(a/n): Hi people! Yet another chapter. Sorry for a long delay but it'll be like this most of the time. Anyway, I just want to clear something up guys. I started to write on fanfiction not just for fun, but also to sharpen my writing. If you see something is wrong please point it out or give an example because I can't really see my own mistakes. It's really hard to correct your own mistakes because to you they don't seem like mistakes at all. So if you do see mistakes, please help me out and tell what I'm doing wrong, thanks. Well here are some thanks.
Daniel Wesley Rydell: Well, welcome back!!!!! I'm glad you think the story is nice; I am working hard on it. I'm just glad the imagination is pouring into me and I have a lot of things to write down. Well, what can I say? Keep reading cause I will keep on writing.
Alex: Hello good friend, thank you for the lovely compliments. About the errors that you said I made, can you help me out? I need to know what I'm doing wrong. I have no one to help me but you and the other people that are reading my story. So, if you see any errors, please show me what they are because it's very hard to correct my own work. I try, I really do but it seems that I don't see my mistakes because I think they are correct. So just tell me what I'm doing wrong. Thanks.
Anyway, enough of that. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. I really did enjoy your review, full of emotions and that's what I like. I'm not going to kill you for liking Lostis; I like him myself, but don't expect forgiveness from Tanya. ^_^ You know her! And yeah, I agree with you about Cripton. I mean who uses his name for a password????? Well what can I say? Enjoy! Oh, do you mind if I'll keep on calling you Alex? I have gotten used to it.
Slash The Ironman: Welcome back, old friend. I'm glad you liked the chapters. Are they any better than the first chapters of my other fic? Well keep on reading. Oh, and keep doing a good job on your story too. I can't wait 'till the next chapter. Well, keep reading.
Fun: Oh Fun, I don't know what to say…THANK YOU!!!!!! Seriously, thank you so much, you give me courage to keep going and I am very happy. I'm really glad you think I'm writing better because that is what I wanted when I signed up on this site. Anyway, when she'll meet Dessloch, yeah, probably she will be more grown up. Yeah, she's getting easy with Cripton but Lostis…he'll need to watch his back. But I like Lostis, that's why I made him up, to teach little Trishy a lesson.
About you're English, I think it's cool. I know many people who learn English by themselves and I know it isn't easy. Best thing to do is not to give up and you are doing great, actually. So, I hope you will keep enjoying this story. ^_~ Enjoy.
One last note.
Enjoy.
Chapter 3 -Underground-"I am not arguing with you – I am telling you." – James Whistler (1834-1903)
I felt determined as everybody in the laboratory looked serious and was agreeing with me. "Right." Cripton said. "Lostis might help you get inside the tournament, but I can help you survive it." I looked at him. I was about to say another nasty comment, but his serious face stopped me. "How?" I asked instead, making Cripton smile, his vertical scar spoiling his face.
"Didn't Zack tell you? I have a present for you." Cripton said, smiling as he came up to the two cloning tanks. "What, you made a clone out of me? Gee, thanks." I folded my hands and frowned, causing him to smile wider. "Not exactly my area of expertise." Cripton continued as he started to type the code. "But I do have something that you would really like."
I didn't know what to tell him. The only real present Cripton ever gave me was bringing me back to life. It was a wonderful thing to do; me seeing Dessloch again and seeing that worried face of Zack's. But ever since Dessloch disappeared, I started to curse what has been done to me. I didn't want to live without Dessloch, and here I am, standing in front of yet another present.
When he finished typing in the code, Cripton looked up at me with a warm smile. "You can thank me later, Tanya." Cripton stood away from the right tank and the metallic cover slid up into the ceiling, displaying the glass container as steam escaped the tubular structure at the top of the tank.
My eyes widened at what was held inside, I felt my mouth inching apart as I could hardly breathe. Inside was a suit, the types of suits that are used in the tournament, but I don't doubt one bit that this suit is just not any suit.
The suit was separate from the top and bottom. The top had an angular, tall collar with short sleeves with the abdomen exposed. It had armor for shoulders and the upper body, showing the material of the sleeves and the collar. With that came two black sporting gloves with exposed knuckles and the tips of the fingers. The pants were skin suit type. They reached up to the hips with a metallic blue belt and down to the ankles. The bottom came along with metallic boots that reached knee level. The suit's color was silver with light blue streaks running down in circular ways. The suit came with an accessory, the blue tanned sunglasses. I didn't have to guess what they were for.
"I understand that I'm not your favorite person in the whole wide world." Cripton said, my eyes traveling from the work of art to him. "And I know that it is painful to live a life of torturing, especially after your loved ones taken away." Cripton walked up to me and put a hand on my left shoulder. "And because I do understand that I was partially responsible for the anger and suffering that you feel. I decided to help you through the torturing and suffering. I decided to help you get back for what you have been revived for. Tanya, this suit is for you. This suit will help you survive the Unreal Tournament." His gaze went towards the suit again and I saw him smile.
"This suit has everything; speed adjustment, strength upgrades, invisibility, camouflage, healing ability, and a defensive mode. But remember, its power core can be drained or damaged during battles, so be careful with it. Now, the sunglasses, they have X-ray vision, night vision, heat visions, and regular mode. In other words, it has everything to help you survive. I used your old man's research to built this suit. I got to admit, he was one talented engineer." Cripton said proudly as he patted my shoulder.
My old man, my father, he designed the most extraordinary suit for me. He has said a long time ago that that suit was meant for me to take his place as champion of the tournament, but that was a long time ago. My father has been defeated when I was four years old and he has been killed during the process. Xan Kreigor was the man responsible, he has defeated my father cowardly and unfairly and became the champion of the Unreal Tournament. I grew enraged, and trained all my life to avenge my father's death.
Just before I left for the tournament, I stumbled against a secret room in my father's private quarters and found this magnificent suit. But because I could not take my father's place, I used the suit to get to the top and win the tournament. Xan's life was in my hands and I took it from him. Sadly, my position as champion didn't stay. I was on the run at that time, and criminals were not allowed to become champions. So I escaped, escaped far, far away, towards here; the Lunar Colonies.
The suit's model was TrinityProject101. That's where my reign and legacy has started; under the name Trinity; the state of being three. I have well defined the name Trinity; I was undefeatable.
I smiled deep inside, thinking of how I have done so much. I knew I could do it again. But this time, my cause is not to avenge anyone, it was to find someone. I don't know where that would take me, but if I will win the tournament, the human race may yet survive. But that is not my first priority. Time to continue my legacy…
"Good luck out there, Tanya Menace." Cripton looked at me and brought me back to this world. I was shocked, I felt like I was frozen when I looked at the suit again and at the person who has made it. I didn't know what to say, what was there to say? This man would never give up loving me; I have known that all along. Maybe what I didn't realize was that, no matter how much I hated him, he would always love me, nothing would stop him from loving me, and he has proven that today.
"Jason—" Cripton put a finger to my lips. "Don't speak." I felt like I was hit in the gut. He knew that I didn't love him as much as he did me. He knew all those nasty comments that I say about him all the time.
I turned towards him and hugged him tightly. "Thank you." I whispered in his ear and felt him hug me tighter. "No matter how much you hate me, Tanya." Cripton pulled back. "I would love you so much more. Even if you don't remember me." I wanted to smile, but I knew I couldn't. Instead I only nodded.
"Well, try it out Tanichka." I heard Zack behind me has said. "You are going to kick some serious ass this year." I smiled at Zack and nodded. "Right," I said as I looked back at the piece of art. I walked up to it and extended my hand for the top.
I finished putting on the outfit in the tank where I found it, out of my own modesty. If any of the guys thought I'd change in front of them, they deserve a good hit in their face. I came out of the tank, dressed in the tight skin suit that shaped my curves of my body and revealed my light abdominal muscles. It was a light suit and wasn't as tight as I thought it would be.
The guys were smiling with Cripton being the happiest one. "Put it to good use, Tanya, or Tanichka as Zack might say." Cripton said and put two of his hands together. "You look lovely, Tanya." Zack said as I spotted humor across his face. "But you have to do more than make the guys freeze when they stare at you." I smiled and promised myself, I'll get back at him on that.
"Well, it seems that we are all ready to go." Lostis said as he came up towards the exit. "Now we must come to Earth, I heard that a launch is ready for you." My happy-go-lucky heart suddenly fell and splattered to pieces. "The launch." I turned to Zack, "I have completely forgotten." Zack seemed serious himself as his gaze hit the floor.
We barely managed to get fifty thousand dollars, but now they'll double the price. I didn't know what to do, and I had a feeling Zack didn't have one hundred thousand dollars as well.
"Not to worry." Lostis said with his calm voice. "I will handle this problem." I looked at him, quickly. "How?" I asked, looking concerned. "With this." He took out a small stone shining with red and smiled. "Necris' gold." Lostis said. "Worth nearly nothing on my homeland but worth millions of American dollars around here." His smile was evil and yet somewhat handsome on his face.
"Then, what are we waiting for?" Zack asked. "Let's go." The three of us nodded and started to walk toward the exit. I suddenly stopped in front of the heavy double doors, remembering the stink of that disgusting smell.
"Um, Cripton?" I asked, turning around. "Can we all have rebreathers or something? I don't think I can handle that smell on the way back." Cripton smiled and shook his head. "Ah, Tanya. I wonder what you said about it when you were walking there." I smiled innocently and batted my eyes which made him smile wider. "On second thought, I don't want to know. Here you go." He gave each of us a rebreather. "Good choice." Zack said as he put it over his mouth and nose. "You wouldn't want to hear her little dirty mind open up to others." Zack smiled. "Hey." I nudged him, "Enough, let's go." Zack laughed and nodded, "Yeah, let's go."
We went out of the clean, odorless room into the bunker that gave me an image of a future sewer tunnel. The odor wasn't a killer this time, it was the mess that was here. Spiders, rats, and dirty water was dripping from the pipes that stood against the stained old walls which seemed they were going to close on you any minute.
I heard Zack and Lostis breathe through their rebreathers as mine sounded the loudest, wanting to pass here as quick as possible. Zack seemed to be taking his precious time, probably feeling like he's at home. Maybe not, after all Zack is a very organized, CLEAN person. I've seen the places he lives at, they would range from small rooms to large mansions, but no matter how small the room got, Zack would always have everything in place, and if the place was a mansion it was always clean.
As we made our way towards the exit, memories flashed in my head as I remembered how life in the tournament was. It wasn't one of my best times; in fact I hated that time of my life. But if I had never entered I would have never met Dessloch.
It didn't start out as one of the greatest relationships. It started out with suspicion and hate. I couldn't have allowed myself to trust him because I knew what it's like to make mistakes. But things did turn around, but I haven't changed much. Today I feel terrible for pushing him away like that. I always feared for him and he did the same. I don't know how to explain it, but it was one my best times in life. I would always cherish it I knew I would.
"Alright, we're almost there." Zack's cool voice said quietly as we went up the stairs and into the old Electro-Trauma building. The three of us made our way towards the waiting room and saw the three dead bodies as we took off our rebreathers. I looked around for the guy that I had hit in the nose but found no signs of him. "He's gone." I said as I looked at Lostis. This is bad, I thought.
"Let him run." Lostis said. "He's not going to do anything about it." I looked at him with a questionable look. "Why?" My voice was dry. "Because he is one of mine men. A spy, like me." Lostis said and started to walk towards the poorly lit hallway. "The only thing he will do is whine when I get back to my base." Zack chuckled and nudged me on the shoulder to move on. I shrugged and followed them.
We made our way outside with the two GravBikes parked towards its right. We only had two bikes; Lostis here would need to walk it. "Sorry Lostis, no ride for you." I said as I swung my leg over my bike and took my helmet as Zack sat on his. Lostis came up to me, and smiled.
The ride was short as Sector ED, where we came from, and Sector Double E are next to one another. I was on Zack's GravBike, my arms around his waist, so I wouldn't fall, and Lostis was operating MY bike. Just when I thought I'll get away with it. I'll get Lostis for that. Who does he think he is???
We rode our way towards the Albategnius Space Station that was in the Albategnius Crater. It wasn't the largest crater I saw on the moon, but a good Space Station could be built underground. Zack silenced his bike as he stopped a few miles away from the Crater. Lostis caught up to us soon afterwards.
"Something is wrong." Lostis announced as he looked at the sky. "Yes." Zack agreed. My eyes followed Lostis' gaze and I saw exactly what he was seeing—empty space. "Their electro-magnetic field is down." Zack explained. "No electro-magnetic field, no ozone-layer in the atmosphere. No ozone-layer means that we're gonna fry."
"Can we go through the tunnels?" I asked with my soft voice, as I tilted my head, seeing the side of Zack's serious face. He seemed to think about it and then quickly nodded. "Yes, yes we can." He looked at me and smiled. "But we won't have the rebreathers to save us this time." I smiled sweetly and nudged him with my elbow. "Don't worry, hotshot, it doesn't smell as much as Cripton's bunker does." He shook his head and disbelief. "Ah, Tanichka, you are too much." For that I gave him my innocent smile. "Tunnels it is." Lostis said and we all rode away from that place.
"Okay, it's clear." Zack spoke softly after he jumped down to the sewers as I heard him splashing puddles of water. "Tanya, you're next." He called out quietly, looking up into my nodding face. I held onto the two sides of the sewer hole and slowly lowered myself through the hole and jumped the rest of the way down. Zack caught me before I reached the ground, hands gripping my waist. He carefully let go of me, making sure I have my footing, and looked back up.
Soon afterwards, Lostis jumped down to a crouch, splashing the water in my direction. I flinched back as I felt some water hit my face, hands, and legs. "Sorry." Lostis said, only making me frown and think, right. I wiped the water from my face and shook the droplets into Lostis' direction, making him squint his eyes as a hint of water hit his face. "Sorry." I said and crossed my hands, seeing the frown on his face.
"They must have had a leak in one of the other tunnels." Zack said, looking around the well-lit, silvery tunnel, ignoring the two of us. "Yeah." I said, looking down at my wet body. "I feel like I just took a shower." That comment made Zack look towards my direction. "A shower, huh?" He asked as he shook his head. "The last time I've heard, only pigs shower in dirt." I stared at him wide-eyed. "Oooh, Vicklair, you are so dead." I said, clutching my knuckles. He chuckled and raised his hands in front of me. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding."
"How can you be sure it's this tunnel that didn't have a leak?" Lostis asked, breaking our eye contact. It was a good question, but I was too angry with Zack to even care. "Because this one is abandoned." Zack answered Lostis' question, completely changing his attitude. "Are you sure this tunnel if fully sealed?" Lostis asked again as he looked around carefully, worrying about another splash of water.
I rolled my eyes and folded my hands, thinking, this guy was all smiling and calm about a gun being shoved in his face, and now he is worrying about a leak? Boy, he must be a real great actor to fake that smile or he has a phobia.
"Well, I really don't know." Zack said, looking in my direction. What, I thought as I narrowed my eyes. "But I'm hoping it is." My right eyebrow went up when he finished. "Hope, huh?" I asked as I sighed and went down the tunnel. "Yeah, well, good luck hoping." I waved back at the two guys. "Zack, it's a miracle you are still alive." I heard Lostis mumble, making me look back to see him coming my way. Zack shrugged and was right behind us as I turned back to walk.
"So, this is an abandoned sewer and it should lead us to the space station?" I asked getting a little suspicious about the part where this sewer is abandoned. "It should." Zack said behind me. "Unless they rebuild it, but I doubt it." I sighed again. "No Zack. Not that. That it is abandoned." I said as all of us came up to the end of the tunnel…and no there was no light at the end of it like in the legends.
It was a large, round, rather dim room, at least 5 stories deep. Against the walls were other tunnel exits leading towards this place, us being at the very top. "Nice place." I said, looking around the room, shining with aluminum. "Has some homey touches." I folded my hands and looked at Zack. "This space station is beyond cutting-edge. Oh look, they also wax this area pretty good! Now I can see where our 50 thousand dollars would have gone into." I said with sarcasm and looked back at the hole in the ground.
Zack shook his head and closed his eyes. "This is a sewer canal, not a space station. You should have known the difference by now." He said as he looked around. "But, as much as I hate to admit, you are right about the waxing. It's either that or they have acid go through here."
This time I ignored his comment and looked all the way down. "So basically, we can be melted into smudge if we are caught in the middle of it?" I asked. "Duh." Zack said, making me take a deep breath through my nose and narrow my eyes on him. "Zack—" I started and saw him smile. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding." He said again. "It's just that you are so—so—" He seemed to be trying to pick a word. "So—jumpy and cautious." He finally said, making me frown. What's with him? I had every right to act the way I wanted. "You should trust me by now, Tanichka. I've been here before, don't worry."
I breathed out the breath and looked at him. "Oh, alright. It's just that, you know how I don't like places like this, dirty, dark, don't know where's what." I saw him smile and nod. "I know." He said. "But don't worry, I'm here with you." He made me sigh again. "Yeah, okay." I said, looking down the canal.
Zack was the first to take the ladder that lead all the way down. I glanced at Lostis who has been quiet most of the time, probably amusing himself with a little theater me and Zack set up.
"If they have acid run through these tunnels—" Lostis looked at me with a serious face. "Then, how can this tunnel be abandoned?" I shrugged, figuring that he does have a point. I turned towards the ladder and followed Zack, thinking again that same thought, the thought that he hasn't changed ONE bit.
We made our way down faster than I would have thought. Zack helped me the last three steps and I was happy to be back on my feet again. The air was colder here than it was up there, making me shiver.
Lostis followed quickly as I observed my surroundings, noting the three different ways we can go to. If only there was some sort of a sign it would be much easier, but there was none. Whoever uses these tunnels doesn't want anyone coming after them. Where I am standing, the light isn't as good as it is in the tunnels leading to who knows what. Water was scattered everywhere here, but I started to doubt that that was really water.
"Now where?" I asked, feeling completely lost and the urge of taking a good long shower. "I don't like this place." Lostis stated and looked around with a careful look. "Tell me about it." I started and folded my hands. "I hate these types of places, reminds me of Cripton; creepy and gives you the feelings that the walls will collapse on you." I hugged myself, as I felt the cold air here.
Lostis looked at me. "That's not why I don't like it. I feel something bad is going to happen, very bad in fact." I looked at him with weirdness written across my face. "Are you a fortune teller?" I asked him and watched him shake his head. "Then, don't worry about it." My voice was cold and cruel as I sounded like an instructor.
Lostis frowned but said nothing. I guess he is a quick learner because he just knows that there is no way he can win in an argument against me.
"Don't mind her." Zack said as he looked around the place. "She is the type of person who believes all is lost. No destiny, no hope, no faith, no breakfast, no teatime, and especially no lets-all-get-along thing with her. Can't blame her, she stopped eating breakfast at the age of 7 after someone told her that she was eating a rat-burger." Zack cracked with his weird humor and looked at me. Lostis smiled at Zack's strange jokes, causing me to think, am I the only NORMAL person here?
"Did you hear that?" Lostis' smile turned into a serious face as he spoke. "What?" I asked him. "I hear nothing." Lostis looked at me. "Necris have very good hearing." Lostis explained. "And it doesn't sound good." He finished.
Sounds of something being moved rapidly and burning reached my ears. I slowly turned towards the north tunnel as I saw the tunnel heat up to a red color and a flame burst out, making us fall to the ground. "Bombardiers." Zack yelled through the fire that swallowed the room in flame. "Their clearing out the tunnels." He finished as he got to his feet. "Run, run!" Zack screamed as all of us ran down to the west tunnel, running as fast as our feet could take us.
Another sound was heard as I saw the tunnel's walls heat up in front of us. Oh no, I thought as my eyes widened at the flame that I saw coming towards us. I screamed and the last thing I felt was someone pulling me to a side.
(a/n): That's about it. The next chapter should be up soon. I hope you liked it. Well, tell me what you think about the little arguments Zack and Tanya are having. Like the quote said, "I am not arguing with you – I am telling you." Something Zack would say. Well till next time.
A presto.