Drawing from another bead (one hundred and three left, each one giving back less and less of what I have put into them over the years) I walk over to my fallen opponent. "You fought well, you have earned the peace of a painless death." I feel the tip of my katana enter through the base of the skull and exits right above the snout as the body shivers violently.

"Okkikan, take me to the Kyuuketsuki that has Mr. Holister."

Locke was a formidable opponent old man, I know you are hurting pretty baddly as a result of the fight. If you wish to proceed, so be it.

5 pints down....drip drip drip, I so love that sound don't you. Maybe it won't be me you'll have to fight, but your cop friend here. Not who we wanted, but this worthless meat sack will do I suppose.

We're waiting monk, and it's such a shame that whore will be joining in the festivities.

Ah, the blood of a pure soul always tastes sweetest.

"Hellhounds, great."
"Okkikan, what do you think your doing?"

Ooo doggies to play chase with!!!! What you seek is on the left, 3 walls down. I am going to go play now. ByeBye!!"

"Damned fox spirits, be safe my friend."

I AM HERE KYUUKETSUKI, DO YOU DESIRE RELEASE OR DAMNATION?

Whatever will stop him from being possessed every other week

Having had announced myself, I swing the door open, carefully, as Holister is in there, two pairs of sparking projectiles flick from the darkness, bright flashes filling my vision momentarily as I sweep them from my kimono, pain shooting through my limbs.

Holister is here, with three bags of fluid connected to him. The Kyuuketsuki is here brandishing two sabers as he advances.

"Wrong answer, kyuuketsuki. Without aid you have a great deal of torment ahead of you before you return."

Focusing what little chi I have remaing into my blades I prepare for the coming storm.

We have news from the hospital... Things are starting to look up over here. The girl still hasn't regained consciousness, but she has two hands once again. The doctors say she'll be able to feel through it within the next couple of months. Shade wants to get into contact with her long enough to try and figure out why she hasn't regained consciousness, but there's too much attention on her right now for her to pull that off.

KT regained consciousness about two hours ago. "Mrs. KT" is still in with him. She fell asleep in there for some time today, and is continuing to monopolize her time with him.

Well, if you're there, and she's awake, find out what she wants for dinner and I'll deliver it.

She says to tell you she's getting a free meal here each day, so not to worry about it for now. She says thanks, though.

Anything is better than hospital food, I would think..

Agreed. I'll bring anything she wants that I can get in and around D.C.

I hear there is a nice chinese joint near where Ron used to live..

Don't mention Chinese, lol. Sasha and I had Chinese Food, then the gang had Chinese food, I'm getting tired of Fortune cookies lol.

One of the Kyuuketsuki's blades snapped up in a salute, while the other was already seeking my heart. After just a few hard pressed parries, I could tell that this fight was going to be a little difficult.

With one blade swinging wildly in crazed arcs the Kyuuketsuki pushed his advantage, the other blade flicking in and out as it seeks blood, my blood. With a swift roll to my left, my wakazashi strikes true against one of the minions, severing the arm that was drawing an unknown object from within her jacket. (may the graces forgive me for what must be done).

Taking advantage of the distraction I call out, "Mr. Holister, are you still with us?"

Recieving no answer, but seeing movement I know I do not have the time to fight here, not a battle like the last one - I have already wasted too much time, and someone else may have to pay the price for it.

A faint red mist seems to fill the room, as I feel a rush of heat slowly expand, filling my body with a renewed strength. The mist thickens into a haze over everything but my blades, which glitter coldly in the darkness. Unfocused, this wrath may become my undoing. With this realization, added to the knowledge that I do not have the time for a long fight, I fuel the anger, drawing in the negative energies around me. I know that my eyes are his eyes now, cold and reptilian, I can see it in the rising fear reflected in the worthless scum's eyes as he clutches the bloody stump of his arm and crawls backard, to fearfull to even scream.

"Kyuuketsuki, you have given me no option. You must die, and now." As the fool begins to close, I feel the doubt, the fear. I drop the katana, and focus the dark energies that surround me.

Focusing all my attention on the kyuuketsuki's left blade, I strike. The chi of my attack covers the distance between us as swift as thought. I watch with satisfaction as both the blade and the hand gripping it fly across the room.

This place is the center, the focus, all the negative chi in the vicinity flowing to this one point. I gather it up, allowing it to flow into and through me. I become one with it's flow. Feeling more than seeing the lunging thrust coming at me, I follow the lines of chi at my feet, swirling out of the way of this determined attempt to pass a sword through my former position. Such a perfect attack, I would not presume to interfere with its progress, instead I will aid it along it's way. Focusing the chi around me into a tight arc, I intercept the attack, accelerating it along it's path, redirecting that path to intercept a thought of attack leveled in my direction.

The kyuuketsuki flies through the air, seemingly surprised at the outcome of it's attack. The second man's gun fires as he is knocked off his feet by the impact. "You are not Khavik, pawn, where is your master?"

Bert_the_Turtle wrote:Idaho has potatos. What does Ohio have? If you figure it out, bring me some.

Greetings from the hospital's waiting room and my third time rereading my copy of the Zombie Survival Guide today... seems my laptop's antivirus software has finally decided to kick in.

What exactly did you want buckeyes for?
I've got a basket full of em somewhere around here.

Awesome! Thanks Robin! Now I gotta find a recipe I can cook with them...
Zombie Survival Guide kicks ass! So does the sequel World War Z.

Ron, I'm familiar with that treatment. It is disgusting, but very necessary.

I actually read World War Z first... The Guide wasn't actually in stock at my local Barnes & Noble, you see, so I had to wait for it to come in the mail.

As to the leeches... almost makes me feel bad for referring to Khavik as a leech. Almost.

(Mitch) For insulting the leeches?

Precisely.

To everyone here: I hope things turned out okay with Holister and Shang Li, but we really can't stick around to find out... Unfortunately, we took out a loan for the first few months' rent on our building, and we need to get back, so we can start taking cases and get our money back... Pay off the loan and get on our feet enough to start making our own rent payments.

I wish we could stick around and help, but we've gotten an e-mail about a missing girl who was last seen in our neck of the woods... Missing long enough that it's no longer considered an emergency by anyone's standards. Parents just want closure.

Figures. Our first case, and it's probably gonna be a heartbreaker if we solve it.

Anyway, I'm leaving business cards in KT's hospital room, and we'll try to keep up with the boards. Sorry we couldn't be of more help... Maybe next time we'll get this guy.

Sorry about the delay in posting this, it took me a while to rebuild what happened - to seperate my memories of that fight from so many others.......

Three times we clashed to no effect, blades throwing sparks with each parry and attack. Three times we both threw everything we had at one another, pointlessly. My own energy by this time was nearly fully depleted. As I prepared to leave this world, the kyuuketsuki looked at me and said with a grin "We cannot be stopped you fool, even as you tire I grow stronger. I think the last thing you will see before you die will be the cop's fangs as he rips out your throat."

At this I looked at Mr. Holister, two bags of red fluid and one of black dangling near him, connected to him by thin tubes. The next thought was of Molly and all of Cypress Cove being "turned" over many nights, Seeing what could happen if this threat did not stop here. (This is where things get a little blurry, please forgive me.) I remember the rage building, energy so familiar, yet so foriegn to me. I remeber a sword shattering into thousands of glittering shards.(not mine, I checked) I remember a sword spinning through the air (mine, his, I dont know) I don't remember ever drawing the phurba from my kimono, but I know it was done. What I do remember, and will always remember, is the look of fear that fixed my eyes to his as we fell. I do remember the heat of his body as it was consumed, the look of agony as the phurba pierced his heart, the smell of burning hair and charred flesh that accompanys such a success.

Tired and worn I approached Mr. Holister. As I prepared to remove the I.V. bags the black one seemed to burst, expelling an impossible amount of wire (the kind soldiers use for barricades on CNN) and chains, all dripping some form of black fluid. Their every touch dredging up memories long forgotten, the terror of watching as my body set upon family after family, slaughtering all those I encountered - forced to watch, unable to stop the carnage. Memories long in the forgetting, reopened like a fresh wound.

At the center of the swirling mass of wire and chains was a mass of inky blackness. Slowly one red eye opened in it's center, I feel rather than see the spirits contained within, their agony rippleing through me in waves. Then my own face peered at me from the blackness "I am free again"; it said gazing listlessly about it. It's gaze finally settles on me, and it spoke again "Ah Shang-Li, Hello...and Good Bye" There was a flash of flame, blowing what few windows and doors out of the room, igniting several small fires with it's brief intensity. The sprinklers didn't even have time to fully trigger before the fire was replaced with a pulse of searnig cold that left a layer of frost across everything, each sprinkler head glistening with a small crown of ice. Whatever was in the bag no longer anywhere to be seen. Tired and sore I began to drag Mr Holister out into the open. (Sorry, I was too tired to carry you in a dignified manner.) Mr. Holister should be resting comfortably in the local infirmary.

Well greetin's from a hospital bed.

I finally got a damn laptop in here so that I can let you guys know Im ok. A few pints shy of a six pack, but other wise Im feelin' fine.

Just found out KTs here in the same hospital, and I never even knew it. Maybe when I get up and about Ill see if I can't go find him and see how he's doin'.

Hell I can't rest, someone keeps yellin' at her husband two doors down. I try not to listen, but boy I wish she'ld just kill em' and get it over with so I can get some sleep.

Anyway, KT if ya can hear this, get better soon, it wouldn't be the same without ya round pal.

Bert, if you see this, can ya get my car & Molly for me. I don't plan on stickin round any longer than I have to. I called Sarah and see dam near tore my head off for havin' Molly all weekend.

Case in point...never piss off an Irish Catholic mother.

Well, they say I can get out of here tomorrow, thats good. Maybe I can swing past and say good bye to Ron fore I head out. Poor guy, I know I can help him out, but he's just too damn proud to admit it.
Got to respect him though.

Well, got to sign off for now. Ill let Master Li fill you in on the detail of my rescue.
Damn, why do I always wind up in a hospital bed somewhere with a splittin' headache and loss of memory.

Ok, I'll bring Molly 'round in a little while.

Fuck!.... I need a goddamn Monitor so I can CRV for shit like this!

Damn! I think I can help track her down.

Oh, and I thought I was the only one that had read the Zombie Survival Guide. I actually have a copy of it here with me on campus. Surprisingly enough I have a large number of friends here on campus that have either read it or own a copy.

I also want to get a copy of War Z.

Yea, that is bad news.

Freaked out like a scared little kid or freaked out like a possessed little kid?