He'd been down this path before.
Falling over on the ice, there the kid was crawling on his stomach, stars coming into focus while death's touch hovered inches away. Only now he had to contend against his Captain's disowning of him, Zookeeper's early yet triumphant call of victory, and the twisted loss of an already suspect freedom.
A nod towards all those possibilities, all echoing off the walls before he declared an oath of his own.
"I made my promise back in New Jersey, and faced much worse since… I break that word now, I'll deserve that empty life to come."
Money to his mouth as he began slamming his foot into the ice, using the small holes' lip to loosen his boots. Dropping the cream to his side he began hitting his hand against the wall, trying to fight against the freeze by pumping his fingers.
By his crackling arm, just forty minutes to go as he uncorked the tube, squeezed and slathered globs over his face & legs, hands fighting the cold before his body came alive. Damned if he wasn't going to control his own fate, as he lost another few minutes to escaping outright.
Burst and smashed through Leela's front door, snatching that pink bodysuit he so condemned. Knew upon putting it on that he'd become a drug-tripped strawberry cheesecake, but now realised just what the outfit really meant. Sure it was a cruel joke, but as opposed to being the crook they'd have 'brought to justice' mere months ago, it was quite the coronation.
An 'I' in justice, never in team, and a blinding anger to block that out until too late. At least Leela spoke the truth about the free-call service, for after a little time spent to work the suit, a phonebook-length menu had popped up. More precious moments, searching through that long list of numbers to discover Amy Wong's.
A gasp when it went to voicemail, but a message thankfully allowed.
"Hey Amy, rookie here! Stabbed by serum, face being ZK's slave, get Kif to call me, urgent response required! Bye."
Amy was nothing if not efficient, as moments later, the diminutive green one was on the line.
"Yes, this is Acting General Kif Kroker, state your business."
"Now that's fast work… Evening Kif, Amy's dress-ripping guard here. Listen, we're desperate for help; whatever you can spare in your reinforcements, please do. Once you've got 'em, meet me outside the front entrance of the Museum of Natural History, okay?"
"Yes, Amy called to send the message. I'll do what I can, as quick as I can."
"Please hurry Sir, we're in a serious situ—"
The call had ended after his scream punctured the walls again, as he watched his arm crackle further, now halfway corrupted. Sped out the open gaps and through the city, he'd figure out the excuse later.
Was all so obvious, and yet for his passion of finding heroes in this new future, he had flunked Supervillain 101. Surprise ambush, obvious advantage, obstacles upon obstacles…
While he still had whatever freedom was left, seemed about time that he played that game too.
Reaching the Museum's steps in a couple minutes, he let another wail pierce the skies as Kif, dressed in that custom white uniform, stood worried before him. Flanked by a good thirty super soldiers or more, all falling over and shedding tears for the ridiculous look the kid would sport.
Kif needed only those eyes and a few words, before they stood straight to attention, and he addressed the 'hero' straight.
"Acting General Kif Kroker and the DOOP Army, at your request for assistance."
"Uh, Bubblegum Battler, I guess, and thanks for coming on such short notice. To be on the level, we're bound to lose. Zookeeper had us set up and lured; cost us both our immediate cures. They're now out of reach behind nasty puzzles, and worse yet, he's brought out several minions to keep us from progressing. I fear that from my fault, he could be right in declaring his ultimate victory."
"I'd sooner reinstate Zapp as General… What do you think should be done?"
"Well, thing is, he believes I ran away like a coward. Well, he's got the last half right. Here's the deal; first we knock that fat fucker out, so he can't spew out any more orders. Second, we pin his flunkies down or eliminate them if need be. Third, we help our friends push forward, no matter what's required."
"Understood… MEN!"
Confident for having an army of equals at his back, especially for how Kif barked his orders and inspired those soldiers into line, Mayfield soon sped the formation down the steps and through the caverns.
He was through running.
¸.·ˆ¯)¸.·ˆ¯)¸.·ˆ¯)¸.·ˆ¯)¸.·ˆ¯)¸.·ˆ¯)
It seemed that in his absence, he heard Zookeeper's laughs of grandeur continuing to puncture the walls, all as the New Justice Team kept fighting for nothing. Poking his head out to witness the carnage, he took his breaths and stepped out in plain sight.
A yell to grab the villain's attention, and little else before The Zookeeper whipped his head towards him. Began to break down; what started as a small gut rupture soon had him sliding off that chair, slapping the floor in sheer mocking delight. No live feedback for his minions, and once Mayfield's countdown had ended, no attention paid to DOOP's men getting themselves into position.
Though The Admiral kept trying to attract his attention, he too found himself snatched, taken aside and silenced. For fear he'd fall apart again while getting to his feet, Zookeeper couldn't even look that upstart hero in the eyes.
Not that he had a chance; one tippety-tap later on his shoulder, all he had was a moment before a swift hook dropped him colder than the ice. The button carefully stored away, DOOP's men then got into groups of reserves and cavalries for each member.
The minions in the shadowed chamber had still toyed with the gurgling Super King, before they were blinded by several lights. Moments later they were subdued—pummelled for good measure—and the Professor's antidote was secured. Those soldiers had then gathered into Leela's group, turning a well-won battle into a foregone conclusion.
But as Mayfield coughed blood and gripped his intestines, the corruption snaking past his elbow, he still found that for finishing off the harassers, Clobberella had still gone nowhere regarding the puzzle. Every tile she influenced, the surrounding tiles seemed to flip as well.
Approaching her in that bright pink outfit, he expected, and got, a reception laced just as rich in contempt as when they first met.
"So the coward actually returns... Really, no need for your heroic comeback, we had things all in hand here. Outfit or no, you think I'm gonna—"
"Shut your mouth, argue about my candy-arse later. We've got work to do."
"The hell did you say to me?"
"You heard me Captain. You said it yourself, time's already short. You wanna waste it chewing me out?"
"They'd make for nice final words, I think… Now you're just gonna waltz in and help with this thing?"
"Puzzle does ring a rather old bell… You've seen anything that could help, by any chance?"
"Of course not, I was too busy getting my ASS kicked all over."
"Point taken. Perhaps our safari-suited friend might hide a secret or two… Let's search him."
As The Battler and Clobberella rummaged through pockets, pants and wide-brim hats, Mayfield began to remember things about that teaser. Back in long, long, LONG gone days of gaming & exploring, he had known only solutions of sacrifice for what laid ahead. In those games, hardly any consequences… Right here, couldn't say the same.
However, they did find on Zookeeper's person a parchment to offer clues, and a vial coloured just like those tiles they needed to switch over to. Leela housed that inside her outfit, as they both scanned the animal skin; fourteen dashes, a visual chart, and an indecipherable language to decode.
Flickers of matched symbols spattered about, and a groan from Clobberella as she dragged out her letter. Knew she had kept it in her cabin for a reason… A white piece of paper; small tear in the top, two dozen characters identical to the parchment. Ever since Cookieville had been condemned, it had always been her keepsake of new origins, and of course old friends.
"Of all the times to be reminded, now had to be it?"
"So we've got symbols like DNA sequences, scissors on LSD and squiggly bits. Great, just wonderful, now who's the genius who's gonna figure this out?"
About fifteen minutes to go…
"You said it kid… Always thought I was an alien, but if I never know the language, who the hell am I?"
"Talk philosophy later, check this bag I looted. Looks like nothing but stone blocks and a letter inside…"
Unfurling the paper, a quick scan unsheathed a voice that had him yelp. As if the situation wasn't ominous enough…
"Tap these stone letters,
I'll give you just five.
Reveal wisely heroes,
or you won't leave alive!"
A share of complaints and realisations had, a solemn vow to send The Zookeeper into the hole, if not Hell, and then they began their debates on which letters to choose. Comparing both letter & parchment, common vowels, and Wheel of Fortune gimmes in good times, they both chose the letter E. A crop circle with compass points faded into existence; a perfect match for the parchment's fifth and eighth dash.
Thinking of Leela's letter, and using that gimme list again, they tapped to reveal the letter S. Two crossed curve lines with a big circle inside; sweet choice for the fourth and fourteenth dash. Unproven theories abound, especially for believing she had it since Cookieville.
They then issued an uncertain H, thinking other words wouldn't have made sense. Closing on ten minutes left, a curved arrow pointing to a dot came to be; a helpful discovery for dash two, seven & twelve.
An idea flashing to mind, Mayfield immediately revealed letters T & L, preferring safety over mystery. Once they revealed themselves as hieroglyphic fidget spinners or the aforementioned scissors, he could've kicked himself. Had such bonus letters been in place already, the solution would've already come to him.
Grateful for the game shows, he called it as being 'CHASE THE LIGHTS'.
"Now whatever the hell could that mean?"
"Whatever it means, you better get your ass in gear… Just look at your arm."
As the corruption snaked up to his shoulder, Mayfield screamed and collapsed, grits of great agony in his teeth. While he rolled about, Leela remembered her and Kif's war efforts; that keen mind in confronting Zapp's hostage bid, that leadership in regrouping his fast-dying men, and the determination in snatching victory from Zookeeper's well-clenched jaws.
Even for Bender's efforts back then, he looked to be the perfect sort…
"General Kroker, your attention, if you're able to spare it?"
"Please make it quick," before he barked more orders. "What's this?"
"Our puzzle solution; given the puzzle, we've little idea what it means. We hoped you'd be able to clarify for us."
Kif scanned the paper, taking moments to hum. As he got led to the puzzle, he made the connection in an instant.
"Start from the top row, flip the tiles underneath, and continue that pattern until none are left. Should anything remain down the bottom row, this visual chart gives your combination of patterns, and how to re-switch them. That sound correct?"
Flashing quite the grin, she slapped Kif on the shoulder before helping her former charge, now very sick & woozy, to his feet. Kicked himself again going "Of course!" as they dragged themselves about. Inside a minute, the puzzle was cleared, and that solid ice wall had finally started to slide itself open.
Her spare antidote, lying idle, and no doubt a final test to take. Gods only knew what that Taft-like tyrant had in store.
Less than five minutes left as Clobberella dragged Battler towards Super King, now smoking his Zuban and rather chilled for having the world's fate in his rotors. Even in watching him begin to sink, His Highness had known of them needing that cure-all, and didn't care to part from it.
"Alright King, we're about ready to proceed… Antidote, please?"
"Super King, little miss hero. And sure thing, but it'll cost Mayfield here."
"It'll cost YOU more than him in a matter of minutes, so don't screw around! Give it up."
"No, not until he takes a little test of my own. Something that determines who—"
"Oh forget this nonsense!"
Tripping him up, she flung that cape over his head to find the on/off switch, before rummaging through his compartment to grab the vial. Raced off again, the near-dead weight of Battler attached, as she soon seized her individual antidote, wrapped those powerful legs around the kid's waist, and shoved the liquid right down his throat.
At first, everything seemed to return to normal… Until the shocks returned, he roared again, and that massive ice wall trapped them inside.
"Didn't think you'd care after I ran, but why I am cured? Worked for you, didn't it?"
"Professors couldn't prepare for Zookeeper's latest serum; course he'd plan that little twist! Think it's only reset you, daresay you've got only the original hour left."
"And now nowhere to run… Guess that means we'd better get to work."
His disguise of calm as thin as his chances, they once more looked about the chamber, shuddering for being trapped and for the new challenge. A shaky history, a touchy friendship, and a storybook of adventures behind them.
An hour and counting to save Mayfield, and likely not much longer to save everyone else.