Chapter 5
Jack collapsed to the ground. "Ow…" he groaned. Sol stood nearby, weight on her left leg, right hand on her hip. Babbo sat nearby, grinning.
"Done already, boy? You haven't even gone ten minutes yet." Babbo laughed.
"Let's you do it then!" Jack yelped. He was panting hard. Sol was finally giving him his first combat lesson. She had decided they would start with basic hand-to-hand, but before that she had made him do some basic strengthening exercises for the past two days of traveling.
"Jack." Jack looked up. "I'll still teach you hand-to-hand, but I think you would do better with a weapon. Do you have an ÄRM?"
"Y-yeah! I got one from my dad." Jack held up his left arm. There was a silver bracelet on his wrist that had a shovel charm. "Battle Shovel!" A large, all metal shovel appeared. Jack picked it up, grinning.
Sol blinked. Babbo started rolling around, laughing. "What's so funny?" Jack looked pretty upset.
"Um…shovel, yes. Battle…no. I understand you don't want to just call it a shovel, it's not intimidating, but 'Battle Shovel' sounds like an oxymoron. You can see what that does." Sol gestured to Babbo, who was still laughing. After several moments, "How about 'Earth Scoop'? It sounds more badass than 'shovel' and it doesn't sound dumb."
"Uh, okay!" Jack smiled.
"Great. Now, first, let's work on your grip."
The next day, the three arrived at a town. "We're here! Pazu Town! This is where I come to sell my produce and buy clothes and food and stuff. There are a couple ÄRM shops here, too. I know it's not important right now, but since we're here we might as well see if they have that dimension ÄRM."
Sol nodded absently. After almost a week away from any large number of people, her sense were mildly skewed, which annoyed her. Sol's irritated expression made many people side-step the group. Jack led them to the biggest ÄRM shop in town.
"Dimensions? We have 'em. Right over there." She pointed to the back wall. There was a large gate and a … crocodile with an axe guarding an alcove with a few ÄRMs.
"Wh-why are they in a cage?!" Jack exclaimed.
"Thieves." Sol and the shopkeeper said at the same time. The shopkeeper raised her eyebrows and continued, "These ain't no chintzy 500-pewter ÄRMs. I don't raise that gate 'til I have the money in hand."
"Makes sense." Sol walked up to the gate. The numbers on the ÄRMs ranged between 200,000 and 2,000,000 pewter. Sol looked at all of them. "…those aren't it. The door I went through was chained and had the guardians head replicated over it. A white face with crosses for eyes…and its tongue sticking out."
"The 'Gatekeeper Clown'!" the shopkeeper exclaimed. "One of the most advanced ÄRMs ever made! You're not gonna find that for sale! Only a few people have ever heard of it, much less seen it! Nobody'd have the except… some king somewhere! Or a witch! Or the sculptor who made it!"
Jack looked mildly horrified. "Sol?"
"Seems reasonable. …I wonder it Dorothy would know where one is? She did find you, after all." She said, referring to Babbo. "Of course, the question then is, where do we find her? Not that it matters right now." Sol slid her boot under the hammer and kicked it up into her hand. Turning to the shopkeeper, "Thank you for your time. You have a nice day." She started to leave the shop. "Come on, Jack." Startling the staring teen.
"Ah! C-coming!" he sprinted after her.
Outside, Sol and Jack headed towards the outskirts of town. As they walked, Sol became aware of a group of people following them. She gave no indication that she knew they were there, except Babbo's hammer enlarging in her right hand, down by her hip. When the first one came up, intending to knock her out, she whipped around, bringing up the hammer and nailing him in the side of the head.
The blow didn't KO him, but he was left stumbling. There were five of them. Sol glared and tightened her grip on the hammer. "What do you bitches want?"
"Aw, don't be like that, sugar-!" Sol slammed her steel-toed boot right where it forced him to sing soprano.
"I'm not your sugar."
The leader of the group realized pretty quick that stealing Babbo from the female wasn't going to be as easy as he had thought. He gave the two men facing the boy a signal.
"Ack!" Jack yelped.
The three in front of Sol started to run off. Why? Some distance from her, the leader turned back around. "Come to the waterfall if you want your friend back." He ran off as Sol whipped around. Jack was gone.
"Oh, you are so dead." She snarled. Babbo swallowed nervously at her expression.
High above them, a fairy had been watching. "Oh dear…I've got to let Alviss know!"
After asking one of the locals where the waterfall was, Sol headed over with Babbo. The local had informed her that the waterfall basin only had one entrance. Sol found the river and followed it to the waterfall itself. Looking down into the basin, there were 15 men, including the original 5. Jack was tied up near the back. "Such ruffians. We're definitely going to teach them a lesson. How are we going to get in there, though? If we walk in, they'll overwhelm us."
"Jump."
"What?!" Babbo exclaimed. Thankfully, Sol had already moved away from the ledge and the trees distorted the sound. "Are you crazy?! That's a forty foot drop!"
"Yes." Sol had moved quite a ways away at this point. She stopped and turned back towards the ledge. She jerked the hammer, causing Babbo's chain to wrap around her, looping up over her left shoulder, down to her right hip, twice. Babbo was left hanging next to her left shoulder. She let go of the hammer. She charged forward.
At the ledge, Sol jumped. In the air, she grabbed the hammer and ripped Babbo loose. She flipped to adjust her landing point, aiming for the biggest guy. She hadn't made any noise. Babbo hadn't either, having realized that she was going for stealth. At the last moment, one of the men noticed her and yelled. Not soon enough to save his buddy from being hit though.
One boot hit him in the upper back, the other slammed directly into his skull. He screamed as her landing crushed him to the ground. Before anyone else could react further, Sol whipped Babbo around in a circle, taking out three more of them.
Inside of four minutes, all but the leader were either out cold or curled up on the ground groaning and whimpering in pain. Sol turned to the leader who was standing stock still, shocked at how fast she had blown through his men. Pointing the hammer at him, she snarled, "Your turn, jackass."
"Heh," he swallowed nervously, but tried to put on a cocky grin. "Look, this is something of a misunderstanding. We just want the ÄRM. You give me that, and you and your friend can just walk away."
Babbo blinked. He glanced at Sol. Sol sneered. "So, you think I'll sell out one friend to save the other?" The bandits grin disappeared. "I just flattened your entire group. You don't have a leg to stand on. So, here's my proposal for you. Drop. Dead."
"Necklace Blade!" he activated his ÄRM as she charged forward. His blade was a large claymore, so Solara enlarged Babbo's hammer to a two-handed warhammer. The two clashed. Jack cheered her on. Babbo realized he was largely in the way, so he timed his hops to wind his chain around Sol's arm and hooked himself up over her shoulders, so he wouldn't trip her.
Sol's aggression, based in her desire to protect her friends, was giving her a huge advantage. She was driving him back with her brutal blows, not giving him a chance to attack back. Sol got the opening she wanted and kicked him in the knee. He dropped with a shout of pain.
She swung the hammer up to bring it down in an overhead swing. He couldn't hit her from his position. She failed to remember that he had an ÄRM, not a normal blade. "Release the sword!" The blade glowed then extended forward at a pace she couldn't avoid. The sword skewered her left side.
"Sol!" Jack yelled.
"Solara!" Babbo exclaimed.
Sol grunted in pain but didn't go down. She grit her teeth, changed her grip on the hammer and swung down. *CRASH*
The bandits jaw dropped, and his expression twisted in horror as Babbo's hammer shattered the extended blade. The ÄRM crumbled, leaving him defenseless. "W-wait! 100 million!"
Sol didn't give a damn about his reasons. She smashed her steel-shod boot into his face. *CRUNCH* *THUD* His nose crushed under the impact and he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
"Sol, are you okay?" Babbo demanded as he got down. Sol growled, let go of the hammer, and gripped the fragment of the blade still embedded in her side. She inhaled deeply, then ripped the blade loose as she exhaled harshly. Blood ran down her side.
She controlled her breathing and walked over to Jack. "Sol, you shouldn't move! You're bleeding!" Jack protested.
"Shut up, Jack." Sol carefully crouched down behind Jack. She was glad she had her boot dagger. Pulling it out, she sliced the ropes binding Jack.
"Solara." Babbo said. Sol looked up as she put the dagger away. There was a young man standing in the entrance to the basin. Sol's eyes narrowed.
"Great. Another one." She grumbled. "What do you want?" she said loud enough for him to hear.
"So, Belle was right. You broke the Seal of Babbo."
Sol glared. Instinctively, she grabbed Babbo's hammer. She stood, gritting her teeth against the pain. "What of it?"
"Do you know what that ÄRM is? Do you know what you've done?"
"No."
The guy blinked, like he hadn't expected such a straight forward answer. "I should start at the beginning. My name is Alviss and I'm the one who summoned you." Sol didn't seem impressed. "I called you for a reason."
"Good for you."
"Not very respectful, are you?"
"You haven't given me a reason to be respectful."
"Hm. Several years ago, a militant group began plotting the takeover of MÄR Heaven… Masters of deadly ÄRMs who called themselves the 'Chess Pieces'! Many ÄRM handlers rose to the challenge, and though they sustained many wounds, they chipped away at the power of the Chess Pieces. Then came the final battle. The champion of the Chess Pieces was struck down. His remaining allies were scattered to the winds and retreated into the shadows. But now -"
"Let me guess," Sol interrupted. "They're regrouping. As a bonus, I'll add that my finding Babbo has somehow… woken up, reactivated, resurrected, pick a bloody damn term, this Chess Piece champion, yes? And you brought me here to obliterate them?"
He looked annoyed. "Yes."
"Great. So why are you acting so pissy?"
Now he looked mad. "Because Babbo was the ÄRM of the evil champion, Phantom." Babbo looked horrified. Jack looked shocked. Sol looked like she couldn't care less.
"So what?"
"So, it needs to be destroyed. Hand it over."
Sol sneered. "Bite me."
"As you wish." Sol braced herself for a frontal assault. Then the ground under her feet trembled. She shoved Jack sideways. Something erupted from the ground under her feet. It was stone. She bit her tongue to choke off her scream of pain.
"Sol!" Jack looked at Alviss. "What is wrong with you!?"
"She won't give up Babbo." As if that explained everything.
"So that makes it okay to attack the person you just asked for help?! Put her down!"
"Alright." The massive pole disappeared.
"Sol!" Jack screamed as Sol and Babbo fell. The ground shook as they hit. Jack ran over to them. "Sol! Are you okay?!"
"That didn't hurt her. The gravity of MÄR Heaven is lower than her worlds."
"That may be true, but she was already injured, you jerk!" Jack yelled. Alviss frowned. Sol rolled over and propped herself up on her left forearm. She was breathing hard and blood pooled under her as it ran out of her wound. Alviss blanched.
Babbo jumped in front of her. Jack stepped in front of her, too. He activated his Earth Scoop and tried to remember what Sol had been teaching him the past two days. Alviss looked surprised.
"You're not hurting our friend anymore!" Jack declared.
"Indeed." Babbo agreed.
A hand landed heavily on Jacks shoulder. He jumped and looked behind him. Sol had gotten up. "Sol! Stop! You'll hurt yourself!"
"Yes, sit down, Solara!" Babbo demanded.
Sol ignored them. "You're not touching Jack or Babbo. No one hurts my friends." She growled.
"Friend? That's an ÄRM, not a human."
"Neither is that." Sol pointed at the fairy flitting around Alviss' head. "By your logic, you have no right to complain if I swat it because it's not a human." Before Alviss could retort, Sol charged him.
Startled, Alviss activated his Thirteen Totem Pole. Sol dodged every one of them despite her injury. Alviss was shocked when Sol was suddenly in his face. "Wh-oof!" Sol punched him in the jaw, then pivoted on her right leg. Completely disregarding her wound, she snapped her left leg out, landing a clean and powerful kick to Alviss' stomach. Alviss found himself flat on his back. He grunted in pain as Sol slammed her right boot down on his chest, leaning most of her weight on it.
"The only way you or anyone else is getting Babbo, is over my dead body." She snarled. "So if you want my help, deal with it." Sol pushed off him and strode back to Jack and Babbo. Just as she reached them, her eyes rolled back in her head and she collapsed.
"Sol!" Jack caught her before she hit the ground.
"Solara!"
Alviss had been getting up. He hadn't expected her to pass out. Her injury must be much worse than he had thought. "What was she stabbed with?"
Jack and Babbo looked at him. Jack looked nervous and Babbo looked downright hostile. "Necklace Blade." Jack said.
Alviss grimaced. "That's a Darkness ÄRM. You'll need a healing Holy ÄRM to counter it." Jack blanched. "I'm assuming you don't have one."
"No. We've got Babbo and my Earth Scoop. That's it."
"You'll need to go back to town and the shopkeeper of the big ÄRM shop if you can use the one she's selling. Solara isn't going to make that journey, though. You'll have to bring it back here. Ask her to come with you if she doesn't trust you." Alviss grimaced again. "I could go. There is a chance that the bandits might come back though. Think you could take them on?" One of the bandits had woken up while Alviss and Sol were fighting. He had teleported all of them away. "It's up to you. Will you have me go get the Holy ÄRM while you protect her and Babbo? Or will you go get the ÄRM and I'll protect them?"
"What, you want to help us now?!" Jack was incredulous.
A mild blush dusted Alviss' cheeks. "I don't suppose you'll believe me, but I am sorry. I hadn't realized she was injured, and I got upset about Babbo. I did summon her to go up against the Chess. She can't do that if she's dead. I give you my word, I won't hurt Solara or Babbo."
Jack looked at Babbo. "He means it. For now, at least. Go, Jack. If the bandits come back, you don't have the skills to beat them. Yet. You'll get there eventually."
"A-alright. You'd better not hurt them! …Um…I-I don't know the way back to town. I was unconscious on the way here." Jack blushed.
Alviss bit his lip. "Belle, show Jack the way to Pazu, please."
Belle pouted. "Yes, Alviss. Come on, monkey." The fairy started off.
"I-I am not a monkey!" Jack protested, following her.
Time passed. Alviss propped Sol up against a rock. Even in her sleep, she seemed to resist showing pain, but she didn't fully succeed. At one point, she partially woke up.
"Bab.." she trailed off.
"I'm here." Babbo bumped against her right hand, where is was sitting on the ground.
"Jack…?"
"He went to get help. He'll be back soon." Sol blinked, then moved like she was going to get up. Alviss, sitting on her left, stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.
She turned her head to look at him. Her eyes were glazed, and her face was red. She was getting a fever. "You need to stay put. Jack will be fine, and I'll protect you two 'till he gets back."
"…night…"
Was she going back to sleep? "Right." She blinked slowly. "Sol…I'm sorry."
"…s fine…issed you…" she mumbled, falling back asleep. Alvis was confused by the last part but didn't want to wake her up just to ask.
Babbo was looking at him suspiciously, so he backed off. "I don't think she'll remember that when she wakes up. I'm hoping you'll left her know of my apologies later."
"Why can't you let her know? You planning on running off?" Babbo snipped.
"Yes." Babbo looked shocked. Alviss smirked. "I can't imagine you actually want me around after all that."
"No, I don't, but…"
"You're surprised that I'm backing off and trusting you, or rather, her."
"Well, yes." Alviss just smiled. After a moment, "You're not going to explain, are you?" Alviss shook his head. Babbo pouted.
The sun had gone down a while ago. They heard the sound of people running. Alviss stood up, ready to fire off his Thirteen Totem Pole. "Sol!" It was Jack. The shopkeeper and one of her guards was with him and Belle.
The shopkeeper used an ÄRM to make a light. She looked at the injury and blanched. "The ÄRM has the power to heal this, but I don't."
Before Jack and Babbo could get upset, Alviss stepped in. "I can do it." The shopkeeper handed him the ÄRM. Alviss concentrated and the ARM glowed. Her fever receded and her wound slowly sealed. After a minute, the wound and its curse were gone.
Alviss gave the ÄRM back to the shopkeeper and offered to escort her back to town. "She'll wake up in the morning. If you're going to keep traveling with them, Jack, you need to get stronger. And Sol needs to improve as well, if she's going to take on the Chess." Belle landed on Alviss' shoulder as he walked away. "Good luck."
