So, I'm here with a holiday chapter! As the usual with my writing, it will be messed up haha. Basically, just read and enjoy!
Chapter Four: Turkey Face V: The Final Carving
Gray leaned back in his seat, the ice mage interlocking his hands behind his head. "Yeah, I could have definitely done that destruction race"
Same. I would've kicked ass!" Alzack admitted, the dark haired gunslinger in a poncho curling a fist in renewed excitement…as his wife rolled her eyes.
"HAH! I'd beat you all!" Natsu boasted as he stood on his table, pointing with a confident grin.
"How you idiot? All you would do is get sick the second you got in one of those cars! YOU WOULD LOSE TO ME!" Gray shot back with a boast.
"I'd burn your tires!" Jumping down to challenge his rival, Natsu was grabbed by Erza and returned to his seat by force.
"None of that now. Remember we have the queen visiting so behave yourself, Natsu. Same with you Gray" Locking eyes with Gray, the man relented, retaking his seat.
"Still could beat him in a car race…" Mumbling, Gray had to let it slide. After all, Erza was watching.
"I'd cheer for you" Smiling brightly, Juvia inched closer, the attractive blunette attempting to wrap her hands around her love.
"Ah…thanks?" Not giving much back, he just would find a way to kick Natsu's ass when Erza wasn't looking.
"I wonder what type of fuel those vehicles used? It didn't look they were powered by magic" Romeo pointed out, the young man talking about the last timeline with his father.
"I don't know, but if that type of entertainment gets developed here, I'll take you for a father/son trip to watch cars getting smashed!" Curling his fist in fatherly determination, Macao grinned.
"WOW! Thanks dad! You're the best! This would make up for all your pervert antics!"
"Come on son…don't say that in front of the queen!" Hastily waving his arms, Macao awkwardly laughed.
Mira was looking around, studying the idly talking mages, some of whom were still excited about vehicular destruction. "Okay! Next universe!" Smiling impishly, she slammed her palm against the green button.
"Hey! We weren't ready yet!" Lucy shouted in a scramble, the busty blonde running over to her table with a salad. Sitting down as the cube started to glow, her chest gave a slight bounce.
"Wow Lucy, you're still really slow" Happy added, the cat picking up one of the salad leaves. "Why are you eating grass? You're so weird"
"It's called a salad you cat" Huffing, she forked a biteful into her mouth as the lenses flashed, spilling a new universe on the wall across the guild.
A massive, sprawling city was spread across a peninsula while a fifth island sat across a wide waterway that stretched along a coast. Boats of private citizens along with large vessels loaded down with metal containers worked their way to along the water, their destination presumably the massive port that faced the endless expanse of water beyond.
Some passed a large statue of a woman in a green robe holding a torch, her arm stretched upwards as the monolith stood silently on a lone island in the center of the harbor.
Connecting bridges spanned the channel between the mainland and island, the works of engineering a span of concrete and steel. Some of them were mainly for road vehicles while some were combined with train tracks, allowing the steel carriages to cross unimpeded. Supported by thick cables of steel and rising columns of stone, each saw columns of traffic crossing, the snarl of cars thick.
Towering structures of steel, glass and concrete rose from the central island, some rising nearly a hundred stories while a very light snow began to fall.
"What a magnificent city. Could you imagine if Crocus looked like this? Amazing structures" Hisui commented with slight awe.
"It is truly beautiful, my queen" Cosmos added as the lenses started to shift the vision.
A large aircraft sped down a runway, slowly lifting into the air as jet engines screamed against gravity. Painted white, the transport displayed 'Delta Airlines' across the fuselage as it rose above the city of sprawling steel and class.
Shifting views raced toward the peninsula of towering structures, specifically a large boulevard lined with throngs of cheering people wearing coats, hats, and gloves against the winter chill. Standing behind barricades, several blue and white cars and men in blue uniforms stood guard.
A woman stood, her blonde hair falling to her shoulders while a warm jacket and earmuffs provided a sense of comfort. Standing before a camera man, she smiled brightly. "Hello and Merry Christmas to New York City and the rest of America! In an hour, the 98th annual Macy's Christmas Parade will kick off as the country celebrates this national holiday. Waiting to start we will soon be enjoying the passage of floats, musical bands and New York's finest along Manhattan's 5th Avenue"
"So that city is called New York? That's weird. Is there an Old York?" Wendy asked, only to receive shrugs.
"Doesn't change the fact it's a massive city and clearly more advanced than our own Magnolia. Still, I've never heard of 'America" Cana added with a questioning tone. Sipping some beer as beads of sweat traveled toward her cleavage, the brunette studied the massive structures of this vastly different city. "Have to admit that is one big statue in the harbor. I wonder why they built it?"
"Well, this city is probably part of that country. Still, what a weird name…America" Freed finished, the strange name rolling around in his mind.
"Does appear to be festive. I say we keep watching, even just to see how this world celebrates Christmas" Levy said with enthusiasm, her words gaining support.
"THEY SHOULD NAME IT MAGNOLIA! NOT OLD NEW YORK! THAT'S DUMB!" Curling his fist, Natsu was very critical of the name as Elfman scoffed.
"You unmanly idiot. Why would they rename it Magnolia? And you don't even have the words right. It's New York, Not Old New York" Crossing his large arms, Elfman tried to ripple his biceps in intimidation.
"Now now, let's just enjoy this festive parade" Makarov uttered with a calming tone, leaving the guild hall to return their attention as the view suddenly changed.
The building appeared to be a processing plant of sometime, the business located along the river as several men used a mobile crane to lift and hoist a large vat onto the factory floor. Surrounded by several docks bobbing with fishing trawlers, the fishing wharf was a constant bustle of industry as the snow continued to fall in light dustings.
"Come on Larry…easy does it…" Holding up his hands in a stopping motion, the leader waited as the large vat slowly swung under the creaking harnesses. "Okay, now slowly. I don't want this vat damaged"
"But boss? Didn't you get it on sale for dirt cheap?" Another man asked, his large belly hidden by a checkered coat while a yellow hat sat on his head.
"So what? Doesn't mean I want it damaged. Alright, gently…" Waving his arms to indicate what he wanted, the vat finally settled onto the floor as the men started to swarm the empty container now nestled among several others of similar make. Unclasping the straps and hooks, they worked fast.
An old man appeared in the open loading bay, unseen by the workers as he stepped inside out of the light snow. Wearing blue jean coveralls and a darker blue shirt, a straw wick farmer hat sat upon his head as wrinkles of age crossed his face. "Best get rid of that vat"
"Huh? Turning, the workers finally saw the old farmer, catching their attention. "Nah, get out of here old timer. I bought this vat for meat processing on sale. Saved quite a bit of money too"
"That vat's cursed you know. Forms a portal to summon Jack Handy if you repeat his name three times. Yeah, lots of history with that vat. Fell in you know, Old Jack. Was delivered and eaten in twenty different towns after being ground up, causing cannibalistic madness in a dozen families enjoying their thanksgiving. Resulted in nearly thirty murders as they ate each other" Taking off his hat, the old man continued. "Yup, lots of history with that machine. Just two years ago, Jack was summoned, taking the name of Turkey Face on Halloween. Killed dozens in a slaughter across the town of Fayetteville. Before that, massacred half the village of Thorny Wood in eighteen eight seven. Yeah, lot's of history with that cursed machine"
"Man, get the hell out of here" Waving in dismissal, the boss and his workers started to turn away….but the old man wasn't done.
"Yup, was stopped by four strangers that night. Women that ended his carnage. They stole his axe and defeated him, but old Jack…well he's just waiting to be summoned again" Putting on his hat, the old man started to leave, his wrinkled face filled with a lifetime of memories. "Just remember…he can only be stopped by his own weapon. It's old witchcraft you see, binding them together with dark magic dragged from hell. Leave that meat vat alone and walk away. Walk away before he returns as Turkey Face" Finally leaving, the old farmer seemed to disappear in the falling snow.
"Forget him boys! We got it in place and can get it hooked up on Monday. Let's get home to our families" Grinning, the graying older boss laughed with a mischievous grin. "Jack Handy. Jack Handy. Jack Handy"
The vat sat silent around the five men, who promptly laughed after a minute of nothingness in the silent meat processing plant.
"What…what an idiot! He must've been a crackpot off the streets" chuckling in an uproar, the five continued to laugh.
"What the hell was that all about? Some old farmer from out of nowhere talking about cursed vats and cannibals? What a sicko, especially on a holiday" Evergreen said with a cross opinion, disliking the crazy old man.
"I hope he finds the mental help he needs" Bowing her head slightly, Kamika said a small prayer for the poor farmer.
"Come on, let's lock up and get outta here. Grab a few drinks at Mullihan's" Waving toward the open garage bay, the five started to walk, turning their backs on the vat.
"Jaccckkk…Handddyyyyy…."
The voice echoed through the building, a sinister tone laced with dread, forcing the five to halt near the loading bay.
"Hey boss, that was pretty good" Larry chuckled, the crane driver standing outside among the flecks of snow.
"That wasn't me" Turning slowly, Mister Kentelli stared at the newly acquired meat vat as the first flecks of red sparks started to fly over the rim.
"Jaaaccckkkk Haaannnnddyyyy" The flaring crimson sparks suddenly exploded upward, blowing through the roof as steel and supports were burned away. Scarlet droplets of red splashed against nearby machinery and conveyor belts, painting them a horrid color as a large hand gripped the side.
"Wh…what the fuck!?" Kentelli uttered, the boss and owner of the processing plant slowly taking steps backwards.
A man pulled himself from the vat, landing with a loud thud among the rivers of scarlet splotches. Wearing thick, black boots with a square brass buckle, they led upward to tottered black pants supported by a nearly identical belt buckle. Bare chested, the torso was a rippling mass of muscle and strength, each fiber and sinew filled with brutal power.
Upon the head was a red santa hat with white frilling around its base, but that wasn't the most distinctive feature.
Stepping forward, the face was finally revealed as a nightmare of skins and meats stitched together, the discoloration between each piece prominent as the man slowly smiled. But the smile was distorted, pulling at hardened lips that somehow matched the sinister, avian eyes settled above the ruined mass of flesh for a nose.
Lifting his arms, the right hand clutched a large hatchet, the blade horrifically sharp as it glinted under a minor shaft of light. "Yes…YES! TURKEY FACE HAS…RETURNEDD!" Hefting his weapon, he threw it as hard as he could toward Mister Kentelli, cleaving the man in half vertically as the hatchet spun through the air. Passing through the meat of the owner, the blade embedded in a nearby truck, the shaft giving a light pulse.
"Oh shit…" Larry gasped as the two halves of his boss fell away, spilling gore and intestines across the loading bay. "OH SHIT! THE OLD FARMER WASN'T LYING!" Sprinting away as fast as he could, the workers scattered as Turkey Face stepped into the cold.
"Oh god…oh god…!" Lucy stammered, the sudden turn to horror a nightmare as the monster retrieved his hatchet from the vehicle. Stepping through the viscera and steaming intestines, Turkey Face grinned.
"What kind of messed up monster is that!? AND THE FACE! IT'S HIDEOUS!" Evergreen cried out in a low scream of dread. Her skin crawled, the patchwork stitching of Turkey Face a visible horror that made her sick to her stomach.
"That crazy farmer was telling the truth! Why did that man tempt fate!?" Gildarts added with his own shout, the Ace of Fairy Tail finding the summoned monster a feast of nightmares.
"I'm changing it!" Levy suddenly shouted, her eyes brimming at the sudden murder of the man in truly gruesome fashion. Slamming her palm down on the red button, the machine pulsed then let the image fade into nothing, leaving the guild silent.
"Okay…that was pretty bad. Let's just…try for a much better timeline" Lisanna gulped lightly, the image of the man's entrails still horrifically fresh.
"Right" Hitting the blue button, Mira activated the cube as the lenses pulsed with a fresh timeline.
"Time to find…some meat!" Stepping into the street, Turkey Face grinned savagely as he marched, passing several parked cars.
"What the hell? Did it not work?" Gajeel asked Levy, the woman quickly nodding her head. "It did! This…this is another universe with the same monster!" Hitting the red button again, she ended the viewing link, only to have Mira push the green button once more as the lenses flared with light while the ebbing lines of blue pulses along the cube sides.
Turkey Face brought down his hatchet, cleaving the head of an obese woman, her gurgling death spasm drowned out by nearby screams.
"It keeps going to similar timelines…" Bisca gulped while she covered Asuka's eyes, the mother trying to protect her daughter from the bloodshed.
"I have the distinct feeling if you severed the connection, the next universe will be nearly exactly the same" Erza concluded with distaste. Looking away as the woman fell to the sidewalk, there was nothing the guild could do.
"L…let's just try to get through it. Juvia thinks we will see more pleasant timelines…and bad ones" Gulping, the water mage, and for the most part, none of the mages had ever witnessed such brutal violence.
"YO! Ugly mutha fucka! That was my ho!" Pulling a gold plated gun from his waistband, a man in a red suit and purple hat shot at Turkey Face, blowing a trio of holes in the hardened muscle of the chest.
"Meaaattt…" Walking forward as the damage healed with a sickening stitching of sinew, Turkey Face swung his blood covered hatchet, bringing the sharpened blade into the pimp's shoulder clavicle. Blood sprayed as the man shot the rest of his magazine in a death spasm, the life blood a geyser of pressure that arced against a nearby window with security bars.
Gurgling as he fell, several other onlookers ran with screams, leaving the dying pimp sprawled on the pavement.
"Fressshhh…meat…." Executing the dark skinned man with one more skull cleaving swing, the monster continued to hunt as he walked down the roadway lined with parked cars.
An Asian woman ran, her long coat fluttering as she hastily fumbled for her phone. Finally pulling it out, she looked behind in frantic fear as Turkey Face smashed down the hood of a taxi with his bloody hatchet, crumpling the internal machinery as oily smoke poured from the damage.
The driver got out, his large turban and darker skin tone covered by a thick beard. Instantly turning to run, the Palestinian didn't make it two steps before Turkey Face swung horizontally, decapitating the taxi driver. The head dropped into the slush, the man's body spurting blood for a few moments before collapsing moments later.
"Thankskilling…Slaughterrrr…"
"Shit!" Running around the next corner toward a more populated road, the woman found herself among more pedestrians going about their business as snarls of traffic diverted from a minor fender bender two blocks away. "HELP! There's a maniac killing people! He's right behind me!" Pushing past two men in jackets displaying the word New York Giants, the woman ran as fast as she could, terror taking her heart.
"Man, fuck you bitch. Watch where your going" One of the men uttered while adjusting his coat.
"Forget her, Travis. Probably some tourist from Japan or something" Laughing lightly, the two halted as Turkey Face rounded the corner, his hardened muscles covered with splashes of blood. Gripping his hatchet as the red and white fluffy hat bobbed on his head, the entity curled up his patchwork face in a cruel smile as his sinister eyes took in the heavier traffic of the side avenue.
Cars and trucks honked, slowly crawling as countless pedestrians walked, going about their business. Some hailed down taxi's, others were walking toward a nearby subway station, descending the stairs into the bowels of the city.
"Oh man, what are you supposed to be? Some mental patient retard? Haha!" One of the men laughed, earning a guffaw from the other with darker skin who stepped up.
"Yo, you better step outta my way otherwise me and my boy here will fuck you up" Getting close, the man called Travis jabbed a finger into Jack Handy's bare chest while raising his jacket, showing a hidden gun in the belt.
Turkey Face let his smile grow, the patchwork of meats shifting with the muscle movement. Suddenly jabbing his beak shaped nose forward, he bit the man's face, ripping away flesh.
"AAAAAHHHHHHUUUGHHHH!" Screaming in torment as the skin of his cheek was peeled off by the bite, Travis tried to pull his gun as the monster chewed.
"Delicioussss…" chewing with grotesque pleasure, Jack Handy stepped forward with his hatchet raised.
"Yo! Come on man!" Pulling his bleeding friend, the two started to flee as Travis fired, finally getting his gun free.
The gunshots rang out, causing fresh alarm from nearby pedestrians as several ran, their instincts to find cover taking hold.
"Man! That psycho bit off part of my face!" almost crying in torment, the man continued to run and fire behind him, furious agony taking over.
Several rounds struck Jack Handy in the chest, but the fire was ineffective as the damage slowly healed.
"DELICIOUS MEAT!" Unleashing his hatchet in a wide arch at the two men, it rotated like a buzz saw, cutting through their midsection's seconds later right before several horrified onlookers. Gore and blood spattered across the sidewalk, then intestines loosed as the two fell in different pieces, the steam rising among the winter cold.
"AAAAHHHHH!" A woman shrieked in horror, her clothes covered in splashes of red as she turned, running for her life as more screams of alarm rose from fleeing civilians.
"This thing is a…a…monster" Natsu gulped, the fire mage having never witnessed such blatant evil. Hugging Happy who hid against his chest, the man hugged tighter.
"A demon is more like it. And the fact that it can rapidly heal itself makes it even more terrible. I truly hope the rulers of this city can summon the forces needed to defeat such evil" Hisui stated, her vision brimming with alarm.
"The old farmer mentioned killing it with its own weapon. Hopefully somebody manages to do just that" Gildarts mentioned, the crash mage finding the whole thing disgusting.
"Makes some of the wild life and monsters we deal with look like harmless kittens. Vulcan's are nothing compared to this nightmarish fiend" Macao finished, the father of Romeo trying to comfort his son who had looked away on occasion.
"Grrr…SOMEBODY KILL THAT THING!" Juvia suddenly shouted, the water mage balling her fist in anger.
"YEAH! Beat up that monster!" Wendy added, the young sky maiden disgusted by the terrible creature killing innocent lives.
Turkey Face marched into the middle of the wide, four lane road, interrupting the flow of traffic as more drivers started to realize something was wrong. Many fled their vehicles, abandoning them in traffic as Jack Handy used his murderous hatchet to halt a box truck, embedding the glistening blade in the engine.
"Your one of those muslim terrorists! I'm calling the po—" A heavier set man started to say, only to be cut down in bloody horror three steps from the cab of his truck.
Several cars of white and blue pulled up at the next intersection, the red and blue lights on top flashing in a staccato of warning. Four men stepped out, each in a darker blue uniform as they raised their firearms.
"NYPD! Drop the weapon and put your hands behind your head!" One of them yelled with authority.
Turkey Face stepped on the fallen corpse of the truck driver, crushing the head in a small explosion of bone fragments and brain tissue. Curling his grotesque lips in a smile, he walked forward toward the police men.
"Fire!" the lead officer yelled, prompting the other three to unleash a hail of lead into the monster. Bullets slew through sinew and muscle, the physique ripped and shredded by each gunshot…but the demon continued to march toward the police.
"Giblets…" Voice low and full of menacing hate, the hatchet gave a pulsing ebb of evil, the blade now coated in red.
"It's not stopping!" One of the officers cried out as he reloaded, dropping the empty magazine in a hasty reload. Firing once more, he was shocked as Turkey Face jumped, then landed right on the hood of the squad car on the right.
"GIBLETS!" Swinging harsh and fast, the blade cleaved the officer's head in two, spilling fresh gore that exploded outward in a horrific spray of viscera. Rapidly turning as his flank was peppered with more gunfire, Turkey Face sneered in contempt as the others reloaded.
"Time for…THANKSKILLING!" Getting close to another of the officers, he hacked the man to death with goreful glee and laughter. Crimson splattered his muscular chest, more against the stitched patchwork of his face that resembled rotting meats.
"This is unit Two Three Three! Officers down! Officers down at East One Twenty Sixth Street and Park Avenue!" Jumping in the squad car with the other officer, the driver reversed in haste, squealing the tires as the maniac watched with hungry eyes.
Standing still for a moment, Turkey Face surveyed the area, finding it deserted. Only abandoned vehicles and the dead remained, their bodies still cooling from the puddles of viscera among the light snow. Craning his head upward toward the towering buildings around him, the beast panned his gaze toward his left as more of the city went unaware of his presence.
"Slaughter…feast…." Walking East from the intersection, his grin curled with sinister intent as the cheers of holiday revelry floated from 5th avenue. Turning in that general direction, the demon Jack Handy hefted his hatchet, the blade slick with dripping gore.
"Oh no! Don't tell me that horrible creature is heading toward the parade! There's so many innocents there!" Lisanna said in a shout of mixed horror and disbelief.
"Dammit! If only that Saitama was there! He could kill that thing no problem!" Max added while slamming a balled fist into his left palm, the sand mage correct in assuming the Caped Baldy could defeat this monster.
"Unfortunately, I don't see how Saitama could be there. The…New York Police will have to do something about him. Still a weird name, why not New York Knights? Like our Rune Knights?" Levy asked Gajeel who only gave a minor shrug, then resumed his hard glare at the demonic beast.
"They still have time! With how big that city is, he has to traverse half the length of that peninsula to reach those celebrating!" Romeo pointed out as his words rang true.
Turkey Face had dozens of city blocks to traverse before he could threaten the throngs of crowds along Fifth Avenue.
Siren's flared as half a dozen police cars raced through the streets, the emergency call going out to the nearest station. Warbling sirens were thick, forcing pedestrians and vehicle traffic to the side as they roared past. Behind them, two box like vans raced, the side a pure white with a strange, twisting snake underneath spread wings of blue. They flared with crimson, blinking lights as two long, red vehicles weighed down by ladders trailed last, their six wheels spraying slush in their haste to reach the emergency sight.
Taking a sharp left at an intersection, they almost collided with the hastily reversing police cruiser, causing a scream of brakes and sliding tires as the emergency convoy came to a halt. Rapidly moving, the flashing squad cars lined across the road, attempting to create a barricade.
Men and women began to disgorge from the vehicles, some dressed in blue and white clothing while others wore thick coats decorated with reflective yellow material.
"Officer Turing! What can you tell me about the situation?" Demanding answers, an older officer strode forward, his thick mustache peppered with gray hairs as he adjusted his hat. Badge flashing in a moment of reflective sunlight, the man waited as the two survivors took a hasty breath.
"It's…it's a bloodbath down there, sir! This maniac is dressed in a turkey mask…just…hacking people to death with a hatchet! He killed officers Roberts and Mendoza! Just…tore them to shreds! And shooting him? It didn't do anything!" Trying to clamp down on his own near death, Turing removed his hat, wiping down the sweat that was gathering along his brow.
"Are you sure you actually hit him?"
"WE PUT NEARLY FIFTY ROUNDS IN HIM! He…healed from them all! Like some unkillable villain from a horror movie!"
"Time for fresh…meat…."
The voice drifted on the wind, drawing the attention of the police as the snow drafted and shifted, creating a small vortex of white before it cleared.
There stood Turkey Face at the far end of the street, his grotesque appearance a sinister flare of nightmare. Facial meat shifted, the stitches pulling as he eyed a civilian coming out of a nearby store, the man curious about the commotion.
"GIBLETS! FOR MY STUFFING!" Throwing the hatchet, it embedded in the storekeeper's chest, causing a gurgle of blood and frothing red to pour from the mouth. Blood had sprayed, thick and viscous as Turkey Face extended his arm, re-summoning his blade to his grip. Smiling sickly as he licked the blood from the hatchet, his avian…turkey gaze centered on the police line at the next intersection.
"Okay…yeah. Let's bring this bastard down! Fire when ready! Paramedics and Fire Fighters fall back until we secure the area!" Roaring his commands, the leading officer took position behind his squad car after retrieving a rifle, the flare of red's and blues ebbing and bouncing off the nearby windows of store fronts.
Rippling gunfire erupted from the police, the harsh crack of bullets an explosion of noise as the massive city of New York went about it's business.
Pieces of Jack Handy were ripped away, several of the rifle rounds ripping through the throat and upper pectorals in a shredding of flesh. Struggling to stand under the fusillade, Turkey Face took several steps forward, then fell as the police continued to fire, the rounds boring through sinew and skin in uncaring velocities.
Waving his arm, the lead officer reloaded a fresh magazine before moving forward with a few others to secure the corpse.
"I really hope that monster is dead. Vile creature" Laxus uttered, the lightning mage sickened by what he had seen.
"You're not the only one. That thing was a monster" Carla added in support, the white Exceed disgusted by such bloodshed. Looking over at Wendy, the young girl seemed to be alright, if a little pale.
Flesh and sinew started to stitch together, the sound akin to cracking bones. Ruined muscle and skin started to regrow, the horrendous injuries caused by the police slowly healing as Turkey Face blinked his evil, avian eyes.
"Thanks…killing…" Twitching his right hand, the monster gripped his hatchet, only to be shot by the approaching police a dozen more times. Fresh bullet wounds were torn through his torso, leaving the hardened muscles a ruin of pulped viscera and meat.
One of the uniformed officers kicked away the hatchet, the black woman keeping her weapon aimed with professional training.
"God dammit. That thing was still alive?" One of the officers asked, the younger man slowly lowering his weapon, the group still keeping a wide berth as dozens of spent casings littered the ground.
"Probably some new street drug. I've seen tweakers on Angel Dust take a dozen rounds to the chest and keep on coming. This guy was a full on psycho" Kicking the boot, the lead officer grimaced, slowly shaking his head. "Get the body to the morgue. If we have a new drug out there, we could be dealing with dozens of these assholes in weeks"
"Got it, Sergeant" Waving a body retrieval unit forward toward the fallen creature, two men climbed out and retrieved a body bag from the back of their vehicle. Dressed in more somber attire with the same medical patch, they were both older, presumably in their mid forties.
"What a mess. Can't say he didn't deserve it. Sicko" One of the men uttered as they lifted the body into the black bag and zipped it up.
"Let's just get him to the morgue, Ryan" Shaking his head sadly at the sight of the killed shopkeeper, the technicians threw the corpse into the back of the van, not careful with the contents at all while forensics and other emergency personnel flooded the area.
"Did they actually kill it? I hope so" Droy asked, the pudgy man sickened by what he had just witnessed.
"We all hope this city's protectors stopped the fiend" Clasping her hands together, Hisui silently prayed for those lost in the far away city of New York.
The van turned left, heading into the middle of Manhattan and the nearest morgue. Snow still fell, but the flakes of white were minimal. Constantly halting, Ryan cursed as another snarl of traffic slowed their path.
"Damn traffic. This is what pisses me off about the holiday's. City closes off whole avenues" Grumbling at a stop light, the older Caucasian man scratched his nose as the radio blared some holiday music.
"Ryan man, the whole city is like this everyday. Traffic and more traffic" Uttering a small laugh, Bob glanced out the window, the snarls of vehicles thick in the down town area.
"Shit, the morgue's all the way uptown. It'll take at least half an hour with all these road diversions" Slamming the brakes, he looked upward at the towering Empire State building, the historical structure surrounded by more towering monoliths. "At least the snow isn't bad for this time of year" Muttering, he ebbed forward slowly as the Christmas Parade started to pulse two streets over.
"Mmeeeeaat…."
"You hear something?"
Blaring the horn at some motorist that cut off the van, Ryan shook his head. "No, just this asshole" Waving his hand with a middle finger extended, the body disposal van roared past toward the motorist, Ryan more concentrated on his driving.
Neither man heard the unzipping of the body bag as Jack Handy rose up, his wounds healed. Glaring with sinister, narrow eyes at the two men in front, the creature removed itself from the bag. Standing erect, the bare chest was now devoid of wounds, the regeneration taking full effect.
Grasping his empty hands, Jack Handy breathed deeply, the beast missing his hatchet.
"FACE GIBLETS!" Lunging forward, Turkey Face bit Ryan near his right ear, ripping away skin as blood suddenly flew.
"OH GOD! IT WAS STILL ALIVE!" Trying to punch the killer, Bob missed as Ryan jerked the wheel, his screams a howl of madness. Still screaming as tendrils of his cheek hung, the vehicle drove through an intersection, only to be struck by a box van that pushed it into a few other cars among screaming metal and hailing sparks. Flipping on its side, the body transport van came to a halt, smoke rising from the engine as onlookers gasped and gawked.
Kicking the back doors open as the latch snapped, Jack Handy climbed out, his patchwork face of meats a terror as several people took wary steps back. Snow brushed against his bare skin, the hardened muscles of rippling strength menacing.
Grinning evilly, Turkey Face heard the sounds of cheer and joy coming from the next avenue, the Christmas parade starting.
Breaking into a light sprint, the monster ran the length of the side road to quickly find himself among throngs of onlookers.
If it was possible, his gaze became even more sinister while his avian nose glistened with anticipation.
His eyes began to glow crimson, the red a pulsing flare of evil intent as he strode forward. Tossing aside the barricade lining the avenue, he centered his gaze on a group talking animatedly about the parade.
Throngs of people were cheering and laughing, enjoying the mood as the parade floats slowly made their way down the large avenue nestled between the canyon of buildings among the falling snow.
"If you're just joining us at CNN, the parade is about to get underway. But first, we have a special guest, Former Governor Hillary Clinton!" Smiling brightly, the reporter turned, showing off an older woman wearing a festive red coat.
Hastily grabbing the microphone, the pudgy elder with wrinkle lines and hair dyed platinum blonde, she was earnest. "Thank you, Megan Stormfront! I want to say that our parade won't be ruined by Conservatives or Republicans who need to be thrown into re-education camps! So, make sure to keep voting Dem—" Halting her vile politics, Clinton stared as a shirtless man stepped into view from the crowd, his actions causing a disturbance as several motorcycle police started to approach.
"Who is that? A mindless Conservative?" Shrugging as more people began to notice the stranger, Clinton was about to restart her political rant.
"Gobble…gobble…MOTHER FUCKER!" Screaming as he rose his rage, Turkey Face's eyes flashed red like sparking rubies, then erupted as twin beams of crimson heat erupted. Cutting Hillary Clinton in half, the woman wasn't the only one as the twin beams arced across the wide avenue, cutting down hundreds in a mad slaughter of laser fire and butchery. Panning his vision from the left to right, the twin beams slew into several street level stores, police cars, news vans, and through glass and brick as people screamed in terror.
Stenches of burnt meat rose from the bodies while severed limbs, ripped open torsos and cries of torment enshrouded the wide boulevard. The dead lay in piles, some of their skin starting to burn as others tried to crawl, their bodies already ruined.
By some miracle, the reporter Megan Stormfront had fallen on her voluptuous ass, avoiding the twin beams of horror that sliced through the air right above her. Covered in Hillary's exploding gore, the attractive woman screamed in horror while attempting to scramble away.
"Thanks…killing…" Walking forward as the upper half of Clinton tried to crawl, leaving a trail of intestines and viscera, Turkey Face rose his foot and brought it down, ending the failed politician with sinister glee.
Screams rose from the crowd as thousands started to run in panic, often tripping or trampling others to death in desperate bids to reach safety.
"Drop that bastard! Let's show him what New York's finest can do!" A police officer of older years yelled, the man still in his dress uniform. Cradling his parade rifle, he ran to a laser destroyed squad car and crouched behind the trunk, forming a line with dozen's of officers that had been originally at the front of the parade.
"Gobble….gobble…Jackkk…Handy…." Stepping forward, his avian eyes watched Megan Stormfront scramble, screaming in horror as she ran toward the police line.
Captain O'Donnely's barrage of rifle fire from his officers saved her life as dozens of rounds tore into the beast, rendering flesh and bone.
"He has heat vision!? He already has regeneration and now has this!?" Kamika asked in surprised horror, the nightmare of seeing hundreds cut down in a hellish laser swath a nightmare to behold. Gulping as the corpses lay strewn about the wide avenue, she didn't even register the gunfire.
"I…I think I'm going to be sick…" Lucy gulped, her vision brimming while her cheeks took on a pale hint of green.
"Your…you're not the only one" Bisca trembled, thankful she had prevented Asuka from witnessing such evil carnage.
"I.." Laki started to say before clutching her hand to her mouth and running toward the bathroom at the rear of the guild.
Rapidly following, Lisanna, Max and Reedus did the same, each unable to contend with the sheer brutality.
Even Erza was pale, the knight horrified beyond belief. "Monster. Nothing but a monster…"
"It appears those weapons can slow him down, but not stop him. And with that terrible magic he just used, I don't see how any of those men and women can halt his attack" Makarov explained, the guild master sickened by such blatant disregard for life as Romeo and his father quickly sprinted to the bathrooms, neither able to stomach the site of mangled bodies.
"The view just changed back to the original attack site" Wendy pointed out, the poor girl's voice small and powerless. Nearly pure white, she was horrified, the sky maiden never imagining such vile things to exist. Looking at Carla, the white feline hugged her back, neither making another sound.
"That thing wasn't dead! He's attacking the parade route! Every unit get over to 5th Avenue on the do-"
The old farmer returned, slowly approaching the lead officer, only stopping at the hatchet still laying on the wet pavement. "I warned them this would happen, but they didn't listen. They opened the portal to hell, and let Jack through" Adjusting his hat as snow swirled, the old man continued, drawing the attention of several officers. "Yup. Turkey Face is his name now that he's killed enough. He steals the souls you know, feasts on them…just like meat. He loves the meat"
"What do you know?" Pushing forward with an authoritative step, the officer kept hearing the distant sounds of explosions and screams, the sound haunting.
"Use his hatchet. That's the only way to send him back to the depths of hell. Of course, decapitation is the only way. Turkey Face…can only be killed by removing the head with that hatchet. Halts his regeneration. But the men of this day and age, they don't have it in them to kill. Too weak. That's why the milkman will come and have sex with your wives. No backbone to do the job" Trudging away, the old man faded into the swirling snow as the flashing light of several police cruisers ebbed and flared.
Bending down to pick up the bloody hatchet, Sergeant Fenix glared at the blade, then threw it into his cruiser. "Let's go! We have citizens to protect!" Practically jumping into the driver's seat, the large man with eyes like gray steel hit the siren as he accelerated, the rubber skidding along the pavement as more cruisers followed.
"Will that work? Is that old man right?" Gray asked, the ice mage hopeful that somebody could stop the monster.
"I hope so. Too many have been killed and hurt" Eyes narrowed, Natsu would have burned that monster to a crisp. The guild's rules on killing be damned. That thing needed to be stopped.
The assembled men and women continued to watch as the police cruisers weaved through the city streets, bypassing snarls of traffic and soon…fleeing pedestrians as they roared onto the main avenue that ran through the center of the city's sprawling downtown area.
Hundreds lay dead or dying, their skin blackened and charred as Turkey Face continued to walk, his thirst for bloodshed unending. Passing heat blasted vehicles and overturned floats, he stepped through some viscera of a dead Santa Clause, the red coat covered in heat burns.
Dozens of store fronts had been destroyed, the glass strewn across the roadway as fires started to eat at the interiors.
Wafts of death rose, an odor that pleased the creature who walked forward, his stitchwork of face meat a hellish visage as several police fell back, their weapons barking gunfire.
Several ripped into his chest, but the flesh healed in moments, a sickening restitching of skin and sinew.
"Time for fresh…stuffing…" Whispering the words, they carried on the wind, only to be drowned out by several helicopters arriving on scene. Gushing wind kept them aloft, the reporters inside trying to get a story unfolding in the middle of Manhattan.
More sirens blared from behind Turkey Face, but the creature didn't care.
He only wanted to kill and harvest fresh meat.
Police Cruisers raced into the burning hellscape of heat blasted news vans and overturned vehicles, passing the burning floats meant for the parade as the men and women tried to avoid the piles of dead scattered across the wide avenue.
Screeching to a halt, Sergeant Fenix stepped out of his vehicle a mere fifty feet from the monster. Grabbing the hatchet, the broad shouldered male was resolved to end the threat. Tightening his grip as the demon sent another searing blast of heat into a store, Fenix moved fast as several innocents screamed in terror from the heat attack.
Pumping his legs, the man swung at the neck of Turkey Face, his own voice cracking with rage and hate. "Time to treat you like a dead turkey…AND TAKE YOUR HEAD!" Swinging hard and with as much force as he could muster, Fenix dug the blade's edge into the neck meat, cleaving the head from the body in one, bloody swing.
Crimson sprayed, the droplets flying in different directions as the head dropped with a sickening sound of smacking flesh.
Red lightning crackled, the build up of power stabbing toward the sky from the neck wound as Jack Handy grinned at the one who killed him.
"Happy…FOURTH OF JULY!" Giving one last laugh, the head exploded into a brain matter, gore strewn paste that flew outwards in every direction.
Breathing deeply as he held the hatchet with one hand, Sergeant Fenix wiped several droplets from his face, the sensation a mere nuisance as thicker snow began to fall among the fires of death and ash.
"This is New York you bastard. The city that never sleep's"
Levy smashed down the red button, ending the connection as her eyes burned with puffy redness.
She was not ashamed to have cried during that rampage, nor would she apologize.
"Such a terrible, terrible creature" Turning her gaze, Queen Hisui started at Master Makarov. "If a similar situation were to arise in this country, I will not shed a tear if your mages kill the beast. It was…inhuman"
"Agreed. You all hear that? While I don't condone killing or violence, if any of you face such a horror, protect your lives and others at all costs. I will not risk your lives for a mere rule of non-killing" Speaking with authority, Makarov sincerely hoped nothing like that would happen.
"I just hope it's over" Cana said simply, the mage having no taste nor strength for alcohol during that vile link.
Looking around as some of the mages returned from the bathrooms, most of the adults sat silently, letting minute upon minute pass by.
Before anybody realized it, a full hour had passed, each processing the sights in their own way.
"Let's see if we can lock onto a new universe" Softly pressing the green button, Mira fervently hoped that the next timeline would be far more pleasant. With the familiar flash of blue lines and flaring lights, the cube projected a simple house in the depths of the forest. Erected near a gurgling stream of clear water, the brook flowed with calm serenity.
"HEY! That's my house!" Natsu said warmly, the man slowly forgetting the vileness from before.
"Isn't it better than your house? This one looks actually nice" Lucy added, the blonde having regained her color.
"Our house is great! We built it together!" Happy cried out, the poor cat having been close to tears before.
"I'm just relieved its nothing bad" Evergreen supported, the elegant brunette adjusting her glasses. "That last universe was vile. I hope to never see something that revolting again"
Zooming inside the house, the view rushed into the bedroom as Natsu stood near the window, the man only in his boxers as the sunlight poured through the trees, bathing his back yard in pleasant morning light. Positioned five feet from his bed, the man was muscular, showing off quite the definition as the light hit his pectorals and rippling abdominal muscles.
Motion came from the bed, the familiar green bangs of Bisca slowly rising as she hugged the bed cover to her bosom. Yawning beautifully, it was clear that she was nude beneath the sheets. "Natsu…come back to bed"
"Yeah. Last night was great, but this morning will be even better!" Evergreen added, the second woman rising as she brushed her brunette hair out of her eyes, the busty beauty barely able to stop the blanket from falling past her breasts, leaving a view of enticing cleavage.
"OH MY GOD! THIS IS EVEN WORSE THAN TURKEY FACE! WHAT DID YOU DO YOU FIRE BASTARD!?" Roaring in rage, Evergreen took a step, her body moving before her mind could adjust. Tripping, she gasped, her face going pure white in horror as she realized what her variant had most likely done. Falling to her knees, sweat dripped from her forehead, and not because of the summer heat. "AAAAUUUGHHHH! THIS IS A NIGHTMARE!"
"This is what disturbs you!? We just saw that monster and now you're screaming about some random Natsu that had an amazing threesome with you and Bisca!? We need to find out why and take some recordings!" Wakaba supported…which is how he ended up being turned to stone by a very upset Evergreen.
"YOU THINK YOU CAN SLEEP WITH MY WIFE! I'll put you down!" Alzack roared out, the man manifesting a magical gun as his wife just sat there, her gaze a dull shock. Getting poked in the cheek by Asuka, the young girl laughed as her mother kept mumbling incoherently.
"I think I'll end this one. With where those three are, we don't need to see anything else that will traumatize us even more" Hitting the red button, Levy was content in the fact they were no longer stuck viewing a nightmare turkey man killing innocents.
"Two women…me and Evergreen…with Natsu…" Trembling, Bisca just repeated the words over and over, her mind backfiring as the full implications played in her mind's eye.
"Not bad! Bisca and Evergreen are both hotties!" Slapping Natsu and the back, Gildarts was all smiles as he used his free hand to give a thumbs up. "Hey, if you ever seal the deal here, let me know all the details"
"Don't encourage that line of thinking in him!" Cana shouted before throwing a glass at her dad…which simply disassembled into tiny cubes around the crash mage.
"So…did I have a sleep over with Bisca and Evergreen? That's weird" Thinking out loud, Natsu tried to understand why everybody was being so weird about it.
"Yo! Natsu had a threesome in another universe! Let's kick his ass!"
"Women are wasted on him!"
"Unmanly!"
"He's a son of a bitch!"
"Kick my ass? You forget that I'm a fire dragon slayer!" Stepping onto his table, the man lit his raised fist on fire. "I don't get why everybody is upset with a simple sleepover, but I'll take you all on!"
"I will not allow you to procreate here! With any women!" Jumping forward, Gray rose his fist, only to get a counter as Natsu laughed with glee, causing Gray to stagger backwards from the hit.
"Prophecy's won't work on me! I'll have a sleepover with Lucy and Lisanna tonight because we're all friends!" Laughing with much needed relief, Natsu was happy to see all his friends acting relatively normal once more.
Lucy shook her head fervently, the blonde slightly jealous and unnerved by this other Natsu. "You…IDIOT! YOU HAD SEX WITH THEM! LIKE ERZA IN THE FIRST UNIVERSE!"
"…oh…OH!" Eyes bugging out in realization, Natsu gulped as Bisca finally regained her senses…then promptly punched him the back of the head, her gaze filled with feminine fury and rage.
Falling to the floor, the fire mage lay still as Bisca and Evergreen stood above him, both women crossing their arms beneath their busts while glares of annoyance crossed their eyes.
"Was that necessary?" Cosmos inquired, the pink haired guard staring down at the prone man who groaned in pain.
Both women mirrored each other with a simple word and curt nod.
"Yes"
I figure that's a good end point. A little fun at the end, and hopefully, everybody enjoyed the chapter! I did think about Santa fighting Turkey Face but…meh, decided against it.
Anyway, I'll be writing a FT universe next, then I'll hit Rising from the Embers. Then…possibly Halo or Bleach.
The Happy