A/N hey there! ThePeaWithGoggles here! And welcome to chapter 22! I feel like this fanfic might end in around 25-27 chapters, I know I know. I want to pass 30 but I'm pretty sure the next story I will be writing will get over 30 chapters, especially on how much that's going to happen in that story, anyways, let's get started!

We're in.

Anxious thoughts raced through Hershel's mind as they made their way into the fortress. The Zombies that guarded were fairly easy and were, with ease, defeated with the help of Mystic's charged projectiles. In his overall opinion, it has been pretty easy, for now.

Both him and his comrade kept silent, knowing that both of them didn't want to get unwanted attention. But could their footsteps alarm the Zombies and possibly humans of their presence? They would only know if it actually happened, both Plants hoping it won't be the case.

The clanking sound when their roots made contact with the metal ground made the Toxic Pea flinch slightly, he never like sound any metal surface made when they made contact with something. He always wished that he could cover his inexistent ears and block the sound. But either way, he proceed to ignore it.

Mystic's attention wasn't towards the sounds of their footsteps, but more on road in front of them. She was always good at detecting little details, but sadly she couldn't see the big picture most of the time, it was both a talent and a flaw.

The Toxic Pea audibly swallowed as he eyes switched between two hallways that appeared in front of the duo, he had no idea where to go. He shifted his eyes towards Mystic, who seems to be choosing which way to proceed. The Toxic Pea knew that she wouldn't say to spilt up, she preferred to be in a team.

"Left." That's all she said as she took their path to the left, beckoning as she walked towards the left hallway. The Toxic Peashooter reluctantly but closely following as he bit his lip, he had a bad feeling about this, but he could never trust his instincts, they have made him go through enough trouble already. He steadied his walks to a more normal fashion.

The Mystic Flower clenched her equivalents of hands through plain instinct, he petals seemed to glow a bit brighter as she examined the hallway as the duo continued walking through the sterile hallway, at leasr there weren't anyone or anything to fight.

The Toxic Pea's presence wasn't helping either, he knew that his radioactive aura could attract Zombies, but the elites would most likely do the opposite. With shifty eyes, he noticed a camera in the corner, but luckily it wasn't on, perhaps the camera had some loose bolts?

Every cell of the Toxic Pea's being were begging him to get out of here, saying that none of this was right. But he couldn't leave, not with Mystic here, with sweat starting to pour down from his bulb and make contact with his gas mask, he continued to advance, each step feeling heavier and heavier. Another audible swallow could be heard from the anxious Toxic Pea.

The Mystic Flower that stood beside him however, had a curious expression in her face. She was basically feeling the complete opposite of what her radioactive friend was feeling. She gasped slightly as her petals grew slightly brighter before returning to its usual glowing exterior. She quickly started to pick the pace with much optimistic thoughts, taking a quick turn to the right.

Hershel sighed with much amusement in his voice, he knew how excited the Mystic Flower could get, especially when her petals glowed brighter. But his expression was replaced with one of frustration as he realised that he couldn't use his hyper ability to catch up with his Sunflower companion. Man, he really needed to get back in shape.

Suddenly, a painful scream spilt the air. The Toxic Pea's eye widened as he activated his hyper ability powered from his extreme paranoia, the scream wasn't just any other scream. The Toxic Pea gulped that what he was thinking wasn't reality.

Once he finally reached the source of the voice. Hershel gasped in aghast, what he was witnessing was pure nightmare fuel. The Toxic Pea took a few steps back as his eyes were at their widest, heart pumping faster than ever before.

What stood before him was a sight that will haunt him in his dreams. There stood a dead Mystic, a large blood pool forming around her. Stabs and cuts were all over the poor Sunflower's body, all bleeding at a alarming rate, but it was already too late. She was dead, her now dull white eyes staring into the unknown.

Hershel's roots no longer could hold the weight of his guilt as he fell to the ground, his pod covering his mouth, tears freely flowing from his brown eyes. He took off the gas mask he has worn for quite some time, letting the tears form two puddles on the metal floor.

Why? Why? Why? Why? WHY!? That's all the Toxic Peashooter could think as he gritted his teeth in a attempt to stop the tears from flowing, but to no avail. He couldn't stop from letting them stream down his face, his face starting to feel hot from all the crying. He couldn't move, he was stuck to the spot, mourning over the death that he could've stop if he done more training, why did he always have to be one step behind when it comes to saving people? If only he could-

"Hershel?"

The Toxic Pea's eyes widened in shock at the mention of his name. That was Mystic's voice! Yep, now he was hallucinating, whoo whoo, Hershel Leguminosae, you have entered the first step into madness. He quickly wiped the tears and hesitantly stood up.

But in fact, what stood in front of him wasn't a hallucination. It was Mystic herself, completely unharmed, no sight of stabs nor cuts could be seen throughout her body. Did Hershel just hallucinate her "death"? Great, now his mind was playing tricks on him.

"Hershel?" Mystic's voice rang out once more, this time more concern than the last. The Mystic Flower wiped the tears from his eyes as she gave him a warm smile before turning around, continuing her advance, knowing that it was the best not to ask.

Hershel watched with complete shock as Mystic continued to walk. With a few glances at the ground where the Mystic Flower once laid, he shrugged off what just happened, not like it will provide anything useful, he put the mask back in before catching up with the Mystic Flower, slightly worried about what's going to happen.

The clanks came back, making the Toxic Pea flinch once more, still shaken by what just happened. But seeing the Mystic Flower walking around with a smile he couldn't help but form a smile himself, it was always nice to have a happy-go-lucky Plant to cheer him up, especially in these occasions. But he couldn't help but ponder if he's going to witness another horrible and gory death. He gulped nervously at that thought.

His thoughts switched back to the reason why they were here. So far, there weren't any signs of Chompers, nor any signs of life at all. The only beings that walked through the hallways were him and Mystic. Then where did the human from before go?

The sound of distant machinery could be heard echoing throughout the hallway. The Mystic Flower, being her usual self, sprinted towards the source. The Toxic Pea gulped as he steps turn from reluctant walking to sprinting, he couldn't let anything like before happen ever again.

Being faster than a Sunflower, he easily caught up with the Mystic Flower with a few quick changes of pace, grinning to himself that he at least had his normal speed to depend on. But of course, he couldn't fully rely on his speed.

They soon stopped at a area that looked upon a huge machinery room, but what was currently being built was one of the most enormous machines that even Hershel have seen. The titanic machine was not just being built by Zombies, it was also being built by humans.

The duo were in awe as they stared at the source of the distant sounds with wide eyes. Hershel gulped while Mystic took a few worried glances at him. Knowing that this was bad. It was Zomboss' Zombot, except now being built with the newest Z tech, along with a few added features that weren't in the previous model.

The Zombot was now black instead of its previous decaying green, glowing red eyes replaced the previous yellow ones. The mouth now compressed of shaper teeth, the hands were more like claws used for tearing through metal. It was a sight to behold.

"Wait until they see this..." The Mystic Flower spoke out in awe, but easily was replaced with one of fear as she looked away from the machine, taking her attention towards the Toxic Pea. "What and when do your think this is going to be used?" Concern and panic could be seen on her face.

The Toxic Peashooter loudly sighed in response before taking a deep breathe, he has seen enough crap for today. "I have no idea, but judging from its near completion..soon." The Toxic Peashooter looked back at the machine, staring at it in deep thought.

"Perhaps." The Mystic Flower replied with a slight frown, knowing that even her mechanic friend couldn't crack this case. "But, we gotta warn Sarah, no- everyone about this!" She exclaimed before running towards the exit of the large building.

"Wait! Aren't we here for-" Hershel stopped before he could finish his own sentence. Ane probably wasn't here anyways, taking a quick look at the machine once more, he followed the Mystic Flower once again.

This time, the Toxic Peashooter couldn't keep up, it felt like Mystic was going faster and faster or he was getting tired, but he just couldn't leave her from his side until they were out of this place. He just didn't want the same thing to happen again.

A scream echoed throughout the hallway once more.

The Toxic Pea immediately picked up the pace. Despite the current speed he was running, he still couldn't activate his hyper ability. Not long after he gained momentum he started to pant, probably because he has already run enough for today.

Actually, I think that's enough living for today as well.

The Toxic Pea gasped just as loud as before, he simply just couldn't get over the death of his closest friend, couldn't he? Well he thought the same for everybody else. Once again, he could feel his radioactive face heat from the tears that were already flowing.

This time, Mystic was impaled by a large thorn that came from the ground, her blood dripping from the bloodied thorn onto the floor. The thorn retreated into the ground, leaving the limp Mystic Flower on the cold, cold floor.

The Toxic Pea did his best to hold back the tears. But he simply couldn't. What if she didn't come back? He would only know until it happens, but all he was left was a dead Mystic Flower in the ground. This couldn't be his mind playing tricks on him. It was someone in this..whatever this place was called, morphing his thoughts, making him play this sick game, making him watch his closet friend die over and over, he needed to get out of here.

"Ain't this interesting..."

A unfamiliar voice rung out, but no other figure could be seen, Hershel didn't even bother to look. "A Leguminosae? Here? Looks like we have hit the wild ride!" The voice cooed, as if taunting the Toxic Pea.

"Awww...I guess you care for that Mystic Flower? Heh, you've already seen her die once, why not twice? Oh wait, it just happened! Let's make it thrice!" The voice's laugh echoed throughout the room. The Toxic Pea growled at his sick humour.

The voice changed into one of thought. "Hmmm...you're loosing your grip, aren't you? What you're thinking right now..if you keep thinking like that...you'll get a bad time, or will it be you the one who gives a bad time? Heck if I know! Or do I? Heh..we'll see."

This voice was officially insane in Hershel's book. What was this voice even saying? who ever this voice belonged to was definitely not from a sane Plant. But before he could reply, he noticed the limp body of Mystic glowing, soon disappearing into white particles.

"See? Your friend doesn't die!..well..I think she won't. Heh, the names Flowery by the way. You'll meet me in a few years, but let's focus on the preset, shall we?...Toddles!" With that, the voice left, leaving no trace that it could be heard.

"Hershel?"

The oh so sweet and gentle voice called out his name once again, she once again, wiped off the tears from his face. And once again, she didn't remember anything that has just transpired. But the Toxic Pea remembered just right.

Despite knowing that she was now out of harm's way, the Toxic Pea couldn't help but stare at her with wide eyes, figuring out why this keep happening, and why it only happened to him. He looked away sighing before continuing their way to the exit, it wasn't worth the research anyway.

The Mystic Flower easily shrugged off as she followed the Toxic Pea out of the base and into the outside. Anxious and mixed things swimming through her head. What has gotten into that Toxic Peashooter?

Just like the last time they saw it, the clouds were a deep red, clouds swirling around the tall building. But both of them ignored the eerie skies, more focus on the task at hand. But Hershel was mostly focused in the hell that just happened back in that hellish building, he didn't want to go three ever again.

Suddenly, the ground started to shake as if there was a earthquake. In a matter of seconds, the large Zombot emerged from the building, the rockets that were built on its back were activated as the large machine made its way to the north.

"Where is it going?!" The Mystic Flower exclaimed with fear as she watched the robot making its way to the north. Gulping, the Toxic Pea stammered out as he realised where the robot was going. He looked at the Mystic Flower with a serious expression, but the female Plant could tell that he was panicking.

"It's heading for L.E.A.F base."

A/N and here we are! Finally done. Wow, this was one long chapter! And it only focused on two characters! Hehe, that's was a fun chapter to write. :P until next time, ThePeaWithGoggles out!