Chapter 25: Black Sunrise I

Around a week had passed since I received a scolding from Sol and was chased around for an hour. I finally got some well-deserved rest and was back to my usual self in the morning. That strange feeling of clarity was gone when it was attached to the OutRage. Along with Aria's test to control all gears moving up to today. 

Sol and I were working on our own equipment for the people we were about to meet, listening to Queen songs the whole time. 

We continued to work on our tasks until the song changed to "Bohemian Rhapsody," Sol asked out of nowhere while adjusting the latest addition to the OutRage, "Are you sure about us splitting up? Those files showed that gear might be more than you can handle."

I shook my head while readying and testing a circular disk with small spikes. This small, mine-looking device, I hoped, would turn Aria into a more human form when stuck onto any part of her body.

After testing that everything worked and was in order, I attached it to the side of my belt. "Yeah, things could turn ugly, but I don't want you firing that weapon at Aria."

Sol shakes his head and sits up from the chair he was inspecting OutRage on. "Fine, but if you find out this Gear isn't Aria, I'll destroy it." 

I motioned dramatically for Sol to continue, "And if it is Aria, and you accept the truth?"

Sol took a moment, blankly staring at me before saying, "If it is her, tell her to hold on while I make my way."

I nodded and approached Sol, patting his shoulder and hugging him. "Don't worry. I'll tell her, and there's no need for you to worry. I'll be fine."

Sol hugs me back slightly before he lets me go, holding my shoulders at a distance. "I trust you, but can you win against this Gear if it isn't Aria?"

I backed away, leading Sol to return his arms to his side while I pondered my chances of an all-out fight between a Gear that wasn't Aria. Crossing my arm, I smirked with absolute confidence. "Nah, I'd win."

Sol just nods, walking to the workbench and picking up the OutRage. He puts it on his back. 

"Just don't get overconfident, Daubeny. Fight with everything you have."

"And what about you, Sol? Don't underestimate Asuka since he turned us into Gears. He's bound to have more tricks up his sleeve."

"No matter what he has, it won't be enough to save him."

"You're probably right. I guess you'll have to follow your advice but don't let Asuka escape."

Sol smiled violently, and his eyes lit maliciously, cracking his neck quickly. "Wouldn't dream of it. He's not getting away from me this time." 

I smiled one last time before going to the entrance, but Sol's voice stopped me. "If things start looking too dangerous... don't hesitate to escape."

I turn around to give him a fistbump. "I will, Frederick. Besides, you'll be close by and entering the facility."

Sol smiles and returns the gesture, the two of us walk out of our base together. Sol removes his headband and transforms it into his true form, flying off at incredible speeds with me holding onto a chain tied to his leg.

-

Standing in a nearby clearing in the facility, I take a few deep breaths and see a massive shadow in the sky. I look down at my hand and clutch it into a fist while unfolding my wings to fly off toward Aria.

"When exactly did she come out of cryo-sleep, and what happened with Dizzy? Is she even called that anymore, or has she not been born yet?"

Passing come clouds, I quickly spot Aria, who has transformed from the last time I saw her as a human. If I had to guess, now Aria is 255 meters tall, around the size of a small skyscraper. The first feature I notice is that her entire body is reptilian-like and covered by bleach-white battle armor and a tail, which causes me trouble flying since it creates disturbing airwaves. I also notice her feet resembling heels. 

"How strange, heels are a genetic trait now?"

Swirling in the air, flying past her heels and onwards up her leg. Finding out her joints were black, and it seemed that I caught her attention as she began to move her head slowly to look down at me. The waves were becoming too strong for me, so I had to hold onto her leg tightly, making the mistake of looking down. To see the land of America as a tiny bleep on the horizon and onwards causes me to feel a little nauseous.

"This is why I hate flying up this high, but it's just a little further."

When I look back up to return my gaze to my sister, we make eye contact. Her now golden eyes arch up in shock as the right gigantic hand is held underneath me as a supporting platform. In response, I drop down towards the hand that slowly brings me up before her face, and the top of her head has two straight horns going back. 

"You broke my heart. I expected you to be waiting right outside my pod when I got treated."

Her voice would be best described as being on an autotune voice filter. She greeted me without sounding hurt. Instead, this just led to how we started conversations with each other.

"Although, you look more like a chicken now with those wings."

"Oh, if you think I look funny, you should see what Frederick looks like."

Hearing my words, Aria doesn't move, but l see her eyes examining the air, eventually leading her to sigh. 

"Guess Frederick's not here yet, but I've got to take control of some gears before anything else." Her tail swings back and forth. "I am really happy to see you and would hug you, but..."

"No, I get it. Wouldn't want to crush me and all that. Though I have some news for you, I have a new nickname. And don't worry about Frederick. He'll be seeing Asuka very soon." 

Standing up and gaining some semblance of balance, I strike a pose with my left hand partially covering my face.

"Onto other matters, that name is Bismarck!"

Rolling back her golden eyes, she snorted or something close to that effect.

"Not bad. I got a nickname, too. I'm called Justice by everyone but Asuka." She stopped speaking momentarily as if she was listening to someone else before continuing. You should hear how everyone around Asuka is tense with you and Frederick here, especially Asuka hearing Frederick's going to meet him now."

"Asuka can hear us?"

Aria nodded, and I could feel her becoming irritated by what I said about Frederick. "I can't believe that guy. He hasn't seen his lovely wife in over fifty years, and he's going to Asuka before me?

While she was complaining, a flurry of emotions bubbled up inside me. I wanted to open Asuka up and plant something in him against his will, just like he had done with me. However, ever since I returned with that new component, those thoughts haven't given me the same happiness as before. Pushing those thoughts away for the moment, I shook my head and managed to muster up a smile.

"Well, look on the bright side. You can hold this over, Frederick, forever, now that the four of us have all the time in the world."

I laughed evilly and heartily while choosing my following words carefully.

"And since I know you can hear me best, buddy, I wanted to congratulate you on your new nickname, 'That Man.'" Before I could get sidetracked anymore, I had to ask something else. "Then everything is well for your kid?"

"Sort of? My baby's safe, but I guess whatever Asuka turned me into isn't a mammal, so when the time's right, I'll be laying an egg."

"That's somethi-."

The hand holding me was shaking and wavering to the side. In response, I flew over to my sister's neck and, wasting no time, pulled out the anti-suppressing gear cell mine. The spikes glowed with magic as I readied it.

"Aria! What's going on?!"

"Aaaaaah!"

She screamed in pain and terror as her hands grasped her head, along with tossing and turning her body wildly. I knew what was causing her pain, it was the Universal Will trying to take over her mind.

"Hold on, I can turn you back to normal!"

With a swift and decisive motion, I lunge forward, aiming to pierce her skin and change everything in the timeline. Instead of the triumph of Aria beginning to turn back to normal, I was met with another sound.

Clank.

The spikes that were my hope shattered upon impact, with the only purpose of those injectors being to pierce the skin. And with my shock, I let go of the mine as it fell. Being crushed by Aria's wild swings. That's when it hit me; this looked like armor earlier because IT IS armor. Not just that, but an unbelievable amount of magic shielded the strike, my guess it was from the Universal Will.

I continued to hold on for dear life until Aria let out a deafening, inhumane roar that reverberated throughout the air for thousands of miles.

Aria propelled herself forward with a sudden burst of movement, hurtling through the skies at supersonic speeds. I clung desperately to her neck, my grip slipping with each passing moment. Within no less than eight seconds, we had traveled across the sea and onto an island nation. With the abrupt halt and Aria repeating the process of trying to shake something off. I lost my grip and began falling, only to be hit by Aria's tail. 

"NO! I DIDN'T MEAN TOO!"

Hearing her screaming become louder due to hitting me, I saw she tried to catch me while spinning in circles, but it was useless as a moment of pain stopped her from grabbing me at the last moment. I was sent flying straight into a building, falling further into it while rubble kept crashing down on me.