Static couldn't help but have a smile on his face. Today was good day. He finally managed to convince his pop to give him the money to buy that CD he always wanted. He finally landed a date with daisy. He even managed to score some movie tickets. Best of all he finally managed to wrangle the Meta-breed into custody.
Everything was certainly was looking up. He watched from his perch on a building as the police loaded Ebon, Talon, Shiv, and Kangor into a van. A confident satisfaction welled inside his chest. A smile stretched itself across his lips.
"I'd say that this is another job well done for this heroic duo," Gear patted Static on the shoulder.
"All in a days work." He chuckled.
"So what do want to do now? Hit up the arcade? Have some celebratory pizza?"
"Oh you bet," Grinned static, returning the pat with a playful fist bump on Gears shoulder.
"Hey! Not so hard," Chirped Gear, rubbing his supposedly wounded shoulder.
"Walk it off. I think I have a slice of pepperoni pizza with my name on it," Static tossed his saucer to the ground. He only got a few feet off the ground when an unnatural chill crept into the air. A darkness fell over the city. Static first instinct was a solar eclipse but this felt way more sinister.
A great carpet of shadow spread over from the northern horizon blacking out the sun. A million shining multi coloured lights adorned this strange darkness. Looking closer Static realize that those lights were not lights but eyes.
The city went silent as the everyone stopped what they were doing to observe this phenomena. Cars stopped in the middle of the street as people tried get a better look at the ever darkening sky.
For only a moment the calm held. Then the sky broke as a pillar fell like a tornado landing onto the heart of the city. It remained in place as unnatural lights crackled off it like lightning.
"Gear, I think we may have to hold off on that pizza,"
Anna flicked through the ream of paperwork. Documents and file folders lay scattered across the desk. The lawyer typed away at the computer. The clacking of keys were the only sound in the office.
"Could you verify these dates," The lawyer pushed a sheet of paper across the wooden desk top.
Scanning the text she confirmed. Her ex-brothers trial has been slow going. Despite practically confessing to fratricide he was still putting up a fight in the courts. Mystery Inc. has been a huge help in gathering the evidence needed to put him away and face justice. Though it had been tricky trying to hide both the extraterrestrial encounter and Swiftshadow' existance.
The secret that her twins soul survives inside his own creations was truly a blessing. She eagerly awaited the next time she could see him again. She wondered at what stories he would tell. What new things he created. She worried about him but she had faith that Swiftshadow would keep him safe and ensure his return home.
Yet these things she could not discuss with of anyone. If she started spouting off the true events of Crystal Lake, people would think of her as crazy. That would risk getting the whole case getting thrown out. She refused to allow that to happen.
So she bit her tongue and presented her testimony as openly and honestly as possible. Sans a few details.
The sharp urgent clacking of high heals brought her to reality. The secretary exploded into the office. "Sir! You need to come see this!"
"See what?" Barked the lawyer.
"The Sky! It's turned black!" She pointed out the door.
Anna glanced at the lawyer who only shrugged. "We should see what the hullabaloo is about,"
They could only stare in awe as they approached the nearest window. A sky painted in the most unnatural of blacks. Horror filled her gut as column fell from the sky.
Danny dodged another on of Skulkers blasts. He zigged and zagged throughout Amity Park. The ghostly hunter remained hot on his tail. Just as he was able to sit down and relax with his friends at the mall Skulker had to come and ruin it all.
He hoped that he could have just one day off from that ghost fighting. It didn't help that The Box Ghost ramped up his persistence causing mayhem everyday for the last week. Fortunately he was quite easy to shove into the Fenton thermos. But it was starting to get a little grating.
"Your pelt will adorn the foot of my bed!" Skulker blasted his cannon. Danny gracefully arced himself out of the blast zone. The green laser flashed by turning a garbage can to dust.
"Over my dead body!" Danny retorted.
"That's kinda the idea," Skulker jeered as readied his cannon for another shot. Danny braced himself.
A wave of cold terror hit him like a hurricane. Skulker must've felt it too as he stopped dead in his tracks. The once shining sun was blotted out out by a encroaching shadow. It was if someone was pulling an infinitely black blanket over the atmosphere. Large glittering eyes decorated it like beads. A pillar fell to the earth like spilt tar. The land around it turned grey and lifeless. Multicoloured lights flashed off of it like lightning.
Dark globule creatures emerged from the pillar. Eyes cover their bodies. Long spindly limbs each tipped a razor sharp claw. Danny recognized these creatures. They were the same creatures that Julien kid used to capture Sam.
Panicked shrieks from the streets below urged him into action. Skulker had vanished without even calling Danny a whelp. As much as he wanted to pondered of the implications he had people to save.
Megamind aimed the welding torch at the metal. The Spider bot held perfectly still as he reattached its leg. Repairing the poor thing had been taking more time than he would've liked. The damage that Julien kid did was quite extensive. A couple of replacement components had to be shipped in from Romania. The expedited shipping was not cheap.
Storm lay on her bed chewing on a rawhide bone. Meagmind may have had her for only a few short days but he loved her with all his heart. Why had he never gotten a dog sooner? She was steadfast and loyal, calm and fearless. She was mostly content to sit and watch him work on his inventions and gadgets but always up for a game of fetch on occasion.
Lifting the torch he examined his handiwork. Clean and straight and perfect. Like all the things he ever created.
Stormed jumped up, hackles raised. She glared at the secret entrance growling. Megamind wished Swiftshadow was here to translate what she was saying. Perhaps he could build a translator collar. That would make for a challenging project.
"Uh… sir…" Minion pointed at the television. Megamind could barely comprehend what he was seeing. Roxanne directed her replacement camera onto the dark column sitting in the heart of the city. Dark spindly limbed creatures breaking free from its base. Strange ominous lights flashed out like arcs of electricity. People that were caught in the lights morphed and transformed into a menagerie of animals.
"Minion, Code: Lets go be heroes,"
"Code: Lets be heroes." Replied Minion.
Being a super thief Carmen was no stranger to darkness. But this was a different kind of beast. This was a foreboding menace. Threatening to consume all. No doubt about it that this was Malic Korvoth back in his true form. All that she could think of was that something had happened to Swiftshadow. But she couldn't focus on that right now.
A golden eyed tiger sailed over her. A orange eyed black bear charged. Darklings and transformed beasts swarmed the streets of London. A flock of crows and magpies swarmed a panicked mob. A girl stumbled and fell her body shifting and changing into that of a tufted deer. An anaconda coiled around a writhing man.
This was mayhem.
Gray tased the rampaging sloth bear. It slid across the sidewalk unconscious. Shadow-san dodged a charging ram. Zack and Ivy tag teamed an arctic wolf. Chase and Julia used some modified flash bangs to ward off several darklings.
To think that mere moments before she and Gray were having a chat over some tea. The two of them trying to figure out each others standing. The evening was pierced by the shrieks and screams. Upon seeing the sky go black, a pale faced Gray spoke the words that would be forever ingrained in mind. "He's here…"
Carmen needed no clarification. She already knew those eyes staring down on the streets. Only one thing could conjure shadow monsters and turn people into beasts.
Malic Korvoth.
There was only one person in the world that even had a chance of stopping this calamity. The only person that even had the power to. Carmen could only ask one question.
Where in the world was Swiftshadow?
Wilson could watch as Swiftshadow fell to there ground. Blood and energon spilt from her side where the spike impaled her. Cursing Wilson realized that all the bright bombs were inside Swiftshadow's backpack. Darkness spread and grew clinging and draining everything its path. Malic Korvoth was here. He was free. And Wilson could do nothing to stop him.
"Kelsey!" Todd's heart felt and sounded like a drum. Wilson clung to his shirt as he bolted for his sister. They were a stride away when a darkling erupted before them. Its razor claws aimed for Todd's head. For moment Wilson believed that this was the end.
But a violet flash of light became a saving grace. "Take the girl and get out of here or all hope is lost."
Wilson had only heard that voice a couple times before. Standing between Swiftshadow and the dark pillar was Crawford. His hands were alight with in a flaming purple light. Furious determination in his eyes. Malic Korvoth roared, "How is it that you still live?"
Crawford chuckled, "Such miracles are rarely bestowed upon those who demand them."
"No matter. I shall reunite you with your comrades."
Grinning, Crawford challenged, "I like to see you try,"
Brilliant purple clashed with the oily black. Tendrils and darlings were obliterated by the magicians magic. Within a few moves Crawford had set up an effective barrier shielding them from Malic's wrath.
Todd grabbed Swiftshadow by the wrists dragging her away. But he was struggling from the weight. The wolves reappeared from the brush with Sky in the lead. The she wolf grabbed the dragon by the horn assisting Todd in rescuing Swiftshadow. Cliff and Strong-paw grabbed a wing each.
A twinge of guilt gnawed at his processor. She was injured trying to save Julien his behalf. He stared at his little talons. Far to small and far to weak to assist Todd and the wolves. He internally cursed himself. If he ever had the opportunity he would build a far bigger and stronger frame capable of pulling an injured dragon out of the apocalypse.
An idea dawned upon him. he may not have the muscle but that didn't mean that he was useless. There was something he could do that might just save not just Swiftshadow but all of their skins.
Wilson leapt off of Todd's shoulder. Rifling though the saddle he found what he was looking for. The comm link that Wheeljack had given them. Without hesitating he clicked the button. "Hello is Ratchet there?"
"Yes? Who is this? How did you get on this frequency?" An old cranky voice responded.
"I am Wilson, A close friend of Swiftshadow. We are in desperate need of help."
"Swiftshadow? Is she alright?"
Wilson didn't know how to answer that. "We need help," He repeated.
"Do you have your location?"
Wilson rattled off a long string of of numbers. The moment the last digit left his vocalizer an aquamarine portal opened several yards ahead of them. A large blocky figure emerged from the vortex. A white and reddish orange Cybertronian came into view. This could only be Ratchet.
"What in the name of Primus?" His blue eyes locked on the void black pillar. Sky yipped drawing the robots attention to them. "All of you. Through the ground bridge," He Pointed at the portal.
"But Kelsey…" Todd cried.
"Kelsey?"
"He means Swiftshadow," Wilson amended.
Ratchet shook his head. "I'll grab her. You just go,"
Ratchet lifted Swiftshadow to his chest. The wolves whined chuffed among themselves. After a final snort Strong-paw darted off into the woods while Sky and Cliff bolted for the portal. Todd kept pace with Ratchet. Wilson clung to his shoulder.
"You coming Crawford?" Wilson called out to the battling mage.
"You go forth. I'll delay the horror. When the time comes, I'll find you,"
The last thing Wilson saw was Crawford battling the demon and the shadows reaching for a gleaming circular pool.