Task:

Celia let out a low groan as she slowly regained consciousness. It took her a few seconds for her vision to come back, though mainly because where they were was so dark. Her whole body ached as she slowly sat herself up. Looking around, they appeared to be in some underground tunnel of some kind. Above them was an opening, in which she could see daylight up above. The ground had collapsed underneath them after defeating Greg and his machine. A small groan got her attention, as she saw Sprocket coming to next to her. [color=grey]"Are you alright?"[color] she asked, the woman groaning and nodding. "Yeah," she looked up, seeing the hole above them, "Quite a fall, huh?" Celia nodded, before looking around. "Where's Anton?"

"I'm down here." came a muffled reply. Both women squeaked when they realized that they had landed on Anton in the fall. Quickly scrambling off of him, the commodore groaned as he pushed himself up, dusting himself off. He took a look around the place. "Guess this is one of the old mines huh?" he muttered, looking around. Celia nodded. "What should we do?" Anton looked up at the hole above them. He could try to simply leap out with in his hybrid form, carrying the girls out with him. But then an idea struck. "Well, judging from how run down this is, I don't think Barrel Works has been down here. Maybe if we follow these tunnels, we can sneak up on them." Both women nodded. "A good plan sir. Lead the way." Anton looked up and down the tunnel, before pointing where he believed the mines entrance was above. "This way ladies!" And so, the grasshopper marine led the two women into the dark, Amber Lead lined mine tunnel.

"How the hell did the miners get around down here!?" Anton yelled out. They had been wandering around these tunnels for who knows how long, and so far everything just looked the same. Dark and abandoned. He couldn't even tell if they were walking around in circles or not. If only they had something to mark the way through here. Celia was clearly just as frustrated as he was. "We need to find our way out of here!" she spoke out, "Otherwise, Barrel Works is going to ship those weapons out everywhere, and we'll have another outbreak like what happened here!" At the very mention of another outbreak, Sprocket shuddered. Anton looked back at her. "Don't worry. We wont let this thing get out of here and kill anymore people," he said, trying to comfort her.

"It's...it's more than that." Sprocket replied. Anton blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?" "I mean, the disease wasn't what killed off most of the people here on this island." Sprocket looked straight into Anton's eyes, "It was the marines." Both Anton and Celia stared in shock. "What!?" Sprocket gave a small nod before continuing. "When the outbreak first occurred, the marines quarantined the island and shipped off all the nobility, before leaving the rest of us here to rot." "But wait," Celia spoke up, "I thought this island wasn't associated with the World Government!" Sprocket's eyes narrowed, "That's the story they told. Instead, they got the nobility out, and killed anyone else trying to leave. In the end, they did more killing than the disease ever did."

Anton couldn't believe what he was hearing. A snarl spread across his face as he punched the wall in anger. "I can't believe this! First Yotsuba Island and now this!? We're marines dammit! We're supposed to be protecting people, not killing them!" Celia sighed before looking over at Sprocket. "I guess this makes this a bit awkward for you then. Marine probably killed your parents, and yet now you're here with us." Sprocket's expression softened as she shook her head. "Not really. If your friend's reaction there is anything to go by, you two seem like decent people. You honestly want to help. Besides, I don't blame you for what happened all those years ago. You weren't there." Celia gave a small appreciative smile. Anton silently swore to put an end to this, at least to make some atonement for what had happened here years ago.

It was then that he noticed something. A strange sound coming from deeper in the tunnel. "Um, guys, do you hear that?" All three went quiet as they looked up at the tunnel before them, the sound growing louder.

The three stood in the tunnel, looking into the blackness as the approaching sounds grew louder. It was like something was squeezing its way through the tunnel, brushing up against the sides. Something large. Another machine? No, they would have heard an engine or something. Anton had his sword ready, Celia with her pistols drawn. Whatever would come out of the darkness, they would be ready for it.

Well, they should have been. But in all honestly, they really weren't ready for what they saw next.

A pair of large mandibles emerged from the darkness, attached to a large, flat copper coloured face, two small, beady black eyes looked at them, as behind it they could see the large body of a beetle. A beetle big enough to take up the size of the tunnel. Everyone was quiet for a moment, the three humans staring at the beetle, and the beetle staring back at them.

Then, there was a scream, followed by a roar as the beetle surged forward. The three screaming humans immediately turned and broke into a run, trying to run from the massive thing. "What the hell is that thing!?" Celia yelled out. "I don't know!" Sprocket yelled out, "Maybe something that grew here due to all the Amber Lead around?" "Like hell! I can believe a metal causing mass poisoning, but not causing rapid evolution!" "Believe what you want, but it's still chasing us!" Both women looked back at the running Anton. "Do something!"

Anton slid to a stop, holding his sword up. As much as he didn't want to fight this massive thing, he had to protect the ladies after all. As the beetle closed it, Anton cried out, swinging his sword. Only for the blade to bounce harmlessly off of the creature's mandibles. Everything seemed to freeze for a moment as both Anton and the beetle seemed to take a few seconds for all this to sink in. Then, it was back to screaming and running against. "Why does this have to happen to me!?" Anton screamed out, "Why do I have to be stuck underground fighting a freakin beetle that's as hard as freakin metal!?"

"Did...did we lose it?" Celia panted, leaning up against the tunnel wall. Thankfully, these mine shafts were like a maze, and after who knows how long of running like mad, they seemed to have been able to elude the massive bug, at least for now. Anton looked just as winded as he looked around. "I think so," Anton replied, "But now I have no idea where we are." Not that he had an idea where they were to begin with, but now they were more lost than ever. "Well," Sprocket replied, catching her breath, "At least we know why Barrel Works isn't around here. I doubt they wanted to deal with that thing." Anton nodded. This mine was looking more and more unpleasant by the second. Giant beetles in one spot, crazed arms dealers in another. And all around them, possibly deadly lead deposits. "We still need to find Barrel Works, and that giant thing isn't helping." Sprocket shrugged. "Well, at least we can hear that thing coming," she said with a smile, pushing herself off of the wall, "I'm sure we can easily avoid that thing no problem."

It seemed fate just loved to prove these three wrong today, for as soon as Sprocket said that, there was a low rumbling. A rumbling that was coming from right in front of them. What they thought was darkness began to shift, as a massive form turned toward them. A pair of small, black beady eyes, accompanied by a pair of massive mandibles. All three stared up at the massive beetle in front of them.

History seemed to repeat itself, as seconds later the three were once again running for their lives. "There are two of these things!?" Sprocket yelled out, "Why are there two of these things!?" "There's probably more than that!" Celia yelled in response, "Especially if your whole 'Amber Lead based evolution' theory's right!" Sprocket let out a wail. Not only did they have to find Barrel Works in this maze, but now they had to dodge lord knows how many giant bugs in the process. As they ran though, a thought of inspiration struck Anton. "Ladies! I have an idea!" "Well, what is it?" Celia yelled out.

That was when Anton screamed. Loudly.

Anton's scream echoed throughout the cave, drowning out the sounds of the beetle behind them before Anton let out another one. "What the hell are you doing!?" Celia yelled out. Screaming? That was Anton's plan!? After his scream, Anton looked around as they ran, before suddenly veering off to a tunnel on the right. "This way!" Celia and Sprocket followed close behind, the beetle keeping pace behind them. Celia had no idea what Anton was doing, but as they ran, show started hearing something coming from up ahead. A deep rumbling.

Oh no...

Then they saw it. Up ahead, a massive form scurrying towards them. It didn't take a genius to realize it was the other beetle they had encountered, attracted by Anton's scream. This was it! Pinned between two gigantic beetles, fully intent on eating them. The small woman let out a small whimper. Every marine should expect to possibly die in the line of duty, but she hadn't thought she'd go out like this! Suddenly, Anton grabbed the two women, yanking them into a side tunnel. For some reason, he had stopped running. "Sir! What are you doing!?" Celia yelled out. Anton suddenly clamped a hand over her mouth. "Watch." It was then that they noticed that everything seemed to have gone quiet. What happened? Why had the beetles stopped?

Suddenly, the beetles charged, only this time at eachother. The two titanic bugs crashed into eachother, causing the tunnels to shake. So that was Anton's plan! Let them fight it out while they get away! Anton grabbed hold of the two girls. "Run!" The three turned and took off down the tunnel, the entire network shaking as the massive beetles fought it out.

After some running, the rumbling of the tunnels soon faded, as well as the sounds of the heated battle between the massive beetles. Considering how tough their hides were, they would be going at it for quite a while, and since they hadn't seen any more of them as they fled, it was safe to assume they were out of the wood in terms of giant beetles. Celia let out a sigh of relief. "That was some good thinking sir," Anton chuckled as he tried to catch his breath. "Thanks. To be honest, it was a matter of luck really. I was only hoping they would fight eachother. Otherwise, we'd end up with two of those things chasing us." "Well," Sprocket piped up, "At least the tunnels are only big enough for them to come after us one at a time anyway." Anton nodded before looking around. "Well, that's one problem done. But we still need to find where the heck Barrel Works set up shop." They were basically back where they started, lost amongst a maze of mining tunnels.

However, as everything went silent, something caught Celia's attention. "Does anyone hear that?" The three followed her gaze down one of the tunnels. It was very feint, but they heard something. A rumbling, but not like that of the beetles. This one sounded almost...mechanical. Could it be? Looking at eachother, the there took off down the tunnel, running as the sounds grew louder and louder.

Suddenly, they were there. The mine shaft opened up to a massive chamber, various digging machines working along its walls, as well as metal walkways set up. Numerous men, some armed and others were working the machinery, filled the room. There was no doubt about it. This was where Barrel Works was operating.