Gacha Gacha Hero

Something came out of the woods. It had a bulbous body two meters tall with a long flexible tail. It was covered with a layer of thick grime.

“Hooonnnghk”

A blast of noise echoed out from the creature. It began to waddle its way up the path towards the house. Gravel *Crunched* beneath its heavy bulk.

#

“There it is. Get ready to launch.” Belbuk stared down the hill at the monstrous creature.

“What is that thing?” Luke panicked.

“It’s a monster. We have to stop it before it reaches the Cabin.” Belbuk replied.

“What does it want?” Luke stared at the something.

“No time for questions. Just throw!” Belbuk jammed a glass vial into the basket of the crosse.

Luke followed his orders and swung the crosse forwards with both hands. The vial was launched down the hill.

*Ka-BOOM*

Another patch of grass was blown to pieces. The miresoaked creature stepped to the side.

“It’s still coming.” Luke observed.

“Keep shooting.” Belbuk yelled at him. She turned to Ash. “You too.” She tossed him a second stick with a wicker basket attached to the end.

Ash bounced the crosse back and forth between his hands.

Belbuk tossed a vial to Ash. Ash reached out to grab it with one hand. The vial bounced off of his palm, his knee, his elbow, his pinky, and then fell towards the ground.

Belbuk’s foot shot out and caught the vial on the tip of her boot. She gave Ash a searing glare. She carefully handed him the vial again.

“What is this?” Ash asked.

“Just a mild detergent.” she said.

Ash sheepishly placed the vial in the basket of his crosse. He used the stick to toss the vial down the hill. It shattered on the ground a few meters away. A slick of green liquid poured out and started dissolving the grass.

“This is detergent?” Ash said in shock.

“Sure. Cleans stains, surfaces, bones, whatever you need. Still no time to explain. Now, keep going.” Belbuk tossed another vial at Ash.

Ash caught it with both hands.

#

*Ka-BOOM*

*Spa-Flash*

*Gurp-Sizzle*

Luke and Ash took turns launching explosive vials down the hill. The creature kept coming.

“How can neither of you hit it?” Belbuk groaned.

“We’re trying to hit it? I thought we were trying to scare it away.” Luke replied.

The creature kept waddling up the pathway towards the Cabin.

“It’s getting closer…” Ash said nervously.

“What do we do?” Luke asked.

“We’re out of options.” Belbuk frowned. “Both of you cross your sticks together. Baskets together. Just like that. Lower them to the ground.”

Belbuk directed them. Luke and Ash crouched low with the wicker baskets of their crosses placed next to each other.

With a *Heave* Belbuk lifted the entire box of reagents so that it balanced on the end of their sticks.

“All together now. Lift and throw in one motion.” Belbuk instructed them.

“What if we miss?” Ash panicked.

“3…”

“What?”

“2…”

“Hold on…”

“1, Throw!”

“Ahhh!” *Luke and Ash in Unison* “Hooo!”

The two boys catapulted the box of chemicals down the hill. The wooden crate twisted in mid flight. Vials of explosives scattered in every direction like a swarm of angry hornets.

*Boom* *POW*

*BANG* *Spa-Flash*

*Ka-BOOM* *Sizzle-Gurp*

*POP-Foof* *KA-Fwoosh*

The area in front of Belbuk’s Cabin was saturated with a grand variety of explosions. The conflagration of reagents erupted into a pillar of rainbow colored fire that shot into the sky and launched bits of flaming debris across the yard.

Ash ducked and covered. Luke held up his crosse to protect his face. Belbuk used one hand to hold on to her hat as a wave of superheated air washed over them.

The flames cleared. Smoke filled the yard.

In the air above the Cabin a beam of sunlight pierced the haze. The bulbous form of the creature could be seen suspended in the air.

With a *Crack* the thick shell of mud and grime surrounding the creature shattered and fell away.

A giant white goose monster unfurled its wings. From tip to tip its wingspan was over ten meters across. It blotted out the sun. With a corkscrew twist the bird delicately descended to the ground.

The monster’s body was larger than a wheelbarrow and as bulky as a horse. A curled halo of feathers surrounded its head. Its two legs were paws covered with fur and with retractable claws like those of a great cat.

The creature landed letting the dust billow out behind its wings. It gracefully coiled its head to look at Belbuk.

“Behbuk.” It said, “My devoted. I have returned.”

Ash cowered on the ground. Luke peeked through the basket of his crosse.

“Damn. You’re still alive.” Belbuk said. She reached in her pocket. Belbuk pulled out a stick of wax, put it in the corner of her mouth, and started to chew. “Good try boys. Let’s pack it up.” She turned and walked back to the cabin.

The goose creature folded back its wings. It began to preen some of its feathers.

Ash scrambled to his feet. “What was that about?”

“I was teaching Luke alchemy.” Belbuk said without turning around.

Ash pointed at the goose. “Were you trying to kill him?”

“It’s hot out here. Let’s go inside. Luke, did you make lunch? ” Belbuk asked.

“What? What in puckered pork-guts is that thing?” Ash shrieked.

“It’s a spirit. Just like you dog.”