Black★Zero

Chapter 6: When Will These Steps I Take Reach You?

"Why Black Rock Shooter?! I wanted to believe in you!" Lashing out telepathically as Black Gold Saw got a boost from one of her minions and leapt up over her, Saya received no reply as Black Rock Shooter just blocked her strike from behind with her black blade held over her shoulder. She was busy using her cannon in the form of a tri-barreled gatling-gun with a large ammunition drum to stave off an army of hooded warriors, and Black Gold Saw could only grit her teeth in frustration as their front lines struggled to defend with shields and various large weapons. Saya was making her hold back and use the blunt sides of her blade again. If they just fought seriously, Gold Saw would at least stand on even terms in strength, but she couldn't let her do that knowing Mato was inside her. Even if she could, the idea of killing other selves was something Saya had no idea what to think of anymore.

Once they all fell before the onslaught of bullets, Black Gold Saw dismissed her minions to revive them in her domain later using her master-servant bond. Leaping back as the gatling-gun was lifted off its one-legged stabilizer and turned on her now, she quickly raised a blade-spire beneath her opponent before she could fire. Sent tumbling into the air along with shattered chunks of the stone floor, Black Rock Shooter just aimed in midair and opened fire. Running through it with her sword held up as a shield, Black Gold Saw leapt straight up at her as Saya cried out, "You were a hero to her, the one she always gave the credit to when the day was saved! I can't let you betray her like this!" Reaching out with her free hand trying to grab her in desperation, immediately Saya realized she had been too reckless. With her black blade, she would sever Gold Saw's arm in a flash... or so she thought, but Black Rock Shooter did nothing.

Falling through the air together, they landed with Black Rock Shooter pinned beneath Black Gold Saw. Dumbfounded, Saya asked, "Why didn't you keep fighting back? Your sword..." She would have had chills now if it were her own body, a tear running from Black Rock Shooter's eye even though her face and tone remained blank as she replied, "I can't." The words echoed in Saya's mind as she sank into stunned realization. It was so simple, and the sight before her made all the pieces connect. "Magician's warning, she never suggested it was Black Rock Shooter, but had an interest in her recent behavior. Each student's body is still in our world, the ones who held hearts they didn't have, but still had a connection to. If someone with enough power decided to act on the natural desires that would bring..." In horror, she repeated it in her mind, "Can't. Someone swapped their human heart and flipped the nature of their connection, and now she can't return it?!"

Dead Master was beginning to turn transparent as a shadowy figure started to form sitting upon a huge horned skull with ancient looking spears and pikes stuck through the back of its head and several large metal screws on its face, now fully visible at the center of the shaking ritual chamber. Holding her arms up in front of her as the air began to churn from the gathering energies, Magician shouted, "We have to stop it!" Squinting through her claws at the blinding light of the glowing pentagram, Ninja Zero Two replied aloud as she shouted back, "And how do we do that?! Destroy the skull?! If we just trusted Saya she could chop it in half, but..." Suddenly the wall on the far side of the room burst apart as a projectile tore all the way through the lair from outside, punching a large hole straight into the back of the skull's cranium and out through the forehead.

Looking at the crumbling wall as it revealed a gaping path carved from all the way outside the building, in high spirits Magician exclaimed, "The Infinite Range Maid?! So one of my theories behind her movements was right! Even Black Rock Shooter brought an ally this time!" The celebration was a bit premature though as the ritual seemed to have gone out of control, the shaking chamber beginning to collapse along with the entire structure. Unable to use her destroyed broomstick, Magician rushed for the convenient opening this 'Infinite Range Maid' had made for them as she called out, "Just like before my ally, make sure to keep up!" Meeting her wry smile with a reluctant grin, they both began leaping up through the falling floors to escape.