Here's the epic finale! Hope you guys enjoy it! This couldn't have been done without my friend and co writer, AJ. Also stick around for the end. "Wink Wink."
CHAPTER 6
The Baron's ship flew through the wintery air with a menacing growl and landed on an icey field. In front of him was a cartoonishly tall structure made of wood, metal, and red fabrics. The Baron tilted his head curiously at the building before letting out a small chuckle…fools for hiding in an obvious place like this.
The Baron stepped out of his ship and proceeded to walk down the icey field, the dot on his tracker indeed indicating that his target was by the wooden structure ahead of him. As he walked forward a few feet, he stopped as he noticed two figures several hundred feet in front of him.
Standing a good distance from North's workshop were Hunter and Talia, suited up and staring down at their mysterious hunter. Talia had her staff out and primed, while Hunter had his gloves charged and ready. They looked at each other with a combined sense of fear and readiness before turning back at the Baron.
"You looking for us?" Hunter called out, loud enough for his voice to be heard by the Baron who gave a slight chuckle.
"So these were my illusive targets?" he called out, "Two young children? I'll admit that is both somewhat surprising and disappointing?"
"Hey! Who are you to call us kids?" Hunter called back.
"Why are you after us?" Talia called back, "You already got what you came for right? The poor lizard guy?"
"The Zorgon was not my target," the Baron replied back, "And neither are you. My prize is the orb."
"You mean this thing?" Talia said as she held up the orb. The Baron twitched in anticipation.
"Why would you want this so bad?" Talia asked, "I mean, it's nice and all, and the lady is really friendly…but outside of that, I don't see why you have to kill for her?"
"You truly don't know anything, do you?" the Baron replied, "That AI has information my employer desires…and you are going to end up giving it to me."
"Yeah, no…" Hunter said sarcastically, "The only way you're going to get her is if you pry the orb off of our cold dead fingers." At this, the Baron smiled as he pulled out his large guns.
"Exactly," he sneered. And then he stepped forward.
What the Baron did not expect though was that he stepped on a plate hidden underneath some powdered snow. The second he stepped on the plate, some mechanized devices popped out of the snow and bolts of electricity struck Baron, who winced as the suit around him tightened and tense.
"Ha! It works!" Hunter said in a cheer, "EMP trap baby!" The Baron, gritting through the sudden shock of electricity, managed to grab one of the mechanical devices and pry it off the ground with his bare strength, breaking the trap. However, the glitching blinking light on his eye scanner informed him it was too late. The blinking light was suddenly off as all the power of his suit was gone, even his guns.
At this point, Hunter was charging forward with his fists raised, the gloves humming purple. Talia's staff extended to her rifle, as she aimed and fired at the Baron. Sparks flew from his shoulder pads as the plasma bolts hit his armor, causing him to stumble. Hunter then leaped in the air and gave a strong punch toward the Baron…a flash of purple exploded from Hunter's fist as the Baron suddenly fell backward and was pushed by sheer force across the icy ground, breaking it in the process. The Baron groaned in frustrated pain as he lifted himself from the ground slowly. As he did, Talia put her fingers on her earpiece.
"Operation: Christmas Present now!" she called out. At that moment, there is a sound of roars and thundering footsteps as over a snowbank, a huge army of Yetis and elves came charging over. They washed over the Baron like a wave and when the wave subsided, the Baron was bounded by the Yetis, wrapping paper and ribbons, on his knees with his wrists and arms bound to the ground.
North walked over smiling in his full fur coats and hat. He clapped his hands happily.
"Ha!" North said, "You look so cuddly wrapped up in all that wrapping paper! I could just put you under a tree!" At this point however, the Baron began to growl as suddenly his armor began to beep…the EMP wore off. With a loud cry of anger, a bolt of energy erupted from him creating a wave that knocked the Yetis away and disintegrated the ribbon and wrapping and paper binding him.
After taking a couple of deep growling breaths, the Baron pressed a button on his wrist gauntlet and smiled. There was a sound of whirring as up above a swarm of drones began to pour over the sky and suddenly start plummeting to the ground. They landed sporadically across the battlefield, startling Yetis as they suddenly engaged in fistfights with the metallic spider-like drones, the same ones that Hunter fought only a tad smaller. One planted itself right by Hunter, who instinctively punched it with his power gloves. Another landed by Talia, as she quickly converted her rifle back to staff and stabbed it in the ocular sensor.
"Lydia?" Talia called out, "Overwhelming forces here! Please tell me you're in?"
"Hold on…" Lydia said over Talia's earpiece, "This thing has some really tight security even after the EMP!"
For the next ten minutes, a battle raged between the Baron's drones and the army of Yetis, North, and the two bounty hunters. The Yetis fought valiantly while ripping the metallic limbs off, and North's blades were able to pierce into ocular sensors to terminate them. But then almost as soon as the battle began to bubble over in intensity, it sputtered to a halt. The drones began to fizzle, one by one, and after some strange beeping, they all collapsed.
The Baron looked around in shock as his robotic army literally collapsed around him…shock which turned to confusion.
"What?" he growled, "What is this?"
"All right Lydia!" Hunter cheered in victory. Talia stepped forward with a huge smile on her face.
"You said you wanted the AI?" Talia said with a smirk, "Well, now you have her. While you were stunned with that EMP, she just hopped right in your suit and started disabling the systems for your drone army. And she should then proceed to shut off your suit functions right about…"
At this moment, the Baron suddenly lurched forward as sparks flew from his suit.
"Now," Talia finished. The Baron gave cries of pain as the suit continued to spark, bringing him down to his knees. The Hunter continued to wince and pain as Hunter knelt down to him.
"Don't be a crybaby," he said with a cocky grin, "She's just turning off your weapons and immobilizing you. She's not going to kill you, even if you totally deserve it."
The Baron then heard Lydia's voice in his head.
"He's right, I am THIS close to shutting off a vital system, but I'm not, because we have some important questions…"
"Like why exactly are you after Lydia?" Talia asked, "What does she have that you are so desperate to kill for?" The Baron looked up at Talia and sneered.
"Why would I tell you that?" he said, "It's bad business."
"Alright, then who's after it?" Talia continued. Baron laughed one more time.
"I told you before, you don't know anything?" the Baron said, "You hop around the multiverse with the technology of an Empire long-past carrying the one Trion archivist in century, who do you think wants it?"
Hunters eyes furrowed before widening in realization…an impossible one.
"You're not saying…the Trion empire?" Hunter asked, "But they're gone."
"Are you so certain?" The Baron said, "Do you even know what truly happened to the Empire?"
"Something about a rebellion and the Trion dicactor getting his ass kicked?" Hunter replied.
"Ah, but the Empire did not fall," the Baron said, "They are still there, small but growing. And the only way out is through the digital girl you've so graced me with."
"Yeah, right," Talia said, "You're not going anywhere. Like I said, we're locking you into your suit. You're going to get arrested, and I'm pretty sure there's a good sized bounty for your head."
The Baron laughed once more.
"This is only a temporary setback," he said, "When I'm out of this, I will find her, and the Trion Empire will rise once more. And I'll kill anyone that stands in my way."
"Guys?" Lydia chimed through the earpieces, "There's something weird here…something hostile…fighting through my systems…"
The Baron just grinned.
"Starting with you…" he finished. Talia saw the gun before Hunter, and with a cry for her brother, she shoved him away. The gun fired and all Hunter heard was a scream. As he tumbled across the snow, he looked up. His sister was slumped to the ground, howling in pain and withering. A few inches from her was an arm…Talia's arm, blown off and leaking red on the snow.
Hunter turned furiously toward the Baron as he held his smoking gun. He began to lift himself up and aim the gun towards Hunter, who gritted his teeth as he tried to lift himself off of the ground. But then he heard Lydia's cry over the earpiece.
"NOO!"
Suddenly the Baron began to convulse as his suit began to spark once more. He gritted his teeth and tried to hold it in, but the pain became unbearable. He cried out in a roar of pain and anguish until there was a final pop as his eyes turned to red goop, and the body fell limp to the floor.
Hunter took a few breaths to process what had happened, just as he saw Lydia's form reappear above the silver orb, inches from Talia. Lydia knelt worryingly towards Talia as she continued to sob in pain, before suddenly going quiet.
"Talia!" Hunter cried out as he knelt over her, "Talia, come on! What's happening?"
"It's shock," Lydia said, "She passed out. Please be okay…" Hunter turned to the stunned Yetis
"We need help! Quickly!"
SOME TIME LATER…
Talia found herself waking up in a warm bed inside a small wooden room, the sun shining brightly through the window. She looked to her left, groaning through a sore head as he saw a familiar site that made her smile. Hunter, asleep right next to him with his hat down below his eyes.
"Hey bro," Talia said, "That hat still looks lame." Hunter woke suddenly and looked to Talia, his face widening with delight.
"Oh thank god!" he said as he suddenly went up to hug his sister. Talia hugged back, and at that moment she remembered her arm and wondered why she could feel it if she lost it. She released her grip from Hunter and looked at her right arm, which was now a robot one. It was made of a familiar black metal, with purple wiring. Hunter looked at it with some embarrassment.
"Oh, yeah, I probably should have warned you," Hunter said. Talia gazed at her new arm with amazement mixed with only a slight amount of sorrow.
"We got that from our Baron's ship," Hunter said, "It took a while, but North and the Yeti's really pulled through."
"Wow," Talia said with amazement, "Thanks actually. It's…"
"Pretty cool?" Hunter finished with a smirk. Talia snickered.
"I was going to say 'kind of itchy,'" Talia replied. To which Hunter rolled his eyes and laughed. Suddenly, her eyes widened in shock as she sat up.
"What about the Baron?" she asked worriedly. Hunter calmed her down.
"He's dead," Hunter said, "With a little help." At that point, Lydia appeared from the orb he was holding, smiling up at Talia and holding a digital bouquet of flowers. It was hard for Lydia to tell, but seemed like Lydia was crying…if a computer can cry.
"You're okay," Lydia said with relief before bowing her head.
"I'm sorry," she said, "For breaking the plan. I know you wanted him alive but after what he did to you, I just…"
"Hey, hey, it's okay," Talia said to Lydia gently, using a finger to stroke Lydia's cheek.
"You did what you had to do," Talia said, "And you saved Hunter's life. I'll never forget that."
"But I didn't save you," Lydia weeped. Talia shrugged.
"Well, I just lost an arm," Talia said, "Besides, your early warning helped me out. And for that I thank you." Lydia smiled tearfully.
"Group hug!" Hunter said as all three of them cuddled close together.
"I love you bro," Talia said.
"I love you too sis," Hunter replied.
"And I love both of you," Lydia chimed in, "My friends…"
"Thanks Lydia," Talia said. Hunter raised an eyebrow at her, to which Lydia just blushed and blinked out. The hug was released as the two sat in the room.
"So what now?" Hunter said, "We're still broke, seeing as how both our payday options are dead."
"True," Talia replied, "But we still got a job. Lydia's destination. We should find who she was supposed to be delivered to, and maybe save the multiverse from an evil Empire."
"That sounds big," Hunter said with a raised eyebrow and a smile. Talia shrugged.
"And who knows?" she added, "Maybe we'll get paid somehow." The two snickered at that.
"I guess that's the plan," Hunter said.
"Yeah," Talia said as she sat herself up, "And we should probably get ready if we're going now."
"Now?" Hunter asked, "Cause I was thinking…it being Christmas and all…we could spend the day here?" Talia chuckled before seeing Hunter's face.
"You're being serious," Talia said. Hunter just gave a shrug.
"Like I said, it's Christmas," Hunter said, "I'm not denying my sister a chance to spend it with the actual Santa Clause!"
"You're REALLY serious?" Talia said in disbelief.
"Yeah, I even talked North into letting us ride the sleigh during his Christmas run," Hunter said, "Sound fun?"
"Fun? It sounds amazing!" Talia said as she gleefully hugged her brother, "Thank you so much! You're the best bro ever!"
"Hey! I'm your only bro!" Hunter laughed as he hugged his sister.
"Merry Christmas sis!"
ONE SLEIGH RIDE LATER…
The ride on the sleigh was fast and exhilarating, and Talia was amazed at how North was able to simultaneously travel the world in a night, utilizing portals and other cool magic. But as quick as it started, it had to end after a night, and the two siblings instead spend their Christmas day celebrating with North and Christmas gang.
They drunk mugs of eggnog, badly sung Christmas carols, and had all kinds of merry wonderment. And once the day ended, the two got into their Hopper and began to talk off into No-Space.
"Whoo," Hunter said as he rubbed his sore head, "I think I'm still getting a buzz from that nog."
"That is definitely strong stuff," Talia agreed.
"Would you guys like me to take over?" Lydia asked as she appeared on the dashboard.
"That would be lovely dear," Talia said with a slurred smile. Lydia blushed and proceeded to enter the coordinates.
"You know, I'm gonna miss this when the job's done," Hunter said, "It's pretty cool having Lydia here."
"Perhaps I'll ask whoever I'm being delivered to if I can stay with you guys?" Lydia said hopefully.
"Yes!" Talia said, "Let's do that!"
Suddenly the ship suddenly lurched.
"What was that?" Hunter asked concerned. The ship shook again.
"There's some kind of interference in No-Space-" Talia began to speak until the ship jolted one more time and began careeing away, flashing into a different dimension and crashing.
Moments later, Hunter got himself up while Talia rubbed her sore head again with her metal arm.
"Oh man!" Hunter said, "We just got this thing fixed!" Lydia fizzled back onto the dashboard.
"Where are we now?" Talia said as she looked out the window. She saw a big red bridge in the distance…she recognized it as the Golden Gate Bridge, but somehow it looked entirely different.
"This is definitely not the Earth I was supposed to go to," Lydia asked, "But at least I can say whatever forced us here wasn't an enemy ship."
"But what did?" Hunter asked.
"Let's find out," Talia said as she unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the ship. The two siblings walked down the streets of this strange city, which seemed to be if San Fransisco suddenly got taken over by the Japanese.
As they walked, they came across a TV store, and a news story began to play on the TV.
"Talia listen," Hunter said as he looked at the TV. The TV described something about an attack, and how it was thwarted by somebody claiming to be a superhero. A picture of that hero appeared, showing a boy (probably Hunter and Talia's age) dressed in a long black coat and having very familiar purple linings in his tech. Trion tech, the same tech they're using. The news broadcast called him Crow.
"You don't think he has anything to do with this do you?" Hunter asked.
"I don't know," Talia said, "Why don't we ask him?"
MEANWHILE…
In a dark space station somewhere deep in No-Space, a canister opened. A large body fell from it and landed naked on the metal floor. It coughed the fluid out of its system as he raised himself and injected a wire into the back of his neck. Immediately the memories flooded back, the chase and then getting killed by two immature children.
The Baron growled as the memories finished. Another clone bit the dust. Then his dashboard beeped. The Baron pressed a button and a large screen appeared, showing a dark shadowy figure. The Employer.
"Sounds like the job didn't go well," the Employer said. The Baron hissed.
"I almost had the program," the Baron said, "I was this close…until those two children…"
"Hunter and Talia," the Employer said, "I'm aware of who they are. Bounty Hunters, like you…low time in comparison. How they bested you is beyond me."
"It won't happen again," the Baron growled.
"It shouldn't," the Employer said, "Because I have a new job for you…the fate of the Trion Empire depends on it. Can I count on you?" The Hunter smiled.
"Who do I kill now?"