Blockbuster

[jhunter]

Great to see more, and glad to see more coming in. Keep up the nice work.

[phil123]

What a great story. Want more to "see" of the Blockbuster.

[GLKnight]

What a great story. Want more to "see" of the Blockbuster.

That is a very interesting thing to say, because I've actually been wanting to commission art of Brandy lately. Only problem is that I'm absolutely flat broke, as I'm commissioning art each month from a novel I'm writing.

[GLKnight]

After about thirty minutes to get her to calm down, we drove back to the complex where Brandy was sedated after another bout of emotional wear and guided to bed. For the next two hours, I soaked, showered and thought about what the Hell Brandy was talking about. Specifically about her being "stable enough" and how if she kept growing, she "wouldn't be human anymore". There was just something about those phrases that kept playing over and over in my head that sounded... well, OFF. So I went looking for answers from her dad.

Imagine my surprise when I found him waiting for me in the dining room with two glasses of Saladin Whiskey.

"Marco," he said, sounding as serious as he could be as he put a glass in my direction. "I think it's time we talked."

"I think we do," I told him, quickly taking a seat across the table. "I know I'm effectively an outsider, but I need to know the truth, Braden."

I watched as he took a swig of his glass, not able to read his emotions.

"I know you like my daughter," he hissed through his teeth as the alcohol burned its way down. "And she likes you. That's why I'm letting you know what will happen if you choose to be with her."

"What kind of apogee is that?", I asked, drinking my whiskey and immediately regretting sipping on one of the most potent top shelf drinks on the market.

"It's actually a lot more closer to the discussion than you think," he said, leaning over to stare me in the eye. "What do you know about Geners?"

I leaned back, trying to remember what we were taught.

"Well, Geners are modified humans. They came about around 120 years ago as a form of controlled evolution. While they're taller and stronger than everyone, they're... Wait, Geners are sterile..."

Blockbuster chuckled when he watched me starting to put the pieces together.

"That's right," he said, looking down at his drink with a smile. "The old 'Geners are supposed to be sterile' factoid. And yet, I have a daughter who looks like me and is built like me. Does that make me sterile?"

I immediately realized shit wasn't what I was told my whole life at that revelation.

"So all this time," I said, putting my hands in my hair. "THIS WHOLE TIME, Geners could have kids?"

Blockbuster only nodded before finishing his glass.

"Then why did they HIDE that fact?"

As I took another sip, the massive superstar reached over and grabbed the whiskey bottle once more to pour himself a drink. As he uncorked it, I saw how huge his body always seemed to be. I never saw him working out, but he looked like an off-season Body Sculptor. An older, off-season version of his days as a Bodybuilding and Prizefighting Champion. His hair a bit more grey, his face with some lines. But he still had the confidence he did then, and the natural ease in his own body like I saw in Brandy up until today.

"Because of how we were made," he told me, suddenly looking grim. "We're not entirely human, kid. Our genetics were altered before birth, making us ninety percent human... and ten percent NOT."

"What do you mean, 'NOT' human?"

"The experiments started one hundred and seventy years ago," he said, looking out the nearby window. "That was when they found this... thing on the outer borders. It LOOKED human, sure. But only in some features like face, hands and so on. The rest of it was a giant, hulking being that seemed like it was etched entirely out of stone."

"So you're saying a STATUE inspired how Geners look?", I asked, not believing what he was saying.

"Let me finish," he said, taking another swig from his glass. "I said it SEEMED like it was etched entirely out of stone. When they did some tests, they found the thing was over forty million years old and NOT STONE. At least, not entirely. In fact, it had a similar genetic sequence like humans do, but with an incredibly dense carbon carapace. Its skin was LIKE stone, despite being very human-like in design. Same for its bones. So Tekalmor Industries got to work."

When I heard that company's name, I suddenly knew where he was going.

"Tekalmor," I quietly said. "The home of Geners."

"Yep," Blockbuster said, looking back at me. "The people who INTRODUCED Geners to the world as a cheap form of labor that was secretly made from the genes of an alien race. Able to lift more, survive more inhospitable worlds, take more damage, work longer. 'Geners! The next Generation of Workers!'"

I leaned back, sipping my whiskey a bit more and appreciating the burn.

"And when the work dried up, they found a new life for Geners in the realm of sports."

Blockbuster nodded at my words.

"Exactly. But a few years after Geners were introduced, Tekalmor noticed something. Those Geners who found a partner, got married and have a family? Their kids had some of that Gener genes in them. And as it is with genetics, some of their kids started taking after their daddies. So they started getting big and tall. And then some of them didn't stop."

"Hold the fuck up," I said, sitting upright. "What do you mean by 'didn't stop'?"

"Just that," Blockbuster said with a sigh. "Some Gener kids had a greater propensity for the Being's genetics than their fathers. Either mid-or-shortly post Puberty, their genetics would take over and they'd start growing like fucking weeds. And in a very slight number, it wasn't just growing taller or more muscular and durable. Some of them..."

"Some of them what?", I asked, leaning forward as Blockbuster became more apprehensive.

"Some of them actually started BECOMING like the Being. Almost always around the thirteen foot mark. Their bodies started hardening with a dark bluish-gray tinge, they got taller and stronger. Some started to show symptoms like slower response times or reduced sense of touch."

My mouth dropped as he talked. They would start BECOMING like the stone being?

"And that's why," he continued, pouring himself another glass. "Geners are promoted as being sterile. Because some of our kids might be genetically predisposed to revealing their terrible secret."

I had no idea what to say about that. So I just drank alongside Blockbuster in silence for the next hour, contemplating on this nightmare that Brandy was potentially facing.

[GLKnight]

I spent that time well thinking about a bunch of things. About what I would say, about what I would do. But in the end, I was in love with Brandy, despite not really knowing about her. But what Blockbuster told me neutron'd me down to my core. Geners weren't entirely human, and Brandy was facing a frightening reality of slowly losing her humanity the bigger and stronger she got. I knew this had to be an absolute nightmare for her. And as her coach, as her partner in training, as her friend, as... as the man who was in love with her, I had to do something.

"I'm gonna go talk to her," I slightly slurred.

"Before you go," Blockbuster said. "Take these with you."

He reached into his shorts pocket, tossing a little packet on the table.

"What're these?", I asked, holding them up.

"Designer hangover meds," he said with a smile. "They're made for a guy like me, but safe for a Nat to take. Take'em with a glass of water before you crash, okay?"

"Okay," I said, putting them in my pocket before I half-stumbled towards the elevator. When I stepped in, I took a couple breaths, mentally telling myself to focus as I went upstairs. As soon as the doors opened, I began schlepping my way down the hall towards her room. I knocked gently a couple times, waiting for her response. When she didn't answer, I knew she was in a bad spot.

"Brandy," I called out. "It's Marco. May I come in?"

I heard her shuffling on the bed before she groaned.

"It's okay," she said. "Come on."

Waving at the sensor, the door opened to her darkened room, only illuminated by the lights from the hallway as she had her windows shuttered. In bed, she was sitting under her covers, her relatively small breasts hanging off of her chest as they supported the looks of her shelf like pecs. Her dusky torso and arms on full display against the dark blue bedding and greyish-blue walls. Her cute face was a mask of fear, strain and exhaustion all in one, as her big brown eyes seemed to want to cry more tears of frustration and terror. Her long, dark slightly curly hair draping across her shoulders, chest and stomach like some sort of dark veil.

"Are you feeling better?", I asked, stepping into the gloom of her room.

"Yeah," she weakly replied, letting me know she was still very troubled by the test results. "I take it my dad told you what the deal is?"

"Yeah. He told me-"

That was when my foot connected with one of Brandy's Grav Bars that was accidentally left on. It may have been just the size of a normal weightlifting bar. But it was still set so that whatever touched it would be pitched down. And lucky me, I just drunkenly stubbed my toe hard on it, tilting me forward and sending me directly onto the floor with a thump.

"Marco," Brandy shouted, shocked that I might have just lost another title fight, this time due to my own stupidity. But once she saw that I was okay, shock soon gave way to laughter as I lazily pushed myself back onto my feet, wobbling back and forth like an old Wobble Wally toy.

"I'm okay," I quickly told her, hands up as if I was proving I was unarmed and unharmed. "Just a little fall! 'S alright!"

As Brandy's laughter died down, she pat on the bed beside her.

"Sit down before you hurt yourself badly," she said, sighing with a smile. Not one to argue at the moment, I did as she asked, making sure I wasn't going to stumble across any other stubbing pitfalls for my poor drunk lower digits.

"As I was saying," I told her with a smirk. "Your dad told me everything."

"Like how we barely count as humans," she asked with a depressed huff. "Or that I might lose my humanity entirely as I grow more?"

"I don't know anything about that "losing humanity" nonsense," I told her, digging out the hangover pills Blockbuster gave me. "Or that whole "barely counting" shit. All I see is someone I like being on the edge of tears, and I have to do something about it."

As I looked at her, she had a warm smile on her face again. Looking at me with an appreciation I don't think she has gotten in several years.

"You're sweet, Marco. But that doesn't change the fact that... I might become some... Some THING, in time. How will people react when they see me going some-"

I raised my hand in an effort to get her to shush.

"That's too many steps," I told her. "When you're in the ring, what are you supposed to do?"

"Don't get caught up in the strategy," she said, bringing her prodigious legs towards her chest, slightly balling herself up. "If you focus too much on what you will do, you lose sight of what you... will face..."

The realization of what she was saying to me caused her exhausted eyes to brighten.

"Exactly," I said. "You have a fight ahead of you, no matter what. But the hypotheticals will almost always distract you. Focus on the fight in front of you, one step at a time. One day at a time. You're not alone in this."

Her eyes began to glisten as she rubbed the teardrops from her eyes.

"Thank you," she said, her voice slightly quivering as she relaxed. "I'll have to keep that in mind, Marco."

I pat her on the leg, noting just how solid her massive thighs were.

"No problem," I told her, slowly getting up. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get a glass of wat- ERK!"

Before I could react, Brandy had wrapped her massive arms around me, holding me to her bare chest in a tight embrace. I'll be completely honest, I got hard almost instantly as she seemed to be holding on to me for dear life.

"Don't go," she whispered. "At least, not yet?"

I awkwardly lifted up the baggie in my hand, slightly shaking it.

"Urm... yer dad ga' me dese hngova plls?"

Without letting me go with her left arm like a child holding a cat, she reached over with her right to grab a still half full barrel sized water bottle. Flicking up the spout with her thumb, she put it in front of me.

"I got you covered," she said, happily. Realizing I couldn't put up a fight, I put the pills in my mouth and took a couple gulps of water before she put the water bottle back.

"Thnk you."

With that out of the way, she laid back down on her bed, holding me like a teddy bear as I involuntarily joined her. Soon, I could hear her breathing heavily as sleep overtook her.

"Thank you," she whispered, kissing the top of my head as she fell asleep. And I joined her shortly after, holding on to her arms to reassure her that I wasn't going anywhere.

[ArkhamAsylum]

Another great addition to this fantastic story.

[GLKnight]

For the next couple of days, Blockbuster decided that Brandy should take some days off so the Med Techs could do further testing while I finished up my initial week of training. It was all well and good, but I couldn't help but worry about her. The first day was rough, considering we saw neither hide nor hair from Brandy for twenty four hours. And when we left the next day for the gym, it seemed like a repeat of the day before. So we left, not expecting anything to happen.

We were two hours into training when Braden received the call from the facility.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'SHE'S GONE'?", he screamed at them over vid.

"We can't find her anywhere on the premises," the Med Tech replied. "She opened the gates and walked right off into the woods. We have eyes looking for her, but it's like she's outpaced them, sir. This gravity's making it difficult to keep them in the air for long."

"We're coming back," he said, turning off the screen and looking back at me. "Rack up and grab your gear. We're going back."

I looked at him, standing up and wiping myself down.

"Is there anywhere she might have-"

"GET YOUR SHIT AND LET'S GO," he screamed at me, like a dog biting into an unwanted pest. I physically jumped as he menaced me, booking it at full speed and climbing into the transport. Even with Gravity modulators, imagine driving at high speeds in greater gravity through an alien environment that you're still unfamiliar with. You're put in a surreal space that leaves you disoriented both physically AND mentally. It's also when I realized that we weren't as far from the facility as I thought, considering it only took us 15 minutes to get there. Seems we took an hour in order to avoid Gravity Sickness, which I was starting to go through when we stopped.

But the whole ride back, Blockbuster was clearly in full parent mode. His face was screwed up into apprehension and panic as his only child had left for some unknown reason. No telling anyone, no Scribe telling us where she went. Just one minute she's there, then the next, she's gone. It was strange seeing him react like this, given that he was always seen an untouchable in whatever spotlight he was in. As soon as we pulled into the facility, he flew into action as the Med Techs scrambled.

"Get every eye we have up in the sky," he shouted, pointing at random engineers. "Prep some skiffs with Gravity engines so we can get people on the ground out there! Tell Chalansky Brandy's gone off-grid! And if he hasn't been told she's destabilized, then FUCKING TELL HIM!"

As the employees scrambled about, I cautiously approached Blockbuster.

"Who's Chalansky?", I asked, causing him to focus on me with an intensity I only ever found in a fight.

"He's Tekalmor's C.O.O.," Braden said, scratching the side of his head nervously. "He's in charge of oversight for all current Geners, and the reason we're out here."

"And he's got a special interest in Brandy," I added, quickly figuring out why Brandy might be of note given her father and genetics.

"And her body's destabilized," he continued. "So it's at a risk of fluxing even more. Under this gravity, it's like she's working out every minute. And when a Gener is still in a state of growth, our bodies can overreact to training if we're not careful."

I felt my gut drop at those words. I knew I had to find her before things got serious.

"I'm taking one of the skiffs," I told him, marching over to a nearby set-up for gear.

"I know you're sensitive to Gravity sickness," he shouted. "I want you to stay here."

"You need me out there," I told him as I began to put pads on. "I love Brandy, and she'll listen to me."

"You loving her is no reason to-"

"Also, I'm licensed for piloting. So stop dusting me and let me look for her."

Blockbuster was speechless as I grabbed a helmet and quickly ran over to an available skiff. As soon as I approached, an engineer gave me a thumbs up before I hopped on.

"Gravity stabilizer field generator is online," she told me. "Ready for patrol."

"Roger that," I told her, putting the visor of my helmet down as the automated sensors took over and locking it into place. The system hub came to life as it began booting up to the network, running diagnostics and giving me the okay. I turned the engines on, letting the speeder roar to life as I grasped the steer rig.

"Gravity settings?", the engineer asked me.

"1.2 Terrans to help stabilize and reduce bounce," I said, watching as a light green field quickly crawled across both me and the entire ride like a second skin, creating a shield with which to aid against impediment from the planet's natural forces.

"Patrol ready for excursion. Opening doors."

Suddenly, a thought came to mind.

"Engineer, program thermal scanning so I can pinpoint large heat signatures."

"I'm... I'm sorry?", she asked me.

"Heat signatures," I reiterated. "She's a Gener. She's going to be putting out a lot of heat under this pull, especially while working out!"

The engineer went quiet, looking at me rather sheepishly.

"What's wrong," I asked. "This set-up's made for thermal, right? This is search and rescue tech! Surely that was one of the first scans you did with the eyes, right?"

The engineer said nothing, her skin turning redder as she blushed.

"You gotta be fucking KIDDING ME," Blockbuster screamed. "You didn't think to use fucking THERMAL?! The search would have been over almost IMMEDIATELY given it's stormy!"

The Engineering pool didn't know what to say, being scolded by an angry father who just wanted his daughter home safe and sound, let alone said father being one of the biggest celebrities in the galaxy. I quickly knew that if I didn't do something, he would go into full diva mode and tear their morale to shreds.

"PROGRAM THERMALS," I shouted, cutting him off and getting the engineer's attention. "And give me a weather data!"

"R-right," the engineer said, working on her slate to upload the subroutine and info. "Thermal program set, vocal commands on. And weather reports... are... accurate."

"Good. Now, open doors."

The doors to the garage slowly lifted, revealing that the storm had just broken. I took some deep breaths, trying to get myself to calm down. When I felt ready, I gave them all a thumbs up.

"I'll bring Brandy home," I told Blockbuster. "So don't worry, sir."

I revved the engines and released the anchoring system, riding out of the garage with the other members of the patrol as we raced out of the gates to find Bustamante's little girl and bring her back to safety.

[GLKnight]

Just a little update.

The next installment will be in a few days. We're facing stupidly high temps this weekend, and I don't do well in the heat. So between that, the comics I started writing, my WIP Novel and this, Brandy and Marco's tale will be a little bit sporadic over the coming week or two.

[jhunter]

Take your time. No rush, life happens.

[GLKnight]

The rain came down on us in sheets as we tore up the dirt roads, following the trails Brandy and I had been running for the last week. Thankfully, they were never too rough for the skiffs to follow. But soon enough, we came to a spot that opened up into many more ways to go. We came to a stop as the sky grew darker and more turbulent, lightning flashing through the clouds as they threatened to unleash Hell upon us.

"Which way could she have gone?", one of the riders to my left asked.

"There aren't enough riders for these trails," the man next to her said. "We're gonna have to solo."

"I got Northeast," I told them. "Pick a path, keep your Comms open at all times, switch to Thermals when needed."

"And whatever you do," one of the riders to my right said. "Don't get elevation. The field's are ionized, so they'll attract strikes above a certain level."

All the riders agreed, splitting up to travel down the various paths that wormed their way through the heart of the forest. I went Northeast, which I quickly realized was a bad move as I started going uphill, inching closer and closer to the ionic threshold for the generator. I must have gone about ten or twenty miles by the time I reached the crest of the hill, where the trees boke the line and led to a little cliff overseeing a good portion of the nearby woodlands. I couldn't help but be awestruck by the kaleidoscope of colors that absolutely covered the forest. Pinks and purples and blues and greens and reds, all vibrant against the scary storm that dominated the sky above us. I watched as the trees swayed in frighteningly graceful submission to the heavy winds, swinging back and forth as they jittered and shook with how powerful the gales blew.

Heh, I just realized I can get quite poetic when I want, I guess.

Anyway, point being that we're stuck out in the middle of this forest on this fucking planet that was twice Earth's gravity, looking for the girl I had feelings for that had run away to God knows where. As I was about to ask for a status report, I noticed a giant pink tree suddenly tilting to one side, falling over with a thunderous splinter as it toppled into the spectrum sea of leaves. Colliding with the ground in a ruinous collapse.

As I reached for the Comms on my console, I noticed something odd: a nearby tree to the one that fell began to shake violently, then still. Then it would jostle, then still. Over and over, I watched this happen for about a minute. And then as the rain began to fall, I noticed something else: the winds had died down. Meaning there was something else that was assailing it. Marking it down on my guide, I made my way back downhill, speeding around the base and heading to my mark at a fair pace. I turned thermals on, just in case.

As I drew near, I saw this little blip appearing on the periphery. I couldn't quite tell what it was, but it was big and putting out a pretty sizable heat signature. In all honestly, I was hoping to find Brandy.

But what I wasn't hoping to find was a freaking furry missile ramming into the side of the skiff in perfect timing. A ferocious hunger I had never heard before in a multi-tonal roaring in my ear as I was thrown from my ride to the ground below as the gravity generator was knocked loose and the entire rig shot directly into a tree and practically exploding on impact. As I scrambled to my feet, I took off my wrecked helmet and looked at my assailant. And instantly, I knew I was fucked.

Galger Beasts are horrifying motherfuckers, without a doubt. With a four split muzzle, sandy fur and massive claws that could also inject you with a paralytic, these murder machines made many other animals pale in comparison. Massive thick skulls, thick pelts and incredibly dense bone structures meant these things could give as well as they could take. And this fully grown eighteen foot long son of a bitch would easily give with the best of them.

I'm not military. I'm not trained in how to survive in the fucking wild. I'm just a guy who lived his whole life in the city. So I did the only thing I could at a time like this. Slowly back up, hoping the thing would lose interest in me. But as soon as I felt my back bumping against a tree, I doubly knew I was fucked. I glanced over at the gear on my skiff, seeing the container itself was damaged beyond approach as it was on fire, and knew that I was truly, utterly fucked.

So I gathered my courage as the Galger male roared at me once more. Scared shitless, all I could do was roar back at it.

"COME ON," I screamed. "IF THIS IS HOW I GO, THEN BRING IT, YOU HAIRY FUCKER! DO IT!"

The Galger roared once more, charging at me at full speed. I cocked my fist back, prepared to go down swinging like a fighter if I had to. But the second it leaped at me, I knew I was dead meat.

Or I would have been, had a giant figure not broken through the tree line, spearing the beast at full speed and throwing it into a nearby tree. It took me a minute to realize what had happened as the giant beast clambered to its feet, snarling before rearing back and roaring at whatever stood between it and its prey. I broke out in joy as I saw who saved me.

"DON'T YOU LAY A FUCKING CLAW ON MY MARCO, YOU BASTARD!!!"

Brandy had come to my rescue!

[GLKnight]

I had no time to call out to Brandy as the Galger Beast charged at her, roaring with a fury only the angriest predators could make. The rain cascaded down upon us, hitting us with enough force to act as a watery curtain that outlined the two of them in combat. The beast leapt like a missile at her, too fast for her to grab, but slow enough for her to raise her arms in front of her as the Galger's four-split jaws clamped down on her forearm, causing her to scream. With incredible focus, she grabbed the underside of the creature with her free hand, and with a grace unbecoming of her size, she pivoted on one foot, guiding the beast into the ground head first with a mighty slam. Two titanic beings falling to the firmament like celestial bodies cutting through the air before making landfall and shooting dirt and mud into the sky with their impact.

"Brandy!", I screamed, running forward until I saw her hand raised up for me to stop.

"Stay back," she screamed at me, the beast beneath her still locked onto her arm as it jerked its head from side to side. "Just stay-"

A powerful swing of the Galger Beast's arm made contact with Brandy's face and chest as its claws slid down her body, causing her to scream in pain as her clothes and flesh were ripped open. Kicking her feet out to use the momentum to gain leverage, her face was a mask of pure rage as she howled an almost inhuman scream as she grappled the beast again, proceeding to run full force at the tree line. Almost as if it recognized what she was trying to do, the beast's jaws let go of her arm, only freeing it enough for her to grab it by the throat as well as she sprinted towards the gigantic trees in her sight. Then, with a great jump, she slammed the two of them directly into one of the prodigious purple conifers, creating an overwhelming crack as their combined mass and speed struck the tree with enough force to shatter its trunk. As the pair rebounded off of it, the tree began to topple, twisting as it fell into the forest and rain with a crash and a shock as lightning flashed across the sky and the thunder echoes its collapse.

For a few seconds, neither of them moved. Perfectly outlined in the storm as the rain soaked them to the bone and ran off them like a watery field of energy. Both just panting as they lay still. Then, with effort, Brandy slowly moved her arms before pushing herself up with a powerful groan. And finding her footing, she stumbled upright as the lightning flashed once more, highlighting her open wounds that glinted in the light.

"Brandy," I cried out, looking at her wounds. "Are you alright? Why did you run off like-"

Her arms wrapped around me once more, holding me tight to her chest as she shuddered.

"Sorry," she stammered, nearly on the verge of tears. "So... S-so SORRY!"

As I just held her, the lightning flashed once more. And I saw up close just what was happening to her. For though her skin may yet be pliable, I saw the crystalline strands of flesh and sinew inside her body. Still looking very much like regular muscle, but much denser and more mineral like material that did not bleed. It's at that point I truly understood what they meant by "stabilized": past a certain point in growth, a Second Gener's very tissue converts to a more mineral like substance to support their growth. Over time, the process can be very painful, almost unbearable.

"It's okay," I told her. "All that matters is you're okay. Now let's get you back home so-"

I felt her weight shift, falling forward into my arms a bit more as she fell to her knees.

"FUCK," I shouted, trying to hold her upright as the realization that the neurotoxin in the beast's claws must be affecting her sank in.

"M-Marco?", she said, sounding tired. "I don't think-"

"It's okay," I told her. "I got you!"

I looked around, wondering if it was possible for anyone to hear me. Then I saw my discarded helmet, and noticed that the visor was still flickering. The thing still had power!

"I'll be right back!"

I let her go, running over and picking it up. Reaching in, I pulled out the receiver and earpiece, praying to whatever's out there that I had enough of a chance to reach out to the team.

"Mercury to Search Team! Can you hear me? Over!"

No response.

"Mercury to Search Team! CAN YOU HEAR ME? OVER!"

Once more, no response.

"MERCURY TO SEARCH TEAM! PLEASE RESPOND!"

My heart sank. No one was responding. The damn thing was-

"Serengeti to Mercury! Did you find Bustamante's daughter? Over!"

I danced and screamed in joy. The comms were still working! We were going to be okay!

"I found Brandy," I told them. "But we've got an issue: the skiff is scrap and Brandy was hurt in a-"

I felt its presence behind me before I even heard it growling. I slowly turned around, staring up at the beast's matted, sandy blonde fur as it glared down at me. It's four-section jaws twitching and flexing as it looked down at me with pure fury and hunger.

"...G-Galger Beast attack!"

As soon as the words left my lips, the thing reared back its paw and roared. Fully expecting to be struck down, I guarded myself up as I screamed but somehow kept my eyes open as it swung at me.

Now, they say that when you're certainly going to die, your whole life flashes before your eyes. Sad to say, but that's not what happened with me. Instead, there was only one thing that flashed through mine: Brandy. The life we could have lived, the time we could have spent together. All the regret of what could have been. I felt regret for what might have been.

That's when I noticed the Galger Beast's arm had stopped. And there was only one reason why: Brandy, wobbling right next to it as she held on tight.

"I SAID DON'T LAY A FUCKING CLAW ON MY MARCO!!!"

Shifting her feet, I watched as she out the thing's arm over her shoulder, bent over and sent the thing airborne with a sickening wet CRACK as the creature's arm snapped in half. It screamed out in pain before slamming into the ground once more, dazed as Brandy kicked the thing onto its back and straddled it.

"HE'S MINE!"

She struck the beast square in its maw, causing its head to violently jerk to the side.

"YOU UNDERSTAND ME?"

Another blow, sending some of its teeth flying to the side. Each swing of her powerful fists gaining more speed and force as the rain began to let up.

"HE'S NOT YOUR PREY!"

Another blow, causing its muzzle to cave in slightly.

"HE'S MY BOYFRIEND!"

Another blow, this time with more force to the side of the Galger Beast's forehead, causing it to dent inward.

"AND I'LL NEVER LET ANYTHING HURT HIM EVER AGAIN!!!"

Another blow, causing a wet crunch to echo through the lessening rainfall.

"NEVER!!!"

A splatter of blood landed on Brandy's face and chest as the beast's face and head was beaten in.

"NEVER!!!"

Her punches became a flurry as she proceeded to truly pick up speed, launching a volley of strikes at the helpless creature's head as she unleashed a purely primal scream of frustration and fear for the next minute. And as the rain finally stopped, so too did Brandy's blows. Until finally, the clouds parted as she fell to her side, staring up at the sky covered in the blood and viscera of her slain opponent. Laying next to the completely mangled beast she had just obliterated with her bare hands as she cried. I scrambled over, holding her as the Search And Rescue team soon found us in the carnage.

[jhunter]

Interesting climax, let's how how things continue. Keep up the good work.

[GLKnight]

So, a brief update: made an account on the site what art's for deviants about 10 years ago, and I'll be adding my more adult oriented stuff over there. No story updates this weekend, as I've got to knuckle down and write a Goosebumps-esque short story for my Pay-tree-on, followed by a short Weird Western comic script.

Expect the next BLOCKBUSTER update on the GLKing account over on DA, as well as a continuation to my Wicked + Divine meets Scott Pilgrim influenced story, GETTING WITH THE GODDESSES. Hell, maybe a couple others, too.

And I really should create an account for my more Mainstream fare, as well. Gotta think it over...

[GLKnight]

As soon as they found us, the Search And Rescue team immediately went to work checking on Brandy.

"We've got significant lacerations to Ms. Bustamante's face and chest," one of the men said. "And we've confirmed her body has destabilized more."

"More?", I asked. "What do you mean MORE?"

"Mr. Mercado," one of the women on the team said, putting her hand on my shoulder. "Please try to remain calm-"

I couldn't help myself as I pushed her away from me. No matter what, I wasn't letting go of Brandy. She had just saved my life! And now she was in life threatening danger!

"Remain CALM," I screamed. "HOW CAN I REMAIN CALM? WE WERE JUST ATTACKED! AND NOW YOU'RE SAYING SHE'S DESTABILIZING MORE?!"

"Please," another member of the team said. "You have to remain calm for Ms. Bustamante!"

"Do you not SEE the beast laying right there?", I replied, pointing at the pulverized meat that was the Galger Beast.

"We need you to remain calm because Brandy is suffering Neurotoxin poisoning," the woman who tried to get me to calm down said. "You flying off into panic will only DELAY us being able to save her!"

As I sat there, cradling Brandy's head, I knew they were right. They were absolutely right. I had never been into any form of wilderness before, had never come across anything like a Galger Beast in real life and never been in serious peril like this before. But now, here I was, freaking out over Brandy being hurt so badly for my sake, I was only getting in the way with my antics. So as I held onto her, I closed my eyes and began to take deep breaths to get my nerves to settle down.

"This is really bad," one of the men said. "I can't intubate due to the destabilization. We're gonna have to move her immediately. Did someone call in an evac?"

"Already on the way," another member told him. "ETA 2 minutes."

"Tell them to hurry," I said.

"That's as fast as they can go," the man taking charge said. "We've never had to deal with a Gener being exposed to Galger toxin before, let alone a Second Gener. This is all new territory for everyone."

Suddenly, one of the Rescue team noticed something.

"She's not bleeding," she said. "Why isn't she bleeding?"

"There's no way she should have exclusively internal bleeding," another Rescue member said from the still burning wreckage of my skiff. "She's split open!"

The one taking charge dove his fingers into Brandy's open wounds on her chest, feeling around for something before stopping.

"You gotta be fucking KIDDING..."

"What is it?", the woman by my side asked.

"Her vessels," he said in disbelief. "They're already carbonized."

"Is that bad?", I asked him.

"It makes this more difficult," he replied, more serious than before. "When a Second Gener destabilizes, their body takes on a more carbonized texture. Nothing short of diamond tipped equipment can penetrate their tissue. Mackiewicz!"

"Sir?", one of the men near the wreckage shouted, waving for emphasis.

"Let them know to tell Chalansky that we're got a clusterfuck on our hands. He's not gonna be happy when he lands, but he's gotta know now before it seriously fucks with his plans for her."

My head popped up with that last sentence.

"Plans for her," I asked, worryingly. "What plans for her? What are you going to do with her?"

I started to get agitated. Trying to get to my feet, I was quickly held down by several people as I thrashed and fought back.

"CALM DOWN, MR. MERCADO!"

"I WON'T fucking calm down, and you need to stop fucking DUSTING me! What are your plans for her?!"

"Mr. Mercado," another man shouted. "Calm down, now!"

I didn't know what else to do. Brandy protected me, and now I felt I had to protect her. So I started swinging at everyone, screaming at them to get the fuck away from us. I sent a few of the fuckers to the ground, which felt really damn good, not gonna dust ya. But then I felt something hard and heavy hit the back of my head, causing me to slump forward and to the side as I fell on top of Brandy's arm. All I could do as I felt myself slipping into unconsciousness was roll onto my back and look up at the sky as a transport carrier came to a stop above us. My hand reflexively grabbing Brandy's as I blacked out.

[Sounder9-]

Another nice update! Definitely keeping me at the edge of my seat.