Chapter 16
Attia and Arnette were the only two people in the pool room and it made them realize just how late it was. As the night had gone on people slowly filtered out of the pool until they were the only ones left. The solitude was calming and caused them to no longer care much about what time it was.
"We are going to have to leave at some point you know right?" Attia asked leaning her back against the wall of the pool kicking her legs out ahead of her.
"Just a little longer." Arnette said while faking a childlike whine.
"Andre left over an hour ago." Attia said.
"We'll go soon." The red haired Pandora conceded.
"So? You feel any different about this place?" Attia asked. Arnette dove under the water swimming a few feet before surfacing again.
"No, but I know it bothers Chiffon so I keep it to myself. I get it though she has a job to do as the student president. She can't go agreeing with our conspiracy theories or it would reflect poorly on her." She answered.
"Doesn't seem to stop Varen from voicing his concerns." Attia giggled.
"He's straightforward and honest. I like that about him." Arnette agreed and Attia nodded.
"Me too." They both fell silent looking at each other before quickly turning away from one another ashamed.
"Anyway, let's go it's late and I've had all the water I can handle for today." Arnette said swimming up beside Attia and pulled herself up and out of the pool. Attia followed behind her grabbing their towels off nearby chairs. They wrapped them around their bodies and walked towards the changing rooms. The lights in the room flickered rapidly for a few seconds before returning to their normal glow making the two girls stop.
"Seriously? I really don't want to be stuck in the changing room if the power goes out." Attia complained.
"Scared of the dark?" Arnette teased and the white haired Pandora pursed her lips.
"No!" They both walked into the changing room and retrieved their Nightingale uniforms from their respective lockers. They finished using their towels to dry their bodies before beginning to change into their normal uniforms. A loud hum passed through the walls and the lights dimmed slowly until they went out completely.
"Wow you called it!" Arnette laughed in the darkness.
"Arnette I can't see anything!" Attia cried from behind her. She could hear the small Pandora shuffling around.
"Just give it a few seconds we'll see if it comes back on." Arnette said still laughing.
"I don't like the dark and I'm not even dressed!" Attia continued to sob. Arnette followed her voice and reached out grabbing her arm.
"Just calm down and wait a second if it doesn't come back on we'll just follow the wall until we get to the door. Not a big deal." Arnette said trying to calm the small Pandora.
"Arnette I said I'm not dressed! I can't leave like this!"
"Just how undressed are you exactly?" Arnette asked incredulously. She had already changed into her uniform for the most part. Her top was unbuttoned and her skirt and leggings not straight, but that was all easy to remedy even in the dark. She reached around Attia's arm until she felt her back noticing there was no cloth.
"Did you at least get your…oh…" Arnette stopped as she moved her hand down her back and to her hip still feeling nothing.
"No." Attia sniffled.
"Hah! You are so slow that you are completely undressed! To top it off you're scared of the dark so you either sit here in the dark or have to come out where there will at least be some light in the pool room but risk showing everyone the goods!" Arnette let her go and was now full on laughing much to Attia's ire.
"I hate you so much please help me find my clothes they have to be here somewhere." She pleaded and Arnette took a deep breath calming herself.
"Or I can leave you in here while I leave. I mean you can come with the boys would love to get a look at you." She said cracking up again.
"Arnette!"
"Alright alright I'm just kidding." Arnette said. They fumbled around in the dark for a few minutes until they were able to locate Attia's clothes. After a few more she had managed to put herself into some semblance of order clothing wise. They felt along the wall until they found the door leading out of the changing room and stepped out into the pool room. Emergency lighting illuminated the room to a degree that they could move safely.
"Would it kill them to install one of those in the changing rooms?" Attia said angrily motioning towards one of the wall mounted lights. They moved into the hallway leading out from the pool and began heading towards their rooms. A few people were present here and there, but for the most part everyone was most likely already asleep. Another hum vibrated through the walls, but the power did not seem to kick back in.
"Why does it keep making that noise?" Arnette asked out loud.
"It's a surge. Power is being drawn somewhere." Attia explained.
"Drawn where?" Arnette asked and Attia shrugged. They rounded a corner nearing the section of the facility that contained their rooms when another loud hum of electricity passed through the walls. This time it was louder and seemed to make the walls shake.
"Arnette?" Attia asked oddly as her friend turned and dove towards her wrapping the small Pandora up in her arms. They both crashed to the ground as the wall next to where Attia had been standing exploded outward in a shower of flames and metal. Warning sirens erupted throughout the facility as red colored lights came to life in the hallways.
"Breach in section 12A. All students report to your dorms immediately." A voice called out through the speakers situated throughout the facility. Arnette and Attia coughed as the smoke and dust settled slightly. She rolled off of Attia feeling water spraying over her body from various sprinklers overheard that now came to life.
"You alright?" Arnette asked looking over at Attia. The white haired Pandora stared past her with eyes wide. Arnette looked behind seeing a figure standing amongst the wreckage of the wall. Arnette's breathing became faster as she saw the ebony spike protruding from the figures back. Half the girls face had also changed into the reflective black material giving her a horrific visage. Where her right hand used to be was a long edged blade.
"It's her…" Attia stammered. Arnette looked on in horror as the girl stepped into the hallway with them from the hole she had created in the wall. Recognition flashed through Arnette's eyes as she climbed to her feet facing the girl.
"Gina...why are you…" Arnette trailed off recognizing the girl as the E-Pandora she had faced earlier.
"Arnette no!" Attia yelled jumping to her feet. She yanked her friend back by the arm as Gina slashed her blade arm out cutting through the air where Arnette had been standing.
"What is going on?" Arnette shouted stepping back as Gina advanced on them.
"She's completely novalized! Look at her body and her eyes, she's pushed past the limit! Volt weapon deploy!" Attia answered summoning her meteor hammer into her hands.
"That's impossible, she doesn't even have stigmata how can she novalize?" Arnette retorted.
"I don't think we have time to dissect the possibilities right now Arnette. She's turning into a Nova." Attia said.
"Come on Gina wake up! Volt weapon deploy!" Arnette called out forming the scythe in her hands. Gina charged forward slashing her arm at the girls. Arnette spun away as Attia lifted her arm intercepting the blade with her hammer deflecting it cleanly. She rotated her body letting the momentum of her weapon spin around her body along the length of the chain she held. Arnette came back around dove forward bringing her scythe forward in a horizontal slash that Gina slapped aside with her arm. She ducked low as Attia's weapon raced forward and then retracted back into its circuit spinning around the small Pandora's body.
"Wake up!" Attia yelled at Gina who showed no signs of response.
"Come on Gina, don't make us do this wake up!" Arnette pleaded, but the girl ran ahead once more causing Arnette to pull the scythe in close using the pole to deflect the strikes. Attia sent her volt weapon out trying to disrupt Gina's attacks, but her speed made it nearly impossible to keep up.
"She's too fast!" Attia called out.
"Acceleration!" Arnette shouted stepping forward into Gina shoving her shoulder into the girl's chest. Her enhanced speed put enough power behind the move to send the E-Pandora back some distance away. Arnette breathed heavily as a small trail of blood dripped down her arm. Gina's blade had hit her during the shoulder tackle.
"Arnette, she's gone! We can't stop her how she is. She has no limitations like we do." Attia called out as Arnette set her feet once more.
"Then we hold her here as long as we can." Arnette answered with determination. Attia took a deep breath and stepped up beside her friend.
"Alright, we'll hold." Attia answered as Gina accelerated towards them again. Arnette jumped kicking off of the wall near her and spun her body in a corkscrew passing above Gina just below the ceiling. She slashed the scythe out similar to Varen's move that was able to catch Chiffon off guard. At the same time Attia flung her mace out low along the ground. Gina slammed her blade into the ground deflecting Attia's strike and reached up with her hand slapping the scythe away. The scythe cut deeply into her arm drawing a long line along Gina's arm.
"Come on!" Arnette said in despair as the cut along Gina's arm closed and repaired itself. Gina now stood between Arnette and Attia who settled into their stances once more.
"Attia!" A voice called out and the small Pandora turned seeing Elizabeth round the corner skidding to a stop.
"Elizabeth! Gina's novalized!" Attia called out as Elizabeth came up next to her. Gina raised her weapon and lowered her body preparing to accelerate.
"Look out!" Arnette shouted from the other side as Gina exploded forward her sword piercing ahead. Elizabeth's hands flashed to her sides as a barrier appeared around her stopping the blade before it could hit her. She clenched her teeth focusing on her stigmata to strengthen the shield without drawing too much from it. Sparks and small arcs of electricity danced around where the blade pressed against her barrier.
"Stop Gina!" Elizabeth cried as the barrier shattered and the blade shot ahead clipping her shoulder. It ripped through her uniform and a spray of blood followed as it tore into her. Gina retracted her blade and hopped backwards once more between the three Pandora.
"Elizabeth!" Attia yelled grabbing Elizabeth and steadying her.
"I'm alright. We have to help her somehow." Elizabeth said her voice full of concern.
"Gina?" They turned seeing Amelia standing behind Attia and Elizabeth. She stood in shock looking at her friend who seemed to stare back with lifeless eyes. Amelia walked between Elizabeth and Attia tears welling up in her eyes. Gina's blade lowered as Amelia approached and Elizabeth and Attia gasped as Gina's eyes shifted to what seemed to be normal human eyes.
"Ame…lia…" Gina choked.
"Gina! I'm here Jina come back to us!" Amelia begged now running up to her friend. Amelia grabbed her shoulders shaking her slightly as Gina continued to struggle to fight her own body.
"Lie…" Gina said barely able to keep herself in control.
"What? Gina stay with me!" Amelia sobbed wrapping her arms around her.
"Mark 3 was all a lie." Gina said before her eyes turned black and she once more lost control of her own body. The three Pandora ran as fast as they could to stop the blade that Gina now raised to cut Amelia down.