Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Into The Void ❯ INSIDIOUS ( Chapter 32 )

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Into the Void

Episode 32: INSIDIOUS

By: Melissa Norvell

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The door shut as the two men's lips embraced each other. Rubio moaned he continued to kiss the black-haired assassin and ran his hands through his long hair. The texture was silky through his fingers as the strands slipped over his hands as the two leaned back on the already-closed door, engaging in a powerful make-out session. Hands roamed over clothes as they continued to kiss each other, and the room felt hot so much so that they wanted to peel their clothes off.

“You're affectionate today,” Valentino said as he pulled back, panting. His lips tinted with moisture from their kiss.

“I guess,” Rubio half-heartedly agreed. “I don't know what's wrong with me.” It was a sudden feeling that came over him. An impulse that choked him like dense shroud wrapped around his neck. It almost felt like instinct took over.

“I can't say that I mind. I just thought that you'd like to keep your secret,” Valentino wasn't too sure that Rubio wanted to freely admit his sexuality just yet. After all, with people like Vincent and Sari around to make fun of him, things would be a little hard in terms of acceptance.

“Let them find out,” Rubio gave him a serious look. “I don't care what Vincent says. He can't even get a girlfriend.” As far as he was concerned, the bounty hunter had no room to criticize me after what happened between him, Agata and Ionna.

“That sounds best,” Valentino agreed. If Rubio was ready for the consequences, then who was he to stop him? “Is that why you're so affectionate today?” Red eyes traveled down as he ran his hand across his lover's chest.

“That might be it,” Rubio settled as he felt the assassin's gentle touch. It was so odd and different from the rough treatment he had received when Valentino was INSIDIOUS. In fact, it was hard to believe that he and the monster were one in the same.

Taking his hand, Valentino grasped it, bringing it up to his face and giving it an affectionate nuzzle. “Don't die on me. You're the only man I've ever loved.” That wasn't the only reason he didn't want Rubio to die, but it wouldn't be the same without him around.

“The same goes for you,” Rubio smiled. “You know, this isn't as sad as it is ironic. You're literally my everything: my hero, the person I hate, love, envy and feel sorry for. A twisted experiment…”

“I've always envied you,” the assassin admitted, averting his eyes momentarily. “I should feel guilty for killing Angora, but I don't.” No matter how much he tried to convince himself, Valentino just didn't feel anything for her death. It played over in his mind on an endless loop, and yet nothing welled to the surface, no inkling of emotion was present.

“Don't waste time on the past,” Rubio had done enough of that. In fact, when he thought about it he'd been doing nothing but dwelling on the past. It was time to leave it buried, where it belonged. “I have you now. Besides, I'm just as wrong for loving my lover's killer.” Saying it left an unsavory taste in his mouth still, and a part of him would never get past it, but he was going to try.

“Now, kiss me,” Rubio commanded as he felt the lips of his lover press against his. The two became entangled in each other again, and Rubio's hands began to wander down his lover's body again, fingers caressing every muscle and indention through his clothes. Soon, they landed on the set of belts that hung around his waist.

Just then, Valentino felt the door slowly opening as he leaned back. Red eyes popped open and he quickly moved away from Rubio as Agata swung the door open.

“Rubio I-“ Valentino started.

Rubio pulled away, removing his hands, “This is ironic.”

“We can't say that it isn't what it looks like,” Valentino's eyes darted to his boyfriend.

“So, that's what's going on,” the officer was quick to catch onto their little game. It was more than obvious that something was going on between them. She was just unaware of their little scandal. Why they would want to hide it made no sense to her, but people had reasoning for what they did.

“It happened recently,” Rubio knew that he was going to have to explain. Why not just start now? “It's not like we've been hiding it for long.”

“We wanted to say something, but not until after Ibuki's defeat,” Valentino didn't think it was important to explain until after he was certain that Rubio would still be alive. That was surely the best bet for him.

“You hated each other,” Agata spoke and walked into the room and closed the door behind her. She wanted to talk to them about this issue and get down to the bottom of it.

“Things changed,” Rubio commented.

“We didn't intend on this,” Valentino agreed. It was really the thing farthest from what he thought would happen.

“I admit it, Vincent is right to suspect us,” he didn't see it, but all of that time, there was probably hints. Rubio knew they weren't entirely inconspicuous. Hell, maybe in hindsight the bounty hunter was right all along. Maybe he had some kind of instinctive radar for those kind of things.

“Is this a fling or are you serious?” Agata knew that traveling together could make people lonely and seek out affection in each other. That was completely different than being a committed couple. Maybe that was what these two were doing. It would explain the drama they'd been having. Relationships were complicated things.

“We're together,” Rubio educated her. “We weren't at first but we are now.”

Well, that explained the fact that they weren't down each other's throat like they were before. Maybe that was just sexual tension. At least, that's what Agata guessed it was.

“You had me fooled. You show no real hints of a relationship in public.” Maybe she wasn't paying close enough attention, but the two weren't outwardly affectionate. Their relationship had changed, but in what way was uncertain. “I thought you were both straight.” That's what they proclaimed, anyway. Well, at least Rubio did. Valentino just said that love held no gender, but he had a girlfriend in the past. Agata went off of context clues a lot.

“This changes things,” now that Agata knew, Valentino was unsure of what would happen next.

“I don't care one way or another. I just want to kill Ibuki. It's your lives if you choose to make love to each other, then by all means. If you want this to be a secret, I'll keep it.” It wasn't any skin off of her nose. Agata didn't really care about romantic relationships. She didn't long for any of her own, and the fact that Vincent loved her unnerved her beyond belief.

“Everyone will eventually know, but for now please do,” Valentino would rather it not spread like wildfire. No one needed to know about their relationship. If they found out, then fine but if they didn't it was no big deal. It wasn't something that was going to add importance to their mission.

“I'll pretend like it never happened. You'll have no problems with me,” Agata truly didn't care. Besides, it wasn't why she went to their room, anyway. “Can I ask you something?”

“You might as well. I'm sure you have things you want to say,” Rubio was certain that she didn't come up there just to interrupt their little session. A lot of things transpired in that last battle.

“Did you two really go off to patrol?” Agata was curious. It had always haunted her from the moment they made the excuse.

“No,” Rubio exhaled the word in shame. He knew he had been caught in a lie.

“What did you do?” Agata pressed.

“We went off to be alone together,” Rubio admitted.

“We walked off to have sex,” Valentino's answer caused the other male to go rigid. Did he have just say it like that? Agata didn't need to know the intricacies of their ordeal. Ice blue eyes glared daggers into his soul. Valentino casually looked over to him and shrugged. “Why hide it?”

“I take it that wasn't the first time,” Agata's voice was dead pan as usual. That wasn't the answer she wanted to hear, but she was glad they told her the truth.

“Hardly,” Rubio decided that he might as well lose his shame over it. There really was no use in playing the modest card over it all.

“I don't blame people for falling in love in this group, or even lusting after each other. It makes sense to travel along that path since we're constantly around each other,” Agata could understand the appeal behind it, even if she wasn't romantically interested in anyone.

“We had benefits for a while before we were together.” In a sense, Rubio guessed that was what the two of them were.

“I take it this has gone on for several months.” At least it didn't seem too sudden when put into those terms.

“You could say that,” Rubio shifted his weight to his right leg and ran a hand through his hair.

“Why did you turn down Vincent's advance?” Valentino was a little curious as to what she thought about the bounty hunter.

“I don't love him, and I haven't. I see him as a friend and nothing more.” There really wasn't an attraction there. She didn't know why everyone thought they had something going on, especially when she did nothing but turn him down.

“You said you had your reasons,” Valentino just wondered what those reasons were.

“Those being that I am already married.” When she said she had her reasons, she had meant it.

“I never knew,” Rubio's eyes widened a little. It was weird to think about. Then again, it was weird to think about the fact that Valentino had a kid at one point in time. The whole time they traveled together, Agata never mentioned anything about being wed to someone.

“You never asked. I couldn't tell Vincent that. I didn't have the heart,” Agata knew that she should have. She shouldn't have led him on, but it hurt to let him fall hard as it was. “I just thought that he would take the hint, but that didn't happen. I want to survive this mission and go back to my husband.” They might not have had many things to live for, but she had a budding family to return to.

“Well, I hope that happens,” Rubio offered her a kind smile and Valentino nodded in agreement, wishing her good luck.

Agata thanked them and turned, opening the door before she glanced over her shoulder. “Well, I'm going to bed. I suggest you do the same. Goodnight, gentlemen.”

Both bid her goodnight as the door closed and she retreated down the hallway. Valentino the Rubio decided to get settled down for the night and get some rest. They would definitely need it.

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They had been walking for a while, over grass fields that waved in the shifting winds, barren lands that were hot and dry, and now their journey took them to their present position, going through neatly-trimmed fields that stretched as far as the eye could see with dappled trees and houses spread around. Each one of them looked haggard from their journey. Who knew how long they all walked on end? Their bodies ached and they could feel the strain on their legs and feet from pounding into the ground at a relentless pace.

“Ugh…So tired…” Sari drug her feet dramatically as she slumped over, panting heavily. Honestly, she deserved a rest. Unlike her fellows, she wasn't just some endless ball of energy.

“So…this is it?” Bosnia stopped and gazed up at a large building that had a looming presence. It was a geometric mass of cold, shiny metal that stood like a titan, ready to crush its prey. The steel fortress was surrounded by a barrage of tall, industrial fence and multiple guards ready to shoot them down at a moment's notice.

“Yes, I can't believe I'm going back to this place,” Aeris sighed. She really wasn't looking forward to seeing Ibuki again. In fact, the very thought of her stay there as a prisoner made her want to vomit. Swallowing the acidic taste in her mouth she glanced to Zidane.

“If you don't want to go, then don't,” Zidane, more than anyone, knew what it was like inside of the confines. He wouldn't blame anyone if they wanted to turn back now. “Let us take care of it for you,” he lit his cigarette, taking a nice, long drag from it.

“I can't do that. I'll fight to the end, for everyone,” Aeris gave him a steely gaze, laced with determination, “for you, Zidane.”

“Huh?” The scar-faced man looked a little shocked at her words. He nearly dropped his cigarette. “I'm flattered that you'd find me worth fighting for.”

“We shouldn't be far from where the facility is,” Agata's lone eye zoomed in on their true goal; the depths of the building that lay beyond the gates.

“What makes you think that?” Hisamichi asked.

Agata pointed to the various nuclear plants and massive smoke towers that surrounded the building, belching out plumes of white smoke. Other buildings surrounded the massive steel building as well. “I am assuming that's it.”

“What! That's huge!” Yartiza was nearly knocked back with awe. How in the hell were they supposed to take down someone with a facility like that?

“Ugh, I can't wait to see this hellhole crumble,” Udo sneered in revulsion. “Let's go kick that bastard's ass and make him pay for what he's done to us.” He was more than ready to wipe Ibuki from the face of the earth.

With a click, Zidane held up his machine gun, pointing the barrel skyward. “Hell yeah! Get ready, Ibuki, here we come!” His voice boomed out with excitement and strength.

When they all came to the gates, everyone hid out as they tried to blend into the background. In order to make sure that they weren't going to get found out, a trail of dead bodies littered the ground. They lay there, silenced.

"We've managed to infiltrate their security guards," Aeris noted as she glanced to the other members of her group. She wondered what the next phase of their plan would be.

"There's more where this came from," Rubio knew that to be truth. They weren't out of the clear yet.

"We should be able to get to Ibuki in this building," Valentino glanced to the large, fortress. "It's the Department of Biochemistry. If I know him, he'll be inside," Ibuki spent ninety percent of his life inside of the Biochemistry Laboratories with his experiments. Even if he wasn't here, he would be there eventually.

"This place gives me the creeps." Even when he worked there, Hisamichi couldn't deny the every present feeling of dread and apprehension that radiated from that building. When he was inside of it, he couldn't help but feel that something would jump out at him if he didn't keep himself aware.

"Let's go," Rubio said as his team mates ran past him, one-by-one in a single line. When they all darted past him, he followed suit.

"Hey! Wait!" Hisamichi called, lagging behind.

They ran, without saying a word as they maneuvered around guards and through the many different obstacles, occasionally hiding from view if they happened to glance their way. Slowly, they slipped past the guards. Valentino, Rubio and Vincent darted behind one of the pillars in the room as a guard walked past them.

"Man, this place is fortified," Vincent thought it would have been easier to move around. It felt more like an espionage escapade than an infiltration.

"Of course it is," Valentino looked to him, "this is the place where all of their research is conducted." Like hell Ibuki was just going to let them in so easily.

"You mean that creepy human experimentation stuff?" The bounty hunter knew the answer, but at the same time it was hard to believe.

"Yes," the assassin verified.

Just then, a thought crossed Vincent's mind. "Does that mean we'll get attacked by biohumans?" If they were anything like Valentino, the bounty hunter wasn't looking forward to the confrontation.

"Don't worry about it," Valentino dismissed as he darted out from the pillar and took off running again.

"I would ask what's with him, but I never know," the bounty hunter sighed. He knew it was futile to even begin to figure that guy out.

Rubio said nothing in return. He merely looked serious, his piercing sights set ahead of him.

“Rubio…”

“Look out!” Rubio shouted as a guard cocked his gun to take a shot at them. He was quick to react as he shot out of the corner and his bullets hit that guard, as well as five others.

“Man, that was close,” Vincent sighed. They almost got killed if it wasn't for Rubio's quick thinking.

“It helps to have a weapon,” the silver-haired man shot sarcastically. Honestly, it was pretty stupid for Vincent to go into a situation where there were multiple armed-guards and not even take a weapon as a precaution was a stupid choice. He didn't even care if Vincent was a hand-to-hand combatant.

Vincent didn't have much time to react as a guard rushed up on him. Thinking quickly, the bounty hunter grabbed him by the leg and slammed him into the ground. The force of the impact caused the metal ground to splinter and fly up around him. Metal pieces clanked as they hit the ground and the guard lay there, motionless.

“Brute strength doesn't hurt, either,” Vincent winked and gave the silver-haired man a thumbs up.

Valentino sliced through many people. Blood splattered against the walls and floor as his blade slid effortlessly through their bodies. Severed pieces fell to the ground with wet, sloshing noises as the assassin continued to tear through the armies that were rushing at him.

“They didn't even notice him, and he was right there,” Vincent was impressed with the fact that the red-and-black assassin was able to kill off a number of guards before they even had time to react.

“He's the best thing we have on our side. There's a reason Ibuki wants to take him out,” Rubio knew exactly what that reason was.

“Something tells me you know all about what exactly is going on.” It wasn't a secret at this point. Vincent was convinced Rubio knew from the beginning what was going on. He'd been hiding things from them all since they started their adventure. Even now, there were secrets he was certain that the other male intended on keeping.

“I used to be Ibuki's body guard. Of course I do,” Rubio wasn't going to lie. It was far too late to continue his charade any longer.

“What does that mean?” Vincent asked.

“It means that I know all about Valentino.” In fact, he was one of the people who knew the most about him. Rubio continued to run, making his way over to the quick-working assassin. His shoes left bloody footprints as he traveled through the gore.

Valentino was at a gate, punching in a code. He looked very concentrated as he was entering the numbers, as if he had done it a million times.

“What's up with you two? You should tell me something because I get the hint that there's more to this than anyone could ever know,” Vincent wasn't stupid. It was high time that they came out and told him. They were about to fight Ibuki and if there was something they could tell him to help him in the final battle, he was better off knowing.

“I'll tell you later,” Valentino said as he ran through the slowly opening gate. It creaked and groaned as it slowly slid back.

“What?” Vincent was offended and he felt like Valentino was just blowing him off at this point. “After Ibuki is dead? You both don't fool me anymore, so speak up,” he demanded to know the truth and he was going to keep interrogating them until he got it.

Just then, a gun was pointed to his forehead, causing his body to lock up as he felt the cool metal against his skin.

“Look, I told you that we don't have time for this right now,” Rubio glared at him with steely, pale eyes. “We'll tell you after the mission is over and you'll just have to deal with it.”

Valentino rounded the corner and skidded to a stop. Red eyes glanced around at his surroundings, trying to peer through the darkening air around him. “Now isn't the time for that. We have to meet up with the others.”

“Right,” Rubio took the gun away from his comrade's head and gave him a warming glare before running off after his boyfriend.

Vincent sighed heavily and took off after him, running through the corridors, where they eventually met up with the others. His friends were standing around, waiting for him to meet them up there.

“Hey, how do you we know that Ibuki is here?” Sari looked a little skeptical.

“He's here all of the time,” Zidane stated the obvious. Everyone who worked with Ibuki knew that he was always in the building.

“Yeah…Well, how do you know he's here today? We could be doing all of this for nothing.” The last thing the petite girl wanted to do was look like a fool or even get caught based on an assumption or two.

“He's here,” Valentino validated, “I managed to hack into his scheduling and he has a bioexperiment meeting with Professor Hidan.” His visage hardened and the tone he took on when he mentioned that name was one of shock.

“Professor Hidan?” Rubio looked freaked out, almost as if he wanted to turn around that very moment and leave.

“Who?” Yartiza was confused. “Who the hell is that?”

“Professor Hidan was involved in making biohuman guards for Ibuki's forces. He was also involved in Project INSIDIOUS,” Udo educated everyone on the identity of this seemingly unknown professor.

“Project INSIDIOUS?” Ionna's eyes widened. Why did it have to be that specific project?

“What is that?” Aeris was a little lost, and Valentino stared ahead, blankly with slightly widened eyes.

“Project INSIDIOUS is the most dangerous project that the Dark Renegade Scientists has ever worked on,” Rubio enlightened everyone of the importance of that event. Knew a bit about INSIDIOUS, and he wondered what the others knew about it.

“Hidan, Gaiga, Dersh and Radaj were all partners in creating INSIDIOUS,” Rubio knew everyone who was involved.

“Dersh and Radaj?” Loreli hadn't heard of those two before. She wondered who they were.

“Yeah, they were bio research engineers,” Udo had knowledge of them.

“INSIDIOUS was made to be the perfect soldier; it was designed to do tasks beyond human comprehension,” Rubio explained part of what the project was about, and why it was so dangerous.

“The other purpose of INSIDIOUS was to take out traitors of Ibuki. I also heard INSIDIOUS can transform into over 100 different things,” Loreli was unsure if it was rumors or the truth, but it was definitely something to hold concern about.

“I heard you had a hand in INSIDIOUS, Rubio,” Udo looked to the silver-haired man, and Valentino glanced over his shoulder.

What did Udo mean by that? Did Rubio really have a hand in his creation? This changed a number of things if it was true.

“I…” Rubio paused for a moment, a nervous tone in his voice, “I did.”

“What?” Valentino shot, whirling around as his tattered cape beat against his body. He felt a spark of rage and betrayal surge through him. Piercing red eyes locked onto his form as he approached him.

“I had to,” Rubio was quick to defend himself. “I wasn't there for all of it, but I was there for parts of it-“ He didn't get to finish his sentence as a fist was driven into his cheek witch such force that it propelled his body into the wall. Pain shot through him as he slowly slid down the cracked wall.

“Hey! What was that for?” Zidane turned around to face the assassin, who said nothing.

“No…I deserve it,” Rubio's low voice intoned, causing both men to look at him.

“Eh? Did he just admit to needing a punch to the face?” Sari felt some sort of solace in this. Too bad she couldn't have been the one to deliver the decisive blow.

“Because of you…” Valentino continued to glare him down with cold, piercing eyes, “because of you, I am what I am now. You could have stopped it. You knew all of this time, you knew and you didn't tell me. “There was nothing that hurt more than the fact that Rubio was involved in his transformations, all of the terrible torture and pain he endured and yet, concealed it from him this entire time. Why would he not tell him? He wanted answers.

“I couldn't tell you,” Rubio looked down, covering the affliction with his gloved hand,” not after what just happened.”

“I thought I could live with the monster I've become-“ Valentino began, but was cut off.

“You can,” Rubio assured him, “you can't change anything about that.”

“Wait…What are you trying to say, Valentino?” The bounty hunter turned to the assassin in question. He didn't want to assume the worst, but he felt it was pretty much stated out loud.

Valentino closed his eyes and turned his back to him. Agata looked as if she understood perfectly what was going on.

“If you hate me, then kill me,” Rubio knew it was inevitable, especially considering who he was. He would deserve it. It was something he felt guilty about. In all reality, the silver-haired man was shocked he had gotten as far as he did. A part of him didn't expect to see Ibuki again.

“My feelings toward you, deep down, are the same. I paid you back by killing Angora, anyway,” Valentino considered that fair enough.

“You could see it that way…but it was because of her that you became a bioexperiment,” Rubio's voice was low and full of regret.

“What?” Valentino was caught off guard by that answer.

“When we were small, we were abducted by Angora and given to the Department of Biochemistry. I was a failed experiment on human endurance and strength in a woman. They wanted to see if a woman could ever be as strong as a man. That's why I can lift such a huge weapon,” Ionna told them the secret behind her super strength and revealed a little of her past.

“Then….what was Valentino experimented on for?” I mean, he can transform, too,” Hisamichi thought that was strange. Surely, they were two different experiments.

“No…no way…” Just then, a realization hit Vincent. Shock ran across his face as he came to terms with what was happening.

“The first time we've met is the first time I've seen him since he was twelve,” Ionna wasn't lying; it had been ages since they'd crossed paths.

“I thought you were dead.” That was usually what happened to failed experiments. Valentino considered her lucky for still being alive.

“I never thought you were dead, but I didn't think you'd leave the lab,” Ionna was pretty shocked when she saw her brother out of his normal confines.

“I left to kill Rubio and Angora. That was my purpose.” If he hadn't been given that purpose, then Valentino would have never found the fortitude to do what he did. It was the perfect opportunity to act.

“You mean to tell me that you're the INSIDIOUS Project?” Zidane's eyes widened. He couldn't believe that he was standing there, face to face with something as dangerous and legendary as INSIDIOUS. All of that time, they had been traveling with the project and never knew it.

“Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat? No fucking way!” Sari was blown away when she figured it out.

“It makes sense when you think about it,” the scar-faced man noted. “That's why Ibuki is so set on having you destroyed. Your attitude, your loner ways, and the fact that when I knew you they constantly experimented on you….You were performed more maintenance on than a man with OCD's car. Also, your ability to transform should have been the main notable ability that set you apart from us.” Valentino wasn't some normal biohuman. He was exceptional.

“Is your real name actually Valentino?” Sari wondered if it was an alias or not.

“My name is real. It's the only real identity I have left.” Everything else had been altered.

“You killed….so many people…What you did…” Zidane remembered those blood-filled nights, littered with carnage. It was something that was never going to be forgotten. He was one of the few who witnessed the full power of INSIDIOUS.

“I know…” Valentino looked down.

“Why didn't you tell us that you were INSIDIOUS? I would have handled things differently.” Now that he looked at it, the scarred man felt that many of his actions in the past were stupid. Even going against him like had before could have killed him.

Rubio stepped in front of his boyfriend and faced him with a serious expression. “I knew he was INSIDIOUS the whole time.”

“Rubio,” Valentino looked to him.

“I kept it a secret to protect him,” Rubio knew if any of that got out, they would probably try to take him back to the lab when they were on Ibuki's side. That would have voided their actions and their mission.

“He needs special treatment. He's unstable, and he could kill any one of us in the blink of an eye.” Did Rubio not see that? Zidane didn't think he was that stupid. Valentino was highly dangerous and accidentally killing Ryouzonia was just the tip of the iceberg.

“I stabilize myself with injections. I'll be fine,” Valentino cut in the conversation.

“What happened with Shigeki…that wasn't your INSIDIOUS transformation,” Zidane knew what that looked like. It was merely a sub-transformation.

“It wasn't?” Sari wondered what was then.

“You can't control that, even with the damned injections,” Zidane's voice darkened. Valentino knew the truth and it was idiotic to sugar-coat it. If he turned into INSIDIOUS during the battle, it would be over for all of them.

“I can control it better than I did before,” Valentino didn't think they'd trust him but it was something he worked on harnessing in secret before they had formed their party, and even at intervals of rest during their adventure. He had been preparing for this moment in secret.

“Are you going to use INSIDIOUS against Ibuki?” Yartiza was afraid of that answer, but she wanted to hear it.

“It would be ironic to be killed by a monster you created,” the prospect sounded interesting, at least.

“Get down!” Their conversation was interrupted by Rubio, hitting the floor as he dove to dodge an explosion.

A loud boom and a brilliant show of orange and yellow lit up the air. Everyone either ran or dove out of the way as hot pieces of metal and dirt flew around them, scraping and cutting their exposed skin. Getting up, the group ran to a botanical area. It looked to be a large, indoor green house with experimental plants lining the walls and ceiling. It was almost as if they were outside in a strange climate. The air felt temperate against their skin.

Above them, a female form flipped in the air head over heels and landed in front of them. As she rose, it was obvious who she was. She faced them with a twisted smirk and a hand on her hip, staring them down with malicious intent.

“It's you,” Zidane glared.

“This bitch again?” Udo couldn't stand her. He wished that she would have died.

“I'll make you pay for what you did to my beloved Shigeki.” That was a promise Esta was going to follow through in making. Now was her time to shine and she would make sure to blind them with her brilliant flash.

…To Be Continued