Sewer Showdown

"Step aside," Di demanded.

I stood by her side, tryin' to keep my cool, while she extended a pair've tentacles to the guildie.

"Nu-uh," he quipped. "I think I'll be keeping these two safe 'n sound, thank you very much." The guildie got up on all fours'n gave Di an impressively defiant grin. I was almost impressed-- 'til, of course, he caught her eyes. That seemed t' be enough t' shake him slightly.

Enough for Di t' take advantage, anyways. "Pff, that's your goal here? You're doing a very bad job." She began meltin' away, seemin'ly slippin' towards the filthy walls this place was made of.

I opened my mouth t' shout a warnin', but it was already too late. Di emerged above the pair of Muk, grabbin' the relic they were holdin' so tightly with little effort, 'n threw herself forward. She rolled through the air an' landed on the ground, jus' barely avoidin' a bad slip on the grimy filth we'd been wadin' through t' get here.

The Muk immediately began kickin' up a storm. I had t' dodge a Gunk Shot as one of 'em began gurglin', clearly sayin' somethin' that I couldn't make out, 'n I ended up nearer t' the guildie than I was before.

"Shoot," he'd whispered underneath his breath. His confident smile was shakier now-- maybe ah just couldn't tell as well if it was still there thanks to them goggles, maybe he was gettin' nervous-- and his yellow spines started t' bristle. "If you don't return that this instant, I'll... I'll attack, alright? And I'm no pushover! So..."

He wasn' jokin'. I could feel the static of a powerful electric attack buildin' up in his spines. I was done standin' around. "DI!"

I shouted at the top'a my lungs, my words echoin' off the round walls trappin' us all down here. "Diana, he's serious! I don't think that relic's worth it, jus' give it back!"

That got my partner t' turn to me... incredulous. "Are you kidding me?? Two entire weeks of nothing, and now you're telling me we don't need this? I don't care how little this'll sell for, Apollo, we can't just leave it here!"
She extended a tentacle t' dangle the relic, which didn' look too different from my own with all the drawin's in it, an' held it over the Muks' heads. "Besides, look at their mushy faces. They're practically crying over this stupid old thing. That's probably worth enough to get you a nice new move," Di laughed.

That laugh didn' do much more than unsettled. Where ah'd once enjoyed that twinklin' tone, I was now beginnin' to revile it. The way her voice echoed like windchimes in an empty gym, the birdsong she'd usually speak in... it was all startin' to sound like nails on chalkboard. Like someone abusin' a sweet girl's voice t' say the most disgustin' things.

The static buildin' up in the guildie's spines began t' make my feathers stand on end. Their omnipresent threat only built, with the guildie in question startin' to move 'round and assess the best distance fer him t' be at. He definitely wasn't goin' for anythin' physical...

The moanin' of the Muks became despondent. One raised a giant, filthy hand up to try 'n take that relic back. Di only raised a tentacle 'n laughed, promptin' more wailin' from the pair. The sound of it would'a made me laugh right along, had I just woken up 'n this place... but it was really startin' to hurt.
I was half convinced she'd throw the relic into the sludge beneath us next. She'd done the same with my album, after all.

Finally, I stood firmly, my claws strugglin' to take hold on the slippery, muck-ridden surfaces of the underground caves, tryin' to ignore my blood beginnin' to boil. "Di, please. This isn' worth it."

My partner's face began t' fall, her expression turnin' cold. She was goin' to say somethin'... but she was soon interrupted by a familiar sound echoin' throughout the cave system.

CLANG

Not by words, 'course. I didn't have anythin' t' say t' her, the Muks weren't speakin' our language, 'n the guildie was concentratin' on his static.

CLANG

No, 'course not...

CLANG

She was interrupted with a plain punch to the face.

THWOK

"Ugh!" Di stumbled, caught-off guard. She dropped the relic, alright-- but it was rescued, quickly, by her assailant.

"No way!" The guildie yelled, loosin' his electricity in a harmless bout after seein' who this was.

The Muks were already makin' what I assumed t' be celebratory noises...

...as the Drag'n Warrior handed the Muks back their relic.

Before anyone could say anythin', Di had her tentacles squeezed 'round his neck. "You dirty piece of--"

CRRR-CK

Di threw her tentacles to the left and let go, throwin' the Dragon Warrior over a sea of filth, slammin' him into the walls opposite us hard enough t' make his landing echo throughout the tunnels as loudly as his scales had before! That seemed t' alarm everyone-- even Di flinched for a moment, seemin'ly caught off-guard.

That was my window t' act. "Guildie! I-- I don't remember yer name, but-- let's go, now!" I motioned t' the Muks as best ah could with no arms, throwin' my head t' the side an' runnin', callin' after the goggled guildie t' follow me along. "We came this way-- if we can just get far 'nuff, you three can flee!"

"What?" The guildie was already followin' me, his feet seemin'ly several steps ahead've his brain, yellin' over the noise bouncin' back 'n forth off the walls while the Dragon Warrior returned fire. "I mean-- thank you! But-- why? Aren't you--"

"Nothin' to do with her! Not willin'ly!" I shouted, lookin' back to confirm-- oh, thankfully, the Muk were followin' too-- hrk

Something was tugging on my limit.

A quick look to my left granted me the sight of Apollo and the rest fleeing, trying to turn a corner... and leaving Apollo behind as he got stuck. I could see the trademark purple outline, white glow-- he'd brushed up against the invisible wall.

Oof--

Something hit me in my stomach and sent me flying. I managed to avoid hitting the wall, but the pain was noticeable. Even if I switched formes, something told me I couldn't take another hit. That was a shame-- this fight had barely started, and I was almost enjoying it.

"Is that all you've got? Just some measley tail attack?" If I could piss him off enough, I thought, his aim might falter. I tried to grin to really sell the illusion...

...but I was faced with nothing in response. Just a stone-cold glare and a shut mouth.

Ugh, he was going to be one of those. No fun, no chatter, just... boring and stoic. I rolled my eyes, aiming for his neck with a quick Power-Up Punch-- that promptly missed, and sent my fist into the wall behind him.

I panicked for a moment, my back exposed, almost certain i'd be hit--

--but Apollo, of all people, jumped him from the back. "Get away from her!"

A surge of warmth lit up the tunnel for just a moment, flames surrounding both him and the freak fighting me, as Apollo kicked my opponent into the ground. "Di, come on! Don't-- just fake faintin' or somethin', please? This's all so--"

"Below you!" I shouted, trying to get Apollo to pay attention to his position more than to me, but it was already too late. My opponent had tossed him off.

I threw another jab at him, missing once more, doing a 180 and tracking the Hakamo-o while he moved--

--only to see my silent opponent already stomping the ground. I figured it was just out of frustration, at first, but I quickly noticed some rocks from the roof coming loose. Their range was enormous; even if I dodged left or right, I'd still get caught. But if I could just get something to shield me...

Without another thought, I dashed backwards. I took one look at the ground, another at my opponent, and another at the roof. I needed something to shield me, quick. Without much more thought, I threw my tentacles to the ground. I managed to get hold of--

CRRRR-BOOM BOOM BOOM

Rock after rock after rock fell around me. I strained as hard as I could, gripping tightly, holding above me--

CRACK- BOOM

I dodged to the left as my opponent grazed my ear, his fist flying through the wispy smoke that made most of it up. Even throughout all that, I kept a tentacle held tightly above my head, gripping--

...

--Apollo fell to the side as I let my tentacles loose, jumping over the various rocks and trying to locate the Hakamo-o's position. He wasn't anywhere in the sludge, that was for sure, but I couldn't see him in front of me...

There!

I dashed around the same corner Apollo had been in. I needed to mind the limit-- looking back, I had maybe one more sprint until I rubbed up against it myself-- but this was enough room. I could see that guild member talking with the coward I'd been fighting, hanging out with those two sludge-people, not even giving me a glance.

Slowly, as best I could, I forced myself past the corner. Even as I could see the purple outline already beginning to rub up against me, I kept going. My sprinting soon turned to walking, then to limping, as I forced myself away from that damned chicken...

He'd noticed me! I braced myself, switching to Defense, holding my arms up in an X formation as the Hakamo-o aimed for an uppercut--

--only for his fist to go flying right through me. I was about to gloat... when the roof started falling again.

In an instant, I realized what needed to be done. I focused all my energy specifically on the newfound Psychic abilities I'd been spent weeks trying to grapple with now, trying to focus as best I could on something I'd been practicing-- freezing my opponent in the air.

Right at the peak of his Uppercut, he was stopped dead in his tracks. I could feel him struggling, but all that made me do was press harder. All my focus went towards keeping him there, frozen, slowly being crushed by the pressure--

KRRR-ACK-A BOOM

A giant bolt of Thunder was loosed my way. I barely managed to see it coming-- as my eyes moved, so did the Hakamo-o-- and I was soon blinded.

"Agh--!"

The giant shock of electricity bounced off of the coward's plates, turning the entire tunnel white for one pivotal moment... burning my eyes and making me drop my opponent into the filth Apollo was so fond of complaining about.

"NOW! Come on!!" I heard an unfamiliar voice yell. Plenty of clamoring followed it, and I could soon hear something turning another corner. As I rubbed my eyes and finally became able to see again...

...I was treated to the sight of an empty tunnel, free of anything save for two warm bodies and my own ghostly form.

With the relic gone and the guild undefeated, I couldn't consider this anything but a loss. I cursed, loudly, and kicked the struggling Hakamo-o away from me. As far as I was concerned, this fight was over...

...but that yellow prick owed me a rematch, and I wasn't going to rest until I got one.