Phantasy Star Online

Inner Circle

By Ethan Hammond ©2001

 

Part 2 Enter the Dragon

 

            Asylus was alone in a dark room of the ruins; she had been long since separated from her party.

            “This truly sucks, Asylus pondered to herself.  “Had I known what I was getting myself into I never would have done this mission…father forgive me.”

            There was a hideous growl as a trio of Delsabers plunged towards Asylus with frightening speed.

            “Sword don’t fail me now!” Asylus yelled. “Lavis wave strike!”

            “Have no fear, DB is here!” A voice said in a close proximity to Asylus.  “Can you handle the power of the DB Saber +1!”

            DB valiantly charged the Delsabers and all three of them responded by attacking him at once.

            “Oh the pain, the unbelievable pain,” DB uttered as he collapsed to the ground in a pool of his own blood.  As he hit the floor thousands upon thousands of swords flew out of his backpack, and also some of his armor and shields.

            “Some help he was,” Asylus thought.

            “All right monsters, I will not allow you to beat me.  Lavis wave strike,” Asylus attacked the trio of Delsabers with her legendary glass sword.

            Meanwhile Great Sword Zoke had reached a large room in the second area of the ruins.  The room seemed to be where the power supply for the ruins was.  Great Sword Zoke entered the room cautiously and exercising great stealth.  A Chaos Bringer appeared in front of him, pointing its lance at Great Sword Zoke’s brow.

            “What the…” Great Sword Zoke said in awe and horror.

            The Chaos Bringer charged Great Sword Zoke and speared him with the lance.  The lance pierced Zoke through the stomach and protruded out of his back.

            “Shino…” Zoke said choking on his own blood.

            The Chaos Bringer roared triumphantly and slammed Zoke’s body to the ground.  The ground around Zoke’s body cracked as his back broke from the second impact.

            “This is getting serious,” Jake realized as he saw a group of six Dark Belra’s plodding towards him.

            “Spread Needle don’t fail me now,” Jake said. “Strength and honor!”

            The Dark Belra pointed its massive arm at Jake and rocketed its arm like a missile into Jake’s check.

            “Doh…I have no more heal items or telepipes,” Jake gasped in horror. “And I can’t use magic to heal myself.”

            The Dark Belra’s continued to repeatedly assault Jake.  Jakes arms and legs were broken off from the force of the blows.

            “Why does this happen to me?  I was always loyal.” Jake wondered. “My name is not Lionel.  If I was not an android I would be dead, instead I will just go into stand by mode as did C3PO in the Empire Strikes Back when he was in a similar situation…”

            “Nuku Nuku wants to go help, Asylus,” Nuku Nuku said hyperly.

            “But we are only mere high school students.  What can we possibly do?” Luna asked.

            “And you call yourself an anime fan?” Nuku Nuku asked. “Have I not seen many high school girls hero’s in sailor suits.  Am I not merciful?  Are you not entertained?”

            “Well when you put it that way big sister,” Luna replied with a shy grin.

            “You can’t have an adventure without a frying pan wielding chibi force,” Megumi declared.

            “Bebop has to come too,” Nuku Nuku said while tackle hugging Bebop.

            “Argh, I will come lass, but only if ye lets me swashbuckle, says I,” Bebop stated.

            “Yay,” Nuku Nuku replied happily.

            “You should thank me for introducing you to Bebop, you scurvy scallywags,” Xavier yelled from somewhere.

            “Thank you!!  :)” Nuku Nuku pushed up on the digital pad of her Dreamcast controller.

            “Good luck guys,” Jenn Rose provided encouragement.

            “I am going to write my own story about Vash.  It will be like the brilliant Cammy manga story, since I am not getting to go on this quest,” Vash decreed indignantly.

            “I am going to use the Dragonslayer that Asylus gave me,” Nuku Nuku said.

            “I will stick with the classic Frying Pan of Clong! Clong! Clong!” Megumi said while eyeing Bebop.

            “Stay away from me lass,” Bebop replied.

            “I will use the Inferno Bazooka,” Luna said. “Because nothing is funnier than a small girl with a huge gun.”

            “Did you know if you remove you can find a rare if you remove your VMU?” Nuku Nuku asked.

            “Oh that’s it big sister,” Luna said flashing the double middle fingers +9 at Nuku Nuku. “Luna’s super raging wonderful spinning beautiful lovely vengeance smash uppercut!” Luna used her super attack.

            “No you don’t,” Bebop said.

            Bebop stepped in front of Nuku Nuku.

            “Full power!” Luna yelled.

            Luna knocked Bebop and Nuku Nuku up into the clouds.  They fell to the ground with a resounding thud.

            “Nuku Nuku is dizzy and sees stars,” Nuku Nuku groaned.

            “That’s for misleading me,” Luna said while giving the peace sign. “Never underestimate the power of my anger you Chao hoarding meanie!”

            “Okay guys, let’s go!” Nuku Nuku said enthusiastically.

            “Argh,” Bebop said in agreement. “Tis time to swashbuckle, I will use only the weapons that I find, says I.”

            The group ran to the transporter and teleported to Forest Area 1.

            “Oh how pretty,” Luna said.

            “Don’t let it fool thee, ye wee lass,” Bebop explained. “There be many a monster in them thar woods, says I.

            “Indeed,” Xavier said from somewhere.

            “I am writing my own Vash story!” Vash yelled.

            “Argh, there be no weapons in these wee boxes,” Bebop exclaimed. “But at least there is mighty trap vision.”

            “I carry telepipes to keep me humble,” Nuku Nuku said.

            A group of several Rag Rappies waddled towards the team.

            “Oh how cute,” Luna said.

            The Rappies surrounded Luna.

            “Aww cute birdies,” Luna said with a generic anime smile on her face as she petted the Rappies on the head.

            “Little sister look out!” Nuku Nuku warned.

            The Rappies simultaneously pecked Luna, striking her body from all angles.

            “I hate this game,” Luna said with anger.

            “If you hit all four buttons and start you can see a cool close up of your character,” Nuku Nuku teased.

            “Now is not the time for jokes,” Luna retorted. “Stupid chickens see how you like this.  Inferno Bazooka blast!”

            Luna shot at the rappies while laughing insanely.

            “Bwa ha ha ha!  I will have my revenge in this life or the next,” Luna announced.

            Finally the Rappies were all knocked unconscious.

            “Good job little sister,” Nuku Nuku said congratulating Luna.

            “Now its your turn,” Luna said firing the bazooka at Nuku Nuku.

            “Nyah, you can’t hit me,” Nuku Nuku taunted.

            “I’ll bash you good,” Luna growled.

            “Ohhh a catfight,” Bebop said suavely.

            “Don’t make me break this up with the frying pan, you don’t want me to Clong! Clong! Clong! you,” Megumi threatened.

            “Okay,” Nuku Nuku replied giving Luna a huggle.

            Meanwhile Shyne, Sage, Xavier, and Belldandy had been gathered in the Principals Office.

            “Those kids went to Ralgo without permission,” the Principal stated. “I want you to find them and bring them back by whatever means possible. I will properly reward you with mesata and rare weapons if you perform this service for me.”

            “The Principal is a man of his word,” Dr. Montague added. “If he promises this then it is guaranteed to be the truth.”

            “Indeed,” Xavier said in the Principals office.

            “I made you a cake Mr. Principal,” Belldandy said in her sweet subservient voice. “I love cooking and cleaning.  Serving others is the best.”

Our young hero’s had neared the end of Forest Area 2.  Luna had been badly wounded and Bebop still had no weapon because all he had found were sawcers.

            “Argh, where be thee, good booty,” Bebop wondered aloud.

            Suddenly two Hildebears flew into the room right in front of Luna.  The Hildebears pounded on their chests and started brutally punching Luna in a hideous display of violence.

            “Why is my stupid gun so slow,” Luna whined.

            Suddenly a man dressed in all black with a black pageboy haircut appeared floating in the sky.  He was glowing with an aura of shifta and deband.

            “Lavis wave strike,” the man said calmly as a projectile attack came out of his sword, killing the two Hildebears upon contact.  The man teleported beside Luna, grabbed her and vanished.

            “Little sister!” Nuku Nuku yelled with disbelief and grief. “Little sister…no.”

            “Who be that?” Bebop asked.

            “I have no idea,” Megumi answered. “But I have a feeling we will see him again in Part 3.”

            “I have see that sword once before,” Nuku Nuku said with a serious expression on her face. But, we are now lacking a fourth member of our team.” Nuku Nuku pouted.

            “Digitaru saber ignite,” Raion yelled as he jumped out of the trees and spun around in the air.  He landed on his feet and did Jushin Thunder Ligers ring entrance pose.

            “Master of the Digitaru arts, ninja Raion has made his debut,” Raion said as he went through a series of wrestling poses.  Raion was carrying the legendary ultimate double saber, the Twin Brand.

            “A true friend would have put me in at this part,” Vash criticized  with oily tears in his eyes.  “And how dare you use me for comic relief!”

            “I have trigrinded my ??? berdys +1,” Bebop announced proudly.

            “Yay,” Nuku Nuku encouraged.

            The group arrived at a large teleported at the end of the walkway around the outside of the Central Dome.

            “Let’s see what this dragon is made of,” Raion uttered.

            “Don’t spoil the surprise,” Megumi replied as she gave Raion a trilogy of clongs.

            “Yes ma’ma,” Raion replied sitting Japanese style and bowing his head in respect.  “I am so ashamed.”

            “Here we go,” Nuku Nuku said entering the teleporter last of the group.

            The group appeared in front of a huge menacing red dragon.   The dragon spread its wings and breathed fire.

            “One shall stand…and one shall fall.” Nuku Nuku help down R and pushed up on the digital pad on her Dreamcast controller.

 

To be continued…

 

Next:  Penultimate Showdown