Cave Story: Rise of Ballos

By Evan Kice

Notes:

This story takes place following the normal ending of Cave Story, with the one exception that Curly was saved and helped to kill the Doctor. This is based off of a script that I am currently writing for the original Cave Story, so minor changes in the original story may take place. As I write, I will list them here.

Professor Booster returns on the helicopter, along with Malco.

Also, for some reason, I cannot get the paragraphs to space properly. Please bear with me.

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Chapter 1

The rain poured down over the already drenched soil. The clouds over head rained relentlessly down to Earth, but none of this seemed to bother Misery. She stood at the edge of the cave, eyes staring off into the valley that rolled down out of the mountains. To a place she might never go. Something still held her back. The raindrops tricked down her pale white face.

“Misery!”

although she noticed her name being called, Misery kept staring, and the rain kept falling. Balrog appeared at the edge of the cave, and again shouted her name.

“Misery! Come inside, you’ll catch a cold out there!”

Misery finally looked over her shoulder at the old robot. His large box-like appearance, although once charming, seemed old and obsolete. In the back of her mind, Misery knew she really didn’t think that, but years of that dreaded curse had created a shell, a shell that held all emotion inside, never to escape.

“You call that ‘inside’? It’s a cave.”

“It keeps the rain off of you.” Balrog walked out of the cave toward misery, the rain beginning to make hollow sounds as it hit his rectangular head. Balrog took Misery’s hand, and tried to lead her into the cave, but Misery snatched her hand away violently.

“I can find my own way Balrog,” she said. Balrog stepped back, and they stared at each other for a moment, silently. Misery began to walk back into the cave, and Balrog followed.

“I have a fire going. That should keep us warm for a while” Balrog know Misery wasn’t pleased. Although lately she never was, especially after the crash. But something held them back…

“I don’t want a fire! I don’t want a cave! I want life! Why is the crown not destroyed!?”

She sat down by the fire. Its warmth was soothing, but its flare was menacing. It had become a symbol of their eternal suffering in this cave, on this mountain. It held them. The crown held them back.

“Because it was made by me.”

Misery jumped up, flying around only to see the silhouette of a man she never wanted to see again.

“Ballos!” She exclaimed.

Balrog saw him too, and stepped back.

“Why are you here? Leave now!” Hatred never existed more than between Misery and the man in the shadows, who now stepped forward into the light. He was largely built, with eerie stone-like skin, and two perfectly circular eyes, one white, the other red. A malicious grin ran across his face.

“Come now, Misery. I am only trying to help.” This infuriated Misery even more.

“What help could you possibly give us??”

“Freedom.”

This was a word that Misery had not heard in ages. Her fury began to die down, but skepticism took its place.

“What’s the catch?” Balrog asked, as untrusting as Misery.

“Simply your help. You help me find something, and I will set you free forever.” Misery didn’t believe a word of this.

“How do I know I can trust you?”

The grin on Ballos’ face grew.

“Do you really have a choice?”

She didn’t.