Ch 46: Green Eyed Jealousy

Bringing Grey to his lab, Dr. Nova reveals himself, breaking Grey's heart with the shocking declaration the Scott has always envied and resented him. Two best friends now fight as enemies.

            Looking at Dr. Nova in confusion, Grey said, “Experiments?! What the hell is going on Doc?!” With a mad grin, the Doctor replied, “What’s going on?! Science my boy! Science!” Suddenly hopping like a frog to land in front of Grey, Dr. Nova raised his hands and thrust them out as though pushing some large object away from himself, and Grey was thrown across the room and into a chemistry table by some invisible force. Giggling madly, the Doctor rushed over to a swivel chair next to a desk at the side of the room and leaped into it, pushing away from the desk and riding in it as it rolled on its wheels over to a control panel by the tank containing Scott. Struggling to get up as the Doctor entered all sorts of commands into the controls, Grey said, “B*****d… It’s been a trick from the beginning hasn’t it?! Amy didn’t get sick, you did something to her, didn’t you?!” Grinning widely, Dr. Nova replied, “What a selfish person! Your friend lies in my grasp right before your eyes, and that nosey girl’s safety is the only thing that comes to mind? How cruel of you!” Glaring at him, Grey said, “What are you doing with Scott?!” Looking at Scott floating there, the Doctor said, “Oh he’s going to be a little experiment of mine as payment for his life. He’s one of the most interesting subjects I’ve had since I worked with you. I failed to unlock your potential, but I believe I’ll have more success with this one.” 

Seeing Grey’s confused expression, Dr. Nova let out a slight laugh and shook his head as he said, “Ah, of course you wouldn’t know what I’m talking about. After all, you were already under Alastor’s control. I am Edward Nova, the Revenant of the Black Mind. I experimented on you many times while you were under the control of Altera Veritas.” Eyes wide in rage, Grey formed his swords and rushed at Dr. Nova with a roar of fury. Dr. Nova simply waved a hand to the left and Grey sailed into the air and was slammed hard into the wall by an unseen force. Rolling his chair calmly over to him, the Doctor bent over in the chair to look down at Grey and said, “You won’t win against me Grey. My psychic abilities are quite advanced and can only be resisted by those who also possess strong psychic powers. Besides, I’m just plain crazy!” The Doctor rolled away as Grey struggled up and said, “I don’t care, you’re not making Scott into some experiment!” Laughing, Dr. Nova began spinning in his swivel chair and said, “It’s much too late I’m afraid! Have you forgotten my nano-machines are already inside him? You’ll find they do much more than heal injuries.” Ceasing to spin, the Doctor punched a button on the control panel and said, “Allow me to demonstrate…”

            A loud beep sounded through the room and the liquid began draining from Scott’s tank as Dr. Nova said, “You see Grey, the sad truth is that your young friend here was suffering from a terrible burden that has kept him from living a fulfilling life. Any guesses as to what it could be?” Grey simply glared at Dr. Nova. Meeting his glare with a grin, the Doctor said, “Jealousy.” As the Doctor entered more commands into the control panel, he continued, “Ever since you’ve known him, he’s been being slowly consumed by it, but because of his kind hearted nature he has suppressed it.” Not about to listen to this, Grey quickly shouted, “Shut up! What makes you think you know anything about Scott?!” Chuckling, the Doctor replied, “Born into a world that looked down on him from the very beginning, his parents gone before he even knew them, everything he had a handout from others. On the other hand, you were given a normal family and a bright future just by being adopted by the Greyson family. Just when it seemed you were gone forever, you suddenly come back as the hero, the man who stands against the great evil of Altera Veritas, a destiny that puts to shame his meager position in the Special Forces, which he had worked hard for three whole years to obtain. I won’t deny his admiration for you, but admiration is the gateway to jealousy, and all I had to do to make him realize it was eliminate the one thing that served to plug that gateway.” Gathering EDE, Grey shouted, “What have you done to him you b*****d?!” His grin widening, the Doctor replied, “The little details aside, I’ve basically stripped him of the first thing anyone who practices real science must overcome. That oh so annoying Superego, or in layman’s terms, his conscience!” As Grey heard the glass of the tank shatter and sensed an incredible aura, he turned to look at Scott as he flew at him with a lightning charged punch.

            Jumping away as Scott swung his fist at him, Grey backed away and said, “Scott?! You can’t be serious?!” Grey saw a smirk cross Scott’s face as he raised his hand at him and unleashed a bolt of lightning. Raising his blades and activating EDE dissipation, Grey nullified the lightning, but with shocking speed Scott closed the distance and slammed his lightning charged fist into Grey’s face. As he staggered back, Scott continued to unleash a flurry of lightning charged strikes on him, at last sending Grey crashing into the back wall with a lightning charged roundhouse kick. Forming Levitas Curator, Scott said, “Better step it up, loser…” Struggling to his feet, Grey said, “You… There’s no way you’re Scott! We made a promise! No matter what path we choose, we’ll always have each other’s back!” Strange circular devices strapped to his wrists beginning to spin and crackle with electricity, Scott simply replied, “I really don’t care anymore.” 

As Grey simply stared in shock, Dr. Nova grinned madly and said, “Well Grey? What’s your answer? Will you stand there and die at the hands of your best friend, or will you cast your feelings aside and fight back?” A shadow falling over his face, Grey clenched his blades in rage as he said, “I won’t let you take him! Void Energy, Level 2!” Unleashing his Void Energy, as his aura flared powerfully, Grey shouted, “I’ll destroy us both before I let that happen!” Calling a remote from a nearby desk to his hand using telekinesis, Dr. Nova dramatically punched a button on it as he said, “Very well! Let us set the stage… for Science!” A strange humming sound filled the room, and in surprise, Grey exclaimed, “What the hell?!” Then the room began to glow and Grey’s vision was momentarily obscured by blinding light. As the light vanished, Grey found himself standing with Scott outside in the darkness of night. The lights of the city were visible far off in the distance, and looking around Grey saw in the moonlight that there were various odd structures all around them, some of which were still under construction. Remembering the platform out in the ocean they had talked about in the hover car, Grey said, “This is that amusement park!” Dr. Nova’s voice called out to them through the working amusement park loudspeakers, “Bin-go! I’ve teleported you both to Marsalia Isle, the happiest place on Gaia! Rather ironic don’t you think? Well, pay the circumstances no mind! Enjoy yourselves to your heart’s content!” Grey quickly regained his focus and blocked as Scott rushed at him and struck with a lightning charged Levitas Curator, and as their weapons clashed lightning crackled in the air between them. Struggling against Scott’s halberd, Grey muttered, “Damn that b*****d! C’mon Scott, enough’s enough! We don’t have to do this!”

            Reaching the end of another long, dark passage, Fox and Mythra stepped through a doorway into the pitch black darkness beyond. As they stepped in, the door behind them suddenly sealed itself shut, the loud noise of stone sliding against stone quickly alerting them. Turning about as it closed, Mythra exclaimed, “Wha?! Wait, hold on a second!” Letting her light orb fade, with both hands Mythra started trying to pry the door back open. Lighting a fire in his hand, Fox looked around, and after a moment he said, “Not trying to burst your bubble, but I think it’s designed to keep people in. Also, something you might wanna look at here.” Turning away from the door with an annoyed look, Mythra glanced around and started to say, “What are you…?” Then in the flickering light from Fox’s flame, she saw a skeletal hand lying on the floor a few meters away, and quickly she exclaimed, “Oh now that’s just great!” Turning back to the door, Mythra struggled with it again as she said, “I sure as hell am not going to stick around to find out what happened to the rest of him! Move your lazy a*s and help me with this!” 

Walking further into the room and glancing around, Fox said, “Hey now, who’s lazy here? I’d just rather conserve my energy.” Flexing his free hand, he added, “Whatever’s in here, it doesn’t know who it’s messing with!” Rolling her eyes and sighing in frustration, Mythra stepped back from the door and said, “What is it with you?! Fine, just get out of the way! I’ll handle this myself!” Forming her Elementum Orbis, Mythra gathered her crystals before her, and as the seven elemental rune circles formed she unleashed beams of the seven elements upon the door. The blast shook the room, yet as the smoke and dust cleared, the door was unharmed. With a look of disappointment, Mythra muttered, “Not even a scratch…” Suddenly they heard the loud skittering of something large from somewhere within the room. Extinguishing his fire, Fox grinned and said, “Good work! A blast like that’ll bring it right to us!” Glaring at him a moment, Mythra suppressed her anger and turned her attention to the sounds of movement. She raised her hand and gathered EDE to form a light, but quickly Fox grabbed her hand and said, “Hold up, I’ve got a plan.” Turning to him with a look of surprise, Mythra said, “A plan? You don’t even know what it is!” Fox had a smug look on his face as he said, “I’ve got a pretty good hunch, but you’d just freak if I told you. Anyways, your strength is ranged attacks right? I’ll draw it to me while you stay back and unload on it when it shows up.”

Before Mythra could say another word, he rushed into the room, disappearing from her sight in the dark. Making his way deeper into the darkness, Fox stopped as his foot seemed to have gotten stuck to something. Pulling himself free with all his strength, he lit another fire in his hand and saw he had stepped on a strand of gray threadlike material lying on the ground. Then as he heard sounds of movement coming from high above him, Fox channeled more EDE into his hands as he stared up and thought, “Yep, my instincts are as sharp as ever!” Quickly he fired a pair of fireballs up into the air, and as they struck upon it, some form of giant web caught fire. As it spread, the room was illuminated with flickering light. The room they stood in was actually the bottom of a large, destroyed elevator shaft where a gigantic spider had made its web. Hanging from its burning web, the enormous black spider dropped from a strand of webbing and came down on Fox with a hiss.

            Inside Amy’s room at the inn, Saria sat in a chair by Amy’s bedside, looking like she was about to pass out. Looking over at Amy, who seemed to have worn herself out as well with all her tossing and turning, she thought, “I’m too afraid to even sleep. Seeing what happened to Scott, all because of me, that’s when it really hit me. This isn’t some storybook, some fantasy adventure. This is real, and somebody could die…” Getting up and walking over to the curtained windows, Saria opened them and stared out at the city for awhile as she thought to herself, “Now everyone’s gone off to another battle. Will someone else wind up in the hospital like Scott? Will someone not even come back at all?” Closing the curtains and turning away from the window, Saria fought back tears as she said in a wavering voice, “I don’t know… if I can handle this anymore…” Returning to her seat, she took a deep breath and said, “I have to calm down. Have to be strong.” Suddenly her vision started blurring, and she began to feel dizzy. Clutching her head, she muttered, “No… I’m not tired… not tired, not…”

            Knocking on the door of Amy’s room, Serius waited for a reply from Saria. When one did not come, he knocked again and said, “It’s Serius.” No answer came, and he quickly opened the door, moving in cautiously. Sitting in a chair by Amy’s bedside as she slept, Saria was fast asleep as well, loudly snoring. With a sigh, Serius walked over to the closet and opened it, withdrawing one of the extra blankets stored there. Taking it in his arms and walking over to Saria, as he draped it over her, he thought, “Truly a stubborn girl. Alexander always did say Amelia was quite the same way…” Turning his attention to Amy, he added, “Although I wonder who would prove more stubborn, Amelia or this girl here?” Suddenly he looked away from Amy, sensing something very faint and far away. Closing his eyes and concentrating, Serius struggled to discern what it was. Walking over to the curtained windows, Serius pulled the curtains open to lay eyes on the room’s view of the city. Yet it was to the sea that he looked, staring out at it as he thought, “Two auras… Being almost fully recovered, my once keen senses are returning. They’re both familiar as well, making them easier to pick up even at this distance. One is most definitely Grey, but who is the other?” 

Suddenly groaning in her sleep, looking troubled, Amy began to mutter something Serius could not hear. Turning and walking over to her, as he drew near, Serius heard her say, “Stop… Scott…” Stopping in his tracks, Serius turned his head back to look out the window again with an unnerved look on his face as he thought, “Scott?! Yes, I recognize it now, but for what reason?!” Suddenly the lights of the room cut out, leaving only the moonlight that shone through the window. Serius strode over to the door, thinking, “They’re making their move! From what I’ve just sensed, I can only assume things have not gone as we’d planned at all, and the timing of this blackout is far too suspicious!” Suddenly the door opened, and quickly Serius readied himself to fight. Closing in as someone stepped through the door, Serius grabbed them by the neck and raised a fist to strike. Struggling in Serius’ grip with Ian clinging to the top of his hat, Rufus looked as though his eyes might pop out as he choked, “It’s… me…!” As Serius released him, Rufus coughed and wheezed a moment, and then said, “Jeez, what’d I ever do to you?!” Ignoring his indignation, Serius said, “We’re leaving. Inform Schmitt and Bella.” Suddenly Ian let out a loud hiss. Noticing why, Rufus’ eyes went wide as he pointed at something behind Serius and stammered, “L-look out!” Serius turned his head to look back just as a masked figure moved to attack him with its bladed weapon.

            Leaping away just as Levitas Curator, in its whip-like Lightning Lash form, tore through the side of the partially completed wooden building he had been standing by, Grey rolled to his feet and kept moving. Scott, flying a short distance above him with the lightning wheels of his Electromagnetic Propulsion around his feet, continued to strike out with the deadly weapon as Grey fled. Ducking behind a cement wall around one of the in-progress attractions, Grey caught his breath for a moment, having been clashing with Scott all across the island. Then a mighty bolt of lightning blew away part of the wall and sent Grey bouncing across the ground. Struggling up on one knee, Grey looked up as Scott called out, “Not that I really care Matt, but what are you doing?” Glaring at him, Grey clenched his teeth together in frustration as he thought, “What am I doing?! What does he think I’m doing?! It’s Scott, what am I… What in the world am I supposed to do?!” 

Raising a hand as though to display one of the devices around his wrists, as it spun and sparked with static electricity, Scott said, “This device allows me to charge myself with extra static electricity much more easily. It’s just one of the many ways I’m stronger than ever now. I suggest you get serious, because I WILL kill you.” Grey’s eyes widened a moment, then he turned his gaze to the ground with a sad look in them as he thought, “Can this really be Scott? Has he… really hated me so much all this time?” As the devices on his wrists spun violently, electricity crackled around Scott’s body for a moment, and then it gathered into three lightning orbs that circled him. Grabbing one and holding it in his palm, Scott moved it to aim it straight at Grey, who was now simply staring at the ground in shock. With an unconcerned look, Scott channeled more power into the lightning orb as he said, “Oh well. I’ll put you out of your misery then. Consider this my farewell gift…” The lightning orb expanded into a massive ball of lightning, and as Scott unleashed it at his former friend, Grey simply stood there. Then Grey looked up as Amy’s voice shouted in his mind, “GREY!”