Re-Tuul glanced at the monster that had appeared, then looked over at Cora. "I see," he said mockingly, "I take it, dear Cora, that you've been slacking off again?"

Re-Tuul ignored Gouki's threat and fluttered up to Gouki's eye level while watching Cora. "Always so insolent," he chuckled, "A shame you had to cut our fun short, Gouki. Playtime was just getting started."

The Khaglessi willed his weapon away. "Though perhaps it was best that you interfered. Had she killed the girl, my own quarry would've torn her apart, and your little plans for the rebels would be null."

Edited by RisingDragon on October 9, 2006 at 11:49:35.

If Re-Tuul had eyes, he would've rolled them in exasperation. The flame passed over him, and when it cleared, he was unharmed. As Cora neared, the Khaglessi turned to Gouki.

"You're just like the other foolish beasts that terrorize this world. So blinded by your own power that you think you're invincible. You're wrong," he said, speaking seriously and quietly, "Already Hydro has seen that the people of this world are no mere trifles. Donovan shall see soon as well."

He summoned his greatsword and made to leave. "Don't take the humans lightly, Gouki, dear little Cora. Or else you'll suffer the same fate as this planet."

Re-Tuul disappeared in a flash of orange light.

"What the hell?!" Hugo demanded. "When'd the big guy get here?!"

"CANNON!"

Fully charged and totally oblivious to Gouki's entrance, Matt threw his palms foward, firing a colossal beam of energy, charged with the elements and all other recognized or alien forms of energy. It sliced the air with intense heat, streaking toward Lee.

R.D. didn't notice Gouki or Re-Tuul, he was too busy concentrating on his and Matt's battle. Just as Matt was about to unleash his attack, R.D. thrust his blade into the air, and the energy crackling around the blade became a pillar of light nearly three times as tall as he was.

"MEGATON... CANNON!"
"SHIN KOUGENJIN!"

The attacks were unleashed at the same time. As Matt's Mega ton Cannon unleashed a giant beam at Lee, R.D. swung his charged Phase Blade down to the ground with all his might, firing a massive arc blade of pure energy straight at the shadow creature. The timing was perfect, the attacks would meet at the same time.

"DAMN IT!" Matt's arms trembled as he tried to keep the Megaton Cannon. "NO ONE beats the TRADEMARK!"

On that cue the dragon swooped in, and with its rough grip, seized Matt's jacket and pulled him away from the wave.

Matt kept the blast consistent despite the unexpected takeoff. "You hear ME?! NOBODY!"

"Damn!" Hugo shouted, leaping behind Hsien-Ko's gong again.

R.D. saw as the blade beam sliced through the shadow impala. Frowning as it continued to charge, R.D. raised his blade in an upward slash, and the pillar of energy still attached to the sword slashed through the impala.

Unfortunately for the amnesiac teen, R.D. did not have a dragon to rely on to escape. Lee's shockwave struck him head-on, and he was sent flying into the wall. Seeing his plight, Alasea ran over to him, helping him back up.

"Dammit," R.D. swore, spitting out some blood, "We need a plan!"

R.D. shoved Alasea roughly out of the way when Lee appeared. Light broke back into his reeling mind as he reached for the energy of the First Cipher. He swung his blade in a downward stroke at the hammer, and the giant energy pillar appeared around the blade. It cleaved through the hammer, causing it to shatter into thousands of shadow particles.

"And you need to go back to hell," R.D. replied. Following through, R.D. swept his charged Phase Blade around and thrust it forward at Lee's chest.

Alasea's quick thinking saved R.D. from Lee's counterattack, as she threw one of her shortswords right between the two combatants, catching the shadow orb and destroying it.

R.D. struggled as he tried to force his Phase Blade past Lee's battleaxe, and when he saw Alasea's blade harpoon past him, he removed one of his hands from his weapon, charged it with First Cipher energy, and thrust the glowing hand in Lee's face, firing his twin plasma orb combo in the shadow monster's face.

Matt grit his teeth. "Drop me!" he commanded to the dragon.

The dragon did. As soon as Matt began to fall, he made a big gesture, spinning through the air, then spinning faster and faster. The denim-clad teenager streaked through the air, flying at Lee head-first as a powerful spiral. "Flying Dragon Corkscrew!"

Edited by The Helldragon on October 9, 2006 at 16:30:58.

R.D.'s orbs slammed into each other as they met Lee's attack, strengthening the amnesiac teen's attack. The two fireballs that accompanied R.D.'s second shot fused with the orb, making it stronger, and the blast started pushing Lee's attack back.

R.D. saw Matt shooting down towards them like a bullet, and grinned at Lee. He shifted the grip on his blade and disengaged, causing Lee, with his superior strength, to stagger forward and jam his axe into the stone wall. R.D. leapt to the side as he deactivated his Phase Blade and grabbed Alasea by the hand and started running, pulling her out of the way of Matt's attack.

Matt stopped mid-spin, countering Lee's axe with his energy blade, resulting in a tremendous clash.

"I think it's time we finished this," Matt said, his eyes shouting a silent challenge to Lee.

Matt smirked. "Is that all?"

The blade was dismissed and, surprisingly, the next energy blast came from Matt's mouth itself. It certainly seemed big enough to fire such a blast.

R.D. and Alasea watched Matt and Lee's exchange.

"Shouldn't we be helping him somehow?" Alasea asked.

"No," her companion replied, "Not unless he's in trouble. This is his fight right now."

R.D. looked over and activated his Phase Blade. Hsien-Ko and Hugo were battling what remained of Lee's minions. "Let's go help them instead."

After retrieving Alasea's second blade, the two of the charged into the fray.

R.D. whipped around at Lee's attack, watching as the shadow pillars erupted from the ground betneath the two combatants. Swearing, R.D. charged his Phase Blade, causing the pillar of energy to arise from his sword. He swung the blade horizontally at the pillars, shouting "Shin Kougenjin!"

The arc blade lashed out of the blade at the pillars, slicing through each one and negating them. "Finish that bastard off, Matt!" he roared at his friend as he returned to his battle.

Edited by RisingDragon on October 9, 2006 at 14:30:53.

Damn! With a short kick at the air, Matt launched backwards, narrowly avoiding the blasts. How much does this godmodding bastard have left?!

Matt didn't have much left, that's for sure...and he couldn't just bend the whole place to his whim, God knows what would happen...

"Come on!" Matt shouted, spreading his arms. "Fight me like a man or whatever the hell you are!" In mid-air, he entered his trademark combative stance.

Matt grabbed both animals in the face when they came their closest and tossed them at the energy wave, the forces cancelling each other out.

"I'll say this again," he said, calmer than last time. "Come here and fight me like a man. Face to face."

Bryant felt himself being carried as he woke. He looked over to Veroinca lazily, she wasn't moving. "Veronica?" He thought, though counldn't say. He couldn't move, only his head, though that was limited. He wanted to yell out or reach for a weapon, but to no avail.