The Green Antagonist

4: Part 4
Guardian

*back with Scourge's crew*

Scourge: .....Are you sure this is the right way?
Sephiroth: Yeah, I'm positive.
Sol: Doesn't seem like this is the right way...
Koopa Black: Why you say that?
Sol: Everyone knows that in horror movies, the victims take a right at EVERY crossroad they come across.
Koopa Black: That's stupid.
Sol: *shrugs*
Goro: *stops*
Koopa Yellow: Hey Goro, what's wrong? Chicken?
Goro: *pays no heed to Yellow's insult*
Scourge: See something, buddy?
Seph: Meh. *continues*
Scorpion: Maybe Sol was right. Maybe we should've taken the right. It's kinda creepy in the basement.
Sol: Exactly.
Mephiles: ...Hmmm....
Koopa Red: Hey, I feel it too Goro.
Goro: *worried stare*
Koopa Red: It's not from this world. Something must be down here to guard this place's secrets. Like the Cerberus and the Excalibur.
Koopa Green: ....No, you two are just weird.
Cell: Weird or not, I'm feeling a slight disturbance that's too far away to worry about. Let's continue.
*rumble*
*ceiling starts to seep dust and sand*
Sol: .....uh oh...
Scourge: It's noth-
*rumble*
Cell: Damn, what is that?
Sol: YOU TELL US!!!
Goro: *dashes off into the darkness*
Mephiles: Damn that's a long-ass corridor. I'm not going.
Scourge: Let's just find the emerald and get out of here.
Koopa Yellow: What about Goro?
Scorpion: HE can handle himself. Let's roll.
Seph: ....
*they proceed onward*
*few minutes later*
Scourge: Oh man, it's getting louder...
Cell: O_O
Sol: What is it?
Koopa Red: We better run. NOW.
Scorpion: Why? What's out there? WHAT ARE YOU HIDING?
Koopa Red: NO TIME. RUN!!!!
Mephiles: *already hauling ass* You don't gotta tell me twice...
Seph: No. You guys can run. I'm not leaving without the emerald.
Koopa Green: You won't leave with your LIFE either, dude.
Seph: ...Shut up. *continues*
Sol: No way man. *stands in front of Seph* We need to leave and get more information about **** down here. We don't know anything about this place. And technically, our authorization here wasn't exactly permitted. Ganon probably wants us to get killed down here.
Scourge: Yeah.
Seph: Sol, look at me. Is this the face of someone who actually gives a damn?
Sol: No, but it's definitely the face of someone who's looking to get his ass kicked.
Seph: Trust me, if I get MY ass kicked, you'll be there to kiss it.
Sol: I don't swing down that vine.
Seph: Could've fooled me.
Sol: Okay, get yourself killed. See if we care. I sure won't.
Seph: *perks lips to imitate a kissing gesture*
Sol: *is agitated*
Scourge: Let him handle it Sol. We're outtie Seph. You better hope you find Goro, cause he's the only other guy down here on your side.
Seph: Kiss my left nut!!
Scorpion: Arrogant bastard.
Seph: *pushes onward*
*everyone else retreats to the entrance, except one*

Seph: ...*draws sword* Hmm....
*footsteps*
Seph: *swipes the darkness behind him* Who's there?
?: Relax, it's me.
Seph: What do you want?
?: I want to investigate this phenomena.
Seph: Be my guest, Cell.
Cell: *nods*
*noises*
Seph: You hear that?
Cell: SOMETHING BIG IS U-UP AHEAD....
Seph: Awesome. Is there anyway you can light up this area so I can see?
Cell: SOLAR FLARE!!!
*a large gleam of light envelops the darkness*
Seph: Much better.
Cell: ......Get ready.
Seph: For what?
Cell: The Guardian.
Seph: .....Wh-
*screams are heard ahead*
Seph: WHAT THE ****?
Cell: It's Goro!! He must've irritated the Guardian.
*they both rush forward and walk into a giant gladiator-esque arena, that's empty* *empty except for a giant platform with stairs leading out of the arena* *an enormous entity stands right before the beginning of the stairs* *it's holding Goro*
Seph: WHAT IS THAT?
Cell: ...It's the Guardian, I TOLD YOU THAT.
*the entity is a giant muscular manimal* *the body of a human, ripped with muscles* *has the head of a ram* *legs of a tiger* *paws of a lion* *back of a tortoise* *tail of a monkey* *teeth of a shark* *eyes of an eagle* *even has the beak of an eagle* *oozing with power*
Seph: ....
?: WHO DARES INTERRUPT MY SLUMBER? *squeezes Goro hard*
Goro: *bleeding from the mouth* ...AUGHHHH!!!
Seph: RELEASE HIM.
?: ...*opens eyes* And just who the hell are you to order demands from someone of my status?
Cell: PLEASE, *steps in front of Seph* I apologize for the rudeness of this neanderthal. My name is Cell. We came looking for the Chaos Emerald stored here.
?: Now this is proper respect. I appreciate your formality, Cell, but I cannot grant you the emerald's power. You might use it for the lesser-good.
Cell: I know you can't trust me, but you are in grave danger, sir. If those Hunters get here they'll-
?: Hunters? The Amp Hunters?
Cell: I dunno. I just remember Bowser telling us about them in class, and the other day. They set out to retrieve the emeralds and Dragon Balls, so they can manifest the power they hold to spite the universe and create their ideal world. Full of suffering and chaos. And we won't allow that. Yes, we are villains, but even we can see the tyranny that these men are showing
?: Well stated Cell. Continue.
Goro: *in his gruff voice* Can I be put dow-AUGHHH!!
?: *squeezes more*
Cell: But, yes...the Hunters will terminate your existence!!
?: That's what I'm here for. To guard the emerald with my life.
Cell: .....We can't take any chances!!
?: This is my job. Protecting the emerald is what I DO. Now about these Hunters...did you encounter a liquid manifestation that has emerald-green eyes and a funny-looking clown man?
Cell: No.
?: What about an assassin with a white cloak and a hood over his head? With a blade that extends from his palm?
Cell: No.
?: You encountered Ridley, didn't you? A formidible beast.
Cell: Yes.
?: I should've known.
Seph: What do you plan on doing?
?: Absolutely nothing. I'm going to wait on them. And decide what I'll do when they get here.
Seph: That's not right!
?: Who are you to question my authority? I'm doing my job and nothing more.
Seph: .....You know, you may be the guardian of the emerald here, but your stupidity is appalling.
?: Is that right?
Cell: Sephiroth...
Seph: Shut up, Cell. Guardian, if you let those guys kill you and take the emerald, then what was your purpose? What are you fighting for? If you're not willing to go the distance to prevent these guys from taking the emeralds, then you're an unfitting guardian. Just "doing you job" isn't going to cut it. Either you're with us, or you're not. You're just a stubborn old bastard that can't except the fact that the half-assed job he's doing to protect the emerald would be all for naught if we weren't here to back you up. We've scratched your back, now you scatch ours!!
Cell: SEPHIROTH THAT'S ENOUGH!!
?: *squeezes Goro as hard as he can* *is infuriated* HOW DARE YOU TALK TO ME IN THAT MANNER. I'LL HAVE YOU EXECUTED, WRETCHED HUMAN!!
Seph: ....Give us the emerald.
?: *energy flows in veins* *tosses Goro across the whole arena and into the wall* *towers over Sephiroth*
Seph: Trying to intimidate me? Not going to work. Give me the emerald.
?: *anger rising* *raises fist* No.
Seph: Give me.........THE EMERAAAAALLLLDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!! *draws blade and dashes forward* I'LL CLEAVE THE STUBBORNESS OUT OF YOU.
?: JUST TRY ITTT!!!!!! *eyes glow with anger*
Cell: NOOOOOOOO!!!!

*to Scourge's crew who are walking back to the entrance*
Koopa Red: I bet you guys 10 coins that Sephiroth is dead right now.
Sol: I'm with you.
Scorpion: He probably isn't, but I hope he is. That'd teach his ass.
Mephiles: ....He's still alive.
Koopa Yellow: You sure?
Mephiles: Yeah, he's out there. I'm sure of it. But let's focus on finding Vegeta and the guys. We need some more details on this conflict we're in. Something tells me that Bowser and them didn't tell us the full story. They're hiding something from us, and it's our job to find out what it is.
Sol: All while staying alive.
Scourge: We'll manage.
Koopa Green: Yup. Let's rock n' roll.

*the crew retreats to the entance*

TBC