Alright here we go. As usual sorry for the inevitable mistakes I will make and never catch.
Reread it again and caught a few more mistakes but no doubt that I still missed a lot.
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Ch. 14: Battle Rock
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The elevator shook violently. Then it shook again as it continued its ascent.
Naota felt a twinge of fear in his stomach but kept a deathly neutral expression. Though he did let himself take a moment to enjoy the wide and openly concerned look on Hotaru's face.
Kazuki on the other hand was bouncing his head from side to side as if listening to a song no one else could hear.
After another shake of the elevator Hotaru spat, "Why hasn't Jasper screened the city out yet!" She didn't sound scared but instead very impatient.
"Dunno," Kazuki answered not seeming to care in the least. "Should have happened by now."
Naota was thankful that it hadn't, "Happy that it hasn't since I would have been stuck here if it had."
Hotaru turned her aggravated eyes towards him, "Good for you but the city drone defenses can't keep the enemy away indefinitely. If this keeps up they will reach the city before it screens out. Then it's over."
Naota barely heard her. He understood what she was saying but he was indifferent to the danger to the city. As far as he could see he had to focus on getting out and there was nothing he could do to help anyway.
Abruptly Kazuki exclaimed, "OH! Wait! I forgot…" Not even bothering to finish the sentence he practically dove to the elevator panel and seconds later the door opened. As he rushed out he called back, "I'll be right up!"
Hotaru put her hand to her head as if she has a head ache, "Stupid idiot trying to pack at the last and worst second."
Naota finally managed, "Why is he…..where?" again the elevator shook.
When the doors opened again Hotaru and Naota almost collided as they scrambled outside. The first thing that struck him was how quiet the city was. Since he had arrived no matter where he was he could hear crowds and city sounds. While the city was silent there still some sound to be heard.
The pops cracks, and explosions of the fight above them echoed in the city. The lighting continued to streak across the sky and again the lack of thunder made Naota feel out of place. The sky swelled to a deep reddish purple and swerved and twisted in an almost violent manner as it obscured the source of the sounds.
Looking around Naota saw what looked like an almost normal parking lot. Though the lack of cars and dominance of bikes was evident.
"I'll get the bikes!" Hotaru told Naota harshly and ran off amidst the unorganized collection vehicles. Leaving Naota to look around dumbly on the roof not sure of what he was supposed to do now.
Any thought of further action was gone when his eyes were drawn to a smoking ruin that plummeted through the gassy sky. Another followed falling in a differently trajectory. Naota watched as if in a trance till he realized that one was heading this way.
He saw it coming but he didn't know what to do. So he just went with the default action of what you do when something in falling on you. Run in circles.
He was still running blindly eyes wide when the whole building shook violently with the force of the impact sending him to his knees.
He got to his feet feeling lost and confused as to where he was. Why was it he was out here so far from home again? He looked over his shoulder behind him to see a twisted metal form lying in broken cement.
Naota approached it cautiously, his hand going up to the guitar neck over his shoulder in preparation. As he neared he saw it was not necessary.
The metallic creature was battered and dented in every conceivable spot looking burned and beaten. Yet even as battered as it was Naota's eyes widened in recognition. Before him laid a shape etched into his mind. It was a robot, one identical to the open that had partially come out of his head the first time in the form of a hand. The second time the rest of the machine had followed. The oversized upper body, massive extendable hands, and small legs were all there. Instead of blue this one was a white color but it was the same robot none the less.
The surprise of seeing a Medical Mechanica robot appear so suddenly appear now of all times and here of all place made Naota momentarily forget the predicament he was in.
He stood staring at the battered form feeling nostalgic and confused till Kazuki appeared behind him and made him jump.
"So that's what made that last shake. Looks the like the drones aren't doing so hot."
"Drones?" asked Naota keeping his eyes on the decimated robot almost expecting it to come to life.
"The city defense drones. They are deployed by Jasper when the city needs to be defended."
Naota looked at Kazuki worriedly. The familiar robot made him feel uncomfortable whether they were defending him or not.
Kazuki didn't give the robot a second look and said almost nonchalantly, "You know as cool as they look we should probably find Hotaru now."
Naota nodded dumbly and followed Kazuki obediently. Now noticing the two guitar cases he had with him.
They found Hotaru with three bikes. Two being Vespas, one green and one orange running smoothly with smoke gently coming from the exhaust. Hotaru herself was on top of Naota's bike trying to kick start it vigorously. Then with a curse she jumped off and gave it a solid kick. "Your bike is a piece of crud!"
Forgetting the robot Naota sighed. "You don't have to kick start it or kick it you know. There is such thing as an electric start."
Hotaru crossed her arms apparently offended, "I now what that is Earth boy! Besides I already tried it…."
Naota who wanted to see for himself walked along side his bike and pressed the blue start button. Instantly the bike rumbled to life enough that Naota could feel the heat emanating from the engine. "What button were you pressing? It works fine see," said Naota.
"That's the button I pushed! It didn't work!" Hotaru said sounding almost desperate.
"Well then I suppose you don't know how to push a button," teased Naota with a smile playing across his lips.
Kazuki laughed clutching himself.
Hotaru brandished a monkey wrench and threw it at him angrily. Kazuki took it in the head and holding his head whined, "You didn't have to got hat far!"
Hotaru looked back at Naota, "Look I pushed the stupid button and it didn't work when I tried got it? Can we just go now?"
Naota put the entertaining thought of Hotaru being unable to push a button properly out of his head. "Yea yea, fine."
Naota mounted his bike while Kazuki mounted his own funny looking green Vespa and Hotaru got on her own orange one still muttering about stupid buttons.
With a whiny two stroke sound Kazuki took off on his bike. Naota instinctively followed his lead and saw they were heading for the edge of the roof which lacked any kind of rail to keep people from falling off. It was just then that Naota remembered that their bikes flew.
In front of him Kazuki rode off the edge of the building as if there were still a floor beneath him and only after a few yards did he begin his ascent. Naota, with butterflies in his stomach gunned the motor as he neared the ledge. It was one thing to take off the ground and quite another to ride off a 200+ story building.
As he came off the building his bike dropped about three feet then stopped. Enough to make his stomach flutter before ascending towards the purple sky.
Hotaru zipped past him swiftly catching up to her brother. Naota throttled the motor and had the sudden urge to pass her in the same fashion. But on second thought this was hardly the time to be having road rage on a flying motorcycle.
He watched from behind as Hotaru and Kazuki had a brief exchange of words before Kazuki motioned back to him for him to follow. Again they increased their speed as they entered the dense purple and angry swirling clouds. The popping sounds become louder and the sound of metal whining could be heard louder than before. At first the cacophony of sound, its source still unseen, sounded like music to him.
Naota lost sight of Kazuki and Hotaru in the thick gas and followed the two glowing red lights that Naota recognized as their tail lights.
As abruptly as they had entered it the purple gas vanished behind them as Naota entered the black abyss of space once again and with it came a cry.
Haruko...
Naota hadn't even realized what was happening when a bright flash of light exploded next to him making him cover his eyes. Gripping the handle bars desperately Naota turned his bike to a direction that in his previous orientation would have been upwards and speed up trying to move out of the way.
He now saw the source of metal banging and explosions that had echoed throughout the city. Over his shoulder Naota saw a tangle of robots grappling with faceless men wielding guitars grouped in clusters around the gas sphere encasing the city. An explosive roar drew Naota's eyes to a ship with a sleek cylinder design that made it look like a gun barrel. A white light so bright that Naota had to shield his eyes again sprout forth from the tip of the ship and hit the gas sphere encasing the city. The purple clouds around the point of impact swelled to a black color and stalled the flash of oncoming light long enough till it dissipated. A dimmer flash of light coming from another ship in the distance.
Naota didn't need to be told. He wasn't that stupid. This wasn't just some street brawl; a battle. Back in Mabase there were no 'battles'. The only ones he had ever heard of were far away or in history books. From what he knew wars on earth didn't even look like this.
He looked around trying to figure out what had happened to Hotaru and Kazuki. They had been right in front of him hadn't they?
Naota's eyes were torn away from the fighting scene by the nearby movements above him. Dots, now distinguishable as a robot engaged in combat against two men were maneuvering just above him. Naota had the urge to jump into the fray and help. But truth be told Naota didn't know which side to help, the robots that Naota so vividly trying to kill him or the black dressed guitar wielding men who had imprisoned him?
The two men who rode Vespas were zooming around the larger machine. The robot extended its massive hands from their joints chasing the riders as they looped and turned. One hand came close to closing on one rider but with a swift flick of his guitar he sent the mechanical hand back and zoomed under the robot hitting it in it's under sized right leg.
The Robot, unfazed by the attack, began closing in on the other rider with its other hand as the man who had made a hit made a wide turn. The other rider, unable to deflect the massive hand as it came from below, was seized, bike and all, then crumpled ruthlessly and chucked at his companion who now tried coming to his aide.
The remaining rider, unable to dodge the ball of crushed Vespa and man jumped from his bike as it collided with his former comrade. Wildly he came at the robot guitar raised high using the momentum from his jump. Naota thought the guitar was about to smash the robot in its small red eye when the robots two massive hands came bolting in from either side came together in a clapping motion crushing the attacker. The guitar flew from the black clothed mans hands and the form went limp in the mechanical fingers.
Naota felt genuinely sorry for the space police officer though knowing he was no friend of his.
The robot gently let go of the man watching him hang suspended in space. Then the machine turned its red eye straight to Naota.
On his bike Naota stared back feeling tension form throughout his body. The eye considered him for what seemed minutes then finally glowed angrily as the machine launched itself at him. At the same time Naota gunned the motor bolting off in the opposite direction instinctively.
Naota looked over his shoulder to see a massive hand about to close on him and franticly jerked the handle bars up sending him in an arch that allowed him to dodge the hand as it over shot him.
Naota turned again in another wide arch so as to look up and get a look and his opponent. The robot continued to speed behind him following his every move. Naota watched as the second hand was launched from its joint. Naota turned downwards and saw that the hand had come in a around about arch so as too catch him from below.
Spinning the entire bike Naota oriented himself so as to make it so the hand was coming from above and with a half circle swing of his guitar he knocked the hand back imitating the move he had seen the robots earlier opponent perform. His guitar hummed pleasantly from the hit.
A flash of bright light and another explosive roar singled that one of the gun barrel ships had fired again.
Naota felt a rush of self assurance at having so swiftly foiled both of the robots assaults. He turned his bike violently setting a course for the now stationary robot missing its arms.
Seeing his target as defenseless Naota resolved to take the offensive. He sped towards the robot whose single eye seemed to glow solemnly in resignation as Naota neared it. The tattoo on his palm coming to life as its twin appeared on the back of his hand.
The adrenaline high and battle rush Naota felt suddenly vanished as a gut wrenching fear twisted itself up his chest. The predatory smirk that had crept up on his face vanished. His instincts screamed warnings. Though only feet from his opponent at this point in a panic Naota looked to his right and saw his own reflection in a shiny metallic palm as it closed around him knocking him from his bike.
Naota tried to move. He was unable to. He opened his eyes and looked down. Vision blurred in the dazed state he was in Naota dimly registered that he was held in the robots massive oversized fist. He lifted his eyes to the red glow of the robots own single eye as it seemed to glow brighter.
Thinking about it Naota thought he was being held like a candy bar.
Maybe I'll get eaten now...
He tried to wiggle out of the robots grasp. Although plainly useless he tried again weakly. He tried to cry out, either for help or out of frustration he didn't know but he found himself unable to accomplish even that. It appeared as though he was at a lack for air. It was now he realized he was being squeezed... suffocated.
The dizzy haze that clouded his mind would not go. Naota just tried to relax and stared at the stars above the robots head.
I lose now right? Beaten. Should I do something? What?
The stars mocked Naota. They always had since Haruko had left. Every time he looked at them, even out here in space, he remembered that somewhere out there was Haruko.
"Haruko…" the name came out as the smallest breath of air out of Naota's lips.
Then there was a red flash in the stars above him. A ball of brilliant red separated itself from the scenery and zoomed downed towards him.
Naota was sure he wasn't hallucinating from the lack of air, sure of it. But if so why didn't the robot see it? It was right above them… so bright.
Naota's mind broke from its dazed state and opened his eyes wide as he watched the ball of brilliant red light tear clean hole in the robot going from the top of its head out between its legs. .
Immediately the machines red glowing eye flickered faintly before going the dark. The hand holding Naota growing weak.
In a rush the air returned to his lungs and it took Naota a moment to pry the fingers open a bit wider so he could free himself. The robot standing there unresponsive.
Naota wasted no time in propelling himself back to his bike and starting it up. As the engine rumbled to life a light pair of small feet landed on his shoulder. Naota looked right and found F.O. on his shoulder as if he had never disappeared.
He had almost completely forgotten about F.O. in the excitement of the last two days he had spent in the city.
Then he remembered something else….
He snatched F.O. off his shoulder and looked down at him hungrily. Holding him much in the same manner the robot had held Naota moments ago.
"You took a dump on me and ran away!" Naota shouted quite forgetting about the sounds of battle.
"Chirp?" F.O. looked up at him his orange head titled innocently.
Another explosive light from one of the gun barrel ships reminded Naota this wasn't the time. Setting F.O. back on his shoulder roughly he muttered, "We'll talk about that later."
"Naota!"
With a screech of brakes Hotaru and Kazuki pulled up on either side of him coming somewhere from behind.
"Damn it we thought you got blown away!" Hotaru hollered loudly in his ear. "If you're gonna die then just do it otherwise you should be following our butts so closely….. Wait, maybe not too closely."
Kazuki laughed mockingly, "Hotaru it doesn't matter he wouldn't have been any better off with us."
Naota saw that the two siblings had also run into some form of trouble. Kazuki having a bruise right eye that would likely swell into a black eye though if that was from Hotaru hitting him with a monkey wrench he wasn't sure. Hotaru herself having a messy cut on her left forearm.
"Hey who is this?" Hotaru asked and poked F.O. jaggedly.
F.O. squawked angrily and tried to nip the intruding finger.
"Um… my pet?" Naota thought that was accurate enough. Although he could have swore he saw F.O. give him an angry glare.
"Heh, he is just like you. Unfriendly and strange," Hotaru remarked.
With that she zoomed off leaving Naota and Kazuki to follow in a manner that was becoming familiar.
Naota rode after her and pulled up beside her as they sped away from Jasper's Crossroads.
"An alien like you would be an expert on strange now wouldn't you?" Naota commented.
Hotaru gave him a blank look that spread into a toothy smile. "Idiot, the only alien here is you…."
Naota was silent after that. When he thought about it she was right. Out here in space the one who was strange and out of the normal, an alien even, was him.
It was a different perspective for Naota. Very different.
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I like this chapter. More action oriented than normal and yet somehow it feels less serious. Was fun writing it just hope it's as much fun to read. Review and let me know.