Caelum: part 2
James
(W-what is this?!)
(It's like sludge…)
(It's got all my limbs wrapped tightly…It's even got my mouth covered so I can't call for help…)
(Shit, I lost the Doc!)
(She must've realized that something happened to me, but she's probably dealing with the Manifesto or one of its allies!)
(I need to get out of here as soon as possible to protect her and Will!)
Lacerta's arm emerges as James uses it to dice the arm
James falls to the ground
James starts coughing out the sludge
James
Ugh…
(Despite the fact it was strong enough the hold me in place, it still got destroyed by Lacerta…)
(it's a good thing I didn't have Lacerta out when I got caught…)
Now, to go and find the doc!
James turns around and starts running
James
!
James looks behind him and sees some more tendrils of sludge coming towards him
James
Lacerta!
Lacerta shoots a bullet destroying the two tendrils
James
(What are these things?)
(Looks like I need to deal with the user before I find the doc, it doesn't look like he'll leave me alone.)
Come on out!
I know you're hiding here!
The sludge reforms itself into a mangled, humanoid shape before Caelum's mask appears
Caelum
I'm impressed you realized I was here so quickly, thought, what else would I expect from someone who piqued the interest of the Doctor?
Hello again Mr. Spectre.
There won't be anyone to interrupt us this time, I assure you.
So I will complete my task and bring you back to the doctor.
James
And by that, you mean Doctor Sunshine, right?
Don't worry, I was on my way to pay him a visit anyways.
I need to have a word with my physician.
Caelum
What a shame.
You were a very valuable client Mr. Spectre.
Don't worry, we're taking excellent care of your friend.
Why, I believe the doctor is operating on him at this very moment.
James gets agitated at this remark
James
You better not for your own good.
Caelum
Oh, did that comment distress you at all?
Don't worry, Dr. Sunshine will operate on Dr. Sweet and yourself shortly as well.
You'll be able to join your friend as one of Dr. Sunshine's masterpieces.
James
I don't care about becoming a masterpiece or whatever, you better not hurt my friends.
Caelum
Enough talking, why don't you surrender yourself already?
James
No thanks, I'm still fairly ticked off from Orion earlier, but I can't beat up a kid.
So I'll be using you as a punching bag if you don't mind.
Caelum
Sure, if you're able to hit me that is.
Lacerta begins launching a flurry of punches at Caelum, as Caelum is unaffected by them
James takes a step back
James
Tsk
(Why aren't my punches connecting?)
(If it's a Manifesto, Lacerta should be able to hit it.)
(How about I increase the speed and power, that should do the trick!)
James launches another barrage at Caelum, again to no avail
James
(Damn it, nothing changed!)
(How can my attacks do nothing?!)
Huh?!
Where'd he go?!
Caelum appears behind James
Caelum
My turn.
I'm impressed with the speed and power you're able to use.
I'm not capable of that…
…however I believe I can compensate for that.
Caelum grows another pair of arms out of its sludge
Caelum
I believe these should do the trick.
Caelum launches a barrage of punches at James as he attempts to block with Lacerta
James
(Damn it all!)
(I can't block all of them…)
(If I block one punch, he just uses another arm to attack instead!)
(While he can't match Lacerta's speed, he doesn't need to…)
James gets launched up by an uppercut
James
(...What he lacks in speed he makes up for with ingenuity!)
James gets sent flying back down by Caelum
James uses Lacerta to break his fall
James
!
FUCK!!!
(Even if I use Lacerta to lessen the impact, that still hurts like hell!)
(This guy…)
(He looks scrawny at first glance…)
(But I dangerously underestimated him!!!)
Caelum
Still standing even after all of that?
What a commendable action.
Here, I'll give you a free chance to attack me.
No defending, no counters, no tricks.
Just a fair chance to attack.
Sound good?
James staggers forward, blood dripping from his forehead
James
I…don't need your pity…
Caelum
No?
Well, you certainly need medical attention, I'll tell you that.
Even if I'm your enemy, I'm not a barbarian.
Why don't you take a moment and fix yourself up before we continue?
James takes off his tie and uses it to tie around his forehead to stop the bleeding.
James
Thanks, but I'm good to keep going.
Caelum
Very well.
Lacerta launches another barrage, however, one of his attacks on Caelum's mask send him flying back
Caelum
ACK!!!
James
?!
(My attack connected?!)
(But which one?!)
(Fuck, I wasn't paying close enough attention…)
(But this at least proves 1 thing: He can be hit!)
Caelum
(This man…)
(Has he discovered it?)
(My Manifesto is mostly composed of malleable sludge that I can change in shape…)
(...all of this sludge is being controlled from my actual Manifesto: the mask!)
(Did he realize where my Manifesto actually is?)
(No, impossible. If he had, he would've focused more on attacking that area…)
(I can't let him know which punch it was that worked!)
Ugh, you got lucky mr. Spectre, though I guarantee you that was the final attack you'll get off on me!
Caelum leaps at James
James dodges off to the side and uses Lacerta to separate Caelum's body into halves
James
(If I don't know which attack worked, I'll have to experiment as we fight!)
(I split his body clean in half, that confirms at least that the main body isn't here.)
(The body also reconnected, which makes me wonder how the user isn't dead?)
(Usually splitting someone clean in half would be enough to kill them, or at least destroy their Manifesto.)
(Which means I didn't find the weak point on that attack, and that this isn't the actual Manifesto!)
(I saw something similar when fighting Sinatra and his Canes Venatici…)
(...No matter how many dogs I destroyed, he was fine as long as the original was still with him.)
(This must be a similar phenomenon where this is just a fraction of his Manifesto with the original back with his body to protect it!)
Caelum
It seems you're catching onto the nature of my ability…
…however you must never assume you're enemy only has 1 ability in a fight!
Caelum's body morphs into something more animalistic and uses it's spring like legs to launch at james
James uses Lacerta to deliver a punch towards Caelum's mask sending him flying back
Caelum
(N-not again!!!)
James
!
(That punch felt…solid!)
(I connected with the mask when I punched it!)
(That must be the Manifesto's weak point!)
(With that knowledge, and with the distance that punch put between us, I'll use Lacerta's bullets to destroy it and end this fight!)
Lacerta raises it's arm and fires off a bullet, as it does this, Caelum's neck contorts to raise the mask above where it was before
James
!?
(I know it can move, but for some reason, the creepiest movements are the ones that make it resemble a distorted person!)
(I guess I'll need another shot!)
Caelum
(This sensation?)
(What is this?)
Time out mr. Spectre!
James
?
What do you mean time out?!
This is a fight!
It isn't over until one of us loses!
Caelum
Yes, we'll resume our fight after I've confirmed something:
I want you to shoot me again.
James
…
Eh?
I'm sorry, what did you say?
Caelum
Please shoot me mr. Spectre!
James
Oh, so I did hear you correctly.
Caelum stares at James, anticipating something
Caelum
…
James
…
Caelum
So?
Are you going to do it?
If so, could you please shoot my right arm?
James
Uh…
(I-I guess I can?)
(This is such a weird thing though…)
(I don't think I've ever met anyone who wanted to be shot by me…)
So uh, just-just in the arm?
Like, just point blank?
Caelum
Yes.
Point blank range would be ideal.
James
Huh?
(W-what's going on?)
(I feel like I've missed something?)
(I hope you're doing alright Doc…)