For nearly ten minutes, the group traveled on, unaccosted by any of the remaining three Machine Kings. R.D. knew, however, not to let his guard down, as he knew they would still be attacked; Matt's knowledge of this particular world was becoming quite useful. Ileyna and Mamoru quickly directed them down several specific tunnels as they tried to get stronger readings from the Omega Essence and the Zonder's core.

Soon enough, his vigilance paid off. The water in one particular intersection of tunnels surged up and exploded, revealing a large... thing floating in the center of the water. It looked like an obscene cross of a ship, a cartoon sailor, and a snail; with a single glaring, golden eye. Anchor-like pincers clacked as it turned that eye on them, and the Zonderian spoke.

"I am Pinchernone!" he cried in a crisp, high monotone. "You shall go no farther!"

It released a sudden, wailing, teeth-chattering laugh despite no obvious mouth to be found on it. R.D. lifted his hands up to his ears to block out the grating sound of the Machine King's laughter.

Meta shook her head, confused herself as Kuro was. "I dunno." She uttered, until she really tried to recall what had happened before--or rather, later. "Wait, I know. I was fighting Hydro, the king of the sea serpents, when he transformed into a humanoid shape and drew the Sword of Time." The dark-skinned girl cursed under her breath. "Dammit, that sword must've been the cause of all this shit." Her red eyes turned to Kuro's in a glare. "And you are the one who created both those damn things, too!"

Edited by Morphman on March 14, 2009 at 10:55:59.

"Get back!" Helena shouted to Ileyna and Mamoru, waving them back with a quick motion. Mamoru stepped back toward the darkness, glancing quick over his shoulder.

Matt leapt in the murky water, facing Pinchernone head-on. The ship-based Machine King, eh? Time to show him why even the water wasn't safe. "Let's see how you dance!" he shouted, and plunged his gauntlet into the drink. A wave burst foward, and the water froze into daggers of ice that threatened to overtake Pinchernone.

Almost immediately, Pinchernone melted back into the depths, allowing the icy projectiles to flit harmlessly past. R.D. jumped down into the water next to Matt as Pinchernone appeared in another direction of the waterway intersection.

"Fools!" it yelled at them. "Manipulation of water is not enough to stop me! My capabilities far exceed your own!"

The water in front of him suddenly exploded forward into a large wave. R.D. readied himself for a copy of Matt's attack when suddenly black, submarine-looking torpedoes burst out of the wave as it surged forward. With a startled cry, R.D. flung himself out the way, while the torpedoes exploded past him against the sides of the waterway ledges.

"Shit!" Without enough time to react, Matt crossed his arms, and a thin shield flashed into life just as the torpedo hit, filling the sewer with a contained explosion. He and Helena both cried out as they were knocked to the ground.

Helena pushed herself up. Hugo wasn't around now to help them out. If Pinchernone went after Mamoru and Ileyna...

She managed to stand, as her claws slid out again. She had to defend them, if it came to that.

As the water began to settle from the detonations of the torpedoes, the sounds of footsteps smashing down through liquid could be heard, and R.D. charged forward at Pinchernone. The Zonderian's eye turned to observe him as he jumped up and forward, attacking with his sword. The anchor-like grapple hand suddenly moved forward and caught R.D. by the ankle and swung, smashing R.D. hard into the wall.

The amnesiac released a pained grunt as the wind was knocked out of him. The arm lifted him back up and threw him back towards Matt before releasing another volley of torpedo drones at them.

"Whoops!" Matt caught R.D. mid-toss, and as he swung about to kick the missiles back in Penchinone's direction, R.D. was flung about like a ragdoll, even used to bounce back a missile at one point.

"I need to help them," Helena said, looking at the kids. "Stay back. And Mamoru...don't be afraid." She took a few steps toward Penchinone's back, biting back the pain as her arms grew in strength and monstrosity, gearing up to release a great burst of flame at the Machine King's back.

R.D. quickly dislodged himself from Matt's grasp, throwing a glare at him for what he was used for. Landing on his feet in the water, R.D. quickly turned back to Pinchernone just in time to see Helena attack.

Pinchernone also detected the assault, and shifted in the water, getting a better look at the transforming dragon girl while avoiding her flame attack. Filing the information away, the Machine King gestured upwards with one of the back-mounted arms, causing torpedoes to shoot up out of the water at the ceiling. They exploded violently, raining debris down on the girl.

"Wait..." Meta held up a hand at Kuro's face as if to tell him to be silent for a bit. She let out a sigh as she rubbed her temples and started to walk around slowly, not bothered much by the black winds, the rolling flames, the bolts of lightning and the crystals of dark and cold icicles that swirled around for miles surrounding their position as if a storm was there. "If it is true and I am not of this age, and you know nothing of the Sword of Time, I can only conclude that this age is way before the one I was born in." She said. "Hydro is still whatever he was, Electra still Awai's daughter and the Six Weapons of Destructions have not yet been created." The woman stared down at her gauntleted hand and the fingers that shone with the colours of different rare metals. Was this thing even created in this time? She thought, yet unaware of it's meaning as the Sixth Perfect Weapon.

Helena screamed, leaping away-and it was an impressive leap. She bounded completely to the other walkway with one single jump, and she landed like an animal, a bit surprised.

"Hey, asshat!" Matt suddenly fell on the Machine King, stradding its back as he reared back with a heavy fist. "You forgot your complimentary gift of PAIN!" He struck Pinchernone with a disruptive blow, unleashing a large burst of earth energy that magnified the attack.

"Hm, how true." Meta hummed sarcastically at Kuro's words. "Those Light guys do have a way with one-liners though. Sure, it's better than a monologue that gives your opponent a chance to strike, but geez..."

Meta looked over Awai's and Kuro's forms. They looked rather different from what she could recall of them. Of course, she had never met them before--in her time that was--so it was possible that whatever book she had seen their pictures in had just been erroneous. However, if Awai and Kuro truly were at their most powerful as she guessed, then it wouldn't be a good idea to stick around, even though she could duplicate some of the techniques that Kuro had initially invented, thanks to carefully watching Electra's and Hydro's battle styles. She just hoped that their battle would be short and quick, and that the planet would still be there afterwards, otherwise there would be little for her to take.

"Aaahhhh!"

The Zonderian cried out in pain and fury as Matt struck, damaging him in the same method R.D. had to the marauding Zonder up on the surface. Suddenly, Pinchernone's four arms reached up at Matt, grabbing at his arms and legs so he could throw the annoying brat off of him.

R.D. saw his chance and opened fire at the Zonderian, but Pinchernone's torpedo drones suddenly issued out of the water, forcing him to duck and back away from the explosives.

===Antarctica===

"The Isle of Holy Darkness," Relayia specified. "A remote island hidden in the oceans of the world. The shrine there is used to keep the Nature Elemental dormant. Considering the state of the planet thanks to the machinations of the Seven Beasts, it was all the more reason to keep her dormant."

Sighing, the Queen of Dragons looked back over at the group. "We were unable to guard it, due to the circumstances here. Now, two specific emotion Elementals must have been taken to the shrine there," she explained. "And placed on the two altars. Now the Nature Elemental has awakened, and her wrath can be felt by all of those attuned to nature, such as we of the Dragon Tribes. I can think of precious few people who would aspire to cause such an upheaval."

Lance panted as he held the field, now fully furious at himself for his own mistake. When she spoke, he listened and replied, "Okay." Immediately his hold on her loosened and snapped, restoring her full movement at once but not before Lance had moved in front of her. His complexion was sympathetic and worried as he looked at her intense panic. Slowly and carefully, expecting a slap to the face at any time, he said, "I'm not going to hurt you; if I had wanted to I would have already."

The time field's walls still remained but he hoped with all of his might that she wouldn't try running through them, finding that their surface was rock hard and she had little chance of escaping right now. Only if she was calm could he correct his massive screw up. He raised his hands defensively and as a measure of good faith to show his sincerity that it was not harm he wished to result from the situation.

"Nyah!" Matt was tossed curtly into the filthy water, and it got in his mouth, and oh God, it was so DISGUSTING.

Helena stood back up. Creasing her brow, she thrust out her palms, releasing a strong gout of flame at the Machine King.

Fire smashed against the hull of Pinchernone's body, and the Machine King bellowed. Water exploded up all around him to ward off the powerful flames, dousing it away. Glaring, Pinchernone lashed out by summoning up more torpedoes in multiple directions, causing havoc in the enclosed chamber.

"Get back!" R.D. shouted towards the kids, as Ileyna stumbled away from a torpedo that exploded too close for their comfort.

R.D. spun around to attack, but saw Pinchernone's body speeding towards him. Unable to block, R.D. was smashed into the wall by Pinchernone's ram. The Zonderian's anchor hands shot out at him, only for R.D. to grab them with both hands, trying to force them back in a contest of strength.

"Get... off of... me!" he growled, trying to push the Machine King away.

===Audrey's House, Argentina, South America===

The lock on her mobility released, Audrey stumbled backwards before regaining her footing. She quickly backed farther away, until her back hit something solid. Her mind screamed at her that there wasn't anything there in the kitchen that should impede her progress; not where she was standing.

The girl was panting heavily now, as her "assailant" made calming gestures, making no threatening moves to her. Slowly, she was beginning to calm down.

Helena ran back, trying to shield herself as explosions sent her falling into the water with a huge splash.

Meanwhile, Matt was up, weaving through the explosions, until Pinchernone engaged R.D. in close combat. And if he was distracted up front...

"Surprise!" Matt shouted, launching a fist into he imagined to be up the asshole's aft end.

"Helena!" Ileyna cried, seeing the girl fall into the water thanks to the explosions caused by the torpedoes.

Pinchernone's back hand suddenly caught Matt's fist as it flew, stopping it with a minor amount of struggle.

"Idiots! I am far more capable than a mere human!" he cried out shrilly before laughing wildly. "Bre-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e!"

"Shut the hell up!" R.D. bellowed, irritated by the Zonderian's annoying laughter, as his hands exploding with blue fire. Forcing the Zonderian back with the Godhand, R.D. began to push off from the wall, forcing Pinchernone back, much to the Machine King's surprise.

Matt curled his fingers, and they crackled with electricity. "ProTip: NO ONE CARES!" He smashed his other hand into the Machine King, sending electricity coursing across its frame.

Helena laid facedown in the swamp, not moving.

"Ahhh!!"

The lightning coursed through Pinchernone, and it was only with quick timing that R.D. was able to channel Earth energy to ground himself from it dancing over onto him as well. Using the moment to his advantage, R.D. twisted and flung the Zonderian to the side, away from him.

Blue light bloomed over Helena as Ileyna flew over to her, reaching down to touch the woman. "Helena! Are you okay?? Helena!"

Hearing Ileyna's cries, Matt turned around. "Oh, shit." He stomped through the sewer water over to her, reaching in and hoisting her body. God, she was damp and damn near unconcious. "Helena! Speak to me, kid, don't leave me now!"

Explosions wracked the other side of the room, as more and more torpedoes converged on R.D., who did his best to get out of the way, or get shields up to block them. Pinchernone stared furiously as he concentrated on getting R.D. taken out.

"A little help here, please!?" R.D. yelled back at Matt, as he blocked another torpedo that tried to smash into his gut.

"Shit!" Matt carefully lowered Helena against the sideway edge. "Keep an eye on her!" he shouted.

"Okay!" Mamoru said, as Matt leapt back into the battle.

With one rising kick, Matt tore up a wave of water. "Splash Bullet!" He thrusted out his palm and riccocheted the water droplets all about the Machine King.

"Come on, help me get her out of the water," Ileyna said, floating down near Mamoru. She pulled Helena's left arm around her shoulder, intending for her and Mamoru to fly her up to the walkway.

Which would be fortuitious, as R.D. began to take advantage of Matt's Splash Bullet attack. As the liquid bullets bounced all over the place, between the torpedoes and the flustered Pinchernone, electricity danced between R.D.'s fingertips as he spread them out, and then waved his hand out at it.

The lightning blasted through the various bullets, creating a shocking trap for the Machine King, who shrieked in surprise and anger.

Matt's fists burst into flames as he rushed Pinchernone. He struck the Machine King over and over with glancing blows that hit him left and right, finishing by grabbing the boat and smashing his forehead into him.

The hull-like carapace that served as Pinchernone's body did much in the way of protecting him from Matt's furious attacks, though the fires did sear him. Once more, his anchor-like claws reached out to grab at Matt.

A blue blade flashed down at the shell-like wheel of Pinchernone's back, causing him to cry out in pain. "What!?"

R.D. spun the second Phase Blade around as he readied himself to continue, now that he had Pinchernone's attention. Bringing up to his face, he stabbed forward at Pinchernone, forcing him to block with one of his hands.

As Mamoru and Ileyna moved Helena onto the walkway, her eyes fluttered open. "Unh...what's going on?"

"You were knocked out by an explosion," Mamoru said, over the din of battle. "We pulled you away from the fight."

She looked over to it now. R.D. and Matt had teamed up to attack the Machine King, and now Matt was wildly pummeling the mechanical monster's sides. Some help she turned out to be.

Steadily, the Zonderian was being forced back towards one of the tunnels as R.D. and Matt continued their furious onslaught against them.

"Enough!" he suddenly bellowed in his shrill voice. Suddenly, from the water behind him, and from the water behind the two boys, more torpedoes shot out at rapid intervals, attacking them from both sides.

"Shit!" R.D. yelled as the explosions began to blanket the area around them, causing debris to rain down on them.