The whole forest was like a maze. Shinobu didn't know where she was running it's almost as if she passed by these areas several times already. The vicious vines wrapped themselves around the trees she circled.
Despite the distance between she and the monstrous plants they were still after her, snapping their jaws at her with their saliva dripping from their mouths. Shinobu didn't want to stick around anymore for the next move she wanted to get out of this fog.
"Raaa!" The vines lashed out at Shinobu causing her to trip and fall. A crease formed on her forehead indicating that she was fuming internally. Gosh this is so stupid even I'm starting to doubt myself right now why can't I just find the exit? Shinobu stomped her feet and decided to make a run for it again she just wanted to see Douma and leave this dreadful place.
Sounds of the static from earlier rang in her head like siren. It reminded Shinobu of something that happened before this; A sudden stuffiness in the air that was giving her a headache for a while when the lizard bug made that noise. Could it be...
This setting is meant to confuse Shinobu so no matter how many times she tried to get out of this particular area the exit will never show up even though it's just right there. She probably wasn't the only one because Nebulas appeared to be summoning this questionable effect on the entire forest, so Douma must be finding it difficult to navigate through the forest now. Though it didn't make any sense because normally he would be the first one to notice Shinobu, perhaps he was still fighting that alien spaceship creature that was very much alive.
If not, Nebulas did a great job at tricking everyone. A sign that the world is doomed because even a being like Douma was struggling to get out of this mess. Shinobu believed he'd be able to figure this out she just had to be patient.
But convincing herself wasn't going to help those crazy plants were still after her, the vines spotted her hiding behind a boulder. Shinobu got up and ran in the opposite direction, nearly missing the sharp teeth of the two vines.
"Is anyone there? Douma can you hear me these annoying creatures are after me please do something!" Shinobu yelled but sadly she didn't get any response.
Or so she thought because Douma could clearly hear her from where he was walking. Relief washed over him, the purple-haired girl was alright now he just had to find her fast.
Just as he was about to sprint towards the figure running towards him, Nebulas flew up and sprayed the same acidic substance into the air from both arms. A shower of acid was about to land on the ground.
Shinobu saw the silhouette of the giant bug and the acid shower descending on the forest. Panicking she spun around hoping to find shelter somewhere, luckily there was a hole beneath a moss-covered log as she sprinted towards it, the monstrous plants still following after her.
Diving under the log, Shinobu watched as the acid landed on the forest including the monstrous plants, burning and dissolving them in the process. Shinobu's tension eased off she won't have to worry about getting chased in this dark forest again hopefully. Now that the other obstacles were out of the way, Nebulas was the only thing they had to get rid of he was keeping them trapped in this forest, more so her and the kid but Douma couldn't leave either if the giant bug wasn't finished off yet.
The shield appeared again even though the boy was terrified of it initially he began to appreciate it. Soon the acid shower stopped leaving Nebulas in a state of anger. No matter how hard he tried it was impossible to land a scratch on Douma he was just too smart.
"Oh no Shinobu is still out there..." Douma looked up in fear upon realization that Shinobu was still wandering in the forest.
"She's over there." The boy watched the faint figure of Shinobu running towards them.
"I was so worried, don't scare me like that Shinobu." Douma said, the heartache was making his breathing a little shallow. It could've been more intense if it weren't for the boy's quick reaction.
A loud sound in the sky caught them off guard. There was a purple and green energy source forming in Nebulas' chest it resembled a cannon. This wasn't looking good, Nebulas was going to launch this attack at an open space like this.
Shinobu stopped in her tracks after noticing the beaming light radiating off the alien creature's chest. Bad timing she was just about to reunite with Douma, now she had to back off again and wait until the coast is clear.
Making sure the shield is still there, Douma moved away from where he stood as the boy hid beneath his elbow. The energy source looked scary and Nebulas was taking his time powering it up.
That's when the battlefield met its fate, the purple and green blast struck the ground forming cracks that separated the forest floor from each other. Rocks and dirt were flying in the air with aftershocks triggering violent thrashing in the ground. Shinobu was lifted off the ground landing on her back near the greener side of the forest.
Bright yellow and orange lit up the forest temporarily. Shinobu got up but immediately froze when she noticed something odd happening to the forest floor. Something was emerging from beneath the surface and it didn't seem friendly at the very least.
In a hurry, Shinobu moved away from that particular spot and proceeded to head over to Douma but just as she was about to do so a sharp pillar emerged from the ground in front of where she was about to step making her fall backwards. That was close what is that? Shinobu watched as a large dark pillar rose to the sky blocking the moonlight, standing at at least forty meters in height.
Douma felt a rumble in the ground. Holding the boy tightly he quickly leaped into the air as another pillar broke through, similar to the first one. This was new.
"Shinobu are you alright? Answer me!"
"I guess, these giant pillars are making the forest creepier than it already is."
While both Douma and Shinobu were recollecting themselves from the sudden emergence of the dark pillars, Nebulas withdrew a sharp blade beneath the tip of his wings. He watched the duo closely getting ready for his next move.
Although the pillars were still, Douma had to be careful he wasn't going to underestimate this sneak attack of Nebulas. It was clear the bug was planning something. About time he finished this battle before his opponent makes a drastic decision.
Douma's iridescent hues started glowing. They lit up the night sky in a kaleidoscope. The boy in his arms looked up in awe at the variety of colors surrounding them.
However Shinobu was starting to feel uneasy seeing the swirls of colors. That beam was coming; flashes of what happened back in the forest replayed in her mind. Was this a good idea? She worried.
That was when an image of a town she didn't recognized appeared among those flashbacks. It stunned her as she started breathing heavily from the shock. A visual aftermath of the town was the last thing she saw, done by the ray that Douma was about to unleash, which was making Shinobu's unprecedented anxiety worse.
Huh? What are these visions I've never seen that happen before. Perhaps it's just me imagining things but what's this got to do with me at a time like this? Shinobu was struggling to comprehend the images she just saw, her instinct was telling her to act upon her worries but she didn't know the rationale.
"Douma wait you can't do this there's a town right ahead! If you fire your ray it will destroy the town you have to stop now!" Shinobu blurted out. She didn't know why she said that the thought just occurred to her for some reason.
What is she talking about what town- The figure of Nebulas dashing towards him interrupted the shrine leader as one of the blades swiped pass him leaving both he and the kid in shock. Swirls and the glow of the colors vanished in the sky.
"Oh no I'm so sorry I didn't mean to!" Shinobu watched her friend fall back down on the ground. This has never happened before, Douma was always steady and calm during their battles. Guilt engulfed her.
Is he going to be OK? That attack wasn't so deadly was it? Please say something. Shinobu pleaded, if the giant bug wasn't there she'd run up to Douma and check on him but the pillars were in the way and Nebulas was looking right at her with a sinister look that frightened her.
"Seems like I got distracted back there." Douma said, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. "You alright there buddy?" He asked the kid who nodded.
"Thank goodness you two are alright I'm really sorry that was so careless of me." Staring at the ground in remorse, Shinobu watched the blonde get up with the kid resting in his arms comfortably.
"Don't worry about it." He smiled reassuringly.
"She's right! There are lights over there I saw them!"
At that instant, Shinobu choked on the air she accidentally swallowed and stared into space. She finally figured it out, that was a future outcome that she had predicted. But how? She wasn't familiar with this place the images felt so real why was she the only one seeing all that?
"Maybe it's just a coincidence. This isn't the first time I've always been able to predict things quite accurately." Convincing herself wasn't working, Shinobu stood there shaking.
Douma's words back at Atami rang in her head. The technique that only one human knows and utilizes without even realizing it. This someone that has been on the radar for a long time and hasn't revealed themselves.
"So you've been here before Shinobu? That's interesting." Douma tried to put on a subtle demeanor but he could tell something was wrong.
"Shinobu you there? You look a little pale is everything-
That's when he realized the one thing he never expected to come across at a time like this. Shinobu being able to foresee events very precisely. Was she the one with the Vendetta? This was too good to be true but if it was Shinobu at least she was using it for good. But that doesn't mean she was safe with it either, not with those scavenging entities lurking around.
Nebulas fired his purple flamethrower at the shrine leader. "Seems like your friend is lost." He spat.
Douma evaded the burst of purple flames swiftly. "That cowardly way of fighting sure looks familiar. Does Atami ring a bell because it sure does," Douma sneered. "And don't talk about Shinobu like that you pest."
"Someone's upset cause I'm about to hurt his precious little butterfly." Right before Douma could land another fan attack on him, Nebulas flew back and waited for the shrine leader's next move.
"Wasting your energy on hiding, what a pity." A gust of wind followed by specks of frost formed above the shrine leader who raised his fan and directed it to his opponent.
That should do it. Whoever is watching this battle at the other side won't be able to watch the show anymore. Douma observed the frost covering the surface of the blinking trackers attached to Nebulas' limbs, freezing and breaking them into explosive pieces that flashed in the sky.
Standing there in silence, Shinobu watched the battle unfolding. How am I going to face Douma now? He's going to start asking me a ton of questions that I don't even know the answers to! The violette was hoping he didn't notice but his reaction proved otherwise. Even if she lied the shrine leader would be able to see right through it. That would only break their friendship and Douma wasn't joking about the person with the Vendetta the techniques were very valuable. Not that Douma was focusing on conserving it but the others he knew were on high alert so there was no way she could escape this.
In a thunderous roar of fury, Nebulas flew to the sky. The giant sharp pillars began sinking down the ground one by one like a drill. Douma found it interesting that they remained unscathed, perhaps it was a good thing that was the case. If they were to crumble down that would be another problem.
The ground shook violently, Shinobu threw herself to the side a few inches away from the large sinkhole that appeared on the ground. The hole was dark and vegetation continued falling into the abyss never to be seen again.
In a matter of seconds both pillars had sunk into the ground creating two large holes that consumed a portion of the forest. Shinobu got up and continued running towards Douma, careful not to slip or that would be it.
"Shinobu wait for me over there." Douma said hoping she would listen, thankfully she did because things were about to get messy from here.
Nebulas descended lower and got ready to unleash the same cannon from earlier. He wasn't going to let them get away he had to get rid of them.
A surge of frustration flowed through Shinobu's veins. She felt like kicking herself for not being able to do anything, the kid was looking at her in pity after how she had to fall to the ground again when the pillars sunk. There Douma was fending off the bug like it was nothing and she was stuck here fighting for her life when she could be helping herself and her friend. The thoughts started gnawing at her head she just wanted to be seen as an equal to Douma someone the innocent could rely on not a pawn that opponents like Nebulas could laugh at.
That's it I'm going to put an end to this. Shinobu ran towards a large twig and picked it up. This should do it. Checking to see if the twig was usable for a weapon, Shinobu looked at the energy source forming in front of Nebulas and walked towards it.
"She's going near him that's dangerous!" The boy said watching Shinobu who continued on with what she was about to do.
"What is she doing? Shinobu get out of there!" Douma got ready to head over to where Shinobu was. Whatever she was thinking was putting her in danger.
The outline of Nebulas made her blood boil. Shinobu gripped the twig tightly and eyed the creature. Flashes of green and purple lit up the battlefield except where she was standing which was covered in shadows.
"Elizer Cannon! This will be the last- Nebulas felt a sudden plunge in his chest, causing him to fall to the ground in sheer pain.
Shinobu had thrown the twig at Nebulas with a lot of force. It managed to pierce through his metallic skin, this was something Douma didn't expect from a human like Shinobu. That sudden strength she accumulated. This confirms it.
"That was just dangerous Shinobu don't ever do that again," Douma caught up to the violette whose back was still facing him like she didn't hear him even though he was right there. "But I gotta admit, your aim is top notch."
Nebulas rose from the ground and soared to the sky. "You're not getting away not on my watch!" Flying towards the giant bug, Douma got his fans out that radiated a bright light.
At the corner of his eye, Nebulas saw the shrine leader heading towards him. The alien accelerated to the clouds at high speed, vanishing in the process.
"He teleported!" The boy shouted.
"Well the truth is he blended in with the atmosphere but that counts too I guess." Douma responded, still looking at the now empty sky.
Shinobu was still standing at the same spot, trying to process what just happened. Douma holding the boy in his arms, walked over to her. If she wants to get home safely this was not the time to argue with him. The sudden awakening of her concealed power was nobody's fault.
"Let's go Shinobu." The shrine leader said in a calmer tone than earlier.
Nodding slowly, Shinobu followed him still feeling a little uneasy. Douma could tell she was trying to avoid having any conversation with him, the silence was deafening he really needed to say something to clear the air and get her to start talking again.
Soon they heard the sounds of sirens coming from a distance away.
With his keen vision, Douma could make out the shape of a few police cars parked on the road beside the forest. If that's where the kid got separated from his parents, Douma and Shinobu were close. Every step Douma took emitted frost to extinguish any flames and scalded surfaces in the area.
Nebulas can hide all he wants, Douma will find him in no time and finish what's left, once and for all.