Mechanical Minds

Nice to Beat You

   Meta surveyed the situation before him, stretching his wing experimentally and wincing as it spasmed in response. Susie was sprinting out of range of the mech, though Parallel seemed to be entirely focused on him. He allowed his wings to meld back into his cape and fell into a battle stance. Parallel yanked on the controls, and her machine leapt high into the air, slamming into the ground a mere foot from Meta as he barely managed to jump over the incoming shockwave.

"Let's see who's got the upper hand now!" she cackled, swinging one arm of her mech in an arc down onto Meta. Meta deftly blocked the swing, sinking slightly into the soil from the immense force.

"It will still be me," he hissed, pouring all his strength into repelling the blow and knocking Parallel off balance. He took his chance and struck, slicing across the body of the mech and sending a shower of sparks spraying out along the cut. Only a shallow dent was left from his fierce attack.

"Your stupid magic sword won't do anything to the pinnacle of technology!" Parallel laughed, swiping at Meta again. The air seemed to shimmer around him, and the metal arm came down upon an empty space. He reappeared behind Parallel, leaping into the air and towards the cockpit. The free arm of the machine grabbed him just before his could strike Parallel with the flat of his blade. The arm drew itself back before flinging Meta with incredible force into the nearby concrete, sending him tumbling across the ground and into the wall of his base.

Meta lay still for a few moments before he dragged himself to his feet, swaying slightly. His visor had been smashed, and the side of the helm itself had been torn open. The decimated piece of armor quickly slipped from his face, revealing his heavily bruised cheek and bleeding nose. He grit his teeth, fury burning in his eyes as they turned a brilliant scarlet color. He fell back into his battle stance as Parallel approached.

"Aw, aren't you a cute little thing? I almost can't bring myself to hurt you!" she tittered. She formed one of the mech's arms into a fist, hurling it at the injured man. Meta just managed to dodge, expertly rolling to the side. "Almost."

"You..." Meta began, before having to dodge another blow. He avoided several more in quick procession before landing another ineffectual hit to the mech.

"Speechless, huh? I have that effect on people," Parallel tittered, landing a glancing blow on Meta. He skidded backwards, resisting the urge to clutch at his now very likely broken arm. He was quickly hit again, tumbling across the concrete before collapsing. Meta lay unmoving as Parallel drew closer. She loomed over the man, laughing wildly. "That's it? Can't handle one woman and her mech?" she taunted, too busy lording her supposed win over Meta to notice him tighten his grip on Galaxia. He struck faster than the eye could follow, jamming Galaxia into a chink in the armor on one of the arms. The piece of machinery immediately fell to the ground, its lights cutting out.

"Falling for the oldest trick in the book..." Meta quipped. He yanked at Galaxia but realized to his horror that his beloved weapon was stuck fast in the inner mechanisms. He jumped away to avoid a retaliatory attack from the remaining arm, forced to leave his blade behind.

"You little pest...!" Parallel roared, not even acknowledging the loss of Meta's weapon. Meta quickly drew a second blade from within his cape, though he already missed the warmth of Galaxia. He blocked a second swing and dodged a third, managing to once again slip his blade into a gap in the armor. Parallel twisted the arm away, and Meta's sword shattered, leaving him open for attack and covered in cuts. Parallel seized the open and grabbed Meta, squeezing him in the grip of the mech.

"Damn," he hissed, grimacing as the machine put pressure on his injuries. Parallel smirked, leaning forward with her hands folded beneath her chin.

"Let's see how much pressure you can take," she purred, reaching out and pressing down a button atop one of the throttles. The two stared at one another for an uncomfortable moment as nothing happened. "What the...?"

"Did you forget about me?" Susie quipped from her position behind the mech. Her knife jutted out from where she had jammed it into a hidden panel she had opened on the back. The lights on the machine blinked out, and Susie jogged backwards as it fell to the ground. Meta slipped out of the mech's grip and darted to Susie's side, prepared for another attack. Parallel only rubbed at her head and stared at Susie. Meta glanced at her as well.

"How did you manage that incredible feat?" he asked. Susie puffed out her chest at the compliment.

"I figured that her mech was a copy of mine since you mentioned her being from a mirror realm or something. And a copy means the same weaknesses. One of the biggest flaws in my mech was a weak point at the charging port!" she explained.

"Excellent work," Meta said, beaming. A retching sound turned their attention back to Parallel.

"Stop being gross," she huffed, crossing her arms from where she'd been thrown from her mech. Meta's expression immediately hardened, and he strode over towards his downed foe.

"As for you...thieves are not taken kindly here," he snarled, clutching at his throbbing arm. Parallel scrambled backwards, showing genuine fear for the first time. "You will not be merely returning to the Mirror-World..."

"Right. She'll be coming back with me," a new figure said, landing between Meta and his quarry. Susie's mouth dropped as she saw the newcomer, a man who appeared to be nearly identical to Meta aside from his color scheme and chipped visor.

"Who-?!" she started, before being quickly cut off by Meta.

"Dark Meta Knight. What a displeasure to see you. Here to collect your underling?" Dark only laughed and walked over to Parallel, picking her up and turning his head to glance at Meta.

"My underling?" he laughed, heading towards one of the windows on Meta's base. The window shimmered unnaturally, changing to appear more like a mirror. He turned to face the two as he sank into the pane of glass, Parallel flipping Meta the bird from her savior's arms.

"I'm here to collect my wife," he continued, his echoing laughter remaining long after he had disappeared into the window.     

(Two more chapters to go!)