Usual disclaimer, I don't own anything, all that jazz. Well, the Shadow Hearts section has been pretty busy lately which is awesome :D. I don't think I have any real shout outs but I did read the updated stories and they all seem pretty cool and different. Especially the Autumn Kimono, but that's just personal preference. Hope you enjoy the story!
Shadow Hearts: Resurrection
Chapter 6: The Odds get worse
An eruption of emerald fire exploded from Diamond's hand and rushed down the street towards Charlie and the party. The few bystanders still in the vicinity began to flee as Jack dived in the way and shouted something that sounded remarkably like a spell. A sphere of light shot from the Radish and burst on the wall of green fire into an eerie Jack O'Lantern shape.
The two fires cancelled each other out, prompting Jack to fluff his coat triumphantly and point a threatening hand forward
"Slightly spicy with a pale body, the noble radish!" The frowning expression of the radish somehow seemed to fit the proclaimation but now didn't feel like a good time for humour. Charlie rushed forward with his broken bat in hand and swung at Diamond's face.
The huge man swerved backwards to dodge as the young hero started striking wildly, the curved bat now able to hit from a variety of angles that Diamond seemed inable to predict.
Finally catching it with his fist, Diamond snarled and crumpled what was left of the aluminium. Charlie tried to wrench the club free but it was held fast since it was curled around the behemoth of a man's knuckles. Releasing the bat quickly, he stumbled back and tried to fuse.
He felt odd, his emotional turmoil from earlier seemed to be locking out his powers. He felt a sort of false start as he tried to transform himself, some kind of inner lock keeping his power in check. He glanced up in time to see a kick arcing round and barrelling into his chest, he exhaled sharply to lessen the winding and rolled along the pavement
"Hmph" snorted Diamond "Arrogant in your ability. Mastering fusion takes YEARS. You think an infant could handle such power?"
Charlie got up, seething with anger and felt the transformation suddenly kick in. With a rush of air and light, he screamed with pain. He'd misjudged, when he wasn't thinking clearly the transformation could run wild and inside all that fire had been building. With an intense flash and a blur, a smouldering figure appeared striking out at Diamond with a clash of metal on flesh.
Covered in a layer of crimson scales, a shock of white hair blasted back from his scalp, Charlie stood with his fist embedded in the metal of his bat. Diamond grinned, a berserk warrior was always easier to deal with.
Throwing a hand forward to catch the second attempt at a flaming blow of the draconic Charlie, Diamond blasted him back with green fire once more. Twisting in the air so he landed in a crouch, Charlie continued charging wildly followed by flaming skulls launched by Jack with his Curse Magic.
The two fire elements clashed against Diamond's own green flames before being rebuked by sheer might, the explosion sending shrapnel of magic energy searing through the air and exploding what glass remained unmelted in the frames.
Jack shielded himself but Charlie was badly scorched, landing in a damaged heap he snarled once more trying to get back to his feet. The stones of the street were warped and burnt by the heat of the flames, and Charlie couldn't focus enough to get an even balance.
The monster was in control now, he knew it's name was Djinn and all he wanted to do was burn.
He felt the fire inside him building, not even caring for his own destruction until he heard it. Clear and true, like a bell ringing through the air
"CHARLIE!"
And like that he was in control again. With a flash of white light he fell to one knee and rested a hand on the street, feeling the warped texture of the previously singed stone. He looked over his shoulder and saw Dawn's face, the faint tracks her tears had left and he swore that he couldn't let his control slip ever again.
"I'm alright, Dawn" he gasped as he forced himself to stand, grabbing a fistul of seeds from his pocket he started chewing. Thera Seed was overkill on his injuries as he felt his whole body rejuvenate but that Pure Seed only just reached his limit. He didn't even feel relaxed just his base level of calm.
"He's not Fire" Dawn shouted "He feels like that cyclops not like Jack at all!"
Earth element? Was that why everything was green?
Charlie grinned, he knew just what to do against Earth element monsters. But he paused as his common sense kicked in. If he became Suzuring then he'd be more vulnerable to the Earth element spells, and this guy was a magician. He was almost entirely based around the use of magic.
Djinn would be useful, but fighting fire with fire wasn't proving a particularly useful tactic despite the old saying, and that ruled out Blyk too. Falling back on the old reliable, Charlie fused into Gallas with a rush of light and shouted back to Dawn
"Get into cover, and uhh... please don't shoot anyone in the eye" before charging forward. It had been a stupid thing to say, he could see her pouting already. But it'd calmed her down, and that was all he wanted right now.
Shooting forward on bladed legs, Charlie quickly dashed to the right as another jet of green fire shot past him. He could almost feel it in this form, the raw earthen power behind the flames.
Jack was still blasting jets of fire in the shape of skulls and one particularly persistant tornado of flaming bats. It seemed the Radish really did make him stronger, he was using a lot more spells than usual.
Diamond was so focused on Jack he was surprised when a fist shrouded in black mist struck the side of his head and bowled him over. The magician swore violently as Gallas' bladed leg struck him in the chest and scored a deep cut
"You little-" Diamond started before finally glancing down and noticing a sphere of light floating besides him and an admonishing Radish looking up at him.
"KABLOOOM!" Jack shouted as the Jack O'Lantern detonated. Charlie used Diamond to kick off of to escape as the flaming lantern engulfed the magician. Landing with a screech as his bladed legs dug through the pavement, Charlie saw Diamond panting through the burns.
"I don't believe it," he coughed "To have gotten so strong... we must regroup"
In a swirl of green bubbles, the magician vanished leaving three baffled travellers and one devestated Japanese high street.
-\ -o- /-
Kaede felt her eyes slowly adjusting to the faint oil-lamp burning besides her, illuminating the small room she found herself in. Sitting up, she saw the man who'd helped her sitting on a plain wooden chair clearly writing something for himself with a distinctive sound of pen-scratching.
His hair looked a little too familiar but his build was wrong, brown hair wasn't all that uncommon she supposed. He looked older too, closer to thirty than twenty, hints of stubble lingering around his chin and neck.
But he wore a black jacket too, with a silver cross on it and dark trousers. He dressed like Charlie, but also like that man... resting her feet on the floorboards, a soft creak lifted up and prompted the man to turn around sharply.
"Ahh, I see you're awake" he smiled, his red eyes shining in the dim light "How are you feeling?"
"Half Japanese? Are you him?" Kaede asked, getting to her feet, she gingerly touched his face to check she'd guessed his ethnicity correctly.
"I'm who? Would you mind getting off me?" He asked as politely as he was able with his cheeks smooshed together.
"Oh, sorry. It's you isn't it? Yuri?"
"Ahh. This might be awkward. Yes, my name isYuri-"
"And you're a Harmonixer?"
"Yes I am, but-"
"Then you're the man we're looking for! The Godslayer! My friend needs help he's-"
"Inugami!" The man called Yuri blurted out suddenly, cutting Kaede off with a curious frown. "My name is Yuri Inugami. My father is Kurando, my mother is a Russian, that's why I have the same name as... that man" He finished lamely, looking slightly put-out at being compared to a man who would be approaching 70.
"Oh... then the rumours?"
"An unhappy co-incidence that I resemble my second-cousin. He's dead. I assure you" Yuri sighed in exasperation, "Ever since I was little this name's gotten me into trouble. He triedto tell her it was a girl's name in Japan"
"You can still help me," Kaede resolved "My friend Charlie has only just awoken as a Harmonixer and he needs helping"
"I've heard," Yuri commented dryly "I have no idea how a European got the power of Fusion. I came to see if I would need to keep our bloodline pure, test his mettle as it were. As the last Harmonixer I'm not sure I appreciate the competition"
"I believe his versatlity would throw you" Kaede replied tartly, somehow feeling a need to stick up for Charlie and not willing to admit that this guy could beat him. She wasn't even remembering that she'd left him.
"What do you mean? Versatility?" Yuri looked confused at this, possibly even afraid as Kaede felt a twitch of smugness in her voice.
"Don't you know? He can fuse into multiple creatures. That's not common is it?"
"It's almost unheard of" Yuri said hollowly "I've only heard of one other capable of such a thing, which explains why you seek my uncle... where is your friend?"
"I..." Kaede stopped as she realised she didn't know. She'd left them in Yokohama on their own, even with those men after them. Had she let anger cloud her judgement so severely? Had she left them to the wolves? No, she had to stay calm, what was the drill whenever she and Charlie entered town?
"He'll be at the inn, we should hurry. I think I've made more than a few mistakes"
-\ -o- /-
"So, you're still wearing the pumpkin everywhere else?"
"I'd look ridiculous wearing a radish in public, would I not?"
"My god, you're weird" Charlie groaned, lying back on the bed as he rubbed his side. He'd definitely strained something vital when he'd gone berserk, the thera seed had just delayed the inevitable.
Resting had helped a lot even if it had been whilst supervising Jack. Dawn had insisted she bandage his side so he was lying around shirtless once more with most of his torso bandaged. Which actually made it harderto move but Dawn had been so sure she was helping.
Dawn was actually standing watch since Jack had used up all his magical power and Charlie was in no condition to fight right now. The cost of going berserk was a lot steeper than he'd thought, he'd be out of comission for at least a day. Which was worrying but couldn't be helped.
They'd forced Diamond to leave, which if his math was any good meant they had yet to meet Club and Spade. A troupe of magicians based on playing cards, all after the Key. Well, it wasn't the weirdest thing he'd had to deal with but he was still trying to place what the magic had been.
Heart had gone for summoning, with that huge top-hat and swagger he seemed European but old school despite that.
Diamond had dressed strangely but his magic was simple, direct, which reminded him of a cult from Greece he'd heard of before.
A cadre of mismatched wizards with old styles all fighting over a key. But what did they even want her for? Why did he care exactly? These complicated questions only seemed to occur when he was staring at a hanging light fixture.
He heard a sudden bang from outside and a shout of pain followed by hushed murmurs. He heaved himself up with a wince and swung his legs over the side so he could stand up. He opened the door cautiously and saw Dawn jump as he leant out, cutting off her apologies
"You didn't shoot the bellhop again did you?"
"You look well, Anjou" Kaede smiled with Yuri clutching at his fore-head behind her, a swollen red mark coming up. Charlie didn't even have time to acknowledge the older man as he simply stared at her
"Kaede?" He didn't have the energy to say anything else, physical exhaustion tended to drag down mental functions too.
"Yes, it's me. I'm back. I... I'm not saying I was wrong but I think I over-reacted. I shouldn't have left you on your own"
"That was dangerously close to an apology" Charlie grinned, that same infuriating (ever-so familiar) grin, and leant back to let them into the inn's room "I think I can take you back this one time. Oh, and uhh, I also need to borrow some money for a new weapon"
"Seriously? This guy has Fusion powers?" Yuri scowled, the welt of the BB shot swelling up properly now. Charlie frowned at this sudden insult and contemplated grabbing the radish to properly illustrate his point.
"And who are you, Mr High and Mighty?"
"Yuri Inugami, the last Harmonixer. I take it your Charles -blank- Anjou? Forgive me, I don't know your middle name"
"I don't have a middle name?" Charlie looked baffled, and just slightly annoyed at this Yuri guy. It wasn't mandatory to have a middle name was it? He remembered Dawn's was Grace but that was all.
"Right, nevertheless, I'm here to find out how you managed to get these powers. There are no more Harmonixers!"
"What're you talking about? I fought one in a Rice Paddy a few towns over" Charlie was getting exasperated now by this guy who seemed intent on looking down on him. Yuri looked yet more bewildered by this turn of events and noticed Kaede nodding at this.
"That is... am I in the middle of a highly elaborate practical joke?" Yuri asked, his grip on events rapidly spiralling out of control.
"I'm afraid not. We have a much larger problem, come inside" Kaede ushered the whole group through, Dawn taking some time to help Charlie and subtly elbow him for making fun of her itchy trigger finger.
Gathering everyone around the two single beds, Kaede stood apart from the rest so she could explain the entire story to both Yuri and the others
"This all started on the cruise ship Matilda, where that man Markus attempted to capture Dawn believing her to be the Key. Whilst there, something triggered this change in Charlie where he became a Harmonixer"
"That's not really how it works" Yuri sighed, "But I have no idea how it did happen so let's continue"
"We set off here to meet a man named Yuri, but unfortunately the rumours of his return to life were greatly exagerated. Yuri Hyuga is dead and his second cousin with his name is carrying on his legacy. Now, the real problem is the American soldier. He somehow learnt to transform through a method similar to Fusion. However, Charlie being a complete beginner was able to destroy him with a transformation he had just learnt?"
"Yeah, I only figured it out in the fight" Charlie agreed
"Which seems unlikely for a trained soldier. So, we know two things. Firstly, someone is making false Harmonixers with diminished capabilities. Unfortunately, if what I heard from that sorceror Club is true-"
"Oh, so all we have left is Spade?"
"Pardon?"
"Uhh, not important, Kaede. Carry on" Charlie waved off his little observation, unaware he was already getting on her nerves again.
"I had booked us passage with an American company but Club said something. He called Stevens and his men 'traitors'. Now, given the magicicans apparent interest in you and Dawn that would make me believe they are linked to the false Harmonixers. In other words, whatever turned you into this Charlie, is probably the fault of those magicians. And whoever they are, they seem to have control on the American military."
The silence hung in the air as Jack continued to whittle on the Radish to deepen the expression carved onto it. If the enemy had control over the American military then that meant they couldn't get Dawn home safely, they would have to go somewhere else. After a sufficently long pause Charlie had to ask
"So, what do we do now?"
They realised no-one had an answer.
-\ -o- /-
Heart plucked at his tie awkwardly as he shuffled his way into the straw shack. Sitting in the middle of the dirt was a man in a golden robe staring into a flickering fire. By his side lay two long cruel looking blades and the enclosed tarp of the walls only made the heat of the fire unbearable.
Why was he even here? Heart hated stuff like this, he appreciated the finer things in life. It was because Club was too lazy, he was always idle unless something caught his interest. Standing in dirt like this, he was sure to ruin his spats.
"Ummm, Spade?"
"I don't like that name." hissed the golden robed man "What do you want? Not satisfied with my replacement? Realised how dangerous he is? Hmm?"
"It's worse than that Spade... we've found a Harmonixer. A pure one. With multiple elements."
There was a long pause, tension hung in the air like razor wire, threatening to slice through anyone foolish enough to stumble in. And then Spade laughed. He laughed deep and proud.
"Kee hee hee! Interesting... I accept, Heart. I will come with you, to kill this man who reminds me so badly of him. I won't give up this body so easily."
The Party so Far
(active party)
Charlie Anjou
Role: Harmonixer
Element: Dark
Weapon: Broken Aluminum Bat
Jack O'Connagh
Role: Pumpkin King
Element: Fire
Weapon: Frowny face Radish
Dawn Tyler
Role: Unknown
Element: Neutral
Weapon: BB Beretta
(Inactive)
Kaede Abe
Role: Taoist
Element: Water
Weapon: Holy Ink (Navy)
Yuri Inugami
Role: Harmonixer
Element: Light
Weapon: ?
No bonuses this chapter, but there'll be a new Fusion Monsters one next chapter.