Unstoppable: Revitalized

-20-

Dear god, I'm dead. Again.

"So, we're both alive?" Poppy leapt over the table, leaving a step between us, her arms now limp by her sides, her smirk now a strong smile. My jaw hit the floor as my brain swam in my skull, it looped in a more confused state than ever.

"Seems so." My voice quivered, showing how truly rattled I felt. It took everything in me not to throw up, arms tensing and knuckles tightening to fight the sensation.

The last time I saw her, she was pork crackling, roasting even, and now she's... Fine? That's impossible, unless...

My eyes widened, and Poppy grinned unnaturally wide, showing teeth I didn't even know existed, eyes widening alongside it.

"We're the same." We said in unison. I took a step back, my spine connecting with a table, as Poppy laughed a little. "Not at the start, we weren't. But we are now."

"What? How does that work?" I asked, curiosity taking over my nervousness. 

"Well, it was an easy choice, dying, or taking what they had. They gave me some of your blood. And, apparently, it made me somewhat like you. There's only one problem. Well, it's more a side effect, but I'll wait until that shows up. In the mean time, I think we have things to solve, don't you?" She reached towards her back, revealing the same sword she'd put through me, seeming even shinier in the lights above us. I shook hard, running around the table to put even more space between us. Poppy didn't move, and stayed perfectly still, waiting for something.

"You put me out of business." Her voice turned cold, eyes narrowing as she spoke, her hatred not even trying to hide from her face.

"You tried to kill me. We're even."

"No, not even close."

"Stay away from me." I tried to make some space, to attempt to distance myself, but she kept taking short, small steps closer, that grin on her face not fading.

"Aww, are you afraid of me? I've cut you up once, I'll do it again, and now you can't stop me. I'm as tough as you now, and now? I'll always come back."

Her body stiffened as she said this, the sword suddenly falling out her hands as her arms rose above her head, relaxed out slightly, eyes glued to mine as she did.

"Here it is..." 

I took note of how far the door was, how it had another chair against it, and how doomed I was. Still trying to think of escape, Poppy began to vibrate: Her limbs seemed to shake as her body moved unnaturally, the rattle even shaking a few tables near her. She stopped, before her body began to fold in half, a living patio chair, the middle of her stomach splitting open cleanly, a spurt of blood trailing down both halves of her body as it did. I froze, confused and afraid, unable to take my eyes off her. All of a sudden, a pair of arms emerged, splitting her open even further as a head joined it, before a pair of legs finally stepped out. The back of this new thing seemed connected, and once the full body was out, it began to dissolve and merge into the new creature until nothing but it stood before me. It was unlike anything I'd ever seen: a face, constantly twisting in and out of existence, flesh churning around it, yet I could tell it knew exactly who and were I was. A body, covered in green, thick scales, knitted together so tightly it looked like a suit of armour, with hands that curved at the tips, sharp edges being the star of the show. Each one looked like a meat hook: Long, curved, and dangerous enough to cut through me with ease. The creature took a step forward, it's muscular legs seeming to dent the ground, a flimsy wooden table the only thing between myself and... Well, whatever this was.

"Ah... Finally." A high, low, pitched, monotone, accented, accent-less voice suddenly emanated in my ears. Confused, I shook my head, and the monster took the opportunity to split the table in half, one hand on each piece, before throwing it aside. 

"I've been hoping I'd find you. And here you are. I need more blood. I need to be stronger. I need you to die for me, a few times. Once I have that, you become useless." The voice sang in my ears again, my brain still trying to compute whatever the hell I was seeing in front of me.

It has the same strength as Nusanda, except it wasn't this horrifying. What the hell is going on? Did someone give Nusanda my blood? How? He was already crazy- no. Focus, Adam.

"Who- no- what the fuck are you?"

It moved faster than I'd seen anything, a hand around my neck and lifting me off the ground by the time I'd blinked.

"Where do you think, all of that power is stored?"

I couldn't answer: My neck was being squeezed paper thin as my body jerked, my fingers scraping against the scales, so sharp they cut through my flesh, crimson red blood sliding down it's arms. 

"In us, Adam. The blood creates a creature like us. Yours is powerful, but dormant. I am unsure as to why, but I am in no state to argue. I need to feast on you, over and over again. I need more. I hope you understand."

The arm got tighter, the spots in my eyes becoming larger and larger, and I could tell time was running out. Panicking, I did the only thing I could think to do: I stuck both of my fists into it's fleshy face, causing it to drop me and step back, a shriek so deafening my ears still rang after it was over. I found my feet quick, and sprung for the sword, gripping it with both hands, the creature practically behind me. Guessing, I wildly spun, sticking the sword forward, watching it go through the fleshy face and sit neatly inside it. The creature seemed to freeze, and I took full advantage, throwing myself at the door. Skidding the chair across, I grabbed Charlotte with my hands, forcing open the door, ignoring the shrill cries from the demon who would now haunt my nightmares for as long as I'd live, getting her body out the door and letting it slam behind me, the silence I was met with after both calming and haunting. Thankfully, the hallways were empty, and I seemed to be the only one who heard anything. Taking a deep breath, I looked down at the body in my hands as it began to awaken.

"P-Poppy..?" I heard a voice stir from my arms, Charlotte's eyes half opening.

"No, just me. And whatever's in there now? That's not Poppy." 

I went to say something else as I looked around, wondering how I was going to solve this, before an even bigger problem rose it's ugly head: At the end of the corridor stood two people I'd really grown to hate: Callum, and The Boss himself. And neither looked happy to see me.