Chapter 13 Seasonal Sisters Rose and Poppy
"Where am I?" Yoro had woke up to the soft sound of a harmonica. "Ugh... my head what happened?"
"We're in prison Yoro. To be killed on the morrow." Ricco said cheerfully.
"You sound a bit too happy about that." Yoro sighed "By the way why do you have a harmonica?"
"For if I ever get arrested." Ricco explained "I keep it in my Requip space."
"Requip space?" Yoro frowned as he looked at the magic sealing cuffs he was stuck in. "Don't these handcuffs prevent the use of magic though? Oh wait you probably forced them off right?! Well if you can do it so can I!" Yoro tried to force the cuffs apart but it was to no avail.
"I didn't force them off stupid." Ricco said "I just used my magic."
"Ricco What are you talking about?" Yoro asked "Your acting way too much like an airhead."
"Shhhhhhhhh Shut up" Ricco commanded "Watch this shit." "Magma" Burning hot lava shot out of Ricco's hands and melted the bars. "Ta-da!"
"Whatever" Yoro grumbled "I could've done that too if my magic wasn't all messed up."
Ricco giggled "Don't be all grumpy buddy! Once those cuffs are off you'll be breaking down doors for sure!"
"Okay what the hell is wrong with you?" Yoro asked "Did you get drugged or something while I was knocked out?"
"I dunnõ" Ricco singsonged "Oh what's over here?"
Ricco raced out of the cell door and into the dark hallways of the prison.
"Hey Ricco Wait for me!" Yoro yelled as he frantically chased after his suddenly ditzy friend.
"Hey Rose what's the matter?" Poppy and Rose had decided to take the long way to the holding cells. Neither of them particularly liked keeping track of the prisoners.
"How do you think all of that Spectral Essence was obtained?" Rose asked.
"Huh well that's a weird question." Poppy said "If I had to guess I'd say it's probably because all the ghosts that live, used to live here" Poppy corrected "caused a large amount of Spectral essence to accumulate."
Rose's mouth was left agape "That- that's actually a pretty rational explanation. But I don't think it's the correct one. Try something more crazy."
"Okay then" Poppy shrugged "A nuke was launched in the year -X43 and"
"Never mind!" Rose interrupted "I keep forgetting it's either completely insane or nothing at all with you."
Poppy frowned and took Ricco's bow off of her back. "Hey Rose does anything seem weird about this bow to you?"
"I don't see what this has to do with our current conversation but no it seems like a normal bow to me." Rose answered.
"You sure?" Poppy asked "Here try holding it maybe."
Rose took the weapon out of Poppy's hands and immediately felt the effects. "It feels like all my magic is being suppressed." Rose said "Why would that kid use a weapon like this unless..."
"Unless what?" Poppy asked.
"Unless he has magic too volatile to use regularly." Rose finished "And If that's the case those magic cuffs aren't going to do jack shit against him!"
"Wow your really smart! You figured that out real fast!"
Rise and Poppy immediately turned their attention to the two figures at the end of the hall. Ricco was waving towards the two of them excitedly while Yoro cracked his knuckles. "Looks like a prison brawl." Yoro joked "And now that those cuffs are off my magic power is through the roof."
Ricco slipped over to the two girls and snatched his bow back from Rose. Once he did his entire body glowed dark blue and he let out a sigh of relief. "Thank god." He muttered "My head is finally clear."
"What just happened?!" Yoro asked "You we're acting like a moron and now your all cool and collected! What the hell is this?!"
Ricco sighed "Disaster magic as you know is incredibly violent. In order to combat this mages that use it flow their magic though a medium. After a certain amount of time that medium becomes almost like an extension of our bodies. Not only does this increase our magic capacity but if this medium is removed a large amount of magic power is stuffed into the users body clouding their mind and forcing them to act... like an idiot to say it nicely."
"Sounds dangerous" Poppy said excitedly "But your forgetting we have something you don't."
"Years of experience, and constant training." Rose finished.
"What makes you think we don't have the second thing?" Yoro asked.
"Don't underestimate us just because we're younger then you." Ricco warned "You may have caught us off guard last time but we won't make that mistake again."
When Marco and the others arrived at the base an alarm could be heard blaring from the inside. "Aw come on." Marco whined "we haven't even done anything yet."
"It's just a security measure." Cosmos assured them "I'll just insert the password and we'll be able to get inside without any issues."
"A password of course." Pete said "We'd never be able to get inside without you then."
"Is the password password?" Marco and Sakura asked at the same time.
"How'd you know?" Cosmos said shocked.
"I hate everything" Pete muttered "Why would you have such an easy to guess password?"
"Nobody is stupid enough to fight an Officer of the magic council." Cosmos answered "That and we didn't want to bother changing it from the default."
"Until now apparently" Everyone turned their attention to the roof where Saxam and another man stood menacingly. Upon closer inspection the man next to Saxam wasn't even a man but instead a machine. It looked almost completely human but the ridges along the skin and rough edge gave away the disguise. His mechanical eyes were a bright red and dark blue hair covered one of his eyes.
"No way..." Cosmos gasped.
"What is it?" Marco asked.
"That's one of Scrap Metal's android soldiers!" Cosmos said "Saxam captured it awhile ago and sent it back here to be stored. There was talk of reprogramming it to serve the council but I never would have imagined he would go through with it."
"It's such a shame. I really don't like having any blood on my hands. I had such a nice streak going as well." Saxam pouted "I scared away all the Rune knights, I begged to be sent to do a job where killing others would be unnecessary, I even made myself to listen to the chairmen ramble on about god knows what so I could have this position. But there's work to be done and we'll I guess I technically won't have any blood on my hands this way. Alpha take care of them."
The Android sighed "Such a bother, Whatever you say I suppose." Alpha leaped off of the roof.
"It's truly a shame" Saxam sighed "I guess I'll have to tell your sisters their sister was killed by the savage dark mages." Saxam took out his notebook "A true tragedy, that one such as thee, would fail to see, the effects of betraying me. I'll at least tell them you took those mages out with you."
"What do I not get any credit?" Alpha muttered
"Is it weird that actually makes me feel better?" Cosmos asked.
"Yes" everyone including the android said.
"Well I guess I've got my orders then." Alpha sighed "No hard feelings but I've got to kill you all now."
"Nah it's cool" Sakura said "Death threats are pretty normal in our line of business."
"In my short time here twelve people have already sworn vengeance." Marco deadpanned.
"What do you people even do?" Cosmos asked.
"Were the Searchers" Pete answered.
"An independent guild" Marco continued.
"Dedicated to the elimination of every dark guild in Foire." Sakura finished.
Jacob the reporter, who had escaped the grasp of the lieutenant Maria and chased after Pete, had stars in his eyes "Aweeeeeesome" he whispered "Dark mages taking out dark mages! If this isn't the story of the year I don't know what will be!"
"You three go on ahead!" Sakura said "I'll take on this bucket of bolts."
"No I'll stay behind with you." Cosmos said "I already unlocked the door for you and since Saxam's already had practice using my magic he'll have a harder time fighting you then me."
"Right if he copies your magic he'll have a larger advantage." Pete said "Alright we'll go and rescue Ricco and Yoro."
"Good luck Sakura!" Marco called "And Cosmos if you even think of betraying us I'll kill you!"
"Ehehe... wouldn't think of it." Cosmos laughed nervously. 'Welp there goes that option.'
"Oh don't worry Marco I don't need luck." Sakura shot back.
"Oh no... my targets are escaping." Alpha said dismissively "No please stop..."
"You know you don't seem very motivated." Sakura noted.
"Eh I'm only programmed to take orders from the boss seriously. I'm really only going fighting you out of obligation. That and I'm bored." Alpha shrugged.
"Oh that makes sense." Sakura said.
"No it doesn't!" Cosmos snapped.
"But in that case why not fight your employer? I'm sure he'd be a greater challenge then two teens." Sakura asked.
Alpha's eyes glowed bright blue "Order number 237: No matter how much he may annoy you under no circumstance are you to attack Saxam this command will become null and void after the operation at Chirapa Town is complete."
"So you weren't captured but instead gifted to us by Scrap Metal Huh?" Cosmos asked "Why am I not surprised."
"Because it was a pretty predictable turn of events." Sakura supplied.
"Enough talking" Alpha said "Combat Protocol Active"
"Poppy formation 52 get ready!" Rose called.
"You got it sis!" Poppy crouched down and Rose jumped onto her shoulders. "Seasonal Form"
"What was the point of that?" Yoro asked.
"I don't know and that's what scares me." Ricco muttered.
"Beginning of Spring Land of Green" The metal floor slowly turned into a lush green field, the walls were covered in tree bark, and the ceiling seemed to turn transparent to let sunlight flow into the room.
"No way!" Ricco gasped "They transformed the entire room! What kind of power do they have!"
"Less gawking more fighting!" Yoro yelled "Besides it's easier for me to use my magic in a field like this then a standard building." "Earth Make Crossbow" three giant crossbows grew out of the earth and shot bolts at Maria and Poppy.
"Ha! How simple minded of you." Poppy laughed "Roots of Yggdrasil" Giant roots shot out of the ground and surrounded Poppy and Rose protecting them from Yoro's attack.
"So all your attacks are plant based then?" Ricco asked "In that case I know just the thing to get rid of you with." "Red Arrow Wildfire" A single red arrow lodged itself in Poppy's barrier and flames rapidly spread across it although it didn't seem to do any actual damage.
Poppy smirked from inside her barrier 'Unlike Cosmos's flowers and Rose's petals my roots can't be damaged by mere flames. Not only that but my barrier absorbs the carbon dioxide we exhale and convert it oxygen so we don't have to worry about suffocation either. '
"Damn" Yoro whistled "That's a strong tree."
"i should have figured" Ricco sighed "Yggdrasil is called the world tree after all, an attack named after it is sure to be able to handle a few flames."
"But it's still just a tree right?" Yoro asked "Which means it can be uprooted." "Earth Make Pitfall" The ground under Rose and Poppy collapsed to reveal that the roots surrounded the mages completely instead of just above ground.
"Nice try kids but my defenses won't crumble that easily" Poppy boasted.
"Lets proceed to step two." Rose commanded.
"You got it sis" "Middle of Spring Thousand Buds" Vines began to grow out of the walls and floor. They were covered in thorns and tiny red buds.
"What in the world kind of attack is this?" Ricco muttered.
Yoro's eyes widened "Ricco get over here now!" "Earth Make Dome" Yoro covered both himself and Ricco in a dome made of rock just as the thorns from the vines shot out in every direction. Once the onslaught was over Yoro hesitantly took down the barrier.
Rose grinned once he did "End of Spring Full Bloom" The red flower buds on the vines opened and exploded right where Ricco and Yoro were standing engulfing them both.
"Ha all that bravado for nothing!" Poppy said smugly "I was expecting a clash for the ages not a street brawl."
"It's not over yet." Rose warned.
"Huh what are you talking about?" Poppy asked "They can't possibly be able to fight after that right?"
"White Arrow Freeze" Another arrow lodged itself into Poppy's barrier freezing it instead of burning it.
"Does that answer your question?" Rose deadpanned.
"Shit!" Poppy cursed "My barrier isn't suited to handle ice!"
"In that case I think it's about time the seasons change." Rose said "Beginning of Summer Blazing Heat" The temperature in the room began to increase and the ice surrounding the two sisters began to melt.
However now it was Ricco's turn to smirk "Yoro hit it with everything you've got!"
"You got it!" "Earth Make Pillar" A massive stone pillar shot out of the ground and launched the barrier high into the sky. "Earth Make Grenade Launcher" Small grenades popped out of the ground and exploded where Poppy and Rose were hidden turning their defense to dust.
"Petals in the Breeze" A swarm of petals came out from under Rose's sleeves to carry her and Poppy away from the explosion.
Ricco grinned 'Just as I thought even thought the ice was able to lodge itself I between the roots of her shield. Even though the ice melted her defense had weakened enough so that Yoro could take it out.'
"Were going to have to try and stay out of range from now on sis." Poppy said "Now that they know how to deal with my barrier there's nothing stopping them from destroying it again."
"That's fine" Rose said "This next attack would be detrimental if we were still on the ground anyways. "Middle Of Summer Solstice" The ground began to heat up and the grass started to catch ablaze.
"Oh come on really?' Yoro sighed "Don't you know that ground is strong against fire?" "Earth Make Floor" The fire was quickly extinguished as an earth slab covered the entire field burying the grass and plants.
"Now if you don't mind" Ricco said "I don't care to see what the End of Summer will bring." "Yellow Arrow Thunderstorm" A single yellow arrow was lodged into the ceiling and a dark grey cloud spread from where it landed.
"Is it raining?" Poppy asked.
"Incredible" Rose muttered "A single arrow was all it took for him to create a full sized storm. What kind of powers do these kids have?"
"Yoro!"
"Don't worry I know the plan!" Yoro yelled "Earth Make Catapult" Three catapults rose from out of the ground "Requip" and Yoro threw metal rods into each of them. He then sent the rods flying in the air up towards Rose and Poppy. The latter of which managed to catch one.
Rose's eyes widened "The thunderstorm of course! Poppy get rid of that thing right away!"
But it was already too late lightning struck the rod shocking both the sisters. The duo fell off of the petals they were riding and created a small crater in the hard dirt floor. Leaving both sisters laying on the ground barely conscious.
"Sorry about the trouble" Ricco said "But I'm not going to be sending the rest of my life in prison."
"So what's the plan now Ricco?" Yoro asked.
"Now we find Marco and Pete and get the hell out of this ghost town." Ricco answered.