Ultraya: Origins

Chapter 18: Decision

27/05/4013 AD – 14:03 – Ultrayan Alliance Headquarters – Main Building – Meeting Room

Hyperzio returned to the meeting room where he had left his team. He braced himself before he entered, preparing to deliver his apology speech to everyone. The automatic doors slid open as he approached, only to be met with Dracolast, laying on the red-cushioned sofa, in Human form, throwing and catching the hilt of a deactivated holo sword.

"Oh hey, boss", Dracolast was cheerful; he didn't stop juggling the sword, nor did his gaze move from the ceiling.

"Um, hello, Daniel, I-" Hyperzio responded.

"Dracolast", he corrected. "I've made up my mind. When are we next heading out?"

"Well, I came here to apologise, first of all", Hyperzio said, confused at the different vibe his friend was emitting.

"Water under the bridge", Dracolast shrugged. "Sure, it was a bit disheartening that you lied, but it doesn't change anything, long-term I mean".

"In what way?" asked Hyperzio.

"Well let's say the conversation goes something like this: 'You should have trusted me!' 'But I would have followed you even if I had the choice to go back to my Human life!' Blah, blah, blah", Dracolast explained. "The hell would that prove?"

"I don't really follow?" Hyperzio was even more unbelievably confused now.

"Let's say that you told us we could switch back from the start", Dracolast went on. "I would have stayed with you anyway. So, telling me would have essentially translated to 'hey, don't use your Human form to fight an Angel – might not be the best idea, lad'". His tone was mocking as he tried to imitate Hyperzio. Hyperzio's eye twitched, trying to hold back his annoyed reaction to the mockery.

"'You have a choice, my guy: wield a giant cannon to blow stuff up and kill Wyperians or go back to using a crappy little pistol'", Dracolast continued his imitation.

"That doesn't sound anything like me!" Hyperzio snapped. "When the hell have I ever, EVER, said the phrase 'my guy' when talking to LITERALLY ANYONE?!"

Dracolast sat up and let out an over-exaggerated gasp, "How rude! And I thought you came here to apologise", he mocked, pretending to feel faint. Hyperzio switched to Wyperian form, converted his right arm into Gatling gun mode and pointed the end of the barrel at Dracolast.

"You are pushing your luck!" Hyperzio's tone was embedded with pure anger. Dracolast's eye narrowed, a grin brewed, and he ignited the holo sword that he had been juggling. The humming laser blade slashed through the air and sliced Hyperzio's weapon in half. Hyperzio stared at his severed arm in sheer embarrassment and disbelief.

"Do you want to know something interesting, almighty Commander Hyperzio?" Dracolast had turned off the sword and looked at the hilt briefly before looking back at the stunned leader. "If you are holding a weapon in your loadout when you are in Wyperian form, it returns to its assigned position once you revert to Human form. But if you toss the weapon in the air and then transform, you can catch it after switching and thus keep the weapon in Human form".

"You... seemed to have learnt some new tricks in the past hour", Hyperzio was impressed; his anger had subsided.

"I'll leave the overthinking and crying to the other two", Dracolast smiled as he looked at Hyperzio. "I'm with you until the end, pal".

Hyperzio couldn't get his head around this man, 'He not only forgave me, but also talks as if nothing has happened in the past few days. He also just casually slices off my arm and then proceeds to lecture me on a fact he discovered about his new form'.