Somewhere in the forest a little child is running for their life while their pursuers are enjoying the chase.
Kid A: I can't run anymore! Help me Sis!
Purple Wolf: Wait are you done already? Keep going.
Yellow Wolf: I'm getting hungry. Can we eat them yet?
Kid A: Stop, please let me go! I won't do it again!
The wolves laugh again.
Purple Wolf: Nope! The new king of fear turned us into whole new beings! Now we're real embodiments of terror instead of scare 'em straight minions!
Yellow Wolf: Okay, time to ea--
The party arrives.
MC: STOP!
Purple Wolf: Goddammit. Don't get in our way!
The wolves howl towards the moon, calling more wolves who quickly show up.
Purple Wolf: This is our hunting ground and you are trespassing! Get 'em boys!
Cait Sith: W-whoa there's a lot of them!
Boogeyman: They clearly outnumber us, which goes to show how the power on this side of things has gone up.
MC: Okay I'm worried / So we just gotta take out 10 of them each? / It's punishment time!
Purple: Don't you disrespect us! Go!
The wolves attack.
Itzamna: In the forest, nobody is better than the forest sage! Territory Creation! (creates a wall of trees to protect the party)
In a virtual world created and designed by Itzamna, his Creation abilities are unparalleled.
Boogeyman: Whoa! Is this what the Kingmaker Magician is like? He did that in a flash!
Red Wolf: Looking away? How about I scratch your creepy face!?
Balor kicks the red wolf into a tree.
Balor: Anyone who loses focus in battle dies. I'm not saving your ass again.
Boogeyman: I-I'm sorry, King of Giants. Thank you...
Balor: And you! If you aren't gonna fight, then piss off!
Arc: ...!
MC: Arc... / It's okay! Watch my back!
Itzamna, Balor, and MC's strength is making the wolves lose morale, but the lead wolf howls and changes the wolves' attack patterns. They focus on the little kid instead.
Itzamna: Oh no, we won't make it!
Kid A: SIS HELP ME
Arc: (flashback intensifies)
Memories flood back to Arc, shameful ones they can never forget of their weak, guilty self who failed to save their little brother. No one could help them, so all they could do was get stronger and crueler. Past and present seem to intersect, and by the time Arc has tuned in again they've swung their chains.
Wolves: GAH!? (the wolves start burning)
Arc: Sorry, close your eyes for a second. It'll be okay and end soon. When you open your eyes again, the nightmare will be over...
The kid nods as his teeth chatters.
Arc: ...okay, better finish this fast. No mercy to enemies.
Arc swings the chains around binding and burning the wolves. The merciless jangling terrifies the wolves as they start to back off.
MC: Whoa! / Yep, that's the Otemachi guildmaster / (damn...)
Arc: This is retribution for your sins. You don't get to say no to this.
The wolf leader orders all the wolves to attack.
Arc: Too bad, I'm good at rounding targets up and you guys attacked first. Repent and burn in your sins!
BATTLE START (more happens afterwards)
Arc binds and burns group after group of wolves.
Arc: ...it's brutal, but efficient. Let's keep this up while no children are watching.
Purple Wolf: Y-you damn uppity bitch! Get in our bellies like a good girl, Little Red Riding Hood!
A bunch of wolves try to back attack Arc.
MC: ...Arc, look out! I got your back! (block the wolves off with your sword)
Arc: MC... (Arc's stoic expression slips for a second)
MC: Surrender wolves, and nobody else gets hurt!
Some wolves waver, but those still aggressive attack. The sounds of the fighting faintly slip into the kid's ears even as he covers them, and he slowly opens his eyes in curiosity. What he sees is a view of the brave/lovely/sad Little Red Riding Hood fighting against the wolves. He was supposed to cower in fear, but the boy shouts in a trance.
Kid A: Go, Little Red Riding Hood! Win!
Arc is briefly taken aback at the boy watching, and watching with bright eyes. They soon refocus and grip harder on their chains, faintly smiling.
Arc: You're still cheering me on after seeing how I fight?
Arc touches their face and affirms that they are smiling.
Arc: ...this is thanks to you, MC. I'm not alone in this battle... now I should try a new way of fighting!
Arc pulls out their gun and pins the wolves in place with their chains. Concerned that the sound of a gun firing may scare children, Arc loads the chamber with the fire from their chain to use as a bullet.
Arc: This makes aiming easy, even for me.
BANG
Kid A: Little Red Riding Hood, you won! Yay!
MC: Wow, Arc! / That was cool! / Cute, strong, and awesome!
Arc: ...thanks MC, but this is in thanks to you.
Kid A: I've never seen a fire bullet before! Can you show me it again?
A calm mood fills the place as the child smiles, but the wolves stagger back up.
Arc: ...! I guess it's just not strong enough if I'm not using my artifact, huh?
Arc pulls the child behind them, but the wolves all throw themselves down to the ground.
Purple: WE'RE SORRY WE WON'T SCARE KIDS TOO MUCH EVER AGAIN!
MC: what? weird. wasn't that a little too quick for an about face?
Yellow Wolf: No it's not a trick!
Purple Wolf: Your bullet woke us up to the weight of our crimes!
Itzamna: Hmm. Haha, Arc maybe you have more teaching talents than I do?
MC: Yeah that was a quick change in attitude... / Wait we're just accepting this!? / Okay whatever works!
Balor: Guhaha! That's just how fairies are, so it's fine like this if it's here in this world modeled on Tir na Nog.
MC: It's actually kinda scary getting this far but... / Right, the power of those chains is... / Yeah, okay.
The wolves are kneeling around Arc like knights, baffling them.
Yellow Wolf: Little Red Riding Hood we wish to pledge our allegiance to you...
Purple Wolf: Contract? We will protect you.
MC: NOOOO / What if Harlot heard about this?
Arc:
Arc: Thanks, but I'm good. I already have someone I can trust my back with. (smiles at MC)
MC: What!? / Huh? / I'm hungry
Purple Wolf: O-oh! What if we became your slaves inst--
Arc: Okay stop. I'll think about being friends with you if that's fine.
The wolves crowd around Arc, who looks disconcerted but still smiles.
The area begins transforming, starting from Arc's position.
Cait Sith: Wait WHAT what's happening!?
Itzamna: Little Red Riding Hood changed the wolves' hearts and now it's a happy ending.
MC: I hope we can keep this up. / What a change!
While the world changes, the boy walks over and pulls a small chocolate out of his pocket to give to Arc.
Kid A: Thank you, Little Red Riding Hood! This is all I got, but please take my feelings of thanks!
Arc: (accepts while surprised) Thank you.
Both Arc and the boy smile brightly.
Boogeyman: (partially flickers) ...
Boogeyman steps aside discretely to not depress the happy ending since he's unsuitable with children's smiles as a being meant to scare children. He stares at his partially fading body while pretending to not notice the pain in his heart.
End of Episode
:(
ReplyDelete