Chapter 45: The Ground Battle!
[The battle between Hexside and Watts rages on. Both continue to fight to the last man. Well, in this case, Shatter Squad and Hexside are making Watt's Elites drop like flies.]
Viney: Okay, this is getting annoying! Isn't there an end to any of these guys?!
[Viney breaks one with her fist].
AXEL: Knowing Watts, he probably has a few dozen more of these.
[A.X.E.L. kicks one down]
So what are we going to do then?
Barcus releases a howl, blowing three of them back.
West: If Watt's is controlling all of them, our best bet is to find out where he is hiding!
[West grabs and throws one at a group of elites].
So, if we can find the bald man!
Raymond: We just have to take him out! ... and all of them will shut off.
[Kotoha throws her swords and cuts two of them].
The question is, how are we going to find him?!
I might be able to help!Barcus!
[Barcus responds]
A.X.E.L.: Can you use your Oracle magic to find out where he's hiding?
[Barcus nods and drinks a potion. His eyes glow as the spell activates.]
Jerbo: Judging by that, it looks like it will be a while before we can find him!
West: Then we'll just have to stall for time! Skara, Amelia! You know what to do!
Skara smiles and Amelia nods.
Skara: Don't worry! We're on it!
Amelia: Time to try this out! Spirit Power! Goemon!
[A man with a giant smoking pipe appears behind her.]
Amelia: Snatch the Jackpot!
[Amelia summons a gambling machine and thousands of coins come out of each elite. The number on the machine grows larger, and the elites get weaker.]
Amelia: Mattholomule! Lift them up!
Mattholomule: Spirit Power! Sumo God! Take Mikazuchi!
[A sumo wrestler in black armor holding a giant thunderbolt appears.]
Mattholomule: See ya, suckers!
[Mattholomules' hands generate lightning; he strikes the soil with his palms, and giant fists emerge from the ground, punching the surrounding elites in the air].
Skara activates her spirit power.
Cover your ears, everyone!
[Everyone does as he says; Skara exhales and finally yells]
Skara: BOOOOOMMMM!
[Skara blows up all the elites in the air]
[The elites on the ground continue to get weaker as coins are extracted from Amelia's Jackpot Machine]
[A.X.E.L. and Viney are standing next to each other, both launching a flurry of punches at their targets, destroying each with a devastating blow]
Jerbo: Time to rock and roll!
[Jerbo uses his magic and Spirit Power to make a bungee gel plant-based abomination].
SICK EM FIDO! says Hyde.
[The Abomination launches soil-based bungee gel and catches every elite within its reach and sucks them in. It chews on them, and spits out the witch without the armor].
[Kotoha uses a fireball technique].
Kotoha: Fire-style! Fireball!
[Throwing flaming and explosive shurikens, she destroys all of her targets]
[Raymond fires a laser and just destroys one.]
Raymond: "Nailed It!" Is it just me or are these guys getting weaker by the minute?
Amelia: That's what I can do! With my Jackpot Snatch, I can make any of my opponents weaker. The more the numbers increase, the more feeble they become.
Raymond: Oh, that's pretty useful! Amelia, you outdid yourself!
[Amelia and Raymond both chuckle; Skara then pouts as she is jealous].
Skara: I blew up some of them! Gees!
[Skara yells "scratch" and cuts down a few more].
[As the fight goes on, Watts watches from afar and tightens the grip on his binoculars.]
Watts: Dammit! I'm losing a lot of good weapons out there! I swear to God! Why do they have to make this difficult?!
[Watts looks at his watch].
Watts: Luckily, it won't be difficult for long. Because they have yet to see my grand finale! I just have to make them weak enough to notice, then I'll destroy all of them in one fell swoop! It's genius!
[Jerbo knocks down another]
Jerbo: We've still got three dozen of these guys left! Barcus, have you found Watts?
[Barcus's spell manages to find him, then Barcus looks up as he howls to alert the others].
Jerbo: Wait a minute! Guys! He's above us!
A.X.E.L. : WHAT?!
The giant figure comes crashing down to the battle field. The dust settles as the figure transforms into a giant robot. The mask opens and reveals Watts' face.
Watts: Dupe Witches!Do you really think that those elites were all I had up my sleeve? Behold my newest creation! The Titantron!
Everyone is shocked to see the giant they are up against!
Kotoha: This is just the elite! It should be just as breakable as the rest!
Oh yeah! Mattholomule:
Skara's: HERE WE GO!
[West is unable to stop them].
West: Wait, Don't!
[All three rush into battle only to get yelled out of the way.]
[A.X.E.L. catches Mattholomule, Kotoha is caught by Jerbo, Skara lands in Raymond's arms]
Raymond: Skara! You okay?
[Skara blushes]
Skara: Uh huh, thanks Ray-Ray!
[Raymond blushes, too]
Sure, no problem!
Watts: HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! PETTY ATTACKS WON'T WORK AGAINST MY BEHEMOTH! BEFORE COMEING HERE, I MADE SURE TO STUDY ALL YOUR POWERS! I'm proud to say that I'll be taking your lives! THANK YOU!
Watts shuts his mask and activates the weapon system. Dozens of missiles are launched at the group, all of which attempt to block or evade but are still hit regardless! To make matters worse, the elites are attempting to stop them from moving.
West: Okay, now he's asking for it!
[West removes his vest and summons his spirit.]
West: Hercules, come to my aid!
[Hercules awakens]
West: Power's first door! Metal!
[Hercules gives a giant club to West; West grabs it and swings it with ease].
West: Let's see how many hits you can take!
[West swiftly takes the first swing, Watts counters with a full-powered punch, and both are pushed back from each other].
Watts: Success! It works!
[West grunts, then grins]
West: This should be a lot of fun!
[West tightens his grip, Watts clenches his fist, and the two charge at each other, taking multiple swings back to jumps high and smashes his club into the mech. Watts uses a cross block. West lifts his ax into the air and pierces the armor.
West: Let's see how long you last!
[West rests his club on the mech's arms and cuts him from the stomach below]
Watts: WHAT?!
[Watts scoffs]
Watts: Whatever! That will be enough!
[Watts punches the ground; West dodges and smashes his ax into the arm once more. He then uses it as leverage and jumps to the face of Watts' mech]
Watts: Oh no you don't!
Watts puts up a bubble to stop West from carrying out his plan.
[West latches on and continues to punch the bubble till it breaks].
Watts: West, hold on!I would do that if I were you! Look from behind!
[West notices that the Elites are holding all the Hexside students, A.X.E.L., Raymond, and Kotoha down and takes them hostage]
Watts: They've all run out of strength, so I used the opportunity to make a wager!
[West is irritated, while Watts laughs]
Watts: Why don't you drop your weapons and surrender to us? Nobody will get hurt! That's all you have to do!
[West hesitates]
Watts: Do it!
[The Elites grab Skara's neck with a blade close to her stomach].
Watts: Or the girl gets it! What do you say, West? It's her life that's on the line! You don't want to lose another child, don't you? Especially after what happened to Connie?
[West gasps]
Amelia: Connie?
Kotoha: The daughter of West, who died before Roundtable was disbanded. That's low, especially for him!
[A.X.E.L. tries to break free, but the Elites strongly hold onto him]
A.X.E.L.: Don't suppose that any of you have a plan to get us out of this?
Mattholomule: Nothing comes to mind!I can't even break my hands out!
Viney: So what are we going to do then?
[Raymond remains silent]
Jerbo: Raymond! Aren't you at least a tad bit worried?!
Raymond: Yes, I am!But, thankfully, I have our escape route!
[Raymond taps on his arm brace].
Raymond: It should arrive soon!
A.X.E.L. : What are you on about?
[West thinks back to Roundtable's final mission].
I'm sorry, but Percival, Lancelot, and Gawain were killed in action. They couldn't be saved.
[The West maintains its strength]
West: That doesn't matter right now. What matters now is that both you and Luz are safe. And we'll make sure it stays that way.
[Arthur comes into the room]
Arthur: The preparations for their transport are almost complete. Are you two ready to go?
[Camila gives West one last hug]
Camila: Thank you for this.
West: "No problem." Just take care of each other.
[Luz's dad appears in the transport as he embraces his wife and child; they enter and fly away]
[When they were out of reach, West's tears baulked his eyes out over his dead daughter].
West: I'll make them pay for this! But for now, I'll need to make sure that no one in my family gets hurt again.
[Two weeks later, West enters the room to meet his new squad's recruits, a nine-year old Arthur, A.X.E.L., Coco, and Mohawk. West grips his fist and walks into the room to brief them in on their new jobs.]
West: Don't worry, Connie, your death won't be in vain.
The flashback ends.
[The thought of having another dead child on his head was wrong, and he did what he had to do.]
West: Fine! But promise you'll let Skara go!
[Watts nods, and West drops all his weapons and kneels]
Watts: The great West Hercules has surrendered to a mere scientist!This is fun! But now I guess I'll make things even more fun! Elites! Kill the girl!
[West is taken aback]
West: NO!
[As soon as Skara is almost stabbed in the stomach, Raymond yells out loud].
Raymond: "Now do it, big guy!"
[A portal opens, and another massive robot slams into those clutching Skara]
[It then points its arm to launch missiles at all the robots holding onto its friends].
Skara: What the?
Kotoha: Raymond What did you do?
[Raymond snickers]
Raymond: We just saved our butts! Isn't that right, Hooty?
A.X.E.L. : Hooty?!
[An elongated tube comes out of the new robot's chest].
Hooty: Hi guys! Wow, is it so great to be here?! As much as I like playing with people, I also like eating bugs and leaves and hanging out with my best friends! Oh, I can't wait for all of us to hang out after this! I wonder what games we should play in the meantime! We can play and talk for hours and hours and hours!
[Hooty continues to ramble on.]
Kotoha: Raymond! What the hell is this?
Raymond: You know that weird door Eda owns that has that bird tube? I thought it was pretty fascinating and strong. So I decided that he could be used way more efficiently than being confined to the house. So I borrowed him while Luz, Eda, King, and Lilith were asleep and made him this badass body from some of the Elites we took down in the previous mission. And what better way to test it out than here?
A.X.E.L. : Okay? Can you get him to stop talking?
Raymond: Oh, right! Hey, Hooty!?
[Hooty stretches to Raymond's face]
Hooty: Hey there, best friend, what can I do for you?
Think you can help Pops take down the giant robot over there?
[Hooty looks at Watts]
Hooty: Oh yay, a new friend! Sure thing, buddy!
[Hooty moves back into his body and flies towards Watt's bot]
Watts: What the heck?
(Hooty screams out loud)
Hooty, now face my wrath!
[Hooty smashes his body into Watts' own and punches him silly!]
Watts: PEST, GET OFF ME!
[Hooty flies back and spits/throws up a bunch of potion bombs, distracting Watts from fighting].
Watts: Stop, you freak of nature!
[The potions stop flying; Watts looks forward and sees Hooty's foot rocket flames being torched onto his face].
Watts: AGHH!
Hooty: If Eda and Lulu were here right now! We could play a bunch of games! They can talk for hours!
[Hooty rambles on again].
[Skara and Viney transport West]
Skara: Pops? You alright?
Skara, I'm from the west.
Viney: Don't worry about it, old man.
Skara: All of us would have done the same thing.
Viney: But right now! We need to focus on breaking all these guys down!
[West nods]
I think I can take care of that! Second Power Door! Fire!
[Hercules hands West a bow and arrow, which he holds and points at the sky.]
West: Take cover, everyone!
[All of them find cover as West fires an arrow into the sky. The arrow falls and multiplies to the exact number of elites that need to be taken down. All of them are destroyed and everyone looks at Watts]
I believe that's all of them! Hotty, get over here so we can finish this!
[Hooty stops and turns around].
Hooty: OKAY!
West: It's time to call it quits!
[Everyone summons their Spirit Powers and turns their sights on Watts]
Sun Wukong, Viney!Puddles! SUN OVERDRIVE!
Jerbo: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde!Bungee Gel Abomination Tsunami!
[Barcus leaps and howls]
Amelia: Goemon! Boiling Gamble!
Take Mikazuchi, Mattholomule!Thunderbolt Palm!
Skara: Bremen's Musicians!Killer Quartet!
Kotoha: Susano'O Storm Star!
A.X.E.L. : DRIVE BUSTER FOR FOUR BEASTS!
Raymond: Cannon that eats stars!
Laser Hooty: Hooty!
West: Fire!
[All attacks are launched and combined]
Watts: Oh no!
[All the attacks land and create an explosion big enough to be seen from the castle.]
Arthur: "Holy crap! What's going on over there?
Ronin: "Worry about that later!" We need to keep moving!
[Arthur, Ronin, and Otur keep on moving the tower]
[The smoke clears and Watts crawls out of the crater; he then coughs and attempts to flee, only to be stopped by West's foot]
Watts: Uhm! Wait! WAIT! Can't we just call it a draw? I mean, you don't have to finish the fight! I can help you if you want! I can tell you the whole plan! I can even speak with the boss to get you guys to live and go free! Maybe you can even join his army as a plus! Come on, what do you guys say? Are you in or are you in?
[West bends forward to face Watts]
West: First you turn witches into your slaves, then you try to kill Luz, you turn the school into a frenzy because of your bug project, you attack with your Elites again, and now you want us to stop hurting you? Skara, what do you think the proper punishment for this guy should be?
[everyone turns to Skara. Skara then grins evilly and cracks her knuckles]
West: So it's decided!
[Everyone goes closer to Watts. Watts begins to become terrified and they all begin to beat the ever living shit out of him.]
Watts: AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
[Victory on the ground floor: Hexside and Shatter Squad]