Chapter 39

People really don't like Melia...

My eyes opened once more to a night sky just starting to brighten up with the slowly rising sun.

A week and no change to Melia and Riki.

I let out a sigh, picking up my sword and placing it on my back.

I used the teleporter and got outside, where Shulk sat, looking at the sunrise.

I yawned. "Shulk... don't stare at the sun. It could cause some serious eye damage you probably don't want."

"Oh... yeah." He shook his head and arose.

"It makes you feel a bit hopeless, doesn't it?"

"What?" I replied.

"Like... we left Colony 9 because Fiora got killed, and then we went on this journey for revenge.

"And then... Reyn got killed and we found out that Fiora wasn't dead after all."

I looked at him. "Do you regret going on this journey?"

"In a way... yes and no." He sighed. "It's just... it almost feels like there wasn't a need for Reyn to die."

I blinked. "Okay."

"Ugh..." He looked away, for a brief moment. "Yeah... oh.

"Andrew, while we're still here..." He drew the Monado. "How about a friendly spar?"

My hand gripped my sword. "When was the last time?" I spoke.

"When we were last in Colony 9, after Metal Face..." Shulk paused, before shaking his head. The beam pulsed outwards. "What matters..."

He grasped the sword in both hands, settling into a ready stance.

"Is how well you and I can get stronger, and quick."

"That's what matters right now?"

"Uh... well, there's so many powerful enemies in our way forward, now," he spoke. "So we have to get stronger, as fast as possible."

"Guess so." I drew my blade, holding it loosely in one hand. "Alright... let's do this."

"Yah!" He moved forward, and I blocked, sensing the location of which he would slash at.

Our swords met several times, each time in a fierce clash.

The swords met once more, and we got to a deadlock.

"You're a lot better then I remember, Andrew," he spoke, a tiny amount of strain present in his voice. "Like... really good."

"Thanks," I replied. "But you won't-WHOA!" I tilted my head to the side as he released the Monado's beam after swiftly retracting it, just cutting the side of my face.

He let out a breath as I leapt away. "It did work. Let your guard down?" he smiled.

I laughed aloud. "Oh, that's funny." A smirk got on my face and I readied myself. "Hah!" I used Aura Wave to use shockwaves he dodged, just. Smoke blew up from where they hit the ground.

I closed my eyes as I breathed out. Behind me?! I rolled away from a slash.

He chased after me. "Stream Edge!" he shouted, and I ducked under his slash. "Wha..."

"Whip Slash!" I swung, but he leapt back, dodging my Art. "Aw, man..." I straightened upright. "I still missed?"

He let out another breath. "Nice, Andrew. But now.. it's time to stop holding back a little." A symbol appeared on the Monado. "Ready?"

I grunted. "So going at each other with everything we have is how we get stronger?"

"Yeah," he replied. "So let's go!" A blue aura surrounded his shoes. "Speed!"

I grunted as he leapt through the air. "Hah!" I used Stab Strike, and our swords met for a moment, before he slipped past. "Ugh...?"

I looked at my arm to see a thin trail of blood dripping down from yet another small cut.

"Didn't block it the whole way, huh...?"

I let out a gasp, sensing him at my side. "Slit Edge!" he shouted.

I just managed to get my sword in a reverse grip in time to nullify his Art with Defensive Reversal. He slid away.

"Phew... that was close," I grunted. "And not how I expected you to fight. Getting an enemy when they're distracted?"

"Hey... you still blocked it," he replied. "So..."

"Yeah... let's keep going." I readied myself once more, sword in a firmer grip now.

Can't get cocky, even though I can sense where he's gonna attack now...

"Hah!" He moved forward again, slashing.

I dodged his slash, and swung. He nullified the blow and forced me back. "Geh!"

"Huh... alright. Ready?" Shulk let out a breath as a blue aura surrounded him. "Not only Speed... but the original Monado Speed Art too, for twice the speed multiplier." He rushed by, lightly cutting me.

"Ugh..." I closed my eyes as I slid away, only to feel a slash. "Ugh?!" I didn't feel him...!

"What's wrong?" he asked, halting for a moment, five feet away.

I smiled. "Nothing. Let's go."

"Mind if I watch you two?"

Shulk paused, his auras fading away. "Dunban!"

The swordsman rubbed his temple. "Seems like you two are practicing, which should be interesting."

"Alright... yeah, sure! That OK with you, Andrew?"

"Doesn't matter to me," I responded.

"Alright... I've found out a new name for using both variants of Speed on myself. Ready?" A dark blue aura that radiated with what seemed to be the embodiment of speed slowly drifted around him. "Monado Speed 2!"

I activated my Soul Trigger, and met his slash with my blade. Sparks flew as our swords danced before the both of us, never hitting anything but air and the other person's blade.

The tip of the sword hit the ring where the symbol was displayed, and Shulk forced me back, as that area was flooded with light, due to a Monado Art being active.

"BUSTER!" he shouted, his previous auras not disappearing even as the enlarged beam attempted to stab through my stomach.

Using my senses, I evade the beam with a grunt, before moving in.

"Ah..." Shulk grunted as the beam reverted to normal. "JUMP!" He leapt high in the air, twice, before slashing down. "BACK SLASH DESCENT!"

He was too fast. I staggered as he cut me, and managed to get my blade back in to use Defensive Reversal to divert a Stream Edge. "Huh...?"

"AIR SLASH ASCENT!" He carried me as he used a wide upwards slash, before using a second slash to send me into a wall. "Phew..." Jump faded away, as did Speed. "How about that, Andrew?!"

I emerged from the smoke with a grunt. "Where'd you get Arts like that?"

"I mixed up some of my Arts to be different," he replied. "Anyway... I still have more tricks up my sleeve, so we're not to done yet!"

"We're not," I agreed. "I've been thinking of my Arts as well. HAH!" I condensed an aura around my blade. "Aura Slash!" I got up close as I slashed, unleashing the shockwave that just nicked him.

"Whoa!" He leapt back, grunting as my sword stabbed at him. "Oh, no."

"Stab Wave!" I declared, unleashing a shockwave as I stabbed through the Monado's wielder.

He rolled away, as my blade slid out of his jacket. "Aw... that shockwave made a bit of a hole in my jacket!"

"Sorry." I let my form return to normal.

"It's fine," he replied. "I've been starting to look for gear that's just as flexible and light, but more defensive." He breathed out. "Alright..." The beam retracted. "How about a little more?"

"Yeah!" I replied. "If you don't mind getting beat up," I added after a moment.

"Fighting words," mused Dunban.

"They sure are," agreed Shulk. "So I'm not gonna hold back! Let's go!" He rushed forward, leaping through the air. "Back Slash Descent!"

I blocked the attack, sliding away. "Huh...?" I sensed a slash from behind, and held my sword over my right shoulder to nullify the impact of the slash. "Hi there." I waved at him, before using Whip Slash, which he avoided, leaping away.

Shulk let out another breath. "Really is no way to get the jump on you without the power of the Monado, huh, Andrew?"

"Probably there's a way, you just haven't though hard enough yet," I replied.

"I guess," he replied. "But you can't get me, either."

"Huh..." Even after using a bunch of the Monado Arts, he hasn't used Battle Soul, or showing any obvious signs of exhaustion... I breathed out. "So right now we're about equal, huh?"

"Looks that way. So let's make this a bit unequal!" he declared. "Speed!"

I let out a grunt before just blocking an Air Slash. The normal version of the Art.

Then he was behind me.

"Whoa!" I just dodged a slash with a jump.

"Air Slash Ascent!" he shouted, starting to chase after me in the air.

I let out a grunt, slowing time to block his attack.

He leapt away. "Phew... that was good."

"Was good?" I repeated. This can't be good... "Uh..."

"Take this! Monado Eater!" shouted Shulk, thrusting the blade forward.

I felt my eyes widen as I slid away. "Ow...?" I saw a long line of blood trailing along my whole right arm. "That's inconvenient." I shook my arm to get the blood oozing from the shallow but long wound off. "When'd you learn that?"

"I saw that the Monado still had various symbols that I hadn't unlocked yet," he replied. "So I studied them. Turns out... with the right charge of Ether in the air, the Monado has more powers I can utilize."

"Is that... uh... Ether science?"

"I've forgotten," admitted Shulk. "Been years since I studied the flow of Ether and how it can affect life for the better or worse."

I paused. "Huff..." Already out of breath? What did I do? "Well..."

"Seeing you two go at it... makes me feel old," smirked Dunban.

"Sorry, Dunban!" called Shulk. "If you want... you can join in."

"No... you two better practice." He stood. "I'll go back. Don't stay out for too much longer, and don't get hurt too badly!" He walked into the teleporter.

Shulk turned back to me. "Well... BUSTER!" There was a purple aura around the Monado. "Monado Speed 2!"

I let out another apprehensive grunt, shifting into my Soul Trigger form.

He has Speed times two, and the compressed Buster up! I thought as we clashed several times. How is he using three Monado Arts at the same time?!

"Hah!" he yelled, before springing away. "Alright... come at me!"

"RAWR!" I lunged, slashing.

"Vision...!" he breathed, assuming a pose. He leapt away as I slowed down, light surrounding me.

Oh god no.

"RAH!" He slashed me back, before all his Arts released. "Phew... that's tiring," he spoke.

"OW!" I winced as I slammed into a wall. "Ugh... " He didn't knock me through...? Oh yeah, Buster decreases knockback... "Ugh!" I felt myself return to normal fully, falling from the wall to land on my hand and knees. "Ouch. That hurt."

"You OK, Andrew? I didn't hurt you too bad?" he asked.

I coughed. "Nah... gotta get used to abuse if I want to toughen up." I snapped a few fingers back properly in place. "Didn't even... ow... notice." I shook my left hand vigorously. "Phew."

"Whew..." The Monado's beam retracted. "Huff... sorry. You mind if we continue later?"

"Sure." I breathed out, wiping sweat from my forehead. "That was fun."

"Yeah..." Shulk placed the mystical blade on his back. "Light Heal!" He healed me. "There. Now... let's go in and take a break." He walked towards the teleporter.

"Alright, sure." I followed after a moment, looking outside.

But this crap still isn't enough to do anything... I ground my teeth together briefly. I sighed, and hung my head. "Damn."

"Andrew."

I turned. "Shulk."

"Are there others called Outsiders like you?"

I paused. "Yeah."

"Are they on our side?"

I looked at a building, which blocked some of the rising sun's light.

"I... in the end... I wouldn't bet on it."

Shulk wiped sweat from his forehead. "OK. Then... are they the enemy?"

I closed my eyes.

I felt his blade sink into me hundreds of times, seeing it in my mind.

And the power to stop the flow of time.

I opened my eyes.

"Oh hell yeah."

Note: Aura Slash combines Whip Slash and Aura Wave.

Stab Wave combines Stab Strike and Aura Wave.

Since three shockwaves can be swiftly unleashed (at a time), Andrew is capable of unleashing those combination Arts quickly, as well as a possible one more.

Anyway... thank you all for reading this piece of fanfiction, which has now been going for over a year. Woo.

(Side note: I don't think this'll be done in two years... not with what I have in mind.)

Thank you for reading!