Path of the Hunters [PART 5] (NSFW)

"Not that." He looked down at his hand, which sparked dangerously with electricity. "The flare-ups are getting worse. I estimate I have about six hours before the next one."

"Don't you have some kinda serum for that?"

Mani shook her head. "His body's rejecting it. I haven't been able to make anything stronger, so all we have left is sedatives."

*

"No! Not at all!" Her grip on his hand tightened slightly.

*

He smiled. "Good. Now, let's get to work."

"Well, shit..."

Shadow frowned slightly. "If you don't finish in time, I will complete the work for you."

"What? The sooner we go, the better?"

"...Yes."

Sunny rolled her eyes.

*

He hugged her, blushed when he realized their tummies were touching. "I used to be scared, too."

*

"Bonne."

"So, let's get started now, and we'll be out of your quills that much sooner.

Briggs grumbled. "Shit, I was hopin' I'd get to go a few rounds with the Ultimate Life Form."

"Briggs," Mani said. "No offense, but you wouldn't last five minutes with Shadow. Cross barely did."

Briggs shrugged. "Yeah, I know. I ain't got the powers like ya'll, so yeah."

*

She blushed, averted her gaze. "I-I'm not scared. I just had a bed experience once."

*

He lead the way out, hand still grasping hers.

"Bet you could beat him in another way,," Sunny mused, smirking.

*

"What happened?"

*

When they were back with the trio, Aurélie held out the Kane blade. "Voila."

Briggs snickered. "Oh, now you're confident in me, huh?"

*

"Well, you know about my exploration abilities. Well, it kinda got me into a reservoir."

*

Kane smiled. "The last of my blades."

"Now, they are all together," Crescent said, the blade shining in her eyes.

"Well, with you feelin' so sorry for yourself, I gotta."

*

He frowned. "Oh..."

*

"Oui. So let's get to the real work."

He scoffed. "Since when do you put out pity parties?"

*

She tried a smiled. "It's cool. We're not near anything like that, right now."

*

"Right," Aurore said. "Elder Baudoin is not expected to move for another two hours or so. 'E likes to personally check on businesses under his control, namely a prostitution operation near Orléans."

"They annoy me. Hell if I'm gonna deal with listening to them from the guy I'm screwing."

*

"And you're not alone." He led her further into the water, smiling.

*

"Then we will get 'im first. The Laroche Elders are far more stable."

He snickered. "Can't complain with that."

*

She held onto his hand firmly, like he was her only lifeline... She blushed at that thought.

*

"Yeah, he's an arrogant bastard," Nova said. "So, where's the nearest set of tracks, Kane?"

"This way." He pointed in a direction, noticing the Akira blade was in his hand, just like Teufel was in Aurélie's. "Zut. It must be reacting to Teufel..."

She smirked. "Didn't think so."

*

He took a hold of her other hand, like Star had done for him. "Don't worry," he assured her. "Swimming isn't hard. It's fun."

*

She nodded slightly. "Oui. But we will ignore the blades. Keep it in your 'and. It will be useless to release it now."

"Are you two finished?" Cross said, rolling his eyes. "You can fantasize when this is all over."

"What's wrong? Broodin' over not bein' with Mrs. Trampoline?"

The echidna blushed, turned away. "You cold bastard..."

"You know it."

*

"I'm sure. Just a little nervous, I guess."

*

"Right..." Sighing, he started off in the indicated direction.

Sunny burst out laughing. "Man, I am so glad Star told me about that one."

*

"That's okay." He stopped when she'd be waist high. "Here, see? You don't really even hafta swim."

*

Aurélie walked with the wolf, sighed quietly. "Nova... If I start to see anything, take the blade from me. Or 'ave Crescent do so."

"Seriously!" Briggs agreed, laughing along. "We got so much ammo on Cross now, it's almost unfair!"

*

She smiled. "Okay. So, what's the first lesson?"

*

"Okay," he said, draping a comforting arm over her.

"Aurore," Kane said to the collie. "I want you to do the same for me, understand?"

"D'accord." She nuzzled him gently.

"Shit, I got more tales than that to tell." But her lips were sealed. Teasing Star in front of Star was fine, but she'd be damned if she went behind the back of her best friend.

*

"Floating. You just gotta lay back and trust the water."

*

"Bonne."

"I'm sure ya do. I got a few on Nova that are a riot." Of course, ripping Nova behind his back was out of the question.

*

"It's really that simple?"

*

They reached their destination, a small building, and Kane led them around the back, which had a steel plate in one corner. He started to step through, but stopped, looking back at the group. "...Bof. Aurore and Nova are not like us; they won't be able to pass through."

She grinned. "Nice."

Shadow sighed. "If you've finished your idiotic banter, we're here."

*

"Yeah. I can hold you up if you can't do it right away."

*

"Nova will be able to open it easily. 'E 'as those earth powers."

Briggs sneered. "Dude really needs to get out more."

"Enough," Cross said. "Let's get this over with, and go home."

The wolf smirked. "Yeah, he's definitely pinin'."

With a huff, Cross stepped through the door, not sparing a look behind him.

*

"Okay." Taking a deep breath, she laid back in the water. To her surprise, she was actually floating!

*

"I'll try and make it quiet." Focusing on the plate, a hole appeared for them to pass though, without much of a sound.

Sunny followed, snickering. "I'll say. You'll get laid in, what, six hours? Just chill."

*

He smiled brightly. "See?"

*

"Bonne." Smiling, Aurelie passed through.

Cross sighed. "Let's just get this done. Thanks for letting us do this, Shadow."

*

She giggled. "Oh, wow!"

*

The others followed right behind, the plate closing up behind them. Not long after that, they were on an underground train bound for Orleans.

"You're welcome. Work quickly."

*

He smiled, splashing water over her middle playfully.

*

Aurélie leaned against Nova as the train went, frowning slightly. She resisted twirling the blade she held, wary of any unwanted memories.

"Understood." His violet eyes sparked with determination. "All right, everyone. Let's get to it."

It was a long operation. The team worked quickly and carefully to make their time limit. With the data gathered from the ARK's research reserves and Katherine's personal data, combined with their expansive knowledge in medics, mechanics, chemistry, and software, they were able to complete their quota with a half-hour to spare (Briggs' simple thinking helped speed things along considerably.)

Cross sighed, smiled at the body they had created: it looked perfectly human, as if it actually was to begin with. Most importantly, it looked just like Katherine. "We actually pulled it off..."

"We ain't done yet," Briggs said, typing away at the computer in front of him. "Now for the moment of truth: we gotta download Katherine into the body, see if she can't activate it. And hope to God or whoever that the damn thing doesn't overload on her. Otherwise, she's fucked."

*

"Hey!" She giggled, splashing water back. "Okay, lesson two."

*

Nova sighed, nuzzled her. He hated that he couldn't do anything but comfort her. He hoped to God (and he wasn't exactly a religious person) that everything would turn out a-ok.

"In order to do that, you need my core. Which Damien has."

"So, what? We need Damien over here? And can't we copy 'er to make sure he'll still have her if this fails?"

*

He slid his arms around her, tilting her forward. "Kick your legs and move your hands so you don't go under. And try not to let your feet touch the ground."

*

Her eyes closed as she stroked his chest. She had no choice but to hope for the best...

Briggs chuckled sadly. "Girl, if you can understand a lick of this shit, you'd see that that's impossible. Katherine isn't just some computer program you can copy and paste. This girl is more complicated then any supercomputer on the planet."

*

She blushed slightly, "O-Okay." She did as she was told, tentatively at first, but loosened up some.

*

The machine chugged on for what felt like an eternity. Finally, they pulled into a station, and the door opened.

"I know. It'd probably take a lot of time, but it can't hurt to try. If this doesn't fuckin' work, it'd be like we murdered her, all right? I don't want any fucking part of that!"

*

He let her go after a moment, smiling.

*

She almost didn't want to go out, but she was the first to stand.