Chapter 19: Don't Fear the Reaper

THWACK!

"AUGH!"

Sparx cried out as he was thrown across the street, landing in a heap. He lifted his head, warily, wondering when things had gone to crap so quickly.

People were screaming… running for the shelters Otto and Gibson had installed so many years ago that only now were being used. It was the team's job to keep them safe from harm but this horde of formless was not backing down any time soon.

The entire Hyper Force was doing what they could but even in this…

They were keeping an eye out for one of their own.

"You know, maybe we should tell the kid to duck for cover. We can handle this, can't we?"

Antauri growled, blocking an attack coming in from his right.

"No. The formless will hunt him no matter where he roams. Even if we told him to go straight home he would still be found."

A cry caught their attention as a woman was slammed into a wall, separating her from her child.

Her child fell, landing right in the path of another as the formless raised its scythe high over its head.

Gibson and Otto leaped into action.

"NO YOU DON'T!"

Otto dove in front of the boy, whirling around, as he sliced cleanly through the formless at the waist.

"Stay away from him!"

The child sniffled, huddling close to Otto.

He gave him a reassuring look, patting him on the head with his tail.

"It's okay kiddo, you're safe."

Gibson growled, finishing off the opponent on his side before helping the woman to her feet.

"Are you-" He sighed before signing. "Are you alright?"

She nodded before hurrying to her child, scooping them up.

"My baby! Oh thank goodness…"

Otto nodded before nudging her along as she hurried away towards the bunker closest to them.

He growled, whirling back around to face their foes.

Now, he was really mad.

A twinge of worry clung to him.

I hope…

I hope everyone made it to the shelters safe and sound…

Oh, please be safe, Chiro…

It was then as he craned his neck up…

The day was about to go from bad… to worse.

The formless, all suddenly stopped in their attacks, craning their necks skyward.

A swirling portal of energy was above them now as a figure peered through.

"No…" Nova shook her head. "Not again…"

A chuckle escaped them as they lunged from it, floating downwards.

Clad in armor made of bone, encasing his abdomen, a long cloak flowing behind him, was a young man, his long hair flowing in the wind as he landed before the monkeys.

He wore a mask of a skeleton partially covering obscuring the top half of his face, his red eyes peering through. Aside from his armor, he was dressed in all black and purple, his hands covered by gauntlets made of the same bone as his armor.

"My, oh my… I'm quite the lucky man. All five monkeys caught in a barrel for me." He looked them over, tsking a bit. "Although it looks like Valina was right - you guys ARE terrible at this. Where's your leader?"

"And who are you supposed to be!? The Skeletal Cosplayer!?" Sparx shouted.

The man threw back his head, laughing.

"Oh, that's rich coming from the pink one."

Sparx snarled, his magnets charging up.

Nova put a hand out in front of him.

"We're not telling you where he is."

The man sneered.

"Fine… then I suppose it's only fair to give you a proper introduction. They call me…" He snapped his fingers, a scythe appearing in hand.

The weapon crackled with purple energy as the blade of the scythe glowed brightly.

"The Reaper!"

He dashed forward with that, slashing directly in the team's direction, a large beam of energy shooting forth from it.

"GET BACK-!"

There was no escaping it. The beam found them as purple electricity shot up around them.

"AUGH!"

It burned… it burned through their entire cores as they struggled to stay standing.

The Reaper laughed, shaking his head.

"Wow… It's a wonder Valina had trouble with you! Oh right, you're worried…"

"Ngh… You won't get away with this!" Otto called out. "Chiro's coming…"

The Reaper smiled, dragging his weapon along the ground before raising it high above his head.

"That's exactly what I'm counting on."

The scythe charged, crackling with dark energy.

"Now… who wants to be sent to the afterlife first?"

oooooo

His heart was racing.

Something was wrong. He could just feel it.

Chiro was running as fast as he could, trying to avoid any fights if he could.

The formless were after him and Jinmay now, doing everything in their power to stop him.

Jinmay yelped as a blade came in close.

Chiro pulled her down as they ducked, the blade slicing across his cheek in the process.

"NGH!"

"Chiro!"

He panted, forcing himself to his feet.

"M'alright…" He got up. "You wanna play the hard way, huh?"

"Chiro-!" Jinmay got to her feet. "What are you-"

Chiro took a deep breath, placing both hands over his heart… the energy around him was warm and familiar now.

The green energy enveloped his entire body, blinding Jinmay momentarily.

As it faded, the boy she knew was reborn anew.

The white uniform, the navy gloves and boots… and his orange scarf, that now flowed in the wind.

Jinmay's eyes grew wide.

"Chiro…"

Chiro smiled at her before turning to face his foes.

"Jinmay… there's something you need to know about me."

His fist crackled with electricity, as he reared his fist back.

"I'll do everything I can to protect you!" He took a deep breath. "THUNDER PUNCH!"

THWACK!

The formless before him was gone in an instant.

Chiro grinned before he grabbed Jinmay's hand anew as they ran.

"Whoa! Where are we going!?"

"This is the shopping district - Gibson and Otto built a bunker under my sister's shop so she could be safe in case of emergencies." He explained. "When you get inside, please, I'm begging you, go to the backroom and go behind the Asclepias - there's a hatch. Open it and close it over your head. We'll get you, I promise!"

Jinmay narrowed her eyes, picking up speed, grabbing a pipe off the ground.

"Oh no you don't."

"What!?"

"Where are your monkeys?" She asked.

Chiro grimaced.

"Likely where the sirens started going off. Two blocks from here."

"Then go to them." She smirked. "I can take care of myself, you know."

"How…?!"

Jinmay dashed ahead, lunging upward, stabbing a formless right through the chest as it imploded with the force.

She landed, twirling as she grabbed another's arm, throwing it over her shoulder effortlessly.

"SCREE!"

SPLAT!

She picked up the pipe, twirling it in one hand, throwing her hair over her shoulder.

Chiro's jaw dropped.

"Whoa…"

That is…

She's…

WOW.

She smiled confidently.

"Go to your team." She narrowed her eyes, her smile turning into a smirk. "I can handle myself, you know!"

"Are you sure?"

She smiled, nudging him along.

"Ren taught me how to protect myself from anything or anyone. I'll be fine, promise."

Chiro's heart skipped a beat.

He knew she was capable… all of the conversations they had late at night taught him that much.

This wasn't what he was expecting though when she mentioned offhandedly that her brother taught her self defense.

"Jinmay… I swear I'm gonna make this up to you!"

She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

His face burned as heat rushed to his cheeks.

"Go." Jinmay nudged him. "Be safe and take them down."

"Heh… I'll do my best. Stay safe. The shop is a block down."

"I know the way." She rested the pipe over her shoulder, whirling around to face the horde approaching.

She sneered.

Now, this was her style.

"And I won't let them stop you. Go!" She got into a ready stance. "I'll protect this sector and the people in it!"

With that, they parted…

One towards the last known coordinates of his team…

The other, into a horde of the living dead.

"COME AND GET ME!"

Chiro took one last glance over his shoulder as he broke into a sprint.

Jinmay spun around as if she were performing ballet, swinging the pipe through the air as if it was a sword.

The head of the skeletal figure beside her exploded on contact, ooze raining down all around her.

I am so lucky.

He grinned, his determination renewed.

Now, to get back to my team.

oooooo

The Reaper laughed as he dodged one of Sparx's magnetic attacks.

"You stupid simians really think you can save the Chosen One!?"

Nova lunged upwards, slamming her fists into the ground as it shook under him.

"LADY TOMAHAWK!"

He planted his scythe into the ground, using it as a makeshift vault pole, leaping over her…

Before kicking her swiftly away from him.

"AUGH!"

She slammed right into Otto as they went flying.

Otto whined a little as he tried to get up.

"Why… He's just a human… Why won't he just…"

The Reaper sneered, resting his scythe across his shoulders lazily.

"This is just too easy." He laughed. "You're all pathetic! This is the threat my liege was so afraid of?"

Antauri narrowed his eyes, taking a deep breath, building up the energy within.

It was now or never.

The Reaper whirled around, looking right at him with a cocky grin.

"You're really going to try that? Sure would be a shame if some innocent got in your way again…"

How did he-

The Reaper's gaze was cold.

"Yeah… I know all about that. The Hyper Force brings justice and righteousness… Until someone innocent needs their help." He leaned down, getting up in his face. "You know, Valina plays that audio file all the time because it gives her some sick amusement. Personally… I don't think… What was her name? Ah yes…" He sneered. "Mila appreciated you hurting her."

That's it.

Antauri growled.

"Your first mistake was getting cocky."

"Oh-"

"MONKEY MIND SCREAM!"

He let out a haunting wail of energy as the man was blown back.

"AUGH!"

Antauri scoffed.

Don't speak her name again…

He was knocked backwards, his weapon flying across the street, embedding itself in one of the formless.

It looked down at it, tilting its head.

"You idiot!" The Reaper hissed, grabbing the hilt of it. "Sorry to do this pa, but-"

SHING!

"I need this!"

Antauri growled, getting back to his feet, hurrying over to his teammates.

"Are you alright?"

Gibson rubbed his head, helping Otto back to his feet.

"He's just a human. He can't be this strong."

Antauri looked over, watching as the man casually spun his scythe, staring them down with amusement.

"A human that the Skeleton King clearly took over. He's nothing but a puppet."

"A puppet doesn't make snide remarks to deliberately do that." Nova pointed out, keeping her voice low. "No one else should know about what happened…"

Antauri held up a hand, motioning for silence.

"And he wants to kill Chiro. Are we going to stand by and let that happen?"

The entire team's gaze turned cold, as they resumed battle steady stances.

Their uniforms ripped, cuts and bruises decorated their bodies, their enhancements scratched up…

But they knew the answer.

"NEVER!"

The Reaper sneered.

"Oh? Are you going to die for The Boy?"

The team wasn't looking at him.

Their gaze was shifting above him, relief etching itself across their faces.

The Reaper tsk'd under his breath, looking up… his eyes widening in alarm.

In an instant, he was kicked right in the abdomen by a falling teenager.

"AGH!"

Chiro smirked, using him to propel himself over The Reaper as he landed before the team.

"I see you left me a bad guy."

Antauri heaved a sigh of relief.

"We missed you."

"This is bad, Chiro. He's not like the formless!" Gibson called out.

Chiro smirked.

"Good. Let's give him a real fight then." His gaze narrowed. "Ready?"

The team nodded, hurrying to his side.

"Hyper Force! GO!"