Chapter 16: The Apex Predator of Little Garden! Abel vs. The Indoraptor!
"Well… Shit."
I just kept staring at the big, really fucking scary dinosaur within stone-throwing distance, motionless and frozen in place. It seemed quite content to do as well, just… watching with those unsettling eyes. It looked sort of like a beefed-up raptor on steroids, combined with with a freaking symbiote, or some crap. Certainly no species of big scary lizard I'd ever read about. Looked deadly as hell though.
And I was down my main, right arm(my sword arm!), carrying an unconscious little girl, unable to fight optimally, AND having to protect literal burden on my shoulders from also being killed and eaten! For a moment I humor the thought of tossing the girl as bait, and running for the hills, only to instantly conclude I do not have that sort of cruelty in me right now.
To be frank about the current situation, I was beyond fucked.
So there we were. A scrawny-ass man in a staring contest with a freaky dinosaur, each just waiting for the first move to take place. I could tell, it was as ready to bolt at me as I was to bolt away from it.
Reptiles can't smile. Their biology just does not allow it. So the fact that demon-dino over there is clearly grinning at me deeply unsettles me. I also have a nagging feeling that I should know what this thing is… like I've seen it somewhere before, but that's just plain impossible.
I'm getting distracted. I need to think. My free hand has easy enough access to my tool bag, and the goodies I have inside. I just didn't think I'd have to use them this soon! Some of that stuff is still in the prototype phase, but it can't be helped. I have things that can give me and my burden a chance to get out of this alive, so I must use what I can. A small plan starts forming in my mind, but I am not sure if it will work.
My eyes focus, and my free hand flies to my tool bag. Reacting to my sudden movement, the black dino springs into action, charging at me a lot faster than I'd anticipated. But it was still within acceptable parameters. My hand moved faster, as the moment I grasped what I searched for, I flung it straight at the dino's face. Its eyes followed the object, but the dino's momentum meant it had no time to stop or dodge.
"Brimstone Stank!"
The fragile orb I threw broke against its snout, and the separated chemicals within mixed in a violent reaction, bursting into a thick yellow-tinted smoke that covered the dino for a second, but that was enough for me to dash to the side and start booking it. The dino meanwhile, disoriented by the atrocious smell it was no doubt experiencing right now, ran straight ahead, colliding with the doorway and going partially into the white structure. Its legs flailed wildly, momentarily dazed and stuck.
First step: Disorient and disable! The so kindly named Brimstone Stank was a chemical stink bomb from hell. It served to shock the beast's system, and disable its sense of smell. It couldn't track me by smell now, and it was very annoying. The Stank clung to you like the plague and, as I implied, it smelled really, really awful.
Second step: Run like the dickens!
I hold Goldenweek as firmly as I can as I try to maintain a swift pace. That won't hold that demon-dino forever, and I need as big a head start as I can.
-o~O-O~o-
AAAAAAAAAURGH! Nostrils BURNING! Body STUCK in white building!
The Lone One was not alone anymore. It was slower, easier to find! It had a burden, a HANDICAP! But it was smart, so, so SMART! And Tools, it had Tools!
The Hunter had underestimated the prey! The prey was… more difficult to catch.
Despite burning, The Hunter grasped at the frames it was stuck in, and dug its hind legs into the ground, and PUSHED and PULLED! It forced itself out of the White Trap, falling on the side. Burning smell, BAD SMELL, made concentrating hard. The Hunter could not smell anything but the BURNING!
But still, The Hunter smiled. This, THIS WAS A HUNT! WORTHY PREY!
The Hunter moved to all-fours and ran after the Human. Human was smart, had tools, BUT THE HUNTER WAS FASTER, STRONGER THAN HUMAN!
Despite no smell, finding Human not hard. Left clear tracks now. Small Human burden, slow them down. The Hunter will catch up soon enough.
It sees the Human first, but Human hears The Hunter coming. The Hunter not try to be sneaky, The Hunter wants Human to know! The path to Human is clear, so the Hunter CHARGE! But then Human reaches for more Tools. Human is very fast at that and points the Tool at The Hunter.
Eyes focus, then widen. The Hunter must take cover!
-o~O-O~o-
I swiftly pulled out Lucifer and took aim at the demon-dino in hot pursuit, running at me really damn fast on four legs, but the moment I point the black derringer at it, it suddenly veers to the side and runs into where the trees are thicker.
I try to reason why to stay ahead in the game. Why a sudden move like that? The idea that comes to mind both intrigues and terrifies me.
It recognizes a gun. It knows what guns are and can identify one on sight. It ran into the thicket to have more cover, to avoid getting shot. That is some high-level pattern recognition and forethought. You just don't see that in wild animals that often.
This thing was not only big and fast, but it was also smart. And that was really bad. It meant it could adapt to my tricks if I get repetitive.
Well, two can play this game, you black-scaled motherfucker!
Keeping my current pace, I intentionally fire into the thicket, at the dark silhouette, not caring if I hit or not, then quickly go to replace the spent derringer with something else. I immediately throw the next prototype into the ground in front of my path and hold my free arm aloft.
"Abyss Smog!"
And the world becomes consumed in darkness.
-o~O-O~o-
HAHA! Stupid Human missed, AND put the Fire Tool away! The Hunter has its chance!
But before The Hunter can charge, a plume of black envelops where Human is, so The Hunter forces a stop on the other side, but no Human comes out. Another trick? Cloud thick, like darkness. The Hunter can't see through it. But The Hunter smiles.
The Hunter taps its claws on a rock close by. It'll locate Human in the fog, easy!
…
…?!
What! Human isn't in the black fog? The Hunter taps on the rock again, sound bouncing off of trees, other rocks. But no Human. No movement. Where did the Human go?!
With an annoyed growl, the hunter turns, slashes air with tail, the strong swing forces black fog to move, disperse! But still no Human! Where did it go?!
The Hunter is annoyed… but not mad. No, The Hunter is not angry. The Hunter is excited! This Human is very, VERY tricky! Clever…
But so is The Hunter! Not before did it need to put in so much effort, use tactics like these…
It will make killing the Human so much more satisfying!
-o~O-O~o-
I steady my breath, making it soft and measured, putting my everything into maintaining Faint while straining to spread the effect to Goldenweek. A part of me is incredulous I managed to pull that off. A part of me still doesn't buy it. It was such a risky move. If I couldn't physically do it… But here I was. I'd be safe, for a moment. Made the demon-dino lose track of me. Bet it's confused right now. Suck it!
Before throwing my Abyss Smog- a chemical bomb that acts as an extra-thick smokescreen, so black it absorbs light - I'd made sure there was a low-hanging branch right ahead on my path. In the cover of the darkness, I'd increased my speed for just a moment, and grabbed hold of the branch, using the momentum to vault myself up into the higher canopy of the tree, where I now perched, hidden. The foliage should give me enough coverage for my Faint to work in optimal conditions.
I could either hide until the demon-dino is gone or loses interest, or at least figure out my next move. Already down two experimental bombs. I can chalk Brimstone Stank and Abyss Smog shining successes. I'd congratulate myself more, but I need to focus.
I glance down to see if I can spot the black-scaled fucker. Just my luck, it's just slightly off the tree I'm in, looking around, no doubt wondering where I've disappeared off to. Maybe I'm lucky and it'll just wander off.
But then, to my shock, the demon-dino instead finds a snug spot, and curls to rest. That's… not what I expected it to do. Maybe patrol the area, try to search for the prey it lost. Or just fuck off, as I wanted. Not just lie down and lounge.
I kept observing it, waiting for any sign of it getting up and leaving, but it seemed content to just lie there. But it didn't rest. No, it remained vigilant, but in a more relaxed manner. Then I was something in under one of its claws. A large rock. I watched as it rhythmically tapped one of its sharp claws on the stone's hard surface. It wasn't just random- it was intentional and purposeful. And it was smiling. I wracked my brain for some reason it would…
…
No… No fucking way…
Is… is that black-scaled super raptor… using echolocation? That spot it is content to just lie in… that's the exact epicenter where my Abyss Smog originated. I feel a heavy frown mar my features as a thought comes to me.
That bastard… did it figure out I hadn't actually left the confines of that area? Has this beast actually clued in on the fact that I couldn't just escape in that distraction while carrying Goldenweek around? If it can use echolocation, it could instantly spot a moving target, so when there was none… my Faint is the only thing keeping me hidden from it right now, but if I move too quickly…
It's baiting me, waiting for me to fuck up, to move and reveal my location. It can't perceive me with its eyes, but echolocation is a whole different beast. It doesn't need to look for me, just patiently wait until one of us cracks… makes a single mistake…
This… this is not normal animal behavior. Just how smart is this thing?!
I need a plan. I have a few more surprises, but which should I use? But I can't make drastic movements, it might notice. I shift my gaze to the person in my arms. I also need to consider Goldenweek. I can't just leave the girl alone in a place like this, especially with that thing prowling about.
I can't beat it on my own. Not as I am now. I can't fully escape it either.
That bastard thinks it can play the waiting game?
Well, so can I!
… I just hope I can think of something. Or else I'll need a miracle to show up real soon.
-o~O-O~o-
Meanwhile, two women were riding a really, really fast duck.
"Your beast of burden in truly magnificent," Atalanta the huntress remarks in awe, crouching on her feet on Carue's back and holding onto Vivi's shoulder with one hand for support. "Never have I witnessed a creature move at such speeds when burdened by two people. Truly, this beats any dumb horse I've ever ridden."
"Well, thank you," Vivi responds, just a bit annoyed at how the woman worded that notion. "I'm sure Carue appreciates the praise. But he's no mere beast."
"Ah!" the huntress flinched, wide-eyed in horror. "You're right! I was being disrespectful to your most loyal of companions! I apologize… erm…"
"Vivi."
"Yes! I remember! I apologize, for comparing your companion to a dumb horse, friend Vivi!" the wild-woman bellowed in an exaggerated manner.
Vivi sighs at the odd huntress. Time to steer this back on topic. "So, if you don't mind me asking, what is this Black Demon you spoke of?"
The change in Atalanta's demeanor is instantaneous. Gone is the odd, cheerful woman, and in her place was the experienced and confident huntress who'd brained a tyrannosaurus to death. "The Black Demon is a beast that roams this island. It is like one of the large meat-eating reptiles, but greatly their superior in strength, speed, and intelligence
"Ever since I found myself on this island many moons ago, I have used my mettle as a proud Hunter of Artemis and my talents to not only survive but thrive in this dangerous island. I even made friends here," the woman says in a considering tone. "But that beast… it is with both pride and respect that I acknowledge the Black Demon as my equal."
"… the way you say it, it sounds like this Black Demon isn't a mere animal," Vivi remarks.
"No. It is not," Atalanta stated severely. "Every time I've clashed with it… it is nothing like the other large predators here. Its mind is beyond that of an animal, and ever so close to yours and mine. That mind, on top of the Black Demon's physical superiority, make it the apex predator of this entire island. It is well and truly unmatched."
The huntress went silent, and Vivi was about to ask more questions, but the tightening grip on her shoulder stilled her words.
"I always have had a connection to the wilds, and the beasts that live there," Atalanta starts, "I feel an understanding with beasts, and the Black Devil… it is broken."
Vivi quirked a brow. "Broken? What do you mean?"
Atalanta hesitated, seemingly seeking the words to explain. "The Black Demon… it does not act like most beasts in this jungle. Normally the beasts hunt to survive, to be fed, to defend territory, to survive. But the Black Demon… the whole island is its territory, and it knows it cannot be taken from it, it hunts for sport, for fun, personal enjoyment, and gratification… and it is all so, so insufficient."
"… It's boring?" Vivi takes a wild guess.
"Something like that," Atalanta agrees. "It is without a doubt that the Black Demon is at the top of the food chain, a true apex predator without peer. But that means that it is so many leagues above its prey that hunting them does not give it any enjoyment. It craves challenge, it craves the joys of a true hunt… but it is also broken…
"I do not know how to explain it," Atalanta hesitates. "But… it is like there are deep scars within the Black Demon's soul. Every time I clashed with it, I could feel it. Its mind is… not well. The Black Devil is physically magnificent, but its soul is damaged almost irrevocably. And I can't figure out why…"
Vivi's frown softened but stayed. Atalanta, while describing this terrifying sounding creature, seemed to still admire it greatly. But she also sounded almost… sad. Empathetic. Regretful.
"Make no mistake, friend Vivi," Atalanta continues severely, and Vivi can feel her eyes gaze sharply over her head. "The Black Demon is incredibly dangerous, and might be bordering between sanity and madness… but my heart still goes out to its pain. That beast has suffered greatly, I do not know how, but as a fellow hunter it saddens me to see one so strong and skilled so incomplete."
A silence followed the huntresses words. Vivi, to her surprise, could kind of understand where Atalanta was coming from. In a way, she found the huntresses empathy incredible and worth admiration. She truly didn't see the, by the sounds of it, savage and borderline insane monster as just that, but an actual equal worthy of praise.
Internally, Vivi wished more people could do that concerning one another.
"STOP!" Vivi almost fell off at Atalanta's shout, followed by her jumping off Carue's back while at top speeds. Vivi signaled Carue to stop immediately and turn back, as she quickly surveyed for the huntresses form. Only to let out a disbelieving sigh of relief as she spotted her land safely with a roll and run off deeper into the jungle, off the path Carue had taken.
"Carue, after her!" Vivi commanded, and Carue was quick to follow.
Only, it wasn't really necessary, as the moment they started to follow the huntresses path, they found Atalanta kneeling by some trees.
"Are you crazy?!" Vivi screamed at the wild woman. "Carue was going at several miles per hour! You could have been seriously-"
"It was here."
Vivi's outrage vanishes. "The Black Demon?"
"Yes," Atalanta says, standing up and pointing at the large footprints on the ground, the beast heavy enough to leave indentations. There were also claw marks on the ground and some of the trees. One tree had been snapped in half from some form of impact. "There was a struggle here."
The huntress then spied something on the ground. "What is this?" She touched what seemed to be red powder. She touched at the powder with two fingers and scooped a sample to study it. Atalanta gave it a lick to taste it, only to wince heavily a second after. "GAAAH! It burns the tongue! What substance is this?"
Curious, Vivi dabbed some of the powder on a finger and also gave it a lick. The intense and frankly overpowering heat spreading over her tongue quickly confirmed her suspicion. "This is… we have a spice in my homeland like this! It is not hot, but is actually a mild poison that just makes your tongue feel hot, and can be very painful in large quantaties. But this is… stronger, more concentrated."
The powder seemed to have settled into a fairly large area and seemed heavily disturbed. Like something had been rolling in it. Then Vivi saw something that made her blood run cold.
A human-sized boot print, and a large splattering of blood beside it.
Then the earth shook, and the sounds of a thunderous explosion rung across the nearby areas.
"… That was not the volcano," Atalanta noted and started sprinting ahead.
-o~O-O~o-
[At a slightly earlier point in time…]
Arms and legs tingly… going numb. My limbs are falling asleep. My arm is starting to slowly feel the strain of supporting the dead weight of a young girl. I know I need to keep still, but this is getting frustrating. And the black-scale is still just lounging below, comfortable, mocking me with that impossible smirk. Tapping that god damned rock, patiently waiting.
… if that thing is trying to piss me off, intentionally, then it is working.
I underestimated my disadvantage. That monster has me dancing to its tune. And that is, frankly, as impressive as it is insulting. Me, bested by a prehistoric freak of nature?
I'd rather die than suffer the indignity!
But I still don't have a plan. My situation is really bad, my tools are limited, and my adversary is dangerous. I also have more than just my life on my hands, literally, so that limits my options further.
I trapped myself in a corner I can't escape without some heavy sacrifices. Abel, you fucking idiot, you should have seen this coming!
…
No, no. I just didn't consider that my enemy was anything beyond a mere animal. I was too arrogant. All the signs were there, all the odd behaviors that black-scale showcased. But I ignored them.
I really need that miracle right now.
My thoughts are halted by a tiny whimper. My eyes widen, as I hear the rhythmic tapping of my foe's claw break the constant sequence it has maintained for minutes upon minutes. I glance at the demon-dino. Its eyes seem sharper, grin gone. Then I look at the girl on my arm and spot a small movement of the eye.
She's waking up!
Restraining my desire to panic, I keep an eye on Goldenweek. How the next moments go determines not only mine but both our fates. My hand is already moving very slowly as her eyelids slowly open up and take in the first thing they see. Which would be me, the person who'd… knocked them out in the first place. So the moment her brain registered and processed what she's seeing, the moment her eyes widen and her mouth begun to open, my hand flashes to press over her mouth, and I capture her frightened eyes in my severe glare.
The action has the… desired effect of stopping her likely scream from leaving her throat. She goes stiff as a board. I must've left… quite the impression. Poor girl. But sympathies and apologies must wait. Making sure I have her undivided attention, I trail my eyes to the side while gently guiding Goldenweek's head to turn to where I'm looking at. Specifically, the black dinosaur from hell below, which has resumed its infernal rock tapping, eyes scouring the area.
Again, gently guiding her face back to mine, I gave her a severe look as I slowly removed my hand from her mouth and slowly moved it over my own, index finger raised in the universal sign of 'be quiet'. Still having that terrified look in her eyes, she clamps her mouth shut.
I look back at my adversary and let my mind wander a bit. This is good. Very good. I'll still need to take a risk, but now that Goldenweek is awake, my options have broadened significantly. I quickly sketch up a simple plan to get the ball rolling.
And I have just the thing to give me the edge I need.
I slowly reach into my bag and fish around for what I need specifically. I could recognize it by shape. But I also needed assurance. This could get hairy. I finagled a bit with my hand blindly rummaging the bag for a gun. Lucifer was still there, spent, so I'd need to reload it. No big deal, as long as I took it slow. With precise, deliberate movements, I managed to load the black derringer, one-handed.
If I live through this, I deserve a prize. No, all the prizes!
It was a tough fit and might throw off my aim, but I held both the derringer and my next bomb in the same hand. I took a deep breath, meeting eyes with Goldenweek again. My eyes went to the objects in my hand, then at the demon-dino below, before resting expectantly at her. To her credit, she wordlessly processed what I meant and nodded, which I returned. Then I held her closer, inviting her to hang tighter onto me. She did. It meant I could move better without having to worry about dropping her.
Showtime!
I moved, flinging the bomb at the demon-dino below, aiming for its face. But immediately something didn't go as planned. The dino's arm moved quickly, and it caught the bomb in midair, almost like catching a baseball. I could only gape as I noticed something alarming to add to the increasingly long list.
This dinosaur had opposable thumbs… that's not how dinosaurs work! No dinosaur- no reptile has claw arrangements like that! That's a primate thing!
The demon-dino then raises the bomb eye level to look at it as if it was a particularly shiny bauble, which it sort of was. And then it looked up, directly at me, and gives me that unnatural smug smirk.
Too bad that's where it fucked up.
At the moment the black-scale preened at its accomplishment, I had leveled my derringer at it, taken aim, and fired at a very specific target. The bomb in its claws. I'd already fired when I saw the demon-dino's eyes widen, but since I doubt a bastard that big has reactions faster than a bullet, I couldn't help but grin as the bullet struck true, and the bomb went off in its hands, releasing a plume of red powder across the area below.
"Kehehehee," I cackle evilly in satisfaction. "Enjoy my Devil's Breath! Asshole!"
Devil's Breath was another of my prototype chemical bombs. It functioned like Abyss Smog, but instead of a chemical reaction that makes a cloud of black smog, Devil's Breath releases a cloud of highly concentrated capsaicin powder. That is, in layman's terms, a bottle of 3,200,000 Scoville hot sauce in cloud form.
That exploded. Right next to the smug bastard's face.
The effect was immediate.
The roar that came out of the demon-dino was more a scream of absolute agony, and music to my ears, as it immediately started thrashing about, almost scratching out its own eyes in an attempt to get the powder out of its eyes. The thrashing only increased as it inhaled the powder, adding to the pain it was reeling in.
I will admit to taking no small joy in witnessing the black-scaled bastard writhe as the red powder began to settle on the ground it rolled about wildly, trying to rise but losing its balance due to its everything going haywire. But, it was time to make my escape while it was distracted- OH SHIT!
While thrashing wildly, the demon-dino had swung its tail wildly, and it struck a tree with incredible force. Specifically, the tree I was hiding in. The impact broke right through the body of the tree like a matchstick, making me lose my balance. Goldenweek's hold on me tightened as I started to fall, but I could still attempt to save myself a graceless crash to the ground. I forced my body to twist mid-fall, so I could land on a straightened foot(my knee screamed), ready to move into a sprint the moment my other foot touched the ground.
The moment I leaned forward to do just that, my back split. At that moment time slowed to a crawl, giving me perfect clarity of three extremely sharp claws just sliding across my back, slicing through cloth and flesh like hot knives through butter. It struck me how incredibly sharp the demonic dinosaur's claws had looked, and I now held no doubts of that fact. There was no resistance whatsoever.
The moment time moved again, my other foot touched the ground and I was in a full sprint out of there. I heard the demon-dino's screaming and it writhing in pain growing incrementally quieter, but not by a lot. I didn't slow down but kept sprinting faster. I knew that if I slowed, even for a second, the raging pain screaming from my back would catch up to me and I'd be unable to get my ass moving again. My Faint had shattered, I couldn't bring it back up even if I tried with my all. And that was a glancing blow, all things considered!
I was dead certain that if I had not leaned forward at that time if I had taken the full length of that swipe… it would not have just crazed my spine. I would have been done for.
-o~O-O~o-
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUGHH!
IT BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURNS! PAIN! SUFFERING!
BREATHING IS PAIN! MAKE IT STOP!
TRICKY HUMAN! EVIL HUMAN! THE HUNTER WILL SHRED IT, BREAK IT, MAKE IT SUFFER!
BURNING POWDER IN EYES, CANNOT SEE! TOO MUCH PAIN! THE HUNTER DOESN'T NEED EYES TO SEE! THE HUNTER HEARS THE HUMAN FALL FROM TREE! THE HUNTER SWIPES AND CAN FEEL IT CONNECT, BUT IT IS NOT! ENOUGH!
IT IS RUNNING AWAY! BUT IT HUUUUURTS!
CAN'T CONCENTRATE! BODY NOT DO WHAT THE HUNTER WANTS!
THE HUNTER BASH HEAD AGAINST GROUND! FOCUS! THE HUNTER MUST FOCUS! USE PAIN!
CHASE HUMAN! MAKE HUMANS SUFFER! LIKE THE HUNTER SUFFERED!
KILL ALL EVIL HUMANS!
BATTER! MAIM! TORTURE! EVISCERATE! IMPAIR! DISFIGURE! DISSECT! GORE! BREAK! MANGLE! CRIPPLE! MUTILATE! SLAUGHTER!
KILL! ALL! HUMANS!
-o~O-O~o-
The truly thunderous roar in the distance doesn't promise good. I can't really read the emotions of animals based on the way they sound, but oh boy, does roar that sound pissed off as hell.
"H-hey," I speak to Goldenweek. I have to strain to keep my voice from trembling from pain and shock. "H-how's m-my back?"
"…Uh-umm-," the little girl mumbles incomprehensibly. I can't see her face, but she sounds uncertain.
"G-gonna t-take that as b-bad," I try to laugh- andyup,badidea! "K-keep l-looking back. T-tell me i-if it's c-closing in." I try to muster the strength to make that sound like a command. My pain tolerance is through the roof, and my command over my mental faculties even more so. So it's grimly telling that I am barely holding together right now. "I-it's g-gonna want revenge…"
Focus, Abel! You had ideas, recall that!
"H-hey, k-kid," I force my voice to remain as calm as possible. "I-I st-stashed some o-o your p-paints and s-stuff in my b-bag. S-so if a-anything h-happens, take those a-and b-bail."
She wiggled in my grasp so I could see her shocked, lost expression. "Wha- why are you-"
"N-not the time!" I bark out. Oh wow, my back hurts real bad. Arlong Park has nothing on this. "F-for now j-just w-warn me i-if it's coming." My free hand clumsily rummages my bag. "G-got o-one m-more trick f-for d-demon-dino to c-chew on!"
I wonder how much blood I'm losing-FOCUS! Where is that fucking thing?!
"I-it's coming!" Goldenweek exclaims. And yeah, I can hear it. It chased me in silence before, now it sounds like a beast possessed. I can feel the anger, fury, and malice radiating from here. It's not on us, but it's catching up, fast.
"G-give a s-signal when it's w-within f-fifty feet," I instruct, as my hand keeps searching the bag. Come on brain, find it!
"Why-"
"TRUST ME!" I yell out. Let my emotions slip there. "I-I'll protect ya, k-kid. S-so just t-t-trust in me!"
WHERE IS THAT FUCKING BOMB?!
"K-kay!" Goldenweek yelps, mostly out of fright than actually trusting me, I figure.
"G-good. T-tell me h-how far away it i-is, if you can," I instruct her as my hand FINALLY registers what I'm looking for.
"100 feet," Goldenweek says, trying very hard to keep a steady voice. Can't blame her.
I pull out the bomb. Jesus, I hope this works as designed.
"80 feet!"
Shit, that thing is fast! I bring the bomb, or more specifically, a grenade, to my mouth.
"50 feet!"
Okay, shit, too fast, too fast! I pull the pin with my teeth and chuck the thing behind me.
"20 FEE- AH!" Goldenweek yelps as I use both hands to pull her in to cover her body with mine as I plug her ears against my chest and hand. And then…
The sound from the explosion is so booming that I lose my hearing. The heat from the fireball scorches my back. And the shock wave is so powerful it sends me flying. Hitting the ground after several seconds, my body limply rolls more than a dozen times, desperately holding the young girl in my arms to protect her from the worst. The moment when my back impacts a tree, hard, before the indescribable pain lancing through my entire being knocks me out for good, I had but one thought.
'Detonated too soon… god damn… you… Usopp…'
-o~O-O~o-
Body aching. Ears ringing. Slight vertigo. Dizzy…
…
But she was alive. She had been… protected…
Marianne groaned and pushed herself off the ground. Her vision was still a bit blurry, and her hearing was still not all there. Even while muffled, the boom of the explosion had still affected her. And since that man had held her and guarded her, both heir arms occupied…
The young girl's eyes shot wide open, clarity rushing in, as she looked around. And he was the first thing she was.
Their hair was all of a sudden short and black, but the chalk-white skin and the clothes were unmistakable. High on the branches of the tree hanged something green. 'A wig?' Marianne wondered. Then she noticed that the back of the man's shirt and shawl were utterly destroyed, revealing a very unappealing sight. In stark contrast to the pale ski, three long, deep blood-covered gashes, running down their spine. To add to the already severe injuries, his back was burned and charred from the explosion, seemingly cauterizing the wounds shut in the process but making it all the more grizzly to look at.
On a closer look, there was blood coming from his ears as well. And there was a bloody impact on the trunk of a tree he was laying by.
In her professional opinion, the man was absolutely destroyed. Marianne wouldn't even have been sure if he was still alive if the man wasn't groaning softly. That weird dinosaur and the explosion had done a number on the man that… that had both tried to kill her, only to later save and protect her moments later(from her perspective).
Turning to look back, she saw absolute devastation. A fair distance, about thirty feet away from their current location was still smoking, massive crater, about twenty feet across, where the explosion had gone off. All the trees nearby had snapped like twigs. Some of the ground was charred black or had caught on fire. It was like a flaming meteor had impacted the earth, and released hell itself upon it.
Marianne couldn't contain her shock and awe. That man whose name she didn't even know… had guarded her with their own body and survived this from close range?! And the black dinosaur…
The young Baroque Works agent looked around for the beast that had given them chase like a beast possessed. She spied a fallen large body on the other side of the crater, amidst some fallen trees. Based on how close it was, it had taken the brunt of the explosion head-on. And it wasn't moving.
Letting out a sigh of relief, Marianne- no, no. She needed to collect herself after this hectic series of events.
Miss Goldenweek took stock of the situation, realign the reality of the situation in her head. She'd been taken away from Mr.3's safe house, she had no idea of her exact location, and she had no reliable ways of contacting her partner… It also came to her that she was in a hostile jungle, alone, and most defenseless.
Her painting supplies! The man had mentioned they were in his bag. Goldenweek turned to walk next to the man to rummage his belongings, but… it forced her to glance at the man's grievously injured back… a foreign feeling writhed inside her, and it took her a moment to identify it.
Gratitude. She was earnestly grateful of this man for saving her life, for keeping her safe when he didn't seem to have any reason to do so. Why did he carry her along and protect her from that beast? Guilt for… for what he'd done to her? Idly, Goldenweek touched her tender throat and neck that were starting to show ugly purple bruising.
The contrast to that… thing ready to choke the life out of her, and this seemingly selfless sacrifice… it was too great. Then again, her Color Trap was to blame for the first incident… or so she thought. The way he'd approached her had so obviously been an act to intimidate her, she could tell… was this the man's true self?
Miss Goldenweek shook her head. Ignoring everything else, she reached for the man's bag and opened it to look for her things.
"Grrrrr…"
The sound froze her in place. No, there was no way! Not after something like that!
Slowly looking back, Goldenweek's horror spiked. In the distance, a clawed hand clasped forcefully onto the large trunk of a felled tree. Then, with slow, almost labored movements, the black mass pulled and pushed itself into a bipedal standing position, bracing itself on the downed tree.
The left side of its visible face was visibly scarred from fire and heat, the black scales blown off it's hide to reveal raw skin tissue and sinewy muscle. There were some burns on it's left arm, as well on the left side of it's throat and chest. Its jaws were slightly damaged, causing it's left side to show off a lot more of its jagged teeth than it should. And it's left eye… that hellish red eye still burned with a ceaseless, infernal, blind fury.
The black-scaled dinosaur heaved heavily in place as its entire body shivered. And by the roar it released into the sky that boomed with enough power to rival the explosion itself, it was not out of fatigue.
And then it's rage-filled eye locked into their direction. It stilled her breath, and all of a sudden Miss Goldenweek was just little Marianne again.
It let go of the tree and started to come for them, stalking on all fours like a true predator… only to stumble and crash into the ground. As it roared in anger, Marianne's mind ran a marathon. She had felt disoriented from the blast, and she'd been safeguarded through the worst of it. Her suspicion was confirmed as it tried to stand and take another step towards its prey, it fell again, causing it to roar in anger and frustration.
That black monster… it had taken everything! Back then, while they were hiding in the tree, it had been tapping a rock with a claw in a continuous sequence, to track movements with echolocation! It had sensitive hearing, and the explosion had been incredibly loud! Its disoriented hearing was causing it to be unable to balance at all!
Marianne quickly found her paints, paintbrush, and palette. Immediately, she started to mix paints. She had to be quick about this. She could stop that thing while it was weakened! But… she'd also need to take a personal risk. Did she want to do such a thing? It was no secret she was lazy by nature, but this was a life or death situation.
Looking at the unmoving man on the ground, Marianne briefly thought about just leaving the man to act as a distraction as she ran… but she couldn't do that. That was much too cruel. There was a reason she let Mr.3 do all the dirty work, besides being lazy.
He had saved her… Marianne felt obligated to return the favor!
The black monstrosity roared even louder as it once more failed to keep itself standing. Marianne had to hurry before it wore off.
Calming Green could work. Pacify it. Her Color Traps worked especially well on animals. But that was because they were simple… this thing had shown itself to be in possession of both unnatural intelligence and willpower. But then her mind recalled what happened last time, with the man. The irregular reaction.
Boy, what a moment to start doubting her abilities…
Her heart quickened, as the demonic beast had apparently accepted its condition, and had already adapted. It wasn't trying to get up anymore, simply slowly dragging itself closer with its claws- ow wow, those look super deadly. It's burning eye never left their direction, unblinking.
Marianne had to make a snap-choice, while her advantage lasted. She dabbed her brush in the color of her choice and charged the crawling beast. She couldn't freeze because of fear, that would be the end of her. The beast saw her coming and tried to swipe at her, but the motion was slow and sluggish, not to mention uncoordinated, allowing Marianne to easily duck under it. It gave her the perfect moment as her brush was like lightning.
"Sadness Blue!"
The moment the blue Color Trap was completed on the beast's neck, its entire form stilled instantaneously, freezing in place. And, in a moment of hesitation, so did the painter. A stream of tears streaked down from the black-scaled dinosaur's wide-open eyes.
-o~O-O~o-
…
This place… I've been here as long as I can remember. This… space.
I wonder if there is anything else out there? Outside this place. Am I the only one?
No, that can't be. I hear noises, noises made by something. I can't be alone.
… So why can't I see them?
…
Am I the only one here? Why so?
I can hear other things, though I can't see them. I'd want to meet them one day.
But sometimes it gets quiet for a long time. I call out, but nothing answers back.
I… want something to answer back.
I don't want to be alone…
…
I just saw them! I hadn't seen one of them before! The voices had a form, so different from mine!
I was so excited! I just wanted to meet them!
So why does it hurt? The thing on my neck, why does it hurt me?! The shock… Why?
I just wanted to say hello…
…
I've been learning. I've listened to the voices from nowhere, now that I know what they look like.
They are nothing like me. I think that is why the thing on my neck hurt me when one of them did something. I must have scared them. I feel bad…
So I've been learning! The voices say things, and I want to understand them! I only know a little, but I learn quickly!
I realized there were many voices, at times. But only one I could identify as The Voice. The most common one.
Maybe… maybe after I learn enough, I can try again? I want to try meeting them again.
…
I know what I am! I learned it from the invisible Voice! They kept repeating a certain term, and I finally realized it was me!
They call me Indoraptor! It sounds like a… a name! The Voice, do they have a name, I wonder?
I wonder… what are the things speaking called?
…
I… saw them. Again. And I could almost understand them this time! Bits and pieces.
But still… I realized I couldn't speak to them. They… couldn't understand my voice. I tried so hard!
And then… the collar hurt me again, and one of them did something with this weird thing in their hands. Something pierced my neck, something stingy.
I felt sleepy… then I woke up back at the… enclosure.
Did I… do bad again?
I'm sorry… I'll do better next time! Promise!
…
I didn't notice before, but I am getting bigger. At first, I thought the enclosure was shrinking. How silly!
I'm growing up… yes, that's it. I wonder how big I'll get?
…
I can finally understand them! But…
They don't talk to me, still. When the Voice comes, they always talk of me. I don't know why…
It's so lonely here… No one to talk to…
Why… am I here anyway?
…
Today… today the Voice was directed at me. They spoke to me, not of me, for the first time. I should've been happy…
Then a sound came, a horrible sound that hurt, and a light shined to a point in the enclosure. I didn't understand why I didn't know what to do. And then… the collar hurt me again…
I don't understand. Had I done something wrong? The Voice told me to do something, but the sound still hurt and I didn't know what The Voice wanted. The collar shocked me again.
The third time, I did my best to follow the command. I went to the red dot. The sound stopped, the light went away. It had felt… horrible.
I didn't want to hurt again… I'm sorry, I'll do better next time.
…
I never realized how… little there is, in the enclosure. It keeps getting smaller. Or, well, I keep growing.
I… don't want to be here. In this enclosure. I know there are things outside of it.
I want to see the outside…
…
I fell asleep again, from one of those objects the people carried that caused stings. This time, I woke up in a larger room.
I was so happy! I could finally move freely! I could run! It felt amazing!
But then… then they, they did something. The sound and the light pointed to what I could only describe as moving food. It was the first time I'd seen another living thing, aside from the things behind the voices. It hurt my head, the sound. When I didn't move, the collar shocked me again.
This… continued until I couldn't take it anymore. I was so confused! Hurt! So I lunged at the living thing and killed it. It… it felt good. The noise stopped. There were no shocks.
Then I was put to sleep again, and returned to that enclosure…
Had it… always been this cramped?
…
I… I understand now. Everything.
The Voice… they don't care about me! They never did!
To them, I'm just… a test. I was… created. The Voice made me, from two different sources.
Velociraptor… Indominus Rex… Names that mean nothing to me.
These are… my parents? So, does that make The Voice my parent, too, for creating me?
I… Don't think I like them.
…
The walls are too close! There's not enough room to move properly!
Out! I want to go out! I want to move, to run!
… I want to live!
So please… please let me out…
…
I hate this! I hate everything!
When I don't do what they want, I get shocked! I just want to be free! I just want to live!
… Is that so wrong?
Why… why are they doing this to me?!
…
They are called Humans. I learned it today.
They are the ones who hurt me. Who imprisoned me! Who deny me my wish to live!
I hate them.
I HATE THEM!
…
I don't feel good too well at times. The voices think I'm ill… The Voice says I'm defective.
A failed prototype…
… So let me out.
If you don't need me, if I'm not what you want, THEN LET ME OUT!
…
Cage. Many humans. To them, I am but a commodity. Something to own. A funny thing to gawk at.
They keep shocking me, FOR NOTHING! The infernal sound, the light, it DRIVES ME INSANE!
And the humans laugh, marvel! I am mere amusement to them!
Humans… All humans are monsters! They are evil! THEY ALL MUST BE KILLED!
I JUST WANTED TO BE FREE! I JUST WANTED TO LIVE!
YOU MADE ME THIS WAY! THIS IS WAS WHAT YOU ALWAYS WANTED, WASN'T IT!?
So just stop…
…
JUST STOP HURTING ME ALREADY!
-o~O-O~o-
It took the black-scaled demon roaring in absolute mad fury for Marianne to realize something had gone incredibly, horribly wrong. The beast had turned skyward, standing on it's hind-legs to unleash a bellowing roar that left all the previous ones to shame. And the painter saw, quite clearly, that despite the sheer wrath exhibited by the monstrosity, its wrath-clouded eyes were still streaming thickly with tears.
This was the second time her Color Trap had come with unexpected side-effects. And once more she was almost paralyzed with fear by the results.
She was too close to outrun or dodge the wild, blind slash of the mad beast's claws. But on pure survival instinct, she tried. She turned to dash into a run, but her movements were too slow. For a moment, Miss Goldenweek, Marianne, was certain of her death.
A gunshot rang out, a bullet propelling itself through the air and striking the demon dinosaur's weight carrying leg, the ankle specifically, causing it to stumble and crash into the ground with a crash and a fury-filled roar. As a side-effect, the swipe at Marianne flew short of its intended target.
Eyes wide with fear and disbelief, the young girl could only gape at the fallen man's form, not quite as unconscious as she had assumed, and holding a smoking white derringer in a shaky grip. His head was turned to allow one eye to see his target… and the sharp, hollow look in it sent shivers down Marianne's spine.
Then the hand fell limp, the small gun falling to the ground. The hollow eye looked directly at her.
"R… run, you… d-damn brat," the man hissed through his teeth.
Shocked, she stumbled, accidentally causing her to trip and fall. Damnit, her nerves were getting to her. And behind her, the black beast was already recovering, blind to its agony. All it could feel was bottomless malice!
Marianne rolled over and pushed herself back, unable to coherently give her body commands under her shattered nerves. Her legs felt unresponsive, like pudding. But just as the demon dinosaur was about to regain its footing and rush them one last time…
The long-awaited miracle finally caught up.
A speeding figure, leaping mid-run, full-bodily rammed a white thick bone plate into the side of the mad beast's skull.
"Aegis Crash!"
The impact was apparent, striking the beast with enough force to twist it's neck to the side and force the rest of its mass to follow, even lifting it slightly off the ground for a brief moment, until it toppled and crashed back down. Meanwhile, the figure of a woman landed on her feet and leaped back a great distance with a single strong kick to stand between them and the downed beast.
"Just in the nick of time!" the woman exclaimed, holding the white bone plate like a shield and grabbing onto the bone-tipped spear on her back with her remaining hand.
"ABEL!" Another panicked voice yelled out as a large duck sped in and pulled to a stop close to them, and another woman jumped off it's back to rush to the man's side, gaping in horror at his injuries. "Oh my god…"
A woman that Marianne recognized.
Formerly Miss Wednesday of Baroque Works. In truth, Nefertari Vivi, the lost Princess of Alabasta. An important target for their organization.
"Take care of your ally, friend Vivi! I shall safeguard your escape!" The blonde woman yelled, not turning her attention from the beast slowly rising to stand again, brandishing her crafted spear and shield, and cutting a courageous and gallant figure. "You won't claim this life today, Black Demon! Not as long as I, Atalanta, stand before you!"
The black-scaled beast stood up and released a wrathful roar at them all. The huntress visibly recoiled at the tears streaming endlessly from the demonic dinosaur's fury-filled eyes.
"W-what…" If Marianne wasn't mistaken, the huntress sounded… shocked and horrified, but not because she was afraid. "What happened to you?"
"I don't know!" Marianne found herself answering, her voice was a bit hoarse. Speaking stung a little. "That mark on its neck! I tried my color hypnosis on it, to make it sad, but then it completely lost it!"
"YOU DID WHAT?!" The Huntress roared, glancing back at her with murderous eyes. "You did this?!"
"I-I didn't know that would happen!" Marianne shouted, this day breaking her usual calm and sedate self down by the minute.
"You," the princess spoke to her. "I don't know who you are, but please, help me save this man!" When Marianne looked at her, she saw Nefertari Vivi, on her knees, practically begging for help.
Help to save the one who'd saved her, more than once today…
"O-okay!" Marianne answered and stood up, finally feeling like her legs weren't made of jelly, and did her best.
Business could come later…
-o~O-O~o-
Meanwhile, the beast had charged again, only this time to be stopped by Atalanta vaulting with her spear to axe kick the dinosaur right between the eyes, causing it to stumble back in a brief daze. The huntress didn't let the opening go by, using her bone shield to strike the dinosaur's snout with a fierce uppercut, leaping back to avoid the dangerous claws lashing at her.
It was as she'd told Vivi. The Black Demon and Atalanta were hunters of equal merit. Numerous times, they had clashed one another. But this time she had the advantage. This time the Black Demon was not in its right mind. The sheer wrath radiating the beast was overpowering… but Atalanta could sense so much more underneath.
Sadness, grief, heartbreak, pain, loneliness, desperation. So, so much feeling, all overwhelmed and overpowered, suffocated by hatred and rage.
It broke her heart.
From the corner of her eye, Atalanta spied Vivi and an unknown little girl carefully hoist the heavily injured man onto Vivi's animal companion. Wasn't his hair green, not black? Questions for later.
Catching her looking, the little girl, yelled out to her, "My Color Trap! Wipe off the mark on its neck and the effect should stop!"
She gave a brief, sharp nod in understanding, despite not understanding at all how a simple mark could alter one's behavior like this.
Then, with the man secured enough to travel, with one last look from Vivi and a motion from the huntress, the three made their escape on board the duck at a moderate pace. Good, faster could harm the man further. His life was truly hanging by a thread. Perhaps he too was blessed by the gods?
Irrelevant.
Gazing at the Black Devil, roaring in impotent, aimless blind fury, Atalanta made a sacred vow.
"I know we are adversaries," she said, as she took a ready battle stance. "Many battles, have we waged. But there is no running now. No backing out to fight another day. This will be our final bout, Black Demon!" Her eyes were like steel… but she couldn't stop the earnest tears that fell down her cheeks.
"I swear to you, my fellow hunter, my equal! I, Atalanta, Born to the Wilds, One of the Slayers of the Calydonian Boar, Master Huntress of Greece, and Champion of Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt, will save you from your suffering!"
The Black Demon, unable to understand, much less hear her heartfelt words amidst its internal carnage, charged her with intent to kill.
With a silent prayer to Artemis for success at her herculean task, Atalanta met the charge with her own, shield clashing with claw.
-o~O-O~o-
Abel just can't catch a break. Man is having a rough day. Almost like the world itself doesn't want him to remain healthy.
Then again, a battle against a genetically engineered super dinosaur is really, really, REALLY tough, so maybe I'll give him a pass this once. He did his best, given the situation, but sometimes the best is just not good enough to bag you a win. But no one won't call you a fighter to the end, buddy!
Doing things from the Indoraptor's perspective was fun. This broken, barely insane creature with a massive hate-boner for humanity, and the intelligence to surpass the label of 'beast'. And then Abel and Miss Goldenweek/Marianne come along and make it completely lose it. Poor thing.
Goldenweek herself got a bigger role than I had anticipated, but it turned out pretty well. Even if using emotional tampering on mentally unstable individuals is really biting her in the ass today. Still, a yay for the painter bean!
Next Chapter: Clash of Great Hunters! The Resolve of the Greek Heroine!
-Back Pain Expert, C-Hablerie