Chapter 1
The scene starts off on a dark and stormy night as heavy rain fell and lightning lit the dark-toned sky; unveiling the frightening appearance of Cortex's castle.
Deep in the corridors slightly lit by candles, two mysterious shadows crept in the obscurity of the halls. The shadows revealed a fox girl with golden eyes, wearing a red crystal pendant attached to her brown lace (Dedra). And a cat-like creature (Terra) that followed from behind. They are unseen and unheard as they move stealthily throughout the halls of the castle like creeping shadows, escaping from their imprisonment. As they make it to the front main hallway, Dedra hides behind the corner of a wall and peeks through to notice a large castle door up ahead. But unluckily, two henchmen androids were standing on each side of the door guarding the exit as heat-seeking security lights were activated.
Dedra: There has to be another way out of here…
Terra: Great, just great! I am so glad I didn't plan this trip; now were in trouble.
Dedra: Would you stop complaining? They'll hear us.
Terra: (panicking) Complaining? Who's complaining? I'M GOIN' CRAZY HERE! AND YA WANNA KNOW WHY? BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA BE DEAD MEAT WHEN CORTEX FINDS OUT AND...(Dedra puts her hand over Terra's mouth)
Dedra: (yelling) CAN'T YOU EVEN SHUT UP FOR ONE MINUTE? Jeez, why did I have to take you in the first place?
As Dedra's was still yelling, she abruptly caught the attention of the two henchmen. Terra saw two lurking shadows appear behind Dedra, becoming petrified by their appearance.
Terra: Uh D-D-Dedra?
Dedra: What?
Terra: B-Behind you!
*She slowly looks behind with curiosity, to surprisingly find two tall henchmen androids staring down at her angrily*
Dedra: (frightened) Err...hi guys, nice e-evening isn't it? *Gulp* (backing away) Uh, well I guess I-I'll be going now... RRRUUUUUUUUNNN!
* Dedra picks up Terra and makes a run for it, as the two henchmen pursue after them*
Henchman: (on two-way radio) The experiments are making an attempt to escape Dr. We're sending in backup.
Cortex: (talking through two-way radio) What? Catch them immediately, or failing will be the last thing you idiots will ever do!
Henchman: Understood.
Dedra carried Terra in her arms and ran as fast as she could to outrun them. Everywhere she turned, more and more of Cortex's androids began tracking the two down in large numbers. She tried to out-maneuver them, but suddenly she tripped and fell to the ground; causing Terra to fall from her arms. Dedra quickly got up, realizing that one of the henchmen grabbed Terra by her back leg.
Terra: Dedra, HELP ME!
Dedra: (furiously) LET HER GO!
Dedra did a quick run and jump up to the henchman with rage in her eyes and karate kicked him headfirst, freeing Terra. Another henchman charged at her with a punch but she dodged it doing a quick run and jump; performing an aerial somersault and skidded to the other side. The droid charges with another attempt to strike, but she dodges it while using an uppercut attack to his lower jaw; impacting him severely in a brutal defeat. The aftermath of the punch made the henchman statically corrupt. The mob confronted her in an outnumbering rank, but she was courageous as she continued to defend herself. Terra was willing to fight by her side, but all she could do is watch in terror as her friend fought furiously with every punch and karate kick against Cortex's henchmen. Standing at the sight of the aggressive crowd a henchman was seen talking through a two-way-radio.
Henchman: Call for high security urgently!
Suddenly after minutes of violence, another group of henchmen appeared from behind wearing velvet dark-blue lab coats with vicious bloodhounds on leashes and carrying loaded rifle guns. Terra immediately saw one of them targeting the gun at Dedra as she warns her to move out of the way.
Terra: LOOK OUT!
Dedra: *GASP!*
By the sound of Terra's alarming voice, Dedra's ears perked up as she heard the gun fire. She quickly tries to evade the gunshot, but unfortunately she wasn't quick enough. Her eyes and mouth widened as she flinched in agonizing pain. She cuffed her right hand over her left arm and felt sharp throbbing pain; knowing that she had been penetrated by the bullet. Uncovering her right hand from over her arm she saw large amounts of blood flow from the wound which had stained the palm of her hand. Wrathfully with rage, Dedra's canine teeth gnashed together as she looked up to the mob of androids with fury, willing to fight back. But her injury made it difficult to confront them and she only relied on keeping the remaining strength she had. Hurt and outnumbered, her only smart option was to escape. Without hesitation Dedra and Terra ran as fast as they could to get away from them, continuing the pursuit.
Henchman: C'mon they won't get away!
Almost every door in the castle automatically latched shut with no escape, as alarms signaling their getaway went off throughout the castle. Her heart pulsates more rapidly as she became fearful from the sound of gunshots and ferocious dogs loudly snarling. Seen up ahead a castle door begins to close slowly. She knew they had to act fast or their chances of escaping would be slim. As the door halfway closes, Dedra quickly slides underneath whilst Terra hastily runs on all fours to get to the other side. One of the androids that made an attempt to make it under the door only ended up halfway becoming smashed; corrupting into robotic pieces. Fortunately for the two, they made it. Out of breath and wounded severely, she refused to give up escaping from her hellhole knowing that they have come this far. Through the closed door a henchman's voice is heard from the other side.
Henchman: Activate detection cameras at all exits. They're not getting out alive, Move out.
* Dedra angrily pounds her fist to the floor*
Dedra: *Grunt* Damn it! They have us trapped like rats! That wretched human and his tricks!
Terra: (looking at Dedra's wound) Oh no.
Dedra: Don't worry about me, I'll be fine.
Terra: It's impossible. How do we get out of here?
Dedra: I don't know. It would take a miracle. We've made it this far...
*Dedra looks around the candle-lit room to unexpectedly find a long stairway spiraling upward*
Dedra: Up there. That's our only way out.
Terra: (displeased) Awww come on… I hate stairs.
Dedra: Terra-
Terra: Ok.
*Dedra and Terra make their way up the spiraling stairs until they find themselves at the highest point of the castle*
As the two finally made it to the top, a large stained glass window with rain drops trickling heavily from the outside was seen ahead of them. Uncertain if it was an access out of the castle or a trap, they were anxious to make it out alive. As the fox girl opened the latch of the window pane, she was in shock as she gazed down to find herself far above the ground over a raging ocean.
Dedra: No!
Terra: (irritated) Uuggh! As if things couldn't get any worse.
* Suddenly a hidden camera exposes the two unsuspectingly and sets off an alarm throughout the surrounding area*
Detection Camera: WARNING EXPERIMENT(S) ARE ESCAPING EXIT IN THE VICINITY. CAPTURE THEM IMMEDIATELY.
Dedra: *Glares at Terra with a sneer*
Terra: I had to say it…
The castle door that had trapped them inside reopened due to the security alarm. What had seemed to be an easy way out of the castle was just a disaster waiting to happen. Suddenly, Dedra's ears perked up to the sound of an angry mob of henchmen persistently making their way up the stairs. Just before she started to lose hope, she heard a familiar, nostalgic voice go through her mind.
?: (In her mind) Dedra, Never give up , even if the circumstance is bleak.
Looking down at the ocean and back at the stairway, she had a bewildered look on her face. She had to make a tough option; either die a prisoner for life or die free. With a face of regret, she had made her final decision.
Dedra: We have to jump.
Terra: Are you crazy? That's suicide!
Dedra: I don't have time to argue. I'm not giving up now.
Terra: But we won't make it-
Dedra: (interrupts) Would you rather die wasting your life here or die trying?
Terra: …
Dedra: It's the only choice. Trust me.
The yelling and oncoming footsteps of the henchmen got louder and louder as they continued pursuing closer to the top. Terra felt doubtful that they would survive from a murderous drop, but she wasn't going to let her friend go alone. So in their struggle of life and death, the two were preparing to jump despite the consequences.
Dedra: On the count of three. 1…
Terra: HURRY!
Dedra: 2…
*Henchmen make it to the top with their loaded rifles equipped to aim*
Henchman: (commanding henchmen to shoot) Ready...aim…
Terra: NOW!
Dedra: 3!
Henchman: FIRE!
*Gunshots fire as Dedra and Terra jump over the edge*
Dedra+Terra: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!
Their screams echoed as they fell speedily to the bottom. Gunshots were fired as the two made it without being shot, but they were on the face of plummeting to their deaths. Suddenly as their luck had seemingly begun to run out, Dedra's crystal pendant glows vivid red and envelopes the two inside a spherical aura shield; saving them from the impact of colliding into the ocean. Splashing with great force, the two survived successfully. As they resurfaced still inside the lifesaving aura bubble, the stormy oceanic tides were the only forces that carried them out to sea. Although they were safe Dedra had a puzzled look on her face wondering how they survived their ordeal.
Dedra: Whoa…
Terra: (amazed) How did you do that?
Dedra: I-I don't know. Could it be?
Dedra gazes down at the red crystal attached to her necklace which was vaguely shining. She had also noticed another unusual thing; the bullet wound in her left arm had magically healed; feeling good as new. Dedra couldn't believe it, but their lives were saved single-handedly by a crystal.
Dedra: My ember crystal.
Terra: What, That little thing? You're always secretive about it. What does it do?
Dedra: It has mystic abilities. I haven't been able to activate it since the beta blocker.
Terra: Who gave it to you?
Dedra: My ancestors. I must've reawakened it somehow. (Grasps crystal in the palm of her hands) My mother told me everything about the crystal's prophecy.
Terra: What happened to your mother?
Dedra: She was shot by humans… while saving my life.
Terra: (sadly) Oh.
Dedra: Her blood-crying yell still haunts me to this very day. She died when I was only 2 months old; I would give anything to see her again.
Terra: I'm sorry to hear that.
*The two paused silently for a minute in sorrow, until Terra changed the conversation; since dire memories of Dedra's mother began to resurface.*
Terra: Well, I guess I owe you an apology.
Dedra: For what?
Terra: I didn't trust you at first.
Dedra: Don't worry about it, at least we made it.
Terra: I'm just wondering where it's going to take us.
Dedra: *sigh* Hopefully somewhere safe.
Content but exhausted, the two floated off to freedom wondering where the ocean tides would take them. Overhead of the ocean, a supernatural crimson light radiantly shined from behind the dark storm clouds in a heavenly sight, like a guiding spirit . A wispy voice is heard calling in the wind that only Dedra could hear. Both of them look up in the sky with amazement, but did not know where the light was coming from. Back at the castle, the henchmen stared down at the ocean below with faces of defeat. They didn't even want to think of how much trouble they would be in if Cortex found out that they failed his duty; but they didn't have a choice.
Henchman: (to the group) Send an urgent message to Nitrous Brio; The experiments have escaped but data is unknown of their survival.
The henchmen immediately report to Dr. Nitrous Brio's lab about the bad news. is seen preoccupied mixing chemicals at his desk until he sees a group of henchmen walk into his laboratory.
Henchman: Dr. Nitrous Brio?
Brio: (in a stuttering voice) Y-Yes?
Henchman: Experiments 109 and 342 have escaped. They fell from the high point of the castle; we are unsure if they survived.
Brio: W-What? Oh n-no. My m-master will be v-very disp-pleased.
Nitrous Brio quickly rushes to Cortex's laboratory as he dropped his glass beakers, becoming hesitant about telling Cortex that his two experiments had become fugitives. Cortex was working on his new evil experiment until he heard burst through the door interruptedly.
Brio: (nervously) *Gulp!* D-D-Dr. Cortex?
Cortex: (annoyed) Not now Brio. Can't you see I'm busy?
Brio: But D-Doctor Cortex, I have report that experiment 109 and 342 es-scaped.
Cortex: (furious) What?
Brio: The f-f-fox girl and the cat creature sir.
Cortex: Imbeciles! That fox girl has the crystal I need to power my innovation to take over the world; It's her that I want not that useless hybrid!
Brio: But Doctor, what's so special about th-this crystal?
Cortex: Have you forgotten? It has the rarest energy, more than 25 power crystals combined you fool. Arrgh! How could they let her escape?
Brio: She was last s-seen falling f-from the top of the c-c-castle Doctor. They're not sure if she made it.
Cortex: Those metal-heads! I should disable and dump them in a trash heap!
Brio: Just use a p-p-power crystal-
Cortex: No you brainless idiot! That ember crystal is the only thing powerful enough to activate my mind control machine.
Brio: Maybe we could still f-find it.
Cortex: Maybe? Maybe YOU could do it now!
Startled by Cortex's outburst of anger, N. Brio quickly finds the control button to a tracking device and activates it. A large holographic radar pops up showing the castle at the center and the tracking bar rotating around it. There was no sign of them.
Cortex: Impossible! Where could that vermin be?
Brio: She's not sp-spotted on r-radar D-Doctor, w-what s-should we do?
Cortex: Lucky for us we still have diagnostics of her DNA sample. Order my troops of henchmen to scan the area and bring her back, alive and well.
Brio: Y-Yes Doctor C-Cortex.
Cortex: Agreed, you are dismissed.
*N. Brio leaves him to his work. Cortex walks over to a nearby window watching as it stormed, with a mischievous grin on his face*
Cortex: You can run but you can't hide detestable beast. I will obtain its power! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!
*Lightning flashes*
The next morning starts off on a warm and sunny day, exemplifying the calm scenery of N'sanity Island. Seagulls fly airborne in the blue skies as butterflies flutter serenely throughout the island forest. At the seaside of the beach Dedra and Terra rest peacefully, as the aura surrounding the two slowly vanished dimming the crystals vivid light that glistened upon her breast. The first one who woke up was Terra, slowly opening her hazel eyes. She was still exhausted from the dilemma they encountered the other night, but she was happy to be alive. Her lethargy soon changed to excitement as she gazed upon the islands' vegetation and flourishing life before her eyes. Feeling the wet sands gush in between her paws with every small step she took she knew that they were free at last.
Terra:(dazed) We…we made it! WE MADE IT! D WAKE UP! WE MADE IT!
Dedra:(wakes up) Huh…Made what?
Terra: WE'RE SAVED!
Terra pounces up and down with joy unable to control her happiness. Staggered, Dedra picks up a handful and feels the sands gush between her fingers and toes. Then gazes up seeing a world—a world with no metallic barriers.
Dedra: …Whoa. (Scratches head)…I can't believe it!
Terra: Believe it! NOTHING can stop us! That fathead scientist will never find us now.
Dedra: (looking out into distance) No sight of the castle…question is, where are we?
Terra: (shrugs) I dunno, but who cares? C'mon let's check this cool place out! (Runs off into the forest)
Dedra: Terra… Wait! You don't even know where… (To herself in exasperation) *Sigh*…stubborn cat…
End of Chapter 1