Chapter 40 : Stranger, Danger !
The book of the day is… The Man picked up by the Gods. Either the first or rebooted version : both are pretty awesome. It's about a classic reincarnation story into a fantasy world. The MC is socially awkward at the beginning and chooses to be sent in a place devoid of civilization. Instead, he discovers slimes and tames a bunch of them. Calls himself a slime researcher. Have a read, it's worth it. You can find it on Jigglypuff's Diary or buy them on Amaz*n.
And as always, please leave a comment, a review or power stone(s). Also, check out my Patréon if you're curious about my work and/or want to read more. Search for Cathbel on their website.
Enjoy !
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I raise my arm with yet another sigh, unleashing a shield of ink to protect myself from a projectile launched at high velocity toward me by a turret emerging from the ground. Despite the fact that they were nowhere to be seen, Cory, Peter and Doreen were close by, connected by the mystical and telepathic link that I had created for us.
This situation right now… With the ruins of New York City as far as I could see, and high tech turrets popping up randomly from the ground, the walls, the streetlights… The enemies attacking us… To be honest, I want nothing more than to be out of here. Maybe play on my console at home, or work on my books. Not… That !
Cory, which from what I can tell, is annoyed, exhorts me :
« For the love of the Holy Motherboard… Shut the fuck up, Nate ! We all know you don't want to be here. You've repeatedly told us so. Now… It's just pissing me off and I'm this close to vibrate you into a bloody pulp. »
For some reason, I see Cory's face with her eyes furrowed so hard they can't be seen, as his the space between her thumb and index fingers signifying the patience left in her. I get it, really ! I even annoy myself right now to be honest. Unfortunately, I can't help how I feel… In this case, it's not just that I don't want to be here. I don't and yet, I also do. Especially when I cross path with the X-women… I can't help but imagining them into tight leather clothes, or the suggestive suits they can be seen wearing in the comics. And that's a problem too… Especially when one of them is a freaking telepath ! Another sigh escapes my lips before I can prevent it…
« That's it ! » Cory's silent shout echoes over our telepathic channel. « You're so dead, Nate ! I don't care that your spell will be canceled ! »
Before she can make good on her promise, the world explodes in chaos… Or rather, the hard light projection of New York around myself and my friends. We hear Doreen shout and feel her disappear from our tele-link before I see her being projected through a concrete wall from the 5th floor of an apartment complex. In slow motion, I see her start to plummet down into the street before she starts to right herself midair, find her footing against a wall before she jumps back into the hole created by her own body.
A second later, an earthquake strikes, and I have no doubt that it's Cory using her powers… Hopefully, not on or around me. I don't think so, though. Being on the receiving end of her blast is different. And then, Peter's repeated mental exclamation of « Don't wet your tights ! Don't wet your tights ! Don't wet your tights ! » As I feel the wind from his passage brush me by.
I turn around… And sigh once more.
* * * * *
With a smile, Cory welcomes her new challenger. She has been wanting to let loose for a while now and this looks just like the perfect target to do so… The only thing is… It looks like a baby Godzilla. On the one hand, she's thrilled to be able to see it with her eyes, and fight it. On the other, she wonders who the hell designed the program for the Danger Room. Probably a bit of a nerd, like her !
The reason why she thinks it's a baby is because of his size. Godzilla is massive, twice as tall as most of the buildings around. This one though is struggling navigating between the buildings and they're about a head - his - taller than him.
The idea that she's about to attack a newborn makes her feeling conflicted.
As she's pondering this, the situation turns even crazier. And even more nerdy ! The ground quakes, making herself wonder briefly if she doesn't have a lid on her power, only for her to notice she's not the epicenter of the quake. And in fact, the epicenter is… moving ! Suddenly, the grounds bulges with the streets cracking. The bulge start to travel, his direction right toward Babe-Zilla. And then, with the sound of rocks falling and breaking, an ungodly shrieks resounds, followed by a form emerging from the bulge.
Standing upright much like a snake would, if said snake was hundreds of feet tall, is a sandworm. All she can see right now is its back, but she has no trouble imagining the rows of thousands of sharp, people-sized, teeth.
Cory is petrified. No, not petrified… More like perplexed or flabbergasted. Is this really a scenario of their Danger Room ? Do they really train to fight against Kaijuus ? Up until this point, all they had to face were hard-light constructs of people armed with firearms with the occasional energy weapons, as well as the many, many turrets. Where did those guys come from ? Where's the logic ? More importantly, what is she supposed to do in this situation ?
Her thoughts are interrupted by Peter's mantra of not 'wetting his tights' before he starts to tell them :
« I think… we're supposed to rescue the civilians in this scenario. I see people running away from the monsters… »
Now that he mentions it, Cory realizes that, indeed, there are people fleeing from the Kaijuus. They're unharmed and appear to be civilians. Nate's voice, still weighed by his annoyance, quickly orders them.
« Spider-Man and Squirrel Girl, you take the buildings and start emptying them. Quake and I will take the streets… Finish up you fight quick, Doreen, okay ? »
And so, they follow his orders…
* * * * *
A couple of hours later, the team showered and met up in the locker room. They're mostly sitting in silence, digesting the experience they just had. Finally, Doreen starts to exclaim, excitement piercing through her tone :
« That was… »
Before she can manifest her enthusiasm, Cory interrupts :
« Puzzling. Especially toward the end. »
Peter nods and makes a hypothesis :
« Perhaps it's to teach us to improvise ? About the chaotic nature of the world ? »
A voice they previously only heard on TV or on the Radio, interjects :
« That is partly true… »
I look up and see a bald head, a man in a wheel chair. Xavier !