Midnight Roll: Into The Night

Ch-8

Midnight Roll:

Into The Night

The Nightlife. Alistor was left with Rena while the rest took the liberty to enjoy the luxury Haze City offered. Pleasure, innocent fun, fine dining, drinking your sorrows away; it had something for them all.

Clubs lined with casinos across the night strip; loud music plays while annoying salespeople are trying to sell useless junk.

"This is it! It's our night, and I'm feeling lucky, Auroa. With this advance payment from Elena, we're free to do as we please. Just think of all the hot chicks we can bag." Maigashi bragged.

"Let's not get too ahead of ourselves," Auroa mentioned.

"We'll be going on for some food. You guys want anything?" Katty mentioned.

"We're just fine." Auroa nodded.

Katty and the rest of the party split up with them.

"So where to first!" Auroa wondered.

"Whoa! Check out those bombshells over there!" Maigashi pointed.

He directs Auroa's attention towards a pair of females drinking by a table.

"Heh… they're too small." Auroa nodded.

"What, you're kidding? What do you even mean?" Maigashi questioned. He then shrugs and decides to approach over to them. "Suit yourself; it's your loss."

Moments later... Maigashi gets a drink splashed over his face by one of the women.

"Jerk! What kind of girl do you think I am?"

They both leave as Auroa hands a towel over to Maigashi.

"They don't know what they're missing. Maybe we can get lucky at the clubs tonight."

"I had other plans in mind." Auroa nodded.

"Like what?"

He directs Maigashi over to the Hot Flamingo Casino. As they walk over, they notice a fortune stand set by the corner.

"Why not?"

"You can't be serious," Auroa muttered.

Maigashi placed some cash over the table.

"What kind of reading do you seek today? Have it be wealth, fame, health, luck, or even love?"

"I just want to know if I'll get lucky with some hot babes tonight."

"Seeking love. I see…"

The teller begins reading Maigashi's palm as Auroa waits by the side.

"Hmm, you are the type for cheap thrills. A man constantly on the move and never in the same spot for very long. You prefer to live for the brief moments."

"Go on…"

"Nothing is clear at this very time. But, sadly, I don't see you attracting any female, not tonight. Or if any ever."

"What? So you're saying I'll be alone for the rest of my life? Not even a single soul mate?"

The teller then directs him over to a mysterious board. Twenty-six alphabet letters slowly materialize on it—the teller hands over a deck of blank cards.

"Now pick one card."

Maigashi takes one card as the teller tosses the rest up in the air. The letters on the board slowly fade away, leaving all but one letter.

"The letter Y?"

"Your potential soul mate name. Her name will begin with the letter Y."

"Do you know what she looks like?" Maigashi asked.

The teller only nods back.

"At the moment, it's too early to tell. An opportunity will come when you need to make an important decision. But, for now, I say just sleep on it. Don't let it concern you."

The letter Y materializes over the card in his hand. He quickly chucks the card away.

"Heh, whatever. Okay, Auroa, let's make some quick cash."

Meanwhile, Tannen and the others step foot in the Hot Flamingo Casino Floor. Lots of lights flickering here and there. Slot machines are spinning, smoke in the air, and the sound of toilets flushing from the corner.

"HOO! Hoo...nar ere this is whalet mmm tulging about ye chuffin clods." Steffbird drunkenly rushed to the dance floor.

"We're gonna go get a drink." Claws said as he left with Ralph.

Katty holds his front awkwardly.

"Damn...wish I didn't need to go. Can you come with me, Tannen?"

"You should have gone back to the restaurant. And why do you need me? Couldn't you go yourself?"

"Those guys waiting by the bathroom kind of creep me out." Katty pointed.

Tannen looks over, spotting cross-dressed men waving to them, giving Katty back a flirting look.

"Sigh….fine," Tannen mumbled.

Maigashi and Auroa meet up with Sairori by the casino floor. The reels from a slot machine spin as it stops with two sevens and a bell symbol not appropriately lined.

"Bah! The machines rigged." Sairori muttered.

"Let's try our luck at the table games," Maigashi suggested.

Sairori and Maigashi went onto try their luck at the card tables. After that, Auroa moved on to play at the crap tables while Katty was still by the bathroom.

"Hey there, guy!" One man creepily flirts.

"Rawrl!"

Tannen scares off the crossdressers.

"Problem fixed. Now don't take too long."

"Oh, finally. I can't hold any longer."

Katty rushes to the stall, quickly slamming the door.

As Tannen washes his hands on the sink, they overhear something. Blending with the situation, Tannen just turned away to the towels as shady figures entered inside.

"A big ambush will go down by the reef tomorrow. The Annerian resistance won't see it coming."

A couple of Glamour troops mumble to one another. Believing it all was a minor coincidence, Tannen ignores them. Then, the sound of a toilet flushed. Finally relieved, Katty exits to join the rest at the casino floors.

"Another one! Order up, please." Claws place his jug on the counter.

"That's your third drink already? Don't you think that's enough?" Concerned Ralph.

"Are you kidding? I'm on a roll here. Living it!" Claws actively said. "Hey! Get my friend another one on the double."

Tannen passes Auroa by the crap tables to join Sairori and Maigashi at the blackjack tables. Katty went on to play on the slots. Captain Steffbird and Zolhalla continue to dance away on the club floors. Synthesized disco music plays in the background.

Back at the card tables, Maigashi and Sairori were at complete focus, concentrating on their game. Then, finally, Tannen went to the tables, exchanging some of his money for some chips.

"Damn! The dealer has a face-up ten. Do I hit on the twelve or just stay?" Maigashi thought tensely.

A little while later…

Claws and Ralph lollygagged to the dancing crowd where Steffbird was. Ralph spun around on his wheelchair, hurling as they continued to dance on.

"Shoot! That was my last spin." Katty moped.

Katty blew his money on the slots. Eating up most of his cash, he got bummed out. Then, his stomach began to react again.

"No, not again? I don't want to go again."

Holding his stomach, he hurries to check on Auroa, who had far much better luck than him. Auroa was sitting at the crap tables as Katty look over the stack of his chips. It was a hot table.

"Your luck's better than mine. Look at your chips. You're just sitting there letting your money build on. How much did you even start with?"

"Just around 2,000 Tridals." He muttered.

The crowd screamed again, cheering for the result of the die the other player threw. Auroa just sat there, letting his money build. A mischievous grin was on his face as he relaxed.

"Nothing shady at all."

The wind in the air rigs the desired result for the other player.

"Well, I got to go. You should pull out before your luck turns around." Katty suggested.

Katty went back to the stalls, ignoring the creepers by the door this time. Taking his sweet time, he clears his mind listening to the radio playing, picturing himself in another place filled with nature and flowers.

"Huh?"

He heard a flushing sound to the door left of him. Someone exits out from the other door.

"You heard that, boss? Tomorrow's the big ambush! We got explosives ready to blow Elena and her pesky Maiden sky high."

Determined to get to the bottom of this, he flushed away, then after opening the door.

"Oh snap!" Katty froze in surprise.

"Oh, it's you again."

The biker monster Noxer was in front of him. Glamour troops take off their disguises as Katty readies his weapon.

"You made me look bad last time." Noxer pointed. "But now I'll make you pay."

A fight breaks out as the monster brought out his chain. Mirrors shattering, Katty breaks a stall door off for cover. He throws the door at them. Noxer pulls a sink out from the wall to chuck at him.

"He's serious this time." Katty sweated. "I can't fight him in here."

He took cover, rolling under the stalls. Noxer breaks one stall after the next as he crawled for escape.

Back on the casino floor…

Auroa was ready to pull out from the table. Things got tense as the staff and floor management looked over at the player's dice. Finally, he left to cash out his chips.

"Huzzah! We win again!" Tannen snapped.

The dealer busts with a 23 once again from blackjack; relieved, Maigashi was ready to pull out his winnings with them. Suddenly the fight with Noxer moved on to the dance floors. A toilet hurled onto the center stage of the dance floor.

"Argh! I'll destroy you." The biker burned in a fury.

Grabbing some chairs, he hurls them straight at Katty. Chaos befalls as law enforcement barged in.

"Kill them all!" Noxer ordered.

The casino staff removes their disguises, revealing them to be Glamour troops. A shootout immediately commences from both sides. The regular crowd runs off, resisting arrest.

"So this is an enemy-operated casino," Katty muttered.

Auroa was in line to cash his chips. He notices some Tridals scatter on the floor by the running crowd. He picks up a bill.

"Just my luck…The money's all fake.

He lashes out his whip, flipping over some dealer tables.

"Katty...what did you do this time," Maigashi muttered.

He throws his winning chips at the dealer as Tannen and Sairori do the same, taking their money back from the dealer table. Maigashi flips the whole table over. Tannen cuts open a slot, causing coins to fly out. Claws make a hiccup sound.

"What's happening?"

Drunk and disordered, bottles fly around. Claws went wild, swinging at both sides. Meanwhile, poor Ralph got used as a shield for Katty's battle.

"Freeze!"

Annerian enforcement gets ready to fire away, but Captain Steffbird hurls an explosive barrel over at them.

"Argh! Shut it!"

Katty and Noxer continue to go at it, exchanging one blow after the next.

"I think I don't feel well," Ralph said.

"Stand still!"

Noxer starts firing his flaming breath out. Katty uses Ralph and his wheelchair as a projectile, smacking him back. Ralph then pukes on Noxer's face.

"Why you!"

Casting Ralph aside, he rushes at Katty.

"Is that all you got?" Katty provoked.

Noxer bulled through a crowd of cross-dressed men. Katty quickly notices a toilet resting behind him. He dodges, leaving Noxer to get his head stuck in the seat that came from the stalls he threw out. Glamour troops and Annerian officials continue picking each other off at the same time.

"See you later then."

Katty kicks him off the dance stage.

"Hey! Get back here!"

Back at the castle, Taishae watches over the battle, displeased over the same outcome.

"Idiot! Now I'll have to clean this mess. Deploy SLOTJACK!"

Katty catches up with the rest of the party, now taking cover by the dealer tables.

"Argh! We can't hold them back forever." Steffbird pointed. "I'm down to the last barrel."

"Hey! Something's shaking!" Maigashi said. "Is this an earthquake?"

"No! Something else is coming. Fall back!" Sairori yelled.

Within seconds, the party disperses from the scene. A massive slot monster takes the spotlight. Taishae's face appears on a big monitor screen, catching everyone's attention.

"SLOTJACK! Eliminate all of them!"

The giant monster begins shooting gold coins from two large tubes. The coins explode, wiping out all Annerian law enforcement's.

"It's heading our way!" Auroa pointed.

Tannen and Katty attempt to strike, but the monster spins like a top in rapid succession, sending the entire team flying back. Claws and Ralph lie on the floor, too disordered to continue.

"Try this on for size!" Maigashi aimed.

Auroa, Sairori, and Maigashi fire some long-range attacks, but SlotJack remains unaffected. The monster continues spinning, creating a large cyclone at the center. Explosive coins rained everywhere.

"We need to do something about this storm," Tannen suggested.

Steffbird chucked his last barrel, which explodes at the monster. The storm stopped while Slotjack paused for a brief second.

"Now!"

Zolhalla jumps down to land a strike but is slapped away like a fly. The slot reels across its shoulders begin spinning. Flames spark from each of its reels.

"What the heck is it up to now?" Maigashi wondered.

"Argh! Tisa fight, we aren't winnin. Be the best to retreat for now." Steffbird suggested.

Coins continue to explode everywhere.

"But it must have some weak point." Katty pounded.

The reels across Slotjack all line up with cherries, creating rays of bubble beams to shoot out, damaging the entire party.

"Agreed! We should just bail!" Tannen nodded. "No point to throw life away in this forsaken place."

"But the entrance is blocked." Katty pointed.

Steffbird steps forward.

"Stand back!"

In a split second, the captain summons a whale, tossing it at the debris. Claws and Ralph regain consciousness once they all take their leave outside. Slotjack continues to pursue the team.

"It's still following us," Katty muttered.

"Steffbird, do something!" Maigashi yelled.

"Whale!"

The captain hurls another whale, pushing Slotjack far back. Buildings get destroyed, leaving half the city block a mess. Slotjack got stuck between the whale and a set of buildings.

Back at the capital, Taishae crushes his remote control.

"Blast it! Retreat for now! Send Slotjack back for repairs."

The monster teleports away from the scene. Noxer returns in humiliation as General Taishae wasn't too pleased.

"Idiot! What the hell was that? Now how are we going to pay for those crystal screen monitors? I leave you in charge of one simple thing, and you mess our operation up."

"Give me another chance, boss. I'll show them. I'll make them pay. Leave me to it for the big ambush. I'll get those detonators running."

"No! You already did enough. Instead… Biket will carry this task out."

A female biker figure comes out from the shadows.

"Sister?" Noxer was surprised.

Biket makes her debut, jumping out to the scene. She shatters the toilet seat stuck to her brother's head with one flick of her whip.

"Hello dear brother. What happened to you? You smell awful."

Noxer was speechless. Taishae instructs her on the next plan.

"You will take charge of our ambush on the cliffside. There will be detonators to set off once the resistance starts moving down south."

"I won't fail you, my lord."

Biket bows before taking her leave.

"Ha ha ha, my trap by the cliffside will prevail." The general laughs.

A few hours later….Morning comes...

Alistor awakes from a barely good night's sleep, moving out as early as possible with Elena's camp. Unfortunately, Tannen and the others were not around.

"Where could those idiots possibly be? Mira asked. "We got no time to wait for them."

"They'll just have to catch up with us, I suppose." Elena shrugged. "Sigh… Let's get moving then."

Rena lay back, napping in a carriage while Alistor watches outside. A while later, they pass the hills and marsh field. Finally, their fleet arrived at the cliffside. The ocean roars down below them.

"Looks like they're here on time." Biket spots through a pair of binoculars. "Ready the first detonator!"

An explosion suddenly sets off, blowing a chunk of the road off. A good portion of Elena's convoy falls off into the open seas.

Above the road on some higher grounds, Alistor's teammates arrive a little too late to warn them.

"Told you that shortcut was a bad idea." Claws complained.

"Argh! We're here at least, ain't we?" Steffbird lectured back.

"Just a slight second off." Maigashi looked down below. "How you all doing down there."

"What the hell, you guys? Where did you all stray?" Mira yelled.

She gives back a hard look at Claws, coercing him into breaking out a sweat bead. A second explosion from below was about to set off. Sairori senses it, making the call.

"What are you guys doing?" She yelled.

They were aiming directly at their army. Instead, red lightning from the tip of Zolhalla's blade scatters them apart; a shrouding dark wave from Tannen pushes them back.

"Traitors!"

"Shut it! We're saving your hide!" Maigashi pointed.

Elena's army was still cluttered. Finally, a heavy gust of wind from Auroa does the trick, dispersing Elena's army from the explosion. Captain Steffbird reacts with his whale, saving her units stranded below the sea.

"Over there!" Maigashi spotted the enemies. He fires at Biket, shattering her binoculars.

Failing to take out the masses with the second explosion, Biket takes action. The first wave of Glamours clashes with them. Claws make his way back to Mira and Elena.

"Ow! What was that for?" Mira smacked Claws across the head.

"Were you trying to get us killed? Where were you guys last night?"

"No. It's not what it seems. Well, okay, we were out having a little fun but now's not the time."

Biket jumps in, whipping and pouncing at Katty. Claws went in to help through the second wave of enemies. She hits Katty again.

"Yow! You're nastier than the last guy I fought." Katty jumped back.

"You can call me Biket. You may have made a fool of my brother, but I won't go down easily."

She whips at him. Katty attempts to strike back, but she quickly maneuvers around him. Predicting his pattern, she easily overwhelms him. Tannen and the rest of the party handle the rest of the second wave. Claws jump in to assist Katty.

"Ran out of steam from last night?" She mocked. "Your moves are all too predictable, hahaha. Now die!"

She fires a devastating pink laser from the palm of her hands. Unfortunately, Katty was down on the count.

"Come on; I can't do this on my own. Get up!"

"Huh?" Katty suddenly regained consciousness.

He looks up, noticing Claws revitalizing him with a healing move.

"Let's take her down together."

They both combine their efforts to attack her. Katty makes the first strike, and she easily avoids it. Claws give his shot, yet she couldn't react to it.

"What? That's not fair." She muttered.

"I see… You've only been studying Katty's fighting pattern all this time." Claws pointed.

She stepped back in hesitation.

"Let's do this!"

She fires her pink laser at them, but they both jumped over it. Finally, Katty rams down with his golden nova attack, pressuring her to block it.

"Clawing Meteor!"

Claws' swift meteor technique rains, down damaging her ultimately. Biket desperately falls back.

"No!"

Calling Taishae, she requests backup.

Back at the capital...

"Additional assistance is needed. Send me a monster." She pleaded.

"Sigh…Fine then." Taishae muttered.

Looking for something quick, he picks up a drawing.

"Senju! Come forth!" The metal general commanded.

A stone-like monster with many hands materializes in the room.

"Go and destroy them."

The monster teleports away.

Back on the battlefield…

"Huh? What is that coming?" Claws wondered.

Senju takes them by surprise by crashing down. Then, a massive stone monster with many hands starts to chuck Elena's men into the open sea. Steffbird is below, saving them on his whale.

"Argh! This battle is getting out of hand."

The monster reaches for the carriage Rena was sleeping in and lifts it, causing Rena's head to jerk back, waking her.

"What the hell"?"

She checks out the window. Alistor was still by the carriage doing a lousy job defending against the monster. She grabs hold of Alistor and jumps out before Senju tosses the whole carriage into the open sea. Intimidated, Claws and Katty decide to fall back.

"I was having a good sleep. How dare you!"

"Let me take this one. I'll show you how much I care." Alistor insisted.

"Sigh fine, knock yourself out."

She stands by as Alistor takes on the monster; Biket has one last detonator ready to go off on the upper grounds. Injured, she makes her way with her remaining troops to the switch on the other side.

"This is it! Rena…you better be watching. I'm going to make sure you'll fall for me. I'll win this!"

He makes the first strike at Senju. The monster slaps back, but he jumps over it, retaliating with a wave of stars. It hits the demon, barely putting a dent. Senju rapidly punches him with its many hands. Alistor refuses to stand down.

"No! I can still fight."

"Get this over with already!" Rena shouted.

Alistor stumbles, barely losing his steps; the monster pressures him to a cliff. But, unfortunately, he was nearing the edge of the cliff as Rena stood close by.

"Oi, watch your step." Steffbird hollered from below.

Rena sits on the sidelines, waiting for him to get this battle over. Alistor went at Senju again, but its arms were too fast for him to keep up.

"Damn, what's with this thing? I know I can win this. So why am I hesitating?"

Doubt crosses his mind. He was disappointed in his attempt to make Rena proud.

"Wait! The curse…."

He recalls the previous night with him catapulting back to Rena in the middle of changing. Without second thoughts, Alistor jumped off. Senju dropped its guard for a moment. Then, the curse mark on Rena begins reacting.

"What the hell?"

Rena finds herself pulled towards the cliff as Alistor catapults back up. The monster was surprised as Alistor emerges with his weapon.

"Star…"

Before he had the chance to finish, Rena had her weapon ready.

"I'll take it from here."

From the other side of the battle…

"We must stop the bomb!" Mira yelled.

"Ha, haha. Once I reach that switch. BOOM!" Biket hurried away.

Tannen and the rest try to intercept, but her troops kept them at bay. Finally, giving Rena a heads up, Mira directs her attention to the last bomb.

"Kiiiiiiya!"

Rena roars ferociously. Using her blades like a baseball bat, she slams Senju at the bomb, destroying it.

"Grh! Fall back!"

Biket and her remaining forces retreat from the scene. As the battle comes to a close, Rena turns around and whack Alistor over the head.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"Warn me next time when you plan to pull a stunt like that? Idiot…"

She coldly turns away for a brief second. Rena then strokes his hair like a child seconds after.

"Still…it was smart of you trying to use that curse to your advantage. You got a lot to learn…."

She briefly kisses him over the forehead. Then, they both proceed below with the others to catch a glimpse of the open sea.

"Looks like they made a mess," Katty said.

"Ahoy there!" Steffbird waved.

The captain arrives back with the last of Elena's army to shore with his whale. Claws suddenly drop to the floor, feeling tuckered out.

"I feel wasted now." Claws dropped.

They all cracked a smile. Then, taking a moment to glance at the open sea, Alistor and party look forward to their next destination.