NEO  
Chapter 6: The Seventh Presence  
By: The Green Gibbon!   

WB and Sailor Chicken Surprise frantically jab at the controls to  no avail as the plummeting jet continues to sway violently.  

SCS: 'What happened out there?!'  

At that moment, a speaker above SCS breaks loose from its  foundation and makes direct impact with his head. He falls limp in the  chair, knocked unconscious.  

WB: 'SCS!'  

Mart is knocked about wildly as he tries to find something to grab  onto.  

MART: 'Keep us straight!'  

WB: 'I'm trying, damn it!'  

At that moment, the craft jolts to a complete stop...no longer  swaying or falling, the plane remains quiet as quickly as it started. Mart  picks himself up as he and WB exchange glances. He then looks over to the  curtain that seperates the cockpit from the passenger area...the screams  have stopped, leaving total silence.  

MART: 'Something's not right, here.'  

WB: 'Are we in heaven?'  

Mart pulls the curtain aside and looks through to see Moon in the  center of the aisle. She has both hands on her forehead, as well as a  strained and determined expression on her face.  

MART: 'Moon?!'  

Bo breaks the silence.  

BO: 'Do something, she can't levitate an object this size for long!'  

The passengers, still scattered around from the shake-up, now stand  frozen in their places as they gaze in awe and confusion. WB walks in from  the cockpit and sheepishly rubs the back of his neck.  

WB: 'Well folks, we seem to be experiencing some technical difficulties  that may hender our flight schedule!'  

Moon, her eyes tightly shut and her teeth grinding, heaves a grunt.  The plane wobbles slightly to one side.  

BO: 'She's almost reached her limit, hurry and do something, WB!'  

WB: 'Okay, there should be two emergency parachutes in each of the seat  compartments, and I think we've got some liferafts in the back-'  

At that moment, Spam walks in from the B-class area carrying several  large crates.  

SPAM: 'Got the liferafts!'  

WB and Gibbon begin unloading and handing-out parachutes.  

WB: 'I think you folks all know what to do with these, just make sure you  know which end is up, or it won't matter. Hehehe... Any questions?'  

GG!: 'Yes, where are those stupid oxygen masks that were supposed to come  down when this happened?'  

Spam rips open one of the crates, and immediately several large,  yellow liferafts begin inflating in the confined space.  

SPAM: 'Oops...'  

GG!: 'Spaaam!'  

At that moment, the plane jolts sharply to one side. Moon has  fallen to her knees.  

MART: 'She's about to crack!'  

MOON: 'Damn, I can't do it!'  

With that and a yelp that's part pain and part frustration, she  hits the floor, sending the plane back out of control. Passengers begin  panicking again as WB scrambles back into the cockpit and up to the  controls. SCS is still out cold.  

WB: 'I can't let it happen again...I can't-'  

WB throws himself into his chair and begins skillfully and calmly  handling the controls despite the violent swaying of the plummeting craft.  There is no effect as the jet hits the surface of the Pacific Ocean with a  large explosion.  

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Gibbon opens his eyes, coughs some sand out of his throat, and takes  a deep breath. Gathering his senses, he views his surroundings. He is  lying on a patch of grass in a clearing surrounded by palm trees. It is  still dark out, and there is a campfire burning in the middle. Gibbon rubs  his eyes and sits up.  

GG!: 'If I'm in heaven, Honey is going to show up dripping wet in a string  bikini any second now.'  

He sits up and looks around more. Nothing happens.  

GG!: 'Guess I'm not in heaven.'  

Standing up, he walks over to the edge of the clearing and peers  through the trees. He's only about seven or eight yards from the sandy  part of the shore.  

GG!: '...I've got it! The crash KO'd me and I washed up on this island,  and unconsciously slept-walk over here and started a fire to dry myself off!'  

He glances back at the dancing flames.  

GG!: 'No, that can't be it...'  

Picking up a piece of loose wood, Gibbon creates a small torch with  the campfire and walks out to the beach. The full moon bathes the  landscape with an eerie glow that reveals an even eerier sight: some  distance off-shore, the dissipating remains of a plume of smoke can be seen.  As Gibbon ponders what may have happened to the rest of the party, a shrill  yell pierces the silence.  

GG!: 'AYE!'  He drops the torch and leaps to the side, just as the blade of a  sword slices through the area where his head was just milliseconds ago.  Gibbon whirls around to view the culprit...it's Eternal Gamer.  

GG!: 'You!'  

EG raises his eyebrows and sheathes the sword back into his belt.  

EG: 'Sorry about that, I didn't know you were awake.'  

Gibbon spreads his legs apart to get a firm grip on the ground  (difficult to do when the terrain is sand), as electricity begins streaming  and sparking around his tails.  

GG!: 'Isn't THIS convenient?'  

EG gazes, motionless, at Gibbon.  

GG!: 'Don't stand there playing dumb, you know what I want.'  

EG: 'I don't have the NEO Crystal anymore.'  

GG!: 'Right, and my name is Gilbert Lyle. I'm not in the mood for games,  give me any more trouble and you'll be sucking sand!'  

EG turns around and folds his arms.  

EG: 'I understand your distrust, and I don't blame you.'  

GG!: 'What are you babbling about? If you think I'm ABOUT to forgive you-'  

EG whirls back around and looks seriously at Gibbon.  

EG: 'I don't want forgiveness, I've been a fool. But this isn't the time  for regrets, I have some information to impart to you if you'll listen.'  

GG!: 'Give me one good reason why I should.'  

With that, a bolt of lighting shoots out of the blue, missing EG by  mere feet.  

EG: 'Look, there are more important things to worry about now, but if it's  a battle you want...'  GG!: 'I don't want to fight, all I want is the NEO Crystal.'  

EG: 'And I tell you again, I don't have it!'  

GG!: 'LIAR!'  

With that, another bolt of lighting strikes from the heavens, just  as EG lunges at Gibbon with his sword. Gibbon leaps out of the way, after  which EG backslashes without turning around. Gibbon hops over the swinging  blade and begins running backward rapidly, holding his tails together and  moving his hand about. EG pursues, but stops short as Gibbon points at the  sand and yells. EG instantly begins sinking in the transformed quicksand,  but drops to his back and rolls to safety. Leaping to his feet, he holds  his sword in the air and begins concentrating on something. Gibbon,  meanwhile, is kneeling on one leg with his tails together and one hand on  the ground, apparently preparing another attack. At the same time the two  combatants holler out battle cries and release their individual attacks.  EG slams his sword down into the ground, creating a rolling pulse of sand.  Gibbon channels a burst of electricity through his hand onto the ground,  creating the same effect in the opposite direction. The two sand waves  hit each other at a point inbetween, creating a small explosion of sand,  blocking the two combatants from viewing each other. But no sooner has the  sand dissipated than Gibbon, creating a massive gust of wind, uproots a  string of tall palm trees...all looming above EG. Looking upward, EG gives  his sword a mighty swing using both hands, slicing the tops off the string  of trees. The broken tops fly some distance away from the trunks, leaving  EG safely in the middle. EG gazes coldly at Gibbon, who begins grinding his  teeth.  

GG!: 'Geezus, he's good...where'd he learn how to use a sword like that  anyway?'  

EG lowers his sword and calls over.  

EG: 'Shall we end this folly and return to business? I know I have lied to  you in the past, but you must believe me that there is a much larger  problem at hand!'  

GG!: 'I can't believe you're still trying to play me for a fool.'  

With that, Gibbon claps his tails together, as many small sand  devils begin whirling around EG. Covering his eyes, EG coughs sand out of  his throat and attempts to blow the sand away by swinging his sword around.  When the devils die down, EG looks around...there is no sign of Gibbon. At  that moment, a roll of thunder catches his attention...clouds fill the sky,  blocking the moon and creating pitch darkness.  

EG: 'What's he doing?'  

Brief flashes of lighting tell the tale: the wind picks up as a  large funnel cloud begins forming in the sky.  

EG: 'He's even crazier than I thought!'  

He throws down his sword and looks toward the palm forest.  

EG: 'Gibbon, I surrender! I'll give you the Crystal if you stop this  insanity!'  

Gibbon's voice can be heard from somewhere in the trees.  

GG!: 'Let me see the Crystal first!'  

EG clenches his fists and grinds his teeth. At that moment, a  sparkling object flies from the other side of the beach, straight into the  air.  

EG: 'What...'  

The sparkling object continues flying, its target becoming obvious.  The object flies straight into the funnel cloud. A blinding, but soundless  flash of light flares out from within, and almost instantly the clouds and  tornado dissipate. The light of the moon once again brightens the  landscape. Gibbon runs furiously onto the beach.  

GG!: 'How did you do that?!'  

EG picks up his sword and gazes coldly at a silhouette a distance  down the shore. Gibbon looks in the same direction.  

GG!: 'Who-'  

EG: 'Who I've been trying to warn you about, that's who!'  

GG!: 'Huh?'  

EG: 'Gib, you know the story behind the six Weapons.'  

GG!: 'Yah, most of it...but how do you know that?'  

EG: 'If Zero were to get a hold of all six, she would be invincible.'  

GG!: 'I know that, but how do you?!'  

The figure on the other side of the shore walks closer to them.  

EG: 'Zero has five already.'  

GG!: 'Great, I knew it... But HOW DO YOU?!'  

EG: 'Moon was carrying the Veal Cane, am I correct?'  

GG!: 'How do you KNOW this stuff?!'  

EG: 'It must be somewhere near the plane crash.'  

GG!: 'Get to the point! Who is that walking toward us?'  

EG: 'Delphine Kiminsu. She is the Receiver of the Crystal Phantoms.'  

GG!: 'The Chicken Sauce Shurikens?! Great, she's on my side!'  

EG: 'She's working for Zero.'  

GG!: 'Say what?!'  

EG: 'We can talk more later.'  

Delphine stands several yards in front of them and regards their  presence with a polite nod.  

DEL: 'Hope I didn't interrupt anything.'  

GG!: 'My head hurts.'  

DEL: 'I'm assuming you know what it is I've come for.'  

EG: 'We don't have it, either. Looks like we're on equal ground.'  

DEL: 'Possibly. But I'll kill you just in case.'  

With those words, Delphine spins forward faster than Gibbon and EG  can assess the situation. A glowing object flies from the end of her  hand...its a shuriken, one of the same she used to dissipate Gibbon's  tornado attack. The whirling star flies straight toward Gibbon.  

EG: 'Gibbon!'  

Grabbing his left arm, EG yanks Gibbon completely off his feet.  The star misses Gibbon, but grazes through his right arm. Delphine  straightens herself and readies another star. EG quickly slashes his sword  into the ground at an angle, knocking up a thin wave of sand that is enough  to stall Delphine as she jerks back and rubs the intruding objects from her  eyes. Gibbon kneels and gazes in terror at the bleeding gap in his right  arm. After staring at the injury for a few seconds, he places his left hand  over it and lets out a bloodcurdling scream.  

GG!: 'The pain! Why isn't it healing over?!'  

EG: 'We can't beat her here, we need to escape! Do something to obstruct  her vision, NOW!'  
Gibbon, shielding the injury with his left hand, winces in pain as  he claps his tails together. A vast whirlwind of sand picks up, blurring  all vision. EG and Gibbon make their escape into the thick tropical  underbrush. As they are running, Gibbon blacks out.  

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Gibbon once again opens his eyes to the dancing flames of a campfire.  He jerks upward, but is stopped short by a sharp pain in his right arm.  Wincing in pain, he drops back down.  
GG!: 'Ow! Geez, c'mon!'  

EG: 'That gash is pretty deep...it looks to me like it grazed into the  bone. I'm no expert in first-aid, but I wrapped it up as best I could.'  

Gibbon looks at the blood-soaked cloth wrapped around his right arm,  then looks up to see they are in a small cave. Well, not so much a cave as  a deep recess in a large rock.  

GG!: 'What the hell is going on here?!'  

EG: 'You should take it easy, you've lost alot of blood.'  

GG!: 'But...it shouldn't be taking this long to heal, what-'  

EG: 'Calm down, you'll black out again.'  

Gibbon sighs and lies back.  

GG!: 'I think...I think I'm confused outta my mind, there's some explaining  up the wazoo to be done.'  

EG: 'Agreed. Let's start from the beginning. You know about the Six  Weapons, correct?'  
Gibbon smirks and slips his good arm behind his head.  

GG!: 'I guess you're a good guy again, huh? Hm...the Six Weapons. I know  what they're for, but not where they came from.'  

EG: 'Their origin is a mystery to me as well. But it is known that they  were created by an unknown source for the sole purpose of destroying the  beast within the NEO Crystal -- Parasite.'  

Gibbon jerks upward again.  

GG!: 'How did you find out-'  

EG: 'Hm...it's obvious you haven't been injured in a long time. You need  to relax, you'll hurt yourself more this way.'  

GG!: 'Nevermind that, spill the beans, Gamer-boy!'  

EG: 'A recurring dream. The Six Weapons revealed themselves to me in a  frequently recurring dream-'  Gibbon picks up the sentence.  

GG!: 'A light, but very solid voice speaks in the dream...I've had the  same ones. It says-'  
VOICE: 'The bond of friendship between six Receivers shall complete the  design of these Six Weapons, which collectively hold my own power. Together,  they shall destroy the Parasite.'

 Gibbon and EG whip their heads toward the entrance. There stands a  tall woman, dressed in an elaborate gown of white contrasted by sashes in  dark shades of blue and purple. The ensemble somewhat resembles a cleric's  robe. Her long, black hair and bright red lipstick sharply contrast her  ghostly white skin. Despite her imposing presence, a warm smile and relaxed  expression assure the beholders that her intentions are not against them.  Gibbon and EG sit frozen by the sight.  

WOMAN: 'I'm glad that you have been paying attention.'  Gibbon, in more awe than conscioussness, raises his left hand and  motions with his thumb.  

GG!: 'The seven dwarves went that-away.'  

EG whacks Gibbon upside the head, then grabs his sword and rises to  his feet.  EG: 'Who are you and what's your business?'  

The woman smiles politely and raises her hand.  

WOMAN: 'Do not have fear. There is more at work here than either of you  know. Please be patient, as all will be made clear shortly.'  

Once again, her ghost-like presence awes EG beyond his own will, as  he slowly sets the sword down. The woman looks down to Gibbon, then kneels  by him and places her hand on his injured arm. Gibbon just stares,  wide-eyed and jaw agape.  

WOMAN: 'The wound is healed, you may remove the bandage.'  

Blinking a few times, Gibbon reaches over and unties the  blood-soaked bandage with his good hand. Sure enough, the wound is  completely gone, having left no marks to show its passing.  The woman rises to her feet, then smiles again and nods politely.  

WOMAN: 'My name is Alethea. We shall meet again.'  

Gibbon shakes his head, as though he had just regained  conscioussness from a black-out. EG does the same and looks around.  Alethea is nowhere to be seen. The fire crackles, and the two gaze at each  other in total silence for a few seconds.  

GG!: I, uh...I think I just dozed off for a second.'  

EG: 'Your arm...'  

Gibbon examines his injured arm, which is of course no longer  injured.  

GG!: 'Heeey, EG...I guess you can explain that weird chick too, huh?'  

EG stands up looks suspiciously out the cave.  

EG: 'I've never seen the woman, but her voice was definitely the one I  heard in my dreams.'  

Gibbon nods vigorously as he tests his right arm by twirling it  about.  GG!: 'It's unmistakeable.'  

EG: 'I think- I think we could both benefit from a good night's sleep.  It's been an eventful day, to say the least.'  

GG!: 'I wanna hear your story first. What brought you back to our side  again, and why were you working for Zero?'  

EG looks back at Gibbon, then sits down and sighs.  

EG: 'I was never working for Zero...atleast, I didn't THINK I was.'  

GG!: 'Ooh, the plot thickens...'  

EG: 'I worked for an underground organization known as 'EON'.'  

GG!: 'What's that stand for?'  

EG: 'Nothing, it just sounds cool.'  

GG!: 'Oh.'  

EG: 'EON was involved with just about every underground business you can  think of. Software pirating, money counterfieting, and even drug-dealing.  But at the heart of these illegal businesses, the organization leader was  driven by a deeper goal: his intense desire for something known as the 'NEO  Crystal'.'  

GG!: 'But how could anyone know about that? Unless...'  

Gibbon's eyes widen.  

GG!: 'What was this ringleader's name?'  

EG: 'He's got alot of them, but is most commonly known as 'Purple Baboon'.'  

Gibbon leaps up and clenches his hands into fists.  

GG!: 'I should've known it! That bastard never knew what was good for him...'  

EG: '...you know him?'  

GG!: 'I should, he's my brother.'  

EG gazes quizically at Gibbon.  

GG!: 'Now, don't tell me you couldn't notice the family resemblance?'  

EG: 'Whatever the case, he finally tracked the Crystal down to Grand City,  USA...and your home, Driftaway Studios. I was sent with the instructions to  gain your trust and obtain the Crystal when it would be easy.'  

GG!: 'So THAT was your game. That was very mean, you know...'  

EG: 'Zero was supposed to be my accomplice on the job, but I knew early on  she had other things in mind. I just didn't realize how big... The plan  was for her to distract your attention while I made my escape back to EON  headquarters in Tokyo with the Crystal. I don't know what happened on your  side, but halfway through the flight, she appeared on the plane and stole  the Crystal from me. After that, she knocked the craft out of the sky, with  me still in it.'  

GG!: 'There's alot of that going around.'  

EG: 'I found myself washed up on this island; it's an absolute miracle I  survived.'  

GG!: 'So, we have a mutual enemy...but we're still fighting on opposite  sides, right?'  

EG: 'I don't know.'  

GG!: '...pardon?'  

EG: 'I... I don't think it was entirely my own idea to do EON's bidding.  I was brainwashed. There's no way for me to know how many of my memories  are true and how many were planted in my head.'  

Gibbon blinks a few times.  

EG: 'As far as I know, my father was a top agent for EON, as was my  grandfather and his father before him. From youth, I had a family  obligation that I could not easily free myself of.'  

GG!: 'You don't sound French, Lion.'  

EG gazes strangely at Gibbon.  

GG!: 'I didn't say anything.'  

EG: 'My enemies now are Zero and EON.'  

GG!: 'Hello Einstein, that technically puts us on the same team.'  

EG: 'It seems that we are the only two left who know what's going on.'  

Gibbon's blinks a few times, then looks around.  

GG!: 'Hey, where's Spam?! He should've washed up, too!'  

EG: '...I never saw him anywhere.'  

GG!: 'That supreme moron is probably floating around the Pacific somewhere  scaring sharks or something. When I get my hands on him...'  

EG: 'We should probably get some sleep, we can contemplate what to do next  after some rest.'  

GG!: 'But...what about Delphine? Won't she be searching for us?'  

EG shakes his head.  

EG: 'Priority one for her is locating the Destiny Staff. She could take us  out anytime, but if we were to obtain the staff and present it to its  rightful Receiver, she'd have a problem. We're safe for now.'  

Gibbon falls to his butt and looks at his previously injured arm.  

GG!: 'She must have the Chicken Sauce Stars already, huh?'  

EG nods.  

EG: 'She wouldn't be that powerful, and that wouldn't have hurt you  otherwise.'  

GG!: 'I don't get it, all the Receivers are supposed to be good guys!'  

EG: 'So are the Presidents.'  

GG!: 'I catch your drift.'  

EG reclines against a large rock.  

EG: 'We really should sleep now, there isn't much time.'  

Gibbon nods and falls flat against the ground.  

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The sun is high in the sky when Gibbon awakens again. The small  cave is empty except for the remains of last night's campfire. Rubbing his  eyes, Gibbon rises and looks around.  
GG!: 'Ooh, I've got a headache THIS big.'  

He stretches as he walks out the cave.  

GG!: 'Well then, where'd EG gallavant off to? I'll be in a fine mess if  Delphine shows up with me here all alone.'  

He rubs his right arm.  

GG!: 'Actually, I'd be in a fine mess if Delphine showed up either way.'  

Taking another look around, Gibbon is alerted by a sudden realization:  

GG!: 'I'm hungry!'  

He swears as he climbs up a nearby coconut tree, under the mistaken  impression that it's a banana plant.  

GG!: 'If EG knows what's good for him, he won't be coming back without a  couple dozen Egg McMuffins...'  

At that moment, a coconut drops from the leaves above onto his head.  Gibbon looks angrily down at the woody seed as it hits the ground.  

GG!: 'That wasn't very nice! What'd I ever do to you?'  

He continues his ascent when he is stricken by another realization:  

GG!: 'Heeey...coconuts don't come from banana trees.'  

Looking up, his error becomes apparent.  

GG!: 'Yes, we have no bananas today. I hate coconuts.'  

He continues climbing anyway.  

GG!: 'May as well scope out the scenery while I'm up here. Maybe I'll be  able to spot where Gilligan and the Skipper set up camp.'  

After some hassling with the leaves, he sits atop the tree and  views the scenery. To one side, there is a nearby shore. The rest of the  island is covered thickly in a tropical forest. He notices a figure  running in his direction through a clearing in the jungle. Squinting, he  inspects closer.  

GG!: 'That's...that's EG. He's got something in his arms...hey, he DID get  the Egg McMuffins!'  

Gibbon watches further.  

GG!: 'No, that's way too big to be any amount of Egg McMuffins. Doesn't  look like Denny's take-out, either. That's a shame, I could really use a  Grand Slam right about now...'  

He watches more, then widens his eyes.  

GG!: 'Holy mother of Eggman, it's a human! ...I think it's a girl!'  

Gibbon angrily scurries down the tree.  

GG!: 'That farty lech! I shoulda known he'd be the type to hog the women!'  

He angrily runs toward EG on the edge of the clearing, calling over:  

GG!: 'Now LOOK! If there's anything worse than a shameless pervert, it's a  GREEDY shameless pervert! Didn't your mom ever teach you to share?!'  

EG walks up to Gibbon and looks him seriously in the eyes.  

EG: 'We have another problem.'  

It's only then that Gibbon notices the girl in EG's arms is an  unconscious Moon.  

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(^-^) (-_-) (º.º) End of Part 6 (O.O) (¤.¤) (~_~)