Note: I don't own any of the characters mentioned, just my own OC. Credit for the GrimmFall Universe goes to Lord Maximus. :3 Enjoy! :)
Opening Files: Shadow Line
The Shadow Line is the name of the proposed shinkansen line running through the Darklands of America, an attempt to map out the Darklands' terrain.
Of course, given the very nature of the program, many seasoned Huntsmen have shot it down, insisting that it is a death sentence to anyone riding the shinkansen through the domain of Sammael. These concerns are actually very valid, seeing as how countless Grimm reside there. But proponents of the idea, among them the legendary Dragon of Denver, insist that the trains, when armed, would have a fighting chance.
Another proponent of the system is Mayor Dan von Wittenberg, mayor of Denver himself. Married to a former conductor for one of the earliest shinkansen trains in Berlin, Germany, he knows of the speed they have, and has actually supported an armaments program for the Denver Shadow and Denver Bullet. But so far he has yet to get funding for the program, or even any weapons.
The Governor of Colorado, Alicia Watson, also supports the idea, stating that bullet trains have an edge in their safety record as well, although she admits it has yet to be tested fully in the Darklands or even Wildlands. However, as before, the idea is always shot down - at least until evidence of success regarding the Shadow Line comes forward.
Close Files
"Unfortunately today, I have no words of wisdom. There are some days we just can't muster the strength or wisdom to convey. I know even I have my off days, but then again, what can one do? Not every day has to have wisdom given. But at the same time, it can make one stronger," TOM explained as he closed down the Shadow Line file. "And sometimes things can just be ideas. But then again, aren't all things based on ideas? What ideas do you have? Are they good, or bad? That's what makes humans unique, and different, from other species of animals in one reality, but in others, who knows? It all comes down to how one reacts to those ideas."
Then TOM chuckled. "Well, I guess I did have something after all." He pressed a button on the arm rest of his chair and leaned back to watch.
(The scene shows a city in chaos as Navy Pier is attacked by Grimm, only for a young boy to get involved, taking a blow to his chest during the fighting, his eyes widening before he collapses)
Start Dawn Over a New World (Dragonforce)
(The youth is in the hospital as the camera pans down to show the flashing light of the life support machine before the scene goes black)
In the darkness of the night in the shadows of the dawn (A pair of violet optics flares before the camera pans back to reveal a dark blue mecha with a pair of draconic wings on his back, standing in front of a battlefield laden with Grimm, a cloak flapping about his frame as six others stand beside him: a woman with brown hair and a rapier, a man with a trench coat missing the sleeves below the elbow, a sandy-blond haired man with a broadsword resting against his back, a woman with long sandy blonde hair wielding a shotgun, a red-armored woman with a sword in her left hand, and a woman with a large hammer)
It's turning black no looking back the sands of time are sown (The seven of them lunge towards the camera as it goes black)
When the day will slowly end and the sun has turned to grey (A flash of light erupts from the center of the screen before it pans down to show the reddish skies of the Darklands, two red eyes flashing)
Will we feel the power of freedom with the dawn of a new day? (The light from the eyes fades to show a sunset as the group stands before a futuristic city, more advanced than even GrimmFall)
Title: GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising
Over mountains paved with gold to the valleys of the slain (The Gundam is shown walking down a mountain path littered with slain warriors, the hood of his cloak covering his face, images of his friends in the background)
Our quest will lead us onwards to the journey of the brave (He stops as he looks back at his friends as they jog to keep up, each of them with their own weapons in hand)
When the time has come to stand for the power we believe (A horde of Grimm suddenly appears, their reddish eyes illuminating the scene before the group readies themselves for battle as the Grimm charge in a sea of black)
We will ring the sound of victory for one and all to see (The seven unleash a combination attack that strikes the Grimm, turning them into thick black smoke that engulfs the camera)
Sometimes in your darkest dreams you will feel the haunting prayer (The smoke vanishes to show a pair of amber eyes on a shadowy wolf-like form before it lunges at the camera)
Silent tears of your hidden fears come to haunt you once again (The figure vanishes to reveal a group of mouse Mobians huddling as sinister cat-like shadows loom in the darkness around them)
Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dreams (The images get closer as the darkness covers the screen, only to fade as a blast of light comes from the side, the camera panning to reveal the Gundam holding his beam magnum at the ready, having pulled the trigger to dispel the nightmarish darkness)
Their pain in the silent lands on wings of glory free (The Gundam lowers his weapon and charges at the screen, his optics flaring before the camera follows him, showing him flying at a large figure that is hulking in its blackness)
We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (The two clash, a shockwave cutting across the screen before it vanishes to show the same city from before, but this time there is a sunny sky above it as the darkness is fading into the distance)
And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (The seven warriors stand there, each of them ready to fight to the very end)
Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (The seven split off, and this time the woman with the rapier is shown as she cracks it into a whip, sending an arc of lightning right for a Grimm)
Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (She leaps back and snaps her whip out, curling it around the neck of a catlike Mobian dressed in gangster gear before throwing him towards the camera)
Through the darkness shining the neverending light (The camera follows the Mobian before he gets to his feet, glaring at the man with the trench coat, a rocket launcher held in his hands, his Aura shining a light grey color)
On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (The man aims his weapon and fires, the camera following the rocket before it explodes against a large horse-like Grimm, dispelling it into black smoke)
And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (The smoke is blown aside as it shows the group standing in front of ruins that depict an ancient civilization of technology far more advanced than even GrimmFall's best technologies)
The cries of war will sound the day (The camera pans to show the torch before zooming back, showing a humanoid shape standing in front of a horde of Grimm that resemble cyborgs, but not, and in the background two green optics flare sinisterly)
We stand before the dawn of a new world (The shape lunges at the screen, a fist thrusting forward and slamming it into the ground before the dust fades to show the seven standing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean)
On through the raging thunder across the seven seas (The camera follows the ocean for a few seconds before it pans up and follows a bird before it zooms down to show a western town)
Cold winter skies are falling on the battles we have seen (A single tumbleweed blows past the camera as the town's populace is shown, alongside guests and tourists)
We can go on forever with the darkness so far away (The town's populace is almost overwhelmed by Grimm before a blast of red fiery energy destroys a number of them, the camera panning over to show a red-clad warrior with wild blonde hair)
And the warriors who live forever fight on to the end (The warrior turns to face the Gundam as he approaches, followed by a dog Mobian wielding twin pistols)
Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (The trio pivots to face a sinister shape with a monocle on its left eye, holding a cane in one hand)
Our journey ever onwards fight until we all... (The figure waves its cane as more shadows lunge out, forcing the trio to go on the attack, all three combining their most powerful moves into one attack which strikes the shadowy shapes, covering the screen in smoke)
Across the highest mountains and through the endless seas (The smoke is blown apart to show the man with the trench coat having fired his rocket launcher at a large Grimm that looks like a bull)
Our journey ever onwards fight until we all be free (The Grimm shrugs off the rocket and charges at the man as he turns intangible, phasing into the ground)
Through the darkness shining the neverending light (A formless shape emerges from the dirt, first becoming an eyeball with a single leg before morphing into a more humanoid form, its lone eye flashing red)
On through the days of glory rise towards the fight (A large explosion of dust and earth engulfs the screen before the wolf-like figure from before lands, eyes flashing amber before a blast of ice and snow engulfs the screen)
And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age (Snow and ice are blown apart as the Gundam fires his beam burst gun, the blasts exploding close to the ruins from before, showing a mural with the same advanced city depicted on it)
The cries of war will sound the day (The camera pans away from the ruins to show the seven warriors standing before a Grimm Horde as it attacks, only for them to lunge at the Horde, as both sides clash to send a shockwave towards the camera)
We stand before the dawn of a new world (The shockwave dissipates to show the seven standing on top of a building in the mountains)
We stand before the dawn of a new world... (The camera pans around to show them from the rear as the sun rises beyond the mountain city, showing nothing but green fields and the ocean beyond the horizon)
GRIMMFALL: DRAGON'S RISING
Arc II: Assault on Green River
I didn't realize just how difficult it was actually going to be.
I gripped my beam magnum in my hand and aimed it at the Food creature as it roared at us.
Me, Agunimon, Nick, and Sylvester. Who'd have thought that this would happen, three of us fighting against a Food creature?
The creature growled as it drew back a fist, its ten rail fingers flexing before launching at us.
I crouched, flaring my wings and darting skyward as my flight pack hummed in my audios. Sylvester and Nick barely got their horses to move to the side as the rail-fingers impacted the ground where they had been just moments before.
I watched in worry as the rails began to shudder and jiggle, the strands of sand connecting them drawing them back towards the Food creature. "Shit...!" I muttered.
This was not good under any circumstances. My optics dimmed a shade as I looked left and right. The main question now was how were we going to beat this beast.
I spotted Agunimon as he aimed his rifle/katana at the Food creature's head. He waited a bit, and then my optics picked out the muzzle flash as the round exited the barrel. I wasn't surprised to see it heading for the creature's head. But what I was surprised at was seeing the creature raise a hand and use its rail fingers to form a shield of sorts.
My optics flashed in surprise and shock. "The hell is this thing capable of?!" I blurted.
"No clue," Nick growled. "But we gotta try something!" He aimed his rocket launcher and pulled the trigger, sending a projectile right for the creature's left leg. I caught the glint of light blue Dust in the warhead and I realized what his plan was. I gripped my beam magnum and hefted it, ready to fire it once the rocket hit its target.
Sylvester took the chance and ran for the creature, firing his shotgun at its face and earning a growl as the creature pivoted its head in his direction. Raising a hand, it launched a few rail fingers at the cat Mobian and his horse. He pulled back on the reins as he urged his mount into a gallop. The rails barely missed their target as the cat fired a few more shots. The creature was so distracted by its new opponent it failed to hear the rocket as it whistled through the air. I waited, tense, as the rocket struck the creature's left leg and froze it solid.
That was the chance I needed.
I aimed my beam magnum and pulled the trigger as the creature realized at that moment it was caught. It drew back a hand, those rail fingers gleaming as it prepared to drive them into the ice. I desperately willed my gun to charge faster, but there was no use in that. I had to release the charged shot now. Or else the creature would get away.
But before it could drive those fingers into the ice holding its leg, Agunimon's next round struck it in the face, earning a howl of agony and I almost clamped my hands over my audio sensors. But I ignored it and held the trigger down a bit longer until I felt the gun start to vibrate from the power of the charged shot.
I finally released the trigger and the gun roared, sending a blast of charged beam energy right for the creature's frozen leg.
It struck and shattered the limb into hundreds of pieces of ice.
The Food creature screeched as it fell, its rail fingers lashing out to fire at Nick. But he was on the move, urging his horse to the side and in the nick of time. The metal impaled the ground and I hissed through my vents as I charged up my magnum a second time. I aimed it at the creature's neck and fired. The beast turned and its one remaining tomato and olive eye narrowed at me. The image was enough to make me shudder against my will, but I ignored it as I fired a few more shots from my gun.
The creature roared as my shots hit its 'skin' and turned it to glass or scorched it. I was kind of surprised really. Was it possible the souls of the deceased were giving it a sort of nervous system, much like my psychoframe did for me? That was one question that had to wait, though. I wasn't about to let this thing get closer to the train, or anything else. And I was sure as hell not going to let Grandma Stuffum continue to use the souls of dead children to give her creations intelligence and sentience!
My wings flared wide open as I released my fin funnels. This time, I was not holding back.
"Okay, Stuffum!" I growled. "This ends here and now!"
The creature roared as it charged at me and the others. I dimmed my optics a shade as the creature drew back a fist and fired it off, the rail fingers extending out to try and drive themselves into me. I barely dodged the strike as it blasted past me. I whirled around in the air and let loose a few more shots before the clip ran empty. I ejected it and replaced my magnum on my flight back as I flipped my beam burst gun forward into firing position.
"EAT THIS!" I roared, firing off a blast of energy from the gun.
The beam split into six smaller shots, each one striking the creature on the chest, stomach, arms, legs, or the head. I fired off a second salvo not even a minute later, this time hitting it again. The creature roared in agony, and by now the other competitors were getting roped into the fight as well; mostly because this thing was threatening the passengers on the train.
The train!
My optics flashed in shock as I whirled around, only to stare in shock as the sand beneath the derailed train began to shift and ooze, tendrils of... something... reaching up and slithering into the coaches and even the very engine itself. The entire train - and passengers - was in danger of being absorbed by this thing. The train began to slip away from the tracks, the tendrils now drawing the machine into the body. Parts of the engine were removed, the grille becoming a chest plate, the funnel becoming armor for the arms, and the rest turned into armor for the legs, shoulders, and even the head. The coaches on the other hand...
Those were absorbed into the very creature itself. Becoming part of it, and the passengers as well. Well, more like the coaches became protrusions of sorts, the passengers turned into unwilling hostages.
"Shit...!" I muttered. "Shitshitshitshit!"
I watched in horror as the Food creature howled in triumph.
With its body now armored, there was no way for me to destroy whatever was powering it.
And that meant trouble for everyone.
My optics dimmed a shade as I growled to myself. If that thing was armored like this, then...
"Oh... Glob..." I muttered as my gaze landed on the town in the distance, realization dawning on me. "No... way...!"
That was it.
I had to get backup! And fast!
The comm line beeped as he looked at the monitor. "Hm?"
A hand reached out and pressed the button. "What is it?" he asked.
"Sir, it's Kelly. I just got an urgent message from Dracon," the voice of his secretary said.
"And what does he want?" he wondered.
"He said it's urgent. He wants us to send the Bullet." Those words were what he was not expecting to hear.
"He wants us to send the Bullet?!" he blurted.
"Yes, sir. He said it's needed because of the Food Witch."
Kelly's voice was serious as she said this. Her words were enough to make him think. His hand flew to his mouth as he leaned forward at his desk, observing the city from his office's location. He reflected back on the mission involving the Legendary Warrior of Flame and Dracon. They both had encountered the Food Witch within the ruins of Thorton, prompting him to order a shoot on sight for the City Guard. In truth, the man was downright frightened of the Witch and her powers. It was enough to make him wonder just what it would take, short of a nuke, to finish that woman off.
He growled to himself as he looked at the three blinking icons on his terminal. The icons - all lit up right now - each indicated a specific type of train currently undergoing maintenance or just routine routes. One of them was currently a bright green, meaning it was at rest at the station. One was a bright red, indicating that it was undergoing maintenance while the last one was yellow, meaning it was on its routine run within the city limits.
But only one type of train could get to his location in time, and its light was currently a pulsing gold indicating it was on its latest run.
"What's his situation?" he asked at last.
I hoped with all my being that the message had gotten through.
And for good reason, since there was only one way to stop this creature.
And it was not the standard way for exterminating a Grimm. Since this thing was made from the souls of the deceased and the very environment mixed with food, it meant that we needed something of sufficient power to defeat it.
The only thing that could do so was considered unconventional, but since we lived in a world with superpowers and dark demonic creatures created from black ooze, what counted as conventional, anyway?
Still, to see a shinkansen running down a Grimm or golem was not that common.
My optics flicked over to where Agunimon was perched, only to see him standing up as he slipped his rifle/katana onto his back. He threw off his cloak as he leapt off the rock and landed, bolting over to our location. He skidded to a stop as Sylvester and Nick looked at him. "Well, this is something new," he muttered.
"Duh! Of course it is!" I growled. "Not!"
The Warrior of Flame snorted as he blew some hair out of his face. "So, what's the deal this time?" he asked. "What led to this thing?"
"Long story short, Grandma Stuffum!" I muttered angrily. "And she's finally gone too far..." My optics pulsed dangerously as I said those words.
"Who'sth thisth?" Sylvester asked.
"Agunimon," was all I said. "He's a Hunter like us. So don't question."
The cat Mobian cocked an eyebrow, but let it slide. Nick narrowed his eyes as he took in Agunimon's scruffy appearance, that was it. I later learned that he had heard rumors of the Warrior of Flame, and also had seen him in action once or twice. But now to be working with him as well? That was something he hadn't expected, and in truth, neither had I.
Regardless, we had a mission.
And I was determined to complete it, as well as find little Yasha.
My optics shifted from their usual violet hue to that cool green color indicative of my anger and fury. I clenched my fists as I felt my psychoframe kick into action, glowing a bright greenish white color.
Beside me I could sense Agunimon throwing his rifle/katana up into the air before he shifted from his Human Spirit to his more powerful Beast Spirit, BurningGreymon. I didn't even need to see it, as my sensors let me know when the shimmering ribbon around his body faded.
Nick simply held up his rocket launcher as Sylvester aimed his shotgun.
The Food creature roared as it lunged at us, but we were faster. Nick was rolling to the side as one of its massive metal-clad feet landed on the ground, Sylvester spurring his mount into a run. Me and BurningGreymon on the other hand, took to the skies to avoid being splattered into the ground like pancakes. My optics dimmed a shade as I adjusted my flight path, my beam burst gun powering up. I shifted my aim though, this time targeting not any spot on the creature, but anywhere on it.
I fired it, the beam splitting into six smaller shots that peppered the armor of the creature. BurningGreymon caught his rifle/katana and slipped it on his back before he aimed his arms at the creature. His gauntlets swung around into firing position and he growled as he let loose. "PYRO BARRAGE!" he roared.
The bullets of energy struck the armor, and the sand/food that made up its visible flesh. A roar... no, a screech, of pain filled the air. I had to resist the urge to mute my audios at that; actually, that decision saved my life, because if I had muted them, I might not be here to tell this tale.
The reason I say that is very simple: the next thing that happened was that I heard a voice. It wasn't BurningGreymon's or anyone else's. In fact, it was totally unknown. And even today, years later, I still can't figure out whose voice it was, or if it was even real, let alone multiple voices or just one voice.
"Dracon! Get down!"
It sounded so close to my audio receptor, it caught me off guard. I jerked at the cry, and then my optics widened as I saw the rail fingers of the Food creature coming right at me, flexing out as if to bind me in their firm grip. I gasped and flew to the right as they coiled around where I had been mere seconds ago.
And it was then that I saw the pointed tips.
Had I remained there, I could've been holed right through my chest, right where my reactor was.
I gulped audibly, realizing just how close I had come to being killed. Literally.
My gaze snapped back to the Food creature as it roared, trying to swat my companions or stomp them to bits.
"Okay... Now what?" I muttered. "How can we bring that thing down?!"
"Dracon..."
My helm snapped up as I heard that same voice again. Only this time it sounded more... cohesive, like it wasn't many... but one.
"Who... Who are you?!" I rasped in shock.
"There is no time for questioning. You must act quickly," the voice told me.
"But how?!" I blurted. "How can I take that thing down?!"
"It is not a matter of taking it down, Dracon. It is a matter of reaching its souls..." The voice was very cryptic on that last bit, and actually, it was downright frustrating.
"What's that supposed to mean?!" I asked.
"Its souls have been consumed by its pain and anger," the voice explained. "So in order to stop its rampage, you must reach its souls... and break the curse binding them to the land. Only then will it be easier to defeat."
"But you never said how I was supposed to reach its souls!" I protested.
"You will know..." was all the voice said before it vanished.
BurningGreymon looked in my direction. "Hey! Dracon! Get your head back in the game!" he called.
I perked up as my radar blared loudly in my audios and I rolled to the side in midair as a barrage of rail fingers came my way.
I was barely able to dodge them and I at the Food Creature, my optics narrowing a bit. "Okay... no more holding back!" I muttered.
I charged in, my beam burst gun swinging into position. Now normally I wouldn't do such a thing. But I was getting tired. Tired of all the secrets, the lies, and even worse, the horrific actions taking place at this resort town. So I was determined to finish this as quickly as possible.
But that proved to be a bad decision, for as soon as I fired at the Food Creature, it retaliated by launching a slew of... goop... at me. I wasn't able to dodge it, or I would've been nailed by it if not for the quick thinking of BurningGreymon, Sylvester, and Nick. The last thing I expected was for Nick and Sylvester to leap in front of the goop, their Auras flaring to deflect it away from me while BurningGreymon unleashed his Wildfire Tsunami attack. The creature roared in pain as the flames hit it, but it wasn't enough. The only question now was... how were we supposed to win?!
Of course, things were about to turn in our favor, and in more ways than one.
"How much longer?!"
"We're already pushing it to the limit as it is! Any further pushing and we'll be forced into Overclock!"
"Then go into damn Overclock!"
"But if we do we'll-"
"I don't care what you have to say! JUST GET THE DAMN THING MOVING FASTER!"
"Y-Yes, sir!"
*screeching sounds heard as sparks fly on rails*
*beeping fills cockpit as driver ekes more power from engines*
*worry filled whispers from passengers and crew alike as wind whips by windows*
"Damn Food Witch... She'll pay dearly for what she did to my wife..."
*black shadow rockets down tracks towards small resort town*
The sound of a train horn caught my audios and I looked around, trying to find the source of it.
But that proved to be a distraction as the next thing I knew I was pummeled hard by the Food Creature, its meaty fist slugging me in the chest and knocking me back. I cried out as I was flung through the air, only to crash into the ground near the tracks. I groaned as I lay in the crater, my systems aching and my wings twitching every so often. Vibrations filled the air as I looked up, my optics widening in shock as the Food Creature drew back its right hand, the rail fingers melding into a sinister looking spike.
A sneer crossed its meaty face as it drew back the spike, and I braced for the incoming blow.
Only it never came.
The horn resonated in the air again and the creature looked around, trying to find it.
Only for something to come rocketing down the tracks at full throttle, literally slamming into the thing's foot and dislodging its armor and a few of the coaches of the steam train. The creature actually howled in agony as it collapsed on its back, the old steam engine disengaging from its body and landing on the ground, the rest of the train following suit. The rails clanged to the ground and the passengers of the old steam train swarmed out of the coaches, running as fast as they could for the town or the hills. I was downright shocked at how fast the thing had been taken down. Or rather, by what had done it.
The sleek black shape that struck it? That was one of the bullet trains.
The Denver Shadow.
A stealth-based variant designed to run on the Shadow Line, a proposed train line designed to help map out the Darklands and mark any and all possible Pools of Darkness to be removed and taken care of. Actually, it was not so much designed to map the Darklands as it was designed to try and sniff out Sammael's location, as well as artifacts from the Forgotten Age. But of course, it wasn't without its critics. In fact, the most notable amongst them was Major Glory, which was a surprise. (In his eyes, to even consider such a project was dooming America's youngest generation to possibly be attacked by the Fallen. And while he does have his points, which I am loathe to admit, he also forgets that Sammael is a rather clever one, a product of having been around for over a thousand years, maybe even since the Forgotten Age. Who knows how old he really is?!)
The whole proposal was a risk from the start, I will admit, but at the same time, it presented an opportunity to do what no one else could do: map the Darklands and give Hunters and Huntresses alike a serious advantage.
But of course it was always shot down by the higher ups, such as Congress or even Sebben himself.
I often questioned why people never looked to the advantages as well.
Sometimes I still do.
But right now, that questioning was left for another day as I watched the sleek black shape of the Denver Shadow skid to a stop, its engines revving as the engineer and driver shunted all power to the reverse engine to come to a screeching halt. I had to admit, I was kind of worried when I saw the sparks flying from the front and rear wheels. The rear engine revved as it drew on all the power and within mere minutes, the train had ground to a screeching halt. I looked back just in time to see the massive Food Creature coming back from its supposed demise. My optics flared a little as I arched my wings.
"How am I supposed to reach their souls?!" I muttered angrily.
The creature, now stripped of its armor and rail fingers, glared at the four of us. It roared loud and painfully, or was it in pain from its missing foot...?
Wait. Why hadn't its foot regenerated?
I looked down at it and I was surprised to see that the food and sand was splattered every which way, and that something was seeping out of it... like... blood. But not. For one thing, it was blue, and wispy... Like...
"Aura!" I breathed. "That thing is channeling the Auras of the deceased!"
I felt my psychoframe twinge a little in response to the blue, wispy substance. I took the chance to dive down, and on a hunch - a rather stupid, crazy hunch - lashed out a hand to grab onto the creature's meaty leg.
And it was then I was nearly swamped by the negative emotions writhing within that beast. I actually had to struggle to keep myself focused and sane. But I somehow managed by remembering why I was even here in the first place: to find little Yasha. I mentally gritted my teeth and reached out with my own will, my psychoframe seething with energy. I could sense within the souls the magicks binding them to the food creature's body, and it was old, ancient, and powerful. There was no way even my psychoframe could remove those bindings without me succumbing to the magicks.
There was only one thing that could remove those magical bindings.
To destroy the Grimoire, that ancient book of spells used by the Food Witch herself.
The next thing I knew, I was flung back from the beast, crying out as I crashed into the ground, the rest of the competitors that were still involved in the tournament coming to check up on me.
My vision was fuzzy, and I felt like my processor had been scrambled like an egg, but at least I was still alive and sane. The bad news: the Food Creature had retreated.
All I could recall after that was feeling myself hauled to my feet and dragged over to where a temporary base camp was being set up.
My optics flickered as I shook my helm to clear the fuzziness from my processor. I could make out shapes that bore the city seal on them, and I knew at once these guys were from the City Guard. I let out a sigh of relief as I slumped back in a chair, feeling the tension ease out of my frame.
"Glad you guys showed up," I quipped, trying to make a joke.
"Well, we just happened to be in the area," the captain in charge remarked. "And I have to admit, that thing was not what we were expecting to run into. Was that really one of the Food Witch's creations?"
I nodded. "Yeah. It was," I muttered darkly. "But the ones in Thorton weren't as bad as that one..."
The captain narrowed his eyes. "I see..." Then he suddenly blanched and shook his head, regaining his composure and saluted. "Captain Caleb Glass, Denver City Guard, 12th Central Branch!"
I returned it before looking away briefly in the direction of Green River Resort. "How fast can you get this thing up and running?" I asked.
"We can have the train up and running within an hour," Captain Glass replied. "Why?"
"That's all I need to know," I muttered, getting to my feet and flexing my wings.
"Hold it!" a voice shouted. I looked back just in time to see Sylvester, BurningGreymon, and Nick showing up. Beside them was Amy. "If you're thinking of going in there alone, think again!" Nick remarked as he folded his arms.
"Wasn't even thinking about it," I chuckled.
"Good thing, too," Amy remarked. "Especially given that the Food Witch might strike again."
"So let'sth get going then," Sylvester remarked. "The thsooner we beat this Food Witch the better!"
BurningGreymon nodded as he flared his wings. "There's no way she can stand up to all of us!"
I nodded with a chuckle. "Right. So let's go!"
Of course, things were only bound to get more chaotic when we arrived.