Operation: Pacifica, Death in B Sharp by DeadLock the Feral(NYAR), deadlock@one.net b'harnii ran screaming through the spongin city towards the invading Jihaddi. Behind it roared a fiery nightmare. Palm trees, awnings, and sponge minions quivered before the approaching torrent of flame only to be set ablaze seconds later. "No escape this time, there is," snarled DeadLock from within his flaming form. He put on a burst of speed, closing the distance between he and his prey until fiery tendrils licked at the wyrm's heels. "NYAR!" he screamed, jumping through the air at the running plush demon. b'harnii shrieked in pain, the Maenad's arms closing around its torso. It of the One Tooth roared in pain, blisters rising across blackening plush, as DeadLock embraced it from behind, sinking his Claws[tm] into the beast's bloated belly. The two foes lost their balance, toppled, and rolled. b'harnii hit the cobbled street, snout first with the Warp Spasming[tm] Maenad on top of it. DeadLock snarled and sunk his Claws[tm] deeper into the beast, ripping plushy blubber apart as internal organs sliced to ribbons. His knees slammed into the beast causing noticeable welts to rise as a spreading pool of nagenta blood gushed from underneath the Purple and Evil One. In a display of Unearthly strength for a life-sized plush toy, b'harnii repelled itself off the ground, flipped over, and landed with DeadLock under it. A muffled "Ouvf!!" struggled to make itself heard from underneath rolls and slabs of plushy lard-flesh. Then the shredding Claws[tm] were still. The Purple MindSucker yanked its enemy's talons from its innards with a growl of pain. It rolled, quite literally, to one knee-equivalent and stood. Beneath It of The One Tooth lay a breathless, bleeding, nearly unconscious DeadLock. "You'll not be needing this," sneered the Hell Wyrm as it kicked the Barney Slayer away. The blade skidded across the street where it fell half way into a local storm drain. "Yarrhh!" yelled the plush demon as it charged DeadLock in his prone position. Its foot connected with a dull thud and flipped the Maenad over. b'harnii charged again, intent on crushing its enemy's skull. A sponge minion with its mindless, toothy grin, cloudy eyes beaming, grabbed the Slayer with its gloved hands and twisted the hilt. The blade fell from sight down into the sewer. To the Purple Destroyer of World's surprise, DeadLock reacted to its charge, leaned away from its striking foot, and swung viciously downward with his right Claw[tm]. Big Ass Claw[tm] connected and ripped through b'harnii's hide. The sharp talons easily sliced through muscle, struck bone, and notched deeply. b'harnii's left knee, along with a thick slabs offlesh from its lower leg, parted from its body in fountains of nagenta blood as DeadLock ripped his Claws[tm] away. The Dark and Purple One screamed an unworldly yodel of pain and fell over its enemy as momentum carried it to the earth. b'harnii held its arms up to defend itself as DeadLock appeared on top of it. "NYAR!" cried DeadLock as he swung his Claws[tm]. His right Claw[tm] piercing the beast's head immediately above its left eye and ripped across its face, taking the miracle of sight from Enemy of Free Thought with a soft popping noise. The left Claw[tm] raked across the beast's snout leaving five deep gashes. The Maenad reared up, ready to destroy the beast's skull with his claws. A morningstar struck DeadLock harshly on his flank and knocked him from the Hell Wyrm. He rolled to a stop, began to get up, only to have a pike stab him in the right bicep and force him to the ground. "G'day mate!" quipped Banana #1 of the Banana Pajamas as he moved his morningstar into striking position. "G'day indeed #1!" chimed in Banana #2 as he yanked his pike from the Maenad's arm. "Now we gonna snuff this one." Swarms of sponge minions surrounded their idol, helping b'harnii to its feet. Banana #1 swung his morningstar and connected to the small of DeadLock's back with a resounding *crack*. B2 thrust his pike forward and pierced the Maenad's hip, forcing him to roll away. "Destroy him!" commanded b'harnii as the milling mass of mindless minions half-carried, half-bounced their master between them. The spongies moved b'harnii quickly away from the battlefield until it was a safe distance from combat. "He's done for," gloated B1. He leaned on his morningstar and watched the motionless Maenad. "You pulling the piss out of me?"[1] retorted B2, "he's still plenty of fight lef.." A concussion wave caused by rapidly expanding of super-heated air slammed into the bananas, silencing their exchange. "Had enough of combative fruit, I have," snarled DeadLock. The Maenad leaned on his good knee to face the approaching banana-demons. He held out a Claw[tm] as though waiting to grab something. "Aww, 'e's 'a beggin' fer mercy," chortled B1 as the storm grate behind them rattled, then fell from its mounting. "Well, B1, let's peel the bastard," grinned B2. The two fruit monstrosities closed on their enemy, large skinning knives in their plush mitts. Behind them, the Barney Slayer silently rose from the open storm grate on twisting, fiery strands and slowly rotated to point at DeadLock. "B2, I.." The Slayer blurred across the avenue, air whistling loudly around its blade, hilt, and pommel. B1's body-tube ruptured in a stream of flaming goo from its mouth to belly button as the Barney Slayer ripped through like a ground-level comet. The Maenad deftly caught the blade and lunged. B2, despite his surprise, attempted to swing his pike in defense. Owsenite clove the b'harniium shaft, leaving a pole in the Banana's mitts. The Slayer's flat smacked into the pike's remains, sending it clattering down the street. The yellow demon expelled a surprised gasp, DL's blade cleaving its flesh from above its left arm to immediately below its mouth-equivalent. The Banana staggered backwards, yellow-green, fruity blood spurting from the wound and coating its pajamas. "Mate, Please!" begged the Number 2, its soul-essence siphoning away. Its next words became a gurgle, the ancient long sword running it through above the waist of its pajama bottoms. The weapon twisted sharply, then ripped through the length of its torso. The Barney Slayer slid from the demon's corpse with a wet slurping noise. The slain abyss-spawn crumpled to the ground. DeadLock stepped over it to continue his pursuit of the Hell Wyrm without a glance back. ... "Lord b'harnii we luv you!!" Spongies milled about the Satanic Saurian, ecstatic to help their false deity. The minions were oblivious to the fact their master wanted to move much faster than they were allowing. "GET OUT OF MY WAY!" b'harnii's eyes glowed red in anger, causing several spongin in cower in terror. "I luv you!" squealed a young spongin as she bounced enthusiastically. "Lord.. *guawk*" The Wyrm's claw lashed out, punctured its subject's face, and dug in to get a wet grip on jaw bone. b'harnii lifted the minion, its unconscious body twitching, and swung his free claw in a vicious backhand. Skull fragments and brains splattered on the remaining minions who observed in uncomprehending horror. It of the One Tooth waddled forwards quickly, shoving its shocked followers aside. A few moments later, the spongies began to dance and sing to purge the nasty thoughts from their minds. b'harnii couldn't have done something so awful. ... DeadLock ran through the empty streets, the scent of the Hell Wyrm's blood getting stronger, closer. He held the blood-coated Slayer at waist level as he ran, intent on finishing the job. What resistance he had encountered quickly fell beneath his blade or Claws[tm]. Those unlucky Saethrians who blocked his path found themselves writhing in agony as geysers of flame erupted inside them. Others met the holy artifact of the Jihad dancing through the air to attack as though wielded by an invisible warrior. DL stepped into a four-way intersection. Nothing to his left. On his right, five blocks away, an unmistakable nagenta and green spotted tail slithered around a corner with great haste. "NYAR!" The Maenad sprinted after his enemy, sword held high. Doorways streaked past, foliage and posters mere blurs. "Murdering bastard!" A young, wrathful voice echoed up the streets. 'NO!' thought DL, quickening his pace as his anger erupted, 'IT WON'T ESCAPE LIKE THIS!' Sounds of combat, followed by the primal howl of triumph met his ears as he approached the last block. His run slowed, the howl changing to the noise of someone extracting brutal vengeance, of long- buried emotions surfaced in bloodshed. DeadLock stopped at the corner b'harnii had slipped around seconds before, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. Exhaling with resolve, he rounded the corner. Before him knelt Sir Timothy, drenched by the Hell Wyrm's blood. The nagenta demon, freshly slain, lay lifeless in front of him. ST finished muttering an ancient prayer and looked up. DL met his gaze for a brief moment, then walked away without comment. DLtF(NYAR!) Notes: [1] "Pulling the piss out of me" is Australia/New Zealand slang used to express extreme doubt, or question the humor value of what someone is saying. Roughly equivalent in American English to asking "Are you nucking futs?" Copyright, Pyrokinetic Productions, Inc. (1997)