middleofsomewhere | Finale: All teams

Finale: All teams

Inside the System

The forest seems endless as the Voidtreckers move through it, soothing the red vines that constrict the trees as they go. But eventually they will start to come together, as though they are being funnelled towards a centre.

The trees end, the forest opening out into a large clearing. Vines carpet the floor and climb up the trees, curving to create a dome of red mesh that blocks out the sky. As everyone gathers in the clearing, vines weave past them to cover the entrances, closing them in. The red light does little to light up the gloomy dome, but as their eyes adjust they will see a huge gnarled and broken tree in the centre. It pulses with the same sickly red glow.

From the gloom creatures emerge, more of the mongoose. These ones are larger, teeth and claws are sharp as they circle the clearing, hissing and snarling.

The tree begins to move, its branches and roots are huge and they swing towards the gathering Voidtreckers with a speed that seems unlikely for their size, roots rise up to try and tangle around limbs.

The vines creating the dome can be soothed, but there are so many of them it will be a lengthy job and the mongooses patrol the edges, attacking anyone who is trying to clear the roots. Often they will give chase to anyone who tries to run, trying to hound them into the path of the tree roots or into the range of the attacking branches.

All the while more vines are growing from the tree, pulsing red strands that spread towards the walls of the dome and beyond.

Outside the System

For those that did not enter the system it has been a long vigil over their unconscious teammates. The sectors still have problems but these seem to lessen: there are fewer emergency alerts in Winter, the walls stop moving in Autumn, all seems calm in Spring and the weather calms in Summer.

But as Day Eleven of the month of Jelly begins there seems to be a shift: the sky darkens, going from the usual clear blue that is has been for days to a dark, burnt red.

The Helpmates have mostly calmed the last few days, but now there are more of them and they will attack on sight. The only place they will not enter is the inner sanctuaries of the Great-Seasons, where the bodies of those who have entered the system still lie.

A few times the ground ominously rumbles and for anyone still in the Spring sector there are certainly a few frightened alpaca-type creatures to calm.

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"As long as they do it far away from here." He said, jumping forward to land on one and kick another, sending it flying.

"They weren't all here a minute ago! Where did they come from?"

The panels would've been a lot of help, maybe.

Soldat catches a bash from one on the metal arm, winces as it crackles against the plates, and throws it back off again, spinning to slice through it with the kitchen knife. Split in two, it disappears. "There have been some in the area. Trimming branches. Or I guess. Repairing pipes, if that's what they really are."

They have to duck and roll away from two that then subsequently crash into each other with an ugly staticky buzz. "Must have all malfunctioned at once."

"They weren't doing that before." Natsuno grumbled as he knocked one into the other one.

He was taking blows, but they didn't even have time to bruise before they faded from his skin. He wasn't worried about defence so much as he was doing damage, but his form suggested he was an amateur.

"Maybe," Soldat grunts, kicking the two who'd hit each other's feet out from under them and rolling onto them to stab viciously at chests and heads, batting away flailing arms, "the ones inside the system are doing something important. That they want to stop."

"They'd have to be. I don't understand any of that stuff." Natsuno confessed. "The best I can do is hold the line out here."

He wasn't too put out by that, he slammed a few of the helpmates into the ground again. "Not challenging exactly, but..." They didn't seem built for combat to him.

"Durable though," Soldat counters. No, they're not great for fighting, but they don't feel pain and they can take a lot of damage. Also, they can't hit them properly with the metal arm, or it shorts out. Not pleasant.

One of them try to rush Soldat's back, where the lantern is hanging from its wire-woven strap, and they have to wrench away as the metal shutters clatter from the jostle. That one gets a particularly vicious "gutting" and thankfully shatters and flickers out.

"Durable, yeah. I need to use a considerable amount of force to break them." Natsuno agreed. Not nearly as much as he could exert, but a pretty good amount.

He could tell he was getting hungry, but if they managed to make it through the battle, he'd be fine after that.

In the momentary lull, Soldat comes to stand with their back to Natsuno's back, letting them protect each other's backs. And the lantern. "Puncturing and dismembering seems to be most effective. More than simply bashing. That might help thin them out faster."

"I would." Natsuno said, taking a breath. "But I don't have any skills in that area. Bashing is about all I've got at the moment."

He honestly appreciated the cover. Even if it wouldn't linger, he still didn't need to feel pain for any reason.

"Here." Soldat flips the kitchen knife over to catch by the blade, half-turning to offer it to Natsuno. "If you want it. It's not a combat knife, but. It's sharp and balanced okay."

He shook his head. "I have a knife but I'm not good with it. Trunks told me to forget about it. Better to rely on my strength." He commented.

"It's alright, I'll just hit them harder."

"Try pulling limbs off, then," Soldat suggests, flipping the knife back around and facing front, just in time for one more to come barreling on its stubby hologram legs, and run into both the bone knife and the kitchen knife at the same time.

"That." Natsuno said, lunging at the approaching helpmate and grasping its arm.

It was nothing to yank it free. "I can do." He said, tossing it aside before smashing it anyway, for good measure.

Between the arm pulled off and the stabbing, that helpmate shatters and vanishes. Soldat shoots Natsuno a fierce grin. "Good."

They duck under a new helpmate's lunge, sweeping a leg out to send it tumbling. "They're not very. Tactical. Not programmed for this."

"No, I don't think so." He smirked back and had no problem tearing them apart. It was a good way to work out some of the simmering rage he tended to have under the surface.

It was possible that Natsuno was working through things in his own way.

Hey, everyone gets through their issues how they need to. Soldat doesn't judge. They just keep fighting until there's another lull, aided in no small part by Natsuno and his limb-ripping skill.

Then they drop into a crouch, catching their breath. The metal arm's plates all expand, revealing some of the arm's inner workings, trying to get cool air over the components to keep it from overheating. "Still good?" they ask Natsuno.

"Yes. I'm unharmed, just hungry." Natsuno reported. The break was a little nice, at least.

"I wouldn't mind a relaxing soak when we get back though."

Soldat glances his way with a little confused frown. "There aren't bathtubs. Only showers." They have been very sad about this problem, actually, and has not spent any time really investigating the spa car. Baths in public are not a thing they want to do.

"There's a car with pools in it with warm water, meant for relaxation on the train." Natsuno explained. "That's what I mean."

"Oh." They deflate a little, turn their gaze back around the area for more threats. "Yeah, I saw those." Definitely not something they can use unless they can guarantee privacy. Soldat does not get naked with anyone else around, if they can help it. While they are not particularly body-conscious, they do hate to be stared at, feeling too exposed and unsafe. Too much of that with HYDRA.

"Not interested?" Natsuno asked. He was from a culture where shared baths was normal so he didn't think much about it.

"Don't really enjoy being looked at," they say. Soldat doesn't remember much about whatever culture the person who used to own this body came from, and HYDRA's culture was... not something they want to endure anymore. But they do know they have no desire to be naked around any one else, ever. "Feels worse when there's no clothes. That's all."

They fucking miss baths, though. Showers are absolutely not a positive replacement.

"In my limited experience of onsen, no one's really looking at you." Natsuno explained. "It's..." He considered his words for a moment. "I don't know. I suspect it may be a cultural difference, but sharing baths isn't strange where I'm from."

He didn't think that was going to be particularly helpful. "You could always try and ask for some time alone."

"I have a memory of sharing a tub. To save on heating the water. But it was just in the apartment. Not the same thing." Soldat straightens up, again, hearing more crashing through the branches a little ways off. "Ready for round two?"

"Doesn't look like I have a choice." Natsuno said before jumping back into the fray. They'd have to keep it up until the matter is resolved to keep everyone safe, but that was fine. All the better to let out some of his pent up rage.

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Finale: All teams

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