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Naraku's Plans

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Wes

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ON: Underground Bunker Facility, Nepleslia

Naraku was looking as energetic and cheerful as ever. Despite her fearsome reputation, she presented a rather cute and girlish appearance, with a fluffy head of blue hair and a pair of big, shiny, red eyes. Dressed in a black one-piece swimsuit, old Star Army Nekovalkyrja boots and a pleated skirt, she waited in the underground area surrounded by dim lights and the smell of motor oil and damp concrete, waiting for the representatives from a faction which simply called itself, "Nairan."

The spacecraft, a replica of the downgraded Yushi destroyers sold to the public in the past, touched down gently. Sekiko shivered. She was back on Nepleslia again, against all her better judgments and against her rather violent protests. Ryoshi had insisted that it was important. What bugged her, was that Ryoshi was usually right. She sighed, and waited for her commander to give out orders. She did not have to wait long.

"Sekiko, we'll be meeting with a woman named Naraku. She will prove very useful should it come to war." Ryoshi paused... "Kouji, that puts you in command." The pilot nodded. "Janus..." A one-eyed Nepleslian looked up from his post. "You're with us. Anyone so much as looks at our Seki the wrong way, shoot first. Ask questions later."

The landing pad, covered with filth and surrounded by trash, had a small shed on one side of it that contained the stairwell into the place Naraku had selected for the meeting. Apparently this was some sort of overflowing and abandoned waste disposal area. For a brief moment, Sekiko could see what looked like two pairs of violet-colored eyes looking at the ship from the shed. Invisible nekos?

Sekiko blinked. It was only for a split second, though she could have sworn she saw... "Ryoshi. Are we meeting with Neko?" Distaste was evident on her voice. She had no love of Nekovalkyrja or of Seraphim. Both were artificial life, and were merely engines of war that had been used to fuel the conflict ever onward. "You KNOW I don’t like Nekos..."

Ryoshi shook his head and smiled. "Yes, Sekiko. Naraku is Nekovalkyrja. And you'll have to put your aversion aside. I don't care for them either, but we could use the help of one." He paused. "Though, they are about the cutest little things I've ever seen..." He paused again. "Except you, of course." This brought a sigh from Sekiko. She didn’t need his flirting right now. Janus raised his fist, shouted something utterly incomprehensible, and appeared to have all his weapons: the trio moved from the spacecraft in silence.

There was no other indication of life as the trio moved towards the shed leading to under the landing pad, until they reached the door. At that point, one of the hidden people slowly pulled it open for them. The small brick shed had an old steel stairway inside, which went into the gloomy darkness below. Outside, they heard what sounded like thunder in the distance, mixed with the sounds of gunfire.

"Is it really a good idea to leave Kouji in charge?" Sekiko sounded a bit concerned, especially at the gunfire. Ryoshi shared none of her second thoughs, and she could see he was rather confident... despite the very real possibility that it was an ambush. Or worse, that it wasnt. And worse still, that Kouji did something stupid.

"He'll do fine, Seki. You have to trust the people you work with sometimes. You're not the only one capable, you know." His condescending tone grated at her nerves. Always. He was either flirting with her, or lecturing her for her concerns. Unfortunately, her concerns were far too often grounded very firmly in reality. Growing up in the Nepleslian underworld can give someone a bit of sense in that regard...

The first footsteps heard on the steel stairs were from one of the invisible sentries, and when the last of the trio had started down the stairs, another set of feet followed them. One before, one behind. It was a typical escort. It didn't take long for them to reach what appeared to have been a parking garage at one time. An armchair and a couch were in the center, surrounded by burning candles, and separated with a coffee table. On the coffee table rested a few cans of warm beer. Naraku was pacing near the armchair and took a seat in it as the trio entered the area.

Ryoshi came first, followed by Sekiko, and lastly Janus, who's hands never left positions ready to immediately begin shooting at random things that moved. Sekiko questioned the wisdom of bringing him along - he had been known to fuck things up in the past. Of course, Sekiko questioned the wisdom of the entire damned escapade, and questioned the wisdom of trusting a creature created only to kill. Ryoshi spoke first. "Naraku." Only one word. He wasn’t one to speak a lot when he could let Sekiko talk for him. She resented him for that attitude.

"Sit down and have a beer," Naraku smiled wickedly. As they got closer, they could see marks along the table where someone had been tied to it and wore at the finish with rope, and that the candle-holders were all made from human bones.

Sekiko tried to conceal her horror at the environment. It was so... Nepleslian. It was even barbaric for what she had seen Nekovalkyrja do... and this one seemed to relish in the filth. "I don't drink." She bowed. "I am Sekiko. You should know my name if I am to speak with you." She took a seat as she was offered. Ryoshi as well declined the alcohol, though Janus made himself quite at home with it, keeping only one hand on his guns, so he could drink with the other.

The beer was old stuff, probably from before the Yamatai Empire. It was the sort of thing that one couldn't find on Yamatai. A very full-bodied beer with a strong, grainy sort of nature to it and a dark color, that was still good despite the age and coming out of a can. Naraku narrowed her red eyes and replied, "And you know my name already. Let's discuss what our arrangement might be. I am offering my services as a mercenary to you."

Sekiko shook her head and sighed. "And I'm not so sure I trust one who takes such pleasure in having trophies of pain about her. I see little reason why we should hire you." She looked towards Ryoshi, her standard 'You are completely insane.' glare. "But since Ryoshi insists you will be of immense help, I'll explain our cause. We intend to force the Empire back to it's homeworld on Yamatai. If we must kill them to do so, we will. I would like to know what your conditions are, however. We do not have limitless resources."

"I'll take what I want from you, when I want from you. It will be well worth it," Naraku assured them. "Already I have the right connections that I will be able to strike a deep blow to the very heart of the Empire. Ayame herself will feel my wrath and Yui will be exiled."

Sekiko shook her head. "I cannot accept those terms. And unless Ryoshi is even more insane than I think he is, neither can he. Janus' opinion makes no difference in this matter. One soldier is never worth an abstract condition like that. We survive through cooperation - the individual is less important than the survival of Nairan. Those who cannot accept that have no place among us, and never will have a place among us." She ignored Ryoshi's flinching. She should have figured he would have been willing to potentially give away the lives of twenty people to slavery to get another girl on the ship.

"You underestimate me," Naraku told Tanaka, her voice very serious. "That will lead you to suffering." Naraku crossed her legs, "Perhaps you don't understand the power of what I am offering."

"Maybe I dont. No power in the universe is worth bringing a violent parasite into a symbiotic existence." Sekiko's voice was rather cold. She did not like Naraku, and the terms this Neko had layed out were nothing short of inconsiderable.

A silk necktie flew out of the shadows and landed on Sekiko's neck, snaking around it. It was obvious from the cruel look in Naraku's eyes that she was controlling it. Tightly gripping her, the piece of clothing jerked the woman out of her seat so that she had to stand on her toes to breathe. "A parasite?" Naraku sneered. "Let me explain what a parasite is!"

Ryoshi and Janus were on their feet immediately at the motion. Ryoshi moved to attempt to remove the cloth, while Janus dropped his beer to train a pair of pistols on the Neko. Sekiko looked completely passive. "Kill me if you will. You demonstrate exactly why we cannot and will not accept you. Nairan is better without the likes of you, even if I am lost in the process of telling you this."

Janus spoke slowly. "Let her go."

Ryoshi's words were much more rapid and frenzied. "Release her! Now! Let her go dammit! Let her GO!" He struggled with the necktie.

"You'll listen to me first. She can stand there and see how well her feet--and lungs--are working today," Naraku said. "Now then, I know where the former Empress' backup is being held," she told them. It was an incredible thought. "If she returned to power, the rule of her sister Yui, and therefore Ayame's rule, would be invalidated; futhermore, I have the capability to replace Yuumi's mind with my own, which would make the ruler of Yamatai...me."

Sekiko remained as impassive as ever. "Which places an even more dangerous and vile person in charge of the most powerful force known to exist. And if you are so capable of this, why have you not done it already? I dont believe you, and your violence gives me no further inclination to believe you." She was obviously in pain, though she didnt show it.

Ryoshi turned a harsh glare towards Naraku. "You may as well kill both of us. We wont accept your terms, nor will you have any place among us. This goes too far." He glanced briefly at Janus. "Kaane, you may leave if you wish. I should not have brought you into this." Janus nodded, and made for the exit. Assuming, of course, he was allowed to leave.
"This is an offer of generosity," Naraku snapped, throwing Sekiko back down on the couch. The necktie became an ordinary piece of fabric again. "And really...I need money."

Though the impact and the strangulation continued to be rather painful, Sekiko still did not allow it to affect her demeanor. "If you wish to work for us for money, you have already lost your opportunity. Your arrogance and violence, Naraku, have simply proven my own suspicions. I cannot accept your 'services'. Ryoshi is in agreement. Perhaps, Naraku, you may prove wrong my analysis of you. Though I sincerely doubt it."
"Then the Empire will not fall within your lifetime, but it will fall within mine!" Naraku cackled, standing up. "I'll give you five seconds to get to the door."

Sekiko did not make any great haste. Until Ryoshi hoisted her into the air and dragged her to move her quickly, murmuring into her ear, "You know, she is serious when she makes threats like this. I'm sorry I brought you into this. It was a mistake."

As they reached the stairwell, there was a massive explosion from above, that shot flames down the steps for a moment. It could only mean one thing...the ship had been ambushed as well. "You don't think I could just let you go and risk telling everyone of my plan, did you?" Naraku called after them, laughing insanely.

As the flames shot down the stairs, Ryoshi positioned himself to shield Sekiko with his own flesh. Minor burns - not enough time for anything beyond. But he had never let anything happen to her, and had little intention of allowing her injury when he could prevent it. Sekiko sighed. "You don't think you have a chance in hell at success, do you?" Ryoshi shook his head, lifted her again, and moved towards the doorway once more.

Surprisingly enough, the ship was still there outside, and looking to be in good working order, too. Apparently Naraku had expected a bomb to scare them back into the bunker. From the bottom of the stairs, a shadowy black-skinned Nekovalkyrja shot at them wildly with a GP-13 pistol, striking Ryoshi in the shoulder and the leg. The shots left smoking black holes in his flesh. They could see the side entrance to the ship opening, and their comrades waving them on.

Ryoshi grunted, forced himself to continue, albeit very painfully and somewhat slowly, and obviously limping horribly, towards the ship - he made sure to keep Sekiko out of the gunwoman's sight. An order shouted out quickly. "Kouji! Prepare for launching. Janus, and anyone else with a weapon! Cover fire!" It would take little time for Janus to be on a full offensive with a pair of pistols, firing off at the Neko. Perhaps three others would join, though none with such fervor as displayed by that trigger-happy thug who served as their enforcer.

Naraku, still inside, frowned, then pouted, and then pulled an old motorcycle off the wall and started the engine. Two black-skinned Nekovalkyrja stepped out of the shadows, their eyes were glowing violet. Meni and Mani, two of Naraku's oldest and most faithful followers, both got on a second bike, and they rode out of the place through a large drainage tunnel in the side of the bunker. Meanwhile, the gunfight continued, with no further hits for the moment.

Ryoshi continued his trek, Sekiko now helping him to walk. It was faster, and she wasn’t particularly concerned with her own safety. Janus and his small band of gunmen shot continuously at the Neko who had opened fire, one covering another as they reloaded, providing a constant stream of gunshots towards the assailant.
 
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