Chasing Treasures

by Yukito

24 - Declawing the Cat

Chrysalis fired at the pursuing Smooze as her colleagues ran ahead of her. She tried whatever she could to slow it down, but neither bullets nor explosives had any effect. If anything, the Smooze that spread about after she damaged it started to spread on its own, propagating its growth.

"How do we stop this thing?!" Chrysalis asked. She reached for her shotgun and fired it, but the Smooze continued to chase them. "Damnit, we need magic!" she concluded as she abandoned her weapons and focussed entirely on running.

The group ran on, that chilling song right behind them the entire time.

---

Sombra deflected Catrina's attack and charged her, spreading pillars of smoke towards her as he moved. Two beams of light dispelled the smoke, but Sombra was able to move close enough to swing a fist towards her.

Catrina dodged the fist, and drew a revolver from the holster at her waist. She fired a shot, but it only proved sufficient enough to make Sombra stumble.

"King Sombra's power is beyond mere bullets," Sombra boasted, pulling a knife from his jacket and thrusting it forward. Catrina dodged two strikes, but the third grazed her arm, causing her to flinch and drop her broom.

Sombra used his magic to grab the broom, and Catrina retreated some feet back. "Damn! Lord Tirek never mentioned any of this to me!"

"So, now that you no longer have any maigc-"

"Sorry, but did you think that that broom needed to be in my hands for me to use it?" Catrina grinned. "It's magic. Of course physical contact isn't necessary."

Sombra raised an eyebrow, but before he could ask any questions, he felt a shock through his entire body. One that caused him to howl in pain, before dropping the broom and teleporting himself away. "W-What?" he asked, watching as Catrina picked up her broom. "How?!"

"Simple," Catrina said. "I've put a piece of myself into this broom. So long as I'm conscious, I can use it from any distance!" Catrina swung her broom, sending a shockwave of energy out that forced Sombra to teleport away. She fired another wave, and Sombra teleported again, this time appearing behind her. "Got you now."

"Die!" Sombra's eyes glowed red as he reached his hands for Catrina, but before they could reach, tethers of light embraced them. He grunt, trying to shake them off, but they slowly spread over his body, draining his energy and forcing him to fall to his knees. "G-GAH!"

"Not bad for a newcomer to the field, is it?" Catrina asked, holding out a hand. A flash of light emerged from her palm, and gave way to a small, thick book with the word 'Hydia' scrawled across the front. "Though she was my rival, even I must admit that her magic is impressive. Now, let's see what kind of curses I can put you and your friends under…"

A shot rang out, and a bullet pierced Catrina's hand, forcing her to drop the book onto the ground. Losing her concentration allowed Sombra to break free. The two turned to the source of the shot to find Radiant Hope standing mere feet away from the two, her gun trained on Catrina.

"You… Are you betraying me, girl?" Catrina asked. "Don't forget who it was that saved your life! Who trained you and gave your life purpose for all these years!"

"I haven't forgot," Radiant said. "And now, I'm taking a page from your book, master. I no longer need you, and what we don't need, we destroy."

Catrina hissed, turning her broom to Radiant and charging her magic. She noticed that the girl was smiling, though, and narrowed her eyes. "You do not fear death?"

"I do," Radiant said. "But it's okay. I have my knight to protect me now. And he's not alone. NOW!"

Catrina gasped as her broom was once again knocked from her hand, this time by a ball of scalding water that forced her to let go and hold onto her wrist as she screamed in agony. As she tried to power through the pain, a pair of purple hands clamped around her neck, and a pair of blue ones picked up the broom.

"I'll take that," Sonata said, waving a finger to form a sphere of water around the magical item. "There! Thoughts can't pass through water this thick!"

"Never underestimate a siren!" Aria said as she squeezed Catrina's neck. "We have sensitive ears, so we wake easily. Especially when you go casting high-level magic with way too much energy like a newbie!"

Radiant pulled back the hammer of her gun, and pointed the barrel at Catrina's face. However, she didn't fire. Instead, she slowly kneeled to the ground, and placed the gun down. "… I'm better than you, Catrina. That's why I won't kill you." She smiled as she rose back to her feet. "I believe in second chances, that's why I-"

Aria and Sonata gasped. "Watch out!" they shouted in unison, before running away, taking only the broom with them.

Sombra cocked an eyebrow, but soon, he felt it, too. Something was heading their way. "Radiant!" he screamed, running towards his friend and reaching out to her with his shadows.

Aria and Sonata picked up Adagio together, but made it no further before the ground began to shake. They turned towards the bunker. There, Chrysalis, Blueblood, Cadance and Gilda came running out. Their faces spoke of the terror that was to come.

Catrina clenched her hands into fists as she stared at Radiant Hope, clinging onto Sombra like a security blanket as she wore the face of a teenage girl in love. "How… dare you…" Reaching to her waist, Catrina drew her pistol and pointed it at the girl. "You betray me… humiliate me… and believe you can get away with?! Here's your 'second chance', RADIANT HOPE!"

A shadow passed over Catrina, and as she looked up, a purple hand came crashing down, crushing her before she could even scream.

Sombra tried to teleport, but he was too weak to go any great distance. Adagio was still unconscious, preventing Aria and Sonata from fleeing. And Cadance and Gilda were still weak, barely able to run any further.

The Smooze looked down on its prey. It was easy pickings.

Comments

[TheBBofC]

Oh. Heck. That's no good.

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

Oh, thank goodness Aria's all right.