Resuce plan

Jasmine is back at her church gathering supplies. It's protected by harden lava rock, but the air's too polluted for anybody else to be in here for now. She picks up her sermon notes as well but is not sure if she's even going to be able to preach tomorrow. The Catholic priest at the Cathedral agreed to provide services to her congregation tomorrow or allow them to attend their services if they choose to do so. Retired Pastor Enzo could even lead the service if she has to attend to emergency matters, but she doesn't know which is letting her congregation down even more, not leading the service or not attending to the volcano. Some even suggested putting the normal service off until Sunday evening or even later in the week if necessary. She prays for guidance as she hears her teleline ball going off. It's a miracle that it's even getting through all this volcanic debris in the air.

She picks up the ball and answers in Greek; "Geia sas (hello)."

"(In Tibetan) Pastor Jaz, it's me, Carmine."

"(In Greek) Carmine? Please speak in Greek."

"(In Greek) Oh yes, so sorry. Jaz, I'm sorry to bother you at this hour. I just received a tele-message from Merlin. I'm afraid they took a wrong turn and went north. They ran into the Nico Rieka and a border patrol at the German border."

"Hang on your breaking." Jasmine quickly exists the church and leaps for a mystic connection cave in the woods, the same one that the daughters of Artimes first hide out in. "Are you still there? Conditions out here are very unfavorable."

"Yes, I can hear you. Is everything all right there?"

"I wish. What were you saying again?"

Carmine repeats her message, and Jasmine gasps. "What? Oh no that's a problem. Can they back track and turn south?"

"Unfortunately, they're travel guide is comatose as we speak. They are safe at the and are hiding, but I'm afraid they tapped. Plus, they took their weapons, and they really don't need to lose those. They're sacred treasures of Britannia and they need them for battle."

"Oh my gosh." She sits down with her back against the wall. Of all things to run into, it hadto be her. "Tell me everything you know. I'll go get them if I have too."

"Please don't do that;" pleads Carmine; "You're all too aware of the risks. And Vesuvius is erupting you shouldn't leave. There's currently a large change of vulacish fighting around the globe. It's too dangerous."

Jasmine gasps at that. So, it's not just happening here. True, she knows the risks of going to the border and facing Nico head on. If Iris was here, that would make things much easier. What to do now? She can't just leave the Britiannians stranded there.

"Jaz, are you still there?"

"Yes Carmine, I'm here."

"By the way, another missing Britiannian showed up. It's that giant girl Diane. The portal was forced open again and pulled her and a couple Japanese girls through it. Unfortunately, the fairy remains in Japan as of now."

In Carmine's tent, Diane is rocking four-year-old Hana to sleep and eating a bowl of Tsampa. Kogame is sitting on the next cot with a blanket wrapped around her, crushed by the news that Carmine hasn't learn the whereabouts of Inuyasha. Jasmine suddenly thinks of something.

"Carmine, this giant, what type of powers does she have? How tall is she?"

"How tall? I don't know, she's human size right now. Hang on?" Carmine speaks to Diane telepathically. "Diane, how tall is your full size?"

Diane freaks out. "What?! Why do you want to know that?"

"Pastor Jaz in Amalfi wants to know?"

"But why? I don't even know her?"

"I think because we're dealing with a big enemy. You want to help you sweetheart, don't you?"

Diane is embarrassed by her true height. Jasmine, who heard the serpent sins's every word, speaks.

"Miss Diane (Dye-ann), my name is Pastor Jasmine De Santis. My height is 5'10 and my weight is 175-180 lbs."

Diane can't believe what she just heard. "It's Dee-ann, and are you joking? No human woman would admit to being that height. And you really don't weight that much?"

Jasmine is telling the truth. "I do actually? I weight more then I look. I'll show you on a scale when we meet."

"She's telling the truth Miss Diane;" Carmine explains; "I know because I saw them weighed themselves when they were here. Jasmine is a pastor and can't lie about things like that."

Diane feels dumbfounded. Normally she says she's 29 ft or slightly under. She embarrassedly admits, almost under her breath, that she's 30 ft tall.

"Humm;" Jasmine thinks to herself. She'd prefer taller, but maybe that'll work. She wants to know more about Diane's powers, and Diane admits they are nature creation based. Carmine also mentions that Kagome possess spirit powers and carries a bow and arrows. "

"Diane, can you produce exceptionally powerful lighting?" Jasmine asks.

"Yes, I can! Especially with Gideon. How strong are we talking about?"

"Extremely." Jasmine remembers that there are three others currently in

Amalfi that may be able to help, maybe Elizabeth too. That is if they wake up and can be convince them to work with us. Suddenly Jasmine hears the noise of Goro speaking to her. He's at the cave entrance. With him are two other phenixgon. It's his sister's Kaida and Norberta. The sisters arrived close in Amalfi mere minutes apart from each other and are enjoying a joyful reunion. Goro informs Jasmine that Norberta just came from a hazardous location further north and about her trapped friends. This gives Jasmine much further insight, and she forms a plan. She tells Carmine that it's a gamble, but it just might work.

"I have a plan. It's a gamble but it might work."

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Inside Artemis' chambers, Caelestis calls in some of her loyal goddesses.

"What's going on, why is the whole fortress chasing after those damn boars?"

"Some sick jokesters let them out again;" explains one; "Don't worry your highness. We've almost finished rounding them up and found the culprits responsible. They'll be punished to the fullest."

"That's not our problem. Find Meliodas and the other prisoners. And kill that blasted goat."

"Your highness, there are parts of this fortress that we can't detect their presence, and parts we don't even know about. We just finished a very thorough search of the spa and the underground river."

"Your highness;" speaks another; "May I remind you that we must keep up the illusion that Artemis is still in charge. People are getting suspicious, and we can't put everybody under cheat hope. Even thoughs who are under it are starting to get suspicious, but they still can't disobey you ma'am."

"You were supposed to confiscate all the anti-magic items here. You obviously missed some. Move up the timetable, we're going to force open those seals now."

The goddesses all gasp. "Your highness, I must advise against that. Conditions still are very unfavorable. It'll be beyond our control and you're risking the wrath of..."

"I'm not afraid of some idiot emperors and warlords. I don't care what they think. Start the preparations NOW!

"Ma'am, that'll still take a couple of days at the least, even if we had a ten thousand working day and night..."

"NOW! Or I'll kill the whole lot of you and send you to hell. You understand!"

The goddesses are reluctant but are too afraid to disobey their master. "As you wish ma'am." As soon as some of them leave the chambers, they talk amongst themselves. "What if we can't reverse the damage? We should wait at least another week. That's extreme even for her highness."

"Big Mama and Black Maria aren't going to like this. Not to mention Shredder and Crocodile among others.

"Her highness better know what she's doing. I hope she's not biting off more than she can chew."

Back inside the chamber, another person who still assumes this is Artimes arrives and ask for a word. "What is it?" Caelestis makes sure her hood is on properly.

"Sorry to bother Madame, but we can't find the jewel retrieve from Japan. We think the llama took it.

"WHAT!? That pervy llama that we threw out of here? Why didn't I kill him? Find him and get the jewel back. I've got perfect things to get relics and substitutes made of the ankh and the stone, but not that jewel. We still need to retrieve that final piece from GP. Send the retrieval team immediately. We won't rest until we have that final piece, understand?!"

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Inside Amalfi Cathedral, Apolline is refusing any and all attempts to get any nourishment into her system. She keeps ripping out all the IV's and even the feeding tube. She won't even accept herbal black tea, which she usually drinks two bottles a day of. Now she's been chained up with devil cuffs, making her immobile. Stormy is trying to force a cup of now cold broth down her throat throw a straw. Apolline refuses to open her mouth and what little does get through her lips she spits out.

"I don't get it;" says Ban, "She's obviously on the verge of starvation."

"Never had this problem with Meliodas that's for sure;" replies Zeldris.

"Yea I know;" Ban chuckles, then a sobering look appears on his face. "I wonder how he's doing. Elizabeth seemed worried about him."

"Oh, Meliodas has a way of getting people to cater to him. I'm sure he's fine. I wonder if... she's ok. Has she met up with him and told him everything?"

"This sucks." Ban slaps his fist in his palm. "Deadly fire ash all over the place. Master and Little Madame are missing. Elaine's still stuck in this Japan place, yet Diane managed to escape. My brother-in-law and friends are trapped by a who knows what. Wild's flooding the Sancturary with his tears. I just want to go knock those monsters straight to hell."

"You think I don't want too;" replies Zeldris. "I hope this plan of Jaz's will work. But do we really need to bring them?" He watches as Stormy forces the straw through her sister's mouth and pours the liquid down it. Apolline fights hard not to swallow.

Arwen walks out of the restroom, hugging her stomach and looking all green. She nearly collapses when Ban catches her and sits her down. "Hey, are you ok?"

Arwen rubs her stomach. "I will be. Stormy forgot that my stomach shrunk quite a bit after 4 days. She loves feeding people so much but forgets we have limits. Funny how she knows when to stop eating herself. She's a big eater but still has her limits."

"Try my brother;" says Zeldris. "He'll be a challenge above a challenge."

"Oh, Stormy will love that."

Ban helps her up. "You better take us to that fortress of yours as soon as possible so we can retrieve Master and Little Madame. I've got a score to settle with that goat."

"Don't be angry;" replies Arwen. "Bluey's harmless unless she takes her monster point ball. She's probably got your Little Madame in a cutesy dress already."

Jasmine soon walks in with Elizabeth. "Are you sure you're up for this Elizabeth?

The goddess nods her head. "Yes, I'll do anything to help my friends."

"Just remember you're not going there to fight. Leave that to the rest of us. You need to stay safe. We just have to get Apolline on board."

Arwen nearly has a panic attack seeing Jasmine and looks like she wants to hide. "What are freaking out for Arwen?" asks Stormy; "She saved your life, show her some gratitude." Apolline spits the broth out on Stormy's face.

"But she's scary! Why did I even bother to attack her."

"I'm wondering the same thing;" says Jasmine. She then looks at Apolline, who's cursing Stormy and food. She kneels down toward the goddess/demon hybrid and removes the devil cuffs.

"What are you doing?" Stormy protests; "She'll be useless if she doesn't eat."

"I know you mean well Stormy;" replies the pastor; "But believe me forcing it only makes it worse."

"See;" says Apolline; "Her own sister understands that food is pointless."

"Apolline;" Jasmine responds, "True, Iris doesn't need a lot, and she doesn't like eating much, but even she knows she has to eat a little." She looks at Apolline, who avoids eye contact. "Apolline, I know you believe you deserve to punish yourself because you couldn't save your father, but he wants you to be strong and save your mother. You may need to consider meditating on that."

"I'm strong enough;" protest Apolline, who's obviously dangerously emancipated and weak. "I get my strength from within. Just give me a little water and I'll be perfectly fine." Apolline feels sharp pain in her abdomen and is forced to lay down. "Why do you need our help anyway? You're supposed to be helping us remember? You can easily insinuate Nico Reika."

"Apolline, we don't need to kill her;" says Stormy.

"It's not that simple anyway Apolline;" Jasmine explains. "I can't get into a full fledge fight with her or it'll be catastrophic. This is the best way. Elizabeth is strong but she needs your help."

"We may not even be compatible."

"Oh, you'll be compatible alright;" says Stormy; "Besides, if they're going to help us, we should help them too. It works both ways Sis."

"We're going with or without you Apolline;" announces Arwen. "I've got a little trick up my sleeve for Nico Reika."

Apolline rolls her eyes; "You two better not go into battle without me. We're a team remember?"

"Guess that settles it;" smiles Stormy; "Now, drink this broth and I promise I'll never force you to eat anything ever again."

"You better keep that promise or you'll regret it." Apolline takes the cup and slowly, with great reluctance, drinks the broth."

"Ok then;" nods Jasmine; "We go."

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Bluey leads the dripping wet group into what looks like a calming, cozy waiting area. She explains that this place is a muti-cultural full-service spa and bath house, with treatments and techniques from all over the world. She even has sage incenses candles and soothing music going. She informs everybody that they can take off their wet clothes and put on bathrobes, even take warm baths.

All of Bluey's info just goes over Meliodas's head. "Food. Where's the food?"

"Yea, where is it?" demands Inuyasha. There's a couple of tables set up, but completely bare aside from a couple coffee pots and water.

"What? They're not back yet." They hear snoring behind the table, coming from a somewhat overweight sleeping tiger with green fur and yellow stripes. Bluey grabs a picture of ice water and dumps it on him, which immediately wakes the tiger up.

"Hey! Cringer! Wake up lazy bones."

The tiger shakes off the water and speaks in Transylvanian Romanian. "Bluey, I'm tired."

"You're always tired, Mr. Sleep 20+ Hours a Day. Go see what's taking Eyelash with those pizzas."

"Do I have too? Won't those pizzas be cold?"

"I'll warm them up."

Meliodas is drooling and smacking his lips in anticipation. He doesn't care one bit if the pizzas are cold.

"In a minute;" Cringer yawns and tries to lay down again.

"Cringer, if you don't get our new friends some food, I'll have Bradly and

Steven cook your meals for the next month."

Cringer immediately gets up. "No no, anything but that. I'm going I'm going."

GRRROOOOWWWWLLLL!

Bluey looks at Iris and Meliodas. "Sit him over there on the couch and get him a towel. Food's coming, I promise."

"It'd better be;" responds Meliodas; "Or I'm going to eat both of you."

"Now where is...Karoo!" A five-foot tall yellow brown duck wearing a red pirate's bandana, eyepatch, and a hoop earring comes into the room. "Karoo, where are the salami sausages, pastries, fruit, milk and cocoa we got?" The giant duck doesn't in seemly words, but quacks. "Why did you take them all the way back there? I said to set them up in here. Go get them you knuckle head." The duck actually gives her a salute and exits.

"These are the friends she was talking about?" says Willie wide-eyed.

"Don't tell me we have to rely on them?" agrees Inuysasha. He looks at the table full of different size bathrobes. "Why are all these robes pink?! I'm not wearing that?"

"Waaaahhh."

Melidy, in Nuri's arms, wakes up again. Hawk runs over immediately. His sister's hungry and wants her bottle, as well as wanting to get dry and have a good, long nap. Bluey says she can get some baby formula while removing the wet dress, dries her off, and puts her in a pink, infant bathrobe. Hawk informs her, however, that Melidy's on a special formula with no animal proteins at present since she has a very finicky digestive system. Iris, her face once again covered, hears the baby and gets up.

"You want to make it?" asks Hawk. Iris nods. It'll be best for her to give Melidy her bottle since she still won't take it from Hawk or Wild yet. She swoops the baby into her arms and cuddles her. Hawk tells Bluey to get some protein nut butter, like soy or peanut butter, almond or soy milk, and two or three different types of fruit. The goat can fetch those, and then Hawk brags that Bluey is smart and is training to be a doctor. Bluey's cheeks suddenly start blushing, and she does her happy dance.

"No no. You can't flatter me. Your comments mean nothing to me." Everyone looks at each other, thinking that's the nuttiest thing they ever seen. Even Meliodas, wrapped in a towel on the couch, wonders what's up with this freaky goat.

Realizing that Bluey might be of much additional help, Iris takes a tube out of her pocket and shows it to the goat. She immediately recognizes the virus.

"EWW. Don't tell me somebody really released the Covik Demon Soul Eater Virus. I thought all those samples were destroyed. Humans and other species should recover but may have permanent disabilities. The demons will die for sure from a slow, agonizing death, even half-demons and part-demon. When was it released and how many people were infected? Any demons?"

Nuri gasp when she hears that. She's seen that virus take many demon lives and ruin many others. It was once used as a primary weapon to kill off the demon species or anybody who had enough demon blood in them. Most nations of the world, even thoughs still trying to wipe out demon kind, have banned the virus. Fortunately, there's a cure, if they get it in time.

"Yesterday;" answers Gowther. "Around noon time, I think. Lady Iris neutralized the virus, but a few people were still infected, including the demon queen.

"CLEO!" shouts Nuri and Willie. Inuyasha's eyes widen with concern.

Meliodas wasn't paying attention to anything about the virus, but he heard his cousin's name. "Cousin Cleo?! Has something happened to her?"

"You said around noon, right?" asks Bluey; "We've got time! The disease is slow and agonizing, it takes 3 to 7 days to kill the patient. I can make the cure in a day or two. I'll get started right away. What's taking those guys so long. Karoo!"

Karoo finally comes into the room, struggle to balance some foot-long salamis and plates full of sweet breakfast pastries and fruit. Meliodas immediately springs from the couch and starts devouring the food with the worst since of urgency. Everybody, including Hawk, is shocked by what they see. Meliodas finishes all the food in under two minutes and demands more, MUCH more.

"This...is much worst then I expected;" says Bluey as she checks the hallway for her comrades and the promised pizzas.

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Caelestis enters a hidden cave in a different part of Romania. She has several things with her, including the Tessaiga and its sleuth. She enters some sort of workshop. A giant, ugly man, taller than Diane, looks up from what he's working on and lifts up his goggles.

"Madame Artemis, for what is the pleasure of this visit. Never expected to see you on a Sunday, especially this early."

"It's me, Hephaestus you idiot!" says the Supreme Deity firmly, pulling down her hood. "Get your eyes checked you imbecile."

"Oh;" craftsmanship Hephaestus, descendant of the original male goddess Hephaestus (worshiped as one of many gods in ancient Greece by humans).

"Beg your pardon Madame. You and your sister look so much alike."

"Don't call me Madame and don't ever compare me to her again. Now, remember my requests?" She dumps several items on the floor. "Now, get to work. I want new pieces or substitutes immediately. No debating."

Hephaestus eyes widen. "Caelestis, your highness, I thought I made it clear that..."

"What did I just say about questioning me!" Caelestis hits the goddess with lighting, injuring him. "I'll remove both of your arms and burn them to ash, then you'll have no arms or hands to work with." She picks up the Tessaiga.

"You should be able to forge a new ankh from this. It's made from the fang of a descendant of the same blood line. I've got other materials you should be able to make new parts with as well. You've got the original blueprints."

"Actually, I don't even know if those are even the real blueprints or even exact copies, your highness;" the craftsmen explains. "Even if I could make new pieces, there's no guaranteed..."

"Just make them!" Caelestis is about to lose her temper; "If you don't have them ready in 48 hours, I will destroy your precious hands. That's not a threat!"

"Caelestis..."

The Supreme Deity immediately destroys all his craft work in the lab, many of which took years to perfect, devastating the craftsman. "I'll be back in 24 hours check on your process. You'd better deliver or else!"

The supreme goddess storms out of the cave. Hephaestus is doomed for sure, as are his precious crafts.

"That stupid woman, she'll do anything to restart the holy war, even if it's in another part of the world."

Hephaestus is startled. Nemesis, formally known as Lucy, appears.

"Madame Nemesis? When did you get here?"

"I've been here. Thanks to this ingenius titanium sea prism stone shield you made for me, that ignorant old goat didn't even sense I was here."

"You'd better not relay too much on that shield;" informs Hephaestus; "It'll only go so far. Madame Nemesis, please help me out here. There's no way on God's green earth I can make substitute pieces in 48 hours. It took my great-grandfather two-years to make the originals and all the notes and original blueprints were destroyed. I believe the ones Caelestis got a hold are foraged. I know others attempted to make copies over the centuries, but they were destroyed."

"In case you forgot, I'm the one who put the idea into her head;" admits Nemesis; "All those substitute pieces are going to do is completely release the smooze with no way to control it. It'll take the world's strongest armies at least 500 years to destroy it all."

"Those pieces were meant to keep the chaos smooze from escaping, not to release it;" explains Hephaestus; "but only in the right hands with the right spiritual bonds. Our ancestors went through a lot of trouble to make sure they could never be recovered, but as to why they weren't destroyed, we'll never know."

"And the emperors are going to destroy Caelestis and all of Britannia when she releases it. Fortunately, I'M going to be the hero who stops it and reseal it. Then the Pacific Emperors will finally give me the means to become an emperor myself and I'll conquer all of Europe, once I eliminate those soon to be weakling emperors that is, then I'll conquer all of the Pacific too. Maybe even the world! Who's going to stop me!"

Hephaestus always stays out of his client's politics, he only cares that they love his handy work and doesn't generally care how it's gets used, whether it's for good or evil.

"How?" asks Hephaestus. "Where do you intend to get a beast to sacrifice and stop the smooze in its tracks. The purgatory beast in Germany won't be compatible with the seal."

"Of course not, idiot! I'm going to use a beast from the African purgatory."

"Good luck;" says the craftsmen sarcastically. "You've been trying to get in there for 2,000 years and haven't succeeded yet. The African purgatory is the most difficult to get into and the most hazardous."

"I don't need to get in there anymore, dufus;" explains Nemesis. "Remember that dimensional rift I caused with your device 15 years ago?"

"Yes, and the two beasts you pulled through it disappeared."

"Well, I've finally found them. They've been in Luxor's demon realm this whole time."

"So, are you returning to Luxor or are you planning too..."

"Exactly. I don't need to return to Luxor. I just need you to retrieve her from the inside out. The little one, not the big one."

"Of course, my lady. I'll get on too it right away."