PSIonic Gladiators part 4
"Monster,"
The three boys hadn't gotten much sleep at all or at least if felt like it. Who knew? Time was hard to figure out and they didn't have a clock. Not like it would help with the lack of real sunlight, in a place that was so foreign. Maybe a full 24-hour day was a lot longer here then it was on Earth. It was confusing and hard to take in. But the fact remains that the three of them were awake now only able to lay in their beds or stare out their window. Ness has noted that the sky is rather colorful there too whatever part of space they're in. Ninten also points out that the temperature felt rather comfortable for being in outer space and with no sun. Ness and Ninten spit ideas on how something like that could even occur but it was only to past the time. Also to distract themselves from how hungry they were. Food was something they weren't sure when they were going to get either. The fights though lasting moments had taken a toll on them a bit more than they had first thought. Ninten's grumbling stomach was proof that food was beginning to become more and more of a concern. None of them really thought too much about food because that would insinuate that they would be staying here longer then they thought they would. Also the being kidnapped and trapped on an alien world was rather distracting from their hunger. But keeping their strength up was a priority they needed to be concerned about. Ness jumps off of his bed to walk towards the glowing door. He frowns seeing that there was no robot guard on the other side or any means to get in contact with anyone. He realizes this isn't a hotel, but if MC was so set on keeping them in fighting shape he was doing an awful job of it.
"What are you doing?" Ninten questions groggily.
"Seeing if there was a way to call MC…I'm wasting away in here…" Ness groans.
"Well we have another fight coming up so maybe we'll get fed before then. Who knows how much time has passed here."
"True," Ness says before letting out a sigh. "I sure wished there was some way to learn more about this place. Our only source of information doesn't hold anything back but is also our captor. Not like we can ask him the specifics on how to escape or how to take him out."
"Well it's never that easy. But I'm sure we'll come up with something."
"Not on an empty stomach we won't…"
Ninten rubs his palms on his belly feeling the aching within grow numb from hunger, "I honestly don't know if I can stomach killing again. I feel so stupid for not taking a moment to think of something else…"
"Like I said Ninten, we didn't have much choice. It was them or us. They were beyond our help anyway."
"Taking a life isn't something we should take lightly. I'm surprised you're taking in strides though passed on everything you've told me."
"It's only going to get harder. That time he chose creatures without faces unable to show how much pain we inflict on them. The next one might be, so we have to be mentally ready for that."
"I just can't accept that!"
"You're going to have to. Especially if we're going to be duking it out here for a while," Ness says finally stepping away from the glowing door. His eyes trail over to Lucas who is curled up laying on his side shivering. Ness walks over to him curious to see if he was actually asleep or not. Ness looks down at Lucas to see the boy's eyes are closed but he still wasn't sure if he was asleep. He was muttering words filled with anguish begging someone to make it all stop, whatever that meant. Ness assumed that he may be having a nightmare if he was asleep. So Ness took pity on him and decided to shake him up. "Hey wake up."
"Gah!" Lucas is startled as he jerks up and puts space between himself and Ness. His breathing is erratic as he stares at Ness with widened petrified eyes.
"Whoa…was that nightmare that intense?" Ness asks curiously with hands raised. Lucas continues to stare.
"N-Nightmare?"
"Yeah, you were asleep weren't you?"
"…oh…yeah I was…"
"What was it about?" Ness asks next leaning forward on the bed. This makes Lucas flinch at Ness's curious look. "I find nightmares are easier to deal with if you talk about them aloud. That's what I do with my little sister when she gets them."
"I get it…thanks…but I'm fine…"
"Really, because your hands are still trembling…" Ness points out. At his words Lucas looks down at his hands to see they were indeed shaking. With faint sparks of PSI dancing between his fingertips. Looking back up and across the room Lucas could see Ninten had gained passive interest in the conversation since his head was propped up to watch.
"You should worry more about yourself then me. Don't bother wasting your energy. Focus on what's important."
"If you're going to help us get out of here your well-being does depend on that too ya know!" Ninten calls out from his side of the room.
"…Don't worry about that…" Lucas responds. "Don't worry about me. I'll get you guys out of here somehow…"
"Why do you say it like that?" Ness asks with a raised eyebrow. Lucas only stares back at him not saying anything. Ness lets out a sigh before stepping away from the bed. "I don't get you at all Lucas."
"That makes two of us," Ninten speaks up from his spot in the room. "I mean we're trapped here and you are so focused on keeping your distance. While at the same time you seem pretty committed on helping us get home so I assume you aren't a bad person. But you don't seem keen on getting out yourself."
"I just don't care what happens to me," Lucas responds. A sternness and sharp tone that neither boys hadn't heard him take before. Lucas seems to realize his tone as well so he seems to take a moment to regain his sense of self. "It's fine okay."
Lucas seems content to leave it at that even as Ness and Ninten don't seem to be. It was hard getting to know each other seeing as survival depended on it. But while Ness and Ninten were bonding and trying to make the best of things Lucas however was a mystery. He didn't talk much unless spoken to. He always spoke in a quiet reserved voice. He often tried to place himself farther away from them. Anytime Ness or Ninten closed that distance he would find some way to move farther. Honestly, both boys suspected that Lucas probably didn't sleep at all from how tired he sounded. Whatever was going through Lucas' mind they were at a lost on. Although they weren't sure if they wanted to help or not. At the very least Lucas seemed like someone they could trust. But Lucas was trying to give them every reason under the sun why they definitely should not.
Ninten lets out a sigh before sitting up. He rubs the collar around his throat in irritation. It was hard to not hate every single thing about their situation. He was aggravated, living on a short fuse, and his nerves were ruining his sleep. He couldn't eat when he wanted to either. Food, sleep, and simple basic needs weren't being met as they had first assumed when they arrived at their rooms to see beds and a toilet. Said toilet was placed in a spot that offer little privacy in the first place even if they had any waste to let out. Ninten looks over to see Ness still standing by Lucas' bed like he was hoping the boy would open up. Ninten respected Ness' tenacity about the subject. Ninten lacked the patience to protect someone who wanted nothing to do with him. He simply didn't have time to worry about some random blonde kid.
Even though this blonde kid that has committed himself to helping them.
Nope…
Not at all worried…
That he seems to be handling this the best out of the three of them.
Who MC calls a monster…
And he believes it…
So much so…that…he cares so little about what happens to him…
"Damn it…" Ninten mutters realizing how heartless he sounds. This whole situation is throwing him off. Even though he may be stuck here for a while doesn't mean he has to be a jerk towards Lucas. Lucas is experiencing the same things he is and handling it with a whole lot more maturity then he is despite being older then the boy. Ninten sits up to see Ness was still persisting on trying to get Lucas to answer anything. Where he's from, what his life was like, or how he was captured. All of it was met with silence. Ninten felt bad for Ness since he was trying to crack that shell for a while and was met with little to no reaction. After a while Ness seems to have given up on striking a conversation so he just sits on the bed with the blonde whose has turned his back to him. Lucas was such a strange person and Ninten really wonders why. If only he could take a peek into his mind…
"Greetings meatbags!" MC's voice shouts out, however he was nowhere to be seen. "I assume your bodies are nice and hungry at this point. Which is good, first meals must be earned here. Why would I waste precious resources feeding you lot if you couldn't put on a good show?"
"So you expect us to fight how we are?" Ness asks.
"Exactly."
"Where are you?" Ninten asks.
"Prepping your opponent."
"…wait opponent. As in, one person?" Ness questions.
"Well I wouldn't really call it that, get ready because your collars are going to be turned off…now." At his words the collars let out a brief beep and the three boys experience their powers suddenly coming back to them.
"Wait, we're still trap-." Ness' words are cut off as suddenly the ground below them was pierced through by a thick wriggly object with a sharp end. All three boys let out a shout of shock before more of these objects pierce through the ground, the walls, and the room begins to crumble and fall apart. If felt like an earthquake with the crazy amount of shaking and the ground beneath their feet crumbling. The room was about to cave in with them inside! Ninten decides to take action before things get even worse. He picks himself off the crumbling ground towards a wall avoiding the swinging muscle like object wiggling around.
"Follow me!" He exclaims. Ninten rushes over to a prone Lucas then easily throws the boy onto his shoulder. After securing him punches a sizeable hole into the wall where the boy was sitting. Then leaps out with Ness following close behind. Ness and Ninten see the ground rush toward them quickly. Using their telekinesis to slow their decent before crashing into the ground of the arena below. Ninten sits Lucas onto the ground before turning around to see what had almost killed them. It was some kind of…the closest thing they could compare it to was a T-Rex. At it's head looked like one except it had no eyes, and a long muscular tail. Tentacles extend out the back of its head and around it's neck like some sort of freaky mane. Short arms with claws, and giant muscular legs with huge claws at the end. It finally crushes the room before it turns sharply in their direction. Suddenly it dives down toward them.
"Separate!" Ness exclaims. Ness was the quickest to follow the order as he was already half way on the other side of the arena. Ninten glances back however to see Lucas still frozen in the spot he dropped him at. Ninten grits his teeth before raising his hands to create a PK Powershield around them both. The sharp ends of the tentacles tried to cut into the shield as they extend and try to grab them. However, the shield held strong though Ninten grunts under the pressure.
"Lucas…little help here…" he grunts. Lucas only stare up in horror at the creature seeing the green skin and purple liquid leak out from its mouth. An obvious sign that it is hungry, for food or excitement he wasn't really sure.
"Meatbags, meet the terrifying Hentail Beast!" MC announces from above the action. He was speaking from the other side of a barrier, most likely to just keep the creature contained. "One of the deadliest creatures in this part of space. They are normally lone wolf like hunters able to survive in vaccums. Preying on the life force of creatures…an energy sucker if you will. And you three could keep him feed for a long time…"
"That explains it…most predators at least go for a meal that will satisfy them…" Ness mutters. He sees Lucas paralyzed with fear and Ninten starting to lose his grip. Ness waves his hands summoning psionic energy. The mere buildup of power made the beast snap its attention towards him. "PK Rocken!"
He unleashes an energy wave of red energy concentrated in a beam. The beast lunges for the attack with a mouth opened devouring the attack. It feed on his attack. Ness instantly halts his attack in shock as the beast is now focused on him. Something Ninten needed as he grabs the Hentail's tail from behind before turning sharply to throw it right into the shield. The size of the thing was about the size of a two-story house. Ninten felt the weight of the creature and somewhat strain his body from the throw. He felt weak from a throw like that already. This wasn't good if he had to fight like this. He takes a moment to catch his breath before looking at Lucas.
"You okay?"
"Stop, don't do that," Lucas snaps immediately. His eyes journey upward to MC and Ninten catches the look. "I'm sorry you had to do that, but don't do that again."
Lucas stands to his feet to stare at the daze beasts as it regains its bearings. "Be careful Lucas, it feeds off our powers!" Ness calls.
As if to illustrate that point the beasts opens its mouth to spew of an energy blast colored in Ness's own PK Rocken. Lucas raises one arm with his palm flat summoning a PSI Shield that holds back the entirety of the attack. The beast stomps forward still unloading its attack pouring on more pressure onto the barrier. Lucas begins to strain slightly as he now holds up both hands.
"Hold on I'm going to circle around!" Ninten quickly moves around the shield rushing the monster head on. He summons PK Powershields around his fist before lunging forward toward the monster. The tentacles instantly respond launching out at him. There were far too many to dodge so Ninten was forced to create a shield. Though he was protected he still felt the knock back as he was thrown to the ground hard. "Damn…I'm already weak and exhausted…can't keep this up…"
"I suppose it's a matter whose hungrier!" MC laughs.
Ness grits his teeth before rushing forward in a burst of speed. A red aura incases his body as he moves around zipping at high speed toward the beast. He gets close for the tentacles to respond. They lash out at him but unlike Ninten he could see and avoid each strike. A very fast and evasive array maneuvers was the difference between life and death here. But he couldn't keep this up long. If he was at full strength he could keep doing this for hours, but he was hungry. Hadn't had proper sleep, and his body ached with each movement. Each fast movement brought with it a haze of light headedness. It showed he couldn't keep this up as two tentacles slashes across his chest drawing a splash of blood. The beast stops its intense attack on Lucas to about turn swinging its tail into Lucas' shield. This last bit of force is enough to break it and throw Lucas off his feet. However, as Lucas falls to the ground he reacts quickly raising his hand to shoot out a PK Love sphere. The attack was fast and accurate smashing into the beat's jaw throwing off the bite enough for Ness to dodge out of the way of being devoured. However, the tentacles were another story. But a shield quickly covered him protecting him from the attack enough for him to fall back. He glances back to see it was Ninten who had saved him there. Ness lands back on his feet but quickly falls to a knee as he places a hand over his wound. He uses his powers to begin the healing process but the Hentail Beast isn't done.
Until it's head jerks away from him toward Lucas. Ness can also feel it too so he jerks his head toward the blonde at the same time as the beast. A charge of PSI was building around Lucas' body. Building and building. The white aura around his body and sparks of intense psionic energy was proof that he meant business. Ness could also see the boy's eyes, they were narrowed, viscous… cold. The Hentail Beast ignores Ness completely to rush toward Lucas. Soon psionic power overtakes Lucas' eyes.
"Lucas feeding it more power won't help!" Ninten calls.
"Then move in while I have it distracted but make it count!" Lucas calls back. Ness and Ninten are startled to realize what Lucas was planning.
"This kid is crazy…" they mutter.
Lucas continues to build energy as he steps back as the beast rushes him in a blind lust of hunger. It was famished, Lucas could see that. It was starving, MC kept it hungry, and the three of them could finally fill the void. The beast was desperate for nourishment no matter what. It wasn't really a monster, it was a starving creature that had been caged, and made to kill….
Just like-
Lucas doesn't dwell on the thought. "Let's see who the real monster is…" Lucas was ready to go in for the kill. With his hands pushed together and sparks flying. The beast lunges with mouth open, but in a flash of red the boy was gone. The beast instantly turned its head a mistake since it didn't notice what was left in the boy's place. Ninten pulls back a fist to swing forward delivering it into the monster's turned cheek with enough force to throw it to the ground. Ness then flies up leaving Lucas in midair to fall from the sky and unleash a monstrous PK Love down on the Hentail Beast. What happened was instant. A powerful white burst of light that engulfs the monster with a blast of wind following. Lucas shielded his eyes from the light.
When Lucas opens his eyes he sees he's now on the ground. He's surprised that he had actually blacked out from the strain. He lays on the ground with the concerned faces of Ness and Ninten hovering over him.
"Oh great he's awake," Ness sighs with relief.
"That was crazy dude!" Ninten exclaims. Lucas decides to sit up to see that the Hentail Beast was a charred mess twitching every moment or so. "I've never seen a person let out such a powerful attack before."
"Yeah me either, and you almost blew us all up with that. Geez, I really wonder how much power you have without that collar!" Ness adds.
"You don't want to know…" Lucas responds evenly. He stares at the charred mess of the Hentail Beast. "Guess we know who the real monster is here…"
Ninten frowns hearing that but doesn't respond to it. Only looking at the beast, "Are we sure it's down?"
"I don't think anything could've survived that, do you not see that those tentacle things, and tail are like…gone! I've never seen PSI actually do this kind of damage before!"
"It's still alive," Lucas spoke up suddenly surprising both boys. "But it's hurt bad, it's in shock I think…it'll either succumb to its injuries or bleed out."
"Don't be so sure meatbags!" MC remarks staring down on them with folded arms. "The more energy the beast has the more excited it's cells can be. If the cells are sufficiently charged enough it can help the cells repair themselves, so in other words…." Suddenly the tail and legs of the Hentai Beast jets out. "Cellular regeneration."
"Uh oh…" Ness utters in fright as the carcass of the monster begins to rise sparking with intense energy from its enhanced cells. Its partially glowing white as it lets out a loud roar. With that roar a blast of white/red energy spills out its mouth rushing at them. Lucas reacts quick by raising a PSI Counter shield. This bounced the attack right back at the beast although it seemed hardly bothered by it.
"Lucas stop, no more psionic attacks!" Ness exclaims.
"Well, the Hentail Beast are notorious for being rather intelligent, but then again it shouldn't take a genius to realize who has the most to offer in terms of a fulfilling meal," MC comments from above with a smirk. Ness and Ninten eye Lucas hesitantly before looking at each other.
"I'll slow it down, get Lucas on the other side of the arena and come back me up," Ninten says simply. Ness responds with only a nod.
"Hey wait a-!" Lucas is cut off as Ness scoops him into his arms easily only giving a slight grunt at the weight before taking off quickly. Ninten faces the rabid monster as its head follows Ness' movement. While its distracted Ninten quickly jumps in with fist raise wailing on the creature's head. It staggers back under the pressure of each blow that Ninten dishes out. Ninten try uses his PSI to help increase his momentum and overall movement speed in the air. He wraps his arms around a couple of tentacles to slam the beast into the ground of the arena. Before giving a shout as he tore them straight out the Hentail Beast's neck which is followed by a ferocious roar of agony and pain. Ninten tosses the twitching body parts away and no sooner does he do that when more appear. He lets out a tired sigh laced with annoyance, but he's thankful that Ness comes in with a speed tackle at the beast's legs knocking it to the ground.
"Any idea on how to deal with this thing?" Ninten asks.
"It can heal as fast as we injure it thanks to the power boost it got…maybe we just where it out?"
"We're running on fumes right now Ness…PSI takes a lot of strength…strength takes food…something we haven't had in a while. While thanks to blondie this thing is now fully fed!"
"Hey we backed his play because we thought it would work. Can't put all the blame on him…he told me he'd think of something."
"Maybe I can use my telepathy to-,"
"Get down!" Ness yells as he dives into Ninten as they both crash to the ground narrowly avoiding a laser straight from the Hentail Beast's mouth. The beast was about to follow up with another attack before it pauses. Then it turns its head another direction. Curious Ness and Ninten look over to see Lucas charging his PSI again.
"Damn it Lucas…" Ninten mutters in annoyance as he climbs to his feet quickly. However, not quick enough as the Hentail Beast goes into a full sprint toward Lucas. "Ness see if you can scoop Lucas up again!"
"Got it!" Ness rushes past Ninten and gains on the Hentail Beast. However, as MC said the beast is smarter than expected. It knows Ness will get there first unless it takes action to at the very least delay him. So it turns it head to shoot out a fireball of psionic energy from its large jaws that explodes cutting off Ness and throwing him to the ground with the aftershock. Ness is stunned in shock at the unexpected sudden stop. But after a quick shout from Ninten Ness rolled over to prepare to give chase again. The arena wasn't that big, but the Hentail Beast had already covered the gap and would be upon Lucas in moments. Ness was fast but still weak. He wasn't at his best maybe he could close the distance fully energized but right now thinking of the amount of energy it would take to get there exhausted him. However, he still rose to his feet to give chase anyway. But this situation also provided a window for Lucas to make his move. Lucas extends his hand out with his fingers straight coned around his palm. The charge travels through his palm, between his fingers, until Lucas extends his pointer finger for a small ball of light to gather there.
"PK Love," he mutters. This was a very condensed and focus attack. It was also fast, faster than the blink of an eye, but also devastating. In a single shot Lucas was able to shatter the beast in the kneecap completely taking out half of the creature's leg. Like the accuracy of a sniper and the force of ten shotguns!
"Jeez!" Ness exclaims grounding his sneakers in order to come to a stop.
"Don't stop Ness it can still heal!" Ninten calls.
"Right, right, forgot!" Ness exclaims as he races toward Lucas again. When he gets there he has every intention of removing Lucas but Lucas pushes him aside as he steps forward. The Hentail Beast reacts with its tentacles. Lucas raises a PSI Counter barrier that makes the tentacles bounce off. The Hentail Beast only flinches but it was enough as Lucas leaps to wrap his arms around two tentacles one each arm. He pulls back as hard as he could but it was obvious that it was doing nothing against the beast. "Lucas what are you doing?"
"Just hit it if it tries to get up or move. I know what to do now…" Lucas responds. Ness can't say he's ever heard this sharp, controlled, and logical voice from Lucas before. Not that he's heard much of anything of Lucas' voice to begin with. Doesn't change the fact of how odd it is to hear from the rather shy boy. Ness decides to follow the request. He uses a combination of his speed, weight, a shield, and downward pull of gravity to deliver a powerful body slam into the creature's head. Easily dazing it enough to keep it down. Lucas then unleashes a powerful discharge of psionic energy straight into the Hentail Beast.
"Lucas what the hell!" Ninten exclaims finally catching up and knocking the one leg it had out from under it with a powerful haymaker shattering bone under the force of his fist. Ninten couldn't keep going like this. He knew that and looking at all the pot shots the tentacles were landing on Ness, the speed demon couldn't last much longer either. "You're gonna make it worse!"
"Just keep it down!" Lucas responds. Pouring on more or more of his power until the beast's leg is completely restored again. It was getting stronger and much harder to put down. Their blows were healed in moments at a time. "Okay back off, now!"
"What?" Ness questions diving into a one handspring to avoid spike tentacles from crashing down upon him. "You're making no sense man!"
Lucas's eyes shine with PSI power again before sparks of psionic energy pours from his body and into the Hentail Beast. The intensity was great enough that Ness and Ninten were forced to put some distance between them and the storm that looked like a lightning storm. The beast begins to glow a bright white showing an abundance build of energy.
"What in the world is he doing?" Ninten mutters confused.
"Don't know, I'm not a mind reader," Ness responds.
"But I am…" Ninten mutters He focuses on his telepathy to read Lucas' mind. But the moment he tried to delve into a fraction of his thoughts a sudden spark went flying at him nailing him in the chest and knocking him to the ground.
"Whoa!" Ness yells startled by that.
"Guess that means I should keep my nose out of his head…" Ninten groans even with the magnificent showing of the storm of sparks Ninten could see the sideways glare Lucas was shooting his way. Lucas then focuses on the Henatil Beast again as MC sighs exasperated at seeing this pointless fight. However, after a few moments the white starts to die out as blacken spots begin to appear around it's body. These black splotches begin growing at an alarming rate and frequency on the skin of the beast. "What the-."
Suddenly the beast starts wailing in agony as it tries to pull away now. But for some reason it couldn't. It thrashes wailing out this ear splitting scream that was filled with so much pain and agony. Ness and Ninten could feel its sorrow and started to actually pity the creature. They didn't understand what was happening to it but Lucas didn't seem worried about its cries. It seemed the more it struggled the worse its injuries became. Blood vessels explode along it's body in the blackened areas until the creature collapses. Lucas never falters for a moment as he continues to pour it on as the charred black areas get darker and everyone notices the lack of healing. Eventually it collapses all on its own unable to resist any further. The only sign of life was the rise and fall of its chest. Lucas releases the tentacles in his grasp before raising his hand above his head.
"PK Love," he mutters as a small ball of psionic energy gather into his hand. He flings his hand down for the light to connect with the beast's head. This action completely took the creature's head off. Brains splattered all over the floor as the sparks finally die down. Ness and Ninten felt they had to turn away for the act. It seemed rather overkill to kill it in such a fashion especially after basically torturing the creature. Lucas simply stands there motionless for a few moments. Taking in the sight of it all. The blood, the cries of agony he heard, and the pain he heard it express. He stood unmoving and void of any emotional response to what he'd just done. It was only a few moments later that Lucas finally collapses to the ground.
"What in the world just happened?" Ness questions.
"Well that is quite a show, rather brutal," MC's voice suddenly appears behind the two boys. Ness and Ninten flinch sharply turning toward MC who paid their reactions little mind. His arms crossed as he stared at Lucas and the Hentail Beast. "I had my doubts this kid could live up to the hype…" then a small smirk slips onto his face. "Never have I been glad to be so wrong! Aaaahhh this kid is going to be quite the show I need. My little monster…"
"What are you talking about?" Ninten asks.
"I supposed with your eyes you couldn't quite see it, but what our little human there was doing was destroying the Hentail Beast on a cellular level. Force feeding it more energy then it's body could process. Since it could recover from most injuries, he decided to simply kill the cells. Overload them leading to the body slowly failing. As the cells decayed and died the creature's organs ruptured, bones became brittle, and viruses begin to take over killing it. A rather agonizing and slow cause death. I suppose he tried to correct his mistake by ending its suffering quickly. There were many different ways you three could've defeated this creature…but he chose the most brutal way possible," MC look at both boys now. "There is a reason I call him a monster."
"He had all that power to overload it?" Ness questions astonished.
"Easily, be glad that collar is on him. This type of battle is a special I'm trying to start. These Arena matches where the fighters either work together or feed each other to the monster. The goal is to defeat the beast however they see fit, and I think it was a rounding success. The crowd will eat this up. Thank you, boys for helping with that little trial run. Consumption and new living quarters will be provided in a few moments considering the Hentail Beast destroyed your quarters. A guard will see you there, for now just wait. As a bonus I will leave your collars off until you return back to your dwellings to give you the chance to heal whatever injuries you have," MC turns about to warp away before turning back to the two boys. "Also I want my competitors at peak performance…I hold you two responsible for making sure he eats." After that message he vanishes.
"Damn…" Ninten grumbles before turning toward where Lucas lay unconscious. "That is an awful way to die…all that power and how he was able to focus it like that. Kid kinda is a monster."
"Don't say that Ninten," Ness said coldly glaring at Ninten. Ninten blinks at him surprised.
"What's with you? You heard what MC said, if not a monster he's a freak of nature! While killing the thing he would've took my head off!"
"You tried to poke into his mind, major invasion of privacy and breach of trust, especially considering you've never had an actual conversation with him!"
"Why are you taking his side all of sudden?!"
"Do you really not get it?" Ness demands.
"Get what!?"
"You and I belly aching about how much we hate the idea of killing for sport. Hate the idea of being turned into monsters! Hate the very idea of our souls being turned into…into something unrecognizable. But he thinks he's already in that place! He said it himself, he called himself a monster, so he's going to act like the monster…so that we don't have to…" Ness deflates after saying all that then he lets out a long sigh. He turns his head looking at the unconscious boy on the ground. As if coming to a silent decision all on his own he walks over to Lucas' unconscious form. Ninten watches silently taking in Ness' words with a frown. He crosses his arms in slight distaste of being told off.
Especially since he realized Ness was right. Based on how Lucas always put himself down and how he referred to himself. Lucas would've probably wanted them to treat him like he was a monster too. The worst part is that Ninten was willing to believe the idea of that, and Lucas knew MC would help reinforce his reputation as well. Lucas didn't mind being the focal point of all their pain, their anguish, or just taking all the suffering for them. Geez, it was scary how…selfless he is…almost unfair. The reason Lucas is trying to push them away so much probably has more to do with their well-being then his own.
Ninten walks over to Ness where the other boy is crouched down next to Lucas. Ninten winces seeing that Lucas' own power had hurt him too. The sparks had created some pretty nasty burns along his arms and blood leaking from his mouth. Ninten crouches down deciding to extend his hand to begin healing Lucas. Ness is surprised by the action seeing as Ninten hasn't cared to much about Lucas but it was a welcome change. They healed themselves best they could with such little energy, but at least they cut recovery time in half for all three of them.
Ness, with a little help of his PSI that he still had in use at the moment, got Lucas onto his back to carry the boy piggyback style. Once he is secured as MC said a guard approaches them to take them to their new quarters. Once they arrived there again they were almost floored again. The bathroom was now marked with a door which indicated that privacy was now a possibility. Three beds still all in the same area, but the room itself was much more…homey. Carpet floors instead of the dirt they've been living in, their beds still looked nice, actually lights like before, and a feast of very familiar foods sitting on a table in the center of the common area. Also on the table is a clock presumably set to the time on Earth for them. The table was small unlike what Ness or Ninten would be used to since the table didn't have chairs which means they must sit on the floor and eat. No real issue there. The walls are painted a nice even cyan color, but the bars remained to reinforce that they were still prisoners all the same.
"You have now earned to right of regular meals. A guard will arrive at your residence periodically to collect what it is you wish to eat until then this spread will do," the robot guard ended things at that before shoving them inside and reactivating the barrier along with their collars. Their strength was once again sapped away which made the food all the more enticing. Ness walks over to the single bed on the opposite side of the room. He drops Lucas as gentle as he's able to on the bed.
"Hey Lucas come on wake up," Ness says shaking the boy. After a few moments of shaking Lucas does begin to stir.
"Ow…" he moans out in agony. He brings a hand to his face. "…ow…"
"Lucas," Ness says firmly seeing him awake.
"…go away…"
"You have to eat, and we have food now!"
"…no…"
"What do you mean no?"
"I'm not hungry…"
"That's impossible you have to be starving after a huge energy output like that!"
"Well I'm not…go eat…"
"But-."
"Hey Lucas," Ninten suddenly cuts in from where he's sitting at the table. Lucas halfway turns his head towards Ninten's direction to show that he is listening. "I want to apologize for trying to read your mind while we were in the middle of a fight. Was pretty uncool of me…"
"It's fine…"
"Yeah, especially since you put him on his ass afterward!" Ness exclaims snickering.
Ninten frowns. Of course a selfless person like him wouldn't hold a grudge, "Shut up!"
"Come on and eat with us…" Ness persisted.
"Stop it…stop doing that…keep away from me…"
"If you're supposed to help us get home then how can you do that all weak and starving? You'd die out here and then you couldn't help us anymore," Ninten quickly cuts in already taking a huge bite a burger before shoveling in fries. He takes a few moments to chew almost chocking so he has to pound his chest to breath. Once he manages to get the food down he sighs. "By looking out for you, we're also looking out for us."
"Exactly, we're only as strong as our weakest link!" Ness adds.
"When I get my powers back I don't feel hungry…so it's fine…I can wait till our next fight to-."
"Will you stop it already!" Ninten finally explodes slamming his hands on the table. "We're stuck here, the three of us. Like it or not, and you being…you trying to…just you-,"
"What Ninten is trying to say is thank you for today. But…if you want us to be okay with your conditions you have to be okay with ours. We will try and keep our distance, but you have to eat. And you have to actually sleep instead of whatever it is you do."
"Can't sleep…"
"Why's that?"
"Nightmares…" Lucas mutters. "Memories…and I'm…alone…"
"You're alone because you chose to be," Ninten remarks.
"I'm alone because I have to be…if MC didn't get in the way…I would-," Lucas stops short of that. Before sitting up however very slowly. In this light it was easier to see how pale and unhealthy looking Lucas actually was. It was really disturbing and took the entirety of Ninten's self-control to not force to boy down at the table. But Ninten still stands up. At seeing him rise Lucas flinches as if…as if he was ready to be hit. The thought made a lump appear in Ninten's stomach. He and Ness share a look considering they've been on the same page pretty much this entire experience. He and Ness both pick Lucas up forcing him to sit down at the table. Then the two of them pick up Lucas' bed and place it between both of theirs. Lucas protested but it was generally ignored.
"Let's eat!" Ness exclaims.