Beyond The Nightmares:
Reloaded Part 1
Chapter 1: Know Your Enemy(Wolfgang is shown hiding behind a tree while projectiles, being fired from Kurama, are exploding all around him. Wolfgang has a very worried face that is mixed with fear).
Wolfgang was hiding behind a tree, 700 grain .510 caliber High-Explosive bullets from Kurama's .50 Wyvern M165 HMG flying past him, barely missing. The bullets tore through the forest in long slow bursts of 5 and 10 as Kurama squeezed the trigger, scaring the s**t out of the young hedgehog-chimera boy. Each round, denoted as HE by the copper-colored bullets that were ripping through the trees and melting the snow, could have torn Wolfgang to shreds if Kurama actually hit him, and just as well, Arteza, Kurama's other self and husband, was driving Kurama's actions as well, the two in perfect sync. But the fact that it was cold as hell and they weren't dressed for it didn't help. Though Wolfgang and them were.
Steadying himself and drawing his bowstring, Wolfgang jumped out from behind the tree and fired various trick arrows at Kurama.
(It then shows various scenes of Wolfgang and Kurama fighting it out for the rest of the panels.)
Wolfgang: I have to keep this guy occupied, whoever he is. I cannot allow him to get to the village, there is no telling what he might do to those innocent kids who cannot defend themselves. I must stand so they will never fall. I hope the others can keep the other one away from the village. Come to think of it, how did these two mysterious people get teleported here in the first place? And why do two of them seem so familiar?
(A semi-overhead shot of Care-A-Lot, particularly focusing on three Mobian kids, a female cyborg turtle (Susan: AKA Number 7.6), an orange hedgehog male, and another hedgehog male except that this hedgehog is brown. The brown hedgehog is certainly younger than the orange hedgehog and the turtle. Approximately an hour or so ago. Wide shot of Amadeus, Wolfgang, and Susan walking down one of the streets in Care A Lot, with fresh snow on the ground)
Susan: Guys, don't you two think that Number 0 and Number 7 need a vacation?
Wolfgang: They have certainly earned it, but knowing them, they will refuse to take a one. More likely than not, they will have to be forced into it since they always love to work and they will not give themselves any time to rest.
(Picture of a bright beam column of light coming from the nearby forest near Care-A-Lot.) (Shows the three kids looking at each other, nodding then them running off to where the light was coming from.)(Susan And Amadeus are standing in a clearing in the forest, catching their breath while looking around their surroundings to see where their foe was, not knowing that their enemy had disappeared into Susan. Present Time)
Farid was busy inside Susan, in a weird technological landscape. He had some sort of translucent screen that had all sorts of things on it. This was his power - data magic. Farid was born with the power to control data and work in digital realms. And here, that was exactly what they needed, though, Farid found himself feeling like Susan was familiar, that he could swear she looked like Melody's friend Susan, but…this girl was older. Something didn't add up, and it wasn't just him.
Farid: *Chuckles to himself* Let's see what intel you have in here.
Kurama (through a communication device): Farid, are you in whatever that turtle is?
Farid: I'm in. Apparently, the orange and brown ones, along with this turtle, have more allies, and can potentially be a threat when working together as one. The boy you are fighting has fire powers and super speed, and what's more, the boy is this turtle's boyfriend.
Kurama: *Laughs* Heh. They're a little young to be dating, aren't they?
Farid: I recall you and Sheila being a couple when you guys were 7.
Kurama: Heh! Then I guess I'm no one to talk on that subject.
Farid: In any case, do you feel like these kids are familiar?
Kurama: Yeah.
Arteza knew as well, and he didn't exactly like the implications any more than Kurama did.
Arteza: Honey, something is gravely wrong….these kids look far too familiar….You don't think…..
Kurama's mouth went dry at the slow realization, but the way things were going with this fight….
(This panel is back in the real world) with Susan and Amadeus)
Susan was hunched over, in a manner like she was in the process of puking and was gasping for air. Amadeus was by her side, trying to help her in any way that he could.
Amadeus: Are you okay Susan? Why are you sick?
(Back with Farid)
Susan's voice is heard echoing throughout the landscape.
Susan: *Gasp* Amadeus, the mysterious stranger has managed to somehow hack into my personal files and memories. *Gasp* Listen to me very carefully, I need you to hit me as hard and as brutally as you can. *Gasp* I think that you can purge him from my systems that way.
Areza(sighing):That's what you think, girl. Sweetie, we need to stop them.
As the fight went on, Kurama found himself wearing down, and at one point, taking cover to reload, he started coughing. Arteza could feel Kurama's chest tighten, and knew they needed to end this soon.
Kurama Yeah, honey. I agree. (through a communication device): Farid, prepare yourself, I am going to use a mental attack on these two. Try and get as much information out of the turtle as you possibly can.
Farid: Copy that. And dude, you don't sound good, like-
Kurama:*cough* I'm fine, get it done.
Kurama wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, trying to calm down before he got an asthma attack. He and Arteza weren't doing good at all, not by a longshot. Kurama wove the seals quickly with one hand, altering his jutsu to be in a conical path instead of the normal spherical projection. He didn't perform the last seal until he moved out of cover, yelling at the kids to make them look at him.
Kurama: Hey!
As soon as they saw Kurama, he unleashed a wave of primal empathic energy with the last seal.
Kurama: Kyofu no Nami(Fear Wave)!
When the wave of energy hit, there was nothing they could do. It was overwhelming, energy like they had never faced before, and for a moment, they looked deeply into Kurama's eyes. And what they saw was both familiar and frightening at once.
(Back with Susan and Amadeus)
Both Amadeus and Susan were screaming at the top of their lungs while looking like they were in extreme excruciating , Fists was with Shard, walking through the forest. When they heard the screaming, they didn't know where to begin. (Fists is shown standing in the forest with Shard in a stroller. Both of them have questioning looks on their faces as they both hear the screams from Susan and is in front of the stroller, kneeling down to Shard's height and he is looking right into Shard's eyes.)
Fists: Shard, stay right here and do not move from this spot at all. Daddy's going to go and find out who is screaming and why. Hopefully, it is nothing, and the problem can be resolved quickly.
Shard nodded and Fist's set out, hoping he was right. Fists was busy running off as Shard was just sitting in the stroller hugging his blue stuffed triceratops tightly in fear. Fists was really worried though, as he had a bad feeling that he knew who was screaming, and it didn't help when he heard the gunfire. He wasn't familiar with Kurama's HMG, Slavic Dragon, the dull booming sounds unlike the higher-pitched sound of lasers he was used to.
Fists: Please….please let me be f**king wrong!
(Fists is shown running into the clearing where Susan and Amadeus are.)
When Fists reached the clearing, he skidded to a stop, shocked. Amadeus and Susan had stopped screaming but are still in the appearance of being in excruciating that really made Fists freak out, but he did his best to keep cool, even though he could have keeled over
Fists: Susan, Amadeus! What is going on? I heard you two screaming. Are you guys alright?
Susan: Fists! We need you to hit us as hard as you can. Somebody is hacking into me and someone else is causing the two of us pain, and I am currently reliving my worst nightmares but in more painful and scary ways. I think Amadeus is seeing his fears in the same way as I am seeing mine! Hurry! I don't think that we can stand this pain for much longer without dying!
Fists punched Amadeus first with his own version of Knuckles's "Deep Impact Punch," which caused Amadeus to snap out of it. Fists then proceeded to hit Susan with his own version of the shoryuken, which caused Farid to jump straight up out of Susan, like he was stylishly jumping like a stand from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.
When Farid got hit, he felt his whole body glitch, and pain shot through him like Kurama's lightning.
Farid: AAAAAAAHHHHHH! S**T!
Farid regained control once he was out of Susan's systems, and thanks to his quick reflexes as a sniper and the fact that he did yoga to keep himself limber for climbing and moving around the battlefield, courtesy of Kurama's suggestion, Farid was able to land without hurting himself. Farid was on all fours, when landing on the ground, while angrily growling at Fists for the brutal way that he had helped Susan purge him from her technological side. Farid was busy looking at Fists with a murderous intention on his face, unfortunately letting his mood control him.
Farid: You're gonna get it for that, kid.
Fists's expression was one that said "Bring it on" and Farid did. Farid kicked off and missed the first time with a kick, but came around and swiftly punched Fists in his gut, causing the boy to be sent flying through the trees. Amadeus and Susan have shocked looks on their faces. Farid though, well….
Farid: Holy hell….did i just knock his a** into next week? By the pharaohs, i actually kicked some a** in paw-to-paw combat!
(Fists is shown crashing through the shrubbery and into the clearing where Shard was.)
Fists, on the other paw, was not happy at all. No, he was pissed, and it showed on his face. Fists got up with a somewhat angry look on his face and he wiped a thin trickle of blood off from the side of his mouth with the back of his hand. Looking at his hand, he growled a bit, and Fists gave Farid the same murderous look and rushed into battle with Farid. Of course, Farid was amped up, and well, he wasn' backing down. At this point, there was something going on with everyone, not just Kurama and Farid. The familiarity of their foes, the sickening wave of energy they'd felt when the bright light receded, and the fact was, all of Gamma 13 was experiencing heightened aggression and paranoia, men and women alike. They were preparing for an attack as soon as they found themselves on terra nova, and everyone reverted to their training. Jenny was no different, as she was now focused on Shard, since she thought he was a war orphan left there. Farid and Fists were busy fighting it out, under the sight of Jenny, who was up high in a tree.
Jenny (Thought Bubble): Oh come on! Seriously Farid, why in the world are you and your foe fighting where an innocent baby can get hurt?! I better get that baby out of harm's way before they accidentally kill it. S**t, we don't need any kids becoming casualties out here, wherever the f**k here is.
Jenny dropped down to the ground, HP-59 Hedgehog pistol in paw, and took Shard out of his stroller carefully, stowing her pistol for a moment until she could get it from her holster again. As Jenny is getting back into the trees, Shard cried out, while dropping his toy when being picked up.
Shard: DADDY!
Jenny: There, there, don't worry little one. I am going to get you somewhere safe. Crud! I gotta get the kid away from all this s**t!
Fists heard and saw Jenny taking Shard, unknowing that she was trying to get his baby to safety. Shard was reaching out to him, while in the midst of tears. An enraged/worried look appeared on Fist's face and he was shouting.
Fists: Son!
He turned to Farid, dodging his strike.
Fists (looking at Farid with an irritated look on his face): I don't have time for this!
Fists shoots at Farid with his guns, encasing Farid in a semi-solid glue from the waist down. Fists then starts to chase after Jenny and Shard. By now, Jenny was one-handing her M-3227L Hedgehog rifle, using the sling to steady it in case she needed to fire off a burst to give herself some breathing room. She hoped the kids were the only enemies, and she didn't plan to fire at them, as she was expecting some adults from wherever they were, some local militia, to run up and try to kill them.
(This is back with Kurama and Wolfgang.) Wolfgang was at a somewhat temporary safe distance from Kurama, and the young hedgehog was blowing on a dog whistle with all his might. This, though seemingly good, proved to be a bad move, as it was causing Kurama to be temporarily paralyzed with a migraine. As Wolfgang was still blowing on the whistle, however, it caused Kurama to go berserk and lash out in pain, the pressure behind his eyes making him scream. Internally, Arteza was screaming as well, the terrible migraine building and building like someone was pressing on their temples with their thumbs trying to crush their heads. Seeing this, Wolfgang decides to wisely retreat to where he thought Susan and Amadeus were. Though, he had no idea that Kurama wouldn't be far behind. The worse the migraine got, the more pissed Kurama was, and he was flipping out. He cursed and raged, wanting to rip the dog whistle away from Wolfgang as fast as possible.
(Wolfgang is shown running into the clearing where Farid currently was, while being slowly followed by an enraged Kurama. Farid is shown trying to free himself from the trap that Fists had placed him in.)
Kurama: Ahhh! Frak this noise! Give me that star-damned whistle right f**king now!
Wolfgang rushes past Farid while still blowing on the dog whistle. Farid is cursing under his breath while trying to use his weapons in order to free himself, but with no luck.
Farid: Dammit, what he f**k….how the s**t are my khopeshes not cutting this s**t?
Kurama was slowly, while still going berserk, following him through the snow.
Wolfgang (Thought bubble): I know that my dog whistle is hurting him, but this guy is just going berserk! My best bet is to retreat back to Care-A-Lot or where I know it will be safe. All while evading this crazy person. This should be easy, NOT! Crap, if he starts up with big-a** gun, he's gonna kill a lot of kids!
Jenny dropped down near Farid, while still holding Shard. Shard was busy cowering and crying in her arms. Farid finally managed to get himself free from the glue that Fists had trapped him in, having gotten his sickle swords into a crack on the material and breaking it from there. Both he and Jenny see Kurama coming towards them in a rage while lashing out. Seeing this, Shard immediately curls up into a tight spiky ball in an attempt to protect hands Farid the tiny ball that is Shard.
Jenny: Get that baby out of here and to a safe place. I am going to calm Kurama down. Just try not to get that baby killed.
Farid: *Annoyed Sigh/growl* I did not sign up just to babysit, Jen; we gotta get Copper under control, and we gotta get this locked down and-
Jenny(growling at Farid on the last word): You don't think I know that? Just do your damn job and get the kid outta here!
Fists saw Shard being handed to Farid by Jenny. Fists then switches his attention from Jenny back to Farid since Farid was the one who was currently holding Shard, albeit quite gently and caringly, as Farid was actually good with kids and would protect Shard no matter what. Farid was just mad that Jenny was growling at him now.
Fists (enraged and shouting at the top of his voice): HEY YOU! LET MY SON GO RIGHT NOW!
Farid looked over when Fists said that, and seeing how pissed he was, Farid ran like hell, his Bastet-19 SMG in one hand, and Shard close to his chest.
(Farid is shown running away from Fists with Shard in his hands.) Farid had a legitimately surprised look on his face while he was running. This was because Fists was close on his heels and was readying himself to punch Farid. To Farid's astonishment however, Fits punched the ground and tunnels into it. Farid stopped in his tracks, looking at where Fists had tunneled into the ground. He had no idea why he did that, but later on, he'd realize why he made such a stupid decision.
Farid (Thought Bubble): How in the world did that kid dig into the ground with only punches?! How is that even possible? Questions for later. Right now-
Before Farid even finished the thought, Fists popped up out of the ground in front of Farid and gave him one solid shoryuken to the jaw. Out of reflex, Farid poofed himself into dust, and Shard dropped down into Fist's outstretched reappeared behind Fists, who had his eyes closed, one of his guns in his hands and Shard, still curled into a ball, in the other hand. Farid, though, still had his Bastet-19 and kept it ready.
Farid: Well, that was rude.
Fists turned and looked at Farid like "Really?".
Fists: It was rude when you and your friends attacked me and my friends, and took my son. That is why I hit you as hard as I did. So unless you want your head to be encased in the same stuff that I shot at you earlier, I suggest that we call a truce so we can figure out exactly what is going on here. From the way that you and your friends are acting and fighting, I can tell that you guys are lost and are missing a great deal of your team.
(Farid looks relieved from what Fists had said, and he walks to beside Fists.)
Farid: Finally someone who will listen! By the pharaohs, I can't tell you how much of a relief that is!
Fists then gently pressed a nerve on Shard's spiky ball form, which caused Shard to uncurl. Fists proceeded to comfort his son while walking away.
Fists: Follow me. I will take you to where we will be able to talk it out in a place that is somewhat neutral. I am just going to go and get Shard's stroller and his stuffed triceratops first. Hopefully your rampaging friend has calmed down by now.
When he said that, Farid just remembered what was going on with Kurama.
Farid(half to himself): Anubis's scales….
Fists was pushing the stroller that now has Shard in it. Farid was following closely behind him, slightly paranoid in case anybody else tried to attack him and now worrying more about Kurama. He kept his Bastet-19 shouldered, ready.
Fists: Did you say something?
Farid: No, just….
The three entered the clearing where Kurama and Jenny were, and that was when they saw Jenny clinging onto Kurama like he was a mechanical bull that is turned on to the maximum setting. She had one hand on Kurama while the other one had a large syringe in it. Fists and Shard both have "What is going on here?" looks on their faces, while Farid has a panicked look on his face.
Fists: Well, I will just let you help deal with your crazy friend. I am going to get my son to safety while you are dealing with that.
Farid (in a panicking/freaking out manner): NO WAY! THERE IS NO WAY I AM GOING ANYWHERE NEAR HIM RIGHT NOW! AND YOU CANNOT MAKE ME NO MATTER WHAT! By ANUBIS'S SCALES, YOU FIX THIS, I DON'T WANNA GET SHREDDED!
Fists: Alright you big chicken! I'm going to do it instead, Chaos help me. (*Under his breath*: Sweet Aurora! If I wanted to hear whining like this, I would have just stayed back in Care-A-Lot with the young orphaned toddlers.) You just take my son and get him to safety. I swear, if anything happens to Shard, you are going to wish that you have never come to these woods or came across me in the first place. What the heck….Anubis's scales? Who the heck is Anubis?
Fists ran into the fray, and he got slashed across the chest by Kurama's claws. He shrugged it off and continued to evade the attacks from Kurama, and somehow got in close. As soon as he got close enough, Fists used his version of the "Deep Impact Punch" on Kurama, who became stunned long enough for Jenny to inject the medicine syringe in his neck, due to Fists knocking the wind out of him and Arteza. Kurama fell to the ground, knocked out and Arteza was out too. Jenny then got up off of Kurama, while removing the now empty syringe.
Jenny: I don't know who you are kid, but thanks for the assistance.
Fists (While picking up Kurama under one of his shoulders, and bleeding from his chest): Come on, let's get this guy to my girlfriend so that she can patch him and me up. We have to get your whining friend and my son, so that all of us can get to my girlfriend. My name, as far as you are concerned for now, is Number 7.4. Until I can tell my team leader about you three, and probably the rest of your team, I don't trust you. My boss will be the deciding factor to see if you guys are worthy to be trusted or not.
(Fists, Jenny, Shard, and Farid are shown coming into a clearing with the rest of Sector S, Rodney, and Amadeus in a non-destroyed area of the forest. Wolfgang, Susan, and Amadeus gasp in shock and worry at the sight of who was with Fists and Shard.)