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Batter had been caught off guard while roaming around the endless maze of the mall, another impure specter he must purify. The battle started, wide angle had been selected to reveal it was an upside down specter.
How boring, Batter expected a real challenge but he doesn’t mind purifying another common enemy, just one step closer to finishing his mission. Without hesitation Batter summoned his add-ons and let the puppeteer guide him to victory.
It was a rather monotonous battle, considering this was the third time he encountered the same type of specter, Batter couldn’t help but just zone out as the puppeteer put in the special attacks and items to give him and his add-ons.
An optimized blur here, an attack selection there, a jab from the specter’s turn there, it was routine at this point. This came natural to him the moment he’s been created, yet he felt bored.
Batter was a man on a mission to purify the world but it’s been feeling rather tedious, it was odd since he was already halfway through. There just wasn’t any excitement in purifying the same old specters he’s already come across.
So the next best thing was to let his mind wander.
As another hit of his bat smash against the specter’s body, Batter began relaying what he done recently. He started thinking about his introduction in Zone 0, The Judge had introduced himself as he walked between his legs and rubbed against them purring. Batter thought he was a weird creature.
The specter took a swipe at him knocking him out of his thoughts for a second. Damn bastard, the puppeteer selected him to attack Batter ran towards the spirit and took a hard swing at it.
Now it was back to daydreaming. Batter started recounting his time in Zone 1, upon arrival he was immediately put in the soaking rain making him cold and wet. He scowled at being reminded of that.
The smoky air felt suffocating combined with the rain, the squishing sounds of meat surrounding him as he rode the pedalo, it was a good thing he purified that awful place.
The worst however were the smoke mines.
Not only were they a long maze like the mall he was currently fighting in, but the lights were broken so he stumble his way through WHILE fighting specters. He was really glad to be rid of that place.
But then he started thinking about after he got out, when he finally escaped that place there was light, finally, and someone at the end of the path.
He remembers being confused as to who this guy was and what he was doing in the mines but he quickly answered some of his questions. That was the first time he met the titular items merchant Zacharie, a guy who spoke in the same strange riddles like everyone else but he also kept referencing the fact that this was all a game. Batter was more confused.
He would spot Zacharie in a different location while he was traversing Zone 1, still odd as ever but Batter guesses he seems fine. There was a moment where the puppeteer briefly left him alone which led to Zacharie striking some small talk with him.
Batter just ignored him, he has more important things to do, but he still remembered Zacharie standing next to and talking about whatever. Although played off like he was annoyed, there was a small part of him that sort of enjoyed his company.
The specter charged at Batter, he tried to swing at it to defend himself but he missed, the specter hit him with a hard blow to his chest which made him fall to his knees. Batter wheezed hard to regain his breath he was shocked, how the hell could he have missed?
Before Batter could try to regain his stability, his mind clouded him abruptly. He couldn’t force himself to focus, his status effect had changed to ‘dazed’, the puppeteer was trying everything to remove the status effect.
Amidst the chaos of the puppeteer using items to cure Batter and the specter attacking him relentlessly, Batter went back to thinking about his interactions with Zacharie.
He doesn’t know why his mind was all of sudden fixated on the merchant of all people, Batter just kept thinking about every time he came across him.
It was before his battle with Dedan where the puppeteer had briefly left again, Zacharie was waiting there by the entrance of his office. He took notice of Batter being idle and walked over to him again.
He acted like he was ignoring Zacharie again but he wasn’t, he was listening in to what he was saying this time but he didn’t make it obvious. In the first part it was just his usual spiel of how everything was a game and saying ominous things about the end of it but then, Batter heard something that caught his attention.
Again he didn’t make it obvious that he had been secretly listening but what Zacharie said still caught him by surprise.
“Maybe one day you can change things, for the better”
That struck a chord with him. He couldn’t even tell if he feels upset by that comment or…warm about it. It was all so conflicting. Why was he feeling this way? Why did he care so much about what Zacharie said?
Although their interactions were brief Batter still couldn’t help but think about Zacharie. There was an instance that just happened where he was buying items from him, he handed over the credits to Zacharie but in an instant their hands touched.
Both of them immediately moved their hands out of the way and things got awkward real fast. All Batter could do was just leave into the mall and here he is. Thinking about him after they just grazed skin together. Goddammit why was he feeling so weird about this?
Before he could go any further with his strange feelings for Zacharie the specter attacked him yet again, this time however it bit down hard on the left side of his torso and tearing a small chunk of flesh off him. That took a lot of damage.
The puppeteer frantically gave him healing items but all they had left were some luck tickets that barely healed Batter. They were spamming the attack button but Batter would barely hit his target, his dazed effect was too strong and the puppeteer was starting to freak out.
The specter was going all in on Batter due to his status, it was attacking him left and right, using competence attacks, and biting him hard where they’d tear some of his flesh off. All while Batter stayed in his mind about that odd merchant he can’t stop thinking about.
Despite all the pain Batter can feel starting to seep in, he was replaying that scene of making contact with Zacharie’s hand over and over again. It was so sudden but he could tell his hands were warm.
He thought about his other features too. His black hair that looks shiny under whatever light he’s under, his eyes that although sullen from his mask are almost hypnotic to look at, the frog mask he wears that has small chips fallen off them, his laugh so inviting yet slightly off putting-
The specter had been chipping away at Batter’s health in an alarming rate. He was now at 2 health, the puppeteer couldn’t do it anymore they had completely run out of items and Batter’s add-ons are dead.
There was no other choice but to take the option of the coward: flee.
They exited out the battle, immediately going opening up the menu to save and leave the game. They were beyond frustrated.
As soon as Batter left the battle all the pain that had been seeping in automatically hit him. He fell down gasping for air, everything hurt like hell. Each breath he took stung his lungs like there was fire inside, he was bleeding so much his uniform was soaked in deep red pools, and some bits of his flesh were ripped open making them bleed and exposing some muscle tissue.
He couldn’t even begin to feel fear and panic as he was starting to fade in and out of consciousness, this was it, this was how he was going to die. In the most embarrassing way possible.
The darkness began filling his vision. In a final glance he briefly saw a silhouette approaching his mangled body. All he could do was accept his fate.
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Zacharie carried Batter’s limp body into one of the secret rooms he stays in whenever he’s not busy, he gave him some powerful healing items on his deep wounds.
He got very lucky to save him at the last second, it was surely a shock to see Batter in such a decrepit state. Luckily for him he’s now sleeping in a makeshift bed.
Zacharie watched over Batter as he slept soundly, for someone who nearly died of a regular specter encounter he looked so peaceful. His chest steadily rising with each soft breath he took, soft snores indicating he was in deep sleep, and the look of content on his face.
Zacharie couldn’t help but smile a little at how tired he was. Once he woke up he’d tell him it’s on the house, a part of him wanted to charge him as a joke but that would’ve been in poor taste. He’ll just make sure he’s recovering well.
Zacharie looked at one of his hands placed on his chest. He carefully touched his hand with his own, grasping it gently when he was sure Batter wasn’t going to wake up.
“Your hands are rough”