The Power of Painting in Year 3,000 Part 10

“THAT A GIRL, NINA!!! HAHA IT’S BEEN A MINUTE, SINCE WE’VE TAKEN SOMETHING DOWN TOGETHER. LET THE MUSIC CHOREOGRAPHED BARRAGES ENSUE,” CJ laughed and shouted.

3.14 turned red for a moment. The beast saw the pause as an opportunity and swiped at 3.14 with their other arm. CJ created a net with some of his roots and caught the flying 3.14.

6 minutes had passed since Ca’alrok sent out the homunculus.

The song came to a close and a new one started, it was “Sherry” by Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons. The beast started to stomp around, foiling Maxx’s initial attack plans. The ground shook and clouds of dust filled the area.

The sword-bearing CJ and I came flying back towards the back of the beast’s head. I slashed 3 long strokes and charged some light blasts. Ako came straight to the front of Ca’alrok’s torso with as much raging bull energy as possible. The beast focused on Ako and threw a right straight towards my God-daddy. Ako jumped up as high as possible, dodging the punch and ran up his arm releasing a fury of slashes.

“ARRGGHHHH! OUCH!! I SEE WHY MY SIBLINGS HAD TROUBLE WITH YOU BEFORE! YOU ALL MOVE AROUND LIKE MOSQUITOS,” the homunculus growled.

Augusto summoned another light axe from his button shield and cast two buttons. Maxx joined forces with our button alchemist and hopped on the buttons, Augusto swung his axe at the back of the beast’s leg. A huge gash of light burst from where the axe clashed into and Maxx moved closer letting out blasts of soundwaves, right where Augusto laid some damage.

Their combined attacks were able to knock the creature off balance and it started stumbling around. This was the perfect opportunity for my charged blasts to make way.

I slashed once more and the blasts fired.

I yelled out with the last stroke, “EAT THIS!!!”

The painterly blasts of light clashed with the Ca’alrok’s head and CJ jumped off my flying mark, rushing straight towards the beast’s head.

Sword-bearing CJ roared, “NOTHING CAN BEAT US!!! IN THE NAME OF MOTHER NATURE, WE WILL SLAY THE BEAST!!!”

CJ jumped high over the beast and came crashing down with all force possible, planting his sword in the head of the homunculus. A shockwave of light burst from where he stabbed. The beast was down for the count, but it started to twitch. Planted CJ de-rooted himself and walked towards sword bearing CJ.

It’s a good thing that Jo made us these light-bearing aloe vera masks, I don’t believe we would’ve been able to keep up the way we did without them.

CJ fused back with himself and said, “Well Pat? Would you like to do the honors?”

“With pleasure,” I replied.

I made a couple of strokes in the air, facing the beast and started charging the marks.

Meanwhile, in the ruins of Washington D.C…

“OKAY! THAT’S IT. 10 MINUTES HAVE PASSED, AND NONE OF MY SIBLINGS OR MYSELF IS IN SIGHT. THIS HAS TAKEN WAY TOO LONG TO TAKE A COUPLE OF ANTS DOWN… IT'S TIME TO UNLEASH THE FURY OF DARKNESS,” Ca’alrok shouted to himself.

Ca’alrok transformed into a ginormous Tyrannosaurus Rex with spider legs popping out of his back. The massive dinosaur roared and jumped all the way into outer space. Ca’alrok noticed where Australia’s location was and shifted his landing direction towards that continent. The monstrous force of darkness came crashing down at full speed.

Ad interim…

My light-blasting marks were fully charged up and it was time to slash once more to finish the creature off. As I was about to land the finishing blow the space around us shook and our party fell to their knees.

*KAWWWOOOOOOOOOOOSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHH* *BANG*

A massive tyrannosaurus rex made of darkness crash landed before us, rumbling the ground and sucked away the oxygen.

“WHAT? YOU MANAGED TO TAKE THIS CONGLOMERATION OF US DOWN? I COMMEND YOU, FEEBLE STOCK. WHO KNEW RATS COULD GET SO CRAFTY? THE PARTY IS OVER NOW,” Ca’alrok bellowed and shook the space with every word.

The monster ran straight to the homunculus, clashed and fused. It turned into a big bubbling mass of darkness and with every passing second, it started to take form.

The combined powers of the Cona Vight’s were really sucking our breath’s away even with Jo’s helpful masks. I struggled to stand up.

CJ started glowing a bright gold color and looked like he was collecting energy. 3.14 got back on her feet and targeted the beast with her 2-D guns.

~SHEERRRRYYYY BABY, WHY DON’T YOU COME OUT TONIGHT? ~

The song continued, so of course I can’t give up here. Not when we were so close to finishing the beast from before. The bubbling darkness finished transforming and it was shaped like a chimera.

I struggled to breathe, but I slashed three times and imagined that the Sun was imbued in these marks. Italia couldn’t move an inch and Jo couldn’t help himself anymore. Jo instantaneously snatched Italia and took her far away from the battlefield. He covered her in air filtering plants to help her recover her breath.

Jo shouted from the sidelines, “DON’T GIVE UP!! THANK YOU, GOD. WE’VE GOT WORK TO DO!!!”

Ahh I can’t let the old man down, I thought. It looks like I wasn’t the only one inspired by his cheers. Augusto stood up again, Maxx tried his best to stand but the most he could do was get up on one knee. 3.14 was well up on her feet again and shot some light beams at the chimera.

“YOU PITIFUL RODENTS. YOU THINK YOU STILL HAVE A CHANCE?! YOU WILL BOW DOWN TO ME!!! FACE MY WRATH,” the Ca’alrok chimera blustered.

The chimera’s thunderous clamor rumbled throughout the lands and sucked the air around us. The beast swiped an earth-shaking right hook towards 3.14, and Augusto created a light barrier in the last minute to soften the blow. The marks I created earlier shot that way to also lessen the damage from the blow. Both of Augusto’s barrier and my marks shattered immediately before the might of the chimera’s fists. Fortunately, this gave 3.14 enough time to evade the punch at the last minute. She dodged the fist by a hair, but the proximity of the hook blew her backwards and caused her to rust.

3.14 stated weakly,” Ach… I’m sorry guys, I think I might be down for the rest of the fight… Oh my digits, I can see so many bright integers around me right now…”

CJ yelled passionately, “NOOOOO!!!! DON’T GIVE UP SO EASILY, NINA!! I’M NOT GOING TO LET YOU GO SO EASILY!!!”

~come out tonight…~

“Sherry” ended, and it sounded like a record was scratching, as if a song was struggling to play.

CJ shined so brilliantly that the whole battlefield started to reflect his golden light. Augusto, Ako and I fell to our knees again. The loss of oxygen was destroying us from the inside out. It felt as if a bomb had just exploded close by and everything around me started to sound muffled.

CJ grew a pear and all of his light transferred into the pear. He leaped courageously towards 3.14 with all of his might.

CJ roared lionheartedly, “NINA!!! I HAVEN’T TOLD ANYONE THIS BEFORE, BUT I WAS ORIGINALLY A PEAR TREE. I’VE INFUSED ALL OF MY POWER INTO THIS PEAR, SO I NEED YOU TO DO ME A FAVOR. YOU NEED TO LET GO OF YOUR STANDARDS AND BECOME 3-DIMENSIONAL FOR A MOMENT. IF YOU EAT THIS PEAR, WE WILL GAIN ENOUGH POWER TO TAKE THIS BEAST DOWN!!!”

3.14 started letting out what looked like tears; except water did not come from her eyes, numbers did.

3.14 said in a soft tone, “But if I eat this pear… What happens to you…?”

CJ replied proudly, “DON’T WORRY ABOUT THAT. WE’LL CROSS THAT BRIDGE WHEN WE GET THERE, WILL YOU PLEASE JUST LET THE INTEGERS GO FOR A MOMENT AND ALLOW ME TO THROW YOUR CALCULATIONS OFF AGAIN?”

3.14 nodded her head. She suddenly popped new edges, curves and facets in the realm of three dimensionality. CJ ripped the pear off his pompadour and started turning grey.

“EAT THE FRUIT! IT’S THE ONLY WAY,” CJ shouted.

3.14 chomped through the pear and swallowed the core of it. She started glowing a radiantly gold and pink aura. Tree branches started to come from her backside and energy shaped like a pear started hovering over her head. She sprouted tree wings and metal from her shoulders assimilated with it. Her guns went through a transformation too, they looked like a fusion of cogbot parts and nature. Another song started playing from her antenna and this time it was “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” by Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons.

Golden numbers poured from her eyes as she stated with much more energy this time around, “You idiot… I was hoping this wasn’t going to happen. Why’d you have to do this?”

A shriveling CJ replied in a soft tone, “I need you to survive Nina. Nobody means as much to me as you do… Live on, my queen. I’ve got one last favor to ask you though… Can you crush this monster for me?”

“Of course, you idiot. I will not let this last resort go to waste. In the name of my beloved king… It’s time to kick this monster’s butt,” 3.14 said as sweetly as possible.

Meanwhile… in the same moment that CJ started shriveling up, a giant sorrowful roar bellowed from Honeybun Waters.

The God of the Sea poked its head out of the water as if it’s mega-predator senses were picking up on something. The God of the Sea let out another roar and then a tear drop began dripping from its eye. It swam to the shore exposing it’s top half to the air. The biggest predator of all time laid on the sand and bellied out a soft, gentle growl.

Ad Interim…

3.14 swiftly zipped through the air and flew in a spiral around the chimera, blasting pear-powered light beams. She moved so fast around the beast that it looked like a tornado of light.

“YOU THINK A MINOR UPGRADE IS ENOUGH TO TAKE ME ON? THINK AGAIN WEAKLING,” the Ca’alrok chimera shouted.

Ca’alrok grew 50 spider legs and attacked the space around him as if the legs were spears. Our Pink and gold star dodged the attacks but was using a lot of energy to do so. She flew backwards and put her guns together, creating one big mega cogbot-tree cannon and shot a huge blast. The attack clashed against the chimera, emitting a shockwave which created gusts of wind. Us weaklings on the floor, nearly got blown away by the impact.

The beast let out a painful roar, “AAURRRGGGHHHH!!!!”

Ca’alrok retaliated and started to push out some blows of his own. A punch came towards 3.14 but branches from her backside moved to the front, protecting her from the blow. Our horrific monster friend and 3.14 kept going at it. She continuously dodged attacks and shot out beams, inflicting some damage to the fiend. As quick and precise as 3.14 is, I think this is taking too long. The more time this draws out the more energy we will all lose. They’re fighting each other toe-to-toe , but it’s still not enough.

I have to do something, I thought.

Ca’alrok let out another deaf-defying roar, creating a miniature fissure and sucked away more oxygen from our lungs.

No! I can’t even get up… A light-headed feeling came over me and I felt like I was about to pass out. The music was getting even more muffled, and everything started to look fuzzy.

There’s no way 3.14 can handle the monster on her own even with her newly upgraded powers… I must help, but the pressure is keeping me planted to the ground.

I was about to faint when suddenly, I heard a familiar voice once more.

“PAT! PAT!! GENERAL PATRICK,” Jo shouted from the sidelines.

It felt like my marbles were collecting themselves with every yell. Jo ran up to me. Within the next second he put air filtering plants on my shoulders and replaced my aloe vera mask with a new one.

“GENERAL PATRICK!! FIGHT!!! YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO FIGHT,” Jo said as he helped me get back up on my feet.

Jo ran off to the sidelines again to protect Italia.

I went down a trip through memory lane for a quick moment and had a flashback. I remember one time I was working outside with Jo, fixing a fence that he had cut down to straighten out some of the banged-up bars. It was hot outside, and I could tell that Jo was looking at the problematic situation for quite a while.

As I put the fence back together I stated, “You know you’re going to get me in trouble with projects like this! Next time, we just leave it alone!”

Jo replied, “Everything you say… Thank you, God.”

When I finished putting the fence back together, I knew it was time to clean up. I walked to the back of the woodshop to unplug an extension cord. When I came back to our spot; I saw jo just standing, looking frozen and then in the next moment he collapsed. It happened so fast that I didn’t know what to do! He fell backwards and hit his head. I ran up to him and got behind him. I started calling out his name and flashing my hands in front of his face.

“JO! JO! JO! CAN YOU SEE ME? ARE YOU OKAY,” I called out.

I got no response and it looked like he stopped breathing. His eyes looked as if they were fading out and he saw the light at the end of tunnel.

I shouted with all my might, “NO! DON’T LEAVE ME, JO!”

Jo’s head started to turn very slowly like a rollie-pollie uncurling from a balled-up shell and his eyes started to catch sight of me again. For half a second our eyes locked. In the next moment, he started taking in miniature breaths as if his engine was trying to start up again. I just witnessed a 92-year-old man fight for his life.

I called my boss to let her know the situation, and then I called 911. The boss came to where Jo was lying down on the ground and cushioned his head with her hands. When Jo caught sight of the boss, he really started to come back. Hahaha, THIS guy was always trying to look good in front of the boss! When she called out his name he responded.

Wow he really will do anything to look good in front of the boss. When the paramedics came to pick him up; they asked him, “How did you fall down?”

Jo snapped his teeth and replied, “Man! I didn’t fall down.”

HAHAHA! Not only will he fight for his life, Jo fights for his own pride.

Man… if those words I told him were the last ones he heard from that collapse… I don’t know what I’d do with myself.

I started to hear the music play again.

~You’re just too good to be true… Can’t take my eyes off you…~

I need to fight…

I started to become aware of my surroundings again when I heard Jo yell out once more, “FIGHT! GENERAL PAT! YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO FIGHT!!!”

I started breathing the same way I saw Jo breathe when he collapsed. I took in minute breathes for as many times as possible in every second that I could.

*inhale, inhale, inhale, inhale, inhale, inhale*

I started revving up my Pat Pat engine. It’s time to show the captain what I got. I braced myself in a wide-spread slashing stance and slashed out a big mark.

The mark blasted the chimera from the backside and 3.14 was able to use that moment of distraction to spray a barrage of light pear-charged beams.

The abysmal Chimera shouted in pain, “OUURWWWCCCHHHHHAAAAAA!!! OKAY I’M COMING FOR YOU, MOSQUITO!!!”

The chimera charged after me as the instrumental part of the song started building up.

Instantaneously, a water-nymph revealed herself to me.