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Red looked at the map on his flyer, then back up at the massive site before him. Yep, this was it. Ebott City Labs, the place where he would be performing his new part-time job. Money was a little tight recently, and this ‘test pilot’ thing paid handsomely.
The prerequisites before signing up were quite lenient – there was only a background check that he wasn’t involved in anything criminal. Seeing as this wasn’t the world he had come from, he was clean. He might have looked scary, but as far as his actions were concerned, he was completely innocent. The actual test, oddly enough, just involved playing a short videogame called Burning PT. Red wasn’t the hardcore gamer type, but he managed to complete all the levels with flying colours. He overheard the woman administering the test saying he was a Psycho… something or other. To be fair, she wasn’t wrong… he could be really intimidating when he wanted to be.
The bulky man continued into the largest building. He was supposed to meet a pair named Papyrus and Alphys at the reception. Of course, he knew of them, but what would this incarnation of them be like…?
He spotted a horned skeleton chatting with a shy, reserved-looking lizard girl. There they were. When Papyrus noticed the applicant, he greeted him with a smile and a wave. Alphys did the same, imitating her friend’s gesture a little awkwardly. “Greetings! You must be Red Ignis! It’s so nice to meet you!”
“Yeah, same.” As he shook the boy’s hand, Red took in the features of ‘this’ Papyrus and Alphys.
Alphys was a kind soul. She didn’t just look nice – despite her shyness, Red could physically feel an aura of warmth and cautious friendliness emanating from her. Everyone in his family had extremely powerful perception – they could sense what people were like and accurately read their characters, as well as detect any ill intent headed their way. In Alphys’ case… Was ‘moe’ the right term to use? Red felt she was something like that.
And this Papyrus… he looked surprisingly young. He had to still be in high school. Year 11? 12, maybe? He was a part-Blaster, too. He was roughly… quarter-changed? A crack ran from his nasal cavity upwards, and horns curved out from the back of his head. Spikes protruded from his elbows, knees, and spine. Red also spotted that the young man was barefoot – he had the clawed paws of a Blaster beast, making most shoes impossible to wear. A tail extended from a hole in his pants, swishing behind him calmly.
The test pilot thought about his own tail, tucked into his pants. Was this boy like him…? But that shape looked awkward to be in all the time… Could he not control the change? Red scratched the back of his head. Well, he could ask those questions later. The job came first. “So, what am I gonna be pilotin’ here? Some kinda jet fighter?”
“Y-you remember the game you played, right?”
“Burning PT? The one with giant robots?”
“Yes, that’s right! You’ll be the test pilot for an amazing new model!”
“Wait, seriously!? Those things’re real?”
Papyrus nodded, starting to walk into one of the corridors and gesturing for Red to follow. “That’s right. We’re building giant robots here. Once, in the past, a bitter and angry man hated the current state of the world. He wasn’t anyone special, but he just happened to find the right resources, allowing him to create a weapon capable of sending us all to oblivion.
“That was just one man – the grudge of a single person could drag down the whole world. And there are billions of people on Earth, all living in various conditions. If even a single person’s grudge grew to the same point… history could repeat. And on top of that, the original doomsday weapon was never found.
“That’s why Alphys and I created the Personal Trooper project, to stand against it if the need arose. We’re not making weapons to destroy, but shields to protect.”
The trio reached a gigantic chamber. It felt massive – even larger than an aircraft hangar. Papyrus’ eyes scanned the area. “There are other pilots, too. Their names are Sans and Undyne. They should be around here somewhere…”
“Wait a sec, why ‘m I needed if there’re already pilots?”
“D-did the tester tell you about, uh… TK?”
“TK…? Team Killing?”
A deep rumble emanated from behind Red. “Telekinesis. An ability present in Psychodrivers - people who have greater natural intuition, like you and Undyne. It rarely naturally occurs, but those with it are considered prodigies.”
Red turned around to see the owner of the voice, but instinctively smashed his fist into the creature’s face when he saw what it looked like.
“Ow! That really smarts…” The nightmarish monstrosity stumbled back, rubbing its snout.
The Fell skeleton jumped back, taking a fighting stance. His fist stung. Just touching the sharp skull had cut it, but that wouldn’t stop him!
Papyrus grinned at the creature. “Greetings, Sans!”
Red did a spit take. “T-that’s one a the other test pilots!?” Not somethin’ that jus’ killed ‘im an’ stole his suit!? He had enough restraint to avoid saying that last part out loud.
A muscular redhead strolled up to the beast and slapped its back, careful to avoid being pricked by the spikes. “Cool-looking, isn’t he? Too bad you can’t say the same about his personality! I’m Undyne, by the way.”
The creature shrugged. “I don’t blame you for your reaction. It happens with a lot of people. Some think I look like certain depictions of a wendigo – a cursed, skeletal flesh-eating demon… But rest assured, I’m not nearly that interesting. I consider myself more dragon-like, anyway.” He let out a chuckle at the end.
His voice itself was distorted and guttural, almost like a beast forcing itself to talk. But the way he spoke was laidback and relaxed. The pilot’s personality contrasted with his appearance like night and day: with a monstrous skull, massive spikes and claws, as well as a huge stature, Sans looked more like a creature that giant robots were there to fight, rather than an actual pilot.
The most worrisome part was that this was still just a partial shift – remaining bipedal and retaining the ability to talk were indications of that. Despite already being huge (being eye level with someone as tall as Red was an achievement), he sensed this was just the tip of the iceberg. And just like Papyrus, was he stuck like that? He couldn’t imagine a reason for wanting to stay in such a state.
The monstrous pilot continued. “But enough about me! I’m interested in learning about you! If you become a great pilot, you could be our very own Red Comet!”
Wait, what? Red had never heard that term before. “‘Red Comet’…? That a tokusatsu thing?”
Now it was Sans’ turn to be confused. “Eh? ‘Tokusatsu’? What’s that? Some kind of Japanese dish…?”
An awkward atmosphere hung in the air. It was as if they were speaking different languages. Red decided to dispel it by answering his counterpart’s question. “Well, anyway… There ain’t much t’ say, really… I’m jus’ a dad tryin’ t’ look after his kid.”
Undyne’s eyes lit up. “Ooh, you have a kid? Lemme see!”
“Uh… sure.”
The four young adults gathered around Red’s smartphone, where he had several albums of his daughter growing up. “Aww, she’s so cute~!” The newest pilot wasn’t sure whether it was endearing or creepy that everyone said that simultaneously.
Papyrus’ interest was piqued. I wonder… if she’s a Psychodriver, too… The moment that thought crossed his mind, he cringed, lightly slapping his head with a grimace. Sheesh… what are you thinking, Papyrus? Child soldiers? You’re not your father. He faced the others and pumped a fist into the air. “Alright, now that everyone’s been introduced, time to get started!”
Red entered the cockpit. The pilot suit was a little tight, but he guessed it couldn’t be helped. Several unlabelled levers and buttons laid before him. Heh, not very beginner-friendly… There should at least be an instruction manual!
No sooner had his behind touched the seat than the hatch close and the platform the robot was on start to rise. “Whaaaa-!?” The platform turned and angled itself upwards. A bright flash temporarily blinded the pilot. The wall had opened up, allowing light to shine in from the outside.
A comm channel opened up, revealing the grinning horned skeleton. “Alright, Red, you ready? You’re just going to test it out in the country. Run around a bit, do some weapons testing, and you should be back before dinnertime. Good luck! Sans will be with you to monitor everything. If something goes wrong, just let him know!”
Red’s eyes bugged out. “W-wait a sec, y’mean now? I don’t even know what t’ press yet-!” But as the machine continued to power on, knowledge started to flow into his head, like liquid running from the machine into his skull. It was as if he had been using this control system for years. Every single button and lever, he knew exactly what it did. Making it move felt like it would be as natural as walking.
As quickly as it had come, the skeleton’s brief burst of panic faded. “Alright… I’m s’posed t’ say somethin’ here, aren’t I? Red Ignis, Huckebein Comet… launching!” The pilot braced himself against the g-forces as his robot was launched into the sky.
Sans brought his own mecha onto the catapult. “Guess that’s my cue… Sans Gaster, Zeta Gu- (cough) Wildraubtier Ao, here I come!”
The journey to the countryside (the location of the testing range) was quite uneventful. Sans helpfully pointed out where to land.
The novelty of using a Personal Trooper wore off surprisingly fast – mobility testing felt rather mundane, even when inside a towering robot. Red practiced with some air manoeuvres, running around the open spaces, and even swimming in the nearby lake. The Huckebein responded to the commands he input extremely fluidly – it was almost as if it was directly connected to his mind!
Next was weapons testing. Red walked to a marked area, then aimed his beam rifle at the target. PEW! It didn’t even scrape the edge.
Sans put his hand over his muzzle too late – he couldn’t mask his sharp exhale of disappointment.
Red growled at his alternate universe counterpart, his tail flicking. “You gotta problem? I ain’t that good with ranged weapons!”
A bead of sweat rolled down the beast-like pilot’s head. “Sorry… How about using the Chakram Shooter? That one should be more up your alley.”
The Huckebein pilot switched weapons, walking as it aimed at the other four targets. BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! They weren’t bullseyes, but they were pretty damn close.
Red flinched as several metallic clangs rang out. The Wildraubtier was clapping. “Very nice, Red! You’re a natural at this!”
“Thanks, I guess. What’s next?”
Sans fished out a crinkled piece of paper from beneath his controls. “Let’s see… just melee weapons testing. You should have a Shishioh Blade, and I brought a beam sabre along. You feeling up for a little spar?”
The test pilot smirked. “Always.”
Sans walked him to the open area, then drew his weapon. “A word of warning: I may not be a Psychodriver like Undyne or you, but I’m far from a pushover!”
Red nodded, taking out his own blade. A giant katana, huh…? Weird weapon to put on a robot, but I ain’t complainin’. “Get set… GO!” The two skeletons charged at each other… but the moment before the swords clashed, a wave of nausea hit Red like a truck. “Uh…!?” The Huckebein dropped the sword, collapsing to its knees.
Sans barely managed to stop himself from beheading the new model, turning off his beam sabre just in time. What had happened to Red?
The new pilot felt like his skull was caught in a bear trap. Not only that, an invisible force was squeezing and twisting the gel that made up his gut. It was so tight, he felt like he was going to pop at any moment. “Dammit… what is this…? Why d’ I feel so…”
“What’s wrong? You okay?”
“Y’ don’ feel it too…? This disgustin’, twisted feeling in yer skull and gut…?”
The dragon-like skeleton didn’t feel a thing. He surveyed the area, but no one was there aside from the two of them. “Sorry… I don’t follow. Feeling dehydrated? Got motion sickness?” He reached under his seat, producing a well-worn drawstring bag. “I brought water and medicine, in case-”
Red gasped as his perception suddenly expanded. Several images flashed through his mind. Masked men, armed with guns, storming a building. A strange robed figure, walking among them. Papyrus, Alphys, and Undyne, tied up and held at gunpoint!
“THE LABS!” Ridges spiked up at the back of Red’s skull from the panic. He hurriedly produced a comb and smoothed them back down. “We’ve gotta head back, the labs’re in danger!”
Ebott City Labs had been taken over by armed robbers. Papyrus, Undyne, and Alphys had been subdued and tied up. They could easily break the rope, but if they did, they wouldn’t get far.
Papyrus and Undyne managed to beat a bunch of them earlier in hand-to-hand combat: they were fired at multiple times, but Undyne caught the bullets, while they didn’t even scratch Papyrus’ bones. However, the machine gun fire was just a distraction! While the two friends dealt with the gang, their leader snuck in and hijacked one of the prototypes – Valsion Omega, the Super Robot meant for Undyne!
Guns were one thing, but against a giant robot, there wasn’t much they could do. The enemy pilot could turn them into pancakes at the touch of a button!
The hatch opened, revealing a strange humanoid figure covered in robes. The name ‘Angel’ was stitched across the front. “Thanks, Papyrus. Thanks, Alphys. Your T-Link System, technology that connects to the mind itself, will be perfect for my plans!”
Papyrus’ concern overcame his drive for self-preservation! He ripped through the rope and made a mad dash for the cockpit. “Please stop! That model’s T-Link System isn’t complete yet! It might destroy your brain!”
Before his claws could even scrape the figure, the hatch slammed shut, and the flat of the robot’s sword smacked Papyrus to the ground. “SHUT UP! Don’t tell me what to do, you disgusting ratman!”
Undyne’s attention was suddenly drawn away from the scene. She could feel an approaching presence. Was someone trying to communicate with her mind? The image of the new Huckebein model alongside the Wildraubtier approaching the labs appeared in her mind, and with it, the voice of the test pilot. We’re on our way now! You guys hang in there!
Sans grimaced as he poked Wildraubtier’s head out from around the corner. “You were right, Red… this is quite the sticky situation we have here…” Sometimes, the skeleton cursed his brother’s more trusting nature – he thought the labs didn’t need armed guards, and he trusted the staff to keep a secret. And now look what had happened – not only had they been taken over, the mass production line had been stolen, too!
A single Gespenst was standing guard at the outside, but that was more than enough to tell Sans about the situation on the inside.
A dark blue blur rushing past him and towards the enemy set off warning sirens in the draconic pilot’s skull. “No, wait!” For pity’s sake… rushing straight into the thick of it…
The unsubtle battle cry and charge alerted the Gespenst to the Huckebein’s approach. Boosters roaring to life, it rushed at Red, aiming its beam rifle!
The skeleton from the Fell world exposed his sharp teeth in a smirk. Too easy… “G Territory, ON!” A forcefield manifested between the two Personal Troopers, deflecting the shot. He swung his sword… and sliced through nothing but air. The Gespenst was too fast!
Something from behind the Gespenst raced at Red, breaking the forcefield and smashing into the Huckebein’s head. With the shatter of glass, one of Red’s monitors went dead. “They got my camera!? But how…!?” Behind the Gespenst… was another Gespenst!? No, not just one! There were three in total – the angle of their positioning produced the optical illusion of only one, but whoever attacked them was in for a nasty surprise!
A whine of despair escaped Sans’ muzzle. It’s just as I thought… he’s been caught in a ‘Jet Stream Attack’!
The rest of the missiles ‘Gespenst B’ was carrying destroyed the rest of Red’s cameras, blinding him! ‘Gespenst C’ – the last one in line – drew back a glowing fist. It was going to finish him off with a Jet Magnum!
“No, you don’t!” Sans caught its arm, firing at the cockpit with a machine gun using his free hand. Blood poured out, the Gespenst going limp.
“Alright! Two more t’ go!” Red couldn’t see anything outside, but sound, smell (through the ventilation system), and the skeleton’s ‘sixth sense’ were enough for someone like him to discern what was going on.
The Huckebein and Wildraubtier stood back-to-back, the two remaining Gespensts circling around them like predators. Red had tuned in to his Psychodriver intuition as much as he could, his senses as sharp as a knife, whereas Sans was ready to make a move in reaction to the slightest sign of attack.
They’re going to shoot…
In 3…
2…
1…
“NOW!”
This time, it was the Gespensts’ attacks that hit nothing but thin air. Sans’ Wildraubtier changed into its Flight Mode and veered upwards, while Red jumped high into the sky.
It was as if lightning was crackling around both the pilot and machine. Red’s self-restraint slipped briefly, his second set of eyes manifesting as his face exploded into a muzzle, pilot suit straining against his growing torso before giving way. “TAKE THIS! ULTIMATE… HUCKEBEIN KIIIIIIICK!” The hotblooded finisher crushed ‘Gespenst A’ like an empty soda can, leaving a small crater in its wake.
Meanwhile, Sans took a more cookie-cutter approach. He blinded ‘Gespenst B’ with the Flight Mode’s beam cannon, before changing back into Trooper Mode and slashing it down the middle with a beam sabre.
Both pilots panted, red and blue steam rising from Red and Sans respectively.
The now half-demon checked his machine’s status. While its performance in tests was fine, in actual combat, it was way too fragile. He looked around his cockpit, noticing how much smaller it had gotten. This is seriously bad… I can’t even go full force in a robot fight. I’m lucky I didn’t change all the way – I’d’ve gotten crushed by my own cockpit! A faint blush spread across his cheeks as he looked down. At least my pants are still intact. He didn’t want to imagine the looks on the others’ faces if he left the cockpit with Red Jr. hanging out.
With the suddenness of a haunted TV blinking on of its own accord in the middle of the night, Red’s monitors were restored, revealing the giant visor of the Wildraubtier. The Huckebein pilot let out a yelp and instinctively scrambled back, banging his head on the seat. “YEOWCH!” His voice was significantly deeper, but as long as he kept his cockpit camera off, he supposed he could play it off as a distortion caused by the comm channel.
“I just used a repair pack to restore your vision. You’re lucky I brought one along. Seriously, what were you thinking, just charging in like that!?”
Red snarled, smoke pouring out of his snout like an enraged dragon. “What were you people thinkin’, makin’ the Huckebein so fragile!? I nearly kicked the bucket!”
“It’s a Personal Trooper, not a Super Robot! You don’t get the philosophy behind these? They're not actually meant to be hit! As the saying goes, ‘Float like a Butterfree, sting like a Beedrill!’”
“No one says that!”
“You know what I mean.” Sans stroked his chin, analysing the Huckebein. Although… he was pretty cool – using a hand-to-hand attack in a unit that wasn’t actually constructed to perform them… He might not be a model Personal Trooper pilot, but he could have what it takes to use ‘that’. The Blaster beast grabbed the controls and started to walk in the direction of one of the storage areas. “Alright, let’s go.”
The Huckebein grabbed the Wildraubtier’s shoulder, pointing in the opposite direction with its other hand. “Hey, what’re you doin’? The place where Papyrus ‘n the others’re held hostage is that way.”
Sans gently pushed the hand off and kept walking, not turning back. “If dealing with the grunts was this tough, the leader's probably going to be worse – we wouldn’t be able to beat him right now. Your fighting style’s not bad, just different. We need to get you an ‘expansion pack’.”
Of course, finding the ‘expansion pack’ Sans spoke of wasn’t that simple. A Super Robot resembling a noble knight patrolled the area outside the warehouse, the ground trembling with each step it took.
Even though he was supposed to be hiding, Sans couldn’t help but growl at the sight. “They even had the gall to take the robot my bro made with all his heart…”
Red fidgeted with the remains of his pilot suit. “Y’think we should attack…?” Despite being more capable than the average person and knowing it, the half-demon Psychodriver felt overwhelming ‘pressure’ coming from the mecha. While the pilot was slightly above average at best, the robot itself exuded pure power.
The Wildraubtier shook its head, confirming Red’s fear. “Even if the two of us ganged up on it, the Granteed Skull’s simply too powerful to fight in a direct battle with our current firepower. I’m not exaggerating when I say its fingers would be enough to crush us into dust. That’s why…” In a smooth motion, the Trooper changed into Flight Mode and rushed at the enemy. Beams erupted from its cannon. True to Sans’ words, Granteed was too powerful. The attack did barely anything, aside from give it a small scratch on its paintjob. Regardless, the ire of the pilot had been drawn.
With a dreadful hum, green light started to gather in the Super Robot’s chest. They’re using the Orgone Slave already!? This is just overkill! The massive energy blast (which Sans jerked his vehicle away from just in time) parted the clouds. That day, the people at the local space station noticed a strange green pillar briefly emerge from Earth.
Sans gulped, steeling his nerves. To get more of its attention, he’d have to fly in closer… but that also meant he would be making himself an easier target. One false move, and his life was over. He flew in just above the Granteed’s head, opening the bottom of his vehicle to drop his AG Missiles… but the Super Robot leaped upwards, hands glowing with the same eerie green light.
He veered away from the attack, but the Granteed had also taken to the skies: unlike the Wildraubtier, it didn’t need to transform in order to fly. It continued to pursue Sans in the air, its fingers ready to penetrate his body in one strike.
Hopefully the pilot doesn’t realise I’m just leading them in circles while Red docks… I’m counting on you, new guy!
Red rushed into the warehouse, not wasting a single moment. “Is this… the ‘expansion pack’ Sans was talkin’ about?”
The machine before him looked like a half-finished Super Robot. Gigantic arms and legs protruded from a bulky torso, but the space where the head and chest should be was empty. The hole looked just big enough to fit his Personal Trooper inside.
But how’m I s’posed t’ get it t’ work…? The moment the thought crossed Red’s mind, both machines lit up, a light green aura appearing around them. The Huckebein levitated into the machine of its own accord. With a satisfying click, like a key fitting into a lock, the two combined.
A yelp escaped the test pilot as his cockpit changed accordingly. Both his seat and controls vanished into the floor, giving him a full 360-degree view of the scenery around him. “Whoa… This whole thing’s a motion capture system!” The machinery retracting freed up an amazing amount of room. It felt huge – there was just enough space to…
Anticipation welled up within the half-demon, a giddy grin appearing on his face. “Time t’show ‘em what I’m really made of!” Careful not to shred them from his spikes, Red removed his pants, neatly folding them before laying them down next to him. He still had to have something to wear once he was finished.
He hummed thoughtfully. I guess I should do something to get myself in the right mindset, too… This thing also had voice-activated functions, right? “Music system, activate! Play: ‘ACE ATTACKER Ver. W’!” Then… he unleashed the beast.
The fully formed Huckebein Boxer smashed out of the warehouse, its fists alight! Sans didn’t have the intuition to sense it, but he knew the expression on the face of the Granteed’s pilot was one of pure terror. He smirked as he flew back, his job done.
Blood-red TK energy formed around the towering mecha’s knuckles as it leapt towards Granteed. “SIGNATURE MOVE: GEIST KNUCKLE!” One after another, its punches slammed into the enemy! The Granteed Skull’s armour was made of the toughest material known to man – even with the boost in firepower, a single punch only made a small dent. But in the blazing barrage, the damage added up – like individual raindrops building up to form a violent storm! “TAKE THAT, AND THAT, AND THAAAT!” He was punching so fast, his fists were a blur – their shapes were indistinguishable to the naked eye!
With a final punch, he sent the Granteed Skull hurtling into the skies… before re-entering Earth’s atmosphere as a smoking heap of scrap metal.
The Wildraubtier changed back to Trooper mode and gave a thumbs-up to its ally. “Lookin’ good, Red!”
The two continued to the central hangar of the labs, the Huckebein Boxer beating down the enemies in its way, and the Wildraubtier Ao shooting down the stragglers. It wasn’t long before they were face-to-face with the Super Robot their leader had stolen for himself. With the enemy distracted, Undyne took the opportunity to retrieve the unconscious Papyrus and escape alongside Alphys.
The Valsion Omega… a truly formidable machine. Its T-Link System was engineered to push the pilot to their very limits. It wasn’t complete, so there was a very real threat of the system going berserk and destroying the whole city. That meant they had to shut it down, as fast as they could. But with its immense power and durability, was it even possible…?
“Change, Raubtier!” Sans transformed into Flight Mode, shooting at Angel full throttle. Beams rapid-fired from the Wildraubtier’s cannon, but they bounced off the Valsion’s mighty forcefield, like a child throwing foam darts at a riot shield. I’m not done yet…! The pilot changed his robot back into Personal Trooper Mode mid-charge and drew his beam sabre, the momentum adding force to his thrust!
But it was still no good! His blade stopped just short of the Valsion’s head! “You IDIOT!” Angel taunted. “You really think a puny lower lifeform like you can pierce this TK-reinforced barrier!?”
“What!? You’re a Psychodriver!?”
“That’s right! I’m the next step in evolution, a chosen race of shepherds to lead the flock of sheep that is mankind! Pathetic creatures such as yourself should give up your place to the superior beings. In this world, it’s survival of the fittest! Kill or be killed!”
The Valsion drew its sword and thrust it at the skeleton’s cockpit, but a massive fist pierced the forcefield and knocked it out of the Super Robot’s hands. “‘Survival of the fittest’, eh? Then I ain’t gonna be hearin’ any complaints from ya once I smash yer head in! GEIST KNUCKLE!”
Before Red’s fists reached the Valsion, it split up into several parts, each hovering in mid-air of its own accord.
“W-what in the…!? This is what the T-Link System is capable of!?”
The enemy Super Robot’s eyes gave off a menacing gleam, before it became an indistinguishable blur alongside the other parts. “BLOODY SIEGE!” A tornado of metal swirled around the two Personal Troopers.
Sans clenched his teeth. He was glad he didn’t have flesh, because by now he would have bled to death from biting his lip. His eyes darted around the cyclone that the Valsion had become. The pilot had no idea where to look – there was too much to keep track of!
Before he knew it, a giant chunk of metal had smashed into his main camera! Several more instantly followed, ripping apart the Wildraubtier Ao as if it was made of nothing more tissue paper. Sans had no choice but to eject!
He escaped the cockpit just in time, but the damage had already been done – the Personal Trooper violently exploded! Red was safe from the rain of shrapnel inside his Huckebein, but his fellow pilot had no such luck! Metal sliced into Sans as he tumbled to the ground, having been launched outside of the Valsion’s cyclone’s range.
“SANS!”
“I-I’m okay…” The dragon-like pilot slowly rose, rubbing his arm. The sharp material would have sliced a normal person to ribbons, but Sans only had shallow cuts on his bones. He was bleeding a bit, but nothing a few bandages couldn’t fix. “Sorry, Red… I really hate to do this, but the rest is up to you! I’ll take care of rescuing the workers!”
He disappeared, leaving Red to face the Valsion Omega. “Alright… Here we go.”
The separated Valsion continued to circle around the Huckebein Boxer, forming a vague blur of colour while firing the occasional laser. The TK Field the Boxer parts provided was strong enough to repel the lasers, but the ramming attacks from the parts was causing cracks to start to form.
Despite this, Red’s mind was clear and serene, like the surface of a still pristine lake. He closed his four eyes and concentrated. The backdrop of the Personal Trooper factory faded, and the Valsion’s movements started to slow. Where’s the enemy… where’s the source of this pressure? As clear as the ring of a bell, the answer came to him with a flash. “There!” He opened his eyes and produced a gigantic gun, aiming it at where his gut feeling told him. “GRAVITON RIFLE!”
A burst of purple energy raced out at the detached part where the cockpit was. Naturally, Angel was too smart to let himself get hit. The Valsion Omega reformed, its shield deflecting the attack.
That was what Red meant for him to do! To form its forcefield, it had to stop moving! And now that it had stopped moving, he could hit it with all he had! “Gotcha! CATAPULT KIIIICK!” He put all his weight into the blow. TK energy could pierce a TK Field!
Angel made no effort to dodge or use his forcefield, instead lifting one of the Valsion’s arms. What a cocky bastard! Tryin’ t’ block a TK-powered attack with his bare hands? Another flash and rush of pressure coursed through Red’s skull. No…! That move wasn't him guarding! It was an attack!
“Die! CROSS SMASHER!”
SHIT! The demon Psychodriver’s quick thinking saved him. He fired at the ceiling with his Graviton Rifle, recoil shoving him to the ground and allowing him to avoid total vaporisation. The giant laser beam from the Valsion’s arm singed the front of his Huckebein’s torso, but he was otherwise unharmed.
However, there was no time to relax just yet. Another Cross Smasher came at him! Forced to abandon his gun, Red rolled sideways and jumped to his feet. A giant ugly gash had been carved into the ground by the laser. The first one stretched all the way outside, going farther than Red’s eyes could follow.
Panic started to rise in the pilot. How much destruction could this robot cause!?
His attention snapped back to the Valsion Omega. “Stop! Yer gonna kill someone, if ya haven’t already!” Despite the logical part of his mind telling him it wasn’t going to work, his heart told him to at least try.
“SHUT UP! Does it look like I care, idiot!?” Angel raised an arm, ready to fire a third laser beam.
Red snorted, a puff of crimson smoke emerging from his maw. That left him with no choice! At least, I hope this’ll kill ‘im instantly…
With the reflexes of an expert cowboy drawing his gun, the pilot drew a quad-bladed boomerang and flung it at the cockpit. “Tear the enemy apart! FANG SLASHER!”
“Another attack at my cockpit, hm~? Haven’t you learned!?” The Cross Smasher fired! Red’s precognition detected it ahead of time, so he rolled out of the way with ease. Meanwhile, the weapon he threw was engulfed by the laser and disintegrated into nothingness… or so Angel thought.
Like a ray of light cutting through the darkness, the Fang Slasher, coated in a supernatural gold, overcame the laser and continued onwards! With the sound of shredding metal, it struck home! The Valsion teetered, before falling flat on its back with a heavy thud.
Red allowed himself a small smile. Encasing the weapon in a TK Field was a gamble he wasn’t sure would work, but it did. However, Angel wasn’t dead – the awful pressure remaining in the Huckebein pilot’s head was proof of that. Dammit…! The Valsion Omega’s attack must’ve knocked it off its course.
A comm channel from the Valsion abruptly opened. The quad-blade had torn directly into Angel’s mask, an odd fluid leaking out of the split. Red still couldn’t see any features that lay beneath those robes, but he could feel the red-hot boiling anger just seeping out of the enemy pilot. His legs moving of their own accord, Red started to back away.
“You… fucker…! I’m gonna make you wish you were never born, and when I’m done enjoying your begs and pleas for life, I’ll slowly crush your head into paste!” The Super Robot slowly stood back up, then levitated into the air, as if possessed by a ghost. Its eyes pulsed with a ghastly glow, before its chest opened, exposing a swirling red core. “MEGA GRAVITON WAVE!”
A huge gust of wind blew from behind Red. He steadied himself, bracing his legs against the ground. Everything in the hangar was getting dragged towards the Valsion’s core. “Ah!” He ducked as a dark shape whizzed past his head. Another one of the prototypes!? The moment it touched the Valsion Omega’s core, an intense pulse of heat and light rushed out from the Super Robot. The full version of the prototype would never see the light of day – the explosion left nothing behind. Red gulped. Why’d somethin’ like this hafta happen on my first day!? He sighed and shook his head. Whatever. No use complaining at this point!
The demon reopened the comm channel to the Valsion Omega. “Yer breakin’ out yer ultimate attack, huh…? Then it’s time fer me t’ break out mine!” The Huckebein stood tall against the pull of the vortex.
“Boxer parts, purge! Slash Mode, engage!” The Personal Trooper jumped, the bulky expansion pack detaching from it as it did. The tree trunk-like arms and legs transformed and reconfigured into the shape of a hoverboard, the robot landing on it with style. At the end was a crimson blade, sharpened and honed to cut through anything and everything. “Concentrating TK energy… Finishing move: G-SWORD DIVERRRRR!”
Rather than try to escape or fight the vortex, Red charged right in! The force dragging him in only added to the destructive potential of the charge! The moment the attack collided with the Valsion, the Graviton Wave rushed out at him full force.
The Psychodriver felt his gel and bones alike start to agonisingly sizzle as the heat of the attack hit him! The liquid running off him and dripping onto the cockpit floor wasn’t sweat, but parts of melting bone. The Huckebein could withstand the attack, but the pilot certainly couldn’t! “C’mon… Please… Jus’ a little more…!”
But both Angel’s will and TK energy was equal to his! The forces were at a complete stalemate! All the enemy pilot had to do was stall him out, and he would simply melt. There was nothing more his robot could do against the Valsion Omega! But… there was one last thing the pilot could do. It was a ridiculous, desperate idea… but he couldn’t think of anything else.
His throat vibrated, as light gathered within. He had to get this timing right… otherwise, he’d just die. “Hatch, open!” The cockpit swung open as the demon simultaneously unleashed a massive blast from his maw. With that one extra push, the Mega Graviton Wave had been overcome! The G-Sword Diver ripped through the attack and into the Super Robot!
“GAAAAAAAAAAAH!” The enemy pilot ejected, cockpit escaping the wreckage his unit had become. “Curse you…! I’ll remember this!”
The Huckebein Comet emerged from the flames of the resultant explosion on its board, with the prideful pose of a victorious knight that had slain an evil beast. How funny that the ‘knight’ in question was a beast himself…
That evening, everyone had gathered in the designated evacuation area just outside the labs, while firefighters put out the blaze. Amazingly enough, although some people were injured, there were zero staff casualties! Red had changed back into his skeleton form, but his usual clothes were lost in the Valsion's explosion. Thank goodness he had the foresight to keep his pants intact. Sans was also nice enough to lend him his jacket.
Papyrus put his hands together, bowing his head in a pose that looked like had come straight out of a TV show. “I’m so very sorry for the trouble! I promise, it won’t happen again! I’ll double, even triple your pay if you like.”
“Nah, it’s fine… I’m sorry I had t’ destroy our own units… and the labs… and my pilot suit…”
Sans laughed. “The motion capture cockpit really did a number on it, eh?”
Red hoped his nervous sweat wouldn’t be noticed. “Heh, yeah… I’d be glad if I got paid at all!”
The horned skeleton smiled warmly. “It’s fine, we’re just happy you survived. Tools and machines can be replaced. Lives can’t.”
A blue scaly arm slapped the test pilot’s shoulder. “I gotta say, you were really in your element – I could taste the hot blood and passion, just from your recount!”
Alphys also couldn’t hide her admiration. “I would love it if you could sign on as a permanent pilot! I-if you don’t mind…”
“Heh, thanks. I’ll give it some thought. Well, then…” With a wave, Red departed. As he walked home, he smiled to himself. “I’ll tell Corbel… that today, I did something really special.”
An unknown location…
The man known as Angel staggered away from the ruined cockpit, his moves as jerky as a poorly-animated cartoon character. Sparks of electricity crackled around his limbs.
Once it reached soil, the figure collapsed to its knees. “FINALLY!” It ripped its robes off, revealing an entirely mechanical body. Flowey abandoned his vessel, burrowing into the ground. “I hate having to go in that stupid android! I’ll have someone make a better one later.”
He looked at the slowly dissipating blaze on the other side of town. Red Ignis, was it…? That was the second Psychodriver who joined Papyrus. Why would Psychodrivers be bothered to help regular people? Weren’t these abilities a sign that they were above mere mortals, giving them the right to do whatever they pleased with the lives of those beneath them? He didn’t get it at all… especially because of all the pain he endured after becoming one.
Without a hint of remorse, Dr W.D. Gaster turned him into an artificial Psychodriver. Flowey was initially part of his plan to get revenge on those who wronged him, but apparently, he wasn’t good enough. The flower was discarded, thrown out into a random alleyway like garbage… His mind had been enhanced, turning him into a superior being, but he also lost his ability to feel love and empathy.
He wanted to make that bastard pay so badly… but now he was gone, and the only ones remaining were his children. The children must pay for the sins of their father. Papyrus and Sans… once they’re gone, I’ll finally be able to put my life back together. I will retrieve the T-Link System to restore love to my mind, and then, I will use it to rule over all with my Psychodriver army. “I will have my revenge. I will be back…”
Sometime later, at the rebuilt Ebott City Labs…
Undyne puffed her chest out, standing proudly in front of her new robot. “What do you think? Papyrus and Al couldn’t make another Valsion, but this is just as badass!”
Red whistled. “Ya can say that again! It looks pretty slow, but it’s got a lotta power! I wouldn’t mind givin’ it a spin myself!”
“Sure you can, but only if I get to use your Huckebein later!”
The new pilot’s attitude did an immediate 180. “Actually, never mind! I’m fine with my own Trooper!” Wouldn’t wanna let any evidence of me being a Blaster get out yet… Lookin’ at the Gaster brothers, I dunno what implications it carries here.
A warning siren sounded, the formerly calm atmosphere turning tense. Alphys burst into the room, drenched in sweat. “We’re under attack! Not just Ebott City Labs, but the entire town! Enemy Personal Troopers have surrounded the area!”
Sans clicked his tongue. “Damn… now Angel can make his own Personal Troopers?”
“A-and also…! They’re all using TK-powered weaponry! The enemies are Psychodrivers!”
The lizard’s last sentence sent a chill down Papyrus’ spine. All of them are Psychodrivers? Could it be…? Dad’s ‘Cyber Psychodriver’ project…? Are the events of two decades ago coming back to haunt us? He couldn’t hold back his emotions – the horned skeleton’s eyes pulsed blue, draconic pupils manifesting. A deep, beast-like growl escaped his throat. He couldn’t let the past drag down the present! He refused to allow that!
He renewed his restraint on his magic, allowing his eyes to return to normal, then faced the others. “We’ll split up into two groups. Red and Sans will deal with the Personal Troopers attacking from the north and east, whereas Undyne and I will fight off enemies from the south and west. Alphys and the other staff will man the labs’ new defensive equipment and ensure no one gets in. All good?”
“Roger!”
Everyone suited up and entered their respective cockpits. Once Red was inside his Personal Trooper, he hurriedly removed his pilot suit. It was really annoying doing that, but it was better for Papyrus’ budget and Red’s cover than ‘mysteriously’ shredding it every time. He finished his shift into demon form just as the catapult opened. “Red Ignis, Huckebein Comet Boxer!”
“Papyrus Gaster, Granteed Skull!”
“Sans Gaster, Wildraubtier Ao!”
“Undyne Krystalis, Alteisen Aqua!”
“LET’S DO IT!”