Hello Loonatics fans. This story features a series of one shots for every chapter marker as a separate episode. After having seen only 11 episodes shown to date, the possible chance of a cancellation always came to mind. However, thank goodness new episodes will be featured next weekend.
In any case, I had episode ideas to continue Loonatics Unleashed in the event it were to be cancelled. However, I decided to submit this because it was nearly finished anyway. I hope this would go well for you Loonatics fans and any helpful suggestions would be nice for future episodes. Thanks very much for reading.
Loonatics Unleashed © WarnerBros.
Episode 1: Out-of-Water World Part 1
Near the shores of the Acmetropolis bay area, several fisherman were ready to take a trip out of the coast. They had prepared themselves to leave right after lunch. However, when they returned to their ship, they noticed that the water had receded slightly. They scratched their heads in confusion because low tide didn't occur at this time of day.
Ever since the scientists from around the world had gathered to uncover the remains of the meteor, strange things began to happen or have already happened. First the Loonatics and then the super-powered villains. No one ever knew what had become of the meteor, for no traces of it were left behind. The events of the meteor were still very much a powerful image that remained in the citizens of Acmetropolis. There have been on going investigations about the effects of the meteor, but nothing conclusive. However, during these investigations, the sea levels slowly began to drop. The trend was hardly noticeable and for those who had recognized it were mocked from the on going research. It wasn't until recently that many docks had become useless due to their position away from the water.
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"Cannon-ballll!"
A great splash rocked the once calm surface of the water as a massive wave rippled throughout the pool.
"Hey Rev! Do you mind? I'm trying to relax here," Duck growled.
Once in a while, even superheroes needed to take a break from their jobs. With all the perks that came with being a superhero, none of the Loonatics ever imagined being given their own headquarters. Not only stocked with the latest technological advancements, but also equipped with state of the art recreational and training equipment. Yes, life couldn't be better.
"You're going to have a hard time relaxing if me and Lexi are going to play water-volleyball, Duck."
Ace and Lexi were setting up the net while Duck could only pout while he was trying to soak in what little quiet time he had to himself. Rev was currently invigorated by jumping into the water, the cool sensations melting away his tense muscles. With his child-like curiosity, Rev was also preoccupied by the effects of running underwater. Meanwhile, Tech had set up a little corner of the pool with a protective, transparent wall to prevent water from splashing onto him. Being the multi-tasking coyote that he is, he began work on his latest invention, while enjoying the cool water. It was almost complete, save for a few adjustments, and then was ready for a test run. The pool was filled with activity and unbeknownst to Duck was ready to stop his "me time."
Slam slinked his way up to the diving board as he readied himself for a big entrance. Ace, Lexi, and Rev noticed Slam up on the high board as they struggled to contain their laughter. Duck realized the sudden eerie quietness and grew suspicious. He opened his eyes and was positioned nearby Slam's splash zone. Since Duck's range of vision led directly to Slam's vertical position, he gasped as he saw the Tasmanian devil jump from the platform.
"Kawabungaaaa!"
"N-Nooooooo!"
SPLASHHHH!
A tremendous shockwave rocked the water's surface as Duck was completely flipped from his inner tube and dunked into the water below. Duck sputtered and gagged when he surfaced from beneath the water as his ears were greeted by fits of hysterical laughter, save from Tech.
"Ack, guh-huh-huh-huh… very funny" Duck gave the team a glare as he turned to Tech. "Hey Tech? Are you going to use that for long?" Duck indicated of the coyote's water-barrier.
"Sure Duck. I'm finished now anyway."
Tech slipped on his newly crafted underwater helmet and dove out of sight. Duck grabbed his inner tube and swam toward Tech's secluded corner. Duck set himself back into his relaxing position and tried to shut out the bits of laughter that still lingered. However, his nap was cut short as the vid-screen lighted with Zodavia's face.
"Sorry to disturb your little vacation Loonatics, but we have a mysterious crisis on our hands." As Zodavia spoke with this pressing news, she noticed while she scanned the room that Tech was missing. "Where's Tech?"
The Loonatics looked down onto the deep end of the pool and saw a lithe shadow swimming freely to and fro. "I"ll-get-him." Before Rev could dive in, the shadow disappeared. He stopped in his tracks while he turned to his friends. "Umm-did-you-guys-just-see-that?"
"Yeah Rev. Looks like our buddy Tech just made a disappearing act." Ace looked about, but could not find any sign of him. "Hmm… that's strange. Wonder where he went?"
"I'm right here."
Everyone turned around to see Tech behind them. "B-but how'd you…?"
"Woah-man!-That's-so-cool-Tech-How'd-you-do-that?"
"Yeah Tech. We saw you over by the deep-end and now you appeared behind us. How come I couldn't see you when you swam by?" Everyone else stared towards Lexi as she somehow figured out how Tech got behind them.
"Heh-heh," Tech rubbed his head while he gave a conceding gesture and smile. "I guess I was hoping too much when I thought I could get by you Lexi."
"Eh, what's up doc? Mind letting us in the loop here?"
Tech held out his newest innovation. "Behold, my latest invention, the Battery powered light refractor SCUBA helmet, or BP-LR for short. This handy diving helmet uses the water that surrounds a diver and converts it into oxygen and hydrogen gas. The gas is used to breathe underwater while the hydrogen gas that is created is transferred out of the helmet. It is also equipped with a cloaking device that uses the water's natural property to refract light."
"But that still doesn't explain how Lexi knew you swam by," Duck interrupted.
"If you haven't forgotten, Duck, Lexi's increased hearing capabilities allowed her to sense the slightest sound generated by my movement underwater."
"Oh, yeah…"
"A wonderful invention that may help you on your mission, Loonatics." Having almost forgotten about Zodavia, the team focused their attention on their informer.
"So what's it this time Zodavia?"
"Something very cataclysmic if it were to continue. Reports have shown that the sea level off the coast of the Acmetropolis bay have been steadily decreasing. Researchers are unable to account for this strange behavior and that is why we need you to investigate by going underwater."
"Off the coast, near the Acemtropolis Bay?" Tech wondered aloud. "Isn't that where the meteor struck?"
"Yes it is. We have reason to believe that this sudden decrease in sea level may be an after-effect of the meteor. We were unable to uncover its remnants a year ago, so this may be an opportunity to find its whereabouts."
"You got it Zodavia. We're on our way."
"Thank you Loonatics. Zodavia out."
"Okay you guys, let's jet."
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The Loonatics geared up with their jet packs and headed towards the bay. Since their tower wasn't located near water, Tech had made special arrangements to set up a port to harbor their watercrafts. Upon arriving, Ace transmitted the special access code and a trap door opened, allowing the Loonatics inside. The place was dark and smelled slightly stale. Of course, what place wouldn't be if it wasn't used on a regular basis. Tech flipped a switch and the place came to life. All sorts of technical equipment for underwater tracking and investigative tools were present.
"Woah, I never knew we had a place like this?"
"Well, we never thought to inform anyone because most of our missions don't involve going underwater," Ace mentioned. "So what new toys have you got for us today Tech ol' pal?" Tech walked to a nearby computer console and activated a panel that opened up to containment units holding the Loonatic's underwater gear. Each suit was shining with a glossy overtone as the light reflected off of them. They had a bluish tinge that resembled the inside of a milky colored marble.
"Here are your customized underwater combat suits. They are specially designed with a unique coating to reduce the resistance created while moving through water, which allows increased mobility and functionality. The helmets we'll be using leads directly to a small, but very lightweight and efficient oxygen tank that should provide at least 5 hours breathing time."
"Heeey wait a minute Tech. What about your BP-cloaking helmet thing? Aren't we going to use that?" Duck asked.
"Sadly this was my first prototype. I still need to do a couple of tests on it. And in any case, I don't have time to make five more. Anyway, attached to each tank is a hydro-jet that will allow us to cover more ground underwater and maximizes the air supply left. And finally…"
Tech punched in a few more commands on the console and with a rumble, the Loonatic's very own submarine rose from the depths of the wading pool. The underwater craft had a steely finish and a very reflective surface. It was slightly bigger than their jet and bulkier in size. However, there was a certain air of elegance and beauty that accompanied its base features.
"O-oh-WOW!-that's-the-coolest-thing-I've-ever-seen!-I've-got-to-hand-it-to-you-Tech-you've-out-done-yourself-this-time.-When-did-you-have-time-to-build-this?-Looks-like-it-would-have-taken-you-at-least-several-months-of-non-stop-work."
"I had some free time."
"Alright Loonatics, let's go for a little diving practice!"
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"Woah, I never imagined the water to be so murky down here," Lexi observed as the team traveled downward. The ocean was still a beautiful site to behold, but the damage from the meteor has been done. With the impact that had been created, all sorts of debris had been aroused to combine with the salt-water. Even though it has been over a year, some sediments still managed to linger, free-floating in the upper water levels. The Loonatics continued to look around in wonder as they peered into the hazy darkness.
"Keep your eyes peeled for anything suspicious gang."
"How can we see anything if all we see is nothing?" Duck remarked. To answer his friend's plea, Tech activated the sub's high-powered beams into the inky black as soon as they reached midway between the surface and the ocean floor. "… Nevermind." They continued to descend and soon the darkness enveloped them. Creaking noises from the outer hull signified the pressure when going deeper. It was an eerie sensation. The quiet sounds that echoed as everyone searched.
"Hmm… everything's stable. two thousand feet more til we reach the bottom. Scanners showing no signs of suspicious activity… but the sonar is picking up very strange readings…"
"What would that be?" Ace forebodingly asked. All of a sudden alarms erupted from inside the vessel as warning alerts popped up on all monitors.
"Tech! What's going on?"
"We're sinking to the ocean floor faster than the sub's capabilities! The sonar indicates numerous holes in the ocean bed, and we're right above one! My guess is we're being dragged by a current!"
"What does that mean!" Duck yelled in a frenzy.
"It means, we're going down!"
"Wooaaahhhhhh!" everyone cried as the sub descended faster and faster. The invisible current continued to pull on the powerless ship as the Loonatics tried to escape from its grip. The gaping hole from the ocean floor didn't look inviting and was big enough to allow their ship to slide past it. Try as he might, Tech wasn't able to steer the ship away
"Tech!-Do-something-or-we'll-be-picking-out-an-underwater-grave!"
"I'm trying, but the current is too strong! It's not like we can blast our way out!" Suddenly, Tech was struck with an idea. "Wait! I think I got it! Tech quickly scrambled some codes into the computer and readied himself while looking out through the window. Their ship had been spiraling downward and vision was a relative blur with the combination of the murky water and the high-powered beams. Tech had to time it just right or they would all be down for a permanent vacation.
"Now!"
Tech pushed a button and unleashed a salvo of torpedoes at the ominous hole. The projectiles struck the sides of hole while crumbling sand and debris simultaneously became lodged into the passage way.
"All-right!-Way-to-go-Tech!"
"We're not out of the woods yet."
As if on cue, the temporary blockage began to crumble and the current slowly ate through the makeshift defense. Unfortunately due to the current's strong backlash, the submarine's propulsion system was temporarily offline. With no way to move, Tech only delayed the inevitable.
"The controls won't respond! Guys, we've got to abandon ship!"
The Loonatics scrambled to their equipment and ejected from their ship. As soon as they exited, the barrier finally gave way and the current came back with full force. The team watched disheartened while their transportation was swallowed into the dismal abyss. However, they had failed to notice that Tech's maneuver had put them into a more dangerous situation. The torpedoes that struck the fissure widened the gap and increased the current's power. The suction's range became extended and was making its way toward Lexi.
"Lexi!" Ace shouted, "Get out of there! The hole's getting bigger!"
But it was too late. The current had gripped her and she was slowly slipping away. "Ahhhh! Guys! A little help here!"
"Don't worry Lexi, I got ya!" Tech raised his arms and unleashed his magnetic powers. Fortunately for Lexi, the suits they wore were partly metal along with the tank and gave Tech something to use. As he tried to pull back Lexi, he failed to notice that the strength of the current was overtaking any progress he made. Tech pulled Lexi closer, but the current moved both of them closer to itself.
"Tech! Look out! You're being sucked in too!"
After having concentrating on retrieving Lexi, Tech finally took notice as his efforts were in vain.
"Slam! Do you think you could use your tornado to get them outta there?"
"U-huh," Slam nodded to Ace. Slam swam onto the outskirts of the suction's range and began to use his tornado mode. Unfortunately, the seawater limited his powers significantly and only managed at half power, but managed just enough to reach Lexi and Tech. Tech felt the tug at the end of his legs while he was desperately trying to prevent Lexi from slipping any further.
The current paid no heed to Tech's efforts and seemed to be mocking him as it grew stronger. More of the edges from the perforated cliff crumbled from the strain of the current. The vacuum's range increased even further and now had Slam caught up in its power.
"Slam!-Watch-it-your-being-sucked-up-by-the-current-too!"
Slam slowed his rotational spin as he tried to comprehend Rev's even more distorted words underwater. This was all the current needed as Slam rapidly lost ground and was being dragged closer. Slam immediately redoubled his efforts and fought hard against the suction. Unfortunately, he began to notice that he was too far inward to escape even without Tech and Lexi behind him.
"Slam! Lexi! Tech!"
Ace Duck, and Rev watched helplessly as their team mates drew farther away and visibility became poor.
"Aaaahhhhhh!" The trio screamed as they were swallowed up.
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"We-have-to-save-them!" Rev began.
"And what are we supposed to do, reach out with our hands and get sucked in with them?" Duck motioned with unusual common sense. "You saw how powerful that current is."
"Duck's right, we'll have to come up with another plan." Ace thought for a moment as an idea presented itself. "Guys, we'll have to get back to base and see if Tech left us anything to work with." The others agreed and shot off through the water with their hydro-jets.
Meanwhile, Lexi, Slam, and Tech were tumbling through the dark void. Everything whirled around them and they became very disoriented to the relative positions of up and down. It seemed that this might be the end of them when they suddenly halted to a stop. The three were completely taken by surprise by the abrupt stop and expected to feel pain from the impact of hitting the ground. Oddly though, they felt nothing beneath them. Stranger still, the current still flowed which indicated that they should still be swept further along. Unfortunately, the darkness helped little to alleviate them for an explanation. They tried to move, but the current still pushed them flat on the invisible force that served as their platform. Slowly, but surely the current began to recede, and the force weakening.
Suddenly, they felt as though they were being pulled through the water and toward a faint glowing light. They drifted with this new horizontal sensation and felt solid ground beneath them once again. Their eyes slowly adjusted to the dim light and focused on the shadowy outline of a new figure. It slowly came forth from the silhouette and raised what appeared to be a glow stick to its face.
She was a lovely sight to behold. She had the face of a very young, feline girl still early in her prime and slightly shorter than Lexi. She had moderately short, silvery white hair streaked with varying shades of blue that gently flowed through the water. Her black ears contoured beautifully with her hair and over-all black muzzle. She had dazzling turquoise eyes and a cute red button nose that created a very innocent and soft expression. She had a slender body that followed similar styling from her face cloaked in a somewhat tattered outfit. Protruding behind her was a lithe, black tail that seemed to explode with familiar silvery-white color at the tip.
Far be it from the onlookers, this gentle creature hardly looked as threatening and may very well be their savior. Still, the water was quite murky in that tunnel so their vision was slightly compromised. The downsized team stood to their feet as they acquainted themselves with this new person.
"Umm… hello," Lexi slightly smiled as she slowly extended her hand, "nice to meet you." The cat reached out and shook hands with Lexi as she boldly smiled.
"At last! Someone's finally found us! I'm so happy to finally see someone from the outside world. My name's Sylvie, what's yours?"
Her somewhat brash expression and audacious personality surprised the team from what they had expected from such a gentle looking person. They were all amazed even more that this person who lived underwater, can speak their language. But they wondered about the peculiar tone in her voice as if she was desperate to leave or something, save for Lexi. That voice sounded familiar, almost from a not to distant past.
"S-Sylvie? Sylvie Pussycat?" Lexi slowly rocked by surprise.
"Y-yes…?" the cat motionlessly grasping her hand. "Who are you? How do you know my name?" Before being given an answer, Lexi hugged her with an unknown wave of joy.
"Sylvie, don't you know me? It's me, Lexi."
"L-Lexi?" Sylvie stammered as she reached back into her past. Her memory was faint, but soon came back to rekindle a long lost friendship.
"Lexi Bunny! It can't be? Is it really you!"
"Yup! You remember. Oh, I haven't heard from you in ages. What happened? How did you end up down here and…" Lexi briefly paused, "How are you breathing underwater?"
"Believe me, it's a long story."
"Don't worry. We haven't seen each other since high school, so I'm all ears."
"Umm… Lexi? I don't mean to interrupt but,…" Tech politely tapped her shoulder.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Sylvie, let me introduce you to my teammates Tech and Slam. We're part of a team called the Loonatics that…"
"Lexi," Tech gently grasped her shoulder as he interrupted her once more. "I'm afraid we haven't the time to reminisce. We have a limited air supply and our previous efforts of trying to escape the current back there gives us less than 4 hours of air if we don't find a way out of here."
"Oh, don't worry 'bout that. I'll take care of it."
Sylvie outstretched her hands and concentrated. Slowly, the sounds of sloshing water rang through their ears as the water level from the tunnel started to slowly drop. The three were turning around, amazed at what they witnessed. Fairly soon, all the water from their section of the tunnel was removed. The Loonatics stood in awe as Sylvie finished.
"That was amazing Sylvie! Does that mean the meteor gave you powers too!" Lexi squealed with excitement.
"What do you mean, 'me too'. Do you guys have… (cough)… gasp…" Sylvie clutched her throat with the fearful indication of suffocation. She quickly turned to run toward the wall of water when she tripped, not use to the full effects of earth's gravity. "Sylvie!" Lexi shouted. Slam went right into action and carried her to the water. After having caught her breathe, she regained her composure.
"Huh… sorry 'bout that. Looks like I'm going to permanently remain a 'cat' fish. How ironic."
"Oh, Sylvie. How did this happen to you?"
"The meteor. No doubt about it," Tech interjected.
"Yes. That's right…," she slowly nodded.
"Tell us what happened," Lexi asked softly.
"… That day… I'll never forget it…" Sylvie started to clutch herself, as she began her personal flashback. "It was a beautiful day. I was at the beach when it happened. At first I didn't know what to think of it, but by the time I had gotten out of my trance… it was too late. The meteor seemed to come from nowhere and slightly eclipsed the sun as it made its way down. I thought it was heading towards the city, but instead it landed just off the coast. By the time I realized what happened, the waves from the ocean quickly rose and crashed onto the beach. Anyone who was remotely nearby had no chance. The water swallowed me and the other people, pulling us toward the ocean. The suction from the receding waves stopped us from swimming back to the surface, but that wasn't all that happened…"
The three teammates listened attentively from the events Sylvie experienced. Each one of them had their own story that changed their lives. Listening to someone who actually saw the devastation up close exhibited a kind of apprehension and suspense of what they could have never imagined.
"… the meteor's impact was far more powerful than what took place above water. When it struck the ocean's floor, the force created an enormous crater and it felt like the whole ocean shook. Because of this, all the dirt and soil from the ocean floor made the water become very cloudy. I was still being dragged downward, but I couldn't see a thing. The last thing I remembered was hearing a loud roar that sounded like an earth tremor… and then nothing…"
"Fascinating… it sounds as though the meteor hit with such tremendous force that it might have shifted the tectonic plates and caused parts of the continental shelf to collapse." Lexi and Slam looked with confusion at Tech's assessment, but Sylvie stared in astonishment.
"…H…H-how did you come to that conclusion? How do you know that's what happened?" She asked with wonder.
"When you mentioned the meteor created cracks and an underwater crater I was left to assume that the impact may have violently shaken the foundations of the earth's underwater crust. Since this cataclysmic event occurred near the Acmetropolis Bay, the continental shelf must have crumbled. This inevitably started a chain reaction that separated part of the shelf from the central land mass and would account for the earth tremor like-noise you mentioned. Is that correct?"
"Y-yes… that's exactly how I came to know it," Sylvie uttered, impressed with Tech's observation. "The shelf that came apart from the Acemtropolis Bay slid over and covered the crater the meteor created, sealing us in. We had no way of getting out and relied solely on the hope of being discovered when investigation of the incident would occur."
"How did you and the others manage to survive here for so long?" Lexi asked.
"It's strange, but not only did the meteor give the ability to breathe underwater, it also allowed us to survive without any food."
"Most fascinating. Biological self-sufficiency."
"Yes. I'm not entirely sure on how it works, but Dr. Pembrooke could probably give a better explanation than I can."
"D-Dr. Pembrooke?" Tech asked with sudden enthusiasm. "Are you talking about the same Dr. Pennbrooke who is the world-renowned biological ecologist, and biochemist?"
"You know him?"
"Not personally, but anyone who's anyone in the scientific community would know of his brilliant work in wide-spread ecological systems. He's the foremost expert on molecular biophysics. However, he disappeared without a trace after the meteor's collision. To think, he's still alive."
"That's right. He's the one who explained all the effects of the meteor to me and has been having a field day trying to understand what the consequences that event will have on the earth. I can take you guys to see him as soon as I know more about all of you, since the issue of air is no longer a problem."
All of a sudden, a menacing groan sounded as it reverberated through the compact walls of the tunnel.
"Uh oh. Let's skip the introduction for later. We've got to get out of here."
"Wait! What's going on? What's making that sound!" Lexi cried.
"Trust me, you don't want to know. Hurry! Follow me!"
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To be continued…
End of Part 1