Mega Man Fan Fiction ❯ Warmachine ❯ Chapter 14: The Intangible Maiden ( Chapter 14 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: VileMK3 
Non Anime: Mega Man Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Adventure / Romance | Type: Self Insertion | Uploaded On: 01.11.2011 | Pages: 1 | Words: 4.3K | Visits: 534 | Status: Work In Progress
Non Anime: Mega Man Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Adventure / Romance | Type: Self Insertion | Uploaded On: 01.11.2011 | Pages: 1 | Words: 4.3K | Visits: 534 | Status: Work In Progress
Chapter 14: The Intangible Maiden
A four-armed Revenant Mechaniloid activated its sabers as it rushed the petite medic Reploid that stood between them and the Supra Force Metal. Cinnamon’s hands had retracted into her arms, revealing large steel drills in their stead. She had already destroyed one of the attackers using the powerful weapons and she wasn’t about to be outdone by the other mindless drone. The Mechaniloid slashed low, hoping to sever one or both of her legs. The nimble blonde jumped back a split second before the sabers connected.
“Cinnamon, be careful!!” Gaudile shouted, his hands rubbing together nervously at the sight of the close call. The young Reploid landed with a soft thud and using her dash boots she closed the distance between herself and her target in an instant. The Mechaniloid was still recovering from its failed attack and unable to defend itself. The strong drills penetrated its armor with ease, shredding its vital internal circuitry and lethally injuring the machine. The drone stumbled back for a few seconds before finally losing power and falling down, exploding violently on impact with the ground.
“Professor, are you alright?” She asked, looking back at her “father” with a bright smile. Despite her violent weapon she still managed to keep that cute air of innocence about her, it was enough to send chills up Gaudile’s mechanical spine.
“Yes, I’m fine, I need to check the monitors for any more of these drones.” Gaudile knew they weren’t alone. These Mechaniloids were capable of cloaking themselves and whoever had the resources to produce them also wouldn’t send them out here without a Reploid to direct them. He had a bad feeling about this and it was confirmed when a feminine voice halted him.
“My, my, Professor Gaudile, you sure know how to make them. So cute, yet so strong.” The voice came from an elegant Reploid that descended through the ceiling of the dome, effortlessly phasing through the steel plates until she hovered a few inches over the ground.
“Who are you? What do you want?!” Gaudile inquired, still fearful for Cinnamon’s safety.
“That’s not important. I’m here to end you.” She lifted one of her slender arms and pointed at the Supra Force Metal that hummed with a soft blue light in the machine in the center of the dome. “And retrieve that prize.” She finished with a serene voice.
“I won’t let you take which doesn’t belong to you.” Cinnamon warned calmly, still barring the way to the machine defiantly.
The tall, female Reploid turned her attention to Cinnamon, clearly unimpressed. “Fine, you die first then.” She commented as she landed, her hand disappearing into the floor. She seemed to grab hold of something and as she raised her arm again she pulled a massive hammer from below the floor. Cinnamon didn’t wait a moment longer to strike and dashed for the mocking woman. However, the girl Reploid stumbled forward, her eyes wide in surprise as she had passed straight through her opponent, leaving both of them completely unfazed.
“How…?” She was unable to finish her sentence as the taller Reploid slowly hovered over her, bringing her hammer down onto Cinnamon’s chest and slamming her back the way she came hard. With a loud cry of pain she crashed into one of the tables by the center column, breaking the furniture and tools that rested on its surface.
“Cinnamon!” Gaudile rushed to her side as fast as his tiny legs could hobble him. The young girl was in bad shape, the direct hit having damaged her chest and the crash having broken several internal joints. It was clear she had lost the use of her right arm and she struggled to stay awake.
“Professor… Stay away…” She whispered weakly.
“Sweet. Now perish!” The floating intruder raised her free hand, spreading it to reveal an opening in her palm. Electricity began crackling inside the opening, sparks flying out occasionally to hint towards the volatile projectile about to be fired at the defenseless pair. Before she was able to release the energy a new pair of Reploids charged into the room.
“Cinnamon?!” Nana cried out as she saw her friend surrounded by rubble. She immediately rushed towards her to help, but also to get out of Vile’s way.
“You’re another Revenant aren’t you?” The Renegade asked, glaring at the floating Reploid before him.
“Vile, correct? My love spoke highly of you. But you look like little more than an eyesore to me.” She taunted, lowering her arm as she turned to face her new opponent. “But you guess correctly. My name is Morrigan, Revenant of Serenity. Serenity in death in your case.” She introduced, whipping her long, silver hair back slightly. Morrigan looked as unique as all three of her comrades. She was tall and slender, the silver, white, gold and very dark blue colors giving her an exotic and enchanting look. Her hair was long enough to reach her backside and an ornate, steel headband covered her ears and the top of her head. Spiky bangs of silver hair partially hid a blue-gemmed circlet around her forehead and two lightning-like streaks ran over her eyes, ending on either side of her thin lips. Her frame was nimble and her armor resembled a long, sleeveless cloak more than hard protection. Her waist, hips and upper arms were free and high-heeled boots with a slender belt and armored gauntlets finished her attire. Her grey eyes fixed on Vile as she seemed to size her opponent up.
“I’m here for the Supra Force Metal. This time you’re not my target. Back down.” She stated calmly, but she knew Vile wasn’t likely to comply.
“Over my dead body. You might be a woman, but I don’t discriminate. You’ll simply turn into better-looking scrap metal than your friends!” Vile threatened aggressively before activating his shoulder cannon. The weapon hummed to life and tilted towards Morrigan. Not wasting any time, Vile fired three energy shots, all aimed for general weak points in Reploid frames.
His attack was less than effective as all three projectiles passed right through the intangible Reploid harmlessly. Her body briefly became semi-opaque as she activated whatever futuristic and advanced technology that allowed to simply phase out like she did. Solidifying she dashed straight for Vile, flying through any furniture in her way, further catching the Renegade off guard. In an instant she was upon him, raising the large pole-hammer over her head before bringing it down on Vile. Activating his boots just in time he avoided harm but the impact of the massive weapon released a short-range shockwave of light blue energy. Some of the bolts jabbed his left shoulder, his helmet warning him that his missile pack was now malfunctioning. Stubbornly refusing to change tactics, Vile opened fire with his shoulder cannon, hoping to get a shot in while Morrigan was recovering from her attack. There seemed to be precious few prerequisites for her ability as the blasts passed right through while she lifted up her oversized mallet and slowly pivoted in mid-air to face him.
“Your attempts are futile.” She commented, as if confirming a theory.
“I’ll be the judge of that!” Vile shouted in frustration, quickly losing his cool as usual.
Morrigan stretched out her palm like she had before, energy building within her arm until she released it into a small electric orb that crackled as it was hurled at Vile. The ex-hunter wasn’t one to sit still and happily take whatever was thrown at him and he didn’t know what strange effects her other abilities would have. Kick-starting his jet boots and the thrusters on his lower back, Vile took flight. He stayed in motion while opening fire with his cannon, continually aiming for parts of her body that would gravely injure should his attacks actually connect. His attempts were, as she had described moments earlier, futile. Everything he threw at her did little more than scar the steel walls or floor and every time he paused to give his cannon time to cool down she returned fire with those electric orbs. To make matters worse she began using her own speed and agility to dash after him, chasing the hunter. She began closing in on him, floating around the room like an ethereal being, unfazed by anything he threw at her. Before he knew it she had moved into point blank range and he felt two of the projectiles collide with his left hand and right leg. The impact didn’t damage his armor but he felt the shocks penetrate deep into his body, almost frying his circuitry. It drained his internal energy source and began interrupting the systems of the body parts she had hit. His right boot began malfunctioning and his left hand refused to unclench, like an extremely painful cramp.
Vile groaned in pain as he was forced to deactivate his boots or risk losing control of his flight. As he descended for the floor she chased after him, her hammer slamming hard into his back and sending the green Reploid crashing into another one of Gaudile’s messy tables. After skidding over the floor for a good 5 feet, Vile began barrel-rolling to regain some measure of balance. Eventually he was able to dig his hands into the floor, coming to a stop after being knocked all the way to the other side of the dome. Vile shivered as jolts of electricity continued to wrack through his body. It took at least another few seconds for the sensation to dissipate but those two direct hits had sapped a great deal of energy.
Morrigan didn’t even give the dangerous Reploid a single second to regain his composure and began zigzagging towards him, her body leaving a silver trail behind as she approached swiftly. Vile raised his right hand, not trusting his left to work after being hit, and opened fire with the Vulcan guns in his fingertips. The torrent of bullets proved as ineffective as his plasma shots as most were simply dodged by the nimble female or ended up passing through her. He kept up the barrage until the last minute. Morrigan rematerialized completely before him, swinging her massive weapon for his shoulder. The Ex-Hunter ducked under the powerful blow, wind rushing to the side as the hammer missed wildly. Seeing a golden opportunity, Vile turned to his usual brawler’s finesse to solve his problem. Taking a step forward he punched her jaw with his right fist, the attack connecting cleanly. Satisfied with finally being able to harm his foe he followed up with a strong left upper, sending her reeling back. His streak didn’t last however as he attempted to tackled her to the ground by jumping into her waist full-body. Despite disorientation from the powerful blows to her head, Morrigan activated her phasing just in time to avoid being knocked down. The angered Renegade passed through her completely but his mind worked overtime to improvise. He didn’t slow down, instead he continued with his forward tackle and cupped the edges of a table behind Morrigan, easily flipping over it.
The serene female swung her hammer down on the steel table, crushing it with ease but missing her intended target. Vile knew she was once again distracted with trying to keep up so he had to find a way to keep pelting her constantly, exploiting every opening he got and forcing her to take risks. The instant he landed on his feet he heard her smash the table behind him to bits and he grabbed hold of one of the chairs within reach. With a violent grunt he chucked it at her, forcing her to guard with her shoulder. Morrigan hissed as she felt the impact of the chair forcing her on the ground and before she could regain her focus she spotted Vile dispensing a grenade from his knee.
“That won’t work, you fool.” She warned and as the device exploded before her feet, it left her unscathed to no one’s surprise. But she had been distracted, which was all Vile needed to get up close and personal again. A hard blow to her gut forced her to double over, her grip on her weapon loosening. The Renegade eagerly grabbed hold of the long shaft and pulled it free from her grasp. This time it was his turn to take a mighty swing at her. The dull, crashing thump of the hammer contrasted with Morrigan’s scream as the blunt force of the weapon lifted her off her feet and sent her soaring through the air. In a fluent motion Vile turned around once and threw the pole-arm after her. The second impact came before she even stabilized herself and was enough to knock her into one of the cabinets installed up against the wall of Gaudile’s inner laboratory.
“I’m not done yet!” Vile threatened and he opened fire with his remaining weapons, even managing to unjam his left hand to add to the volley of energy shots and Vulcan rounds.
Vile roared as he kept up the massive spray of bullets and energy shots, smoke and dust being whipped up all around his target. After a while Vile was forced to halt his fire to give his weapons a change to cool down or risk damaging them. The renegade panted slightly as he focused on the smoke that hit Morrigan from sight. When the cover lifted he cursed to find the woman floating slightly above the ground. Her chest armor had been damaged however and other chips and bare circuits across her body hinted at the havoc Vile’s ferocity had wrought. It was obvious that the Reploid had been able to activate her unique ability just in time to avoid being reduced to little more than scrap metal.
Calmly she dropped to the ground and crouched to pick up her hammer. Gripping the shaft she lifted it with ease and pushed off to float higher once again. Vile didn’t wait a moment longer and resumed the onslaught he had started before. Firing all of his weapons, including several missiles, he quickly lost sight of his target once again. He remained focused on where he believed her to be and failed to notice the nimble Reploid flying up out of the ground behind him. Before he could react the hammer had come crashing into him in an upwards, swinging arc. The impact lifted him up a feet or two but he was quickly dragged back down into the steel plated floor as she used her weapon to crush him. Vile gasped in pain at the heavy weapon resting on his dented chest and another strong sweep sent him skidding over the ground. It was now Vile’s turn to crash into several cabinets that Gaudile had installed in the circular room. With the room still spinning the Renegade barely noticed the cabinets slowly tilting forwards. With a loud, echoing crash they fell over onto the green framed Reploid who cried out at feeling the sturdy furniture collide with his body.
“I told you. Your efforts are futile.” Morrigan commented, hiding the fact that her body had been seriously damaged perfectly behind a mask of confidence. She stretched out the palm of her hand and slowly began floating closer and closer. Vile grunted as he gripped the edge of one of the cabinets and with a deep groan he lifted the object enough to be able to squirm free of its pressure.
“You can repeat yourself all you want. I know your left leg is killing you. You’re not invulnerable, I can kill you just like anyone else.” He hissed, referring to the deep gash in her left thigh that had damaged the mechanics that allowed her to properly move the limb. As punishment for his lack of respect, Vile was shocked by another electric projectile from the female Reploid. The more he resisted the more projectiles sent powerful shocks surging through his body and one by one his systems began failing. First to go were his legs and Vile was forced to drop to one knee. Next came his weapons that couldn’t resist more than a single hit. Defenseless, he placed the palms of his hands on the ground and tried to use his remaining strength to get up off the floor.
“Daaaarn iiit!!” He yelled in frustration at being paralyzed. By the time Morrigan had reached him he had become as helpless as a child.
“Spectrum was right. You are quite the handful. But you’re just like all the rest. Nothing more than a dumb brute.” She stated, her tone of voice not hiding her disdain. She gripped the shaft of her weapon with both hands and raised it up over her head. Vile wasn’t about to meet his end just like that and he continued to struggle, hoping to get up at the last minute. Just as Morrigan was about to strike both she and her opponent noticed a bright light emanating from the center of the room.
“No! Stop it!!!” Cinnamon had risen from her spot on the floor and her hands reached out for her chest. A soft blue light surrounded her like an angelic aura and as she opened her chest she unleashed the power of the Force Metal Generator that rested within her. For a brief moment the light become blindingly intense, forcing Morrigan to lower her weapon and shield her eyes. Vile looked away from the young girl Reploid and felt a strange sensation fill his body. The electric currents that plagued his body began to dissipate and his sensors reactivated, informing him that system after system was coming back online. Next came his frame and weapons and like a miracle they were restored to pristine condition, no sign of battle damage remaining whatsoever.
When the light finally faded away Morrigan turned her attention to the girl, her eyes narrowing to angry slits. Cinnamon stumbled slightly, barely able to stay upright due to her injuries and exertion. The Force Metal Generator was once again safely covered in her torso but what energy she had left had been spent.
“You annoy me, it’s time you go to sleep.” Morrigan threatened viciously as she took aim. With a bright flash she fired a powerful bolt of energy that would prove fatal to a weakened Reploid.
“Cinnamon, watch out!” Nana screamed before pushing her young friend out of the way. The operator screamed in pain as the projectile shocked her body violently and she fell to the ground, shaking uncontrollably.
Morrigan grunted in slight annoyance at having missed but her musings were interrupted quite abruptly.
“You should’ve kept your eyes on me.” Vile spoke with a deep voice as he rose up and slammed his knee into her gut as hard as he could. Several punches connected sharply with her jaw and sides before a strong blast of his cannon floored her.
Morrigan coughed , gripping her chest in pain. The short range blast had destroyed an entire layer of armor and bare circuitry crackled. She had been careless and she knew she had to make her escape now. But she wouldn’t be able to face Spectrum without the Supra Force Metal in her possession. The beautiful Reploid slowly got up on one knee, catching a glimpse of the prize as she did. The energy field surrounding the force metal prohibited her from phasing through the machinery and grabbing hold of it. She would need time to deactivate it, time she didn’t have. As her eyes focused on her opponent, who was walking towards her with the same arrogant air as always, she came up with a solution to her predicament. Morrigan quickly stood up straight, her feet lifting off the floor as she once again took to the air.
“You think you’ll be able to escape me?! Guess again!” Vile shouted as his cannon automatically took aim. He quickly fired several plasma shots, hoping the damage to her body had also impaired her phasing abilities. He was annoyed to find out they hadn’t. The blasts passed right through her, Morrigan’s gamble paying off as the blasts collided with the giant machine in the center of the room. The damage to the control panel was significant enough to cause fluctuations in the shield and slowly the energy barrier deactivated, leaving a soft humming behind. The barrier wasn’t meant as a security measure against thieves, its purpose was to protect those in the room from accidents as many of Gaudile’s experiments were less than safe. Morrigan grinned viciously.
“I must remember to thank you, ‘renegade’. We’ll have to continue this some other time.” She taunted and before Vile could respond she activated her jet boots to give her the extra speed she needed to make a dash for the Supra Force Metal. Vile cursed and tried to lock onto her so his missiles would find their target far easier but her ethereal body seemed to disrupt his sensors, making his attempts futile.
“No! Stop her! She can’t be allowed to take that metal back with her! The damage it could do is… is!” Gaudile’s pleas fell on deaf ears as Morrigan swiped the valuable metal before he even finished his last sentence. Vile took to the air, trying to chase down the nimble Reploid but before he could get to a proper height he was forced to dodge an energy saber slashing for his neck. The last two mechaniloids Morrigan had taken with her revealed themselves and proved all the distraction she needed to vanish through the ceiling. None of Gaudile’s defense systems were even likely to pick her up, let alone shoot her down.
“Darn it! That bitch!” Vile shouted as he landed and swayed aside to dodge another lethal slash from a Revenant Mechaniloid. He aimed both his arms at the drone, ready to pelt it with the vulcans installed in his fingertips but he was forced to take another quick step back as the four-armed sword wielder tried to sever his hands.
“Out of my way!” The renegade threatened in frustration. He wasn’t going to give those freaks room to swing their lethal weapons so he dashed forward, ducking under another slash from one of his target’s arms. Before the drone could react it was blinded by Vile’s fist crashing into its face. Activating the machine gun in his hand, Vile opened fire, ripping the mechaniloid apart on the inside, some of the bullets passing through the other end. As soon as the drone went limp he grabbed hold of one of its arms and flung it into the final adversary. The mechaniloid attempted to dodge its unstable ally but it was pushed back by the explosion that destroyed the other drone. It was obvious the explosion had disoriented it and had distracted it long enough to take away any hope of it reacting to Vile’s next attack. He had grabbed hold of one of the tables and as he used his dash boots he slammed the steel furniture into the drone. His momentum was more than enough for him to push the mechaniloid against the wall hard, pinning it against the steel plates. The renegade then nonchalantly placed his boot against the edge of the tabletop to keep his prey from escaping. A single shot of his shoulder cannon reduced the drone’s upper body to scrap metal.
He wasn’t done yet however, he needed to catch up to Morrigan and get their only lead back. If she was allowed to escape than they’d have lost all means of finding out what they were planning.
“You stay here and make sure there are no more of those drones around, I’m going after Morrigan.” Vile ordered and began rushing for the nearest door.
“Stop! You’ll never catch up to her! With her ability she could’ve gone in any direction, unhindered by any obstacle, she’s long gone!” Gaudile shouted.
“Vile… It’s okay… I’ve taken care of everything.”
Vile had ignored Gaudile’s arguments but the weak voice of Nana made him stop. He looked at the barely conscious operator over his shoulder.
“What do you mean, Nana? You’ve taken care of what?” Gaudile asked, already trying to find a diagnostics kit within reach to start treating Cinnamon and Nana’s injuries.
“Just trust me, please.” Nana whispered weakly before closing her eyes. Vile had walked over to Gaudile and crossed his arms.
“Alright, fine, I’ll do things your way for now.” He stated before kneeling and gently picking up the unconscious Reploid. Gaudile had better patch her up soon as no matter what Nana had planned, time was still of the essence.
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A four-armed Revenant Mechaniloid activated its sabers as it rushed the petite medic Reploid that stood between them and the Supra Force Metal. Cinnamon’s hands had retracted into her arms, revealing large steel drills in their stead. She had already destroyed one of the attackers using the powerful weapons and she wasn’t about to be outdone by the other mindless drone. The Mechaniloid slashed low, hoping to sever one or both of her legs. The nimble blonde jumped back a split second before the sabers connected.
“Cinnamon, be careful!!” Gaudile shouted, his hands rubbing together nervously at the sight of the close call. The young Reploid landed with a soft thud and using her dash boots she closed the distance between herself and her target in an instant. The Mechaniloid was still recovering from its failed attack and unable to defend itself. The strong drills penetrated its armor with ease, shredding its vital internal circuitry and lethally injuring the machine. The drone stumbled back for a few seconds before finally losing power and falling down, exploding violently on impact with the ground.
“Professor, are you alright?” She asked, looking back at her “father” with a bright smile. Despite her violent weapon she still managed to keep that cute air of innocence about her, it was enough to send chills up Gaudile’s mechanical spine.
“Yes, I’m fine, I need to check the monitors for any more of these drones.” Gaudile knew they weren’t alone. These Mechaniloids were capable of cloaking themselves and whoever had the resources to produce them also wouldn’t send them out here without a Reploid to direct them. He had a bad feeling about this and it was confirmed when a feminine voice halted him.
“My, my, Professor Gaudile, you sure know how to make them. So cute, yet so strong.” The voice came from an elegant Reploid that descended through the ceiling of the dome, effortlessly phasing through the steel plates until she hovered a few inches over the ground.
“Who are you? What do you want?!” Gaudile inquired, still fearful for Cinnamon’s safety.
“That’s not important. I’m here to end you.” She lifted one of her slender arms and pointed at the Supra Force Metal that hummed with a soft blue light in the machine in the center of the dome. “And retrieve that prize.” She finished with a serene voice.
“I won’t let you take which doesn’t belong to you.” Cinnamon warned calmly, still barring the way to the machine defiantly.
The tall, female Reploid turned her attention to Cinnamon, clearly unimpressed. “Fine, you die first then.” She commented as she landed, her hand disappearing into the floor. She seemed to grab hold of something and as she raised her arm again she pulled a massive hammer from below the floor. Cinnamon didn’t wait a moment longer to strike and dashed for the mocking woman. However, the girl Reploid stumbled forward, her eyes wide in surprise as she had passed straight through her opponent, leaving both of them completely unfazed.
“How…?” She was unable to finish her sentence as the taller Reploid slowly hovered over her, bringing her hammer down onto Cinnamon’s chest and slamming her back the way she came hard. With a loud cry of pain she crashed into one of the tables by the center column, breaking the furniture and tools that rested on its surface.
“Cinnamon!” Gaudile rushed to her side as fast as his tiny legs could hobble him. The young girl was in bad shape, the direct hit having damaged her chest and the crash having broken several internal joints. It was clear she had lost the use of her right arm and she struggled to stay awake.
“Professor… Stay away…” She whispered weakly.
“Sweet. Now perish!” The floating intruder raised her free hand, spreading it to reveal an opening in her palm. Electricity began crackling inside the opening, sparks flying out occasionally to hint towards the volatile projectile about to be fired at the defenseless pair. Before she was able to release the energy a new pair of Reploids charged into the room.
“Cinnamon?!” Nana cried out as she saw her friend surrounded by rubble. She immediately rushed towards her to help, but also to get out of Vile’s way.
“You’re another Revenant aren’t you?” The Renegade asked, glaring at the floating Reploid before him.
“Vile, correct? My love spoke highly of you. But you look like little more than an eyesore to me.” She taunted, lowering her arm as she turned to face her new opponent. “But you guess correctly. My name is Morrigan, Revenant of Serenity. Serenity in death in your case.” She introduced, whipping her long, silver hair back slightly. Morrigan looked as unique as all three of her comrades. She was tall and slender, the silver, white, gold and very dark blue colors giving her an exotic and enchanting look. Her hair was long enough to reach her backside and an ornate, steel headband covered her ears and the top of her head. Spiky bangs of silver hair partially hid a blue-gemmed circlet around her forehead and two lightning-like streaks ran over her eyes, ending on either side of her thin lips. Her frame was nimble and her armor resembled a long, sleeveless cloak more than hard protection. Her waist, hips and upper arms were free and high-heeled boots with a slender belt and armored gauntlets finished her attire. Her grey eyes fixed on Vile as she seemed to size her opponent up.
“I’m here for the Supra Force Metal. This time you’re not my target. Back down.” She stated calmly, but she knew Vile wasn’t likely to comply.
“Over my dead body. You might be a woman, but I don’t discriminate. You’ll simply turn into better-looking scrap metal than your friends!” Vile threatened aggressively before activating his shoulder cannon. The weapon hummed to life and tilted towards Morrigan. Not wasting any time, Vile fired three energy shots, all aimed for general weak points in Reploid frames.
His attack was less than effective as all three projectiles passed right through the intangible Reploid harmlessly. Her body briefly became semi-opaque as she activated whatever futuristic and advanced technology that allowed to simply phase out like she did. Solidifying she dashed straight for Vile, flying through any furniture in her way, further catching the Renegade off guard. In an instant she was upon him, raising the large pole-hammer over her head before bringing it down on Vile. Activating his boots just in time he avoided harm but the impact of the massive weapon released a short-range shockwave of light blue energy. Some of the bolts jabbed his left shoulder, his helmet warning him that his missile pack was now malfunctioning. Stubbornly refusing to change tactics, Vile opened fire with his shoulder cannon, hoping to get a shot in while Morrigan was recovering from her attack. There seemed to be precious few prerequisites for her ability as the blasts passed right through while she lifted up her oversized mallet and slowly pivoted in mid-air to face him.
“Your attempts are futile.” She commented, as if confirming a theory.
“I’ll be the judge of that!” Vile shouted in frustration, quickly losing his cool as usual.
Morrigan stretched out her palm like she had before, energy building within her arm until she released it into a small electric orb that crackled as it was hurled at Vile. The ex-hunter wasn’t one to sit still and happily take whatever was thrown at him and he didn’t know what strange effects her other abilities would have. Kick-starting his jet boots and the thrusters on his lower back, Vile took flight. He stayed in motion while opening fire with his cannon, continually aiming for parts of her body that would gravely injure should his attacks actually connect. His attempts were, as she had described moments earlier, futile. Everything he threw at her did little more than scar the steel walls or floor and every time he paused to give his cannon time to cool down she returned fire with those electric orbs. To make matters worse she began using her own speed and agility to dash after him, chasing the hunter. She began closing in on him, floating around the room like an ethereal being, unfazed by anything he threw at her. Before he knew it she had moved into point blank range and he felt two of the projectiles collide with his left hand and right leg. The impact didn’t damage his armor but he felt the shocks penetrate deep into his body, almost frying his circuitry. It drained his internal energy source and began interrupting the systems of the body parts she had hit. His right boot began malfunctioning and his left hand refused to unclench, like an extremely painful cramp.
Vile groaned in pain as he was forced to deactivate his boots or risk losing control of his flight. As he descended for the floor she chased after him, her hammer slamming hard into his back and sending the green Reploid crashing into another one of Gaudile’s messy tables. After skidding over the floor for a good 5 feet, Vile began barrel-rolling to regain some measure of balance. Eventually he was able to dig his hands into the floor, coming to a stop after being knocked all the way to the other side of the dome. Vile shivered as jolts of electricity continued to wrack through his body. It took at least another few seconds for the sensation to dissipate but those two direct hits had sapped a great deal of energy.
Morrigan didn’t even give the dangerous Reploid a single second to regain his composure and began zigzagging towards him, her body leaving a silver trail behind as she approached swiftly. Vile raised his right hand, not trusting his left to work after being hit, and opened fire with the Vulcan guns in his fingertips. The torrent of bullets proved as ineffective as his plasma shots as most were simply dodged by the nimble female or ended up passing through her. He kept up the barrage until the last minute. Morrigan rematerialized completely before him, swinging her massive weapon for his shoulder. The Ex-Hunter ducked under the powerful blow, wind rushing to the side as the hammer missed wildly. Seeing a golden opportunity, Vile turned to his usual brawler’s finesse to solve his problem. Taking a step forward he punched her jaw with his right fist, the attack connecting cleanly. Satisfied with finally being able to harm his foe he followed up with a strong left upper, sending her reeling back. His streak didn’t last however as he attempted to tackled her to the ground by jumping into her waist full-body. Despite disorientation from the powerful blows to her head, Morrigan activated her phasing just in time to avoid being knocked down. The angered Renegade passed through her completely but his mind worked overtime to improvise. He didn’t slow down, instead he continued with his forward tackle and cupped the edges of a table behind Morrigan, easily flipping over it.
The serene female swung her hammer down on the steel table, crushing it with ease but missing her intended target. Vile knew she was once again distracted with trying to keep up so he had to find a way to keep pelting her constantly, exploiting every opening he got and forcing her to take risks. The instant he landed on his feet he heard her smash the table behind him to bits and he grabbed hold of one of the chairs within reach. With a violent grunt he chucked it at her, forcing her to guard with her shoulder. Morrigan hissed as she felt the impact of the chair forcing her on the ground and before she could regain her focus she spotted Vile dispensing a grenade from his knee.
“That won’t work, you fool.” She warned and as the device exploded before her feet, it left her unscathed to no one’s surprise. But she had been distracted, which was all Vile needed to get up close and personal again. A hard blow to her gut forced her to double over, her grip on her weapon loosening. The Renegade eagerly grabbed hold of the long shaft and pulled it free from her grasp. This time it was his turn to take a mighty swing at her. The dull, crashing thump of the hammer contrasted with Morrigan’s scream as the blunt force of the weapon lifted her off her feet and sent her soaring through the air. In a fluent motion Vile turned around once and threw the pole-arm after her. The second impact came before she even stabilized herself and was enough to knock her into one of the cabinets installed up against the wall of Gaudile’s inner laboratory.
“I’m not done yet!” Vile threatened and he opened fire with his remaining weapons, even managing to unjam his left hand to add to the volley of energy shots and Vulcan rounds.
Vile roared as he kept up the massive spray of bullets and energy shots, smoke and dust being whipped up all around his target. After a while Vile was forced to halt his fire to give his weapons a change to cool down or risk damaging them. The renegade panted slightly as he focused on the smoke that hit Morrigan from sight. When the cover lifted he cursed to find the woman floating slightly above the ground. Her chest armor had been damaged however and other chips and bare circuits across her body hinted at the havoc Vile’s ferocity had wrought. It was obvious that the Reploid had been able to activate her unique ability just in time to avoid being reduced to little more than scrap metal.
Calmly she dropped to the ground and crouched to pick up her hammer. Gripping the shaft she lifted it with ease and pushed off to float higher once again. Vile didn’t wait a moment longer and resumed the onslaught he had started before. Firing all of his weapons, including several missiles, he quickly lost sight of his target once again. He remained focused on where he believed her to be and failed to notice the nimble Reploid flying up out of the ground behind him. Before he could react the hammer had come crashing into him in an upwards, swinging arc. The impact lifted him up a feet or two but he was quickly dragged back down into the steel plated floor as she used her weapon to crush him. Vile gasped in pain at the heavy weapon resting on his dented chest and another strong sweep sent him skidding over the ground. It was now Vile’s turn to crash into several cabinets that Gaudile had installed in the circular room. With the room still spinning the Renegade barely noticed the cabinets slowly tilting forwards. With a loud, echoing crash they fell over onto the green framed Reploid who cried out at feeling the sturdy furniture collide with his body.
“I told you. Your efforts are futile.” Morrigan commented, hiding the fact that her body had been seriously damaged perfectly behind a mask of confidence. She stretched out the palm of her hand and slowly began floating closer and closer. Vile grunted as he gripped the edge of one of the cabinets and with a deep groan he lifted the object enough to be able to squirm free of its pressure.
“You can repeat yourself all you want. I know your left leg is killing you. You’re not invulnerable, I can kill you just like anyone else.” He hissed, referring to the deep gash in her left thigh that had damaged the mechanics that allowed her to properly move the limb. As punishment for his lack of respect, Vile was shocked by another electric projectile from the female Reploid. The more he resisted the more projectiles sent powerful shocks surging through his body and one by one his systems began failing. First to go were his legs and Vile was forced to drop to one knee. Next came his weapons that couldn’t resist more than a single hit. Defenseless, he placed the palms of his hands on the ground and tried to use his remaining strength to get up off the floor.
“Daaaarn iiit!!” He yelled in frustration at being paralyzed. By the time Morrigan had reached him he had become as helpless as a child.
“Spectrum was right. You are quite the handful. But you’re just like all the rest. Nothing more than a dumb brute.” She stated, her tone of voice not hiding her disdain. She gripped the shaft of her weapon with both hands and raised it up over her head. Vile wasn’t about to meet his end just like that and he continued to struggle, hoping to get up at the last minute. Just as Morrigan was about to strike both she and her opponent noticed a bright light emanating from the center of the room.
“No! Stop it!!!” Cinnamon had risen from her spot on the floor and her hands reached out for her chest. A soft blue light surrounded her like an angelic aura and as she opened her chest she unleashed the power of the Force Metal Generator that rested within her. For a brief moment the light become blindingly intense, forcing Morrigan to lower her weapon and shield her eyes. Vile looked away from the young girl Reploid and felt a strange sensation fill his body. The electric currents that plagued his body began to dissipate and his sensors reactivated, informing him that system after system was coming back online. Next came his frame and weapons and like a miracle they were restored to pristine condition, no sign of battle damage remaining whatsoever.
When the light finally faded away Morrigan turned her attention to the girl, her eyes narrowing to angry slits. Cinnamon stumbled slightly, barely able to stay upright due to her injuries and exertion. The Force Metal Generator was once again safely covered in her torso but what energy she had left had been spent.
“You annoy me, it’s time you go to sleep.” Morrigan threatened viciously as she took aim. With a bright flash she fired a powerful bolt of energy that would prove fatal to a weakened Reploid.
“Cinnamon, watch out!” Nana screamed before pushing her young friend out of the way. The operator screamed in pain as the projectile shocked her body violently and she fell to the ground, shaking uncontrollably.
Morrigan grunted in slight annoyance at having missed but her musings were interrupted quite abruptly.
“You should’ve kept your eyes on me.” Vile spoke with a deep voice as he rose up and slammed his knee into her gut as hard as he could. Several punches connected sharply with her jaw and sides before a strong blast of his cannon floored her.
Morrigan coughed , gripping her chest in pain. The short range blast had destroyed an entire layer of armor and bare circuitry crackled. She had been careless and she knew she had to make her escape now. But she wouldn’t be able to face Spectrum without the Supra Force Metal in her possession. The beautiful Reploid slowly got up on one knee, catching a glimpse of the prize as she did. The energy field surrounding the force metal prohibited her from phasing through the machinery and grabbing hold of it. She would need time to deactivate it, time she didn’t have. As her eyes focused on her opponent, who was walking towards her with the same arrogant air as always, she came up with a solution to her predicament. Morrigan quickly stood up straight, her feet lifting off the floor as she once again took to the air.
“You think you’ll be able to escape me?! Guess again!” Vile shouted as his cannon automatically took aim. He quickly fired several plasma shots, hoping the damage to her body had also impaired her phasing abilities. He was annoyed to find out they hadn’t. The blasts passed right through her, Morrigan’s gamble paying off as the blasts collided with the giant machine in the center of the room. The damage to the control panel was significant enough to cause fluctuations in the shield and slowly the energy barrier deactivated, leaving a soft humming behind. The barrier wasn’t meant as a security measure against thieves, its purpose was to protect those in the room from accidents as many of Gaudile’s experiments were less than safe. Morrigan grinned viciously.
“I must remember to thank you, ‘renegade’. We’ll have to continue this some other time.” She taunted and before Vile could respond she activated her jet boots to give her the extra speed she needed to make a dash for the Supra Force Metal. Vile cursed and tried to lock onto her so his missiles would find their target far easier but her ethereal body seemed to disrupt his sensors, making his attempts futile.
“No! Stop her! She can’t be allowed to take that metal back with her! The damage it could do is… is!” Gaudile’s pleas fell on deaf ears as Morrigan swiped the valuable metal before he even finished his last sentence. Vile took to the air, trying to chase down the nimble Reploid but before he could get to a proper height he was forced to dodge an energy saber slashing for his neck. The last two mechaniloids Morrigan had taken with her revealed themselves and proved all the distraction she needed to vanish through the ceiling. None of Gaudile’s defense systems were even likely to pick her up, let alone shoot her down.
“Darn it! That bitch!” Vile shouted as he landed and swayed aside to dodge another lethal slash from a Revenant Mechaniloid. He aimed both his arms at the drone, ready to pelt it with the vulcans installed in his fingertips but he was forced to take another quick step back as the four-armed sword wielder tried to sever his hands.
“Out of my way!” The renegade threatened in frustration. He wasn’t going to give those freaks room to swing their lethal weapons so he dashed forward, ducking under another slash from one of his target’s arms. Before the drone could react it was blinded by Vile’s fist crashing into its face. Activating the machine gun in his hand, Vile opened fire, ripping the mechaniloid apart on the inside, some of the bullets passing through the other end. As soon as the drone went limp he grabbed hold of one of its arms and flung it into the final adversary. The mechaniloid attempted to dodge its unstable ally but it was pushed back by the explosion that destroyed the other drone. It was obvious the explosion had disoriented it and had distracted it long enough to take away any hope of it reacting to Vile’s next attack. He had grabbed hold of one of the tables and as he used his dash boots he slammed the steel furniture into the drone. His momentum was more than enough for him to push the mechaniloid against the wall hard, pinning it against the steel plates. The renegade then nonchalantly placed his boot against the edge of the tabletop to keep his prey from escaping. A single shot of his shoulder cannon reduced the drone’s upper body to scrap metal.
He wasn’t done yet however, he needed to catch up to Morrigan and get their only lead back. If she was allowed to escape than they’d have lost all means of finding out what they were planning.
“You stay here and make sure there are no more of those drones around, I’m going after Morrigan.” Vile ordered and began rushing for the nearest door.
“Stop! You’ll never catch up to her! With her ability she could’ve gone in any direction, unhindered by any obstacle, she’s long gone!” Gaudile shouted.
“Vile… It’s okay… I’ve taken care of everything.”
Vile had ignored Gaudile’s arguments but the weak voice of Nana made him stop. He looked at the barely conscious operator over his shoulder.
“What do you mean, Nana? You’ve taken care of what?” Gaudile asked, already trying to find a diagnostics kit within reach to start treating Cinnamon and Nana’s injuries.
“Just trust me, please.” Nana whispered weakly before closing her eyes. Vile had walked over to Gaudile and crossed his arms.
“Alright, fine, I’ll do things your way for now.” He stated before kneeling and gently picking up the unconscious Reploid. Gaudile had better patch her up soon as no matter what Nana had planned, time was still of the essence.
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