AOE Saga

The Dragon Within

Chapter 6: Hands Shown

New York

Central Park

Matt and Chris sat in a deserted area of Central Park. "You know…Chloe woulda loved to have come here," said Matt sadly looking at the park. Chris sighed, "Look man. I know you miss her…but she wouldn't want ya moping around for the rest of your life." Matt just stared silently ahead as Chris carried on. "You gotta carry on with your life…oh great…" Chris said and Matt turned to see a very unwelcome sight bearing down on them; Virustoxico.

"Ah, Captain. We're glad we found you." they said, voices practically overflowing with flattery. Matt and Chris both mentally filed this under suspicious. "Ok, what do you want?" said Chris. "Mr. Lynch has to come with us. It is urgent," said Virustoxico. Matt shrugged. "I don't think it's urgent," he said, silently enjoying the chance to raise the blood pressure of one of his enemies. Virustoxico just glared. "Chang…I mean the Dragon of Asia sent for you specifically," they said slipping up slightly.

Matt and Chris looked at each other for a second. "No…I wouldn't go anywhere with you…not just because you can't decide who the message is from," said Matt. "Chris? Let's get outta here." The two turned to leave but jumped as a yell of "Iron Gorgon!" and a grey beam shot between them, turning a tree into adamantanium. They spun round to see Virustoxico readying another shot. "Then we'll just bring you by FORCE!" they yelled. Matt and Chris backed up slowly. "I wasn't that annoying, was I?" said Matt. He and Chris jumped aside as Virustoxico fired again and took cover behind the adamantanium tree.

A blast of Virustoxico's acid flames hit and dissolved a sizable part of the tree. "Wow. Halitosis from hell," Matt said before him and Chris ran out. Chris's eyes went golden as he went into Hybrid form and he ran at Virustoxico, snarling while Matt began shooting with his Plasma magnum. Chris leapt, claws out at the villain and from there it should have ended… Sadly, Virustoxico managed to grab Chris's foot in mid-leap with one of his tentacles, swung him round and tossed him into Matt, sending both of our heroes sprawling on the grass.

"Ow…that didn't go as planned," said Matt, groaning. "Urgh…Ya think?" said a dazed Chris, changing back to human. Virustoxico hovered over smugly. "You think changing forms will help you against US? Fools," they said "First we'll deal with your friend, and then you're coming with us." "No I'm no…yaaah," said Matt, the 'Yah' being as Virustoxico tossed him aside.

"Goodbye, Mr Powell," said Virustoxico. Chris just glared and answered. "Smeg off you…Borg reject," and suddenly grinned as he looked behind the villain. Virustoxico was a bit puzzled at this and turned to look, saying, "What are you lookin…?" He didn't finish as Matt, in dragon form, punched them in Virustocron's face. It sent the smoke hydra/machine hybrid flying and they got back up in what was clearly a smegged off mood. "THAT'S IT…I DON'T CARE WHAT OUR ORDERS ARE…YOU'RE DEAD MEAT!" screamed both halves of Virustoxico and they rocketed at Matt who flew over their heads and spat a blue blast of plasma into the villains' back.

Virustoxico fired back but the plasma had no effect. "You two have the IQ of a supercomputer and you can't remember plasma doesn't work on me?" scoffed Matt as he did a flying kick. Virustoxico glared and yelled "Poisoned Lightning!" A bolt of sickly purple electricity appeared in their hand and they swung it like a whip. Matt didn't avoid it in time and it got him in the middle. He felt a little bit of nausea as he was thrown back.

Everything swam in front of Matt's eyes for a minute, but he saw Virustoxico floating towards him. They picked him up by his long neck and said, "This is the infamous Traveller? The thorn in the side of the Hamsterviel Empire? It's so easy to defeat you when you're caught by surprise. Guess the same thing could be said about that worthless sister you had." Now if Virustoxico hadn't gloated like that, they would have won. But that mocking comment lit a fire in Matt that quickly filled him with energy. He broke out Virustoxico's grasp and started hammering them with a series of blows from his fists, claws, feet, and tail. Combined with his continual plasma blasts, Virustoxico's previously shining armor was soon full of dents, scratches, and tarnishes.

Suddenly Virustoxico let off a cloud of gas. Matt choked and coughed as the smoke-like substance ate up the oxygen around him. Then Virustoxico let out a blast of viral energy that threw Matt off. The amalgamation glared at Matt and Chris and said, "It seems that it's too much for us to handle both of you by ourselves. No matter, time's on our side. We didn't manage to capture or destroy you, but you're too late to stop the Dark Dragon from taking the Stone."

"The Dark Dragon?" asked Chris, "that's pretty high treason you're talking about, smoke-can." "That's General Smoke-can to you. And as general, we're allowed to do whatever we want on our home world. And that just happens to be here." Suddenly a nexus of digital energy surround Virustoxico. "Try and stop us if you must, but Silvia's probably has disabled the defences by now." "Silvia's in this too?" asked Matt. "Not consciously, but that's why we wanted you in the first place. You'll never get back in time. By the time you get there, the Stone will be gone and NegaMorph too." The amalgamated general vanished with a cackle of evil laughter and a flash of digital energy.

Matt and Chris looked at each other and ran full tilt back to the Humvee. The two jumped inside and gunned the engine. Matt turned on the comm in the front passenger seat. A Scottish voice sounded, "Leyton here…" it said. Matt responded, "Commander Leyton? It's Matt..." Leyton's voice changed from its bored tone to a happily surprised one, "Matt…Long time no…" Matt interrupted. "Look…no time…Get a Heavy assault team to this address," said Matt typing in an address. "That's an abandoned warehouse and cellar complex…it's condemned," said Leyton. Matt sighed, "Trust me...it isn't." Leyton could be heard sighing. "I'll get a force there…What's going on?" Matt said, "Trouble not seen since Sy-Yong colony." And cut the connection as the Humvee screeched round a corner.

Suddenly several shadowy objects landed on the roof of a truck in front. Matt and Chris stared…the things stared back and extended claws. "There's no way our luck is this bad," said Chris. The first creature leapt onto the hood of the Humvee and punched through the blast-proof glass like it was nothing, grabbing Matt round the throat. Chris hit the gas as Matt grabbed a blaster out the glove compartment, firing into the shade, knocking it under the Humvee.

"This 'Dark Dragon' guy's really insistent about grabbing you, eh?" said Chris, as more shades could be seen following leaping from hand hold to hand hold on buildings at the sides of the street before trying to leap onto the Humvee. There was a thunk as another shade landed on the roof and began tearing a hole in it before grabbing Chris and pushing his face into the wheel. Matt blasted it off as a dazed Chris got control back, just avoiding making the Humvee become one with a fire hydrant.

"Chris…gimmie the wheel," said Matt seeing that Chris was only just conscious. Chris did just that…he tore the wheel off and handed it over. Matt shrieked and just managed to get it reattached before they hit a wall. To make matters worse, another two shades had managed to land on the back of the Humvee, one tearing the rear passenger door off and climbing in, getting Matt in a headlock from behind.

Chris, having got his senses back jerked the wheel hard left, sending the Humvee into a spin along the ground. "Get off our car!" he yelled as he did this. The spinning sent the second shade hurtling off the Humvee but the other began trying to pull Matt out the back. Chris got an idea. "Hold on, Matt," he said. "Wha…what?" said Matt struggling with the shade as Chris braked suddenly. Matt jerked forward in his seatbelt…sadly the shade didn't have a seatbelt and shot through the remains of the windscreen to land in the street in front.

It got up in time to be hit by the Humvee going full tilt. Matt sighed. "We're almost there," he said as the Humvee turned the corner into the Vault street. Two other C.P.S Humvee's sat in the street, burning. The door to the warehouse was shut but shooting could be heard inside. Matt and Chris looked at the door. "Oh well…" said Matt as Chris reversed to give their car a good run up.

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Sgt Kay huddled behind the crates with the three others that were the remains of his team. "Those smegging shadow creatures," he said peering out. The five shades were in front of the warehouse blocking escape and two more were in front of the vault door. At least the giant dragon thing had gone. Suddenly the warehouse door smashed open and a damaged-looking Humvee, squashed the five shades before flattening the remaining two against a wall. "Hey, it's Captain Lynch," said his corporal, pointing as, indeed, Captain Lynch and another guy staggered out the now totalled Humvee. "Where…where're the others?" he said walking unsteadily up to Sgt Kay. "Downstairs I think…Sir?" he said as Matt and Chris exchanged horrified glances and ran through the entrance to the cellars.

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Morph, NegaMorph, and Silvia were guarding the crystal when they started hearing bangs outside. "What's going on?" asked Morph. "Sounds like there's some kind of battle going on," said NegaMorph. Suddenly Silvia's eyes went blank and said, "My master is here." "Don't be silly," said NegaMorph, "Emperor Hamsterviel can't get to Earth, it's too well protected." Silvia didn't respond at all. "Hey, Silvia, what's the matter?" Morph waved a hand in front of Silvia and said, "Nobody's home." NegaMorph was highly puzzled. When Silvia first got zapped, she refused to change into human form. Then she started behaving oddly at random periods, like when she asked Virustoxico to accompany her somewhere. He wondered what was wrong with her. Suddenly, it sounded like there was fighting right outside the door. Silvia, still in her zombie-like state, walked over and reached for the button that would open the door. "Don't open that door!" yelled Morph, but his words fell on deaf ears and Silvia pushed the button.

The door flew open and a great black shape filled up the door space. It looked like a stereotypical dragon of medieval Europe, the kind that burnt down villages, devoured livestock, and stole maidens. It was the same dragon on that tapestry. "The Dark Dragon!" cried Morph and NegaMorph. Silvia bowed and said, "Master, the Fang Stone is yours to claim." NegaMorph was speechless for a second and then yelled, "Silvia, you double-crossed us!" "Not truly," said the Dark Dragon, "her will is my own and she obeys it. I'll deal with you presently but first, the Fang Stone."

The Dark Dragon reached out for it when he heard guns cocking behind his head. "Step away from the Claw Stone, or whatever it is, and get your claws in the air," said Matt's voice. The Dark Dragon turned around and saw Matt and Chris pointing their weapons at him. "You?" cried the Dark Dragon, "How did you get here in time?" "Nothing much," said Chris, "just some determination, coordination, and enough crazy antics to earn at least a hundred traffic tickets." "No matter," said the Dark Dragon, "the Fang Stone is mine." He grabbed the crystal and wrenched it out of its stasis field. But as soon at it had left, it let a sound like a party blower and burst into what looked like sticky confetti. "What?" cried the Dark Dragon, "It's a fake?" He turned on Matt and Chris and bellowed, "You two, where is the real one?" "I didn't know it was fake," said Matt, "it sure was real when it zapped me and Silvia."

"Well," said NegaMorph to himself, "if I'm going out, I might as well do what I meant to do." He reached out with his arm and grabbed Morph. But before NegaMorph could do anything, Morph started to swell. Matt thought for a second that NegaMorph had used some kind of magical poison on Morph, but then he realized that instead an instant bloating, it was more of a slow stretching; as if someone was filling up Morph like a balloon. Then a beam of light erupted from Morph's mouth and hit Matt. When the light cleared, Matt had somehow been turned into his dragon form. All eyes fell on Morph as he said, "Uh-oh, I'm busted."

The Dark Dragon looked confused for a minute then slowly grinned and said, "Well, it looks like I'll be taking two ugly blobs." "Who are you calling ugly, ugly?" said Morph and NegaMorph. Silvia pounced and seized both of them. Matt and Chris tried to rush in to help, but the Dark Dragon raised his wings and everything went dark. When the lights came back on, there was no one there except Matt and Chris.

Lao Shi's electronics Store

It was 20 minutes later. The surviving members of Sergeant Kay's team had left to make their report and Matt and Chris had just finished explaining what had happened at Central Park and on the way to and at the Vault.

"By the way," asked Chip, "what exactly was that stone they stole?" "That killer paperweight that we were guarding? The Dark Dragon called it…erm…'the Fang Stone'." said Matt. "I had a feeling it was," said Lao Shi. Everyone stared at him. "Lao Shi," said Draco, "what aren't you telling us?" Lao Shi pulled out a book from underneath his robe that was labelled 'Ancient Dark Artifacts.' He flipped through a couple pages and put the book on the floor. The title of the chapter the book was on was 'The Fang Stone.' A small hologram came out of the book showing an image of the gem that was stolen.

"The Fang Stone is a powerful magical device," said Lao Shi, "it was originally created to alter landscaping to the user's liking. But the Dark Dragon stole it and redesigned it to work mainly on people, humans to be specific. You see, when the original crystal was used on inhabited land, it could alter the memories of the people living on that land to match the alteration. But the Dark Dragon had given the Stone the power to change humans into dragons and brainwash them into obeying him. Soon, the Dark Dragon had almost transformed enough humans to overthrow all the untransformed humans. But the Dragon Council of that time stopped the Dark Dragon before it was too late. They took the Fang Stone and flung it through a portal to an unspecified location. How the Stone ended up with those Necromancers, I don't know, but the Dark Dragon has it now.

I had a good feeling what the true nature of that stone you found was and had developed a plan to prevent its theft. I had a feeling that Matt and Silvia would get into some kind of fight and would be too busy to notice anything and NegaMorph did not look like a diligent worker. So I told Morph to replace the Stone with a fake Fu Dog made when no one was noticing. But the part where the Stone used its power on Matt and Silvia and NegaMorph taking the Lockblade was unexpected."

"So the Dark Dragon's going to try to use the Fang Stone again," said Chris, "but how comes Matt wasn't brainwashed?" "Well," said Matt, "when that Stone knocked me out, I thought I heard V-627 and someone else fighting. Then the other one went away and V-627 said, 'And stay out!' I guess that was him rejecting that brainwashing half of the spell." "The worst part is that he doesn't need to go anywhere to build an army," said Chip, "New York City has at least 8 million people in it." For the first time, Lao Shi actually chuckled and said, "Now that is impossible. The Fang Stone receives its energy from negative energy. The Dark Dragon may be evil, but he could never produce enough to transform an entire city. Nothing on Earth can." "You mean nothing from Earth," said Matt, realizing the missing link. Everyone else noticed it too and cried, "NegaMorph!"

"NegaMorph's like…a nuclear battery of negativity. Dark Dragon'll be able to blast the entire city," said Matt, horrified, "We need to find the Morphs…fast." "Good thing we put that tracking chip in Morph," said Draco. "What tracking chip?" asked Chris. "Well, Morph was always wandering off and it can take while to find him. So me and Chip installed a chip that can be located with any searching scanner. I remember the day we first put it in.

Flashback: Draco, Chip, and Morph were all in Jumba's lab, Morph was on the table. "Now let's see," said Chip looking at the different devices Jumba had, "Ah, this will do." He pulled a really big injector thing that the guards used to extract Stitch's blood in Lilo & Stitch. He placed a microchip inside the clear part under the needle and gave it to Draco. Draco aimed it at Morph's patookie and said, "Now hold still." "This won't hurt will it?" asked Morph anxiously. "Hurt? Nah, shouldn't hurt at all." "That's a relief," said Morph. Then Draco jabbed the injector into Morph with gusto. Morph let out a loud cry of pain and said, "You said it wouldn't hurt." "I'm not feeling anything," said Draco.

"Why didn't you say so?" said Chris in a tired voice. Chip shrugged, "You never asked." Matt who'd been looking gloomy to this point perked up and said, "I do know somewhere that can find the signal…" Draco said, "And where's that?" "C.P.S Headquarters. They've got a scanner that could find a speck of salt in the Sahara," said Matt. "I'm sure they'll look for us." He got up to leave and Chris followed him. "I need to ask, man. What happened at Sy-Yong? Do I wanna know?" Matt shook his head, "No…you don't…Hopefully you'll never find out." And he walked off to call Leyton.

Later…

The gang were currently inside C.P.S Headquarters. The facility was underneath the riverside dockyards and was about 200 feet below the subways. The main room looked like NASA Mission Control with technicians typing away and relaying orders. Matt sat in front of Commander Leyton who was reading Sgt Kay's report. "Normally I don't believe in magical mumbo jumbo like this…but it seems that this Dark Dragon's quite real…and you say this stone could mutate the entire city?" Matt nodded. "…And probably several nearby towns too if they use all of NegaMorph's energy."

"Fine…I started the scans as soon as you called. We'll know soon eno…" His comm beeped. "Leyton here," he said. "Fzzzt…This is radar…we just picked up something huge…and its heading our way…fzzt…oh smeg…its huge…open fire, OPEN FI…fzzzzzt." The comm died. Matt and Leyton stared at it and both said, "Oh smeg."

There's another chapter. Sorry it took me so long to put it up. You have to read the next chapter. Not only is it the last chapter, but something very important will be revealed. Not sure when I'll update on account of final exams. Please review.