Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Armored Core series. That belongs to Agetec and From Software. I only own the original characters. Thank you.
In TALON's Grasp
by: T.R. Fanatic
Chapter 29: Copycat
With blades locked, the pilot of the identical Mecha rose a quizzical eyebrow to the saddened voice. "Who is this 'Hiro' that you speak of?" the pilot asked in a familiar voice. "My name is Guardian. I am a member of Murakumo Millennium's H.P. Team. They are my family, not a low-life rebel like yourself..."
Avenger snuck the small plasma cannon up over its shoulder, aiming carefully at Mecha's head.
Taking notice, Kaze slipped out of the blade fight, before an energy beam was fired, gaining some distance. "I know it's you..." he hissed as he attempted to bombard Avenger with machine gun fire. "I know that voice from anywhere! Brother, it's me... Kazuma! Don't you remember?"
Out from the cloud of smoke and dust, kicked up by multiple rounds, that Avenger was encased in, a missile shot out and flew towards the retreating AC, hitting and damaging its left shoulder. Shredded wires, burnt gears and pistons could now be seen where the armor used to be.
Mecha skidded to a stop and turned to the dust cloud. It knelt down and brought out its plasma cannon, the mechanical arm struggling to raise higher than a few meters, aimed and waited...
"You must be mistaking me for someone else." Guardian stated. Avenger bursted out of the cloud, charging towards the kneeling AC with boosters at full throttle. "I know no one by that name."
Kaze fired at the incoming machine, throwing plasma beams rapidly, managing to get a hit on its head, core, right shoulder and leg... However, it hardly looked like it took any damage, nor did it slow down by the barrage.
Turning its undamaged shoulder to its opponent, the hovering Avenger slammed into Mecha, putting a good sized dent into the core, sending it flying and skidding along ten meters of land. Ten meters closer to home. The earth trembled as the AC fell in defeat.
"Kaze, get the hell outta there!" Chief's voice came over Mecha's radio, heard by semi-conscious ears.
"C-Chief...?" the pilot weakly replied as he struggled to stay awake. His head throbbing in pain.
"Kaze, hang in there, 'kay? Someone's coming to get you!"
Kaze could not reply but sighed as he fell unconscious from the blow...
"Kaze? Kaze!" Chief cried as the faint sound of the vertical catapult shot an AC up from the Nomad.
It was then that the oblivious pilot heard a strange noise echoing through his ears. A noise that could best be described as whistling, like that of a dentist's drill. He heard that noise a few times before but could not comprehend on what it truly was...
His eyes opened, now in the same blue color as Tsubasa's, looking to Avenger through the cracked monitor.
"Move," Guardian said, pointing the machine gun at Mecha's core. "and you shall die."
Kaze quickly took hold of the left control and Mecha's damaged left arm shot up from its earthly rest, taking a hold of the machine gun barrel, crushing it shut.
Avenger attempted to fire but the gun erupted into pieces from the pressure built up inside.
Kaze slammed on the right pedal, the boosters blazed brightly as the AC sat up, driving its right elbow into Avenger's eye.
The Mecha look-alike staggered back from the blow. "I see now..." Guardian muttered, glaring at AC through the static. "You are not a mere weakling. Your true powers had just not awakened yet..."
Kaze breathed calmly, staring down his opponent with his cold blue eyes, listening intently to the hypnotic whistle in his head.
Avenger drew the laser blade and made another charge towards Mecha. "Surrender and join Murakumo, Kazuma!" Guardian called. "Your father would be pleased to see that you were not a failed test subject!"
Kaze's eyes widened, his hands gripped tighter on the controls. Mecha drew out its laser blade but made a slash to the air, shooting out a energy blade-wave, slicing the stampeding Avenger's head off, halting its advance. It then pulled out its machine gun and unleashed a salvo of bullets, denting, chipping and scratching away at the opponent's armor to the point of submission.
"Impressive..." Guardian commented. "Very well, I admit my defeat... But, I will return for a re-match." Avenger turned and took off towards the forest, the black smoke lazily trailing behind it. "One day, I will make you see that Murakumo is the place that you truly belong..."
Mecha bravely stood still as the copycat fled from the battle... its pilot falling unconscious once more...
To be continued...
T.R.: Okay... so I'm planning on finishing off this part of the story in the next chapter, then I'll go and introduce the next story (no title yet...).
As always, reviews are greatly appreciated:)