Celly focused and followed the trail leading to her most hated enemy. As she neared Main Street she could see a small gathering of Otaku and Guardians. They were laughing at Hotohori no Otaku's antics with a horse.

"Laughter," Celly muttered bitterly. "At a time of war. I will show them all the price they must pay for their place in the Game. No more fooling around. No more tricks. I will not play anymore."

As Celly neared, she shielded her presence as best she could, before taking a flying leap off the roof with her sword drawn.

Susanne, however, managed to feel her presence as she literally fell into the group. "Watch it!" she screamed in warning before dodging the swipe that would have cleaved her in half. Celly landed on her feet, her sword ready. Susanne pulled out her glaive, drawing it in front of her in a defensive posture. She could feel her aura burst to life, as well as the auras of her friends. Before she could take a calming breath, Celly attacked with a flurry of strokes and Susanne brought her glaive to bear, blocking each one.

Celly hissed and attacked again, not letting up her continual assault on the brown-haired Otaku. "I'll get rid of you once and for all, Hotohori no Otaku!" she screamed, driving her opponent back against a wall. A presence behind her forced her to turn away from her victory and Celly rolled out of the way of Keisuke no Otaku's sword. A knife flew past her head and Celly cursed as she backed off and saw four Otaku before her.

"Stay away from our friend!" Keisuke no Otaku declared. Her pink aura shone brightly.

The lavender aura flickered and flared. "I've got a score to settle with you, Celly!" the Otaku declared, holding another knife at the ready.

"You can't beat us, Celly!" Hotohori no Otaku said. "It's us four against you. The odds aren't in your favor."

Tasuki no Otaku said nothing, but opted to glare at Celly, her lightsaber drawn.

Hotohori no Otaku took a step forward. "Give it up, Celly. You won't beat us. We're too many for you to take on. We don't want to fight you, but we will if we have to."

Celly hesitated, her sword by her side. She stared at the ground as she spoke. "You say you are too many for me, but what is too many? I have faced greater odds than this before, and I have triumphed." Celly drew her head up and stared at each of the Otaku in the eye. "You say you do not wish to fight unless you must... This is why you'll die!!!"

Like a flash, Celly attacked, leaving the four Otaku in shock. Who would dare to attack at four-to-one odds?!? Apparently they received their answer as all four struggled to block Celly's frenzied attacks. Celly went after the group's weakest link, Tasuki no Otaku first. They had all expected Celly to go for Susanne first. The blonde had just recovered from a beating and was not up to full strength yet. Celly overwhelmed the Otaku, who managed to block her for a short period before Celly cold-cocked her with the flat of her blade, taking her out of the fight.

Celly turned wheeled and went after the unknown Otaku next. Kristsi was shocked, Celly's fight with Mercy had lasted less than a minute! Damn! "You won't find me that easy to take down, Celly!" Kristsi stated as she opted to attack first. "I've still got a score to settle with you!" Kristsi attacked, thanking her lucky stars that she had trained just about everyday just to be able to stand up against Celly. She almost started to laugh as she actually drove Celly back. Celly was on the defense and couldn't switch her tactics. Kristsi parried and feinted, kicking Celly in her unprotected side. She was surprised to see blood start to trickle along the stomach of Celly's fuku. "Damn, that felt good," she muttered. "I might actually win this thing!"

Wrong thing to say.

Celly, incensed with her wound opening again, let out a feral scream and got her second wind. She beat back the previously confident Otaku with a counterattack. As their blades locked together, Celly spat in Kristsi's face. "You will never defeat me, whelp!" Celly disarmed Kristsi, and with a blast of power, sent her down Main Street a good 300 yards.

Celly winced as she put her hand to her stomach and saw the blood there. But there were two Otaku left... Keisuke no Otaku and her true enemy, Hotohori no Otaku. I can't keep going like this, she thought to herself as she and the other two faced off. They're smart... they won't fight me one on one. This blasted wound will hinder me. I better make this one quick. Celly waited until the two Otaku were on either side of her before quickly branishing her weapon and holding her hands out in a square. She was facing Keisuke no Otaku. "MAXIMUM ANNOYING..."

"NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!" Hotohori no Otaku screamed. She charged Celly, intending to run her through with her glaive. Celly heard the scream and was forced to stop her attack. She moved out of the way of the glaive's point, but Susanne swung it, slamming her in her midsection with the staff of the cursed weapon. Momentum was on Susanne's side and Celly flew back across the street, impacting with a brick wall. Susanne didn't take any chances and quickly fired off some blasts into Celly's dazed form. The raw energy pounded into Celly's body, and her wound began to bleed more, along with the other injuries she had received. She put up a shield to protect herself from Hotohori no Otaku's assault.

"You'll never... defeat... me..." Celly said. Then she coughed up a large amount of blood. The crimson liquid fell to the ground in an arc, splattering as it reached the cobblestoned path.

Hotohori and Keisuke no Otaku stared at her in shock. She frowned, trying to hold up her sword, but she couldn't even stay upright! Her head hurt terribly... she was having trouble seeing. "I'll never look... weak... before the enemy..." she told herself. Hotohori no Otaku turned to say something to her ally. Celly smirked. Wrong move. She charged. "If I'm going down, I'm taking someone with me!"

"SUSANNE!!!" the scream ripped through the air. Susanne spun in the direction of the voice. What happened next was a blur.

She saw Mercy gesturing...

She saw Roger being held back by Kell and Zeke...

She heard Meredith scream a warning...

Dionysus and Orion leapt down from a roof...

She felt the Buzz...

She saw Celly charging her from behind, sword drawn...

A raw blast of power connected against her chest, sending her flying back. Chest? her thoughts were. But... Celly was behind me...

Mercy was standing, power rippling around her still outstretched hand. All signs of weariness and weakness were gone from her. "I always go with the winner," she smirked.

TBC...