Black Bone Tower Part 31

Previous: Black Bone Tower Part 30

''The numbered buttons continued on, and Miko Nikk was on the double-digits. Sixteen was located on a wall of the third staircase, she was prompt in pushing it and activating its function. If her calculations were correct, she only had a few more to go, but they were located in different ends of the tower, and she had to hurry, before her crewmates got sucked up into this hell of a tower and had no means of escaping. She learned much from this place, and much of it was very unscrupulous in origin.''

''Some of the history of the place made her mildly sick, but she shrugged it off, and soon found herself thinking about the guy with the sword, Kin. What was it about him? What did she see in him that would make her act that way. She literally just gave her first kiss to a young man she just learned the name of, and was trying to slice her with a sword... well, now she found herself answering her own question as a wry grin crossed her face.''

Mei: You see, Tessa? I told you she was coming after these numbered buttons.

Tessa: Hmmm... Guess I owe you a soda after all.

Nikk stopped as she reached the bottom of the stairs, and straightened her black trench coat.

Mei: Now then, little girl [Stepped out into the open, wielding a morning star mace, a ball of spikes on a chain, that was attached to a stick.] How about telling us where the rest of them are, why you are pushing them, and what's going to happen when you push all of them?

''Nikk looked off to the side and her eyes seemed concentrated on the wall, then she turned around and faced Mei and Tessa. Mei was a taller woman, with a scar running from her left eye to the bottom left side of her jaw. Her hair was orange, and her face was rough, obviously having some mileage on her. Then she looked over to Tessa, who still sported the metal arm, and the bored look in her eyes, along with her long, raven-black hair.''

Nikk: Since the ancient times, the idea that events transpired in a linear progressive momentum has been disputed between philosophers, and religious followers. As some have debated that time is always forward moving, and ever progressing. While some argue that since time is fated and set beforehand, that time is non-existant and will never evolve, and things will move as they were meant to from the time they were created until the time they expire. Both of these theories are entirely plausible, but I, for one, think that both are somewhat true, as time does go by as it should, but the forward movement simply exists as events will transpire as they were meant to, but serving their purpose in the perspective of whoever perceives it as it occurs.

Tessa and Mei paused for a moment, Nikk had clearly lost them for that moment, but then Mei shook her head.

Mei: She's trying to stall us, we don't have time for this, so, I suppose we're going to have to do this the hard way. [She said, and noticed Nikk was staring the wall again.] Don't ignore me! [Started to spin the spike ball around fast, and charged toward Nikk.]

Nikk: What I meant was...

Chio: Chio HANDOU!!! [Kicked a huge chunk of the wall down and stopped Mei in and instant.]

Nikk: Everything happens for a reason.

''Her range was still well within bounds, and she swiped her flail straight for Nikk's head! A gigantic axe came down hard and knocked the spiked ball away, making one of the spikes slice into Mei's arm. She flinched and and held the flail to her side, cringing, and looked to see Rangass D. Kimi stand in front of Miko Nikk, her gargantuan axe leaned against her shoulder, casual in her stance.''

Kimi: So, fighting with no honor, is that your legacy, and what you wish to be remembered by?

Mei: Honor? Legacy? The hell are you jabbering on about?!

Tessa: She's calling you a worthless whore.

Mei: What?! How dare you!

Kimi: Well, I mean, you are!

Mei: I'll show you worthless! [Spun her flail at amazing speeds to make its traces seem like its a spinning top.] Eat metal dust!

''As Mei came in for the attack, there came a shadow behind her that moved to flank her, and that shadow's metal arm moved to punch her along with the other attack. Kimi could only concentrate on the flail as it came toward her. As Chio moved to intercept Tessa's blind-siding attack, it was Jana Chi who came in and stopped the metal fist as it came toward Kimi's face. Kimi was able to swing her axe, and catch the ball of spikes square in the middle, both of their attacks clashing in midair. Kimi swung her axe handle around, and caught Mei square in the side of her neck.''

Mei: GAH! [Hit the wall next to her hard, knocking her face against it, and bouncing off of it to the ground, dropping her morning star mace.] You tramp... [Got up slowly, seeing Kimi looking down at her, her axe once again propped up against her shoulder, and scowling toward Mei.]

Tessa stood with her metal hand in Jana's palm, and to her great surprise, Jana was not flinching even an inch against the metal arm's great strength.

Jana: You put so much trust into this piece of machinery, have you no skill elsewhere?

''Tessa simply rolled her eyes, and in that moment, Jana grasped her metal hand hard, and pulled Tessa into her waiting, charging fist. Her fist met with Tessa's t-zone between her eyes, blanking her sight for an instant. Before Tessa knew it, she was on her back.''

Jana: I suppose not...

''Tessa quickly held up her metallic hand and the fingertips opened up. That was when several pins shot forward, straight at Jana, in which she skillfully slapped them away, her hands striking them on their sides in case their tips were treated with some kind of poison. Tessa's hand opened at the palm, and a chain and claw shot forward, catching Jana by the neck. It gripped her neck tight, and she cringed, struggling to breathe as she was pulled into Tessa's grip.''

Tessa: I don't hear you talking anymore. [She squeezed Jana's throat.]

''Jana Chi's vision instantly began to black out as she tried her very best to pull her fingers from their grasp, but it was far too tight. In desperation Jana jumped up using what remained of her strength, and sent a kick into Tessa's chin. She balanced both of her feet onto Tessa's chest and began to kick continuously with both of them one after the other. She could feel Tessa's grip weakening, and she used her great strength to pull her fingers away from their grasp. With one final, great kick, she smashed her foot straight into Tessa's face, knocking her straight back.''

''Jana cleared her throat, rubbing her raw neck, and then went into a fighting stance. She held her hands like claws, and traced the whiskers that were painted on her face.''

Jana: Tora Chi!

Tessa got to her feet, and wiped the blood from her nose, spitting to the side and gazed at Jana with very intense eyes.

''With one great swing of her axe, Kimi smashed the edge of its blade square into the flail's spiked ball. This time, it shattered in twain, and both halves spiraled off to either side, digging into the walls. Mei growled as she saw her handle, and chain with naught but the lug that attached it to the ball. She tossed her weapon aside and pulled the sword from her back. it was quite a large sword, probably weighing around seventy pounds.''

Mei: Now you're in trouble. [Held the sword with both hands, and went into a basic stance, and Kimi smiled.]

Kimi: Oh, it's no trouble at all, really. At least, I don't mind.

Mei: Heeheeheeeeeeee! Let's test that, shall weeeeeee?! [Held the sword above her head and charged straight for Kimi, screaming in a battle cry.]

Kimi: Tornado Wrath... [She held her axe in a horizontal slice, and spun herself around, obscuring her image. As Mei charged into her and came down with her sword at Kimi's head, it was met with the edge of her axe into the flat of the sword. The strike set Mei into an uncontrollable angle of her charge, but she was caught as the force of the spin began to carry her back.]

''A tornado of bladed energy strikes caught Mei and she began to feel the stinging slices cut into her, and caused such great pain. The momentum of the swirling energy caused her to spin with it, and back away from Kimi. Her sword flew from her hand and struck the wall. As it did, the place where it was struck caused it to split in two, and the handle fell to the ground. She was caught in the surging energy, receiving cut after cut on her body until it dissipated, and left her standing, her head going absolutely crazy in a dizzying fashion. She leaned to the left as she attempted to step toward Kimi, but more blood doused her from her substancial wounds.''

''A growling look of absolute hatred was branded into her face at that moment. Her eyes red with absolute rage as her clenched, blood-soaked teeth looked toward Kimi. The pirate Captain looked toward her with no expression, this time her axe was set to her side and she watched as Mei struggled to reach her, but was stumbling so terribly.''

Mei: I... will... errrr! I will.... I WILL!! [She vomited then, and dropped to her knees. She face-planted into the ground, her blood-raged war face still on her face as she fell into unconsciousness.]

Kimi: ...no you won't.

''Jana was finally able to catch Tessa's arm and point it away from her as a rocket-propelled can of high explosives shot off, and went down that long, dark hallway and exploded. She used two fingers from her right hand, and jabbed them into several areas of one joint that moved the mechanical bicep and connected it to Tessa's shoulder. Jana was quick to chop her hand into Tessa's wrist as she tried to strike at Jana's face with her other hand, causing her entire hand to go numb. With the edge of her hand concentrated, she sliced it straight and true. Jana's palm separated the metal arm from Tessa's mechanical base that connected to her shoulder, and she screamed in horrible pain as the voltage lost control, stinging her nerves mercilessly.''

Tessa: NO!! [Her eyes went wide and she cringed at such horrible pain.]

''Jana held her arm for one moment, before tossing the useless scrap to the ground with a hard clang. With one twirl in the air, she bent and swiped her leg into Tessa's face, causing her head to bounce against the wall, and hit the ground hard. ''

''Jana looked toward Kimi to see that she had had similar success, and the two of them nodded toward one another. They both turned to see Chio and Nikk gathered with Gonzo Lee. He was propped against the wall, his hand on his stomach and his eyes half-opened. ''

Jana: How is he? [Walked up beside Chio.]

Chio: He's a champ, he's holding on.

Lee: Shut up... I'm fine. Let's just--

Usagi: Chio!

All eyes turned down that hallway to see Jiro, Alice, and Ellis with Usagi on her back.

Chio: Oh, dear God, Usagi! [Ran over toward them.]

Alice: Nikk! [Ran up and embraced her beloved friend, and they shared a very warm hug, even Nikk, in all of her seemingly absent emotions, held Alice very tight.]

Ellis: Hey you guyses! Oh Holy Crap on a cracker! Take her. [She gave Chio Usagi, and he held her while Ellis went to Gonzo Lee to begin her work.]

Usagi: Hey... [Draped her arm around Chio's neck and they met in a hug while Chio held her up.]

Chio: What happe--- [Usagi held her finger to Chio's lips.]

Usagi: Nothing happened. Nothing at all.

Jiro smiled at the rest of them, and looked around.

Jiro: Where's Rinji?

''This brought a silence to the rest of them. Where, indeed?''

Black Bone Tower Part 32