Hecate's Nightmare quickly and effectively takes out the approaching rioters. Mostly swiping its claws and sending them into walls unconscious.
Hella eagerly jumps into the fight with her pipe and proves she's as much of a menace as i figured.
I on the other hand decided slugging them with my fists was the way to go. Normal prisoners with no powers fell too easily to the "Shackles" so it seemed unfair to immediately use them.
On the other hand, whenever they unleash that strange power, the shackles in my hand will throb, like some kind of frantic power is burning.
Inconveniently my vision gradually blurs, and my consciousness returns to that dream again.
In the dream, "I" am whispering to someone...
"Come here, Hecate. This isn't over."
"We agreed..."
After a brief silence, someone reaches out to me. That person wants to move closer to me with intense emotions. I know these emotions... They're....
I try to take that hand, reaching almost desperately with intense, conflicting emotions, but the fractured dream pushes me away...
"It's over." S-019, no Hecate tells me.
'Dammit I missed half the fight...' I blinked "did you say something?"
Hecate glances at me "Chief, are you hurt?"
I shook my head, but I still feel very confused. I don't know if those images happened in reality.
'Could they be more memories I lost?'
"Have we met before?" I asked. Those emotions... Were we friends?
"No, we haven't." Hecate says simply. The eye not covered by the eye patch however tells a different story. It kinda looks sad even though her face didn't change.
I wanted to facepalm.
"'No we haven't' she says. You know, like a liar," I grumbled.
"We've never met before," I said as we backtracked the path I took to get to the cell. "But I know your name."
"Your name isn't S-019... It's Hecate." I said stepping over an unconscious or dead rioter.
Hecate stiffened, her eye widening in silent surprise.
She quickly schooled her expression back to neutral.
"...I don't need that name anymore." She spoke.
"Maybe not but it feels wrong to call someone I'm depending on, a number." I shrugged.
"Then if that's what you want, then call me by that name, Chief." Hecate told me.
I twisted my mouth to half form a smile. But I know it didn't reach my eyes.
That wording... "If that's what you want," I felt uncomfortable by them.
The elevator dinged. We're back where I left Nightingale.
"It's time to go. Adjutant Nightingale is waiting for you." Hecate gestured in front of me.
"...Great, you did it. You regained your power." Nightingale spoke.
"It was a bit to figure it out, but I managed. I think I owe it to Hecate here," I smiled.
"The most important thing is that you're alive." Nightingale decided.
"I didn't expect you would survive either, adjutant. How... awesome." A familiar voice spoke.
I looked to my left side. "Ah I didn't realize you actually listened to me..."
Earlier:
"Hey kid even though you tried to kill me, I'm willing to let you do as you wish.... To an extent. You can stay here and maybe any future prisoners will be lenient or you can come along with me.
Hella scowled angrily and stared at the bent pipe on the ground.
"Alright then, see you around Hella,"
Now:
"Let's end this riot together! I believe Chief can do it!" Hella cheered gleefully, trying her hardest to slide the cutie card. She puts on an innocent and harmless face as if she has never threatened me in her life.
'Crazy switch up,' I thought.
"Only two Sinners left... Did the rest of them manage to escape?" Nightingale asked.
'I honestly didn't think to check,'
"I suppose they did." I said instead.
"Well, having you here is all that matters. Let's leave the rest to the guards and chase after the woman."
"Agreed!" Hella spoke before me.
'This girl...' I deadpanned. "Right we should go after that imposter,"
'That "woman" who forced you to wake up and disguised herself as you. Was she a Sinner too?'
"This riot is just a diversion. This won't be her real agenda." Nightingale remarked.
"We've got the coordinates, Chief. Please come with me."
".. Hella, Hecate let's go,"
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"Watch out. The enemy is here."
"Warning heeded" I nodded.
The sound of liquid flowing comes from the surrounding walls and under the ground. I watched as several monsters taking shape slowly before my eyes.
"This is a monster she created... Looks like we're very close to the target." Nightingale informed.
"Get ready to fight. I'll fight with you all."
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"This is..." Hecate breathed in something akin to surprise.
"The underground Sinner experiment area... We've caught up." Nightingale informed us.
The intruder stands operating quickly in front of a strange-looking pyramid with her face still looking like mine.
Nightingale immediately fired her gun, shooting two bullets.
"Hehehe, don't waste your bullets, Miss Nightingale. You know that won't affect me." She laughed.
"Or perhaps, are you so eager to shoot your own Chief?"
I hid that I wanted to say 'it's okay, I'd shoot me too,'
Instead I said "I won't hold it against you,"
Nightingale looked alarmed at this. Pushing away her surprise she
"You're nothing but a counterfeit." Nightingale shot back.
"Even if you could steal his bio-information, you can't replicate his power. Surrender, Sinner Shapeshifter."
'A codename? Already?' I wondered.
"The "shackles" are quite tricky indeed, but there are still things I can do with this beautiful face."
I wanted to flip her off but I was holding Hella back. I didn't want her getting hurt even if I had seen her injuries heal before.
As "he" speaks, "his" hand presses on the operation panel to activate the system.
"I hate that I have no idea what that does" I muttered.
Identity confirmed— the Chief of MBCC-
Loading access-
Permitting access.
The tip of the pyramid cracks opens into a narrow door. The intruder walks in while a gigantic figure blocks your way.
"Ah hell," I grimaced.
"Holy shit! What monster is this?!" Hella blurted.
"Oh shit did I teach her that?" I asked. Hecate poked me in the side.
"Right not helping," I put a hand to my forehead.
"Hecate -" I started.
Hecate, along with her "Nightmare", stands in front of you.
"I will come back to you once I finish what I need to do. Until then, I'll let my pet keep you entertained." The imposter Chief spoke.
"I'm not entertained in the least," I protested.
"She's buying time again... But watch out, this enemy is different from the ones we faced!" Nightingale spoke.
"This monster is on a higher level. Chief, be on your guard."
'can I use the shackles on the monsters?' I wondered abruptly.