My Sudden Monster Convergence

Ch.78: The Games We play



Staring at the weird anime protag in front of me, my brow twisted into one of confusion. There Onyx was standing there with his back against the tree with a somber pretty boy look like his family was dead and left him in crippling debt. He looked really sad that I was sure he might actually cry, it kinda made me both want to comfort him and treat him like a puppy, was that why Penny hung around him so much? Yet his eyes still looked like they just found gold and a small smile grew on his face.

“Uh… I thought your name was Alex.” I said as he awkwardly looked at me.

His face turned red before he shyly looked at the ground. “...I-it is…….Honey Onyx is j-just my personal name… well it will be…..I think…” He nervously said.

“I see…” I wasn’t too sure what he was trying to explain and I get a feeling it’s supposed to mean something.

But still, what happened to Steph? Was she having some magical allergic reaction to this place? How the hell would you survive in a magical world if everything could make your throat swell up or rush to the toilet?! Was it some rash or something….but she didn’t look red or patchy. She said she was just a little hot……

Onyx tilted his head as I thought to myself. “You know….the naming stuff after you uh, change? It’s just something my aunt would call me. S-shes um, very smart, runs her own business too and she’s really huge and uh, very sexy like you…..” 

Is that a snake issue then? Maybe she’s not getting enough vitamins and her body’s growing wrong? Maybe she’s not getting enough cleaning done? No it can’t be that, she looked really shiny. Damn it I should’ve looked up their anatomy, maybe lamia have weird organ issues that I’m not aware of? Maybe Emily knows?

Onyx scratched his head and looked around. “Maybe when you think of yourself as a girl-uh that is if you c-choose to. Uh, I’m sure when that happens you'll pick a name that's uh something very hot or um pretty?” 

Pulling out my phone I stared at it, Shiny and black. Steph did give me her and Emily’s number at once so I wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to just call, besides she’s here somewhere. And since she is Steph’s partner she should know about this, maybe it’s nothing! My finger quickly slammed the call icon, calling her number, I stood waiting while Onyx sorta looked at me like he ate a gooey bug.

*BEEP*

“Hello? Emily?! Are you there? It’s Oliver.” I called quickly after the call was picked up.

“....Oliver? Wow, I prepared for this moment but wasn’t sure how to greet you. Should I say hey or yellow? Or could I use some cool code word so you know it’s me and-” Emily began.

“Emily! I’m sure you put a lot of effort into planning this out but could you hold off for a moment. There’s something more immediately important right now and I could really use your help.” I said cutting her off.

“.......Oh. What’s her symptoms? Bleeding, vomiting, scattered thoughts, talking to invisible friends, glowing purple or ballooning?” Emily asked quickly, sounding more serious than her usual self.

“You can glow purple?” I asked surprised.

“Of course lamia can, not me though-I’m human right now. That’s if your mana is running wild and your instincts freak out and spells are launched or worse, charged! You know in history people used to call it wild magic! Silly thinking guys! But What about Steph? Can’t be purple, soooo.” Emily said quickly.

“Uh…. her tail was acting weird and she was scratching herself…..and she said she was feeling hot.” I said quickly.

“...........................Oh….Oh wow. That’s not good.” She said, sounding super surprised.

“What do you mean!? Is it some fever?! Is she going to die or lose a body part, bad?!” I shouted fearfully.

“...Shhh! I’m thin-” *BEEP*

“Emily?! Emily are you there?” I asked quickly before looking at my phone. At the top I saw zero bars and the moment I tried to call her back, my phone flashed a ‘no signal’ message. “Shit!” I had no clue if it was really bad or if it was somewhat bad. And since I had no connection I couldn’t look it up online either! My wings felt like they were ready to gouge out the ground and my shoulders felt like dense rocks. Quickly realizing this, I began to take deep breaths, I can’t go on a wild rampage. It might just be something weird, like the common cough or a weird magic reaction! But if it is a big thing then….maybe I should just try to make the most of our time together before she’s stuck in a hospital? 

“Y-you okay?” Onyx asked nervously. 

My head snapped to him, he instantly stepped back. Mana, right. Taking a breath and pushing mana out of my body, I lowered my shoulders and wings while looking away. “I'm fine. Just need a distraction. “ I said with a forced calmness that sounded more pissed.

“Oh….” He looked at me but would nervously look at the super green grass. 

“M-maybe…” He began. “We could d-do something?....if you want.” Onyx nervously said with his head tilted downwards and his eyes looking up at me.

Maybe that might work to burn my swirling thoughts. “Alright, what do you have in mind?” I asked, turning to his shocked face.

 

“Oliver?! Where’d you go?!” Steph shouted rather loudly. 

“I think I found them! Look over there.” Penny called over to Steph.

What was I doing? I was just dodging Onyx's attack, his tail narrowly missing me as I duck and then push off the ground in a mad sprint, pulling up the concrete around us. But he wasn’t going to just let me close in as his mouth charged a red hot orb of energy that he aimed in the air. The orb rippled before hundreds of beams shot into the air before curving and raining down in the area in a downpour blazing beams that bombarded the battlefield into large craters spread across and upheaved the earth below us.

Jumping to the left as a beam hurtled and staked the ground, sending the earth into a wild earthquake. Quickly I used the literal waves it created to catapult myself closer to Onyx only for some smoke to clear, revealing I'm racing right into another beam. You’re not getting me that easy! Swinging my arms, I create enough energy to steer myself like a missile, curving my flight just enough that all I have to do is tilt my body and I evade the beam cutting into me by inches! Any further and my chest would’ve been sliced in two like sandwich meat at the deli. 

Stretching my arms in a V, I catch myself as I rocket for the ground gaining cover behind a partially damaged building. But Onyx still isn't letting up as his tail slams into the building sending not only his tail bolting at me but chunks of the building at me. And if that isn't enough another two beams land to my right, almost caging me in… Almost. Bending my legs slightly I do a short hop right as his tail reaches me, landing on his tail, I again use its momentum to throw me gliding across the cityscape and down several blocks just barely missing the debris. Smashing my fist into the street below, I manage to drag my body to the ground, coming to a screeching halt and demolishing a few cars along the way.

But I’m not in the free as I look up and see him with a wicked fanged grin and a fully charged slizor beam aimed right at me. His large bulky black frame and short arms twitch before he lets loose the beam that vaporizes any nearby buildings. But this Deluxe-man isn’t out just yet as I throw vorpal discs, the energy saucers grind into his beam, sending white sparks everywhere, holding back the beam just enough to charge my own beam attack!

Crossing my arms in an X and leaning forward as a pale purple aura rose from my body until it looked like a larger version of Deluxe-man Vatraa. Pushing forward, the energy construct rushed forward turning into a giant spinning X.

FULL FORCE CHI-RAY!

The Ray crashed into the beam, its spin cut slabs off the beam like a wild saw blade cutting through a trunk. The beam splintered as the blade spun faster and faster, blurring like a helicopter blade. Once reaching the middle, the ray grew into a huge crescent orb that Onyx's beam couldn't push back. Hell yeah! Get ready fo-

“Oliver?”

Huh? The world, the moving dust, energy and bodies seemed to echo before blackness. Something nudged my check a couple times until I opened my eyes. Floating between me and Onyx was a metal disc with the words: Realm Master 5, playing Cross Gate. The disc had white surfaces and a black 

“Hey there.” Steph stood above me looking down at me with a smirk. Her skin looked extra glossy like she oiled herself and she sparkled like a diamond somehow.

I jumped to my feet as soon as I saw her. “Is everything alright?” I asked with a worried look.

“I'm alright.” Steph crossed her arms with a smirk. “Nothing’s taking down this lamia.” She chuckled proudly.

I wasn't convinced considering what Emily said. Steph could easily be putting up a strong front to keep me from worrying. But it might be embarrassing to call her out in public, so for now I'll just keep an eye out.

“I guess your instincts just got the better of you.” I said with a chuckle.

“Y-yeah! I was too excited, I may have forgotten to take care of a few needs…hehehe…” Steph said following my change of topic a little too eagerly. “I should be good for most of the day. But if my tail acts weird, would you let me know…..It might look weird to other….” She hesitated to finish as she gripped her tail in her hands and  was massaging it with her thumbs.

“Sure, I can do that.” I said with a gentle smile that even got Steph to look up with a small shy smile.

“DUDE! YOU WERE AWESOME!” Shouted Onyx as he ran up to us with a big smile and starry eyes. Penny and her mother chasing after him, Penny looked to be biting her lip and clutching a fist. Turning to him, Steph moved back almost behind me as Onyx rushed up to us. “WHO WOUDA THOUGHT YOU WERE THAT GOOD AT CROSS GATE! I mean Penny is pretty good but how’d you move the ditto that easily?!” He said as he looked at his shaking hands and back to me, he looked at me like he found a magical alien. I might be magical but I don’t think I have cool tech.

Before he could say any more Penny grabbed his ear and pulled him away while Mrs. Molly watched them leave with a giggle. “To be cute again~” She said sounding like she was reliving a memory. “We’ll be a phone call away in case you need to help Steph but I’ll try not to get in the way of a couple of cuties.” She said, handing me a paper, quickly covering a smile and flying after Penny and Onyx.

 

We decided to leave the anime tv after that. Meaning I had to go through that demonic gunky wall! God why do I have to go through that! Couldn't it be something thin?! Or better yet, nonexistent!

“What’s wrong?” Steph asked as we left the giant tv. What she saw was my face twisted into a disgusted grimace as if I had all the lemon and joke jelly beans in the world.

“Just hate going through these goopy walls.” I shoved my thumb back at the tv screen behind us. “It’s….like bathing in rotten milk….” I say with sad puppy eyes and a deep frown.

Steph looked over her shoulder, looking almost confused. “Goopy? It feels like sphy water to me.” She said giving a, ‘You’re pulling my leg’ look.

“Silky water? What? It feels like chunky expired milk to me!” I shouted in confusion. She’s not screwing with me? She raised an eyebrow like just I told her how strange talking dogs are.

“Sounds nasty, let's find another Magic scrubber.” She said with a mischievous smile.

“No, I will not go through another one.” I protest as we walk over to a stall with weird monster hands.

“You sure? Emily always tells me to test these weird occurrences if I want to figure things out.” She said while picking up a white furry paw glove thing. “You know what I mean right~?” She slipped her hand into the furry thing and wiggled paw padded fingers at me.

“Belle told you?” I asked.

“Nope, a certain whispering orange light may have hinted to something.” She said with a smirk.

“You know Maeve?” I asked while looking at a white glove clearly meant for human hands.

“Sorta, she just talks to me whenever she’s not in class or at the mini village.”  Steph rolled her fingers over a finger bean. “We’re…. ranting partners, I’m only letting you know because she said it was cool to tease you about it.” She said putting a finger to her lips in a hushing manner.

“Alright, I'll leave it at that but I’m not going another gunky barrier at least for a few thousand years.” I say, hoping my respect of her privacy will lead to her respecting my boundaries.

“Sure, I’m not a jerk. I can wait.” She said with a happy smile. That’s good new- “A day or two before pushing you into one.” She whispered loud enough that I could hear.

“What?”

“Hm? Did you hear something.” she asked trying to hold back a smile. Right as I was about to open my mouth, she changed topics. “Look! There's that smith I was looking out for!” She shouted as she slithered off in a mad rush. What? You never-

“Hey wait up!” I shout, chasing after her.

Luckily keeping up isn't too hard. Most people stay out my way whenever I get close and my dino feet and claws make easy traction as they scrape into the ground. But Steph easily slides in between people and glides past vendors like her snake tail is more of a speedy ATV, I end up losing sight of her human half. I only managed to keep up with her constant laughing and catching glimpses of her yellow tail tip darting behind moving people. It’s made harder when I realize the cowering people end up creating a barrier, blocking off more direct routes. I end up having to go around people, especially when a group of people and a really tall Oni move right into the intersection I was heading towards. 

The group noticed me but instead of moving, they bunch around the tall Oni who smiled a toothy grin at me. They all crouch, raise fists and give intense glares as if they were going to fight a secret boss in Soul Kaizo. It’s fitting too, considering they’re all wearing armor, some have spikes or look like red glass, one even has a gauntlet with golden studded knuckles. The tall Oni even wore a helmet with a visor that covers half her face, breast armor that makes her chest look larger and gauntlets that have swords coming out of the sides of the gauntlets. 

The issue is that I can’t slow down with my momentum being built up from chasing Steph. But from the reactions of the surrounding people, running away and screaming from the group, I place all my bets in one move. Moving quickly I do a short hop, landing with my knees bent before pushing off the ground with a loud crack, my wings sort of cupping around me in a cone. As I soar into the air, I realize that the tall Oni opens her hands and bends her legs. She looks like she’s going to try and grab me…..

Shit! With her height she could probably easily do it too! Can’t I do som- My scales glint, reflecting some sunlight off my wings. That’s right! Charging mana into my wings, I feel them heating up to a nice toasty temperature. The Oni looks ready to jump at me when I pull open my wings, the charged scales on my inner wings flash brightly. The bright light is so bright that the group disappears below me, I can hear them shouting and some falling over as I arch over them.

Landing past them with another loud thud, a short girl shouts almost into my ear. I must’ve landed right in front of her.

“Sorry!” I shout as I rush off after spotting Steph’s tail disappearing behind the next intersection.


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