Freedom Planet Trinity Redux (ONGOING)

Chapter Two: Evasion

Run, think, fight, live. Run, think, fight, live. Run, think, fight, live. Aya's breathing wouldn't steady itself. Not that she wasn't trying. She had her back pressed against a large boulder, stolen plasma rifle clutched in her hands. Her hands. Her hands were covered in her own blood and shaking violently. She couldn't steady them. Not that she blamed herself. Her situation was terrifying. The sounds of screaming, of fighting, of war and terror and fear. But the scariest sound that met her ears was that of metal boots crunching in the snow.
Aya glanced over her cover and held in a shriek. A squad of Brevon drones, Shades, stomped towards her, weapons raised. She ducked down behind the boulder, and grabbed hold of the stolen plasma rifle. She placed the butt of its stock against her shoulder, turned around the boulder, and took aim at the closest Shade. She squeezed the trigger of the rifle, and it kicked in her hands.

—
Neera gently placed Aya against a nearby tree trunk, allowing herself a small respite from carrying the heavy panda. Neera knew the break wouldn't last long and she knew that they had to get back to Shang-Tu, but she also knew that she needed the break, mostly to regain some energy and keep herself sustained. Who knew when the next time she'd get to sleep would be.
Dail was standing slightly further away from Neera and Aya, watching behind their trail, making sure nobody, or nothing, had followed them.
"A shame we can't travel through the caves. We'd already be to Shang-Tu by now," Dail said, placing Aya's plasma cannon onto the ground next to the unconscious panda.
"It's safer this way. Brevon is no idiot. He's going to isolate Shuigang from the rest of the capitals. We're lucky he hasn't detonated the cave systems already," Neera explained as she finished a small stretch and walked over to Aya.
Neera was about to reach down and pick Aya up again before she was interrupted.
A small mumble came from Aya, alerting both Neera and Dail.
Neera stepped closer and Dail knelt down. Neera, trying to hide it, felt a wave of concern wash over her. Why was she concerned? Because Aya was an ally? Because Aya was her friend? Well it definitely wasn't that one. Neera had sworn off friends a long time ago. She had allies and she had enemies. Nothing more, nothing less. At least, that's what she told herself. But there was still a concern. Aya had sustained severe damage while trying to defend her. While trying to defend the King. Neera could respect her for that. Maybe that's why she was concerned.
Aya took in a deep breath and hissed in pain as she opened her eyes. She looked up to Neera and looked over to Dail.
"I...I can walk," Aya mumbled weakly. She tried to stand up, but was struggling to even get off the ground.
"Hold it," Neera placed a hand against Aya's shoulder and softly pushed her back down, "You're injured. You can barely get up. You're far too weak to walk on your own."
"I can walk!" Aya pushed Neera's hand off her shoulder and, with some effort, was able to stand on her own. She placed a hand against the tree to keep her balanced, but otherwise, she was pretty steady.
"It appears so. However, if we are ambushed and you fall, I will not stop to carry you. You are putting your life on the line. Understand?" Neera said. The words shot through Aya like a knife. Brutal.
"I understand," Aya nodded. She tried to push off the tree, but was unable to stand steadily.
"Here, give me your hand. We have to get moving again," Neera reached over and grabbed Aya's hand. She wrapped her other arm around Aya's shoulder and helped her stay steady while they walked.
Aya's cheeks were tinged with a soft pink hue. She felt like she was being babied. But she needed it, and she knew it.
"Your face is red, you need to rest. If you aren't operating at 100% capacity, you're a liability. We can take another small break soon if you need it," Neera said, taking note of Aya's blushing cheeks.
"I'm fine," Aya raised a hand and placed it against her own cheek, feeling the heat radiating from her face. She was beyond embarrassed that she was visibly blushing.
After walking for a few more miles, Dail piped up. They were moving far too slow, and at this rate they wouldn't make it back to Shang-Tu till sunset.
"We have to hurry up. We need to get to the palace as soon as possible," Dail warned, taking a nervous glance behind the group.
"We're moving as fast as we can. We have injured," Neera said, glancing behind her and shooting Dail a slightly rude look.
"Perhaps if you aided us, we could-" But before Neera could finish protesting, sounds erupted across the mountainside. Sounds of crashing trees, boulders being crushed, and mechanical feet slamming into soft dirt and snow. But the loudest sound in this cacophony of noise and chaos was one that made a pit of dread form in Aya's stomach.
"Tchyaaahahahahaaa!" The laugh of the dreaded General Serpentine erupted from behind the trio of pandas. All three of them whirled around to see a large mech pounce over them. It landed with a loud crash and skidded to a halt, before turning around and pointing its head at the pandas. Neera recognized the design of the mech right away. It was the same Robopanther that had trashed half of Shang-Mu during Brevon's first invasion. That mech had taken the combined might of Lilac, Carol, and Milla to take down. And this one looked far more advanced. Gone were the simple geometric shapes, gone was the obvious weak spot in the Robopanther's face. Now it was sleek, and far more agile. The head of the mech, which was presumably the cockpit, slid open and revealed General Serpentine's slimy, scaly silhouette.
"That's right, fools! Tremble in fear at the might of the almighty General Serpentine! Lord Brevon requested I hunt you down and bring you before him!"
"We don't have time for this," Neera raised her spear and fired an ice shard at the snake, who sidestepped the projectile.
"How dare you? You try to destroy the invincible General Serpentine?!" Serpentine hissed, pointing a mechanical thumb at himself and gloating, "BEHOLD! The infinite power of The Mega Hyper Ultra Super-Robopanther Mark 2.5!" Serpentine shrieked, before striking a pose alongside the Robopanther.
The trinity of pandas had taken the window and sprinted between the Robopanther's legs while Serpentine was wasting time introducing himself. Don't worry, they were already acquainted. As they passed underneath the Robopanther, Aya took note of the mech's armor. Almost the entire thing was covered, except for the leg joints. Obviously so that the mech was agile and mobile. Aya stored that information for later.
"What!?" Serpentine shrieked again when he realized the pandas had already begun to run. He closed the cockpit of the Robopanther and whirled it around, beginning to chase the pandas, "GET BACK HERE!"
Despite the large mechanized panther chasing them down, Neera still kept Aya's hand clutched in her own. Whether it was to make sure Aya didn't fall behind, or if it was just instinct, Neera couldn't really tell. Maybe it was a mix of both.
Aya was pushing herself too hard and she knew it. Her breathing had become heavy and pant-like, her chest heaving with each heavy footfall and each deep breath.
Neera took a glance back at Aya and frowned.
"Come here," Neera slowed up just enough to be in pace with Aya, before letting go of her hand and reaching down, sweeping her off her feet and holding the mint-green panda in her arms.
"W-woah!" Aya squealed as she was sweeped up and carried in Neera's arms, "Th-thank you," She said.
"Yeah- DAIL WATCH OUT!" Neera shouted just in time for Dail to sidestep a laser blast from the head of the Robopanther. The crater left behind by the laser's explosion could make a pyromaniac blush.
Dail whipped his head around, and raised Aya's cannon, beginning to sprint backwards. He raised the cannon and fired a few plasma bolts at the oncoming Robopanther. The shots either dispersed across the panther's armor, or completely reflected, scattering into the trees and sky.
Aya made a realization, remembering the joints of the panther from earlier.
"Your majesty!" Aya shouted, getting Dail's attention, "Shoot the joints!" She screamed, practically projecting her words across the mountainside.
"What!?" Serpentine squealed from inside the cockpit, "NO! Don't do that!"
"Thanks," Dail gave Aya a respectful nod, before biting his tongue and taking aim at the Robopanther's knee joint. He squeezed the trigger of the cannon. The barrel exploded in a shining green light as a bolt of plasma left the cannon. It sailed through the air before connecting with the Robopanther's leg joint. The plasma tore through the metal like tissue paper, and caused a horrendous grinding-screeching sound. The front leg of the Robopanther exploded, and Serpentine screamed in anger.
"You fools! Mega Hyper Ultra Super-Robopanther mark 2.5, activate code-!" but before Serpentine could finish the order, the Robopanther dove head forward into the ground, rolling it's body over itself like a scorpion tail, before exploding through trees and tumbling over boulders, finally finding a resting place a few hundred feet away, as a mass of fiery debris.
And then, besides the sounds of flickering flames and creaking metal, it was silent. Neera finally stopped and placed Aya onto the ground. She took in a few deep breaths.
"You're heavy," she said.
"Sorry," Aya blushed, "I suppose I had too many Lumpia Rolls before we left Shang-Tu."
Neera nodded to Aya's apology, showing her it was okay, but ignored the added comment. Neera had more Lumpia Rolls than Aya before leaving, but she kept that to herself.
Dail placed Aya's Plasma Cannon onto the ground before walking over to the wreckage of the Robopanther, and giving the destroyed head a swift kick.
"Good riddance, I say-" he said.
The cockpit of the Robopanther exploded, knocking Dail backwards and stunning him. From the explosion, Serpentine erupted, being carried through the air by a pair of large mechanical wings connected to a small pack on the back of his robotic arms. Serpentine grabbed hold of Dail's neck, and blasted into the air, far out of reach of Aya and Neera.
"You are a fool for trying to stop me," Serpentine hissed, tightening his grip on Dail's neck. Dail struggled, kicking his legs and swinging his arms to try and get Serpentine to let go, but it just wasn't happening. Each protest made the snake man's robotic hands squeeze tighter.
"You will die here in the mountains, away from your home. You will not die a hero, but a coward," Serpentine growled, squeezing tighter and tighter.
"Hrrk-!" Dail choked, unable to get out of Serpentine's literal iron fist.
"I've gotta stop him!" Aya sprinted past Neera, and grabbed her cannon off the ground.
"Aya, wait-!" Neera raised her frost spear and fired a few icicle projectiles at Serpentine, who just swerved left and right to avoid them.
Aya hopped into the air as she approached the Robopanther's corpse, and planted her feet on the damaged remains of the Robopanther's head. She launched herself off of the debris and charged her cannon, before aiming it down and letting the charge disperse, giving her just enough air to make it to the airborne Avalicions. Aya pulled her cannon back, and just as she was about to make contact with Serpentine and Dail, slammed her arm forward, punching it right into the pack that Serpentine's wings were blooming from.
Serpentine shrieked and dropped Dail, who landed gracefully. Dail turned away from Neera and gagged, taking breath in, and letting vomit out. Serpentine's pack began to malfunction, shooting sparks from it, before exploding and sending the snake man flying into the distance.
"This isn't over!" He shrieked as he disappeared, "Brevon will have your heads!!"
Aya landed on the dirt with a huff. She dropped her cannon onto the ground and fell to her hands and knees in a huff. Dail and Neera quickly came to her aid, kneeling at her sides.
"I told you not to-!" Neera barked, a sudden surge of fury exploding from within. But there was also a hint of worry.
"Neera!" Dail hissed, "There is no need to castigate her. She is injured, and this marks the second time she risked her life for mine," Dail crossed his arms, "But," Dail added, "I agree. You were already injured. Who knows what unseen damage you've just done to yourself."
"A-and do what?" Aya rasped, her breathing continuing to waver, "Just let him kill you? I'm a-," Aya interrupted herself with a coughing fit, "I'm a royal guard! It's my job to protect the people of Avalice! All of them!" Aya stopped talking and took in a few deep breaths, trying not to pass out.
"I appreciate the gesture," Dail didn't know what else to say.
Neera let out a sigh.
"I could've handled it. It was foolish to put yourself in danger," She stood up and crossed her arms, "I commend you on your bravery. But I can't tell how much of it was bravery, and how much of it was foolishness. Don't do it again. Now come on," Neera reached her hand out for Aya to take. Aya took her hand and was hoisted up off the ground.
"I'm fine," Aya coughed a few times, before a weak smile spread across her face, "But thank you," She coughed into her arm more, before looking from Neera to Dail, and back again. She weakly turned towards the Robopanther's debris, and took a few steps, before falling to the ground unconscious.