The Territory
Night had fallen over the forest and Penny was still looking for Gumball, having not wavered from her frantic search for even a moment. Her aching heart still blinded her from making rational decisions, focused solely on finding her boyfriend and nothing more. So consumed was she by the notion that she hardly noticed anything else.
However, she did notice when the sound of frantic stamping headed towards her location, the ground vibrating beneath her. Turning around, Penny saw several rustling figures heading her way through the trees. Remembering what happened the last time she was in the forest, Penny turned and ran before whatever was amongst the trees could catch up to her. She didn't make it far before a broad figure sped out and past her though. Thankfully, it wasn't a predator, like a wolf or a bear; like it had been the last time, it was a deer. However, that didn't mean that the situation was any less dire.
A herd of deer was racing through the trees around Penny, and while she didn't have to worry about them trying to eat her, they could still trample her. With this thought in mind Penny panicked and transformed into her flying squirrel form, using her newly acquired claws to climb the nearest tree. Now out of harm's way, Penny watched the herd of deer as they stampeded into a nearby clearing ahead. She knew for a fact that deer bedded down at night, so why was this herd stampeding through the forest right now? Had they been roused by a predator? If so, what was it? A wolf? A bear?
The answer came in the sound of a familiar roar-cry amongst the trees, but it didn't belong to a bear or a wolf.
In the clearing, Penny's eyes widened in absolute dread as the same massive feline monster from a few days ago burst forth from the trees, smashing several of them down with a hard swipe of its head. Its humongous form crashed down into the clearing, scattering the herd of deer and knocking several of them off their legs. Most managed to scramble to their hooves and flee, but one unfortunate stag was caught in the huge feline's jaws, as it too had managed to get to its feet and bit down on the stag's back, the stag squealing in pain as he was dragged backwards.
Penny watched this all happening from her branch, her eyes wide with horror, shock and revolution as the massive feline thrashed the stag around, then released him long enough to pin him with its forepaw and then lung forward, latching onto the stag's back and flank with its teeth and proceeded to tear out a huge chunk of flesh, blood spraying everywhere, which glistened in the moonlight. The stag lay still on the ground now as the massive predator began to gorge itself and Penny found herself unable to watch anymore, scurrying back to the trunk of the tree and into a hole in the wood, where she proceeded to curl up and tremble in terror. Despite being fully aware of the laws of nature, what she had just seen had been the most brutal and animalistical thing she'd ever seen. Like most people of civilized society, Penny had been tempered against how savage such things like feeding could be in the animal kingdom and the sight had been practically too much to bear.
And to make matters worse, that horrible creature was here in the forest, which means there was a real possibility Gumball could come across it, and practically anyone could predict how such an encounter would turn out. Penny's last thought before overwhelming fear and dread practically made her pass out until morning was that she had to find Gumball before that thing did.
—
"Mine! Mine! This is part of my territory now! Mine!" It was next evening in the forest; Sunday evening to be precise, and Gumball was to be found on the cusp of yet another transformation.
He was currently scratching his claws against a tree, leaving thick gouges in the bark, his eyes glowing yellow and orange as his instincts spiraled out of control, demanding he stake his claim on this area by marking the trees with his claws. An eagle landed in the branches above, and while most people would find the sight a rare privilege, Gumball saw the raptor as nothing but competition. He let loose a horrific growl at the eagle, sending the bird back into the sky in fear.
But the eagle wouldn't be the only one terrified that evening.
Gumball turned as the sudden sound of a scream of terror reverberated around him and he saw through the trees that a pack of four wolves and a bear were currently chasing down something. Gumball's lips curled up into a vicious snarl. Everything should know by now that this was his hunting ground. No one was allowed to hunt here but him. He was about to go show those interlopers why it was a bad idea to challenge him when another scream called out from their prey again, and this time it spoke a legible word.
"GUMBALL!"
Immediately Gumball felt his instincts recede like waves on a beach, his expression turning concerned as his eyes returned to normal. Usually at this time, as the sun set, his instincts would be almost overwhelming, but hearing Penny's voice, especially so frightful, had granted him the necessary focus to come to his senses, at least until he transformed fully.
"P…Penny…?" he mumbled.
What was she doing here?
But, for whatever reason she was here, Gumball soon ceased caring, for he then realized that, on her current path, she would undoubtedly run into a mountain and hit a dead end, and with those predators chasing her, she'd soon be cornered. He knew the area well, having hunted here for days. He instantly felt the urge to do something. Penny was in danger, and Gumball couldn't just let her get hurt.
But what could he even do? Penny had been in such a scenario before and he had been less than useless then. And to make matters worse…Gumball looked at the setting sun. He had been able to wrestle control of his facilities from his instincts briefly at the sound of Penny's fearful screams, but any minute now the sun would fully set and he would be forced to transform into the abyssalis cat. He would have to act fast if he went to help Penny before she got hurt, and she would undoubtedly see that he turns into that…thing at night if he went to help her now. She would see him turn into a monster.
That thought horrified Gumball more than anything. What would she think of him if she saw him become such a monster?
Then again, as an abyssalis cat, he could easily deal with those other predators. Sure, Penny would be put in his sights, and while he had no recollection of himself while in that state, he hadn't hurt Penny that first night because of his feelings for her. Those feelings were as strong as ever, especially now, with Penny in danger, so Gumball believes that if Penny were to encounter him as the abyssalis cat again he would not be able to hurt her, same as before. Maybe. Hopefully. A bear and wolves that undoubtedly wanted to eat her, or the most dangerous predator in the forest that had already proved hesitant to eat her before. It was anyone's guess which scenario Penny was most likely to survive.
Still, it was a bitter pill to swallow. Gumball had wanted to resolve this problem before anyone found out what was happening to him, that way none would be the wiser, but if he did do something Penny was going to be eaten by forest beasts. No matter what, Gumball would never let that happen.
And also, besides saving the girl he loves, Gumball's instincts also wanted to show those predator wannabes what happens when you trespass on his turf, so with a deep breath to steady himself and a sigh of resignation, Gumball tore off into the direction the wolves and bear were chasing Penny.
—
This was all remarkably familiar to Penny. She had been searching the forest for Gumball with just as much resolve as yesterday, but rather than find him, or deer, like the previous night, Penny had run across the bear and wolves chasing her relentlessly at the moment, with the obvious intent of having her for dinner. The one reprieve was that there were no snakes or rats this time, but that was small compensation for the huge predators currently on her tail. Besides, there were twice as many wolves this time. She was so terrified at the moment she couldn't even transform into her more demure forms like a mouse or squirrel, let alone anything offensive, like a dragon.
Eventually, to her dread, she found herself faced with the side of a mountain, too steep to climb and too broad to skirt around in time to get out of the reach of her pursuers. She turned just in time to see the four wolves and the bear stride out of the forest and surround her on all sides, their fur bristling as they growled savagely at her. Penny gulped in fear as she backed up against the foot of the mountain, trembling from head to toe as the predators closed in on her.
"LEAVE HER ALONE!"
Penny gasped in surprise.
That voice…
It was a voice Penny hadn't heard in so long, yet was oh so familiar with. Looking to the source, Penny found, to her amazement and delight, Gumball stepping out of the shadows of the trees. He looked a little roughed up, but other than the torn collar of his sweater, he looked no worse for wear. Some people might find it suspicious that Gumball, of all people, had spent so long in a dangerous forest and appeared to be completely unharmed and in good health, but Penny only grew a huge smile of happiness and relief.
"Gumball…you're okay…" she choked, her throat seizing up with happy sobs. "I've been so worried about you…"
She would have run over and drawn him in for a hug, but then the wolves and bear turned to this new arrival and howled and roared aggressively, the sudden sound making Penny's demeanor shift from overwhelmingly happy and relieved to immensely angry, a scowl forming on her face, especially when one of the wolves broke away from the group and began creeping towards Gumball. Whom only reacted with a glare. Penny had just found her boyfriend again after so long, and after worrying so much, she was not about to lose him to some hungry predators. But before she could do anything, take a different shape or otherwise, Gumball shot her a look so firm and serious she would never have thought it possible from anyone, especially not from him.
"Penny, whatever you do, do not change!" he declared to her, his tone so serious it made whatever motivation that usually drives Penny to shapeshift dissipate instantly.
What was going on here? Gumball had never had such a commanding presence before.
Gumball turned to the lone wolf approaching him without a hint of fear, hands on his hips with an annoyed expression as he stared the wolf down, "I thought you guys would have learned by now who the new top predator is around here now!"
'Top predator?' The words echoed through Penny's mind, who hadn't the faintest clue what Gumball was talking about, but before she could contemplate any further the wolf lunged at Gumball.
"GUMBALL, NO!" she screamed.
But, before her eyes, Gumball caught the wolf by his forepaws just before impact, halting him in place without apparent effort. Penny could only stare in shock, as did the other wolves and the bear. Only in her wildest fantasy did Gumball display such strength, never in the real world. The sight was…almost incomprehensible. The wolf growled as he pressed his hindlegs to the ground, thrashing and squirming, but unable to break the grip of his would-be prey.
"I get it now," said Gumball, looking at the ground and closing his eyes. "You guys don't recognize me like this… Well…" Gumball threw his head back up and flung his eyes open, Penny gasping involuntarily in shock and fear as he revealed his eyes, now glowing orange and yellow. "LET ME ENLIGHTEN YOU!"
As the sun continuously set in the distance Gumball released the wolf's right foreleg, gripping his left foreleg in both hands, twirled around and threw him with such force that he was sent pirouetting across the ground and into a distant tree with such force that the impact rocked the whole tree from trunk to branches. For a moment all was still, then the wolf howled, whimpered and thrashed in pain, unable to pull away from the tree.
Penny could see why, and the sight horrified her.
The impact had caused two branches to impale the wolf from in front, the splintered, bloody tips now protruding from his back. The wolf thrashed a second longer then went still, hanging limply from the branches impeded through his body.
Penny observed the gruesome scene with complete and total bafflement and disbelief. Gumball…had just killed that wolf. Never before had Penny expected such an action from him before. Sure, Gumball could talk a big game sometimes, but his actions had never backed them up before. She stared at Gumball, whose back was to her, apparently looking in the direction of the wolf he'd just slain, his shoulders heaving with his ragged breathing.
"Gumball…what…what have you done?" she whimpered.
Gumball turned to her, still heaving, and she was again horrified at the state of his eyes. Then but he'd begun growling, the gutteral sound more indicative of a ferocious animal than an enraged person as he displayed his feline teeth, which seemed to be growing steadily sharper. The sun finally disappeared below the horizon then, and as night fell Gumball suddenly grabbed his forehead and began thrashing in place.
"G…Gumball?" muttered Penny meekly, growing more terrified with each turn of events.
Gumball looked at her through his hands, his glowing eyes shining through his fingers. At that moment, beneath the awakening beast within him, Gumball decided to classify this as the last time he'd ever see her, for after tonight he doubted Penny would ever want anything to do with him. His body then became shrouded in black smoke that exploded outward, leaving a sizable cloud drifting above the ground before Penny and the four remaining predators that had cornered her.
Penny gasped again at this completely unexpected phenomenon. Gumball's sudden brutal actions had been hard enough to believe, let alone witness, but to see him explode into black smoke like this? Sure, random things occasionally happen in this world, especially in Elmore, but never this random. And especially not during such a serious crisis like this.
"G…Gumball?" she inquired into the smoke, which had gradually begun to dissipate, fearful for her missing boyfriend she had finally found after so long.
There was no reply other than a fierce snarl.
"Gumball?" Penny inquired again.
This time she was answered by two massive, orange and yellow eyes opening within the smoke, Penny gasping at the sight, both in surprise and…recognition. Yes, she knew those eyes. Those horrible horrible eyes.
"No…it…it can't be…" she mumbled pitifully.
But sure enough, when the smoke dissipated entirely, where Gumball had once stood there now stood the massive feline monster that had attacked her a few days ago. The abyssalis cat observed his surroundings, then his focus centered on the bear and the three remaining wolves. His lips curled up in a sinister snarl at the sight of so many rivals, displaying rows of sinister fangs. He then tilted his head to the sky and let out that same roar-cry everyone had who had ever encountered him had come to affiliate with him.
Penny included.
It felt as if that sound reverberated through her very soul. She was reminded of that night she'd first stared down this beast, how it felt to be cornered in an alley, with no way to escape. She also felt a deeper rooted terror resonate with that sound, which told her to get as far away from whatever was making it as possible.
And she wasn't the only one.
The bear and wolves immediately began whimpering in terror at the sound, the wolves fleeing to the left, the bear fleeing to the right, driven to retreat upon the realization that they were now in the presence of the fearsome new predator that had made his home in the forest recently. No beast that called this forest home dared challenge him, aware of the fact doing so would be a death sentence. And apparently the wolves and the bear were going to be reminded of this fact here and now. The abyssalis cat was apparently not too keen on just letting his adversaries just up and retreat. Mercy was not in an abyssalis cat's nature, and none would be shown tonight either.
The abyssalis cat hunched his shoulders, and Penny's attention was drawn from the scampering wolves to the massive beast before her. She recognized that sound, and what it indicated was bad news from whomever this monster had his sights on. The abyssalis cat's fur bristled, slightly illuminated, then arc's of electricity flickered through his whiskers. When he next opened his mouth, the abyssalis cat spewed forth a massive stream of electricity that crackled in the night air as it sped after the fleeing wolves.
It impacted all three of them from behind at once, the wolves crying out in pain, their twitching, flailing bodies draped in electricity. Penny watched the entire scene with a look of wide eyed horror, the light of the electricity illuminating her face in sporadic flashes. After about half a minute the violent beam of electricity ceased, the abyssalis cat closing his mouth as the wolves fell limply to the ground, their bodies charred beyond recognition. With an aggressive huff, the abyssalis cat next turned to the fleeing bear.
Penny grew even more horrified when she noticed his attention shift and, against her own better judgment, spoke up, "GUMBALL NO! HE'S RETREATING!"
But the creature Gumball had become paid no heed to her words, vanishing in a puff of black smoke, pouncing on the bear's left flank as he reappeared, violently pushing the massive animal into the side of the mountain. They both disappeared in yet another puff of black smoke, reappearing in front of Penny, who could only watch as the brutal scene played out in front of her. The abyssalis cat had the bear by the back of the neck, the bear roaring and howling as the abyssalis cat thrashed about. Then the abyssalis cat braced his left forepaw against the bears back, then violently jerked his head forward. There was the sound of bones snapping and the bear's pained cries went silent.
Penny watched as the bear fell sideways to the ground before her limply with a thud, eyes blank and lifeless. For a moment, she just stared at the blank look on the face of what only a moment prior had been a well and alive animal, her sense of dread ever increasing. But her fear skyrocketed when the perpetrator of this violent action put his forepaws on the corpse of the bear and shattered the night with a massive roar-cry to the sky, and again Penny could almost feel the message buried within.
I am victorious! I am supreme!
After all that had happened, all the horrible things she'd seen in the past few minutes alone, Penny couldn't suppress a whimper of terror.
She instantly regretted it.
At her meek noise the beast that had just slaughtered so many dangerous animals turned its sights on her. Penny backed up and pressed herself against the foot of the mountain again, watching in horror as those fearsome eyes looked her over. They practically seemed to grow in size as the abyssalis cat leaned in closer, lips peeled back in a snarl, and Penny could see some of the bear's blood coating the exposed fangs. She could do nothing but look on and tremble. Sure, she could shapeshift, but couldn't, maybe because she subconsciously knew it would be pointless. Proverbially and literally backed into a corner, Penny wouldn't get far, even if she were to take one of her smaller and more agile forms and her dragon form had proven ineffective already.
But as time went on and nothing happened, which Penny was eventually able to comprehend. This creature, who had so savagely slaughtered five dangerous predators, wasn't doing anything but staring at her, the snarl even shrinking somewhat as time went on, toning down the ferocity of his appearance, though only slightly. Thinking about it, this was the same as last time Penny had met this creature face to face and so close up.
That's when Penny finally realized why this creature might want to hurt her.
"G…Gumball?" she inquired silently, staring into those luminous eyes, searching for more than just the savage beast she thought this thing was at first.
Her words didn't register to the abyssalis cat, but within him turmoil had spread throughout his mind yet again. This small being before him, every aspect of her appearance instilled the sensation of finding one's mate, but again, instinct dictates mate's are identified by smell, not sight, and this contradiction had once again left the abyssalis cat without a means to react.
Penny, however, did react.
Slowly, and with a trembling arm, Penny lifted her left hand and moved forward, with the intent of putting her hand on the abyssalis cat's nose. Her movement, however, prompted him to react at last. He didn't attack, but backed away, squinting his eyes and growling menacingly, Penny recoiling in response.
Then the abyssalis cat took off into the forest.
"GUMBALL, COME BACK!" Penny called after him, but was left unheeded.
As he passed, the abyssalis cat ripped the carcass of the wolf off the tree, the branches impaling it breaking off in a shower of splinters.
Penny could only watch as the creature Gumball had become bound into the forest and vanished from sight, falling to her knees. What had just transpired was almost more than she could take. She'd come here in the hopes of finding her lost boyfriend. Well, she'd found him, but she never would have suspected this in a million years. Tobias had been way off. Gumball hadn't been eaten by the monster. He is the monster. Gumball…he was the beast that had almost killed Tina and her father, attacked her and her friends and brought down those helicopters. And just now he had slaughtered five animals right in front of her.
The Gumball she knew would never have done any of those things.
What was happening with him?
Not only did Penny need to find out, she also couldn't let this deter her. She'd come here to find him, and she'd found him. The fact that he'd turned into a monster was no excuse to give up, after all, he hadn't when something like this happened to her. Sure, she hadn't killed any animals then; not even the first time she'd been chased by them, only driven them off, but that's besides the point. Besides, Gumball hadn't hurt her, either times she'd run into him like this, so it stood to reason he wouldn't hurt her now. Stealing her resolve, Penny got to her feet and took off in pursuit of Gumball, following the massive footprints and, with a fair degree of revolution, the trail of blood from the dead wolf he'd carried off.
Penny didn't want to imagine what he intended to do with it.
