Disclaimer: I do not own MR. Yaoi, although it’s more shonen ai and subtle. No lemons in this fic. Mention of character death. The guardians and Eternity Mountain are mine, please ask me if you’re interested in using them.

Chapter 21 : The Beginning of the End

Holly looked away from Moo in time to see her friends burst into the chamber. They were all tired and sore from fighting, but were ready to continue to save her and defeat Moo. Genki and Tiger looked to be the most angry, although the Tiger Guardian had a deadly maniacal look in his eyes.

The halfling roared out his pain and anger, golden eyes gleaming directly at Moo. The guardian bodies frozen in crystal took the others aback. Genki stared at them all in shock, finally reaching the Dragon Guardian, the last to be captured.

‘Holly, are you ok?’ the boy asked; she nodded in response, although she still sat sprawled on the cold floor. ‘You’re going to pay for everything you’ve done, Moo,’ the boy stated, eyes hardening at the sight of the giant pink haired evil lord. ‘One of you is captured, the other dead. You have no hope of defeating me, boy!’ the evil creature laughed.

‘I’m going to tear you apart,’ Tiger growled, the claws on his fingers growing longer and sharper, his fangs glinting in the bare torch-light of the room. ‘Ah, the last of the Guardians. But wait, isn’t there one missing? Oh, there he is,’ Moo chuckled, as the unmoving body of the hare guardian phased out of a shadow with long dark vine-like things wrapped around his figure to support him.

‘A pity he’s dead. But, a dead guardian is better than no guardian at all,’ the monster laughed, as a crystal began to grow from the ground and envelope Hare’s body. ‘Moo!’ Tiger leapt suddenly, furious beyond all reason. Fangs and claws ready to bite and tear, lighting sparking in a fury of mad white rays.

Moo lifted his hand and the minute Tiger touched him, he was flung down onto the ground at Moo’s feet, landing in a heap of blue hair. ‘Guardian, you shall learn who your master is,’ Moo stated, reaching down and lifting the youth by his hair. Tiger winced, but continued to growl angrily, his claws aching to be buried in the other’s flesh.

‘Tiger, look out!’ Genki yelled, his voice followed by Holly’s gasp on shock. Tiger’s golden eyes widened as he was flung to the ground once more, but this time next to the Dragon Guardian’s crystal. A new crystal began to form around his legs and even as he stood up to try to leap, he was already trapped, his feet encased by the pure clear crystal. With a howl of anguish, the halfling was frozen into a state of nothingness, unable to even make another defiant cry.

‘Finally,’ Moo breathed, caressing the crystal that held the tiger youth gently, if you could call such a beast gentle.

‘You haven’t won yet!’

Suezo, for once, began to charge, with Mochi and Golem running behind him. Genki yelled for them to stop, Moo couldn’t just be attacked head on, they’d tried that before. Instead, with another wave of his hand, Moo sent them all flailing back into the far wall with a crash. It was rare that Moo used such powers, preferring to let his baddies do the fighting for him.

Genki could tell from his friend’s groans that they were not going to get up anytime soon. And that hole in the wall was evidence of how hard Moo had thrown them, ouch.

‘You hurt my friends, I won’t forgive you, Moo. I’m gonna defeat you!’ Genki yelled, the anger in his voice mixing with his tears. ‘Just a child, what can you do? I have the girl, I own the guardians, your friends are trapped, and you are nothing but a boy. I can send you back to your world, little boy. You can go back forever and forget this world. You can forget them, so it will not bring you pain. For truly, you do not belong here. This is not your battle, it is theirs. And they have lost, and you have nothing but a memory. I’ll send you home, so you never have to be sad again,’ Moo was moving closer and closer as he spoke, reaching out a hand towards Genki who stood frozen by the words.

~Home… home. I haven’t been home in a long time. Mother must miss me. This isn’t a game anymore, this is real. I’m scared. My friends are being killed and captured around me. I don’t know what to do. What can I do? I’m just a kid. I have no power.~

~Don’t give up, Genki~

‘Hare,’ Genki breathed out. Moo’s hand stopped for a moment and he watched, waiting for an answer to his request. ~Hare?~ Genki whispered towards the voice.

~I’m here. We’re all here~ Many voices chorused behind the Hare Guardian’s including the Dragon Guardian’s solemn tone. ~Don’t let him win, brat~ Tiger’s snarl brought a smile to the boy’s lips.

~You’re all alive? Hare…?~

~Hai. I’m alive, but barely. Moo did me a favor putting me in this crystal. The crystals can heal a Guardian, and have been used in the past to do so. Never have we been trapped in our own home like this before. Oh, and that kiss too…~

~Kiss?~ Many voices chimed and Genki could feel Hare blushing when he realized what he’d thought aloud to them all. Genki nearly chuckled at the bombardment of questions that shot from the rest of the guardians at Hare and Tiger. Well, Tiger just growled in response and refused to say anything, but Genki felt like the beast boy was blushing too.

~Moo’s right in front of me. What do I do?~ Genki asked, staring up at the giant monster whose hand was reached out to touch him. ~Use the tear. Summon the Phoenix. We shall combine our powers to help you~ Many voices echoed into his very soul and Genki felt their power building up inside of him. Behind them, the crystals began to glow.

‘What?!’ Moo backed away from the youth who was beginning to glow himself. A scarlet radiance was beginning to engulf the boy’s body, a flame that seemed to grow from the tear on the boy’s chest. Moo reached out once more, intent on sending the boy home even without permission, but was stopped by the fire that leapt at him.

Genki’s eyes had taken on a crimson tone, staring at Moo with a strange calmness that radiated from him. ‘You have no power here,’ a deep voice came from the boy, a voice Moo remembered all too well. Fire rose up around the youth, engulfing his body in flame. The Phoenix rose from that flame and stared with its deep dark eyes down at Moo.

‘You shall be punished for the lives you’ve taken, the ones you’ve enslaved. This time, we have the power to destroy you,’ both Genki’s and the Phoenix’s voices had merged by this time, as the fire died down to reveal a child clothed in golden red armor with a blazing fire sword unsheathed in his hands.

Moo took a step back before composing himself. He drew his own power to himself, and the dark shadows formed a sword of the blackest night. ‘I’ll kill both you and the boy. Then I, Moo, shall rule this world. Humans shall be my slaves, monsters my subjects, the guardians my powerless toys,’ the evil being announced, before bringing his sword down with brute force towards the boy.

With a leap that even Genki could not have made by himself, the boy flung his body over the giant’s, twisting and slashing out across the black armor that seemed to yield to the fire sword with ease. Moo roared and turned, the edge of his blade barely missing the youth’s golden armor as they danced together in battle to the death.

Holly watched silently, eyes frozen on the figures. One, a boy who was her closest friend and dear to her heart, the other… her father, and the creature who had taken over his body. Was her father still alive inside that shell of a monster?

‘Release the man you hold and I shall spare you life. You will become a disk once more and I shall forever guard you from those who might release you,’ the twin voice of the golden warrior rang out. ‘Never. To spend an eternity with my sworn enemy as my jailor. I shall destroy you!’ Moo yelled, their swords clanging against each other like metal, despite the fact that they were indeed fire and shadow.

~Genki. Strike him in the heart.~

~But, that will kill him. I can’t do that, Hare.~

~Don’t worry, Moo will be the one turned into a mystery disk with the fire sword. The man will be freed, for he is not evil.~

Genki’s eyes flashed with golden flame as he shifted his weight and drove the blazing sword deep into the monster lord’s chest. Moo let out a cry of pain and agony, so loud that it ricocheted off the walls and made even the crystals tremble.

Dark waves of shadow and power engulfed Moo’s gigantic form, swallowing him up. Genki blinked, and in the monster’s place floated a pure ebony mystery disk, trembling with power. ~I shall take this~ The Phoenix’s voice rang in his mind and the disk trembled once more and disappeared in a blast of flame.

‘Father!’ Holly was on her feet and soon kneeling by the sprawled body of a man lying at Genki’s feet. The man shifted, opening his eyes with a pained moan and blinking into the light. ‘Holly,’ he whispered, as she supported his weight to help him sit up. ‘You’re alive, father,’ the girl was in tears as she held him, ignoring everything around her except the man in her arms who just patted her hair gently.

Genki turned, knowing there was still something left to do. His friends were starting to come out of their unconscious state and were crawling out of the hole in the wall they had left with their bodies when Moo had flung them. The boy’s attention was fixed firmly on the still crystallized guardians.

~What do I do?~

~Do you see that single round ruby over there?~

Genki turned to look around, and finally noticed what Hare had mentioned. Indeed, near the wall was a circular ruby on a crystal stand, and it seemed to be calling to him. Walking closer, the boy touched it gently with one hand and felt the room tremble. The crystals began to shatter, releasing the guardians one by one. Each halfling seemed to burst from the light and hover in the air as the crystal shards sank into the ground and disappeared.

Genki watched Tiger move to Hare’s side the minute he was free, just in time to catch the last guardian as he was released. The bunny eared youth sagged into Tiger’s waiting arms, his eyes fluttering with exhaustion. Tiger didn’t have to say anything to show his concern, instead, he merely floated them both down to touch lightly on the stone floor. Hare rested a hand on the other boy’s chest and smiled gently at him, their eyes meeting warmly.

Both blushed and looked uncomfortable when they noticed that everyone: guardian, monster, and human, were watching them intently. ‘Eh hem. Moo is defeated. Good job, Genki-kun!’ Hare smiled at the boy. ‘Thanks,’ he answered, even as he felt the Phoenix’s armor begin to dissolve in wisps of smoky fire.

‘The Phoenix will sleep again, and guard Moo’s disk forever,’ Dragon announced, taking the lead as usual. ‘You mean it’s finally over,’ Suezo groaned, hopping out of the hole, still dazed. ‘Yes, child. Finally over,’ the Suezo Guardian, a golden haired and skinned youth with a single green eye, spoke gently.

Suezo’s eye widened on his guardian and he leapt back to stumble into Golem who was coming out as well. The Suezo Guardian, followed by the Golem guardian and one of the newest guardians, the Mochi Guardian. With a touch from his guardian, Suezo felt his strength returning. The gray skinned muscle man and the petite pink haired boy followed the golden skinned guardian’s example and touched their charges, letting a wave of healing power flow into them. All three stepped back, smiling softly. Well, the Mochi guardian boy was leaping up and down happily, but he was like that.

‘It’s finally over,’ Genki whispered to himself, watching his friends and the guardians begin to make their way out into the sunshine. The halls were no longer dusted with mystery stones of the dead baddies, but clear and polished as if the fight had never occurred.

‘Now that Moo is gone, the mystery stones have turned back into good monsters. Everyone is free again,’ Hare whispered, and the boy turned to see that Tiger and Hare were the only ones left besides him. Tiger supported the Hare Guardian who limped a bit, but the blood had all but drained from his silken robe, leaving it pristine white.

‘Don’t worry. I’m fine. I will heal soon enough,’ Hare smiled, although he was grimacing just a bit. Tiger rolled his eyes and in a flash, picked the other youth up and cradled him in his arms. Hare gave a startled yelp at that, then smiled and just rested his head on the other boy’s chest and let him do the walking.

‘So, I guess this means you two are a couple now,’ Genki joked, as they walked out of the room. ‘I guess so,’ Hare agreed, wondering if Tiger was going to deny it. ‘I’m the only one who can put up with you,’ the blue haired guardian bantered lightly. ‘Aw, that’s so romantic,’ Hare sighed, making a lovey dovy face. ‘Want me to drop you?’ the golden eyed boy threatened. ‘Nope. I’m shutting up,’ the bunny eared youth replied with a smile, putting his head back down on the other’s chest with a warm sigh.

Genki just shook his head at them. ~Now that Moo is gone, what role is there for me in this world now? Will I stay? Will I go? Is my job done here? Can I leave… her?~

…tbc.

Author’s Note: Ok, there is only an epilogue left. It’s just a sweet little watching the sunset sort of thing. More yaoi hints. Tiger and Hare are an official couple now! If anyone has any idea of how to write a sequel for Genki for this fic, please let me know. I’m not going to continue it unless I get another idea for it. Ok, last chapter for yaoi goodness coming up. And this time, I think it’ll just be a Tiger and Hare moment.