ADVERSARIES PURIFIED

[belle coquette]

The Batter sighed softly. His Puppeteer was obviously frustrated with him, so he decided not to say anything. He wanted them to cool down before he spoke again. They were in control of all of his motions, so he did not want to get on their bad side. The Batter walked on, meeting a few Elsen's working. He went up to the closest one to see if they had any information he didn't.

" These balls are clusters of worked metal, " The Elsen said pointing at the boulders next to him," They are going to be sent to the other zones. It's uh... metallic. " The Elsen shrugged, returning to his work. The Batter continued forward to bug another working Elsen.

" You're going to destroy the specters? Hurry up, we're expecting the Queen's inspector any moment. " The Batter nodded lightly, before turning to view a yellow cube. Even though he was fully healed and capable of competence, the Batter set his hand on the cube, watching as his veins burned white.

' HEALTH AND COMPETENCE FULLY RESTORED.'

The Batter removed his hand, before turning and entering the barn. The Batter could hear the loud, high pitched laughter of the specters located in the barn. They moaned and growled, hungry for an unlucky Elsen to stroll in. There are 5 specters in this barn, Batter. The Puppeteer said softly, the Batter glad they were not mad at him in any way. Or maybe they were, but the Batter could not feel any anger from his string. Maybe he would just wait until later to ask.

Moving forward into a large room, the Batter instantly spotted the specter. It's mouth leaked ectoplasm, its eyes dull and dead. The monster quickly turned and snarled at the sight of the Batter. Alpha buzzed before becoming apparent. Raising his bat, the Batter instantly brought it down onto the specters head. It screamed in his face, before spitting a ball of hot goo at him, Shielding his face with his arms, the Batter yelped as he felt the stinging ectoplasm on his arms. Ignoring the pain, the Puppeteer used WIDE ANGLE to analyze the new specter.


'FAT SPECTRE (x1)'
'OMINOUS ECTOPLASMIC INCARNATION'
'LIGHT RESISTANCE AGAINST SMOKE'


Once the words disappeared, the Batter watched as the fat specter used one of it's competence moves: CHRONIC MIGRAINE. The Batter groaned as his vision began to blur, causing him to fall to his knees. He dropped his bat, pressing his hands to his temples. He squeezed his eyes shut, yelping in pain as Alpha continued the battle. The Puppeteer chose Alpha's competence move: SATURATED CHAIN. The white beam of light obliterated the specter, sending ectoplasm everywhere.

Alpha instantly flew to the Batter's side, humming in worry. The Batter's migraine disappeared once Alpha had finished the specter off, so he was now getting off of his knees. Batter, are you alright? The Puppeteer asked softly. The Batter huffed softly before nodding. The Puppeteer sighed lightly before adding, There are 4 specters left in the barn...

The Batter collected the 55 credits that had dropped to the floor before continuing on through the barn to find the next specter. There were two floating around aimlessly, the Batter making sure that he didn't have to take on two at once. Luring one Fat Specter over to the empty room, the Batter ducked when he saw the specter spit ectoplasm. The ball of goo completely smacked Alpha, causing the Add-On to buzz in confusion. Chuckling, The Batter swung his holy bat, smashing the specter down on the ground. It squealed, Alpha taking it's chance to strike before it regained strength. Alpha's bright beam returned, burning the specter before it even got the chance to float up. Sighing softly, the Batter picked up the reward of 55 credits and an unfamiliar bright gray box. He opened it.

'SILVER FLESH HAS BEEN FOUND.'

The Batter turned the box over, but nothing was revealed. This item recovers a moderate amount of Competence. The Batter nodded slowly before placing the box in his inventory. He was about to move on until he felt his heartbeat quicken. His veins burned white before a loud voice erupted through his head.

'THE BATTER HAS ACQUIRED COMPETENCE MOVE: SAVE FIRST BASE'

Congratulations, Batter. But please, let us move on. The Puppeteer said, There are three specters left in the barn. The Batter nodded before standing up and looking around. The other specter was still floating around, unaware of the Batter's presence. Alpha made the first hit this time. SATURATED CHAIN was put to use against the unaware specter, catching the monster completely off guard. The poor creature didn't have time to even think before the Batter swung his bat at full force, crushing the specters cranium. Ectoplasm dropped to the floor as the Batter picked up another 55 credits. The Puppeteer nodded in approval, Good job, Batter. Only 2 specters remain in this barn.

 

[belle coquette]

The Batter wiped some black sludge from his uniform before slowly walking towards the next room. Only one specter inhabited this lonely room, apart from the pair of cows it was currently terrorizing. The specter hissed and growled as the animals mooed in fear. The Batter instantly sent Alpha forward, the holy ring smashing into the specters side almost immediately. A loud piercing screech echoed throughout the barns as the Batter smashed his bat into the exact same place Alpha had landed a hit. The specter spit ectoplasm out of its wide mouth, but the Batter easily dodged it. Alpha buzzed loudly, sending itself forward, but missed. The specter rushed forward, clamping its sharp teeth into the Add-On.

Alpha produced a high pitched buzz as the Batter smacked the specter off of the ring. Alpha's white light dimmed as the specter screamed and exploded. The Batter made sure to shield himself from the burning liquid, walking over and grabbing 60 credits and a box that was labeled 'SILVER FLESH'. Sighing softly, the Batter lifted his cap from his head, running a hand through his raven colored hair. He was tired, hoping that after this last specter, he could catch up on some sleep.

There is only one specter left in this barn... The Puppeteer said quietly as the Batter willed himself forward. He could not feel another entity in these rooms. He must of cleared them all, so where was the other one? He continued to move, his Puppeteer leading his to a tiny, old staircase. It lead down into a dim room. The Batter continued down the stairs, regardless of the itching fear in the back of his mind. The steps creaked beneath his cleats as they clacked loudly against the termite-ridden wood. He could see large boulders that blocked the path leading straight to the last specter.

It seemed as if the specter made this blockade itself.

The Batter didn't let that stop him though. He pushed the boulders out of the way, with the help of Alpha. The specter growled as he spit a burning ball of ectoplasm at the Batter, sending him back. The goo sizzled and cracked as it seeped into the Batter's skin. He screeched loudly as he tried to quickly remove the black sludge from his reddening skin. The Puppeteer instantly put a few LUCK TICKET'S to use, completely wiping the harmful substance from the Batter's sensitive skin. Alpha took the liberty to attack the specter as the Batter recollected himself. The battle was intense. Alpha dodged a few life-threatening blows, floating around aimlessly as he waited for the Batter to get back in the battle. The Puppeteer forced the Batter to swing his bat, but the puppet missed. He was still a little blinded, and had some black smudges in and around his eyes, but he continued to try and fight.

Alpha pushed itself into the specter, squishing it against the purple colored walls. It screeched, burning sludge seeping out of its eyes and mouth. Applying more pressure, Alpha moved away when the specter screamed its last scream, shriveling down to a small pile of dead skin and ectoplasm. The Batter huffed, hands on his knees, bat tucked under his arm.

Batter, are you alright? The Puppeteer whispered to their puppet, waiting for a few moments. The puppet nodded, standing up straight after a few moments. The three silently walked up the old stairs and through the barn to the entrance once again. The light from the sun was barely evident through the thick, gray smokey clouds, but it was nice seeing a little sun. The Batter held his bat tightly in his hands as Alpha buzzed lightly.

A tall, scary figure waltzed his way towards the entrance of the barns, causing the Puppeteer to move the Batter away from view. This man did not seem happy.





" I... I... I... I am... really... " A tiny Elsen sighed, smoke floating out of his mouth. The tall figure was looking around the landscape, a permanent scowl plastered on his face.

" Shut your trap, you poor moron. " The tall figure hissed, placing his hands on his hips. He was a monster, made out of rust, and copper, his brown skin rusted with age. He had sharp teeth and a glare that could kill. The Batter wasn't too sure about confronting him.


" No... I... Yes... " The Elsen sputtered, cowering away in fear.

" Has he been in there for long? " The man/monster said, obviously talking about the Batter.

" I... I don't know... " The Elsen squeaked.
The tall figure growled, facing the Elsen, " Of course. You know nothing. I could of guessed. "

The Elsen shifted around uncomfortably, " He... He will eliminate the specters... "
The taller figure laughed loudly, crossing his arms, " And why does he think he's capable of destroying those stupid phantoms? He thinks he's better than me! Better than the Queen! "

The Elsen shuffled his feet, unable to meet his eyes with the larger male, " No... No, I don't think... "

" Shut it, I haven't asked you anything. You all think you're smarter than everyone else. But you're all the same. At any case, that's hardly important. The ghosts will erase that pig. "

The Elsen's watery eyes widened, " I... Ah? You... you think he won't succeed...? "

" Of course not. Nobody here's capable of fighting the phantoms other than the Queen's officers. If you'd only listen to me more often, you wouldn't be in so much s**t. "

It was quiet, before the Batter heard the Elsen speak up again, " But... but then who... Who's going to destroy the phantoms? "

" I could of done it. But you don't deserve it."

 

[belle coquette]

The Batter remained in hiding as the taller figure continued to yell at the Elsen.

" Too bad for you, you'll just have to take care of your problems yourself. A soft sprinkle of rain began to fall from the smoke clouds, more than likely producing acid rain. The monster seemed unaffected by it, but the Elsen seemed worried by it.

" I... I... No... P-Please... " The Elsen pleaded.

The taller figure took a step forward, sending the Elsen a step back, " I'll be leaving now. I'll be returning to Alma. At least the people there are polite. They ain't constantly cutting you off. " He continued to look around, letting his pitch black eyes wander around the area. It seemed almost as if he was looking around for the Batter.

" Pl-...Please don't... "

" Goodbye. " He began to slowly walk forward, but the Elsen was blocking his way. The Batter watching with curiosity, amazed at how brave this Elsen suddenly grew.

" Piss off. " The Elsen sighed heavily, lifting his gaze up towards his boss.

" Don't... No... I... "

" I command you. Get the ******** out of my way this instant, if you want to keep your job. " Upon threatening his ability to work, the Elsen immediately stepped aside, letting his boss storm away from the area. The Batter found this opportunity to make his presence know. He slowly walked out of the barn after he was completely sure that the monster was gone.

" Who was that person? " The Batter asked the Elsen in a quiet tone.

" You... You're alive? " The Elsen was smiling wide as he clasped his hands together, despite the talk he had with his boss. The Batter had no idea how these fragile creature could endure so much.

" Yes. " The Batter said, sighing softly.

" And... And the specters? "

" Eradicated. The barn is pure now... " The Batter said proudly. The Elsen looked happy, yet surprised.

" You... You must be very lucky... "

" Who was that person? " The Batter repeated himself, obviously because their conversation had gotten off topic.

" That... That was Dedan. He's the Queen's supervisor... "

The Batter lifted an eyebrow, crossing his arms, " You mean specter. "

The Elsen looked up at the Batter, eyebrows knitted together, " ... No... The Queen doesn't employ specters. He can't be one... "

" But he's hostile. I must destroy him."

The Elsen backed up immediately, " No... No... Don't do that... He's an envoy of the Queen... I... I... Uh... You'd better go complete your work in the smoke mines... Pl-Please..."

"... "

" B-Besides... he is in Alma. No one can get there without proper authorization. So Pl-Please. Return to the smoke mines... "

The Batter eyed the Elsen, gripping his bat a little tighter, but the Puppeteer stopped him before he did anything to brash.

" Alright... "

 

[belle coquette]

The Batter continued forward, watching as his surroundings barely changed. Zone 1 was a lime green place. Everything was lime green, all of the buildings, the ground, the fences that held live cows inside. The Batter thought nothing off it, even though sometimes it was very disorienting. He walked away from the barns, relieved. The ladder that lead into the smoke mines was now visible, so Batter slowly lowered himself down into the dark area.

Soft grumbles and groans were clear in the Batter's ears as he turned down the right path that led deeper into the mines. Only a few lanterns lit this area up, but they were clearly beginning to flicker and die. As the Batter continued forward, the light in the mine grew to none. Alpha took this chance to float leisurely beside the Batter, acting as a significant light source. The darkness put the two holy entity's on edge, extremely vulnerable to an attack. The Batter strained his ears, listening for anything that was other than Alpha's buzzing, and his cleats tapping against the ground. They moved forward regardless, coming to a stop once they reached a tiny room with a small chest in the center. The Batter pulled out a box labeled 'SILVER FLESH', and threw it into his inventory.

The mines were a place the Batter really did not enjoy being in. He stumbled back the way he came, but took another right, walking down a small hallway before heading up. He turned right, and found another chest, which contained two LUCK TICKET'S. They flew into his inventory, before he turned to leave. He moved upward, a little bewildered by the lack of specter attack's. He didn't want them, of course, but they usually swarmed to him. Now there were none.

A lone chest sat in the center of another room. He opened it and was met with a larger box, labeled 'ABADDON'S MEAT'. Before the Batter could question it, the voice of his Puppeteer echoed through his head, This item cures all negative status effects, out of combat. It can also revive those who are dead. Unfortunately, it is unusable during battle. The Batter nodded, and let the box fall into his inventory. He was about to turn around until he felt a sharp force shove him into the chest in front of him. The chest creaked under the Batter's weight as he flew forward, startling Alpha. Three Magnolia's hissed at Alpha, as the Batter picked himself up, still a little dazed.

The Add-On zipped forward, slicing one of the Magnolia's in half. The other two attacked the Add-On, but Alpha was able to sear through them both with it's white hot light. The Batter rubbed a bump forming on his head, occasionally blinking his eyes. Alpha returned to his side, following him as he went to pick up the 60 credits and a LUCK TICKET. He would be fine, a small walk would fix everything.

They continued on, walking around aimlessly for a few moments until they ended up in a significantly larger room. There was nothing in it, except for a switch on the left wall. The Batter neared it and asked, " The switch is ON. Flip the switch? " The Batter felt his Puppeteer nod, so he instantly complied. The switch clanked under the pressure of the Batter's hand. The switch was now OFF, but it didn't do anything spectacular. Looking around, the Batter noticed that nothing happened.

 

[belle coquette]

After the switch had been pulled and nothing happened, the Batter turned a walked up the hallway in which he had entered through. He could hear the soft, eerie laughter of the specters currently residing in the smoke mines. Their teeth clacked and chattered as they looked for any live prey. They would eat anything, whether it be a tiny discarded back of sugar, or an unfortunate Elsen who got lost in the mines. The Batter didn't like the idea of becoming specter fodder, so he remained on high alert, just like his puppeteer. His black cleats created a slight echo in the empty room, a nearby January picking up on the sound right away.

Just a few walls over, the Batter picked his cap off of his head, tucking his bat under arm to run a hand through his dark colored hair. The smoke in the mines was beginning to get to his lungs. He wondered if an exit were nearby.

A loud screech erupted from the far end of the hall, the Batter's head whipping around to spot an angry January barreling towards him. Cap placed back onto his head, the Batter swung his bat as hard as he could.

Missed.

Alpha reappeared, automatically receiving the January's ripped and calloused hand. The add-on slammed into the far wall as the Batter picked himself up and swung again. The metal bat collided with the specters jaw, smacking it clean off his face. Ectoplasm immediately spilled out from the gaping wound, sending the January into a fury of screeches and attacks. The Batter managed to dodge a few attacks, but barely. Alpha put a competence move to work, SATURATED CHAIN. The searing light burned into the January's torso, black liquid seeping through its rotting skin. After a few moments of loud screeching, the January exploded into a heap of ectoplasm and credits. Picking up the tiny coins, the Batter stuffed them into his pants pocket to save for later.

Alpha rejoined the puppet as they continued to walk down the hallway. After a few moments, the darkness began to slowly disappear as lamps shined their light at the end of the hallway. Passing through a door frame, another hallway presented itself infront of the Batter. It opened into larger room with a yellow save block, and a mysterious silhouette. Bat clutched a ready, the Batter inched towards the figure.

A frog mask revealed itself to the Batter. Its owner, a short man with a backpack strung over his shoulder. A mask was placed over his face, covering his features except his sharp toothed grin. The Batter stood straight up, his guard up.





"The characters are starting to pile up, aren't they?" The masked man laughed, an evident french accent lacing his words. The Batter raised his eyebrows, taken aback.

"Pardon?"

The masked man shrugged, "What I'm saying is that the average player doesn't need all these complicated and tedious dialogues." He motioned up to the puppeteer, "There should be more action and fewer questions."

The Batter was more confused than ever before. Did this man (if he was even a man at all) know the puppeteer. That would make no sense. But it was possible.

"Who are you?"

" I'm Zacharie, the traditional item's merchant that's necessary in every video game. I'll always find myself in places you're going to visit before you arrive. But enough blather. I'm not one of those protagonists you need to listen to for hours. So lemme see the color of your credits!" Zacharie shifted his backpack off of his shoulder, opening it to let the Batter gaze inside.

Inside were hundreds of useful items, such as: LUCK TICKETS, MOLOCH'S MEAT, EYES, HAROLD BATS and many others.

After a long process of question and answer, the Batter bought 2 AURA OF JUSTICES, which were sets of defensive equipment for Alpha and the Batter, a NICHOLAS TUNIC, which was a clean set of clothing, and a RADIUS EPIDERMIS, which was a special set of defensive equipment specifically for Alpha. After picking out his necessities, the Batter handed over a total of 550 credits to the masked merchant. Zacharie grinned, tucking the coins into a bulging pocket in his backpack.

"It was a pleasure my dear... friend" Zacharie chuckled as the Batter turned to touch the save block.

'HEALTH AND COMPETENCE POINTS FULLY RESTORED'

 

[belle coquette]

On the other side of the yellow save block was a door frame, almost too small for the Batter to fit through. Squeezing his body through the hole, the Batter found himself in a tiny secluded office, an elevator on the far wall, and an uneasy looking Elsen watching him intently.

"...??? What... How... Where did you come from?" The Elsen asked, twiddling his thumbs.

"From the smoke mines." The Batter answered dully.

"But... How... What? But... but... that's impossible... Not a single lamp works there, you... you couldn't have..."

The Batter smirked. If the puppeteer didn't know any better, the smirk would be considered an evil one.

"Faith guides my steps."

The Elsen gulped, it's eyes almost bulging out of their sockets, "F-Faith?"

"My mission is to purify the mines... but it seems that the phantoms here are particularly numerous." The Batter mumbled, admitting his struggles.

"The... the specters..." The Elsen whispered softly.

Narrowing his eyes the Batter spoke up, "Where am I?"

"Uh..." The Elsen gasped, collecting the words in it's head, "Hhh... You're at the plastic administrations Shachihata, the northern part of Zone 1... Our work consists of filling in forms. Afterwards, we wrap them up with string and send to the courier service. There, they ship the packages, and in return, we receive parcels full of plastic..." The Elsen paused to catch its breath before continuing, "There is a lot of liquid plastic that forms lakes and oceans. There is also solid plastic used to make various objects... As the first of four elements... it's an important element. Because without plastic... the world would have no boundaries... People would walk and walk without ever stopping... "

The Batter raised his left eyebrow as the Elsen sputtered softly.

"But... but... you hunt specters...? Really?"

"Yes. I'm purifying this zone."

The Elsen gasped, "The specters... I know where they come from...They all come from the postal service..."

"The postal service?" The Batter asked.

"That's where we send out the packaged forms... the problem is that uh... nobody can remember which floor it's on..."

Nodding his thanks, the Batter moved towards the elevator. He had choices to choose from. The basement was located on floor 00000, which he was currently on. The ground floor was located on 00001. The roof was located of floor 99999. The postal service was an option, but it was followed by five question marks.

To make things easy, the Batter first began with the ground floor. Entering the elevator, the Batter closed his eyes as the old rickety machine brought him up above ground.

As he stepped out, the Batter noticed dozens upon dozens of cubicles, each housing its own Elsen, hard at work stamping, folding, and tying orders or papers. They all mumbled a few words that the Batter couldn't understand from where he was standing. He took a few steps around, peeking into a few cubicles. The Elsen working didn't even acknowledge him. The ones who did repeated their form and stamp numbers over and over until they had to sit down before they became burnt.

Before long, the Batter found himself on the roof of the building, meeting a familiar feline resting on the green plastic.

"Zounds! You again? You are decidedly everywhere. One could believe that you are following me..." The Judge laughed, "Nonetheless, your steps have not deceived you, for you are here in a lieu that can certainly use sacred blows from your holy bat. Perhaps you are already aware of this, but it appears that the story housing the postal service is overrun by ectoplasm. It would probably be wise to find the story with the intangible creatures post-haste in order to dispatch them. But could it be that the task is too difficult for your narrow mind? In that case, I may be able to provide you with advice..." The Judge purred softly, licking the fur on his back.

"Some help would be welcome." The Batter said.

" Open your ears widely and listen, for I will not repeat this twice, not even in the midst of the most pathetic supplication. In one of the four rooms on the ground floor housing the many cubicles, all the employees seem to be trained to a particular set of instructions... Additionally, if there was a choice to be made, I would prefer the lower case over the upper case. That is all."

 

[belle coquette]

After talking to the Judge, the Batter took the elevator back down to the ground floor. The Judge seemed like he knew some things, so the Batter put his advice into action. Moving towards the bottom right room, he entered a random cubicle, tapping the working Elsen on the shoulder.

The poor Elsen almost exploded at the sudden contact, whipping it's tiny head around to face the Batter.

"C-Can I help you...?" The Elsen gasped, fingers trembling.

"Tell me your form and stamp numbers." The Batter commanded, the Elsen immediately complying.

"Form 2584 stamp 10258"

Obtaining the information needed, the Batter moved onto the next Elsen.

"Form 2584 stamp 10258"

Next.

"Form 2584 stamp 10258"

Next.

"Form 2584 stamp 10258"

Keeping the number 10258 in mind, the Batter moved out of the office, walking briskly to the elevator. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a few Elsen peeking out of the offices, watery black eyes glued on him. He stopped, but did not turn to face them. His dark red eyes turned slightly, burning through the Elsen's bodies. They gasped and returned to their work almost immediately.

Laughing slightly, the Batter continued towards the elevator, punching in the number 10258. The machine clattered loudly before the rusty gears began to pull him upwards. As the elevator doors began to slowly part, the Batter raised his bat.

The purple rooms were still, an eerie still that caused goosebumps to n** up the Batter's neck and arms. He slowly inched into the room, his cleats tapping loudly against the floor.

"... no one?" The Batter asked himself. The area was quiet, no clacking, no chattering of teeth. Boxes upon boxes were stacked on each other, creating dark shadows that danced on the walls.

But no specters.

The Batter moved around a wall of boxes, a set of stairs leading him up to another story. He was about to head towards the staircase until a dangerous looking Elsen jumped down the stairs. Out of it's mouth, black smoke began to puff and seep out from it's pale white lips.

"..."

The Elsen's body began to convulse, it's arms twitching, fingers curling to form fists. After a while, the Batter cleared his throat.

"I'm... the Batter. Where are the phantoms?"

The Elsen didn't respond right away.

"I'm... I'm very afraid..."The Elsen rasped,"Help me..." The Elsen screamed loudly, the Batter dropping his bat to clamp his hands down onto his ears. Red eyes still wide open, the Batter watched as the Elsen's head exploded out from in between it's shoulders. Black smoke immediately began to funnel out of the gaping hole in it's body, a putrid smell accompanying the smoke.





The Batter leaned over and grabbed his bat, Alpha up and ready. A deafening scream sounded throughout the postal service as the burnt came barreling towards the two holy entities.

 

[belle coquette]

Thick black smoke clouded the Batter's view as he swung blindly at any shadow he thought was the burnt. Seeing the bright white shirt, the Batter immediately scanned the enemy.


'BURNT (1)'
'AILING EMPLOYEE OF ZONE 1'
'NO WEAKNESSES/RESISTANCES'


As Alpha was distracted, the burnt swung it's hand at the add-on, slamming it against the ground. As it slowly rose, Alpha used the competence move SATURATED CHAIN. The burnt yelled loudly as it dodged Alpha's attack, but had it's arm wiped clean off it's body as it fell to the floor. It's body racked, as it picked itself up again, aiming at the Batter this time.

The Batter gripped his bat tightly with both hands, swinging with all his might as the burnt came close. Loud cracks of bones were heard as the burnt swung it's hand across the Batter's face. His cap flew off and across the room, as the Batter toppled onto his back, the wind completely knocked out of him.

Alpha immediately went to the Batter's side, then having the burnt's hands clamp down to toss the add-on across the room. Alpha clanked across the floor, light dimmer than usual. The burnt turned to face the purifier, bringing his hands down.

Squeezing his eyes shut, the Batter followed his instincts and shoved his bat forwards.

The disgusting squelch of flesh flowed through the Batter's ears as the burnt suddenly began to speak.

"Maybe... maybe his s**t has taken control over his brain..."

The burnt hissed loudly before exploding into piles upon piles of ectoplasm. The Batter automatically backed up, avoiding the hot goo. He rolled onto his knee's, taking his cap off to rub his aching head. Sensing the pain in his body, the Puppeteer used a few luck tickets on the two entities. Sighing with relief, the Batter silently nodded to the ceiling in thanks.

"Strange..." The Batter said, looking up to his Puppeteer.

Indeed, but let us proceed. We must figure out what is going on here... The Puppeteer whispered, the Batter relieved to hear their voice. He nodded in acceptance. The puppet proceeded up the stairs, entering the second part of the postal service. Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed a form stuck to the table nearby.

"Something strange is written on this form..." It's words were almost incomprehensible, but with the Puppeteer's help, the Batter was able to read it.

First version: They are six feet under, wrapped it hot metal and liquid plastic.

The Batter took note of the number six before continuing to observe the room. He noticed another familiar table with a form on it.

Second version: They are eight and they have long beards. They watch what is happening from their high silver spheres.

Adding the number eight to his memory, the Batter climbed up a nearby staircase that led him into the third part of the postal service.

Another form revealed itself, the Batter quickly going to examine it.

Third version: A sole big insect whose mandibles eat meat.

The Batter took note of the number one.

Another staircase the Batter climbed, and another form he found stuck to the table. He went to examine it, but stopped dead in his tracks when he heard the growl of a specter. His eyes scanned the area, checking behind and in crates, checking for any ghouls or phantoms. None. He must be losing his mind.

Fourth version: They are four, each one attributed to an element. They protect their respective crystals.

The Puppeteer dragged the Batter to another staircase hidden behind a wall. It led into a sole room packed with boxes. On the far end was a table with another form on it.

Fifth version: Five, like the fingers on a hand. Their lungs produce primordial smoke.

Batter have you noticed? There are five numbers. This must reveal a floor number. Quickly, let us move to find the last number. The Puppeteer said, the Batter immediately going down the first staircase he came through in. Noticing an opened entrance, the Batter climbed up the staircase he wasn't able to before.

 

[belle coquette]

The staircase led to a single room with a lonely chest placed directly in the middle. Almost on instinct, the Batter opened the chest, reaching in to pull out AN AURA OF JUSTICE. Already having two, the Batter stuffed it into his inventory to sell later. Climbing back down the stairs, the Batter retraced his steps, climbing down a set of stairs into a room he hadn't been to before. Just beyond a small wall was an Elsen sitting in front of a table that was located next to an elevator. Four obstacles were set in from of the elevator, preventing any use of it. Instead of heading towards the Elsen, the Batter came over to examine another form stuck to a table.

Last version: There are but two, in a secret zone.

Having all six numbers in memory, the Batter then confronted the Elsen.

"Uh...Uh... the access to the secret lift is uh... forbidden... D-Did I say secret?"

Narrowing his eyes, the Batter barked, "I must pass."

"Ah? Uh... really? No... uh... I think that's uh... impossible... Unless you uh... you have the code?"

Smirking, the Batter announced his findings, "681452"

The Elsens eyes widened, "The... the code... it... it is exactly correct."

"...Ho-... How...? You... you must not pass! I don't want to die!"

Seeing the explosion before it happened, the Batter immediately swung at the Elsens head, popping it clean off of its shoulders. Black smoke began to pour out in all directions, the Batter beating the specter before it regained consciousness. Cracks of split bones echoed throughout the room as the Batter continued to slam his bat down onto the Elsen's body.

The fight was over before it ever started. Picking up the 100 credits that sprinkled to the ground, the Batter watched as the obstacles in front of the elevator disappeared.

A loud voice echoed throughout the Batters head.

'THE BATTER HAS ACQUIRED COMPETENCE MOVE: RUN WITH COURAGE'

Too tired to celebrate, the Batter simply put a luck ticket to used before moving into the elevator.

Without even having to punch any numbers in, the elevator began to slowly make it's way up. Uneasy, the Batter raised his bat in defense.

After a few moments, a sign popped into view.


'FLOOR ???'
'DIRECTORS OFFICE'


A yellow save blocked was suddenly placed in the elevator, the Batter immediately letting the block relieve his pains. He removed his hand as the elevator doors slowly creaked open.

 

[belle coquette]

The Batter made sure to stay hidden out of sight as he took in his surroundings. An office that was coated in ectoplasm. Tables and chairs, filing cabinets and supplies all smothered in the stinking goo. Behind the table was a familiar face, the angry, rust skinned monster from the time the Batter had first entered Zone 1. His large metallic hands were curled around a specters ghostly neck, crushing it to the brink of death.

"Miserable morons! Piss off!" Dedan screamed, ripping the specters head off and throwing it at the other phantoms huddled together in front of him. The ghouls screeched but did not attack as even more ectoplasm exploded on them.

"This is my zone! You ain't got the right to be here!" Dedan yelled at the top of his lungs, attacking another spectre. He plunged his hands into the chest of one, ripping out vital organs, causing the specter to implode on itself. He also smacked the other specter against the wall, bashing it's head in with his curled fingers balled into a fist. Whipping around, he faced two other floating specters.

"Get outta my sight, you phantoms of s**t!" Dedan screeched, spittle flying out of his mouth. He smashed the two specters together, over and over until only piles of ectoplasm and a couple of credits remained.

"... hhh...hhh..." The monster pants, his hands leaned onto his table in exhaustion. Dedan's teeth clacked softly as he tried to level his breathing.

The putrid smell of ectoplasm wafted through the air. The Batter moved slightly to the left to try and avoid Dedan's line of sight even more. Unfortunately, his metal bat clanked against the elevator doors causing a loud ring to reverberate back and forth in the office.

Almost automatically, Dedan's head snapped up as his eyes burned into the Batter's skull.

"...YOU!!"

The Puppeteer forced the Batter to lift up his bat in defense, ready for any attack that Dedan might try and execute.

Ignoring him, Dedan screamed at the top of his lungs, "It's you! You're the source of all my troubles! The ectoplasmic lord whose been eyeing my beloved zone! What do you want?! Why have you decided to be such a pain in the a**?"

Seeing no immediate threat, the Batter lowered his weapon down to his side, but remained on high alert.

"I've dedicated my whole life to this place! You've got no right to ruin it with your damn ghosts! SHOVE OFF!!"

To end this monsters deluded phantasms, the Batter stepped forward, narrowing his eyes.

"You're mistaken. I'm not a phantom. I'm a savior. A purifier. I've come here to purge the world of these ectoplasmic entities."

Anger fueled in his eyes, Dedan barked, "How dare you respond! And how dare you imagine that I'd just put up with this s**t..."

Dedan slammed his fists onto the table, cracking the plastic that it was made of.

"Listen good. I'll make this simple." Dedan growled, "Get outta here and take your goddamn specters with you, or I'm gonna kill you. I hope that's clear enough for ya. If I ever see you again... you're dead. "

And with that, Dedan's massive figure faded from view, a bright light enveloping him whole. The Batter groaned, angry that he hadn't the chance to eradicate that monster. Turned to the elevator, the Batter paused when he heard the Puppeteers voice.

Batter, the tramway can now stop in Alma. I'm sure this is where Dedan went. The Batter nodded, entering the elevator and descending back down to the ground floor.

 

[belle coquette]

Once in the ground floor, the Batter walked through the offices, making his way outside. It was raining liquid plastic, as always. The clouds above were dark and the air was foggy as the Batter walked down the lime green road. Around him, a sea of plastic moved with the wind, soft patters of rain creating an endless beat that the Batter found entertainment in. He stepped in beat before he arrived at a small tram that was stopped on 2 sets of rails. A lone Elsen stood at the side of the tram, his clothes soaking wet with plastic. The Batter chose not to talk to the Elsen. He had more important things to do.

Stepping onto the tram, the Batter set his destination for Alma. He seated himself on one of seats, making himself comfortable. The scenery of Zone 1 was a confusing one. It was always raining. And endless sprinkle of plastic that everyone seemed to ignore. The only color was the lime green hue of the buildings, roads, etc. The insides of places were a dark purple, casting an eerie air to any place the Batter visited. And even better, a sea of plastic that seemed endless. Just like Zone 0, the plastic surrounded the land, shaking it ever so often. It was peaceful.

The tram shook slightly, signaling it's departure. It's wheels squeaked to life as the tram slowly but surely made it's way to Alma.

---

After what seemed like an eternity, the tram finally stopped at the end of the rails. A loud beep sounded as the tram doors slid open. The Batter collected his things, stepping out onto the solid plastic. There was nowhere else to go but a medium sized building with an open door. Passing through the doorway was a dark purple room with a three papers stuck to the wall. A door was located to the right of the room, but an Elsen was blocking it.

"Uh... I... I don't have the right to let anyone pass... Unless... Unless they answer some questions..."

The Batter blinked. He shook his head, declining the offer to answer the questions. He walked over to the forms, but they were unreadable to his eyes.

Do not worry, I can read this. Give me a few moments. The Batter nodded. The first form to him was bright green, contrasting the dark purple that the walls were painted. It almost hurt his eyes to stare at it. There were 3, each different neon colors. On them were letters jumbled together that he couldn't comprehend. They too were bright neon colors that made the Batter's brain swim. He groaned, shaking his head and reverting his eyes elsewhere.

Hmm. An odd puzzle, but I believe I have what is needed. The Puppeteer mumbled, guiding the Batter back to the Elsen.

"I will be answering your questions now." The Batter announced.

"Oh. Okay. Question 1: The second came from Jerusalem and..."

Answers were whispered through his head, courtesy of the Puppeteer.

"The third from Orta.

"Question 2: The Holy Trinity is made up of..."

"Roses."

"Question 3: Notre-Dame first appeared on the..."

"Sixth."

"Question 4: How many threes are there in June?"

"Twenty two."

"Question 5: Cyrille, Kevin and..."

"Jonas."

"... All your answers are correct... But uh... there is one more question... If you turn the month March upside down, what two digit number can you read?"

"Eighty-seven."

"That's... That's correct...correct..."

 

[belle coquette]

The Batter narrowed his eyes at the Elsen, his grip on the metal bat in his hand tighter than before. Slowly, he lifted the bat up above his head, ready to swing. He brought it down quickly, but was stopped almost immediately by a strong punch to the face. A loud snap was heard as the Batter flew backwards, hitting the far wall. Raising a hand to his nose, he felt warm blood cascading down his lips and chin.

The Elsen looked at what he had done, his hand covered in the Batter's dark red blood. His breathing became frantic as he watched the Batter slowly pick himself up, his eyes wide and filled with murder. Plumes of smoke clogged the Elsen's throat, begging to be released. His eyes were filled with the putrid muck as he doubled over, eventually bringing himself down onto his knees. The last thing he saw before he lost consciousness was the Batter right before him, bat in both hands above his head. The Elsen chose to let himself go.

Stacks of smoke quickly filled the room once the Batter cracked the Elsen's skull with one swift swing of his bat. The cracks and splits also filled the room as the Batter liberated the world of another specter. It didn't take long to purify the burnt. The Batter had been getting good at this.

Stepping over the lifeless body, the Batter walked through the doorway. Another green platform lay before him, but it wasn't surrounded by plastic. No, this endless sea was made of meat. Noticing he still had a bloody nose, the Batter wiped the liquid on his uniform, smearing the red on his pure white clothing. LUCK TICKETS weren't coming as frequently anymore. He decided to save some.

As his cleats tapped against the platform, he heard other footsteps. They were loud and it sounded like they were walking quickly. Towards him.

An Elsen appeared into view, beads of sweat rolling down it's pale forehead.

"You... you... ah..."

"I'm here to see Dedan." The Batter interrupted.

"De... Dedan... yes... yes of course... but first..." The Elsen sputtered softly, fiddling with the tie around his neck, "Hhh... you're at the meat fountains of Alma, the center of Zone 1. Here... meat flows freely, continually filling these immense metal pools you see before you. Our work consists of pouring this meat into bottles before the fountains overflow. The meat is then immediately delivered to all other zones, from Zone 1 on. As the first of four elements, it's an important element... Because without meat, people would have nothing to eat. They would die of starvation one after the other..." The Elsen shuddered, possibly at the thought of dying from starvation.

"Ma... Master Dedan has an office in the center of the fountains... but... but nobody has ever found it... Generally... speaking... Master Dedan seems to only appear when necessary... Well, uh... there... hhh... who are you anyways?"

"I am the Batter. I have come to liberate the world of malice and impurity."

The Elsen seemed very surprised, "Oh... Oh really? Uh... well then... Can you liberate me?" Suddenly, the Batter felt sharp nails in his jaw, and hundreds of keen pointy teeth on his neck. The Elsen had jumped forward, attacking the Batter while he was off guard. The purifier hissed as Alpha quickly singed the Elsen's head off. Smoke erupted forward, blinding the Batter as the smoke entered his eyes.

Alpha sliced the burnt in half, instantly causing it to erupt into ectoplasm. The Batter cupped his hand on his neck, feeling the wound begin to spurt blood. He chose to ignore it, but the Puppeteer thought otherwise. If you leave it, you will die. We have enough LUCK TICKETS, do not worry. The Batter nodded as he felt the wound on his jaw and neck slowly disappear into feelings of relief.

Adding the credits on the floor into his inventory, the Batter continued on his trek, spotting Zacharie sitting on a lone platform right across a yellow save block. Softly taking a seat next to the merchant, the Batter sighed softly, removing his cap.

"Hello Puppeteer! And hello to you too, dear Batter. In good shape, hmm? I do hope so! Perhaps you have some spare credits?" Zacharie chuckled, dumping his wares out in front of them. Supplied spilled to the floor as the Batter began to scan through them.

 

[belle coquette]

After rummaging through the items Zacharie had on display, the Batter paid for a PERSISTENT SYMBOL, offensive equipment for Add-ons, and two COLOR OF WRATH'S, which was special equipment for both the Batter and Alpha.

Zacharie snatched the credits out of the Batter's hand, counting them immediately. When all 230 credits were present and accounted for, Zacharie grinned as he watched the Batter stand up to leave.

"*Merci beaucoup, mon ami! À plus tard!" The greedy man chuckled, waving as the Batter disappeared from sight. The meat sloshed together creating an unnerving feeling in the Batter's stomach. Sure, he ate raw meat here and there to gain more health or competence, but this was the raw meat that came from the cows that were sliced in half everyday by the dirty, impure Elsens'. The Batter shuddered lightly.

After utilizing the newly purchased equipment, the Batter took in his surroundings. To the north was a large entrance to the center of the fountains- Dedan's office. In the way were large crates too big for even the Batter to push aside. To the left and right were long platforms that floated on the meat, longer than the Batter's keen were able to see.

Surrounding the platforms were pools of meat that caused the Batter's nose to switch on overdrive, giving him a hell of a headache. Deciding to go left, the Batter arrived at a Pedalo recovery point. Pedalo recovery points were places where the Batter pushed a button and a large inflatable rubber duck would become available for use.

Pedalo's were often used mainly by the Elsen's for inspection of meat. If they saw something out of the ordinary among the pools, they would hop in a Pedalo and fish it out.

The Pedalo's were also rubber ducks because anything else seemed to scare the Elsen's.

After pushing the recovery point, the Batter stepped into the Pedalo that appeared for him. He set his foot carefully on the floor of the rubber duck, quickly sitting down so he wouldn't flip and end up in a huge mess. In the Pedalo were two pedals that were used to put the rubber duck in motion. With a tiny steering wheel as a steering mechanism, it was tough to guide the Pedalo through the meat. The Batter gripped tightly at the wheel as he slowly began to navigate through the meat.

Pedaling his way up, the Batter noticed pairs of numbers lined up against the wall. The Batter quickly took note of them, and the color they were in.


1 4
2 9
3 8
4 2


As he took note of the numbers, the Batter felt a rough bump underneath his Pedalo. He jumped at the sudden movement, looking down at the meat below. Another bump, harder this time.

Before he could reach another platform and to safety, a loud growl bubbled up from beneath the meat. Standing up in the ride, the Batter held up his bat in defense.

Another loud growl erupted before a large, snake like specter appeared out from underneath the pool of flesh. It's mouth was lined with thousands of tiny sharp teeth that glistened in the light from the lamps hanging high above. Unsure of victory against these beasts in a Pedalo, the Batter quickly put his legs to the test, pedaling as fast as he could away from the specter. After a few minutes of vigorous pedaling, the Batter turned back to use WIDE ANGLE.


TROQUANTARY (x1)
'AQUATIC GHOUL WITH A RADIANT SMILE'
'LIGHT WEAKNESS AGAINST PLASTIC'


The Troquantary raced behind the Batter, not going to let it's meal escape so quickly.. The purifier pedaled like his life depended on it, which it really did. Immediately launching himself out of the Pedalo, the Batter crash landed on the lime green platform that shook underneath his weight. He then stood up, ready for a legendary fight with such a powerful specter.


show spoilerhide spoiler
translation
* "Thank you very much, my friend! See you later!"

 

[belle coquette]

The air was almost still, for a split second. The vicious snarl of the Troquantary vibrated throughout the meat factory, causing an uneasy feeling to settle at the pit of the Batter's stomach. The snake-like specter had yet to attack, but it was ready for one. It swayed from side to side in a serpentine movement, teeth chattering in excitement at the sight of a new meal. The purifier and the specter had yet to move, let alone breathe a single breath. Any wrong move could cost them their life.

The Batter was filled with the Puppeteer's plan. Alpha slowly appeared next to the Batter, a soft hum filling the eerie air.

At the sight of Alpha, the Troquantary took the Add-on as an attack. A loud, ear-shattering screech echoed throughout the factory as the Troquantary pushed it's snout forward at full speed. The Batter saw the attack before it was executed, and jumped out of the way.

Unfortunately, it wasn't enough.

Teeth sunk into the Batter's shirt and a portion of his stomach. Sudden pain erupted through the Batter's abdominal area, shooting through his whole entire body in a matter of seconds. The hot breath of the Troquantary puffed against the Batter's body as he desperately tried to free himself. He repeatedly smashed his bat into the specter's left eye, which caused the Troquantary to begin to swing him around. The fabric of the Batter's shirt began to rip, thread by thread. Worry spread throughout the Batter's mind as he tried to focus on his shirt. One last swing and he would be tossed against the wall like a wet paper towel.

Alpha produced a high pitched sound, causing the Troquantary to stop swinging the purifier around. A few seconds later, Alpha immediately used SATURATED CHAIN to free the Batter.

The white hot beam shot through the front of the specters chest and out through the back. It's mouth parted, freeing the Batter from it's clutches. The descent wasn't a long one. In a few seconds the Batter could hear the unsettling 'squelch' of the meat as the Batter plummeted deep underneath it.

Not daring to open his eyes, the Batter fought through the pool of flesh to shortly resurface again. The shadow of the Troquantary immediately made him regret resurfacing. Alpha had managed to take the specter on itself, and now, all that was left was the corpse of a specter that was filled with holes. Instead of exploding into ectoplasm, the Troquantary fell back slowly, the shadow growing larger and larger by the second. The Batter flung himself in the direction of the platform, quickly trying to avoid the oncoming threat. The enormous specter fell back with a force that cause the meat to spill over the platform, pushing the Batter forward and onto the lime green floors.

A tsunami of meat washed over the platform, gone as soon as it appeared. The Batter stood up, the meat slowly rolling down his uniform. A visit to Zacharie was to be arranged soon.

Fetching his bat out from the sea of meat, the Batter watched the Troquantary slowly sink underneath the flesh and blood. It's snout was the last to sink until it was completely gone.

The Puppeteer used plenty of LUCK TICKETS that healed the Batter from head to toe. Unfortunately, the meat didn't disappear from the Batter's uniform. He had a great urge to simply take of his uniform, but he immediately thought against it.

Alpha returned to the Batter, the two holy entities becoming one again. The platform was now covered in meat, but a Pedalo recover point could be seen. Choosing to leave it alone for now, the Batter continued his trek to the right.