Open Wounds
[The scene opens with a fade into the sky, partly cloudy with the sound of birds chirping. The camera pans down as a gentle pan flute tune, befitting to a Native tribe, begins to play over the scene, revealing a civilization nestled within the woods. Within it, various wolves of all different sizes and shades of fur are shown going to and from as they go about their duties. This is the Wolf Pack, a clan of wolves that live within the deep forests of Mobius, led by their Chiefs; Lupe and Lobo*]
[For context; Lobo is Lupe's husband in the original canon of the comics. Whatever happened to him is currently unknown at present]
[Back to the scene, the two wolves are shown looking over their tribe, two large male wolves, one brown and one gray, are shown roughhousing with one another to prove their strength while a large blue wolf known as Canus serves as the referee. It then shows two pink female wolves, one of them braiding the other's hair with beads as she polishes her spear, these are the twins; Leeta and Lyco. Two other male wolves, one dark brown known as Diablo and one orange known as Reynard, are practicing archery on the targets]
[Yes, the old comics had MANY characters, I know, it's confusing to keep track]
[The chiefs smile at the display as two little white wolf pups scamper past them…it then cuts to the man himself, Drago, using a comb on his head fur to straighten it up while looking at his reflection in a large piece of broken glass. The music in turn takes a more sassy approach, akin to a saxophone as the large white wolf smirks at his reflection]
Drago: Well, well, well, aren't you a dashing little thing? Or should I say a big thing? Really, one must wonder how such a perfect specimen can b-
Lupe and Lobo: [off-screen] Drago!
[Drago cuts off from his boasting and whirls around to see two stern grey and brown wolves looking at him. He tries to put on what he believes to be a polite tone]
Drago: Yes? How may I be of assistance to you?
Lupe: What are you doing just sitting here, you're meant to be training the young ones today.
Drago: I know, but can't a guy have some time to take care of himself? I need to keep this figure looking good.
Lobo: We are meant to be looking out for one another, not just ourselves. You should know that.
Drago: Yeah, yeah, the code of honor, all that sentimental stuff.
[Lobo lowers his brows in disdain]
Lobo: Really, someone like you is going to find himself in a lot of trouble one of these days, and you'll have no sympathy from us.
Drago: Hmph, that's a bit harsh, isn't it?
Lupe: You need to start taking your duties more seriously, otherwise, you're going to end up as a failure.
[Lupe's words begin to echo as she finishes her sentence. Much to Drago's surprise, the background begins to change as it darkens, the camp disappearing along with Lupe and Lobo, still giving Drago cold hard stares that could pierce his soul…]
[Drago is completely surrounded in darkness, but not for long as relapses of his past life begin to flash before him; running off in secrecy from the Wolf Pack, Hershey giving a pleasant smile towards him, his deal with Robotnik, Princess Sally's "death", Hershey slashing a claw down in his direction, one of his engagements against the Freedom Fighters during his days with the Destructix, and finally his metallic form with his eyes becoming almost fully white with very faint golden irises]
Drago: HUH…huh…?
[Drago finds himself standing under a single light, alone…that is until something peers through the darkness, a pair of eyes staring straight back at him…Drago's blood runs cold as the eyes reveal a figure, looking very much like himself; his final appearance prior to the Genesis Wave, staring back at him]
Drago: I…wha…you…
[Drago's reflection stares back at him, his expression disheveled, his fur matted and scruffy, and his metal amputations appearing as if they'd gone through a war zone]
Alt. Drago: …Reap what you sow…your sins will follow you…
Drago: I…what…?
Alt. Drago: You and I…are one and the same…paid the price for nothing…we sealed our own fate…
[Drago tries to say something else, but his throat goes dry…he just looks back at his old self with a tense expression]
Alt. Drago: You can never escape the past…time means nothing…those who remember your face will never let you forget it…your freedom will come to an end once again…
Drago: …But-
Alt. Drago: Shhhhhhhhhh…why lie to yourself…you lied to everyone before…what's so different now…friends? Hmmhmmhmm, aaaaah…we have no friends…never had, never will…do you honestly think someone would care about you…about us? We are damaged beyond repair…there is nothing more for us…sooooo…
[Alt. Drago's head begins to turn at an uncomfortable angle, making a sound of screeching metal]
…why not become ONE?!
[The metallic lupine lunges into the screen with his sharp teeth encasing the frame…Drago suddenly wakes up with a start]
Drago: HUH…ah…
[Drago looks around with his eyes darting from left to right…he's back in the room with the rest of his group, sleeping peacefully among each other…Drago looks down at Guntiver's sleeping figure, the red wolf having a content expression on his face as he continues to snooze without care…the white wolf sighs down at the red wolf before adjusting himself on the mattress, trying to settle down to go back to sleep…but the images of his dream keep coming back to him…Drago stays awake for a few seconds, looking into the void…before his eyes grow heavy, and gradually, he begins to drift off with a sigh]
[The scene transitions to the early morning as the sun is about to rise over the horizon, everything is calm apart from the gentle sounds of the ocean nearby, and the city is quiet and peaceful, most still asleep from the night before]
[It cuts back to the storage unit where the gang is shown still sleeping on their respective mattresses. The focus is on Drago as he slightly stirs in his sleep, cutting to the dreamscape where a POV takes center stage, showing a field as the camera "walks" through it. In the distance is a silhouetted figure under a tree, the POV is shown walking towards the tree, a white-furred hand extending out, indicating this is Drago's perspective…just as he gets right up to the figure, the silhouette looks familiar to a certain red wolf, he's awoken by the scent of something cooking from within the room]
Drago: Wha…[yawns]...what's goin' on…?
[Drago looks over to the right, seeing a carton of eggs placed on one of the crates, and a skillet over the grill as a pair of eggs are being cooked on it, Geoffrey is operating the dish]
Geoffrey: Ah, you're awake…c'mon, breakfast is bein' served.
[Drago stands up from the bed and stretches himself out]
Drago: Aaaaaaaah…[smacks lips]
[Upon finishing up a bit of hygiene, as evidenced by wiping his face with a towel next to a bucket of water, Drago takes a seat with a plate of eggs between Sleuth and Guntiver]
Guntiver: So, what's the plan for today?
Sleuth: Same as yesterday, I imagine. Just gotta keep nabbing food till we say otherwise.
Geoffrey: Hopefully, we've kept ourselves out of the public thus far, so long as everything goes according to plan, we should be alright.
Razorklaw: That is if you can find a purpose for yourself after you do your little "thing" or whatever.
Geoffrey: Pardon?
Razorklaw: We're currently fugitives, so what happens next? Are we gonna be welcomed in open arms, or are they gonna form a manhunt after us?
Sleek: That's oddly specific. Besides, you're stressing too much, I'm sure they won't have anything to suspect…well, not from me anyway.
Razorklaw: Don't you have a record as well?
Sleek: AHEM, not that they would know of…I mean, you didn't have anything to do with 'you know what' from what I've heard, so I imagine they'd go lightly on the two of us.
Sleuth: Way to throw someone under the bus, smartass.
Sleek: Hmmmm, not my fault if you choose to get involved with criminal activity.
Razorklaw: …He's got you there, well, three of you anyway.
Geoffrey: I see someone's got a sense a' humor, init?
Guntiver: Now, play fair, we don't need to start anything big. I'd say we'll be fine if no one draws attention to themselves.
[Throughout the conversation, Drago remains uncharacteristically silent. His mind is still thinking about the dream from last night, a flash shows the part of the dream where Drago encountered his metallic self]
?: …go…ago…Drago?
Drago: Wha-huh?
[Drago suddenly blinks and looks from side to side. The room has become awkwardly silent from him coming back to reality]
Guntiver: Are you alright, you looked a bit zoned out there.
Drago: I'm…fine, just…had something on my mind.
Razorklaw: Let me guess; where are you going to find a new mirror to capture all of that 'beauty' of yours?
[Sleuth and Sleek snicker amongst each other, Drago gives them a look of loathing before turning back to Guntiver]
Drago: Bah, forget it, not important anyway.
[Drago goes back to eating his breakfast, hoping this will be the end of the conversation. Indeed, no one decides to press him on the matter as they go back to eating, but Guntiver casts a concerned look in the white wolf's direction]
[The scene cuts to the police department where Bogo is once again analyzing the tip that Clawhauser had sent him]
Bogo: Hmmmmm…so that's three names down at least…might be a fourth given our recent company…
[At that moment, there is a knock on his door. The water buffalo looks up]
Bogo: …Come in.
[On command, Nick and Judy step into the chief's office, with the latter holding a notepad in her hands]
Bogo: Officers Hopps, Wilde, what news do you have for me?
Judy: Well, we interviewed the suspect and they were able to give some details regarding the appearance of three of the unidentified parties.
Nick: According to what we found out, one's a large white wolf; purple vest with blue overalls, one's a tall brown dog; grey suit and slacks, and one's a skunk; red beret hand and green scarf…so do with that as you may.
Bogo: I see…how is our guest?
Nick: Boy, I tell you, looked like she'd been through hell and back.
Judy: Doesn't seem to be from around these parts. I think she knows more than she's letting on…I had to give a cigarette to soothe her nerves.
Bogo: Huh, a crackhead. Well, so long as they're talkin', it's good enough fa' me…I want you to press her further if you can, might give us a little more to work with.
Judy: [nods] Yes, sir, we'll get right on that.
Nick: Who knows, we might come back with an essay.
Bogo: [clears throat] You're dismissed.
[Nick and Judy nod and turn to leave the office, as they do so, the scene cuts to the interrogation room where a pair of black boots can be seen twitching up and down, a red tail with a yellow tip off to the side…panning up to a set of black pants that are tattered in some areas, followed by a black crop top with several dirty stains on it, it reveals a vixen with brunette hair, cigarette smoking off to the side as she looks up to the ceiling, her eyes half-lidded and her hair messy. She appears quite disheveled as she leans her head back to the wall]
[The shot alternates between the ceiling light and the vixen staring up at it absentmindedly…suddenly, the door opens, and Nick and Judy enter the room]
Judy: [clears throat] Miss Fiona?
[Fiona merely looks in the direction of the officers without turning her head]
Judy: …Right, we're grateful for your cooperation, we just wanna ask you a few more questions if you don't mind.
[Fiona is silent for a few seconds before giving a response]
Fiona: …Sure.
[Nick and Judy take their respective seats on the opposite side of the table]
Judy: Alright then, so, can you clarify how you got up to this point? I'm asking given your appearance, if you don't mind of course.
Fiona: [sighs] Trust me, you don't even know the half of it…I've been lying low in Elm for the time being since it was my safest bet…I did have several other…people I knew before I came here…
[The officers straighten up upon hearing this]
Judy: Go on…
Fiona: See…they set up residence down South and worked as a syndicate…after they got chased out, they scattered…I've no idea what's become of them now…
[Nick notices that Fiona appears to have several scars running down her arm]
Nick: I hope you don't mind me asking, but how did you acquire those scars?
Fiona: What?
Nick: On your arm.
[Fiona looks down at her arm…she grimaces as if a fleeting memory came back to her…a brief flash shows the Suppression Squad fleeing into the distance before it shows Fiona clashing with Scourge, the latter of which strikes the vixen's arm with his ungloved claws…Fiona blinks as she turns back to face the officers]
Fiona: …These came after I fell and landed in some brambles.
Nick: I see…do you have any place to stay?
Fiona: Not currently, no…
Judy: Right, do you have any currency on you?
Fiona: I have…$300 in my pocket…
Judy: Okay, ma'am…now, another thing I wanted to ask you, since you alluded to other members present…who were these other members of this gang?
Fiona: …I believe there were six of them…Scourge…Miles, Alicia…Patch, Buns…Boomer…Rosy…
Nick: Huh, lotta strange names with you lot, isn't there? You have any idea of their current whereabouts?
Fiona: Not since they fled, no, I followed Scourge for a bit before he disappeared…
Judy: I see…they must be hiding out in the forest or one of the towns.
Nick: Could be it, they're not as populated, perfect place for a criminal to hide.
[Nick and Judy turn back to Fiona]
Judy: Okay, Miss Fiona, I believe we've got everything we need, you'll be escorted on your way out.
Fiona: Yeeeeah, fine…not like I've ever seen it before.
Nick: Right, I'll just take you this way, you go first.
[Fiona stands up from her seat and Nick escorts her out of the room while Judy follows on from behind the two foxes.
[The scene cuts to Fiona walking out from the police station. The vixen tries to make herself discreet from the public's eye…it doesn't quite work as people are seen going up and down the streets. Bagheera passes Fiona with a cautionary eye, and the red fox pursues her lips at his glance. The next to pass her are Honest John and Gideon, the former of which gives a coy grin as he lifts up his hat. Fiona just scowls in his direction, causing the other fox to give an indignant expression]
Honest John: Hmph, no sense of taste, that one.
[Gideon nods vigorously before giving a "HIC!"]
Fiona: [sighs] Men…
[Lady and Krystal are seen passing by on the opposite street. The two see Fiona and try to give her kind smiles…the vixen gives an ugly grimace, causing the Cocker Spaniel and blue fox to flinch. Fiona returns the same gesture to a passing Tina who walks in the opposite direction of her. The brunette duck gives an unamused scowl in response]
Fiona: Talk about fitting in…
[Fiona continues to walk for a bit longer, passing by the alley where the gang is located. It shows Drago and Guntiver sitting several yards away from the entrance to the harbor. Thankfully, they appear well out of view for anyone to see. By the sounds of things, Guntiver appears to be pressing Drago on something, much to the white wolf's chagrin]
Guntiver: You've got an uncharacteristic look in your eye.
Drago: Pfft, how can you tell?
Guntiver: Easy, your head is usually up like you're proud of yourself for anything. You've been keeping it down since this morning, what's up with that?
Drago: It's nothing, just been thinking a lot is all.
Guntiver: Have you now? Care to divulge any of that information?
Drago: Hrrrrrrrrrr…
[Drago crosses his arms rather huffily, which only seems to bemuse Guntiver]
Guntiver: C'mooooooon, you can tell me…
[Drago, seeing that Guntiver isn't going to relent anytime soon, decides to give in with a sigh]
Drago: Alright, you asked for it…I had a dream last night, well, more of a nightmare, really, and it's not one that I haven't seen before.
Guntiver: Oh, really now…what happened in it?
Drago: …Okay, so I was in my old pack, priming myself in the mirror before Lupe and Lobo came up and started giving me grief…but then I found myself seeing my life flashing before my eyes, all my past mistakes coming back in one fell swoop…and at the end, I saw myself…
Guntiver: …Go on.
Drago: …I saw myself, in my roboticized form…and he spoke to me.
Guntiver: …What did he say?
Drago: …He basically said that I was doomed to repeat history. That nothing I did was going to change anything…and that no one would stick around for long…
[The two wolves sit in silence for a few seconds]
Guntiver: …Do you believe it?
Drago: Uh…what?
Guntiver: Do you believe it…the dream, I mean.
Drago: Well…it's kinda hard to say, really, before I would have just written it off, but now…I don't know…
Guntiver: I see…you know, Geoffrey told me something similar a while back…perhaps the past is still fresh with you?
Drago: Seems like it. I'm not trying to sound sappy or anything, but I will admit, it's been…difficult to suppress the memories.
Guntiver: Ah…well, at least you've got company now, that's something good, isn't it?
Drago: I mean…you're not wrong there. At least someone isn't trying to bash my face in every two minutes.
Guntiver: Doesn't sound much like a fun experience.
Drago: Oh, noooooooo, I just love having to prevent this face from getting damaged every waking hour of my life, even if I do it to myself to god knows why.
Guntiver: I guess you get used to it.
Drago: You're real cheeky sometimes, aren't you?
Guntiver: Weeeeeell, I try sometimes, hehe, but, really, I do get where you're coming from. Truth be told, you're not the only one.
Drago: Same thing?
Guntiver: More than you'd believe, I kept having flashes to that day, and being in the middle of the ocean…I'm sorry, I didn't mean to come off like that.
Drago: Nah, it's fine, least you're decent.
Guntiver: Thanks…
[At that moment, Geoffrey approaches the two from behind]
Geoffrey: …Uh, do you two have a minute?
Guntiver: Um, sure, yeah, what do you need?
Geoffrey: Well, I couldn't help but overhear your conversation.
Drago: Guess we're just listening in on each other at this rate.
Geoffrey: Yeeeeeeah, I get it…[clears throat]...anyway, I was thinkin'...perhaps we should go into town proper.
Drago: …Excuse me?
Geoffrey: Well, why not? We can't stay hidden forever, and at least then we'll look less suspicious.
Drago: We're already complete strangers in these parts, we'll look suspicious regardless.
Geoffrey: Better to do it soon than never at all, I say…plus, you'd get to show off to a whole new crowd, thought you'd like that.
[Drago's brows perk up at the mention of this]
Drago: Well, of course I would, after all, who could resist looking at all this?
[The white wolf makes a theatrical gesture with his paw. Geoffrey gives a roll of his eyes while Guntiver gives a modest chuckle, seeming entertained]
Geoffrey: As usual, never the humble sort.
Drago: Humble be damned. Bonus if there's a bit of competition.
Geoffrey: Well, alright then, I'll give the others a lil update on the situation.
[The scene cuts to inside of the storage unit, showing Razorklaw's fist hitting a table]
Razorklaw: Absolutely not!
Drago: And why not?
Razorklaw: Are you kidding? We're gonna blow our cover.
Sleuth: He's got a point, we can't exactly be all "pally" with the locals.
Drago: Look at it this way; no one knows who we are, well, at least most of them, so we can just blend in.
Sleek: I agree, and we've not done much to garner attention, so I'm sure we can slip our way into the crowd without fault.
Razorklaw: You said it yourself, you saw the hedgehog and princess, if we go out there, they can easily track us.
Drago: If we just stay out of their vision, no one's gonna be any the wiser…besides, if we need to explain ourselves, we can skirt a few details of our backgrounds.
Geoffrey: I highly doubt they'll be keeping records, since we've not been in the city before, or at least not properly.
Sleuth: Hmmmm…yeah, that is true…perhaps it's worth a shot, we didn't come down here for nothing.
[Razorklaw narrows his eyes as he sees himself being outnumbered in the debate]
Razorklaw: …Fine, we'll go, but if anything goes wrong, we bolt it as soon as we can.
[Sounds of agreement can be heard amongst the men]
Guntiver: [claps his hands together] Right then, it's settled.
[The scene cuts to downtown as several people are seen walking to and fro on the streets. A snazzy jazz tune plays over the scene as the sextet is shown walking down the street, passing by several onlookers who give curious or interested glances.
[Si and Am, normally so caught up in mischief, stop what they're doing and look at the strangers with a curious eye]
[Blitz and Arnold walking side by side take a glance over at the opposite road. The Doberman looks impressed and the Pitbull pushes down on his sunglasses to get a better look at the larger men in particular]
[Belle and Belle, holding books in their hands, look over to their right and are surprised to see the six Mobians, looking at each other in astonishment]
[The scene cuts to Queen Hathor walking down the street, standing tall and proud with her chin up in a dignified manner. She looks over to Don Karnage and Captain Hook sword-fighting each other on the steps of an apartment building and waits for them to bow for her…much to the Felidae Queen's indignation, the two pirates ignore her as they carry out their duel. She speaks with a tone of pure disgust]
Hathor: [hisses] Pirates, worthless pillaging rats…
[She continues to walk around a curve, narrowly missing the gang coming up on the street from the left as Foghorn Leghorn and Barnyard Dawg pass by from the direction Hathor just came from]
Geoffrey: Alright then, so far, so good, the crowd doesn't seem too intimidated by us. I think this might work better than expected.
Razorklaw: Hmmmmmmmmmmm…won't last long…
Drago: Oh, would you give it a rest with all your whining and bitching? It's like you want things to go south.
Razorklaw: Things have always gone south whenever you've been involved, I've yet to see that change.
Drago: We've gotten this far, haven't we? We'd be fighting for our lives at this point, so just calm yourself.
Razorklaw: …Alright, I will…for now.
[The group continues on across the city before the scene cuts to the Town Square. People are littered around the plaza, consisting of Mao Mao, Badgerclops, Adorabat, Cinderella, Jasmine, Aladdin, Sagwa, Dongwa, Sheegwa, Mama, Baba, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rigby, Roscoe, DeSoto, Homura, Madoka, Foxy Loxy, Minerva, Musa, Tecna, Vixey, Chief, Johnny Bravo, Samurai Jack, Gumball, Darwin, Huck, Wolfrun, Queen of Hearts, Basil, Ratigan, and Pink Panther. Since the events of "The Fire Inside", the panther's arm has been healing with the bandages tucked under his suit]
[The group is seen entering the plaza, and almost instantly, they appear to be the center of attention]
Johnny: Hooooooo, mama, new hot guys at ten o'clock.
Samurai Jack: They are…not familiar…this does not bode well.
[Jack narrows his eyes at the newcomers with suspicion. Pinkie Pie looks almost ready to burst like a balloon as she gives an overdramatic GAAAAAASP]
Pinkie: Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh! New people in town! I need to arrange a welcome party as soon as possible!
[Just as Pinkie teleports above the ground, Applejack pulls her back down]
Applejack: Hold up there, sugar cube, somethin' seems fishy about this group here.
Cinderella: Why, I've never seen them before. Are they traveling, or looking for a home?
Minerva: Hmmmmmmm, they're an attractive bunch…could definitely make a pretty penny.
Huck: Well, I'll be, sure be some strange folk comin' around these parts.
Wolfrun: Interesting…tck, wouldn't mind checking over that lot…especially those larger ones, hmmhmmhmm…
[Drago and Sleek in particular appear to be amused by the attention surrounding them. Sleuth appears indifferent and Razorklaw tries not to draw many eyes on himself. While Guntiver gives a polite smile to the crowd, Geoffrey appears as if he's scanning the pedestrians for someone in particular]
Drago: Hmmhmmhmm, now this is more like it. All eyes on me, but with interest. I think I'm gonna like it-
[At that moment, Drago has a relapse to his dream as the screen statics, curious eyes now filled with anger and resentment, a claw slash across the screen, and his old body looking ready to bite his head off with his sharp, bloody teeth…Drago suddenly finds himself back in reality, appearing stunned by what just happened]
Drago: What the…what just happened there…?
[While Drago had been distracted, the crowd appears to have gathered around the group like they were watching a concert]
Drago: Oh…what's happened here then?
Geoffrey: I think we've drawn a biiiiit too much attention to ourselves…
[The crowd murmurs and whispers to one another, while the six men all look around with either unease or suspicion. At that moment, Lupe and Hershey appear on the scene and notice the crowd having gathered]
Lupe: I say, whatever's going on over there?
Hershey: Maybe there's an event going on?
Lupe: Hmmmm…perhaps we need to see this for ourselves…
[As the two begin to edge toward the crowd, some of the people whom the Mobians had passed by earlier gathered to see the commotion, Hathor appears in the opposite direction and quirks a wary brow at the display before her]
Hathor: What on Earth is this street rabble…?
[Fiona is seen leaning against one of the buildings to try and keep out of sight when she hears the noise going on and can't help but go towards it. The scene cuts back to the group as they appear to be sharing a bit about themselves]
Drago: …and so, when the flood came, I used my strength to push the logs against the river, trapping the flood from getting closer to the camp.
Minerva: Ooooooooh, someone's a strong guy.
Huck: Talk about usin' initiative.
Cinderella: That sounds like true bravery to me.
Wolfrun: Nice use of muscle there.
Johnny Bravo: Now there's a way to show off.
[Drago smirks as the compliments continue to pour in through his presumably embellished tale…as the Mobian ladies pass through either side of the crowd, everything happens at once]
Geoffrey: Okay, okay, no need to milk…
[Geoffrey cuts himself off]
Drago: What's up, why'd you stop talk…?
[Drago trails off himself…staring right in front of him at the head of the crowd…are Hershey and Lupe…both parties lock eyes as an uncomfortable silence commences…]
Hershey: Geoffrey…Drago…?
[On the other side of the crowd, Hathor's eye twitches in utter shock and anger at the same time, donning a befuddled expression…before her brows lower, her nostrils flare, and her teeth are bared in a ferocious scowl]
Hathor: [absolutely PISSED]…YOOOOOOOOUUUUU!
[The Felidae Queen points an enraged finger in the group's direction, aiming particularly at Razorklaw and Drago, her loud booming voice causes everyone to go quiet. Hathor stares at her targets with such fury and venom, she could have shot daggers at them with her eyes]
Razorklaw: Ah, crap…
Hathor: What are you filthy, disgusting, vile turncoats doing here?! [Hathor points at Razorklaw]
You're supposed to be exiled and buried six feet under!
[Hathor points at Drago]
And you are supposed to be locked up and beaten into the ground!
[No one dares breathe a word as the feline royal continues on her barrage of fury]
The same goes for the rest of your traitorous band of urchins! I should have all of your heads off!
Queens of Hearts: HEY! I'm the one who says when it's off with someone's head! How dare you-!
[Hathor turns her head quickly and HISSES with a predatory look so fierce, the Queen of Hearts reels in, taken quite aback. The Felidae Queen looks back to the group, Razorklaw looks at her with a stoic expression while the others are looking rather uncomfortable under her gaze]
Hathor: You bastards have the nerve to show your faces again, on my order, you will all-!
Lupe: Hathor, HATHOR, reign yourself in!
[Hathor's eye twitches once more at being interrupted, but then sees it was Lupe who cut her off…the Felidae Queen dons a sulky expression as she stops talking]
Lupe: However, what I want to know is what you're doing back here!
[Lupe points her finger angrily up at Drago, the white wolf tries to not look intimidated by his former chief]
Drago: Heeeeeey, Chief, long time no s-!
Lupe: Don't you dare be coy with me, you're still in hot water after what you've done!
Honest John: Excuse me, but I do feel there is a fair bit of context being left out. Wouldn't you say, Giddy?
[The reddish brown cat nods his head in agreement. Lupe just snorts at the fox before turning her attention back to the white wolf]
Lupe: And how did you get your old body back…what have you been up to this whole time?
[Drago begins to feel himself being boxed in, between the crowd, Lupe's cold hard stare, and Hathor's death glare from behind, the white wolf tries to find his words]
Drago: We've been…lying low for the time being…surprised?
Lupe: Oh, yes, 'surprised', just that it's not a pleasant one in any sense of the word.
Hershey: Lupe…
[Lupe looks back at the tuxedo cat and seemingly gets the message, backing off as Hershey approaches her two exes…Geoffrey looks at her with a neutral expression while Drago looks at her with his arms crossed…Hershey appears almost stoic as she looks between the skunk and the white wolf…]
Geoffrey: …'Ello, luv…it's been a while…
[Hershey doesn't say anything, she just stares at Geoffrey…]
Drago: …Well, it's nice to see y-!
[Before Drago can finish his sentence, an abrupt swipe across his face causes him to reel back, followed by a slap to Geoffrey's face. Guntiver and Sleek wince at the sight]
Drago: AH! What the fuck?!
[Hershey's eyes are darkened over as her fist trembles with suppressed anger]
Hershey: What…the HELL…are you doing back?
Drago: Jeez, first time I see you in ages and you throw a bi-!
[Hershey grabs Drago's chest and pulls him down to her level, holding back the urge to strangle him on sight]
Hershey: Do I need to bash your head into the pavement to get the message clear…how dare you show your face after all you put me through…
[Hershey pushes Drago back as she locks eyes with Geoffrey, still rubbing his sore cheek with a guilty expression on his face]
Hershey: The both of you…haven't I suffered enough heartbreak…?
Geoffrey: Hershey…please, let me explain-
[Hershey now has tears welling up as she speaks]
Hershey: No…I'm sorry, I can't…I can't look at you…not now…
[With her paws shaking, Hershey puts one to her eyes to wipe away the tears before turning away and walking off as she tries to contain her sobbing. Geoffrey tries to reach out to her in desperation]
Geoffrey: Wait, I want to…[voice breaking]...apologize…
[Geoffrey looks on as his ex continues to walk away, sick to his stomach with guilt…everyone looks on in disbelief, not a word is said amongst the crowd…finally, Hathor narrows her eyes as she speaks]
Hathor: …They're looking for you…I can't wait to see you sweet-talk your way out of this one.
[Lupe awkwardly clears her throat]
Lupe: Um, quite…are you going to follow us cooperatively?
Razorklaw: [snarls] I knew this was a bad idea…
Sleuth: [bitterly] Great, back to the slammer, so happy right now.
Sleek: Doooooh, of all the rotten luck, why me…?
[The crowd splits up to let Lupe and Hathor lead the group to the police station, giving looks of indifference, sympathy, suspicion, or even spite]
Honest John: …Well, that was quite a show.
Cinderella: Oh dear…
Applejack: I knew there was somethin' off about them.
Pinkie: Um, is it too late to cancel the party plans?
Applejack: [sighs] Yes, Pinkie, that's exactly what that means.
Pinkie: [disappointedly] Awwwww, and I was going to make a six-layer cake.
Wolfrun: [scoffs and mutters] Stupid ponies…
Huck: [shakes his head] I'm not mad, just disappointed.
[As the escort continues, Lupe looks back at Guntiver, holding his head down. She casts a sympathetic expression on the red wolf, as if she knows he's innocent. Hathor, on the other hand, offers no such sentiment, glaring at Razorklaw and Sleek as if looking forward to their punishment]
[From the back of the crowd, Fiona is seen looking at her former teammates go with wide eyes…while relieved at her own freedom, she can't help but feel the slightest hint of…remorse?]
Fiona: Wait, do I feel…bad for them? I, I'm not going crazy, am I? Ooooooh, this is gonna be hell to explain…
[Fiona places her hands on her temples to soothe herself as the scene transitions to the police station where Bogo is shown looking over the files by the front desk, Clawhauser behind him is writing something down on his notepad. At that moment, the doors swing open, and the cavalcade steps inside. Bogo and Clawhauser look up at this]
Lupe: [clears throat] Officers, we have the suspects…
Bogo: Ah…well, I'll be sure to put in a good word for you two once this investigation wraps up.
[Hathor holds her chin up in a pompous manner, as if she didn't need affirmation of her greatness. Lupe remains humble]
Bogo: You six, come with me, we have a lot to discuss…
[The tone in Bogo's voice hints at some kind of amusement as the six are escorted to the interrogation room. Drago and Sleuth in particular give the police chief a dirty look behind his head…in the room, the sextet are lined up in order; Sleek, Razorklaw, Sleuth, Drago, Geoffrey, Guntiver. Bogo is sitting on the other end of the table with the case file in hand]
[Note: I do not know the extent of police interrogation, so take whatever is said with a grain of salt]
Bogo: Well, well, well, don't get many strangers around these parts. I'm sure you lot each have your own story to tell…trust me, you'll wanna be as honest as possible if you're getting out of here.
[The shot focuses particularly on Drago as he leans his head back with a sigh…the scene transitions to later in the evening as the six are escorted out of the station, looking rather tired and clammy in some cases]
Sleuth: God, that sucked ass.
Sleek: I swear we were in there for hours.
Sleuth: Honestly, I need to lay down…
[Sleuth rubs his temples with a sigh]
Guntiver: Well…it could have gone a lot worse.
Razorklaw: We're still booked for further investigation…if we're lucky, Hathor wouldn't convince them to execute us.
Geoffrey: [sighs] This was a terrible day…my identity's exposed to the public, my ex is in shambles, and corporal punishment is on the table for sure…I can only imagine what the others are gonna say…
Drago: Not just what they'll say, what they'll do. They'll probably wanna have our asses like last time…I won't give them the satisfaction…that swipe still hurts though.
Razorklaw: Man up, won't you?
[Drago snorts at Razorklaw…the group suddenly stops at seeing a silhouette in front of them…it cuts to a better angle revealing Fiona standing in front of them…Drago, Geoffrey, and Sleuth hold their tongues]
Fiona: Hey…long time no see?
Drago: [sighs] What do you want?
Fiona: You guys wouldn't happen to have a place to stay, would you?
Sleuth: What's it to you?
Fiona: …Can I stay over?
Drago: Oh no, we are not having more mouths to feed.
Fiona: Really now, I'm not that much of a hassle.
Sleuth: No.
Fiona: Okay then, how about this; I have money.
Sleek: Oh thank god, how much?
Fiona: $300.
Sleek: That'ssssssss serviceable…
Razorklaw: [sighs] We're really losing nothing at this point, might as well accept whatever we can get.
Fiona: Ironic, I'm in the same boat.
Guntiver: Well, it'll be a tight fit…but I'm sure we'll make it work.
Drago: [sighs] Sure…
[The scene transitions to the group, now with their first female accomplice, back at the base, having tucked away to sleep. Fiona has claimed a mattress for herself, leading to the others having to share the other two mattresses by threes. Sleek and Sleuth are sharing a mattress with Geoffrey while Drago and Razorklaw are sharing a mattress with Guntiver. Geoffrey and Drago in particular are finding it hard to sleep as they think back to the events from before…Geoffrey gets a flash to his dream in "Outcasts" while Drago gets one to the previous night…they're not the only ones having trouble sleeping as it cuts to Hershey lying down on her bed looking up to the ceiling…with a sigh, she puts a paw to her chest as if to indicate the heartache has returned…needless to say, it is a rough night for all those involved…cut to black]
Character Guide:
Drago Wolf, Geoffrey St. John, Guntiver the Arctic Wolf, Fiona Fox, Sleuth Dawg, Razorklaw, Sleek the Panther, Hershey the Cat, Lupe the Wolf, Queen Hathor, Lobo, Scourge the Hedgehog, Miles Prower (Anti-Tails), Alicia Acorn (Anti-Sally), Patch D'Coolette, Buns Rabbot, Boomer Walrus, Rosy the Rascal, Leeta, Lyco, Diablo, Reynard, Canus, Dr. Robotnik - Sonic the Hedgehog
Applejack, Pinkie Pie - My Little Pony Friendship is Magic
Chief Bogo, Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde, Benjamin Clawhauser, Gary, Larry - Zootopia (2016)
Cinderella - Cinderella (1950)
Honest John, Gideon - Pinocchio (1940)
Huckleberry Hound - The Huckleberry Hound Show
Johnny Bravo - Johnny Bravo
Minerva Mink - Animaniacs
Queen of Hearts - Alice in Wonderland (1951)
Samurai Jack - Samurai Jack
Wolfrun - Smile Precure
Aladdin, Jasmine - Aladdin (1992)
Arnold the Pitbull - Tiny Toons Adventures
Bagheera - The Jungle Book (1967)
Basil of Bakers Street, Professor Padraic Ratigan - The Great Mouse Detective (1986)
Belle, Beast - Beauty and the Beast
Blitz - Road Rovers
Captain Hook - Peter Pan (1953)
Don Karnage - Talespin
Foghorn Leghorn, Barnyard Dawg, Tina Russo - Looney Tunes
Foxy Loxy - Chicken Little (1943)
Gumball Watterson, Darwin Watterson - The Amazing World of Gumball
Krystal - Star Fox
Lady, Si, Am - Lady and the Tramp (1955)
Madoka Kaname, Homura Akemi - Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Mao Mao, Badgerclops, Adorabat - Mao Mao: Heroes of Pure Heart
Musa, Tecna - Winx Club
Pink Panther - Pink Panther
Rigby - Regular Show
Roscoe and DeSoto - Oliver and Company (1988)
Sagwa Miao, Dongwa Miao, Sheegwa Miao, Mama Miao, Baba Miao - Sagwa the Chinese Siamese Cat
Vixey, Chief - The Fox and the Hound (1981)