Author's note: Ok my lovelies! This has been a fun week and I hope you all enjoyed the regular uploads but this is going to be the last one :) sorry in advance... the next parts will be uploaded every other day or every other other day or whenever I can be bothered. Enjoy!
The next few days in the lair rolled by quickly. Kowalski and Blowhole kept their work to a steady rhythm and made leaps and bounds with their progress. Blowhole was actually happier these days opposed to the beginning of their adventure when he was overworked and always tired. Kowalski thought he could have had some influence with that but pushed back his irrelevant hopes and focused on what was important.
Red One had had a little redemption arc. He worked day and night with Blowhole and the rest of the lobster teams. Leading them like he once had by mainly performing maintenance around the lair. He had the indoor pool filtration system cut off from the ocean. The water in the pool was in no way chlorinated like the water at the dolphin parks. The water was fresh ocean water, constantly pumped from outside. However, they had to block off the pipes to stop contamination with the rest of the world since that was the only pool of water Blowhole could swim in and he used it often.
This morning, Kowalski was working in Blowhole's lab. He had been working since before the sun rose on the new dawn because they were so close to the end.
The lair was unusually quiet. Kowalski hadn't seen a glimpse of Blowhole or Red One that morning and it was already drawing close to noon. He shook it off and thought Blowhole was probably in his office. Oh! Or he was in that meeting with one of the lobster teams. He remembered Blowhole had mentioned he had that appointment this morning.
He hummed away, working happily until the lab door opened. Kowalski smiled and looked over, expecting to see Blowhole rolling in with a cup of coffee for them both but instead Red One scuttled in with a clipboard.
"Morning, Red," Kowalski said cheerfully.
Red One nodded.
"Morning to you too. You've not seen Doc have you?" He asked.
Kowalski cocked a brow at the lobster. Blowhole was supposed to be with them. That's the reason why he hadn't seen him yet that day.
"No, he's meant to be with you."
Red One looked down to the clipboard in his claws and seemed to scour over that for a moment.
"We've not seen him. No one's seen him anywhere. Don't even think Doc's come out of his room yet."
Kowalski looked up from his work on the table and pasted a look of worry over his face.
"He's not?"
"No. I'm worried. I've sent him messages and he's not even seen them."
"How late is he?" Kowalski asked putting his equipment down and hopping down from the table.
"2 hours. Sometimes he's a little late but never by this much. Can you check up on him?"
Kowalski nodded.
"Of course."
He wasted no time. After conversations and being in the lair he had gotten to know where everything was and what rooms served what purpose. Blowhole's bedroom was on his working level at -2. The level he was on that moment.
Kowalski couldn't help but let his mind race. What could have happened? Why hadn't Blowhole come out yet? Did something happen to him? Did he grow ears to match his nose? Kowalski didn't know and he was certain he wasn't going to put Blowhole down for it. He'd put on the smile Blowhole loved to see, that made him feel better. He'd show Blowhole how close they were to finishing this and ending the nightmare. Everything would be fine.
Kowalski didn't bother knocking on the bedroom door. He barged straight in, knowing Blowhole needed tough love and not a muffled voice from the outside of the door. But the room seemed empty... maybe he was hiding in a different part of the lair.
Blowhole's bed was a mess. Sheets stripped off and pillows thrown across the room. Kowalski waddled in closer and let the door close behind him.
"Francis? You in here?" He called.
There was a commotion on the other side of the room. Kowalski's vision was obscured by the bed but he soon enough saw what it was.
A giant webbed claw clasped at the frame of the bed and dragged its body up with it until it rose fully standing. Kowalski could see Blowhole. Just how much he had changed overnight. Thick arms adorned with claws with webbing between each of his digits. A long serpentine body that swooped down and around the back of the room with back legs just as dangerous as the front ones. His tail was mounted by his powerful flukes and spikes, such as the horns on his head, travelled up his body. His head, almost reptilian, lowered down to Kowalski where he inspected the bird, his inch long teeth far too close for comfort. His metal eye patch had shattered off during the transformation. Scraps of metal lay around the room and Francis' scar was on full display, a deep gashing hole where his right eye used to be. This only added to how terrifying he looked and it made Kowalski's spine curl.
He couldn't believe it, didn't want to believe it. Blowhole held no expression on his face, just a wide eye and snarl as he looked over Kowalski's body, trying to figure him out.
Kowalski stared into the void eye. There was nothing there anymore. The creature was the same on the inside as it was on the outside. Void. Kowalski could feel it's breath as it huffed over him. Francis was gone. It was just as he once told him. The physical changes start and that's when you know it's too late. Then the mind is slowly lost until only a monster remains. It had been too late all along.
Kowalski closed his eyes and crumbled onto the floor. He couldn't believe it. All the stuff they had done together, all the new memories they had made were all gone. They were so close! He could taste victory in his mouth! But now all he could taste was the bitter defeat.
The creature huffed and a low reverberating growl rose from its throat. Kowalski looked up. He should have been terrified but he didn't care anymore. He swore to Blowhole he wouldn't hide, wouldn't flinch, wouldn't think any different of him no matter what changes he underwent.
Kowalski wiped his eyes and blinked up at the beast.
"Is there any of you left?" He asked quietly.
The monster gave no indication of understanding what Kowalski had said and took a step closer to the bird, climbing over the bed.
Kowalski sighed and let his head slip to the floor. He was in despair and had to finally admit he had failed. He had failed to save his friend, failed to uphold the promise he had made to Doris and failed himself once again.
The monster growled and dragged his nose over the bird, scenting him. Kowalski knew he had to say goodbye. Francis was now a danger to everyone, including Kowalski. But he couldn't bear the thought of his friend actually being gone, getting killed, leaving him forever.
Francis had somewhat occupied himself away from Kowalski, which gave the bird an opportunity to slip out of the room but the second he took a step towards the door the monster bellowed out an ear splitting roar, a hiss of a sound similar to a monstrous crocodile and launched himself at the bird. Kowalski's heart stopped as the serpentine monster lurched forward and forced him to the ground with the weight of his new, heavy, semi-webbed, clawed foot and held him there still and lifeless.
Kowalski stared up in fear as Francis began to back up, dragging the bird with him, his claws scraping across the stone floor causing a cringe to surge through Kowalski's body. And once the monster was content that they had travelled far enough back into the room, he lifted his foot and let Kowalski free again.
Kowalski scrambled to his feet, unable to control his ragged breathing just yet and looked back at the door. He needed a way out. He couldn't chance staying in there with Francis any longer if he didn't want to become serpent food, but everytime he took even a half step to the door, Francis would rear up and growl, a warning for Kowalski to stay put.
Kowalski hadn't a clue what to do. He was terrified. He tried to not be but looking into the void eye of a monster rendered himself utterly unable to defend himself. For what chance did he really have fighting against an animal like this?
There was a slight commotion outside of the door, electrical hums and voices and suddenly a knock to the door. Then came a sweet voice.
"Francis, Kowalski, are you in there?"
Francis suddenly perked up. His head pointed straight at the door as he listened intently for the voice again. Kowalski cocked a brow at this but followed as Francis inched closer to the door.
"Kowalski? Red One said you were both here," Doris called again.
This time, the monster went mad. He launched himself at the door and hissed and scratched at it as if trying to escape. Kowalski's heart started up again, pounding away too fast. Kowalski rushed after Francis at the door and tried to shout over the sound of scraping metal and monstrous hissing.
"Doris! You need to get to a higher level! I'll come meet you!"
The monster calmed down after minutes of useless clawing at the door and turned its head back to Kowalski. There, it stared.
Kowalski was confused. He stood proud and well, not a scratch on his body, yet the door had grooves a centimetre deep. Though Francis' eye held nothing inside, not even the glimpse of the previous life he had owned, Kowalski had a strange feeling in his gut and chanced a stride toward the monster.
"You... you recognize us. Don't you?"
Again, there was no acknowledgement from Francis. Just dead staring. But Kowalski knew what Blowhole had been developing. He knew what havoc he wanted to impose on the planet. Kowalski should have been long dead in the clutches of the beast.
He smiled as he took another step forward.
"You do! Francis, it's me, Kowalski."
All he was rewarded with was a huff of warm breath but that didn't distill Kowalski. He was overjoyed. All was not lost yet. There was something wrong with this old virus strain, which is obviously why Blowhole had made others but it just so meant he retained some memory. This could be worked on. Maybe Kowalski could even bring other memories forward. Cure him mentally.
Kowalski did cry this time. Ugly tears that stained his pristine white feathers as he stared up into Francis' eye. But Kowalski still had a few problems. They were still in Blowhole's sleeping quarters. He needed somewhere safe to keep the beast for the time being, away from harm and especially away from Skipper.
The bottom floor! Blowhole had said he had a indoor pool on the bottom floor. Where better to put a serpentine monster than an indoor pool? It was perfect. Now the next problem, getting him there. Did they make elevators big enough to fit monsters?