Chapter 11: Grab, Toss, Parry, Throw, Busted and NESTS?
Zepp Continent, 1000 meters above sea level.
The continent seemed to be quiet and calm, with the exception of soldiers patrolling cities and towns. The citizens of the continent that still practiced and preserved technology went on their life as if there was nothing, despite the frenzy of the GVS2 happening at the world below. Yet, they did not realize that a group of outsiders had breached the guards and were now heading toward a nearby military complex.
"Alright, team," Clark spoke as the Ikari Team took cover behind a container, "Heidern has assigned us to infiltrate the Zepp military camp, and we are ordered to gather as many information as possible about this regime."
"One question," Leona uttered, "Why it's got to be us?"
"Because there's no one else capable of doing this mission better than us," Clark answered. "Besides, we haven't appeared in any fanfics lately, thanks to that lone wolf-"
Lone Wolf SIX suddenly sneezed while the four of them took a ride on horses, heading toward Magnolia Village in Korea. "Now what? Someone mentioning my name again?" he mumbled and rubbed his nose.
"But at least," the elite soldier in blackglasses uttered, "we got to accomplish a dangerous mission today. A very dangerous mission."
"Yeah, yeah," Ralf replied. "Hey, Clark. Suppose that Heidern plans to promote us, should we accomplish this mission with perfect score?"
Clark glared at the Argentine brute fighter. "What? Do you think we're Hitman or something?"
Inside a cathedral (random stage in Hitman 2: Silent Assassin) Hitman was sniping a grunt when he looked at the camera. "Stop sneaking at me. I'm trying to concentrate," he spoke and went back on sniping.
Ralf sweatdropped. "Okay, stop this nonsense. We've got a mission to deal with," he reminded.
"Right," Leona replied and nodded.
"Ralf, you're going to infiltrate the headquarters. Leona will breach the communication center, while I'll check the war factory." Clark spoke.
"Got it," Ralf replied with a salute.
"Understood," Leona responded.
"We'll meet at this point after our mission is over, accomplished or not. And beware of the Zepp Elite Guards; they're highly trained soldiers and will not hesitate to kill anyone found intruding classified areas," Clark added. Both Ralf and Leona nodded and saluted.
"Alright, team. Let's move out."
The three of them separated and headed to the designated location. Clark was the first to proceed; silently he approached a supply truck heading toward the war factory and hid beneath the crates. His team-mates already left to their objectives, and it's up to them to survive the mission.
The truck halted at guard post. Clark waited cautiously as guards inspected the cargo, occasionally flashing the interior with flashlight. The truck moved, leaving Clark in relief. He would have been doomed if the guards found him; either the guards would kill him on the spot or call in the Elite Guards.
The supply truck finally stopped. Clark peeked outside the canvas covering and found that the vehicle had arrived at the war factory. Slowly he stepped out and left the truck, avoiding several workers who were carrying cargoes toward the truck. He immediately approached a mech and waited, as the workers eventually drove away from the building.
"No one is present," he thought and walked toward a crate. He observed the interior of the factory and saw numbers of mech-warriors parked in lines. He also saw huge artillery behind a group of hover tanks. "What are these…? Preparation for a war or something?" he thought again and cautiously approached the artillery.
Suddenly…
"Hey, you."
Clark halted. He was detected. He couldn't run or hide for cover. Slowly he turned his sight and looked up. A gigantic figure was standing right in front of him; like Goliath facing David in the famous Greek myth. "What the…?"
"Who are you? What are you doing inside this factory?" the giant questioned.
"Me?" Clark replied, sweats covering his face. Then he shrugged and stood up. "I am Clark Kent, member of the elite Ikari Team. I am assigned by Colonel Heidern to investigate the involvement of Zepp with the tournament."
"Ikari Team?" the giant asked, glowering down at Clark.
"Yes, I am." Clark spoke.
The giant was staring at Clark for a while, before he armed himself with Heat Knuckle. "You infiltrate Zepp's top-secret facility. By the name of my mentor President Gabriel, I shall eliminate all intruders."
"If that means to have a duel," Clark spoke and corrected his gloves, "you're on."
x-x-x-x-x
It had been decided. Both Sanzo group and Dizzy group would combine to form a single party, though at first the idea wasn't agreed by Sanzo. Gojyo didn't mind with it; he insisted that it would be fine as long as he got the chance to impress Dizzy and Hotaru. Goku was the most energetic; already vowed to avenge Jam's death,
"Though I don't really agree with this idea," Sanzo mumbled in disapproval. "Hakkai, why do we really have to ride on this bus?"
Hakkai merely laughed. "Gomen. Actually, Kouryu cannot carry more than four passengers, and Hotaru-san happened to find a bus outside the cathedral," Hakkai replied while driving the old school bus. "Hey, at least Kouryu got the chance to have a rest."
"Bah. Whatever," Sanzo muttered and took a sip of Marlboro. "At least, those twos aren't fighting like brats again."
Hakkai laughed again. "You're right."
At the passenger's seat, Gojyo still effortlessly tried to impress Dizzy and Hotaru to have a date with him, while Goku complained of being hungry. Ky, on the other hand, was examining his Thunderseal. The Holy Knight was still thinking of the mysterious K' who challenged him with no apparent reason. He was wondering of why K' declared himself as not a replicated human, hence this led him to a speculation whether he was a Gear.
Gear?
Ky shook his head. All this time, he had wished for an ordinary life, out of his responsibility as the IPF office, out of his duty as the Holy Knight. All this time, he wanted to forget all his arguments and confrontations with the Gears he had met: the Guilty Gear Sol Badguy, now nowhere to find; the mean archetype command Gear Justice, now transformed into the super-cute and super-mean Justine Harrier, and the innocent hybrid Dizzy, the later officially became his wife. Gears. Why his life always full of crisis with this being?
Ky's concentration was disturbed when Goku cried of hunger. "Sanzo, haraheta…!" he moaned and groaned. Sanzo veined in anger and tossed a leftover at the monkey boy. "Sanzo, I'm hungry! Why are you giving me this?" Goku demanded.
"Shut up," Sanzo replied. "Just eat that burger, or I'll have to throw you at the river."
"Aww, Sanzo's so mean at me," Goku mumbled and ate the burger. Moments later, he suddenly spat the burger. "Sanzo! This is more like a burnt rubber than a burger!"
This time, Sanzo could take it no more. "URUSAI!" and he threw his tessen at Goku's head. "Stop complaining like a brat and sit down." Goku grumbled and sat, rubbing a bump on his head.
Hakkai slyly grinned at Sanzo. "I say, why don't you handle a crash course for parents-would-be?" Sanzo replied with a murderous glare at Hakkai. "Well, that's only a suggestion. Take it easy, ne?"
"Sheesh."
x-x-x-x-x
He stood alone on the square, facing the once-famous Kremlin. No one was present at the area, except for peasants who were running for safety. He took no notice of the people. His focus was just on the building.
#102796 MAIN OBJECTIVE: RETRIEVE THE AMPLIFIER FROM THE KREMLIN.
He nodded. He opened steps and slowly approached the Kremlin. But, then, as he was near the main door, he stopped. A group of security guards stood defensively in front of him, pointing their Kalashnikov rifles at him.
"Halt!" one of the guards spoke. "Nobody is going to infiltrate the Kremlin. We are ordered to exterminate all intruders."
The man merely grinned. "Oh, I'm an intruder, eh?" he uttered and ignited flame from his fists. "Let me tell you feeble guards something: I need no one to interfere with my job. Now leave."
The guards' response was unfriendly one. Immediately all of them opened fire at the man, unleashing torrents of 7.62mm bullets at him. The man did not run; instead he waved the flame from his hand, easily deflecting the bullets. The guards were caught in horror and fired more bullets from their weapons.
"Don't mess with me," the man uttered and fired a Dark Sweeper. Instead of directed toward the guards, the projectile hit the steel-reinforced door and exploded upon contact. "Step aside," he ordered. However, he halted and turned around again. A T-72 battle tank was facing him, with its smoothbore barrel aimed at him.
"What's this? Am I this strong that you have to ask for reinforcement?" he demanded and generated concentrated flame from his palm. The battle tank, as well as the guards, responded by pointing all weapons. "Alright, you ask for it. Allow me to show you the ferocity of the Great Serpent Cutter."
In less than seconds, it was over. The battle tank and the guards were reduced to burnt remains. The man was left unscathed. Grinning deviously, he entered the Kremlin and headed toward a secret chamber, where a pair of gloves was displayed on an altar. He did not hesitate and took the gloves. He was inspecting the item before began to wear it.
#102796 OBJECTIVE REACHED. AMPLIFIER SUCCESSFULLY RETRIEVED.
Immediately he felt his inner force rising, as a result of the amplifier's effect. The crimson flame of Kusanagi-ryuu ignited and engulfed his entire body, almost burning the whole building.
He looked at a direction and grinned deviously confident. "I shall find you. You'll just wait."
x-x-x-x-x
Bridget was alone now. Naruto had previously left to meet his allies at Mokuba village, and he had nowhere to go. Nowhere, until he remembered May. "How is she doing? Maybe I should pay her a visit at Mayship," he thought and began walking.
"Yoo-hoo, Bridget!"
Bridget turned around and gasped in shock. A girl, in distinctive Adidas outfit, was standing not far from him. In her right hand was a yo-yo, while a dagger was held in her left hand.
"Remember me, Bridget?" the girl asked, grinning.
What the hell? Not only her style had been seen somewhere, she even knew his name. And she was not May at all!
"What's wrong with you, buddy?" the girl asked. "Oh, I get it. You totally forgot me. Aww, that sucks. I wish I could show you how great I was in the narrator disguise."
Narrator? Disguise?
[Flashback]
Narrator: (blushed and pushed Bridget away) get off, okay? I just want to undress my disguise.
Bridget: You say what?
(Everyone watched in bafflement, as the narrator undid her disguise and threw it away, revealing herself as…)
Omega Rugal: What…
Robo Ky: THE_
Bridget: Hell?
(The narrator was, in fact…
[/flashback]
"MALIN!?"
The girl grinned and giggled. "Hey, you do remember me! That's great," Malin uttered.
"What are you doing here, Malin?" Bridget demanded.
Malin grumbled and folded her arms. "Do I look like want to look for trouble with you, Mister Crossdressing Bounty Hunter? Look, I've been looking around for you for weeks and this journey almost kills me. Sheesh, if only Hinako's with me now…"
Bridget stared at the girl. "Why are you chasing me?"
"Because," Malin answered and grinned, "I'm looking for a partner, and that partner is you."
Silence. "Me?" Bridget later voiced and pointed at his face.
"Of course. Together we can form a TAG team and win the tournament. What do you say?"
Bridget was still staring at Malin. He wouldn't mind if he were to be paired up with May or Dizzy (as a TAG team, of course), but with Malin? He did not know her full potential as a fighter, and in a sudden he was offered to be her TAG partner.
"Uh-oh."
x-x-x-x-x
At the war factory.
The battle of the grappler was happening in a violent pace, as the two grapplers exchanged command throws and overdrives and special moves. Clark evaded from Potemkin's Gigantor and counterattacked with a Super Argentine Backbreaker. He later followed with a Flashing Elbow, but Potemkin escaped with a Psych Burst Counter and retaliated with a Hammer Fall. Clark got hit and crashed on a mech.
"You're quite potent," Potemkin uttered as he stood back on his place. "And your fighting style makes me curious. Tell me, Clark. Are the people down there practicing the same style as you are?"
"Why do you ask?" Clark asked in return as he got up from the ruined vehicles.
"Along my observation, nobody has ever fought me with such technique." Potemkin answered. "Well, except for Gears, civilians would stand no chance against my brute force."
Clark's eyebrow arched in curiosity. "Gears?"
"Did anybody inform you about Gears?" Potemkin inquired.
"As long as I can remember, nope. Not even Heidern," the Ikari team member uttered.
Potemkin scratched his head. "Strange. Totally strange."
"Hey, I don't want to talk about this Gear issue," Clark continued, "but I need to know whether this regime is involved in the tournament. I believe the president has information regarding this matter."
"What tournament would it be?" Potemkin asked and was given the invitation card by Clark. The gigantic soldier of Zepp took the card and carefully read the content of the card. Then he looked at Clark in wonder. "My mentor has never mentioned anything about Battle Revolution."
"He did not?" Clark asked.
"If he did, he would have ordered me to go down there to investigate," Potemkin spoke.
Clark frowned in suspicion. 'If this regime claims to have no connection toward the tournament, then why did Heidern assign us to infiltrate their military complex?' He looked back at Potemkin and was about to say something when intruder alarms set off.
"ENEMY ALERT. ENEMY ALERT. ALL PERSONNEL ARE REQUIRED TO SCRAMBLE IMMEDIATELY. I REPEAT ALL PERSONNEL ARE REQUIRED TO SCRAMBLE IMMEDIATELY."
Both Clark and Potemkin were startled and looked around them before the war factory was infiltrated. Clark watched in surprise, as battalions of NESTS Kusanagi entered the factory en masse, all of them wearing the Kusanagi '95 outfit.
"Who are they?" Potemkin asked. "And why all of them look so similar?"
"You don't want to know, Pot. Whatever it is, they're here with no good intention." He reached his intercom and called for his teammates. "Ralf, Leona, do you read me? Over."
"Clark, these NESTS pests are everywhere!" Ralf responded. "Out of nowhere they came in and attacked all the personnel!"
"Clark, Leona here!" came Leona's reply. "I can't breach the communication center! The Kusanagis are everywhere! What are we going to do now?"
"You two! Abandon mission and gather at war factory immediately," Clark ordered.
"Roger that!" Ralf and Leona responded before the intercom disconnected. Clark, then, opened his battle stance. "Pot, how many of them you think you can handle?"
"10, 15, maybe more," Potemkin spoke and got ready in his stance. "Clark, what about the duel we have earlier?"
"We should postpone it to other dates," Clark said as he stared at the NESTS Kusanagi army. "Hey, we don't have much time for such things. We need to get rid of these pests first."
"Right. And one more thing, Clark."
"What?"
"Why are you calling me Pot? Do I look like a potter?"
Before Clark could answer, the NESTS Kusanagis screamed in battle cry and charged toward them. "Here we go."