Sorry for the long wait, but here is the next chapter. Before we do however...
(I wish I done this since the beginning)
Review replies from last chapter—
To PC20XX
I'm glad you enjoy my story, and I hope that you keep having fun reading it as it goes on. Also, I'll keep your suggestions in check, while I wont guaranteed I'll use them absolutely, I will gladly take them and maybe I'll get even better at writing. My grammar isn't perfect after all. ^^
Pulse continued her sprint to escape the bipedal hostiles on her tail. They were shooting her with their weaponry while she held the injured plant close to her to avoid dropping them or get them shot. She held the solar flora slightly below her and used her body as a shield for her, since Pulse assumed it's a she.
A projectile shot right past her left which made her flinch, and lodged itself into a tree up ahead.
The hostiles behind her didn't let off their chase for her, and they seemed very determined to catch her for whatever reason. She could think of a thousand reasons why, but she hoped it wasn't for some painful experiments or to kill her, however she felt they may want to kill her. If they thought she was a native of their world, perhaps it's good, if they knew she was in fact an alien…
On the bright side, Pulse's armor is very durable and can hold against the flying ammunition from them. Due to this, Pulse held the sunflower in front of her while trying to run as fast as she could to stay ahead of them and.
Pulse skidded up and around rocks and giant roots. She had no time to check her environment for shelter with them shooting her. Using her cloaking would have been useless, for it'll make her invisible but not the alien she was carrying.
Behind her she heard the ugly creatures say something in their language that she couldn't understand yet, and she didn't care much about it. Pulse then made a tight ninety degree turn to her left. Most of the hostiles behind her were able to pivot in time to continue. However one skidded across the ground and tumbled on the dry soil and pasture, nearly hitting a tree head on. The ugly biped spat out soil and grass that got into their mouth while grumbling curses.
Pulse snorted at their misfortune, and continued sprinting away; that was at least one less chasing her. During her run, she swore she saw something small and bright, almost like fire, under some bushes, but she had no time to check it out. Her first priority is to escape the hostiles. Unfortunately she didn't really have a plan as to how.
…
"Man that citron iz fast, and it's not even in ball form!" one of the zombies said tiredly.
The entire squad chased the strange looking plant for almost 10 minutes straight, and now they were getting very tired from their exercise. They were also running out of ammunition from constantly wasting bullets on the plant whose armor appeared to be indestructible against their shots along with missing some of them. Armored Citron armor is hard and difficult to damage, but this one's ridiculous!
"Grrr! This thing won't stop, we need another plan, and fast!" the leader growled. "We can't let that thing get away!" He could tell something is different about this plant, and getting their faction more advantages against the plants were always a plus, usually through painful experiments.
"It's like catching a rabbit on tall grass! We need another-" the zombie that was speaking didn't finish his sentence when he rammed into a tree without looking. None of the remaining zombies had time to help the poor guy so they continued their chase without him. There goes another teammate.
"That's it! New plan! Follow me!" yelled the soldier leader as he took a left through some bushes. The remaining zombies answered with a, "yes sir!" and followed him.
…
Pulse continued on her way, currently unaware that the zombies behind her left. She was stressed out from her current issue with keeping the solar flora safe and avoid herself from being captured or killed, or both. She zoomed away in her path to hopefully reach the giant building.
Eventually she realized that there were no sounds of flying bullets or the breaking and rustling of grass and bushes, or the padding of feet against soil. Pulse wanted to believe that they gave up and left her be. She wanted to believe that, but she couldn't shake off the feeling of paranoia. She looked on ahead without rest despite her legs feeling like brittle sticks. Maybe if she kept going they would truly be gone.
Pulse looked around, and saw she was still in the massive forest. Pulse coughed, her throat sore and dry from constantly breathing which dried her mouth quickly, and the moist feeling of her sweat underneath her suit, which felt hot underneath and very uncomfortable. She truly wished she could take it off to take a breather.
Pulse made a decision that may be deemed risky in her mind. She jumped directly into a bush with the solar flora in her mechanical hold, and stayed there still like a statue with her eyes closed. She no longer heard the chasers, but that didn't mean they weren't in the area.
She felt her hearts beating rapidly against the stillness of the environment around her, which for the moment was the loudest sound to her than the wind breezing the vegetation around her. Pulse for some time she thought both her hearts would give away her location with how loud it was to her mind. However, she saw no figure or evidence that the hostile bipeds were anywhere. Pulse gulped nervously.
'They could...still be around…' Pulse thought as she glanced around.
She then heard a cough right next to her. She turned to the solar flora, who looked worse than it was before. Pulse grimaced at the sight, knowing she doesn't have much time to gaggle around while holding a dying lifeform with her. It's a massive risk she had to take for the being's sake.
Pulse sight and scanned the area for the hostiles' life signature. However she didn't find anything regarding their presence. Pulse walked out of her cover as inaudibly as possible. She turned towards her left, then her right, even to the sky. There was nothing.
'Maybe they actually left…' Pulse took this opportunity to resume her way, in hopes of saving this solar flora.
…
Earlier...
Something small and round waddled around a more peaceful part of the forest. The small figure walked through the tall primitive plants around it, and enjoyed the outside world. The small being eventually waddled out into a small field with the trees far apart enough to let sunlight in.
The small creature was a young citron, unlike most others however, this one had red and orange skin. Its armor was black with orange glowing streaks on it. The most defining feature was the line of tiny flames that protruded on his head. It was a small, young fire citron.
The fire citron continued on his way to who knows where. The small plant had a big adorable smile and bright eyes that could melt the hearts of anyone around him.
The little innocent orange continued waddling away in an oblivious manner. The fire citron looked around happily at the pretty place it stumbled upon his small trek. He waddled towards the other side of the field and through the trees towards a slightly overgrown path.
However before he took another step, something big dashed past him in front of his face only a foot away. He eeped in surprise and jumped backwards to get space between himself, and whatever the big thing was. He shrunk behind a tree trunk and peeked out to take a look at what it was. The figure was actually quite far away already, yet the small citron was able to make out some features of the faraway being. He could definitely make out the shape of a citron, because the figure was unmistakably wide with four large legs like any other citron. He was also able to make out its purple-pink and black 'skin'.
The fire citron, being a curious young child, quietly and slowly began to come out from his hiding place to approached the unknown plant. He stopped once he noticed the larger citron didn't stop their sprint at all. The larger plant was very fast, probably even faster than when he rolls into his tiny ball. If the little fire citron were to try and catch up to to them, he would be rolling in the dust of their sprint.
The fire citron then heard loud paddling of feet coming from the direction that the larger citron came from. The fire citron turned his head towards said direction and saw a group of zombies running very fast to where he was. His eyes widened and scooted away to hide behind a tree trunk, scared.
However the zombies didn't stop and continued past the tiny fire plant. The zombies eventually disappeared in the distance. The fire plant peaked out from his hiding place and glanced at their disappearing silhouettes. He was still scared, but not as much as when they were near.
The tiny plant decided it was best to go home, but couldn't take his mind off what he saw.
"Pyro," a gruff, female voice spoke out behind the tiny citron," what was that noise?"
The tiny fire citron, now identified as Pyro, turned around and looked up at the owner of the voice. There, large slanted light blue eyes stared down at the minuscule orange, but Pyro however, just smiled up at the tall, intimidating figure.
"Hi Steely!" Pyro said cheerfully.
The large pair of sharp eyes inched down closer to Pyro. The young fire plant went closer to Steely and pointed towards the direction where he saw the citron and zombies go.
"I saw some zombies and a citron going over there." Pyro pointed towards the distance where he last saw them. The eyes shifted upwards for a few seconds before looking back down at him.
"We should go help that plant." Pyro said to Steely. Her eyes hardened slightly at his words.
"It is none of our business." Steely declared softly at Pyro, yet her voice still sounded loud. Pyro looked down at the soil sadly, but lifted up his head to look up at Steely straight into her eyes.
"But they could be very hurt!" Pyro chirped sadly. Steely narrowed her eyes slightly at his response. Pyro then began using a tactic he often used to get the favor of most plants and the reason he is loved by those who know him, he made his puppy eyes. His large orange eyes glittered with watery tears up at the giant figure in front of him. Steely raise an eyebrow. She didn't appear to be affected by his adorable eyes.
"Fine, I will help the plant." Steely answered anyway. "Besides, these guys are too close to our home, it's best for me to… 'convince' them to leave the area." Pyro smiled at her, happy he was able to convince her. Steely stepped over Pyro carefully so as to not squish him. She stepped onto the path the citron and zombies took and stared at the direction Pyro pointed at.
"Stay here." Steely said to Pyro. The small citron frowned. He wanted to come with her to see how that plant was, and possibly make a new friend. He looked up at Steely who looked down at him intently. Pyro sighed and sat on the soil under him. Steely breathed slowly and glanced at the path. Soon the giant figure ran down the path to catch up to her targets, her steps shook the ground tremendously as she went.
…
"There it iz…"The leader of the foot soldier team muttered quietly while stalking their target from a distance. They all had long range scopes to see the plant walking out of its hiding place, along with a sunflower being carried by the armored plant. Not that it matters since their job is get rid of plants and possible spies and sometimes capture if it's necessary
Their leader ordered his team to split in groups in two and stealthily stalk the citron to let them fall into a false sense of security, and sneak through the foliage to secretly catch up to it. Now they will have a clear headshot.
"This is perfect," he muttered snidely." A ZPG may not kill it with that armor on, however it will cause enough damage to pin it down and finish it ."
"What about that sunflower?" pointed out one of the soldiers with him. His finger pointed straight at an unconscious sunflower being carried in the machine tendrils of the strange citron.
"Wait...isn't that the same sunflower from earlier? The one we were chasing?" he questioned upon a closer look. "The one that we…'killed?'"
The zombies looked at each other, then towards their boss. Many plants look the same to the zombies, but since they never found the remains of the sunflower they were going after, it's safe to assume that the one with the citron is the same one." We'll vanquish that weed, but that citron, we'll capture it instead."
"Wait, so we won't kill it?" one asked in slight shock. Their leader hardly ever chooses to spare plants for anything." Why?"
"I have seen a lot of plants and learned to identify them to the best of my ability. It's definitely not any ordinary armored citron...that I know of. Its shape and armor is different from the regular armored citron that we know in our database. It could be of some use, so we will capture it, and let's make sure it's alive for interrogation. Anyone have a problem with that?" he turned towards his subordinates with a chilling stare. They shook their heads vigorously with slight sweat drops.
"Good."
The zombies carefully surrounded the plant from several meters away in a partial circle from each side. They hid themselves behind the bushes and tree trunks from each side of the overgrown path, readying their weapons and loading whatever remaining ammunition they had.
The alien plant snapped her head-body around, as if she heard something. She was met with silence instead. Pulse knew something was amiss, and she wouldn't let her guard down, her life and this extraterrestrial are at risk.
And before anything else could be done…
Pulse was thrown off her feet as something exploded right next to her. Something hard and painful collided with her and she flew across the ground and skidded a trail before stopping next to a rock with her side embedded on the ground. The solar flora she was carrying was no longer in her grasp, but Pulse was too dazed to notice the plant was missing.
"What...the…" she slurred while she held her throbbing head." Where d-did…?"
She blinked her eyes multiple times and there, she spotted multiple silhouettes around her.
"Hahaha! We got it good!" Pulse blinked again. She didn't understand what they were saying, but she was sure it wasn't good for her. When her vision became clear enough she soon saw them.
Hostiles!
There were around five or six of them all around her in an arc, most likely to corner her since she was leaning next to a giant boulder. They all made the same expression of what she believed was smugness. One of them approached her in strong and confident strides, an aura of danger and authority radiated off it as it came closer and closer to her. Beads of sweat fell around her face as the... Alpha, Pulse decided to name it, or him right where she was, and looked directly into her visor.
"So," Alpha began," who are you and what is your purpose here?"
Pulse just looked at him, not understanding a single thing, the only thing she knew was that she was cornered and probably being threatened. Alpha narrowed his eyes. "Tell me now, who are you and what is your purpose?" Alpha spoke each word with fire dosed in it. However the poor citron had no idea what he said, the citron just at stared at him with fearfully confusion. Alpha bared his teeth.
"Not answering? Maybe this will change your mind," he snapped his fingers and one of the zombies came over dragging something limp and pale.
Pulse gasped. The zombie dragged over the motionless form of the solar flora she was trying to save rather. Pulse however, was more worried at the sight of her not moving. She really hoped it wasn't what she think it was. The zombie dropped his hold on the plant right next to Alpha. He turned to the flower next to him and pointed the barrel of his weapon straight at the sunflower's head.
"Either you speak or this weed's life is over. I can tell you've been working hard to keep this plant alive, but if you don't answer us in the next few seconds, then say farewell to your companion."
Pulse stiffened at her current situation. She still had no idea what Alpha said, but she knew her current predicament, tell them what they want or die. The problem however, is that she didn't understand them, and she didn't have anything that would help her understand them as of this moment. She would need time to study their language, and even then she would only be able to form basic sentences. Pulse gazed around with her eyes to see some form of opportunity save herself and the plant. She couldn't find or even think of anything, she was cornered and outnumbered one to five, and the life of the sunflower was at stake. She gulped nervously.
"You're running out of time, orange..." glowered Alpha as he clicked his gun and pressed his weapon on the sunflower's head much deeper. Pulse was on the verge of releasing a shriek and spit out words despite the fact that Alpha wouldn't understand her language anyway.
"Hey, do you feel that?" the zombie next to Alpha said in suspicion.
Alpha turned towards him," what?"
"T-the ground…"
Once he finished, Alpha now noticed the ground vibrated in a rapid, rhythmic pattern. The zombies stared at each other.
"A gargantuar?"
The vibrations got louder and louder as the zombies and Pulse saw some trees being toppled over and falling with a bang. Pulse might have felt herself go pale as she watched the ground rumble and the plant life being torn from their place and thrown around like toys. Something huge was coming, and Pulse wished she didn't have to be here in this predicament. The zombies smirked, having the thought that a gargantuar zombie was heading their way, perhaps they could ask it to provide 'assistance' with their hostages.
Until something huge leaped over some small trees in its way and landed behind the group of zombies with a threatening roar.
The zombies gasped in alarm and whirled around with their weapons pointed towards the new arrival. Pulse gaped at what she would call a metal beast.
What came out was a giant monstrosity. It was a giant solar flora, a very big one. It was much bigger than the one she was trying to save. This one was definitely not like that one however. The flora's entire body was covered, or made of metallic skin or armor. It had large, metal claws on each of its fingers, and sharp, menacing jaws which were also metal, of what kind, Pulse had no idea. It had fierce eyes that glared at the group of zombies in front of it. It had sharp metal petals around its face, its body and leaves were also metal, everything about it was. It was large, scary metal monster.
The zombies had other thoughts about it, mostly that it was a giant plant, as big as the threaded Sunflower Queen and Hypno Flower. And because of that it was now regarded as a big threat right now. Literally.
"What the butchering brainz is that?!"
"A giant metal petal?!"
"What the f-?!"
"Everyone shut up and focus!" Alpha yelled at his squad. Instantly the zombies huddled together and formed an arc towards the giant metal petal who approached them slowly with intentions to vanquish them from the face of the Earth. The zombies raised their weapons out toward it.
Pulse gulped at the scary confrontation between the hostiles and the beast. She gazed around for a means to escape from the area with her life intact. She backed away towards one side and planned to make a run from the hostiles that tried to keep her into submission.
However the first thing that her three eyes looked at was the solar flora she's been helping. Pulse gasped at the sight of the being's conditions. It wasn't good at all.
The petals were shriveled up like dried leaves, her stem was an unnatural green and yellow coloration that didn't look like it should belong there. Eyes closed softly and there was no movement coming from whatsoever.
Not even the heaving of breathing.