Sfx, the ground shakes as Will regains his balance and looks over to see Crux IV
Will
What is that?
A manifesto?
Evelyn
I wouldn't let your guard down around me boy!!
Slashes appear all over Will's body, he tries to use Auriga to block
Will
(Fuck! That hurts!)
(How did she cut me, I still haven't even gotten a glimpse of her Manifesto!)
Will throws a punch at Evelyn again, however the attack stops midway as Auriga punches itself again
Evelyn
It really is sad that you never learned any manners.
But don't worry, I'll make sure to engrave this lesson into your body through our fight.
Will
As if I'd lose to an old hag like you!
Evelyn
Big talk coming from a man on the ground who can't even land a single punch on his opponent.
I'd really prefer if we could wrap this up quickly, I don't trust that idiot grandson of mine to be able to go all out in a fight.
Will
Don't write me off too early!
I'm your opponent!
Auriga launches a kick towards Evelyn, however it gets cut up again
Will
Agh!!!
Evelyn
Really now, what did you think that would accomplish?
You don't have what it takes to beat me, especially not if you can't even figure out the trick behind my Manifesto…
Of course, you're always welcome to just let me cut you up and end your suffering now
Will
(like hell I'll surrender!)
(As much as I hate it, she's right, swinging blindly won't work…)
(I need to figure out the trick to her Manifesto!)
(Maybe it compresses air and launches that as an attack?)
(That could be how it keeps cutting me with any obvious blades…)
(Maybe the Manifesto's just really small–no, that can't be it.)
(What am I missing here?)
(Unless…)
Will tries to get up but falls again
Evelyn
Still insist on fighting?
You remind me too much of my grandson over there.
Master says he's a natural born genius, but to me, he's nothing compared to his father.
Will grabs at the ground
Will
I don't give a damn about your life story!!!
Will throws dirt into the eyes of Evelyn
Will lunges towards Evelyn as she tries to remove the dust from her eyes
Will
(How'd you like that!?)
(No way you can stop an attack you can't see coming!!)
Auriga!!!
Auriga throws another punch, but its arm starts getting cut up by some unknown force as Will falls to the floor in pain
Evelyn
Ugh, you know something boy?
You really get on my nerves…
I think I'm going to enjoy defeating you.
But cutting you up would be too merciful of me, I think I'd much rather make you fight your friend over there to break your spirit.
Now THAT would make for a true victory in my eyes!
Will, still clutching his arm, sits up as he looks in shock at what he sees
Will
!?!
(The blood…)
So I was right!
I got a suspicion when my punches kept coming back at me and when freckles over there started attacking himself, but thanks to that last move, I just figured out what your power is!
Evelyn looks shocked
Will
It's strings isn't it!?
So thin that they're invisible to the naked eye, yet so sharp that you can use them to cut an opponent without them seeing it!
What's worse is you can use them to control someone's actions, so you led me to think that some barrier was protecting you from my attacks, when in reality, it was just these strings catching Auriga's punch at the last minute!
Evelyn
My my, so you did figure it out.
I may as well tell you, my Manifesto is Eridanus, I received it as a blessing from my master around twenty years ago.
I don't understand how knowing my Manifesto's abilities will help you in a fight.
I still hold the upper hand, you can't attack a string, either I can have them hold their shape and cut you again, or I could simply let them go limp and you won't be able to damage my Manifesto.
Will
Ha!
You don't know anything, do you?
Evelyn
!?
Will
After all my years in journalism and the last few months I've been helping James with his detective work, I've realized that knowledge is a power in its own right.
And it's with this knowledge that I'll defeat you!!
So I hope you're ready for that.
Evelyn
Bring it on boy.
I'll show you exactly why the Master chose me for this job.
Cut to Caroline and Queen
Caroline
(That's a puppet!?)
(It's so big!!!)
(How can there be three more of these?)
(Even then, I don't see how he can use something like this as a weapon…)
(Sure, it's big, but it's too round to be practical in a fight…)
(It's struggling to even stand on its own, let alone put up a fight!)
(Still, to be safe I should go for the user and just avoid the puppet!)
Caroline rushes towards Queen with Lyra out, as Lyra winds up for a punch, a giant hand comes crashing down sending Caroline flying
Queen
Ahh!!
I'm so sorry, it was a reflex!!!
Are you alright?!
Should I call an ambulance?!
Caroline plunges Lyra's arm into the damaged area
Caroline
Don't worry about me, we just need to get this fight over with.
I'll send you home with your tail tucked between your legs!
Queen
Ooh…
I really don't like fighting…
Can't we talk this out?
Caroline
Nope!
(Ok, now I know to watch out for those giant hands, they aren't just to support the puppet!)
(Other than that, this thing is just like a giant wall–)
The chest of the puppet swings open as Caroline punches it with Lyra to deflect it
Caroline
What the–
Queen
Sorry, it's just that I figured that if you won't let me run, I might as well just stop you from moving so that this will end sooner
Caroline
If you think a door will stop me, you have another thing–?
Caroline looks over as a small creature(?) is crawling up her arm
Caroline
!?
What the?!
Get off of me!
Caroline tries to shake the thing off
Caroline
What is this?!
Queen
Ah, it looks like one of them managed to escape…
Caroline
One of what?!
Queen
Crux I.
It was the earliest design I made for the series after the boss asked me to make some…
But when I showed him the design, he said it wouldn't be strong enough in a fight and told me to scrap it.
But all my puppets are like my children, and I can't just throw away my children!
So instead, I decided I would incorporate that into my battle style…
These little guys were supposed to work in tangent with Crux IV to help store and contain people by limiting their movements before going in for the finishing blow!
Though, I've never managed to defeat Gam-gam or the boss…
But maybe if I can win against you, they won't make me fight as often!!!
Doesn't that sound like a dream come true?
Caroline
Sure does, other than the part about me losing…
You may not care, but I need to wrap this up quickly to go and help my friend…
(…even if James is powerful, the man he's facing right now is powerful enough to have monsters working under him!)
Klick, klick
Caroline turns her head to see Crux I wrapping itself around her limbs
Caroline
What are they doing?!
Queen
Like I told you, I don't like fighting and I'd rather avoid it all together…
Crux IV starts to open up again
Queen
…but don't take that to mean that I can't fight at all.
A hand reaches out of Crux IV
Caroline
!!!
(W-what's with this crushing feeling?!)
(This is the first time I've felt anything close to a murderous intent off of this guy!)
(Where has he been hiding this power?!)
Queen
This is the only puppet I think is alright to use on humans…
Crux II
Caroline
!!!
(My instincts are all telling me to run away!!!)
(Something tells me I can't let myself get hit by that–)
The manifesto grazes Caroline as she falls to the ground
Queen
Ah, sorry.
Was that too much?
I tried to hold myself back but…
…sometimes it's like these puppets have a mind of their own.