Warriors: The New Era
Chapter Four: The Union.
This chapter will focus on Poppyfrost and The Stranger. Speaking of which, any of you want to guess the identity of The Stranger?
The ride back home was short, but it felt lie hours. Everyone was so silent.
They pulled into the driveway, and all got out of the van, Jayfeather had already removed his tie and coat by the time they got off, and Berrynose locked the car. Lionblaze opened the door, and the refreshing hot air of the interior put them at ease.
The girls all decided to go to sleep, each heading to their respective rooms. All of the guy's crashed into the kitchen, deciding to stay and talk for a while.
Foxleap opened the fridge, and pulled out some bottles of soda "Orange, Grape, and Root Beer. Who's thirsty?"
"Toss me on, bud," Jayfeather nodded, catching the bottle of Root Beer and opening the cap, guzzling it down before it could fizz.
Lionblaze slumped onto the couch "I'll take an orange."
Berrynose plucked a grape soda out of Foxleap's hands, sipping it while bringing an orange to Lionblaze "I saw you were chatting up with Toadstep."
Lionblaze nodded, drinking "Yep. Good to him again."
Breezepelt scoffed, opening a bottle of beer "I remember back at High School, you two were always around each other, the pair of you were unstoppable."
"Yeah, Football coaches kicked you both off because you were stealing all the spotlight of the college scouts and not giving the other players a chance," Foxleap reminded, shutting the fridge door.
Lionblaze sighed "That's falsification. We had a leave of absence. One we just didn't return too."
Jayfeather cackled, grabbing another bottle of soda, since he just finished his first "You two were such good friends what happened?"
"Briarlight broke up with you, he saw his chance to get close with her, and it made me kind of mad," Lionblaze admitted "I mean you were already going through enough at the time."
Jayfeather shrugged, maintaining his smirk "All's fair in love and war."
Berrynose smirked, rubbing his cheek scar from slash "Any of you want to watch a movie?"
"Nah, it's getting late," Fallen Leaves rubbed his eyes, speaking for the first time since the ball.
"I want to catch up on my movies," Jayfeather nodded "Let's go."
"Dude, there's more to life then Star Wars!" Foxleap exaggeratedly said.
Breezepelt grinned "Then lets watch Avengers Endgame!"
"FUCK that!" Jayfeather scoffed "Marvel stole that name from DC!"
Foxleap raised a brow "Really?"
"Yeah, Batman Endgame, the comic when everyone, heroes and villians, gets jokerized and Batman dies, finally stopping the Joker!" Jayfeather scoffed.
Breezepelt smirked "Marvel takes the shit stuff, and makes it better!"
"Like Fantastic Four?"
Breezepelt looked to the side "There were some exceptions..."
"Captain Marvel?"
"Oh shit, you're right!" Lionblaze cackled.
"Captain Marvel wasn't that bad!" Fallen Leaves countered.
Jayfeather rolled his eyes "She's so OP! The only reason that's a movie is probably because they needed a feminist culture hero movie."
"That's ridiculous! They have Black Widow, Scarlet Witch, Gamora and Nebula, why would they do that?!" Breezepelt smirked.
"WAIT! Wasn't Captain Marvel first owned by DC?!" Foxleap asked.
"YES!" Berrynose nodded in excitement "Then they decided to just rename him Shazam!"
"The TRUE Captain Marvel," Jayfeather high fived Berrynose, sitting beside him on the other couch facing Lionblaze.
"Whatever," Breezepelt smirked "You guys still made Green Lantern and Justice League."
Jayfeather grinned "And YOU guys made Fantastic Four, Captain Marvel, Elektra, Daredevil, Howard The Duck, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, Thor The Dark World, and the piece of resistance! The 2003 version of Hulk."
Breezepelt widened his eyes "Okay, you win. Marvel Sucks!"
"You know what?" Foxleap smirked, pulling out a DVD case "Let's watch some Batman V Superman."
"Yes!" Berrynose pounded his fist in the air. Fallen Leaves groaned "I stay and watch because I never have seen it. Not because I'm not sleepy."
Lionblaze took a huge gulp of orange soda, and spewed it out of his mouth at Fallen Leaves face "AWAKE NOW!" He roared.
Fallen Leaves looked like he was ready to kill "Yes...and so is the rest of the household."
Sol and Darktail argued like lost boys. It's how Rock was so good at finding them, all he had to do was follow the sound of raised voices. He walked through the tunnel leading to the grotto.
"It was reckless!" Sol snarled under his mask.
"It was clever!" Darktail countered.
"Shut up," Rock's hideous yellow eyes glared at them, shutting them both up "I don't care about your argument or the reasons of it. I must speak with Sol, personally and privately."
Darktail growled, and walked away, as Sol looked up and down at Rock's attire "Nice armor."
He was in red clothes, with heavy metal plating all on his body. The chestplate had to wolves designed into the metal, both running towards the sun, that laid in the center. His gauntlets were of similar wolfish design, along with the leg braces and plates.
"I am not here to talk attire," Rock scowled "It's about your children."
"Which ones?" Sol asked.
"Who do you think?!" Rock snarled, his skin cackling with red electricity.
Sol sighed, the sound like a robotic hum "If you're talking about the Triumvirate-"
"They have blown their cover, and enlisted in Warriors University!" Rock informed "They've-"
"Done exactly what I want them to do," Sol shrugged "They're at that age...they should want to have a life outside this one."
Rock floated towards Sol "If they become close with the three, they will not be able to carry out their jobs. If the three die, they could turn against us!"
"I have already played out all possible scenarios, Rock," Sol groaned in annoyance "Every location, every conversation, every step, and every thought in their head...it will not change the outcome. I have found it impossible to be surprised."
Rock snarled "You are being reckless! Your pride is-"
"I have no pride," Sol smirked "I am very humble. I know there are forces I cannot move."
"I have the force to move ALL objects," Rock growled, making the water beneath Sol to move above them, defying gravity.
Sol blinked "I am not some ignorant comic book villain. I am a strategic mastermind, who's spent YEARS thinking this through. Before my first child was born! I have planned for every contingency, every scenario, absolutely everything."
Rock sighed "If you are so sure-"
"I AM," Sol smirked under the mask
"-Then you won't mind if I tell you that the Triumvirate has already met the Three?"
Sol's expression changed, but not entirely "That is a setback, but it is one I have planned for...I will simply put that into effect."
Rock scoffed "One day, you will be so powerful you will command a nation! Do not expect it to be handed over to you!"
A flash of lightning, and he was gone.
"HELLO HELLO HELLO HOW LOW!"
Poppyfrost opened her eyes, and jolted awake.
"HELLO HELLO HELLO HOW LOW!"
Beside her the Stranger and Sparkpelt awoke as well, and Sparkpelt looked around their surroundings,
It was some arena. They were in some indoor fight club. There were huge fences with barbed wire surrounding them, and the entranced was padlocked. everything was nasty, food and filth littered the floor, an blood that had not been cleaned up had stained the concrete floor that the group were in. One Part of the fence had a garage door that probably led to the outside. They outside of the fences held people of all different races and sexes, all looking and snarling at them while singing along.
"WITH THE LIGHTS OUT, IT'S LESS DANGEROUS! HERE WE ARE NOW...ENTERTAIN US!"
Sparkpelt gulped as they continued to sing "Are they singing Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana?"
The Stranger nodded, scared "Uh huh."
"I FEEL STUPID, AND CONTAGIOUS! HERE WE ARE NOW...ENTERTAIN US! HEY!"
"HELLO HELLO HELLO HOW LOW!"
They continued to sing, and Poppyfrost got in a stance "Ready yourselves!"
The Stranger flexed his arms into a martial art like stance, while Sparkpelt raised her fists.
"Hello. Hello. Hello. How low," The crowds died down, as a single voice rang out, husky and low as it was obviously a man's voice.
Ironically, he sounded Australian.
Spotlights blinded the group in the cage, as they could see a man walk above them in what looked like catwalks that netted the roof.
"And I forget, just why I taste. Oh yes, I guess, It makes me smile," He sung along, voice low and husky, walking above them "I found it hard, so hard to find. Oh well, whatever...never mind."
That last word that left his voice sounded so malicious, it made Poppyfrost gulped in fear. She always feared this man, he plagued every nightmare she had. The Man had gotten onto some indoor overlook with no arm rails, so they could see his face, with a giant leather chair sitting all worn down in the center.
"Hello. Hello. Hello. How Low," The man cackled, instead of joining the crowds singing the chorus. "Ha ha ha ha!"
The spotlights showed the man, his features fully visible. He had sideburns, and his hair slicked back, and he was shirtless, showing his patch of chest hair and he wore cargo pants, with so many knife holsters in them. He grinned, fastening his collar with dog teeth sticking out on, as he jumped onto the chair's arms, and held his hands up in a peter pan fashion. In that pose, it showed he had a silver robotic arm replacing his right arm, and a glowing robotic covering over his right eye, glowing red. His other eye looked heavily scarred, but you could still see his light blue pupil.
In all honesty, he looked like a cyborg.
"WITH THE LIGHTS OUT, IT'S LESS DANGEROUS!" Scourge sang at the top of his bellowing voice "HERE WE ARE NOW...ENTERTAIN US!"
The Crowds stomped their feet in rhythm, singing along "I FEEL STUPID, AND CONTAGIOUS!"
Scourge looked wildly at his followers, grinning ear to ear "HERE WE ARE NOW...ENTERTAIN US!"
Everyone cheered for their master...and Scourge held his hands up, silencing the crowds.
"Well well well!" Scourge grinned, sitting back in his chair, overlooking the group in the pit "It seems I have caught my long time friend...The QUEEN of BEGGARS!"
Everyone booed at Poppyfrost, who just held her hands up and flipped them off.
"Such fire...I was hoping it wasn't snuffed out...that's MY job!" Scourge cackled with energy, vibrating off the walls as his followers laughed.
Poppyfrost nodded, smirking "And you would know so much about snuffed fires, wouldn't you Pumpkin?"
Scourge glared at her, before playfully giggling like a child "It's sooo good to see you! You wouldn't imagine the lengths I went to find you, Poppy! You were always my favorite..."
Poppyfrost grinned "YOU THINK I DIDN'T EXPECT THIS FROM YOU?! Fang is on his way right now, with no less then fifty of my men! You'd be lucky to make two blocks!"
Scourge shook his head, still grinning "Oh Poppy. Always believin your two steps ahead, when you've always been three steps behind...bring 'im out!"
The gates opened, and a big man who The Stranger recognized as Fang was tossed in, and the gates shut before Sparkpelt could escape.
"I caught him two hours ago," Scourge called out "He put up a good fight, killed six of my people. But he was vastly outnumbered."
Fang groaned, as Poppyfrost ran over and kneeled down beside him, as Fang looked at her "I'm sorry...I tried..."
Poppyfrost held his hand, as The Stranger snarled "Why don't you come down here and settle this like REAL men do!"
Scourge shook his head "Nah...why should I? You'd probably do some Judojitsu on my ass, and I'd hate to have to kill ya so soon!"
"Judojitsu is not a thing," He grumbled.
"And the LOVELY Sparkpelt! I heard about your brother, Shame. I found him so cute," Scourge smirked.
Sparkpelt roared "COME DOWN HERE AND FACE ME COWARD!"
"Hey, the cowards always survive," Scourge shot back "Starscream, Shaggy and Scooby, that guy from Jaws, we always make it."
Poppyfrost still was holding Fang's hand. Fang smirked, and looked at Poppyfrost "How am I doing?"
Poppyfrost grinned "Look like you're in pain more..."
Fang groaned in pain, clutching his sides and swollen face. Poppyfrost chuckled "Too much."
"You should have thought this through!" Fang hushed, before groaning again.
Poppyfrost grabbed Fang's shoulder "DON'T DIE ON ME! Eta?" she hushed that last part.
"Ten minutes…" Fang smirked.
The Stranger cracked his neck, not noticing Fang and Poppyfrost "So what's the plan?! Have us fight to the death?"
"Yeah," Scourge nodded "How'd you know?"
"Is 'I'm from the future' a good explanation?" The Stranger asked.
"Nope," Scourge shook his head.
"Then it's because I'm smart," The Stranger nodded
Scourge cackled "Hehe, you remind me of someone I know...golden hair like yours...sound bloody like him too."
The Stranger bit his lip, as Poppyfrost looked at Scourge "YOU SONUVA BITCH!"
"Oh so you've me me mum?" Scourge asked, confused.
Sparkpelt frowned "It's an insult, pig fucker!"
Poppyfrost glared at Sparkpelt, who realized her mistake "Oh...right. Sorry."
Scourge grinned, looking at his followers "And now you SEE! The so called QUEEN is nothing more then a young woman with a little girl, a big giant, and some random guy. Is she to be feared?!"
"NO!" The crowd roared, making as much noise as possible.
Fang smirked "Alright, Time for practice."
"Wait, you're okay?" Sparkpelt asked, oblivious to his facade.
The Stranger caught on, slowly getting down on the ground in a kneeling position, and it wouldn't take long to get his whole body flat on the ground if something happened.
Sparkpelt sat down crisscrossed, looking younger then she was.
Scourge started twirling a butterfly knife in his hands "Poppyfrost! I'm disappointed in you! After all the men you could have chosen, you went with THAT one? He's a brute!"
Poppyfrost growled flipping Scourge off, as Fang clambered to his feet, all earlier motions of pain gone. Like a switch was pulled, and he was dead focused.
Scourge stood up from his chair, and the crowd began to stomp in rhythm.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! THIS NIGHT'S ROUND OF BLOODBATH IS JUST GETTING STARTED! IN THIS CORNER WE HAVE THE QUEEN OF BEGGARS, THE FIREY SPARKPELT, AND...what's your name?!" He called out and pointed at The Stranger.
The Stranger rolled his eyes "Uh...Wolf!"
"-AND THE MYSTERIOUS WOLF! AND TONIGHT THEY FACE OUR GREATEST CHALLENGER!"
The Garage door opened...the spotlights blinded the three.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
A HUGE man entered the arena. He had green eyes and Black and white hair...the ground shook when he walked, and he grinned. He was in an undershirt and cargo pants...
With a collar of dog teeth.
"YOU KNOW 'IM! YOU HATE 'IM! I DEFINITLY DON'T! WITH A COMBINED SENTANCE OF SEVEN HUNDRED AND FIFTY TWO YEARS...I GIVE YOU..."
The man cracked his neck and knuckles.
"BONE!"
SCOURGE IS NOW OFFICIALLY BACK AND IN ACTION! You thought you hate him last story? You're in for so much more...
And yes, I totally ripped off his introduction from Pan and his new look from Mortal Kombat Character Kano. But honestly, I always had in my mind that Scourge would look like Hugh Jackman, except evil and more Australian.
Be on the lookout for the next chapter, Into The Fire.
Adios.