-INSTALLATION: THE ISLAND-
Titanic roars, splashing water, and tremors caused by the giant dinosaur erupt during the progressing conflict.
Spike soars downward with a growl, his claws ready to swipe at the Spinosaurus. However, the sailed reptile’s senses flare as the monstrosity turns its’ gaze to the encroaching flyer.
The Spino roars out in defiance, flickers of drool escaping its’ elongated jaws as it prepares to bite down upon the draconian. Even so, Spike flew towards the entity relentlessly with a smirk on his face, seemingly looking to something, or someone, positioned behind the apex predator.
[HISS-SCREACK]
The giant lets out a painful screech and falls sideways, although the apex predator catches itself with its monstrous arms. Something had struck the back portion of the spined dinosaurs’ right leg with incredible force. The relic turns its’ gaze towards the one responsible as Spirit stands with his hindquarters facing the carnivore—revealing that the UNI-CRN had bucked the giant.
The giant dinosaur recovers and proceeds to crawl on all fours before it rushes towards Spirit, its’ crimson eyes dilating in a predatory fashion. A burst of incredible speed is evident as something particular has taken place. In short: contact with the river has enhanced the dinosaur physically and in various ways.
Spirit grunts in annoyance, still standing in place and ready for combat as his spined opponent draws closer to him.
“Your kind’s physical enhancements near water sources are quite annoying,” He says, followed by a smirk as he notices the aerial form of Spike, just behind the giant swamp-dweller, “By the way, big guy… behind you.”
The Spino lets loose another painful screech, and due to the new commotion, Spirit is able to easily dodge the dinosaur’s approach by jumping to the left. The Spinosaurus is now positioned more inland and beyond the large boulder that Granny Pithecus is standing on.
It’s revealed that Spike had swiped at the beast’s sail on its’ back during his swooping aerial pass. The draconian conjures forth a spear from his inventory and performs an aerial U-turn before hurling the spear at the Spino’s right shoulder, causing it to screech loudly.
The scenario is no doubt frustrating for the dinosaur, and after it uses its left arm to claw out the spear, it turns in place on its’ hind legs to face Spike. But much like before, Spirit capitalizes on the beast’s divided attention and strikes at its’ back sections, this time striking the titan on the upper portions of its’ left hind leg by impaling it with his horn.
Spirit war cries, his horn driven into the dinosaurs’ flesh before kicking off and away from the Spinosaurus, blood dripping and leaking down his horn from his recent attack.
Spike passes by in the sky, “Great job!” He commends. “We’re too agile for this thing to strike at us! We’ve got this!”
“Focus on the battle, Spike!” Spirit responds before dodging the Spinosaur’s monstrous tail by jumping into the air. A ‘whooshing’ sound is created as the giant’s tail passes under Spirit like a jump rope. The UNI-CRN lands onto the earth and turns back to face his titanic foe.
“Let us achieve victory first. Then, you may celebrate.”
……….
All the while, Grannie Pithecus still couldn’t believe her eyes as she just stared in shock. Not exactly due to the actions of Spike and Spirit, for she had seen many conflicts with The Island’s giant predators, but it is what they are that stupifies her.
“Ah’ can’t believe mah’ eyes… mah’ grand daddy’s tales of them Unicorns were true. Heh, ol’ pappy must be rolling in his grave right now,” She turns her gaze upward, “An’ that little feller is a dragon, just like that hot head within the Red Obelisk.”
The Gigantopithecus is suddenly drawn towards two other forms in the distance to her right as HLN-A’s actions illuminate their presence. Granny can see a projected hologram of something similar to her species, albeit a few feet smaller and not nearly as wide, along with the equine form of Rainbow Dash. And, of course, HLN-A.
This was all too surreal to the old ape, and with a hand rubbing her head, she comments:
“Unicorn, dragon, some robot, and a small rainbow Equus with wings? Yup, some youngster dun snuck a Rare Mushroom into mah’ supper this morning. That, or mah’ age is finally gett’n to me.”
Granny lowers her appendage before slapping herself across the face, “Come on! Get it t’gether, ol’ girl. Now ain’t no time to jus’ stand around an’ do noth’n,” Granny Pithecus conjures forth a very particular spear from her implant/inventory. But unlike Spike’s, which is more primitive in makeup, Granny’s spear—more accurately a pike—is of a metallic composition.
The Gigantopithecus holds the pike with both hands and rubs her left cheek against it, “Come on ol’ Pikey!” She takes on a combative pose, flashing a vibrant smile, “Time fer you to make Granny feel twenty years younger!”
The elder ape hops off their stone elevation, her feet landing on the earth with a local quake resulting from her girth. She looks at the conflict that seems to have moved a little closer to the treeline but within a small crater that dances at the near edge of the Snow Biome.
Granny grunts dismissively before driving the business end of her pike into the ground, posting it in place. She beats on her chest repeatedly and in rapid succession with both clenched fists, spreads her arms apart, and lets out a primal battle cry.
Spirit’s muscles power his mighty frame as he leads the Spinosaurus deeper into the stone gorge. The dinosaur crawls on all fours over boulders and other obstacles before attempting to bite at the UNI-CRN’s rear section—that is when it thought it was fast enough to bite into its’ prey. But the equine dodges flawlessly as the dinosaur’s maw clasps at nothing but air where Spirit once was. One couldn’t doubt the apparent survival and battle experience Spirit clearly possessed.
Spirit runs towards the left wall of the gorge and uses his momentum to run up the obstacle, the Spino crashing into the wall from the sudden action as stone particles and dust originate from the collision. The UNI-CRN traverses just high enough to be out of the dinosaur’s reach, and with a grunt, Spirit uses his hind legs to kick off the wall and jumps over the recovering Spinosaurus.
“Wow…” Spike comments from above, momentarily stunned as he witnesses Spirit land on the edge of the Spinosaur’s sail before sliding down its’ tail and returning to land.
“He’s amazing…”
The Spinosaurus quickly turns in place via a bipedal stance and prepares to strike, its back facing the stone wall.
“Now, Spike!” Spirit calls out to his partner. “Do it now!”
As was revealed, the duo has enacted a plan to combat their foe. Spike thrusts himself forward and flies towards the Spinosaurus. The dragon takes a deep breath during his approach, floats himself before the sailed tyrant, and just before the dinosaur could comprehend the dragon’s intentions, Spike opens his maw as a wave of green flames splashes onto the dinosaur’s chest region.
The dinosaur cries out in great pain and raises its’ head up high, its’ arms attempting to shield their owner, only for the appendages to become scorched as well. The Spinosaurus backs up into the wall behind it, trapping the titan in place and taking the green flames’ full force.
Spike ceases his attack, closing his mouth and cutting off the supply of flames. However, although the Spinosaurus is injured from the dragon’s breath attack, a series of burnt flesh present on the Spinos’ chest and arms, it wasn’t enough to kill the beast.
Spirit, having backed away from the flames and allowing the draconian to strike at their foe, was about to commend Spike’s efforts. But his eyes widened to two realizations:
Spirit grits his teeth and stampedes towards Spike’s downed form in some attempt to save him while shouting internally:
-Damn it! I can’t cast any spells as I am now; I need Element!-
The world practically goes into slow motion, Spirit running with all his might towards his ally as the jaws of the Spinosaurus nearly snaps shut around Spike’s body. That is until a furred figure wearing a hat and wielding a pike presents themselves at the top portion of the wall.
The individual hops off the cliff with absolutely no fear and prepares to drive their weapon into the top portion of the Spinosaur’s elongated snout while shouting:
“Granny don’ think so, fish-breath! Leave the poor fell’r alone!”
[HISS-SCREACK]
The beast roars out in pain as Granny Pithecus drives the pike into the top portion of the Spinosaurus’s jaw, her weapon managing to pierce into the dinosaurs’ mouth in the process as the edge of the pike graces the titan’s tongue. The giant attempts to throw her off in response by thrashing about; swinging its’ head in multiple directions.
During the Spinosaurus’s attempt, Granny exclaims:
“Hope you enjoy eat’n liquid food from now on with that hole in yer mouth!” She holds strong thanks to her weapon, offering a stable ‘post’ to hold onto as she mounted the dinosaur’s snout. “You sure ain’t doin’ solids no more, yeehaw!”
As the make-shift rodeo takes place, Spirit hurriedly removes Spike’s form from the conflict, throwing the drake’s body onto his back. He looks towards the Gigantopithecus ‘riding’ on the upper portions of the thrashing dinosaur’s maw, holding her hat high in the air with her left hand while holding onto the pike with her right hand.
“Come on! That all ya got fer ol’ Granny?!” She mocks as the Spino continues to try and get her off. “Shew-hoo-hoot, yall might be big, but a low-leveled fell’r like you would be mah’ bitch back in my early days!”
“Well…” Spirit comments with a slight chuckle. “She’s quite spirited; I’ll give her that,” He turns his gaze to look at the unconscious dragon on his back, and with regretful features, he comments internally:
-Spike… I never should’ve allowed you to do that in your current condition. You told me that you were feeling up to the task, and you felt ok to perform our plan. But I should’ve--
The UNI-CRN’s inner monologue is cut off as Granny Pithecus can be heard crying out:
“Shiiiiiiit!”
Her voice becomes distant as the Spinosaurus manages to throw her away, although Granny’s Pike is still pierced into the dinosaur’s upper jaw. Almost as if she had made a makeshift horn for the Spinosaur.
Spirit prepares himself for another conflict, although concerned for his keepsake that laid upon his back. However, the Spinosaurus roars out once more before crawling hurriedly on all fours and back towards the direction of the river.
Spirit lets loose a comforting sigh in response before stating:
“It’s retreating. Good. Perhaps I can meet up with Rainbow Dash and HL-”
“Stop that big fell’r now!” Granny Pithecus exclaims from nearby, recovering from being sent aloft. “It’s head’n back to water! And where the fuck is ma- oh! Never mind! Hehehe, found mah hat!”
Granny Pithecus places her hat onto her head and adjusts it while Spirit approaches her. The UNI-CRN was about to speak his mind, but upon noticing his approach, Granny takes on an angered expression before shouting:
“The hell ya’ still doin’ here?! Get on after that Spino; I’ll catch up in just a second.”
“There’s no need for that,” Spirit answers, albeit he nearly deadpans at Granny’s words. “It’s gone, and we’ve-”
“Gone?!” She interjects, followed by momentary laughter. “You dumber than a flock of Dodos ‘r what? It ain’ gone, it dun went to undo all that damage yer dragon friend dealt it.”
“Undo? What are you talking about?” Spirit inquires, becoming slightly annoyed. “A Spinosaurus does not heal damage while in water; it only becomes faster and stronger. Also, I’d appreciate it if you’d lower your- hey, wait!” The UNI-CRN calls out as Granny dismisses his words and runs after the Spinosaurus.
Spirit watches the Gigantopithecus’s departure, and after a brief moment, he lets out a drawn-out sigh of frustration.
“She’s very irritating…”