Disclaimer: I do not own Wild ARMS 5.
Author's Note: This story was a collaboration between myself and Vinsfeld123. He usually did most of the writing, while I would come up with the story, point out various errors, help keep the story/game facts straight, and think of dialogue, while also making sure his character dialogue and actions were not out-of-character. The input we each had varies from chapter to chapter. He has since decided to stop writing it, and we have drifted apart, so I am taking his suggestion and finding someone else to help me finish it. The first seventeen chapters are going to be the ones me and him worked on together, while the ones after that will be the work of me and another person. In this chapter, both myself and Vinsfeld did the writing, and I handled the editing and gave some major plot ideas. As always, there were some errors I could not convince him to change. Also, I fixed some grammar errors that made the story hard to read before.
Please read and review!
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Chapter Ten
Weston stood in his laboratory, waiting for the man in black to arrive. The laboratory was fairly large, with machines humming on every side of him. Above each machine were large test tubes, so as to hold something. There was a table in the very middle of the room that was suited for making calibrations to the Longhorn Nova. Weston slid his glasses up, gazing intently at the door on the far right side of the room, waiting for it to open.
It did, and inside walked the man in black. Over his shoulder was his Longhorn Nova. He walked forward across the room and towards Weston, who was waiting eagerly without an expression on his face.
"So you've finally arrived," Weston announced his voice loud.
"Indeed." The man in black responded, laying his Longhorn Nova on the calibrations table. "They are in Honeysday."
"Honeysday, you say…" Weston said, intrigued. "If I remember correctly, Vinchezna said the exact same thing; that they would be heading to Honeysday." He slid his glasses up.
"Is there something interesting about Honeysday?" the man in black asked, clearly confused.
"Not about Honeysday itself…but about the people of Honeysday." Weston replied, a grin coming across his face. "You can get them on your side, seeing as how that boy is a half-breed. Nobody wants half-breeds, especially not the people in Honeysday."
"And at the same time we can destroy Honeysday for worsening the situation between Veruni and humans." The man in black said, understandingly.
"Correct. Longhorn Nova's 'Nova Decimator' should do the job, but…" Weston stopped, to slide up his glasses and flashed an evil grin, "…if that does not work, we have something else in store for them."
The man in black replied, while turning his view to Weston, "What would that be?"
"Vinchezna should be arriving with it about now…"
The two of them turned their gaze to the door at the far left of the room, which opened, allowing a man to walk in.
It was Vinchezna, and he carried with him a large, black, rectangular box that seemed to be no bigger than three inches tall.
"I was just telling him of your arrival," Weston told Vinchezna.
Vinchezna nodded, with an evil blood-seeking grin on his face. He stared at the man in black and frowned, "Imbecile!!" he yelled, and slapped him to the floor.
Weston glared, "Vinchezna!" he boomed.
The man in black offered no response.
"How dare you continue to toy with us in such a manner? I hope you have a good reason for failing so miserably this time!" Vinchezna yelled, acrimoniously to the man in black on the ground. After receiving no response, Vinchezna began stomping on him, "I won't accept anymore of your half-hearted work, you lazy bastard!!"
"Vinchezna! Stop this immediately!!" Weston demanded.
Vinchezna noticed Weston, and let out a low growl. "Humph…" he said, taking his foot off of the man in black.
Weston aided the man in black, "You are all right, I trust."
The man in black responded, with a nod, "Yes. I am used to Vinchezna's incoherent and incomprehensible outbursts by now."
Vinchezna only glared at the man in black.
"I did not call you here to kill him," Weston said, sliding his glasses up while his eyes pierced Vinchezna. "I called you here to present what you found, and if you continue this senseless violence I will report you to the higher-ups. I trust you remember this, Vinchezna?"
Vinchezna glowered at Weston, and responded, "…yeah. I remember."
"All right. Now show him," Weston directed.
Vinchezna placed the black box he held down on the calibrations table. "Behold," he narrated, "the glorious 'NE Zone: Misery'!"
The man in black picked up the black box and examined it, "'NE Zone: Misery'…?" he asked, as if the words had meant something to him.
"Indeed," Vinchezna nodded, "it is a device that was used many, many years ago, when "nukes" reigned the land. It is compatible with only one weapon, the Longhorn Nova."
"I see… what does it do?"
"I'm glad you asked," Vinchezna smiled, "quite simply put, it launches an infrared dome around a specific location, inducing misery, chaos, and depletes the spirit of all wills to fight against the 'Master' of the 'NE Zone'."
"The 'Master' being…?"
"Yourself," Weston inserted. "You can virtually make them do whatever you want." He slid his glasses up.
"I see…" the man in black stated, slowly beginning to laugh, "This is absolutely perfect!! Nothing will be able to stop me now!!"
"Indeed," Vinchezna said, with a sly smile. "Shall I commence with the calibrations?"
"Immediately." The man in black instructed.
"Very well." Vinchezna replied, with a smile that sought to shed blood. He walked towards the calibration table. The man in black handed him Longhorn Nova, and Vinchezna began to go to work.
-
Volsung and Bartholomew had finally reached the gates of Honeysday. It was an odd town, with a long, snaking path in the center of it leading from the gates into the town's inner sanctum. The right and left side of the middle path was elevated, with farmers working tirelessly to harvest their crops, trees beside them. It almost felt nostalgic to Volsung, and it truly seemed peaceful. Perhaps Volsung could finally find peace in a town like this… or would the appearance of this town be as deceiving as its feeling?
Bartholomew looked down at Fereydoon, who was no longer bleeding. He smiled, filled with joy that Fereydoon was all right.
Volsung yawned, "As soon as I get to the inn, I'm going to sleep…"
Bartholomew laughed, "I guess I'll have to assume guard duty, then. No rest for the wicked, I suppose." He suddenly remembered Fereydoon, "Hey! What about Fereydoon?!"
"Is there a doctor in Honeysday?" Volsung asked, hoping that Bartholomew would say no. After his encounter with Dr. Victoria, he didn't want to see another doctor ever again.
"I don't think there's an official doctor," Bartholomew replied, "but there is a little girl tending to the flowers inside the town. Perhaps she has herbs, or disinfectants?"
Volsung stared. "A…little girl attending to flowers?"
Bartholomew nodded. "She tends to the flowers because flowers are the only truly beautiful things left on this earth, with so much discrimination and hatred. The little girl lives by herself, so flowers are the only thing she can cling to for calmness and understanding."
Volsung looked at Bartholomew with a sympathetic stare. "Lives by herself…? But…what happened to her parents?"
Bartholomew shrugged, "All I know is that she had a brother named Vassim who died a long time ago."
"Oh…" Volsung said, looking at the ground, "hey Bartholomew?"
Bartholomew looked at him, "Yes?"
"How do you know so much? You knew about the little girl, you knew about Laila Belle, you even knew about the Starlit Cave. But how?" Volsung asked.
"You heard me in the Starlit Cave?"
"I was sick, not deaf."
"…"
"…"
"…well…most of my knowledge comes from books!" Bartholomew fabricated, with an innocent smile.
"Books? So you're a bookworm just like Fereydoon?" Volsung asked.
"Yep. When I was little, I loved reading books." Bartholomew continued to lie.
"I see…"
"Did you ever read books?"
Volsung shook his head, "No… everything I learned was from my parents, or from Fereydoon and Lady Diana."
"Your parents wouldn't let you read books?"
"No…the villagers wouldn't let us buy books. They said if I became smart, I might find a way to become superior over the humans." Volsung replied.
"That's horrible…" Bartholomew replied, with a sympathetic tone.
Volsung noted the sympathy and sighed. "We should hurry and get Fereydoon some help. Let's go find the little girl."
Bartholomew nodded, and the two proceeded into the village inner sanctum. As they walked into the village, they noted that it was very small. There was a group of two old men and two old ladies, sitting across from each other, one with a cat on her lap, sitting at a table in front of a kiosk that appeared to be a small café. To the right of the kiosk was a body of water, clear as the sky.
To the left of the body of water, next to the kiosk, was a field of beautiful, blooming flowers. Volsung stared at them, "…are those…the flowers?"
"Yep! Aren't they a pleasure to look at? That field is the best kept field of flowers on Filgaia." Bartholomew responded.
Volsung walked over to the flower field. There was a little girl sitting on the ground, tending to the flowers. She wore a green dress with a small satchel hung over her neck to her right hip, with pink mittens covering her hands. Her hair was braided and blonde, extending past the back of her neck.
"What are you doing?" Volsung asked.
The little girl stood up. She was the same height as Volsung, "…I'm…grooming the flowers…"
"Why?"
"…so…that they may grow big and strong…and help people…" the little girl replied, quietly.
"Oh…can flowers really help people?" he asked.
"Flowers can do anything…they…are like humans...they deserve a right to live…and pursue a future…" the little girl replied.
"…I see…" Volsung replied. "…this is a beautiful flower field you have."
The little girl blushed, "Um…th-thank…you." She sat down in the field, and Volsung followed, and sat next to her.
Bartholomew stared at them and smiled, "I'm going to take Fereydoon to the inn."
"Wait!" Volsung said, and turned to the little girl, "Could I please have a couple of herbs? My friend is injured, and-"
The little girl picked a couple of herbs and handed them to Volsung.
Volsung smiled, "Thanks," and handed them to Bartholomew.
Bartholomew walked off, still carrying Fereydoon.
"That man…the flowers say he's a very kindhearted soul…" the little girl stated, quietly.
"He's very nice. If it were not for him, I would have died." Volsung replied.
"…what happened?" the little girl asked Volsung, tending to her flowers.
"I was poisoned by a man in Laila Belle." Volsung replied.
"…" the little girl was quiet.
"What's your name?"
The little girl stared, and blushed. "M…Mariel…"
Volsung smiled, "That's a nice name. I am Volsung."
"…what…happened to your parents? Where…are they?" Mariel asked.
"…they died a long time ago." Volsung responded. He looked at her, "What about yours?
"…I don't…know. My brother raised…me…and he died…a long time ago." Mariel said sadly.
"What did he die of?" asked Volsung.
"…I don't…know." Mariel replied, staring at the ground sadly. She stared at Volsung strangely, "…you've been through a lot of hardship; that is what the flowers tell me."
Volsung nodded, "Yeah…I've…been through a lot."
Mariel stared at him, "We're alike…you and I…" she said, in her quiet voice.
Volsung stared, "I suppose so..." he realized.
"I...should be getting back to tending the flowers. Thank you for taking…the time to talk to me, and…your friend is suffering a great amount of pain. The sooner you get back to him…the better." Mariel advised.
"Right… I'll talk to you in the morning, Mariel!" Volsung said, standing up, with a smile.
Mariel nodded slowly and went back to tending her flowers.
Volsung ran across the town and towards the inn. He opened the door and ran up the stairs, looking for Bartholomew and Fereydoon.
"Done already?" a voice asked behind him.
Volsung whirled around and stared. It was Bartholomew. "Oh. Yeah."
"I see." Bartholomew said, with a smile.
Volsung nodded, and walked into the room to the left of him, and looked at Fereydoon sadly. He was laid on the second bed in the room with a large gash across his chest, unconscious. The bleeding had stopped, but the wound was still there. He couldn't help but feel that he was responsible for it, and looking at it made him want to burst into tears. Why had any of this happened? The man in black and Volsung were working towards the same goal. Why did they have to fight like this?
None of the questions made sense to Volsung; in fact, nothing had made sense to him, ever since he had left Twelbit. He wondered how Lady Diana was doing, and he wondered if he would finally be safe in Honeysday.
Bartholomew walked in the room and closed the door. He sat on the other bed and sighed, "He doesn't look well." He said to Volsung.
"…I know…" Volsung replied, a hint of sorrow in his voice.
Fereydoon's wound was slowly beginning to heal, though. Volsung smiled, because he knew that Fereydoon was going to be okay. He may not have been his friend, but Fereydoon was a vital part in his life, and without Fereydoon, Volsung would once again be confused and lonely.
"He'll be fine. Go ahead and go to sleep now, Volsung. You've been through a lot tonight."
Volsung nodded. He hadn't realized until now, but in one night he was forced out of Twelbit, almost blown to smithereens on a train, attacked and almost killed near Laila Belle, poisoned, and forced into a cave. And now, he had met Mariel and reached Honeysday, the town that could perhaps be his salvation. He walked over to the third bed and lay down, closed his eyes, and drifted off to sleep.
The next morning came quickly, as Volsung was awoken by a storm of screaming. He slowly sat up, looking around the room. Bartholomew and Fereydoon were nowhere to be found. He listened intently to the yelling.
"Kill him!!!! Kill the half-breed!!!"
"Find him and rip him limb from limb!!!"
"Throw him in the water and let him drown!!!"
"Burn him until there is nothing left!!!"
Volsung's stomach was in knots. It couldn't be! It was happening again!
"What the hell is wrong with you people!?" a familiar voice yelled.
"Get out of our way, old man!!!"
"Stop. It is our duty to protect Lord Volsung," another voice said.
"Lord…?" asked another familiar voice. "Ha ha ha ha! What folly! Do you honestly think he cared after you were stabbed in his stead?!"
Volsung ran out of the room and down the stairs. He saw the backs of Bartholomew and Fereydoon blocking the door, and in front of them were the villagers of Honeysday.
Behind them, was the man in black with his Longhorn Nova. "You again!!" he called.
The man in black smirked. "Indeed!"
"It's about time you woke up!" Bartholomew called to Volsung.
"It is nice to see that you are all right, Lord Volsung." Fereydoon said, the sense of duty showing in his voice.
"What are we going to do? We can't just hurt these people…" Bartholomew reasoned.
The man in black grinned. "Exactly. You're trapped; the only way out is to kill every villager in front of you."
"You horrible bastard!" Bartholomew yelled.
Volsung was silent. He couldn't believe his eyes, that this was happening again.
"Wait! I have an idea." Bartholomew said, "Fereydoon, Volsung. Come with me!"
Fereydoon nodded, and Bartholomew and Fereydoon ran up the stairs. Volsung did not move.
"Lord Volsung?"
Volsung stared, "Yes?"
"Come with us."
Volsung ran up the stairs to follow them. The three of them ran into their room, as the villagers quickly ran into the inn and began yelling. There was a window on the far left side of the room, and Bartholomew ran over to it. "All right. Bear with me. I'm jumping through the window."
"That's crazy!" Volsung said.
"But it just might work…" replied Fereydoon.
Bartholomew nodded. "I'll kick the window open and jump through it. You two follow, and we'll end this immediately."
Fereydoon nodded, and Volsung did as well.
Bartholomew ran back towards the right side of the room, and was swift as he ran towards the window, and kicked it open, flying through it and smashing the man in black in the face.
The man in black flew into the air a few inches, and landed on his feet. "Humph. I should've known that distraction wouldn't work."
Fereydoon helped Volsung out the window, and then jumped out as well. The two of them closed the main entry door of the inn and bolted it. The villagers were trapped inside.
The man in black stood upright with his Longhorn Nova over his shoulder. "I won't lose this time. I have a secret weapon."
"A secret weapon?" Bartholomew asked, incredulously.
The man in black grinned wickedly, "That's right, kiddies. Lets make this quick now, because I will kill you this time!!!" he said, and lowered his Longhorn Nova into a shooting position. He fired towards Bartholomew, who held out his palm to stop the shot.
While the man in black was preoccupied with Bartholomew, Fereydoon dashed forward quickly and punched him in the face. He fell to the ground and Bartholomew forced the shot back at him, which plowed through the land and towards the water, where it destroyed a barricade of land.
The man in black jumped up and gripped his Longhorn Nova and held it to the air, "This is it, kiddies!!! 'TS: NE Zone: Misery'!!!!" he yelled, and pulled the trigger on his Longhorn Nova. Instantly, the air around Honeysday grew stagnant and the ground began to turn a very dark grey. Volsung and Fereydoon kneeled, unable to stand.
"W…what's…happening!?" Volsung demanded to the man in black.
The man in black landed and smiled at Bartholomew.
"It…it can't be! It's a 'NE Zone', one of the relics from the Age of Lost Technology! That means…Longhorn Nova must be--!"
"A "nuke"; that's correct." The man in black smirked.
"But only high-class Veruni officials have access to information like that." Bartholomew reasoned.
"Correct. Which, brings me to this question." He pointed his Longhorn Nova at Bartholomew threateningly, "How do you know about it? Who are you, exactly?"
Bartholomew smirked. "I'm just a man interested in helping a few kids along his journeys."
"Liar." The man in black replied, with a snarl. "Vinchezna told me about you. He said he knew you would show."
"Vinchezna…!?" Bartholomew yelled, enraged. "Of course. Only he would be so cruel as to allow the use of the 'NE Zone'!"
Volsung and Fereydoon began coughing, and fell over.
"Their lives are being drained. I don't even have to lift a finger. That's the beauty of Lost Technology." The man in black grinned.
Volsung struggled, "I…won't….let it…end…this way!"
"L…Lord Volsung…!!" Fereydoon struggled, as well.
Bartholomew growled. "I told you that if you didn't change your ways, I would kill you. I meant it. Now, I'm going to enforce it." He said, and began walking forward, towards the man in black.
The man in black lowered his Longhorn Nova, preparing to fire at Bartholomew. The barrel began to divide again, revealing the sword's blade.
Bartholomew dashed quickly over to the man in black and placed his hand on Longhorn Nova. The man in black glowered, "How dare you place your hand on my Nova!!!"
Bartholomew kicked the man in black across the right check, sending him flying. He noticed that he had his Longhorn Nova, and smiled. Bartholomew tossed it up into the air, and jumped up and kicked it, splitting it in half. Longhorn Nova fell to the ground uselessly, and the stagnant air vanished.
The man in black struggled to stand, "….h….how!?!?!?!?! HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE!?" he demanded, punching his right fist into the ground. "Why do I keep losing!? Why!?"
"It's because you believed Vinchezna's lies."
"What are you talking about, you fiend?!" yelled the man in black.
Bartholomew shot him an icy glare. "Nevermind."
The man in black picked up his shattered and beaten Longhorn Nova, and looked from Bartholomew, to Fereydoon, to Volsung, and back at Bartholomew. "The two of you are too young to throw your lives away so carelessly."
Volsung stared strangely, "What do you mean?"
The man in black smirked. "You'll find out soon enough…" and, miraculously, vanished.
Bartholomew sighed, "It would seem we aren't wanted here, either."
Volsung nodded, sadly. "L…let's…go to the train station. Maybe…we can find somewhere to hide."
Fereydoon nodded. "I think we should go to Mirapulse."
"Mirapulse?" asked Bartholomew.
Volsung nodded, as well. "I agree."
"Then to Mirapulse it is," Bartholomew decided, and the three of them walked out of the Honeysday gates, leaving the town behind.
"Hmm…" a man said, hidden next to the inn. "So… Vinchezna is a liar, is he…? I will get to the bottom of this for certain." He slid his glasses up and walked over to the inn door. He unbolted the door, and opened it.
The villagers stared at him. "Where is the half-breed!!"
The man slid his glasses up, "It would seem they are fleeing to Mirapulse."
"Hmph…" said one man. "Well, it isn't our problem, then."
"No, I suppose not. I apologize for inconveniencing you." The man replied.
The villagers nodded, and dispersed to go about their business.