53 Don't Mine in the Dark

Issac's party soon arrived to the Outback, a vast desert like region, near an oasis. There were multiple cave entrances, that spread out across the wastelands. The mines must be located inside of those, but what exactly they were investigating, remained a mystery.

"Why can't we just investigate the desert? Medatros is off his rocker to think those mines are going to be a walk in the park. This blows big time." Issac sighed, with Nari and Kirb behind him.

"I don't think it will be that bad. As long as we don't trigger any old explosives we should be fine. Granted, this heat is terrible." Nari says, pulling to her shirt collar, to let out some steam.

"If it's dark in there....Urgh...." Issac groaned.

"Dark?... That would make for a challenge to keep accuracy up." Kirb rubbed his ear.

"That is not what I am worried about." Issac pouted lazily.

Nari creeps up behind Issac, "BOO!" she exclaimed, as she lifted her hands into the air.

"EEP!!" Issac jumped uneasily, stumbling forward. He whirled around to sneer at her, "DON'T DO THAT!"

Nari giggles, "We'll be fine Issac, remember though, you're the leader, so you have to be brave for all of us. I do hope it won't take us long down there."

Issac groaned again, starting to walk towards the nearest entrance. Kirb leaned his elbow to Nari's shoulder. "Take it easy on him. We need to make sure he doesn't freeze up in combat."

Nari nods, "Yeah that would be pretty bad...Hmm..." She begin pondering to herself a little.

"Scheming something now, miss Rice?" Kirb jested.

"Hee hee! Now I wouldn't say that. Let's hurry after Issac." Nari says, taking Kirb by his hand.

Kirb shook his head chuckling, as they progressed after the blue haired boy. Passing through the heat infested location, to the humid cave didn't take much time. They stood at the entrance, behind Issac. There were electric torches lining the walls, that trailed deep into the cavern, growing pitch black. Issac shivered a bit, as a bat flew over his head from the cave.

Nari giggles, "Issac, you're supposed to be playing the brave one here." She teased.

"Heh...heh...heh..." Issac looked uneasy, but Kirb pushed his hands to both of their backs, urging them inside. "H-Hey!" Issac gawked.

"Come on, we don't got all day." Kirb muttered.

"...." Issac made a irritated pouting expression.

Nari was examining the cave around, and wipes some sweat from her head,"I knew I should have dressed lighter, but what can you do on missions?" She says, stopping to take her over shirt off. "Ah, much better! I hope this doesn't become routine."

"Should plan better clothes then, or just go naked." Kirb walked ahead of them, into the cave.

Nari grins to Kirb, "Naked, eh?" She says, adding in a playful growl.

The group continues on, Issac taking the rear as he kept close, nervously looking around like a frantic idiot to the ceilings, and walls behind them.

Kirb took his jacket off, tying it around his waist, revealing a white wife-beater top. "Seems like it's hotter in here then outside. Must be the lack of wind." He muttered.

"Now who has to take off their clothes next time?" Nari snapped back to Kirb, slyly.

"Don't get cheeky now, sweet cheeks." Kirb glanced to her playfully.

Nari giggles then her attention turns to Issac, "Hmm, Issac aren't you warm in that?" She says, scratching her head.

He nearly bumps into her, looking Nari's way. "Uh. No." He crossed his arms, "High tolerance to the heat..."

"I bet it's to really to cover those scars on your arms." Nari says, placing her hands to her hips.

Kirb's ear twitches as he glances back. He wasn't wearing his headphones like he usually did. Issac groaned, pushing ahead of them, with a grumpy expression. "This heat is nothing, so knock it off. Also! That's not public knowledge, kay." He grumbled.

Nari giggles, "Issac..." She then catches herself, coughing in her hand, "You're right...Hmm this heat must be getting to me."

Elsewhere in the mines, the former doctor of AM, Scape, was wandering the cave. "Maaan these caves go deep, but I need some moonstone." He says, keeping his flash light steady ahead of him.

As he went deeper, he noticed what appeared to be a girl tied up to a rock formation. She had her mouth covered with a gag cloth, that was tied around her head. She was shuffling, trying to get loose, but it was no good. However, what caught Scape's attention was her rabbit ears. This was a blond haired usa girl.

Scape cracks a wide smile, "Whoa...Forget the moonstone, I think I found something even better." He says, walking closer to the Usa in bondage.

As Scape got closer, what looked to be a horse barged in his way, rearing with hooves coming at his face. Scape fell back, peering up to see a male centaur, looking down at him with a spade over his shoulder. "Crikey... Not another one. First the ankle bitter sheila, now this ratbag bloke? This has became a real rip snorter." The centaur stated sarcastically, with an Australian accent.

"Jeez, what kind of story book you jump out of? You're like... yeah... I must be high..." Scape says, rubbing his eyes.

"Do you got the wobbly boot on, or something? You ain't making sense, mate." The centaur looked to Scape, oddly.

"No offense dude, but neither is your body." Scape says, turning his attention to the tied up Usa girl. "Her though, I can make sense of any day."

"You yabber a lot, for some bloke who has roos loose on the top padlock." The centaur held the sharp spade to Scape's neck. "Maybe you've had a bit too much amber fluid. Either way, I got you bailed up here. You're stonkered, get it?"

"I get stoned, but that other thing? Man...That is sharp." Scape says, nervously.

"Move it Stickybeak. Over by the sheila." The centaur insisted, motioning his shovel.

Scape sighs, "Whatever dude, just watch where you point that thing."

Scape was shoved over to the usa, and tied up. His back was to the opposite side of the rock to her's. He could hear the trotting of the centaur walking over, to start digging again.

"This is a pretty hard rock." Scape says, squirming.

Issac's group was still progressing on their end of things. Suddenly, their vision became dark as the sound of static is heard around them. Soon as the haze of darkness clears, they are treated to the sight of Freeze Terrors, however they were carrying flames in place of the ice. Issac subconscious drew his power glove in panic, slashing at one near him, nervously with his whip. He struck it, as it flew back into a wall, exploding on impact. It sends a shock wave shaking the cave, allowing a hanging ceiling spike to fall onto the path behind them. The remaining enemy still looming, and making it's way at them.

"Ohh, a Heat Terror." Nari says, cautioning herself, "I'm surprised you hit that one so accurately, you have a ten percent chance of connecting with them! We should also be careful though. As displayed there, their body parts explode on impact, some even spread flames."

"A little late to explain that, egghead." Issac groaned.

Kirb drew his pistols, and proceeded to fire. However, his shots flew through them, as the lights dimmed. "Grr... Forget to mention something else?"

"Oh yes...Hee hee. When it's dark, they're kind of untouchable... So, getting back far is our best chance. I'm still surprised Issac pulled that off!" Nari says, getting excited.

"Peachy." Kirb sighed, holding up his pistols again. He squinted his eyes, taking aim.

Issac got back a bit, "These things are pretty freak'n creepy..."

As he muttered that, a bullet flew by, right as the lights flickered brighter. The bullet connects, but flies through it's brown cloak. It begins to flame up, and darts at them all quickly. Issac rolls out of the way, and swings his whip, which flew through the Terror. The lights had dimmed again, and Kirb had his aim set once more. As soon as the lights filled the room again, he lets off one more shot, nailing the foe in the head.

"Head shot." Kirb smirked.

The foe begins to light up, and explodes abruptly. It's head flies at Nari, as it closes the gap however, a bullet flies at it instantly, ricocheting the cranium into a nearby wall, before igniting into explosive flames.

"...T-That was too close..THANK YOU KIRBY!" Nari says, hugging to Kirb.

"Nothing my pea-shooters couldn't handle." He patted her head.

Issac sighed, disengaging his glove. "I swear, any more jump scares, and I'm going to die." He muttered.

"Are you still alive over there!?" Scape's voice called over to them.

Issac lifted his head, seeing a pathway not far from them. He could barely make out someone tied up, then it hit him. He sweated slightly. "Of all people...."

"Hm? You know that person? How can you even see him from here? You're human, right?" Nari questioned.

"Unfortunately, but yeah I am. It must be from that infection I had gotten with the DD. My senses have been heighten since then, I think." He rubbed his head. "Anyways, might as well see what's going on with 'Dr. Stoner'." Issac walked towards the entrance of the chamber.

"Oh! Okay... (Wow...Really makes me want to work on him, if I get the chance... Then waiting for him to get knocked out or...Urgh...I need to stop it! Ha ha...)" Nari says, to herself, giggling out loud.

Kirb glanced down to her, "Day dreaming, Riceball?"

"Something like that. Hee hee. Dark Dama intrigues me... But let's focus on the mission. I wonder how Issac knows this guy." Nari says, walking ahead of Kirb.

"Gotcha." Kirb took out a strawberry from his pocket, as he followed her.

Issac reached Scape, crossing his arms. "Scape."

"Issac?" Scape inquires.

"Yu-huh." Issac raises a brow.

"Can you uhh...Untie me? Perhaps help my friend on the other side, too? See, I was just here doing my own things, then out of nowhere. Some man with horse parts just jumped me. I thought I was trippin' balls, but nah, this was real man." Scape explained.

"Like a centaur?..." Issac lowered his arms, glancing to the side, to get bucked back hard into a wall. Rocks crumbled around him, before Nari and Kirb could even enter the chamber.

There stood the centaur, his tail flipped slightly, as he eyed them. "Strewth, there's more of you dipsticks? I'm just trying to battler beyond the black stump of yakka... I thought this was an ace idea, now I got more of you ratbags to deal with. Crikey man."

Nari cups her hands together, in excitement. "O.M.G, a Centaur!? I never thought I'd see one! This mission just gets more amazing!" She says, ecstatically.

Kirb glanced to her, his ears lowered as he panned his eyes to the centaur. Issac sat up, fixing his ponytail. "Jeez, that freak'n HURT!" He groaned, grabbing to the wall to stand up.

"They didn't nickname me 'Buck-Wild' for no reason, bloke." The centaur crossed his front hooves, as he tapped the shovel to his shoulder.

Scape sighs, "Hey, uhh, I'm still tied up?" He says, in a annoyed manner.

The shovel bottom of the spade, smacked against Scape's face, as the centaur peers down with a chuckle. "Quit yabbering like a didgeridoo."

Scape now had his head down, he seemed to have been knocked out.

"Well, let's hope you're not who we're looking for." Nari says, crossing her arms. "Would be a shame, I kind of wanted a centaur for a pet."

"You must be joking." Kirb narrowed his eyes, leering at the centaur. His tone sounded jealous.

Nari catches Kirb by his arm, "There's no way I'd take him over you, Kirby. It's just cool seeing one! What do you think? Should we adopt it?"

"Before you two get any ideas, we need to be careful here." Issac got up beside them, speaking seriously. "I mean, I kinda just got decked through a wall!" Issac was irritated to say the least.

The centaur grinned, "This bloke is built like a brick shit house, ain't he? Guess we get to rage on, how ridgy-didge. Alright Dingo, let's see what you're made of." He shifted the shovel in his hands.

Kirb had his fingers to his pistols, as Nari gets to a defensive posture, "Who are you anyway?" She inquired.

Issac changed his stance, to prepare for battle, but the Centaur turned his attention to the lady of the party. "Uh, now this sheila's ear bashing me... well, bored shitless anyway... Fine. I was fossicking through the mines to dig up some treasure, ya'know it kinda stands out like a shag on a rock, with this spade. Bloody oath. So uh... Doovalacky... oh, right, My mate's call me 'Buck-wild', but if you want to get technical, Maybe I should give you some good oil." The centaur held the shovel back to his shoulder. "G'day, Name's Maxwhyld Kennshin, but just call me Max. I'm just some bloke who's a Punk rocker, and a treasure hunter. Fun stuff. Thing is, if I don't stand out like dog's balls already, being a centaur, I would think you could guess who I am."

Issac gritted his teeth, "Zodiac."

Max grinned, laughing, "Ah this bloke's sharp too. I can't help grinning like a shot fox. My title is Sagittarius, as you probably expected. So, wanna fight about it, mates?"

Nari sighs, "I guess we really don't have a choice. Unless you want to skip town, and join us. We don't always have to fight." She suggested.

"No can do, sheila. I can figure you and your mates here, are the Peace Makers the others have been yabbering about, back at HQ. Mean as cat's piss, but hey, you stickybeaks have to cark it, or Life will be sending others to ear bash me, like nobody's business." Max arched his shovel, getting the boys attention to ready their weapons.

"Well, at least I tried. Get ready guys. From the attack he hit Issac with, he's packing a lot of power! I'd say keeping distance is our best option." Nari explained, taking out her virtual computer.

"Oh yeah, just use me as an example to gauge his strength." Issac grunted sarcastically.

"Quit your yabbering mates, let's rage here, eh? Get the bodies moving, and all that." Max spoke up, readying his shovel. "Take a squizz at this!" He exclaimed, rushing them as he swung it hard, in their general direction.

The shovel flies their direction, as Issac and company avoid it. It smashes into the ground, creating a shock wave, kicking up dirt and debris. Kirb lets off some shots, which fly, hitting Max in his shoulder, however, some of the others had bounced off. Max grunts, as he charges in their direction again. Issac then forms his whip, as he slides, swinging it across the floor. It wraps around Max's hooves, tripping him into the ground. Max quickly pushes himself up, he grips more tightly to his shovel, and slams into the ground, creating an earthquake. Rocks begin to fall in on Issac and company, as Max rushes their direction fast. He rams into Kirb, who then is hit into Nari. Issac was dodging some falling debris, when out of no where, Max smashes him in the back with his shovel. Issac is shot through a couple of falling stones, and Max now stood starring in his direction.

Nari was sparking around of dark electricity, slightly from the strike. She squints, looking up as Max made eye contact with her, Kirb beside her. "...I-Issac...Ki..Kirb!?" She urged quickly.

"You bludgers makes this too easy, coming a guster like this. Well, I'm bored shitless again." Max said, trotting over to them, tapping his shovel to his shoulder.

He prepares to reach for Nari, but his wrist is caught by Issac's whip. Max grins, pulling Issac his direction, flinging him across the cavern. Issac crashes beside the usa girl, who was tied up, squirming still. His necklace had fallen off in the process, as he was trying to push off the ground. Max turns his attention back to Kirb and Nari.

"Oh no!" Nari yells, scrambling to get her computer, "(I wish I had trained more with my elements!)"

Max kicked up some dirt with his front right hoof, before charging Nari's way. Kirb got up from the rubble, squinting, as he grabbed Nari, before rolling out of the way with her. The centaur came to a halt, picking up dust from shifting his weight their direction.

Max quirked a brow, "I'm trying to make a quid here. If you two just wanted to have a naughty, you should have stayed home on your swag. You're tin-arsed I missed."

Nari gasps blushing, "T-Thanks...Urgh.." She was hardly able to speak, due to how quickly things went.

Kirb seemed pretty beat up, wincing briefly, before looking back to Max. The centaur was trotting their way.

"Squizz at this, you're about as useful as tits on a bull like that. Can you even stand, hare?" Max mocked a bit, drawing nearer.

From behind, Issac leapt onto Max's back. "You're really starting to piss me off!" He snapped, holding on.

Max began to buck, and rear with Issac as an unwanted rider. "EY! Get off!! I'm not some pony at a carnival, you wuss!"

Issac wasn't letting go, using his whip to tango with the centaur, gripping it around Max's chest. He was galloping around the cavern, trying to dismount the rider. Issac was struggling greatly, and was slipping from his position, hanging on for dear life. He disengaged the whip, right as Max reared again, and formed his sword, slashing at the centaur's back. In the process he slid off him, but was bucked hard once more. He tumbled across the ground, as Max approached him, slamming the shovel into the dirt nearby.

He was cracking his knuckles. "Bloody wacka. Get ready to get stonkered."

Max proceeded to stampeded Issac, slamming his front hooves down roughly to him. Issac took the hits, squinting as he held his arms like a shield. The beating proceeded, but Issac managed to slip in a surprise attack. He slashed his power glove's blade, unintentionally slicing off Max's front legs. The centaur whinnied in pain, tumbling to the side. The blood from his dismembered legs was covering Issac's clothes, as the boy stared in utter surprise at what he did.

"Urgh! This bloody hurts!... Grrr... Go on... give it a burl... dickhead.. Ffff..." Max grunted, from the agony.

Nari's eyes widen, "I...Issac?.." She was unable to speak.

"Holy crap." Kirb muttered, staring as well.

Issac coughed a bit, as he got to his feet, and wiped blood from his lip. He looked down to the centaur, who was riling in pain. "You kicking me through a wall, that hurt! Maybe it you weren't trying to stamp me out like a cigarette, I wouldn't have had to do that! There's a special place in Stykx for people like you!" Issac spat out.

"You clucky yobbo, you didn't lose your legs!!.. Urgh.. mean as... cat's piss.. Go on, yabber away! You're already spewin' like a fireball! Kill me, get it over with!" Max demanded, his voice cracking.

"Wait! Issac, he can be one more to help us...Think, I can repair his legs. Then he'd have no reason, but to help us! We don't have to kill everyone!" Nari begs.

Issac didn't look to Nari. "You want this horse so bad, then you reason with him. I am not dealing with this crap." Issac scoffed.

Nari nods, standing to her feet. She walks over to Max looking down to him, "Please, don't fight. You know as good as I do, that nothing, but more pain comes after this. Join us in bringing down Kaos, and Espionage."

"Get over yourself, sheila. I am MISSING my front legs! I am bleeding out... do you really think I'd just turncoat, and help the stickybeaks who did this to me? No. KILL me. Do it.... Nothing else matters anyway." Max sneered to Nari, trying to shift himself, but failing.

"You're sure about this? You really think there's nothing left for you?" Nari says, trying to keep calm.

"Rack off...I'm not some reffo, so quit yabbering at me.. You have this brumby all bailed up... already... besides... urgh.. I don't give a pig's arse, I am not going to nut out this with you... I'm not your mate, and you're not mine... Squizz?... This bloke's already... as cross as a frog in a sock..." Max laid back, he was hurting pretty bad as he closed his eyes. "I couldn't bring myself lob in to see my sheila like this... just... end it... I can't face Sal this way..."

Issac formed his power glove's crossbow. Without hesitation he shoved it against the bottom of Max's jaw. "Some self pity." Issac said, his tone dark, as he pulled the trigger. The laser arrow bursted through the centaur's skull, staying in place as his motion stopped. Issac then walked passed Nari, the atmosphere around him darkening. "You can take care of the rest here. I'm out." Issac looked over with a sharp gaze, heading out of the cavern.

"I-Issac!?" Nari stammered, looking back to Max. Her eyes then caught something shiny near one of the hostages. It was laying on the ground, not far off from them. "What is that?" She says, running over to it. She crouched down, to pick up Issac's necklace. It had fallen off in the scuffle it seemed.

Nari feels around the necklace, instantly getting a feeling of it pulling to her energy, "This...It feels like a limiter, I can't even pull to my electricity. Or at least it's making me feel this way..." Her eyes shoot wide, as she came to a realization, "WAIT! This, Issac, so that's why he went so crazy there. This had to be holding down his Dark Dama." She says, turning back to Kirb. "Hey, we need to untie them, and then get after Issac quick!"

"Yeah, he was acting strange, but whatever you say Riceball." Kirb replied, he seemed in pretty bad shape, but managed to his feet to walk over. He crouched down to the hostages, and pulled to a knife from his back pocket, to cut the rope. He reached his hand to Scape's nose, holding it shut. As the usa pulled the rag from her mouth, Scape coughs coming back to consciousness, he then slaps Kirb's hand away. "Uhh dude, what the hell are you doing?"

"Waking you up." Kirb muttered, standing back up, as he turned his attention to Nari.

The usa girl had gotten to her feet prior to him, "This is not what I'd call a party!" She crossed her arms with a huff, puffing out her cheeks.

"Nah, real party's need the buzz juice...Which I still need to get." Scape says, turning his attention around the cave.

Nari crosses her arms, "Not even a thank you? We saved you from a VERY bad outcome."

"Urgh, please just cut the talking, okay? I know what Zodiac is, and the organization you're from. I'm not some dead beat, who just magically ended up here. Honestly, you just made my job easier. Nothing to stop me from getting the goods here." Scape says, looking to the Usa, "What do you say? You wanna join up with me, and get the buzz in this place?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about, but I bet these people who saved us have sweets, and I'm hungry! So I think I'll go with them, besides, there's another bunny, so I can trust them!" The usa giggled.

"..." Kirb rolled his eyes, he had developed a dislike for other usas by this point.

"Wait, you don't want any moon stone? Like seriously? Urgh, then moon stone without anything to eat would be bad. Gives you the munchies." Scape says, placing a hand in his pocket. "I'm with bunny, let's go."

The usa looked to him, with her hands to her hips, shoving an ear to his forehead grumpily. "My name is Teegan! Not Bunny... Stupid... whatever you are..." She pouted.

Scape smiles, "My name is Scape, Teegan... I like that."

Nari groans, "We're loosing time! Kirb? Let's get them back to the base, and go after Issac, the mission may be completed, but we're missing our captain!"

"You got it, Sweet cheeks." Kirb smirked to her, as he followed after her.

Teegan pushed Scape off, skipping after Nari and Kirb. "I like her. She's got spunk." Scape says, walking after them.