Thankings to all reviewing persons once more. (I'm going to have to think of a better opening line.)
Chapter 15: Stress Relief
The street around me was cold. There weren't many pedestrians. That isn't right; there should have been hundreds of them. It was 8:00pm, it was almost Christmas. The street should have been filled with shoppers who procrastinated earlier in the month.
I cast my eyes around the street and I saw him. He was alternating between talking with the cashier and drinking coffee. I knew what came next, I'd seen it before. I just hadn't seen it for a while.
I charged across the street, my legs felt like they'd lost the will to live. It didn't really matter anyway. Seamus and the other two vanished in a deafening blast that engulfed the whole café. I stand, paralysed, same as always, too shocked to move, not that I could if I wanted to.
Across the street, I saw the other one. This hadn't happened before. IT happened this time however, I saw him, Morpheus, strolling down the street, his long black coat swaying in the wind. Immaculate.
I tried to move again, nothing. My legs refused to work. He cast a glance in my direction and waved something in the air that might have been a stick of dynamite, or a detonator, I don't know.
Awake.
My eyes shot open and I found myself with a familiar sense of faint, lingering shock that accompanied the nightmare I'd been having on random nights since Seamus died. I lay motionless for a long while, I didn't want to move until I'd remembered everything that had happened the night before.
Gradually, it came to me, vague images appearing randomly until I'd pieced together enough to fill in the remaining blanks.
I looked around me, the room was all white, the bright piercing light that hurt my eyes once again. I was back in the Destiny. I was lying on a chair commonly used by therapy patients, and Dragon was sitting in a leather chair that seemed to mould itself around him.
"Morning." He looked nervous. Something forced its way through the growing anger within me that brought out an involuntary grin on my face.
"How long?" I asked, forcing the grin and the amusement back down.
"About 9 hours." His tone seemed to alternate between sympathetic, deadpan, and nervous.
I lay motionless and silent for about two minutes, searching for something appropriate to say. Nothing sprung to mind however.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"What's there to say? I tried to kill him, I failed."
"Do you want to say why you tried to kill him?"
"Not really."
He nodded; obviously this was what he'd been expecting.
"Do you want to be alone?"
"Dragon," I wasn't really up for conversation, maybe I should have said yes, "I really don't care."
He nodded gain and remained in his seat.
"We got a call from the Oracle." It took me a little while for my brain to assimilate this information. I was still a little groggy and with feelings of murderous rage and frustration circling about in my head, I couldn't immediately remember who the Oracle was.
"What does she want?"
"The Demons are going to attack a series of villages in Northern Island." This peaked my interest, "unless we stop them, a lot of people are going to die."
Don't ask me why, but this news made me feel slightly better. Not because of the people dying, but because an opportunity to vent my anger had presented itself.
"When do we leave?" I asked.
Four hours later
The first van exploded instantly, killing all twelve demons that had crammed themselves within it. I couldn't help but think why Dragon hadn't revealed the rocket launcher he had concealed within his right arm. This thought was quickly banished however.
The Demons sprung from the second van in the clumsiest fashion imaginable, many fell over or tripped over fallen colleagues. Two actually ran back the way they came.
"Shall we?" Manticore asked with disturbing calm.
Lifting ourselves over the top of the small hill near the road, we opened fire on the rabble of Demons. Hawk took out one with a well placed bullet to the heart; at least I think it came from her. It's not the kind of thing you really notice in such situations. What you notice is that one enemy target is dead. Who did the deed doesn't matter.
Another's head exploded as a bullet smashed through her skull into her brain. Less then a week ago, the sight would have made me vomit. Now I just regarded it with marginal disgust.
We took out another as the Demons scattered and looked for cover. Four of the fools hid behind their van. Dragon released another rocket, directly at the fuel tank.
The vehicle exploded, sending ripped, charred, airborne Demon corpses back several meters.
The ones that had chosen slightly more appropriate cover returned fire. Bullets scraped off of and buried themselves within the wet mud of the hill. We instinctively ducked our heads so as to keep them on our shoulders. After a few seconds, the gunfire stopped. Presumably to allow the Demons to check how much damage they'd inflicted upon us.
We wasted no time.
Hastily pulling ourselves over the hill, we charged at the enemy with the same inhuman speed that Manticore and myself had used before. The Demons began shooting randomly, the few bullets that would have hit us were dodged effortlessly, and with knives, fists and arm mounted blades, we unleashed Hell. Sorry about the cliché usage but I couldn't think of anything else.
Hydra buried her knife deep into the chest of one demon before slinging it into the head of another, or so she claims, I was distracted somewhat by three that were using a surprisingly skilful collection of moves to try and kill me.
I dodged a kick to my head that would have given me a small concussion if it had landed, if I was my old self it probably would have killed me.
With one arm mounted sword, I severed the leg of the next Demon who tried that. I then buried the other sword onto the one of the left.
The remaining Demon turned his tail and ran. For a moment I considered letting him go. Thoughts of Seamus, bloodlust, hatred for the Demons and the remainder of my murderous emotions sent me after him however. Seconds after this, his head fell from his shoulders.
24 Demons dead, not a scratch on us.
I couldn't help but wonder tomorrow's papers would say.
To be continued.
Right, now for replies.
Angel-of-lightness: Everyone should be uploaded into a sentinel at least once for the experience alone. Then they will see that flying isn't as easy as it looks. Thanks for reviewing, avoid sharp pointy things to prevent blood loss.
Tai Wilson: Good luck with your writing ways, it'll be hard to make a realistic evil Neo, it's hard enough to write about the conventional one in my experience. Oh well, thanks for reviewing.
Agent Josie: Expect the worst I shall. Actually, knowing me I'll forget within a few moments. Oh well. You need burn nothing today or tomorrow or whenever you read this. Unless of course you want to. Thanks for reviewing.
Chapter 15: Stress Relief
The street around me was cold. There weren't many pedestrians. That isn't right; there should have been hundreds of them. It was 8:00pm, it was almost Christmas. The street should have been filled with shoppers who procrastinated earlier in the month.
I cast my eyes around the street and I saw him. He was alternating between talking with the cashier and drinking coffee. I knew what came next, I'd seen it before. I just hadn't seen it for a while.
I charged across the street, my legs felt like they'd lost the will to live. It didn't really matter anyway. Seamus and the other two vanished in a deafening blast that engulfed the whole café. I stand, paralysed, same as always, too shocked to move, not that I could if I wanted to.
Across the street, I saw the other one. This hadn't happened before. IT happened this time however, I saw him, Morpheus, strolling down the street, his long black coat swaying in the wind. Immaculate.
I tried to move again, nothing. My legs refused to work. He cast a glance in my direction and waved something in the air that might have been a stick of dynamite, or a detonator, I don't know.
Awake.
My eyes shot open and I found myself with a familiar sense of faint, lingering shock that accompanied the nightmare I'd been having on random nights since Seamus died. I lay motionless for a long while, I didn't want to move until I'd remembered everything that had happened the night before.
Gradually, it came to me, vague images appearing randomly until I'd pieced together enough to fill in the remaining blanks.
I looked around me, the room was all white, the bright piercing light that hurt my eyes once again. I was back in the Destiny. I was lying on a chair commonly used by therapy patients, and Dragon was sitting in a leather chair that seemed to mould itself around him.
"Morning." He looked nervous. Something forced its way through the growing anger within me that brought out an involuntary grin on my face.
"How long?" I asked, forcing the grin and the amusement back down.
"About 9 hours." His tone seemed to alternate between sympathetic, deadpan, and nervous.
I lay motionless and silent for about two minutes, searching for something appropriate to say. Nothing sprung to mind however.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"What's there to say? I tried to kill him, I failed."
"Do you want to say why you tried to kill him?"
"Not really."
He nodded; obviously this was what he'd been expecting.
"Do you want to be alone?"
"Dragon," I wasn't really up for conversation, maybe I should have said yes, "I really don't care."
He nodded gain and remained in his seat.
"We got a call from the Oracle." It took me a little while for my brain to assimilate this information. I was still a little groggy and with feelings of murderous rage and frustration circling about in my head, I couldn't immediately remember who the Oracle was.
"What does she want?"
"The Demons are going to attack a series of villages in Northern Island." This peaked my interest, "unless we stop them, a lot of people are going to die."
Don't ask me why, but this news made me feel slightly better. Not because of the people dying, but because an opportunity to vent my anger had presented itself.
"When do we leave?" I asked.
Four hours later
The first van exploded instantly, killing all twelve demons that had crammed themselves within it. I couldn't help but think why Dragon hadn't revealed the rocket launcher he had concealed within his right arm. This thought was quickly banished however.
The Demons sprung from the second van in the clumsiest fashion imaginable, many fell over or tripped over fallen colleagues. Two actually ran back the way they came.
"Shall we?" Manticore asked with disturbing calm.
Lifting ourselves over the top of the small hill near the road, we opened fire on the rabble of Demons. Hawk took out one with a well placed bullet to the heart; at least I think it came from her. It's not the kind of thing you really notice in such situations. What you notice is that one enemy target is dead. Who did the deed doesn't matter.
Another's head exploded as a bullet smashed through her skull into her brain. Less then a week ago, the sight would have made me vomit. Now I just regarded it with marginal disgust.
We took out another as the Demons scattered and looked for cover. Four of the fools hid behind their van. Dragon released another rocket, directly at the fuel tank.
The vehicle exploded, sending ripped, charred, airborne Demon corpses back several meters.
The ones that had chosen slightly more appropriate cover returned fire. Bullets scraped off of and buried themselves within the wet mud of the hill. We instinctively ducked our heads so as to keep them on our shoulders. After a few seconds, the gunfire stopped. Presumably to allow the Demons to check how much damage they'd inflicted upon us.
We wasted no time.
Hastily pulling ourselves over the hill, we charged at the enemy with the same inhuman speed that Manticore and myself had used before. The Demons began shooting randomly, the few bullets that would have hit us were dodged effortlessly, and with knives, fists and arm mounted blades, we unleashed Hell. Sorry about the cliché usage but I couldn't think of anything else.
Hydra buried her knife deep into the chest of one demon before slinging it into the head of another, or so she claims, I was distracted somewhat by three that were using a surprisingly skilful collection of moves to try and kill me.
I dodged a kick to my head that would have given me a small concussion if it had landed, if I was my old self it probably would have killed me.
With one arm mounted sword, I severed the leg of the next Demon who tried that. I then buried the other sword onto the one of the left.
The remaining Demon turned his tail and ran. For a moment I considered letting him go. Thoughts of Seamus, bloodlust, hatred for the Demons and the remainder of my murderous emotions sent me after him however. Seconds after this, his head fell from his shoulders.
24 Demons dead, not a scratch on us.
I couldn't help but wonder tomorrow's papers would say.
To be continued.
Right, now for replies.
Angel-of-lightness: Everyone should be uploaded into a sentinel at least once for the experience alone. Then they will see that flying isn't as easy as it looks. Thanks for reviewing, avoid sharp pointy things to prevent blood loss.
Tai Wilson: Good luck with your writing ways, it'll be hard to make a realistic evil Neo, it's hard enough to write about the conventional one in my experience. Oh well, thanks for reviewing.
Agent Josie: Expect the worst I shall. Actually, knowing me I'll forget within a few moments. Oh well. You need burn nothing today or tomorrow or whenever you read this. Unless of course you want to. Thanks for reviewing.