Noblesse Fanfic Part 15

Karius: Yeah… we should stop.
M-21: No. Keep going.
Tao: What? But you can barely stand!
Takio: Yeah. If it hasn't happened by now I don't think it will.
M-21: No. It's different. I still have a sense of it this time.
[Karius takes out his soul weapon]
Regis: Karius! What are you doing!? He can barely stand!
Karius: Well this is the only thing I haven't tried yet. [to M-21] What do you think? In order to survive you'll have to transform. If you don't you'll die.
M-21: Yeah. Let's do it.
Tao: I really don't think this is a good idea….
Takio: Yeah. I don't either….
M-21: I heard you guys screaming….
Takio and Tao: ?
M-21: Even though the lab is far away… I could still hear you screaming.
Tao: …
Tao: I understand. We won't try to stop you.
Takio: You better do this and survive.
Kate: ...
Kate: I'm still against this. It's too risky.
M-21: I'm guessing you haven't started doing what they're doing yet?
Kate: Uh… no actually I already finished….
M-21 and Karius: What!?
[Kate makes the dark power appear in her hand]
M-21: What the hell!?
Tao [nods]: Yeah… even Frankenstein was surprised. He was going to do it in stages like with us, but she wasn't fazed at all. So he asked if she wanted to do it all at once and she said yes.
Takio [nods]: Yeah… I don't know how she's able to do that…. He just did a little bit with us but it was so painful….
[Kate makes the power disappear]
Kate: Well as soon as he said it was a contest of wills I knew I'd be fine. I'm more worried about you guys. Honestly, I feel kind of bad now… like I'm not putting in enough effort….
M-21: …
M-21: I still want to do this.
Kate: …
Kate [sighs]: I can't stop you but you'd better survive. If you don't I will follow you to hell and drag you back out myself.
M-21: You know… if it were anyone else saying that I wouldn't think they were serious, but knowing you you'd probably find a way to do it….
Kate: Damn right.
Kate: There is one bit of advice I can give you guys. When I'm fighting my attitude is "if at first you don't succeed, try hitting them harder".
Everyone: !?
Tao: Is… that what you've been doing this whole time? Even with the dark power?
Kate: Pretty much. It's been working pretty well so far.
Regis: Wow….
Karius [sighs]: Alright. Let's do this.
[Everyone steps back and gives M-21 some space]
Karius: You better transform and block this like it's nothing.
[Karius fires his soul weapon]
[M-21: If at first you don't succeed… try hitting them harder!]
[BOOM!]
[M-21 transforms into a Werewolf]
Regis: Whoa… did it work?
[M-21 howls]
Frankenstein: Hm?
Frankenstein [smiles]: I guess he finally succeeded.
Tao: He did it!
[M-21's head snaps around to look at him]
Tao: Uh oh.
Regis: Is he alright?
Tao: That part is a problem. He can't maintain his awareness in that form….
Regis: So then what happens?
Tao: He attacks indiscriminately.
Regis: Oh….
Tao: Let's test it out. [to M-21] Hey M-21! Can you hear me?
[M-21 turns to him, eyes gleaming]
Regis: Oh he can hear you alright….
Karius: Shit!
[M-21 attacks Tao and Regis]
[He swipes his claws at him]
[Kate stops him by blocking his hand]
[The impact rocks the ground around them]
[Karius knocks him out of the way]
Karius: Kate! Are you alright!?
Kate: I'm fine.
Tao: Whoa! I can't believe she blocked his attack like that….
Karius: You guys should go back.
Tao and co: ?
Karius: You've seen your friend so go back. I have to stop him from running wild and you'll just be in the way.
Tao [sighs]: He's right. We should go back.
Kate: Nah. You guys go ahead. I'm going to stay here awhile.
Tao: Kate?
Kate: Even if I go back there's nothing for me to do. Unlike you guys I already finished.
Takio: But isn't that dangerous? He can't control himself and he's really strong in that form….
Kate: It's not dangerous for me. His movements are really simple and it will give me a chance to practice using this power. Besides, this is kind of fun.
Tao: …
Tao: Okay… I guess we'll see you later.
[M-21 charges at her]
Kate: Hey, how's your day going?
[Kate blocks him and tosses him into a boulder]
[Kate fires the dark power at him but it just glances off]
Kate: Huh. That did nothing. I guess it's not strong enough.
Karius: Kate, are you sure you're okay?
Kate: Yeah. You can just keep watch.
[Kate looks at M-21]
Kate: Shit. I didn't bring my sword with me. Well I guess I'll do this then….
[Kate uses the power to give herself black claws]
Karius: Whoa….
Kate [smiles]: Alright. Let's see how this works.
[M-21 attacks and chases her]
[Kate jumps back, then rushes forward and attacks with her claws]
[They clash and exchange blows]
[Kate is able to dodge or block his but she cuts him]
[Kate: Hmm. He's not defending at all. He's just attacking blindly.]
Kate: Well the claws work well. Let's try something else.
[Kate morphs the dark power into whip like tentacles]
Karius: Wow. She's good at manipulating that power.
[Kate wraps a tentacle around his leg and tosses him up into the air]
[M-21 flips around to attack her]
[But she smacks him down with a whip]
Kate: Huh. That's strange. Am I hesitating? But I don't hesitate. Even when I fight Frankenstein….
[Kate wraps a tentacle around him and slams him into a tree]
[She changes the tentacle to vines and ties him to the tree]
[Kate: What's wrong with me? It's like I don't want to hurt him.]
[Kate: But there's no reason for me to hold back. With his regeneration he'll be fine even if I do hurt him….]
[M-21 struggles against the vines]
Kate: Hmmm. How strange…
[M-21 breaks free of the vines and attacks her]
[He pins her down and starts punching]
Karius: Kate!
[Karius fires an arrow and knocks M-21 off her]
[Karius jumps down and lands between the two of them]
Karius: Kate! Are you alright?
[Kate gets up from the dust]
Kate: What do you think you're doing?
Karius: Huh?
Kate: I didn't ask for your help. Stay out of it.
Karius: !?
[Karius: What the hell!?]
Karius: …
Karius: Alright….
[Karius steps back]
[Kate: Why… did I say that? Karius wasn't wrong to try to help me….]
Kate: Well there's at least one more thing I want to try….
[Kate turns the dark power into thin wires that sway around her]
[M-21 gets up confused]
Kate: Hey! Over here!
[M-21 looks at her, then howls and charges]
[Kate turns the wires into a wall in front of her and he runs straight into it and becomes entangled]
Kate: Hey buddy!
[M-21 snarls at her]
[Kate makes the wires cut him and disappear]
[BOOM!]
[M-21 turns back into normal]
[Kate looks at M-21 laying on the ground]
[Kate: Hmm. Could it be… do I have feelings for him?]
Karius: Kate, are you ok?
Kate: I'm fine.
[Karius: She's staring at him like he's a puzzle she can't figure out….]
[M-21 starts to wake up]
M-21: Ugh… Ow!
Karius: Oh hey! You're awake!
Kate: That was quicker than I expected.
M-21: Yeah… what happened? I didn't hurt anyone, did I?
Kate: Nope. We're all fine.
M-21: What about the others?
Karius: I sent them back after you transformed.
M-21: I see. But why are you here Kate?
Karius: She wanted to stay.
Kate [shrugs]: Even if I went back there was nothing for me to do.
M-21: I guess that's true.
Kate: How are you feeling?
M-21: Like I got hit by a truck….
Kate: Huh. I wasn't that hard on you….
M-21: What do you mean?
Karius: Yeah. Kate fought you when you were out of it. I just stood watch.
M-21: What!?
Kate: It wasn't that hard. Your attacks were simple. And besides it gave me a chance to use this power.
M-21: Huh.
Kate: I guess it's the cumulative fatigue. Or maybe transforming is just hard on you.
Karius: It's probably because of the state he was in before rather than anything you did.
Kate: That's true. You weren't very gentle….
Karius: …
Kate: Hm. I wonder if you've crossed species.
M-21: What?
Kate: Well you were a human, but I wonder if now you're a Werewolf. There seems to be very little difference if any….
M-21: ...
[M-21: Is that true? Am I a Werewolf now?]
Kate: Does that bother you?
M-21: …
Kate: I don't see why it should.
M-21: I just wanted to be a human….
Kate: Why? What's so good about being a human?
M-21: I just wanted to be normal… not a monster….
Kate: I don't understand. You tried so hard to transform and now you've succeeded. You should be happy but instead you look like you're in mourning. Aren't you being contradictory?
M-21: ...
Kate: If you wanted to be a human so bad then why transform in the first place?
Kate [sighs]: Karius? Can you give us some time alone?
Karius: Uh. Sure.
[Karius leaves]
Kate: Seriously. I'm getting tired of your halfhearted attitude.
M-21: ?
Kate: You want the power but then you don't want the power. You want to be human but then you transform into a Werewolf. Just pick a side already!
M-21: But it's not that simple…. We were turned into monsters against our will….
Kate: So what?
M-21: !
Kate: I was too you know. Does being a monster make you less worthy of life? Is there only value in human life? What about the Nobles like Karius? What about Regis and Seria? What about Rai? Are they monsters to you?
M-21: No. That's not what I meant.
Kate: Then stop mourning the life you didn't have.
M-21: !
Kate: I know it wasn't your choice, but why can't you just accept yourself?
M-21: !!!
Kate: I happen to like our life right now. Even if it was my choice I'd still choose being a monster.
Kate: What about you? If it was your choice would you just to be an ordinary person, or would you choose to be a monster? If you were an ordinary person you wouldn't be with Rai and Frankenstein and all the rest of us. Would you really give that up?
M-21: I… don't know….
M-21: In the past I definitely would have said yes, but I do like being here with everyone….
Kate [sighs]
M-21: …
Kate: …
M-21: By the way, how can you do that with the dark power? It's supposed to be really painful but you're not affected by it at all.
Kate: Oh it is painful. I just don't care.
M-21: What?
Kate: You don't know… well maybe you do… but my time with Aris and Yuri wasn't exactly pleasant…. I suspect it was similar to yours.
M-21: You mean….
Kate: ...
Kate: Well I guess it was good for something after all.
M-21: It sounds like you were in hell….
Kate: I suppose that's not an inaccurate description.
M-21: …
Kate: Don't you look at me like that.
M-21: Like what?
Kate [angrily]: I am not something to be pitied!
M-21: I just feel bad that all that happened to you….
Kate: Well don't! I am not some weak pitiful creature! I am Kate! Did a lot of bad things happen to me? Yes, they did. But that is not who I am!
Kate: I won't make excuses for who I am or try to pretend it didn't happen. But don't you dare look at me like that! That past might be a part of me but that is not who I am!
[M-21 stunned]
M-21: Sorry….
Kate [exhales]: It's fine. Forget about it.
M-21: ...
M-21: You know you keep surprising me. When I first met you… I thought you were kind of a bitch.
[Kate snorts]
M-21: I never would have expected you to fight the way you fight or do all the impossible things you keep doing. And even though you could pity yourself you don't.
Kate: That's not who I am. Pity never helped anyone. Even if my past is filled with pain I'll just turn that pain into my power.
M-21: …
Kate: …
Kate: Actually I have a question. You were treated as a disposable experiment, right?
M-21: Yeah.
Kate: You don't still think of yourself that way, do you?
M-21: ?
Kate [looks at him]: You're not expendable to us.
M-21: !
Kate: We all care about you. Even if you didn't do all this, we would still see you as one of us. You don't have to risk your life to belong here. You don't have to 'earn' a place here. If you really hate being a Werewolf that much maybe you should stop.
M-21: …
[M-21: I don't know what to say…]
Kate: It's up to you. I do this because I want to. I never had a reason to fight before, but now I do. I can't stand the thought of the people I care about sacrificing themselves for me. That's why I fight. And that's why Rai drives me nuts. I don't know how Frankenstein puts up with him….
M-21: ...
M-21: You know how I lost all my previous colleagues…
Kate: Yeah. I heard.
M-21: We made a promise to each other that even if it was only one of us, that person had to live on.
Kate: …
Kate: Are you saying you won't die on me?
M-21: Yeah… I guess I am….
Kate: Then I won't die either.
Kate [smiles]: And even if I did, I'm sure it would just be a minor inconvenience. I'll kick death's ass too.
M-21 [snorts]: Somehow I believe you. You're one of the most indestructible people I've ever met.