÇØ The girl at the front of the car spoke up, glancing over her shoulder. And then a sword jammed through the roof. A bright glowing gold sword that flamed. With fire.


ÔÇ£FUCK!ÔÇØ One of the soldiers shouted, falling backwards to avoid the flaming tip. He brought his futuristic rifle up and the entire inside of the van was filled with a strobing purple light, followed by a FSSS-KRAKOW!


The roof of the van peeled back, the edges of the rent glowing cherry red in the gathering dusk. Whatever had landed on the roof went flying.


ÔÇ£W-WHAT WAS THAT!?ÔÇØ Daniel pointed at the solider.


ÔÇ£Phased plasma pulse rifle, 22 gigawatt range.ÔÇØ


Gitta landed in a lawn, her chest smoking. She hissed, her eyes closed. She dropped her sword and put her hand on her chest. Fortunately, she was wearing armor. Unfortunately...what the hell had that been!?

She clenched her teeth then leaped to her feet, grabbing her sword on her way up. ÔÇ£Not gonna stop me that easy...ÔÇØ


ÔÇ£How can it track us?ÔÇØ Mr. White Shirt was shouting.


ÔÇ£Visual trakcing still works, its just got no astral locking.ÔÇØ


ÔÇ£Shoot.ÔÇØ Mr. White Shirt scowled. ÔÇ£Tommy, get on the roof hole, shoot anything coming our way that looks...evil.ÔÇØ


ÔÇ£Right.ÔÇØ Tommy stood up and propped himself against the edge of the hole his buddy's plasma round had put in the roof. ÔÇ£Enemy incoming from above!ÔÇØ


He aimed up and fired. The plasma strobed once, twice, three times, each bolt tracing a line over the sky that smeared across Daniel's eyes. He could see what they were aiming at.


Golden wings, golden plate mail, flaming golden sword, eyes flaming with righteous fury.


Gitta?


FSSS-KRAKOW! The golden figure dropped, plasma spearing her through the chest. Daniel stood. ÔÇ£NO!ÔÇØ


Gitta was lost amongst a mini-malls collection of buildings and concessions stands, even as the van zoomed down the street and into the night.


Chapter Fifteen: STF


ÔÇ£Oi. Oi! Wake up!ÔÇØ


Gitta groaned, her eyes closed. Her chest felt like it had been smashed with a hammer, then lit on fire. She just wanted to lay in the crumpled mess of metal and stonework that she had smashed into until she relaxed back into the Ether or whatever it was that happened to dead Angels.


Sigh. ÔÇ£You're lucky...I...cry easy...ÔÇØ There was a soft plink noise, exactly like that of a hair being ripped out. Sniffle. Then a few tear drops hit Gitta's chest.


She hissed, her eyes flashing open. A blurred shape fled the scene, even as she felt her flesh knit together, the burn wounds heal. She sat up, slowly...and put her hand to her chest. Her armor had been burned straight through, but her chest...it was tender, but felt okay.

Gitta stood, groaning. She'd investigate later. First. She had to get the last thing she could before she lost her chance to walk on the mortal world ever, the last chance she'd get before she was slotted into prayer management forever.


Some fucking revenge.


Decidedly unanglic, but screw it, it wasn't like she'd get back to this planet again.

The van came to a rest in a small and completely uninteresting brickish building. The walls were wall colored and entirely unadorned. He was grabbed by both arms and hustled out of the van and into the building. There, he was thrown onto a chair under a bright bright light.


The door closed and locked, and then Mr. White Shirt stepped into the light. He dragged a chair as well, plunking it down before Daniel. He sat down, in that way where you faced the back of the chair with your front and looked like a douchebag. He smiled. ÔÇ£Sorry about the scare, Daniel. Can I call you Daniel?ÔÇØ


ÔÇ£You just shot a girl I love...and you're asking if you can use my first NAME!?ÔÇØ


Mr. White shifted. ÔÇ£Well, uh...Daniel, the-ÔÇØ


ÔÇ£No, you can't call me Daniel.ÔÇØ Daniel scowled. ÔÇ£You can call me Mr. Danton and you can tell me what the fuck is going on!ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£You have been targeted for reasons unknown by the Catholic Church and possibly others.ÔÇØ Mr. White Shirt said. ÔÇ£And that we have taken you into protective custody.ÔÇØ


ÔÇ£Why do you care?ÔÇØ


ÔÇ£Because...ÔÇØ Mr. White Shirt sighed. ÔÇ£According to our pre-cogs, you may very well be the last and best hope for humanity's future.ÔÇØ


Daniel blinked.

Gitta walked down the street, dragging her sword along. Her wings felt funny. Landing on them like that was bad, most likely. She still felt weak and stretched out, as if that thing that had hit her had scooped out most of her strength and replaced with air.


But they had killed Daniel and she was going to fuck their shit up and that all there was too it.


ÔÇ£Soon there will be a great disaster,ÔÇØ Mr. White Shirt was pacing now. ÔÇ£There are any number of factors. Asteroid impact, nuclear war, biological weapons, whatever. All we know is that its coming and that you're tied up in it.ÔÇØ


ÔÇ£I am?ÔÇØ


ÔÇ£Yes.ÔÇØ Mr. White Shirt sighed. ÔÇ£See, you-ÔÇØ


SCHUNK!


Mr. White Shirt spun and the three soldiers lifted their guns up as a glowing flaming sword slammed through the door and ripped down. The door fell in two bits, its locking mechanism now entirely useless.


Gitta stood in the doorway and she looked like hell. Or as close to hell as an angel could. One of her wings was obviously broken, and her other wing drooped, the feathers missing and blood running down the feathers. Her chest plate had a blackened hole through it, the skin underneath pink and burnt. Her eyes were dull, her face pale and clammy. It looked like the only thing keeping her up was her determination.


She lifted the sword slowly, bits of flame dripping off the tip. ÔÇ£I...am going to kill you...ÔÇØ She said, her accent thicker than normal.


Mr. White Shirt stood, back to Daniel. He held his hands up.


Then Gitta saw Daniel standing up behind Mr. White Shirt.


She blinked. Then she smiled, slowly. The sword and armor vanished, leaving her standing there with a big old hole in her shirt, her pants tattered, her body bruied and bloody and sagging.

ÔÇ£Oh. You're alive. That's good.ÔÇØ She closed her eyes. Daniel ran forward. He skidded like he was trying to get a home run.


He caught her.

[Zoombie]

So, is anyone reading this? I need feedback or else I assume its terrible and stab myself in the face.

[MidKnight]

Moar story, less romance. The infatuation speed concerning Danton is getting worrisome, approaching harem anime levels.

[Das Bruce]

It's alright but it's going to need rewrites, the nerd reference jokes hurt, this is supposed to be a novel not a webcomic.

[MidKnight]

It's alright but it's going to need rewrites, the nerd reference jokes hurt, this is supposed to be a novel not a webcomic.

+1

[Zoombie]

<_<

>_>

<_<

I wike the newd refewences...

[Zoombie]

Anywho, more Bible 2.0!

Its got problems.

But it is also free! :D

###

Chapter Sixteen: Cellmates

The door opened, the door closed. ÔÇ£You'll be safe in here.ÔÇØ

Lights came on and Daniel laid Gitta down on a chair in the room, looking around as he did so. The room itself wasn't half bad. There was a bed, a chair, a desk, a barred window and a security camera. Well, not bad if you don't mind being in a prison cell.

Then all of his attention was dragged back to Gitta as she groaned, softly, her eyes closed.

ÔÇ£Hey,ÔÇØ He said, softly, kneeling down so that his eyes were level with hers.

She turned her head to the side. ÔÇ£nn...nien...ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Gitta...ÔÇØ He slid his hand along her cheek, turning her head back. ÔÇ£Gitta, its me, Daniel. I'm not dead. Gitta.ÔÇØ

Her eyes fluttered open. She sighed, slowly. ÔÇ£Daniel...I'm hallucinating, aren't I?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£No.ÔÇØ He shifted up. His forehead pressed hers and his eyes closed. He suddenly felt so very tired, the adrenaline dribbled away. ÔÇ£I'm real.ÔÇØ

She murred softly. Daniel kissed her, his lips pressing to hers. There was a taste of blood and bits of plaster. Daniel didn't care. He kissed Gitta, gently at first. Then she was kissing him back. Her tongue pressed to his lips and her hands grabbed his hips. She drew back, panting. ÔÇ£Daniel.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Yeah.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£You were dead.ÔÇØ She whispered, her eyes hooded. ÔÇ£I...ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Shh.ÔÇØ Nose pressed to her nose. They were so close they were jamming into one another. It should have been awkward and it should have been uncomfortable, but every bit of skin that touched her skin was another condut for the crackling energy that was growing under Daniel's skin.

His teeth and lips traced along her cheek to her ear. ÔÇ£Lets not talk.ÔÇØ He kissed her ear lobe. She turned her head and caught his lips again, pressing against him. The chair squealed as she shifted, her knees pressing to Daniel's stomach.

There was no sound then, save for the soft smacking noises and the little squshing sounds and the whirring of the security camera.

Gitta's fingers curled up against Daniel's chest, the nails pressing in against his shirt. She drew back, so that there was only that tiny itty bit between lip and lip, the haze of almost-kissing almost as tingling as she whispered. ÔÇ£Never ever die again.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£I didn't die!ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Felt like.ÔÇØ She pushed slightly, opening up more space, her eyes hooded.

ÔÇ£Gitta.ÔÇØ Daniel gulped. ÔÇ£Listen, I don't know who these guys are...ÔÇØ

She kissed him. That bit up a few minutes. Or seconds. Or centuries. It was kinda hard to tell, especially with how Gitta's fingers slid along his chest, sending little shocks through him.

He drew back. ÔÇ£...but...they claim that they're just protecting me.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Ssmyjob.ÔÇØ Gitta mumbled, eyes closing.

ÔÇ£Who protects you?ÔÇØ Daniel stroked her cheek with his hand. Gitta blinked. Daniel kissed her cheek, then her nose, then her lips.

He really wanted to say something really really sappy. But he didn't. Instead, Gitta spoke up. ÔÇ£We should escape.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£H...ÔÇØ Then Daniel realized that was a really really REALLY stupid thing to say. ÔÇ£When?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£I need a bit to gather my strength.ÔÇØ Gitta closed her eyes. ÔÇ£Okay, I'm ready.ÔÇØ

They both looked at her right hand. Fist clenched. Unclenched. Clenched. Unclenched. Then with a ssscVHING a flaming golden sword appeared in her hand, fingers tightening around the grip. She grinned, her eyes flickering in the firelight.

The door opened and a power armored solider stepped in, aiming a plasma rifle at the two of them. ÔÇ£Hey!ÔÇØ He snapped. ÔÇ£Drop it!ÔÇØ

Gitta glared daggers at the soldier.

ÔÇ£Gitta.ÔÇØ Daniel stood infront of her, between the plasma barrel and her head. ÔÇ£Drop.ÔÇØ

Gitta scowled, then swore in German, the sword fooshing as it vanished from reality to wherever golden flaming swords went when their angels were not using them.

The soldier lowered his plasma rifle, then backed up. ÔÇ£Try anything again, we'll separate you. Try a third time, we'll do something worse.ÔÇØ

Gitta nodded. Then she kicked Daniel to the ground and leapt to her feet. Her sword appeared in her hand, swiped up and FSSS-KRAKOW!

The lance of plasma speared out at the speed of light and smash into the flaming sword. It bounced off like a mirror reflecting light, slamming into the security camera. Gitta then spun and slammed the flat of the blade into the side of the STF soldier's head. His helmet CLANGED like a bell and he dropped to the ground.

Gitta grabbed Daniel and hauled him to his feet. ÔÇ£Follow,ÔÇØ She said, her eyes set and determined. She marched straight into the wall and didn't stop, even as an alarm started to blare throughout the STF base.

Gitta and Daniel emerged on the side of the base. Daniel, who wasn't wearing any shoes, shivered as his feet pressed into damp grass. Gitta growled and slashed her sword, slicing a hole in the fence, her face pale and sweaty.

ÔÇ£W-Why not just walk through it?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Its...hard...to drag you,ÔÇØ She glanced at him, smiling weakly. ÔÇ£Now...um...this is gonna be hard. Hold on.ÔÇØ

She slid her hands under his arms, then yanked him into her chest.

Thumpthumpthumpthump. Metal boots on grass. ÔÇ£FREEZE!ÔÇØ

Gitta glanced over her shoulders. She gritted her teeth and swept her wings up. Bones snapped and popped back into place, knitting together. She shuddered, teeth grinding against one another as pain slammed through her body like hot knives through butter.

ÔÇ£F..FREEZE!ÔÇØ The same voice shouted.

The wings snapped down and Gitta launched into the air with a buffet of air, and a 'EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE' from Daniel.

Shocked into motion, the STF soldiers opened fire, blasting more holes in the fence but, other than that, not accomplishing much.

ÔÇ£DARN IT!ÔÇØ Mr. White Shirt and Khaki (though he wasn't wearing that anymore) shouted, throwing his helmet to the ground. It thudded dully into the grass, leaving quite a dent in the grass.

Tommy looked over at him. ÔÇ£Sir, um...have you ever tried, just once, swearing?ÔÇØ

Mr. White Shirt sighed. ÔÇ£No, Tommy...if I swear, it means that I have run out of vocabulary. It means I have given up finding new words.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£But, sir.ÔÇØ Tommy grinned, impishly. ÔÇ£You always use the same word anyway. If anything, swearing would be expanding your vocab.ÔÇØ

Mr. White Shirt scowled, then shook his head. ÔÇ£Whatever. Get an astral tracker on those two. We need to get him back and we need to keep him!ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Aye aye!ÔÇØ

The STF troopers trudged back into their base, most of them feeling a bit down. One of them, a young girl named Susana, sat down at a console in the corner of the base and started, alongside the others, working on the Astral Tracking device.

She didn't notice the black shape that dropped from the ceiling behind her. She did notice a glint in the vid-screen. A glint that she spun to look at, her hand reflexivly grabbing for her plasma pistol, moments before a quick swish snapped through the air. Blood fountained in a shockingly neat and shockingly red arc that painted dots across the wall behind the screen.

Susana's lifeless body dropped slowly, a black gloved hand keeping it from simply crashing into the ground and alerting everyone.

Then Hiraku Watanabe bent down and frowned. He rolled her to the side and looked at the small insignia on her shoulder.

STF.

Great. He vanished into the shadows.

ÔÇ£Susana?ÔÇØ A voice called. ÔÇ£Susana, your console is dead.ÔÇØ

Tommy waked around the corner, helmet off and clutched in his right hand. ÔÇ£Jamie s...ÔÇØ He trailed off, his hamlet dropping from lifeless fingers as a dart buried itself in his right eye-socket. If the metal through the brain didn't get him, the poison definitely would have. He crashed to the ground, in that limp and boneless way that came from people who died instantly.

ÔÇ£Shit!ÔÇØ Someone shouted. ÔÇ£Someone's down.ÔÇØ

Mr. White Shirt narrowed his eyes, standing up in the center of the base, looking about the huge cavernous area. See, as I'm terrible with description, I never actually mentioned what the interior of the base looked like. Well, as Daniel was kinda hustled in and under the Interrogation Light Ôäó and then was pressed into a cell, he didn't get a good look at it. However, as Mr. White Shirt worked at this base and was responsible for most of its construction in one way or another, he had a far better idea of what it was like.

Imagine a brick. Now, make that brick about the size of a warehouse, with lots of lights at the top and lots of little cubical sectioned out of it. The cubicals all had their own lights, at the lights at the top had been turned off to save on power.

And, as the clang had sounded suspiciously like a corpse hitting the ground and Susana's console had gone quite suddenly dead...

ÔÇ£Lights!ÔÇØ

The overhead lights didn't turn on.

ÔÇ£Shoot.ÔÇØ Mr. White Shirt turned to the soldiers that were gathering in the center of the base, reporting in from the cubical they had been working at. ÔÇ£Okay, I want three men squads, lights on and helmets too.ÔÇØ

Everyone slipped their helmets on and set out.

Squad 1 had two middle aged men named Hank and Tom. They were friends who...wait, do you care? Really? They're up against a Ninja, you know whats going to happen.

Hiraku whispered out of the side of a cubical and slipped his sword up and through the slit between Tom's helmet and neck with surgical precision and then spun about and did the same to Hank within about half a second between the two blows. The third squad member did the intelligent thing and hosed the area down with plasma fire, the light strobing throughout the entire base, the FSSS-KRAKOW coming in rapid snapping.

Course, Hiraku wasn't anywhere near the two corpses.

The last survivor of Squad 1 panted, the plasma rifle smoking in his hands. Then a blurred shadow popped up and in about three jerk-quick motions got the plasma rifle from the soldier's hands to his.

FSSS-KRAKOW!

The soldier dropped, missing a great deal of his midsection. And, though killing the entire base with a sword was possible, it was far from likely. Hiraku thusfar had been lucky and skilled.

But he felt a bit better about his chance with a plasma rifle in hands.

The second squad was a bit harder. One of them spotted something moving a bit and did the logical thing: Sprayed the area with fire. The strobing lights and blazing plasma plucked Hiraku out of the darkness. He ran forward, frantically, and felt a few plasma beams zip right by his head and back, signing him badly. But then he rolled, came up, and stutter fired at the enemy, blasting two down and blowing the last one's head clean off.

Then...silence.

Then bleep.

Bleep bleep bleep BLEEP!

Hiraku threw his rifle aside and sprinted towards the bleeping. He leaped over a cubical and landed before Mr. White Shirt, who held a plasma rifle, his finger depressing the trigger. The plasma was building up in the center of the device, building up energy into a greater and greater amount, the warning bleeping getting louder and louder.

ÔÇ£Catholic, right?ÔÇØ Mr. White Shirt asked. ÔÇ£Can't let you have this base, now can I?ÔÇØ

Hiraku nodded, moments before he started to run, breath screaming in his chest as he focused only on running.

Mr. White Shirt quivered, eyes closed as he whispered into his comlink. ÔÇ£The Catholics have a ninja in the area. Make sure the next team is pre-ÔÇØ

Whiteness.

Hiraku went sailing through the air as the warehouse/base behind him turned into a minature fusion explosion, a massive fireball swallowing the base, the corpses, the technology, and Mr. White whole. Hiraku went flying and through the sheerest of good luck, he landed directly in one of those swimming pools that rich people put in their back yards. He floundered, his sword and equipment weighing him down, even as his limbs and backs screamed in agony. He got to the top of the swimming pool and gasped for air, shaking himself as his mask slid off his face.

He looked around at the dance party he had landed in. Half dressed college students holding dayglow booze gaped at him.

Hiraku grabbed onto the edge of the pool and painfully hauled himself out of the water.

ÔÇ£You all right, bro?ÔÇØ The host of the party asked. ÔÇ£You're back...ÔÇØ

Hiraku grabbed a smoke bomb and threw it to the ground. Smoke bloomed and everyone coughed.

The smoke cleared as Hiraku was half over the fence. ÔÇ£Dude!ÔÇØ The host shouted. Hiraku paused...then fell back onto the shrubbery in the house party, groaning as he did so.

Hiraku, for the first time in his rather long and glorious career, decided...to fuck it.

He passed out.

[Forboding Angel]

GOing good but one qualm...

Squishing noises?

At least it wasn't squelching noises *shudder*

[Zoombie]

They were really getting into that kissing <nods>

[Das Bruce]

You want feedback? Well for starters,

and a 'EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE' from Daniel.

No.

Blood fountained in a shockingly neat and shockingly red arc that painted dots across the wall behind the screen.

Repitition is repetititve.

And, as the clang had sounded suspiciously like a corpse hitting the ground and Susana's console had gone quite suddenly dead...

This just sounds lazy.

[Zoombie]

Hey, that's the noise one makes when suddenly catapulted into the air.

I should know, I've gone surprise hang-gliding.

[Zoombie]

More stuff!
###

Chapter Seventeen: Dream come true

ÔÇ£Eaahahahahaahahah!ÔÇØ Daniel's shoulders were aching because his arms were being held above his head. His feet were danging above a rather large drop towards the ground. But he really didn't care because, well, HE WAS FLYING.

ÔÇ£This is amazing, Gitta!ÔÇØ Daniel shouted up at her, looking up at her chin. ÔÇ£I'm not heavy am I?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£N...Notatall.ÔÇØ Gitta groaned out. ÔÇ£W-...WE're gonna aim...there.ÔÇØ She started to lose altitude, her wings spreading as she glided towards a hill that rose at the edge of town. ÔÇ£G...Gonna...let you go, roll!'

Okay, maybe the landing was going to suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu-

Daniel hit the ground and rolled, landing on his back and groaning, a rather sharp rock digging into his back. ÔÇ£Ow.ÔÇØ He wheezed, even as Gitta landed on her feet, staggered a bit, then fell into a bush of thistles.

ÔÇ£Owowowowow.ÔÇØ Gitta hissed as Daniel tugged a burr out of her feathers. ÔÇ£C-Careful!ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£I'm being careful.ÔÇØ He sighed, settling slightly as he tugged out a small burr stuck on her shirt.

Gitta scowled at him. Daniel kissed her nose. ÔÇ£Does that help?ÔÇØ

She popped her jaw to the side, nose scrunching up. ÔÇ£Actually? Yes.ÔÇØ Before Daniel could do anything, though, she put her finger on Daniel's lip.

ÔÇ£No more kissing.ÔÇØ She sighed. ÔÇ£We gotta get to your house.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Right. Why? The STF know we're there, and I'm fairly sure a Ni-ÔÇØ

For a moment, the hillside was lit as though sun had dawned impossibly early and impossibly fast. In that instant, every inch of Gitta was lit from the side. Then-

FSSSSSBOOOOOOOOOM!

The warehouse they had just escaped from went up like a minature mushroom cloud and alarms started to blare across the city.

ÔÇ£Whoa.ÔÇØ Gitta and Daniel said simultaneously.

It was a long and painful walk back to Daniel's house. The hill they had to scrabble down had plenty of prickly desert plants and lots of places to slid and slide down rocks and bits of dusty dirt. Palms and backs and legs got thoroughly scraped up.

Then it was a simple matter of putting one foot before the other until they got to Daniel's street. They didn't talk, they didn't hold hands. They simply trudged, shoulders sloped and heads drooping.

Daniel set his foot on his law, then looked up at his house. The door was open and the place looked dark.

Dead.

Daniel sighed.

ÔÇ£Wanna have a copy of the Watchtower?ÔÇØ

Daniel tracked his head sloooooowly to the side and sloooooowly blinked at the Jehovah Witness that was sitting in his tree.

ÔÇ£What?ÔÇØ Daniel asked, slowly.

ÔÇ£Um...ÔÇØ The Jehovah Witness dropped off the tree and landed with a grunt. ÔÇ£Sorry, reflex. Hi, I'm Stan.ÔÇØ

He held out his hand. Daniel grabbed it, then shook slowly. He glanced at Gitta, who had kinda collapsed into the grass.

ÔÇ£Hi...Stan...ÔÇØ Daniel said, slowly. ÔÇ£I'm...just going inside now...ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Oh, but first!ÔÇØ Stan the Jehovah Witness held up a bit of paper. ÔÇ£I was just wondering if you could sign this paper! Uh, basically, I have to get a signature so that I can prove that I've visited the right number of houses.ÔÇØ

Daniel nodded. That sounded reasonable. He took the paper, then scribbled his name on the line offered in bright red ink.

ÔÇ£Heh,ÔÇØ Stan the Jehovah Witness took the paper, grinning as he did so. ÔÇ£Heha....hahaha...AHAHAHAHAH...AAAAAAAAHAAAAAAHAAHAHAHA!ÔÇØ

Stan the Jehovah Witness threw his head back and let lose with a belly laugh. ÔÇ£AAAAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!ÔÇØ

Gittaa looked slowly up, her eyes wide. Daniel backed up as red light started to glow.

ÔÇ£I OWN YOUR SOUL!ÔÇØ A clawed fingertip pressed right into Daniel's chest, even as the smell of brimstone filled the air alongside the sonorous sound of the choir of the damned. Demoniacal organs blared and the ground below Daniel started to crack, flames spurting up around the massive red figure that stood where Stan the Jehovah Witness had once stood.

Daniel looked at the contract he had just signed, then up at Satan.

ÔÇ£Fuck.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£N...NO!ÔÇØ Gitta jumped forward, golden armor and sword appearing out of thin plot convenience.

ÔÇ£Ha ha ha.ÔÇØ Satan smirked, standing easily three heads and shoulders above Gitta. More if you counted the wings. ÔÇ£You really think you can stop me, little Angel?ÔÇØ

He smirked. ÔÇ£You can't even stop humans.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£S-Shut up!ÔÇØ Gitta growled, shoving Daniel backwards, her sword pressing against Satan's chest. He batted it away and the sword and armor both vanished as though they had never been.

ÔÇ£Oh? Is that the best retort you can come up with?ÔÇØ Satan's eyes flared and he laughed. ÔÇ£You know, you're last ward is with me too. Maybe I can introduce them.ÔÇØ

Gitta's eyes widened. Satan backhanded her with a casual blow that sent her flying through the air. She smashed into a car and the car alarm started to go 'wheeohweeohweeoh.ÔÇØ

Satan scowled, then twisted his fingers. An arcane rune flared and the car alarm went off. Gitta was deadly still.

Satan stepped forward. ÔÇ£Come now, Daniel.ÔÇØ He smiled, smoke whuffing from his nose. ÔÇ£You signed the contracts. Fair is fair.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£W-...What about...no its not!ÔÇØ Daniel shouted. He grabbed his foot, ripped his shoe off and threw it at Satan, who jerked back as it hit him in the forehead. Satan growled, then snapped his teeth, almost taking Daniel's face right off.

ÔÇ£Don't trifle with me, Daniel.ÔÇØ Satan's voice was deep and gravely and his breath smelled like boiled blood and burning feet. ÔÇ£Lets just get this over with and take you down to hell.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£First.ÔÇØ Daniel gulped. ÔÇ£W-Why me?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Why you?ÔÇØ Satan grinned. ÔÇ£Simple. You're a good person, trying to do good things in a world that is moving entirely in the wrong direction. You and others like you are going to make this world...better. And with a better world, where exactly will I get my souls to torment?ÔÇØ

Daniel gulped again. ÔÇ£Also, to sign a contract, one must be privy to the fact that they're actually signing a contract.ÔÇØ

He was bullshitting. Real real hard.

ÔÇ£It says so u-under the Constitution. Can't quite remember where, but it does.ÔÇØ Daniel bullshitted. ÔÇ£So that means that unless you want to have an...illegal immigrant in hell, and that would be BAD, because I'm sure that God would spring me on a case of...false...ÔÇØ

Satan glared at him.

ÔÇ£This isn't working is it?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£No. Its not.ÔÇØ Satan put a large clawed hand on Daniel's shoulder. ÔÇ£Its time to go Daniel.ÔÇØ

The ground opened up and swallowed them both whole.

OR, at least, it would have, assuming Daniel didn't do the ballsiest, insaniest, most absurd thing he could have thought have doing. It was the only kind of thing that an atheist would have thought of. A Buddhist wouldn't have thought of it. Then again, a Buddhist would never have been in this kind of situation. Most Christians would have never thought it would have worked, and that would have doomed them from the start.

Daniel kicked Satan in the balls.

As hard.

As he could.

Daniel was pretty sure he broke his foot. But Satan got it worse. He lifted up slightly, then fell backwards into his own flaming pit with the expression normally only worn by a deer in the headlights. The pit closed with a snap, and Daniel stood, foot aching and nose full of the smell of brimstone. Then he dove forward and grabbed at the Contract, which sat next to one of the cracks that remained open.

His fingers almost grabbed it...but then the Contract slipped into Hell, the final crack snapping shut and almost getting Daniel's fingers.

Daniel shook his head, trying to focus. Contract gone, yes.

Gitta hurt! He staggered to his feet and ran over to Gitta. She was deathly pale and her eyes were closed, wings both broken.

ÔÇ£Oh Gitta, no no no.ÔÇØ Daniel didn't know what to do. Did you move someone this injured? Could Angel's die? He looked around.

And then from around the corner ran a man in a raincoat and jeans. His face was concealed by the hood of the raincoat, but he ran like a world class sprinter crossed with the BLACKLIGHT virus. Before Daniel knew what was happening, the man jumped up and drop kicked Daniel in the chest. Daniel went flying and smashed into his lawn. He groaned, the wind knocked completely out of him. He looked up...and saw that the man was bending over Gitta.

A single droplet of clear liquid from the middle of the hood, as though the man had shed a single tear. It struck Gitta in the chest and Gitta gasped, her back arching. Her wings popped back into place and she collapsed back into the massive dent of the car.

Then the man was off again. He ran and ran and then leaped over a fucking house. And then he was gone.

Gitta then jumped off the car, staggered forward, and looked around. ÔÇ£Daniel! Daniel!ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£H-Here.ÔÇØ Daniel wheezed. Gitta ran to him.

ÔÇ£Are you okay!?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Yes. You?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Awesome. I don't know why, for the life of me.ÔÇØ Gitta gulped. ÔÇ£It looks like you...ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Flying missile drop kick to the chest.ÔÇØ Daniel closed his eyes. ÔÇ£I'll be fine.ÔÇØ

Gitta picked him up and carried him inside, wings folded behind her back, even as the sun slowly dawned.

The next door neighbor walked out of his house, whistling as he got ready for his early morning job. He held out his RTF chip and waited for his car to turn on and open up for him.

Then...

ÔÇ£Dude, what...WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CAR!ÔÇØ

His shouts fell on deaf ears. Gitta had dropped Daniel into bed...then collapsed next to him. They slept, face to face, nose to nose.


###



Stephen Segal is Daniel D. Danton: COCK PUNCHER.

[Zoombie]

Yerereghgagha

A complete brain drain, combined with a large workload, distracted me from writing.

But, here's another segment!

...is anyone reading this?

###


Chapter Seventeen and One Half: Dr. Stine, Stern Surgeon, seriously studies strange...strange...uh...things.

Overworked and yet still dashingly handsome and handsomely dashing, with those kinds of dark and brooding eyes that just looked fabulous when lit by really bright overhead lights, Dr. Stine was the guy who everyone talked about at the hospital. He always drew late night shifts, he always smoked, he never talked much...and he was always handling ER cases at strange hours. Somehow, whenever there was something strange or odd or unusual about an ER patient...he was there.

There was a reason for this. Ten years ago, Stine staggered from a Sanitarium with five missing years of his life, a doctorate in neurology clutched in his grubby hands, and a single word tattooed onto his arm: Forget.

The tattoo was gone, lased out of existence in fifteen sessions of searing agony. Yes, that's not the proper verb, but it sounded good. But the desire to remember remained. If his previous self, the one that existed before the five missing years of his life, had wanted him to forget, the worst thing he could have tattooed on his arm was the word 'Forget'.

The search had been fairly slow and plodding, with him not having a single clue beyond his incredibly rich uncle who kept sending him money and cryptic, riddle stuffed letters. But then he found a job working at the hospital, his uncle greasing the bureaucratic wheels left behind by Shrubenomics and the recession of '11, and then he ran into the first RFWC.

Really Fucking Weird Cases. They were people who turned up either all dead, mostly dead, or dead but still wiggling. They were the people with fifteen silver bullets through the face. They were the people with legs made of glass. They were people who should have been alive, but their bodies were simply stopped, eyes wide and a look of pure terror on their face. They were the people who looked eighty, despite their I.D placing them at twenty.

And they all went to Stine...and Stine tried to save them, or figure out what killed them, and hoped, prayed, that they would have the Answer.

And thusfar, he had found exactly nothing. Well, he had found that it was better to amputate glass limbs right when they got in, or else the glass crept up and got more important bits like their stomachs or lungs or heart or something.

ÔÇ£Stine!ÔÇØ

Dr. Stine was jolted from his brooding by the door to his office bursting open. Light blazed right into his eyes. ÔÇ£Ow!ÔÇØ He put his hand over his eyes, groaning.

ÔÇ£Sorry about interrupting your brooding,ÔÇØ His assistant said, stepping into the office. He held up a manila envelope. ÔÇ£Another RFWC in.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Oh.ÔÇØ Stine blinked, slowly. ÔÇ£Oh good.ÔÇØ

Together, he and his assistant strode along the hall. His assistant, in any loyal and kind universe, would be a perky and upbeat nurse or something, one who would restore his faith in humanity and God and maybe lay him or something.

He had...Wally.

Wally was perky, upbeat, and loyal.

He was also fat, pimply, and definitely not a girl.

ÔÇ£So, guy is taken in, apparently he dropped in on a pool party. Dressed in black, armed with a katana, throwing stars...ÔÇØ Wally closed the folder. ÔÇ£But the weird thing is the plasma burns on his bac.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Plasma?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Yeah. Just like the-ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Explosion at the warehouse.ÔÇØ Stine scowled, putting his hand over his forehead. ÔÇ£Right.ÔÇØ

They got to the ER, the doors opened...and Stine froze.

ÔÇ£Wally.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Yeah.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Where's my Ninja?ÔÇØ Stine ran to the window, which was open. He saw a dark form, barely visible in the post midnight darkness...and then all sign of motion was gone. Stine growled, softly.

Hiraku Watanabe staggered as only a ninja could: Very stealthily. He staggered away from the hospital, and towards the town. He would find his hotel room. He would rest, recouperate, and he would find Daniel D. Danton and he WOULD complete his mission.

Or Else.

Chapter The Last Chapter: The End

Daniel stood at the edge between hell and Oblivion and he had absolutely no choice but those. He looked down at the contract, then up at the figure before him. Then up further, at the blazing blue sky.

Lightning streamed outwards from the Flagship, a massive massive construct of alien technology. Brownish metal covered the disk like shape, leaving openings for four huge holes from which its reaction-less drive pushed itself against the gravity well of the planet. Flights of American fighter jets streamed about it, firing missiles and machine guns, all of which burst against the side of the ship, ripping great rents in the armor...but not enough.

Across the city, violence seethed. Walking corpses, vampires, werewolves...the Catholic Army that had showed up wasn't holding ground against their enemies, and the news out of Europe had stopped with the arrival of that giant wolf.

The smell of ozone was in the air. But more than that...was the stench of complete and utter despair.

Daniel slowly folded up the contract, then slipped it into his pocket. He looked up at the figure before him, then closed his eyes.

He hadn't even gotten to say goodbye to...anyone.

Then...

Chapter Eighteen: Nose 2 Nose

When Daniel woke up, he felt like he had been put through a ringer, then cooked, then eaten, then shit out, then cooked and eaten again.

His chest was one big bruise, his right foot was swollen and puffy and doubtlessly broken. Smashing right into . He was groggy, his knees ached, his thighs were cramped, and his stomach was decidedly empty. On top of all of this, he had morning breath and was doing his damnedest to keep it from Gitta's adorable button nose, which was just about five microns from his mouth. She had curled up in her sleep, her knees drawing closer to her belly, her head angling down.

If he hadn't seen her slicing through solid bulkheads with a flaming golden sword, or catch up to speeding van, or carry him through the air to safety...well, he'd have said she looked fragile, as though she was spun of gossamer and spider webs.

One of Gitta's eyes opened.

ÔÇ£Hi,ÔÇØ Daneil wheezed. ÔÇ£My foot is broken.ÔÇØ

Gitta sat up, propping herself with her arm. ÔÇ£That's not good.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£It really hurts.ÔÇØ Daniel closed his eyes.

Gitta drew in a deep breath and sighed. She leaned in and pecked him on the lips. And much to Daniel's annoyance, Angels did not have morning breath.

Gitta stood and made her wings invisible. She looked weird without them. But she got shower, new pants, new shirt, and Daniel lounged in bed, halfway torn between panic and complete abject terror. Yes, he had thwarted Satan now, but-

Gitta walked back in, scrubbing her hair dry with a towel, her clothes new and not scraped up and ripped and shot through with plasma burns. ÔÇ£We gotta get you to a medical center. You need a cast.ÔÇØ

Daniel laid his head back with a thump. ÔÇ£And we get there how? And, um...what the hell am I going to t...MY PARENTS!ÔÇØ

Flashback: ÔÇ£Its good we got to you in time, you've been targeted by ninjas. We've already put your parents into protective custody.ÔÇØ

Daniel tried to leap out of bed, thought better of it, then simply punched the wall. His knuckle popped and he shook his hand. ÔÇ£Fuck! My parents are ...thost STF people got them!ÔÇØ

Gitta sighed. ÔÇ£That's not good.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£We...ÔÇØ Daniel bit his lip. We gotta...what? His parents were in Europe, in the clutches of the STF. His foot was broken, his chest hurt, and Satan was after him.

Ding dong. Daniel sighed, rubbing his forehead.

ÔÇ£I'll get it.ÔÇØ Gitta sighed. ÔÇ£Its probably Tybalt. Maybe he can drive us.ÔÇØ

Gitta strode down the stairs, trying to not look tired and worried. Her foot touched the first floor...and a chill ran down her spine. Her gaze, locked at her feet, tracked sloowly up to look at Mr. Fluffyboots, who sat on the ------- table, eyes blazing.

They had forgotten to feed him.

Gitta gulped, then wasted no time. She prostrated herself before Mr. Fluffyboots and cried out, ÔÇ£We beg your forgiveness, mighty one!ÔÇØ

Mr. Fluffyboots narrowed his eyes and Gitta leaped to her feet. She grabbed the food, and poured it out, babbling apologies as fast as she could, even as the doorbell rang again and again.

Mr. Fluffyboots imperiously stepped down from the ------- table. He walked to the food, head held high, then began to ear. Gitta relaxed, almost dropping against the wall. Her knees felt weak and wobbly.

She shook her head, the doorbell ringing again. Gitta gingerly stepped around Mr. Fluffyboots, then grabbed the door knob and yanked the door open.

Tybalt stood there. ÔÇ£Gitta?ÔÇØ He blinked. ÔÇ£Is Daniel here?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Yeah, he's upstairs, broke his foot, we-ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£I know what you are.ÔÇØ

Chapter Nineteen: Rumbled

ÔÇ£I have no idea what you are talking about.ÔÇØ Gitta grabbed the door and slammed it. Tybalt jammed his arm and leg in the way, then shoved the door in.

ÔÇ£You're an angel.ÔÇØ Tybalt said, and held up a single glimmering white feather.

Gitta grabbed it from his fingers. ÔÇ£Fine. I'm an angel. Get the fuck out.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£No.ÔÇØ Tybalt crossed his arms over his chest. ÔÇ£You get the fuck out. Daniel is an atheist, he doesn't need your kind.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£He does need my kind.ÔÇØ Gitta growled. ÔÇ£Where were you, when he got his ass captured by the STF?ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Would the STF have gotten on him if you weren't helping him write that stupid Bib-ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£Tybalt?ÔÇØ Daniel called from up the stairs. There was the soft sound of movement, as though Daniel was limping towards the stairs.

Gitta and Tybalt glared at one another.

ÔÇ£Not a word of this to Daniel.ÔÇØ Tybalt hissed.

ÔÇ£Not. A. Word.ÔÇØ Gitta hissed bac.

Then they turned to Daniel, even as he got to the first step. ÔÇ£No, don't put weight on it!ÔÇØ Gitta shouted, running up the stairs. She grabbed Daniel and started carrying him down.

ÔÇ£What happened to your foot?ÔÇØ Tybalt asked.

ÔÇ£Oh nothing, I just kicked Satan in the balls.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£You mean that jerk Greg?ÔÇØ Tybalt grinned. Daniel raised his hand and they fived.

ÔÇ£Nice one!ÔÇØ Then Daniel hissed. ÔÇ£Now, to the hospital!ÔÇØ