Inception

Chapter 44: Two Kaiju

But only a moment. Then the world came to shaking side to side, a hard hot arm pinning him to something enormous and metal.

"We need to run, sir!"

Soshiro winced as the speaker in his ear crackled and popped.

"Screw that, I had him—" The bastard had done that to Lena—

"We don't have backup! Our suits are overheating!"

Soshiro squirmed, revving up his suits combat percentage to tear off Leno's stupid arm, but just as he twisted about he caught sight of the floppy, feathered thing hanging out of Leno's other arm.

It's head had twisted around and was looking right at him. Big eyes unblinking.

"R-r-run," it croaked, just barely audible above the bounding of Leno's mech-suits legs across the ground. "The-e-ere's a-a-another. Another."

Soshiro didn't tear of Leno's arm. He kicked out, then dropped behind.

"Keep running. I'll cover your rear."

A beam of light shot past them, decimating a line of trees and boring a hole into the side of the cliff.

He followed tight behind Leno as he kicked his ancient suit into high gear. Electricity, raw and white, crackling over his metal carapace.

With a thoom like lightning, Leno leapt, high, far, clearing the cliff, the road, the mess of foliage between the beach and the nearest buildings.

"We have to call it in!" cried Leno.

But Soshiro had jammed his calls. He'd done it manually. He couldn't do it while running for his life with all his senses over his shoulders. This was why they had operations officers in the first place.

For the first time, he really regretted coming out here alone. There weren't many, but there were people nearby. Until someone called it in, the Defense Force wouldn't know that Kaiju No. 9 was here.

Another beam of light. Trees and earth erupted into the air.

"THAT'S MINE!" screeched a terrible voice.

"Oh shit, it's pissed," said Leno.

"Call it in!" Soshiro screamed, landing with a loud crack of some poor country folk's driveway. He spun around, gagged as his side wound tried to topple him and failed.

No. 9 was airborn, knees up to its shoulders, mouth opened wide and fingers splayed like claws.

He leapt to meet his foe.

His blood burned. His chest roared. His lips curled behind the mask.

"Sixfold," he muttered behind his teeth.

Shitty bastard would touch a hair of Lena. He didn't care that they weren't sure. The ton of fear and rage that he'd been poorly packing down all day with humor exploded forth and he swore he saw blood.

Kaiju No. 9 couldn't dodge in the air, and Soshiro had never moved so fast.

The air about them rained with blood and flesh. His ears filled with screaming. The ground rushed up to greet them, but he kept slashing and slashing, unaware that he was screaming along with the kaiju.

They hit the ground. Soshiro landed like a cat, only to bound towards his prey trying to escape with only one leg and a torso trying to grow another.

"DON'T YOU DARE!" he roared.

"Oh shit," said the kaiju.

His muscles burst with the force in which he swung downward. He tasted blood in his mouth.

White strings shot out to intercept him. Not from Kaiju No. 9.

Then it all went white and Soshiro found himself...floating?

"Wha-what the hell?" he spun about, blades risen, only to realize his hands were empty. Whatever horror was soon replaced by fury. "Come out and fight, fucker! I'll tear you apart with my bare hands!"

"Soshiro, this isn't like you."

He froze, baffled. Turned.

To his father, standing in the open doorway of their traditional Japanese home, frowning.

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Ever pop your neck and think, "Oooo-hoo! That sounded dangerous."