Hizuka's rescue part 1

Jade landed on the roof where she had arranged to meet Crimson, the gravel crunched under her feet almost silently.  She sighed as she realised Crimson was not yet there and started pacing, while she trusted her friend, the fact that the most important person in her life was a prisoner of her evil sister made her feel tense and irritable. She turned as she heard a crunch of gravel behind her, her body instantly in a fighting pose.

“Jade it’s me calm down.”  Crimson smiled at her friend as she saw some of the tension bleed off, as she looked at Jade though, she saw the paler then normal complexion and the rapid breathing, Jade was pretty stressed now but was visibly relaxing at the sight of her friend.  But Jade shook her head.

“I would not blame you for sitting this out, it’s only been a couple of weeks since you got stabbed.” Jade went pale at the memory of Crimson taking the blow for her, and the fear that her sexy friend had been killed; fortunately Jade had managed to get her to safety and looked after Crimson while she healed.

Crimson shook her head smiling openly. “I have had worse than that, but you knew what to do to look after me, so don’t worry, I am fine, Oh and I have got one more person coming, my friend White Owl has been examining the staff you captured from Ruby.  Using a portable spectrometer, we should be able to narrow down where she is in the metal works.”  Jade nodded and stopped pacing; she pulled a small silver tube from her belt and held it in one hand.

Crimson watched her younger friend as she squeezed the metal lightly, the tube turned green and changed into Jade’s energy bow.  “Uh Jade? You have a bow but no arrows?”  Jade smirked and pulled back on the glowing bowstring, a glowing arrow appeared in position, Jade let it fly and it slammed into the brick wall.  Crimson walked over and examined it; the arrow felt solid but had done no noticeable damage to the wall. Crimson smiled and pulled on the arrow removing it from the wall, then watched as it dissolved.

“I can create them from my powers, no holes but just as effective.  I can change the shape of the head too and turn them into grappling hooks; they remain in place till I think to remove them.”  Jade sighed as she dispelled the bow. “Not had to use this too often, but I thought I may need it this time.”  Jade shrugged and sat down on the rooftop, her back to a wall as she sat cross legged and began simple calming meditation exercise, she was scared for her friend, but she knew she had to calm down or she would be a liability when they found Ruby.

Fifteen minutes later, Jade’s eyes opened and she sprang to her feet as she heard a soft almost soundless landing on the gravel. Jade looked at White Owl, the most experienced of the three of them, White Owl was slightly smaller in build then Crimson, but Jade had now seen them both in action and knew first-hand what both of the more experienced women could do in a fight.

Crimson quickly setup the sensor equipment and began scanning, using the lodestone on the staff as a tuning frequency.  Jade tried to remain patient but could feel her temper start to bubble once again; she started pacing but had barely moved a few paces when White Owl took hold of her in an almost friendly hug.

“I know this is hard for you, but try to stay calm, save the anger for the confrontation.  Don’t let it build too high but channel it, use it to protect yourself and your friend when the time comes.”

Jade nodded and sighed. “Sorry, it’s just…Hizuka is pretty much my best friend from my clan, and for that, my only true friend in the clan. Now she is in danger and it is my fault.  I have to save her.”

“Jade you will save her, don’t worry about that.”  Crimson smiled and looked up from the detector unit.  “I have sparred with you twice, and you are pretty good.”  Jade nodded but sighed sadly.  “Jade you may have lost in the past to her, but you won’t this time, you have back up, every time she’s beaten you, she’s had a gang of henchmen or a trap for you.”  Crimson smiled at Jade as she started to show her usual confidence. Jade smiled at both of the beautiful heroines that were helping her.  She felt her avatar powers stir slightly as the spectrometer started to emit a single tone.

Jade looked at the map she had spread out and a quick calculation showed that if the reading was correct, then Ruby was only half a mile away and Jade smirked to herself.  “I know that building, I fought her there once when I first got here. There is a warehouse backing onto an old metal works.”

Crimson rapidly packed away the equipment and stashed it safely then the three heroines took to the air flying as fast as they could go, Jade was the slowest flyer of the three but flicked some power in her body and grew her energy wings so she could keep up more easily.  They made pretty good time and landed together on the roof.

Jade took the offered staff of domination and listened as White Owl explained some details about the staff.  Jade then explained her plan of action, while basic, it felt like the best way to proceed-Jade planned to go in like she had in the past as, Ruby would expect, becoming a distraction while her allies snuck in and got in position.

Jade dropped to the floor, the staff over her shoulder on a strap.  She simply poleaxed the first thug she saw slamming him against, Ruby’s black Mercedes with enough force to actually damage the car. As she moved on Crimson and White Owl followed her at a discreet distance.  White Owl listening in horrified fascination to Crimson about how Jade and Ruby were sisters but Ruby had been involved in the death of their parents in some way.

White Owl sighed, concerned about Jade’s temper and the burden Jade carried, having to bring her own sister to justice would be hard on the young ninja. As they watched Jade sneak around behind another thug and proceed to punt him through a broken window frame, making as much noise as she could when she did it.  Jade was quickly surrounded by members of the spider clan and started to fight, taking a few down with simple heavy blows as Jade channelled her anger into her powers.

As Crimson and White Owl watched Jade continued her one woman army routine, knocking the hired goons around with ease until she faced Ruby and her body guard of Spider Clan Ninjas.

White Owl tensed up recognising the outfit from a fight she had a week ago on the roof of the STAR labs building on the Sylvania estate.  Jade’s plan seemed to be working though, Ruby’s men surrounded her and outnumbered Jade had no choice but to stand still with her hands raised in surrender

“You came alone AND with MY staff! Good girl little sister, but stupid!”  Ruby motioned to some of   her clan ninja’s who had not gotten into the fight with Jade.  Pass them the staff, no tricks!”  Jade nodded and threw the staff to one then stood waiting to see what Ruby would try next.

“Ok Jade you did what you were asked to do, Hizuka is over there.”  Ruby pointed to a pit under a large vat of molten steel.  Hizuka was struggling violently, roped to a chair at the waist, legs and wrists, gagged and blindfolded.  “Now Jade, you want her free; there is a price to pay.”

Jade furrowed her brow as she considered this and guessed what was coming, she had planned for a betrayal by Ruby as soon as she got the staff.  “What cost? I brought you the damn stick!”  Jade let some of her anger fuel her words, playing along with her evil sister for now

.

“You are the price Jade.  Either you renounce the path of light and join me or you continue to act like you are some perfect little girl, loyal to a failing clan and I kill you.”  She motioned to a pile of ropes nearby.  “Pick those up if you want to live. Otherwise this time, I will just shoot you in the head.”

Jade stood in place, anger radiating from her in waves.  She looked at the madly struggling Hizuka and then turned to her evil sister.  Then she smiled, tilting her head as Ruby looked on confused by the shift in Jade's demeanour.

“You really are dim witted Ruby!  If you kill Hizuka you lose your leverage, and you know that I would kill you if you tried to end her life; even if I died in the attempt, if you  harm Hizuka and there will be no place you can run to hide from me, ever.”

Ruby snorted and aimed her pistol at Jade but inwardly she was reeling, she was certain Jade would have folded at the threat to Hizuka, Ruby stepped forward and raised her other arm. The nozzles on her gauntlet shifted and a wide net of webbing shot out with sufficient force to pin Jade to a crate, as the petite ninja struggled Ruby walked over towards the control panel for the molten metal molds.

“Well you finally grew some balls huh? I want the spear back too but that can wait for when you finally turn to evil.”  Ruby tapped a couple of buttons and moved the molten metal hopper closer to Hizuka’s position. At the sound of the movement Hizuka squealed into the gag and her struggles grew more intense.

Jade grunted with determination as she managed to get her right hand into her belt pouches and took hold of one of the tools she had been sent from Japan. She rubbed the small pill shaped object against the webbing which began to weaken instantly as the capsule dissolved, Jade could have used her powers, but wanted to retain the element of surprise, she felt her anger surging into her powers again as she saw Hizuka’s struggles fade, it looked like her friend had worn herself out in panicked struggling.

As Jade lunged forward suddenly, free of the web Ruby span round and slammed the staff into Jade’s stomach, Jade dropped to the floor winded and struggled to rise, she felt something scratch her neck and her remaining strength ebbed away along with her powers.  She yelped as she was dragged to her feet by one of Ruby’s thugs and felt her wrists being bound together.

Ruby stepped forwards smirking and slapped Jade across the face.  “You and that bitch in the red costume have cost me too much money, and too much time in apologies to the Yakuza and the Triads! I am going to enjoy seeing you shipped back to Japan as a failure.”

As Ruby turned she felt a sudden backhand blow to the right of her face and was knocked flying, she rolled to her feet and turned to face the attacked and frowned.  Crimson stood looking at her; the taller Asgardian powered heroine’s face was a mask of sheer rage

“Remember me you witch?”  Crimson pulled one of her pistols and put a bullet of pure energy into the floor at Ruby’s feet.  “I am healed and you have tried to hurt Jade for the last time!”

Ruby snorted and stepped forwards aiming her pistol then froze, hovering in the air now was a third heroine, she knew who White Owl was by reputation and her face paled.  She backed up, moving towards the controls for the metal hopper.  “So Jade you are such a coward, you brought back up even though you knew what the penalty was for disobeying my instructions?”

Jade shook her head as the drug in her system started to fade compared to her avatar healing.  And looked up.  “Like you would play fair Ruby!  You use a gang and thugs to hide and threaten a girl who has no powers!”  As Jade stood up she snapped the ropes around her wrists and kicked backwards into he crotch of the thug behind her, her eyes were a solid luminous green now, her powers at peak level, due to her emotional state.

“YOU ARE THE COWARD! NOT ME, NOT MY CLAN!  YOU ARE A TRAITOROUS, SPOILED LITTLE BITCH AND THIS ENDS TONIGHT!”  Jade flew upwards, her energy wings growing from her back and her energy bow appearing in her hands, she quickly shot four of Ruby’s thugs sending them flying backwards with a crash over some tables then she dived straight for Hizuka.

Ruby shook her head, her plan unravelling she thumped the controls and molten metal started to tip into the molding pit where Hizuka was bound, Jade cursed under her breath and dived down, and tried to move the chair but it was chained down.  Her arms strained as she poured her powers into them trying to move the chair but it was too secure.  Jade quickly threw up her shield and pushed the molten steel away from Hizuka, but she felt the drain, she would not be able to fight this much heat and mass for long.

Crimson reacted at once, “Owl! Go help Jade, Me and her sister Ruby have unfinished business!”  White Owl nodded and flew into the air, diving towards the pit and she started to work on freeing Hizuka from the ropes. Jade groaning as she tried to hold back nearly a ton of molten steel with just her powers.

Crimson turned to face Ruby as she aimed the staff at Crimson’s chest, a cruel, twisted smile on her face.  Ruby flicked her power into the staff and then looked on in puzzlement, nothing was happening.  Crimson pulled the staff from her hands, span it around and sent Ruby flying across the chamber to slam against a stack of scrap metal.

“We removed the lodestone from the staff, you cannot put power through it anymore witch!”  Crimson swung a perfect punch at her rival as she charged her, Ruby brought her hand up, the pistol shakily aiming for Crimson, but Crimson snatched the gun and threw it away.  “Come on Miss Big power! Fight!”

Ruby snarled with rage and swung a punch back but her hand was caught by Crimson and she screeched in pain as she was thrown against a wall. Crimson smiled seeing the various thugs run from the warehouse in panic; Ruby was unconscious for now so Crimson handcuffed her to a railing then ran over to the molding pits.  She turned the controls for the hopper and it receded back, pouring no more metal into the hopper, Crimson looked down, her heart hammering in her chest as she saw her friends below,

White owl grunted as she snapped the last of the ropes and turned to Jade, the smaller girl was covered in sweat and starting to show signs of exhaustion from using so much power for so long.   “Jade! I have her let’s go!”  White Owl took to the air and gently laid the exhausted Hizuka on the floor, a moment later Jade’s shield dropped and Jade, covered in sweat and dirt from the tank, appeared at the top of the tank. Wearily landing next to Hizuka, Jade groaned with the aftershock of using so much power at once.

“I...I’m ok.” Jade smiled as Crimson reached them, Jade removing Hizuka’s blindfold, the smaller Japanese girls eyes blinked in surprise, the blindfold had been thick, and although she had been aware of the heat, she had not seen or heard anything until now. “J…Jade….What?”

Jade kissed Hizuka on the cheek then looked at her friends and allies.  “I think I have my full power now, that was just a big drain, but I am recovering already.  Even as she spoke, Jade’s eyes were glowing once more and her body seemed to recover from the strain.  “I…I…Owe you both so much…”  She turned towards Crimson and her eyes went wide and Jade raised both her hands, raising her shield, a dull cracking noise joined the sparking effects as bullets slammed against her shield.  Jade stood up and moved forwards, her eyes glowing with power, as she moved towards her sister.

Crimson turned in surprise, her gaze briefly admiring the young Hizuka before concentrating on what Jade was doing.  Ruby had freed herself from the cuffs and found her gun, but now seem to be looking for a fresh magazine of ammo.  White Owl grunted and her bolas whipped by once again disarming the evil ninja and all 3 heroines squared off against the crazed, evil woman.

Ruby let her own powers build; aware that Jade had finally bonded with her avatar sprinted would now be equal in power to her.  She sent a blast of webbing at Crimson, catching her and pinning her right leg to the ground in a sticky mess, Jade continued to walk forwards, her arms now in a fighting stance as she faced her sister down.  “White Owl, I have a favour to ask?”

“Yes Jade?”  Owl felt sure she knew what was coming next but knew she had to honour it.  The idea appalled her though.

“Stay out of this, look after Hizuka…look after the woman I love.  This….this is a family matter.”

Crimson looked up at those words, she had heard everything Jade had said up till now and her body went cold at Jade’s tone, the Jade Eagle had spoken in a very cold, flat tone. She broke the last of the webbing from her leg,  Watching to see if she would need to help and was prepared to do so, she hoped that Jade could remember that she was a heroine now and that she had a responsibility to the law, not just her friends and clan.

White Owl lifted the weakened Hizuka over, holding the exhausted girl. and the three women watched as Jade and Ruby met in a clash of martial arts, beautiful, deadly, and vicious.  Each girl was augmenting their training with power, Ruby was going for a decisive blow, and Jade was relying on sheer speed and momentum to carry her thought the fight.  As they watched they realised that the first one to make a slip would probably be the one to lose.  As the 2 two ninja’s rained blows on each other, Jade suddenly slipped on some junk as she took a heavy blow to her leg, which started to bleed as she fell backwards with a thud onto the floor, Ruby Jumped over her preparing to drive her fist into Jade’s face in what could be a killing blow when Jade smiled.

Ruby shook her head in surprise, Jade caught her hand, then grabbing Ruby by the waist shot them both straight up in the air, with a sickening crack, the sisters slammed into the ceiling, then fell to the floor.  Jade groggily rolled on top of her sister and yanked a set of hand cuffs into place. Cinching each of her sisters’ wrists to one of her ankles, effectively hogtying Ruby.  She shook her head and walked over to her friends.

Jade looked at White Owl, Crimson and Hizuka, she smiled softly then met Hizuka’s hug, Hizuka struggled after a few seconds, Jade was hugging so hard as she broke off, all of her friends saw she was crying.

“I…I nearly got you killed!  Hizuka…I…I…” Jade gave up on words and took Hizuka in her arms, kissing her friend deeply on the lips, as she broke off she just clung to Hizuka. Jade was starting to feel the bruises and the cut on her leg as the adrenaline wore off and winced once or twice as she held Hizuka in her arms.

“Hey Jade, It was good to meet you and fight alongside you but your hurt and your friend is exhausted, get out of here, I will do the clean up here with the cops.”  White Owl smiled at the younger heroine.  The outburst of emotion had surprised the White Owl a little but Crimson had told her a bit about Jade’s confusion over her sexuality as well her continuing to adapt to her powers.

Jade nodded and tried to Lift Hizuka but her sweat lined face creased with pain.  “Damn I cannot use my powers for now; used too much in the fight, what power I have is going into healing.”

Crimson smiled and picked the two Asian girls up easily.  “I will take you home, once you’re settled I will come back and help deal with this mess.”

White Owl smiled again and listened to the exhausted thanks from Jade and Hizuka but as soon as Crimson took off she turned to face the madly struggling Ruby.  “You stupid bitch! Jade is the evil one not me!”  Ruby’s face was a mask of venom.  “She killed our parents and framed me for it! SHES A GODDAMMNED CROOK AND YOU NEED TO MMMMPFGH!” White Owl shook her head and finished tying a gag over the stuffing handkerchief she had pulled from Ruby’s pocket.

“I have heard all about you, Ruby, I know what you have done to Jade! I hope you enjoy your time in the state prison!”  White Owl picked up the struggling crook and carried her outside to the awaiting police cars that were just arriving.  She was surprised to see a federal van and several F.B.I officers outside securing the area, a tall man in body armour walked over towards her an assault rifle slung over one arm his powerful build stretched his tunic under the armour and he nodded at White owl producing an ID folder. “Commander Hawkson, FBI Organised Crime unit. I will take her off your hands, you damn super heroes ruined a long time sting op we had running on Ruby.” White Owl frowned at that but his ID looked genuine as was all the gear deployed.  She handed Ruby over and watched as the villainess was placed in a secure prison truck under armed guard, along with several members of the gang.

“She nearly killed someone tonight! You were not going to step in?” White Owl tried to contain her anger at the man’s attitude as he smiled back at her.

“Actually we were moving in but your group beat us too it. Please don’t misunderstand, I am grateful she’s contained, I just am…uncomfortable with persons like you, with powers normal people cannot do is all.”  With that he flipped a salute of sorts and his team left,

Crimson soon had Jade and Hizuka home and helped the two tired ninja’s to Jade’s bedroom.  As she checked Hizuka for wounds, the young black haired girl shook her head.  “I am ok, just tired and a bit shocked I guess. Look after Jade.”  Hizuka turned to her friend still a little surprised by the sheer emotion Jade had shown when Ruby had been defeated.  “Crimson, what has happened to Jade, she said she loved me?”

Crimson smiled as she helped Hizuka strip Jade down to her eye mask and then checked Jade’s wounds, mostly superficial, Crimson guessed that Jade had burned a lot of her Avatar power and had worn herself out also with worry.  She turned her hands to cleaning up and bandaging the already healing cut on her thigh.  

“Jade told me you would not be jealous, I hope so, there is some stuff you need to know, and I don’t know how much she has told you.”

Hizuka cocked her head and listened to the beautiful redhead describe how Jade had been gifted with training and assistance from her, plus had found her sexual awakening.  “I knew a week or so ago now that she was in love with you.  I am glad she has someone to love.”  Crimson’s voice was tinged with a hint of sadness but she covered it pretty well.

“Well…uhm I thank you, I have loved Jade since I was eighteen, but never thought she would feel the same.  I owe you for more than just looking after her.”  Hizuka leaned forwards and gently kissed Crimson, it was a warm affectionate action but no lust behind it.

“I think that's the least I can do…we can do…here” Hizuka handed Crimson a couple of pots of the clans healing oils.  “Give some of these to White Owl too, and I know Jade wanted to have you round for dinner, she had something planned, can you come back in a couple of days? I want to give Jade time to recover and catch up with me.”

Crimson smiled as she stowed the small oil pots and hugged Hizuka, “Of course, I would be honoured, hey look who is coming around again.”  Crimson beamed at Jade who was weakly pushing herself up to a sitting position, she leaned in and helped her into a sitting position supported by pillows and then gave her a quick kiss, then hugged Hizuka too.  “I best go and help White Owl. But I will see you on Friday night for that meal, once I have been on patrol – Jade, stay in bed and rest, you really pushed it today, we need to check you over soon, just see how powerful you are now.”

Jade smiled and nodded weakly blinking the aches away in her head she couldn’t resist teasing. “Yes mom!”  She burst out laughing as Hizuka tickled her feet and Crimson smirked as she headed for the door.

“See you soon, don’t get into too much mischief!”