Chapter 5: Dark Matters

(Disclaimer! I own nothing of Xenoblade X)

Ganglion soldiers were fighting mysterious xenoforms who took on the form of grexes.

"Keep pushing!" said one of the soldiers, "We can't let them near this weapon!"

Despite the number of soldiers they had, they were outnumbered by the dozens of creatures destroying their fleets.

Someone was watching from a far distance.

"Even our skells are powerless beneath them," he said, "It seems we will have to double our efforts if we are to find this Great One."

Meanwhile Lin was wondering what she should make.

Cross placed the nail of a Vigro in his collection of memorabilia.

"You sure have quite a few collectibles," said Elma.

"Well, the ma-non said these things could be used to forge new weapons," said Cross, "With this I can finally upgrade my rifle."

"What should I whip up today?" asked Lin.

"What about a Pot Pie?" asked Elma, "I've always loved those."

"Oh yeah," said Cross, "That does sound good."

"Great idea," said Lin, "Coming right up!"

Lin was making her pot pie.

"What's Linly making now?" asked Tatsu.

"One of my specialties; Pot Pie," said Lin.

"Did Tatsu ever tell Linly that pie is Tatsu's favorite?" asked Tatsu.

"Hey maybe you can help," said Lin, "Try flattening out the crust."

"Got it," said Tatsu.

He started jumping on it.

"How big should it be?" asked Tatsu.

"Just big enough… to cover your entire body!" said Lin.

"WHAT?!" asked Tatsu, "Tatsu is here to serve, not to BE SERVED!"

"Oh yeah you did say that," said Lin.

"Linly say that every time!" said Lin.

The food was ready and Lao and Lee arrived.

"Now THAT was a meal," said Lao, "I think my team could learn something from you."

"I'm glad you liked it," said Lin.

"Sooooo what's on your mind?" asked Cross, "I don't think you just came for the meal."

"Aren't we the smart one," said Lao.

"Seems the good one would like to pick our brain," said Lee, "But we will gladly let him in one ear and out the other."

"Almost that time," said Lin.

He started explaining everything to the team.

"An alien mech?" asked Elma.

"I don't know what it is yet, and it doesn't match anything we've seen on radar," said Lao, "And it looks abandoned as well."

"I'm starting to get goosebumps just thinking about it," said Lin.

"Right?" said Lao.

He showed them where it was on radar.

"Its deep in Noctulim," said Elma.

"But it seems like the Ganglion are after the mech as well," said Lao, "And it looks like they tried scavenging it and failed."

"Well it would make sense because its known as the tainted land," said Lee.

"That doesn't sound good," said Elma.

"Its filled with beasts that hunger for blood," said Lee.

Lao showed everyone what they looked like.

"They're territorial," said Lao, "Anybody that sets foot there is doomed."

"They must be formidable to take down the Ganglion," said Elma.

"But it could work in our favor," said Lao, "They won't see us as living things us being mimeosomes."

"What about the commander?" asked Elma.

"He specifically requested I ask your team for help," said Lao, "It seems the Ganglion wanna use this mech to destroy us."

"Well if we get it first we might have a fighting chance," said Cross.

"Count me in too," said Lin.

"Well we should do it quickly," said Elma, "You and Lee should hang back Tatsu."

"Its for the best," said Lin, "I can't let those creatures take my prize turkey."

Doug showed up.

"Hold up Elma," said Doug.

"Well somebody must've heard everything," said Lao.

"I think its best if Cross hangs back as well," he said.

"What?" asked Cross, "Why?"

"Um, blood thirsty creatures, and Ganglion battle," said Doug, "You're still a rookie and you're not ready for this."

"Um, I just took on a Ganglion leader, AND a few mechs," said Cross, "You think I can't handle a few tainted?"

"Right there," said Doug, "You're assuming you can handle something."

"We understand your concern Doug, but I personally think Cross can handle this," said Elma.

"Elma you need real soldiers, not some rookie who's clearly gonna hold you back," said Doug.

"Who said I was gonna hold her back," said Cross.

"Look squirt, if you know what's good for you, you'll stay here," said Doug, "Its for your own good."

He left.

"Moving on…." Said Cross, "Let's get moving."

"Yeah!" said Lin.

"Somebody's excited," said Lao.

"Well duh, its an alien mech we're after," said Lin.

"You must be something to make it on the White Whale crew at your age," said Lao, "Do you have family?"

"My mom and dad passed away," said Lin, "But it was before the attack."

"What happened?" asked Cross.

"They were engineers on a project for the White Whale, but there was an accident," said Lin, "But it was thanks to them that we're all still here."

"Oh man," said Cross.

"So they didn't die in vain," said Lin.

"So thye let you in as gratitude for all their hard work," said Lao.

"I try to repay that debt all the time," said Lin.

"It was her talent and dedication that got her on the White Whale Lao," said Elma, "It was entirely on her own that she got here."

"Right," said Lao, "Sorry about that."

"Don't worry," said Lin, "Let's get moving."

They started heading to their destination; Dead Man's Gulch.

As they made it there, the trees started to look ashy, and the ground like a desert.

"Whoa," said Cross.

"Those things must be the tainted," said Elma.

One of them woke up and started to walk.

"Um… Elma?" asked Lin.

"Its ok Lin," said Elma, "They won't bother us as long as we don't bother them."

"We're right here Lin," said Cross.

He installed a data probe.

The team started walking down a cliff.

Lao saw the mech.

"There it is," he said.

They lookd around for any lifeforms.

"No life forms," said Lao.

"Maaaaan, so its basically a skell right?" asked Lin.

Elma was looking at it.

"This mech," she said to herself, "Its almost as if it was pulsing off of something."

Cross turned to her.

"You ok El?" he asked.

"OH, I'm fine," she said, "Just thinking."

"Let's call in a chopper and get it back to NLA," said Cross.

Soon helicopters came and picked up the mech.

"Just thinking about this thing makes my legs wobbly," said Lin.

"Tatsu have just the thing," said Tatsu, "Some lunch!"

They all turned around to see Tatsu.

"What the HELL are you doing?!" asked Cross.

"Tatsu decided to jump on big spinny plane and bring lunch for hungry soldiers," said Tatsu.

"Tatsu while we appreciate this, you might attract the tainted," said Cross calming himself down, "You should hid somewhere before they…"

They heard a roar.

"Shit," he said.

"Looks like they came here for a hot meal," said Lao.

"Don't move an inch Tatsu," said Lin.

The 4 of them went and battled all of the tainted.

Remembering the training drills from Boze, he cut through two of them like hot butter.

"That's how we take down indigens," said Cross, "Cross-style!"

Elma went to help out Cross.

"Mind if I lend a hand?" she asked.

"Be my guest," he said.

Lao toppled another tainted and Lin fired at it killing it.

"Yeah!" said Lin.

After a while they were all defeated.

"Alright," said Cross, "Now let's get outta here before…"

The ground started to rumble.

A giant tainted in the form of a lion appeared.

"Oh no," said Tatsu.

Cross got out his comm device and called on more soldiers.

"This is Cross requesting backup!" he said, "We're battling a giant tainted and it looks like we'll need help!"

Doug overheard the call.

"Soldiers, let's move out!" he said.

Elma and Lin went for the legs to destroy its appendages.

Lao was dealing with the face.

Cross went around shooting and then slashing at the giant tainted.

He saw helicopters arrive.

"We got company!" he said.

Doug and more soldiers arrived to take on the tainted.

Doug pulled out a saber like sword and started slashing off the whiskers.

The giant tainted roared in pain.

"What is that thing?" asked Cross.

"It's a Photon Saber," said Lao, "Its used by the galactic knight class."

"It looks awesome," he said.

With more help, they were able to take down the giant tainted.

Cross finished it off with a rising blade.

More gianted tainted showed up.

Cross shot up in the sky to get their attention.

"What are you doing you idiot?!" asked Doug startling him.

Cross tripped and fell on something.

"Cross!" said Elma.

On of the tainted got in front of Cross.

"We're coming Cross!" said Lin.

The other giant tainted went around taking down Doug's men while getting to Cross.

Cross blinked a few times and saw the giant tainted glare at him.

Elma jumped up and slashed it in the face.

"I figured I'd save you for a change," said Elma.

"Thanks," he said, "I was trying to…"

"I know," said Elma, "You were trying to get us a window."

An even bigger indigen appeared and started to take down the other tainted.

It was too powerful for all of them at once.

"Whoa," said Lin, "What is that?"

The giant indigen flew off.

"Was that thing helping us?" asked Cross.

"OR maybe it was toying with us," said Elma.

A helicopter appeared in time.

Cross turned to Doug to apologize.

"Doug I…." he said.

"Let's go home!" he snapped.

Cross looked down to the floor.