User blog:Roinelll/God Eater - Solace - Volume 1 - Segment 06

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Cowboy

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A heli came to pick us off as we were urged to get on an emergency mission involving the plains, therefore one of the pilots stayed to bring back the jeep to base as we got onto the helicopter. Lindow went to seat on the co-pilots seat while Sakuya checked her weapon and remaining ammo cases.

Me and grumpy pants decided to sit on opposite ends of the open doors of the heli as I watched the area zoom past under us. Almost a hour passed since Chupacabra changed it's form, but it showed signs of reverting ever so slowly. Finally I was able to store it into it's compact form once again much to my relief.

'''Still, I would like to know what the hell was with Chupacabra acting up... Or why did it do so?'''

Was it because I tried to switch it into the monstrous other form from the initial compact size?

"Didn't I tell you to jump, not just think about it." Soma calls to me as I try to get my head over what happened earlier during the Zygote hunt. I glare back at him and he stares back without flinching.

He is going the right way of getting a new enemy.

"I don't mind, not like you can put up a fight anyways." The dark skinned male calls and I blink at him stupidly. "You're like an open book, you were clearly thinking on hating me. That much anyone can tell."

Go to Hell...

"Just like that, you were again dissing me." That is when he stands up, intensifying his stare into a glare and I can't endure it for long so I look sideways. "Why don't you try that on an Aragami? It might be charmed by you and who knows. Maybe you'll be the one to save this world." He calls then takes a step forward and falls off the side of the helicopter.

WHAT THE HELL?!!

I rushed to the side grumpy jumped off and stared down expecting to see a bloody pancake down there as we were still a few hundred meters high, but instead I could get a glimpse of Soma landing a gravity intensified blow with his massive God Arc on a large Aragami.

The Aragami that this idiot engaged alone was a Vajra, at least according to the NORN Database I've been scrutinizing with growing obsession. It was a large cat like monster, with a red cape around it's neck, the head sprouted a massive antler like bone helmet, while the front pawn looked to be armored as well. The front pawns which were as big as grumpy himself making the earlier claim of large, feel like an understatement of the year.

The force of the impact he delivered by the fall added to his strike not only broke a bit off the Vajra's protective bone layer on top of it's head, but even outright buried the lower face of it into the ground because of the attack. The beast then pulled his chin out from the small crater and glared down at the sole enemy in front of it.

Soma was standing there nonchalantly as the Vajra roared at him from close range, with his serrated weapon flung over his shoulder lightly. I could hear a sigh from my side as Lindow noticed the commotion also with Sakuya. He said something to the gunner and went back to the pilot.

I expected us to turn around and go help him, but nothing such happened. We were still en route towards the plains where the whirlwinds were gathering in the distance. For some time I stared at Sakuya who was still doing her own to check once again the equipment, then I went ahead to face Lindow.

-Make up your mind, will you?- Suddenly the voice of Soma comes from the ear pieces we're wearing and I shudder in fright. -Weren't you hating me a minute ago?- I hear a mocking snicker and a roar from the Vajra as the fight is dragging on.

I STILL HATE YOU!!

-That's more like it.- I can hear a grunt and a heavy sounding blow lands on his adversary. -Maybe you could save it for your mission, some of that blood-lust anyways. You'll be fighting a pack of Ogretails, better watch out or you'll end up as Eric.-

GO TO HELL!!!

In irritation I kick out, which strikes the chair Lindow is sitting on and he turns towards me with a raised eyebrow as he starts talking. I wince as immediately after my outburst I regret it and want to apologize as the scolding continues. I don't dare to look in his eyes as our leader continues with his speech. Then Soma's voice chimes in the communicator, this time in moon language and I start to  blink.

Wait, the one being scolded is not me this time?

I look back up at Lindow who is looking in front of him, on the panel in front of him there is a large map outlaid and below it a radar shows signs. Beside a signal that belongs to Soma there are a couple of large readings each. In the distance of the edge of the radar a multitude of smaller signs gather, probably where our mission will be.

Grumpy is not at all team friendly, eh?

I stare in awe as one of the lights go out, as Soma probably took down the Vajra he engaged earlier. Still there are 3 other readings circling around him and the image of his way of holding the massive weapon lesuriely at his shoulder comes to my mind.

I bet he's enjoying himself...

-Lindow says you've almost broken the seat he was sitting on with a kick.- Soma calls as I can hear something crackle and sizzle in the distance from his communicator. -Careful with that will you? The equipment costs a fortune, you can be replaced anytime.- He ends the call again and I just stare ahead in irritation.

'''THIS... GUY!!!'''

I fumed for the rest of the trip. Sitting down didn't work so I paced back and forth between the two doors in that little space. Soma, Lindow and Sakuya had been discussing something, most probably related to the mission and without understanding of that I was left out. While grumpy could have filled me in afterwards, I didn't care as I have long removed the earpiece.

"Sierra." Lindow called to me as he and Sakuya prepared to jump to engage the small swarm of Ogretails. I looked over them as the two jumped without hesitation, Sakuya even starting to fire at the Aragami mid fall as I stared jaw slacked at that. Then the pilot called and pointed at me and I turned towards him in disbelief.

If I jump from this height, I'll die...

I tried to gesture to lower the craft somehow not to die from the fall if I were to jump, when he picked up something from his communicator. In the next few seconds the aircraft decided to not only lower it's altitude, but coming dangerously close to ground level with the multitude of Ogretails around. I nodded in appreciation as then with a firm jump I distanced myself from the open door and hold my compact sized weapon at the nearest target.

As the heli swerved out of the way of an incoming spike volley just in time, I twisted the Chupacabra's handle and it expanded into the pole form, using it as a lever I managed to dodge a pounce from one of the Ogretails and using the momentum of both the jump and Chupacabra used as a leverage I kick one of the charging Ogretails away from the vincinity of Sakuya.

Another day at the work?

I wonder as the three of us are currently surrounded by a dozen of the Ogretails.

Neither of them are really fazed by this...

I sigh in defeat, Lindow blocks a pounce from an Ogretail and bounces the Aragami back with a swipe where Sakuya shoots it down.

Compared to them, I can at most hold the Aragami at bay while they do a clean-up...

I duck the way out of an incoming spike volley from one of the Aragami, while practically sticking the stick down the throat of another to stop it from advancing. The teeth of that Ogretail snapped shut on the pole almost right after that, then I learnt to fly.

'''Seriously... Not kidding...'''

As I was still holding on to the end of Chupacabra, along with it I was raised high into the sky and I then judged letting go of the weapon in order to have the momentum of the upswing carry me higher further, all just to dodge the pounce of another at me.

"Sierra!" Lindow shouted after seeing my situation, brushing off one of the Ogretails while throwing a Stun Grenade into their midst. While the beast became blinded by the flash I was caught before plummeting to the ground. I gave a nervous smile and went to retrieve my weapon that was still being half chewed on.

You know what?!

CHEW ON THIS!!

I transform my Chupacabra into the forcep like form and let it have a taste of the Ogretail. The feeling of having it eat through the body of the beast makes me feeling like I'm high on something.

'''Well, not like I am addicted or anything... But let's just say there were times where I had been medicated so heavily, I didn't know who am I or why am I like that in the first place...'''

"Sierra!!" Lindow swats away an incoming spike volley that could have made me look like a failed personification of a hedgehog and told me something that most probably meant to 'focus on the battle' or something like that.

My bad for getting lost in my thoughts...

I smile at him apologetically and point at his back where an Ogretails planning to pounce at him, but it never happens as a blast sends it tumbling away. Sakuya quickly takes another aim and this time engulfing the body of the Aragami in a large explosion.

'''Cooooool... Why can't I have a gun? I wanna shoot these things too...'''

A grimace forms on my lips as I use Chupacabra to cut away the tail of an Ogretail in irritation in order to stop it from spinning around and smacking me with it. As the end of the Aragami was cut away suddenly, it lost it's balance and fell to the ground momentarily, where I didn't really gave it any time to recuperate and used the forceps to remove the head in it's entirity.

As where it was standing only 8 Ogretails were left and even from them most of them wounded and three on the run as it seemed. Sakuya didn't let that happen as she quickly sniped one those three down as Lindow kept three others at bay himself. I was having trouble with avoiding the spike attacks of one while the other was charging straight at our gunner.

Sakuya stepped aside just enough for the Aragami barely miss her as she took another shot at one of the runners and taking it out of the equation. As the Ogretail by her side tried to bite into her, she simply took a back-step and eliminated the last escapee with ease.

I'm more impressed that thin line cloth didn't snap so far, I mean she's practically naked even with such a scarce clothing...

A volley of spikes half brushed past my shoulder, while two of the projectiles penetrated into it and I groaned in pain while catching onto the wounder left shoulder.

Me and my big mouth.

As I glare at the Ogretail that shot me, Lindow then deftly steps in and slices it to pieces with a few quick movements of his God Arc. Then without pausing a bit, does a leap and nails the last of the Ogretail that Sakuya was evading effortlessly.

I have the feeling that this was like a walk in the park for these guys...

I'm clutching my left shoulder as I watch Lindow walk up to each body of the Aragamis and remove their cores swiftly. In the meantime Sakuya comes to me and helps me remove the embedded spikes.

What can I say?

It's good that I have no voice currently, since they would have to bear the annoying wailing of a foolish girl like me...

It hurt like hell, I'm glad only two of them connected from that attack any more and I might go faint. Which would be rather bad in the current situation. While I was either grimacing at my inept handling of the situation or because of the pain coursing through me, Sakuya took out some bandages and a pill. She held the pill to my mouth as she said something pointing to it.

Thinking, that she wanted me to swallow it did so and she nodded with a smile and bandaged my shoulder. Almost immediately after that, I could feel the pain lessening and felt like literally I am being healed.

What kind of wonder-drug did she feed me?

As I blinked at her, I noticed in the distance a blue light suddenly flashing. Then there was another and I tried to squint my eyes to make out what could that be. I walked to Lindow and poked his shoulder and pointed to where the light show was coming from. For a few seconds he did eye the distance as well and then broke into a full sprint towards it.

"Sierra, Sakuya!!" He called for us and I blinked in surprise as Sakuya without a word did so. It took me a few seconds to realize that something happened to Soma as it was the direction from where he jumped off alone.

He's just getting what he deserves rightfully.

"SIERRA!!" Lindow called for me as I was still standing there, then with a grumble even I joined them. To be honest, I was surprised how fast can Lindow run, and while Sakuya wasn't as quick even she outmatched my own speed by a large margin. I had actually to slow down a few times to catch my breath and so I have arrived quite late to the fight.

Soma and Lindow were each holding a Vajra at bay, dodging their attacks while Sakuya gave them firing support. Panting heavily I strolled up to our gunner and wanted to wait a bit until I join the two.

"Hold your breath. I don't know it's the Vajras that stinks or yours." Soma quipped and immediately I became enfuriated. "Seems like you couldn't charm the Ogretails."

'''Just die already!! You...'''

I gritted my teeth in irritation as I started to advance on Lindow to help him, when Sakuya quickly reached out and held me back at my shoulder. The right one as she was considerate enough, and shook her head and gestured for me to stay.

I know how dangerous the Vajra is, I watched enough of the footage to know their moveset too.

While I wanted to retort somehow, I obeyed and stayed. Both Lindow and Soma were fine without my help and Sakuya only shot at certain intervals despite having a clear shot most of the time. Then I noticed she must be conserving her ammunition as there were no cases to reload with.

'''Oh... Maybe being a gunner is more disadvantegous as I thought initially.'''

Suddenly the Vajra pinned down by Soma surged forward with a quick leap and roared in anger. As I stared at the Aragami it turned towards us to pounce. Both Lindow and Soma shouted one of our names with Sakuya each and Soma dashed right after the one he targeted before.

Without knowing a better thing to do, I pulled Sakuya out of the way of the Vajra and it landed near us way closer than I would have liked. Already the sparks started to gather around it's body as the red cape raised itself turning to a golden color signaling that an imminent release of it's spark dome attack is coming.

Sakuya and I jump back just in time, before the electricity hits us and watch in awe as Soma instead jumps right into it. What's more, not only he completely ignores it as he brushes past the dome, but brings down his God Arc spurting purplish energy over the head of the Vajra with such a force, that not only it nails the lower part of it's chin into the ground, but also lifts the hind legs into the air.

'''That was awesome... Even if he is a jerk...'''

Sakuya then doesn't miss the chance to fire at the exposed backside of the Aragami with a powerful shot riddling it with numerous holes upon impact.

Wait, she shot only once, how come there are close to a dozen holes?

Following that Some who doesn't look like released the pent up energy from his weapon, lifts it again high into the air as the energy starts to magnify once again. The Vajra roars in both pain and anger before the blade is brought down for a final time, crushing the head.

'''More like smashing it to tiny pieces... Messy... and brutal at that...'''

"So, you managed to avoid becoming cat food." The dark skinned male turns to me and says as a greeting. "Still, being useless is your forte seemingly."

Lindow who apparently finished off the one he fought with then walks up to him and says something. Soma grimaces and argues back, while even Sakuya chides him for something. Instead of caring about it, he pulls out a phone and makes a call. Lindow sighes and walks to me.

"He wants to say good job on staying alive." Soma coldly said that to me as Lindow made a short speech before that. "Only problem is, you won't survive long with such an attitude."

'''Attitude? You're the one to talk Grumpy!!'''

For the rest of the time until the heli came for us, and on the route back home noone really talked. And as Soma decided to hang back at the end, I took it for me to get to the front and take the seat of the co-pilot.

I just want to get done with that annoying and helluva unrequired mandatory check-up, get a shower and go to sleep finally.

I yawn as the Far East Branch comes up in the distance.

--- End of Chapter 2016,03,17

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