Episode 098 Previous Episode	Next Episode
“Get away from her, you bitch!” Ellen Ripley, Aliens Roland lifted his katana up, blocking Ryoko’s overhead slash. Faster than he could register, she dropped her blade along his own, the friction of the two edges sliding against each other causing a spray of sparks to shock the air. She slashed at his chest with her katana, cutting through the blue shirt, drawing a red stain along his chest. Roland backed up, but she pressed the attack. Moving just slow enough for him to parry, she hacked at him from the sides, keeping him backing up. He reached the end of the dance floor and fell off. Landing amongst the feet of the comatose clubbers, he looked up just in time to see Ryoko lift her katana up high, ready to impale him through the head. Sydney tackled Ryoko from the side, sending them both to the ground. But as they landed, Ryoko shifted beneath Sydney and kicked her off, throwing her as she flipped up to her feet. Ryoko glanced back at Sydney, to see her crash painfully into the steps at the entrance, and turned back as Roland got to his feet. With the brief respite, he surveyed the dance floor. Erik was in bad shape. Bleeding from all over, he held his Viking sword in his right hand, his trench coat wrapped defensively around his left forearm as he used it as an emergency shield. He stood protectively over the unconscious Richard as Alan, Matt, and several other knights kept him trapped in place. Over by the bar, Dante and Eliot tried in vain to land a killing stroke against Donovan. Bleeding profusely, the British hooligan simply refused to go down. Holding a broken bar stool like an axe, he kept six knights at bay. Barely. Roland turned to Ryoko and popped his neck. Acting as nonchalantly as he could, he walked back onto the dance floor, the Japanese dame moving to match him. “You know, there are easier ways to flirt with me,” he said. Her impassive face did a poor job of hiding the hate behind her eyes. Roland twirled his katana, moving around Ryoko. “Our swords were made by the same maker. We should be friends.” “No,” Ryoko said. “Your sword was taken from my grandfather. No doubt from some villainous soldier who invaded…” “Oh no,” Roland stopped her, his humor gone. “You can say a lot of things about me and those around me.” He aimed his sword at Ryoko as if he were aiming a gun. “But I will not let you say one thing to discredit my grandfather. This sword was given to him by a friend he made in Japan.” Ryoko shook her head, not caring. She set her feet and Roland did the same. She leapt at him and slashed for his head, letting him duck. As she landed, Roland tried to slash at her legs, but didn’t notice the kick until it landed. Catching Roland against the side of the head, Ryoko knocked him off balance and sent him teetering back. She drew back her katana and lunged forward to impale him. Sydney tackled Roland this time, getting him out of the way of the attack. They landed and Sydney started to stand. “Stay down,” she said to him as she got to her feet. “Wait your turn, dame,” Ryoko said. “You’re going to kill Erik and Donovan, then make an example of us,” Sydney said. “I’m not waiting on a damn thing.” She knelt down, picking up Roland’s katana. Holding it expertly, she began to circle around Ryoko. “Now that you’re done with the appetizer,” she said, “why don’t you try the main course?” Ryoko almost smiled and rushed Sydney. She swung at a downward angle at Sydney, knocking her back. Sydney slammed her foot into the ground to keep from falling. She lunged at Ryoko, the dame skipping around it, punching Sydney in the side with her left fist. Sydney winced in agony at the blow and stepped back, coughing. She changed stance, bringing the sword along her eyes, leveling the edge at Ryoko. The woman developed a curious look and started to circle around Sydney, forcing her to turn as well. With Sydney moving to follow, Ryoko began to circle faster, making her practically spin in place. Struggling to keep moving, Sydney didn’t notice Ryoko’s change of motion until the Japanese dame swept Sydney’s feet out from underneath her. Sydney landed with a crash and Ryoko moved in. Mounting Sydney across the waist, Ryoko sat down on her stomach, pinning her to the ground. She knocked Roland’s katana away and lifted up her own, read to impale Sydney through the face. “Oy!” Sydney and Ryoko looked up as Roland punched for Ryoko’s face. Before the punch could land, Ryoko swept her katana defensively in front of her, cutting deep into the muscle of Roland’s forearm. Slicing to the bone, she knocked the punch off course and sent Roland stumbling away, only to be caught in a full nelson hold by Matt. Sydney bucked against Ryoko and scrambled to get away, but she wrapped her arm around Sydney’s neck, catching her throat. Slithering onto Sydney’s back, Ryoko cemented the chokehold and began to crush the life out of the dame. Fighting to stay conscious, Sydney rolled over onto her back and began to elbow at Ryoko, hitting nothing but the solid dance floor and the even-harder muscles of Ryoko. The Japanese dame kept the hold strong, even as Sydney’s attacks grew desperate and frantic. Light. Like the holy wrath from heaven, light from the outside nighttime erupted into the darkness. The flashing lights of the club faded in the sudden deluge of ambient illumination. Through the doors, accompanied by the light that filled the club like lightning, came Morgan.
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