After Party [Chapter XIII]

[Kara]

"Child supp..." Kara was taken off guard there which was rare these days and then looked over to Lori. "Superwoman. And this is a body suit. That said, Superwoman quickly snapped back to the point of why she was here. "No. While you guys were fighting off Isafaro I as well as several others were fighting against an invasion by the Demon World. They've already taken Moon Valley and are currently combining their realm's power with that of Genesis'. Their leader is the former Empress of Jherrazad Ranko. I was told by the current Empress that you were here and came to ask for your help. Not just you, but any of you that can be spared. If the Netherrealm isn't stopped all of Genesis will be lost."

[.:Amilia:.]

Arix sighed at her, "Why me? Like every time something breaks everyone comes running after Arix cause he'll fix it." He was being sarcastic of course, and his tone followed along with his playful attitude.

He turned away from her and looked around at the damage everywhere before turning back, "No can do sugar tits. You got problems down there, we got problems up here. I can't spare my left arm to your cause knowing that that bastard might come back and attack this place.

"Not to forget, he might play shitty music at everyone again."

[Ayen]

"Eh I've been places. Here and there, ya know? Took out the trash back home, traveled through hell a bit, got some new spiffy gear."

“The usual then.”

"Excuse me, do you mind if we rest here also?"

Sazan turned around to see Yuna and Ayen and soon joining them was Sailor Saturn and Lori. The Hybrid remembered seeing them walking together on the street the previous night and sensed power coming from three of them. Ayen's being similar to a member of the Sisterhood, Kedara, who were recently killed during Utopia's siege on Genesis.

“Not at all.”

"Status?"

“I'm good thanks for asking,” said Ayen sarcastically, albeit weakly.

"Well done, sweetheart."

Sazan smiled as her husband wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her cheek.

“You too.”

"We may have to repair those tunnels and alter them somewhat so we can use them again That was an affective escape route. Maybe I can have it in areas where neighborhoods can file in safely..."

“Shouldn't be a problem now that I have my powers back.”

"Could someone please explain to us what that was all about?"

"Preferably the highlights since we can't stay lo--wait. Sparda? Is that you?"

“That's him.”

Amidst all the unfamiliar faces Ayen would spot one that was familiar, the half naked demon guy with the tail that he met for the first time the previous night after being stabbed by a crazy ginger girl.

“Raal! How've you been? Never mind you look exactly how I feel.”

"Thank you. Had it not been for you I don't even want to think what condition Hallowton would be in right now."

“Don't mention it.”

"Are you Arix Himura?"

"Depends, are you here to collect child support or..."

Ayen snickered, then groaned in pain because it hurt to laugh. But one glance at Superwoman's backside made him feel all better as he raised up his hand.

“I'm Arix. Over here.”

“I don't think so.”

"While you guys were fighting off Isafaro I as well as several others were fighting against an invasion by the Demon World. They've already taken Moon Valley and are currently combining their realm's power with that of Genesis'. Their leader is the former Empress of Jherrazad Ranko. I was told by the current Empress that you were here and came to ask for your help. Not just you, but any of you that can be spared. If the Netherrealm isn't stopped all of Genesis will be lost."

“Ranko? She's alive?”

Sazan couldn't believe it though given her past experiences with death she really shouldn't be surprise. This Ranko wasn't her aunt but it still felt like her aunt and in this world she was the closest she was ever going to get. That's why it greatly pained her that soon Ranko would be her enemy.

“Well that's just peachy, take down one bad guy and another just takes their place.”

“Get used to it.”

The Council of Legion, Sisterhood of Vampires, Legion of Abyss, Arashi, Crimson Vulture, Utopia, Hell. The list just went on and on.

"Why me? Like every time something breaks everyone comes running after Arix cause he'll fix it."

“It must be your charming personality,” teased Sazan.

"No can do sugar tits. You got problems down there, we got problems up here. I can't spare my left arm to your cause knowing that that bastard might come back and attack this place."

“Heh, sugar tits– Oh God it hurts to laugh!”

“We sympathize with your situation, Superwoman but we can't in good conscious leave this place to help you when it can barely fend for itself.”

[Kara]

Superwoman looked distraught when Arix declined her request. She was new in her divinity, the things she could do and the responsibility that came with it and the pressure was finally starting to get to her. "I don't think you understand. None of this will matter if the Netherrealm takes over the realm. We have to stop them now!"

[Queen Lori]

"You'll stay then?" Lori asked Arix. "At least until we're able to stand on our own?" Hallowton was an evolved people who thought little of violence and didn't even bother to train in self defense; that had to change if they wanted to have a better chance of survival in the future so something like this would never happen again. When Superwoman went on about the Netherrealm and how much they needed help Lori couldn't help but grow irritated at her insensitivity towards her own situation.

"Does it look like we're in any condition to help you? Does it!?" She said angrily. The first real showcase of anger to ever be seen on the Princess since childhood. "We burn resources to help you then we will have nothing to protect ourselves against the Vulture and that will be just one more city to stand unopposed against the Netherrealm!"

[.:Amilia:.]

He smiled at Kara slightly, "Look, I'd love to help you, but that's impossible right now. When the time comes, I'll be dragged into your war, until then, the answer is no. But the Queen speaks the truth.

"This place is in no condition to lend you support yet. I mean... I'm sure you could persuade me," he took another look at her, and shook his head with that same coy smile, "But I'm here to stay until I know this place wont be wiped off the map."

[Sparda]

A load of new faces seemed to be gravitating towards their resting place. There were only two Sparda recognised; that reptilian demon he'd spotted fending off Vulture's troops alongside him, and that Rowen kid he'd met back in Moon Valley.

"Preferably the highlights since we can't stay lo--wait. Sparda? Is that you?"

Sparda tilted his head. This young girl was clearly Rowen's companion, but he hadn't met her before.

"I'm sorry, my dear, have we met?"

A pulse of light was the next thing to draw the demon's attention, along with the bodysuited woman who stepped out of it looking like something pulled straight from a comic book. He recognised her from somewhere... Ah, yes, she'd been present to help fend off Bane's attack, back before Amoura's disappearance.

She approached Arix, going on about yet another enemy having emerged near Moon Valle, and attempted to enlist him to her cause. Arix was quick to refuse, citing Hallowton's miserable state as his reason. The caped woman tried again.

"We understand full well, my friend," he interjected. "My colleagues and I have fought to save our home world so many times, my son even made a living off of it. But we can only do so much. And until Hallowton is rebuilt and equipped to at least fight on its own two feet, we can't just go to deal with a second threat and leave this place at the Vulture's mercy."

He rose to his feet. "Besides, if Chloe told you about us, that means you probably retreated to Jherrazad from Moon Valley, which means the Empress is likely to be the next person to face this mystery army. Knowing her... she could hold them off entirely on her own if she wanted to."

[Yuna]

"Ayen will be fine," replied Yuna to Saturn. "It looks like I wasn't the only one taking down those generators." The High Summoner didn't say much after that. She listened to the others speak and raised an eyebrow at the woman who came, informing them of yet another threat. At the rate this was going Yuna would never feel right leaving but at the same time if she postponed for too long it could mean terrible things for her own world and people. "I'll stay," Yuna spoke up while looking at Lori. "To help rebuild and give Hallowton a fighting chance. I don't feel right leaving you like this. The faster we get this place up and running, the faster you can help Superwoman."

[Hotaru]

"Agreed."

Saturn stepped up behind Yuna, her eyes wandering over to what little could be seen of the destroyed ships by the docks.

"We're not going anywhere until this place is rebuilt anyway."

[Kara]

Kara had to conceal a look of disgust at Arix's advances before addressing Sparda. "If that was the case Chloe wouldn't have insisted we need help." At Lori's lashing out Kara could only lower her head and started to turn around. "Very well." Taking a few steps forward and away from the group she raised her right hand and vanished in a flash of light just as quickly as she had appeared.

[Queen Lori]

Lori had expected more resistance from Superwoman when she raised her voice, but no, Superwoman merely lowered her head and left the city when it became clear that nobody here was in any position to help them. At least she understood that much. Looking around at the leveled city, Lori placed a hand on her head as if she had a headache and said, "I don't even know where to start."

[Raal]

Raal did not say a word to Superwoman. He would remain in Hallowton to help with cleaning anyway. After cleaning off his face, he decided to take a mental look at the damage. Nothing was beyond his vision as he created a three dimensional picture of the destruction in his mind, like looking at a holographic map. Raal already had a mental map of what the city looked like before the attack, so repairs should be easy. It was only to run a diagnostic of just how severe the damage really was.

His use of kinetic fusion and telekinesis should make the buildings good as new, but it would take some time, being that he almost had a psychic meltdown.

Raal had already figured that the castle was the first thing that needed this fusion. The rubble around the castle started to rise on their own, as if gravity had been turned off. They positioned themselves identical to how Raal mentally saw it, and started to completely warp in form and size. Much like jigsaw pieces, they were fitting together, and fusing at the cracks. The demon was putting the castle back together, as if time were moving backward upon the structure. Raal did not control time, but he did have control of space. He intended to use it to this city's advantage against future attacks.

Still in a trance state, he reinforced the newly repaired building in a form-fitting purple shield, and this shield allowed only allies to pass through it. This shield went invisible to the naked eye after a few seconds of shiny amethyst glory, but still had a presence. If he intended to do the entire city, Raal would need a full twenty-four hours of undisturbed sleep. Any less, and he would get tired much quicker than usual due to the Lashing from the previous day. Yes, it's that bad.

[.:Amilia:.]

"You should probably start by getting the people back into town. From there they can give you ideas on how to proceed and what needs to be done," Arix told Lori. Truthfully, when Kara had disappeared he expected much more resistance. He didn't personally know her, but in the realms he has been in and the people he had met, in desperate times they would never leave on such defiant terms.

Either way, he knew he would be pulled into the war soon enough, right now just wasn't the time to leave when the Vulture could turn around so quickly and wreck havoc upon the town, "Welp. I guess there work to be done. It's rude to turn down an offer of war and then sit around eating pizza and getting fat."

[Sparda]

"Agreed," Sparda chipped in; though listening to Arix, he was watching the colossal castle above them seemingly rebuild itself. The exertion of energy he felt was coming from the demon he'd seen fending off Vulture's troops around the city. What immense psionic power, truly nothing to take lightly.

He turned back, looking around at the gathered defenders.

"For now, we focus on rebuilding," he continued, "but we then need to take the fight to General Vulture as soon as possible. If we allow his invasion to continue, every battlefield we meet him on will end up like this." He gestured broadly at the carnage that surrounded them. "Or worse.

"I think our next move should be to make contact with the resistance in Isafaro and establish a proper liaison. They've been fighting the good fight against the General much longer than us, and their knowledge of our enemy will be invaluable. When we finally make our play, it should be with guerilla tactics; strikes against Isafaro's military-industrial production to deny the war machine its fuel."

[.:Amilia:.]

"I think we should let the resistance be, let them go ahead and keep distracting the Vulture bro, we need to make this place more secure. Gonna need able bodied troops, battle training, all that shit," Arix ran his hand through his hair ruffling it up a bit.

"Biggest thing we really need, is a resistance ourselves. But yeah, contact them let them know that Vulture's army will be coming back their way and that they'll be seeing more troops running about."