So I was playing Onimusha: Demon Siege today and I remembered why I fell in love with platform games. That game had some solid ass game play and a bomb plot! But then you follow up with 4 in the Onimusha series (Dawn of Dreams) which was a major letdown. The reason why DS worked was because it mixed up swordplay (Samanoske), whip and heavy weapons (Jaques) and gun (Michelle). You never got bored, because a new weapon was popping up and things were oh so. I really enjoyed the zoo section when you could play with Michelle! It was pretty scary and reminded me of Resident Evil with the mutated animals and the fact that Michelle is by far the weakest of the trio. Even though I actually preferred the villains of DOD better thats where the likeness ends. Oh I lied I liked everyones different 'Onimusha' modes that was cute. And I loved granddaughter Jubei her quick attack style with its mix of acrobatics was so fun. I just wish there were more platforms like Onimusha. This brings me to one of pet peeves. I HATE making my own character. That shit is so damn lazy. Why the hell did I buy a $60 dollar game to make my own character. You make it! OMG! I hate playing as Hero! Well there are very few exceptions to this rule (Persona being the only one I can think of at the moment) Man I will not buy a game if it is like that. I want to know and like my hero not create him. That's some bullshit. Now Persona had bomb side characters and an interesting "growth" system that made you not mind that you were "hero" I love persona. Oh and I played Resident Evil 5 and beat it a week ago and I will be buying the gold expansion. I really want to play with Jill. And I don't hate Sheva that much. Besides the fact that her top priority is wasting our healing supplies *grumbles*

Ah I am so happy that I have invested thousands of dollars on my video game habit. Why you ask, because they make me happy and the graphics and plots are so good. The only thing that could make this better is if the prices went down. I do however have a problem with games that have great visuals and could have decent plots. We have sorry titles like rumble roses, magna carta and bayonetta to name a few. Why can't a girl where suitable armor instead of lingerie, why I can't fathom maybe it would make since.  It's just too much like right for people to not make over-sexed heroines. It takes away from the game and destroys plots and the realism of the environment they are trying to create.

For all of the sailor moon lovers that have moved on. This is piece of my adore to the series. I also want to shout out to  the lost section of street fighter (3rd Strike) which had the most diverse group of characters that I loved. This is for the people who are in love with the past. 

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from the street fighter or sailor moon universe, I am merely borrowing them for a time.

Prologue

The sun glared down harshly on the russet haired girl as she ran. Tanned skin glistened with sweat and tight muscles flexed from strain. Dark jaded eyes were focuses on the hare that ran slightly ahead of her, but out of her reach. Long peach legs carried her over fallen logs and uplifted roots with ease as she navigated her way through the maze like forest that she had spent her childhood navigating in. An oak bow staff swayed from side to side on her back as she dodged trees and vines in her attempt to grasp the bushy white tail that tempted her. Only the sounds of her harsh breathing, rushing water and the breathing of the forest could be heard around her. The smell of the earth and the flow of the wind filled her senses, and helped her focus on the movements of the hare.

“Ha!” She cried as she lunged at the hare. Long legs extended and the tight amber thong that she wore fluttered about as she flew through the air. For a few seconds she was airborne. She could hear the wind in her ears, but that was all and for a moment she experienced utter loneliness. Before she could dwell on the loneliness she landed chest first into the rich soil of the forest. She quickly whipped out her staff from its holder and slammed it down extending her left leg , while using the right to hold her body up and steady. A loud crack was heard as the staff reached its target. The hare shuddered and stumbled forward two steps before falling over to its side.

Makoto moved forward slowly and crawled toward the hare and poked its backside with her index finger. The hare shook from her prodding, but with no air leaving its lungs. Full rose lips curved into an impish grin and a yell of victory soon followed. “YES!” She said jumping to her feet as she proceeded to do a victory dance. With her hands raised above her head she shimmied her shapely hips back and forth and twirled her staff in the air. Her sandal clad feet shuffled about in a dance that only a choice group knew.

A breeze blew from behind her causing her to lose her footing as well as the grasp on her staff. “Ouch.” She groaned rubbing her tender forehead. She could fault the hare for the bump that she would receive, but that would only cause ridicule amongst the other girls in her class. ‘Oh well’, she thought picking up the hare by its hind legs . She pulled the twine out of her hair that was holding up her thick ponytail that fell in loose waves down her back. The twine was of horrible quality, but it would have to do. In her haste to catch the hare she had forgotten to get a rope and a hunting knife. Knowing that the other girls in her class wanted to please Haruka by being the first. Makoto had made haste to be the first; of course she would probably get a stern talking to by running head first into a challenge. With a disappointed sigh she tied the hare to her staff and headed back toward her village.

In a tall oak above Makoto the wind continued to rustle the leaves about, but some of the younger trees stood strong against the force. The peculiar thing was that the breeze had long since settled and was not evident in any other parts of the forest. Two women stood on adjacent branches watching Makoto depart on her way. One woman had a worried frown on her dark olive face , while the other had a rather bored pout on her pale face. “She still rushes head first into things.” The darker woman said in a tone that gave away a strong tenderness for the girl. The pale woman picked up on the sentiment and sucked her teeth in disapproval. “That could be the means to her un-doing.”

Crimson eyes widened with worry as her brow furrowed in frustration. She turned her head to her companion, “Then promise me you’ll watch over her.” Her voice was pleading, which surprised her black eyed companion. In the many years that they had know each other she had never heard her plead. She tilted her head to the side and her lips turned upwards slightly. She plucked a single card from mid-air and flipped it over. The crimson eyed women tried to view the card, but the dark eyed woman tossed it into the air where it dispersed into shimmery dust falling onto their heads. “For an old friend. I’ll do it.”

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Ken looked at his Rolex for the seventh time in five minutes in annoyance. All of the passengers had come and gone from the baggage pick up, but here he was waiting along with a few hired hands for a girl he had never met. He had called and confirmed that she had gotten on the flight and there were no layovers so she could not have gotten lost. ‘The things I do for my mother’, he thought sorely as he looked at the crumpled picture he pulled from his pocket.

The photo was a standard school year book picture of a young Japanese girl. His mom said she was 14, but she looked more like a 17 year old with the provocative smile she had on her face. Her dark blue eyes and platinum blond hair that contrasted with small lips and oval shaped eyes pleasantly. She was a half breed like him and according to his mother she was also his cousin as well as an only child.

He was supposed to pick her up and show her around Los Angeles for a while, before taking her to a photo shoot in Hollywood. In Japan and London she was supposedly a big star, but now she wanted to expand her name to America as well. Therefore he learned of an aunt he never met or heard of till 3 days ago when he received a call and about a tiny favor that had his mom jumping to help. Of course she decided to drag him into helping her accommodate the starlet.

“Cousin Ken?!” A high pitched voice squealed from behind him. He turned and smiled sheepishly back at the short girl who had her head cocked to the side with a huge grin plastered on her face. He managed to mask the surprise he felt while looking at the girl before him. The picture did not do justice to the young beauty that stood before him. She had what looked to be 9 no 10 pieces of luggage that she had somehow managed to drag behind her. Her ensemble of a I © New York shirt with a short white tennis skirt caused a few heads to turn. Long peach legs were clad in white snow boots that came up just above the knee and she wore white fingerless gloves. She had a weird teeny bopper look going on, but she was cute never the less reassuring him that none of the guys really noticed the tackiness of her outfit. There were a few guys already staring at her in awe as she started to bend over to grab the eleventh bag that she had left behind.

“Here let me get that.” Ken said grabbing the bag before she could bend over all the way. He caught a glimpse of her white underwear with what he thought to be orange hearts and he was sure others had too. ‘This girls is more oblivious than Chun Li was.’ Ken thought as Minako thanked him by bowing in respect, giving another nice panty shot to the perverts behind them. “Please don’t bow here in America that’s a sign of disrespect.” He whispered to her looking around suspiciously as if he was scared that someone was listening. Her eyes grew and she covered her mouth with both hands.

“Oh I’m so sorry if I offended you Cousin Ken. I won’t do it again.” She said in thickly accented English, but it wasn’t Japanese that he had assumed she would speak. Her eyes filled up with tears and she resembled a bizarre cartoon character He had been to London a few times and he knew the accent. She had spent her younger years in London with her father for a while. Or so his mother had told him in her 30 minute preview of Minako Aino.

“That’s ok. I didn’t mean to make you cry, Let's get out of here. I want to let you taste some fine American cuisine.” Ken said wrapping his arm around her shoulder and pulling her along with him. Minako turned her head back toward her belongings, but noticed some men in uniforms had picked them up and were now trailing behind them.

With a loud sniff Minako’s eyes cleared and she smiled at Ken resembling a 17 year old again. “Show me to this cuisine! Let's make merry to a feast that’s quite berry.”

‘That didn’t even make sense….’

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“ Ami come quick this way.”

“Chido slow down I can’t….can’t keep up with you.”

“Hurry please Ami, just a little farther.”

“You said that…..10 minutes….ago!”

“Ami!”

“I’m hurrying!” Ami huffed cursing her lack of physical prowess. And also cursing Chido’s youth and energy. ‘I’m thinking like an old women now, I must be going crazy.’ she thought as she skimmed a sharp corner in an attempt to not lose sight of Chido. She didn’t even bother to look down at the dress that her mother had sent from Germany.

“I hear them Ami.” Chido said pausing at the top of an staircase that Ami was slowly climbing. Her navy blue hair was stingy and wet against her pale face as she gripped the dilapidated railings for support. Her leather medical bag was hanging off her shoulder and was occasionally skimming the red dirt road that they traveled. The sensible at the time of purchase hiking boots with wool insides, were making her feet sweat and her foot had slipped twice out of the boot. As for the previously mentioned baby blue dress not stained at them hem a russet color had tears and the strap kept falling off of her right shoulder.

“I don’t hear anything Chido. Are you sure you know where we’re going?” Ami asked trying to mask her annoyance with the boy as he once again started running after she reached the top of the staircase.

“Of course I know where I am going Ami. I know this village like the back of my hand. I’ve lived here forever.” He said giggling at her supposed naiveté. His dark brown eyes twinkled with amusement as he looked back at Ami. Her slight scowl was replaced with a tender smile as she looked at the boy. When she had first arrived at the village she did not know if he would even survive the night and now he was out running like any child his age. He was like the sibling Ami had always wanted, but never got.

Ignoring the ache of her body she continued after Chido. His eyes were fierce with a resolve that Ami had never known for herself and that made her sad. Ami had never been so sure of anything that she had done and she was twice his age. Chido was a remarkable kid and he had more responsibility than any 7 year old should ever have.

“Just over this bridge Ami.” He yelled dashing forward leaving Ami coughing from the kicked up dust. She waved her hands in front of her as she coughed repeatedly from dust that was entering her lungs. She had her eyes shut so she did not see the boulder in front of her until she opened her eyes in shock at the rock that hovered in mid air. Her eyes continued to widened when she realized her body wasn’t responding to her brains command to move.

“So you’re the foreign child who has come to live amongst us. I was wondering when I would get a chance to meet you.”

“Oh dear…”
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“Sun, moon, earth, stars, fire, water, lightning, WIND!” The raven haired Miko cried throwing ash into the raging fire causing it to double in size. She showed no fear toward the wild flames that licked along the walls of the furnace that encased it. Her eyes glowed dark amethyst as she watched her hands move in an intricate pattern that had been passed down from her family for centuries. Sweat gathered at the center of her palm and dripped down onto the red Shinto leggings that she wore. Her brow was creased from the strain on concentration that she struggled to maintain.

“Rowen, Reissa, Rinka, Russa, Ryanna, Rayna, Raya, REI! I your daughter call upon your power to show me the source of this doom that I feel.” Rei paused to take a deep breath and her eyes looked up at the fire that had continued to grow in size.