The Beast

The sound was equal parts a roar and a cry, and when it passed through Tina's ears she felt her already mounting fear skyrocketing. She had never heard such a noise before, and yet, it instilled in her a level of fear the likes of which she had never thought possible. Something deep within her resonated with that sound, a long unused instinct that told her to run, to flee, that the creature responsible for the noise was too formidable for her to challenge; an ancient call from her ancestors who once clashed with this beast in the ancient past.

And were never once victorious.

Tina looked up at the creature Gumball had become, involuntary tremors of fear shaking her being as she tried to stand, but was unable to do so due to her injury.

"Gumball…" she said pleadingly, all earlier confidence absent now. "Stay…stay away from me…"

But within the mind of the abyssalis cat that now stood before her there was not a trace of the consciousness of Gumball. The creature in his place knew nothing about friendship, or emotional attachments. Knew nothing about mercy or compassion. All he knows is the laws of nature and the laws of the strong. All he knew was instinct. And his instincts told him that the individual before him wasn't a classmate from school, (such concepts couldn't be more foreign to him now) but competition; a rival predator. And his instincts also told him there was only a certain response to competition.

Challenge. Subdue. Dominate. Prove superiority.

The abyssalis cat's only response to Tina's plea was to growl, crouch, then lunge forward with a ferocious snarl.

Tina only had time to fully stand up before the beast Gumball had become plowed into her, impacting her chest with enough force to lift both of them off the ground, sending them rolling up her nest of debris and tumbling down the other side. She impacted the floor first on her back, the beast on top of her, straddling her chest and leering into her face. Tina whimpered pitifully as these harsh movements aggravated her broken wrist, but a moment after she locked eyes with her attacker straddling her she would come to realize that that injury would be the least of her concerns, for she soon found the beast lunging his head under her lower jaw and sinking his teeth into her throat.

Tina growled in agony as she felt sharp fangs piercing her soft scaly flesh, made all the worse when the beast began throttling and thrashing her head around side to side by the thin section of skin he held in his jaws. Her head impacted both the ground and the pile of metal debris she slept on, responding to each impact with a resounding cry of pain, unable to even retaliate, she was in so much agony. Tina's blood splashed violently from the bite wound as she was thrashed about, drizzling over the floor and over the muzzle of her assailant, whose eyes just continued to glow menacingly, apparently relishing in the cries of pain from his opponent.

Tina could not believe this was happening. At this rate this thing was going to maul her to death. Gumball…was going to maul her to death.

A loud roar sounded from the door to her room and the abyssalis cat released his hold on Tina's neck to look towards the source. Her dad was standing in the doorway, his scarred face snarling in rage at the current state of his daughter, growling at the massive feline that was undoubtedly responsible. Tina usually didn't see eye to eye with her father, but at that moment she couldn't be more glad to see him.

"D…dad…" she whimpered pleadingly, gargling slightly as blood seeped up her throat.

Mr. Rex roared at the pain in his daughter's voice, lunging his head into her room to try and seize the perpetrator in his jaws. The abyssalis cat responded with a roar of his own, enraged even further at the sight of what he perceived to be another potential rival, muzzle stained crimson with Tina's blood. Just before Mr. Rex's jaws closed around him, the abyssalis cat vanished in a cloud of black smoke. Both the wounded Tina and the perplexed Mr. Rex looked around in confusion at what just happened for a second when Mr. Rex suddenly jerked backwards, his head pulling out of his daughter's room as he was seemingly yanked out into the wrecking yard.

From her vantage point, Tina could see that the beast had reappeared behind her father, seized him by the tail, and was dragging him back almost effortlessly, despite Mr. Rex's desperate attempts to halt his backwards momentum by repeatedly attempting to brace his massive powerful legs. After dragging him a fair degree, the beast suddenly began twirling around and around, dragging Mr. Rex along the ground, until eventually building up enough momentum to lift him up and begin spinning him through the air. Tina, wounded as she was, couldn't do anything but watch in astonishment. This creature was equal to her in size, meaning her father was a wide variety bigger, yet it was trouncing him almost as effortlessly as it had her.

What was this thing Gumball had become?

The abyssalis cat released his hold on Mr. Rex after picking up an impressive speed, sending the massive, roaring T-Rex flying off into the sky; much to the shock of the newly risen moon. The abyssalis cat let out one final roar as Mr. Rex flew off into the distance, then dissipated in a cloud of black smoke once more, though this time didn't reappear in the wrecking yard.

Now alone, Tina could only lay there on the ground, blood leaking from the massive bite wound in her neck. That, coupled with the pounding pain in her head from all the violent thrashing, as well as the pain radiating from the original broken wrist Gumball had first inflicted on her meant that Tina wasn't able to remain conscious for much longer, blacking out and lying still on the floor, bested in a fight for the first time in her life.

By Gumball…though he was not the Gumball everyone knew anymore.

—

Penny's hastily thrown together search party had not yielded any results. Even with Alan, Masami and Carrie searching from above, they had found not even a hint of Gumball's whereabouts, and everyone they'd asked hadn't seen him either. In fact, most people seemed annoyed to even be asked if they had seen him. It sorta irked Penny that so many people displayed such hostility when the Watterson's were involved. Sure, they have their annoying quirks, but doesn't everyone? Surely they weren't the only people that caused havoc now and then. And besides, Penny could see a side to Gumball that was both endearing and flattering, so why couldn't anyone else?

Although, her opinion might be a little biased, since he is her boyfriend, especially now, plagued by guilt and regret as she was.

As afternoon gave way to evening, Penny found her emotions going haywire, so much so that she actually reverted to her jackalope form in an attempt to increase her chances of finding Gumball, her diminished stature and increased speed and agility meaning she could cover more ground and maneuver through an area more efficiently, but no matter where she went, no matter where she searched, she found no trace of him. And as the hours ticked by she found her guilt and regret only increased, especially as the scenarios from Monday continually replayed in her mind.

That day, not only had she fallen for Rob's scheme, she had also wished Tina of all people on him (requesting for Tina to even give him a good bite on her behalf). Why had she done that? That was completely uncalled for; especially now that it was obvious that the banner's weren't Gumball's doing. No matter the circumstances, or how angry she was at the time such behavior was inexcusable, especially towards one's own boyfriend.

And not only that, she had also begun to realize just how much that incident showed how much Gumball had begun to mature. Now that she no longer felt what she had done that morning was vindicated she could recall the events with more clarity. Gumball, as Tina bore down over him, had indeed sent silent signals to Darwin to not get himself indicted in the situation and had indeed taken the brunt of Tina's wrath alone, giving Darwin a means to escape her wrath. Such chivalry was rare for Gumball, even when it came to her. Usually he would take down anyone he could with him whenever he found himself in trouble, but that morning he had given Darwin an out she would never have thought him capable of.

And it was then that Penny really truly despaired.

If Gumball was growing into such an honorable side to him it only made her affection for him grow stronger, and because of her actions he might have lost his affection for her. After all, when your significant other falls for an obvious ruse meant to get you in trouble, then sets an enraged T-Rex on you…Penny would definitely be angry if the shoe had been on the other foot and all that had happened to her instead of Gumball. Her one hope at this point was that Gumball had never held a grudge against her for anything (like taking Mr. Cubbles to the hospital with her when she visited him) and she prayed he wouldn't start now.

This whole experience had also been somewhat of an eye opener for Penny as well. Because, for the first time in their relationship, she'd been the one who'd goofed. She had to admit, she could understand Gumball a little better now, and what drove him to act the way he does whenever he messes up in their relationship. All the grand gestures and whatnot. She felt at the moment she would do anything to earn back his trust…if she could but find him.

But that was easier said than done.

She and the others had scoured all the places in Elmore where any of them had thought he might be; even Darwin, but had found nothing. It was slightly nerve-wracking (for those apart from Penny and Darwin, who only grew more concerned) because Gumball wasn't known for being efficient in anything, yet, he was eluding them, even with an "eyes in the sky" factor on their side. After Darwin had run out of ideas Anais suggested that they go search the mall. It was a reasonable suggestion. It was a fairly large building, and Gumball was intimately familiar with the layout; as any child should be in regards to such an awesome place to hang out; especially considering how many dates he and Penny had been on there. But such a large location would also require all of their combined efforts to scout out properly, so they'd all convened at the mall's front door and then split up throughout the expansive interior.

But, again, nothing was found.

After a few hours of searching they met up in the mall's foyer, the setting sun visible through the massive window that took up a big majority of the front of the building.

"Ugh!" moaned Masami, vibrating with aggravation, tremors rippling through her wispy body. "This is starting to get annoying beyond tolerable. How is it all of use haven't found him by now?"

They all contemplated for a second.

"Well…could he be "deliberately" avoiding us?" suggested Alan, tapping his "chin" with his string.

"You think Gumball would do something like that?" asked Leslie. "You'd think if he noticed we were looking for him he wouldn't avoid us, especially with Penny involved.

"Weeell…" Alan started somewhat reluctantly, wondering if he should say what is on his mind, especially since Penny looked so miserable already. She definitely wouldn't like what he was thinking.

"Alan! Speak up!" chastised Carmen, yanking his string indignantly. "If you think it will help us find Gumball then spit it out!"

Alan took a deep breath, his body inflating and deflating slightly. "It's just, the last time he saw Penny, she instigated that they might break up, so he might be trying to prolong that encounter for as long as possible. It's what I would do if it were happening to me and Carmen. And Gumball doesn't know yet that Penny has realized what happened wasn't his fault and is seeking him out to make up with him."

They all exchanged a look, Penny's look carrying just as much guilt as realization. Alan made a good point. Gumball didn't know that Penny had come to her senses and was probably operating under the assumption that the next time they met they might break up and was avoiding her.

They all, as inconspicuous as possible, observed their surroundings on the off chance they might just spot a glimpse of Gumball covertly observing them, ready to spring into the nearest hiding place should they spot him.

"But…if that's the case, how are we ever going to find him?" asked Penny in a choked voice.

"Well, not to rain on everyone's parade; if you will forgive the pun," said Masami, "But we might just have no choice but to wait for him to eventually show up on his own."

It was the obvious solution, but Penny had already considered it and did not like it. After all, the longer she left Gumball alone, the more likely he might decide to…

"But what if he decides to end our relationship himself by then?" asked Penny, her tone increasingly worried.

Carrie's deadpan expression somehow became more deadpan. "You really think he would do that?"

"Yeah, my brother is head over heels for you," said Anais, arms on her hips. Gumball is her brother, and even if they didn't always get along, she wanted to help find him.

"I know how he feels about me," said Penny miserably, the sun fully setting outside, giving way to night. "But even he might have his limits on how much he is able to take, even regarding me. And over the past few days I have given him the impression that I might be better off without him. Gumball has always done everything he thinks will make me happy, so If he comes to that conclusion…"

Penny couldn't continue, she became so choked up with emotions. Everyone in the party felt a pang of sympathy for her, even Darwin.

None of them noticed that, through the window, up in the sky, a massive object was hurtling towards the mall.

Darwin may have had problems with it in the past; jealousy and what not, and he definitely felt that Penny had crossed the line this time, but he knew how much Penny and Gumball's relationship meant to both of them. A breakup, especially one that had been induced by an outside party, would completely shatter the both of them. They had to find Gumball and fix this, no matter what.

But, before any decision could be made on their next course of action, there was then the sound of something truly massive impacting the ground from outside, a loud clatter reverberating through the mall from the direction of the front doors. Whatever had happened had obviously happened in the parking lot, for the sound that followed was that of multiple car alarms going off. Penny, Darwin, Carrie, Carmen, Alan, Anais, Leslie and Masami looked out the massive window, along with several of the other mall patrons, and saw a massive object lying among several toppled cars, which began stirring slightly.

"What's going on?" asked Carrie, her and the others exiting through the glass front doors to investigate this unforeseen development.

They hadn't even made it to the bollards outside the mall before they managed to recognize the writhing figure lying in the parking lot, the pavement beneath him cracked, as if he had impacted it with immense force, as the several tipped cars surrounding him indicated.

"Hey, isn't that…?" asked Leslie, pointing with a leaf.

"Mr. Rex. Tina's father," answered Darwin, remembering the brief encounters he'd had with the brutish T-Rex in the past.

"What's he doing here?" asked Alan. "He usually doesn't leave his wrecking yard after nightfall because of intruders."

"And why does it look like he just fell out of the sky?" asked Masami, noting Mr. Rex's prone position and the scattered wreckage around him.

But before anything else could be said Mr. Rex managed to climb to his feet. He was obviously very enraged, roaring in random directions, and when his scarred gaze centered on them, he let out the loudest roar yet. They all stiffened slightly and prepared to run back into the mall. In Elmore Mr. Rex was someone you did not want to cross if you didn't want to be eaten alive, and they were all very aware of that fact.

He roared again and made a step towards the mall…

…but then another savage roar tore through the early night.

Actually, it was more of a combination of a feral cry "and" a savage roar.

Mr. Rex and the party that had been searching for Gumball turned to the source, the former growling in rage, while the latter could only stare in absolute shock.

Approaching from further down the right hand side of the parking lot was the biggest, most ferocious feline-like creature any of them had ever seen. Its menacing, glowing eyes were centered on Mr. Rex, growling fiercely and stamping one of its massive paws, crumpling the front end of a car, who's alarm proceeded to blare, like so many others. Mr. Rex narrowed his eyes then roared at this creature, which responded with its own roar, both of them displaying their teeth intimidatingly. Then they charged for each other, Mr. Rex stomping forward on his massive two legs, while his adversary gallops forward to meet him on its four nimble limbs.

The group that stood transfixed at the entrance to the mall would note that the massive feline possessed portions that were practically equal to Mr. Rex's daughter Tina, which, while still an impressive size, was nowhere near on par with Mr. Rex's size, yet it was obviously challenging him. What was this creature, and did it really intend to go head to head and toe to toe with Mr. Rex? Mr. Rex had been challenged before in the past, but his opponents only ever survived through evasion tactics, never close combat, like this creature obviously intended to engage in.

However, they soon realized that there was more to this creature then there seemed. As they were about to clash, the feline suddenly vanished in a puff of black smoke, leaving Mr. Rex's lunging jaws with an empty catch. A split second later it reappeared in another puff of black smoke, this time behind the unsuspecting Mr. Rex, and then proceeded to bite down on the tip of Mr. Rex's tail and drag him the opposite direction.

Towards the mall.

Penny, Darwin and the others had been so perplexed by what had transpired that they had yet to react at all; practically rooted in place as Mr. Rex, who had just randomly dropped in (literally), suddenly did battle with a gigantic ferocious cat. However, they did react when the massive feline swerved to the right before them, twirling Mr. Rex by his tail over their heads. They screamed as the roaring T-Rex sailed over their heads, hunkering down and covering their heads with their arms as Mr. Rex's head impacted the front wall of the mall with such force his skull was forced through the mortar of the building in a shower of bricks. Then the feline, who still had Mr. Rex by the tail, twirled around further, dragging him further through the splintered wall, crushing more bricks, then Mr. Rex's head was forced through the malls massive front window, shattering the glass and forcing several shards into Mr. Rex's nose and cheeks. Once they had made a full one-eighty turn, the massive feline released Mr. Rex's tail, hurling him over the parking lot and sending him rolling across several parked cars, crushing many and setting off the alarms of many more.

But Mr. Rex's opponent apparently wasn't done.

The gigantic cat let out another one of its distinctive feral calls before pouncing forward, leaping over the path of destruction Mr. Rex had formed when he skidded and impacted him in the right flank just as he was standing up. The creature straddled Mr. Rex's side, gripping his shoulder with his foreclaws and scraping at his belly and right legs with his hindlegs, leaving bleeding scratches, growling and roaring. Mr. Rex roared in pain and thrashed, but was unable to shake off the massive feline that had latched onto him. He attempted to bite at his opponents hunches, but the movement only brought his muzzle in range of the hindlegs mutilating his lower body, which the big cat capitalized on and delivered a roundhouse kick to his nose. The impact was brief, but obviously carried massive force, the sound reverberating through the whole parking lot.

Mr. Rex reared up and roared in pain, blood gushing from his nostrils, as well as from deep claw marks on the right side of his muzzle.

It was here that his of pain grew to a level that Mr. Rex was no longer able to keep his footing, collapsing onto his back with a loud crash, crushing more cars and roaring in pain. Sensing opportunity, his opponent leapt up onto Mr. Rex's chest and proceeded to maul his head, swiping and bashing him with his claws. Mr. Rex's head was knocked from side to side with each hit, followed by more roars of pain.

At this point Penny and the others had recuperated from their brief scare when Mr. Rex was sent twirling around above them, finding, to their relief, that none of them had been caught in the falling debris from the now crumpled front of the mall. However, the sight that greeted them now was even more transfixing than before. This huge feline, it had somehow gotten the upper hand on Mr. Rex and was practically mauling him. Mr. Rex, one of the toughest people in Elmore, was being brought down by a creature that was hardly half his size.

They just couldn't believe it, but there it was, happening right before them.

A particularly hard swipe sent something glistening flying from Mr. Rex's mouth, which sailed over the parking lot and clattered on the ground before Penny and her friends, and, looking down, they saw that quite a few of Mr. Rex's massive teeth had now been knocked out.

It was only after his swipes were no longer met with roars of pain did the monstrous feline cease his assault, growling menacingly as Mr. Rex lay limply beneath him. After his opponent failed to move further, he lifted his face to the sky, letting out the loudest roar-cry yet.

At the front of the mall, Penny and the others somehow "felt" a message within that roar.

I am victorious! I am supreme!

These were the words those that heard the call of the abyssalis cat felt deep in their DNA.

—

From his dark realm, Green watched all this occur, his almost featureless face carrying a gleeful expression.

"Yesss…that's it Gumball! Tear and mutilate!"