FCGS - Chapter 16

"Momo," Chibi whispered softly. "I don't think I'm reaching them. The emergency system keeps slipping away from me." Momo patted her shoulder and gave her a small smile. "I'll keep trying but I'm so tired. It's like I'm draining my spiritual power trying to call them this way." Momo frowned and looked down at her hand. Chibi sighed "You know, in a language that I learnt for a land over the sea, your name means peach… And mine means small. One day you might meet Haru, he's a Professor from Under the Shadows. His name means Spring."

Momo took Chibi's hand and held it tightly. "Stop. You're wearing yourself out," Chibi nodded and closed her eyes again. Momo gazed at her face. I need to think of a way out of here. Chibi's trying her best so I need to try hard too. Maybe… Blushing, he closed his eyes as well. We'll see what happens.

~~~

"Everyone safely tucked down there," Lack asked Rena who nodded in reply. Taking a deep breath, he drew his hand back. "Palm Push Strike!" The wall crumbled sealing the entrance to the dungeons. "They should be safe in there til we return." He fingered his belt and touched Chibi's Azoth.

"That's an Azoth isn't it?" Rena said noticing what he was touching. "Where did you get it?" MikeRex stared at Lack as well.

"It's Chibi's," JohnFlora answered for Lack. MikeRex jumped, his head snapping towards his brother. "Chibi attained it just after she married you. Remember when she disappeared for a about a week?" MikeRex nodded, his eyes narrowing remembering back then. "She left to find it. She told me because she said that if she didn't come back that it would hurt you."

"So that's when she got it," Lack mused. "I didn't know she had it til she used it to unravel the alchemical structure of a doppelganger. I wish she'd tell me things like that."

"My sentiments exactly," MikeRex echoed thoroughly angry with himself for not noticing it even when she had returned. "But how do you have it now?"

"Chibi was injured by a doppelganger and was still recovering when another doppelganger attacked me," Lack replied, his eyes downcast. "She created a potion for me to throw at the doppelganger. She must of known it wouldn't work properly so she threw her Azoth at it as well. The combination caused the doppelganger to unravel. I never got a chance to give it back to her."

LadyDeathStrike held out her hand and asked "May I see it?" Lack drew the Azoth and handed it to her carefully. "I see now. I think Chibi knew more than you think Lack. This Azoth is coated with Chemical Coating. It also has the Fight Club and Velvet Touch of Enishi guild symbols carved into the base here. "She pointed it out to him. "She's warped it's structure slightly so that the guild master of both guilds can use it as an Alchemist can." LadyDeathStrike handed the Azoth back to Lack. "I think you underestimate her knowledge. Probably why Loki's taken her, not for her ability like he did for Momo, but for her knowledge."

"You can see Alchemical structures too," Lack said wonderingly. "I forgot that you could. But she never let me use Azoth before…" He paused and tucked the Azoth back into his belt. "I never thought to ask before." He sighed and scratched his head. "Let's just get going."

~~~

"The ten doppelgangers as you requested," Chibi said bowing to Loki. "I've given them the ability take blood for you too." Loki looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "You'll need blood for doppelgangers to harness the strength you desire." She paused, her body reacting to her habit of leaving information out.

"Continue," Loki demanded, angry that he could see flaws in the bracelets too. "I want to hear everything about the blood I need."

"As you wish," Chibi replied and explained everything to him without stopping.

~~~

Momo stared at Chibi's sleeping form, then looked up to the windows that represented her body. No! he screamed in his head. Not that information! Loki will win if he succeeds. I need to do something. Standing up, he drew his fist and punched the left window shattering it. Chibi sat up suddenly her hand covering her left eye.

"What did you do?" she growled. Looking up she saw the left window shattered and blood streaking down it. "You have neither the knowledge nor the power to get us out of here." She moved her hand. Momo gasped and fell backwards. The colour of Chibi's left eye was blood red.

"You're body was revealing information about blood and doppelgangers," Momo squeaked cowering under Chibi's angry glare. "I felt I needed to do something to stop it."

Chibi stood and stared at the left window. "You could of woken me," she replied. She touched it gently. The blood moved away from her hand . "There was other ways to stop it spilling information than this." Momo got up and walked away, angry with himself for hurting her.

~~~

Loki looked at Chibi. Blood trickled down from her left eye. "Stop," he touched her left cheek. His consciousness flowed into her, moving into the room of darkness. Opening his eyes, he found the real Chibi. "What did you do?"

Chibi looked at him and Loki took a step back in surprise at her blood red eye. "It wasn't me," she replied looking back at the left window. "It was Momo. But why do you care? She didn't stop talking did she even after her eye started to bleed."

"I care because you're also bait," Loki replied with a evil smile. "If you're body is still alive Lack will come. And I can get rid of the biggest human obstacle in my way."

Chibi looked unconcerned. "Lack knows the secret to the doppelgangers. And he has a power with him that can destroy them," she looked at Loki with an evil grin of her own. "Want to make a bet? I know you love to gamble."

"Sure," Loki replied his eyes twinkling. "What are you betting on?" Chibi touched her heart. "You're soul, hmm? Definitely worth betting on." Momo crouched in the darkness listening to their conversation.

"If Lack gets here," Chibi said pressing her palm against the window. "Let me battle him. If I kill Lack, you set me free. If Lack kills me, you can have my soul and the knowledge I possess."

Loki smiled. "I'll definitely bet on that." He touched her forehead with two fingers binding their bet. Lack's much more stronger than she is. He'd defeat her in a heartbeat. "Until Lack gets here."

"Until Lack gets here." Chibi nodded her smile not leaving her face. Loki withdrew out of the room of darkness. Chibi looked around and saw Momo hiding. "You think I'm crazy to bet that but too afraid to tell me?" Momo nodded shivering. "Lack has my Azoth. He only needs to cut the bracelet and I'll be set free anyway. After that, we both won't fight each other meaning neither Loki nor myself wins the bet."

Momo stepped out and stared at her impressed. "You two planned this?" Chibi shook her head. "Then how will he know to cut the bracelet."

"Because I trust Lack will do that," Chibi replied.

~~~

Loki smiled happily and pressed blue gems into the doppelgangers to seal in their forms and powers. Hel watched her father amused. "What has you as happy as a Poring?"

"Chibi made a bet with me," Loki replied giving a doppelganger a pair of blue gems for eyes. "And from all viewpoints, she's bound to lose that bet." Hel's eyes narrowed and went back to poking Morgue's head. She's up to something. She's clever not to make a bet with father that she has a 100% chance of losing.