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Description

It's time for a new Slayers of Demon City 7 adventure featuring Kyoko and Misa Asagi! I'm so into the creations of , I will be making more comics in the future. However, before that, I have two stories to tell featuring Kyoko and Misa in prose form below, but I still had to make some art to preview what you'll read!

To preface: "Terror Cruise!" is a sequel to an adventure written by my friend and fellow Slayers fanatic . She wrote a series of stories involving the kidnapping of Kyoko Asagi by diabolical demoness Mizuki Oe, one of the most dangerous servants of the city's crimelord, Barumusu. Kyoko was put through hell until her sweet sister Misa infiltrated Mizuki's Gokuen Academy and...well, why tell you about it? You can find Ko's stories at these links to properly prepare you for what you see here!

"Kyoko's Mission" - charlesws.deviantart.com/art/K…

"Stand Alone" - charlesws.deviantart.com/art/S…

"Missing" - charlesws.deviantart.com/art/M…

"Undercover Rescue" - charlesws.deviantart.com/art/U…

"Terror Cruise!" takes place nearly a year after those events...ever since she lost her 'school', Mizuki Oe has been in hiding and thirsting for revenge against the sisters. And as you saw in the preview art above, it looks like history isn't just going to repeat itself -- the villain is gonna get what she wants! The first part begins...now!

------

"TERROR CRUISE!" -- Part One of Five!

--1--

It was called Demon City 7 even by most of its own residents, this port metropolis of the Tokyo Kingdom. The city was split into three distinct districts: High End, Middle Ground, and Low End. These days, their names were a reflection of each area's socio-economic status. The High End was the rich financial district, Middle Ground was mostly the domain of middle-class residents, and the Low End...you can guess the rest, but picture something far, far worse.

To call the Low End District a massive slum was as obvious as saying the sky looked blue. Over a third of the buildings in the area were condemned or as good as; many of the poor and homeless would have rather constructed rag-tag shantytowns than risk squatting in a place that looked ready to crumble any moment. Hope was in short supply, but fear and uncertainty, there were plenty of both. The district was a virtual no man's land, yet those who held the lowest of incomes had to live here. Most mortals and demons were honest, law-abiding, decent men and women who were just doing their best with what little they had. But it was the predators, mortal and otherwise, who gave Low End its dangerous reputation. Here demon gangs ruled the streets and preyed upon the unprepared. Want to just walk down the street? Pay for the privilege or get jacked up.

But in Low End, even the predators had much to fear, whether they were mortal, demonic, or half-bloods in between. There was a great, powerful force that controlled the district's crime in one way or the other and ruled all organized sin across the city and much of the Tokyo Kingdom itself. That force, an invisible demon kingpin some didn't believe even existed, was known as Barumusu. No criminal had ever seen him but they all knew that somehow, in ways beyond their reckoning, they served him. They only spoke of this force in careful whispers to each other. More than once, some bottom-feeder spoke too loudly about Barumusu or were too independent to 'play ball' with organized operations. Terrible things happened to them, so terrible it put lasting fear into the underground of Low End.

What were the root causes of Low End's horrible state of affairs, you might ask? The downward spiral began decades ago for Low End when most of it was designated a 'Sanctuary Zone' for immigrant Demonkind from the Nethers, the same as many cities across this fragile mortal world. Mortals, represented by the United Nations General Assembly, made an arrangement to take in 'undesirables' from the darkest domains of the Afterlife. They felt they had to after Hell Week, when servants to the Dark Gods randomly nuked seven major world cities. But when hundreds of thousands of Demonkind entered the world, most didn't want them living in their neighborhoods. Therefore, in an ill-advised concept similar to 'sanctuary cities' in Neo America that gave refuge to those who came into the country illegally, designated cities that had to accept these demonic immigrants consigned them to the low-income areas. More than that, as part of the politically correct drive to promote parity and tolerance for Demonkind, police presence in the Sanctuary Zones was discouraged. In the case of Low End, the city government finally pulled the police out entirely. Demon slayers and the Angels certainly couldn't go into those zones either, not unless they had probable cause to do so, such as if an outright demon attack was taking place.

As anyone not motivated by politics or pandering to demons would expect, it was fated for disaster.

Most Demonkind who immigrated hoped for a second chance, perhaps even redemption...they wanted to do good for themselves and others, but the deck was stacked against them in ways no different from what an ex-convict had to contend with re-entering society. Mortals in general were too afraid or prejudiced to reach out and accept these demons who were once no different from them, yet they went to the Hells for good reason, so how could they be accepted or even trusted? Politicians sure as sin had no easy answers, and the loud and self-serving 'advocates' for the law-abiding demons were too busy yelling about how much they cared every now and then instead of really looking for solutions to all this shit.

In Low End, the only sources of hope came from those who really gave a damn and often put their lives on the line to help everyone in the district. There were the Neo-Christian missionaries of the Holy Ark who tried to bring light to the darkness through their works. There were refuges like Porte Charlotte on the Low End Docks -- it was a nightclub in the evening hours, but the rest of the day its soup kitchen and shelter were dedicated to helping the homeless and young runaways. There were the First Responders, brave men and women who came together to give Low End residents protection and enforce the law, basically becoming the area's police force. Like the Holy Ark, though, First Responders donated their own time and resources and subsisted mainly on charity. And then there were the bounty hunters, private agents who charged the citizens and businesses who could afford their services.

No matter what motivated them, those who wanted to bring hope and justice to the Low End faced a steep and treacherous uphill climb.

And we haven't even gotten to the Demonkind who are in this world with the most evil of intentions...those secretly working with mortal conspirators to make Earth a reflection of the realms of pure chaos and torment in the eternal Afterlife...and yes, one of them was the unknowable, powerful crimelord that was corrupting Demon City 7.

--2--

It was once a karaoke bar, but that was a long time ago. The place was distressed, dark, and foreboding as any Hell. In its main lounge, sitting at a bar stool with one luscious leg crossed over the other, someone who only looked like a mortal woman was waiting. She was truly beautiful and had a sultry, vampish air to her, but in fact she was a demon, one of the Forsaken class of her kind. She was once a mortal woman, but a great deal changed for her after she was eternally damned. Her name was Mizuki Oe, one of the handful of servants who directly served Barumusu himself, and her soul was bleak in ways the best of us wouldn't dare to imagine.

The demon-witch was beside herself with anticipation as she stared into space and waited...the assholes called and said they got the job done, how long was it going to take for them to arrive?

Minutes later, finally, her paranormal senses detected their arrival...they were coming in the back way.

The big double-doors to the back of the bar soon opened, and five big mortal men came in. They were professional mercenaries, outfitted in camo and combat gear, and they were all armed. The one in the lead carried some truly precious cargo, and Mizuki suddenly felt a burst of dark joy.

The man in the lead had the unconscious body of the Vanquisher Kyoko Asagi cradled in his arms. It had been almost a year since Mizuki last saw the girl, just before Kyoko and her little sister Misa Asagi wrecked the Gokuen Academy and the demonic bitch barely evaded justice. Mizuki had wanted to hopelessly corrupt Kyoko as she kept the legendary hero in her 'school'. Bad enough Mizuki was cheated of that chance, but what happened after that, losing her Academy...well, that was another story, but she felt the burn of humiliation ever since.

Mizuki Oe barely contained herself as she left her stool to meet the men halfway. She looked at Kyoko's gorgeous face at rest and she said, "You really got the bitch." It took almost a damned year of planning and preparation to reach this point. For almost a year, the demoness ached for revenge. Mizuki looked into the lead merc's hard grey eyes and said thickly, "You have no idea how much this means to me, gentlemen. You really don't!"

The leader said dourly, "Ma'am, we were still lucky to get the drop on her. It took several hits from our tasers to put her down, and we each had to use enough voltage to kill anybody else! Right now, all we care about is getting this hot potato off our hands, then get as far as possible from whatever you've got in mind for her."

Mizuki nodded. "I understand, and have no doubt I appreciate how much you risked yourselves on my behalf." She pointed at a couch on one side of the lounge. "Set her there. But gently! I have plans for her." And for her little skank sister, if what will happen next goes right.

Kyoko Asagi was laid on the couch, and then all of the mercs focused on Mizuki. The leader said, "Now that we're done, we need the rest of the payment you promised us before we go."

"Oh, yes." Mizuki slowly strode slowly, deliberately to the men. "It's time you got what's coming to you..." The demoness smiled even brighter as she finished, "...but I don't think you're going to like it!"

That was when Mizuki Oe slowly began to change to her true demonic form.

What happened next was most unfortunate...for the mercs. Mizuki slaughtered the five men, professionals with slightly over a century of combined survival and combat experience, in less than thirty seconds. When she was done, Kyoko's unconscious body and most of the bar's interior was covered in blood.

Mizuki laughed in the darkness and growled, "Needless to say, boys, your services were no longer required!"

--3--

The headquarters of the Middle Ground Police Department. Everything had come to a complete halt for the authorities, from the Emperor and his ministers in Tokyo itself to the bounty hunters, the moment it was known that Kyoko Asagi was taken. In the office of Lieutenant Suzune Shizumi, Commander of the Special Tactics and Countermeasures Unit, those closest to the Warrior Worth a Thousand had come together. Everyone gazed with worry at the sweet young Vanquisher Misa Asagi, Kyoko's younger sister and partner, who was quietly distraught as she looked down at Kyoko's greatsword the Sephiroth, lying on a table before her without its mistress.

It began with a frantic call from a First Responder who answered an anonymous call that a crime was taking place at a certain location deep in Low End. When she arrived, she found the Sephiroth lying on the pavement, as recognizable to every citizen of the Tokyo Kingdom as Kyoko herself. They alerted the Temple of Vanquishers immediately, and that was how everything was set in motion, but very quietly.

Everyone agreed that they didn't want a possible panic to touch off if it was made public that Kyoko Asagi had been taken. In the office with Misa Asagi were Suzune Shizumi, Misa's best friend and bounty hunter Haigo Footsie, and the CEO of the Slayers Organization himself, Hikari Abe Zong. Hikari immediately enlightened the others that Kyoko Asagi had been in Low End; because of restrictions placed upon Vanquishers to not operate in the area, the operation had to be covert. The Slayers Organization had received a tip from a source Hikari trusted that the Demonkind were performing criminal operations at the location where Kyoko's sword was found.

Hikari told Misa, "Kyoko didn't want you to get in any trouble in case things went wrong and they were exposed -- !"

Misa was struggling to keep hold of her self-composure, she really was. She said loudly, "Are you telling me the truth, Zong-san? That sounds more like something you'd want!"

Hikari winced...and finally hung his head low and quietly affirmed, "You're right. But seriously, your sister thought she could take care of this herself! She also said you were preparing for a big exam at college, and she didn't want to trouble you in case it turned out to be nothing." Misa closed her eyes as she felt a jolt of pain in her heart. It was just like Kyoko to feel that way, but gods, no exam was more important than supporting her beloved angel...! Hikari continued, "I didn't have any reason to disagree with Kyoko, and I gave her support anyway! Five men who had the skill and know-how to back her up against any danger, but they've disappeared, too...!"

Suzune Shizumi looked at the CEO unkindly as she mused aloud, "It's obvious the tip you got from your informant was a lure to trap Kyoko and your mercenaries. We need to know where this informant is and have a very long talk with them."

Hikari sighed, "I've been trying to locate him. So far, he's off the map. If he betrayed me, he's either in hiding or...he's been eliminated by the same assholes who took Kyoko."

Haigo Footsie was there very close to Misa already, and the hunter sweetly wrapped her arms around the Vanquisher. Misa shuddered gently...the support from her best friend offered no solace or warmth. Misa moaned, "What must be happening to Kyoko now...? Twice before this happened to her, she was taken from me. Gods, I should have been there for my beloved...!"

That was when a ringtone sounded from Misa's phone, sitting on the table next to the Sephiroth. She slowly picked it up, and on its screen it stated: UNKNOWN CALLER. Misa frowned and answered: "Yes...?"

The response came from a voice that didn't sound human at all. What Misa heard was filtered through some kind of electronic distorter to disguise their true voice as they said, "Hello, Misa. Missing your older sister?"

Misa stiffened instantly...her slender hand clenched her phone as she put the caller on the device's speaker, so everyone could hear their conversaton. Misa asked in a thin voice, "Who is this?"

On the other end from her location, Mizuki laughed and said, "Wouldn't you like to know! Calm down and listen. I have Kyoko Asagi. What would you do to see your big sister alive again?"

The office became silent as a tomb. Misa said softly, "Anything."

"Ha-ha, exactly what I wanted to hear...!"

Misa cut the caller off and asked, "How do I know you have Kyoko? I want proof you have her and she's still alive." Fortunately, Misa knew without a doubt her elder sister was alive because of the paranormal bond they shared. Unfortunately, she knew nothing else. Kyoko had to be in a location so far away, Misa couldn't get a sense of exactly where.

Mizuki said coolly, "Your sister is alive...for the moment!...and if you want proof I have her? Let me put it this way, I know something no one else could since you're keeping the girl's disappearance hush-hush! The Slayers Organization sent her and a squad of mercs into Low End, right? That's where you lost her, but there was something left behind, correct? Kyoko Asagi's sword. The girl didn't need it anymore."

Misa almost whispered, "Yes. That's right."

The distorted voice continued: "Just in case you and whoever else is listening is too stupid to figure it out, the intel the Slayers Organization got about bad demons doing bad things was a sham. The men supporting Kyoko were already bought and paid for by me. I believe Mister Zong himself is there with you. If he's listening, he really should be more careful contracting mercenaries motivated by money." Close by, Hikari was fuming. "If it's any consolation, I killed the men who betrayed Kyoko. Not the most honorable thing, I know, but it was to cover my ass.

"Now listen carefully, Misa Asagi. I want you at the following address in the warehouse sector of Low End in one hour." The caller gave the address. "Any and all First Responders in that area will pull out of there right the fuck now if they value Kyoko Asagi's life. You will come alone and without your sword. It's as simple as that. If anyone else comes with you, any cops or hunters, fellow Vanquishers or angels, Kyoko will die. If you carry any kind of device that will help your friends keep track of your movements, she dies. If you're under any form of surveillance and being watched in some way as you go to your destination, your older sister will die. That includes any satellite surveillance on the part of the government or if the royals ask for help from their friends in the U.S. military. Any kind of watching from a 'bird' up in orbit will be detected, and a lot of unpleasantness will happen to Kyoko Asagi before I kill her. Do you and the rest of the assholes listening with you understand?"

Everyone there did. Misa said simply, "Yes."

"This is a game we will play only by my rules, Misa Asagi, and it would be stupid on my part to play fair. This goes the way I want whether you like it or not. Simply do what I tell you, and you will see your sister alive again."

"And what will happen after that? You'll have us both then."

"That's the whole point, little girl. Besides, it's not like I'm giving you much of a choice! See you in an hour."

Click. For a long moment, no one could say anything. But Haigo gazed at Misa and said softly, "You're going, aren't you." It wasn't a question at all.

Misa said, "Yes."

Hikari started to say, "Misa -- !"

"They have Kyoko, Zong-san." There was so much naked anguish in sweet Misa's blue eyes as she stared at Hikari. "Wherever I'm going, just as long as there's even a chance I'll see her again, I need to do this. And I need everyone to promise me to do exactly what these monsters want. Don't follow me, don't try to track me, don't do anything and let me go in alone. Promise me for my sister's sake, please!"

Suddenly feeling trapped and worse, impotent, Hikari snarled, "Gods damn it all...!" He shook his head and finally, reluctantly said, "I'll contact the royals and tell them, then they'll make sure everyone down the line won't make any kind of move. You've got my word, Misa-chan." Hikari looked at Suzune and said flatly, "Lieutenant, you and the police will need to honor Misa's wishes, too."

"No!" Horrified for Misa, one of the best friends she ever had, Suzune tried to resist and said loudly, "No, this is a huge mistake, we can't just -- !"

"You have to, Suzune-chan." Misa looked at Suzune, her eyes pleading as much as her soft voice. "Maybe it's a mistake, but it's for my beloved Kyoko's life. This isn't a stupid movie where we can try something clever so we can trick the bad guys and save the day. There's no time for that, anyway...!"

Misa moved from Haigo to stand before Suzune...she lifted her left hand to display her own holy sword, the Muramasa in its sheath. Misa asked gently, "I...I need to ask that you keep my sword safe, with my sister's...?"

Suzune felt like she had been punched in the heart...mournfully, she almost whispered, "Oh, Misa -- !"

Misa looked into her friend's green eyes. Her own expression was full of sadness, yet so...ready. The sweet girl was truly prepared to sacrifice herself for her beloved Kyoko. Misa implored, "Please."

It took all of Suzune's inner strength to keep from crying. With both hands, she respectfully reached out to take the Muramasa. She said, "I...I-I will. I'll keep this safe, I swear."

Haigo Footsie was losing her struggle to rein in her emotions as she clutched Misa's shoulders from behind. Haigo moaned, "Girl, please think about this. If you do what they want, they'll kill you...they'll kill the both of you...!"

Misa said with perfect certainty, "I don't have to think about this, Haigo-chin. They said I didn't have much of a choice, but they were wrong. I have no choice at all. I choose Kyoko before anything, and if that means I have to go alone, if I have to give my life...I make that choice gladly because I know she would give everything for me.

"And I couldn't live without Kyoko...if I were to lose my beloved, I wouldn't want to live anymore.

"I really have no choice...not when it comes to her."

--4--

Only a block away from the target location less than an hour later, a lone girl rode into view on her blue bicycle.

Misa Asagi stopped and looked around. Gods, it was so quiet. This sector was once one of the busiest parts of the city, manufacturing, shipping and receiving goods from its many warehouses. There wouldn't be any First Responders here and in the surrounding square blocks of area -- Misa had called Jessica Carlyle, who would have ensured her fellow First Responders weren't anywhere close to the location like the enemy wanted. It was ghostly, almost spectral in this sector now, as if it was vacant of any life at all.

But Misa knew better...she could feel eyes watching her for blocks now. From everywhere. Was she going to die this night? She had always been prepared for the worst, at least she wanted to believe that. But in the end, it was elementally true that Misa couldn't live without her beloved Kyoko. That was how much the girl loved her onee-chan: completely.

Misa set the bike's kickstand and stepped off...she walked the rest of the way.

When she reached the address, she was in a wide, vacant lot surrounded by derelict warehouses in varying states of decay.

Misa didn't expect things to go well from here. She was isolated. Alone. That was all right. Really.

Just as long as there was a chance she would see Kyoko again, that was all that mattered to Misa Asagi.

They roared in with little warning, a group of several highly modified sports cars, 'tuners' much like Kyoko's Nissan. They came in fast and with the overwhelming combined roar of their engines, they immediately began racing around Misa in a donut formation, their tires shrieking on the pavement as they drifted sideways. No, this wasn't going to go well at all, and Misa felt her heart race faster and faster. But she thought of her beloved Kyoko and easily put on a brave face, even as her heart raced so quickly.

Suddenly, one of the cars broke formation to drive a distance away and then did a 180 to scream back toward Misa. With amazing timing, the tuner fired into the formation between two vehicles, sheared past the girl, and exited the same way almost flawlessly. It rejoined the rest circling Misa, then another car broke away and did the same thing. Then another. It was obvious they were taunting the sweet Slayer, but she tried not to let them get to her.

The noise of the tuners was so loud and disorienting for the girl. Misa couldn't help but focus on another car as it broke from the group and seemed to be ready to blast through the donut, too. Unfortunately, behind her, another car was driving fast toward her, its lights out. Even an ordinary person in Misa's position wouldn't have heard the car coming because of the incredible noise.

Misa couldn't, and in the next instant this car entered the circle and slammed into the Vanquisher at over 70 MPH! The girl's lithe body was sent flying and crashed to the pavement as all of the vehicles came to a screeching halt. Misa Asagi never even knew what hit her as she laid on the ground...and thankfully, she was only knocked unconscious by the great kinetic shock of being hit! Slayers were blessed to be on the average several times stronger and hardier against physical injury than ordinary mortals. Misa and her sister Kyoko were at a level even above their peers since both of their parents were Vanquishers, too.

For the time being, unfortunately, Misa Asagi was unconscious...completely helpless...

...and that was exactly the way Mizuki Oe wanted it as she entered the area and stood over the sweet girl's body with a look of triumph on her face. The demoness declared, "All right, the bitch is in the bag. Take her away!"

　

TO BE CONTINUED!

------

Stand by for the next part, coming real soon!

Giving credit where it's due!

XNALara created by Dusan Pavlicek
XPS created by Dusan and XNAaraL

Models:
The Fectord, Kyoko and Misa Asagi, Mizuki Oe, Suzune Shizumi, Hikari Abe Zong and Haigo Footsie by their creator,
Mercenaries by
iPhone by
BMX bicycle by

Sceneries:
Arena and Bar by
Office by
Warehouses by

Description

It's time for a new Slayers of Demon City 7 adventure featuring Kyoko and Misa Asagi! I'm so into the creations of , I will be making more comics in the future. However, before that, I have two stories to tell featuring Kyoko and Misa in prose form below, but I still had to make some art to preview what you'll read!

To preface: "Terror Cruise!" is a sequel to an adventure written by my friend and fellow Slayers fanatic . She wrote a series of stories involving the kidnapping of Kyoko Asagi by diabolical demoness Mizuki Oe, one of the most dangerous servants of the city's crimelord, Barumusu. Kyoko was put through hell until her sweet sister Misa infiltrated Mizuki's Gokuen Academy and...well, why tell you about it? You can find Ko's stories at these links to properly prepare you for what you see here!

"Kyoko's Mission" - charlesws.deviantart.com/art/K…

"Stand Alone" - charlesws.deviantart.com/art/S…

"Missing" - charlesws.deviantart.com/art/M…

"Undercover Rescue" - charlesws.deviantart.com/art/U…

"Terror Cruise!" takes place nearly a year after those events...ever since she lost her 'school', Mizuki Oe has been in hiding and thirsting for revenge against the sisters. And as you saw in the preview art above, it looks like history isn't just going to repeat itself -- the villain is gonna get what she wants! The first part begins...now!

------

"TERROR CRUISE!" -- Part One of Five!

--1--

It was called Demon City 7 even by most of its own residents, this port metropolis of the Tokyo Kingdom. The city was split into three distinct districts: High End, Middle Ground, and Low End. These days, their names were a reflection of each area's socio-economic status. The High End was the rich financial district, Middle Ground was mostly the domain of middle-class residents, and the Low End...you can guess the rest, but picture something far, far worse.

To call the Low End District a massive slum was as obvious as saying the sky looked blue. Over a third of the buildings in the area were condemned or as good as; many of the poor and homeless would have rather constructed rag-tag shantytowns than risk squatting in a place that looked ready to crumble any moment. Hope was in short supply, but fear and uncertainty, there were plenty of both. The district was a virtual no man's land, yet those who held the lowest of incomes had to live here. Most mortals and demons were honest, law-abiding, decent men and women who were just doing their best with what little they had. But it was the predators, mortal and otherwise, who gave Low End its dangerous reputation. Here demon gangs ruled the streets and preyed upon the unprepared. Want to just walk down the street? Pay for the privilege or get jacked up.

But in Low End, even the predators had much to fear, whether they were mortal, demonic, or half-bloods in between. There was a great, powerful force that controlled the district's crime in one way or the other and ruled all organized sin across the city and much of the Tokyo Kingdom itself. That force, an invisible demon kingpin some didn't believe even existed, was known as Barumusu. No criminal had ever seen him but they all knew that somehow, in ways beyond their reckoning, they served him. They only spoke of this force in careful whispers to each other. More than once, some bottom-feeder spoke too loudly about Barumusu or were too independent to 'play ball' with organized operations. Terrible things happened to them, so terrible it put lasting fear into the underground of Low End.

What were the root causes of Low End's horrible state of affairs, you might ask? The downward spiral began decades ago for Low End when most of it was designated a 'Sanctuary Zone' for immigrant Demonkind from the Nethers, the same as many cities across this fragile mortal world. Mortals, represented by the United Nations General Assembly, made an arrangement to take in 'undesirables' from the darkest domains of the Afterlife. They felt they had to after Hell Week, when servants to the Dark Gods randomly nuked seven major world cities. But when hundreds of thousands of Demonkind entered the world, most didn't want them living in their neighborhoods. Therefore, in an ill-advised concept similar to 'sanctuary cities' in Neo America that gave refuge to those who came into the country illegally, designated cities that had to accept these demonic immigrants consigned them to the low-income areas. More than that, as part of the politically correct drive to promote parity and tolerance for Demonkind, police presence in the Sanctuary Zones was discouraged. In the case of Low End, the city government finally pulled the police out entirely. Demon slayers and the Angels certainly couldn't go into those zones either, not unless they had probable cause to do so, such as if an outright demon attack was taking place.

As anyone not motivated by politics or pandering to demons would expect, it was fated for disaster.

Most Demonkind who immigrated hoped for a second chance, perhaps even redemption...they wanted to do good for themselves and others, but the deck was stacked against them in ways no different from what an ex-convict had to contend with re-entering society. Mortals in general were too afraid or prejudiced to reach out and accept these demons who were once no different from them, yet they went to the Hells for good reason, so how could they be accepted or even trusted? Politicians sure as sin had no easy answers, and the loud and self-serving 'advocates' for the law-abiding demons were too busy yelling about how much they cared every now and then instead of really looking for solutions to all this shit.

In Low End, the only sources of hope came from those who really gave a damn and often put their lives on the line to help everyone in the district. There were the Neo-Christian missionaries of the Holy Ark who tried to bring light to the darkness through their works. There were refuges like Porte Charlotte on the Low End Docks -- it was a nightclub in the evening hours, but the rest of the day its soup kitchen and shelter were dedicated to helping the homeless and young runaways. There were the First Responders, brave men and women who came together to give Low End residents protection and enforce the law, basically becoming the area's police force. Like the Holy Ark, though, First Responders donated their own time and resources and subsisted mainly on charity. And then there were the bounty hunters, private agents who charged the citizens and businesses who could afford their services.

No matter what motivated them, those who wanted to bring hope and justice to the Low End faced a steep and treacherous uphill climb.

And we haven't even gotten to the Demonkind who are in this world with the most evil of intentions...those secretly working with mortal conspirators to make Earth a reflection of the realms of pure chaos and torment in the eternal Afterlife...and yes, one of them was the unknowable, powerful crimelord that was corrupting Demon City 7.

--2--

It was once a karaoke bar, but that was a long time ago. The place was distressed, dark, and foreboding as any Hell. In its main lounge, sitting at a bar stool with one luscious leg crossed over the other, someone who only looked like a mortal woman was waiting. She was truly beautiful and had a sultry, vampish air to her, but in fact she was a demon, one of the Forsaken class of her kind. She was once a mortal woman, but a great deal changed for her after she was eternally damned. Her name was Mizuki Oe, one of the handful of servants who directly served Barumusu himself, and her soul was bleak in ways the best of us wouldn't dare to imagine.

The demon-witch was beside herself with anticipation as she stared into space and waited...the assholes called and said they got the job done, how long was it going to take for them to arrive?

Minutes later, finally, her paranormal senses detected their arrival...they were coming in the back way.

The big double-doors to the back of the bar soon opened, and five big mortal men came in. They were professional mercenaries, outfitted in camo and combat gear, and they were all armed. The one in the lead carried some truly precious cargo, and Mizuki suddenly felt a burst of dark joy.

The man in the lead had the unconscious body of the Vanquisher Kyoko Asagi cradled in his arms. It had been almost a year since Mizuki last saw the girl, just before Kyoko and her little sister Misa Asagi wrecked the Gokuen Academy and the demonic bitch barely evaded justice. Mizuki had wanted to hopelessly corrupt Kyoko as she kept the legendary hero in her 'school'. Bad enough Mizuki was cheated of that chance, but what happened after that, losing her Academy...well, that was another story, but she felt the burn of humiliation ever since.

Mizuki Oe barely contained herself as she left her stool to meet the men halfway. She looked at Kyoko's gorgeous face at rest and she said, "You really got the bitch." It took almost a damned year of planning and preparation to reach this point. For almost a year, the demoness ached for revenge. Mizuki looked into the lead merc's hard grey eyes and said thickly, "You have no idea how much this means to me, gentlemen. You really don't!"

The leader said dourly, "Ma'am, we were still lucky to get the drop on her. It took several hits from our tasers to put her down, and we each had to use enough voltage to kill anybody else! Right now, all we care about is getting this hot potato off our hands, then get as far as possible from whatever you've got in mind for her."

Mizuki nodded. "I understand, and have no doubt I appreciate how much you risked yourselves on my behalf." She pointed at a couch on one side of the lounge. "Set her there. But gently! I have plans for her." And for her little skank sister, if what will happen next goes right.

Kyoko Asagi was laid on the couch, and then all of the mercs focused on Mizuki. The leader said, "Now that we're done, we need the rest of the payment you promised us before we go."

"Oh, yes." Mizuki slowly strode slowly, deliberately to the men. "It's time you got what's coming to you..." The demoness smiled even brighter as she finished, "...but I don't think you're going to like it!"

That was when Mizuki Oe slowly began to change to her true demonic form.

What happened next was most unfortunate...for the mercs. Mizuki slaughtered the five men, professionals with slightly over a century of combined survival and combat experience, in less than thirty seconds. When she was done, Kyoko's unconscious body and most of the bar's interior was covered in blood.

Mizuki laughed in the darkness and growled, "Needless to say, boys, your services were no longer required!"

--3--

The headquarters of the Middle Ground Police Department. Everything had come to a complete halt for the authorities, from the Emperor and his ministers in Tokyo itself to the bounty hunters, the moment it was known that Kyoko Asagi was taken. In the office of Lieutenant Suzune Shizumi, Commander of the Special Tactics and Countermeasures Unit, those closest to the Warrior Worth a Thousand had come together. Everyone gazed with worry at the sweet young Vanquisher Misa Asagi, Kyoko's younger sister and partner, who was quietly distraught as she looked down at Kyoko's greatsword the Sephiroth, lying on a table before her without its mistress.

It began with a frantic call from a First Responder who answered an anonymous call that a crime was taking place at a certain location deep in Low End. When she arrived, she found the Sephiroth lying on the pavement, as recognizable to every citizen of the Tokyo Kingdom as Kyoko herself. They alerted the Temple of Vanquishers immediately, and that was how everything was set in motion, but very quietly.

Everyone agreed that they didn't want a possible panic to touch off if it was made public that Kyoko Asagi had been taken. In the office with Misa Asagi were Suzune Shizumi, Misa's best friend and bounty hunter Haigo Footsie, and the CEO of the Slayers Organization himself, Hikari Abe Zong. Hikari immediately enlightened the others that Kyoko Asagi had been in Low End; because of restrictions placed upon Vanquishers to not operate in the area, the operation had to be covert. The Slayers Organization had received a tip from a source Hikari trusted that the Demonkind were performing criminal operations at the location where Kyoko's sword was found.

Hikari told Misa, "Kyoko didn't want you to get in any trouble in case things went wrong and they were exposed -- !"

Misa was struggling to keep hold of her self-composure, she really was. She said loudly, "Are you telling me the truth, Zong-san? That sounds more like something you'd want!"

Hikari winced...and finally hung his head low and quietly affirmed, "You're right. But seriously, your sister thought she could take care of this herself! She also said you were preparing for a big exam at college, and she didn't want to trouble you in case it turned out to be nothing." Misa closed her eyes as she felt a jolt of pain in her heart. It was just like Kyoko to feel that way, but gods, no exam was more important than supporting her beloved angel...! Hikari continued, "I didn't have any reason to disagree with Kyoko, and I gave her support anyway! Five men who had the skill and know-how to back her up against any danger, but they've disappeared, too...!"

Suzune Shizumi looked at the CEO unkindly as she mused aloud, "It's obvious the tip you got from your informant was a lure to trap Kyoko and your mercenaries. We need to know where this informant is and have a very long talk with them."

Hikari sighed, "I've been trying to locate him. So far, he's off the map. If he betrayed me, he's either in hiding or...he's been eliminated by the same assholes who took Kyoko."

Haigo Footsie was there very close to Misa already, and the hunter sweetly wrapped her arms around the Vanquisher. Misa shuddered gently...the support from her best friend offered no solace or warmth. Misa moaned, "What must be happening to Kyoko now...? Twice before this happened to her, she was taken from me. Gods, I should have been there for my beloved...!"

That was when a ringtone sounded from Misa's phone, sitting on the table next to the Sephiroth. She slowly picked it up, and on its screen it stated: UNKNOWN CALLER. Misa frowned and answered: "Yes...?"

The response came from a voice that didn't sound human at all. What Misa heard was filtered through some kind of electronic distorter to disguise their true voice as they said, "Hello, Misa. Missing your older sister?"

Misa stiffened instantly...her slender hand clenched her phone as she put the caller on the device's speaker, so everyone could hear their conversaton. Misa asked in a thin voice, "Who is this?"

On the other end from her location, Mizuki laughed and said, "Wouldn't you like to know! Calm down and listen. I have Kyoko Asagi. What would you do to see your big sister alive again?"

The office became silent as a tomb. Misa said softly, "Anything."

"Ha-ha, exactly what I wanted to hear...!"

Misa cut the caller off and asked, "How do I know you have Kyoko? I want proof you have her and she's still alive." Fortunately, Misa knew without a doubt her elder sister was alive because of the paranormal bond they shared. Unfortunately, she knew nothing else. Kyoko had to be in a location so far away, Misa couldn't get a sense of exactly where.

Mizuki said coolly, "Your sister is alive...for the moment!...and if you want proof I have her? Let me put it this way, I know something no one else could since you're keeping the girl's disappearance hush-hush! The Slayers Organization sent her and a squad of mercs into Low End, right? That's where you lost her, but there was something left behind, correct? Kyoko Asagi's sword. The girl didn't need it anymore."

Misa almost whispered, "Yes. That's right."

The distorted voice continued: "Just in case you and whoever else is listening is too stupid to figure it out, the intel the Slayers Organization got about bad demons doing bad things was a sham. The men supporting Kyoko were already bought and paid for by me. I believe Mister Zong himself is there with you. If he's listening, he really should be more careful contracting mercenaries motivated by money." Close by, Hikari was fuming. "If it's any consolation, I killed the men who betrayed Kyoko. Not the most honorable thing, I know, but it was to cover my ass.

"Now listen carefully, Misa Asagi. I want you at the following address in the warehouse sector of Low End in one hour." The caller gave the address. "Any and all First Responders in that area will pull out of there right the fuck now if they value Kyoko Asagi's life. You will come alone and without your sword. It's as simple as that. If anyone else comes with you, any cops or hunters, fellow Vanquishers or angels, Kyoko will die. If you carry any kind of device that will help your friends keep track of your movements, she dies. If you're under any form of surveillance and being watched in some way as you go to your destination, your older sister will die. That includes any satellite surveillance on the part of the government or if the royals ask for help from their friends in the U.S. military. Any kind of watching from a 'bird' up in orbit will be detected, and a lot of unpleasantness will happen to Kyoko Asagi before I kill her. Do you and the rest of the assholes listening with you understand?"

Everyone there did. Misa said simply, "Yes."

"This is a game we will play only by my rules, Misa Asagi, and it would be stupid on my part to play fair. This goes the way I want whether you like it or not. Simply do what I tell you, and you will see your sister alive again."

"And what will happen after that? You'll have us both then."

"That's the whole point, little girl. Besides, it's not like I'm giving you much of a choice! See you in an hour."

Click. For a long moment, no one could say anything. But Haigo gazed at Misa and said softly, "You're going, aren't you." It wasn't a question at all.

Misa said, "Yes."

Hikari started to say, "Misa -- !"

"They have Kyoko, Zong-san." There was so much naked anguish in sweet Misa's blue eyes as she stared at Hikari. "Wherever I'm going, just as long as there's even a chance I'll see her again, I need to do this. And I need everyone to promise me to do exactly what these monsters want. Don't follow me, don't try to track me, don't do anything and let me go in alone. Promise me for my sister's sake, please!"

Suddenly feeling trapped and worse, impotent, Hikari snarled, "Gods damn it all...!" He shook his head and finally, reluctantly said, "I'll contact the royals and tell them, then they'll make sure everyone down the line won't make any kind of move. You've got my word, Misa-chan." Hikari looked at Suzune and said flatly, "Lieutenant, you and the police will need to honor Misa's wishes, too."

"No!" Horrified for Misa, one of the best friends she ever had, Suzune tried to resist and said loudly, "No, this is a huge mistake, we can't just -- !"

"You have to, Suzune-chan." Misa looked at Suzune, her eyes pleading as much as her soft voice. "Maybe it's a mistake, but it's for my beloved Kyoko's life. This isn't a stupid movie where we can try something clever so we can trick the bad guys and save the day. There's no time for that, anyway...!"

Misa moved from Haigo to stand before Suzune...she lifted her left hand to display her own holy sword, the Muramasa in its sheath. Misa asked gently, "I...I need to ask that you keep my sword safe, with my sister's...?"

Suzune felt like she had been punched in the heart...mournfully, she almost whispered, "Oh, Misa -- !"

Misa looked into her friend's green eyes. Her own expression was full of sadness, yet so...ready. The sweet girl was truly prepared to sacrifice herself for her beloved Kyoko. Misa implored, "Please."

It took all of Suzune's inner strength to keep from crying. With both hands, she respectfully reached out to take the Muramasa. She said, "I...I-I will. I'll keep this safe, I swear."

Haigo Footsie was losing her struggle to rein in her emotions as she clutched Misa's shoulders from behind. Haigo moaned, "Girl, please think about this. If you do what they want, they'll kill you...they'll kill the both of you...!"

Misa said with perfect certainty, "I don't have to think about this, Haigo-chin. They said I didn't have much of a choice, but they were wrong. I have no choice at all. I choose Kyoko before anything, and if that means I have to go alone, if I have to give my life...I make that choice gladly because I know she would give everything for me.

"And I couldn't live without Kyoko...if I were to lose my beloved, I wouldn't want to live anymore.

"I really have no choice...not when it comes to her."

--4--

Only a block away from the target location less than an hour later, a lone girl rode into view on her blue bicycle.

Misa Asagi stopped and looked around. Gods, it was so quiet. This sector was once one of the busiest parts of the city, manufacturing, shipping and receiving goods from its many warehouses. There wouldn't be any First Responders here and in the surrounding square blocks of area -- Misa had called Jessica Carlyle, who would have ensured her fellow First Responders weren't anywhere close to the location like the enemy wanted. It was ghostly, almost spectral in this sector now, as if it was vacant of any life at all.

But Misa knew better...she could feel eyes watching her for blocks now. From everywhere. Was she going to die this night? She had always been prepared for the worst, at least she wanted to believe that. But in the end, it was elementally true that Misa couldn't live without her beloved Kyoko. That was how much the girl loved her onee-chan: completely.

Misa set the bike's kickstand and stepped off...she walked the rest of the way.

When she reached the address, she was in a wide, vacant lot surrounded by derelict warehouses in varying states of decay.

Misa didn't expect things to go well from here. She was isolated. Alone. That was all right. Really.

Just as long as there was a chance she would see Kyoko again, that was all that mattered to Misa Asagi.

They roared in with little warning, a group of several highly modified sports cars, 'tuners' much like Kyoko's Nissan. They came in fast and with the overwhelming combined roar of their engines, they immediately began racing around Misa in a donut formation, their tires shrieking on the pavement as they drifted sideways. No, this wasn't going to go well at all, and Misa felt her heart race faster and faster. But she thought of her beloved Kyoko and easily put on a brave face, even as her heart raced so quickly.

Suddenly, one of the cars broke formation to drive a distance away and then did a 180 to scream back toward Misa. With amazing timing, the tuner fired into the formation between two vehicles, sheared past the girl, and exited the same way almost flawlessly. It rejoined the rest circling Misa, then another car broke away and did the same thing. Then another. It was obvious they were taunting the sweet Slayer, but she tried not to let them get to her.

The noise of the tuners was so loud and disorienting for the girl. Misa couldn't help but focus on another car as it broke from the group and seemed to be ready to blast through the donut, too. Unfortunately, behind her, another car was driving fast toward her, its lights out. Even an ordinary person in Misa's position wouldn't have heard the car coming because of the incredible noise.

Misa couldn't, and in the next instant this car entered the circle and slammed into the Vanquisher at over 70 MPH! The girl's lithe body was sent flying and crashed to the pavement as all of the vehicles came to a screeching halt. Misa Asagi never even knew what hit her as she laid on the ground...and thankfully, she was only knocked unconscious by the great kinetic shock of being hit! Slayers were blessed to be on the average several times stronger and hardier against physical injury than ordinary mortals. Misa and her sister Kyoko were at a level even above their peers since both of their parents were Vanquishers, too.

For the time being, unfortunately, Misa Asagi was unconscious...completely helpless...

...and that was exactly the way Mizuki Oe wanted it as she entered the area and stood over the sweet girl's body with a look of triumph on her face. The demoness declared, "All right, the bitch is in the bag. Take her away!"

　

TO BE CONTINUED!

------

Stand by for the next part, coming real soon!

Giving credit where it's due!

XNALara created by Dusan Pavlicek
XPS created by Dusan and XNAaraL

Models:
The Fectord, Kyoko and Misa Asagi, Mizuki Oe, Suzune Shizumi, Hikari Abe Zong and Haigo Footsie by their creator,
Mercenaries by
iPhone by
BMX bicycle by

Sceneries:
Arena and Bar by
Office by
Warehouses by