CALAMITY CORE : FREE THE WORLD

CH.53 'LIKE LIGHTNING, NEW BLOOD APPEARS! STORM-BRINGER GERYON!'

As the Nowhere Generation took a brief break from the rain in the greenhouse managed by the once feral Baka-Bayashi, a well-worn and still bloodied Andrei rested on a wooden support holding the place up. Though as of now, he didn't realize it, the energy of the storm overhead had caused the hairs on the back of his neck to prickle, and under his black and red-leather jacket, he had goosebumps. Before he realized finally, he began to brush off his ash- and mud-coated pants, finding only now that his skin was crawling with the static forming in the air... "W-What? Is this... No, not Ra..." He whispered under his breath, feeling as Ra's own doubts began to fill his mind. "... Shit. I'll have trouble if it's something as big as Bayashi was..."

The other half-Chimera felt it too. Bayashi's brow twitched with his foxlike ears, and his plump, furry tail began to stand up straight behind him. By now, he had removed his belt of pouches and sat down... but the energy that was building, it felt explosive in his massive ears. It forced him to stand out of instinct, like a predator was stalking him. As his eye began to twitch with his brow, he began to make for the door, the hole in his chest still healing, but no longer as gaping as it had been.

Shuffling towards the door, the two half-Chimera locked eyes, and Bayashi felt a brief wave of calm looking at someone equal to him, at least one not intent on tearing him limb from limb. "Kid. I know you feel it too... We should move, to keep the others safe."

Hirano's eyes narrowed, and the Akoto twins both snapped to attention when Andrei moved to follow Bayashi. It was then that Alpha's own eye widened... What she felt was enough to make her pick her sword up from where she had been leaning on it, and it was also enough to cause her to join the departing half-Chimera as they walked. "The reading I just picked up... it's much larger than anticipated. Though, I wasn't sure what to expect, if it is the cause of this unnatural storm..."

As they exited the greenhouse and found themselves in the rain once again, Shimoda stood up as if to question the trio, a gloved hand shooting out as his exposed fingertips nearly reached out to grab Andrei or Alpha's shoulders. "Hey, what the hell? It's not normal seeing you guys on edge like this..."

Andrei turned around to lock eyes with Shimoda, the faint traces of crimson in his irises fading as he dipped his head. He already had to look down to see his friend's face, but now he looked to the ground instead. In the back of his mind, Ra's laughter was... hesitant. "It's not normal, you're right..." He now looked up to stare at Shimoda, only his natural amber eyes looking back as the boy caught his stare. "... Because we don't know what it is. A powerful Chimera, something..."

From inside, Saionji, who's help was now not needed as Suzuko was leaned up against some cushiony sacks of... some sort of strange harvest? A vegetable maybe. Saionji still shifted to follow after the trio, her hand on her rapier as she shifted it to a place where she could draw it faster, just in case. "Something powerful? Well, you two..." She looked to Bayashi and Andrei as they stopped for a moment, while Alpha continued to walk. "... Neither of you are in the greatest shape." Realizing now she was only pointing out the obvious, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

Hirano and Okuri stood with her in the door to the greenhouse as Andrei stared back at his friends, and Bayashi gave a hesitant side-eye. The group looked between one another, Hirano to Andrei, then to Shimoda, and Saionji right beside him... then to Okuri. Okuri did the same, from Saionji and Andrei to their brother, then to Hirano... and even further to Alpha. The brothers Inoshishi and Hattori, though divided, both knew something was coming simultaneously.

Gulping back nerves, Shimoda placed a hand on Andrei's shoulder, and a look of determination came over his face as he realized the sudden urgency of the situation. "You guys are afraid." His face was serious now. "I get it now..."