Hunters of Artemis (episode)

Story
The tents are reset up for survivors. Avalanche members are burying the dead. Men, women and children are all buried. John walks through the camp, watching the horror that is occuring. He then finds Ian digging a hole for Gido, who is laying off to the side of the hole.

John: Ian. I’m, I’m sorry.

Ian: She, she was the reason I joined Avalanche. I wanted to provide a future for her, for there will be no future with Shinra in control. I loved her. That SOLDIER will pay for this.

John: SOLDIER?

Ian: Shinra’s elite fighting force. He must’ve tracked us from Midgar. We fell for their trap. This is my fault.

John: It’s as much my fault as it is yours.

John walks off, and finds a tent. Gwen was rocking back and forth, in the fetal position.

Gwen: (Repeating franticly) Please don’t hurt me. Please don’t me. Please don’t hurt me. (John approaches and reaches out to her, and she flinches, cowering in fear.) Please don’t hurt me.

John: Whoa, whoa. No one’s going to hurt you. Why do you think that?

Gwen: I used my powers. I’m not supposed to my powers. If I use them, then you’ll hurt me. Please don’t hurt me, Zombozo.

John: I’m not Zombozo. (He puts his hand on her shoulder, forcing her to look at him.) And I’m not going to hurt you. In any case, I’m glad you have that power. I have it as well. (John’s hand glows with mana.)

Gwen: Recently, my powers have spiked. I can’t control it sometimes.

John: I can teach you how to control them better.

Gwen: Will you do that?

John: Yes. Just remember that it won’t be easy, but I’ll be there every step of the way.

Gwen: (Smiling) Thank you. End Scene

Kai is tracking John through an open field. She finds several sets of footprints, and starts following them. Meanwhile, Vector and Kai are arguing behind them.

Sakura: AT LEAST I DON’T SMELL LIKE DAMP SCALES!

Vector: PLEASE! THIS IS QUITE AN ATTRACTIVE SMELL IN MY FAMILY! WILL YOU STOP YELLING ALREADY?! KAI IS TRYING TO TRACK JOHN DOWN!

Sakura: DON’T TELL ME WHAT TO DO, LIZARD!

Vector: WHY DON’T YOU JUST DO WHAT YOU’RE TOLD?!

Sakura: OH, AND FALL IN WITH THE AVERAGE WOMEN, DOING WHATEVER MEN TELL THEM TO? WELL, I’VE GOT NEWS FOR YOU! NO MAN IS EVER GOING TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO EVER AGAIN! I AM FOLLOWING KAI BECAUSE SHE’S A STRONG WOMAN!

Vector: THEN SHUT UP ALREADY! LET HER DO HER THING!

Sakura and Vector continue to argue, as they are passing a forest. Kai senses something in the forest, and fires an arrow. A monkey falls out of the tree, dead.

Vector: What was that for? You just killed a monkey.

Sakura: There shouldn’t be any monkeys in this area. (Kai reacts, jumping to the side as an earth pillar shoots out of the ground. Sakura jumps out of the way of an earth pillar, while Vector is hit, being launched into the air. Vector lands, and stands up. He sees Kakashi on the path in front of them, Kai nocking an arrow.)

Vector: I’m tired of being the butt of this journey already! (Vector’s headphones glow, and Vector breathes fire at Kakashi. A piece of materia on his belt glows, and he fires a water dragon, breaking through the fire and hitting Vector, washing him away.)

Kai fires an arrow at Kakashi, who dodges and goes to strike her with his short sword. Kai blocks it with her bow, and kicks Kakashi away. Sakura then charges in to punch Kakashi, who catches the fist and throws her to the side. Kakashi fires a water dragon at Kai, who jumps into the air to dodge. Kakashi then notices John’s hand hanging from her waist. Kakashi arm is then enveloped in lightning, forming a Lightning Blade. He dashes forward, and Kai prepares to fire an arrow, but jumps out of the way. The lightning blade cuts the rope, and Kakashi grabs the hand.

Kakashi: This is that boy’s hand. Thank you for parting with it. (Kakashi then runs into the forest, escaping in the opposite direction. Kai chases after him.)

Sakura: Kai! Wait up! (Sakura runs into the forest after her.)

Vector: Oh, come on! More running! I haven’t slept since Magnum Rock. I'm starting to think Kai doesn't need sleep. (Vector begrudgingly runs after them.) End Scene

Gwen fires mana disks, trying to hit a target on a tree.

John: Focus your energy on the size of the attack, and its path. You control the power, not the other way. (Gwen then fires a powerful mana blast, knocking her over.)

Gwen: Sorry. This power spikes at will.

John: Don’t worry about it. Just keep working at it. Huh? (John’s eyes glow with green mana.)

Gwen: What is it?

John: My hand had been moving in our direction, so I had assumed that Kai was on her way here. Now, it’s heading the opposite direction, changing paths abruptly.

Gwen: What does that mean?

John: I think that SOLDIER that attacked us took the hand. It’s time for us to go.

Inside Logan’s tent, John, Gwen, Chopper, Ian and Logan are inside.

Logan: So, you’re leaving us?

John: Yes. I know that Kai was trying to catch up to us, but this change in direction makes me think something happened.

Ian: Do you trust this girl? How do we know that she didn’t abandon you?

John: She was ordered to follow me, and she hates it. She hates my guts.

Chopper: Why? What did you do to her?

John: Nothing. She hates all men.

Logan: All men? She could be a Hunter of Artemis.

John: Hunter of Artemis?

Logan: Long ago, there was a young maiden, who had left her home and family. Close to death, she found her way to what has been since referred to as the Promised Land, a land overflowing with mako. She was revived, and stayed there. While she was there, a great curse occurred, causing the light of the moon to disappear. Nighttime became a time of total darkness. With the power given to her by the Promised Land, she sacrificed herself and became the new light of the moon.

Ian: Legends have it that on every full moon, Artemis has the power to come down to the planet, protecting it and destroying the darkness. In order to continue protecting the realm, she formed the Hunters. They are an all female group blessed by Artemis, given eternal youth, eternal life and magic weapons. To join the group, a girl has to swear away boys forever. If they betray this oath, they lose their powers.

John: That makes sense. The hunting party she was with was made up of all girls. Either way, I think that Shinra has my hand (Holds up his mana hand) and therefore my powers. I need to head back to Midgar. If they have the Omnitrix, then we’ll never defeat Shinra. Who’s with me?

Gwen: I’m going. Anywhere that you go, I will follow you.

Chopper: I agree with Gwen! I have nowhere else to go, so I am going!

John: Ian. I hate to ask this of you, but are you coming?

Ian: (With a grim face) Shinra will pay for this. You think I’m going to pass up a chance for revenge?

John: I don’t think that revenge is the right way, but I’m glad that you’re going to be coming along.

Logan: You kids better get moving then. (The group gets up, and leaves the tent.)

Characters

 * John Spacewalker
 * Kai
 * Vector
 * Ian
 * Chopper
 * Gwen
 * Sakura
 * Logan

Villains

 * Kakashi

Trivia

 * It's revealed that Kai is part of the Hunters of Artemis, with immortality.
 * The Promised Land is first mentioned, and explained.