CHAPTER 55: DAWN OF THE ONYX DANDELIONS

December 28th, 5:34 PM. The crowds of terror-stricken souls have not stopped running, some are limping, others crawling, and Dynima's breezily following. They weep as three of her ghost hands emerge, they can feel the sheer lethality.

And with all possible haste, the first hand goes around intensely squeezing screaming people until they explode, like balloons of blood n' guts. The second hand clutches heads and brutally rips them off; They're held high like trophies, spines twisting as if they were snakes.

And to end, the buck wild third hand grabs bundles of scrambling people and tosses them to the sky, and afterwards blasts humans into buildings via punches. Obviously, everything ends with brutal death.

At the end of the chaos, Dynima takes out a few more hobbling humans with her axe, slicing open their backs; That leaves 288 dead and 41 gravely injured but bound to pass soon.

Then she hurriedly advances and turns a street corner, where, in the distance, a mystical, huge, and purple circle fades in, reveals and releases the determined Guardians and Gang, and fades out.

The humans of the hour have arrived, and all (except Bukkaru) immediately begin rushing towards Dynima, who's got a thrilled grin.

…

December 28th, 5:32 PM; In the Guardian's base, everyone's gathered, stern and concerned, around the TV in the living room as it displays footage of the ongoing Skiller incursion.

Raskan: … Shit, bro.

Kofron: … Shit indeed, looks like It's go time.

Defei: … Yeah… What's the move, Liz?

Liz: … Let's ambush that Pink-haired Skiller… Then tear that mansion and whoever's inside apart.

Zeph: I love that idea!

Mausho: We're gonna jump everyone!

Iza: Awesome!

Liz: … Remember the main plan, everyone. We stick together no matter what, and if we get lost… Y'all know what to do.

Shima: Fight. With everything we've got.

Zizin: … Um. Find each other too.

Osora: … We've got this!

Sosa: … We're going to be an indestructible and enemy-annihilating force.

…

At full speed and throughout the city spots, Dynima is tactfully running from the pursuing and prevalent Guardians n' Gang, who promptly release a bombardment of attacks: Several lasers, tons of thorns, streams of boiling water, a handful of magical and real bullets, a rampant and ravaging monster, supernatural strikes of a plastic sword, many random powerfully thrown objects, simple sound waves, the invisible hammer slams of hands, and coordinated lines of string.

Everything she narrowly and nimbly avoids, still thrilled.

Dynima: I'm so popular today!

So in response, Rinka becomes lightning and bolts ahead, and Defei turns the dial up high on his water, instantly propelling forward.

They close in on Dynima right away and are about to attack her. But as they're inches away, portals emerge inches in front of them, and due to misfortune motion, they're taken away. Vanishing, and then the portals do.

The rest of the heroes are now on slight edge. "Shit", they all think at the same time, and in a mere inert moment, more portals open directly under each of them. Without delay, they all fall in and disappear, except Xika, who coincidentally happens to be in the floor, now staying put and watching tensely.

Dynima gradually halts and looks back, perturbed just a bit.

"... Oh. Yutsu got 'em."

Then a portal appears beside her and Yutsu casually pops his head out of it.

Yutsu: C'mon, I've set the stage.

Dynima walks into it, vanishing, then it does.

…

At the present time, without a care in the world, Bukkaru's sleeping soundly, so cozy, on the sidewalk, purring too; He's in the middle of a lucid dream.

…

At an opulent and exquisite beach, Bukkaru's snugly napping on thighs, those of his former owner; A cute, innocent-looking blonde in a swim dress, who's perfectly petting him. He's in heaven. Thereupon, the sound of two women with soothing voices chattering comes close, followed by-

"Hello! Can we pet your cat?"

"It looks adorable!"

Smiling, his owner responds.

"Go ahead!"

Promptly, Bukkaru feels their heavenly hands stroke his head and body all over. It's pure bliss. He opens his eyes and is greeted by two voluptuous brunettes in striking bikinis.

"Awww. Sorry, did we wake you up?

"You're so cute!"

"What's its name?"

"Bukkaru."

"Bukkaru. You're so cuuuuute!

The fondling continues, and the women make affectionate and playful noises.

"Bukkawu. Bukkawu."

"Who's a good boy?"

"You're a good boy!"

"Yes you are, sweetie."

Bukkaru meows endearingly, purrs loudly, and closes his eyes, deciding to completely wallow in the pleasure of the moment. And this moment of pleasure lasts a while, until abruptly, every single sound in the vicinity dissipates, and the petting stops. It felt as if someone had plugged Bukkaru's ears.

Next, something that almost feels like a bowling ball lands on his body and causes him to flinch. His eyes shoot open, and to his absolute dismay, he's greeted by the two brunettes but beheaded and laid out. Blood is flowing fast down their neck stumps and disconnected, detached heads beside them.

A second later, Bukkaru notices what had fallen on him and is even more appalled. It was his owner's disembodied head, partially shoved against the sand, looking as if she was eating it.

This sight causes an acute feeling of flight within Bukkaru.

…

He wakes suddenly and leaps far in a random direction, opportunely dodging a malevolent slash from Eivee. Who's unemotional, and Bukkaru's pretty anxious.

Eivee: … Insanely lucky time to wake up.

And before he can even think, speak, or act again, Eivee zooms by and slashes his head clean off. It and his body and inky blood plunge and sloppily hit the floor.

Eivee: I feel bad killing a cat, but it is what it is.

…

Within a vivid, colorless, and vast realm of absolute nothingness, a prepossessing Black Butterfly is perched on a large and winsome Dandelion, its snazzy stem surrounded by numerous elegant Onyxes, and on the blank floor, beside everything, is another Butterfly, this one white and just as pretty as the prior; It's waiting.

Between the null in-between, the above eyes the soul below. It judges, shall it let the onyx dandelions grow, or let their time run out.

…

"... I'm just a cat and that's that!.. Is what I wish I could say about my life, but…"

…

The day is dull, It's raining cats and dogs, even thundering. Ruffled Kitten Bukkaru is taking shelter under a car, watching the partial downpour melancholically.

"... I don't wanna remember when or where I was born… For me, life began here, under this car, hiding from God taking a piss on the planet."

"... I recall feeling extremely miserable, and I was on the brink of starving to death too."

His eyes focus on the severely-splattered and soaked roadkill that can barely be seen.

"... I thought about eating what was left of my mom, but there was no way in hell I could do that."

He gets into a comfortable position and dozes off.

"... So I went to sleep."

"... If I feel awful, I sleep to stop thinking, and hopefully I'll even have a good dream."

"... If I'm hungry, I sleep to postpone the pain, which is pretty tough since that pain makes it harder to do so… But I gotta stomach it."

"... If I lose my way, I sleep. A good rest keeps the mind fresh n' ready to think… I'll find my meaning again."

"... If I'm tired, I sleep. To keep moving."

…

The rain has stopped, and the day's looking delightful. Bukkaru slowly wakes up, somber. He becomes upright, longingly stares ahead, and just begins to meow dolefully.

"... I started crying because I had hit rock bottom… But for once it wasn't meaningless."

However, his lamenting is quickly interrupted by a loud gasp which startles him. He turns and spots a kneeling awestruck teenage blonde in a Letterman Jacket and School Skirt staring back.

"TskTskTskTskTsk… pspspspsspspsp, come here, kitty."

Bukkaru's flabbergasted, but hurriedly waddles up to her a second later, meowing the whole way.

"... Normally, I would have hissed or ran for my life. Yikes! It's a wonder of the streets! But for some reason… I felt as if my answer had arrived."

"Niki."

…

Merrily strolling through a moneyed neighborhood, Niki arrives at her huge and quaint but sumptuous home. Bukkaru is in a pocket on her coat, marveling at the place.

"... My life had taken a very fortunate turn. This was going to be my new home, my new life, and this girl my new mom."

…

A bunch of water falls onto and off Bukkaru's sodden and messy head. He's chill and in a bathtub residing within a stylish restroom, and with a plethora of soap on a glove meant for scrubbing, he begins to be joyfully scrubbed all over by Niki.

"... For the first time in my life, I felt water that wasn't super cold, or nasty, or hurt."

…

In a grand kitchen of marble, Niki, cute apron on, happily places a cyanic plate with a cooked, perfect, and mouth-watering turkey on it on the floor right in front of Bukkaru. He stares at it amazed, then at her, and then back to it.

And without further delay, he moves and bites into the turkey and begins to shred and scarf it down.

"... For the first time in my life, I ate food that didn't look funky-

The remembrance of himself about to consume a disgusting-looking, absolutely rotted, and tiny rat entered his brain for a fleeting moment.

-or taste like it."

The remembrance of himself licking shit-colored, chunky, and putrid vomit on the ground entered his brain for yet another fleeting moment.

"… I started crying cuz it was so good."

With an expression of commuovere that said it all, innumerable tears pour out of his eyes, flowing down his stuffed-to-the-brim cheeks as he arduously chews away.

…

It's the eve, It's that lusterless mood. Inside her all rose and gold bedroom full of miscellaneous luxury, Niki's sitting on an argent, fancy lounge chair at a hefty steel desk, greatly pondering over a packet of homework severely lit by the pale light of a compact lamp.

As she muses off, Bukkaru's cozily asleep on her lap, cloaked by the dark under the desk.

"... For the first time in my life, I felt 100% safe while I slept… I didn't have to worry about all the wonders of the streets keeping me up."

"... Plus… I was finally sleeping because I was able to, not because I could."

…

Enclosed in big bushes in the dead of night is Bukkaru's weary, upright mom, looking around and keeping guard while frequently dozing off by accident and then forcing herself to wake and stay that way.

Under her belly and enclosed by her legs is lil Bukkaru trying to sleep but just can't. The modest wooshes, the startling cracks, the blabber of fauna, and the general unnerving atmosphere of the area, kept him very tense.

Mother checks on him and notices his uneasiness so she begins to lick his forehead softly, a sign it'll be fine. And with that, he tries to go to sleep again, but soon after, fierce rustling is staggeringly audible prompting momma to use her jaw to hurriedly pick up lil Bukkaru by his nape and disappear from the area.

…

On a different day, the same lusterless mood. Niki is contentedly lying on her bed, the same palette as the room and crammed with assorted, showy pillows and blankets. Bukkaru is casually loafing on her chest, purring as he's petted and rubbed all over.

"... For the first time in my life, I felt unconditional bliss."

He begins to gently lick Niki's face and she laughs heartily.

"... For the first time in my life, I was content… I spent most of it wondering what my purpose was, cuz it felt like I really didn't have one."

"I was just a cat and that was that; Born as junk at a Scrapyard, trying to escape it and sleeping my suffering away when I couldn't."

"... But I did, and I reached Nirvana… I know my purpose now. It isn't grand, nor did it need to be."

"It was to be alive, and satisfied with that idea, cuz I'm just a cat and that's that."

…

That night, Niki is fast asleep, lil Bukkaru folded in her arms, and both without a worry in the world.

Still, someone's sobbing ever so slightly.

…

It's daytime, in a ritzy living room, Niki (a lot older now) is sitting on a top-grade sofa just loafing with her phone. Seconds later, from the corner of her eyes, she notices Bukkaru (a lot older now too) appear.

She grins from ear to ear and lightly slaps the top of her thigh, signifying him to come over which he quickly does. He jumps onto her and vigorously rubs his head on her chin, which brings her a lot of laughter.

…

It's nighttime, on the aforementioned sofa Niki is fast asleep, big Bukkaru folded in her arms, and both without a worry in the world.

However, the sobbing has gotten louder.

Then a window shatters piercingly, violently scaring the two awake. They look around frantically and Niki rubs her eyes.

"What the hell?" She whispers.

She slowly moves off the sofa and hesitantly treads closer to the kitchen nearby, Bukkaru right behind her, ill at ease.

And that's when, before she could, Bukkaru notices someone in all black and a ski mask, their beady eyes crazily deadset, entering the home through the big broken window, and before Bukkaru could think or act, a revolver is raised and fired, and a bullet penetrates Niki's skull.

It squirts a bunch of blood, and her corpse hits the floor. The person who shot her savagely continues to and her body wriggles with every bullet and blood continues to spray which completely coats Bukkaru's dazed face. It quickly drips to his lips and into his mouth.

The sobbing from earlier is severe now.

…

"Skill Transfusion" is another way to gain Skills. Skilleontologists say it has a 2% chance of happening when someone else's blood enters your body. Skills are in our DNA so when that occurs, a duplicate of the donor's Skills might be transferred to you as long as blood types match.

But when they don't, instead of the donor's exact Skills being transferred, the recipient will get new and random Skills matching the amount instead.

…

"... N- Niki had 2 Skills… She was able to eat pencils without any side effects … And grow her nails really fast… And because some of her blood got in my mouth..."

…

The gunman begins to advance and, past Niki's sullied body, like mad, Bukkaru comes running, wretched and crying out fiercely. He quickly leaps and grasps onto the killer's chest and begins to savagely claw and bite away.

So the killer starts to shout and move maniacally. He then firmly grabs Bukkaru's head, rips him off his chest, and hurls him into the darkness. Where he fades, but the sound of him hitting the wall and his yelp are heard.

"What the fuck?.. Dumbass animal."

…

"... I-I got 2 new Skills, ''Tele' Control', which lets me do all things that start with 'Tele', Telekinesis and Telepathy being the most useful, and 'Phase Change'; I can change my state of matter after being hurt once… And for some strange, unknown reason turning into a solid turns me into a human.

…

The gunman begins to advance again but stops in consternation when he hears intense and hair-raising breathing. He makes eye contact with radiant green eyes, the only thing visible from the blackness, and at full tilt he shifts his weapon and shoots at whatever it is.

But whatever it is teleports to right in front of him. It's Bukkaru, as a scrawny human; He savagely bites into the killer's neck, multiple times, tearing it apart like a voracious brute.

Once he's done and processing, the unresponsive killer falls and Bukkaru turns back into a cat, worriedly scurries over to Niki's body, and starts to go to sleep.

"I- I didn't know… I- I didn't know… At all… So I went to sleep… I was praying this was just a really vivid nightmare."

…

He wakes up drowsy in complete darkness with only a few, warm, and circular lights above him. He feels whatever he's in be put down and right after, its roof is taken off. He and Sumairu meet eyes.

Sumairu: Hello.

Sumairu starts to gently scratch Bukkaru's head. Next, Doa walks up curious.

Doa: Oh! You got a cat?

Sumairu: … The Guardians told me to take care of it. Supposedly, it has Skills and even killed a man.

Doa: … Woah. Cool.

Bukkaru begins to purr.

"... I guess I don't mind staying with these two."

…

He's by himself in the mellow lobby of the Skill Center, prancing on a reception desk and gazing at a TV mounted to the ceiling.

It's showing a documentary about a younger Iza and her absurd workout routines that are supposedly guaranteed to make you extremely strong.

Bukkaru's so distracted by it, he missteps and falls off the desk, hits the ground, and turns into a human. As he lays there feeling slightly inconvenienced, he notices his skinniness and looks back at the TV interested.

…

Setting the same as before, the stirred White butterfly is flying around the stoic Black one, it's talking.

"... I got super buff, became very independent, got smarter, made new buddies, got a bunch of other cats pregnant, slept a whole lot, and… And… That's it. That was my life… Honestly, It wasn't so bad!"

The Black butterfly flies off and utters its closing thoughts.

"The above has finished judging that below. Resurrect in peace, Bukkaru."

…

Eivee takes a close look at the Black Blood on the tip of his blade, it's beginning to move unnaturally.

He rapidly turns around and observes all the spilled Black Blood speedily moving towards Bukkaru's open neck, and his disembodied head being reattached by a rope of it.

Without hesitation, Eivee dashes to him, ready to slice again.

…

But the Black Blood has granted Bukkaru its blessing.

…

His head completes connecting to his neck and he blinks, and in an instant, he transforms into a solid, twirls around, and powerfully clocks Eivee, blasting him back.

Right after, he settles and laughs.

Eivee: What the fuck?

Bukkaru: Die, scum!

Bukkaru does the motion of a punch and in the blink of an eye, his arm grows to a vast size and insane length. It crashes into Eivee and sends him through a building.

…

With his revival, Bukkaru has gained the Skill to grow any of his limbs to an insane degree, "Large n' Long Limbs."

…

Portals emerge and peeps fall.

…

Minaro, Defei, and Zizin land in the world's most beautiful Flower Field, where the colors of the rainbow thrive with every petal. Not only that, but it's surrounded by eccentric hills, cliffs, and waterfalls that keep the eye enthralled.

However, in the middle of all that beauty, crushing a couple of the flowers is a sinister and ugly soul hyped as ever.

Yoshanai: We're meeting again so soon, Minaro!

Minaro clenches his fists, very ticked off.

Minaro: Piece of shit, bitch. I'll make sure this'll be the last time we ever meet!

Yoshanai cackles uncontrollably as the Astral Realm takes over.

…

Sosa and Maya land in the world's biggest Aquarium made entirely of square tiles and odd architecture, built in and held by a stunning ice cave, crowded but forlorn, and where everything looks dark blue. Additionally, everywhere you look there's varying vastless glass tanks with varying vastless creatures in them.

Dynima's at a big one, looking at a Black Marlin, then she looks at the two visitors and waves innocently.

Dynima: Hi… You two will be greatly missed.

After that, two of her ghost hands pop up beside her and vigorously punch the glass tank ahead. It shatters in two different spots and gallons of water start to pour out.

…

Shima lands at an ethereal and panoramic snowy and snowing canyon, abundant with cherry blossoms, ragged and consolidated bridges over the vast falls, and magnificent temples and shrines from different continents and cultures.

There, Shima becomes aware of a new Skiller, Kurisa. Who is an imposing brunette that has it curly and exquisite.

Her bright red eyes stand out, a sliver of one covered by her hair. And she sports a sleeveless Ruby v-neck and baggy Dark Blue jeans gripped by a belt with a silver lion medallion on it. Lastly, her hands under fingerless gloves (color same as the shirt) grip an unusual and craggy cleaver.

Kurisa: … Ready?

…

Liz lands within an empty, random corridor of the Skiller edifice. She's a little confused.

…

Iza lands at a gigantic, flamboyant, intricate, Green and Purple Neon hues everywhere, and packed Mall. But even with all the colors, there's slight darkness far above where the silhouette of someone posed like a gargoyle on the glass rails can be seen, and they quickly swoop down.

It's Neishi, who lands heroically in front of Iza and causes people to jog off.

Neishi: Greetings, Guardian!

Iza: … Sup, Skiller.

…

Osora and Raskan land at a very big and very complex Oil Rig at sea, where the strong waves sway it.

Osora: … Damn.

Raskan: … Damn, indeed.

Osora: … What do you suppose we do?

Raskan: … Dude, I don't know. I've never been stranded at sea before.

They detect a presence, Panchu is seated on a small red crane and drops down when they lock eyes. He's extremely excited.

Panchu: Yo! How's it going?

He wastes no time and enters a fighting stance.

Panchu: Let's fight!

…

Rinka also lands within an empty, random corridor of the Skiller edifice, pretty perplexed too.

…

Mausho and Zeph land in the inner passageways of a broad and quite compact city on the hills, where every single building is a different, delightful color.

It's a delightful display, it's extremely similar to "Guanajuato, Mexico." Most importantly, feet in front of them is a tiny taco stand in business, where Brian is sitting and can be seen nonchalantly eating some.

They stare, and he stares.

Brian: … Hold on. I gotta finish eating.

…

Kofron lands in a prodigious, graceful, and empyrean Wedding Hall. He glances around, concerned, and catches sight of every scared and elegant attendee huddled in a corner. They're being held hostage by a new Skiller, Andoru.

A frizzy-Bistre-Brown-haired dude in all Black, his cap, coat, shoes, and jeans. The focal point of his character, however, is his outrageous weapon which is phenomenally resting over his shoulder and only being held by one hand. It's a Morning Star but its spiked ball is absolutely massive, the size of a boulder.

Andoru: … How's it going, Guardian?

Kofron: … Heh. I'm super swell, Skiller.

…

Inside an average and vacant Museum, the Eschaton Squad is walking around, eyeing display after display.

Juna: … I don't think it's here, guys. We haven't sensed it, at all!

Miro: … We haven't sensed it at all, anywhere. But a piece was found in a Museum last time so this is our best bet.

Lender: … They probably put it in a Skillproof vault or something.

Miro: … That's definitely a possibility.

Kaben: What? There's no way that exists!

Juna: They would have to get someone with the ability to negate Skills and have them stand in a vault 24/7. Nobody's doing that.

Miro: … I'd do it for like 7 dollars.

Kaben: You're the exception, cuz you're a bum, Miro.

All, 'cept the butt of the joke, start chuckling, and are silenced a second later when an ominous voice-

"Skillers. What's so funny?"

-sends shivers down their spines.

They turn around and Xika's standing there ominously.

Xika: … That shit wasn't funny, nor the fact that you've taken so many lives… I'll make you pay… For every soul you've killed is a slice to your skin! And that's a million to me!

…

Doa lands on a grassy summit at a place almost identical to "Tianzi Mountain(s)", with its remarkable pinnacle pillars and slight fog. But here, some of the pillars are so high they pierce the clouds. Plus, the entire ground is an expansive salt flat that gorgeously reflects everything above. It looks absolutely sublime.

Anyways, straight away, near Doa, a portal spawns, and Bukkaru is launched out of it. He tumbles and quickly catches himself, then Eivee steps out of the portal, his aura potent and his blade dragging, scraping the ground.

Eivee: … Choose now. Kill yourselves, or be killed by me.

Doa: … None. What the fuck?

Bukkaru: There's a third obvious option! We kill you, dumbass!

…

"... Whenever there's a crisis, there's an attempt to calm it, and so the Black Blood Bearers will brawl with everything they've got! But coming out on top is another thing… Can the godsend Guardians truly quell this unprecedented calamity or will they collapse under the ruthless pressure?..-

A young man is reading this from a paper he's holding right before him.

-Find out in, 'The Skiller Crisis.'"

He looks up, blankly.

"That's the end of the synopsis."

A cheery, older fellow gives him applause.

"Haha!.. That was great!.. Extremely exciting!.. However, I have a few crucial questions.

"... What are they?"

"... Is the action outstanding?"

"... Action outstanding? I thi-... It is. Yes! It is! It's wild, dynamic, and gritty! Every battle will blast you to the edge of your seat!

"Ho ho… Does it have its moments?

"Yes!.. Lots!.. There are awesome moments that'll knock you off your feet!.. And… Moments that'll hit you hard and leave unforgettable impacts!

"HO! HO!.. Finally… Does it have heart and soul?"

"... Heart?.. Soul?.. That's… That's what it's all about."

"... HA! OKAY! Alright!.. We will be adapting your work, Arlon!

Arlon starts to cry a little.

"... Haa. T-thank you, thank you so much… When d-does production start?"

"... Heh... Right now!"

TO BE CONTINUED…