Chapter sixty-eight: XCRM-872 Model 002

First, it was the XARM-872…the simple flying needlebots and scannerbots that existed. Then, it was the formidable XBRM-872…the spiderbots…the ones where you needed strength and teamwork to overcome. Now…it's the XCRM-872…the needlebot/spiderbot hybrids…

So, there we stood…face to face with the ultimate fighting robot ever conceived…forced to end its existence in order to continue our journey towards our ultimate goal.

This model of XCRM was already damaged, but it still had the ability of flight and speed on its side. Plus…it's pissed (if a robot can actually be pissed, that is…)

The robot blocked the entrance to the large concrete tunnel that the train went in. The snowstorm had reached its climax…the humans (Rigel/Jen) could barely see in the near-whiteout conditions, but the sparks coming off from the spiderbot (along with its headlights) provided them a sense of direction.

Charizard, Orion and I prepared ourselves for the inevitable battle. The XCRM landed HARD on the snow-filled ground…folding its front arms before clashing into the three of us…

None of us expected that, ouch!

Nevertheless, Charizard recovered quickly and took flight…unleashing hell upon the robot spider; however, the latter responded by releasing several tiny missiles which began chasing after the reptile!

The Fire/Flying type swooped down toward the white/green tree line…looking back to see two missiles opening to reveal nets intended to trap him. With much effort, the orange-scaled beast did a barrel-roll and avoided them. He soon turns back to face the last three: unleashing his signature fire-backed attack. As a result, they are utterly destroyed before the machines can deploy their nets.

Meanwhile, Orion and I were inspecting the XCRM…noting the exposed underside that had been opened on the train earlier.

"Should be easy enough" Orion smirked, but I wasn't as sure as him. Orion assumed too much…he dashed for the robot before I could try and stop him. In response, our metallic foe jumped and took to the skies (surprising Orion, but not surprising me of course…) It soon unleashed a powerful laser beam at the small Pikachu!

Orion barely sidestepped, but the laser still struck something: the base of a tree behind him! I gasped as Jen and Rigel saw it too, "look out!" Rigel yelled.

"Behind you, Orion!" Jen yelled as well.

I ran to move the smaller yellow rodent out of the way, but I wouldn't be able to get there on time. Suddenly, he and I are caught by a fast-moving object that takes us to the skies and lands us on their back…saving Orion from the fallen boreal tree. It's Charizard!

As he ascends into higher elevation, our foe released several scannerbots that began chasing us, "we gotta get under that thing! One of us can destroy it!" I shouted to the flying Pokémon, gesturing to Orion and I. They nodded, remembering how we took down Rk's XBRM at Outpost 3C 273.

Unfortunately, it wouldn't be as easy as we thought, for the damn thing can fly! The spiderbot-hybrid circled Rigel/Jen from the sky…and now focused solely on them. To add salt to the wound, they began firing down upon the two humans with their high-energy beam. Both trainers took cover behind a robust boulder for protection before being forced to move away again.

We (as in the three of us) had our own issues to deal with…the scannerbots might've looked harmless enough, but they had a surprise for us. The five (or six) disk-shaped drones that chased us began shooting out their own miniature yellow laser beams in our direction. Charizard tried his damn best to outmaneuver them. It became our mission to destroy them so that we can save the trainers in time. Orion and I began to release our electric attacks toward the scanners. The pesky machines managed to dodge one after another…firing back as they did.

One beam managed to hit Orion's arm…grazing him a bit…it cut him like a knife almost. He certainly wasn't happy and that was enough incentive to unleash his most powerful attack upon them: Thunderbolt.

The clouds above us sprang to life: light could be seen flashing violently as we heard thunder…suddenly, a bright flash came down as Orion yelled…and three scannerbots were destroyed in the process. I jumped in with my own (less impressive) attack and managed to destroy one.

The last two drones are destroyed when Charizard squeezed through two rock formations in midflight: causing the machines to crash into the rocky façade.

With them out of the way, the three of us returned to Rigel and Jen to put a stop to the XCRM once and for all.

The spiderbot-needlebot had just found the humans hiding behind a fallen tree and was about to laser them into oblivion.

"Get behind me, Rigel!" Jen pushed the young boy to safety, throwing her arms out to protect him as the robot's headlights shone down on them both. Fortunately, Orion jumped off Charizard and slammed into the war machine. The trainers moved away as the bot released a powerful laser that struck Charizard's torso: causing them to fall and crash into the snow!

Rigel heard the cry of pain and the thud immediately after and pointed his Pokéball at his friend, "Charizard, return!" The teen exclaimed.

I, meanwhile, landed on the robot and both Orion and I scurried around its hull. The "boss" tried to get us off, but he and I managed to crawl inside its exposed underside. We could see the internal wiring…this was our chance! I felt Rigel's Pikachu grab my paw and said with a confident grin, "ready?"

"Go!" I responded with a yell.

We both released our signature attacks…causing the spiderbot to break down and shut off. Orion and I got out quickly and ran to Jen and Rigel…both of us knowing what comes next, "take cover!" I yelled in human-speak.

They did, and as soon as we made it to the pair, the silver-colored robot exploded into a million pieces. What's left is piles of flaming metal and shrapnel that litter the white forest floor. Our group gathered around one such pocket of fire and heaved sighs of relief.

It was over. For now.

Now comes the part we figure out our next move...since we're still in the middle of an epic snowstorm in the middle of nowhere! Our only way to safety was the large dilapidated tunnel that the train went through.

It's official...I freaking HATE Viridian Forest!