Kicking Dust/Episode 6

Kicking Dust Episode 6 - The Spark Princet
Duster meets Gampa, the child of an enemy of Fractus's. They teach her how to survive in the deserts of Silanex, though they have to fend off an ambush. As it ends up turning out, Duster may have a few things to teach Gampa herself...
==Scene 1==
:Gampa: … so that’s what happened.
The episode opens with Gampa and Duster in the shelter found by the latter at the end of the previous episode.
:Gampa: I see not even Fractus’s children are spared from her wrath…
:Duster: Mhm…
:Gampa: I, too, was not spared from her wrath. Or rather... my father wasn’t. But an attack on my father is, in my book, an attack on me. Have you heard of The Drizzler?
:Duster: Uhhhh… no?
:Gampa: Oh. Well, damn. He’s my father. His real name’s Drizzley. Really nice and kind leader, always looking out for his people… he’s my role model. And he’s been taken down by Fractus. Poisoned him, and last I’ve heard of him, he’s hospitalized now.
:Duster: That’s… unfortunate. My condolences…
:Gampa: Thank you. Anyways, I’ve been tracking down Fractus’s movements outside of the city. I refuse to go in the city for now - nothing’s stopping me from entering it, but I don’t want to live under their ridiculous laws and standards.
:Duster: So… where have you been living, then?
:Gampa: Right here, duh.
Duster looks surprised.
:Gampa: Yuup. It was liberating at first, but I wouldn’t exactly call it a great time. And, if you’re exiled out of your town… you’re probably gonna have to learn how to survive out here.
:Duster: Makes sense… so, uhm, how do I do that…?
:Gampa: I’ll show you… tomorrow, of course!
:Duster: … wait, what?
:Gampa: You’ve had an awful day today, so y’should probably take a rest before tomorrow.
:Duster: … right.
:Gampa: The makeshift bed’s right here. I’m afraid I don’t have much else!
Duster nods, and lays onto the bed as Gampa sits, leaning onto one of the cave’s wall, seeing as they don’t have a bed. The camera fades to black for a moment.
==Scene 2==
The camera then shows Duster and Gampa in a desert. They eventually come to a field filled with strange cacti. They are sphere-shaped, slightly elongated towards the top, and most importantly have two extrusion that resemble triangular ears.
:Duster: Those cacti are strange…
:Gampa: Right, because those are no regular cacti, Duster. Those are known as… Cati.
Duster pauses in place.
:Gampa: They are also one of the main sources of nutrition in the desert. I’ve brought in containers… in case you can’t make those with mineral winds.
:Duster: Don’t worry, I can handle myself.
She creates a rough rock bowl. Gampa crouches near one of the Cati, inviting Duster to do the same.
:Gampa: So, what you’ll want to do now is harvest their juice, cause it’s really nutritious. It’s also good if you need to hydrate yourself, but that’s not a concern when you have me around. Anyways, harvesting’s generally done by creating a hole in the Catus and then letting the juice flow in the container.
:Duster: Got it.
She creates a small rock pole, which she pokes the Catus with, noticing its skin seems to be thick and resilient. She proceeds to jam the pole into the Catus, piercing it. She then takes out the rock pole, allowing the juice to flow into the rock bowl she made.
As for Gampa, they used a small metal pipe to achieve a similar effect, though they did not check for the hardness of the Catus first, being already familiar with them.
:Duster: So… why do they have cat ears, anyways…?
:Gampa: It’s an adaptation! Allows them to make more sentimental people hesitate about harvesting their juices.
:Duster: … oh.
:Gampa: Anyhow, let’s move on to scaling canyons!
They point to a rock wall.
:Gampa: We don’t need to do that. We can just fly.
:Duster: I was about to point that out…
Gampa and Duster proceed to seal their containers, before the two fly upwards in order to scale the canyon.
==Scene 3==
Duster and Gampa are casually walking through the canyon. It appears to be layered, with several elevations to scale.
:Duster: So, what’s the next lesson…?
:Gampa: Don’t worry, we’re almost there!
Duster and Gampa keep walking, before they hear a voice.
:???: GAMPA! I FINALLY FOUND YOU AGAIN!
Duster seems surprised, while Gampa seems to barely react. The camera pans to a cliff, on it being… a black lizard with an electric ridge on its neck? More precisely, a Shoquana.
:Shoquana: It is time I get my revenge on you for your CEASELESS HUMILIATION!
Duster looks afraid. Gampa still barely reacts.
:Gampa: This is your next lesson, Duster!
Duster looks shocked. The Shoquana, however, seems offended.
:Shoquana: LESSON?! YOU WON’T BE TALKING ABOUT LESSONS WHEN THAT GIRL GETS ELECTRIFIED!
:Duster: I-I don’t think this is a good idea, Gam-
The Shoquana opens its maw and proceeds to stretch out his electrified tongue towards Duster at rapid speeds, Duster barely being able to create a small rock shield… before Gampa just steps a bit closer to Duster, causing the Shoquana’s tongue to be redirected towards Gampa’s lightning rods, painfully wrapping around it.
:Shoquana: AAAAAARBH! STOBH… DOINGH DATH!
Gampa smirks. The Shoquana is forced to uncharge his electricity, and then retracts his tongue.
:Duster: That was close…
:Shoquana: Rrrrr! You may be laughing now, but you won’t be laughing so hard soon, because I’ve brought in a MERCENARY!
:Gampa: A mercenary…?
A menacing chord plays as a rodent-like Kotomo covered in rusted metal armor approaches - a Corrust. He is shown to load a shotgun built out of scrap menacingly.
:Gampa: Huh… this may be more complicated than I anticipated.
:Shoquana: KILL THEM!
The Corrust is shown slowly and dramatically aiming at Gampa and Duster, seemingly in slow motion. However, the camera pans to Shoquana to show that he is, in fact, not moving in slow motion, and he is just moving that slow.
:Shoquana: … FASTER!
The Corrust looks at the Shoquana.
:Corrust: You do not understand the art of being a mercenary, my friend. You must take your time… savor the fear…
He then looks back towards the duo, only to find out that his shotgun’s barrels have been covered in rock, clogging them.
:Corrust: Oh-
:Shoquana: THAT’S IT! CHANGE OF PLAN! ATTACK DIRECTLY!
The Shoquana leaps at the duo.
:Gampa: Jump!
Gampa and Duster jump as the Shoquana unleashes an electric pulse upon landing. Meanwhile, the Corrust is shown to just jump off the cliff after the electric pulse finishes coursing through the floor. He crouches, before jumping towards Duster, ready to grip her!
However, the Shoquana proceeds to extend its tongue towards her, this time not making the mistake of electrifying it early, wrapping it around her before slamming her down to the ground… causing the Corrust to miss and jump past her instead.
:Corrust: !
Adding to this, Gampa holds their umbrella towards Corrust. It then extends, as electricity charges through it, before unleashing a powerful beam of lightning from its tip, launching the Corrust further away.
:Duster: … woah.
The Corrust then looks down… and notices he’s falling down, into one of the lower levels of the canyon. Sad music plays briefly as the Corrust falls down the canyon. He eventually hits the floor of the canyon, comically flattening on it.
Meanwhile, Duster is shown to stomp the Shoquana’s tongue, causing him to scream in pain and retract the tongue again.
:Duster: Uh… alright, what do I do now?
:Gampa: Knock it out!
:Shoquana: Hahah! Knock ME out? You must be dreaming! Let me guess, you’re one of those… Mineral Winds Flydevin! And you’re going to cover your arm in rock and try to punch me. Well guess what, I know all your tricks and I’m not gonna -
Duster holds her hand out, and proceeds to release a jet of black mist towards the Shoquana, very similarly to Fractus’s “dark magic”. The Shoquana looks stunned, and Gampa looks genuinely surprised as well.
:Shoquana: What in the world-
The Shoquana ingests some of the black mist, and begins coughing violently. Duster then proceeds to jump to the other side of the Shoquana, before powerfully kicking him towards the canyon floor below.
:Shoquana: AAAAAAA-
The Corrust, meanwhile, is shown to slowly get back up… before looking up, noticing a shadow and hearing the Shoquana’s scream.
:Shoquana: AAAAAAAAAAAH!
The Shoquana lands on the Corrust, causing both of them to scream offscreen as the camera cuts back to Duster and Gampa.
:Gampa: … what was that? Was that Fractus’s dark magic?
:Duster: … dark magic?
:Gampa: Yeah! You know, the black mist! She used that very same black mist to poison him!
:Duster: That wasn’t dark magic! That’s just Smoke Winds.
Gampa pauses.
:Gampa: Smoke what now?
:Duster: Smoke Winds.
Gampa takes a step back.
:Gampa: You’re telling me there’s more Wind Arts than the six?
:Duster: Yeah? There’s the Gilded Winds, Sonic Winds, Smoke Winds…
Gampa looks at Duster, wide-eyed in shock.
:Gampa: Why is this not known?!
:Duster: No idea. I think it’s supposed to be a royal secret? For example, the Morluda family line has been tasked with exploring Gilded Winds, and my family, the Zhantoms, were tasked with the development of Smoke Winds…
:Gampa: Wait wait wait wait wait. You’re telling me that anyone can use the Gilded Winds? And… hang on. These extra Wind Arts have been hidden for generations?
:Duster: I… guess so?
:Gampa: Oh. Oh my god. That’s… that’s so upsetting! They’ve been intentionally setting back society and hoarding the knowledge of these Wind Arts for themselves?!
:Duster: … now that you say it, yeah, it’s like that.
:Gampa: Alright, now I’m really angry! If I didn’t already have to handle two Wind Arts, I’d be asking you to teach me Smoke Winds right about now.
:Duster: R-right…
:Gampa: When I fight Fractus, I’m gonna force her to teach everyone about these Wind Arts!
:Duster: … when you fight Fractus?
:Gampa: … oh, have I not told you? My bad. I plan to getting my revenge on Fractus, sooner or later.
:Duster: Like, just rushing head-on and fighting her?!
:Gampa: No, that’d be stupid. Besides, I probably wouldn’t even be able to actually harm her. So that’s why I need to bid my time… even if I’d really like to just beat her up right now.
:Duster: … hmm…
Duster appears to think.
:Duster: If you want to get payback on Fractus, there may be something we could do. It’s risky, though.
:Gampa: Hmm… I’m interested. Do tell.
:Duster: Well…
The episode cuts on this cliffhanger.
==Trivia==
*Similar to several other episodes, some content at the end of the episode was cut and moved to the start of another episode.
*Kotomo were mainly added to the episode as appreciation for the series, as well as to give Duster and Gampa entertaining and varied enemies.
Category:Episodes
Category:Poisonshot