Animal - Chapter five

"I'm coming, I'm coming!"

Gordy froze as he saw a human dressed in grey and purple open the door. He squinted and crawled closer, straining his ears to hear what the land-dwellers were saying. A squid's hearing was mediocre at best, but he had spent enough time on land so he had better hearing than other cephalopods. It helped that he was one among a few squids that were able to stay alive out of his element.

That was another reason why he didn't rule over the squids. Instead of Gordy, his uncle, who's name was Derpsolu, ruled over the under-water creatures. And, like any royal member, the King could change into a squid-human, much like Sky's current form. But Gordy couldn't, so he couldn't properly rule over the squids.

Personally, Gordy thought it was just luck. Every royal squid should be able to... transform, and he was just lucky enough not to do so. It was stupid, really. Notch made them aquatic creatures, so why try to be a human? Other squids couldn't, so why was being a royal family member supposed to be different?

Gordy shook the thoughts out of his head and slithered closer to the house that the group was entering. The grey and purple-clad human seemed surprised at Sky's appearance (who wouldn't?) but invited them in. Gordy knew that the sorcerer wouldn't be able to complete the potion; not without his help, anyway. They still needed the blood of royalty, and Gordy knew that his uncle wouldn't be back any time soon.

So that left him, a scrawny, persistent squid prince.

The prince peered into a window, hefting himself up with two of his tentacles. Maybe being able to transform into a human wouldn't have been so terribly bad about now.

"So we need your help, Seto," the space-suit wearing man said. Gordy would have raised an eyebrow, wondering how he had missed the entire conversation. Seto, who Gordy decided was the wizard-looking human, hummed and glanced at Sky. "Do you guys know how this even happened?" he asked.

Deadlox nodded and said "Yeah, a squid infected him while we were rescuing Dawn."

The female mentioned ducked her head, feeling slightly guilty. Gordy could understand the feeling. She must think it was her fault, since she was the one who had gotten captured. But the prince knew it was his fault and no others'. He was the one that had infected Sky.

"Hmm. . . I might be able to make the potion you guys are describing. Just let me see if I have everything."

Gordy saw the others nod, then glance at Sky as he spoke. "I'm going outside, I need to clear my head," the infected Minecrafter mumbled, staring down at his feet as he started towards the door.

Gordy's navy blue eyes widened and he quickly let go of the window sill, dropping to the ground. He needed to hide. Gordy doubted that Sky would simply comment on the weather if the prince was seen.

He quickly scrambled over to a small hole, tucking himself inside and curling his tentacles around his body. The sound of metal clinking and heavy footsteps approaching met his ears. Gordy shrunk deeper into the hole, wishing he could become invisible. He flinched when Sky sat down in the grass next to him. There was a long pause before there was a faint beep, then Sky began talking.

"Hello, recruits. I'm Sky, and. . . I have really bad news. I don't think I'll. . . Be able to record much anymore. As much as I hate to say it, I won't be-"

Gordy glanced around, wondering why the Sky Army's leader had cut himself off.

"No," Sky whispered "not again. Not- Ah!"

And then Sky fell silent. But it wasn't normal silence; it reminded Gordy of a predator's silence when it was stalking prey. The prince gulped, knowing that Sky wasn't there, and had been replaced with the thing that he had infected him with. Sky chuckled darkly and there was the sound of metal snapping.

"Soon," Gordy heard Sky hiss "soon all of Sky Army will fall."

The sound of glass shattering pierced the air, and Gordy saw black shards. The prince squid cowered, eyes wide. He could feel the power radiating off of this Sky, and he knew that it wasn't good in a single way.

"Sky?" Gordy lifted himself out of the ground slightly, peering over at the headphone-wearing human making his way towards Sky. Oh, no. . . Faster than a blink of the eye, Sky whipped around and slammed Ty into Seto's house. Deadlox gasped, falling to the ground as the possessed Sky walked over to him.

"I'm sorry, Tyler. But I'm afraid you're in my way," Sky hissed at the downed Minecrafter.

"S-Sky, don't do-"

"Yes, yes. I know. 'Don't do dis'. Honestly Tyler, you'd think I'd get it by now. But alas," Sky sneered and hefted Ty up by the throat. "'Dis' is going to be done."

Gordy didn't know what to do. For some strange reason, he felt like he should be out trying to save the poor human. But that went against his instincts. Humans were horrible monsters, they get what they deserve. Gordy knew that Deadlox had killed many of his kind, and so have Sky's other friends. So the desire to help them find a cure was confusing. And know he wanted to save the human?

"S-S. . . H-help!"

Sky grinned viciously. "You fool, there is no one to help you. All your friends would rather have you dead. You're a waste of time and space. You're useless. You're pitiful, weak. It's a shame I need to end you quietly. I would rather enjoy hearing you scream," Sky said quietly, but his tone was dark and venomous.

That's it. He needed to help. Without another thought, Gordy squirmed out if the hole and slapped at Sky with his tentacles. He managed to yank himself up onto Sky's head. Snarling as much as a squid could, Gordy tugged the infected Minecrafter away from Deadlox. Sky screeched, claws going up to slash at Gordy's vulnerable flesh. The prince hissed as the weapons came in contact with his body, leaving four deep gouges across his chest. (Or where his chest would be if he wasn't a squid) Gordy gasped in pain and released Sky, crumpling to the ground. The infected Minecrafter sneered at him, the turned back to Deadlox. "Fucking squid," he muttered.

Ty stood on shaky feet. "Sky, fight it. Don't listen to the squid side."

Sky sighed and rolled his eyes. "Haven't you learned enough?" He strode forward and grabbed Deadlox by his shirt collar. "I can't be tamed."

And with that, Sky hurled Deadlox into the air. Smirking, he waited for gravity to take effect. When Ty was close enough, Sky swatted him into a tree, then ran over and kicked him in the side. "Face it, Tyler," Sky said, pausing to deliver another kick to the human. "I am what I always should have been. And you. . ."

Gordy winced as Sky stomped on Ty's head, then scraped his claws across his back. Gordy quietly started to back up, slithering over to the sorcerer's house. If he could warn the other humans, then maybe they'll get there in time to save Deadlox. He wondered how they couldn't hear the sounds of fighting.

"And you are a weak, stupid human that can't take care of himself. Just look at you–Pathetic, pitiful!"

Deadlox coughed and tried to crawl away, only to be knocked down again by a tentacle. Sky grabbed him by the ankle with another tentacle, then flipped him right side up and grabbed him by the throat. "Any last words, weakling?"

Meanwhile, Gordy had made it to the door of Seto's house. He slammed a tentacle onto the doorknob, but couldn't get it it to turn. "Hey, hey! Humans! Hurry, get out here! Your friend is in trouble!"

The door swung open, and Gordy fell down onto his face. He looked up slightly and recognized the bottom-half of a space suit. "Human! Your friend!"

Jason raised an eyebrow down at the squid, then seemed to realize that Sky was killing Deadlox. "Ty!" He shouted, running outside and tackling Sky. Other humans came to the door. The one covered in fur took out a battle axe and charged with a strange, wobbly cry. Gordy squirmed away from the door, not wanting to get stepped on. The other people followed their furry friend outside to try to separate Tyler from Sky. The only one that turned tail and ran back into the house was Seto, who held a half-mixed potion in his hand.

Gordy followed him, struggling to pull himself along the ground. "Human, I need help. I have the last ingredient to-"

Sky crashed in from the window. Blood splattered across his arms. The prince gulped, knowing that the blood wasn't Sky's. The infected Minecrafter's tentacles snapped around wildly as he made his way towards the sorcerer and squid. "Give me the potion," he said, voice dangerously low. Seto gulped and reached into his pocket, then threw a small, round object at the ground. Smoke exploded from the bomb and the human made his escape, grabbing Gordy by a tentacle and yanking him out.

Gordy felt himself become woozy as soon as he took a breath of the thick red smoke. His sight grew blurry, dark spots swimming in his vision. "Poison," the squid croaked. It must have been poisonous. But Seto didn't seem to mind the gas. But in a few moments, Seto pulled the limp prince out of his house.

Gordy only had enough time to see Sky stumble out of the house and drop to the ground unconscious before darkness enveloped his world.