(I'm serious, I want some feedback on "danger zone". Look it up and tell me if you think you know a more appropriate song)

Chapter 6

Darkness.

That was all he saw, at least, all he could bring himself to recognize. All he could actually see were three walls of stone and a single wall that consisted of iron bars, covered in scratches and several dried spots of his own blood. His only company included the spiders that spun their homes across his humble quarters and the aggressive, fiery bats.

Oh, how the tables had turned on the once feared ruler. All the power, the magic, vast armies- he had all this and now it was gone. He had brought about so much pain and suffering, and now he lay, weak and defeated, having reaped what he's sown as of almost a full year now.

And it was all because of him.

That wretched, interfering mammal.

"Fox……." He growled silently.

The allosaur would have struck the ground had he not been so weak. The liberated Sharpclaws he once commanded had long since turned against him, and took care to make sure that the would-be dictator would never be free to exercise his cruel practices again.

It had been the same routing for days now, a virtual eternity as far he was concerned. Day after day: a pitiful meal, a chorus of mortifying laughter from the smaller carnivores, and the un-healing, festering scar that a certain vulpine had left on his ego. He was barely able to hold on to his sanity anymore. He slept, dreaming only of how he would one day exact the most bloody and sadistic revenge his mind could think of.

Lately, however, things had been different. It had been fairly close to two weeks since his last meal, and he also not seen or hear a soul in that same fortnight. Things had been unusually quiet, and he knew it. Despite his vengeful thoughts, he couldn't help but pay some attention towards the unorthodox silence, as well as the tremendous pain in his empty stomach.

"Why is it so quiet?" he asked no one. "Perhaps those fools are in the midst of a plague? It would serve those insolent traitors right. I'd only regret that I didn't have the pleasure of killing them myself."

The beast scratched his synthetic left claws across the wall, leaving large gashes. "And it would be so easy.

He continued shredding his hooks against the stone surface.

"And then Fox would be next. And if I could find that filthy vixen, I'd do the very same. I wouldn't want that harlot to feel left out, after all," he snarled. "And of course that three-horned trash."

Amidst his deep focus, the green reptile diverted his attention to the rear wall.

He could've sworn he was hearing…….explosions.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!

And with no warning, the weary prisoner was blown back several feet as the rear wall shattered. He had no time to prepare himself for the close-following assault of boulders and stone shrapnel that tried to escape the fury of the bright, smoky blast.

He coughed, both due to his fatigue and the thick dust, barely able to see anything in front of him. He could barely make out the fuzzy image of what looked like huge spiders slowly approaching him.

"What the devil..?"

The strange insect like behemoth lunged forward and pinned him, its company just observing with eager movement.

The lone dinosaur struggled to fight back, but couldn't resist the overpowering creature. He began to feel several spontaneous ruptures of pain all over his body, and opened his eyes to see what looked like stingers jabbing his body, leaving a metal trace in his skin.

The beast of a once-general roared in pain as he began to feel a number of strange urges. His mind began to spin and leave him dizzy, revealing a number of images, most of which he didn't recognize.

"GRAAAAAAAH!!! WHAT IS THIS!? RAAAAAARRRRRHHHH!!!

Then, as if out of nowhere, he was no longer in the cell area. He stood amidst one of the planet's power shrines, temples of mystic energy that housed several magical gem plants.

The allosaur thrust out his claw and grabbed a gem, trying to use anything to strike the spreading metallic skin.

Another flash and things changed again, now with the gems stuck to him, causing strange reaction that only deepened his new suffering. Sparks and energy flew and cackled around him like storm, hurting him further

"AAAAAAHHH!! WHAT….IS…..THIS!? AAAAHHH!! STOOOOOP!!!!

Again, moments seemed to be skipped as the beast now found himself standing amidst a plain of burning land, scarred by what seemed like a war.

"What's going on here? The pain, the dungeon………..What is this place? Where is all this damage from? Was there truly a plague?"

He looked all round himself, scanning his surroundings in case things would shift again. He took in the sight of his own planet, damaged decently with bodies all about him. Blood covered the earth and colored the streams, while smoke bled from the fiery wounds across the ground. Other dinosaurs, mostly quadrupeds, lay on the ground with those same metallic patches on their skin. It was obviously some type of infection, as he could tell they were all dead. But there were others still, untouched by the strange infection, but nonetheless having been killed by some gruesome means.

It took the uneasy creature a few seconds before he noticed an image of cross-hairs in his vision that would not leave. He ran to check himself in the stream nearby, where the water was still blue and clean. He had almost instantly regretted his choice.

"Wha? No….How? It's……It's impossible. What is this? What the devil happened to ME!?"

Metal, patterned and molded, decorated and complex, ran all about his body, reflecting in the water as a hideous, unnatural freak.

He looked down at his hands, and saw fresh blood on his natural hand and his metallic hand, which he just realized he hadn't seen for a number of years. He looked up as lightning flashed in the sky while thunder roared furiously. A torrent of rain dropped from the sky, who had gone from twilight red to a veil of deep, dark blue.

Something seemed to move inside of him, compel him. He was losing track of his thoughts and his body seemed to be forcing some kind of action. Scales couldn't stop himself as his body thrust his jaws towards the sky, a roar of rebirth escaping from his menacing jaws.

"yyaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHH!!!!"

"GYAHH!!"

The andro-demon snapped his eyes open immediately, the shock of his nightmare having overpowered his fatigue. He clutched his chair tightly, and tried to steady his semi-organic heart from its rapid pace.

"Hmmmm……..even now….," Scales spoke quietly to himself. He grumbled quietly as he closed his eyes once more, giving more thought to his dream. This was not the first time he had relived it.

"…I suppose all strengths really do come at some sort of price," he whispered.

The recently reinstated General did not often sleep well anymore. Dreams of the origin of his self-remodeling were commonplace for him these days. And with the fact that he was closer than ever to killing his enemy, this trade seemed to be too far in his favor. He wondered often if fate had something devious planned for the sake of balancing his would-be blessing. Perhaps the pain of the event was enough?

Scales liked to believe so. After all, how was he to know that an cyber-insectoid race known as Aparoids were going to attack his planet? How was he supposed to know that the creatures were symbiotic parasites that infected all things? How was he to know that attacking himself with mystic gems amongst the planet would cause the abnormal reaction that gave him control of the remaining aparoids?

He wasn't. And that was fair enough, as far he was concerned.

The reptile saw it as justice, for the role of a fool he had been made to play for Andross, as well as having to surrender to a young outsider half his size.

"But then nothing is free. McCloud'll find that out soon enough."

The beast general's thoughts were interrupted as the control room door behind him hissed open.

"I heard a growl. I suppose it was the dream, commander?" spoke a rough voice.

The general rubbed his temples, or more realistically, tapped his metal claws against his steel brows. "Correct. Are we on schedule, Drakor?"

"Affirmative, commander. Those dreams will disappear in due time," the original freak responded.

The general growled quietly. "Don't talk to me about the dreams. You don't even have half of an idea."

Drakor bowed his dragon head. "My apologies commander. Still, you will soon receive your triumphant revenge. I only ask that you allow us all to arrive present for the killing blow."

"Of course," the beast hissed. "The more who see me rip that bastard vulpine apart, the better. Consider how much more of a suffering it would be for him to feel it- all those eyes upon him, as his own are plucked from his skull."

Drakor chuckled. "Almost gives you that sort of warm, fuzzy feeling," he joked. It was a childish choice of words, but yet his voice made it sound like an obscenity. The air was thick with both of the beasts' bloodthirsty tones.

The two laughed coldly for a brief moment before Drakor managed to get a hold of himself. "Again, commander, we're dead on schedule. Do you require any changes?"

Scales thought to himself. He hated the idea of more suspense, but he had lately come to see that his crew were low on supplies. Food, while normally not hard to come by, was something difficult to obtain the right amount of, at least for the size of the types of soldiers Scales had at the ready.

He had three, of which Drakor was the smallest, but by far the most intellectual. He was Scales subordinate, but the closest thing to a type of friend he had in his army. For this reason, the mutant general looked at him differently. He had been a cyber-spliced life form before Scales had ever been, so he found favor in his leader's glowing eyes.

"Yes actually," he finally answered. "Drop down on Fichina."

"Understood, commander," Drakor saluted. "By the way, what is the purpose of this. It's a snow environment, is it not?"

Scales prodded into his aparoid memory, just to double-check. "Yes. We need to get supplies, as well as prepare for the coming environment. The Cornerians are in the midst of celebrating a holiday of their culture, something involving the snow. We need to have our organic features "vaccinated", if you will, for the coming cold weather. And with any luck, that clever bitch might be down their practicing. Killing her would be like a warm-up for the vixen from before."

"Brilliant, commander," Drakor complimented. "I'll inform the ship."

The cyborg-dragon left the room in obedience, leaving the allosaur to himself. Scales turned his seat back towards his control systems and looked at the stars before him. They were countless, continuing with no end. He compared the idea to the number of Cornerians he'd soon eradicate, smiling wickedly. He noticed in the distance one particular star, one which glowed a bit brighter than those that surrounded it.

"Him in particular. I swear Fox, I will rip your heart out. And then every loved one of yours after would experience the same. You can't imagine how happy I became when the mutation showed me that you had an entire team. I'll pluck your feathered friend, strangle the frog with his own tongue, and slaughter the hare. As for the other one, that's a special case," he hissed with a chuckle.

"I'll let you see for yourself as I run these claws through your little mate's heart, while I watch the life drain from your severed head. You won't even have a prayer, you son-of-a-bitch. Not one prayer."

The monstrous general allowed himself to relax as he embraced sleep again, dreaming of his sadistic plans.

ooo

"Hello?"

The cerulean vixen walked closer to the silhouette. It was blurry, but became more defined as she got closer.

"Excuse me? Hello?"

The silhouette was now more recognizable. It was a fur!

Ice ran towards the silhouette, curious as to the stranger may have been. They were out in the snow, amidst a deep blizzard. "Hello there!" she called out.

This time the fur turned towards her, and Ice could see it was another vixen, about her height and built the same.

"The hell?" she said to herself. "Um….Excuse me! Can you come here for a moment?"

The vixen was not too far now, and Ice almost halted as she saw the fox's color: deep blue.

Ice froze. "Is that….but it can't be a mirror. Then that means……..Oh my Kyuubi, it must be her!"

Ice sprinted towards the figure, until she was only two feet from her. "It's….I can't believe……..Oh my Kyuubi…….."

The quiet vixen stepped forward, and now both girls had tears in their eyes.

Ice embraced the other in tears, receiving an equally tight grip.

"Ice!"

Ice smiled as she shut her eyes, the tears overwhelming her.

"…..Krystal!"

BOOOM!!

"AAH!"

Ice shot up faster than light. She sat confused and gasping as her mind started to explain to her what was happening. The lonely vixen sat in her bed, cross legged and furious towards the storm outside. When she checked into the Katinian motel earlier, it had been sunny. She had been met with absolutely no suspicion, save her fur color. Fortunately, she had been smart enough to buy some normal Lylatian clothes.

She could sleep through the merciless rain pour, but wasn't prepared for the roar of thunder what just woke her up.

Hot tears began to well in her eyes as she realized it was only a dream.

"Krystal….If only I had been there. If only I could have helped you stop that fucking Kyu monster!" she forced through her clenched fangs.

The image of her sister swarmed her thoughts, strengthening her depression at first, but gradually helping to soothe her heart.

Ice laid down after a while. "Don't punish yourself, Ice. There'll be justice soon enough," she told herself. "Might as well get some sleep."

As she laid down, she felt slight sensation in her mind, and was quick to rise again. "What the blazes?" she whispered. Ice could swear she had just felt Krystal's aura.

"Must be my emotions," the vulpine beauty said.

But then she felt it again, and it was a little stronger this time. "What?" she exclaimed. "That really felt like Krys's aura. But that's impossible. She's…..she's…" Ice couldn't bring herself to say it. As she began to remind herself of the difficult 'truth,' Ice's mind projected a vision, one that left her heart, mind and soul in confusion.

There was Krystal, wearing Lylatian traditional apparel, and helping another fur off the ground. Ice couldn't see the stranger, as his, as far as she knew, figure was blurry and uncertain. She did, however, see her beloved sibling clear as a bell, aiding whom she guessed was a friend to his feet. Ice couldn't help but notice the stranger seemed a bit dizzy and as if he had just been tortured.

The uncertain beauty knew immediately that Krystal could have never owned modern clothes, at least during their 18 years together. But if she had passed away on Cerinia, then what would have persuaded her to have left and come back in a foreign wardrobe.

And Ice had been pondering for the longest time if that creep Scales had been completely honest with his words. Could she actually be……?

"What does this mean?" she asked herself. As she tried to focus deeper into the vision, it quickly died out, leaving Ice back in her room. She sat quiet, but this time, there was not real sadness or disappointment on her face-only deep concentration, and wonder.

"This brings about so many new questions," she said to herself. "Well I won't receive the answers here. I guess its time to pack up and get going. I can't help but wonder…."

The beautiful yet lonely vixen pulled her sheets off and slipped her feet into the sandals she 'borrowed'. The girl had to laugh, for the first time in quite a while, at herself, a once royalty having stolen a pair of white thongs. She and Krystal had always had this thing, no matter where they were, no matter what the weather, for sandals, and Ice had even left her favorite pair of white ones behind for Krystal. "I doubt I'll ever see those again," she managed to smile as she started filling her old travel pack.

If only she knew.

(quick and sloppy, believe me I know. If ya send mail, please don't comment on that, because frankly you'd be shootin' a dead horse. But I really want to get these mystery chapters out of the way, so that things'll get a little easier. Anyway I hope you enjoy and I presume most of you can figure out the broad explanation provided at the beginning. Thanks and God bless you folks.)