Monster King

Chapter 68 - Cats and Snakes

"I got you!" She cheered. 

I blinked a few times and glanced up at Thomas. Who just meowed happily. 

"I-I didn't expect you to try something so reckless…" I mumbled. 

"It's because this match has rules I can exploit! If this was real I'd have to burn the whole area down. So you'd have to move and your beasties couldn't handle the flames. But that was a mean move to the trees, so I decided to just follow the rules to a T!"

She was seriously gonna burn the whole forest down!?

"Geez sparkles, you really are intense." I said and stood up.

She continued to giggle as Origin coiled around her more aggressively. And she just kept laughing. She's definitely got a few screws loose…

"Origin, let her go and come back to mama." I said. 

Origin stopped its coiling and slowly released her. 

"It felt all warm and fuzzy. Like a weighted blanket." Casey giggled.

I chuckled. "Ya know, Nyx tried to stab Origin the last time that happened."

Casey stood up and beamed at me. "So! Does this mean I can try fusion with Cupcake now!?"

"Where is Cupcake?" I asked. 

"Oh! He wanted some goats! So I let him roam a bit. We've been bonding like you said, think these months have been worth it?" 

"Only time will tell, you've bonded a lot with Thom- I mean Fred. So your coalescence is great. Which means you're used to how it feels. You can take that with Cupcake now." 

She squealed and jumped around. Then stopped in her tracks. Then she reached up and moved her eyepatch back over her eye. "It's nice I have both eyes functional when I'm fused."

I bit my lip and nodded. "I'm sorry, I wish I could help. There's a chance you might grow it back with enough fusion time. Origin and I fused a lot, to the point where my body has naturally changed. I can spit venom if I want, and shed skin. Plus use my tongue to sense." 

She stared at me for a moment and then got a serious look. "Boa, can you spar me? While fused with Origin?"

I blinked a few times. "Hhhmm? How come?"

"Because, I want to see if I'm ready to stand by their side yet. I know Nyx is training hard. And I've heard a lot about how Novas hurting himself. I just…." She bawled her fist. "I just feel so useless ya know?"

My heart melted for a moment. To think, she lost her eye and her boyfriend. And all she can think about is helping them out again. I nodded. "Yeah, let's do it."

The corners of her mouth came out to a huge smile. "Really!? You mean it!?"

"Yeah." Origin slithered over to me, coiling around my leg and up me. A warmth wrapped around my body and my heart started to race. Then the cold shivers of transformation hit me. 

My skin felt prickly again, the sounds of trees rattling and bugs scurrying graced my ears. I closed my eyes and let my tongue slither out. Finding Casey's taste, which just basically tasted like a plate of supreme Nachos. 

"Oh my gosh Boa! Your skin is so bright and purple! But what happened to your nose! Do I lose my nose too!?" She panicked. 

I opened my eyes and chuckled. "No, no, no. This is just my form." I said. "Another fun fact, this is only form one. I'll teach you about that after you get Cupcake fusion."

"Thank you!" She cheered and Thomas leaped over to her. 

Immediately as they made contact they transformed and she turned back into her cute little Neko form. I took a few steps back and smiled at her. 

"Start on your mark." I said. 

"Right!" She took a breath.

She looked up to me and moved the eyepatch away. Letting me meet her yellow and green eyes. Then she leaned back and rapidly shot little balls of fire my way. 

I just stood still and took them and she soon stopped. Then charged at me, holding out her claws and aggressively swinging at me. I closed my eyes and just listened to the vibration in the air. Easily dodging every strike she gave me. Then I shot forward and punched Casey in the nose. She groaned and stumbled back but immediately grabbed my hand. Totally forgot she has War child reaction! 

She reeled her head back and blasted fire at my face while she lunged forward. I simply turned my back and let the flame coat over my head and let her claws stab into my scales. I see she was going for my soft underbelly. Quickly I kicked back and landed a blow on her face again. As she skidded back I sensed the vibrations of something landing on the ground, and Casey suddenly got lighter. Upon letting my tongue out I could tell Casey split herself up again. I spat venom into my hand and spun around, flinging it out at Casey.

Thomas blew flames at the venom and protected her, and I raced at the cat. Kicking him hard in the stomach. He cried out and flew off. Now she's out of options! I turned back to her and I was shocked to see her up close and personal. Damn, she didn't care that I hit the cat!

She clocked me in the jaw, thanks to my scales it didn't hurt as much. But it still made me stumble, she followed up with a punch to my stomach though. I vomited immediately and keeled over and she came up with an uppercut.  I stumbled back, but this wasn't my first rodeo. She tried to come back in and I spat my venom at her leg. She winced and stumbled and I shot forward, punching her in the face again. Blood flew into the air and I decided to not hold back anymore. She's definitely not the type I should take it easy on. So, I just kept beating her, over and over again. Without Thomas her reaction time and tough skin keeping up with me was just impossible. However she never went down, taking hit after hit. I heard Thomas coming back and realized, that's exactly what she was waiting for, another distraction. 

I simply unbounded with Origin and spun behind her. Grabbing her and pulling her close and letting my teeth extend to her neck, pressing my snake fangs against her soft scaleless skin.  She panted and fell into my arms. 

"D-damn.." She mumbled.

"It's over." I said. 

She sighed and I looked over. Seeing Thomas limping. Slowly I let go of her and she immediately dropped to the floor. 

"So I'm not strong enough." She panted out and fixed her eyepatch back over her eye. 

I let my fangs retract and kneeled down to her. I went into my pocket and grabbed a bag of healing salts and anti venom. "No, you are. I'm not someone to easily get the jump on. Yet you pegged me more than once. Granted, you took a risky gamble. But, it shows you're combat ready. Nyx survived with much less."

She smiled a little and nodded. "Do you think…I can talk to Nova now?"

I shook my head and ran my fingers through her hair. "Casey sweety, you were always ready to talk. Nova doesn't need a war buddy, he needs a friend." 

"I just, didn't think he'd talk to me unless I could fight with him"

I smiled at her. "Trust me, anyone who can hit Nick without powers or Coalescence is Strong enough. You were always there."

She took a breath. "Boa, do you think it's my fault he's like this…"

"What? No no no, he has a lot of baggage. You shouldn't blame or push yourself because you feel responsible. He's his own person."

She nodded, but I could tell she wasn't convinced. Poor thing, taking everything on as her fault. 

"Why don't you swing by his place with some food. I hear he hasn't cooked in ages. It might be good for him."

"He's stopped cooking!?" She squeeked.

Maybe I shouldn't have said that…