Post
by LittleZbot » Tue Dec 31, 2013 5:53 am
I decided that, while I'm on Christmas Break, I might as well try to finish.
Chapter 9: Zany the Flame-Bot
The Kongbu had walked away long ago, leaving the now-hypnotized Zany on watch. Everyone was bored, except Wiener, who kept going on and on about how cool this all was. Ned had fallen asleep, and even Zooney had finally quieted down.
Suddenly, there was a change. Zany whirled around and faced the prison. There was a quick flash in his eye, and four prison walls were raised up in strategic locations, trapping each Stinker or Z-bot in their own cell.
"Oh. So THAT'S why there are six doors leading out of this," Zooney suddenly realized, "Great. Now we can't even see each other! Not that I much enjoy looking at these lunatics, but -"
"Shut your mouth!" Zany spat out. He calmly floated over to Zippy's cell and opened the door.
"Wait, you're letting me go?" Zippy asked, confused.
"Quite the opposite," Zany corrected, "You've always wanted to prove you're better than me. Now's your chance."
Zippy was confused for a moment, then it dawned on him. "We're going to fight?"
"Precisely."
"But why?"
"It's simple. I'm stronger, faster, and smarter than you. You are my master's greatest nuisance. As such, you must be destroyed. Now, prepare."
This, of course, caused quite a reaction. Everyone began to stand up and get closer to their bars, eager to see what would happen. Even Ned awoke from his sleep and ambled a bit closer.
"But Zany-"
"Well, are you going to die fighting or just let me roast you? It's your choice."
Zippy knew that answer. "I'd rather die fighting than any other way. But I've died twice, and I'm not going to let it happen again."
"So be it. I'll let you have the honor of striking first."
Zippy was unsure what to do, but attempted to zap Zany anyway. Zany dodged with ease. He quickly sped around the floor much faster than Zippy had ever seen him zip. Zippy suddenly felt a quick, sharp pain and realized that he had been zapped. Zany was focused on Zippy as he sped around, zapping him as he went. Zippy attempted to dodge, but Zany was shooting too fast. And every zap that hit him hurt more and more.
Suddenly Zippy just disappeared. Zany stopped short, surprised.
"Where are you?" he called out.
"Right behind you."
Zany spun around and launched a barrage of zaps. He saw Zippy for a moment, then Zippy vanished again. Now Zippy began to taunt him. His voice came from all around Zany, and Zany never knew where to strike next. Suddenly a realization came over Zany. He's teleporting.
Zany chuckled. "Using your powers, eh? Well, two can play at that game."
Suddenly Zany spun around where Zippy was and, using his levitation powers, pinned Zippy to the wall. As much as he tried, Zippy couldn't move. Zany smiled. Not any regular smile, though - it was an evil, sadistic smile.
"Well, you tried."
Zany shot one, continuous, very powerful zap at Zippy. Zippy attempted to match it with his own, but it was soon overtaken. Zany was much better at zapping than Zippy, and he was aided by the new strength the Kongbu had given him. As the laser hit Zippy, he began to burn.
"Zippy!" Mr. Science shouted. "We have to get out of here and help him! Any suggestions? Quick!"
"How about mine?" Wiener asked. "I sill think they're great ideas. You know, use a lock-pick on the dungeon door, smash it with a battering ram, poiso-"
"YES, WE KNOW," Mr. Science barked. "We need REAL ideas - ones that will actually work!"
"I've got an idea!" shouted Arrrggghhh!!!!. "Who's nearest to Ned's cell?"
"That'd be me," replied Zwikko.
"Does anybody have some chocolate syrup?"
"Me again."
"Can you reach through the bars to Ned's cell?"
"I guess. Why?" Then it hit him. He grabbed the chocolate syrup, reached across to Ned's cell and squirted it over Ned's lock.
"Hey, Ned!" Arrrggghhh!!!! called.
"Eh?" Ned lifted up his head groggily.
"There's some delicious chocolate on the door for you!"
"CHOCOLATE!" Suddenly Ned was wide awake and chewing on the door lock. It worked. With a sudden snap, the lock tore away and disappeared down Ned's throat.
"Great job, Ned! Now let us out of here!"
Ned looked at the place where the lock had been, quite surprised. Nevertheless, he opened the door and let everyone out.
"Good!" Mr. Science shouted, "Now let's go save Zippy!"
...
Pain.
A deep, hot, unbearable pain.
Drilling into him like a fiery stake through the heart.
Zippy had never felt such pain before. Once, a long time ago, he had died - blown to pieces in the explosion of a ship. But at least that pain was quick. A flash of terrible pain, and then it was over. The same when he smashed into the Kongbu so hard that it destroyed him. Unbearable pain, then it's over. But now there was a constant stream of pain hitting him. It still hadn't reached through to his inner layers, but that didn't decrease from the horrible burning sensation he felt.
Then, suddenly, it stopped. Just like that. There was nothing pinning him to the wall anymore either, and he crumpled to the ground. He was badly scorched, but nothing more. Zany's attention had been diverted.
...
Zany had stopped zapping Zippy when you turned to face the other Z-bots and Stinkers that had just been released. At the same time, he had let go of his telekinetic hold over Zippy, and begun fighting the others.
"You can't hit ME, spigot-head!" Zwikko called out to Zany. Turned out that he could, and painfully, too. Zwikko fell down quickly.
"I'm still standing, Mr. Nuts and Bolts!" Zooney shouted, turning Zany's attention away from Zwikko and to Zooney. And so it went on, one of them constantly shouting out names and threats, keeping Zany occupied for a long time.
"Here's the perfect thing!" Zwikko shouted, pulling out a flamethrower from his Merchandise Bag, "Stand back, everybody!" He called out. He turned the flamethrower on and spewed out flames all over Zany. Any normal Z-Bot would have been reduced to ashes. However, when the flames died down, they saw Zany still there, without a scuff or scratch.
Zany laughed. "There's a reason it's called a Flame-Bot," is all he said. He focused his spouts on Zwikko, ready to shoot.
But Zwikko was, on occasion, smarter than he looked. He instantly figured out that water beats flames. So he reached into the bag and pulled out a squirt gun.
"What's this? A simple toy? You can't possibly think tha-"
Zany never got to finish that sentence. He suddenly cried out in pain as the water hit him. It hurt far more than when he was a regular Z-bot. And Zwikko doused him over and over, until he was weakened considerably. Then he was grabbed and pinned down by many arms. He couldn't move.
At this time Zippy got up. He still hurt, but much less so. He slowly zipped over to where Zany was pinned down and struggling.
"I'm going to try something."
He stared deep into the red eyes that Zany now had. He looked deep, trying not only to see the mechanisms but the soul and mind beneath all that.
Mr. Science realized what he was doing. "Zippy, you haven't learned to control your own mind yet, much less somebody else's!"
"I have to try," came the response. Zippy stared even further.
All of the sudden Zany felt at peace. He stopped struggling and lay quiet.
"You have been under the influence of the Kongbu." Zippy slowly spoke. "No more. You are yourself. Your own soul."
"Myself..."
"You are one with your mind and heart."
"One..."
"You are free."
That did it. Zany fell down into a sort of half-sleep. The flames vanished, the black skin turned blue again, and the spouts became antennae. Finally, his eyes were no longer red. He began to look around and act far more like his normal self.
"Zippy?"
"Well, that worked better than I thought. Are you alright, Zany."
"Of course I'm all right. What, do you think a little waters gonna put me down?"
Zippy smiled, if that was possible for Z-bots. Zany was once again himself.
To Shorty, who was immortalized in an adventure.
To Marinus, who was my community older brother.
To Janet, who I will remember every time I wear a toque.
May these lost Wonderlanders find true adventure beyond us.
Discord: LittleZbot#3936
