All these people around you kept behaving like heroes. First Rick, being an unsalaried postman, and now the bug lover - admitted, you are one yourself - who ran across the menace like some sort of protagonist. Oh well, Annie said, it would be okay, and she might be right now an adorable BeastMon, but at her core she was a true Gamer. So you trusted her.
Finally, it was evening, you reached the limits of Taupe City, and stormed between the houses. Annie was the first to slow down, turning around to the forest. "Okay. We might be safe now", she said. "For we are now under the protection of Taupe City and itīs Boss."
"Boss?"
"Yes. That guy we must defeat."
Racer swooped down to your feet, wheezing and panting. "... Sounds exciting. Right now?"
"Of course not", you said, patting her head. "First, we take a nice long nape at the Center. - Jeez, to flee from some sort of butterfly." You looked upon the dark, shadowy treetops, assuring that there was no enemy nosediving unto you.
"As I said, she might be mighty. Let her for later."
You all went leisurely to the Center, which was lit in bright lights, a safe haven in the night. "Is this", you asked Annie, "part of the game?"
"Itīs not, and I would bet my red hat for that, if I had one right now." Your Heatguana fell silent for a while. "Anyway, letīs strategize for tomorrow as soon as we are healed, yeah?"
At the break of dawn, you stood before the Arena of Taupe. Two of your three beasties were already in their Cubes, for you didnīt want to waltz in with a gaggle of toddlers. Annie was free for the moment, and right now you heaved her up so she could peek through one of the windows. She was pretty light; you could almost lift her with one hand.
"Now? What do you see?"
"Stones and rocks. This will be according to plan."
"Okay." You lowered her, holding her at your chest and smirked. "Be a little more optimistic. It will work out."
"Letīs hope so."
After that, you zapped her in her Cube and marched in. "I am Lucy from Rainbow Town, and I challenge Brick, Boss of Taupe, to a Brawl!"
The first opponent was Kieselbub, an unfriendly looking guy with stone-like skin and powerful arms. You sent out Racer, and she landed on top of one of the massive rocks, which decorated the fighting place.
"My my", she said with smug, "so much dust laying around? Mind if I serve myself?"
Boss Brick looked upon the unfolding Brawl, being witness of a cheesy but trusty strategy. His face was a facade of stone, eyes squinted and mouth not more than a line.
"Ground the bird, Kiesel."
But Racer was nimble, soaring across the field and avoiding the stones, thrown with decreased accuracy. Once again she sung the war songs of her people, especially about herself. You neednīt hear her voice to understand the fun she just had.
"Your beastie enjoys herself", the Boss said, "throwing dirt around."
"Why, yes", you replied, calling Racer back and summoning another. "We fought many Brawls along the way, and we learned: Itīs always better when YOU are the one throwing the weird stuff around!"
Annie appeared in a flash, taking aim. "Flame Spit!" She fired, and fired, and fired more. Kieselbub took all of this like a champ, but his Health could nīt tank all of the fire which lay dormant in your Heatguanaīs belly. He fainted lastly, and Annie leveled up.
You looked at your Pager. "Sixteen", you said with satisfaction. "I said, it would be enough. Even with sharing."
Annie shot a grin at you. "Lucky, Lucas." And then, she grew up. As you watched, your little Heatguana were struck by beastie puberty, outgrowing her leotard in a matter of seconds and overtaking your height by roughly a head. Her blonde hair was ablaze for a second, growing longer and binding itself into a ponytail, with strands of red and orange at the tips.
Her leotard transformed as it ripped, parting itself into skintight jeans and a blazing red hoodie, perfect for a teenager to show her grumpy mood to the world. Expect, she wasnīt grumpy right now, and the zipper was open, presenting a bright yellow shirt. Her flat chest inflated, forming c-cup breasts and putting quite the strain on the top, with a generous amount of cleavage. The hemline crawled up, showing the naked midriff. Gone was the frail body of a toddler, developed into the healthy form of an athletic young woman.
Her beastly features transformed, too. Her tail extended, and darkred scales formed sharp and spiky bracers at her forearms. At her hands appeared some sort of brass knuckles, glimmering like metal. Annie examined this part of her outfit in particular, just as you read a new move on your pager. Steel Gash.
"Finally", she spoke with a voice both alluring and dangerous. "Heatdraka."