Bab 284: 280: A Plague of Phantoms: Massacre at Sea II
Bo
"You cannot be serious!" I yelled as I looked at myself in the mirror. I was inside my family's room on the King's glaive with Mom, Indy, Angie, and KC. Mom leaned in closer and beamed happily at me.
"What's wrong? You look cute!" Mom exclaimed and pinched my cheek. I grumbled and slapped her hand away then pointed down at my outfit.
"I look like I belong in a asylum!" I griped.
The 'outfit' was a handmade costume onesie of a Lunar Liger shark. A very characterized version of one at that. Everything was dramatized to look cuter than reality. The paws were fat and squishy, it's tendrils were thick like noodles, and it had a hood which was a open Liger shark mouth. Only it looked like a baby Lunar Liger Shark's head
"I like mine!" Indy proclaimed happily, looking at himself in the mirror next to mine.
He was wearing a onesie like me, only his was designed to look like a Mer-as-folk. Once again made to look cute. His arms and torso were plushy and pudgy, his legs were covered by a fake fishtail that had a slit down the side so he could walk and his hood had a baby-tized Mer-as-folk face in it.
"You would…" I grumbled then crossed my arms. "…this is exactly what a baby would like."
"I'm not a baby!" Indy griped and frowned at me. I was about to retort when a ear-piercing screech echoed inside the room. Indy, mom and I turned and saw Angie struggling to put a very fussy KC into a Lunar Liger shark onesie like mine.
"NOOO! NOOO! NO ZARKY!" KC bellowed as he wriggled and squirmed to try and keep his mother from putting the outfit on him. Indy looked and me and flashed a smug smirk.
"Seems like only the babies have a problem with the outfits." He teased. I frowned and reached out to slap Indy but the dung brain dodged and jumped back a few times while sticking his tongue out at me.
"Why you little…!" I started as I curled a fist only to feel a hard slap at the back of my head. "…OWWW! HEY!"
I looked over my shoulder and saw my mom glaring down at me. Any anger I had vanished in the face of that look which was a warning for more pain and punishments to come.
"Don't start or I'm adding a giant pink bow to the back of your outfit Bo." Mom warned me. I shivered as I felt a wave of cringe come over me.
"Oh Gods! Anything but that!" I exclaimed. My mom smiled and patted me on the head.
"Then be a good little boy and wear the nice costume that Angie and I slaved away over a very uncooperative sewing machine to make you." Mom said. I lowered and head pouted while crossing my arms.
"Fine!" I replied.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO ZARKY!" KC screamed at the top of his lungs and accidently poked his mom in the eye. Angie winced and let KC go and the little kid fell on his butt then quickly jumped got up and ran towards the door out into the hallway. Angie managed to grab KC before he could get to the door and held him tightly.
"Okay KC, no Zarky! Nooooooo zarky." Angie said while bouncing him and trying to console him.
"That reaction is a little extreme for KC." Mom said then walked over and helped Angie calm down KC. Indy walked oved to Angie's side and looked at the onesie closely then scratched his chin.
"That outfit looks a lot like his pajamas." Indy commented. Hearing this KC perked up and started squirming happily.
"Zazzy! Zazzy! Zazzy!" He chanted happily.
"Oooooh!" I groaned and slapped my forehead. "He wants to wear his pajamas and not the onesie because he thinks you're putting him to bed."
"Oh!" Angie exclaimed then looked down at her son. "Its not bedtime baby. It's time for the tourney arc."
"TOURNEY ARC!" KC exclaimed and wiggled out of his mom's grip and landed on his feet. He yelled that over and over while jumping up and down excitedly. "TOURNEY ARC! TOURNEY ARC! TOURNEY ARC!"
"KC, we need go get you ready to go." Angie said while shaking the Lunar liger shark outfit in front of him. He frowned and shook his head then started stomping his feet.
"NO ZARKY! ZAZZY! ZAZZY!" KC screamed.
"Ok! Okay! I'll go get your Zazzy pj's." Angie relented and looked to Mom. Mom smiled and nodded at Angie and KC's mom quickly left the car and headed to her family's car. Indy rushed over and picked up KC from behind carried the half-naked toddler over to the mirrors and then set him down.
[Gadget, can you keep KC occupied for a few minutes.] I asked through our mental connections. I heard him chitter from his hiding spot on a nearby shelf where he was cleaning his tail.
[Sure big brother!] Gadget replied then climbed down from his hiding place and jumped down onto KC's head. The toddler let out a squeal a joy and reached up, trying grab Gadget only for my evo to jump out of his reach and jumped down onto the ground prompted KC to chase him. KC giggled and chased Gadget around the room.
"To be so young and carefree." Indy said with a sigh. I narrowed my eyes at Indy and frowned.
"You're like three years older than him Indariq." I said in a deadpan voice. Indy shrugged and crossed his arms.
"Not all young lives are peaceful." Indy said. I started to roll my eyes at that comment then remembered everything that Chase had said that KC had endured while being kept at that base he was rescued from.
"True…" I muttered softly then quickly shook my head. "…but that's depressing so let's not talk about it. I wanna talk about how we're going go win in this tournament!"
"You know it'd not going to be like the tournament arcs in your comics, right?" Mom said. I nodded and crossed my arms as I looked at Indy who had a frown on his face.
"This is a big chance for a lot of those techno-splicing companies out there. They're paying the splicers that are acting as controllers a lot of money and will be pushing for results so our evos might get jumped off the bat." I said. Mom nodded and walked over and placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Not just your evos…" Mom said, softly. Her voice was even but sounded anything but calm. There was a slight tremor that I could barely notice.
"We'll be fine." Indy said confidently. Mom and I looked over at Indy and he looked back at us with a determined look. "Haws won't let us get hurt and we'll have Bone-lasher with us."
"I know Indy. A mother worries regardless." Mom replied while playing with the hood of my onesie.
"Father's worried too…he doesn't need to be…but he does." Indy muttered then shook his head softly. The door to the car's opened and Angie walked back into the car with KC's pj's draped over her forearm.
"Got your Zazzy pj's KC." Angie announced then held them up for KC to see. KC stopped chasing Gadget and looked towards her then beamed and jumped up and down.
"ZAZZY!" KC exclaimed then rushed over to his mother. I chuckled then held my hand out for Gadget who rushed over to me and jumped onto my hand then climbed up my arm and perched on my shoulder.
While Angie helped KC into his pj's, my mom fluttered around Indy and I making little corrections and straightening out kinks and wrinkles in the onesie. KC's Zazzy onesie looked like a kiddie version of his evo Zazzy. With oversized hands and feet meant to be claws, two small baby chicken wings looking things sticking out the back, and a hood that looked like the Thradiz muzzle.
"RAWWWWR!" KC barked out while holding his arms up in a mock roaring motion.
"So scary." Angie said then chuckled. KC puffed his chest out and slapped it proudly.
"You all look so cute!" Angie called out. I groaned and crossed my arms.
"I'm not cute." I grumbled.
The door to the car opened suddenly to revel Haws and Sin standing on the other side of the doorway. Everyone turned to look at them and Indy smiled and ran over to Sin.
"Father look it!" Indy exclaimed then spun around so Sin could see all of Indy's onesie. Sin smiled faintly then patted Indy on the head
"Looks good on you." He replied. Indy beamed then looked back to KC and I.
"It's almost time guys. We gotta get you three to the lagoon." Haws said.
"Yay! TOURNEY ARC!" KC bellowed and jumped up and down.
"TOURNEY ARC!" Indy proclaimed happily along with the toddler. I pumped my fist in the air and joined them in their chant.
"TOURNEY ARC!"
***
'What's going on? What is this?' I thought.
Indy, KC, Haws, Gadget and I made our way down the pier towards the entrance to the lagoon arena where the combat simulation was to take place, where Chase and Aunt Vi had their duel. The pier had multiple splicers waiting there and tending to the evos that were docked there. Despite that all eyes were on us, only a handful of them pretending to not be watching us. I was used to people watching Chase when I was near him but it was a first feel the full force of the stares.
"Okay boys, remember the rules: no ordering your evos to attack splicers, no fighting amongst yourselves, No pulling any 'chase' plans." Haws said loudly. I frowned and crossed my arms as we walked.
"We're not little kids!" I exclaimed. Haws huffed a laugh.
"I could take all you boys ages add them together and then multiplied them by two that still wouldn't be older than me." Haws proclaimed proudly. I rolled my eye at him.
"Imagine bragging about being old as dirt." I said snidely. Haws smacked the back of my head and huffed.
"You mean wise enough to know not mouth off to your elders." Haws said. I grumbled to myself while rubbing where he slapped me.
We walked off the pier and into a tunnel in the side of the cliff face that led to a cave that acted as a ready area for multiple companies to prepare for the combat simulation. The cave was large and filled with equipment and cages filled with evos with lights hanging from the ceiling. The cages were being guarded by American soldiers while scientists looked over a variety of different evos. There were already a handful of splicers there from different countries but they were mostly just congregating in a small area near the back of the cave where a small pond and tunnel leading out into the open lagoon was.
Once we stepped into the cave all eyes turned on us and I felt a deep anger and bloodlust coming from the soldiers and scientists. The attention was mostly on Haws, probably because he was wearing Sho'lajah Artifact Company staff uniform with the company's emblem on the chest. But once they noticed KC's farm crystal the attention turned to him.
I knew that it was because of the hatred that Americans had for splicers as well as Chase's deception with him faking Anders and Reagan's deaths earlier today. That definitely didn't help things.
"Bone-lasher should be waiting in the pond with your evos for the demo." Haws said, reaching down and picking KC up and holding him and then kept walking towards the back of the cave. Indy and I kept close to Haws while also keeping an eye on every person we passed. I heard Gadget growl at couple soldiers were to close.
"Filthy fucking splicer…" I heard someone mutter.
"We'll get those fuckers…" Muttered another.
"Murderers…"
I gritted my teeth as I heard them cursing us behind our backs. Too cowardly to do it to our faces. I felt a smaller hand grab my shoulder and grip it tightly. The hand was Indy's and his way of keeping me from lashing out. I huffed and looked down at the ground, subconsciously reaching up and scratching Gadget to calm him down.
"Hawa! I'm hungry!" KC exclaimed and grabbed Haws sleeve. Haws reached into his pocket and pulled out a small packet of cookies then handed it KC. The toddler squealed and tore the packet open and shoved a cookie into his mouth.
"Wait! You have cookies!" Indy and I exclaimed and pointed up at the older man. Haws reached into his pocket again and pulled out two more cookie packets and handed one to me and the other to Indy. I tore open the package and ate the first of the cookie then smiled with satisfaction.
"Figured you all would get hungry soon so I grabbed a couple packets from the dining car." Haws said as he glanced down at Indy and I. "Don't fall behind you two."
"We're not!" Indy replied and shoveled another cookie in his mouth.
Before I knew it we'd reached the back of the cave where the lake and the other splicers were. Haws stopped at the waterfront and looked down at Indy and I. There was a slight look of concern in his eyes.
"We're fine Haws." I said reassuringly. "We'll be using evos Chase shaped. We're golden!"
"So you say…" Haws grumbled lazily then suddenly frowned and spun around throwing KC into my arms and stepping in front of Indy, KC, Gadget and I. The suddenness of how Haws shoved KC into my hands nearly made me fall into the lake while holding KC but Indy moved quickly and helped me right myself.
I held a confused but giggling KC while turning to see what put Haws on edge. He stood with his fists balled and glaring angrily at three splicers that stood in front of him. I frowned and held KC a little tighter in a protective way while also keeping Indy behind me.
"What do you want?!" Haws demanded in a sharp tone, placing his hand on the manacite revolver strapped to his hip. The splicers all held their hands up to show they meant no harm.
"Hold on! We're not looking for a fight!" The splicer to the right exclaimed, he was young looking but still older than Chase. The splicer in the middle, a middle-aged woman nodded in agreement with the statement then pointed to KC, Indy and I.
"We were simply worried about those kids with you. It's dangerous here with all these evos around, even for someone escorted by a associate of Master Kingston." The woman said, indicating Haws, uniform with a nod. Haws stood up straight but didn't take his hand off his revolver.
"Don't worry about them. They're well protected." Haws said. The splicer on the left frowned at that statement and pointed a finger at Haws.
"By you? You're just a normie! Who are you to talk to the captain in such a tone!" He snapped. I narrowed my eyes at him and Gadget growled at the splicer.
"Don't talk to the old man like that!" I exclaimed.
"Yeah!" Indy spoke up as well.
"Meanie!" KC exclaimed and flung the empty packet of cookies at the splicer. He scowled and glared at us taking a step forwards. Haws pulled his manacite revolver out slightly and curled his lip up into a snarl.
"I'm a lot less patient than Chase. Do not test me…" Haws warned. The middle-aged splicer woman grabbed the splicer to the left by the collar and pulled him back.
"Forgive my subordinate, we do not wish to start a confrontation with Sho'lajah Artifact Company. We simply were concerned about the children." The woman said. Haws pushed his revolver back into its holster then huffed.
"Like I said, don't worry about them. They are Sho'lajah's controllers…well the two older ones are." Haws said. The woman looked concerned and looked at Indy and I.
"But they're children!" The woman exclaimed. I frowned even deeper and puffed my chest out.
"I'm not a child! I'm ten and three quarters!" I exclaimed.
"You're a child like the rest of us Bo. Deal with it." Indy said with teasing drawl. I frowned at him and crossed my arms.
"But I'm already in college! And as a student to a Paragon no less!" I bragged. C
"That really doesn't mean much to me…" Indy said in a deadpan voice that pissed me off for some reason.
"The student of a Paragon? At a college…?" The splicer on the right muttered.
"At his age! That has to be a lie!" The annoying splicer on the left snapped.
"There is no reason to react like that." Indy said with a yawn. "Whether it's a lie or not overreacting like that just makes it come off as jealousy."
"W-what?!" The left splicer snapped. The way Indy casually cut the guy down caught me and Haws off guard so we stood there speechless. But Indy didn't bat a lash as he continued.
"Overreacting to the slightest thing also showed your incompetence and inability to think rationally, which makes you a liability in combat. How can your comrades rely on you to keep a level head when you're freaking out against the claims of a ten year old." Indy continued. Haws slowly turned his head to look back at Indy with a incredulous look on his face then looked at me. We shared the same look.
"YOU! YOU…!" The left splicer sputtered a bark, only to get silenced by the middle-aged splicer woman.
"Enough Richard! All you are doing is proving the child right." She said sternly to the splicer then motioned behind us. "We came because we thought them in danger lost. Its obvious that they are expected. I'm sorry to have bothered you."
With that the middle-age splicer turned and walked off, the splicer on the right quickly followed after her with the splicer lm the left almost running to catch up. I arched a brow at that display and looked up at Haws in confusion. I then heard splashing water behind us and turned to see Bone-lasher climbing out of the lake behind KC and I. I took a few steps back and smile up at the larger evo.
"BONEY-SLON!" KC cried out and reached for the large evo.
"KC…" Bone-lasher said then reached down and let KC grab onto one of his armored claws, which made the toddler squeal with joy. He then looked down at Haws and nodded respectfully. "Boss Haws. I brought two evos with me for the demonstration. A Lunar Liger Shark and a Mer-as-folk."
I saw two heads poke out of the water. A Lunar Liger Shark's head and a Mer-as-folk's as well. I had seen a couple specimens of both evo types and I could tell these two were different. The Mer-as-folk looked bulkier, at least from the shoulders up. The Lunar Liger Shark had strange coloring, it's head was a lighter black and the tentacles I could see were thicker and purple instead of the typical sea blue.
"Cool!" Indy exclaimed then walked up to the waters edge and held his hand out fo the Mer-as-folk. "I'm Indariq Wallisaskir. I'll be the one commanding you todoay."
The Mer-as-folk looked at Indy's hand and turned his head away with a huff. Indy frowned and narrowed his eyes at the evo.
"I am only accepting your commands because a chosen of Sho'lajah demands it, brat. You have not earned my respect." The Mer-as-folk spat. I felt a ominous aura oozed from Indy as his expression turned blank and unreadable.
"Oh really…" Indy said then to my surprise a small blade suddenly appeared in his hand; where it came from I don't know; and he swiftly threw it. The blade soared straight and nailed the Mer-as-folk struck the Mer-as-folk in the ear hole. It jerked to the side then went limp and floated in the water as blood pooled from the wound.
"OH SHIT!" I exclaimed and took a couple steps back, with KC.
"What the hell?!" Haws exclaimed then looked at the seemingly dead Mer-as-folk then Indy. "What did you do?!"
"It's not dead. Take the knife out and he'll heal." Indy said innocently. Haws looked at Indy incredulously then crouched down at the waters edge and grabbed the Mer-as-folk and then yanked the knife out. Like Indy said the moment the knife was out the Mer-as-folk healed and jerked awake. Haws let the evo go and it turned and watched Indy cautiously.
"You attacked me. Without warning and hesitation, you are a warrior. You have earned my respect." The Mer-as-folk said. The Lunar Liger Shark that floated in the water near the Mer-as-folk had a odd frown on his lips and floated backwards away from the Mer-as-folk.
"You weird…" The Lunar Liger Shark replied.
"Yeah…." I agreed.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone