A Really Big Family
Chapter 9
New feature! Now the character thinking will be marked with the #!
So you won't get confused! Yay!
"Hmph!" I block the incoming punch, sliding a little after the hit.
#Also, is confirmed. "Hardening" DOES increase the actual strength of 01.#
I dash back at the raven girl, my guard up like a boxer, I prepare myself to deliver a direct punch to her face, but she quickly dodges it.
She spins around and hits me in the side with a kick, and I roll on the ground.
I get up as fast as I can, but as soon as I rise my head, she's ready to deliver another punch, so I grab her right arm with my left hand and punch her in the stomach, making her gasp.
Afterwards, I grab the back of her head with both of my hands and knee her, leaving her all stunned.
She holds her head, backing up from me, but soon after she tries to punch me again, I grab her fist and send her away with a kick.
She falls onto her butt, getting up pretty quickly, ready to battle again.
"Tenacious, aren't you?" I smirk at the raven girl "But is fine like this".
"95 285 554, 95933 456512 (In the end, I will defeat you)" She replies, her face still grim.
I sigh, exasperated "I seriously want a translator right now..." I scratch the back of my head.
#This can't seriously go on forever, for how determinate she is...
And also, I'm starting to feel kind of bad after messing her up so much.
I guess I'll just tire her up, so I can leave in peace...#
But before I can put into motion my plan a the ground starts rumbling, and a loud roar echoes into the area.
#Something big is approaching...#
The sound of something dashing trough the bushes can be heard, and in a matter of seconds, a large beast appears out of the woods, half-reptile and half-snake, with red, camouflaged skin and spikes coming out of its spine, looking very familiar.
#No way! It can' be!# My eyes widen at the sudden realization
#It didn't die!#
The monster rises up, opening its fangs and roaring with all its might, making the ground rumble.
"16 92'1 8595... (So it's here...)"01 says, very irritated by the beast presence.
I grab my sword and get into position, facing the monster.
"232 9 762 26 695918 285 5692...(But I got to finish the work...)" the raven girl sighs, cracking her knuckles.
But all of the sudden, the monster spins around a sends 01 flying away with its tail.
01 hits her back onto a boulder, landing onto her knees, frowning in anger.
"2812 69512...! (That freak...!)" she mutters while grinding her teeth.
#This is going to be though...#
The monster hisses, its yellow, bloodshed eyes staring at me, and dashes at full speed towards me, clashing its claw against my sword.
I jump back right afterwards, but before i can get my guard up, a flame cyclone appears under my feet, the sensation of burning covering my skin.
I quickly jump back, but the flames didn't keep burning onto me, but my clothes were all burned up.
I re-position myself, just to be attacked again by the monster, using its tail like some sort of spear, trying to impale me.
I dodge the attacks, but with a swift move, it makes me trip over and punches me away.
I fly away towards the ground, but a feel a pair of hands quickly grabbing me in time, preventing me from hitting the floor.
As I turn around, I see none other than 01, looking at the beast.
"465'2 2565 96 763 315 3545912154 (don't know if you can understand me)" She says, crossing her arms "232 352'1 4125 92 717! (But let's make it pay)" suddenly, pair of sledgehammers stuck themselves into the ground, and 01 picks them up.
"28152 763...(Thank you...)" She mutters, turning around to face Sigma.
Sigma simply nods, jumping into the shadows of the woods, and I stand up, tightening my grip onto the sword.
But suddenly a voice starts speaking inside my head #Daughter of the Sun...# the voice mutters, but the voice doesn't seem to be Histoire.
#What do you want?#
#Listen to me...# the voice keeps muttering, wanting me to listen to her.
#Ah, currently I'm battling a murderous beast so...can't you wait a moment?#
#Unlock the Heart...Let the Nike*bless you...# The voice answers, still muttering.
#An enigma...You want to help right?#
#Yes...# She replies.
#So I gotta solve the enigma AND battle a boss...I hope it's really worth it...#
#It will be...# The voice says, slowly dying down.
"4655 2713957 632? (Done spacing out?)" 01 asks, a friendly tone in her voice, like we were old friends.
I blush a little "Yes...".
And we both rush towards the snake-monster, who roars, clenching its fists...
[Third Person]
"She's not here...And neither there..." Purple Heart sighs worried, still searching for Terra.
"It's like...she disappeared or something" IF replies, looking around.
"I hope Terra is okay...She must be very worried too..." Compa says, sitting onto the ground.
"Hey, Nep. Can you do a sky patrolling again, please?" IF asks, pointing at the sky "I think we're missing something...".
"Fine...But it's getting quite tiring, you know?" Purple Heart replies, sighing, and starts gaining altitude.
"Now, let's talk about this a little more..." IF announces, trying to figure out what happened to Terra "Nep lost sight of Terra in the woods so... it's possible she took another path...".
"You think so, Iffy?" Compa asks, concerned.
"I can't think of any other turn of events..." IF shakes her head.
As IF finishes her phrase, Purple Heart hovers down towards the duo "I didn't find nothing new...Sorry" She apologizes, a sad look on her face.
"Don't worry. But we better get going" IF exclaims "I think I know where she is".
"Really?!" Purple Heart exclaims back in both surprise and relieve.
"Yes. Now-" IF interrupts herself as she hears the sound of rocks rolling coming from not far away.
She starts looking around, noticing with the corner of her eyes a strange figure with white hair, wearing a similar suit to Neptune's, hiding behind some rocks.
"There's someone behind those rocks there" She points at the pile of rocks.
"Wha-?!" Purple Heart shout shocked, while the other figure, hearing what IF said, comes out of her hiding spot.
"I didn't expect you to notice. Well done" She compliments with IF, turning towards Neptune afterwards "It's been a while Neptune. Of course you probably don't know me now..."
"Iffy! Is she...?!" Neptune asks the brunette, still in shock.
"Yes... She does look like you in that form of yours" IF replies "The eyes and the outfit... She might know something about you".
"Indeed" The white haired woman says, with a slow yet royal tone "I know Neptune very well".
"Really?! Then tell me, who am I ?!" Neptune shouts at the woman, determined to find out.
"Ahaha! Being asked for help by Neptune!" The woman bursts into a little laughter before continuing "Very well, let me tell you..."
"That's great, but what about Terra?" Compa asks, still concerned about the purple-haired teen.
But apparently no ones hears her...
"But, it's on one condition" The woman says, making Neptune rise an eyebrow.
"Condition? What's that?" The purple-haired woman asks.
"Well, you'll have to defeat me in battle!" And said so, she rushes towards Neptune, drawing her sword, managing to catch Neptune off guard.
The white-haired one lands a slash on Neptune, sending her flying back.
Managing to stop, Neptune materializes her sword and dashes towards the woman, clashing swords with her.
Neptune and the white-haired woman, start delivering a series of blows at each other at incredible speed, trying to prevail against the other.
As the duel rages, IF sneaks behind the mysterious woman, her quatars drawn and ready to strike.
With the corner of her eye, the black-suited one sees IF, kicking her away, before she could strike, but leaving her back exposed to Purple Heart.
The purple-haired woman takes the opportunity right away "Critical edge!" She shouts, hitting her enemy on the head, causing the woman to bow, and sending her flying in the air with an uppercut.
Tightening her grip on the sword, Neptune flies towards the white-haired woman, ready to deliver a powerful slash, but the mysterious woman dodges at the last second, kicking Neptune in her side.
The woman dashes again towards Neptune, but she's stopped in mid-action by Compa's barrage, which hits her multiple times onto her wings, causing the woman to lose altitude.
As the woman manages to stabilize herself, a red flash appears on her, like the one of lasers sights.
"Demonic inferno!" The responsible of the attack is IF, generating a series of explosions around the woman, damaging her suit, and finishing with a giant pillar of flames coming out of the ground, clearly dealing lots of damage.
The woman grinds her teeth in pain, facing IF "I won't tolerate your intrusions further more" and she flies towards the pour human, clashing weapons with her.
After getting the upper-hand against IF, the white-haired one shouts "Lace ribbon dance!" kicking IF straight into the air, delivering a double round-house kick on sending her crashing onto Compa, who in the meantime was trying to get closer to assist her friend.
Afterwards, she points her sword towards Neptune "Now, they won't interfere, anymore" and dashes towards her at full speed.
Blocking the incoming attack, Neptune manages to land a slash on her, but she stabbed by the woman in the process.
Neptune quickly jumps back, noticing that the blade had a different color than before, pinkish.
Realizing what just happened, she feels a rush of weakness and sickness invading her head, causing her to frown.
"So your blade can produce poison..." Neptune says, holding her head.
"Thanks to my Poisonous fencer, it can" The black-suited woman replies, playing around with her sword "Now, ready to lose?".
Neptune's only answer is a grin, confusing the woman "Why are you grinning? Have you gone insane?".
"No...Just turn around..." Neptune replies, starting to sweat because of the poison.
As soon as the woman turns around, a gigantic heart strikes her, exploding into pink smoke at the impact and sending her straight to onto the ground.
Soon after, from the same direction, a green bullet travels at sound speed towards Neptune, hitting her in the stomach, generating a green aura around her.
"Tch...!" The white-haired woman groans, unable to get up "Why...I'm unable to get up...?!"
"Or, is this...My limit?" She asks herself in disbelief "No... I won't believe it!".
"We won. Now, tell me everything you know" Neptune speaks up, reaching for her opponent.
But her words are not well accepted "Don't think you won it just by downing me!".
"We DID outnumber you. But still, you can't keep going" Neptune replies, with a calm tone.
"No... NO...! Unacceptable!" The woman almost screams, still in denial, and leaves the battleground at inhuman speed.
"Wait!" Neptune starts chasing the woman, but soon she dries out of energy and detransforms, dropping onto the ground.
"Nep! What are you doing changing from right now?!" IF asks shocked.
"I'm sorry, Iffy. I... already used all my juice" Neptune answers, out of energy "So tired..."
"No time to be tired! That woman might be our only chance to get info on you!" IF drags away Neptune by her hoodie, while chasing after the mysterious woman.
"But we need to find Terra too!" Compa complains, growing more worried "What if she's hurt...".
"I saw her fight, she can take her of herself for the time being. Now, let's go!" IF orders, dashing while dragging Neptune like a rag-doll.
"Aghh...! Choking...!Let go...!" Neptune tries to break from IF's grasp, failing.
"Guess I better stick to those two..." Compa mumbles to herself as she starts following IF.
[First Person, Terra's POV]
The monster roars, dashing on more time towards us, fatigued and wounded by the constants attacks of the beast, which seems to do not take any damage.
I try to block the attack, but I get blown away by the strength of the attack.
I try to get myself up, readying my sword for another attack, but before I knew it, the monster was gone.
#Where did it go?!# I look around in panic, trying to find the beast, and I hear the sound of sliding not to far away.
I turn around, but a tail coiling up around my torso, crushing me while I try to break free.
The monster rises me up from the ground, opening his fangs, a ball of fire forming up in his throat, and I can't do anything than watch as my doom slowly arrives.
But I will inside me tells me not to give up, and spurs me to keep trying to break free.
#Don't surrender... Fight back...# The voice inside my head mutters again.
"352 859 76! (Let her go!)" 01 Shouts, slamming her hammers against the monster's back, loosening the beast's grip around me.
In the end, I manage to break free, kicking away the reptile, who roars in anger.
Turning around, the beast sets its eyes onto the raven girl, bending its body ready to strike.
But before it could hit 01, I block its fist with ease, while I glare at the monster, landing a slash right on its eye, blinding it.
The monster backs away, holding its bleeding eye in despair, roaring back at me afterwards.
"Now...I'm done playing around...!" I mumble, before pointing at the monster, challenging it "Your life ends here!".
#HDD process started, login successful, proceeding with the installation# I different voice echos in my mind, as a bright flash blinds me, while I feel my body lightening up.
As the light dies down, I can hear the voice speak again #Well done... You have finally unlocked one of many secrets#.
#What are you hiding from me?#
#Let's just say your situation is similar to Neptune's...# The voice mutters again #You have lots in common...#.
I turn around to see a shocked 01, who is shaking like a leaf.
"What? Why so surprised ?" I ask her, not noticing my new tone of voice.
"...?!" She just stands there, shaking, without answering.
"Fine, don't answer me then!" I reply turning my back at her and facing the monster.
"Oh, you're still here?" I sarcastically ask the monster, and he roars back.
"(I'll eat your soul, ridiculous freak-show!)" #That's what it said, I think...#
"I'm afraid you won't" I reply, materializing a large, one edged saber "The bloodbath begins..."...
Dictionary:
-Nike: Greek deity and personification of victory, usually represented as a winged woman.
Hi everyone, my name is HyperAle and we stumble in another fan fiction where the main character transforms... What? You didn't expect it?Oh well...
But this leaves a question, who Terra truly is? A reincarnation?A New CPU? Or perhaps something else...Maybe I left some clues here and there?
Anyway, hope you enjoy, and if you have any tips to help me improve, feel free to leave a comment.
And said so Farewell!