Jerren and Ami on Jurai Part 23

Part 23: Jerren and Ami vs. Kagato

"Are you ready for this Ami?" Jerren activated the light hawk sword.
"I am…!” Ami took her vest off, folded it and gave it to Washu who sat cradling her unconscious daughter in her arms.
"I don't know what good it will do keeping your vest safe...” Jerren looked on mildly perplexed.
“Hey, it’s my favourite vest! Now then, let’s put this freak in his proper place once and for all!"
“Kick his butt!” Washu cheered.
"Right…!" Ami took a balanced stance beside her friend, winking at the diminutive scientist.
Without exchanging any words, the duo charged at their enemy.
With a wave of his hand Kagato generated a giant, green energy wave that crackled though the air, hurtling in their direction.
"Watch out!” Jerren blocked the wave with a shield of energy from his sword. Ami stumbled to halt her charge, just barely throwing a bubble field in the path of the energy wave. Waves of pressure beat at their combined fields. Laughing in gleeful malice, Kagato sent a powerful wave of energy like a blast against his enemies’ shields.
"I…its getting stronger…!” Jerrens’ leg buckled and he fell to his knee. "At this rate our barriers won’t hold, we have to….”
Their force fields collapsed and they were sent flying, bouncing painfully along the ground before hitting the wall with a terrific thud.
"Man, this guy is even tougher than before!” said Jerren shaking his head to clear the ringing in his ears.
"All that power he drained from Ryoko along with those gems has made him virtually unstoppable,” replied Ami, “but we can't give up now!”
"Lie still children and I promise to make your end a swift one!” Kagato pointed at them and crystalline missiles shot from the walls burning a clear trail straight towards the fallen comrades. Jerren and Ami groggily stumbled to their feet and held their ground.
Jerren slashed several of the missiles, their pieces falling to either side of him as harmless rubble while Ami gathered her energy, releasing a wave of shining spheres towards the leftover projectiles.
“MERCURY AQUA MIST!" Ami shouted as the bubbles slammed into the missiles, exploding on impact. Everyone present shielded their face as a barrage of debris flew in all directions. Kagato raised an eyebrow at the human girl.
"Why did you shout out the name of your attack?” Jerren readied himself for Kagatos next move.
"Um, I guess old habits are hard to break…” Ami gathered her energy.
"Oh right, you did that on the show…makes sense,” nodded Jerren, “let’s put those attacks to good use and throw everything we’ve got at him.”
Jerren leapt forward leveling a mighty slash at Kagato’s head. Kagato countered with a hastily formed energy sword, barely deflecting Jerren’s attack. As they engaged in a vicious saber duel, Ami looked on and held back waiting for an opening to unleash her own attack. However as the battle progressed it quickly became clear that the human had the upper hand and Kagato was surprised to find himself on the defensive.
"How are you doing this human?” Kagato flew through the air as he tried to keep pace with his opponents’ wild attack, “You never displayed such ability in our last battle.”
“That was five day ago and things change fast,” replied Jerren grinning, “What’s the matter old man, can’t keep up anymore?”
Kagato frowned at Jerren’s glib jibes. “Perhaps I should even things out then..."
Kagato flicked his wrist towards Ryoko who was still lying unconscious in Washus’ arms. She jerked free from her mother’s grasp, pulled into the air like a marionette that had just had its strings plucked; her eyes shining a bright blood red, she screamed a guttural primal sound, more bestial than sentient, her mind submerged beneath Kagato’s will.
Kagato placed his fingers on his wrist, piercing into his flesh and removed a dripping blood spattered gem. With a flick the gem disappeared. Ryoko screamed again, this time in exultation, a bright red glow pulsing from her left wrist.
“Now let us see how you handle this, you pitiable fools…”
With his new found super strength, Jerren flipped around and sprang directly at the floating Kagato punching him hard in the stomach and sending him flying into his organ, demolishing it and burying him beneath the rubble. Ryoko shot multiple energy blasts at Jerren but the light hawk wings formed around him, blocking them all. Ami then ran in front of Jerren, spinning gracefully, bubbles shot from her hands cascading at Ryoko. Snarling she dodged them and teleported from sight.
"Watch out Jerren, she’s being controlled by Kagato,” said Ami watching every corner of the room, ribbons of water vapor twirling her body, “She has been reduced to a beast like state, I don’t think she is even conscious.”
"Ah, I see…” replied Jerren constantly shifting his battle stance to keep an eye on every moving shadow, “With the glowing red eyes and screeching like a bat, I thought maybe she was finally warming up to us, but ‘controlled’ sounds...AMI!”
Ryoko reappeared above Ami and fell towards her with an over head strike aimed at splitting the girl in two. Jerren sprang between them engaging her blade with his own.
"Don't tell me you forgot about me already?” Jerren blocked Ryoko’s multiple blows, “We’re not done yet…!”
Ryoko’s blows went wider with each strike and her next attack missed completely. Seeing an opening Ami shot thin strands of vapor that entwined Ryokos’ limbs, immobilizing her.
"Jerren, aim for her left arm…” shouted Ami pointing at the glow beneath her skin, “That’s where the gem is. Take it out and the shock might free her from Kagatos influence!”
"Got it…” Jerren flipped his wrist and took a more controlled slashing posture, “Get the gem!"
He then sliced her left wrist above the glow, the blade passing through her flesh as though it were made of no substance at all. The hand and gem expanded and then contracted into nothingness. Ryoko screamed shrilly at the loss of her power and slumped unconscious in the embrace of Ami’s tendrils. Ami lowered her unresponsive body softly back into Washu’s waiting arms.
"Well that takes care of one problem,” said Jerren panting, “now for the other one.”

From under the rubble of his once grand musical organ, Kagato reemerged and flew into midair, sending debris flying in all directions. His temper roused, he turned his attention on Jerren.
In icy fury, Kagato raised his hand; green energy coalesced forming a blast of powerful force. Jerren did not wait for the attack, running inhumanly fast, he jumped into the air ready to attack his enemy once again. Kagato fired his blast but Jerren deflected it with a simple flick with the light hawk sword. Distracted, Kagato did not see Ami shoot glowing spheres from her hands, hitting him directly, but throwing him out of Jerrens’ reach.
"A direct hit…!" Ami smiled.
Kagato teleported behind her and grabbed her neck, choking the human woman.
"AMI…!” Jerren cried out, scrambling towards them.
"I wonder what you would look like as a statue girl. Let’s find out?””
Spreading from her neck, her body began to turn to stone.
"J…Je…Jerr…en!” she croaked in desperation, her body becoming less responsive with each passing second. Jerren charged into Kagato stabbing him in the neck. Kagato staggered away, dropping Ami. Jerren dropped his sword clasping Ami close to him.
"Are you ok, Ami?” Jerren asked softly. Ami’s body began return to its original state.
"Yes...Yes I am!” replied Ami rubbing her sore throat, “My goodness, that was a close call…”
Just then Kagato strode behind Jerren, casting his shadow over them.
"Jerren, WATCH OUT!” Ami shouted as Kagato grabbed him by the head.
"I have had enough of you boy,” Kagato squeezed Jerren’s head, “This time you will die by my hands!” Kagato sent volts of electricity coruscating though his body and Jerren screamed in agony. His body flailed uselessly in his enemies iron grip.
Ami scooped the light hawk sword into her hand, fumbling with the hilt as her body still wasn’t fully recovered from the petrifaction it went through a moment ago. Activating it, a powerful shock doubled the young woman over. Reaching out she grabbed Kagato’s robes and the painful shock passed into his body, surprising him, and Jerren fell free from his hold. Furious, Kagato recovered himself and grabbed them both by their necks, holding their bodies free from the ground their struggles to no avail as his grip was too tight.
"This time I will…” He growled, but before he could say another word, the light hawk sword spun off the ground through the air, activating and stabbing him through the chest.
“W…what…?” Kagato stumbled back, a burning feeling spreading through his body.
His body gave an inadvertent spasm releasing Jerren and Ami as his body began to fall apart, like sand blown by the wind.
"Well…done, humans,” a grimace of pain replaced his smile if only for a second. “You've won…!”
Calm settled his features as he completely disappeared into dust.
"You did it, you defeated Kagato!” Washu exclaimed punching the air in triumph.
"We did…?” replied Jerren, stunned.
“We defeated the most wanted criminal in the entire galaxy and saved the whole universe!” Ami hugged Jerren laughing softly.

To be continued...