09-20-2015, 09:44 PM
AndrAIa jumped onto the docked boat, putting the Tonberry down far rougher than she intended to. As Kero rolled across the floor and then down the stairs into the cabin, Coal and Zlick jumped aboard as well. AndrAIa shot a look towards the mountains, where the morning light was just starting to shine. They had made it back safe and sound, but she wouldn't entertain the thought of leaving until Matrix was aboard as well.
"Utini!" Zlick shouted as the Jawa hunched over and appeared to take several deep breaths. It was difficult to tell through the thick brown robe that shrouded him.
Coal, meanwhile, climbed up to the bow of the boat, standing on the open area that served as a roof to the cabin. He looked around and put his hands on his hips, standing in a slightly victorious pose.
"We did it!" the Charmander proclaimed. "We made it off that island and we're stronger for it!"
AndrAIa rolled her eyes, but as she looked in the distance, she figured that they had a little bit of time to kill. She wanted to go back and help Matrix, but knew she needed to stay with the kids. That meant the best thing to do was divert her attention.
"What in the Net possessed you to come to this place?" AndrAIa asked the Charmander and the Jawa as she looked over the controls to make sure the boat would be able to start.
"We told you! Training!" Coal replied in an instant, almost sounding indignant.
"Don't you think it would have been a little safer on Cinnabar Island?" AndrAIa questioned back, glancing to the cabin to see that Kero was slowly making his way up. The small, green creature seemed to be having a difficult time climbing the stairs, but he was making it.
"Everyone there wants to just sit around and try to hide!" Coal countered, now turning to face AndrAIa and Zlick. "We want to get out and help the Omniverse."
"Well, everyone's worried about you back home, and you almost put them in a bad spot with the Empire," AndrAIa responded, trying to show him some logic. But at the same time, she understood his thinking all too well. The parallels between them, Coal especially, and Matrix were uncanny. "Believe me, I've seen plenty like you guys. You'll get your chance to make a difference."
"I want it," Zlick confidently announced, but his voice wavered just a little bit. "...but not as much as I just want to get off this island right now."
"You and me both," AndrAIa mumbled.
A loud roar suddenly caught the attention from all four of them. It was a good distance away, but the ferocity of it was enough to demand their attention despite that. AndrAIa grabbed a pair of binoculars from one of the boat's storage drawers, and couldn't believe what she saw.
Matrix approached one of many rock faces and leaped from in as fast as he could. He hit the ground and fell forwards, but was back on his feet after a quick roll. The Tyrannosaurus ripped out of the trees behind him, determined to catch it's prey after this long. Matrix knew he was close, so he was done trying to outsmart or defeat this thing. He wasn't the fastest runner, but he had taken his breaks when he could hide in the mountains. There was just a little bit more to go, and he could push himself. All he wanted to do now was get to the boat.
He waved his arm a few times as the boat came into view, just a few more ledges down. AndrAIa and his ability to communicate silently and quickly was famous, but this time wasn't a shining example of that skill. This one was much simpler. AndrAIa saw the dinosaur chasing him and already could tell that it wouldn't be able to swim. So she set to ordering the three around, and between the four of them they had the boat quickly untied from land and she was steering it back into the water while Matrix ran.
Matrix dropped fifteen feet to another ledge. Every time he descended the T-rex would have to find another way down, which bought him valuable time. As he dropped to this cliff he saw another small herd of Compsognathus gathered around the corpse of a deer, ripping the meat from it's bones. The tiny dinosaurs looked at Matrix upon his arrival, but with their confidence in their numbers as well as their determination to keep their meal, they didn't back down upon seeing him. Instead, they lined up and bared their teeth while letting out sharp hissing noises.
Forced to choose between this pack of tiny dinosaurs and the monster of one behind him, Matrix never broke stride. He charged right at the tiny creature in the center, connecting his boot with it's chest. The puny Compsognathus was punted straight up into the air, flailing and hissing as it flew. The other ones scattered and panicked at the aggression this green man had shown, but when the Tyrannosaurus emerged from around the corner, they fled in all directions. The T-rex let out a loud roar, but Matrix had already jumped to the next ledge.
Matrix jumped and grabbed a low hanging vine, which swung him out over the final cliff. He let go at the end of the swing and dropped almost thirty feet into the ocean below. The whole way down he hoped the water would be deep enough for him to land, so he was relieved when he hit the sea and nothing else.
After landing, he swam to the surface, only to see that AndrAIa had already steered the boat towards him. She threw out a rope and he instantly grabbed it. After his girlfriend pulled him back to the vessel, Matrix climbed aboard and sat in the first chair he could, breathing deeply, still.
"That was incredible!" Coal shouted, jumping up and down.
Matrix and AndrAIa shared a deep and relieved look. Anything else would just have to wait, since they had company on the boat this time.
"It was right behind you but you got away!" Kero joined in, getting a little worked up too.
"Yea...yea," Matrix could barely pant out the words.
They looked back at the island with one more glance, only to see the Tyrannosaurus-rex standing on the cliff that overlooked the ocean. It opened it's mouth and let out a powerful roar that seemed to be it marking it's territory and establishing dominance over the island. Matrix could only look back, satisfied that they'd all made it in one piece. If it wanted the island so bad, it could have it.
Matrix climbed to his feet, walking over to the throttle and putting his hand around AndrAIa's waist. She simply smiled as she watched Matrix push the lever forward, and they left the land of the dinosaurs behind.
"Let's get you guys home," AndrAIa told the three monsters with a simple wink.
Matrix looked at them, then back to the ocean. They'd braved the island, found the kids, and fought their way out. That was the type of adventure they were used to, and that they were good at. The next part would be dealing with the close minded politicians, who were determined to find the error in anything.
And that was going to be the real challenge.
"Utini!" Zlick shouted as the Jawa hunched over and appeared to take several deep breaths. It was difficult to tell through the thick brown robe that shrouded him.
Coal, meanwhile, climbed up to the bow of the boat, standing on the open area that served as a roof to the cabin. He looked around and put his hands on his hips, standing in a slightly victorious pose.
"We did it!" the Charmander proclaimed. "We made it off that island and we're stronger for it!"
AndrAIa rolled her eyes, but as she looked in the distance, she figured that they had a little bit of time to kill. She wanted to go back and help Matrix, but knew she needed to stay with the kids. That meant the best thing to do was divert her attention.
"What in the Net possessed you to come to this place?" AndrAIa asked the Charmander and the Jawa as she looked over the controls to make sure the boat would be able to start.
"We told you! Training!" Coal replied in an instant, almost sounding indignant.
"Don't you think it would have been a little safer on Cinnabar Island?" AndrAIa questioned back, glancing to the cabin to see that Kero was slowly making his way up. The small, green creature seemed to be having a difficult time climbing the stairs, but he was making it.
"Everyone there wants to just sit around and try to hide!" Coal countered, now turning to face AndrAIa and Zlick. "We want to get out and help the Omniverse."
"Well, everyone's worried about you back home, and you almost put them in a bad spot with the Empire," AndrAIa responded, trying to show him some logic. But at the same time, she understood his thinking all too well. The parallels between them, Coal especially, and Matrix were uncanny. "Believe me, I've seen plenty like you guys. You'll get your chance to make a difference."
"I want it," Zlick confidently announced, but his voice wavered just a little bit. "...but not as much as I just want to get off this island right now."
"You and me both," AndrAIa mumbled.
A loud roar suddenly caught the attention from all four of them. It was a good distance away, but the ferocity of it was enough to demand their attention despite that. AndrAIa grabbed a pair of binoculars from one of the boat's storage drawers, and couldn't believe what she saw.
Matrix approached one of many rock faces and leaped from in as fast as he could. He hit the ground and fell forwards, but was back on his feet after a quick roll. The Tyrannosaurus ripped out of the trees behind him, determined to catch it's prey after this long. Matrix knew he was close, so he was done trying to outsmart or defeat this thing. He wasn't the fastest runner, but he had taken his breaks when he could hide in the mountains. There was just a little bit more to go, and he could push himself. All he wanted to do now was get to the boat.
He waved his arm a few times as the boat came into view, just a few more ledges down. AndrAIa and his ability to communicate silently and quickly was famous, but this time wasn't a shining example of that skill. This one was much simpler. AndrAIa saw the dinosaur chasing him and already could tell that it wouldn't be able to swim. So she set to ordering the three around, and between the four of them they had the boat quickly untied from land and she was steering it back into the water while Matrix ran.
Matrix dropped fifteen feet to another ledge. Every time he descended the T-rex would have to find another way down, which bought him valuable time. As he dropped to this cliff he saw another small herd of Compsognathus gathered around the corpse of a deer, ripping the meat from it's bones. The tiny dinosaurs looked at Matrix upon his arrival, but with their confidence in their numbers as well as their determination to keep their meal, they didn't back down upon seeing him. Instead, they lined up and bared their teeth while letting out sharp hissing noises.
Forced to choose between this pack of tiny dinosaurs and the monster of one behind him, Matrix never broke stride. He charged right at the tiny creature in the center, connecting his boot with it's chest. The puny Compsognathus was punted straight up into the air, flailing and hissing as it flew. The other ones scattered and panicked at the aggression this green man had shown, but when the Tyrannosaurus emerged from around the corner, they fled in all directions. The T-rex let out a loud roar, but Matrix had already jumped to the next ledge.
Matrix jumped and grabbed a low hanging vine, which swung him out over the final cliff. He let go at the end of the swing and dropped almost thirty feet into the ocean below. The whole way down he hoped the water would be deep enough for him to land, so he was relieved when he hit the sea and nothing else.
After landing, he swam to the surface, only to see that AndrAIa had already steered the boat towards him. She threw out a rope and he instantly grabbed it. After his girlfriend pulled him back to the vessel, Matrix climbed aboard and sat in the first chair he could, breathing deeply, still.
"That was incredible!" Coal shouted, jumping up and down.
Matrix and AndrAIa shared a deep and relieved look. Anything else would just have to wait, since they had company on the boat this time.
"It was right behind you but you got away!" Kero joined in, getting a little worked up too.
"Yea...yea," Matrix could barely pant out the words.
They looked back at the island with one more glance, only to see the Tyrannosaurus-rex standing on the cliff that overlooked the ocean. It opened it's mouth and let out a powerful roar that seemed to be it marking it's territory and establishing dominance over the island. Matrix could only look back, satisfied that they'd all made it in one piece. If it wanted the island so bad, it could have it.
Matrix climbed to his feet, walking over to the throttle and putting his hand around AndrAIa's waist. She simply smiled as she watched Matrix push the lever forward, and they left the land of the dinosaurs behind.
"Let's get you guys home," AndrAIa told the three monsters with a simple wink.
Matrix looked at them, then back to the ocean. They'd braved the island, found the kids, and fought their way out. That was the type of adventure they were used to, and that they were good at. The next part would be dealing with the close minded politicians, who were determined to find the error in anything.
And that was going to be the real challenge.