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    Variable Geo Chaos

    Part 1 - Running The Red Light

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    Yuka Takeuchi was training.  She was training hard.  Every since that last tournament, everything had gone to hell.  The Variable Geo Tournament had been crushed under tons of scandals, many involving slavery rings that had been entering drugged and controlled fighters into the tournament.  Not to mention all the political leaders who had purchased slaves via the tournament's slave traders.  The Tournament seemed to have been a powder keg waiting to go up, and it had led to many unpleasant follow ups.
    The result had left many things in ruin.  The United States of America, for one.  For so long, the scandals that had struck the high offices had been solitary.  A single politician or perhaps an isolated group.  To find that over half of the politicians in Washington alone had been involved, not to mention various group leaders of various crime-fighting organizations had resulted in a civil war between the now divided country.
    Not that many other countries could be called 'stable' either.  Even as rotten as it was, the United States of America had been the single remaining country with enough of a threat potential to keep hundreds upon thousands of terrorists at bay.  No longer fearing the broken country, plenty of terrorists sprung their traps.  Various 'saviors' leapt forward to claim the 'lost lambs' from the resulting carnage.
    Unfortunately for all of the terrorists and wanna-be saviors, organized crime syndicates had reacted swiftly and destroyed them all.  It was ironic that criminal organizations wound up being the rallying point for the nation.  But in a way, it was also very understandable as organized crime had the most to benefit from a working structure with a lot of cracks rather than a cracked structure that didn't work at all.
    Despite the civil unrest and the chaotic world around her, she trained for a different reason.  She did not want to be a savior.  If anything, all she cared was that she wasn't interupted at this moment.  Even in a world gone mad, she strove to find a deeper understanding.  To find that, she had to focus and the best way to get focus was to train.
    But even that was not the true reason why she was punching and kicking repeatedly in the darkened dojo.  There was no fear of striking someone.  Her sense would alert her to anyone within fifty feet, there was no equipment laying about and she knew the dojo's layout even in her sleep.
    There was someone approaching.  Turning in the darkness, she faced towards the door.  The intruder reached a hand inside and flicked on the lights as they entered.  The intruder started as she noticed Yuka staring at her.
    In a plain white dougi, just like the one Yuka herself was wearing, was Satomi Yajima, Yuka's oldest friend.  Satomi's brown eyes met Yuka's slightly darker eyes.
    "Ah, Yuka, I heard someone practicing.  What are you doing up so late?" Satomi asked, yawning.
    "I can't sleep." Yuka replied simply, turning her back to her friend.
    Satomi was very tired, only staying awake out of sheer curiousity, but she could tell something was bothering Yuka.  However, before she could ask, Yuka started her Fire kata.  Satomi sighed.  She knew that Yuka turning away was a sign that she wasn't telling the entire truth, but starting a kata, especially one as complex as Yuka's personal Fire kata was, meant that she didn't want to talk about it.
    Satomi turned around and paused, "Do you want the lights on?"
    "Doesn't matter." Yuka replied.
    Satomi nodded, "Good night, Yuka."
    "'night." Yuka responded.
    Satomi headed for bed.  She wanted to know what was bothering Yuka, but if she tried to press the issue, Yuka might go into a silent phase, which meant that she would ignore everyone for a week before returning to normal as if nothing happened.  Satomi could read most of the signs from Yuka's attitude and body language.
    [Yuka uses the Dragon kata when she's worried about her long lost brother, the Earth kata for money problems and the Tiger kata for keeping nervousness away before a match... but, what does the Fire kata mean?] Satomi paused in her thoughts.  Yuka had never used the Fire kata for anything outside of practice and for formal demonstration.
    Satomi looked back to the dojo and wondered what was bothering her friend.  Yuka might tell her, but she might not.  As of yet, the most sensitive things that Satomi knew of her friend was that they both had lost their parents, but Yuka had an older brother that was forced to leave her at the dojo and left an enormous deposit for her training and living costs.  Nothing more.  She didn't even know the name of Yuka's older brother or what he looked like.
    They were so close, yet knew so little about each other.  Satomi couldn't help but hope that one day, she might come to understand her friend's heart.
    Yuka stopped.  More intrusions.  Just what the hell did people think she did here late at night?  It was like every single person had to stop by and ask her why she was practicing, as if she would suddenly start sobbing and tell them her life story.  Perhaps she was blowing it out of proportion, as only Satomi had interupted her thoughts prior to this new intruder, but she didn't like intrusions when she was trying to focus.  It could be likened to an otaku being continually harassed when trying to watch a new anime.
    This time, however, she recognized the energy and she didn't like it's owner.  She turned to face the door as a swarm of bats flew into the dojo and stopped.  They clustered together and flared with a golden energy that faded, leaving behind a brown-haired woman in a rather skimpy outfit in the place of the swarm of bats.
    She wore fingerless gloves that were attached to a black leotard that was barely in place.  The leotard was cut dangerously low, almost showing enough cleavage to leave most men very happy, and in the center of the cleavage a heart-shape hole had been made in the fabric.  Attached to the leotard were stockings with bat patterns on them, and over her feet were black leather boots.  On her back were black bat wings with tiny versions on those wings springing from the sides of her head.  Long sensuous brown hair flowed straight down her back while her hungry eyes met Yuka's.
    "Not coming to bed, Yuka-chan?  Did you like that last dream?  I know I did..." the woman purred.
    "Get lost, succubus.  I'm not interested." Yuka warned.
    The succubus moaned in pain as if stuck with a needle and clutched a hand to her left breast, "I'm hurt, Yuka-chan, after the five incredible orgasms we shared?  I can't believe you'd toss me away like yesterday's garbage..."
    A blush covered Yuka's face as the memory surfaced, causing her body to grow aroused, "I don't care.  Just get lost!"
    "I think you're protesting too much to my demands...," the succubus teased, in an instant appearing at Yuka's side and cupping her bosom, "I'll give you an even more delicious dream."
    Yuka's patience and embarrassment hit their limits as the succubus nibbled her earlobe.  She pulled away and took up a defensive posture.
    "Oh, you want to fight?  I'm up for a good rumble," the succubus leered, before narrowing her eyes, "but I don't think you're quite ready for me, little girl."
    Yuka launched forward, lashing out with a punch, only to see the succubus vanish like a reflection on a pond when the water is violently struck.  Battle reflexes kicked in and she dove before rolling to her feet.  The succubus retracted the black spears she had launched at Yuka and they reformed into the succubus's left wing.  Yuka began to realize how dire her situation was.  The succubus was faster and could manipulate the matter in her wings to create any shape she wanted and could then launch those shapes at her opponents at speeds few mortals were capable of matching for very long.
    The succubus, however, was appraising Yuka in a new light.  It was true that the girl was not up to her own fighting level, not even close, but dodging even one attack was a sign that the girl was capable of so much more.  The look of determination despite the odds also showed that Yuka knew what she was up against, but she wasn't about to back down.
    Yuka had expected many things from the succubus, but laughter wasn't in the top twenty.  When the succubus's laughter slowed, Yuka demanded, "What's so funny?"
    "Nothing, dear girl, but I sense that you have a lot of potential.  I've taken on a hundred determined martial artists in combat, but so far, less than ten percent were capable of blocking or dodging my first attack.  You not only dodged it, but by a wider margin than most.  I will retreat for now, but our next match will have more at stake than just a peaceful night's rest." she responded.
    "What are the stakes?" Yuka demanded, hoping that it was more than just a week of peace.
    "If you win, I will do anything you ask me to, even go away for good." the succubus began, before grinning widely, "but if I win, I will have you as my permanent little pet.  I hope you like collars and leashes..."
    Before Yuka could retort, the succubus sank into the floor and was gone.  Yuka groaned.  Now she had no choice but to train fiercely.  She had to improve herself two or three times as much in an indeterminate amount of time.

    Kaori Yanase was a seven time kickboxing champion.  She had a natural skill and prowess that very few kickboxers could match.  In VG, she found a plethora of people who could meet her in combat and not falter like the opponents Kaori had faced in the kickboxing circuit.
    However, right now, as she was getting ready to train in her favorite forest clearing, she felt something watching her.  Something easy to detect, but clearly stronger and more menacing than most of the people she had faced in her long fighting career, and that included the fighters and the 'managers'.
    There wasn't a clear emotion that she could sense, but they were already emitting their aura, meaning that they didn't mind having the person they view knowing that they existed.  Kaori couldn't help but wonder what sort of person could be that confident in their own power.  Even Reimi Jahana knew that there existed people who were her equal.
    She debated the possibility that the person was waiting for her to begin training and tire herself out before striking.  Assassins were not entirely out of the question, as she had stepped on many reputations when she was simply a kickboxing champion and not a VG fighter.  She scanned the area with her eyes, watching carefully for anything out of place in the forest.  Deciding that it wasn't going to suddenly attack, but it obviously wasn't going to leave her alone, she faced the direction that she sensed it from and called out a challenge, "Are you here to spy on me, challenge me, or simply annoy me?"
    The rumbling response startled her, "None of the above."
    From the forest came a large furry creature.  At first, Kaori thought it was a large bear or a very hairy man as she had seen some of the competitors in the Street Fighter tournaments.  However, the creature's face was that of a wolf's, it's arms were more like a human's and it was standing on it's hind legs like a man.  It could not have been a bear, and obviously not a normal man.  It's fur was a medium grey, a sign of extreme age rather than genetics, and there were random patches of white that didn't seem to center on any area.
    "I must say that I am surprised.  Are you a lycanthrope or a naturally occurring creature not yet discovered by science?" Kaori inquired.
    The creature rumbled in a manner denoting laughter, though Kaori almost confused it for coughing, before answering, "Impressive.  Most people would simply scream and run or attack.  As for your question, the former, though there are plenty of the latter.  I am getting old, you see, and I do not want to pass on with no legacy.  Therefore, I have but two options as a lycanthrope."
    The werewolf grinned, showing it's surprisingly pearly white teeth, as it took a step towards her, "Mate or infect another."
    Kaori took up a fighting stance at it's aggressive movement, "I don't think I'd be willing to bear children.  I still have a lot planned for my life."
    The werewolf nodded in response, "Then you'd best make sure I don't beat you, because I'm not sure I'll be able to control myself if you are rendered vulnerable."
    "I must say, even though you are threatening me, at least you are civil about it." Kaori noted.
    The werewolf laughed in genuine humor, "I guess it's the influence of this culture.  Civility before the slaughter."
    The werewolf lunged, it's claws extended.  Kaori leapt out of the way and rolled into a defensive posture before noticing the claw marks on her forearm.  She knew it hadn't come within a foot of her, so it must have attacked with it's aura.
    "Not bad.  I knew plenty of fighters who would've taken far worse." the werewolf declared, before adding, "All are long dead."
    "Thank you for the compliment, but don't underestimate my skill." Kaori replied, standing up and taking up a horse-rider stance before extending her arms in front of her.  Her hand created a loose triangle just as the werewolf lunged at her.
    "SHEN!" Kaori yelled.
    The werewolf stopped as if it had run into a wall before being flung backwards.  It rolled to it's feet in a less than fluid manner before reassessing her.
    "I never faced anyone who could do that.  You are an impressive fighter.  Worthy of inheriting my legacy." the werewolf declared, charging again, before zig-zagging away from her focus.
    Realizing that it was too fast to fall for her kinetic shockwave, she slid back into her normal defensive posture and prepared.  It lunged for her, ready to pounce on her, only be caught in mid-air as Kaori unleashed her special quadruple spin kick.  The first struck the werewolf in the jaw, the second the werewolf's right arm, the third it's stomach, and the last it's chest, sending the werewolf flying backwards, it's chest smouldering from the final kick which had been charged with ki.
    It rolled to it's feet and was charging at her once more.  This time, it was moving at twice the speed.  Kaori realized that it was going for a desperation maneuver.  Little did she know that the reason the werewolf was moving so fast wasn't just the fact that it was desperate to infect her.  She couldn't have known that the werewolf was more than just old.  This was it's final battle.  There was no retreating to return another time, no backing down, no giving up.  If it failed to infect Kaori, it's legacy would die with it at the end of the battle.
    Kaori dodged it's first slash, blocked it's second slash, but was caught flatfoot as it kicked her solidly in the stomach.  She would've doubled over if it's teeth hadn't buried themselves into her neckline and shoulder.  She kicked the werewolf into the stomach to force it off and unleashed a roundhouse to it's head.  As her world faded to black, she could swear she heard bone snapping as the teeth marks pulsed with an eerie twinge as if they interfering with her ability to breathe.
    She didn't feel any pain as she landed on her back and drifted off to the realm of unconsciousness.

    Yuka yawned.  She had been so tired from last night that she had missed breakfast.  And Satomi was probably going to ask her about last night.  Yuka decided her best option was to go train by the cedar trees in front of the dojo.  And she almost made it halfway to the trees.  Almost.
    She heard Satomi's voice, "Yuka?"
    [Right on schedule.] Yuka thought to herself.
    "Yes?" Yuka asked.
    There was hesistation in her voice, but Satomi asked her question, "About last night... what was bothering you?"
    Yuka blinked.  She had been expecting Satomi to ask why she had been practicing in the dark, and fully expected a scolding on why it was dangerous to practice in the dark.  Being tired was affecting her train of thought a bit more than she had expected.
    "What makes you think something was bothering me?" Yuka asked, trying to act nonchalant.
    "You've never used the Fire kata for simple practice." Satomi responded.
    Yuka stared at Satomi.  Her friend knew her that well?  It was pretty astounding, in Yuka's opinion.
    "Just wanted to make sure I remembered it." Yuka tried to lamely brush the subject aside.
    "Yuka, have you forgotten anything about fighting?  Ever?  No." Satomi retorted.
    "Satomi, this isn't something I want to talk about." Yuka replied.
    "Is it about.... a brown-haired woman with bat wings?" Satomi asked, a blush forming on her face.
    Yuka spun to face her.
    "She visited you?" Yuka asked.
    "She said that she was keeping busy while you trained." Satomi answered, her face turning cherry red.
    "THAT BITCH!" Yuka growled.
    "Yuka...?" Satomi asked.
    Yuka sighed, "She's been trying to get me.  She wants me as her pet.  That's why I was training so hard last night."
    "She's that tough?" Satomi inquired, knowing her friend was quite probably one of the few people who could possible attain the level of grandmaster in their style.
    "Now I've got to work harder." Yuka declared.
    "But Jun is coming over, isn't she?  She wanted to hang out with you for the weekend." Satomi asked.
    "Yes, she is, but we'll have to train instead.  That little bitch promised to leave me alone, but I'm sure you two are going to be fair game." Yuka growled.
    Satomi blushed.  The previous night's activities had been quite... extensive.  And the thought that she might have to do that every night until this succubus was challenged and defeated was quite embarrassing.
    A familiar voice suddenly called out, "Hey, Yuka!"
    Satomi and Yuka both turned to see Jun Kubota running up the steps leading to the dojo.
    "Jun!  Hey!" Satomi responded, waving the dark-haired dark-skinned beauty over.
    "Satomi, nice to see you." Jun declared, before turning to Yuka with a sparkle in her eyes.
    "Hey, did you hear?  The VG tournament is reopening in a week." Jun stated eagerly.
    Yuka frowned, "I thought it was closed because of the slavery rings."
    "It was.  Turns out that America was home to most of them.  Now that the civil war's over, VG's open again." Jun declared.
    "IT'S OVER?!  Last I heard the entire nation was still divided." Satomi replied.
    "Yeah, seems a sweeping faction in the midlands gathered tons of support and crushed the other factions entirely last night.  And I don't mean the majority of the other factions, I mean all of them.  Word is that they had a deal with Mexico, Alaska, Canada and various human rights groups.  The Declaration of Unity was made just before noon." Jun answered.
    "Declaration of Unity?" Yuka asked.
    Jun nodded, "Yeah.  Mexico, Canada and the U.S. are now one nation.  Word is that they're already signed a document making it official and they'll be making new laws over the next month."
    "That's... a little fast." Yuka noted.
    Jun shrugged, "Yeah, but that's how it turns out.  The other factions weren't prepared in the least.  Just takes one fasting acting, well-prepared group to get things done."
    "So VG is opening again." Satomi returned to the main issue.
    Jun blinked, "Oh, damn, nearly forgot.  Yeah.  Of course, the stripping rule is right out this time.  Turns out Reimi's mom was the one who instated it when she became VG champ and had the slavery rings on her side to make sure Reimi couldn't have it revoked, even if she wanted to.  Now that the rings are gone and Reimi had some surgery to remove some weird mind-control thing, VG's stripping rule is completely out."
    "Hey, that's great.  I'm definitely in." Satomi declared.
    "I thought you didn't want to join VG." Yuka noted.
    Satomi shook her head, "That was because of my little brother.  I didn't want him to have the stigma of having an older sister who regularly had to strip because she lost a match.  But now that the stripping is out, I'm definitely going to join."
    Yuka nodded.
    "Well then, guess we gotta train.  Unlike before, there are going to be more scheduled matches.  As Reimi stated, it's a bitch trying to get cameras and rings in every city, so they're going to be making due with the setups they have." Jun responded.
    "That certainly makes more sense than the last version." Yuka stated sarcastically.
    "Well, the VG hall got a structural bitch slap from when you two fought on the roof." Jun noted.
    "IT WASN'T OUR FAULT!" Yuka and Satomi protested.
    "PSSHH!  Like I'll believe that." Jun replied.
    The trio started laughing.
    Jun's laughter calmed first, "Seriously, though, save for Reimi's personal arena, there aren't a lot of 'official' fighting rings set up for VG anymore.  They pretty much stopped all of it because of the potential expense for replacing the electronics.  Apparently, they've had to pull out quite a few in Hokkaido and Okinawa."
    "Well, if you think about it, putting them out in resturaunts or in the street was pretty stupid." Yuka noted.
    "They're also changing the rule about employment.  You don't need to work at a resturaunt, but there does have to be a business that's willing to sponsor you when you get past the elimination rounds.  With all that, I know sign ups are going to be clogged this upcoming sunday and monday." Jun stated.
    "So, VG champ, going to sign up?" Satomi asked.
    "Hey, I told you guys, VG is one of the hardest tournaments that you can get into legally.  And I'm always up for a new level." Yuka stated.
    "Well, let's get in the dojo and do some last minute training.  I know I'm not that rusty, but I think I'd rather do something than sit out here with the insects." Jun told them.
    With that said, the trio headed for the dojo, their worries and concerns gone for a while.

    The darkness.  She felt it all around her.  It scared her.  It kept her from seeing and it felt like hands were grabbing and pulling her somewhere.  Then she finally stopped.  A warmth engulfed her in a manner that felt like a gentle embrace.  She felt safer in this embrace than she had before.  She could remember a time when she was embraced like this, back when she was only ten and she had been gotten into a fight with some of the local bullies.
    Her father had comforted her and told her to take the day off.  Her mother had let her lay on her in an embrace like this when her mother had been tanning.  There was even a sweet smell, as though she were ten years old again, laying with her mother in the warm sun.
    She could still remember the dim memories of her father trying to wake her, then picking her up and carrying her to bed.  He felt so warm too.  In the darkness, she felt a comfort she had forgotten.  And the darkness offered it to her.
    A gentle voice spoke to her, a voice very much like her father's, "In the darkness, there are no need for masks, no need for pretense, no need to hide one's desires.  Darkness exists only to remind humans of what they are and that no matter what they do, they will never be rid of their nature."
    Her mother's voice came to her ears, "Humans forget what they are and try to make themselves into what they are not.  We of the dark will always be here for you, my sweet daughter, but we know that you are not yet ready to fully embrace this darkness.  You will be in time.  Until then, accept yourself for who you are..."
    Both of her parents continued, "...and remember that we will always love you."
    Kaori Yanase woke, feeling more at peace with herself than she had been in a lot time.  She sat up and looked around.  Nearby were the rapidly dissolving bones of the werewolf she had defeated.  Even though it was crumbling to dust, Kaori could still see that it's neck was at an angle that would kill nearly every living creature that possessed a spine and wasn't secretly an alien/cyborg/demon.
    The moon light bathed her body in it's radiance.  Kaori blinked and looked up, her eyes filling with terror.  The full moon wasn't until tomorrow... unless she had missed an entire day...
    Kaori felt the change begin.  Her forearms and hands grew an unnatural amount of hair in seconds, her feet began to expand and grow hair as well and she felt the excruciating pain of her feet extending themselves to a new length.  From the bottom of her spine, just above her buttocks, she felt the skin break and a new tail form and sprout hair.  Her teeth began to extend as her ears slid up her head and changed into those of a canine's.  Her boots and knee guards had already broken and the legs of her pants and the sleeves of her shirt tore to allow her body more freedom.
    She felt her body gain more muscle and scents of a wide variety filled her nose, making her almost punch-drunk from the increase of information from her sense of smell.  She nearly passed out from the sensation, but she regathered her wits as she realized that she was no longer transforming.
    She looked at her large hands and feet.  Outside of the changes in her hand size, foot size, tail and positioning of her ears, she was pretty much the same as before, which made no sense to her.  In all the occult legends, the transformation into a werewolf was supposed to make her completely half human and half wolf.  She didn't mind this level of transformation as growing hair all over would've been somewhat of a nightmare, but she still didn't know why it was less than a complete transformation.
    Her new ears informed her of a nearby stream.  She hurried to it, not even realizing how natural it felt to run on all fours.  She paused and stared into the stream.  Her normal hair had grown long and her eyes were now a glowing purple.  The fur on her hands and legs was a shiny black, almost like a well-groomed labrador's.
    "Why?  Why only this much?" Kaori asked, before her right ear twitched, alerting her to someone else's presense.
    Kaori nearly gasped at the sight of who it was.  Reimi Jahana laid strewn on a branch like it were a bed.  Perched in her blue hair were two white cat's ears.  Her arms and legs had undergone a similiar transformation to Kaori's, only her hands were larger and her feet were more narrow, and she was more cat-like than wolf-like.  The ex-champion VG fighter were not a stitch of clothing, but the white fur that covered her hands and feet also covered an intricate pattern over her body, making her decent enough for most beaches.
    "Reimi?!" Kaori asked.
    "You wanted to know why you only transformed that much?" Reimi asked, turning her head to show Kaori her eyes, which had slitted pupils, much like a cat's eyes.
    "You were bitten as well?" Kaori asked.
    Reimi snickered, then laughed, before hopping down to land in front of Kaori, "No, I was born with this.  That's why I have a lot more control over it than you do right now.  You see, our control over our bodies allow us enough control to decide how much we transform.  In my case, I have control to the degree that I can even decide where I want my fur to grow, so that I can be as scantily clad as I want and still not be indecent.  Of course, I've had my entire life to learn control.  You just got it, so you won't be able to do half as much."
    Reimi darted forward, closing the gap between them so that their bodies touched, "But I might be convinced to teach you... in exchange for something nice..."
    Kaori's face flushed and she lashed out on reflex only to find Reimi on her head.  The Jahana Corporation's CEO leapt away and landed a safe distance away before smiling with a kitten grin, "Naughty, naughty, Kaori-chan..."
    Kaori blinked, astounded at the speed that Reimi had moved.  She knew Reimi could move quickly if she wanted to, but Reimi had a tendency to use her energy to negate attacks before they could strike her or block them rather than dodge.  Before Kaori could react, Reimi had pounced on her and had her on the ground next to the stream.
    Reimi's grin was wide as she leaned close and rubbed herself against Kaori, "...everyone knows you have to stroke a pussy."
    Kaori's embarrassment had hit it's limits.  Reimi was taking advantage of her awkwardness and the well-trained kickboxer was not going to put up with it.  Reimi's leverage stopped more direct attacks, but if Reimi was enough like a cat, then what Kaori had in mind would be enough to get free.
    Kaori's left hand cupped some water and she splashed Reimi with it, adding the witty line, "Yes, but you pound a wet pussy!"
    Reimi's shock was doubled, first by the water, then by the fact that Kaori had used a line that was so daring.  She jumped back, allowing Kaori to get to her feet.  Reimi smiled, "Innocent little Kaori reduced to naughty lines like that.  It must be a sign that my charms are working on you."
    Kaori huffed, "Do I have to get violent?"
    "I'd rather something else, but if you want, I can teach you regardless." Reimi purred, her tail motioning Kaori to follow.
    Sighing, the new werewolf followed.

    The car slowed and finally stopped.  The driver, a pale woman wearing a yellow monk robes, stared at the cave and resisted the urge to say, "Weeeee'reee heeeeeere." in a spooky manner.  She sighed and turned off the engine.  She had come to this cave because she felt the evil energy that seemed to reek from the cave.
    "Sis..."
    The brown-haired psychic sighed and turned to the coffin behind her.
    "Not yet, Hsien Ko.  We want it to show up first." the pale woman responded.
    "But, sis, it's here already." came the response.
    Instantly, her eyes scanned the area.
    "Where?" she asked.
    "Mei Ling and Hsien Ko, sweet sisters bound to the path of the dark.  How inconvenient." came a voice from all around her.
    Mei Ling looked around and even above her, but couldn't see anything.  Their opponent had either been expecting them, had heard of them or could read their minds.  The first and last options were the ones that scared her the most.
    "Hsien Ko..." Mei Ling began, before the coffin began to flare with a dark purple energy.
    Mei Ling knew what was happening.  Instantly, she transformed herself into a special ward as the coffin opened and her blue-skinned sister exited her coffin.  The ward attached to Hsien Ko's funeral hat.  Instantly, the blue-skinned girl calmed down.  The incredibly long sleeves of her outfit followed her out of the car as she hopped to the ground, her loose pants rippling a bit with the wind.
    "Are you such a tease as to leave your cleavage showing or is that merely a distraction method?" the enemy asked, indicating the oval opening in Hsien Ko's blouse which showed her cleavage to almost any viewer who happened to be in front of her.
    Hsien Ko snorted and brought her left sleeve forward, revealing a massive three-pronged metal claw at the end of the sleeve that was as wide as her torso, and used the claw to lift the ward attached to her hat, "Stop with the hiding act, Mister Imp.  I know exactly where you are."
    "Oh, do you?" came the voice from behind her, but Hsien Ko's gaze didn't change.  Ventriloquism wasn't going to save this evil creature.
    A dagger flew into the dark forest and struck solidly.  The gnarled body of a creature who's features were more grotesque than any human's fell the ground, the dagger embedded into it's forehead.
    "Bleah.  I've seen humans with the flesh on their faces eaten off that looked better." Hsien Ko noted, using her left claw to scratch her hair, moving her dark blue hair enough to tilt her hat.  Sighing, she lowered her sleeve and phased her arms out of the sleeves so she could fix her hat.
    "Yes, but at least it doesn't like had it's hair in front look like an ant's mandibles." Mei Ling retorted, changing from ward back to her human form as the imp's body dissolved.
    "Hey!  Where did that come from?" Hsien Ko demanded.
    Mei Ling shook her head, "It must've been a side effect from containing your rage."
    Hsien Ko fell silent.
    "Come on, we have to check it's lair to make sure that it didn't have any victims.  If it did, I hope they're still alive and all right." Mei Ling responded.
    "It was an Imp, sis.  They feed on fear.  Besides, they don't have any genitals, so there's no need to worry about it doing anything nasty." Hsien Ko shot back.
    "You've checked?" Mei Ling asked, a teasing smile on her face.
    Hsien Ko growled playfully and followed her sister into the cave.

===============================================================================================

    Okay, you're probably wondering, "A-kun, what the hell happened to Variable Geo: Variable Nu?"
    The answer is pretty embarrassing.  I was going at a nice gait, then I was running low on ideas.  So, I decided to go back and make sure my story was at least consistant.  During this, my home computer died of a massive hard drive failure, but my works were still on the internet, on disks and on my work computer.  So, I continued my project.
    Then, as I was uploading new versions of Parts 1-5, I accidentally deleted part 6.  I was despairing, but hey, it was on my disks and on my computer, right?  Then, I found I didn't have it on either of those.  I could just ask the FFML, someone there should have a copy.  Just as I was ready to ask, FFML went down because their primary server was going to be used for something else.
    "Well, shit." were my exact words.
    Over the next five months, various projects assaulted me, first a webcomic, then a number of stories, and finally I sat down with ????? and C-chan, who beat my head in for wanting to keep the whole stripping premise.  I was going to have it removed in later chapters anyway.
    In the first version of this, I was going to basically rewrite Variable Geo: Variable Nu without the stripping rule and with my arrogant immortal character, RG (who was originally going to call himself "Nameless", sort of a joke on the Nameless Bard in the Curse of Azure Bonds trilogy), played down a lot more than he was in the original version, leaving most of the emphasis on my other original characters, Yuki Asamiya and the Asamiya clan.
    Then, I started thinking, "Wait, why should I rewrite if it's just going to lead to the same things?"
    Followed by a slew of other thoughts, "Eh, I should think of something else to combine Variable Geo with, everyone'll expect Street Fighter or King of Fighters... I don't want to do anything with Battle Arena Toshinden, I know next to nothing about the Fighting Vipers universe..."
    So, after toying with the concept of combining VG with Dragon Ball Z or Dragon Ball GT, I decided to toy more with Dark Stalkers.
    Certainly, anyone who's used Darkstalkers / Night Warriors has focused on Morrigan, Lillith, Felicia, Johnathan Talbain and Dmitri Maximoff... or sex. So, what could I do to really surprise readers?

    By the way, if someone DOES have a copy of Variable Geo: Variable Nu Chapter 6, please send it to me at akun15@hotmail.com and DO NOT put "hi" or "Response to your inquiry" as the subject line because it'll probably get deleted.  Damn porno e-mails lists.

    So, who's who and what's what?
    First of all, the succubus after Yuka is _NOT_ Morrigan or Lillith.  Neither of them have brown hair.
    Secondly, it was _NOT_ Johnathan Talbain who attacked Kaori.
    Thirdly, I don't care about Imp mythos.  BEEEEDAH!  ^_^
    Fourthly, no, I'm not making Felicia into Reimi's mother or father.  That would be needlessly cruel to Felicia fans.
    Fifthly, anyone have a link to mythos on Chinese Vampires, specifically the kind that Hsien Ko is?  I thought I knew vampire mythos well enough, but I'm not perfect on undead mythos in general, so I'm worried I might have missed a variant.  I'll be looking over the internet myself, but I'd appreciate any help.  Until then, I'll just fsck it all up and treat her like a normal vampire.
    Sixthly, no, I am not going to use that overused pain in the ass, Dmitri (or Demitri).  I'll make up something to get rid of him.  Any time Darkstalkers and vampires come up, Dmitri automatically pops up.  Well, screw that.  He's dead for good.  Accept it.
    Everything else will be revealed in time.

    Next Time of Variable Geo Chaos:
    Jun, Yuka and Satomi sign up for the newly reformed VG tournament!
    They say "The more, the merrier".  If that's true, this is going to be one hell of a happy party.
    More unique characters and established character that you can shake a hippopotamus at.
    And pussy galore!

    A-kun
    To reply, comment, curse, or send cash donations (shyeah right): akun15@hotmail.com


    -----
    OMAKE
    -----

    Time for: RAG ON A-KUN'S PLOT!

    A-kun blinked, realizing he was now at the mercy of his characters.
    "HOLY HELL!" A-kun yelped, just before being caught in a super kikodan blast that sent him rocketing off into the atmosphere, "Looks like the author is blasting off for the first time...*"
    Yuka Takeuchi huffed, "Serves him right, that freaking pervert!"
    Satomi Yajima merely nodded in approval, "And just watch, by next episode, he'll probably have America back together and the tournament starting."
    "That happened this episode." Jun Kubota noted.
    Satomi blinked, ponking (1), "Oh, then it'll probably be an indepth exploration about-"
    "Don't give away trade secrets!" A-kun's call came as he exited the exosphere.

    (1) - Ponking is a term I've created to denote the action of taking one hand that's formed into a fist and striking it against the other hand, which is flat.  I know there's probably another term for this, but since I'll never use this term again, it doesn't seem that important.


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