Ch. 34 Princess Terror
The small television rested on the wooden stand. The bright screen was the only light source in the room.
[Concerning the viral infection outbreak in the town near the mountains, an investigation is ongoing of a new strain of bird influenza on migratory birds. The entire city is still under quarantine. If you wish to send a message to family or friends, please contact the emergency message center. In other news…]
Hiro could only watch as the monitor displayed images of men in yellow suits and signs that read "CAUTION" or "QUARENTINE."
It's just like Princess Sherwood said…Hiro thought. They're covering up the truth about everything that happened in the town. He decided to lie down on his bed. Ever since then, Hime's been acting kind of funny. He wasn't sure what to do.
Hime searched through her family photos in the library. As she turned each page in the red album, she could see each member of the Von Phoenix lineage pass into the next generation. However, their numbers decreased until only one member remained at the last page. The door opened.
"Pika?" Jolt tilted his head. He nuzzled above Flandre.
"Fuga," Flandre added.
"Don't worry about me," Hime responded. "I'll be just fine. Both of you; just go and charge yourself one hundred percent."
"Fuga." Flandre stepped out of the room. Jolt jumped off her head and scurried off to the backyard.
Coffee Shop
"Ms. Sawawa…Ms. Sawawa…" the shop owner called to her. The maid sat at the bar while gazing off into space.
"…!" Sawawa snapped out of her trance.
"It doesn't taste good, does it?"
"Huh?"
"My newly-created seafood parfait?" Sitting on the counter was a cooked shrimp with red sushi scales wrapping around the edge of the cup. On the tip were purple octopus legs and whipped cream with fish eggs at the top.
"Oh, it's absolutely delicious, Master!"
"I see. Then, is something on your mind?"
"Yes, actually...I'm lonely." The man jumped back for a second. "My Mistress hasn't been eating much lately." His nerves relaxed. "She just stays locked up in her room. And it's not just her. It seems that Hiro and the others aren't the same either. I sort of feel left out."
"That's…"
"I feel uneasy in my chest." The man opened one eye.
"Chest!?" Sawawa covered her chest with unease.
"Whenever I have a bad feeling, it usually comes true."
Slice! Slice! Slice!
Rai kept hacking away the vines growing along the walls. His scythe chopped off the bushels and roots with each swing.
"Woo," Rai wiped the sweat from his forehead. He looked up at the wall until he could see the greens running around the entire mansion. "This could take a while." On the second level, Riza was continuing her routine workout.
"2,513! 2,514! 2,515" Riza counted. Her feet locked around the awning of the balcony while she performed her pull-ups. She lifted her upper body until her head reached the same height as her feet. "2,516! 2,517! 2,518!"
"Will you keep it down?" Kurumu complained. She sat on the awning with a glass of water in her hand.
"DID YOU SAY SOMETHING?!" Riza yelled back.
"You don't have to be all grumpy because Hiro's feeling down," Reiri assured her. She sat atop the roof near the second window of the mansion with her juice box.
"That's not it!"
"Could have fooled me," Kurumu added. The two enjoyed their drinks.
"The princess won't come out of her room," Reiri sighed. "It's really getting boring."
"Like you're one to talk, you damn coward!" Kurumu shouted to her.
"Where do you get off preaching about your problems?" Riza implied. Rai only covered his face and lowered his head.
"Great," he moaned. "They're at it again." He went back to his work.
Whoosh!
A shockwave expanded over the mansion. Kurumu and Reiri looked to the sky. Riza pulled herself halfway until she was facing upward. Rai tried reaching the higher point of the wall, until he noticed the ripple forming above his head. The pulsing black aura moved like water expanding outwards from the center of the swirling clouds. A winged creature soared out from the focus with another following right behind. In their talons were large, bronze caps with an insignia of a yellow phoenix on the front. As they descended closer to the ground, they revealed themselves to be black pterodactyls with red eyes. The creatures soared quickly past Reiri from the roof and blew Kurumu's skirt to the wind.
"Why, that's the Royal Family's…?" Reiri started.
"Their Imperial Guard," Riza finished. Rai turned to see the beasts release three canisters onto the lawn. From within the center pod, a tall soldier walked out with two of his cadets following behind. This was no regular private; large horns jutted out from his silver helmet, his snout extended from his face and his hooves passed his bagged pants as he walked. His uniform prized itself of a large blue coat, a gray sash across his outfit, and brown gloves reaching his forearms. His cadets, however, looked like mindless baboons in brown uniforms (literally). The rest of the cadets exited the pods until an army stood outside the mansion. Jolt exited the mansion and quickly jumped onto Rai's shoulder.
"Pi…" Jolt glared at the enemy.
"Easy," Rai raised his hand. He stepped forward. "Hello officer, can I help you with something?" The Minotaur pulled out a scroll from underneath his coat. He unraveled the warrant and read the accusations.
"Princess Lilliane," he declared, "She is hereby under arrest for the crime of deploying zombies into the wild!"
"Wait a sec!" Riza yelled. She kicked off the awning into a backflip and landed next to Rai. "You got it all wrong!"
"She's right!" Kurumu flew down with the others. "One of those assholes dropped those zombies on us!" The cadets grabbed the hilts of their swords.
"…Stand down," the Minotaur requested. "We're only carrying out our orders."
"They're just here to tell us that Hime's been put on trial," Rai deduced.
"Well, Everyone?" Hime interrupted from the doorway. "Shall we go then?" The girls turned to the accused princess. The royal guard kneeled before her highness.
"Such a magnificent princess…" the minotaur bowed. "Please forgive our rudeness."
"Hmph…" Hime smiled. "Making the first move like this…I have a good idea who brought the charges." The guard cleared a path for the group to enter the pods for departure.
"…Hime…" Reiri watched from the balcony.
"Your highness…" the minotaur spoke as Hime walked by. "…Be mindful of your safety."
"Kraaaaaww!" The stone gargoyle howled. It rested atop a small cliff overlooking the vast sea of clouds at such a high altitude. There was nothing for miles except a tall building settled on a high mountaintop. The structure had been designed as an old fashion courthouse built roughly around the 20th century. It looked to be about two floors with a long stairway leading from the bottom of the mountain to the balcony. Four pillars formed a porch and an awning before entering through the front doors. On each side of the doors were tall glass windows as well as on the second floor. The building extended two more windows wide with Gargoyle statues guarding the front of the stairs and on top of the building. A dome covered the center roof while both ends had a flat surface. As for the trial, monsters of all shapes and sizes had gathered within the courtroom to witness the case of Lilliane Von Phoenix against her own family. The walls were set in stone with a bright chandelier hanging in the center of the room. The architect was intended so the defendant and the plaintiff would be forced to face one another as well as their siding witnesses. Some were werewolves, vampires, mutant insects, even deformed monsters of unknown origin. On the left side of the courtroom, a tall butler stood next to the podium with the shapeshifting girl in the front row of the bleachers. The other side was Hime and Flandre with Reiri, Kurumu, Riza, Rai, Hiro, and Jolt in the second row. At the front of the room was a long table wide enough to hold three judges. Two men had already been seated at each end. They looked exactly identical; both had big blue eyes and grew suits with a red necktie. To be perfectly clear, they looked like sophisticated aliens. Hiro looked anxiously around the room.
"Don't look so nervous, Hiro," said Riza.
"Eh?" Hiro replied.
"It's embarrassing."
"I'd be nervous too in a room of every monster ever discovered," Rai established. A wolf man in a tuxedo panted behind Kurumu's neck. Growing annoyed, she drew out her claws.
"If you don't wanna be neutered, you'd better quit breathing on me!" she simplified her statement. The dog snapped his mouth shut.
"Is it really alright for me to be here?" Hiro asked.
"It's perfectly fine, Hiro," Reiri explained. She leaned over Kurumu, Riza, and Rai to clasp Hiro's chin in her palm. "You are a royal soldier who has been granted the Flame of Life. A master and their soldier share one mind and soul." She leaned into his ear. "They share the same destiny. You follow wherever her fate takes her."
"Hey, quit clinging over me!" Riza demanded. The two went struggling against each other.
"Hey! Could you not touch me with your filthy paws?" Reiri shouted back. Riza shoved Reiri onto Kurumu and pushed Rai against Hiro.
"Alright, enough fighting ladies," Rai ordered.
"Get off me!" Kurumu shoved Reiri onto Rai's lap. Hiro fell against Jolt's tail.
"…I suppose I could sit here~," she smiled.
"Not gonna happen!" Riza barked.
"PIKA!" Jolt cried. "CHU!"
BZZZZZTTTT!
Jolt electrocuted Hiro in a static cloud. After the attack, Hiro's body was scorched as his hair became frizzy. Everyone turned to him.
"…I'm okay…" Hiro coughed.
Creeeek!
The doors swung open.
"Quiet," Reiri informed them. "Here comes the plaintiff." From the other side of the room came the attorney; a tall, skinny man in his suit and tie with a head resembling an ant. Even the pincers and antennae were a dead giveaway. The plaintiff standing behind him was a man with blonde hair and a black coat over his white long sleeve shirt. Just as he entered the court room, he snapped his neck to the left, then to the right. He messaged his wrists as he took his spot at the podium. He revealed is red, piercing eyes and his devilish smile.
"That's her brother, right?" Rai asked.
"He sure looks like he's hiding a thing or two," Reiri added.
"Whatever, he's just a pretty boy," Kurumu spoke. Riza stared coldly at the man.
"…He's the one," she whispered.
"Long time no see, my beloved younger sister," the man greeted his sibling.
Slam!
Riza grabbed the seat in front of her.
"Hey!" Riza yelled out. "I have something to ask you!" The man didn't recognize her.
"Who are you, exactly?" he asked.
"Does the name Lobo Wildman ring a bell?" Everyone in the courtroom grew mystified by her outburst.
"Lobo?" Kurumu wondered.
Wait, Rai thought, where did I see that name before?
"Is that lowly beast your servant?" the man asked. "Oh, how the mighty have fallen." Riza was ready to jump from her seat.
"Don't be a jerk!" Riza yelled. "Just answer the damn question!"
"Riza!" Hime raised her hand. Riza turned to her. She then looked over to Kurumu with a serious look on her face. They both nodded. Riza pouted and sat back down with her arms folded.
"That's enough," the judge presided. The court turned to the judges table. The judge settled down in the center in his green robe and gold sash across his clothes. His gray hair nearly covered his face, except for his right eye, nose, and mouth. His hat was large enough to be considered a giant lima bean. His red eye perceived the two family members before him. "Very well, let us begin the proceedings." He raised his gabble. "Now, Monster Court is in session."
Bam!
[BODY LINK DISTRIBUTION]
[100% COMPLETE]
"GRAAAAAAAAAAAGGGHHH!" Cyrus broke free of his hold from the table. The steel braces crackled and demolished from his supreme strength. The electrical coils ceased functioning as the red jewel on the terminal faded away its color. The shadows quickly swarmed into the floor and vanished out of the room. He now stood a good ten feet tall with his new physique and biceps pumped. The veins that coursed his body were trailed with red lining underneath his skin. The door to the lab opened with the masked entity arriving before the mighty Galactic.
"I can concur the experiment was a success?" The masked man asked. Cyrus looked at his newfound supremacy.
"This power," Cyrus awed. With one hand, he ripped the operating table and tossed straight into the main chamber. "It's astounding. To think such a meek sphere could grant me this gift." He clenched his monstrous fists. "My new world waits." The masked man stepped forward.
"You shall apprehend your utopia, Mr. Cyrus." He assured. "However, supreme vigilance alone cannot assure your immediate achievement." Cyrus was becoming irritated.
"What more must I go through before I can have my new world?" The masked man walked out of the lab. He pointed out beyond the glass windows toward the stars.
"Your next objective would be to locate one who deems himself..." The masked man turned to Cyrus. "...The emperor of the universe. With his reign under your control, your primary objective will be unlocked." Cyrus only grinned at this new information.
"...Consider it done." Cyrus's eyes glowed red as dark fumes expelled from his skin.
Dark storm clouds formed over the courthouse. The trail continued on for the next hour.
"It's obvious the accused waged an attack on Prince Zeverin," the ant lawyer declared in a southern accent (I shit you not). He presented his facts in his small booklet. "The point you must pay attention to here is the fact that, by their very nature, deploying zombies is far too dangerous and henceforth illegal." The left monster judge wrote notes on the lawyer's speech. "It is only logical that the one accused of waging the attack would be the one who deployed said zombies!" He pointed to Hime. "That is all."
"Hang on, hang on…!" Hime's lawyer searched through his booklet for evidence. Needless to say, he was a short, pink, furry creature with a bushy moustache, a red tie, and two black dots for eyes. "That is nothing more than circumstantial evidence!" He raised his stubby arm in disagreement. "You can't accept such wild accusations without any physical evidence!"
"Well, that was complete bullshit," Rai noted.
"He's right," said Reiri. "Prince Zeverin plans to pin every one of his crimes onto the princess."
"You think this was planned from the start?" Kurumu questioned.
"Obviously," Riza pointed out. "Just look at that unreliable lawyer of hers."
"You think so?" Hiro asked. Hime's lawyer continued to flail about in protest.
"Your Honor!" he cried in a shrill, gerbil voice. "Your Honor!"
"Pika…" Jolt sighed.
"The judge, too," Reiri noticed. The judge looked completely uninterested in the case and rested his head on his knuckles. "He looks like he doesn't even want to be here."
"Your Honor!" the pink lawyer shouted.
"…Hmm?" the judge lazily replied. "Oh, council."
"Ahem…" he cleared his throat. "The evidence presented by the prosecution thus far has been nothing but hearsay. Barring no physical evidence, the court cannot accept these wild accusations. We can't forget that the defendant, Lilliane, had her territory invaded and all her vassals killed by zombies the previous year. They were said to be the absolute elite of the royal family. Therefore, she is, in fact, the victim."
"According to our information," the ant lawyer stated, "the zombies were ones the defendant, Lilliane, had been secretly gaining herself! She was merely a victim of her own actions! That's the only logical conclusion that can be drawn!"
"Hold on a sec," the fluffy lawyer retorted, "you can't prove she did it, and you can't prove she didn't. These accusations require evidence that proves it beyond a reasonable doubt." Riza tapped her arm as she grew impatient. Reiri and Rai listened closely to the case at hand, while Kurumu and Jolt were dazedly staring at the trail trying not to fall asleep.
"My logic is flawless!" the ant lawyer fought back.
"What's flawless is his act," Rai joked. Reiri giggled.
"Now you wait just a minute!" the fluffy lawyer requested. Riza was ready to lose it.
"Your Honor?" Zeverin spoke out.
"Hmm…?" The judge responded. "You may speak."
"I am prepared to spend as many years as it takes putting forward evidence, but we're members of the royal family of the Phoenix line. If we fight for years, we might risk maturing by the time this trail comes to a close." The courtroom began buzzing with spectators whispering on the possible outcome. "Phoenixes are immortal and completely inviolable. Who will judge us when that time comes?"
"He intends to use that to tamper with the case," Reiri assumed.
"Figures they'd to use their power as a scapegoat," Kurumu rubbed her eyes.
"You asshole…!" Riza rose form her seat.
"Your Honor?" Hime interrupted. "…I have a suggestion." Zeverin looked to his sister in disarray.
"A-A suggestion?" he asked.
"That's right, Zeverin."
The cold wind rushed across the landscape. The area was filled with forest trees all around. However, a stone aqueduct stood over fifty feet high into the sky and stretched into one path over the valley in both directions. Standing just near the bridge was a single tower for the judge to witness the final judgment. The full moon shined over the two combatants with their cyborgs behind them.
"Who would have thought we would be talking like this again?" Zeverin chuckled. "Takes me back to the old days, Lilliane."
"I don't care if you're my brother." Hime stated, "No one calls me by that name. Furthermore, I've never thought of you as my brother."
"Don't be so cold, Lilliane." Zeverin's fangs showed. "You have such a lovely name. I even named my beloved cat after you."
"The one you tormented and killed, Zeverin?" At the bottom of the duct, Hime's team watched the confrontation from afar.
"Where the hell are we?" Kurumu asked.
"This is the royal aqueduct the Royal Kingdom built thousands of years ago," Reiri clarified.
"So, this is what they're going to use, huh?" Riza assumed. Rai and Jolt looked upward at the tall structure before them. Jolt strained his head high until he fell off Rai's shoulder.
"This is how they settle things?" Rai admitted. "I can't imagine this over a parking ticket."
"Settle things?" Hiro asked.
"Really, dude?" Rai shook his head.
"Riza, daughter of Volg! Rai, son of Richard Sr.!" a voice called out. "It's been a while." The crew turned to see none other than their old ally with the mermaid girl holding his hand.
"Keziah!" Riza was the first to notice.
"Hey, kid!" Rai became surprised to see the child again. He squatted to her height. "How you been, mija?" Jolt jumped back onto Rai's shoulder.
"Pika!" Jolt waved to her. She nodded with a smile. Keziah pulled out a cigarette.
"She's been doing fine," Keziah assured. "Who've thought we'd meet other than on the battlefield…" His speech was cut short when he noticed Reiri standing beside Hiro and Kurumu. "GRRRRRR!" He slammed his fists together and changed into his beast form. "Watch out, Riza!" He pointed behind her. "There's a filthy vampire right there!" Everyone looked to the person he was referring to. Of course, it was their arch enemy.
"Well," Reiri scoffed, "Dogs do have to bark."
"Reiri, shut-up…!" Kurumu insisted.
"It's one of those maggots who have killed millions of our kind!" Keziah declared.
"Oh," Reiri started preparing for a fight. "It seems we've got an obnoxious male dog!"
"Alright you two, break it up!" Rai stood in between them. "That goes for you, Reiri!"
"How dare you defend a vampire when you've allied yourself to werewolves!?" Keziah stomped around angrily.
"That's not it!" Riza explained. "This isn't the time or the place!" The little mermaid panicked at the scene.
"She is correct," another voice added. On a hilltop, Emile stood watching the others from a higher vantage point. Hidden in the forest background was his mechanical butler shadowed from a distance. "This is a sacred dueling ground. Stand down, Keziah."
"Fuga," his robot replied.
"Understood, Master Emile," Keziah accepted. He bowed himself to his superior. The mermaid waved to him.
"A duel…" Hiro wondered.
"To be honest," Keziah informed. "I didn't think he'd agree to a duel. I thought it was a system that was banished long ago."
"You were right to think that, Keziah," said Emile. "However, there are exceptions."
"Exceptions?"
"Yes…" From a secluded area near the hills, Mikasa watched the fight ready to unfold. "Duels are allowed only when both parties are members of the royal family."
"Looks like it's about to start," Kurumu gazed up at the aqueduct. Everyone watched as the hour approached. The two siblings stared each other with fixed expressions.
"Lobo Wildman?" Zeverin asked. "Who's that?"
"A man who was in my Royal Guard," Hime replied.
"Hmm, never heard of him." He acted dumb.
"I see." Hime lifted the sword outward. It being a thick blade with a brown hilt in the shape of a Phoenix. "Then no one will complain when I kill you."
"Princess…" Riza whispered. She crossed her arms and nodded.
Lobo…!Rai recalled. The image of the stone plate flashed back into his memory. The same tombstone that appeared in front of his face after his battle with Aron. …He used him, didn't he? Rai clenched his fist. Hime nodded back to Riza as she readied her weapon. As Zeverin pulled his sword from his scabbard, he revealed his hands and forearms to be shielded by steel gauntlets. The judge watched intensely as the two went running at one another.
Clash! Swish!
Their swords clashed as their duel arose.
"Has it begun?" another voice entered. Hiro turned around to see the youngest princess arrive.
"Princess Sherwood!' Hiro greeted her. With her was Ryu along with her maid, Francesca.
"My brother Emile and I were chosen to witness the duel." She waved to Emile. "Nice to meet again, Emile!" Emile looked to her.
"Is that you, Sherwood?" He answered. "You've grown since I last saw you."
"You look good yourself." Sherwood looked back to the duel above. "…You should pray, Hiro." Hiro was confused. "My sister is at a disadvantage in this fight."
"What do you mean?" Rai asked. "She's managed to fight on her own."
"She wants to get revenge on Zeverin, our brother. Because of him, she lost all of her retainers." As the two continued their fight, their swords clashed back and forth. Hime dodged Zeverin's forward thrusts and spun in closer to the left. She swatted at him twice, but he stepped away impeccably. Zeverin lashed out his sword at Hime. He slapped it away for a brief moment while Hime regained her balance. Her frustration grew stronger the more the fight carried on. She charged right in with her blade.
Clash!
Their blades pushed against one another. With opposing force, the two separated back near their cyborgs. Flandre and Franz both stood motionless. Their eyes were computed into a standby phase.
"You do understand the repercussions of this?" Sherwood asked.
"Now that I think about it," Kurumu noticed, "I've never seen her pissed before."
"If he's her opponent," Riza explained, "then she won't be able to maintain her composure. The blood rushes to her head and she gets flushed with emotion."
"That's fine for a dog," Reiri joked.
"WHAT!?" Riza and Reiri were at arms to attack each other.
"Her greatest ability is to keep her composure," Sherwood assured.
"Pika-pi," Jolt became worried.
"If she loses her composure, her chances for victory drop dramatically," Reiri said as she pushed against Riza's fist.
"She needs to keep her cool, huh?" Rai pondered. Hiro ran up toward the aqueduct.
"Hime!" he shouted.
*Stab!*
Zeverin's sword stabbed into Hime's arm.
Ka-chink!
Hime's sword spun across the bridge. She collapsed on the aqueduct while clasping her shoulder. Blood began dripping down her limb. Zeverin swung his sword upward.
"So weak…" he smiled. "In the end, you're just a girl, Lilliane."
Swish!
He slashed at her chest. A tear formed just below her neck. She kneeled before the enemy, glaring with pure hatred. Zeverin scowled at her. "What are you looking at? You still think you can win!?" He brought down his sword.
Clank!
Hime jumped away. She nearly dodged the blow. "You though you could win against me!" He continued slashing out at Hime. "YOU WERE THE ONE WHO WANTED THIS DUEL!"
"She won't last long!" Kurumu added. Zeverin had Hime backed against Flandre.
"I'm glad, Lilliane," Zeverin chuckled. He pointed the sword straight at her face. "I get to slice you to bits personally." Hime huffed from exhaustion. "And you were the one who gave me the chance to do so!" Hime remained silent. "What's wrong? Giving up already?" Hime's anger continued to fume.
"Hime!" Hiro shouted. Hime turned to her allies below her. "Hime!"
"Come on, woman!" Rai cheered. "Don't back down now!"
"Pikachu!" Jolt added.
"Show him what you got, Blondie!" Kurumu added.
"Hime!" Hiro shouted.
"Hiro…" Hime whispered. Her anger subsided and her smile returned. Zeverin suddenly became furious.
"Lilliane!" he shouted. "You want some more!?" Zeverin slashed at Hime horizontally. She quickly ducked and grabbed her sword. In one smooth motion, she pointed it straight back at Zeverin. At first, he looked shock. His grin started to shake. "You think you can beat me because you picked up your sword?"
"…No." Hime drew back her blade. "I don't even need this." She tossed her sword over the edge.
"She…" Riza cried in shock.
"Her sword…?" Keziah's cigar fell from his mouth.
Shank!
The sword fell straight into the ground in front of Hiro.
"Hmph," Hime snickered. "What are you so scared of?" Zeverin stepped away from his sister. His hand trembled as he held his sword. "You've always been like this."
"What?" Zeverin said.
"A cheat, and above all else, a coward." He walked back until his butler was standing just behind him.
"Stop!" he yelled. "D-Don't look at me like that!"
"Even Sherwood is prepared for death…but you…even though you're facing this destiny…"
"S-Stop it!" Zeverin held up his gauntlet. "You'll see that have nothing to fear from you!" Zeverin turned to his mechanical partner. "Manual Override!" Franz's eyes shifted to a pure dark red. "Project Terminus: Dark Prince!"
"Fuga," Franz responded. His chest slowly began to open. Within his torso cavity of steel came a gelatinous black creature with red eyes with a steel chain around its neck. This creature slunk out and began seeping up Zeverin's legs onto his body. The darkness overtook his torso and ran down his arms until it reached his hands. The final human form of his body became consumed by the shadows.
"…!" Hime stepped away as she watched her brother become disbursed by this unknown being.
"What the hell's going on!?" Keziah asked.
"It can't be good," Rai said.
"He's being eaten by that shadow," Reiri described the scene. The judge watched with interest as Zeverin began transforming for everyone to witness. Franz towed the chain to retract his master. The black shadow climbed from the chain and onto Franz's body. Once the two were encased, the dark figure joined them both into one giant clump of obscurity.
"Hime!" Hiro cried. Rai rushed to Kurumu.
"Kurumu, let's go!" he shouted. Her wings shot from her back.
"No kidding!" she answered. Jolt quickly leapt onto Rai's arm.
"Pika!"
"We're coming too!" Riza insisted.
"Sorry Riza," Rai declined. "This is our fight."
"What are you saying!?" Reiri raised her hand in front of her. "What the hell do you think you're…?"
"Riza," she said. "We cannot interfere. This is their jurisdiction." The three took off toward the battle. Kurumu dropped Rai and Jolt in front of Hime. The shadow took its desired shape. Zeverin's head was revealed with his ruffled hair, but now tainted gray with black streaks. His right eye remained red and sinister, but his left eye had now been replaced by Franz's sensor lens. His white shirt was now a V-neck top with a tattered, red cape flowing down his back. His arms were wrapped in razor dusk gauntlets with claws molded over his hands. His legs were mechanically platted over his jeans with shined, combat boots at the bottom.
"Now, Lilliane…" Zeverin spoke in his lower, demonic voice. "Do you still wish to call me a weakling?"
"To be honest," Rai interrupted, "I'm not sure what we should call you." Jolt jumped beside Rai.
"Pika!" Jolt readied his static.
"You dare stand before the new head of the royal family?" Zeverin questioned. "You will know best to stand down or be killed."
"Can you really call this a fair fight?" Rai pointed his scythe at the enemy before him. "If you want the princess, you're gonna have to go through us." Hime held her shoulder; watching the heroism that his bodyguard was displaying. Zeverin grinned.
"…Very well."
Beep! Beep!
A roulette of missiles shifted out of his arms with six rockets encircling each wrist.
"…Now that's just playing dirty!" Rai complained.
Pew! Pew! Pew!
Five rockets went flying at the two. "Jolt, use Thunderbolt!"
"Pika…CHU!"
BZZZZZTTTTT!
Jolt released his lightning bolt at the oncoming seekers.
KABOOM!
All the rockets went off in a chained explosion. A cloud of smoke smothered the aqueduct. Hardly anything could be seen from below.
"Where are they?" Sherwood asked.
"Fuga," Francesca pointed to the sky. Kurumu was the only one who was visible.
"It's time we scrapped off your hard-on!" she declared. Kurumu dived down at Zeverin. With her claws extended, she tore her way past the fumes.
Screech!
Her nails scratched the surface of Zeverin's metallic torso.
"Such a foolish woman," Zeverin chuckled. He grabbed onto Kurumu's neck. The pressure he forced on her started cutting off her circulation. She coughed as his grip grew tighter. He smirked. "If I kill you now, I can revive you as my slave in an instant. How does that sound?"
"Ptew!" Kurumu spat on his face. "I'm…no one's slave," she replied. Zeverin's face grew sinister. He choked her even tighter.
Jab!
"Aaaaarghhh!" Zeverin cried. Rai pierced his knee with the end of his staff. He quickly tackled Zeverin; releasing his grip on Kurumu. She fell to the ground trying to regain her breath.
"Keep your hands to yourself!" Rai demanded. Zeverin grabbed Rai by his shirt and tossed him across the bridge. He landed beside Kurumu.
"Rai!" she cried. Zeverin raised his mighty fist.
"DIE!"
POW!
He slammed his fist onto the stone bridge. The intense pressure caused the aqueduct to fall apart. Kurumu quickly pulled Rai away from the edge of the collision. There was now a colossal gap between Zeverin and the four fighters.
"You still want a piece of this?" Kurumu yelled. She turned to Rai. "Get Blondie out of here!"
"You wanna take him on?" Rai asked. "After what happened just now!?"
"Just trust me!" Rai had no choice but to retract the scythe in is belt. He nodded and ran off toward Hime. He jumped over rubble and large breaks. She rested on the ground after the explosion.
"My only target was the princess," Zeverin announced. "BUT I'LL KILL YOU IF IT MEANS KILLING MY SISTER!"
Kurumu took off straight for Zeverin. His robotic eye began scanning Kurumu's levels.
[SCANNING: 10%]
Zeverin pulled forth his trusted sword. The hilt no longer resembled the Phoenix, but of a skull with a bone-spiral handle. The blade was broad with ridges on the sides to resemble a spine. The tip of the blade was shaped like an arrowhead. Zeverin pointed his sword forward.
"Taste my blade!" Kurumu smiled.
Swish!
Zeverin swung his sword at her. Surprisingly, Kurumu shot straight into the sky at a high altitude and dodged his stroke. Once she was high enough, she pulled her partner from underneath her shirt.
"You ready, Jolt?" Kurumu asked.
"Pika!" Jolt agreed. He faced was still bright red from his mode of transport. Kurumu tossed Jolt into the air above her. As she rolled forward, Jolt grabbed onto her tail. In one spin, Kurumu swung her waist and launched Jolt straight down.
"Let him have it!" Jolt began spiraling towards Zeverin.
"PikapikapikapikaPIKAPIKAPIKAPIKAPIKA…!" The faster Jolt descended, the more static coated his body. His Wild Charge turned him into an electric meteor falling to earth. Zeverin raised his sword before impact.
BOOM!
A white light expanded outward as Jolt collided with Zeverin's blade. The light subsided to reveal Zeverin's body completely tarnished, smoking, and burning red. His sword was completely demolished to the hilt. Jolt huffed after taking the recoil damage.
"Pika…Pika…" Jolt wheezed. "…Pi?" The dark energy encircling Zeverin began manipulating over his skin. His armor restored himself. His sword's scabbard repaired to its original state. "Pika!" Zeverin pulled out a small gray orb from his thigh. He rolled it over to Jolt.
"…Fetch," he grinned.
KABOOM!
The grenade went off.
"PIKA!" Jolt went flying off over the bridge. He continued falling until Keziah caught him in his arms.
"I gotcha!" Keziah assured.
"Oh no!" Hiro cried.
"You poor thing!" Sherwood rushed to Jolt and took him in her arms. Jolt had scorch marks covering his body. The little mermaid sobbed at the condition the little guy was in. He slowly opened his eye.
"…Pikapi…" he uttered. The rest were starting to worry.
"Zeverin has completely taken on a new form," Emile informed. "He is truly ridding anyone who gets in his way."
"Raawr!" Ryu pointed back at the battlefield. Zeverin looked to the sky. His sensors traced back to Kurumu.
[SCANNING: 97%]
"Come on!" Kurumu shouted. "I'll still fight you to the end!"
[SCANNING: 98%]
"Unfortunately," Zeverin clarified, "None of you will live to see that happen."
[SCANNING: 99%]
Kurumu rushed in at Zeverin full speed.
"You can go to hell!"
[SCANNING: 100%]
[TARGET: LOCKED ON]
"Perhaps you shall see it yourself." Zeverin released two cannons straight from his back. Dark energy gathered into the barrels. Once the power was at critical, he fired his guns.
BOOM!
The obscure lightning zipped straight out the barrel right at Kurumu. With grace, Kurumu dodged to the right.
"You missed, bird boy!"
"Did I now?" The lightning reached the heavens until they came back in a U-turn. The beams went for Kurumu. She quickly saw the projectiles coming.
"What the crap!?" Kurumu took off at high speed. The lightning were following her all over the sky. When she dove left, they dove left. She flew underneath the aqueduct, back around, and above the bridge. The darkness only followed her trail towards the top. She soared over the crowd trying her best to outrun the energy. Zeverin ejected a missile from his wrist.
"Nothing like a little target practice."
Pew!
The missile went soaring at Kurumu. She hardly noticed the red rocket from afar.
"Huh!?"
KABOOM!
The cloud surrounded Kurumu. She lost her way in the smoke.
"Where did that thing—!?"
ZAP! CRACKLE!
"KYAAAAAAAAAA!" Kurumu shrieked from the blinding pain coursing through her body. The electricity zapped her until she lost her strength. She started falling from the sky. Reiri rushed in to grab Kurumu. They both descended to the ground below.
"Hey, Boobzilla!" Riza shouted. "Get up, damn it!" Kurumu held on to her side.
"He's…too strong…" Kurumu cringed.
"What about Rai?" Hiro asked.
"He's still up there…with Goth girl." The remaining member was limping with Hime under his shoulder. They tried to find a way to leave the aqueduct.
"Throwing that sword away wasn't the best idea," Rai suggested.
"I suppose it would have been wise to keep it," Hime admitted. The two staggered across the fissure. On the other side was Zeverin with his sword in hand. He lowered his knees and jumped with his mechanical legs. In one leap, he cleared the gap.
BAM!
He landed just in front of Hime and Rai. His face had his demon grin and eyes pulsing with desire to kill.
"At last," Zeverin acknowledged. "I can already taste victory." Rai stepped in front of Hime. "Are you truly the only thing standing in my way?"
"If it means stopping you from getting the crown," Rai readied his weapon, "then that's a possibility."
"Hahahaha, do you expect a worthless human like yourself can even hope to defeat me?" Rai gripped his staff.
"…At least I am human. You've done nothing but manipulate everyone you can find. The people that had to suffer because of your damn fight for the throne." The jewel on Rai's cutter began glowing intensely red. "Whether it was sacrificing them as your slaves or just as tools for you to just throw away without a second thought." Hime's necklace began radiating with a green aura from underneath her dress. "All the people who died just so you could get your way." She removed the jewel through the rip in in her dress. "I don't give a rat's ass if you are the next king; YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A FUCKING BASTARD!" Zeverin could only laugh after his claim.
"…and I'd happily do it again. Lobo, Aron, all those pawns I used just for me to get this far. IT'D BE WORTH ALL THE LIVES OF THE MONSTER REALM IF IT WILL MAKE ME KING!" Rai lost it.
"Fuck you!" Rai went running forward. Zeverin lashed out his sword, but Rai quickly ducked and came straight at his face. With his screwdriver, he stabbed d it deep into his eye sensor.
"GAAAAAAAGGGHHHHH!" Zeverin howled at the pain. "You rotten waste of flesh!" Rai pulled his scythe out. He planted it straight to the ground.
"Let's finish this!" The jewel shined brightly. "SOUL BREAKER!"…nothing happened. "What the…soul breaker!" Rai looked in horror at his failed attempt to change. "Damn it, come on!" The jewel still shined with red energy. Zeverin swung blindly at his opponent.
Slice!
"Aaaaargh!" Zeverin's sword slashed at Rai's left eye. A deep scar formed across his face.
"Rai!" Hime yelled. She went running after him. Zeverin saw her with his human eye.
"LILLIANE!" Zeverin shouted. He crashed his left arm down on her.
"Look out!" Rai shouted.
BAM!
He rammed into Hime as they both dodged his attack. They rolled across the bridge towards the ledge. Rai, however, overshot the edge. With his left hand, he pulled out his hammer and dug into the side of the stone. His right hand kept on to his scythe. Rai tried lifting himself up.
Crack!
The hammer slid off.
*Grab*
Hime grabbed onto Rai's left arm. The hammer fell to the ground below. He now dangled over what could surely be a deadly drop to the bottom. Rai could hardly make out his vision, but still saw the bulky figure of Zeverin approaching. "Hime, he's coming! Run!"
"I will not leave my soldier behind!" Hime said. The jewel from her hand shined even brighter than before. As Rai noticed the shining light, his consciousness suddenly became hazed by an alluring voice.
"You really want to get back at that asshole, huh?"
Rai's eyes shined as green as the gem before him. He unconsciously recited an unknown incantation.
"Como una parca celestial, por este medio un llamado a la potencia del alma que mora en mí."
"This is where it all ends, Lilliane," the vulgar warrior spoke. He princess turned to her demonic brother.
"Zeverin," Hime called out.
"You want to see him completely torn apart and punished for his crimes? Well, Hero, this is your chance."
"Dame el poder de destruir el mortal que amenaza a esta tierra."
"Look up there!" The mermaid shouted. Everyone could see Rai's body glowing with green energy. A magic circle formed around his body.
"You gonna pussy out or what?"
"Mi odio para poner fin a su reinado."
"Now you will die!" Zeverin brought his sword down on Hime.
Clash!
She quickly rolled to the right. She lost her grip on Rai and the necklace.
"Make him wish he was never born."
"Soul of Terror...Despierta!"
Rai was now plummeting to the ground below. Everyone watched in horror at his final hour.
Hiro: Rai!
Kurumu: Rai!
Reiri: Rai!
Riza: Raimundo!
Sherwood: Raimundo!
Jolt: PIKA!
Francesca: Fuga!
Ryu: RAWR!
Hime: Raimundo!
Rai: "SOUL BREAKER!"
A sudden burst of light came blasting out into the sky. Everyone watched as the pillar shot upward and shifting directions back at the aqueduct.
BOOM!
The light landed directly between Hime and Zeverin.
"What is this?" Zeverin asked. Hime looked in awe at the rogue man standing before her. His appearance was dark, tall, and muscular. His face hade a five o' clock shadow with a mustache and beard combo reaching back to his hair. He wore a black bandanna around his head with a decal of an outlined, green phoenix at the front of his skull. The only thing being worn on the upper portion of his body was a black, leather coat unzipped with torn sleeves at the shoulders. His collar stretched outward around his neck with a ridged rim revealing the dark green interior. Two chains linked on each side of the jacket that wrapped around the back. As the front cut at the waist, the back of the coat extended until the tattered end reached behind his knees. His gloves enclosed his fingers and palm while exposing the back of his hand. The straps wrapped around his wrist as two slips formed a V to his knuckles. The belt had a large buckle with a symbol of a bat with the dark gray strap around his hips. His trousers had two layers to them. One being underneath as dark pants while the other was an overlay with dark green chaps wrapping around his legs with silver buckles locking in around his shins. What completed the set was the rugged, black boots shining against the moonlight. His eyes were dark green with the necklace now laced with a red jewel around his neck.. This man's dark stare was complimented by the scar on his left eye.
"…Rai?" Kurumu wondered. The group watched as Rai had completely taken a new profile. Rai stepped forward toward Zeverin. He took a step back himself. Rai grinned.
"Pfft, figures," Rai snickered. "You're the bitch messing around out here?"
"You dare speak to me in that tone of yours?" Zeverin demanded.
"Look at you; a grown ass man who can't even murder a little girl. You gotta hire almost everyone else just to run your damn errands." Rai smiled; revealing his razor fangs. "Does his highness need to have his ass wiped every time something goes wrong?" Zeverin's anger reached its peak.
"How about I kill you myself and show just how powerful I am!" Zeverin summoned his blade and charged at Rai.
"Hmph." Zeverin lashed out at Rai.
Slash!
With a flat slice, Rai leapt over Zeverin. He jumped onto his head and grabbed a tight hold on him. In one throw, he tossed Zeverin straight across the aqueduct.
Bam!
He skidded to a good thirty feet away. Rai cracked his knuckles.
"Rai…" Hime spoke.
"You seriously couldn't handle this piece of shit?" he asked. "I gotta be the one to do everything around here? God, you guys are useless." Hime grew cautious of Rai's behavior. Zeverin rose from the dirt. His anger grew more bloodthirsty than before. His body started unlatching with missiles and rockets ready to fire.
"RAAAAAAAAAAGGGHHHH!" Zeverin cried out in hatred.
"Tell you what," Rai mocked him. "I'll give you one free hit at me. Give me your best shot. I won't even move a muscle."
"JUST DIE!" Zeverin released every rocket in his arsenal. The sky was filled with nothing but falling projectiles raining from the sky. Rai watched as the missiles showered down on him.
KABOOM! BAM! POW!
A large bright light completely shrouded the area. Hime shielded her eyes from the explosion. The smoldering fumes blocked anybody from seeing the battle.
"What happened?" Riza asked.
"I can't see a thing!" Keziah added.
"Ha…ha…" Zeverin huffed as he used up all of the machinery in his arsenal. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, AT LAST! NOTHING CAN STAND IN MY WAY!"
…Clap…clap…clap…
Applause came from the dusty cloud. When it cleared, Rai was levitating over the large fissure where he stood.
"Nice work, Captain Kill," Rai complimented. "Really liked the firework display. Guess you need to work on your aim."
"No…" Zeverin was left speechless. "But how…it should have blasted you from existence!"
"You done bitching?" Rai pulled out his weapons from the back of his coat. He grabbed a hold of small sickles in each hand with chains linking the bottoms together. "Now I'm gonna have some fun with you." Rai rushed in as though he were running on air.
"G-GET AWAY FROM ME!" Zeverin's left hand detached from his wrist and out came a loaded barrel of an M90 machine gun.
Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack!
The bullets rapid fired ahead. As the shots flew by, they fazed right around his body.
"No—Impossible!"
Rai hacked at Zeverin with his sickles. Zeverin tried to dodge the oncoming slices. He pulled his sword upward to strike, but Rai side stepped to the right. Rai wrapped his chains around his feet and tripped him to the ground: face first. He tried to get up, but Rai kicked his face in and forced him back in the air. Rai jumped up and slammed the ends of his sickles onto his ribs.
CRASH!
He planted him straight on the stone ground. Rai was lightly idling back and forth waiting for his opponent to move. He kept one sickle in his hand while the other underneath his right arm.
"Oh man," Rai laughed. "You really suck at this. Look, just give up and I won't have to ring my chains around your little neck." Zeverin rushed to his feet and charged at Rai. He tackled him to the floor. With Rai pinned, he started beating his face in with his fists.
Bam! Bam! BAM!
With each punch, Zeverin left a bruise on Rai's pissed expression.
"Let's see you escape out of this!"
"If you say so." Rai slid right between Zeverin's legs. As he came back around, he pulled Zeverin and jumped above him. As Zeverin spun dizzily, Rai flew down at him with both sickles.
Double Slice!
The razor blades completely severed his right arm. Dark aura began pouring out the side of his upper body. He grabbed Zeverin's head and kneed him right in the face.
Slam!
In one quick spin, Rai turned and elbowed his weakened chest cavity. Zeverin skid with his boots on the surface. With his sword, he crushed the floor below and demolished the collapsing bridge. Rai leapt above until he came back around. He wrapped his chains around Zeverin's neck. The choke started cutting off his breathing. Rai applied pressure with his foot to his back.
"Let's see," Rai recalled. "This looks familiar, doesn't it?"
"ACK! *cough* *wheeze*"Rai could see Zeverin's body beginning to regenerate his chest.
"You might be able to heal your wounds, but I really doubt you can repair a severed head. Without that suit, you're just a spineless worm." Zeverin shook his head in disapproval. "Come on…why so serious?" Rai tightened the chain. He grazed the blade near his cheek. "I'll be sure to put a smile on that face."
"Rai, don't do it!" Kurumu cried out. She flew with Jolt in her arms and landed near Hime. "I thought you were better than this!" Rai released his hold on Zeverin. He tossed him to the ground and stepped on his back from escaping.
"Can't you see I'm a little busy here?" Rai responded. He spun his sickles over Zeverin's head.
"CHU!"
BZZZZZTTT!
Jolt's Thunderbolt zapped Rai's sickles from his hand. Rai turned to the two standing against him. "You know…you're really starting to piss me off. You want me to kill this guy or not?"
"Pika! Pikapika!" Jolt shook his head. Hime stood up and stepped forward.
"Rai…this is your obligation as a Celestial Reaper?" Hime asked.
"Don't you fucking give me that shit!" Rai sneered. "I'm doing my damn job! Why the hell should I care if I'm doing it the right way?" Kurumu trembled from Rai's words.
"Is this how you plan to resolve all your problems? By forcing them against others? Will you really fall to their level?"
"I've already seen enough just to know what the hell your family's done. Thanks to him, Lobo's dead, Aron's dead, and people's lives were wasted! If I don't kill this guy right now, then he'll only keep taking what he wants! If no one will stop him, I will!" Jolt noticed the tears running down his face.
"This isn't the battle you were meant to decide."
"THEN WHAT THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO DO!?"
Boom!
The shot nearly glazed Hime's hair. Kurumu and Jolt looked with shock as Rai's foot shifted Zeverin's gun on his left arm.
"…Hmm," Hime smiled. "Just as you did." Rai was just as surprised that he unknowingly moved Zeverin's gun before he fired. "Protecting others even though you have nothing to gain from them. That is why you fought so strongly, to avenge those who were lost to my brother. The emotions built up inside you to this point have all been your will to stay strong. It's shielded by this new form you've yet to control."
"Rai…" Kurumu stepped forward. "Remember, you saved me when I was captured by my shadow?" Rai nodded slowly. "Even after I wanted nothing to do with you, you still risked your life to save me. Why?"
"I don't know…" Rai responded hesitantly. "Cause you can't even save yourself?"
"You have a strong heart that cares for others," Hime explained it to him. "Even you can't hide that from yourself."
"Pikachu!" Jolt cheered. Rai touched his face to feel tears running down.
"I guess even tough guys have to cry," Kurumu smiled to him. Rai wiped his eyes.
"S-Shut up!" Rai retorted. "I'm not like you brats when it comes to doing my job." He turned to the fallen prince. "…but if you want him alive that much, fine." Rai stepped off.
Kick!
Rai jabbed his boot to Zeverin's side. "Just make sure the judge gets all that on tape." He looked to the tower at the judge. Zeverin gritted his teeth.
"You…fools…" Zeverin rose to his feet. "DON'T YOU PATRONIZE ME!"
"Dumbass, we're talking here." Rai and the others noticed Zeverin's form beginning to falter. His body grew even larger than before. His armor began to coat his entire body as his right arm regenerated. His face was enclosed by a skull and horns. He grew nearly as tall as the bridge itself. His legs were now morphed around the aqueduct and preventing him from falling over. "…Great, I should 'a killed him when I had the chance. Are you happy now?"
"Pika…" Jolt sweat dropped.
"No matter," Hime shrugged off the challenge. "As the saying goes, the bigger they are…"
"The harder they fall!" Kurumu exclaimed. The giant drew out his gargantuan sword and slashed down on the combatants.
Bam!
Everyone moved out of the way. Rai carried the princess in her arms as Kurumu allowed Jolt to ride on her back. The four hovered high in the air. "So, what's the plan?" Rai looked at the three staring at him.
"…What?" he asked.
"Isn't this the time where you come up with a strategy to save us?" Hime questioned.
"Damn it! Alright, hold on." Rai looked around. Come on, what do I have to work with?
"Well, he's a walking tank," a voice told him.
Who the hell are you?
"I'm Rai, and you're the one taking over. Were you really gonna fight my friends!? I swear if you do anything to them…!"
You can yell at me later after your friends are still alive!
"Rai, what's going on?" Kurumu said annoyed.
"Shut it, I'm thinking!" Rai answered. Zeverin's sword came swinging at them.
"Pika!" Jolt cried. Rai raised his hand.
"Aerial Halt!" A gust of wind pushed against the sword stopping it in mid-swing. The force pushed the sword away.
"Quite impressive," Hime complimented.
"I control the wind. You got a problem with that?"
"Wind…How fast can you make it go?"
As fast as I want, idiot. I manipulate the air around me so I can gather as much as I need and fire it back. I can reach 0 to 60 for all I care.
"…How about 300?"
What? You wanna take this thing head on? At this point, you won't even leave a dent.
"No, but if we can make a big enough crack, we can shoot through with a missile and blast it from the inside."
You got any rockets on you?
"Pikachu!" Jolt complained. Rai turned to the small electric mouse.
"An electric bomb will work too." He smiled.
"Now I see why they like this kid," he murmured. "Alright guys, I got a plan."
"Well, what is it?" Kurumu asked.
"Sugartits, start finding a weak spot."
"Sugartits?!" Kurumu blushed.
"Did I stutter? Go!" Kurumu took off. Rai dropped off Hime onto what was left of the aqueduct. "You stay here."
"…" Hime stared at him.
"Hey, you're the one who threw the sword away." Rai took off. Hime watched from the side. Kurumu continued to soar around the massive golem trying to grab his attention.
"You see any good spots?" Kurumu asked. Jolt scanned the body.
"…Pika!" Jolt pointed to its back. Kurumu went flying into a dive. With her long nails, she clawed at the steel skin.
Screech!
Not a scratched was formed.
"Crap! He's too strong!" Kurumu looked for something sharper. She saw the sword Keziah picked up from the ground.
"Rules or not, this is getting out of hand," Keziah declared. He lifted the sword high. "We have to help them!"
Swish!
Kurumu swopped down and took the sword.
"I'll take that!" she winked.
"What the hell!?" Keziah argued.
"Hime…" Hiro spoke. When he looked at her position, he could see her picking up Rai's sickles. Rai charged in at the giant. The beast released its cannons and fired aimlessly at his small target.
Pew! Pew! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Pew! Pew!
Every projectile was heading in his direction. Rai only grinned.
"Too easy!" Rai swiftly rolled and swerved over the electrical beams fired. As the missiles came straight at him, he hopped and leapt over one after another. After a full U-turn, the missiles went seeking after Rai. He concentrated his power and gathered the caressing breeze. "Raging Gale!" The wind suddenly followed a path around the weaponry. The gust instantly blew them right at the giant's torso.
KABOOM! BAM! POW!
"GRRAAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHH!" Zeverin howled. The plated armor in his chest was being damaged and beaten.
"Shit! Still not enough!"
"Rai!' Kurumu added. She returned with the Phoenix sword in her hands. "Check it out! Think this might work?"
"Let me I see that." Rai took the sword. He threw it at the giant.
"Hey!?" With one sweep of his arm, he released a sudden burst of wind that sent the sword zipping straight at his torso.
Whish!
The sword sliced right through the beast's armor, leaving a small hole vacant.
"Yeah, it's good." Rai grabbed Kurumu and pulled her a good few miles away from the golem. "We don't have much time, so we better make this count." Jolt and Kurumu listened curiously. "Kurumu, fly at max speed right at him."
"What!?"
"Just like the first time. Throw Jolt right at that hole." Rai pointed to the only opening. Dark molding began to form over the wound.
"Are you insane!? He not gonna make it!"
"Pika!" Jolt puffed his chest out. He knew he could do it, but Kurumu was becoming doubtful.
"Kurumu," Rai grabbed her shoulders. He looked her straight in the eyes. "You're gonna have to trust me." She stared at Rai's gaze. There was something inside those green eyes that made her know she can trust him.
"…Alright," she answered. The plan was set. Kurumu took off as fast as she could. The wind brushed against her face. Rai followed right behind her.
"Jolt, when she throws you, corkscrew into a Wild Charge! Then, use the strongest lightning attack you have!"
"Pika!" Jolt shouted back. They were reaching the critical point. There was no going back. Everyone watched as the three were preparing for their final attack.
"What are they doing!" Reiri asked.
"They're going up against it!" Sherwood explained.
"It's likely that they won't even survive the crushing blow," Emile assumed.
"Get out of there!" Riza shouted. The three reached the desired distance.
"Now!" Rai shouted. Kurumu started twirling vigorously. Once she felt that key moment, she launched Jolt with a snap of her tail.
Kurumu: Triple Finish!
Rai followed Jolt until they saw Zeverin's massive arm readied to punch them. With all of his strength, Rai collected the gust around him and blasted it behind Jolt.
Rai: "Lightning Rocket…!"
Jolt spun into a corkscrew. In a matter of seconds, he was surrounded by a case of electricity.
Zip!
In a flash, Jolt penetrated through his hand and pierced the small slit in the armor. Deep inside the giant's body, Jolt's speed decreased substantially until he was floating in midair. Two red eyes glared at Jolt from above.
"There's no escape." Dark hands went to grab him. The mouse smiled.
Thunderclouds formed a spiral just above the giant.
Jolt's body began to glow with a blinding light.
"WHAT!?"
Jolt: PIKACHU!
BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!
A lightning bolt fell down from the sky. The electricity surged into Zeverin's armored head and into the center of his being. The outside armor began to tear apart. Giant pieces of metal crumbled and tearing apart the exterior of his body. Everyone cleared the area from the falling debris. From the air, Jolt was descending at a remarkable rate. The sword used to pierce the metal had already fallen on the bridge below.
"Pika?" Jolt turned to the falling figure above him. Zeverin had returned to his original human form. he held a dagger in his hand.
"I'LL KILL YOU!" Zeverin cried out.
Swoosh!
"Not today!" Kurumu spoke. She flew past Zeverin and grabbed Jolt from the air. From above, Rai dived down to Zeverin.
"You missed me, Charming?" Rai asked.
"No, stay away!" Zeverin demanded.
"Rai!" Hime yelled out. She tossed the spinning sickles to Rai. He kept the momentum going as they began to glow.
"Final Terror: Nightmare!" Rai tossed the spinning weapon at Zeverin. He caught his last glimpse of the blades flying right at him.
Jab!
Zeverin fell onto Hime's sword. She held it upright so his chest would be impaled by the blade. She dropped the sword with her brother still stabbed. Kurumu and Rai landed by the princess. The two looked to see Zeverin not moving nor resisting the pain put on him.
"Rai…" Kurumu asked. "What did you…"
"He's going through the deepest, darkest fear of his life," Rai answered. He looked to Zeverin. The princess tossed his lifeless body to the ground. "He's in his own little world now." The three walked away. From the falling rubble, Franz's head rolled by his master's hand.
"…Fuga," he said.
KABOOM!
The head exploded along with Zeverin.
"You've witnessed the difference in their resolve," Riza told Hiro.
"…Hime…" Hiro uttered. From the explosion came Zeverin's coat falling toward the ground.
"Androids share their master's fate," Sherwood added.
"Then, Flandre too?"
"Flandre would have self-destructed if my sister had lost." Rai, Hime, and Kurumu walked up to the young cyborg.
"Short stuff, the match is over," Rai knocked on Flandre's head. Flandre's eye reset to their normal functions.
"Fuga?" she answered. Surprisingly, her spot was the only area where the least collateral damage was present.
"Pika!" Jolt smiled.
"You think she might have been useful for about halfway through," Kurumu complained. The tower suddenly started shining.
"Princess Sherwood, the judge!" Hiro pointed out. The wings of the phoenix extended outward over the wreckage.
"He confirmed that my sister won," Sherwood explained.
"Not that! But…"
"What? You didn't know?"
"So," Keziah realized. "The judge was the former king."
"It was a special occasion," Emile inserted.
"We'll meet again, Lilliane," the judge announced. He soon took his full form of a Phoenix and flew off across the valley.
"Sure," Hime answered. "If I'm still alive." As the former king vanished into the cloudy sky, so did Zeverin's immortal soldier with her late master's cape. Flanders offered Hime and the others a hand back down with the others. In his other hand, he picked up Emile, the mermaid, and Keziah for their departure.
"Riza!" Keziah called out. "Let's meet again on the battlefield!"
"You bet!" Riza agreed. "That's what I want!" The small mermaid waved to the others.
"Farewell, my sisters," Emile announced. "The next time we meet…"
"We'll do battle," Hime clarified.
"Big brother…" Sherwood sighed.
"Fuga," the goliath spoke. He walked off over the valley. A bright light surrounded Rai and changed him back into his regular form. The scars across his face and lip vanished without a trace. His sickles had rejoined to form one large scythe with a glowing green jewel on top. He walked over near the aqueduct and picked up his fallen hammer.
"I need to upgrade my tools," Rai said to himself. When he turned around, he could see Kurumu and Jolt standing beside Riza, Reiri and Hiro along with Sherwood, Francesca, and Ryu. Hime was the only one to walk up to him. Rai held it out his scythe for Hime. She stared at the glowing green gem. "…Well, you want it?"
"…Why?" she asked.
"I kind of went overboard on the whole "trying to stop Zeverin" battle. I thought you'd want it back."
"It is true you were prepared to end his life, but you did plan on doing it for the right reasons. Besides, it was my fight to overcome." Hime brushed her hair to the side. "I'm surprised you even had the will to perform such at task. You still have a long way to go…" She turned around and walked away. Jolt leapt up on Rai's shoulder.
"Pika!" Jolt cheered. Kurumu simply sighed.
"Looks like we have to keep an eye on you," she stated. Rai smiled. She made off back toward the transport pods. Hiro and the others watched as she passed by.
"Umm, Hime…" Hiro spurted out.
"…Fool," Hime spoke. She continued walking ahead. "...Let's go Hiro. Sawawa is waiting for us."
"Okay!" Everyone followed her home.
Coffee Shop
"Ms. Sawawa…" The bartender called to her. "Ms. Sawawa…" Sawawa snapped out of her trance. "They haven't returned home yet?"
"Why yes," Sawawa answered. "Hiro's not back yet." She became depressed. "I think I really am an outcast." Sawawa frowned. The bartender did his best try and comfort her.
"I would never let you be…" His sentence was cut short when he noticed Riza and Jolt pressed against the shop's window. Rai. Hiro, Kurumu, and Reiri watched from behind.
"Oh, there she is!" Riza pointed to her.
Ding-ding!
Sawawa's face lit up when she saw Hiro and the others entering the shop.
"Sis, I'm sorry," Hiro apologized. "I…" Sawawa gave him a big hug.
"Hiro!" she cried with joy. "Where did you run off to?"
"We had to…" Rai explained. "…run some errands, hehe."
"Hey, Barkeep," Riza demanded. "One bowl of curry, please."
"I'd like a glass of tomato juice," Reiri requested.
"Pika Pi!" Jolt jumped on the table. Kurumu sat beside him.
"Make that two ice teas," she asked.
"Hey guys!" Hiro interrupted. "Didn't we just come here to look for my sister?" Rai sat at the bar.
"I'll take a soda," Rai requested. "Root beer if you have any."
"Shopkeeper!" Sherwood interrupted. "Get me the most delicious milk you have."
"Princess Sherwood!" Hiro cried. "Ryu-Ryu! You can't just bring pets into the store!" The bartender's jaw dropped at the sight of the panda.
"Shopkeeper, what are you staring at?" Rai and his small team gathered at the corner of the table.
"I'd say our work here is done," Rai congratulated them.
"Pikachu!" Jolt cheered.
"Finally!" Kurumu let out a sigh of relief. "So, how far are we from saving the universe?"
"Let's see," Rai counted his fingers. "We have the Soul of Fantasy, Terror…" Jolt and Kurumu jugged on their ice tea. "Since there's six, we just need to find four more."
"Pppfffffftttttt!" Kurumu spat out her ice tea. "What!? You're saying there's more of those nutjobs out their!?"
"So far, these souls are with people who look important. I'm guessing if those powers are that strong, someone wanted them to be safe with someone else. Hell, I don't even know where to start." Rai chugged on his glass.
"And that black shadow?" Kurumu mentioned. "That thing made Zeverin into some kind of monster. Where did he get it?"
"That's what I'd like to know." Rai lifted his glass. "But hey, we're almost halfway there." Jolt raised his glass.
"Pika." Kurumu gave a breath of exhaustion.
"If you say so," she raised her glass.
Klink!
They toasted. Rai looked around the bar.
"Wait, where is everyone?" he asked. Sawawa, the barkeep, Sherwood, Ryu, and Francesca were the only ones nearby.
Bam!
The noise came from outside. From the window, Hiro fell down the stairs with the girls surrounding him. "...Must be nice for him."
"He looks kind of hopeless," Kurumu pointed out.
"Pika..." Jolt nodded.
Royal Manor
"Are you serious!?" Rai said in exasperation. His hands held a gleaming check for the team's hard work and effort from the last month.
"Holy crap!" Kurumu's eyes gleamed with joy. "I can totally afford some new clothes with this!"
"Pika!" Jolt imagined the amount of food he can have for weeks. Hime, Flandre, Hiro, Riza, and Reiri were standing before Rai, Kurumu, and Jolt for their departure.
"I suppose it's a sort of thank you for your valiant efforts up to this point," Hime addressed. "The soul is yours and you are free to go."
"Don't spend it all in one place," Reiri winked.
"Don't forget to stop by once and a while!" Riza suggested.
"Fuga."
"Pi Pikachu!" Jolt and Flandre shook hands for their farewell. Rai patted Hiro on the shoulder.
"Take it easy, Hiro," Rai said to him.
"Thanks, Rai," Hiro replied. "You really helped a lot."
"It was nothing." He gave him a thumbs up. Rai stepped away. He pulled out his scythe and prepared to open a doorway. He turned to Kurumu. "You know, it's a one way trip for a while. Still up for this?"
"Please," Kurumu scoffed. "You wouldn't be here without my help."
"…Point taken." Rai drew his scythe.
Slice!
…Nothing. "…Huh?" Rai looked confused.
"What's wrong?" Riza asked.
"There should be a portal right here."
"Are you even doing it right?" Kurumu whined.
"Crap, not this again." Rai continued swinging at the air, but to no avail.
"Maybe it's running a little late," Hiro suggested. Everyone put their heads together to see what was the matter.
"Fuga?" Flandre noticed Rai's staff glowing from the jewel. It was releasing a bright green glow.
"Hey, what's with the light show?" Riza asked. Everyone turned to Rai's weapon. As Rai held it out, green static started flailing about.
"Is that what you were expecting?" Hime asked.
"This isn't it!" Rai answered. "Something's wrong!" A bright array of energy started encircling Rai's feet. The energy started engulfing the others that were in close range. Their skin was traced by a pink glowing aura. The lights darted upward with flicking sparkles around them.
"Whoa!" Rai vanished.
"Pika!?" Jolt vanished.
"What the—!?" Kurumu vanished. The bright lights suddenly dissipated from existence. Hime and the others were dumbfounded by their sudden leaving.
"Hime!" Hiro cried.
"Oh my," Reiri thought. "That was unexpected."
"Are they gonna be alright?" Riza asked. Hime stood silent.
…Good luck, she thought.
"Fuga."
The moon shined over the dark city. A small home on the other side of town still had one room with the lights on. A room on the second floor had a young girl studying with her textbooks open and her homework assignments on a small table. She relaxed in a white t-shirt and very short pink shorts. Her room was what you'd expect from any teenage girl: light walls, pink sheets, fluffy pillows a shelf of small stuffed animals. In the corner of her room was her computer resting on a small desk with a mouse and keyboard in front of the monitor. The boy relaxed on the chair while leaning back on the seat. The girl was making progress on her work. When she turned to the boy, her mind started wondering and asking questions like who is this guy? Where did he come from? Why isn't he helping with her school work!?
"Hey, Joseph-kun," Yume spoke.
"Hmm?" He lazily replied. "What's up, Yume?"
"Oh!" She flustered. "I was wondering if, uh, you could help me with this?" She pointed to the math problem.
Express the function: cos(tan 2x)
"Alright, but I've never been good at math." He left his seat and sat beside Yume. They overlooked the problem. Joseph flipped the blue textbook and turned to where the example matched the question. "I think you should go to this section and see how it's done." Yume could hardly make out which was the example or the answer.
"I don't see it."
"It's right here." He placed his hand on her shoulder and moved her closer. She blushed. "Are you alright?" Joseph noticed her red face.
"It's just..." She shyly whispered. Joseph turned red as well.
"Uh, sorry!" He quickly leaned away. "I didn't mean to startle you! I just..."
"..." The two had an awkward silence. Yume decided to change the subject. "...You've been getting better at your language."
"Yeah, it's thanks to your help. Without you, I'd probably still be walking all over town." Yume giggled. She suddenly looked to the clock on her dresser.
[10:00]
"Wow, it's already late," Yume realized.
"Well, I should probably leave before it gets dark." He lifted himself up and headed down the stairs. Before he reached the front door, Yume caught with him.
"If you don't have anywhere to stay," She played with her fingers, "you can sleep here if you like."
"Is it alright with your parents?"
"My mom and dad work overseas, so they rarely visit. They won't mind if I bring someone over."
"Wow, they must really trust you." Joseph smiled.
"What about your family?" Yume asked. "Aren't they worried about you?"
"..." Joseph stood quiet.
"Joseph?"
"Nah," Joseph smiled to her. "They shouldn't be too worried about me. I think I'm old enough to take care of myself." Joseph started walking back up the stairs. "Ready to knock out that homework?"
"Yeah!" Yume followed behind.
Rai felt the sudden rush passing through his body. He couldn't see where he was being sent. But, he felt sudden impacts hitting his body from the arms, legs, and back. Voices were echoing and the clinkering of objects were being bashed round. That is, until he came to a complete stop.
Crash!
Rai finally opened his eyes. The area was coming into focus. He realized he was sitting inside an uncomfortable recliner.
"Ugh, my head," Rai rubbed his sore cranium. When he tried to stand, he slipped and fell onto the tile floor. When he reached for something to grip, he grabbed a handle bar connecting to a shower door. He regained his balance and stood up. "Hold up." Rai inspected his surroundings. "…I'm in the bathroom!?"
"Rito!" a young voice cried out. "Anata koto wa nanidesu ka?"
"Huh?" Rai opened the sliding door. He entered a room with a sink to the right and a washer and dryer to the left. When he peeked around the corner of the doorway, he could see a narrow hallway leading in two different directions. To the left was another corridor while the right revealed another door. He assumed it was the entrance. "Nice!" He went for the exit.
"Subete no noizu to wa nanidesu ka?" A girl showed up in front of the stairs. She had to be at least twelve with long brown hair and a small, bushy bun on top of her head. It bundled together with light blue beads at the base. She wore a bright orange sweater with white shorts and stood as high as up to Rai's stomach. "Watashi wa anata ga sudeni gakkō ni nokotte to omotta?" The two froze. They both looked at one another. "...Eh...?"
"...Uh…"
"…KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" the girl shrieked in fear. "Dorobō!"
"Hey, calm down. I was just—"
Whack! Whack! Whack!
The girl began whacking Rai with a broomstick.
"Tasukete! Dare ka! Keisatsu!"
"Ow! Stop! Cut it out!" Rai ran for the door. He quickly burst out onto the street. When he turned around, he saw a giant plant growing near the side of the house he came out of. Its large vines extended into a large pink flower with large purple lips at the center.
"Geh!" The plant cried. "Geeh!"
"What the hell is that!?" Rai stepped away.
Slash! Swipe!
Rai turned to the noise in the sky. He suddenly saw Kurumu fighting against someone completely different. She had on black clothing, but her biggest appeal was the long, golden hair. "Kurumu?" Rai tried to get her attention. "Hey, Kurumu!" She turned to Rai.
"Raimundo!?" she replied. "Nani ga okotte iru no!?"
"What!?" Rai couldn't understand what she said. The mysterious girl transformed her hair into a large fist. Kurumu quickly dodged the swing from the right. "She's gonna need help." Rai checked his belt. "Huh? Where's my belt!?"
"Anata!" The young girl stood at the doorway. Rai shifted back to her. She raised the broom towards him. "Anata wa uchūbito no ikutsu ka no shurui ga arimasu ka!?"
"Wait-wait!" Rai tried to reason with her. "I don't get what's happening!" It was safe to say; they were in big trouble.
-To Be Continued-
And that's a wrap! The story picks up as our heroes get thrown into an unknown world right before their eyes. With the new year just around the corner, I wanted to make sure I bring my gift out for the holiday season. Just giving you a heads up; Some content may start getting mature, so reader discretion is gonna need to be advised. All material used in this story (including some specific detail) all belong to and are claimed by their respective owners. Be sure to add reviews and your opinions! Wishing all you readers a happy new year and more waiting in the near future! If I had some fireworks, I'd be setting them off right about now.
?: Mate! Kore wa, furaifurairoketto-kun no tame no shigoto no yō ni miemasu!
(Wait! This looks like a job for fly fly rocket-kun!)
What!? Ah great, another one!
?: Soredewa, atarashī toshi o motarasumashou! Suitchion!
(Let's bring in the new year! Switch on!)
I thought we agreed we weren't doing that stunt!?
*HAPPY NEW YEAR!*
Jikai To LOVEる: Once More, From the Beginning!
We can't go through this again!
?: Baibai!