Red Meteor Quest Season 2, Episode 17

It has been some time since the last attack by Lioxal's minions. While your allies have been busy handling their own problems, such as Jane revealing to her parents who she really is (according to her they were not happy at all) or Sadie dealing with her younger sister (who you think she really isn't too fond of). Things have been relatively quiet for the most part, and the city is starting to return to some form of normalcy

Tim was quite unhappy at this as this meant he had to return to school, but after being slapped around by his mom for a bit, he went without issue. Things were generally okay for Saya and Sanja, though the latter was still going out and getting drunk nearly every night. Though this was less out of  sadness and more that she just enjoyed a good drink.

Still, all of t hat was neither here nor there, what was important was that you remained vigilant in your efforts to keep everyone safe while Sally worked on a way to combat Lioxal in...whatever place she was currently residing.

With that being the case, you were pretty much on standby, and you were now walking the streets of South Street Rosen City. It was a place lined with all manner of eateries and other interesting shops(You even saw a sex shop...and a lingerie store right next door to it), but the reason you were here is because there were a ton of people here for some local festival and the last attack from your enemies had been at the mall.

Sally had figured that these attacks would target places with a high number people and thinking on it, you had to agree it made sense. The first attack was in a busy area, and the second was at a mall, which of course had a high amount of people shopping, so something like this seemed like a prime target. Still, you didn't want to alarm people. Sure, while your presence could make them feel safe, it could also make them feel extremely uneasy.

You are...not Red Meteor right now. But you will be as soon as you're needed!

>Continue walking around, enjoy the sights
>Try to keep your eyes peeled for anything strange
>Go up to the rooftops
>Other/write-in

>Try to keep your eyes peeled for anything strange


You hang back in the crowd, your eyes searching around for anything or anyone that could be seen as strange or definitely not belonging. Your efforts are rewarded when, just across from you, in an alleyway you see something duck back into it just as you look at it. You grimace as you begin to make your way through the crowd.

It's difficult to get through the crowd due to all the festival goers, but eventually you make your way through and get to the alleyway. It actually turns out to be a narrow street and looking down it, you can see a figure stare at you before darting away around the corner.

"Stop right there!" You exclaim dashing down the street and turning the corner. The figure, having reached a dead end stands there.

"Alright, just what are you up to?" You demand walking closer

"Playing Hide and Seek." The person replies in a familiar voice

"Hide and...wait...Hand-er...Hazel? What are you doing here?"

Sure enough, the girl turns around to reveal the former-assassin (Though you're pretty sure she'd still kill someone in a heart beat if she could) smiling at you.

"Hello Red One."

"Hazel, why are you here, shouldn't you be at school?"

"Yes, I was. It was recess time and Sir Knight proposed a game, I said hide and seek."

"So why are you here?"

"I am hiding."

"But why all the way out here?"

"I didn't want to be found."

"But why run from me then?"

"You were seeking."

"But I wasn't playing..."

"Then you shouldn't have chased me Red One."

"But I thought you were one of the people who attacked the city."

"Nonsense Red One, I am not one of them."

"I know that but-"

"But they are here."

What.

>How do you know that?
>Where are they?
>Please go back to school
>Other/Write-in

>Please go back to school

"Please go back to school." you say flatly

"I can't. I'm hiding."

"But Sir Knight must be worried." You reply

She falters for a moment, before looking at you again as it contemplating this.

"I...suppose, but I must do my best for the game! Besides, the enemy is here. And I get the feeling they'll be making a move soon."

"And what makes you so sure?"

"There's a tent here, people go in, but don't come out."

"They go in?"

"Yes, but do not come out. As I was hiding, I was watching. They are being subtle, trying to ennact their plan while not being as open. And it's working."

"What makes you say that?"

In a uncharacteristic moment for her, she drops the act and speaks in  a slow,condescending tone

"Because you sit here and chat with me, while innocents are being led astray. It would be wise if you got going already.

>Leave her and go looking
>You could at least offer to come help me
>Seriously, go back to school already
>other/Write-in

>Would've been wiser if you made a move earlier
>You could at least offer to come help me

"It'd have been wiser if you made a move earlier." You grumble

"No it wouldn't. I doubt I can beat them, fighting a battle I cannot win is not wise."

"Fine, then you could at least offer to come help me!"

"I am helping. I am watching."

"But that's-"

"Battles are not won simply by martial prowess alone. It pays to have allies in the shadows who can watch the enemy without them knowing."

You roll your eyes and leave her. Talking to Hazel will get you nowhere, the only person who can really handle her for a long period of time is Tim.

"Bye Red One, good luck, I'm going back to hiding!" She calls out with a childish smile

Now that you're back out in the crowd, you scan around and see a few tents on the opposite side of the street. You aren't entirely sure which one you should enter, but you should probably call for backup first. You don't want to get too in over your head.

>You can handle this on your own
>Let the others know about this
>Other/Write-in

>Let the others know about this

It's better to let the others know about what's going on. With that being the case, you take out your communicator and send a message to everyone relaying the information you were given. Unfortunately, most of your team are at school. Jane, Saya, and Mireille are all stuck in school and it'll take them a while to get here. Sanja and Helena are wrapped up in work, and this leaves just you and Sadie to deal with whatever is happening.

It's about 25 minutes before she finally picks you out of the crowd, standing next to you in her usual police outfit.

"Sorry it took me a while, moving through the crowd here is tough."

"It's no problem, but I didn't expect you to be so close by."

"It's a stroke of luck really. I was part of the cops stationed here as security for the day.Things may have calmed down, but the higher ups are still antsy...and with good reason. Anyway, which of these tents do we go into?"

"Not sure, Hazel didn't tell me exactly, she just said that people go in and don't come out."

"I see...we just have to stake things out. Try to look casual." Sadie says standing against a wall

You follow her lead and keep your eyes trained on the different tents, before long you notice two women enter a purple one, but they don't come out. Then another person enters, but doesn't come out either. And after that a child and mother enter and don't come out.

"I think I found it, it's gotta be that purple one."

"Let's move." Sadie said taking the lead and walking towards it "We can't transform...at least not now, but be prepared."

You walk inside with her to see a person handling some paint. "Hello there, would you like a face painting?"

>Yes, two please
>Punch em in the face
>Just one for the officer here
>Other/Write-in

>I'd rather have a person doing the painting please

"I'd rather have a person doing the painting please." You say casually

"E-excuse me sir I-"

*Thwam*

You don't give him a chance to finish his reply before delivering a flame-empowered fist to his face.

"G-Gaaaaah! Y-you...you're the ones the mistress spoke of! Very well, I much preferred doing this peacefully, but I'm sure she won't mind if I partake in a quick snack."

You and Sadie watch as the man's body twists and convulses as a figure bursts out of his back, the cracking noisees you hear are extremely unsettling and any lesser person would probably have shrieked in fear, you're also no longer in the tent, instead now in a black void filled with nothingness save for you and your enemy. The product of the transformation leaves you with a giant bug-like entity where the person once stood.

"Well, let's get to it then, Ready Sadie?

"Ready!"

"Red Meteor, Realize!"

"Blue Comet, Realize!"

The two of you transform readying your weapons

"I'll consume you whole!" The beast roars in a horrifying distorted voice

>Roll 2d100+15

>104,72

The giant bug swipes at the two of you with his pincers. A loud 'schwing' whistling through your ears as you duck down under it. You swing your saber, sending a wave of fire at the beast's chest, knocking it back a bit.

In retaliation, the monster spits out some sort of gastric acid towards you, but just as its about to hit you, a bullet hits it, freezing it and causing it to fall to the ground.

"Thanks for the save!" You call out to Sadie

"No problem, keep it distracted, while I open fire."  she calls back

You do just that, getting up close and personal, delivering several slashes to the enemy as they try in vain to swipe at you, you dodge them as Sadie continues firing at him with her gun.

"Get clear Red!"

You move out of the way as she fires a powerful bullet at it that begins to freeze the enemy. Unfortunately, it breaks out before the ice can fully encase it, causing Sadie to grunt in irritation.

>2d100+15

>109,108

"Form 2!" Sadie calls out, her armor transforming into its second mode as she holds her hand out. "Follow my lead Red!"

You watch as Sadie focuses and manages to freeze the monster in place before it can act, leaving it encased in ice.

"Now Red!"

You nod before dashing in and driving your blade into the ice and into the monster's chest, you ignite the thing in a pillar of brillant  flames.

"GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!" The bug creature wails as its flesh burns

You can smell the stench of charring flesh stain the air, before you find yourself being lifted up by one of the things pincer like claws.

"I...I WILL NOT FALL HERE!" it roars as its body continues to burn, it has a firm grip on you now, and it begins attempting to crush you! You can feel it tightening its grip more and more!

"Red! Hang on, I'll get you out of there!"

>Roll 2d100+15

>107,99

You begin struggling to break free. You manage to put up a pretty solid resistance as you can feel the pressure on the monster's claw weakening. If you can keep this up, you'll be able to break free!

"Get your claws off my man! Form 3!" Sadie calls out transforming once more into her third form. This time she freezes the creature again. You just manage to break free before this happens as the monster is frozen again. You retreat next to Sadie, the two of you pooling your powers together.

"In raging flames!"

"and blistering cold!"

"YOU'RE DONE!" The both of you shout out in unison

What follows is the monster being swept up in a cascade of fire and ice mixed together as the opposing elements come together to form a powerful blast that obliterates the monster

"Great work!" you say flashing her a thumbs up "And I appreciate it."

"Appreciate what?" she said confused

'Get your claws off my man!` you say mimicking her voice

"S-shut up! Forget I said that!" she exclaimed in a panicked tone

The void disappears, with you and Sadie falling out of the tent as a pool of people all spill out as well. As the crowd disperses a bit, looking at the passed out people.

>Help them out
>Instruct someone to find the police and ambulance
>Leave the civilians to Sadie, you'll go keep lookout for any other strangness and call the others
>Other/Write-in

>Leave the civilians to Sadie, you'll go keep lookout for any other strangness and call the others

"I'll leave the civilians to you, I'm gonna keep a lookout of things and let the others know."

"Alright, I'll catch up with you once I'm done here." Sadie replies as she begins directing the crowd to get help for the passed out people.

As for yourself, you head out, getting on a nearby rooftop and keeping a lookout. It doesn't look like there's anything else off, and so you take this chance to inform the others about what happened. The school goers expressed thanks that now they didn't have to sneak away.

"You stopped them. Good work!" Hazel says  from behind you

"You're still here? You should get to school!"

"I was watching. There are no more of them here. All should be well.

"What makes you so sure?"

"...A voice."

"A voice?" You say with a raised eyebrow from behind your helmet

"Yes, the voice of all."

"The voice of all. He is telling me, and I act. I am a temporary agent."

"Please go back to School." You sigh

"No, this is more fun."

You rub your temples in exasperation. Why were you the one having to deal with this?

Meanwhile...

"So, still grounded?" Saya asked as she and Jane made way to their next class

"Yep, Mom and Dad didn't give a date to when its up. So it's 'Whenever we aren't mad at you for nearly dying  in another continent'." Jane said

"Damn, I'm sorry."

"It's no big deal, I can still sneak out if I need to. Ghost powers are handy like that."

The two girls couldn't help but laugh at that notion, but their laughs stopped as the sky became blood red.

"What the hell is this?!" Saya said looking around

"I dunno...but I don't like it."

>To Be Continued