Perilous Beauty

[R-iZZy]

Stealth continued to stay low, until the gunshots stopped. At that point, silence filled the night. Trails of smoke, left by the shell attacks, had left Stealth wondering what was going on. This was just too much for him to bare.

"Stay down," Stealth had sternly commanded. He slowly peeked his head out... no reaction. He kept his whole body up, and a quick shot came out of nowhere, hitting Stealth directly in the shoulder. Stealth dropped to the ground, ignoring the bleeding and the bullet.

"Whoever it is must not like me," Stealth told Tiger. "I'ma get to the bottom of this, if it ain't the last thing I do. Maybe you should fall back and help Jade with the possessed cat in the back. I'll get to the son of a b*tch."

Stealth looked at Tiger, awaiting her reply.

[Storm Wolf]

Tiger wrinkled her nose and bared her fangs slightly, showing her displeasure "You know I dislike backing out of a situation such as this, it's against what I was taught...what if should choose to stay?" She narrowed her eyes wondering what Stealth's reply would be.

Jade tried to scramble away, but Kavik quickly advanced on her "Where are you going?" He hissed, and Jades only reply was a swift kick to his jaw "Sorry Enya...if your still in there that is...."

[R-iZZy]

Stealth looked back at Tiger with a little smile, pleased with her disobedience. "If you somehow manage to survive, remind me to kill you for this. Stealth said jokingly at Tiger. Stealth looked back up, wondering when the next bullet would come through and pierce his skin. His blood continued to drip on the floor, next to Tiger.

"If you want to come along with me on this little journey, then be my guest," Stealth said. "But don't forget that Jade still has Kavik to deal with. You have a choice, come with me and we can try to find out about this surprise giver and leave Jade alone with Kavik, or you can help Jade and learn more about your mom. Your choice, cuz I'm not trying to put pressure on you. Right now, the pressure is more on me!"

Stealth chuckled at Tiger, then looked back off into the night sky. "You know, we might need your great sense of smell. Then, we can track the son of a b*tch down and eliminate him so easily!"

[Storm Wolf]

Kavik snarled and lept onto Jade "Not very princess like!" blood dripped from his mouth and nose "I'll have to humbly return the favor!" He growled, and lifted a massive paw "Uhhh....a little help here!" Jade yelled.

Both of Tiger's ears swivled in the direction of the plea for help "Err...." she hesitated, not knowing what to do "Look...you do whatever you feel you need to do big guy...I'll catch up later, this won't take long anyways...."

Tiger slithered across the floor on her belly in case any bullets might happen to fly her way, onr ear listening to any reply Stealth might have, and the other listening to her target.

[R-iZZy]

Stealth just looked on, as Tiger continued to slither into the room. Stealth peeked his head out, hoping that the assailant wasn't there anymore. Stealth looked on, over the ledge. He had to think fast, Let's take a risk! Stealth said to himself.

He quickly sprung up and hopped unto the ledge, then soared all the way to the building where the array of bullets launched. Stealth clung unto the edge of the building, then pulled himself up to the building with all of his upper strength.

It's just you and me pal! Stealth yelled in a rage. "Come out and fight!" But Stealth recieved no response...

[Storm Wolf]

Tiger peeked into the room that contained Jade and Kavik I can't go right out and attack Kavik...I still want him to think I'm on his side... She thought to herself. Tiger looked up, above the scuffling pair was a shelf containing various jars and pots "Thank god for thin walls..." Tiger hissed to herself as she entered the next room.

Kavik opened his mouth wide and lowered his head slightly for a killing bite, but a loud thud paused him "What...?" he looked up with seething eyes just in time to see the falling ceramics.

Tiger entered the room to see Kavik lying unconsious on the floor "Yay! it worked.....hey Jade you ok?" Jade sat up wide eyed "yeah....yeah, I'm fine....." Tiger nodded.

[R-iZZy]

Stealth's presence was the only one visible, but not the only one felt. He clutched the handle to his glowing blade and looked off to see where his assailant was. He mashed the red button on the handle to withdraw the glowing blade from the handle. He used the glowing blade as his source of light through the darkness, searching and scouting for his target.

"There's no one else here! Come out and fight!" Stealth yelled in anger. "You don't shoot at me and expect for an idle response. I expect for you to come out and show me why you deserve to even shoot at me!"

Once again, Stealth received no reply. This was irritating him in the worst way! Stealth pulled out his pistol and fired it in the air. "I am not going to request this... I am going to DEMAND this! Come out now, and fight me like you tried to do, you coward!"

Stealth popped the gun more and more, but he still had no reply. Who do you think you are? Those eyes came back, asking him the question. Who do you think you are to challenge me? You screwed me over, now it is time I return the favor!

A shot exploded, but a bullet could not be detected. Stealth quickly turned around and held out his blade, and skillfully deflected the bullet. "You'll need to do more than that to take me out!" Stealth yelled.

[Storm Wolf]

Tiger tapped her foot impatiently "I used to watch my neighbors pitbull when he went on vacation soo..." She rummaged through her closet "Ahh...here we are!" she pulled out a short chain "If this don't hold him, nothing will!" Tiger handed the thing to Jade "You tie him up good this time....ya hear?!" Jade nodded and went about her work.

Tiger stepped out onto her balcony, back in panther form, and sniffed the air cautiously "Nothing unusual to my knowledge..." She sprang onto the roof keeping low to the ground.

[R-iZZy]

Stealth looked around, but could still find no trace of an assailant. How was this happening? There was a hidden assassin, and was more driven on killing Stealth than showing his or her own face to Stealth.

"I prefer to keep myself in check," a voice emerged from the shadows, but with a voicebox. "You are not even worthy enough to lick my boots. What makes you think you can even hear my voice."

"Apparently, there's something you like about me!" Stealth replied. "Otherwise, you wouldn't be so bent on taking me out. So, explain yourself! Why are you after me?"

"To attend to affairs, my dear..."

"And that is supposed to mean...?"

"In due time, you will understand. But not now. Now, it is time you understand the afterlife!"

"Why won't you show yourself?"

"I'll make sure to do just that... when I see you in hell!"

Just then, another shot exploded, and this time... the bullet reached Stealth!

[Storm Wolf]

Tiger's eye's adjusted the black of night, but still not enough to see much. At the sound of gun fire, she pushed her ears forward trying to estimate where it might have come from. "Well wherever Stealth is, thats where it will be near..." She whispered to herself.

Tiger made her way towards Stealth as silently as possible, hoping to catch a glimpse of something. "Stealth..." something was moving in the shadows ahead of her, she scented the oncoming breeze and was relieved of her tension. "are you ok?" she whispered as she positioned herself near him.

[R-iZZy]

Stealth looked over from the building to the balcony nearby, way far back to see Tiger. "Shhh!"

But that single moment of being caught off guard had hurt him. The last shot missed, but not this one. This one hit him directly in the chest. Stealth stumbled back and fell to the ground, clutching his chest. He felt the warm feeling of blood. The metallic smell, it was his blood.

"I told you that I would finish you... I was always a man of my word, Stealth!" the voice told him. The form stood over Stealth's fallen body with a pistol held out at Stealth's head. The figure had on a mask, to keep his or her identity remaining a mystery. "I don't plan to fail twice!"

[Storm Wolf]

Jade came up behind the preoccupied Tiger and touched her flank. Tiger spun sround prepared to strike then recognized her "Don't ever do that again if you want to live!" Tiger growled.

"what’s going on?" Jade whispered

"Stealth's in trouble...." Tiger paused unbelievably calm "Can you work some of your magic here....I need to get in close to be of any help."

Jade nodded "One round of Fire coming up.." she watched Tiger veer away from her before she began to form a flame in her palm

[R-iZZy]

Stealth gave the masked assassin a confused look, "'Fail a second time'? Who the hell are you?"

"I'm everything you wished I wasn't Stealth!" the voice replied. "You see, actions are but a cycle of reimbursements. You execute a negative action and it comes back to bite you when you're down!"

"Who are you?"

"Don't play dumb Stealth. Oh wait, that is your natural character! Well, it's time we cut this character off...... partner!"

"REX!"

The figured laughed maniacally, then cocked the handgun back and prepared to fire.

[Storm Wolf]

Jade hesitated maybe I shouldn't get involved She closed her palm holding the flame tightly.

Tiger inched up behind the figure What is Jade doing....oh screw it! she was about to pounce when the figures scent drifted to her Funny this seems familiar she thought. Tiger shook her head this was no time to play a guessing game, this thing was putting Stealth's life in danger! Tiger decided upon an attack, she sprung toward the figure.

[R-iZZy]

Rex looked at the figure spring into his view, and Rex sidestepped out of the way. His mutant instinct of quickness helped him all the time. Rex was physically different now. He was bigger, tougher, stronger, and this was hard to believe... but even faster. His previous speed was the speed of a flash, but what could be faster than that? Rex was always the one to challenge.

He watched Tiger fall, splashing her body on Stealth's bloodied body. Rex stared at Tiger, trying to familiarize this specimen. "I think I recall who you are. I know I've seen you from somewhere!"

Rex tried to think. He remembered the bullet piercing him, and some way, Tiger was involved with it. If only he could remember how. Images came to him, the past, his past. He remembered Tiger now. The very mutant that aided Stealth in killing him, or at least attempting to kill him.

Stealth let out a groan, as his air quickly left his system. The impact did not help him much, for he was bleeding. He rolled over on his stomach in pain, as Rex only laughed. Rex held up a .28 caliber handgun and scratched his temple with the barrel of the gun, "The past becomes my present, the present holds my future, and my future only has good things in store for me. I remember the past, you tried to terminate my future!" Rex laughed. "But now I have returned, enough of time... enough of epochs. I stalled last time in fulfilling my duties. But I dare not fail now... not when I'm this far!"

Rex let out a shot in the sky and quickly cocked the handgun, and then pointed it at Tiger, all in less than a second, demonstrating his awesome speed. "I would have pictured killing two birds with one stone... but not with a bullet."

Rex applied more pressure to the trigger, as he began to pull it!

[Storm Wolf]

Tiger cowered back from the voice and from the memories "You..." she closed her eyes not wanting to see the figure, but his image was also trapped in her mind. Tiger opened her eyes her whole body was shaking with the terrible relization of what was going on what am I to do... She noticed that she was leaning against Stealth Well I'm definatly not gonna lay here and die like a little scared kitten her thoughts gave her a little confidance and she stood up "Why don't you just stay in hell where you belong, you dirty b*stard!" She shyed away slightly expecting a lightning counter to her acid tounge.

Jade heard yelling and instead of doing what she was told she decided to investigate. creeping in as close as she could, she listened to the conversation.

[R-iZZy]

"So, you have a bit more fire than you had before," Rex said. "But through your futile attempts of proving your maturity, you are still nothing but a kitten. You are no one... your 'friend' is no one. You can't trust a person like Stealth, because he was raised by a person like me!"

Rex chuckled cockily, then looked to the sky. "I sense rain to come, little one. I sense that the rain will pour down and wash away all the terror, all the fear, the blood, and the tears! It will all wash away the blood of my enemies, my tears of joy, and your terror that once occurred on this rooftop! I wanted revenge in the worst way, and now I think I will make my move. But before you die..." Rex felt the need to be entertained, "I would like you to dance. Not with me, just give me a little performance. Kill my boredom..."

Rex shot at Tiger's feet, causing her to hop from every shot. It was an old tactic that Yosemite (sp?) Sam would use on Bug Bunny. It was classic, and Rex was bringing it back to life! He was humored, tickled really. After the final shot, he laughed hysterically, nearly running out of breath. "You are such a card, yes?" Rex began, "I will remember you as my jester and not my enemy when I visit your body every now and again."

[Storm Wolf]

"I would much rather spend my time in hell then be haunted by your ugly face!" Tiger panted "You go right ahead and kill me, it would give me great pleasure knowing you wasted your talent on a piteous creature such as me!" She stood facing him boldly, she was physically shorter than her oppenent in her human form, but that did not detur her. "but I've got one last message for you before you pull that trigger...Kiss This!" Tiger slapped her rear flaunting her audacity in Rex's face.

Jade took this as her cue, and sent a flamming ball in the targets direction.

[R-iZZy]

Rex pulled the trigger and shot her in the rear, then noticed the fireball coming his direction. He quickly jumped high in the air, disappearing into the night sky. The fireball exploded on the rooftop, and Rex landed into the fire. It was over, he fell in the fire, burnt to a crisp by now.

Stealth stared at the fire, wondering if this was actually the end of him. "Tiger, are you okay? It looks like you took one in the *ss there." Stealth chuckled a bit. "I could've sworn you told Rex for HIM to kiss your *ss, not hit bullet!"

[Storm Wolf]

Tiger squinted from the pain "Well he didn't get to be the first for that....been shot in the *ss before...won't be able sit down for a couple of weeks now!" She joked "How about you...you gonna be ok?" Tiger bent down on one knee "ooo...thats gonna take a while to heal...." she looked over to where the flames where still burning "Ya know...if he didn't die the first time, how do we know he's gone this time..." Shelooked at Stealth then back to the flames "I say we sweep up any remains, put them in some jars, and mail them to the far reaches of this earth...."

Jade walked towards the flames "Isn't fire grand!" She swept her hands through the flames a couple times.