(AN: I don't own the MMX crew. If I did, well, I'd be Capcom, now wouldn't
I? God forbid.)
Chapter 7: Vengeance
It was a happy scene in the den, several people laughing and joking about. There was a huge screen covering one of the walls, quickly flickering between cheery animations and a heated game of soccer. A small group sat on the couches near the screen, watching as an argument grew worse before their eyes and starting to inch away from the battle. A little girl was fighting a young man for the remote, screaming at the top of her lungs.
"You know it's MY TURN!!! WE'RE WATCHING CARTOONS!!!" the girl screamed, kicking at her opponent. The white-haired teen just grunted and grabbed the remote back, turning from the cheesy animations back to the soccer.
Pushing the girl back by her forehead, he used his other arm to fake a yawn as he kicked his legs onto the coffee table. "Rena, grow up, will ya?! This is the god-damned finals! Just 'cuz you look like a kid doesn't mean you need to act like one...God sakes!"
"Do not use our Lord's name in vain, Captain. It's a sin, you know." A thin man was brooding across the room, a book in his hand. "I'm trying to come closer to the Truth, and your little melee is ruining my concentration!"
"Aww, shut up, Baldy, and that's an order!...Hey, gimme that back, you little runt!!!" Rena had used his moment of distraction to steal back the remote, changing the screen back to her cartoons, and quickly running away. He jumped to his feet, intent on giving chase, but ran straight into a wall of a man, staring down at him with a frown.
"Let little sister have her fun, Captain. You know how she is." The imposing figure smiled when he felt Rena just barely wrap her arms around his leg, poking her tongue out at her assailant.
"Dammit, dammit, dammit!!!" He fell back into his seat, grumbling to himself as the squeaking and giggling on the television caused dark thoughts to creep into his head, most of them involving his sword.
"Oh, come off it, boss. Let her. We all need to wind down after our first big ole' loss. Poor Jaran..." A voice from the background quickly turned into a fit of giggles, which quickly dropped into a low moan. "Oh, and Morrie says you need a girlfriend. Oh, stop that! Not really, you-"
Gabriel did his best to zone out the disgusting noises coming the dark corner of the room. Under his breath, he muttered, "Light must have been a real PERV to give us all working parts..."
"Maybe he just wanted us to have a good time, baby..." Gabriel would have hit the ceiling from surprise if a pair of arms weren't firmly wrapped around him. "Sad you're missing your widdle soccer game...I know a game we could play..." As she trailed her finger across his cheek, the young woman behind him started to whisper things in his ear, and his face turned redder by the second.
"Mara!!!" Gabriel pulled himself away from the deranged girl, whirling to stare at her in mock disgust. Her eye that was visible under her long black tresses winked at him. He stormed out of the den, flailing his arms wildly. "You're ALL INSANE!!!"
Just then, a green light flashed and Serrael appeared, lying on the couch. "What's Bro's problem? You weren't hitting on him again, were you, Mara?" Mara nodded wildly, and Serrael couldn't help but grin. "I just hope he doesn't take your bloody teasing out on Sol...Hey, isn't the game on?! Britain's gonna kick Japan's ass!!!" Rena was about to protest when the cartoons disappeared. A live hack into the satellite began to show a transmission. "...the hell?"
They watched the recording silently, shocked and confused. When it ended, silence hung in the air for a moment. Serrael jumped to her feet, running to the door. "She went Mav...oh SHIT!!! Father!!!"
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Elsewhere in the Angel's base, Father was outraged. Focusing his anger, he entered the Master's mind. He laywrithing on the ground before him, screaming as he felt his mind being ripped apart.. "What is the meaning of this, Master? Your orders were to INFILTRATE the station, not start a bloodbath!"
Master rose to his knees, clutching his head as the pain started to recede. "Father, I had nothing to do with this! She's gone insane! I can't even sense her through Veritus anymore! Besides, what harm can she do? They're just humans. Everyone knows about NTN's hiring practices..."
"Enough!" Father yelled, staring down at his servant. "What's done is done. It doesn't matter. It seems like she finished the job before she started killing those humans. Honestly, it's about time for us to reveal ourselves on a greater scale. They covered up our first...meeting, but not even the Council can hide this."
"Yes, my lord. This is just the beginning. We'll crush them all soon enough!" Master pulled himself to his feet, bowing as well as he could as his mind tried to clear.
The Father laughed, leaning back in his throne. "Exactly. What's a handful of them when the human race will be obliterated...I almost hope that Night brat kills the useless pacifist."
Serrael stepped back from her vantage, unable to believe her ears. "Father..." She ran off in the opposite direction, tears streaming down her face.
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The Command Center at MMHQ was the busiest it had ever been. People moved at a blur, a flood of information going from the computers straight into Alia's throbbing head.
"Alia-" Night began to say, but he was cut off before he could speak.
"Dammit, how many Mavs are in there?! Get me scans!" she groaned. She brought up the Unit Status screen at her terminal, and quickly frowned. The 17th was still completely empty. The only other active unit was the 14th, and it was full of rookies. Still, it was all she had. "Who's commanding the 14th?!"
One of her techs punched his screen, shorting out the fossil of a computer. "Shit! The warp sat system's accessed from NTN computers! We're locked out, and it would take hours to get a unit there by foot!"
"How long with Chasers and XMs?" Alia asked, trying to figure out which members of the 14th might be able to use them. The answers weren't looking to good, either.
Another tech just shook his head. "Good news, bad news, Commander. It would take about five minutes with Chasers, twenty with the Neo-Chimeras. We've got the NCs, but we only have one functioning Chaser right now! They're all disassembled on upgrade status...?"
"I can-" Again, he was cut off.
"DAMN IT, DOUGLAS!!! Can this get any worse?!" she said, running her hands through her hair. All 20 members of the 14th were pure greenhorns. Even their commander was fresh from the street. "Where are my god-damned scans!!!"
"ALIA!!!" Night was practically screaming at her, but still she showed no sign of hearing him.
"Boss, things just got worse! I'm picking up signs of the Virus!!! It's the Mav from the transmission!" All activity stalled at the mention. Only Alia was old enough to have actually dealt with the virus, and the stories were enough to paralyze the war room. The silence hung in the air as even Alia stopped typing. Finally, she spoke.
"Okay...I need options. What've you got, boys?" She slumped into her seat, slowly stroking her forehead. "Frankly, I'm stumped."
Night put his hand on Alia's shoulder. "I'm going. Send out the 14th in the NCs after me, but I have to face her. I'm the one she wants. Me for them..." He pulled out his shades, his face unreadable.
"There is no way in high hell I'm letting you fight her!! Your armor's in no condition for a battle yet-" He started walking, ignoring her protests. When he reached the door, he stopped. He stared at the ground, hesitating.
"I have to do this. Goodbye, Alia." The doors slammed behind him as he ran to the Armory.
The techs started to whisper among themselves as he left. Alia fought not to run after him. Something was bothering her, and she couldn't quite figure out what. She was snapped out of her reverie when Douglas' face flashed onto her terminal.
"Uh, er, hi, Alia. Well, the thing is, well-"
"What?!"
"Er, right! Night kind of, well, he...just-ran-in-here-and-stole-a- Land Chaser." it took her a second to figure out the rapid slur, but in the end, she wasn't surprised.
"Yeah?"
"Weird thing is, though, that, well, you see...um, well."
"Spit it out!!!"
With a sheepish grin, Douglas scratched his head and looked away from the screen. "He didn't take his armor, and I can't seem to warp it to him..."
Alia cut the signal. "Oh shit...WHERE THE HELL IS THE 14TH?!!!"
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Neo Tokyo was an ordered city. After so many disasters practically reducing the city to ashes, it was to be expected. The roads were wide now, with shining skyscrapers at all sides. The place was almost totally Westernized over the times. Neo Tokyo had become both the home of the GDC and of the Basic language after the catastrophes of the past, and some called it the shining beacon of the future.
"Damn, this town is monotonous..." Serrael muttered under her breath, rocketing between the buildings towards her goal. Warping didn't seem to be an option anymore. Even the legendary public transit system had been mired with evacuees, grinding all traffic down to a halt. As she blew past the crowds below her, she noticed another object moving as fast as she was over the river of transports. "So, we meet again, Mr. Night Light..."
Night put all of the machine's power into speed. His mind was growing numb from the dark thoughts raging through his mind. Watching the blurs of buildings go by, he released a sigh, shaking his head. "Damn, this town in monotonous..."
"Damn straight!" Out of reflex, Night slammed the bike to the right, nearly ramming into a building. Serrael kept pace with him, dodging about as he righted himself. "You're a jittery one, aren't you, luv?!" she asked, yelling over the combined whine of the Chaser's and her own thrusters.
Night put the bike's thrust a little over the redline, staring straight ahead. "Back off, Maverick! You know where I'm going, and I won't let you stop me!!!"
Stifling a laugh, she blasted forward and turned, now flying backwards just as fast as the Chaser, her arms crossed as she looked at him. "First of all, I thought I told you to call me Ms. Ashton! And second, I'm here for the same reason!"
"Bullshit! Go away!" Night muttered, dodging left and right, trying to pass her.
"Well, aren't you the cheeriest..." she grumbled, struggling to match his movement. Finally tired of the game, she simply landed on the back of the Chaser, holding Night by the hips. "This isn't what the Angels are, Nighty!! I want to help you save those humans!!!"
"I don't need your help!!! Get off my damn bike!!!" He wanted to break free from her grip, but his entire body was focused on steadying the bike, so he was forced to bear it. After a few more wild jerks, he gave up, rushing ahead for all he was worth. He found it hard to concentrate, though, as she swept her hands along his chest.
"Are you KIDDING?! Nadia's gone nuts, and you seem to be a little short on armor at the moment, luv!" She quickly returned her hands to his waist, bracing herself. "You don't have a choice, you're stuck with me! Now hold on to yer arse, Nighty Light!!!"
"What the-AHHHHHH!!!!!!!!" The blur of the buildings faded into single walls of gray as Serrael's Wing Blades suddenly blasted at full power, doubling their speed. Hurtling down the streets of Neo Tokyo, they were nothing more a flash of light to the panicked crowds below.
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"Well, isn't this a shitty situation..." The soldier stood outside of the building, his converted Buster aimed at the revolving doors. The place had been surrounded by a century of GDF forces, and his squad had been put right in the front.
"Oh, quit whining, Mack! This ain't so bad! We may even get to take a potshot at that tin can bitch in there!" His companion poked him with the butt of his beam rifle, cackling madly as he took another sip from a flask at his hip.
"Yeah, right, Colonel...This is goddamned robo fight! A robo bitch versus the good old Tin Can Brigade, as soon as their sorry asses get here, and even we're under the command of that overgrown VCR, Rolente...This is a crock of shit..." Lowering his buster, he leaned on the back of their barricade, grabbing his buddy's flask and taking a long swig.
"Damn straight, bud...I mean, that Signas bastard may be a smart son of a bitch, but he's just a Repliforce relic ta me! This is MY goddamned unit, ain't it, Jimmy?! Why is that son of a bitch Mav-lover doing telling a HUMAN what to do..."
"You senile old coot, just keep your eyes open...Aah, what kinda liquor is-"
Just then, what looked like a comet streaked by, the noise sending the soldiers ducking for cover. Rushing straight towards the building, two shadows jumped from the burning missile as it crashed through into the tower. "HOLY FUCKING SHIT, WHAZZAT?!"
"Who's the boss here?!" Night yelled, turning to face the line of troops. "I said, who runs this bunch of losers?!"
"That would be me. From that stunt, not to mention your attitude, I can safely assume that you're a Hunter?" Signas rode from the line, glaring down at the two teen-sized reploids before him. He stood more than a head higher than either of them. "You're presence here is...unnecessary. Go home, children. This is job for men."
"Oh, can it, you lap dog! We've got this, and I'll be buggered if your bloody EDO is going to get those people killed! I know the Virus and I know that Mav, and she'll slice them if you breathe wrong, much less try to sneak in with your little scout troop!"
"SCOUT TROOP?! We are the Global Defence Forces, the official army of the GDC. Your band of vigilantes only exists because this sort of work is beneath us...But you can't even handle that..."
"Why, you-!!!"
"STOP IT! BOTH OF YOU!!!" Night screamed. They settled down, but stood in stances, ready for a fight, and stared daggers at each other. "Now, she wants me. I'm the only bargaining chip you've got, so I'm calling the shots! Pull back your men, Captain!"
"I refuse to be ordered-"
"STUFF IT! You're gonna PULL BACK, and you're going to swing around! Serrael, I want to sneak in while I distract her and GET THOSE PEOPLE OUT!!! Take them with you, you may need to blast your way in."
"Like bloody hell I-"
"SHUT UP AND DO IT!!!" Before they could speak, he was running towards the hole he'd created in the door, throwing his coat off behind him.
Signas watched him go, a scowl on his face. "By the General...Is your friend always like this?"
Serrael shrugged. "Damned if I know. This is the second time we've met. All right, you sissy fleshbags, we've got hostages to save!" With a leap, she flew around the building, not seeing if they followed.
"Well...I'll be damned. Troops, follow that girl!"
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Inside NTN, the building almost looked peaceful. Beyond the wreckage of the Land Chaser, everything was neat, polished, and in its proper place. Marble pillars rose in a octagon pattern as a huge staircase led straight to the top of the building, winding around them like a steel snake. At the top, a figure in blue armor could barely be seen, visible only from the slightly purple glow of its eyes. "So...you've come. And you've left behind your little toys...Don't think I'll spare your life!"
Night stepped forward, only to duck behind a pillar as a shot of plasma whizzed past his head. "I don't want a fight! Release the humans!"
From the top balcony, Aqueous stood on the rail, her silver hair whipping about from the surrounding fans. "I'll make you a deal, Hunter scum! Make it up here, and I'll spare their worthless lives! Die too soon, and they'll die soon after!"
"You don't have to be a killer! Fight the Virus!" he yelled. He ran for the stairs, pouncing for the nearest cover as a hail of shots followed him.
"Fight it?! It takes away my pain! The pain you caused!!! Now, no more talk!!!" With a shrill scream, her Buster transformed, a ring of raised vents drawing in the air around her. "This is for Ignis!" As her Buster began to whine, she fired. Night jumped forward to dodge the shot, but as the blue bolt struck the floor, a wave of steam blasted his back. Hissing in pain, he drug himself to cover as his systems tried to repair his burned back.
"Did that Geyser Bolt hurt, you bastard?! Don't even try to heal yourself either! That steam is laced with plasma!" Night rubbed his back, feeling the sickening sensation of warm metal on his fingers. Trying to ignore the pain, he started running, a barrage of burning water slamming into the ground around him.
"Burn, you bastard! Burn!" Night fought past the desire to scream, his mind screaming out warnings. SYSTEM AT 50%. SYNTHSKIN REPLACEMENT NECESSARY. Ducking under a final shot, he finally made it to the wide platform at the top of the building. With a burst from her wings, Nadia jumped from her ceiling perch, landing neatly in front of Night, her eyes hardened with rage. "Miss your armor? Now, you're gonna suffer!"
Night sighed, fighting to stand upright as his joints resisted every move he made. "Let them...Let them go! This is my fault, not theirs. I'm here, now free them!"
"Not until I make you pay!" Raising her Buster, she fired. Night didn't try to move, and the blast of water hit him square in the chest, igniting the pellets of plasma in the stream. The explosion of steam engulfed him, burning away his clothing and finally, it struck him fully.
At first, Night thought he would pass out from the pain. He felt his skin burning away under shot after shot. Only the warnings flashing in his head kept him conscious. INTERNAL ENERGY AT DANGEROUS LEVELS!!! SYNTHSKIN REPLACEMENT NECESSARY!!!
"Dammit, why aren't you fighting back?! Fight me!" She fired another shot, bringing Night to his knees. "I said FIGHT!" She kicked him in the face, knocking his beaten form onto the stairs. She shot him again, then again, screaming in rage as he continued to stand up after each blow, his frame now almost entirely exposed.
"Le-KLE-RROW...Le...Let them go..." His energy nearly expended, he crumpled under another barrage of steam and plasma. Aqueous howled at the sight, banging her fists into the pillars like a beast.
"YOU PLANNED THIS, DIDN'T YOU?!! YOU WERE NEVER GOING TO FIGHT ME!!!" She picked him up by his shoulders, staring into his now-sightless eyes. "WHY?!"
"Bec-cu...Because I k-k-k-k-killed him." He fought for every word, his vocal systems nearly melted away. He could feel the switches turning off one by one in his mind as random thoughts ran through his head. He struggled to focus as he felt himself being dropped.
Her arms fell limp at her sides as she stared at the tattered skeleton in front of her. The light faded from her eyes for a moment, as false tears began to form. Her body shivered uncontrollably as she reached for the sword at her side. "You bastard...You...You couldn't just kill both of us, could you?! What do I do now?!"
"K-k-kill meee...Spare them....Ple...Pla..." His vocals had finally failed him and he was left paralyzed, unable to control any part of himself.
The tears flowed freely from Nadia's eyes, the grip on his sword weakening by the moment. "Why do you want to die? Are you guilty? Is that it? Did you even want to kill Jaran?" As her sword tapped the ground, the vibration seemed to course through her, and her grip suddenly grew firm as she raised the blade above her head. The purple haze returned, spreading throughout her body as she was completely consumed. "Do you think this makes it right?! No!!! I'll kill them, I'll kill you, I'll kill them all!!!"
NIGHT...
Night's mind was foggy. He thought he could see...words in his mind. He felt so tired.
NIGHT, IF YOU DIE, THOSE PEOPLE ARE DOOMED. EVERYONE IS DOOMED. FIGHT THE VIRUS...DESTROY IT!!!
Aqueous' shrieking sobs grew louder, and he resigned himself to die.
WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!
INITIALIZING MANUAL OVERRIDE. SUMMONING MIDNIGHT ARMOR.
Aqueous' tears were cut short as a purple light surrounded Night, covering his silver frame in the black armor. Reeling in surprise, she brought her sword down with all the force she could muster.
INITIALIZING WEAPON COPY SYSTEM. RECOVERING FILE...FIRE STRIKE ACTIVATED.
In the blink of an eye, golden vents sprung from all over Night's armor, and he found himself kneeling below her blade, as if time was stopped. His eyes came to life, and he saw Serrael flying towards him, arms outstretched.
"NIGHT!!!!"
With a full dash burst from each leg, Night tackled Aqueous, knocking the sword from her grasp. On contact, flames poured forth from the vents surrounding his body, turning him into a charging fireball. Night felt himself knocked back in a huge cloud of steam as Aqueous' systems began to overload from the heat. As the steam overloaded her circuitry, she went critical as she fell over the side the platform. Night stood still, staring at the rail she'd broken in her descent. As he crumpled to the floor, Serrael rushed forward to catch him. "Somebody help him! Someone, help him!!!"
Minutes passed, and a group of riding armors marched into the area, to find a woman sitting on the ground, holding what looked like a steel skeleton in her arms. Her green eyes full of tears, she stared up at the 14th Unit of the Maverick Hunters. "This is one of yours, right...? He's still alive. Just barely."
(AN: Whew...sorry for the sabbatical. My computer decided it deserved a Spring Break, too...Can't get good help these days.
Chapter 7: Vengeance
It was a happy scene in the den, several people laughing and joking about. There was a huge screen covering one of the walls, quickly flickering between cheery animations and a heated game of soccer. A small group sat on the couches near the screen, watching as an argument grew worse before their eyes and starting to inch away from the battle. A little girl was fighting a young man for the remote, screaming at the top of her lungs.
"You know it's MY TURN!!! WE'RE WATCHING CARTOONS!!!" the girl screamed, kicking at her opponent. The white-haired teen just grunted and grabbed the remote back, turning from the cheesy animations back to the soccer.
Pushing the girl back by her forehead, he used his other arm to fake a yawn as he kicked his legs onto the coffee table. "Rena, grow up, will ya?! This is the god-damned finals! Just 'cuz you look like a kid doesn't mean you need to act like one...God sakes!"
"Do not use our Lord's name in vain, Captain. It's a sin, you know." A thin man was brooding across the room, a book in his hand. "I'm trying to come closer to the Truth, and your little melee is ruining my concentration!"
"Aww, shut up, Baldy, and that's an order!...Hey, gimme that back, you little runt!!!" Rena had used his moment of distraction to steal back the remote, changing the screen back to her cartoons, and quickly running away. He jumped to his feet, intent on giving chase, but ran straight into a wall of a man, staring down at him with a frown.
"Let little sister have her fun, Captain. You know how she is." The imposing figure smiled when he felt Rena just barely wrap her arms around his leg, poking her tongue out at her assailant.
"Dammit, dammit, dammit!!!" He fell back into his seat, grumbling to himself as the squeaking and giggling on the television caused dark thoughts to creep into his head, most of them involving his sword.
"Oh, come off it, boss. Let her. We all need to wind down after our first big ole' loss. Poor Jaran..." A voice from the background quickly turned into a fit of giggles, which quickly dropped into a low moan. "Oh, and Morrie says you need a girlfriend. Oh, stop that! Not really, you-"
Gabriel did his best to zone out the disgusting noises coming the dark corner of the room. Under his breath, he muttered, "Light must have been a real PERV to give us all working parts..."
"Maybe he just wanted us to have a good time, baby..." Gabriel would have hit the ceiling from surprise if a pair of arms weren't firmly wrapped around him. "Sad you're missing your widdle soccer game...I know a game we could play..." As she trailed her finger across his cheek, the young woman behind him started to whisper things in his ear, and his face turned redder by the second.
"Mara!!!" Gabriel pulled himself away from the deranged girl, whirling to stare at her in mock disgust. Her eye that was visible under her long black tresses winked at him. He stormed out of the den, flailing his arms wildly. "You're ALL INSANE!!!"
Just then, a green light flashed and Serrael appeared, lying on the couch. "What's Bro's problem? You weren't hitting on him again, were you, Mara?" Mara nodded wildly, and Serrael couldn't help but grin. "I just hope he doesn't take your bloody teasing out on Sol...Hey, isn't the game on?! Britain's gonna kick Japan's ass!!!" Rena was about to protest when the cartoons disappeared. A live hack into the satellite began to show a transmission. "...the hell?"
They watched the recording silently, shocked and confused. When it ended, silence hung in the air for a moment. Serrael jumped to her feet, running to the door. "She went Mav...oh SHIT!!! Father!!!"
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Elsewhere in the Angel's base, Father was outraged. Focusing his anger, he entered the Master's mind. He laywrithing on the ground before him, screaming as he felt his mind being ripped apart.. "What is the meaning of this, Master? Your orders were to INFILTRATE the station, not start a bloodbath!"
Master rose to his knees, clutching his head as the pain started to recede. "Father, I had nothing to do with this! She's gone insane! I can't even sense her through Veritus anymore! Besides, what harm can she do? They're just humans. Everyone knows about NTN's hiring practices..."
"Enough!" Father yelled, staring down at his servant. "What's done is done. It doesn't matter. It seems like she finished the job before she started killing those humans. Honestly, it's about time for us to reveal ourselves on a greater scale. They covered up our first...meeting, but not even the Council can hide this."
"Yes, my lord. This is just the beginning. We'll crush them all soon enough!" Master pulled himself to his feet, bowing as well as he could as his mind tried to clear.
The Father laughed, leaning back in his throne. "Exactly. What's a handful of them when the human race will be obliterated...I almost hope that Night brat kills the useless pacifist."
Serrael stepped back from her vantage, unable to believe her ears. "Father..." She ran off in the opposite direction, tears streaming down her face.
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The Command Center at MMHQ was the busiest it had ever been. People moved at a blur, a flood of information going from the computers straight into Alia's throbbing head.
"Alia-" Night began to say, but he was cut off before he could speak.
"Dammit, how many Mavs are in there?! Get me scans!" she groaned. She brought up the Unit Status screen at her terminal, and quickly frowned. The 17th was still completely empty. The only other active unit was the 14th, and it was full of rookies. Still, it was all she had. "Who's commanding the 14th?!"
One of her techs punched his screen, shorting out the fossil of a computer. "Shit! The warp sat system's accessed from NTN computers! We're locked out, and it would take hours to get a unit there by foot!"
"How long with Chasers and XMs?" Alia asked, trying to figure out which members of the 14th might be able to use them. The answers weren't looking to good, either.
Another tech just shook his head. "Good news, bad news, Commander. It would take about five minutes with Chasers, twenty with the Neo-Chimeras. We've got the NCs, but we only have one functioning Chaser right now! They're all disassembled on upgrade status...?"
"I can-" Again, he was cut off.
"DAMN IT, DOUGLAS!!! Can this get any worse?!" she said, running her hands through her hair. All 20 members of the 14th were pure greenhorns. Even their commander was fresh from the street. "Where are my god-damned scans!!!"
"ALIA!!!" Night was practically screaming at her, but still she showed no sign of hearing him.
"Boss, things just got worse! I'm picking up signs of the Virus!!! It's the Mav from the transmission!" All activity stalled at the mention. Only Alia was old enough to have actually dealt with the virus, and the stories were enough to paralyze the war room. The silence hung in the air as even Alia stopped typing. Finally, she spoke.
"Okay...I need options. What've you got, boys?" She slumped into her seat, slowly stroking her forehead. "Frankly, I'm stumped."
Night put his hand on Alia's shoulder. "I'm going. Send out the 14th in the NCs after me, but I have to face her. I'm the one she wants. Me for them..." He pulled out his shades, his face unreadable.
"There is no way in high hell I'm letting you fight her!! Your armor's in no condition for a battle yet-" He started walking, ignoring her protests. When he reached the door, he stopped. He stared at the ground, hesitating.
"I have to do this. Goodbye, Alia." The doors slammed behind him as he ran to the Armory.
The techs started to whisper among themselves as he left. Alia fought not to run after him. Something was bothering her, and she couldn't quite figure out what. She was snapped out of her reverie when Douglas' face flashed onto her terminal.
"Uh, er, hi, Alia. Well, the thing is, well-"
"What?!"
"Er, right! Night kind of, well, he...just-ran-in-here-and-stole-a- Land Chaser." it took her a second to figure out the rapid slur, but in the end, she wasn't surprised.
"Yeah?"
"Weird thing is, though, that, well, you see...um, well."
"Spit it out!!!"
With a sheepish grin, Douglas scratched his head and looked away from the screen. "He didn't take his armor, and I can't seem to warp it to him..."
Alia cut the signal. "Oh shit...WHERE THE HELL IS THE 14TH?!!!"
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Neo Tokyo was an ordered city. After so many disasters practically reducing the city to ashes, it was to be expected. The roads were wide now, with shining skyscrapers at all sides. The place was almost totally Westernized over the times. Neo Tokyo had become both the home of the GDC and of the Basic language after the catastrophes of the past, and some called it the shining beacon of the future.
"Damn, this town is monotonous..." Serrael muttered under her breath, rocketing between the buildings towards her goal. Warping didn't seem to be an option anymore. Even the legendary public transit system had been mired with evacuees, grinding all traffic down to a halt. As she blew past the crowds below her, she noticed another object moving as fast as she was over the river of transports. "So, we meet again, Mr. Night Light..."
Night put all of the machine's power into speed. His mind was growing numb from the dark thoughts raging through his mind. Watching the blurs of buildings go by, he released a sigh, shaking his head. "Damn, this town in monotonous..."
"Damn straight!" Out of reflex, Night slammed the bike to the right, nearly ramming into a building. Serrael kept pace with him, dodging about as he righted himself. "You're a jittery one, aren't you, luv?!" she asked, yelling over the combined whine of the Chaser's and her own thrusters.
Night put the bike's thrust a little over the redline, staring straight ahead. "Back off, Maverick! You know where I'm going, and I won't let you stop me!!!"
Stifling a laugh, she blasted forward and turned, now flying backwards just as fast as the Chaser, her arms crossed as she looked at him. "First of all, I thought I told you to call me Ms. Ashton! And second, I'm here for the same reason!"
"Bullshit! Go away!" Night muttered, dodging left and right, trying to pass her.
"Well, aren't you the cheeriest..." she grumbled, struggling to match his movement. Finally tired of the game, she simply landed on the back of the Chaser, holding Night by the hips. "This isn't what the Angels are, Nighty!! I want to help you save those humans!!!"
"I don't need your help!!! Get off my damn bike!!!" He wanted to break free from her grip, but his entire body was focused on steadying the bike, so he was forced to bear it. After a few more wild jerks, he gave up, rushing ahead for all he was worth. He found it hard to concentrate, though, as she swept her hands along his chest.
"Are you KIDDING?! Nadia's gone nuts, and you seem to be a little short on armor at the moment, luv!" She quickly returned her hands to his waist, bracing herself. "You don't have a choice, you're stuck with me! Now hold on to yer arse, Nighty Light!!!"
"What the-AHHHHHH!!!!!!!!" The blur of the buildings faded into single walls of gray as Serrael's Wing Blades suddenly blasted at full power, doubling their speed. Hurtling down the streets of Neo Tokyo, they were nothing more a flash of light to the panicked crowds below.
_____________________________________________________________
"Well, isn't this a shitty situation..." The soldier stood outside of the building, his converted Buster aimed at the revolving doors. The place had been surrounded by a century of GDF forces, and his squad had been put right in the front.
"Oh, quit whining, Mack! This ain't so bad! We may even get to take a potshot at that tin can bitch in there!" His companion poked him with the butt of his beam rifle, cackling madly as he took another sip from a flask at his hip.
"Yeah, right, Colonel...This is goddamned robo fight! A robo bitch versus the good old Tin Can Brigade, as soon as their sorry asses get here, and even we're under the command of that overgrown VCR, Rolente...This is a crock of shit..." Lowering his buster, he leaned on the back of their barricade, grabbing his buddy's flask and taking a long swig.
"Damn straight, bud...I mean, that Signas bastard may be a smart son of a bitch, but he's just a Repliforce relic ta me! This is MY goddamned unit, ain't it, Jimmy?! Why is that son of a bitch Mav-lover doing telling a HUMAN what to do..."
"You senile old coot, just keep your eyes open...Aah, what kinda liquor is-"
Just then, what looked like a comet streaked by, the noise sending the soldiers ducking for cover. Rushing straight towards the building, two shadows jumped from the burning missile as it crashed through into the tower. "HOLY FUCKING SHIT, WHAZZAT?!"
"Who's the boss here?!" Night yelled, turning to face the line of troops. "I said, who runs this bunch of losers?!"
"That would be me. From that stunt, not to mention your attitude, I can safely assume that you're a Hunter?" Signas rode from the line, glaring down at the two teen-sized reploids before him. He stood more than a head higher than either of them. "You're presence here is...unnecessary. Go home, children. This is job for men."
"Oh, can it, you lap dog! We've got this, and I'll be buggered if your bloody EDO is going to get those people killed! I know the Virus and I know that Mav, and she'll slice them if you breathe wrong, much less try to sneak in with your little scout troop!"
"SCOUT TROOP?! We are the Global Defence Forces, the official army of the GDC. Your band of vigilantes only exists because this sort of work is beneath us...But you can't even handle that..."
"Why, you-!!!"
"STOP IT! BOTH OF YOU!!!" Night screamed. They settled down, but stood in stances, ready for a fight, and stared daggers at each other. "Now, she wants me. I'm the only bargaining chip you've got, so I'm calling the shots! Pull back your men, Captain!"
"I refuse to be ordered-"
"STUFF IT! You're gonna PULL BACK, and you're going to swing around! Serrael, I want to sneak in while I distract her and GET THOSE PEOPLE OUT!!! Take them with you, you may need to blast your way in."
"Like bloody hell I-"
"SHUT UP AND DO IT!!!" Before they could speak, he was running towards the hole he'd created in the door, throwing his coat off behind him.
Signas watched him go, a scowl on his face. "By the General...Is your friend always like this?"
Serrael shrugged. "Damned if I know. This is the second time we've met. All right, you sissy fleshbags, we've got hostages to save!" With a leap, she flew around the building, not seeing if they followed.
"Well...I'll be damned. Troops, follow that girl!"
_____________________________________________________________
Inside NTN, the building almost looked peaceful. Beyond the wreckage of the Land Chaser, everything was neat, polished, and in its proper place. Marble pillars rose in a octagon pattern as a huge staircase led straight to the top of the building, winding around them like a steel snake. At the top, a figure in blue armor could barely be seen, visible only from the slightly purple glow of its eyes. "So...you've come. And you've left behind your little toys...Don't think I'll spare your life!"
Night stepped forward, only to duck behind a pillar as a shot of plasma whizzed past his head. "I don't want a fight! Release the humans!"
From the top balcony, Aqueous stood on the rail, her silver hair whipping about from the surrounding fans. "I'll make you a deal, Hunter scum! Make it up here, and I'll spare their worthless lives! Die too soon, and they'll die soon after!"
"You don't have to be a killer! Fight the Virus!" he yelled. He ran for the stairs, pouncing for the nearest cover as a hail of shots followed him.
"Fight it?! It takes away my pain! The pain you caused!!! Now, no more talk!!!" With a shrill scream, her Buster transformed, a ring of raised vents drawing in the air around her. "This is for Ignis!" As her Buster began to whine, she fired. Night jumped forward to dodge the shot, but as the blue bolt struck the floor, a wave of steam blasted his back. Hissing in pain, he drug himself to cover as his systems tried to repair his burned back.
"Did that Geyser Bolt hurt, you bastard?! Don't even try to heal yourself either! That steam is laced with plasma!" Night rubbed his back, feeling the sickening sensation of warm metal on his fingers. Trying to ignore the pain, he started running, a barrage of burning water slamming into the ground around him.
"Burn, you bastard! Burn!" Night fought past the desire to scream, his mind screaming out warnings. SYSTEM AT 50%. SYNTHSKIN REPLACEMENT NECESSARY. Ducking under a final shot, he finally made it to the wide platform at the top of the building. With a burst from her wings, Nadia jumped from her ceiling perch, landing neatly in front of Night, her eyes hardened with rage. "Miss your armor? Now, you're gonna suffer!"
Night sighed, fighting to stand upright as his joints resisted every move he made. "Let them...Let them go! This is my fault, not theirs. I'm here, now free them!"
"Not until I make you pay!" Raising her Buster, she fired. Night didn't try to move, and the blast of water hit him square in the chest, igniting the pellets of plasma in the stream. The explosion of steam engulfed him, burning away his clothing and finally, it struck him fully.
At first, Night thought he would pass out from the pain. He felt his skin burning away under shot after shot. Only the warnings flashing in his head kept him conscious. INTERNAL ENERGY AT DANGEROUS LEVELS!!! SYNTHSKIN REPLACEMENT NECESSARY!!!
"Dammit, why aren't you fighting back?! Fight me!" She fired another shot, bringing Night to his knees. "I said FIGHT!" She kicked him in the face, knocking his beaten form onto the stairs. She shot him again, then again, screaming in rage as he continued to stand up after each blow, his frame now almost entirely exposed.
"Le-KLE-RROW...Le...Let them go..." His energy nearly expended, he crumpled under another barrage of steam and plasma. Aqueous howled at the sight, banging her fists into the pillars like a beast.
"YOU PLANNED THIS, DIDN'T YOU?!! YOU WERE NEVER GOING TO FIGHT ME!!!" She picked him up by his shoulders, staring into his now-sightless eyes. "WHY?!"
"Bec-cu...Because I k-k-k-k-killed him." He fought for every word, his vocal systems nearly melted away. He could feel the switches turning off one by one in his mind as random thoughts ran through his head. He struggled to focus as he felt himself being dropped.
Her arms fell limp at her sides as she stared at the tattered skeleton in front of her. The light faded from her eyes for a moment, as false tears began to form. Her body shivered uncontrollably as she reached for the sword at her side. "You bastard...You...You couldn't just kill both of us, could you?! What do I do now?!"
"K-k-kill meee...Spare them....Ple...Pla..." His vocals had finally failed him and he was left paralyzed, unable to control any part of himself.
The tears flowed freely from Nadia's eyes, the grip on his sword weakening by the moment. "Why do you want to die? Are you guilty? Is that it? Did you even want to kill Jaran?" As her sword tapped the ground, the vibration seemed to course through her, and her grip suddenly grew firm as she raised the blade above her head. The purple haze returned, spreading throughout her body as she was completely consumed. "Do you think this makes it right?! No!!! I'll kill them, I'll kill you, I'll kill them all!!!"
NIGHT...
Night's mind was foggy. He thought he could see...words in his mind. He felt so tired.
NIGHT, IF YOU DIE, THOSE PEOPLE ARE DOOMED. EVERYONE IS DOOMED. FIGHT THE VIRUS...DESTROY IT!!!
Aqueous' shrieking sobs grew louder, and he resigned himself to die.
WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!
INITIALIZING MANUAL OVERRIDE. SUMMONING MIDNIGHT ARMOR.
Aqueous' tears were cut short as a purple light surrounded Night, covering his silver frame in the black armor. Reeling in surprise, she brought her sword down with all the force she could muster.
INITIALIZING WEAPON COPY SYSTEM. RECOVERING FILE...FIRE STRIKE ACTIVATED.
In the blink of an eye, golden vents sprung from all over Night's armor, and he found himself kneeling below her blade, as if time was stopped. His eyes came to life, and he saw Serrael flying towards him, arms outstretched.
"NIGHT!!!!"
With a full dash burst from each leg, Night tackled Aqueous, knocking the sword from her grasp. On contact, flames poured forth from the vents surrounding his body, turning him into a charging fireball. Night felt himself knocked back in a huge cloud of steam as Aqueous' systems began to overload from the heat. As the steam overloaded her circuitry, she went critical as she fell over the side the platform. Night stood still, staring at the rail she'd broken in her descent. As he crumpled to the floor, Serrael rushed forward to catch him. "Somebody help him! Someone, help him!!!"
Minutes passed, and a group of riding armors marched into the area, to find a woman sitting on the ground, holding what looked like a steel skeleton in her arms. Her green eyes full of tears, she stared up at the 14th Unit of the Maverick Hunters. "This is one of yours, right...? He's still alive. Just barely."
(AN: Whew...sorry for the sabbatical. My computer decided it deserved a Spring Break, too...Can't get good help these days.