Ack, I know. This is a very short chapter. For that, I'm posting 2 chapters for today. :)
The Healing of the Scarred One
Chapter 10
"Urrrggghhh…Where am I?" Bass moaned as he opened his eyes. Bass could barley see what was around him. He tried to reach out and feel something, only to realize he was in bondage.
"Welcome to the top layer of the UnderNet, Bass." NeoForte hissed.
"You…" Bass glared at him through the darkness.
Bass stood as NeoForte rose in the air until NeoForte's eyes were leveled to his.
"I will control you, body and soul by fusing with you." And with that, NeoForte's data digitized into Bass's body.
"AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!" Bass screamed in pain as his soul was drowned out in darkness…
"Ah!" Naomi gasped and wheezed as she jerked upright. She looked around and saw that she was in SciLab.
Bass…Naomi thought.
"Are you all right?" Protoman and everyone else were standing nearby.
"You were unconscious for a while." Lan informed.
"Bass… Where is he? Why isn't he here?"
Everyone remained silent.
"…He wasn't there when we found you," Chaud finally replied. "I think he's been captured by NeoForte."
Naomi looked down and her eyes looked as though she was a doll, lifeless and emotionless.
"We'll find him, Naomi. Don't worry." Protoman tried to comfort her, yet it didn't look like it convinced her.
"But we don't have any idea where NeoForte could be." Searchman said.
A sudden image flashed in Naomi's mind. There was nothing but darkness. A familiar voice called out her name.
"…Naomi…Sta…-way… fro… me…-lp me…in…Under…-et." the voice whispered and crackled.
Naomi blinked as she responded to her current surroundings.
"We should start looking for him now. Maybe we can-"
Just as Naomi was about to finish, a loud explosion shook the cybernetic ground. Smoke clouded the area and everyone couldn't see anything. When the smoke cleared, everyone watched in horror. There before their eyes was what looked like Bass, yet his armor had that bugged design. His helmet was mutated into the wolf-like head of the Grave Virus Beast, with his star-shaped crest red as blood. His pupils were like the eyes of a viper. His hands and feet had sharp claws and he had a pointed tail. It looked like he had cross-fused with the beast.
"Bass…is that you…?" Naomi said in a whisper. Bass threw back his head and let out a mighty roar. He lunged out toward her.
Protoman intervened and tried to counter-attack, but Bass threw him as if he had no weight. Protoman crashed to the ground and was too far to protect Naomi.
"Look out!" he yelled.
Naomi watched in fear as Bass was coming toward quickly. She closed her eyes and waited for the impact. Nothing came. She slowly opened her eyes. Inches from her face, Bass claws were shaking violently. He struggled to speak.
"…Naomi…run…a…way…Neo…Forte's controlling…me…The…Under…Net…is …the…the…UUUUURRRRRRRAAAAAAAWWWWWRRRRRR!!!!!"
Bass could no longer control his own body. In an attempt to avoid hurting Naomi, he disappeared through a warp hole.
"Wait! Come back!" Naomi pleaded, but he was already gone.