An Author's Note: And here we have the Negaverse representation of the infamous Dr. Slug, who I don't think we ever saw, except for maybe once in passing. He looked like a mutant slug. So, to make things easier for me, well, you know the drill by now.
Sorry this took so long. I was, umm, distracted.
Chapter 10
Light Up the Town
"I can believe you are sitting there." Megavolt shook his head at the Liquidator, who was relaxing on the couch. The water dog looked perfectly content to be there, something that Megavolt couldn't even begin to comprehend. "You are a grown man!"
"You just can't give it a chance." Quackerjack looked at him from the corner of his eye, most of his attention focused on the screen. "And I am watching it!"
"You're practically five yourself!" Megavolt said.
"I'm a year older then you!"
"Physically, but not emotionally!" Megavolt sneered.
"Awww, just cause you have to grow old doesn't mean you have to grow up!" Quackerjack said. "And it could be worse! I could be watching the Cute Little Lost Bunnies."
The Liquidator chuckled. "As if anyone would! Even kids have good taste. The Bunnies are the most intolerable, sugary, unbearable things on television!"
"As if this is any better!" Megavolt gestured at the screen. "It's so…pastel!"
"At least the voice actors are good, and the characters are actually three dimensional." Quackerjack grinned at him. "I should know as this was made by my company."
"Normally I do not approve of cooperate sponsored drivel, but Quackerjack Toys Television was always quality programming." The Liquidator smiled gently as the watched the screen. "Even little boys liked this show. Too bad there are only reruns now."
"Yeah…my favorite is the pink chimera!"
"I always liked the orange one." The Liquidator said. "Now that is a chimera with work ethic!"
"They are fluffy little magical chimera who prance around a fluffy little fantasy world learning lessons about friendship and being nice and all that other preschool crap!" Megavolt was pacing around now, his frustration reaching nuclear levels.
"Well, that is true." Bushroot stuck his head into the rec room and smiled. "But at least they save the idiot hammer until the end!"
"Oh don't tell me the clown has infected you as well!" Megavolt moaned.
"No, I don't watch it, but I can't help but see a little bit of it as I work. It could be a lot worse."
"It's for five year old girls!"
"But it's a good show for five year old girls."
"ARRRGH! I am surrounded by, by…I don't know what to call you people!" Megavolt shouted.
"Megs, you need a hobby." Quackerjack said. "I mean, I have a hobby. Bushroot has a hobby, even the Liquidator comes around to hang with us. But all you do is fight crime and be tense. You need to relax. Do something fun! Like me!"
"I don't find children shows fun." Megavolt said flatly.
"Then don't watch it! I'm not tying you to the chair! Go find a room and play with sciencey electrical things! We'll get you if we need you to zap a villain!"
"I do not need a hobby." Megavolt's tone dropped a few octaves.
"Megs, relax-"
"I am relaxed! I am RELAXED!" Megavolt shouted as he jumped up and down. He didn't know why, but talking to Quackerjack was so stressful sometimes he wanted to kill the clown!
"Megavolt." Megavolt stopped as Bushroot put a leafy hand on his shoulder. "Can I ask you a favor?"
Megavolt took a deep breath and followed Bushroot out, glaring one last time at the screen. Good grief, that clown…He took a good look at the screen, at the little fluffy things. Okay…so maybe they were a little cute…No! He was a man! He didn't like cute fuzzy wuzzies no matter how cute, fuzzy or wuzzy they were! He was a superhero, damn it!
He followed Bushroot, was frowning slightly. "What?" He growled at the plant mutant. He didn't like the concerned look Bushroot was giving him. "You think I need a hobby to?"
Bushroot sighed. "Yes, but that is not why I pulled you away." Bushroot pointed at the phone. "I just got a call."
"Is it the rooster?" Megavolt asked.
"No, it's an old friend of mine, Dr. Slug. He just called about some sort of issue he is having with fertilizer."
Megavolt looked at his friend. "More fertilizer?"
Bushroot nodded. "He's actually working on a variation of mine…oh don't frown at me like that; I said he could do it! He's trying to get it to repel bugs. He's really more of a chemist then a botanist, and he works with pesticides."
"Pesticides?"
"He's trying to invent a pesticide that will mix with my fertilizer to both stimulate the growth of a plant, and to keep the majority of harmful insects away. And, not kill the plant or poison pets in the process. I agreed and gave him permission to work with it. However, like I said, there is a problem."
"What kind of problem?" Megavolt's eyes narrowed.
"I'm not sure. He didn't say." Bushroot said.
"Okay, that sounds suspicious." Megavolt said. "You need me to watch your back?"
"Sort of. I trust Dr. Slug, but I want you to come with me because…well…" Bushroot smiled. "The last time we dealt with my fertilizer you three went harrying off to confront suspected thieves and such-"
"That woman was such a-"
"Megavolt, please." Bushroot help up a hand. "I want you to come with me to put yours, and their, minds at ease." Bushroot nodded in the direction of the tv. "Besides, you are the only one who can be considered scientific."
"Do we need the others?" Megavolt asked.
"I doubt it. We aren't going to fight a villain here!"
"You never know." Megavolt said.
Bushroot shook his head, a sad smile spreading across his beak. "You don't trust anyone do you?"
"You trust to many people." Megavolt said. "Are we going or not?"
Bushroot nodded at him, and begin to lead the way out of his greenhouse. Megavolt followed him with a sigh.
Megavolt had to admit, the St. Canard Arboretum looked like the kind of place that Bushroot would love to hang out. Plants were everywhere, just everywhere. Trees. Shrubs. Ferns. Other things that Megavolt wouldn't even try to identify. In fact, the moment that Bushroot stepped into the place Megavolt could see him almost instantly…ummm…blossom maybe? The little purple things on top of his head certainly seemed to perk up. Megavolt, on the other hand, was on edge. There was a lake there. A small one, meant for the plants, but Megavolt was wary of it. Those rocks around it looked slippery, so Megavolt made sure to stay on the path as he followed Bushroot. The plant mutant seemed to be more relaxed than ever, if that were possible. Megavolt, on the head, was far from relaxed.
In fact, despite what he had roared in the greenhouse, he couldn't remember when he had last been relaxed. But then he didn't have any reason to be. Who could relax with his job?
Far too long for Megavolt, though they hadn't walked for more than a few minutes, they came to a door, which Bushroot knocked on. Said door was in the middle of a large wall of glass, misted over with precipitation, making it difficult to see through unless you wiped the glass. The door opened to reveal a small, plump, balding duck with a pair of glasses on his face. The man grinned and clapped Bushroot on the shoulder.
"Reggie! It's been so long! I heard you finally got your doctorate!" Dr. Slug's grin was huge. "Not to mention the whole hero gig! Who would have thought?"
"Well, I needed to do something with the mutant powers." Bushroot grinned.
"Can't say I know what that is like. I've never been a mutant!"
Megavolt stifled a grunt and tried not to shift around. He knew that this guy was a friend of Bushroot's, but could they please move this forwards?
Finally, after a bit of chit chat that nearly drove Megavolt up the nearest glass wall, Dr. Slug motioned for them to follow them. He was still talking, and Megavolt finally refocused on the doctor.
"When we used the new modified formula on the daisy it had…some interesting results."
"Define 'interesting'." Megavolt asked. "Interesting as in 'huh, that's funny', or 'Oh my god it's an abomination unto man and nature'? Because that's a very important difference in 'interesting'."
"Ummmm." Dr. Slug didn't look at Megavolt, which set off all kinds of alarm bells in the rat's mind. "I haven't figured that out yet. That is why I need Bushroot. He can talk to the thing."
"Oh great, the thing." Megavolt said. "The thing' is never a good word. What is this thing?"
"It's…ah…a mutant plant."
Bushroot's eyes widened. "What!"
"It's not like you, Reggie. It's never been a duck. It's pure plant. One I rescued, in fact. I used the new formula on it and…well…and, it's not happy."
Megavolt looked at Bushroot, who sped up. They soon came to a shed, from which something was bellowing "Blllllllllaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!" And the sounds of breaking objects echoed.
"Reggie, can you?..." Dr. Slug looked at Bushroot, who nodded grimly. Bushroot stepped forwards and opened the door, ducking as a pot came flying through the air. Megavolt stepped up to follow Bushroot, but the mutant held up a leafy hand.
"No." Bushroot said. "He's afraid. Let me handle it." Bushroot stepped in and closed the door in the other two's faces.
"If you need me I am right here." Megavolt planted himself in front of the door. Just in case. "Flowers are nice and gentle, right?" He looked at Dr. Slug.
"Not this flower." Slug shuddered.
Bushroot hadn't told Megavolt, but he had been feeling a lot of anger coming from that shed, as well as a good healthy dose of fear and confusion. That was not a happy mutant in that shed, that was for certain. The fear could turn quickly into aggression, and that aggression would be taken out on whatever the plant felt threatened by.
Bushroot stopped as he entered and stared at the thing. It was taller then Bushroot himself, by about a leafy head. It's stem was a lighter green than Bushroot's stem, and it had a bit of fuzzy vegetation between its wooden, clawlike roots and its waist. The roots themselves seemed similar to Bushroot's own, and it had a pair of leafy hands, again similar to Bushroot. Indeed, aside from the lighter tone the biggest difference between this new plant mutant and Bushroot was the fact that it had a large daisy for a head, and a mouth with apparently an underbite. It looked rather mean as it stood there, stem held taunt and tense and leaf-hands clenched into fists. It shook a fist at Bushroot and downright snarled at him.
Bushroot concentrated, trying to laser focus his telepathy with plants on this one plant. He didn't use words, as words were pretty much alien to the plants, and they really only used words with him because they knew he was most comfortable with words. But he knew that he would have to use feelings more than words with a plant turned humanoid, instead of a humanoid turned plant. Bushroot closed his eyes and tried to transmit exactly what he was feeling to the mutated daisy.
They were alike, Bushroot knew this. He knew that they were in the same position, though they had started at different places. They were both stuck between plantlife and animal life, but now neither of them were completely alone. Bushroot didn't realize how…comforting it would be to have something so much like himself. Yes his loved his plants. Yes he cared deeply for the other heroes, but none of them were exactly in the same position he was in, caught between animal and plant. It wasn't like having powers, or like being part water (the Liquidator didn't have any issues with how water thought), or even just being slightly out of step with the rest of the world. This daisy, however, this daisy didn't have to be alone. Not like Bushroot was.
As Bushroot tried to get the daisy to realize this, the other mutant seemed to relax. It stared at Bushroot then slowly approached. Bushroot reached out his hand and slowly, cautiously, like a man approaching a wild tiger, the daisy slowly brushed its leaf against Bushroot's own leaf.
Bushroot smiled, and the daisy mimicked the motion.
"I think you're going to be fine." Bushroot said gently.
The thirst was endless. Totally and completely consuming. Had to find a drink. Had to find a drink! His throat was tingling and burning. Suffocating and stifling. Pain, pain, so much pain!
It was wet. It was starting to rain. Hurting. Hurting. More pain. Pain. Wet drops like little searing bits of cold. Like placing your hand on dry ice. Searing cold. Burning cold.
Building made of glass. Glass with plants. Plants don't feed the fire, but plants were under a roof. Roof with no water. Less pain.
Drink to feed fire. Fire take away pain. Burn it all away. Burn it to the ground. Burn.
Claws get him into the building. No more water. Big plants to slink and hide behind. Pain in throat claws. Claws and bites. Bites and claws. Have to find something. Anything. Hurts so bad. So so bad.
Must be quiet though, oh yes. If not then people scream, run, call in the Four. Call the Water. Hateful, hateful water. Hate water. Hate so much. Hate.
What is this? Funny funny smell. Smell like Walking Plant. Smell like Lightning Rat. Other smell. Smell of…something.
Smell help with burning? Maybe. He would try anything. Follow smell. Follow follow follow.
See a glass wall. See research thing beyond. See pink liquid. Pink liquid make smell.
Would pink liquid take away burning?
Must try, try and see.
Oh yes…
The screaming and roaring jolted Bushroot out of his joy. The daisy also jerked and snarled, looking around for the enemy. Bushroot looked at the daisy and tried to talking.
"Stay calm." He said. To Bushroot's pleasure the daisy looked at him and nodded. It understood! Bushroot walked to the exit, and the daisy followed him. Bushroot couldn't sense any more hostility from the daisy, so he didn't see any problem with it.
When he and the daisy exited the storage shed they found that Dr. Slug and Megavolt had turned back towards the research area. Megavolt turned his head, kinda quirked and eyebrow at the two mutants, but didn't say anything against the new mutant's presence. "There's something going on. Let's go."
"I'm taking him with me." Bushroot stated. Megavolt shrugged.
"Sure, bring Petalhead. Maybe he can help." Megavolt turned and sped towards the commotion.
Bushroot blinked. He had half expected Megavolt to object. He looked down at Dr. Slug. "Stay behind us, I don't want you to get hurt." Dr. Slug nodded and followed behind the group.
As they approached the glass wall leading to the research center, they saw the problem. for one thing the glass had been melted, and the sides still glowed with dying embers. Megavolt's eyes narrowed. There was a very short list of people who could do this. He snarled and jumped through the hole. Bushroot followed, but the daisy, Petalhead, didn't. It looked at the glowing glass edges mistrustfully, and folded its vines. It wasn't going in there.
Dr. Slug, who by now was getting more relaxed without pots flying at his head, walked up and patted Petalhead on the arm. The plant mutant looked at him, and seemed to smile. Dr. Slug walked forwards and opened the door. Glad to see that there was a way in that didn't include fire, Petalhead followed. Dr. Slug came to a halt and gasped. Petalhead winched as if it was in pain.
The creature's name was Phyros, and he was a terrible sight. No clothes to speak of, like a wild animal, but he could stand and talk. However, the things he said, usually something like "Thirsty thirsty thirsty!" didn't sound like the uttering of the sane. In fact, the frantic tone of his voice, the shifting motions of his huge glaring eyes, and the lashing of his blackish green tail spoke of a deep inner madness. The mad iguana was currently clawing his way down the tables set out in the lab, thrusting away bottles of chemicals and plant samples and other things. Researchers were running away frantically, but unfortunately a few caught his attention. With a roar Phyros whirled on a poor woman and breathed. Fire erupted from his mouth, reaching to scorch her, but fortunately a pair of vines lashed out and plucked her out of danger. Bushroot placed her as far away as he could, and stepped into view, a wary but determined look on his beak.
Phyros' tail lashed from side to side. He screamed and blew more fire at Bushroot, who managed to dodge. Phyros snorted and scrambled along the lab table where he was perched, occasionally breathing fire at the people around him. The scientist in Dr. Slug managed to note the fact that this poor creature was so far gone that he was even walking like an animal, all hunched over with his arms held close to his sides, like what one would expect a dinosaur to walk. It looked ridiculous, and rather sad.
Megavolt ran up, a rack held in his hands. He swung the impromptu weapon at Phyros' head. Phyros, seeming to act purely on instinct, whirled around, his tail lashing across Megavolt's chest and sending him flying into the air. Megavolt grunted as he landed a few feet away, actually very near Dr. Slug.
"What is wrong with you?" Dr. Slug bellowed. "Don't you have powers?"
"Fire and lighting don't work that well. Sometimes explosions happen. I think it's because he has a tendency to eat fuel." Megavolt said, but he shouted when he saw Phyros turn and blow more fire at them. Megavolt grabbed Dr. Slug and pulled him to the ground as the fire raged over them.
All of a sudden Phyros screamed as something yellow and green hit him on the side. Megavolt looked up and smiled. The daisy had joined the fight! Petalhead had thrown itself at the raging iguana, and was pummeling him with water can. Megavolt didn't know if the plant knew that Phyros' weakness was water, but it was working regardless. At least it worked for five seconds, until Phyros slashed at Petalhead with his claw, and ripped the water can from its leaves. Phyros lowered his head and charged, pushing the other plant mutant back and to the ground. Phyros snarled and lifted his lips, fire gathering around his teeth.
Dr. Slug's eyes widened when he saw this. He raced towards them, ignoring Megavolt's bellow of protest. He sided to a stop near some pots, and pulled out a hose. He turned the hose on and water sprayed over Phyros.
Phyros' scream was one of pure utter pain and confusion and downright horror. It was the scream of a man who had just been sprayed with acid, and whose face was melting right now. Dr. Slug stopped the water in shock, not expecting that reaction.
Phyros roared and turned, charging at Dr. Slug. Dr. Slug tried to step away, but tripped and fell, landing on a puddle of spilled experimental chemicals. Phyros roared and swiped down, but Dr. Slug rolled out of the way with a grunt. He didn't want to think about what those chemicals might be doing to him, but right now the crazed loony trying to claw him was a little higher in the priority list.
All of a sudden Phyros stopped and sniffed the air. The sound of glass rolling across the floor met Dr. Slug's ear, and he looked up. Phyros had stepped away, and was sniffing at a bottle of pink liquid.
"No! Stop! You don't know what you're-"Dr. Slug tried to stop Phyros, but the brute didn't seem to hear or even understand him. Phyros gulped down the fertilizer with one huge gulp. He eyed the bottle, then screamed and tossed it away. He blew more fire about the area, enraged.
Dr. Slug felt something gently grip his shoulders and try to lift him up. He struggled to his feet, and looked to find Petalhead helping him up. The big flower snarled and shook a fisted leaf at Phyros, who turned his burning gaze on Petalhead and Dr. Slug. Phyros took a step towards the two, and then hissed as a rock bounced of his head. He turned just in time to get another rock, courtesy of Bushroot, lobbed right at his nose. Phyros hissed and stepped forwards, but then stopped as his stomach rumbled. A look of confused puzzlement crossed Phyros' face and he looked down and patted at his stomach, as if wondering what was going on down there.
Phyros squeaked as his foot suddenly expanded like a blown balloon. The appendage nearly speared poor Megavolt, who had found his rake and was coming back for another round. Megavolt jumped to avoid Phyros' gnarled toe. He wacked said toe with the rake, but that didn't do much. The expansion of Phyros' foot soon spread to his opposite hand, and Phyros stared at his hand with a rather dumb expression on his face. Soon, the rest of him rumbled, and he shot into the air as his head burst through the dome of the Arboretum. He roared and shook his head, getting the glass out of his eyes, as Megavolt and Bushroot herded the remaining civilians, included Dr. Slug and Petalhead as far away from Phyros' huge feet as they could.
Phyros looked around from his new vantage point in puzzlement. Then, the mad iguana roared in victory, spotting a gas station. He stared to move towards it, the earth shaking as he walked.
Megavolt, Bushroot, Dr. Slug, and Petalhead watched Phyros lumber away.
"Okay, so, Phyros just ate a quart of experimental fertilizer that apparently makes people and plants grow to giant size." Megavolt said.
"Let it be established that it didn't do that when I made it." Bushroot said.
"True…funny side affects that pest repellant…" Dr. Slug said.
"Phyros is, right now, probably going on a fuel addicted rampage."
"Oh defiantly." Bushroot said.
"The good news?" Megavolt asked.
"We can check off Giant Monster Attack and the Enemy Grows to Giant Size from the Things We Will Eventually Encounter list." Bushroot said. "Hey, at least it is not I Have a Big Death Ray again." Bushroot held his leaf out, right where the other half of the building used to be. "And it stopped raining."
"Oh goody." Megavolt rolled his eyes. "Doctor, are you going to be okay?" He looked at Dr. Slug.
Dr. Slug nodded. "I'll be fine. I had some spare fertilizer at my house. I can get over there and see if I can reverse the process."
"Shouldn't you get to a hospital?" Megavolt asked.
"Do you think there will be a hospital to go to if that creature has his way?" Dr. Slug said. "I'll have to risk it."
Petalhead looked at Dr. Slug and stepped towards him. Looking at Bushroot the other mutant grumbled and stared. Bushroot nodded.
"He really likes you." Bushroot said. "Said you played some really nice sounds for him."
"Beethoven." Dr. Slug said with a smile. "I really do think it helps them grow." He smiled up at the daisy, who nodded at him. "He can understand me?"
Bushroot nodded. "Not at first, but he is learning."
"How-" Megavolt started, and Bushroot smiled.
"Telepathic connection with plants, remember?"
"Oh, right." Megavolt nodded. "We need to get moving." Megavolt, after making sure the rain was gone, started towards the rapidly moving, but still visible, head of Phyros. Bushroot nodded and followed.
Multitudes ran as the big lizard rampaged through downtown, fire shooting from its wide jaw as it burned buildings and occasionally people. Its mighty tail swung, cutting tail shaped lines through buildings, raining down concrete and support bars on the street bellow. It's footsteps left huge furrows on the ground as it stomped about. Military units had been scrambled, jets, helicopters and tanks, but they seemed to do nothing to the giant monster's thick hide.
Somewhere a crime lord watched in awe, with a full bowl of popcorn. Yes there was a lot of property being destroyed out there. He was going to enjoy the show!
Meanwhile, down on the ground…
"Okay, I get that Phyros is big now, but why is he trying to hump a skyscraper?" Quackerjack asked as he and the Liquidator rendezvoused with Megavolt and Bushroot.
"You managed to tear yourself away from the cartoons?" Megavolt asked a little snidely.
"Blank tapes do exist, Megsy." Quackerjack said. "Get with the twentieth century!"
Megavolt ignored the idiot. "Here is the plan. Me and Quackerjack with distract him, while Bushroot uses his vines to tie his feet together. Liquidator, you douse him. Just like we always do with Phyros, but a bigger scale."
"It's the scale I am worried about." The Liquidator said. "I'll have to summon a lot of water. Not sure how I will handle it."
"You can do it, just remember not to splash me." Megavolt said. "Ready? Let's go!"
As the Four approached the source of the panic a duck ran past them, waving his hands in an almost dramatic fashion, and screaming something that sounded like "Chinchilla! Chinchilla!" Megavolt stared as the man raced past, and looked back at the others in puzzlement.
"What's a Chinchilla?" He asked.
"Isn't it a fried burrito?" Quackerjack asked. The Liquidator shook his head.
"No, that's a chimichanga." He said.
Megavolt shrugged and kept running. They could worry about Mexican food later.
Megavolt had no idea why Phyros had chosen to run up to a large skyscraper and hug it, but the big creature was. Maybe he liked architecture or something? That thought vanished when Phyros tried to take a bite out of it.
Megavolt and Quackerjack leaped up onto the buildings, easily finding handholds on the rough stone. They were experienced in climbing these surfaces; in fact Megavolt had a feeling that he was one of the few people who had the privilege to know St. Canard purely by its rooftops. Soon the two were level with Phyros' huge eye.
Megavolt opened with a large blast of lighting right in Phyros' eye. Usually in battle with the lizard Megavolt had to be careful, because of Phyros fuel diet it was very likely that Megavolt's electrical attacks would make Phyros literally explode. It had happened before. What scared Megavolt about Phyros was the fact that, for some reason, Phyros could survive explosions, even when he himself exploded. There was some sort of healing factor going on, and Phyros could only really be hurt by water. Megavolt suspected if you immersed Phyros in water long enough the iguana might die. Though technically the Liquidator could have taken care of the Phyros problem within a few minutes, none of the Four wanted to do that. But, now that Phyros was giant size, Megavolt had a feeling that the only way he could cause an explosion was to physically go down Phyros' throat and let loose.
He kept that option in the back of his mind.
Phyros roared as the lighting zapped his eye. The iguana whirled around; concrete and rebar clenched his mouth, and fired. Megavolt and Quackerjack jumped down, barely missing the huge flames. Megavolt nabbed a power line, then Quackerjack hand as they fell. Megavolt swung Quackerjack forwards, who flipped through the air to land on Phyros' stomach. Phyros roared and tried to swat Quackerjack, but his movements were slow and sluggish, as if the big lizard was not used to his size yet. Quackerjack easily dodged the huge hand, then jumped and gripped a finger. Phyros shook his hand in the air, and Quackerjack jumped as the hand lifted into the air. Quackerjack fell down towards Phyros' head, and tossed marbles into Phyros' eyes. The marbles exploded and Phyros screamed, his hands flying up to wipe his eyes.
He hadn't noticed that Megavolt had followed Quackerjack's path, and was even now jumped from a hand to Phyros' face, right beneath the big thing's nose. Megavolt pulled out his electricity gun and zapped Phyros in the nostrils. Phyros roared in pain and stepped back, shaking his head. His tail lashing and slamming buildings.
Phyros felt a tug on his legs, and looked down. Bushroot hadn't spared a second, and had wrapped Phyros' ankles in vines, and tied these vines to the surrounding buildings. Phyros tumbled to the ground as the vines pulled taunt, and landed on the ground with an earth shattering kerthump. Phyros writhed on the ground, bellowing in pain and anger.
The Liquidator sloshed in front of Phyros and seemed to tense. The Liquidator drew his watery body close to himself, like he was posing for a comic book, elbows tucked in and fists clenched. He suddenly threw his arms up and every single fire hydrant within ten feet burst their lids, the water collecting in the sky. The Liquidator noted that Megavolt had taken to a power line and was quickly running away. The Liquidator waited till Megavolt was in the clear, and then brought his hands down, the water following his commands. The water rushed into Phyros' nose and mouth. For a second the iguana simply lay there, ridged and tense, and then he thrashed again, claws scratching at the pavement.
The Liquidator strained as he commanded the water, big drops actually appearing on his surface, almost like sweat. It was unnaturally hard to do this. He never thought that he might have a limit to the amount of water he could command, but apparently he did. He knew that he couldn't keep this up for long, but he had to channel the water! He knew if he poured enough Phyros' light would be doused enough that he would fall unconscious.
All of a sudden he felt a boiling sensation. The Liquidator looked up from where he had bowed his head and gasped. Steam was gushing out of Phyros mouth. Hot, boiled steam. Evaporated water.
"My God." The Liquidator whispered in awe. The steam grew as Phyros breathed. Soon the Liquidator could see his stream of water backing out of Phyros' mouth, followed by the flames evaporating it. The Liquidator tried to push, trying to last the lizard out, but he was growing weaker. To the Liquidator's horror the fire only seemed to grow hotter, and all of a sudden an extra bit of force seemed to be thrown into it, and the fire rushed towards him. The Liquidator had just enough time to see his water boil towards him, before he himself was consumed. He could feel himself rapidly evaporate, and start to float to the atmosphere.
Greeeat, it would take forever for him to reform and fall back to the earth!
Meanwhile, back on the ground, Phyros had given a mighty tug, and the vines holding him strained, as if having minds of their own. Unfortunately the buildings were not so inclined, and they suddenly broke and collapse in on themselves, bringing tons of concrete down on Phyros' head. For a moment the huge pile of debris simply stood there, but soon the pile of rubble erupted, and Phyros struggled out of the pile, tails swinging and head twisting back and forth. He raised his head to the sky and roared, flame erupting from his mouth. Phyros shook himself and stomped off, heading to the east.
Megavolt, who had seen all of this, ran back, skidding to a stop at the pile of fallen buildings. He hopped onto a few of them and started digging, trying desperately to free his friends. He stopped when he saw some vines curling around the edges of some of the concrete, and a huge slab was lifted off the ground, revealing Quackerjack and Bushroot. Both were safe.
"You guys okay?" Bushroot and Quackerjack nodded.
"Likky got evaporated." Quackerjack said with an annoyed expression. "There goes our best match for Phyros!"
Megavolt nodded. "We can't wait for him to come back down, we have to do something! I have another idea! If we can lure him to the bay we can dump him in! Trip him or something! He is heading that way! Probably looking for oil transports or something."
The other two nodded and started to follow Phyros' trail. Quackerjack laughed a bit.
"Hey, at least this time he can't hide! What's he going to do that size? Wear a trench coat and glasses?"
Bushroot chuckled. "Now that is a funny image."
"See Megs! I am funny!"
"One of these days I am going to tell you about a thing called the 'little white lie", Quackerjack." Megavolt grumbled.
Dr. Slug rubbed his arm a bit as he turned on a little Beethoven for his new plant friend, who smiled and seemed to…unfold. The once little daisy really seemed to like it. Petalhead was content to sit there and listen to the music as Dr. Slug went about his personal lab, taking his remaining sample of fertilizer and putting a sample under a microscope. He had been experimenting with the stuff long before Phyros had eaten it, hoping to reverse what had happened to Petalhead.
"I'm really sorry about what happened to you, I hope you forgive me." Dr. Slug looked at Petalhead, who frowned a bit. "I just wanted to help you grow. You were such a little thing, and so sick! I hated looking at you at that florist! All I wanted to do was help."
The daisy looked at him, then smiled and nodded. He gave the doctor a little gesture, that seemed to be an approximation of a thumbs up. Dr. Slug grinned at Petalhead and continued to work. He had taken a mouse in a cage and gave it the fertilizer, and he nodded as the same thing that happened to Phyros happened to the mouse. It became bigger and stronger, and stomped about its cage like a little king. Dr. Slug fiddled with the formula, making changes and adding ingredients, in an effort to find something to reverse the process. He noted that Petalhead didn't seem to be paying attention, instead the plant's head was cocked to the side, and the look on its yellow face was…odd.
"Is something wrong?" He asked the plant, who nodded. "With Bushroot?" Again a nod. The doctor frowned. "How would you know that?" Petalhead tapped the side of his head, and Dr. Slug gave him a confused look.
Petalhead hissed to himself. The animal wasn't getting it! Petalhead could hear Bushroot, but now it was clear, almost as clear as normal plants had been before. In the past Bushroot's voice had been…odd. Garbled. Complex and rapid, hard to follow. Even as the plant lay in its pathetic little pot at the florists, suffering and hurting, the daisy could feel Bushroot, as it could feel the other plants. But now, perhaps because he was part animal, the daisy who was even now starting to think of itself as Petalhead, as the rat had called him, could hear Bushroot much better. He was starting to get animal thoughts, individual thoughts. Indeed, sometimes it even thought of itself as a him. Himself? Him. Petalhead. One. Unique. Or…maybe not so unique.
Bushroot, he had to help the other plant mutant! He could feel the other plants fighting, hurting, and he knew that Bushroot was fighting the fire animal! The plants always tried to help, but now…now he could help. Now he didn't have to sit in a pot and listen to the screaming.
Petalhead suddenly sprang up, a look of determination on his face. The plant snatched the remaining bottle of fertilizer, and rushed up the stairs and out of the lab. He could sense the nice animal following him, but didn't acknowledge it. At this point it wasn't that important.
"What are you doing?" Dr. Slug bellowed, and Petalhead jerked. Tere was something odd in that tone. A tone that he had never experienced before. It was…bad. Unhappy. Petalhead turned and looked at the animal, and frowned. That nice animal…was that worry?
Petalhead turned his head and looked at the rampaging, but distant form, of the fire lizard. Petalhead turned to the animal and pointed to the fertilizer. Then he pointed at himself, then he punched at the air, then pointed at the fire lizard.
Dr. Slug's eyes widened. "You can't! You're a plant! Phyros could kill you!"
Petalhead nodded, and chugged the fertilizer. He could feel the odd sensation of his stem flooding with energy. He groaned as his body shot up, his vines extending and his roots growing thick. Soon he was taller than Phyros, if a bit thinner and less muscled. But then again animals were always too bulky and huge.
Petalhead gently placed the remains of the fertilizer down, and making sure he didn't smash the nice animal, rumbled off towards the docks, his leafy fist slapping into his leafy palm.
He was ready.
"Okay, now it's tuna! Tuna!" Megavolt shouted as Phyros picked up a ship filled with tuna and chomped down. "I thought he ate fuel!"
"Maybe he is confused." Bushroot said as he dodged some falling debris. "I mean, more than usual."
"I think we need bigger vines." Said Quackerjack. He turned and looked behind him, and laughed. "Oh look! Wish granted!"
Bushroot turned and frowned. "Oh…that's what they meant by help." He said.
"Who?" Megavolt turned.
"The plants, look." Bushroot pointed at the sky. Megavolt looked up just in time to see a huge, rooty foot land several feet from them, and then ascend into the sky. Megavolt kept looking and saw the sight of the huge Petalhead.
"Oh…don't tell me…" Megavolt said. "Are we really doing this? A big monster fight? What is going to be next! Interdimensional travel!"
"You should stop saying things like that." Quackerjack said. "Every time you say that it always comes true in a week."
"Megavolt, he sees the future!" Bushroot said with a gentle smile that softened the teasing words.
A roar set their minds back on the task at hand, and they turned their eyes on the confrontation in front of them. Phyros stood with his left side facing the water, and his right the buildings. He was roaring at Petalhead, who had ripped a Hypo Burger sign from the ground and was holding the metal rod like a quarterstaff. The daisy's face was contorted in a frown, and he twirled his weapon around.
Phyros charged, mouth agape and claws outstretched. The fierce monster tried to claw at Petalhead's face, but the plant brought up his sigh, letting the claws scrap against the big, flashing sign that read Hypo Burger. Sparks flew as Phyros' claws dug into the cheerful florescent lights, but this gave Petalhead the advantage. The plant lifted a root as Phyros clawed at the sign, and clawed Phyros thigh, near where his leg connected to his waist.
Phyros reared and blew fire at Petalhead, who dodged out of the way, using his natural flexibleness. It was a darn good thing plants don't have bones. Petalhead struck with the sign, attempting to bat Phyros into the water, but the iguana was having nothing of that. Phyros ducked and charged, colliding with Petalhead and driving him back. Phyros hissed and bite down on Petalhead's stem. Petalhead screeched, not used to this kind of treatment. He pummeled at Phyros' head with the sign, but Phyros didn't seem affected by this.
"Let's go!" Megavolt shimmed up a light pole and shot a beam of energy at Phyros, which sparked against Phyros' hide. Megavolt vaulted onto a building and climbed, trying to get a good shot at an eye. Quackerjack followed him, hoping to toss some more marbles at Phyros.
In the meantime, Bushroot tried to get as many vines down there as he could, but Phyros was apparently wise to this trick. He jumped and lifted his feet, firing the ground and roasting the vines. Phyros spotted Bushroot trying to back away, and aimed his flames at the retreating plant mutant.
Green filled his vision, and his eyes widened as the other plan mutant jumped low, covering Bushroot and taking the fiery blow himself. Phyros jerked his head back and screeched, upset at this disappointment.
Petalhead, eyes closed and in agony, thrust his sign at Phyros. Perhaps it was luck, perhaps it was some unknown skill that daisies might have with huge metal rods, but somehow the sign was jabbing into Phyros mouth. Fire spewed out of the lizard, melting the sign in Petalhead's hands. Petalhead winched as the hot metal started to cover his hands, and he stepped back as Phryos stepped forwards. Long claws the length of a small plane slashed across Petalhead's face, dislodged petals and making the poor plant fall back to the ground.
Fire flickered around Phyros' mouth, and the lizard was about to let loose when he suddenly stopped, eyes widening. To everyone's shook, Phyros' tail suddenly expanded and shorted, taking on the basic characteristics of a balloon. Phyros turned around and stared stupidly at the appendage, his big buggy eyes growing even bigger and buggier. The expansion suddenly shifted, going to Phyros' feet, and making him look like he was wearing clown shoes. Then it went to his head, which pretty much make him fall flat on his face. He howled, but he seemed more annoyed by all this then in pain.
At least until Petalhead punched him on the snout, bringing the lizard's head up. The expansion went south, giving Phyros a huge gut. and making him look like a balloon. Petalhead grinned and stepped around till his back was against the buildings and gave a light shove. Phyros rolled with a mild eep into the ocean.
Phyros thrashed, fire shooting into the sky, but it finally seemed the big lizard's fire was fired out, and the flames grew weaker and weaker as Phyros moaned in pain. He sank into the bay, his body weakening and his limps seeming to wilt.
Petalhead watched his foe started to sink, and odd expression on his face. Gently the plant extended his vines, wrapping up Phyros in his leafy arms and depositing him on the ground. Phyros, all of his energy taken by the water, lay there and steamed, looking miserable.
"That was AWESOME!" Quackerjack bellowed, jumping in the air in glee. "Did you see that! That was great! I've never seen anything that totally AWESOME!"
"Totally?" Megavolt groaned. "If the words 'radical' or 'cowabunga' ever escape your beak I will kill you in the name of the Mouse."
"What mouse?" Quackerjack asked.
"Hush, we don't talk about that." Bushroot said with a smile.
"It happened to him too?" Dr. Slug ran up, a bottle of blue liquid in his hand. "I thought the expansion might happen to him. It happened to the mice just now." Dr. Slug looked at the fallen lizard, who was still moaning. "Is he alright."
"As much as Phyros can be." Megavolt said with a frown. He knew how the big lizard felt. He hated water. "Is that a cure?"
"It worked on the mice." Dr. Slug said.
"Huh…" Megavolt shrugged as Quackerjack took the bottle of blue stuff and pogo sticked up to Phyros' mouth. Being careful, just in case Phyros sparked or worse yet swallowed, Quackerjack poured some blue cure into Phyros mouth. The lizard's eyes rolled, and soon he was shrinking, until he stopped at his normal size. The ballooning effect was gone as well, and Phyros just turned on the ground. On his back he held his stomach and hissed.
"I feel so sorry for him." Bushroot said as Quackerjack held up more blue cure for Petalhead, who took it and poured it into his mouth.
"He's a monster though! Who knows how many people he hurt!" Dr. Slug said.
"It's not his fault, not really." Quackerjack came up, an odd expression on his face. "He…he's." Quackerjack shook his head. "He lost his mind, but no one was there to help him."
The police department had a special transport built long ago for Phyros, who was a constant source of terror for the citizens of St. Canard. They bundled up Phyros and stuck him in this fireproof transport, and were soon gone for the prison.
"Okay, a week or five days?" The Liquidator, who managed to reform, asked Bushroot. "Lay your bets!"
"A week. He seems really worn." Bushroot said. He then turned to smile at the now small Petalhead. "Thanks, you didn't have to do that."
Petalhead smiled and nodded. He patted Bushroot on the shoulder.
"Well…you know, if you want to join us…" Megavolt took a deep breath. "I am sure we can make room on the team for another plant mutant. What do you say, pal?" Megavolt smiled at Petalhead, who smiled back. Then, to everyone's shock, save Bushroot, the plant went over to stand by Dr. Slug. The plant then placed a vine on Dr. Slug.
"You…want to come back with me?" Dr. Slug asked.
Petalhead opened his mouth and coughed. He grunted, and wheezed, and then, finally.
"Stay. Nice. Animal. Friend."
"You can talk now!" Dr. Slug grinned as Petalhead coughed. "Oh! Don't worry! I'll help you with your grammar and spelling and oh this is wonderful! I never had a roommate!"
Bushroot walked over to Petalhead, who was still smiling at the other mutant. "I'm glad to know that there is another out there. If you ever need anything…"
Petalhead reached out a hand and grabbed Bushroot's own. "Brother. Visit."
Bushroot nodded. "Count on it."
Dr. Slug and Petalhead returned to Dr. Slug's house. After making sure the mice were no worse for wear, Dr. Slug escorted Petalhead to a room. It had its own adjoining bathroom, and Dr. Slug showed the plant how to get water out of the bathtub tap, in case he got thirsty. Dr. Slug also brought a tape and a tape player. The tape was, of course, Petalhead's favorite.
"Night…I don't even know if you sleep. Oh well. See you in the morning." Dr. Slug left Petalhead in the room. Indeed, the plant didn't sleep, but he did rest in a chair and turned on his tape player. Eyes closed, Petalhead listened to his favorite muse, and let his mind wander back into the rhythms of a plant. Contentment washed over Petalhead. He just felt so good. This had been a good change. He liked it. But now he wanted things to say the same.
It was midnight when it happened. Dr. Slug moaned in his sleep, his body twisting and thrashing.
Unbeknownst to either of the new roommates, little trails of slime appeared on Dr. Slug's face, and began to drip on the pillow.
A/N: Again, sorry for the delay. We have Agent of the Divine One to thank for the Chinchilla joke. Here's to being one of my best readers, buddy! Thanks for taking the time to read.
I know this chapter is short, but it is basically one fight scene after another, so at least it is action packed. This seems to happen to most of my action packed episodes. They end up shorter then the other ones. I hope you enjoyed it.
Yes, a few American Godzilla references in this. This is not to be a compliment to that movie. Ick. Stupid iguana.
And yes, you can 'rescue' plants. You go to a hardware store or something were they sell them and find ones that look sad and wilted, then you take them home and give em a little tlc. My mom does it all the time.
Next time: Moonbird brings us another guest chapter! An accident at Quackerjack's takes Megavolt on a little trip to a place both alien and familiar. It is a place where everything he knows and loves is gone, and where his worst nightmares have the faces of his friends.