Note: As it's October, I feel the urge to write scary stories for certain franchises. Sometimes, they'll be for franchises you wouldn't expect. No, Love Or Lust does not count, seeing as the Star Fox franchise has plenty of dark moments, and vampires are creatures we think of during Halloween. But, what about The Raccoons? It's a pretty lighthearted show, though it has the occasional dark moment. Aside from that, you wouldn't expect a truly frightening episode, or even a Halloween episode for it.
That's where this story comes into play. I'm not making a story dark for the sake of being shock, so this one might contain legitimate scares. Also, it is a parody of a manga/anime franchise that comes from the same decade that The Raccoons began its run in: the 80s. If you can figure out which anime this story parodies, then you must have seen it before. If not, then prepare to be surprised. Let's get it started!
It was a dark, stormy night in the Evergreen Forest, and all was quiet. Or rather, it would have been quiet, if not for a truck rushing down the road. The truck's driver was a Border Collie, while the passenger was a Russian Blue. They had been instructed to transport a package to the CEO of an multimedia company. While they had been given the package, they were instructed not to open it, as it was for its recipient. Driving through the forest, the Border Collie made sure that no one had seen the truck. The coast was clear, given how most of the Evergreen Forest's residents were asleep.
In the back of the truck, the package lie. Unlike most packages, it was being held shut by hot glue instead of tape. While it came with the misfortune of being harder to open, it kept whatever was inside from escaping. The drivers didn't know what it was, and they weren't supposed to, given how it was for whoever was expecting it. However, the person who gave them the package told them that it was a piece of technology not like anything anyone had seen before. As they did everything with no questions asked, the delivery men were intent on giving it to the mysterious CEO as quickly as they could.
All of a sudden, the truck hit a rock, causing the package to be launched out of the truck. The back had not been closed, nor had the package been fastened with something. It rolled away from the truck, rolling down the hill and going deeper into the Evergreen Forest. By the time the truck rode by, the package was out of sight.
"Hey, did you hear that?" The Russian Blue asked.
"Hear what?" The Border Collie asked.
"It sounded like something just fell out of the truck." The cat said.
"Ah, I'm sure you're just hearing things." The dog said.
Once the truck was out of the Evergreen Forest, the area was quiet again. No one had been awake when it traveled through, so it was seen by not a single soul. Despite that, there was a house opposite of where the package had fallen. It was a tree made to look like a house, complete with windows. While it would've seemed odd to suspect someone lived inside, but it actually had residents. In fact, three people lived inside, but they were not human. The house was known as the Raccoondominium, and its residents were three raccoons by the name of Bert, Ralph, and Melissa.
The next day, Ralph and Melissa Raccoon were working at their office. They were running a newspaper known as the Evergreen Standard, and it had been around since they had gotten back from their honeymoon. However, they were not the only employees at the office. While they accepted help from anyone they knew, their most notable helper was their childhood friend, Bert Raccoon. Whenever the Standard was lacking a good story, it was usually up to him to find something that would help the paper. Of course, Ralph and Melissa did some of the heavy work as well.
After developing some of the photos she had taken yesterday, Melissa went to speak with Ralph.
"Did you hear that noise last night?" She asked.
"What noise?" Ralph asked.
"There was the sound of a truck speeding down the road," Melissa said, "then the sound of it jumping, as if it had started going down a rough driveway."
"It was probably just some hooligans with no regard for the environment around them." He said.
"Hopefully, someone's reported them." The sow said.
"If no one has, then we'll do it, honey." The boar said.
Before they could do anything else, a voice was heard outside.
"Yahoo!!!"
Knowing who it was, Ralph and Melissa stood back, awaiting the person who the voice belonged to. The door to the office came open, and a bent-nose raccoon rushed in. This ringtail happened to be Bert Raccoon, a longtime friend of the couple and their housemate. He was known for being childish, but he was genuinely excited about something. Melissa was the one to send him out to find a captivating story, and it appeared that he had found one. Then again, just about anything was exciting for Bert Raccoon.
"Guys, I found something cool in the forest!" Bert spoke. "Cedric, Bentley, Lisa, and I were just taking a walk, then we found something on the ground. We didn't know what it was, but I told the others to make sure no one else got a look at it. You guys should come, because this might be the hottest story of the year!"
"What did this thing look like, Bert?" Ralph asked.
"I can't describe it!" The taller raccoon said. "C'mon, guys, Cedric, Bentley, and Lisa won't be waiting on us for long!"
Looking at each other for a moment, Ralph and Melissa felt as though something bad was about to happen. Whenever someone found something in the woods, it usually led to a terrible event. It didn't help that Bert had left Cedric, Bentley, and Lisa with whatever they had found in the woods. Knowing that, Ralph wanted to get to them as quickly as he could. Melissa, on the other hand, wanted to prevent her friend, niece, nephew from whatever they had seen with Bert. There were a number of possibilities, from a dangerous animal to a poisonous planet. No matter what, the couple feared for the safety of their loved ones.
Meanwhile, the two delivery men had arrived at the post office, intent on dropping off the mysterious package. When they had parked their truck, however, they found that the package was not with them. In fact, it had not been strapped to something that could hold it. Seeing this, the delivery men panicked. The CEO who was expecting the package had said that he wanted it as quickly as he could get it. With that in mind, they knew that they were going to be in hot water with not only their boss, but those who had requested their services.
Remembering that they had driven through the Evergreen Forest, the Russian Blue delivery man had his coworker get in the truck. They agreed to find the package as soon as possible, as their boss would have their heads if they hadn't delivered it. Of course, those who had ordered the package would also be after them, as it was something unique. It was something no one had seen before, and something that was supposed to be kept hidden from the public eye. With that in mind, the CEO had made his message urgent, as he wanted it as quickly as possible. He even said that, if necessary, the delivery men would have had to kill any witnesses.
After a bit of walking, Ralph and Melissa hoped that Bert would show them where Cedric and the kids were. If they were near something dangerous, then they needed to be there with them. Bert had taken them to a deeper part of the Evergreen Forest, which made the couple's suspicions grow. While their friend and houseguest had them join him in his misadventures, they honestly felt as though they would die on one of them. The taller raccoon wasn't exactly known for thinking things through before doing something, due to being so childish. However, there were occasions where he did think before acting.
"C'mon, it's just straight ahead!" Bert said.
Continuing to follow him, Ralph could see Bentley and Lisa standing near something, looking puzzled. Melissa saw them as well, wondering what they could have been near. She also saw Cedric standing nearby. Unlike Lisa or Bentley, the aardvark looked more cautious, as if he had a feeling what they were near was potentially dangerous. Once Bert had brought them near, Ralph and Melissa went to greet their loved ones. Little did they know, the discovery of the day would have been something beyond their imagination.
"Are you guys alright?" Melissa asked.
"We're okay, Aunt Melissa!" Bentley greeted. "We've also found something cool!"
"You're gonna want to see it." Lisa spoke.
"What is it, anyway?" Ralph asked.
"That's what we're trying to figure out." Cedric said. "It's not something you would normally see in the Evergreen Forest."
"But that's what makes it so great!" Bert shouted in excitement. "C'mon, guys!"
Ralph and Melissa were reluctant to approach what Bert had discovered with the others, as they worried it could've been a dangerous animal or a poisonous plant. Even if it was, it was better to take a picture of the discovery before calling the police. The two raccoons decided to not be so pessimistic about what their friends, niece, and nephew found. After all, it could have been something as simple as a stolen museum artifact. However, something told them that it wasn't anything like that. Ralph approached slowly, while Melissa stayed near the others.
Once they were near Bentley and Lisa, Ralph and Melissa could see what they were looking at. Like Cedric said, it was something that no one would have expected to find in the Evergreen Forest. While the married couple wanted to agree with him, they could tell that it was something that no one would find anywhere. It was an odd object, looking almost otherworldly. The item looked to be a bundle of copper wire, albeit held together with metal panels, which gave it the shape of an octagon. In the middle of it seemed to be a button of coin, its purpose being unknown.
The delivery men arrived back in the Evergreen Forest, intent on recovering the package as quickly as possible. Once they had arrived at the post office, they heard an odd noise in the distance. While anyone would have avoided this, they wound up heading to where the sound was coming from. It turned out to be within the forest itself, being loud enough to get the attention of anyone living in the area. However, the delivery men were the first responders, heading deeper into the forest without much regard for their safety. Or rather, they wouldn't have much regard if not for the Border Collie delivery man having a pistol on hand.
As they walked deeper into the forest, the delivery men saw the source of the sound: a fight. While any fight would've gotten the attention of anyone walking by, this one was different. Instead of being between two people, it was between one person and a monster. The monster looked like a bear, but with a feline face, a horn on its forehead, and hind legs that belonged to a horse. There were humans nearby, albeit dressed in an outfit that made them look like soldiers. While it was already odd to see humans in the Evergreen Forest, let alone soldiers, it was strange to see that they weren't doing anything to stop the fight.
While they were shocked to see a monster, the delivery men were more shocked to see who its opponent was. The opponent was a female raccoon with green eyes, dressed in the outfit of a post office worker. By seeing her, the delivery men knew who she was: the person who gave them the package. They didn't know why she was there. But, if she was fighting a monster, then she must've gotten into trouble. However, the soldiers weren't trying to help her, as if they were on the monster's side.
"You're not getting the Unit!" She shouted. "I won't let any of you use it for your despicable plans!"
"Tell us where it is, then we'll let you go." A soldier said.
"It's in the hands of two delivery men!" The raccoon said. "I told them to drive as far as they could, so that you could never find them!"
"Well then, it looks like I'll have to kill you." The monster spoke. "Such a shame, really, because you could've joined our army."
"Your army will fall!" The sow said, holding her arms in the air.
All of a sudden, the raccoon was engulfed in a green light. This caused the delivery men to cover their eyes, not wanting to be blinded. When the light dissipated, they saw that she had changed her appearance. While she still looked like a raccoon, her body had gotten bigger, and her eyes had turned red. Not only that, but the sow looked like she was made of machinery, albeit machinery that looked like organic material. It was clear to the delivery men that she was not a normal raccoon, nor did she seem to be from Earth.
"Shall we battle, Ursus?" The raccoon spoke.
"Just like old times, Procyo!" Ursus said.
Running towards each other, Ursus and Procyo began to fight. The delivery men and the soldiers watched this happen, wondering who would triumph over the other. Procyo's smaller size and slim figure made her much faster than her opponent, but she didn't seem to have much in terms of strength. Ursus was slower, but stronger, so he had the advantage in terms of physical strength. The two continued to trade blows with each other, even using their claws to fight. However, they were evenly matched, to the point where it seemed like the battle would have no winner.
Eventually, Procyo found herself impaled on Ursus' claw. However, this didn't faze her, as she grabbed his face in pure fury. The soldiers and the delivery men watched in anticipation, wondering what was going to happen next. Procyo's eyes began to glow, with the light pulsing in a blinding fashion. A laser was fired at Ursus, and it hit him directly in his face. The laser was strong enough to give off a powerful, blinding light, which caused everyone to cover their eyes.
Once the light had dissipated, the delivery men were shocked to see that the laser had done no damage to Ursus. Procyo slid off of his arm, falling to the ground in a pool of green fluid, which was presumably her blood. Against their better judgement, the delivery men ran to her aid. However, the soldiers approached them, keeping them away from the dying creature. It was unknown whether or not they were protecting the Border Collie and the Russian Blue from Ursus, but reality was telling the two otherwise.
"You two, get out of here!" A soldier said.
Not wanting to argue, the delivery men ran out of the area, leaving Procyo at the mercy of Ursus and the soldiers. The bear-like monster grabbed his opponent by her face, forcing her to look at him. Realizing that her time was almost up, the raccoon-like creature glared at her enemies. It was her mission to keep the mystery package away from them, knowing that it would fall interest the wrong hands if they got a hold of it. With the mission failed, she was facing death. However, Procyo remained defiant, even as she was bleeding out.
"None of you will get the Unit!" Procyo shouted. "Even if the other two are missing, this one will fall into the hands of a hero, and they will use it to destroy your evil organization!"
Ursus then tightened his grip on Procyo's neck, breaking it in an instant. With her dead, the soldiers decided to look for the Unit as quickly as possible. They wanted to be quick in their search, however, as their boss hoped to have it. If what Procyo said was true, then they would have Ursus grab it before anyone could use it. They did not worry, as they doubted that there was anyone in the Evergreen Forest who was worthy of having it. After all, would a piece of machinery really impact someone who lives in the wilderness?
Back to Bert, Ralph, Melissa, Lisa, Bentley, and Cedric, they were still looking at the artifact they had found. It wasn't hard to see that it was something you would not expect to find in the Evergreen Forest. However, it also looked like something from a movie. In situations like this, the artifact would lead to a curse or detonate upon being touched. It hadn't done either, so the group was ready to call it junk and leave it where they found it. While that would be the sensible thing to do, curiosity was eating away at them, and it was compelling them to bring the item back with them.
"What could this thing be?" Cedric asked.
"It looks like part of a machine." Melissa said.
"Yeah, but what machine could need a part this big?" Ralph asked.
"Or weird looking?" Lisa asked.
"I've never seen anything like it before." Bentley spoke.
"We gotta show it to everyone!" Bert said excitedly. "This will be the story of the century!"
As he jumped in excitement, Bert accidentally knocked Lisa onto the artifact. She hit it as soon as she fell, hitting her forehead where the button was. The sow got up, ready to yell at Bert for being so reckless and knocking her down. However, that was when she heard an odd noise. Everyone heard it, and they immediately looked down. What happened next was something that no one would have expected in the history of the Evergreen Forest.
"Is it moving?!" Cedric asked.
"It's alive?!" Bert cried.
By looking at the artifact, Lisa could see that the wires were moving like snakes, as if they were ready to ambush their prey. The button in the middle of the device was flashing, like it had been activated. When Lisa had fallen on it, she had seemed to press the button when her head hit it. The others were put off by the fact it was moving, so they had began to speak to each other. As such, it seemed that Lisa would be on her own to deal with the artifact. Not willing to let that happen, the sow then approached the others, hoping that they'll have an idea of dealing with it.
"Guys, help!" Lisa cried.
That was when it happened: the artifact latched onto Lisa. It shot out its wires, wrapping them around her wrists and legs. As such, the raccoon screamed, scared due to what was happening. Upon hearing the noise, Ralph and Melissa turned around, only to find their niece being wrapped up in the mysterious object's wires. The wires coiled around the young lady, with the "button" now on her forehead. Whatever this thing was, it was clearly not your usual archeological find.
Alerting Bert, Bentley, and Cedric, Ralph and Melissa had them rush to Lisa's aid. By that point, the artifact's wires had almost entirely enveloped her, leaving only her face, right arm, left hand, and left leg visible. Thinking fast, Bert grabbed a stick and had the others get behind him. While he could have told them to run, the raccoon wanted whatever help was available. He rushed towards Lisa, intent on helping her. If he couldn't manage that, then something bad would happen to the younger female.
"Lisa, grab the stick!" Bert shouted.
Reaching out, Lisa attempted to grab the stick. However, the wires finished covering her body, leaving her unable to escape the artifact. The "button" of the device started glowing, causing two "eyes" to appear in amidst the wires. However, they were a bright yellow, looking almost like the neon lights one would see in an urban environment.
"This thing's trying to eat me!" Lisa screamed, her voice sounding distorted.
"Lisa!" Melissa cried.
"Hang on!" Ralph said, trying to rush to his niece's aid.
Having been trapped by the artifact, Lisa could only hold her head and scream. While she did this, the wires began to shift. The others were ready to assume the raccoon was scaring it off her body, but they were wrong. Rather, the wires looked like they were melting and being shaped into something. They began to form some sort of casing around Lisa, as if it was freezing her solid. However, by taking a closer look, Cedric and the Raccoons could see that it was not the case.
The artifact was forming armor around Lisa.
Before they could get a look at what was forming around her, Bert, Ralph, Melissa, Bentley, and Cedric saw Lisa stumble. She fell into where the artifact had been found, landing on what sounded like her back. Worried for her niece's well-being, Melissa was about to tell the others to go get help. That was until they heard someone coming towards them. Everyone was relieved, hoping that it would be a forest ranger or the police.
A boot stepping towards them, the group was ready to assume that it was a police officer. However, it turned out to be a human soldier, albeit one dressed in an outfit that no one had seen before. There were a few others with him, all wearing the same outfit. While a human being in the Evergreen Forest was rare, what shocked everyone was the strange creature with the soldiers. It didn't look like a natural creature, but rather a mutant or alien. The day just kept getting worse for the Raccoons and their associates.
"All of you, stop right there!" A soldier spoke.
"We weren't doing anything, sir!" Ralph said.
"Then why are you all standing in the middle of nowhere, looking at something?" The soldier asked.
"Can't the residents of the Evergreen Forest look at whatever they want?" Bert asked.
"Yeah, we live here!" Bentley said.
"That's not a good enough answer to my question!" The soldier snapped. "Tell us the truth, or we'll let Ursus turn you into punching bags!"
The creature stepped forward, letting out a low growl. From there, the group could see that it looked like a bear, but with different features. With that in mind, they knew that they couldn't fight it, as it would have killed and eaten them in no time. Ralph in particular knew that death was imminent around this thing.
"My name is Ursus," the creature spoke, "and I am looking for the first Unit in a line of many. Tell me where it is, and I'll let you live."
"What unit?" Melissa asked.
"We haven't seen it anywhere!" Bert said.
"How do you expect us to tell you where it is?" Bentley spoke. "We don't even know what it looks like!"
"Oh?" Ursus said. "Then I guess I'll have to kill you then!"
Bert, Ralph, Melissa, Bentley, and Cedric braced themselves for impact, knowing that they couldn't escape in time. The moment Ursus raised his claw, however, there was the sound of something shattering. Looking at the area behind them, the group saw something moving towards where they were standing. The dust hid the mysterious being, with only its silhouette being seen. However, it soon began to fade, causing their features to become more apparent. While the Raccoons and Cedric were taken aback by the noise, they were astonished by what was coming towards them.
Coming out of the dust was a strange creature. Unlike Ursus, it was bipedal, resembling a human in terms of body type. However, it also looked like a suit of armor, albeit one that you wouldn't expect to see in an exhibit at the museum. It was alien in appearance, with its odd design and purple shade, looking light in color. The "button" from the artifact was on the forehead of the armor, giving off a slight glow. It immediately dawned on Bert and the others what was going on: the artifact was the Unit Ursus had mentioned, and it had formed a suit of armor.
"What the hell is that thing?" One of the soldiers asked.
The Unit stepped forward, glaring at the soldiers and Ursus. Bert was about to head towards it, but the others told him to stay back. Looking at the Unit, the main soldier had Ursus fight it. Rushing towards it, the creature engaged in battle with the armored being. Unlike Procyo, it wasted no time in defending itself. It threw punches and kicks at its enemy, being strong enough to do damage to Ursus. Before he could throw a punch, the Unit tossed the creature back, causing him to land on his back.
Springing back onto his feet, Ursus rushed towards the Unit. He grabbed it by its "face", much to the soldiers' relief. That was until the Unit grabbed the creature's arms, forcing him off of it. It held him over its shoulders, its hands slowly starting to rip him in half. As the Raccoons and Cedric watched, the armored being was ready to kill its opponent, having no hesitation in doing so. The Unit jerked its arms, ripping Ursus in half and tossing his body on the ground near the soldiers.
Horrified by the death of Ursus, a majority of the soldiers ran away. The lead soldier remained, annoyed by the cowardice of his comrades. Bert saw him take off his helmet, then change into a creature not unlike Ursus or the Unit. However, the transformed soldier resembled a bat, albeit with the facial features of a possum. After transforming, he faced the Unit, his shoulders beginning to change into cannons of some kind. Seeing this, the group knew that there would be trouble.
"By changing my biomass," the transformed soldier said, "I am able to bring out my most-powerful weapons! It has a devastating blast, so your chances of survival are slim to none!"
The Unit seemed unfazed, only moving its hands to its chest plate. It pulled it open, revealing a glowing light underneath. However, it wasn't a single light, but two of them. By seeing that, Bert, Ralph, Melissa, Bentley, and Cedric were shocked. Even the transformed soldier seemed surprised by what he was looking at. He took a step back, still having his cannons out.
With the glowing light still out, it soon formed into a powerful blast. The blast immediately took out the transformed soldier, completely obliterating his body. He was reduced to ash, which blew through the Evergreen Forest and floated upwards in the sky. Once that was out of the way, Bert, Ralph, Melissa, Cedric, and Bentley noticed how the trees surrounding them were intact. That didn't mean they were in the clear, however, as the Unit looked in their direction. Its eyes glowed, almost like they were embers of a fire.
"Thanks for destroying that thing that was threatening us." Melissa spoke. "We're gonna go now!"
Before anyone could walk away, they heard a familiar voice speak.
"Guys!" Lisa's voice rang out, sounding distorted.
Turning around, the group saw the Unit heading towards them. It tilted its head, as if it were puzzled. Despite the lack of facial features or expressions on its face, the living armor seemed to be confused. However, no one could tell what it was going to do next.
"What happened to me?" Lisa's voice rang out, coming from the Unit.
"Lisa!" Bert spoke.
"That Unit thing's formed around her!" Ralph said.
"What's the matter, everyone?" Lisa chuckled, her voice still being distorted. "You look like you saw me turn into some sort of monster!"
"Uh, Lisa?" Cedric spoke, pulling out a mirror.
"Oh, my body!" The raccoon cried. "No! I've turned into a monster!"
Grabbing her head, Lisa started to scream in panic and terror, her voice being distorted by the Unit. The others didn't have it much better, as they didn't know how they would have gotten it off of their friend and relative. Ralph and Melissa knew that they had a conundrum. How would they explain this to George and Nicole? They probably wouldn't like to see their daughter trapped in a strange suit of armor. Bert and Cedric knew this as well, though there was nothing they could do. As for Bentley, he was unable to do anything, seeing as Lisa couldn't get that thing off of her body.
After a few more seconds, the Unit popped off of Lisa's body. The raccoon was still screaming, barely noticing that she had been freed. However, she stopped when she noticed the armor floating nearby, dissipating shortly after. Once it was gone, Ralph and Melissa approached their niece, who was now visibly shaken. Bert stood by, offering his friend some support. Cedric and Bentley, who had seen the Unit disappear, wondered as to what would happen next.
"Lisa, are you okay?" Melissa asked.
"I just had something weird on my body!" Lisa spoke. "I think I need to lay down!"
"We'll get you home in a second." Ralph calmly said. "As for you, Bentley, you should keep an eye on her, and see if the Unit comes back."
"How do we know it will come back?" Bentley asked.
"It's just something to look out for, little buddy." Bert said. "We just don't know if it will come back."
"I'll keep an eye out for it." The boy said. "If it forms around Lisa again, I'll call you."
"I'll have to do some research on the Unit," Cedric said, "because I feel like I've seen it somewhere."
With everyone's ideas, they split up for the evening. Bert went back to the Raccoondominium with Melissa and Ralph, despite the fact they had gotten no pictures of the Unit in action. Lisa and Bentley went to their parents' house, where George and Nicole were likely worried about them. Cedric made his way to the Sneer Mansion, intent on searching for any records on the Unit. However, the situation they were in was not over. It had only just begun.
Meanwhile in Ontario, a mink was running through the hallway of an office building. He had overheard that the Unit had not made its way to the company yet. The CEO of the company had been expecting the artifact, but it had not arrived, nor did the delivery men who were told to bring it. With that in mind, the mink knew that he was in deep trouble. He didn't know whether he would be put on probation or fired, but neither outcome was something he wanted. Once he got to his boss' office, the mustelid hoped to explain himself.
Upon reaching a door, the mink opened it. From inside the room, there was a desk, a cabinet, drawers, and a computer. There was someone behind the desk, but they had their back turned. The room's walls were read, the ceiling was white, and the floor had black carpeting.
"Garrison," a voice spoke, "have a seat."
Taking a seat near the desk, Garrison decided to speak with the CEO.
"Sir, there's been a frequency in the Evergreen Forest!" Garrison spoke. "We think that one of the Units has been activated!"
"I'm well-aware of the Unit's activation." The CEO spoke. "However, I'm not bothered by it."
"Why not?" The mink asked.
The CEO then turned his chair, revealing what he looked like to Garrison. He happened to be a raccoon with green eyes wearing a business suit. Once the mink saw his face, the procyonid had him get up and approach a map on one side of the room. Alongside the map seemed to be a few pictures of creatures that had been taken. However, none of the creatures were anything that one would see out in the wilderness. Rather, they were monsters that looked to either be mutated or come from outer space.
"As you can see, my friend," the CEO spoke, "we at Hades have Animaloids at our disposal. They are proud contributors to the company, and they are chosen for their abilities and sheer power."
"Can they handle the Unit?" Garrison asked.
"Of course, they can." The raccoon said. "If the Unit turns out to be a much larger threat than expected, then we will send more after it. The stronger the Animaloids, the harder time the Unit will have to defeat it."
"Now that I think about it, what were the Units known as again?" The mink asked.
"They go by many different names, but a worthy label for them would be the Raccoonvers." The procyonid said.
"Don't you mean 'Guyver', sir?" The mustelid asked.
"Careful! Want to get sued?"
"No, Mr. Whisker."
"Good." Mr. Whisker said. "Is Procyo dead?"
"From what I've heard, she is." Garrison said.
"In that case, send a few Animaloids to the Evergreen Forest." The ring-tailed CEO said. "Be sure to tell them to look for the first Raccoonver Unit, and bring it to me as soon as they find it. If they are able to find the third one as well, then our plans will be going in the right direction."
Nodding his head, Garrison left the room, going to gather some Animaloids that he could send to the Evergreen Forest. When he was alone again, Mr. Whisker looked at the city through the window. He desired to gather the first and third Raccoonver Units, so that the Hades Corporation could advance. With all three Units, the company would be able to take over the world, and no one would stand in their way. They were powerful weapons, and they would crush any opposition. Mr. Whisker only smirked, thinking about how his company would rule everything if all three Raccoonver Units were with the Hades Corporation.
The next day, Lisa was at the doctor's office, getting a checkup. Since yesterday, she had been feeling a slight pain. As such, George and Nicole set up an appointment, hoping that their daughter would be alright. Neither one of them knew what had went down in the woods, as Lisa and Bentley hadn't told them. Given how an artifact had suddenly wrapped around the older of the two and formed an odd suit of armor, it didn't seem likely that their parents would believe them. If anything, it would probably lead to them (more than likely George) monitoring what their kids watched.
Now that she was alone with Nurse Peck, Lisa waited for the results of her test. There was no telling what the Unit had done to her, but it still could've been lethal. When it had enveloped her, the sow felt it touch her pores, as if scanning her entire body. The moment it started to turn into armor, she had felt her nervous system respond to the Unit. Whatever it had been doing, the strange item had taken a liking to Lisa. That, or it had decided to merge with her. Neither option was a pleasant one.
"Okay, here we are!" Nurse Peck spoke. "First off, your bones and organs are intact, meaning that there are no damages to speak of. Second, there's no sign of a disease in your system. In fact, it would appear as though your body has improved."
"How did that happen?" Lisa asked.
"I'd say it's because you have a clean bill of health." The cat said. "Or rather, you would have a clean bill of health, if not for the two sores on your back."
Looking behind her, Lisa could see that Nurse Peck had noticed two particular areas on her back. Said areas had shown up in the morning, but there was nothing that the raccoon could do about them. Nurse Peck seemed to think the same thing, as she carefully looked at the sores. As that happened, Lisa wondered how she could have gotten them. Did she forget to wash her back when taking a shower? Could the material in her shirt had caused an allergic reaction? Was it something the sow always had, but failed to notice before then?
"Those weren't there before." Lisa said. "Could they have been caused by something?"
"I did a blood test on you, and there's no sign of a disease." Nurse Peck said. "However, you should come back in case the sores get worse."
"I'll do that." The raccoon said. "Thank you, Nurse Peck!"
Walking out of the room, Lisa went out to the waiting room. Bentley was waiting for her, having offered to come as a way to avoid drawing their parents' suspicion. Once they were together again, the siblings left the hospital, deciding to walk back to their house. As they walked, they had a conversation.
"So, what did Nurse Peck have to say?" Bentley asked.
"Other than the sores on my back," Lisa spoke, "she told me that I had a clean bill of health. There was even signs that my body had improved."
"Improved like how?" The kit asked.
"I don't know, but my lungs feel bigger." The sow said. "My eyesight seems to have increased, too."
"Could that Unit thing be the cause?" He asked.
"That, or I haven't been using certain parts of my body as much as I thought." She said.
"Come on, it HAS to be the Unit! That could explain the sores on your back!"
"Bentley, that thing couldn't have done anything to my organs. When those wires wrapped around me, I felt them connect to every pore on my body, primarily my face and torso. In fact, I saw my nervous system light up when it covered me."
"Gee, count me out of wearing THAT thing!"
As they continued to walk through the Evergreen Forest, Lisa and Bentley noticed a van driving by. The van itself had no writing on it, meaning that it wasn't owned by any establishments. However, that also meant that it could've been owned by a stranger with dangerous intent. Believing that was more likely, the siblings tried to avoid it, only for it to decrease its speed. The vehicle slowed down the more Lisa lead Bentley and herself away from it. Eventually, it stopped moving altogether.
Seeing that the van had stopped, Lisa knew she had to get herself and Bentley out of the area. The door on the vehicle came open, with someone stepping out. However, they went unnoticed by Lisa, with Bentley catching a glimpse of what they looked like. Once the Raccoon siblings had started to run away, the unknown person called out to them.
"Lisa and Bentley Raccoon?"
Nudging for Lisa to turn around, Bentley had her see who was calling them. The person happened to be a fox vixen with blue eyes, dressed in a business suit and a jacket. She seemed friendly, but neither Bentley or Lisa trusted her. As far as they were concerned, the vixen was a stranger.
"Yes?" Lisa spoke.
"Come here, I want to talk to you!" The vixen said. "It's okay, you can trust me!"
"We shouldn't talk to you." Bentley stated. "You're a stranger."
"Oh, now, don't worry!" She said. "It won't kill you to answer a few questions of mine!"
Looking at each other for a moment, Lisa and Bentley figured that there was something off about the vixen. A random stranger wouldn't just drive in the same area as a young woman and a little boy in order to ask them some questions. There was something else going on, and they agreed that trusting the fox was a bad idea. She approached them, looking friendly as she escorted them to the van. As that happened, the siblings agreed to do something if the vulpine turned out to be up to no good. Even if the Unit didn't return, they could still fight off an attacker.
Upon leading Lisa and Bentley into the van, the vixen pulled the door shut. After that, she told the siblings to take a seat, deciding to ask them her questions. Lisa was still suspicious of the vulpine, feeling that something bad was about to happen. Bentley had that same feeling, but decided to be patient.
"Now, how are you feeling today?" The vixen asked.
"I'm feeling okay." Bentley said.
"I just had an appointment at the hospital, but I'm feeling better." Lisa said.
"Are you planning anything special for the evening?" The fox asked.
"Not really." The older raccoon said. "We were just going to head home."
"Good." The vulpine said. "Now, here's the final question: Have either of you seen an artifact that was referred to as a Unit?"
"No, we haven't." Bentley lied, knowing that it had disappeared when Lisa screamed last night.
"Yeah, you're looking in the wrong area, ma'am." Lisa said. "Now, if you'll excuse us, we've got to head home before our parents get worried."
"Oh, I wouldn't be too sure about that." The fox said, turning on a TV that was built into the van.
As the TV came on, Lisa and Bentley were horrified by what they saw. Not only were George and Nicole shown to be in an empty room, but Bert was with them as well. Clearly, they weren't in that area willingly, given their uncomfortable expressions. Someone had brought them there, either by force or trickery. With that in mind, Lisa became worried for their well-being. Bentley, on the other hand, was far angrier.
"Where are they?!" Lisa gasped.
"They're being kept at the Hades Corporation office building in Ontario." The vixen said. "If you don't hand over the Unit, they will be turned into Animaloids!"
"Animaloids?" Bentley asked.
"Our main contributors, and the ones who will rule this planet once the Raccoonver Units are back in their hands!" The fox said. "They are either born organically, or created from the cells of other life forms! I happen to be one myself!"
Letting out a wicked chuckle, the vixen's body began to change. Her flesh mutated, her bones rearranged, and her organs changed. Once her transformation was done, the fox was now a serpentine creature with arms and legs. She was larger than Lisa and Bentley, but was still small enough to fit in the van. The monster's eyes locked on to them, almost paralyzing the two raccoons with her dark expression. As far as she knew, they had no way to defend themselves.
"Now I can deal with the two of you once I learn where the first and third Raccoonver Units are!" The Animaloid said. "You might even say that we at Hades thank Procyo for being clumsy enough to drop them in this location!"
"Well, Bentley and I don't know where the Raccoonver Units are." Lisa spoke. "However, we know this: You won't get away with what you and the company have done!"
"And why do you think that?" The serpentine creature asked.
"I'll tell you why, because there's a word that just came to mind: RACCOONVER!" The sow screamed.
There was a flash of light that surrounded Lisa as she shouted out. As that happened, the Raccoonver Unit appeared out of thin air. The armor surrounded Lisa, attaching itself to her body. Both Bentley and the Animaloid watched as this happened, but had different reactions. Bentley was shocked, but amazed to see the Unit return. The Animaloid was not expecting Lisa to be the one who had it, but she had gotten the information she needed.
Grabbing a phone that had been built into the van, the Animaloid spoke into it.
"Mr. Whisker, do not turn our guests into new soldiers!" She said. "We know where the first Raccoonver Unit went!"
"Good." A voice came out of the phone. "Don't worry about the third Unit, I've got soldiers and Animaloids looking for it. Just don't damage the first one!"
"On it, sir!" The Serpentine Animaloid said.
Putting the phone away, the Animaloid threw herself at Raccoonver. However, the Unit quickly threw her off. Lisa hadn't gotten used to the armor, but she needed to do what she had to. If she didn't, then either her or Bentley could've gotten seriously injured, if not killed. As she was inside Raccoonver I, the sow's body was protected. However, that didn't mean that she was safe.
Getting back up, the Serpentine Animaloid rushed towards Lisa. In response, the sow had Raccoonver I punch the monster. After that, she felt a tingling sensation in her arms, which seemed to be triggering something in the Unit. Flashes of light emitted from both, slowly forming into blade-like structures. Bentley took a step back, not wanting to get cut up by them. Once the energy weapons had been formed, Lisa now had something to use against her enemy.
"What?!" The Serpentine Animaloid spoke. "How were you able to bring out the Plasma Blades so quickly?! It doesn't matter, because you are about to die!"
Rushing towards Lisa again, the Serpentine Animaloid was about to rip her in half. However, the raccoon was quick to use Raccoonver I's Plasma Blades against her. The creature was sliced into pieces, then fell to the floor of the van. Once that was out of the way, Bentley opened the door of the vehicle and pushed the pieces of the dead creature outside. From there, he decided to stay where he was at, while the Unit hopped off of Lisa's body again. It vanished in the air, but that didn't mean that it was gone.
"What's our next course of action?" Bentley asked.
"Getting to Ontario, saving Mom, Dad, and Bert, and returning home!" Lisa said.
Knowing that the situation was far more serious than before, Bentley watched as Lisa went to the driver's seat of the van. He stayed in the back area of the vehicle, wondering what his older sister was going to do. The two of them couldn't rescue their parents and friend on their own. Ontario was also such a big drive, so it would've taken hours to get there. Not only that, but the siblings hadn't been there before. Clearly, Lisa wasn't going to go without a map, or an adult.
Steering the van out of the area, Lisa began to drive to the Raccoondominium. Bentley figured that she was going to ask Ralph and Melissa for directions, as they had been to Ontario before. However, he turned out to be wrong, as Lisa had him get out of the van. The two went to their distant relatives' doorstep, hoping that they were home. Neither one of them needed to knock, as Melissa had opened the door. Ralph joined her shortly after, greeting his niece and nephew.
"Uncle Ralph, Aunt Melissa, Bert's been -!" Bentley spoke, but got interrupted.
"We know!" Ralph said. "We were just getting ready to call the cops, but someone threatened us over the phone!"
"Why are you two here, anyway?" Melissa asked. "Shouldn't you be with your parents?"
"They've been taken, too!" Lisa said.
"What?!" Ralph cried. "Why would someone take George and Nicole?!"
"The Hades Corporation abducted them so that they could squeeze out the location of the Raccoonver Units!" Bentley said. "If we don't get to their headquarters, Mom, Dad, and Bert will be turned into Animaloids!"
"Their headquarters is in Ontario," Lisa spoke, "do you know how to get there?"
"Yeah, it's not that far from here!" Ralph said.
"We're coming with you, kids!" Melissa said. "You shouldn't do this alone! Neither one of us would forgive ourselves if something bad happened to you!"
"Thanks, guys!" Lisa said.
"Now, let's get back in the van!" Bentley said.
Knowing that the situation was dire, Ralph and Melissa joined Lisa and Bentley in the van. Melissa joined her nephew in the back of the van, while Ralph sat in the passenger's side, deciding to act as navigator for the trip. Lisa immediately started the van, having no time to lose. If the four members of the Raccoon family didn't get to Ontario, then they would be unable to stop the Hades Corporation from turning their loved ones into Animaloids. They agreed to make it as quick as they could, even if the trip to Ontario took longer than it needed to. Even if that happened, the four were not letting their relatives and friend be turned into monsters.
Meanwhile at the Hades Corporation HQ, Bert, George, and Nicole were sitting in the room they had been put in until further notice. The three were brought to Ontario in different ways. Bert had been grabbed while he was riding his bike, being told that he was expected somewhere. As for George and Nicole, they were told that there was a seminar in the city, and they were invited. However, they were actually brought to the building for one reason: the location of the two Raccoonver Units. While the married couple didn't know about it, the goofball did, and he wanted to keep it a secret.
While waiting, Bert heard a door open, causing him to get the attention of his friends. They turned their heads and saw someone enter the room. This person happened to be a raccoon like them, but dressed in a business suit. It didn't take long for them to conclude that this was the CEO of Hades Corporation.
"How are you feeling, my friends?" He spoke. "Good? Well, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Stuart Alexander Whisker, and I am the CEO of this company."
"Why did you bring us here?" George asked. "And where are our kids?"
"Your children are fine, Mr. Raccoon." Whisker said. "However, that doesn't matter at the moment. I have bigger fish to fry."
"What do you mean by zat?" Nicole asked.
"Well, ma'am, I'm glad you asked." The boar said. "You see, a woman by the name of Procyo stole three Units from a digging site. My company had been looking for them since new got out about them."
"Units?" George asked. "What kind of units?"
"Are zey for zome zort of machine?" Nicole asked.
"Of course not." Bert spoke. "They're for something else, aren't they?"
"Your guess is somewhat correct." Whisker said. "However, the Units do not have to be part of something. Rather, they need someone to be part of them. These are known as a bio-booster armor, commonly referred to as the Raccoonver."
"The Raccoonver?" The bent-nosed raccoon asked.
"Indeed." The CEO said. "Procyo was a member of the race who had created them. However, they were worried about the Raccoonver Units falling into the wrong hands, so they hid them away. That was until war broke out on their planet, with someone stealing the Units. Procyo chased them to this planet, and managed to escape with one the first and third Raccoonvers."
"How do you know all of zis?" Nicole asked.
"Because my company associates with the Animaloids." He said. "They were the ones who tried to escape with the Raccoonver Units, only to be chased by Procyo. If they gain the Units, then they would be able to rule the universe! That's something that the Hades Corporation was aiming for as well, so I had the company join forces with them!"
"That's crazy!" George said. "You don't honestly think that these Animaloid guys are willing to work with you, right?"
"And what happened to the second Raccoonver Unit?" Bert said. "Clearly, you're not terribly concerned about discussing it!"
"Fear not, my friends." Whisker said. "In time, you will see what I have planned. Until then, I suggest enjoying yourselves!"
As Whisker walked out of the room, Bert, George, and Nicole looked at each other. They honestly could not believe any of the stuff he had told them. However, given that he had dragged them here and was keeping them until further notice, they pretty much had to believe him. Despite that, they hoped that Ralph, Melissa, Lisa, and Bentley were alright. If they were somewhere safe, that was fine, just not how they wanted to spend the rest of their lives. George and Nicole looked at each other solemnly, while Bert only looked down.
Once they had arrived in Ontario, the Raccoons were intent on getting to the Hades Corporation's HQ as quickly as they could. Ralph was in charge of keeping an eye out for the building as Lisa drove. Melissa kept Bentley by her side, wanting to protect her nephew from harm. It wouldn't be long before the four ringtails found themselves in danger again. Considering how Lisa had bonded to a Raccoonver Unit, that meant that Hades was expecting her to show up. However, all that was on her mind was saving her parents and her friend.
"Alright, we're almost there!" Ralph said. "Just take a right turn!"
Lisa did so, managing to enter a parking garage. Once she found a place to park, the raccoon knew what she needed to do. It was up to her to get in there and save Bert, George, and Nicole. All the sow needed to do was call upon the Raccoonver, which would help her fight any Animaloid that came her way. Even if she wound up destroying the Hades Corporation's HQ, so be it. They were not going to get away with abducting her loved ones.
"Everyone, stay here." Lisa spoke.
"You're going in by yourself?!" Ralph asked.
"That's crazy!" Bentley said. "You'll get killed!"
"As much as I want your help, I don't want any of you to get hurt or killed." Lisa said. "I'm the one the Hades Corporation wants, so I'm going to pay them a little visit."
Walking out of the parking garage, Lisa saw that she was two miles away from the Hades Corporation's HQ. That didn't matter to her, as she immediately went to the entrance of the building. Once she had approached the door, the raccoon stood still. Knowing that the Hades Corporation had Animaloids, she was ready to fight. However, the sow needed to do one more thing before she entered the building.
"Raccoonver." Lisa said to herself.
The Raccoonver dropped out of the sky, wrapping itself around Lisa. Once the armor was on her body again, she entered the HQ, intent on looking for where Bert and her parents were being held. She didn't go unnoticed, however, as a few soldiers noticed her. As they had not seen the raccoon without the Unit, they thought that it had gained sentience. One of them went to sound the alarm, while the others ran away. Lisa ignored them, as her priorities were set.
As Lisa traveled through the Hades Corporation's HQ, the device on Raccoonver I's forehead started to glow. It began to send information to Lisa's brain, as if it were communicating with her telepathically. While the raccoon was ready to assume that the Unit had picked up Animaloids in the distance, she had a feeling that it was something else. She didn't know it at the moment, but she was going to encounter a being with great power. The sow focused mainly on rescuing her loved ones, even if the mission ended in her death. At least, if she died, Bert would be able to get George and Nicole out of the building.
Without warning, a few Animaloids surrounded Lisa/Raccoonver I. Having no time to spare, she decided to deal with these monstrosities. Using the Raccoonver, the raccoon killed each of them, being as quick as she could be. Initially, she used punches and kicks, but she moved on to ripping them in half. After that, the young lady activated the Plasma Blades, using them to cut her enemies down to size. Once the Animaloids were dead, she got out of the area, continuing on her way.
Bert, George, and Nicole waited for Whisker to come back. He had mentioned that they would see what he had planned, which meant nothing good. If he was going to kill them, why hadn't he done so? The CEO had even mentioned how the Animaloids could be made, so it was likely that he would turn them into Animaloids next. Whatever he was going to do, it would have led to their demise. He didn't just bring them there out of altruism, they knew it.
The door to the room came open, so the three assumed that Whisker had come back. However, the CEO raccoon wasn't the one standing in the doorway. Rather it seemed to be someone wearing a weird suit of armor that was purple. George and Nicole had no idea what to think of the entity, thinking that it was an Animaloid. Bert, on the other hand, knew who this person was. He had been there when they had received that armor, and when they were able to get it off. Of course, the raccoon was a bit jealous that they got it instead of him.
"Mom!" A distorted voice came out of the armor. "Dad! Bert!"
"Lisa?" George asked.
"What happened to you?!" Nicole asked.
"It's a long story." Lisa spoke. "Come on, we have to get out of here!"
"It's not that long of a story, young lady."
Turning around, Lisa saw a raccoon wearing a business suit. She had no idea who this person was, but the device on the Raccoonver's forehead continued to flash. It was trying to tell her something about him, though it couldn't share every ounce of information at the moment. As such, Lisa stood her ground, standing between him and her loved ones.
"There's nothing to be frightened of." The raccoon said. "I'm Stuart Alexander Whisker, CEO of Hades Corporation. And, judging by what the others said, your name is Lisa."
"My name does not matter!" Lisa spoke. "What matters is getting my parents and my friend out of here!"
"You are correct when you say that your name does not matter, because you have something that's far more important." Whisker said. "On your body is the first Raccoonver Unit, and I am intent on getting it from you."
"Don't give it to him, Lisa!"
"I won't!" The raccoon said, then turned her attention back to Whisker. "This thing on the Raccoonver's body has been flashing and trying to tell me stuff, and I want to know why!"
"That happens to be the Control Metal." Whisker said. "It acts as the battery or motherboard of the Raccoonver. If it's removed, the Unit will be destroyed."
"Well, why is it flashing?" The sow said. "It's flashing brighter now that you're here!"
"I'll tell you why, Lisa, my girl." The boar said. "Here's all I have to say: RACCOONVER!"
Bert, George, and Nicole watched as Whisker jumped in the air while screaming. He was then enveloped by something, which formed a suit of armor. Realizing that this was one of the Raccoonver Units, the three got to see what it looked like. It was similar in appearance to that one what Lisa was wearing (Raccoonver I), but it had a more masculine figure and a yellow tint. Lisa herself was in disbelief, as she was now looking at another Unit. Not only that, but this was only the second one.
"That's right, kid, I had the second Raccoonver Unit with me the whole time!" Whisker spoke. "And, because I would like to test my strength and power, I guess I'll start with you!"
Before Lisa could do anything, she found herself being knocked to the side by Whisker. She got back up on her feet, delivering a kick to his side. The raccoon eventually threw herself at him, practically knocking the CEO through a nearby wall. As that happened, Bert watched as the two Raccoonver Units wrestled away, trying to kill each other. He hoped that Lisa would win, but something told him that she would not. After all, Whisker was older, and he likely had more combat experience.
Pushing Lisa off of him, Whisker then opened up the chest plate on Raccoonver II. Knowing what was about to happen next, Bert's eyes widened. Lisa had used this weapon on the attacking Animaloids last night, and it was powerful enough to vaporize anything. If she didn't move, then she would be vaporized. As the lasers charged, they were becoming far more powerful. The moment they stopped charging, the weapon would be fired.
Once the laser was done charging, Whisker fired it. Thinking quickly, Lisa moved out of the way. As such, the laser annihilated the wall at the end of the hallway, with no casualties in the process. With that out of the way, Lisa then ran towards Whisker, delivering a punch to his abdomen. In response, the CEO threw the younger woman to the side, causing her to land on her back. They resumed their fight, throwing punches and kicks whilst moving down the hallway.
As they were now free, Bert, George, and Nicole went after Lisa and Whisker. The two had brought out their Plasma Blades, and had begun to have an impromptu sword fight with the weapons. Raccoonver I was struggling against Raccoonver II, who was running circles around its predecessor. Both the CEO and the sow were using their respective Units' weapons carelessly, damaging certain parts of the hallway. Slowly moving towards the fighters, Bert had his friends avoid the wreckage, not wanting them to get hurt. However, they did not notice the sparks that had formed as a result from the fight.
Eventually, Lisa and Whisker found themselves outside. The two were standing on a helipad, being surrounded by the Hades Corporation's helicopters. Bert, George, and Nicole watched as the two Raccoonver Units continued to fight. Lisa was struggling to bring Whisker down, using everything she could. As for Whisker, he was not showing any mercy against the younger woman. He just kept punching and kicking her.
"You're weak!" Whisked taunted. "And to think, you took down so many Animaloids!"
Delivering a roundhouse kick, Lisa nearly knocked Whisker down. However, he then grabbed her, getting her in a headlock. The raccoon struggled to get free, as her enemy had a tight grip on her. Despite her best attempts, the CEO did not loosen the headlock, doing his hardest to beat her.
"I must admit, this battle was rather fun!" Whisker said. "However, now, you must die!"
"Liza!" Nicole cried.
Unwilling to let Whisker beat her, Lisa head butted him, causing him to release her. The CEO stumbled back a bit, managing to keep his balance only for a second. However, the Control Metal on Raccoonver II started to flash repeatedly, letting out a strange beeping sound. Seeing her opportunity, Lisa performed an uppercut, hitting Whisker hard enough for the Control Metal to get disconnected from his Raccoonver Unit.
"How's that for weak?!" Lisa spoke.
Now that the Control Metal had been disconnected, Whisker was horrified. He tried to get it off the ground, but it was clear that there wasn't enough time for that. Raccoonver II began to dissolve around the CEO, the armor liquefying. Initially, it looked like the Unit was rusting away, but it soon started to look like molten metal. Whisker let out a pained moan as Raccoonver II began to eat his body and dissolve it into a puddle. As the bio-booster melted around him, its yellow visage apparent, the raccoon staggered towards Lisa.
"That's what happens when the Control Metal's removed!" Lisa gasped.
Opening up the chest plate on Raccoonver I, Lisa charged up the laser. When it was charged, she fired it at the melting Raccoonver II. As that happened, Whisker was briefly shown, his body looking unharmed. However, his body was vaporized by the laser, along with Raccoonver II's Control Metal. With his death, Lisa was now able to escape the HQ with Bert, George, and Nicole. However, what she had just witnessed made her sick.
Before they could do anything, Bert, Lisa, George, and Nicole saw that a fire broke out inside the building. It was spreading quickly, threatening to destroy the entire HQ. With that in mind, the four knew they needed to get out of the area. Doing so was easier said than done, however. They were so high up from the ground, that they would fall to their deaths if they jumped. Going back inside would only risk the Raccoons burning to death. Neither outcome was good, but they had to find a way out.
There was a sound in the sky, causing Lisa to look up. Bert, George, and Nicole did the same, wondering what was causing that. Something was coming towards them, but they didn't know whether it was good or bad. It eventually landed near the four, allowing them to see what it was. It turned out to be an odd suit of armor, which looked like what Lisa and Whisker had been wearing. Unlike them, however, this one was black and red, and there were noticeable spikes in certain areas. By looking at it, Lisa knew what this was: Raccoonver III!
"Are you the third Raccoonver Unit?" Bert asked.
"Yeah, but it doesn't matter right now!" Raccoonver III spoke, its wearer's voice being distorted. "What matters is getting the blazes out of here!"
"How are we supposed to do that?" Lisa asked.
"Listen, kid, if you can concentrate hard enough, you can fly!" The third Unit said. "Try to do it and you'll be able to carry your parents to safety!"
Looking at her parents, Lisa began to concentrate. She felt Raccoonver I levitate off the ground, its flight ability starting to kick in. Before then, the raccoon grabbed George and Nicole, not wanting to leave them on a burning building. Raccoonver III grabbed Bert, having him ride on their back. After that, the two bio-booster armors carried the three off the building, then flew to the parking garage where Ralph, Melissa, and Bentley were waiting. Once they were there, Lisa spoke to her mysterious ally.
"Thanks for the extra hand!" She said.
"Believe me when I say this, kid, I only wanted to take down the Hades Corporation." Raccoonver III spoke. "However, make no mistake, this isn't the end of them. They still have reserves, and Animaloids are still running amok on this planet. As long as they're still around, Earth is not safe!"
"Not unless we fight!" Lisa said. "The Animaloids might be on Earth, but they're not going to stay on it forever! If we can keep up the fight against these monsters, then everyone will be safe!"
"Hopefully, we can." The entity said. "I'm gonna fly away from here now. You keep your family safe, watch out for more Animaloids, and continue to work on your powers! Oh, and Lisa? I'll see you again soon."
As Raccoonver III flew away, Lisa had George and Nicole enter the van. Once they did so, she felt Raccoonver I leave her body again. Bert helped the young lady to her feet, giving her a warm smile. Looking inside, she saw Bentley embracing Nicole, while George was climbing into the driver's seat. The sow climbed in not long after, taking a seat next to Melissa. Bert sat across from them, then signaled for George that they were ready to go.
When they had gotten back to the Evergreen Forest, the Raccoons knew that this was only the beginning. As Lisa had bonded with Raccoonver I, they had to help keep her hidden from anyone who could've been working for the Hades Corporation. In addition to that, they would have to tell her when an Animaloid was around. It would be impossible, given how they could disguise themselves, but the family knew that they could overcome anything together. Lisa had promised herself to work on her combat skills, and they all agreed to help her out. However, they all knew one thing: they would see Raccoonver III again at some point.
Note: Quite a story, wasn't it? I bet that many of you are wondering who could've been Raccoonver III. You are allowed to guess when you leave a review, though I do prefer to keep certain things mysterious. As mentioned before, this was a story done for Halloween, so it's non-canon to my other stories. However, if you think I should write a sequel to it, let me know. I'm not sure if I would be willing to write it, though.
Until next time, guys, this is Newcomer24, signing off. Peace! Also, happy Halloween!