Chapter 30: Pranu-3 years ago at the Lab.
When Pranu woke up, she was day before the scientists had made her run through a bunch of mazes. If she stopped for too long, hot coils would burn her feet. Each time she finished a maze the scientists conjured up another maze. Her feet still had burn marks on them. But Pranu wasn't thinking about that now. Today was the day that she and some other mutants would escape the Lab. They would win the , they would be free. She pulled on her Hunters. The scientists gave her almost anything she wanted. After all, she was their prize.
The scientists came and unlocked the cage. She knew she could knock some of them out, but these scientists were merciless, and another would instantly put a round of bullets through her head. After all, that was why everyone in the Lab, except for mutants, carried either M429's or MP5's.
Not only that, but the Lab was heavily guarded. People with sniper rifles lined the castle battlements, and turrets were spread out evenly at intervals. The local police learned long ago not to try to meddle, and the remains of the army tank that had tried to barge in on a court order were still scattered around the front lawn/minefield of the castle.
She was taken out of her cage and into an arena. This would be the ultimate battle. The scientists had said that whoever won would be freed. The winner could also choose anyone they wanted to go with them. The loser would die. It was team dueling, and the two people she had chosen as her helpers were Tim and Caiyi. She totally expected this to be like all the others. The other battles were easy, and she beat them in 15 minutes or less. But little did she know how different this one would be.
When the door on the other side of the arena opened, she decided that she did not like the look of this at all. There wasn't a team. There weren't hundreds of Scissors. There was nothing that had made the tournament so hard so far. Instead, there was just one person.
His wings were flaming red and orange and yellow...No, wait. They were on fire.
"Let the battle commence!" a scientist shouted. Everyone in the arena cheered for her. It was only then that she noticed the almost invisible net in the air. It was a special kind of net that blocked both magical and physical attacks. It seemed like this guy really was dangerous. But before she could be sure, she tried to sense his energy, the way the scientists had taught her, and found barely any. That meant that he was about as strong as a Scissor.
"Let's go," she said, her wariness dissipating. She would come to regret that soon.
They charged forward, drawing their swords that the scientists had made for them, and releasing the energy within. Except for Pranu. She had a trident. Their sword release made them exponentially stronger. But the boy didn't seem scared at all. Instead, there was an amused expression on his face.
'I'll wipe that expression off his face,' she thought. 'And I'll do it with my ultimate attack." Then, she yelled,"Combination attack number 16!" After she yelled that, she immediately hurled a ball of water at him. Tim electrified the water, and then Caiyi used his powers to turn the ball invisible by bending the shadows to his will. Pranu immediately directed it behind the boy, and tried to slam it against his shoulder blades. Needless to say, it didn't work...
Chapter 31:Pranu-The Tournament
"No way," Pranu whispered. She stared. Tim and Caiyi stared. The watchers in the seats stared. The scientists guffawed. His entire body was on fire. The water ball had dissipated the moment it touched him.
"Hey, sweetie," a scientist called,"you didn't stop to think why it's one-on-three?" He went back to chuckling.
She tried to cheer up Tim and Caiyi, but it was obvious they were shaken. To have their ultimate attack blocked so casually...
"Who is this guy?" Tim asked, trying not to quiver.
The stranger laughed. "My name is...Ruidi."
"Don't worry, guys," Pranu said. "We'll take him down."
"Y-Yeah," Caiyi stammered.
"I guess it's my turn, right?" Ruidi called.
Pranu and her helpers tensed, but it didn't help at all. One moment she was standing there, every sense on alert, and then suddenly, she was slamming into the stone wall that surrounded the gladiator field, with the wind knocked out of her.
When she finally regained her breath, she fell to her knees and coughed. She was even more surprised when she felt an excruciating pain in her chest; it was all she could do to not pass out. Black dots swam across her vision and she wanted to crawl into a corner and hide from the terrible monster called pain.
Then, something weird happened. Ruidi appeared next to her and gave her a... potion? His eyes were full of genuine concern. She was so weak she couldn't resist. Then, as the potion went down her throat, she felt the punctured lung inflate and her broken rib glue itself back together. She felt her energy return and an instant later, all concern was wiped from his face and Ruidi was at the other side of the arena again. Caiyi instantly took another swing and this time it connected, sending him sprawling. Ruidi got up. He wiped his mouth on his sleeve and drew his own sword.
And there they went. The two nine year-olds fought like demons. Tim tried to help by firing bolts of electricity, but stopped when Caiyi started swearing at him for hitting him, too.
Ruidi smiled. "Let's take it up a notch."
Caiyi smiled too. "Okay," he responded.
Then, Pranu could barely see them. That's how fast they were. Their swords were blurs, and sonic booms roared around the field. The audience was sitting in stunned silence. Then, suddenly, something went crashing to the earth. It was Caiyi. Ruidi landed next to him.
"You did good," he said, and then he was slamming into the wall as Caiyi kicked him from where he was playing dead.
"Of course I did," Caiyi said, wiping blood off his face.
Pranu got up and they cheered together, their happiness radiating clearly.
Then, Ruidi got up. He looked angry and sad.
"Cheering," he murmured, listening. "No one cheered for me. I was all alone. Silence. It was dark. And yet, you cheer. That will be your downfall" He shouted, after that string of incomprehensible words.
"RELEASE," he roared, and his energy pounded at their minds.
"Aw, man," Caiyi said. "I really didn't want to have to beat him up. Again." He drew his sword and lunged.
"NO!" Pranu screamed the last word, but it was too late. Ruidi looked up, and she could tell he'd changed from the boy who'd been so generous to save her life. No, that boy was long gone...
Chapter 32:Pranu-Tournament Conclusion
Ruidi shook out his wings. They glowed and then there was a moment of blinding light. When she looked back at him, she saw that he'd made two clones. They each made a fireball. One was red, the other orange, and then the last one was yellow. They clumped together, and then he hurled the fireball at Caiyi. Caiyi raised his sword and made his own ball, deadening the damage, but the impact still too great to withstand, sending him crashing into the opposite wall.
Caiyi got up and retrieved his sword.
"Not too shabby," he said, and then he lunged at Ruidi again. Pranu screamed a warning, but Caiyi still went for the attack. Tim must've sensed it too, because he got in Caiyi's way just as he was about to attack. Tim slowed Caiyi's lunge, but Caiyi's momentum sent him flying forward, and then, when he was only a couple feet away from Ruidi, bands of fire wrapped around him. Tim writhed and screamed and struggled, but it was no use. He soon stopped.
Pranu stared in horror. She sent a stream of water shooting towards the bands of fire and the fire steamed away, revealing what was in it. Black liquid was flowing inside the burned skin and into his body. Pranu realized with a start what it was. Poison. He could mix and create poison?! That was bad!
When the black liquid was all inside his body, Tim dropped. Caiyi quickly went to catch him. He threw him over to Pranu.
She analyzed it. He had used a type of poison she'd never seen before, and she realized with a start that the potion he gave her must have been a type of poison with healing properties. Indeed, when she looked at him and his clones, there was not a single scratch on them.
'How do you fight someone like this?!' Pranu thought, panicking. She looked up just in time to see Caiyi slammed into the wall again. This time, he didn't get back up. Suddenly, the weight of the situation pressed down on her, nearly squashing her flat.
'Everyone is depending on me,' She thought,'so that is why I cannot afford to lose!'
She got up and faced Ruidi. It was then she noticed the green light pulsing on his shoulder. Her eyes narrowed. It was a transmitter. They used them to magnify a particular emotion. In this case, that emotion was hate and misery.
'So that's why he changed so quickly. He's being controlled. '
"I'm sorry," she said. "but I must kill you."
A smile seemed to flicker across his face, but then it was gone and he was lunging toward her. She tried to block it but couldn't, and she was slammed into the ground. His hands pressed around her neck, and she saw his eyes filling with tears. With that, Pranu took her trident and, with her remaining strength, stabbed his arm. The transmitter was knocked out with a crackling sound. His hold immediately relinquished.
"Thanks," he said."And now to get out of here." He spread his arms, and concentrated all his energy. The net glowed as it tried to contain the energy. Ruidi seemed to be winning, until she noticed that he was slowly collapsing. The scientists had all drawn their guns.
"Freeze!" they sounded rather shakily.
Pranu quickly put her hand on his arm and transferred all her remaining energy to him. The net immediately burst. He waved his hand and his clones took out the guards lickety-split.
He yelled to all the mutant spectators. "What are you waiting for? Let's get out of here!" They all cheered and nearly trampled each other in their eagerness to get out of there. She smiled, too. It wasn't the way she had expected to reach freedom, but she'd still achieved it.
Chapter 33:Pranu-What happened After
Quickly, Ruidi produced a potion and fed it to Tim and Caiyi. Caiyi shot up immediately, and Tim shot up a moment later.
"You!" Caiyi said, and drew his sword.
Pranu drew her trident and blocked it. Caiyi looked confused.
"I'll tell you later," she said. "Let's follow the other people and escape!" Caiyi hesitated at first, then followed her toward the nearest door and hallway.
The mutants crowded through the hallway. The scientists followed them, trying to press them back. It was no use; it was their fault they kept so many children with them. Then Pranu heard the first gunshot. She whipped her head around and saw a little mutant girl drop to the ground with a bullet-hole in her neck. Every one started panicking, people fled to the right and every possible doorway there was to hide from the guns.
Caiyi whipped out his sword and hacked through the line of guards with the help of his fellow friends, giving the loose mutants a new surge of hope. The gaping hole in the line of guards let the mutants through in seconds. Loose limbs and bodies of the guards were laying everywhere.
"Come on! You people can do this." Ruidi shouted over the rumbling of feet on the neat blood stained tile floor.
A roar of agreement came from the crowd, and then they surged through the doorway. Pranu tried to too but then she was shot in the leg.
Chapter 34:Pranu-What happened After (cont.)
Pain shot through her veins. There is no escaping the pain; if only she had that potion she had drunk in the tournament. But there was none at all. Black dots swam in her head, she had no clear vision. Pranu tried to stand up but quickly fell down to the floor. She felt hands grab her firmly. Dragging her away from her friends.
"NOOOO..." Pranu never finished the sentence and blacked out.
Pranu woke up groggily in a dark dense forest. She heard the chatter of familiar voices by the fire.
She tensed 'Could it be the officials that survived or could it be my friends? There is only one way to find out.'
She jumped up and ran into thick built body.
"Hold it! You need more rest, your wound is starting to heal but don't put too much pressure on it or it will reopen." Ruidi said excitedly "Hey, you guys. Pranu is awake!"
Her friends rushed over and crowded over her. A bombardment of questions came.
"Calm down, you guys, I am fine. No more questions, at all." Pranu said with a huge sigh.
"Nothing could be worse than our winner being awake and alive." A sound came from the blazing fire.
"Yep," Tim and Ruidi agreed.
Insert: Alcyone
A battle. The sun gleaming brightly, unbearably hot on their arms. A stadium of people, a scientist with a shock of white hair. Yes, Alcyone vaguely remembered a battle. Yet whenever she thought too hard, her mind went blank. As if some unknown power was preventing her from remembering.
All Alcyone remembered of that battle were winged figures, rising in harmony into the blue sky and the beyond. Free.
Wait. There was something else. Falling.
Chapter 35:Pranu-Downed
The day was perfect for flying in the bright blue sky. The sun was shining, like a bright yellow light bulb. They were going to fly. Tim found out there was another facility nearby and they were going to free the mutants there. Her wings shimmered in the sunlight.
"Okay guys, on the count of 3, 1,2,3!" Ruidi yelled. Pranu pumped herself into the sky. she was at the rear of the group, enjoying the pure bliss. And then something hit her neck. The dizziness didn't come at first, but once it started she dropped like lead. Her last thought was, 'Oh crap! '
Chapter 36: Pranu-Torture
Pranu was thrown in her cage, again.
"You thought you could escape, didn't you. Well guess what? You can't. We have the most advanced tracking technology there is." A scientist with oily black hair sneered."You may be our prize, but that doesn't mean we can't torture you." He cackled maniacally.
Pranu sighed.'Thought? Are you there? Anyway, can you help me?'
Yes, Pranu did have a voice in her head.
'Nope,' it replied. 'But maybe you should look in the cage next to you.'
Pranu peeked into it. "Jason!" She screamed. Jason was a son of Hades and had wings, and had always been one of Pranu's best friends.
"Pranu," he said. "how did you get captured?"
"They shot me, with a stun gun." She replied.
"We'll you've been out for like 3 weeks." He said.
"Oh God!" she exclaimed.
'You know, you should stop calling me Thought,' Thought said, 'try Jason.'
"No, I will not call you Jason, Thought." Pranu said out loud. Then she realized what she said. "You're the thought?!" Pranu asked Jason. He nodded. "OMG!" She yelled. "So you can get in people's heads?" He nodded again and brushed his jet black hair out of his emerald green eyes.
"I will not permit you two talking." The oily scientist was back. He blocked Pranu from seeing Jason's cage.
"Why not? What's your problem?!" Pranu screamed. The scientist frowned.
"Just for that, my dear, you get five extra minutes in the torture machine," he said.
"So what is it?" Pranu asked.
"I call it...waterboarding!"
Pranu laughed her head off. She couldn't stop. After all, she could breathe underwater. The scientist narrowed his eyes and consulted his clip board.
"It looks like you are...exceptional," he said.
"Yeah," Pranu chortled.
"Then...ah! That one's nice!" He signaled to the guards and they grabbed her, moving her into a dark room. There, they strapped her into a...dentist chair?! Then, when feathers sprouted out of the armrests, Pranu gasped in horror. She'd always been really ticklish.
Then, the armrests moved down to her feet. They swished back and forth and Pranu laughed. The scientist smiled.
"So you are ticklish on your feet, eh?" He smiled and pressed a button. More feathers sprouted out of the armrest. "Enjoy," he said, and then he walked out.
She could withstand it at first, but soon, it was too much. She laughed and laughed until she was crying, and then it got serious when she was laughing so hard she could barely breath. Then, the machine suddenly stopped and she looked up to see her friends.
Ruidi was laughing. "Damsel in distress! Damsel in distress!" His clones laughed with him. Tim and Caiyi looked hurriedly towards the door. Then, the scientist and five guards barged in.
"Get them!" he yelled, but then Caiyi was getting them as he kicked them in either the head or the stomach. He moved on to the scientist, but Pranu stopped him.
"Wait," she said. "This one is...exceptional."
When they were ready to leave, Pranu looked once more at the terrified scientist who was now strapped in the tickling machine. She couldn't resist not saying one last thing.
"Enjoy," she said, and then walked out with her friends.
Chapter 37:Pranu-Escape
"We have to get Jason." Pranu said as she lead the rescue team out of the Lab. She stopped at his cage. "Jason?" She called. She peeked in. Jason wasn't there.
"Noo! Where's Jason!" She yelled. Ruidi clamped a hand over her mouth.
"Shut up!" Ruidi said, "You're making a commotion."
"But Jason." She said.
"We can't look for him, come on." Caiyi said.
Pranu reluctantly took off into the night. "So we're just leaving Jason behind in that...that place to let them torture him?"
Ruidi shook his head. "We don't have time. He'll find his way out."
Pranu sighed. "He's probably being tortured right now. He wasn't in his cage."
As her tears fell, they dropped in the lake they were flying over and joined with the water.
They landed and explored the terrain. Pranu went to find a stream. She was washing her face when the bushes behind her rustled. Lumbering out came a Hydra. Pranu stood still, hoping it wouldn't notice her. But it did. She whipped out her sword and dashed through the forest, the Hydra chasing her. And then it was gone. And she was lost, too.