Chapter 7
Written By Illuminet
Disclaimer: Refer to the first chapter to view it.
"..."-Indicate Speech
'...'-Indicate Thought
:::xXx:::
[Preface]
Raven...
One of the right hand servants of That Man. Everything about him is mysterious. All that can really be speculated about him is that his life was saved by That Man, and so, he has given both body and soul to his savior as thanks. Unlike I-No, who also works directly under That Man like he does, Raven follows his orders diligently and almost without question.
Raven apparently wields knowledge on how to maintain formally downed Gears, a skill most likely taught to him by That Man himself. Such is the case when he was put in charge of watching over Justice. Like Axl Low, Raven used to experience time slips until he was able to learn how to control it. Although he hardly goes into physical battle, it is easy to see that Raven commands enormous power, but holds it back well.
Raven has recently been doubting some of the assignments given to him by That Man, especially concerning Sol Badguy's powers. Raven believes only in what he has seen physically. He does not believe that Sol wields enough power to save the world as That Man predicts, but as long as his loyalty stands, he will not do any unnecessary harm to Sol unless ordered to.
:::xXx:::
[Main Story]
Abandoned Lab ruins, remains of Gear Project factory
"Wow, this place has seen better days, I'm sure."
Faust said as he looked around the fallen structure Sol had scouted about the ground, looking for something.
"So this is where the Americans built their Gears? I wonder what happened to it..."
Testament said. He could only guess at how big the structure was when it was standing normally. Sol looked up from his searching briefly.
"Me and Justice wrecked havoc on this place once she gained her free will along with me and we escaped. I had originally been left incomplete around here, and that's the worst pain a Gear can feel...when it's not complete. That's why I wanted to complete myself, to escape from the horrific pain that was always with me."
Sol explained. Sol went back to his searching until he found what he was looking for.
"Find it?"
Faust asked. Sol only nodded. Using the Fire Seal's magic, Sol created a large explosion of fire that cleared a path through all the debris. Testament and Faust looked at Sol in surprise.
"I think that may have been a little overboard..."
Testament stated. Sol nodded wide eyed.
"Shit, this thing really is powerful. I guess in the hands of a Gear, the magic is amplified on an amazing level."
Sol said. The trap door he originally meant to blow off it's hinges with the explosive flames produced by the Fire Seal ended up making most of the ground collapse and leave a rather large hole where the tunnel used to be. The three peered down the large hole.
"Damn, how far will this lead us if we jump?"
Testament asked. Sol shook his head.
"Can't remember, but we can't jump because then we'll all hit the force field. It keeps almost anything physical out. Although there are about eight hundred or so trap doors that lead to the underground facility, this is the only one with the security locks that will halt power to the generator and in turn remove the force field. The thing that bothers me is that, considering the ground collapsed, it took the elevator with it, and so we can't head down to the locks and shut them off normally."
Sol explained. Testament eyed the other Gear strangely, noting that his speech patterns tended to change every so often.
:::xXx:::
Underground secret lab a.k.a Unknown (formally, anyway...)
"I have to admit that door trick of yours definitely has some very good uses."
Testament praised Faust. With Sol's help, the door could be opened so that it pinpointed the security locks location. After that, it was all a matter of turning the locks off. Faust could use his technique to teleport the three into the secret lab where That Man went into hiding from the rest of the world.
"Finally. Now I just have to kill that fucking bastard, get Dizzy and Justice and burn this place into a pile of shit."
Sol said excitedly as he gripped the Fire Seal tightly.
"Justice and Dizzy were almost successful in getting out of the lab. It's really too bad they were unsuccessful in their attempt."
Faust said. Testament nodded.
"Indeed. Still, even if they did make it out, they couldn't have removed the force field, right?"
Testament said as he turned to Sol.
"If they found the controls on the outside of the lab, then yeah, they would...hm?"
Sol stopped himself and began to look around the room.
"You two feel something?"
Sol asked quickly.
"I'm detecting a Human presence somewhere around here. Yet, I can't see one. Do you think it's the man named Raven, or the woman called I-No?"
Testament said. Sol shook his head, turning towards Testament and Faust.
"No, someone else..."
Sol said. Testament and Faust saw something coming from behind Sol. It was entirely black, looking almost like a liquid.
"Sol, behind you!"
Faust warned. Sol whirled around with tremendous speed, bringing the Fire Seal up in a defensive posture as the large black goo monster attacked with a ramming strike, sending Sol staggering back from the force of the blow.
"What kind of trick is this, your shadow is attacking you!"
Faust declared with a surprised tone. Sol and Testament looked at the large black beast with narrowed eyes.
"A forbidden weapon of magic by the Humans...the Eddie!"
Testament said. Sol grunted.
"Damn. I thought all those guys got killed in the war."
Sol muttered.
"I admit, a great many of these living weapons to combat the Gears were, but there are those like me who can summon them by forbidden rite. Why do you think it's called forbidden magic?"
The creature said in a deep voice. It's form became humanoid like, although the head looked almost like a bird. Soon the black substance lowered, revealing a man with blonde hair and slightly tanned skin. Cloth was held in place over his eyes by a leather strap that went all around his head. He wore a black a-shirt tucked into black combat pants and boots.
"So...you sacrificed your sight in order to obtain the parasite that would turn shadows into weapons."
Sol said softly. The man bowed in the direction of the three.
"That's right. Quite perceptive, aren't we, Proto-type? Since I know you three, it's only fair you know who I am. They call me Zato."
Zato introduced as he rose back to his full height. He held out his left hand.
"And the man here is Venom."
Zato said as a man with dark skin and long white hair marked with a blue ceremonial eye motif drawn in his hair, which covered most of his face, save for one piercing blue eye. The man dressed in a white suit, looking like a bouncer or something similar to it. In his hand was a blue case with a similar eye motif engraved in the surface.
"And the woman, Millia Rage."
Zato said as he lifted his right arm. A pale skinned woman entered, her blond hair cut short, a blue head band to keep her hair out of her eyes. She wore a slightly baggy white jump suit on her slender frame.
"So this is the famous trio of the Assassin's Guild."
Faust said. Sol and Testament looked up to the doctor as came to stand at his full height rather than remain hunched down.
"You know these crazy assholes?"
Sol asked. Faust nodded.
"Yes. Not much, but I hear their very skilled. Many members of the Assassin Guild use the forbidden magic in order to gain immense power. This allows them to assassinate any kind of target, weather Human, Gear, or otherwise."
Faust said.
"Shit, we ain't got time for this. Whoever you three are, I suggest you haul your asses out of here if you want to live."
Sol threatened the Assassins. Zato chuckled.
"Unfortunately that can't be done, Proto-type. Killing you and your companions is the only way we can get payed, so there's no use in trying to talk us out of this."
Zato said. Sol gritted his teeth together in annoyance.
"Listen, fucker, you got two choices. One, you leave here peacefully and live. Two, you stay here to fight and I kill you all. Ether way, your asses aren't getting payed."
Sol stated as he brought the Fire Seal his side, letting it gently tap his leg. He brought his free hand to his side, putting a thumb in his pocket while the rest of his hand rested by his side.
"Such arrogance. You'll find us quite difficult to kill, I assure you."
Zato said. Sol scowled.
"And I assure you'll find it very painful once I shove this blade up your ass and give you a sun burn to your organs, bitch."
Sol said smugly, bringing his right hand to the side of his neck and cracking it. Testament brought out a red scythe out of nowhere. As for Faust, by some weird event, he put a hand in his bag, grabbing the biggest scalpel Sol had ever seen.
"How the fuck did you get that thing in you bag in the first place? No never mind, I'd rather not know. Let's just get this over with."
Sol said. Zato's shadow swirled about his feet. Venom opened the case, releasing it quickly as he grabbed to small poles he screwed together to make a pool stick. Millia's hair extended, becoming very long. The combatants readied themselves for battle.
:::xXx:::
On the way to abandoned Lab ruins
Ky and the others were heading towards their location via another limo. The sirens were blaring as the driver was speeding through every street and corner to reach the destination Ky and the rest needed to go.
"When do we get there? I want in on some of the action too."
Baiken grumbled. To her left were seated Anji and Chipp, and to her right, was May. Across from them were Johnny and Ky, who naturally sat in between Jam and Bridget. He was looking at his laptop, which pinpointed the Fire Seal Outrage's location.
"We're almost at our destination."
Ky declared.
"Where exactly are we headed to, officer?"
Anji asked politely. He had the Stopping Fans Outrage folded in his hands. As with Sol, Anji was also lented one.
"My sources say that the location of the Fire Seal is at the old laboratory where Gears were first created and manufactured to be bidded on by the richest person. Apparently there must be some kind of facility underground because that's where Fire Seal is emanating from, below ground level over there."
Ky said.
"That would be the least likely way to be found by ending up in the place it all began. How ironic."
Bridget said. Ky nodded.
:::xXx:::
Abandoned Lab Ruins
"Looks like Sol made quite a mess in here..."
Ky said as he looked down the large hole in the floor of the former private facility.
"How do we get down there? The railings on the side tell me an elevator should be here, but there isn't one."
Johnny commented. Baiken narrowed her eyes.
"Damn it. Those two really are going to steal all the fun."
Baiken said.
"Everyone, I just might have an idea."
Bridget said. Everyone turned to him.
:::xXx:::
On the way down to the secret lab...
"Are you really sure this thing will hold us?"
May asked nervously. They were unknowingly about half way down to the lab area, using Bridget's yo-yo to do it. Bridget had made his yo-yo transform into a giant teddy bear, which he named Roger, and instructed it to hold the line steady and lower the team down to the large shaft.
"Don't sweat it, May. Roger is very strong and the string has a good two thousand pound resistence to it. So it can easily hold everyone's weight along with their weapons."
Bridget said reassuringly to the young girl. May was still a bit doubtful, however.
"I hope your right."
She said to him.
"I'm just glad Potemkin's not with us. The yo-yo's string would definitely snap under his weight."
Johnny said.
:::xXx:::
While Ky and the others are climbing down...
The battle began. Sol, Testament, and Faust charged at the three assassins just as they charged at them. Once in striking distance, Sol lashed out with a quick sweep of his blade which was aimed at Zato, but the man brought his arm up to lift a wall of shadow to guard against the attack. Zato countered successfully by turning his arm into a small shark that bit Sol's forearm and rammed the Gear back. Venom used magic to transform Testament into an oversized white pool ball and quickly stuck it with his stick, sending Testament flying into Sol. Faust struck out with his scalpel, intent on impaling Millia, but the woman rolled under the attack, and once up close, struck Faust hard with a whip like motion of her hair that sent Faust colliding with his other two companions. The three got up unsteadily.
"Shit, these three are tougher then they look."
Sol said with a grunt.
"I suggest we hold back less now. Agreed?"
Testament asked as he also rose, leaning on his scythe for support. Faust nodded.
"I do."
Before they could get ready for another attack, Zato lifted both arms up in the air, making a large black beast head rise up under the three and devour them. Sol was the first to burst free from the beast head at surprising speed. He reeled his arm back before delivering a crushing hilt strike directly at Zato's forehead. The man was sent flying from the impact in surprise.
"Let's see if I can do it too. Volcanic Viper!"
Sol shouted as he saw Zato rebound off the wall. Sol jumped towards him, slashing upward with a heated Fire Seal that made Zato's body go ablaze.
"Master Zato!"
Venom shouted. Before he could reach his leader, however, Faust was right in front of him.
"Let him down, Sol!"
Faust announced. Sol obliged once he was at the peak of his jump along with Zato. Sol twisted in the air, sending his foot downward to strike Zato down to Faust's location. Having caught Venom by surprise and Zato in a daze from Sol's onslaught, Faust impaled his long scalpel in the ground, before moving on it's flexible shaft at amazing speed, catching the two assassins in a whirlwind of blows as he sprang back and forth along his scalpel. Millia interrupted Faust's attack, as she formed her hair into a large blade that she used to surf along the ground, striking Faust's scalpel and making the doctor trip in from his momentum. Before Millia could retaliate against Faust, Testament came swiftly from under her in a mass of blood that took her off her feet. Faust recovered, jump over Testament and stuck Millia hard with his body as it spun so fast it looked like a miniature tornado
"Get out of the way, doc."
Faust heard Sol say. Faust barely had time to move as Sol went ripping past him with a shield of flame held in front of him.
"Tyrant Rave!"
Sol rammed into Millia with enough force to send her into another wall engulfed in flames. The woman rebounded off the wall muck like Zato did. Sol had just touched ground and was prepared to attack her again.
"Invite Hell!"
With a wave of his arm, Zato sent a shadow drill under Sol's location, tripping the Gear's feet from under him. Millia recovered in mid air, and seized the opportunity to retaliate against Sol. Transforming her hair into large wings, Millia dove down on Sol, sending him reeling back from the force of the blow. Faust was there to catch Sol.
"Dark Angel!"
Both Sol and Faust were bulldozed by a large violet energy sphere Venom shot their way. Zato covered his body with his shadow, letting his demon form sprout wings as he flew in their direction. Testament was quickly up in the air to swat Zato back down with a heavy downward swipe of his scythe, But was soon shot in the back by Venom who sent a barrage of energy cue balls at him. The two teams regrouped.
"Damn, you're a lot stronger than he says, Proto-type."
Zato said. Sol narrowed his eyes.
"Get the fuck out of my way with that shit. The longer I live, the more powerful I get. That's always how a Gear's powers keep increasing. With time."
Sol said.
"That's new information. That Man said you were incomplete, unable to have your power evolve and increase further like normal Gears."
Zato said.
'I guess he really doesn't know...'
Sol thought to himself.
'Either that or he has been lying to these Assassins and is just using them for cover.'
Testament's voice sounded within Sol.
'Maybe...'
Sol agreed. The more he thought about it more clearly the more it made sense. Sol wanted to kick his own ass for forgetting Raven's words. That Man only wanted Sol to suffer, not be killed.
"It doesn't matter...let's get this over with."
Sol said softly. He brought his right hand to his neck again to crack it. He charged again, no longer letting petty talks waste any more time like it already did. Testament and Faust followed, ready to commence battle again after the small breather. Sol lunged forward with his right arm engulfed in a large gauntlet of flames. Sol twisted his body, bringing back his right fist and releasing the flame in front of him as he his left hand brought the fire Seal up to slash at the projectile. The flames expanded, creating a shield of fire. Although the Assassins halted before they could connect with Sol's attack, Testament teleported behind them, slashing out with a large horizontal arc that pushed them into the raging inferno. Faust had scurried past the flames to launch the Assassin's upward, as he twirled through the air after them, making his normal sized hand transform into a giant sized one as he sent them free falling with a mighty chop. Before they touched ground however, Testament had set a trap in the form of a massive living tree that rose up and struck them, leaving them afloat as Sol roared, gathering power in the Fire Seal. Sol impaled the blade into the ground, making flames burst fiercely from the ground to strike his opponents in a rising explosion.
"Looks like they fell into unconsciousness. They really are tough to kill."
Testament commented. Sol nodded.
"Yeah. Justice and Dizzy take first priority now. Let's get moving."
He said, already heading for the exit. Testament and Faust soon followed. Almost right after they departed from the room, Ky and the others burst through the entrance.
"Hey who are those guys?"
Chipp asked, once he spotted Zato, Venom, and Millia all lying down face first unconscious. Ky inspected their bodies.
"Hey, these three are the main figure heads behind the Assassin's Guild. The police have bee searching tirelessly for these three. All of you go on ahead. Bridget, can you help me bind these three? I'll inform the American branch headquarters that we have these criminals and have them sent to a secure prison before following the rest of you."
Ky said. While the others went ahead, Bridget helped his father bind the Assassins with some extra yo-yo string.
"I wonder if they were hired to take out Sol and Testament?"
Ky said. Bridget shrugged.
"I'm not sure. Still, I'm glad we came here. This is the coolest vacation ever, dad!"
He said with a big grin plastered on his face.
{...To Be Continued...}
Note: Well, here's the seventh chapter. It's a bit short, but I think it came out alright. The U.S. release of Guilty Gear Isuka is going to be coming out in a couple of months. Is that cool or what? I hope it's as good as I hear it is. Anyway, that kind of got off topic. Hopfully readers will enjoy this chapter as well, so...See Ya.