Mon Mon Nepu Nepu 10

"Uni..."

We left Planeptune early in the morning in order to get an early start on Slime extermination, and had made some decent progress.  I was still trying to get Uni to speak to me though.

"Uni please..."

I made sure to grab a few supplies in case we got sidetracked and had stored them in my N-Gear.  Uni had packed her own supplies and had stayed silent ever since we left.

"Why Nepgear?"

She had finally spoken up with a stern voice, still doing her best to not look at me.  I'm starting to feel really bad about what I've done to her...I don't think I've ever heard her sound this angry, especially towards me.  "I'm sorry Uni, I didn't mean to fool around with you like that.  I got a little out of hand and-"

"Don't apologize."  She interrupted me as she turned to reveal a smile and shook her head.  "I'm not really mad at you Gear...I'm mad at myself for falling asleep so easily.  Had I known we would've end up...like that..."  She didn't have to finish what she was saying, I think it's clear why she's mad at herself so I won't push it any further.  "Wh-whatever, let's just get this taken care of so you can make it up to me."

I smile as I pull out the N-Gear to check the details on this mission again, feeling much better because Uni was talking to me again.  "Ok, we're looking for a fort of some kind, and if we actually get to Haneda we've gone too far."  This seems easy enough, but I won't underestimate them because they're Slimes, I remember Uni saying these things were actually smart.  "It's a shame we couldn't fly there..."  I try to start a conversation and that's the best thing that I could come up with?

"Well, we're almost there I bet so there won't be any point in trying."  Uni must've noticed that I only said that to get her to talk more so she kept going on.  "IF grounded me and I've been meaning to stretch my legs anyway."  She giggled as picked the pace and went ahead of me.  "Let's go teach these nasty Slimes a lesson!"  She certainly is getting into a better mood, I better speed up so I'm not left behind!

After catching up with Uni and staying at a brisk pace we see a small building come into view.  "Hah...good thing we were able to stay on the road, imagine how long it would've taken us had we bumped into something?  Let's take a breather before heading inside, ok?"  I might have exerted a little too much effort in keeping up with Uni and tired myself out a little.

As we approached the huge double doors the sounds of loud slurping and bouncing could be heard.  "I think they heard us Gear, we need to make our downtime quick.  If the Dogoo were able to organize themselves, these things will be even more trouble if they get together before we can catch them."

"If that's the case then I won't need a break.  Let's keep going!"  I pushed one of the doors open and went inside to be greeted by the backs of several Slimes running away.  The area just past the doors was nothing special, it looked as if it was used for training or holding out against an enemy siege.  The way things were setup up out here the only way to leave was where we just entered or straight ahead to the entrance of the actual fort where the Slimes were headed.  As the final ones headed inside one of them turned around and...stuck it's tongue out us!?

"Sluuuuurp!"  The slime jiggled as it waved it's tongue about as if trying to goad us into recklessly chasing it inside.

Uni was close behind me and saw the Slime in the act.  "Why that little!"  She took a hasty step forward but stopped herself in time.  "Whew...can't believe that little jerk almost got to me!  Come on Gear!"  I think she's still mad that we've just been taunted by something so small, but she's right.

We cautiously made our way past the next door to find the Slimes had already made their way deeper into the fort.  "We're going to have to scare them back into the open Gear, I can't do a thing in here."

She was right...there was no room for her to do anything with these low ceilings and cramped hallways.  "Hm...I think we might have to split up and herd them outside or something.  Even if they fight back in here, it will probably only be one at a time because of how tiny this space is."

She folded her arms and began walking forward, humming to herself for some reason.  "Let's see how many we can round up.  I bet I can get most of them outside faster than you."  She sped up and approached a corner and winked as she said, "Winner gets to make the loser do anything they want!"

"Uni wait!"  She was already gone and left me to wander the halls alone.  I should probably go in the opposite direction of her, I'm kind of curious as to what's in this place.  Heading to the fork where Uni was, I take a left and head towards a dimly lit room.  There's table and a candle that looks like it had just finished burning down in here.  Was this place recently abandoned or something?

"Why is this fort so...old and out of date?  Planeptune was still the same for the most part and I'm sure Haneda and others area were still...current.  Then again this fort was never here before..."  I stand around wandering out loud until I hear a little thump and the sound of bouncing.  Immediately I drop to my knees and look under the table to find a pair of Slimes playing with strange looking ruby.

"Sluurp?!"

They both drop it and starting rolling out of the room making their obnoxious slurping noise.  "Maybe they stole this this from someone..."  It's much heavier than it looks as I pick it up and store it away in the N-Gear.

I scramble to my feet and run after the Slimes, doing my best to keep up with them as they roll to the other side of the room.  I've been able to keep up with them for a few turns, but they bounce to a halt and squeeze through some large, light-exposing cracks in the walls.  "Hm...wonder if that counts..."

I joke to myself and continue walking down the hall, no point in trying to see if they'll come back in.  There are rooms on one side of the hallway littered with plenty of ragged looking sleeping bags and broken weapons.  "Did the Slimes do this all by themselves or something?"  I take a few steps farther to see if there is anything I'm missing anything important.

"Slurp?"

I turn and look down to see a Slime staring right up at me with an even goofier smile on it's face.  "What are you..."  My voice trailed off as I realized what it was looking at.  "P-pervert!"  I wind up as hard as I can and immediately kicked it with all my might, sending it bouncing off the walls and out of sight with the sound of a crash.  "...Oops."  I left the room to check on the pervert Slime, but the only thing nearby out of the ordinary was a freshly made hole in the wall.

"Gear, I don't know what you're doing in there but you better hurry!  I've rounded up all the ones I could find and they're getting a little rowdy!"  Uni's voice rang out clearly from the hole I've accidentally made.

"Just a second Uni!"  I ran down the hallway hugging the wall to find a small set of double doors that led me out into the courtyard, where Uni and seven Slimes wait in the center.

"Sluuuuurp!"

A Slime had come from behind me to join the others making the total eight.  "I suppose I'll let that count, but that means we'll be even on the score.  Guess we'll have to end this in a tie-breaker and-"

"SLURP!"  The Slimes interrupted Uni as they piled on each other and started vibrately wildly and glowing intensely.  In a brilliant flash the eight monsters that stood between us were replaced by a single, large looking Slime that wore a crown that was too tiny for it.

"Um...Uni?"  I meekly call out to her as I stare at this...King Slime face to face, wondering what it has planned for us.  "I think we need to-"

"SLUUUUURPING!"

I barely roll to the side and get out of the way as it lunges forwards clumsily.  As soon as I recover I run over to Uni, who's already gotten ready for a fight.  I get into a stance as well and try to set up a plan for this fight...no one said anything about monsters that could combine!

It got up and faced us, poised and ready to charge at us again.  Uni remained calm and hovered as she started coming up with a plan.  "I'm going to need you to make it stay still for a second Gear."

"How am I supposed to do that?"  She had already taken off started circling the courtyard at just about the surrounding walls height.

Before Uni got a chance to answer me the King Slime cried out and bounded towards me.  I can't back down from this, I made a promise that I would try my best for the sake of everyone!  But how...how am I going to stop something this size barrelling towards me?  Um...a giant Slime charging at me crown first...crown...that's it!

I move a foot back to secure myself as it gets closer.  A few more bounds and I reel back far enough it takes my other foot of the ground...and a few more and...

"Haaaa!"  I slam my foot down for extra momentum in order to slam my horn into it's crown with extra force.  I felt myself slide back as the King Slime crashed into my head, making a dull clang ring out from around us.  It shuffled forward trying to get the upper hand in this stand-off, and it's winning as I do my best to not give way.  "Nnnngh...no!  I'm not going to lose to you!"  I put in all the strength I can muster and put my other foot forward and pushed.  It isn't budging much but I can't let the best of me!

"Gear!  Get away from it, I can't attack it otherwise!"  I can barely hear her through the ringing in my head as my horn grinds against the crown.  I grit my teeth and try to figure out how to get it to stop moving and get away from it at the same time.  The more we clash and move about in the middle the more I realize that it's crown might've gotten stuck in the curl of my horn.

It's starting to go all out and moving forward even more, but if it's really stuck then I think I have a shot at stopping it...I just have to hope this works.  "Huu..."  I take in a deep breath and place my other foot behind me and let the King Slime gain the upper hand.

"Gear, what are you doing!?"

"Hyaaaaaaah!"  I grab it's sides as best as I can and try to pick it up with help from the force it's exerting.  I can feel it leaving the ground a little, I just need to keep...leaning...back...

"SLUURP!?"  With the King Slimes help I managed to bring it up and over my head, slamming it backward behind me.  The whole maneuver was a little dizzying and I had to recover a little...although I'd rather not be stuck in an awkward position like this...

"Gear I'm ready!  Get from under there already!"

I can hear Uni flapping furiously nearby, if she's about to do something Compa did to Red, I need to hurry up and get out of here.  I release the unconscious beast and try to roll...  "Ngh!"  I try to roll from under... "Oh goodness no!"  The crown itself is stuck the King Slime as well, this is going to be harder than I thought.

"I can't hold it any longer, I've got to let it rip!"

The air is suddenly filled with the sound of sharp whistles as tiny feathers rain from the sky.  In a panic I pull as hard as I can away from the King Slime and rip the crown from it.  I roll away just in time to see feathers land in a circle and dig themselves into the ground for a moment right where I was.  I look up to see Uni spinning around as the all the feathers on the ground shake and shoot toward their target.  One by one they all pierce the Slime at blazing speeds, taking out little chunks as each one passes through.  The feather circle that surrounded it glowed and they all simultaneously shot through the Slime...and again and again until Uni stopped spinning.  They all shot into into the Slime one last time and then it just...deflated and dissolved...leaving behind a couple of leaves and...a chest?

"Goodness, my head is still ringing a little.  How are you holding up?"  I stood up to investigate the mess that Uni made as she landed next to me.  So far I count two leaves, another stranger shaped leaf, and a tiny chest covered in blue goop.  As I reach down to actually see what kind of leaves these are I hear Uni doing her best hide her smirking.  "What's so funny?"

She cleared her throat and pointed at my head while trying to keep a straight face.  I reached up and sure enough the crown was lodged in my horn, not moving at all as I try to shake it free.  "Mind helping me out Uni?"  I bent over in hopes that she'd lend me a hand.

"S-sure, but don't expect me to always be here when you get something stuck in your horn next time."  She got a good grip on the crown and gave it a good heave...without any warning!

"Ow, U-Uni!"

"Sorry Gear, it's just...so...hard to pull out!"  She was pulling hard enough to yank me forward a little, but it wasn't enough.  I had to brace myself as she put a foot on my shoulder and started pulling again.  "D-don't you dare look up either..."  She's being really rough with all this pulling, I don't think she needs to be this aggressive with a little crown like this.

"Don't do what?"  I couldn't hear her over all the straining we were doing and as I looked up I heard a popping sound and we thrown back from each other.  As I flew back I caught a glimpse of someone watching from on top of the walls.  We land on our backsides as the crown falls with a thud between us, and I look along the walls to see the person I was expecting to find us here...

"Good afternoon Nepgear.  Did my little lamb miss me?"