Black Feather: Episode XIX
"Anima"
Layered District 2
1:20 p.m., 03/10
"Where is everyone!?" Rose was oblivious as she rushed back and forth around the base. "Hello!? Anybody there!? Somebody!? ANYBODY!?!?"
She heard a hissing noise. Instinctively, she spun around. Nothing there. "I-is somebody there...?" She crept cautiously up to the corridor. It led outside. Rose leaned her head against the door sideways, allowing her to hear what's on the other side.
"Breathing...?" Rose unlocked the door. It slid open and...
"AAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!" Rose fell on her back as a large, grotesque cluster of slimy, blinking eyes gazed through the corridor. When Rose dared to look back, it was gone.
The ceiling crumbled and a thick spike dived for Rose. It landed just an inch above her left shoulder, tearing a small piece of cloth from her uniform and poking a hole in the marble floor panel. She whimpered and got back on her feet that instant. Stumbling, Rose dashed for her kneeling AC, Chaotic Ruby, just outside the parking lot.
The heavy door slammed open and Rose made a sprint for her AC, but was too slow. The creature loomed 65 meters away. Sensing its prey, it hastily trudged in for its meal.
"GGGHHHHHAAAKKKKHHHHHHHH~~~~~~!!!!!!" A metallic tumult echoed in the air. The creature was pinned down to the pavement. Some of its eyes bursted and others popped out of their sockets. An acidic ooze dripped and melted the asphalt, a foul stench of burning pavement offended Rose's senses.
"Rose! You're not hurt are you!?" Silvermoon stood triumphantly on the helpless creature.
"Iris! What's happened here!?!?"
"No time to explain!! Just get in your AC and follow me!!" Rose nodded and scuttled toward, up, and into Chaotic Ruby. Fully active, it stood up on its two feet.
"Hurry up or the elevator'll be destroyed!!" Iris gained a head start. Puzzled, Rose followed closely behind.
"Are you going to tell me what's happening!?" Rose was frustrated at being left out so long.
"You saw that... 'thing' didn't you?"
"Well, DUH! It almost killed me!!"
"Just multiply 'that' by 86,000 times and imagine them overrunning Layered!"
"Oh my GAWD!!"
They continued on their way until...
"AH! Iris! Help!!" Iris stopped and turned around. Five of the creatures were strangling Rose.
"ROSE!!" Another horde poured out from the far mountains behind Rose. Their speed surpassed that of the previous horde. One of the creatures holding down Rose fired its mouth cannon. It burned off Chaotic Ruby's left arm.
"Iris! Behind you!!"
It was too late. Another gang of creatures grabbed Silvermoon like a ragdoll.
Rose was being crushed.
"Iris... help...!"
Iris' HUD lost reception. A sharp pain slashed inside her head. She released the controls and held her head. The pain was unbearable.
"Aaaahhhhh...!!" All was silent now. Peaceful...
Silvermoon's back weapons turned white hot. As bright as the sun, the creatures recoiled. The back weapons melted into four wings. The extensions disappeared.
Silvermoon floated slowly and effortlessly into the air, its armor shimmering in lunar luminescence. Its pure, white wings flexed and emanated a moonlight cerulean aura. A million tempests of narrow, twisting beams of blue leapt from the wings, illuminated the sky, then descending upon the ungodly hordes and disintegrating them.
All of District 2 gleamed like a high-noon ocean. An endless blue...
The light subsided. Silvermoon, back to its original form, knelt on the ground. Chaotic Ruby was unharmed, leaning against one of the buildings. They found themselves near the partially damaged elevator. BB, inside the elevator, was heavily damaged. Smoke steamed from the AC's armor while it leaned against the elevator wall.
Iris recovered and looked around.
The entire district was in ruins. Clouds of dust obscured the sun.
"R... Rose...?"
"I'm here..."
Iris was too dazed, but decided not to talk about what had happened. The others were waiting on the surface.
"Let's go..."
Silvermoon stood up and Chaotic Ruby in its ready stance.
"BB...?" Iris' voice trembled a little.
"Y... yeah... I'm *groan* fine.." Pain shook his words.
The surface waited.
"Anima"
Layered District 2
1:20 p.m., 03/10
"Where is everyone!?" Rose was oblivious as she rushed back and forth around the base. "Hello!? Anybody there!? Somebody!? ANYBODY!?!?"
She heard a hissing noise. Instinctively, she spun around. Nothing there. "I-is somebody there...?" She crept cautiously up to the corridor. It led outside. Rose leaned her head against the door sideways, allowing her to hear what's on the other side.
"Breathing...?" Rose unlocked the door. It slid open and...
"AAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!" Rose fell on her back as a large, grotesque cluster of slimy, blinking eyes gazed through the corridor. When Rose dared to look back, it was gone.
The ceiling crumbled and a thick spike dived for Rose. It landed just an inch above her left shoulder, tearing a small piece of cloth from her uniform and poking a hole in the marble floor panel. She whimpered and got back on her feet that instant. Stumbling, Rose dashed for her kneeling AC, Chaotic Ruby, just outside the parking lot.
The heavy door slammed open and Rose made a sprint for her AC, but was too slow. The creature loomed 65 meters away. Sensing its prey, it hastily trudged in for its meal.
"GGGHHHHHAAAKKKKHHHHHHHH~~~~~~!!!!!!" A metallic tumult echoed in the air. The creature was pinned down to the pavement. Some of its eyes bursted and others popped out of their sockets. An acidic ooze dripped and melted the asphalt, a foul stench of burning pavement offended Rose's senses.
"Rose! You're not hurt are you!?" Silvermoon stood triumphantly on the helpless creature.
"Iris! What's happened here!?!?"
"No time to explain!! Just get in your AC and follow me!!" Rose nodded and scuttled toward, up, and into Chaotic Ruby. Fully active, it stood up on its two feet.
"Hurry up or the elevator'll be destroyed!!" Iris gained a head start. Puzzled, Rose followed closely behind.
"Are you going to tell me what's happening!?" Rose was frustrated at being left out so long.
"You saw that... 'thing' didn't you?"
"Well, DUH! It almost killed me!!"
"Just multiply 'that' by 86,000 times and imagine them overrunning Layered!"
"Oh my GAWD!!"
They continued on their way until...
"AH! Iris! Help!!" Iris stopped and turned around. Five of the creatures were strangling Rose.
"ROSE!!" Another horde poured out from the far mountains behind Rose. Their speed surpassed that of the previous horde. One of the creatures holding down Rose fired its mouth cannon. It burned off Chaotic Ruby's left arm.
"Iris! Behind you!!"
It was too late. Another gang of creatures grabbed Silvermoon like a ragdoll.
Rose was being crushed.
"Iris... help...!"
Iris' HUD lost reception. A sharp pain slashed inside her head. She released the controls and held her head. The pain was unbearable.
"Aaaahhhhh...!!" All was silent now. Peaceful...
Silvermoon's back weapons turned white hot. As bright as the sun, the creatures recoiled. The back weapons melted into four wings. The extensions disappeared.
Silvermoon floated slowly and effortlessly into the air, its armor shimmering in lunar luminescence. Its pure, white wings flexed and emanated a moonlight cerulean aura. A million tempests of narrow, twisting beams of blue leapt from the wings, illuminated the sky, then descending upon the ungodly hordes and disintegrating them.
All of District 2 gleamed like a high-noon ocean. An endless blue...
The light subsided. Silvermoon, back to its original form, knelt on the ground. Chaotic Ruby was unharmed, leaning against one of the buildings. They found themselves near the partially damaged elevator. BB, inside the elevator, was heavily damaged. Smoke steamed from the AC's armor while it leaned against the elevator wall.
Iris recovered and looked around.
The entire district was in ruins. Clouds of dust obscured the sun.
"R... Rose...?"
"I'm here..."
Iris was too dazed, but decided not to talk about what had happened. The others were waiting on the surface.
"Let's go..."
Silvermoon stood up and Chaotic Ruby in its ready stance.
"BB...?" Iris' voice trembled a little.
"Y... yeah... I'm *groan* fine.." Pain shook his words.
The surface waited.