Chapter 37: A Robotic RuckusA light clicked on, piercing the darkness around a small, white table. A lone camera hung from the shadowed ceiling. The air was clear and crisp, and as Aqua settled into her seat, she met by a man with a long, rectangular face, wrinkles like a basset hound, a prominent nose, and graying hair. He dressed in a simple black suit, his brow furrowed but his face otherwise blank. When Sora scuttled beside her, the man, Agent Rick Dicker, stared straight into his eyes without flinching. He gestured to another seat, then cleared his throat.
"So, care to explain why you're here? I'm sure you Keyslingers already know where we stand with otherworldly affairs."
Aqua nodded. "But the worlds have changed, and I don't have the luxury to stand aside any longer. So long as the Heartless exist here—"
He glanced to Sora again. "But isn't your little friend a Heartless?"
Sora's cheeks puffed up, and he folded his arms, slumping over the table. Laughing lightly, Aqua gripped his shoulder.
"Well, unlike ordinary Heartless, Sora's still got his sense of self. He's been an amazing help in fighting the forces of darkness… and the Nobodies." She sighed, pursing her lips and tipping her head toward the tabletop. "That's actually part of why I'm here."
"Hmm…" Agent Dicker folded his hands, shutting his eyes for a moment. "This is the first I've heard of these Nobodies."
"Well, have you seen any strangers dressed in black coats? They tend to hide their faces beneath their hoods, and often times they'll try to manipulate those who tread close to the darkness."
"I've heard rumors—shady figures lurking near back alleys, wandering the streets at night, but nothing concrete. It's just like with the Heartless; they keep a low enough profile that it's easy to pass off as superstition. Of course, we know better…" After a short pause, he added, "But this world's not ready to see supers again, so what makes you think you're any different?"
"I'm not." She pressed her palms flat on the table, leaning over the edge. "Make no mistake; I know that by fighting back, I risk creating collateral damage. It's expensive to repair, risks civilian safety, and would destroy what little semblance of separation this world has left." She let her words linger for a few moments before sinking back into her seat and lowering her voice. "But if we don't act now, then the city won't stand a chance. A few Heartless may be manageable for the military, but Heartless don't just attack; they infest a world, and I have every reason to believe that their understated presence is a deliberate choice to—"
CRASH.The whole room shuddered, lights flickering, while sirens blared. Immediately, Sora dived to the floor, back arching and tendrils lashing. The door flew open, and two more agents rushed inside, a man and a women. They waved the group into the hall, shouting about an unidentified air craft sighted just outside the building.
"I want the Secretary of Defense," said Dicker, his voice just shy of a growl. "As for you, Keyblade Master… Just do what you can. I'll take care of the rest."
Sora and Aqua shared a glance. Rather than rush down the stairs, Sora tore open a portal, hopping inside and waving for her to follow. While Dicker and the other agents stared at the sight, Aqua plunged inside without a moment's hesitation. Within seconds, they emerged on a cracked sidewalk, amidst a swarm of screaming, flailing, and scampering citizens. She tried reaching out to them, tried raising her voice, but the surrounding noise silenced her. But why? Turning around, Aqua came face to face with a vast crater, surrounded by chunks of shattered asphalt and concrete. At its core rested an immense, black ship, sleek and smooth with a gargantuan, black sphere at its center that towered above the fleeing crown and, indeed, Aqua herself.
For the moment, it lay stationary. Silent. A spectacle of unknown origins, yet all around its radius, shadows began to rise and stretch. Twisted corridors spread overhead, dropping Heartless clad in white armor, bodies alit with bright blue sparks. Caped Heartless dived at the citizens, shooting lasers from their eyes, lifting cars, and hurling them through the air. Biting her lip, Aqua tumbled into the fray. She called her Keyblade and shouted through clenched teeth. A Magnega spell seized the nearby Heartless, dragging them into its relentless orbit. At the same time, Sora slammed into a hammer-toting Heartless, clawing at its face before he snapped his fingers, spreading venomous purple rings across the battlefield, followed by a symphony of ticks and bleats.
Some of the Heartless collapsed on the street. Some slowed their descent, yet others continued pouring down. Barriers flashed around the citizens, prompting gasps, oohs, and ahs. Some civilians stopped fleeing, instead spinning around to watch Sora and Aqua incinerate the opposition with surges of heat and violent flashes. Rainbow orbs blasted the horde, but the ground trembled. Shockwaves blew over the already cracked asphalt. Ice crystals tore through the gaps, skewering their armor-clad foes. The white-armored Heartless fired electricity from their claws, forcing Aqua into a cartwheel.
Sora continued warping, clawing, firing, shocking. Winds shoved their foes against buildings, against the ship, even into mines, triggered by subsequent lightning. Heart after heart took to the air. Of course this was intentional, but why here? Why now? And why the ship? There was no way it was for show.
Soon her Keyblade lit up with a broad, glowing blade, allowing her to cleave through the masses that dared approach the growing crowd. Hacking through a mob of caped-Heartless, Aqua dashed toward the spectators.
"Please, you have to take cover!"
"But it's been so long since we've seen a super in action!" said one woman.
"Your powers are totally wicked!" cried a little boy.
"But this isn't a show." She paused long enough to whip around and strike four more descending Heartless with multicolored projectiles. "I understand that this is exciting, but I can't keep those barriers up forever."
Another tremor rocked the street, and Ven called out above the mayhem. "Aqua, I think this thing's finally waking up!"The ship's core began to twitch. Metallic whirrs broke through the battlefield, and six long, spindly legs burst from its middle, each one possessing enormous, four-clawed feet. The robot stomped over the ship, a visor emerging from its top. Said visor swiveled in a circle, fixing on Aqua before it scooped up a truck and lobbed it her way. Thrusting her Keyblade out, she ushered the crowd toward a growing corridor. The truck screeched to a stop, trapped in a floating sphere, then drifted safely to the ground. However, the robot had already seized yet another ,car and bright blue streaks littered her vision.
Three purple bolts struck the top of its head. It continued to stop closer without so much as flinching. Shadows passed over the street. Bullets rained from the sky. Military choppers? A safe assumption; between tumbling beneath another car and cutting across more Heartless flunkies, she hardly got a chance to look. In fact, subsequent laser fire forced her to keep cart wheeling. When the robot's claws flew at her waist, she lunged behind a nearby van, retaliating with a fiery explosion that drowned out the street with orange light. The continued stomping proved, however, that this mechanical titan was far more resilient than any Heartless.
Indeed, more hearts glittered toward the clouds, but the smoke soon cleared; the robot had lifted two of its feet and spun them like propellers to blow it away. Not to be deterred, Aqua lit the ground with Seeker Mines, which flew into its path. Meanwhile, Sora flickered atop its head, bombarding its visor to no avail. One of its other feet flew up, attempting to crush him in its grip. Fortunately, Sora warped away, encasing its claws in a thick, icy shell that pinned them to its shoulder. Unfortunately, it smashed the ice with another clawed foot, and though Sora dragged his flaming claws down one of the other legs, the metal remained unscathed, and the robot soon swatted him into a nearby window.
Green light coiled around him. Tempting fate, Aqua dashed toward one of its grounded legs, slicing at its wrist. Again, it failed, but when the robot launched another leg in retaliation, she warped away, back toward the crowd and a wall of incoming tanks. A string of explosions followed, but the robot retained its footing. It lumbered after Aqua and stomped toward the tanks. Their shells smashed into its torso, but ricocheted off before exploding in midair. Lasers flew at the tanks, stopped only by last-second barriers.
Panting, Aqua wiped the sweat off her face. Steadying her breathing, she gave the soldiers a brief glance. "Please, whatever you do, keep the civilians safe. Issue an evacuation if you have to!"
She would have said more, but yet another shadow passed over her. In lieu of further attacks, the robot stomped directly over her and the troops, as if it had grown bored of their interference. The aerial assault continued, but to no avail; its armor deflected any and all blasts, be they bullets, shells, or magic spells. Nonetheless, the military pursued. After catching her breath, Aqua followed, and soon Sora dashed to her side.
A deep frown had carved itself into his face as he scampered. "That thing's gotta have some kinda weakness, right? Maybe we're not using the right spells…""Maybe, but if we keep exhausting our magic, then how are we going to protect everyone?" She quickened her pace when more lasers flew. Another barrier surrounded the tanks. "I don't want this place to become another Twilight Town, but we need to fight intelligently." Brute strength clearly wasn't the answer, evident by their failed spells.
Perhaps if the others were there, things would be different, but as it stood, they were outmatched.
x.x.x
Dull buzzing filled the air. Riku's entire body ached, head throbbing, muscles twinging. He wheezed his breaths, eyelids refusing to lift. It felt was if he was floating, feet and hands suspended in empty space. Noise surrounded him, but he couldn't parse what it was. Where he was. Then it hit him. Lexaeus, Syndrome… Kairi! His eyes finally snapped open, and he frantically looked around, jerking his limbs to no avail; the walls still glowed blue. His hands and feet had been encased in metal spheres. A quick look to the right revealed that Kairi hung beside him. Next to her, Donald kicked and squirmed and snarled and scowled.
Bob, Helen, Dash, and Violet… All of them hovered in place, eyes fixed on an enormous screen depicting a familiar robot storming through the city. It scooped up cars, smashed through windows, and showered the streets with a downpour of lasers. However, this robot towered over the model Riku had faced, at least double in size, maybe even triple; the zoomed out footage made it difficult to tell.
However, his focus soon shifted to Syndrome himself, who cackled at the newsreel. When he turned around, his smile doubled in size.
"Well, it's about time you got up! I was starting to think you'd miss all the fun…"
"You call this fun?" Donald snapped. "Just wait'll we get outta here! Then I'll—"
"Oh, please. What're you gonna do? Whack me with a stick? Your magic's useless now, and even if you could fight back, well…" He pointed at Donald, shooting a beam of light. Like Riku and Kairi before, his whole body froze. Riku's struggling intensified, despite the futility.
He stopped when Kairi sent him a silent glance, though he continued glowering beneath his helmet. "Is this the part where you gloat about your stupid plans?"
"It's tempting, but I think the footage speaks for itself." He pointed at the screen, snickering under his breath. "It's just like a movie! People rush down the streets, crying for help. The military fires their biggest weapons, but it's no use! Even the strength of a Keyblade Master can't measure up to the Omnidroid's power…"
"And what are you gonna do with it? Destroy the city"
"Please, I'm not that short-sighted." He puffed out his chest, bringing his hands to his hips. "No, I'll save the city. I'll be bigger than Mr. Incredible, bigger than all of you! And I'll do it all without your precious powers…"
Donald shook his arms about, eyes bloodshot and face red. "Is this all just a big show to you?!"
"Uh, yeah? I can't make my big debut without a worthy nemesis. Sure, there's the Heartless, but why limit myself when I can start off with a bang?"
Fire blazed in Bob's eyes, a glare overtaking his face. "If that's all you care about, then you're no hero."
"That's funny, seeing how you're the one who started that string of lawsuits in the first place, not to mention all the damage you caused as a vigilante. And sure, I'm not a conventional hero, but at least I'm not like him." He spun toward Riku, strutting closer, but not too close. "After all, he left the Door to Darkness wide open."
Riku flinched. It was as if his entire body abruptly turned to ice; the air grew frigid, and he fought the urge to lower his head in shame.
Before anyone else could speak up, Kairi cut in. "What do you know? You weren't even there!"
"So? He could've brought back all those worlds that disappeared. Heck, I heard that if he'd shut that door, the worlds wouldn't even be able to fall to darkness… But no, he was too scared to commit." He paused just long enough for the words to sink in. Helen, Bob, the kids… they all stared at Riku, though before they could speak, Syndrome continued his tirade. "You may think I'm a villain, but have you ever thought about all those lives you've cast into the darkness? How many people you've let become mindless, Heart-stealing monsters?"
"Ignore him, Riku." Though her voice remained level, Kairi's shoulders drew up to her chin, and she shifted in her restraints. "We won't defend our mistakes. We know we should have closed the Door… but we've kept fighting despite all the darkness, and even if we can't save every world, we've saved as many as we can!"
"So? The people who survived are gonna have to live with the trauma of losing their homes."
"Like you're any better," said Riku. "If you want to put it that way, then what about the trauma from your robot? You really think people are gonna forget that?"
"Of course not, but villainous ploys are nothing new, and my heroics are gonna paint things in a totally different light." He folded his arms, pacing down the length of the machine that held them in midair. "In fact, I should be thanking you! With all the worlds in chaos, this is the perfect business opportunity. My weapons, my inventions… I can sell 'em to the highest bidders and give those worlds the hope that you were stupid enough to take away."
Riku's jaw locked shut, teeth clamping so tight that his gums began to ache. It'd be so easy to snap at him. So easy to talk back, but that was what he wanted, wasn't it? More fuel for his ego. A reaction. A show of weakness and discomfort, all because he'd echoed the thoughts Riku'd held all this time.
When Riku failed to show that weakness, he turned toward Bob instead. "I'll give them more hope than you ever did, and you wanna know the best part? Everyone will be able to be a superhero. Everyone will be super. And when everyone's super…" He whipped around, cackling on his way toward the door. "No one will be."
He was about to step through, when Riku, against his better judgment, blurted out, "And what about us?"
He looked over his shoulder, shrugging. "Hey, even if you do escape, we'll know when it happens."
"Yeah right!" said Donald. "I bet you're just bluffing."
"Nah, it's true, or have you forgotten what happened to the ship?" Moments like these made Riku grateful for his helmet, as it concealed his grimace from the others. However, instead of elaborating, Syndrome continued on his way.
The door slammed behind him, leaving the group alone, with only the newscasts to keep them company. Riku refused to watch; he'd seen enough to guess where things were going. Escape was the highest priority. Escape and finding Goofy… He couldn't have gone too far, right? If he wasn't here, then he must've taken cover somewhere. Syndrome must not have tracked him like he had with the others…
And there was no doubt they'd been tracked in some way or form. It fit too well with past events. The Sheriff's warning, the fire in the woods, Xigbar dragging him to Pacha's village, the missiles, and now this… But how? And what were the limits? How much did they know? And was Riku the one who…?
No. He could worry about that later. If he started fussing now, he'd never be able to focus on the real fight. They needed to take it one step at a time. Stop the Omnidroid, then worry about Syndrome's little taunt.
"Riku…" Helen looked to him, her expression neutral and her voice soft. "Is what he said true?"
"…Yeah." No point in denying it, even if she hated him for it. "I was scared I'd never see Sora again, and I made a promise to Kairi… We were supposed to go home together, but I know that doesn't excuse what I've done."
"You're right," said Bob. "It doesn't excuse a thing. Heroes are supposed to fight for the greater good. We're supposed to protect, especially the ones who can't fight for themselves…" Riku grimaced, looking away, but Bob soon added, "But I'm sure you know that, and now's not the time to start picking fights with each other." He let out a deep sigh. "Besides, I've been a lousy hero myself."
"What do you mean?" said Kairi. "If it's about your secret missions—"
"No. I've spent years following police scanners. I've tried to relive the glory days behind everyone's backs. And sometimes I even blew our covers, and we had to keep moving away. Starting over…"
"But that's nothing compared to what I did!" Sure, it was selfish and reckless and endangered his family's secrecy, but there was still no comparison to unleashing darkness upon the universe. Riku knew that when he made his choice.
A short silence followed until Helen spoke up again, her features calm, and her voice doubly so. "True. There's no comparison, but I'm sure you've already been told that you should value the greater good. How heroes put the many before the few… I can't say I'm happy about this, but it's already been done." Kairi opened her mouth, no doubt ready to jump to his defense when Helen added, "What matters now is how you move forward. If you've acknowledged your mistakes and are still fighting for what's right, then we have no right to judge you."
The air surrounding violet flickered purple despite the anti-magic field. Both Riku and Kairi gasped, but Violet pressed on with a smile, tumbling free from the machine.
"Um, guys," said Dash, silenced by a look from his mom, while Bob proceeded, looking toward his wife and kids.
"Right," said Bob, looking to his family. "It's the present that matters most, but I got so caught up in the past that I missed what was right in front of me. I undervalued you all, when you're my greatest adventure, and now look at us…"
"Aw, it's too soon to start thinking like that," said Kairi. "You might be surprised."
"Mhm." Violet thumped her hand on the controls, and in that instant, the sparks faded. The orbs clicked open, and the others dropped to the floor. "Now, I know all this talk of darkness is pretty heavy, but why don't we save it for after we beat the killer robot?"
The group barreled out the door, though even as they tore into the halls, the walls continued emitting a bluish glow. Stubborn, Riku tried willing his Keyblade to appear; it failed, and as they bolted deeper into the base, Heartless plunged from the ceilings, burst from the floor, and pounced from the walls. Unhindered by Syndrome's strange technology, Bob slammed his way through the crowd. Helen stretched out her arms, scooping up Heartless and smashing them into each other, while Violet projected barriers over Riku, Kairi, and Donald, and Dash sprinted so fast his body became a blur.
Along the way, Riku looked to Donald. "By the way, where's Goofy?"
"About that…" He gulped. "I told him to get the ship, but we lost track of him after Syndrome popped up!"
Kairi winced, but smiled nonetheless. "He'll be okay. Maybe… maybe he's just laying low right now."
After ramming a Heartless into the wall, Dash said, "But he's a talking dog! There's no way he could blend in."
A Viking Heartless rattled the floor with its hammer and forced everyone to jump and scatter. Lasers showered them from above, halted by another, larger barrier, surrounding the whole group. Grinning, Dash then bolted across the floor, sending the others tumbling as he turned the shield into a hamster ball. If the momentum hadn't flung Riku into Bob's back, he would've pointed out how unreliable the cloaking system was.
However, by the time Dash stopped, his head spun so fast, he could scarcely form a coherent thought, let alone words. The Parrs continued pummeling their way through the current of Heartless. Oddly, no guards joined the swarms, and no alarms wailed. Even the Heartless numbers dwindled over time. Following Helen's lead, they made their way toward the docking bay, when one final Heartless barricade blocked the way from wall to wall. Then, just as the group screeched to a stop, a metal disc sailed through the Heartless mob. It ricocheted off their cheeks, their helmets, their necks, and with a great big holler, Goofy burst from the masses, catching his shield and twirling into their foes.
"That'll teach ya for gangin' up on my pals!"
"Goofy!" Donald flew across the floor, smiling bright up until a laser blast flew at his rump. Luckily, Goofy swatted the blast back with his shield. Then, after delivering one more spinning blow, he chortled and waved at the others.
"Sorry I'm late, fellers!"
"Hey, no need to apologize!" said Riku. "I'm just glad you made it."
"Gawrsh, I didn't mean to worry ya, but—yikes!" He sprung away from one of the white-armored Heartless just in time for Helen to sock its chin with an elastic punch. Meanwhile, Bob scooped up two of the hammer-toting Vikings and repeatedly smashed them against the walls.
Zigzagging around the swarm, Dash stopped just long enough to make faces at the Heartless, then began rapidly punching, kicking, and flipping over their heads. Even without Keyblades, their numbers dropped like flies. With the Parrs delivering a continuous beat down, Goofy slipped closer to Riku and the others, picking up where he left off.
"Well, like I was sayin', by the time I got to the ship, you fellers were already gone! 'Course, I tried trackin' ya down, but with all them jets docked out there, and all them guards roamin' around, I didn't wanna risk gettin' caught before I could rescue ya!"
Another Heartless burst into smoke, and Helen stretched her arms around the stragglers, trapping them in her rubbery grip. As she held her position, she looked to Goofy. "And are there any jets left?"
He drooped over, shaking his head. "'Fraid not, but I did see a rocket ship! C'mon, I'll show ya!" He waited for Helen to let go and for Bob to subsequently bash a gap in the mob. A few more punches from Helen and Dash, and the final Heartless fell. Soon the group rushed into a wide, open space, devoid of all vehicles, save for a lone white trailer and the Highwind, parked up against the wall.
Wasting no time at all, Dash zoomed at the Highwind and whistled. "Hey, what's the hold up?"
Already, Helen, Bob, and Violet had made their way toward the ship. Goofy marched right behind them, but while Donald started waddling in pursuit, Riku gulped and breathed through clenched teeth.
"Wait. I don't think that's a good idea."
"Uh, why not?" said Dash. "This thing's so fast, I bet we'd make it there in five minutes!"
"But you heard what Syndrome said." He looked away, balling his hands up. "Look, it might've been a bluff, but I don't want to take chances." Granted, they still had numbers on their side, but wouldn't Syndrome and Lexaeus account for that, too? Their focus was already gonna be split enough with the Omnidroid on the loose.
Huffing, Dash started tapping his foot. "So what do you expect us to do? Wait around while that robot smashes everything?"
"No! I'm not saying we should give up. We just need to think this through." He eyed the ship, tapping at his temple.
"Well, what about that rocket?" Kairi brushed past the nearby trailer, craning her neck and then motioning for the others. Sure enough, a lone rocket ship remained docked at the far corner of the room.
"Hmm… It could work," said Riku, "but does anyone here know how to pilot it? Might just be faster if I opened a corridor, and—" He stopped himself, eying the still glowing walls. With the anti-magic field in place, there was no way that'd work without making their way back to the jungle. And that was assuming the jungle was free of Syndrome's tech.
Kairi's shoulders sank, and she crossed her arms loosely. "It was a nice thought."
Just then, there was a soft beep, followed by a click. The once glimmering walls grew dull once more, and a woman's voice chimed over the intercom.
"Actually, I think it's a brilliant idea."
Gasping, Helen looked up toward the windows up above, where Mirage greeted the group with a smile and a wave. "Are you sure you should be helping us?"
"It may be a bit reckless," she said, "but no more reckless than Syndrome's actions and his alliance with that Nobody."
Smiling sheepishly, Kairi tittered a bit. "That's twice now… Shouldn't we pay you back?"
"There's no need. In fact, I hardly deserve such kindness."
Riku could've asked why, but time was of the essence. So, instead, he flexed his hands, drawing forth the shadows and twisting them into a corridor. He and Kairi locked eyes, then charged into the darkness. With luck, they'd by the others enough time to thwart Syndrome's scheme, assuming they failed in their attempts.
x.x.x
The rampage continued no sign of stopping. The shrieking of sirens blended with the thundering drones of cannon fire and the cries and screams of panicked citizens. Where before the robot stomped down the streets, it now hovered, propelled by jets beneath its feet. It must have expected further mine fields, or perhaps it sought greater speed in its rampage. Aqua couldn't begin to guess its motives, and as direct combat had since proven fruitless, she and Sora shifted their efforts to the more vulnerable targets. The innocent civilians, incapable of fighting back.
A wall of tanks formed a barricade between the robot and a swarm of fleeing civilians. A wave of green light washed over the crowd, courtesy of Sora, who turned around for a moment and clapped his hands, pulling the nearby shadows beneath the robot. Was he trying to transport it through a corridor? Could one portal even sustain that much mass?
It ultimately proved irrelevant, as the robot halted its approach, then swerved around the growing portal. Hissing, Sora pounded the ground with his fist, but soon turned tail and whistled to the citizens. He scampered down the street, taking the lead while Aqua followed the crowd's rear. Gunshots persisted from afar, joined by the bellows of tank fire. A shiver rushed down Aqua's spine. The surrounding windows shattered. Waterfalls of Heartless poured out of the nearby buildings.
Cursing to herself, Aqua forced her way through the crowd, surrounded by a ring of electricity. She rammed into the nearest Heartless, immediately following the blow with an explosive Mega Flare before surrounding herself with flaming whirlwinds and incinerating the few that survived her initial attacks. Purple orbs whirled around her. The air swirled with a silvery-blue glow. Descending Heartless scattered, hurtling into subsequent lightning strikes. Those in the distance met their end by glistening light projectiles, while Aqua twirled like a ballerina.
But for all their combined efforts, a few stray Heartless swooped down, grabbed the citizens at the heart of the crowd, and zoomed past the two heroes. Though Sora warped onto a rooftop and tackled the escapees, other caped Heartless circled around him like a murder of wicked crows. A series of SLAMS sounded off from behind. An immense shadow passed over the mob. A falling tank threatened to squash them flat, but at the last second, Aqua clenched her teeth and called up another barrier.
This excessive use of magic would drain her reserves if she wasn't cautious, and with the city in chaos and superpowers suppressed, what hope was there in obtaining ethers and elixirs? Though she pulled the tank gently to the ground with magnetic force, she did so with a gulp and a grimace. Of course the attack persisted. On one end, the robot finally breached the barricade. Its lasers rained from on high, while Heartless closed in on the crowd's head.
Fortunately, with Ghost Drive in effect, she began warping across the battlefield; if she couldn't thwart the robot, she could at least clear a path. However, in the midst of her attacks, the temperatures plummeted. The air grew moist, and icicles rained from the sky, skewering the Heartless masses. Briefly, he paused, flashing Aqua a grin.
"Need a hand?"
She blew an enormous sigh, returning the smile. "Yes, please, but make sure you watch out for the—"
CRASH.The last of the tanks toppled onto its side, and the robot barged through the now vacant space. As it approached, the man whistled.
"Whew, that's one ugly hunk of junk!"
"Maybe so," said Aqua, "but it's borderline invincible. I've already tried all my strongest—" One of the robot's legs lurched at her, launching her into another cartwheel. Another barrier materialized at the last second, deflecting the claws from the spectators.
Glowering, Sora flipped into the center of the crowd and raised his arms, while Ven called out to her. "Hey, we're gonna send these guys across town. Think you can keep it busy?"She gave him a brief nod before tumbling beneath another leg and right into the grasp of another. As soon as it clamped its claws around her, it flung Aqua at a nearby window. Thankfully, with Ghost Drive still active, she began flickering across the barrier and leaving afterimages in her wake. At the same time, the man whirled around the robot, wrapping its whole body in an icy shell. Normally, Aqua would have expressed that it was futile, but as it was, any delay was welcome, especially with Sora hard at work.
Corridors began sprouting one after the other. Though some civilians lingered, the majority of the crowd spilled into the portals. Cracks began spreading down the ice. Steam escaped from those cracks, and with a single shake, the shell shattered, and the robot raised its front two feet, activating its flaming jets and flinging them at the man, while one of its other feet snapped at Aqua, and she plunged from her perch. The claws shattered several more windows, but it took a moment for it to jerk its foot free.
In that time, both Aqua and the super rocketed down the street. An avalanche of snow dropped from behind, reinforced by icy walls. As they fled, Aqua took aim at the rubble, lifting it with a wave of her Keyblade and setting it around the base of the walls. It wouldn't last; in fact, the robot soon smashed through the blockade like an enormous bowling ball.
Looking back, the man cringed; at least, that's what it looked like. His visor concealed half his face. "Geez. Is there anything this thing can't do?"
She would have answered, if the robot wasn't closing in on them. Fortunately, Sora wrapped them all in yet another portal and dropped them on the roof of the nearest building. The robot continued moving for a few more seconds, while the road transformed into an ice skating rink. As soon as the robot touched the ice, it blazed down the road, then CRASHED into a nearby building. Though Aqua shuddered at the sight, she couldn't deny the man's ingenuity.
Seemingly pleased, he crouched over the edge of the roof and chuckled. "Well, I guess that's one weakness."
"In a sense, but you'd be surprised how durable it is." To prove her point, the robot soon smashed its way out of the wreckage, free from dents and scratches. Its head whirled about, as if scanning the area. Immediately, Aqua ducked, lying flat on her stomach.
The others did the same, tension seeping through Aqua's body as the robot passed down below. It twirled its visor toward the building, but though it lingered for a few spare moments, it soon resumed hovering down the road. Once it had gone a fair distance, the man brought a finger to his lips, then rolled onto his knees. He waved for the others to scoot closer before finally whispering.
"So, you got any idea where that thing came from?"
"Not a clue," said Aqua. "It'd already crashed by the time we found it."
And, true, it may have originated from that island Riku had mentioned, but there was surely more to this world than one island and one city, if Edna's GPS was any indication. Moreover, assumptions would hardly alleviate the situation; the fact of the matter was that the robot posed a tremendous risk, heightened by its seeming invincibility.
The man slapped a hand on his knee, lips curling back. "Well, great. Of all the times for a super villain to get back in the game, it just had to be on my anniversary…"
Whispery laughter slipped from her lips. "Family obligations, then? Must be nice."
"Sure, long as that hunk of junk doesn't flatten the whole town! Speaking of which, we'd better get moving again."
"Hmm…" True, they needed to act, but even a group attack proved futile before. If they were to succeed, they needed a more practical approach. "On the positive side, there's only one robot. It might be a bit risky, but if we can keep shifting its attention between the three of us, then we can at least buy the civilians some time to escape."
Pouting, Sora crossed is arms and tilted his head, while Ven once again spoke for him. "But is that really the best we can do? Even if we escort everybody outta town, that won't stop that 'bot from wrecking the place.""True, but we can use that time to uncover its weakness. Don't you see? It's a matter of trial, error, and limiting the number of civilian lives in the crossfire."
"Sounds like standard hero work to me," said the man. "I'm game, but let's try to make it quick, all right?"
"Of course. That would be the ideal outcome." As she wandered near the edge of the rooftop, she paused. "By the way, what should we call you?"
"Heh. The name's Frozone." A fitting name, given his powers, which he once again demonstrated by forming an icy slope from the rooftop.
"And I'm Aqua." And with the introductions out of the way, she dived down from the roof, blasting air beneath her feet to slow her descent. Watching her, Frozone whistled and flashed a thumbs up.
"Man, you Keyblade wielders really are somethin' else."
They soon worked their way toward the center of town, near the grassy park and another gaggle of citizens staring up at the approaching menace. Amidst the crowd, a white, marshmallow-like figure slowly turned, then waved his hand and tapped the shoulder of the boy next to him.
"Look, Hiro! It's that woman from before."
"Wait, seriously?" Before long, a familiar, black-haired teen came sprinting out of the mob. "Hey, Aqua! Over here."
A small gasp escaped her, and she quickened her pace before ultimately breaking into a sliding dash. As she drifted to a stop, Hiro started to stare.
"Uh, okay, how'd you manage to—" Once Sora popped up, he sprung back with a yelp. "Uh, wait! There's a Heartless—"
"I think you've got bigger problems, kiddo," said Frozone from atop an icy wave. As soon as he appeared, the surrounding citizens began to cheer.
"The supers are back!"
"Hey, I know that guy! It's Frozone, isn't it?"
"We're saved!"
"No. Way," said Hiro, jaw dropping even further. "You mean to tell me there's real superheroes here? But that's impossible, unless—"
Where before the robot stomped toward the crowd, this time it slammed into the ground, carving a crater and shaking the surrounding landscape. Its claws snapped toward Frozone, shattering his icy perch; fortunately, he slid down at the last second, swerving behind its back. All the while, Sora dropped in front of its face and stuck out his tongue. It raised one foot, driving its claws at its own shell. Though Sora warped out of the way, the robot halted its attack at the last second and immediately pulled its arm away.
But what was it afraid of? Sora repeated the same tactic, but just like before, the robot stopped its claws from striking its metal shell. If it shrugged off their magic, then surely it had nothing to fear…
Unless the robot was strong enough to puncture its own body.
It soon ignored Sora altogether, blasting lasers at Frozen, who flew down his icy slope, swirling around its back. Claws shot forth like missiles, and it began tearing cars from the street again. Looking into Hiro's eyes, Aqua spoke with a firm tone.
"Listen, everyone. It isn't safe here, so please run! We'll do everything in our power to protect you from—"
Barriers flashed around the civilians, and she whipped around, seizing another car with a Magnet spell. The citizens immediately poured down the road like a living current. As they fled, however, Hiro kept his eyes glued to the robot.
"Hey, if you guys manage to beat that thing, d'you think I can look at the wreckage?"
Baymax blinked. "Hiro, you aren't thinking of recreating it, are you?"
"Oh, c'mon! I wouldn't build a giant, city-destroying robot. I just wanna see the specs! Y'know, for educational purposes."
Interesting. So Hiro was interested in robotics, then? "Well," said Aqua, "I can't tell you what it's made from, but it's capable of withstanding extreme heat, cold, and electrical pulses without taking any damage."
Hiro's face lit up immediately. "Dude, that's insane! And it'd be kind of awesome, if it wasn't trying to kill us right now."
Piles of snow began to rise up, catching the raining vehicles. Others passed through corridors in midair, dropping closer to the street. A trail of laser fire blazed at Aqua's tail. She met those lasers with Shotlock blasts. A few even struck the gun at the robot's head, shaking it slightly. Another weak point, perhaps? She was about to test her luck, when the road gave an abrupt lurch, and a circular wall of stone tore through the asphalt surrounding the robot. Just then, its movements halted, and a man clad in black and white spandex swooped down, his hair like wild flames and a crooked grin glued to his lips.
He hovered above the robot and shouted to the masses. "Have no fear, citizens! Syndrome is here to save the day!"
The crowd ceased their fleeing, all eyes on this strange man. Questions soon broke out one after the other.
"Are you a new super? Where'd you come from?"
"You sure you can stop this thing? The other supers haven't even scratched it!"
"Forget that! Are you single?"
He lifted his hands, chuckling lightly. "Yes, I'm new, and you bet I can stop it! Watch and learn." He pressed a button his glove, and the robot's arm smashed through its rocky cage. It flew right at him, but he swerved out of the way, swooped at its shoulder, pressed another button, and delivered a tiny punch. Somehow, despite the lack of effort, the arm flew right off its joint and crashed to the ground below. The crowd instantly cheered, though Aqua refrained; this man's presence left a chilling sensation in the pit of her stomach. A deep darkness swelled within his chest, hidden behind his cape and cowl.
When the robot retaliated with yet another car, Syndrome extended his finger, catching in a strange, blue aura and suspending it in midair.
He smashed it into the robot's head with a simple swish of the arm, then winked at Aqua. "See? I've gotcha covered." He fired two lasers from his gloves, but the robot fired back, aiming at his wristband. Scowling, Aqua pulled a barrier around him, deflecting the blast for a time.
Hiro gawked at Syndrome, his whole body stooped over and his mouth agape. "Dude, how are you doing that?"
"Heh. You like what you see, kid? Well, I don't wanna brag, but I invented—" He lunged beneath another clawed foot, and Aqua groaned.
"If you're serious about defeating it, then shouldn't you save the gloating for later?"
For all of a millisecond, his face wrinkled into a glare, or perhaps it was Aqua's imagination. Soon after, he flashed the others a sparkling smile. "Of course. Real heroes are humble!" He swooped in, pressing another button as the robot's claws flew at his middle. It arm froze, and with another punch, its enormous hand flew off balance.
Still, Frozone continued his attempts to freeze the robot's legs to the street despite the futility. The once busy road grew empty, save for those too dazzled by the display to save themselves. Suspicious as he was, Aqua still assaulted the robot with spells in an attempt to hold its focus, but for some reason, her assistance was met with short-lived scowls and twitchy fingers. Syndrome's face twisted into knots as he tried to maintain a cheery expression.
The robot launched another attack, and Syndrome jerked out of the way. He pressed another button, but a second laser fired at him regardless. While he continued swerving about, he shouted to the remaining citizens.
"Don't worry! I do this all the time." Corridors spread over his head, Heartless plunging for him, but again, he pointed his fingers, catching them in another energy field and hurling them at the robot's visor.
They made no moves to attack Syndrome. In fact, they pounced at Aqua, Sora, and Frozone alike, and as the heroes sliced, chilled, and clawed their way through the shadowy pests, Syndrome flew in for another punch. A mistake, as the barrier soon faded, the laser struck its mark, and his remote control wristband sailed through the air.
A figure clad in black emerged from the crowd, his towering, muscular build impossible to mistake. "Syndrome, they're on their way."
"Of course." His grin vanished again, replaced by a wrinkled snarl. "Well, keep 'em busy while I—"
The claws flew at his back, and he jerked away with a yelp. More Heartless dropped onto the robot, clawing at its shell, its visor, its limbs. Hammers struck metal to no avail. Sparks trailed down its legs, but it shrugged off each blow. Perhaps this was even his intent, and the Heartless were simply a distraction.
Sighing, Frozone rejoined the fray, creating yet another ice rink below the robot's feet while it tore through the Heartless coating its visor. It stumbled back, then slid right into another building.
"What's wrong? I thought you said you had it covered."
"Shut up!" Syndrome's face was beet red, his nostrils flared, and his fists shaking. The Heartless continued piling onto the robot, even as it continued blasting and tearing through them.
Arching her brow, Aqua stared into his eyes, while barriers continued to deflect incoming lasers and the crowd began to disperse. "And why should we? You're working with a member of the Organization, and you're commanding the Heartless." Syndrome's eye twitched, proof that she was on the right track. "In fact, who's to say you weren't the one who sent this robot in the first place?"
Those who still lingered started murmuring amongst each other. Syndrome's face grew even redder, his eyes now bloodshot and his teeth bared. The Heartless began to sink into the robot, while more continued raining onto its outer shell. Though futile, Frozone coiled ice around the shadowy pests, sticking them to the Omnidroid for seconds at a time. Sora soon joined in, reinforcing his ice, but in his rage, Syndrome grabbed them both in his strange energy, stopped only when Aqua's Keyblade struck his waist.
Two shadows passed over the street. Smoky black projectiles assaulted the robot from above, joined by shimmering white bullets. When the armored duo descended, Aqua flashed them a brief smile.
Syndrome, on the other hand, practically roared. "That's it!"
For whatever reason, the robot ceased its struggle. The rest of the Heartless sank into its body, and the red light on its visor dimmed. Its body grew limp. Was that really the end? Both Riku and Kairi swooped down at Syndrome, splitting apart when he launched his strange energy. They stopped beside Aqua, and Sora dived down to meet them. Together, they raised both weapons and claws, while Lexaeus strode beside Syndrome and summoned his enormous blade.
The robot began to shudder. The light in its visor flashed purple. Black smoke radiated from its body. Syndrome turned to marvel at the display, and this time, the robot stood idle, as if awaiting his commands.
TO BE CONTINUEDA/N: Oh, it's the writer's block, writer's block song! We're very, very sorry that it took so darn long. With that said, there's just one chapter left in this world, so stay tuned for the big finish! And Treasure Planet, too. It's the next world. C:
I have some RL obligations to take care of this month, but I'll try to get the next update out ASAP. I've been wanting to write it for a long time, as it deals with something important.
By the way, welcome to the new readers! I hope you're enjoying the ride, and I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.