HYPOXIA
Sato screamed as he slammed the metal door shut. Tentacles squirmed at the seams, trying to force their way inside, then retreated as the water level plummeted.
"Thank god that's over," Sato panted. "Now let's get this helmet off."
Sato pulled and tugged, but the helmet refused to budge. He felt himself getting short of breath, and stars swam before his eyes.
"Uh… Little Sister?" Sato asked the diminutive robot. "Could you help me with this? It's stuck."
The little sister blurred. When Sato blinked again, a white-haired, red-eyed little girl with a tiny horn on her head looked up at him. Somehow, Sato knew her name was Eri. When their eyes met, Sato decided that, despite only having just met her, if anything happened to her, he'd kill everyone in the room, and then himself.
"This way, Mister Bubbles," Eri said, tugging him through the bulkhead door as it opened.
Sato marveled at the gleaming, classical decor as he strode into a grand hall. Guests in dresses and tuxedoes milled about, sipping champagne and chatting about politics and investments. Sato nodded as he passed them, tipping his hat to a group of gentlemen and winking at the ladies.
"Look, Mister Bubbles!" Eri said. "It's an angel!"
Sato peered ahead, and he did indeed behold an angel. Floating majestically in the air, the brown-haired seraphim bathed the room in rainbows as she passed. Trailing behind her were an entourage of cherubs, giggling and pointing at Sato.
"I'm gonna go get some of that pretty angel's light, alright?" Eri asked. Sato nodded, and Eri merrily skipped ahead. She poked the angel's leg with her finger. One of the cherubs grew angry and shoved Eri back. Eri shrieked and shouted, "Daddy! They hurt me!"
Sato's vision turned red. With a furious bellow, Sato charged forward and body-checked the cherub into the wall. More of the angel's followers charged forward. One thrust a lance of gleaming light at him. Sato broke it to splinters with his drill, then kicked him across the room. A second slashed at him with claws of billowing shadows. Sato shredded the shadows and tossed the dark cherub into the ceiling.
A red, spiky cherub blocked his path. Sato punched it. The cherub barely budged. Sato rammed his drill at it. Though it quivered in place, the cherub held firm.
While Sato was distracted with the red cherub, the angel reached out to him. Sato floated into the air, sprouting rainbow wings of his own, before silvery bindings lashed him back to the earth. Struggling futilely against his bonds, Sato could only watch as a glittering chandelier slammed into his face.
The helmet cracked. Air rushed into his helmet, and Sato took a sweet, refreshing gulp of air. All at once, the classical decor decayed into decrepit, vandalized remains. The guests turned into wide-eyed guests of I-Island, the cherubs became his classmates, and Eri turned into a creepy, child-like robot.
"Where… did Eri go?" Sato asked blearily.
498
This one left me sorely tempted to break my solemn vow of 500 words a chapter. There's more I want to squeeze in, but I can't quite make it fit. So… until next time!