The Hidden Island

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Ami nodded, brushing past Samson as she left and giving him a dirty look on the side. Unfortunately, he did not see it. Ami rolled her eyes. Whatever.

She strolled back to the main area. "Hey, fellas? We've got a destination. We're headed to the Kilka woods to hide from Lucifer's goons and rally the lizard men, so everybody, get ready for touchdown. We'll be there in a couple minutes."

Reno groaned, stretching out in his seat. "I can't even get five seconds before you bozos come up askin' me to bail your butts outta some kinda mess, yo."

He turned over in his seat and tried to go to sleep. Rude nudged him. "Five more minutes, Ma," he muttered back.

Rude sighed and decided to wait. Reno was in another one of his "you owe me" moods.

Yazoo let his brother go, who cringed and moved his arm to be sure it still worked. "Geez... it's not like I actually set one off already."

"No, but you want to, don't you?" Kadaj pressed.

Yazoo made a face at him. "Speaking from firsthand experience, those things seem pretty effective to me."

Kadaj was only slightly surprised. "So you're actually defending him, here?"

"You don't have room to talk... you've never gotten yourself blowed up," Los protested.

Ami headed for the back to see if anyone was there resting. She didn't find anyone, but she did find a door slightly ajar... Samson's quarters.

She looked back and forth to be sure no one was watching and slipped inside. I'm going to be sure I'm ready for whatever that pirate is up to.

At first, her snooping was sorely disappointing... if he had any devious plans in mind, he hadn't committed them to paper, apparently. But then she spied a box halfway under his bed...

She recalled her brothers' admonition. Next time you see a mysterious parcel lying around, leave it alone. But right now it would be a greater risk to walk away than to open it...

She slid the box out and opened it. Letters? Hmm... these might prove informative...

But after a few moments of reading, her opinion about the value of these documents had taken a sharp turn. Oh, my G**. LOVE letters. That girl Abel mentioned...

She bowed her head, disgusted with herself. I am such a b***h.

She folded up the letter and put the box back where she'd found it, careful to leave everything exactly as it was when she'd come in. She found her way to a seat and waited for the landing. Geez, Samson... I'm sorry.

[lutz]

The Pit Bull touched down and Abel opened the hanger, the two sky pirates walked out of the c0ckpit

Abel: "Ok everyone we should be safe here for now, Lucifer's forces don't dare come here for one good reason!"

Samson: "The reason though is both bad and good."

Abel: "There are powerful being who dwell in these woods, they are the Kilka and they hate Sarsha in Samsons, case he doesn't have much of a chance but for you human you may or may not the only thing giving you guys away for not being a Sarsha is you don't have white hair, though Amnesty your brothers tone of hair may be mistaken for white."

Samson: "Feel free to use the ship to sleep and sat, but I don't have enough rooms for everyone so they can either sleep in those uncomfey chairs or build settlements just outside the ship."

Abel: "We can rest for now....but if we plan to ever stop Lucifer we need an army."

Lutz began to walk outside the view the forest, he found the new realm interesting, and these Kilka creature interesting to.
The protecters of this planet my be useful allies...

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Kadaj surveyed the clearing where they had set down as the others piled out. The ground was fairly level, with a thick periphery of trees. On the one hand, that might be good... we can use the trees to stage weapons and booby traps in case the Kilka prove less than friendly. But on the other, that means plenty of cover for them to get close unnoticed.

Still, there was something he liked about this place. He hadn't felt quite at home ever since he came back... the world had gone on in the year since he left, but here it was different. An entire other dimension...

Suddenly I feel right at home.

It was not winter here as it was back on Advent. Ami sat down on the grass for a moment in the shade... I could almost relax here. She spotted Abel and Samson near the ship hatch...

She approached Samson quickly, decided she might as well get this over with. "Samson, we need to talk." She dragged him off before Abel or anyone else could say anything.

She blurted it out before she could think about it. "I'm sorry." She stopped and caught her breath. "I..." She hung her head. "I shouldn't have been so hard on you. I'm a b***h. You just wanted to help." She stood before him uncomfortably.

[lutz]

Samson was in shock
"your sorry eh? well...its uuhh about time you noticed how I am your ally not your foe!plus I had to get me pit bull back thats all..."
uuhhh Samson this isn't how your going to get her to trust you..
"I am sorry to doll, I should have let you all know more about what I had planned."
He patted her on the shoulder.
"Ya see that ship, its means the world to me, not just because riding in it means freedom but there are things...memorys in that ship I could never let slip away."
He gave her a faint smile.
"Now why don't we get everthing set up eh savvy?"

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Ami managed to smile back. Good thing he didn't question why my change in heart. That would have been horrifically awkward, especially considering that I am a horrible liar.

"Yeah, let's."

****

About forty-five minutes later, everyone was working to fashion some shelters. No one had seemed able to agree on just what kind of shelters to build, so the party had split into groups that utilized each idea. For instance, Kadaj and his brothers were trying to construct a sort of crude longhouse out of some trees they had knocked down. The knocking down part had been easy-- one stiff blow at the roots from Loz had made short work of the foliage. However, the actual construction part was proving way too tricky.

One tree, the key for the others, was being difficult to position. All the others were leaned on it, and according to theory, when the key was raised to the correct height, the trees would all lean on each other and support their own weight.

Theory and practice, however, are two different things.

Kadaj was standing back and instructing the others, who looked less than cheerful about their part of the project. "Higher... higher... whoa, whoa, lower..."

There was a crack, a mighty whoosh, and an earth-shattering thud as the entire construction collapsed like a bundle of pick-up sticks. Kadaj winced as he forced himself to survey the wreckage. He and his brothers could repair motorcycles, hack computers, constuct conspiracies... but when it came to simple, basic dwellings, they were total klutzes. "G**, I hate camping," he groaned.

Loz picked himself up and dusted himself off. "Whatever you say, brainiac. You're not the one getting slivers here."

Reno glanced over at the brothers and shook his head incredulously, keeping a tight grip on the stretch of nano-tarpuline he and Rude were pegging up as a sort of improvised tent, attached to the ship on one end and roped to some trees on the other. "Looks like their training was --heh-- not well-rounded, yo."

Rude merely yanked on the rope to raise the n-tarp a little higher. Reno scrambled to hold up his end of the material with a squawk of faint surprise. "Geez, man! Could you not tell I was procrastinating, yo?"

Rude ignored him and secured the rope. Reno sighed and secured his end. I swear, sometimes the man just wears earplugs.

Ami, in the meantime, had gone to gather a little firewood. She dropped the dry branches she had found near the center of the clearing and winced as a jagged edge scratched her.

Eager for any excuse to cease manual labor, Reno sprinted over to help her out. "OK, lemme help with that."

He focused his healing energies, but absolutely nothing happened.

Ami shook her head and grinned. "Different dimension, remember? Your powers are moot here."

Reno glanced at her, looking a bit shocked. "You gotta be s**tting me."

"Talk about constipation," Ami joked. "Nope, sad but true, man. You gotta go back to the old-fashioned way of doing things, avvy."

He groaned and went back to finish with the tent. "Why does everything always happen to me, yo?"

Ami called after him. "Hey, you seen Vincent anywhere?"

"Not since we got started on the construction junk, yo," he replied. "Guy disappeared on us just in time to avoid doing any serious work. He was the smart one, if ya ask me."

She shrugged and headed for Abel. "Quite the crack squad, aren't they?"

Her voice exuded sarcasm. Her brothers were bickering violently and looked they were about to come to blows. Reno's rope had snapped and sent the tent into total collapse. Rude was busily engaged in dope-smacking him.

"At this rate, we'll have the demon's bratty, spoiled, asthsmatic stepkids in charge before we rally the Silken," she groaned. "Abel, while they're busy re-enacting 'This Old House' reruns, I'd much like to figure out how to connect with the Silken tribes. There must be some form of secure communication that will bring them here. I brought my cycle, so we can use that if we have to, but there must be some more effective way." She glanced at the others with a weary eye. "It looks like we have a ways to go before we can call them, so take your time figuring it out."

[matt]

Seifer, fujin, Raijin, Ryushi and Akira had made their way to the island following the others. Akira lead the way while Fujin kept an eye on Ryushi. If Akira tried to ditch them, Fujin would finish of Ryushi. Raijin was becoming impatient already. Seifer was only looking forward to facing of against Squall. Akira grinned "You know, he may not even be here."
Seifer stopped. "What d'ya mean. You think we came all this way for nuthin' " Raijin shouted ready to pound Akira if necessary. "Keep moving" Seifer said as he followed Akira. Raijins shouting could be heard throught the island, and it had alredy began to draw dark Sahrsha to their location. "Nice going dumbass" Akira smirked.

[lutz]

Abel scratched his chin
Akasha....I could contact her...
he looked over to Amnesty.
"I could go see my love....Akasha....but I can let her father see me...but her father is the chief of the Silken, talking to her father would be your best bet..."

Samson walked over a joined the convo,
"Your old man is a peice of work thats for sure Abel, convicing him these humans here aren't Sarsha will be a big task..."

Abel Nodded.

***********************

Lutz sat up in a tree looking into the forest, in the distance the trees seem to move apart clearing the way for something.
Something draws near....

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Loz currently had his youngest brother in a headlock and was noogying him mercilessly. "Let go, you oaf!" Kadaj was yelling, trying to pry himself loose.

"Say 'uncle'," Loz insisted stubbornly, smirking.

"You have got to be joking," Kadaj replied, continuing to work at loosening his brother's grip.

"Say it," Loz teased.

Yazoo would have like to continue watching the fun, but he heard something coming, felt it approaching... "Quiet, you two."

"Don't tell me to be quiet," Loz snapped, noogying Kadaj harder.

He squawked in protest. "If you do not release me this moment, your death will be extremely long and painful..."

"Shut up," Yazoo demanded more forcefully.

Loz sighed and shoved his brother down to do a faceplant in the grass. "What?"

Yazoo pointed. "Listen."

Loz didn't get it, but Kadaj could hear something faintly as he dusted himself off...

"What's that sound?" Loz asked.

"The unmistakeable sound of approaching trouble," Kadaj replied, drawing his sword.

****

Ami steeled herself and sighed. "We have to try. I don't know what other choice we have. But maybe it would be wise to let my brothers stay here, guard the camp, huh?" She picked up her cycle. "Ready when you are, Abel. Reno, Rude, I'll want backup. It'll be crowded on here, but I've ridden in worse."

Reno happily abandoned the doomed tent. "On your word, yo."

[lutz]

Abel looked her Amnesty's bike and saw how very little room she was going to have on the bike.
Oh boy this should be interesting...
Samson apporched Abel.
"Hey partner you becareful alright!?"

Abel: "I will be, I trust you will keep everything in order...not loose any ship!"

Samson: "Hey hey hey I got this Abel....just don't ya do dieing on me eh Savvy!?"

Abel: "Savvy...."

Samson waved to his pal good bye.

*********************

Lutz jumped down from the tree and ran over to the brothers. He looked at their faces and noticed swords were drawen,
"Good you all noticed it to...."

the cracking of the trees grew louder and the ground below them slightly shook.
"Prepare....its close now..."

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Amnesty waited for her crew to settle in as best as possible. Reno wound up in the seat behind her, with Rude and Abel sharing the sidecar.

Reno decided to rub it in a little. "Tough luck, guys."

Ami "accidentally" smacked him in the face with her helmet as she put it on. He groaned unhappily and rubbed his nose.

"Let's move, guys," Ami said, stifling giggles.

She turned the ignition. "Point the way, lizard king!"

****

The brothers tensed. "WHAT is coming?" Kadaj asked quietly, eyes narrowing.

[lutz]

Abel point in the northern area.
"Into the desert we go!"

**************************

The ground shook harder and now within range of sight, the trees moved aside and was a Kilka being in all its glory, it was a purple skinned man with long pointy ears and deer antlers, but only his body was humaniod, the rest was matching that of a elk or stag, Samson strolled over to the group and quickly noticed the Kilka and slowly turned around whisling and walk away followed by running then hiding.

Lutz: "This must be a Kilka...."

The Stag being looked into the eyes of Lutz.

Kilka: "Never seen a character like you before....and those....they are Sarsha! I am not going to risk my forest to end by the likes of you!"
The Kilka slammed his hooves the the ground and it shook. Lighting bolts rained down from the sky hitting near by trees, then the trees came alive, the roots plucked out of the ground and walked like people.

Kilka: "Destory these fiends!"

the tree-people attacked the group as the stag being watched.
Lutz turned and looked at the brothers.
"Ready!?"

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Had Amnesty still been in the camp when the Kilka emerged, she and the others might have stopped to do something. But only seconds before the bizarre creature showed himself, she had roard away with the Turks and Abel in tow.

Kadaj smirked. "Lutz, my furry friend... when have I ever been otherwise?"

Loz charged, powering up his pile bunker. "Toothpicks, coming up!" He bashed his fist into the tree being, splintering it in the middle. Kadaj followed, vaulting over him on his sword to lop the grasping branches from a few other wooden attackers. Yazoo's pistols had little effect, so instead he called out a ring of Shadowcreepers to fend off the foliage, defending the rest of the camp.

The Kilka heard an ominous click behind him, and suddenly three barrels were pointed directly at the base of his skull from behind. Vincent had been waiting... he had seen the Kilka approaching before the others and hidden outside the camp, lying in wait to ambush him after the majority of his forces were already engaged. "These are not Sarsha. If you would survive long enough to know what they truly are, then be so kind as to call off your forces."

[lutz]

Kilka quickly summoned vines from the ground and near by trees, the vines grabbed Vincent a pined him to the ground, the Kilka turned and looked a Vincent.
"haha more Sarsha scum! its seems you all began to inter breed and lost your white hair!"

more Trees were summoned and attacked the brothers. Lutz dashed over to the stag.
"Please listen to him! these are not Sarsha! they are Human Beings!"

The Kilka turned to face Lutz
"I have never heard of anything called a Human Being! tricks! tricks of the Sarsha!"
The Kilka fired a lighting bolt at Lutz but he dashed away dodging the attack, a few tree beings followed Lutz but he quickly killed them off with Fire,
The Kilka was in shock,
"DEMON! fire attacks is the work of a DEMON! Lucifers agents...."

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Vincent cut through the vines with his claws and retrieved his rifle, slamming it into the Kilka's head, knocking him to the ground. "We are no agents of his, allow me to assure you," Vincent announced, astanding over the Kilka. "We came here to destroy him, and will be happy to accept allies. But if you continue to attack us, you will find we can be worse enemies than a thousand Lucifers. Make your choice."

Kadaj felt like someone had tossed him into a blender with a green salad. There were leaves and branches everywhere, splinters flying, bark all over the place... The Shadowcreepers, carnivores by nature, were not enjoying themselves either... all this biting and spitting out was becoming tiresome, but they continued to slash at the hostile plants with their razor-sharp talons.

Loz stormed over to the fallen Kilka. "Look, do Sarsha do this?" He took a chunk of wood that his brother had just sliced out of a tree trunk and sliced his palm with it. Green blood, not red, dripped out.

Yazoo shook his head and smiled. My brother, the idiot savant.

[lutz]

The Kilka looked a Loz's blood and was confused.
"Interesting...."
The Kilka kicked Vincent off him with his back hooves sending him flying into a tree. The Kilka rose and called off the tree beings. the being foots darted back into the group and once again became lifeless. The kilka circled Loz as if some wolf sniffing out something unfamilar to him.
"If your not Sarsha...then what are you?"
Lutz walked over slowly,
"We are here to stop Lucifer...."

*************************

The desert was hot and Abel notice his allies were thirsty,
Lucky for me I am cold blooded...still once we get to the village the other Silken should be nice enough to give us something to drink....I hope...."
Abel looked at Amnesty
"Not to far away now!"
***************************

Samson hid in his ship looking out the window
oh dear lord! don't let them Kilka see me!