48 Mind Games

"Well, I guess we have one extra person helping out?" Nari questioned to Issac, as she approached them.

Issac glanced back to Nari, with Witchhazel having her arms around his neck, behind him. He closed his eyes smiling, "Yep, I can always count on this lady here." He said, making Witchhazel giggle.

Nari places the potion away in her satchel, then smiles looking ahead. "So, then it's to the Zodiac, wherever it might be."

"Yeah. Sooooo." Issac looked to Witchhazel, playfully.

"Hm? Do you require a hint? It'll cost you." Witchhazel winked.

"Eh? I thought-" Issac gawked.

Witchhazel held up one finger, as she appeared in front of him. "One kiss, and you get it."

"Hey, I can do that." Issac laughed, pulling her into a kiss.

After the kiss ceased, Witchhazel held her finger to her cheek. "I have a feeling you should investigate an area, just south east from here."

Nari begins to walk ahead of Issac, "Let's not waste any time then! Come on you guys." She says, keeping her focus ahead.

"Keep in mind, I'm the leader here!" Issac followed after her, with Witchhazel floating behind him.

Kirb followed after, blowing some gum, as he played with his gun a bit.

Now in the outskirts, they near a canyon region, where they find that other witch, Luna, with an anthromorphic fox man. They had a captive with them, who seemed to be fighting restraints.

"Lâcher moi! You imbéciles" Shouted a classy looking female Usa.

Luna cracks a grin. "Nice and French. I think you really out did yourself here, Tripp."

"By all means, miss Luna. I aim to pawlease. Write all the Yiff you desire, if you feel like it." Tripp smirked.

"Oh, you know it, doggie buddy." Luna laughs.

"Vous ne serez pas sortir avec ça!" The usa cried.

"Yarf? I'm confuzzeled. Should I restrain her muzzle, or something? Her voice is just pawful." Tripp groaned.

"Bondage? Fine with me. I was getting a bit irritable myself." Luna says, itching at her ear a little.

"Sacré bleu! If you even think of placing such garbage on me!" Her mouth is soon covered quickly.

"Paw off. Furrfu... And you want to make furotica with this. Furvert or not, even a female tailraiser won't get yiffy, with a howl like that. I mean, arf.." Tripp scoffed.

"MMM!!!!" The Usa argued, behind the muzzle.

Luna places her arm around the usa girl. "Chill, okay? I'm gonna put you to sleep for a bit...Got a friend making her way in here, right now..."

The usa's eyes widen. Suddenly, a bullet flies through Luna's hat, knocking it clear off.

"ARF!!??" Tripp jumped a bit.

Luna turns her attention to where the bullet flew from. She warps her hat back into her hand, and places it on her head. She smirks, looking to Issac and the others. Kirb's gun had smoke coming from the chamber.

"Eh? Look who it is. You here for Luck? He's back at home base, but I can call him here for ya." Luna states slyly. "Well, that or pick up your rabbit friend. A pair is better than one."

"Great, pirates again." Issac got defensive. "A hostage even."

"Pirates? What do you mean, like space pirates?" Nari asked to Issac.

Witchhazel looked to Nari. "Bingo! They were the ones who destroyed my shop, when Issac and I first met." She looked over to Luna. "I do believe you still owe me for destruction of property."

Luna shrugs, "You're asking the wrong person. If you want more money. That'd be up my friend's ally. I'm all for anime, yuri, yaoi. Fun stuff. I can give you something else, as compensation."

"No zio, no deal. The last payment wasn't even near what the damages cost me in sale drops." Witchhazel stuck up her nose.

"We should focus on getting the hostage from her." Issac sighed, as they bickered.

Some units from the pirate ship, warp in around them. Luna floats upward a little crossing her arms. "Fine, I'll just take what I want then. Tripp? Call the ship. I think we're about ready to go."

"Woof! Yes master, whatever pawleases you!" Tripp opened a virtual computer screen, hitting a call button. "It's ringing." He said, in an excited tone.

"Good dog!" Luna says, smiling. Suddenly a static wave flies by, shutting down all the robots. Luna's eyes widen, as she looks around confused. "Huh?"

Nari had her interface up, and shuts it looking to Luna. "Jammer, one of my best little creations."

"That's the ticket!" Issac smirked to Nari, holding his hand up to her.

Nari high fives with Issac. Luna was fuming with anger. "HEY! You dolts know how much time it took to gather the money for those? That was lost anime cash there! Urgh...Hey? Tripp. You want that doggy bone? Fetch!" Luna says, pointing to Issac and the group.

"Ahwoooooooo!!" Tripp held up his robotic arm, forming a blade from it. "Watch just how clawsome, and drool I am, master!" He rushed at them. Issac formed his power glove's blade, using at to block Tripp's attack. This fox was strong and agile. "Grrrrr, grrrrr.." Tripp was making dog sounds.

Luna's eyes then become sharp, as she smiles, "Oh forgot. Be a good dog, and tell them your name." She motions herself a little, "I mean, it's only right they know who kills them."

He makes a dog grunt, looking to Issac, as their weapons held each other back roughly. "I have to introduce myself to these hyoomans?... Ruff luck. I'd rather pee on them."

"I'll give you a treat, besides you can pee on them, after you kill them. I mean also, your other friends did it. What makes you so special?" Luna states, crossing her arms.

"Furends? I only has my master. Well scat... Fine. I'm Tripp Spectre, the fox of what you call the zoodiac. Pisces the furvert, you skunk fuckers. I'll make sure to tape shut your muzzles, and yiff you so bad, you'll be howling to the moon!" He barked.

Nari giggles, "You said yiff." She scoffed.

"Well, we found the zodiac then." Issac mentioned.

Luna snaps her finger, turning the location around them to a scene, forming like the moon. "My puppy likes the gravity a bit off. Not to mention, he's a werefox..."

"Hee hee hee! The moon is FURTASTIC! Get ready to fap master, I'm going to get yiffy!" Tripp growled, his form getting larger in scale, growing thicker fur, and larger fags. "AHWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Issac looked horrified, "Eh.. hehe..."

Nari's mouth drops, as she steps back. "First a setting change, and now this? That girl must be a Tracker alien! As for her friend...Uhh.."

Luna's eyes were now glowing red, as she looks to Issac's group sharply. "Make this moon run red with their blood. While I take back the prize." She says, floating over to the Usa girl.

A bullet flies, as she gets close, Kirb had gotten up behind her, without Luna noticing. "I seem to have found some target practice. My gun's craving to put some holes through you."

Luna cackles, "You're one naughty usa...You sure want to get that close to me though?" She says, turning to face Kirb quickly. "I'm more a mind kind of person.....Why don't we try a different approach..."

He pulled to both his guns, quickly aiming to Luna. Before he could fire, Luna had transported herself into his mind. Inside was a whole different terrain, there were doors that had sealed by massive amounts of chains, and locks. The walls were shadowed out with black, with checkered tiles on the floors and ceiling that went on forever. Instead of standing on the floor however, He found himself on the ceiling. A tiny rabbit, anthro version of Kirb ran past him, hiding behind a door as it looked over. Kirb still had his guns drawn, looking around now, from the sudden shift in reality.

"Huh?.." Kirb kept his focus, as he had his guns cocked.

Luna appears from behind, laying her hand on his shoulder. "Your mind is quite a wonderland. Everything is on heavy lock down though. Not even your basic info is out there. How do you do it Mac?" She states, as she find Kirb's gun barrel pushed up against her nostrils, like a pig nose.

He had a bored expression on his face.

Luna vanishes and appears ahead of him. "You honestly don't know the first thing about fighting in places like this...I own this piece of reality."

"That so?" He keeps his eyes on her. "If you own it, why can't you access anything then?" He smirks slightly.

Luna growls, "I'm getting to that! LEVI!" Luna calls out. "Just need your mind a little... taken.."

"What are you blabbing about?" Kirb scoffed, but felt hands reach from behind him, going down his pants. He got shivers a bit, flipping around to aim one gun at Luna, while the other on this new foe, that he managed to pull away from. The other was another woman, with large breasts, and monster like in appearance. She was very much like a succubus.

"Hey big boy, don't be shy now. You'll enjoy what I have in store for you. Mnnnn." The one known as Levi, moaned a bit, feeling her hand to her chest.

Luna smirks, smiling sharply. "Don't fight it...You know a big guy, like yourself, needs a little down time... Just relax..." She says, swooping herself over to Kirb quickly. Luna then holds her mouth to Kirb's ear. "Just do it."

Levi got closer too, wrapping herself around him, with her hand going up his shirt this time. "I bet he's a cherry boy." she licked her lips.

"Oh, so I get to have two chicks at once. Every guy's dream." Kirb made the bishi eyes, with a hidden smirk, he let his guns vanish into magic.

Luna's eyes were now glowing, "That's right...Just live it out...You can stay as long as you like.."

"We're going to have so much fun." Levi went for his belt to his pants.

Kirb grabbed her wrist. "Hey now, take it slow. We don't need to rush this. Your friend did say, we have all the time we want." Kirb had a sly glint in his eyes.

"Ohhh, do you want to touch me first then?" Levi got closer to him, taking his hand to have him touch her breast. "You like that?"

Luna smirks, "Hey, don't take away all the action now.." She says, floating closer to them.

Kirb put his arm around Luna, as she got close. "Hey, no need to fight now. There enough of me to go around."

"I liiiiiike this one, he's so horny, I can just taste it." Levi made his hand, that was on her breast, go around her shoulder, too.

"I know right? Really surprised me..." Luna states slyly.

"He's so hot too." Levi agreed.

Kirb had an arm around each of them now. "So you like surprises? I got another one, you might get all hot and bothered about... Let's bang." He said, at that very second, his guns formed shooting into their skulls.

Luna and Levi vanish into mist, as the location shatters back to the outside. Luna had flown out of Kirb's mind, now laying on the ground. Kirb had came back to reality, keeping his chain pistols ready. "Dumb broads. Sheesh."

Issac and the girls were handling the werefox not far off. Witchhazel was keeping close behind Issac, with support magic, while Issac rushed at Tripp, to slash the beast back.

"ARF!" Tripp took the blow, sliding back in the dirt. He raised his arms, with claws flexing, to howl at the moon. "Awhooooo!" His muscles were buffing.

"This isn't working!" Issac spat out.

Nari pulls to her digital console, to check the landscape. "I got a blip! The area is starting to return to normal...Odd.."She turns spotting Luna on the ground, and Kirb standing there. "That has to be it! WAY TO GO KIRBY!" She yells in his direction.

His ear twitched, as he glanced her way.

Issac got slammed back hard, tumbling to the ground. Witchhazel poofed beside him. "Are you alright!?" She asked, her hand to his chest, as he sat up.

"Yeah, urgh, I'm fine." Issac got back to his feet. He shifted to whip form on the glove. "This guy though..."

The area was shifting back to the canyon. It all vanished, and with the moon gone, Tripp was back to normal. He was snarling, but sounded more like a puppy. He quickly looked to his hands. "My paws aren't... No more beast form?" He made a pouty face. "How pawful! Throw me a mother scratching bone here!!!"

Nari shoots an electrical ball at Tripp, which shocks him up around. "ARRRRRRRRRFFFFFF!!!" The dark electricity fades, as Tripp falls to the ground.

"You're an... elementar?" Issac gawked a bit at Nari.

Nari giggles nervously, "Oops...Well yeah...I guess I was just a bit scared is all. You can trust me though.."

"Uh, I don't have a problem with that, but... doesn't that mean Asuna is one, too?... Does Barret know this?" He was taken by surprise, scratching his head.

"Yeah, Barret knows...Though we'll talk more after the mission..." Nari states, noticing Luna floating up from the ground.

"Incoming." Kirb called to the others.

"OUCH! Sonnova, that is no way to EXIT A FREAKING MIND!" Luna then spots Tripp. "MY PUPPY!!"

Luna flies over to Tripp's side. "I HOPE YOU ALL DIE SOMEWHERE! YOU'LL PAY FOR WHAT YOU DID TO MY DOG! First my mind idea, now my dog? You freaking-" Luna mutters to herself. "TAKE THE DAMN RABBIT! WE'RE LEAVING!!" She says, warping away with Tripp.

"Well, mission kind of successful? I think?..." Issac scratched his face, as she glanced over to Kirb, who was sneering where Luna went.

The usa girl was struggling, and the shifting caught Kirb's attention. He glanced back, and went to undo her bondage. Soon, she was free from her shackles, and mouth uncovered.

Kirb held his hand out to her, so he could help her to her feet. "You alright, bunny girl?"

"Merci beaucoup!" She looks in Kirb's eyes, as he pulled her too her feet. "Ton nom?" she asked, in French.

"I don't understand what you are saying." Kirb smiled slightly.

"Oh! pardon me, mon chérie. What may I call you?" She inquired.

"And I thought I was going to have to learn French there. Just call me Kirb." Kirb pocketed his hands.

"Oui, my name is Lucina Gallifray." She says, taking a curtsy.

Lucina then holds out her hand, showing the top of it. Kirb stares to it oddly. "Nice hand." Kirb stated, somewhat snarky.

"Non non non, kiss my hand, s'il vous plait?" She insisted of Kirb.

"You're asking the wrong guy, Lucy. Issac's the hand kisser. Right?" Kirb glanced over.

"Huh?" Issac gawked. "Well uh, when I was single." He seemed confused, noticing Kirb look back to Lucina.

Nari crosses her arms, "I think she's one of those spoiled rich girls."

Lucina caught wind of Nari's statement, turning to her. "Pardon moi, mon ami? Did I hear you correctly?"

Nari nods, "That you did, you stuck up debutante."

Lucina gasps, "Non,non,non! You are but jealous, I have better taste than you. Who might be your hair dresser be? They must be a barkine, because you have terrible sense in fashion."

Nari growls, "FIRST! This is a scientist suit, second, I'm on the field. Any woman in their right mind wouldn't just dress up like they're going to a freaking ball, on a battle field. I at least know how to leave my toys at home."

Lucina pushes up her parasol, and takes Kirb by his arm. She was like a proper lady. "Toys? Who needs toys, when you have a beau monsieur?"

Nari growls, "He's too good for you."

Lucina rubs Kirb's arm. "Non,non,non. No one is too good for moi."

Kirb glances to Nari, but then peers down to Lucina, with a raised brow.

Nari sighs, turning from Lucina and Kirb. "Issac? We're done right? Can we go already?"

Issac scratched his head, "Yeah, guess so. Hm, seems she's going to be tagging along. Well, alrighty then." He replies, leading the group back the way they came. Witchhazel was floating close beside him, as they walk.

Her mouth was close to his ear. "We might have some complications with them." She mentioned.

"Noticed, heh. Not sure how Medatros is going to take this. (The foreign hostages, could easily be part of the group, that Luke was leading. Don't know if we can trust this chick, or not.)" Issac glanced to Witchhazel. "She seems pretty innocent though, guess I'll leave her to him when we return."

"I wonder if she's in a spending mood." Witchhazel pondered, causing Issac to sweat drop.

Nari was walking behind them, with the Usas not to far behind her. Lucina was blocking the sun with her parasol, but still kept her hand to Kirb's arm. He didn't seem to react much to it, he was glancing to her though.

"This place is rather....'quaint'. I do not like it." She states to Kirb.

"Uh, you asking me to do something? I shoot target, not buildings, Lulu." Kirb stated, with a smirk.

"Non,non,non. You are to address me as Lucina, not lulu, not Lucy. Lucina. You may also call me by mademoiselle, or 'my lovely'. None of those outlandish 'pet' names." Lucina stated, proudly.

"Uh, that's not how this works, Lucy. Try taking the stick out a bit." Kirb remarked.

"HEIN!? Did you tell me to remove a stick from my hind quarters!?" She gasps, becoming furious.

"Maybe." Kirb jested, "Not my fault you have it stuck up so far, that it comes out your mouth."

Lucina swings her parasol, hitting Kirb in the face. He fell back to his butt, not expecting that. "You sir, are no gentleman! You are but a pretty face, yet act like a mongrel! Imbécile." She states, walking ahead of Kirb holding her nose to the sky.

Kirb held his face, bleeding slightly, as he looked her way. "What'd I say?" He asked, rhetorically.

Lucina reached where Issac and Witchhazel was, "You are to take me home, oui?"

Nari notices Lucina walk ahead of her, without Kirb, and turns back spotting him. She rushes over to him quickly. "Kirb!? Is everything okay?"

Kirb glanced to his hand, where there was some blood. "Just a bloody nose. Man, that broad hits hard." He laughed a bit.

Nari gasps, and begins to shake, "She...Hit you?" She states, trying to keep down her anger.

Kirb gets to his feet, dusting off his pants. "I guess she doesn't like assholes much. Whatever, a pretty face doesn't cover an ugly personality. I only said it, how it is."

Nari reaches her hand up to Kirb's nose, wiping the blood with a handkerchief. "You're right about that... Some people just can't take a joke..." She says, her tone serious.

Kirb glanced to her, a slightly surprised.

Nari sighs, "Well, we should catch up with the others. Just be careful around her, okay?" She says, turning away from Kirb.

Kirb patted her head, with a smirk, before starting to get walking. Nari was caught off guard, blushing a bit. She smiles meekly, walking after him quietly.

They eventually caught up to the others, preparing to board the cruiser.

Meanwhile, Cravic was standing within the former Alien Ministry base, the destruction still set.

Stevonne soon appears behind him, she was in her human form, but there was a dog monster beside her. "Cravic?"

His eye glanced back to her, the bandages were replaced by a dark eye patch. "What do you want?" His eye trails to the beast, "What is that thing?"

"Thing indeed." The dog snickers.

"You need not worry about Cicero. You are the main focus right now." Stevonne pets the dog's head.

"Whatever." Cravic kept his eye focused on her.

"I heard of your mother's passing... Some of the workers under 'him' were talking about it..." Stevonne states, keeping her eye on Cravic.

"You're telling me this, why?" Cravic inquired, his tone slightly agitated.

"Because, that crusty bastard Medatros, was the reason your mother died... He was with her that night. They slept together... She died the following day. Give or take, it happened quickly after..." Stevonne says, shutting her eyes.

Cravic clenched his fist, his eye twitching. "..."

"I'm not telling you this, so you will hate me... Rather, I want to help you, Fight Medatros. Your mother's organization is a ticking bomb, with that man in charge. We are likely to see a newer, deadlier force than Kaos.. You should be the one in charge, keeping your mother's dream alive. Not some murderous Elementar, who claims to be the very key to problems." Stevonne says, crossing her arms.

"And why would something like you, want to help me? I can smell that you're not human." Cravic looked to her in irritation. "I've known."

"Because Cravic, like you...I've been abandoned and betrayed. The issue isn't very black and white. We both seek to aid those close to us... Even ones taken away." Stevonne states, looking off around the desert, as she shifted to her alien form. "Just like this area. It was taken right from under your mother's feet. Because traitors, and others felt need to take advantage of her."

"Hmph." Cravic crossed his arms.

"Such a loving sentiment. Mistress, you are simply divine." Cicero looks lovingly, to his master.

Stevonne smiles, "So. What would you require?"

"That doesn't concern you." Cravic looked to her, amused.

"No soldiers to help you? Weapons? Or maybe something a little more close, like Myde.... She is out there now, on one of Medatros's missions. She could be getting into all kinds of dangers... Your mother was a terrible loss...But she wanted you to be happy.." Stevonne says, keeping a straight face.

"What, you just gonna point me there? What's the catch, Steff?" Cravic looked to her lazily.

"I can give you anything... All I want is for you to be happy. That is your mother's last wish... As for myself. My enjoyment will come in time." Stevonne says, smiling. "Shall we be on our way?"

"..." He scoffed slightly, but didn't disagree, going along with her.

Elsewhere, Barret, Katinka and Myde arrived to their destination.

"Okay, so we find the Zodiac, and then we get back... But where to start? This place is vast..." Barret thought aloud, walking ahead of the two girls.

Myde glanced around at the trees as she followed "I do have to wonder as well."

Katinka was walking at the same speed as the Ferline, but mostly staring to Barret. "How would we even know if we find the zodiac, if there even is one here?" Katinka asked to Barret.

He looks back to Katinka, stopping briefly, "That's a good question...Hmm... Myde? Might you be able to track any potential Zodiac signature?"

Myde turned her attention to Barret. "Well, I can always scout ahead, and get a better idea of the layout and such. It shouldn't be an issue, to relocate the two of you either, once we're separated."

"Why do you say that?" Katinka looked to Myde.

"I'm a Ferline, my kind have a very good sense of smell." Myde explained.

"Oh, I gotcha." Katinka nodded, in understanding.

"Would you like me to do so, Barret?" Myde inquired.

Barret nods, in compliance to Myde's question, "Yes, but be careful, and be sure to let us know if you find anything."

"Understood." Myde jumped up onto a tree limp, vanishing off into the vast brush.

Katinka looked to Barret, "She seemed in a hurry to ditch us."

"Hm?" Barret says, looking to Katinka. "Myde's just in mission mode. It's quite normal."

"Oh, yeah cats are so hard to read sometimes." Katinka shrugged.

Barret laughs, "Well, as long as we don't get on her bad side, you needn't worry. Come on though, we should start searching where we can."

"Right." Katinka agreed, keeping close.