33 Risk it All

"Some time for a stupid Zodiac to show up." Katinka was irritated, staring to Catzaka.

Barret takes out his pistol, aiming it at Catzaka. He lets off a of couple of shots , as she swirls around them, even knocking some of the bullets away with her tail. Barret gasps, and turns his attention to Katinka. "Get to cover!" Bullets were coming their way, for the ricocheted attack.

"Not happening!" Katinka scoffed, using her electrical dama to destroy a bullet that drew close. "Told you, I can handle myself." She smirked to him.

"Urgh, well okay...If it gets to rough though..." Barret says, but Katinka simply walks ahead of him.

"Oh don't worry. If it gets ugly, I'll shove you behind a tree, or something." She teased, sparking up with electricity from her wires.

"(Heh I have to give her credit, she has charisma.)" Barret reloads his gun quickly.

"Nya, this is fun already, nya! Battling, romance. Just missing the crab dinner. Nyaaa." Catzaka was in awe, she had been a lingering near with her cat still riding her shoulder.

"You certainly like your crab." Barret states, letting off more shots off at Catzaka. She jumps into the tree hiding herself from them. Katinka shocks up, and zaps the tree Catzaka hid in, knocking her out of it. Catzaka's eyes were now swirling.

"The fish are swimming away nyaaaaaaa..." Catzaka was dizzy. Her cat jumped off her shoulder, to land beside the sitting Ferline.

"I'm really starting to hate cats..." Katinka grunted.

Catzaka got to her feet, and aims her hand in Katinka's direction, shooting off her electrical spikes. Barret caught sight of this, and quickly throws himself in the line of fire. He's jabbed by all three spikes, two had been shot into either of his biceps, getting shocked by electricity, and the last claw was about to collide with his chest. However, Katinka wrapped her arms around him from behind, absorbing the shock, and pulling him back wards. Her wires lashed out, shocking back the middle claw, before the two tumbled back to the ground.

Barret squints, looking to Katinka, his vision was foggy. "Ka...Tinka...Than..." Barret falls out cold.

"Barret!? Wake up! Barret!" She was growing frantic.

Catzaka had crept closer, observing. "You can always give up nya." Her cat was rubbing along the inside of her legs, with a soft purring sound.

"Stay away! I'm warning you!!" Katinka's wires sparked up, as she didn't let go of Barret.

Catzaka grinned, lunging their way, with her cat mirroring her attack pose. Katinka closed her eyes, holding tighter. "STOP!" She cried out.

While her eyes were closed, there was a loud clang heard. She frantically opened them, with tears escaping from her heterochromia eyes. Before her, blocking back Catzaka, was Denki. The cat had been knocked backwards, landing on it's feet.

"Sen-Sensei!?" She gasped.

"Stay put kiddo. I have this under control." Denki insisted.

"Uh... Okay." She nodded, anxiously.

Denki turned his attention to Catzaka. "What have they done to you... Kathrine..?"

"Nya?!" Catzaka was unnerved, her cat creeping closer in an angry posture.

"Don't you recognize me?" Denki kept in place, his hand holding her's from moving.

Catzaka used her feet to kick off of Denki, and gain some distance. Her ears went back, as she reformed claws to her hands. "Don't surprise me like that, nya!" She hissed, with her cat jumping to her shoulder again, having a low growl.

Katinka had been observing, "(Wait... she's Sensei's...)"

Denki drew closer, some electricity trailing from the heels of his feet. "Kathrine. fuhgettabout running. I've been searchin' all over for you, and there's nothing that's gonna stop me, from getting you back to normal. I'm not leaving you."

"You... Think I'm pretty nya?" Catzaka settled down a bit. Earnest's ears perked up as well, almost as if the cat was connected to her emotions.

"(She's been messed over bad...)" Denki furrowed his brows. "Of course I do, you're my wife. Please, just let me help you. I don't want to hurt you, Kathrine."

"You're trying to trick me, nya! No-no-no! I'm a neko-neko of Zodiac! NYA!!" Catzaka rushed at Denki, with claws out. Her cat lunging off her shoulder, with claws out as well.

Denki held out his hand defending himself, as Catzaka and her cat, began to wail on him with their claws. Sparks fly from the attacks, absorbing into Denki. Catzaka flips, kicking him backward, and shoots off her claws, one hits Denki in his arm as the electrical current flies through him. He manages to absorb it, but he couldn't feel his left arm. The claws form back to Catzaka's hand. Her cat kept close, mimicking her attack movements.

Denki walks forward to her slowly, holding his left arm. "Kathrine.. Urgh..." He stumbled a bit, "You can't tell me, you don't remember life back on Vectrom. You, me, our son!? Kaos abducted you, and turned you into this weapon... making you fight for Espionage's Zodiac forces. Even that cat of your's got reworked too... Urgh, I only agreed to come on this mission to save you. You're the most important person in the universe to me. Please, you need to snap outta this!!" Denki was practically begging her.

Catzaka tilted her head, "I think you has me confused with another Neko-neko, nya." She said, with her cat mirroring her, now back on her shoulder.

"You're not a ferline, you're a Lighton. Kathrine." Denki dropped to his knees, bleeding harshly by this point.

Catzaka looked to him in amusement. "I'm close to a Lighton, because I carry electricity, nya!" Her cat even seemed amused.

"They... really brain washed you..." Denki tried to get back to his feet.

A storm begins to move over, and as the rain starts to pour it hits Denki and Catzaka, causing sparks of electricity to bounce around them. Catzaka's expression turns very sour, as well as her cat's.

"It's raining nya... I don't like water... nyaa..." Catzaka pouted.

A holographic ship appears in the sky, and three figures are beamed down to the location. Out steps Chisio, Triple Seven, and what looked to be a witch, sporting a blue starry outfit, with fuchsia colored hair. "So, this is her?" The witch spoke up.

Catzaka glanced back to the ship. "Nya?" She mewed, with her cat standing up on her shoulder, with paws to the top of her head, to also peer over.

Denki struggled, getting back to his feet, keeping his eyes on the group of three.

"Luck? Keep any stragglers off of us, we need the neko girl." Chisio says to Seven.

He looks to Chisio. "Don't tell me what to do. You'll get what you came for. I'll deal with anything that tries to stop you."

The witch hovers a bit crossing her arms. "Jeez, you know? We could also take that guy, he's pretty buff. A bit jacked up, due to the fighting, but I think he'd make a good fighter in the games."

"Pirates..." Denki gritted his teeth, but sparked up wildly. "You scumbags EVEN THINK about taking her, and I'll make sure you suffer worse fate than the electric chair!!" He spat out.

The witch girl grins. "I can scare you into thinking you're under going that kind of treatment...All I gotta do is get close enough."

Seven walks ahead of the Witch, "Luna, this is a Lighton who is aged older than any of us...I doubt a nightmare will shake him....Though, I wonder about his power.."

Chisio looks to Seven. "Luck, look at the guy, he may be talking a big game, but he's not really in any shape to fight."

"Oh fine...I'll play the pity game...Count yourself lucky then." Seven says, looking to Denki.

"It may be wet out here, but now everybody wants me. Nya! I feel so loved! It makes me think of that crab dinner, I'm going to be eating tonight! Nya!" Catzaka hugged herself, her cat rubbed along her neck as well.

"(I gotta do somethin'. These wack jobs ain't foolin' around here. Kathrine...)" Denki looked to Catzaka.

A beam is shot from the ship quickly, striking Catzaka and Earnest. She's then lifted off the ground. Catzaka was floating, with her cat hanging on. "Nya! I can't swim nya! Life's going to be mad at me! Pwetty please, make this stop. Nya?" Catzaka looked nervously to the pirates.

Denki rushed to the beam of light, stumbling to get to her. "KATHRINE!!" He reached his hand out to her. Catzaka looked to Denki. "I Promise! SOMEDAY I'LL SAVE YOU!! I'LL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES! EVEN KILL THESE BASTARDS!" Denki called to her.

Catzaka reached her hand back to Denki, "Nya." Her cat peeking down from her shoulder.

Their fingers nearly touched, but Catzaka had dematerialized to the Pirate's ship. Denki stumbled, breathing heavily, as his gaze turned to the foes ahead of him. "..."

"Maaan, that's someway to end a tragic anime." Luna said, smiling. "I think we're done here, unless I can still take him with me?" She inquired to Chisio.

"Hmm...We have enough problems with baby boomers trying to run a muck in the games. Not happening. Granted it is a lot of Zio to pass up. A Lighton like that could be hard to contain. We'll find another suitable competitor in the future." Chisio says, turning back to the ship.

"Awe jeez, you gotta always be a party pooper. But eh, I guess we'll see. Come on Luck." Luna says, floating off with Chisio. Seven was looking to Denki now.

"...I know what you're going through. To have people ripped from your hands...An entire life taken from you...Family...Disowning you....But you know what I do? I fight. Destroy what makes me miserable...So, if we meet again. I want you to fight me. Hell, destroy anything that makes you think of this ." Seven turns away from Denki. "Hopefully you can have that world you've been working at." Seven states, heading off to the ship. They're transported inside, and as quickly as they came they were gone.

Denki dropped to his knees, he was battered from the battle, but what hurt the worst was the aching in his chest. ".... Kathrine....."

Katinka was at a distance from the battle, still looking over Barret. However, she was saddened by the events that occurred there. "... Sensei's hurting now too..." Some tears fell from her face, hitting onto Barret's, along with the falling rain.

Barret blinks, noticing the gray clouds, and Katinka over him. "...Urgh...Katinka?...What happened? Where's the Zodiac?" He moves his head spotting Denki. "Denki?" Barret gasps weakly.

Katinka looked to Barret, with a surprised expression, her face red from all the emotions she was feeling. "Y-You're awake." She noticed how her arms were still around him, but she couldn't move due to his weight on top of her. This made her blush even more.

"Y-Yeah...urgh...(After that... Even I'm not liking cats too much....I wonder though...)" Barret looks to Denki. He tries to move off of Katinka, but he was in too much pain.

"Stay still, you're hurt pretty bad..." Katinka furrowed her brows.

"B-but...Urgh alright..." Barret said, fighting the pain. "(This is so awkward, yet it's not making me uncomfortable.)"

There was a sound of static from the radio on Barret's belt. "Bzzzzt." The sound buzzed, before Myde's voice came through. "Barret? Are you.. There...? This is Myde... over..."

Barret groans, trying to reach the radio. Denki stumbled over to them them, his hair covering his face from the dampness of the rain. He crouched down to their level, holding out a dream tear to Barret. "It may be a long time til I can use this, for the purpose I brought it for... but, I think you need it more than I do, at the moment."

Barret looks to the Dream Tear in surprise. "...A Dream Tear?...Are you sure? I hear it takes, a while to get more of them... You're wounded pretty bad yourself."

"I'll be fine. You're going to loose your arms if you don't take it, kid. (Kathrine... I'll find a way to get you back...)" Denki extended it, with his good arm.

Barret nods to Denki. "Alright then."

Denki set the dream tear into Barret's hand. Instantly it begins to react to the cuts,scars and punctures. Light blue dama energy flies over his body repairing the damages. Barret soon felt refreshed, as his skin, and body healed. He takes a deep breath.

"Thank you Denki...I still can't get over how life saving those are...Why Terra doesn't have any, astounds me." Barret sits up, and reaches for the radio. He then looks to Katinka, whose arms were still around him. "Are you okay? You're not hurt, are you?" Barret inquired to her.

Katinka blushed, letting go of him. "I-I'm fine!"

Barret laughs, "I'm happy, you really had me scared there, when you jumped out for me. Though I'm grateful you got me out of that...I honestly don't want you risking yourself like that again, okay? That's what I'm here for."

"Don't make me shock you." Katinka narrowed her eyes.

"Heh right...(That's the last thing I want to feel after that.)" Barret states nervously, to himself.

"Barret! Are.. you there.. over!" Myde's voice chimed in from the radio.

"You might want to get that." Denki sat down, with them. He couldn't move his right arm at all it seemed.

Barret quickly picks up the radio. "Barret here. What's your current situation?"

"Barret, there you are. We've got a major problem here. After taking down the Zodiac member we encountered, Cravic went AWOL. Bit only just explained to us about him being part Necroden. We're not sure what to do, or where he vanished off to. With how he acted back there, he's lost full control." Myde's tone sounded urgent.

"...What? Sweet mother Joan..." Barret was shaking.

Denki glanced back to Barret, "If what she says is true, we're going to need lots of light dama."

"Where are we going to get that? Besides that! How are we going to find him!?" Barret yelled, becoming frantic.

"I'm a Lighton, so you can leave that to me... As for finding him..." Denki stated, but his eyes looked over to Katinka.

"Huh? Wait, what about Katinka?" Barret gasps, looking at her.

"Lightons can trace a Necroden's energy. However, another Necroden can pin point the exact location. Isn't that right, Katinka?" Denki explained.

"....." Katinka looked off.

"Wait, are you saying...She's... Katinka? You're a Necroden? But I thought Necroden all used dark based, or fire artes? Besides that, isn't it against Lightons to teach Necroden this way?" Barret states, crossing his arms.

"Not against the rules, if they think a Necroden is a Lighton. Her father's a good friend of mine, and he asked me to look after her." Denki explained. "Katinka uses electricity due to how long I've been teachin' her for. No one knows what she is, so you have to keep your yap shut about this. For your's and her sake."

"...." Katinka kept silent, keeping her gaze away from them. She was uneasy about this.

Barret sighs to himself. "Well, if anything has been proved to me thus far. When it comes to Elementar, Necroden or Lighton. It's the person not the race. We have to find Cravic, so lead the way Katinka." Barret says, smiling to her.

Katinka glances to him, smiling a bit. "Alright. Leave it to me."

Barret picks up the radio, contacting Myde. "We're going to track him now, when we get a hit we'll forward you the coordinates."

"Understood. Over and out." Myde cut the feed.

"Okay, let's get back to the ship, and get the others. (I hope that's where they are...URGH! I FORGOT ABOUT CYNDER! Oh whatever...She'll be fine.)" Barret instructed to the others.

Meanwhile, back at base. Asuna was leading the others in, but turns to Zihark. "Zeke. Could you escort our prisoner to the safe for me? We need to report in to Xiao, before any matters can be settled."

"Affirmative Ducky." Zihark says, gripping Yuji by his arm.

"Heh, not so hard man. It's not as if I really want to go anywhere." Yuji joked.

"... (I hope Asuna knows what she's doing. This could get ugly if we're not careful.)" Issac thought to himself.

"I'll leave you two to Xiao then. I should report in to Lucky." Kirb walked off in the opposite direction, that Zihark had Taken Yuji.

"That's fine." Asuna replied. "Coming along?" She asked to Issac.

"Honestly, I want to go to bed." Issac sighed.

"Go head then. I'll fill in the Director." Asuna pat Issac's shoulder, heading ahead of him.

"...(Well, guess she does know what she's doing. Might as well catch some Z's, before that psycho cat gets back in, and ruins my life some more...)" Issac walked off.

Asuna arrived to Xiao's office, explaining the situation.

"I see, so you captured one of the Zodiac. This is rather good news, but you're sure this safe of yours is going to hold out well enough?" Xiao inquired.

"It's the highest security imaginable. So, I stand by it, we are guaranteed there won't be any communication with his forces, no escapes, or powers functioning. If things came down to it, a power glove would be able to alleviate the cause." Asuna held her hands behind her back.

"Very well, you haven't made any choice that has failed us thus far. Considering the circumstances, would you be willing to interrogate this zodiac? I know you're safe with your weapons, and I would find it rude to see your personal files. I respect your privacy, as I know you respect mine." Xiao spoke up.

"If you like, then leave it to me. I'll get whatever I can out of him, and use any force necessary." Asuna replied.

"I'm glad to hear. Keep me posted, Asuna." Xiao drank some of her coffee.

Asuna stood to her feet. "Of course." She said, heading off to her lab.

She entered her lab, seeing Zihark inside near the safe she kept. "I've been ordered to interrogate the prisoner. Would you stay out here, and make sure no one accidentally releases the chamber, without my say so?"

"Affirmative Ducky, I am at your every command.." Zihark states bowing to her.

"Good boy." Asuna smiles to him, approaching the chamber.

She entered the combination, and steps inside, sealing the door behind her. Inside Yuji was sitting on one of her benches, with his wrists bound.

"Hey sweet cheeks. So, come to interrogate me?" Yuji says, smirking.

Asuna had a stern expression, approaching him. She sat down on the bench with him, also laying out a medical kit, as she began to fix his wound.

"You really have come a ways in your performance. You even had me fooled..I say that earns you a good oscar." Yuji says, adding in a laugh.

Asuna set down the tool, keeping quiet. She huffed a bit, before slapping him across the face.

"..." Yuji sat quietly.

Asuna looked to him, her eyes were beginning to trail with tears. Without any warning, she hugs onto Yuji, burring her face in the small of his neck. "I... I was so scared..."

"Yeah... This trek's been a trip, but we made it back together... I was a bit unsure about where the script was leading though. I cut it pretty close." Yuji states, sighing. "I'm sorry for scaring you."

Asuna gripped to his shoulders, looking seriously to his face. "You could have died back there, you idiot!" Her voice was cracking.

"Yeah, but we got out of it...Heh...I just don't want any reruns. That was too close for comfort." Yuji admitted.

Asuna sniffled a bit, forcing him into a kiss. Yuji leaned forward increasing the hold on the kiss, grabbing onto her hands. Asuna let off, leaning her forehead against his. She was still crying.

"So, are you still planning on staying around here? I think this event has proven a lot more to us...We need to break away from these places." Yuji says, sighing to himself.

"Kaos isn't going to let me out of this easily, as I'm sure Espionage would be for you. We're forced to keep up this charade, until their plans fall into motion. I don't know what to do anymore, I made the weapon, and no one suspects a thing... but..." Asuna leaned off, holding her hands to Yuji's face.

Yuji shuts his eyes forming a smile. "Why don't we set a time, get the weapon ready, and then leave them to deal with it? You do have others in your family who are thinking of doing the same thing. You know Nari is pretty dangerous with how she can go about things. Think about it. We can get out of this clean."

"My sister is still looking into methods of the take over. It's too soon, and she would agree with me on that. We need to wait for the right time. Otherwise, this plan won't succeed the way we are intending, Yuji. I don't want to risk messing this up, and loosing you in the process." Asuna explained.

"Asuna, honestly, I love you, but I want you out of this, as much as myself. If I have to sacrifice myself for it. So be it. I just want you happy, I admit, I've done some stupid things, but right now, I'm becoming impatient. Having to do all these damn tasks to please the fake overlords? They won't even let us see each other. It's bullshit." Yuji argued.

Asuna looked seriously to him. "Don't let yourself feel hasty. We're together now, and I won't let anyone take you from me. As far as Espionage is concerned, you're out of commission. The rest is in my hands, and my sister's. Leave everything else to us, and when the time comes... nothing will stand in our way. You are precious to me, you know that, right?"

Yuji smiles, "Yeah...I'll stay here then...We've got a long wait, but...Hopefully not too long...I love you Asuna."

Asuna smiles back to him. "I love you too Yuji."

Yuji catches Asuna into another kiss. Asuna returns the kiss, but lets off to unlock his wrists. She then reaches for the med kit. "First things first. We need to get that bullet out of your arm."

"Stopping between such a romantic scene?" Yuji joked.

"If you got an infection, I couldn't live with myself." Asuna proceeded to fix his wound.

"Heh, yeah that would be pretty bogus, but I'm sure you'd find someway to heal me." Yuji states smiling softly. A sharp pain was felt, as Asuna pulled out the bullet. "Ouch! Dammit, I really needed a stunt double during that scene...." Yuji says, whimpering.

"When you got shot, I started panicking... I nearly slipped up..." Asuna rubbed her eye, setting the bullet to the side, as she grabbed the medical products.

"You were perfect. You acted as if you hadn't been in the field of battle. I did say you had improved with your acting, didn't I? " Yuji laughs.

Asuna smiled softly, moving Yuji's jacket from his arm so she could rub it with the medicine. "You're just flattering me. The role I'm playing is so ditzy. I'm surprised they buy it." She said, fastening a bandage around his arm.

"Well, I wish I had come up with this, before that idiotic unit of Kaos, but I do make stars out of people. Of course they wouldn't suspect you. Plus, until that time comes, the twist of the role will really knock them for a frenzy." Yuji states, squinting a little.

"You always know exactly what to say to me. " Asuna smiled.

Yuji pecks her cheek, "Of course, I know your script like the back of my hand."

Asuna giggled, looking to him with loving doe eyes. Meanwhile, Issac was entering his room, with a sigh. The lights were out, which made him flick the switch on.

"Boy, I'm so exhausted..." He groaned.

"Oh, is my toy sleepy?" Cynder's voice was heard.

He frantically looked ahead of him, spotting her on her belly, laying on his bed completely naked.

"W-W-what ARE YOU DOING IN MY ROOM!?" Issac fell backwards.

Cynder crawled off his bed, on all fours, making her way over to Issac.

"Come on now, Blue. Let's get frisky before you go take a nap." Cynder giggled, grabbing his leg.

The angle showed Issac being dragged into his room, shouting, "STOP IT! LET GO OF ME!!!!!" He cried out, but the door was locked behind him.