A Festival of Monsters and Gods

Well, I think it's been long enough to at least tease the planned sequel to my commissioned story "The Mercer Funhouse of Horror and Cobra Commander's Fatal Miscalculation", long enough for people to have submitted their previous guesses and realize what those clues were with the fanfiction categories or at least one of them. Speaking of which, the central figure in this little tease, well….. those who are fans of this particular franchise will certainly NOT like it.

But what do I care? It's my story. And speaking of what's not mine…

Disclaimer: The basic intellectual properties that inspired this story are not own by the author. Instead, the franchise that is My-Hime is owned by Masakazu Obara, Hiroyuki Yoshino, Sunrise and Funimation Entertainment. The Prototype franchise is also owned by Lindsey Williamson-Christy, Radical Entertainment and Activision. Likewise, the G.I. Joe franchise is owned by Donald Levine, Larry Hama, Hasbro, Marvel Comics, and Sunbow Productions. Please support the respective official release of each property however possible.

Teaser 1: Decent from Normality

Yuuichi Tate could only blame the limitations of his mortal body as the life blood drained from his body, his childhood friend Shiho Munakata not too far away. Though she was still injured by the assault of those…creatures, he still took the brunt of it in an act of impulsive selflessness that ultimately amounted to nothing as his consciousness began to fade before his eyes despite Shiho's desperate pleas to live. He had so many regrets as his eyes slowly closed to welcome the inevitable oblivion.

Then he was forcefully faced with a man in a hooded jacket that stood above him. His eyes widen as he recognized the face. "…Alex…Mercer…!"

"Hold your applause." Mercer joked as he knelt closer to Yuuichi's face. "I must say, you're not having the best of days. I almost pity you, almost."

It was at that moment did both Shiho and Yuuichi heard new sounds from Fuuka Academy; alien explosions of gunfire. Mercer looked up and towards campus and mused. "It seems like your HiME friends have really stirred the hornet nest. The incompetence of the Searrs Foundation has forced Cobra to take a direct hand. I'm not sure how plasma castor rounds will do against a Child, but their effect upon civilian flesh is undeniable. If those files are correct, Cobra wouldn't have to attack a Child directly to kill it. There will be casualties, a massacre is inevitable, and the only variable is the death toll. Those girls'll realize their mistake soon enough." He then looked back at Yuuichi. "Still, enough time for me to try out something new."

"Wh-what are you going to do..?" Yuuichi barely spoke as Mercer's arm transformed into a terrible claw.

"Don't worry; this will only hurt a little." And with those words, Mercer slammed his claw into Yuuichi's torso. "What comes next, moreso." Viral tendrils erupted from the wound and wrapped themselves tightly around the Japanese youth as Mercer pulled his arm out. Yuuichi yelled out in horrific pain as his insides were rearranged into something different, something inhuman.

"W-why did you do that to Onii-chan?!" Shiho exclaimed as Mercher shifted his form into the Baroness.

"He's not dying, but will he like what he is now?" The Mercer-Baroness smirked sinisterly as she walked away. The last thing Yuuichi could comprehend before he passed out from the pain was Shiho calling out his name in horror.

And that's it for the teaser, so what will happen to Yuuichi? What does Mercer have planned for Fuuka Academy? Who will Cobra kill? And where's G.I. Joe when you need them?

Still, it'll be a while before I get back to this project and continue. There are other stories that have higher priority, but I will get back to this one…..eventually.

And yes, I know it's short. It's called a "teaser" for a reason. Just enough to get someone's interest and to see what might come next.

So until we meet again, flames and brutally honest reviews are unnecessary, especially considering how much of that is evident in this particular category when one does not write with the norm if Hildebrant's anecdotes are any indication. I have low enough self-esteem to do that myself, thank you very much.