Chapter 16: Listen To That Sizzle!
Neku's P.O.V
I can't believe that this girl is making me clean the entire Antro/Neko section of Eternia! I sighed as I finally finished my work & headed back to my 'teacher' who was leaning on her door. "Finally finished?" She asked. I grunted in response, afraid that I might say something rude to her & get more 'lessons'. "What's the matter?" She said in a baby-ish voice. "Aww, is someone a widdle upset?" She stuck out her lower lip & made a sad face in front of me.
"Shut up!" I roared, swinging at her. She ducked & a beam shot from my fist, destroying the wall & the one beyond it! "H-h-h-how did I do that?" I stared in disbelief at damage I'd caused. "I'm nowhere near that strong!"
"That's the power of 'Chaos' in you!" She laughed. "What you thought it was supposed to be attained through being nice?" She snapped her fingers & the walls repaired themselves. "That was negative Chaos Energy that you just released." She gestured for me to follow her into her room & she offered me a seat. "It was generated by the anger in you. There's also a positive version of Chaos Energy, but I wanted to check how much you had in you. I must say I'm impressed.
"So, all that…" I nodded towards the door. "Was a test to see how much I had in me?" She nodded & I gawped at her.
"Though, that was only about half of it. Now, for the real training to begin!" She pointed at me & I was lifted off of the ground. She made a gestured & sent me into her wall. "This time…" She smiled. "You'll have to fight me!" I yelled as she threw me into the nearby wall. This is going to be rough…
Veran's P.O.V
I cringed as the electricity backfired on me for what seemed like the hundredth time. Kratos had set up an obstacle course for me. It was made up of very little material, but man was it difficult! I had to hit a metal pole at a certain time to get a little switch to go off, and then I had to jump on the log that fell afterwards & land on another metal platform & send electricity through it to get it to move forward. The hard part was that I had to send a certain amount of electricity through the metal otherwise it backfired & nothing happened.
I groaned & rubbed my numb arms. Looking up I saw Kratos watching me with his arms crossed. There was a look on his face that looked like it said 'Remember the deal…' I nodded & tried again, this time I only put a teensy tiny little bit of electricity…& again I was zapped. This time I got mad, I sent the highest concentration of electricity that I could manifest through the pole. The little switch shattered & the log started to fall. I jumped forward, landing on it & jumped off onto the next board; letting my bioelectric current run through my feet. The board moved forward slowly at first & then faster & faster until I toppled & was gripping the sides. The board hit the bump (where I was supposed to stop) & kept going, crashing into a wall. Thankfully, I had fallen off at the bump!
"That's not what I was expecting…" Kratos replied, standing over me. "But I guess it will have to do." He sighed & looked back at the course. "I didn't think you could put out that much of a current."
"What do you mean?" I asked, not understanding what he meant. I followed his eyes & saw that the metal pole (which had been silver) was now completely black. "How did that happen?"
"You did that…" Kratos said, hauling me to my feet. "You released over seventy-four hundred thousand volts from your body!" He pointed to the machine that was reading my electrical output. "You could fry someone by poking them with a surge that powerful!" I looked at my hands. It was like I could feel the electricity coursing through me. It didn't feel too pleasant to be quite honest with you.
"I feel sorta dizzy…" I said; my head swimming. "I think I'm going to…" I got no further as I the world around me went black.
"Wake up boyo!" I heard a man say. "Get up you rotten bum!" The voice roared & I felt something hard hit my stomach. I gasped in pain. I heard the whoosh of something pulling back & coming towards me again. Instinctively, I reached out & grabbed. It was a boot; someone had been kicking me. "That's the spirit kid!" The man cheered.
"Who are you?" I gasped, opening my eyes a sliver. I was in a metal room & my eyes shot the rest of the way open & darted around. My tail was wagging furiously & my ears were twitching, listening for sounds that could be hidden behind the machines.
"Name's Deoxin…" He thumped his fist against his chest. "I'm here to whip you in tah shape boy!" He drew both the giant swords that were on his back, wielding them effortlessly. "Think you can handle it?" He charged, not waiting for my answer. I jumped sideways, staggering. I was still tired.
"What happened to Kratos?" I questioned, jumping out of the way again as he slashed at me. "And where am I?"
"You're in mah room boy!" He laughed. "Thought that was obvious enough for ya!" He lunged again as I landed. This one hit me...sorry not hit me. It impaled me! I gasped & looked at the blade. I grabbed it & sent electricity through it. Deoxin screamed as it coursed through the blade & shocked him. I increased the output & listened to his scream get louder. I pulled the blade out & put pressure on the wound.
"Not so nice…" I gasped. "Is it?" I was still holding the sword, still sending my thunderous power through it. Deoxin let go of the blade & groaned.
"T…that…" He grimaced. "That was m-mighty impressive…boy." He fell to one knee & gulped in a lungful of air. "My power is yours…you've passed my test." He body started to crackle & electricity spouted all of him. There was a flash & he disappeared. I heard a rumble. Then, looking up, I saw a bolt of lightning come straight down & strike me!
"Veran!" Kratos was roaring. "Veran! Wake up!" I groaned.
"What the…?" I said, opening my eyes. "What happened?" I was back in the room Kratos had me training in.
"You passed out…" Kratos said as he stood up. "Then your body started to emanate electricity. After several seconds, you stopped breathing momentarily. Then you started breathing again." He sighed. "You nearly gave me a heart attack."
"Sorry…" I responded automatically. "I had a weird dream though…" Kratos looked at me questioningly. "There was a guy named Deoxin & he made me fight him. He said something like his power is mine." I looked around. "But it must've been a dream because that was a completely different place."
"That wasn't a dream." Kratos sighed. "Your true power has awakened." He gestured for me to follow him out the door. "I can't train you anymore. My goal was to awaken Deoxin in you."
"You mean no more obstacle courses?" I asked, feeling hope rise in my chest. "I won't have to make switches go off that I can't reach?"
"That is correct." Kratos sighed. "But don't go overboard with that power or you'll regret it."
"Yahoo!" I cried, jumping up & down. "Thank god for psychopatheic electrically charged maniacs!" I ran down the halls shouting. "I'm free!" I could imagine Kratos sighing behind me.
Jenn's P.O.V
"Oh damn it!" I cried. "Why does this kind of thing always have to happen to me?" I poured the glass of sour milk down the drain. "Why do I always have to be the one to lose control of their abilities?" I threw out the carton of sour milk. "If there is a god he hates me!"
"What's this about hating something that doesn't exist?" James said behind me, causing me to jump. He looked around & noticed the thrown out milk carton. "Having troubles are we?"
"Oh shut up!" I yelled, throwing a fork at him. He ducked out of the way.
"Temper, temper…" He tsked. "But I guess I've always said you're a lose cannon."
"You're so mean!" I cried, running out of my room. Not exactly the best plan, I know. I should've been kicking him out of my room; but it was kind of late for that so I kept running. Eventually I ended up heading to the tower I had previously seen Zephyren fall out of.
"You sound like you need help…" I heard a voice say. "Maybe I can be of assistance. IF you pass my test."
Zephyran's P.O.V
We made another turn as we headed towards the science ward of Eternia. Reikourin had told us to meet in room 7A for something.
"4A, 4B, 5A…" Lloyd was counting the doors out loud & was getting slightly annoying.
"What do you think he wants?" I asked Sora. "It can't be about our abilities. He already knows about those."
"I don't know…" He shrugged. "Maybe it's about our Keyblades."
"Then shouldn't Riku be here too then?" Kairi asked. "He has one too after all."
"Oh right!" Sora nodded. "Well then maybe it's-"
"7A!" Lloyd interrupted. "We're here!" We opened the door & stepped in. The room was completely empty except for a machine in the center with eight capsules in place. "Wonder what those are for?" Lloyd said out loud.
"For the four of you. Of course." Reikourin said, appearing from the shadows.
"But there are eight capsules." I said. "So what are the other four for?"
"Just step in them & you'll see." Reikourin said, gesturing to the capsules. "Make sure there is one in between you though. Don't go side by side." We did as he said & I watched as the door closed behind me & he headed towards a control panel of sorts. He pressed some buttons & the machine roared to life.
"What's happening?" Razphyxen cried in my head. "I feel weird."
"You okay?" I asked, worried.
"I don't know..." I didn't hear the rest of his sentence as the machine got louder & I was forced to close my eyes as a really bright light entered the capsule. I heard the door behind me open & I stepped out, feeling strange. Lighter.
As I looked around I noticed that the others were coming out of their capsules too. I looked back & saw that the capsule that was beside mine had started to glow.
The door opened afterwards & a figure appeared inside. Not just my capsule however. All of them had a person in them. I squinted as I tried to see inside the one in front of me.
"Lydolx!" I heard Lloyd shout as he ran towards his capsule. A boy with blue hair, similar to his but with silver tips, walked out of the capsule with a smile on his face.
"Hey!" I heard an all too familiar voice say as it approached & I turned back to face my capsule. My Nobody, Razphyxen, had emerged! "This feels weird…" He said as he looked at his cloaked body. "Don't you agree?" He walked towards me a held out his hand. My eyes bulged. How was this possible? A Nobody isn't supposed to exist when their 'Host' hasn't turned into a Heartless yet!
"This is unreal…" I gasped, unaware that I had been holding my breath. I grabbed his hand & we shook. He didn't disappear as I expected him too & from the look on his face, he had expected the same.
"Sora!" I heard Kairi say. She was holding hands with Namine, her Nobody. Sora had his arm around Roxas' shoulder.
"This is awesome!" Lydolx roared. "I'm me again!" He held out his hand & made a Keyblade appear. "I'm my own person." I looked around, realizing that Reikourin was still there.
"How long will this last?" I asked him & immediately everyone became quiet. "Forever? An hour? A week?" I looked around, everyone had realized the same thing.
"As long as you & your counterpart wish to be two separate beings then you shall." He replied. "However, if you really want to join back together then you also must both want to & then just physically interact." He chuckled. "Though, I doubt that'll happen anytime soon." He said, disappearing.
"He's right about that…" Roxas said. "I don't think any of us will want to go back anytime soon." We all nodded in agreement & my stomach growled.
"Let's go get something to eat." I said, rubbing my belly. "I'm starving." Razphyxen laughed & ran to the door.
"Yeah, & then after…" He made his other Keyblade appear. "We'll see if I'm up to par with my skills!" Lloyd slapped his forehead.
"You mean our skills." I corrected. "They're the same as mine, remember?"
"Same difference…" He sighed, running for the door. "Time to eat! Last one there's a gonna be a Heartless' lunch!" I looked to the others & they shared the same grin as me. This was gonna be the best time ever!
Jenn's P.O.V
I cracked my knuckles as the fire left them leaving smoke in its wake. My clothes were charred & my cheek had a small burn on it. The purple-haired man in front of me laughed through his mouthpiece. I gasped for more hair. It was too hot in this volcano. The air was too smoky to breathe properly & it was making my lungs work overtime.
"Give up yet?" Kirem asked. "If you don't now I won't go easy on you & you'll most likely die." He shook his head. "You know what I find strange about this whole ordeal?"
"What?" I asked, gasping in another lungful of air.
"I think it's strange how all of the people that have the potential to use my abilities are Anthros." He said.
"I care why?" I said. "It's not like that effects me in anyway." I jumped forward letting flame engulf my hands. He jumped back, dodging me as I hit the ground. I lunged again, trying to swipe his face. He set his blade on fire & let the blunt end of the sword hit me. I yelped in pain as the fire scorched my skin.
"Well, I guess you're not going to give up are ya?" I shook my head & he shrugged. "Well then, I guess it can't be helped." He charged towards me, his body igniting. "Seems like I'll have to make you burn to ashes!" I jumped out of the way, setting my own body alight. I ran at him again, our bodies stopping centimetres from each other as we both tried to force our flames past the others barrier. Kirem's face grew into a giant smile. He was enjoying this!
"Why do you enjoy this carnage?" I questioned, still pushing into him. "Why do you like to see people get hurt?"
"I don't like to see them get hurt…" He shrugged. "I just enjoy the adrenaline rush that battle gives you!" The flames on his body got higher & he started to push me back. I raised the heat of my own flames but those only managed to keep him at bay. I hadn't covered any ground. Before I knew it, I was on the ground. He had used his sword to trip me & now the point was against my throat…
CHAPTER 16 END!
