CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
不可能なことにがかかりそうです時間,パート2 !
The Impossible is Going to Take a Little While, Part 2!
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Their books glowed. Two foes stood facing each other. An ogre against a devil, a senior against somebody who had yet to ENTER high school. Good and evil. Light and dark. Right and wrong.
It was time to kick ass.
"ONDATA DI CALDO!" Harry roared out, raising his book. Heatwave raised her hands and her eyes glinted as she summoned fire around her body, which shot up around her and formed into the triple-headed beast known as Cerberus, which rushed forward through the air at Chops and Nick.
"IMPERIUM!" Nick yelled out as Chops clenched his claws, taking up a defensive stance as the hellhound surged forward…
THUWUDDA-BOOOOOOM!
Flame and smoke rose everywhere, sending sparks flying. The flames hissed as Heatwave peered around. Where did he?
THA-WHOOOOM!
She jumped back just in time as Chops, rushing head-first with Nick holding onto him, shot towards her. Letting go, Nick landed on his feet and frowned angrily as she smirked at them and Chops took up another battle position.
"You think those petty tricks are going to work against me? You'll have to do more than just thinking outside the box to win." Heatwave informed them. "Though at least you'll make defeating you more…INTERESTING."
"Chops, don't let her mind games get to you…" Nick growled.
"I WON'T. There's far too much at stake right now for me to give up here!" Chopsuey insisted, nodding his Mohawked head.
"Fool. I control my son…and all that's INSIDE of him!" Heatwave said as the gem in the center of her forehead glinted in the light. As Chops rushed at her she leapt through the air and the gem glowed, creating a fleshy barrier that sprung up from the ground. "Now let's see you-"
SCHWOOOOORK!
Chops tore through the barrier, a dark glint in his eyes. He rushed forward, claws outstretched as he aimed for Harry, trying to tear his book apart-
THWAM!
Heatwave stopped him in his tracks, holding her staff up and looking deep into his eyes.
"You're only serving to make me even angrier!" She snapped. "You don't stand a chance!"
"WE don't stand a chance?!" Chops laughed. "You're the one who's exerting all her effort just to stop me from pushing you down…and you've used just as much, if not MORE, heart energy as we have!"
"True." Heatwave admitted. "But I'm quite keen…luckily for me I managed to acquire some…tools…that would assist me in a fight like THIS…"
Harry held up a small bottle that was filled with an odd substance that glistened in the light.A needle was attached to an extension at the top, which was jutting out to the right. "This is Epinephrine." Harry informed them. "Or as it's more commonly known, adrenaline. You've seen "Pulp Fiction"?"
Nick's eyes went wide as saucers. "I saw the overdose scene on "VH1"…" He admitted softly.
"Well, adrenaline can provide one hell of a KICK to your body…and, as we've discovered, provide a boost of heart energy!" Heatwave laughed.
"Hey, that's cheating!" Nick said, pouting.
"Oh PLEASE, what are you, twelve-okay, nevermind. Screw you, brat!" Harry said, holding it to his arm and injecting himself. He released a harsh breath…then grinned sadistically as his book began to glow even BRIGHTER.
"FUUUUUUUUU-UUUUUUUUCK!" Chops shouted.
"RISCALDARE!" Harry roared.
Heatwave's body surged with might as flame rose up around her, and THWOOM! Chops was launched through the air as a bulging, frowning giant made of lava with flames poking up from the cracks that were his veins knocked him away with a headbutt.
"Do you understand now?! You can't win." Heatwave informed them, pointing at Chopsuey as his body hit the ground. "Harry!"
"Accaldato!" Harry read another spell and this time she flexed her body, and a second maw opened up from her body, appearing on her stomach. Her teeth glinted as they opened wide, and a spear-like drill shot out from the mouth, surging with fire as Chops stood up.
"You're not beating me so easily!" Chops yelled, jumping back up. "TOO MANY PEOPLE ARE COUNTING ON US!"
"ADVERSOR!" Nick yelled. Chopsuey thrust his claws down to the ground and a surging green shield shot up, towering into the air as the drill shot forward…
"PERCUTIO!" Nick barked out again, as Chops shot the metallic ball into the shield, and the shield sparkled brightly as the drill struck the shield…then shot back at Heatwave, surging with green light.
"You're not the only one with a shield spell." Heatwave informed them, wagging a finger in the air.
"ARDORE MURO!" Harry called out as a rounded HEAD with horns appeared, also made of fire, just like Heatwave's other spells. It popped up around of them and engulfed Heatwave and her partner in it's mouth…and the drill struckthe head, breaking into pieces. A few moments later the head vanished, and Heatwave and Harry were revealed to be perfectly fine. Heatwave dusted herself off. "Any more tricks?" She asked.
"PERCUTIO!" Nick roared, pointing forward as Chopsuey extended all his arms and formed the mechanical ball trigger. He punched it through the air and it went SWOOSH!
Heatwave dodged to the side and smirked. "You CONTINUE to fight against me?" She inquired. "Do you WANT me to damn you? Then…" A vein popped on her head. "I'LL OBLIGE YOU!"
"INGOIO FRÀ ARDORE!" Harry called out.
Heatwave's mouth opened wide and her tongue suddenly split up into many segments, burning with fire and lashing out at Nick. Luckily Chops leapt in the way, arms held up…
Nick gasped as Heatwave's eyes glinted and two tongue segments lashed out, going OVER Chopsuey and aiming at him! He turned away and one struck his shoulder while another hit him in the back. Gasping in pain, he hit the ground. Turning to see Nick knocked down, Chops turned to race towards him and-
THWOOOM!
Heatwave slammed him across the room with a backhand from her staff. Chops flew towards Nick…
Smirking, Heatwave raised her staff and then slammed it down into Chopsuey's back. He screamed in pain as she calmly got off of him and then slammed her staff into Nick. ONCE…TWICE…
Nick screamed in pain as Chops's eyes went wide. Satisfied, Heatwave walked back to Harry, twirling her staff.
"Hmm…it sounds like the human is still BREATHING. Hmm…I thought he'd be dead by now…"
"You…goddamned…coward…" Chops snarled. "First you use a cheap tactic with that adrenaline, then you target my book keeper like that and hit him while he's down…"
"You…WILL NOT…STOP ME!" Heatwave hissed at him, veins appearing on her face as her eyes glinted coldly like golden bars.
"Chops…" Nick gasped as he stood up.
"Nick, hold on, I'll get you out of here!" Chops said, running to him. But Nick raised his hand up.
"No! No…we're not leaving…" Nick said. "I…have a plan…" He said quietly. "And we can't run. We CAN'T. I don't care how much I'm hurt!"
"…" Chops stood there, looking at Nick in amazement.
"It hurts worst for me…when I see others crying…" Nick whispered. "Heatwave's…got to be stopped. Here…now. So…"
Even as blood dripped down his back, he smiled. "Don't you give up. We've been through terrible times before, haven't we? This is just another big bad for us to beat…and we WILL win…"
He pointed at Heatwave. "I see our victory, not our loss…we are trying our very best…giving it all we've got without using any shortcuts…we're the good guys, Chops…the good guys always win, no matter how bad the odds!"
"But…you could DIE here…and the odds have never been so high!" Chops murmured, tears springing to his eyes.
"You know I'm honest." Nick said. "Look at me…" He gasped a few times. "I've got…a plan. Let's…save…the world."
Body quivering, Chops lowered his head. "Nick…please…stay strong. Do your best…"
He turned around, screaming as he clenched his claws, rushing forward. "Because I'M going to do my best too!!!"
"Stupid human!" Heatwave snapped. "You're looking a gift horse in the mouth! You should have run while you had the chance! Harry!"
"CALORE!" Harry shouted as Heatwave swung her fist, sending a surging hot fist of energy that whizzed at Nick.
"DON'T YOU TOUCH HIM!" Chops screamed, raising his hands up.
"PERCUTIO!" Nick cried out as the attack slammed into his stomach, burning him heavily.
Heatwave dodged to the side just as another metallic ball whizzed by her head. "That's a little close for comfort!" She shouted.
"NICK!?" Chops turned his head.
"Don't…worry about me!" Nick shouted. "GOOOO!"
"How SWEET!"Heatwave crooned. "But futile…just die, child!"
"PERCUTIO!"
"CALORE!"
Another dodge. Another hard strike to Nick's body.
"YOU COWARDS!!!" Chops screamed. "I'M YOUR FOE, I'M THE ONE WHO'S FACING YOU, NOT A HUMAN PUP! LEAVE HIM OUT OF THIS!"
"Aw, but where's the fun in that?" Harry snickered. "He brought it on himself when he took us on!"
"CALORE!"
"PERCUTIO!"
Nick was reaching a point where his vision was swimming in and out, the burning, stinging pain that had been filling his body was turning into horrid numbness. But he couldn't see a fight…he could only see himself…
"Grandpa, tell me more stories…"
"Of course! You see, there I was, surrounded by fiddy men! And they were ANGRY…"
"CALORE!"
A reflex, nothing more…
"PERCUTIO!"
"Wow, David sent me a letter? Dear Nick, I don't know if you wanna trade it in or anything, but I got you that "Icehouse" CD you mentioned in your last letter". Oh…wow…"
"CALORE!"
"PERCUTIO!"
"Aloha Nick! Did it turn out okay?"
"Yep!" They've decided to give it another try! A victory for love and hard work!"
…Lilo…
Nick felt the weight of his mood necklace increase as the little thing shone. Tears dribbled down his cheeks as it swung left and right.
"Lilo…I'm sorry…I can't keep my promise…I can't bring it back…"
"MOSTRO DA VAMPA!"
The horned beast of flame that had snagged him before and drawn him into the room rushed forward, aiming to slam into him full force. Nick pulled the book behind him once again and muttered "PERCUTIO" as the tears continued to fall. Even as the attack slammed into him and smoke arose around his scorched and battered body he didn't feel it…
"How PATHETIC!" Harry laughed. "Your attacks keep missing! That is, unless you're TRYING to hit the ground!"
"NIIIIIICK!" Chops screamed.
"You're STILL alive?!" Heatwave looked very impressed. "I suppose I'll have to try a BIGGER attack." She clenched her fist. "Harry-"
SCHLAMP!
She screamed as Chopsuey suddenly got ahold of her arm. Slamming her into the gram, Chops's tear-filled eyes narrowed at her.
"Percutio…" Nick whispered.
SCHWOOMP!
The metallic ball was thrust into her head and for a moment she quivered in pain and discomfort before finally throwing Chops off of her back.
"Nick…NICK!" Chops gasped as he leapt back, hands going to his mouth. No, please, don't be DEAD…
"Heatwave…you're forgetting…Senkoukura is ALIVE…all of those attacks can never really MISS…" Nick thought. "Because they are all touching a living machine of sorts…and that makes them all on target. It's almost exactly like when we fought against Jumby…those mirrors…or against Dan…"
Nick felt more tears slip down his cheek. "Kim…Trainer…Heartwing…Dude…Sara…Shush…Yuuku…Crystallene…Morpholomew…Spud…Dr. Rupert…Ahinahina…Grandpa…Mom…Dad…David…Lilo…Chops…everyone…"
"YAAAAAAAHHH!!!!" Chops roared as he leapt at Heatwave, who jumped up…
Chops slammed his body into the ground and shot his head up, maw opening wide in a pained roar…
"I love you…"
"Kimaira…"
THA-WHOOOOM!
The aura stretched out, blazing like a fire as it raced along the ground from Chops's body, and all of the Percutio's that had been shot out connected, forming a star-like pattern on the ground, with Chops in the center. The aura beast rose up into the air, the power from the spells that had struck the points around the room coming together. They were all connected, all their stored-up power rushing to the center of the room through a single conduit…Chopsuey, who was looking up at Heatwave. Now a THRONG of Kimaira spells shot up through the air at the villainess…
"Oh…MY!" Heatwave gasped. "HARRY!" She screamed.
"ONDATA DI CALDO!" Harry yelled out quickly.
The Kimaira spells soared through the air, roaring and hissing as they raced at the triple-headed dog made of flame. The hellhound's heads snapped open and rushed forward, and with a mighty spray of burning fire and aura sparks, Heatwave's spell and three chimeras made of surging green vanished.
"Where's the other-" Heatwave said, looking around…
She turned her head just in time as the OTHER spells surrounded her on all sides as Harry's eyes hot wide open. "NO F—KING WAY!?!" He gasped in horror.
Their jaws opened wide and SLAMMED shut, blasting her from all sides!
SHAAAA-RROOOOOOHHHHHMMMM!!!
Chops blinked a few times, then clenched his fist and punched the air, grinning happily as blood dripped down the top of his head. "YES!" He turned his head to look at Nick. "S-U-C-C-E-S-S! THAT'S the way you spell-!"
The all-too-still form of his book keeper was there, lying on his side, eyes closed, mouth partially open as if almost trying to get one final word out…
"No." Chops said. "NO."
He ran towards Nick and shook him. "NICK! Nick, get up, we…we won, we…you gotta get up!"
There was no reply. Nick was stock still. And when Chops put his hand on Nick's neck he couldn't hear Nick's heart beating.
"No-no-no-no-noooo…" Chops sobbed, his eyes widening as the tears rushed forward, a deathly chill grabbing his heart and squeezing it.
A set of footsteps approaching him from behind. He didn't even look up or turn his head one bit as Heatwave, blood pouring down from the top of her head and one side of her mouth, approached.
"…it seems he has finally ascended to Heaven." Heatwave remarked, looking interested. "Look at that. It so…sad…" She shook her head. "It's really just so SAD…all that effort he put in to defeat me…and in the end, all of that strength was not enough to defeat me. All his best efforts were in vain." She raised her staff and pointed at Chops. "Such is the fate of one who defies one who follows the TRUE path of justice."
"You…MURDERED…a boy…" Chops whispered harshly, his body shaking madly as he clenched his fist so hard blood slipped down. "An INNOCENT boy…" He turned around, fury blazing in his eyes. "You call that JUSTICE?! You…you…"
He jumped in the air. "YOU BIIIITCH!!!" Chops screamed, furious tears streaming down his cheeks.
SCWHAM!
Heatwave grabbed him by the throat and glared at him. "It's no use crying, it won't bring your partner back. Just-"
Then she saw it…the boy's book…it was GLOWING.
"…what? Th-that's not…POSSIBLE…" She murmured.
"NICK…IS NOT…DEAD…" Chopsuey whispered. "Because his dream…his desire to save everyone…still lives in ME! And with his dream running through me…I WILL END YOU!" He roared, punching Heatwave so hard he knocked several teeth out, even though she turned her head to the side slightly to dodge the blow. She was knocked back a few feet and got back up just in time to see…
THWUDDA-WHOOOOOOM!
A fighter in a gi, headband whipping in the air, kicked the door down and Kim, Trainer, Charlie, Dan, Heartwing, Dude, Crystallene, Yuuku, Morpholomew and Spud rushed in, with Sara and Shush waving at Chopsuey. "We're here!" Sara shouted.
"You did THAT to my friend!?" Trainer hissed, clenching her fists. "I'M GOING TO BREAK EVERY FUCKING BONE IN YOUR BODY!!!"
She rushed forward, and Heatwave gasped as the gem on her forehead glowed. "We've got to retreat!" She grabbed ahold of Harry and held her staff up. "ACCIO!"
TWHOOSH!
She vanished in a swirling flash of light, and the others turned their attention towards Nick.
"You gotta help him!" Chops sobbed, the tears still streaming down his cheeks as he turned Nick onto his back. "He's…he's not breathing!"
"Not BREATHING? Jesus H. Christ! MINISTRO-SOCIUS!" Yuuku quickly uttered, holding her book up.
"Oh PLEASE let it not be too late!" Crystallene begged, holding her hands above her head, focusing and forming the crystalline javelin. It shot into Nick's still body and they all watched as the healing waters of the spear sank into his body. His burns and bloody cuts healed slowly before their eyes, but when Sara put her head to his chest…
"He's STILL not breathing!" Sara gasped out.
"No…no…" Chops whispered as the others looked on, clenching fits, gritting teeth, tears streaming down their cheeks. "NO!"
Chops banged his fists into Nick's chest. "Damn it! NO, NO, NO! Come ON you…you IDIOT! GET UP!"
Nick's body shuddered as Chops's fists struck him, but he did not move…did not open his eyes…
"God, no…NICK! DAMN IT, NO! You're not supposed to die here…we're supposed to save the world together…you're supposed to help me fight Stitch…" He sniffled. "Don't you break my heart by dying…Nick, you HAVE to wake UP!!!" Chopsuey wailed as he buried his face in Nick's chest. "PLEEEEAAAAAASE!!!"
His body was so still…so very…very…still.
"NIIIIIIIIICK!!!"
Yeah...intense. So intense that I'm not going to give you a preview of the next chapter because I don't wanna give anything away. Just review!
