AN: I want it noted that I'm rusty at battle scenes. So I don't expect this to be very good.
Payton was practically shaking with excitement for this battle, his scanner already docked and waiting for the game to begin, the dome room's every echo only served to add to his delight. Across from him, Tom stood making a final decision on his game set up, his face beaming behind the massive futuristic holo-board.
"Come on dude, let's get this show on the road already."
Tom smiled slyly, settling the last of his cards in place and nodding, "Alright all set, a one on one match between you and me. Ready?"
Payton pressed the button, a huge grin on his face, "Lock your deck Let's go."
The Klaxon blared as the decks were locked and board revealed, Payton smiled in mild surprise, "What no Maxxor this time?"
"I thought I should try mixing it up." Tom's sly smile widened, "Ready?"
Payton spun the location randomizer, smiling at the chosen site of their battle, "Semiwrath attacks Smeldon in the Gloomuck swamp."
Both players touched the cards, the boards disappeared and the Scanners were pulled under the floor for safe keeping, a swirl of code surrounded them both building the creatures around them.
Payton opened his now reptilian eyes, a smile crossing his dark scaled face. He gave the long tail behind him a good swish and let out a roaring hiss, "Dude, I feel like I could take anything."
Dude's voice sounds a little more smooth than I remember. He thought to himself.
Across from him the furry saber-toothed bear of a creature growled, "Well then how about we get started?"
Payton/Semiwrath grinned brightly, "Let's get Chaotic!"
In a flash the location materialized, and the battle began.
***8***
Semiwrath's skin tingled, nose and tongue picking up the smells of wet grass, algae, bark and earth.
Payton felt himself relax considerably at the feel of warm mud between his reptilian toes.
The dude feels right at home here, he thought to himself, taking a moment to just feel the atmosphere, that could be an advantage.
Semiwrath's body tensed at a scent in front of him, Payton's mind linked with the creature's memory for a moment staring at a particular patch of earth with only a few grasses growing on it. Payton crouched on all fours looking ahead at a patch of moss and jumped clean over.
He smiled slyly as he stood up again, kicking a good sized stone back onto the patch of earth. It sank in a matter of seconds beneath the surface, like it was never there.
"Quicksand" Wrathy my man this feels like the start of a beautiful relationship. He flicked his white tongue out, sampling the air. Nothing but swamp….and something else. something important.
Payton shook it off, this wasn't the time to explore the guy's memories, this was battle time. and Tom/Smeldon could be anywhere.
"Found you!" Smeldon snarled aloud, standing up from the muck and flexing his claws to throw a boomerang of energy at his opponent.
Payton ducked out of the way with a big grin on his face, "Bring it on Fur ball!"
He took a deep breath and blew out….nothing but air. Smeldon gave a low laugh standing just out of Payton's physical reach.
"What's that matter Blackie?" he jeered, "Need a breath before we start?"
Payton took an even deeper breath, relaxing his body completely and imagining that purple goo filling his mouth and spat out….dry air.
Smeldon's brow wrinkled in confusion, "Come on man, stop fooling around."
"A-heh…." Payton gave a nervous cough, "I guess I don't have that one down yet. then I guess I'll just do this!"
With a shimmer across his scaly body he vanished. Tom shrugged, pulling up his battle gear, "You can run but you can't…"
A shimmer and the Lizard was back in full view, clinging to a nearby tree with a smile on his face. Of which became confusion as soon as he realized Tom hadn't moved his gaze. He looked at himself in shock, seeing his dark body had materialized.
"What the…?" I never turned it off! what's going on here?
Smeldon's growling laugh reached his ears before he attacked, "Making a challenge for yourself this time Payton? Viper lash!"
Payton jumped for it, the materialized snakes just missing his tail as he ducked into the grass, "Man that was close. Ok take two."
He shimmered again, this time taking extra care to keep his invisibility….
"Still see you dude!"
A blast wave from a heavy fire attack caused the Lizard to go flying with a yelp, "WHY…?"
***8***
Hiding was no set back, he had picked this place out a while ago, it was small, warm, out of the way, and few would think to look for him here. even fewer if he hadn't been figured out in the first place. something he was certainly bitter about, that flying child, if not for him….
He shook his head, sending the thought to the back of his mind, that wasn't important right now. vengeance would only set back his plans. Besides, he had gotten what he was after. A part of it anyway.
With a hissing smile he set the scrolls on a simple wooden bench, carefully opening them to see their contents. A slow smile appeared as he flickered his white tongue in and out.
"Setbacks aside, it looks like I have enough to go on." He pulled scales off of his tail, wedging them like pins into the corners of the scroll so it would stay open, "After this all I need is…"
He halted, his vision clouding. He shook his head to throw it off, blinking in mild surprise…
A swamp, smells of various plants both familiar and foreign. He was running, a sense of urgency pounding through his head.
Something was behind him, a large furry something, like a saber-toothed bear. It pounced after him halting a moment to roar. As it did a light projection of itself came hurdling towards him. He leapt out of the way, turning to give a thundering shout back to the creature, a weapon suddenly in his hands like a lance, blue energy began to leap out of it to attack the furry creature.
***8***
This was strange, he stumbled back against the wall, knocking something over as he did so, his head spinning as he saw two things at once, where he was and a swamp he knew he had never seen before.
"What's …happening? It's like I'm in two places at once…argh!" he stumbled, falling to the floor. The vision of himself faltered as though feeling the same thing.
Hey what gives, why am I suddenly dizzy?
That voice, it wasn't his…was this a vision of foresight? Was he under attack somehow? Yes that had to be it. an attack…on his mind.
He took several breaths, forcing himself to calm down, moving his real body to knell on the floor and closing his eyes. In doing so his vision of the swamp battle became that much clearer. He took a few breaths and concentrated. The blue markings on his face beginning to give off a low light.
***8***
Payton stumbled, nearly dropping the Mipedian battle lance in his claws. A flash of something appearing before his eyes, like a small cave with bits of run down furniture, a feel of a wall to his back and a sudden feel of panic.
"Whoa! Dude must have a few issues. Must be the last thing he was thinking about before I scanned him.
"Pay attention Payton, or you'll get creamed before we even get started." Smeldon's voice called with a laugh.
Payton took a flying leap, opening his mouth and coughing up air again, "Dang it!"
He reverted to the weapon again, firing once and... Suddenly he felt kinda dizzy, like his brain was suddenly trying to process two completely different things at the exact same time.
"What the…?"
***8***
Tom halted in his tracks seeing Payton/ Semiwrath had stopped and was now swaying dizzily, eyes rolling into the back of his head, mouth opening and closing repeatedly.
"Hey dude are you feeling alright?"
Payton turned towards him, the blue markings on his face beginning to glow brightly, the reptilian eyes glimmered with pale light that shifted to a sickly green color. Payton hissed, a glob of purple slime dripping from his open maw and bubbling like acid as it hit the ground.
Tom felt Smeldon's instincts start to kick in, a little harder than they had before. Hesitantly he took a step forward, "Payton? You alright?"
The lizard took one heavy step, flexed his claws and charged for him. Smeldon's instinctive thankfully kicked in faster than Tom's reaction, jumping clear out of the way and sending a Hailstorm towards his opponent. Semiwrath hissed angrily as the blast of cold from the attack washed over him, but he didn't stop, with a swing of his tail and a slash of his claws a beam of light leapt from his dark scales, poisonous purple light aimed right for Tom's head.
"Whoa! Finally got the hang of those attacks, Payton?" His friend shouted as he managed to duck one and block the worst effects with a free claw, "That one felt like it had some damage to it."
Payton didn't answer, his glowing eyes narrowed, claws flexing as he came charging in again.
"Vine snare!" Tom shouted with a smile, ropes of grappling green covered the ground leaping to catch his opponent. Semiwrath huffed, swinging around like a martial artist and hoping through the tangle of living vines. Tom stared in surprise at the grace and ease of which he navigated the attack, smiling in triumph as one managed to snag the lizard's arm.
He opened his mouth for another attack, ready to take the win, "Looks like I…"
The markings on the lizard's face were glowing blue again, a deep breath and some sort of purple fog came pouring out, covering the surrounding plants and shriveling them up into a mass of dry husks and vegetable slime. Semiwrath didn't hesitate once free, and Tom's surprise this time cost him as the lizard came right up into his face and began a series of close range kicks and punches.
Tom reached a clawed hand trying to swat him away, but it was like he was suddenly fighting ninja lizard. Semiwrath simply ducked and weaved out of the way like it was a dance, hitting his opponent with deceive precision.
What is he doing? It's like he's another player. And he's tough. In that case… "Song of the Dyad"
A flash of light and a surge of notes filled the air. Semiwrath jumped back but the light caught him and Smeldon transferring all the damage to the black reptilian creature.
***8***
In the dark, Semiwrath began breathing heavily as he felt phantom pains creep across his body in dull aches.
"No…"
The saber-toothed bear was healing himself, and weakening him, he had to do something…
"Skeletal Strike"
Semiwrath coughed as a hideous ghostly skeleton appeared from the creature's body and leapt for the attack. He ducked spitting a glob of purple goo onto it, but it slid right off.
"What….?"
The mass of spikey bones grabbed him, squeezing him tightly, he felt the air leaving his body and not return, his face markings were glowing but what could he do? This thing wasn't alive, not a spell, it was an attack of some kind, and now it was too late to deflect it.
"No…" he hissed, his hate filled eyes turning to the bear of a creature, masses of purple smoke filling his mouth, so much of it that liquid was forming at his mouth.
The bear creature smiled, "Sorry Payton, no begging. Flame Orb!"
As a mass of fire came his way, Semiwrath dug deep and burped, a rainbow of purple, black and blue flame escaped his mouth covering everything in a rush of extreme cold and heat.
He felt a surge of chills down his spine as the skeleton disappeared into dust, saw a flash of blue and white like letters, then nothing…
He blinked in his reality, breathing heavily and shaking like a leaf. Whips of purple and blue mist falling from his mouth as he thought back on what had happened. It felt like his mind was being attacked at first, but once he had confronted the problem it felt…like he was in two places at once….and someone else had been controlling his second body before he stepped in. but how was that possible? What was its purpose?
Groggily he shuffled back to the scrolls he had 'collected' seeing they were still here, whatever this was, his plans were still in motion. He took a moment to collect himself and brushed a claw gently over the aged parchment, smiling at the simple drawing of four creatures standing in a ring around a sphere, each backed with four banners marking the four tribes of Perim.
"Later…I have other things to worry about." He muttered to himself
***8***
Tom looked to Payton slightly confused, the black Lizard stood there with his eyes back to normal, utterly expressionless as a swirl of code dispersed the creature and left a dumbfounded boy in his place. Tom picked up his scanner, smiling.
"Got to hand it to you Payton, that was pretty cool. What kind of attack was that you used anyway? I've never seen anything like it."
Payton blinked at the sound of his friend's voice, "What?"
Tom frowned, "The attack you used to win the match, right after you kung-Fu kicked me around and I had to cast my mugic."
Payton blinked again, his face twisting in confusion then widening in shock, "Oh man."
With a mad dash, and almost forgetting to grab his scanner, Payton charged out of the dome for the Port Court. A confused Tom behind him.
Payton's mad run didn't stop, not even when Sarah called over offering to order him a victory Milkshake before she took him on. She looked to Tom questioningly, "Is something wrong?"
"You mean how Payton isn't acting very…Payton-ish right now?"
They went after him, almost losing him as he slid into an observation cubicle, a place where players could watch previous or other player's matches and work with their decks even look up available data on Locations, creatures, Mugic etc. Right now Payton was pulling up the video for his own match.
"Ok Payton, spill," Sarah said, leaning over the side of the touch screen, "What's got you…like this?"
"Yeah, you normally get ecstatic when you win a match with a new creature."
Payton shook his head, "That's just it. It wasn't me."
Sarah gave a chuckle, "Ok I think you may have had one too many tacos before battling. Cause that was defiantly you battling Tom."
Tom thought this over a bit, "Wait, remember when you first scanned Phelphor? What you did during our one on three match?"
Sarah paused, shivering involuntarily, "Yeah…are you saying that's what Payton means?"
Payton shook his head violently, slowing the video down carefully, "No I mean it wasn't me, because I don't remember battling Tom in that match. The last thing I remember is….here."
He paused the feed at the point where he had fired his lance and started looking dizzy. Tom looked and nodded, "come to think of it, that's when you switched up your fighting style."
Payton nodded, letting the battle play at half speed and watching intently, "After I fired the lance I got all dizzy, I thought maybe I was seeing something from Wrath's memory and it was messing with my brain or something. But the next thing I knew the match was over."
Tom's eyes widened, "Wait…your saying…?"
"I think Semiwrath…Won my match."
***8***
Hova: hello internet! now that we've gotten another chapter up it's time to answer some questions. and first up we have...(Looks at clipboard) T T…wait only….-_- sigh…alright then.
(sits down) first question from Ninuhuju asking: Was that thing that tried to steal from the Overworlders a Mipedian that was "replaced" by one of those things?
I'm guessing what you mean is, Was Semiwrath (as he was later named in the chapter) a Mipedian that was replaced by one of those blob things? Answer being: No. Semiwrath was shown as a tribless, even if he was a 'replaced' mipedian it would make sense that he would still show as a Mipedian. Like with the Dainian's parasite, it changes creatures and makes them into Dainians. Going from one tribe to another, not from one tribe to none.
Ren: ^ ^ He's just like m….(Hova grabs Ren by the mouth)
Hova: L what have I told you about Spoilers? (Sits down again) Ok next Question from Wolf Critic: what's with the * by Echo Summit?
and when is your next update?
What star…? Oh back then! Well that was originaly for an Author's note that Echo Summit was a location I made up for the story. Hey Perim's a big place, it makes sense that there's places not portrayed in the game just like there are places on our own plannet we're still mapping out. Though I don't think I'll use that location any time soon.
And lastly from….Oh this one was in person, yep in person. Lucky right? Is Danny going to stay in Kiru for much longer? Answer: Nope. I've just been a little stuck with what part Danny is going to play in this little story since part of this was actualy an older project I dug up and adjusted here and there.
Ok that pretty much covers it. Till next time everybody. Thanks for reading.
Oh yeah and a specil thanks to The Lady of Many Masks; without her suggestion I'd still be stuck on this chapter. Happy reading everybody!