Sem Equites--Chapter Three

[thezombineer]

Back to the hub: http://mindcracklove.dreamwidth.org/783519.html

$o, more SE. Yay.

I have created a monster chapter. Enjoy. Oh. And r7 wrote the part about him. :D Thanks Sev!

Also: yay for derpy l33t style typing, or as Clash keeps calling it, K$sha speak. Yes, he replaced the E instead. This IS Clash we're talking about.

For those working on the other parts of this, take a break and read. :)


Yuna led Etho back to the elevator. Shawn watched them go, then turned to David, a young man with short black hair, green eyes, as tall as Vechs and wearing a gray shirt, navy pants and a green jacket. "She's totally fallen for him." Shawn said with a half concealed grin.

"What makes you say that?" Asked David.

"What, you haven't seen all the Etho stuff she has? She has a drawing of him just out of the shower wrapped in a towel for goodness sakes. If she wasn't in love before, she is now."

David nodded slowly. "Alright. Makes sense I guess. I spend most of my time in the altar room, so I guess I don't see that stuff."

Shawn chuckled. "Yep. I know that feel. Speaking of the altar room, i'm gonna need some armor and weapons."

"Alright. What do you need? I've got robes, blood armor, excal--"

Shawn sighed loudly to cut him off. "You know I don't understand any of that. I just need the good armor, and for you to make the enchanted bolt tips. Maybe one of thaumy wandy thingies, but not right now."

"Alright. I'll go get set up. Till then, you've got, say, twenty minutes?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once they were securely in the elevator, Yuna handed a face mask to Etho. "Here, you'll want this. The other Saladers would tear you apart as soon as they saw your face." He started to slip it onto his head. "It's been passed down in my family for several generations. A few of my ancestors were shunned for having one red eye and one black, like the two of us. It was woven to hide all but one eye, usually the black one. Though, in your case people will see the red eye."

By this time, Etho had the mask pulled on all the way. It covered almost his entire head, except his left eye. "Thanks. I'm sure this mask means a lot to you. Wait, my voice is different." Then he noticed something Yuna had said. A black eye and a red eye? He looked back at her face, and sure enough, she had one of each, like him. He must've missed that on first glance.

Yuna nodded. "The fabric it is made of distorts voices, concealing the identity of the wearer further."

"Right. My voice would be recognized." They stood in silence for a few moments. "I guess i'll need a name then."

Yuna thought for a moment. Well, she feigned thinking. She'd made plans for if this happened. "How about... Ersatz? You ARE an ersatz Salader."

"Ersatz... I like it."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Shawn walked into the food court, which looked much like the food courts you'd find at a mall, he looked around. Not many people here. He looked at the clock on the tablet strapped to his arm. "Midnight? Already? Geez." He shook his head and kept walking.

He walked towards the Hot Pocket machine in the center of the room. "Hiya, Clash." Clash had jet black hair, red eyes, and was wearing a black hoodie with a red undershirt and jeans.

"Hey there, Shawn. Looking for some late night food?"

Shawn shrugged. "Didn't get to eat dinner at a reasonable time. You know, cause I was busy." He looked about to make sure no one was listening. The Sem Equites were a secret. There had been rumors since the founding of the Equites that a secret organization had formed within Salad, but they all went unproved. The Equites--well, Shawn--cleaned up after themselves when they made a mess of their security.

Clash nodded knowingly. "Yeah, had that happen a few times. Usually it's your fault too." He looked back at the Hot Pocket machine. "Any idea what this is?"

"The Hot Pocket maker?"

"We have a Hot Pocket maker?!?" His face lit up with a huge smile, eyes darting between the zombineer before him and the machine.

"Yep. Makes any Hot Pocket you want, plus Salad Pockets and cookie pockets."

Clash's smile got bigger. "We have cookie pockets?? Why did you never tell me??"

Shawn looked confused, as he had the whole time they'd been talking about hot pockets. "Um. It slipped my mind. How often do you come in here anyways? We've had this for months, and it's literally in the middle of the room."

Clash now looked confused. "I thought you knew. As a Phoenix, I only have to eat once every six months. Anything else is just for fun." He punched a few buttons, which caused the machinery before him to start. The machine dinged, and out popped a cookie pocket. And another. And another. And another.

"Clash... How many did you queue up?"

"As many as it would let me." His face grew a huge smile.

Shawn shook his head. He'd find something else to eat.

Unfortunately, at that moment something came up. His tablet played a noise. Not just any noise, but a noise that meant that the Equites needed him for something.

Shawn sighed. "There's always something..." He set down the empty tray and walked back towards the elevator.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Shawn came through the big secret door, Elektron perked up. "Commander! Ratta sent me with a message for you." Elektron, who was normally a quite cheerful young fellow, looked like a nervous wreck. His bright blue polo was covered in dirt, as were his jeans, his hair was disheveled, and he looked like he'd run all the way back here. "He said 'we've found him'"

Shawn, who was looking both annoyed and tired--probably due to low blood sugar, though how that happened to a zombie he didn't know--now looked excited. "Alright, take a break, we'll be heading out soon." He turned to a woman sitting at the desk Yuna had been at. She had long dark curly hair, hazel eyes, was kinda short and skinny. She wore a purple shirt and black skinny jeans. "Moosh, call Yuna back down here. Have her bring Etho. I might need his help." He turned back to Elektron. "While you're here, head back to the altar room and tell David I need him to hurry up."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Etho and Yuna walked up to the door of Etho's apartment. "Thanks for bringing me up here." He said. This place was a maze to him. He doubted he'd have found it without help.

"Yeah." She said with a smile. "You're welcome. If there's ever something else I can do for you, let me know, okay?" She smiled again. Etho reached out for a handshake. She took his hand and shook it, but didn't let go immediately.

When he tried to let go, her expression turned... sharp. Menacing.

Dangerous.

He made a note to be careful around her. He also wondered why she had gotten angry over that...

"Well... Goodnight Yuna." He said after she finally released his hand.

She got three steps away when her pager beeped. She looked at it, then turned back to Etho. "Come on. We're needed."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You want to do WHAT?" Exclaimed Etho. Shawn had explained his basic plan for meeting up with Ratsy and Salt, and what they were looking for out there.It was crazy. The craziest plan Etho had heard in a long time, but it might work. It. Just. Might.

Work.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shawn knocked on the door. Out of habit of course. The occupant didn't care either way. Shawn slowly opened the door. Very. Slowly.

What?” Called a gruff voice from inside the dark room. “Why will you not leave me in peace? After what I have done, you and the others don't want me around. Now, I suggest your own advice and ‘Go away’?” A dull red glow appeared in the shadows, and Shawn shuffled nervously, backing up slightly. Etho turned to him, surprised, and started to wish that he had remembered to bring a weapon. If something scared Shawn, it was something to be respected.

“N-no, but hey, uhh, Sevens? We… Kinda need your help.” He muttered at the doorway, head down.

“Really?” He creature scoffed in the darkness. “Logic completely unsound. After shunning me and apparently attempting to starve me to death, seeing as I can not access the food court,and failing, you expect me to help you?” He seemed to laugh mirthlessly for a short while. “Not a chance. You had stated you would let me back if I could bring her back. Well, I’ll help you when you can give the last month of my life back.” A faint rustling noise could be heard from in the room, as though the person was standing up, and the room began to glow a faint red.

“Err, Sevens, what’s wrong with you?” Shawn asked, to Etho’s confusion.

“Wait, what? He seems fine to me, that’s how I’d react if someone did that to me.” Etho asked Shawn, trying to understand.

“No, no, you don’t get it. Seven here is mostly robot, he doesn't have emotions. I just don't get it...” Shawn replied, re-adjusting his goggles, and peering back into the room. “Sevens, is your inhibitor on the frits? I know you’ve been stuck up here for a while, but you’re not yourself today.” Shawn called into the room.

“And why would you care?” Was the cold reply.

“Yep, his inhibitor is broken. No wonder he attacked Lips, the inhibitor is the only thing that stops him going crazy.” Shawn said, and then seemed to think for a short while. “Okay, I’ve got a plan, but this might not go too well.” He started to explain while handing Etho his flashlight. “Right, you shine this in there, it’ll get his attention. When he rushes you, try to get out of the way, I’ll go for the inhibitor.” Shawn explained, and went to the side of the door. “Ready? One, two, three!”

As the beam of light descending into the room, two distinct red lights appeared at head level, or slightly above it. Etho turned the beam towards them, and seemed to illuminated a shape, though it was hard to make out, being the same color as the darkness that permeated the room. Instantly, something that resembled a head snapped around, showing two bright red eyes. When they did, the shape seemed to change color, turning to a bright red, almost indistinguishable from the eyes, before flashing towards Etho at inhuman speed.

As Etho rolled out of the way, a large red being appeared where he was previously standing. It seemed like the outline of a humanoid being, but without any deviations, like a three dimensional silhouette. It was a bright, glowing red, the same color that they had seen in the room, and it’s head was twitching around, searching for Etho. While it was doing this, Shawn jumped on it’s back, and began to mess with small bits of wiring that had a light, bronze-like color to them.

With the sound of powering down, the creature seemed to slump farther from it’s crouched stance, before straightening back up to it’s full height of seven feet. The eyes reopened at the sound of powering up, though this time they were a pure silver, rather than the red that they had been. As it did this, the red seemed to fade from it’s body as well, becoming the color of darkness that had been in the room, though this time with star-like specks of silver dotting it’s body, occasionally appearing or disappearing. It’s eyes locked on Shawn who had fallen off it’s now completely flat and straight back.

“Confirmed, Zombi, Commander.” As it said this, it’s eyes shift to Etho, how was now standing from the crouched position his roll had put him in. “Confirmed, Etho, Mindcracker. Note, energy detected, non-Nether non-End cross dimensional travel.” He turned back to shawn, and his eyes curved upward slightly, presumably his version of a smile. “Well done, Commander. I assume your mission was successful?” He asked, with a wave of his arm at Etho.

“Yeah, but keep it down, could you? I’m pretty sure the entire Salad would explode if they found out Etho here is a Mindcracker.” Shawn replied, seemingly at ease now.

“Yes, Commander, your logic is sound.” It said, before turning and walking away, though neither of the other two knew where.

“So… Does he always act so, I don't know, accepting?” Etho asked surprised that something with the abilities it had shown was so willing to follow.

“Nope, only to me and Clash. I’m not sure why, he seems to not dislike Clash as much as the rest of us, and He’s recognised me as his commander, so he listens to me. Otherwise, He’s always questioning people, listening only to logic…. I wonder how the others are going to react, he wasn't that well liked before, and with the incident and all, that’ll be something.” Shawn said, looking down the corridor Sevens had walked.

Oh no! What will happen now?? Find out next time!

Comments

[thezombineer]

Ooooooooh. Nice. :D

[r7]

yup.

I'll do the writing for it though, I still need to finish that sequence up.

[thezombineer]

Alrighty. :)