Harem Hero

The Quick and the Cloned - Part 11

The building that leads into the arena space is huge. It connects to all of the stand entrances, and contains several shops and services designed to keep the people comfortable during a long game. Most of the people in this part of the building successfully escaped before being taken hostage, but Mitsuru's HUD marked several left-over civilians being held by the enemy.

Motoko is a consummate professional, leading the way as you cover her from the rear; and what a wonderful, perky looking rear it is, clad in military grade skin-tight pleather. People in the future are lucky to have butts like this mass-produced. You stick close to her back and cover her blind spots, you know you can tank a few hits from these smaller guns without a problem.

Motoko is a joy to watch at work. Her aim is precise and quick. You crest the top of the escalator leading to the food court and watch as she drops two of them with quick, lightning fast bursts from the futuristic rifle. You swivel around and look up to the bannister above where another robot is attempting to ambush you – you blow its cybernetic brains out with a single blast from the Sledgehammer.

"I should ask your scientist friend to make me one of those," she quips, checking her ammo count.

"She probably will if you do."

Motoko finally steps off the top step and beckons you to follow her with a quick hand signal. Even with her in front of you, you still feel hopelessly out of your depth when it comes to these military style movements and operations. At least you have the benefits of Mitsuru's wallhack, which helpfully marks the locations of the noise that the androids emit.

The cat and mouse game begins. Motoko kills another, and another. You steady your aim against one of the eatery tables and strike down two more. "Nice shooting," Motoko praises you, "You've been practising."

You chuckle, "You said I needed to make a Navy SEAL cry. All I need now is the SEAL."

You can hear her sigh from across the food court, "Don't get ahead of yourself."

She continues to lead the way as you shoot your way through offices, corridors and utility rooms. You blast one of the soldiers through a glass wall, shattering it into a spectacular shower of glass shards and robot parts. Rias speaks to you through the radio channel.

"We took care of the small fries, but this Gundroid is giving us trouble!" Rias explains.

"We'll be right there."

There are only a few left. Motoko gives you the signal to split off, "Go help them. I'll mop up the last of them."

"On it."

You turn on your heel and run down the corridor to the nearest crowd entrance. Sunlight burns your eyes as you emerge out onto one of the upper decks of the stadium. The crowds at the top of the seating areas have already escaped – but the people on the bottom deck were in the line of fire and couldn't do the same.

The ORC is standing firm, utilising magical circles to absorb the fire from the two remaining invaders. Sundar and his Gundroid. They are struggling; the long-distance fire of the gundroid is keeping them pinned down. The magic being emitted from their hands is used to shield the trapped onlookers behind them. You take aim with your gun and fire, hitting the cowboy dead in the left arm and sending it tumbling in a plume of sparks and smoke.

The devils are quick to react. They usher people to the exits while keeping an eye on the robot for any further attacks. The entire place empties out in a matter of seconds, leaving you in an empty baseball stadium with Sundar. "What the hell is your problem?" you demand from atop your vantage point.

"You really piss me off," Sundar growls, "Always being so self-righteous, even when you use other people to fight your battles." He's still armed with the strange weapon from your last fight, the one he tried to use on your Sledgehammer.