380A/N: Hey... I know it's been some time since the last upload.
...I don't have any excuses, and I feel that, before we start, I owe you all a sincere apology.
Honestly, CO-VID19 has been kicking my butt, since I've been an essential worker (I work at a grocery store, so I didn't get the opportunity to work from home). I've been so overwhelmed that I didn't have time to write, and even when I did... I didn't really want to write Mega Man. Still, I've got an obligation to finish this arc. So I'm gonna be working on it. Also, I've started to, partially as a coping mechanism, get into Dungeons & Dragons (I kind of want to become a GM), and partially because I want to start forcing myself into starting to make my own original fantasy literature that I hope to one day profit from, start working on my own original writing. I plan to take some of the original ideas of Night of Tales, and turn that into an actual original series that I can say I'm proud of.
Finally, I've been half-heartedly working on two, maybe even three potential projects. A fanmade Persona 6 where the party goes into dreams and cures people of impossible illnesses (which in retrospect feels like a dick move, since we're in the middle of a pandemic); a parallel universe Sonic fan-game plot where Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles have to work together alongside Sally Acorn and others to bring peace between Mobians and humanity in a tense environment; and a Pokemon anime Peggy Sue fic where not only Ash goes back in time to a different universe where he's an Aura Guardian in-training, but it's a supernatural/magical humanoid universe where a lot of his friends aren't pure humans (like Misty and her sisters are hydrokinetic mermaids, Serena is a human-sized fairy, etc.). Honestly, don't know if I actually want to do these, but we have other issues.
Anyway, I don't expect people to really forgive me for these delays, but I felt that I needed to apologize for all of the waiting I've made you do, as well as the fact that this chapter yet again doesn't have any fight scenes. We're gonna make up for it with the next chapter, which I will FORCE myself to write as much as I can, and will hopefully not take another eight months. So, with no further delay, let's just go ahead and get started.
Chapter 32: "Chromos' Choina Objective"
-LH-
SS Yai
Lan, Yai, and Patch wandered throughout the ship, looking for the saboteur. Yai turned to Patch, and asked, "So… you're from what time period? I've never seen you in 20XX."
"Oh, I wasn't born in 20XX," Patch answered. "I was born in 20XX+12."
"Twelve years after Lan and MegaMan defeated the Cybeasts?" Yai mused. "And you're what, 8? Brave for a little kid."
"Mom says I get it from Dad, Miss Yai," Patch beamed.
"And a proper young gentleman!" Yai smirked. "Whoever your parents are must be proud! So, what caused you to time travel, Patch?"
"Oh, right, never told anybody," Patch said. "Well, long story short, in my present—which would be your guys' future, now that I think about it—another powerful virus that could have, if left unchecked, destroyed all of Net society, was created."
"You mean like the Life Virus?" Hub asked.
"Yeah, but it was more like the Zero Virus adventure you guys don't talk a whole lot about," Patch said.
"You know about the Zero Virus!?" Lan gasped. "That's not an adventure MegaMan and I discussed too often! But still, I thought Zero turned good!"
"Oh, he was great when I briefly met him," Patch commented. "However, this particular Navi-shaped virus was anything BUT. He was a psychopath, determined to infect all Navis throughout the Net, and make them go crazy. And because of Copy Bots and his Navi-like body, he could travel into the real world, too. He hurt two people Stream and I cared about, which was why it was up to US to stop him. Thanks to Grandpa, Dad, the virus' creator, and even a female Navi who was saved by Zero, we had a vaccine made for his virus, and we even had him on the ropes, too. But then, one of those Time Waves opened up… and in came ChronoMan."
"Because of course," Lan groaned. Yai elbowed him.
"So, let me guess," Yai said. "ChronoMan helped this evil virus escape between time periods before you could delete him, and now Chromos has him as one of their flunkies?"
"I guess that's what happened," Patch said. "When Megs and I tried to pursue him, I ended up in a different time period… where we were never born because our parents were missing and never grew up."
"...Oh," Lan frowned. "Hey, I'm sorry about your parents. Here I am, still worried about my own parents and Mayl, yet, you've lost everything and are still holding your chin up, Patch."
"It's okay," Patch smirked. "At least I know my dad's close. I just wish my Mom was okay, though."
"...Where is this going?" Lan asked. Yai facepalmed, and pointed at Lan behind the latter's back before mouthing something to Patch.
RING-DING-RING-DING!
"Attention all passengers," the ship's intercom rang out, "this is your captain speaking. If you look to the port side, you will see the island containing the Choinese Weather Machine."
"Hey, we're here!" Patch said. "Alright, let's save future Choina! I just hope those guys who you're worried about in the future are handling what's happening long enough for you to fix things, D—um… Lan!" He then whispered, "(So weird….)"
-004-
Xiao Long—22XX
Harp Note fired another Pulse Song, blowing away the debris, allowing the building to drain, and freeing some more civilians. "Alright," she tiredly said, "everybody who can swim, go! If you can't, hold onto someone who can!"
"T-T-Thank you!" one man said, helping his son to safety. As everyone cleared out, Harp Note sighed, and fell backward into the water, panting as she floated there.
"...How long have we been at this?"
"Over a day," Lyra answered. "Sonia… you're exhausted. You need to put the rest of your energy into evacuating yourself. Almost every other Wave Changer in Choina has taken a break but you and perhaps Wolf Wolds, and there's only so much you can do before, for your own survival, you have to leave Xiao Long."
"I can't…" Harp Note said, trying to sit up. "I hear too many people calling for help." She shakily stood up, and started walking towards the exit, only for the building to start shifting. "Oh no…."
"RUN!" Lyra said. Harp Note began wading towards the exit, only to see more debris crash into it, cutting her off, and tripped on a piece of debris she didn't even notice until it was too late. She grimaced in pain, slowly pushing up, ignoring the searing pain of her right ankle, and looked around for access to the Wave World, but there wasn't any. She was trapped in a building that was about to collapse on top of her.
"Geo… please fix this," Harp Note breathed, realizing she was probably going to die. However, the water around her body began lowering and then shot at the debris with such intensity it destroyed it. This caused her to look behind her and spotted Queen Virgo in the building.
"Hurry up and get out," Queen Virgo ordered, floating past her. Harp Note, with what strength she had, pushed ahead, and got out of the building. Several seconds after she and Virgo got clear of the bottom level, the building began collapsing, forcing Harp Note to summon her music note to fly away from the worst of the shock. She then collapsed on her back on the Wave Road, panting in exhaustion, letting the leg pain just overtake her for only a moment. She looked up at Queen Virgo, who had her back to her.
"...Queen Virgo?" she breathed. "Ms. Tia!? What are you doing in Choina, and why are you Queen Virgo, again!?"
"I'm here to save Choina, and I needed Virgo's help to do it," she answered. "Jack got his wish, too, and I'm going to be chewed out stupid once this is over. But you, Harp Note? You're done… that last rescue left you with a clear injury. Pulse out, get yourself to an evacuation shelter, and take the rest of this particular mission off. Ace's orders."
She then sped down the Wave World, leaving Harp Note panting. "I… I can still move…."
"Don't lie to yourself," Lyra said. "Pulse out, we need to get out of here."
Harp Note frowned, but nodded. "I hope the others are getting close to fixing this." She then closed her eyes, and pulsed out.
-LH-
SS Yai
Lan's group gathered around the port side lifeboats, though she noticed one was missing. "Alright," Yai explained as Lan put on a life vest, "I've convinced the captain to hold the boat here for approximately two hours. That should be more than enough time for you to get to the island, fix the Weather Control Machine, and get back."
"You're not coming with me?" Lan asked.
"If the 'hostess' tries to leave the party, the guests will get suspicious," Yai replied. "I have to be seen if Chromos wants to be satisfied. You can spirit me away afterward. That said, someone SHOULD go with you so you're not alone with whomever the Chromos agent is that's the saboteur."
"I better head with him," Dex said. "Strongest muscles, here, to row."
"I'll go, too," Patch volunteered. "You guys may need backup."
"What about you, Zack?" Yai asked, looking at him. He then stammered at how close she was.
"Um… maybe I'll stay here."
"Good, I was afraid I'd be alone!" Yai beamed. "Alright, Lan, Dex, if you guys get stuck and need me to rewind, you know my number! But just in case… here." She then gave Lan Glyde on his SN-PET.
"Greetings once more, Lan," Glyde said. "As you may know, I'm not suited for combat, but I will be a quick way to inform Miss Yai about your situation."
"That said, off to the buffet! They have some of the best chefs for Choinese New Year!" She then grabbed Zack's arm, and dragged him away.
"...Should we stop her or something?" Patch asked the older two.
"No, we have a mission," Dex said. "And besides, you don't upset Yai by doing something else once she's put her mind to something."
"...So THAT's where that bit of advice came from," Patch mused. He then looked over at the missing lifeboat. "Hey, guys… do you think the sabotuer already is on their way?"
"Most likely, Guts," Gutsman said. "We better get movin'!" And so, the three got in the lifeboat, and lowered it into the water, rowing out towards the island.
Weather Control Island
When Lan's group made it, they were not surprised to see the second lifeboat. "Yep, someone beat us here," Lan groaned. "That means the saboteur already is here. We better hurry… and I know how!" He then said, "Patch, wait here just in case he comes back… do you need my number or email?"
"Oh, no," Patch replied. "You see, in my future, I know you personally. I already have your email."
"Wonder if it still works?"
BEEP-BA-BEEP! BEEP-BA-BEEP!
Lan checked his SN-PET, seeing a message from Patch.
Subject: Test E-mail
Sender: MegaManJr
Hi,
Sending a test email.
Stream
"MegaMan… Jr?" Lan asked.
"...Yeah, there's a lot we're gonna have to talk about," Patch admitted. "Anyway, I'll… stay here like a good boy."
"...Wait, are you implying you and Lan are much closer than we thought?" GutsMan asked.
"I'm gonna go ahead, now," Lan said, quick to change the subject. He and Dex then headed up the island trail, leaving Patch behind.
"...We had to let it slip sooner or later," Patch admitted to Steam.
"Although I probably should have let Dad and Uncle Lan know a bit gentler," Stream commented.
Ahead, Lan skated ahead, looking around for the machine. Lan, to help them out, stopped time. "Lan, are… are we gonna talk about Patch and Stream, here?" Dex called up to him.
"...I can't help but feel I screwed up," Lan answered. "But we don't have time for that. Right now, Chromos' saboteur is probably mere seconds away from succeeding in their plan to destroy the Weather Control Machine! If that happens, all of Choina's gonna be flooded by a hurricane by 22XX!"
"I get it, you're doing your hero thing you're really good at," Dex said. "Almost too good at, if you asked people. But don't you think that… you ought to talk to your-"
"I'm not dumb enough to not get who he is, now that I think about it!" Lan replied. "It's just… I can't believe that I have a SON in the future! Why didn't Luna, Geo, or the others tell me MegaMan and I have kids!?" He then spotted, right before time resumed, a swinging log, which he had to avoid, and several deep holes that could be filled by the swinging log. "Ugh, come on! Traps!?"
"Then we have to do what we did back in 20XX+20!" Dex reasoned. "You pause time at the right moment, I'll get rid of the trap."
"It's not that simple," Hub warned. "If you pause at the wrong moment, the log could be out of reach or even flying in a way that it becomes impossible to cross. We could easily be stuck here, Lan and Dex."
"So, what do we do if we get the timing wrong?" Lan said.
"Then that is where I come in," Glyde said, reminding the two he was there. "Should you feel you've made a mistake, just talk to me, and I'll inform Miss Yai that she needs to rewind time for you. That way, we'll eventually get this right."
"Okay," Lan said. "...Hey, I have an extra idea." He then brought up Vic-Vac and Sir Guardier. "Hey, guys… do you think you can help us out?"
"Not sure what I can do, but okay," Vic-Vac said from Lan's back. "What am I doing?"
"Being extra weight," Lan answered. "Sir Guardier, you're the shield."
"As always, Sir Lan," Guardier assured him. "So, when you're ready, hold me aloft, block, and then do your time thing before you're pushed into the pit."
"It's gonna be tense," Dex warned while Lan got ready. The log swung, and Lan blocked… only to start falling back into the pit. However, the world turned yellow, and rewound to before he got in the way. "Huh?"
RING-A-RING!
"Phone call," Glyde explained. "From Miss Yai. I'll answer it."
When it picked up, Yai said, "Yeah, whatever you guys did… that didn't work, and Lan broke his arm, thus dooming the mission. Maybe someone heavier, next time? No offense, Lan, and Dex, but Lan, you're scrawny compared to Dex."
"I'd take that as an insult to my weight if it wasn't also a compliment to my strength," Dex said. "So… do I have to block the log long enough for Lan to stop time, and then hope I can touch the rope holding the log and send it in the hole?"
"Seems like it," Yai said. Lan handed over Sir Guardier and Vic-Vac to boost Dex's chances. "Okay… on three! One… two… three!" Dex stepped in the way, and blocked the log, sliding backwards slower than Lan did. This allowed Lan to stop time at the right second, and Dex touched the rope and caused it to snap. Dex then was dragged away by Lan, and time resumed, and the log fell in place. "Well… did it work?"
"Yeah, it did," Dex said. "Way to go, Yai!"
"Glad you guys see moi's worth," Yai boasted. "Now hurry… the future needs the Weather Control Machine!" Lan and Dex hurried ahead, Lan's Matter Waves returning to him.
Eventually, they found a building in the middle of the forest. They spotted a group of unconscious workers piled in front of the building… and sinister, claw markings with purple steam rising from where the door once was. Said door, now, was haphazardly tossed aside. "Whoa," Lan breathed. "What happened, here?" He then spotted one of the works stirring, and walked over to him. "Hey… are you okay!?"
"...Ugh… where did that… sailor go?" the worker questioned. "He was being pursued… by that sinister Navi in a Copy Bot. The next thing I knew, I was out cold."
"Navi in a Copy Bot?" Dex said. "I didn't see one on board."
"Perhaps they hid one, guts," GutsMan offered.
"I'm going to call an ambulance for these people," Glyde reported. "In the meantime, Master Lan and Master Dex, we must make haste. Chromos must be stopped."
"Wait, be careful…!" the man said. "Take this…!" He then pulled out a key card, and placed it in front of Lan's feet. "This accesses… the backup control room. You can access the Cyber Core from there…." He then passed back out.
"Backup control room?" Lan asked, picking up the key card and pocketing it. "I guess it would be a good idea to backup a machine capable of manipulating the weather of an entire country, since it's based off a machine that can do the same to a city."
Entering the building, Lan and Dex heard the loudspeakers flare to life. "So… we meet once again, Lan Hikari. You are just as persistent as you EVER were back in my time."
Lan looked up at the speakers, and said, "You're gonna have to be a bit more specific if you're going to talk cryptically like we know each other."
"Normally, I'd be offended by that, but I suppose in the end, it makes sense that you wouldn't remember me. After all… I guess this is the first time I met the tween version of you." Lan and Dex looked at each other. All of the sudden, a monitor that Lan didn't notice until now turned on, showing a bald Navi-esque being with green armor and purple gloves. "Greetings, Lan Hikari and MegaMan. Tell me: how does it feel knowing you're FATHERS?"
"...Very awkward, when I'm only about 5 years older than my son from the future," Lan confessed. "Anyway, enough about me and Patch! Who are you!?"
"Straight to the point, huh? I guess considering your beloved Mayl Sakurai's kidnapping, you're far less willing to engage in small talk, soldier. Very well. I am Sigma, the commander of the Wave Navis you've been fighting, and the left brain of Cain and his organization Chromos. And in my time, I'm your greatest threat."
"What did you do with Mayl!?" Lan growled.
"Yeah!" Dex agreed. "Let her go, right now, ugly!"
"Chromos has too big of plans for her," Sigma sneered. "Request denied, soldier. Vic, you have your orders!" Lan and Dex looked up in the control room, and saw the steward that greeted them on the ship. He then grabbed the bottom of his face, and pulled up, revealing it was a mask, and it was Vic all along. But you probably saw that coming.
"Sorry, but not really, brat," Vic said, pressing a button. Lan and Dex both saw the door to the control room be slammed shut. "You can't stop our plan, now! WeatherMan, trigger the fog and hurricane program!"
"...Activated," WeatherMan reported. All of a sudden, the screen turned, and showed a hurricane building up out in the ocean, beginning to swirl. Thankfully, neither the Weather Control Machine and the SS Yai weren't going to be caught in the storm's path, but it was going to definitely head for Xiao Long and Jing Bing.
"The fog's cleared up, and the storm's been redirected, Captain," Vic said, holding up his PET. "Are you, Deka, and the girl on your way to the island?"
"Yarr, we be out on the clear seas! We'll be at the island in no time!" Blackbeard said. "Shame I can't keelhaul our time's MegaMan. But something tells me I'll be soon grabbing you another Mega Man trophy!"
"I wasn't gonna share him, but you talked me into it," Vic snickered. "We'll show Yuika and Ito both."
"There's no time for that," a woman's voice chastised. "The ritual and the trial comes first, Captain. If we must, then you can face the Mega Man of my era. In the meantime, Vic, Sigma, hold the storm until we have completed our mission."
"Why are you guys going to destroy an innocent country's Weather Control machine to cause bad hurricanes for the rest of its history!?" Lan demanded. "Electopia, I'd totally understand, because I LIVE there, and you hate me! But Choina!?"
"You know, I was settling for using this place to assure that Blackbeard's mission to Jiāochā gu Isle was a success," Sigma said, "but I can't say 'no' to sowing a little bit more chaos."
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! HISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!
"No!" Hub screamed, realizing what had happened. "You damaged the machine!"
"Of course I did," Sigma replied. "I haven't racked up a good body count in a while since YOUR sons nearly deleted me. Now, everybody in Choina who dies is on your hands, MegaMan, for interfering with my agenda. Yours and your son's. This is the price you pay for being a 'hero' in this world. Unless you think you can stop me…."
"We have to!" Lan scowled.
"Well, good luck getting up here," Vic taunted. "The controls for the door to the control room are in the control room! Unless you can find somewhere else to jack in to fix the damage, I'm afraid you're not saving anyone!"
"Wait," Dex interjected, "wasn't there a sub-control room?"
"Oh, yeah!" Lan recalled. "We better get there!" He and Dex began searching the lower floor for that control room.
"Why would ANYONE even install such a stupid, convenient backup location!?" Vic asked, looking at the map in his room that pointed out the location of the sub-control room just as Lan and Dex found the elevator to it. "That's incredibly redundant!"
"Get a grip, soldier," Sigma said. "Your mission is to hold this Cyber Core long enough that Norse Wind and Voodoo Priestess complete the first ritual and escape the island. We are not losing ground to the Mega Men, not after you and your team's screw-up in 20XX+20 Creamland. You owe me results."
"Sure, rub that in," Vic snarked back.
Back in the basement, Lan and Dex found the sub control room, and swiped the keycard that opened it. Dex was impressed. "Wow… why didn't we know going into this mission it had a sub control room?"
RING! RING!
"Phone, Lan," Hub said. He then answered it, and an Air Display popped up… revealing Queen Virgo. "Huh? Who are you?"
"It's Tia," Queen Virgo answered. "This is my Wave Form, Queen Virgo. I take it you've heard from Jack about my unauthorized resurrection of Corvus and Virgo by now?"
"Um, well… yeah, but at this point, we're a little too busy to talk about it," Dex said. "Why are you calling?"
"Right," Queen Virgo said. "I wanted you all to know that right now, I've arrived at the present day version of the Weather Control Machine… and it needs serious repairs. Whatever happened in the past has devastated a lot of the machine's Cyber Core, and there are places I can't reach until you alter time to fix it. By now, you should be at the island, correct?"
"We're here," Lan said. "In the sub-control room. Where are you in the present?"
"I'm in the main control room, and it's a mess from years of disuse. There are two branching paths, from the looks of it. You and I, Lan, will have to work together to fix this machine, you int the past to clear my way so I can patch the main system."
"Well, what am I supposed to do?" Dex asked. Lan looked at the door.
"Mr. Oyama, we don't know when the saboteur plans to leave the main control room," Queen Virgo announced. "He may come to ambush you. It's best to have someone keep watch of the door."
"This stinks, but I'll gladly play bodyguard," Dex said. "And if Vic tries to get us, well… he and the other freaks at Chromos owe us BIG time for sending us through time and kidnapping Mayl!"
"In that case, I'll handle the repairs with MegaMan," Lan said, turning to the console. Spotting a jack, he smirked. "Jack-in, MegaMan! Execute!"
-003-
Choina Sea Wave Road
Geo ran across the ocean, spotting the hurricane building. "Oh no!" Geo breathed. "They're too late!"
BRINNG! BRINGG!
"Phone, kid," Omega-Xis commented. Geo, curious, opened an Astral Wave… and spotted an exhausted Sonia on a stretcher.
"...Hey, Geo…." Sonia shakily commented. "Did you know Queen Virgo's back…?"
"Yeah, I didn't have time to warn you," Geo apologized. "Are you okay?"
"Totally fine," Sonia said, trying to sit up, only to gasp in pain.
"She's lying," Lyra interjected. "She's exhausted, hurt, and our last rescue attempt nearly drowned her, if not got her crushed by a collapsing building! Her right ankle is definitely sprained from that last rush, so she's gonna be down for a while. The others are running ragged. We're out of time, and I'm getting her airlifted to an evacuation center! What's going on in 22XX-56?"
"Well," Geo said, "hopefully Lan will be fixing the Weather Control Machine, soon. In the meantime, I'm rescuing Amy, again. And… someone else, if I can manage."
"Huh…?" Sonia asked.
"We'll explain later," Omega-Xis chimed in. "Right now, we have to follow Norse Wind's trail. Lyra, I may not like you, but the kid cares about your Operator, so you take it easy. Meanwhile, I'm gonna go buck wild on a Viking-pirate and a voodoo princess."
"Yeah, I'm missing a WHOLE lot of context," Lyra commented. "Forget it, I need to make sure Sonia doesn't try to get back out there. Take care." Lyra then signed off the Air Display. Geo then looked ahead… and was in awe at what he saw.
"...An island?" he breathed. Indeed, it was a massive island in the middle of the ocean, and had several wooden pirate ships with torn sails, old wooden huts and clay buildings, a rotting dock with a speedboat approaching it, and a massive skull-shaped monument in the center of the island's vast jungle.
"Land ho!" a male voice commented from the speed boat. Geo saw the boat stop, and out from it jumped out Blackbeard… who almost immediately fell through the boards. "Ack! EM-Wave Change! Blackbeard, On the Air!"
"The dock's woods are nearly rotted from centuries of lack of repairs, you idiot," Deka commented, hand to her face as Blackbeard, now Norse Wind, popped out of the cold water. He hopped onto the ship, and shivered.
"Cold, even for me," Norse Wind groaned.
"So," Amy interjected as the boat pulled up to the drier beach to dock, "I take it we're going to the ominous skull in the middle of the island?"
"Ah, you've seen this kind of thing, before," Deka said.
"Is that where you're going to sacrifice me or something?"
"I'm not sure, yet, actually," Deka admitted, getting out of the boat while holding up a voodoo doll of Amy, complete with a tuft of her brown hair to serve as her ponytail. "Wish Genie was not clear that we had to sacrifice the soul, or if the key just had to be in your presence to work. Knowing her, though, I doubt the former applies. Still I strongly urge you to pray for the latter." Squeezing it gently, she forced Amy to get onto the island. "Because I will not hesitate with the former to see the world on its best track. Come, my Queen. Your destiny awaits." The cloaked girl casually got off the boat, and began following them inwards. Geo, looking around, finally spotted a place where he could safely touch down.
Jiāochā gu Isle
Geo looked around, seeing all of the pirate stuff around. "What in the world is this place?"
All of the sudden, another person touched down next to him. Rogue. "It roughly translates to Pirate Island from Murian to Ancient Choinese. Very roughly. Still, it's the home base of the Pirate Tribe."
"Rogue?" Geo asked.
"I let him escape, thinking I lost him," Rogue answered. "Sooner or later, I knew he'd make his move. From there, I just had to follow YOU." Looking around in disgust, he said, "Still… to think the Pirates were clever enough to hide their base of operations behind fogs and unforgiving waters that you'd require a sea chart to access for non-Pirates… and then they, for good measure, destroyed any and all sea charts to make sure their vast plunder and secrets remained hidden forever. I have to give them that much… for traitors, they knew how to protect their secrets. It didn't save them all, however… while the Mu loyalists weren't able to destroy their homeland, they WERE able to eradicate the Pirates who left before the Mu Empire's fall. Still, this place needs to be destroyed."
"So, what are we doing?" Omega-Xis asked, coming out into the real world. "Going after that ominous skull in the middle?"
"'We' aren't doing anything," Rogue replied, walking forward. "I am going to prepare my strike on the Pirate, while being wary of the traps the Pirates of old placed on the island. You two, on the other hand, can do whatever you please. Just stay out of my way, and we'll have one less Pirate to worry about." He then walked into the jungle off the trail, summoning Laplace to cut through the thick of it.
"Charming as ever," Omega-Xis quipped.
Geo changed the subject, "We better hurry, and make sure Amy doesn't get caught in the crossfire. Deka and Blackbeard are no doubt going to hurt her if the opportunity arises just because they CAN." He then ran into the island towards the skull.
-LP-
Great Wall of Choina
Luna, Jack, and Chaud's next bus arrived at the Great Wall. "So, how do we get to 22XX?" Chaud asked as he helped a recovered Jack out of the bus.
"Time Wave's up there," Luna answered, looking at the top of the Great Wall. "We better hurry."
'You are making a mistake,' Ophicua taunted her. 'Geo will not be able to handle this on his own, and you know it….'
"(Stop… talking to me,)" Luna muttered through gritted teeth. Chaud sighed, and turned to her.
"Alright, drop the 'it's nothing important' act," Chaud said. "Who are you talking to?" She groaned.
"You ever have that nagging voice hissing in the back of your head?" Luna confessed. "Well, mine is a real hisser. Trying to get me to do something super dangerous. I was in the middle of talking to Geo about her before THIS happened."
"...Right," Chaud said. "We have to tell Lan the next time we get, though."
"...Part of me doesn't want to, but you make a good point, Eugene."
"It's Chaud," the Official insisted.
"Are you guys talking about the girl who hit me in the head?" Jack groaned. "Also, what voice?"
"That's none of your business," Luna answered. "I still didn't get my advice about how I should proceed on this."
"You want my advice?" Jack replied. "If it has the slightest chance of helping… we don't have time to ask questions. We have to act. Amy's in danger, Choina's in danger, and Chromos' guys are up to something. If you wanna save something, Luna, you have to throw that caution of yours to the wind." He looked up and smirked. "Like that guy is doing."
"...That guy…?" Chaud asked, looking up as a shadow loomed overhead, but then moved to avoid them.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
The trio struggled to keep their balance at the impact of Taurus Fire landing on the ground not that far from them. Luna looked up in horror at the beast. "Bud!?" she breathed.
"Prez, I know you're upset," Taurus Fire started, "but I HAVE to go!"
"Wait!" Luna called to him, stopping him from running away. She then turned to Jack, and asked, "Jack, could you escort Chaud to 22XX? I need to have a talk with Bud."
"Are you about to tell him off?" Jack asked.
"Just for once in your life and mine, shut up and listen to me!" Luna ordered. Jack's spine shivered at the sharp look. "Chaud, 22XX. No questions asked, just… go!" Jack then turned to Chaud, and motioned his head to the stairs. Chaud begrudgingly went. Luna then turned to Taurus Fire.
"Prez, I'm sorry, but I can't just stay in the sickbed," Taurus Fire said. "It's my fault Amy's in this mess, so I owe her a chance to get—"
"Bud, you have no idea where your going," Luna said, holding up her Hunter-VG. "Luckily… I have a general idea. But… I have a request." She then walked behind him, and found spots that weren't on fire. "Carry me!"
"Wait, we're BOTH going into danger?" Taurus asked, letting Luna get on board. "You're not gonna chew me out?"
"When I'm about to do something reckless for my Brothers by listening to JACK of all people?" Luna said, cringing as she held on. "I don't think I'm in a position to yell at you for ignoring bedrest. Because I'm in a position that knows this is gonna suck something awful. Just PLEASE don't sneeze on me!" She squinted her eyes, and yelled, "Hiya!" Taurus Fire then charged ahead, Luna screaming all of the while.
Kingdom Rider92's Notes: Well, this sets up a lot of what's about to happen, next chapter. Like in Creamland, we have two bosses coming up... no I'm not crazy enough to throw four bosses in rapid succession, but at least, Lan and Hub have met Sigma and discovered the truth about Patch and Steam... their sons from the future. I know Lan's incredibly dense, but there's a point where even the most dense can see the writing on the wall, so I HAD to have Lan react a little.
Meanwhile, Luna seems to have made her decision. We just need to find out WHAT that decision is. Kind of similar to the infamous Season 4 finale of Rick and Morty, last chapter Luna wanted Geo to be the one to decide what he wanted out of Luna (as in did he want her being a supportive leader or an ally on the front lines), but he couldn't make that decision... though unlike Rick with Beth, Geo's a bit distracted to answer considering he now holds the fate of Choina, Amy, and possibly the world rather than being cowardly and attempting to absolve himself of responsibility to his family to decide whether or not to be a part of their lives. While it probably doesn't make it much better than Rick, at least Geo has an excuse and Luna would never hold Geo's decision or indecision against him... simply because she has every reason to not want to trust herself.
Oh, and we finally get to the pirate island that I've been teasing for a while, and WHY Chromos would go out of their way to sabotage the Weather Control Machine: the Pirates, back when they were active, specifically founded their tribe in storm-infested waters to get away from the Murians. However, because of this storm, it also made their treasures impossible to obtain (which is probably a good-enough in-universe reason for Pirate to not be a playable Tribe in Star Force 2), so when they eventually died out, the Pirates left their OOPArt on the island. Now, Geo has to race to stop Chromos from obtaining it at Amy's expense, while Hub has to fix the Weather Control Machine that keeps the storms of the Pirate Isle from hitting Choina's coast. And thus, the dungeons of the next chapter.
Alright, guys... I'm going to head out. Farewell, my subjects. I'm going to probably start replying to your reviews via PMs at the rate of my exhaustion.