Meal 40
"It's almost here," cried Drag looking straight up. He couldn't see anything beyond the inner shell of the remains of the planet, but to him, Yure, Glenn, and Snow they could tell that was very true.
"Are w-we almost in position?" stuttered Yure. His steps were accompanied by the squish of a soaked diaper. "If we survive this, I'm really going to need a change."
"Hmm," pondered Snow. "A few steps this way."
"I understand why we need to be over here to pull this crazy plan off," commented Glenn. "But how precise do we have to be? Is a couple of feet going to make a difference?"
"If we are," explained Snow. "Then all we will achieve is adjusting the trajectory of Meatier and it will still destroy everything."
"Oh, which way did we have to move a few feet?" said Glenn. Snow pointed and Glenn hurried over.
"This should be about right," breathed Snow trying to calm his racing heart. "If we aim straight up with should hit Meatier straight on. Now we just need to ensure we've got the power to back up our attack. If it isn't enough, Meatier will break through and kill us all, though we'll be first by a couple seconds since it'll land right on top of us."
"Then let's give it everything we've got and blast it to pieces!" said Glenn eager to get started.
"We aren't attacking so much as pushing," replied Drag.
"We don't have the power to destroy it and even if we were all at full strength we wouldn't have the power to repel it," continued Yure.
"But Drag said we're pushing it," pointed out Glenn. "Just what are we aiming to do?"
"Slow it down so it can safely land," explained Snow. "And even then, we're going to need to do a lot of praying to hope the planet isn't still wiped out. We all also have to make sure that we get far enough away from this area before Meatier lands or we'll be crushed to death."
"It's crazy, dangerous, and sounds like we're going to die," cried Glenn. "But I guess it's the best chance we've got. So, what do we have to do now?"
"Transfer all the magic you can to me," answered Snow. "I'll be the one attacking, but I'm going to need all the energy I can get to do this." He held out his arms to Yure and Glenn. "Take my hands and transfer all the mana you can space." Taking his hands, the kitten and the moogle felt their magical energy start to go faint as it was given to Snow. Snow then turned to Drag. "You too. Since my hands are already taken place your hands upon my mighty rump."
"Nice try," retorted Drag. "But the only requirement is physical contact. I don't need to touch your butt."
"Please," begged Snow. "J-just in case worse comes to worse. Give my butt a rub, one last time."
"Fine," sighed Drag annoyed at his enabling nature. "If it'll make you happy." Leaning over, Drag pressed his claws into Snow's fat, butterball rear and gave it a grope sinking his fingers into it.
"Oh, wonderful," murred Snow. "Now I have no regrets."
"That's, uh, great," replied Glenn. "But let's return our focus to the crisis we're trying to avert."
"Oh, right," he apologized. "My bad." Focusing once more, Snow began to draw in the magical power from his comrades with the greatest of care. He kept his eyes transfixed into the area directly overhead. "I've got to gather all the power I can for as long as possible and once Meatier is in range, we have to pray it's enough." Yure and the others took a deep breath and nodded looking up along with Snow and waited, the dread and tension growing with each passing moment.
"Please," begged Krystal striking Zane with one powerful attack after another. "Use your aura. Defend yourself. Fight back! Do something!"
"No," groaned a battered and bruised Zane as he remained standing on his two shaky legs. "I refuse to do anything." His vision blurred as he looked at Krystal as she rushed at him and attacked him with all the strength her Mega form had granted her. Zane was covered over in bluish back hoofprints than only became more numerous with each new barrage of attacks dealt to him.
"If you refuse to act," she sobbed, unable to restrain her assault despite her desperation to do so. "You really will die!" Striking Zane in the face, Krystal could feel tell just how much damage her attacks were doing to her beloved and agonized over it even more than Zane was. He remained as calm as ever even as he flew backwards and tumbled to the ground and then struggled to stand up again.
"Just a lot of love taps," he wheezed. Each time he returned to his feet it took longer for him to do so. This time, it took him almost a full minute to stand up and even then he had to keep a paw on one knee. His other paw was pressed against his nose as blood leaked out both nostrils, but that was only one spot he was bleeding from of many. "This just proves how much you love me."
"Don't act stupid and macho," snapped Krystal. "Your body is practically crippled and your blue fur is stained red with your own blood and so are my hooves. Once more, I beg of you! Please, end me! You have the power to defeat me and there are others you can still protect. Don't sacrifice yourself and them for me."
"I won't sacrifice myself..." replied Zane as he looked into Krystal's eyes. "I won't sacrifice the others... I won't sacrifice you either... We will all make it out of here alive. You've got my word that we'll find a way to make that happen. Until then, I will endure."
"Then you're a fool," she told him tearfully. "You are taking such a reckless risk and the damage you've sustained could be crippling if you refused to even defend yourself. Only someone very brave or incredibly idiotic would attempt such a feat."
"I'm probably both," he admitted. "Though right now I feel more like an imbecile."
"But you're the imbecile that I love," she said to him and she rolled into a ball to use Rollout. "Now be ready. This is going to hurt."
"Love hurts sometimes," replied Zane just before he got steamrolled. "Sometimes it is excruciatingly painful."
"Any suggestions?" Tagmer asked Kill as he kept his eyes glued on Cyrus. "Magic? Brute strength?"
"Heh," sighed Kill with a slight chuckle. "You've seen what being physical amounts to with Remgat and I tried magic before, but it didn't fare any better. To be honest, I don't have any idea what could work on him if anything would."
"Well brute force and magic is all we've got to work with then," stated Tagmer. "I'll focus on the physical and you back me up with magic. We'll keep pounding away at him till we're sure he's beaten and hopefully give Thomas a chance to regain control again."
"You sure you'll be able to get through to him again?" asked Kill. "You got lucky once, but Cyrus won't let that happen again. He's stronger than both of us, so if we're going to be fighting, we should focus on the kill."
"I wouldn't normally agree with you, especially with my friend's life is on the line, but, in this case, I do," he admitted.
"You do?" questioned Killajor jaw dropped in surprise.
"I don't want to hurt my friend and most certainly not kill him," he explained. "But if we don't fight like we're trying to we won't stand a chance."
"Fight me to kill me, but you want to not kill me," commented Cyrus, his body radiating with power causing electricity to crackle from his body to the ground around him. "You two make no sense. You either kill me or die. There is no possibility where all of us remain alive. In truth, there is no way for you to kill me either so you might as well make this easy on yourself and let me kill you swiftly. No sense prolonging the pain."
"But that's the best part," argued Kill. "Should we show him why, Tagmer?"
"We've got to now," agreed Tagmer.
Tagmer flexed his muscles building up his strength while Killajor focused his magic. At the same time, Cyrus held his palm out and fired a blast of his overflowing power. He unleashed the power in the form of a huge beam at his two opponents vaporizing everything it touched. Kill and Tag were quick to dodge it and prepared to counter. Tagmer struck back, swinging his fists and landing several intense punches before Cyrus began to strike back with fists of equal fury. They continued to exchange blows until Tagmer leapt back giving Kill the opportunity to use his magic on the area surrounding Cyrus making it explode not just once, but over and over in an unrelenting assault. It held Cyrus in place for a few seconds before he changed his focus on the tanuki, flying at him with his tails moving in a pincer formation. His tails stabbed at him, but Kill blocked them with Barrier Magic, but that didn't stop them from trying again and again, chipping away at his defenses. Not waiting for them to break through, Kill struck back with Slicing Magic, slicing the numerous tails to pieces before they could reach him. Cyrus still didn't let up, his tails regenerating just as fast as they were being cut.
"How long can you continue to fight back before you tire out," asked Cyrus, as Kill's rapid attacking was starting to slow down.
"Just long enough," he retorted. "I'm not the only one fighting you."
With his multi-weapon in the shape of a mighty axe, Tagmer swung it down at the base of Cyrus's tails and chopped them all off at once. Not letting up, he hacked away at his body, severing chunks of his body off without mercy.
"You can't defeat us!" roared Tagmer his heart aching for having to be so violent with the body of his friend. "Just give us Thomas back! I don't want to hurt my friends anymore!"
"You don't have to feel guilty about attacking me," explained Cyrus. "Thomas no longer exists and you won't either soon enough." Jabbing his claws at Tagmer, he stabbed into his blubbery gut. Stunned from the pain, Tagmer was helpless as Cyrus regenerated his lobbed off arm and aimed to take off his head this time. Pulling back his arm, he was about to thrust it when the ground beneath his feet rose up at an extreme speed and forcing him to the ground, sparing Tagmer's life in the process.
"Good thing you're so fat of he'd probably have pierced through your heart," commented Kill as he healed the wound in Tagmer's gut.
"That's why I enjoy my extra padding," chuckled Tagmer. "Well, I'm healed up, so let's continue." Kill stopped the ground from rising up, the momentum keeping Cyrus up in the air. Tagmer then pulled the pillar he had been riding on out of the ground and swatted Cyrus with back into the ground. "Think he's hurting after all that?"
Bursting out of the ground, Cyrus walked back to his two enemies looking no worse for wear. His flailed about like an angry cluster of serpents showing the emotion that their owner did not. "Not bad," he admitted. "You are actually making this an amusing fight. I am actually enjoying myself. Entertain me some more!"
"All that and he's simply having fun," said Killajor. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"
"Good, that it shows we're actually having some sort of impression on him," answered Tagmer. "Bad that the impression is that he's enjoying it. I hope you're ready for whatever round this is now."
"I am," replied Killajor readying his magic. "How about you?"
"So am I," he answered flexing his muscles even larger. "All this battling is not doing my blubber any good, but I don't have a choice at this point. I'll have to make it up later with a planet's worth of food... maybe two."
"Gonna have to survive this first if you want to do that," commented Killajor as Cyrus neared them.
"I intend to," smirked Tagmer. "Still not fat enough to be satisfied."
"Heheh, I doubt you'll ever be satisfied," snickered Kill.
"Probably not," admitted Tagmer before he charged at Cyrus with Killajor following after. Cyrus got on his guard as he prepared for Tagmer's attack. Their battle continued...
Meanwhile, an area on the far side of the planet started to crumble away. From what could be seen, it was a giant chunk of ground meat that was the cause of it, but only a piece of it could be seen so far and as more of the planet broke apart more of it was revealed. It was a meatball to end all meatballs was breaking through the planet, it's size was planetary! Meatier had arrived!
"It's here! It's here!" cackled Null clapping his detached gloved hands with glee. "Those fools are in for it now! Nothing they can do will ever be able to save them now!"
"What a tragic end," laughed Jester. "Tragic for them and hilarious for us I should say. To be done in by a meatball of all things!"
"It isn't just a mere meatball," explained Null. "It is one of the most powerful Foods of the Gods. A meatball of destruction! Whatever its target is will most assuredly be demolished along with everything else!"
"I wonder about that," commented Void watching curiously, though with a far less enthusiastic look on his face.
"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Null. "There is no way they can escape this one. Most of them are out of commission and those that aren't are too busy fighting amongst themselves."
"What about that group over there?" he asked changing the screen so it focused on Snow's group. "That fat Gabumon guy was once among Obamon's team and knew about the threat and now he's trying to stop it."
"I've been aware of that," Null replied. "I haven't ignored any of them and if he thinks he can stop Meatier then he's just a fool. It isn't a danger he's facing, but an inevitability. Meatier has already arrived and their destruction is seconds away."
"Yeah, but despite all that, our little friend still hasn't moved from his puzzles," Jester pointed out.
"If that's the case," commented Void. "Then all this was for nothing after all."
The child continued to assemble his puzzles. Plucking another piece in his tiny paws he suddenly paused and the piece slipped from his fingers and landed on the ground. Standing up and turning around, he walked towards them and started to walk, his footsteps quickly drawing their attention.
"He's- he's coming over," said Jester in surprise.
"It finally worked," whispered Null quietly like it might scare him off if he was too loud.
The child stood before the in front of the screen. He was dressing in yellow and green pants with a shroud draped over his shoulders red on the inside and green on the outside. He had brown leather shoes pointed at the tips. He was covered in gray fur with a tiny pink nose and fangs sticking out of his maw. His eyes were sky blue and he had some freckles on his cheeks. His ears were pointed upward and he had two sets of horns on his head, a curved golden pair and a stubby red ones between them. His eyebrows and shoulder length hair was pure white. He stood a couple feet tall, but the three villains moved away to give him lots of space. Without making a sound, he simply stared at the screen and watched.
"You finally got his attention," murmured Jester. "Now what?"
"I- I'm not sure," admitted Null. "Do I ask him now so I don't disturb him or do I ask him now before he loses interest?"
"This might have been useful to consider before," commented Void. "You don't want this chance to slip by."
"Oh," Null grumbled. "I'm going to go for it! Hey, uh little guy. We've been taking good care of you for a while now, right?"
"Mmhmm," he mumbled his eyes transfixed on the screen.
"Oh, uh, good," Null replied hopeful. "Then you wouldn't mind if I asked a favor of you."
"Mmhmm," he replied barely paying attention to what was being said to him.
"Then you wouldn't mind opening a dimensional portal to someone for me," he continued. "You being a Ma-Ni after all, it shouldn't be too much of a hassle, right?"
"In a minute," he replied. "I want to see this."
"Yes!" cheered Null excitedly. "Soon, ultimate power will be all mine!"
"Shh," hushed the child. "I'm trying to watch."
"Oh, sorry," replied Null fearful that he upset him.
"Looks like you succeeded," chuckled Jester. "It's almost a shame that it couldn't have happened before imminent destruction befell those poor fools. They have no idea they were meant as nothing more than a sideshow for our entertainment."
"It's for the best we get rid of them now," said Null. "They are quite a bit more powerful than we thought and have only gotten stronger and stronger with time. They could prove dangerous to us if we don't exterminate them now."
"Then go and eliminate them," stated Void. "If you even can, but something tells me that it won't be as easy a task as you think. They survived every danger they've come up against so far."
"That was because I needed them to remain alive until now," snapped Null. "Now that I've got what I needed, their use is no more and they are all expendable. Just watch the screen and see their demise for yourself."
"Z-Z-Zane," cried Krystal standing over his crippled body. He no longer had the strength to stand. His breathing was weak and one of his eyes was swollen shut. "You're really going to die if you continue to do nothing." Zane tried to respond, but all he managed was weak groans that couldn't be understood. Raising her hooved hands, she pounded down on his body, damaging his half dead body even more. She could barely see with tears flooding down her face, but her attacks were always on mark, her body responding to orders not her own and even with all her will fighting it, she couldn't win. Once more, her hoof was thrust towards Zane's head and dread filled her that this was the killing blow. "No!!!"
It was at this moment that Meatier broke through the outer shell of the planet. As that happened, Krystal suddenly felt control return to her body and she stopped her attack before it connected with Zane.
"K-Kr-tal," mumbled Zane weakly.
"I- I can move freely again," she said shocked. "But why?" Turning, she saw Meatier. "Is that why? Obamon is going to use that to kill us all. She has no more use for me or anyone else she has consumed so she let us go to suffer the same fate as everyone else. Such a cruel, heartless thing to do, but now I am free to try and stop that thing!" Rushing towards Meatier, Krystal only made a few steps before her strength faded and she collapsed. No, my strength is fading. Did she plan it to such a degree that she'd leave me powerless to do anything?" She tried getting up, but the best she could manage was to drag her body. "Then it's all over... for all of us. But if it is, I want to be with him." Turning back to Zane, she forced her body back towards him, desperate to reach him with what little time remained.
"What the hell is that?" cried Killajor.
"Looks delicious!" drooled Tagmer staring at the massive meatball while he was struggling in close combat with Cyrus.
"It must be something of Obamon's," concluded Kill. "She must be done messing around and is trying to wipe us all out. We have to go stop it!"
"If you try to run you won't get far," stated Cyrus. "Don't think you can pause this fight when I'm having such a good time."
"Are you nuts?!?" snapped Kill dodging three of Cyrus's tails coming at him from three different directions. "If we don't do anything we'll all be killed!"
"You two might, this planet might, but not me. I will continue to live on," he explained.
"Don't be stupid," snapped Tagmer. "You aren't as invincible as you think! Now let us go while there's still time!"
"Our fight ends only once a winner is decided," stated Cyrus refusing to back down.
"He's not listening to reason," groaned Kill. "Is there anyone left who can stop that thing?"
"I know Zane is around here somewhere, but I have a bad feeling that something's happened to him," said Tagmer. "He would have done something about it by now."
"Anyone else you can think of?" cried Killajor unable to break away from the fighting as much as he wanted to. Tagmer desperately wanted to answer, but he was drawing a blank.
"It's so big!" cried Glenn. "I can't even see it all!"
"So scary," cried Yure wetting his already soaked diaper.
"So hungry," drooled Drag.
"Stay focused," reminded Snow. "I have to get started, but keep transferring as much energy as you can for as long as possible." Focusing his power, the ground under their feet began to shake before it started to rise up creating a mountain that pointed directly at Meatier as he continued to tear through the other side of the world.
"There won't be anything left of this place," said Glenn nervously. "Are you sure there's even a point to trying to stop it?"
"The point is survival!" stated Snow. "Don't worry, though. It isn't bigger than the planet at least, more like moon-sized."
"Doesn't make me feel any better," commented Glenn. "It's still huge!"
Meatier finally managed to make a big enough hole to enter into the planet, it's size quickly taking up a huge chunk of of the available space inside, easily more than half, and casting a dark shadow over everything. The force of its descent caused fierce winds to roar like a hurricane sending rocks and debris flying as well as the bodies of those incapacitated. Even for Snow and the others, it was a struggle just to keep their footing.
"I can't hold on!" cried Yure, the small cat getting lifted off the ground by the wind. He held onto Snow, but Snow had to remained focused on the task at hand despite this. Still he did his best to hold on tight, but his palms were moist from sweat and inevitably, Yure lose his grip and got blown away.
"Yure!" Drag cried as he was quickly blown out of sight.
"Drag!" Yure called back. "Snow, I have to go after him. It's too dangerous for him to be out there all alone!"
"I understand, Doggeh,” replied Snow. "Go get him." Letting go of Snow's rear, Drag ran after Yure, but tripped and tumbled down the mountain. "Doggeh always acts silly to keep my spirits high."
The wind only grew stronger the closer Meatier got to them and Glenn was the next one losing his grip. "I can't hang on much longer!" he shouted. "Snow! You've got to stop this thing. I don't have any more strength to give!"
"Don't worry,"said Snow. "I won't let you down. I won't let anyone down!" They lost their grip on one another and Snow was flung away leaving Snow to face Meatier on his own. It appeared larger the closer it grew, filling the entirety of his sight. "Here goes everything. Our survival all rests on this one last chance." The mountain began to shake even more fiercely and the summit cracked away making the mountain become a volcano with pizzary, cheesy, sauce lava bubbling within. Aimed at Meatier, he unleashed the power of the volcano at it. Meatier took it head on, but it continued to descend on the volcano not slowing down in the least. Snow attempted to increase the intensity of the volcano drawing on all the magical energy he had gathered from his friends, but the supply was depleting just as quickly as Meatier was getting closer. "It's still not enough! Is this really the end?” Snow fell to his knees and gazed up at Meatier, close enough for him to smell it and while it did incite him to drool he didn't feel very hungry. "I've got to increase the power to full, but it'll use up all the magic power I have left. I have to make this count!”
Standing back up once more, Snow stared down Meatier as it drew closer and closer. He could make out the lumpy mass, and see the grease dripping from it. The closer it came the darker the world around him became till it was pitch black. Even so, he stood his ground feeling for the right moment. Finally, he knew Meatier was mere feet over his head and he channeled all the magic he had left into one ultimate eruption. The entire mountain crumbled as pizza sauce erupted out of it, blasting Snow away in the process as it met Meatier, the force of it managing to push the giant meatball slowing its descent, but only slow it. It continued to make its way to the ground little by little...
Bit by bit...
Inch by inch...
BOOOOOOOOOOOM!
Meatier hit the ground and the entire world shook and began to fall apart. Armeatgeddon was here!
"Hahahah!" cheered Null as the screen was full of static after Meatier crashed into the ground. "It ended just as it should. All my foes are destroyed in one fell swoop and I get what I want!"
"What a hilarious ending," laughed Jester. "Done in by a meatball! I'm sure I can come up with a joke for it."
"So, what do you think?" Null asked Void. "What do you think of your little brother now?" Void didn't answer. He just continued watching the screen with a curious look on his face. The child continued to watch it silently too, but the static still remained.
