Orso Fiction 005

Orso Fiction 005- First Encounter with the Apostles (Part 2)
The five Orso fighters, hearing Zach from over loudspeakers Zeke had installed in the tower, sprang into action. They entered the Orso’s mobile base, a small and simple structure made for use by all of the members in the event of a Choice battle. The higher ranked members had bases of their own, but Zach had opted to bring one of the basic models to the meeting.

“Alright, Eddie, you don’t move from this base”, Alex began. “Someone should stay here and guard him, so they don’t overpower him so easily, and one of us should leave with Robbie and I to hunt down their target.”

“Assigning me to offense already?” Robbie asked with a smile.

“Would you have it any other way? Besides, you’re clearly better suited to offense. Now, who will come with us?”

“Not to sound like a coward…” Jake began. “But I’d prefer to stay with Eddie. I kind of want to be the one protecting him, and I think I’ll be able to operate the technology in the base to set up a good defense.”

“Alright, Mike, you’re on offense.” Alex said. Mike nodded. “Now, there should be…yep, right here.”

Alex flipped a sheet off of five motorbikes, each identical to the others.

“These will let us get around faster. Plus, they’re equipped with a transmitter, so we can communicate with the ones inside the base. Now, let’s do this.”

Jake and Eddie sat down, putting on headsets. They had practiced with a base like this before, so it didn’t take long for them to get adjusted. Alex, Robbie, and Mike mounted a bike, and plugged in a lit ring, fueling the specially-made engines.

“Nervous, Alex?” Robbie asked, as the hatch began to open for the bikes’ exit.

“Not at all.” Alex responded. “Why do you ask?”

“Well, you always told me you would try to start a fight from a huge distance away, that you wouldn’t even enter it yourself, just use your illusions.”

“What makes you think I’m not using an illusion right now?” Alex asked, trying to hide that his illusions couldn’t really be used from long distances away.

“Well, if you were making an illusion of yourself, you’d have made it look perfectly dressed. And that you didn’t have that one button on your shirt undone.”

Alex looked down, and Robbie laughed, driving off.

“Got ya! First one out of the gates! Dibs on the first one we find!”

Alex growled, and drove after him. Mike sighed, and drove off, following a different path than the Carrolls had taken.

Eddie smiled at Jake.

“Well, with the loud one gone, we can focus on the technology here. I had an idea for how we could set our defenses up, come check my work for me.”, he said. Jake smiled, more at ease. He and Eddie knew their way around the relatively simple base’s defenses perfectly, so together, they would be able to keep Eddie protected for as long, maybe even longer, than the three on offense could have.

“Can we GO yet?” Miriam whined. “I’m so sick of waiting on these idiots.”

“Think about how bad I have it.” Malachi responded. “I have to stay here the whole time, for Zeke’s plan.”

“Stop complaining, you two.” Hannah sighed. “You’ll give me a headache.”

“So, how long left until we can leave?” Sarah asked.

“We have a minute to go.” Michaiah replied. “Sarah and I will attack their base. Hannah will wait near the center of the battlefield to intercept attackers. Miriam is will defend the base. Malachi will remain in the base.”

“We knooow all this.” Miriam groaned. “Stop taaalking.”

“Just don’t blow this, Miriam.” Sarah said, impatience with the girl readily apparent in her voice. “Everything has to go just as Zeke planned.”

“When can we gooo?” Miriam whined. I hope they blow right past you, Hannah, so I can fight all of them.”

“I told you, I’ll fight the first one to get near me, and let you handle everyone else. I don’t like fighting more than one at a time. With any luck, it will be their Mist. What was his name?” Hannah asked.

“Alex Carroll.”, Micaiah said. “He’s their Second Generation’s Mist Varia Officer. For all that’s worth.”

“The shiniest piece of trash in a pile is still a piece of trash.” Malachi said with a smile. “Maybe he’s strong compared to the rest of the Orso, but he’s a far cry from any of us.”

“Alright, five seconds to go.” Sarah said. The bottom of her boots ignited into Rain flames, and she lifted off the ground. Miriam, Micaiah, and Hannah ignited their boots as well, in red, yellow, and indigo flames. “Let’s move!”

Without another word, the four Apostles assigned to take a position outside the base took flight, speeding toward their destinations from the sky.

Robbie glanced at his Dying Will Flame detecting radar, and smiled. The four dots on his map that had sped out all at once had betrayed their base’s location. He knew his target would appear in purple, but that enemy was masking his presence, and he didn’t appear on the radar. He settled for headed toward the indigo dot, the one nearest him.

Alex sped after Robbie, urging his bike to move faster so he'd be able to get to an opponent first. He saw that Robbie was after the indigo dot, which would be the enemy Mist. His heart skipped a beat as he realized how much fun a battle between illusionists would be.

"I want the Mist!", he called to his older brother, but he was too far away to hear. Alex smiled. He'd just have to speed up. He wasn't about to let Robbie have the fun fight.

"Jake, take a look at this.", Eddie said, pointing to the base's radar. A red and indigo dot were close together, headed toward an indigo dot of the enemy's. A red dot was further back. The light blue and yellow dots that had left the enemy base, however, had vanished.

"They're trying to sneak up on us.", Jake said, and Eddie nodded. "It's almost like they know where we are."

"Those bikes were designed to be undetectable, but apparently, that system isn't working as well as it needs to.", Eddie said. "We should launch the decoys."

"Good thinking.", Jake said, then pressed a button and announced into his headset. "Alex, Robbie, Mike. The decoys are being released. Switch off the stealth function, and focus on speed."

Robbie didn't look back as the back of his bike opened, and four baseball sized glass containers, a Storm flame burning in each, flew out, kept afloat by the propeller each had on their top. The decoys scattered. If the enemy could detect them from this far away, the decoys might confuse them. To a radar screen, it would appear that there were now five Storm flame users had split up.

"Roger that.", he said aloud, so the earset he had on would catch it.

Alex saw a Mist flame decoy speed to his left.

"Roger.", he said. If Jake had told him the stealth function was no good, then it meant that the enemy could detect them, and trying to be stealthy was useless. He looked at his radar, and saw that the Rain and Sun had vanished. He deduced that they would be headed toward the base. "Should I return to defend the base, Jake? Eddie?"

"No, you stay on offense. There's no saying where they are right now. You're best off just continuing on offense, and trying to end this quickly.", Jake replied.

"Understood."

"That's weird...", Eddie said, his voice trailing off. "Mike's signature...It's all the way to the east side of the battlefield. But there's no enemy over there."

"You don't think that the enemy target masked his presence, and he's over there now, fighting with him, do you?". Jake replied.

"I hope not...That means the enemy is comfortable fighting Mike, while hiding enough of his power to make himself undetectable..."

"Mike, do you read me? What is your situation?". Jake asked into the headset. "Mike, come in! Come in, Mike!"

"Nothing?", Eddie asked, growing concerned.

"Nothing. He's totally off the air..."

"Damnit...Then they've already gotten to him?! I can't believe Mike lost so quickly... Alex! Robbie! Be on high alert! These enemies are much more than they appear!"

At some street corner, Mike sighed. He had totally forgotten to turn on his headset and had no idea how to work his radar. If he asked, Eddie would just get angry at him, and accuse him of breaking the radar. He didn't want that kind of stress. He sighed again. He would just have to find them the old-fashioned way. He yawned. It didn't help that he was so tired.

Robbie smiled. He was nearing attacking range of the Mist Apostle. Just a few more seconds, and he would be able to strike...

An explosion to his back caused him to pull a quick U-turn to check on his brother. As he tried to see through the smoke, a huge impact to the back of his head knocked him from his bike. He scrambled to his feet, and saw the Mist Apostle standing in front of him.

"You're good.", Robbie said, brushing himself off. "That explosion wasn't real, was it? Just an illusion. I should have known better. I know how you illusionists work, I'm related to one."

"Is that the one coming now?", the Apostle asked. "Your brother, isn't it?"

"That's right. Alex is the Mist of our team. And I'm Rob-"

"Go."

"Excuse me?"

"I said, go. All five of you are about the same level of strength. I want to fight the Mist."

"Not a chance. I told everyone I'd take the first opponent I saw, and you're it."

"Do you not listen? I said....GO!", the Apostle commanded, and Robbie felt a blast of wind pushing him back as she said it. He steeled himself, understanding that the girl was just trying to intimidate him with her illusions.

"Don't you listen? I told you I'm fighting you. Alex will take on the Storm behind you, and probably go right on to beat your Target. Don't tell him I said this, but I'm really just here to make sure he gets there quickly."

Alex, as if on cue, pulled up and began to get off his bike.

"Don't stay, Alex. Keep going.", Robbie told him sternly.

"No. I want to fight their Mist.", Alex said, matter-of-factly.

"You can't have everything you want, Alex. I told you I was taking the first enemy. Keep going. I'll catch up."

"What makes you think I'm just going to let him pass me?", the Apostle asked. "You're standing in the way of the most fun I'll have had in a long time."

"Alex, go!", Robbie shouted.

“Fine.”, Alex growled. “But next time this happens, you leave."

"Oh no you don't!", the Apostle shouted, creating a ball of indigo flames in her hand, and throwing it at Alex's bike, intent on destroying it to slow him down. Alex jumped off the bike in time to save himself, but the bike was blown apart. "Now, you, the Storm, keep going. Mist, you stay here."

Robbie got off his bike, and ignited his ring with Storm flames, plunging it into a red box he pulled from his jacket. A hawk, red flames at the tips of the wings, emerged, and flew directly at Hannah. She dodged it, and in the moment she was distracted, Robbie threw Alex onto his bike.

"Drive, damnit!", Robbie shouted. Alex, understanding, nodded, and sped off. Hannah growled, swatting away the hawk, which returnd to perch on Robbie's right shoulder.

"Good job, Tybalt.", he said, patting the bird on its head. "Alright. Now its just the two of us."

"You Orso are disgusting.", Hannah sighed. "I really wanted to kill that one, and take his ring for a trophy. Well, I suppose my prey's older brother will do. And once I've killed you, no doubt he'll return for revenge. I'll get him then."

"Alex isn't so immature as to go crazy if I died...And plus...you assume you'll win.", Robbie said, pulling a yellow box from his pocket, and igniting a yellow ring into Sun flames. "Did you know? Being able to use multiple flames runs in our family, it seems. I only have two, but he, he has five."

Robbie thrust the second ring into his box, and a falcon, this bird's wings tipped with yellow flames, flew out and perched on his left shoulder.

"Ready? Tybalt? Romeo?", Robbie asked his birds. "We never really introduced ourselves. I'm Robbie Carroll, of the Orso Family."

"I'm Hannah.", the girl said, bored. Then she smirked. "But your brother is headed for a special level of hell. Miriam will eat him alive."

"You won't psych me out anymore. I know I don't need to worry about Alex. He's stronger than I am, now."

"Fine. All of your funerals.", Hannah said, then lept at Robbie, drawing a pistol from her belt. She thrust the gun at Robbie's chest, but before she could fire, Robbie was already behind her, and had dealt a strong chop to her back. She buckled.

"You have to be better than this.", Robbie said. Hannah turned her head and smiled horribly.

"Oh, I most certainly am.", she purred. Robbie heard a shot, and lept out of the path of the bullet just in time. He chuckled.

"Shooting between your arm and torso? That's so elementary. Tybalt! Romeo! Let's take that toy from her!"

The birds shot at her, and began to fly around her quickly. Hannah groaned, and tried to take aim at one of them. She growled when she realized what was happening. She jumped between them, escaping from inside the sphere they were flying in.

"That Sun Falcon...Its dropping its flames on the Storm Hawk..."

"That's right. Sun flames are the support flames, which increase both the speed and hitting power of the things they're applied to. Romeo buffs Tybalt into a real monster, and then Tybalt blows the enemy apart in one shot. You're the first enemy to figure that out in time."

"I'm pretty perceptive. You, however, clearly aren't."

Robbie gasped as he heard another gunshot from directly behind him. He twisted as best he could, but still felt the bullet enter his side. He turned his head to see Hannah standing behind him.

"One down. I thought you said you know how us illusionists work."

Robbie mustered all the energy he could, and whipped around to grab her arms. He held her in place, relying on his superior physical strength to keep her from escaping.

"I can't say I didn't see something like this coming.", Robbie said with a pained smile. "Tybalt! Strike her!"

Tybalt the Storm Hawk shot behind Hannah, and the girl's eyes widened.

"You...you planned this?"

"I wanted to try this on Alex first...But you'll do."

Hannah screamed as Tybalt flew into her at top speed, going up in crimson flames, and falling to the ground. Robbie guessed she'd live, but would be unconscious for a while. He fell into a sitting position, and laid on his stomach.

"Romeo...Help me out, here.", he murmured. The Sun Falcon, designed with the ability to heal with Sun flames, fluttered to his back. "I've had worse...But I won't be able to get to Alex any time soon..."

Inside the Apostle's blimp's cargo bay, the Orso Family watched the fight from one of ten different screens, each one focused on a member.

"I told you we'd all be fine!", Charlie shouted, throwing his fist up in the air. "Robbie's no slouch!"

"Not bad, Robbie. Shame you suck at keeping yourself from getting hurt.", Andrew Farcosky said with a grin.

"Hey, he could really be hurt!", Jenny Bosse said, concern in her voice. Next to her, C.J Benoit shook his head.

"Robbie's good. Romeo can really get a guy back on his feet. That shot won't keep Robbie down for long. He'll be back to new before the fight's over.", he said.

"So far so good.", Trevor said, smiling a bit. Zach nodded. Zeke and Isaac didn't change their expressions in the slightest, and it appeared to Zach that they weren't watching the battles at all.

Jake and Eddie breathed a sigh of relief as the indigo dot on their radar faded slightly, signifying that the source of the flames had been weakened.

"One down.", Eddie said with a smile. Suddenly, the emergency alarm rang once.

"Looks like they've found us.", Jake said. "Turn on the visual feed of outside the base."

Eddie flipped a switch, and they saw Micaiah and Sarah sprinting toward the location of the base.

"Time for our security system to go to work.", Eddie smiled. He sat back. "Let's see which trap gets them."

"It will be the Cloud flame lasers.", Jake said. "Those are my favorites."

"But you ignore the simple elegance of the missiles.", Eddie said. "That's why I'm in charge of the security technology at the headquarters."

"Shh, they're coming up on the missiles.", Jake said.

They launched in near silence. If it wasn't for Micaiah and Sarah's superhuman senses, they would have been blown apart. Instead, the two effortlessly jumped around the missiles, elegantly dancing between them. The weapons exploded harmlessly behind them, and not even the girls' hair was disturbed.

"They thought that would work?", Sarah asked, disbelieving.

"They're not used to opponents like us.", Micaiah said, smirking. She closed her eyes. "Yeah. The target is in that building, along with the other Cloud."

"These two probably aren't their best fighters, either.", Sarah noted. "If they went to the trouble of placing these useless traps up to protect him."

"Speaking of useless traps...", Micaiah began, as she began walking again. "Take care of the laser traps."

"Only if I get the target kill."

"I don't care which one I get, just hurry up!"

"Fine.", Sarah said, a little angrily. She gathered Rain flames in her palm, and launched them at the laser traps Jake had painstakingly hidden around the bases where they would be best out of sight.

"I know you're watching us.", Micaiah said aloud. "So I'll let you know...A laser trap is nice, but it has to store Dying Will Flames. And against opponents who can precisely locate any flame around them, its of no use at all. So come on out. There's no point hiding anymore."

The two Apostles waited for a moment, sighed, and began walking toward the base. It itself wasn't well hidden, and stuck out, as a white dome with the family crest above the entrance. Micaiah gathered Sun flames in her palm, and threw it at the base, blasting open a hole.

"Well, not much we can do now.", Jake said, standing up.

"Let's get out there and give those girls a warm welcome.", Eddie said, deadpan, rising as well. They slowly walked out of the base, preparing for battle.

"So you're the Varia Officer.", Miriam said, a devlish smile on her lips.

"That's right. The Second Generation's Mist Officer.", Alex replied, getting off his bike.

"Fun, fun, fun!", Miriam shrieked. "Oh, and I think I should let you know? That Storm a little bit behind you? Hannah definently messed him up bad."

"You won't make me flinch. We Carrolls are tougher than that."

"Whatever. Alls I'm saying is that your parents are going to have a tough time hearing that two of their sons died tonight. Even worse when the best they have for a body is a shriveled, burnt, disgusting, corpse."

"Are you just going to talk me to death, or fight?"

"Either way you end up dying...But I guess I'll give you that 'warrior's death' I bet you want so bad."

Miriam closed her eyes, and a very thin film of Storm flames began to radiate from her body.

"Don't get too close, or you'll get burned.", she said with a wicked grin. Then she opened her eyes wide and vanished. Alex felt an intense heat and pain from behind him, and jumped away from it. Miriam had somehow gotten right behind him in less than a second.

"Flash steps?", Alex asked. "I was wondering if I'd ever fight someone like you."

He pulled his box from his uniform, and ignited his ring into Mist flames, cramming it into the box.

"Shun!", he called, as the wolverine emerged. "Cambio Forma! Infuria Logica!"

The pattern in Shun's eyes shifted from three concenric circles to three circles in a line, and the animal began to glow indigo. The highest ranking members of the Orso Family used specially modifed Box Animals, that could transform into a traditional weapon. Alex's wolverine Shun changed shape into scattergun, which landed in his hand. He gripped it tightly, keeping an eye on the Storm Apostle. She giggled evilly.

"Nice toy. I wonder if Hannah will like it if I give it to her as a souvenir...Or maybe I'll just break it into a million pieces in front of you, right before I put you out of your misery."

"You don't scare me."

"Then you clearly aren't paying enough attention. Get ready, 'cause here I come!"

"Those traps were total shit. Which one of you is the moron that set those?", Micaiah asked curtly. Both Orso members facing her pointed to themselves. She groaned. "Whatever. You, the one that isn't the target. You're my kill."

"And you, Higgins...You're mine.", Sarah said menacingly. "And then we win. And every Orso dies tonight."

"You've got a serious problem, you know that?", Eddie asked, begining to distance himself from Jake and Micaiah. "Like, you're basically the craziest group I've ever seen. And I work for the ORSO. Do you know who runs this family? Lunatics. That's who."

"Well, at least you understand where we're coming from.", Sarah smiled. "Maybe I won't kill you after all. You seem like you'd make a decent underling for the Apostles."

"Whoa, whoa...Don't get crazy. The higher-ups might be out of their minds, but they're my kind of out of their minds. You won't lay a finger on my family.", Eddie said, his tone changing completely, becoming much more serious.

"I thought you'd say that. You Orso are so digusting...Don't you see how different our levels are? The Orso will die, whether or not you're around to watch it go. Its a simple choice. Life. Or death."

"Then its a simpler answer.", Eddie said, igniting his ring into Cloud flames. "Fuck you."

He pressed his ring into the lock on his box, and a Cloud Penguin emerged. The flightless bird, wingtips burning in purple flames, squawked once, holding a wing up in a salute.

"I'd like you to meet my little amigo.", Eddie said with a smile. "His name is Eddie."

"You...you named your Box Animal after yourself?"

"That's right. And we're the best team you could imagine! Eddie! Let's do the usual!"

Eddie the penguin saluted again, and jumped into Eddie's arms. Eddie aimed carefully, and hurled the animal like a football. Sarah easily sidestepped as it harmlessly hit the ground, and kicked the animal to the side.

"That's your plan? Hurl your bird? How stupid.", she said, gathering a ball of Rain flames in her hand. She launched it at Eddie, who barely dodged it, running to scoop Eddie the penguin into his arms.

"Maybe that trick's a little too little for you, I admit it.", Eddie said slowly. "But that's not all I can do. In fact...you're forgetting about something very important."

Jake thrust his lit ring into his box, and a large, surprisingly cute caterpiller-like worm emerged, landing on his shoulder.

"Micaiah, meet Ken, my Cloud Worm.", Jake said, quietly.

"A fucking worm? That's appropriate.", Micaiah snorted. Ken shrunk back from the woman, and Jake patted it on the head.

"Don't listen to her, buddy. You're a great animal."

"Trash using trash.", Micaiah said with a chuckle. She gathered Sun flames in her hand, and launched them at Jake, who wasn't as fast to dodge, and was knocked several feet to his left. Micaiah began to walk toward him. Ken, gathering his courage, wiggled on top of Jake and spat a thin stream of thread at her. She sidestepped this, and laughed as Jake struggled to his feet, and began to hobble away. She launched another ball of Sun flames at him, once more knocking him down. Once more, Ken attempted to protect his master, by spitting thread.

"You're so useless!", Micaiah shouted at him. "You're just impossibly weak! I'm not even trying!

Jake smiled.

"Maybe you should have been."

"Excuse me? Don't you know how close to death you are?"

"Micaiah...How long ago do you think I let Ken out of his box?"

"What does that have to do with anything? I don't know...maybe three minutes?"

"That's why...you're going to lose. Good job, Ken.", Jake said, moving himself into a kneeling position. The worm wriggled happily and squeaked cutely. He laid his hand on the part of the thread that had fallen in front of him. Suddenly, the thread ignited into purple Cloud flames. The flames spread to the other piece of thread the worm had spat, forming a large flaming "X", with Micaiah as the center.

"What...what is this?", she managed to say, before a flash of purple covered her, and thick thread covered her from head to foot.

"I let Ken out the second Choice began. He's been working hard, spreading an incredibly thin thread all over this area, so any intruder would end up covered in thread too light to be noticed. We knew you could detect flames from how you were confident in hunting us down on foot, so we only made this normal string. We waited until you were close enough for Ken to lay down a thicker string to form the full trap. The ability of Cloud flames is "Propagation". Cloud flames are the best at covering large areas, at multiplying, at growing. It's a property that serves Ken well. We call this the "Cross Trap". Once you were in the center of that cross, I just had to apply a little bit of Cloud flames, and then the string all over you would activate, and grow, thicken, and harden. As an added bonus, Cloud flames tend to drain whatever's touching them of their flames. You might be out of energy already, actually."

Jake laid down, exhausted. Ken wiggled down to look him in the eyes. Jake smiled at the little animal.

"You did great, Ken. We won. We really won, against an Apostle. Now there's just three left. A guy like me, beat an Apostle...", he murmured.

He closed his eyes, still smiling. Ken curled up next to him and began to sleep.

"Eddie...I can't help you anymore, I got hurt worse than I planned to...I hope our plan works..."

"YES!", James LaDow shouted, from inside the base, sharing high-fives with Thomas Haden, Alex Simms, and Adam Ellerbrock. "He did it!"

"I knew he'd plan like that!", Alex said with a grin.

"He's really a lot more awesome than people expect.", Thomas added. "I'll bet not many people saw that one coming."

"What a guy. He took that much damage, and still fought like a champ.", Adam said. "Three to go, right?"

"Well, I'm impressed.", Trevor said, nodding in approval. Zach smiled.

"I thought you would be.", he said. Zeke chuckled.

"Your men keep falling just as fast as mine do. Can you even call those two wins? Here's a scary thought...Sarah abandons your target, and goes right to kill that boy, and then the other one, that's trying to recover right now.", he said, smiling innocently at Zach, who clenched his fists.

"She won't. Sarah doesn't like working with Micaiah at all.", Isaac yawned.

"Isaac...I'm trying to scare the nice boys. Be silent!", Zeke responded, steel in his voice.

"There's still three of each of us left fighting.", Trevor noted. "We can't get too confident yet."

"Oh, but it hardly matters what you do, Trevvy. If you win, hooray, you all go free. If you lose...well, we gas your family. And then my men run over all of your boys. And I suppose Isaac and I kill you two last, so you have to watch everything. Ooh, I'm so sorry, I was starting to say something, and then I just got lost in my...fantasy.", Zeke said, never dropping his grin.

"I've forgotten something?", Sarah asked.

"That's right. Tell me something...where is your partner?", Eddie replied.

"Partner? Micaiah? I don't really care. She's off killing your friend, I suppose."

"You think so? Well, either way...Jake and I had ample time to prepare for you to arrive..."

"And you set up your garbage traps, right. Is that all? I destroyed all the laser traps..."

"The laser traps? Decoys. The missiles? Decoys. The bike-released decoys? Even more of decoys than the other decoys. The real trap? You're standing right on top of it.", Eddie said, holding up a thread. Sarah followed it with her eyes, and saw that the thread split off and formed a large circle around her. A flash of purple flame shot through the thread, and the string tightened around Sarah, constricting her.

"Jake and I, unlike you two, it seems, work as a great team. He sets them up...and I knock them down.", Eddie said, pulling another purple box from his pocket. "Oh, do you know what the security at the Orso Headquarters includes?"

"N-no...", Sarah said, trying to douse the thread in Rain flames to soften it.

"Well, there's a lot of things, but one of my favorite parts is how there's a Security Box Animal set. When the alarm goes off, the animals are released automatically, with stored flames. The animals are so cool...So, when I saw this one, I couldn't help but take it...I'll have to apologize to Zach when we get back..."

He ignited his lit ring, and injected it into the second box, releasing a grizzly bear, its paws lit with purple flames.

"Sarah, meet Eddie."

"You-you..."

"Yeah. We're an even better team, all three of us. Eddie! Eddie! Let's do the REAL trick!"

Eddie the bear grabbed Eddie the penguin, and held him just as Eddie had. With his monstrous strength, he hurled the penguin at the Apostle. Upon impact, the penguin, who had been storing energy, shot high-intensity Cloud flames in every direction, and flew back to Eddie's hands, as Sarah fell.

"I call that 'TriEddie Attack'.", the Cloud-type said with a smile. "One Eddie is enough for most enemies. Three is always overkill."

"He stole the bear...I knew he'd steal the bear. Damnit, Eddie. Doesn't he know how much I wish he would just leave that system be?", Zach grumbled, trying to sound less happy than he was about the victory.

"Well, well.", Zeke said with a smile. "Looks like your target wasn't a total joke. Well, Miriam had better step her game up, hadn't she?"

"Miriam was never one for drawn out battles. She'll finish this Alex kid fast.", Isaac said. "Then she'll track down the other two that fell, and kill them right away. That leaves her just the Target, and...the fifth one."

"Hey, where DID Mike go?", Trevor asked. Zach looked around, outside all the windows.

"He...he's over there.", Zach said, pointing down, far from where the battles had taken place.

"I'm glad Eddie won and all, but what is that Mike guy doing?", Mary Reiter asked, disbelieving. Stacie sighed and shook her head.

"I don't understand how that boy's brain works.", she replied. Next to her, Amy smiled.

"Mike will do fine, don't worry.", she said cheerfully. "He's just...oh, he's on that screen. Oh, yeah, I have no idea what he's doing."

To their side, Adam Podskalny smiled with Ed Hiner.

"They have no idea...", Adam thought.

"It doesn't matter how strong the last two are. Mike can handle them."

Mike walked out of the house he had broken into, grumbling to himself.

"None of these houses have running water...and I really need to use the bathroom...", he thought to himself. "I could just use the bushes...but what if someone passes by, and I have to fight without my pants on? I don't need that kind of stress..."

He sighed, and looked up at the tower.

"Plus, everyone's watching me anyway.", he said. "Maybe I should try to get back to our base, and try to be less lost the next time I leave. Yeah. That's what I'll do...Oh, wait. I don't know how to get back...Huh."

Mike sighed again and got back on his bike, driving off, not sure as to where he was headed.

"Three down...", Miriam said, with a little bit of a smile. "Your team has managed to get everyone but me and our target. Don't you feel special?"

"Not particularly.", Alex said, panting. The girl was simply too fast to hit. He had tried using illusions, but the girl's aura of red flame desintigrated them when they got close to her, so he had to rely on brute force.

"Well, you're stronger than all those guys, right?", Miriam asked.

"I would say so, yes. About where are you, compared to the other Apostles?"

"Oh, me? I'm like Zeke said, his left hand woman. That means three. I'm the third strongest. Malachi is the strongest, besides Zeke."

"That's right. That's much like our family's Primo Generation, with a Cloud Guardian as a right hand, and a Storm Guardian as a left hand."

Miriam cackled.

"Ooh, you have no idea, what your family and us Apostles have in common!", she said, grinning malevolently. "I'll tell you a secret about us if you beat me."

"I've got no reason to say no to that.", Alex said, firing Infuria Logica a few times in her direction. Miriam focused for a moment, and her aura became more intense. The Mist flame bullets burned up before they could reach her.

"That's quite an aura...", Alex thought. "Not much good for my bullets...Not yet, anyway."

Alex drew a green box from his uniform, as well as a green ring, which he ignited and pressed into the box. It held not an animal, but a burst of Thunder flames that covered his gun.

"Thunder flames work to solidify what they cover...so this power-up I prepared in advance will make my bullets harder, and able to penetrate her aura without burning up...", he thought. "I'm covering myself in the illusion that I didn't just do that, so she has no idea these shots will be different..."

He fired once, and all ten shots he released at once found their way through the Storm-flame aura, and into Miriam. The girl shrieked, and fell.

"Damnit...", Malachi groaned. "My turn already."

He got up, ignited his boots in Cloud flames, and flew off.

"Oh, man...I am so lost...", Mike thought. He thought he had heard gunshots to his left, so he sped in that direction. "Man, they're going to be mad..."

Alex didn't wait for Miriam to wake up to check his radar. He raised an eyebrow when he saw that the purple dot was speeding toward him. Maybe he would get to fight both hands of the Apostles today. That would make the fight even more worth the hassle than it already had been.

He looked up, and saw Malachi land in front of him.

"Hello.", the man said. "You took out Miriam all by yourself?"

"That's right.", Alex said, sizing him up.

"I'd tell you that's impressive, but to be honest...it's not."

"What, because she's only third strongest?"

"Ha ha ha! Well, that's true, but no. You see-"

Malachi was interrupted by a motorcycle flying at him. He raised a hand, which ignited into purple flames, and he sliced it in half, each half falling and exploding behind him perfectly.

"Sorry!", Mike shouted, running up to them. When he saw who had gathered, he stopped short. "Oh. Hello."

"Mike, good. Go back and check on Robbie. This is the last one, I can take him."

Malachi laughed ominously.

"Oh, you are so wrong...", he murmured, and then vanished. Alex whipped around, aiming Infuria Logica at the man, who had appeared behind him.

"Oh, Miriam already showed you that trick?", Malachi asked. "No matter"

He vanished again, and Alex felt himself be lifted by the head, and thrown several yards. He tried to get up, but Malachi stomped on his chest.

"So very, very, wrong."

Alex tried to shoot Malachi from below him, but the shots only seems to make him more energetic. Alex realized too late that the man had covered himself in a purple aura like Miriam's.

"Mike, look out! He's covered himself in Cloud flames!"

"Alex...You shouldn't sound so worried...This is clearly just an illusion.", Malachi said, fully crushing Alex with his massive foot. "Alex" dissapated into indigo smoke. The real Alex faded into view, also through indigo smoke, next to Mike.

"Mike, this one is even stronger than the last one. Get back to the base. I'm the Second Generation's Mist Varia Officer. I'm the highest ranked man here, so I'm the one most qualified to fight him.", Alex said.

"Well...not really.", Mike said, a sleepy smile on his face. He drew from his pocket a ring with a winged red oval gem on it, and slipped it on his finger. "Zach made a special set of rings for seven more of us, in the Primo Generation, just as elite as the Guardians or the Varia Officers."

Mike ignited the ring onto his hand into some of the most pure Storm flames Alex had ever seen.

"We're the 'Agents'. I hate to break it to you...but I'm the strongest one in this team."

"Ugh...Fine. You take him.", Alex said. Malachi laughed.

"It doesn't matter which one of you 'takes me'", he said. "I'll wipe all five of you off the map in a heartbeat."

Mike drew a red box from his pocket, and inserted his ring. From the inside came a red boar,, tusks burning with Storm flames, and a bright red gem on its forehead.

"This is Ruby, my Storm Boar.", Mike said, yawning. "Ruby...Cambio Forma..."

"So he finally reveals his real power.", Trevor said with a smile.

"Yep. He's easily the strongest one of that team, even with Alex. Mike's just as strong as Amy, or Matt.", Zach replied. Trevor whistled.

"That poor Malachi."

Zeke and Isaac smiled as they watched on.

Ruby began to glow red, and slowly changed shape until it resembled a tall shield, though with two tusks protruding from the front. Mike grabbed hold of the new weapon, and pointed it at Malachi

"Furia Guardia. That's the name of this form. What was it Zach told me about this..."

Mike reflected on what Zach had said to him the day he handed him his ring and the box holding Ruby.

"The furious storm that never ceases attacking for the family. That's your element, but you're a special case. You've helped me by being there for me at all times, like Amy, or Matt, even when...when I wasn't there for you. You've got the determination, but the energy of a sloth. So, I think this weapon will do you a lot of good."

"He was right.", Mike said, unaware that no one else could hear what he had just remembered.

"A shield? That's your last ace?", Malachi asked scornfully. He raised one finger, and began to gather Cloud flames around it, as Mike's shield began to glow red.

"This is the weapon, the power that Zach entrusted to me, to help protect our dream!", Mike said. "I'll use this shield to guard every single member of the Family! You! Will! Not! Touch them!"

The Cloud Apostle grinned evilly and launched his Cloud flames, as Mike finished shouting. Suddenly, the inside of the shield lit with a great crimson fire, and the shield launched itself, carrying Mike, at Malachi. The shield caught the purple fireball, and ran directly into Malachi, creating a massive explosion of red and purple flames. When the smoke had cleared, Malachi had fallen.

"So that's....a Cambio Forma...I..Fuck...."

Slowly, the target on Malachi was extinguished. The Orso had won Choice.

"Something's not right...", Zach thought to himself. Zeke had been far too gracious in his loss, and insisted that the Orso be given a half hour to make sure their fighters were fit enough to be recognized for their bravery. The Orso that had been locked in the cargo bay had been released, with no complaints or attempts at trickery. Now, he stood in front of them, delivering a speech about how moving the five battles had been, as though he hadn't just held the Orso's lives at stake.

"Mike, good work out there. Thanks, for everything.", he whispered to the Storm Agent, who shrugged.

"It's nothing, Zach. Don't mention it.", he replied. He paused a few minutes and added with a smile,"Yeah, I totally want a party in my honor when we get back."

"Alright, Apostles of the Sky!", Zeke shouted. "I believe its about time that we go...Oh, but before I forget..."

Zeke removed his white glove, and held his hand out to Zach.

"Good game.", he purred. Zach took the hand, and immediately, a chill went through his body. His legs gave out from under him, his mind went cloudy, and his heart felt like it had been torn out. His spirit, in that moment, felt absolutely shattered; infinitely weakened, and infinitely vulnerable. He looked up at Zeke, who was cackling, his full body burning with Sky flames. "Oh, Zach...You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?"

"What...what did you do?", Zach mumbled.

"I didn't do anything, Zachy. This is just what happens when an unstoppable force meets a very breakable shield. Look at us, Zachy...We're almost too perfect of opposites. You have your incredible charisma, and I invoke utter fear and contempt in whoever I'm around. You're regarded for your kindness, and I bathe everything I know in intense hatred. And somehow, we have so much in common. A Family behind us, the same habit of perpetually smiling, the same eye for character...We're equal but opposite, brother. Are things making more sense now?", Zeke asked. "Oh, I suppose they wouldn't. Well, let me put it simply. The reason we Apostles seem so much like you and your Guardians is because that's who we ARE. I'm the Zach Stimely the Dark Side always wished for. A miracle...no, a catastrophe, of modern science. I was born to mimic you, surpass you, and then erase you. Two out of three ain't bad for one day's work, is it?"

Zeke began to laugh, a noise that cut deep to the core of every Orso present.

"Oh, and one more thing...That little handshake? That was the first step to your demise. My body has touched your's, and now it's coming up with all sorts of ways to kill you. You've already felt the first of it, haven't you? Just being near me is killing you! This round of Choice was just a game all along, and everyone played their parts so perfectly. All of our losses were perfectly orchestrated, to lead up to this moment...Hear this, members of the Orso Family! We'll meet again, in one year's time, a hundred times more powerful than we are now! Then, we will eradicate every single one of you that still follows this weakling", Zeke said, kicking Zach. Laughing, he and the Apostles flew off, their boots leaving wisps of a rainbow of flames behind them.

"Zach! Zach! Say something!", Trevor demanded, kneeling over his friend, more scared than anyone had ever seen him.

"I..I..I couldn't move my legs.", he gasped. "I couldn't move anything...Trevor...Those seven...we have to stop them."

--

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=365 Days Until The Attack=